A/N: ...Ash gets Chikorita. :)

Moving on to the final chapter! Please enjoy it! Big author's note at the bottom regarding the future of this series. Please read it when you are done.

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.

Chapter 23: The Road to be an Orange League Master

Both trainers tossed their pokeballs into the air to release the two Dragonite. The beams shot out of their pokeballs, and the two Pokemon were revealed. The crowd couldn't help but erupt into a fit of cheering at this. A chance to see two Dragonite battle was rather rare indeed. This would definitely have to be a good one.

Despite the two Pokemon being the same species, their expressions were different. Drake's Dragonite looked strong and confident while Ash's Dragonite looked calmer and more composed. It had no doubt its opponent had more experience, but it would trust Ash's judgement to help it win this battle. It would fight its hardest no matter what.

"What an awesome showdown this is going to turn out to be, folks! It think this may be the first Dragonite versus Dragonite battle we've had in this stadium! I hope you all are excited for this as I am!" the announcer called.

"Okay. This is for the championship. Drake's Dragonite is the only thing standing between me and winning the Orange League. I can't lose now after coming this close. My other Pokemon have worked so hard to get me this far, and I know Dragonite won't let me down, either," Ash thought.

"I normally never even have to use Dragonite because few trainers ever get this far. The fact that Ash did must mean he's an excellent trainer. I'll have to be serious in this match against another Dragonite," Drake thought.

"Here we go," Ash thought before he called out, "Use Slam, Dragonite!"

"Use your own Slam, Dragonite!" Drake countered, as he was thinking along the same lines as Ash.

It turned out that this first move was just a power test between the two. By using Slam against the opposing Pokemon, it would be easier to tell who had the strength advantage. Once that was figured out, the trainers could adapt accordingly.

Both Dragonite took flight and charged at one another. A few seconds later, they rammed the other as hard as they could. A noise that sounded more like a sonic boom than anything erupted when the two Dragonite struck the other. This only got the crowd cheering even harder.

"What power, folks!" the announcer cried out.

Despite the judge's words, it proved that Drake's Dragonite proved a little stronger. Once the Pokemon hit each other, Ash's Pokemon was knocked back a lot further than Drake's was. At least it could withstand the impact, but Ash now knew he would have to use his noggin and strategy to win this one. Drake could win on power alone, but he couldn't. It was what he expected, though, considering his Dragonite just evolved not too long ago while who knows how long Drake's had been a Dragonite.

"Use Dragon Rush!" Drake hollered, deciding to take advantage of his Dragonite's higher strength.

Ash's eyes widened when Drake's Dragonite shot forward and menacingly tackled his Dragonite which knocked it out of the sky. The two Pokemon hit the sand and rolled over each other for a moment before they stopped with Drake's Dragonite on top.

"Use Hyper Beam!" Drake shouted, intending to end this fast.

Ash, however, wasn't about to let his Dragonite just roll over and faint that easily. He hated to reveal this move so early, but he had to.

"Use Extreme Speed, and get out of there!" Ash hollered.

Drake's Dragonite had just began to charge up its Hyper Beam when there was a strong jerk from its arms. Ash's Dragonite attempted the move again and successfully tore itself out of the opposing Dragonite's grasp. Drake's Dragonite halted the Hyper Beam as it looked around to see where the other went to. Ash's Dragonite appeared behind it a second later.

"Turn around and use Dragon Breath," Drake told his.

"Use Hurricane, Dragonite!" Ash countered.

Drake's Dragonite turned quickly to its opponent and shot out the attack. Ash's Dragonite, however, had already begun flapping its wings as hard as it could. A mighty wind began to come from its wings at that. The Dragon Breath was coming towards it, but it began to slow its descent due to the force of the Hurricane. Drake's Dragonite began to shield itself as it struggled to stay put while the powerful wind attempted to blow it away.

Due to the force of the wind, the Dragon Breath actually reversed its direction and struck Drake's Dragonite. The opposing Pokemon let out startled gasp that its own attack hit it. That brief loss of focus was all that was needed to send Drake's Dragonite off its feet and into the air. It blasted through the air until it crashed into a stadium wall which sent up a cloud of dust.

"Nice job, Dragonite!" Ash praised, but it was short-lived as the dust cleared, and Drake's Dragonite was nowhere to be seen where it hit the wall.

"Use Twister!" Drake yelled.

"Hurry and get out of the way!" Ash called, though he had no idea where Drake's Dragonite was.

A small tornado whipped up right underneath Ash's Dragonite. It hurriedly backed away from the rising Twister. Ash thought the danger was mostly over, but he was soon proved wrong as Drake's Dragonite appeared from seemingly nowhere and put Ash's Dragonite in a headlock. Dragonite struggled as hard as it could against its opponent's strong grip, but it was futile.

"Use Extreme Speed to get out again!" Ash hollered.

"Not so fast! Use your Extreme Speed, too!" Drake countered.

Ash's Dragonite tried to pull itself out of its opponent's grip again like before, but this time Drake's Dragonite used Extreme Speed in the opposite direction which caused the two to be at a stalemate, and none of them moved from it. Ash frowned at this. His Dragonite's Extreme Speed had been its ace in the hole several times, but the fact that he had to use it early and that Drake's Dragonite knew it, too, put it at an even further disadvantage.

"Use Thunderbolt!" Drake yelled.

The antennas on the rival Dragonite lit up with electricity, and it began to shock Ash's Dragonite with several volts. Dragonite cried out in pain from the attack as it was mercilessly electrocuted. The attack then halted while Ash's Dragonite gasped in pain. The opposing Dragonite didn't stop there, however. Now that its opponent was putting up less of a struggled, it gave a mighty swing of its tail and knocked Ash's Dragonite into the still raging Twister.

"Dragonite!" Ash called in worry.

The Twister continued to ruthlessly spin inside the large stadium. Ash could only watch in worry as his Dragonite was surely being tormented inside of that thing. Drake and his Dragonite simply stood with their arms crossed confidently as they waited for the attack to cease. It soon proved they didn't have to as both them and the audience gasped when Ash's Dragonite suddenly flew out from the top of the Twister looking pretty battered but okay.

"What?!" Drake cried.

"Great job! Use Dragon Rage!" Ash hollered.

