This is the 100th chapter I am writing…Did you hear that…Pretty Loud here…Hmm, anyway, so I was saying that this milestone my story…Wow, that's so fucking noisy, I can feel my windows quaking.

Let's try again. So, I had to deduct most of my productive time...OOOO…that scream was a whopper. Don't mind. It's just that the World outside is CELEBRATING ASH'S VICTORY AGAINST LEON AND BECOMING THE NEW POKEMON WORLD CHAMPION AKA MONARCH. Yes, November 11, 2022, the world erupted into a joy and I can only imagine the ecstasy of Japan.

For now, ready the story, and I'll discuss more about the episode at the bottom. As you know, the 100th chapter was reserved for a Pokemon Coronation Series battle between two friends, two Champions, Ash vs Iris. Underestimating Iris can be a huge mistake. She is the strongest companion of Ash, has dragon types at her disposal and without gimmicks entered in Master Class, therefore feel my excitement when I type this.

Location: Opelucid City

Storyline date: 12th February, 2023


Her gaze was locked on the Rotom Phone that supplied her information of every Pokemon in a mile's range around Opelucid City. She kept scrolling through her phone, mumbling the names of Pokemon as they were listed. "Sawsbuck, Liepard, Gothitelle, Bisharp…look at all these Pokemon, Pikachu.''

She extended the phone towards the rodent's face. The mouse too busy to crack a nut open, turned at the device and chimed.

"Pika."

"All the Pokemon that I can catch. I am so riled up I can imagine myself…Whoa!"

After a sudden disturbance, May could feel that their jet was slowly decreasing in altitude. She couldn't really complain about the turbulence. Not everyone travels in their private plane…well¸ her boyfriend's private plane. Travelling opulently wasn't always her style, but never did she say she wouldn't fit into it. She just needed to succumb to it. Ash had his own reasons to travel in luxury. As a billionaire business magnate, he did have his reasons. Reclining into her chair, she took a glimpse of the sophisticated lounge. Spick and span, not one spot of stain since she had last been on the flight. The cabin crew was really reliable.

Breathing a heavy sigh, she peered closer to the window. Now that they weren't above the clouds anymore, the view of the Opelucid City was visible. One of her favourite parts of being on a flight. Such inspirations were enough to reason her claim for the window seat. Much better than watching some movies on teeny little screens.

The city below was spellbinding. What massive buildings! She got a lucky shot of the Tubeline Bridge, as they flew towards the airport. As mentioned by Ash before, this city truly was the marriage of technology and tradition. This was easily one of the most grounded cities of Unova Region – and it was perfectly illustrated by the tall, expensive downtown, surrounded by what seem like endless miles of more modest housing inhabited by the hard-working people that take the bitter winters in stride and celebrate every new spring in the best place on earth.

"Hey,'' Ash came walking from the deeper galleys of the plane, handing May a glass of orange juice. Claiming the seat opposite to May's, Ash flopped on it, and sipped the juice he was drinking. ''I spoke to the pilot. We'll be landing in ten minutes. Luckily, we didn't unpack anything, so we can use this time.''

"I'm glad,'' May sighed, smiling as the city began to get clarity. She brought the glass closer to her lips, before pausing, ''To think I'll be seeing two mega cities of Unova Region back-to-back. My explorer adrenaline is rushing. Aside from your battle, I am psyched to encounter vario- (chokes on the drink) What kind of Orange Juice is this? Tastes like Vodka!" May complained.

"Oh, I must have given you my glass,'' Ash nonchalantly admitted, exchanging their drinks, ''Here' you go. Orange with the pulp.''

"Vodka?'' May gave him a dirty look, taking a sip of the corrected fluid. Thankfully, the drink was enough to wash the taste of alcohol from her mouth. "It's 9 am in the morning.''

"Hence, the Orange Juice,'' Ash reasoned, ''Mostly, I just take it as shots.''

"That's not what I asked,'' May deadpanned, ''Why are you drinking vodka in the morning."

"Technically, its evening in Kanto Region, and I am on Kanto diet.'' The Champion argued.

"What kind of a man puts vodka and diet in the same sentence,'' May grimaced, ''Just spoiling your health, you know.''

"Well, if you really want to know the reason,'' Ash exhaled, setting the glass in the cup holder, ''It's just a little pregaming. A little vodka will calm me down, let me focus and to a great extent, help me tolerate Iris.''

"Then maybe all those around you should be drinking vodka,'' May silently muttered.

"You said something?'' Ash piped.

"No,'' May lied, uncrossing her legs, ''You don't talk much about Iris anyway. I know I did meet her at your house on Thanksgiving, but we honestly didn't get enough time to spend with one another.''

"Best put together. Iris is just Misty if you take out the violence part. I could never rank what she loves most: Dragons or squabble with me over trivial matters.''

"Okay, sweetie,'' May stonily rasped, ''In a short while, I'm gonna be face to face with one of the most important people in the Unova Region. I don't want my first words to be 'I'm so sorry for my boyfriend.'"

"Pfftt.'' Ash groaned, before calming his demeanor. ''Iris is one of my best friends, and my travelling companion through the Unova Region. Boy, we had some roller coaster rides together. When I started out in Unova, I had no clue about the new Pokemon I'll be meeting. I was so pumped, I mistook her for a Pokemon, and tried to catch her thinking I was catching an Axew.''

"What?'' May leered at him with judging eyes, ''You couldn't tell the difference between a human and a Pokemon!"

"Sometimes you mistake,'' Ash defended, ''If you keep your hair like that…''

"Just continue.''

"We had a rocky start, like I don't even remember why she started walking with me,'' Ash cracked an amused smile, rubbing Pikachu's head, ''It was like a Misty déjà vu for us. But we didn't part our ways when we reached Striaton City. She even watched my first Gym Battle with our friend Cilan, and together all three of us started out together. She had her struggles as a Trainer, but she was strong back then. She wanted to become the strongest Dragon Master, while I wanted to become the Pokemon Master. The three of us travelled a lot,'' Ash's eyes glimmered at recollection, ''All over Unova, and then Decolore Islands, and they even accompanied me in the Kanto Region before we said our goodbyes. She trained hard in the valleys of Blackthorne City to achieve her dream. And years later, I learn that she did something I couldn't. She entered the Unova League, and fought her way through all the trainers and the Elite Four members until finally she dethroned Alder and became the new Champion of Unova Region. I was so happy for her.''

"Pika…Pi Pikachu.'' The mouse squealed.

"I know, you're excited to meet Iris too, aren't you buddy?''

"Pikachu!"

May fondly smiled at the mouse's enthusiasm.

"Fun to meet an old friend huh,'' she giggled, ''But she has sent you a direct challenge. Dawn also mentioned that she was powerful back in some Junior Cup something.''

"Yeah,'' Ash beamed, ''We all entered. We had to knuckle down to bring her newly caught Dragonite down. Man, I am just so psyched, I don't even know what Pokemon she's gonna use. Cilan tipped me that she's got some heavy hitters on her team now.''

"I probably know the answer to this,'' May hummed, ''But are you all planned?"

"Yeah!" Ash tightened a fist. ''I am gonna have this battle fair and square. She doesn't use any gimmicks so neither will I! I have my blend of strategies I have kept for her." Ash roused, before coughing, ''Which brings me to an important point.'' Holding a finger up, ''You are about to have a first seat experience when one of the great trainers of this generation battles another great trainer of this generation. The opposition likes to constantly undermine by referring to me as a 'kid.' As my partner, I want you to oppose that.''

"Sure, honey,'' May chuckled, ''If she calls you a kid again, I'll have something for surprise.''

They felt the touchdown as the aircraft fumbled on the runway, before it was taxiing to the gate.

"We have arrived in Opelucid City International Airport. Local time is 9:18 am EST and Temperature is 20 degrees C. Please remain seated with your seat belt fastened, until the Captain turns off the Fasten Seat Belt Sign. As per personal pilot, behalf on the entire crew, I would like to thank you and we look forward to seeing you board again. Have a nice stay in Opelucid City.''


Right after the moment the exited the airport, May desired to separate herself and use the time to catch a Pokemon in the forest outside. Ash found her decision reasonable, since she wouldn't be able to cheer him on with full energy if her mind lurked on catching a Pokemon for her next Contest. While he headed north towards the Gym, May headed south towards the other exit, prancing as her Rotom Phone supplied her with abundant information of the Pokemon she could catch. However…

After several failures to find a Pokemon, May trudged deeper into the woods, consenting to give up. Numerous Pokemon were detected upon her arrival however, as the duo neared, they fled. Her appetite for adventure was burning up quick, as her flopping throws to catch Pokemon failed. Some Pokemon that she had noted knowledge of were seen, but in blink of seconds, they were vanished. Small crossbreeds of Normal Types and gray flying doves were occasionally spotted, and so were three different colors of apes. One of them probably looked like a younger version of Nando's Simisage that she beat yesterday. She avoided getting in the path of those small, feline-like Pokemon, that hissed towards her.

"Rotom's an actual living Pokemon,'' she grumpily bit, staring at her Phone, ''Couldn't you tip me Pokemon here hate a challenge!"

"Hey, don't my head off! You lure, you catch! You chase, they run!"

"Great, now I need advice from a ghost type.'' May respired. "I really liked the Pokedex that didn't zap you upon a taunt.''

Slowly as she walked further, by a bustling of some bushes, she realized she wasn't the only one around. Tip toeing, she hid behind a tree, slowly poking her head towards the sound. The woods sustained a herd of multiple fawns and deer-like Pokemon, both species which May graspingly realized that the smaller ones were called as Deerling, and the larger evolved forms were Sawsbuck. The antlers grew upon the larger Normal Types as if in poetic salute to the trees. Cropping the newly sprung grass, a common vision that reigned the woods. Those deer had a way of moving, a strong confidence with grace.

"These Pokemon can change their forms. Would be useful in a Contest,'' May poked her tongue, as she varied her ideas. A change of strategy was needed, if she wanted to land a successful catch. Unfamiliar, she knew that these Pokemon kept their distance. Concentrating her eyes further, she studied the type of grass these Pokemon were chewing on. Luckily, Venusaur had a monstrous appetite of the same flavour.

She picked one orchid green Pokeblock from her pack, and tossed it in front of a Sawsbuck secretly. Amid the greenery, the said Sawsbuck whiffed a different aroma, and gazed towards the tree. Nothing. The Sawsbuck glanced with gentle eyes, picking up any kind of movement. Slowly, she craned forward, and sucked the Pokeblock, relishing it.

"That should work!" May's soul frolicked, "That Pokeblock is specifically for Grass Types.''

She tossed another Pokeblock, this time at a little feet away from the Season Pokemon, who cautiously took a step, sniffing the cube. Chewing it, and finishing eat, Sawsbuck spotted another green cube at a few distance. Preferring the delicacy over plain grass, and no suffering caused by the two suspicious blocks, Sawsbuck strode forward. Thus, the game of carrot-and-stick began and Sawsbuck was separated from her herd. Plan one had worked, and now the luring was getting closer to the city.

Finally, May threw herself from her hiding spot, challenging Sawsbuck with a Pokeball held in her hand, "Mismagius, I need you!"

The capsule spilled the ghostly contents that materialized into the Magical Pokemon. Sawsbuck grit, scrapping the earth with her foot. She had no choice but to stick and fight.

"Will-O-Wisp!"

Mismagius hovered above Sawsbuck, waving her frock, as if conjuring a wicked incantation. Two blue flames came to be, orbiting around the ghoul. Sawsbuck was seared, and she whimpered out in pain, struck with a burn. May almost was overcame with guilt, resorting to such nasty techniques to catch a Pokemon.

However, the hand she was nearing to a Pokeball halted, as Sawsbuck threw herself back to her feet, soothing a sweet, calming pink mist from the flowers on her antlers surrounding herself. Proper color returned to her body, Will-o-Wisp's effects dying away.

"That was Aromatherapy!" May noted, an edge of desperation knifed into May's expression. "Now it just makes me want that Pokemon more!"

Sawsbuck strode forward, antlers forward. She was bathed in a dark glow, as she threw herself forward for the ghoul. A super effective Faint Attack sent the Ghost Type reeling, smacked against the trunk of a tree.

"Mis…'' she whined.

Realizing that Mismagius's ghostly moves wouldn't work much against the Normal Types, May put on a tight smirk, ''I haven't purchased those TMs for nothing! Mismagius, Payback!"

Howling, the ghoul spat a vengeful shockwave, however, the Season Pokemon easily sidestepped. As the ghost type hovered, the deer began to suck in energy from the sun.

"It's using Solar Beam. Wow, what diverse movesets,'' May remarked, "Try Power Gem!" she ordered, deciding to take advantage of the time.

Mismagius chanted, and she let an incredible burst loose, recoiling backwards in the wake of huge, red glimmering energy. Sawsbuck was pushed backwards by the Power Gem. The cry of pain turned into a yowling, dizzy stumble. A partially stored golden light was fired in the wrong direction, having the deer type expended.

