600,000 words!

Well, the title of this chapter was meant to be a 'Kamen Rider Ghost' reference for the episode of said series titled 'Empty! World of Dreams!', but 'World of empty dreams' on its own is the name of a Touhou soundtrack so... let's say it's both.

Get ready for 'Shadow Ball: The chapter'. At least it kinda fits since it's october.

While writing this chapter I finally understood the meaning of development hell, as if getting all the battles right wasn't enough, a lot of real life things happened and my writing schedule kinda got messed up, so I tried to focus in releasing some other short things that I had planned first, oh well, here it is.

Unrelated note of tady: I'm still waiting for a clean version of Penn Zero's "Save the Worlds" song, it's gotta be somewhere out there.

Interpol Headquarters, foot of Mt. Coronet.

"So, what do we know about this Lord Radeus?" Danika asked while Quillon and her interviewed Cyrus.

"According to what Faba told me, Radeus was the first of the Lightbane, no one knows where he came from, but the rest of the Lightbane gained their evolution after being showered by his light." Cyrus answered. "Much like other Necrozma, Radeus can absorb the 'light' or life energy from other beings, doing this as a way to maintain his own energy and he... posseses a bizarre sense of humor, Stinger may lead the armies, but Radeus reigns supreme over their whole dimension.

"Now, the important question, how do we beat Radeus?" Quillon asked.

"That's the neat part... you can't." Cyrus said.

"Nothing in this universe is unkillabe." Quillon insisted.

"Yes, but Radeus isn't from this universe." Cyrus said. "And Faba said that it's almost sure that they'll come back for a second round, after all, this was the first defeat that the Lightbane suffered in Millenia, I doubt they'll leave it like this."

"If they ever come back we'll be ready." Quillon said.

"That's why we left you in the same cell as Faba, to learn as much as we could from the Lightbane." Danika answered.

"Well, to continue explanations, by Radeus' side there's also a Lunala and a Solgaleo that work as his seconds-in-command, the three of them are immensely powerful though they barely fight, they leave that to the lower classes."

"So they're rusty, we'll simply beat them before they can warm up, our Urshifus will be of help."

"Oh... right." Danika laughed nervously. "Our Urshifus..."

"What's wrong?" Quillon asked.

"Yeah, uh, I kinda forgot to mention this to you, but... I may have lost my Urshifu totem."

"You did what?!" Quillon shouted.

"D-Domino took it when she knocked me out." Danika explained with a sigh. "And then Millis teleported her away before I could retrieve it."

"Great, because between the deal with the Lightbane and whatever Dawn's going to do we don't have enough problems already, do we?"

"Don't worry, I'll take it back somehow." Danika said. "And I doubt they'll even know what the totem is to begin with."

"Whatever." Quillon sighed. "Cyrus, thanks for the information, we'll send you back to the same cell, try to get Faba to tell you more if you can."

"I'll see what can I do." Cyrus answered and another agent entered the room they were in and took Cyrus away.

"We still don't have a clue of where Dawn is, right?" Danika asked.

"Nothing at all." Quillon answered. "I hate to admit it, but that girl seems to know what she's doing."

"I told you, we can't let our guard down with her." Danika replied. "But she better doesn't think that we'll go down easily."

Meanwhile in Solaceon.

"Who's ready to throw down the system?!" Angie shouted entering the living room wearing a black snow jacket, black jeans and boots.

"What the hell are you wearing?" Ursula asked.

"It's my ass-kicking outfit, girl!" Angie answered.

"Ok, but why?" Dawn asked.

"Wait, hold on a second." Angie said. "Are you guys seriously telling me that you were going to do this mission in your normal clothes?"

"I mean, what's wrong with my clothes?" Regina asked.

"If those people see us and recognize us we'll be screwed!" Angie said. "Sure, they're expecting Dawn to show up, but they don't know us, we'll have to protect our identities."

"I guess that's a good point." Dawn replied.

"Cool, I've got jackets, jeans and boots for all of us." Angie answered. "And I brought 4 different snow masks to make sure we don't confuse with each other, I will wear a green mask, Regina's will be white, Ursula's red and Dawn's blue, all ok?"

"Understood." Regina said. "You're quite smarter thank you look."

"Even with all that I'll still look better than all of you." Ursula said.

"Very well, we'll go to the Headquarters tonight." Dawn said. "Get whatever you need and remember we only have one shot with this, if anything goes wrong... you're all free to leave."

"I'm not going to abandon you, Dawn." Angie said.

"I'm not abandoing Miss Johanna." Ursula added.

"I'm sure we'll be fine as long as we stick together." Regina said.

"Great... I'm trusting you all." Dawn said.

Back with Ash.

Last time, our heroes were sucked into the Distortion World along many others, where they were invited by Marshadow and Giratina to participate in the Ghost Type Strongest Battle, now the trainers are ready and it's time for the tournament to finally begin.

"Now let's begin." Giratina said. "The first battle will be Cynthia Shirona against Agatha Zutto, remember, your choice to fight must be a Ghost-Type Pokemon or a Pokemon with a Ghost-Type move, it's a 1 against 1, no second chances and no law of kronian."

"Law of Kronian?" Sina asked.

"Something about changing opponents before the fight." Phoebe said.

"Come forth, Spiritomb!" Cynthia released her ghost who came out with a grim laugh.

"An Spiritomb..." Ash trailed off remembering his encounter with said species.

"If that's the case, let's go, Crobat!" Agatha shouted calling upon the bat.

"The most famous Ghost trainer in the world won't use a Ghost Type?" Elesa asked.

"That's the thing about Agatha." Phoebe said. "Her only actual Ghost-Type is her Gengar, her team varies a lot actually, it's mostly Pokemon with other types that can use certain ghost techniques.

"Begin!" Sina's Froslass gave the order.

"Infestation!" Cynthia ordered and many of the green orbs around Spiritomb fired themselves towards Crobat.

"Wing Attack!" Agatha answered and her Crobat slashed through the orbs with her wings to then fly towards Spiritomb and smack him with them.

"Night Shade!" Cynthia shouted again and Spiritomb fired two dark rays from his eyes pushing Crobat back again.

"Shadow Ball!" Crobat opened his mouth and prepared the attack.

"Sucker Punch!" Spiritomb quickly extended its gaseous body and slammed himself onto Crobat, but the bat fired up the Shadow Ball before being hit and this later fell onto Spiritomb's stone and damaged him. "Use Rock Tomb!" Spiritomb laughed again and many rocks fell from the sky.

"Dodge and Heat Wave!" Agatha shouted and the Crobat dashed in zigzag to avoid the rocks and then strongly flapped his wings creating a burning wind that pushed away the rocks and used them to damage Spiritomb.

"Night Shade!"

"Cross Poison!"

Spiritomb fired the rays from his eyes again, but Crobat flapped his four wings together and created a giant purple X that broke through the Night Shade and landed another hit onto Spiritomb.

"Infestation again! All of them!" Spiritomb spun around faster and more and more of the spheres came out of his body and surrounded Crobat.

"That's a 108 of those things." Millis said.

"You just counted all of that?" Domino asked.

"Perk of being a thief, I guess." Millis answered.

"Try dodging this." Cynthia said.

"Don't mind if I do." Agatha smiled. "Flow of failed phantoms!

"What?" Cynthia asked as Crobat flapped his four wings together but in different directions as he used Heat Wave, spinning around and creating a fiery tornado that absorbed all of the green orbs and then sent them back at Spiritomb with high speed, knocking out the ghost with a fiery explosion to then make hide inside his stone.

"Spiritomb is defeated!" Sina's Froslass said. "The victory is for Agatha and Crobat!"

"Wow, I think I've never seen one of Cynthia's Pokemon go down so fast." Elesa said.

"Good message to not underestimate Miss Agatha." Ash replied.

"Something troubles you, dear." Agatha said as she walked to Cynthia. "From what I've heard of your mother you're far more strategic, but here you just used mere brute force, you're distracted, may I know why?"

"...It's nothing." Cynthia sighed while returning her Spiritomb and shortly glancing at Ash.

"That was a great opening battle." Mr. Marsh said. "Now, something we usually do in the tournament is that the loser tells the winner what was going to be his wish."

"I think I'll keep that to myself." Cynthia answered as Giratina rose from behind her and observed her

"Is something wrong, lord Giratina?" Cynthia asked.

"Oh no, it's nothing, you just remind me of someone." Giratina chuckled.

"Very well, time for the second match." Mr. Marsh continued. "Ash Ketchum vs Tina Moore."

"Give it you all, Tina!" Flannery cheered on.

"Uh, sure, I... I'm so so dead." Tina whispered.

"Like I told you, don't worry too much about it." Ash said. "Let's just have fun, it's not like this a battle to death or anything."

"S-Sure, sorry again." Tina replied.

"It's fine, but since we're at it, why don't you tell me about you, Tina?"

"Y-You want to know about me?" She stuttered.

"Yeah, I mean, out of all the people here you're literally the only one I don't know." Ash said. "So, tell me something."

"Uh, yeah, Guess I am." Tina said. "Well, to begin my original name was Tina Sazanka, but I got changed to Moore after Malva and Drasna adopted me."

"Right, Flannery mentioned you're adopted, and even then you two are kinda alike."

"Hehe, guess we are, now, like I was saying, Drasna and Malva adopted me some weeks ago, before that, I was living in an orphanage in Kalos, I had some friends though, Scottie, Bettie and Paulo; though I've been in many orphanages, my favorite was the one where I met with a girl named Kerry, we used to spend days together until she escaped, she was kind of a big sister to me, I'd like to where she is right now."

"This girl..." Domino trailed off looking at Tina.

"What? Do you know her?" Millis asked.

'Hmm..." Domino simply shook her head.

"But it's alright, cause Flannery will be my sister-cousin and now I know it's gonna be great, and well, I've seen some of your battles in TV." Tina continued with Ash. "This is quite the honor."

"Please, no need to be formal, we're just two trainers about to have a battle." Ash said. "Let's see what you can do."

"Come along, Flareon!" Tina exclaimed calling her ace.

"Decidueye, I choose you!"

"Begin!" Froslass said again.

"Superpower!" Tina shouted first, her Flareon ran towards Decidueye surrounded in bright red energy, but the impact didn't even faze Decidueye.

"Uh, Decidueye is a Ghost-Type." Ash said.

"Worth the shot, Shadow Ball!" Tina ordered and Flareon shot the move from his mouth.

"Leaf Blade!" Decidueye's wings illuminated with green light and he used to cut through the Shadow Ball, he then flew towards Flareon and landed another cut on him pushing him back.

"Flame Charge!" Flareon quickly got up and ran towards Decidueye surrounded in flames and slammed himself onto the owl's chest. "Now Zap Cannon!" While Decidueye was recovering from the hit, Flareon opened his mouth and his fur got spiky as he charged energy to then fire a huge electric blast that knocked down Decidueye. "Great! Flame Charge again!"

"Spirit Shackle!" Decidueye quickly shot an arrow at Flareon's shadow and made him stop his run, Flareon then tried to bite the arrow in order to set himself free, but once he pulled the arrow out of his shadow this self-destructed, exploding right onto Flareon's face. "Brave Bird!" Decidueye charged the move and transferred the energy to an arrow and fired it.

"Zap Cannon!" Flareon attacked with the electric beam again and this overcame the arrow, hitting onto Decidueye again. "Flame Charge!"

"Low Sweep!" Decidueye jumped forward and stopped Flareon's run with his two claws to then kick him away.

"Keep using Flame Charge!

"Counter with Leaf Blade!"

Flareon began to attack from different directions and Decidueye blocked each hit with his wings taking little damage, but every time Flareon attacked he boosted his speed and became faster, eventually fast enough to break through Decidueye's defense and land a clean hit on his face, but Decidueye slashed him away right afterwards.

"Go up and use Spirit Shackle!"

"Shadow Ball!"

Decidueye took flight and fired off some arrows, Flareon then tried to counter with Shadow Ball, but the Spirit Shackle pierced right through his attack and exploded onto Flareon despite his efforts to avoid it.

"Now Brave Bird!"

"Flame charge!"

This time Decidueye used the move in the classic way and dove down towards Flareon surrounded in yellow energy while Flareon charged towards him as well, the two attacks met with each other and after a short power struggle Decidueye emerged victorious and knocked out Flareon with his Brave Bird.

"Flareon is defeated! The victory goes to Ash and Decidueye!"

"Cant expect less from a champion." Tina sighed.

"Well, I think you two did great." Ash said. "That was intense, I can tell Flareon and you have done lots of things together."

"We sure did, I raised him since an egg after all." Tina answered. "Heh, I also guess I didn't have a particular wish, I just wanted to see where all this led to."

"Let's continue, shall we?" Marshadow asked. "Next up is Erika Applebaum vs Elesa Gatton."

"Let's make a show out of it, Rotom!" Elesa exclaimed calling the plasma Pokemon.

"Then I'll be using Gourgeist." Erika answered with the pumpkin by her side.

"Begin!"

"Power Whip!" Erika shouted and her Gourgeist began to use her arms to try and smack Rotom, the small Pokemon avoided most of the hits, but Gourgeist eventually managed to land a strong whip and knock Rotom to the floor.

"I cannot afford to lose this." Elesa said taking a deep breath. "Time to get serious... Motor Change! Heat!" She shouted pressed a button in her headphones, after she did so a fire symbol appeared in front of Rotom and was then absorbed by his body changing him into Microwave form.

