Pokemon: Radical Redux-Chapter 318: Not her again...

Ash exhaled sharply, shaking his head. Of course she was here.

Bea took a step forward, her sharp eyes locked onto him like a predator spotting its prey. "I've been itching to battle you. You beat me good over in Kanto," she continued, stretching her arms behind her head. "I've been waiting for a rematch ever since."

Misty and Yellow exchanged glances, but Brock remembered her from back in Saffron City.

"You guys know her?" Misty asked.

Brock nodded. "Yeah, remember back in Saffron when you and Yellow split off from us? We went to the Dojo, and she was there."

Bea walked up with a smile on her face. "I've been itching for any battle. I came to Johto to challenge all the Dojos before I go to Mr. Chuck's gym, but for some reason, most of them were disbanded. But now, I get to have a real battle."

Machamp looked excited as he smiled. He remembered the battle he had last time and was eager to have that kind of fight again.

But Ash punched the back of Machamp's head. "We can't. In case you haven't noticed, Machamp here is injured. His hand's messed up and still healing."

Chigusa almost fell over upon hearing that. "I lost to an injured Pokémon..." she muttered, but she was ignored by everyone for now.

Bea crossed her arms in disappointment. "Aww, shame. I trained all my Pokémon extra hard. I wanted to have that rematch. Fine, I guess I'll just wait. But that doesn't mean we can't have a rematch."

"What do you mean by that?" Ash asked with a hint of concern.

Bea looked at Kenzo. "Hey, you're the master, right? Is there a stadium, or can we just battle here?"

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Kenzo looked interested as he stroked his beard. "Well, why not? You can just battle here. Maybe seeing a good Pokémon battle will show everyone—"

"Who said anything about Pokémon?" Bea interrupted as she took off her bag and started stretching.

"Wait, if you don't mean a Pokémon battle, what do you mean...?" Misty asked with some concern.

Ash saw where this was going. "Oh, you are kidding me—" he said just as Bea suddenly rushed at him, aiming a high kick. Ash dodged back, but his hat got hit. This time, he caught it and threw it over to Yellow since she was the closest.

"Shouldn't you give me a warning about this?!" Ash said as he dodged another kick from Bea.

"Why? You knew I wanted a rematch one way or another," Bea said as she sent a backhanded punch to Ash's chest that connected.

Ash felt the pain but stayed standing. He grabbed her hand and spun around, pulling her away as he tried to counter with an open palm strike. But Bea spun her body around, slipping past the attack and breaking free from Ash's grip.

"Come on, you've gotten slower," Bea said with a smirk as she swiped her leg, tripping Ash and making him start to fall.

Ash fell but caught himself in a handstand, then sent a kick to her chest, knocking the air out of her. He flipped back onto his feet.

On the sidelines, everyone was watching. The students and Chigusa stared, mouths wide in shock, while Kenzo looked pleased with the battle.

Over with Ash's friends, Yellow looked slightly panicked watching them fight. "W-why did they just start fighting?"

"I dunno, but it's kinda entertaining to see Ash get punched," Misty said, enjoying the battle.

Brock raised an eyebrow. "You know, if Ash hears you say that, you're not going to hear the end of it. He might even get his revenge on you."

"Yeah... don't tell him I said that... please," Misty said, clasping her hands together.

Meanwhile, behind them, the battle continued. Bea rushed forward and tried to strike Ash's side again, but this time, Ash held out his hand and caught her, redirecting her momentum. As she passed him, he delivered a sharp chop to her elbow, making her stumble back.

Bea rubbed her shoulder. "That's new."

"Yeah, well, I'm not sleep-deprived this time, so it's not as easy for you," Ash said, getting back into his stance.

"Good. That's just how I like it!" Bea said as she lunged forward, aiming a punch straight at him. But it was a feint, at the last second, she spun and jabbed Ash in the ribs.

Ash took the hit and countered with a punch, but she dodged the first strike and sent two quick jabs back at him. Ash blocked them, then tried to sweep her legs again, but she was ready this time. She jumped over his leg and lunged forward, aiming a knee strike.

