Waiting Room

The TV screen in the waiting room displayed a message. "Nando and Johanna, it is your turn to fight."

"So, it looks like it's time for my match." Nando said to Zoey.

Frank overheard Nando's words. "Very interesting."

Nando walked down the hallway to his match, but Frank got out of his seat and walked over to May and her friends. "That's odd of you Frank. You didn't seem to get up before, so why now?" Zoey asked.

Frank snickered in response. "There's a reason why I chose Chesnaught Zoey."

Zoey had a confused look on her face. "What are you talking about?"

"Nando was the reason I became both a Coordinator and Pokémon trainer." Frank responded.

Zoey was stunned at Frank's response. She never predicted a guy like Frank would be inspired to compete in both contests and gyms by Nando.

But while this was going on, Dawn was observing the TV screen. "I don't know who to root for, my Mom or my friend?" Dawn said in her mind.

Kenny had an excited look on his face. "This is going to be awesome, go Nando!"

The Black Greninja turned his head to face the TV and saw who was competing next. "Let's hope you do better this time." He said in his mind.

Contest Arena

"It's time for the next match to begin. To my left is Nando from the Sinnoh Region!" Marian shouted to the audience.

Nando was waiting for the match to begin. He was extremely nervous, despite having a look of confidence in his eyes.

"I cannot lose this. I have to beat the Greninja." Nando said in his mind.

Flashback

It was the semi-finals of the Sinnoh Grand Festival, and Nando was one step away from the finals.

"To my right is Sunnyshore City's Black Greninja!" Marian shouted to the audience.

Nando got a glimpse of his opponent and was confused. "What kind of Coordinator would hide behind a mask?" Nando thought to himself.

"Let the match begin!"

"Go, Roserade and Lopunny!" Nando said as he released his Pokemon.

The Black Greninja sighed in response. "Very well, Gardevoir and Gallade it's time to begin."

When the match began, Nando amazed the audience with Lopunny's swift attacks and Roserade's display of pedals. But The Black Greninja countered them both with his Gardevoir using Magical Leaf on the pedals and Gallade out speeding matter how hard Nando tried to counter his opponent, it wasn't working. The Black Greninja kept countering every plan he had, and his point total was decreasing fast.

"I can't believe it, no matter how hard my Pokemon try their attacks, this guy is crushing them like paper." Nando said to himself.

In the stands Zoey, who had lost against The Black Greninja before, was worried about Nando.

"This isn't like him. Something's wrong with Nando. It's like his spirit is being crushed by this guy." Zoey thought.

Lopunny and Roserade were beaten, exhausted and battered by Gardevoir and Gallade's attacks. They could barely stand up and looked to be in severe pain.

"I grow tired. Gardevoir finish this." The Black Greninja said.

End Flashback

"To my right is Sandgem Town's Johanna!" Marian shouted.

"Let the match begin!"

"Go, Roserade." Nando said as he released his Pokémon onto the field.

"Go Glameow." Johanna said.

"Roserade, use the Sunny Day combination." Nando said.

Roserade began by forming a sun in the stadium, which was around the same size as Roserade. After that, Roserade began firing Sweet Scent from its pedals, which mixed in with the rays of the Sunny Day attack.

"Glameow, use Iron Tail!"

Glameow's tail turned silver and Glameow charged at Nando's Roserade.

"I won't lose. Roserade, use Solar Beam!" Nando said.

Roserade generated a gigantic beam of light from its pedals and fired it at Johanna's Glameow.

Waiting Room

"Come on Nando, you got this." Zoey said with concern.

Flashback to 5 years ago.

After the Sinnoh Grand Festival concluded, Zoey was about ready to leave. This was a chance for her to win two Trophies', but she blew it when The Black Greninja defeated her.

When Zoey left the room, she let out a deep sigh. "I was so close… I haven't been like this since my match with Dawn all those years ago… But I guess there's always next time, until then I should check up on Nando, I hope he is doing okay."

Zoey left the arena, and found Nando in an open area of the nearby forest, sitting on a large rock and playing his harp with small Grass Pokémon around him.

Zoey walked over to Nando and began to talk to him. "Hey Nando… How are you holding up?"

Nando had a depressed look on his face; it was like his spirit was nearly broken. "I just don't understand what happened. My Pokémon were annihilated out there, they stood no chance…"

Zoey was saddened by this response. She knew where Nando was coming from after her match with the same person. "Nando… It's true that your Pokémon were annihilated, and that they stood no chance… But then again, I know you can beat him."

But Nando wasn't feeling any better from what Zoey said. "I don't even know anymore Zoey. How can I compete in battles anymore if my Pokemon could almost die like that? Nurse Joy told me that if I continued the fight, they would have died… I don't know if I can go on after that, I cannot bear the pain of tha…"

Zoey then grabbed Nando's right hand, stopping Nando's speech. She looked at Nando with a look of concern in her eyes.

"Nando… I understand the pains of a Pokemon dying under a trainer's care. I lost one when I was a rookie Coordinator fighting against a Pro, and like you I wanted to give up. But I made a vow to never let a Pokemon die in battle again. Nando… You are a wonderful Coordinator, you have amazed the audience with every contest I saw you compete in. You are the only Coordinator I felt something with during our match all those years ago, it was if we were on the same plain. Please don't give up that gift you have just because of this, I know you can get past this."

Nando smiled in response to Zoey's words. "Zoey, thank you."

They gazed into each other's eyes for a bit before Nando returned to playing his harp.

End Flashback.

Glameow was hit by the attack, knocking her out and giving Nando the win.

"Congratulations Nando." Johanna told Nando.

Nando bowed to Johanna. "Thank you Johanna."

Waiting Room

Zoey smiled. "Great job Nando."

Frank smirked at the result. "Was there any doubt?"

The Black Greninja saw Nando winning the match and thought to himself. "He's gotten better."

When Nando returned to the waiting room, he noticed Frank viewing the screen.

"This is a first Frank. Why view the screen now?" Nando asked Frank.

"I just felt interested in watching your match, that's all. Congratulations on your match." Frank then gave Nando thumbs up.

"Thank you Frank, I hope to see what you do in the second round." Nando smiled in response.

But before the conversation could continue, the TV screen displayed an announcement from Marian.

"Attention viewers, Grace have withdrawn from the Tournament. Zoey advances to the next round and this concludes the first round! Stay tuned for round 2! Until then, it's time for a break!"

Outside the Slateport Arena

A man wearing a purple jacket with a black T-shirt underneath and dark purple jeans appeared from the forest near the Arena.

"So it seems like this is the place where Dawn is."

END OF ROUND 1

Author's Note: Thank you for reading Round 1 of this Tournament and thanks to those who have written reviews for this series, I really appreciate it. Let me know what you think of the story so far, so that I can improve J

Next up is the reveal of the man at the end of this chapter.

So stay tuned =D