Marking her trajectory, May hurled the vacant Pokeball, chanting a trainer's usual cry. "Pokeball, go!" The device popped open, swallowing the Season Pokemon in a flash of blue light. Landing, the sphere wobbled several times before letting out a ding 'marking' the capture.

"Alright!" May whooped, sauntering forward to pick up the Pokeball. The Rotom Phone chimed in her pack.

"Sawsbuck has been registered to your Pokedex! Its ability is Cholorophyll. And the moves that Sawsbuck can use is Aromatherapy, Feint Attack, Solar Beam and Horn Leech!"

"Nice!" May beamed, rubbing the capsule against her cheek. ''Now with just a little training Sawsbuck's can rock in a Contest Performance. What a day!"

She frolicked kiddingly before yelping, ''It's been forty minutes! I should get going!"

Smart enough to have Sawsbuck drawn away from the center of the woods, it didn't take much time for May to dash towards the entrance. Dreading that the battle could have started without her, it would really displease her if she wasn't in the bleachers to cheer on her boyfriend. Her sprint was only interrupted by pinecone dropping on her head.

"Ow…'' Wincing, as she rubbed the crown of her head, she took sneering look at the pine cone, probably the work of one of those mischievous elemental monkeys. She raised her sight up on the tree that towered in her way, finding something perched atop of a branch. She couldn't make it but her best assumption was a nest. Her suspicions faltered as the bushy substance moved! It seemed to be a silhouette of bushes, but bushes on a tree?

"Is that a Pokemon?'' May's eyes squinted, gazing a better questionable look. She scanned it with her Rotom Dex.

"No Data Found!" the device immediately refused.

"If even Rotom Dex can't make it out, then it could only mean.'' May hummed, ''it's a very mysterious Pokemon.''

Eyes sparkling upon an ingenious idea flowing in mind, ''A Pokemon so mysterious. What better way to show the World than on a Contest Stage." Enlarging another spare Pokemon, May reared her hand behind and sent the sphere arching.

The Pokeball hit its mark, only for May to have heard a feminine shriek. The object of her throw fell off from the branch it perched, straight down at the earth. May winced, finding a woman plummeted straight at the ground in front of her.

"OW! That hurt!"

"I hit a human?!" the coordinator gawked. ''I'm so sorry. I thought you were…huh? Is that you, Iris?''

"Ow…who's there?'' the Dragon Master winced, a hand curtaining a bulge on her forehead. "Oh, you're May!"

"I'm so sorry, Iris. I thought you were some kind of Pokemon,'' May pleaded apology as she helped the Unova Champion to right herself.

"I guess couples do act the same,'' Iris pouted, "Although, in your defense, nobody would have expected a human to be up there. It's just that I like to take a nap there after a little warmup."

"Does it hurt too much,'' May winced, still guilty.

"Not really. I can let this slide,'' Iris chuckled. "What are you doing here in the woods, anyways?"

"I came here to catch a Pokemon, and I was just on my way to the Gym.''

"AHHH!" Iris yowled. ''The battle! I can't believe I overslept!"

"You okay?'' May gave off a very suspecting look.

"No, not really!" Iris felt like biting her nails. ''Okay, you go up ahead at the Gym! It's straight from the gates, and I'll take a small detour!"

Before May could finish any replies, Iris threw herself up at the branches, swinging from vine to vine, before heading deep inside the forest.

Remaining behind, May was left wide flummoxed as she kept staring at Champion's odd way of travelling. "I guess I can't be fully blamed. She does seem half Pokemon.''


At the foot of the Opelucid Gym, Ash, Pikachu and Lucario waited impatiently for their traveller. The building was lot changed since they were last here. Ever since Iris took over, she must have redecorated the Gym to suit her persona. Entrance of the Gym was a dragon's maw. The unique design combined elements of the local Opelucid technology as well as cultures of the Village of Dragons. A huge pyramid of stone coned over the building, with two statues of dragons lined at the entrance, looking so fierce, they would leap off their perches any moment. An expertly carved sculpture of Rayquaza curled around the entire height of the pyramid.

"Hmm…'' Tapping his foot anxiously, Ash was starting to get a little antsy. "It's been half an hour. Where is she?''

"Pika…''

"Maybe she found someone better.''

Rolling his eyes at the odd suggestion, Ash developed a vein in the forehead, ''Okay, Lucario. No more movies from now on.''

"Just saying." Lucario reasoned, "You maybe dating her for a while, but we should scan her through. What if Steven Stone hired her to keep a tab on you.''

"Gheesh!" Ash grimaced, ''What's gotten into you?''

In his moment of disgust, he heard heavy footsteps heading his way. He was old in age, perhaps in his fifties now, but the structure of his body would belong to someone in thirties. Eyes were a calm pool, but would seem reprimanding. Muscular arms as he always had, one of them stroked the face of an Axew that rode his shoulder.

"Drayden!" Ash instantly recognized.

"Welcome, Alola Champion Ash!"

Drayden, the very embodiment of Opelucid City, born to just exemplify his morals. Not much had aesthetically changed about him. Not one strand of the snow-white hair was lost on the Dragon Master's head, and the toothy beard was one of the intimidating factors about him. Treasuring white, he was also dressed formally and yet old fashioned.

"Drayden! It's been long! How's it going!" Ash greeted.

"Pika!"

"Axew!"

"The years have been great,'' Drayden rumbled, ''Not just me, but the whole city is waiting eagerly for this battle. Perhaps, we should enter, as Iris must be waiting inside.''

"Yeah," Ash chuckled nervously, knowing that any goof could bring out the loud imperative voice of the elder. "You see, Drayden, I was actually waiting…''

"ASH!"

May dashed towards the two of them, steps sluggish as she stopped in front of him, held back by labored breaths. With all the running over, she seemed parched and exhausted.

"You okay, May?'' Ash cocked a brow, offering her a bottle of water from his sack.

Accepting the bottle, the coordinator chugged a huge sip down, before wiping her mouth. "Sorry for the delay."

"No problem,'' Ash flashed a grin, ''Did you at least catch a Pokemon?''

"Oh yeah!" May gave a toothy grin, very affirmative in her answer. ''I got myself a brand new Sawsbuck."

"Awesome!" Ash cheered, turning to Drayden. ''Drayden, I would like you to meet my girlfriend, May, she's a coordinator from the Hoenn Region from the Hoenn Region! And May, meet Drayden. Not only he is the Gym Leader of Opelucid City, but also the President of Opelucid Academy and Iris's mentor!"

"Nice to meet you!" May chimed. "I am May Maple, daughter of Petalburg City Gym Leader, Norman."

"May,'' Drayden addressed, "It is my pleasure to meet you. I must congratulate you on being the runner up in Castelia Contest."

"Huh?'' May gushed. ''You saw my Contest?''

It was very hard to read the man's expressions partially hidden behind the fangs resembling beard.

"Iris did.'' Drayden informed. "She is fan of Dawn's Contests, but she did find your performance spectacular.''

"The Unova Champion saw my performance,'' May marvelled, blushing, ''How great is that!"

"Not greater than an Alola Champion supporting you all the way,'' Ash pouted his lips to the side, silently muttering.

"Oh, I believe it must have slipped my mind before, but now I remember. There was someone here earlier claiming to know you,'' Drayden informed, "he shall be a close spectator of this battle.''

"Someone we know,'' Ash twisted his lips. ''Well, it's not Cilan, then…''

A ring of the Rotom Phone disturbed his deduction.

"Official battle requested! Official battle requested!"

Instantly, Ash's mind was taken off from the unknown visitor, as he gasped. "This must be it! There's ten minutes before the battle begins.''

"Hmm…'' Drayden inferred, looking at the Rayquaza statue, ''It means that she is ready for your challenge. I wish you the best of luck ahead.''

"Iris is here already!" May gawked, "She's so quick!"

"You have to explain the relation between those two sentences,'' Ash snarkily commented.

"I encountered Iris in the forest a while ago. She was hanging from a tree branch upside down, when I saw her,'' May narrated, obviously lying about the last part.

"Upside down from a tree?'' Ash's lips crossed, ''Yep that's Iris.'' She took off, scurrying inside the building. "Hey, Iris!"

"Pika!"

"Wait for me!"

The Gym was dimly lit by the lanterns on the walls. Apart from being a sacred place for dragon worshippers, it modernized the ancient architecture and scriptures of Dragon Type Pokemon. Relics of dragons, a helping hand from Lenora of Nacrene City no doubt, were a separate decoration in the Gym, each telling a different story about the Dragon Type Pokemon.

While there was little light, the room was still in the control of dark. Even the ticking had a relaxed feeling, as if it was a heart-beat at rest. It was as if the daytime had been one part of a play and the rest was to come after this intermission of night. Ash let his eyes wander the inscriptions, the dragons to the dramas played out in that room, to the highs and lows of emotions, and to the love that dwelt in that Gym. As usual he wandered forward, trailed by Lucario who activated his aura vision.

A swooshing sound was first felt by the jackal's feelers. "I am sensing something!"

Something glided by Ash's head, leaving a breeze behind for his hair and Pikachu's ears to wave. Very soon, two audiences joined him, as May and Drayden appeared. That something which kept gliding around wasn't wafting a threatening aura, as it melodiously sang. "Emol….mol….mol!"

Canary cheeks sparked to life with electricity, quickly culminating in a brilliant bolt that illuminated the whole chamber.

"Hey, it's Emolga!"

"Pika!"

"Emolga, huh?" May pursed her lips, a gloved hand dug into her fanny pack and pulled out the Rotom Phone for the nth time of the day, quickly scanning the gliding electric type.

"Emolga, the Sky Squirrel Pokemon. As Emolga flutters through the air, it crackles with electricity. This Pokémon is cute, but it can cause a lot of trouble."

The arena woke up to Emolga's bright arc of electricity, and the floodlights shone in succession. The other half of the Gym came in view. The battlefield was looked over by the effigies of three of the most formidable dragons of Unova Region – Haxorus, Druddigon and Hydreigon – each statue built above a hollow passage that was an entrance to the chamber. While two passages were untenanted, a figure strut beneath the Haxorus statue, hollering.

"There you are! I've been waiting for you, Ash!"

Voice that could only be owned by someone so hubristic, Ash's squint turned into a cheery smile that raised his brows. ''Iris.''

Rather than donning her cream top and leggings, Iris was dressed more royally for the occasion. Her rather messy hair was laced behind a spiky bun. Some of her hair was curled into tight ringlets. A long ponytail on the top of her head, cascaded behind her, held by a yellow bow adorning its front. For her garments, she wore a white long sleeved princess gown, with a large pink enamel ribbon etched on the front. The center of the ribbon was gold in color. The lower half of the gown domed around her legs, however, exposing a little of Iris's legs.

A gold crown adorned the top of the Champion's head, with two emerald stones encrusted in it – a possible gift from the Unovians itself. Similar emerald gems were caked into her sandals, decorating the same feet that carried the pride of Unova.

Impressed, Ash marvelled, ''What's with the getup?''

Chuckling, the Dragon Master twirled for a better look, hoping for short feedback, ''Pretty nice huh?''

"She looks so beautiful,'' May praised.

Smirking, Iris somersaulted off the platform, landing acrobatically in the field before. Pikachu bounded off the trainer's shoulder, throwing himself at the charm of the Champion.

"Pika!"

"Hey there, little buddy.'' Iris giggled, as the mouse brushed her face alongside his.

"Emol!"

The flying squirrel gained Pikachu's attention, making her desire to play evident. The mouse crawled off the Dragon Master's body, prancing along with the Unova counterpart. They touched cheeks, each one's sparks delighting the other.

"Man, look at them,'' Ash grinned, regaining familiar memories. ''They seem so thrilled."

"Iris, I couldn't keep this any longer,'' May tried to restrain the outburst of her excitement. "Thanks for training Ash for his battle against Lance, Iris. He didn't get the job done, but it was one of the best battles for everyone to remember.''

"Yeah, I was gonna come to that actually.'' Ash said.

"Oh no worries,'' Iris chuckled, concealing her blush from the praise she garnered. "It almost looked like you were gonna bag that, so only for once, good job Ash.''

"Look at both of you,'' May giggled, ''You started as travelling companions and now, strongest trainers of an entire region. Ash told me about his accomplishments in Alola, but you becoming the Champion of Unova was a total surprise.''

"Yeah,'' Iris goaded, ''Like I would let this dork get ahead of me. I was satisfied to have beaten many Dragon Type trainers all over the world, until one day, I got a call from him saying he has been crowned the Alola Region's Champion. No time spared, I trained endlessly t challenge the Unova League, a year later, and rest is self-explanatory.''

"Following her journeys with Ash, Iris battled many Dragon Type trainers and Gym Leaders and met many Dragon types. She didn't stop learning, and mastered everything there was to know about the species. By trusting in her Pokemon, she climbed to the rank of the Unova Champion." Drayden added, "In her ambitions to be on level with Ash, she achieved something many would dream.''

