1. Ash's Story (Part 7: Kalos)

Chapter 77: Two Journeys

We met Sawyer again on the road after leaving Couriway Town, and the first thing I noticed was how much more confident he looked. He still had his notebook tucked close, but he no longer seemed like someone chasing every answer from behind. His eyes went straight to Greninja, then to me, and I could tell he had been waiting for this rematch.

"Sawyer, you look ready," I said.

"I have been training hard," Sawyer said. "Sceptile and I want to battle you and Greninja again."

Greninja stood beside me, arms folded and eyes calm. Since the dance party, Sylveon had stayed close to Serena, still learning how to carry her new ribbons without tangling herself. Squishy rested in Bonnie's pouch, but the little Core opened its eye as soon as Sawyer mentioned a battle. Even Zygarde seemed to know this fight would not be ordinary.

Serena stepped beside me. "Are you sure, Ash? Greninja is still figuring out that form."

"That is why we need to battle," I said. "We cannot understand it by avoiding it."

Greninja's steady feeling reached me clearly. "We move forward by testing the bond, not fearing it."

Sawyer smiled at that confidence, even though he could not hear the exact meaning. "Then let us give it everything."

We found a wide stretch near the route where the ground was solid and the trees gave enough space for a serious fight. Clemont offered to referee, while Bonnie sat near Serena with Dedenne and Squishy. Elline and David watched from the side, and I noticed both of them studying Greninja more carefully than usual. Everyone had seen the strange transformation now, but none of us understood why Serena could feel it with me.

Sawyer had not arrived alone in spirit, even if he stood with only his own team on the field. Every movement he made showed the battles he had already fought since we last met. He checked wind direction before choosing his first Pokémon, watched Greninja's feet instead of only his hands, and even moved his notebook aside before the first command so it would not slow his reaction time. That small choice made me smile because it proved he was not only copying lessons anymore. He was using them.

"Before Sceptile, I want to test the whole battle flow," Sawyer said. "A three-on-three battle, if that is okay."

"That sounds good to me," I said.

Clemont raised one hand. "Then I will referee carefully. Each side may use three Pokémon."

Sawyer sent out Shelgon first, and I answered with Pikachu. The heavy Dragon-type had grown from the Bagon I remembered, and its defensive shell let it endure Thunderbolt better than Sawyer's old team would have. Pikachu moved around it with Quick Attack, testing the angles, while Shelgon answered with powerful charges that shook dust from the ground. Sawyer did not win that round, but he forced Pikachu to work hard enough that I knew the rest of the match would not be simple.

His second Pokémon was Honedge, newly caught and still learning Sawyer's rhythm. I called Zoroark because I wanted to test illusions against swordlike movements. Honedge cut through two false images before it found the real Zoroark, and Sawyer's eyes lit up each time he recognized the pattern. In the end, Zoroark's experience carried the round, but Sawyer took notes the moment Honedge returned, already turning the loss into training.

By the time Sceptile stepped forward, the field felt charged with everything Sawyer had learned from the earlier rounds. He was not throwing Sceptile into the battle just because it was his strongest partner. He had used Shelgon and Honedge to study our timing, and that made the final matchup feel sharper before the first move was called.

"Sceptile, use Leaf Blade," Sawyer called.

"Greninja, use Aerial Ace," I answered.

The two Pokémon crossed the field in a blur of green and black. Sceptile's blade struck like a sharp branch in a storm, but Greninja twisted around it and slashed back with clean speed. Sceptile planted its tail against the ground and used the recoil to launch forward again. Sawyer had trained him to use every angle, and I could feel Greninja respecting the challenge.