"So Gary, where was that master strategy of yours that you kept bragging about?" Teased Misty.

"Shut up." Said Gary.

Ash, Gary, Misty, Brock, Tracey, May, Max, Dawn, Iris and Tyler had arrived back at the pokemon center and started to get some dinner from the pokemon center cafeteria.

"Gary, it really is a shame that you didn't win." Said Brock.

"Well just goes to show you, too much research and not enough training, Right? Just make sure that you don't make that mistake." Gary had directed that statement to Tyler, Brock, Dawn and Ash as they were the only ones still in the tournament.

"I don't think you have to worry Gary. We all know Ash is never one to use his head." Pointed out Misty.

"That's right. An act like that is too strenuous on a little kid." Said Iris. Ash preceded to let out a long, agonising groan.

"True. Okay Tyler, Brock and Dawn be sure to train hard and not do too much studying." Gary restated the advice to the 3 of them.

"Sure thing Gary." Said Tyler.

"Well you're probably okay on the training side of things. You should be the one doing the research." Gary said to Tyler.

"Why would I do that? I've got you for that." He replied with a sly grin.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Well you are a researcher, right?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah, I am."

"Well then since you're out, you can research into our opponents for us." He said with a smile.

"And why would I do that?" Retorted Gary.

"Oh come on, it's not like you have anything better to do." Said Tyler.

"Yeah. Isn't research what you live for Gary?" Teased Ash.

Gary thought about this for a moment with his chin in his hand. Eeh, sure. Why not. I guess I'll just be the team researcher." He decided.

"That's the spirit Gary!" Said Tyler.

"Yeah thanks so much." Said Dawn.

Max took a look around the table. "Tyler, Brock? Why aren't you guys eating anything?"

"Well young Max we have a party to attend to." Answered Tyler braggingly.

"Right! The after round party!" Exclaimed Dawn clapping her hands together.

Ash who had a mouthful of food said. "Oh man! I totally forgot."

"You know we get dinner served to us tonight, right Ash?" Asked Dawn.

"Yeah but no need to worry. I can still eat."

"Shocker." Said Gary widening his eyes.

"Yeah, we're really surprised Ash." Said May sarcastically.

"Well what do you say we get going?" Suggested Tyler.

"I agree." Said Brock. His eyes immediately turned to hearts. "And who knows. It's a party and maybe I'll even get lucky!" this comment was met with a swift poison jab form the poison claw of a Toxicroak. Brock's mojo was neutralised.

"Okay, let's go!" said Ash as he preceded to leave with Dawn, Tyler and Brock who was being dragged along on his face.

Once the 4 of them arrived they noticed that it was a lot less crowded this time. Probably because there were only 64 trainers left as oppose to the 128 that were there last time. Over on a monitor on one side of the room were the pictures of the 64 trainers that were still competing and presumably attending the party.

Kruger

Draden

Brandon P

Agnol

Hugh

Alder

Riley

Lucian

Bryson

Morrison

Drake

Seth

Byron

Benga

Virgal

Reggie

Phobie

Michael

Dakim

Flannery

Eldes

Lt. Surge

Grimsley

Nitro

Red

Byron

Evice

Tyler

Jacob

Dawn

Buck

Steven Stone

Noland

Snattle

Lance

Barrett

Shauntel

Olly

Jamie

Wallace

Gonzap

Palmer

Somek

Saturn

Cynthia

Flint

Liza

Brendan S.

Ash Ketchum

Grimsley

Brock

Draden

Tobias

Brandon N

Ardos Virch

Ghetsis

Claire

Colress

Paul

Glacia

Anabel

Barry

Giovanni

Brandon

Ash, Tyler and Dawn were having fun, enjoying the food and socialising with some familiar people like Barry and Ash's Hoenn rival Morrison. Brock however spent a considerable amount of time being stung by poison jabs after confrontations with the Hoenn gym leader Flannery, Blackthorn gym leader Clair and the Sinnoh region champion Cynthia.

During one of Dawn and Barry's pitiful squabbles about "Who bumped into who" Ash noticed Jamie amongst the crowd talking to 2 other people.

"Hey Jamie!" Ash said as he called him over. Jamie said one last thing to conclude his conversation and walked over to them.

"Who were those guys you were talking to? He asked.

"No one, I was just trying to get some info on Tobias."

"How come?"

"Because he has 4 other unknown pokemon that I need to prepare for that's how come." Jamie responded annoyed that Ash couldn't see his reasoning.

"But you don't know who you are facing yet." Said Dawn.

True, but you could look up on the database and find the pokemon of any trainer. But Tobias has the only known 2." He explained.

