Chapter 13 – Prelude to glory – part 1 -------- -Cerulean Gym – Registrar Office- It was the night before the tournament in Cerulean City. Daisy agreed to meet with Soma in order to go over plans for the tournament. Once the Fire Vizier saw the number of people entering however, he was quite disappointed. “Only 8 people? This is unacceptable! At this rate, I won’t get to enjoy any real battles!” Soma growled. “Sorry, but this is the best we’ve got. After all, word barely got out of the city. It looks like this tournament is going to be a big flop.” Daisy let her head hit the wooden table she was sitting at and sighed. The tournament was supposed to draw a lot of attention, but it looked like her hopes were set too high. “And to think it was such a good idea to start with…” Soma had a thoughtful look on his face. “Hmm…so all we need are more contestants, and powerful ones?” “Yeah, we’ll need a bunch of people, but I’m not sure what kind of talent is out there. Oh well….” “Well, it looks like I got no choice. I’ll have to call in a few fighters…” “Huh?” Daisy looked up at Soma, curious yet hopeful. “Call in?” Soma nodded. “Yeah. I got connections, so there’s nothing to worry about. By tomorrow, you’ll have plenty of fighters to work with. Just wait for my word to prepare the pairings for the battles. I’ll be right back.” Soma walked out of the office, leaving Daisy confused. A half an hour later… “I’m back! Here’s the list of new entrants!” Soma returned to the office with a list of names. When Daisy glanced at the list, her jaw dropped in shock. “24 people!? How on earth did you manage to get that many in a half hour?” Soma scratched his head. “Actually, I was hoping for well over 200, but I guess they were asleep or something. It’s the end of the night after all.” Daisy was rendered speechless. She couldn’t possibly imagine that many people in such a small scale tournament. Also, it was a mystery as to how great Soma’s connections were. “Err…well…I’ll say we definitely have enough people to get this tournament underway. Thanks for your assistance!” “It’s no problem. Just be sure to work on the pairings. I’m going to rest up for the tournament.” Soma waved goodbye as he left the office. -Cerulean Gym – Arena- Ash and Misty were surprised with the renovations made to the gym’s Pokémon battle area. On top of the pool was a thick, wooden floor board. In the middle of the stage was a red Pokéball symbol, which was normally used for Pokémon battles. The platform was created so there was a boundary where someone could fall off, thus creating a ring-out barrier. People from all over Cerulean City occupied the seats, awaiting the fantastic battles soon to come. Brock had mentioned he would arrive in time for his match, so he wasn’t going to join Ash and Misty. It was safe to say the two were frustrated with Brock’s disappearance. Hopefully, there was a good reason. Pikachu, as always, accompanied Ash by hanging onto his shoulder, but was told to wait with either Brock (if he ever arrives) or Misty. There were a lot of fighters in the waiting area, none of them Ash or Misty could recognize. Each of them looked close to normal, though it was easy to tell each of them were very strong. Soma wasn’t in the area, which was a surprise. Ash didn’t doubt someone like him was in the tournament, but the only question was where. There were two people in particular that caught Ash’s attention, and if his guess was correct, he caught their attention as well. One of them was a man with an emotionless yellow stare with jet black hair falling over half of his face. His cloak, long pants, shirt and boots were as dark as his hair. The man talking with the dark haired one frightened Ash for reasons unknown. He had semi-long white hair, a black leather trench coat, lengthy black boots, and something resembling a black, stealth wetsuit under his coat. A blue, transparent visor was over his dangerous looking red eyes. Though the white haired man had a calmer look than the other one, Ash had a feeling he was much eviler. “Excuse me, if I could, like, have your attention, I would really appreciate it.” Lily called out. Everyone directed their attention to the pink haired sensational sister. “Okay, like, before you guys go out their and maul each other, I would like to go over the ground rules. Rule number 1 – The use of weapons is, like, prohibited. Rule number 2 – Killing anyone will immediately disqualify you from the tournament, so please, let’s not have any “accidents”. Rule number 3 – The conditions for losing is either you are knocked out, or you are outside the ring for longer than 10 counts. Besides that, go out there and kick some butt!” “Yeah, let’s do it!” A voice yelled out excitedly. Many of the fighters cheered, increasing their own moral. “Alright, that’s good to hear! Now, get ready because it’s time to start the first battle. Let’s see…” Lily pulled up a sheet of paper with a list of pairings. “The first match will start off with Ash Ketchum versus Spike Spigel.” “Alright, I’m up first!” Ash cried excitedly. “Yo.” A man with bushy green hair waved lazily. He wore a simple pair of black shoes, blue pants, coat and yellow undershirt. Both Spike and Ash walked up to the entrance, awaiting word from Daisy, the announcer. Out on the arena, there was hustle and bustle among the stands. Suddenly, the lights grew dim, causing everyone to go silent. “Alright Cerulean City, welcome to our first annual martial arts tournament!” The crowd cheered in response. They grew silent soon after. “We’ve gathered only the best fighters from all over to compete in combat for the grand prize, 10,000 dollars and free tickets to the sensational sisters’ next show!” Ash couldn’t help but sweat-drop. Those sensational sisters sure liked to advertise themselves. “So, without further ado, let’s get this tournament started! First up to the plate is a boy from Pallet Town with fist of steel and a heart of gold. Let’s give a warm welcome to ASH KETCHUM!” The spotlight flashed at Ash, who was startled at first. He quickly regained his composure and walked onto the arena, albeit a little nervous and stiff. “The second fighter is actually a bounty hunter from…what’s this…Mars? And he rides with three other companions and a dog on a spaceship called The Bebop, let’s give a hand to SPIKE SPIGEL!” The spotlight changed its target from Ash to Spike, who seemed rather laidback and calm. He made his way to the arena, standing on the other side of the platform. Even though Daisy sounded enthusiastic about the fight, the crowd didn’t feel the same way about the pairing. “What kind of match up is this? A kid against a bounty hunter?” “This looks pretty fixed to me!” “Poor kid’s gonna get mauled!” “What’s a Mars and Bebop?” The resounding boos made Ash feel dispirited. “Forget about them Ash, after this match, they’ll surely change their opinion about you.” Satoshi reassured, masking his appearance. Those words made Ash feel a little better. “Thanks Satoshi…” He whispered quietly. “Hm? Say something kid?” Spike asked. “Huh? Oh, nothing!” Ash answered quickly. Spike was still confused, but couldn’t care less. “Anyway, you may be a kid, but I won’t go easy on you. Money is money, and that’s what I’m here for.” “I’m here for other reasons. Don’t take me for granted because I’m a kid.” Violet walked onto the stage with a microphone, the spotlight following her direction. She stepped in between the fighters. “Alright fighters! Are you two clear on the rules and conditions for winning?” Both Spike and Ash nodded. “Good, then let’s get started! Round 1 – Ash Ketchum versus Spike Spigel! Ready…!” Violet darted away from the arena, standing outside the battling stage. “FIGHT!” (Pushing the sky – Seatbelts) “Bring it on kid. I’ll give you the first shot.” Spike taunted, making the notion with his hand. “You’ve asked for it!” Ash ran towards Spike with his fist raised. Once he was in range, Ash threw a flurry of punch and kick attacks at Spike, who dodged them with ease. “Woo! Hey! You’re getting closer! Too slow!” Spike toyed with a smirk. It was then Spike grabbed Ash’s fist, and with the flick of the wrist, sent Ash flying…almost. “Gotcha!” Ash yelled victoriously, grabbing onto Spike’s arm. He managed to land on his feet and used the momentum to lift Spike from the ground. SLAM! “ACK!” Spike was smashed onto the ground on his back. He instantly recovered by kicked up and at Ash’s face. WHAM! Ash fell back, but rolled onto his feet immediately and dashed towards Spike, who also recovered. Ash performed a