New Tork City was buzzing with excitement. It's always like that. But today there's people from all around the regions and a sea of red hats dominated the streets in Times Square. Even Unova natives were more excited than usual. The news have been raving and escalating the situation for weeks, the Battle of Titans, the Fight of the Generation, the Match-Up between Champion Alder and the up-coming future Champion Ash Ketchum was happening this weekend, and everyone was in New Tork City to see it.

Right now I was having dinner with my family for the first time since I've left home, in a small family restaurant named: Tavern on the Green. My sister, Tara, being the biggest fan of The Saint I've known entered every lottery and fan challenges out there and scored us four tickets. I've never loved my sister more than then and there. I will be able to watch my favorite trainer, my region's champion battle... LIVE!

Oh, Tara was also delighted when I gifted her with Ash Ketchum's autograph. She hugged me with tears in her eyes and a huge smile on her lips.

"It's impressive how the news had not stopped finding stuff to talk about Ash and they did not sound repetitive once," my mother commented impressed, as the T.V in the Tavern on the Green showed another segment dedicated to Champion Alder and The Saint.

"Ash has been helping people since he left Pallet Town!" Tara informed us excitedly. "He even has a very popular T.V show, which isn't really his but is dedicated to him, called: The Time Ash Ketchum Helped Me Out. They've been at it for more than a year, with weekly episodes and they've only just finished with Kanto and began moving on with Johto. Of course, Unova's News Channels will have so much to talk about."

"I also think that people here in Unova love stories like his," the owner's son, Owen, told us with a smirk as he came to fill our glasses of water. "Small town boy with a ranger legacy and the memory of a hero father's to uphold? Long lost Larvitar finding his way back to him after years apart? The girls fell in love with him and the boys... well, half of them have only just discovered that they might not be as straight as they had once believed. Not to mention, his team. Have you seen his team?!"

"His work against Hunter J and the criminal syndicates all over the regions has also endeared him to the older generations," my father cut in. "Him stopping the trafficking ring between the Orange Islands and Unova's Delacore Islands, and hindering one of the largest smuggling routes between regions is no easy feat... especially, if you consider his age."

"I know!" Owen exclaimed. "Most guys his age are still living at home and going to school, yet here he is, being prepared to take over a whole archipelago!"

"It is truly impressive work," I admitted, ignoring the knowing smiles directed at me by my family. "I can't wait for the match."

"You guys have tickets? Lucky!" Owen whistled impressed.

"My sister won them," I smiled at my sister, who beamed back.

"Ah, a fan of The Saint," Owen smiled at Tara, noticing her red hat. "I've seen a lot of those coming in today, so many tourists. Some even only came for the battle, can you believe that? That's loyalty and dedication. I've seen videos of him taking time of his busy schedule doing interviews, just to sign autographs and take pictures. He sometimes even just sat down and straight out talked to them for like an hour!"

"Really?! Lucky!" Tara pouted, but then smiled with pride. "He is simply that guy! So kind and smart and strong! He is the best!"

"Hahaha!" Owen laughed. "Well, that's my dad telling me to go back to work. Enjoy your food!"

"Thank you," we all replied together.

"The atmosphere is something else," mom commented. "Even for a big city like New Tork."

"Everyone is excited," my father replied. "The Saint had been gaining tracking in Unova for a while, but this match blew everything out of proportion. If Ash wins or even manages to draw, his face and name will be known by everyone in Unova."

"Is that good? For the... mission I mean," mom whispered to my father, but I was able to hear them.

"Dealing with... them, is different than the others. Team Galactic and the other syndicates dealt in the shadows, so that's where Ash had to take the fight to," father answered her in a low tone. "But they are different, they deal in the light and try to brainwash others into following. Unova needs a face they can trust and know to guide them."

My sister then interrupted them, spouting facts about Ash in excitement. But my thoughts were still in my parents conversation. They might have not mentioned who they were, but it was crystal clear to me. Team Plasma. Ash Ketchum was called to Unova to deal with Team Plasma and my father is helping him. My father is to wage war against the terrorist group that has been terrorizing Unova for decades.

I did not know how to feel about that.

My father is going to war... and I am traveling Unova while my region is in war.

How much more complicated can this get?

I kept quiet for the rest of the night and ignored my family's inquisitive gazes. By the next morning I was glad about the battle, this time not only because Alder was battling but because of what a great distraction it was from the upcoming war I've recently found out about.

The stadium was packed. It was expected, but what shocked me was the energy that was palpable in the air- you could almost taste it. When Champion Alder took his position on the battlefield tha stadium shook by the cheers of the crowd. However, so it did when The Saint appeared. You could hear people shouting in Japanese, English, and Alolan.

"Ash! You can do it!" Tara shouted besides me. I chuckled at her excitement but barely contained myself from joining her and cheering for Alder. "Pikachu! Charizard! Go and get them!"

