"Have you decided on the Pokémon for tomorrow's battle?"
Lucas asked Ash, who was burying his head in stuffing his face.
"It's decided."
Ash swallowed the food in his mouth and replied.
"Infernape probably won't be able to participate, right?"
Hearing Lucas's question, Ash shook his head. "It's too heavily injured, so it won't be going out tomorrow. One of its seniors will take its place."
Ash smiled. "We will definitely secure victory tomorrow!"
Lucas looked at the confident Ash and didn't have the heart to bring him down.
"Having confidence is a good thing. Eat well tonight, then get some good rest."
Lucas nodded and took his hand out of his pocket.
After dinner, everyone dispersed, leaving only Lucas, Cynthia, Steven, Lucian, Shauna, and Tomoyo.
Watching Shauna and Tomoyo playing tag in the distance, Cynthia sat beside Lucas and asked, "Don't you plan to give it to him?"
Lucas yawned and shook his head. "I originally had that idea, but after thinking about it, I decided against it. I believe he will obtain this power on his own."
"So you think that highly of him."
Cynthia turned her head to look at Lucas and said with a smile.
"I have always thought highly of every one of them."
"But Ash is the one you think most highly of. Although you rarely mention him, I can feel that you are full of confidence in his future."
Looking at Cynthia sitting beside him, who was cradling Tomoyo's Dratini and stroking it continuously—the Dratini was also sensibly squinting its eyes in enjoyment.
"Because Ash himself is full of miracles."
Lucas said.
Cynthia nodded in deep agreement.
Lucas wanted to say more, but suddenly felt his brow twitch. He instantly stood up and dove onto Ninetales, who was beside him.
The next second, the spot where he had just been sitting was hit by a projectile falling from the sky, shattering the chair into pieces.
"Kao?"
Munchlax sat up, touching its head, not quite reacting to what had happened.
Aren't we playing tag? Why did I end up here?
Lucas looked at the shattered chair and Munchlax's sturdy little body, which had been raised at the Breeding House, and the corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably.
Beside him, Gothitelle, who had raised its hand, saw Lucas react instantly, lowered its hand, and continued chatting with Lilligant, Heracross, Roserade, Female, and the invisible Latias, as well as the unremarkable Snorunt sitting nearby.
Ninetales looked at Lucas, who had dove onto it, shifted its body, and changed to a posture that allowed Lucas to lie more comfortably.
"Nice reaction."
Lucian gave Lucas a thumbs up.
Cynthia watched Lucas, who had been chatting a second ago and then dove to avoid damage the next, as well as the Munchlax that had suddenly appeared beside her. She curiously looked over at Shauna's side and found that Shauna was currently acting as the eagle, while Meowstic was acting as the hen protecting the chicks. She saw Shauna grab Meowstic's shoulders, then sink her waist.
"Heya!"
Meowstic looked in horror as it ascended and took flight.
"Pika."
Meowstic also took flight.
Munchlax sat on the ground, reached out to shield its eyes, and looked up at the sky. Seeing Meowstic descending, it stood up, waddled on its short legs toward the spot where Meowstic might land, and reached out its hands to catch it.
Meowstic fell from the sky, wanting to use its psychic power to make itself fly just like its mom and dad, but seeing Munchlax reaching out its hands to catch it below, it hesitated, adjusted its angle, and prepared to fall into Munchlax's arms. The next second, it saw Munchlax move away on its short legs.
Meowstic: "Meow?"
???
It steadied itself, looked up, and saw Mime Jr. smiling at it in the air.
Next was Zorua, passing by it and flying high into the sky.
Meowstic looked down and saw Shauna attacking indiscriminately.
Is this how Lucas taught us to play tag?
Meowstic was confused.
The eagle throws the chicks away one by one?
Feeling the fluffy sensation on Ninetales' back, as well as the fragrant fur, Lucas sat up, patted Ninetales' head, and Ninetales stood up, carrying Lucas.
He called out to Shauna and the others who were messing around, and then took them away.
The day of the finals arrived as scheduled.
Before Ash and Tobias's battle, the battle between Aran and Paul took place first to determine the third place of the Lily of the Valley Conference.
