"Toothbrush?" Serena asked.

"Check." Ash said.

"Binder?" Serena asked.

"Check." Ash said.

"Ticket?" Serena asked.

"Check." Ash responded.

"Are you sure you don't want us to come with you?" Chloe asked.

"Check, I mean yeah. My last match against Marshall was in front of hundreds of people, and I don't want that to be the case this time." Ash said. "Cilan is meeting up with me, and then we're heading to the dragon village to meet up with Iris. She said that it's all set up for when I get there, and Marshall will arrive tomorrow." Ash said calmly.

"You sure this is how you want to do it?" Goh asked.

"I'm tired of waiting for them to show up, so like Kiawe, I'm bringing the fight to my opponent instead." Ash said. "I just wish I could do the same with Darkrai."

"Well Ash, we here at the lab wish you the best of luck." Professor Cerise said supportively.

A few hours later in Unova

"Ash it's great to see you again." Cilan said greeting him.

"So Cilan, I was curious if you, being a gym leader and all, knew who the new champion was." Ash said, striking up the conversation.

"Ash, a master con I sure never reveals their secrets. Even to a good friend." Cilan said.

"You have no idea who it is, do you." Ash said

"I never said that. Besides, that's why you are here anyways, to fight them." Cilan pointed out.

"I know, it's just they know about me, but I have no clue about them." Ash said.

"That's never stopped you before, but we should be getting on our connecting flight if we wish to make it to the village of dragons." Cilan said.

"Good point, I wonder how Iris has been." Ash said.

In the Village of Dragons, cavern arena

"Iris? Are you in here? The elders said I'd find you here!" Ash called out into the darkness.

"Foolish child! You dare come here to challenge me!" Iris's voice echoed through the cavern.

Ash's phone binged showing a challenge from Iris in the World Coronation Series.

"Wait seriously! 582! How are you that high!" Iris complained, the threatening voice no longer being used.

"Hi Iris, do you want to battle now?" Ash asked into the darkness.

"Ughh! Fine." Iris said, turning on the arena's lights. "But don't think I'm going to go easy on you just because you're a little kid."

"Iris I'm eighteen! And older than you!" Ash argued.

"Whatever, you haven't seen my full power yet. Haxorus I choose you!" Iris said.

"So Axew fully evolved. In that case, I choose you Ur…". Ash began to say as Scraggy popped out of his Pokeball.

'Battle begin!' The Rotojudge said.

"Haxorus use Outrage!"

"Scraggy use High Jump Kick!"

Scraggy jumped out of the way of Haxorus's attack, and began plummeting back towards his old friend, striking them on top of their head.

"Use Outrage again!"

"Use Beat Up!"

As Scraggy dove past the burst of energy, shadowy figures of himself, Pikachu, Hawlucha, Urshifu, Sceptile, and Krookodile struck Haxorus.

"Now Scraggy use Iron Head!"

From below Haxorus, Scraggy bounced up, sending the dragon into the air.

"Haxorus use Dragon Pulse!"

A wave of energy shot out towards Scraggy as the small Pokémon began to run away from it, only to be hit from behind.

"Scraggy use Focus Blast!"

"Haxorus use Breaking Swipe!"

Haxorus broke through the Focus Blast, rocketing straight at Scraggy.

"Scraggy, return." Ash said, recalling the fainted Pokemon. "Now, come on out Krookodile! Use Dragon Claw!"

"Use Breaking Swipe!"

The two Pokémon locked arms with each other, resulting in a draw of strength.

"Krookodile use Crunch!"

"Haxorus use Outrage!"

Krookodile clamped his jaw down on Haxorus before tossing the dragon into the air. When it landed, it was knocked out.

"Haxorus return!" Iris called. "Take a long, well deserved rest."

"Two friends battling like no time has passed, just like a recipient brought back after years of gathering dust." Cilan commented.

"Alright Excadrill, you're up! Use Drill Run!"

"Krookodile use Dig!"

Krookodile clawed at the ground, narrowly dodging Excadrill's attack, before popping back out of the ground.

"Krookodile use Dragon Claw!"

"Excadrill use Metal Claw!"

The claws intertwined, neither Pokémon willing to give in. Instead the two pushing apart.

"Krookodile use Stone Edge!"

"Excadrill use Drill Run!"

Excadrill tunneled through Stone after Stone, only for Krookodile to not be at the end.

"Now Krookodile!" Ash called out as Krookodile launched out of the ground at his opponent.

"Excadrill use Focus Blast!"

"Krookodile use Stone Edge!"

Stones jutted in the path of the Focus Blast, diminishing its strength one by one.

"Now use Drill Run!"

"Use Dragon Claw!"

Krookodile held his ground, slashing at Excadrill sending the Pokémon tumbling back into a wall.

'Excadrill is unable to battle. The winner is Ash.' The Rotojudge declared.

"Wonderful battling from both of you." Cilan said happily. "To think neither of you had lost that spiciness after all this time."

"Six years later, and he's still comparing us to food." Iris joked.

"So Iris, what happened that got you this much more powerful, last time I saw you, Haxorus was still an Axew, and that was only a few months ago." Ash said.

"Well, I wanted to keep it a secret." Iris said. "I'm the Opelucid City gym leader now!" She said flashing the badge.

"Congrats, seriously that's great." Ash admitted. "So I'm guessing you won't tell me who the new champion is either,"

"Nope, there's no fun in telling you now." Iris said. "But he said he'll be here tomorrow with Marshall. This will be your arena for the match or matches if you actually win this time." Iris pointed out.

"Not if, when." Ash said with a serious tone.

Authors note

Haha! I tricked you all into possibly thinking Iris was the mysterious champion like in the games and anime, but no it is someone else, someone from the games that Ash hasn't fought yet.