Within the forest a team of three, Jessie, James and Meowth, were preparing their hot air balloon.
"Jessie, did you fix the net?"
Asked James as he picked up the missile with a pokemon net inside.
"I did, and did you recharge all the batteries?"
Jessie lifted the missile launcher, working on electricity. It was pretty advanced, and also had the system to lock on targets.
"This time, we will definitely catch Pikachu! Our hard work has to pay off!"
Meowth said with a bright voice, his eyes pictured the image of him and his boss together.
"Think, when we capture both Pikachu and Dragonite. Boss will reward us with his best abilities! We might even be promoted to executives!"
Meowth narrated with energy, while Jessie and James listened with stars in their eyes.
"Yes! We will be rich!"
"I can finally go to the beach and play!"
Jessie and James were lost in their own illusion, respectively. Only after Meowth scratched their faces, did they wake up.
"Hurry, we must reach there before the match finishes!"
Ordered Meowth, climbing up on the hot air balloon and pointing towards the direction of the stadium.
* * *
Kota wore a sky blue hoodie, and blue jeans, both slightly oversized, just like his style.
Walking through the long passage, his eyes were greeted by the audiences, settled on their seats.
The stadium was fully booked, so he couldn't make out any empty seats. Fortunately, he wasn't there as an audience but as a supporter.
"Kota, here!"
Kota heard Misty's voice, calling him. When he turned to his right, he saw Ash, Misty and Tracey already present.
"Haah…"
Exhaling, Kota cooled down his excited heart.
"You ready?"
He asked Ash while walking towards them with his hands in the hoodie pockets.
"Of course! I have already prepared my pokemon. I will definitely win this."
Ash clenched his fist and raised it. His eyes burned in the flames of determination and expectations.
"Pikachu!"
Even his Pikachu was fired up. Kota nodded silently and took a seat on the bench.
"Kota, I didn't get to say this yesterday but. I loved your first movie. You being the final challenge for the main lead was just too real! Just like reality."
It was a little surprising to hear but it also feels good, and Kota didn't deny it. What Tracey said, he smiled at him in return.
"Thanks. I appreciate that."
Kota couldn't help but give a faint laugh. No matter how many times he heard it, it still felt new to him.
It was about time, Ash was called on the battlefield when Drake, waited with a smile.
After the customary handshake between Ash and Drake, the referee explained that the state of the field will change after one of them has three unconscious pokemon.
At that moment, the flat field disappeared and was replaced by a rocky field with a pool in the middle.
"I really hope he wins!"
Misty joined her hands and prayed for Ash victory, which Kota found funny and also wholesome.
It gave him a weird feeling. Something he never liked. He knew that Ash was gonna win, but will there be changes?
"I hope so…"
Muttered Kota, his eyes stared at the battlefield where both Ash and Drake had taken their sides.
Everything starts the same as Kota remembered in his memories.
Drake started with Ditto, while Ash started with Pikachu. Ditto then uses the Transform move to turn into a Pikachu.
Pikachu began with a powerful Thunder, and Ditto used its own Thunder. Next, they both exchanged a Thunder Shock at the same time.
Boom!
Small explosions, rocks flew around and some dust on the rocky field.
Ash was frustrated by that, and ignored Misty's suggestion that he substitutes Pikachu for another pokemon.
"Oh Ash, when will you ever learn to use your mind in a match? Never, I guess."
Kota leaned back on the wall and sighed. Being honest, Ash was like a little brother to him.
There was always that thing, hidden deep in a corner of his heart, asking him to open up.
But Kota knew that the day he opened up and accepted everything as it is, he would crumble.
Why was it? Because he knew many future events. He knew that there were many chances to catch Legendary pokemon.
Greed, that was what kept Kota a human so far. Or he would have turned into something else.
The goal to stand at the top, it was just an excuse, in actuality, he wanted to distract himself.
It was hard to believe that everything was real. Kota couldn't have been able to keep his mind stable if he didn't distract himself.
So, he had to keep going. In order to not lose his mind.
"Ash! Calm down."
His voice was loud and clear. Ash looked towards Kota, he then closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.
"Thanks."
Muttered Ash. On the opposite side, Drake raised his eyebrow at the spectacle.
* * *
"Hehe! Dragonite will be ours!"
Suddenly, laughter echoed in the stadium. All the eyes focused on the air, and turned to stunned.
A hot air balloon, in the shape of a Meowth's head, floated above the battlefield.
"What's that?"
Drake narrowed his eyes at the balloon. Meanwhile Ash, Misty and Tracey were frustrated to see Team Rocket.
"Hahaha! Thanks for weakening Dragonite for us, kid!"
Jessie fired the net launcher, from which, shot out a huge net that entrapped the exhausted Dragonite in it.
"Draaa!"
Dragonite was shocked, and he struggled to stand back on the ground due to the tight net.
Then, Team Rocket started reciting their motto before the audience.
"... Go!"
Kota sighed and said in a low voice. A white beam of light shot out from his pokeball on his waist belt.
Woosh!
A massive red figure flashed from Kota's side, and quickly appeared right behind the balloon.
"Guys, I think someone's behind us."
With an ugly face, Meowth said in hesitation stopping their motto recitation progress. James and Jessie looked back, all the color on their faces paled.
Charizard stared at the three with a mouth, releasing red and orange flames.
He grabbed the balloon's basket with his hands tightly, his claws pierced through the fabrics. With full strength, Charizars threw the balloon further in the sky.
Taking in a gulp of air, Charizard opened his mouth and shot a thick beam of flames at the balloon.
Boom!
The explosion that followed after the beam of flame made contact with the balloon was enormous. Large amount of smoke covered the sky.
The audience's mouths were agape, their eyes watched all of that without blinking so as not to miss anything.
Thud!
Charizard landed on the battlefield, his heavy body shook the ground. By now, Dragonite had freed itself from the net.
Its eyes were fixed on Charizard, and its senses on alert like when there was a predator.
Dragonite felt its heartbeat fastened, its muscles contracted, and his mind in distress.
It was fear, fear of getting beaten…
No, fear of getting killed…
Charizard looked back at Dragonite straight in the eyes, he could feel that the other was afraid.
It… It felt good. Charizard turned his head away from Dragonite and walked back to Kota's side silently.
The stadium was silent. Then, after a second or two, it exploded in chaos.
Every single mouth talked, one subject was clear, they talked about Charizard.
It seemed that the match was going to continue back in a minute due to all that had happened.