Ch 49: Preliminary round one

"May I see your eight badges please" The young woman behind the registration desk said. Ash took out his badge case and opened it. "Very good , what is your name" She said. "Ash Ketchum of Pallot town" Ash said.

"Perfect you're now registered in the Ever Grand pokemon league. Here's your tournament ID
" The young woman said. Ash turned around and started walking towards the exit with May. "Well your in the Hoenn league, now all that's left if for you to win" May said.

"This is what I've been training for, another shot to win here" Ash said. The two were not outside the pokemon center and were down by the lagoon. "So Ash why did you choose to compete in the Hoenn league again instead of the Indigo league?" May said.

Ash's face turned a little red. "To be perfectly honest I was hoping to meet you again and finally tell you how I really feel. Competing in the Hoenn league was kind off a second objective" Ash said. May looked back at Ash and blushed a little. "I love you" May said.

"And I love you" Ash said. The two embraced each other and shared a kiss. "Why do I keep having to watch that?" Max said. Ash and May turned to see Max standing with Red and Riachu a few feet away from them.

"Max there you are I was wondering where you went off to" May said. "I was training with Red, unlike you Ash I registered this morning when the lines was very short" Max said. "I couldn't just do that and not say goodbye to Iris" Ash said.

"Well this is the Hoenn league, only the best trainers in all of Hoenn can make it" Max said. "Yeah like me" A loud voice said. A large young man jumped into their group, he was wearing a full set of samurai armor. Ash and May soon realized it was Morrison. "Morrison you made it" Ash said. "Oh yeah I got all eight badges and all of my armor pieces. I am now Morrison the samurai trainer" Morrison said.

"So Max you're competing in the Hoenn league too, well I hope you're a good warmup for when I get my rematch with Ash" Morrison said. "Warm up! For your information Morrison I'm going to win!" Max said.

"You're both wrong I'm gonna win!" someone shouted. Max and Morrison turned to see someone sprinting toward them. "Who is that?" Morrison said. Barry almost ran into Max and hit Morrison knocking them both to the ground.

"Ouch you hit me, I'm fining you for that" Barry said. "What you ran into me!" Morrison said. "Well I was wondering when he'd show up" Ash said. "Wait Ash you know this guy?" Morrison said. "Yeah this is Barry , we competed against each other in the Sinnoh league" Ash said.

Barry quickly got onto his feet and said proudly "That's right and I'm going win this time around" Barry said. "Yeah right I'm gonna win" Morrison said. "Well you two have clearly never seen the way I battle" Max said.

"These three are really getting into this aren't they" May said. "Well that's the spirit of competition" Ash said. "Max try to remember winning isn't everything. It should be an honor just to make it this far" Red said. "Thanks Red but remember I'm in it to win it!" Max said.

"Well he has the mindset of a first timer in a pokemon league" Ash said. "Oh Ash I almost forgot to tell you. I found out that Daniel and Serina Rian are here to watch the Hoenn league" Red said.

"Really that's awesome" Ash said. "I hope we get a chance to meet them" Red said. "Well I don't know about you but I'm going to train some more" Max said. He started walking off towards the woods. "I guess I better go help him. I'll see you later guys, let's go riachu" Red said.

Red and Riachu both started following Max towards the woods. "I'll be practicing too I'll see you guys when they hand me the trophy" Barry said before sprinting off. "Geeze that guys is obnoxious. Well Ash I'm glad you made it here, I wouldn't feel right about winning my first pokem league without having a proper rematch with you" Morrison said.

"Just make it as far as I do Morrison and I'll give you the match of your life" Ash said. "Well that's what I like to hear Ash. Now I've got to make sure my pokemon are good and prepped for my first match tomorrow" Morrison said. After Morrison walked off May turned back to Ash.

"So Ash do you know what pokemon you're using for your first match?" May said. "Well I the first round is the qualifying round and I can only use one pokemon. I should really think carefully on who I choose" Ash said. "Well what do you want to do for the rest of the night?" May said. "We could go out for dinner" Ash said. "That sounds good" May said.

Later that night Ash and May were at Verinos, a restaurant that served food primarily made in Kanto. "This was a good choice, I always did like Kanto food" May said. A waiter poured water into their cups and noticed pikachu sitting in the booth with Ash. "Excuse me young man are you a trainer?" He said.

"Yeah" Ash said. "Well are you competeing in the Ever Grand league?" He said. Ash took out his ID card and showed it to him. "Well I have good news for you, since your competing in the Hoenn league all meals in Ever Grande city are paid for" He said. "Really, sweet" Ash said.

The waiter took their orders and then went back to the kitchen. "I think I know who I'm going to use first preliminary match" Ash said. "Really who are you using?" May said. "I think I'm going to use Lucario. I've been working on my aura with him allot more lately" Ash said.

"I think Max's first match is one of the first one's being held tomorrow" May said. "If Max is training as hard as Red says he has been I think he's got a shot at making it far into the Hoenn league" Ash said. "Speaking of which, what happens if I have to face Max at some point?" Ash said.

"Well when my parents get here they'll probably want me to root for him, so that's going to be awkward rooting for you over Max when I'm with my parents" May said. "I love you" Ash said. May blushed a little, "I know" She said.

After Ash and May finished their dinner they went to check into their room at the hotel. Ash showed the receptionist his ID card. "Alright you have room 204" the receptionist said as she handed Ash a pair of room keys. "Enjoy your stay" She said.

Ash and May started walking toward their room when Ash heard two familiar voices. "Room 207 is on the third floor so we'll need to take the elevator" "Alright but once we put our things away I want to find Ash" "Delia do you really think we're not going to find him".

