Hi guys,

I struggled so much with this chapter and hopefully it will be enjoyable to read. I have so much happening with me at the moment that I just squeezed the time in to publish this for you guys...

And hey, message me and tell me: What would you like to happen in the tournament, e.g. a traitor is murdered or a war is introduced? A new twist has been introduced towards the end so stay tuned.

Thanks and remember: Read and Review!

Chapter 4 – The Tournament

4 YEARS LATER...

'Hurry up!' a olive-haired boy yelled as he raced across the bridge to Cameran Castle, situated in The Kingdom of Rota.

'Slow down Max,' a brunette girl said as she walked alongside a blunette girl with a Piplup nestled comfortably in her arms.

'It's not my fault that I'm not a slow coach like you May,' Max teased and the brunette, identified as May, growled in annoyance.

The blunette put an arm on May's shoulder to calm her.

'Thanks Dawn,' May said and Dawn smiled.

'BROCK SLATE! Get away from that girl,' a orange-haired girl shouted and marched over to a dark-skinned, male with spiky hair. He was kneeling down in front of a girl, who was creeped out by his attempt to flirt with her.

'There goes Misty again,' May sighed and Dawn giggled at the sight as Misty pulled Brock away painfully by his ear.

'Hurry up I need to register for the tournament,' Max called.

The tournament, in tag partners, being held at the castle was in honour of Prince Ashton as this was the day when they were both registered officially as the heir to the Kingdom of Rota. Also the day when Ash was betrayed and disappeared.

'I can't wait to see the Prince, I hope he's single,' May said.

It wasn't known to anyone outside of the Kingdom that the Prince was engaged already and so many girls were competing with the chance to meet the Prince and hopefully catch his eye.

'Isn't this tag tournament fancy dress?' Misty asked.

'Yeah it was the last time we visited with that loser. But we can hire costumes,' Brock said and everyone laughed at the fact that they had got rid of him so soon.

Since that time, May had come runner up in the Hoenn Grand Festival and Dawn had come higher than last time in the Sinnoh Grand Festival.

But the puzzling fact was that their friends had turned away from them after hearing what they had done to Ash. Drew, Harley, Solidad, Zoey and even Conway had given them the cold shoulder and they didn't understand why.

'Let's hurry before Max yells at us again,' Misty pointed out as Max was charging at them annoyed.

'Can we hurry up now?!' Max yelled and everyone nodded. They headed towards the pokemon centre.

...

'What's the schedule today Cilan?' a certain Prince asked as he got ready in his room.

'We have the tournament for the whole of today which you will be competing in, your highness, along with her highness, and so Sire has given you the whole day off for training,' Cilan said and Ash turned to frown at him.

'Cilan what have I told you? There is no need to call me your highness, Ash is my name,' Ash said and Cilan nodded.

'I'm sorry Ashton,' he apologised and Ash nodded.

'So Pikachu shall we go and pick up Zainab?' Ash asked and offered his arm. Pikachu scampered up and came to rest on his shoulder.

'Pi ka,' Pikachu nodded and Ash crossed the room.

Ash had considerably changed during the years. He had a cold exterior with strangers, except for his dear ones such as Zainab, Aaron and Maria, as well as all the staff in the castle. He had grown taller and toned muscles due to the aura training he had received from his father. His hair was slightly longer but tied up loosely in a small ponytail, enhancing his handsome looks. His pokemon were all trained and evolved except for Pikachu and he had learned to hide all his emotions.

Ash and Zainab had both learned the art of aura but Zainab was less trained than Ash, due to her natural talent at fighting. She was therefore on the same skill level as Ash, due to her previous training. Ash was more advanced and was also knighted an aura guardian, like his father.

'And Cilan, I hope you and Iris will be able to come and see me and Zainab compete. That is an order,' Ash called. Iris and Cilan had become particularly close to Ash and Zainab, since they were the same age and so were easy to talk to.

'Of course Ashton,' Cilan said and Ash exited the room and walked to Zainab's room.

He reached the door and knocked. Waiting for a few seconds, he pushed the door opened and saw the room was empty. Ash scratched his head in confusement.

'Where's Zainab?' Ash asked and turned around to come face to face with Zainab, who had a towel wrapped around her after emerging from the bathroom after a shower.

There was a pause and then Zainab and Ash shrieked and turned to face away from each other. Ash went bright red.

'Ash what the hell are you doing in my room?' Zainab demanded as she quickly pulled on a baggy t-shirt and a pair of skinny jeans.

'I w-was t-trying to f-find y-you,' Ash stuttered and Zainab giggled.

The door opened and Aaron and Maria came in.

'What happened?' Aaron asked, looking between the two teens, one with her hair in a towel and the other fully ready and bright red in the face.

