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After arriving in this world, Luther had spent a long time debating whether he should approach Ash and his friends.
At first, he was eager to catch up with Ash and give him a proper lecture on the importance of battling with Type advantages in mind.
But the more he thought about it, the more hesitant he became. Luther was painfully aware that his arrival as an outsider had already altered the course of this world. However, because he had yet to make direct contact with Ash, those changes were still within a controllable margin.
Thanks to this, Luther could more or less anticipate the unfolding events and manage the situation using what he dubbed as his "Prophet Ability."
In the Sinnoh region's Lily of the Valley Conference, Ash's only true rival was Paul.
As for the mysterious Trainer Tobias, he was essentially a narrative device— something the writers had thrown in like a wildcard.
Luther was convinced Tobias existed solely because the show's scriptwriters wanted to stretch Ash's journey and artificially limit his success.
That's why Luther was determined to keep his influence in check until the Lily of the Valley Conference began.
With the right moves behind the scenes, he might just be able to snipe Tobias out of the competition before Ash ever faced him.
It almost felt like a personal vendetta, a wish carried by longtime fans of the series.
After all, Ash, who began his journey in Pallet Town and made his debut at the Indigo League, had come off as green and inexperienced.
No one was shocked when he fell short back then.
Misty's assessment was spot-on: early Ash mostly collected Gym Badges through pity, circumstance, or sheer luck.
Few of them were earned through true skill in battle.
But the Johto League battle against Gary Oak had given a sense of closure to those who had been following Ash from the start.
Sure, the loss to Harrison's Blaziken stung, but it wasn't without merit.
The Hoenn arc, being the second generation of the anime, didn't demand Ash's instant rise to the top.
By the end of that saga, the Hoenn League itself wasn't even the biggest highlight anymore.
The spotlight had shifted to the Battle Frontier, where each Frontier Brain challenged Ash in increasingly complex ways.
When his original starter Pokémon returned to help him defeat Brandon, the final Frontier Brain, it felt like a turning point.
For the first time, fans saw Ash as someone who had truly grown.
It's worth noting that the Battle Frontier arc introduced more strategic depth to the anime.
Brandon's battles were infamous for being grueling, with tactics like move-locking, Sandstorm setups, and Destiny Bond traps.
Ash's high-level performance there set the bar even higher for what fans expected in Sinnoh.
Now, with more refined strategies, better decision-making, and his emotional intelligence finally showing, Ash was facing off against Paul, arguably the strongest rival he'd ever had.
Everything pointed toward one outcome: Ash, standing atop the Champion's podium.
Even if Ash didn't realize it, this was the closest he had ever come to winning it all.
At least this time, his loss, if it happened, wouldn't be due to bad writing or unfair twists.
As for the Unova arc? That entire mess of a storyline and its lackluster Rivals… Luther felt it deserved to be erased from the anime altogether.
N's story in the games was masterful— rich in emotion, character growth, and moral complexity. Yet somehow, the anime completely failed to capture even a fraction of its soul.
Then came Kalos, where Charizard was arbitrarily power-boosted, and Ash-Greninja's "Battle Bond Phenomenon" Shuriken turned out to be little more than an overhyped spectacle.
It was pure bait— flashy, empty, disappointing.
The moment that episode aired, Luther joined the legions of angry fans venting their fury at the writers and even at GAME FREAK itself.
Yes, the XY series had stunning character designs, possibly the best in the franchise, and animation so polished you could see the money burning on screen.
But all that flash couldn't rescue the idiotic plotlines crafted by what Luther could only describe as brain-dead writers.
Losing was fine. Ash had lost before. But losing like that, in such a mindless, lazy fashion, was unforgivable.
Ash-Greninja, the Battle Bond-powered phenomenon painstakingly built up over dozens of episodes, had its climax shattered in the most humiliating way possible.
Luther swore he could personally tear apart every single one of the episode's writers if they dared show their faces.
Then came Alola, and crowned Ash Champion.
And that, more than anything, nearly made Luther burst out laughing in disbelief and rage.
A newly formed Pokémon League, barely out of beta testing. A tournament that felt more like a backyard tournament hosted by casual fans.
Don't even get him started on the absurd counterattacks, where a move already dealing double damage bounced back again for another round.
How did even one writer think that was okay?
Someone in the writing room needed to be dragged out and questioned.
It was like they deliberately echoed the cheap writing trick that robbed Ash of a win three years ago. Even his victory in Alola felt unearned, awkward, and juvenile.
Bravo, truly.
Visually, XY reigned supreme— top-tier presentation all the way through.
However, when it came to strategic depth and the development of rivals, it still lagged behind Diamond and Pearl.
Caught between not being the worst but far from the best, XY became the very definition of wasted potential.
Luther wanted to snap the DVD in half right then and there.
They had everything— an elite stage, top-tier story buildup, beautifully crafted characters, a thrilling climax, and passion pouring from every episode in DP and XY...
Yet the writers stubbornly refused to let Ash take the Champion title where it mattered most.
And then they dared to throw the title at him in Alola?
No buildup. No tension. No earned triumph. And somehow, that was the historic moment they chose to crown Ash as a Champion?
Did they even care about the old fans anymore?
As Luther stared out the restaurant window at Nature Park, spotting a familiar trio passing by, his conviction reignited.
Tobias, the so-called legendary Trainer, had to be eliminated.
If the writers had scripted in a deus ex machina just to block Ash's path, then Luther would become one himself and rewrite the ending.
Let's see who the real sniper is this time.
Unable to resist Mai's wish to rest, the two entered a Pokémon Center café and found a quiet corner to sit.