"Ladies and gentlemen! We are here gathered to witness a match like no other!" The presenter began, he voice ringing through the whole stadium thanks to the speakers. "On one side, we have our own Unova Champion, Alder Adeku! The Generalist Master and the Titan of Unova!" The crowd stood up and cheered loudly, I even joined them, not being able to contain myself. "One the other side, we have the futre Champion of the Orange Islands and the Leader of the Battle Frontier in the Sevii Islands! The strongest Terrain Master, the Generalist Master, and the Ace Captain Ranger of Kanto! Ash Ketchum, The Saint!"

"Go Ash!" Tara shouted alongside so many other fans, hats being waved around the stadium- it was a red sea.

I will admit that Ash looked cool in his red coat with white fur on the collar. He wore it like a cape, as if he was a king stepping forward for war and he was ready.

"The battle will b vs 6 match, with no possiblity of returning pokemon from either side," the referee announced from his position. "Are you ready?"

"You bet I am!" Ash exclaimed to his cheering fans delight.

"Let's do this!" Champion Alder smiled back, sharing the same excitement as Ash.

"Let the battle begin!" As soon as the referee said that two Poke Balls were thrown into the air.

"Accelgor!/Pidgeot!"

"Wow! That's one majestic Pidgeot," my mom exclaimed in awe.

"That she is," my father agreed. "And a fast one, capable of flying from one side of Unova to the other in less than a day."

"That's a fact?" Tara turned to our father stunned and excited. "I thought it was just a rumor... Ash is so cool!"

"Accelgor, Water Shuriken!" Alder began the battle with a bang, Accelgor throwing two Water Shuriken towards Pidgeot. However, she dodged both of them.

"What?" I mumbled shocked when both Water Shuriken crashed against each other above Pidgeot and a shower of water rained above the Flying-type.

"Smart," my father hummed impressed. "Champion Alder infused the Water Shurikens with Acid, which is why the water had a violet hue. But it was not enought to trick Ace Captain Ash, he saw it coming."

Which he had, Pidgeot had easily protected herself with Protect and then threw a powerful Hurricane towards Accelgor. Of course, Champion Alder did not allow his pokemon to be taken out so easily. Accelgor had escaped the attack using Substitute.

"Look out!" I screamed in warning as Pidgeot was heading to Accelgor with a Brave Bird. "No!" I groaned when the attack landed and Accelgor crashed on the ground. Pidgeot had used the Hurricane as a distraction for her real attack. "What the f..."

"Trip!" My mother scolded me, stopping me from cursing in front of my little sister.

"Did you see that mom?! How was she able to charge for a Hyper Beam so fast?" I turned to her in disbelief, as Champion Alder returned his first pokemon.

"Hurricane was not only a distraction, it was also how Ace Captain Ash was able to hide the Sunny Day he had Pidgeot release before she attacked with Brave Bird," my father explained as he pointed up to the sky, which was shinning to brightly to be natural.

"How... how far ahead is he thinking?" I inquired stunned, not even paying attention as Champion Alder released his Volcarona and toarched Pidgeot with a powerful Fire Blitz, using the same Sunny Day Pidgeot had released in his favor to defeat her.

"His plans have plans," my father commented in the thoughtful way, I knew he was remembering something about work.

"Tyranitar you are next!" Ash released his second pokemon, after returning his fainted Pidgeot.

"Volcarona, use Fiery Dance!" Champion Alder commanded. Volcarona followed his orders and formed a ring of fireballs around hiss body, he then flaped his wings, launching the fireballs at Tyranitar.

"Sand Guard!" Ash shouted, confusing me. Sand Guard? That's not a move! Which ended up not being one as I had known, but it was a technique. Tyranitar summoned piles of sand and manipulated them to surround him like a shield. The Fiery Dance had no chance to penetrate his Sand Guard. "Use Dark Pulse!" Ash commanded and had his Tyranitar release ray after ray of dark energy after Volcanora, forcing the bug to take a defensive position. it was only when I noticed Volcarona being forced towards the ground that I realized Ash's plan. "Now! Stone Edge!" Tyranitar slamed his hands onto the ground, causing light blue rock pillars to appear out of the ground and rush towards Volcanora, slamming into his gut and sending him crashing... right into a... Whirlpool? "Let's finish this with a Rock Slide!" Tyranitar created white sparkles in a ring above his head, which then turn into rocks with white outlines along the creases. He then threw the rocks at Volcarona, trapping him in the Whirlpool.

"Since when can Tyranitar learn the move Whirlpool?" Tara turned to our parents in confusion.

"This is coming from a trainer whose Pikachu can learn the move Surf, are you guys really that surprise?" Mom turned to us with a deadpan.

