Chapter 5: Let the Preliminaries Begin!
Up on the docks, Ash and the others saw the island in their view. "There it is, Ever Grande City!" Brock points to the mainland.
After weeks of training, Ash was more pumped than ever to compete.
"What do you think Pikachu?" Ash asks.
"Pika!" Pikachu smiles thinking it was amazing.
They made it the day before the competition. Like the Grand Festival, the first day would be the start of the preliminary matches.
At the Pokémon Center, the first thing that they did was register.
"Wow Ash these rooms are almost as nice as the Grand Festival hotel." May said impressed.
"That's one of the perks of being in the leagues. They treat pamper the trainers and company with the utmost care." Ash said.
"Well I can't wait to try some of these amazing restaurants nearby." May said looking at the guidebook.
"Trainers get to eat free here don't they?" Max asks.
"Oh yeah." Ash smiles loving that rule.
"Well what are waiting for, lead the way!" May said pushing Ash out the door.
"Uh May aren't you forgetting something?" Max asks stopping her.
"Uh I don't think so." May said.
"Until Ash finishes registration, you don't get the free food." Brock points out.
"O-oh..right," she nervously laughs at her blunder.
"Sorry May, but I just need a few more minutes." Ash chuckles.
Walking back to the counter, May then sighed.
"Man I was so excited." May said.
Looking over at Ash, she couldn't help but think about her at the Grand Festival. Ash looked so ready, so prepared, and ready. Like he knew he was going to make it. But unlike her, he had the backup and the team to do it.
Another difference between the two of them.
"Hey May." Ash called out snapping her out of her thoughts.
"Huh? Oh what's up?" She asked.
"I'm all signed up. So where do you want to go for lunch?" Ash asks.
"There's this great Ramen restaurant in town." May quickly opened her guidebook to show him. "It's the most popular one in Hoenn that there's multiple chains around the entire region."
"Sounds good to me." Max said.
"I could eat." Brock smiles.
All of them left the center to get their Ramen on. However to their confusion, May almost led them into what seemed to be an abandoned area.
"May you really need to check the dates on these maps of yours." Max scolds.
"But this can't be right, this is in the current year," May said confused looking at the book.
Looking at it, Brock removes a smudge on the date revealing the year was off.
"Whoops." May cringed.
"Ugh, May!" Ash face palmed.
"Pika.." Pikachu sighs.
"My sister ladies and gentlemen.." Max groans
"Shut up! I didn't hear you offering directions Mr. Poke Nav!" May snaps.
"Hmm well maybe because you didn't even asked?!" Max argued.
"Guys calm down. It's fine." Ash said stopping her. "If it's as good as May said I bet they just moved the place."
"Yeah, let's just look around and ask for help. Someone's bound to know where it's located now." Brock said.
"Besides this place isn't that big we'll find it." Ash said.
Calming down the siblings, they asked for help amongst the civilians. And each gave a direction that could be totally different to the last person they just talked to.
"Does anyone know their way around this place?" Max groans.
May's stomach then grumbled loudly. "Guys, I don't think I can walk much longer.." She whined.
"Yeah I'm getting hungry too." Ash admits.
"I'm so hungry I'm starting to see food.." May looked up thinking she was hallucinating and saw a giant rice ball rolling down the hill towards them. "Look, that guy looks like a rice ball.."
"Wow I'm so hungry I see it." Max said seeing it get closer.
"I'm so hungry I-oof!" Ash was cut off when it landed right into his hands. "I-I can feel it!"
"Wait that IS a giant rice ball?" Brock said surprised.
"Alright, the God's of Pokémon heard our calling!" May squealed in delight.
"HEY LAY OFF IT, IT'S MINE!" A loud, brash and familiar voice shouted out in the distance coming up towards them.
From a dust cloud behind him came a young round boy with orange hair in a ponytail, wearing traditional Japanese attire.
"Morrison?" Ash said surprised as he ran over to grab the rice ball.
"That's mine! I dropped it on the way here!" Morrison cried out.
"Oh man really? So much for our lunch." May groans.
"Whoa Ash? Guys it's you." Morrison said coming to a stop.
"Hey Morrison, you made it," Ash smiled.
"Did you finally get your last badge?" Brock asked.
"Oh yeah, and boy did it take a long while to get it than I thought it would," Morrison said taking out a blue badge.
