Chapter 12 – Growing stronger, growing apart ----------- -Cerulean City- Ash, Misty and Brock arrived in Cerulean City over a half an hour ago, heading towards Misty’s house to stay for the night. Upon entering the gym, the gang was met with three very similar, familiar, and pretty faces. The three girls had blue, pink, and blonde hair respectively and wore matching bathing suits. Brock, who was always a huge fan for pretty girls in bathing suits, was quick to make his declaration of love for them. Fortunately, Misty didn’t lose her touch when it came to stopping Brock’s flirtatious behavior. After making small talk, the three sensational sisters decided to let Ash, Brock, and Misty know about their plans for the gym. Apparently, the people of Cerulean City demanded something new from the three sisters besides swimming shows and plays. They wanted action, competition, and excitement. After much deliberation, Daisy, the eldest blonde sister, found something which might appeal to the public, something which has never been done before in Cerulean City. “A Martial Arts Tournament?” Ash, Misty and Brock inquired simultaneously. “Right! The idea seemed, like, so perfect at the time. It’s, like, something all of our fans can enjoy.” Daisy said with a glimmer of excitement in her eyes. “Just the idea of so many people coming to see some fancy action and competitors fighting for the grand prize is, like, totally awesome!” Violet, the second eldest blue haired sister quipped. “Yeah, and we’ll also get to see a whole bunch of hot guys getting all sweaty fighting each other!” Lily, the second youngest pink haired sister, cheered excitedly. She paused for a moment, noticing the odd looks she was getting. “…What?” “Ahem!” Daisy coughed, getting everyone’s attention, “Anyway, I was hoping if maybe you guys could, like, join the fun! We need more people in order to start the tournament, and it would be great if all you guys could join.” “Hmm…well, even though it sounds fun, we don’t have the time for stuff like that. We’ve got to finish our search for some crystal shards.” Ash said. Daisy placed her finger on her chin thoughtfully. “Shard? Come to think of it, we found something like that earlier during our vacation. Let’s see…aha!” She pulled out a small rainbow fragment from her purse and showed it to Ash. “Wait a minute, isn’t that…it is!” Ash gasped with a start. It was a shard of the Final Destiny! “I see, so you’ve been looking for this thing?” Daisy asked. Ash nodded. “Well, if it’s important, then I guess I can give it to you.” She extended the shard piece to Ash, but just before the boy could grab it, the sensational sister pulled it away. “Under one condition! You must enter our tournament and make it up to at least top 4.” “Top 4? Why only that?” Ash asked. “I ask because there might be some really strong competition, and I can’t expect you to defeat everyone in the tournament. I can only hope you will do well enough to make it to the top 4. It shouldn’t be too hard since word of the tournament has barely reached outside Cerulean City. All you need to do is put some effort into it and you’ll do good. So how about it? Enter the tournament, make it to top 4, then you’ll score this lovely crystal.” Ash had to contemplate on the matter with Misty and Brock, since they would have to enter too. They couldn’t miss out on a chance of a shard, so it didn’t seem like they had a real choice. Also, they could further improve their strengths incase of more powerful threats in the future. It was decided. “Alright, we’ll do it.” Ash announced. “Sounds good! I’ll go ahead and set up the registration for you guys” Daisy left for her private office. The beige colored room was rather messy due the lack of people actually taking the time to organize the office. Papers and folders were strewn across the wooden desk and white carpeted floor. There were two windows with pink shades, a supply closet, and a few scattered cabinets. It was there a man leaned against the wall, smiling at Daisy in gratitude. “I appreciate you doing this, honestly.” “No, no, I should be the one thanking you. If it wasn’t for you, our gym would’ve been bankrupted. Besides, it was you who gave me the idea for a tournament, and it turned out to be a huge attraction. Oh yeah, you were right about this crystal thingy. Ash was looking for this.” Daisy tossed the man the Final Destiny fragment. The stranger caught it single handedly and placed it into his pocket. “Do you plan on fulfilling my part of the bargain?” “Of course! You will be entered the tournament. But I wonder, why do you want Ash to enter so badly? Do you know him or something?” The man grinned widely. “Heh, you would be surprised. Anyway, I have to go soon to meet a couple of people. There’s something I want you to do for me though…” In the living room, Ash, Misty and Brock were busy talking to Violet and Lily when Daisy walked out of the office with a confused look on her face. Ash noticed this. “Oh, hi Daisy. Is something bothering you?” “Huh? Oh, not really. It’s just something strange I was requested to do. Ash, I was told to give you a message from someone who says he was an old friend of yours.” Daisy informed. Ash blinked. “An old friend of mine? What’s the message?” “Um…let’s see…it was something like ‘If you want your shards, hat and dignity back, you must defeat me in the tournament six days from now’. Also, he said his name was Soma.” Ash shot from his chair in an uproar. Brock and Misty had shocked looks on their faces. “SOMA!?” Daisy was taken aback by Ash’s shouting. “I guess you two know each other. That also explains why you don’t have your hat.” “Yeah…I did find that kind of strange. It looks weird seeing him without his hat.” Violet commented. Satoshi instantly knew what Soma was up to. He glanced over at Takeshi, who gave him a nod which confirmed his suspicions. “Ash, Soma is obviously challenging us to a rematch.” A grin graced Satoshi’s lips. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” “Definitely.” Ash answered telepathically. He directed his attention to the sensational sisters. “So the tournament is in six days, right?” “Yeah. This Sunday.” Daisy answered. Ash slapped his fist together. “Good. I can get some training in and then kick that guy’s butt in the tournament!” “Training…” That was something Satoshi had considered ever since their first battle with Soma. Though his memory was still incomplete, he knew there were many Viziers as strong as Soma, a few of which who were stronger than Soma. If Ash was to stand a chance against them, he would need to boost his own strengths and learn how to properly fight. So far, Satoshi hadn’t thought about teaching Ash his ways. However, with the new threats rapidly approaching, it was time to take off the kid gloves. Since there was only five days of actual training that could be done, wasting time wasn’t an option. “Ash, could you find a room where all three of us could talk privately?” “Uh…sure.” Ash wasn’t sure what the spirit was planning, but it might’ve been important. “Um, Daisy? Is there a room where Brock, Misty and I can talk for a minute?” “Sure. Actually, we should have a spare room which we’ve just finished fixing up, so you can go ahead and get comfortable there.” “Thanks a lot!” Ash went with his two friends towards the said guest room, which was on the second floor. -Cerulean Gym – Guest Room- It was a simple room with walls painted with blue wave patterns. The only objects in the room were two beds, a brown chair and dresser. Ash and Misty sat on one bed while Brock took the other and dropped their backpacks on the floor. After making sure the door was closed, Ash proceeded to talk with his spirit. “Alright Satoshi, so what did you want to talk with us about?” Satoshi’s spirit was soon visible to everyone, followed by Takeshi and Kasumi’s spirit. “It’s about the tournament. So far, I haven’t taught you much as far as combat techniques and battle tactics. During our journey so far, we’ve encountered very powerful foes. Some battles we’ve won, one we’ve lost. Whether you would like to believe it or not, there will be many enemies we will face who are indeed as strong as Soma. There will be a few who are ever stronger and more lethal. Though we’ve been lucky, our luck is bound