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Title: The Final Step to the Master Reloaded
Part: First Arc, Eighth Episode
Author: Matthias aka MysticMew (Solarsenshi@gmx.de)
Beta: H-Man #89995, partly xryuran
Status: Alpha
Rating: R
Category: Romance, Adventure, Dark, lots of other things...
Pairings: Ash/Dawn (main), added as revealed
Continuum/Spoilers: Everything up to the start of the Sinnoh League Tournament, from there on original plot.
Distribution: M&M DreamWorks Blog (http://mysticmew44.blogspot.de), M&M DreamWorks Archive (http://mysticmew.bplaced.net), Fanfiction.net (www.fanfiction.net), M&M DreamWorks archive and blog gets preference and the desired and best format, all versions will first go to the blog and archive.
Disclaimer: Pokémon©1995-2011 by Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and GAME FREAK Inc.
Story Disclaimer: TFSTTM Reloaded©2011-? (ongoing) by Matthias aka MysticMew
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Pre-Note
First of all. Thank you guys for the enthusiastic reviews. Those of you who did leave one, really filled me with happiness. I was very glad the last chapter was as well received as I felt while writing it. Some issues to attend.
XoreandoX: Thanks for the hint. I did indeed not catch this one. Of course that was probably more a typo overlooked than a logic error but thanks all the same.
LIONclaw: Excuse me? "What's next?"?!? Come on, you can do better. That is such a lame, predictable title. I rather orientate myself on the Japanese concept of double sentences/exclamations. Makes for much flashier titles, wouldn't you say?
A thanks also goes to RTMac1989 whom I already thanked privately. I left a note at the beginning of last chapter but for all of you who didn't go back and read it again since then, I'll say it once more. RTMac1989 has made me aware that the "é" in Pokémon was missing all the time. Geez, once again, why has no one said anything the entire time? I write in Word, I convert in Word to HTML, I don't usually go check if every little detail shows up right on ff . net. Should have known better. It was bad when I started writing, it's even worse now in my opinion. This is why I urge you to go and read the release on my own page. Formatting goes crazy when you upload things on this site (such as no first row tab stops for you). I already make a separate file where I pre-edit the header or my links will get completely swallowed. That they can't even properly convert an "é" is just sad...
Well, after finding out I actually can convert to Open Document Format which is the most supported on ff . net, I would use this from now but when I uploaded I got a weird word count. There were like well over 3000 words missing even though looking through it I couldn't find any passages missing on first glance... Anyone else has this problem?
So, from now, I'll just use plain and simple .doc format since for some stupid reason you can't upload .docx. But .doc seems to retain almost everything sans tabs. I will also go back and replace all the other chapters later. I just noticed myself when uploading that not just the é got swallowed but also some other auto formatting like "-" which makes for some very stupid-looking sentences... I really wished someone would tell me. Oh well, now I think I have caught everything, I hope. What a hassle...
Here's the last episode of this arc now. I had quite a lot to write still, so it's going to be big again. However, a lot more relaxed compared to the last two.
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(Narrator)
"Finally it is done. In a battle that would surely make history Ash claimed victory over his old friend and final opponent Leaf in the Sinnoh League Championship! Now, what shall await our hero next now that he has fulfilled his dream?"
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M&M DreamWorks Presents
The Final Step to the Master Reloaded
First Arc: Breaking the Limit
Episode 8: After the Dream? The True Values of a Master!
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(Ash)
As the platform was slowly lowered down to ground level, I was gradually becoming aware of my surroundings. During the match it had been easy to forget that Leaf, I and our Pokémon were not the only ones in the stadium. The spectators were loudly cheering and clapping but it was still kind of blurry to me. Reality had a hard time penetrating my jumbled thoughts and the adrenaline-induced post battle rush.
I had won. I was...
I still couldn't fully wrap my mind across the concept. The announcement of the referee was stuck in my head and I knew I should be dancing in joy, yet couldn't quite make myself do so yet.
Instead, as soon as I was able to, I jumped from the platform and with quick steps strode over to Pikachu. My best friend who had fought so valiantly, with such overwhelming devotion to my... to OUR dream had all but collapsed as soon as the official declaration was made. Kneeling down to pick up my partner, I could still feel the residue heat from all the elemental attacks but especially from the last impact of Pikachu's decisive blow.
"How are you feeling, buddy?"
Pikachu gave a long moan. "Piikaaa... Pikachu. Pi, Pika, Pi, Chuu? (Shitty! We won, didn't we?)"
Somehow hearing Pikachu say it, started to make it more real. I smiled softly. "Yeah... I guess we did. You were great." I had little else to say to express how infinitely grateful I was. Without Pikachu's effort and unwavering will we couldn't have made it.
"Pika, Pikachu! Chu, Pika! (We all did it! Together!)" And once again my best friend was right. Not just him. The entire team had done exceptionally. They even went far past any prior training results. Buizel and Staraptor had certainly exceeded any expectations.
Scooping up Pikachu, I settled him on my shoulder, just then noticing that Leaf was just a few feet away, tending to Umbreon. "Is she alright?" I asked a little worried. Everything had gone over well with the last attack but I still was wary of the sheer power. I hoped Pikachu didn't do too severe damage.
Leaf shook her head. "I think so. Man, good thing I gave in when I did. The ref would have only needed to take a look. She's out cold on her feet!" With that she slipped a berry into Umbreon's mouth before finally looking up to me. "Congratulations... Champion."
I think it was my best human friend from when we were kids, my opponent in this match, my quasi rival for years spelling it out in words that finally drove the point home. I made it... We made it. We had won the final. We had won the Sinnoh League!
And the dam broke.
Some months ago I would probably have been running crazy all over the field already but even my newfound calm couldn't hold against the pure joy bubbling to the surface, not just demanding to be let outside but simply doing. "Woohoo!" I jumped into the air. "We did it! We won the Sinnoh League!"
Pikachu on my shoulder was clinging on for dear life but laughing and cheering just the same, tired but happy. All those months of training, the hard preparations. I had set out with the clear goal to win for real this time. Nothing else had been an option. Yet fighting Leaf had been so intense, so much harder than everything I had imagined facing... It was over now. That dream that I had started to wonder when I was ever going to reach it just a short time ago, back on the ferry to this island, was firmly in my grasp now.
"Ash!" Just like my girlfriend nearly bowling me over as she jumped into my arms! Before I could even ask how she had managed to get down here – or scratch that and make it how she had gotten down here so fast –, Dawn hugged me tightly, love and pride shining in her eyes which alone would have made me swallow such an unimportant question. Of course, she had a far more effective way to do so. "You were fantastic!" With that she kissed me. Right in front of the entire stadium, hell everyone in the world who was watching...