Ash blocked it and took a step back before spinning around, attempting to elbow her in the back. Bea ducked and grabbed his arm, spinning her body to flip him over her shoulder.

Ash was thrown, but as he hit the ground, he landed on his feet and caught himself. Using the momentum, he spun and tried to send Bea flying instead.

Bea was launched into the air, but she twisted her body mid-air, adjusting herself. Before she hit the ground, she wrapped her legs around Ash's head and used the momentum to spin him down into a grapple.

But Ash steadied his stance, forcing himself to stay standing. He grabbed Bea, who was still trying to bring him down. "Sorry, but you're way too light to grapple me."

Ash wound up his fist, and Bea twisted her body. As Ash punched downward, Bea kicked upward.

Everyone watching held their breath. Yellow covered her eyes, not wanting to see anyone get hurt. But the sound of flesh hitting flesh never came.

Ash and Bea had both stopped their attacks just an inch from each other's faces. They exhaled at the same time.

"You wanna call this one a draw?" Ash asked.

"Alright, fine by me," Bea said, still wrapping her legs around Ash, one foot almost kicking his face.

Ash grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up like a child, setting her down. "You really don't hold back."

"Why would I? It's no fun if you do," Bea said, laughing as she dusted off her uniform. "Too bad we can't have a Pokémon battle, with your Machamp injured."

"Yeah, he's not too happy about it either," Ash said, glancing back at Machamp, who sat with his arms crossed, looking grumpy.

Everyone else just stood there in bewilderment, watching how they had been fighting so fiercely just moments ago and were now chatting like old friends, except for Kenzo and Brock, who seemed unfazed.

Just as Ash was about to say something, the doors to the dojo swung open. A cocky-looking guy strolled in with a smug expression.

"Hello, is anyone here? I'd like to battle," he announced.

"My name is Shiro, and I'm here to challenge the Shihan and take over this dojo," he added, scanning the room before locking eyes with Kenzo.

Kenzo narrowed his gaze. "Who are you?" he mumbled.

Chigusa quickly stepped in front of her grandfather, pointing an accusatory finger at Shiro. "Hey, I know you! You're the one they call the 'Dojo Destroyer'! You challenge dojos, and when you win, you take their plaques and force them to close down!"

Shiro smirked. "Yeah, that's me. So what? I take the plaques because one day, I'm going to open my own dojo. And I'll know I'm the best once I get rid of all the competition. Earning the respect of my future students won't hurt either."

Bea's eye twitched in annoyance. "So... you're the one who made all the other dojos close down..."

"Yeah, that was me. So what? It's their fault for being weak. And now I'm here for this one. So come on, are you going to battle me or what, old man?"

Kenzo nodded. "I see. If the other dojos accepted, then we will accept as well. However, I am past my prime, so you will battle my successor instead." He placed a firm hand on Ash's shoulder, surprising him once again.

"I never agreed to inherit anything," Ash protested, but he was ignored.

Chigusa immediately stepped in front of Kenzo. "Grandfather, you can't be serious! You can't have an outsider be the successor! You said it yourself, this dojo will stay in our family!"

Kenzo nodded, recalling his own words. "Yes, you are right. I did say that."

Chigusa's eyes lit up. "Then in that case, I'll—"

But she was cut off.

"Then Ash, I would like you to marry my granddaughter!" Kenzo declared with full confidence.

The reaction was instant and explosive. Chigusa turned bright red.

"GRANDFATHER!" she shrieked, unsure if she was more angry or embarrassed, probably both.

"Yeah, Ash can't get married," Yellow managed to stammer out. "U-um, b-because he wants to be a Pokémon Master... right?"

"Yeah, sorry, I don't want to be the Shihan, and I especially don't want to get married. I'm eleven. Pretty sure that's not even legal," Ash said, finally pulling Kenzo's hand off his shoulder.

"It was fine in the Rengoku era," Kenzo mused.

