Part LXXI: Interlude

Ash and Misty were walking hand in hand along the promenade by the edge of the large body water that was on the Plateau enjoying the warm day and taking a break from Ash's rigorous training regimen. It had been 13 days since the end of the Grand Festival and the Plateau was now packed for the Indigo Conference that started the next day.

Trainers from all over the world who had earned the 8 badges needed in Kanto had arrived to register for the Conference and train for it in the trainers' village or at the Pokémon Center. In addition fans from all over had made their way to the Plateau for it, as had breeders and specialists as this was the best place in Kanto to show off their skills right now.

Misty just smiled as she looked around while they walked enjoying not having to worry about anything for the moment. She had won the Grand Festival almost two weeks ago so she was done for the year, though coordinators and fans who hadn't left still came up to her to congratulate her or ask for advice. It had certainly been an interesting stretch of time.

At first they had all celebrated Misty's win. That had been followed by the Committee's offer to her, which had been now sorted out officially after they had agreed that Kalos was the best destination for them. However, once all that was over they had shifted gears and begun focusing on Ash's competition.

With so many friends present they had been able to really help Ash with his training. Some hadn't stayed though. Erika had only come for the Grand Festival and left to return to Celadon but she was expected, others were a slight shock to them.

That shock had been Mollie leaving. She had wanted to stay but Yuma was heading back to Kalos to get ready for a year as a traveling judge and had invited Mollie to come with her for a few weeks so that she could see the region and catch some Pokémon before she headed to Unova for the inaugural Contest season there. Seeing as Mollie hadn't seen her mentor in almost a year and wanted to see a bit of Kalos she had apologized and left. Misty understood though and promised to follow her friend's progress when the Unova season began.

Serena had returned to Kalos with them but that had been expected as she'd only come for the Grand Festival and with Ash and Misty heading to Kalos next year they knew they'd meet again. That also meant that Misty could have nice, mature and civilized chat with Serena when they next saw her but all-in good time.

Other than that their time had been spent moving into the house they'd been assigned in the Trainers' Village where they and many of their friends would be staying, training and greeting friends as they arrived at the house as Ash had invited them all to crash there and most had accepted. Only competitors and register traveling companions, including past ones could stay in the village so a few friends were in the Pokémon Center in Angie's case or Scott's place in Anabel's case but the rest were with them.

Lyra, Khoury and Nando were all already there though Nando had decided to head out into the nearby woods to prepare alone so it was just the Johto pair who'd moved to the Trainers' Village with them. Well as well as Dawn, May, Iris and Cilan that is as all were allowed to stay in the Village due to being travel companions of Ash.

After them Anabel and Angie had come during the first week and helped out whenever they could. Alas Ash's mother, Professor Oak and Gary, the last of who was still working in Sinnoh, wouldn't be in until after the preliminaries. Then the Unova lot, all four of them competing in the Conference, had begun arriving.

Stephan had been the first, arriving in his usually boisterous way and complaining no one knew his name but in good spirits as he got settled and joined in the training. He was followed by Trip who was his usual cool, detached self and mainly did his training alone though he'd agreed to stay with them to complete the numbers in the house, providing the other 2 agreed. The most recent one was Cameron who had been a little lost but thankfully made it in time to register two days ago.

There was still no word on Bianca or Conway but they expected to see them in the Conference at least. Ash knew that they'd appear and likely at the worst moment. Bianca was listed as in their house if she wanted it or else she'd be randomly assigned but Conway hadn't been listed because of his crush on Misty and odd mannerisms might get a bit much.

The only person they knew was here but hadn't seen was Brock. He had told them when he got in yesterday that he was around but that he couldn't see them until later in the Conference, if at all. It turned out that what Brock had thought was just a practical exam was also a written one during the two-day break between the preliminaries and final rounds so he had to take them during that period, not that they expected him to fail.

Starting tomorrow Brock would be busy with helping out with the care of Pokémon so they weren't too upset and not seeing him. He was doing his job after all and helping many Pokémon in the process so they didn't mind not seeing him. His presence alone would be enough for them.

