"Okay, where is Ash?" Dawn said amidst a panic. "He's up first against Jessica, and hasn't checked in." "What do you mean he hasn't checked in, he went to get ready hours ago?" Goh said, confused. "Do you think he got lost?" Lillie worried. "I doubt it, Ash knows his way around fairly well." Chloe said. "Maybe we could go look for him." Misty offered. "I can see if I can hold things off, but I wouldn't recommend you three leaving just in case." Dawn said to May, Misty, and Goh. "That still leaves three of us if we get Gladion." Lillie said, determined. "Good luck." May said as the two girls went to go find Ash.
"OSHAWOTT! WHERE ARE YOU!" Ash shouted. "PIKA!" Pikachu shouted trying to help. They had been searching the park for hours. How hard was it to find one Pokémon? "Up ahead, is that him!" Ash said running up to see Oshawott. "What in the!" Ash said taking note of his unconscious Pokemon. "He seems fine, just asleep…!" Ash said before jumping out of the way of a Shadow Ball. "How'd you find me!" Ash said angrily turning towards Darkrai. "It took a bit, but I eventually found my way through dreams." Darkrai taunted. "I beat you before! Don't think I won't do it again!" Ash shouted. Pikachu's cheeks sparking with energy. "I've learned a few new tricks, you won't beat me this time! Dark Pulse!" Darkrai shouted "Pikachu block it with Discharge!" Ash commanded. Pikachu's electricity hit around the Dark Pulse, halting the attack.
"As a result of forfeit, Ashley has lost this round." Wallace announced with a heavy heart. "Jessica, congratulations on making it to round three."
"Pikachu use Iron Tail!"
"Drain Punch!"
Pikachu went flying back, the damage having been too much. "I need to move." Ash said, planning out his next attack. "Running away won't help you!" Darkrai shouted, chasing after him. "Hawlucha help me out! Use Flying Press!" Ash shouted seeing one of his pokemon in the distance. Hawlucha spun forward, landing on Darkrai. "When will you learn. Shadow Ball!" Darkrai said sending Hawlucha backwards. "Forgive me, I've been told I'm a slow learner." Ash taunted. "Now Hawlucha use X-Scissor!" Hawluch lurched forward, landing another hit on Darkrai.
"Blaziken use Sky Uppercut!" "Cinderace use Blaze Kick!" The two fire types collided. Goh wasn't the strongest battler, but that wasn't going to stop him. "Now Cinderace use Bounce!" "Blaziken show them what a real Blaze Kick looks like!" Moving into the air wasn't enough, as Blaziken was easily able to make its way up there, knocking Cinderace to the ground. "Cinderace use Double Kick!" "Blaziken use Brave Bird!" Blaziken sped through the field, knocking out Cinderace. "May moves onto round three." Wallace announced.
"What no dirty tricks?" Ash taunted. "Oh I have plenty for you." Darkrai said angrily. "Dark Void!" A black blob encompassed Hawlucha, when it cleared, Hawlucha was asleep, and came crashing to the ground. "Try and keep up!" Ash shouted moving on the same path he had been taking. "Perfect!" Ash exclaimed, seeing Muk in the distance. "Muk say hello to our new friend!" Ash shouted, before rolling out of the way. Muk quickly 'hugged' Darkrai, pushing it to the ground. "Get off of me, you pathetic excuse for a Pokemon!" Darkrai shouted, struggling to attack. "Keep him there as long as you can Muk!" Ash said focusing on where they were. He still had to get Darkrai a bit further before he could win. Ash quickly saw Darkrai break free. "Muk use Sludge Bomb!" "Shadow Ball!" The two elemental attacks collided with each other creating a cloud of smoke.