And I frankly couldn't care less.
Well, maybe I felt a little guilty over Pikachu's angry protests to almost getting squished...
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(Dawn)
My heart definitely stopped and restarted at least a few times during the last moments of the match. While it might be presumptuous to say this, I might as well have stood on that platform myself. Ash and I had gone through the same training and the outcome was just as important to him as it was to me now. For one thing, his victory meant success in our shared efforts and showed me that I could achieve the same if I kept up the effort. Also, in these last months, Ash's happiness had become very important to me and as such his dream had just as much become mine. I doubt I could adequately comprehend what he was feeling right now, however, I came at least close.
So, the moment it was all over, I didn't even think about it before I was ready to head for the exit, the urge to make it towards Ash the most important thing right now. Being in this state it took me several seconds already airborne to realize I was floating out of the VIP box and down the rows – some spectators gaping but most of them too busy cheering and clapping to really take notice. Looking back towards where I came from, I saw the reason for my sudden descent and felt like slapping myself. Of course, I should have known it was them. Sure, I had not expected to see either one here of all places, certain they had already long returned home but it made a lot of sense now.
Balanced on the edge of the box with a grin, little Zorua winked at me and I smiled back briefly in gratitude before I was already down on the arena floor, the last bit of... shadows that had transported me down vanishing like wisps in the wind. Perhaps I should have had more questions about this particular revelation.
At any other time, yes. Right now, all I saw was Ash. A proud smile slipped on my face seeing him finally let loose and celebrate. He had really matured in this short time but underneath was still the energetic, enthusiastic boy I had fallen in love with. And that was a good thing.
When I look back on it, it must have been the entire atmosphere, the tension from the battle, the suspense that had kept building up. Much later I would feel embarrassed about jumping him like that and even more so about kissing him right there when we had just taken that step last night to begin with. At that moment, all I wanted was to express my happiness at his success... and perhaps a small part of me wanted to make sure that everyone knew he was taken. God knows, Ash had been generating enough of a public hype already.
"Now that is a proper finish for a great battle!" the announcer whom I had honestly blocked out throughout the entire match interrupted our moment.
Pulling away, I blushed slightly. But when I saw him giving me a somewhat silly grin, I couldn't help but return it.
"Let's give another round of applause to our new Sinnoh Champion: Ash Ketchum!"
And once again the stadium erupted into thunderous cheers, soon turning into cheers of "Ash! Ash!". My boyfriend – it still felt a little weird to actually think it – was taking it all in with a great deal of wonder. "Yes, this is all for you," I said. "They are all cheering for you." Boldly I grabbed his hand and raised it up, generating another roar of approval from the crowd. "You deserve it."
And then, slowly but unstoppable every composure slipped away and his expression changed to one of childish glee and unbound happiness.
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(Leaf)
I watched a bit wistfully as Ash and Dawn were celebrating. The ice had finally broken and I was glad to see some of the old Ash. He deserved to let go now and I had always liked his sometimes overly-energetic but always cheerful antics. He lived for his Pokémon and his dreams. I still knew all too well how it felt when I won my first tournament. Unlike him I didn't have so many special people to celebrate it with but that didn't lessen the effect at all.
Shadow let out a low moan and I ran a hand over her fur. "It's okay. You did all you could." I could say in complete honesty that Ash had fulfilled and even surpassed my expectations. None of my challenges in the Leagues or other competitions had ever been so hard. I wouldn't just say because it was Ash, but because he had become an amazing Trainer, all he had really needed was the right tools and the final push to see this. The training alone couldn't have done it. He already had everything he needed before, now his Pokémon had the strength and ability to manifest all he could give them.
And just look at how he did exactly that. Pikachu's level of elemental manipulation had definitely been far further along than I had ever expected. That last move was something I didn't think I could have come up with but I understood the basic principle and the sheer potency it could develop. The amount of control necessary, not just to master the flow of electricity in order to generate that much power but also to actually limit it precisely enough, was gigantic. That Pikachu could pull it off was actual somewhat frightening. It spoke of a degree of mastery more associated with what my recent partners had started to introduce me to and really shouldn't be possible at this point.
In the end, I had learned a few valuable lessons today. Ash had surprised me with many ideas I hadn't even thought about, even though I had been fairly certain to know him well enough to guess his intentions. That just proved once again that even as a Champion, even as a Master, you should and would never stop learning. There was always so much more you hadn't seen yet. If I could have my way, I might actual take that cue and act on it but I had promised Cynthia. Besides... with all that I knew would be coming, being in a position of official authority would be for the best.
"Umb... Umbreon."
I laughed a little. "No, I didn't go easy on him and I am a little miffed at losing." Of course I was, the match was just too intense not to be. But I could take it in stride. I believe I did keep my end of the promise, however, it might not have been the proper time for it after all. For me, from the start, this battle had been about testing Ash. It didn't lessen my effort, yet he on the other hand... "I think... he just wanted to win that little bit more today." For Ash it had been about the title, for his dream and certainly for his girlfriend too! Today I couldn't quite compete with that motivation.
No, our REAL match, the one we promised each other, would have to wait. This stage was already too small for us, that much we both proved. Yes, the stage we were looking for would be in the finals of the Master League. Competing for the very top. Only that would suffice.
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Cerulean City, Kanto (Misty)
"And what are your plans for the future? Perhaps something involving a certain lady?"
I chuckled at the flush of embarrassment on Ash's face. He had changed so much but there was still so much of the kid that I had traveled with just some years ago. Well, how will you deal with the fame, Ash, I thought slightly amused but also a little worried. I knew fame... indirectly from my sisters and more directly from the attention the recent success of our... MY gym had brought. And while it was nice to have the recognition, media could quickly eat you alive if you weren't prepared. For once my sisters had been useful to prepare me for something.
Of course, the attention I had these days was just like a droplet compared to the tsunami Ash had created with his performance.
"I am not sure yet. However, I know, even winning today, I still have a long way to go before I can really call myself a Master. Right now... I'm just the happiest person in the world." With that he pulled the girl with him, Dawn was her name or so Brock had said, close and gave a victory sign to the camera.
Smiling softly, I clicked off the TV. You have actually matured some. The thought made me a little... wistful. Not jealous or envious. There was no need for that. Whatever it was that might have been between us, it had long faded. As such, I wondered if it was ever anything stronger than confused feelings of kids starting to become teenagers. Still, sometimes I thought back and would begin to wonder what might have been if I had continued to travel with him, ignored my sisters and just did what I wanted back then.
However, that wouldn't have worked either. Even barring any romantic angle, I would have kept lying to myself. Pushed into this job as I had been, I still had found my calling in life as a gym leader. Travelling around had been a lot of fun but in the end I had been nothing but a tagalong. It had been Ash's journey, always. With those two, I didn't need Brock telling me to see that they were equals. Both with their own goals and supporting each other to fulfill them.