Dragonite took a deep breath and launched several powerful blue flames at its opponent. Drake's Dragonite took the attack full force and yelled in pain from the attack before Ash called his next move.

"Use Hurricane!" he yelled.

Dragonite flapped its wings and sent a strong gust at its opponent again from above. Drake's Dragonite was propelled backwards from the force and crashed into the sand below it which sent up and wall of sand. Ash didn't want to give his opponent a chance to get away and hide this time unless he wanted to risk a repeat of what just happened.

"Use Extreme Speed!" he yelled.

Dragonite disappeared in a flash as it seemed to teleport. Ash waited to hear the sound of a thud, but it never came. He stared inquisitively at the cloud of sand while Drake smirked. Ash gasped when the dust cloud vanished, and Drake's Dragonite had Ash's Dragonite in another headlock. How on Earth had it managed to stop his Dragonite's Extreme Speed?! That thing really was strong!

"And Drake's Dragonite stops Ash's cold. Those moves it can use are really something!" the announcer commented.

"Use Hyper Beam!" Drake called out again.

"Try to get away!" Ash hollered. He knew Extreme Speed would be useless now.

Drake's Dragonite began to charge up the Hyper Beam once more, but Ash's Dragonite reached up with its arms and tried to steer the opposing Dragonite's face away from it. Drake's Dragonite fought back as it kept its head to steady so it could take aim. Ash gritted his teeth as he knew that if this Hyper Beam struck, it could be lethal. His Dragonite managed to push its opponent's head to the side at the last second, however. The Hyper Beam instead hit the sand a few yards from where they were standing, and a wall of sand erupted from the ground, which knocked the two Dragonite off of their feet.

Both Dragonite spun through the air, and there was a resounding thud as they hit the sand a few seconds later. They then had to shield themselves as a mountain of sand began to rain down on top of them. Though normally not a problem, this sand stung quite a bit from the amount and speed at which it was falling. Both Ash and Drake had to shield their eyes a little, too, as some of the sand had made it over to them.

"Fly out of there!" both trainers called, though they couldn't see their Pokemon.

Their command was apparently heard, however, as both Dragonite soon appeared as they flew out of the cloud of sand below them. Both Dragonite glared at each other before they began to trade serious blows back and forth. Ash knew this wasn't the way to go, though, as Drake's Dragonite was stronger.

"Use Dragon Rage!" Ash yelled.

The two Pokemon had just traded another blow when Dragonite shot out another series of large blue flames. Drake's Dragonite was struck several times before Ash's Dragonite rammed into it. The two were sent hurtling towards the ground, and Ash's Dragonite was on top of Drake's for a change, but Drake's Dragonite clawed it in the face which caused it to roll off, and the two Dragonite stood up and glared at each other once more.

Ash snapped is fingers as he thought of what to do next. It was clear Drake's Dragonite was stronger and more experienced, but he was still holding out. He could still when this, but he had to think of a way that could give him an edge.

Unbeknownst to Ash, Drake's Dragonite had a surprise move, too. If Drake were to use this move now, it would seriously cripple Ash's Dragonite. He knew both Pokemon had taken heavy damage, and this move would definitely put him at the advantage he would need to win. There wouldn't be much of an escape for Ash's Dragonite. It was the most powerful dragon-type move of all.

"Use Draco Metoer!" Drake shouted.

"What's that?" Ash wondered to himself.

Drake's Dragonite looked up at the sky and gave a roar before it shot a glowing orb into air. It rose higher and higher until it exploded. Ash and Dragonite's eyes both widened as what seemed like comets came streaming down from the orb, and they were heading straight towards Dragonite.

"Watch out, Dragonite!" Ash cried.

Ash's Dragonite took flight as it tried to dodge the many comets. They were numerous, however, and extremely fast. Dragonite was simply too large to dodge them all. It was struck by one which caused it to cry in pain, and then it was struck by another, and another, and another. There was soon an explosion, and Drake didn't give his opponent a chance to recover.

"Use Dragon Rush!" he yelled.

Before it could even see the damage it did, Drake's Dragonite rushed headfirst into the debris cloud and astutely tackled Ash's Dragonite. Both of them crashed to the ground, and Ash's Dragonite was successfully pinned beneath its opponent. Ash glanced worriedly at his Dragonite as it looked extremely weak, and it wasn't even putting up a fight against its opponent. It had taken some serious damage from that Draco Meteor. It was panting heavily as the opposing Dragonite was on top of it.

"Dragonite!" Ash cried.

"This isn't good. If Ash doesn't think of something fast, he's in serious trouble," Tracey commented.

"He can't lose yet! Come on, Ash!" Leaf yelled.

"That Draco Meteor was a really powerful attack. Drake was smart to use it late like this, but it's still really bad news for his Dragonite," Tracey said.

"Ash just has to believe in Dragonite," Serena mumbled.

Ash gritted his teeth as the situation did look quite grim. He couldn't get nervous yet. It's true that this was extremely bad. If Dragonite went down, which Ash was sure it could soon since it was running out of energy, he would lose. He couldn't let that happen. He had come too far for this, and his own motto rang in his head about never giving up until the end. He just had to remain calm and think of something. Unfortunately, Drake was looking to end this and didn't give Ash that luxury.

"Use Hyper Beam, and let's finish this!" Drake yelled.

Ash snapped out of this thoughts once Drake said that. Oh no. The clock was ticking fast. If Hyper Beam connected, it would surely be over for Dragonite. There were people who had come so close to winning, only to fall to Drake's Dragonite. Ash wasn't about to join that list of people. He had proven that Drake was entirely beatable. He just had to believe in his Pokemon.

"Come on, Dragonite! I know you can get out of this! You can do it!" Ash hollered.

Ash's Dragonite did hear its trainer's words, but it was so weak and worn out. This was the most challenging opponent it had ever faced who outdid it in almost every category. It had never felt this much pain before. Dragonite still never wanted to fail Ash, however. That was the vow it made to itself when it evolved. It would protect Ash when it could at all cost and give him a Pokemon to be proud of. It would push away all of its fears and insecurities and become a brave and strong Pokemon. It couldn't lose now. It had a battle to win!

Drake's Dragonite began to charge up the Hyper Beam, and Ash's Dragonite took a deep breath as it prepared itself. It would be taking this attack at point blank range. If it were still a Dratini or even a Dragonair, it would be extremely afraid of the impending attack, but not anymore. Despite the huge amount of pain it was in, Dragonite gave resolute expression as it began to push against the Dragonite who had it pinned.