"Would you look at that." Erika said.

"When you're a Rotom, it's always complicated to have the appliances around." Elena explained. "That's why I designed this with the help of some friends, a set of microchips that allow Rotom to change between forms with a command without needing to get inside the actual object. Now Overheat!" She ordered and the Microwave opened its door to then fire a massive stream of fire.

"You know what to do!" Erika smiled and her Gourgeist laughed to then absorb the fire inside the mouth of her belly.

"The heck?!" Elesa exclaimed.

"We ain't afraid of no flames!" Erika laughed. "I mean, she's a jack-o-lantern after all, Fire Blast!" A laugh came out of the mouth in Gourgeist's stomach being followed by a stream of fire that damaged Rotom and returned him to his usual form.

"Are you out of puns, dear?" Erika asked.

"Don't you worry, the joke will be on you." Elesa answered.

"Fire Blast again!"

"Motor Change! Wash!" Elesa repeated the process and a water symbol appeared in front of Rotom before changing him to a Washing Machine. "Hydro Pump!" Wash Rotom pointed his pipe at the fire and blasted a powerful stream of fire that put it down and then hit Gourgeist. "Now Shadow Ball!" Elesa continued and Rotom opened his door and fired the move from inside there, hitting cleanly on Gourgeist again.

"Power Whip!" Gourgeist quickly approached Rotom and smacked both his arms against him, forcing him out of Washing Machine form.

"Motor Change! Fan!" A wind symbol appeared next and Rotom changed to his form again. "Guess you can say he's a bit of an electric fan." Elesa said to then laugh out loud.

"There's the joke." Ash said.

"Air Slash!" The blades on the fan started to spin faster and this expelled numerous wind blades towards Gourgeist, while the pumpkin tried to protect herself with her arms.

"Shadow Ball!" Erika ordered and Gourgeist formed the move between her hands to then toss it at Rotom, breaking through the Air Slashes and hitting him, forcing him back to his base form again.

"Thunderbolt!" Rotom laughed and used the move still in his base form.

"Shadow Ball!" Gourgeist responded and both moves cancelled each other.

"Motor Change! Mow!" Elesa continued and Rotom changed to a Lawnmower. "Leaf Storm!" Rotom opened his mouth and fired off green glowing leaves damaging Gourgeist.

"Fire Blast!" Gourgeist expelled the move from his belly again and overcame the leaves, but Now Rotom avoided the hit and flew towards Gourgeist, he then tried to bite her, but Gourgeist smacked him away again making him return to base Rotom.

"None of this is working..." Elesa trailed off. "Motor Change! Frost!" She shouted and Rotom changed to a refrigerator. "Blizzard!" Rotom opened his doors and an intense cold wind came out of his inside, quickly freezing Gourgeist solid. "Now Shadow Ball!" Rotom briefly closed his doors only to open them up again and attack with several Shadow Balls that broke Gourgeist out of the ice while damaging her. "Blizzard again!"

"Psychic!" Before she could be frozen again Gourgeist extended her arms and used her psychic power to guide some of the rocks that were floating around in the Distortion World and guided them to Rotom destroying his refrigerator form and forcing him out to this base Rotom form again. "Now Power Whip!" Gourgeist broke the ice around her and spun around while approaching Rotom, smacking him several times and finally defeating him.

"Rotom is defeated! The victory is for Erika and Gourgeist!"

"Yes, yes." Erika said with a smug grin.

"Even with all those changes I couldn't take you off-guard, you have my respect." Elesa told her. "As for my wish... I just wanted to help Emmet." Elesa sighed and then looked at him. "I'm really sorry."

"Please don't be, you did your best." Emmet answered. "You can leave it to me now."

"Moving on, is Bea vs Allister Tanagemi." Marshadow continued.

"Very well, Gallade, I know you probably want to impress Mr. Marsh, so I'll let you fight the entire tournament, but if you get tired just tell me and someone else will finish the job, got it?"

"Lade!" He answered with a nod.

"Great, all or at least most of our opponents wil be Ghost-types, so we'll have to change your Aura Sphere with a TR, but don't worry, I'll give it back to you once we're done, now let me see..." Bea opened her TR Case and started looking. "Night Slash sounds perfect, let's do this." She gave Gallade the TR and went to the battlefield, meeting with Allister and his Runerigus.

"Begin!"

"I'm happy to get to fight you, Bea." Alister said. "Now, we learned something with our battle against Ash. you may, my friend." He said and Runerigus started to dig burying himself inside the ground, a roar was then heard and the painting on Runerigus' slab came out of the ground floating now possessed by the spirit of the Ghost-Type.

"I see..." Ash trailed off.

"What's going on?" Tina asked.

"Allister used that technique when I battled against him." Ash started to explain. "Runerigus's spirit moved from the stone to the painting, my Pokemon couldn't touch him while he was in that form, but the stone that it left behind became a weak spot, now that they hid it underground Bea could have a harder time dealing with it.

"Shadow Sneak!" Bea shouted and Gallade changed into his shadow form. He then extended his arm and wrapped it around Runerigus who tried to force his way out without success.

"Uh, or maybe not." Ash said.

"So we can touch him." Bea smiled.

"Looks like we got ourselves a game of shadows." Allister said. "Dragon Pulse."

"Take him down!" Bea ordered and Gallade pulled down his extended arms before Runerigus could charge his move, he then tried to crash him into the battlefield, but the painting simply smacked without much impact and then began floating again.

"We'll have to get personal, Night Slash!" Still in his Shadow form, Gallade's arms extended into two long blades and he rushed towards Runerigus and slashed him several times, and every slash seemed to make damage, unlike what happened during the battle with Ash.

"That Gallade is quite unusual." Allister said. "Brutal Swing." Runerigus wrapped his tail around one of Gallade's arms and tossed him away, making him return to his usual form once he fell onto the battlefield.

"Dazzling Gleam!" Gallade crossed his arms while he gathered energy in the horn of his back and then opened his arms again to fire a huge pink ray from the horn on his chest, the ray evaporated the painting and made it disappear in thin air, the slab then rose from the earth again and the painting to returned to where it was, only for Runerigus to fall knocked out.

"Runerigus is defeated! The victory is for Bea and Gallade!"

"My, My, that didn't quite work." Allister sighed. "My congratulations."

"Great work, Gallade!" Bea cheered on and Gallade smiled.

"Gallade really is into this, wow." Ash said. "But well, it makes sense, since Mr. Marsh is his teacher he must be trying to prove himself.

"Say, Allister, what were you going to wish for?" Bea asked.

"I'd like to be less timid." Allister sighed again. "But it's fine, I'll just have to put more effort into it, I'm a work in progress."

"You're an adorable work in progress." Bea patted his head and Allister blushed embarrassed under his mask, while Ash simply stared at them.

"The next battle is Emmet Awdry vs Gladion Aether!"

"I'm trusting you, Chandelure." Emmet said and his brother's Pokemon prepared himself.

"Fine then." Gladion took a deep breath and tossed a Poke Ball revealing his Silvally. "No... We're not hiding this time." He said and Silvally smirked as his illusion wore off to show off as a Zoroark.

"Begin!"

"Night Daze!" Zoroark brought down his two arms to the ground with force creating a dome of crimson aura that expanded around the battlefield and damaged Chandelure upon contact. "Now Sludge Bomb!" Zoroark then opened his mouth and fired off a blob of poison towards Chandelure.

"Mystical Fire!" Chandelure quickly lowered his head and the flame on top of it extended itself, passing through the sludge causing it to explode and then continuing to Zoroark and damaging him. "Skitter Smack!" Chandelure flew towards Zoroark and uncurled his arms to use them as whips and hit Zoroark several times on his face.

"Shadow Claw!" Zoroark's arms were both surrounded in shadows and he used them to counter the whips, both Pokemon landed hit after hit, but Zoroark managed to land a huge slash and toss Chandelire to the floor, but the fox was shortly afterwards hit a burn.

"Flame Body." Emmet smiled.

"No!" Gladion shouted.

"Use Hex!" A purple eye appeared in front of Chandelure and this fired off a dark beam that exploded onto Zoroark and heavily damaged him. "Skitter Smack!" Chandelure once again started to whip down Zoroark meanwhile he kept taking damage from the burn.

"Extrasensory!" Zoroark fired off two rainbow beams from his eyes, but Chandelure dodged it despite the close distance and followed this with a Mystical Fire, making Zoroark fall down to this knees due to the damage.

"Hex again!" Chandelure charged the move and Zoroark avoided by just a bit.

"Shadow Claw!" Zoroark ran towards Chandelure with the move ready, but instead of slashing him Zoroark simply placed the claw soflty on Chandelure's foreheard, both Pokemon's eyes illuminated and Zoroark then jumped away and started to laugh.

"What did you…" Chandelure wondered. "No... no, you wouldn't."

"What? Do this?" Zoroark laughed before using his Illusion ability again and turning into a copy of Ingo.

"T-That's…" Elesa stuttered and found herself out of words.

"Zoroark must have scanned Chandelure's memories." Phoebe said.

"Ingo…" Emmet trailed off.

"Gladion, cut that off!" Ash shouted.

"Zoroark, that's enough!" Gladion shouted.

"You wanted me to win this, didn't you?" Zoroark asked. "I'll do… whatever it takes to find Mohn." Seeing how both Chandelure and Emmet were frozen in place, Zoroark, still in Ingo's form, charged a Night Daze, but before he could burst out the move, another burn hit him, making him return to his Zoroark form and fall unable to battle.

"Zoroark is defeated! The victory is for Emmet and Chandelure!"

"Zoroark..." Gladion called him with a broken voice. "Please, get up." He told him to no avail and then sighed and he returned him, Chandelure then floated back to Emmet and two simply stared at Gladion.

"I'm sorry." Gladion said. "I'm not sure who that was, but I know Zoroark took things too far... we just wanted to wish to bring back my father, he's been lost for 10 years now."

"That was my brother, he's been missing for a few weeks now, Im also trying to bring him back." Emmet answered "I'm sorry too, for standing in you way."

"That must have been really hard for Emmet." Bea said.

"And I don't think that watching Ingo burn helped with the situation." Elesa said worried. "I really hope Emmet can win this so he can get that wish."

"Our next battle is Flannery Moore vs Phoebe U'hane." Mr. Marsh said.

"Let's burn the sky, Lampet!" Flannery shouted.

"Your turn, Dusknoir!" Phoebe answered.

"Begin!"

"Inferno!" Flannery shouted and her Lampet started to spin surrounded in blue flames.

"Dark Pulse!" Dusknoir opened the mouth of his abdomen and fired off the move directly, managing to break through the flames and knock Lampet to the floor.

"S-Shadow Ball!" Flannery stuttered.

"Shadow Punch!" Dusknoir's fists became surrounded in shadows and then fired off from his arms and slammed onto Lampet before he could even charge the Shadow Ball.

"Inferno again!"

"Sucker Punch!" Dusknoir dashed forward and with a dark-covered fist he landed a strong punch through the flames taking down Lampet with that hit and leaving him defeated.

"Lampet is defeated! The victory is for Phoebe and Dusknoir!"

"Dude! I know Elite Fours are strong, but that was just savage." Flannery said.

"Dusknoir is Phoebe's ace after all." Acerola said. "Of course it is really strong."

"She seems a bit too motivated though." Korrina said.

"Here, a little consolation prize." Emmet offered Flannery a purple rock. "This a Dusk Stone, it'll make your Lampet evolve in a Chandelure, I actually wanted to give it to you before the battle, but I think it would have counted as some kind of dopping."

"Wow! Thanks a lot." Flannery said taking the rock and then returning Lampet. "But I think I'll save this for later."

"Let's keep moving, Acerola Ketchum vs Whitney Miruku."

"So you're Whitney." Shauna said.

"The one and only! Are you a fan?" Whitney asked.

"N-No, I mean-"

"We know you were in Ash's house!" Erika said.

"You were?" Ash asked. "Wait, how do you you know that, Erika?"

"Eh, details, details." Erika coughed.

"I just wanted to pay you a visit, my love." Whitney told Ash. "Didn't know you weren't there, but I'm so happy to finally meet you, that's why I'm making sure to win this one!" She exclaimed before kissing Ash on his lips again.

"Nobody kisses my boyfriend except for me." Acerola said under her breath. "…And the other girls of the harem…and some ocasional honorary member… and I didn't exactly mind the rest of the girls here but that's not the main issue."

"Okay, but why did you steal Ash's Plain Badge?" Erika asked.

"And how do you know I did that?" Whitney asked.

"We saw it missing in his case!" Erika exclaimed.

"M-Miss Erika!" Shauna shouted.

"And where is his case, huh?"

"Wait, you were all inside my room?" Ash asked.

"N-No! I mean, Misty told us!" Shauna shouted.

"Oh, well you're badge is hear, Ash-dear." Whitney said showing it to him. "I just happened to pass by at the same moment as Misty and since she was watering the plants she offered me to comen in... I'll give this back to you, of course, but only after you and I get... a little bit closer."

"Aww, great. The crazy one likes you." Bea said.

"Are you going to fight or not?" Giratina asked.

"Go, go, Miltank!" Whitney exclaimed calling her ace and they both went to the battlefield.

"Let's do it, Palossand!" Acerola answered releasing the sand castle.

"Begin!"

