Hey readers - here we are with another new chapter : )

I honestly don't have an awful lot to say this week, other than that I'm excited to be starting another new episode of the anime. Plus A.J is one of the more memorable characters from the first season of the anime, at least to me, so it's fun to finally be able to add him into my story : )

But enough about that. Instead, let's discuss the result of the latest voting topic. It's been quite a while since I've had to say this, but unfortunately there is no clear winner to the next member of Nolan's Orange Islands Team just yet. The result of the voting topic ended up being a three-way tie, but I'll give more information about that in the footnote ; )

For now, I just want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone that has reviewed, favourited, and followed this story. The support that has been shown to the story is amazing, and it means so much to me, so thank you : )

Please remember that Pokemon is not mine, only my OC's are : )

I hope you enjoy this chapter : )

The Path to the Pokemon League

The Path to the Pokemon League - Part 1

"Alright Meadow! Let's try it again! Use Bullet Seed!"

"Bulbasaur!"

Having left the beautiful Floral Lagoon City behind them with a shiny new Cascade Badge pinned to the front of his favourite hoodie, Nolan and Ash had both made good on their promise to Misty, and had made Vermillion City their newest destination. Using the supplies that Brock had so thoughtfully gathered for them all whilst the others had gone to the Cerulean City gym, the quartet of young Pokemon trainers had immediately set out on the next leg of their journey across the Kanto region. And what a journey it was already proving to be. In the three days since leaving civilisation behind them in favour of the wilderness, Nolan had been approached by no less than fifteen other Pokemon trainers, and all of them had requested the same thing from him.

They were all after a Pokemon battle.

Nolan was honestly quite taken aback by just how much of a training hotspot this forest must be. The whole place was packed with a variety of different trainers, all of them desperate to improve their skills and hone their techniques. It was honestly beginning to get a little much, and he knew that his Pokemon were starting to tire, but nevertheless, the golden haired boy accepted every challenge which came his way. It was definitely paying off, because out of those fifteen matches, he and his beloved team had claimed the victory in twelve of them.

Needless to say, the golden haired boy was thrilled by how things were going, not to mention all the money he'd been making.

But Nolan wasn't the only member of their group that was practically being flooded with challenges from all sides. Ash had found himself being approached by plenty of eager trainers as well, albeit to a slightly lesser degree than Nolan was. So far Ash had participated in only eleven different battles, but he had won nine of them, so despite having less victories under his belt than his golden haired best friend, he had also suffered fewer losses. And the challenges weren't showing any signs of letting up. Seriously, Nolan had never known anything like it, but this area seemed to have more trainers in it than it did wild Pokemon! It was honestly starting to get a little ridiculous, and more than a bit overwhelming.

And that was how Nolan came to be in his current situation.

Realising that his Pokemon were beginning to tire due to the relentless onslaught of battles they had been put in, and knowing that it was his responsibility as their trainer to know their limits and not force them too far past them too quickly, Nolan had decided to focus less on accepting the challenges posed by other trainers, and instead had arranged an impromptu training session. He was hoping that they would find this slightly more relaxed pace easier to deal with. In fact, he wasn't actually doing any training with Welkin, Iris or Xanthite at this precise moment, although all three of them were currently outside of their pokeballs, and were watching the training session from the sidelines as they all took a well-deserved rest. Meadow on the other hand was hard at work, considering that Nolan had used her in fewer of the battles he had been in, meaning that she still had a bit more energy than all of her fellow Pokémon.

Energy she was putting to good use, in trying to master her Bullet Seed.

Progress was slow, Nolan could admit it, but it was definitely happening all the same. Having devoted plenty of time on this particular task since leaving Cerulean City after their fleeting visit, he and Meadow had been working hard to get this technique mastered once and for all, and the little green creature was definitely showing improvement. Whereas a couple of days ago, Meadow's ability to fire off a spray of seeds from the bulb on her back on command had been somewhat... sporadic, she was at least able to do that much every time she attempted the move now, which could only be taking as a good sign. The main issue at this point was Meadow's difficulty in producing the high amount of seeds needed whilst also maintaining the high firepower that was required to launch them at her target. The spray of seeds should be coming out of her bulb with the force of a cannon going off. Right now... it was more like a party popper. Still, they were moving in the right direction, so Nolan was happy with their progress.

Unfortunately, Meadow most certainly did not share in that mindset.

"Bulbasaur! Bulba!" the little Grass Type Pokemon growled in sheer frustration, after what felt like the umpteenth failed attempt since this impromptu training session had begun.

Sensing his beloved partner's growing bad mood, and privately sharing in her pain, Nolan sighed and walked over to her side. He then knelt down next to her, and petted her head soothingly.

"Try not to lose heart Meadow" the golden haired boy whispered reassuring, "I know it can be frustrating, but you are making progress. I'm sure that if you just stick with it, you'll get the hang of Bullet Seed in no time".

"Saur" Meadow grumbled as she cast her eyes down to the ground, still feeling rather dejected. Nolan just continued patting her encouragingly.

