Extra 12: I choose you! (22)

The day was over, and by now all the spectators and participants were returning to their homes.

Ash, Gary, and Gladio had made it to the 8th round and were getting closer and closer to meeting each other.

The Oak family and Gladio were now staying at the Ketchum house, and honestly, Gary and Ash could not hide their surprise when they heard that one of their rivals was none other than Kurama's son.

Ash did not know how to react to this news, but after talking to Gladio, he understood that he was not as serious as he appeared.

Gladio also got to know Ash a little better, and honestly, he reminded him too much of the twins, in other words, he would fit right into their family. He also got to know Delia and Ivy, and honestly had no problem with them.

Growing up in a family with three mothers made his perspective very different from that of a boy from a normal family, and it didn't help that he was the only male in the family, so Ash's inclusion was a breath of fresh air.

"You're quite polite for just a young man," Ivy said as she looked at Kurama's eldest son.

"My mother and father taught me from a young age" - Gladio replied as he shook his head - "Not to mention that I have to set a good example for my younger sisters."

"Besides polite, mature, I guess your life has been difficult" - sighed Delia as she looked at the young man whose father had been taken away from him for so many years.

"It's nothing compared to the suffering my sisters have gone through" - replied Gladio as he sighed with regret, only to open his eyes in surprise when he felt his father's new wife embrace him warmly - ". . ."

"You don't have to be so hard on yourself, everything will be fine now" - Delia said with a smile as she felt Gladio start to tremble.

Kurama sighed with regret as he saw the damage he had done to his eldest son even though he didn't do it consciously - "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, I know you weren't at fault" - Gladio replied as he looked at his father - "But if you really feel guilt, then try to mend everything with Lillie, she really misses you."

Kurama nodded silently before sighing, after all, he knew there was a lot to mend.

Ash watched this in silence as Oak and Gary decided not to say anything because it was none of their business to meddle in other people's personal affairs.

* * * * *

A new day had arrived and the League was beginning a new journey.

Kurama and his family were waiting for Ash and the others to battle.

Ash was about to fight Gary while Gladio was about to face off against a Johto boy.

"Do you think Ash can win?" - Delia asked with concern.

"I honestly don't know" - answered Kurama while shaking his head - "Ash is strong, but his opponents are no slouches."

Gary was not only Ash's rival, but he was also just as strong as his son, so there was no way to lie to Delia.

"I understand" - sighed Delia as she shook her head, only to become serious when she saw how Ash was entering the battlefield next to Gary.

"Let's begin the semifinals of the Indigo Plateau!" - exclaimed the announcer as he saw how the two contestants were facing each other - "On the red side, hailing from Pallet Town, we have a boy who is only ten years old, but who has shown his potential! Here we have the contestant, Ash Ketchum!"

The crowd began to shout with excitement at the mention of the young man from Pallet Town.

"It's our time to shine, Pikachu" - Ash said as he looked at his rival and best friend.

"And in the other corner, we have another promising youngster from Pallet Town!" - exclaimed the announcer as everyone shouted again - "His name is Gary Oak!"

"Heh, today I'll prove that I'm not only better than you, Ash, but also that I'm not just Professor Oak's grandson" - said Gary with a frown as he saw how all the people kept thinking only about his last name, and not about his talent as a Pokémon trainer.

"That's why we'll give our best, Gary" - replied Ash as he nodded firmly, after all, he too had a huge silhouette that gained all the attention.

"The grandson of the world's most famous Pokémon professor, as well as the son of Kanto's greatest legend!" - exclaimed the commentator, and in the process, drawing a grimace from the two youngsters - "It's time for the two promising youngsters to begin their battle!"

"Let's begin" - said Gary seriously as the referee looked at them carefully before indicating the start of the fight.

Gladio stood watching them silently as he analyzed their moves, after all, this was where their next opponent would come from.

"I start!" - Gary exclaimed as he threw a Pokeball - "Fearrow, I choose you!"

"Fearrow!" - shouted the bird Pokémon as it spread its wings.

"Pidgeot, I choose you!" - Ash exclaimed as he released his Pokémon, a beautiful bird of equal size to his rival.

"A battle between the Regional Birds of Kanto!" - The commentator exclaimed as the two Pokémon looked at each other.

"Spearrow/Pidgeot!" - the two birds looked at each other with rivalry, after all, they were natural enemies.

Their two breeds never got along, not to mention that Fearrow and their pre-evolutions were hostile against other Pokémon by nature.

"Pidgeot, use [Agility] to increase your speed along with [Quick Attack]!" - Ash exclaimed while squinting his eyes.

"Tch, also use [Agility] and counterattack with [Aerial Ace]!" - Gary exclaimed as he watched the two Pokémon increase in speed, though, to his annoyance, his opponent's Pocket Monster was much faster than his. Still, this difference he made up for with an attack that never missed.

Pidgeot quickly made an evasive maneuver to hit at full speed, only to feel something impact his round stomach after hitting his attack.

"[Mirror Move]!" - the two boys shouted, only for their Pokémon to copy their opponent's last move.

"Ugh" - the spectators groaned in pain when they saw this because they could see how the two birds were falling.

"Come back!" - exclaimed the two children as they returned their companions to their Pokeballs, only to look at each other with some serious expressions.

It wasn't that their Pokémon were weak and that's why they fell so quickly, but because their attacks were extremely strong and they were weakened with only two attacks.

"Change of scenery!" - The commentator exclaimed excitedly as the roulette wheel ended on the [Water Stadium] square.

"Kingler, I choose you!" - Ash exclaimed as he threw his Pokeball, releasing a huge orange crustacean.

"Kuki Kuki Kuki!" - Kingler raised its huge pincer as it squinted its eyes.

"A Kingler" - muttered Gary as he remembered the information about this Pokémon - "A species with high offensive power, but low speed, I guess I know who to choose."

"I'm waiting, Gary" - said Ash seriously.

"Blastoise, I choose you!" - Gary exclaimed as he threw his Pokeball, releasing a huge blue turtle with a brown shell.

"Toise!" - Blastoise roared as he pulled the two cannons over his shoulders, only to look at Kingler seriously.

"Meet my best friend, my Ace up my sleeve" - said Gary as Ash noticed a small detail.

"That stone" - Ash said as he saw the [Megastone] on Blastoise's head.

"It's a gift from Kurama-san, as well as a proof of my bond with Blastoise" - replied Gary seriously as he looked at his rival - "But it's not the time yet, you're not strong enough to demonstrate our true power"

"Blastoise!" - Blastoise roared as he nodded firmly.

He could see that Kingler was strong, but it didn't compare to his power after [Mega Evolve].

Ash just kept silent as he nodded firmly - "I understand, but if that's all, then I have to tell you that I also possess a strong bond with my Pokémon!"

"Kuki!" - Kingler quickly disappeared into the water, to appear in front of Blastoise with its huge pincer.

"You're right, Kingler is a slow Pokémon, but nothing that good training can't fix!" - Ash exclaimed again as his partner opened its pincer as wide as it could, then slammed it shut - "Use [Guillotine]!"

"Blastoise, use [Hydro pump] to get away!" - Gary exclaimed in terror as he heard how the name of his opponent's attack.

[Guillotine] was a lethal move that weakened the target in one hit if it succeeded, the problem was that the hit probability was extremely low. This attack also had another flaw, and that was that it used much of the Pokémon's power to launch the fulminating strike, so it left the user in a state of weakness after attacking.

Blastoise quickly pushed backwards to escape, only to be surprised to see Kingler again swimming in his direction.

The huge crustacean was using [Agility] to increase its speed.