"Kingdra you're up!" MIsty said, sending out her pokemon. "A Kingdra is no match for what I have. Heracross, come forth." The cloaked figure said oddly calmly. "Kingdra use Dragon Pulse!" The cloaked figure pulled out a watch, before saying, "Now Heracross go up and use Megahorn." The Heracross dodged, before striking into Kingdra. "Kingdra go underwater, and use Flash Cannon!" Her opponent seemed so uncaring about the battle. "Aren't you going to fight back?" Misty asked surprised as their Heracross deftly dodged their attack. "Everything has a time. And mine is being wasted. Heracross use Throat Chop!" "Kingdra use Hydro Pump!" Heracross got too close, and was hit, being knocked out in a single hit. "So, whats that about wasting your time?" Misty taunted. "Who said I wanted to win against you?" The cloaked figure said, before walking off the stage. "Wait, what?" Misty said really confused.
"Muk no!" Ash yelled as Muk hit a tree, knocked out. "Your pitiful attempts to stop me are pointless." Darkrai threatened approaching. "As long as my Pokémon are still willing to fight, nothing is pointless." Ash said running into the woods. "Torterra! I need your help! Use Leaf Storm!" Ash said moving between the trees. Darkrai made it into the clearing only to be hit with a barrage of leaves. "Now use Stone Edge!" Ash commanded. Darkrai was quickly encased in rocks. "Dark Pulse!" Darkrai shouted as the rocks shattered into millions of pieces. "Drain Punch!" Darkrai shouted, speeding forward. "Torterra use Rock Climb!" Torterra picked up speed slamming into Darkrai. Darkrai hit several trees, before counter attacking with a Shadow Ball. "Torterra use Leaf Storm!" "Enough playing around. Dark Void!" The two attacks collided, the Dark Void moving closer.
"Roserade use Petal Dance!" Drew commanded. "Magcargo use Lava Plume!" Anthony called out.
The petals helped block the attack, but didn't do much offensively.
"Now Rosearde use Rain Dance!"
"Magcargo use Smog!"
Magcargo's attack did very little while it began to pour in the arena.
"Now Roserade use Weather Ball!"
"Magcargo use Shell Smash!"
It was over as quick as it had begun. The weather ball powered up from the rain was too much for the Fire and Rock type.
"Enough!" Darkrai shouted slamming Torterra into the ground. Looking around, Ash was already gone. "Get back here child!" Darkrai shouted flying to where he hoped Ash was. "Looking for me?" Ash said outside the tee line. "Foolish choice, waiting for me." Darkrai threatened. "Foolish, maybe. Planned, yes. Now Glalie!" Darkrai turned as Glalie slammed into him with a Headbutt. "When will you learn! Shadow Ball!" "Glalie counter with Ice Beam!" The attack hit, with Ice Beam moving forwards and hitting Darkrai. "No matter, a simple Drain Punch will make quick work of this one as well!" Darkrai said readying his fist. "Glalie use Crunch!" Glalie bit down on the very hand Darkrai was planning on using. "I'd say I hate to inform you, but I don't. I have two hands." Darkrai said readying his other hand.
"You're looking at a Master Co Oridinator." Jessica said proudly. "Well, that makes two of us, and just remember you only got here via forfeit." Drew said holding his Pokeball. "Seviper I choose you!" Jessica said. "Come on out Roserade!" Drew calmly said. "Seviper let's end this quick with Poison Tail!" Jessica commanded. "Roserade dodge and use Extrasensory." Seviper seemed to hang in mid air. "I don't know where you're a master from, but even rookies know not to use a Poison move on a poison type." Drew said, belittling Jessica's choice in move. "Then it's a good thing I planned for a fire type. Seviper use Flamethrower!" Flames shot out towards Roserade, who quickly dodged the attack. "Roserade take care of this." Drew said calmly, as Seviper was lifted above the water. Jessica's points quickly dropped to zero, making Drew the winner.