'Ash decided to enter my room and I came out of the shower not wearing anything,' Zainab growled and Ash gulped.

'Ash, haven't I told you that you never go into a girl's room with their permission,' Maria said and Ash nodded, before running out of the room embarrassed.

'And you young lady, get some proper clothes on before I make you,' Maria threatened and Zainab nodded meekly and immediately rushed into the bathroom to get changed.

...

Zainab emerged a few minutes later. She was wearing a dark blue silk dress up to her knees and a pair of blue flats. She threw on a cardigan that was cream coloured on top and placed the silver heart locket around her neck that she wore as a good luck charm. The ring Ash had proposed to her with was on her finger. Her hair was up in a high ponytail and the tiara that Maria had gifted her was in her hair as well. She didn't want to wear it but she also didn't want to offend Maria. She picked up her silver side bag and slung it on. It contained her poke balls.

Pi walked over to her and perched on her shoulder. Zainab then walked out of the door and into the courtyard, where she saw Ash sitting on the wall waiting for her.

Approaching him, she bent down and pecked him on the cheek. He smiled and turned to see Zainab in a cute dress.

'Hey there... sorry about before,' Ash apologised and rubbed his head sheepishly. Zainab smiled and pecked him on the cheek again to show she had forgiven him.

'It's fine, shall we go and practise?' Zainab asked and Ash nodded, offering his arm, and then they set off to the pokemon centre.

...

As soon as Zainab and Ash entered the pokemon centre arm-in-arm, everyone who lived in Rota bowed/curtsied to the couple.

Both of them were adored by the whole kingdom as they were friendly and loveable. Zainab had made it a habit, along with Ash, to visit each house in turn every Friday and ask how everyone was. This way not only could they socialise and become friends with everyone, but they could hear and rectify certain problems that people had.

Even people who were not from the Kingdom recognised the young royal couple and bowed/curtsied. Ash and Zainab made their way to Nurse Joy and handed their poke balls.

'Please can you heal our pokemon?' Zainab asked and Nurse Joy nodded.

'Certainly your highness,' Joy replied and disappeared into the backroom.

Zainab turned to see Ash give a few young children his autograph and talk to a few people. Zainab smiled as she saw this. He was slowly returning to his normal self however he was still a bit cold towards outsiders. Zainab didn't blame him.

'Your pokemon are ready,' Joy said and Zainab thanked her and walked over to Ash. Pikachu jumped onto his shoulder and Ash placed all the poke balls inside the jacket he was wearing.

'Are Cilan and Iris attending?' Zainab asked.

'I asked Cilan and he said he will be there, along with Iris,' Ash replied and then stood up. He offered a hand to Zainab and she took it. He pulled her up and she nearly fell over. However Ash caught her and they stared into each other's eyes for a few minutes, before Zainab tried breaking away blushing.

'Ash everyone is watching,' she said but Ash put a finger to her lips.

'Shhh, I don't care,' Ash murmured and he leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the lips.

Zainab eyes widened in surprise and she tried to break away but Ash pulled her closer with his arm, which was snaked around her waist. She kissed him back and he broke away.

'Ash...' Zainab said and Ash smirked at Zainab's reaction.

Suddenly the whole of the pokemon centre applauded and Zainab blushed heavily. Both the Pikachus were laughing and Ash laughed.

'Thank you everyone for your support,' Ash said and bowed.

Soon after everyone dispersed and Zainab burrowed her face in her hands, embarrassed, while Ash started to laugh.

'Never do that again,' she said and Ash smirked.

'Fine,' he shrugged and Zainab poked her tongue out at him.

Just then the door to the pokemon centre opened and in came a group of teenagers. Ash suddenly froze up and Zainab looked at him in surprise.

'No it couldn't be...' she thought and looked back at the group. There was a young boy with olive-green hair and glasses, three girls, one with brown, one with blue and the other with orange hair. Finally there was an older boy who was dark-skinned and had spiky black hair.

Zainab looked back at Ash, who had a unreadable face, and then turned back to the group. Now there was one thing to confirm who they were. No sooner had she thought that then the older boy rushed over to Nurse Joy and began to flirt with her.

'Shit,' she said quietly to herself and Pi nodded.

'Come on honey let's go and train,' Zainab said and Ash looked back at her. She smiled at him and he nodded, offering his arm. Zainab took it and they began to walk out of the centre. However Max wasn't looking where he was going and bumped into Ash.

'Oh sorry, I didn't see you there,' Max apologised sheepishly.

Ash was getting more and more angry by the second. Why the hell were they here of all places? However he felt a soothing aura and looked to see Zainab smiling at him, as she held his arm. She was transferring some soothing aura to his body.

