"So what was your first time battling in the Pokemon League like?" Jason asked. He and I were in our room, talking to our dads about their first time in Pokemon League.
"Well, back then, I was very different from how I am now. I was really popular and always had a group of girls following me everywhere and cheering me on while Ash had nobody except for his friends and mom." Gary explained.
"But despite all of your bragging and claiming to be better than me, I made it further into the tournament than you did." my dad said.
"That you did. You made it into the top sixteen."
"I won my first-ever Pokemon League battle using just my Kingler, too. I lost in the top sixteen to Ritchie since Charizard refused to battle."
I looked at Jason, since he had a Charizard.
"Don't worry, my Charizard will obey me." Jason replied.
I knew that Jason had been training with Charizard more than any of his other Pokemon.
"The rules of the Pokemon League are a lot different from regular battles. There are four smaller stadiums besides the main one. Each stadium is a different type of battlefield: Ice, water, grass, and rock. The trainers are randomly selected for their battles and which battlefield they will battle on. The first sixteen trainers to win in all four stadiums go to the top sixteen, which are then randomly paired up with the winners going to the top eight, top four, and then the finals. All battles from the top sixteen and onwards are held in the Indigo Stadium. The battles are three-on-three until the top sixteen, which are six-on-six." my dad explained.
"Do you two know who you're battling?" Gary asked.
"No," we replied.
We walked to the Pokemon Center and looked at a large screen which showed all of the battles for the day, who will be battling, which battlefield, and what time. Looking at the screen, I saw that I was battling on the water battlefield against some girl. Jason was battling on the rock battlefield against some guy. Both of our battles were at the same time.
Looking back, I saw my mom and Leaf walking over to us.
"Where are the others?" I asked.
"Brittany is spending some time with Michelle and Nikki. What are you guys doing?" she replied.
"We were just telling them about our first time in the Pokemon League." Gary replied.
Leaf laughed. "I remember all of those girls that followed you around back then. It's a good thing that I didn't love you back then or things wouldn't have been pretty."
"Ash, I have to talk to you about your battle with Paul today. What were you thinking when you accepted Paul's challenge? That was risky, Ash, putting your title on the line like that. What if you had lost? If that had happened, then everything that you had worked towards your entire life would've been for nothing! Not to mention that you didn't have any idea about what Pokemon you were going to use against Latias!" my mom cried.
"I couldn't let Paul control Latias. I saw how sad and miserable Latias was and I knew that she needed to be free from Paul. I couldn't just let a Legendary Pokemon be at the mercy of Paul. You know how he treats his Pokemon. I couldn't let her suffer through that. Would you? And even if I didn't have the Legendaries to help me, I still would have found a way to win so Latias could be free." my dad replied, defending himself.
"You mean that you didn't have a plan and would've improvised?! Oh, you're still as reckless as you were when we were kids!"
"Yeah, but you love me anyway." my dad joked.
My mom paused and her anger faded away and she smiled. "Yes," she said as they kissed.
Later, we were all standing together outside of the stadium. Our battles would be starting soon.
"Good luck, Jason." I said.
"You too, Adam." Jason said.
My mom, dad, and Brittany would be watching my battle while Gary and Leaf would watch Jason's. Michelle would have to decide who she was going to watch, since we were both battling at the same time in two different stadiums.
"Which battle are you going to watch, Michelle?" Brittany asked.
She thought for a minute before saying, "Adam's."
"Well, that figures." Jason muttered quietly.
Why did he keep saying that? I wondered to myself. This wasn't the first time that I had heard Jason say those words to himself when Michelle had chosen to do certain things. I pushed the thought into the back of my mind. I had more important things to focus on right now.
We split up and walked to where our battles were going to take place.
"Good luck, Adam!" Brittany cried.
"Good luck," Michelle and my parents said.
They walked to their seats and I walked to the water battlefield, people screaming as I entered. I took the field and waited, looking at my opponent. She gave a small nod of acknowledgment in my direction. She was tall and looked a few years older than me. She had blonde hair that fell to her shoulders and bright blue eyes. She was wearing a pair of knee length dark blue shorts, a red tank top, black sneakers, and a dark blue glove on her right hand.
"The battle between Adam Ketchum and Holly will now begin! Each trainer will use three Pokemon and the battle will be over when all of one trainer's Pokemon are unable to battle."
"Wartortle, let's show 'em!" I cried, throwing my Pokeball. I had chosen to use Wartortle since the field was water. Wartortle would have an advantage.
"Wartortle!" Wartortle cried, landing on the platform.
"Golbat, let's go!" Holly cried, tossing her Pokeball.
"Scree!" Golbat cried, flying in the air.
"Let the battle begin!" the referee declared.
Holly called out the first command. "Golbat, use Swift!"
"Wartortle, use your counter shield!" I cried.
As the Swift headed towards Wartortle, Wartortle started to spin while using Water Gun, successfully blocking the Swift and hitting Golbat.
"Golbat, use Haze!"
"Be alert, Wartortle." I said, trying to spot Golbat's outline in the thick smoke.
"Acrobatics!" Holly cried. Before I had time to call out for Wartortle to dodge, Golbat was landing a direct hit and causing Wartortle to fall into the water.
"And Golbat delivers a powerful attack on Wartortle!"
"Wartortle!" I cried, looking into the water. Wartortle popped his head above the water, waiting.
"Aqua Tail!" I cried. Wartortle jumped out of the water and flipped, water swirling around his tail, before sending the water straight towards Golbat.
