AN: As of when I started writing this chapter, it was the day before the episode the League airs. I stopped and picked back up around a few days after the Manalo Conference Arc's second episode aired.
The Qualifying Rounds Part 1 of 3: Ash vs. Mallow! A Battle Bond Restored!
Ash let out a sigh as he sat in the locker room watching some of the other participants in the League battle through a TV mounted on the wall showing the League broadcasts. Team Rocket had apparently decided to participate in the League for no reason other than the fact that no one is going to stop them from participating.
Ash felt a bit bad for whoever Jessie and James had to beat in order to advance the qualifiers. Unfortunately for them they got paired against Plumeria and Guzma respectively for this round. Who put up much more of a fight than the little kids Team Rocket beat in the prelims.
At least Ash was able to stop Team Rocket from 'consoling' those kids by offering to 'borrow' their Pokémon so that Team Rocket could train to them to be stronger like their Pokémon. (When in actuality those kids would probably never see their Pokémon again.)
Ash let an amused snort out when Guzma's Golisopod tanked Black Hole Eclipse leaving James and Mareanie baffled before Golisopod came down on them with fury and Liquidation quickly wearing away at what little strength Mareanie has left, 'James should have considered that after 3 successive Iron Defenses, Black Hole Eclipse wasn't going to do much to Golisopod.'
For some reason Nanu seemed incredibly nervous when Guzma asked James where exactly he got his Z-Ring from, which prompted some suspicious looks from the other Kahunas. It wasn't helped when James was about to answer only for Nanu to interrupt by calling for the next matches participants to come to the battlefield.
League officials soon haul James out of the arena he passed on his Z-Ring to an arrogantly grinning Jessie. As Hapu asks the other Kahunas if the participants are allowed to share a Z-Ring, a stoic Plumeria passes Guzma on her way to the Trainer's box. Guzma gives her a nod before continuing on to the locker rooms.
Plumeria nods back before taking her place at the battlefield to imperiously stare down Jessie who is laughing haughtily having taken note of the lack of Z-Ring on Plumeria's wrists.
As Jessie mocks Plumeria over not having access to a Z-Move to win the fight, James is tossed into the locker room Ash is at, followed shortly after by Guzma who takes a seat by Ash to watch the fight.
"Not bad wearing down Mareanie's defences with Liquidation before finishing her off."
Guzma nods taking the compliment before smirking as Plumeria asks where exactly Jessie got her (and James's) Z-Ring from. Guzma turns to Ash and gives him a mocking look before speaking amusement laced in his tone, "I really liked how you wiped the floor with you friend's pet after pepping her up and letting her think she was going to win."
To that Ash grimaced recalling Lillie hasn't said a word to him since their match, though whenever he's around her she shoots him an accusing glare whilst muttering to herself about how could Ash have hurt Shiron like that.
Ash turns back to watch the ensuing battle where Jessie taunts Plumeria by saying that if she wins then maybe Jessie will answer her question. This prompts Nanu to start quietly praying to the Tapus that Plumeria somehow doesn't win.
The battle starts soon after with Plumeria's Salazzle charging in and breaking Mimikyu's Disguise with Iron Tail before retreating as Mimikyu let's loose a Shadow Claw.
Salazzle avoids a Shadow Ball and responds with launching a score of Sludge Bombs at Mimikyu who receives the hit. Mimkyu closes the distance attempting to hit Salazzle with a Wood Hammer only to have to fall back when Salazzle attempts to strike Mimikyu with a Heat Wave attack.
As James cheers Jessie on, Ash shares his sentiments on the battle with Guzma, "There's no way Jessie's going to win. Salazzle's Poison/Fire typing makes her very resistant to Mimikyu's strongest attacks which are Wood Hammer and Mimikyu's Z-Move. Jessie's only hope would be if Shadow Claw manages to score a really powerful hit on Salazzle."
James gives Ash a look for his critical assessment on his partner's unlikely odds at winning this battle, Guzma smirks as Mimikyu tries to lash out with Shadow Claw again only to get sent back via Iron Tail.
Jessie whose grown frustrated at this point not liking how only her Pokémon has been taking hits instead of landing them orders Mimikyu to bombard Salazzle with Shadow Balls whilst Jessie replaces the Darkinium Z in her Z-Ring with the Mimikium Z. Salazzle holds back the onslaught of spectral spheres deflecting some with Iron Tail and occasionally releasing a flaming pulse of fire from her body courtesy of Heat Wave to get rid of others.
