Pokémon Gray

by Carlos Shiny

Pokémon Gray. What if Ash had never traveled to Unova before now? Ash, now eighteen and strongest trainer in the world, wants to take an important step in his journey to become a Pokémon Master. It's not about participating in another Pokémon League Tournament or defeating other champions, but doing something new and completely different.

7. An Eventful Tournament

Arriving in Eolea two days before the Showcase, the four friends focused on training. Serena and Anita trained for the Showcase, while Ash and Carlos focused on battles. Serena and Anita participated in their first Showcase in the Unova region, where they also met Abby, a Performer from Unova with a tragic past. Serena and her Pokémon managed to win their first Showcase, and she was invited for an interview.

An Eventful Tournament

Leaving Eolea behind, the group headed to Zefiropoli, where Anita would challenge her second Gym as a Trainer. Eolea and Zefiropoli were not far apart, just a day's walk.

«It seems that the Zefiropoli Gym specializes in Normal-type Pokémon. The Gym Leader is named Aloe.» Serena explained.

«Interesting.» Anita responded. «If I'm not mistaken, Normal-type Pokémon are only weak to Fighting-type Pokémon, while their attacks can't hit Ghost-types and vice versa…» she pondered aloud.

«Exactly.» Ash replied without hesitation. «But remember, type advantage isn't everything in a battle.» he added shortly after.

«But… we won the battle against Spighetto because Incineroar had taught Fire Fang to Lillipup…» the young girl replied.

«True, but Lillipup also learned Dig. And with that, it avoided Pansage's attack.» Ash responded.

«Well… you're the champion!» Carlos interjected. «Since we've known each other, I think none of your Pokémon have ever used a super-effective attack… is this the strategy of you champions to confuse your opponents?»

Ash shook his head. «It doesn't quite work that way…» Ash replied. «You can't win a battle just by using super-effective attacks.» Ash responded again.

«You're a Champion, so you can afford to use certain strategies. I, well… I've… well… I've only won one badge… I prefer to keep things simple.» the girl replied.

«I understand, but that won't be enough to win. Even if you fight with Oshawott against a Fire-type Pokémon, it doesn't mean you'll win just because Oshawott knows Water-type moves. You learned quickly that Pokémon battles are not just about responding to opponents' attacks with your own but also dodging… hiding from opponents and… improvising.» Anita just nodded.

«And you've already shown you can improvise.» Ash added.

Anita seemed puzzled. «Really?» she asked.

«Think about the Showcase… you and Serena trained with Vivillon, but in the first part of the Showcase, you used Oshawott…»

«I had no choice.» the girl replied. «In the obstacle course, Flying-type Pokémon weren't allowed, so I thought Oshawott was the best choice and…»

Ash stopped her. «You don't have to justify yourself. You just did it. And that's fine. Or also when you asked Vivillon to use Sleep Powder, but it used Swift instead… you still did a great job.» the boy congratulated her.

«Do you really mean it?» she asked.

«Ash has always been a sincere guy. He has no reason to lie to you.» Serena, who had been silent for a while, added.

«Well… that's… very kind of you.» she replied.

The four continued walking, discussing their upcoming plans until Carlos heard a strange sound.

«Do you hear that too?» he asked.

«What?» Ash and the girls asked.

«I thought I heard some kind of whining… I can't explain it…»

«Maybe it's just the wind.» Ash replied, trying to be rational.

«I don't think so… not a leaf is moving.» Carlos responded.

They tried to remain silent for a few seconds. And yes. Indeed, something could be heard, although it wasn't very loud. It sounded like a sort of whimper. Very faint.

«Yes… you can definitely hear something.» Serena replied. «Pikachu, do you think you can figure out where it's coming from?»

The Mouse Pokémon jumped off the boy's shoulder and started searching for the source of the sounds.

The Pokémon twitched its ears to try and understand where the whimpers were coming from. Thanks to its extremely developed hearing, it didn't take long. With one of its paws, the Mouse Pokémon invited the group to follow it as it began to venture into a nearby grove.

«Where are you going?» Ash asked as he chased after his Pokémon. Serena and the others struggled to keep up.

After a good run, the Mouse Pokémon stopped, allowing the guys to catch up. It turned towards them and made a small gesture with one of its paws.

«Is it nearby?» Ash asked.

«Pika pi!» the Pokémon responded.

«If you prefer to continue alone, go ahead.» Ash encouraged him.

The Mouse Pokémon didn't need to be told twice. Knowing it wasn't being followed, it could quicken its pace. In no time, it reached the source of the whimpers, which had become increasingly desperate in the meantime.

The Electric-type Pokémon quickly found the source of the whimpers. As it suspected, it was a Pokémon. An Houndour, to be precise. As soon as the two Pokémon's eyes met, the Dark Pokémon ran away, hiding in a bush, frightened.

The Electric Pokémon was quite puzzled, wondering why Houndour had fled. It had no intention of attacking or anything like that.

Pikachu wasn't the type to give up easily. It noticed that the fugitive didn't look well. It climbed a nearby tree and reached one of the branches. It carefully inspected the berries growing there and sniffed some. They were fragrant and seemed perfectly ripe. They were a nice yellow with orange spots. It struck several with its tail, making them fall to the ground. It formed a nice pile. Once down from the tree, the Pokémon rolled a few berries towards the bush where the canine Pokémon was hiding. The frightened Pokémon came out and started eating one of the berries. While eating, it tried to stay alert, not wanting to be attacked again.

Pikachu attempted to approach the Pokémon, hoping to get closer without scaring it away again.

«Pika-Pikachu.» it tried to introduce itself, but the Dark Pokémon fled once more. The Mouse Pokémon decided to change its approach. It tried to roll another berry towards the bush and then began eating a berry itself to show its good intentions.

The Dark Pokémon slowly peeked out from the bush and saw the Mouse Pokémon eating its berry in peace. This Pokémon was not like the others it had encountered since it had been there. It seemed kind and approachable. It had offered it berries. The other Pokémon had, at best, snatched away what little food it could gather.

Just as the Dark Pokémon tried to leave its hiding place and eat one of the berries, a Flying Pokémon with gray plumage swooped towards the pile of berries.

Houndour's fears were coming true. A wild Pokémon trying to steal its food. It would have tried to defend itself but would have only ended up getting hurt.

This time, however, the story had an unexpectedly different ending. The Flying Pokémon was hit by a powerful electric shock, which made it fall to the ground, completely unconscious.

«Wohf.» the Dark Pokémon was amazed. For the first time since it had been there, another Pokémon had defended it instead of attacking it and had provided food instead of taking it away.

«Pika Pi» the Mouse Pokémon invited the newly acquainted Pokémon to follow him. He tried to convince him that with him by his side, there was nothing to fear.

While the Mouse Pokémon was trying to convince Houndour to follow him, the guys had stopped not far from where they had left Pikachu to take a break.

It was practically lunchtime, and as before, Carlos was taking care of the meal. This time, the boy would grill some meat and prepare a side salad.

Unlike the first time, he didn't have to struggle as much with the camping table, which was more cooperative. This time, Ash helped set the table while the girls prepared the chairs and sliced the bread.

«I wonder how much longer Pikachu will take… he's not one to miss a meal.» commented Ash, rather puzzled.

«You don't seem too worried…» replied Carlos, as he unwrapped the meat before putting it on the grill.

«He's not one to get into trouble. He probably made friends with some Pokémon… and maybe he'll come back with a full stomach, who knows.» Ash answered him.

«In the meantime… how do you like your steak?» asked Carlos.

«Rare.» replied Ash.

«A bit more cooked.» said Serena.

«Well done!» answered Anita.

Carlos's expression turned desperate. Could it be he had to cook four steaks in three different ways? At least he and Ash had the same taste. Moreover, besides tending the grill, he also had to prepare the salad.

At least Ash and the girls were taking care of the food for the Pokémon. Luckily, they had enough bowls to accommodate all the Pokémon at once.

While they were serving the various Pokémon, Pikachu finally returned to Ash.

«Oh! There you are!» welcomed the boy. «You've been gone for quite a while.» he said. «What were those whimpers?» he asked shortly after. The Pokémon had climbed onto the boy's shoulder, as usual. Once there, he tapped Ash's head with one of his paws to make him turn around.

«So it was that Houndour whining?» asked Ash. The Mouse Pokémon confirmed with a small nod.

«A Houndour?» Anita turned to look at the Pokémon. Its appearance resembled that of a dog. It had short, black fur. Its belly and muzzle were red, its ears pointed, and it had a small tail. It also had two protruding fangs. Around its ankles and on its back were white bands that looked like ribs. On its forehead, an outgrowth resembled a skull.

Anita then scanned the Pokémon with her Smart Rotom.

«Houndour. Dark Pokémon. Fire and Dark type. Male specimen. Houndour hunt in organized packs. They communicate with various cries to trap their prey. This incredible teamwork is unique. Known moves: Ember, Bite, Fire Fang.»

Without even putting her smartphone in her pocket, the girl knelt towards the Pokémon, offering him a bowl of food. She barely had time to set it down before the Pokémon began devouring the kibble.

«Here's someone who rivals you in appetite.» commented Carlos, in an ironic tone.

«More than his appetite, I'd be worried about his health. He looks injured.» Anita looked closer at the Pokémon.

«He's probably been abandoned by his pack.» she hypothesized.

«I don't think so.» replied Serena, who had also scanned the small canine Pokémon. «It says here that Houndour packs don't abandon a member even if it's injured. The pack immediately notices if a member is missing.» Serena's words increased Carlos's perplexity.

«I think the best thing is to take him to the Pokémon Center. Maybe he and his Trainer got separated and now he's looking for him. And besides, he's injured. He walks and eats, but we don't really know how he's doing.» added Ash, trying to take the initiative.

«For now, we can disinfect the wounds. I should have something in my bag.» Serena rummaged through her bag until she found what she was looking for: a red plastic spray bottle. It contained a seemingly clear liquid.

The girl approached the Pokémon, spray bottle in hand. She aimed it at his wounds and sprayed. The Pokémon let out a growl of pain but then calmed down.

While they were eating, they could watch as Pikachu tried to get the Dark Pokémon to make friends with the other Pokémon.

«I'd really like to know what they're saying.» Carlos seemed quite curious about those Pokémon.

«We know someone who can do that… but who knows where he is now!» replied Serena.

Ash immediately understood who Serena was talking about.

«Do you know someone who can interpret the Pokémon language?» asked Anita, curious.

«Well, yes. A Pokémon.»

«A talking Pokémon?» Anita and Carlos seemed incredulous.

«I didn't believe it was possible for a Pokémon to talk either, until I heard it with my own ears.» replied Serena.

«And what kind of Pokémon would that be? An ancient legendary Pokémon or…» replied Carlos, still incredulous.

«A Meowth.» answered the native of Kalos. Carlos searched for the Pokémon on his Smart Rotom.

«Of all Pokémon, such a common one?» The boy seemed rather disappointed.

«But don't expect us to bring him here… not after all the trouble he's caused us.» Serena's tone changed, hinting at a note of severity in her voice.

«And what did he do that was so bad?» asked Carlos.

«He's part of Team Rocket. A criminal organization that steals Pokémon to sell them at high prices. Well, besides that, they also conduct cruel experiments on Pokémon…» replied Ash, who had already finished eating.

«Not that he, Jessie, and James had much success, but… we've been without them for a while, and it's been so peaceful…» he added shortly after.

Meanwhile, Pikachu had convinced Houndour to meet the other Pokémon, trying to show him that they were no danger to him. And he seemed quite convincing, as the Dark Pokémon was starting to meet all the other Pokémon, particularly Carlos's Umbreon.

«Have you seen?» Ash pointed to the group of Pokémon, who had now finished eating.

«It seems he particularly likes Umbreon.» he added shortly after.

«They are both Dark-type Pokémon. They probably have a certain affinity.» observed Carlos.

After eating, clearing the table, and packing everything up, the four of them set off for Nacrene City, with Houndour in tow.

The Dark Pokémon walked next to Pikachu and Carlos's Umbreon.

Both Pokémon had been able to convince him to follow them. They would reach the Pokémon Center, where they would

treat his wounds. After that, the Pokémon would be free to choose his destiny.

Everything proceeded smoothly, and the four reached Nacrene City before sunset. Following the map application, they reached the city's Pokémon Center without much difficulty.

The building was much larger than the one in Eolea, which made sense. Nacrene City was a much bigger city. Outside, the building looked like a sort of large warehouse covered with marble slabs, with an automatic glass door. Several large windows ensured illumination inside. Upon entering the building, they were, as usual, greeted by Nurse Joy.

«Hello, guys!» She greeted them.

«Good evening!» The four of them greeted her back.

The Nurse took a closer look at them.

«What an honor! The World Champion is visiting us!» She welcomed Ash. «And also the winner of the latest Showcase!» She recognized Serena.

