Part 9

May 26th

"Whoa, Marcy didn't I say to take it easy!" Ash shouted as he snatched his Ivysaur up from the ground to avoid being hit by Jolteon's Quick Attack. "Nurse Joy said to avoid all physical damage."

"Sorry!" Marcy hollered back as Jolteon came skidding to a halt in front of Ash.

Not only had Nurse Joy give Ivysaur clearance to return to Ash now that its Chansey treatment was done, but Marcy had also agreed to be his training partner throughout the remainder of his time in the Indigo Conference. It appeared as though things were finally starting to go Ash's way.

Ivysaur was more than happy to finally be back with all of its friends, although it couldn't do much training or practicing. Even though it was healthy enough to rejoin Ash's rotation, Nurse Joy had suggested that he avoid using it for the rest of the Indigo Conference to ensure that it recovers completely. At this point Ash wasn't going to make a fuss since they had advanced so far with Ivysaur out of the rotation, and he wanted to make sure that it could return in tip top form.

"Maybe it'd be better if you didn't try to force anything on Ivysaur right now Ash." Marcy suggested as she approaching him. Ash placed Ivysaur on the ground, allowing it to rustle the leaves on its back a bit. Despite its excellent recovery thanks to the Chansey treatment, Ivysaur was clearly stiff and struggling to move as comfortably as it used to. It was clear that they would need more time and practice to get Ivysaur back in shape.

"Yeah, maybe your right." Ash said, receiving a sharp glance from Ivysaur.

"Saur, Ivysaur!" It insisted.

"I'm sorry Ivysaur, but right now I don't think its best that you try battling. Even if it is just practice. The last thing we want to do right now is aggravate any of the damage done to your body." Ash explained. "Right now we're in the Quarter Finals so everyone else has to practice too. I think its best you just rest for now Ivysaur."

"Saur…" It said in a sullen manner as it looked down at the grass. Ivysaur had been looking forward to the Indigo Conference just as much as the rest of Ash's Pokemon, but because of Mandi it only got to experience one very poor battle.

"I'm sorry Ivysaur. Right after the Conference is over, we'll get to work on getting you back in shape. How does that sound?" Ash asked as he placed a hand on the top of Ivysaur's head, trying to cheer it up.

"Saur." It replied flatly. Ash could only sigh, recalling what Pinsir had done to remove Ivysaur from the entire competition.

"Is everything okay?" Marcy asked after noticing that Ash had a faraway look in his eyes.

"Yeah, why do you ask?" Ash asked.

"You were staring off into space again." She replied.

"Again? And you were staring at me the whole time." Ash said, causing Marcy to look away with colored cheeks.

"I was not." She protested. "So what's on your mind?"

The two of them had only been interacting with each other for about two days, and they had gotten quite close through the many conversations they had. For Marcy it felt as though she this was the first time she had-had a real conversation with another person in ages. She had her Pokemon, but speaking with Ash was a completely different feeling. She felt at ease knowing that he could understand the feelings that her Pokemon couldn't. Marcy had also learned a number of things about Ash through some intense observations that he wasn't aware of, and she could tell that his mind was clouded with thoughts of Mandi.

"Is it about Mandi?" She continued, receiving a shrug from Ash. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Even though I beat him, I wanted to know why he did all that stuff to us." Ash began as Marcy took a seat beside him on the field. "So I went and asked him, and he told me that he couldn't tell me. I just want to know why someone would want me to fail without having a reason."

"Do you really want to know?" Marcy asked after a brief pause. Ash head snapped to the side to look at her with a shocked expression.

"What? Mandi told you why he hates me?" Ash exclaimed.

"He doesn't hate you Ash. He fears you."

"He fears me? Why?"

"For the exact same reason I used too." Marcy went on. "I've been in the professional circuit for almost two years now, and I can remember all the crazy hype that came when your class was graduating from the Tsugi Academy. And on top of that incredibly talented pack was a trainer who stood above the rest of them. A lot of people were scared of you Ash, including me."

Now this was news to Ash. He was well aware of the hype his graduating class received, but he had no idea that there were people that were afraid of him.

"But your mediocre performance during the exhibition matches made a lot of people realize that you still had some growing to do. Mandi especially." Marcy continued. "Everyone wanted to beat you before you 'awakened' so to speak, and turn into the monster that would dominate the circuit."

"So Mandi only did those things to try and make sure he still had a chance at the Championship this year?" Ash asked out loud after a pause.

"Well that's what I was thinking, and I'm pretty sure Mandi and a lot of other trainers were thinking the same thing." Marcy replied. "Mandi just went a bit, overboard."

"That still doesn't help his case at all." Ash muttered. This didn't make Mandi look any better in his eyes. He could understand that everyone here was pursuing a Championship, but trying to affect someone's chances of winning outside of a Pokemon battle just seemed unnecessary.

"I wouldn't let that bother you Ash. Despite everything he did to you before hand, you're still in the tournament and he's sitting in the audience. Everyone says nice guys finish last Ash, but in the end they're the winners before anything even starts." Mandi pointed out, earning a snort from Ash that eventually turned into a light chuckle. For all the trouble that Mandi had caused him, he needed a good laugh.