I couldn't ever have had something those two had while travelling with Ash. And that is what made me a little wistful, wondering if I could ever have someone like this. They seemed to fit perfectly together. I was actually happy for Ash. He seemed to have found that special person... even if I knew someone who might not be so happy about it.
Sighing, I made my way back to the pool. Being a gym leader was a full time job if you wanted to be serious about it. That left very little room for other things. Like meeting people, dates etc. It got kind of lonely. And now, after seeing that... awesome battle – honestly I had trouble finding an appropriate adjective for it –, I was left with mixed feelings. Yes, I loved what I did and I really had thought I had gotten somewhere, became stronger...
Just how much were the other, older gym leaders holding back, I wondered? Becoming a full gym leader I had learned about limiters but hadn't thought so much about it. Were all of their Pokémon limited, toned down to better suit a challenger? What did that mean for my achievements so far?
I need to get stronger, too, I resolved. Just like the girl Ash had been fighting. I had actually known who Leaf was before, at least from seeing some articles but had had no idea that Ash and her seemed to know each other though. I could honestly say I was impressed with her. Female Trainers were rare these days. Sure Cynthia was the Champion and there were several female Elites but more and more girls these days flocked to Contests. Not that I had anything against it. If they had been around when I grew up, I might have become a Coordinator, too. But someone my age who was so determined and skilled in battle, now that was something I could really respect and gave me the assurance that I could achieve the same if I tried hard enough.
Besides, she was kind of cute...
I shook my head for the reproaching thought and went back to my duties. After all a Gym Leader's work was never done!
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Lily of the Valley Island (Brock)
The party had been well underway for a couple of hours and it was approaching midnight. I doubted Ash would get much sleep, regardless of when he got to bed, excited as he was. The fight definitely had been a rush for him. Not to mention, he had been keeping his emotions all tightly controlled the entire time. Coupled with the full realization of his actual victory and you had a bundle of energy barely controlled enough not to play the clown in front of the numerous cameras that had hunted him after the match... As soon as we were out of the arena and relatively alone though, there was no holding him back anymore. Dawn and I had just taken it in stride, happy for him. He deserved to act out right now.
The party was actually a small affair. Aside from us and all of our friends and families that had come watching, there were only a few officials and a couple of unfamiliar faces who I believed all had some ties to the League. Ash had had to shake a lot of hands already, most people staying barely long enough to congratulate him on his victory and wish him luck for the future.
Now he had finally been able to make some time for actual dancing. Anyone who saw them now, would have to admit that they fit together very well. I was surprised Ash actually knew how to dance properly but even in that, he seemed to make a good figure today, him and Dawn giving off the perfect picture of a happy and content couple... I bet a lot of girls were jealous right now. So far he hadn't danced with anyone else but an obligatory dance with his mother and Cynthia.
I might have been envious of the attention Ash was getting but that was hardly the appropriate moment for it. He had earned himself the recognition and attention and dealing with it wasn't that easy either.
"Excuse me?" Now if only someone would dance with me. Someone pretty and preferably single, of course... "Excuse me?" That would be... Huh, what?
Registering the most angelic voice I had ever heard – and I had a lot to compare with! –, I looked up to see a girl just around my age, a vision of beauty that matched the voice. And I wasn't exaggerating. No, not at all. I know I often did but this... this was... perfect! A couple of inches shorter than me perhaps, a slim but not-overly-so built, blonde hair with a reddish tint and the most enchanting pale green eyes. The midnight blue evening gown was fitting her rather nicely. She couldn't be much older than me... if at all. So why did I get so affected... But, she was just...
"Um, would you like to dance?"
Huh? What? No way! A pretty girl – whom I was actually attracted to – was asking me to dance?! For several seconds I was so floored, unprepared and unable to deal with this world-shaking phenomena that I was probably just staring dumbly. Eventually though my instincts kicked in and I mentally bashed myself over the head a few times to seize this golden opportunity!
Standing, I offered a slight bow. "Ah, forgive me, my thoughts were elsewhere. Of course I would be glad to dance with such a charming young lady." With that I held out my hand, the first notes of a new song just starting.
I was relieved and actually quite intrigued that the girl wasn't put off by my speech but merely laughed merrily. Such a beautiful voice! "Glad to hear it."
And then her hand was in mine. I had no idea that this encounter would actually define my future...
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(Dawn)
"Hey."
For a moment I just stared, then I grinned happily at the person I hadn't expected to see for awhile. "Zoey! What are you doing here?" It felt like ages since we've been fighting it out at the Grand Festival and not just a few months. Events before and after our little training trip that had changed so much, both professional and privately, seemed like they were part of two different worlds. I felt a little guilty, not thinking about my rival and friend at all in this time.
The redhead returned the grin. "I got an invite. Just got here today actually that's why you didn't see me earlier. At first I didn't want to come but... I got curious." The way she said this sounded off somewhat. And her eyes had a weird, intense look that made me actually nervous. What was up with her?
"Curious? Zoey, is something... wrong?"
The other Coordinator was silent for a few more moments that became rather uncomfortable. Then she let out a deep sigh, the tension melting away somewhat to be replaced by a somewhat morose atmosphere. "Just tell me this is not affecting your own goals." Not affecting my... Oh! I glanced towards where Ash and Leaf were dancing, both of them looked quite happy to talk to each other without all the battle tension in the way. Hard to think that they had been fighting as if their very life depended on it just hours ago.
"No, not at all. Actually, before we even made anything official, Ash said that he wanted to take some time off and get some more training in. So, I'll decide where we go next." I turned back to Zoey, seeing her relieved and then a bit embarrassed. I laughed lightly which only made her blush harder. It wasn't like I didn't understand her. If Zoey would just end up and quit just for a boy, I wouldn't be happy either. However, this was something dedicated people, regardless of whether they were Trainer, Coordinators or others who followed their dreams, had in common. "But, Zoey, it never was about who called the shots with Ash and I. We are equals in this and we both understand how important the other's dreams are."
Zoey smiled slightly. "I guess you are lucky then. And perhaps I am actually a little envious. You two fit so perfectly together..." She shook her head and then became serious. "As long as you keep up your effort and you are actually doing better like this, I have no complaints. Our last battle was a little too close. We both know it was more or less a draw. Once you feel ready, let's have another match."
Now that was better. I actually got all tingly at the thought. Zoey had been a lot of things on my journey. Friend, mentor, rival... If Leaf and Ash had promised to be each other's measuring grade, then it was similar for Zoey and I. At least I had always thought so from my end. Having it all but acknowledged was only making me look forward to fight her again some more.
