Pokémon – The Quest’s End
A fanfiction by BenRG
A fanfiction by BenRG
Disclaimer
Pokémon, the Pocket Monsters, their human friends and enemies and all the technologies of the Pokémon universe are the property of Nintendo., Creatures Inc. and Game Freak Software. This is a non-profit work for free distribution through the Internet. No breach of copyright intended.
Author’s Notes
This is an Alternate Universe story, closely linked to my Original Character story, ‘The Journey’. Most of the events of Ash Ketchum’s past have occurred as in the canon timeline. However, I have added one or two Pokémon to Ash’s team that I feel he needs. I have also taken some liberties with some of the newer Pokémon, due to my unfamiliarity with the Ruby- and Sapphire-version Pokémon.
I don’t know what they are going to call May’s little brother Masato in the English-language dub of the animé. I have selected the name ‘Matt’ as being as good as any other.
Censor: PG-13
Continuity: Takes place eight years after Ash began his Journey.
The Story
Chapter 1 – Within Reach
Master Trainer Bruno Ross didn’t see any reason to curse or engage in any theatrics as his Machamp succumbed to the powerful Psywave attack unleashed by Ash Ketchum’s Kadabra. The moment that the talented young Kanto League champion had unleashed his psychic-type, the leader of the Elite Four had realised that his fighting- and rock-type Pokémon were in serious trouble.
As Ash excitedly embraced his Pokémon, Bruno recalled his Machamp and selected his third and penultimate Pokémon. He wasn’t about to make any assumptions about strength or weaknesses. Ash’s Kadabra had already beaten his Heracross by using a Fire Punch attack. Clearly, the boy had been training his friends with some unusual moves.
“Okay son,” Bruno rumbled, “let’s see how you handle this! Go Golem!” The grey-and-white super-type Pokéball containing Bruno’s starter tumbled through the air and split open, spitting out a flash of white light. The light resolved itself into a huge rocky sphere with powerful arms and legs and a squat head peeking out from about a third of the way down the front of the sphere.
Ash frowned. Golem was a very tough Pokémon, with one of the strongest physical defence attributes of any Pokémon known in the world. Furthermore, it was a lot stronger against psychic-type Pokémon
than a fighting-type, and had greater resistance to special attacks. “Okay, Kadabra, this is going to be a tough one, but I’ve trained you to be ready for anything,” Ash called out. “Are you up to this, pal?”
“Kad!” Kadabra replied, nodding firmly. Ash drew in a deep breath and Kadabra immediately tensed, glaring at the powerful rock/ground-type Pokémon and awaiting his Trainer’s orders.
The Master Trainer and the League Champion considered each other for a moment before making their first moves. “Use Psychic!” Ash commanded.
“Use Sand-Attack!” Bruno countered.
Kadabra was first off the mark. The brown-and-yellow psychic-type raised a three-fingered hand and reached out with his mind. He telekinetically lifted the surprised Golem off of the ground and flung him across the arena, slamming him into the arena wall, right beside Bruno.
Unfortunately, the rock-type was strong enough to take one hit. He extracted himself from the crater that he had formed on impact with the wall and lumbered forwards as fast as he could. As he approached Ash’s Pokémon, he scooped up a hand-full of sand and threw it into his opponent’s face, just as Ash called for a Kinesis attack. Blinded and disoriented by the grit in his eyes, Kadabra failed in his attempt to telekinetically
hamper Golem’s movements.
“Great job!” Bruno called out. “Now use Earthquake!” Golem jumped into the air and slammed his big feet into the ground, generating a ring-shaped yellow-white shock-wave that rippled out in every direction, knocking Kadabra from his feet.
Ash grimaced, realising that Kadabra was at a disadvantage against Golem’s physical strength. He immediately decided on a change of strategy. “Use Reflect, Kadabra!”
“Use Strength, Golem!” Bruno commanded. Golem lumbered towards Kadabra again. This time, however, Kadabra was suddenly surrounded in a glassy blue-white sphere of psychic energy. Golem slammed his body weight into his opponent, sending him flying. Instead of painfully falling to the
Arena floor, however, Kadabra bounced back into the air, his force-field acting like a giant pinball.
