"Guys look, that Slowpoke, it has a yellow tail!" Goh said excitedly leaning out of the cab.
"And you'll see it a lot sooner if you wait until we land." Chloe said, grabbing Goh, and pulling him back in.
"You've been awfully quiet Ash, is everything alright?" Serena asked.
"Honestly, I don't know. For the first time in a long time, I just don't know if I'm ready." Ash said.
"If anyone is worthy of being at this dojo, it's you." Goh said.
"The dojo isn't the hard part, it's facing Mustard, the master of the dojo, and learning from him." Ash said.
"Just don't do crazy about it, we're only here for the week." Serena reminded him.
"Well, here you kids are. Enjoy your stay here." The cab driver said, opening the door.
"So, step one is catching one of this Slowpoke." Goh said grabbing a Pokeball.
"No, step one is going to the dojo. Unless you brought camping equipment, that's where we're staying." Chloe reminded.
"Shouldn't be to hard to get to, I saw it on the flight in." Serena said, grabbing a few of their bags.
As they approached the dojo, they saw a woman in a green sweater out front.
"You must be our guests from Kanto. I'm Honey, the mom of sorts around here." Honey said shaking their hands. "Now let me see if I can get this right. Goh. Chloe. Serena. And you must be Ash." Honey said, guessing each name correctly. "Come inside, everyone's waiting to meet you."
"She's good." Ash whispered.
"Oh I'm better than good." Honey responded.
As they entered the dojo, they saw many other trainers in yellow gis. Except for four. A young boy in a pink sweater, an older man in a green jacket, with the yellow gi underneath, a girl with pink hair in a very colorful outfit, and a lanky boy with a top hat and blonde hair.
"Welcome to the Master Dojo. My name is Mustard." The old man said.
"It's nice to meet you master Mustard." Ash said. "I hope this isn't brash, but I'd like to train with you."
"That's why all of these trainers are here, but before we begin. Let's get you four settled in. Klara you take Serena and Chloe to the girls quarters, and Avery, you lead Ash and Goh." Mustard said.
Ash and Serena looked at Mustard in shock, it had been years since someone had guessed either of their genders correctly.
"Please, I've been around long enough. Despite how you look on the outside, you are who you are on the inside." Mustard said.
A bit later, the trainers regrouped in the main part of the dojo.
"Now, as we have special guests with us for the week, I believe we shall issue up a new challenge to restore the islands armor." Mustard said. "However before we begin, there needs to be a change of attire." Mustard said. "Here are your uniforms, they signify unity of the school."
"Thank you very much." The four trainers responded.
"Now onto the challenge. The first is a test of speed. Each of my Slowpoke have four ribbons on them. Only the twelve trainers with a ribbon will proceed." Mustard said.
"Taking a ribbon off of a Slowpoke, how is that fast." Goh said.
"These are no ordinary Slowpoke. Observe." Mustard said blowing a whistle.
The three Slowpoke sped off knocking Goh into the air into the process.
"Work with your Pokémon to gain a ribbon, I wish you each the best of luck." Mustard said.
In the Kitchen
"Oh, Serena, I didn't think you'd still be here." Honey said, stirring a pot.
"Here let me help." Serena said.
"Don't you want to train with the others though?" Honey asked.
"I actually heard you know how to make Max Bands, and I was wondering if I could get you to make me one." Serena said politely.
"If you want one, you need to prove it." Honey said pointing a spoon at Serena. "There are three kinds of soup that allow regular Pokémon to Gigantamax, make all three and we can look into getting you a Max Band." Honey said.
Ash saw all the trainers have their Pokémon run, fly or even set traps to get one of the ribbons.
"You guys have a plan?" Ash asked.
"Yep." Chloe said. "Eevee use Copycat!"
"No ones faster than Golurk's rockets." Goh said triumphantly.
"We can't let them have all the fun. Let's go Pikachu!" Ash said as the two ran into the wetlands.
Ash dodged over and under Pokémon and their attacks as everyone was trying to either get a flag, or stop someone else from getting one.
"Alright Pikachu speed up with Quick Attack!"
"Slowbro use Shell Side Arm!"
As Pikachu sped up it was knocked away by a shell, only this one was on the Slowbro's hand.
"Hey what's the big idea!" Ash yelled.
"The big idea is you saying you wanted to train with Master Mustard as soon as you entered the dojo. That's not how things work here, and now I'll be sure you don't continue on. An outsider like you shouldn't even be given the chance to restore the armor." Klara said.
"If you wanted a battle, all you had to do was ask." Ash said. "Pikachu use Thunderbolt!"
"Slowbro use Water Pulse!"
The water swirled around Pikachu's attack, striking the yellow mouse. While it momentarily stunned him, the attack did little as Slowbro was blasted back.
"What! But the last attack did so much more!" Klara pouted.
"You caught us off guard last time. This time you aren't so lucky. Pikachu use Iron Tail!"
"Slowbro use Shell Side Arm!"
Slowbro quickly blocked Pikachu's attack with its shell.
"Pikachu might be fast, but with my Slowbro's ability, he can attack just as quickly." Klara gloated.
"But can he re-attack?" Ash questioned. "Pikachu! Spin it around!"
Pikachu spun himself in midair, striking Slowbro's arm from below, sending it flying into the nearby stream.
"Slowbro!" Klara whined running after it.
"Alright Pikachu, let's keep going!" Ash said as the two began running again.
Elsewhere is the marsh
"Goh! Watch where you're going!" Chloe complained as Golurk bounced after a Slowpoke, sending the murky water flying all over her and Eevee.
"Pity that he's going about this so backwards." Avery said, completely dry. "No matter, Master Mustard will see this foolish display and he will never get the chance at restoring our armor.
Meanwhile on Golurk.
"I can't believe this is working!" Goh cracked up, tossing his fishing line with a Pokeball at the end into the swamp.
'Tympole has been added to your Pokédex. Wooper has been added to your Pokédex. Skorupi has been added to your Pokédex. Comfee has been added to your Pokédex. Poliwhirl has been added to your Pokédex.' Goh's phone chimed.
"Oh hey, a ribbon." Goh said, looking at his line. "Guess I made the cut.
Pikachu tackled a Slowpoke, the two tumbling before the Slowpoke sped off again.
"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed, holding up a ribbon.
"Slowbro look." Klara said, as a ribbon fell in front of them.
"I'll be taking this." Avery said as he psychically lifted a Slowpoke up grabbing a ribbon.
"Vee vee vee vee." Eevee panted, chasing after the Slowpoke. Finally tearing a ribbon off of it.
Back at the dojo
"Congratulations to all of you who have made it to the second round. Go ahead and clean up, Honey has dinner prepared." Mustard said.
"Hey, you all made it." Serena said.
"Yeah, where were you?" Ash asked.
"Working on my own goal for this trip, don't worry about that." Serena said.
On the beach
"I can't believe it, I'm home." The mysterious Pokémon said in shock. "No, it looks like home, and smells like home, but something isn't right, I'm not at my home, but perhaps this one can still help me. I just need to find that TrainOr."