"I'm very proud of you, you know" the golden haired boy then told his partner, and not just because he wanted to make her feel better, but because he genuinely meant it, "I know how hard you've been working on this, so just keep doing what you're doing, and I promise that the pay-out will be worth it".

"Pidgey!"

"Venonat!"

"Geodude!"

Nolan couldn't help but smile warmly when Welkin, Iris and Xanthite all came over to join them. The three different Pokemon were all offering Meadow plenty of kind words and encouragement. It was enough to coax a small smile out of the little green creature, and Nolan's heart threatened to melt in his chest right then and there. All four of his Pokemon were so great. It was obvious to anyone that each of them cared deeply about one another; not just their physical wellbeing, but their emotional state as well. They truly were becoming a tight-knit little team, and Nolan was loving every single minute of it.

"You see?" he turned his attention back to his beloved partner, a huge grin lighting up his entire face, "Everyone else believes in you too, right guys?"

"Pidgey!"

"Venonat!"

"Geodude!"

Meadow smiled gratefully at each of them in turn, and Nolan beamed at how they had all pitched in to help cheer her up. Still, he decided that it was probably for the best if he ended this training session now. He doubted that his beloved partner would be able to make any worthwhile progress if she kept getting disappointed over every failed attempt. And besides, it was high-time that he was getting back to the others anyway, though he doubted that he'd be able to drag Ash away from those many, many challengers any time soon.

"I think that's enough for now though" he gave voice to the thoughts he'd been having, and a look of relief flickered across Meadow's face, "Let's get back to everyone else. Do you guys want to go back into your pokeballs, or would you like to stay out".

Welkin and Xanthite both silently gestured towards their respective pokeballs which were attached to Nolan's belt, and in a matter of moments, the golden haired boy had called them both back into the confines of the red and white spheres, so that they could properly rest and recuperate. Iris alone opted to stay outside with Nolan and Meadow for the time being, and so the three of them all quickly set off, heading back in the direction that they had originally come from. The two Pokemon walking on the ground at the front, whilst their trainer corralled them from behind. The last thing he needed was to lose one of them in this dense and incredibly green forest after all.

The trek through the woods was quiet, peaceful, and ultimately uneventful, and so it wasn't long until the trio of teammates were approaching the spot where Nolan had arranged to meet the rest of their travelling party. Much to the golden haired boy's relief, Nolan immediately saw that his friends were ready and waiting for them, before his lips quirked into a fond and slightly exasperated smile, as he realised exactly what situation he and his Pokemon friends were walking in on.

Namely, Ash had got himself into yet another battle.

In hind sight, it really shouldn't have come as any surprise though. Ash was just as determined to become a Pokemon Master as Nolan himself was, and this plethora of eager and willing trainers to battle were a good way of helping his Pokemon to get stronger. He would have to be a fool to turn down such a golden opportunity. Grinning, Nolan and his Pokemon approached the group, his smile widening when Misty and Brock both caught his eye. He went over to join them over on the sidelines, silently nodding a greeting at his friends, icy blue eyes immediately became excited on the match his best friend was currently participating in.

Nolan quickly deduced that it looked to be a pretty good matchup for Ash. His opponent was a younger, rather plain-looking boy, who wore a simple shirt and shorts. The boy that was Ash's latest opponent was battling with a Rattata, and judging by the scuffed up and beaten state of the small purple rodent, it was abundantly clear that this match was drawing to its end rather than just beginning. Ash's chosen Pokemon was his Pidgeotto, and as Nolan watched, his raven haired best friend called out a command to his combatant, effortlessly taking control of the battle.

"Pidgeotto! Finish it!" Ash yelled out to the Flying Type Pokemon circling in the sky over his head, practically dripping with confidence, "Use your Wing Attack!"

At a speed which was scarcely imaginable, Pidgeotto suddenly dive-bombed out of the air, heading straight down towards the ground. Leaving it until the very last moment, the large avian then abruptly pulled up, and stormed toward her opponent. Poor Rattata didn't even have a chance of dodging the attack in time.

WHAM!

The force of Pidgeotto's Wing Attack was enough to send the small purple Normal Type Pokemon flying, and everyone watched with baited breath as the creature arched through the air. But what went up, must come down, and a few moments later Rattata collided hard with the earth, landing in a crumpled heap. It let out a low, feeble moan, but did not get back up again.

The victors of the match were Ash and Pidgeotto.

"Oh, Rattata!" the boy that had just lost the battle whimpered as he rushed over to gather up the prone figure of his fallen Pokemon.

Ash didn't even spare the other boy a cursory glance. He was much too busy celebrating his latest victory for pleasantries like that.

"And I win!" the raven haired boy cheered in delight, practically jumping up and down on the spot as he returned Pidgeotto to her pokeball, he was so gleeful, "That's number ten!"

The boy who had just been defeated sighed dejectedly, before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pokeball. He quickly returned his unconscious Rattata to it, before he stood up and forced a pleasant smile onto his face as he approached Ash, who was still happily celebrating.

"You're a really great Pokemon trainer" the boy said graciously, holding out some money for Ash to take as his winnings. The raven haired boy greedily took it, a sly grin working it's way onto his face.

