Welcome back, everyone! It's time for the Indigo League Conference to continue! We hope you enjoy the battles, and please let us know what you think with a review, if you'd be so inclined! Happy reading!


"...Today, on the Grass Field, we have Mark from Viridian City taking on Ash from Pallet Town!"

A light breeze was blowing across the field, there were a few clouds in the sky, the sun was warm… it was perfect. Ash couldn't hide his grin as he tipped the brim of his hat upwards a bit, looking over at his opponent.

Mark seemed fairly young at a glance, but he had to have had some skill to get to this point, he figured. The boy dusted off his yellow shirt, tilted down the brim of his blue hat, then turned it backwards, taking one of the Pokeballs from his belt, which got a double-take from Ash.

"...Huh…" He barely noticed the announcers' speaking.


"Did he just-"

"Yeah, I think he did."

Both Misty and Brock just looked at the youngster. That was… just a bit surreal to see. It certainly brought some memories back, at the least.


"On one end, we have a fairly experienced Trainer, and the other, one in his very first League. This ought to be a match worth watching!"

"Begin!" The referee threw his hand up, signaling the start of the match.

"L-Let's go. I-I won't give up. Go, Marowak!"

With a flash of light, the Ground-type emerged, spinning its bone staff around in its hand, giving a challenging shout. "Marrrrro!"

"All right, then. Primeape, I choose you!"

Primeape slammed his fists together as he looked at Marowak. "Pri!" He even seemed to be grinning like his trainer was.

"A-Alright, Marowak. Let's do this quick. Bonemerang!"

Marowak grasped its bone club tightly before hurling it outwards, the projectile hurtling towards the Fighting type quickly.

"Keep moving, Primeape. Don't give 'em a chance to get better aim!"

With a nod, the Pig Monkey began to run, ducking under Bonemerang as he took off. Fortunately, the Grass Field was fairly wide and flat, making it much easier to keep moving.

"Don't let up, Marowak!"

The instant the weapon returned, Marowak threw it again, and again… each time, however, Primeape still evaded it.

"It seems that Primeape is simply too fast for Marowak to hit with Bonemerang. What will Mark do now?"

The youngster hesitated for a moment at making a call, even as Marowak looked at him over his shoulder. "A-Ah…"

"Guess it's our turn now. Primeape, give 'em a Power-Up Punch!"

Mark's eyes shot wide open and he hurriedly shouted a command as Primeape closed in with a glowing fist. "R-Rage!"

As Primeape's fist collided with his skull-clad face, Marowak let out a roar, his body steaming and glowing red. He returned fire with a punch of his own, though Primeape didn't seem to be too winded from the blow.

"And with this, both parties are going to be making themselves stronger with each blow. How will this battle progress?!"

Ash just chuckled. "Too bad… Marowak can't use any other moves… but we can. Primeape, go in for Close Combat!"

"Uuush!" Primeape dashed in, ducking another of Marowak's enraged attacks, fists snapping out as he pummeled the Ground type. Duck, weave, jab, hook, uppercut; Marowak took blow after blow from Primeape, staggering backwards.

"Finish it! Seismic Toss!"

That move was always a crowd pleaser. Snapping his arms out, Primeape grappled Marowak, jumping in the air and spinning, flipping them both over. When the two slammed into the ground, a huge plume of dust erupted... And when it cleared, Primeape was standing tall, fist in the air, Marowak knocked out on the ground beside him.

The referee raised a flag up. "Marowak is unable to battle!"

Marowak's symbol greyed out on the monitor over the field, and Mark shakily recalled the Ground type.

"And with that, Ash has taken an early lead in this battle. Primeape is still empowered from Power-Up Punch… how will Mark adapt?"

"Nnh…" The youngster seemed rather shaken, even as he pulled a Great Ball off his belt. "...Fearow!"

The bird trilled out as it emerged, staring down Primeape warily.

Ash didn't seem fazed. "You did well, Primeape. I'm sure you want to keep fighting, but can ya give the others a chance, too?"

The Pig Monkey frowned, but relented, letting Ash recall him.

"Ash seems to be giving up Primeape's boosted power. Who will he use next?"

"Tauros, I choose you!"

The bull bellowed out, stamping the ground.

"Fearow and Tauros; a pair of Normal types usually means a straight-up test of power. How will this matchup fare?"

"Begin!"

Mark seemed to gain some of his confidence back as he called out the first move. "Fearow, hit him hard and fast. Drill Run and Drill Peck!"

With another loud trill, Fearow began spinning towards Tauros, beak glowing brightly.

"It seems that Mark is attempting to use Fearow's Sniper ability here, if those moves are any indication…"

Ash had to hold back a chuckle. "Brace yourself, Tauros!"

Tauros didn't make any attempt to dodge the attack, skidding backwards as he took the blow.

"And with no attempt to evade, what is Ash planning?"

Tauros' eyes snapped wide open, and the bull let out a loud bellow, echoing over the arena. A loud snort came from him as he tossed his head, glaring intently at Fearow.

Mark's eyes widened.

Ash just grinned.

"Anger Point! Ash used Mark's strategy against him through Tauros' own ability! Tauros' power has skyrocketed!"

"Our turn! Tauros, use Double Team!"

Tauros' body seemed to flicker as the area around Fearow became filled with copies of the bull, the bird losing its cool as it tried to keep track of the real Tauros.

Mark didn't seem to be faring much better, biting down on his thumb anxiously. "F-Fly higher, Fearow! Don't let Tauros hit you!"

Tauros and his copies began to move, like a one-'Mon herd.

"Wild Charge!"

Fearow and Mark had both lost track of the real Tauros, so neither could tell that the real one was right behind the bird. The electrically charged slam knocked Fearow from the sky, and the bird had fainted even before it hit the ground.

The referee raised his flag again. "Fearow is unable to battle!"

Mark's cool had definitely vanished entirely after having his strategy used against him so decisively. The youngster recalled Fearow, throwing another Great Ball out. "A-All right. Ninetales!"

Ash smiled brightly. "Way to go, Tauros. You've earned a rest." It'd give Tauros a chance to calm himself a bit, too. Recalling the bull, Ash pulled out another Pokeball. "Alright! Muk, I choose you!"

Some of the audience members groaned at the smell as Muk appeared, but Ash didn't seem fazed in the slightest by it.

Mark coughed a bit, holding a hand up to his face. "Ninetales, are you going to be alright?"

The fox cooed softly and nodded, though its nose wrinkled a bit.


"What's their problem?!" Dawn huffed, offended on behalf of the poison types.

