Part 2
Ash beamed with delight as he fished his badge case out of his jacket pocket, opening it up to place the Boulder Badge along side the seven other badges he had collected over the course of the past year. All of his hard work had finally paid off. He could now enter the Indigo Conference. His first major step toward becoming a Pokemon Master.
"Hey Ash, are you alright?" Brock asked with a wrinkled forehead as he studied Ash. His smile was unnaturally large, and it seemed as though Ash couldn't shake it off his face.
"I'm completely fine Brock." He replied, although the smile didn't fade at all. Before Brock could continue on, Ash was swarmed by the reporters who requested to have an interview with him.
Brock was soon pushed out of the mix as Ash found himself being bombarded with questions.
"What would you say was the hardest obstacle to overcome during your battle against Brock?" One of the reporters asked before extending the microphone toward him.
"It was definitely his Kabutops. With moves like Aerial Ace and Giga Drain, its built to annihilate a trainer who thinks they can win with water and grass types. He almost got me with it too." Ash replied with a small smile as he reflected on the battle.
"And you've collected all eight gym badges now, so we can assume you'll be representing Silph's Co in the Indigo Conference."
"Yup." Ash replied.
"This is your first year in the professional circuit so you'll be entering the Indigo Conference as a rookie. Do have any particular plan to deal with the intensity that every trainer will be bringing to this competition?" The reporter asked. Ash looked up in thought for a moment.
"Well, I'll be going in with my own intensity of course. But since this is my first time I guess I'll have to take it one battle at a time and figure out what I have to do to win." Ash explained, flashing the cameras a smile as the reporter thanked him for the interview.
As the reporters slowly left, Ash could sigh with relief. The only thing more nerve-racking than the battle itself was the interviews that followed. He had to represent Silph's Co as a respectable trainer. Not that Ash was overconfident going into the Indigo Conference, this was the first time Silph's Co would have a representative, so he wanted to do his best.
Entering the front lobby of the gym, Ash found Brock waiting for him at the front desk, quietly chatting on the video phone.
"Oh, here he comes right now. I'll see you soon babe." Brock said, blowing his girlfriend a kiss before ending the call. He then rose from his seat, looking toward Ash who was waiting for him in front of the desk.
"Was that Holly?" Ash asked, motioning to the phone. Brock gave him a prideful nod. "Where is she?"
"Cerulean City. A shipment is coming for the Gym and she went to pick it up for me." Brock explained, becoming confused as Ash glanced around the room with narrow eyes. Then he took a step toward Brock, placing his hand beside his mouth as though he were trying to hide what he was about to say next. Not that it would really accomplish anything since the room was empty.
"And how are things going on between you two?" Ash asked in a whisper, getting a chuckle from Brock.
"As good as it can get Ash. In fact, I've been thinking about getting a ring for a while now." Brock replied.
"A ring? What for?"
Brock sighed inwardly. Even though he was approaching adulthood, Ash was as dense as ever.
"Marriage Ash." Brock stated, getting a look of shock from Ash.
"You're going to marry Holly?" Ash asked, tilting his head as he waited for Brock to continue.
"I was just thinking about it...but I'm still not completely sure." Brock went on. "I mean, we're way to young at the moment and, uh, well...I don't know."
"Don't think about it too much Brock." Ash said before tapping Brock's chest with his knuckles. "Just go with whatever your heart has to say."
Brock stifled a laugh. Ash was also just as cheesy as he was back when they were in the Tsugi Academy together.
"So how's Dawn been Ash?" Brock asked, getting a rather odd response from Ash. He tilted his head to the side before shrugging.
"We haven't been keeping in touch too much." Ash replied as he folded his arms in front of his chest.
"Why do you mean? Aren't the two of you still dating?" Brock asked, surprised with Ash's response.
"Yeah, remember the promise we made at the end of our junior year. Once we graduated, we agreed to meet each other after I win in a Conference Championship and she won a Grand Festival." Ash explained. "Right now she's getting ready for the Newcomers Tournament in Sinnoh, and I'm preparing for the Indigo Conference, so we haven't talked all that much recently."
Brock wasn't a fan of the promise the two of them had made just before Ash had graduated from the Tsugi Academy. The two of them were just so ambitious. Ash had rubbed off on Dawn in numerous ways, and she had become quite ambitious with Ash's encouragement for her to be all she can be. Ash had good intentions with this, but Brock didn't like the thought of the two of them going separate ways to pursue their dreams if they really planned to have a steady relationship.
