"Welcome everyone to the Fuschia City Pokemon Contest!" Lillian announced. "Please as a friendly reminder, if you're found throwing things on stage you will be banned. Now we have a huge group of coordinators here today, but first lets meet our judges!" Lillian said excitedly. "First we have Fuschia City's very own Nurse Joy. Next we have Mr. Contesa. And our special guest is Koga, the owner of the Safari Zone and our newest Elite Four member!"

"Woah, an Elite Four member as a judge." Brendan said in surprise. "Seems like Kanto enjoys having special guests for their judges."

"Well why not?" Lucy asked. "Having a local celebrity as a judge can help draw in an even bigger crowd."

"Have you ever judged a contest Lucy?" Wally asked.

"No, but I did find her at one." Scott commented, taking a handful of popcorn from a bucket.

"What do you mean found her?" Wally asked.

"I was competing in a Grand Festival when Scott approached me." Lucy said. "He said my talent was being held back by being a Coordinator."

"And you believed him?!" Brendan said in shock.

"Not at first." Lucy admitted. "But the more I branched out, the more I realized he was right. I still enjoy seeing contests, it's just now I no longer compete."

"Well, maybe you'll change your minds with Ash." Wally said with a smirk.

"We will have to see." Scott said, leaning forward.

In the back

"This was a bad idea. This was such a bad idea." Ash said, holding his white cane in one hand, Grovyle's Pokeball in the other. Suddenly, his sense went crazy, shuddering slightly as his aura vision failed for a moment. "And what is with you?" Ash thought to himself. "Why have you been acting up since we fought Tentacruel?"

"Ash Ketchum, you're up!" A man said.

"Thanks." Ash said, unfolding his cane, and making his way on stage.

"Are you all set?" Lillian asked Ash.

"Yeah, I'm facing forward right?" Ash asked.

"Yes." Lillian said, switching her mic to another station. "Please have medics on standby."

"Thanks for the confidence." Ash muttered. "Alright! Grovyle come on out!"

Grovyle leapt onto the stage, standing right next to Ash.

"Okay Grovyle, use Double Team!" Ash called out.

Grovyle leapt into the air, an image of him staying up there as dozens of Grovyle slowly surrounded the arena.

"Now use Leaf Blade and X Scissor!" Ash called out, begging to walk forward.

The walk was more difficult than expected. With all the spectators here, it was hard to sense where Grovyle was, and his faltering powers weren't helping either.

"Come on Ash." Wally said worriedly.

Ash made his way to the front of the arena, stopping suddenly almost all the way there, and leaning back as Grovyle shot right overhead of him, flying towards the crowd.

"Grovyle catch!" Ash said, sticking his cane upwards just in time for Grovyle's leg to catch it by the toes.

"Incredible! He stopped his Pokemon without even seeing it!" Lillian exclaimed.

"Outstanding! I'd expect nothing less." Mr Contessa said.

"The level of trust you have to have your Pokemon attack all around you without knowing their location is hard to understand, and yet here it is." Nurse Joy mentioned.

"You and Grovyle, you have the hearts of ninjas, truly incredible." Koga said.

Ash walked off stage, only now realizing he has no idea what his score is, or how to tell if he made it to the next round.

A bit later

"And our final eight contestants are up here on this screen!" Lillian announced.

"Hey kid, you got in!" A man said, patting Ash on the back.

"Thanks, did you?" Ash asked.

"I'm security so no, but thanks for asking." The man said with a chuckle.

Ash round one

"Alright, I'm fighting blind, so you'll have to react." Ash said to his Pokeball. "Come on out Cyndaquil!"

Cyndaquil came onto the field, his back lighting up with flames.

"Fun. Come on out Marill!" A girl probably around Brendan and Wally's age said.

"Cyndaquil use Swift!"

"Marill use Defense Curl!"

Cyndaquil leapt into the air, sending out a series of stars at the rolled up Marill.

"Cyndaquil use Flame Wheel!"

"Marill use Rollout!"

Cyndaquil and Marill rolled across the arena, striking into one another, as Marill's attack grew in speed and power.

"No, don't quit on me." Ash muttered, as his aura sensing flickered again. "I can't see without you!"

"Marill finish with Rollout!"

"Cyndaquil use Flamethrower!"

Marill shot straight at Cyndaquil as the fire type countered with a stream of flames, finally stopping the water type's onslaught.

"Marill use Bubblebeam!"

Marill shot a stream of bubbles as Ash was loosing focus, his mind was going crazy trying to keep some idea of where he was.

Cyndaquil was blasted by the water type attack sending him tumbling backwards.

"What's going on with him?" Wally asked out loud.

"I don't know, but we should go check!" Brendan said.

"Now hold on, look." Scott said, as Ash stood up straight.

"Cyndaquil use Flamethrower!"

Cyndaquil unleashed a stream of brightly colored flames, incinerating the Marill. Ash couldn't believe it, as soon as his powers stopped working, he could see again! His first sight was of Cyndaquil unleashing a huge Flamethrower, and winning the round.