"Mom, Dad?" Ash said. Ash saw Felix and Delia standing near the elevators with a few bags. "Ash there you are" Delia said. She rushed over and gave him a bear hug. "I can't believe I finally have my whole family together" Delia said. "Mom It's good to see you too" Ash said.

"Ash I can't wait to see you compete in the Hoenn league" Felix said. "I'm glad that the two of you both made it" Ash said. "Mrs. Ketchum it's nice to see you again" May said. "May, I hope you've taken good care of my little boy while he was away from home" Delia said.

"Oh I have" May said. "So Ash when is your first match?" Felix asked. "tomorrow at ten thirty just after Max's first match" Ash said. "Alright so we'll watch Max's match together then be ready to get to yours" Delia said.

Later that night in their Room Ash and May were in bed. "So when are your parents going to get here?" Ash said. "I"m not sure but they did say they would come to see Max compete" May said. May yawned then rested her head against Ash's chest "Goodnight" She said then fell asleep. Ash turned his head to Pikachu who was resting on the pillow next to Ash's. "This is it pikachu what we've trained so long for" Ash said.

"Pika" Pikachu said confidently. "Lets win this" Ash said. The next morning Ash and May were with the rest of their group. This included Ash's parents, May's parents, Red, Barry, and Morrison. Max was facing off against a boy around his age with blonde hair and blue eyes wearing an elecatbuzz baseball team T-shirt . Max was using his grovyle and his opponent was using a breloom.

"Breloom use dynamic punch" Max's opponent said. "Grovyle dodge and use bullet seed" Max said. Grovyle waited until Breloom was close enough then quickly jumped back and pelted him with bullet seed. "Breloom use mach punch" Max's opponent said.

"Grovyle dodge and use bullet seed" Max said. Grovyle jumped up again avoiding breloom's attack and pelted him with bullet seeds. "It appears Max's strategy is working. He's avoiding a direct confrontation wearing breloom down" Norman said. "Breloom use dynamic punch" Max's opponent said.

"Dodge and use bullet seed" Max said. Grovyle jumped up and Max's opponent quickly shouted "Sky uppercut!" Breloom jumped high into the air and smashed his claw into Grovyle's jaw. Grovyle fell and hit the ground hard. "Grovyle!" Max said.

"I guess Max was just becoming to predictable" Morrison said. "He can get out of this, I did train him after all" Red said. "Breloom use mach punch" Max's opponent said. "Grovyle use leech seed" Max said. Grovyle launched a small seed that hit breloom and sprouted, entangling breloom.

"Oh no Breloom do something quick" Max's opponent said. Breloom tried to break free but the leech seed drained away his energy. "Perfect Grovyle finish this with leafblade" Max said. Grovyle got up and slashed breloom with both his arm blades. After landing beyond Breloom , Grovyle's opponent fell to the ground unconscious.

"Breloom is unable to battle the winner is Max of Petalburg city" The ref said. "Yes we did it!" Max said. "Breloom return, we'll try again next year" Max's opponent said. "That's my boy" Norman said. "He did pretty good but when it's my turn you'll see how a master does it" Barry said.

"If you want to see a master in action then you're in luck Ash's match is next" May said. "I'd better get going my match is in Stadium C" Ash said. After twenty minutes passed Ash stood at one end of the field in Stadium C. Pikachu was up in the front row sitting in May's lap. "Trainers send out your pokemon!" The announcer said.

Ash's opponent was a young man about 14 years old named Damian. He had pale skin brownish hair and green eyes. "Alright let's win this Hariyama" Damian said. He sent out a large hariyama who pounded his palms into the ground. "I choose you Lucario" Ash said. He threw the pokeball and Lucario came out taking a fighting stance.

"Two fighting types, this should prove interesting" The announcer said. "You can do it Ash!" May shouted. "PIka!" Pikachu said. "Alright let's make this quick haryiama use force palm" Damian said. "Lucario use detect" Ash said.

Lucario used Hariyama's aura to identify where and when he would strike. He then easily avoided the attack. "Shoot, Hariyama use arm thrust" Damian said. "Lucario use extreme speed" Ash said. Lucario jumped back with incredible speed avoiding Hariyama's attack.

"That's it Ash you're doing great!" Felix said. "Lucario use swords dance" Ash said. Lucario threw his arms into a certain position and started glowing blue as his power increased. "Hariyama don't give him a chance to attack. Use close combat" Damian said.

"Lucario use detect" Ash said. Lucario avoided every one of hariyama's attacks with ease. "Keep the pressure on him hariyama use knock off" Damian said. "Lucario move" Ash said. Lucario moved away using a back flip to avoid the knock off. "Lucario use foresight" Ash said.

Lucario locked in on Hariyama with his aura. "I see he used swordsdance to power up lucario and now he's focusing in on him, brilliant" Felix said. "Oh no you don't Hariyama use focus blast" Damian said. "Lucario dodge and use close combat" Ash said.

Hariyama ran at lucario and unleashed focus blast but Lucario jumped over hariyama. When Lucario landed he swept his legs making hariyama lose his footing. He then turned around and unleashed a furry of powerful strikes on Hariyama. When he finished , hariyama fell tot he ground unconscious. "Hariyama is unable to battle the winner is Ash from Pallot town" The red said.

"Yes I knew he'd win" Delia said. "Way to go Ash" May said. "PIka!" Pikachu said excitedly. Lucario went over to Ash and smiled. "Lucario" He said as Ash and him both held their arms up and grabbed each other's hand. "Nice work out there lucario you did amazing" Ash said.

"Hariyama return, you did your best I can't ask any more of you" Damian said as he returned his pokemon. "Wow I can't believe how good Ash has gotten" Morrison said. "Well my match is coming up so you'll get to see for the first time just how good I am" Barry said.