"Make sure you give her a call some time soon Ash. You have to keep the love burning!" Brock declared, getting snicker from Ash.
"Sure thing Brock." He replied.
"Well you've got all eight badges, and nearly a month to train for the Indigo Conference. It looks like you're in good shape." Brock noted, getting a nod of agreement from Ash.
"Yep. With a month to train, I'm hoping I can iron out some of the rough edges on my team." Ash said, looking up in thought at the weak areas he still had to work on.
"Like what?" Brock asked, inviting him over to one of the tables in the lobby for them to sit down.
"Well you see, I caught this Haunter in Lavender Town and…"
The two of them sat down and talked for hours, sharing their experiences since college to this point in their career. But despite how far the two of them had come since graduating, they knew that the world was so much bigger than just what they've seen so far.
They were young, and they had all the time in the world to explore the world around them.
Ash gave a yawn before glancing at the clock over the entrance of the lobby.
"Oh snap, I got to give Mindy a call." He said to Brock who leaned back in his chair, motioning for him to go ahead. Ash rose from his seat to leave the lobby, stepping outside of the gym where he discovered that the sun had already set. 'Night time already?'
Pulling his Pokegear out of his pocket, Ash quickly dialed in a number before placing the device near his ear. It rung for a few moments before a young woman answered.
"Yes?" She asked.
"Mindy, it's Ash." He began. "Just calling in to report that I've gotten all eight badges."
"It's a little late to say that sweetie, we were watching the coverage." She replied.
"Oh, well, I see. What did the boss think?" Ash asked.
"He was happy. He expects great things from you Ash." She replied. "So just do your best at the Indigo Conference."
"Will do."
"But I'm glad you called. We have a job for you after the Indigo Conference during the summer." She said.
"Aww, what?" Ash muttered.
"Calm down, its nothing huge right now. You just have to go to Hoenn for about a week and then come back, that's all." Mindy explained, receiving a sigh of relief from Ash. "I wouldn't worry about it right now. Just focus on the Indigo Conference."
"Okay."
"And I would suggest you start training as soon as possible. Registration for the Conference ends on May 14th, so you have to be there at least a day before this to avoid getting caught in the rush."
"Sure thing. I'll get started as soon as I can." Ash replied. "Bye Mindy."
"Bye Ash, good luck."
"Thanks."
Ending the call, Ash sighed as he placed his Pokegear back on the small strap on his waist. For a moment, he observed his surroundings, then he noticed that he had pulled his badge case out from his jacket pocket. A smile crept up on his face as he flipped it open, finding all eight of his badges present in the velvet interior.
He had really done it. He had collected eight gym badges, and he was on route to the Indigo Conference. He was headed toward the forefront of the Pokemon world.
Shutting the case, Ash placed it in his jacket once again before returning to the gym where he found Brock waiting for him at the entrance, leaning against the wall.
"You have to get going, don't you?" He asked in an all knowing manner.
"Yeah." Ash replied sheepishly.
"Not surprised. Once you get started, you don't really have time to rest until the League Conference is over."
"I know right." Ash said with a sigh before running a hand through his hair. He then held out a closed fist toward Brock which gained a small grin from his friend. Raising his hand as well, the two of them bumped fists before Ash collected the belongings he had left in the lobby.
"I'll be watching you in the Indigo Conference." Brock said, halting Ash before he could leave.
"It doesn't really matter if you watch Brock, the championship trophy they give me will be proof that I was there." Ash said, turning back to Brock to give him a bright grin.
"I'd expect as much from you Ash."
"I'll see you at Indigo Plateau."
"Right."
April 10th
Route 1
Ash and Pikachu rested on the back of his Charizard as the two of them quietly sailed over the thick layer of clouds, his hat currently kept within his bag as he allowed his rather lengthy hair to move freely with the wind blasting his face. It was still early in the morning, but the temperature was perfect right now. Not to hot and not to cold, although that would change once summer fully set in. They were currently on route to a town that he hadn't seen in nearly a year. His home town.
The last time he had come here it was snowing, so he was unable to appreciate the beauty it possessed when spring rolled in. The clouds began to thin out beneath them, allowing Ash to take a look down at the tremendous expanse below. It was truly a sight to behold. He couldn't imagine how difficult it must've been to see a sight like this is Pokemon didn't exist.
