Stepping off the boat in which they were travelling by, our heroes have finally arrived at Hulbury Port, the area in Galar famed for oceanic transport, fishing and sea food dining. However, it seemed like the chance to sight-see would be cut short now, for a woman was talking to a crowd, and Bede was nearby. The woman looked sharp, with a red dress under a lab coat, black stalkings, straight light brown hair and red lipstick.
"Our sincerest apologies! The chairman is quite busy at the moment! Everyone, please disperse! Please leave now!" The crowd seemed to have no problem and left. However, the man in question, in very casual clothing of a white jacket, blue shorts with white polka dots, and black hat called out to them.
"No need to rush! I can still do more autographs! I'll even give you my Pokemon League Card!" But it was too late, they were gone. He groaned before turning to the woman. "We need to support our fans to keep doing what we're doing. Chasing them off like that... aren't you being a bit too harsh, Oleana?"
"Fans are very important, of course. That's why we need to keep doing our work. For their sake." Bede came up to the man and declared,
"I promise to do everything in my power to assist you too, Chairman!" However, the person he was declaring loyalty to seemed confused.
"And... you are?"
"Bede Winckler, sir." Oleana whispered. Now he remembered.
"That's right, Bede! I daresay I'm impressed how far you've come since I gave you that Hatenna all those years ago! Will you win it all, or one of those kids that beat you near the Galar Mines?" Bede's face grimaced as he defended himself.
"I will prove your faith in me was well placed, Chairman! I won't lose to anyone again! Anyway, I'll be on my way now." He took off, luckily not having seen our protagonists.
"Right. Mmm, I'm hungry. Let's go to one of those restaurants." He and Oleana walked away, leaving the teenagers what they witnessed.
"What was that?" Elaine wondered.
"Aw who cares, I want to battle Nessa!" Ash ran ahead of his friends, but when he got there... "What?! What do you mean she's not here?!" He cried out to a gym staff swimmer whom was keeping people out.
"At around this time Nessa goes to the light house there to gaze out at the ocean. It's her favorite way of focusing her mind to be as calm as a puddle without ripples, since she's both a gym leader and a model.
"Oh wow." Elaine gasped. "That must be real hard."
"Yes, there are even times one messes with the performance of the other." The woman sighed. "But she always manages to balance things out so that neither is neglected for long. Come back if she agrees to battle you."
"Well, we know what to do now." Trace shrugged. Going over to the light house, they soon spotted the water type specialist. Her dark skin looked as smooth as a water's still surface. Her long black hair with cyan highlights floated in the wind like a ship flag, and her attire fitted her type themed occupation. She wore a white, black and orange sports bra, swim shorts shorts and flip flops which had life preservers on the sides of her feet. However, without even turning around, she asked them,
"One of you must be a challenger, right?"
"How did you know?!" Elaine gasped. Nessa turned towards them with a knowing smile.
"I frequently have challengers coming here asking me to battle. I've heard of your win against Milo, Ash. Here." She handed the male trainer a card. "You'll learn about me in there."
"Oh cool." Ash grinned as he read it then put it in his jacket pocket. "And yeah, I came to request for a battle." He got his phone out.
"Very well. Let's head to the stadium then." Soon enough, Ash and Nessa stood on platforms above a field almost completely covered in water. Trace, Elaine and their Pokemon were in the stands far and high from the water, a safety precaution against any electric moves potentially hitting the audience.
"Welcome, honored Gym Challenger!" Nessa greeted Ash. "You already know, but I'm Nessa Quinones. Sorry to have made you look for me."
"It's no problem. You were easy to find." Ash told her. She smirked.
"So you would've had a problem if it was hard?" Ash realized his blunder and tried to correct himself before she laughed. "It's okay. I'm just joking. But aside from that, no matter what kind of plan you may be plotting, my partner and I will be sure to sink it. A Rotom Drone appeared.
"Welcome, welcome, welcome! You have been approved for an official Pokemon World Coronation Series Normal Class battle! The challengers here are Nessa Quinones from the Hulbury Stadium vs Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town! For today's battle, you can choose two Pokemon! When a Pokemon on either side are unable to battle, that side loses! Both challengers bring out your Pokemon!"
"Go, Cramorant!" Nessa sent out a blue bird, which wore a sitrus berry on a string around its neck.
"Staravia, I choose you!" Ash sent out what's naturally a fish's natural predator, his flying type Starling Pokemon.
"Battle begin!"
"Use Wing Attack!" Ash told his Pokemon which he obeyed, as his wings glowed white and used them to bash into the Galarian bird. The attack was strong and true, but the Gulp Pokemon ate its Sitrus berry, thus gaining back some health.
"Counter with Belch!" To our heroes' surprise and disgust, it regurgitates a yellow and purple sphere which exploded against Staravia whom was too shocked to dodge. After recovering from the attack, Staravia looked down at himself in horror from the purple slime he was covered in, and screeched as he flew down into the water, creating a splash. "Now use Fury Attack!"
