Destiny Rebirth

Battle or Forfeit?!

Part 1 of Ash and Bonnie's Battle! Enjoy!

Ash walked through the hallways of the stadium while hearing the screams and applause of the crowd above, taking in the first match of the day. He smiled as he began to feel excitement race through his veins. He turned a corner before he noticed someone in the shadows. He kept his head down and continued his walk. The figure followed him. Ash stopped, in front of his locker room door, "Can I help you?" He turned to the figure to see Sabrina.

She kept her icy gaze on Ash. "Yes, I believe you can, Aaron. May I come in?" Sabrina motioned to the locker room door.

"If you must," Ash said slowly while opening the door to let them in the room. The four figures walked into the room. Ash, Pikachu, and Lucario sat on the bench, while Sabrina stood, on the opposite side of the room, silently gazing at the trio. "So you're in here, what do you want?"

"I just wanted to ask you a few questions," she said slowly.

"Go on."

"What is your relationship with Sakaki?" she asked trying to gauge the reaction that his body would express, as opposed to the answer he gave.

He sat there in silence, as he began to choose his words carefully. "I met him a few days before the tournament began," he said as he continued to keep his gaze while remaining as calm as he possibly could. He knew the power that Sabrina possessed and worked to keep his emotions and thoughts in check. "He's a very powerful trainer, evident by his advancement in this tournament, but I cannot say I know him personally."

"You are a very bad liar, Aaron," she responded with a glare. "According to your response to Trevor's question, a few days ago, you stated that you and Sakai had a history together."

"And you're snooping into affairs that don't concern you," Ash responded with an annoyed tone in his voice.

"You're in my city! Whatever affair that you may have with Sakai, makes it my affair as well," she said matching the intensity in Ash's voice. "You're both very powerful, and yet, you and Sakai haven't flashed all of your potentials. I'm warning you! If you intended to cause trouble, you will be stopped!"

"Now I know you are the one that is lying," Ash responded with a smirk on his face, under his mask. "I know you can tell what people think and I figure you have tried to dig into my subconscious. Since you are here, I'm guessing you haven't found what you're searching for, but I know you don't see me as a threat. I can see it in your eyes. Whether or not you express that icy stare towards me, your eyes betray your actual thoughts of me."

Sabrina stiffened at his words. No person, aside from Lance, had stood against her like that before. She now senses the confidence that Aaron's expression, along with a fiery passion. Again, her mind raced through her past, to locate who this spirit had belonged to.

She gave a weak smile, before continuing. "You speak the truth, Mr. Tajiri. You're no threat. I cannot find what I am looking for here, but I did find enough to know that you're here for only pure reasons. I want to know one more thing," she said. Ash gave her a confused look while asking her to continue. "Why are you so interested in Serena?"

Ash was grateful that he had the mask on so that it would cover his blush. He cleared his throat, before responding.

"What I do, in my personal life, is none of your concern. Now, if you will please excuse me, I need to find my way to my platform," he said as he stood up and exited his locker room, with Sabrina following.

Sabrina watched the mysterious trainer walk down the hall. Well, I got more out of him than I did with Sakaki. It's obvious that Sakaki is the one Lance needs to focus more on; although, it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on Aaron as well. Whatever is going to happen here, those two will be at the center of it.