"Use Body Slam!" Miltank jumped forward and crashed onto Palossand, breaking through his sand, Palossand screamed in pain for a brief moment, but then quickly regenerated himself. "Miltank's ability is Scrappy, some Ghosts aren't stopping us!"

"You want to use abilities? Fine. Brine!" Palossand fired a stream of salty water to the skies, letting it rain over him afterwards and activate his Water Compaction ability to boost his defenses.

"Use Shadow Ball!" Miltank formed the attack in her tail and then swung it around tossing the ball at Palossand and creating an explosion.

"Shore up!" The shovel on Palossand's head started to spin faster and several pillars of sand rose from the earth and acted as tentacles smacking Miltank around.

"Roll out!" Miltank jumped again and curled herself into a ball, breaking through the sand and then slamming herself onto Palossand, but this managed to withstood the hit thanks to his boosted defenses.

"Brine again!" Palossand shot the stream from his mouth again and pushed Miltank back. "We got you." Acerola smiled and Palossand's shovel began spinning again and the sand scattered around moved with water turned into quicksand that began to pull down Miltank, the cow tried to make her way out, but the sand kept pulling her down.

"Blizzard!" With only her head above the sand, Miltank took a deep breath and then blew a cold wind that froze solid the sand that was trapping and left her unable to move. "…Not my brightest idea." Whitney whispered.

"Shore Up!" Palossand summoned more sand tentacles and kept smacking them onto Miltank as a whac-a-mole, Palossand then joined the pillars into a giant sand hammer and brought them together destroying the ice and knocking out Miltank.

"Miltank is defeated! The victory is for Acerola and Palossand!"

"Yes, it is!" Acerola smiled.

"NOT FAIR!" Whitney shouted. "I demand a rematch, you meanie!"

"Sorry, but she won fair and square." Froslass said. "Besides, there's no second chances in this tournament, so what was your wish going to be?"

"AAAAAAAAARGH!" Whitney kept shouting.

"Fine, you don't have to tell us." Froslass said.

"Moving on, let's start the last battle of the first round, Korrina Rou Leau vs Millis Lupaix Steel." Marshadow said.

"Alright then." Korrina released both her Machoke and shiny Golett. "Listen, Machoke, I'll need to hand over your Eviolite to Golett for a moment, is that okay?" She asked and Machoke nodded handling Golett a bracelet with a pink stone on it. "This will boost your defense, it'll give you a good push." Korrina explained and Golett nodded to then place the bracelet in his left arm.

"Let's do this fast, Aegislash." Millis said as the Kalos Pokemon floated to the battlefield in shield form.

"Begin!"

"Brutal Swing!" Aegislash took his shield into one of his arms and then tossed it to Golett as a frisbee, the shield smacked Golett on the head, knocking him down, and then bounced back to Aegislash's arm.

"Shock Wave!" Golett gathered energy and then fired off a spiral electric beam from the symbol of his chest.

"King's Shield!" Aegislash swirled around before changing back to shield form, with many silver hexagons forming a dome around him and blocking Golett's attack. "Brutal Swing!" Aegislash went back to sword form and tossed his shield again, Golett jumped away to avoid it, but the shield redirected itself and hit Golett on his chest to then bounce back to Aegislash.

"That thing doesn't obey the laws of physics at all!" Korrina complained.

"Cry me a river." Millis smiled. "Flash Cannon!" Aegislash changed into his shield form again, the circles in the shield then started to shine and these fired off three straight beams, knocking back Golett again.

"Phantom Force!" Golett's whole body became surrounded in shadows and he pulled back his arms, legs and head to curl into a ball and roll towards Aegislash at high speed, hitting Aegislash directly and making him drop the shield, which was then taken by Golett

"Shadow Claw!" Both of Aegislash's arms were surrounded in shadows and he tried to slash Golett with them, but he used the shield to block them, Aegislash then wrapped one of his arms around Golett and prepared a slash with the other, but Golett tossed the shield aiming at Aegislash's eye, but the sword Pokemon stopped it before it hit him and then bashed Golett away.

"Shock Wave!"

"Flash Cannon!"

Both Pokemon fired their rays and the Flash Cannon quickly overcame and knocked back Golett.

"Shadow Claw!" Aegislash's sword elongated and he swung himself around and slashed him several times, while Golett tried to block and eventually caught the blade between his palms, but Aegislash wrapped his arms around Golett's and pulled them down to prepare a swing.

"Off with his head!" Millis shouted.

"Earth Power!" Korrina ordered again and Golett stomped the ground right beneath them creating an explosion that sent them both flying up, the two Ghost-Types then fell roughly back to the ground, with Golett standing up with difficulty, while Aegislash still laid down in the floor. "Phantom Force!"

"King's shield!" Aegislash tried to reach for his shield, but before he could Golett rolled towards him and tackled him at high speed making him fall again, Golett then took the shield himself and tossed it again, this time succesfully hitting Aegislash in his eye and finally defeating him.

"Aegislash is defeated! The victory is for Korrina and Golett!"

"That was great, Golett!" Korrina cheered on. "Too bad Hexy just missed it."

"Argh, whatever." Millis scoffed while returning Aegislash.

"And with that the first round is over." Froslass said.

"Very well. Cynthia, Tina, Elesa, Allister, Gladion, Flannery, Whitney and Millis have been eliminated." Marshadow said. "So Agatha, Ash, Erika, Bea, Emmet, Phoebe, Acerola and Korrina will pass to the second round, those who lost the first round are free to go right now or you can stay and watch til the end."

"Then I'll take my leave." Allister said. "This was fun and all, but I must return to Galar."

"Very well." Marshadow nodded and a portal opened for Allister. "Anyone else?"

"Well, we lost our only chance so there's no reason to stay here." Millis walked to another portal that Marshadow opened and Domino followed her.

"I'm afraid I'll have to stop you." Cynthia walked to them and looked at Domino. "Don't think I've forgotten what you did."

"Oh, please, don't act like that was the first time that a building falls over your head." Domino answered.

"You two know each other?" Ash asked.

"Unfortunately." Cynthia answered. "Diantha and I were answering a denounce regarding an old Team Flare lab, but it was a trap set by Domino to steal a device called the King's Credential which was in Diantha's care and had lots of information about Team Flare's experiments, Domino then trapped us in the building and brought it down, luckily your Greninja had also showed up and he helped us escape safely."

"And I don't have that device anymore so leave me alone." Domino replied.

"Even so, that's not all." Cynthia continued looking at Ash. "Domino also said that she was after you, the reason why I came to Alola in the first place was to tell you about that, but I guess I kinda forgot it with all that happened, and I was too late to warn you anyway."

"Enough explanations, we haven't forgotten what she did either." Bea said. "I'll take you to jail without breaking you, which is more than you deserve."

"Not so fast." Millis stood in front of Domino and prepared her teleportator watch.

"To think you'd be working for Team Rocket now." Ash said.

"Don't tell me I disappointed you, handsome?" Millis asked.

"Millis… we talked with your father." Korrina told her. "We told her you joined Team Rocket and he's really worried about you, he's blaming himself, he wants you to get back to Shalour with him."

"...Heh." Millis simply forced out a smile. "Since when do you get into other people's life?"

"Millis, come on, I know you, you're better than this." Korrina insisted.

"Maybe once upon a time I was." Millis said. "La vie-"

"Hold on, Lupaix." Domino interrupted her, she then walked to Ash and offered Danika's Urshifu totem to him. "I… I got this from the Wild Kratt, take it."

"...Danika mentioned that you stole this from her." Ash said taking the totem. "But why are you giving it back?"

"D-Don't misunderstand me, I just couldn't get it to work so I have no use for it." Domino replied. "Just tell her that you got it back from me by force or something."

"Domino… it's never too late to take a look at yourself and make a change." Ash told her with a small smile. "And this is a good start."

"…Don't be exaggerated." Domino told him, she walked back to Millis, but Ash grabbed Domino's wrist and stopped her, Domino got scared again, but Ash then pulled out one of his Poke Balls and released Flabebe.

"Can you?" Ash pointed at Domino's broken arm and Flabebe covered it with her golden pollen.

"W-What are you doing?" Domino asked.

"That's going to heal your arm." Ash said.

"…I feel obliged to ask the same thing." Domino said.

"Even after what you did, I feel… somewhat guilty seeing that I injured you." Ash said.

"S-So what?! You expect to feel sorry about what I did too?!" Domino stuttered. "Not a chance, I'm the villain, Ketchum! Did you forget already?! You're the hero! Hurting me is pretty much your job!" She said walking back to Millis, Domino then pressed her left arm and noticed it wasn't broken anymore. "You... Thank you." She whispered surprising anyone. "But this doesn't change anything, I see what you're trying to do and it won't work, you better think twice before trying to get attached to me, Ash."

"...You called me Ash?" He asked.

"...Take us out of here." Domino whispered to Millis.

"Yup, enough sentimentalism." Millis sighed and glared at Korrina for a moment. "Tell my father that I have no plans of going back… La vie sur le voi rapide." She whispered to her watch and the two thieves teleported away.

"You think she was being sincere?" Acerola asked Ash.

"I honestly don't feel like there's a way to know for sure." Ash said looking at totem.

"Wait, the portal you made for them is still open." Cynthia said. "Would this take to the Team Rocket headquarters?"

"I'm afraid not." Marshadow said. "The portal would only take you to where you were brought from, so it would have only send them to the Team Rocket Hedquarters, that's it if they were there when we brought them to being with."

"Why are Legendaries so unnecessary complicated all the time?" Cynthia asked.

"Very well, if the rest of you are staying then we'll start the preparations for the second round." Froslass said. "Lord Giratina, would you mind giving us the next matches?"

"Hmm… Ash Ketchum vs Acerola Ketchum." He started.

"Oh, my destiny is so cruel." Acerola pouted. "Forced to fight my beloved prince."

"Bea vs Emmet Awdry."

"Alright then." Bea said and Emmet simply looked away.

"Agatha Zutto vs Erika Applebaum."

"It'll also be an honor for me to face you too, Miss Agatha."

"I'm warning you now, I don't like flowers." Agatha said.

"And finally, Korrina Rou Leau vs Phoebe U'hane."

"Avenge me, Korrina!" Flannery shouted.

"We'll cheer on you!" Tina said.

"I-I'll do my best." Korrina smiled and Phoebe sighed.

"Then it's all set, we'll restart in ten minutes." Froslass said. "Use this time to prepare strategies or heal your Pokemon."

"Alright, Ash, while you're getting ready for the second round, I feel like we need an explanation." Flannery said. "So this girl Acerola is your girlfriend?"

"Well, yes, but... guess I'll have to do the explaining again."

Somewhere in Kanto.

After making their way out the Distortion World, Domino and Millis safely teleported back to Team Rocket's Headquarters, being once again in the medical area of the building.

"And we're back." Millis said. "Did he seriously heal you arm?"

"Apparently." Domino answered taking off the cast and stretching out her arm. "Yeah, seems like I'm fine."

"Quite unexpected... but what were you talking about, huh?" Millis asked. "About what was Ketchum trying to do?"

"Didn't you hear how he was talking?" Domino asked. "He grabs my wrist gently, he heals my arm, he smiles at me, that stupid smile! Argh! He's trying to bring me to his side!"

"You... like him?" Millis grinned.

"Not in a thousand years!" Domino shouted. "On contrary, he terrifies me!"

"Pfft, this is so great." Millis laughed.

"I don't like him!" Domino continued shouting and started to blush. "It rather looks like you him if you keep calling him handsome!"

"I'm just messing with him, like I'm messing with you." Millis said. "I still don't understand why you gave back that thing though."

"I told you, I had no use for it." Domino sighed.

"Finally, here you are." Charon said walking into the room. "I've been looking for you two."

"What's the deal now, Mr. Not-a-planet?" Millis asked.

"To cut it short, Giovanni wants you both to go in a mission." He started to explain. "You have to go to Virbank, Unova, and bring back with you CLRS-1."

"I'm sorry. Uh..." Domino raised a hand. "For those of us who don't speak sad nerd, what is CLRS-1?

"The only person that matters in the city." Charon answered. " A brillirant scientist and possibly the last step to Giovanni's plan."

"What'cha say, partner?" Millis asked.

"Let's get going, I need to clear my head." Domino answered. "How are we going to recognize the guy?"

"He's going to be singing about how bad he is." Charon answered.

"Like that narrows it down." Millis said.

Back in the Distortion World.

"And that's what happened." Ash ended his explanations, while Cynthia, Serena, Miette, Shauna, Erika, Flannery, Korrina, Whitney and Sina all processed what he told them, with the rest of the people around hearing out of curiosity.

"Eight girlfriends..." Erika said.

"Ash, I, uhm, I'm impressed to say at least." Shauna said.

"Have you guys had orgies already?" Miette asked.

"Uh, no, Miette, we haven't."

"Still, to think eight girls agreed to share you." Serena said.

"I think you mean nine." Sina said hugging Ash's left arm. "Say hello to Ash's ninth girlfriend!"

"...Who were you again?" Ash asked.

"My name is Sina Hautbois, I'm Lana's friend." She said. "She really never told you about me?"

"No, she didn't."

"Well, I'm also Professor Sycamore's right hand, he most have told you something about me."

"He didn't tell me anything either." Ash said.

"No? Well, nevermind, just ask way and I'll join." Sina said.

"Wait, It's not like I just grab any girl I happen to meet." Ash said.

