Somewhere in the Kalos region...

"COME ON GUYS! WE HAVE TO GET TO SNOWBELLE CITY! THE KALOS LEAGUE IS WAITING FOR ME!"

A ten-year old boy ran ahead of his friends with his partner, Pikachu on his shoulder.

"Wait up, Ash! We're not all as fast as you are!"

"No, Clemont, YOU'RE not as fast as he is!"

"Bonnie, I think we get the picture."

His three friends, Serena, Bonnie, and Clemont were trying their best, but, as usual, the raven-haired boy had outrun him. Ash was a ten-year old who had traveled through the Kanto, Sinnoh, Johto, And Unova regions. He had also caught some strong Pokemon along the way, as well as successfully making it to the regional leagues. Serena was an aspiring performer whose team consisted of Eevee, Braixen, and Pancham. She hopes to be Kalos queen one day. She also has a huge crush on Ash. Clemont and Bonnie were brother and sister; Clemont was the Lumiose City gym leader, and Bonnie was his personal matchmaker, trying to hook him up with every girl they interact with. Anyway, they were walking along Route 20 until they saw a young boy walking along the path.

"I really need to some training! HEY!" Ash yelled to the boy, who in turn, looked up.

"Do you mind battling me? I'm about to challenge the Snowbelle Gym!"

The boy then glared, and shouted, "MY NAME'S MICHAEL. I'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING YOU, KETCHUM."

The four kids stood astonished, wondering how he knew Ash.

"How do you-no matter. Noibat, let's go!" Ash then threw Noibat's PokeBall, after which Noibat appeared.

Michael stood glaring, and said, "I refuse to battle you."

"HUH?!" Serena, Ash, Bonnie, and Clemont said in unison. "Why?!" Ash asked.

"I refuse to battle a Pokemon like that, knowing that you have an experienced Greninja, Talonflame, and Pikachu you can use." Michael responded calmly.

"How did you know that?"

"I know a lot about you, Ketchum. Tell you what: defeat me and I'll leave you with your stupid self. Lose, and I come with you."

Ash, confused, reluctantly said, "Deal."

"Ash, wait," Serena said, "We don't know him, or where he comes from! How can we trust him."

"I just need to win! I don't care where he comes from."

"So are we battling, or not?" Michael asked impatiently.

"YES, WE ARE! GRENINJA, I CHOOSE YOU!"

Michael stared at Greninja, then put a knowing grin on his face. "ELECTIVIRE, I CHOOSE YOU!"

"Hmmm...an Electivire..." Ash pulled out his PokeDex.

"KETCHUM, PUT THAT AWAY! YOU'VE SEEN AN ELECTIVIRE BEFORE! REMEMBER PAUL?"

That question stopped Ash in his tracks.

"Paul? Who's Paul?" Asked Bonnie.

"You'll know if you're friend beats me."

"I WILL. GRENINJA, USE WATER SHURIKEN!"

Greninja prepared a shuriken of water to send to Electivire.

"Dodge."

With blinding speed, Electivire dodged the coming attack.

"WHAT?" Ash said.

"Grab Greninja." With its two tail like chargers, Electivire grabbed his opponent and gripped it as hard as he could. "GRENINJA, GET OUT OF THERE!"

"Not quite. Thunder."

While still holding Greninja, Electivire belted out a strong Thunder. As a result, Greninja was badly damaged, but not out.

"Way to hang in there! Now use Aerial Ace!"

Greninja faced Electivire, and successfully escaped, and landed an Aerial Ace.

"Great job!"

"I wouldn't be so sure."

"HUH?" Ash, dumbfounded, looked at his Greninja. It couldn't move.

"Electivire's special ability is Static. Greninja completely paralyzed. Now use Thunder."

A successful Thunder knocked out Greninja.

"GRENINJA!"

Michael returned Electivire, and walked to Ash and his friends. "Well, aren't you going to give me a berry to heal him of his paralysis?"

With a disapproving, Michael responded, "No. You have to be prepared for anything. If only you actually used your head, and actually bought some potions and berries at a Pokemon Center."

"WHAT WAS THAT?"

"HEY! You can't talk to Ash like that!" Serena said.

"That's right! Ash is better than you ever were!" Bonnie said.

"True..." Clemont agreed.

Turning to Ash's friends, he answered, "I'm not taking orders from an amateur performer, failed inventor, and child."

"ENOUGH! HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME AND THEM?!" Ash questioned, with Pikachu ready to strike.

"I can't say how I know...but let me explain." Michael said, reaching into his backpack, and pulling out a sandwich, and PokeFood.

"All right, team! Lunch time!" Michael said, releasing his team.

The Electivire emerged, along with a Tyranitar, Sylveon, Hitmonchan, Garchomp, and Giratina. However, Ash, Serena, Bonnie, and Clemont noticed only the Giratina.

"WHOA! I've never seen a Pokemon as gigantic as that one!" Bonnie said in awe.

"Wow, you must be a strong trainer! How did you catch that Giratina?" Ash asked.

Michael finished pouring his Pokemon's food, and walked up to Ash.

"I don't know...I just, well, how do I say it in your language? Oh right! I BATTLED IT, THREW A POKEBALL AND CAUGHT IT! Something you wouldn't do!"

"Of course I would! But Giratina is a mythical Pokemon! You caught one of the rarest Pokemon in the world."

Michael chuckled. "ONE? More like ALL." He took out his PokeDex and showed him his completed PokePedia (Pokemon Encyclopedia). "As you can see, I am a Pokemon master."

"Hoopa? Xerneas? Shaymin? CHARIZARD? How?"

"Oh, Ketchum, we have a lot of work to do."

What do you think? Let me know in the comments! In the upcoming chapter, Michael will go through some familiar topics.