"Well, if you say it like that..." I replied with embarrassment. But was soon distracted when Champion Alder released his iconic Bouffalant. "All right! We have this in the bag now!"

"Bouffalant! Use Mud-Slap!" Champion Alder commanded, gluing Tyranitar's feet on the ground. "Now let's finish this quickly! Use Close Combat and follow it with Superpower!"

What followed wa sa trashing of epic proportions... I did not expect a small pokemon, small in comparison to a Tyranitar, to be able to play with a Tyranitar and throw him around like a rag doll. That's Champion Alder for you! So cool!

"This is turning to be incredible!" Ash announced in excitement as he returned his Tyranitar and turned to his starter, who was perked on his shoulder. "Are you ready partner?" Pikachu nuzzled Ash's cheek, making many fans, included my sister, squeal, before jumping into the battlefield. "Wild Charge!"

"Let's do the same Bouffalant! Wild Charge!" Champion Alder commanded with an excited smirk.

Both pokemon's bodies became surrounded by a yellow light as they rushed against each other and met in the middle of the battlefield, sending yellow and red sparks as they clashed. They stayed locked for a long time but someone had to win... and to everyone's surprise it was Pikachu. Well, maybe not everyone, but Champion Alder looked as surprised as I felt when Bouffalant was sent crashing in front of him.

"Did you really expect to win against my Pikachu in an electric battle?" Ash inquired with a smirk, as Pikachu snickered. "Let's do this partner! Surf!" The move landed and caused Bouffalant to faint... but so did Pikachu. "What?!"

"Did you expect me not to have something under my sleeve?" It was now Champion Alder's turn to smirk. "Retaliate and Revenge can be quite a deadly combination." The crowd was silent for a second, before it broke into celebratory cheers. I joined them, even with my little sister groaning next to me. She was quite mad about one of her favorite pokemon being defeated so soon. "Druddigon, you are next!"

"A dragon, eh," Ash mussed with a smirk, as he place his fainted Pikachu beside him on the ground. "Then let's make this a dragon battle!" The crowd went wild knowing what this meant. "Charizard, come on out!"

The roar... it shook the bleachers and silenced the crowd. The Charizard looked as imposing as he was majestic. Strong and dangerous, I still can't believe that a pokemon that wild and powerful follows the commands of a fifteen years-old-boy. The bloodthirsty smirk on the dragon's lips had me shivering on my seat and unable to make single sound. Not that it stopped Tara, she jumped on her feet and cheered for Ash and Charizard. Soon the whole stadium followed her lead and I am sure that the cheers could be heard all the way to the other side of New Tork City.

"I've met that dragon up close and I can tell you, you do not get used to him at all," my father murmured quitely. "I've seen him tear apart Team Plasma agents with an ease that should be scary... it's like watching one of Champion Lance's pokemon."

"That's one powerful pokemon," Champion Alder praised. "But he is no dragon."

"Don't be so impatient!" Ash replied with a smile, as he took out his Key Stone Necklace from inside his shirt. "Let's Mega Evolve!" The crowd cheered even more as Mega Charizard X made his appearance. "Dragon Claw!"

"Meet it with Dragon Tail!" Champion Alder countered.

What came next was a clash of dragons. Dragon Claw vs Dragon Tail, Heat Wave vs Dragon Pulse, Steal Wing vs Metal Claw. None of them was giving an inch away to the other. It was wild, it was bloody, it was... it was amazing.

"Flash Cannon!" Champion Alder ordered.

"Burned it away with Flamethrower!" Ash shouted. "Finish it off with Draco Meteor!"

And that was all for Druddigon...

He was burried by the flaming meteors. Flaming you ask? Well, Mega Charizard X thought that it would be a nice idea to improvise and added a Fire Spin to the Draco Meteor. Burning meteors fell from the sky and left... nothing. There was NOTHING left! The battlefield was done for and Druddigon was knocked out.

"Ash will win!" Tara exclaimed beside me and... I could not tell her otherwise because the other two pokemon Champion Alder has are Vanilluxe and Escavalier. Which are in a huge disadvantage against a Charizard of Ash's level, let alone a Mega Evolved one.

As expected they lost quite fast.

Vanilluxe, poor thing, tried to put a good fight, but Mega Charizard X's Flare Blitz melted her. Mega Charizard X's body had become surrounded in a red-orange fire, and he charged towards Vanilluxe knocking her out in one move. As for Escavalier, it was Inferno the move that got to her.

As the crowd was on their feet cheering, I looked down in silence as Champion Alder and Ash shook hands. That boy was my age and he had already waged war against criminal syndicates for years. He holds to masteries and had just defeated my region's champion. Did I really once thought of him as less than me simply because of what region he was born in? What was wrong with me?

Well, it does not matter anymore. I will do better from now on. I swear it.