Brock shook his head. She sure was easy to stir up. "It's the smell, Dawn."

She looked perplexed. "Are that many people really not used to Grimer and Muk?" She turned towards the others, hoping for an answer.

"I couldn't tell you. You wouldn't think that'd be the case, but I guess they're not," Brock replied, shrugging.


"Begin!"

"We'll start this one off," Ash shouted, gesturing outward. "Screech!"

Muk let out a loud shriek, startling Ninetales; the fox seeming a bit dazed from the loud sound.

"Now, Brick Break!"

At the command, Muk oozed his way over, raising an arm aloft, bringing it downward.

"Ninetales, dodge! Jump back and use Psyshock!"

The fox just barely evaded the blow, eyes glowing blue as orbs of psychic energy coalesced around Muk. With a shake of its head, the orbs hit the Poison type.

"Yes!" Mark pumped a fist. "Again, quick!"

Again, the attack struck Muk… But, he didn't seem too badly damaged.

"It seems that Muk is quite durable. Psyshock's physically-striking nature appears to be working against Mark here…"

"U...Uh oh…" The wind seemed to leave the youngster's sails as it sunk in. "Try Overheat!"

"No other Psychic moves, huh…? Alright then. Muk, use Sludge Bomb!"

"Muuuuuk!" Muk drew himself in slightly even as the fox built up a powerful blast of flame, firing the Sludge Bomb upwards.

"And Minimize!"

As Overheat's blast hurtled his way, Muk shrunk himself down, the gout of flame flying harmlessly overhead.

Ninetales was so focused on the attack that Mark's command to dodge didn't register fast enough. Sludge Bomb crashed down on it, leaving it coated in the sticky gunk. The impact and poison left Ninetales fainted fairly quickly.

The referee raised his flag one more time. "Ninetales is unable to battle. The winner is Ash from Pallet Town!"

Ash pumped a fist up in the air. "Way to go, Muk! You guys all did great today!" He didn't have much time to brace himself before Muk joined in the celebration the only way he knew how… with a tackle of a hug.

Mark just turned his hat back around, tilting it down and hiding his face a little as he recalled Ninetales. The youngster turned, leaving the arena.

Ash finally got Muk off of him and headed out as well, meeting back up with the others.

Dawn was the first to speak up. "That was great, Ash! It was really cool seeing Muk in action, too."

Brock nodded. "Using Tauros' Anger Point against Fearow's Sniper was really clever, as well. You handled that excellently."

Ash was about to respond when he saw his opponent out of the corner of his eye, sitting on one of the benches. He seemed pretty down… "Right… hey, hold on a moment, if ya could."

Walking over, Ash sat down next to Mark. "This was your first League, yeah?"

Mark actually jumped a bit; he had been kind of dead to the world around him. "Y-Yeah… I just started my journey this year. You're tough. I didn't stand a chance…"

Ash just gave the kid a pat on the back in response. "It's a bummer when you lose… trust me, I know that pretty well. But hey. You made it to the League your very first year. That's something to be proud of. And I'm sure your Pokemon gave their all for you to get this far."

"Y...Yeah. You're right…"

"There's always next year. I bet you and your Pokemon'll get a lot stronger for next time, right?"

"...Yeah. We will. I'll be watching your matches, too. I wanted to win, but I'm just not ready yet… you better win! I'm givin' my dream to you!" Mark lifted up his hat, nodding with a much more intense look in his eyes. "I know you can do it."

Ash grinned widely in response. "That's the spirit. And we're gonna give it our all, too; count on it."


"It still hasn't come in," Dawn whined, walking away from the counter of the in-stadium nurse's station.

"What hasn't come in?" May asked, slipping on a slushie.

"It's something important," Dawn answered.

Koda scoffed. "Well, that's vague. Whatever. My next match is coming up. Max, you gonna cheer for me?"

"Duh!" the kid responded, standing up. "C'mon, guys! Let's cheer for Koda!"

"I'm excited to see your Skuntank again!" May hummed. "It's so big and fluffy, but it looks kind of sad, too…"

"It's not sad! It's melancholic! Like a good band!"

"Like The Antidote?" Brock said to Koda.

"Yeah!" the moody youth agreed.

"Never heard of 'em," Ash added. "Well, you guys go on without me, okay? I gotta make sure they know I won my match so nothing screwy happens. Can't really trust 'em to do it on their own, you know."

"Geez, you have had a bad track record in Kanto," Dawn noted. "But, sure! We'll tell you later. Be safe!"

"Pikaka!" Pikachu chimed, knowing what she meant by that. He noted that she'd left Pachirisu out of her pokeball rather than Empoleon out of his; help would only be a Thunderbolt away if they needed it.

"Right. See you guys!" Ash said with a wave. Once the group disappeared after Koda, he put his hand down. "... Alright, time to make sure my stuff's set up."


Sighing, Ash walked out of the little booth that had been set up for contender concerns. "Well, I guess I worried for nothing. Better safe than sorry though, huh, buddy?"

"I think you mean no need to worry, uh-huh!"

Hearing the vaguely familiar voice, Ash looked down the hall. There, he saw a pair of his friends! One was about his height with auburn hair and a cap. Over his pale skin were clothes of teal and yellow. On his shoulder sat a Pikachu with a distinct ruffle of fur on his scalp. Beside the boy was a slightly shorter girl with impossibly long black hair. A rosy blush marked her dark skin. She wore a form-fitting tank top and skirt, along with a cartoonishly large cap, all with a matching red and black color scheme. Another Pikachu was on her shoulder, though this one wore a large, red bow around her neck.

"Ritchie! Himashi!" Ash called out, recognizing them. "What timing! Himashi, I'm gonna battle you next!"

All illusions of her being calm disappeared. "You're gonna battle me?!" she squeaked, eyes sparkling.

Ritchie smiled, patting her head. "Hey, your wish came true! You get to battle your idol!"

Himashi leaped forward, taking Ash's hand and enthusiastically shaking it before skipping away to twirl. "I'm gonna battle A~Ash! I'm gonna battle-"

Her Pikachu Sparkles shocked her to put an end to that.

"Is she alright?" Ash asked, though not only about her being shocked.

"She'll be fine if she can get a minute to relax first," Ritchie assured him.

"Well, we've got about an hour. We could grab a bite to eat and relax. Oh, hey, if the line isn't too long at the concession stand, we might can catch the end of my friend Koda's match!"

"I've gotta swap my team first, uh-huh!" Himashi insisted. "Then, we go get lunch."

"But, the nurse's station with the transfer machines is on the opposite side of the stadium from the concession stands!" Ash whined.

