Rising stars

Do you see the sun - it's a brand new day.
Oh, the world is in your hands, now use it!
What's past is past, don't turn around,
Brush away the cobwebs of freedom!

Now we're here, there's no turning back.
You have each other,
You have one voice ...
Dance into the Light, Phil Collins

(Play Battle Sim, from Pokémon XD)

"Gengar, Dark Pulse!"

"Ampharos, Thunderbolt!"

The two attacks collided across the field. The two Trainers glared at one another. Ash was wearing his usual jeans and shoes but wore his net shirt under his jacket while Angelo was wearing white pants and military boots with a blue shirt decorated with a lightning bolt. The blonde took the initiative.

"Ampharos, Thunder Punch!"

Ash grinned. Three … two … one …

"Gengar, Sucker Punch!"

The ghost's fist hit the electric sheep right in the gut. Ampharos staggered, shook his head and made his gem glow.

"Power Gem!"

"Counter with Sludge Bomb!"

The beam of light was stronger than the ball of filth sent by Gengar and hit him dead on. The ghost growled. This hurt! Angelo cheered.

"Alright, let's finish this! Fast as lightning, loud as thunder, unleash a storm upon my foes! Mega-evolution!"

Ampharos's body glowed brightly until it was spotting a fluffy white mane and tail covered with gems. Its Trainer grinned.

"A new type and a new ability! Let's see how you'll handle that, Ash!"

Ash remained silent. Closing his eyes, he put a hand on his heart. As soon as he did, Gengar started glowing. Angelo was speechless.

"Gengar has a mega-form!? Uh-oh …"

When the light faded, the Ghost Pokémon spotted an even wider smile, a third yellow eye, bigger fists that touched the ground and his appearance was much more feral. A total contrast to the sweet guy he really was. Ash nodded.

"My turn. Gengar, Hyper Beam!"

"Gah! Ampharos, Thunder!"

The two attacks collided in a heavy burst. Ampharos emerged with Dragon Pulse. Ash merely grinned.

"Gengar, Dazzling Gleam!"

The kaleidoscope beam easily destroyed the draconic sphere. Angelo clenched his fists.

"Don't think we're over! Ampharos, Wild Charge!"

"Gengar, Shadow Claw!"

The two Pokémon collided with a ground-shaking explosion. When the smoke cleared, both were barely standing. The two boys looked at one another.

"One last time?"

"Oh yeah!"

"Ash! You got a call!"

(End music)

Ash turned to see Tracey waving at him with his sketchbook. Shrugging, he looked at Angelo.

"Well, I guess it ends here. Nice fight."

"Yeah, thanks. Ampharos is a new addition to my team and I wanted to see what she could do. That was great! Catch ya?"

"Later."

Ash followed Tracey to the Pokémon Lab. It had been a month since he had traveled to the Orange Islands. Along with renewing his bond with his Kanto teammates, he had also taken some well-deserved rest. A lot had happened in the archipelago. The trials he had gone through had changed him like his journey across Kanto. He had discovered new powers and abilities, made new friends. Just for fun, he summoned his Aura Wings. Silver, Pidgeot and Charizard had proved to be patient teachers and Ash's flight was no more clumsy and heavy. Learning to glide rather than flap his wings had proved to be a crucial turn. Gary had also learned to better use his psychic powers thanks to Alakazam. The boy could feel his presence in the lab. It was strange. A bit spiky and definitively pink. At the same time, Psychics and Aura Guardians were naturally antagonistic, so feeling a hated enemy wasn't exactly pleasant. Except the two boys were friends.

Lance was waiting at the video phone. He smiled when he saw Ash.

"Lance!? It's been long! What do we owe?"

"Actually, an invitation. But, first, I wanted to congratulate you on your victory against Drake. I know him. Our Dragonites are brothers. That you managed to defeat it while it was mega-evolved is a testimony of your skills."

The boy blushed under the compliment.

"Actually, if Axew hadn't knocked me out of my shock by fighting it off, I would've given up. He's so tough!"

"Yeah, Claire told me the Haxorus line is quite dangerous in a fight. Back to business, I called you for an event I would be very glad you attended."

"Really? What is it?"

The Dragon master smiled.

"My ascension as Kanto and Johto's new Champion."