"Excuse me." A male voice said from behind Ash and Misty breaking them out of their thoughts. "Could you help me? You look like you know your way around here and this is my first time on Indigo Plateau so I'm a little lost. I need to find the Pokémon Center."

Ash and Misty turned around and looked to find a smiling trainer standing there with a Sceptile next to him. Ash could instantly tell that the guy was here for the Indigo Conference and given his friendly disposition he immediately wanted to help him out with what he needed. That's what good trainers did.

The guy looked to be about Ash's age with blue eyes and brown hair just visible under a large white hat thing with a black band and an orange design in the center. He wore an orange, short sleeved cycling top with a black color and stripes on the shoulder and sleeves. There was also an odd black design on the front of the top that looked like a curve running from under his arms across the center with two black stripes down the center. He also wore black cycling shorts with grey cuffs and pockets. To complete the biker look he had white, green and black cycling shoes.

As with any trainer, he had a backpack on that was slung across his chest with a single horizontal strap. However what really caught Ash's eye was the bracelet the guy wore on his left wrist. It had a Key Stone in it, his Sceptile had a matching band with a corresponding Mega Stone on its own left wrist.

"Yeah we were just heading back there to pick up some of my Pokémon that needed a little care after this morning's training session." Ash said smiling back at the guy. "You're welcome to join us."

"Thanks, that is much appreciated." The guy responded before holding out his hand to Ash. "I'm Brendan by the way, what's your name?"

"Ash." Ash responded shaking hands with Brendan. "And this is my girlfriend Misty."

"Pleasure to meet you." Misty said also shaking his hand.

"You two aren't from the same region, are you." Brendan said as he looked them over.

"Good eye." Ash responded. "I'm from Kanto and Misty is from Sinnoh while I can tell you're from Hoenn."

"Our Pokémon do give our home regions away don't they." Brendan said with a chuckle. "I can tell from the Piplup and Pikachu you two have just as you can tell from my Sceptile. They're your starters, right? Mine is as well, got him back when he was just a little Treecko."

"Correct." Misty said as Piplup nodded happily from her head.

"I've spent a fair bit of time in Sinnoh, competed there in my second year as a trainer in fact." Brenden said. "I take it you both competed there at some point as I'm guessing that is the region you met in."

"Correct, it was 2 years back when I was there." Ash said with a nod. "I was top 4 in the Lily of the Valley Conference that year."

"And I'm a coordinator." Misty corrected. "I was the runner-up in that Grand Festival and yes that was the year Ash and I met. It was my first journey and Ash's, what, 5th?"

"6th I believe." Ash said counting them for a moment. "Yeah that was it, I've kinda been all over. This is actually my 8th year as a trainer."

"Same here." Brendan said confirming to Ash that the guy was the same age as he was. "I just can't stay still, I'm always on the move."

"Oh I know the feeling well." Ash said with a grin. "So where have you been? If you're here for the Conference then you must have been all over like me."

"Oh you can say that again." Brenden said with a chuckle. "I've been around for about as long as you have Ash. Let me see. I spent a year in each region other than Galar and Alola, neither of which I haven't been to yet. Started in Hoenn, though that was 2 years not one, then I went to Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, Johto and now Kanto in that order. Spent another year off to refocus after Kalos though, I kinda needed it."

"Damn that is a lot of places, more regions then me in fact." Ash said impressed. "I've been to all of those as well and competed in each other than Kalos which I haven't been to. Though I did spend a year out in the Orange Islands and a year in Kanto facing the Battle Frontier, both of which were fun."

"The Orange Islands are a place I'd like to visit one day." Brendan said with a nod. "How did you do in the Conferences you've been in?"

"Mixed bag." Ash admitted. "Top 16 in Kanto my first year. Top 8 in Johto, Hoenn, and most recently Unova, which was a regression for me, and the as mention top 4 in Sinnoh. I did win the Orange League but that is a little different and not official. I beat the Battle Frontier here though. You?"