That made everyone collectively think: How old are you?

Shiro, feeling completely ignored, shook his head in frustration. "I don't care who I have to fight. I'm just here to win. So choose someone already!"

Bea cracked her knuckles. "Mind if I take this guy down? I want payback for him shutting down all the dojos."

No one had any objections, except for Machamp.

The Fighting-type got up and pushed both Ash and Bea aside, stepping forward with a determined expression.

"Champ! [I will deal with this. And you better not say no. I'm itching for a fight,]" Machamp declared as he squared off against Shiro.

Ash and Bea exchanged glances before shrugging.

"Fine, just don't push yourself too hard," Ash said. "And you better not use that hand."

Shiro laughed. "An injured Pokémon? How pathetic. Not like I care. Hitmonlee, take care of this quick!" he said, tossing out a Pokéball.

Hitmonlee emerged, bouncing lightly on its feet, ready for battle.

Before the fight started, Ash glanced at Machamp. "And one more thing," he said, his voice dropping ominously. "Don't kill him. Use 50%. Not a drop more."

Machamp nodded, turning his gaze toward Hitmonlee.

Shiro pointed at Machamp. "End this fast! High Jump Kick!"

Hitmonlee leaped high into the air, aiming a powerful kick straight at Machamp. The attack connected, only for Machamp to stand there completely unfazed, looking down at Hitmonlee's foot as if it were an inconvenience.

"Ma-champ... [Really?]"

Hitmonlee gulped. "...Lee—[Dang, he's really about to rock my sh—]"

Before he could finish his thought, Machamp casually swung his fist downward. One punch. That was all it took. Hitmonlee's head was driven into the dirt, burying him like an ostrich.

Machamp sighed, shaking his head. "Machamp... [Weaklings, I swear.]"

Silence.

Everyone stood in stunned disbelief. The match wasn't just over in one move, it wasn't even a move. Machamp had punched him, and that was it.

Bea let out a low whistle. "Very nice. Makes me itch for that battle. If that's Machamp when he's injured, I can't wait to see him at 100%."

Shiro's face turned red with frustration as he yanked Hitmonlee out of the dirt. He pointed an accusing finger at Ash. "That's not fair! I demand a rematch!"

Ash glanced at Bea, who grinned. "Okay, I'll give you that rematch."

Shiro smirked, thinking this was his chance to turn things around. He recalled Hitmonlee and reached for another Pokéball, only for Bea to suddenly leap forward and plant a flying kick right into his face.

"I never said Pokémon battle, did I?!" she shouted.

As Bea proceeded to beat Shiro into the ground, Ash turned to the others. "So, like I said before, I'm not going to be the Shihan."

Kenzo sighed, clearly disappointed, "I see... very well. I suppose I can't force you." as they all pretended like one person wasn't getting punched in the backround

He then shifted his gaze to Chigusa, who was still standing there, processing everything that had just happened.

"Chigusa, did you see it? The difference between you and Ash?" Kenzo asked.

Chigusa frowned, thinking hard. "Is it the trust he puts in his Pokémon?" she guessed, expecting another lecture about bonds.

Kenzo shook his head. "No. You may have a rough way of battling, but I can't deny the strong bond you have with your Pokémon. That's not the difference I'm talking about."

Chigusa tilted her head. "Then... what is it?"

Kenzo stroked his beard. "He doesn't try to be flashy. His Machamp, and even Ash himself, they fight for efficiency. It may not always look pretty, but the simplest approach is often the most effective."

Chigusa looked down at her Pokéball, where her Hitmontop was resting. "I... I think I get it."

Kenzo nodded in approval. Then, as if deciding something on the spot, he turned back to her.

"By the way, Ash," he said, "you mentioned battling Muramasa's son, correct?"

"Yeah. I beat him, and after that, he decided to try for the League," Ash confirmed.

Kenzo nodded again, then turned to Chigusa, "I want you to participate in this year's League."

"Wha—!" Chigusa gasped. "B-but, Grandfather, I-I don't know if I can..."