Ash's eyes gleamed.

"At last! I thought Kanto would never have a Champion again! Congrats for the promotion!"

"Save your happiness for the ceremony. So, I get it you're interested."

"Of course! Where will it be?"

"In a week, on Mt. Silver. I'll be waiting."

"Count me in! Yay!"

The screen went black. Pikachu nuzzled his Trainer and took his human form.

"So next step is Johto. I was wondering when we'd go back on the road. This month's been nice, but I miss traveling."

"Me too. I wonder if Silver knows about the event. In any case, you're right. Mt. Silver is in Johto, so it would be a good starting point for our journey. The question is: who to take?"

Flash shrugged.

"Me and Axew. You can't go anywhere without me and Baby Tooth has yet to reach full growth."

"That's stating the obvious. Now, I need four teammates with me when we're at Mt Silver. No one knows what could happen, so I'll need a good team at least until I've registered for the League."

"You're right."

Trainer and Pokémon turned to see Gary and Umbreon. Pikachu quickly returned to his original form. The brown head smiled.

"I overheard your conversation. Going to Johto next, right? Am I still allowed to follow?"

"Of course!" Ash replied indignantly. "What were you thinking? That we'd drop you behind? I offered you to tag along. Going back on my word isn't like me."

"Thanks. I'll be happy to discover Johto with you."

"Yep. Now, if you don't mind, I need to go home. The event's in a week, so I have time to prepare. And, right now, I really want a bath."

When he entered his house, Ash was surprised to see a glass of water on the table. The sight made him grin.

"Thanks, Mom. I was getting thirsty."

"Wait!"

Too late. Before Delia's powerless eyes, the boy took the glass and downed it in one shot. The effect was instant. His eyes bulged out, his face turned red, his breath stopped short and his mouth opened, gasping for air. He finally tumbled, unconscious and his tongue sticking out. Pikachu had no idea what happened. Delia, however, knew very well.

"I knew I shouldn't have left my new cocktail on the table."

Pikachu's ears fell in shock. So, what Ash had mistaken for water was in fact alcohol!? What the f*** did she put in that!? In any case, it was strong enough to keep the boy unconscious for five hours. When Ash awoke at 10 PM, he couldn't hold the growl of pain that escaped his throat. His head felt like a Conkeldurr was using Hammer Arms on it repeatedly and it was definitely not a pleasant feeling. Then he remembered. The glass of water, the strange bittersweet taste that was a little acid, the hellfire running through his throat before his brain was hit by what felt a lot like Hyper Beam … Faces were around his field of vision. Voices could be heard too. The first he recognized was Delia's.

"Awake at last! I was wondering when you'd recover."

"Mom …" Ash growled. "What was this glass?"

"A new cocktail I wanted to try. I called it Water Pulse because it looks like ordinary water, but can hit you harder than you think. And it's confusing."

Ash groaned in pain.

"Well, that was a success. What did you put inside?"

"Well … One shot of vodka, one shot of gin, one shot of white rum, one shot of triple sec, one shot of cointreau and one shot of clear lemonade. What do you think of it?"

"Tastes good. Feels like fire. Call it Hydro Pump instead. And please, tell the Gyarados who's firing Hyper Beam to lay off …"

The other person at his side, Simon, placed a bag of ice on his head. Silver watched from the doorframe.

"Now, here's someone who can't hold his liquor. Not that I'm any better myself given two glasses of white vine make me tipsy … Still, not a nice way to be introduced to alcohol. I hope his first hangover doesn't traumatize him."

Simon sighed. He had touched alcohol before, even if it was just dipping his lips in the cocktail. He kinda liked how the different flavors mixed in the mouth and the delicious warmth that ran down his throat. The spinning head, however, was something he could really do without. Especially after learning what a lack of judgment intoxication induced.

"Hold on, Ash. It will be alright."

The next morning, Ash awoke with a raging headache, sequel of his bad experience with the water-looking cocktail yesterday. Clearly, next time, he would be more careful with his drinks. Seeing his peaky look made Silver half-smile. He took a cup, poured coffee he sweetened with milk and put an aspirin in a glass.

"Here. That should get rid of your headache."