to run out. This is where my idea comes in.” “I think I have an idea of what you’re trying to get at Satoshi.” Takeshi said, sitting on the bed next to Brock. “Yeah. I think it’s time for some serious combat training. We each have our different styles and beliefs, so I feel it would be best if we all trained separately from each other.” “I disagree.” Misty argued immediately, “I mean, sure our styles may be different, but training separately wouldn’t yield any more of a benefit than working together. If we work together, we could grow to learn how to flow as one group.” “I’m not saying for the entire journey we work separately. It will be just for this tournament and perhaps a few instances in the future. I’ll admit, you do have a point. Training together will be beneficial for teamwork. But your plan won’t help for the upcoming tournament.” “And why not?” Misty demanded, not liking Satoshi’s plan. “Because with most tournaments, they are one-on-one matches. Where will your teamwork be then? Hm?” “I…” Misty faltered a little, unsure of how to respond. Satoshi had a point. “I get what you mean Satoshi, but—” “No buts Misty!” Satoshi interrupted roughly, surprising everyone. “For this tournament, we need to work on our own strengths rather than teamwork. Have you already forgotten what happened in our first battle against Soma? What happened to all of your ‘teamwork’ when Soma mopped the floor with us? He took us all down one by one!” “Yeah, I know, but—” “Also, do you remember almost getting Ash killed because of your recklessness? I still remembered the look of fear in your eyes! Your weakness and hesitation nearly killed him! You know why? It’s because as of this moment, you are weak!” Misty was stunned by Satoshi’s comment, but had no time to make a comeback because Satoshi wasn’t finished. “Had you been a little stronger, such a scenario wouldn’t have happened! You can go on and on about teamwork and working together, but if you are a weak little crybaby, the only thing you will do is drag all of us down, and possibly be the death of us all!” Misty couldn’t say anything. Satoshi’s words were harsh, but proved a point. She nearly killed Ash because of her hesitation, because she was weak. “And furthermore…” “THAT’S ENOUGH SATOSHI!” Kasumi interrupted sharply. “Have you forgotten they’re only children!? You expect them to know so much when you barely know anything yourself!” Satoshi shot a dark glare at the Raikeizian. “I wasn’t talking to you—” “But I’m talking to you, so shut up and listen! They aren’t seasoned warriors Satoshi. They’re children. They had their own lives until we merged with them. If I was able to, I wouldn’t drag them into this mess. Just because they hesitate or lose a battle doesn’t give you the right to yell at them as if they did something wrong. They did their best, and quite honestly, I’m proud of them. They continue to grow stronger with each battle, yet you can’t see that. As a matter of fact, nothing ever satisfies you! If someone does one thing wrong, you attack them for no reason!” “I’m not attacking them. I’m telling them the truth!” “That’s not the truth! How dare you call Misty weak!? If anything, she is exceptionally strong and brave! She will not drag us down! If anything, the only thing that will drag us down is your radical beliefs! Tch, that’s something to be expected from a forsaken one.” Kasumi spat the last statement so venomously it cut through Satoshi like a knife. Takeshi winced at the insult, knowing how badly would sting, especially to Satoshi. Satoshi had a shocked look on his face at first, but it quickly changed to one of intense fury. “I should’ve expected this from you…you’re always like this! Stop with the BS and get real! Misty is a weakling and needs to build up her own strengths before she talks about any teamwork!” “Why don’t you shut the hell up and understand that no one’s perfect! People make mistakes! They make mistakes and learn from them, just like you and I!” “THE ONLY MISTAKE I MADE WAS FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU!!!” Just as those words erupted from Satoshi’s mouth, he clamped his own mouth shut, his eyes wide. The room suddenly grew quiet and tense. The spirit hosts grew wide eyed; their jaws hanging open in shock. Takeshi shook his head sadly, knowing that was the straw that broke the Numel’s back. “K…Kasumi, I—” “You’ve said enough Satoshi. You made your point. I understood that since the beginning…” Kasumi’s hostile composure quickly dissipated, replaced by what was a mixture of hurt and grief. “I-I’m going to rest. Tomorrow promises to be a busy day. Good night…” Kasumi faded from sight, retreating to her sanctuary inside Misty’s consciousness. Satoshi’s hand reached out the Kasumi slightly, but soon lowered, knowing she wasn’t going to come out any time soon. His eyes met Misty’s, which had a combination of confusion, shock, and anger in them. He slowly turned away, feeling shame and anguish creep upon him. “Misty…I…a-apologize for my harsh words. Though there’s room for improvement, you are not weak…not at all…” He followed Kasumi’s example and retreated inside Ash’s consciousness. Silence engulfed the room. Ash’s previous excitement for the upcoming tournament changed to worry. He never knew too much about Satoshi and the spirits, but judging by Satoshi’s fierce statement and the spirits reaction, there was definitely something more to them, much more than he initially realized. He could tell Satoshi didn’t mean what he said, but he knew Kasumi thought otherwise. The only spirit left was Takeshi, and he seemed to understand the situation very well. A little too well… “…Takeshi?” Ash called with a soft tone. “I know it’s none of my business, but could you explain what just happened?” For the first time, Ash noticed Takeshi’s serious expression. It was something about it which clearly stated something very bad and severe just occurred. “That is something you should ask them. It’s not my place to say. Let’s just say the story does not have a happy ending.” “Oh…” Was the only thing Ash could say. There were so many questions he had. One of them he felt he could ask Takeshi. “Kasumi said something about Satoshi being a forsaken one. What did she mean by that?” Takeshi had a sad look on his face at the thought of it. Satoshi had every right to get angry at Kasumi for that remark. It was truly harsh. “That…is a term we use for people who are from Kuroza, Satoshi’s country. Satoshi and his country’s base element is darkness. Darkness is a mysterious and unique element, something which few people understand completely. Those that don’t understand it fear it. Fear turns to hate, and in the end, everyone starts calling it ‘evil’ and ‘demonic’. When people are born, they are born with a base element. There are five main elements: Fire, Water, Nature, Light, and Darkness. Darkness is the least understood element, and because of that, it is considered to be the most dangerous. Sadly, those who are born with Darkness as a base element are automatically labeled as forsaken ones, or evil infidels. Because of this belief, most infants don’t live to see day two. This is because when it is discovered they are forsaken ones…they are often killed immediately…” “Oh my god…” Misty gasped, horrified. “That’s so cruel…” “That’s not even the worst of it. At one point, a major tragedy took place which forever changed the fate of Lumina: The Grand Massacre, or a more correct name, the Kurozian Massacre. During the early period of the Luminarian war, something or someone started a massive witch-hunt campaign targeting all forsaken ones. Those who were found were either killed immediately, sent into concentration camps, tortured for sick and twisted pleasures, or setup for public executions, and that was on the daily, sometimes hourly, basis. Within that year, millions of people died. Because forsaken ones were so feared, sometimes, people killed those who weren’t even forsaken ones, just because they either tried to help them or because people thought they were one of them. I don’t remembered how it ended exactly, but by the end of the massacre, all of the forsaken ones created their own country and gave their country a new name: Kuroza. It was a tough struggle, but Kurozians had quickly grown