"Thanks Marcy." Ash said with smile which she returned with ease. He would be standing on a battlefield tomorrow while Mandi would be seated in the stands. He had won and sent Mandi packing. "Come on, let's get in some more practice before the tomorrow.

May 27th

Ash felt rather odd as he found himself being declared the winner of his Quarter Final match. He had been controlling the battle a little too easily for a four on four battle. Only two of his Pokemon had been knocked out during the battle.

It felt rather strange to have such and easy battle this late into the tournament, although Ash couldn't deny that throughout the battle he was seeing the field differently. He could see everything for a chance, something he hadn't been able to do in a while. It felt great!

"Ash Ketchum is in a zone of his own!" The announcer roared over the chanting stadium. It was then Ash began to hear the sound of the fans again, something that he didn't he realize he had tuned out during the battle. Looking up at the stadium, Ash's latest victory began to sink in as he moved one step closer to the Championship.

All over the stands, he could see people holding thunder sticks with his name printed on it, an item that they had picked up this morning. Not only were the fans starting to treat him like a contender, the entire franchise world was too.

Ash raised both his arms and smile broadly at the crowd, much to the delight of everyone present.

May 29th

"Oh Ketchum, what a move to seal his victory!" The announcer shouted excitedly from within his booth, nearly knocking over his chair as he jumped to his feet. "Ash Ketchum's sky high performance level continues as he snatches a victory in his Semi Final match!"

Ash drew in a deep breath before hitting his chest with a closed fist before raising it above his head. He had won once again. But to say that this battle was close was an understatement. It had come down to one attack to decide who would be the winner and who would go home, and Ash would be walking away with the win.

A full five on five battle was something he hadn't experienced in the professional circuit yet, and it was truly a treat. They had gone back and forth the entire battle, and Ash felt as though he was having a little too much as he battled. He was seeing everything and making the right calls. It was too much fun.

Ash broke out in a smile as he dashed onto to the field to greet his Wartortle with a high five. When they looked up to the stands where the crowd was seated, Ash could only wish that he could remain in this moment in time for the rest of his life. Banners with his name written on it were being waved all over the stadium in addition to the flag created by his cheering squad. The thunder sticks with his name on it were wildly swung about, and hundreds of fans proudly wore a small wristband that was also labeled with his name.

So many people wanted to see him win now. He wouldn't let any of them down.

Studio

"Oh my goodness, this has been an incredible week." Ray exclaimed excitedly, looking around at his fellow analysts with a large grin. "It's just been one amazing battle after another, it's a shame we've already made it to the Finals."

"I know how you feel. It always feels like the Championship Run is just too short." Charles added.

"So let's get started on the only subject we have tonight, the Finals." Andy said, receiving a nod from everyone who was seated around him.

"We have Jeannette Fisher in her third Finals appearance although she's still looking for her first win in the Finals." Charles explained. "And her opponent Ash Ketchum, the rookie trainer that's been making a whole lot of noise in this Conference."

"Based on what I just heard, I would've given Jeannette Fisher the trophy right now." Darnell spoke up first, glancing at Ray, Andy and Charles. "And I'm pretty sure any sensible person would do the same."

"I have to admit that if I hadn't seen either of the battle, I would've given Jeannette the trophy too." Ray admitted as he raised a hand.

"Same here." Andy added.

"But after everything you've seen Ash Ketchum do since the start of this tournament, there's no denying that this kid certainly has a chance at winning the Championship." Darnell went on.

"Mandi's description of him was spot on. 'A superstar in the making.'" Ray said, recalling the interview of the two trainers after their heated clash few days ago.

"Well whether Ash wins this battle or not, he's already gotten onto the right course with his career in the professional circuit. If he continues to perform likes this, I don't see how he won't enter the Hall of Fame." Darnell said, receiving a very odd look from Ray.

"Before his battle against Mandi, you predicting that he would lose. Now you've got him entering the Hall of Fame in a few years?" Ray exclaimed.

"Hey, in the professional circuit it's the job of the trainer to change people's perception of them. Ash did a good job." Darnell stated plainly.

"Even I had my doubts about the kid, but he's good. I'll give him that. I can't wait to see more of him in the future." Andy said with a nod.

"So what do you think the chances are of Ash winning the Championship this year?" Charles asked.

"If it was any other trainer in the Conference that made it to the Finals, I would put my money on Ash." Darnell began. "But Jeannette Fisher is truly the giant in the Indigo Conference this year. Sure Ash has beaten Mandi, but Jeannette quite frankly, is on a whole different level."

"We've seen Ash improve in leaps and bounds since his battle against Mandi, the question is, can he jump to the next level?" Ray asked, taking a moment to look at each of men seated with him at the table.

"I don't see why he can. He's been on the rise since the end the tournament round, and it wouldn't surprise me if his improvement continues to the point where he can give Jeannette Fisher a good run for her money." Andy stated. "His growth has been absurd up until this point, who knows what we'll see in the Finals. All I know for sure is that this is going to be one hectic battle."