Ash pouted. He didn't really like coffee, but he felt bad and really wanted to clear his head. He swallowed the aspirin and gulped the milked coffee in one gulp. Only then did he go for something more solid.

"I heard you received a call, yesterday. What was it about?"

"Lance. The League finally promoted him to Champion. The celebration's in a week and he's invited me. I … wanted to use the opportunity to start my journey across Johto. Gary can come?"

"Why not? He mellowed a lot since you restored his mind. Drink water, by the way. Your headache comes from dehydration. You'll need time and a good bottle of water to get rid of it."

"Got it. I better prepare my bag. And Mom? Next time, take a smaller glass. Your Hydro Pump kicks as hard as its namesake."

"So true!" Brock shivered.

As soon as he was clean, the boy headed to the lab. He knew exactly who he'd take for the trip to Mt. Silver. Gary smiled as he saw him.

"Hey Ash! I heard you had some problems, yesterday. What happened?"

Ash's face darkened.

"Mom made a cocktail that looked exactly like water and left it on the table. She wanted to call it Water Pulse. Brock and I agree that Hydro Pump is much more appropriate."

Gary's face paled a moment. A few seconds later, he was laughing loudly.

"No way! That had to be one very nasty surprise when you found out it was alcohol!"

"If you can read my mind, why don't you read what she put in that thing!? I swear, from now on I'm going to sniff any drink I didn't serve myself!"

This just made Gary laugh more.

"Alright. I'll try that drink."

"Can't do. You're underage and Mom won't make that mistake twice. Not after seeing my reaction. One thing's for sure: I don't like alcohol." His face softened. "Anyway, the others are alright with you joining us. Welcome in the crew, pal!"

The brown-haired boy could hardly hold his smile.

"Thank you, Ash."

Next, the boy went to the corral. His Pokémon were training as usual but immediately turned to him when he arrived. He greeted every one of them personally and looked at them.

"Alright, guys. I'll be heading to Mt. Silver in six days, so I'll need some of you to tag along. Pikachu and Axew are a must. The others … Clefable, Charizard, Snorlax and Rapidash, you'll come with me. Lance invited me to his crowning as Kanto and Johto's new Champion. That's an event I really don't want to miss!"

The Pokémon cheered. All knew Lance and hearing he would become a Champion greatly pleased them. At last, the man had a rank worthy of his power! The others were a little sad not to come along, but Ash was their Trainer. His decisions suffered no question. Everybody thus got ready to depart and, though Ash was thinking of using Rapidash to go, Oak decided to use his car. He, too, wanted to attend the event. Gary took Blastoise, Arcanine, Alakazam, Umbreon, Nidoking and Nidoqueen.

Along with Ash, Misty, Brock, Silver and Gary, there was also Professor Oak, Tracey and Simon. Eight persons. They took Road 28 to Silver Town, where the event took place, and stopped a moment when it came to view. The place was impressive, with a huge coliseum built in the middle and at least two Pokémon Centers of impressive size. The town was circular, with a village reserved to the athletes and another for the inhabitants. There was also the famous Hall of Fame where the crowning would occur. The ceremony would happen next day, but Lance had saved them a bungalow in the Athlete Village. To their surprise, a certain number of people was here, some of which the group already knew. Along with Bruno, Agatha, Lorelei and the Eight Challenges, the eight strongest Kanto Gym Leaders, there was also eight persons and a man and a woman Ash had never seen. Charles Goodshow and Johnny O'Martian were also part of the event. Giovanni smiled when he saw his two sons.

"Ash! Simon! It's been long!"

Ash had a small smile when he saw his biological father. Despite all he had done for him, the boy didn't like being the son of a mafia boss. And Simon felt exactly the same.

"Hello, Giovanni."

The man was sided by Jessie, James and Meowth. Apparently, the trio served as his bodyguards for the event.

"I saw your fight against Drake. I was impressed, really! When that mega-Dragonite appeared, I thought you would be done for."

"You're not the only one!"

In a burst of affection, the tall man held his son against him. Ash stiffened a moment before returning the gesture.

"You've grown much. Jessie and James kept giving me news about you. Thanks to your actions, the Rebels lost one of their Leaders at Shamouti and I heard you got Arianna in Pallet Town. Now, only Archer and Petrel remain. I'm proud of you, son."