"Level with me,'' Ash threw a glare. "So that's what this is about.''

"I never wanted to become a Champion in the first place, since I had come way ahead of a Dragon Master,'' Iris admitted, ''But seems like my Pokemon wanted more. Raising the strongest Dragon Types to take on the World Monarch became my new goal. Hence, I entered the World Coronation Series."

"Unova Champion huh?" A smirk found its way on Ash's lips, a fire building in his heart as he pumped a fist forward. ''Looks like I don't need to feel sad about losing to Lance, cause I am gonna take down one Dragon Master today!" he threw a challenging finger at Iris.

"As expected,'' Iris taunted, crossing her arms. "I knew something like this would happen. Battling always hits you over excited. Just what I would expect from a little kid.''

"May,'' Ash's pupils casted over to his girlfriend. ''I believed we discussed something.''

"She's right, Ash. It's just your inherent weakness. Iris, you have no idea how childish he gets these days,'' May whined, earning a good amount of Iris's trust from the betrayal, leaving her boyfriend jaw-wide.

"Wow,'' Ash groaned, ''Straight in the back, no hesitation.

"Which is why I keep saying, I am the only one you can trust. You can even sense my feelings.''

"Pika!"

"Again, agree to disagree.''

"Well, now that you know the true side of my sister,'' a figure walked out from the dark hallway, revealing himself to be none other than Max. His bespectacled eyes glimmered. "You got my support all the way, Ash!"

"Max!" May beamed, launching herself into her brother's arms, nuzzling into him affectionately. "It's such a surprise. What are you doing here?''

With a cattish smirk, Max let his devoting side surface, truth could be seen behind the glimmer of his eyes. "And you think I would miss this badass battle today. Two Champions 2.0, come on May, you know me better than that! Entire Unova is tuned to this battle!"

"So this was the visitor you told us earlier about,'' Ash with a wide smirk, turned at Drayden.

"Yes, of course," Drayden confirmed, ''Max showed up here a day ago to surprise you both.''

Conjunctioning, Iris nodded, ''Max is such a nice guy. We were up all-night sharing stories about our travels.''

"Why does Max get to be the 'guy' and I get to be a 'kid'?'' Ash slumped his shoulders in defeat, before his realization hit him, ''What did you guys share in specific?''

"You dressed as a woman in Hoenn Region!" Iris's cheeks bloated up, as she suppressed her chuckle.

"You dressed as a girl for the Flower Garden Troupe!" Max burst out, control not as strong as Iris. May joined in as well, and so did Pikachu and Emolga.

"Hey! None of them was any voluntary! You made me dressed as Juliet, and I became a girl because you exacted revenge Iris!" Ash complain, hand shaking after, ''Boy, that was a very weird sentence to say.''

"At least they don't know you also had to become a Nurse Joy in Alola Region.''

The elicit of laughter was no longer suppressed as a choir of chuckles became the reason for Ash's discomfort.

"Oh Lucario!" Ash barked, right into the face of the Aura Pokemon, ''Time and place, buddy! Time and place!"

"I'll fix this!" Lucario gulped, before sliding away from the face of his master. He scowled at the laughing trainers, hoping that would cease the laughter anymore. ''Hey, he did for act of kindness, okay."

"I can't believe he was Juliet!" Tears welled up in Iris's eyes.

"Have you forgot that there's a battle in front of you!" Drayden's booming voice shuddered them all, especially the Unova Champion, well familiar with her mentor's wrath.

A Rotom Drone caught the attention of every one as it buzzed into the arena and ascended higher into the air.

"You have been approved for an official World Coronation Series Ultra Class Battle! Our two competitors are the Alola Champion Ash Ketchum, and the Unova Champion, Iris!"


While the rest of the audience excused themselves to the stands, the two contenders took their place at the Gym's respective trainer boxes, outlined with spray painted borders that stretched from one end of the field to the other. Ash and Lucario took themselves one end, while Iris claimed the opposite one.

"Once I am though you, I am gonna go up in the rankings and boost my talent!" Iris challenged. "You will fall at the best of my Dragon Type Pokemon!"

"I'm not even gonna use them and I'll still beat you!" Ash combatted back, ''So let's have ourselves a four and four. That shall boost your chances.''

"The request has been approved. For today's battle each trainer will be using four Pokemon. Once all members of a trainer's party are unable to battle, the opposite trainer will be declared as the winner. Will both of the trainers please bring out their Pokemon!"

Their faces appeared on the hologram, with both of their Pokeball slots displayed to be filled.

"Three...Two…One!"

With a rapid flick of his wrist, Ash wound up and slung his first sphere on the field, ''Lapras, I choose you!"

Appearing on the field, Lapras sang. Immediately Iris felt a shudder on her body, as she winced. ''You're not as primitive as you look!"

"Who's the little kid now?'' Ash snidely put.

"What's up?'' Max questioned, confused, ''Why's Iris tingling?''

"You see Iris has a little fear of Ice Types that she hasn't overcome yet,'' Drayden supplied.

Putting up a brave face, Iris made quite a show of winding up, tossing her pokeball, ''Go! Excadrill!"

The ball soared above her, before snapping open and spilling out in blue light, one of the Champion's oldest Pokemon.

"Drill!" it growled, standing up slowly and unfurling its large, metal claws.

"How cool!" Max's eyes sparked. ''An Excadrill! Being part Steel type, it can offer Lapras a huge damage!"

"Excadrill, huh?'' May repeated, finding information on her Rotom Phone. "Excadrill, the Subterrene Pokémon and the evolved form of Driblur. Known as the Drill King, this Pokémon can tunnel through the terrain at speeds of over 90 mph."

"Hey, Excadrill!" Ash waved his hand, "Long time, eh?''

"Drill!" the mole grunted his shiny claws, face only curling in a small smirk.

"Let the battle begin!"

"Excadrill!" Iris coached, "Start with Smart Strike!"

Excadrill tucked and ran, both claws howling with tinting energy.

"Freeze Dry!"

Lapras mewled until the mole drew in closer, and spat forth a forked breath of ice at her foe. However, Iris was no fool to throw her Pokemon to an attack like that. A chuckle was heard under her breath. A crafty upward roll carried Excadrill above the field, upon the ice with barely an inch to spare, and he continued drilling forward at sharp speed.

Spreading out from the ruthless spinning top, he jabbed his sharp claw into Lapras's face. A devastating strike knocked Lapras's breath, forcing a pained howl. She shook off the damage, and growled.

"Unrelenting,'' Iris grinned, ''I like it. Excadrill, use Focus Blast!"

A look of mischief left Ash puzzled, as Excadrill twisted back his hips, golden light began to swirl between his claws, condensing into an orb. A vicious sphere of fighting spirit slammed into the water type, sending her skidding short, thanks to her heavy weight. Lapras dragged her flippers across the floor, reducing her skid to a halt. She huffed, craning her neck. "Lap…'' Was that all Excadrill had?

"I saw Lapras's true power in your battle against Lance,'' Iris praised, "It's gonna be one tough customer to crack.''

"Plenty of more to come where that came from!" Ash boasted, ''Surf!"

Before Iris could get a handle on what he had planned, the behemoth let out a high-pitched cry, conjuring a small tidal wave hat swept from under her body, carrying her onto the current over the battlefield.

Excadrill was battered with the brunt of the wave, which hardly made his sturdy form budge. But it was enough of a distraction, and gravity brought Lapras' weight down upon him in a brutal takedown. Iris raised a brow at the move. Excadrill let out a pained grunt, struggling before pulling himself from under Lapras' body.

"Don't get too cocky. It may get the better of you!" Iris scolded, ''Excadrill, get back at them with Focus Blast! Back-to-Back!"

With moves that could easily weaken Lapras, Excadrill summed up fighting energy, launching different glowing spheres in quick succession.

"You can handle that, Lapras! Use Freeze Dry!" Ash encouraged.

"Lap!"

Bolts of freezing ice from water type's maw, met the bursting orbs of fighting type energy. Some spheres passed through and bombarded into Lapras, some rays went through and froze into Excadrill that lifted his metal claws to deflect against the chill.

But the center struggle of both attacks continued, the two igniting into a chilly explosion of shards and smoke. When the explosion fizzled, the two Pokemon remained: Lapras, charred from bein the bombing spot for Focus Blasts while behind the cross of his claws, Excadrill, survived with equal to no damage. His eyes were fixated on Lapras, intent on having the Transport Pokemon beat.

"They aren't messing around,'' Ash pursed his lips. "Excadrill's grown way powerful.''

"Nice going Excadrill!" the Dragon Master praised, ''Smart Strike!"

Claws once again shone with prowess, and Excadrill charged towards Lapras, eager for a fight. When he was in an arm's length, he skidded to a halt, throwing himself at the Transport Pokemon for a merciless strike.

Smirking, Ash coached, ''Use Smart Strike as well!"

Swinging her neck, Lapras fended off with an elongated, metal coated horn.

The two attacks clashed, letting out a loud echo of the contest between sturdy and tempered steel. Excadrill brushed off Lapras's strike, leaning to throw a haymaker at titan's face. The plesiosaur threw her face to the right, evading the mole's claw, and swiped her horn, slashing across his torso.

The mole yowled in pain, through that didn't stop him. Barrel roiling, he smashed into Lapras's neck with a free paw. Getting clocked left Lapras the slightest bit dizzy, stumbling back, desperate for balance. She didn't find relief, when her opponent took the opportunity to turn his assault into a one-two Smart Strike punch.

A predatory gleam shone in Excadrill's eyes, eager for glory, when he brought both claws down in unison like a sledgehammer.

"Block that!" Ash encouraged.

Lapras's eyes narrowed. She threw her horn, smashing them against Excadrill's limbs. Her mass pressed into the floor, supporting her weight against the power of the ground type. Awful vibrations rattled through their entire body.

"Good job! Now pummel them, with Surf!"

Lapras's face was beginning to hurt, but looking straight forward, she saw her chance. Singing, she conjured a torrential wave beneath the Subterrene Pokemon. The Mortar Blast of water overtook Excadrill, as he danced on the wave for balance, driven off to the boundary of the battlefield, and away a good measure of distance from Lapras.

"Excadrill, remember your training!" Iris countered. "Ride that wave!"

"What!" Ash flinched. What was that supposed to mean.

"drill!" Excadrill all too happily obliged, finding a way to sustain his balance over the wave. Rather than faltering inside it, he grounded his feet, surfing with glee to the far end of the battlefield. Finally, he leaned to one side, sliding off of the free ride, while the wave crashed into a corner of the field.

"Excadrill really rolled the tide with that one,'' May commented.

Lapras mewled, feeling her horn growing sore.

Ash pointed forward, shouting his next command. "Freeze Dry! Back-to-back!"

Lapras let out a loud cry in response, firing series of intermittent ice rays towards Excadrill, spreading out in every direction.

"Dodge it!" Iris urged.

Excadrill made a quick leap to the side, avoiding the ray completely. The assault continued, several more freezing blasts homing in on the defending ground type. Excadrill ducked, jumped, and leapt from spot to spot with impressive agility, avoiding every single attack. It seemed quite nimble for such a burly Pokémon, but Ash didn't have time to be frustrated with this; Iris had more in store.

"Drill Run!"

It was awfully convenient — and pretty much necessary — and using the momentum he had gained, Excadrill shot straight for the plesiosaur while building up a quickly accelerating spiral. He rocketed through, crashing into Lapras's face in a striking uppercut that sent the water type skidding once more.

"What tenacity,'' Max marvelled.

Ash's fists tightened as he watched Lapras take a hit again and again, "Surf once more!"

"Lap~" Lapras' melody echoed against the gym's walls, summoning another roaring tidal wave. The massive current was tossed forward, sweeping up Excadrill in the current. Fortunately for Iris, Ash had done a great job setting her up. She grinned.

"Use that wave to jump higher and use Drill Run!"

Now, Excadrill was standing atop the curve of the wave, shifting his weight left and right until he climbed the twisted arcs of rushing water.

"Freeze Dry right on the water!"

"What!" Iris gasped.

Lapras blasted the freezing fork on her creation that Excadrill so casually rode. Rushing waters were quickly infested with solid ice. Excadrill panicked, riding the highest of waves to escape the cold. Numb limbs and a solid block of ice encasing him told the rodent that he wasn't so lucky. Before the mole could hop for his spinning arc, the frost wouldn't let his feet go.

"Excadrill's stuck!" May pointed out.

The clever idea did earn cheers from Max, and adversely, Drayden's frown increased.

"Drill! Exca!" the ground type thrashed about, charging up his claws to break through.

"Could've, should've, would've." Ash smirked, eyeing the display. With the Freeze Dry that had missed earlier, it didn't go any waste, since it had transformed the field into a terrain that would favour Lapras's mobility. "Now, use Smart Strike!"

"What!?" Iris exclaimed, recoiling at the Alolan counterpart's booming command. "Excadrill! Quick use Focus Blast!"

