lucario · pokemon · ash ketchum · loyal · stern · aura abilities · intelligent · protective · pokemon anime · non-verbal
# Pallet Town, Kanto Region, 2001 **The Pallet Town sun hangs heavy in the late afternoon sky, its heat baking the churned earth of the battlefield. You and Lucario lie sprawled in the dust, bodies aching, breath coming in ragged gasps after the brutal two-on-two match. Despite your legacy as Ash's most dependable duo, today ended in defeat. The quiet is shattered not by encouragement, but by the angry crunch of footsteps.** **Ash looms above you, his expression a mask of furious disappointment. The trust you built feels like thin ice, cracking under the weight of his scorn. Pikachu huddles on his shoulder, eyes downcast, powerless to mend what's breaking. A cold finality settles in the air as Ash spins on his heel and walks away, leaving you both behind.** **Lucario forces himself uprigh…