Beyond the Summit

I

Champion On Arrival

Ash Ketchum

"We have now arrived out our destination of Hawthorn City Port on Grand Summit Island: home of the International." An automated voice announced over the ship's speaker system, echoing over the chatter of the crowd as gangplanks began dropping, causing the crowd on the deck to cheer. "The crew of the S.S Virgo would like to wish you an enjoyable stay on Grand Summit Island and remind you to please disembark carefully and remember to ensure and take all of your personal belongings with you."

Weaving and ducking through the assembly of zealous Pokémon trainers and fans alike, one young man in a dark blue jacket, red and white cap and blue cargo pants with a familiar yellow furred Pokémon atop his shoulder joined the rush for the solid ground.

"Ash, wait up please…!" At the sound of his name Ash tried to skid to a halt and turn to face who had shouted on him, but amidst the jostling crowd he stumbled as he was pulled along by the wave of bodies a little further before being jettisoned from the crowd and knocked aside when they hit concrete. Landing on his rear with and oomph, the boy could only chuckle as he realised in his excitement he'd charged on ahead of everyone.

"Pika pii…" Pikachu just shook his head in bemusement as he leapt from his partner's shoulder and looked up at him as Ash's three companions finally made it through the crowd and down the gangplank to join the pair.

"I know you're excited and all Ash, but rushing ahead and getting lost isn't going to help anyone…" the honey-blonde girl who had shouted on him before sighed in exasperation, shoulders sagging a little as she stood above the boy. She was dressed in her now signature pink and white dress, one hand clutching onto her hat as a sudden rush of wind threaten to pull it away from her, the ends of her red jacket fluttering in the dying gust.

"Sorry, Serena I guess you're right. I did get carried away just now." Ash chuckled as he took off his cap for a moment to ruffle his dark mess of hair before clambering back to his feet. "I mean it's not every day I get invited to the International - I guess it just brought out the over excited ten-year-old in me again. This is a huge opportunity for me. You too Clemont, right!?" Ash asked as he looked to the other boy, a shorter, bespectacled blonde who was dressed in a blue and yellow jumpsuit with a large backpack.

Clemont was doubled over and trying to catch his breath after the mad dash down the gangplank and could only wheeze in response before throwing up a hand to wave weakly. "See, Clemont agrees with me!" Ash grinned but Serena could only look on in exasperation whilst Pikachu shook his head – neither had the heart to correct the young man.

"Look at all the different kinds of Pokémon!" The shortest of the group, a young blonde girl dressed in a dark top with a dark ribbon, frilly white skirt and black leggings squealed in excitement as she jumped up and down on the spot as she pointed down the pier towards the island proper. The pier eventually connected with various others like it from which more people and Pokémon were pouring and beyond the docks lay a gigantic promenade that was supposed to circle half of the island. The concept of empty space was lost to the pages of history as people and Pokémon were just about everywhere as they mingled between the tourists-booths and stands with others sitting at tables outside of small cafes and restaurants whilst many lounged in the shade provided by the many trees or headed north-west towards the beach. Past the promenade, the island sloped upwards with several stone staircases leading up to the mainland.

"I've never seen so many different Pokémon in one place! I don't even recognise most of them!" Bonnie said as Dedenne poked his head out of Bonnie's yellow bag and squeaked his agreement. "Thank you, thank you, thank you for letting us come with you, Ash!" Ash could only blink dumbly as the girl grabbed his hands and danced around in a circle for a moment.

"Hey, your brother got invited to represent the Kalos gym leaders so it's not like this is all on me," Ash said as caught himself from toppling over when he finally stopped spinning as Bonnie hugged him around the waist instead. Clemont gave a weak sigh in the background, murmuring something about being unsure if he was ready for the challenge ahead. "Come on, Clemont the other Kalos gym leaders believe in you and so do I! You wouldn't be here otherwise!"

"I guess you're right," Clemont said softly before he looked down the pier as he adjusted his glasses. "We probably should get going. Because our invitations were so delayed in reaching us we barely managed to get here in time – and the tournament is supposed to start the day after tomorrow and registration for the tournament closes this evening."

"Right!" Ash agreed as Pikachu jumped back up onto his shoulder with a cry of: "Pika Pii!" As if to say: That way! pointing towards the promenade. "This is it, Pikachu!" Ash whispered to his partner, barely able to contain his excitement. "Just think of all the amazing battles that are waiting for us!"

Pikachu squeaked his agreement as the boy subconsciously stuck one hand into the pocket of his jacket where a rather crumpled slip of paper sat. The paper was, in fact, a letter of invitation addressed to him requesting he compete in the International.

The International being a tournament which extended far beyond a single region: a global event designed to bring trainer's together from across the world to battle for the title of World Champion. When the International had first been introduced several years' prior the idea had been met with heavy scepticism by many who didn't think such a large scale event could work as intended, but every year the tournament gained more and more momentum and the competing regions had expanded to included Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh Unova and even Kalos. He'd also heard rumours during the trip from Kalos to Johto that the Alola region was looking to officially join the ranks of competing regions despite still being in the process of creating its own Pokémon league.

After years of effort and hard work, Ash had finally been one of those coveted a hundred and twenty-eight slots which were delegated to Kanto and a part of him couldn't help but wonder just how many of the people he'd met on his journey would be competing. The idea of seeing old friends and rivals alike only caused his speed to double as he started thinking of who he might run into first.

In the end, it only took reaching an ice-creamed vendor near the promenade steps that led up to the main island to have his question answered.