Ash nervously pranced, not knowing if he should take the compliment or not. On one side, Giovanni was his father and he being proud of him was something great. On the other side, he was a criminal so, as a rule of thumb, being complimented by a criminal was bad. Sighing, he chose to accept it. The tall Gym Leader wasn't completely evil. Giovanni extended his hand to Simon who took it after a moment. Soon, he and Ash were caught in the hug. A chuckle made them turn.

"What a touching picture!"

The three turned to see a woman with bluish-white hairs, white pants and a yellow top. She had a devious face and was smirking at the scene. Ash frowned.

"Who are you?"

"Karen." Giovanni answered. "A former Rebel who left after blowing up one of their facilities with her partner, Will. To what I was told, they disagreed with Archer's actions. Why she's there, I know but won't tell you. It's a surprise."

"Alright."

A little away, Gary was talking with Sabrina.

"It's nice to see you awake. Given how badly your mind was broken, I thought you'd never wake up."

"Ash used some of the friends he made during his journey to help me. A side-effect is that I received mental powers. Look."

He took several Pokéballs and made them levitate around him. Sabrina chuckled.

"Interesting. I wonder what kind of friends Ash called forth for you to become a Psychic …"

"I'm afraid I can't tell about that. By the way, who are the others?"

"Some are the Johto Gym Leaders, the others are the Elite Four. Lance's crowning is an important event. Our regions will at last have a leader."

"That ceremony promises to be impressive!"

And impressive it was. The Hall of Fame was shaped like a Greek temple. A long corridor led to the throne room and was filled with the pictures of Kanto and Johto's previous Champion, all of them accompanied by their team. The throne room was cubic, with a throne in the middle and statues of Ho-Oh and Lugia standing by each side of the door. The two Pokémon were the titular Legendaries of the regions, after all. The throne itself was made of white and black marble, with a comfortable pillow on the seat and sculptures of Pokémon on the sides. The back was gilded and sculpted to look like the rising sun, and there was a sun and moon on the top. A red carpet was going from the entrance to the throne and a huge chandelier made of golden Dragonairs and diamonds was hanging on the ceiling, which was decorated by a fresco showing all the Pokémon of Kanto and Johto. The floor was made of white marble rather than wood or plain stone and the walls were made of gilded white stone. Ash couldn't help but compare it to the Palace of Origins.

The people had gathered on both sides of the room. Lance entered and crossed the place, standing tall and stern as he reached the throne. Goodshow took a black cape lined with red and held it to him. The Champion's cape, symbol of his rank. Lance put it in one swift move and sat on the throne.

"As the president of the Pokémon League, I, Charles Goodshow, declare that Lance Blackthorn is now the Champion of Kanto and Johto!"

The crowd erupted in cheers. Lance's Dragonite emerged from his Pokéball and stood aside the throne as a watchful guardian. Goodshow looked at him.

"Announce now who will stand by your side as the new Elite Four."

Lance nodded and looked at the crowd.

"Will Olsen."

A purple-haired man with a mask and clown-like clothes stepped before him.

"Bruno Martell."

The muscular Fighting specialist stepped before his friend.

"Koga Tsuchikaze."

The former Gym Leader of Fuchsia City sided with Bruno.

"Karen Blackheart."

The girl Ash had seen yesterday came by the trio. Ash raised a brow.

"If Koga left Fuchsia's Gym, who's gonna take his place?"

Giovanni showed him a girl with purple hairs and a ninja outfit.

"His daughter, Janine. Trust me, she's just as good as he is."

The four new Elites stepped by each side of the throne as the crowd cheered for them. Today was a great day. Today was a day for celebration. Silver looked relieved.

"At least he won't bug me into taking that goddamn place."

Suddenly, a boy entered the room and marched straight to the throne. His audacity was so surprising that no one reacted. Lance frowned. Brown hairs and eyes, red jacket and a matching hat, blue pants and red and black shoes, the boy stood before Lance and glared at him. The man closed his eyes and had a sad smile.

"It's been long, Red."

"Step down my father's throne!" The boy growled.

"Can't do. I have been appointed by the League. If you want my place, you'll have to beat me."

"Even though Adrian was my father? That throne should go back to me!"