As Jessie finishes the series of poses needed to start the Z-Move, Plumeria let's a small grin develop as Mimikyu's costume expands in size before the Disguise Pokémon leaps up and towards Salazzle.
Salazzle disappears under the cover of Mimikyu's ratty outfit, Jessie smirks victoriously whilst the sack bulges in various places as cartoony sound effects are heard to illustrate Mimikyu pummeling Salazzle within her ensemble.
Plumeria meanwhile has closed her eyes and crossed her arms whilst tapping her feet as she waits for the Z-Move to end. Jessie mistakes this for Plumeria having given up when Jessie started the Z-Move.
Before Jessie can taunt Plumeria some more a loud clang is heard from within Mimikyu's enlarged disguise, silencing any potential jabs Jessie would have thrown out. Another clang is heard followed by a third before the costume rapidly expands whilst sizzling with heat.
The costume soon shrinks back down to normal size as Mimikyu hops off a somewhat scuffed up Salazzle, and with some difficulty attempts to crawl away from the grinning Toxic Lizard Pokémon.
Jessie stares befuddled before angrily asking Plumeria how her Salazzle isn't out of commission whilst ordering Mimikyu to hit Salazzle with a Shadow Claw.
Mimikyu stares at it's Trainer, earning a snarl from Jessie, before bobbing the head of it's costume left and right to let her know how she feels about that order. As Jessie's Rage builds she pulls at her hair and stomps at the ground whilst the audience can't help but laugh at this turn of events.
Jessie tries commanding Mimikyu again and orders a Shadow Ball attack which Mimikyu acquises to, willing to only use an attack that doesn't require getting close to Salazzle.
As Mimikyu charges up the Shadow Ball, Plumeria speaks up, "To answer your earlier question of how Salazzle didn't get knocked out from that Z-Move earlier, here's my answer:" Plumeria's eyes snap open as she stares Jessie down who recoils in fright, "Protect."
The Shadow Ball flies out to hit Salazzle, a bubble of blue energy forms around Salazzle preventing Mimikyu's attack from landing.
It dawns on Jessie what specifically happened under Mimikyu's costume during the Z-Move she let's out a frustrated screech having gone through this nonsense when Mimikyu debuted it's Z-Move with Pikachu who just had to learn Electroweb and used it as if it were Ash's old Counter Shield technique.
As the force field around Salazzle dissipates, Plumeria orders out an Iron Tail having grown bored battling this loud annoying woman.
Mimikyu can only let out a quiet whimper before Salazzle lunges and sends Mimikyu into unconsciousness with Salazzle's last attack.
Ash gives an impressed whistle whilst James sulks in a corner and Guzma grins savagely enjoying the showing his subordinate gave, "You're not the only one whose figured out a strategy or two for dealing with Z-Moves."
Ash nods in agreement to that whilst James sulks in a corner in disbelief that Team Rocket got taken out so easily in this Conference, Jessie's Rage has hit a fever pitch as she curses Nanu's name for giving her and James this useless Z-Ring.
Manalo Stadium falls to a hush after that as Nanu buries his head in his hands cursing himself for giving those idiot criminals a Z-Ring, whilst his fellow Kahunas look to him with growing exasperation.
"Nanu, you idiot! What kind of cop gives Pokémon Thieves access to a power that will pretty much let them steamroll most weak wild Pokémon and inexperienced Trainers?" Hapu angrily states with a scowl directed at her fellow (soon-to-be former) Kahuna.
Nanu raises his head and throws a pained grin directed at his fellow Kahunas, "In my defense..." Nanu trails off as the grin drops.
Olivia gives Nanu an annoyed look as he just stares at them without bothering to finish his sentence, "Well?"
Nanu hangs his head, "I've got nothing." This prompts a facepalm from the other Kahunas, "At least I kept that Ketchum kid from getting a Darkinium Z. He'd probably kill us all, letting him screw around with black holes."
"You're not helping you case here, Nanu." Hala tells him whilst sighing internally, "What with deciding some idiot criminals should be allowed to mess around with black holes instead."
"Fine. I didn't give Ketchum the Darkinium Z because I didn't like him."
"Nanu, your job isn't to give Trainers who beat you whatever Z-Crystal you feel like giving them." Olivia starts whilst Hapu gives her a confused look, having done something similar when Ash 'defeated' her.