May 31st

"All year hundreds of trainers had put in the hard work to gather eight Gym Badges around the Kanto Region in order to participate in the Indigo Conference. Now that number has dwindled down to just two. By the end of the day, one of these two trainers will receive the title of Indigo Conference Champion, and will be forever remembered in Indigo Conference history. All eyes are on the grand stage of Indigo Plateau as the start of this year's Indigo Conference Finals."

The entire arena was silent as everyone watched the largest monitor located on one of the walls that was broadcasting a montage that had been put together of the entire tournament. Screenshots of the fans cheering had been put in every few seconds to add to the intensity of the battle clips that had been selected. It was designed to get everyone hyped about the full six on six Pokemon battle that would make the conclusion of the Indigo Conference.

The montage came to end, but just as soon as it ended, the next video began. This one was clearly focused on the two participants of the Finals, Ash and Jeannette. Several clips were shown of both trainers and their best moments in the tournament whether it was a close win, or a dominating victory. This one had the fans anxiously waiting for the two trainers to begin their clash.

The video came to an end with a split screen, showing Ash with outstretched arms as he looked up at the stands. The other side showed Jeannette calmly waving to the fans, thanking them for their support. The screen went blank for a few moments, and then Charles Goodshow appeared on the screen standing beside the Championship Trophy which he would present to the winner.

"And now, we welcome all of you to the Indigo Conference Finals." Charles Goodshow stated. "We have two outstanding competitors waiting to begin, so we'll start immediately. Our contestant in the blue box, hailing from Pallet Town. A trainer that has made it all the way to the Finals at just the meager age of nineteen. As-h Ketchum!"

From the tunnel leading to the blue box, Ash's cheering squad came out in two separate lines performing a synchronized routine of dance steps while creating a pathway for Ash to make his way to the blue box.

As Ash came out of the tunnel focused solely on the field, he noticed that it looked different. It seemed almost like it was shining. Like the stage had been specially prepared for this one match. Ash tipped up the visor his cap as he made it to his box, raising a fist as the routine of his cheering squad came to end with all of them doing the same. The stands erupted with applause as the cheer team retreated into the tunnel, hoping that their cheer would keep Ash in high spirits throughout the battle.

"And now, our contestant in the red box, hailing from Crimson City. She's made it to the Finals on numerous occasions, and this time she plans to walk away with the Championship Trophy, Jeannette- Fisher!"

A red carpet came rolling out of the other tunnel straight to the red box where it stopped just in front of it. Then a gust of wind came gushing out of the tunnel followed by wave after wave of pink petals flew around the stadium, earning cheers from the crowd. Then Jeannette exited the tunnel by herself, taking slow but long strides to her box. By the time she arrived at her box, the wind had disappeared, allowing the petals to fall onto the crowd as well as the field.

"Trainers, as I'm sure both of you know, this will be a full six on six Pokemon battle. There will be no substitutions for either participants and there will be a break taken when either trainer has three Pokemon that have fainted." The referee announced to the two of them as they platforms rose up. "Good luck to both of you. Are ready to begin?"

The reply from both trainers was unanimous as they selected a Pokeball from their belt and hurled it onto the field to release their first choice.

Pallet Town

Oak's Laboratory

Quite a large number of people in Pallet Town had gathered outside of Professor Oak's place of work to watch what would be Ash's final battle of the Indigo Conference, win or loss.

In fact, Ash had been the talk of the town since he had left to make his way to Indigo Plateau. Pallet Town had always been such a quiet, peaceful place, but to see it bustling with excitement for the first time in years. He could vividly remember each time Ash was declared the winner of a battle, how everyone would cheer and chant for Ash.

'It takes a whole village to raise a child.' Professor Oak couldn't help but smile as he recalled how all of Pallet Town had a hand in raising Ash to be what he is today. It felt so rewarding to see him turning into such a successful trainer.

Peering into his ranch, Oak could see that everyone had gathered outside of his laboratory to watch the battle. He had connected one of his computers to a projector to get a live stream of the battle for all to watch.

"Go Ash, let her have it!"

"You can do it Ash!"

"He picked his Wartortle."

"Jeannette is using a Lickitung."

"You got this Ash!"

Oak found himself a suitable place to watch the projection from, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he observed the start of the battle. Wartortle vs Lickitung.

'Come on Ash, show everyone just how far you've progressed.'

Hoenn Region

Fallabor Town

"Damn May, Ash really left me in the dust this time." A young man exclaimed as he ran a hand through his well kept green hair.

"You know Ash just as well as I do Drew. He never takes a moment to rest." His companion responded. The duo of coordinators in training were seated within the Fallabor Pokemon Center, watching the Indigo Conference Finals on the large television in one of the recreation rooms.

"I know that, but it's like he's run off to a whole new world. He's got factories making products with his name on it while I'm still stuck in the Fallabor Technical Academy." Drew went on as he dropped his head on the table making an audible thud.