"Dodge it!" Holly cried.
"Incredible! Golbat managed to dodge!"
"Water Gun!" I cried.
"Use Supersonic!" Holly cried.
"Wartortle, into the water!" Wartortle stopped his attack and dove under the water. Supersonic missed him. I looked into the water and Wartortle was watching me. I pointed up and Wartortle jumped out of the water.
"Rapid Spin!"
"Dodge it!" Holly cried.
Golbat couldn't dodge in time. Wartortle slammed into it and it fell towards the water, losing altitude. Golbat flapped its wings hard, regaining flight.
"Use Water Gun!" I cried.
"Dodge it! Then use Air Cutter!"
Golbat successfully dodged the attack and launched sharp blades of air.
"Dodge and use Rapid Spin!" I cried, not giving Holly time to keep dodging my attacks.
"No!" she cried.
Golbat fell towards the water, but this time it wasn't regaining flight. Holly removed her Pokeball and returned her Pokemon before it took an unwanted swim.
"Golbat is unable to battle! Wartortle wins!"
"Yanmega, let's go!" Holly cried, tossing the Pokeball.
"Wartortle, use Hydro Pump!"
"Dodge! Then use Sonic Boom!" Holly cried.
Yanmega was fast and successfully dodged the attack and fired Sonic Boom. Wartortle got hit and slid on the platform.
"Use Steel Wing!"
"Dodge it!" I cried.
Yanmega was too fast and Wartortle got hit by the attack. Wartortle fell on the platform and cried out.
"Use Water Gun!" I cried.
"Quick Attack!"
I smirked. "Rapid Spin, Wartortle!" I cried. While still using Water Gun, Wartortle used Rapid Spin and flew towards Yanmega. The force of Quick Attack sent Wartortle flying back, but damage had been done to Yanmega. Wartortle popped out of his shell and landed back on the platform.
"Use Sonic Boom!"
"Wartortle, into your shell."
Wartortle retreated into his shell and took the attack, which sent him flying into the air.
"Rapid Spin again!" I cried. With the momentum from the attack, Wartortle was speeding towards Yanmega and slammed into it before Holly could call out a command.
"Now use Skull Bash!" I cried, since Wartortle was still close to Yanmega. Yanmega hadn't recovered from Rapid Spin and was hit once again. Looking at both Pokemon, I saw that neither could take much more.
"Silver Wind!" Holly cried.
"Dodge it!"
Wartortle couldn't dodge in time.
"Yanmega, it's time to end this. Use Ancient Power!"
"No!" I cried, since Wartortle hadn't fully recovered.
Ancient Power hit Wartortle and Wartortle laid on the platform.
"War-" the referee started. But Wartortle stood up and cried out his name. He wasn't beaten just yet!
"Hydro Pump!" I cried. The attack hit Yanmega, who fell onto the platform.
"Yanmega is unable to battle! War-" the referee cried as Wartortle fell to the ground.
"Wartortle is unable to battle! It's a tie!"
Holly removed her final Pokeball and looked at it.
"Feraligatr, let's go!" she cried.
I would have a type advantage once again. I looked down at Pikachu. "Pikachu, let's show 'em!" I cried. I saw Holly frown when Pikachu jumped out onto the platform.
"Feraligatr, use Hydro Pump!" Holly cried.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" I cried.
The Thunderbolt was absorbed through the water and shocked Feraligatr.
"Use Agility, Pikachu."
"Feraligatr, use Slash!"
"Iron Tail!"
The two moves clashed against one another before canceling each other out.
"Use Volt Tackle!" I cried.
"Dodge it!"
Using Agility had paid off. Volt Tackle hit Feraligatr before it could dodge and knocked it into the water.
"Now use Thunderbolt!" Pikachu jumped into the air and released the Thunderbolt, hitting the water and the submerged Feraligatr. Sparks lingered on the water and Feraligatr pulled itself out of the water, heavily damaged.
"Use Ice Fang!"
"Use Iron Tail to block!" I cried.
Pikachu's tail became covered in ice.
"Do it!" I cried. Pikachu flipped and slammed his heavy ice-covered Iron Tail on Feraligatr's head...and it fainted.
"Feraligatr is unable to battle! Pikachu wins! The winner is Adam Ketchum!" the referee cried, followed by loud cheers.
"Great job, Pikachu." I said, rubbing his head as he hopped onto my shoulder.
I walked over to the other side where Holly was returning her Pokemon. She looked up and saw me and nodded her head.
"Great battle. That last move you pulled off was incredible. Was it a contest technique?" she asked.
"Thanks. And yeah, it was. You and your Pokemon were great." I said, holding out my hand.
"You too, and good luck." she said, shaking my hand.
I walked out and met my family.
"Great job, Adam!" Brittany cried.
"Good job, sweetie. You were great." my mom said, hugging me.
"Great job, Adam. You and your Pokemon were amazing." my dad said, hugging me.
"Congrats, Adam!" Michelle cried, happily hugging me.
Jason and his parents walked over.
"Jason won his battle without losing a single Pokemon." Gary said.
So Jason had done what my dad had done. I didn't manage to do the same, but I had tried.
"We're off to a great start so far." Jason and I said.
"Don't get too far ahead of yourselves." said Gary.
"Because the real challenge hasn't even started." said my dad.
Author's Note: The Pokemon League has begun and both Adam and Jason are off to a great start!
Find out what challenges and challengers await them as the Pokemon League continues in the next chapter of Pokemon NG!