“Blast it!” Bruno hissed, more to himself than to Golem. “Use Thunderpunch!” he yelled, pointing at Ash’s Pokémon.
Golem advanced on his adversary, but Ash wasn’t going to wait for the electric-type attack (which would penetrate a Reflect shield as if it wasn’t there). “Use Teleport, then follow up with Psybeam!” he called out. Kadabra blurred into blue-white light like a bad TV picture and then was gone. Golem lashed out at the last spot his opponent occupied, but connected with only empty air. The rock-type stared around him in shock, trying to locate Kadabra. At that moment, Kadabra re-materialised right
behind Golem and unleashed a rippling beam of rainbow light from his forehead. The psychic-attack slammed into Golem, making him screech in pain.
Bruno grimaced. “Don’t panic, Golem,” he called out encouragingly. “Use Sand-Attack again!”
“Give him another dose of Psybeam!” Ash called out to his friend. Kadabra got his attack in first, but it wasn’t enough to stop Golem from slapping another hand-full of sand into his face. Ash winced in sympathy. He ordered Kadabra to use Recover to recover from the damage he had already suffered in the three bouts thus far of the match.
Bruno nodded to himself before giving his next command. “Use Rollout, Golem!” Golem folded his arms and head into his spherical body, turning himself into a massive, rolling living boulder. The huge sphere rolled forwards and slammed into Kadabra. Despite the Reflect shield, the impact was still enough to send Kadabra tumbling. Golem swung around and, still imitating a living avalanche, he rolled forwards again. In total, he hit Kadabra three times.
Ash broke into a sweat as Kadabra staggered to his feet. Even through a Reflect shield, Rollout was a powerful attack, growing stronger with every hit. He had to finish this now if he didn’t want to lose this bout. “Are you okay, Kadabra?” he called out and received a positive-looking thumbs-up from his Pokémon. “Okay, use Psywave!”
Kadabra focussed his mind and generated a whirling blue-white globe of psychic energy in between his hands. Then he wound up like a star baseball pitcher and threw it at Golem. However, two hits with a
Sand-Attack paid off for the rock-type. The attack went wide by a comfortable margin. Moments later, a Mega Kick attack sent Kadabra flying across the arena. The Pokémon slid to a halt at Ash’s feet, quite unconscious.
Ash sighed and shook his head. “Great job, Kadabra,” he sighed, raising the Psychic-type’s Fast Ball and recalling him. “Now you rest; The rest of us will take up the slack.” Ash thought for a moment before selecting his next Pokémon. “Okay, show ‘em what you can do, Growvyle!” Bruno’s jaw clenched with concern as Ash’s evolved grass-type from the distant land of Houen materialised. The bipedal lizard leaned forward and glared dangerously at Golem. “You set for a fight, pal?” Ash asked.
“Vyle!” Growvyle responded. With a metallic ‘snick’ sound, the long leaves along the grass-type’s arms and tail snapped erect like a set of razor-sharp knives, the last pair pointing forwards from his wrists.
“We can’t sit and wait for it, Golem,” Bruno called out. “Use Ice Punch!”
Ash was more than a little surprised to hear that. Clearly, Bruno had taught his Golem a great number of special moves. Golems were usually physical fighters, and it was unusual for them to know elemental moves like Thunderpunch and Ice Punch. He shook his head. You can go wool-gathering in your own time, Ash, he quietly warned himself. “Use Leaf Blade, Growvyle!”
Growvyle sped forwards, visible only as a green streak of motion. The razor-sharp leaves on his arms slashed through Golem’s silicon crystal exoskeleton and sent the other Pokémon staggering away with a shriek of pain. Somehow, the huge Pokémon managed to stay upright and lashed out with a fist surrounded with silver-white ice-type energy, knocking Growvyle from his feet.
“You can take it, Growvyle!” Ash called out. “Use Giga Drain!”