"Drew, don't be such a downer."

"May, you have no idea what I'm feeling right now. All of you rivals are still in the college circuit with you. All of mine have just left me behind. Brock is already a Gym Leader. Paul is getting ready to enter the professional circuit. Jimmy who's a year younger than me is already catching up to me. And Ash is trying to a win a Conference Championship as we speak." Drew explained before pausing. "Man, I've got so much work to do."

"Drew, don't let all of this get you down-" May began, but a collective gasp around the room brought their attention to the television where they could see that Ash's Wartortle had fallen victim to Lickitung's Power Whip attack.

"Wartortle is unable to battle." The ref declared.

"Man, that Power Whip attack was no joke." One of the announcers said. "Even though Ash is down five to six, this battle is far from over. Let's see how he answers back."

Drew watched as Ash recalled his Wartortle to its Pokeball, thinking about what his next choice should be. With a sigh, Drew abruptly slapped both of his hands down on the table in front of him before rising from his seat.

"Come on Ash! Don't back down just because you had a bad start. You're better than this!" Drew shouted at the television before realizing that he was in a room that had been close to silent.

May struggled to hold back a giggle as Drew dropped back down into his seat with his arms folded in front of his chest, acting as though his sudden outburst had never happened. Then she returned her gaze to the television where she could see that Ash had released his next Pokemon. His Charizard.

"Good luck Ash, we know you can do it." May said softly as Ash called for his Charizard to attack.

Johto Region

Goldenrod City

"Yeah Ash, keep it up!" Jimmy shouted although his cheers for Ash were drowned out within the chants that were coming from the entire audience within the large gymnasium. He and Marina were currently among the hundreds of people that had gathered in the building to watch the Indigo Conference Finals.

"You can do it Ash!" Marina added as though Ash could hear her.

"Come on Ketchum, I got a lot of money riding on this battle!" A tall man beside the duo shouted as he waved his fist as the large monitor they were watching.

"Ash, you've gotten this far so win the Championship!"

Jimmy wore a prideful smile as myriads of shouts for Ash continued to fill the room. Since the start of the Indigo Conference, people had been gathering here regularly to watch the battles each day, and not one of them knew of Ash Ketchum until he defeated Mandi. From that point forward, Ash's supporters increased with each of his victories.

The room seemed to explode with chants of 'Ash!' as Charizard was declared the winner of the battle against Lickitung. Now Ash had tied the battle.

Jimmy felt a bit of a chill run down his spine he realized that one of his closest friends was developing a fan base across the world.

"Come on Ash, make everyone remember your name!" Jimmy hollered.

Kanto Region

Cerulean City

The orange haired beauty known as Misty Waterflower was seated beside her sisters in the dining room of the Cerulean City Gym, watching the battle between Ash Ketchum and Jeannette Fisher on their television. Currently Ash's Charizard was in a bit of a pinch as it fought against Jeannette's second Pokemon, a Golduck.

Usually Misty would root for the water type Pokemon in a battle regardless of what kind of match up they were in or who was battling. But in this situation, she found herself going against her usual habit because of the young man that was fighting for the Conference Championship.

"Misty, is this really the dork you dated in high school?" Lily asked as she point at Ash who was directing his Charizard to remain in the air to avoid Golduck's water attacks. Misty gave her sister a slow nod in reply. "Boy, you really passed up on a good guy. Look how cool he is now."

"I know right. For a guy that's nineteen, he looks pretty good." Violet added.

"Alright guys, I get it." Misty hissed at them before telling them to shush.

"Be quiet guys. Misty wants to see if her ex-boyfriend manages to win the Championship or not." Daisy said with a giggle which only earned a glare from Misty before she returned her gaze to the screen.

Charizard was struck in the air by one of the Hydro Pump attacks Golduck had been firing which sent it spiraling down to the field. Charizard came crashing down dramatically before the ref approached its landing spot where he could see the fire type had been knocked out.

"Charizard is unable to battle. Golduck is the winner!" The ref announced before motioning for Ash to select his next Pokemon. Ash had no hesitation with his next choice as he looked toward the small electric type Pokemon perched on his shoulder, motioning for Pikachu to head out onto the field.

'Ash, do your best. I'm backing you up all the way.' Misty stated as she leaned forward in her seat as Ash called for Pikachu to attack.

Saffron City

Pokemon Center

Paul stood alone near the back of the recreation room, watching the monitor that displayed the battle from afar. He preferred not being cramp in between people, even if it meant getting to support Ash as energetically as the other people present. He was perfectly fine with his own method of cheering…do nothing outside of observing.

"Pikachu, wrap this up with a Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted. On the television the scene changed quickly to get a better shout of Pikachu latched onto Golduck's back where it gave the water type Pokemon the zapping of a lifetime.

"Yeah Ketchum!" Half of the occupants of the recreation room began to cheer for Ash's victory while the other half became quiet now that Ash had evened the game again.

Even though he didn't show it, Paul found it rather amusing how the room was divided between the supports of the two trainers that were battling. At one moment one side of the room would be cheering and the would be silent, and they it would switch in moment's notice.