The four approached the counter. «I imagine you want to let your Pokémon rest.» The Nurse tried to regain her professionalism. «Please place your Poké Balls here on the counter. Meanwhile, I'll get the keys for your rooms.» She turned and took two keys from a kind of board where they were hanging. «Here are the keys. You're lucky; they're two adjoining rooms. Enjoy your stay.» The Nurse handed one key to Ash and one to Anita.

«Excuse me…» Anita's voice was barely audible. «Did you say something?» asked the Nurse, addressing the young Trainer. «Oh… I'm sorry. On our way here, we found an Houndour… it seemed injured, so we brought it here with us…» The girl knelt down and picked up the Dark Pokémon, then gently placed it on the counter. «Strange… it's not a Pokémon from this area…» The Nurse covered her mouth with one hand, assuming a doubtful expression. «It probably belonged to a Trainer and was abandoned. Or it simply got lost. You did well to bring it here.» The Nurse did a quick superficial examination of the Pokémon. «It seems to have battle wounds. They don't appear very serious. It probably had a scuffle with some wild Pokémon.» she explained. «Did you administer any first aid or something like that?» she asked. «We disinfected the wounds.» Serena replied. «You did the right thing. By tomorrow or the day after, it should be back in perfect shape.» the Nurse explained. «Once it's recovered, we'll spread the word. If its Trainer doesn't come forward, we'll put it up for adoption.» she added shortly after.

After taking custody of all the kids' Pokémon and Houndour, she headed to the room at the back.

The four, not having much to do, sat on the sofas provided for Trainers and started reading the newspapers and magazines available.

«Look at this!» Carlos turned the newspaper he had picked up towards the others. «It seems there was an attempted theft at the city's museum, but it was thwarted by the Gym Leader. Of all the things they could have tried to steal, they went for a displayed Pokémon skull. I wonder what they could do with it.» «Probably planning some esoteric ritual.» Ash replied, with an ironic tone.

Ash, until that moment, hadn't found anything particularly interesting, so he was content to comment on the news proposed by the others and flip through the magazine he had picked up without much interest.

At least until his attention was caught by an article title: "Nacrene City Double Battle Tournament. Team Plasma's threats won't stop it."

«This looks interesting. The day after tomorrow, there's a doubles battle tournament here… It would be a good opportunity to train… what do you think?» Ash proposed. «I'm not sure. We've never had a doubles battle, except when we trained with you and Serena. I don't feel ready for a tournament.» Anita replied.

«It's a doubles battle tournament. You're not alone. You'll always have someone by your side ready to cover you. And then, the most important thing is to gain experience, not just to win. We can train together as much as we want, but it will never be like facing a real opponent.» Ash responded. «We can train, but we don't have much time. I'm afraid one day won't be enough. I'm afraid something might go wrong and I'll embarrass myself in front of everyone.» Anita seemed quite worried. «We didn't train much for the Showcase either, and yet you did a beautiful job.» Serena added. «Although I'm not very good at battles, I can give you a hand.» she said shortly after.

«And I'll help too. I'd really like to see how much Umbreon and I have improved.» Carlos seemed rather enthusiastic about participating. «Very well. Then we'll start training tomorrow morning.» Ash proposed.

«What an honor! Even the World Champion will participate in our humble tournament!» commented a boy who had meanwhile entered the Pokémon Center. «Battling against you would be a great honor.» The boy, not hearing any response from Ash, approached the group.

«Hey! I'm right here!» The boy placed himself in front of Ash, who, after talking with the others, was reading the tournament rules. To get Ash's attention, the boy lowered the newspaper.

In front of Ash's eyes, a not very tall and rather thin boy appeared, with short blue hair and purple eyes. He wore rectangular glasses with a thin frame. For a traveling Trainer, he was dressed too elegantly, with a red jacket and a bow tie. He wore pants of the same color and dress shoes.

«And… who might you be?» Ash seemed slightly annoyed. «Pardon my manners.» The boy made a small bow. «But earlier, it seemed you ignored me and…» he tried to apologize. «My name is Raoul. Nice to meet you.» The boy extended his hand first to Ash, then to the others. «So, you are traveling throughout Unova? Fascinating!» he commented. «I just wonder why you, being the World Champion, decided to travel like a novice Trainer?» Raoul asked, quite curious. «It's very simple. I dream of becoming a Pokémon Master. Occasionally, I discover what else I need to become one. Some time ago, I discovered that to become one, I must help someone achieve their goal. And that's why we set off here in Unova.» Raoul simply nodded. «So you're helping Anita on her journey to become a Champion and Serena to become the Queen of Unova?» he asked. «Exactly.» the two girls confirmed. «And Carlos?» he asked. «For now, I'm just interested in becoming stronger. And I think the Champion of Champions is the best teacher possible.» he replied. Raoul nodded again.

«I heard you'll be training tomorrow, may I watch your training?» he asked shortly after. «Of course. The Pokémon Center is open to everyone. So are its battlefields.» Ash replied.

The next day, with all the Pokémon in shape, the four began their training on one of the Pokémon Center's battlefields.

Raoul, despite promising to watch their training, still hadn't arrived. Ash, with his hurried demeanor, didn't want to wait. «I'd say we can start our training.» Ash began, still holding the newspaper from the day before. «The rules allow each Trainer to register two Pokémon, plus a third as a reserve, even though, during battles, each Trainer can only deploy one Pokémon.» he explained. «Have you already decided who you'll participate with? With all the Pokémon you have, you have plenty to choose from.» Carlos asked.

«None of them. I'd like to be as equal as possible with the others.» Ash's answer didn't trigger any particular reaction from Serena; she knew his approach to battles. Carlos and Anita felt differently.

«I don't understand. You can defeat all the others with just Pikachu and yet…» Carlos expressed all his perplexity. «You're right, but that way, you don't allow the other Pokémon to improve.» Ash replied. Carlos didn't respond. After all, he only had one Pokémon with him, his trusty Umbreon.

«The rules state that the pairs are drawn randomly. So… who knows. We might even find ourselves as opponents.» Ash explained. «So how do we organize the teams?» Carlos asked, still doubtful.

«Well… um…» Ash didn't know what to say. «How about Serena and I against you two… after all, you two are both from Unova…» he replied, trying to justify his choice.

«True, but you're from Kanto and Serena is from Kalos… so… you should also be against each other…» Ash scratched his head, perplexed. Carlos was right. «But both region names start with K.» he tried to justify.

«Anyway… I think we can start.» Ash said, starting to lose patience. Carlos and the girls simply nodded, each taking one of their Poké Balls. Ash did the same.

«Let's go!» The four sent out their Pokémon simultaneously. Anita sent out her Oshawott, Serena her Sylveon, Carlos his Umbreon, and Ash his Snivy.

Pikachu was a bit disappointed; he would have liked to take part in the battle, but he also understood his Trainer's reasoning. The rules stated that the pair of Trainers who would make the first move would be chosen randomly. To meet this requirement, there were several applications to simulate a coin toss, and Ash had one installed on his Smart Rotom. «What do you choose... Heads or tails?» asked Ash.

«Tails!» replied Carlos. «Then we're heads.» said the boy, as he started the virtual coin toss. «It's tails, you go first.» invited Ash.

The two didn't need to be told twice. «Oshawott! Aqua Jet!» ordered Anita. The Sea Otter Pokémon leaped, surrounded by a layer of water. «Come on, Umbreon! Lend a hand!» encouraged Carlos. «Use Shadow Ball!» he commanded. From the Moonlight Pokémon's mouth, a large sphere of dark purple energy, almost black, was generated. It was surrounded by numerous discharges of energy, resembling lightning, also purple in color. "It seems the training with Ash has paid off," thought Carlos. "His Shadow Ball looks bigger and more powerful than before." His distraction lasted only a fraction of a second but was enough for Serena's Sylveon to defend itself. It generated rays of golden energy shaped like stars, which hit the dark energy sphere, causing it to explode into thousands of colored sparks.

Meanwhile, Oshawott had almost reached Snivy and was about to strike. Ash remained silent, not moving a muscle. And so did the Pokémon, who had total trust in her Trainer. «Not yet... not yet...» The experienced Trainer seemed to be biding his time. «Now jump and dodge!» he commanded. The Pokémon jumped and spun around. Her tail lit up a light green. The Pokémon hit the opponent with her tail, knocking him to the ground and ending his attack in vain.

The Sea Otter Pokémon hit the ground, digging into it with his head. «Hey! But that attack was...» Ash paused for a moment. Meanwhile, Oshawott was trying to get up. «Leaf Blade! That's fantastic!» the boy praised. «Vii!» The Pokémon responded to the compliment. Meanwhile, Carlos' Umbreon tried to attack Sylveon with Quick Attack, running at high speed towards the Kalos native's Pokémon.

«Come on, Sylveon! Try to counter it with Fairy Wind!» ordered the girl. The Pokémon generated a strong pink-colored current, which hit the Moonlight Pokémon, significantly slowing his run.

«Come on, Umbreon! I know you can do it!» Carlos encouraged his Pokémon, who gritted his teeth and tried to counter the current pushing him towards his Trainer.

«Eoon!» The Moonlight Pokémon fiercely opposed the opponent's attack, overcoming the wind's force and managing to hit Serena's Pokémon, pushing her back.

Meanwhile, Oshawott was back on his feet, ready to receive orders from his Trainer. «Come on, Oshawott! Use Water Gun on Sylveon!» she ordered.

From the Sea Otter Pokémon's mouth, a powerful jet of water was generated, projected towards Serena's Pokémon, who was trying to recover from Umbreon's attack.

Ash ordered Snivy to attack with Vine Whip. From one of the Pokémon's back protrusions, a thin vine extended. The Pokémon guided it precisely, hitting Oshawott squarely in the stomach, knocking him to the ground again.

Meanwhile, Sylveon was ready to fight again.

«Hey! Is that Houndour yours?» Someone interrupted the battle. «Time out!» Ash called for a halt. «Ah... it's you!» Ash turned towards the voice.

It was Raoul. «Sorry I'm late. I promised to watch your training, but I got delayed. My apologies.» The boy made a deep bow.

«It's fine, don't worry!» Ash replied, almost forgetting the question about the Dark Pokémon. Carlos answered it. «He's not ours. We heard some cries in a nearby grove, so Ash asked Pikachu to investigate and... indeed, the cause of those cries was him. He was injured, and we brought him here to the Pokémon Center.» he explained.

The boy nodded in understanding. «Sorry again for interrupting you.» Another bow.

«We can resume!» Ash urged. «You've done a great job so far.» he congratulated. The three simply nodded.

«Now let's get serious! Snivy! Use Leaf Tornado!» ordered the boy. «And you, Sylveon! Use Swift!» commanded Serena. A storm of sharp leaves and energy rays shaped like stars approached Anita and Carlos's Pokémon.

«Come on, dodge!» Carlos and Anita ordered simultaneously.

Unfortunately, the two Pokémon couldn't avoid the hit, becoming victims of the explosion caused by the clash of the two attacks. Both Pokémon appeared quite battered after the explosion.

«I'd say that's enough.» Ash interrupted the battle again.

«You've done a great job!» Ash congratulated again. «I know you can do even better, but for now, that's enough.» he added shortly after. «That was a great battle!» Raoul praised.

«This is just training.» Ash replied. «Oh!» Raoul responded. «I'd like to train with you... if you don't mind.» the blue-haired boy suggested. «Sure, no problem!» replied the Kanto native. «What do you say, Pikachu, would you like a battle?» Ash asked. «Pika-Pi!» replied the Pokémon. «So you're using your legendary Pikachu?» Raoul asked rhetorically. «Then I choose you!» The boy took one of his Poké Balls from his pocket. «Crustle! It's your turn!» From the boy's Poké Ball emerged a Pokémon resembling a large hermit crab. His eyes were big, and his claws were large and powerful. He had six legs. His body was mostly orange, except for some parts that were brown. His body was entirely protected by a large gray rock with yellow and brown stripes. «Uh! Crustle! Interesting!» commented Ash, while taking his Smart Rotom to scan the Pokémon with the Pokédex function. «Crustle, the Stone Home Pokémon. Bug and Rock type. Male specimen. Prefers arid places and doesn't come out of its rock on rainy days. It is very territorial. Known moves: Rock Slide, Rock Wrecker, X-Scissor» Ash seemed quite intrigued by the Pokémon. «He seems really strong!» he commented. «If you're ready, we can start the battle!» «Absolutely!» replied Raoul. «Come on, Crustle! Use Rock Slide!» The crustacean Pokémon generated enormous sharp boulders, which he hurled towards his opponent. «Come on, Pikachu, send them back! Iron Tail!» The mouse Pokémon made a powerful leap. His tail lit up white, changing its structure and becoming extremely hard. The Mouse Pokémon struck each boulder with his tail, sending them back towards the opponent.