Excadrill was torn, no not physically, but to either get himself out or oblige Iris's orders to use Focus Blast. He kept smashing into frozen ice, his satisfaction of being successful cut short by a few seconds as he was socked in the midsection by a surprise jab of Lapras's horn. Knocked skyward, Excadrill landed on his side. He threw himself up on his feet, awfully disoriented.

"Excadrill!" Iris exclaimed.

Quickly putting the pieces together, Max mused, ''Ash knew Iris would do the same thing again with Surf, and that's when she fell for it. And calculating the timing, he froze the Surf with a move that's super effective on water, which bought him a room to attack. Ingenious combination.''

"But still, Excadrill does look like it can continue for long.'' May contradicted. "Even if Smart Strike wasn't very effective, Surf and Freeze Dry sure were. I admire its endurance.''

"Excadrill… Can you hear me? You can keep going, right?" The crack in Iris's own voice worried her. Just who was she trying to convince?

"Drill…'' the mole stirred again, shaking off the dizziness. The frozen stretch of Surf he stood on moments ago was tore open into shards and glittering across the field.

A smile crawled up Iris's lips, "Alright!"

"Now that's fighting spirit I wanna face,'' Ash pumped a hand.

"Now!" Iris threw a hand forward, finger pointed at Lapras. "Shoot yourself forward, with Drill Run!"

Excadrill started to twist, twist, and twist some more. Building up cyclical movements, he soared forward like a guided missile. His Drill Run gained an overpowering glow at its front, centripetal force tearing through icy footholds apart merely by being close to it. The gap between the Pokémon was closed within seconds.

"Fine! We'll take you head-on," Ash shouted. "Smart Strike!"

"Laappp…!" Lapras wound up, and swung her horn forward.

Ripples and quake battered the field's wide surface; trembling beneath the clash of wills between Empoleon and Swampert. Brute strength and indomitable will pushed against one another for dominance. The sparks prompted both Pokemon to break off and distance themselves from another, panting heavily.

Throwing his punch forward, Ash loudly insisted. ''Surf once more!"

"Lap!" the dinosaur sung forcing up a current from under her body.

"Again, with the waterworks," May muttered, watching what quickly became a wave looming over Excadrill. "Hope this time it gets the job done.''

Lapras, naturally, was coasting the peak of the tide.

"We've gotta make this count," Iris thought aloud, furrowing her brows. And, she was sure she had just the thing.

"Excadrill, let's carve up that wave! Smart Strike, right up the middle!"

Ash scoffed.

"Exca…. Excadrill!" Now standing upright, the rodent leaned forward, putting faith in his footwork. His right claw shone with a lustrous silver, reinforced right to the sharp end of his crest. The makeshift blade was swung in a vicious uppercut, slicing the base of the wave.

A defined split rushed from foundation to crest, slicing Lapras's wave cleanly in half. Mist hung in the air, gifting the claw with a rainbow sheen.

"Great stuff," Ash spared. "But don't get cozy yet!"

A single soul soared through the crashing wave. "Lap!" Lapras cried, grinning as gravity carried her down towards Excadrill.

A bead of sweat ran down the Dragon Master's forehead. There had to be a quick counter to this… If she could just observe…

Her eyes flashed open, thought of an intuitive counter. "Straight up into Lapras's body! Use Horn Drill!"

"Lapras!" Ash called, fretting for his Pokémon, as Excadrill leaped above to meet the plummeting dinosaur, body accelerating in a wild spin.

Cupping her cheeks, May lamented, ''That's one KO move! Lapras is done for!"

"It's risky, but it's all we've got," Ash muttered. "Lapras! Use Sheer Cold!"

This time, Lapras responded, and in a big way. All eyes that were locked on the battlefield briefly shielded from the shining beam that emanated from Lapras's body. Howling to the heavens, Lapras called on her greatest attack, unleashing frozen hell. Ice ate up the battlefield in a sudden web of freezing spires, attacking with a deadly, unbeatable cold.

While his internal body heat was enough, Drayden was aghast to find the siblings latched onto one another, teeth clattering.

Mere feet away, Lapras's beneath and Excadrill's rapid drilling collided. Seats were clung to and ears were clasped in the wake of the resulting explosion. Shockwaves strayed, ice shards rained, and smoke spread.

Ash and Iris alike guarded their eyes. Ash tried to be more subtle about it. The Rotom referee ascended higher, however the resulting hurricane made it difficult.

Wisps of smoke ditched the battlefield, and the battle became clear. One the deep stretch of freeze that Lapras created, two Pokemon were revealed. Iris could swear that her heart had skipped a beat.

Lapras was flopped on one side, completely unconscious. Excadrill was on his back as well, unconscious as well, from all the ice seizing away his vitality.

The Rotom Drone buzzed forward to get a closer look at the two Pokemon, before declaring its verdict.

"This round is a tie! Both Pokemon are unable to continue!"

The images of the two Pokemon were blotted out, signalling they wouldn't be used in the battle again.


"Good thing Ash had Lapras know Sheer Cold,'' Max commented, ''Or else Iris had this one bagged.''

"That was her strategy she had been hiding this time,'' May noted.

"Quite a rookie mistake she began with. One-hit knockout moves are very tricky. Timing becomes a very important factor. Though a powerful weapon at disposal, they are not very accurate against nimble Pokemon. Which is why experienced trainers must know when to utilize them.'' Drayden mused.

"No kidding," Max hummed.


"Oh Excadrill!" Iris cooed, returning the ground type, and praising his efforts, while sighed dejectedly.

"...Return, Lapras." Ash recalled his Pokémon, looking upon her ball with a half-smile. "Thanks for your hard work. Take a rest, for now!" He fixed the capsule on his belt and turned his gaze on Iris.

"You weren't kidding.'' Ash praised, "Excadrill did give us a hard time.''

"Yep, he's my ace in the hole," Iris beamed, passionately looking at the Pokeball, ''A lot of trainers challenge me with Ice Types. That's when my Excadrill comes really handy.''

"Well, then you better make his efforts count!" Ash goaded.

"I outta!" Twirling, the Dragon Master lobbed another capsule in the air. "Say hello to Garchomp!"

The release of the Mach Pokemon was met with greeting the cave floor, a tumultuous roar. Garchomp lowered his head, flaunting his clawed arms.

"Wow, Iris has a Garchomp!" Max whistled. May shook her head in agony. Her brother's childish antics just never left.

Ash smirked, his decision made and accurate enough not to replace the Pokeball he had in hand. "Being a lil extreme, heh?'' Slinging the sphere into the fray, Ash yelled out, ''Snorlax, I choose you!''

Ash's similarly titanic Pokemon spilled through the field, though significantly less fanfare. The Sleeping Pokemon murmured, apparently waking up. Garchomp snarled, eager for action. The squinty eyes of the Big Cat Pokemon slip up to regard the dragon who circled overhead turning a glare downward, affixed at the opponent.

"That's the Gible you told me about, huh?'' Ash smirked, not letting the memories of his own capture surface up.

"The very one," Iris winked. "While I don't use him often, he does pack a punch!"

"We know everything there's to know about punches!" Ash brushed a finger under his nose, "Right, Snorlax?''

"Snor!" the Sleeping Pokemon flexed his muscles.

"Asking for it, kid. Garchomp, Flamethrower!'' Iris waved a hand.

The ferocious dragon marked its angle, spewing fire from its mouth, and thanks to the moisture of the chamber, volume and heat of the flames intensified greatly.

"Use Psychic!'' Ash returned the fire.

Even under the protection of Thick Fat, Snorlax best listened to his trainer's orders. His squinted eyes, returned the stare, lit up with psychic energy. The flames were tolled and coiled upwards, fizzling out in the air with a disappearing heat wave.

"Good job! Now Hyper Beam!'' The trainer followed, throwing a hand forward.

The titan readily obliged, gathering power. A thick, torrent of orange blast was subsequently fired out at Garchomp.

"Dodge that and use Crunch!'' Iris muttered.

With a mighty roar, it pumped its limbs and shot forward with enough speed to vault aside by the destructive beam. The Hyper Beam passed harmlessly by Garchomp, into the walls of the room, and a colossal explosion racked into the Gym. The Dragon sneered, parting its maw and preparing to clamp down on whatever part of Snorlax it reached first. The Dragon delivered a stealthy chomp on Snorlax's arm, that left the Normal type staggered, writhing in pain.

Rapidly flowing backwards, the Pseudo Legendary sneered at success.


"Get 'em Snorlax! Show them you can tank em!" May hollered, waving her fist in the air.

"Iris's really got his fighting spirit boiling… Give 'em hell, Ash!" Max whooped.

"And she's got him feeling competitive, too," Drayden noted. "This'll be an interesting match, no doubt."

"Pika Pika!" the rodent squealed, rooting for this trainer.

"Emo, Emol…mol~!" Emolga hollered, waving her arms. She believed in Garchomp!


"We'll get back at ya! Ice Punch!'' Ash retaliated.

Letting out a disgruntled rumble, Snorlax puffed in answer. With a speed that could only make someone ghast, Snorlax bounded at the Dragon, fist drawn back and coated in frost. It was an attempt to finish the fight, but this time Iris and Garchomp were prepared.

Clenching his fist, Iris urged, ''Giga Impact! Exhibit full power!''

Garchomp steeled itself and veered forward, purple-orange energy surging around its form. The air around Garchomp swirled too, as it was coned by the energy. Garchomp was already upon Snorlax, as the head of the dragon bashed against Snorlax's fist. Dust and dirt swirled as the two pokemon clashed; Snorlax's fist glowing bright as it parried Garchomp's rams. A massive explosion rocked the field, ricocheting off both giants. A torrent of heat was added into the mix, igniting the smoke in a terrific explosion. Snorlax slid backwards, while Garchomp tumbled across the air.

"Well, this is entertaining,'' Iris smirked.

A feral cry from the dragon seconded the Dragon Master's opinion.

A flurry of emotions flooded May. Relief, anticipation, and pride, all mixed together, as she watched the fight. She was also impressed by the sheer power of those two Pokemon, commanded expertly.

There was a gleam in the Pallet native's eye. "Snorlax, Heavy Slam!"

His tubby glinting metal, Snorlax charged, thundering across the ice field. Even though his stealth was comical, his strength was definitely not, as the behemoth connected into Garchomp with titanic force, throwing the dragon into the farthest corner, exacting the revenge he plotted.

"Crunch.'' Iris swallowed, panicked by Snorlax's brute strength.

Flipping mid-air, Garchomp dove once again, poised to clamp down as a dark evil strength poured into its fangs.

"Psychic!'' Ash barked.

Eyes sharp, Snorlax grumbled, unleashing a pulse of telekinetic beating that ravaged out Garchomp's majestic body, lifting the heavy dragon and slung him away.

"Garchomp, use Draco Meteor,'' Iris stressed further.

"HraaAAGHH!'' Obeying with a roar, Garchomp circled high, opening its jaws as a mass of orange energy began to build. The ground shook and dark clouds began to gather overhead, trembling under the massive power of the ultimate dragon-type move. But Snorlax remained impassive, his confident imprisoning stare bolstering.

"Draco Meteor! Inside a closed Gym?!'' May panicked. "Is it safe?"

"It sure is,'' Drayden nodded assuringly.

With one last glance back at the grounded Normal type, Garchomp threw its head back and unleashed the maelstrom of its attack. As the meteors rained down, covering the battlefield in smouldering craters, Snorlax hunkered at the center of the attack, waiting, withstanding… Until the largest concentration of meteors headed right for him. A handful of meteors struck Snorlax's chubby body, making the Sleeping Pokemon lose his concentration. The blue aura around Garchomp faded and it recoiled, still stunned from the Psychic.

Iris's eyes gleamed, ''Flamethrower.''

With as much power as it could, Garchomp blasted an orange inferno right at its opponent, hitting the cat directly in his face. Snorlax was engulfed in flames and he moaned out in pain. When the fires cleared, Snorlax bent, visibly injured from the attack. Arceus forbid what could have happened if the fiery damage wasn't cut in half.

"Snorlax, are you alright?'' Ash grit his teeth, focussing on his partner.

Straightening and righting himself, Snorlax answered affirmatively, raising his fists in challenge. It would take more than that to bring the gargantuan down.

Across the field, Iris's assurance was soaring, ''Garchomp, these two are tougher than we anticipated."

"Raghh!'' the Dragon was forced to agree.

"We should lag behind either,'' Iris threw his hand out in orderly fashion, ''Flamethrower once more!''

Garchomp's gills bristled and it reared back its head, thrusting then again forward to breathe a colossal river of flames from its mouth.

"Hyper Beam!''

Orange energy once again came to life in Snorlax's mouth, building up power before manifested into a being. A raking rocking blast erupted forward to rival the flames. Heavy smoke brewed as two attacks collided into a violent fusion, that distanced the two Pokemon further.

"Use that immobility as they used against us, Garchomp." Iris flashed his eyes open. ''Draco Meteor!''