Refocusing his attention onto the monitor, Paul crossed his arms in front of his chest. He felt as though his heart which was beating rapidly would explode out of his chest right now. Even though Paul wasn't participating in the battle, he viewed it as a battle that was even more important than one of his own.

'Ash, win or lose. Show me whether or not I can compete at that level.' Paul said as he anxiously awaited the decision of the referee.

"Golduck is unable to battle. Pikachu is the winner!" The ref declared, causing Paul to tighten his grip on his biceps.

Could he possibly reach the same level as Ash?

Indigo Plateau

Main Stadium

"Ah damn." Ash muttered as he climbed down his platform to retrieve Pikachu from the field. Even though they hadn't been caught in a bad match up against Jeannette's third Pokemon, Pikachu had been utterly destroyed. Rushing on the field, Ash came to stop in front of Pikachu where he delicately lifted it from the ground to make sure it didn't sustain any further damage.

Looking up at the monster that had defeated his Pikachu, Ash could only wonder how Jeannette's Bellsprout could seem so weak, and pack so much power into one attack. It was incredibly agile, allowing it easily evade Pikachu's attacks and counter accordingly until Pikachu finally collapsed from all of the damage.

'Man, I need to turn this around fast.' Ash muttered.

"We will now have a ten minute intermission before we continue the match!" The ref shouted. During a full six on six Pokemon battles, intermissions had been added whenever one trainer lost three Pokemon to give them some time to think and analyze the situation that were in, and this was exactly what Ash need.

He had already lost Charizard, so removing this Bellsprout wouldn't be as easy as he would like it to be. Not to mention Jeannette had all the momentum. Not only did he have to find a way to beat her Bellsprout, but he also needed to sway the flow of the battle before Jeannette assumed full control. He had been fighting an uphill battle since the beginning, and he would lose this battle unless he changed that.

Up in the stands, the fans began to use this intermission to discuss the possibilities of what could be done for the trainer they were rooting for to win.

"Man, I feel bad for Ash. Whenever Jeannette brings out her Bellsprout she going to seal her victory. It's all over for him." One of the fans stated, much to the dismay of the person seated behind him.

"No its not." Marcy exclaimed.

"Yes it is." The guy seated in front of them stated as he turned around to face her. "Whenever Jeannette uses her Bellsprout, her victory is certain. Ash did his best, but it's too late now. Especially since Jeannette has the number advantage at the moment."

"You can't count any one out at this point. Only half of the battle is over so there's time for either one of them to make a move. Jeannette could possible lock up this battle right now, but at the same time Ash can make a comeback." Marcy shot back, although the guy still seemed unimpressed.

"You can believe what you want, but Jeannette Fisher is pretty much the Indigo Conference Champion right now."

"Anyone with a brain can see that she's still battling to win the title idiot." Marcy stated as she leaned forward in her seat to look him directly in the eyes.

"She already has out the Pokemon she uses to close out any battle. Ash has no chance to beat her now. His window has closed." He continued, getting a frustrated sigh from Marcy as she sat back in her seat.

As a trainer, it could be exceedingly difficult to get a casual fan to understand everything that takes place in a battle beyond the match ups and a trainer's habits.

"Come on Jeannette, let's see a victory!" The guy in front of Marcy yelled out with a smirk with the clear intention of trying to irritate her.

'Ash, please win and show this guys just how big of an idiot he is.' Marcy said as she looked down at the platform that Ash was currently seated on, deep in thought about what he should do next.

"Our ten minute intermission is over. This battle can now continue." The ref called out after checking his watch, pulling both of the trainers out of their thoughts. Ash jumped up to his feet, excitedly anticipating the second half of the battle. "Are you ready?"

Ash and Jeannette gave the referee a nod before he motioned for them to go on. Jeannette's Bellsprout was still on the field, quietly waiting for the battle to continue. It hadn't sustained any damage in its prior battle, so Jeannette allowed it to remain outside of its Pokeball during the intermission. Ash took a moment to size up Bellsprout before removing a Pokeball from his belt.

Ever since he lost the neutral match up at the beginning of the battle, Jeannette had held the advantage, as well as the momentum. But Ash had the perfect Pokemon that would hopefully even the playing field for him.

"Haunter, front and center!" Ash shouted, releasing the Pokemon for its first appearance in the Indigo Conference.

'A Haunter?' Jeannette said as she wrinkled her forehead. 'I wonder what exactly he's planning.'

"Haunt-haunt!" It exclaimed as it looked around the field with its usual grin before spotting Bellsprout. Haunter than closed both of its hands into fists and began throw them across as large distance at Bellsprout in a high quantity, aiming to overwhelm grass type Pokemon.

"Bellsprout, dodge that Shadow Punch!" Jeannette called out. Bellsprout began to bob and weave, moving through the onslaught of attacks as it contorted its body to escape being hit by the slimmest of margins.

Haunter raised an eyebrow at this, realizing that none of its attacks would land.