Meanwhile down on the battlefield Jessie is dealing with some League officials who confiscate her Z-Ring, and Z-Crystals before dragging her away to turn the Team Rocket member over to an Officer Jenny.
Fortunately Jessie won't be alone since James is taken away to get thrown in jail as well. (Probably for all of a few hours before that Bewear the trio has befriended busts them out.)
Ash heads out to his next League Match, hoping he'll have peace from those three nitwits until the League is finished.
Mallow grinned confidently towards Ash who was growing suspicious at having been pitted against yet another one of his classmates, "I'm not going to go down easy Ash, I have to avenge Lillie and Shiron for you and Torracat being so rough with them.'
As Mallow sends out the only Pokémon she has for this Conference Ash contemplates if she understands that in League Tournaments if you want to win, you don't hold anything back. Anything less would be an insult to your opponent. If they can't take a loss well then maybe they need to reevaluate the logic that drove them to compete in this League.
Ash scowls and shakes his head, not particularly liking that chain of logic being applied to his classmates, even if he did think to himself at times all of them barring Kiawe were being a bit arrogant thinking all they would need to get this far is a Z-Move and a little training for the 1 or 2 Pokémon they had.
'At least Cameron kept his Ace hidden until the second part of the Quarter Finals.' Ash thought bitterly before pulling put a Poké Ball he had kept with him since Kalos that he had emptied some time before leaving Kalos, and had remained empty up until a few days ago.
"Mallow, I want to introduce you to an old friend of mine from Kalos." Seeing the curious stare Mallow is giving him Ash continues, "Up until a week ago he was traveling through the Kalos region cleaning up the aftermath of an incident me, and him got caught up in that involving a nihilistic fruitloop."
Mallow's look goes from inquisitive to confused, the referee meanwhile throws Ash an impatient look, "It's a story for another time. Mallow say hello to my Battle Bond partner. Let's go! Greninja"
Ash send out his first catch from Kalos and earns a number of different amusing reactions from his classmates, and some other noteworthy spectators for this League.
Lana squealed in excitement seeing an awesome looking Water-Type amongst Ash's team, Kiawe gulped in fright seeing a powerful looking Water-Type amongst Ash's team, Nanu gawked at the intimidating Dark-Type amongst the team of the kid he wrote off for lacking the edge that someone with a Dark-type Pokémon would have.
Bonnie and her brother who were in Kalos with Serena, Puni-chan, and Z2 (who were in their 10% Forms.) were all watching the Manalo Conference broadcasts excited to see Ash and Greninja fighting together again.
Lastly Mallow and Tsareena felt a bit of apprehension both aware that despite Greninja's weakness to Grass-Types any Pokémon of Ash's is certainly going to be a tough Challenge to overcome.
Greninja stood with his arms crossed and his eyes closed before they snapped open with a resolute stare that intimidated Tsareena, "Grenin."
Mallow snapped out of her stupor to shake her head before asking the obvious question, "When did you have the time to book a flight for Kalos, find Greninja, catch him, get on a plane and come back here to Alola in time for the League?"
"I didn't. Greninja did."
"Oh, I see- Wait what?"
As a befuddled Mallow tried imagining how a Greninja would get plane tickets to the Alola region, "Initially when Greninja finished his business with the Megalith Zygarde Roots, he and Puni-chan went to Lumiose City to have my friend Clemont get Greninja back to me."
A confused Kiawe slowly repeats Megalith Zygarde Roots to himself trying to make sure he heard that right, whilst Ash continues his explanation, "Clemont tried using a Long Distance Teleportation Tile he made to send Greninja to me, but it didn't work out."
Ash decided to withhold the fact that the Long-Distance Teleportation Tile malfunctioned initially and Ash had to skip class for a day because Greninja got fused together for a day, mostly to spare Clemon some embarrassment on national TV.
At least Clemont's latest invention didn't explode, and Ash and Greninja learned a new move whilst fused together as Ashninja during their time trying to evade Faba and Team Rocket who wanted to capture them in the latter's case and dissect them in the former's case. (AN: I or someone else should make that a fanfiction.)
"So instead at Bonnie's suggestion, Serena, (Who was visiting them at the time whilst she waits for Hoenn's next Grand Festival in a few weeks) caught Greninja in a PokéBall and mailed the PokéBall to me." 'Along with another Pokémon I released in Kalos.'