"Quit running!" Darkrai shouted sending another attack towards Ash. "Who said I was running." Ash said turning around. "It's all you've done since I got here!" Darkrai shouted. "No, I did a fair bit of pestering, and some nice battling." Ash commented. "Face me at once!" Darkrai yelled. "Did it ever occur to you why I waited for you at each place." Ash said slowly taking a step back. "Human choice is irrelevant to me." Darkrai said angrily. "You see I wasn't running." Ash said feeling the ground rumble. "No, I wanted you to follow me. I knew that to keep you from coming back here I needed to truly defeat you in a way even a legendary wouldn't want to come back." Ash said taking another step. "But all of your attacks failed." Darkrai said moving ever so slightly forward. "Did they? Who told you that I planned those fights. Those Pokémon happened to be there. I didn't have them on me, where would I even keep them." Ash said motioning to his dress. "What's your point!" Darkrai said angrily. "My point is, you're in their way." Ash said with a smirk. "No you are the one who is…". Darkrai was unable to finish as thirty Tauros charged over him. "Right on schedule." Ash said with a smirk. As the dust cleared, Darkrai was nowhere to be seen. "Maybe if I hurry I can catch the end of the Wallace Cup." Ash said running towards the arena.
"Now it's time to show you how much better I've gotten. Blaziken use Sky Uppercut!" May called out. "Kingdra use Hydro Pump." Blaziken's speed was too much as it dodged the attack striking Kingdra into the air. "Now Blaziken use Brave Bird!" "Kingdra use Flash Cannon!" Blaziken dove right through the attack, slamming Kingdra into a wall.
"Ash! There you are! What happened!" Goh exclaimed seeing Ash running up. "I ran into an old friend of sorts." Ash said a bit angrily. "Well you missed most of the contest, I think the final round is about to start." Goh said annoyed. "You could've let us know. We were looking all over for you." Goh continued as they made their way in. "I'm sorry, I got distracted, and didn't think to tell anyone at the time." Ash said guiltily.
Looking at the stage, Ash wasn't surprised to see it was May against Drew. Out of the eight finalists, those two were the most experienced in contests. If it hadn't been for Darkrai, he might've been up there.
"Roserade use Rain Dance!"
"Blaziken use Blaze Kick!"
Blaziken struck hard and fast but the rain had already begun.
"Don't think a little water will stop us." May said confidently. "I wasn't planning on it. Just lowering that fiery temper. Now Roserade use Sludge Bomb!"
"Blaziken counter it with a Flamethrower!"
The downpour made it difficult, but the flames were able to stop the other attack.
"Now use a flurry of Weather Balls!"
"Blaziken into the air with Sky Uppercut!"
Blaziken knocked into Roserade, sending both veering off course into the water.
"Roserade get out of there!"
"Blaziken use Brave Bird!"
Blaziken spun around the arena, shooting Roserade out of the pool.
"Now finish it with Flamethrower!"
Roserade was still stunned from the last attack, as Drew could do nothing but watch as his Pokémon was defeated.
"Here you are May. The Wallace Cup ribbon, able to be used in any grand festival of any region." Wallace said handing over the elaborate ribbon. "I hope you all enjoyed, and participate in more contests yet to come!" Wallace announced cheerfully.
On a private boat, a few hours from Vermillion.
The cloaked figure was looking at their watch when the phone went off. "Right on time." They responded picking up the phone. "Were you successful?" A voice said from the other line. "He didn't make it to his match. No one could find him. A pathetic excuse for a trainer." The cloaked figure said. "Don't underestimate him. He will face you if he hopes to make it to the top ten." The other voice said. "I don't worry, when the time comes, I'll defeat them." The cloaked figure said, closing their watch.
Deep in the woods of Three Island
Darkrai swirled out of a void, looking around. "Now where are you?" He said moving forwards. A Hypno jumped out, trying to put him to sleep. "You are not the one. And your attempts at incapacitating me are fruitless." Darkrai said, tossing the Hypno away. He eventually reached the cave where what was shortly Ash's Hypno resided. "We have a common goal, and a common enemy." Darkrai said, sharing his memories with the Hypno. "I offer that we work together, if for nothing but to accomplish our goal." Darkrai said extending his hand.