"It would've, if you had claimed it earlier. Now is too late, kid."

"Kid? I turned sixteen yesterday! The only reason I didn't come …"

"Is because you were too young. As I said, now is too late. Step back, or fight me." His eyes narrowed. "Usually, I'd have you defeat all four Elites before fighting you, but since you're the son of the previous Champion, I'll make an exception this time. What do you think of it?"

Red glared at Lance and took a Pokéball. A hand suddenly landed on his arm. The teen turned to see Ash looking at him with kind eyes. The boy's hand squeezed gently his biceps in a calming gesture.

"Don't be angry. I can understand you feel robbed of your father's legacy, but Goodshow's decision can't be contested. You came too late and that's unfortunate. Now, Lance is right. If you want the throne, you'll have to fight. As far as the League is concerned, he is the new Champion."

Red's breath calmed down. The Pokéball returned to his belt.

"And … who are you?"

"Someone whose next step is challenging Johto's Gyms. My name is Ash."

"You look young."

"Some people I know look young too, but they're so experienced it hardly matters anymore. Red, please don't be angry. Today's a happy day. We have a Champion at last. I don't want …"

"It's alright, Ash." Lance rose from his throne and separated both boys. "Forgive his intervention, Red. Ash is a powerful empath, so he has the habit of playing mediator at times. But don't mistake his kindness for weakness. This boy doesn't need his Pokémon to fight."

Red raised a brow. Being able to fight without Pokémon required a certain amount of skills.

"Alright, then. Where can we fight?"

The Champion's smile became dangerous.

"Right this way."

The crowd went to the stadium where the Conference usually occurred. Johnny O'Martian decided to act as the referee.

"This will be a six vs. six all-out battle between Red Alvers and Lance Blackthorn, with switching allowed only for the challenger. The winner will become the new Champion of Kanto and Johto. Begin!"

Lance took a Pokéball.

"Let's see if you stand a chance! Gyarados, go!"

Red frowned.

"Gyarados? Alright. Jolteon, you're up the task!"

(Play Force Your Way, from Final Fantasy VIII)

Lance nodded.

"Jolteon? An excellent choice. Gyarados, Aqua Tail!"

"Aqua Tail only? Jolteon, Thunder Fang!"

The Lightning Pokémon easily jumped above the water-covered tail and dug his teeth in Gyarados's scales. The sea serpent winced and retaliated by biting the offender, wincing when its pikes assaulted his gums and throwing him away. Jolteon landed a little away and growled.

"Wild Charge!"

"Hyper Beam!"

The energy beam struck Jolteon dead on, but its electricity cloak served as an armor and allowed the creature to withstand the attack. It slalomed between two Hydro Pumps, dodged an Aqua Tail and collided with Gyarados's stomach. The Pokémon roared.

"That Jolteon is fast! Alright, Gyarados! Dragon Dance!"

The creature began to dance mystically under Jolteon's worried face.

"No choice! Jolteon, Thunder full power!"

Too late. Thunder had a low accuracy rate. Now much faster, the Atrocious Pokémon had no problem dodging the attack and sent a violent Blizzard to the Eeveelution, freezing it on the spot. A Dragon Tail made the ice shatter, knocking the Pokémon in the process. Red growled.

"Your turn, kiddo."

"Alright! Snorlax, you go!"

The big round Pokémon appeared. Red lost no time ordering an attack.

"Heavy Slam!"

Gyarados easily dodged the attack and retaliated with Hyper Beam. The Pokémon growled. His body glowed white as he readied a Giga Impact. Gyarados dodged again. With Dragon Dance active, the sea serpent was completely unreachable, especially given Snorlax's low speed. Finally, Lance smiled.

"Time to end it. Ancient might, sealed power, through our bond I call you forth! May the strength of the dragons be with us! Mega-evolution!"

Gyarados's body glowed. Soon, it had taken the more feral and fish-like appearance Ash had seen with Fergus's teammate. The Champion nodded.

"Let's end it. Giga Impact!"

The Pokémon's crest glowed white. A violent headbutt later, Snorlax was KO. But Red was smirking.

"Thank you, Snorlax. Take some rest. Poliwrath, up yours! You made a mistake by mega-evolving Gyarados."

