How's it going. Well, this is my first story, and it's just going to be a one-shot. I originally planned to make this into a multi-chapter story, but after thinking about it and attempting to plan the whole thing from start to finish, it just wasn't going to work out. So, I decided to put it into a much shorter work instead.

One change I have made compared to the games (this story is based in Kalos) is that you can only start your Pokemon journey when you are 18, rather than when you are 10.

This fic is based off of Kalos as it appears in the anime. Because of this, there will be a conference tournament (because the anime hasn't gotten this far yet, I'm basing it off of how the previous tournaments in the anime went, specifically the Lily of the Valley Conference). There are a total of 64 competitors: the only difference is that all matches are 6v6, rather than 3v3 until the Top 8 battles. Some elements from the games will also be present, however.

This story will be in first-person from my OC, Vince's, point of view.

And just in case anyone was wondering, this is not a personal memoir or anything like that, this is a completely fictional story I came up with almost off the top of my head. None of the characters or events hold any special significance to anything or anyone in real life.

So, with all that out of the way, on with the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. Never have, never will.

A Genuine Underdog

I remember when we all used to be friends.

It wasn't that long ago, really. 5 years isn't that long when you look at the big picture. But when you have to live through it, rather than, I don't know, reading a story, it seems like it can last much longer, almost like it'll never end.

That's basically what the last 5 years of my life have felt like. A never ending struggle. Just one challenge to do after another, another seemingly impossible task thrown in my face.

Before we get to that, let's backtrack a little bit.

When I was just a wee 5 year old, everything in my life seemed perfect. My mother loved me very much, and I loved her just the same, if not more. My father never seemed to be around, but every time I would ask about it, my mother would brush it off, saying he was "busy", or "away for a while". I never bothered to question it any more after that reply; after all, it was coming from my mother, so it was sound logic.

I also had two great friends. Their names were Bryan and Allison. We were in an inseparable group; as close as the closest of siblings, really (we obviously weren't siblings, but I'm sure we wished we were back then).

We would do everything together. Talk, watch TV, play, EVERYTHING. It seemed like it would never end, like we would never encounter a hitch in our beautiful friendship.

That would all change.

While this wasn't a big deal to us when we were children, Bryan had very wealthy and influential parents. His father was a former Pokemon Champion, and here in the Kalos region, that's a pretty big deal. Not only that, but he had defended his title for almost 10 years, a nearly impossible feat in today's league. If that wasn't enough, his mother was also a world famous Performer, dazzling the audiences in her day with sheer displays of beauty and wonderful performances, making all of her events must see entertainment, with tickets being sold out in minutes and screaming, adoring crowds at every corner.

Naturally, they were a perfect fit.

Like I stated earlier, however, none of this had really affected us yet. So Bryan had famous parents. So what? All that mattered was that we were all friends.

Were.

When we just turned 13 (we were all the same age), things began to change a little bit. Bryan had begun acting... different. Sure, we had all grown up considerably by this point, we had all matured, but he was acting especially strange. We were never invited to his house anymore. We would only see him a couple of times a month: for the most part, it was mostly just me and Allison hanging out (we didn't call it playing anymore, too childish). Even when he was with us, he would never say anything. He'd just hang around and go with the flow. If we ever asked him if he was paying attention or if he was listening, he would always reply with the same answer: "Yeah". We knew he was lying.

It wasn't until we were 14, however, that things really took a tumble off a cliff.

You see, Vaniville Town, with permission from the league, opened up a trainers' school, one in which aspiring Pokemon trainers could go and learn, and even gain some experience in mock battles, before beginning their journeys when they turned 18.

Naturally, any kid in town my age, as well as any kid aged 10-17, was eager to sign up.

We were split into groups based on our age. Because me, Bryan, and Allison were all 14, we were placed in the same age group. Once we were divided, they began to explain how things would work. The school would last 20 weeks, you'll learn this and that about battling, blah blah blah. But once our studies got underway, things became harder than we expected. Strategy, type matchups, statistics, probability, etc. made battling much more complicated then we all envisioned.

By the end of the first week, half the kids, including Allison, dropped out.

