The next morning
"So, Ash, what number did you get?" Casey asked, eating breakfast.
"37." Ash said. "So I'm in stadium A."
"And do you know who your opponent is?" Molly asked.
"No, they aren't giving that information out yet, only once the screening is done." Ash said.
"So you might be up against Gary right away." Casey said, remembering the battle record of the two.
"No, we checked last night to see for ourselves." Ash admitted.
"Wait, seriously?" Molly asked.
Flashback
"So I'm guessing you're here for the same reason I am." Gary said, looking at the moon high in the sky.
"Can't sleep, I'm honestly a little nervous." Ash admitted. "Sudden elimination is no joke."
"No kidding, what number did you get anyways?" Gary asked.
"37." Ash said, holding out his slip of paper. "How about you?"
"190." Gary said with a chuckle. "I guess our grand match will have to wait for at least one round."
"Hopefully we'll get to that point this time." Ash reminded. "Neither of us did stellar back in the Indigo League."
"We were overconfident sure, but we've gotten better, and you don't have a disobedient Charizard anymore." Gary countered. "Let's make a deal, neither of us gets out until the full battles this time, that way we have a shot of really knowing who's the better trainer."
"Sounds good to me." Ash said, shaking his oldest rivals hand.
Back in the present
"So you didn't actually meet to check then." Molly pointed out.
"No, but we still did check." Ash said.
"And what would you have done if you had matching numbers?" Casey asked.
"Same thing I plan to do today, win." Ash said confidently.
"Well, we'll be cheering you both on from the stands." Molly said.
"No you won't." Ash said eerily calmly.
"What do you mean by that?" Casey questioned, not getting an answer.
A bit later
"Ahh, this is what he meant by not from the stands." Casey said, seeing the court side seating. "Best of luck Ash!"
"Alright, who's my first opponent!" Ash said excitedly.
"Ahh, Ash and Pikachu, it is good to see you have made it." A familiar voice said.
"It can't be." Molly said in shock.
"There's no way, how could THEY have gotten in?" Casey asked in anger.
"Eusine, what are you doing here!?" Ash demanded.
"Ah ah ah, you know the rules, not unauthorized fighting." Eusine said. "And to answer your question, I earned my badges the same as everyone else, fair and square."
"Why would you suddenly go after badges, your entire dream was to find Suicune?" Ash asked.
"Well since we last met, I realized that the only one who Suicune seemed to approve of was you, so I had to align my goals more closely to yours. I figure if I can win this competition, I'll be able to prove myself to Suicune." Eusine said smugly.
"Not going to happen, we'll beat you right here and now!" Ash said. "Pikachu I choose you!"
"Wait, Eusine mainly uses psychic types, wouldn't Houndoom have been a better choice?" Molly questioned Ash's decision.
"Predictable as always Ash and Pikachu. Alakazam come out." Eusine said confidently.
"Pikachu use Quick Attack!" Ash called out.
"Alakazam use Teleport!"
Pikachu raced across the battlefield, only for Alakazam to be long gone, now at another point on the field.
"Pikachu use Zap Cannon!" Ash called out.
"Alakazam use Psychic!"
Pikachu's electrical burst turned around, shooting back towards him, the electric type absorbing the entire blast.
"Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed, as the yellow rodent stood strong. "Alright use Quick Attack!"
"Alakazam use Teleport!"
Pikachu raced across the field, blipping out with Alakazam as the psychic type teleported away, the duo reappearing at the same time, tumbling to the ground.
"Pikachu use Thunder Punch!"
"Alakazam use Ice Punch!"
Pikachu stuck low on Alakazam, the freezing fist flying right above him as he slammed his electrically charged fist down on the psychic type.
"Alakazam use Tri Attack!"
Alakazam focused, a triangle appearing from their forehead, slamming Pikachu into the air with a combined force of fire, ice and electricity.
"Pikachu use Thunderbolt!"
Pikachu recovered in midair, sending a bolt of electricity straight down on Alakazam, sending sparks up the psychic type's body.
"Alakazam use Teleport and Ice Punch!"
"Pikachu look out!"
Alakazam teleported away, appearing behind the still flying Pikachu, striking him with a frozen fist. The attack sent Pikachu crashing back to the ground, a cloud of dust and crater caused from his landing.
"Come on Pikachu, we're not going down here!" Ash called out.
"Pi." Pikachu said, slowly getting back up, showing he was hurt from the battle.
"Let's end this! Use Zap Cannon!"
"Alakazam use Teleport!"
Pikachu summoned all his energy firing a mighty beam right at Alakazam, the psychic type stuck in place from his paralysis, taking the full force of Pikachu's ultimate attack.
"Alakazam is unable to battle, the winner is Pikachu and Ash!" The judge declared, pointing a flag in Ash's direction.
"Good match Eusine." Ash said, extending his hand to the mysterious trainer.
"After everything, you really choose to shake hands with me?" Eusine questioned.
"You fought fair, and it was a close fight, you might not have one but you are definitely on the path to proving yourself to Suicune now." Ash said, still holding out his hand.
"Very well, best of luck in the rest of the tournament Ash and Pikachu." Eusine said, shaking Ash's hand.
"Ash, here you are, as a reward for your victory your number for your next match, you can go to any receptacle to find out where that will be tomorrow." The judge said.
"Alright Pikachu, we made it through the first round, let's just keep going strong." Ash said with a smirk.
Authors note
Yes, one final fight with Eusine, a semi recovery of his character, still not a great guy, but at least he fought fair for once. And no the next two rounds won't be a chapter each, this was mostly just for show for Eusine.