Ritchie shrugged. "You did say you have an hour."

"I see we're gonna have to use it," he grumbled. "Alright, let's go! Hurry!"


"One…"

"Two…"

"Three…"

"Go!"

Ash and Himashi both bit into their taiyaki. The Magikarp shaped pastries didn't stand a chance. As Ash ripped the face off his poor treat, Himashi tried to shove the entirety of hers into her mouth.

Meanwhile, Ritchie watched them both with equal parts disgust and fascination. "They're on their third…" he mumbled to himself, still on his first. He looked down to the trio of Pikachu. "Sparkles isn't like her trainer at all…"

That much was true. Eating slowly, Sparkles took small bites out of her taiyaki. Pikachu looked over, licking a smear of filling off his cheek.

"Pika?" he asked, wondering if she wasn't feeling hungry.

Sparky's ears flipped back and he rolled his eyes before placing a paw on the belly of the bread Magikarp and biting into its back, lapping at the now exposed filling. "Pikachu," he explained. She was just weird.

Sparkles' cheeks let off a few crackles of electricity. "Chu…" she growled, insisting that he was the weird one. He was absolutely covered in crumbs!

Meanwhile, Ash and Himashi practically spat crumbs at each other, both rushing to claim victory.

"I win! Huh?" they said in unison.

Himashi reached over to her milkshake to wash down the treat while Ash bumped his chest a bit to clear his throat.

"Dang, that's another tie," he noted.

"We could try best three out of five, since the last two were ties," Himashi suggested.

"You've already eaten three!" Ritchie finally interrupted. "Call it off!"

"Fine," Himashi said with a pout.

Ash sheepishly grinned. "It's probably for the best. Battling on a full stomach sucks."

"You two aren't already full?" Ritchie shook his head, amazed.

"I'm a big guy, I've gotta eat!" Ash insisted. "... Hey, about earlier. Whatcha mean about me being Himashi's idol?"

"Eep!" Himashi whimpered, hiding her face in her hands for a second before giggling like a schoolgirl. "Oh, gosh! I saw your battle with Dome Ace Tucker a while ago, haha!"

"You saw that?!" Ash sucked in a breath through his teeth. "That wasn't my most graceful victory…"

"No, it was great! Your spirit was incredible! Even against those odds, you never gave up!" she seemed to swoon.

"She wasn't the only one keeping up with your battles," Ritchie explained. "I guess they confuse us, because I've run into people looking for you. And, boy, are they a handful."

"Hey!" Himashi whined.

"Not you!" Ritchie shot back, part teasing her, part too used to her antics to be concerned about her feelings.

"A following?" Ash finally asked, floored. "Wow… Hey, speaking of old stuff, why are you two here again? You said you're rangers, right?"

"Uh-huh!" Himashi nodded. "But, me and Ritchie talked, and we wanted to give it a try after that little tournament!"

Ritchie shoved his hands in his pockets. "Well, you know those symbols I showed you back during the tournament?"

"The Johto Frontier Symbols, yeah," Ash said with a nod.

"Well, Himashi pointed it out to me later, but you've got a full set from Kanto. If you're here, other good battlers are gonna be here. It'll be a good challenge!"

"I don't have any frontier symbols," Himashi admitted. "But, I do have all the gym badges for Kanto! I just… always kept missing the conference opening date! Well, until Ritchie came with me."

"Well, you lucked out, didn't you?" Ash said with a smile. He looked to Ritchie, then. "If you're looking to measure up, I'm happy to test you."

Himashi huffed, tugging on Ash's sleeve. "Your opponent is me first!"

"Don't worry! I'll give you a good battle, too!"

She let go of his shirt, letting out a happy huff. "That's all I want. No hard feelings between any of us! I'm just happy to battle you, Ash!"

Startling by the sincerely of her words, Ash scratched his cheek. "Aw, shucks! You're about as sweet as a skitty!" he said with a laugh.

With that, Himashi was over the moon. She bound out of her seat, shaking Ritchie's shoulder. "Did you hear that! Did you hear that?! He said I'm sweet as a skitty!"

"Himashi, if you keep shaking me, I'm gonna vomit!" Ritchie whined.

"Oops, sorry!"


"And now, it's time for our opening battle of the third round of the Indigo League," the announcer boomed over the loudspeakers. "With Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town, facing off against Himashi Sierra, from Littleroot Town! This will be a three on three battle, taking place on the Ice Field! Substitutions are allowed for both trainers!"

Pikachu hopped atop the railing of his trainer's platform, only to retreat to the elevation beside Ash when the cool railing chilled his toes. Being this close to the frosty battlefield, unfortunately, had its downsides.

"Ash!" The twin-tailed girl waved from the other side of the stadium, happy as could be. Sparkles sat on her shoulder, grooming herself and adjusting her ribbon. She wasn't battling this time, but she was in front of an audience nonetheless!

Even if she was just a yellow speck from the stands, she was going to be a damn cute speck.

Ash stood beside his own companion, adjusting the brim of his cap. He waved with his free hand. "Hey, Himashi! This is the first time we've had a one-on-one battle; let's make it a great one, huh?"

"For sure! Ya better not lose, uh-huh!" She squealed, still waving. An odd thing to say to one's opponent, but then again, Himashi was the definition of odd.

"Uh… Yeah? I won't!" Ash hesitated, taken aback. That was an odd thing to say, but, that said, he planned on winning, anyway!

The referee, ignoring the ongoing conversation, raised a hand. "Begin!"

"I'm not goin' easy on you, though!" Himashi continued. "I'll battle like the universe depends on it! First up is my rock-solid support - gooo, Ronno!" She chucked a pokeball, a large, sturdy Aggron appearing from the flash of light.

"An Aggron…" Ash smiled. "Then, I'll come out swinging with a heavy hitter of my own!" He grabbed a pokeball from his belt, chucking it forward. "Tyranitar, you're up first!"

The Armor pokemon stomped onto the ice, rattling it with a loud roar.

"The match will start with Himashi's Aggron against Ash's Tyranitar! Talk about a clash of titans!"

"Hope you don't mind if I go first," Ash taunted, resting a fist on each of his hips.

Himashi waved. "Bring it, uh-huh!"

"You asked for it… Tyranitar, use Dark Pulse!"

Tyranitar threw his head forward, launching a flurry of violet rings at Aggron.

"Ronno, hit that Dark Pulse with Surf!"

"Aaaag…" The Aggron ducked his head, a blue ball of light forming between his steel horns. He jerked his head back and then forward, releasing a rushing wave of water in Dark Pulse's path.