Three large wall-mounted TVs were replaying the recent Champion battle between Lucian and Cynthia.
Mai ordered a glass of orange soda and calmly sipped it as she watched the match footage roll by.
Luther, however, had his eyes locked on the trio just ahead.
He recognized Ash immediately— because of Pikachu.
Since arriving in this world, the shift from 2D animation to full 3D reality has always made the familiar feel slightly off. Almost like cosplay brought to life— close, but never quite right.
The stranger he bumped into that morning had given him the same feeling.
Luther's instincts kept whispering that he knew that person, deeply and personally.
But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't come up with a satisfying answer.
One thing was for sure: Ash was taller than he ever looked in the anime.
It made sense— following a standard journey timeline, Ash, who had already traveled through Johto, Kanto, the Orange Islands, and Hoenn, should be around fourteen or fifteen by now.
The red-and-black cap perched on his head, along with the iconic Pikachu at his side, made him instantly recognizable.
Brock looked noticeably older—about Luther's age—and carried himself with a maturity that matched. Despite his laid-back demeanor, his sturdy build was surprising for someone in the caregiving profession of a Pokémon Breeder.
Dawn was the smallest of the group. Although she was supposed to be the same age as Ash, she stood a bit shorter than him.
Luther's view was suddenly blocked by something round and blue.
Mai was the first to notice the little intruder in their space.
Piplup waddled right up, pointed at Luther, turned back toward Ash's trio, and chirped something loudly.
At the table, Eevee was nibbling on Pokémon food while Ralts sipped juice. Misdreavus floated nearby, all of them equally confused.
Under the table, Pachirisu, Corsola, Jumpluff, and Marill paused what they were doing, puzzled by the sudden commotion.
They could all clearly make out what Piplup had shouted: that Mai and Luther were "peeping toms."
Great. His casual glances at Ash's group had now been misinterpreted by this overzealous little penguin as something shady.
Luther had no intention of engaging Ash and the others just yet.
He was wary of triggering any butterfly effect by getting too close too soon.
"Let's go," Luther whispered, scooping up Ralts as he turned to Mai.
"Why should we?" Mai replied casually, not budging an inch.
That one sentence brought Luther crashing back to his senses.
He'd been so focused on avoiding interaction that he hadn't realized how suspicious a hasty retreat might look. Leaving now would only make things worse.
Resigned, he sat back down— just in time to see Ash and his friends walking toward their table.
"Piplup, don't go bothering people," Dawn said as she picked up the chattering Water-type from Luther's table. "I'm so sorry. This one gets a little too energetic sometimes."
"It's fine," Luther replied quickly. "We weren't really bothered."
Piplup, realizing its warning hadn't sparked the reaction it wanted, wriggled in protest, trying to get Dawn's attention.
Pikachu scratched its head awkwardly, then noticed Ralts gazing at it curiously from the table. It stepped forward, seemingly to apologize on Piplup's behalf.
In an instant, Misdreavus and Jumpluff swooped in to block Pikachu's path.
After spending so much time teasing and doting on Ralts, the two had developed a strong bond and an instinctive protectiveness.
But upon realizing that Pikachu meant no harm, both relaxed, and Misdreavus floated closer with a friendly hum. Jumpluff chirped and fluffed its cotton-like arms, starting a conversation.
By the time Ash and Dawn finished their apologies, their Pokémon were already making fast friends with Luther's team.
Luther was surprised too— Jumpluff was typically quite proud and a bit aloof.
For her to willingly approach Pikachu first... well, Pikachu really did have that veteran charm.
Originally, Luther had only wanted to clear up the misunderstanding and maintain his distance. But now that their Pokémon had connected, there was no easy way to walk away.
That was just how relationships worked in this world.
Trainer bonds often started through their Pokémon.
Luther and Mai had first met because her Eevee had wandered over during his team's morning runs.
Now, thanks to Pikachu and Jumpluff's casual interaction, he was being drawn into Ash's circle.
"I'm Ash from Pallet Town, and this is my partner, Pikachu," Ash said, stepping forward with a grin.
"I'm Dawn, and this little troublemaker is my partner, Piplup," She added, holding up the still-squirming Penguin Pokémon.
"My name's Brock. I'm traveling to become a top-tier Pokémon Breeder," Brock said warmly.
Familiar introductions.
Luther had heard them a hundred times before— just never directed at him.
"Luther, from Twinleaf Town," He responded.
"Mai. I'm from Sunnyshore City," Mai added.
They introduced themselves simply. Mai quickly cleared off part of the table to make space for the others to sit.
Luther remained quiet, still hoping to keep some emotional distance.
Mai, meanwhile, had already started chatting with Dawn about Contests, outfits, ribbons, and accessories.
Within minutes, their conversation had veered straight into personal topics.
Luther watched in mild disbelief. The speed at which girls could go from strangers to best friends was genuinely amazing.
Ash, as always, had a knack for reading the room.
Noticing Luther's silence, he spotted a conversational opening.
"This Jumpluff of yours is awesome."
"And your Misdreavus is no slouch either," Brock chimed in.
Luther couldn't stay silent after that.
Ignoring compliments about your Pokémon wasn't just rude, it could hurt your team's feelings.
"Thanks. Your Pikachu… oh, right, Pikachu is incredible too," He replied.
"You can tell it's been through a lot of battles and really cares about you."
And just like that, he'd slipped. His excitement over seeing Pikachu had cracked the barrier he was trying so hard to maintain.
By the time the words were out, he realized the truth:
Avoiding Ash and his group was going to be a lot harder than he'd thought.
(End of Chapter)