«Break them with X-Scissor.» ordered the Trainer. The crustacean Pokémon's claws lit up orange, ready to receive the boulders. As his Trainer predicted, each boulder was crushed.

«Clever on your part.» Raoul commented. «But I expected nothing less from you.» he added shortly after. «Crustle! Let's try again! Use Rock Wrecker!» The Trainer was aware of the risk he was taking. After the attack, he would have to remain motionless to catch his breath. A large boulder began to form from the Pokémon's claws.

«Come on, Pikachu! Before it's too late! Use Thunderbolt!» ordered Ash. From the Pokémon's cheek pouches, small sparks were generated, which in tiny fractions of a second became immensely powerful discharges.

The Crustacean Pokémon was hit squarely by the powerful attack of the electric rodent. The large boulder it was generating in front of itself shattered into thousands of fragments. The Rock Inn Pokémon staggered, struck by the powerful enemy attack, but did not give up. «Try again!» His Trainer encouraged. «Rock Wrecker!»

He ordered. The Pokémon did not move. "Damn! It's the effect of Rock Wrecker!" he thought. Meanwhile, Ash and Pikachu wanted to take advantage of the situation to finish the battle.

«Go! Get closer with Quick Attack!» Ordered the Champion. "But how? You know that Normal-type attacks aren't very effective on Rock-type Pokémon!" He thought. «And now… Iron Tail!» Using the momentum from its run, the Pokémon made a big leap and struck the opponent's shell with its tail, which had become as hard as steel and sharp as a sword. The Pokémon's shell split into two halves.

The pieces of the shell fell to the ground, causing a loud thud and raising a cloud of dust, making Raoul cough. «Are you okay, Crustle?» The boy asked. «Well, at least he cares more about his Pokémon than his clothes.» Carlos commented, ironically. The young man's joke barely drew a smile from Ash.

The Rock Inn Pokémon, meanwhile, had already started working to repair the significant damage to its shell. With great effort, it managed to stand the pieces up and bring them together. It began to spray its adhesive saliva on the pieces, to rebuild its home. «You know? No one before had even managed to scratch its shell.» the boy recounted. «At least until now.» he added shortly after.

Several hours later, the Rock Inn Pokémon had managed to repair its boulder, and it seemed extremely satisfied with its work. Finally, Raoul could return his Pokémon to the Poké Ball. «You'll do better next time.» he tried to reassure it.

Meanwhile, Ash and Anita continued their training, while Houndour played with Carlos' Umbreon. The Nurse, taking advantage of the calm moment, had come outside and was observing both the training of the two and Houndour and Umbreon playing.

«It looks like Houndour has fully recovered.» commented the Nurse. «I printed some posters for Houndour. This way, maybe its Trainer will recognize it and come to get it.» she explained. «Sure!» the four replied together. The Nurse went back inside the Pokémon Center. «I'll go get them, give me a moment.» Two minutes later, the Nurse returned to the kids with several sheets, tape, and scissors.

On the sheets, all identical and printed in color, there was a large headline "Found." In the center of the sheet was a photo of the Dark Pokémon, and below a brief description. "Male Houndour found in the grove just outside town. His Trainer can find him at the Pokémon Center on Via della Bottega."

To simplify the work, the four decided to separate, to cover more areas of the city. They posted dozens and dozens of posters on bulletin boards, streetlight poles… lamp posts. They hoped this would help the owner find his lost Pokémon.

While the four were hanging the posters, someone behind them was tearing them down and throwing them in the trash cans. «They don't know. And it's better that way. He will never return.» commented a boy, as he tore yet another poster from a pole and threw it in a trash can.

After putting up another poster, Ash decided to head back. On the way back, Ash noticed a boy, intent on reading one of the posters. He wore a light green jacket with a hood covering his hair, black pants, and athletic shoes. After looking around, the boy tore the poster and crumpled it.

«Hey! What are you doing?» Ash called out to the boy. «None of your business.» replied the boy, annoyed. «I saw you tearing down the poster.» Ash pressed. «Why don't you want a Trainer to find his Pokémon?» The boy remained silent. «Maybe you're not a Trainer. You can't know how much a Trainer cares about their Pokémon.» the native of Kanto began to get angry. Pikachu tried to calm him down.

«You Trainers don't understand.» the boy replied. «You Trainers exploit your Pokémon like slaves. You make them fight… you make them compete for your amusement. You don't care if they get hurt. The Nurse is always ready to heal them and give them back to you. And so on, endlessly.» the boy clenched a fist. «And you think I can allow that?» he asked, rhetorically. «That Pokémon has won. Now it's free.» Another pause. «What happened to its Trainer? I don't care. And even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you.» the boy seemed to hide a smile.

«Do you from Team Plasma really care about Pokémon?» Ash asked. The boy felt cornered. «Otherwise, why would we free them from the Trainers' yoke?» he asked. Ash was getting tired of receiving such questions.

«But do you really care about Pokémon?» Ash tried to provoke him in turn. «Of course… otherwise why would we free them?» the Grunt replied. «And if you really care about Pokémon, you shouldn't have released it here.» the Grunt was losing his patience. «What do you mean?» he asked. «Houndour is a Pokémon that lives in packs. It can't survive alone for long.» the Grunt turned abruptly. «What do you know about what it means to do good for Pokémon, being a Trainer?» Ash took a breath. «I certainly know more than you. Because a Trainer always tries to do the best for their Pokémon. Even if it means releasing them. As painful as it is to do so. Every time I've released a Pokémon, a small part of me has died.» Ash recounted. «If you want to catch that Pokémon, go ahead. Its Trainer won't come looking for it. For every Pokémon that gets recaptured, we free dozens.» the Grunt replied before leaving.

After finishing their round, the four met back at the Pokémon Center. They all seemed quite tired and looked disappointed. «Did they tear down the posters in your areas too?» Ash asked. His friends confirmed with a slight nod. «I wonder who wants to prevent a Trainer from finding their Pokémon.» Carlos seemed doubtful. «Team Plasma.» Ash replied, visibly irritated. «I spoke with one of them. I saw him tearing one down. It seems they are only interested in freeing Pokémon. They don't even think about releasing them in their environment.» the boy recounted. Still hopeful that Trainer and Pokémon could reunite, he omitted the fact that Trainer and Pokémon were forced to separate.

«So Team Plasma had all the posters torn down?» asked the Nurse. «I figured. Maybe posters aren't the best idea. I'll try a post on PokéLink. And well… you guys can share the post. I imagine the World Champion and one of the most famous idols have a large following.» the Nurse explained. The Nurse took out her Smart Rotom. It had a pink cover and, on the back, a print resembling the face of Audino, her Pokémon. She quickly typed a text message, very similar to the one written on the poster. Once finished, she sent the message online. «At least here they can't delete it.» she commented.

As soon as the post appeared on Ash and Serena's homepage, they quickly shared it with their Grunts, hoping this would help track down its Trainer.

The next day, the four woke up early, to arrive at the building where the tournament would take place. As every morning, the four were having breakfast, the usual sweet breakfast with cappuccino and a croissant. Ash noticed how, compared to the day of her first Gym battle, Anita seemed much calmer. Ash pointed it out, with a slight smile. «I'm glad to see you more relaxed, even compared to just a few days ago.» he explained. «You think?» The girl asked, not expecting such a statement. «The day you had to face the first Gym, you seemed very tense. I remember we almost had to force you to have breakfast.» the boy explained.

«I don't know. Maybe it's because everything depends on me here.» the girl replied. «Or maybe you're learning that...» Ash started to say something but was interrupted by a notification on his Smart Rotom.

«We need to hurry. At least we'll have some time to prepare.» Ash finished devouring his croissant and drinking his cappuccino. Then, with Pikachu, he started heading towards the battle building. The others felt almost compelled to follow him.

The four walked for a good half-hour until they reached the building where the tournament would take place. It was an architecture similar to the Pokémon Center, only larger. In front of the building, there was already a long line of people, all interested in participating in the tournament. «I told you we should have arrived earlier!» Ash complained as he joined the queue with his friends. «Serena? Anita?» A familiar voice made the girls turn around. «Abby?» A girl with long, straight black hair down to her mid-back and very fair skin. She was wearing a black long-sleeved shirt that left her navel exposed, a black jacket, black pants, and black shoes. «I can't believe it!» The girl spoke softly to avoid being overheard by Ash, who was in line just behind Anita. «But he is... Ash Ketchum! In person!» The girl addressed Serena. She kept to herself the thought, "I wonder what a Trainer of his level is doing here." Serena didn't let herself be entirely overcome by jealousy. «I can introduce you. You know, we are quite close.» the Kalos native particularly emphasized the last two words. Abby just nodded. «Maybe it's better to get through the line first.» she replied. Serena simply responded with a "fine."

Fortunately, the line was moving fairly quickly, and finally, it was Ash's turn to submit his registration for the tournament. The Kanto native found himself in front of a woman about fifty years old, sitting behind a counter. She had rather short blonde hair and green eyes. She wore thick red plastic glasses and earrings. She had a black shirt with strange round plastic decorations of the same color.

The woman almost snatched the registration form and Smart Rotom from his hand. «I wonder what a Champion of your level is doing here.» she commented, annoyed. «Do you want to win the tournament by overwhelming superiority or what?» Ash shook his head. «The tournament is open to everyone.» he retorted. «As you wish.» the woman huffed as she filled out the registration form. «The Champion of Champions and he registers with Snivy and Sandile! Don't you think you're being ridiculous? With all the Pokémon you have...» Ash was about to snap back, but before he could, a colleague of the woman intervened. «The World Champion honors us with his presence, and you treat him like this? You know the protocol when one of the Elite Four visits us.» The woman appeared even more irritated after the scolding from her colleague. «Are you with people? If so, how many?» she asked, annoyed. «Four.» Ash replied. The woman took out four magnetic cards from a drawer and handed them to the boy. «That way, down the hall to the right. You'll have reserved rooms. If you want, you can also let in guests. But you're responsible if they cause any damage.» Ash didn't respond. He just waited for Carlos to finish his registration.

As soon as the group reunited, Ash handed out the cards to his friends. «And what's this?» Carlos asked. «One of the few perks of being a Champion, right buddy?» the boy addressed Pikachu. The Mouse Pokémon laughed. If only he knew about that employee... «At least we won't have to share the locker rooms with others.» Ash added a little later.

«I'd like to introduce you to... a friend of mine.» Serena took Abby by the hand and invited her to approach Ash. «Nice to meet you. I'm Abby!» the girl extended her hand to Ash, who shook it. «The pleasure is all mine. I'm Ash, and this is my friend Pikachu!» he introduced himself. «Pika-Pikachu!» the Pokémon introduced himself. «You look familiar... I can't remember where from...» Ash put a hand to his mouth, thoughtful. «She was one of the Performers at the Eolea Showcase show.» Serena reminded him. «She had a Gothitelle and a Houndoom. If I recall correctly.» «Yes... I know I didn't do a good job.» Abby looked disappointed. «But no! You did a great job.» Serena responded. «You know, I read your interview...» Abby tried to change the subject. «And that's why I came here. I heard you wanted battles in the Showcase shows. So...» «You don't need to justify yourself.» Serena replied. «I know about the promise you made. But remember, there's nothing wrong with participating in a tournament.» she added. «And besides, from battles, you can learn something to use in your Showcase performances.» Ash joined in. Serena noticed Abby's change of expression. She saw how she was looking at Ash. «But now let's go. We need to prepare.» Serena dragged Ash away, leaving Abby quite perplexed as she watched Ash being forcibly pulled by his friend.

Once the four entered their rooms, each decided to spend that time differently. Thanks to the cards given to them by Ash, they had their private rooms to prepare and possibly spend time between battles. The rooms weren't very large, but they were still quite comfortable. There was a brown leather sofa, probably convertible into a bed, a desk with a chair, a television mounted on a wall, a small fridge with drinks inside, and a faux wood wardrobe to store their clothes in case they wanted to change. The room also had a private bathroom. The room's ventilation was provided by a window, while its climate control was handled by an air conditioner mounted on a wall, set at 24 degrees at that moment.

Everyone, except Anita, already knew which Pokémon they would participate with. The rules stated that while Trainers could use only one Pokémon during battles, they could register two, plus a third reserve. Carlos, for obvious reasons, could only count on his Umbreon. Serena had decided right from the start who would fight. The first Pokémon she obtained, her Delphox, and the last Pokémon she caught, Lilligant. The girl decided to let them both out of their Poké Balls. Thanks to Sylveon, the two Pokémon had started to get to know each other, but they still weren't very close. «You know?» the Kalos native addressed Lilligant while taking some photos of her Pokémon to post on her PokéLink profile. «Ash told me that during the Showcase show, you were calm the whole time. And he also told me you made friends with another Pokémon. I'm very proud of you!» she congratulated the Pokémon. «Lill! Lill!» the Pokémon seemed very happy with the compliment. «Would you like to battle later? There will be people, but believe me, no one will hurt you.» the girl explained. The Pokémon initially didn't react. «Maybe it's still too early.» the girl commented. The Pokémon, in response, placed a leaf-arm on the girl's hand. It was her way of saying she would at least try. «I'm glad to see you at least want to try.»

