Chapter 1

Beautiful days follow the darkest nights. That saying is certainly true of today, a scorcher to be sure but still a great day to have a battle. From the stadium to the west one can faintly hear the cheers and gasps of another division of the tournament; if you take a look at the events guide given to all visitors today you'll see that the Flying type finals match is going on there. One of the better places to be on a day like this would be watching that match, surely a breezy event with gusts and miniature whirlwinds aplenty. But the best location would be right here, watching the soon-to-begin Water type finals battle. The field is as you would expect, a giant pool with a few floating obstacles and barriers as well as small patches of land for those more used to fighting above the water. Several screens placed overhead switch frequently between underwater cameras so that not a moment of the action will be missed.

Misty and her opponent have already taken their places at either end of the field. Only the referee is missing, the sole factor keeping the match from starting. Children line the field on the seats nearest to the water, and the low chant "Splash us! Splash us!" is beginning to echo among them. There's Rome, seated a little ways up in the stands and near the middle; he catches Misty's eye and she returns with a tense nod then goes back to studying her opponent. Misty is wearing a Starmie-patterned tank top and shorts, while her opponent, the other finalist, is sporting a two-piece swimsuit and a small towel draped elegantly around her waist. It is unclear so far who is the favorite among the heavily-male crowd. The speakers buzz to life as a young man wearing a referee's jersey enters the stadium, a wireless mic attached to his ear.

"Sorry! Very sorry everybody! The match will begin shortly, I'm very sorry!" With one hand he turns off the mic while with the other he ushers a small group into the stands, who he apparently arrived with. The group is led by none other than, I can barely believe it, it's Ash Ketchum, yes, the famous hero Ash Ketchum. He waves casually at the stands then makes for a spot directly behind Misty. His equally-famous Pikachu waves as well then goes back to its nap perched on his shoulder. The low murmurs spread through the crowd like a tidal wave; few can believe that the renowned hero would be here of all places. Everyone was surprised when he showed up to participate in the All Types division of the tournament, those who've heard of him know it's far below his abilities; he easily clinched a spot in the finals match as expected, the biggest fight of the tournament, and his battle skills are so legendary that his challenger, a mystery opponent nobody, is expected to forfeit the match.

Misty goes blank-faced the moment she sees Ash. You and I know their history and yet she doesn't even wave or smile at her old friend. Her shoulders stiffen when Ash shouts an excited, "Misty!" to show support, but the crowd takes up the chant and soon it is heard all over. Misty's opponent looks a little worse for wear due to the crowd's decision but Misty doesn't look like she's enjoying the favoritism either.

Behind Ash sits a stony Brock, sporting a new beret, while to either side sits two spectacularly dressed girls; to Ash's right is May, in a surprisingly skimpy red and gold jumpsuit, while to his left sits Dawn in a matching blue and silver jumpsuit. Ash has an arm hanging possessively over the shoulders of both, with Dawn seeming quite happy with the situation and May a little desperate. The ref is finally taking his place at the mid line, fumbling with his flags and switching his mike back on. He was talking quietly with May earlier, trying to cheer her up, but had to give up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I will be the referee for this match. Again, I would like to apologize for making you wait, I ran into some old friends. Sorry, that's no excuses, I'm very sorry! On the red platform we have Misty from Cerulean City, Kanto, and on the blue platform we have Lois from Mahogany Town, Johto. And now, the rules. This final match of the Water Types division will be a three-on-three double battle, meaning that you will each be allowed two Pokemon on the field and may only use three Pokemon total. Substitutions are allowed, and obviously all Pokemon used must be of the Water type. When I wave the green flag you may begin, a red flag means that a Pokemon has been knocked out and disqualified from further battling. Are we ready? And … begin!"