"Not bad, I had a similar experience though I was a bit more linear." Brandon said. "Top 32 in Hoenn in my debut year, top 16 in Sinnoh, top 8 in Unova, and then top 4 in Kalos and Johto so kinda, for lack of a better word, plateaued at that point. Going for the title this time though, or at least breaking past the top 4 and into the final."

"Well so am I." Ash said with a grin. "So looks like we're rivals now."

"Looks it but I enjoy making new friends and rivals on my journeys." Brenden said grinning back. "It's always a great way to truly push yourself when you have someone to face who can bring out the best in you."

"I agree." Ash said with a nod. "It really makes a Conference to meet a new rival at one, or just before it."

"It really does, doesn't it?" Brendan agreed. "Sometimes they send you stuff to help if you keep up with them."

"Is that how you got that Key Stone and Sceptile got his Mega Stone?" Ash asked surprising Brenden with his ability to identify them. "You should know that both are banned in the Indigo Conference."

"I did not but thanks for the heads up." Brenden replied a look of annoyance at his face that Ash shared, he really wanted to use his own Key Stone when he brought Charizard in. "We will have to remove them when we get to our room in the Pokémon Center later, right Sceptile?"

"Tile." Sceptile agreed sadly clearly wanting to Mega Evolve in the Conference.

"How did you know about them though?" Brenden asked curiously. "Not many people outside of Kalos know of them. It's actually been a bit of a secret weapon for us in gyms this year."

"I have one myself." Ash said proudly. "It's back in my room in the Trainers' Village as only my Charizard has a Mega Stone and he's not on me right now. I keep it off so I don't use it but I will have it on me more when I go to Kalos next year."

"Woah you have a Mega Charizard?" Brenden asked clearly impressed at that. "They are so cool. The blue flames and coloring on Mega Charizard is epic. Plus it's a part dragon type just like Mega Sceptile which is even cooler and fitting for Charizard as they always looked like a dragon type despite not being one."

"Blue flames and color?" Misty asked looking at Ash, confusion in her eyes. "That's not what happened when Charizard Mega Evolved against Blaine."

"No it didn't." Ash said just as confused as Misty before turning back to Brendan. "Are you sure that's a Mega Charizard? Mine was the same color as usual just more streamlined, different looking wings, and stronger with some spikes on its body. I can't confirm that it changed a type to dragon though as mine knows, or has known, dragon type moves."

"That is odd." Brenden said getting as confused as them. "Do you think there could be two Mega Evolutions for Charizard? That would be wild if there were."

"I don't know." Ash admitted because he didn't, he barely knew more than the basics of Mega Evolution. "I can ask my friend May when we see her, she's visiting from Kalos, first for the Grand Festival and then the Indigo Conference as she knows me and Misty. She was who gave me the Key Stone and Charizardite as she called it so May may know."

"That was a bad pun." Misty said as Ash cringed at his unintended pun, it was bad. "But all our names can lead to that so it's unavoidable, especially with May's."

"It would be good to chat to someone from Kalos who would know more." Brenden said. "I know so little about the process other than what me and Sceptile here have found out and most of that has been through trial and error when we've Mega Evolved."

"Tile." Sceptile agreed with a nod.

"Oh May's not from Kalos, she's from Petalburg City in Hoenn so same region as you." Misty said. "She's a Top Coordinator who won the Sinnoh Grand Festival last year so she's been in Kalos helping set up the Contest circuit that's starting up there next year. We're going out there in a few months' time to help out as I just won the Grand Festival here so May and I will be helping judge the Contests there."

"Congratulations, I don't really follow Contests but I know that it takes a lot of skill to win the Grand Festival." Brenden said as Misty nodded her thanks because he had a look of recognition on his face so she decided to wait until he said what was on his mind. "This May, she's Norman's daughter right? The gym leader out there."

"Correct." Ash said. "I'm surprised you know that he had a daughter."

"I am from Littleroot Town." Brenden said with a shrug. "I know Birch well and he told me about her last time I was there shortly before I headed to Johto because he's been watching her progress for years but she'd only just lost the Johto Grand Festival Final back then. Good for her that she won one."

"May has come a long way." Ash said with a nod. "I've known her since her first journey so I've seen her grow into a highly talented coordinator over the years."

