Steven took a second Poke-ball from his belt, smiling slightly. No matter the opponent, he was fully confident that this Pokemon would win its battle. It always did. No type advantage would matter once this fight was finished.

"Trainers! Are you ready for the second round?" Asked the official. Alder and Steven nodded, eyes locked in concentration.

"BEGIN!" The crowd roared its approval as two new Pokemon materialised on the battle field. Alder sent out a shining silver helmet with jousting sticks, staring at Steven menacingly. Steven smirked as his Pokemon stomped the ground. The crowd gasped in awe of the creature's power, eagerly awaiting its first attack. Steven's mighty Pokemon hulked in front of him, metallic blue reflecting the sun's rays in a beautiful display of colour. Here it was. Unmovable, unbeatable…Metagross. Across the field, Alder gritted his teeth. He knew that this wouldn't be as simple as the last battle. Steven was too smart to let it happen again. But Escavalier had proved itself before. And Alder was confident he would do so again.

"Metagross! Let's get this started with a Flash Cannon!" Steven's command echoed around the stadium as Metagross fired a blinding beam at Escavalier. Alder knew that it wouldn't be able to dodge it in time, so he went on the defensive. "Escavalier, use Iron Defense!" Escavalier crossed its jousting sticks and flashed dark grey just milliseconds before the energy beam hit him. The beam exploded against the rock solid Defense, blinding the crowd and the two trainers. Alder grunted in admiration of the strength of Metagross' Flash Cannon. It would be extremely difficult to beat. The light died as suddenly as it had appeared, Escavalier smoking from the aftermath of the attack. Steven stood with a huge grin plastered on his face. Metagross would not be beaten.

"Call it off now, Alder! Your defeat is imminent, my friend." Alder tensed his jaw, angered by the taunt. "Steven, while I still have even one Pokemon left, this battle will never be over!"

"Your funeral!" Steven laughed at him, arms crossed over his chest.

"Alright! My turn now! Escavalier, use Slash!" Escavalier hurtled towards Metagross, its left spear aimed towards Metagross' body. "Aim for the front right leg!" Escavalier aimed downwards and struck Metagross in the leg…but just glanced off of it!

"Metagross! Use Scary Face and hold Escavalier close!" Metagross gave Escavalier a menacing look, using its front legs to drag it in close to his face. Escavalier was held tight, fear consuming it as it stared back into the furious red eyes.

"METAGROSS! USE A HYPER BEAM TO END THIS!" From no more than a foot away, Metagross released a burning rainbow light from the steel X on its face. Escavalier was blasted straight out his grip and back past Alder, crashing and falling ten metres behind its trainer.

"Escavalier! Are you alright?!" Alder asked his friend, concern written in every line of the aged face. Escavalier's armour was dented and twisted, battle scars from the mighty blast. Back with Steven, Metagross was exerting deep, low breathes to recover from the Hyper Beam.

"Meeeetagross…Meeeetagross." Steven smirked slightly. No Pokemon could face such an attack from that range without feinting. His victory was near. Or so he thought.

"Escavalier! Use rest." Somewhere deep inside Escavalier's mind, the command receptor kicked into gear. Escavalier fell asleep instantly. Steven blew through his teeth in annoyance. Because of Hyper Beams restoration process, he would need to wait before launching his next attack. The two trainers stood with their eyes darting between their own Pokemon and the opponent's. The crowd leaned forward in eagerness, waiting to see who would recover quickest. Normally it would be assumed that Metagross would, as Hyper Beam only needed a short time to recover. But Escavalier's dents had started to straighten out with a crinkling, popping sound, just as Metagross was breathing easier. Suddenly, Escavalier shook itself awake, revitalised from the Hyper Beam. Steven's eyes widened. Never had a Pokemon recovered that quickly to Metagross' Hyper Beam! It just wasn't possible. And how did Escavalier reawaken that quickly? Alder was laughing now, arms raised to the crowd.

"I bet you're wondering how that worked so magnificently quick Steven?" Steven bit his lip, confusion on his face. Then just as quickly, comprehension dawned on his young face, a wry smile in place.

"Would I be correct in thinking Escavalier was holding a Chesto berry?" Alder beamed at the former Hoenn champion. He still had a lot to learn.

"Well done Steven! I see you're familiar with your berries then…well this brings us back to square one, old friend." Steven glanced down at Metagross, the smirk creeping back onto his face.