"You better watch out. I trained right along with Ash for this. Maybe it's you that has to catch up."
Zoey didn't seem surprised or fazed. "I figured as much. But it remains to be seen if you can put what you learned to use on stage. I'm counting on you to win your next Festival. I'll be waiting then." She held out her hand with a confident grin and I took it without hesitating, squeezing tightly just as she did.
"Count on it."
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(Ash)
Not that I was complaining but all the attention was getting... exhausting. There was only so much handshaking and congratulations you could endure. At first it was very nice. All these people telling you how good you did and so on. At first you could really take the praise as a reward for your hard work. After hearing it over and over again, it began to lose its charm. Sure, I think another few days or weeks even were needed before I really got tired of people praising me. It WAS the confirmation for my success after all. Right now though, I was ready for some nice and quiet.
Dawn returned from her own dance with Leaf who hadn't been able to resist play flirting with her again and getting her all flustered. "Ready to get out of here?" she asked, plopping down on the chair next to me. Once again she knew exactly what I was feeling and I was rather glad about it.
"You think they let us?" I replied dubiously. I didn't want to appear ungrateful or anything. After all the party was organized by the League after all and I was the whole reason for it.
Gently Dawn took my hand. "It was a long day. No one will begrudge you if you want to have some rest... Besides, I think many of them are getting quite drunk... So they'll probably not even notice." I had to chuckle at that, kind of glad I was still too young for alcohol or I might have been tempted myself. We had only shared a glass of wine with Brock and the others.
"You are not a prisoner, Ash," a new voice interrupted and we both looked around to see Cynthia coming up to the corner where we had tried to keep a little hidden from the rest of the party. "You are free to leave anytime you wish but first... I'd like to have a word with you in private if you can spare the time."
I shared a look with Dawn, both of us probably thinking the same thing. Dawn's hand squeezed mine a little and I gave a warm smile back, before turning around once more and nodding to Cynthia. "Sure. Might as well."
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The Champion had led us – she made no fuss about Dawn tagging along – into a backroom. Once alone, she became serious, her tone immediately confirming the official aspect of this talk. "I assume you know what this is about?"
I nodded seriously. "I do. And I am afraid my answer will be the same as Leaf's back then. When I first heard about it, I didn't understand and I was upset. But now I know. Today's match was a very important step. Still... one Championship doesn't make a Master. There is still so much I need to learn before I can truly say I am ready for all the responsibilities that are coming with such a title." And, of course, I had made a promise to Dawn. When I had done that, I had mostly resolved with myself already that I would take that road and after the tournament I only found myself confirmed. I still had many issues to resolve. The training of my Pokémon was far from complete, I needed to have time to understand and make the best of my relationship with Dawn... and foremost I wanted to see Dawn succeed in her own dream, just like she had done for me.
I expected at least some disappointment from Cynthia but she didn't seem to be. In fact, she looked relieved and... happy? "And that is the mindset we are looking for in a Pokémon Master. Many young Trainers who win a tournament think they are now unbeatable. They never make it far. And while they'll be eligible for the Master League, they would never gain a full Master's license. The position carries a lot of influence but also much responsibility. You have all those qualities already that we are looking for in a Master, Ash."
There was a long silence after that. I really wasn't sure what to say about that. One thing was sure. I had been wrong. There was some praise that was definitely worth hearing even after the endless stream of the last hours. Cynthia's words meant a lot to me. However, they didn't change my decision. "Cynthia, that's... I'm really honored you think so, but..."
She held up a hand. "I know, you have your own plans and you are the type to stand by your decision. I can respect that. So... I would like to make you a different offer..."
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(James)
With the tournament closing, so had our surprisingly steady flow of income. Some business surely could be made tomorrow at the closing ceremony but that would be it then. I suppose our bandit's honor should be offended from making honest money but neither of us really cared about that. For years we had been barely scraping by, most of the money from Team Rocket quickly dried up and wasted on machines and gizmos that eventually ended up destroyed anyway.
That merchandise stall might have been honest work but it was satisfying, rewarding and we hadn't been constantly blasting off on top of that. So, really, no complaints there. The money might actually last us for a bit.
Also whether or not we should be earning honest money as a team of Pokémon thieves kind of paled as a question compared to the single piece of paper that had all our attention at the moment. "That's not good," Meowth spoke up what was on our minds. "Not good at all."
"You think he really means it?" I asked, grasping at false hope I knew. The kid had garnered a lot of attention in the tournament and frankly we had all agreed that right now, it wouldn't be a good idea to get involved with the twerps. They had grown so strong in the short time where they had slipped away from our pursuit for the months before the tournament, that it was downright scary. That just made the content of the page that had been delivered to us by letter all the more problematic.
"Don't be stupid. This is a direct order from the boss. He doesn't joke around... ever," Jessie snapped. Of course I knew this. We all knew this. Didn't make it any easier.
"So, what do we do?" Oh, we would deny it vehemently but the three of us had kind of grown attached to Ash and his group. Not to mention, none of us had really joined Team Rocket for something like this. Sure, stealing Pokémon and occasionally some other items was one thing, this was completely different.
"We follow the order," Meowth said without flinching. Both Jessie and I looked at him, somewhat aghast. "The first part isn't much different from what we usually do. And think about it... If we don't do it, the boss will send someone else."
I shuddered at some of these "others". "Like Tulip..." Jessie voiced one of the most prominent options. "Guess you are right. We have to do it."
"For now," I added.
"Right," both of my partners said. Our focus still returned to the ominous order on the table and the decision made did nothing to lift our unease.
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(Ash)
"Okay... Did you know about this?" Dawn asked. At my nonchalant shrug, she looked around. "Anyone?" No one could supply her with an affirmative and I had to admit I was kind of surprised as well. Not in a bad kind of way because this was actually rather interesting. Still hadn't expected to see Leaf and Cynthia have a showcase one on one battle at the ending ceremony.
The trophy awarding had been nice. Really, I still felt rather giddy and I definitely wouldn't give the trophy out of my hands any time soon. It was like this dream fantasy that I used to have a lot as a kid coming true. No, not "was like", just was. And it felt really, really good. The happiness was a little more on the quiet side today though. I had had some time to have it sink in and actually got a few hours of sleep in – surprisingly enough.
The trophy awarding wasn't the only ceremonial act though and I actually thought Leaf looked really cool with a traditional Master's cloak – not that most of them wear it outside of really, really formal functions. She was taking it well but I knew she was giddy inside. I could understand, being somewhat on the same trip. I knew I could have been right there with her but...