enough to stand up to any country single-handedly. When I was alive, I remembered there were only two countries who strongly believed that Kurozians were pure evil: Raikeiza and Terroga. Even though my country thought they were nothing but evil, me and a few others didn’t believe so. What I believe is that the power you are born with doesn’t define whether you are good or bad, but it is what you do with that power that matters.” “What you do with your power…” Ash whispered to himself. He stared into his palm, feeling dark energy emanating from it. It was Satoshi’s power, the power of darkness. It was before Ash thought darkness was power only villains and evil doers had. But now…he knew such wasn’t the case. It was just coincidence. He knew what he wanted to do with that power. It wasn’t to destroy, but to save. The power of darkness…it was certainly mysterious, and Ash barely understood any of it. He didn’t understand anything relating to spirits, synching, powers, abilities, and other such things. “The power…right now, I’m using Satoshi’s power of darkness…it feels different from what I first thought it would….” Takeshi seemed surprised at this. “What do you mean?” “Whenever I thought of the word dark, it would think cold, lonely, and scary. But, whenever I use Satoshi’s power…it feels like it’s a veil of armor protecting me. I don’t feel cold and I know I’m not lonely. That’s how I know darkness is not evil. When I first met Satoshi and realized he was a darkness guardian, I was honestly a little afraid. I believed darkness was something dangerous. But now, I understand it a little more. It’s not something to fear, it’s something to understand. You never know what lies in the darkness unless you go forward, and that’s what I’ll do. I’ll understand this power and use it to do the right thing.” Takeshi nodded in approval. “Bravo Ash, that’s exactly what I was hoping to hear. I’m glad there are still people like you around. It makes the world a better place to live.” “Thanks Takeshi.” Ash wanted to be happy about Takeshi’s compliment, but something was still worrying him. Misty, who knew Ash very well, could easily tell. “Are you worried about Satoshi?” Misty asked. Ash nodded silently. It was understandable. She was worried about Kasumi. Kasumi took Satoshi’s words very hard, and those types of wounds were tough to heal. Misty had an idea though. She wouldn’t like it, but it was a good way to start helping the problem resolve and get to know Kasumi more. “Um…Ash? About Satoshi’s advice to train separately…I think…we should give it a shot…” “What? But I thought you wanted to train together?” Ash asked in surprise. “I do, but I just need some alone time with Kasumi. I don’t like it as much as you do, but I think the last thing Kasumi and Satoshi need at the moment is to be near each other. Let’s give them some space for awhile, to let them heal. Something will work out, I’m sure of it.” Ash took a moment to think hard on it. He didn’t like the idea of training without his friends, but Misty has never steered him wrong. Also, she had a point. The two spirits needed some space to recover. “…Okay Misty. We’ll try it your way.” Misty stood up and headed for the door, but not before stopping next to Ash and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Thanks Ash. I’m going to bed now, it’s getting late. Good night.” “Night Misty.” Ash bided. Brock released a tired yawn. “I think I’m gonna hit the sack too. There’s training to be done, so we should get up early. See you tomorrow Ash.” “Yeah. See ya…” Ash got under his covers and after a few minutes fell asleep. Tomorrow was definitely going to be a busy day. The next day arrived and everyone thought it would be better to put their plan into action after breakfast, which Brock decided to cook for the entire house as thanks to Misty’s sisters for letting them stay. Breakfast was somewhat quiet. Brock was the only one who seemed to be in high spirits, even though he was doing it solely to alleviate the tension. With Ash and Misty, though they knew they shouldn’t let last night bother them, it was something so unexpected that they couldn’t help but keep thinking about it. Hopefully, things would get better soon. When breakfast ended, everyone took their leave and went their separate ways for the day. It was planned they would train alone for most of the day then come back by mid evening, roughly 8 o’clock. Hopefully it would be plenty of time before the face-off next week. -Cerulean Training Grounds A – Ash- Ash had traveled some distance from the city in order to find an isolated spot to train. There, he took out his five Pokéballs and summoned all of his Pokémon, which consisted of a Noctowl, Snorlax, Grovyle, Swellow, and Torkoal. All of the Pokémon greeted him happily. It had been awhile since they’ve all gathered together. Ash smiled happily. “It’s been awhile you guys! How’ve ya been?” The Pokémon cried merrily, answering that they’ve missed him. “I have a special guest I would like to introduce. Noctowl, think you can use your foresight?” The owl Pokémon nodded and shot twin red beams from its eyes, engulfing the area in a red flash. When the light dissipated, the Pokémon were shocked with what appeared. Satoshi, clad in his ancient clothing and armor, materialized into his physical form. Noctowl and Pikachu had seen him before, so they weren’t as surprised as the other Pokémon. What was especially surprising was how similar Satoshi and Ash looked. “Everyone, this is my spiritual friend Satoshi. Satoshi, these are my pals Grovyle, Torkoal, Snorlax, and Swellow. You’ve already met Pikachu and Noctowl before.” “Uh…right…” Satoshi said unsurely. He turned to face Ash’s Pokémon, who all gave him unsure looks. This made the spirit feel a little uneasy. “Um…hello there.” Snorlax proceeded to ignore the spirit and go back to one of his favorite hobbies, sleeping. Torkoal and Swellow carefully approached Satoshi, unsure of his abnormal aura. Also, the face Satoshi had on wasn’t friendly looking. While Ash had kind, warm eyes, Satoshi’s eyes had a cool, yet scary, look to it. Frankly, Satoshi didn’t look like the friendly type. “Tor…koal?” Torkoal said, standing directly in front of Satoshi. Satoshi tossed Ash an unsure glance. “Go on Satoshi, it’s alright. Say hi to Torkoal.” “Sure…” Satoshi slowly knelt in front of Torkoal, as to not surprise the Fire-type. “Hello…Torkoal.” Satoshi felt a little uncomfortable. He’d never met a real life Pokémon before. In his time, he’d heard about them, but never seen one. He also found it strange how they could only say their name over and over. Slowly, he extended his hand to Torkoal. Torkoal then lifted his front foot and placed it in Satoshi’s hand. When the two shook hands, they both smiled lightly. “Heh, aren’t you an interesting creature.” Soon enough, Swellow, Noctowl and Pikachu gathered around Satoshi to greet him. Grovyle, however, didn’t trust Satoshi. He may’ve looked friendly to everyone else, but Grovyle didn’t like the feel of his aura. To Grovyle, Satoshi was someone he couldn’t trust…yet. “Alright guys, for the next five days, Satoshi is going to help me train for a big tournament. This isn’t a Pokémon tournament, but a human one. I’ve brought you all out here today so you can help me prepare. So how about it, will you guys help me out?” All of the Pokémon, besides the sleeping Snorlax, gave a resounding cry, agreeing to help Ash in his training. It would be an interesting change from the normal. “Hmm…I never thought to use these creatures in our training, but perhaps they could be useful. But the question is how to start…” Satoshi stood up and paced back and forth, contemplating on what to teach Ash first. There were many things to teach him, but he needed a good starting point… …And then, he thought of one. “Ash.” Satoshi started, “…I want you to try and hit me with all you got. Don’t hold back, even if it might seriously injure me.” Ash blinked at first, unsure of going all out. Quite honestly, he wasn’t sure how much stronger he had gotten, and he might seriously hurt Satoshi. “Are you sure about that…?” “Yes I’m sure. Just do it.” Satoshi assured with a nod. “Well, you’ve asked for it…” With that, Ash lunged at Satoshi with his fist raised. Moments before Ash’s fist landed