Zainab looked down at Max.

'That is fine young man but next time look where you are going,' she said and began to walk away. Ash was walking alongside her.

'Hey! Don't talk like that to my brother,' May shouted and the centre was silent. Obviously they didn't know that she was talking to the future Queen.

'I'm sorry,' Zainab asked shocked. May walked over to her.

'You should look where you're going as well. Don't just blame my brother, blame him as well,' May said and pointed at Ash.

'Yeah who do you think you are? Do you own this place or something?' Max added. Zainab ignored him and turned to May.

'And who are you?' Zainab asked. She was losing her patience as well.

'I am May Maple, a famous pokemon coordinator.'

'So famous that I didn't even recognise you when you appeared in front of me,' Zainab said. Ash smirked at his fiancée's comeback.

'What? The cheek of you,' May huffed. Zainab continued.

'Well do you know who I am?' Zainab asked smirking slightly. Oh she couldn't wait to see their faces when they found out.

'I don't want to and I don't care,' May said and everyone gasped.

'Why is everyone gasping? Did I say something wrong?' May asked confused.

'You'll soon find out,' Zainab said and then walked out of the centre, along with Ash.

...

An aura sphere blasted a tree, however it didn't uproot but shook a bit.

'Ash why don't you meditate? You don't want to strain yourself before the tournament,' Zainab reasoned but Ash fired another aura sphere.

Zainab shook her head. Sometimes her fiancé would be a little too stubborn.

'Why did they come here?!' Ash yelled in frustration and another aura sphere collided with a rock and shattered it.

'That's enough Ash.'

Both trainers turned to see Aaron watching his son. Ash turned back and punched the tree he was stood next to.

'I know you're upset. But face it, they don't know who you are, so calm down. Give them some payback during the tournament,' Aaron reasoned and Ash nodded.

'Well come and head to the stadium in two minutes,' Aaron instructed and left them.

As soon as Aaron left, Ash sunk to his knees and put his head in his hands. Zainab rushed over.

'Ash...' she asked and placed a hand on Ash's shoulder.

'What do I do? It pains me to think about that day,' Ash sobbed into Zainab's shoulder and she rubbed his back softly.

'Well we're gonna prove them wrong,' Zainab said and Ash nodded.

'Thanks Zainab,' Ash said as he wiped his face.

'What would you do without me?' Zainab joked and Ash smiled.

'I would die,' he muttered to himself but allowed Zainab to drag him up to the castle. He would get them back if it was the last thing ever!

...

'Welcome one and all to the Tag Tournament of Rota. May I please welcome His Majesty King Aaron and his wife Her Majesty Queen Maria,' the announcer said through the microphone and at the top box Aaron and Maria appeared and waved to the crowd, who were applauding with great gusto.

'And now can I please welcome, the person for who this tournament is in honour for, His Royal Highness Prince Ashton and his fiancée, Her Royal Highness Princess Zainab,' the announcer said and next to Aaron and Maria came Ash and Zainab.

'No way,' May and the others said as they recognised the girl and boy they had shouted at in the pokemon centre were in fact the Prince and Princess.

Zainab spotted the traitors and laughed internally at their faces.

'So now to get the show on the road. This is a tag battle and so you should have by now registered you and your partner in the pokemon centre. And there is a treat... to demonstrate how powerful they have become, both the Prince and the Princess will be taking part in the tag tournament.'

Everyone gasped and cheered loudly. Zainab and Ash smiled at each other and waved at the crowd.

'We will now shuffle the contestants and here we go... the first match will take place tomorrow at 10am so get ready folks. Let the tournament begin!'

Everyone cheered loudly and then there was silence to see who the first matchups were.

'We are going to win this,' Ash said and the three other members of the family laughed at the determination.

'That's the spirit Ash!' Zainab said happily and both hugged each other.

'Let's check our opponents out,' Ash said and raced off. Pikachu was struggling to hold on with his tiny paws.

'Hey no fair,' Zainab shouted and sprinted after the cheeky trainer. Pi clung to her trainer's shoulder desperately. Zainab realised this and carried Pi in her arms.

'Pi ka pipi,' Pi thanked and Zainab smiled. She then raced to catch up to her fiancé.

'At least he's back to normal,' Aaron said and Maria nodded. They watched the two run off with a smile on their faces.

'Our son is coming back for the better,' she said.

...

In a secret base a safe distance away...

'Aaron we will meet again and this time I'm taking you and your family out along with you. The Aura Hunters are making a comeback!'

That's all guys. The tournament is underway, as many of my charming followers have guessed correctly, and now Ash will kick the traitor's asses! And the Aura Hunters have declared a mini war on Aaron and his family. Ooooh!

Stay tuned and I will update as soon as possible.