"It would appear so…go ahead, take the honours." Alder inclined his head.

"With pleasure…Escavalier! Use Ariel Ace and fly behind him!" Escavalier flew into the air and cannoned towards Metagross, hitting it in the middle of the face and flipping over the bulky metal creature.

"Now use Iron Head!" Escavalier jumped up and flashed dark grey, smashing its helmet against Metagross in a brutal attack. Metagross staggered forward from the attack, a scrape in the back of its armour. Steven had been quietly observing this, watching for the weakness. With a sudden grin, he had found it.

"Metagross! Use Metal Claw with your back left leg!" Metagross raised its back leg and slashed the claws from its wide metal foot against the side of Escavalier's helmet. It barely scratched him. But Steven was grinning still. Quickly catching on, Alder's command rang out through the roaring crowd.

"ESCAVALIER! Use Ariel Ace and return to my side!" Escavalier shot across the top of Metagross' body again, slicing his jousting sticks into the metal body as he went. Metagross growled a low warning. Across the battle field, Steven smirked in appreciation of Alder's forethought.

"Smart move, Alder. Good to see that you CAN teach an old dog new tricks." Alder's booming laugh rang out in the open in appreciation of the joke.

"Well I don't have another Chesto berry for recovery this time!"

"Good! Metagross! Use Meteor Mash!" Steven yelled, right hand pointed at Alder.

"Alright Escavalier! Defend it with Iron Head!" The two Pokemon flew towards each other, Escavalier with its head lowered and Metagross with its front right leg raised. Cheers erupted all over the stadium as the two Pokemon came closer and closer. With a ringing clash, Metagross' clawed foot came pounding forward into Escavalier's helmet visor, denting it inwards.

"Escavalier! Use Struggle Bug!" Alder commanded and Escavalier responded, thrashing around with its spears. Countless echoes of steel on steel ruptured the cheering, forcing people to cover their ears. Metagross took a beating, but Steven had an ace up his sleeve.

"Metagross! Use Psychic and hold Escavalier!" The hulking metal creature started glowing with a bright pink aura, covering its whole body in seconds. And then the same happened to Escavalier, the thrashing rapidly stopping as it was held tight. Across the field, Alder started to panic.

"Hold still Escavalier! Don't fight it!" The command was little needed…Escavalier could not move anyway. The two former champions both new that their timing would have to be crucial for their next attack. If Alder called his move early, Metagross would finish Escavalier with its Hyper Beam. If Steven called it early, Escavalier would dodge the attack and finish Metagross. Tension filled the audience, silencing them as they craned their necks to see better. In the middle of the stadium, the two trainers stood tensed, waiting for the other to call the attack. Suddenly, Alder shouted a command. "USE IRON DEFENSE ESCAVALIER! BRACE YOURSELF!" As soon as Alder had spoken, Steven had ordered a quiet command. The pink aura dissipated rapidly as the scraped and bruised Metagross released a second rainbow energy beam. The Hyper Beam blasted into Escavalier, who had crossed its jousting sticks and was flashing dark grey once more. The collision seemed to last forever, the trainers tensing so they showed white knuckles. And then it faded…and Escavalier continued to stand. Steven released a cry of shock and anger. Now this stupid bug had withstood his most powerful attack. Twice! It was impossible. Alder was chuckling quietly, impressed with the sheer power Steven was able to exert from his Pokemon.

"You truly are a worthy opponent for my return to battling Steven! I have thoroughly enjoyed this, old friend." Steven looked up, a familiar smirk returning to his handsome face.

"And I am honoured to be here with you Alder." Amidst the adrenaline of the battle, the former champions met eyes and nodded, an understanding passing between them.

"It appears you have won this round, Steven." Added Alder conversationally. While at first it had endured, the battle had taken its toll on Escavalier, the armoured bug dropping to the floor, bruised and defeated. The official ran back onto the battlefield.

"ESCAVALIER IS UNABLE TO BATTLE! METAGROSS WINS!" The crowd was considerably quieter at the result of this battle. Everyone was here to see Alder win, as they had expected he would. But now there was an unmistakable uneasiness in the crowd. The fact was, they weren't used to seeing a trainer best their legendary champion. Alder, however, had expected this loss. Metagross was a very hard opponent to finish, especially without a type advantage. But this battle had still served the purpose of bringing it down to the final round. Alder laughed out loud, echoing through the seats and jostling the crowd back into support as they erupted into a manic cheering, shouting their champion forward.