on his face, Satoshi shifted to the right, catching Ash completely defenseless. “…Wha…?” Was all Ash had time to say before— SLAM! Within moments, Ash was on the ground eating dirt. Satoshi had grappled onto Ash’s arm and flipped him like a pancake, promptly planting him onto the earth. “Rule one: Don’t put all of your strength into a punch unless you are sure you will hit. Otherwise, you’ll leave yourself defenseless. Now try again.” Ash immediately got back on his feet and dashed at Satoshi. This time, he performed a spin kick, aiming for the face. It was then Satoshi did a move which took him by complete surprise. Satoshi placed his hands on the ground and did a handstand. In that instant, the back of one of Satoshi’s legs grappled and halted Ash’s kicking leg while the other slammed into Ash’s stomach, causing him to gasp for air. Right then, Satoshi brought the leg that rammed into Ash back a little and held onto Ash’s kicking leg, immobilizing it. Before Ash could react, he was sent hurling through the air and landed roughly on the ground. The Pokémon either gasped in amazement at Satoshi’s flexibility or winced at Ash’s pain. Coughing up dust, Ash pushed himself up and gawked at Satoshi in shock. “Wha…what on earth was that!?” Satoshi grinned. “That…” He started, “…Is how you’re supposed to fight.” A few hours later, it was break time and Ash had finished the first portion of his training. Never in his life had he felt so worn out. Satoshi, reverting to his ghost form to conserve energy, sat next to Ash. “You lack coordination with your moves, you have slow reflexes and your power has no real direction or passion in it. Quite frankly, you suck.” “Gee, thanks Satoshi…” Ash said sardonically, rolling his eyes. “I feel so confident in my abilities now...” At the last comment, Ash noticed a look in Satoshi’s face. It was slight, but it looked as if, by some unholy chance, he felt guilty about what he said. “…But, you’re…at least making some progress. If you keep at it…you will grow stronger and better…” Satoshi turned away, slightly embarrassed. Ash couldn’t believe his ears. Was that…a compliment? Well, more like a semi- compliment, but it was a positive statement. Ever since he fused with Satoshi’s spirit, all he got was snipes and rude remarks. He wondered if this change was for a reason…perhaps one involving last night. “Satoshi…um….” “Are you going to ask me about last time, that little…argument I had with…her?” Ash blinked in surprise, not expecting Satoshi to complete his question. Did he read his mind? “And if you are wondering if I read your mind to figure that out, I didn’t. You’re just that predictable, not to mention your face is easy to read.” Ash’s expression softened. Satoshi must be having a tough time. It was especially apparent to Ash after finding out what it meant to be a forsaken one. “Satoshi…Takeshi told me what it meant to be a…a forsaken one…and…last night, when Kasumi said—” “That’s old news…all of it is. You don’t need to concern yourself—” “But I do!” Ash interrupted. “We’re going to be stuck together, so like you said last night, it would be best if we got to know each other a little bit.” “I didn’t mean it like that…” Satoshi was seriously trying to avoid the subject, but Ash pressed on. “I know but…I…we got off on the wrong foot ever since we first met, but I really want to get to know and understand you. Even though it has been such a short time, I feel like we can become good friends. I mean, it’s obvious that statement you made last night wasn’t completely true—” “What the hell do you know!?” Satoshi yelled suddenly, causing Ash to jerk back. “Who the hell do you think you are, telling me what is and what isn’t true!? You don’t know ANYTHING about me, so don’t go around, giving me that crap! What happened between Kasumi and I is none of your business, so quit sticking your nose in it!” Unable to contain his anger, Satoshi stood up. “Breaks over…let’s get back into training…now…” Ash glanced sadly at Satoshi while giving Noctowl the command to use Foresight. Even though it really wasn’t any of his business, Ash truly wanted to know what it was that happened between Satoshi and Kasumi. It was obvious that whatever happened between them hurt Satoshi deeply, and it showed with Satoshi’s stricter and more serious attitude in Ash’s training for the next few hours… -Cerulean Gym’s Basement - Misty- Misty had found a small practicing room in the Cerulean Gym’s basement. It was there she was pushing her body to its absolute limit, going by Kasumi’s teachings and directions. As her body flowed from one action to another, Satoshi’s words fluttered through her mind like an undying echo. “You can go on and on about teamwork and working together, but if you are a weak little crybaby, the only thing you will do is drag all of us down, and possibly be the death of us all!” As much as she didn’t want to admit it, Satoshi was absolutely right. She was weak. She didn’t want Ash to take all the pain of battle; she wanted to share it with him. If her love for him was true, then she would do all she could to get stronger, and be able to fight with Ash, for Ash. In the past, Ash had always fought for everyone else, whether to protect something precious or for a cause he believed in. Misty wanted to do the same. There was something to protect and something to believe in. That thing would always be Ash, for now and forever. Misty’s thoughts were interrupted when she felt her chest burn in pain, demanding a break from exercising. She fell on her knees, gasping for air. Kasumi, coaching from her ghost form, noticed this and was surprised. Misty had been training for 4 hours straight with no signs of stopping. A feat like that was very tough to accomplish, though Kasumi had expected such from Misty. Kasumi could relate—no, she used to be able to relate. There was a time where she had something to fight for, something to believe in, but after what happened…and thanks to him, it all went crashing down in a ball of flame, never to be revived again. That something was Kasumi’s heart. “Alright, that’s enough. Let’s take a break.” Kasumi directed. “I’m…alright…” Misty panted, struggling to stand up. She fell to the floor again when her legs gave way. They felt like jelly. “I…can…keep…going…” “No you can’t. You can’t push your body like this constantly. Take measures to keep your body in top condition. We will continue, but you can’t at the moment. We will take a small break first, alright?” Kasumi stared at Misty with pleading eyes. Misty sighed in defeat. Curse those eyes. “Alright, I’ll take a break.” She sat down at one of the nearby chairs and grabbed a bottle of water, downing half of it in one gulp. She hadn’t realized how thirsty she was until now. While she was taking a break, she took note of Kasumi’s silence. Something was bothering her, and Kasumi was trying hard not to show it. “Kasumi?” No response. “…Kasumi?” Once again, no reaction. “Kasumi!?” Kasumi was jerked out of her thoughts, but tried to hide it. “Yes?” Misty gazed at her with a worried expression. “Are you alright?” Kasumi wanted to say ‘yes’, but she knew Misty had some indication that wasn’t the truth. “…It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.” “Is this about what Satoshi said?” When Kasumi twitched at Satoshi’s name, Misty knew she hit it right on the mark. Kasumi chuckled dryly. “You know, it really is silly. It shouldn’t bother me the slightest, but for some reason, I just can’t help it. Heh, I don’t even know why I’m thinking about it. I-I mean, it’s silly, preposterous! Why should I care? I knew it from the start! A-and also…” And from there, Kasumi just babbled on, somewhat incoherently. Misty started understanding Kasumi a little bit more, and felt so sad about it. It wasn’t as simple as Kasumi was strong, but she was forcing herself to be strong. “Kasumi?” Misty called, breaking Kasumi out of her ‘I don’t care’ rant. “Um…I know this is a silly question, but were you and Satoshi actually…together before?” Kasumi grimaced at the question. She turned away, giving her silence as an answer. Misty felt uncomfortable with the silence, so she pressed on. “Would it be bad if I asked you how it happened…how you two got together?” Hopefully, bringing up happier memories would