Anita, on the other hand, had decided to put her Vivillon to the test, but she wasn't very sure about the Pokémon that would accompany it. Choosing between Oshawott and Herdier wasn't easy at all. This time, however, she didn't want to ask anyone for advice. She wanted to choose on her own. After all, there wasn't a right or wrong choice, was there?

Ash, like Serena, was about to let out the two Pokémon he had chosen when someone knocked on the door. «Ash Ketchum! Let me in! Or I'll have to arrest you!» The boy, though with strong doubts, hurried to open the door. In front of the boy and his Pikachu stood a woman with short-cut green hair. She had brown eyes and wore light red lipstick. She wore a uniform consisting of a yellow-brown shirt, a black tie, a skirt, and a cap of the same color as the shirt. On the jacket were several decorations. Finally, she wore white gloves. «Hello, officer...» Ash greeted her cordially. «Ash... you're under arrest!» The boy was scared to death. «For what?» he tried to ask. «For not recognizing me!» Ash was even more puzzled. «Huh?» he asked. «So that means the disguise works... At least as well as the Team Plasma Grunt disguise.» Ash quickly sorted things out in his mind. «Officer Velaurora!» The young woman just nodded. «Have a seat.» Ash invited, moving to one side of the sofa. «Don't worry, I'll sit here.» the young woman took the chair and sat facing Ash, straddling it. «The boss ordered me to take care of the security for this event. I found out you would be participating too. Bellocchio practically ordered me to come talk to you. You know, this tournament almost didn't happen.» she explained. «Really?» Ash seemed genuinely surprised. Why wouldn't the tournament take place?

Austropoli, Capital of Unova.

The largest and most important city in the region was a constant bustle of people, vehicles, and Pokémon. Hundreds of thousands of people moved along the enormous arteries of one of the biggest and most significant cities, not just in Unova, but in the entire Pokémon world. An important financial and industrial center, it was a city where it was not unusual to meet people from every part of the world.

As the region's capital, it also housed its main government bodies. The two Chambers, the Black Chamber and the White Chamber, were located respectively in Reshiram Palace and Zekrom Palace, while Kyurem Palace housed the Government and where the two chambers met in joint session. The Palace of the Solemn Swordsmen was home to the region's highest judicial authority.

At that moment, the two Chambers were in joint session to discuss important, albeit tedious, agendas. Among all the documents, one letter stood out. It was made of fine paper and sealed with dark blue wax. The seal impressed on it was the emblem of Team Plasma: a shield with a P and other decorations.

The Chamber was full. The enormous room was elegant and well-kept. The desks were made of fine wood, the seats upholstered in red leather, and the walls adorned with exquisite tapestries and paintings. In the center of the ceiling hung a gigantic chandelier made of metal, crystal, and precious stones.

All the parliamentarians had gathered that day. Men in suits and ties and women in elegant dresses. Before the session began, they were exchanging the last bits of conversation.

Everything stopped when one of the many attendants rang the customary bell, signaling the start of the session as per tradition. Silence fell immediately. The Prime Minister, a man in his forties, dressed in a suit and tie like his colleagues, with short brown hair and matching eyes, freshly shaved, stood up and began to speak. «Good morning. As you know, today we are in a joint session to discuss some important agendas. Or, at least that was the plan before the arrival of this.» The man picked up a letter from the pile of documents, making sure to show it to everyone present. «This letter was sent to this address by Team Plasma.» Suddenly, the previously silent room seemed to buzz with murmurs as everyone wondered who Team Plasma was and what they wanted. It didn't take long for the same attendant to be forced to restore order with the customary bell. «I would like to remind you why you are here!» the Prime Minister's words sounded like a reprimand. Once he had regained everyone's full attention, the man opened the letter, breaking the seal, and took out the letter inside. It was also made of fine paper.

The Prime Minister put on his glasses and read the letter aloud.

«To the esteemed Government of the Republic of Unova,

We are Team Plasma.

We want you to know that we do not intend to take power. Our goal is not to govern, but to change the world for the good of Pokémon.

We believe that Pokémon battles and contests are cruel and inhumane. These practices cause suffering to Pokémon and can no longer be tolerated.

Therefore, we urge you to immediately halt all events involving Pokémon battles and performances. This is the first step towards our ultimate goal: declaring the possession of Pokémon illegal.

If you do not follow our directives, we will be forced to take drastic measures. Do not underestimate our determination. We have the means and the will to advance our cause.

We invite you to reflect on your actions and make the right choice for the good of Pokémon and the entire Unova region.

Sincerely,

Team Plasma»

After the reading, no one in the hall dared to speak. Not that they were uninformed on the matter; the newspapers had reported the news of the explosion at the Team Plasma base between Nimbasa City and Driftveil City.

No one had been able to identify who caused it, and the person who made the news public preferred to remain anonymous. On that occasion, the news was quickly dismissed as another group of fanatics causing trouble amongst themselves. However, no such group had ever sent threatening letters directly to the government.

«This is not a threat we can ignore.» said one of the Black Chamber deputies. «Team Plasma poses a serious risk to the very foundations of our society.» he added. «Unova has an ancient tradition. Since its origins, humans and Pokémon have lived side by side. We cannot bow to their threats.» added another colleague from the Black Chamber. Voice after voice, everyone agreed. It was one of the few times all representatives were in agreement. They could not yield to their bullying. Someone suggested limiting movements and searching non-Trainers, a proposal that was rejected as unconstitutional.

At the end of the session, it was decided that events involving Pokémon with a public audience would receive increased security checks at the entrance to prevent Team Plasma Grunts from entering.

Ash seemed particularly surprised. He didn't believe Team Plasma could go so far. «After our encounter, I had to deal with one of them.» Ash recounted. «Tell me about it.» she urged. Ash spoke about Houndour and how he and his friends had put up posters to find it, how the Grunt had torn down all the posters, and how they had a brief exchange of words. «I know you just want to participate in the tournament.» she began. «But as I told you before, the situation is very delicate, and that's why I'm asking for your cooperation. We've done extensive checks on the spectators, who arrived well in advance, and none of them belong to Team Plasma. But we can't be completely sure.» At those words, Ash simply nodded. It wasn't in his plans, but as the world champion, he couldn't refuse. Confident of Ash's cooperation, the agent stood up from the chair. «Now excuse me, but I really have to go.» she said goodbye. «See you!» Ash replied. «Good luck with the tournament. I don't know who your partner will be, but they will surely be a very lucky person.» A few seconds later, the Agent returned to Ash's room. «I forgot something.» Ash looked puzzled. What did she forget? «I'll be handling the awards ceremony. Assuming there are no problems before then, of course.» Ash had no idea what could go wrong. «Could you hand me your Smart Rotom?» she asked. Ash handed it over without hesitation, after unlocking it. «I'll send you an application that might come in handy.» The young woman activated the Bluetooth on both devices to send files without using the data network. «What kind of application?» Ash wondered what it could be. «It's an experimental app for making completely encrypted communications. For now, it's experimental. You and the other Master Eight will use it.

«You will be notified through this application when your intervention or that of your Pokémon is required. When the application is fully operational, it will connect all Champions, the Elite Four, and Gym Leaders.» she explained. Ash was fascinated by the agent's words. «Technology is really incredible!» he commented. «You can say that again.» the young woman replied before leaving. «Now, though, excuse me, but I really have to go.»

Not long after, all the Trainers were called for the pre-tournament briefing. Everyone was gathered in a fairly large room with several chairs. All the Trainers sat down, waiting for instructions. After a few minutes, a man of about forty, dressed in sportswear, appeared before the group of Trainers.

«A warm welcome to you all, Trainers!» he greeted them. «I am happy to see so many of you here, despite everything that

has happened recently.» The various Trainers exchanged puzzled looks. Few knew the real reason. «As you know, Trainer

pairs are randomly drawn, and the same goes for the matchups. You can use only one Pokémon each for every battle, but I imagine you already know that.» he explained. «Now we can proceed with the drawing. Each of you will receive a ticket with a number. Once everyone has their ticket, we can proceed.» At these words, a colleague appeared from seemingly nowhere and distributed a ticket to each participant.

The pairing process, conducted via a lottery drum, lasted about ten minutes. «Very, very good!» commented the man. «The two Trainers who form a pair are asked to sit next to each other and distance themselves slightly from the other pairs.» The man hoped he had been clear enough. His words triggered a gigantic commotion of Trainers standing up and moving around, loudly calling out the number they had received.

Once the hustle and bustle of Trainers moving around was over, all the pairs were finally formed. There were sixteen pairs. Ash was paired with Anita, Carlos with Ivan, Anita's rival, Serena with Raoul, and Abby with an unknown boy.

He was rather tall and slim. He had short blonde hair and a barely visible beard. He wore a T-shirt of a well-known band and a pair of jeans. He wore work boots from a famous brand. «So you're Abby? Nice to meet you! My name is Oliver.» He extended his hand. A worker's hand. Full of cuts and scars. «Nice to meet you.» The girl, with her small, smooth, and well-manicured hands, with long nails painted black, felt almost uncomfortable. She tried to smile slightly.

Ash and Anita could already consider themselves good friends, so the girl simply commented to her mentor on how fortunate she was to have him by her side. Ash, for his part, had numerous flashbacks of his previous double battles, both with friends and rivals, against them or with them by his side.

Serena and Raoul, on the other hand, were just acquaintances, and the dandy seemed quite uncomfortable. "But of all people, why did I have to end up with the most beautiful girl in the tournament?" he thought. «Is everything okay?» the girl asked him, noticing his embarrassed expression. «Ye-yes. Everything is fine… it's just that I certainly didn't expect… well… um…» «So many people?» the girl tried to anticipate him. «Yes… so many people. It makes me uncomfortable.» he tried to play the part.

The situation was different between Ivan and Carlos. The two boys had their backs to each other. They didn't seem interested in collaborating at all. A poor choice in a double battle tournament. Although the Umbreon Trainer tried to make suggestions to the blond boy, he responded with grunts at best. He certainly wasn't making a good impression. «See that you don't get in my way.» he grumbled. «I can easily win the tournament alone. At least pretend to be helpful.» he added.

At that moment, a computer had decided the matchups. The first to battle would be Ash and Anita. They already knew who they would face. On the screen, their photos were paired with those of their challengers. The same was true for all the pairs in the first round.

They would face a pair of young Trainers. One girl had very long blue hair and could be at most twenty years old. She wore a matching jacket and skirt, primarily yellow and orange. She also wore leggings and sports shoes. Beside her was a younger girl by a few years. She had blonde hair and blue eyes. She seemed to be wearing a kind of school uniform. The top was a sweater covering a shirt and tie. She wore a miniskirt and elegant shoes.

Ash, Anita, and their challengers arrived at the battlefield after passing through a tunnel from the stands. It was the classic clay battlefield, just a bit larger than usual. It was surrounded by stands on all sides. The stands were simple wooden structures with plastic seats. Several floodlights ensured the field's illumination if necessary. On the lower part of the stands, there were several banners with the logos of the various sponsors financing the tournament.

Four strategically positioned giant screens allowed even those in the higher parts of the stands to see the battle perfectly. Speakers handled the sound. What was shown on the screens was also broadcast on television and streamed throughout the Unima region. Or even beyond, thanks to the channel's website.

On beautiful days like this, the sun illuminated the field through a large glass roof. «Ladies and gentlemen!» The same person who had conducted the briefing was now in the center of the battlefield, holding a wireless microphone. At those words, a roar rose from the stands. «FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!» they shouted.

«I am happy to see you have come in great numbers. A huge crowd. Today is a great day. The seventy-fifth edition of the Nimbasa City Double Battle Tournament will take place. Sponsored, as it has been for eighteen years, by Amon, one of the jewels of the transport industry in the Unima region. From motorcycles to cargo ships, from small cars to Giants of the Sky, if it's a means of transport, Amon has the perfect solution for your needs.» The man did not forget to introduce the event's generous sponsor. «I am extremely proud to announce that among the tournament participants, we also have the World Champion, Ash Ketchum! Will he and his partner win the coveted prize provided by Amon? Four all-inclusive tickets to follow the one hundred and first edition of the Driftveil City 24-Hour Race, the most prestigious car race in history. Whoever wins the tickets can follow the race directly from the pits, eat and drink as much as they want in the exclusive Fan Club. They will share the joys and sorrows with the team, as only an endurance race can. Another prize, always reserved for the top finishers, is a tour of the Amon factory. For the second and third-place finishers, the prize is an exclusive one-week vacation for four people at a resort on Ember Island.» The man noticed the audience was getting impatient. «But let's get to the Trainers who will face each other in the first round…» The man turned to his right.