"AL-DER! AL-DER! AL-DER!" Steven whistled in appreciation. The Unova people sure where supportive. Smiling, he brought Metagross back into his Poke-ball.

"You fought brilliantly, Metagross." Steven said privately to the closed Poke-ball. Alder had returned Escavalier to its Poke-ball, his last Pokemon clasped in his hand. This was it. The last round. The crowd, re-energised by their champion, quietened their cheering down to a fever of anticipation. The official looked between the two trainers and checked his watch.

"Trainers! Are you ready for the final round?" Alder and Steven nodded simultaneously, tensed and back to business.

"Very well then…the battle stands even, both of you having won a round. The person who wins this round will be declared the victor…in 3…2…1…BEGIN!"

BREAK

Ash pursed his lips, looking at the waiting Pokemon. After receiving his invitation to the Championship, Ash had decided his team would need a severe remodel. All the other tournaments, his stubbornness to use only the Pokemon he had caught in that region…none of that mattered for this tournament. He wanted to pick the very best team he could. The chance to compete in The Centurion Championship would not come again in his lifetime.

"What do you think, Professor?" He was at Professor Oak's laboratory, where his Pokemon were kept when not on hand. Professor Oak had taken measures to keep Ash's Pokemon in top shape, some of them had even evolved. For the championship, Ash wanted a well-rounded team, the one that would give him the best chance of success. But Oak thought that there was something that should be just as important.

"Ash, of all the Pokemon you have, which do you put the most faith in?" Ash raised his eyes to meet the Professor's, looking at his friends in a new light. And none more so than a large orange dragon with a flame tipped tail. Charizard was by far his most reliable companion. It had beaten countless foes and held no fear in battle. Charizard had even beaten the legendary ice bird, Articuno. It was a no-brainer, really.

"Charizard! You're definitely coming with me!" Said Ash, a grin plastered on his face.

"Chaarrrizaard!" Roared the Dragon, Professor Oak handing Ash his Poke-ball. Obviously including Pikachu, that made two down. Now to cover the two other mains, water and grass. Snivy? He worked well with Snivy, and she was fast – really fast. Or perhaps Torterra? Torterra may not have been his most powerful, but he had proved himself on numerous occasions. Bayleef? Bulbasaur? No. Finally, Ash came to rest on an old friend. Perhaps his most powerful after Charizard, Sceptile was another with a legendary under his belt. In the Lily of The Valley Conference, Sceptile had beaten Tobias' legendary Darkrai. Another easy choice.

"Sceptile, I'd like you to join me." Ash spoke directly too Sceptile, their eyes locked in understanding. The other grass Pokemon backed away, leaving the path clear for Sceptile to move forward.

"Sssssceptile!" Ash grinned. Now he had three. He was surprised at how easy this was.

"Ash, think carefully for your water Pokemon. Some have changed since you first started with them." Professor Oak interjected, passing Ash Sceptile's Poke-ball.

"How so, Professor?" Oak had a playful smile around the corners of his mouth. Suddenly, a brown blur accelerated towards Ash, knocking him down.

"Buizel?! Wait! You're a Floatzel now?" Floatzel hoped off of Ash, looking noble and fast. Buizel had always shown the sort of fighting spirit and determination that Ash valued in his Pokemon. His speed would be a valuable addition to his team.

"What'dya say Floatzel? Are you ready to get back into action buddy?" Floatzel spun around on its tail, water spurting from his feet, soaking Ash, Professor Oak and all the surrounding Pokemon. Ash started roaring with laughter.

"I'll take that as a yes! You're in buddy!" Oak brushed water off of his shoulders and face, handing Ash another Poke-ball.

"Last two Ash, pick carefully." And here came the hard part. Who to trust? There were so many of his friends to choose from. Perhaps Krookodile? Or Donphan? A flying type would help too, but who to pick? Staraptor?

"Who would you choose, Professor?" Oak looked shocked. It was unusual for Ash too ask for help, especially when it came to Pokemon training.

"Swellow. His win to loss ratio is bested only by Charizard and Sceptile. Not even Pikachu has a record as strong as Swellow does." Ash nodded thoughtfully, Swellow swooping down from a nearby tree. He landed on Ash's arm, his trainer stroking its sleek, black feathers.