If you prefer a battle with accompanied music, you might wish to start that now. Misty is a little slow on the uptake but her opponent Lois is ready to go. Two Pokeballs strapped to her side grow with a touch and open to reveal a strange red Gyarados and a strongly glowing Lanturn. Misty responds with a meditating Golduck and bristly Corsola. The Lanturn and Corsola jump quickly into the water, while the Gyarados floats high into the sky and begins to circle the field pensively. Golduck simply meditates. The Gyarados lets out a ear-splitting roar and the battle begins in earnest. Below the water the Lanturn shines brightly and an electric spark ricochets through the water, electrifying the entire pool and nearly destroying the cameras. Corsola weathers the lighting, its stone body helping resist the attack, and in return fires several of its spikes towards the Lanturn. The tightly shot barrage is dodged by the Lanturn, but a spreading of the spines produces a wider volley that the Lanturn can not completely avoid.

Above the water, the raging Gyarados has been firing several volleys of compressed wind towards Golduck but they have had little effect; in fact, each one gets slightly less far before breaking on a strange growing force-field emanating from Golduck, a fact which has been making Gyarados angrier by the second. The bubble-like area stretches, going from circular to oval, and finally envelopes the Gyarados high above. The Gyarados stiffens, seemingly unsure what is happening, then begins thrashing even harder in the sky above. No more attacks are issued from it; instead it shakes and writhes as if in immense pain, and begins falling slowly back down to the water's surface. Its trainer shouts for it to stay higher but it can not obey; it is apparently suffering from an intense headache. Golduck keeps the strange bubble centered on Gyarados as it sinks slowly into the water.

The Lanturn has not noticed the descent of its partner and continues sending out volleys of electric discharge towards Corsola, who is looking roughly as injured as the battered Lanturn. As Gyarados touches the water the electricity seems to find the Water/Flying type a better target and a bright flash ensues as the Gyarados is toasted by its ally. Using the water to spread out the attack was a good way to cover the area underwater with electricity, generally quite dangerous to a water type, but the gain in power came at the cost of control. The red flag waves and Gyarados is returned. Ash gives a loud shout of praise and Misty clenches her fist. Lois looks tense as she grabs the next Pokeball from her side and releases the Pokemon inside. A majestic Kingdra serenely enters the water, shining like a diamond and looking twice as resplendent.

Corsola, eager to end the battle, pauses to restore its energy then charges, but the Kingdra's captivating gaze stops Corsola in its tracks. Taking only a moment to hypnotize Corsola, it gives a permissive nod towards Lanturn, who seems to almost bow then grows dimmer as it gathers the light from around its body. The light grows intensely bright then bursts forth in a brilliant beam, hitting the unwitting Corsola with savage force. The Kingdra then opens its mouth and emits a brief blast of energy from close range, blasting Corsola out of the water. It is obviously unconscious from the twin assault and the red flag waves as Misty returns it to its Pokeball. Lois is looking a little relieved and Ash angrily screams his disappointment, seemingly making Misty furious. With an angry jerk she tosses her third Pokeball which opens up to reveal a spinning Starmie. It flashes and disappears, reappearing elsewhere on the field, then disappears again; its speed is phenomenal.

Meanwhile, Golduck has been concentrating. Its foes are underwater and it seems reluctant to join them. After thinking for a bit, it raises its hands and points at the water. Lanturn and Kingdra move away from where it points but they are not its target. Instead, the water itself begins to vibrate and slosh and slowly, incredibly, the entire pool of water rises up into the air with the Lanturn and Kingdra along for the ride. Starmie, its theatrics done, begins to spin faster and faster, soon speeding directly through the now above-ground pool. It leaves trails in its wake, and the pool begins to look like it has spiderwebs running through it. Lanturn tries to dodge the rapid attacks but there are too many, it can do nothing but flail as the Starmie slices past it faster than it can follow. Pretty soon the red flag waves and it is returned. Kingdra on the other hand seems largely unaffected by the attacks, its scaly hide offering ample protection. It fires multiple blasts of power at Golduck but mostly misses, due to Golduck moving the large body of water subtly to alter the trajectory of the attack. The battle seems to be at a standstill.

"Misty, this is getting lame. You can do better than this, right?"

The jeer from Ash echoes loudly in the tensely silent stadium, and his Pikachu seems to chime in with a sleepy but still loud "Pika, Pika-Chu!" This is apparently just too much for Misty.