«To my right, we have the World Champion, Ash, and his partner Anita. Their opponents...» The man turned to his left. «Are the Trainers Shannon and Sibyl! Trainers... Release your Pokémon!» the man ordered. Ash sent out Sandile, while Anita released her Vivillon. Shannon released a Golett, and Sibyl sent out a Minccino.

The older girl's Pokémon resembled a stone golem. It was about one meter tall, with a bluish and azure body. Its head, as part of the body, was azure. A blue stripe partially separated its yellowish eyes. The eyes were not the same shape: the right one was L-shaped while the left one was rectangular. On its chest was a square tied to its torso with rectangular brown ropes. On the square, a yellow spiral was engraved. The forearms and hands were blue. The arm had a rectangular protrusion. The legs, azure, were without feet and were decorated with triangular protrusions.

Anita, who had never seen this Pokémon, decided to scan it with her Smart Rotom. «Golett. Automaton Pokémon. Ground and Ghost types. Specimen of unknown gender. An ancient people created it by shaping clay to make a servant. The source of the energy that animates it is unknown. Known moves: Shadow Punch, Shadow Ball, Ice Punch, and Thunder Punch.»

The younger girl, on the other hand, sent out a Minccino. A rodent-like Pokémon with a mostly white furry body. It had tufts of hair on its head, inside its ears, and on its neck. Its ears were quite large and positioned on the sides of its head. Their inside was partially covered with tufts of fur. Its eyes were quite large and brown. The limbs were rounded and rather small. On the other hand, its tail was long and rather furry. The girl took advantage of her Smart Rotom's functions to scan the Pokémon. «Minccino. Chinchilla Pokémon. Female specimen. It's a cleanliness maniac and can't stand even the slightest trace of dirt. It uses its tail as a broom to clean every surface. Known moves: Swift, Thunderbolt, Protect, and Bullet Seed.» Knowing at least the moves of the opponents, the girl felt a little more at ease.

Meanwhile, the man had moved away from the center of the field. He had climbed towards the stands and entered a small room, probably the commentary booth.

From that small room, it was possible to have an excellent view of the battle field and to comment on the actions of the Pokémon on the field optimally.

At the same moment, a green-blue energy barrier rose around the battle field. «This way, the audience doesn't risk being hit by any attacks.» Ash explained to his friend. Meanwhile, the referee, a young man of about twenty-five, dressed in the usual referee outfit, a green shirt and shorts with Poké Ball prints, and sports shoes, started the match. «Let the battle begin! The first move goes to the challengers!» announced the referee. A man in his thirties.

«Golett! Use Thunder Punch on Vivillon!» ordered Shannon. «And you, Minccino, use Bullet Seed on Sandile!» ordered Sibyl. The Golem Pokémon started running, while its right arm charged with powerful electric energy, while the Chinchilla Pokémon began spitting numerous seeds from its mouth, which resembled bullets. For the moment, they were only hitting the ground, raising dust.

Ash and Anita exchanged a quick glance. «Do it like in the Showcase.» the boy suggested. Anita simply nodded.

«Vivillon… use Air Slash!» ordered the girl. The Pokémon generated several air blades from its wings that reached and hit the seeds launched by the Chinchilla Pokémon, causing them to explode in a large amount of colored dust.

«Sandile! Stop Golett with Bite!» ordered Ash shortly after. The Sand Croc Pokémon started running towards the opponent. When it was close enough, it leaped and closed its mouth on the electric-charged fist of the Automaton Pokémon with a very tight bite. «Golett! Try to shake it off!» ordered the girl. The Pokémon moved its arm as quickly as possible, trying to shake off the crocodile.

In response, the Sand Croc Pokémon tightened its grip further. Some rather unpleasant sounds could be heard. They sounded almost like creaking. «No way! Golett! Shake it off!» With a quicker movement than before, the Pokémon finally managed to get rid of the opponent.

«Sandile! Slow your fall with Shadow Claw!» ordered Ash. The Pokémon's claws extended and turned purple. Scraping the ground, it managed to slow down considerably.

Thanks to this, the Pokémon managed to limit the damage. The same couldn't be said for its opponent. On the right arm of the Automaton Pokémon, the bite marks of the sand crocodile were clearly visible. «Vivillon! Use Swift on Minccino!» ordered Anita. «Minccino! Use Swift too!» countered the girl in uniform. The two attacks clashed in the middle of the field, raising a huge cloud of dust. «Great, Sandile! Go! Attack Golett with Shadow Claw!» ordered Ash. The Sand Croc Pokémon, taking advantage of the dust, managed to reach its opponent.

Thanks to special membranes protecting its eyes, the Pokémon could see clearly even in the strongest sandstorm.

Like the previous time, the Pokémon's claws extended, glowing with a violet light. «Come on, Golett! Defend yourself with Shadow Ball!» ordered the girl with blue hair.

The Pokémon generated a sphere of dark energy from its hands, which acted almost like a shield against the powerful opponent's attack. Initially, it seemed that the shield was holding, but then, the side effects of Sandile's bite became evident. The right arm of the Pokémon, which had previously started creaking, was now about to give way.

The Sand Croc Pokémon only had to hold on a bit longer. «Sandile! Get out of there!» ordered Ash, noticing the Minccino of their opponent preparing a powerful Swift attack.

Those energy rays would not disturb Golett in any way, being immune to Normal-type attacks, but they would surely hit Sandile.

The Pokémon obeyed, making a small leap, just in time to see the star-shaped energy rays pass through the opponent's body without causing any damage.

«Golett! Use Ice Punch!» ordered its Trainer. She still hadn't noticed the fracture on her Pokémon's arm. «Sandile! Use Dig!» ordered Ash. While the Ground/Dark Pokémon started digging a hole, Ash turned to his friend. «It's your moment.» he said very quietly. Anita wasn't very good at reading lips, but she more or less understood what her friend meant. «Vivillon! Use Energy Ball!» she ordered. The Pokémon generated a gigantic sphere of greenish energy and hurled it at the opponent, who had hit the ground with a powerful punch and frozen part of the surrounding ground. The gigantic energy sphere, similar to an eye, hit the girl's Pokémon in full, generating a huge explosion. Due to the ice and the previous damage, the Pokémon's right arm gave way.

At the same time, Sandile, who had hidden underground, had reached the opposing Minccino. «And now Bite!» The Sand Croc Pokémon, taking advantage of the cloud of dust it had raised, attacked the opponent from behind with a powerful bite. «Golett and Minccino are no longer able to fight! Sandile and Vivillon win. Therefore, Ash and Anita advance to the next round!» announced the referee.

As tradition dictated, after the battle, the opponents met in the middle of the field and shook hands. «You were great opponents.» congratulated Ash. «Fighting with you was an honor.» complimented the older girl. Ash noticed how his friend had been a bit sidelined. «If it wasn't for you and Vivillon, I don't know how it would have ended.» he complimented his friend, leaving her speechless.

«They were fantastic! Come on! They will make it and beat all their rivals!» rejoiced the agent, only to recover her composure. «No! No! I can't blow my cover.» she regained her poise. She hoped she had been mistaken for a simple Officer Jenny, a great admirer of Ash.

After a few turns, it was Serena and Raoul's turn. The Kalos native sent out her Delphox, while the stylish guy had his Crustle ready. Serena was surprised that the Pokémon had managed to rebuild its shell despite the extensive damage it had suffered in the battle against Pikachu, but she quickly refocused; there were more pressing priorities at hand. They needed to fight and, hopefully, win.

Their opponents were a woman in her thirties with long violet hair, wearing violet-framed glasses, a white lab coat with pens in one pocket, and a tall guy with shaved hair and a long, unkempt beard. He wore an unbuttoned shirt, shorts, and work boots.

The woman sent out a Klink, a Pokémon resembling a pair of gears with six teeth each, interlocked together. The gear teeth were light gray, with much darker central regions. Their sinister eyes were in an "X" shape, contrasting with their right eyes, which were large with a black pupil and white cornea. They had a round green nose and small mouths that were constantly open.

Her ally sent out an Inkay, a Pokémon Serena was familiar with but Raoul was seeing for the first time. It resembled a blue squid with a pink, triangular-shaped dome on its head with white edges and yellow dots. Attached to it were white filaments. Its squid-shaped body was blue, ending in five tentacles. Its eyes were white with large pupils, and its mouth was small and pink.

The guy scanned it with his Smart Rotom. «Inkay. Dark-Psychic Pokémon. Male. It exchanges information with its peers by flashing patterns on its body in complex sequences. Known moves: Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Flamethrower.» He pocketed his device.

«Let the battle begin! The first move goes to Serena and Raoul!» declared the referee.

They didn't need to be told twice.

«Crustle! Use Rock Slide!» ordered Raoul. The Rock Inn Pokémon generated rocks and hurled them at their opponents. «Klink! Use Gear Grind to crush the rocks!» ordered the scientist. The Steel-type Pokémon positioned itself in front of the Inkay, starting to rotate its gears, pulverizing each rock. Serena simply smiled. It seemed to be exactly what she wanted. The girl's expression turned serious. «Delphox! Fire Blast!» The Fox Pokémon generated a massive fireball from its branch, launching it at the two opponents, who were hit full force by the flames, defeated in a single blow. «Klink and Inkay are no longer able to battle.» announced the referee. «Therefore, Serena and Raoul win.» As always, the four met at the center of

the battlefield to shake hands.

Carlos and Ivan were among the last to fight. No one had noticed, but in the audience, just moments before the battle began, the little Houndour peered out from the stands. His instinct had been correct. Umbreon was about to fight.

Ivan, on the other hand, sent out a male Frillish. A Pokémon that resembled a jellyfish. Ivan's specimen was male. Its body color tended towards blue. Its head was spherical with a white protrusion resembling a crown. Around its neck was a sort of white collar, similar to those worn by nobles in ancient times. It had five tentacles, all flat. The three smaller ones had a white diamond-shaped mark, while the longer ones had a wider, irregular tip. Its face had an apathetic expression. Its mouth and eyes were blue, with a red pupil. A noticeable eyelash was evident on its eyes.

Their opponents were an elderly man with short, white hair, dressed in an elegant suit—a dark blue jacket that appeared black in the room's lighting, pants of the same color, and black shoes. He also wore a dark blue hat. His partner was a young woman with short black hair, wearing an orange cap, a green shirt, and an orange skirt. She had brown leather boots adorned with bows of a similar color and long black stockings.

They respectively fielded a Lampent, a Fire-Ghost type Pokémon that resembled a lamp. It had a spherical head with oval yellow eyes and a purple-blue flame inside. At the top of its head was a black cover with a pointed tip resembling a lampshade. Below its head was its rather small, black body, ending in a tip. From its body extended two long, wavering arms without fingers, and an Alolan Raichu. Like its normal form, it resembled a rodent, brown-orange in color. Its belly was white. Its cheeks were round and yellow. It stood about eighty centimeters tall, with long, rounded ears, and its legs and arms were quite stout. Two light horizontal stripes were on its back. The Pokémon levitated in the air on its tail.

«Listen...» Ivan turned to Carlos. «Both of them are weak against my Pokémon's attacks. You and your Umbreon, make sure not to interfere.» Houndour had watched the scene from the stands. That boy frightened him. He tried to hide among the spectators' legs, with little success.

That boy made him uneasy. He was exactly the opposite... «Oh no... I don't want to deal with him anymore!» thought the Pokémon.

«The battle between the trainers Ivan and Carlos and the trainers Toto and Susie begins!» introduced the referee. The audience watched with great curiosity.

«The first move goes to Ivan and Carlos.» declared the referee a few moments later. The blonde gave a threatening look to his ally. «Let us handle this! Frillish, use Surf!» he ordered. The Medusa lifted a gigantic wave and rode it. Umbreon had to dodge to avoid being hit.

«Raichu, Volt Tackle!» ordered the woman. «Lampent, Shadow Ball!» ordered her ally. The Mouse Pokémon began to run at great speed, despite its rather chubby body, covering itself in a large amount of electricity.

«Umbreon, stop it with Quick Attack! Just like Ash taught us!» The Moonlight Pokémon started to run at great speed, aiming towards the Mouse Pokémon.

The two Pokémon collided just before the middle of the field, thrown back mutually by the impact's energy. Raichu ended up being hit by a violent wave of violet-colored energy generated by its ally, and shortly after, both it and Lampent.

«Yet you should know that water conducts electricity!» The woman seemed to smile. «Raichu, use Thunderbolt!» she ordered. «Lampent, attack Umbreon with Flamethrower!» ordered Toto.

