Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon or any of it's characters they belong to Nintendo and others.

Notes: For the purpose of this story we shall assume the perpetually ageless Ash was 12 when May and Max left the show. Since Max was 7 that would make him turning ten and getting his license occur when Ash was around 15.

The Promised Match

He made sure to slip into the gym stadium seating quietly. He'd been hoping to meet up with Max at the Pokemon Center but Nurse Joy had informed him that Max and his friends had already headed to the gym. He still felt slightly guilty about not making it to Max's birthday party because of that trouble in Johto that he'd gotten roped into helping Kellyn and Solana with. He felt Pikachu shift on his shoulder to get a better look so he focused his attention on the match going on below.

He had to smile as Max's Marill had just defeated Roxanne's Geodude. He heard cheering and turned to the left to see two kids about Max's age sitting there cheering. "They must be the friends traveling with him that May told us about," he said to Pikachu who nodded enthusiastically.

Once he'd made his way over to them he leaned in and asked. "How's Max doing?" The boy turned and looked at him in surprise but the girl never took her eyes off the match. He found out why a second later when she gasped. He was surprised to see that Roxanne had sent out an Omanyte.

"She didn't use that in our battle," the girl said starting to sound slightly jealous. He glanced down guessing that she must be the one May said hadn't made up her mind yet what she wanted to do yet.

"You were using Shroomish it wouldn't have been smart to use it," the boy said turning toward her in annoyance. Ash could tell he'd completely forgotten about him and Pikachu as the two began to argue.

He decided to just let them argue and focus on the match going on he was sure Max would introduce them later. He frowned as he realized Max had been thrown by Roxanne sending out such a rare pokemon. He hoped Max wasn't going to let his confusion cost him his first gym battle. He was impressed when Max didn't and nearly won the match with his Marill before it was knocked out. He could tell based on the shape the Omanyte was in as Max sent out his Ralts that the match would be over soon. He decided to get up and wait for Max back at the Pokemon center so he wouldn't intrude on Max's excitement from his first gym win.

"Did you meet up with your friend?" Nurse Joy asked once he arrived back. He quickly filled her in on things and she nodded and went to prepare as it was a given that Max and Roxanne would both be bringing their pokemon in.

It didn't take long for the group to arrive and he wasn't surprised to see Roxanne with them. "I got the Omanyte from a group of breeders that have begun breeding revived fossil pokemon." Roxanne said obviously answering a question from one of them. "They've given several to gym leaders specializing in rock pokemon to help spread interest in the project."

"Hey it's that guy who was watching your match," the boy said seeing him as they got closer. "He left while you were being declared the winner." He could tell instantly that Roxanne and the girl recognized him but the boy still seemed clueless.

"Ash," Max said happily running forward. He wasn't surprised when Pikachu jumped down from his shoulder and ran to greet their friend and former traveling companion. "Why didn't you stay at the gym?"

"I figured it'd be best to let you celebrate your first win with your friends," he said to the younger boy quickly. "I'm sorry I didn't make it to your tenth birthday but I got held up in Johto so here's a late birthday gift." He threw Max the gift he'd bought in Sinnoh once he got the invite to Max's birthday party.

He looked up when he heard the girl screech. "What do you mean who is he?" He saw her staring at the boy they were traveling with. "You mean you don't recognize Ash Ketchum the Champion of the Silver conference in Johto." Ash felt slightly embarrassed as it was his first major Championship win from a major conference so being called a champion was still slightly new to him.

"Hey go easy on him, Marie." Max said to the girl quickly. "You know Duncan only cares about Pokemon contest." He had to smile to himself as he watched them and wished slightly that he was still traveling with others.

He noticed the girl ignored Max's comment and instead turned toward her friend and asked what he'd given him. Max quickly opened the present and thanked him way too much for the set of four evolution stones from Sinnoh. Soon they all found themselves sitting at a booth talking while Nurse Joy treated the Pokemon tired out from the gym. "And that's how May got her Evee." Max said after answering telling the story of their visit to a pokemon egg farm to his friends.

"By the way Max," He said once there was a lull in the conversation. "Is the Ralts with Nurse Joy the same one you met while we were traveling together?" The last time he'd seen May she hadn't said if Max had found that one again or not.

"No," Max said with a slight frown. "I went to the pokemon center but all the Ralts in the area were gone." He smiled again. "Since I couldn't find that Ralts dad let me borrow a pokemon and I headed into the woods and caught another one since all my planning and strategies involved having Ralts as my starter." He turned and looked back toward where Nurse Joy worked. "I wonder if someone else caught that Ralts or if the family just moved onto a new area."

"What about the two of you what were your starters?" Ash said turning to Max's two friends. He had a feeling the subject of Max's Ralts was done. He got the impression that Duncan was slightly embarrassed by his question.

Marie spoke up happily however. "We both got Torchic," she said grinning wickedly. "Duncan picked it cause he's got a major crush on Max's sister and wanted the same one she started with." After his horrified look her expression changed to pride. "I picked Torchic because fighting types are my favorite and it's the only starter that evolves into one."

"Yeah, well at least I know what I want to do with my life," Duncan said sounding slightly irritated. He had the impression they were about to start up an old argument again. He was extremely glad when Nurse Joy arrived to return Roxanne and Max's pokemon.