"So that means you're competing too." May smiles happy for him.
"You bet I am and with the training I've done. I'm ready to win." Morrison grins.
"I wouldn't say that," Ash said getting his attention. "I've been training for weeks and if anyone's winning this competition, it's gonna be me."
"Oh is that right? Well I hope you can handle the competition Ash." Morrison said eager for a rematch.
"I can handle anything the league throws at me." Ash declares when something flew in and swiped Morrison's rice ball.
"Huh?!" Looking up they saw a wild Murkrow had stolen the onigiri.
"Hey! Come back here you little thief!" Morrison yells.
Morrison pushed past his friends ti catch his sandwich swiper. "Morrison, wait up!" Ash ssid running after them with everyone else.
Racing through the streets, they chased after the Murkrow not taking their eyes off it.
"Pikachu, shoot it down with your Thunderbolt." Ash tells his starter.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu yells firing a bolt of electricity zapping Murkow and as a result, burning the onigiri.
"No! My lunch!" Morrison cried before snapping his head at Ash. "Thanks alot! I was looking forward to that all day long!"
"Oh man Morrison I am so sorry. I'll make it up to you I promise." Ash cringed.
"How?! Where are going to to eat now?" Morrison asks when May gasps.
"How about at the best ramen place in town?" May points.
"May this again?" Max groaned. "We don't know where it is."
"Yes we do." May points in front of them, revealing a restaurant with a bowl of noodles as the logo.
"We found it." May declares.
"That Murkrow unintentionally solved our problem," Brock said surprised.
"Come on Morrison I'll get you a bowl to make up for ruining your lunch." Ash offers.
"Now you're talking," Morrison said dropping his anger.
Heading inside, all of them got big bowls of ramen noodles to enjoy.
"Mmm, I am stuffed," May sighed holding her belly.
"May this was a great call. We're gonna have to come back here again." Ash said.
"I know I am," Morrison said just finishing his 4th bowl. "Phew! Now its time to work off those calories! Gotta stay in shape for the competition tomorrow."
"See you at the preliminaries Morrison. Hope you win." Ash said.
"You know it Ash. And you better not lose either. Not until you face me at least." Morrison smirks.
"2 words. Bring it." Ash smirked back.
Making his way out, Morrison was more pumped than ever.
"We now go live as the Torch Runner is beginning his run to the Ever Grande Stadium." The news anchor said as they saw the Torch runner on TV.
"The Torch Runner?" May asks.
"Every league has one. The flame of the torch is to symbolize each and every trainer's spirit as it burns throughout the entirety of the competition." Brock explains.
"Brock and I were actually Torch Runners once." Ash points out.
"Seriously?" Max gasped.
"Oh yeah, during Ash's very first Pokémon league competion," Brock smiled at the memory. "It was an honor."
"Oh man I wish I could be a torch runner." Max said.
"You know mom and dad would ground you if they saw you doing that." May points out.
"Must you ruin everything for me?" Max mutters.
"Comes with the job of being the mature and elder sibling," May boasted.
"Elder yes, mature no." Max grumbled.
"Sorry Max but I think you need to at least be old enough to complete in order to run with the torch." Ash said.
"And here we are with next two men the behind the competition. First up President of the Pokemon League committee Mr. Charles Goodshow!" On television they see an elderly man with grey beard wearing a backwards baseball cap.
"And there he is to watch it." Ash smiles happy to see him again.
"Mr. Goodshow, let me first just say that it's an honor to meet you in person, and what do you think about our roster lf competitors this year?" The interviewer asks.
"I think that there are plenty of young, fine trainers and I am very eager to see them all compete." Goodshow smiles.
"Any scouting for this year's winner?" The news reporter asks.
"I like to keep an open mind about that spot because you never know which determined youngster is gonna fight their way to the top." Goodshow said.
Ash smiles, wishing to be that person.
"And speaking of winners, here's something you trainers should be looking forward to: the winner of the Competition will have the honor of entering the Champion League."
"That's where whoever wins the Conference gets to challenge the Elite 4," Ash recalls.
"Oh man that means the winner of the League could have a chance to battle guys like Drake or Wallace." Max realized.
Speaking of Wallace..
"And right with Mr. Goodshow is another familiar face, it's our own champion himself! Wallace!"