thrust punch, only for Spike to spin out of the way. Spike managed to get behind Ash and perform a spin kick, but Ash saw it coming and blocked it with his elbow. Spike continued sending a swarm of attack from behind Ash, but the trainer managed to block and parry each move skillfully. When Ash saw an opening, he dashed forward, turned around, and leapt at Spike in an aerial flip kick. Spike reactively blocked the kick coming from above with both arms, thinking Ash wouldn’t be able to do much else. He was wrong. Ash back flipped and landed into a crouch in front of Spike so swiftly, the bounty hunter was unable to react in time. With an upward kick, Ash sent Spike flying into the air. He jumped high into the air until he was at a higher elevation than Spike, who was in a temporary daze. “Ketchum Stomp!” Ash yelled. With a downward thrust, Ash landed on Spike’s chest and repeatedly stomped on it until Spike was freefalling quickly to the ground. Ash finished off the attack with a more powerful stomp when Spike’s body hit the ground. Jumping off, Ash went defensive and waited for Spike to recover. The bounty hunter, winded and injured, managed to get back on his feet with little struggling. That attack knocked him pretty high, and he was hurt all over. “Hey, you’re not too bad. I guess I should start getting serious.” Ash smirked. “You should’ve been from the start.” “Yeah, but now’s different. Keep your eye on the birdie, cause’ this bird’s gonna do a trick.” Spike dash to the side, then at Ash. ‘This again? What is that guy up to?’ Ash decided to go defensive and watched Spike’s movements carefully. When Spike closed in, Ash swung his fist to strike, but the green haired martial arts parried it and jabbed Ash’s face twice. Ash recoiled and performed a back spin kick, only to have Spike catch his foot and trip him. “Too slow.” Spike said as he downed Ash. He was about to slam down on Ash with his foot when the agile teen brought his legs to his chest, using his feet to block the stomp attack, then pushed his legs out, throwing Spike out of balance. ‘This is my chance! I should finish this quickly!’ Ash thought. Tensing his arms and legs, Ash dove towards Spike speedily. Spike couldn’t react in time as Ash smashed his knee into Spike’s stomach and followed with an uplifting kick. Catching Spike’s foot, Ash spun him around and tossed him into the air. He jumped into the air with Spike into a high-speed spin. “Here we go! Ketchum Spike!” Ash used the full momentum of his spin to land a powerful roundhouse. Spike shot downward and landed hard onto the ground outside the arena. Ash landed with a forward flip, staggering slightly. Spike lay unconscious. Violet quickly ran next to Spike to check on his condition. Once it was confirmed, she grabbed Ash’s hand and held it high. “And the winner for the first match by a knockout is ASH KETCHUM!” The crowd was in shock. Everyone expected him to get a total beatdown, but it turned out to be the other way around. The crowd was in total silence until one person started clapping, soon followed by two, then three, and so on until everyone started clapping in recognition. Ash left the stage while a group of Nurse Joys picked up Spike on a stretcher. Once Ash made it back to the waiting room, he was greeted by Misty and Pikachu. “That was great Ash!” Misty praised. “Heh, thanks. It wasn’t too hard, though I wasn’t so sure who would win at first. Looks like I’m already done for this round. I wonder whose next…” Moments later, Lily appeared in front of the fighters again with her list of pairings. “Okay, let’s keep the ball rolling! Misty and Jam Kuradoberi, please follow me.” “You’re up next Misty! Good luck!” Ash praised, giving her the thumbs up. “Thanks. I will do my best!” After handing Ash his Pikachu to hold, Misty followed Lily. Misty’s opponent was a very pretty brunette with brown eyes and red high heels. Her clothing style consisted of a sleeveless, red Chinese shirt with a pink mini skirt and large, detached red sleeves on her wrist. The two waited at the entrance for Daisy to give introductions, which would be soon. Jam crossed her arms and glanced at Misty on the side. “You’re in this competition just to impress your little boyfriend, huh?” “He’s NOT my boyfriend!” Misty denied heatedly, a blush on her face. “Hmph, getting embarrassed so easily, how immature. I have noble reasons for entering this tournament, like using the money to improve my fantastic restaurant. Sorry, but this match is going to end quickly.” “Of course, since I plan on winning it.” Misty back-talked with a huff. Jam grunted but said no more as she faced forward. Daisy’s voice could be heard on the loud speaker. “I hope you all are excited for our next match! In one corner, we have a fiery red head with a bad attitude and equally ferocious skills. Please welcome the runt of the sensational sisters, MISTY WATERFLOWER!” “Stupid sisters…” Misty growled, clenching her fist and teeth. The introduction was more of an insult than anything. She quickly recovered before the spotlight shone down on her. Daisy continued the introductions. “And in the other corner, we have an experienced martial artist whose skill is only rivaled by her fantastic cooking skills. Coming all the way from China, please give a hand to JAM KURADOBERI!” The spotlight changed its target to Jam, who was waving frantically in a specific direction. “KY! HEY KY! LOOK OVER HERE HONEY!!!” She screamed. Misty started at Jam in surprise. ‘And she calls ME immature!?’ She, along with most of the crowd, sweat-dropped fiercely and turned to the direction Jam was calling. It was easy to tell who Ky was, since there was a rather handsome blonde man in a specially made holy knight’s uniform covering his face in embarrassment. Everyone thought the same thing. Poor Ky… Among the audience, three people sat next to the person in question, who was very red in the face. “Someone kill me…” Ky whispered to himself, thoroughly embarrassed. And to think it started out as a simple date… “Don’t worry Ky, I’m sure Jam means well. Even if she shows her affections rather…openly…” A young brunette with an orange pirate’s outfit reasoned, gently patting Ky on the shoulder. “May’s right. If I were you, I would count myself lucky. I mean, it’s not everyday a hot chick falls head over heels for you. Any guy would kill to be in your position, isn’t that right Sol?” A man sitting next to May said. He had a black jacket with no undershirt, long pants, cowboy boots and a stylish hat to match his good looks. Sol, who was sitting next to Ky, had a red plated forehead protector, a black and red sleeveless shirt with a wide collar, white pants and a belt with the words “Free” engraved on it. He sighed in irritation as he ran his hand through his long and thick brown hair. “Why am I even here…?” Back in the arena, Misty and Jam were standing in their designated positions, waiting for word to start their battle. Once again, Violet, the judge, approached the two fighters. “Okay you two, do you know the rules?” The two women nodded. “Okay, let’s get started. Round 2 – Misty versus Jam Kuradoberi. Ready…?” Violet escaped the vicinity of the battlefield. “FIGHT!” (Babel noise – Guilty Gear XX) In that instant, both girls moved so fast it was almost undetectable to the naked eye. There were a few glimpses of the girls and each of them exchanging blow after blow, but they would disappear soon after. Ash was amazed with Misty’s speed. He could barely keep up. A minute into the battle, both girls appeared from their super speed clashes to gather their breaths. When Misty looked up, she noticed Jam forming a ball of energy in her hands. It was small and yellowish with a hint of white and purple in it. “Eat this!” Jam cried, aiming the ball of light at Misty. “Banri Senken!” ZAM! Misty was struck by several beams of light shooting from the ball of energy. After Misty received enough hits, Jam stopped her barrage of long range attacks and ran towards Misty with her arms folded behind her back. When Misty swung her fist at Jam, the Chinese martial artist dashed past her so fast it seemed as though Misty was moving in slow motion. Jam reappeared behind Misty and charged at her with her fist glowing with Chi energy. “Senri Shishou!” WHAM! Misty tumbled forward, but quickly got back on her feet. There was no time for rest since Jam was already closing in. When Misty threw a kick at Jam, the brunette blocked with smoothly with the flick of her wrist, leaving a dead opening for Jam to abuse. “Saishinshou!” She used her elbow