Bruno winced. He didn’t bother ordering another attack. Growvyle was faster than Golem and this move would finish the battle. Growvyle half-turned and began to wave his tail at Golem. A trail of green-gold sparkles connected the two Pokémon, trailing from Golem’s body to Growvyle’s tail. Brighter pulses of golden light flashed down the trail to Growvyle. After a few moments, Golem fell on his side, quite unconscious.
“Yeah! Great job pal!” Ash raced over and hugged Growvyle. The lizard-like Pokémon looked slightly embarrassed to have received such praise.
Bruno shook his head and recalled Golem as the match umpire recited the familiar words that marked the end of the bout. “Golem can no longer battle! Bout to Challenger Ash Ketchum and Growvyle!”
Bruno selected his last Pokémon and threw its’ Pokéball forwards. “Okay, now it’s your turn Hitmonchan!”
“Chan!” Bruno’s fighting-type materialised, its’ boxing glove-like hands raised in a standard guarding posture.
Ash blinked at his opponent’s last Pokémon, looking for all the world as if he was doing high-speed calculations in his head.
“Be careful, Ash,” Misty Waterflower whispered from her place in the stands. She hugged her Togetic a little more tightly. “You know that Hitmonchan learn special moves that could hurt Growvyle...”
To Misty’s left, Brock Slate grinned slightly at the young redhead. The two teens might often deny it, but there was no doubting that there was something between them. Of course, any fool could have seen that after what happened at the end of Ash’s second year in Houen…
~*~*~*~
FLASHBACK – Ash’s fifth year on the roads
Misty looked around the waterfront of the small port town of Petalburg with a bittersweet smile. She seemed to have to look inside herself for a few moments before speaking. “Well, guys, it’s been great travelling with you again,” she said. “But I’ve got to go.”
Ash blinked in surprise. “But… But you’ve only just got here, Misty!” he protested weakly. “It isn’t as if you have to go, with your sisters back at the gym and all!”
Misty’s smile rose a notch. “So they are, Ash,” she agreed. “But don’t forget that I have my own dreams. I’ve got to become the greatest water-type Master Trainer of them all! I can’t just sit around and wait for that to happen, you know!” Ash looked down, his new Houen League cap shading his eyes and hiding his distress from his redheaded friend. Misty sighed, slightly disappointed for reasons that she didn’t want to address. “So, I’ll see you around,” she announced. She turned away from Ash to Brock so she could clap him on the shoulder, mess up Matt’s hair and give May a little sisterly kiss on the cheek. Then, Misty pulled out a Pokéball and activated it. “Out you come, Sealeo!”
With a flash of white light, Misty’s evolved water/ice-type materialised on the quayside. The Pokémon jumped along the ground and leapt into the water, ready to carry his Trainer across the Indigo Sea to Cerulean City.
“Misty, wait!”
Misty paused just as she was about to jump onto Sealeo’s back. “What is it Ash?” she asked.
Ash paused, not sure exactly what it was he was going to say. Not for the first time, he damned his new-found inability to express himself around Misty when she was back-lit by the sun. Ever since she had returned to the team with her ‘new look’, long hair and tighter-fitting clothes, he had found that she could make him lose his train of thought just by posing in the right way.
Misty couldn’t help be a little flattered at the way that Ash had just frozen and started drooling at her. Most girls would be offended if a boy (even their best friend) had a tendency to stare at them the way that Ash was doing. However, after sixteen years as the runt of the litter, suddenly being able to draw boys like a Magnemite did iron filings was a pleasant change. Silently, Misty thanked her sister, Lily, for the wonderful makeover she had enjoyed that had so changed her appearance. Out loud, she sighed in annoyance. “Whatever,” she said acidly. “Look, Ash, if you ever figure out what you wanted to say, just call me in Cerulean and let me know…” The former gym leader turned to leave again.
“You can’t go!” Ash finally said, his brain finally kicking into ‘drive’.
“I can’t?” Misty was genuinely surprised and a little hopeful.
“Well... er...” Ash lost his track again. Pikachu rolled his eyes and gave his friend a light Thundershock to help kick-start his thought processes. “Ow! Well, you haven’t taught May all about how to battle yet!”