I fingered the badge that served as my prohibitory Master's License. No, I was rather glad with this solution. Cynthia had really surprised me with that one, although having had some time to think about it, I could see how it made sense and I was glad the League had decided on this new approach. Apparently Leaf's example had gotten them to think and they saw no reason to force young Champions who still had a bit of "maturing" to do but showed the right potential into their duties. So... technically I was already acknowledged a Master with this but I was granted an adjustment period. All... or at least most of the benefits – if I ever had need of them –, but none of the duties.
*We wouldn't give this to everyone. I know I can trust you not to abuse this. We might call on you if something really important comes up but it'll be your decision if you want to accept.*
As if he ever refused if anyone was ever in need of help. Still, this gave him some time to focus on everything he had planned and promised and not feel bad about it one way or another.
Focusing back on the match, I winced when Leaf's Pokémon took another nasty hit. I had been surprised by her choice. That Kangaskhan was really powerful and fast too despite the size... not that I should have expected less. You really didn't see many of them in Trainer battles. To be fair I wasn't exactly sure on the why but they really weren't that popular.
That one was getting his butt kicked, too. Regardless how good – and I had the suspicion it was one of Leaf's older Pokémon which meant it had a lot of experience – Garchomp was just... stronger. I would say overwhelmingly so, but knew better. "Watch closely. You'll be there soon," I told Gabite who I had let out of his Pokéball to watch the battle. He was a little miffed about yesterday since he had been put out so quickly, so I figured this might help to get him motivated again.
"This is rather one-sided," Dawn said after awhile, apparently having gotten over her minor fit over the surprise which I had found rather amusing. "I mean you guys were good yesterday. I didn't think..."
"Yes," I interrupted, "Cynthia is strong and Leaf is fighting seriously... But, her heart's not really in it. Not so soon after the final. I'd have trouble doing this right now, too. Hell, I'd probably be dust already. This really is just for show." And Leaf clearly wasn't ready to show Cynthia any more of what she could do just yet.
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(Dawn)
I suppose I was merely irritated this morning. Unlike Ash who had succumbed to a few hours of undisturbed sleep, I had had a lot more trouble doing the same. Cynthia's words, especially her warning, had bothered me far deeper than I had imagined at first. I didn't think it was anything but a friendly cautioning, yet somehow the Champion warning us that Team Rocket's activities had increased drastically over the last few months had disturbed me far more than it was obviously intended. And I didn't have any idea why...
Until I finally got to sleep, only to have another of these weird dreams that I barely remembered but touched and disturbed a part of me I didn't even know was there. All I remembered was some sort of battle, vague shapes of humans, to fuzzy in my memory except for one thing. The familiar red "R" on the front of their clothes... Logically speaking, it might have been nothing but a subconscious reaction to my earlier worries, yet I couldn't shake off the feeling that something big was awaiting us that would challenge our very existence... as ominous as that might sound.
*Keep the trust you and Ash have strong. It will surely be tested.* That had been Leaf's words last night when we had danced, delivered in a sudden moment of complete seriousness in between lighthearted talk... It had thrown me off but my mood had been too good to pay it much attention. Now these words came unbidden and I wondered what they meant and if Leaf and Cynthia knew more than they let on.
I was so occupied with my thoughts, I almost missed the end of the match. Berating myself for worrying about nothing but vagueness, I focused at least on the end of the battle. Ash was right, this was mostly for show and I believe after the spectacular final yesterday most of the audience understood that. I don't think I could have fought a serious match either right after the Grand Festival. The emotional rush was still there for days, lingering and only slowly fading.
In some ways it looked much like the fight between Staraptor and Tyranitar from yesterday. Garchomp was proving why it was said to be a fast flier and then some. I really had to wonder who was the faster flier Staraptor or Garchomp? It didn't seem like Cynthia wasn't fully serious either and I still had trouble keeping up.
Kangashkan was a bit faster than Tyranitar though and definitely calmer. Multiple devastating strike combinations that looked like a Dragon Rush executed within an Aerial Ace maneuver while glowing a faint yellow perhaps symbolizing some kind of earth elemental manipulation rained down on Kangashkan. To the critical eye that combination alone showed just why Cynthia was The Champion. Triple elemental combination, wow!
I had hardly ever seen her use something so flashy on TV, so that at least showed just how serious she took her opponent, showcase match or not. Even if Leaf was still getting thoroughly beaten, never getting in much more than a brief counter which would immediately be turned away, I was sure she was glad about such respect.
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Location Unknown, Johto (May)
"And with this, the Sinnoh League Conference has come to a close. Certainly we have been treated to an extraordinary event this year that will be hard to top. We hope-"
With a sigh I switched off the television, glad that I allowed myself the small luxury of a hotel room. I had been very lucky with the timing and just barely made it back for the final after the Johto Grand Festival. Sure, I had been aware that the tournament was going on right now but the dates had overlapped slightly and I didn't want to get distracted during the Grand Festival. Too bad that I hadn't made it. So close, too. The final round against Drew had been a tough one but in the end it wasn't quite enough.
Again. That was my third run now. Not that I was giving up, I had been too much inspired by Ash at the start of my journey to even think about it and look where his attitude had gotten him. That match had been... no, I wouldn't even try to label it. Suffice to say, I had never seen battling on such a scale and they had done it with such ease! I would have felt inadequate if not for the fact that I clearly wasn't the only one to react like this.
Still, what I had seen made several things clear to me. First of all, I still had a lot of work to do. Second that it was possible to achieve your goals through much hard work which was enough to push me onward even more. And lastly... that my lingering feelings had received quite the severe damper.
You couldn't really get more obvious than kissing on TV and in front of an entire arena full of spectators.
Well, it wasn't like I had expected much. As confusing as my feelings had been, I had hardly even started to disentangle them and could probably save myself the effort now...
Oh, who was I kidding? It had hurt. Not so much a bitter, heart-wrenching pain but more like a soft, regretful sadness. It certainly looked like they were happy together and I was actually quite happy for them. Still, I wished I could have had some more time to figure out my own heart. Yeah, right. As if well over a year wasn't enough. And I thought it would have been. But then, when we met again during the Wallace Cup and I had had everything I wanted to say planned out... That was when I met Dawn and everything suddenly became so... complicated.
"And now it's too late," I mused morosely. Story of my life I guess. I had always taken much too long to figure out what I wanted, eventually stumbled onto a path and had to apply much more time to adjustment. It had been that way when I started my journey. I didn't even want to go at first, not even very comfortable with the whole Pokémon thing. When I finally did, I had no clue what to do until I fell in love with Contests. Still, I had had no idea what I was really getting into, no preparations or anything. I suppose, with that in mind, I was actually doing fairly well.
Now, the situation was the same again. And I had no one else to blame but myself for my indecisiveness. I couldn't even be jealous.