to slam Misty’s stomach with immense force, and with a cry, smashed the red head’s chin with her palm, sending her high in the air. While Misty was in the air, Jam was charging up a load of Chi energy in one hand while keeping her arm steady with the other. The ball was small, but dense. When Misty started to fall, her eyes caught a small glimpse of Jam charging up and immediately braced herself. “Time to finish this! Special attack: Renhoukyaku!” Jam called out. Misty was about to hit the ground when Jam flashed her palm merely inches away from her. Just then, Jam released a huge ball of Chi energy enveloping the two. The explosion of Chi was for a few instances, but enough to injure Misty and send her tumbling on the ground. Misty remained for the ground, her body moving up and down to indicate she was still breathing. Watching the scene, Ash couldn’t help but worry about Misty. She was getting a pounding from Jam. “I hope she doesn’t lose…” “Hmm…” Satoshi wasn’t convinced. He had a feeling Misty was tougher than that, especially if she trained under Kasumi. “Don’t count her out yet. They’ll pull through.” Ash was a little surprised with Satoshi. It seemed as though he wanted Kasumi and Misty to win the battle. Before, Ash thought Satoshi hated Kasumi, but for the moment, it looked like he was hoping the girls wouldn’t lose. Satoshi was just one tough puzzle to crack. In the battle arena, Jam crossed her arms and smirked victoriously. “Hmph, is that all you got? I’ve handled much tougher opponents!” “Grr …” Misty growled. “Misty, enough playing around. I know you’ve already memorized her movement patterns, so finish her already.” Kasumi instructed. “Alright, I’ll be serious this time.” Misty stood up and took on a battle stance unknown to jam. Her palms were loosened, and she was making smooth yet slow motions with her hands, her body doing the same. It was safe to assume Misty was performing a very majestic yet subtle dance. ‘Well this is new.’ Jam thought, eyeing Misty strangely. ‘I should probably strike fast and knock her off balance before she pulls anything.’ The plan in mind, she swiftly ran at Misty. When Jam threw a quick jab at Misty, her dance like movements allowed her to dodge with ease. When Misty did so, she gently, yet quickly struck Jam’s arm. Strangely, it was only three harmless taps: Jam’s forearm, her elbow, and biceps. Jam struck with her other arm, but Misty did the exact same thing, except she extended the combo and softly struck Jam’s stomach and two shoulders with her palm. Annoyed, Jam performed a mid spin kick, but Misty crouched under it and pressed on Jam’s calf, behind the knee, and the thigh. Before Jam could react, Misty pressed on Jam’s sides with her two forefingers, causing her to hold her sides and let out a “Hey!” In that instant, Misty whirled behind Jam and pressed on the same points as the other legs, and made sure to extend it by pressing on three different points on Jam’s spine: Lower, mid and neck. In the waiting room with the rest of the fighters, Ash stared at Misty in confusion. “What the heck is she doing? Her attacks are so weak, and it looks like she’s dancing more than fighting. Has she lost it?” “No. This battle is already won. Just watch, you’ll be surprised.” Satoshi watched the battle with a curious expression. To think Misty already learned Kasumi’s special fighting technique and effectively use it was both shocking and frightening. He could no longer call Misty weak at this stage. With Misty and Jam, the brunette was growing infuriated with Misty’s strange battling. “Alright, I had enough of this nonsense!” Jam bellowed, spinning to face Misty. “What do you think you’re do—” Once Misty forcefully strike Jam’s solar plexus with her palm, Jam felt her entire body lock up! She couldn’t move a single inch! “Ack! What…what did you do to me?” She cried, only able to move her head. “Did you play with dolls when you were younger?” Misty asked out of the blue. “Uh…yeah. What does that have to do with this battle?” “Absolutely everything. With the pressure points I’ve manipulated, you’ve become my new doll. This battle is over, but before I go…” Misty moved Jam’s limps to certain positions, and when the limps were placed in the right spots, they remained there against Jam’s will. Jam was situated so one of her hands was on her hips and the other was flashing the victory sign. Misty stood directly next to her and mimicked the action. “And the victory goes to me!” Misty declared enthusiastically, winking at the cameras taking pictures. Jam sighed in defeat. She couldn’t move a muscle. “This is humiliating…” Violet stepped up to Misty and raised her hand high. “And the winner for today’s round is…MISTY WATERFLOWER!!” Ash, watching the now finished battle, was stumped. “Wha….what just happened?” “That’s the Hyoushi Renge, or in your language, the Rhythm Lotus style, Kasumi’s special fighting technique. The name, you see, comes from the fact that Kasumi loved flowers. Her favorite is the Aqua Lotus flower, a very rare plant that only grows in Raikeiza. Flowers have locomotion. It’s a basic function flowers have where they move in a certain way with the help of the wind. In Misty’s case, she’s applying her own locomotion to her body by started moving in a rhythm and making her body move without even thinking about it. While doing so, she can concentrate on attacking the enemy without worrying about how to dodge an attack. But…the secret is in her attacks. Everyone has a type of energy flow in their bodies, along with our blood. Misty pressed on key pressure points which would effectively stop the flow. However, in this battle, Misty disabled Jam’s control over her muscles and stiffened it, effectively turning Jam into her personal puppet. After a good punch in the chest, the blood flow accelerated and caused the muscle functions to stiffen and cease. It’s a very difficult style to learn.” “Wow…Misty learned all of that in five days? Amazing…” Ash was stunned. He didn’t know too much about what Satoshi said, but pressure points and learning such a complex style would take normal people many months, even years, to master. He knew Misty was great, but now he held a lot more respect for her. Misty ran back to the waiting room, clearing the stage for the next round. “Hey Ash, did you see me out there?” “Yeah! You were awesome!” Misty flushed modestly, rubbing the back of her head. “Well…I was pretty cool out there. I was a little nervous with the crowd at first.” “Me too, especially with the way the crowd didn’t like me at first. I kinda wish Brock was here to see us in action though…” “Did someone say my name?” The said breeder inquired, patting Ash’s shoulder. “BROCK!” Ash and Misty cried in surprised. “It’s been awhile! Sorry I haven’t seen you guys for so long. I’ve been training a lot and didn’t get time to see ya.” Brock apologized. The two took note of how Brock looked a little different. His muscles were very well toned, and he had white wrappings around his forearm and palm. Misty sighed, feeling relieved. “At least you’re alright. We’ve been worried about you.” “Yeah, I know, I know. These two wouldn’t leave me alone.” Brock pointed to the two people behind him. “What’s up?” Wes greeted cheerfully. “I still can’t believe I was talked into this…” Brendan sighed. He never liked pointless battles, unlike Wes. “Um, you two are Brendan and Wes, right?” Ash asked, pointing at them. “Yep, that’s us! My brother and I are gonna enter this tournament and win.” A small growl escaped Brendan’s lips, but Wes waved it off. “Anyway, you two did really good out there. Nice moves!” Wes flashed Ash and Misty a thumbs up and wink. “Your styles were very original, that much I’ll admit. But, you’ll need more than that to take us three on.” Brendan informed with a smirk. “Ooh, I get it now! You guys have been training Brock the entire time! It’s no wonder he never showed up!” Ash suddenly grabbed Brock’s shirt and shook him vibrantly. “Do you realize what I’ve been through since you left? There was no one who could cook, and I mean NO ONE!” “What do you mean no one? I can cook very well!” Misty argued heatedly. Ash pointed to Misty while staring at Brock with eyes of despair. “You left me with the human plague you call a chef and expect me to actually live in one piece!? Had I actually attempted to swallow the nuclear sludge, I wouldn’t be standing here right now! Have you no mercy on me?” “Don’t talk about me like that!” Misty yelled furiously. “Hahaha! It looks like you two are having fun! Just like me and my