Since Paul chose to forfeit, Aran directly achieved the excellent result of third place. She happily threw herself into Ajak's arms.
It was precisely because Paul chose to forfeit that the finals, which were originally scheduled for the afternoon, started in the morning.
At this moment, Lucas looked at Darkrai appearing on the screen, eyes wide. "You guy, where did you get a cell phone?"
Darkrai on the other side looked at Lucas, silent for a long time.
Lucas also stared into its eyes, silent for a long time.
"Do you want to try getting it to speak?"
Latias's voice sounded in his mind. "Maybe it's trying to use telepathy?"
"Darkrai, why don't you speak? I can understand a little."
Darkrai, who had originally been crossing its arms with a cold expression, instantly broke character.
"I was wondering why you wouldn't respond when I used telepathy. I thought you didn't want to talk and were just pretending to be cold."
"So that's the reason you were pretending to be cold?"
"Yeah, you were acting cold, so I couldn't lose either."
Where did you learn such strange one-upmanship! Besides, we are half a Sinnoh region apart, how can you use telepathy on me!
"..."
"Where did you steal that phone from?"
"What do you mean steal! You are questioning my honor as a Darkrai!"
"Um, Lucas, hello. It was me who bought the phone for it. I was afraid it would be bored in the garden, so I taught it how to use the phone to Surf the internet."
Alice's face appeared on the screen, smiling as she looked at Lucas and said.
"I see. I thought it stole it from somewhere. After all, ever since a certain guy left the Breeding House, my kitchen has been empty, just like a certain Flying-type Elite who likes to wear a cape."
"You— I— I clearly left you some, okay!"
Darkrai's protest came through.
"Oh right, you left some. You left me a fridge full of stuff. Do I have to thank your highness for showing mercy?"
"The food in the whole kitchen adds up to enough for the Breeding House to eat for a week, and you left me a fridge full? That's not even enough for one meal."
"That— I also left you—"
Darkrai felt increasingly guilty, coughed, and moved its head away.
Alice laughed out loud upon seeing this.
Cynthia, who was beside him, heard a girl's laughter coming from Lucas's phone, narrowed her eyes, and locked onto Lucas with intense killing intent.
The Garchomp behind her was also continuously sharpening its scythes.
Lucas turned the screen and held it up in front of Cynthia. "Alice, Alice from Poplar Town. She bought Darkrai a cell phone. I don't know what she was thinking, getting Darkrai a phone and teaching it to Surf the internet, as if she were afraid Darkrai would leave Poplar Town."
Lucas complained, "Now Darkrai is probably really going to become a shut-in."
"Shut-in? What does that mean?"
Darkrai's cold face appeared on the screen again.
Cynthia looked at Darkrai and Alice on the screen, and a gentle smile instantly appeared on her face as she greeted them, although to Lucas, this smile seemed to keep people at a distance.
"Shut-in means complimenting you on being handsome."
"Thanks, that's a fact, no need for you to say it."
Lucas: —
Lucas took a deep breath.
"Are you coming over?"
Lucas asked.
"Go where? Are we going to fight again? Who are we fighting?" Darkrai asked, chewing on something.
"You haven't finished the sausage yet?"
"Finished it. When is your kitchen restocking?"
Lucas: —
Lucas put on a "kind" smile. "You want to come over and restock after my kitchen restocks, right?"
"Share some with me, just a little."
"Didn't you just take so much last time you came?"
"Finished it."
"Finished it?!"
Lucas's voice grew louder involuntarily. Seeing others looking at him, he gave an apologetic smile, then stared at Darkrai's face on the screen, gritting his teeth. "Even if Heracross came to eat, it would be enough for months of food. In your hands, you finished it in less than a month?!"
"Are you a Darkrai-pig?!"
"I don't know either, I just ate and ate and it was gone—"
Darkrai-pig's voice was a bit weak.
Lucas kept comforting himself, "Fortunately, it's not a Pokémon of the Breeding House, otherwise the Breeding House would really go bankrupt."
"There's a battle between Ash and your kind here, do you want to come over and watch?"