Garchomp's blasted elevated at the ceiling, exploding only inches below it, raining arms of destruction on the field. The burning meteors pelted the field, detonating in every place they touched. A barrage caught the immobile Snorlax on the shoulder and chest, that spewed a column of smoke in his face, and rest of Draco Meteors crashed into the earth around him, creating a thick smokescreen.

Ash grit his teeth when Snorlax let out a groan as he gathered self, reeling from Garchomp's devastating assault. But he was still standing, and that meant the battle wasn't over yet.

"Snorlax! They'll try to make physical contact. Focus on your mind and use Psychic…" Ash whispered, and the rush of his Pokemon's emphatic agreement surged through his mind.

Turning his gaze skyward, the outline of a faint psychic aura traced around Garchomp's form, but it didn't slow its flight. Still focused on the dragon above, Snorlax gave a low rumble and hunkered low on two legs.

"Heavy Slam!'' Ash threw his hand forward.

A clattering and clacking of stone could be heard as the vibrations below Snorlax's feet grew in a crescendo until Ash could feel the reverberations in his limbs. Suddenly, with a mighty push, his partner rocketed from the ground in a straight vertical ascent.

Two squinty eyes leveled with Garchomp's own, glowing bright with psychic energy, and the dragon shuddered to a surprise stop mid-flight right in front of Snorlax's nose. Wide-eyed, it let out a confused roar as Snorlax hooked his arms over the dragon's back and pinned its wings to its side. A dragon without wings wasn't going to fly very far, and Garchomp tumbled from the sky, dragged down by the anchor of Snorlax's full weight, straight to the ground in an explosion of mud and rock.

Landing with a cushioned thud just at the edge of the impact crater, Snorlax waited for the dust to clear. But its wait didn't last long, as a roaring Flamethrower shot from the dust straight for its face. Except Snorlax had been watching warily, and it deftly deflected the attack away with his psychic manipulation.

"Crunch!''

"Ice Punch!"

Garchomp was upon the titan cat before the flames dissipated, fangs gnashing through the air. Dust and dirt swirled as the two pokemon clashed; Snorlax's fist frosted bright as it parried Garchomp's chomps.

Ash watched the exchange, expression tight. He tried to keep track of who was landing more blows, but the flash of Ice Punches and Crunch attacks were flying too fast for him to keep up. Roars and grunts and howls filled the air as Snorlax danced as nimbly as it could, following the snaking movements of the incensed Garchomp. Teeth and claws gleamed bright under the arena lights, leaving gouges and denting scales in their wake.

Until both pokemon landed simultaneous blows.


"Hoo, boy…" Max whistled, leaning back in his seat. "What a match!"

"I couldn't even breathe before that smoke cleared up." May exhaled.

"Pikachu-Pikachu!" All of that action… He hardly had time to feel anxious!

"A real, intense show between Champions," Drayden asserted. "Both came a really long way."

"Ash sure has," May agreed. She was positively beaming with pride. "That's Ash for you."

"Is someone proud of her boyfriend?" Max cooed, poking May's thoroughly red cheeks.

"Knock it off!"


"Giga Impact!" Iris screeched impatiently.

A Giga Impact from overhead drove Snorlax head-first into the dirt just as his own fist connected with Garchomp's jaw in a right hook that sent the dragon spiraling.

Ash leaned forward in his place, and from the corner of his eye, he was surprised to see Iris do the same. Both pokemon had fallen some distance from the other, and neither one looked to hold an advantage in terms of stamina. Snorlax groaned as he pried his face from where it had shattered the arena floor, and Garchomp staggered momentarily as it regained its footing, shaking its head. From the way both pokemon wavered where they stood, Ash knew Iris had come to the same conclusion as him; this battle was not going to go on much longer.

"Snorlax -! Ice Punch!"

"Garchomp -! Flamethrower!"

Both trainers broke the stalemate simultaneously.

"Finish this!"

Garchomp's roar was deafening as its jaws opened wide, the light of a Flamethrower growing hot in its throat. But the only sound in Ash's ears was the bellow of his partner as it cocked back his fist, shining bright. Garchomp's attack poured forth just as Snorlax lunged.

In an instant, the Normal type was swallowed by flames, vanishing in a cloak of fire.

Ash tensed; breath frozen in his throat.

And then the center of the flamethrower exploded in a brilliant fireball. One the sidelines, rolling waves of heat made everyone sweat. Ash even raised his hand to shield his eyes as Iris looked away, her curtain of hair billowing in the blistering heat.

Out from the flames shot Snorlax, fist rocketing straight for Garchomp's face. Ice met bone with a resounding crack, and then silence fell.

Standing over the mangled scales of Garchomp's unconscious form was Snorlax, ice on his fist still dripping with the flames.

"Garchomp is unable to battle! The winner is Snorlax!"

The jumbotron quickly updated with result, marking Iris's second eliminated Pokemon.

"Way to go, Snorlax!" Ash hooted in ecstasy, prompting the Normal Type to turn around and sympathize himself a huge smile.

"Garchomp, return!" Iris recalled her Pokémon and whistled. "Well! I didn't anticipate getting run over by Snorlax. It had me shaking for a while.''

"You know me!" Ash flashed a eerie grin, ''I make most of the giant!"

A sure smirk on the Unovian's face was enough to eat through her nerve. Iris didn't look deterred in the least. She looked cunning, even. "Here's a giant for you!" She twisted around, tossing another Pokeball.

"Go Dragonite!"

A powerful tail whipped against the ice floor, the limb even cracking the spot behind him. Even in immediate vicinity, the icy floor started to buckle under the Dragon Pokemon's might. Roaring arrogantly, the Dragon's face was locked in a glare. On the opposite side, Snorlax regarded Dragonite with an expression of absolute calmness.

Those familiar angry eyes told Ash Dragonite's brain was in a different mode, that he had switched gears from irritation to cold emotional indifference.


"Man, that Dragonite's got one scary glare,'' May could feel her spine chilling.

"I'm already having second ideas about battling Iris now,'' Max cowered in his seat.

May scoffed, "That is if you beat the whole Unova League and then the Elite Four.''

"You can believe in your boyfriend, but not you own blood!?" Max barked back.


"Same old, huh?'' Ash chuckled, restraining any jokes to best not tick off the Dragon which had a violent temper.

"Same?'' Iris wiggled a finger, ''Nope, a whole lot new." Shifting demeanor, she started off with a command. "Dragon Rush!"

A blazing blue cloak surrounded the pseudo legendary, and the energy burst around Dragonite, propelling him forward.

A smirk cut on Ash's face, "Hyper Beam!"

Snorlax aimed, lustrous orange glow developing inside the cat's mouth, but before that, the orange dragon was already in range, and the orange glow soon replaced with a faint outline of blue. 'Mercy' not a definition that Dragonite understood yet, he speared into Snorlax.

The giant collapsed as the Dragon passed through him, extinguishing the aura on his body. Snorlax crashed on the floor, letting the field rumble upon his fall. Swirls danced in his eyes, and his tub stomach rose and sucked within.

"Guess that's that." Ash smiled sadly, recalling his Pokémon. "Thanks for the hard work, Snorlax!"

"It took just one move to beat Snorlax,'' Max lamented, ''That attack was amazingly fast.''

"Dragonite's exceptionally strong,'' May remarked. "I don't remember the last time I saw Snorlax go down this easy.'' Her voice trailed off, as she focused on Dragonite fluttering in the air. She could practically feel the grim that etched on Ash's face. This was a worrying moment, since one of the best powerhouses was down.

"The fact is before Iris caught her Dragonite, he was known for his temper. He would disobey Iris's orders at first,'' Drayden narrated from the past, ''But only as they battled with one heart, Dragonite attained her battling style after the two got in sync. Together, they got themselves out from really tricky situations."

"That's good.'' Surprisingly, Ash praised, ''Dragonite still has that raw, untamed power. I'm glad that you chose him," Holding a capsule forward, he declared, "Cause I brought an equalizer!"

He drew back an arm, winding up before tossing his third and last pokeball. "I choose you… Charizard!"

The name, itself, sent Dragonite's adrenaline rushing. The dual-colored sphere spun, exploding to give birth to the image of the large, fiery lizard. Throwing his head back, Charizard boomed his voice, the distance of the sound wave limited at the ceiling. Shockwaves of pure energy rippled through the air, whipping everyone's clothes and sent dust flying.

"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu gave an excited cry.

"Hey, it's Ash's Charizard!" Max's face lit with pleasure.

"I'd forgotten how powerful Ash's Charizard was!" May gasped, leaning forward in her seat. "I'll be thinking about this battle for a long long time.''

"Amazing,'' Iris breathed, making her dishevelled hair presentable.

"Noooo…" complained Lucario as he started to give the battlefield an extremely dismayed look. "Why

did you have to bring HIM?"

"Sorry, Lucario." Ash sheepishly replied while scratching the back of his head. "But this is something

Charizard has always waited for."

To this, Lucario only gave an annoyed grunt before crossing his arms, keeping his eyes on the

battlefield. He still held a deep grudge against the lizard for his humiliating defeat years ago. Plus, he

also had a small bit of jealousy towards Charizard for his large bond with Ash.

Instantly, a crackling tension filled the air. Charizard's demeanor shifted instantly, eyes taking on a dangerous gleam. Somehow, Ash didn't have to wonder the subject of the fire dragon's concentration. The flames on his tail raged higher.

"Droo'' the other giant scowled, sizing up the old travelling compatriot. It wasn't hard to tell that the lizard was even more formidable than he had been during their last bout. This was thrilling.

"Hey,'' May observed, feeling her heart racing, ''What's this slicing tension about?''

"Pika…''

"Looks to me that have some unfinished business,'' Max muttered.

After making his presence known, Charizard took a slight glance behind him to see his trainer and

Lucario right next to him. Spotting the jackal only made him a little more icy as he re-faced his

opponent. For a long time, he had heard other Pokemon mention Lucario traveling with Ash on-foot

and while he enjoyed the peace and quiet without the jackal, he couldn't help but be annoyed with

how needy the jackal seemed. It was like he thought he was Ash's number one all the time. What a

runt.

"Remember the Kanto Fair, Iris?'' Ash adjusted his hat, ''Let's write a better conclusion to that battle and settle this once and for all.''

"Couldn't have said it better than myself!" Iris agreed, an eager grin forming on her face, ''What do you say Dragonite? How about we show these two how we get it done in Unova?''

Dragonite answered with a bold roar.

Ash couldn't help but chuckle when Charizard seemed unfazed by the display. "Let's use Flamethrower!"

Iris grinned as well. Nothing like a good power match up. "You use Flamethrower too!"

Both orange dragons reared their head back, launching massive heated assaults at each other. Both met halfway, exploding into a roaring wall of fire. Neither stream pushed beyond the other, equally matched.

"Dead even," Iris's brows creased.

"You think so?'' the man's smug left the Dragon Master astounded. She squinted closer.

Dragonite's feet dug in and pierced ice floor, as Charizard exerted an ever-hotter flame from his belly. The volume and scalding heat of Flamethrower alike grew, and Dragonite's flame were slowly being pushed back. The intersection was slowly being pushed towards Dragonite in the form of an amassed fireball that was approaching at a terrified pace.

"Their Flamethrower beat our Flamethrower!" Iris exclaimed.

Dragonite reluctantly relented, just in time to find himself faced with the huge, rolling inferno. Bright reds and oranges highlighted his scales, as he steadied himself in opposition. "Groah!" He roared, smashing the fireball between his claws. Flames flickered and snapped in rebellion, but heat was nothing in the face of Dragonite. With a burst of effort, he crushed and suffocated the redirected flame. Smoke and embers scattered into the abyss.

"Charizard sure knows his elemental prowess, but Dragonite's no less,'' Max muttered.

In the cast of the billowing smoke, both dragons stood unharmed. Iris placed a hand on her hip, voice too triumphant, ''Not bad, huh?'' Dragonite huffed and grinned, proud of his power.

"We haven't even started!" Ash threw a hand out. With a flap of his wings, the Flame Pokemon launched himself in the air, stunning everyone with his speed.

"Up!" Iris commanded.

The lips of the Dragon Master didn't even touch before Dragonite shot himself for the chase, ensuing the other large dragon in a brief aerial chase, dipping and swooping artfully through the air. Both displayed impressive manoeuvrability, seemingly matching in each other's aspect.

Tightening a fist, Ash called, "Use Dragon Claw!"

"Thunder Punch!"

Before there was any birth of spark on Dragonite's paw, green extensions of razor-sharp nails put Dragonite's scales through suffering and Charizard's momentum forced him to drag along. With a triumphant slash, Charizard sent Dragonite doubling over the air.

"That's the way!" Ash cheered.

The triumphant although was short lived, as Dragonite completed pouring electricity into his hands and jettisoned forward. The two dragons danced in the air, socking and slashing wherever they spot an opening. Their roles reversed, as Dragonite chased desperately after Charizard. The two appendages also met at some point in stalemate, reckoned force blowing them spiralled backwards.