The Lantern Pokémon obeyed. The flame inside its body grew much larger and more powerful, erupting outward. «Umbreon, I know you can do it! Dark Pulse!» Carlos ordered in return. From the mouth of the Moonlight Pokémon, rings of energy the color of violet burst forth, intercepting and striking the opponent's attack, then hitting the Lantern Pokémon. «Lampent is no longer able to battle.» declared the referee. «The pair that advances to the next round will depend on the outcome of the one-on-one battle between one of the pair's Pokémon in the lead and the remaining Pokémon of the other.»

Carlos was incredulous. He thought that due to Raichu's Thunderbolt, Frillish would also have been defeated. Evidently, he was too caught up in the battle to notice what had happened.

«Frillish! Protect yourself!» Ivan ordered. The jellyfish wrapped itself in a shield of blue-green energy and immersed itself inside the wave. The burst of energy was incredibly powerful and was further amplified by the water. Susie smiled. She thought that her Pokémon had defeated the dangerous opponent.

Her smile gave way to a look full of disappointment as the wave dissipated. The opposing Pokémon, still wrapped in the energy shield, was in perfect health.

«Damn! I told you not to interfere!» complained Ivan. «And now, because of you, I risk not advancing to the next round!» He took a step towards Carlos.

«Attacking your teammate results in disqualification, remember that.» warned the referee. Ivan huffed. «Be grateful this is an official tournament, or you'd be in real trouble.» he warned.

«Now begins the elimination battle between Ivan and Susie.» the referee indicated the two Traineres, who were now illuminated by spotlights. «They will battle with the Pokémon they've used so far. The winner will advance their pair to the next round.» explained the referee. «Let the battle begin!» he announced shortly after.

The two Trainers faced each other, ready to fight. They were waiting for the referee to decide who would make the first move.

«Susie gets the first move.» decreed the referee.

«Excellent!» the Trainer smiled. «Alright! Raichu, use Thunder Wave!» ordered the woman. The Electric Mouse Pokémon generated an electrified web and launched it towards the jellyfish.

«Frillish, dodge and then hit with Ice Beam!» ordered the boy. A thin beam of icy energy, bluish in color, generated in front of the Pokémon's body, quickly freezing the battlefield around the Electric-type rodent.

«Go! Melt the ice! Raichu, Volt Tackle!» commanded Susie. It was clear the battle was reaching its final stages. The Electric Mouse Pokémon gathered its remaining strength and ran at great speed, despite its rather plump body, enveloping itself in a large amount of electricity.

«Let's finish this!» Ivan seemed angrier than ever. «Frillish, Shadow Ball!» The Medusa Pokémon generated a sphere of dark energy, purple in color and crackling with bursts resembling electricity, then hurled it at its opponent, hitting it head-on. The impact was extremely violent, generating an explosion.

«Raichu is unable to battle!» declared the referee. «As a result, Carlos and Ivan proceed to the next round.» he concluded. «Consider yourself lucky we made it through.» Ivan threatened again. «Otherwise...»

Among the other competitors, Abby and her partner also advanced. The pairs moving into the semifinals were Serena and Raoul, Ash and Anita, Carlos and Ivan, and Abby and Oliver.

To decide who would go to the final, Ash and Anita would face Abby and Oliver, while Serena and Raoul would face Ivan and Carlos. The Kalos native and the gentleman would be the first to battle.

To allow her Delphox, who had performed well twice, to rest, Serena decided to send out Lilligant. The girl wasn't entirely sure about her choice, but her Pokémon had promised to give it a try.

For this battle, Raoul would also field a Pokémon different from Crustle: a Yamask. A Pokémon with the appearance of a black spirit. Its rather slender body had arms attached and, on the lower part, a golden mask. The body had three protrusions that gave it an irregular shape, with two tiny eyes under a red-ringed circle, reminiscent of a teardrop about to fall.

The Kalos native scanned the Pokémon with her Rotom's Pokédex function. «Yamask. Spirit Pokémon. Ghost type. Female specimen. The mask it wears is the face it had when it was a human. It sometimes cries when it looks at it. Known moves: Curse, Will-O-Wisp, Hex.»

Carlos, of course, sent out his Umbreon, while Ivan, perhaps to conserve Frillish's energy for the final, sent out Liepard.

Serena was the last to send out a Pokémon, sending out her Lilligant onto the field. The Pokémon looked around. The stands were packed with people.

The Pokémon turned to its Trainer, looking worried. «Maybe I shouldn't have let you participate.» Serena said, meeting her Pokémon's gaze. «But you seemed happy before.» she added shortly after. «Just know that I don't care about the outcome. I'll still be proud that you tried.» she tried to reassure her.

«A Trainer who doesn't aim to win can't call themselves one!» Ivan scoffed, eager for the match to begin. «If you're not here to win, then why bother?» Serena pressed. «It's none of your business.» the girl replied. Ivan was becoming increasingly unbearable.

«Now begins the battle between Traineres Ivan and Carlos and Traineres Serena and Raoul!» introduced the referee. «The pair that wins this match will secure a spot in the final.» he added shortly after. Meanwhile, Ivan was starting to lose patience. «Let the battle begin! Serena and Raoul get the first move.» declared the referee.

«Lilligant, let's go! Attack with Petal Blizzard!» ordered the girl. «Yamask, hit them with Will-O-Wisp!» ordered the boy. The Flowering Pokémon generated a mass of purple pollen, which it then hurled at Liepard. «Shadow Claw!» ordered Ivan. The Dark-type Pokémon leaped high, its claws elongating and glowing with a purple light. With a powerful leap, the Pokémon managed to destroy the mass without taking any damage. Meanwhile, Yamask generated blue flames, quickly reaching the two Dark-type Pokémon. Both were engulfed in flames. «Very clever of you.» commented Ivan. «Now I suppose you'll tell your Yamask to use Hex. Isn't that right?» he taunted. «You're too predictable.» criticized Ivan. «Liepard, use Rest!» he ordered. The Leopard Pokémon closed its eyes and regained its energy. Carlos felt betrayed. «But wasn't Ivan the one who wanted to do everything on his own?» he wondered. «Umbreon, Quick Attack!» he ordered. The Moonlight Pokémon started running at high speed, heading towards Serena's Lilligant. «Defend yourself, Lilligant! Leaf Storm!» ordered the Kalos native. The Pokémon generated a tornado made of green and orange leaves and petals, hurling them at its opponent. Due to the attack's great power, the Pokémon was thrown right into its ally. The impact between the two Pokémon was such that it woke the sleeping Liepard. This event, completely unexpected, made the entire audience stand up, bursting into a loud roar, scaring Lilligant. The Pokémon seemed paralyzed. «Are you okay?» Serena asked. The Pokémon didn't respond. «Liepard, Shadow Claw again!» ordered Ivan. «And you, Umbreon, Dark Pulse!» ordered Carlos. The Cold-Blooded Pokémon started running, its long claws elongating and glowing with a purple light. It quickly approached the Kalos native's Pokémon. «Lilligant, dodge!» ordered Serena. No use. The Pokémon was paralyzed.

Meanwhile, the flames from Yamask's Will-O-Wisp collided with the dark energy rings generated by Umbreon. The clash between the two attacks generated a powerful explosion. Both Pokémon emerged without any particular damage.

The same couldn't be said for Lilligant, injured and no longer able to battle, as noted by the referee.

«Maybe it was too soon, but I can assure you did a great job.» the girl recalled her Pokémon to the Poké Ball.

«As per the rules, the battle to decide the finalist will become a one-on-one.» declared the referee. «Liepard and Yamask will face off.» he added shortly after. Ivan huffed. He wanted to finish the battle quickly.

«Let's end this quickly.» Ivan was determined to end the battle quickly.

«Liepard! Night Slash!» The Cold-Blooded Pokémon quickly reached its opponent, striking it with a violent tail blow illuminated in purple.

«Yamask is no longer able to battle. Liepard wins,» declared the referee. «This means Ivan and Carlos are qualified for the final. Now we just need to find out who they will face,» he added shortly after.

Just before the final, Serena managed to spend some time with her Pokémon. The two were in the small room that had been provided for them.

The girl sat on the couch, with the Pokémon right in front of her. Lilligant looked sad. She seemed disappointed and bitter. Her feelings were so obvious that the girl didn't even need Sylveon's mediation.

«Don't worry,» the girl spoke to the Pokémon gently. «You did your best.»

«Gan?» The Pokémon seemed, instead, disappointed.

«It's my fault. I should never have let you battle,» the girl said with a sad expression.

The Pokémon approached her Trainer. Like a few hours before, it gently brushed against her with one of its leafy arms.

«Maybe you're right. We shouldn't give up. We can overcome this obstacle only together.»

«Gant!» The Pokémon seemed enthusiastic now, finally sure of Sylveon's sincerity.

After half an hour, it was finally time for the second semifinal battle. Ash and Anita would face Abby and Oliver. The girl's ally was a boy roughly Ash's age, quite tall and very thin. He had brown hair and light eyes. He wore a simple red T-shirt, jeans, and black sneakers. Due to a minor technical issue, the four had a few minutes to prepare.

Both Abby and Oliver were quite excited to face the World Champion. Neither seemed to contain the excitement of facing him.

«Have you already decided who you will fight with?» Oliver asked. «So far, you've only fought with Sandile, and it did a really good job.»

«Now you'll get serious and fight with one of your historical Pokémon, maybe Pikachu?» he asked.

Ash patted his Pokémon on the head. «No. It wouldn't be fun or fair.»

The two opponents were a bit puzzled by that statement. Anita, on the other hand, didn't react. She was getting to know him and understood perfectly well what her friend meant.

«You know, we often train together, and like me, he has always fought with Sandile and with another Pokémon that he recently caught.» Anita explained. «As if he wanted to level up with his opponent.» elaborated Oliver. «It's not quite like that. I just think that each of my Pokémon can become stronger, and to do that, they need to train and fight. That's why I chose not to use any of the "historical" Pokémon. I prefer to give others the opportunity to improve.» Ash replied.

Finally, the minor technical issue, a problem with a power cable on one of the big screens, was resolved, and the tournament could continue. The audience seemed very impatient. The four didn't even have time to line up before the audience started asking, not so subtly, for the battle to begin.

«Now begins the battle between Ash and Anita and their opponents Abby and Oliver. Trainers! Send out your Pokémon!» The four Trainers sent out their respective Pokémon. Ash sent out his Snivy, Anita her Oshawott.

Abby sent out her Mismagius, a Pokémon that Ash knew well. Anita was encountering a specimen for the first time. That Pokémon resembled a sorcerer. Its body was purple. It almost looked like a fluttering robe; it was decorated, at the front, with three brown front gems, the neck was a kind of large ball more or less the size of half the head. The head was semispherical, with a kind of hairstyle in the shape of a wizard or witch's hat. The eyes had yellow sclera and red irises. The zigzag mouth was red. The girl scanned the Pokémon with her Smart Rotom's Pokédex function. "Mismagius, Witch Pokémon. Ghost type. Female specimen. It torments the enemy by reciting evil spells that cause terrible migraines or provoke frightening visions. Known moves: Shadow Ball, Magical Leaf, Power Gem, Mystical Fire." Oliver, on the other hand, had deployed a Cubchoo. A small Pokémon, whose appearance resembled a polar bear cub. The upper body was light blue, except for the muzzle, which was darker blue. The eyes and nose were black. From the nose hung a drop of blue mucus. The rest of the body was white, except for the part under the paws where there was a circle of black skin. In this case, Ash scanned the Pokémon with his Smart Rotom. Anita, unlike her friend, knew that Pokémon very well. She had a Cubchoo plush toy. It was one of her favorite plush toys when she was little. «Cubchoo. Cold Pokémon. Ice type. Male specimen. If in good health, the viscosity of the drop that leaks from its nose increases. If someone doesn't like it, it smears them with its mucus. Known moves: Scratch, Icicle Spear, Ice Beam.» «The battle begins!» Declared the referee. «The first move goes to Ash and Anita.» He added shortly after.

«Oshawott! Use Water Gun on Cubchoo!» Anita ordered. The Otter Pokémon jumped while its body was covered in water. Within moments, it would have reached the Ice-type Pokémon. «Quick, hit it with Ice Beam!» Oliver ordered. From the cub's mouth came a powerful beam of icy energy, which struck and reached the opposing Pokémon. Oliver smiled. He seemed not to have noticed what he had just done.

«Mismagius! We're not standing still! Use Shadow Ball!» Abby ordered. From the front of the witch, a sphere of dark energy of purple color was generated, covered by some kind of lightning, from the color slightly lighter.

«Go, Snivy! Jump and hit Shadow Ball with Vine Whip!» The Pokémon jumped a powerful leap. Her tail was illuminated in light green. The Pokémon hit the sphere and threw it back at her opponent, hitting her with her own attack. This generated an explosion, even of a certain violence. Meanwhile, Oshawott had turned into an icy bullet. The Pokémon was still not quite able to control his attack, with that weight in addition, but he was trying.