As Ash saw what it was doing, he began shouting encouragement to it. Pikachu added its own shouts seconds later. Serena, Leaf, Misty, and Tracey saw this as well, and they stood up from their seats and began to cheer as loud as they could for Ash and Dragonite. Despite the fact that it would seem impossible, Ash could swear he could hear his friends among the rest of the stadium. It didn't stop there, however. The people who were around his friends also stood up from their seat as they began to chant Ash and Dragonite's name.

It wasn't long before the whole stadium followed suit. They were all standing up from their seats as they cheered as loud as they could. Drake looked around in wonder at the whole stadium rooting for the battle. In all his years as the Orange League champion, he had never seen a crowd root for one person as much as they were for Ash. It was really something.

It appeared to be working, however. Dragonite could hear the whole stadium shouting encouragement at it as it struggled to overpower the stronger Dragonite. Most of all, it could hear Ash's shouts, and it wasn't about to let him down. The opposing Dragonite's eyes widened in utter shock as Ash's Dragonite began to actually force it back a little bit.

"What?" Drake questioned.

Ash, however, screamed his loudest yet. It was like with his and audience's screams combined, it was giving Dragonite the power to overcome its opponent. It began force Drake's Dragonite back even more as its opponent tried its best to keep its opponent in place. Ash knew that if his Dragonite had any hope of dodging this attack, it had to be now. That Hyper Beam was almost finished charging.

"Do it!" Ash hollered as loud as he could.

Dragonite gave a heave with all of its might and threw the opposing Dragonite off of its body. It then grabbed Drake's Dragonite by its throat and shoved its opponent's head directly into the sand just before it launched the Hyper Beam. There was a small flash before chaos broke loose on the battlefield.

If there was an eruption of sand from the first Hyper Beam, it was rather small compared to now. It was almost as if the whole sand field exploded. The ground shook from the force of powerful Hyper Beam inside of it. It went in all directions. Everyone in the vicinity had to duck to avoid being sprayed by sand. Ash and Drake got the worst of it, however. Ash turned away from the rush of sand and shielded his Pikachu from the blast. He could feel his back getting pelted continuously with tiny bits of sand, but he knew this discomfort was nothing compared to what the two Dragonite were experiencing right now.

Finally, the rush of sand stopped, and it began to settle down. The whole crowd slowly looked up from their hiding place from the explosion of sand. Serena, Leaf, Misty, and Tracey also peaked over, and were the first to fully come out. They stood up as they looked on, eager to see the results. That was really something. Despite this, nothing was showing yet as there was still a massive cloud of dust that was covering almost the entire battlefield.

Ash had his fists clenched as he and Pikachu waited. He began to fear the worst as he could hear no movement or sounds coming from inside the cloud. That wasn't good. Even if Drake's Dragonite was knocked out, it would mean nothing if his was, as well. Draws weren't an option. He had to win.

For the first time in a while, Drake looked worried as he looked on. That was the first time he could remember when a Pokemon had overpowered his Dragonite's strength like that. That was some will his opponent had. He knew that regardless of the results, that was a super powerful attack.

Everyone waited in anticipation to see what the final results were. The tension was killing them. Once dead quiet, a few murmurs began to sound throughout the crowd. Some were saying that Drake's Dragonite was knocked out. Some were saying Ash's Dragonite while some were saying both or neither were knocked out. Something big was surely about to happen. The murmurs died down again when the dust was finally starting to settle. Nobody wanted to miss this. Ash and Drake both squinted their eyes the hardest to try to see inside of the thinning sand cloud.

At last, after another thirty seconds, Ash and Drake began to see two outlines of figures which were most definitely their Dragonite. It was still hard to tell what stance they were in, though. The dust settled even more, and they both gasped when they saw at least one Dragonite was down while the other was still standing. That meant one of them won…and one of them just lost. The last of the dust settled, and Drake's Dragonite was unconscious on the ground with Ash's Dragonite standing over it. It was extremely bruised and looked ready to pass out itself, but it was still standing. The judge made his decision then.

"Drake's Dragonite is unable to battle! That means the winner of this competition and Orange League trophy goes to Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!" he declared.

"Ohhhh," Ash muttered, completely at a loss of what to say.

"The challenger wins the match! The challenger wins the match! The challenger wins the match!" the announcer screamed in excitement.

A picture of Ash and all of the Pokemon he used appeared on a large screen of the stadium. The word 'winner' was flashing back and forth continuously. Everyone in the crowd was standing up and chanting Ash's name back and forth while they clapped for him. All of Ash's friends, of course, were cheering the loudest out of all of them.

"He actually did it!" Misty exclaimed.

"They all did it," Leaf corrected.

"Man! I know I keep saying this, but I would love to get a sketch of all of Ash's Pokemon! I can't wait to see them all together when we go back to Pallet Town!" Tracey grinned.

"Heheheh…right, Tracey," Misty chuckled.

Serena's eyes shined as she watched Ash. She couldn't help but almost laugh as she saw Ash still looked completely stunned. He was so amazing. Maybe that fantasy she had of Ash being her hero wasn't that big of a stretch, after all. One could call her childish if they wished, but she didn't care. Serena couldn't be more proud of Ash at the moment.

Ash still stood there. His mind was still trying to completely register what had happened. It wasn't until Pikachu pulled on his pant leg and shouted at him did he finally seem to snap out of his trance.

"Pikachu…we won," he said.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu affirmed.

"We actually won," he repeated, a little louder this time.

"Chu!" Pikachu agreed again.

"We won!" Ash shouted as he leaped into the air with his fist held high.

Ash soon found himself tackled to the ground by his Dragonite which took him completely by surprise. It was extremely tired, but it still found the strength to give its trainer affection. It then picked Ash up and spun him around in a hug while Ash joyfully laughed.

"You were amazing, Dragonite. You have no idea how proud I am of you," Ash told it as Dragonite set him down.

Dragonite's eyes watered at that as it resisted the urge to wipe them. Those were the best words Ash could ever say to it, that he was proud of it. It was just as happy about winning the match as its beloved trainer was.

Drake stood for only a moment before he sighed and returned his Dragonite. Once it was back in, he smiled at the pokeball.