"Hello Hoenn League trainers." Wallace smiles joining Goodshow next to him.
"He's here?" Ash said surprised.
"Tell us Wallace. When the winner of this year's competition will be crowned. Do you believe he or she will rise to the top of your fellow Elite 4 members and make it all of the way to you?"
"Any trainer who can make it to the Champion League is already exceptional in my belief, but if a trainer hopes to challenge me then they will need to show that they can rise to the challenge because make no mistake even if said trainer is able to win today the Champion League will not be a cakewalk. It is like no challenge you have ever faced before. In it, you and your Pokemon will be pushed to your limits and well beyond. I welcome that challenge to anyone who can face those challenges and climb the ranks." Wallace declares.
"There you have it ladies and gentlemen. Two legends, wanting all trainers to give it their all for tomorrow. And as do I. To everyone, good luck, good battling and good night." The reporter said ending the broadcast.
"Man do those guys know how to do an interview." May said.
"I bet they inspired every trainer who was watching that." Brock said.
Turning to Ash, May saw a quiet and determined look on his face.
His eyes were glued to the screen with intense.
'Even if I win the League an even tougher challenge awaits.' Ash thought.
And he wonders if all of the training has done has been perfected and finalized.
The night before the league began everyone was in their rooms resting.
As May walks out of the bathroom in her pajamas she noticed the balcony light was on.
"Hm?" Walking up to it, she saw Ash in his nightwear looking out to the city, while on the railing. "Ash?
"May?" Ash said turning to her surprised. "What are you still doing up?"
"I could ask you the same thing." May said walking up next to him.
"Oh, I was just thinking." Ash said turning back to the city.
"About what?" May asks interested.
"If I'm really ready." He answers.
"What are you talking about? Of course you're ready." May said.
"That's what I wanna think." Ash said looking at the stadium off in the distance. "I told you before this is gonna be my 3rd league competion, right?"
"Yeah?" May recalls.
"Well looking back at them now, I came to realise all of the stuff I did wrong." Ash said thinking back to each of his league competions.
In his rookie days at the Indigo League, Ash had a stroke of beginners luck. Since he barely trained his Pokémon, it was crazy to believe he made it past the preliminary rounds. But everything came to a crashing halt when he got to round 5.
Back when he faced his old friend Ritchie, all of his Pokémon were too weak and tired to battle. Then when he was down to his last Pokémon, it was a desperate move but he called out his Charizard, which was disobedient at the time. No matter how many times Ash pleaded, Charizard wouldn't budge from his sleepy and has gotten Ash eliminated.
That moment gave Ash a big reality check that he can't rely on luck and he has to be serious when it comes to Pokémon Training.
Then in the Johto League, he had improved a little, but throughout the league whenever a strategy of his was ruined it was a struggle to pull off a win.
And then when he battled Harrison and lost Ash realized wanting it wasn't enough.
2 leagues he failed and gained 2 powerful lessons from them.
"What if I mess up again or what if I lose? And even if I do win how do I know I'm ready for the Champion League?" Ash asks.
May looked at her friend and suddenly it hit her. He was acting exactly like she was before and during the Grand Festival.
"I'll tell what you do." May said getting his attention. "You go out there and battle as hard as you can. You've been preparing for this since you got here and are you going to let something like this shake you up?"
"What? No I was just thinking about the thing with Wallace and what he said." Ash said.
"And what did he tell you?" May asks.
"To show him that I can rise to the challenge." Ash repeats what Wallace said on tv.
"Well then you better use this chance wisely huh?" May said playfully nudging. "Show him that he didn't waste his time helping you."
Ash stopped before chuckling. "What am I doing? I'm being schooled by my own student and I'm the mentor."
"Correction former student. I'm on my own path now." May teases.
"Right, right. Thanks May." Ash said.
"Anytime Ash." May said. May walked back inside to go to bed, leaving Ash back to his lonesome.
Smiling softly, Ash was filled with the drive to win no doubt in his mind whatsoever.
"Alright Wallace. You want to face a strong trainer? You're getting one." He said turning away to head to bed, ready to take tomorrow by storm.
The next day, fireworks went off as the preliminaries began and trainers flocked ready to battle.
Here's how the preliminary rounds go down in this league.
Each Trainer participates in one preliminary battle. Only one Pokémon may be used during the battle and the winner advances to the qualifying rounds.