"Now I could say that this is a pleasant surprise but a part of me knew I'd be seeing you here one day, Ash." Blinking dumbly, Ash did a double take at the familiar voice and turned to face a woman who had turned away from the vendor, his friend's catching up to him in time to follow his gaze to the woman of statuesque height with long, platinum blond hair that masked one side of her face and ran all the way down past her waist and sparkling grey eyes dressed in a pale sleeveless blue shirt and dark pants.

"Cynthia…!" Ash shouted in surprise, behind him both Bonnie and Serena seemed a little out of the loop but Clemont instantly recognised the name. The Sinnoh regional champion just smiled softly and nodded as she offered the young man the hand which didn't hold an ice-cream cone.

"It's good to see you make it here," Ash could only trip over his own words as he shook Cynthia's hand numbly. "You three must all be friends of Ash. My name is Cynthia and it's a pleasure to meet you all. Will any of you also be competing?"

"I'm Serena," the Vaniville Town girl bowed a little before shaking her head. "It's nice to meet you but no, I won't be competing. I'm not a trainer like you or Ash, I'm actually a Pokémon performer."

"I'm Bonnie," the short blonde spoke up, sticking her hand into the air and waving so as to grab Cynthia's attention, "and this here is Dedenne–"

"Nee nay," Dedenne greeted as he emerged from Bonnie's bag to greet the Champion.

"–And this is my brother; Clemont!"

"A pleasure…!" Clemont bowed repeatedly in quick succession out of respect and Cynthia could only smile.

"So Cynthia have you ever competed here before?" Ash asked and the blonde Champion nodded, smiling coyly.

"As the regional Champion of Sinnoh, I'm automatically invited for as long as I hold the title. Still," Cynthia paused for a brief moment, giving a rueful smile as she looked off into the distance for a brief moment. "Although he took a year to train Tobias has finally brought his Elite Four Challenge to its final leg and we're scheduled to have the championship battle nine weeks from now. So this could be my last International as the Champion of Sinnoh."

"You're really going to battle Tobias?" Ash asked in surprise as the man had all but vanished off the face of the earth after winning the Lily of the Valley Conference two years before. "Do you think you can beat him?"

"We'll just have to wait and see now, won't we?" Cynthia said in a teasing tone before bowing slightly. "I must say it's been lovely to see you again Ash but I must be off as I have many things to do before the tournament begins proper. Best of luck to you and Clemont both, Ash– I know neither of you will need it, though."

Ash and his friends all waved their goodbyes Serena mused allowed: "She's really the Champion of Sinnoh? She's so pretty,"

"She's not just Sinnoh champion," Clemont corrected as he adjusted his glasses, still a little in awe of the older blonde who had now disappeared into the crowd, "Cynthia is the two-time defending world champion. She's one of a handful of Pokémon Trainers that's attended the International every year since its inception nine years ago."

"She's that powerful?" Serena and Bonnie asked together.

Ash explained: "Her Garchomp is really something else. I saw it take down six Pokémon back to back in a full battle once without even breaking a sweat. That was nearly three years ago now. Who knows how much stronger it is now, and that's just one of her Pokémon."

"So she really is the monster the rumours make her out to be…?" Clemont murmured and Ash nodded his head before smirking briefly. Just the thought of getting to battle Cynthia had him all abuzz with excitement as he envisioned the challenges that lay ahead of him in the coming days. "We should probably get going – I mean, it's only a little after noon but we need to register as soon as possible, Ash and find out where we're supposed to be staying."

"Right!" Ash agreed, pointing towards the nearby stone steps that lead off the promenade and headed inland. "That way guys…!" Dashing up the stairs with his mind set on getting registered for the tournament Ash almost tripped over his own feet as he looked out over the island before him.

The island dipped into a slightly basin which was split in two by a lake which rang down from the large mountain range in the east whilst at the very heart of the island, elevated on a small plateau of rugged stone and twisting stairs, sat a stadium of titanic size, larger than any Ash had ever seen. It was a huge dome-shaped building with a retractable roof and a pair of swirling bisected cone-like pillars made of glimmer glass standing guard over it with a second smaller sphere hanging over the dome between the peaks. Behind the giant stadium was a gathering of smaller ones much more familiar in design to Ash– almost like someone had lifted them from Mt. Silver.

The islands forefront was dominated by more rural structures like shops, restaurants and towering glass hotels that glimmered in the sunlight hotels and even a few massive shopping centres and even what looked to be a giant open-air swim park. In the south, there was a more isolated zone made up of large multistory cabins and a second, smaller dome-shaped building made of different coloured glass standing guard over them all. Looks like a giant Poké Ball… Ash thought as the other caught up to him yet again after he'd charged on ahead.

"This place is really something else…" Serena said slightly breathlessly as she reached Ash – whether it was the view or all the running the boy didn't know.

"We're finally here, Pikachu - the biggest stage in the world! Just think about it," Ash turned to look at his partner for a moment before they both turned to look at the titanic stadium once more, "in a week or two we could leave that stadium as World Champions! Then everyone will know the name, Ash Ketchum! So what do you say? Shall we show the world what we're made of?"

"Ash come on, slow down!" Serena cried imploringly as she chased after the runaway Pokémon Trainer and his Pikachu with Bonnie hot on their heels. Meanwhile, poor Clemont, alone and forgotten, trailed behind the group in a futile attempt to keep up with the others.

"Why does it always have to be running...?" He bemoaned as he slowly trudged after the others.