"You worked hard, my friend. Take a good rest," Drake said before he looked at the trainer who bested him.

Drake didn't know why, but he had a special feeling about this trainer the moment he met him. This kid was definitely something special, and Drake believed that he would go on to do any greater things. No doubt he was some kind of legend in the making. It was just his intuition. With a smile, Drake withdrew a trophy that he had been hiding on his side of the stadium and made his way over to Ash, who was still grinning broadly and hugging his Pikachu and Dragonite.

"Ash defeated the Orange League Champion! He will now receive the coveted Orange League trophy, and his name will go down forever in the Orange League Hall of Fame!" the announcer narrated.

"Ash," Drake spoke once he reached him.

"Drake," Ash replied as he turned away from his Pokemon to face him.

"That was well done, Ash. You really deserve this trophy. I'm proud to have had the chance to battle a trainer like you. You're an outstanding trainer," Drake told Ash as he handed the raven-haired boy the trophy.

"Well…yeah. Haha. It's only because I have outstanding Pokemon," Ash grinned.

"Yes. The dedication, teamwork, strategy, and love you have with your Pokemon to will take you even further. I don't say this to too many trainers, Ash, but I feel that you are special. I know that you will go on to win even more leagues," Drake said.

"Wow. Thanks, Drake," Ash smiled.

"Let's hear it one more time for Ash Ketchum, everyone!" the announcer shouted.

Ash looked around at all of the people cheering for him. He had actually done it. No. They did it. He and his Pokemon worked extremely hard to make it this far, and they succeeded. This was definitely one of the happiest moments of Ash's life right now. He knew it was cliche, but he almost felt like crying because he was so happy. He knew his mom probably was actually crying right now after seeing him win. He just did Pallet Town proud by winning the league. Mrs. Gabena. Mrs. Green, Professor Oak, Daisy, and Ms. Yellow had all probably watched him, as well, and were rooting just as hard. It was possible the surly Blue had watched him, too. In the back of his mind, Ash briefly wondered if his dad had managed to see this, too. He sure hoped so.

Regardless, Ash still took in this moment. It was his time to shine. He breathed a huge sigh of contentment. It hardly got better than this.

To say it was difficult for Ash to leave the stadium was an understatement. As soon as he stepped foot out of the trainer tunnel, he was bombarded with hundreds of new fans and a news crew who wanted interview him. The reporter managed to squeeze in front of everyone and eagerly shoved a microphone in Ash's face.

"Please! You have to tell us! How did you win the tournament?!" the reporter exclaimed.

"Uh…well…I just have really awesome Pokemon," Ash stuttered, not used to having this much attention. He still had his nervousness around cameras.

"Pika, Pikachu," Pikachu said a little nervously. All of this attention was aggravating it.

"I see! How often did you train every day!?" the reporter asked again.

"Umm…I'd say for at least a few hours, but they were always intense. I did miss a few days, but we always made up for it," Ash replied, a little more confidently.

"We love you, Ash!" a few random fan girls called out to him.

Ash didn't quite know what to make of all this. Sure, he was overjoyed and proud that he won, but he had no idea he would receive this much attention. Did all winners of any tournament have to go through this? It was pretty overwhelming.

"Is there anything else you'd like to say?" the reporter questioned.

"Uh…hi, Mom!" Ash said as he grinned at the camera and held up his two fingers in a V shape, and Pikachu mimicked his actions.

"Ash!"

Ash turned and smiled wide when he saw Serena. She fought her way to the crowd and met Ash with a big hug. Leaf, Misty, and Tracey soon followed her in with just as much excitement.

"I'm so proud of you, Ash! You did amazing!" Serena cried as she continued to hug him.

"Heheh. I couldn't have done it without your help in the middle and my Pokemon," Ash said.

"The champion has a girlfriend! What's it like to be the girlfriend of a champion?! Give the champion a big kiss for the camera!" the reporter said to Serena now as she shifted attention.

"What? Uhhhh…," Serena muttered, rather surprised that the news crew was focusing on her now.

Ash soon felt a pair of hands rest on his shoulders. He spun around to find Drake standing there with a gentle smile on his face. Drake nodded his head at the reporter who understood the message and backed off a little bit. Ash was rather impressed with this. It seemed like Drake commanded just as much respect here as Lance or Blue did back in Kanto.

"I think it's a little noisy here, Ash. Why don't you and your friends come with me to the Hall of Fame so I can get you registered?" he suggested.

"Yeah. Thanks, Drake," Ash replied as he and the others began to make their way to the Hall of Fame a distance off. The crowd split as they stood off to the side to make a path for them to walk through.

As they made their way through, Ash raised his eyebrow as he sensed something strange. He turned around to see Tracey had his sketchbook out and was trying to draw Ash and walk at the same time. Misty saw what he was doing and rolled her eyes.

"Seriously, Tracey?" she asked.

"What? Even though we're friends, Ash is still a champion!" Tracey defended.

About ten minutes later, the group found themselves in front of a large set of double doors. They remembered seeing this place off in the distance since they've been here, but it was larger and more majestic looking than they thought up close. Huge pillars adorned the outside which held up the entrance. To top it off, there were several Dragonite statues lining the walkway.

Drake took out a pair of keys and unlocked the door before he pushed it open. He did with surprisingly little effort. He then motioned for the group to follow him as he made his way in. The group looked around in wonder as they walked in. It looked just as large on the inside as on the outside.

Several glass cases and plaques were around the room as they made their way through. Various pictures of trainers and their Pokemon were on the walls as they went further in. It was quite a sight to see. They almost felt privileged to be in here. Well, it technically was a privilege as only Drake, past champions, or Orange League winners and their friends or family could in here except on very special occasions.

"Wow…," Misty breathed.

"This is so cool, Ash. Your name is going to be in here forever," Leaf muttered in awe.

Ash just had his mouth hung open as he looked around. He was still trying take in the fact that he just won the Orange League tournament. This was almost like a dream. Drake made his way over to spot that didn't have a display case yet and stood by it.

"Here's where your name will be, Ash. Once we have you and your Pokemon registered, you'll never lose your spot here," Drake presented as he set down a picture of Ash and the six Pokemon he used along with a piece of cement with their hand or foot prints on it. They had done that back in the stadium. His section would probably expand once the registration was complete like others. He would have to come back again before he leaves for Pallet Town to see the official one.