The Water-Fighting Pokémon appeared. Without a word, he immediately started flexing his pecs and glared at Gyarados. Lance frowned. Bulk Up. Red wasn't playing around.

"Low Sweep!"

Poliwrath rushed at Gyarados and kicked it in the guts. The Pokémon winced. Before it could react, its tail had been grabbed and the serpent was slammed against the ground with Submission. Poliwrath winced. The attack hurt a little … Gyarados rose and retaliated with Aqua Tail, only to see his opponent stretch. Red grinned.

"Poli's ability is Water Absorb. Gyarados's attacks will either barely hurt or heal him."

Lance closed his eyes. His teammate had lost, but he still had five to follow. And all of them could mega-evolve. No matter what he did, Red didn't have a chance and the Champion knew it.

"Alright, then. Gyarados, stop fighting."

The serpent growled, surprised by his Trainer's decision. Then he saw his smile. Lance had a plan. The Atrocious Pokémon would faint, but it was only because they couldn't switch. He tanked the Dynamic Punch that struck him in the jaw and happily passed out when a Focus Blast hit him in the head. Lance nodded and returned him.

"Sorry, my friend. I didn't have much choice. Don't worry. The others will avenge you." He took another Pokéball and launched it. "Charizard, here you go!"

Red raised a brow.

"You think you can beat Poliwrath with a Charizard? Alright. Poliwrath, Hydro Pump!"

Lance merely grinned.

"Air Cutter."

Two blades of air cut through the watery ball to hit the tadpole in the innards. A critical hit. Red's eyes widened. Before he could react, Charizard had landed a Wing Attack that left some nasty marks on Poliwrath's body. The dragon turned to his Trainer.

"Let's finish this. Solar Beam!"

Charizard's wings glowed brightly as light gathered in its mouth. Poliwrath was too weak to dodge the move and passed out. Red starred at the dragon a moment. After reassuring his partner, he took a new Pokéball.

"Aerodactyl, go!"

Lance nodded. Aerodactyl wasn't a bad choice against Charizard. But he had an asset …

"Stone Edge!"

"Block with Inferno!"

The burst of fire disintegrated the rock splinters. An Ancient Power was easily smashed by Steel Wing. Then rocks appeared above the prehistoric Pokémon.

"Rock Tomb!?"

"I kept this one just in case. Looks like I was right ..."

Despite this, Aerodactyl managed to dodge the attacks and landed a Giga Impact in Charizard's stomach. Lance grinned when his teammate seized the elder Pokémon.

"Solar Beam!"

The beam of solar energy scorched the Pokémon's skin. Lance gave one final order.

"Seismic Toss!"

Charizard grinned widely. It was his favorite move. Rising high, he seized Aerodactyl by the tail and ignored the repeated Thunder Fangs from his opponent. When he was high enough, he span several times and threw the Pokémon to the ground. Aerodactyl didn't rise. Red shook his head.

"It isn't over … Not yet! Return, Aero. It's alright. Charizard, here you go!"

Lance didn't hold his smile.

"I remember the day Adrian gave you this one. It has always been your closest friend. Alright, kid! Let's see what you two can do!"

The teen's eyes narrowed.

"With pleasure! Bonds forged in the heat of struggle, become the source of our power! Mega-evolution!"

Charizard's body changed in a more messy, feral form. Pseudo-wings grew on its forearms, its wings became torn, a longer horn grew on its forehead and protrusions appeared on its tail. Lance nodded.

"Indeed, you're close. Well, I guess it's time to do the same. Ancient might, sealed power, through our bond I call you forth! May the strength of the dragons be with us! Mega-evolution!"

The second Charizard glowed. His wings became more jagged, two claw-like protrusions appeared on its shoulders and fire appeared from its mouth. When the light faded, its body was black and its fire was blue. Red grinned dangerously. This was going to be fun … Lance made the first move.

"Charizard, Dragon Rush!"

"Use Agility to dodge and counter with Dragon Tail!"

Red's teammate easily avoided the burst of draconic energy and hit his opponent between the wings. The black Charizard roared and seized the other by the tail to send him on the ground. The orange dragon regained his balance just in time.

"Flare Blitz! Go for it!"

Lance didn't hold his smile.