Himashi could only hope that once the dark-type move hit something, it would lose effect. Unless a Dark Pulse could go through anything? That would be bad. But, at least the move wasn't very effective against a steel type, right?

Dark Pulse crashed into the coming wave of Surf, blasting a hole through the middle. Surf, meanwhile, crashed down on either side of the Armor pokemon.

Tyranitar tensed, relieved when it amounted to little more than puddles at his feet.

"Surf… That could be bad," Ash muttered. Tyranitar was hardy, but in the long run, it could be an issue. "Well, the best defense is a good offense. Dragon Claw!"

Tyranitar followed Dark Pulse, charging across the ice, gaining momentum as he went, thanks to the slick surface below. A bright blue glow captured his nails, forming three extended claws on the end of each arm.

"Grooohn…!" Ronno shook his head after the Dark Pulse hit, in an attempt to fend off the evil aura. Before he knew it, the other rocky reptilian was coming at him with a Dragon Claw.

"Ronno, duck an' get 'im with Iron Head, uh-huh!" Himashi shouted, face scrunched with intensity.

Ronno did just so; while the Dragon Claw swiped at his steel body, he slammed his hardened head into Tyranitar's lower jaw.

The rock type groaned, stumbling back from the super-effective move.

"Ouch," Ash winced. "Hang in there! Go for another Dragon Claw!"

Tyranitar continued to hold his head, attempting to right his footing.

"Looks like he flinched…" Ash frowned. "But, it's not over yet!"

Sparkles, meanwhile, gripped at her trainer's shoulder, wide eyes watching the battle. This was getting good!

Himashi quickly decided she'd take the chance while Tyranitar was flinching. She'd use what worked the first time, and try for the same results! "Iron Head, go for another Iron Head!"

"Groooar!" Again, Ronno's head glowed with a metallic shine, and this time, he charged to slam into Tyranitar's belly.

"We don't wanna take another one of those… Dragon Claw!"

Tyranitar'd had a moment to recover, now. He raised his arms, waiting for his opponent to draw near.

The moment came, and he struck, slamming artificial claws into Aggron's skull.

Momentum won out, though, and Aggron pushed Tyranitar across the ice, making for an easy glide to the end of the field. The rock type roared, smashing his claws down upon Aggron's shoulder.

Explosive recoil put distance between the two, once more. Tyranitar, though, was cornered at the edge of the ring.

"You're doing great, Tyranitar," Ash encouraged. "But, Aggron's got a bit more armor 'n muscle… We're gonna have to use our heads."


"Looks like they're starting out strong! How intense." Dawn leaned forward in her seat.

"Yeah. But, I wonder what that's going to mean for Ash." Brock frowned. "They look even, but…"

"Tyranitar's losing ground," Misty finished. "If he keeps the brute force up, it could be bad."

Ritchie's eyes flicked between the two opponents, and their trainers. "It could definitely be a problem. But, I think Ash knows that. If he's the trainer I think he is, he'll come up with something."

"What about Himashi?" Misty leaned towards the auburn-haired teen. "Won't she catch on?"

Ritchie instinctively recoiled, leaning back into his seat; Misty still gave him the creeps. "Himashi's really strong… But, I don't think she thinks the way Ash does. For now, she doesn't need to. She still has the type advantage."

"That's never held Ash back all too much," Brock quipped.


Those Dragon Claws, however dull on his steel frame, were starting to whittle at Ronno's energy. But, he was far from done with this battle.

The distance between them would make Iron Head too slow, Himashi figured. Ronno was a big, bulky guy- his physical defense was great, but speed? Not so much.

"Ronno, use Surf!"

The Aggron unleashed another powerful wave from between his horns, this time aimed directly at Tyranitar.

"Uh-oh," Ash swallowed. Dark Pulse wouldn't likely shoot that down without a head-start; they needed another way to block. But, there weren't any outcrops larger than Tyranitar, naturally, on the ice, and only water laid beneath-

There was a glint in Ash's eye.

"Use Dark Pulse on the ice, between you and Aggron!"

Tyranitar was not one to doubt his trainer - the boy who'd hatched and raised him. He fired a continuous stream of destruction with haste, sweeping across the frozen arena.

Loud explosions and shattered ice filled the air, and smoke filled the air between the pokemon.

But, Surf never came.

"What's this!? Tyranitar has obscured the field, and has somehow stopped Surf!"

"Wait for it," Ash spoke with confidence.

The smoke did dwindle, and all could be seen. An entire strip of ice had been blown apart in the middle of the ring! Huge slabs of ice floated lopsided in the moat, lathered with the brine of Surf.

"It seems Ash and Tyranitar blew up the ice to serve as a shield!"

"Whoooooooa!" Himashi's jaw fell. That was so cool!

Annoyed, Sparkles, whapped her trainer on the cheek. "Pika pika pikachu! Pika!" This was no time to be impressed! What happened to battling like the universe depended on it!?

"Ah, you're right, Sparkles!" Himashi pat her cheeks. Back to the battle!

"How do ya like that? It's gonna take more than brute force to beat us," Ash boasted. It was time to take momentum back. "Now that we can't reach you anyway… Use Stone Edge!"

Tyranitar roared, slamming a fist into the ice, spurring a crack. The battlefield below rumbled, and Aggron would soon find himself ambushed; huge, pointed slabs of stone would jut up from underwater, smashing right through the ice. If Aggron wasn't careful, he'd suffer the same fate.

"Ronno, Iron Head on them rocks!" Himashi yelled, pumping her fists into the air.

That didn't work out, though - a stone pillar erupted below him, slamming Aggron in his metal-plated stomach, making him stumble backwards on the ice.

"Oooh. Or not, I guess. Ronno, you're okay, right!?" She called out to him, and he grunted in response. "You're really impressive, Ash, uh-huh! But, we're not done yet!" Himashi pointed towards Tyranitar. "Okay, Fire Blast 'em!"

First taking a deep breath in, Ronno blew out a big star-shaped blast of fire at Tyranitar. "Grooohn!"

"Ahaha, pretty awesome, huh?" Ash brushed his finger over his nose. Himashi was just buffing his ego, now.

"Pikapi," Pikachu butted in, tugging Ash's pant leg. That had been impressive, but Ash getting overconfident was never a good thing.

"I know, don't sweat it. I'm keeping my eye on 'em!"

Just in time to hear Himashi call for a Fire Blast, even.

"Use Hyper Beam!"

"Argh!" The rock type threw his head forward, launching a booming blast of energy into the flames. Tyranitar's recoil was eased by the slippery ice, and the flames parted by the burst of energy.