Fortunately, the Pokémon managed to hit the opponent, launching him into the air and then against the energy barrier. Due to the impact, the layer of ice covering the Otter Pokémon broke, allowing it to move normally again.

«Snivy! Use Attraction on Cubchoo!» Ash ordered. The Pokémon winked at the opponent, then launched pink hearts at him. «Cubchoo! Attack Snivy with Scratch!» Oliver ordered. The Cold Pokémon, in love with its opponent.

«Clever of you.» Oliver congratulated him. «No wonder you're the Champion.» He added. «Mismagius! Attack with Shadow Ball!» Abby ordered. The Pokémon generated yet another sphere of dark energy, which she launched towards Anita's Oshawott.

"No! Not again!" The girl thought. "Stay calm!" Thought. "Do you remember what Ash told you?" The girl had to think about it for another fraction of a second. «But of course! As if we were at the Showcase! Oshawott! Destroy her attack with Razor Shell!» The girl ordered. The Otter Pokémon grabbed its mollusk from its chest and brandished it, then waved it like a sword, slicing the enemy attack.

«Snivy! Use Vine Whip!» Instead, Ash ordered. From the bumps on the Pokémon's back came two thin vines, which were launched with great speed and vehemence against Cubchoo. The Pokémon was quickly wrapped in Snivy's vines.

«Come on, Cubchoo! Try to respond with Icicle Spear!» Oliver ordered. Ash smiled. It almost seemed like he expected that move. «Throw it against Mismagius!» He ordered. The Pokémon followed his Trainer's order, hurling the opponent against his ally. The Cold Pokémon, meanwhile, had already begun to launch its powerful beam of icy energy. Ash's plan had worked as expected. Cubchoo had hit its ally. It was still not enough to win.

Translate this text into English. Use these quotation marks for dialogues: «» Stick closely to the text but ensure it's well-written and do not invent anything on your own for any reason:

«Mismagius! Use Leaf Storm!» Abby ordered. The Ghost-type Pokémon conjured a storm of purple leaves and hurled it at the two initial Pokémon. «Snivy! I know you can do it! Use Leaf Tornado!» Ash commanded. The Pokémon generated a massive tornado of leaves, which engulfed and flung back Abby's previous attack towards its own user.

«Mismagius and Cubchoo are unable to battle!» declared the referee. «This means Ash and Anita will advance to the final phase of the tournament, where they will face Ivan and Carlos.» he added shortly after.

As tradition dictated, after the battle, opponents met halfway and shook hands. The usual compliments followed, as always after the battle.

Finally, the moment of the final had arrived. The audience seemed eager, especially with the World Champion among the finalists.

Ash was calm. He had full confidence in his Snivy. The same couldn't be said for Anita. She would be using Vivillon, a Pokémon neither Carlos nor Ivan had ever faced, but that did little to ease her nerves.

Ivan, as usual, was overconfident. Perhaps too much. Even when Carlos tried to caution him about the level of their opponents, he simply ignored it. Plus, Ash would be using Snivy, the Pokémon he had discarded, giving him extra motivation to prove himself.

After what felt like an eternity to the audience, the four trainers finally lined up, ready to begin the battle. They awaited the referee's signal.

«After numerous and exciting battles, as every year, it's finally time for the highly anticipated final!» a voice echoed from the speakers. It was the same person who had opened the tournament not long ago. After thanking the sponsor again, he allowed the referee to proceed with his duty.

«The final battle of the 75th Nacrene City Doubles Tournament is about to begin. Competing for victory and the fabulous prize offered by Amon are the pair of trainers consisting of World Champion Ash Ketchum and Anita White, and the pair of trainers Ivan Hollenback and Carlos Martin.» he announced. «Trainers, send out your Pokémon!» he ordered a few moments later. The four trainers followed the instructions, sending out their Pokémon.

Ash sent out Snivy, Anita sent out Vivillon, Ivan sent out his Frillish, and Carlos sent out Umbreon. «The first move goes to Carlos and Ivan! Let the battle begin!» declared the referee.

«Umbreon! Quick Attack on Snivy!» Carlos commanded. The Moonlight Pokémon dashed at great speed towards its opponent, leaping from side to side. Ash watched closely as the Pokémon approached rapidly. «Now! Jump and use Vine Whip!» Ash ordered. Snivy jumped up, its tail elongating and glowing light green. It struck Umbreon on the head, slamming its face to the ground with some force.

«Frillish! Use Shadow Ball! Maximum power!» Ivan commanded. The floating Pokémon obeyed, launching a large sphere of dark energy towards the opponent. «Vivillon! Destroy Shadow Ball with Air Slash!» Anita ordered. The Pokémon generated a thin blade of air from its wings, which came very close to the opponent's attack but didn't hit it. Instead, the air blade struck Frillish.

Meanwhile, Snivy, having landed after hitting Umbreon, was hit directly by the powerful Shadow Ball. The attack threw it against the energy barrier and then it fell to the ground.

«Snivy! Are you okay?» Ash seemed rather worried for his Pokémon. «Sii!» the Pokémon cried out. Its body glowed with a bluish-white light. «How?» Ivan seemed rather perplexed. He thought that blow was more than enough to defeat that Snivy... instead... was it evolving?

The Pokémon's body grew in size. It remained mainly green, while the shoulder area remained cream-colored. From the chest, a sort of yellow collar started, which continued behind the shoulders. Three palmate leaves grew from the tail, reaching part of its back. A small crest protruded from the back of its head. Its eyes turned red and assumed a rather narrow shape.

Ash wasted no time and analyzed the newly evolved Pokémon with his Smart Rotom's Pokédex function. «Servine, Grass Snake Pokémon. Female specimen. It runs almost sliding on surfaces. It confuses the enemy with swift movements, then attacks with a whip. Known moves: Attract, Frustration, Leaf Tornado, Vine Whip.» Meanwhile, Umbreon was trying to get up. «Servine! Are you ready? Use Leaf Tornado!» Ash commanded. The Pokémon generated a massive tornado of leaves, which quickly lifted Umbreon and hurled it against the energy barriers. The sharp leaves struck the Floating Pokémon, defeating it.

Umbreon tried to get up, but due to the injuries sustained, it couldn't. «The battle is concluded. Neither Umbreon nor Frillish can continue, therefore Ash and Anita win.» declared the referee.

«The top three trainers and their Pokémon are requested to come to the podium for the awards ceremony.» announced the presenter.

From the upper part of the stands, an electronic mechanism raised a platform with three wide steps. Shortly after, protective railings appeared. The top three pairs of trainers, Ash and Anita, Carlos and Ivan, and Serena and Raoul, accompanied by their Pokémon, reached the podium.

Moments later, a young woman dressed in an elegant dress handed the trophies to the top three finishers, starting with the third-place finishers, whom she awarded a beautiful bronze cup. Inside were four bookings for a place and vouchers for the airlines with the national carrier in Unova.

The second-place finishers received a similar cup, larger and more elegant, but made of silver. Its contents were similar. The first-place cup was different. Made of gold and decorated with gemstones.

Inside were four tickets for the next 24 hours, to which only a photo was needed, and four tickets for the factory tour.

As soon as the top three finishers received the cups, several people from the audience began to take dozens and dozens of photographs. Despite the tournament repeating every year, the audience never seemed to lose interest.

It seemed that everything had gone well, despite the threats from Team Plasma. The atmosphere was almost relaxed, except for the sparks flying between Ash, Servine, and Ivan. The experienced trainer and his Pokémon seemed to be acting as a shield towards Anita.

«Remember, he won't be there forever to defend you. You'll have to learn to fend for yourself.» Ivan tried to ignore Ash's presence. «Even if one is afraid of his own shadow, I can have a bodyguard who protects me from everything... And if he should ever be in harm's way and you should defend them?»

Chiedo scusa per l'errore. Ecco il testo tradotto utilizzando le virgolette «» per i dialoghi:

Before the girl could even utter a single word, a loud bang startled everyone. The glass covering of the building had been shattered.

«Servine! Quickly! Leaf Tornado!» Ash ordered. Thanks to the strong current of air and leaves, the trajectory of the glass and metal fragments was diverted, causing them to fall harmlessly to the ground.

Moments later, a large number of people descended from the rooftop opening, standing on circular metal platforms supported by thick cables. They were all followers of Team Plasma, dressed identically.

One of them held a large gray megaphone with the emblem of the evil team printed on it. «You dared to disobey our words. Now you will pay the consequences!» he shouted.

«Go! Run!» Agent Velaurora urged. Ash could have faced all those followers, but he decided to obey the Agent's words. Fighting could have harmed people unrelated to Team Plasma, which was not ideal.

One of the Followers descended from the platform and reached the podium. «Clever move on your part,» the Follower addressed the agent. «Letting Ash and his friends escape.» He ran his hand under her chin, lifting her head. «Would he do the same for you?» he asked, lifting her up by her dress. «Of course he would. He may not understand much about us, but at least he knows how to treat a girl,» the girl replied. «Get them! They'll learn not to listen to Team Plasma!» the man shouted through the megaphone. The Followers jumped from their platforms and began to block the exits. Ash and his friends were walking along one of the corridors, trying to get out of the building.

At the same time, numerous Followers began to run through the stands, pushing numerous attendees. Some of them, apparently chosen at random, were violently hit.

«And what are you doing here?» a Follower turned to Houndour, who had followed the entire tournament from the stands. Hearing the Follower's voice, the Pokémon started running in fear. «Where are you going?» the Follower asked, trying to catch it. «We were only doing what's best for you!» the Follower shouted.

The Pokémon ran even faster, reaching in a short time one of the many entrances dedicated to the public, preyed upon by the Follower. By a strange twist of fate, the Pokémon arrived behind another couple of Followers, who were meanwhile chasing Ash and the others. «Now you're trapped!» The Follower seemed quite pleased with his words. «Why would you want to return to being a trainer's slave?» he asked. «You Pokémon are born to live free from any slavery, and you want to make me believe you're better off imprisoned in a Poké Ball?» he added shortly after.

The Dark Pokémon abruptly stopped in its tracks, and the Follower took advantage to block its path. The Pokémon, in response, opened its mouth wide and generated a gigantic flame that engulfed the Follower. «Someone tries to help you and you treat him like this?» he complained.

Meanwhile, Ash and his friends had been pushed against a wall. Up until that moment, they had limited themselves to fleeing without involving their Pokémon, just like their opponents. But now, pinned against the wall, they had no choice. «Pikachu! Hit them with Thunderbolt!» Ash ordered.

The Electric Pokémon jumped from the boy's shoulder and quickly generated a powerful electric discharge from its cheeks, striking the two Followers who were chasing them. Both fell to the ground, quite stunned by the powerful shock.

«Let's be careful, more of them might come,» Ash warned his friends.

Almost before he finished speaking, a third Follower appeared, accompanied by a strong smell of burning. «Now you're really in trouble!» Houndour resumed one last time before falling on his colleagues.

The four, escorted by their Pokémon and Houndour, managed to exit the building.

Houndour walked alongside Umbreon. By now, the Dark Pokémon considered Umbreon a friend. «I think he's become friends with Umbreon,» Ash commented. «It would be a shame to make him lose another friend,» he let slip. «Like 'another'?» Serena asked. «What? Yet it seemed to me that I had told you.» Ash took a brief pause. «He was freed from Team Plasma,» he replied. «I have no idea what happened to his coach. I spoke to a Follower while returning from the round, when we were distributing the posters.» Ash told his friends about the meeting with the Follower and why the Dark Pokémon was so familiar with people. «So do you think he wants to come with us?» Carlos asked. «I don't know,» Ash replied. «You should try asking him,» he suggested.

Carlos knelt towards the Dark Pokémon, with a Poké Ball in hand. «Do you want to come with us?» The Dark Pokémon struck the mechanism of the Poké Ball's opening with its snout, being absorbed into it. «Finally, I caught a Pokémon!» Carlos exclaimed. «Come out, Houndour!» He released it from the Poké Ball.

With a new friend, the four headed towards the Pokémon Center. Despite their victory in the tournament, there was no reason to celebrate; Team Plasma was more aggressive than ever, and the kidnapping of Agent Velaurora was proof of that.

They almost didn't make it back when Ash's Smart Rotom started ringing with a different ringtone than usual. A ringtone that the boy hadn't set up.

The screen displaying the phone call was also different. Below the photo of the person calling him, which in this case was a default image, there was a stylized lock symbol.

The boy had to think for a few moments. He recalled the encounter with Agent Velaurora. This was an encrypted call. The boy hurried to answer.

«This call is encrypted. Please confirm identity.» That prerecorded voice almost startled Ash. At the bottom of the device screen, the fingerprint sensor lit up. The boy placed his thumb on the sensor for recognition. «Identification successful.»