After all... Who should I be jealous over?
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Lily of the Valley Island (Leaf)
I wasn't really upset about the loss. In the end I had actually managed to get a few good hits in. Cynthia had not given me many chances but I felt assured that with some more training, I could keep up if I got more serious. Had I not participated in the tournament as originally planned, I would have been able to give her more of a challenge. As it was, my objective here had been fulfilled already and the match from yesterday probably wouldn't be fully out of my system for a couple of days at least.
This time around, goodbye hadn't been so bittersweet. When I had left Pallet on my journey, I had felt some lingering regret about Ash staying behind. However, my decision proved to be the right one. Had we travelled together, I wonder how much either of us would have grown.
Sure, mutual competition might have been a great motivation, yet being so close could also have been a big hindrance to individual development. At best we would have turned out rather similar in style, being little more than copies of each other. No, it was for the best. Ash had definitely proven that he had grown into a strong Trainer by himself. A Master in anything but name... and even that was slightly different from my own path some years ago. He really had everything a Master needed already. Not so much the skill, that was something one could always improve on. However, the empathy, the close bond with his or any other Pokémon, his dedication and will. These were traits you couldn't really train and that defined someone who stood watchful between the world of humans and Pokémon.
I smiled grimly at the last thought. How very fitting. This status indeed was what would be tested the most in the months to come. I wished I could spare them some of the grief and I hadn't quite given up on the thought of preventing some of the events looming ominously on the horizon but at least I felt assured that he would be as ready as someone could be.
Wordlessly my newest companion appeared by my side, silent and almost betraying his very presence. Only after another minute of silence, did he speak. "I suppose you were right. He really has grown strong."
"And they are even stronger together," I remarked, thinking back on the comfortable closeness of Ash and Dawn upon their departure.
Once again my companion remained silent for a bit. When we had run into each other completely by surprise, I hadn't even known a Pokémon like that existed. Sure, I knew there were a lot of them over in Unova that weren't seen in these parts very often. Yet Zoroark and his companion, the pre-evolution Zorua were not your common, run-of-the-mill Pokémon. Especially not to meet in the danger of a heavy storm and a near catastrophic collision of two ships in the middle of the sea. All that remained unimportant compared to the information the older Pokémon had had to share.
"And that, too, will be tested," Zoroark spoke eventually, making me lift an eyebrow in question. "The Chosen of the Air, the Maiden of Light, the Princess of Fire. Divided they will fall, united they stand tall."
For a moment I stared... then felt like slapping myself. Of course, that was why my reaction to Dawn had been so... conflicted. Attracted on the one hand, yet strangely repelled on the other. Opposites in nature. I should have realized sooner.
Only then did the true meaning of my companion's words register and I had to agree with him. Their love would be tested but not quite in the way one might expect.
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(Brock)
"So, you're not coming along?" I wanted to know once more, more for something to say than to actually ask. The trip back from the island had been surprisingly relaxing. The benefits of travelling with the new Sinnoh Champion came through. Travelling with a private ship also meant no reporters, no hype, just relaxing. I think Ash and Dawn were the most happy about the quiet. They would have trouble enough to stay unnoticed in the next weeks, perhaps months. That match had made waves and the papers and news channels had been topping each other with superlatives.
"We'll stay for awhile. Dawn wants to think about where we are going," Ash said. "Should we end up in Kanto, we'll stop by and visit." If his mother was still here, he would probably have to endure another hug and praise of just how mature he had become. The same had happened when he had explained to her that and why he would keep travelling with Dawn... To his credit, he was taking it in stride, as much as one could with overly parental enthusiasm.
The rest of the group had went ahead though. The Professor had needed to return to the lab quickly and had chartered a flight straight from the island. I had opted to tag along back to Twinleaf, wanting to enjoy these last days together. No training, no tournament, just plain, old travelling. I would miss that. However, I might not have to wait long for the next chance.
"Have you decided what to do now?" Dawn asked, hitting right on my thoughts. "You didn't want to say but it sounded as if you had some inspiration."
I chuckled. "More like I met an inspiration." I couldn't help but laugh harder at the looks my friends were exchanging and giving back to me. Perplexed, confused and curious. Perhaps I was enjoying this a bit too much... Nah. "Don't worry about it. I call you when I make up my mind. Promise."
They both gave me another long, dubious look, then finally shrugged. Dawn stepped forward and I found myself enveloped in a big hug that made me wince. Damn, that conditioning had really paid off! "Take care, Brock. We want you to know that we wouldn't have been able to make it without you. Especially these last months. We couldn't have kept training like crazy without your help. Thank you."
Ash nodded after Dawn finally released the embrace. "That's right. We never did forget your effort and it will be a lot tougher without you. I hope you'll find your own path and that we get to travel together again someday."
Momentarily I had trouble keeping the tears away. It felt really good to hear these things. After all the action of the last days, the attention he had been getting, Ash had not lost himself. To hear my efforts had been appreciated so much only made the decision that was starting to shape in my mind all the much clearer. Often enough during the tournament I had felt myself being left behind. However, comparing myself to them and measuring myself against their standards was the wrong thing to do. I had my own dream to live and should measure myself on these standards.
Smiling I took Ash's initiative and rapped my fist against his own. "Don't make it sound as if this is forever. We never seem to stray too far and too long away from each other. In the meantime... remember what I taught you. You've both grown so much that I'm sure you can manage without me." Behind me the ship's horn sounded. "That would be my cue. Take care of each other, you two." At two indignant exclamations, I chuckled. "Of course, you as well, Pikachu and Piplup."
And with that I turned to hurry up the ramp. My future was a lot clearer now and I had the motivation to pursue it. The meeting pointing me towards this future might have come as a chance encounter, but the motivation I had earned in my travels with Ash and especially during the last months.
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(Pikachu)
"Well, looks like you are all better now. Just have some more rest to recharge," Professor Rowan said and removed the pads. I voiced my relief over that kind of freedom with a satisfied moan. Ash had been rather worried about my health for awhile after the tournament. While Professor Oak and the local Nurse Joy had assured us that no lasting side effects could be detected, Ash knew how straining the controlled version of Thor's Hammer was. Especially the controlled one. If I just let the elemental power run its course, I was little more than a conduct and final converter. Getting the power output just right that I didn't end up setting off something that would have gotten me disqualified was much harder and tended to overload me a little. That had been even more true for the one I used in the tournament. I had always trained this with the limiter on and I had to admit that without it, the experience was multiple times more intense. I hadn't really been concerned about it in the heat of battle but definitely felt the strain afterwards.