"Well, we steered clear of that… But, maybe it's time for a change in strategy. Tyranitar, return!"

An outstretched pokeball recalled the tired pokemon, and another capsule replaced it.

"Lapras, it's your turn!"

Lapras was summoned onto the ice, staring down Aggron.

"Ash has swapped Tyranitar for Lapras; a pokemon much better suited for the ice field! How will Himashi respond to this turn of events!?"

"How will she? Well, we'll see," Himashi thought aloud. "Ronno, hang in there!"

The Aggron slapped his tail on the ground and grunted, ready to go.

Himashi, meanwhile, thought between each of his moves for the better choice. Surf and Earthquake wouldn't do much damage, and it was too far away to get a solid Iron Head in. So, for the part ice-type Lapras…

"Ronno, Fire Blast, uh-huh!"

Ronno took a deep breath in and exhaled another large star-like stream of fire.

"Use Surf," Ash countered.

A high-pitched howl summoned a tidal wave below Lapras, hoisting her above the field. The rolling Surf carried her forward, and above Fire Blast.

The burst of flames didn't go without leaving its mark, though; the intense heat blasted through the center of the wave, evaporating it within seconds. Lapras felt a brief discomfort from the heat, before what was left of her momentum chucked her towards Aggron.

"Now, latch on, with Body Slam!"

"Alright!" Himashi cheered. Just what she was hoping for - Lapras went and got close all on its own! "Iron Head on her tummy, Ronno!"

"Grahhh…!" Ronno bent his knees, bracing for impact, then sprung up to slam his head into the water pokemon's soft belly - careful, though, not to pierce it with his sharp horns. That would be… bad. Really bad.

"Shoot," Ash hissed. He could see where this was going. "Hang in there, and grab on!"

A devastating strike knocked the wind out of Lapras, forcing out a pained howl.

But, the Transport pokemon wouldn't go down so easily. She threw her large flippers forward, wrapping the wide limbs around Aggron's arms.

"Ronno, Fire Bl- Ah! Thunderbolt!?" Himashi recoiled, forced to watch the attack unfold.

A high-pitched wail was drowned out by crackling flashes of light coursing through Aggron.

Himashi could only watch as Ronno was electrocuted like a fork in a wet toaster. She didn't know that Lapras could even learn electric type moves!

Aggron collapsed, unconscious, ice splitting beneath his heavy form.

The referee raised a flag. "Aggron is unable to battle! Victory for the red trainer!"

"And, Aggron is out, after a deadly, point-blank Thunderbolt! Himashi is now left with two pokemon!"

"Aaah… Ronno, return!" Himashi held out his pokeball, calling him back with a flash of red light. She held the ball out in front of her, beaming. "Ya did good, uh-huh!"

"Great job, Lapras!" Ash, meanwhile, flashed a thumbs-up to his companion, who crooned in return. "Bring it on, Himashi! I know there's more where that came from!"

"For sure, uh-huh!" Himashi pulled out another pokeball and gave it a quick peck before throwing it. "Let's go, Grassy!"

A Sceptile appeared on the battlefield from within the red light. Consequently, a Sceptile appeared on Himashi's end of the stadium's large scoreboard.

The ranger threw a hand out. "Start off with a Giga Drain, uh-huh!"

Glowing vines stretched out from the bulbs on Sceptile's back, reaching towards Lapras to absorb her energy.

The vines latched to Lapras, surrounding her in a vibrant green glow as his energy was sapped away.

She cried in pain, throwing her head about. This was really irritating!

"Hang in there," Ash encouraged. "Ice Beam!"

As much as the super-effective move hurt, she endured, firing a freezing beam from her mouth in return.

The freezing beam hit the grass type hard, bringing him down to one knee.

'Darn, I knew he'd use Ice Beam!' Himashi grimaced. She readied Sceptile's pokeball to call him back, but she noticed that he wasn't on the floor, quite yet.

The reptilian had stubbornly held onto his last bit of energy, refusing to get done in by just one move. He wasn't Hima's first trained pokemon for nothing!

"Okay, Grassy, get another Giga Drain in!"

"Sceptiiiiile!" Grassy let out his glowing vines again, the rest of his body captured in a green glow, with them.

"Ah!" Himashi gasped, holding ah and to her mouth. "That's right, Overgrow!"

"Uh-oh," Ash swallowed. If Lapras took a boosted Giga Drain…

"Into the water!"

Lapras slid forward with ease, diving into the moat that divided the ice.

Giga Drain's tendrils crashed against the surface, spraying a cold mist. Lapras had escaped.

"Now, Ice Shard!"

A chunk of ice shot out of the water towards Sceptile.

"Dodge it!" Himashi shouted.

Sceptile hopped clean out of the attack's range, landing atop one of the remainders of Stone Edge.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash threw a hand out.

Lapras' horn emerged from the water, launching a current at Sceptile.

The Forest pokemon escaped with another leap, soaring high above the water.

"Now's our chance," Ash prompted. "Ice Beam!"

Lapras emerged with a splash, firing a freezing ray into the sky.

"Look out, Grassy!" Himashi gasped, clutching a fist to her chest. "Giga Drain!"

Sceptile came within inches of an icy defeat, spinning out of harm's way. Lapras was safely within his sights now, even as he fell. "Tile!" He shrieked, launching his parasitic rays.

They wrapped around Lapras, painfully draining the Transport pokemon.

"Oooh! Just moments ago, it seemed as if Sceptile was on the brink of defeat! But, Sceptile's speed is giving Ash and Lapras a run for their money!"

"You're telling me…" Ash grit his teeth, watching Lapras be sapped of her strength. When she was finally shown mercy, she huffed, head hanging. It was obvious that the loyal pokemon was doing her best to hold it together under pressure.

"Lapras, return!" Ash held out the water type's pokeball, calling her back. He beamed at the pokeball held up to his chest. "You already got us our first win of this match; I'm proud of you. Let the rest of us take over from here while you rest!"

Ash clasped Lapras to his belt, chucking another pokeball overhand. "Tyranitar, you're back in!"

Lapras stomped on the ice, rejuvenated from his time out. He roared loudly, ready for more.

"Ash has made yet another switch! But, will the bulky rock type Tyranitar be a match for Himashi's speedy Sceptile!?"

"Wait and see," Ash spoke under his breath. "Tyranitar, show us your Sand Stream ability!"

"Ragh!" Tyranitar stomped his foot. Suddenly, gravelly gusts sprayed from the many holes in his armor, kicking up a raging cloud of dust and sand. The icy field was quickly obscured.