I stayed put. There was no way I was going to pass this opportunity up, no matter how difficult it got. I was going to learn. I was going to be the BEST. That was my dream. I never really told anyone, but that had been my dream since I was a little kid, since I was that carefree 5 year old.

Unfortunately, this vision began to seem like a foolish endeavor. Why? Because of Bryan, that's why. He was flat out better than I was, and the teacher's didn't hesitate to let us know. Maybe it's because we're both competitive, but our animosity grew. I could tell we both wanted to surpass the other, and it completely drove what little friendship we had remaining away. By the second week, we had ceased to speak entirely. By the third, he had joined another clique, a circle of kids similar to himself, with influential parents and more money.

By the fourth week, we had an argument.

You could probably say it was my fault. I had gotten up to grab something for lunch. When I returned, Bryan was in my seat, with his stupid friends all around him. Normally, this isn't a big deal at all. I mean, come on, there are plenty of seats in a lunchroom.

But for some inexplicable reason, I felt another emotion... greed. Or was it pride? Either way, I felt like I owned that seat. That seat was my property. He had stolen my property.

When I walked up to him and calmly stated that it was my seat, however, I got the opposite reaction to what I was expecting. Rather than conceding and giving up my seat, he got angry, loudly proclaiming that I was just "jealous" and that he didn't have to get up for anyone, least of all me.

Well, give him credit. He was probably right regarding the jealously thing.

Still, this little incident brought my blood to a boil, and basically summed up what our relationship was becoming by that point. We clearly had some form of dislike towards each other before that, but this was the first time it had exploded into open conflict.

Thankfully, only one thing stopped me from almost snapping entirely. It was around this time that I started going out with Allison.

After describing what happened with Bryan that day after school, she sympathized with my cause. She clearly went out of her way to try to make me feel better. I was floored by her kindness.

The truth was, I had had a crush on her for a few years now, but I never wanted to ask, I was worried it would ruin our friendship. As we'll learn later, I was right.

But at that moment, the only thing I could think of was now or never. It was then when I asked her if she wanted to go out.

She said yes.

After that, things began to get a little better. I started doing better in the school. Me and Bryan still disliked each other, but we, for the most part, kept away from each other.

While all of this was going on, however, I really didn't pay attention to just how well HE was doing.

Sure, I still wanted to be the best. But Bryan WAS the best. He had the highest marks, the highest potential rating of all the students (not just those in our age group, but everyone), the best strategies (which I'm certain his father came up with, rather than himself), etc. I couldn't help but think to myself that he basically just didn't pay attention. I'm sure his dad was teaching him a hell of a lot better than the teachers at the school were.

On the 20th week, the time came.

At the end of year assembly, Professor Sycamore, the renowned professor, stationed right here in Kalos, was on hand, delivering the final speech of the assembly. The whole thing was overblown, really. Obnoxious music, an awards ceremony (of which almost everything was won by Bryan), "famous guest speakers" (except for Professor Sycamore, as he actually was famous), etc.

At the end, we were all congratulated for our hard work, even though not everyone necessarily worked hard. And that was that.

It was also around this time that what I considered the unthinkable happened.

Me and Allison had been dating for almost 6 months by this point. One day, however, she pulled me aside. When I asked what was up, she confessed:

"I don't think this is gonna work."

I almost refused to believe it at first. I had done so much to make this relationship as good as it could be. I wasn't perfect or anything, but I didn't think I was doing anything WRONG.

I didn't understand. I had poured everything into our relationship. I had done everything to make her happy. I had poured my heart and soul into making this work. And now she was just backing out? Without a good explanation?

Ah, but of course. When I pressed for more information, I was just met with excuses. She was hiding something, I could tell. Either way, she cut the conversation short and walked out the door.

And with that, all of my previous happy-go-lucky self, which already had taken a back seat to my increasingly quiet and anti-social self, walked out as well.

It would only get worse. About a year and a half afterwards, I was almost completely over it. In addition to my inferiority complex that had stemmed from the trainers' school, as well as basically being a routine punching bag, I had a tendency to brood a lot. Anyways, I was digging around through some old documents at home, trying to see if I could find a paper I wanted to look at from my days at the school.

It was then that I unearthed something much more interesting.