brother!” Wes patted Brendan roughly on the back, laughing gleefully. Brendan’s curled fist trembled violently. ‘Better hope we don’t get paired against each other, Wes…’ He thought angrily. “Alright, if I can have your attention once again!” The fighters turned to face Lily once again. “The next match up will be Brock Slate and Edmond Honda. Will these two fighters please step forward and follow me!” “Alright, I get a shot! Wish me luck!” Brock said, giving Ash and Misty the thumbs up. “Hah, this puny little man is my opponent? This match will be over swiftly!” A very large Japanese man laughed boisterously. The sumo wrestler had red streaks of paint on his face and something resembling a blue-striped towel draped around his waist. He towered over Brock, who looked fairly small compared to the titan. “I wouldn’t be talking so quick. Punching bags are big targets, and you’re only making yourself bigger.” Brock smirked as he looked Edmond in the eyes, filled with confidence. “Hmph, you talk big for a scrawny little man. We’ll see who laughs last in the arena.” The ground vibrated with each step the sumo took towards the arena. Brock followed Edmund and Lily towards the stage. In the main stage area, Daisy started speaking for the crowd. “Alright ladies and gentleman, let’s get started with the next one! Our first fighter is actually the second strongest sumo wrestler in the world, renowned for his brute strength. Here all the way from Japan, let’s give it up for EDMUND HONDA!!” The crowd roared as Edmund made his way to the arena. “Edmund’s opponent is also well known for his status! Unfortunately, it’s only as a womanizer. Please give a warm welcome for the family man with fist of steel, BROCK SLATE!!” ‘Sheesh, could my introduction be any worse?’ Brock thought wryly, walking onto the stage. He noticed a lot of glares from the girls in the crowds, a few familiar faces he flirted with (and failed) in the past. This only made him more apprehensive. Once the two fighters were on stage, Violet approached the two fighters. “Alright, round 3 - Edmund Honda versus Brock Slate! Fighters ready…?” Once again, she ran off the stage to give the fighters space. “FIGHT!” (Honda’s stage – Street Fighter) Edmund charged towards Brock with incredible force, almost enough to damage the stage with each step. “Prepare to be squashed!” He yelled threateningly, raising his hand to strike. When Edmund swung down his heavy fist, Brock used one of his arms to block the attack and countered with a powerful punch to the stomach. Gasping for air, Edmund stumbled back. Edmund recovered and performed a straight with his fist, only for Brock to smack it and throw a thunderous thrust punch at the sumo wrestler’s shoulder. This continue for several seconds, as Edmund would throw an attack, be parried and receive a single, devastating hit from Brock. With each attack countered, Brock took a step forward, leading Edmund out of the ring. After being countered enough, E. Honda decided to use a move advanced move. “Eat this! 100 hand slaps!” Taking the offensive, he stampeded forward while sending a flurry of palm strikes at Brock. The breeder could only smirk victoriously as he blocked every single hit with ease. Just to make the giant sumo furious, he made sure to do it with only one hand. “If you want me to actually break a sweat, you might want to do 900 more hand slaps!” Brock taunted, motioning the giant to attack him. Edmund’s face grew red with anger. “Why you little…! SUMO HEADBUTT!” “Wha…!” SMASH! “Augh!” Brock received a direct hit from E. Honda’s flying headbutt attack, sending him soaring. Landing roughly, Brock received moderate damaged, but recovered almost instantly. ‘Man…that was took me by surprise…but that gives me an idea….’ Taking the knowledge granted to him by Wes, he was going to put it to good use. “HEY FATASS! THANKS FOR PROVING THAT PIGS REALLY CAN FLY!!” Edmund’s jaw dropped. “What did you just call me…?” In the waiting room, Ash and Misty’s eyes were widened dramatically as their jaws hung open. “Since when did Brock use such bad language?” They thought about it for a moment and then turned to glare at Wes, as did Brendan. Wes noted the dirty looks he was getting. “…What?” Back on the arena, if looks could kill, Brock would be a pile of ash at the moment. “How dare you insult me!? I shall destroy you! SUMO SMASH!” E. Honda jumped high in the air and started freefalling at a dangerous speed. Even Brock with his new strength couldn’t block such an attack, but he had another means of attacking… SMASH!! Brock barely dodged the attack as the sumo broke through the platform and ended up under the arena. The crowd looked on with shock and anticipation. Both fighters were both powerful and skilled. It was amazing how well Brock was holding up against the monstrosity of a man. Brock snickered lightly as he saw Honda’s hand reach the hole he made. The sumo was going to be in for a big surprise. “Grr…you are on my last nerve! Next time, I won’t miss!” Honda growled, emerging out of the platform. Once he was on his feet, he heard everyone in the audience gasp in horror. The man blinked, wondering what was so shocking. Many of the people were covering their faces, blinded by what they saw. Suddenly, the giant Japanese man felt something strange. “Who turned up the AC? I feel a draft.” Brock started snickering a little more. “Why don’t you look down and see for yourself?” “Hm?” When Edmund looked down, his eyes widened in surprise. His towel was gone! “I’m guessing you’re looking for this?” Brock flashed the blue-stripped towel at Honda, who was feeling very embarrassed. “Give it back!” Honda cried, trying pathetically to cover himself the best he could. “I got a better idea…” Brock started winding up the towel, a sinister look on his face. “I would start running if I were you…” Edmund took a step back, a look of sheer terror on his face. “Oh no…” “Oh yes…” “Oh no…!” “Oh yes…!” Brock started dashing towards the naked sumo. “OH NO!” SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! “OW! OUCH! STOP IT!” Honda yelped, getting chased by Brock. The sumo’s heavyweight only made him even more susceptible to the barrage of stings. The crowd could only either laugh or watch in surprise as the second strongest sumo wrestler in the world was quickly reduced to a naked man receiving the wrath of the dreaded towel. Ash, Misty and Brendan sweat-dropped massively, unlike Wes, who found it to be very funny. It was such an embarrassing way for something to be used against you. “Say your prayers!” Brock yelled, increasing his speed. “Alright, alright, I give! Just stop popping me!” E. Honda hid behind Violet, who was very disgusted by the fact a fat naked man was holding onto her. “EW! This is SO gross!” Violet shuddered, shrugging off the helpless man. To quickly avoid getting held onto again, she darted to where Brock was and raised his hand. “And the winner, no matter how strange a victory, is BROCK SLATE!” There weren’t much applause, for most of the audience was still shocked with what they saw. Most of the younger minds would be mentally scarred for the rest of their lives. Back in the waiting room, Brock rushed back in his friends with a proud smile on his face. “Hey guys! Did you see how cool I was out—” SLAM! “Ugh!” Brock’s face was planted into the ground thanks to Misty’s infamous mallet. “How dare you say such bad words in public? And since when did you get so mean and aggressive!? Do you have any idea how many impressionable kids are watching!?” Misty shrieked as she continuously stomped on Brock. “I’ll admit…Brock really has changed within the last few days.” Ash turned to Wes, tossing him a confused stare. “Just what did you guys do to him?” Brendan scratched his head in thought. “Well, each of us pretty much trained him for a day. I guess Wes decided to slightly tweak his personality a bit…unfortunately.” “I don’t see what I did wrong. I just gave him a backbone.” Wes defended. Ash’s shoulders slumped. “I think the only thing you gave him was a bad mouth…” “Um…excuse me, may I please get your attention?” Lily requested. “Um…due to the last match, the arena has been temporarily put out of order, so for now, you may relax until we’ve made the necessary repairs. It shouldn’t take too long. Thanks for your patience!” With that, she left to meet up with the rest of her sisters. Ash, along with Misty and Brock, walked over to one of the benches and plopped down. “Whew, it’ll be nice to have a break.” Ash sighed. “Definitely. That Jam girl got some good hits on me.” Misty sat besides Ash, followed by Brock, Wes and Brendan. “You guys totally rocked the house out there! I mean, I knew Brock would win for sure, but you two were way cool too!” Wes praised. “I agree. Very impressive you two were.” Brendan said, speaking to Ash and Misty. Ash, though he liked the compliments, had something else on his mind. “Hey, Brendan, Wes, why are you two in this tournament, and where’s Gary and the others?” “Well, Ritchie doesn’t like getting into fights, and I don’t want to risk putting Rui in any danger. As for Gary, as he stated, he doesn’t feel like humiliating you in public.” Wes answered. Ash coiled his fist in fury. “That Gary…! Just wait until I get my hands on him!” “As for why we’re in this tournament, I always like a good brawl, so I thought “Why not?”