"That's weird." Ritchie's nose scrunched. "Cruise doesn't do that."

"Cruise?" Brock quirked a brow. "...Oh, that was your Pupitar, right?"

"Tyranitar, now," he corrected. "Usually, Sand Stream activates right at the beginning of a battle. But, it didn't show it off at all when the match started. I wonder why it waited until now?"

"Shouldn't you know, Brock?" Misty butted in. "You were the rock type expert."

The man shrugged. "I've used Sandstorm, but never Sand Stream. But, it is supposed to occur right at the start of a battle."

"Ash filled me in, about that!" Dawn chimed. "He said that it usually did, when he caught Tyranitar, but he taught him to use it only upon command, so it wouldn't be inconvenient for them! It was part of their private training routine."

"Hmm." Brock hummed. "It would've had no benefits against Aggron, since, being rock types, they're both immune to Sandstorms. Saving it for an opponent that's vulnerable was a smart move; particularly a faster one that they can't afford to take hits from, like Sceptile."

"I wonder how Himashi'll handle that?" Misty laid her chin in her palm.


"Darn, we can't see a thing…" Himashi pouted. "Grassy, Giga Drain!"

Sceptile did his best not to squint as he was barraged with coarse sand. He could vaguely make out Tyranitar's pale green shape. "Tile!" He roared, firing the grass-type move, once more.

"Block it, by breaking Stone Edge!" Ash ordered.

"Tar!" Tyranitar roared, smashing his gargantuan tail into a nearby pillar, smashing it to pieces. Jagged boulders flew towards Sceptile, intercepting Giga Drain.

"Dodge that, and use Leaf Blade!" Himashi countered.

Sceptile barely ducked the incoming rocks, charging into the storm to slice Tyranitar with the glowing sickles on each of his forearms.

"Counter it, with Dragon Claw!" Ash threw a hand out, tightly closing his fist.

Unlike his reptilian opponent, Tyranitar was oh-so-used to his dusty surroundings, and striking back was no issue. Teal claws smashed into Leaf Blade, holding steady against the super-effective move. His arm tensed, shoving past Grassy's defenses.

A sudden arc of teal slipped out of the dust clouds for the audience to see.

"This looks like it'll be tough, uh-huh…" Himashi's brows knit low. "Keep attackin'!"

Sceptile dropped to all fours, ignoring the sting of several slashes grazing his side. He quickly launched a counterattack, Leaf Blade slicing across Tyranitar's torso. He heard the Armor pokemon roar in pain, and didn't relent. A Leaf Blade slashed across his forehead, and another across his side.

The Armor pokemon groaned, stumbling back. He felt fortunate that his tough hide protected him from the worst.

"It looks like a fierce battle is unfolding inside that Sandstorm!" The announcer boomed, only able to see what the audience could; glimmers of emerald crackling from the debris. "How long can Tyranitar hold up against what could only be a persistent assault!?"

"Long enough," Ash answered. "You can handle it! Dragon Claw!"

The hurting rock type growled, lunging forward. "Gahr!"

"Achk!" Sceptile gagged, pin-eyed, as a gargantuan set of claws smashed into his gut. The slash followed through, launching the grass type with such ferocity that he smashed into a stone pillar, leaving it to crumble and cover him in debris.

Stones and dust flew out of the peak of the storm, earning gasps from the audience.

"We can't quite see what's going on inside, but that was surely a display of power like few we've seen! I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that I'd love to see the action up-close!"

"That's bad," the ranger swallowed. "...Hey, Grassy! You alright!?"

"Scep..." The pokemon hissed, shrugging off a boulder. "Tile!"

"Good on ya! Now, use Screech!"

An ear-splitting shriek rang out from within the clouds; thankfully for Pikachu and Sparkles, the rushing sand mostly drowned it out. Their ears pinned back in response, regardless.

Tyranitar whined, covering his ears. In that moment, he was effectively defenseless.

"Good!" Himashi praised. "Leaf Blade!"

Ash swallowed. "We can't afford that… Hey, Tyranitar! Push off one of the stones and slide!"

The frightening glimmer of Leaf Blade drew near, startling Tyranitar. He did as told, shoving against the sharp stone. Even while coated by sand, the slick ice allowed the Armor pokemon to slide out of Leaf Blade's range.

Sceptile only sliced through the last of the pillars on Ash's end of the field. He jerked his head left and right, eager to hunt down his larger opponent. He hissed at the roughness of the wind, falling vulnerable before spotting Tyranitar again. "Tile! He roared, lunging once more.

Pikachu's ear flickered from the pokemon's cry, which caught Ash's attention. "Crap… Tyranitar! Stone Edge! Right in front of you!" Ash called, punching downward.

Tyranitar did just as told, striking the ice.

Sceptile howled, knocked breathless by a sharp pillar smashing into his stomach, sending him soaring above Sandstorm.

"Sceptile has briefly resurfaced above the storm, and seems to be in pain!"

Another emerald aura from within confirmed it.

"Oh, crud… Grassy!" Himashi gasped, cupping her face. "That's gotta be Overgrow again… He's in trouble!" Sweat trickled down her cheek, dark brows knit low. "Use Solarbeam, uh-huh!"

Sceptile leaned forward onto all fours, the bulbs on his back beginning to glow. Tiny particles of sunlight gathered upon Sceptile, at a remarkably slow pace.

"Nothing's happening…" Ash blinked. "Right! It must be tough to charge up sunlight in the middle of that sandstorm. Now's our chance!" Ash smirked, throwing an open hand forward. "Tyranitar, Hyper Beam, now!"

Tyranitar threw his head forward, blasting through the dust with a booming stream of violet.

"Eh!? C'mon, grassy!" Himashi trembled, shaking her fists.

The will to fire finally came to Sceptile - but, it was a moment too late. Just as he opened his mouth, a colossal blast slammed into his body.

A marvelous black explosion burst through Sandstorm, tearing the weather effect in two.

Sceptile, meanwhile, was launched out of the fray, sent flying into the stadium wall behind Himashi. Embedded in the concrete, he lay unconscious.

"Grassy!" Himashi gasped, hands held to her face.

The referee turned, raising his red flag. "Victory for the red trainer! Sceptile is unable to battle!"

"Poor Grassy…" Himashi recalled her partner to her pokeball. "You almost had 'em- you did great, uh-huh!"

"Phew," Ash breathed a sigh of relief. That'd been a close one. "Great job, Tyranitar!"

Now visible, Tyranitar raised his head, answering with a weak cry. He'd won, but exhaustion was the price. Hunched over, he struggled to regain his breath.