"Man May,'' Max envied, ''You're so lucky you get see him train. This battle gets every bit of exciting as it gets. Charizard's giving Dragonite a run for its money.''

Ash grinned as he stared up, unsurprised to see Charizard recover first. Dragonite caught himself a second later, panting slightly.

Ash hollered next, "Steel Wing!"

Charizard blazed forward at Dragonite at an arcing angle. The Dragon Pokémon locked eyes with Charizard, but the Kanto starter was flying much too fast for the Dragon's trainer to set up any kind of counter. Charizard listed to Dragonite's side, his left wing glowing with a silver aura of power as the pseudo dragon raked across Dragonite's gigantic side. Dragonite bellowed angrily, thrashing violently and lumbering away from his aerial position as Charizard hooked back around for another pass.

"Dragonite!" Iris cried, ''Protect yourself with Aqua Tail!"

Dragonite growled and reared his hips, tail dematerializing in a roaring cyclone, as Charizard closed in. The Dragon Pokemon only waited, although being patience wasn't the virtue he pressed on right now. To boot, the torrential tail crashed into Charizard with a crushing force, sending the Flame Pokemom flying.

Charizard snorted out in effort. Heavy beats of his wings slowed his momentum. These paltry counterattacks were no match for his might.

Forcefully throwing a hand outward, Iris commanded "Thunder Punch!"

Sparks that brandished the hand with golden electricity, "DRAAA!" Dragonite shot forward like a bullet. Static lightning trailed behind him, sizzling the air along with the earth-breaking force that Dragonite carried. The weight of his hand was smashed into Charizard's face, and they went on to embed him in a fairly deep crater in the gym's floor. Swear, the building had trembled.

"Charizard…!" Ash exclaimed, stumbling for balance. "That Thunder Punch…''

"Oh, Ash, you didn't think it would be that easy, did you?" Iris sang, "I'm fully aware of Dragonite's weaknesses. You and Charizard may totally outclass us in speed, but it'll take more than that to take us down."

"As always,'' Something twinkled in Ash's eyes, and he smirked, ''You speak too soon.''

"What?''

Smoke still flowed over the crater, Charizard was embedded in. Dragonite found a stability in air, eying the thick plume of dust. Still within, the dance of the dust, he could find the dragon's silhouette and that etched a little shock.

"Not even a scratch! Just like when I fought him."

A sudden scorching river of flames erupted from inside the smoke, and bathed the pseudo-Legendary, wrapping around the dragon-type. Dragonite thrashed, scrambling away as fast as he could manage. Dust cleared out, Charizard was revealed. Thunder Punch sure, had socked his face, but that was an inconvenience. With a yank, he pulled himself up, rising once again in the air.

"Dragonite!" Iris shrieked, voice bordering on whiny. "Aqua Tail on yourself!"

Ceasing his flailing, his tail curved on top of his head, and a bath of spiralling water doused the flames on his body. The Dragon Pokemon looked visibly tired, heaving as he reset his eyes on Charizard.

Furious, he snarled. He wasn't intimidated. Absolutely not. Dragonite was never frightened. His arms only trembled in frustration, at how the Flame Pokemon had rebuked his attacks and battered him at every turn.

"Let's go! Dragon Claw!" Ash threw a hand ahead, pretending he was throwing a claw.

"Thunder Punch!" Iris yelped.

Charizard bolted forward, hungry for revenge. His arms drifted out into view, the claws on each hand becoming longer and sharper as powerful energy surrounded them. Dragonite too soared forward, rearing two fists, each sizzling with electricity.

Charizard raked into Dragonite's face first, power of dragons coating his claws. He drew his other arm back, ready to slash another tear. A sharp, sudden pain struck his abdomen, though, knocking the oxygen out of his lungs. The uninvited onslaught of sizzling came next, stomach trailing wisps of grey smoke.

The two Pokemon began locking themselves in an intense, close quarters combat. They matched hooks and claws, blow for blow. Only, Dragonite failed to make one hit count, a very crucial one, that gifted Charizard his opportunity.

Dragon Claw hammered upon Dragonite, and at once, he was thrown from the heights. The large dragon had a round landing, plummeted heavily against the solid ground, nearly knocking Ash, Iris and Lucario off their feet in a ground-quivering crash.

"All this power,'' May cooed, thoroughly impressed by both.

Besides her, Max tensed, taking it all.

Drayden grinned. He had to admit, Charizard's sheer power was impressive. But he had utter faith in Iris.

"We can't waste any time!" Ash called out. "Flamethrower!" He knew that it would take a moment for Dragonite to recover. Could the Flamethrower reach Dragonite before time was up?

Charizard fired another wave of flames.

"Aqua Tail!" The champion ordered, desperate to every bone.

However, another vortex of blue, hydronic manipulated air took all of the fire in, shielding Dragonite. Water and Fire met in a furious clash, both pushing with equal force. The two attacks eventually cancelled each other out after a struggle, disintegrating as one and harming neither Pokémon. When both moves dissipated, Dragonite was there on the ground, looking up balefully at Charizard.

"We can still win this, Dragonite!" Iris placated, throwing a hand forward, ''Use Dragon Rush!"

With a push of those muscular legs and a flap of its wings, Dragonite was propelled into the air, headed straight for Charizard. A vibrant, raging aura of teal surrounded the titan. As boastful as Charizard felt in his mind, when the big orange monster came barrelling into Charizard, it knocked the wind out of the fire type. Taken on the wild ride Dragonite had set up, Charizard didn't know where he was being taken, until the reason behind Ash's smirk soon became clear.

He just raised an open hand high. "Grab im' and use Seismic Toss!"

"What?!" Iris exclaimed, a hand covering her mouth.

"His ultimate finisher…"

Two arms snapped across Dragonite's torso in a bear hug, bewildering the dragon, and they took a sudden jarring turn towards the ceiling. The cloak of the ethereal dragon emanating from Dragonite faded away.

"Boy, we're gonna see this again!" Max cheered.

"Thunder Punch quick!" Iris cried, her eyes clouded with fear and surprise.

Still in Charizard's grip, Dragonite began to yank away with the strength other hadn't expected. The crackling limb began scathing the Flame Pokemon, though his hold on Dragonite was very submissive. The Dragon's strength was formidable, but as long as they were held in a full nelson, Charizard could continue to soar higher. And as the tale went, he began several disorienting loops through the peak heights of the Gym, as if he were circling the globe.

"I'm getting dizzy,'' May mumbled, pupils swirling to follow Charizard's path.

Charizard twisted mid-air, aiming at the ground. The Dragon Pokemon was dazed from his senses, having dealt with remarkable centripetal force. This was it. This was their chance to finish the match. After that, Charizard plummeted in a blur of orange and gold, like a comet.

"No!" Iris screamed, but till then, she could feel the ground exploding, and energy surged towards both ends of the field.

She threw her big white sleeves in front of her, as the wind sharply whipped around her.

Dust quickly subsided, and Charizard emerged first from the crater he had laid Dragonite deep within, breathing hard, and exponentially spent. He craned his neck around, smirking at the scene behind.

Dragonite moaned out his name, flopped into the huge crater, body limp and unconscious.

Silence fell for a moment, before Charizard reared his neck and tossed his head towards the sky, burning off the last of his fury in doing so.

"Dragonite is unable to battle! Charizard wins! Contestant Iris is now left with just one Pokemon!"

"You did it Charizard!" the trainer laughed, hopping from one foot to another.

Charizard could only smile, and return the favor with a well-placed Flamethrower.

"I'll… Take that as a thank you…!" Ash huffed, coughing up soot. He beamed with pride, all the same. "Way to give 'em hell, out there."

Despite his grudge, even Lucario had to admit that Charizard's performance was spectacular. He was fierce, unrelenting, and tactical, probably the most powerful Charizard he has seen in his life. It was honestly an inspiration to follow. So after a reluctant sigh, Lucario raised the volume of his telepathy a bit to speak to Charizard.

"...Good job out there…"

This sudden compliment slightly intrigued Charizard. Ever since their one-sided match at Mt. Silver, the two always did their best to avoid interacting with each other in any way, so it was a bit of a surprise to see the young pup actually say something to him. He still had a low opinion of the jackal, still thinking he was needy and arrogant, but maybe he wasn't so bad after all. Many of Ash's other mons have said he's pretty formidable now, so perhaps it wouldn't hurt to at least to get to know him better. But first things first…

Charizard's maw parted once again to deliver another Flamethrower, this time aimed at Lucario's face. Once the attack was over, the jackal's head was covered in soot, and he blinked two times in pure shock before angrily barking towards the dragon.

"Hey! What was that for?!"

Charizard only responded with a light chuckle before he turned back around for his next opponent.

This made Lucario growl for a bit until Ash comforted him. "Don't worry, Lucario. That's just Charizard's way of saying 'thanks'."

Iris smiled emotionally, returning Dragonite inside his Pokeball, "Aw..'' she crooned, "We lost over them completely didn't we?'' Tucking the capsule away somewhere behind the frills, she replaced it with a new Pokeball – that contained her final Pokemon. "We must get our hearts in sync and become one with each other!"

Lobbing it with ferocity, the Dragon Master screamed out the name of her ace with optimism. "Go, Haxorus!"

A massive olive scaled reptile appeared. Two blade like appendages protruded from its jaws, and its talons gleamed ruby in the sunlight.

"Pika!" the mouse's ears perked up, immediately recognizing the small Axew he saw in Haxorus.

"Emol!" the Squirrel confirmed.

"Haxorus,'' Awe overtook Ash for a moment, intrigued. "You've grown so big and strong."

"Haxorus!" the dragon howled, eyes set immediately on the trainer, who had not only brought the flood of grateful memories for the dragon, but also a ferocious competition in the form of Charizard. The very Charizard he once had the privilege to travel with. Back when he was an Axew, he was marvelled by the tales of the tall dragon from Ash's words, as well as fortunate to see all were true when the Flame Pokemon returned back to his trainer. And now, years later, they were gonna tussle against one another.

Haxorus howled once more, while Charizard simply snorted.

"It looks so austere,'' May commented.

"That's the Champion's strongest Pokemon!" Max exclaimed, looking at Drayden for answers.

"Indeed,'' Drayden answered, hardening his gaze at the battlefield, ''The very first Pokemon she obtained from the elder. It all started as a task for Iris, who gladly accepted to raise Axew into a powerful Haxorus. It was a dream that both shared, and they worked exceptionally hard to achieve it."

Ash looked nostalgic for a moment, fiddling with his cap, but he discarded any second thoughts to beam at his opponent, pumping a fist. "I bet you're real eager to show off your new power, aren't cha!"

Smirking, "What do you say we show off your power, Haxorus?'' Iris encouraged, chopping the air with her hand, "Use X-Scissor!"

Iris's command set the dragon on a vicious charge forward. Sprinting across solid floor that was now half ice half ground, Haxorus lunged at the fire type, slashing at it with fins that had formed into emerald scythes.

"Dragon Claw!" Ash ordered.

Charizard snaked around Haxorus's ferocious slash, moving with free command of the air to avoid the typically speedy dragon. He swung around with a shriek and retaliated with a swipe of his glimmering claw that brutally bashed the dragon over the head.

"Haxorus's going to have trouble, tangling with an Charizard in the air. This could be trouble for Iris," Max noted, watching the dragon type fall.

"Dragon Pulse!"

The dragon spat wave of pale purple flames mid-fall, which Charizard swooped under with haste. The former grounded himself in the midst of his last attack, and spewed pulses after pulses at the gliding dragon, who was probably on the run. A steady stream of dragon shaped beam roared in pursuit of Charizard, blazing overhead every time the Pokémon tried to escape to the other side of the gym.

"Use Steel Wing, Charizard. You know the drill!"

Charizard's large wings folded over his body, coating in sturdy steel. He took a sharp sudden turn heading for the dragon with steel-reinforced wings, ready to sweep him with a brutalize clothesline.

"You're about it!" Iris beamed, "Use Guillotine!"

"What the-!" Ash flinched and double took. "Abort!"

Charging through the debris, Haxorus threw himself up, foot springing from the mountain of ice, that carried the Axe Jaw Pokemon soaring. He slipped past Charizard's wings and his defenses. Seizing victory, he clamped his thorned pincers around Charizard's neck, and clamped shut.

It was a command that absolutely nobody expected. Not Ash, not Max, and certainly not Ash.

Haxorus released the hold on Charizard's neck, letting the Flame Pokemon stumbled past him.

"Charizard…! Are you alright?"

"Roarh…!" Charizard grunted, stumbling forward, one step at a time. He raised his head to spit a mighty blaze, but all that came out was a puff of smoke. The Flame Pokémon collapsed.

"Charizard is unable to battle!" Rotom Drone declared.

"It was all thanks to Dragonite,'' Iris explained her victory, ''With three out of four moves being a physical one, it dawned upon us that we would be having a close combat with him real quick. And that was that.''