"Haunter, this Bellsprout is really quick so you can't attack it directly." Ash called out to it. "We have to try a different method!"

Haunter responded by sticking its tongue out at Ash before launching another wave of Shadow Punch at Bellsprout. Once again, the result was the same as Bellsprout avoided the entire attack with no trouble at all.

"Perfect, now Bellsprout use Knock Off." Jeannette said before noticing that Haunter had disappeared. She had taken her eyes of the ghost type for just a moment to make sure Bellsprout safely avoided the attack, but now it was gone. "Where did it go?"

"Confuse Ray!" Ash commanded, although it seemed as though Haunter was battling on its own as it appeared above Bellsprout, opening up its mouth to release a circular pulse that rushed down toward its target.

"Bellsprout, look out!" Jeannette exclaimed, but even her quick Bellsprout couldn't escape the range of the Confuse Ray before it was hit. She had fallen for a basic distraction method where one attack is used to pull away someone's attention from their opponent's true intention.

When Haunter had blatantly launched a second Shadow Punch without Ash's command, she became overly cautious and failed to keep track of everything that was taking place on the battle field.

"Bellsprout, are you alright?" Jeannette called out to her Pokemon who began to stumble around the field, unable to maintain its balance.

"Haunter, let's keep rolling with Shadow Ball!" Ash yelled and now Haunter obediently followed his command and fired an dense orb of dark energy toward Bellsprout who failed to avoid the attack.

"Bellsprout!" The grass type Pokemon cried out as it was hit, being sent tumbling backward across the field.

"Nice Haunter!" Ash added, earning a delighted grin from his Pokemon before it rushed at Bellsprout who was trying to get back up to its feet. Haunter came to a stop directly in front of Bellsprout where it gave the Pokemon a large grin before its eyes became bright blue.

Bellsprout was thrown backward as though it had been hit, landing directly on its thin back without any cries about the pain. It was then Jeannette could see that her Pokemon sound asleep.

"Ah, Hypnosis." Jeannette muttered. Ash had completely flipped the script using his Haunter. Jeannette could tell what was going to happen next since Haunter was acting on its own as well as with Ash's direction. She could anticipate a move from Ash, but trying to counter Haunter acting on its own was far more difficult. Now she could only wonder if Ash was purposely allowing the mix, or was Haunter disobeying his commands in the Finals?

"Now Haunter, let's keep going with Dream Eater!"

Bellsprout gained a light blue aura that was quickly sucked into Haunter who had opened up its mouth to intake the meal it had prepared. Haunter cackled loudly as it fueled up from the short dream Bellsprout had been experiencing, causing the grass type Pokemon to begin to toss and turn on the field as it was drained. Jeannette remained silent, deciding that it was best to begin thinking about what she would have to do against this Haunter while she still had a little bit of time.

The broken battle style Ash was using with his Haunter was making it difficult to understand exactly what he was planning, but she had just the Pokemon that should be able to put an end to that.

"Bellsprout is unable to battle, Haunter is the winner!" The ref declared, motioning to the ghost type Pokemon that was slightly larger than before from using Dream Eater. Jeannette quietly recalled her Bellsprout, relaxing for a moment to observe Ash's Haunter as it gave a haughty laugh. She would have to be swift to beat this Haunter or else their dysfunctional battle style would take over once again.

"Arcanine, let's go!" Jeannette declared as she pitched the next Pokeball she held onto the field, allowing the fiery colored Pokemon to give a deafening howl as it took shape on the field. "We're starting fast Arcanine! Use Crunch!"

Expecting to find an expression of horror Ash's face, Jeannette once again found herself at a loss for words when she saw that he was smiling.

"Haunter, dodge it and use Taunt!" Ash called out. Jeannette tilted her head to the side, wondering why exactly Ash would encourage her Arcanine to continue attacking his Haunter. Arcanine rushed at Haunter, opening its mouth to reveal the large fangs that it was going to sink into its opponent.

Haunter on the other hand, gave its usual grin as it faded away into oblivion, causing Arcanine to come skidding to a halt searching the field for Haunter.

"Haunt!" Haunter roared into Arcanine's ear, causing the fire type to flinch before it leapt away. Once Arcanine caught sight of Haunter, the ringing in its ear became easy to ignore as Haunter made a kissy face at Arcanine before turning its imaginary rear end to Arcanine.

"Ra!" Arcanine snarled as it rushed at Haunter, increasing its speed to ensure that it would get Haunter again. Unfortunately, Haunter simply faded away once again although this time Jeannette could see that it had barely escaped Arcanine's attack.

"Arcanine, use Extremespeed as a speed boost and get it with Crunch!" Jeannette ordered. Arcanine gave its trainer a nod before heightening its speed which caused the Pokemon to begin to flicker for a bit as it looked around for its target.

'Perfect, we got them right where we want them.' Ash stated as he waved his arms above his head. "Haunter, come on out!"

Haunter reappeared on the field, hovering close to the ground with its back turned to Arcanine who immediately rushed off to strike it.