"This is so great," Ash smiled as he looked at the photo of him and his Pokemon. Drake then handed him a pen.

"Of course, no honor is complete without the trainer's autograph. If you would please sign your name on that photo," Drake said.

"Of course!" Ash smiled and scribbled his signature on the lower right corner of the photo and handed the pen back to Drake.

"So do you come in here often to look at all of the challengers?" Leaf asked him.

"You know, I actually don't. My name is in here, too, for when I first became a winner of the Orange League and defeated the previous Orange Crew leader," Drake responded.

"How long ago was that?" Misty asked this time.

"I'd say it was about ten years ago," Drake recalled as he rubbed his chin in thought.

"Everyone told me you were extremely tough and one of the best trainers around. They weren't kidding. That was probably the hardest match I ever had," Ash said seriously.

"Yeah. The only people that had ever been able to beat me are you and one other person," Drake replied.

"Oh! That's right!" Ash exclaimed as his eyes lit up in remembrance. "Will show us who the other trainer was who beat you?"

The others looked at Drake expectantly. Drake gave a light chuckle and nodded his head.

"Alright. Follow me. I'll show you where he is," Drake said as turned and walked in the opposite direction.

The others followed him. They didn't know why, but they were really curious who it was. It was like they had some strange connection with him, particularly Ash. He didn't quite know when it started. When he first learned about the previous Orange League winner, he was just another person who Ash thought was a darn good trainer. What interested him was when other leaders kept saying they never got his name or how Ash's battling style was just like the previous winner.

"So what was this guy like, anyway?" Ash wondered. "We heard about him everywhere we go, but nobody ever could give us a lot of information.

"He was…unique. That's for sure," Drake said. "He never even gave me his name until we were here in the Hall of Fame. He only said it because I told him it was required to register him. Even when he did, he said it with contempt which surprised me a little bit…particularly when he said his last name."

"So did he hate his name? Did it sound funny?" Misty joked.

"No. It was just a normal name to me. I can't understand why he would dislike it, and of course, I didn't ask as it was none of my business," Drake responded.

"He sounds like a jerk to me," Misty muttered.

"You sure have described him as that a lot, Misty," Serena commented.

"Here he is," Drake presented as he stopped at a display case on the opposite side from where Ash's was.

The group crowded around the display case as they wanted to get a good look at the guy. They finally saw him. He was surrounded by his Pokemon behind him. Some of them the group didn't recognize, but the weird thing was that his Pokemon weren't smiling. They almost looked intimidating and a little scary. As for the trainer himself, he was teenager with rather long and thick red hair that reached just past his shoulders. He wore a black jacket and had on black pants. Like his Pokemon, he wasn't smiling at all. He wore such a serious expression on his face. The last thing the group noticed about him were his eyes. They harbored no friendliness in them at all. All of them except Tracey were highly reminded of Paul's eyes, but unlike Paul, who was just cold, this trainer actually looked…hostile.

"So this is the trainer. He doesn't look very friendly," Leaf commented.

"He sure looks strong, though. Those Pokemon look like they could take on several trainers at once," Misty added.

"Hmmm...," Tracey muttered as he squinted his eyes and tried to get a sketch of the trainer and his Pokemon.

Serena was looking the guy over herself. Yes. This guy didn't look like someone who wanted be messed with. The look in his eyes was quite unnerving to her. She tore her eyes away from the photo and instead chose to look at her boyfriend. Unfortunately, Ash hadn't taken his eyes off of the photo since they started looking at it.

That's when Serena noticed something strange about Ash. It didn't look like he was staring at the photo curiously anymore. His eyes were wide and his mouth was open in shock. It was like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. What was it about his guy that had Ash's attention like that?

"What's wrong, Ash?" Serena asked.

The others then noticed this, too, and gave him an inquisitive look.

"No way," was all Ash said.

"What is it, Ash?" Serena asked again.

Ash didn't respond as he kept looking at the photo in shock. It was like he was in a trance. Since he didn't answer, the rest of the group searched his eyes to see if he was staring at something particularly in the photo. They saw where he was looking and followed his gaze down to the trainer's signature in the photo corner. That's right. They didn't see what his name was yet. They took one look at the signature, and all of their eyes widened in surprise. They all turned to Ash, and now knew why he couldn't take his eyes off of the photo.

The signature read 'Silver Ketchum'.

It was almost nighttime, and Ash was finally getting some peace and quiet at the Pokemon Center. After he had left the Hall of Fame, he was once again greeted by new fans who wanted his autograph. They hadn't left him alone the entire day. Now, the crowd had seemed to have died down now that they had all the time they needed with Ash. Needless to say, the Pallet Town trainer was extremely beat.

He was plopped down on the Pokemon Center sofa in the lobby with everyone else next to him. While they were conversing about various things, Ash was just thinking about one thing. It wasn't about his most recent victory, either. He still couldn't believe that the trainer who won five years ago was none other than the brother that his mom had with Giovanni…most likely anyway.

Though Ash had been the only one who had heard his brother's name in the past. The others still knew he had a long lost brother from the big reveal when Ash had his last face off with Giovanni. They could put two and two together to know what he was thinking.

"You know, Ash, his name could just be a coincidence. He didn't even look like you," Leaf tried once it had been a solid thirty minutes, and Ash hadn't bothered to join in the conversations.

"Hmmm…," Ash mused, but said nothing else.

"Even if he was, is it really that big of a deal?" Tracey wondered, being the only one out of the loop.

"You don't know the history of how Ash learned he had a brother, Tracey. This is really big news to him," Serena told him.

Ash didn't confirm or deny Serena's claims. Why it normally wouldn't come as such of a shock, it was the boy's apparent demeanor that shocked Ash the most. He looked so angry and miserable. He made Paul look like a docile baby Growlithe. It was as though the boy hated life itself, and that was just from the photo he saw. Whether he was better or worse in real life, Ash had no clue. Did he really despise his family and history that much to where he hesitated to even give Drake his name for the Hall of Fame?

Leaf did have a somewhat valid point, though. There was no actual proof that he was Ash's brother rather than a name alone. The world was an extremely big place, and there may be several people with the same name as him. However, there was one way to rectify that.

"I think I'm going to call my mom. She's probably been waiting for me to call her all day," Ash stated as he got up from the couch with Pikachu following him.

