A/N: Back it!
Remember. The Sinnoh-Alola swap is in an ALTERNATE. UNIVERSE
Alola Ash in Sinnoh POV:
Ash was out for breakfast with Dawn, just enjoying himself a few hours before his big matchup against Paul.
Brock made up some excuse about having an important phone call with his med school, so it was just Ash and Dawn hanging out. Alone, but there was nothing weird about that, right?
"So Ash, tell me more about your recent travels," Dawn inquired as Ash dug into yet another stack of pancakes
"Well, I mentioned Alola, but for the first time ever, I didn't really travel too much, I slept in the same bed almost every night," Ash said
"Why?" asked Dawn
"I went to school!" Ash said
Dawn started laughing
"What's so funny!" Ash said defensively
"Nothing! I mean it's just that you never struck me as the type to sacrifice adventure for education!" Dawn said
Ash shook his head, "Oh there wasn't as much schoolwork as you'd think, I spend, or uhhh spent so much time outside and training an awesome team,"
Dawn smirked, "More awesome then your Sinnoh crew?"
Ash shrugged, "Guess you'll have to wait and see!" Ash said with a smile
Ash continued devouring inhuman numbers of pancakes, astounding all who watched
Dawn rolled her eyes, "So, what makes Alola special enough to stay like that? I mean school must be cool and all, but there's gotta be more to make Alola special enough to keep Ash Ketchum in one place for that long,"
Ash laughed, "I mean it's just the Alolan way of life I guess, it's like exactly the way I like living, people and pokemon are so much closer in Alola," Ash said
"That's surprisingly a very well thought out answer Ash," Dawn said with a giggle, "So, how are the people in Alola, I'm sure this isn't a question but have you made some friends there?" Dawn said
"Oh yeah!" Ash said, "I live with the regional professor, and I have so many amazing classmates, there's Mallow who's this amazing cook, Lana is amazing at fishing, and Sophocles is super smart! Kiawe is my rival and he's super strong, and then there's Lille, Lille is uhhhh special,"
Dawn felt her heart slightly drop upon hearing that last part. However, she kept a smile up and just played along, "Like a girlfriend type of special?"
"What? No! No! She just has some issues with her family, and she had a fear of touching pokemon," Ash said
"Oh," Dawn felt awful
"I mean if you're asking if there's anyone special like that in my life? Not anymore, there was a girl in Kalos, but uhhh hardly anything ever happened, and we haven't talked ever since she said goodbye," Ash said
Dawn was surprised by Ash's density decreasing. He was never like this in Sinnoh, but maybe the larger group helped? Or just hormones
"Oh, I'm sorry," Dawn said, before blurting out another question, "So uhh what happens to me in the future?"
Ash smiled, "You're doing great! After we stopped traveling together, you worked as a model with your Buneary for a bit, and then you returned to the contest scene and became a top coordinator in Kanto! I watched the whole match on the edge of my seat!" Ash said with a smile
"Oh, awesome! That makes me excited!" Dawn said
Ash smiled, "Yeah, I mean I'm really proud of you, and I know Brock and the rest of our friends are also,"
Dawn blushed at his compliment, "Thanks Ash,"
Ash finished his stack of pancakes and looked up at her.
"Yeah, of course!"
Dawn looked at her watch, "Oh, I think it's almost time for us to get going, your match is in two hours and you probably need to get ready,"
"Thanks for having breakfast with me Dawn," Ash said with a smile, and Dawn felt her heart beat a little faster
"Anytime Ash,"
—-
The stadium was packed. Bets were placed. And the trainers walked onto the field, a belt full of Alolan made poke balls on his hip, and Pikachu walking by his side.
Ash made eye contact with Paul who simply glared at him. No words needed to be said, it was clear what this battle meant to the both of them. And there could only be one winner.
The announcer went on his rant, introducing Ash and Paul, and preparing for their climactic battle.
The referee stood up,
"This will be a six-on-six battle, with substitutions allowed, trainers are you ready?"
Ash nodded, along with Paul
"Well, in that case, trainers, send out your first pokemon!"