Spotting a small town nestled comfortably near the end of the land, Ash pointed toward it, receiving a nod from Charizard who began to descend. As they neared it, Ash could see the large quantity of flowers that had bloomed all over the town, filling it with bright vibrant colors.
"It's Pallet Town!" Ash exclaimed as Charizard came in for a landing in Ash's favorite location of the town. The hills behind his house that he would slide down when he was young during the day, and take naps on during the evening as the sun dipped into the horizon.
Jumping off the back Charizard, Ash threw his arms into the air while drawing in a deep breath. The air was as fresh as can be. He loved it here. Looking down, he found Pikachu rolling about in the grass before it glanced up at him when it noticed his stare. Ash only grinned before throwing himself down on the grass as well, joining Pikachu in an act he hadn't done since he was kid while he was living with his mother. Charizard merely looked upon the two of them with a look of curiosity before testing this out itself.
This led to Charizard's tail lighting a small portion of the grass on fire which Ash fiercely stomped away before it could turn into anything major.
"How about you never do that again Charizard." Ash suggested, getting a nod of agreement from the Pokemon.
"Pika." Pikachu added as the group of three looked at the burnt grass that had been left behind from the flames. This small patch of black was the one stain that stood out from the true green field.
"Maybe Ivysaur can do something about this." Ash said as he released the Pokemon from its Pokeball. Ivysaur gave a loud yawn before giving Ash a nod as a greeting. "Hey Ivysaur, do you think you can fix this?"
Ivysaur perked up as it looked upon the grass, studying the dead grass before sending a glance Charizard's way.
"Saur?" It asked, getting a grumble from Charizard who looked away. With a sigh, Ivysaur kneeled down beside the patch as the large flower on its back opened up. All of the petals began to glow for a few moments as Ivysaur gathered sunlight, and then it closed up the petals on its back.
There was a moment of silence before Ivysaur exhaled a breath of air, releasing small green sparkles onto the dead grass. Eventually the dust settled, and another moment of silence passed between the group.
"Is that it?" Ash asked.
"Saur." It replied with a nod before burping, letting out a small cloud of the dust which gained a snicker from Charizard. Nothing had changed, but Ash decided to shrug it off at this point. There was more he had to do right now. Detaching the remaining Pokeballs he had on his belt, Ash tossed them into the air to release the remaining Pokemon on his team.
Snorlax, Wartortle and Primeape took shape on the field, looking around at their new surroundings before greeting Ash with a good morning wave or nod.
"This is my home town guys. I grew up here, with Pikachu of course." Ash began, motioning to the town around them. The group looked about, taking in weather and the grass. "This is where we're going to be training for the Indigo Conference."
All of them straightened up at this statement. Just the mention of the Indigo Conference was enough to have their full attention. Each of them had their own particular love for battling with the exception of Snorlax, with their own goals such as proving their strength, or enjoying the adrenaline rush, but they loved it. And Ash made it a point to set a goal for his team.
Whenever he had an opportunity, he would show them replays of battles that took place at Conference Championships, and even matches against the Elite Four. This would easily hype them up, and when they were hyped up, they fought like their lives depended on it. Even Snorlax.
"We have about a month, so we have to practice as much as possible. The Indigo Conference is nothing like what we've faced right now. The Pokemon will be stronger, and the trainers will be smarter." Ash paused for a moment. "Not that any of the trainers we've faced already are dumb. These guys are just better. Well actually, we've faced some pretty good people, but, you know, uh…you know what I mean!"
Ash took a moment to straighten out his thoughts since he had flown off topic.
"So what I'm saying is we're going to use this month to go through our final preparations. So let's get started!" Ash said, throwing a hand into the air. All six of his Pokemon did the same with a shout of their own.
Approaching the Ketchum residence, Professor Oak was startled to see a stream of flames go flying into the skies from behind the house. Now he could see why he had been getting several calls from the people about a lot of commotion coming from this house. Something was definitely going on.
He could here the roar of multiple Pokemon, leading him to conclude that someone was using the field behind this house as a battleground. He couldn't blame their choice though since the field was a perfect site for a battle. Quickly moving around the house, Oak peeked out to see two large Pokemon locked in a battle of pure strength, trying to push the other over.