Ash and I both resolved not to use it again until we had a lot more training and experience. The result wasn't worth it, if I was too weakened afterwards to be of any use for days. Had Shadow not been completely paralyzed, prompting Leaf to submit, I wasn't sure how long I could have even kept on my feet.
That being said... Even exhaustion couldn't keep the elation away. I had been with Ash since the start of his journey and this victory meant as much to me as it did to him. I couldn't recall ever being in such an intense match. Sure, we had met our share of Legendaries – pretty much every one of them – and I had been in battles against overwhelming odds but none of these had pushed me so far and felt so good afterwards.
"Looks like someone is here to pick you up." I followed the professor's gaze and had a hard time suppressing the groan when I saw Lopunny bounding into the room. "Well, I'll leave you two alone." I glared after the laughing man but he paid it no mind. This wasn't the first time it happened after all. I think he got too much amusement out of this though.
Unlike usual Lopunny was more reserved as she hopped up on the chair next to the examination table. "You seem better."
I shrugged. "More or less. Just need some more rest but no after effects."
The lasting silence after that was actual rather uncomfortable. I should be glad about some quiet but had become so used to her flirting of the past days that it was a little eerie now. She had kept her promise not to press anything before the tournament was finished, only to start out full force pretty much the day after the final. That didn't really help me make up my mind though even if it was somewhat flattering.
"So," I broke the silence eventually. "Are Ash and Dawn coming?"
Lopunny shook her head. "Nope. They had to do some shopping." And left him to her mercy. Oh well, at the moment he really was in too good a mood to care.
"You want to do something?"
Lopunny's almost solemn mood picked up immediately and I winced at the mixture of surprise and giddy excitement. "You mean it?" What was I getting myself into? It wasn't that I wanted to encourage her. However, I had said I would think about it and I suppose the best way to find out if we even fit together would be to try it out after all.
I scratched myself behind one ear, laughing lightly in mild embarrassment. "Not much else to do. Might as well enjoy the day."
It wasn't that I was acknowledging any kind of relationship. Really now...
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(Ash)
The evening air was cool but bearable. The climate down in Twinleaf was a little less "perfect" than during the tournament but that was fine with me. Right now, nothing much could get my mood down. It would probably need an impending apocalypse.
Sinnoh was truly a beautiful region. I had seen so many places already but I think from all of them I liked Sinnoh the best so far. The variety of towns, cities and landscapes, the people, the experiences I had made here. It wasn't just the fact that I had met Dawn here or made my first Championship. There were a lot of memories tied to this place that I would keep forever.
The reality of the situation had begun to fully sink in. Now, as I lay half-propped up in the grass, holding up my hard-earned proof of victory, for the first time in years I felt... content. Satisfied even to a degree. For so long I had always pushed forward, always ready to move on, get closer to my dream. Now that I had reached it, the desire for adventure had been quelled. At least for a short while.
Such a tiny thing. The badge was nothing fancy. A simple, five-pointed silver star with a red ruby inside. I thought it was a ruby, Cynthia had explained that it served some kind of verification purpose. Still, it meant so much. Perhaps even more than the big trophy for winning the tournament that I had entrusted mom with for safekeeping. This badge was the proof that I hadn't just won a tournament but was also qualified as a Master.
"We did it, buddy. We reached the top," I said quietly to Pikachu who was stretched out beside me. He was still recovering from the final. Despite intensive treatment, the match had taken its toll on his reserves. Nothing some rest couldn't cure. "Only the top seems to be much bigger than we imagined."
Yes, this was just the beginning after all. I had reached my dream. However, only the beginning of that dream. Becoming a true Elite, a true Master, there was still a lot of work to do. That actually made me glad. As much as I enjoyed this moment of satisfaction, I still retained much to aim for in the future. Purpose was, after all, the driving force for individual development.
"Pi, Pikachu, Pikapi!"
I chuckled. "That's right. Nothing's going to stop us now. We are only going to become better from here on. The challenges will be a lot harder but... I know we can do it." And Pikachu voiced his agreement with as much enthusiasm as he could muster at the moment.
I also had people to focus my efforts on. For one thing, Cynthia remained the goal to reach right now... unless someone else took the title from her in the meantime. The only one who I felt might, remained my greatest measurement still. I had won this fight with Leaf. But our true contest to see who was the strongest Trainer was still on, the climax was yet to come.
First though, I had a lot of training to do. And to give as much support to Dawn as she gave to me while she strived for her own dream. Dawn had been the one thing I honestly hadn't planned on when coming to Sinnoh. Not that that was a bad thing. Not at all. I dare say meeting and falling in love with her was right up there with winning the tournament. Both had been an extraordinary experience that shaped and changed my life here and neither would have been possible without the other.
The future that lay ahead, I know I could face whatever would come because I wouldn't do it alone. As long as we had each other, we could meet any challenge ahead and persevere.
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(Dawn)
Finding Ash outside on the small hill not far from our home wasn't so hard. I didn't need to feel him to realize where he had gone off to. Sunset watching had become somewhat of a ritual to us whenever we found the time. Perhaps it was a little cheesy but I wouldn't complain. I could do with some clichés now that we had the time for stuff like this.
Regardless how right this relationship felt, how almost unnoticed we had slipped into it, an actual confession and real first kiss had just been a few days old. There was still a lot we had to explore and catch up with. I would insist on it now as well. We didn't even have a proper date yet after all! How abnormal was that? Well, I suppose we were just special like this. I had to giggle lightly at the thought.
Piplup made an inquiring sound and I just shook my head. "Nothing, just a funny thought." Another comment and I gaped. "Excuse me? What did you mean with 'naughty'? Who even taught you what that meant?" A snort and a short answer made me grumble. I'd need to have a word with Lopunny.
"Pip, Pi, Piplup, lup," my first Pokémon continued and I blanched slightly.
"I do not drool in my sleep!" Before I could do something violent, Piplup had squirmed out of my grasp and was already taking off back to the house with an amused comment that roughly translated to "enjoy yourself".
Still huffing I reached Ash and Pikachu and plopped down next to them. Ash raised an eyebrow at me and I grumbled. "I think Piplup feels a little neglected. He is developing an unhealthy attitude." I wasn't as miffed about it as I sounded. In fact, I had expected some teasing about Ash and me much earlier than this.
Ash chuckled, picking up on my halfhearted annoyance. "Well, he has to live with it. I don't feel like sharing your attention." That earned him a playful punch in the shoulder. "But seriously, you should spend some more time with them, aside from training I mean."
I nodded quietly. That was true. There hadn't been that many opportunities lately to just do normal things with our Pokémon that weren't somehow related to training, Contest or battling. "Well, we have a lot of time now."
Ash sat up and I wordlessly took his invitation to snuggle against him. Yes, I really wanted to do things like this more often. "Have you decided where to go next?" he asked after awhile of just sitting and watching the sun sink below the horizon.