"As hot-blooded as his mother. I keep wondering how Adrian managed with these two … Charizard, Rock Slide!"

Red frowned when he saw the incoming boulders. But his friend was fast. He slalomed between the stones and disintegrated those he touched. The black Charizard roared and rushed with his own Flare Blitz. The impact sent heatwaves in the arena, to the point Silver had to use his Ice Aura powers to cool down the place. Red growled.

"Charizard, use Air Slash!"

"Counter with Dragon Claw!"

The black dragon effortlessly parried each blade of cutting air and grinned. He held his hands to create a sphere of blue fire Ash instantly recognized.

"Blast Burn! This will not end well!"

When the sphere was the size of the dragon, he launched it. Except Red had given the same order and a sphere of orange fire was also coming. Silver's eyes widened. The burst of heat promised to be intense. Focusing his powers, he let them seep in the bleachers to protect the spectators from the attacks. A wise decision, as the explosion was blinding, deafening and Red and Lance, who weren't protected by the ice shroud, gasped in pain under the wave. Silver clenched his teeth. He could feel his ice powers battling the heat and slowly losing, for the stadium was wide and his Aura was spread all over the stands, which diminished its intensity. Ash felt it and instantly placed his hand on his mentor's shoulder to give him some of his Aura. Silver gladly obliged, especially when Simon and Riyo, his sword-wielding Lucario, imitated the boy. Gary looked at them with worry. He knew Psychics would make force fields, but he hadn't reached this level yet. When the wave ended, people dared to look at the arena.

Red and Lance were on their knees. The Champion was panting heavily while his young opponent was lying on the ground, bathed in sweat and eyes half-closed. Their teammates had landed and looked just as bad. The two glared at one another. It wasn't over yet!

"Fire Blast"

"Flare Blitz!"

Lance's black Charizard threw a star-shaped burst Red's Charizard dived straight into. The two attacks collided in a loud boom. When the smoke faded, the teen's partner was down and back to his original form, defeated. Everyone breathed.

"That was hot!"

Red recalled his partner and sighed. He only had one Pokémon left and was fully aware he could never defeat Lance's remaining teammates. The red-haired man looked at him.

"It would be best if you gave up, kiddo. You and I both know I've won this fight."

The boy clenched his fist.

"My father … never ever gave up in his life. Even when the odds were pitting against him, he kept going on, even in the face of defeat. Even … in the face of death. In his memory, I too will never give up! Espeon, you are my last chance! GO!"

The pink cat jumped out of its Pokéball and glared at the still mega-evolved dragon. Charizard roared, hoping to intimidate it. It was useless. Red gave his order.

"Use Dazzling Gleam now!"

Lance shook his head.

"Charizard, Shadow Claw."

The black dragon rushed and cut through the multicolored beam to deliver a deep cut on the pink cat. Espeon didn't rise.

"Red lost all his team members! Lance is the winner!"

The teen clenched his fists and hit the ground, tears running.

"Father … I wasn't strong enough. Sorry."

(End music)

Lance came to him. Red looked at him with weary eyes. To his surprise, the Champion's hand fell on his shoulder.

"That was an impressive fight. If your father could see it, he would be cheering on you." In a swift move, Red was hoisted on his knees. "Don't make that face! There's still the Conference, right?"

The boy looked down.

"Right. Well, at least I'll have time to get stronger … See you."

Ash watched him leave. He could feel his pain almost physically. The downside of being an empath … The stadium emptied as people returned to their homes or got ready to leave. The ceremony was over. There was no need to stay any longer. The group decided to leave the next morning. The day had been exhausting and all of them were tired. Giovanni was leaving, though. Before he did, he handed Ash a package.

"I heard you plan on challenging the Johto League. This item should help you, especially with the Rebels prowling around."

Ash opened it to reveal a blue short-sleeved jacket lined with white and spotting a stylized Pokéball on the heart. It was a little thick and almost tailor-made, which made it rather comfortable.

"Nice! Thanks, Dad!"

Giovanni grinned. Even though he didn't like him and tried to watch himself, his son still let some "Father" and "Daddy" slip here and there. The boss didn't care. It made these moments more rewarding.

"The cloth is made in a material we created that resists most Pokémon attacks. It isn't a reason to be reckless, though. Especially with moves like Hydro Pump and Hyper Beam. Also, there's kevlar in the lining so it doubles as a bulletproof vest."