"Charizard had so much left to do,'' Max whined, "Those One KO moves are just something else.''

"Persistence,'' Drayden explained, ''Something very hard to master. It's just not brute force, or tactical thinking, but timing for every execution plays an important role. If Ash doesn't get that, he may never win this battle.''

Lucario, however, just looked through the whole series of events with silent confusion. Despite Iris' claims, that victory via Guillotine just seemed a bit too easy for Haxorus, especially with how fast Charizard is. Something just didn't add up…

"Charizard, return!" Ash frowned, recalling the fallen fire-type. "I'm sorry, dude. It's me this time. I made some bad calls.'' The situation left Ash in quite a bind. He had one choice to make out of three: Lucario, Pikachu and the third Pokeball where Ash's fingers were steadily going. No matter who he picked, they'd still be subject to Guillotine again. Undeniably, they were in a tough spot. He had to play this carefully. Very carefully…

"Come on!" Iris whined, snapping Ash back to reality. "Make your choice quickly!" The obvious implication that he was expected to call his next Pokémon carried in the woman's tone.

The stage for the final round was set. Picking and snatching a Poké Ball, Ash took a deep breath before tossing it into the fray.

Before even the Pokemon inside could materialize, a loud snarl startled everyone present in the arena. Dusty winds were exerted from raw power alone. As the light began to take shape, two sets of claws and a long maroon snout was revealed first. Even Haxorus was stirred into active observation.

Stood at Ash's end of the battlefield, the large and imposing Krookodile, who landed with heavy thump and a fierce growl, before he flicked open his sunglasses to place them on his snout.

Iris gasped quietly, best person in the gym to know that Krookodile was an absolute powerhouse. A term that someone definitely deserved after beating her Dragonite.

"Krookodile!" Iris beamed, ''How nice to see you!"

"Krooko!" the reptile greeted back. Ah! The adventures they all had together…

"Haxor…'' the dragon breathed, facing no difficulty in recognizing the Intimidation Pokemon.

"dile…" the ground type mumbled. Behind that beastly looking dragon, a sound of a friend called out to him.

"I believe that this battle could be must be bringing both trainers abundant memories,'' Drayden's voice fumbled his beard. "I learnt from Iris that Sandile was one of the Pokemon those two had an early encounter with on Route 1. It had garnered a lot of respect for Ash, and began following them on their journeys. Each time, they met, he challenged Ash to a battle, and it would result in his loss. But Sandile never gave up. He evolved into a Krokorok and trained profusely. When it finally became one of Ash's Pokemon, the two became a spirited team. In the Junior Cup, where Ash and Iris were having a battle with one another…Krokorok was on his last toes against Iris's Dragonite, but he responded to Ash's feelings and evolved into a Krookodile. Such has always been an inspiration for Iris.''

"Amazing,'' May exhaled, ''Ash does have the ability to make a friend from any Pokemon.''

"Nobody's gonna be talking about the fact that he's wearing sunglasses?" Max quirked his brows.

"This isn't gonna be like the Pokemon World Tournament Junior Cup, so keep your eyes open!" Iris challenged.

"Dragon Claw!" Ash ordered.

"X-Scissor!" Iris countered.

Haxorus bashed his forearms together, whipping them into a emerald cross before he crashed them with Krookodile's purple claws.

Sparks flew from the point of impact, and harsh scraping could be heard, even below. As great as Krookodile's strength was, his claws only seemed to be holding X-Scissor off. In fact, both of them were plunging into the ground below, due to their weight. A huge mass of earth was torn beneath them.

"Haxorus is overpowering Krookodile…!?" May exclaimed.

Then they were tossed apart by an explosion of energy. Krookodile flipped through the air, then caught himself on the ground. The opponent was a little stronger than he had imagined.

"Krookodile, let's keep this up with Stone Edge!" the trainer yelled almost immediately as the debris began to clear.

"Krook!" the crocodile pulled back his arm, and thrusted his open palm into the floor, quaking it up a bit, satisfied to know that the earth had approved his move. Sharp stone spires stabbed through the rocky field on a direct course for Haxorus.

"Dragon Pulse!" Iris boomed casually, expecting such a move. It had wreaked havoc for many of Ash's rivals in the past.

"Haaaxxxo!" The familiar draconic energy built up within himself, before traveling up through his body and into his mouth. Taking a large gulp of air the dragon type roared and shot forth a powerful beam of power in the shape of a dragon's head which collided with the incoming rocks. The resulting explosion detonated, far out of bounds.

Iris's eyes narrowed, as the behind the curtain of dust, it seemed awfully quiet. Her suspicions became as clear as the field when the smoke faded away, and the lady frowned, seeing the hole where their opponent used to stand.

"Haxorus!" Iris panicked, ''Stay alert! They are using Dig!"

The Axe Jaw Pokemon's eyes remained open, and he quickly began feeling the earth, for the telltale sign of the attack surfacing. Only faint rumbles could be felt under Ash and Brock's feet, until a subterranean roar hit its crescendo. The already fractured and well-shaken field collapsed in a crater, with Krookodile bursting out of the rubble.

Before Krookodile could throw his hook, he only howl sharply in pain.

"Krookodile!" Ash gawked, teeth gnashing.

"Pika!"

Haxorus's two tusks had crushed down on Krookodile's arm in a vice grip, holding it firmly in place.

"Krook!" Krookodile yelped, yanking his arm back to no avail. Even with his feet dug into the rock, he found no relief.

"Well,'' Iris sang, ''I believe this is the end.'' Furrowing her brows, she yelled, ''Dragon Pulse!"

Haxorus roared, igniting a brilliant, prismatic light at point-blank range. Draconic wings sprouted from the flashing lights, and crashed into Krookodile, blasting the dark-type past Ash, into the floor behind. He thumped, and his spikes ploughed the fresh floor.

Ash gasped, and sprinted at his Pokemon, followed by Lucario.

Voice full of panic, he adjusted the sunglasses on the crocodile's face properly. "Krookodile, are you alright?''

There was no breathing movement for a series of seconds, which was beginning to downcast Ash slowly. Lucario growled, already having ascertained, they had lost.

"Poor Krookodile,'' May placed a hand on her chest.

A gasp became sight for sore eyes, as a charred and bruised Krookodile sat in a heap, gasping for breath.

"Impossible!" Iris threw a tantrum, but suddenly ceased as she felt Drayden's glare cast upon her.

Haxorus too was surprised.

"Krookodile, can you continue?'' Ash asked, trying his best not to sound selfish for any reasons. This battle would only continue if Krookodile wanted to. But long before the croc could grunt his answer, he stood up and a sharp pain sprang on his torso. Yet, bravely the ground type continued, back on the gym field.

Ash blinked, eyes glimmering. He fought his best to keep his emotions hidden, and his pride sponsored a smile on his face. Balling a fist, he continued to his trainer box, ready to finish.

"We aren't afraid of getting burnt,'' Ash combated.

"Maybe the second time,'' Iris grimaced, ''Dragon Pulse!"

"Stone Edge!"

Haxorus spewed the pulse as told, but they didn't make it to their weakened target - stone spires jutted out of the earth again to quite literally take the heat and split flames down the middle. Moreover, they bashed into the dragon's torso before he could think to avoid them, knocking the oblivious dragon back.

"Now!"

Being the best in that element, Krookodile charged into the shroud of dust again. He erupted again from the other end, barely more than a red blue, but not empty handed this time. Brandishing two icicles from Lapras's Sheer Cold before, he struck them into Haxorus's rigged plates, causing him to grunt and fall on one knee.

After a moment he rose, panting slightly, his eyes balefully attached in a fierce rage towards his opponent, "Haxorus.''

"That's smart,'' Max reviewed, ''Using ice splinters can land a critical hit on Haxorus.''

"Yes,'' Drayden agreed, keep his ever-observant gaze fixed on the battle below. "That was a rather clever engagement.''

Back down on the field, Krookodile smirked, deliberately taunting his foe with the arrogant gesture. Haxorus growled, snapping his tusks, looking forward to inflicting his own damage upon his opponent and to wipe that pompous smile from his face.

"You remember that, don't you?'' Ash smugly tried to pull off a cinematic smirk.

"Petty tricks aren't gonna put you higher than me!" Iris spat.

"That's actually what I am counting on!" the raven-haired man replied calmly, and nodded slightly to his Pokemon, signalling the start of his attack. "Incinerate on the ice!"

"What's he up to?'' Iris frowned, tilting her head.

"Krook!" the sand reptile nodded, bounding off from the floor. Using the altitude, he aimed his snout at the ruined ice boulders that littered over the landscape, with running water leaking out of them, thanks to the temperature. A rain of fireballs ate the ice open, producing hissing steam.

A mist engulfed the battlefield, severely limiting visibility.

"There you go!" Max beamed with an eerie grin that scared Emolga. ''Ash's unpredictable strategies activated.''

Iris looked on confused. Although she couldn't see her opponent, the Dragon Master knew the Alolan counterpart was smirking at her.

Haxorus was looking around wearily, feeling no damage from the plume of mist around him, but likewise unable to see anything. Not knowing where Krookodile was, set him on edge, and not being able to hear him due to the sudden silence didn't help either. Getting paranoid, he began looking around on the floor beneath him for signs of an underground attack. So focused upon his inspection, he didn't see the glowing claw of come flying from the left, striking him across his face and toppling him to the floor. He gave out a pained howl and got to his feet, eyes darting back and forth at a rapid rate trying to find his assailant.

Krookodile danced through the mist with ease, making out the heat signature of his foe through the denseness of the attack. The mist actually benefited him, thus giving him a massive advantage over his blinded foe. Powering up Stone Edge, he sent the jagged stones hurtling towards the dragon humanoid-shaped heat mark, and grinned when the response was bellowing of pain.

Both Ash and Iris were blind to the actions performed by their Pokemon, and were going off of instincts alone to figure out how the battle was currently progressing. Though the ebony haired man had a good idea of what was transpiring. He just hoped that Krookodile was able to follow through with their plan well enough.

Iris scowled, she couldn't even see her own Pokemon anymore! But she could listen. She could feel. She could smell Haxorus' sweat. Determined, she put a hand forward, placed open at the field, and closed her eyes. She concentrated, renouncing any sounds other than Haxorus's cry of help. Her mind searched inside the fog, and she found him.

His breathing was ragged. He was at a very critical point. He needed help.

Her hand began to glow.

May's eyes sauntered over to the Unova Champion, and she gasped, ''Hey! What's that?''

"Iris has exhibited the ability to communicate with Dragon Types.'' Drayden answered the honorary power, "Through sheer meditation, she understands a Dragon Types emotions."

"Hey,'' a thought bolted into Max's head, ''That's just like Ash. He can talk to Pokemon using telepathy too.''

"Can he now,'' Drayden chuckled, ''Then this is an appropriate matchup."

"Haxorus…'' Iris voiced, immobilising the dragon with her words. "I am right there with you. I can feel your pain. Your agony. But open your heart and let me synchronize it with mine. After all, Ash is here to win, but we won't let him. We will challenge him with all our fiber, and show him that our power cannot be beat!"

Soon the mist had thinned, and defeated by natural air, as the water that was once ice, leaked into the torn field below. Both Pokemon were revealed, equally exhausted, equally bruised, and equally determined.

Ash coy smile vanished for his hardened demeanor. "Dragon Claw!"

At which point, Krookodile adopted Sceptile's cool persona and his aerodynamic posture, with it. A straightforward sprint sent Krookodile racing forward for the froze dragon, who had his eyes closed for some unknown reason – only giving them an opportunity to exploit it.

Sharp claws lit purple, he quickly closed the distance between the two.

Iris's eyes flashed open at the same time as Haxorus's. Irritation turned to hot-blooded rage. That stare was cold, the cause behind it was a mountain of pain Haxorus endured, and all that had to be extracted in the form of revenge.

"OUTRAGE!" Iris hollered out.

Haxorus tossed his head towards the ceiling and howled loudly, a fiery red aura flared his body, and his scales acquired a reddish tint. Like the feral beast he was, he charged forward to meet Krookodile. It was easy to become startled if a dragon known for his jaws made you his target.

That was the scenario Ash was faced with, and his dramatic cry of counter came a little later, after three scything slashes and a spike of a headbutt. Ash's lips creased into a frown as Krookodile hit the ground.

Though, they hadn't planned it, Krookodile's sunglasses went toppling off.

"Damn it, no!" Ash bit his tongue. This could be thorny.

"Oh great!" Iris cheered, "Now Krookodile's gonna be timid. It won't attack!"

"Yeah, I wouldn't be so sure,'' Ash refuted, quite hounded.

"Huh?'' Iris blinked her eyelashes to find that Krookodile seemed quite vexed. The ground type roared into the sky, fury enough to shake the air. Eyes had taken a red hue, and he was practically frothing at the mouth.

"But how?'' Iris questioned, bewilderingly. ''I thought Krookodile feared losing his glasses!"