"And Cyndaquil wins the match!" Lillian exclaimed.

Ash and Cyndaquil walked off the stage as it was close for the next matchup.

"Great work Cyndaquil." Ash said.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu said, having made it to the back.

"Hey buddy." Ash said, greeting his partner. "We're all good, see."

"Cynda!" Cyndaquil said, his back still lit up.

Round 2

"Alright Cyndaquil use Flame Wheel!"

"Flaaffy use Thundershock!"

Cyndaquil sped across the arena, slamming into Ash's opponent, knocking Flaaffy into the air.

"See anything different about Ash this time?" Scott asked.

"He's not in pain?" Wally asked.

"Watch his cane when he leaves." Scott said.

"Cyndaquil use Swift!"

"Flaaffy use Iron Tail!"

Cyndaquil leapt out of the way of the attack, sending a barrage of stars down on the electric sheep Pokemon.

"Now Cyndaquil use Flamethrower!"

"Cyn! Da! Quillll!" Cyndaquil shouted as he was bathed in a bright light.

"No. Way." Brendan said with a laugh, pulling out his Pokédex.

'Quilava, the Volcano Pokemon, a fire type and there evolved form of Cyndaquil. This Pokémon is fully covered in nonflammable fur. It can withstand any kind of fire attack.'

"I can't believe it! Cyndaquil just evolved into a Quilava!" Lillian exclaimed.

Ash wanted to see his new Pokemon, but knew there would be more questions than answers if he revealed it right now.

"Quilava use Flamethrower!"

"Flaaffy use Light Screen!"

Quilava sent out a stream of bright flames, completely engulfing the opponents Flaaffy, and moving Ash into the finals.

Backstage

"Ash, I convinced them to let me back to give you the new info on your Pokemon." Brendan said. "You're doing great by the way."

"Thanks Brendan, so what do we have?" Ash asked.

"A lot." Brendan said. "Seems Cyndaquil was ready for a power up even without the evolution. On top of Flamethrower, you now have Lava Plume, Hidden Power, and Brick Break."

"Brick Break? Quilava can learn that?" Ash asked in surprise.

"Apparently." Brendan said. "Look, just keep calm, and you'll do great."

"Thanks Brendan." Ash said.

Final Round

"Alright Quilava, give them your all!" Ash called out.

"Gligar strike a pose!" A man said jovially.

"Quilava use Lava Plume!"

"Gligar use Poison Sting!"

Gligar's attack was quickly snuffed out as pillars of fire shot up and at Gligar, burning the scorpion bat.

"Gligar use Feint Attack!"

"Quilava use Hidden Power!"

Gligar sped forward, striking Quilava, as a ring of light blue orbs surrounded the fire type before shooting out at the Gligar, causing its flight to falter.

"Gligar use Slash!"

"Quilava use Flamethrower!" Ash called out.

Quilava stood his ground, unleashing a stream of flames from his mouth, burning his opponent to a crisp.

"Gligar is unable to battle! The winner is Quilava!" Lilian exclaimed. "Congratulations to Ash Ketchum for not only winning the contest, but showing that their is no disability to strong to overcome!"

"Great work Quilava." Ash said smiling, as he held up the ribbon.

At the outskirts of town

"Thanks for this Scott." Ash said, folding up the cane.

"Ash, you still need it. Just because you've overcome the problem doesn't mean you can get around easily." Brendan said.

"Brendan, remember what I said, at the start of Ash's second battle?" Scott asked, throwing the cane in the back of his car. "Go on Ash, show them."

Ash took off the sunglasses, showing color and attention in his eyes once more.

"I don't know how, but I got my sight back halfway through the first match." Ash said.

"Why didn't you say anything?!" Brendan exclaimed.

"I couldn't while we were there." Ash admitted. "No easy way to explain how I both magically lost my eyesight, and then suddenly gained it back."

"People will ask though." Scott said.

"And we'll tell them it was temporary from a training exercise. Say I was too close to a Flash attack." Ash said calmly. "Until then we need to get to the next frontier location."

"Ahh yes, I knew I was forgetting something." Scott said. "The next frontier brain is located on Mettalica Island, just past Seafoam Islands. It's called the battle palace."

"Great, more water travel." Wally sighed.

"I might actually know a way to get there easier, but we'll have to go to Vermillion." Ash said.

"Until then, we'll be watching." Lucy said. "Best of luck to all of you."

Ash's Current Team and their moves

Pikachu: Thunderbolt - Quick Attack - Shock Wave - Iron Tail

Grovyle: Double Team - Leaf Blade - Dig - X Scissor

Milotic: Attract - Dragon Breath - Water Pulse - Ice Beam

Swablu: Peck - Mirror Move - Dragon Pulse - Heal Bell

Quilava: Flamethrower - Lava Plume - Hidden Power - Brick Break

Authors Note

Sorry for the lack of an update yesterday, I was at Comic Con all day with friends.