cheer Kasumi up a little. It worked. A small smile was brought to Kasumi’s lips, as well as a faint blush in her cheeks. “It happened about 3 years after our first meeting. It was night time, and I couldn’t get any sleep. When I looked around, I noticed that Satoshi wasn’t anywhere to be seen, so I went searching for him…” --Kasumi’s Flashback – Lumina 5000 years ago – Forest area-- A 13 year old Kasumi stalked through the night of the forest, her only light being the moon and the stars. Her search for Satoshi led her to a small pond area. The moonlight glimmered fantastically on the lake, bringing a small smile to her lips. Also, it was there when she noticed the boy she was searching for, pacing back and forth while looking fairly agitated and deep in thought. It was a wonder what was going on with him. With Satoshi, he started muttering lowly to himself. “This is just so stupid. Why can’t I just forget about it and…no, that won’t work. I just have to do it and get it over with. But…damn this is annoying!” “What’s annoying?” Kasumi inquired, standing directly behind Satoshi. “GYAH!” Satoshi jumped away from her, clutching his chest and gasping. “Don’t do that!” Kasumi shot him a flat gaze. “Aren’t you from Kuroza? You should be used to stealth by now.” “Tch, whatever.” Satoshi sat on the ground with crossed legs and arms, an annoyed expression on his face. “Anyway, what are you doing up so late, pacing around like crazy?” Kasumi sat next to him, giving him a slightly worried yet serious stare. Satoshi noticed the hint of concern in her eyes and looked away, a tinge of color appearing on his cheeks. “…Nothing. What about you?” “Couldn’t sleep. Just wanted to see where you were, that’s all. Is there something bothering you that you want to talk about?” “No, nothing.” He answered gruffly. “Well, alright. Good night then.” Kasumi got up to leave when Satoshi’s hand gently grabbed her arm. “No, wait…” Satoshi released a deep sigh before continuing, “Actually, there is something I want to talk to you about…” Kasumi sat down on her knees, listening intently. “Yes?” Satoshi sat on his knees as well and stared directly into Kasumi’s eyes, a serious look on his face. “Kasumi…I’m not good at this stuff, and frankly, it’s very troublesome, but I can’t continue to ignore it…the thing is…” He stopped and averted his gaze, looking very embarrassed. “The thing is that I…well…it’s been a few years since we’ve traveled together, right? We’ve been through a lot of stuff and…and…if you weren’t here with us; it wouldn’t have been as …um…enjoyable. I remember when we first met, you was this hostile girl who kept nagging me for some stupid bike—” “Ahem, MY stupid bike that YOU broke…” Kasumi corrected. “Yes, yes, your bike, I get it. That’s not what I’m trying to get at.” “Then say whatever it is you are going to say. It’s getting late.” “Don’t rush me! Anyway, the thing is, it’s been about three years since we’ve met, and…um….I…have been….seeing you in…well…a different way than before. I used to think you were nothing but some scrawny, whiny, obsessive woman who—let me finish!” Satoshi defended, catching Kasumi’s deadly glare. He took a deep breath and curled his fist, placing them firmly on his lap. The blush on his cheeks intensified. “But…lately…that’s change. Now I see you as…as…as a…b-b-beautiful w-w-woman who I enjoy being with. The truth is…is that…I…I…um...I…” “Baby steps Satoshi. The alphabet can be very difficult for the stupid. Just remember, after I come J.” Kasumi joked. “Will you shut up!? I’m trying to be serious! And dammit, stop laughing!” Satoshi barked, glaring. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry. Please continue.” Kasumi shut up quickly, awaiting Satoshi to finish his statement. Her heart was beating a mile a minute, silently praying it was what she hoped it was. Summing up his remaining courage, Satoshi stared directly at Kasumi, his face full of resolve and determination. “Anyway, Kasumi…the truth is that…I…l-l-like you…a lot…a whole lot…probably a lot more than that. I really, really, really like you. And, I was hoping that maybe…we could…be more…than friends…” There was a long pause, and Satoshi patiently awaited his answer. A minute later, he got one. “…That’s what you kept me awake for? I’m going back to bed…” Kasumi yawned in boredom, standing up. Satoshi face-faulted in shock. “STOP MESSING WITH ME AND ANSWER!” He shouted angrily. Kasumi raised her hands defensively. “Relax, I was just kidding! You are just too easy to mess with…” “Just answer the bloody question already. Will you…go out…with me?” “What was that? I couldn’t hear you.” Kasumi cupped her ears, secretly grinning. Satoshi gritted his teeth. “Will you go out…with me?” “Speak louder. I can’t hear your mumbling…” “I ASKED IF YOU WILL GO OUT WITH ME!” Satoshi cried out in frustration, no longer feeling embarrassed about the situation. Kasumi sweat-dropped, not expecting him to yell so loudly. “Um…now if you could lower your voice and say that one more time…” Satoshi’s eyebrow twitched dangerously, a vein throbbing irritably on his forehead. “Woman, if you keep taunting me…” “Alright, alright! I’ll be serious! Just give me a second to think!” Kasumi waved her hands defensively. She looked up in thought, covertly glancing at Satoshi, who was about to explode from the tension. She was enjoying this almost too much. “Hmm…I don’t know…I need something more convincing than that, to see how serious your ever-lasting- love for me is.” “Whoa, I said I really liked you, I never said anything about love! And just what is it I have to do to convince you?” “Hmm…I know…” She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his and staring into his chocolate eyes. “…Give me a kiss.” Satoshi’s jaw dropped in shock, his entire body completely red.. “A-a-a-a-a WHAT?” “You heard me. A big wet one on the lips. And be sure to put feeling into it.” A flustered Satoshi swallowed hard and wetted his lips. If he really had to do it… “F…fine, I’ll do it.” He slowly started inching his lips towards hers, trembling a little. “…Hold it!” Kasumi said suddenly. “Ugh, must I tell you everything? Wrap your arms around my waist, like this.” She took Satoshi’s arms and made them wrap firmly around her waist. She then wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself onto Satoshi’s chest. Though Satoshi didn’t notice, she was blushing very hard. “Okay, now go.” “…You love making my life miserable, don’t you?” “I’m just doing my job, now hurry up and do it.” “Okay, okay. Sheesh!” Satoshi swallowed hard again and then leaned in a second time. His heart was pounding so hard it was the only thing he could hear. For a moment, he thought he feel hers beating just as hard. He tilted his head to the side and softly placed his lips upon hers. A powerful rush of euphoria exploded within him, which took him by surprise. The feeling was so intense and incredible, it felt like it would never end, and he never wanted it to. The two soon parted to catch their breaths. It was a moment before Satoshi spoke. “Alright, there’s the kiss. So, do I pass?” Kasumi only took a few seconds to think about it. “Um…yeah, sure, whatever…” She shrugged nonchalantly. “ACK!” Satoshi face-faulted. The nerve of that girl! “W-W-W-W-WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?” Kasumi blinked in confusion. “…What’s what?” Satoshi’s jaw dropped in absolute astonishment. “That was it? I confessed, and even KISSED you, and all you do is shrug like its nothing!?” Kasumi blinked a few times, not seeing where he was going with this. “…What do you want, a medal?” “How the hell are you able to stay so damned calm about it? You’re supposed to be all shocked and surprised, and then throw yourself on top of me, telling me how you’ve felt the same for so long! What the hell kind of girl are you?” He pointed his finger at his accusingly. Kasumi quirked her eyebrow in disbelief. “Throwing myself at you…..right, and just what manga did you get that one from?” “Well, it was from one of Takeshi’s mangas, where this girl and this guy—HEY, WAIT A MINUTE! That is not the point! You’re supposed to be overreacting and stuff!” “Overreacting is your department, not mine.” “I DO NOT OVERREACT!” “Uh huh, right…aren’t you the same guy who chases people around with