"Aggron, standby for battle!" Paul released a menacing steel type as his first pokemon
Ash matched up with a steel type of his own, "Alright, let's go Melmetal!"
Ash released Melmetal and Dawn scanned the mysterious pokemon in her Pokedex
"No data found, species unknown,"
"Woah, what on earth has Ash caught?"
"Looks like a steel type to me! Aggron, use flash cannon!"
Ash smiled and pointed at Aggron, "Melmetal, punch Aggron!"
Melmetal stretched out a fist which began to glow blue, and smashed into Aggron.
Aggron flew back and slammed into the ground, and when Paul's steel type stood back up, he was facing the wrong way. Clearly confused from the blow
"Nice job Melmetal, that was dynamic punch!" Ash said
Melmetal flexed happily
"Now, let's show them our best attack, double iron bash, now!" Ash ordered
Melmetal swung his extended arms in a circle, striking Aggron once, and then again.
The sheer force of the blows could be heard outside the stadium.
Aggron cried out in pain, and collapsed.
Paul's first icon disappeared on the screen, down to five
Paul recalled Aggron and said nothing
"Gastrodon, standby for battle!" Paul said
Ash smiled at Paul, "Hey Paul, ready for more?"
"Don't get cocky Ash, this match is far from over," Paul said
"Gastrodon, use water pulse!" Paul said
Gastrodon fired off a water pulse, which would have been the bane of so many other pokemon, but Melmetal just stood there as if nothing had happened at all.
"Again!" Paul ordered
This time, Gastrodon fired off an even larger water pulse, which sent Melmetal back a few inches, but despite all of this, Melmetal was unfazed.
"My turn," Ash said
"Melmetal, use double iron bash!"
Melmetal extended his arms even longer and swung at Gastrodon
"Duck!" Paul yelled, and the first arm Gastrodon avoided by lowering itself beneath it, "Matrix" style.
Melmetal's second swing came in contact with Gastrodon and sent Paul's water type to the edge.
"Now, use flash cannon!"
Melmetal fired off a powerful flash cannon, which came into contact with Gastrodon and pushed Paul's team member to the wall, where the flash cannon kept firing until Ash ordered Melmetal to stop.
"That's enough Melmetal, he's down," Ash said ruthlessly
Ash smiled as Paul recalled his Gastrodon and reached for another poke ball
—-
"Ash is battling much better then he usually does, I'm really impressed!" Brock said
"He's destroying Paul, which is always a pleasure, serves him right for forgetting my name," Dawn said
—-
Back on the field,
"Alright, lets fix this! Froslass, standby for battle!"
Ash smiled and shrugged, "Ready when you are Paul,"
"Alright, Froslass, use hail!" Paul said
Froslass vanished once the ice storm was summoned, making use of her snow cloak ability.
"Froslass, use ice beam! Make sure to stay hidden!" Paul ordered his pokemon
Froslass flew around Melmetal and fired off ice beams, slowly freezing Melmetal's arms and legs
"Paul, I think you missed a spot, flash cannon, let's go!" Melmetal's central hex nut fired off a flash cannon which freed itself from the ice.
Paul sighed, "Guess I'm gonna have to take a risk here. Froslass, use hidden power! Give it all you have! Just like we practiced!"
Froslass fired off red orbs which struck Melmetal and sent the steel type to its knees
"Hmmmm, red orbs…. Oh! That must be fire type," Ash said
Paul nodded, "Now get closer and do that again!"
Ash smiled, "Alright Melmetal, use flash cannon, shoot some of the orbs!" he ordered with a smile
Melmetal fired off a flash cannon which struck the orbs near an explosion but didn't hit all
Melmetal spun around, and fell down, straight on top of a stunned Froslass
It was a double knockout
Both trainers recalled their pokemon, and Paul looked concerned.
"Drapion lets go!"
Ash smiled, "Naganadel, let's do this!"
A powerful purple dragon emerged, and even Drapion, one of the most vicious species out there looked back at Paul in fear.
Dawn tried scanning with her Pokedex again but was met with the no data screen yet again.