And one of the first battles was Morrison who had chosen to use Beldum against his opponent and his Electabuzz.
"Alright, Beldum let's do this." Morrison said going with his partner.
"Beldum." Beldum said ready.
"Beldum? Oh man talk about an easy win Electabuzz." Jump grins.
"Elec." Electabuzz grins arrogantly just like its trainer.
"Begin!" The referee starts off the match.
"Beldum, use Take Down!" Morrison's Beldum charged at Electabuzz with great force.
"I knew it! That's all you can do! Electabuzz Protect!" Creating a small barrier Electabuzz deflects the attack.
"Oh man Beldum is in a tight spot. Since it only knows Take Down, Morrison has to be careful." Brock said.
"He'll figure something out." Ash said.
"I'm not going down that easy, Take down again!" Morrison yells as Beldum recovered and flew towards Electabuzz once more.
"Block it Electabuzz!" Putting his hands up Electabuzz blocks the attack. "Now knock him back!"
While Beldum was still shaken up from Take Down, Electabuzz knocks it back sending him crashing into the floor again.
"Beldum stay strong! Take Down!" Morrison said as Beldum launched itself.
"Here it comes! Use Thunderpunch!" Swinging his fist Electabuzz nails Beldum smashing it against the wall.
Morrison then yelled, "Get back up Beldum! We're not through yet!" In an instant, Beldum sprung out of the rubble. "Now use Take Down again! Make it hurt!"
"You really don't know when to give up! Block it again!" Taking a defensive stance, Electabuzz took the attack head on stopping Beldum. "Gotcha! Now Quick Attack!"
Grabbing Beldum, Electabuzz sprinted towards the wall ramming Beldum against it.
"Not done yet, hit'em with Take Down!" Morrison said, which this time, pushes Electabuzz back.
"Wow finally you're fighting back instead of trying KO yourself! Electabuzz, Thunderbolt!" Jump shouts. Once it gotten close, Electabuzz grabbed a hold of Beldum and shocked it within range, making it fly backwards.
"Beldum!" Morrison gasps.
At this point Morrison's opponent was just messing with him and using Beldum like a punching bag.
"Come on Morrison, you gotta think of something!" Max yells.
"Beldum! Don't let these guys push you around! You're stronger than them! I know you are!" Morrison calls out.
Hearing his trainer's encouraging words, Beldum was slow to get up.
"You should have stayed down! Electabuzz Thunderpunch!" Jump said as Electabuzz dove in for the finisher.
"Beldum stay strong!" Morrison yells as Beldum's body glowed right before impact sending Electabuzz flying backwards.
"What in the?" Jump gasps as Beldum grew in size gaining an entire body with two arms.
"Metang!"
"Beldum evolved." Morrison smiles widely.
"Oh he's in trouble now." Max grins.
"When Beldum evolves not only does it get stronger but it also gains a few new attacks." Brock said.
"It doesn't matter if you evolved! I'm still gonna win! Electabuzz Thunderpunch!"
"Oh no you don't! Metang use Confusion!" Morrison yells.
With glowing eyes, Metang traps Electabuzz where he stood. "Buzz?!" Electabuzz questioned as Thunderpunch died out.
"Alright now finish with one big Take Down!" Metang locks its arms into place, and rockets towards its immobilized foe, knocking Electabuzz down for the count.
"Electabuzz!" Jump screamed, looking at Electabuzz with swirly eyes.
"Electabuzz is unable to battle! Metang wins, and the victory goes to Morrison!"
"What a comeback! This match started off one-sided but Morrison turned this battle around and won!" The announcer said.
"We did it Metang!" Morrison smiles hugging his newly evolved Pokemon.
"Metang! Metang!" Metang's eyes lit up, crying out in happiness.
"Boy talk about lucky Beldum evolved when it did." May said.
"Luck had nothing to do with it." Ash said.
Morrison walked up to the stands. "How was that? Was I good or what?"
"That was impressive." Ash said.
"Hey guys Wally is about to battle next." Max said looking at the monitor.
Eager to see how he's handling up, the group hurried out of the stadium to catch his match in Stadium E.
The battle had already started and Wally's opponent had a Tauros while Wally had a Roselia by his side.
"Tauros, Horn Attack!" Tauros charged at Roselia with its head down and horns glowing white.