"Hey," Marie said speaking up suddenly. "Do you have the same team of pokemon with you that you won the silver conference with?" She was looking at him excitedly. "I'd really like to see them up close especially that Venusaur, Charizard and Blastioise?" He was about to answer when she blurted out another statement. "Of course I'd also like to see your Snorlax and Espeon since I've already met your Pikachu."

"I've only got Pikachu and Espeon with me," He said quickly before she started talking again. "The others aren't here I brought a team of mostly new pokemon so Max and I can be on mostly even footing for our first battle." He glanced at Max who smiled. "So Max shall we have the battle now or in the morning?"

"Let's go right now," Max said excitedly and rushed out toward the battle fields behind the Pokemon Center. He had expected it. He wondered how many Pokemon Max actually had as he'd only brought four inexperienced Pokemon. "Let's have a four on four battle." Max said answering his question before he could ask.

"Sure," Ash said pulling out a pokeball. "I"ll start with Smeargle." He watched as the small white pokemon with the red tipped tail appeared and promptly began to draw on the ground in the ring. Max reacted as he expected with excitement at seeing a Pokemon he had never seen before. "Max your first pokemon," he said quickly reminding his friend they were in a match.

"Oh yeah right," Max said and then throwing a pokeball. "I'll start with Wingull." He was a bit surprised that Max had two water types he'd have expected book smart Max to have a more balanced team to start with. "Wingull use Wing attack," Max called forcing his attention back on the match.

"Smeargle, use Thunderbolt." He said quickly and watched as his smeargle pointed its tail at Max's wingull and ended the match in one attack. Max looked shocked that it was over that quickly. The fact his smeargle had gone back to drawing on the ground as soon as the attack was over certainly wasn't helping.

Max recalled his wingull and then quickly sent out a whiszmur. Before he could even give his Smeargle any instructions Max yelled out. "Whismur use Uproar." Ash winced to himself as his Smeargle was hit hard by the sound attack from the small pokemon. Max pressed his advantage while he had it and called out for his Whismur to use Pound.

He couldn't let it hit his Smeargle's stamina wasn't the best. "Smeargle dodge and use Mach Punch," He called quickly. He was pleased when Max's pokemon was sent flying. "Quick while Whismur is down use Icebeam." Even as Whismur was frozen in place he could tell that Smeargle probably only had one more attack left before it'd be too tired to continue battling. "Finish it quickly with another Thunderbolt." He watched the ice shatter and Max's Whismur roll back but to his surprise it actually got back up. "Well you win this one Max," he said quickly. "Smeargle return."

As he was thanking Smeargle for a good job Max loudly asked, "Why'd you recall Smeargle you were winning?" Max looked genuinely confused as he looked at his Whismur that was wobbling slightly making it clear one or two more attacks would have let him win.

"I've only had Smeargle a couple of months and his stamina is still terrible," He said to the younger boy. "That thunderbolt was the last attack he can do for a while without passing out from exhaustion." He smiled at his younger friend. "So your Whismur is the winner." He pulled out another pokeball and hurled it. "Meowth, you're up."

Even though he was obviously surprised by his pokemon Max quickly recalled his Whismur and sent out his Marill. "Marill, use Water gun." Max called quickly. Ash called quickly for his Meowth to dodge and use Iron tail. The match between the two Pokemon lasted longer than the other two before it but his Meowth finally succeeded in defeating Max's Marill.

Of course as soon as Max recalled his Marill he sent out his Ralts which promptly defeated his Meowth using confusion. "Pretty good," He said to his friend. He decided to settle the match with another psychic type. "Abra, it's your turn."

"Ralts, use Confusion." Max called again once Ash's Pokemon had appeared. He quickly yelled for his Abra to teleport which got it out of the grip of the Ralts psychic attack. Max looked annoyed.

Ash waited and once his Abra reappeared behind Max's ralts he called quickly. "Shadow ball now," he called to his pokemon. The Attack certainly hurt Max's Ralts but didn't put it down for the count. "Follow it up with Fire punch," He called quickly and after that the match was over.

"Not bad Max," He said as they were heading inside to let Nurse Joy treat their pokemon. "We'll probably have a great match when we meet at the Evergrand Conference." He was planning to take part in the next Evergrand conference anyway and it'd be fun to see Max there.

"Yeah," Max said with a big s mile. "I'll beat you next time." He wasn't surprised that Max quickly changed the subject. "When did you catch a Meowth?" He had been expecting that question as given his history with Team Rocket a lot of folks were surprised by the Meowth the he had.

"I was trying to catch this guy," He said letting the Houndour he hadn't gotten to use in the match out of it's pokeball. "I missed and hit Meowth who was coming out of the Alley behind where I was battling Houndour. "I was surprised to see the ball actually caught him," he said smiling slightly at the memory. "I started to give him away but decided I shouldn't hold this one responsible for the crap the other Meowth helped put me through." He laughed to himself. "Once our pokemon are seen too lets get some dinner and I'll tell you about the other Pokemon I caught completely by accident."

The End...

I haven't written a Pokemon fanfic in years I just wrote this as a prelude to possibly resuming to write in the fandom.