Remember when I said my father was never around? The definitive reason my mother gave me when I was 7 was that he died in an accident about 8 months after I was born. I was obviously sad, but I couldn't really say I knew him. I got over it.

My mother lied.

In reality, he had cheated on her, and moved out of the region with another woman, leaving mom to raise me by herself.

I was furious at the bastard. But also at my mother.

Why would she lie? Did she just not trust me to handle the truth, so she chose to bury it? Was she ashamed about it and just wanted to forget about it herself?

And then a third possibility popped in my mind. Did she see my father in myself? What other motive would she have for being dishonest? What else had she lied to me about before? What did she TRULY think of me?

It didn't matter. Either way, I had all but cut off contact with her. My mother would desperately try to gain my attention, to question why I was acting this way, but I never said a word. I might as well have been a ghost. I couldn't wait until I could leave the house.

6 long, painful months had passed. Finally, the day arrived. The day I turned 18. I could get my first Pokemon as soon as next week.

After possibly the longest week of my life (spent nearly entirely in my room), I rushed to Aquacorde Town, where Professor Sycamore would be presenting the starters. (AN: Unlike the games, where only 3 starters are available to be distributed, assume that a much larger number of people showed up; thus, he has a physically larger number of Pokemon available to distribute accordingly, although the species are still only Fennekin, Chespin, and Froakie.) After waiting for what seemed like forever, it was my turn. After shaking my hand (he clearly didn't remember me from the school), he said I had a choice: Fennekin, the Fire type, Chespin, the Grass Type, or Froakie, the Water Type.

I chose Chespin.

I had already made my decision before hand, and I was just hoping that he would still have one. He did.

This particular Chespin had a gentle nature. Being a male, he was fond of battling, although he didn't like to fight outside of Pokemon matches. I could tell we would make a good team.

It was only after the event, however, that I pondered where Allison and Bryan were, despite hating them both. It was the three of us, after all, that signed up for that trainers' school in the first place, even though Allison didn't last more than a week.

It turns out Bryan didn't need a starter. He had already had a Pokemon of his own, a Kangaskhan that was bred to perfection. Sure, it was expensive, but his parents easily had the money. With the seemingly invincible Kangaskhan and his previously successful parents, there came hype. The local media began to practically worship him, calling him the next Great Talent, the Pride of Vaniville, even the Pride of Kalos, the Future, etc. Soon his fame even spread outside of Kalos, despite the fact he HADN'T EVEN STARTED HIS JOURNEY YET.

It made me sick.

You know, there are actually other aspiring young trainers, not just him. Our trainer class for that year basically became "Bryan and everyone else".

It was also during this time I learned, or, more specifically, overheard in a cafe, why Allison had dumped me.

I was eavesdropping on a conversation a few of Bryan's meathead friends were having at a nearby table. I was about to get up to leave when they mentioned Allison. My curiosity piqued, I stuck around. They then went into specifics on what happened to her. I could hardly believe it. At first, I REFUSED to believe it. How could she possibly do this? But she did.

She dumped me for... I'm sure you can guess who it was.

Here's the funny thing: Bryan was a player. He based his relationships on quantity, not quality. It was painfully obvious that he could not possibly have cared less about Allison. Our previous friendship meant nothing; he might as well have been a completely different person, and he was. It turns out HE dumped HER in less than 2 months. Then I heard them remark how Allison moved to Sinnoh. This had happened more than 2 years ago, but I didn't learn about it until that day.

And yet, there I was. Almost alone. Almost.

With no hesitation, me and Chespin began our quest. We passed through the Santalune Forest, having battles with a few other trainers, and, more importantly gaining experience.

While I was obviously open and caring towards Chespin, I was cold towards everyone else. Aside from giving commands or speaking to Chespin, I would almost never talk. Although I engaged in a few battles, I would never instigate them myself.

I remember, as I exited the forest, wondering why I only saw a couple trainers, rather than the many I had been expecting. Apparently Bryan had beaten the rest. Perfect Bryan.

It was in Santalune City, however, where one of the biggest events of my career occurred, at least in my opinion. While walking into the Pokemon Center, needing to heal up Chespin, a gathering in the corner caught my attention.