"Sure..." Bea rolled her eyes watching the scene.

"I mean, I don't know you, Sina."

"But you just said that you let Skyla join and you met her for like three days!" Sina complained, and Whitney suddenly hugged Ash's free arm.

"Get away from him." Whitney said. "All. Of. You."

"Or else what?" Sina asked.

"Calm down you two, listen, this a delicate situation and fighting isn't gonna get us anywhere." Cynthia said.

"Speaking of that, Korrina, you mentioned something about getting an arrangement with Flannery regarding Ash." Serena said. "Were you going to share him with her anyway?"

"W-Well, Flannery and I have become really good friends; and I know she's also close to Ash so I wouldn't want her to get her heart broken." Korrian answered with a massive blush. "So, I guess that's a yes."

"Awww, you're so great, Korrina." Flannery laughed. "I mean, I guess I'd be fine with sharing him with you, even with Bea, May, Jasmine and Dawn too, but that alone is a lot; and of course I had no idea of the magnitude this truly had, if just Korrina and me join that'd make 10 girls, not to mention all the rest around here and the ones that are out there... Ash, are you sure you can handle all that?"

"I truly hope so." Ash answered slightly nervous. "I'll admit it can be tiring, but it's also rewarding in a way... still, this is a really big choice and it'll change your lives forever, so before anything, you all have to think this through."

"I already thought about it, I'm joining!" Sina smiled.

"Again, I don't know who you are." Ash insisted.

"But you do know the rest of us." Flannery said. "So, if we all decided to join, you'd take us all in?"

"I..." Ash stared at them for a moment and then smiled. "Yes, of course I would." He answered getting them all to blush.

"E-Even me?" Erika asked. "I mean, I suppose you've had your moments with all of those girls, but we met so long ago and it was barely the other day that we finally talked again."

"Yes, even you, Erika." Ash answered taking her hand. "It's because of that that I'd like to get to know you more."

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" Sina shouted, Whitney finally pulled Ash away from her and she took him close to her to give him another lip kiss.

"Ash... my dear Ash." She whispered. "You're confused, I can tell it... don't worry, when I become your girlfriend I'll be sure to take care of everything."

"What do you-"

"Hey, Glados! I'm out of here!" Whitney shouted at Froslass.

"If that's what you prefer." Froslass answered and a portal opened next to Whitney, she gave Ash another lip kiss and started to walk away, but right before crossing she looked back at Ash and the rest of the girls winking and sticking out her tongue to then get inside the portal and disappear.

"A harem... how funny." Whitney laughed out loud. "That wish was the perfect opportunity, but I wasted my chance so I'll need to find another exit, Ash will have to understand that I'm the only girl he needs... one way or another."

"Alright, Whitney, get out of my house or I'm calling the police." Morty told her.

"Without further ado, let's being the second round!" Marshadow said. "We'll start with Acerola Ketchum vs Ash Ketchum."

"Very well, Drakloak, I choose you!"

"You're up, Mimikins!" Acerola called her shiny Mimikyu.

"Begin!" Froslass ordered.

"Use Steel Wing!" Drakloak flew at high speed and slashed Mimikins with the wings on his head, Mimikins didn't receive any damage thanks to her ability, but the Disguise wore off right after that.

"Aaaaand we surrender!" Acerola said.

"...What?" Ash asked.

"I'm just saving some points for my girlfriend cartridge." Acerola said. "Besides, there's no way I'd get in the way of my prince."

"What's a girlfriend cartridge?" Korrina asked.

"I'll explain it to you later." Flannery replied.

"You guys accept a surrender, right?" Acerola asked at Marshadow and Giratina.

"Sure, I suppose." Marshadow said. "Let's just move onto the next one then, Bea against Emmet Awdry."

"So, what were you going to wish for, Acerola?" Ash asked.

"Please, you know exactly what I was going to wish for." She gave him a sly smile. "But I won't push you, we'll get to that eventually."

"Let's keep going, Chandelure." Emmet said.

"We ain't backing down, Gallade!" Bea answered.

"Begin!"

"Mystical Fire!"

"Pyscho Cut!" Gallade swung his arms around tossing several pink blades that broke through the fire and landed some clean hits on Chandelure. "Now Shadow Sneak!"Gallade changed into his shadow form and jumped towards Chandelure to then kick him down to the battlefield. "Night Slash!"

"Use Hex!" Still on the floor, Chandelure tried to counter, but Gallade countered the rays of Hex with his Night Slash and dove down to strike down Chandelure several times, eventually pushing him away with another Shadow Sneak, but Gallade was quickly hit by the Burn of Chandelure's Flame Body.

"Hex!" Chandelure fired his ray and this landed a critical hit on Gallade, leaving him dropped in the ground as he was affected by another burn.

"We can't waste anymore time! Chandelure, Final Flicker!"

"Final what?" Acerola asked.

"Final Flicker is a move that only a few Chandelure can use." Phoebe explained. "It's crazy powerful and pretty much a certain K.O. if the target is burned, but it also takes too much of Chandelure's own power."

Once Phoebe ended her explanation, Chandelure had already charged the move and his eyes illuminated, while Gallade still laid down on the ground, the fire on Chandelure's head turned off, Chandelure then started to spin summoning a spiral of purple flames that surrounded Gallade, all of the wisps then then attacked Gallade at the same time and caused a huge explosion, but once the dust settled Gallade had his arms crossed, being surrounded in an orb of water.

"What in the-"

"Life Dew!" Bea shouted and Gallade pushed the water orb to Chandelure, washing him out and leaving him out of combat.

"Chandelure is defeated! The victory is for Bea and Gallade!"

"No!" Emmet shouted as he ran to aid the Pokemon.

"Phew, I can't believe that worked." Bea smiled while Gallade sighed relieved.

"Using that Final Flicker left Chandelure too weak to continue further." Agatha said.

"Thank you for trying, this was my fault..." Emmet talked to Chandelure while he returned him and then looked at Bea. "I hope you get your wish, Bea."

"I-I'm really sorry, Mr. Emmet."

"No please don't be, this is a competition after all." Emmet said. "Keep doing your best, I'll stay to watch the end of all this, I sincerely hope you win."

"Emmet, are you we shouldn't just leave?" Elesa asked him.

"It's fine." He answered. "We'll find another way."

"Our next battle is Erika Applebaum vs Agatha Zutto."

"Fine then, Arbok!" Agatha called upon the cobra.

"Then I'll be using my Leafeon." Erika said.

"Begin!"

"Leafeon, Sunny Day!" Erika gave the first order and Leafeon growled to the skies as a small sun formed on top of the battlefield, filling the distortion world with light; and once the sun was up, Leafeon's body started to shine.

"Chlorophyll, huh?" Ash asked.

"Doubled speed could help against a Pokemon like Arbok." Shauna said.

"We'll see about that, Poison Sting!" Arbok opened his mouth and fired to the skies many poisoned darts that later fell around the battlefield, while Leafeon jumped around to avoid them.

"Leaf Blade!" Leafon ran at high speed towards Arbok and jumped landing a huge slash with her tail.

"Iron Tail!" Arbok's tail illuminated in silver and he tried to smack Leafeon with it, but she moved way too fast to land a hit.

"Now Shadow Ball!" Erika ordered and Leafeon fired the move from her mouth.

"Poison Sting!" Arbok fired the move forward and this collided with the Shadow Ball, but some of the darts kept going and landed on Leafeon, both damaging her and poisoning her.

"Now's our chance, Facade!" Leafeon ran towards Arbok surrounded in yellow energy and slammed herself onto the snake, causing a good amount of damage, thanks to the poisoning.

"Iron Tail!" Arbok swung his tail again, but Leafeon once again dodged, albeit being hit by another streak of the poison damage.

"Yes, you're fast..." Agatha smiled. "But there are some thing you can't run away from... use Curse." The eyes on Arbok's hood seemed to blink for a moment and afterwards a black haze surrounded Leafeon and caused her a surge of instense pain, while Arbok was surrounded by an aura that boosted his defense and attack.

"What... what's going on?" Erika asked.

"You know how Curse works, right?" Agatha asked. "If a Ghost uses it, it sacrifice its own HP to damage the opponent, meanwhile if a non-ghost uses it, it simply raises Attack and Defense while lowering speed, but as a Ghost expert I gave my Pokemon some special traning, taking the best of both worlds, Arbok's curse damages the opponent and raises his stats, no sacrifice at all."

"Well, that sounds pretty unfair." Erika said and Leafeon was hit by the surging pain again. "S-Shadow Ball!"

"Iron Tail!" Arbok smacked the move away and then jumped to Leafeon, she tried avoid but the poison and the curse hit her at the same time and she was unable to dodge the Iron Tail.

"Facade!" Leafeon slammed herself onto Arbok again, but this time Arbok withstood the hit and pushed Leafeon back again to then wrap his tail around her and strangle her.

"Poison Sting!" Still choking Leafeon with his tail, Arbok shot the move and created an explosion that surrounded both of them, the dust quickly settled and Arbok let go off of Leafeon, but she was still willing to keep fighting.

"Leaf Blade!" Leafeon jumped and landed an horizontal slash that cut Arbok in two halves that fell to the floor

"I feel like I've seen this before." Ash said, but the halves of Arbok then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"A Substitute?!" Erika shouted.

"Fire Fang!" The real Arbok suddenly appeared behind Leafeon, with his mouth covered in flames that were powered by the Sunny Day, Arbok then bit down Leafeon and created a small explosion that quickly faded away to show the defeated Grass-Type in Arbok's mouth.

"Leafeon is defeated! The victory is for Agatha and Arbok!"

"That's the power of an Elite Four, mind you." Erika said while returning Leafeon. "Thanks for the oppotunity Miss Agatha."

"Eh, you did great." Agatha said.

"Now for the last battle of the second round, Korrina Rou Leau vs Phoebe U'hane."

"Let's do it, Banette!" Phoebe exclaimed releasing the ragdoll, which happened to have a pink ribbon on top of his head.

"Hey there, Scrump!" Acerola waved at the ghost who smiled at her.

"Our turn! Lucario!" Korrina called upon her ace, who looked around and recognized Ash, smiling at him.

"Well, since we're at it." Ash released his Lucario as well and the two Pokemon saluted each ohter.

"We finally meet face to face." Korrina said looking at Ash's Lucario. "Well, better show your new friend what we can do, Lucario! Here we go! Unlock the power within!" Korrina did her usual movements to then press the Key Stone in her glove. "Mega-evolve!" She shouted as her partner accessed his powered-up form with a roar.

"We're going all-out as well." Phoebe whispered and pressed the ankle bracelet in her left leg revealing a Key Stone. "Let's dance through the danger!" She shouted activated her Key Stone which illuminated alongside the Mega Stone in Banette's ribbon, causing him to Mega-evolve as well.

"So we'll have Mega vs Mega." Cynthia said.

"Begin!"

"Will-o-Wisp!" Banette opened the zipper of his mouth and released a huge stream of fire towards Lucario.

"Bone Rush!" Lucariformed a bone staff in each hand and spun them around in front of him to disperse the fire, once the attack was over, Lucario tossed both bones as spears and the two hit Banette directly, but it wasn't enough to knock him down. "Flash Cannon!" Lucario put both paws in front of him and fired off two silver beams towards Banette.

"Phantom Force!" Phoebe shouted and Banette disappeared in one of his zipper portals before the move could reach him.

"Eyes open! He's coming from somewhere!" Korrina shouted and his Lucario braced himself with two bone staffs on his paws to prepare when Banette would emerge again. A zipper portal sudenly appeared beneath and Lucario jumped up to avoid it, but Banette from another portal behind him and tackled Lucario down.

"Shadow Claw!" Lucario quickly recovered himself and the spikes on his paws turned into two long purple blades that he used to slash Banette several times.

"Mud Slap!" Banette opened his mouth zipper again, tossing several mud balls at Lucario, who tried to cut them away, but the balls were eventually too many and landed onto Lucario's face and chest blocking his vision.

"Shadow Claw!" Phoebe ordered and Banette extended his claws, using them as whips to slash Lucario. "Now Phantom Force." Banette disappeared with another zipper portal after Lucario finally got the mud out of his eyes.

"Come on, we have to sense him, don't let him fool you again." Korrina told him and both Lucario and her closed their eyes to focus his aura. "He's... above!" She exclaimed and Lucario prepared himself with a Shadow Claw, a zipper portal opened right above him, but what came from it was giant rock that fell over Lucario, while Banette emerged afterwards form the portal with a laugh.

"Oh, come on!" Korrina complained while her Lucario crawled from under the rock.

"Will-O-Wisp!" Banette shot out the stream of fire again and this Lucario was unable to block it and recieved the burn.

"Shadow Claw!" The two trainers shouted at the same time, but Banette managed to overcome with his whips, breaking Lucario's blades, slashing him away, slamming him against the rock.

"Flash Cannon!" Lucario cupped his paws and concentrated his energy into a single point between them to then thrust his hands forward and shoot a huge silver beam towards Banette.

"Phantom Force!" Banette laughed and formed the zipper portal in front of him, letting the Flash Cannon go inside it, another portal then appeared above Lucario and the Flash Cannon followed the course and exploded onto him, being followed by Banette tackling him down with Phantom Force and defeating Lucario as it went back to his base form.

"Lucario is defeated! The victory is for Phoebe and Banette!"