"What? Is there anything to eat?"
"I'm telling you, there's a Darkrai here. Do you want to come over and test your skills?"
"Test my skills? That's not important. Do you have any snacks?"
"Yes————"
Lucas gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Received. I'll be there in a moment. Hanging up now."
With that, Darkrai hung up the video call.
"Darkrai is coming over?"
Cynthia asked.
Lucas nodded. "It's good for it to come take a look; it would be a shame if it really turned into a shut-in."
Cynthia nodded. "I'm surprised you can understand what Darkrai says."
Lucas was momentarily speechless.
"I suppose it's from working at the Breeding House; after spending so much time with Pokémon, I've started to understand them a little bit."
"I see."
Seeing this, Cynthia didn't ask any further.
"Is Lucas's Darkrai coming over too?"
At this moment, Steven spoke up.
"Yeah, that Darkrai from Poplar Town is also planning to come over and take a look. Come to think of it, you and it know each other, Steven."
"Oh, so it's that one."
On the battlefield.
Tobias looked at Ash across the field, tossed a Poké Ball, and Darkrai appeared.
"So it really is Darkrai?"
Ash muttered, then threw a Poké Ball.
The bug king, Heracross, made a dazzling entrance.
"Bug-type against Dark-type?"
Lucas watched Heracross on the field and nodded to himself.
"As expected of the 'dummy' from the Diamond and Pearl era."
"Heracross, Hyper Beam!"
Heracross's horn began to glow.
"Ice Beam!"
The two energies collided, creating a violent explosion.
"Darkrai, get close to it. Ice Beam."
Darkrai closed the distance between itself and Heracross, holding an Ice Beam in its hand.
"Heracross, dodge it!"
Heracross, stuck in the recoil of Hyper Beam, heard Ash's voice. It flapped its wings, forcefully breaking through the Hyper Beam recoil to dodge the Ice Beam.
One of Ash's signature skills: 'Dodge it!'
Tobias couldn't help but be shocked for a moment, but his reaction was quick.
"Dark Pulse."
"Dodge!"
Heracross dodged Darkrai's attack again. Under Ash's command, it used Megahorn and charged toward Darkrai.
"Dark Void."
Darkrai threw a Dark Void at Heracross, enveloping it. Heracross then collapsed to the ground and fell asleep.
"I knew it. Heracross, use Sleep Talk!"
"A beautiful counter."
Steven couldn't help but praise.
While asleep, Heracross's massive horn began to glow white as it charged at Darkrai. Darkrai couldn't dodge in time and took the hit head-on.
It was super effective.
"Dream Eater!"
Darkrai steadied itself, manifested a phantom, and flew toward Heracross.
"Kler——"
Heracross let out a painful cry and then lost the ability to battle.
Ash recalled Heracross and sent out Gible.
"Garchomp, look, it's Gible."
Cynthia's voice rang out. She reached out her hand, and the next second, Garchomp's head leaned over, allowing Cynthia to rest her hand on its head.
"Kao."
Garchomp responded to Cynthia.
However, after Gible landed a Rock Smash on Darkrai, it was hit by an Ice Beam and lost the ability to battle.
"Is that the Darkrai?"
Darkrai's voice suddenly echoed in Lucas's mind.
Lucas was startled; he nearly dropped the key stone and Mega Stone he was holding.
"You guy, when did you get here?"
Darkrai emerged from Lucas's shadow, skillfully took the sausage handed over by Shauna, took a bite, and said, "Just now."
"Do you have any other flavors of sausage? This one is a bit cloying."
Lucas: ————
"Get lost."
"If you don't have it, you don't have it. Why be so fierce!"
Darkrai retreated back into Lucas's shadow, eating the sausage while watching the battle below.
Ash's third Pokémon was Sceptile, which was also one of Lucas's favorite Pokémon.
"Ice Beam!"
"Quick Attack, dodge!"
Sceptile's speed was surprisingly fast; after dodging the Ice Beam, it charged toward the top of Darkrai's head.
Darkrai retracted its neck and dodged Sceptile's attack.