Silver smirked.

"You're worried about him."

"Yes, and with good reason. Remember the Dark Moon Incident and Shamouti? I nearly lost both of my sons, once each. Since I can't watch over them myself, I have to make sure they can defend themselves. Simon has a similar vest."

Ash grinned hugely.

"I like it! Thank you very much! And … what's in the pocket?"

It was a small box containing a black leather necklace on which was strapped a glowing yellow gem. Gary's eyes widened.

"A Light Ball! It's an item that enhances Pikachu's Attack and Special Attack!"

Pikachu jumped at the words and smiled. His friend dutifully placed the necklace on his neck. It looked nice. Giovanni looked at the rodent.

"Watch over him, alright?"

"Ka-chu!" (Of course!)

"Good. I will be off, then. Good luck on your journey."

Ash watched him leave, then pulled the end of his jacket. His did the mafia boss get his measurements? Misty stretched.

"I don't know about you, but I'd gladly take a nap. Anyone with me?"

The group nodded.

"You're right. Our journey starts tomorrow. We better get ready."

They went to their bungalow and watched the night fall on Silver City. Tomorrow, they would head for New Bark Town.

Done at last! This chapter took me forever to write, but I'm quite proud of it. I mean, two big battles with mega-évolutions in one chapter, and with excellent music atthat (at least, in my opinion ...)! And Red showed up. He'll return during the jlurney. And yeah, Gary's part of the group. And he will also challenge the Gyms. That apart ...

For the scene with Ash and the cocktail, this drink is in fact called an "Agent Coulson", in honor of the man in Avengers. Looks ordinary, but will take you down in about ten seconds. Right away if it's your first run-in with alcohol. Poor Ash never saw it coming. And yes, Silver can't hold his liquor either, hence the reason he avoids it. Kinda weird given Adriel dabbles in the moonshining ... Man, I really wanted to use this joke!

Finally, for Charizard's moves, he could use Seismic Toss in Gen I and Air Cutter in Gen IV, but not in Gen VI. I'll never understand why they make moves available one generation and not in the others ... What about you?

Now, for those reviews ...

- Blanchimont: for once, I'm right. Go to Bulbapedia, Ground is neutral to itself.

- lewnrich: I'll do all the regions.

- Siggimondo: and we start Johto with a double-dose of awesome. Makes you Wonder what the rest of the story will be like ...

- Pokman12023: yes, Ash will have a Larvitar he'll evolve into Tyranitar. This is gonna rock ... And Ash will keep growing during the tale. Today's lesson: be careful with your drinks!

- MuggleCreator: yes, they can. Clefable will also discover a strange property of this ability, unfortunately at her expend.

- Assassin2102: I don't know for Gary after the Conference and no other extra characters apart those in the anime will be added to the crew, human-wise at least. And yes, there's Rebel-hunting on the way.

- Birdy1210: don' worry for Blastoise, he'll stay. Charizard, however, can't do. Mainly because he gets his girlfriend and I need it for further in the story. But Ash will still call for his strength from times to times so, in a way, it's just that he moved from the corral to the valley.

Now, for the human Pokémon, I know some of you are royally pissed at me for that. I understand, but I had it planned from the start. To make things clearer:

First is that only Ash's Pokémon can become human, and only Ash, his family and closest friends know about it. Professor Oak takes precautions to make sure it remains a secret for obvious reasons.

Second, there's a requirement for Ash's teammates to get a human form: that they tell him their True Name or prove their loyalty to him through an act of valor or selflessness. Becoming human is nice, but you have to earn it. On note, Ash knows the True Name of every one of his Pokémon so far.

Third, because they are human, their Pokémon attacks are naturally weaker. Otherwise, their body can't handle it and breaks. It also limits the colateral damage in a fight ...

And last, Ash won't be paired with any of his teammates. But some of you are right, Chikorita gaining this ability will be fun ... Also, though they can become human, the Pokémon are Pokémon first and haven't forgotten about it, so they use their forms only when they need it, like being understood and doing things only a human can. This is also why there won't be any intimate poké-human relationships.

That was all. I hope I answered all of your questions. See you for next chapter!