Charizard tightened its jaws as it gave Snorlax another shove, but the normal type just wouldn't bug at all. Snorlax on the other hand, seemed to be holding back Charizard without a need to use its full strength.
"Snorlax, quit holding back!" A voice hollered at Snorlax, gaining Oak's attention. Leaning out from behind the house a bit more, he found a dark haired trainer standing behind a small distance from the two Pokemon.
'Ash?' He exclaimed, raising both of his eyebrows with surprise. He was back already?
Snorlax only snorted in reply to Ash, which further aggravated Charizard who gave a defiant roar before taking a step forward. Snorlax was shocked to discover that Charizard used this one step to lower its center of gravity before giving Snorlax another shove, this one sending it stumbling backward. Charizard roared at its success before smirking at Snorlax who didn't take to kindly to get pushed backward.
Ash smiled as Snorlax's expression darkened before it went charging toward Charizard who planted its feet in preparation for their next pushing match. Unfortunately, Charizard didn't even last a moment against this attack as it was sent tumbling across the grass several meters before it came to a stop. Charizard only looked up at Snorlax, surprise evident on its expression at the fearsome strength it possessed.
"If you'd attack like that consistently Snorlax, you'd never lose." Ash pointed out to the Pokemon who looked back at him. Snorlax's strength was just ridiculous, and Ash knew the value of raw power, but at the same time Snorlax was pretty lackadaisical with its immense strength. But he had come up with a few ways to make Snorlax tap into that power when it was needed.
It hated to lose. And that was more than enough for Ash to work with. But he was still trying to create a competitive spirit within to make it battle with all its might as often as it could.
"I must say Ash, you've built quite the team here." Oak commented, making his presence known which only startled Ash.
"Professor Oak, what are you doing here?" He exclaimed as the aged gentleman approached his Charizard to examine the Pokemon.
"I received a few calls telling me about an excessive amount of noise from this location. So I thought I would check out." Oak replied as he kneeled down beside Charizard, examining its muscular arms and legs. "I should've known it would be you."
Ash chuckled at this, scratching the back of his neck.
"So I take it you collected eight badges?" He asked, receiving a nod from Ash. "And you're going to prepare for the Indigo Conference right here?"
Ash gave him another nod.
"By all means Ash, this isn't Route 1!" He said, causing Ash to flinch. "This is a town, and there are people living next door. If you need a place train, you should have used the ranch behind my lab."
"Heh heh, alright Professor, we'll be right over." Ash said, taking one last look at his backyard to engrave it in his mind. It was then he noticed that he couldn't find the patch of burnt grass anymore. The dead grass stuck out like a sore thumb so there was no way he could miss it, leading him to believe that Ivysaur's method had already worked its magic.
The world of Pokemon was truly astounding.
Oak's Laboratory
Ash looked about the ranch slowly, taking in the new appearance it had. It had been years since he had been in the ranch, and it was clear that Oak had done some landscaping. Now it had been broken it into several habitats to house all the different types of Pokemon Professor Oak was currently studying.
Pitching five Pokeballs into the air, Ash released another group of Pokemon that attracted the attention of the six he had already released into the ranch. Professor Oak had given him the okay to bring all of his Pokemon out of his PC, which meant he could have all of them together at once. Pidgeot, Muk, Mr Mime, Tauros and Haunter formed, stretching a bit.
In Conference tournaments, trainers were allowed to enter as many as twelve Pokemon to use, but before they entered the stadium they would have to select six to use for that day. Most trainers had their own signature six Pokemon that they would stick with unless their 'substitutes' created an advantage for them. While this was the professional way of thinking, Ash preferred to use all of them equally whenever possible, to maintain the balance and respect within his team. And so far that had been working wonderfully.
"Hey guys!" Ash shouted, calling everyone together. They gathered quickly, bunching together around Ash as he did a quick check to make sure all of them were present. "I'm pretty sure all of you know why we've gathered together."
They all called out their answers, and Ash was confident that they all said the same thing.
"Right! We're going to train hard for the next month, and finalize anything to make sure that we win!" Ash declared before motioning for Professor Oak to come toward him with a rolled up poster. "And just to remind you of our goal…"
Ash unrolled the poster, showing the group a picture of the Indigo Conference trophy. This highly coveted trophy would be given to the winner and new champion at the end of the tournament, and this whole team including Ash himself had their eyes dead set on getting this item.