"Drapion, use toxic spi-" Paul was about to say
"Blast them out of the air with dragon pulse, and keep firing nonstop at Drapion," Ash interrupted Paul
Naganadel fired for an impossibly long amount of time, striking Drapion over and over. The audience started cheering, amazed by the sheer strength on display before them.
Drapion was struck with the dragon pulse and fell to the ground, being pushed into a hole created by Naganadel's attack.
Drapion cried out in pain as Naganadel flew in circles over its head, savagely firing off a seemingly endless dragon pulse.
"Drapion, use pin missile!" Paul yelled, Drapion tried to stand back up, but was struck again by Naganadel's dragon pulse
"Finish this quickly, Naganadel, use hyper beam!" Ash ordered
"Drapion, no!" Paul yelled out
It was too late, a full-force hyper beam struck Drapion, and sent the poison type crashing deeper into the hole he was in.
Paul's icon flashed again, he only had two remaining. This was about as badly of a beatdown as the time he faced Brandon, but at least with Brandon Paul knew he was this high-level frontier leader. Not the kid who was supposed to be his rival!
"Maybe speed will help us out," Paul said as he released his Ninjask
"Agility, now!" Paul ordered but was horrified when Naganadel was just as fast as his Ninjask
The two of them vanished at a hypersonic speed, faster than the human eye could comprehend.
Ash looked up at the sky, where two blurs were racing around
Ash yelled out, "Now, hyper beam again!"
A much more powerful hyper beam fired off, this time it was the width of a bus and fired much faster.
Ninjask never stood a chance.
Ash's Naganadel flew over the fainted Ninjask, Paul reached for the last poke ball on his belt.
"If you're wondering how that hyper beam was stronger, it's his ability. Every time he knocks out a pokemon, his strongest attribute increases and gets stronger. In his case, it's his special attacks. So now, it's gonna be even stronger!"
No matter what, he'd never give up. It wasn't who he was, and he'd never forfeit a battle as long as he lived.
"Alright Electivire, standby for battle!"
Paul's ace looked up in the sky and saw a figure of nightmares in Naganadel staring at him, flying in circles, waiting to strike down his prey.
"Stay focused, Electivire! We can't give up!" Paul's voice sounded like he doubted himself
Ash smiled, " It was a good battle Paul,"
Paul's eyes widened, "Electivire, use thunder! Strike it down!"
Ash ordered, "Fly above the arena, and use hyper beam, one last time!"
The thunder attack was quickly intercepted, and Naganadel flew up towards the upper layers of the stadium and fired off a hyper beam the size of the battlefield. The entire battlefield was coated in orange energy from the attack, and the stadium watched in awe as the attack consumed Electivire who had long since accepted his fate at the hands of the dragon.
The attack stopped after a moment, and Naganadel flew a few laps around the stadium to confirm his foe was down and out.
After a brief moment, Naganadel landed by Ash's side and his trainer smiled upon seeing Electivire's fainted form.
Paul's last icon went grey and the referee raised his flag.
Ash had delivered the strongest league beatdown of his career.
A few hours later,
Paul walked out of the conference, backpack in tow and many questions away from an answer to why the events of today had to happen. He was embarrassed on international television and he couldn't even face his own team.
Just then, the last person in the world he wanted to see approached him.
"What do you want? Here to gloat?" Paul asked
"Actually, I just wanted to thank you for a great battle today, and wish you luck with future endeavors," Ash said as he offered a hand
He was too nice for his own good
Paul shook it, "I won't lie and say that I'm not mad, but on principle, I gotta ask where on earth can I catch that purple dragon thing you used?" Paul asked with a faint hint of a smile
"Well, let's just say they're a rare species, about as rare as seeing an alien" Ash said
"Well, guess I'll just have to keep my eyes peeled," Paul said
An awkward silence emerged before Ash broke it and addressed the Donphan in the room
"No hard feelings Paul, I know you can do better for your pokemon and for yourself, you are a great rival, and don't let today affect you too much. Because if you start treating your pokemon the way your heart tells you to, there's nothing you can't do," Ash said
Paul smiled and walked away,
"Thanks, Ash, and someday, let's battle again,"
Ash smiled sadly, remembering how he heard that exact phrase once before from Paul
"Yeah…. Lets battle again,"