Kenzo gave a small nod. "You won't know unless you try. Besides, I'm not telling you to win, I want you to take what you've learned, improve, and grow stronger. When you return, I will gladly pass the Dojo down to you."

"I... Grandfather..." Chigusa clenched her fists, determination slowly replacing her uncertainty. "I-I won't let you down! I'll get as far as I can, I promise I won't let you down!"

Kenzo smiled approvingly. "Good, good. Just one thing." He suddenly pulled her closer, his voice lowering. "If you see Muramasa's brat, don't lose."

Chigusa shivered slightly at his sudden change in demeanor. "I-I'll do my best..." she stammered.

At that moment, Bea returned, dusting her hands off. "Whew, that was refreshing! What'd I miss?"

"Long story short, Chigusa's going to participate in the League," Misty said casually.

"We're happy for you," Brock added, giving Chigusa a thumbs-up. "I'm sure you'll make your grandfather proud."

"Hehe... thanks," Chigusa said sheepishly.

Ash smirked and leaned in slightly. "Well, I guess that makes us rivals now, since I'm going to the League too. I expect to see you there."

Chigusa's face turned slightly red. "R-right!" she stammered before quickly turning on her heel. "I-I should go pack up! Goodbye!" she called as she rushed back into the Dojo.

Bea watched her retreating form and then finally turned back to Ash. "Well, if I can't battle you right now and this Dojo isn't much of a challenge for me anymore, I guess I'll be heading out too. I think I'll head to Chuck's Gym next. But don't think this is over, next time, we will have our rematch."

Ash grinned, extending a hand. "I look forward to it, Bea. Next time, we'll settle this for real."

Bea took his hand and shook it firmly. "Till next time."

-----

Omake story - Ash was born...or was he?

You remember when Ash was born, but you know it from Ash's point of view. However, what happened in the minutes between remains a mystery.

Delia was rushed into the emergency room. Not even twenty minutes earlier, she had been tending to her restaurant when, suddenly, her water broke. She was immediately taken to Pallet Town's hospital.

She was breathing heavily, but right now, she was happy. Her baby was about to be born, and she couldn't wait to spoil him rotten every single day.

Everything was proceeding as normal. Delia was settled on the hospital bed, and the doctor performed one final scan before beginning the procedure, just routine steps. No one expected anything to go wrong.

As the doctor explained what was about to happen, reassuring her that the pain would only last for a moment, a nurse monitoring the ultrasound and the baby's heartbeat, then her face suddenly went pale.

She gasped, her eyes wide in horror. Then, she bolted into the room, interrupting the doctor mid-sentence as she screamed, "The baby isn't breathing!"

Delia felt her heart stop. She turned to the doctor, who now stared at the nurse with equal shock.

"What does she mean? What's happening to my baby?!" Delia cried, panic rising in her chest.

"Ms. Ketchum, breathe. Please don't panic, panicking will only make things worse," the doctor said, though his own hands trembled as he frantically scanned the medical reports. "Are you absolutely sure that's what you saw?"

"Yes! The baby isn't breathing, and there's no heartbeat!" the nurse exclaimed, her voice shaking.

Delia tried to stay calm, but the words echoed in her mind like a nightmare. 'No. No, no, no! This can't be happening!' Her breath quickened, her vision blurred with tears, and she began hyperventilating.

"We have to take the baby out now!" the doctor ordered, calling for additional staff. "Prepare for an emergency delivery!"

Nurses rushed to Delia's side, attempting to soothe her. "Ms. Ketchum, please, we're doing everything we can," one nurse reassured her, though deep down, she wished she could promise that the baby would be okay, but she couldn't

"We're going to put you under anesthesia. We can't risk your stress harming the baby. Don't worry, we'll do everything in our power," another nurse added as they brought over the mask.

"O-Okay... okay," Delia stammered, her chest rising and falling erratically. She let them place the mask over her face and inhaled deeply. A wave of calmness washed over her, though her heart still pounded in terror.