Professor Oak joined Ash in hanging the poster on the back wall of his laboratory for all of Ash's Pokemon to see.
"This is what we're after. And we won't stop until we reach the top!" Ash shouted.
May 8th
Professor Oak was thoroughly impressed with Ash to say the least. Not only for the team he had raised, but his competence as a trainer. In nearly a month, he had seen Ash demonstrate various skills as a trainer that was proof of how much he had grown since he left Pallet Town to head off to the Tsugi Academy to begin his path to become a Pokemon Master.
Either he was with one of his Pokemon, straightening out any issues with them individually, watching practice battles or studying matches from last years Indigo Conference to examine the different battling styles he was sure to meet once the tournament began.
It was certainly a pleasure to watch Ash as he trained vigorously alongside his Pokemon, smelling just as bad as them when the day was over. Oak couldn't help but laugh when he found Ash taking a bath with his Pokemon in the lake on his ranch, wrestling in the water with Primeape and Wartortle underneath the setting sun. He was capable of acting like a professional trainer when asked to, but he was still a kid at heart.
But he wasn't the only one watching Ash. In a short amount of time, Ash had quickly caught the attention of the entire town when word got out that he was preparing for the Indigo Conference. It had been a long time since Pallet Town had a trainer that was representing the town, and just the mention of one brought the town together. Soon enough Ash had an audience while he trained, and the audience soon declared that they would be his loyal supporters during the competition.
"Don't worry guys. I'll give you something to cheer about." Ash stated before returning to his training.
But today, Ash's training would come to a close as he called back all of his Pokemon with the usual exception of Pikachu. Professor Oak was waiting for him in the lobby of his lab, blocking the exit.
"Since your 'fans' are waiting for you outside, I decided I would talk to you now." Oak began as he motioned for Ash to take a seat on the nearby plush chair.
The two of them sat down, and allowed a few moments of silence to pass by before Professor Oak took a deep breath.
"I'm incredibly proud of you Ash. And I'm positive your mother is too." He began. "Have you visited her at all?"
Ash remained silent as he leaned forward in his seat, interlocking his fingers.
"No, I haven't." Ash replied slowly as he began to twiddle his thumbs.
"Why not?"
"I just…don't know what to say to her right now."
"Well did you speak to her the last time you were in Pallet Town?" Oak asked. Ash shook his head in reply. "You can't continue to run from her Ash, she'll always be waiting for you."
"I know." He said in a sullen manner.
"Don't beat yourself up Ash. You're the pride of Pallet Town, and your mother couldn't ask for anything more from you. Just go to her and tell her everything you've done." Oak said before placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Just talk Ash. That's all you have to do. I'm sure she'll be more than happy with that."
"Alright Professor." He said, rising from his seat.
"Good luck at the Indigo Conference."
"Thanks." He said flatly.
As Ash neared the exit of the lobby, his sadness seemed to disappear as he slapped a large grin on his face. Opening up the door, the crowd that was waiting for him seemed to erupt at the sight of him as he beamed brightly.
"Ash!" They shouted together. The crowd seemed to part, giving Ash access to the staircase that would take him down into Pallet Town. As he walked through the crowd, he received many shouts of 'good luck!' and slaps on the back. This continued the whole way down the staircase until Ash found himself face to face with a group of people that appeared to be in their mid twenties, dressed in outfits that consisted of solid black pants and a black jacket that they buttoned up to their neck.
Each of them wore a headband with the word pride written on it. They all clapped simultaneously, silencing the crowd. Then they stomped their feet together before going through a short routine as they harmonized their voices. The routine ended with all of them pointing at Ash who looked at them curiously.
"Ash, we're going to the Indigo Conference with you, and we will be your ouendan. We'll cheer our hearts out for you. So bring home a trophy for us." A young man said after stepping forward.
'You're the pride of Pallet Town.'
Ash couldn't help but snicker before he raised one hand, giving them a thumbs up. He had never had a cheering squad that was made just for him, but the least he could do was ensure that they would have something to chant about in that stadium.
"You can count it." Ash replied, getting numerous cheers as a result of his response.
"Hey mom…" Ash began weakly. "I brought flowers."
Setting down the bouquet of flowers in front of his mother, Ash remained silent. He just couldn't think of anything to say at the moment. His mind had gone blank the moment he approached her.