"And with that we finish the second round." Marshadow said. "Acerola, Emmet, Erika and Korrina have been eliminated, while Ash, Bea, Agatha and Phoebe pass to the third round."

"Sorry, Flannery, guess I couldn't get that revenge." Korrina said.

"Don't worry, that was wild." Flannery said.

"The semi-finals battles will be Ash Ketchum vs Agatha Zutto and Bea vs Phoebe U'hane." Giratina said.

"Very well, once again we'll give you ten minutes to prepare for the semi-finals." Marshadow said. "Anyone wants to return to the human world?"

"You already lost, so I guess we're leaving, right?" Shauna asked Erika.

"I suppose so, but-"

"Don't worry, I'll take you back." Sabrina said suddenly appearing next to the two.

"ARGH! Stop doing that!" Erika shouted after the scare.

"Heh, sorry for being late to the party." Sabrina said. "Gengar and I were also 'invited' by one of those portals, but I teleported us out, it's not fair to pull someone into a portal without consent, you know?"

"Yeah, uh, sorry about that." Froslass said.

"Don't worry, I had no intent to join either way, had I joined I would have most certainly been eliminated in the first round." Sabrina said.

"Oh, right, miss Erika mentioned you can see the future." Shauna said. "Must be really convenient."

"No one can see the future." Sabrina giggled. "I can see options and trajectories. Time is like a river that splits into creeks, or pools into lakes, or careens down waterfalls. I have the map, and I steer the ship."

"I see..." Shauna trailed off dumbfounded.

"And speaking of that." Sabrina looked at Ash and smiled. "Seems like one of my predictions was right, Mr. Harem King"

"You knew this would happen?" Ash asked.

"Like I said, it was a possibility." Sabrina said. "Do you remember that forehead kiss I gave you?" She asked placing a finger on the same spot. "I kinda gave you a free trial of the trajectories."

"You're saying Ash started his harem because of you?" Erika asked.

"Not exactly, let's say I simply passed my powers for a few mere seconds in order to give Ash a 'free trial', I transfered to his mind some of the visions of possible futures I had." Sabrina explained. "It was still Ash's decision, but I guess you can say that it influenced his decision more or less."

"I should thank you then." Acerola smiled. "Are you going to join as well?

"The possibility is there." Sabrina said. "I've seen two futures where I become Ash's girlfriend and one where I don't, so I guess best way to find out is simply go with the flow, I wouldn't want to push Ash into accepting me. You get that?"

"Of course I do." Ash answered and then looked around at the rest of the girls. "Just going with the flow, that's pretty much what I've been doing since this all started." He answered with a laugh.

"Very well, you girls want to go?" Sabrina asked. "I know how this tournament is going to end, but I don't wanna spoil it."

"Guess we'll go with you." Erika said to then look at Ash. "Take care, Ashley." She winked at him and Ash simply blushed.

"Good luck to you all, a-and thanks for the kiss, Ash!" Shauna smiled while she blushed. "I-I'll give this a thought like you said. sorry again, Serena, bye!" She exclaimed before Sabrina teleported them away.

"...Bye, Shauna." She sighed.

"I'll find out what's that whole deal with Ashley one day." Bea said.

"It's not necessary." Ash coughed.

"Bea, I think I should warn you, Phoebe is really strong." Acerola said. "Do you think you can beat her?"

"I actualy have an idea." Bea said. "Hey, Korrina, right?" She asked looking at the skater.

"Yup, and you're Bea, Flannery told me lots of things about you." Korrina answered. "Nice to finally meet you."

"Nice to meet you two, ash has also told me about you." Bea said. "Listen, since you already got eliminated I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

"Sure, what is it?"

"I'm gonna need that glove of yours." Bea said pulling out her Galladite.

Meanwhile in Virbank City.

"So the brilliant scientist we're looking for is in a karaoke bar?" Domino asked after Millis teleported them both to the spot that Charon had indicated them, Domino was wearing an outfit that mimicked a Unovan Ace Trainer to blend in, while Millis had her usual clothes.

"My father told me to never judge a man by where he drinks, only by how he holds it." Millis answered as they both entered, the whole place seemed rather chill for a bar, with everyone simply drinking and enjoying the music in the background.

"Cause I'm bad and you love it! So don't act like you're above it!" A man wearing a gray lab trench coat sung in the stage of the bar.

"That's must be the song that Charon mentioned." Millis said, Domino then tossed a small rock at the man and he stopped singing, noticing the two, he then got out of the stage and silently walked outside the bar, with Domino and Millis following him.

"You came by faster than I expected." He said once the three were outside.

"So you were just going to keep singing that song until we arrived?"

"Well, it is my second favorite song after all." He answered. "The first one goes like: The humans are dead-"

"So, CLRS-1?" Domino interrupted.

"Just Colress will do." He said. "I'm the ex-second-in-command of Team Plasma."

"And what does Giovanni wants with you?" Domino asked.

"Well, it's pretty simple actually, if it is okay with you, I have prepared a little presentation to illustrate my point." Colress said as he opened up a laptop and played a music video of him.

.

Each and every second of your life

Millions of waves cross your mind, but you can't see them

That's why I only trust my computers

They are gonna solve it in each and every way

.

Just look around and you'll understand

The world is high-tech to very end

The universe has to be synchronized

Or else everything will-

Wacka Wacka! Boom Boom!

.

When you feel like everything is out of control

Just log in with your computer

And the solution will load

it's su-pe-ri-or!

(Techno! Techno! Techno!)

Techno-Logic!

(Techno! Techno! Techno!)

Techno-Sonic!

(Techno! Techno! Techno!)

Techno-Morphing!

The real reality!

(It's out of control!)

(I-I-It's out of control!)

.

(Techno! Techno! Techno!)

Techno-Logic!

(Techno! Techno! Techno!)

Techno-Sonic!

(Techno! Techno! Techno!)

Techno-Morphing!

Just accept it!

We're all connected!

.

(Techno! Techno! Techno!)

Techno-Logic!

(Techno! Techno! Techno!)

Techno-Sonic!

(Techno! Techno! Techno!)

Techno-Morphing!

The real reality!

.

GAME OVER

.

Director: Colress.

Singer: Colress.

Mixer: Colress.

Camera: Colress.

Audio: Colress.

Producer: Colress.

Special thanks to: Colress.

.

For Colress.

.

"Well, do you understand now?" Colress asked.

"...What the heck was that?!" Domino asked.

"Well, I admit it sounded better in my head, but was it seriously that bad?" Colress asked.

"You want some honest criticism?" Millis asked.

"Why, of course."

"That was fucking stupid!" Millis said.

"...That's not honest criticism." Colress answered.

"And what's the deal with all these songs now?!" Domino complained.

"Oh well, is Virbank, everybody here sings, it was the best way to blend in while I stayed here." Colress answered and then nervously looking around. "W-Why is everybody looking at me like I've lost it?!" Colress shouted.

"Nobody is looking at you." Millis said.

"Maybe if I keep singing I can make 'em stop it!" Colress continued. "Shoop-doo-wop, shoop-doo-wop. Can someone shut this music off?

"Just stop singing!" Millis shouted.

"I'm choosing not!" Colress answered, but Domino suddenly slapped him. "Ehem, thank you, I needed that, living in this place, between Pokestar and Roxie's band, makes you think that the whole world is a stage."

"Can we just get to the point of this whole thing already?!" Domino asked.

"Sure, sure, all that Giovanni wanted from me was this." Colress showed the girls five Cherish Balls. "It was literal hell to capture these five, but here they are, my proudest work, Project G."

"English please." Millis said.

"Inside these Cherish Balls are the five Genesect." Colress explained. "We, Team Plasma, modified and enhanced them from fossils, but they managed to escape our laboratories and somehow ended up residing in the Absentia Natural Park, but I managed to get some people to capture them again, most of them didn't make it back, but it was a risk I was willing to take."

"So Giovanni knows they're really powerful and wants to use them." Domino said.

"Oh, it's a bit more than that." Colress said. "Inside of each of these Genesect is a sphere labelled as "core", it is what powers them and it has pretty much limitless nuclear energy, Giovanni told me that he wants to use the five Genesect as some kind of battery for the machine he's preparing."

"Do you know what that machine is supposed to be or do?" Domino asked.

"Not yet, but I'll find out when I'm there."

"Here they are." Meloetta said watching the scene from a roof being accompained by the Unovan Mewtwo. "I told you he was the one who captured them."

"Then why are we standing here?" Mewtwo said charging a Psystrike and aiming at the trio of villains.

"Wait!" Meloetta pushed Mewtwo's arm and caused her to miss her mark and the Psystrike ended up landing on a nearby roof and causing an explosion.

"What was that?!" Domino shouted.

"Hmmp, I think I know it." Colress smirked.

"Don't really want to stay and find out though." Millis said preparing her watch. "La vie sure le voie rapide!" She shouted before teleporting herself away along Colress and Domino.

"No!" Meloetta exclaimed.

"Argh! You made me miss!" Metwo complained.

"You were going to kill them!" Meloetta said.

"That's not true I was going to... put them to sleep." Mewtwo coughed. "But now they escaped with the Genesect and you heard them, they want to use them as some kind of batteries for whatever they're planning."

"I know, we have to stop them somehow, they work for Giovanni of Team Rocket so they must have gone to Kanto, can you contact the other Mewtwo and ask him for help?"

"Don't really get along with the guy." Mewtwo said. "Any other ideas?"

"Maybe we could-"

"I can't believe we're gonna meet Ash Ketchum in person!" Someone shouted from afar.

"Hmm, did you hear that?" Mewtwo asked.

"Yes! Ash could be the perfect person to help us!" Meloetta smiled. "If he's here then we have to tell him. Let's see what this is all about."

Meanwhile on the other side of Virbank.

"I'm Rosa Whitley!"

"Name's Hilda Whitley!"

"We're sisters!"

"Half-sisters actually."

"I'm from Aspertia!

"Nuvema here."

"I'm an aspiring actrees and coordinator!"

"I'm a trainer on her way to become champion."

"I love donuts!"

"Baseball is kinda my thing."

"This is my best friend, Serperior!"

"Here's my first partner, Emboar. Yup, he's shiny, no pokehex, he's authentic."

"Uh... nice to meet you two, I'm Victor Sodo Tsurutate."

"I'm Marnie Sthayer, pleasure is mine as well."

"So, these are the two guys and gals I was talking you about." Roxie said to both duos. "Rosa and Hilda will be coming with us to the concert in Alola."

"I'm so excited to meet Ash!" Rosa shouted. "I bet he's even more handsome in person."

"I can't wait to challenge him to a battle!" Hilda shouted out loud. "I'M FIRED UP!"

"EMBOAR!" Her ace shouted alongside her.

"You're always so savage, think about the important things! Sabrina mentioned that she'd bring him to act in a movie in Pokestar, maybe I'll get to co-star with him!" Rosa started to drool as she got lost in her fantasies. "J-Just imagine, there are some many outfits I'd like to put him on, and what if we get into a kiss scene?! If that happened, I'd throw away my lips, because nothing else in the world will be worth kissing anymore."

"If you do that you wouldn't be able of kissing him again." Hilda said.

"Good point! I'll take that back!" Rosa smiled.

"And I thought Gloria was crazy." Victor whispered to Marnie.

"Don't be so mean." Marnie answered.

"Well, let's rest everyone, we'll take a ship to Alola tomorrow with my Dad." Roxie said.

"So Ash isn't here." Meloetta said. "Alola Region, can you teleport us there?"

"My teleportation only lets me go to places where I have already been and I've never heard of that region before." Mewtwo answered.

"Then I guess I'll have to follow them." Meloetta said.

"You mean like taking a human form and acting as a friend to go along with them?"

"Uh, no, I mean, I've been practicing that with Latias, but I can't get it to work." Meloetta answered. "I'll simply turn invisible and follow them in silence, I've done that before."

"You don't look like the silent type."

"Just leave it all to meeeeeee!" She sang.

"...It was a pleasure to meet you." Mewtwo sighed.

Back in the Distortion World.

"The semi-finals begin now!" Marshadow said. "It's Bea vs Phoebe U'hane!"

"It's good be face to face with you again, Phoebe." Bea said.

"Yeah, I guess it is." Phoebe answered. "So you were Ash's first girlfriend, I kinda expected you two get together, but that was before Acerola told me that she liked him as well... are you both seriously happy?"

"Yes, Phoebe, we are, didn't Acerola herself told you?"

"Maybe she did so, but... I can't help but think that she's gotten blinded by her love." Phoebe sighed to then walk to her side of the battlefield as Bea did the same alongside her Gallade.

"Come on by, Sableye!" Phoebe called the Ghost/dark who came out with a laugh, wearing a necklace with a Sablenite. "Here goes! Let's dance through the danger!" Phoebe pressed the Key Stone in her ankle bracelet again and Sableye Mega-evolved, now shielding himself behind a giant ruby.

"We've got one of those as well." Bea said putting on Korrina's gloves "But it's our first try so we won't do it unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Oh, believe me, it'll be absolutely necessary." Phoebe said.

"You really handed over your glove to her?" Flannery asked.

"Well, she asked kindly." Korrina answered. "And she's Ash's first girlfriend so I suppose we should do what she says if we want to join."

"Begin!"

"Power Gem!" Sableye laughed and put himself behind his gem as this fired off a giant red beam of energy.