. Also…” Wes wrapped his arm around Brendan’s shoulder and pulled him close. “I thought this was the perfect way for us brothers to bond!” Brendan pushed himself away from Wes, scowling. “Fighting, for one, is not what I would consider to be a good way of bonding. And for the 1 millionth time…WE’RE NOT BROTHERS!!” “Ah, ah, ah! Deny it all you want, but you can’t change facts.” Wes tutted, wagging his finger at Brendan. Brendan’s eyebrow twitched in frustration. “There are no facts to change!” Misty laughed at their antics. “You two seem to be pretty good friends.” “Yep! We’re so close, we’ve become brothers!” Wes said proudly. Brendan didn’t share Wes’s sentiments. “If that’s what you call being a good friend, I would rather have enemies…” “Hey, could I ask you two a serious question?” Misty asked. Brendan and Wes nodded, waiting for her to continue. “Why did you two join Team Nova?” Wes sat back on the bench and crossed his legs, staring upward to reminisce. His face was serious. “Years back, I used to be a part of an evil organization in the Orre region known infamously as Team Snagem.” “Wait a minute, I’ve heard of them before!” Ash exclaimed in surprise. “Even though it’s smaller than Team Rocket, they used to be just as fierce and had the same goals. I’ve also heard they were disbanded thanks to…wait a second…!” “Correct. The two people who took them down were Rui and I.” Wes finished, receiving surprised stares from Ash, Misty and Brock. “Anyway, I used to be a part of that organization long ago. That is, until I realized how wrong it was. I immediately escaped and took this thing with me.” He stroked the metal armguard on his right arm. “This is the “Snag machine”, and with it, you can capture Pokémon that normally belong to other trainers. It was truly a double-edge sword. It could either be used for good or evil. Fortunately, with the help of Rui, we managed to defeat them and their partnering organization, Team Cipher. But…after that was accomplished, I didn’t feel…complete. I felt I needed to atone for what I’ve did in the past. That’s when I found Team Nova, or rather, they found me. I possessed something they wanted, and they had something I wanted. With Rui, I told her to stay with her family in Orre, but she kept insisting that she would come along. Heh, I remember even having to go as far as leaving her behind without telling her. Boy was she pissed. A few months later, I completed all the tests and training with flying colors, soon earning a rank among the elite. I felt I’ve really contributed not only to Team Nova, not only to the world, but for me…and Rui.” “It seems like you and Rui really care about each other. That’ so sweet…” Misty praised, getting starry eyed. A small smile appeared on Wes’s face. “Yeah, and this was apparent soon, after joining the elite. Apparently, a girl close to my age managed to not only ace the training and tests, but proved to be the best female Team Nova member in a long time. She was immediately sent to join the top elite of Team Nova. Imagine my surprise when I found out this little girl wonder was actually Rui. When she saw my face, man, let’s just say if looks could kill, I would’ve been way below six feet under. We kinda got into an argument and Rui gave me two choices: Either she stays with me or she goes back home and never speaks to me again.” Wes sat forward with his arms resting on his knees. He wore a calm and complacent expression. “I asked her to give me two days to think about it. In those two days, the only thoughts on my mind were what would be best for Rui. I could’ve had her tag along with me, but she would be in danger. If she was to go home, she would be safe, but will probably hate my guts for the rest of my life. It was the toughest decision I’ve ever had to make. But…something strange happened. On my bed was a video tape that read “Rui’s training”. I didn’t know who left it there, but I decided to check it out. Once I saw the video…I was sold. Every minute of her training was intense, but Rui had the most determined face I’ve ever seen! If you saw it, you could tell nothing could stop her. There was something she always told herself. It was as if those were her motivation words, because whenever she said it, her stamina would return with double the force. It was those words that just got to me more than anything. It was five simple, but powerful words: “I have to find him”. That’s when I decided, I can’t possibly leave someone like that behind. She went through so much trouble in the first place, and I know for a fact if she went home, she would wind up coming back for me. And until this day, I’m glad I made the decision to keep her by my side. That’s also another reason I’m with Team Nova, so I can help create a world were Rui would be safe and happy.” Ash and Misty where surprised with Wes’s story. They truly underestimated him. “You’re cooler than I thought, Wes.” Ash complimented. “Heh, thanks As—hey, wait a minute! You thought I was uncool before?” Wes tossed Ash a scrutinizing look. Ash simply laughed it off nervously. “Wes may seem like a pushover and an idiot, which he is, but he’s someone who you don’t want to underestimate.” Brendan stated. “Hey, hey, hey, watch it with the insults!” Wes yelled. “Hey, Brendan, what’s your reason for joining Team Nova?” Ash asked, interrupting the small scale argument. “My reasons isn’t as long and drawn out as Wes’s. The only reason I’m here is because I have no where else to go. Besides, had I actually left, Wes would never stop annoying the hell out of me about it.” Brendan sighed. “I wouldn’t be so annoying if you would just admit that we’re brothers.” Wes told him. Brendan grew infuriated. “For the last time…!” “My, look at what we got here.” A voice said out of the blue. The gang turned to see two people approaching them. It was the same two people Ash spotted earlier. Unfortunately, Ash got bad vibes from both of them, especially the white haired man with the blue visor. “Who are you two?” Brendan inquired, casting a cautious state at them. The white haired man held up his hands defensively. “There’s no need for such hostility. I feel we are all just simple fighters here for our own objectives. Isn’t that right, Zao?” The red eyed man glanced back at the emotionless man with only one visible yellow eye. Zao didn’t visibly respond in the least. “I was hoping maybe we could have a little chat before the bouts continue. After all, there is plenty of time to kill.” Ash narrowed his eyes. There was something sickeningly sweet about the man’s voice which crept him out to the max. “What do you mean by a little chat? Who are you?” The man rolled his eyes as he shrugged. “How rude. Don’t you know it’s proper to introduce yourself before asking others?” “You heard my name loud and clear during the first match.” Ash’s voice was firm and to the point. “Hm, it looks like you got me. Haha, silly me. Well, I suppose it would be fair to give you my name.” The man bowed respectfully while tossing the gang an all too friendly smirk. “You may call me Crisis. Pardon for the crude name, my parents were fond of unusual jokes.” “Why are you here talking to us?” Wes asked roughly, having a laser-like focus on Crisis. Crisis looked at Wes in faked surprise. “Well, someone woke up on the wrong side of the coffin-oops! Did I say that out loud? I meant bed. So sorry, such a bad habit of mine.” He waved it off playfully. “You trying to start something?” Wes growled, preparing to fight. Crisis looked annoyed. “Meh, don’t act like such a child. I don’t feel like spanking such a naughty little boy right now. You’re not worth my time.” He turned to Brendan and held his chin. “But you are well worthy of my attention, little ‘Brendan’.” For reasons unknown, Crisis made