Before Sceptile could react, Darkrai hit it with an Ice Beam. Sceptile was knocked backward, landing on one knee.
"What level is this Darkrai's strength within your species?"
Lucas snatched the sausage from Darkrai and started chewing on it as he asked.
Darkrai: ————
"Hmm————probably mid-to-high level?"
Darkrai said uncertainly.
"I rarely interact with them."
Darkrai added.
"What about you?"
"Me?"
Darkrai, hiding in the shadow, revealed a smile. "I could take on ten of them!"
The powerful aura made the Darkrai on the field jump in surprise.
???
Is there a senior here? A particularly powerful senior?!
It looked at the Sceptile lying on the ground sleeping and prepared to knock it out of the match, when it heard Ash shout from across the field, "Sceptile, I believe in you!"
Then Sceptile stood up by sheer force of will, broke out of its sleep, and charged toward it.
Leaf Blade struck its body, causing a stinging pain that made Darkrai fall from the sky. Everything went black, and it lost consciousness.
"Wow!"
Lucas couldn't help but cheer.
He had finally seen it; the strike that had amazed his entire childhood!
The scene erupted into cheers because of this move.
Finally, someone was able to defeat Darkrai!
Tobias was also somewhat incredulous. He looked at Ash and said with a smile, "You are the first Trainer to defeat Darkrai. I must say, I am surprised."
Then Tobias pulled out his second Poké Ball. "However, my second Pokémon is this one."
A Blue and white figure flew through the air, tracing beautiful arcs.
The Eon Pokémon, Latios.
The older brother of the little red plane.
The little Blue plane!
"Latias, your brother has appeared."
As soon as Lucas finished speaking, Latias's form manifested, looking at Latios on the field below.
"Lucas, will brother————lose?"
Lucas paused. "To be honest, I'm not sure."
There's a high probability it will end in a double knockout with Pikachu.
Latias turned to look at Lucas. "It's better if it loses; that way I'll have a reason to beat it to a pulp."
As expected of a little sister————
Facing Latios, Sceptile could only fall with tears in its eyes. Next, Swellow entered the field, but it also stood no chance.
For his fifth Pokémon, Ash sent out Pikachu.
Pikachu exerted its power again, trading blows back and forth with Latios.
Afterward, it jumped onto Latios's back and used Thunder, forcing a double knockout with Latios.
Looking at Latios lying on the ground, having lost consciousness.
Lucas thought Latias would feel sorry for its brother, but what Latias said made Lucas roll his eyes.
"Trash Onii-chan————how embarrassing. As expected, the Trainer it chose is just terrible."
"When we go back to Alto Mare, I'm going to tell on it to my big sister!"
What was Tobias's third Pokémon?
Lucas was extremely curious.
"This is truly beyond my expectations."
Tobias recalled Latios and said to Ash.
"Then watch closely, my third Pokémon."
As always, a standard Poké Ball.
A beautiful figure emerged from it.
"The Lunar Pokémon, Cresselia?"
Lucas's mouth hung open.
You guy, you wouldn't happen to have six Legendary Pokémon, would you?
"Cresselia? It's pretty~"
Darkrai's voice rang out.
Lucas: ————
"By the way, aren't your Darkrai Family and the Cresselia Family sworn enemies?"
"Who said that? We just find it uncomfortable to be around each other. We always subconsciously cause people to have nightmares, while they cause people to have good dreams."
Ash's last Pokémon was one of his aces, Charizard, which had battled several Legendary Pokémon and had once defeated Articuno.
"As expected, it's Charizard————"
Lucas muttered.
He was holding the key stone and Charizard's Mega Stone.
I have to say, Ash and Charizard's coordination was flawless, just like when he commands Pikachu.
Although the final result was that both lost the ability to battle.
But the audience in the stands was very satisfied with this battle.
Being able to defeat three Legendary Pokémon with ordinary Pokémon, Ash's strength was plain for all to see.
After listening to the referee announce the result, Lucas couldn't help but let out a sigh.
Is it over?
Ash's Sinnoh League journey————
Runner-up; compared to his previous top-four finish, I suppose that counts as progress, right?
***************************
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