"Shadow Sneak!" Gallade quickly turned into his shadow form and dropped himself in the floor to avoid the attack. "Now Night Slash!" Gallade stood up again and ran towards Sableye with both of his hands turned into long blades doing a cross slash that was blocked by Sableye's ruby, but still had enough force to push him back. "Try to hit him from behind!" Gallade jumped above the jewel and landed behind Sableye, who didn't have time to around around and was slashed away along his gem.

"Fine then. Suspicious Minds!" Phoebe shouted and Sableye laughed out loud summoning four purple humanoid ghost that rose from the ground. "We got all of the Ohana!" Sableye pointed at Gallade and the ghosts screeched to then fly towards Gallade as their hands turned into claws and they slashed him with them.

"Night Slash!" Bea ordered and Gallade used his blades to cut through the ghosts.

"Foul Play!" While Gallade was still distracted by the ghosts, Sableye jumped forward while being surrounded in darkness and tackled Gallade, the attack knocked back the Sinnoh Pokemon, but he later stood up again being surrounded by an orange aura.

"Right! Gallade's Abilty is Justified!" Flannery said.

"That's not exactly a good thing though." Ash said. "Foul Play uses the target's Attack instead of the user's so if Gallade's Attack raises up then Foul Play will do more damage."

"You heard your boyfriend!" Phoebe smiled. "Foul Play!" Sableye repeated the move and this time it caused far more damage on Gallade, activating his Justified ability again. "One more time!"

"Block him with Night Slash!" Gallede tried to counter, but the Foul Play broke through his blade and knocked him back again, this time returning Gallade to his usual form and leaving him almost unable to get up.

"Bea! When Gallade Mega evolves his Ability changes to Inner Focus!" Korrina exclaimed. "It's now or never!"

"Very well then." Bea tossed the Galladite at his Pokemon, but Phoebe's Sableye suddenly jumped in between them and grabbed the stone himself.

"Hey! That's ours!" Bea complained while Sableye laughed. "Dazzling Gleam!" Gallade shot the pink beam from his chest horn and created an explosion that knocked Sableye down and caused him to drop the Galladite, Gallade then went to take the stone and prepared a Night Slash to strike Sableye.

"Power Gem!" Phoebe ordered and Sableye simply looked at Gallade with a grin and shrugged shoulders, Gallade then noticed Sableye's gemstone was now behind him charging energy and the attack was fired from it before he could react, sending him to the floor yet again as Sableye hid behind the gestome again and Gallade laid down unable to move. "Suspicious Minds!" Sableye summoned four move ghosts that flew towards Gallade.

"Bea, he's still holding the Mega Stone! You have to do it!" Korrina told her.

"Here goes nothing!" Bea pressed the Key Stone and Gallade's Mega Stone activated as well, the bright light that came from them was enough to blind the ghosts and made them stop their attack as Gallade stood up again.

"Darkness is falling…" Gallade sung softly. "And I hear the calling… the shadows are coming... to life… but I won't rekindle… the embers that dwindle… as I sing my undead lullaby." Gallade reached his Mega-evolved form and he instantly used Shadow Sneak, with his body being fully covered in shadows and his cape turning into a scarf, leaving only two red bright eyes to be seen in the silhouette.

"Well, that reminds me of someone." Giratina said looking at Marshadow.

"Hmm..." Mr. Marsh simply looked at the fight with attention while, Gallade looked back at Bea and nodded before getting into fighting position again.

"It worked..." Bea trailed off with a smile.

"Suspicious Minds!" Sableye summoned four more ghosts with joined the previous four and they all targeted Gallade.

"Shadow Sneak!" Gallade extended his arms and swung them around as whips cutting through the ghosts and then running to Sableye, who still shielded himself with his gem as Gallade slashed away at it, eventually sending the gem flying away with an upper slash and leaving Sableye unprotected.

"Foul Play!" Sableye tackled down Gallade, with plenty of force due to the attack boost from earlier still being present, the attack was enough to force Gallade out of his shadow form again, but he still stood up, now taking a detailed look of his new Mega-evolved form.

"Dazzling Gleam!" Gallade shot a massive pink beam from his chest and once again he send Sableye flying back. "Stone Edge!" Gallade stomped the ground and several rocks emerged from it, he then spun around cutting though them and send the rocks flying as sharpnel.

"Suspicious Minds!" Sableye summoned four ghosts and these protected him, taking the impact of the sharpnel instead, two of the ghosts dispered due to the damage, and Sableye then jumped forward with another Foul Play being followed by the remaining two ghosts.

"Night Slash!" Gallade changed to his shadow form again with two dark blades in hand and an explosion occured once the attacks met, the dust finally settled, all the ghosts that were summoned disappeared and both Sableye and Gallade had lost their Mega Evolution, Sableye grinned and Gallade smiled back before the two Pokemon fell unconcious at the same time.

"And it's a tie!" Froslass said.

"No! T-That can't be!" Phoebe shouted, Bea then returned Gallade with a proud smile and walked over to Korrina.

"Thanks a lot." Bea said handing over the glove. "I really couldn't have made it without this."

"No problem, I gotta say that was really amazing for your first try." Korrina answered.

"How impressive, this is the first time we ever get a tie." Marshadow said. "What should we do, Lord Giratina?"

"Well, just to get over with this, we'll eliminate them both." Giratina answered. "That means that whoever wins between Agatha and Ash will be the winner of the tournament."

"Be as it may." Agatha said.

"Another reason to fight you with all I got." Ash replied. "Though I would have still liked to fight Bea or Phoebe if I had won."

"So, what were you going to wish for, Phoebe?" Acerola asked her.

"...I was going to wish that you were Ash's only girlfriend." She answered.

"Phoebe-"

"Listen, I know you say you're happy, I'm trying to respect that." Phoebe answered. "But the more girls he adds, the more I feel he's been unfair with you and I got the feeling that you're really gonna regret all of this sooner than later."

"...I'll be happy to show you wrong." Acerola smiled, Phoebe simply sighed and looked away.

"Very well, not that they're both eliminated Agatha Zutto vs Ash ketchum will count as the final, let's get into it." Marshadow said.

"We're having a real battle this time, Drakloak!" Ash said as the shiny dragon emerged from his shadow.

"Well then, this is a rematch that was quite overdue." Agatha answered. "Go, Gengar!" She smacked her staff and the ball on top of it opened, a shadow then came out of the Poke Ball and slithered to the floor, expanding and revealing itself as a Gengar that stuck out his tongue.

"You know? I saw your battle against Allister the other day." Agatha said. "Unlike his Gengar, mine doesn't have Mega Evolution, nor Gigantamax, I prefer the classic style, but of course there's a twist here and there."

"Well, your Gengar was pretty stong back then, I bet you've only improved since then." Ash answered.

"Let's see if I can say the same about you." Agatha smiled.

"Begin!"

"Sludge Bomb!" Agatha gave the first order and her Gengar fired off a huge glob of purple poison towards Drakloak.

"Steel Wing!" Drakloak's head was covered in silver and he flew right through the blob to then slash Gengar with his head, however, after the attack was over, Drakloak was hit by a streak of poison.

"Not a good start, huh?" Agatha asked. "Ice Punch!" Gengar flew to Drakloak with both fists covered in ice to then land a double jab that send Drakloak directly to the floor.

"Hydro Pump!" Drakloak floated up again and shoot a stream of water.

"Thunderbolt!" Gengar laughed and released the electric blast, stopping the water and using it as a conductor to reach Drakloak, who was hurt by the poison again after the thunder hit him.

"Dragon Rush!" Drakloak rushed towards Gengar and his body was surrounded in blue aura, he then slammed himself into Gengar and crashed him onto the floor, but Gengar pushed the Dragon away with another Ice Punch afterwards.

"Shadow Ball!" Both of them shouted and the Pokemon attacked at the same time, but Gengar's Shadow Ball was bigger and absorbed Drakloak's, only for it to be avoided by the dragon.

"Steel Wing!" Drakloak went on to slash Gengar with his head again, landing several cuts that damaged him.

"Ice Punch!" Gengar prepared the hit and landed it right on Drakloak's neck, sending him away again.

"Shadow Drop!" Agatha smacked her staff in the floor again, Gengar then dropped himself in the floor and expanded himself around the battlefield, taking a deep breath to swallow Drakloak like a vacuum while the Dragon tried to fly away with difficulty.

"Well, this is new." Ash said.

"Didn't expect this, did you?" Agatha said. "Heh, of course not, I've lived your lifetime many times over, it'd be laughable of you to try and comprehend how I think. So, what are you doing about it?"

"Hmmp, probably something stupid." Ash smiled. "Drakloak! Take a dive!"

"What?!" Agatha shouted and Drakloak stopped resisting, being swallowed into the giant Gengar's mouth, Gengar then closed his mouth and returned to his normal size, but Drakloak was nowhere to be seen. Gengar suddenly seemed to recieve a hit and fell to the ground, only for him to be repeatedly smacked back and forth as he held his stomach.

"I'm confused." Miette said.

"Ash's Drakloak can fit into any shadow he wants to and 'swim' inside them." Bea said. "He's gotten inside of Gengar and now is damaging him from there."

"Then spit him!" Agatha shouted and Gengar opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue to try and take Drakloak out without success.

"Drakloak! if you hear me, use Hydro Pump!" After Ash said this, Gengar started to expand like a balloon and suddenly exploded in a burst of water that revealed a newly evolved shiny Dragapult.

"You evolved!" Ash cheered on while Gengar reformed himself while spitting water and trying to clean his tongue.

"Well, that's the third weirdest evolution I've ever seen in my lifetime." Agatha said. "Ice Punch!"

"Steel Wing!" Dragapult spun as a drill while he broke the ice and drilled through Gengar sending him to the floor. "Now Hydro Pump!"

"Thunderbolt!"

Dragapult fired off the move from his mouth, this time it was far more powerful, but it still wasn't enough to overcome the Thunderbolt, which kept going through the water, but was avoided by Dragapult, who used his newfound speed to dive down with a Dragon Rush and impact against Gengar before he even had time to react,.

"Shadow Ball!"

"Shadow Ball too!" Dragapult prepared the attack and from the spot where the Dreepys would be four Shadow Balls came out instead, with the first one clashing against Gengar's Shadow Ball while the other three hit Gengar directly.

"Sludge Bomb!" Gengar made his move, but Dragapult dove down again with a Steel Wing and then cut through Gengar, leaving him knocked out and ending the tournament.

"Gengar is defeated! The victory is for Ash and Dragapult!"

"Great job!" Ash congratulated him again as Dragapult jumped into his shadow to take a nap.

"Not bad at all." Agatha said while returning her Gengar. "I see you're not the same Ash from before, but you still gots lots of things to learn, and I hope you don't put your guard down just because you defeated me and you're a champion now."

"Of course not; and thanks for the rematch, Miss Agatha." He said.

"Yeah, yeah, now as for that wish I wanted... eh, nothing important, when I won last time that was more than enough."

"And what was that wish?" Ash asked.

"I think I'll take that secret to my grave... heh, assuming I get there someday."

"...Oh, boy." Ash said to himself after understanding. "So... what do we do now?" He asked at Marshadow.

"As the winner, you have to come with me." Marshadow said as a zipper portal opened behind him. "The crystal that will grant the wish is waiting for you there, you ready?"

"Well, I am, but... I'd like to give the wish to Bea." He said.

"What? But you won." Bea said.

"You also fought like hell over there." Ash answered. "You and Gallade were amazing, go ahead and take that wish, consider it some kind of, eh, anniversary gift."

"Oh? So you're trying to thank me for that." Bea grinned and Ash simply blushed.

"You just had to bring that up." Ash laughed.

"Fine, fine, I'll accept it." Bea said. "But tell me, Ash, what were you going to wish for?"

"Well... I really just wanted to be with all of you without anybody judging us, you know?" Ash replied. "I wanted some kind of happy ending, but this thing of the wishes can go really wrong, I don't know what kind of secondary effect that could have, I mean, if I wish for that, would it evoke a mind control or brainwashing effect in order to prevent conflict? I don't want things to go that way, for our relationship to get accepted that's something we all will need to contribute, it might be not the easy way, but is the one we should take, so just go on and wish for whatever you want."

"Alright then, I'll be back in a moment." Bea followed Marshadow and they both entered the portal.

"Ash..." Serena put a hand over his shoulder. "Believe me, I've missed this crazy adventures, but I feel like we need to talk, in private."

Meanwhile with Bea.

"...Can you call out your Gallade?" Marshadow asked after they were both transported to a beach.

"Uh, sure." Bea did as told and released Gallade, giving him a Full Restore since he was still tired from the battles.

"Gallade, you always asked me about the place where I came from." Marshadow said. "Well, this is the place. Welcome to Tenku'ji Island, or well, what's left of it." Marshadow walked out of the beach and Bea and Gallade followed him as they entered the ruins of an old village.

"What happened here?" Bea asked.

"This used to be home of the Nekki tribe, I was one of them, I was once a human."

"And how did you turn into Marshadow?"