I took a closer look. It was Bryan, flocked by an even bigger crowd than I remembered him having in the school. As I turned to leave, having no interest in being around him, he caught my eye. He then remarked, in the most mocking tone you could imagine:

"Hey! It's the loser from that trainers' school! You want my seat?"

Everyone in his circle started laughing. The funny thing is, I didn't recognize any of them from his group at school. They were only laughing to appeal to Bryan, even though I'm willing to bet none of them understood the joke.

Still, it was humiliating. And that's an understatement.

I immediately walked out of the Pokemon Center, not even bothering to ask Nurse Joy to heal Chespin.

I later bought potions from a nearby vendor and used those instead. It was during this time that I realized something. Even though I had started my journey, and attended a trainers' school, I wasn't exactly dedicated in my career path, always telling myself I would cross that bridge when I got there. I only left because I wanted to get away from home, really. I didn't feel like a trainer. I was kinda just a wanderer, not really taking things seriously.

Not anymore. I knew exactly what I was going to do. I was going to battle. And I was going to beat the Pride of Vaniville at his own game.

Later that night, I returned to the Pokemon Center, intending to stay in a room for the night. When Nurse Joy informed me nearly all of them were open, I knew Bryan and his group had left.

During the night, however, something very... unusual happened.

As I slept, with Chespin in his Pokeball, something crashed head-first into my window, almost shattering it, and waking both of us in a split second. I grabbed a nearby coffee mug, ready for war, while Chespin, who's Pokeball I'd somehow already opened, prepared a Tackle.

What I saw however, surprised me, to say the least.

A Murkrow had crashed into my window. They usually only traveled in hordes. This one must have been outcast, otherwise he would not be alone. He was a wanderer, almost without a purpose in the world. I didn't know what he was feeling obviously, but he may have been feeling depressed, sad, anything, really. Kinda like me.

As I inched closer, however, I noticed it had several peck marks, as well as some nasty scratches. It had a damaged wing, which was the reason it crashed into my window in the first place. Once I saw the Murkrow was not a threat, I popped the nearly broken window open. I carefully picked it up and took it to Nurse Joy, who was still behind the medical counter, despite it being almost midnight. She informed me that it would be healed by morning.

The next day, I woke up at almost 6:00 AM. I had to make sure that Murkrow was all right. Jumping out of bed and quickly changing out my nightclothes and into a fresh outfit, I headed for the lobby. Noticing Nurse Joy behind the counter (and looking particularly tired), I spoke to her again, asking if Murkrow was all right. She said Murkrow was good as new, and that he seemed to want to speak to me, which caught me off guard. I thought he'd be like everyone else, ready to leave and forget about me as soon as possible. When I walked into the room where he was resting, however, he flew up and perched himself on my shoulder.

That's when I knew he wanted to come with me.

It also made me realize something else. People may keep abandoning, shunning, throwing me away (although you could argue I was just as much at fault for that with my pessimistic attitude, looking back), but I knew my team never would. We were like family, fighting through the thick and thin. Fighting with one opponent in mind, once I told them all about him.

The rest of my journey seemed to pass by in a blur. I would end up gaining a Larvitar, a Gible, a Cyndaquil, and a Riolu on my quest, from various other people who didn't seem to want them. Some of them didn't even speak English. Although they could be seen as outcasts, considering they were essentially abandoned by their trainers, I didn't care. They were just like me, in many ways. I took them in.

Over time, we trained. We became stronger. We battled gyms, and we won badges. Gabite and Quilladin easily took down Grant. Typhlosion and Honchkrow breezed through Ramos by themselves. Clemont was no match for the power of Tyranitar. Lucario was essential in the battle against Valerie, despite my team being weak to Fairy types; without him, there's no way we could have won. And of course, Wulfric didn't provide much of a challenge for my final badge (although I couldn't use Chesnaught, Garchomp or Honchkrow, we still easily won). I would respect all the opponents I faced, of course, but I would never get chatty with them. Small talk was a waste of time.

Despite the speed and efficiency in which we were able to win them, none of these badges provided satisfaction, none of them felt like they mattered. We all had our eyes fixed on only one opponent.

Bryan.