"But then how did you put Greninja back into his old PokéBall? And how does this Serena..." To that Tsareena looked to her Trainer confused at hearing her name, "Know Kukui's address?"
"I keep in contact with my friends through phone or video calls. They all know I'm staying at Kukui's place, and as for Greninja being in his PokéBall, I released him after pulling him out of the mailbox so I could catch him and make Greninja my Pokémon instead of Serena's." Now Mallow's only Pokémon is looking at Ash confused wondering why he and her Trainer keep talking about her in relation to her opponent.
"Anyway I can answer the rests of your questions later. Once I've won this match and the next two matches I have to get through to qualify for the Quarterfinals and this day is done as far as the Conference is concerned." Mallow shot Ash a pout not liking how he seemed certain that he and Greninja were going to win.
The referee at lasts announce the battle to start, Mallow decided to start things off by forcing Ash and Greninja into a corner. So with a bit of hesitance she started performing the prerequisite poses needed to activate Bloom Doom.
Ash shook his head giving Mallow points for not dragging out the buildup to the Z-Move like Lillie before nodding to Greninja who glanced upwards to the sun in the sky that is shining high over the battlefield, before turning to Ash and nodding back whilst glancing towards his shadow, before turning back to Mallow and Tsareena who have finished preparing the Z-Move.
Greninja closed his eyes as, Mallow announced her next attack, "Bloom Doom!"
As Tsareena is suffused in a powerful green aura, Greninja leans backwards.
The light around Tsareena erupts upwards into a great radiant pillar reaching for the heavens and the battlefield becomes a flower field. Greninja falls backwards as the light of the Z-Move expands his shadow greatly.
Another pillar of green light descends down upon where Greninja is at. Greninja hits the ground on his back. Except when he does he sinks into his shadow and disappears.
A corona of light erupts from Greninja's spot on the battlefield before shifting into a large blooming flower bulb of power. The shadows spurred forth from Bloom Doom extend out towards and behind Tsareena connecting with her shadow before disappearing into it.
As the Bloom Doom dissipates and dusts disperses Mallow looks to the battlefield with a grin confident that took Greninja out or at leasts made it so her next attack could finish him.
When at lasts the battlefield is clear for Mallow to see, her grin drops as she sees Greninja's nowhere to be seen. Ash meanwhile sports a confident grin, "Here's another thing about Z-Moves that makes them not as big of a threat as they seem. They can be dodged if you know how to do so."
"What!? How!?" Mallow says whilst searching the battlefield for Greninja like Tsareena is doing so, 'Lana says Greninja can learn Mat Block. A Fighting-Type version of Protect. If so where is he? And Bloom Doom still should have dealt some damage!'
"Greninja, strike now whilst they're confused!" A blast of smoke erupts out from behind Tsareena obscuring Mallow's view of her. From the smoke Mallow hears a strange sound faintly like a low hum followed by a strong gusts of wind and crackling sound like ice shattering upon hitting something hard. The next sound distresses Mallow as it's the pained cry of her Pokémon, "Tsaree!"
Before Mallow can call out to Tsareena to asks if she is okay, Greninja leaps out of the smoke cloud. Trails of smoke clinging after him before dispersing along wisps of darkness disintegrating into the air from where one of his three digited webbed front feet appears clenched as if Greninja was holding something there a moment ago.
Greninja lands before his Trainer with his back to Mallow and her Pokémon, the smoke disperses to reveal Tsareena struggling to stand whilst clutching at her side where a cut has been applied to her.
The cut is strange though as around the area of the injury is ice that is spreading up Tsareena's torso. Another thing of note is a few wisps of darkness dissolving like the smoke, but they are so faint one could mistake it for their eyes playing tricks on them.
Mallow calls out Tsareena's name in distress, whilst Ash has Greninja finish this battle before Tsareena can exert herself any further.
Greninja nods in affirmation before turning around, though he winces faintly and Glances down to his left leg to note a large number of small cuts on his leg. With a mental curse for not completely dodging the Z-Move, Greninja shifts his weight to his other leg before spreading his arms out.
Water vapors in the air gather around his Greninja's extended webbed paws. (AN: Not exactly the correct term to use here, but calling them feet would be confusing.)