Brenden looked like he was about to say something when Ash heard something that made his blood run cold, especially because there was a rather large body of water right next to him and no hand rail to prevent him from falling in. Why did it have to happen now?

"Out of the way, out of the way!" A loud, frantic, female voice called out from behind Brenden. "I need to get to the Pokémon Center!"

To his credit, Ash's new friend leapt to one side without falling into the water while Sceptile leapt to the other side but it was just in time. Running past them was a blond girl in a long skirt running as fast as she could in that skirt her eyes closed and her elbows bent, arms up and moving from side to side as she ran. Misty just looked confused at the sight, the girl being familiar to her but Ash knew who it was at once.

"Misty jump away!" Ash said pushing her to the side and as far away from the water as possible. "You don't want to be near me right now."

"Huh?" Misty asked as she fell onto the grass to the side of the promenade, though not before falling onto op a squawking Piplup who'd fallen off first.

"Bianca stop!" Ash said turning to the charging girl but it was too late.

The ditzy blonde from Unova slammed into Ash's shoulder and proceeded to fell over and onto Misty who was looking at the sight in utter confusion. Ash however just groaned as he was thrown to the side he was facing and proceeded to fall over the edge of the promenade and into the water below, Pikachu falling with him.

"Bianca!" Ash yelled from the water which wasn't deep so he could sit up in it but he'd been fully submerged by the fall. "You have got to watch where you're going."

"Ash!" Bianca said leaping up and off a slightly flattened Misty and a really flattened Piplup who was beneath both girls and run over to the edge to see Ash and Pikachu sitting in the water below her. "I'm so sorry."

"What just happened?" Misty asked still confused as she got up and saw the blonde girl bowing furiously over the side of the promenade as she apologized profusely to Ash, who wasn't present anymore, while a confused looking Brenden on.

"I could tell you what happened, I saw the whole thing as I was approaching you Misty." A very familiar voice practically whispered in her ear sending a shiver down her spine as Misty felt the air suddenly getting really cold around her. "I had deduced that this was the best time to approach and it appears that I was right."

"Conway!" Misty practically screamed as she jumped up and away as she turned to see the analytical and slightly creepy trainer from Sinnoh standing there, the light glinting off his glasses as he smiled at her from right next to where she'd been standing a second ago. "Not you too…ahh!"

Misty had, in the process of leaping and backing away from Conway, not realized where she was going. Her reaction to Conway had alerted Bianca who had turned and stepped out of the way so that Misty backed up and off the side of the promenade, falling down and into the water below it.

"Misty!" Ash yelled in confusion before his girlfriend's fine backside hit him in the face, flattening him before she rolled off and into the water next to him.

"Well that was more dramatic than usual." Conway said as he approached the side and looked down at Misty and Ash now in the water as Bianca resumed her apologies to Ash while the light again glinted of Conway's glasses. "I certainly didn't calculate either of you ending up in the water.

"Oh Conway's here as well." Ash said as he stood up. "Great, somehow that explains how Misty in down her."

"Bianca, that's the one that always sent you into the water whenever you met her in Unova, right?" Misty asked as she sat up in the wat, Piplup coming to the edge, looking down at them and proceeding to burst out laughing. "And Piplup shut up, this isn't funny."

"Yup that's her." Ash said as Piplup was now rolling on the ground holding his belly and laughing as hard as possible at his trainer's plight. "Thought I would avoid this in a different region but nope, Bianca has an uncanny talent like this and I'm just the recipient of it."

"Pikachu." Pikachu said from Ash's other side with a nod.

"I'm sorry." Bianca kept saying and bowing to them.

"Here, take my hand Ash." Brenden said bending down and offering his hand to Ash.

"Thanks." Ash said standing up and grasping it as Brenden hauled him out of the water before Ash turned and helped Misty out, a wet and annoyed Pikachu being passed up in the process. "That was expected the moment I heard Bianca's shouts."

"Ash, I'm so…" Bianca began.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu yelled before sending a powerful Thunderbolt right into Bianca and frying her and sending her to the ground in a spasming, smoking, heap and nodding at the result. "Pikachu."