“Hey! Don’t get me involved in this, Ash Ketchum!” the young titian-haired girl called out, outraged at being used in this manner.
Misty smiled slightly at Ash. “You were doing fine before I came along, Ash,” she said. “I’m sure that you’ll do fine after I leave.”
“I did?” Ash spluttered, making May and Matt giggle and making Brock roll his eyes. “You do?” The boy shook his head and tried to focus his thoughts. “Misty, I don’t want you to go!” Ash snapped his mouth shut when he realised what he had just said, a look of panic in his eyes.
This time, Misty turned around and walked over to her best human friend and looked into his eyes. Ash had grown a lot in the last two years, he having finally entered his adolescent growth spurt. They were eye-to-eye now. Indeed, Ash was now slightly taller than Misty was. “Why not?” she asked. “Why don’t you want me to go?”
Ash looked for a way to escape and failed to find one. “Well... We’ll all miss you...” he offered.
Misty sighed. Not good enough, she thought. “There is an invention called a videophone, Ash,” she
said wryly. “You might try and figure out how to use one.” Then she turned away and leapt to Sealeo’s back.
“I know how to work a videophone!” Misty heard Ash cry out in a tone of insulted pride, making her smile a little, pleased to have got under his skin one last time. “It’s just that it isn’t enough to ‘phone
you!”
Misty stopped dead. “What did you say?” she blurted, spinning to glare at Ash.
Ash looked terrified, as if he had just made a terrible error. “I... I said...” he stammered for a moment. “I said that ‘phoning you isn’t enough,” he said at last.
Misty stroked her left foot along Sealeo’s side, making the water/ice-type turn in the water and swim slowly over to where Ash was standing on the quayside. The young woman cocked her head in confusion. “Why not?” she asked.
Ash was trembling in fear and anticipation. He didn’t want to say it. He couldn’t say it. Misty would lose all respect for him if he did... But he didn’t want her to go. He wouldn’t let her go. If he had to say it to make her stay... then he would. He drew in a deep breath. “Because you wouldn’t be here,” he said.
There was a long pause. May opened her mouth to say something when Brock and Matt’s hands slapped over her mouth simultaneously, silencing her.
Misty slowly clambered back onto the quay and looked at Ash nervously. She was every bit as afraid and eager to hear what the boy would say next as he was afraid and eager to say it.
Ash had frozen again. Pikachu gently nipped his ear. [Say it, Pikapi,] the electric-type whispered into his ear in a firm tone of voice. [You need to say it, and Pikachupi needs to hear it.]
Ash grimaced slightly. No way out, he decided. “I missed you when you weren’t here,” he said at last. “Waking up without you there... It was as if a bit of me had gone missing and I couldn’t find it.”
Misty raised a hand to her mouth in shock at hearing that. She was about to speak when Ash touched her lips with a finger to silence her. “I would start conversations with you and you wouldn’t be there. I’d see something and think: ‘Misty would like that’, but you wouldn’t be there to share it. I...” Ash sighed and looked down. “I missed you, Misty. I would miss you if you left again. Please don’t go.”
Misty tried to clear her head of the sudden white noise that was drowning out her thoughts, but she couldn’t. “Ash... I...” she said lamely. The girl sniffled and fought down the tears pressing at the back of her eyes, moved by the strength of her friend’s feelings and his heartfelt words.
Ash looked up at that, worried that Misty was upset. But she was smiling! And he liked that smile. “I like you Misty,” he said, feeling as if he was in a trance or a dream. “I like you a lot. I... I don’t want
you to stay for May. Not for Brock, or for Matt, or for all the water Pokémon that you haven’t caught in Houen yet...” Ash sucked in a deep breath before continuing. “I want you to stay for me,” he declared. “Because I like you, and I want you to be around me all the time.”
There was another long pause. “I missed you too,” Misty said quietly. “And I want you to be around me all the time too.”
The two friends looked at each other, matching looks of hope and fear on their faces. Suddenly, Ash’s left hand drifted forwards and touched the back of Misty’s right hand. The girl’s hand opened and the two hands twined together. Pikachu jumped from his friend’s shoulder as the two youngsters suddenly pulled each other closer and hugged tightly.