"Wing Attack!" Bursting from the water, the Starling tried to go on the offense, but trying to come out of the water and the extra weight prevented it from summoning the power to withstand against the multiple pecks against him as he was assaulted back into the water, water frothing around from their struggle. Cramorant flew up into the sky while Staravia was floating in the water unconscious.
"Staravia, return!" Ash recalled his Pokemon and looked down at it regrettably. "Sorry you had to go through that."
"Ugh, sometimes the poison types and their moves can be so gross." Trace shuddered.
"Yeah." Elaine agreed. "Don't we already have enough vomit based moves already?"
"Pikachu, you're up!" Ash let his Pokemon jump off his shoulder so that she was upfront on his platform. "Thunderbolt!"
"Pikaaaachuuuu!" The electric type delivered a 4X super effective attack which sent the Gulp Pokemon falling into the water, defeated in one move.
"I was expecting you'd do that." Nessa returned her Pokemon. "And I'm down to my last Pokemon. I've been saving the best for last!" Nessa then sent out her Drednaw, a blue and brown turtle which resembled a rather large snapping turtle. "Flood the stage and make it your ocean! Drednaw, time to Dynamax!" Returning the turtle, her Dynamax Band filled her Pokeball with pink energy, which enlarged it. Throwing the Pokeball behind her, her ace Pokemon came out at a much larger size, the same 120 feet. Not to mention a different look due to gigantimaxing, having a thicker shell and its head and neck retracted in it. It stood on two legs as it roared.
"Alright Pikachu, let's give it all we got!" Ash held out his hand which had the Dynamax Band, which started to glow pink. Pikachu smiled and ran up to him, high fiving each other which gave the Mouse Pokemon Dynamax energy. She ran behind him and somersaulted into the water below before growing into her Gigantimax form.
"Ash, I know your Pokemon is capable of one shotting mine, so let's see who can make the first land first.
"Yeah!" Ash agreed as they yelled out,
"G-Max Volt Crash/G-Max Stonesurge!" Pikachu jumped into the air to start attacking while Drednaw fell forward to slam its front legs into the water covered ground, which caused power to surge through it as it struck just as the Mouse Pokemon bounced off her butt and shot lightning into the air. She struggled against what felt like the world's biggest and strongest geyser going off from underneath her, but she persisted as the clouds darkened and cackled with electricity, before lightning struck from the skies, blasting the water/rock type as the Bite Pokemon roared from the overwhelming attack zapping it with such ferocity. It was even blasted back from its legs onto its back, while shrinking in the process. Pikachu stumbled as she also returned to normal size.
"Pikachu!" Ash ran and jumped into the water, so that his partner didn't potentially drown. Reaching to her in time, he hugged his Pokemon close whom was quite hurt from that attack, but was still smiling from a triumphant victory. "Thanks Pikachu." Nessa meanwhile growled at her defeat as she shook her head.
"Guh, I got totally washed up! How can this be?!" But, instead of getting overwhelmed by the outburst, she quietly calmed down as she walked down the steps while the water drained. Walking up to Ash where he was feeding his Pokemon some Oran berries he had on hand, she spoke to him with grace. "Now that we've battled, I think I understand. Continue to seize victories in your quest with your Pokemon. You have incredible spirit I'm sure will take you to the Masters 8 and maybe even beat the champion."
"Thanks Nessa." Ash and Pikachu nodded.
"Pikapi."
Deciding to catch more Pokemon, they went to another Galar mine next to the ports, where they caught even more Pokemon. However, that's also where they met someone with a score to settle.
"You again..." It was Bede, whom walked up to the group, especially the anticipating Elaine. "I'd feel sorry for my Pokemon if I made them take part in a battle against low level opponents. I'm not in the mood to deal with weaklings right now."
"Then why are you getting all up in my face?" She asked him with a sense of coldness and sarcasm. He only smirked.
"It's a form of mercy, to crush weak opponents in their tracks, to remind them who their superior is."
"Than why did I beat you?" She sounded smug like him on purpose to tick him off, which worked.
"If you're under the misguided impression that you're stronger than me, then surely you would be up for a Pokemon battle." She grinned like him.
"About time you asked. Guys, stand back. This is a battle of rivals." Ash and Trace didn't say anything as they backed off, letting the two trainers have the space they need for battle. Bede backed up so that their battle could begin.
"It's utterly inconceivable that I, the challenger chosen by the chairman, will lose! Go, Solosis!"
"Let's go, Mawile!" Elaine sent out one of her two Hoenn region catches, whom stood confident in the face of battle.
"I see you've caught some more Pokemon. It won't matter. Use Psyshock!"
"Stop it with Crunch!" Despite being the first to do something by glowing, the Cell Pokemon was too slow as Mawile lunged at the psychic type and had her huge jaw behind her head take a big bite, nearly eating the Pokemon whole outright.
"Gah, return!" Bede withdrew his Pokemon, seeing that it could not win the struggle. "Cheap shot! You only got a little tougher! Go, Gothita!" Sending out his second Pokemon, he commanded, "Use Psybeam!" The Fixation Pokemon's eyes glowed as she fired a multi-colored beam which pushed the Deceiver Pokemon back, but she was barely effected.