"... We were in a war, against our neighbors the Vecto tribe, the situation was really bad for us, they double us in number, even our children were force to participate, it was late night, we just a had a big battle that morning and many of our men were resting because of their injuries, I was the one guarding the north beach, just me, if I saw something, all I had to do was ring a bell I had with me and eveyrone would be alerted... and I saw something, but... the Vecto attacked me from behind, they somehow sneaked in, I laid there in the floor, I had the bell in my hand, I couldn't have ringed it, I could have simply screamed, my people would have heard, but the Vecto surrounded me, spears, daggers, swords, I couldn't move a muscle, I was terrified... one of them asked me to give him the bell and I handed it over, the rest of them simply tied me down and left me in the beach while the rest of their tribe arrived in their boat in silence, then they all got inside the village and... fire, screams, that's all I remember, the sunrise came and they all started to leave, one of them raised his sword against me, but he simply cut the ropes... they spared me."

"We couldn't have made it without you, child."

"...What was I supposed to do? I was scared, I was all alone... I was just a kid..." While Marshadow continued his story, the trio made it to a cliff, where a small purple crystal was shining brightly as the sun set. "I walked through the ruins of the city, hoping to find someone, anything, but all I could find was death, no one survived, they left only me to tell the story." Marshadow then took the crystal in his hand and looked down at the cliff. "I jumped out of this cliff that same mornig, I thought that it would end my suffering... but that only made it permanent... while I was falling the spirits of the people of this island rose from the waters, they rushed upon me, tearing my flesh, draining my soul, turning me into... a shadow... and now, for eternity, I'm doomed to wander the world, to never find peace… so far from life, yet cannot die... I won the first Ghost Type Stongest Battle, but then I learned about the rules, I couldn't kill myself, neither revive me to be a human again or even revive my tribe, I'm stuck like this until the end of time." Marshadow sighed and handed over the crystal to Bea, while both her and Gallade seemed like they were about to cry.

"I'm... really sorry." Bea said as Gallade took a bow.

"It was centuries ago, there's no use." Marshadow said and Bea tok the crystal. "Meeting people like you and teaching Pokemon like Gallade is my only relief at this point... congratulations, Saito."

"You knew?"

"Of course I knew." He nodded to then looked at Gallade. "And I got to say you were amazing, you've learned a lot... I'm really proud."

"Thank you... Mr. Marsh." Gallade smiled.

Back in the distortion world.

"So, you like me." Ash said.

"Yeah. I had a big crush on you." Serena answered, the two of them had walked a bit apart from the rest of the crowd while they waited for Bea to return.

"Wow... I had no idea." Ash replied.

"Really? I thought I was being so obvious!" Serena laughed. "Ash, everyone knew! You just heard Shauna and Korrina! They held back their feelings for you because they noticed mine!"

"Absolutely clueless. Sorry."

"Fine, heh, that's part of all the things that I liked about you either way." Serena smiled. "I really tried my best during our travel in Kalos."

"Well, I think... that it was right after you left that I started, you know, seeing you different."

"You mean?"

"That if we had continued traveling together, maybe... maybe I would have tried something." He admitted leaving Serena perplexed.

"Well, that's unfortunate timing." Serena said. "And I do feel a little guilty about how I made Korrina and Shauna feel."

"So... are we talking about that kiss?" Ash asked.

"You want me to be honest?" Serena laughed again. "I was actually aiming for your lips, but I guess I cowered last second and I went for a cheek kiss instead."

"I see..." Ash laughed as well. "Since we're at that... there's something I must confess to you too."

"What is it?" Serena asked. Ash then got closer to her and whispered something to her ear, causing her to blush to her limit.

"YOU SAW ME WHILE I WAS CHANGING IN THE TENT?!" Serena shouted and everyone looking at them.

"Y-Yeah, sorry." Ash said embarassed.

"I didn't know you were such a pervert." Serena said looking away with a pout.

"Hey! You were the one who changed inside the same tent I was sick in!" Ash answered.

"I-I needed a place to put on your clothes... Guess I can't fight that logic." Serena admitted looking at him again. "H-How much did you see?"

"Not much honestly." Ash replied. "It was only a one-second glance and since I was sick the memory is pretty blurry."

"I'm happy to hear that at least." Serena sighed releaved. "So, eight girlfriends?"

"That's right, and I love them all very much." Ash said with a small proud grin.

"Hmm... so you want me to join?" Serena asked.

"I... I'd like you to, yes." Ash nodded while be blushed.

"That sincerity of yours... I'm giving this a thought, that's all I'll tell you." Serena smiled. "But there's another thing I'd like to ask, since pretty much everyone else got a turn already... can we have that first kiss?"

"Y-You want it now?" Ash asked. "In the middle of this place?"

"I'm not going to lie, I'd prefer a restaurant or a festival over a shadow void, but this is quite the scenery." Serena said with a short laugh. "So, are you in?"

"If that's what you want... of course I am." He nodded.

"Alright, just give me a second." Serena pulled out a handkerchief out of her skirt pocket and brushed it over Ash's lips. "Sorry, but that mouth has been in some places and I'm not a fan of indirect kisses."

"Guess I didn't think much about that." Ash laughed and Serena then took a hold of his cheeks, slowly bringing their faces closer to then meet with a lip kiss, it lasted five seconds and then they separated, but Serena didn't let go off Ash's cheecks. "So, how was it?" He asked.

"...I love you." She whispered with a smile and Ash could only blush and smile in response.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Miette smiled next to them.

"Ah! Y-You were watching the whole thing?!" Serena asked.

"Maybe." Miette smiled and a portal then appeared in front them, with Bea, Marshadow and Gallade coming out of it and the rest of the crowd formed around them.

"All ok, Bea?" Ash asked.

"Here's the thing." She said showing the crystal.

"Well, what are you going to wish for?" Marshadow asked.

"...I'd like to give this wish to someone else." Bea said.

"You all really think this is a pass-it-on?" Giratina asked slightly annoyed. "Fine, if not Ash, nor you, then who is worthy to receive such power?"

Bea simply smiled and handed over the crystal to Emmet. "Here."

"...Are you sure?" Emmet asked.

"Of course I am." Bea said. "I know perfectly what is like to lose a loved one, please use it."

"Very well..." Emmet took a deep breath as he raised the crystal in his hand. "Bring my brother Ingo here." The crystal illuminated with purple light for a moment, but it quickly died down and nothing happened.

"What... why didn't it work?" Emmet asked looking around.

"Once a wish is granted the crystal disappears, so it didn't do anything, it seems like your wish is beyond the capabilities of the crystal." Marshadow said. "You must be breaking one of the rules."

"The rules were no killing, no reviving and no messing with time or space." Elesa said. "That could mean that Ingo is-"

"HE'S NOT DEAD!" Emmet shouted. "I told you, I didn't see him in the mist, he must be somewhere out there. Don't tell you gave up already!"

"O-Of course I didn't!" Elesa replied. "But then what happened?" She asked Marshadow.

"I'm afraid we can't tell for sure which rule was being broken." Marshadow said.

"...Thank you for trying, Bea." Emmet handed back the crystal to her and walked away to then sit on the floor, while Elesa went to comfort him.

"I... I think I just made everything worse." Bea said.

"But you heart was in the right place." Ash replied and then looked at Gladion. "Hey-"

"No thanks." Gladion said. "After seeing that and thinking it through, I don't want a shortcut, I'll find my father on my own way."

"Guess I'll save this for later then." Bea said looking at the crystal. "It could help us in an emergency."

"Thank again, Mr. Marsh." Gallade said to him.

"I told you there's nothing to thank." He said. "I think I'll stay in this place for a while though, Giratina needs company, maybe you can come back one day and... I could get a taste of your power."

"I'll be looking forward to it." Gallade nodded.

"The tournament has ended." Giratina said as a giant portal formed itself. "Thank you all for participating, now get out of here."

"This portal will take you to the exact place you were brought from." Froslass said. "It was a pleasure to meet you all."

"Hey... I'm sure things will be different next time we meet." Korrina said to Ash. "And I'll have your Key Stone ready too!"

"To hell with the formalities!" Flannery gave Ash a quick lip kiss. "You and I will come clear later." She told him and then dragged Korrina and Tina inside the portal.

"I-It was a pleasure to meet you!" Tina exclaimed before disappearing.

"Well, this was quite the experience. Wish I could have done more." Miette said giving Ash a cheek kiss.

"Thank you." Serena simply winked at him before going in alongside Miette.

"... Acerola deserves something better than you." Phoebe told him before crossing the portal.

"She'll get used to it, don't worry." Acerola said before walking behind Phoebe.

"With all that happened, I couldn't get your answer, huh?" Cynthia asked.

"Cynthia, of course I'd love to-"

"Nobody cares!" Sina suddenly pushed Cynthia inside the portal. "So, what about me, mister?"

"Bea, would you mind?" He asked and Bea kicked Sina inside the portal, with her Froslass following her, Emmet and Elesa were the next to walk to it.

"Right, this is gonna take us back to different places." Elesa said. "I'll get Bianca and we'll meet with you in a moment, okay?"

"..." Emmet simply nodded and silently walked inside the portal along Elesa.

"Sha-sha, this was fun." Agatha said walking to the portal. "I'll see you all in the next tournament, or maybe not."

"This whole thing was pointless." Gladion sighed as he walking in, leaving only Ash and Bea in the Distortion World.

"Well, it comes down to us." Ash said.

"Doesn't it always?" Bea asked holding his hand, the two smiled together and crossed the portal at the same time.

Meanwhile in Shalour.

The zipper portal opened in the exact same spot and Korrina, Flannery, Tina, Miette and Serena were all shot from it inside the Ice Cream Shop where Malva was still working in and Drasna was waiting for them, while having a talk with Diantha.

"What did I tell you?" Drasna smiled at Malva.

"As always, you're right." Malva sighed.

"Moms! You're not gonna believe what just happened!" Tina exclaimed.

"Y-You called me Mom?" Malva stuttered.

"Korrina! Flannery! Tina! Glad you're all safe and well!" Drasna hugged the three of them. "Oh, and I see you brought your friends too." She said as Miette and Serena stood up.

"Oh, hi there, Serena!" Diantha greeted her.

"Good day to you... well, this was quite the experience." Serena sighed. "Korrina, I'm really sorry about the way I made you feel, but that doesn't give you the right to lie to me or Ash."

"Y-Yeah, I... I'm really sorry." Korrina stuttered, Serena simply looked away and walked out of the shop being followed by Miette.

"I really screwed up." Korrina said.

"Easy there, you were just following your heart." Flannery replied.

"Well, nevermind that, pack your things, everyone!" Drasna exclaimed.

"Uh, what for?" Tina asked.

"Drasna and I were selected for an important event." Diantha answered. "She was waiting for you three to return so you could all come with us."

"It'll be some sorta family vacation." Drasna said.

"Uh, thanks for inviting me then." Korrina said. "Where's the event going to be?"

"It's something regarding the new champion of Alola." Diantha answered.

Meanwhile with Miette and Serena.

"So, how are you feeling?" Miette asked.

"Oh, I'm just great!" Serena smiled. "This day has been beautiful, first I discover that two of my best friends have been lying to me for years, then I get dragged to hell and then the man of my dreams basically told me that the only way I can become his girlfriend is if I share him with like 20 other girls! Everything is so cool!"

"... That was sarcasm?" Miette asked.

"OF COURSE IT WAS!" Serena shouted.

"Hey, at least you got the lip kiss."

"Yes, I did." Serena sighed. "I really liked it, but I'm not sure about this whole thing, Ash must really love all those girls, but I... I dunno, I think I'd like to have a way to have him focus on me, kinda prioritize me, after all, I'm the one who knows him the best compared to all of them."

"Yeah, but that was also Dawn's and May's logic and you heard what happened with them."

"And the last thing I want is to break away from Ash like they did." Serena answered. "Guess there's no use in trying to hoard him, but I still need to give this a thought."

"Yeah... I should do that as well." Miette said.

"Sure, I seriously thought you had gave up on Ash." Serea replied. "And what the heck was that orgy question?"

"I just wanted to grab information, after all, if we're going to share him we'll have to get into that kind of things eventually." She answered blushing while looking at Serena from head to toe. "I wonder how you taste like."

"M-M-MIETTE!"

Caitlin's Alolan villa.

The portal transported Phoebe, Cynthia and Acerola back to the living room, where Caitlin and Shauntal were sleeping together in a sofa.

"There you are, welcome back." Caitlin said with a yawn.

"W-Wait, what was Ash going to say?!" Cynthia shouted.

"Sorry, but I didn't hear either." Acerola said.

"He said he'd love to do something..." Cynthia trailed off while she blushed. "Acerola! You have to take me to his mansion! I need that answer!"

"Sure, I'll take you there!" Acerola smiled to then look at Phoebe, who seemed like she was trying to avoid her. "hey-"

"Just go." Phoebe interrupted still without looking at her. "I see now you're too lost to understand, I'm done trying to convince you... but you better don't come back crying after all that fails."

"...It doesn't have to be like this, Phoebe." Acerola told her and both Cynthia and her left the house.

"Well, how did everything play out?" Shauntal asked.

"Worse than I could have imagined." Phoebe answered.

Back with Ash.

After crossing the portal, Ash, Bea, Gladion and Elesa were all transported back to Bea's room in the mansion, where Bianca was waiting for them.

"Oh my gosh, you're all safe!" Bianca said running to the group. "Miss Elesa, are you okay? Do you need anything? A bit of tea?"

"I'm just fine, Bianca, but we need to go with Emmet." She answered.

"Oh, that's great! I had already packed our things, let's get going!" Bianca replied while leaving the room and then Elesa took Ash's hand.