She shouts incoherent rage and then, "Golduck, release and assist, Starmie, full direct!" Starmie stops moving around and begins to spin so fast that it lets out a low-pitched whine, and Golduck makes a spreading gesture. The water, until now a generally sphere-shaped blob floating in the air, bursts like a soap-bubble and rains back down to the pool, leaving Kingdra falling slowly after it. Utilizing the moment, Starmie fires itself directly at Kingdra and strikes it head-on, spinning against it like a saw-blade. Kingdra recognizes this as a threat and opens its mouth to fire another energy blast; Golduck makes a closing gesture and Kingdra's jaws snap shut. With a pushing gesture from Golduck's other claw Starmie is pressed harder against Kingdra's scaly hide, which causes the usually serene Kingdra to let out a high moan of pain. It can do nothing as Starmie edges deeper into its flesh.

Lois is looking frantic, fumbling for her Pokeball and shouting that she will forfeit, and the ref is waving his red flag. But Misty isn't listening. She is madly repeating to Golduck, "Push it, push it harder, carve right through!" and Golduck obeys. Ash vaults the barricade between the stands and the field and runs up behind Misty, turns her around with a rough shove and slaps her full on in the face. His words are clearly heard.

"That's all babe, you won, it was awesome and you kicked that nobody's ass, you … !" Golduck turns around after Misty and, still in the heat of battle and seeing Ash as a threat, directs the spinning Starmie at Ash instead. Kingdra falls, unconscious, and its sobbing trainer returns it just as it enters the water. Pikachu lazily zaps Golduck to break its concentration and then, as if only an afterthought, bats Starmie away with its tail. Ash smirks. "Come on, really? Hey, I know, let's go celebrate your big win, I couldn't find you last night but we still have all day today!" Rome is suddenly at Misty's side, a small girl next to him and holding onto his jacket; Rome pushes Ash's grasping arms away and interposes himself between the two, whispering towards Misty.

"Misty, please trust me." The two humans, Misty's two Pokemon and the mysterious young girl vanish just as the ref comes to his senses and gives the final verdict.

"The match goes to Misty!"

---

Chapter 2

It's a wonderful day for shopping, no? Walking through winding streets, purchasing a snow-cone from a smiling vendor, wandering the outdoor bazaars. Every now and then a shopper screams as the local wild Kecleon jumps out from a rack of gaudy shirts, where it was napping in a tie-dye nest. He's a pest, but the vendors all have a soft spot for his antics and often give him scraps from their lunches. Wild Pokemon in cities often survive quite easily through entertainment and thievery, adding color to the lives of those passing by. Most people aren't considered true locals until they've been burglarized by the Murkrow flock living in the bell tower over city hall.

A well-timed scream attracts the attention of those passing by just as a small group appear out of thin air outside a small cafe. In a flash of light the young girl is no longer present, and Rome gently sits Misty down at one of the outdoor tables then sits down across from her. Golduck, hardly one to be disoriented by a simple teleportation, returns itself to its Pokeball, while Starmie floats down to the table and begins pulsing in a manner eerily reminiscent of a panting Houndour. Misty looks teleport-sick, or maybe just shocked. A rare cool breeze whispers through the cafe and Rome finally sighs, breaking the silence.

"Would you like a frozen yogurt? This place has some great flavors, I came here a couple of days ago on the recommendation of the guide book. The Pecha-Mago is especially fresh, they have a small garden just out back." Another long silence ensues, then Rome stands back up. "Well, I think I'll go order one for myself anyway."

"I looked pretty crazy back there, didn't I?"

"Let's see, how about an Oran for you? If you don't like it we can swap."

"Please, will you answer the question?"

"That was a question? You sounded pretty sure, and I wasn't going to lie and say you were wrong. But okay. You went a little overboard and I'm going to ask you for the full story pretty soon so how about we order some frozen yogurt and then talk? I'm guessing you could use some time to cool off before explaining … all that. Which," Rome raises his hands to indicate their surroundings, "is what brings us to this fine establishment. I'm going inside and I plan on ordering you an Oran unless you say something quick, alright?" Rome is slowly walking backwards towards the front door of the shop. "Leaving in three, two, one – ."