"Roselia, jump and then use Toxic!" Wally said. Roselia spun up in the air, avoiding Tauros.
"Rose!" Aiming it's blue rose at it, Roselia lets out a purple liquid that rained onto Tauros.
"Tauros, get out of there!" The trainer said, but was too late. A purple hue appeared on Tauros face, meaning it was poisoned badly.
"A Roselia?" May gasps not expecting one of those.
"Now Magical Leaf!" While it was still in the air Rosealia sent a barrage of glowing leaves down on Tauros.
"Use Flamethrower!" A streak of flames appeared out of Tauros's mouth and burned the leaves coming his way.
"Roselia dodge it!" Wally said as Roselia spun again to avoid it.
"You can't dodge forever! Tauros Take Down!" Charging in at full speed Tauros rams into Roselia sending it flying.
"Roselia, Dazzling Gleam!" Wally said. Roselia's body becomes surrounded in a field of rainbow-colored energy, which expands outwards and hits Tauros.
"What was that?" Ash said never hearing of that attack before.
May took her PokéDex out. "Dazzling Gleam. A Fairy Type move. The user damages opposing Pokémon by emitting a powerful flash."
"Fairy type?" May said intrigued.
Never heard of that one before. Tauros ran trying to avoid the attack but there were too many.
"We got you, use Magical Leaf!" Wally said.
"Rose!" Roselia blasts multicolor leaves out of its leaves as they pelted Tauros, making the remains of Dazzling Gleam smash into him as well.
"Wow is that the same nervous guy who thought he wasn't guy who thought he was going home in round 1?" Brock said amazed.
"Looks like your talk sure got to him Ash." Max said.
"Well I can't take all the credit." Ash said.
"Now Roselia use Energy Ball!" Creating a glowing green sphere Roselia throws sending Tauros falling to the ground with swirly eyes.
"Tauros is unable to battle, Roselia wins! The victory goes to Wally!"
"I did it. We're going to the next round Roselia." Wally smiles.
"Rose." Roselia happily hugs its trainer.
"Whoa that guy isn't half bad." Morrison admits.
"And here he was thinking he wasn't going to get past round 1." May said.
Next was Steven's turn and on his opponent's side was Arcanine while he had Aggron by his side.
"Arcanine, use Flame Wheel!"
"Ar!" Arcanine's body was engulfed in flames as it charged right at the armored dinosaur.
"Aggron Stone Edge!" Steven said as Aggron released a barrage of stones tripping up Arcanine's path.
"Now use Dragon Claw!" Aggron's claws glowed bright green, slashing Arcanine right in the face.
"Amazing! Even with a disadvantage Steven's Aaggron is taking everything Arcanine can throw at him!" The announcer said.
"Now use Iron Tail!" Steven said as Aggron's tail glowed to bring it down on Arcanine.
"Use Extreme Speed!" Arcanine's body glowed and quickly jumped out of the way in the nick of time
"Gron." Aggron looks to see Arcanine running circles around him.
"Arcanine is giving Aggron a hard time keeping up with wherever he might stop." The announcer said.
"Man that Arcanine is just too fast for Aggron." Max said.
"If Steven can figure out how to slow it down he might have a shot." Brock said.
Keeping his cool, Steven concocted a plan to win him this battle. "Aggron, use Stone Edge on the ground!"
"Aggron!" Aggron punched his fist into the floor, and instead of the normal stones, large blue glowing stalagmites popped out of the floor, slowing down Arcanine. Making it lose its momentum of its speed.
"Now Thunderbolt!" From the tip of his horn, Aggron released a bolt of electricity zapping Arcanine making it scream in pain and crash into a rock.
"Awesome! I didn't knew Stone Egde could be used like that!" Max said blown away.
"Man and I thought Steven was good back on Dewford Island." Ash said amazed.
"Hmph big deal. My Steelix is way tougher than that thing." Morrison said pretending to not be impressed.
"Arcanine get back up and use Flamethrower!" Arcanine growled and breathed out flames from its mouth.
"Behind the rocks!" Steven said as Aggron ran behind the stalagmites lessening the damage from the attack.
"Now use Rock Smash!" Fist glowing, Aggron punches the stalagmite, breaking it into millions of pieces.
"Arcanine Flame Wheel!" Surrounding itself with flames Arcanine charged through the rocks and rammed into Aggron.
