After capturing Pikachu, Ash has been training it as soon as possible in order to compete with Calem's. However, Ash faces several more problems.

Ash POV

"CCHHUU!" the mouse Pokemon zaps Ash in the middle of their training.

"I ASK YOU TO ATTACK THAT ROCK IN FRONT, INSTEAD YOU ATTACK ME!" I scream in front of Pikachu.

"Pika!" it says as it turns his back to me.

This has been happening in training, not listening to my commands. And even if it did, it will miss its target. This is hopeless and the battle is just two days away. I am doomed. I should have listened to Calem's advice.

I stop the training and sit down on the nearby bench. Pikachu looks curiously at me, then pounces onto me. It cries, "Pika?"

I say to it, "At this rate, we will not be able to defeat Calem. His Pokemon is too strong!" as I stroke its smooth yellow fur.

"Pika, Pi!" the mouse Pokemon cries again but this time it is pointing to someone, someone walking towards us. Somehow or rather, it recognises that person and jumps from my lap and runs towards it. All I could mouth is "Be careful!"

Unexpectedly, it jumps onto the shoulder of that person. It looks real happy on him. To my surprise, this person turns out to be Serena. She too strokes its fur. "CCAAA" is the reply.

Pikachu must have recognised Serena from the summer camp, that's why it is not afraid of her. And during that times, we really had great fun!

She slowly walks towards me. I have to avoid any eye contact since I have been ignoring her for the past few days. She notices and lifts my chin up to establish an eye contact.

She says, "This isnt the Ash I know."

"You dont understand," I reply and once again breaking the eye contact as I turn around.

She says, this time louder, "The Ash I know... Never give up until the very end. And I know you are somewhere deep inside there."

"Why do you even care?" I ask her back, still back facing her.

"Because I love you Ash, and you too cannot escape the feeling towards me."

Her words stung me.

She pauses for a moment for me to digest and swiftly moves in front of me. She touches both my shoulders with her hands and continues, "If you really want to win, beat Calem for me, and for yourself!"

Her convincing words reverberates, echoes and replays in my mind, not just once, but several times. Beat Calem for me and for yourself. I love you Ash and you too cannot escape...

"Pika, Pi!" my Pokemon says in agreement as if it understands whatever Serena said, or perhaps it did.

"Okay, Pikachu lets give our hundred and one percent for tomorrow training!" I say excitedly as I punch my left fist up in the air

"PIKA!" it screams as it jumps up high in the air, as high as my fist height.

As usual, Pikachu refuses to return into the Pokeball so I have to let it rest on my shoulder.

As I am about to thank Serena for the encouragement, I see her smile. Although it isn't the widest one she ever gives me, it is sufficient enough to make me smile back at her.

She asks, "What are you smiling at?"

"At your smile, haha."

After the three of us finish laughing, we head home to rest.

Hours before the match

After spending the whole of yesterday practising with Pikachu's moves, I feel much more confident but fear only one thing...

Since I am in school, I have to keep Pikachu away from the rest, so I keep him in a black bag and I will tell people that it is my training gear.

"Ash, how's your training? I heard you caught yourself a Pikachu huh." Calem comes around a corner and speaks to me.

"None of your business," I reply.

"Well, I can tell you now that you dont even stand a chance to win me." he says, using that same boastful attitude.

"Why?" I curiously ask.

"Because I have a Raichu and if you dont know, it is the evolved form of Pikachu so its stats are definitely way better than your weak Pikachu." he says in that usual cocky tone.

"So what?" I reply, trying to scare him.

However, he did not succumb to it. Instead, he says, "We will see in the battlefield later today." as he walks off to his classroom for our morning lessons.

Time fly passes very quickly especially when you are expecting something to come sooner. The sooner I defeat Calem, the faster I can shut his dirty mouth.

Right after school ends, Serena and I leave for Old Pokeford Stadium together as she leads the way. Upon arrival, a blue car zooms past us. I can only catch the glimpse of it. It has a total of four tail circular lights, the sides are larger than the insides ones. In addition, its bonnet is the largest I have ever seen. Serena says, "That is Calem's"

"Oh," I say monotonously as Calem alights from the car. We trade eye contact as we enter the stadium. He even hand-gestures me a "One" which I understand as Room 1.

Upon entering Room 1, there are three signs leading to the respective doors, one of which is the audience and the other two are Ash and Calem in digital format.

"Seems like this is where we split up," I say

"Ash, give it all you got, dont give up till the very end," Serena says.

As I brighten up upon hearing my own quote, Serena even leans forward and plants a quick kiss on my lips. "Believe in yourself!" she says.

"I will!" I reply as I enter my door.

What lies ahead of me is a flight of staircases, waiting for me to climb. I slowly clear my thoughts as I make my way up every step, higher and higher. As I complete the stairs, a bright spotlight shines upon me. Initially, I had to use my hand to shield myself from the intense light but slowly my eyes adjust to the surroundings.

Cheers can be heard from the audience sitting at the seats near the battlefield in front of me. All my friends, Gary, Kenny, Paul, Clemont, Drew, May, Misty, Dawn and Serena are all there. Directly opposite me lies Calem, standing there.

"So Ash, you have come to experience your first defeat?" Calem asks me sarcastically.

"We will see about that!" I reply confidently as I drop my black bag down.

"Dad lets start!" Calem requests to the person standing mid-way on the battlefield.

"Ok," he replies.

"This will be a one-on-one Pokemon Battle between Calem and Ash. Both participants are only allowed the use of only one Pokemon and whichever Pokemon faints first, will lose. Now, please show your Pokemon!"

"Raichu, I need your assistance!" Calem says first as he throws his Pokeball high up in the air.

"Rai, Rai!" it says. The dark orange rodent Pokemon appears out of the Pokeball. It is much fatter, bigger, and bulkier than my own. Its tail is also much longer than Pikachu's.

I bend down to unzip the black bag I brought in. I whisper, "Pikachu,"

It quickly climbs up my left hand and then to my right shoulder. I shout, "Time to show him what we are made up, let's go Pikachu!"

"Pika, Pi!" it says as it jumps off my shoulder excitedly. However, it is short-lived. When Pikachu finally notices its opponent, the evolved form of itself, its ears start to twitch...

Will Pikachu be able to overcome its fears and defeat Raichu?

Will Ash be able to motivate and support Pikachu to win?

Who will Serena support?

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A/N

Hope you like this short but fast chapter. Who will you expect to win? Calem? Or Ash? Why not let me ask another question, Which Pokemon do you like more? Pikachu? Or Raichu?

That's all from me. As usual, see you in the comments section below if you have any opinions on this chapter. See ya!