As the anesthesia took effect, she could only hear muffled voices, doctors and nurses working frantically around her. 'Please, Mew... please, let my baby live', she prayed before everything faded into darkness.

The doctors worked swiftly, managing to deliver baby Ash. But there was no time for celebration.

He wasn't breathing.

They quickly cleaned him up and rushed him to the nursery, desperately working to revive him.

They placed him in the machine and manually assisted his breathing while the scanner searched for answers. But even the machine couldn't detect what was wrong.

The doctors and nurses used every trick in the book to bring the baby back, unaware that no matter what they did...

It wouldn't be enough.

Meanwhile, outside, Mew was watching curiously. It could see the doctors frantically working to revive the baby, but Mew knew it was useless. The child wasn't breathing, not because its body had failed, but because it didn't have a soul.

Well... actually, that wasn't entirely true. It had a soul, but it was shattered.

Mew tilted its head in curiosity. Humans were such strange creatures. They could ignore the deaths of hundreds in war, yet they would mourn a single life like it meant everything. Why did they fight so hard to save this child? None of them had even had time to form an attachment, they could just make another, that is what happens in nature.

And yet... Mew felt a twinge of something, sympathy, perhaps? After all, the baby had done nothing wrong. But a shattered soul was beyond Mew's abilities. Matters of the soul were simply not within its domain.

It was about to leave, maybe even offer some small condolences, when something caught its attention.

From the sky, another soul was descending.

This was unusual. It wasn't Arceus' doing, yet Mew could feel that whatever force was guiding this soul rivaled Arceus's true form in power. That alone was enough to intrigue it.

Then, to Mew's utter surprise, the being guiding the soul placed it into the lifeless body of the newborn. And just as mysteriously as it arrived, it vanished.

Mew blinked.

Then, with newfound interest, it turned its attention back to the baby.

Inside the hospital, the doctors were slowly coming to terms with the inevitable. Their efforts had failed.

A nurse sobbed softly, whispering apologies to the unmoving child.

The head doctor sighed, lowering his gaze. "Time of d—" But before he could finish...

A small cough broke the silence.

Every head in the room snapped toward the baby.

His tiny chest rose. His lips parted as he let out another weak cough, his little eyes still closed, but, he was breathing.

The nurse gasped, covering her mouth as tears streamed down her face. It was a miracle. The baby had come back to life.

The doctors exchanged bewildered glances before sighing in collective relief.

The nurse gently picked the newborn up, cradling him carefully. "I'll take him to Delia. She deserves to know."

Under normal circumstances, the doctors would insist on running tests immediately, to understand how this was possible, to ensure it wouldn't happen again.

But right now? Right now, after all that stress, they just needed a moment to breathe. The tests could wait.

Delia was just beginning to stir as the anesthesia wore off when the nurse entered the room, carrying the newborn in her arms.

With a warm smile, she carefully placed the baby into Delia's waiting arms. "Congratulations, Ms. Ketchum. He's a healthy baby boy."

Delia's breath hitched as she held her child close to her chest. Tears welled in her eyes as she whispered, "He's alive... thank you. Thank you so much."

The nurse nodded, her own smile filled with relief. "So, have you thought of a name?"

Delia looked down at the tiny life in her arms, his face peaceful, his breathing steady.

Then, softly, she said, "I'll call him Ash. Ash Ketchum."

The nurse chuckled. "Ash. That's a good name." She gazed at the baby, who was making quiet little noises but not crying. "He looks strong already. He isn't even crying."

Delia frowned slightly. "Is that... normal? Is he really okay?"

The nurse reassured her with a gentle pat on the shoulder. "Oh, he's fine. Usually, if a baby doesn't cry, it's because they can't breathe. But he's breathing just fine now."

Delia sighed in relief, cradling Ash a little closer. Whatever had happened, whatever miracle had taken place, it didn't matter anymore.

Her son was alive.

And that was all that mattered.

Mew was looking from outside, and a little smile came onto its face, 'How interesting' it thought, but there was one last question...why was the baby's soul shattered?