We knew he would never accept a simple challenge, even if we knew where he was. If we wanted to battle him, we would have to make him fight us.

Like, for example, in a tournament.

To enter the Kalos Conference, you had to have 8 badges, a feat I had already accomplished. I was the FASTEST trainer in my class to do so, and yet, we never received any attention. The spotlight was always directed towards Bryan, whether he had chosen a blue or red shirt, whether he had dinner at 6:30 PM or 7:00 PM, whatever gossip they could get their hands on.

That was fine. By that point, I had learned we flew better under the radar. My team agreed. Still, even after our 8th badge, we trained. Obsessively. All for the day when we would fight Bryan.

Eventually, the tournament began. A region-wide tournament, anyone with 8 badges can participate. Naturally, considering it is the next step to challenging the Elite 4, everyone with 8 badges signed up.

Of course, that meant me and you-know-who.

The brackets were assigned randomly. There was no particular match up trend, so you might gain an easy opponent, or a very difficult one. As always, some people were considered favorites before the event began, ones who were expected to make the Final 8, the Final 4, the Championship, whatever.

I'm sure, by this point, we all know who was considered a darling child to breeze his way through to the title match.

Still, we didn't let up on our training regime for even a minute. We would train for hours on end, each and every day, with one objective in mind.

Beat. Bryan.

Finally, the first day of the tournament arrived. There were 64 competitors in total. I was matched with some opponent I knew very little about. Still, he gave me no trouble. I beat him handily. I think his name was Calem or something. He had a Mega Absol. Nothing Chesnaught couldn't handle.

Back at the Pokemon Center, while checking the tournament tree in the Pokemon Center, I saw that Bryan had also advanced into the Top 32, although he apparently struggled quite a bit, despite being picked as the obvious winner by nearly everyone in the media. Some even felt that the referee may have played a part in the win, giving his Pokemon more time to get up, and pulling the plug early for his opponent.

We trained more. We reviewed film on Bryan. We watched every battle he had done that was recorded. We learned every detail of his strategy.

Although I didn't realize this at the time, I was doing all this preparation more out of respect than hatred: I assumed he was doing the exact same thing, studying and preparing for everyone, including potentially myself. I thought I needed to outwork him.

As I would learn later, it turns out he was lounging, treating the whole event like one big vacation, rather than actually putting time and effort into perfecting his craft. His Kangaskhan just did everything for him. Mega Kangaskhan, I might add. I'm not sure where he got the Mega Stone, but his parents probably bought it for him. As for the that ring he had around his wrist... I don't know where he got that either, but he obviously needs it for Mega Evolution. I'm willing to bet his parents bought that for him too.

For the Top 32 round, I was once again matched up with an opponent I didn't really recognize or bother to research. You might think what I was doing, only focusing on Bryan rather than also studying the other competitors, would not be a good strategy, but the truth was that the first two rounds are only meant to weed out those who aren't ready to win. I would have to begin reviewing all potential match-ups after this round, provided I got through.

I won. Again. Just for the record, my opponent was some girl who also had a Mega Absol. Where do these people get all these Mega Stones?

Bryan won. Again. It was harder for him than it was for me.

After a few days, the Top 16 match-ups were announced. My hands were shaking.

I was matched up with Bryan. At last.

I informed my team. Once again, we trained. This time, we did so knowing we were going to, with 100% certainty, fight the man who had driven our whole journey up until that point, even though he himself didn't realize it. The moment was upon us.

I didn't bother reading anything the media was saying about the fight. None of it mattered, it was all just background noise. After the tournament, however, I would see that, for the first time, people were beginning to stray from the opinion that Bryan was some perfect trainer, instead thinking that he was...

*GASP* Overrated. These people were still the minority, however. Nobody's opinion mattered to me, however. I was completely focused.

Finally the day of the match arrived. The referee called us out to the battlefield. I entered very nervous, although I didn't visibly show it. Was all of our preparation enough?

Well, now's the time to find out.

As I looked across the battlefield for the first time, he looked like he didn't care, and that's probably the exact reason why he looked so bored. I sent out Typhlosion. He led with Vaporeon.