"Crunch." Elaine yawned. With a lunge, she managed to once again bite into Bede's Pokemon with an overwhelming dark type move, causing Gothita sheer agony as it screamed.
Return!" Bede growled. "Go, Ponyta!" To the Kantonians' surprise, the familiar name to them did not look like their region's own, for it more resembled that of a unicorn with white skin and a cotton candy like mane.
"Aww, that's sooooo adorable!" Elaine gushed from how pretty it was, but this only irked Bede off even more.
"Hey, this is a battle! Don't oogle at my Pokemon! Use Fairy Wind!" The Unique Horn Pokemon breathed out a gust filled with sparkles that breezed past Mawile, whom barely noticed it aside from the flapping of her huge jaw. "What?!"
"Mawile's a steel/fairy type Bede. What, did the chairman not teach you your type tables?" She now started mocking him, really getting under his skin, especially when she ordered, "Let's not damage that luscious mane so use Iron Head!" Charging forward, the steel/fairy type had her head glow white before bashing into Ponyta, sending it flying into one of the walls of the mine, taking his Pokemon out in one hit again. Returning his Pokemon, Bede trembled with rage as he held up his last Pokemon.
"You... you dare make fun of me? ...You think you've got me cornered? Well let me tell you pathetic trainer!" He started yelling. "I'll show you how underestimating me is a grave mistake! Go, Hatenna!" Sending out his ace, he demanded, "Use Psybeam!"
"Dodge then use Crunch!" Jumping over the incoming attack, Mawile's second jaw bit down on the Calm Pokemon, whom was no longer calm as it tried to escape, but one last chew made it faint as the Deceiver Pokemon threw it back at Bede's feet, utterly humiliating him. Returning his ace, it looked like he was about to explode in fury, but somehow the antagonistic boy kept his cool as he swept his hair.
"That doesn't count. You were making me angry just to lose focus. A superior trainer doesn't resort to mind games."
"A superior trainer wouldn't have fallen for said mind games anyway." Elaine countered with a triumphant smile while sticking her tongue out and pulling at her eyelid. Bede trembled, but he still didn't lose his cool. At the moment.
"Whatever. I guess you're not weak, you just lack talent, resorting to nothing but type advantage and mind games. If you think that will get you even as far as Great Class, you're sorely mistaken. Heck, I'll give you my league card as a reward." He handed her a card of himself. "Don't say I never did something nice for you. Later." He walked off, leaving our heroes behind. Elaine went to her Pokemon and petted her as a sign of congrats.
"You were awesome Mawile. You took all his Pokemon down in one hit!"
"Mawile." She sounded very proud and appreciative.
"That was awesome Elaine." Ash complimented his girlfriend. "I've never seen such a one sided battle!"
"He's just nothing but hot air." Trace shrugged with an amused grin. "He's not even worth our time. But why would he give you a card?"
"I don't know." On the front was him looking like his cocky arrogant self, but on the other side had a description. "Bede spent some time living in an orphanage after his family ran into some trouble when he was young. He always had difficulty getting along with others and would constantly get into fights. That is until one day Chairman Rose visited the facility. Rose gave Bede a Pokémon, which changed Bede's life forever. He showed talent as a Trainer and threw himself into Pokémon battles, becoming stronger by the day. He has joined the Gym Challenge with an endorsement from the chairman himself, and Bede plans to prove that the chairman's faith was not misplaced." All three of were taken off guard by the written history explaining Bede's background. This turned awkward.
"Wow, he hasn't had the best life." Ash scratched his head.
"Pika." Said Pikachu with a downput tone. Trace shook his head with his eyes closed.
"Now I feel sort of guilty saying he wasn't worth our time."
"Maybe." Elaine nodded, before proceeding to shake her head as she threw the card away. "Just because he has a sad childhood doesn't mean he can just harass others and rub his endorsement in people's faces. He's being a jerk because of his superiority complex. I'm not going to screw with him anymore, but I'm not going to sympathize with him either."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Trace shrugged. "He is quite a jerk. He definitely needed to be taken down a peg or two. Right Eevee?"
"Vee!" She answered back with a nod.
"Yeah, there's no need to think about him." Ash added. "We just need to focus on catching Pokemon and getting stronger."
"Pikachu!" His partner agreed. Elaine smiled.
"Yeah. When we battle again, I'll sure give it to him straight." Taking her phone out, she gasped with pleasant delight.
"Hey guys, we're going back home to Kanto. Our next gym leader is the Vermilion gym leader... Janet Visquez?" She was confused.
"I thought Lt. Surge ran that gym." Ash questioned.
"So did I. Well, I'm sure we'll learn why when we get there."
A/N: Remember kids, don't bully others just because you had a rough childhood. People may give you sympathy, but being a jerk is not excusable behavior. Get some help. Anyway, I read on Bulbapedia that Visquez's name and appearance is reference of Private Vasquez in the Aliens movies, so I thought why not give her an alternate first name based off her actress's real name, Jenette Goldstein? Seemed like a good way to add to the reference. So, how was this chapter? Good right?