'What an ignorant Pokemon.' Jeannette stated before a chill ran down her spine as she observed Ash's expression. He was smiling.

"Destiny Bond!"

Arcanine furiously charged at Haunter who had yet to notice it approaching, but just as it got as close as it possibly could before attacking, Haunter whirled around to show a wide smile and is eyes that were releasing a sinister black energy.

"Arcanine!" Jeannette hollered, although she was too late to call of the attack. Arcanine chomped down on Haunter, and a collective gasp came from the audience as the two of them became enveloped in a dark aura that wavered for several moments before fading away.

Haunter and Arcanine collapsed to the ground in a heap, and the referee had no trouble making this call. Destiny Bond was a guaranteed knock out.

"Both Pokemon are unable to battle!" The ref said as he raised both flags. The stands roared with excitement as everyone jumped to their feet.

"Oh what a comeback by Ash Ketchum!" One of the announcers exclaimed. "Ash has finally evened up this battle. It's anyone's game now!"

Jeannette was impressed to say the least now that she understood Haunter's purpose. To change the flow of the battle. Once it had disrupted her close out with her Bellsprout, it had become nothing more than a sacrifice in order to even the playing field. Now both of them were down to just two Pokemon.

Ash looked across the field at Jeannette where he made eye contact with her. Tipping the rim of his cap up, Ash grinned as he motioned for her to bring out her next Pokemon. Jeannette returned his gesture with a nod of acknowledgement. This was going to be an interesting.

Underneath the grin he had on his face, Ash found himself panicking as he struggled to decide which of his two Pokemon he should bring out next. All he had left was his Snorlax and his Pidgeot. Right now the logical choice seemed like Snorlax based on the fact that it only had one weakness, and if that was his best choice at the moment, he would take it.

Both trainers recalled their unconscious Pokemon, and steeled themselves for this crucial match up. Whoever won this match would have the advantage against the other's sixth Pokemon and would likely win the whole battle.

Neither Ash or Jeannette gave a shout of what Pokemon they were using, they simply tossed their Pokeballs into the air and hoped for the best. Ash's Snorlax landed on the field on both feet with a loud slam while Jeannette's Electabuzz took shape on the field, flexing a pair of biceps that were quite large for an Electabuzz.

'A neutral match up!' The thought flew around the stadium. This one could go either way.

Jeannette grabbed onto the railing of her platform, trying to contain her excitement. Victory was so close. It was clear that no one, not even Ash was aware of the fact that her Electabuzz knew Focus Blast.

"Holly, come on!" Brock said as he looked down the corridor, motioning for his girlfriend to follow him.

"Well if you slow down a bit Brock, I'd be able to keep up with you." She replied as she took in a few deep breathes. The two of them were completely lost with in the tunnel system that made a majority of the main stadium on Indigo Plateau.

"We can't slow down. We already missed most of the battle. I have to at least see the rest of it. Ash will never forgive for missing him win the Indigo Conference Finals." Bro k replied quickly as he moved down the hallway in search of a corridor that would take them into the stadium.

The two of them had flown out from Pewter City earlier this morning with the goal of arrive on time for the Finals. But when they arrived at Indigo Plateau, the found themselves getting caught in the enormous crowd that had assembled in the area to watch the Finals. It wasn't the stadium alone that was packed; the whole location was as well.

Fortunately, Brock's status as the Pewter City Gym Leader allowed them to enter a stadium through one of the back entrances. From there it was up to them to find their way to the stands, and that proved to be a difficult task.

Holly smiled softly as she looked at Brock who was hastily looking around for the correct tunnel. It wasn't too often she got to see Brock as excited as he was today, and it was clear that he was overjoyed by Ash's success at the Indigo Conference. Not even she would've thought that he would make it to the Finals, but he never fails to surprise anyone.

"Holly, I see light!" Brock shouted from down the hall. Holly quickly joined him at the tunnel where there was short staircase that led up into broad daylight. "Let's go!"

As they began journeying up the staircase, the could hear the stadium roar even louder than ever before, which was reason enough for them to quicken their pace to get outside. Arriving at the top of the staircase, the two of themselves located in one of the lower level seating sections with a good view of the field and a sight that seemed to shock the entire audience.

Electabuzz was firmly lodged in the wall of the stadium as though it had been thrown into the wall while Snorlax was located near the center of the field, breathing deeply with a dark expression on its face.

"Oh come on, how ridiculous is this!" One of the announcers exclaimed in reply to what had just taken place. The entire sequence was being replayed on the monitor from multiple perspectives thanks to number of cameras that were floating around the field. "I've seen some pretty crazy moves, but this is just sweet!"

Brock looked up at the monitor where the scene started with Ash watching as his Snorlax struggled to keep up some form of defense against the pounding it was taking from Electabuzz's Focus Blast attack.

"Snorlax, use Protect on your arms and use it to deflect the Focus Blast away!" Ash ordered.

Snorlax gave a grunt in reply before a blue aura coated both of its arms. At first Snorlax was skeptical as to whether or not this could work since this isn't how Protect would usually work, but a quick test proved otherwise as Snorlax knocked away one the numerous blue orbs Electrabuzz had been spamming since the start of the battle.