"Endure it, Aggron!" Steven said.
Cringing in pain, Aggron took the attack and grabs Arcanine by the mane surprising it and his trainer.
"What the?!"
"Now Hyper Beam!" Lifting up Arcanine, Aggron gathers energy in its mouth that forms into an orange ball of energy. The ball turns into a beam of energy which blasts Arcanine at point blank range.
Crashing to the ground, Arcanine groans with swirly eyes.
"Arcanine is unable to battle! Aggron is the winner! The winner of the match is Steven!" The ref declares.
"He took the attack so that his Pokemon could land an even bigger attack." May said amazed.
"That Steven Stone is incredible," Brock said impressed.
After seeing Steven, Morrison, and Wally battle, Ash and Pikachu were extremely motivated to win their battle.
Which their battle happens to be next in Stadium A.
"Our next preliminary battle will be between Gilbert from Nioche Town and Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!" The referee says.
Ash's opponent Gilbert was a young man wearing a karate gi and red head band. "Select your Pokémon!"
"I choose, Hitmonlee!" Gilbert said throwing out the kicking Demon Pokémon.
"Hitmonlee!" Hitmonlee shouts out.
"Pikachu you're up." Ash said starting the league off with his go too Pokemon.
"Pika." Pikachu said running forward.
"And begin!"
"Hitmonlee Mega Kick!" Gilbert said as Hitmonlee went on the attack.
"Pikachu Iron Tail!" Ash said as Pikachu swings his tail blocking the kick.
"Hitmonlee, Blaze Kick!" Hitmonlee's leg glowed red before bursting into flames, swinging it at Pikachu.
"Dodge!" Pikachu leans back, avoiding the leg as it moves right above his face, missing his nose completely.
"You're fast but so are we! Hi Jump Kick!" Jumping back Hitmonlee leaps across the arena.
"Keep dodging Pikachu!" Pikachu avoided Hitmonlee's advantages gracefully until he was met with his back agaisnt the wall.
"Hit!" Hitmonlee raised his knee high to strike him. Unfortunately for him, Ash grinned.
"Now launch yourself off the wall!" Once jumping onto the wall backwards, Pikachu made sure his tail lands first, springing him into the air as Hitmonlee hits the wall with his knee.
"Lee!" He cringed in pain.
"Nice. Since they managed to dodge that Hi Jump Kick Hitmonlee took a ton of damage." Max said.
"But why is Ash only using Iron Tail? If he used Thunderbolt Hitmonlee wouldn't even get close." May asks.
"It looks to me, Ash dosen't need it," Brock said, confusing them.
"What? But that's their go to move." Max said
"I think Ash is doing this to prove he can win with one move just like Morrison did." Brock smiles
"Hitmonlee, Mega Kick!" Gilbert shouts.
"Monlee!" Sweeping his leg Hitmonlee nails Pikachu in the chest.
"Monlee!" However Hitmonlee still he feels pain while doing so. And that gave Ash the ticket he needed to finish this.
"Quick Pikachu, Iron Tail!" He yelled out. Swinging his tail upwards Pikachu whacks Hitmonlee in the face sending him flying.
"Hitmonlee!" Hitmonlee hits the pavement and didn't get back up, because he had just fainted.
"Hitmonlee is unable to battle, Pikachu wins! The victory goes to Ash Ketchum!" The referee announced, giving cheers from the audience.
"And he's done it! Ash Ketchum has won the first battle and will be moving onto the next round!" The announcer declares.
Ash and Pikachu happily embraced one another. "You were awesome Pikachu, now I know we're gonna make it to the top."
"Pipikachu!" Pikachu happily cried out.
"As we move onto the qualifiers all trainers should report to the main stadium for the final part in the opening ceremony." The announcer said.
It didn't take long until all 256 trainers who made it past their preliminary battles all gathered around in the main stadium.
As the day was ending, everyone looked to see the Torch Runner running into the stadium and up the steps.
"And now this years runner will light the flames frol the legendary Pokémon, Moltres at the central torch."
Making his way to the top, the runner lights the flame igniting the central torch.
Looking up at the flame, every trainer in the stadium felt a spark of inspiration seeing that flame rise up.
The Ever Grande Conference was about to begin.
Next Time: Time for the Qualifiers! (Part 1)