"You're really feeling it, huh... Alright, Tyranitar, return!" Ash recalled the rock type.

"I choose you, Snorlax!"

"Laaaaax." Snorlax yawned, laying down upon the fractured ice. Sandstorm had completely dissipated, by now.

"Ash has switched out his tiring Tyranitar, who's already fought two battles, for Snorlax! And, Himashi is down to one pokemon, to Ash's three. Will she stage a fierce comeback!? Or, will her opponent keep his momentum and claim a decisive victory!?"


"Whoo! Go, Tyranitar! Go, Ash!" Dawn hollered, pumping her fists.

"That was some bad luck, with Solarbeam," Brock mused.

"I hope Himashi's not too discouraged. It's a great battle and all, but Ash is giving them a beating." Misty brushed one of her orange locks away from her cheek.

"Aren't you guys here to root for Ash?" Ritchie tilted his head. "But, nah, she'll be fine. If I know her, she's having too much fun to care.

"Of course, we are! What kind of question is that?" Misty defended, relenting when Ritchie flinched.

He didn't want his feet stepped on, again.


"This is lookin' bad for us, huh?" Himashi looked to Sparkles with a bittersweet smile. She did want Ash to win, but… To not be able to beat a single one of his pokemon…

Sparkles frowned, patting her trainer with her tail. Now wasn't the time to give in!

Suddenly, an excited grin spread across Himashi's face. It just went to show just how good her idol was, after all! So of course, she was having a blast! With a big windup, she chucked her final pokeball onto the field.

"Awright, Flamina! It's on you, now!"

"Aaaape!" An Infernape was summoned, leaning forward on her fists.

Sparkles shrugged. That was a quick change in mood.

"An Infernape…!" Ash grinned. On its face, this looked like an awful match-up; but, for Ash, this only made things more exciting.

"Cloooose Combat!" Himashi yelled, punching the air.

Flamina quickly closed in, pummeling Snorlax's huge belly with fierce blows. The pokemon groaned in pain, irritated by the barrage. But, he wasn't nearly fast enough to outmaneuver Infernape.

But, Close Combat did give them an opening.

"Use Ice Punch!"

"Lax!" Snorlax swung a fist coated in frost in an uppercut, aiming towards Infernape's gut.

"Ape!" The uppercut knocked the wind out of Flamina, sending her flying backwards across the field - the pain was more from the direct hit than the type of the move. She staggered before standing back up, awaiting her trainer's next command.

"Fire Blast, uh-huh!" Himashi thrust another punch in the air, almost causing Sparkles to lose her footing on her shoulders.

"Aaaape!" She bellowed out a huge stream of fire that branched out into a star shape, straight at Snorlax.

It crashed into Snorlax, barraging it with sizzling heat. The pokemon grumbled, scratching his belly. The assault did feel rather uncomfortable, even if his ability cut the damage roughly in half.

"He's holding, but that won't work for long," Ash thought aloud. Pikachu nodded along in agreement.

"Hey, Snorlax! Use Body Slam on the ice!"

The gargantuan pokemon jumped into the air, coming back down with what could only be described as thunderous force. Snorlax's weight crashed onto and through the ice, shattering the thick frozen layer with ease. The water inside the ring rippled, and the ground below even trembled.

Snorlax was now mostly submerged in icy, sandy water. Surprisingly, he seemed content.

'What's Ash planning?' Knowing him, he probably had some sort of trick up his sleeve, but Himashi couldn't figure it out. Well, best to worry about the here and now!

"Flamina, Thunderpunch the water!"

"Aaaape!" The monkey thrust a crackling fist at the water.

Electricity coursed through the icy water, sending many volts of electricity through Snorlax. The giant cried, unable to resist the same way he buffered the heat or cold.

"Crap… That was smart." Ash grimaced. "Snorlax, use Shadow Ball!"

Luckily, Snorlax was ever-hardy. He fired a large, ghoulish blast from his mouth.

In Ash's mind, this was a win-win; if it hit, they'd do damage, and if it missed, the ice would be destabilized or even shattered below Infernape. This was a gamble he was willing to take.

"Use Fire Blast to slow it down!"

Flamina aimed another Fire Blast, at the Shadow Ball this time, causing a big explosion that made waves in the icy water. She struggled to keep from slipping off the slab of ice she was standing on, managing to hold on by gripping at the edge with her long arms.

"Infernape's tough," Ash thought aloud. But, she seemed desperate to hold onto the ice. And, that gave him an idea. "Hey, Snorlax, swim on under the ice, alright?"

"Snorrr!" Snorlax dove into the slush, swimming beneath the broken surface and around slabs of rock. Thick Fat guarded him from the chilling temperatures, and huge, full lungs allowed him to stay submerged.

"It might surprise you, but Snorlax is a great swimmer! I learned that a few years ago, in Johto." Ash boasted, tipping his cap. With its incredible lungs, he had a bit of time to stall, and to try to goad a response from Himashi, to boot.

Flamina's slab of ice was now wobbling around from Snorlax's dive; she could slip, any second now.

"Thunderpunch the water again!"

Flamina gripped tighter with her free hand, the other forming electricity. Her fist flew towards the water, once more.

"Not again," Ash hissed. "Ice Punch, right on up!"

Infernape had gone for the water again, but not before the ice below her began to rise and split. With a booming roar, a frozen fist smashed through the stage, smashing the ice to pieces.

"Ah! Too late!" Himashi gasped.

Flamina was equally shocked, having been suddenly flung up in the air by the chunk of ice below.

Himashi was starting to panic. "Um, um…"

While the trainer was floundering, Flamina fell into the icy water with a splash. At least its flames weren't like Charizard's - Infernape's flame never goes out, so she'd be okay - but the monkey never learned how to swim!

And, Thunderpunch wouldn't work this time; Flamina'd get shocked, too.

Meanwhile, the Infernape flailed her arms around in the attempt to push herself above the water - she managed to poke her head out, at least.

Ash hesitated, his breath caught as he watched the pokemon struggle. "Snorlax, go and help-"

Flustered, Himashi mimicked a doggy paddle. "Flamina, get to the edge of the ice! Like this!"

Flamina tried what her trainer was doing, and somehow managed to hold to what was left of the field. Though, she tried to climb up, she kept slipping.

Ash felt a wave of relief. "Alright… Since, Flamina's alright… Snorlax, let's blow this out of the water! Hyper Beam!"

Snorlax paid no heed to Ash's pun, opening his mouth wide. Violet energy formed before him, gathering into a bubbling orb of energy. With a toss of the normal type's head, a burst of power fired across the stage, with Flamina squarely in its sights.