"Not sure. I guess everything is fine at this point... well, except Unova. They don't have Contests there. A shame really."
Ash snorted. "Yeah, Leaf told me she heard from someone they think of the rest of the world as if we were from some backwater country. Go figure." We both laughed at this and I felt some relief at Ash's casual reassurance that he would be fine with wherever we would go. He had seen pretty much everything I could choose right now... except Unova. The Pokémon enthusiast in him surely would like to see all the new Pokémon but apparently was in no real hurry to do so. I resolved that if I could make Top Coordinator next time, we'd be going there next.
For now I was perfectly happy where I was. The future could wait for tomorrow... or even next week. I was right where I wanted to be. "I love you," I whispered, needing to express my feelings. Ash had been the best thing to happen to me. He gave me the confidence I needed to push forward. I didn't have the drive he had when we first met. Expectations, even self-made ones, had played a big part in my goals in life. Now these goals had become my own dream. Ash had inspired me and helped me to find my own path, free of my mother's success.
Ash pulled me a little closer, the last rays of the sun just slipping past the sea. "And I love you."
With these feelings and our dreams which bound us together for better or for worse, I knew with absolute certainty, I didn't need to feel worried about the future.
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(Narrator)
"And with this our heroes' adventures in the Sinnoh region grow to a close. For now everyone is going their separate ways and it is still uncertain where Ash and Dawn will be drawn to next. The future is wide open though and many experiences still lay ahead. Unknown to most, events have been set into motion that will challenge our heroes far beyond what they had ever imagined."
I switch the scene to an unknown location. In a dark cave two Pokémon were conversing.
"It's almost time," the smaller one said. In the dim light only the vague shadow of something cat-like could be seen floating in the air.
Its companion shared the same distinctive feature but standing tall and more human-like. "Are you sure you don't want my help?"
The smaller one shook its head. "No, this is not your fight. You have already endured enough. It is our destiny... and theirs. This matter cannot be resolved by pure force alone."
The taller one was silent for awhile. "Even so. If there is anything I can help with, don't hesitate to ask."
The smaller one slowly floated around, pondering. "I wish I could say it wasn't needed. But too much is uncertain. For now, just be prepared. We cannot be caught off guard before they have all become Masters. The fate of the world depends on their success."
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The Final Step to the Master Reloaded Arc 1
Fin
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Closing Notes (and I really suggest everyone reads those this time)
And done. Okay, that took actually longer than planned for various reasons. And damn... it got even bigger than the last chapter. I did a whole lot of the last scenes Saturday (would be today for all of you in my timeframe and reading on my page) though and while I had only figured it would be two more, it turned out to be four. So it became longer than expected. All that was necessary though since I wanted a satisfying conclusion. *slight nudge towards the latest Negima chapters* This is how you do it and not suddenly jump rush after a month's long conflict within two short manga chapters. Really, I am slightly annoyed by that...
A lot of slow stuff. A lot of conclusions, some foreshadowing. I won't say too much to the foreshadowing. Some of the conclusions came as a bit of a surprise to me too. The Zoey-Dawn bit sprang at me out of left field despite how much it actually needed to be done – or so I realized when I did it. I finally found a solution for Brock too but kept it under wraps for the time beings. Rest assured, I have something planned for his near future.
Team Rocket? Did no one miss them? Obviously not. Too bad. Probably the one good thing about the Unova arc, it finally gave them more substance than the ever failing idiots doing nothing but chasing after Ash and Pikachu. On that note, in the final Dawn section I couldn't quite resist to fit in the comments. Let's make this clear once again, I have nothing against the new games, actually liked a lot of the things they did with them. The absence of Contests was a bad thing though, especially for any real involvement in this story, and the anime – as little as I have seen yet – just sucks. A big step down from the Sinnoh arc, more like taking that step and falling down a cliff.
May... *chuckles* Err, I think I managed to convey what I wanted without needing to directly spell it out. If you don't get it you have to remain ignorant until it's time to address that one. Same goes for Misty if anyone caught the possible hint that is. *grins at everyone scrambling back to read the passage again*
And I finally revealed the mystery Pokémon's identity that had been with Leaf before. Anyone guessed it? Those two really were the only ones over from Unova that I could actually fit in adequately considering the movie was set in Sinnoh.
Now then, for the future. And this is why I urged all of you to read this before clotting my mail box asking for updates. I'll be taking advanced training courses from the 19th onward for the next half year. I am actually rather glad I got it financed by my job service, so I won't complain about the lack of time. There will be that though.
I am not abandoning writing again. I promised myself that I would keep up, even if it went slow and I would just manage a page or so every other day. For this story though, I cannot say when I will pick it up again. I have mentioned so earlier but there is a lot more I want to do and with more limited time I really have to decide on what to focus on. My writing world really doesn't consist solely of Pokémon. I have a multitude of anime and other series that I like and that have a lot more – excuse my bluntness – substance to work with. Soul Lights is high on my agenda to continue and if anyone isn't offended by large multi-crossovers with a high quantity (and hopefully quality) of yuri pairings, you might want to look it up. There is a good chance I'll be doing some further work on it soon.
Or not. I honestly cannot say right now. I'll be thinking it over the next few days /week before deciding and my muse has a great deal to say about what we'll be doing anyway. It is entirely possible I actually return to this earlier than I imagined but even then only after I completely mapped out the main plot. The direction I want to take this story now is going to be too dependent on good planning or I'll end up with faulty storytelling.
I hope you are all patient with me. This story had been a lot of fun so far and has managed to do its job to get me back into the writing groove very well. The way I ended this arc, TFSTTM Reloaded could at least stand on its own for awhile and I am satisfied with that. Leaving stories unfinished is bad enough but even more so when it happens in the middle of the actual story. The conclusion of the Sinnoh League leaves TFSTTM Reloaded at a point where I can pull back without feeling bad about it and still leave you readers with a fairly conclusive story except for the few – vague enough – hints about future events. Consider it done for now and look forward for the next arc... whenever it may be. Hopefully I can keep some of you around not just because and for this story.
Again, I thank you all for the nice and supporting reviews, inputs and suggestions. They did keep me going. As much as I believe an author should first and foremost write for themselves, the support of feedback is still an important factor for motivation. I am not sure I would have written so much so fast again, if not for your support.
With this, I really conclude the first arc of TFSTTM Reloaded. Please review one last time and look out for whatever it is I'll be posting next. I might leave a note... but it would really be a good thing if you are seriously interested to watch my homepage or even better subscribe to my update list. It's more likely to find out what I'll be doing there.
Ja ne, yours
Matthias aka MysticMew and Maia, the Muse