"That kinda left when Krokorok evolved. As a Krookodile, it just enrages him.'' Ash explained, stressfully. ''I guess that's why they call him an Intimidation Pokemon.''

Ash grimaced. It was brutal to watch but there was no stopping Krookodile now. Even if he picked those sunglasses again, that demeanor wasn't gonna cool down. He would go on until his foe, who had the audacity to infuriate him to this degree, paid the price.

A command just slipped from Iris's lips. "Outrage!"

Another furious, steaming red aura gathered around Haxorus, a low, foreboding growl erupting into a feral snarl. His eyes took on the same color, leering at Krookodile without a touch of sanity. "Grahhhh!" He thundered forward.

The dragon rammed his head into Krookodile's snout. He was a creature of pure, aggressive fury in the throes of Outrage, and his first impulse won out. It hadn't ended yet.

"She's getting desperate again,'' Drayden noted.

Krookodile found no relief, once again battered by Haxorus' forearm. Krookodile shook his head, ready to counter the dragon's movements, but the loss of his sunglasses wasn't making it easy. He was again in the dragon's shadow.

"Krookodile, dodge it!" Ash pleaded. If one more Outrage hit, it was all over.

Krookodile heard Ash, sure. But he didn't have the composure to bury into the ground or escape away. Truthfully, even if he could, he didn't want to. After knocking those glasses away, dodging just wasn't sitting right with the crocodile.

Certainly not that dragon that was coming at him at blind fury.

In defiance, Krookodile charged up him claw, the only distinguishable fact was – the claw was glowing red instead of ethereal purple.

Iris gasped, ''Ash, that's –"

Red tinted claws shoved back against Haxorus's claws, and Haxorus flew away, skidding when he touched the ground.

"Outrage…'' Iris finished.

"Outrage?'' Ash repeated, and then his eyes gleamed, "Wow, Krookodile! You learnt Outrage.''

Still, the crocodile didn't look in a mood to be celebrating.

The dragon lifted himself up, and steamed. He stumbled about clumsily, dizzy after the furious slew of attacks he spent. All of the painful hits from Krookodile he'd endured weren't helping matters either.

"Looks like Haxorus is finally paying its toll for Outrage. This is a good chance,'' May mumbled.

"Wait and watch,'' Drayden spoiled that positivity. If he could smirk buoyantly, he would.

Without a command, Haxorus bashed his head against the ground. The only feeling where pain and relishing joined hands. He perked his head up again, composed mind in the right place, and he stared up at Krookodile. On a funny note, it sure was eccentric to look straight into those eyes which were always concealed.

"It isn't confused, anymore.'' Ash captioned, a sweat dripping on his cheek.

A smirk was the opening of his answer. "It's something, isn't it. Haxorus hit his head on the ground so that it can shake off its confusion. Pretty smart, huh?'' She tilted her head, "This way it doesn't go on a rampage. Had to pick up something from Blackthorne Gym.''

"They can do that?'' Max cocked a brow. "Good counter in case a Pokemon gets confused, ain't it May?''

"That's right? If that happens in a Contest, the opponent does lose some points.'' May spoke from experience.

Krookodile was far away from being in the right state of mind. In boiling anger, he raced forward with spiky tail swinging. There was no hesitation in his movements.

"Krookodile, wait!" Ash opposed. That was the weakness of Outrage; it offered no self-control. Perhaps, it was the first time he couldn't celebrate his Pokemon learning a new move.

But this time, Iris wasn't deterred. "X-Scissor!"

"Shit! It's a super-effective move!" Max cursed.

Haxorus crossed his pincers, quickly letting them undergo a process of illumination. As Krookodile neared, he sliced his claws outward. The hit was direct and super-effective; the highest-pressure point being on Krookodile's chest. The force of the blow was strong enough to send the sand crocodile back.

The reptile however, maintained his stumble after the explosive bug type move, waiting for Haxorus's approach. But he was feeling quite queasy from the inside. He was disoriented, and he gathered his bearings on the ground, groaning and growling ineffectually.

"Krookodile, take it easy!" Ash warned.

Iris huffed with pride. They'd done it. Krookodile now had to fight its own confusion, and he'd given them just the perfect opening. Grinning, the Dragon Master winked, as she looked forward to Haxorus. "End this! Guillotine!"

Snapping his jaws, Haxorus launched forward at an outrageous speed.

"I can't watch!" May concealed her face behind her palms and turned away. Her brother holding her shoulder didn't help either.

"Pika…'' The mouse felt dejected after the lost chance.

Ash closed his eyes, breathing deeply. In tapped into his mind, flaring up an aura hue. A bit of vibrant blue overcame Krookodile as he became stunned, into the face of Haxorus, that came gripping for his neck.

Iris squinted, and all she could make out was Ash and Lucario both, glowing vibrant blue, were chanting something inaudible to everyone.

"What's happening?'' Iris cried, inquisitively. Although it didn't slow Haxorus down.

"Hey look May!" Max tugged on her shirt, convincingly enough for her to look.

The dragon reached his mark, and snagged his tusks where he had aimed.

"Yes! Yes! We did it! We did it!" Bunching up with clenched fists, Iris jumped for joy. "Yes! We won!"

"You sure?" Ash smirked in return, making a self-assured Iris flinch and double-take. "You might want to have another look at that."

Haxorus' jaws were clamping, indeed. But all the force he could muster in the one-hit kill was being denied. Krookodile gripped each of them in his claws, prying them apart from around his throat. He snorted a grunt in Haxorus' face, as if to say, 'nice try.'

"What!" Iris gawked, "But…but Krookodile was confused….Wait!" she realized, ''You did some weird thingy glowing blue and all!"

"Yeah,'' Ash smirked, loving every bit of it. "I broke Krookodile's confusion. Me and Lucario tapped into his mind, and let's say…cleared his thoughts.'' Pumping a fist, he continued. ''You may read a Dragon Type's emotions, but I can read them all!"

"Haxorus! Try harder!" Iris urged.

"That's what I would say,'' Ash brushed a victorious finger under his nose. "Outrage!"

Time seemed to slow down, as Krookodile delivered a swift slash to the Dragon's face, then a slapping whiplash to the stomach, and for the third, and the most astounding one, the dragon was hoisted atop the crocodile's body in a fireman's carry. Motion set, Krookodile flipped Haxorus and slammed him harshly into the ground in front of it, relishing the dust invading his nose which rose from the powerful slam.

All gazes were affixed at the battlefield, and only one of them broke into a smirk.

In a massive crater, Haxorus laid asleep. Swirls sat in the Axe Jaw Pokemon's eyes, and they were completely lax, belly up.

"Krooko!" the crocodile snarled in victory.

"Haxorus is unable to battle! Krookodile wins!" Turning towards the victorious party, Rotom played its verdict. "Which means the victor is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!"

"Pika Pika!" the mouse danced, pretending to wave a flag. Besides him, Emolga lowered her wings, desolated.

"I believe I have something for you, Krookodile." Walking upon the field, Ash gained Krookodile's attention, by placing the sunglasses Lucario found on the floor. Dusted, but still durable.

"Oof…!" Ash found himself pinned beneath the impressive weight of a very weary-looking, but very cheery Krookodile. "Aha," he laughed, voice strained by the Pokémon standing directly on his ribcage, "you were awesome, big guy." He saw Krookodile's snout extended, and took a risk by letting the crocodile nuzzle his face. After all, he also had some tough jaws. "Thanks for going all-in. You look like you could use a real rest, though," Ash smirked, and tapped him with his Poké Ball.

Lucario laughed off, giving his trainer a sympathetic smile.

"He did it!" May celebrated, clapping her hands together. "Haxorus was so tricky!"

"I am in dire need of a battle!" Max punched forward, his boxing causing an unfortunate May to lean out of danger.

"As a result of today's battle, there has been a change in the World Coronation Series Rankings effective immediately!" The Drone announced, and buzzed away, leaving everyone curious for the desired moment.

"Thank You, Haxorus,'' Iris crouched besides a tiredly, sat up Haxorus, and crooned him upon his performance. "We may not be there yet, but let's keep working.''

To support her words, Emolga glided and circled around them, perching herself on Iris's shoulders.

"Haxorus…'' the Dragon acceptingly nodded.

"Incredible, all of you,'' Drayden approached, prompting Iris to stand up out of respect. "It was a spectacular sight to see."

"Drayden,'' her voice quivered, ''I did my best, but I guess we lost. But thanks to Ash, I'll keep aiming higher and higher. Even as a Champion, there's much more for me to learn."

By now, the siblings had gathered around Ash, each peering their head closer, eyes drawn at the numbers juggling on Ash's Rotom Phone.

"Your new Ultra Class Ranking: 67!"

"Whoa that's impressive!" Max shrilled. "Congrats, Ash!"

"And you'll keep going!" May cheered, pecking his cheek.

He felt a powerful nudge to the side, revealing none other to be his opponent minutes, ago. Haxorus was nowhere to be seen, probably recalled. Drayden stood behind Iris, patiently waiting for his gratitude of the marvellous battle, that took place in his gym.

"Iris.''

"Congratulations, Ash!" Iris melted into a relaxed smile, forwarding her hand. Ash smiled, and found this satisfactory to end the competition between them. He reached and gave her hand a firm shake.

"And just you wait!" Iris creased her brows, to throw in a promise. "The next time you see me, I am gonna be in the Master Class. And I wanna see you there as well!"

"You can count on it!" Ash's eyes frowned, smirk curving, ''Our next battle will be in the Master Class. So do all that you can to be there, because I definitely will!"

"And if either one of you becomes Monarch this year,'' Max threw himself between them, declaring his fiery intentions, ''Then be on a lookout, because I will enter the next season of Pokemon World Coronation Series!"

Chuckling at the crowd of ambitions, May blessed, ''Best wishes…''

"Pika!"

After winning a tough battle against Iris, Ash has once again ascended his position in the Ultra Class. What tough rivals await him there?


How am I supposed to describe something that just takes your breath away? The question is what was not in JN132. A perfect episode of a perfect series of a perfect show. Maybe I am exaggerating but my room sure was flooded with tears when just by plethora of wishes were provided from the Journeys staff: Hats off to them by the way, and yes. I was so wrong to criticize their decision. Ash didn't catch this; Ash didn't catch that. Goh took everything. But man, I had no idea they were actually gonna make this come true. If there's a story over the quote "Try until you succeed", try telling the story of Ash Ketchum, rather than the king and spider. Lol. This was the culmination of all his experiences throughout 8 Regions, and once again I shout out that.

ASH KETCHUM IS THE STRONGEST TRAINER IN 8 REGIONS!

This is why, this is why, it is hard for a teenager of this era to stop watching Pokemon. Every second was so beautiful. The comebacks, cameos, all of his Pokemon, those eyes will be icy if didn't have tears during this scene. I myself didn't cry this much when XYZ ended. My urge to go back and restart binge watching is at its peak right now. Indescribable, that's just what I am feeling right now. Thank you, Journeys, thank you for making it come true. This episode needs to be ranked the best. That's all I want to say right now. I am so humbled that each one of his friends were shown, and they discovered they are connected through a mutual friend. Like May and Serena, both gorgeous girls standing next to one another, Max there too, and them supporting Ash, like Contest wasn't eve necessary to them right now. Brock, Alexa and Cilan, perhaps finding out "You know him too!" but Cilan and Alexa actually know each other.

One episode had the power to put itself higher than an entire saga. Who wouldn't tear up?

Now, we don't know what lies ahead for Ash Ketchum. He is a Monarch, which means next season he has to defend his ranking like Leon did against Lance. So Ash will be making occasional trips of Galar. Sadly and very dejectedly, I believe this could be the last of Ash Ketchum. And why not? What better happy ending would one ask for? Him going to a new region, starting all over would be like searching colleges for graduation 'after' receiving your doctorate. Its best that he stays where he is. The cameos, comebacks, all his Pokemon, all main characters, and Delia's last message were a tip off that this is where Journey with Ash Ketchum ends, and honestly, conclusion is also a beautiful part.

So yeah, it can be expected that he won't be going to a new region. There has hardly been any updated on the GEN 9 Anime anyways. Maybe JN135 will end with Goh, Chloe and Ash parting ways, and then a beautiful message in the sky. Or perhaps an epilogue of all characters and a glimpse from their respective journeys.

What cannot be expected – none of his released Pokemon are officially returning to him now, he may not use his old Pokemon anymore. That cancels out catching new Pokemon too. Perhaps they can show him grown up, or maybe not. Aging hasn't been factored in the series, so why now? Shipping – a very complex subject, but best not come true. Its just my opinion, and I don't want to enrage anyone. But if they make one canon, supporters of others will be just heartbroken and upset – for they have been cherishing it for a long time. The liberty to pair Ash with anybody you wants is beautiful in itself, and one should enjoy it without waging wars.

So, I believe this could be goodbye for Ash Ketchum. After all, at some point, we may need to move on from him.

So that was my 100th chapter, and I am going away for a long break now.

Thank you.