"Well I'd be less focused on Tobias and more focused on beating me if we get matched up." Ash said confidently.

"Bfft, please. I would have no problem beating you. At best you've gotten like what? Top 4 in a tournament. Top 4 is the worst I've ever gotten. I've also had 2 runner-ups and 2 victories in league competition."

Ash's jaw hit the floor. "No. Way."

"That's what I thought." He said.

"Yeah but don't forget, this tournament has highly experienced trainers from all over the world. This competition is the 1st of its kind and like no other." Tyler said to him.

"I know. That's why I'm trying to be prepared for the toughest competition." He responded.

"Okay, so what have you learned?" Asked Dawn.

"Nothing! That's the problem. Everyone only knows Tobias having just Darkrai and Latios."

"Well he has got to have some other pokemon with him." Said Tyler.

"Yeah but who?" Jamie wondered. Dawn just seemed to study him until he caught on.

"What?"

"Did you say anything to her?"

"To who?"

"Misty. Did you say anything to her after our battle?"

"What? No." Jamie said defending himself. Tyler and Ash both looked to Dawn curious as to where she was going with this.

"I'm just trying to figure out why she doesn't like you so much." She said.

"Why should I care. She is the one with a problem with me. I've just tried my best to keep my distance from that lunatic."

"Hey! That's not nice." Said Dawn defending her friend.

"Just drop it Dawn." Said Tyler knowing fully well that this was a lose – lose situation. "So Jamie, caught any new pokemon this year?"

"Just the one. But it's not like I'm going to tell you."

"Why do you always have to be like that? You always have to hide something away."

Jamie looked up at him. "Because I'm not one to go around blabbing my strategies around to potential opponents. If you remember that's what I did with Hydriegon at the Unova league."

Tyler realized that he was right. The last time he battled Jamie was at the Unova league in the quarter finals. During the battle Jamie had used a Hydriegon, a pokemon he didn't even knew he had it was the last pokemon he had used after all of his other ones had been defeated. Jamie then went on with Hydriegon to knockout 3 of Tyler's pokemon back to back who had already been damaged previously in the battle. that 1 unexpected pokemon had been the key to unlock the door of victory for Jamie in their quarter final battle.

"Okay, fair enough." He said. Just then a tall, beautiful woman with long blonde hair approached them.

"Hey Cynthia!" Ash yelled like a little kid.

"Hi Cynthia." Said Dawn.

The 2 brothers both looked behind them to see the Sinnoh region champion.

"Hello Ash, Dawn. It's nice to see you again." She said

"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa. Slow the hell down! You guys know Cynthia, the champion of Sinnoh?" Asked Tyler hysterically.

"Yeah. Sinnoh is where I'm from." Said Dawn.

"That's incredible." He said. Cynthia meanwhile eyed over Tyler with her 1 visible eye. Tyler eventually caught on and began to get nervous.

"You're Tyler, correct?" She asked.

"Uh, yeah that's me."

"I've heard about your 2 victories against some highly skilled trainers and I have to say I'm very impressed." Said the champion.

"Uuuuuggggghh, gee th-thanks." He stuttered. It was high praise coming from a champion.

"And Ash, I'm really impressed that you are still in the tournament too, especially you Dawn."

"Thank you Cynthia." Replied Dawn.

"That's not all, I plan to win the whole tournament!" Said Ash.

"Still as confident as ever I see." Cynthia said as she turned her attention to the 4th person of the group; Tyler's brother. "And who is this?" She asked.

"This is Tyler's brother." Said Ash as he introduced him to the champion.

"My name is Jamie." He stated.

Ah, you were a Unova league winner, and if I remember correctly you're also a former Kanto league winner."

"Oh. So you've heard of me?" He asked.

"When you're the champion of an entire region, being the centre of attention allows you to pick up all sorts of tidbits on other people." Cynthia said.

"Makes sense." Said Dawn.

"Of course you're still in the tournament right?" Asked Ash. He was fairly sure he knew the answer.

"Yes. None of the region champions have been eliminated as of yet."

"I'm sure you'll make it farther than the other ones." Said Jamie.

"I thank you for the vote of confidence." Thanked the champion. He hadn't meant that to be an intentional compliment, he was just stating what he thought to be true. "Well I'm going to go, and I hope to see you all here after round 3." Said the Sinnoh champ as she turned and walked away.

"So that's the Sinnoh region champion…" Said Jamie.

"I still can't believe that you know her." Tyler said to Ash and Dawn.

Jamie continued to look in the direction that Cynthia had walked off. "That's a high bar to reach."