May couldn’t believe that she was seeing Misty and Ash of all people acting like this! She was about to ask her Marril to use Water Gun on them to sober them up, when she suddenly saw the look on Brock’s face. The tall Pokémon Breeder was grinning in relief. “Well, it’s about time,” he said in a satisfied tone of voice.
FLASHBACK ENDS
~*~*~*~
Ash looked at Bruno’s Hitmonchan and came to a decision. “Okay, Growvyle,” he said, “you’ve done your bit, now return!” The young man raised Growvyle’s Pokéball and prepared to recall his friend.
The umpire looked at Ash in surprise. “Kid, you realise that you won’t be able to use your Growvyle again if you recall it,” he warned.
“I know what I’m doing,” Ash said with a fierce grin. “Okay, Pikachu, this one is all yours!”
“PIKAAA!” Pikachu cried out, jumping from Ash’s shoulder as his best friend tucked Growvyle’s Pokéball back onto his bandoleer belt.
Bruno looked at the small electric-type appraisingly. This Pikachu was Ash’s starter and, one supposed, was his strongest Pokémon by far. However, it was difficult to see what the tiny rodent-like Pokémon could do to his powerful fighting-type. Still, Bruno had never been foolish or over-confident. He would be cautious. “Start off with Comet Punch, Hitmonchan,” he commanded. “See what he has got!”
“He’ll have to hit him first,” Ash called back. “Use Agility, Pikachu!” Pikachu turned into a yellow blur, racing towards his opponent and flashing from side to side far faster than Hitmonchan could follow. Boxing glove-like hands flailed at nothing.
“Damn, that’s fast,” Bruno hissed to himself. He immediately decided to use a more accurate attack. “Use Fire Punch, Hitmonchan!” Flames began to lick around Hitmonchan’s fists as the fighting-type turned back towards Pikachu.
“Use Thunderbolt, Pikachu!” Ash called out. Much faster than the fighting-type, Pikachu leapt into the air and unleashed a crackling golden-white blast of electricity that exploded around Hitmonchan,
sending him staggering sideways. A few moments later, the fighting-type’s fists flashed towards Pikachu, sending a ball of red-yellow flame crashing into the little electric-type, bowling him end-over end. “Pikachu!” Ash gasped. “Are you okay, pal?”
A singed and smouldering Pikachu staggered to his feet and stood for a moment, swaying a little. He didn’t feel okay, but he had to reassure Pikapi or he might concede the bout to prevent him from being hurt any further. He gave his Trainer a V-for-victory sign before turning his attention back to his opponent. Bruno had just ordered a Mach Punch. “Okay, show him your speed!” Ash said with a grin that reflected his renewed confidence. “Quick Attack now!” Pikachu blurred forwards again and slammed into Hitmonchan’s gut. Somehow, the other Pokémon managed to hit Pikachu with a powerful upper-cut as the electric-type flipped away. Pikachu landed heavily, but on his feet.
Ash frowned. “Okay, let’s slow that guy down some more!” Ash decided. “Use Thunderwave!” A rippling wave of golden-white electricity crackled from Pikachu’s cheek pads and flashed around Hitmonchan, making the fighting-type roar in pain. The electrical discharge shorted out the fighting-type’s nerves for a few moments, leaving him unable to carry out the Fire Punch attack that his Trainer commanded.
Bruno’s face was a mask of concentration. Ketchum’s Pikachu was tough, but Pikachus were basically weak against physical attacks. No matter how powerful this little Pikachu was, he wouldn’t be able to stand up to a continual barrage of hits. “Hitmonchan! Focus on me, old friend!” The fighting-type turned his head to look at his Trainer and his eyes regained a little of their focus. “Use Mind Reader and then Dynamic Punch,” Bruno ordered. “You can do it pal.” Hitmonchan looked back at Pikachu and his eyes began to glow with psychic power as he focussed his will on the smaller Pokémon, maximising his chances of hitting with his next attack.