"It's time to show the world what we're made of Swellow. I'll be happy to have you back with me!"

Ash caught the fourth Poke-ball absentmindedly. He had already begun looking for his last team member. And he knew exactly who he wanted.

"Snorlax!" The massive creature was asleep behind the rest of the Pokemon, Oshawott and Pignite playing on top of its soft belly. Ash laughed. The only problem he had ever had with Snorlax? Waking him up.

"SNORLAX! WAKE UP!" The floor rumbled as Oshawott and Pignite came tumbling down, annoyed looks on their faces as the bulky form of Snorlax surfaced from behind the other Pokemon. All humour aside, Snorlax was a mighty Pokemon. Few had bested it, simply because of the amount it could endure. Ash walked over and grinned up at his friend.

"I know it's been a long time Snorlax, but now we're going to finish what we started!" Snorlax roared into the air.

"SNORRRRRRRRLAX!" Ash laughed again. He had his team now. Pikachu, Charizard, Sceptile, Floatzel, Swellow, and Snorlax. It felt…right. He would go into the Championship with high hopes. His last Adventure, had just begun.

BREAK

It was cold. He liked it in the cold. The cold was the truth, because the truth was that life was harsh. Harsh like ice. Where was he exactly? Deep inside a mountain, sitting upon a throne built of smooth marble. Stupid design really, he thought to himself. It might look nice, might show his power with its exquisite carvings, but it was just about the most uncomfortable thing he had ever sat on. The mountain was a massive connection of tunnels and caves. It was here that he had set up his resistance. The resistance people were all like him. Poor, broken, empty. All because of one man. Jeremi Ling. Sinnoh billionaire and CEO of the stadium building company Verdant. Oh how the media made him look like royalty. It was enough to make him sick. The common people didn't have a clue about the REAL Jeremi Ling. No, nobody did. But they would. Iron double doors cashed open as two men wearing balaclavas dragged a squirming woman forward, AK-47 assault rifles in their free hands. They marched up to the throne and threw the girl at the foot, bowing deeply.

"Lord Armel, the girl you asked for." The icy leader stood from his marble throne. He was tall. Almost two metres tall. His figure was slim but had a certain sturdiness to it. Swirling black tattoos of suns, stars and moons covered his face and hands, the only skin that was shown. He wore a black suit, contrasting heavily with long, fiery red hair that was held in a ponytail. Strange, how someone so cold had such warm hair. But the most interesting part was the eyes. Cold, harsh, piercing. The left was gold. The right was purple. He was Armel, lord supreme of Higareth. Well, what remained of Higareth. Thanks to the wretched Jeremi Ling. The two men who had brought the girl in remained bowing, waiting to be dismissed. Armel's command was total.

"Leave us." He spoke quietly, the voice cutting the silence like a hot knife through butter. The two men instantly retreated back out the doors, shutting them quietly.

"Do you know who I am?" Armel's voice was dangerously silky, each word deliciously spoken in a rich, yet somehow cold tone. The girl looked up. She was blonde and was remarkably beautiful, despite several cuts and bruises on her face. She bit her lip and shook her head.

"No matter. You will. Jeremi always did like to keep his pets ignorant." The blonde girl was shaking with fear. What did he want with her?

"In three weeks' time…The Centurion Championship will open for the first time in fifty years. The biggest opportunity young Jeremi has ever had. His stadium designs will be used in the greatest tournament this world offers. It is a perfect opportunity. You see, Jeremi is not the man people believe him to be. No, he is not the smiling, happy person that you know him as. He is a lying, cheating, despicable piece of vermin. We lost everything because of him. Everything."

The girl looked up again. The man seemed to be talking more to himself than her. Then why was she here? To listen to him preach his hatred of Jeremi?

"Jeremi took everything from us. Now…now we will do the same to him." The girl shivered, thinking about what this could mean. Finally, when she had her thoughts together, she spoke.

"And what makes you think Jeremi will go down so easy?" Armel whipped around, staring deep into the girl's eyes. It was like he was looking into your soul, not just your eyes.

"I don't plan on letting him go down easily…quite the opposite actually. The more repercussions, the better."

"Are you going to kill him?" Asked the Girl. Armel looked deeper into her soul. A smile crept onto his face.

"Yes. But not before he has burnt. Not before he has suffered as we have. And then, when he begs for death…yes, I will kill him."

Author's notes:

Review and subscribe plz. Cheers cobbas.