Finally, the boy could discover who was calling him. It was Bellocchio. «Ash. Finally! Now all Eight Professionals are in encrypted and secure communication. Unfortunately, we don't have time for pleasantries. Agent Velaurora has been taken hostage by Team Plasma. We can't send one of our agents to rescue her because it would risk blowing the cover of some of our infiltrators within Team Plasma. She will have other tasks, given her great skill in disguises. Don't worry about how to do it; if you accept, you will receive instructions soon.» Ash listened patiently. «I don't have much choice. I owe her.» he replied. «Perfect. You will receive everything soon at the Pokémon Center.»

Ash barely had time to explain the situation to his friends before being informed of a delivery in his name, at least according to Nurse Joy, since the package was completely anonymous.

Ash took the package and entered his room, where he opened it. He didn't need scissors or knives. The package was easy-open. The boy simply had to pull a tab. Inside the package were papers and a small box.

Ash took one of those papers. They were instructions for the mission he was to undertake. The letter seemed halfway between a pre-set message and one specifically written for that situation.

"I am extremely grateful that you have agreed to undertake this extremely delicate operation, the recovery of an Agent in an emergency situation. If you follow these instructions to the letter, the mission will succeed without consequences for anyone. As you well know, one of our Agents has fallen into the hands of Team Plasma. We have no idea where they have taken him. We have infiltrators within their ranks, but we cannot blow their cover. To prevent this from happening, we have devised simple and precise instructions. Inside the small box, you will find a GPS tracker and a small microphone. The tiny microphone is in a gold chain, while the tracker is in a swallowable capsule. The tracker withstands the most powerful acids for a period ranging from seventy-two to ninety-six hours. When you are near Via Foglianova, our accomplices will lead you to Team Plasma. When you think the situation is right to start the recovery operation, mention 'Iron Head' often."

Ash finished reading the letter. He hadn't noticed that Serena was behind him, and that she too had read the letter. Without saying a word, he put on the chain and swallowed the capsule. «I can't do anything else but accept. I know it will be dangerous, but I owe it to her.» Ash assumed a serious tone. «Don't worry. I'll manage.» Those words did not please anyone, but Pikachu in particular. He would have to part from his friend.

Serena, on the other hand, was a little jealous. She knew that one of the duties of Champions was to serve others and help in emergencies, but...

Ash, without taking any Pokémon with him, headed to the predetermined meeting point, one of the many streets in the city. To avoid getting lost, the boy had to use the Maps application on his Smart Rotom.

The boy started browsing social media on his Smart Rotom while waiting for those who were supposed to abduct him.

It was a strange feeling. He knew he had to be kidnapped and would end up in the wolf's den, but he knew he had no choice.

After three-quarters of an hour, his kidnappers finally arrived. They were two followers, seemingly like all the others Ash had encountered, dressed in gray robes resembling ancient knights.

«So you've decided to let yourself be delivered, huh!» commented one of the followers. «Don't worry. We won't harm a hair on you or your friend. You are both valuable to us.» The two escorted Ash to their pick-up. It was exactly like the one the fake rangers had used to kidnap Vivillon some time ago. Identical to the dozens of vehicles parked in the base near Eolea.

They made him get in behind them, to prevent any chance of escape during the journey. It wasn't part of the plan, but rather part of the team's protocols. Once aboard, the driver initiated a call using voice commands.

The person intended to receive the call answered immediately, sounding rather annoyed. «If you're calling me, it must be good news.» The driver wasn't discouraged by the tone. «We got him. He'll be keeping company with his little friend. Let them learn how to play secret agents!» The driver responded. «And then, on the top floor of such a high building... they can't escape in any way. Also, we need them alive.» The driver replied before ending the call.

Although Ash was aware that the two followers were accomplices, he hoped the location information was correct. For the rest of the journey, none of the three spoke. Ash was afraid of being spied on, and the two accomplices adhered to the team's protocol.

Fortunately, the journey wasn't too long; it concluded in Austropoli, in a nondescript and gloomy neighborhood consisting of several identical skyscrapers. There were no flowerbeds or green areas. Just steel, glass, and concrete.

The two lifted Ash and led him to the entrance of the building. A wide array of followers guarded the entrance. No one could enter or leave without their permission.

«Have you searched for him yet?» asked one of the followers at the entrance. «Of course.» replied one of the followers, still holding Ash firmly. «Then take him upstairs!» ordered the same person. «Make sure. The Boss wants him alive and well.» added shortly after.

Without letting go, the two escorted Ash to the elevator, heading for the penultimate floor, the last one served by the elevators. The only way to access the top floor was through an external stair ramp.

A hatch allowed blocking access to and from the top floor.

The top floor was significantly smaller than the others. Besides the room dedicated to the elevator engine, it only featured a small apartment. It was monitored outside by two guards.

A kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom. It was the elevator maintenance worker's apartment. The bathroom was accessible from both the bedroom and the small hallway separating it from the kitchen-living room. The bedroom door had been replaced with an iron door, like those in prisons, to prevent any escape.

One of the two followers opened the door and pushed Ash into the prison. «You have company!» he addressed the Agent.

Putting his training into practice, the Agent didn't say a word. He didn't know if the two followers were undercover Agents or true followers.

Sure, Ash's presence could be a significant clue, but he couldn't tell if the boy had surrendered voluntarily or had actually been kidnapped. Before addressing Ash, he decided to wait for the two followers to leave. «Did they get you or...?» he asked as soon as they left.

«I was ordered to get caught. They said they couldn't let me stay in Team Plasma's clutches.» Ash tried to summarize briefly. «Understood. Seems like they miss me.» he commented sarcastically.

A couple of hours later, someone entered the small apartment. A tall man about two meters tall with a sturdy build. He had long hair of an indeterminate color, somewhere between gray and green. He wore a white robe covered by a purple and yellow overcoat. On the purple side, it was decorated with a stylized yellow eye; on the yellow side, with a stylized purple eye. He wore a decoration on the robe reminiscent of castle battlements.

Although he had seen him only once before, Ash recognized him. «Ghetsis.» he whispered softly. The man still managed to hear him. «Ash Ketchum.» he replied. «How does it feel to be imprisoned like your Pokémon?» he asked shortly after.

«Imprisonment here isn't so bad. I have a comfortable bed, a TV... a computer... they bring me three meals a day... I have

someone to talk to and share my time with... it's not so bad.» Ash replied. Ghetsis raised an eyebrow. «And don't you miss your little friends?» he asked. «Of course I do, but I'll get used to it.» Ash tried to display the acting skills he had already demonstrated. «Don't you think it's the same with Pokémon?» he asked. «No. You force Pokémon to fight against their will.» he replied. «And you? Do you think I haven't figured out that you want to use me as a trophy?» Ash taunted him. «Then I should find a way to make you understand how much Pokémon suffer during battles.» the villain replied. «No one forces them to do it. If a Pokémon doesn't want to fight, it won't. Just like no one forces an athlete to compete if they don't feel like it.» Ash replied.

The man left, mumbling something incomprehensible.

Several hours later, late at night, it was finally time to act. The Agent was half asleep, unlike Ash, who had drunk a couple of coffees before setting off on the mission. «I'd like to ask you something.» Ash asked her. «Mmm» The young woman yawned. «Go ahead.» she asked him. «Besides Liepard, do you have any other Pokémon?» Ash asked. «Right now, no. But in my team, besides Liepard, I also have an Excadrill.» Ash smiled, seeming quite interested. «Interesting... out of curiosity... Do you know the move Iron Head?» Ash asked.

«No... but why do you care if my Pokémon knows Iron Head?» «Because Iron Head is a very powerful move. Alan's Bisharp knows it, as does Camilla's Milotic, or Dandel's Cinderace, they all know Iron Head.» The Agent seemed even more perplexed. «If a Pokémon used Iron Head now, it could create an opening for us to escape, don't you think? Now everyone is asleep.» Ash replied.

The Agent couldn't help but smile at that.

What did Ash have in mind?

Three quarters of an hour later, in the distance, the sound of helicopter blades could be heard. It wasn't unusual for aircraft to fly over the Capital; it happened multiple times a day. Because of this, the surveillance followers didn't initially give much weight to the presence of the helicopter, not even when it began to approach the building.

They activated the emergency protocol only when they noticed how the aircraft was hovering over the building for a surprisingly long time.

Inside the building, alarms blared. The dozens of followers who were now awake had to get ready to act immediately.

As numerous followers rushed noisily up the stairs, the helicopter lowered a massive metal slab onto the opening that allowed access to the top floor. This made it very difficult for those on the lower floors to access the top. As soon as the heavy slab was lowered, half a dozen agents descended from the enormous helicopter. They were all dressed identically: black jacket, black tie, black shirt, black pants, black shoes, black hat, and even wearing sunglasses despite it being deep into the night.

As they descended, they were immediately confronted by the two followers guarding the top floor. Due to their numerical disadvantage and the high level of training of the agents, the two followers were quickly neutralized. One of them also had the keys to the small apartment and the cell where Ash and Agent Velaurora were imprisoned.

The Agent still wore the elegant attire she had during the awards ceremony, not ideal for running or boarding a flying helicopter, but she knew there were no alternatives.

The two, escorted by a small group of agents, quickly exited the apartment. On the building's terrace, Ash and the agent had to be extremely careful to avoid the powerful air currents generated by the helicopter blades, which were still hovering above the building. Unpleasant noises were clearly audible; it seemed the followers were attempting to remove the heavy slab with grinders or something similar.

«Come on! Don't just stand there! Grab a harness and put it on! We don't have time to waste!» urged one of the agents. Ash and the girl didn't need to be told twice. They quickly donned the harness, made of extremely durable fabric similar to that used for safety belts, and were swiftly hoisted aboard, along with the rest of the agents, just moments before the heavy iron slab gave way, allowing the followers from the lower floors to emerge.

As soon as a small group of them reached the terrace, all they could do was watch the helicopter fly away. One of them took out a smartphone from his uniform pocket. «I hope the Boss answers,» he commented. His hopes were met. «Boss. I regret to inform you that our hostages have escaped,» he reported. He heard the sound of a fist hitting a wooden object. «Doesn't matter! At least they understand who they're dealing with!» The Boss immediately ended the call.

While the helicopter transported Ash and the Agent to a safe location, the situation at the city's Pokémon Center was far from calm. Not so much for Carlos, lost in the world of dreams, but rather for the girls, albeit for different reasons. Serena was extremely worried about Ash. It was the second time he found himself in the enemy's lair, but this time not as an infiltrator, but as a prisoner.

«Are you awake too?» Anita turned to her friend, sitting on her bed, while petting Pikachu, who was also worried about Ash.

«I could ask you the same,» Serena replied. «I'm just worried about Ash. I know he's done these kinds of things before and it's always turned out okay, but...»

«I understand. But I'm sure he'll manage,» the Unova native tried to reassure her.

«It's not like last time. He's a prisoner now. I don't know what they might do to him,» Serena seemed extremely concerned.

«And you, what's on your mind?» Serena asked.

«I was thinking about Ivan's words. I mean... since we left, we've never been apart. Do you really think he's right that I should separate from you all to truly improve?»

Serena was stunned by those words. «Like you, by the way. You left for Hoenn and...»

«It didn't work out. Yes, I admit I learned something from Contests, but no.

«I don't think being separated from my friends has affected this. On the contrary. I made friendships there too.» Anita's expression changed, almost becoming a "so what?" «Someone like Ivan doesn't strike me as a very friendly guy,» Serena replied. «Traveling with other people, you learn from them, and they learn from you. When you're alone, though...» Anita just smiled. Having friends to travel with was a more precious gift than she could have imagined.

Several hours later, after spending part of the night recounting what he had seen in the Team Plasma's building, Ash reunited with his friends. He had already had his usual (and ample) breakfast. He was just a bit sleepy.

Upon arrival, Pikachu jumped onto his shoulder, and Serena embraced him tightly, leaving the (fortunately few) people inside the Pokémon Center quite perplexed. «I'm so glad to see you're okay. I was afraid they might have done something to you, being a prisoner and all...» Ash tried to reassure her. «They treated me well, for a prisoner. I would have become their trophy if they hadn't let me escape.» Ash explained. Later, he recounted his brief imprisonment in the Team Plasma's building. After the storytelling and ensuing questions, the atmosphere among the four of them was much lighter. Serena, as before, had worried for nothing.

Anita, for a while, had a peculiar expression, as if she wanted to ask something, or something similar. «Everything alright?» Ash asked her. «Yes... more or less,» the girl replied. «Go ahead, ask me.» Ash urged her. «I have so many questions tormenting me. I'd like to be alone for a bit. Maybe I'll take the chance to buy some Poké Balls or something else... what do you say?» Ash smiled at her. «Of course! Go ahead! You're sixteen and seem very responsible. But please, be careful. Team Plasma is very dangerous.» He cautioned her.