Ash knew that Bruno had just ordered a knock-out combination move. However, he didn’t have to stand still and wait for it. “Pikachu, use Thunderbolt again!” he commanded. There was another crash of golden-white lightning and Hitmonchan staggered. Then, with a terrifying battle-cry, the fighting-type lunged towards Pikachu again, his leading fist glowing brightly with power. “And again!” Ash called out. Hitmonchan was tough, but he was willing to bet that Pikachu was tougher... Besides, you
couldn’t dodge a move that followed a Mind Reader attack. It was best for Pikachu to keep hitting the opposition while he still could.
“Pikaaa... CHUUU!” Pikachu screeched, unleashing an even more powerful electric-attack which seemed to consume Hitmonchan. After a few sparkling seconds, the smouldering fighting-type dropped to the ground, his eyes glassy and unseeing.
There was a long silence in the stadium as the umpire conducted his examination. “Hitmonchan can no longer battle,” the man declared. “Bout to Challenger Ash Ketchum and Pikachu. Ash Ketchum is the winner of this match!”
The stadium exploded into exultant cheers. “ASH!” Misty screamed, jumping to her feet. “You did it! Oh, he did it! This is great!” Responding to his Trainer’s joy, Togetic soared into the air trilling in happiness. Misty turned to hug Brock, then she hugged Ash’s mother, Delia, who was in tears herself. “I’ve got to get down there,” Misty said, wiping the tears from her cheeks impatiently.
Brock nodded. “There is a back way down to the arena,” he said. “Come on.”
~*~*~*~
Bruno stood like a rock of sobriety in the mass of joy that was Indigo Plateau stadium. He looked at his toasted Hitmonchan for a few moments before recalling the Pokémon to his Pokéball without a comment. He took a moment to look at Ash Ketchum as the boy hugged his battered-but-triumphant Pikachu. The boy was virtually dancing with glee.
The former world wrestling champion tried to keep his trademark glare intact but, slowly, a grin formed on his face. He slowly strode over to Ash and stuck out his hand.
“Great job, Ash,” he said.
Ash stopped his celebrations immediately. He recognised the importance of the change in the way Bruno spoke to him. No longer was it ‘boy’ or ‘son’. Now the leader of the Elite Four used his given name.
Bruno stuck out his hand to Ash and the young man took it in his own. The big man grinned dangerously and shook Ash’s hand vigorously. “Well done indeed,” he said. “By beating the Elite Four, you have earned the title of ‘Master Trainer’, and it is well deserved.”
“Thank you, Master Bruno,” Ash said.
Bruno held up a hand in stern reproof. “Call me ‘Bruno’, Ash,” the man declared. “After all, we’re both Masters now. You don’t have to stand on ceremony with peers.”
Ash was still engaged in a gape-mouthed attempt to absorb this concept when Misty appeared out of one of the arches that led out onto the arena. “Ash!” she shouted as she ran over. “Ash, you did it!” The young woman jumped into her best friend’s arms and the two hugged tightly. “I never doubted that you would do it one day,” she whispered into Ash’s ear, making her boyfriend blush.
Ash released Misty and stepped back. “You won’t be able to call me ‘Wannabe Pokémon Master’ anymore now, huh Misty?” he taunted, touching the girl’s button nose and making a little blush start on her cheeks.
Misty winked flirtatiously at Ash. “You’ll always be ‘Wannabe’ to me, Ash,” she said with a mischievous smile.
Ash folded his hands over his heart and staggered in mock grief, making Misty giggle. Bruno cleared his throat loudly, making both newly-accredited Master Trainer and his girlfriend blush and stiffen to attention. “So, what is the next step for you, Master Ash?” Bruno asked quietly.
Ash looked up towards the Masters’ Box high in the stand. “I have never settled for second best,” Ash declared, his voice ringing with confidence and determination. “I challenge The Pokémon Master to defend his title against me.”
Although Lance Knight could not have heard the younger man’s words, the redheaded man stared back at Ash, his dark eyes burning with indecipherable emotions.
To be continued…