The others nodded their head at this. They knew Ash was going to call his mom regardless after the tournament. Now, there was another motive he had to confirm.

Ash sat down in front of the video phone and dialed the number to his house. After a few rings, the phone was picked up and the face of Ash's mother appeared on the screen. She looked really worn out, but the second she saw her son was on the phone, she immediately perked up.

"Ash!" she greeted happily.

"Hi, Mom! Guess what?!" Ash grinned.

"What?!" Delia asked, though she already knew what he wanted to tell her.

"I won the Orange League Championship!" he stated and held his two fingers up in a V-shape.

"I'm so proud for you, Ash! We all saw the whole thing on television!" Delia exclaimed. "We couldn't stop talking about it! I just now got back home from Professor Oak's!"

"Thanks, Mom," Ash replied as he rubbed the back of his head. So everyone really had watched him.

"We are going to have such a celebration for you when you get home!" Delia told him. "Rose has already sent out the postcards to everyone who is invited!"

"Sounds great!" Ash smiled.

Delia then hesitated slightly. "We sent an invitation for your father to come, as well. Whether he's going to be too busy or not to come is up in the air."

"I know. I understand he's really busy so it's okay. I'll have to make sure to give him a call. I bet he'll be thrilled to know I won the league."

"Oh, I'm sure he knows," Delia smiled. "Riley told me that he got a hold of your dad and told him that you were entering the Orange League championship and what channel to find it on."

"Probably through aura," Ash thought, since he knew that was best way to communicate when it came to his dad.

"Well, we'll be on our way home tomorrow! I can't wait to see you and everyone else!" Ash said.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu waved. Serena set Togepi down on the counter so it could wave to Delia, too.

"Oh, hello, Pikachu, and to you, Togepi!" Delia replied and waved back.

"You know, when I won today, Drake said I was the first trainer to win in five years," Ash started, deciding now was a good time to switch to the other topic.

"Goodness! Really?!" Delia gasped. "Well, that just proves what an exceptional trainer you are! I couldn't have asked for a better son!"

Ash thought it was funny she should say that considering what he was about to say. "Yeah. I first heard about that when we came to the Orange Islands, but we knew nothing about this previous trainer, only that he and I battle a lot alike. When I won, I finally got to see what he looked like and what his name was," he continued.

"Oh? What was it?" Delia asked, though it was clear she wasn't that interested.

"Mom, what did my…brother look like?" Ash asked.

"Oh? Um…why are you wanting to know?" Delia wondered. That had really come out of nowhere to her? Why on Earth would Ash ask that now of all times?

"The trainer's name was Silver Ketchum," Ash finished a little lowly.

Delia's eyes visibly widened when Ash said that. Despite this shock, she began taking a few short breaths.

"Mom?" Ash questioned. He knew something like this would upset her, but he had to know.

"No, Ash. It's fine. He had dark eyes, but not like yours…like Giovanni's. The most distinguished feature about him was he had long and thick red hair from what I could remember. He loved it that way," Delia responded.

"…It's him," Ash muttered, while his friends behind him frowned.

At this, his mother began to sniff as her eyes watered a little. Ash gasped when his mother started doing this and hurried to apologize. He certainly didn't want to make her cry by having her recall bad memories!

"Mom! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you," Ash apologized.

"No. If anything, I'm glad you told me this," Delia cried. "Even if it was a long time ago, that lets me know that Silver was doing well and that he was alive. Just like he wanted, he's trying to become a Pokemon Master and following his dream. I now have both my sons to be proud of for winning the Orange League."

"Mom…," Ash mumbled, as he teared up himself.

Even after all this time, his mother still loved Silver just as much as she did back then. It proved that even though she never showed it, she worried for Silver every day just like she worried for Ash. How could his brother be so cold and stupid to shun such a loving and caring woman as his mother? She really did love him after all this time. If Ash could see Silver right now, he'd probably beat the crap out of him and drag him back to Pallet Town so he could apologize. That fantasy was extremely unlikely, however.

Delia must have noticed the tense look on Ash's face with what she said next. "Ash, please don't hate Silver. He really did have a lot to go through once he found out Giovanni was his father. I never told you this, but he let it slip to his friends one day, and he lost all of them since he was the son of someone in Team Rocket."

Ash felt a pair of arms wrap around him from behind in a comforting hug. Ash didn't have to turn around to know that it was Serena. Hate was never one of Ash's strong traits. As much as he wanted to kick Silver's butt, his Mom didn't wish it. If anything, she probably had a fantasy in her mind that they would meet one day and be the best of friends. Though Ash doubted it, he wasn't going to go against his mother's wishes.

"Alright. I'll never understand him, but I won't hate him," Ash said at last.

"Thank you, Ash. That means a lot. Your father and I don't hate him so you shouldn't, either," his mom stated.

"Right," Ash agreed.

"Ash," his mother spoke once more. "If you ever hear about Silver or how he's doing like you did today…would you please let me know?"

Ash hesitated at giving his replay. However, his mother's pleading eyes made him respond in the positive. "…Yes."

It was rather late at night now, almost eleven o'clock. Ash was lying down in his bed with his hands behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. The truth was he was extremely tired after today, but with all of the excitement, he found it hard to sleep. Too many thoughts were going through his head ranging from the tournament he just won, to how he was one step closer to being a Pokemon Master, and the revelation that the last winning trainer was none other than his brother.

Ash gave another sigh as he listened to Pikachu and Tracey's soft snores. If he didn't fall asleep soon, he would be pretty tired tomorrow. That wasn't too big of a deal as they would be traveling on ferries all day and he could sleep then, but still, sleeping late in the day was something he had sort of grown out of now that he was a Pokemon trainer. If he even slept past eight in the morning, it felt weird.

Ash raised his eyebrows when he heard his Pokegear vibrate. He turned his head and groped in the darkness for the device until his hands finally found it. Who would be calling him at this hour? Ash soon found his answer when the light up caller ID revealed it to be none other than his dad, Red Ketchum.

Ash quickly but quietly stood up from his bed and headed towards the bathroom so he could talk in private. Though both Tracey and Pikachu were clearly asleep, he didn't want to wake them. Ash turned on the light of the bathroom and closed the door before he answered.

"Hey, dad," Ash greeted.

"Hey, Ash. Did I wake you?" Red asked.