"Flamina, watch out-!"

Just when she'd managed to get herself up on the ice, she looked behind and saw the big blast coming right at her!

Before she knew it, the Hyper Beam slammed her right into the stadium wall.

Gasps in the audience would be heard, if not for the explosive power of Hyper Beam deafening everything else. The referee watched the wreckage carefully, walking over to get a better look at Flamina, once the dust had settled.

"Infernape is unable to battle, leaving the green trainer with no pokemon remaining! Ash and Snorlax win the match!"

"Alright!" Great job, Snorlax!" Ash addressed the normal type… Who'd fallen back into slumber atop the slushy waters, as soon as the verdict of the match was called.

The trainer chuckled, recalling the pokemon. "You've definitely earned a nap."

Himashi, meanwhile, rushed to Infernape's side, crouching by her. She recalled the pokemon to her pokeball. "Ya did good, uh-huh! I might wanna teach ya how t'swim, though."

After sticking Flamina's pokeball in her bag, Himashi put her hands on her hips and let out a low whistle. "Whee-ee, that was tough stuff!" She waved at Ash from her side of the battlefield. "That's Ash for ya! I knew you'd win! Didn't think it'd be 3-0, though, uh-huh! Bye!"

Ash couldn't quite hear her from the edge of the stadium, but he waved, all the same. "See ya!"


"Was it this way? Or, to the right? I know they had concessions off to the right, so it's probably that way…" The dark-haired ranger drooled at the idea of snagging a few donuts, before a tail whacked her in the face.

"Pikachu," Sparkles scolded, giving her trainer a disappointed look. She'd just stuffed her face with sweets less than an hour ago, honestly!

"Alright, alright," Himashi huffed. "I think it was down the hall…" She gave the other path one last heartbroken look before skipping off down the perimeter of the stadium.

"Thank you, Nurse Joy!"

Himashi's ears perked at that familiar voice, bringing her to none other than Ash, who stood at a small counter towards the end of the hall.

The Pallet trainer was handed three pokeballs, clipping them to his belt. "...Oh, Himashi!" Ash spotted his opponent and grinned, walking over. "Hey, great battle! You made me work for that one." Now that he had the chance, he extended his hand to shake.

"Ash!" When presented with his hand out to shake, Himashi just… stared at it. Looking frantically between his face and his hand, she finally reached out, hesitating a bit. Then, with a serious expression, she grasped his hand and shook it stiffly, like a robot. "I, uh… I really…"

"Uh, you okay?" Ash awkwardly rubbed his neck. "If it's about the battle, you really didn't…"

"You're my favorite-"

Sparkles promptly whacked her trainer on the back of the head.

Startled, Himashi shook her head. "You're my favorite trainer, uh-huh!"

"Your favorite…?"

"Pika?" Pikachu tilted his head.

"Oh!" Ash slid his hands into his pockets, swallowing to regain his will to speak. "Look, if you're paddlin' up the creek I think you are, here, this Slowpoke's found a Shellder."

Besides, he didn't need anything else like this after Giselle.

"Aaaaah!" Himashi waved her arms around, stumbling to correct herself. "I just mean, I'm a big fan of yours! So, I'm really happy I got to battle you, uh-huh! And I got to see you win right up close, so, like, double bonus, y'know?" She linked her arms behind her back. "I, uh, so… Good luck in the rest of the tournament! I really, really, really hope you win, uh-huh!"

Sparkles huffed, shaking her head. What a close call.

"Uh, right…" Ash forced a laugh. Either he'd been right, and let her off the hook, or he'd made a fool out of himself, there. But, that didn't seem to matter, now. "Well, thanks, then! I'm glad ya had fun. I know I did!"

He could get used to having fans, probably. But he hoped he didn't have to repeat this scenario, too often.

"As for winning…" Ash nudged up the brim of his cap, cupping Pikachu's cheek. "No need to worry. We plan on it!" He flashed his signature grin, before another thought occurred.

"But, you should probably spend some time rooting for our friend Ritchie."

"A-ahh, of course!" The ranger sputtered. "I mean, I want him to do good, too, uh-huh!"

Ash laughed, naturally, this time. "Don't worry! I won't snitch on you. Speaking of that, we should probably go catch up with him, and the others. We've kept 'em waiting, long enough!"

"Right!" Himashi beamed, before she overheard Nurse Joy calling her. "Just let me grab my pokemon, and I'll be right with you!"


Ash and Himashi found their way to the outside of the stadium, Pikachu and Sparkles chattering from each of their shoulders. The trainers peered left and right, tipping their caps for a better view.

"Aaaash! Himashi!" A familiar voice called out; it was Ritchie! And, the rest of the gang had tagged along with him!

"Ritchie!" Ash called out, sprinting over, carefully dodging any other bystander that came close to colliding with him. He stopped in front of his rival, bearing a grin. "Whaddya think?"

"It was awesome! You both were great." Ritchie placed a hand on each of their free shoulders.

"I thought so, uh-huh!" Himashi chimed, spinning on her heel once her companion let go. Poor Sparkles had to hold on for the ride. "Ash was incredible!"

"Aw, c'mon." Ash rubbed the back of his head, growing sheepish.

"Don't play yourself down!" Misty flashed a smile at the twin-tailed trainer. "I think that was the best match I've seen so far!"

"Yeah, no offense, a lot of the other matches've been duds." Max chimed in.

"Ditto," Koda agreed.

"Max? Koda? When'd you guys get here?" Ash tilted his head.

"Well, just like you, I won my match! So far, it's kind of a cakewalk."

"Don't worry. It'll get harder," Ash teased. "Misty's right; you were the first real challenge I've had!" Ash turned to Himashi, flashing a grin.

"Aw, shucks!"

"You were both fun to watch! Tyranitar battling Sceptile…." Dawn started, trailing off mid-sentence. Her gaze had gone elsewhere.

"Dawn?" Brock tapped her shoulder.

Ritchie blinked, but paid her no mind. "I'd love to chat, but I've got a battle coming up in a few minutes! I'll catch you guys later!" With that, he turned to rush back towards one of the arenas.

"We'll be right with you!" Ash promised, waving his friends off. "Let's hurry and get the good seats."

"Running off so soon?"

Ash stopped in his tracks. Turning, he quickly understood why Dawn had done quiet.

A young man stood before them, clad in traditional feudal armor, a sword's sheath strapped to his side. Eyes as dark as coal met the trainer from Pallet's, a smirk on the man's lips.

"Samurai!"