He started laughing, thinking he had already one free KO, considering no substitutions were allowed until a Pokemon was knocked out. But I had already issued my command.

I knew my Typhlosion was faster. We had been working on speed exercises for months, and that Vaporeon looked like a pampered house-pet. In other words, nice and slow.

Typhlosion used Sunny Day. The whole battlefield was enveloped in sunlight, with the heat rapidly rising. By that point, the Vaporeon had fired Scald, in what appeared to be an attempt at a one hit knock out.

Typhlosion later told me she barely even felt it.

After the pitiful attack, due to the sun and the fact that Vaporeon didn't appear to be very well trained had subsided, Typhlosion fired back with a Solarbeam. With the sun being out, there was no charge time.

Now there was a one hit KO. No bulk on that thing, either. I thought they were known for that.

The rest of the battle progressed very similarly to the first match-up between Typhlosion and Vaporeon. He would send something out. I would take it down. Even when it came down to brute force, as both Pokemon would be evenly matched based on types, I would always come out on top.

It was obvious. Bryan hadn't prepared at all. He was weak. He started to believe his own hype, listening to everyone's assumptions that he was invincible, just because he was the son of a former champion, because he did really well at a trainers' school when he was 14, whatever the reason.

Eventually, he was down to one Pokemon. I still had 4 of mine, and in reasonably good health. I had willingly withdrawn Typhlosion and Lucario from the battle; neither was knocked out. Not by him. Fuming, he released his most powerful team member, and the only one I had been truly worried about since the first KO: Mega Kangaskhan.

I needed a type advantage to take this thing down. I would also need something with bulk; something that could take a physical attack.

I knew just what to do.

I chose my oldest, most reliable traveling companion: Chesnaught. We've come a long way from the days of storming out of a Pokemon Center.

Bryan ordered Sucker Punch. Someone didn't remember the lesson on type match-ups. Chesnaught just shrugged it off. Both of them.

Chesnaught responded with a Hammer Arm. (AN: Chesnaught couldn't learn Drain Punch in X/Y, otherwise he'd be using that. Last interruption, I promise lol) It was a critical hit. A super effective critical hit. And a one hit KO.

The battle was over.

I could scarcely believe how easy it was. We had prepared, for MONTHS, for that? Constantly training for an opponent we assumed would be just as good as we were, now that I looked at how strong had actually become, based on all of the attention he was getting? Quite possibly the easiest battle of my... no, my team's careers to date?

It almost felt like a waste of time.

It was only after I returned to my room, however, that I thought of something: We had just advanced to the Top 8 round. We only needed 3 more wins. How many trainers can say they've gotten this far?

It was also then when I realized, for the first time, how powerful we as a team had become. We trained as hard as we did to beat Bryan. But we had exceeded him long ago. Just how far had we truly come? What was our ceiling? Could we actually win the whole tournament?

Pretty ridiculous what you realize when you lose track of stuff.

The next day started as usual, me heading to the cafe for a quick bite to eat before training. It was there however, that I instead spoke to Bryan. For the first time since the incident at the Pokemon Center. Or at the lunch table at the school, if you count a conversation as both of us saying something.

In any event, I walked into the Pokemon Center cafe, and lo and behold, there he was. He didn't have his usual group around him. I didn't bother to read what people were saying about the battle, so I didn't know if public opinion on him had fallen, but I'm sure it did, considering he just lost to an "underdog" from the same town he supposedly represented. Badly.

I pulled up a chair in front of him. He looked up from his drink, staring right at me.

I told him this:

"I think it's time we bury the hatchet. We haven't been friends for years, despite all that we did together when we were kids. I'm just gonna ask:..."

"Do you want to be friends again?"

I waited for his reply. He just sat there, without moving a muscle. He had resumed looking down at his drink while I was talking.

Suddenly, he got up from his chair. He went over to the trash can, throwing his drink away. He then walked out the door.

That was the last time I saw Bryan.

I really wish I knew why. Why he separated himself so much. Why he stopped being my friend. Was it because he himself began to believe what everyone else was saying about him? An overinflated ego? Did he feel too much pressure to succeed? Or did the shadow of his parent's success loom over him, choking him? Either way, it doesn't matter anymore.