"No. You didn't. I was just lying in bed and thinking about today," Ash replied truthfully.

"Sorry I called so late. This was the only time today I could find to call you," Red said before he continued. "I saw you today, you know."

"You did?!" Ash exclaimed in excitement but quickly lowered his voice. "That's great. I'm really glad you did."

"Heh. I wasn't going to miss the chance of seeing you compete in a huge tournament like the Orange League. Aerodactly was screeching at the television screen the whole time in excitement," Red told him.

"Great. How is Aerodactly?" Ash questioned.

"Truthfully, it's doing great, Ash. You won't believe how far it's come since the Pokemon League. In fact, the next time I see you, I may be tempted to give it back to you," Red said.

Ash couldn't hide the large grin that was coming to his face at those words. He was sure his dad could sense it, as well, as there was a slight chuckle. His Aerodactly was doing great. The fact that he would be able to battle and train with it soon really made him happy.

"That's awesome. Thanks, Dad," Ash responded as he turned a little red in embarrassment. To hear his dad say that about Aerodactyl made the whole thing worthwhile. By the way Red made it seem, Aerodactly had completely overcome its primal instincts. Ash was almost tempted to ask what his dad's secret was.

"I also heard you saved the world. Riley told me," Red mentioned, switching topics

"Oh. Heheh. Yeah. I was actually the Chosen One," Ash said.

"Slow down, son. Don't become a legend too fast," Red joked before his tone grew a little serious. "You know, I spoke with Riley while he was on Shamouti Island. We both discussed about you a lot."

"Oh. Umm…what was it about?" Ash wondered.

"It was nothing bad. We were just wondering what it is about you that make you special. We both sensed that you would be the one to save the world. We also believe you're in a lot of other prophecies, too. It's like you're destined to be great. Sir Aaron's blood really runs strong in you," Red told him.

"Destined…to be great? Like what?" Ash asked curiously.

"We don't know that, but it wouldn't surprise us if there were stories of the great Ash Ketchum to go on for centuries," Red said in a slightly humorous tone.

"Oh. Come on," Ash said with a roll of his eyes.

"Well, the fact that you won the incredibly difficult Orange League does prove how great you are. That's something your old man hasn't even done yet," Red said.

"Really?" Ash asked in a slightly surprised tone.

"Yes, really. I competed in the league just over twenty years ago. I made it all the way to the finals and lost to the champion," Red replied.

"Wow. I never knew that," Ash said. Add that to another list of things he didn't know about his dad. Next time he sees Red, whenever that was, he would just like to have a father-to-son talk with him to learn all about what his dad had achieved when he was younger. The fact that Ash heard that his father lost did tell him that even he wasn't perfect sometimes. It humanized him.

That was when Ash remembered something. He had just won a league, and he remembered a promise his dad had given him should he win a league.

"Hey, Dad. About my win today, does that mean I've reached the strongest I can be? Am I ready to learn about aura?" Ash asked, almost eagerly.

There was a slight pause on the other end. It was a little unnerving for Ash to have that after they had been having such a blast talking to each other so far. Did he say something wrong? Was the topic of aura still sensitive?

"I promise to start training you in the near future. Not now, though. Despite you winning the tournament, I still don't think you've reached your peak limit yet. Remember what I said. Aura can only help you when you've reached your full limit without it," Red told him at last.

"Heh. Guess I better start working out," Ash chuckled.

"That's not what I meant. I was talking about taking care of yourself. You're still too dependent on your friends, Ash. Using aura requires a great deal of self-discipline and the ability to take care of oneself. That's what's holding you back," Red said.

"Oh. Right," Ash muttered. He really could learn something like that. If only Brock was still here to teach him like he taught Serena.

"Also, you're still twelve, and aura takes a great deal of mental effort…far exceeding that of someone who isn't even a teenager yet," Red added.

"So I have to at least wait another year," Ash mumbled.

"It's for your own good, Ash," Red sighed. "Riley and I just want you to be safe. Keep in mind that we both didn't even have our aura training until we were sixteen."

Ash nodded his head at that, even though he knew Red couldn't see it. In truth, his dad did have a good point. The fact that he completely failed to use his aura when he needed it back when those capture devices were trying to get them proved that he wasn't ready yet. There was no way he could control it yet. Every time before that was pure luck.

"Alright, Dad. I'll do it. I'm still holding you up to our deal back then," Ash said as his good mood returned.

"I intend to keep it. I look forward to hearing about your growth, Ash. You really do make me proud," Red stated.

"Heh. Thanks, Dad," Ash replied as he turned a little red. To hear a great trainer like his dad say he was proud of him washed away any down feelings he had earlier.

"I'll let you get to sleep then. Good night, son," Red said.

"Yeah. Good night, Dad," Ash responded as he hung up the phone.

Ash was able to fall asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow next. His night was full of blissful dreams.

The group was standing in front of the docks the next morning. This would be the first ferry of a few changeovers before they finally would get to one that would lead them back to Kanto. As the group waited for the time to board the ferry, they began to reminisce of all they had done on the Orange Islands. It had been quite an experience for everyone in the group. This place was special to all of them.

For Misty, she had competed and won in the Water Pokemon tournament. Best of all, she had met Rudy again, and they both made a promise to see each other again when the time was right. Leaf had gotten an incredible amount of data on her pokedex. Some were a direct result of the Orange Islands like the different types of patterns on certain Pokemon. Others were because of trainers who had Pokemon not native to Kanto. Tracey turned out to be helpful to the group when it came to Pokemon knowledge and would finally have his dream of meeting Professor Oak…and being able to speak to him this time. Serena had found what her calling in life was and met the famous Pokemon performer, Aria. Lastly was Ash, who competed and won in the Orange League.

"I'm sure going to miss this place. The weather was great, and the temperature was perfect…err…in natural conditions," Misty commented.

"We know what you mean. These constant sea breezes were so refreshing," Leaf replied as she let the wind blow through her chestnut-colored hair.

"So what are you two going to do once we get back?" Serena asked them.

"To be honest, I'd be really happy to stay with you and Ash again. Wherever you guys go sounds good to me. I bet there would be some great water Pokemon tournaments around. I can't stop now that I've gotten the kick start I need," Misty responded.