"Hey, I really meant what I said yesterday, but there are other things that need my attention right now." She said.

"Of course, I understand." Ash answered and Elesa gave him another cheek kiss, and just after that, Bianca reentered the room with all their luggage.

"It was great to see you again too, Bianca." Ash said.

"Yeah, sure, by the way, your girlfriends are down in the living room talking with the blondie." Bianca answered.

"Blondie?" Bea asked.

"Don't tell me you mean..." Ash looked at Gladion and he simply shrugged shoulders.

"Not my problem!" Bianca shouted. "Claim all the girls you want, but you better don't make me a target!" She shouted again to then take Elesa by her wirst and drag her out of the mansion. Gladion, Ash and Bea then went down to the living room and found Lillie with Pikachu in her arms, talking with Nessa, Peonia, Skyla, Gloria, Selene, and of course, Mallow and Lana.

"Lillie!" Ash exclaimed once he saw her.

"A-Ash!" Lillie left Pikachu with the rest of the girls and then ran to Ash taking him into a hug.

"Hey, I'm here too." Gladion said.

"Maybe, but I saw you last week." She said. "Ash, it's been months, how are you?"

"I'm so happy to see you!" Ash answered hugging her tighter. "I see you already met everyone."

"O-Of course, I've been getting along with your other friends quite well." Lillie smiled.

"Friends, huh?" Ash looked the girlfriends and they all pointed at Mallow and Lana.

"Hey, where's Mom?" Gladion asked.

"She left to Aether Paradise to get details about the invasion." Lillie answered. "Meanwhile I decided to wait here, Mallow and Lana mentioned something about a portal and I got a little worried, but I knew you guys could handle it... A-Ash, do you have a minute?"

"Of course I do, Lillie." Ash answered, she then hugged him again and ran to Mallow and Lana, taking them both by their wrists and then dragging them back to Ash, so the three girls would be in front of him. "This is something that I... that the three of us have been waiting to tell you... and now that you're here, we can finally open up! The three of us and you! I know what we're going to say will sound crazy, but please, hear us out."

"Well, Lillie, I think I already know what you are going to tell me." Ash sighed.

"W-What do you mean?" Lillie stuttered. Mallow and Lana then looked at each other and nodded to then stand by Ash's side, with now the three of them being in front of Lillie. "Guys... what's going on?"

"Lillie..." Mallow did her best to look directly at her. "I-I don't even know where to start, but-

"We haven't been completely honest." Lana said.

"H-How so?" Lillie asked.

"You were going to tell me that Lana, Mallow and you agreed to share me, right?" Ash asked. "Thing is that Mallow and Lana are already my girlfriends."

"B-But..." Lillie simply stared at them in silence for what felt like an enternity. "W-W-When? Why... H-How?"

"For the two of us, it all happened during the invasion, but every girl in this mansion is also Ash's girlfriend, bar Selene." Lana explained.

"I'm really starting to feel like the black sheep here." Selene stared at them.

"Y-You said- You said we were in this together!" Lillie suddenly shouted. "Not only you left me out, b-but you're also sharing him with all of them?!"

"We didn't want to left you out!" Lana exclaimed.

"O-Of course! Why else would all this girls be here?!" Lillie shouted looking at the rest. "And you all acted like nothing happened! How could I be so stupid?!"

"Lillie, it's not their fault, we asked them to play along." Lana said.

"W-We just wanted to wait for you to return so we could tell you all face to face." Mallow said.

"How could you replace me with all of them?!" Lillie exclaimed looking at Ash, Mallow and Lana again.

"Lillie! They would never do that!" Selene spoke up. "Just ask any of the girls here, they've been waiting for you."

"That's true! Ash has told us a lot about you." Skyla said.

"Ash, Mallow and Lana just talk non-stop about how much they wanted you to join our family." Nessa added.

"You're really important to him, to all of them." Peonia said. "They'd hate to leave you out."

"And we're all okay with you joining!" Gloria answered. "You've only been here fr an hour, but you've seen how we all got all along."

"J-Join this? B-B-But-"

"Lillie, please let them explain." Bea said.

"NO!" Lillie shouted again. "All I want to hear now is the sound of silence!"

"Hello darkness, my old friend..."

"GLADION!"

"Sorry, sorry, I couldn't help myself." Gladion answered. "And you're sounding exactly like mom when she gets angry."

"SHUT UP!" Lillie shouted.

"Lillie, calm down!" Mallow tried to get close to her, but Lillie suddenly pushed her back.

"Get away from me!" Lillie continued. "I trusted you! We were supposed to do this TOGETHER! The THREE of us would be Ash's girlfriends and that was it! How could you do this?! HOW COULD YOU LIE TO ME?!" Lillie then started to cry and pant, she looked directly at Ash, Mallow and Lana and then to the rest of the girls, only to run away and get out of the house afterwards.

"Lillie!" Ash tried to run after her, but Gladion stopped him.

"Is this what you wanted?" Gladion asked. "Are you consoled now?"

"Gladion, you have to let me go with her! I can't let her go like that!"

"We had a deal, Ash." Gladion insited. "One shot, one strike, she rejected the idea, I won't let you push her into this, none of you have the right."

"...You know I'm going to go with after anyway, right?" Ash asked.

"That's what I'm fearing." Gladion sighed. "But please, you saw how agitated she was, at least give her a moment to calm down, an hour or so, I'll take her home, fine? You can go later, but don't bring this whole crowd."

"Fine, it'll be just Mallow, Lana and me." Ash replied.

"Guess that'll do." Gladion walked away and left the mansion to go with Lillie.

"L-Lillie, she... she has never talked to us like that." Mallow stuttered as she started to cry as well and Lana hugged her. "I-I've never seen her like that, s-she looked so angry, so... so disappointed."

"Ash, what do we do now?" Lana asked. "What if she really doesn't want to join? She... S-She could end up never talking to us again."

"Easy there, we just need to try again, explain everything slowly and calmly, with just the four of us." Ash said as he hugged them both. "We're not leaving Lillie behind."

Foot of Mt. Coronet.

"Thanks, Chloe." Dawn whispered after following the coordinates that her friend had sent her back when they started the plan, now her team was roughly a mile away of the base, hiding behind some rocks as a Blizzard raged on, the four girls were wearing black snow jackets, black jeans and boots, just like Angie explained earlier that day.

"There's twelve guards in the entrance alone." Ursula said with a pair of binoculars. "I can barely imagine how many of them must be inside."

"That's why we'll force them out." Dawn said. "You got everything ready for the opening, Regina?"

"Of course." Regina answered to then release an Abomasnow, while preparing both a Dynamax Band and a Key Stone in her hairband.

"Right, the communicators are working." Dawn said handing over the snow masks with colored glasses to the group. "Remember to not call each other by our names, we'll use the colors of our masks as identification, my name is Blue, Angie is Green, Ursula is red and Regina is White."

"Hey, can you call me Snow instead?" Regina asked. "I've always liked that as a superhero name."

"Uh, yes, I guess we can do that." Dawn answered. "Be sure to hide your hair as well."

"Very well, I'll start with my part. You better get ready." Regina said to then run away being followed by her Pokemon.

"Fine, so we wait until Regina does her thing and then we'll start with the plan." Ursula said.

"That's the idea at least." Dawn said. "Hey, Angie, you haven't said anything since we arrived, you okay?"

"Yeah, sorry, I'm just internalizing a lot of panic and fear right now." Angie said looking at the horizon to then take a deep breath. "But now I'm done that and I'm back." He sighed and the group then saw a bright white light from a cliff.

"Here it goes." Ursula said.

"Very well, everyone, masquerize." Dawn said and they all put on their snow masks.

"We got their attention." Regina said with her mask on as well, with the now Mega-Abomasnow by her side, seeing how the guards were looking up at them after that shine. "Let's show them what's best served cold." She activated her Dynamax Band and Abomasnow jumped out of the cliff, increasing in size while falling and landing in front of base, the fully Dynamaxed Mega-Abomasnow then let out a fearsome roar while causing a light quake due to the fall.

"Ruuun! It's The Ice Man From Outer Space!" One of the guards in the entrance shouted.

"It could look like The Ice Man From Outer Space, but since the movie never released and the suit wasn't designed we can't be sure!" Another guard answered.

"Still we should run like it is The Ice Man From Outer Space!"

"Though we aren't sure."

"Good night, gentlemen." Regina said to then jump on top of Abomasnow's head. "I'm here to raid your base, sorry to come unannounced, hope it's no bother."

"Damn, she got style." Ursula admitted. "We should get moving."

"Everything's gonna be alright, we're gonna be alright." Angie repeated in an effort to calm herself down.

"Let's do this, team!" Dawn shouted.

.

"So this is how this begins." Danika said watching the scene from the security room inside the base alongside Quillon, Goh, Lyla, Shunya and Horace.

"Looks like she didn't come alone." Quillon said.

"That Abomasnow looks oddly familiar." Lyla added.

"I already informed Looker, he says he's on his way back along his friend." Goh said looking at his Rotom Phone.

"Tell him not to worry, we can handle this." Danika said.

"Well, until he comes back you're the leader here." Shunya said to Danika. "What should we do?"

"You sure you want to take orders from me?" Danika asked.

"Just call it, Danika." Horace gave a salute.

"Hmm... Alright, listen up then!" Danika shouted. "Until we understand what's their plan, our priority is containment. Akari and Johanna aren't our only prisoners, there's far more dangerous people here and we have to make sure none of them escape. Shunya, I want you in the power room, they could be trying to leave us without electricity, make sure that doesn't happen."

"Got that."

"Horace, you're staying here in the security room, eyes on everything and keep us informed."

"Sure thing."

"Quillon, your Urshifu is the best fighter we have right now, I want to go to the front lines and at least slow down that Abomasnow, take it down if you have the opportunity."

"Roger."

"Goh, cover the hallways of the building, you got many Pokemon, scatter them around and try to cover as much ground as you can."

"I'm on it."

"Lyla, you're coming with me, we'll stay in the cell room sections as a last line of defense in case the rest fails."

"You can count on me."

"Stopping the wickedness!" Quillon shouted.

"Facing mistery!" Goh said.

"Protecting the life!" Horace said.

"Investigating with techology!" Shunya said.

"And going after the answers!" Lyla said.

"We are the Chasers!" They all shouted while Danika simply stared at them.

"Wait, we got a roll call now?!" She shouted.

"Yeah, you lost the reunion because you were busy chasing after your dream boy." Lyla said and they all laughed while Danika blushed embarassed, but they all stopped once the whole building shaked after receiving an attack from Abomasnow.

"There's no time to lose, I'm trusting you all." Danika said and the group put their hands in the center. "Let's do this, Chasers!"

And that's it!

The Ghost tournament is done! Which was your favorite battle?

Lillie is finally back! (And so are the Bondi Band covers)

Team Dawn finally makes their move, will they be able of rescuing Akari and Johanna or will the chasers stop them?

Will Ash and co. get to convice Lillie to join?

Just what is team Rocket up to?

And what's that event regarding Drasna and Diantha?

We'll find out next time in "Looking for Paradise" oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, nanananana

.

Man, Ash vs Cynthia was beatiful, my only complaint would be the Dynamax Togekiss, sure, it was 'surprising', but it didn't serve much purpose and only spammed Max Airstream, I mean, Lucario had already defeated a couple of Gigantamax, why not let him go Mega vs Mega instead of toning it down with normal Dynamax?

.

Now for the reviews:

WilsontheBlackDragonofDarkness

Like I said, personal problems, but no, this story isn't getting abandoned under any circumstances, it is really special to me, if I ever spend, like, two months without a new chapter and there's no notice of it in my profile page you guys can assume I died.

TheNakedDemiGod

Eh, interesting profile picture, ehem, I'd mix up some characters myself with all the girls I've introduced, nevermind, guess who's making her debut in the fic next chapter?

Guest

What would a Sentai/Pokemon crossover even be about?

Werewolfmazuko117

Maybe Ash will help out, maybe not, the result of the mission in the next chapter will give us the answer.

Guest 2

Not sure if Latias herself will make an appearance in this fic, probably not since I'm trying to focus my ideas for her with Alita in Heavenly Clouds.

Dragon King Ryouga

Oh, come on, it hasn't been that long since the last Gym battle... checks... holy mew, it's been 20 chapters! What the heck?! And we're still missing a bit ... a lot of this Alola arc... Well, Ash has 5 Galar badges, Grass, Water, Fire, Fossil and Ghost.

Not sure if Karen will join, but she's also returning next chapter and we do need an Elite Four girlfriend, speaking of that, Lorelei will debut in the next chapter of the fic too.

David Garrido

Nope! But one of the girls you mentioned will join soon!

Lycanrogue

"the majority of it is a doujinshi in word format." Ouch, but thanks for the honesty.

Mighty ranger 1

We'll get to that.

Rezenov

Yes, dude, I watched the trailer, I watched every trailer, I made a damn Ash in Paldea one-shot and I reeeeeealy want Nemona and/or Penny to be his companions in the SV anime

UltimateCCC

Nothing can stop Whitney's spree... unless maybe...

Zarc4d

You know, I kinda got an Amourshipping resurgence lately, I'll try to give more focus to Serena to kinda make up for her late debut.

Dragonkeeper10

Chaos and Madness is my middle name! ...no, that's not true.

hoanghuuquocbao2601

Not quite.

I think that's all!

Holdonlupin is out!