Bryan left. I'm not sure where he went. I think he may have retired.

In any event, I had to prepare for the next match. The match-ups were being announced today.

As I got up to leave, however, I noticed a telephone against the wall. I looked at it for a few seconds.

I couldn't bury one hatchet. But I still have another.

Now that my obsession with defeating Bryan had finally passed, I could see things more... clearly. I thought back to when I discovered my dad had left. I felt ashamed of my actions that day. I was upset. And I took it out on my mother. I was still taking it out on her.

I called my mother. I apologized for the way I reacted to finding out how dad had really left. I apologized for shutting her out. She gladly accepted.

I felt like a great burden had been lifted off of myself. I apologized to my mother, but it felt like I was making peace with, well, everything that had happened in my past. I smiled, my first smile in what seemed like centuries, as I realized that my past was just that: the past. It happened. And I had finally come to terms with it.

We won our Top 8 match a few days later. We also won our Final 4 match after that. It seemed like destiny.

All that was left was one last fight. Just one more, and the Kalos Conference was ours. As I sat in the locker room, waiting to hear the announcement to head out to the battlefield, my mind wandered again. We entered this tournament because of Bryan. We began our battling careers because of Bryan. But we were ending it for the championship. For fulfilling the dream we all shared, the dream that originally came from me, the dream I'd forgotten.

The dream to be the best.

All we had to do was grab it.

The rest passed by so quickly, I can't remember it in as much detail as I'd like. I can still remember a few things, however.

I can still remember accepting the trophy, giving me the right to challenge the best of the best.

I can still remember the chills I experienced walking up to the enormous castle.

I can still remember approaching the platform leading to the champion's chamber, me and my team mentally preparing ourselves for one more battle.

I can still remember the feeling of putting the containers of my beloved team into the recorder, for our names, Vince, Chesnaught, Honchkrow, Typhlosion, Lucario, Garchomp, and Tyranitar, to be engraved into history forever.

I can still remember thinking to myself, as I walked out of the room:

"From one underdog to seven champions. Did anyone, even us, think this journey would end like this? ...I suppose this could be considered the final page of our quest, but you know what they say: when one door closes, another door opens."

Well, I gotta cut this short, the boat's gonna dock soon. I'll be getting off at Slateport.

This is the Champion of Kalos, signing out.

- Vince

And there we go! My first story, a one-shot featuring only OC's, and a rather lengthy one, at least in my opinion. I tried to end it on a high note, revealing that he had won the Kalos Conference and eventually defeated the Elite 4 and Diantha, but I'm not sure if I pulled it off as well as I could have.

I decided not to give Vince a Mega. Both Garchomp and Tyranitar can Mega Evolve, but I made it so he didn't know where to get the Mega Stones. Since he didn't follow the X/Y storyline, he never visited the Tower of Mastery in Shalour City, so he never obtained the Key Stone.

Despite what the last quote says, there probably isn't going to sequel. It's a one-shot for a reason. Sorry if you were hoping for one, I'm sure I'll do other one-shots in the future.

Some stuff I'd like to note:

-I'm aware of how little detail I went into regarding Vince's other Pokemon besides Chesnaught: I'm assuming most of us have seen them and have a pretty good grasp on what their jobs are.

-This team is not random: this is the first competitive team I ever assembled. It wasn't very good, if you were to try it XD. Still, it holds a lot of sentimental value, and it is the team I beat X/Y with.

-The way Vince obtained Cyndaquil, Gible, Larvitar, and Riolu was through the GTS, hence the explanation: "From various other people who didn't seem to want them. Some of them didn't even speak English." There wasn't a plausible explanation for how he got these Pokemon otherwise.

In case anyone's curious, I did not forget descriptions of the character's appearances. They're up to you. Use some imagination.

And for the record: my name is not Vince. I chose that name because he's inVINCible. Get it? Anyone? I don't care if the e is missing, get out of here lol. The other names were completely random.

If you have any suggestions or criticism, I would be more than happy to hear it. Any observations, good or bad, will be taken into account. Except for flaming. Don't flame.

Well, that's about it. I hope you enjoyed the story, so... yeah. Thanks for reading.

Have a nice day.