"A Cheri-Razz, if they have it!" Rome nods and enters, leaving Misty alone. Noticing Starmie she returns it, then reaches into her bag for a bottle of water. She drinks, dabs a little on her forehead and puts it away. Standing up, her hand on the picket fence enclosing the outdoor cafe area, she seems to consider sneaking away; she looks both ways down the street but then returns to her seat. When Rome returns with the order she is lazily flipping through her Pokedex. "I don't think I've ever seen a Gyarados of that color, have you?"

"Can't say I have, but I might know the cause." Rome hands Misty her yogurt and a spoon and sits down, again across from her. "It's pretty rare but every now and then Trainers report finding strangely colored Pokemon in their travels, it's usually considered just a weird genetic quirk much like having differently-colored eyes, one blue and one green for example."

"I suppose that makes sense." Misty turns her chair towards the non-existent breeze and takes a few bites, smiling wistfully at the tangy flavor. "You were right, this is pretty good. So, first time meeting the famous Ash Ketchum?"

"Yeah, although I had heard of him before today. If you believe those books he co-authors he saves the world at least once a year."

"The woman who does most of the writing for those, Sal Scrip, she's pretty nice. When I was traveling with him we'd visit her every time something crazy happened and he'd recount the story with Brock and I's help and the whole thing would be published within a few months. The covers say he co-authors them but really he's just providing the events."

"So they all really happened? I've read them all, that's pretty amazing."

"That's Ash for you; if there was something bad going on he'd stumble across it and foil the whole thing. He's a bastard, but also lucky as hell. Do you remember the first book? It all started because of that prophecy, `And the world will turn to Ash.` A prophecy mentioned him by name and it went right to his head … although not at first; in fact he was always the one saying we should just chalk it up to dumb luck, forget it all ever happened. I disagreed, `People need to know about this` I told him, `People should know what you've done for them." She continues eating, still turned away.

"You were pretty close, right?" She doesn't respond. "You must have been. You saw him as a great person  and you wanted others to see that too. But fame … now that's tricky. I've done my best to avoid it; I always thought it was what threw my father over the edge."

"It's not that I … I cared for him, he was just a friend. We were traveling together, that's all. But he started to think otherwise. The female love interest in those books, Kasumi, that's supposed to be me. Sal changed all our names, except for Ash, and then spiced us all up, she said it would make for a more gripping narrative. It's kind of funny really; Brock, you would know him as Takeshi, is pretty quiet in real life, kind of a loner. He'll wander away and be gone for weeks, then come back really refreshed. He's difficult to talk to but a great cook. And things were always better when he was around, less awkward. When it was all three of us it was like a family, but when Brock would leave, Ash was a boy my age. And it would be just the two of us, hiking or camping or whatever. And he started to believe those books, especially the stuff about me. He would buy me things, earrings and Poke-tools, he'd pay for dinner when Brock was on those sabbaticals. And crazy stuff kept happening and Sal kept writing it all down and by the fourth book Ash and Kasumi are sort of a couple and the Ash in real life was trying to follow suit."

Misty returns to her frozen yogurt, scooping out the last few bites. A shriek splits the silence and the Kecleon runs by, festooned in mismatched orange and purple stars and stripes. Another wisp of a breeze passes through and the street is quiet again as every living thing pauses to enjoy it. Misty eventually continues, "I didn't realize it then but my sisters calling me back to watch the family gym for a while was pretty lucky. The cruise they were taking meant a whole month away from him; of course I ruined it by constantly remembering all the good times with him. When the month was over I raced back to rejoin the group and there was already some new girl, May, you might have noticed her draped over him at the match. She'd been a fan of his and now they were going out. Her little brother, Max, was also with them back then; I didn't see him today. And Brock was the guy sitting behind Ash, in that creepy beret. The other girl, Dawn, is pretty recent, another fan who follows him around. I'm not sure how it happened but he's apparently `with` both May and Dawn and he's angling to add me too. And that's my life; you can see now why I didn't think you'd believe all this last night, right?"