The water vapors coalesce into a pair of Water Shuriken for each paw Greninja has. Greninja reels his arms back before swinging them forward, sending the Water Shuriken flying towards Tsareena who struggles to stand as Mallow orders a Sunny Day to stop the ice from spreading via Tsareena's Leaf Guard Ability. (And as a side effect, weaken Greninja's attack.)
It unfortunately is too late for Tsareena to do the move that would prolong this battle further as the Water Shurikens make contact with her and explode in a watery spray of mists once again hiding Tsareena from Mallow's sight.
In that instance Greninja dashes forward and spins as he has one arm extended whilsts darkness coalesces around his paw. Before Greninja's attack can fully form he disappears into the mists where Tsareena is.
A low hum is heard faintly again before an audible clang that is followed by Tsareena being sent out of the dispersed water and landing in a heap before Mallow unconscious. The water vapors that obstructed Tsareena and Greninja during their final exchange suddenly are drawn inwards before amassing into a large Water Shuriken that Greninja stands ready to throw if Tsareena gets back up. A large number of dark wisps trail upwards from Greninja's unoccupied arm before turning to dematerializing once they've traveled high enough.
Mallow is equal parts confused and saddened as she recalls Tsareena finding her legs shaking as they want to give out under her, "I don't understand. I finally got the Z-Move right. How did I lose?"
As Greninja let's the Water Shuriken turn back to water vapors and returns to Ash's side, his Trainer speaks, "There's more to battling than Z-Moves. You should have started with Sunny Day to weaken Greninja's water attacks or used Low Sweep or Trop Kick to start off strong and weaken Greninja for the rests of the fight. Magical Leaf may have also done you a world of good. Anything but an attack that took 15 seconds to hit Greninja and can't be redirected to follow it's target if they move out of the way."
Ash recalls Greninja and turns to wait out his next battle, but stops as Mallow calls for him one lasts time, "But how did Greninja even dodge Bloom Doom?"
Ash pauses before turning back to Mallow with a grin, his eyes closed, and a response that draws a pout from her, "It's a secret."
Meanwhile having watched the battle play out, Guzma smirks wickedly, "Not to me it isn't. I figured out your tricks Ketchum. When we fight, I'll beat you down. You, that frog and mouse, and anything else you throw at me. Only one person here in this League is going to show Kukui who the strongest Trainer in Alola is, and that's going to be me."
Guzma laughs maniacally whilst Plumeria stands nearby bearing a calculating stare intent on making it to the Quarterfinals where the Pokémon Battle Royales are to be held for those 2 rounds and the Semifinals. She'll be there alongside Guzma no matter what to aid him in crushing this Ketchum kid.
AN: Apparently the preliminaries of the League were going to be a Battle Royale where the sole Trainer remaining would progress to the Top 16, but the League had 151 participants when it started. You don't get 16 from 151 divided by 4. You get 37.75 from those calculations. If you want 16 participants left after the preliminary battle royale round has concluded, you should stop accepting participants after you have gotten 128.
You don't stop accepting people for the league when you are at an odd number. If you don't stop at 128, you keep going until you've got 256. At which point you can have 2 Battle Royale rounds to thin the herd down to 16.
What we get in canon apparently is the League only really starts at the Top 16. Which is just lame considering Lillie, Mallow, Lana, and Sophocles wouldn't ever get that far in a conventional League. Kiawe would certainly be screwed once the League has progressed to the part where you have 6 on 6 battles.
And they let people who should be in jail or far away from this League so they don't cringe it up like Team Rocket/The Revengers and Samson Oak.
I have a feeling Kiawe isn't going to get that fight with Ash since Ash is battling Hau in the top 8 after beating Faba's (He should also be in jail.) Hypno with Meltan. (Somehow that will happen despite Meltan's utter lack of battling experience.)
Ash has to have his final battle with Gladion and his rematch with Guzma. Which are far more interesting battles to see than an apparent rivalry the show has done nothing with in it's entire runtime. (Other than set it up early on and mention it again 70 episodes later, before forgetting it again.)
Failed attempts at establishing a rival for Ash early on aside, I'm going to wrap things up here with another preview for the next chapter.
Next Chapter: The Qualifying Rounds Part 2 of 3: Ash vs. Sophocles! Brawling Bugs and Struggling Steel!
Also if anyone asks about the smokescreen Greninja used, it was because he had a Smoke Ball in hand for that battle. Bye-onara!