The Lost Master

Chapter-29

"Another word if you please." Tobias said, his anger showing in his voice.

"Yes sir?" The receptionist asked.

"I wish to challenge the Pokémon Master for his title."

"Your name is Tobias Takuto?" she asked him. A curt nod, and she started typing quickly. "You won the Sinnoh League... nearly eight years ago?" Tobias nodded. "The battle should take place..." She trailed off reading her screen. "I apologize, the battle is to go through as soon as possible?" Tobias nodded again, not saying anything. "Very good. Your battle will be in a week, at 9am on Saturday. Good luck sir."

The woman handed Tobias a piece of paper that came off the printer next to her, which gave details for the battle. Tobias nodded, and strode out of the building. A week was enough time to train his legendary Pokémon up. They couldn't be beaten, he was sure of it. And when he was Pokémon Master, the law would never come into effect.

Ash glanced at the computer in the corner of the room as it beeped. From a distance he could see that he had an email from Cynthia. He suspected it would be the thing that he worried about. A fight against Tobias. He crossed the room to have his fears confirmed. As he slowly walked back to his chair, he quietly groaned. When the legendary Pokémon were as upset as they were, a battle against one could cause one of them to start panicking and cause trouble. A battle against six, and he was fairly confident that he would be facing down all of them wherever the battle was. And he knew that he couldn't. Yet Tobias wouldn't withdraw his challenge, he knew better than to even ask. Part of him did enjoy the irony. He had vanished in the aftermath of a defeat against Tobias, and yet when he had the chance to get revenge, he might not be able to take it, because of the way Tobias fought. Ash wondered if he even knew the danger he put spectators in by bringing six legendary Pokémon to a battle.

Ash sat back down on a sofa, facing the door. He was waiting for Sam and Mellanie to return from their exercise, having done his own earlier in the day. They had taken to their training with gusto, and their friendship had helped. Watching it made him sad though. When he had started training he had a friend alongside him. A friend who he could talk to about the days training, compete against when running, even if he was outclassed. And then that friend had left. The Day of Departure always got Ash brooding, and Espeon had sat with him a lot in the two weeks since the youngsters had joined him. Since then he had barely gone to Indigo, relying on Cynthia to continue her job ensuring he wasn't tied to his work. Anything that required his intervention was not going to end well.

Ash wrenched his thoughts back to Tobias. He had to find a way to have him release his Pokémon; if he didn't then the balance would remain permanently upset. And yet, he couldn't delay Tobias' challenge till after he had to release his Pokémon. He knew that the media fallout from such a move could force him out of his role. A Pokémon Master without any public support was a fairly useless role in society. So the battle had to go ahead. And since it was a challenge match, it would be six on six. Ash suspected that he could win, but knew it wouldn't get that far. If he knocked out one legendary, and then could look after the Pokémon immediately afterwards, he knew that the fallout would be virtually non-existent. The other legendary Pokémon wouldn't get angry if a trainer tested himself against one of them, as long as the trainer ensured that the legendary Pokémon was treated for any wounds. If he knocked out two or three he could conceivably still not start a knock-on effect if he could immediately heal them. However, he knew he wouldn't be able to. Tobias wouldn't give him the chance; they would be withdrawn into their Pokéballs and another sent out. And the battle would bring legendary Pokémon to him. Which meant that he had to accept that he would be facing down every legendary Pokémon all at once.

Ash sighed, knowing that there was only one thing that he could do. Something he had prayed that wouldn't be needed, but he wasn't surprised that it was. He pushed himself off the sofa and strode out of the door. Outside, three Pokémon were stood, their eyes shut as they fought mentally. Mewtwo, fully rested and powerful had proved formidable, but under his guidance Espeon and Alakazam had rapidly grown stronger. However, what Ash wanted wasn't Mewtwo's strength, it was his status. Crucially that of him being a legendary Pokémon. Ash stopped in front of the trio of psychic Pokémon, and waited. Within a few moments Espeon's eyes snapped open and she mewed softly. Mewtwo turned to regard Ash, and Alakazam grunted before turning as well.