"I know it's been a while. But I figured I would tell you what I've beendoing since I left Pallet Town." He said, shutting his eyes for a moment. He had done so much since he had last talked to her, and he didn't know where to begin. "Pikachu is fine in case you were wondering…"
Ash raised a hand Pikachu who was seated on his shoulder, scratching the top of its head. Sensing Ash's discomfort, Pikachu rubbed its cheek against Ash's to comfort him.
"Pikachu and I graduated from the Tsugi Academy at the top of our class, and we went to the Fuchsia Technical Academy for a year." Ash went on. "We won the Newcomers Tournament and went on to the pros, just like I said I would."
Ash felt a smile creep up on his lips as he looked down at his shoes. He was really living his dream right now.
"After that we went on a journey around Kanto and collected all eight gym badges. Although the biggest surprise of all was that Brock had become the Gym Leader in Pewter City, Brock is exactly how you remember him, in case you were wondering. Although he doesn't chase girls like he used to, he has a girlfriend now, and he's head over heels in love with her." Ash said with a laugh. He never would've thought that one girl would've been able to completely win over Brock's heart, but Holly had done a brilliant job. "Paul and Jimmy are working hard to start their journeys too. We've all come pretty far from that group of kids that met each other on the boat to Tsugi Island when we were fourteen."
Then a certain blue haired beauty came to mind.
"I have a girlfriend too, but I bet you could've figured that out on your own. Her name is Dawn, and she's the best thing to ever happen to me." He stated. "If it wasn't for her, then I might not even be here right now. I have so much to thank her for."
The smile that had formed on Ash's face faded away.
"I know you've told me that you're proud of me so many times, but I'm going to show you that I'm capable being more than just your precious son that you'd support no matter what. I'm grown up now mom, and I'm going to become a champion."
Ash looked down, allowing the visor of his hat to cast a shadow over his face.
"I'll be back mom, not as the boy you raised and took care of, but a man that you won't need to worry about." He stated before turning away, beginning a brisk walk. He paused for a moment to look back at his mother over his shoulder, taking in one last eyeful of her. The dark gray gravestone would always look the same, it was the white flowers Ash had left back that captured the beauty his mother had possessed. "I'll be back."
"Pika?" Pikachu asked, clearly concerned with Ash.
"Don't worry Pikachu, I'm fine." He said as he rubbed his eyes to clear away any tears. Then he tipped up the visor of his hat, giving Pikachu a broad smile. "Let's make mom proud."
May 13th
Indigo Plateau
The grand complex filled with dozens of the largest buildings of Kanto would be the site of the Indigo Conference. At the very center of the scene was an enormous stadium that could seat over fifty thousand fans with three small stadiums branching off from it. Hotels were located all over the large area for the convenience of those attending a major event. And right now the streets were packed with people as they prepared for the opening ceremony for what was probably the largest event of the year in Kanto.
"This is Chris Laundry reporting from Indigo Plateau where as you can see, thousands of fans have gathered once again see the best trainers in Kanto duke it out with each other." A male reporter said, looking back at the crowd of people that had gathered behind him with the simple desire to be seen on television. The people gave a shout of growing anticipation as the start of the Indigo Conference approached. "This year is sure to be the best one yet with the amount of talent we've seen from the gym challenges. Back to you Ray."
In the largest stadium of Indigo Plateau, a room had been put together for a group of three analysts to provide commentary on the trainers as well as the battles. All three of them were dressed in black suits with differing shirts, although most had refused to put on a tie with the summer heat rolling in.
"Thank you Chris." A rather tall man that went by the name of Ray said as he looked at the two other men that were seated with him at the semi-circle table. "In case you're just tuning in, I'm Ray Sullivan, and this Anderson Burke and Darnell Downs."
Ray motioned to the men beside him, trying to avoid looking directly at the camera. To Ray's left was a light skinned male with a full head of dark hair that was better known as Andy rather than Anderson. On Ray's right was a dark skinned man was bald and quite large in stature that was known as Darnell. Both of these men gave a nod to the cameras after their introduction before they all looked at each other.
"Darnell, we all know you spent the most time watching over the Gym challenges this year, so we'll start with you." Ray said, looking toward Darnell while Andy did the same. "Any opinions on what to expect this year?"