his sword and threatens to kill them on the daily basis?” “That’s not overreacting; I just tend to release my anger in that kind of way. Besides, when was the last time someone got hurt?” “Earlier today when that old man bumped into you by accident.” “Hey, he was asking for it! Besides, it was a fair fight. I didn’t use any of my weapons.” “That’s because you took the old man’s cane and beat him senseless with it!” “That’s beside the point! Argh! You know what? I’m going to bed! Good night!” Satoshi, mortified and humiliated, stormed off towards the campsite, leaving Kasumi by herself. She was about to go back when she looked around, making sure no one was looking. Suddenly, she leapt joyously, shooting her fist into the air. “HUZZAH!!!” --End of Flashback-- “…And you should’ve seen his face. He always looks so cute when he’s embarrassed.” Kasumi laughed blissfully at the memory, remembering every aspect of that moment. Misty found it amazing how at the mention of good times with Satoshi, Kasumi’s face would light up with delight and happiness, like all of her anger and sorrow was immediately washed away by waves and joy. At the moment, Kasumi didn’t seem like a seasoned warrior or a hardened fighter, but a normal woman who enjoyed some of the simpler things in life. “It sounds like you two really cared for each other.” “We…” That was when the reality returned to Kasumi, causing her momentary bliss to vanish. She faltered. “We…did…” So much of speaking about good times…“Could…you tell me what happened between you two?” “The reason things are like this between us is because…because…” Kasumi tried and tried, but the more she attempted to retell the situation, the more frightening the current situation grew. She couldn’t remember. “I…I don’t know…” She concluded. She gripped her head in a mild panic. “I can’t…remember…I don’t remember what happened…!” “Kasumi…?” Misty was somewhat spooked now. What was going on with Kasumi that she seemed to be in so much of a panic? Also, what did she mean about she couldn’t remember? How could someone still hate someone else for a reason if they couldn’t even remember it? “I don’t remember…I feel it, but I can’t recall what happened…” Just then, a memory flashed through Kasumi’s mind. She didn’t know how, but it happened. It was quicker than an instant, but somewhat enough to realize that small memory was part of the reason why she hated Satoshi so much. A very incomplete memory, but enough to spark an emotion within her: Fury. Misty quivered at the angry look Kasumi had on her face. If looks could kill, the entire world would be in danger, Satoshi was most likely first on her list. But just as quickly as it came, it went. Kasumi shook her head fiercely, trying to get rid of that furious feeling. Never did Kasumi want to feel that again, ever. “I’m sorry, but I honestly can’t recall what happened. But, the feeling is still there…I know whatever happened changed us for the worse…” “It’s alright, I’m sorry Kasumi. It…it really wasn’t any of my business anyway.” Kasumi sighed. “I won’t let it get in the way of our training. Shall we continue?” “Sure.” Misty nodded. From there, her training continued. -Cerulean Training Grounds B - Brock- Brock had been training relentlessly. As he tossed a kick here and a punch there, they were extremely unfocused. He wasn’t a martial artist, so he wasn’t exactly the most graceful fighter to look at. When break time arrived, he decided to use most of the time to rethink his training methods. He was going no where fast, and if he wanted to get better, he needed someone to help him. Takeshi, while a skilled battler and a good teacher, wasn’t enough to help Brock learn. What Brock needed was someone to train with. He’d never fought that much in his life, and there was no way he would learn how to do so in five days. It was frustrating. “I’m not getting anywhere with this…” Brock commented to himself. Though Takeshi was trying to help, he was used to training somewhat experienced fighters. Unfortunately, Brock wasn’t one of them, and this proved difficult. “There’s gotta be a way for me to get better in five days…” “What if I said you could do it in three days and have plenty of time for powering up?” A voice said out of the blue. Brock stood straight and glanced around the area. He couldn’t see a soul anywhere. “Who’s there?” He asked in a reactionary response. “You might find out if you look behind you.” The voice spoke, directly behind Brock “GYAH!” Brock jumped and swiftly turned around, greeted by a group familiar faces. “It’s…you guys!” He gasped. Of all the people to meet, he certainly didn’t expect to see them so suddenly. Team Nova. “Yo, I heard you were looking for sparring partners!” Wes said, waving at the breeder. “I…well…yeah…I kinda am…” “Why are you out here by yourself? Where’s Ash and that red headed girlfriend of his?” Gary asked. “Well…we kinda thought it would be better to train separately for the next five days, being that we’re entering in this tournament coming up and everything.” Rui cocked her head slightly as she approached Brock. “Hey Brock! Who’s your friend?” “Hmm?” Brock turned around and saw no one. “What friend?” “The ghostly one.” She pointed out, referring to Takeshi’s spirit who was standing next to Brock. Brock stumbled back in surprise. Even Takeshi was shocked. “You…you can see him!?” Brock stuttered. Wes rubbed the back of his neck while chuckling. “Yeah, we all got that first impression too. Rui has a special gift, one of many. For one thing, she can see things that most humans can’t see. That ability helped me out tremendously in the past.” “Anyway…” Gary started, “We know you have a small problem, seeing that you can’t train or fight with crap.” “Hey!” Brock yelled. “BUT! With all of his helping you, five days will all you need to beat every single opponent without breaking a sweat.” “Of course, it won’t be easy.” Brendan warned, “I won’t lie to you; training under us will be brutal. You could even lose your life.” “I…could die?” Brock shivered at the thought. “Brother!” Wes chastised. “Quit scaring him like that! It’s not going to be that bad!” Brock sighed in relief. “…I mean sure, he might break most of his bones, get many fractures, and even lose a limb or two, but he won’t die!” Brock’s shoulders slumped. Yeah, like he would feel a lot better after hearing that. “Don’t worry Brock.” Ritchie assured, patting the breeder’s back. “It will be hard, but don’t let those two scare you, it won’t be that serious. Let us help you. I’m sure you will be tons stronger after. Take it from me, it will be worth it.” Brock thought about it for a moment. If what they said was true, then there was no way he could refuse their help. He surely needed it. “Okay, I’ll accept your help. Thanks you guys.” Wes grinned widely with anticipation. “Good, then the deal is set. No turning back now!” SMACK! “AGH!” Brock was punched across the face and sent hurling onto the ground. With a grunt, he stood up and rubbed his cheek. “What was that—” “NO TALKING UNLESS I SAY SO SLACKER!!” Wes commanded with a booming voice. His normal joking, happy-go-lucky personality vanished, replaced with a cold, ruthless and merciless Wes. “But—” SMACK! “GAH!” Brock was promptly kicked in the face, currently howling in pain. “I SAID NO TALKING! AND QUIT YOUR WHINING, YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF CRAP!” Wes demanded. Brock immediately shut up, not wanting another beat down. Wes cracked his knuckles threateningly, a frightening look on his face. “Now stand up. Your training begins now.” 5 days of fierce training later, it was the final training day before the big tournament. Whenever Ash and Misty returned to the house for the night, they found it strange that Brock never showed up. They felt better when they received a call every night from Brock, letting them know that he was alive and well…to an extent. The final day of training would be a test for each individual, to see if they were worthy of facing Soma, the main reason for their training. -Cerulean Training Grounds A – Ash- Ash stood in the center of the training area, surrounded by all of his Pokémon. Satoshi was in front of Ash, within the ring of Pokémon. He held an emotionless expression. “So Ash…are you ready?” “I’m more than