"I don't know. I love both you and Ash, but I may travel by myself again. I haven't decided yet where I'll be, though," Leaf said as she rubbed the back of her neck nervously, not too different from how Ash does.

"I don't know, either. Just the fact that I'm going to meet Professor Oak is good enough for me," Tracey jumped in.

Ash wasn't paying too much attention to the conversation. He was lost in thought again about what his next step was. His Dad told him that he had to learn to take care of himself and not be so dependent. He soon thought about where he could learn, though. Sure. Serena was doing quite well for herself, but she was his girlfriend. Despite being able to spend more time with each other, it would be a little awkward to have his girlfriend teach him how to take care of himself. Leaf was his best friend and didn't exactly seem like a suitable candidate, either. Misty…heh…she would probably scream out in frustration about how clueless he was when it came to matters like that. Man. If only Brock was here. Regardless, he would find some way.

Another thing he was thinking about was where he would visit next. Sure, he would stay in Pallet Town for a short amount of time, but there was still the whole world to see. He still had so many places he hadn't been to yet: Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos, to just name a few. It would be so hard to choose. All of them would be so interesting and unique in their own way.

"Hey, Ash. What are you thinking about?" Serena asked him.

"Just about what my next step is in becoming a Pokemon Master," Ash replied.

"Already? We haven't even made it back to Pallet Town yet," Misty said in surprise.

"A Pokemon Master never rests!" Ash declared as he held his fist in the air.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed from his shoulder and mimicked Ash's motions.

"Well, you're already an Orange League Master, Ash. I'd say you're on your way," Leaf smiled.

"Oh, speaking of winning the Orange League, didn't you promise something to give me as a reward, Serena?" Ash asked her.

"Y-yes, Ash. I did. You'll receive it in your room when we get back to Pallet Town," Serena replied as she blushed, but then face-palmed at her own choice of words.

At that, Tracey burst out laughing while Misty and Leaf tried hard to stifle their giggles. Serena blushed furiously while Ash stared blankly. The way Serena worded the question and his tone made it come out very, very wrong.

"I can't wait!" Ash grinned as Leaf, Misty, and Tracey couldn't contain how hard they were laughing now.

"S-stop it, guys! You know it's not like that!" Serena groaned at them as she blushed.

"We know. We know, Serena," Leaf said as she, Misty, and Tracey calmed down. The poor girl could use a break.

"A-anyway, that sounds great, Ash. I'm sure you'll love it when you see it. It's not done yet, though," Serena told him as she quickly tried to get her blush to go away.

"Sounds good!" Ash nodded.

At that, a whistle blew from beside them. That was the cue for them to board the ferry. They all took one last good look at Pummelo Island before they boarded the ship. For Ash, he made sure to take an extra long look at Pummelo Stadium in the distance. It was the sight of his first victory at a league. He was an Orange League Champion.

It was time to say goodbye to the Orange Islands. It had been a great experience for them. What was seemingly just going to be an ordinary vacation turned out to be so much more than that. It had been filled with fun, but also intense training, learning, and growing for them all.

Yes. With all that had happened here, the group could only imagine what was in store for them next. Whatever their next adventure held, it would probably be their greatest one yet. Now that they all had time to grow and mature since beginning their journeys almost two years ago, they could now get serious about their careers, whether it be the best trainer of water Pokemon like Misty, a pokedex compler like Leaf, or the greatest Pokemon Watcher like Tracey.

That extended to Ash and Serena, as well. Serena had finally found her calling in life and could pursue it. Ash had finally won a league, and that was the boost he need to kick start his own dream…that of becoming a Pokemon Master. Yes. It had been difficult so far, but he was slowly but surely reaching it.

One thing is for certain, brand new adventures were awaiting each of them just over the horizon.

Well, another milestone done! Thanks to everyone for sticking with me through the Orange Islands arc. Now I can get started on what is probably the arc I've been looking forward to doing the most out of the whole series...even more than Hoenn and Sinnoh. I'll try really hard in the Johto arc to make it as unique and great as possible. It will be the most intense and dark of the arcs to date...and it will just get darker from here on out. Also, lots of characters will finally make their appearance (i.e Jimmy, Marina, Lyra, Shauna, Trevor, Tierno, and a surprise appearance from someone else!). As far as Pokemon goes, there is a pretty good chance Ash will get Aipom and Gligar there in Johto rather than wait until the Battle Frontier or Sinnoh. Please continue to support me as I tackle the next region! It may be just as long or longer than the Kanto arc! The Johto arc will be up some time in late March. To help ease the pain of waiting, I shall tease to all of you the chapter titles of the first three chapters:

Chapter One: Ruthless Eyes

Chapter Two: A Rivalry Reborn

Chapter Three: The Terrifying Tale of Tohjo Falls

Good news also by the way. I may soon only have one job instead of two as I met my goal of saving money. More time away from work means more time to write which means faster updates. It won't happen just yet, though, but it won't be too long. Until then, chapters will still be posted twice a month. I haven't decided on the dates yet.

Also, with the recent reveal of the Gen 7 titles, Pokemon Sun and Moon, it may mean a different approach on this story. There will probably be Gen 7 characters added, and if anything new from Gen 7 comes into play, I may incorporate it into the story. However, I don't know all of this for certain yet as we have no information on it.

Someone once asked me what inspired to write this story, and the truth is I just wanted to make a great Pokemon story. There are several rewrites of Ash's journey out there, but they all die off after the first ten or chapters and never get completed. It was then I decided to take on the task myself. I chose amourshipping because at the time it was still new and the most popular ship as well as something I was wanting to try. Since also, at the time, there weren't many amourshipping fics out there. With that being said, I sometimes wonder if I had started this fic at a different time from when amour was still new if I would still make it an amourshipping fic. The truth is...I don't know. The point is I chose amourshipping now, and I don't want to change it. I've already completed two arcs so I hope I can keep up this pace. So far, I am happy with this series and the way it has turned out. Of course, there are always a few things I would do differently than I did before, but that's with everyone. This will never be a perfect fanfic in my eyes or any of your eyes, but my main goal is to make this entertaining. I at least think I have done that.

Thanks once again to everyone who has supported me throughout this arc. You guys have been awesome. In fact, a lot of you have been with me long enough to where I'll tell you all my first name so you can address me by it if you wish. I've talked with many of you via PM, and all of you addressing me by my pen name is getting a little strange.

It's Jason.