"I would say that's uncalled for but after the 6th time or so I think it's justified." Ash said. "Sorry about Pikachu Bianca but he's not too thrilled about being sent into the water like that."

"Pikachu." Pikachu confirmed.

"Well that was interesting to watch." Brenden said as a now crispy but still apologetic Bianca slowly got to her feet. "I take it you are all friends of Ash."

"Friends and rivals yes." Conway said the light glinting off his glasses yet again. "In more ways than one I believe."

"Conway, always a pleasure to see you." Ash said though at least this time he knew about Conway liking Misty so he could be on edge around him. "I was wondering when you would show up."

"Oh I've been here for a while now, registered shortly after you in face." Conway said with a smile that made Misty shiver and not from the cold water on her skin. "I've been watching you since I got here waiting for the right moment to say hello. You are a worthy opponent for me to face so I wanted to gather all the information on you two, starting with the Grand Festival which I also attended. Congratulations on winning that Misty."

"Why does none of that surprise me." Misty said shivering and letting Ash put an arm around her for warmth, and to remind Conway that she was with Ash. "But thanks Conway. Why appear now though?"

"Well as soon as I saw Ash go into the water I had to come say hi." Conway said as if it was the obvious thing for him to do. "And that I look forward to facing you in the Conference Ash, if we get drawn together that is but I really hope we do. Until then though, goodbye."

Conway then turned and walked away without another word, disappearing the way he came as quickly as he had appeared. Misty shuddered one last time, that dude was seriously creepy at times.

"Well that guy was … odd." Brenden said once Conway was gone. "That whole series of events was odd in fact."

"Conway has been like that ever since we met him back in Sinnoh." Misty said with a sigh. "He has a thing for me but a really bad way of showing it. Not that I have any feelings for him, Ash is the only one I love."

"Well he's going down if we face off." Ash said before turning to Bianca. "Bianca, despite the swim it is good to see you again. I was wondering where you were."

"Yes you too Ash." Bianca said before turning to Misty. "And you are?"

"Misty, Ash's girlfriend." Misty said shaking hands with Bianca feeling no threat from the girl, which was good as that meant that either she didn't have feelings for Ash or she hid them well. "I think I saw you at his party but I don't think we were actually introduced."

"Oh yeah I spent most of my time talking to some guy from Twinleaf Town out in Sinnoh who understands the need to hurry places." Bianca said with a nod. "That's what I have been doing, hurrying all over Kanto to get my 8 badges."

"Barry." Misty said with a chuckle, replace the random yelling of fining Ash with sending Ash into a body of water Bianca really was a female version of him. "We're from the same town."

"Oh cool." Bianca said.

"Bianca, why were you in a hurry this time?" Ash asked deciding to cut to the chase so that he and Misty could get out of their wet clothes. "We've been wondering where you were as there's a spot in the house I'm in in the Trainers' Village that's reserved for you if you want it. You're the last one we've been waiting for."

"Oh I need to register for the Indigo Conference and move into the Trainers' Village though it looks like that with be easy, thank you I will stay there." Bianca said nodding several times as she spoke. "I was rushing because this is the last day to do so and I got in late from Fuchsia City. Took two goes to beat the Gym Leader there and apparently she was just the backup one."

"Well that is a good reason to rush." Brenden said. "I need to do so as well and I think Ash and Misty need to get out of their wet clothes so let's all go. Lead the way guys but you don't need to come into the Pokémon Center with us, you can go and get dry and change while we register. We can all meet up afterwards."

"Sounds good to me." Ash said as Misty just nodded before they began to head towards the Pokémon Center, Misty picking up a still laughing Piplup, while their new and old friend followed. "Come on, it's this way."

They fell into a comfortable silence as they walked. It has been an interesting day and Ash had a feeling that Brenden and he would meet at some point in the Conference, that was just how it worked whenever he met a new rival before the Contest so that was something to look forward to.

One thing was for certain though, Ash couldn't wait for the competition to start tomorrow. At last the Indigo Conference was upon them. It was time to win it and achieve his dreams at last.