ready.” Ash said with confidence. “You asked for it. Test 1, Defense!” Upon Satoshi’s command, Torkoal stepped up. Ash faced Torkoal and stood stock still, his eyes completely focused. “And…initiate! Torkoal, use Overheat at full power!” In that instant, Torkoal released a massive ball of flame and launched it at Ash. Just before the flame hit, Ash guarded by creating an X with his arms and closing his eyes. BOOM! The dirt on the ground exploded in a flurry of brown mist, engulfing Ash. Moments later, the dust settled, and Ash emerged out of it. Satoshi grinned at the results. “Test 1 complete. You’ve withstood the fire attack with minimal damage. I estimate 10 percent?” “Roughly. Let’s go with the next test!” Ash pressed on. Satoshi nodded and glanced at Snorlax. “Test 2, Offense!” Snorlax stood up and waddled his way in front of Ash. “And…initiate!” “GRAAAH!” Ash reeled back his fist and slammed it into Snorlax’s stomach. The heavy Pokémon took a sharp intake of breath and was pushed back by the blow. Ash muttered a small apology to the heavy Pokémon, who simply shrugged off the attack by his trainer. Test 2 complete. Maximum feet pushed: 4 feet. Not bad, shall we go on?” When Ash nodded, Satoshi went on with the next test. “Test 3, Speed!” Swellow hovered and circled around Ash’s head, awaiting further orders. “Alright, one lap around the area. On your marks…get set…GO!” Immediately, Ash and the bird dashed off with amazing speed, circling around the perimeter of the training grounds. Only a few moments later, Ash reached the end of the lap. Satoshi nodded in approval. “Test 3 complete. Ash wins the race by 1.2 seconds. Not too shabby.” “Hehe, thanks…” Ash thanked abashedly, rubbing his head. “Let’s go on with the next one.” “Sure. Test 4, Evasion.” At the call, Grovyle stepped up to the plate, scrutinizing Satoshi at the corner of his eye. Though Satoshi proved friendly, he still didn’t trust him. “And…initiate!” Right then, Grovyle lunged at Ash with his arm blades, swiping with blindingly swift slashes. Ash dodged each attack smoothly while either back flipping, pulling off feints, side stepping, or pulling off many acrobatic dodges, each done with poise, planning and precision. This had gone on until Satoshi called out “And time! A full 30 seconds, and not a scratch. Looking good. Let’s go on to the next one.” “Ready when you are.” “Alright, Test 5, Jumping.” It was Noctowl’s turn, and the owl Pokémon flew high into the air. “And…initiate!” “Here…we…go!” From a crouch, Ash sprung high into the air. Though his jumping speed slowed towards the end, he managed to touch Noctowl’s claws. Once he landed, Satoshi started with the results. “Test 5 complete. Estimated height: 20 feet. Having fun yet?” “Tons!” Ash answered cheerfully. “Good. Alright, Test 6, Precision.” Right then, Pikachu stepped in front of Ash, smiling at his friend proudly. “Let’s see how long it takes for you to catch Pikachu. And…Initiate!” Suddenly, Pikachu put his agility attack into overdrive and zipped around Ash at a dizzying pace. Ash closed his eyes and focused on his target. While Ash’s eyes were closed, Satoshi nodded to Pikachu, grinning sneakily. Noting to signal, Pikachu sent a small jolt of electricity at Ash. The attack was swift, and it didn’t seem like the attack would miss. Surprisingly, not only did Ash dodge the surprise strike, but caught Pikachu by the tail, and all with his eyes closed! “Gotcha!” Ash yelled victoriously. For a split second, Satoshi had a very surprised look on his face, which soon turned into an impressed one. “Test 6 complete. 4.9 seconds to catch Pikachu. Also, Test 7 complete. Success rate of surprise assaults, 0. Nice one.” “Heh, couldn’t have done it without your guidance.” Ash flashed Satoshi a thumbs up. “Thanks a bunch. I owe ya one!” Satoshi crossed his arms, smirking casually. “No need to thank me, all I did was show you the ropes. You’re the one who pulled it off.” “Yeah. Well, at least that’s it for the test. Now I can relax before the—” “Who said the tests was over?” Satoshi cut in, surprising Ash. “Wha? But there was suppose to only be 6 tests, but you threw in a surprise 7th one. You mean there’s more?” “Relax, there’s only one more. What, feeling too tired for one more test?” Ash huffed in response, competitiveness getting the best of him. “Bring it on! What’s the last test?” A grin appeared on Satoshi’s face, one that Ash grew to dislike. It always meant something sneaky. “Final test…me!” Ash gasped in surprise. He had not been expecting that. “Me defeat you!?” “No, no, no, I’m not trying to give you the impossible. All you have to do is land a direct hit and that’s it.” Ash growled inwardly. What did he mean ‘give him the impossible’? “Fine, but I won’t go easy on you!” Ash slide his foot back and held his left hand out while his right was pulled back, both of which had their palms open. He leaned forward and positioned himself for an assault. “Just give me the word when.” Satoshi took a pose that reflected Ash’s. “And…initiate!” Dust shot up into the air as Ash propelled himself at Satoshi. Satoshi was given a small window of opportunity andtook full advantage of it. He jumped to perform a spin kick in the air at Ash. Ash flung himself at the ground, slammed one of his palms onto the ground, and blocked Satoshi’s kick with an upside down spin kick on his own. ‘Hmm…clever, and a good move on his end. Using his legs instead of his arms, he was able to match the strength of my leg and cancel out the attack without overemphasizing his strength. Not bad, but let’s see how he likes this!’ Satoshi let himself fall to the ground and used one of his hands as a stand to spin his legs the other direction, planning to trip Ash and make him fall on his head. To his surprise, Ash’s free hand clamped down Satoshi’s foot, immobilizing him and leaving him open for one of Ash’s kicks. “Gotcha!” Ash cried, thrusting his foot at Satoshi’s face. Victory would’ve been Ash’s, had Satoshi not been so resourceful. Satoshi cocked his knee and blocked the kick that was aiming for his face. Using the force of the kick, he rolled on the ground and back onto his feet. Almost instantaneously, Ash was also on his feet and in Satoshi’s face. Ash sent a wave of quick and accurate jabs at Satoshi, aiming at spots other than his face. Satoshi smirked in satisfaction as he evaded all the blows with flashy yet professional movements. ‘Another good plan. Aiming for someone’s face is often predictable and could be seen coming. However, if he aims for all kinds of places with random patterns, the opponent won’t know where he will strike next. Looks like Ash is really getting the hang of things.’ Ash suddenly changed his tactic and took a wild, full powered swing toward Satoshi’s face. Right then, Satoshi’s grin dropped in disappointment as he stepped back to dodge the attack. ‘Just great…it looks like my talk about planning and coordination went out the window. Now he’s going to leave himself open. Tch, that idiot…’ He spat mentally. He noticed something strange when Ash’s fist continued in its course, causing Ash to have his back facing Satoshi. He couldn’t believe it. Had Ash really lost his mind? A fighter should never have his back turned to his opponent. It looked like Ash truly wasn’t ready to enter the tournament… Or so he thought… Ash, much to Satoshi’s astonishment, performed a back flip while facing the opposite direction, aiming to kick Satoshi in the process. In total reflex, Satoshi used both of his arms to block the kick. Satoshi noticed the look in Ash’s face, which had a sneaky grin that rivaled his own. His eyes suddenly widened in surprise. Ash had left himself open on purpose! Satoshi didn’t have time to think because at the corner of his eye he barely saw Ash’s fist aiming for his stomach. With another instinctive reflex, he lifted one of his knees to block the fist attack. Satoshi didn’t have time to rest however, because another one of Ash’s fist was aiming for his face! Luckily, he managed to block the second attack by moving one of his hands to block the attack. ‘Phew! That was too close! He nearly got me!’ However, though Satoshi blocked the first kick and the two punches, he neglected the fact he had no chance to block the second kick following the path of the first one… WHAM! “AH!” Satoshi felt the tip of Ash’s foot slam onto the top of his head. While Satoshi had one of his forearms blocking the first kick, his attention was too drawn to the punches to put up enough defenses to block the follow-up kick. Satoshi dropped onto the ground face-first. Ash landed on the ground, standing in front of Satoshi. “Agh…that was sneaky, underhanded, reckless and freaking insane…” The darkness guardian pushed himself off the ground and looked up at Ash, his face full of irritation. Right when Ash felt he had done something wrong, his thoughts were disproved by two hands clasping his shoulders, and a very satisfied smile from Satoshi. “That’s just the way I like it! Congratulations, you’ve passed the 8th and final test. You are now ready to take on anything and anyone!” “Awesome!” Ash cheered with a cheeky smile. All of his Pokémon clapped in recognition of his achievements. Ash had improved dramatically within the five days he was given to train. This was certainly a grand day for Ash! “Alright, you’ve completed your training. Now, as for proper celebrations, how about we head back to the gym and get ourselves something to eat?” Satoshi suggested. “I say I like how you think! Let’s go!” Filled with new vigor, Ash proudly walked towards the Cerulean Gym, feeling happy about his accomplishments. The training was especially tough, and there were times when he felt like giving up, but he knew none of his friends would do such a thing, and Satoshi would’ve probably killed him. Besides, he was never the type to give up, and because of that, he succeeded in growing so much stronger. He felt he was ready to take on anything. -Cerulean City Gym- When Ash arrived back at the gym, he noticed Misty sitting on the living room couch, looking very exhausted. When she turned to see Ash approaching her, she smiled brightly. “Welcome back Ash!” Misty greeted cheerfully, glad to see him. “It’s good to be back. How did your training go, as well as the…other thing…?” “My training was okay, nothing special.” Misty answered modestly. Ash would be proud if he knew how much better and stronger she had gotten, not to mention learning many tricks. “As for the other thing…well…” “Don’t worry, Satoshi’s not listening. He used up a lot of energy to sustain the physical form under Noctowl’s Foresight. He decided to rest for the time being, until tomorrow. What about…?” “Kasumi’s resting as well. It’s been a long day and all. Anyway, did Satoshi say anything about you know what?” Ash scratched the back of his head, unsure of how to exactly answer. “He’s kinda…hostile on the subject. If I make a remark about it, he sorta snaps at me. But…sometimes I see something…” “Something?” Misty asked. “Yeah, kinda like he’s angry with something. Well, it’s a different kind of angry from normal. If anything, it’s not hatred or anything like that, but more like…” “Hurt?” “Yeah, something like that. How about Kasumi?” “Uh…she’s handling it in her own way. She’s trying really hard to hide it, but I think the whole thing got her really upset.” Probably the same with Satoshi…” Silence soon enveloped the two. They really wanted to help their spiritual counterparts, but didn’t know where to start. If they did or said the wrong thing, the situation might worsen. It wasn’t even known what separated them. Ash and Misty knew about the story regarding the guardians finding out they were sworn enemies, but from the way the spirits regarded each other, it seemed as if something more happened between Satoshi and Kasumi, something much bigger and dramatizing. It was tempting to try and get the truth out of them, but it might do more harm than good. In the end, it was decided to let them cool down for awhile before pressing on the subject again. The need to change the topic was apparent with the silence, so Misty took the initiative. “Anyway, I got a message from Brock. He said he would meet us when the tournament starts since he wasn’t coming home tonight…again…” Ash groaned despairingly. Brock was really starting to get him worried. “What on earth is Brock doing that he wouldn’t come home for five days straight? We know he’s still alive since he sends us messages, but I’m getting really worried.” “I know how you feel, but Brock is more than old enough to take care of himself. Let’s let him do what he wants to do. I’m sure he’ll be fine.” “Yeah, I suppose.” Ash stretched out his arms, followed by a yawn. “I’m beat for today. I’ll see you at the tournament tomorrow. Good night Misty.” “Good night Ash.” When Ash left the living room for his and Brock’s room, Misty released a relaxed sigh. She was pretty beat too, with her final phase of training and all. With a grunt, she got off the couch and headed towards her room for some shut eye. Misty’s Unconscious Mind The silver haired spirit was wide awake and had heard every word of Ash and Misty’s conversation. She sat on the floor, hugging her knees and placing her face on her lap. A small, saddened chuckle escaped her lips. “…I guess Satoshi is still angry with what I said to him. In a way, I guess I deserved to hear what Satoshi really thought about me, it’s no surprise. I’ve lived with that fact for quite awhile, but…I still don’t get it…” An almost inaudible sniffle could be heard. “I don’t care about him anymore. I can’t care about him anymore. That was what made me weak. But still…why does what he said hurt…and why does it hurt so much…?” -Ash’s Unconscious Mind- Satoshi paced around in a room with nothing but black walls, floor and ceiling, a very lonely and isolated area he had created for himself. It represented how he felt his true nature was. He entered this room whenever he needed a moment to cool off or think, and during the last five days, the room was an absolute necessity. His eyebrows were knit together, indicating he was at the peak of frustration. “Why am I so heated about this? All I said was the truth! She…she shouldn’t have reacted in such a way!” He muttered to himself. His mind began to whirl at the thoughts of what happened five nights ago. Why couldn’t he just keep his big mouth shut? “If only…if only she didn’t butt into my conversation with Misty, maybe then……then…okay, maybe I did go just a little too far with the comments, but it had to be said! I did nothing wrong!” He shook his head rapidly, trying to shake off whatever feeling was hanging over him. “Ugh…what’s more, what was I going to say to her before she ran off into Misty’s mind? Truly, this is just way too troublesome. Damn that girl!” The more he thought about what happened, the more confused he got. The expression on her face clearly read surprise and hurt. “But…but she shouldn’t have been hurt, she’s way too stubborn to be hurt. I…sure it was out of anger, but she seriously didn’t have to react that way. As if…as if she didn’t realize that was how I felt…” Satoshi’s shoulders slumped as he felt more and more guilty. “Perhaps I really did come out too strong. It…it wouldn’t be right to leave the situation like this. I should apolo—NO!” He shouted suddenly, doing a 180 turn on his heels. “I shouldn’t need to apologize! What she said to me was harsh too! If anything, she should apologize…at least first…GRAH!” He screamed out in frustration, grabbing at his hair. “What’s wrong with me!? I shouldn’t be feeling bad, guilty or anything! It’s over between us, so I shouldn’t feel anything regarding to her! She’s nothing to me! Nothing…” Backing up, he let himself lean against a wall and slid onto the floor. “After all, it’s like she said, I’m a forsaken one. I don’t need anyone except myself, so nothing should matter. I have no heart…there’s no room for that or errors.” There was a long pause. “…Tomorrow. I’ll get this cleared up tomorrow. Maybe then I’ll get some peace soon…” He closed his eyes and got himself comfortable, planning to get some sleep. “…And hopefully, she’ll be out of my dreams too…” ------------------- Things are getting VERY interesting, huh? I honestly liked this chapter, as it wasn’t nearly as tough to do as the last chapter. Now some things are revealed, and will hopefully keep you guessing. Stay tune for a fun and exciting chapter coming up, and hopefully it would be a quick update. Don’t forget to review, cause they really do inspire me to do better!