"Do you ever notice how eating a small snack only makes you hungrier? I could really use some lunch right about now."

Misty laughs, "You'd better have been listening to my story, and not just thinking about food this whole time."

"Oh no, I was listening just fine, the food thing just crossed my mind a second ago. You're being stalked by a world famous hero and his harem and just a little bit crazy because of it. It's understandable, yet way outside my ability to empathize with, so I'm trying to change the topic, unsuccessfully it seems. I suppose my opinion is that your life has been pretty crazy and that you've been dealing with it as best as you can. On the other hand you've been a gym leader, an accomplishment most people can only dream about, and the Ash you describe is a jerk but not exactly what I would call evil. I believe your story but that's exactly why I wouldn't call him a bad guy."

"Well … I'm withholding judgment on your dad, so there."

"Understandable. So, join me for lunch before this evening's festivities?"

"Right, the All Types battle main event. Have you heard of whoever it is facing Ash? I've only really been paying attention to my own fights."

"I know the guy quite well actually, he's a friend of a friend, bit of a jerk."

"Oh for … it's you, isn't it?"

---

Chapter 3

You'll always find one wherever you travel. The greasy spoon, the old-school diner, laid-back eatery and provider of cholesterol and heart-attacks, from which a constant home-cooked smell wafts for blocks around. A polite regional guidebook will refer to them only as a place to partake in the local flavor but really they're all the same, buttered-up burgers and greasy fries, an Occa shake for a little extra. Second only to Pokecenters they are a haven to the wandering Trainer, a big meal for the cash-strapped traveler.

Rome is apparently too good for such sustenance and has improbably obtained a salad; whoever is in the back had better have spit in such a health-conscious dish. Misty made the right choice, a small steak grilled to a smoky sizzle with a side of diced Tamato and Pamtre. The booth encloses them, hiding them from view, trapping their intense conversation from nearby patrons.

"What's strange about it?"

"And you would eat seafood too, maybe a nice Goldeen fillet? Shellder in greens, buttered Krabby on special occasions?"

"That's the world we live in, some Pokemon are used for battle and some are eaten, we can't escape the need to eat."

"But we can escape eating the creatures that could have been someone's partner and friend. There are berries which provide every kind of nutrient needed for a healthy body, we can farm resources like milk and cheese from Pokemon without hurting them, water is plentiful in most regions of the world. Humans have found and carefully cultivated everything necessary for survival, so why still continue to eat Pokemon?"

"It's not like Pokemon don't eat other Pokemon; birds keep the insect population down, air-breathing Water types need to eat other Water types to stay healthy, larger carnivores require the plentiful nutrients only found in other, smaller Pokemon. The cycle of life goes on and humans just happen to be at the top of the chain. Why should we stop ourselves from what nature shows to be right?"

"Because we are at the top. We got to the top through reasoning and invention, from discovering agriculture and chemistry, we built our current society not on electronic conveniences but farm by farm, city by city. People in the past had to eat Pokemon because berries and other edible vegetation were sparse and restricted to their respective regions but now that we have farms and machinery and crop rotation and everything else, we humans can live without eating Pokemon. It was necessary in the past for survival but it could be put to a stop in the modern era."

"But why live without meat, in such a harsh manner? Farms raise Miltank and Doduo for their meat, a practice that has also been perfected through years of discoveries and technology. We need more than just nutrients and sustenance, we need options. Why give up on meat when it is still such a viable choice?"

"Choice is exactly my point though, choosing to live without eating meat. And I still don't see how any Trainer could eat something they might have trained and fought with."

"It's part of being a Trainer to base your life around Pokemon, and food is and will always be a significant part of life." Finally it seems the debate is finished, and the clatter of dishes in the back is the only sound remaining. The diner is actually pretty empty for this time of day, the usual crowd must be at the small but competitive Dragon-types finale that wraps up the individual type battles of the tournament. "Okay, so back to my previous axe to grind: why didn't you tell me you were a Trainer and a freaking finalist in the All Types tournament!?"

"The latter didn't seem important at the time, and you never asked. As for the former I just assumed that my being a Trainer was obvious, which is why I never mentioned it."