sure to emphasis Brendan’s name. “Son of a…!” Wes shot out of the bench and went to punch Crisis, who had an evil glint in his eye as he saw the attack approaching him. “That’s enough Crisis.” Zao spoke. His voice was calm, but powerful enough to slice through the air like a hot knife through butter. “Don’t you think you’ve fooled around enough? Remember why we’re here.” “Ah phooey. You’re such a stiff. I was only getting myself acquainted with these fellow youngsters. Oh well, until next we meet I guess.” Crisis tossed Brendan a wink before leaving, which sent chills down Brendan’s spine. If anyone disliked Crisis at the moment, it was Brendan. Zao started walking away, but before getting out of sight, he and Ash’s eyes locked. A miniature war took place between their gazes. However, once Zao’s eyes narrowed the slightest, Ash gasped and fell on his hands and knees, trembling violently. Misty and Brock, who was able to see spirits, saw Satoshi have a look of great terror in his eyes. Whatever Ash felt, Satoshi felt too. “Ash, are you alright?” Brock inquired urgently, helping Ash to his feet. The look on Ash’s face truly disheartened everyone. “Th…that man…Zao…do not underestimate him…!” Ash started breathing in shudders. “If you fight him…he won’t hesitate to kill you. I saw just a tiny amount of his killing intent, but it was the scariest thing I’ve ever seen. No, it was beyond that. It felt as though my very spirit was being torn limb for limb, and the worst thing about it was…he wasn’t even trying. As a matter of fact, he was holding a great deal back. I…I’m not sure I can face him…” Misty gave Ash a very concerned look. This wasn’t like Ash at all. “Ash, what are you…?” “I know exactly what he’s talking about.” Wes said, clenching his fist. “Those two guys…they aren’t normal, not in the least. That Crisis guy, even though he looked playful and innocent, he is definitely cold blooded in every sense imaginable. I don’t know who scares me more, Crisis or Zao. I looked into Zao’s eyes for less than an instant. My hands are still shaking…” “It’s safe to assume they aren’t normal. Should any of us fight them, we can’t hold back anything. I have a bad feeling about them.” Brendan grimaced, furrowing his eyebrows. “Alright everyone, sorry for the wait!” Lily yelled out. “Will the next two fighters, Wes and Senel Coolidge, please come this way!” Wes slapped his fist together in excitement. “Oh yeah! It’s my turn! Let’s see who my opponent is!” He looked left and right as he walked up to Lily. “I’m right here.” The man named Senel said. The blue eyed lad looked around 17 years old and had wild, unrestrained white hair. On his face was a series of black markings consisting of a diamond shape mark under his right eye and another diamond in the middle of a ring on his forehead. He also had unusual white clothes, worn dark teal shorts and white, green boots. One look at Senel and Wes gasped. “This…can’t be…!” He glanced at Brendan as he pointed to Senel. “Brother, look! I think he might be a long lost brother of ours!” SMACK! “Will you stop bringing other people into that nonsense of yours?” Brendan reprimanded, punching the tell-tale Wes over the head. Senel was about to question the topic when Brendan sighed and shook his head. “It’s a long story. Just have a good fight.” “O…kay…” Senel blinked. After Wes gave his armguard to Brendan to hold, he and Senel made their way to the stage with Lily. In the main area, there was a tough plate of metal placed over the arena so it wouldn’t break as easily. Once again, Daisy began the introductions. “Sorry for the wait everyone! Now that the arena’s repaired, let’s get started with the next match! On the right hand corner is a skilled martial artist with a passion for close combat! Coming all the way from…err…Werites Beacon? Let’s give a hand to the super cool, SENEL COOLIDGE!!” The crowd gave a great welcome to the alliance marine, who held a cool expression on his face. “And in the left hand corner, this kid is a legend in the Orre region for completely decimating an evil organization. Let’s welcome the man with the fist of fury, WES!” “Hehe, this is gonna be fun!” Wes was brimming with excitement as he walked onto the Arena. Violet stepped up to start the match. “If you two already know the rules, let’s get this party started! Round 4 – Wes versus Senel Coolidge. Ready…?” Once again, she ran away from the stage to avoid getting hit. “FIGHT!” (Battle artist – Tales of Legendia) Senel jumped back and made the first strike. “Demon Fist!” With this fist, he threw a shock wave trailing across the ground. “Whoa!” Wes cart wheeled out of the way, almost taken by surprised. ‘Interesting, this guy definitely got some cool moves. I better make sure not to hold back.’ He and Senel both dashed forward to exchange fists. Wes threw a punch at Senel, but the skilled fighter blocked the attack and parried with his own fist attack. Ducking to dodge it, Wes performed a low kick to trip up the white haired fighter. Senel saw it coming and jumped over it and above Wes. “Talon Strike!” Senel yelled, stomping on Wes’s shoulder then head before back flipping off him. Wes shook it off and stood up, but couldn’t react to Senel’s next move. “Wyrm Crush!” With great speed, he dashed towards Wes, did a four hit fist combo, and with the forth hit, uppercutted him in the air. While airborne, Wes recovered and attempted to land on his feet, but noticed that Senel wasn’t done yet. “Swallow Dance!” Senel’s body rotated as he jumped in the air and performed a series and aerial spin kicks. This time, Wes was well prepared for him, and with great precision, stepped onto each of Senel’s kick attack, thereby countering it. After landing, it was Wes’s turn to go on the offensive. He ran at Senel with his fist raised, but unexpectedly, punch at the ground. Surprisingly, he punched with enough force to propel him towards Senel. “Serpent Sting!” He forward flipped in the air and slammed Senel’s shoulder with the heel of his foot. Senel knocked Wes’s foot upward, causing him to flip backwards and land on his feet. “Demon Fist!” Senel wasn’t planning on giving Wes anytime to rest. “HA!” Wes slammed his fist at the shockwave and managed to cancel it out. “Let’s see you block this! Twin Demon Fist!” This time, Senel shot two shockwaves towards Wes. Wes crossed his arms defensively to block the barrage of shockwaves. He managed to defend against the first one, but the second one stunned him long enough for Senel to move in and attack. “Whirlwind Talon Blast!” First, Senel performed a powerful roundhouse kick to throw off Wes’s guard. Then, he tossed an endless barrage of high- paced kicks at Wes’s chest and stomach. To finish the move, he did another powerful kick, which knocked Wes on the ground. Before Wes could stand up, Senel grabbed his ankles. “Landslide!” With a spin, Senel lifted Wes and then slammed him hard on the ground. “Ack!” Blood escaped Wes’s lips as he coughed, lying on his back. His face was contorted in pain. “Hey, you may be a skilled fighter, but you’re no match for me. Forfeit before you get seriously injured, which I’m trying hard to avoid.” Senel advised. “A-agh…” Wes tried to get up, but it was tough to move without aching all over. His tired eyes glanced over at the crowd, and there, he saw Ritchie, Gary…and Rui. They were watching him. Rui had a fixed focus on him, silently praying he would win. Wes could tell this, and smiled. “Heh, sorry Senel, but no can do…” Slowly, Wes arisen to his feet, panting heavily. ‘How…could he still stand after all of that? This guy is pretty tough, gotta give him that much.’ Senel thought. “Heh…you see…there’s someone watching me…someone very important. If I was to lose so easily…I would never hear the end of it…” Gritting his teeth, one of Wes’s arms was stretched downward while the other gripped tightly on the wrist. “You think…you’re so special, don’t you? With your fancy tricks and attacks. I’ll admit you’re a pretty cool guy, and your techniques rock. Unfortunately for you…” The arm he was holding onto started trembling as he cocked his hand so it formed a claw. Suddenly, a faint, amethyst glow covered Wes’s hand. Wes looked up, a bold look of determination on his face. “I’m more special than YOU!” With a cry, he charged at Senel with his glowing hands raised. “Twin Demon Fist!” Senel shot his dual shockwaves towards Wes at full power, unsure of what the bold teen was planning. “Not this time!” With the glowing hand, Wes slapped away the two shockwaves as though they were nothing. This surprised Senel greatly, so much he couldn’t defend against the attack in time. “HYPER BLADE!” SLASH! “Agh!” Senel barely stepped back in time. His chest caught a small graze from Wes’s attack. It was slight, but there was a burnt singe on his chest, which was very painful. ‘What on earth…?’ Senel couldn’t believe how painful the little graze was. Whatever the technique was, he couldn’t underestimate it. He took on his battle pose. “Alright, it’s time for round two!” “Back at cha!” The fighters clashed again, exchanging expertly done moves with each other. As time passed, the battle grew more intense with each second. Neither fighter would yield in their constant barrage of attacks. Within a few minutes, both fighters were on their last leg. Senel summed up his remaining strength in order to use his trump card. “Let’s finish this! Climax mode!!” Instantly, in Senel’s vision, everything was enveloped in a dark blue hue. It was as though time froze only for him. He decided to use this time to get in more than enough hits to take Wes down. In Wes’s point of view, Senel was only a blur. For some reason, his body started taking damaging blows at an ungodly rate. Whatever Senel did, it gave him speed which time itself couldn’t keep up with. ‘Tch, if he thinks I can’t keep up, he’s wrong. Time to go all out…!” Wes used his remaining stamina to increase the light purple glow around his arm so it enveloped his entire body. With Senel, he was landing hit after hit, hoping his climax mode would last long enough to take Wes down. He was about to land a powerful hit when Wes’s hand caught it. Senel’s eyes widened in astonishment. ‘Impossible! He can keep up with the climax mode!?’ “Perhaps you didn’t hear me the first time I said it…” Wes leaned it with a dignified smirk. “I’m more special than you…!” Outside the climax mode, no one could tell what was going on. Both fighters were mere blurs now, and no one could keep up. If anything was for certain, the person who emerged out of the climax mode standing would be the victor. In the stands, Rui wringed her hands nervously. ‘I don’t care who wins, but Wes, please be okay…’ In less then a few seconds, both fighters appeared in view, both of them facing against each other. The crowd was silent and the tension was high. A few second later, someone collapsed. It was Senel. Wes smirked. “Heh…I told you I was…special…” and then he collapsed shortly after. The crowd was in shock. Violet went to check on the fighters’ condition. “It’s…a double knockout! Both Senel Coolidge and Wes are out!” She motioned a group of Nurse Joys to put the two fighters on stretchers and flee the scene, taking them to the nearby hospital. Rui immediately jumped out of her seat and followed the nurses. A group of people familiar to Senel followed as well. With the fighters in the waiting room, Ash had been staring at the battle in wonder the entire time. Wes had put so much effort into the battle. He really wanted him to win. “Poor Wes. I’d hoped he would win.” “Don’t worry about him. He’ll be alright. Besides…” Brendan glanced at the corner of his eye as he saw Wes being carried out and Rui by his side. “…He has more than enough support already. Nothing to worry about.” “Okay, everybody, listen up!” Lily called out. “Will a Brendan Birch and Yugi Moto please follow me!” “Looks like I’m up. I better get this over with.” Brendan quirked his neck and stretched his arms. “Good luck!” Ash and Misty wished. “Hmph, I don’t need luck. If anything, it looks like my opponent is the one who needs it.” Brendan gestured the rather young kid with purple eyes and a strangely shaped, multi-colored hair. The boy was dressed in what looked like a blue school uniform and had a necklace with something resembling a gold pyramid with an odd eye insignia in the middle of it. The timid teenager approached Lily and glanced at Brendan, who shifted his glasses habitually. “W-well, shall we have a good fight?” The boy asked politely. Brendan gave the kid a long stare at the corner of his eye before snorting. “As long as you don’t cry after getting hit, I don’t care.” Brendan walked ahead of Lily and Yugi to the waiting point. Lily eyed Brendan with slight disgust. “Jeeze, rude much?” She sighed and gave Yugi a small smile. “Don’t push yourself too hard kiddo. Just go out there and do your best. Now let’s go.” She led Yugi, who was feeling very apprehensive, to where Brendan was. In the arena, the crowd had been in a murmur ever since the recent match. The tournament held a lot of talent and captured the attention of many people. The spectators were silenced as soon as Daisy’s voice was heard speaking over the intercom. “If we can have your attention, we would like to get started with the next round! Our first fighter is ranked among one of the most intellectual minds of the world and is the grandson of the famous Professor Birch. No one has a guess as to how skilled he is, but we’re gonna find out today. Please welcome the totally cool, calm, and collected, BRENDAN BIRCH!!” Everyone applauded as Brendan stepped into view and onto the stage. His looks captured the attention of a lot of women in the audience. “Our next fighter is a world renowned duelist in an apparently very popular card game of Duel Monsters. Coming all the way from Domino City (wherever that is), please welcome the totally cute YUGI MOTO!!” The crowd gave a hand to Yugi, who felt a both embarrassed and nervous as he go into position. This time, Violet stood outside the ring to make the announcement. “Let’s get this started! Round 5 – Brendan Birch versus Yugi Moto. Fighters ready…? FIGHT!” ‘Oooh…I told Joey this wasn’t a good idea. Hmph, toughen me up my behind! I mean look at this guy…!’ Yugi noticed the annoyed expression on Brendan’s face. It looked like he wanted to beat the pulp out of the little guy. This only made him more nervous. ‘This guy is gonna mop the floor with me…!’ “Hey!” Brendan yelled, scaring the teen out of his thoughts. “Are you going to fight or sit there getting nervous?” “Oh, um, sure.” Yugi closed his eyes and placed his hands around his pyramid. “Alright, let’s do this! YUGIOH!!!” The boy cried. He was engulfed in a bright yellow light. When the light dissipated, Yugi grew at least 3 feet taller, had sharper eyes, and had slightly different, tougher looking clothes. “Hm?” Yugi looked around in wonder, unsure of what was going on. “Is this some kind of duel?” “Hey, wait a minute!” Brendan yelled, pointing accusingly at Yugi. “What the hell was that? Hey, Violet! This guy just changed members in between a match! Isn’t that against the rules?” Violet blinked, confused. “…What are you talking about? I didn’t notice anything strange.” Brendan’s jaw dropped. “Didn’t notice anything strange!? HE JUST GREW THREE FEET TALLER!! Doesn’t that give you the slightest hint that something’s wrong with this picture!?” Violet sighed. This was turning into a problem. “Look, we’ll ask people of the audience for their opinion. If they vote that your claim is true, Yugi Moto will be disqualified. However, if they vote false, the match will continue without further argument, okay?” Brendan nodded, fully confident about getting the cheater kicked out. ‘I’m sure if the judge didn’t see it, someone else must’ve. No one can be THAT blind. It’s scientifically impossible.’ Violet gave Daisy, who was stationed inside the observation deck, the sign to start the voting process. In each of the seats, a keypad appeared. It had the words true and false written on it. The entire audience entered their responses, which was then sent to Daisy’s location to analyze. Once completed, Daisy turned on the microphone to speak. “Okay, I have the votes. The results are unanimous. Yugi Moto has been voted NOT guilty for switching team members. The match will resume normally.” Brendan’s face paled, turning white as a ghost. “IS EVERYONE HERE BLIND OR INSANE!?” “Sorry, but it’s been decided. Now quit whining and start fighting.” Violet demanded. Brendan’s shoulders slumped. “…Am I the only one who notices how wrong this is?” He cried despairingly. Wit Ash, Misty, and Brock, they sweat-dropped fiercely. “We’ve noticed…” Though the spirit holders could tell what happened, they chose not to say anything about it. It was more fun that way… In the arena, Brendan calmed himself down and narrowed his eyes at Yugi. “I don’t know what your game is, but I’ll be sure to wipe that cooled look off your face.” Yugi smirked. “Are you sure? Don’t go in over your head.” “Hmph, I’ll be sure not too.” With his hands behind his back, Brendan casually walked towards him. “Hm? This is different.” Yugi thought aloud, confused with Brendan’s battle approach. Staying defensive, Yami did the same as Brendan. Once the two were in front of each other, their eyes locked unflinchingly, not even blinking. The key to the battle would be the one with the most control and precision. ‘Hmm…I have to admit, he is a very calculating opponent. I have to be careful with him.’ ‘This faker doesn’t look too shabby. I have to make my moves count.’ Brendan thought. ACHOO! The loud sneeze from one of the audience was the spark that started the battle. (Your move – Music to duel by) “HA!” The two shouted, throwing punching at a shocking rate. Yugi dodged Brendan’s strikes by mere centimeters and threw in a few of his own punches, blocked by Brendan’s swift and calculating movements. The first attack to land was a fist to the chest by Yugi, causing Brendan to stumble back. Yugi tossed a kick at him, but Brendan caught it and flipped him, causing him to fall face first. Luckily, Yugi halted his fall by using his hands and rolled out of the way of Brendan’s downward heel strike. Bouncing himself back to his feet, Yugi dashed at Brendan’s side and did a roundhouse kick. Predicting this, Brendan caught the foot and pushed him away, greatly throwing Yugi off balance. Brendan used the open opportunity to run at Yugi. Unfortunately for him, Yugi planned for this. The ninja star haired teen immediately regained his balance and captured Brendan’s arm. ‘Damn! He pulled off a feint!’ Brendan thought grimly. With a toss, Yugi spun him and sent him staggering towards the edge of the arena. Brendan attempted to get back on track, but Yugi managed to counter his moves and keep him towards the edge of the arena. “This is the end of the line!” With a palm strike to the chest, Brendan was sent flying off the arena and landed roughly on the ground outside. “Brendan’s out of the ring. He has until ten counts to get back in or he forfeits. 10…9…” Violet announced, keeping track. ‘Grr…how troublesome. I can’t believe I’m letting this guy beat me…!’ Brendan thought angrily. One of the things he despised more than fighting is being humiliated. It looked like he would have to get just a little serious. “8…7…6…5…” “Had enough yet?” Yugi asked, raising an eyebrow. “Hmph. I’ve slightly underestimated you, but I won’t make that same mistake.” Brendan took off his glasses and placed it in his pocket, smirking. “This time, you’re going down!” “4…3…2…1—AH!” Violet gasped. In the blink of an eye, Brendan disappeared and was now standing behind Yugi, who paled in surprise. “Be careful when down talking an opponent. You never know what they can do when they’re angry…” Brendan growled. Yugi started sweating nervously. This wasn’t looking too good. POW! BAM! SMACK! Yugi was being beaten left and right and never had a chance to fight back. Within a few minutes, Yugi was heavily bruised. The look in Brendan’s eyes was starting to cause him great fear and anxiety. Brendan picked up him and leered dangerously. “Do you think you can humiliate me and get away with it?” SMACK! The punch was powerful enough to not only knock him to the other side of the ring, but also unconscious. With that, Yugi somehow shrunk back to his original size. Violet checked on the boy’s condition. He was out cold. Doing her job as the referee, she went over to Brendan and raised his hand high. “And the winner for this match is Bren—hey!” She yelled, being that Brendan snatched his hand out of her grip. “I’m not done yet.” Brendan stormed over to Yugi, raised him by the scruff on his collar and shook him rapidly. “Wake up you half pint twerp! I’m not through with you!” “Ugh…huh?” Yugi’s innocent eyes opened, only to widen in fear. The look on Brendan’s eyes was intense and violent. “Hey! The match is already over! You won so stop picking on him!” Violet pleaded. “Picking on him? I’m going to destroy him!” Brendan drew back his fist, only to be stopped by two teens a little older them him. One of them was a blonde wearing a green jacket, long blue jeans, and a white undershirt. The other was a brown haired man with brown, pointy hair, a tan coat, brown pants and shirt. “Hey buddy, what’s da big idea? Da lady said you won already, so leggo!” The blonde demanded. At that moment, Brendan blinked, his expression changing immediately to confusion. He released and dropped Yugi absentmindedly. “…Huh? What happened?” Brendan asked unwittingly. Once they noticed Brendan’s body lax, they rushed to Yugi’s aid. “Hey Yug, you alright?” The blonde man asked, helping him up. “Ow…Joey? Tristan? What happened…?” “I dunno, but that guy just went ballistic on you a minute ago. If we didn’t jump in, you coulda got hurt big time. Which reminds me…” Joey tossed an angry glare at Brendan, who was walking back to the fighter’s waiting area, still confused about his earlier actions. “Hey ya big jerk! Ain’t ya gonna apologize, or are ya so full of ya self that you ain’t got da time?” Brendan stopped and glanced at Joey at the corner of his ruby eyes. The immediate look in his eyes sent shivers down Joey’s spine, causing the blonde to clam up nervously. After the moment passed, Brendan looked forward, but didn’t move yet. “I’m…sorry about that. I’m not sure what came over me. Please don’t consider me to be that kind of person. It was just…a momentary lapse of composure.” With that, Brendan continued onward. Joey, still confused, shrugged it off and lifted Yugi back to his feet. “Gee, wasn’t that a 10 on da creepy scale.” He commented. “Yeah…the weirdest thing of all was his eyes…” Yugi said, still feeling weak. “Definitely. That guy looked mad. I wouldn’t want to meet him in a dark alley.” Tristan shivered at the thought. Yugi shook his head. “No, I mean his eyes, as in, the color of them. For that one brief moment…his eyes were pink.” Joey scratched his head in confusion. “Wha? You sayin he changed eye color or something? Talk about weird…” With Brendan, when he approached Ash, Misty and Brock, they rushed towards him worriedly. “Hey Brendan, are you…alright? We saw what happened…” Ash asked hesitantly. Brendan covered his face with his hand, feeling muddled. “I’m not sure what happened. All I know is that I had this feeling ever since we met Crisis. But…the thought of Yugi defeating right then infuriated me like never before. I can’t explain it, but it felt as though those emotions were mine, but at the same time, they weren’t mine…” Brock crossed his arms thoughtfully. “I’ve known you for only a short while, but you never struck me as the kind of guy who’s quick to anger. Even then, that was taking it too far. And you say you had this strange feeling inside you when you met with Crisis?” “I can’t just say he was somehow involved. All I know is that the feeling came to existence around that time.” “Will you be alright?” Misty asked worriedly. “…Yeah, I’ll be fine. The feeling’s gone now. Instead of worrying about me, go ahead and check on Wes for me. I want to see if he’s alright.” Ash was a little confused. “But I thought you said he would be alright with Rui with him.” “I know, but I would feel better if I had someone tell me how he was doing. Besides, I want to analyze the rest of the competition, especially Zao and Crisis. Is there anyone you want me to concentrate on?” Ash thought about it, then nodded. “Yeah. Though I haven’t seen him yet, there’s someone named Soma in this tournament. Can you get some info on him for me?” Brendan nodded. “Sure. Just go ahead. I’ll catch up when the tournament is done for the day.” With that settled, Ash, Misty and Brock left for the hospital where Wes was stationed. When they were gone, Brendan glanced at Crisis at the corner of his eye. Another feeling he noticed before aroused again. It was something Brendan found even more mysterious than Zao and Crisis. It he felt as though he had seen him before. --------------- And that’s the end of Chapter 13. I know it’s been awhile, but bare with me here! School is a lot of hard work, and so is work itself! Hopefully, my next update won’t take as long. Stay tuned for some my tournament-goodness. Don’t forget to review and lemme know your thoughts on this. Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything related to the following list, their respective creators do: “Pokémon”, “Yugioh”, “Naruto”, “Cowboy Bebop”, “Guilty Gear”, “Street Fighter”, and “Tales of Legendia”. Also, I do not own any of the songs. Claimer: I DO own Crisis, Zao, and Soma, for they are my own creations. I also own this story.