"I'll tell you this. The level of talent this year is so high that it's ridiculous." He started off. "We have a lot of veterans coming back to this competition trying to win this Conference to get something big on their track record before they retire. Then you have several young talented trainers that are seeking a fresh start and trying to make a name for themselves. I'm telling you, the level these rookies can battle at is just amazing."
"I'm not surprised at all considering this is the year where the graduates from the Tsugi Academy's golden age reach the professional circuit. But do you think any of them have a chance at causing an upset in the Indigo Conference?" Ray asked.
"Unfortunately, no. Not this year." Darnell replied. "There's just too many veterans this year that will use their experience against them. I just can't see any of these young trainers managing to win out against any of these guys. Have you seen some of the people that entered?"
"Yeah, I took a look." Andy jumped in. "And I have to agree with Darnell here. You have people like Jeanette Fisher, Mandi, Assunta. They've all been in the professional circuit for years, and now they plan on winning a championship. I just can't imagine one of the younger trainers beating them."
"While we're on the topic of young trainers, there's a very young one, nineteen to be exact that has made it to the Indigo Conference." Ray pointed out.
"Nineteen?!" Darnell exclaimed. "Fresh out of college. I remember when I was nineteen, I had lost in the Newcomers Tournament and I had to spend two years building up a name for myself before any franchise was willing to put me on their roster."
"Darnell, your glory days have passed. So let's stay focused here. We've got an incredibly young trainer who's inexperienced and trying to battle at the Conference level a little too early in his career. What do you think he's capable of?" Ray asked.
"We're talking about Ash Ketchum right?" Andy inquired receiving a nod from Ray. "Phew, I remember seeing that kid while he was still in the Tsugi Academy. He was the leader of that golden era before they graduated. He'll definitely give someone a scare, but I don't see him getting too far into the Conference this year."
"Hey, you never know. The level that golden era was battling at was just insane. You shouldn't count this kid out too early." Ray said as he looked down at his notes.
"Are you rooting for a rookie Ray?" Darnell asked with a chuckle as Ray put his hands up in his defense.
"I'm just saying you shouldn't look down on the kid like he's never experienced a battle." Ray said rather defensively.
"It's just like you to root for the underdog Ray." Andy said with a smirk.
"Alright then, who are you rooting for in this competition?" Ray asked, directing his gaze at Andy.
"Let's face it, day in and day out all we're going to see is competitive battles. To pick and choose between the candidates right now is difficult." Andy explained. "I'm going to wait until the competition is narrowed down a bit before I pick a favorite."
"Well I'm going to go with Jeannette Fisher. She's only twenty seven, but she's got a great track record right now. She's been to the finals in both the Indigo and Silver Conference, and she's made it to the final four in the Lily of the Valley Conference in Sinnoh. If anyone's the favorite to win this year, it's her." Darnell declared confidently.
"Hmm, so to sum it all up, we've got an enormous amount of potential throughout the tournament this year, so we'll just have to sit back and watch to find out who will be the winner." Ray said, gaining a nod from his partners before looking toward the cameras. "For now, we'll cut to a commercial break. And for all who haven't heard, we'll be covering the entire Indigo Conference, so to catch all of the action, just follow us."
Author's Note
And here's chapter two. Not exactly a lot happened in this one, just more build up for the approaching Conference as the opening to the story. For those of you now picking up the story, Ash's mother is dead. It was something that took place in HSD ( High School Dilemma ), but as of right now this is just a fact that you shold know for later on.
For those you who may not know what an ouendan is, they're similar to cheerleaders but rather than using flashy routines like actual cheerleaders, they focus on vocals to rally the crowd as you'll see later on. I'll assure you that I've got nothing against cheerleaders, but since Gary had his own squad, I figured I would give Ash something different.
And just incase you were thinking Ash would have a psuedo, I was thinking about it. But I went against it. Ash's team is pretty developed already, and a psuedo would only make him look overpowered, which I'm trying to avoid. Plus his current team is strictly Kanto Pokemon, so if he were to get a Dragonite, Charizard would be getting the short end of the stick. I didn't really like that thought, although I could really see Charizard competing with a Dragonite over who's Ash's powerhouse.
Next chapter will be the opening to the Indigo Conference where you'll get to see some of the adjustments I made to the competition. They're not huge or anything, but I think you guys might enjoy it.