"Well I was thinking just a traveler here for the tournament, one or two Pokemon for protection, not a full-on Trainer. Or maybe a Ranger, here taking a vacation?"

"Oh Rangers never take vacations, at least not the good ones. They're all fully committed to their jobs, taking a break from that just wouldn't be done."

"What about that Joy, your mom? She took something like an extended vacation marrying your father, right?"

"That was more a forced retirement, due to pressure from her superiors. She was told to lie low for a while and instead she lived like a high-class lady, for fun. And when she left my father, it was her way of getting back to what she really cared about."

"So how long have you been a Trainer then? You must be pretty good if you're a finalist in the All-Types division."

"Since I ran away, and in a way for some time before that. But I don't think I'm that good, I still have a long way to go before I can match up to some of the true Masters I've seen."

"Just as long as you're good enough to cream Ash, I'd love to see that."

"Woah, cream you say, Misty babe?" Ash is leaning over the booth wall, leering. "Can we save the creaming for after the battle, just you and me?" He walks around to stand in front of the table, Dawn and May lingering behind him. Misty manages an outraged stutter.

"You … you, how did you … ?"

"Find my most favorite babe? Don't be so conceited Misty. I was hungry, Brock's off doing his thing somewhere so I checked the guidebook and here we are. Honestly, I get hungry too, jeez."

Rome stands up, holding out a hand, "Hi, my name's Rome, it seems I'll be your opponent this evening in the finals match." Ash becomes excited and shakes Rome's hand fervently, causing Pikachu to grumble and move to his other shoulder.

"Alright, nice to meet you! Haven't heard of you of course, but that's no big deal. You can still make a name for yourself when you lose. Hey, and you're hanging with Misty!? This competition is going to be intense; winner gets to keep her, that sound all right?" Rome looks over at Misty, her face is blankly neutral.

"I think she would rather you stay away from her, she says you've been following her around even though she asked you to stop."

"Yeah, but girls, right? When they say no they just mean yes, yes, yes! And come on, man to man, she's hot right? You'd hit that, right?"

"Man to man, I think I agree with her that you should leave her alone."

"Well than you'll just have to try your hardest to win, won't you? You win this evening and I'd leave her to you, I can admit if I'm bested. It just doesn't happen, you know? I don't lose. But it's so much more exciting when my opponent tries their best, so go for it, give me all you've got."

Pikachu chimes in with an hearty, "Pika!" and Misty looks the other way. May tugs on Ash's jacket and Dawn finally speaks up.

"Ash, can we eat now? This is boring and we're hungry." A waitress picks this moment to approach the group.

"Sir, could you keep it down and choose a table? And please keep Pokemon to their balls, we don't want any battles starting in our restaurant." Ash sighs loudly.

"Women! That's why Misty's the best, she at least looks hot when she's angry about every little thing. Okay, you," pointing at Dawn, "sit down at that table right there and stop nagging me, I'm about to order. You," turning to the increasingly put-upon waitress, "do you know who I am? Ash fucking Ketchum. And Pikachu here does not go in a ball, got it? Now I have decided to grace your `restaurant` and my girls are getting hungry. They've been putting on some weight recently so they'll just have salads, two with lite ranch dressing. I'll have a burger, extra cheese, extra fries; I've got a battle to win this evening, you may have heard about it, it's kind of a big thing but whatever. Got all that?" Ash stares the flustered woman down until she leaves then sits down at the booth directly across from Misty and Rome. He waves cheerily at Misty then begins making out with an enthusiastic Dawn. Rome stares from Ash to Misty then stands up and goes over to Ash's table. Ash doesn't look up.

"Ash, you ever visit a town called Rosten?" Ash gives a thumbs down without turning away. Rome sighs, "That's too bad. I'll see you at the battle then." Rome turns, nearly expressionless, and helps Misty out of her seat and outside. Leading her away down the bright street she is stiff and unresponsive, robotic. Cheers echo in the distance as the final match of the individual type battles comes to its conclusion. The final battle of the tournament will begin in one hour.