With a snort, Snorlax lowered its head a bit before charging in like a Tauros at Electabuzz with its arms out in front of it. Each and every one of the Focus Blasts that had been fired at the large normal type Pokemon was knocked away with ease, allowing Snorlax to make a beeline straight at its opponent.

"Snorlax, get it with Mega Punch!" Ash yelled.

Electabuzz paled as Snorlax looked up at it with an expression of fury on its face as it cocked its fist back. White streaks began to swirl around its fist as it threw a haymaker at Electabuzz who failed to avoid the attack. A blow to the head sent Electabuzz spiraling across the field straight into the wall where it became stuck in an imprint of its own body.

"His Snorlax was getting absolutely pounded by those Focus Blast attacks for a while there. I thought it was all over and then bam! A one hit, comeback, knock out!"

"There's no surprise there. An Electabuzz barely weighs seventy pounds while a Snorlax weighs over a thousand. All that weight behind one super enhanced punch would equal a knockout on just about any Pokemon!" An announcer explained over the chants of the fans.

"I don't care what anyone has to say, this is one the best comebacks I've seen in the Indigo Conference Finals." The announcers had been going back and forth from the moment Snorlax had finished off Electabuzz emphatically.

Jeannette was still standing on her platform with her head turned to the side to observe his Electabuzz. The finishing blow had come out of nowhere, and to say that she was still shocked was an understatement. Ash's balance of offense and defense had completely demolished her high powered offense that she was aiming to overwhelm Ash and Snorlax with. Now she was down to her last Pokemon.

Looking across the field at Ash who was giving shouts of praise to his Snorlax, Jeannette could see that she had battled a trainer that was worthy of the Championship. If she could defeat him, that would be the icing on the cake.

"Return Electabuzz." Jeannette said quietly, causing the crowd to become silent now that the battle was reaching its final stages. "Scyther, go!"

To say the least, the exchange between Snorlax and Scyther was quick. The beating Snorlax had taken from the Focus Blast attacks had been too much for it to really battle with Scyther, allowing the bug type to easily finish it off with a Brick Break to the top of its head.

Then Ash showed the crowd the final Pokemon he had brought with him, and that sealed the battle. Jeannette sighed deeply at the sight of Ash's Pidgeot, realizing that her Scyther had no chance at beating the avian Pokemon. They had lost fair and square.

The fans roared as Pidgeot and Scyther entered a quick aerial battle that was soon settled by a quick Aerial Ace from Pidgeot. The sharp, super effective blow from Pidgeot was enough to end Scyther in one hit.

"Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town is the winner!" The referee yelled as he pointed toward Ash. The stadium felt as though it was shaking as everyone wildly applauded the battle that had just come to its finish.

"The battle is o-ver! A new Champion has risen from the heat of the battle to stand at the top of the Indigo Conference! His name is Ash Ketchum, nineteen years old!" The announcer added as best he could, trying to compete with the volume of the crowd.

Even the biggest Jeannette Fisher fans had risen to their feet to cheer for Ash as he dashed onto the field, leaping onto the back of his Pidgeot now that they had claimed the Championship.

A/N

So what did you think? He won, by the skin of his teeth, but he managed to win it all.

When I was thinking back to the Indigo League in the anime, the first thing that came to mind was that trolling Bellsprout that wrecked Pikachu and Bulbasuar, so I just had to include it in this battle. But rather than just go with the solution of Muk, I decide that the best way to counter a troll is with a troll. So Haunter came out and did its thang. That was fun.

In reply to the guest reviewer who asked me a number of questions, I'll answer as best I can right now. So to start, the reason why Pokemon outside of Kanto haven't been seen yet is because I'm reliving my glory days. I haven't played with Gen 1 Pokemon since Firered and Leafgreen, so I'm just having a bit of fun. Other Pokemon will definitely be seen within the next few updates. As for the whole situation involving Blake at the end of the prequel to Ambition, that will come up at a later time. But for now we can all just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Something I know I didn't make clear earlier was that that each Conference takes place during different times of the year to ensure that nearly the entire world is watching each Conference whenever they're taking place for revenue and all that. So in the Indigo Conference takes place in the summer. Silver Conference in spring. Ever Grande Conference in the fall. Lily of the Valley Conference in the winter. The way I had designed this was based on where I imaged Sinnoh and Hoenn to be since I placed them in the southern hemisphere, so winter and fall for them is actually summer and spring based on the axis tilt of the earth. Unfortuantely, I can't figure out where exactly I should place Unova, so the Vertress Conference is something I haven't officially decided on, although it doesn't affect the plot in anyway. Just something I thought you might want to know.

I was rambling there for a bit, but I'm done. Thanks to all who reviewed, its very appreciated and I'll do my best to answer any questions you may have. Please review and tell me what you thought, any thoughts or concerns. I'll answer them as best I can.

Now that the Indigo Conference is over, we can get going with the next part of the story where the plot starts rolling.