"Well, I guess I was pretty good there" if Ash had been aiming for modesty, it most certainly didn't come off that way.

Off to the side, Nolan found himself rolling his eyes at his best friend's somewhat cocky attitude. It was a point that was reinforced almost immediately when Ash made a show of putting his newly earned money away, by not-so-discreetly opening his jacket, with the intention of revealing the Boulder Badge and the Cascade Badge that he had pinned to it. The other boy's eyes widened in amazement as Ash showed off to him.

"Wow!" the younger boy breathed, looking highly impressed, "You've got badges!"

The grin on Ash's face, the one which was practically oozing with smugness, widened even further.

"Oh, you mean these?" he shrugged his shoulders in another show of modesty, but once again, he wasn't fooling anyone.

"You got two!" the boy observed.

Again, Nolan couldn't help but roll his eyes as he observed all of this from the sidelines. He had noticed this happening quite a bit over the last few days. Ever since they had left Cerulean City with their brand new badges in tow, Ash seemed to have gained a... somewhat more arrogant view of himself and his abilities as a trainer. He seemed to be under the impression that he just couldn't lose, and honestly, it was really beginning to get on the blonde haired boy's nerves. And judging by the expressions on Misty's and Brock's faces, he wasn't the only member of the group to feel that way.

"I'm starting to think that giving him those badges might have been a big mistake" Misty remarked, looking highly put-out by Ash's seemingly total disregard for the kindness she and her sisters had shown him.

"Uh-huh" Brock muttered in agreement, having been questioning his own judgment on that matter over the last few days.

"He's just letting his ego get the better of him whilst he's on such a hot winning streak" Nolan gently defended his best friend, although his tone and expression both revealed that he too with very displeased about the new attitude Ash had been sporting lately, "Give it a couple of days and I'm sure he'll calm down. And if he doesn't, then I'll definitely have some words with him".

Misty and Brock both let out long-suffering sighs, but reluctantly nodded their heads in agreement. Nolan knew Ash a lot better than they did after all. They were willing to allow the boy a chance to handle this situation before giving any input themselves.

"I bet you could even beat A.J" the three disgruntled trainers tuned back into the conversation between Ash and his latest opponent when they heard the younger boy practically gushing.

"A.J?" the raven haired boy repeated with a thoughtful frown.

The younger boy nodded his head enthusiastically, his eyes practically glowing with admiration for this mysterious A.J.

"Yeah, he lives over there" the defeated boy explained with a wide smile, pointing off through the trees in the general direction of the person he was telling them about, "A.J trains savage Pokemon! He even built his own gym! He's never lost a single match!"

Nolan's eyebrows were in danger of disappearing into his hair upon hearing that remark.

Despite the golden haired boy's desire to allow his beloved Pokemon to all take a well-earned rest, he also couldn't deny that the idea of challenging a trainer who had never lost a battle was also highly tempting. Nolan was always looking for new ways to test his skills and ability as a trainer after all, and what better way was there for him and his Pokemon to grow as a team then to challenge somebody who had never been defeated? A bright gleam appeared in his icy blue eyes as he imagined what it would be like to participate in a battle against an opponent like that. And judging by the expression which had just appeared on his best friend's face, Ash seemed to be thinking along similar lines.

"Until now!" the raven haired boy exclaimed cockily, his decision to challenge this mysterious A.J to a battle having already been made, "He hasn't come up against somebody like me!"

Again, Nolan, Misty and Brock all found themselves scoffing in sheer disbelief at the unparalleled arrogance that was coming off of Ash today.

"He's getting a big head" Misty scowled in annoyance, shaking her own for emphasis.

"Yeah" Brock drawled sarcastically in response, narrowing his eyes at Ash in disapproval, not that the raven haired boy noticed, "But his brain's still the same size!"

Nolan snorted at the quip, but chose not to respond. Instead, he was silently weighing up the pros and cons of potentially challenging this A.J guy to a Pokémon battle himself. Unlike his best friend however, the golden haired boy was giving it some serious consideration. After all, for this A.J to have gone undefeated, he must have some pretty powerful Pokemon at his disposal. Nolan didn't want to risk his own Pokemon friends getting hurt, but still, he couldn't help but see the advantages of testing his own beloved team in such a way. And surely this guy would follow the correct procedures when it came to battling, to ensure that no serious injuries were sustained at his homemade gym. Nolan ultimately decided that it was worth the risk, and like Ash, he made the decision to seek this A.J out in order to challenge him.

"Can you please tell us how to get to this guy's gym?" Ash all-but demanded from the boy, who smiled and nodded to his head.

"Sure. If you just follow that trail over there for about five minutes heading East, you can't miss it" he explained, and Ash grinned and nodded his thanks to him, "Well, I need to go get my Rattata to a Pokemon Centre. See ya, and good luck in your match against A.J!"

And without so much as a backwards glance, the boy was gone.

Nolan immediately glanced around at all of his friends to ask their thoughts on this matter, but was surprised to see that all of them were staring back at him knowingly. Quirking an eyebrow at them, it was Misty that elaborated for the golden haired boy's benefit.

"You're going to challenge this guy too?" she asked, but she needn't has bothered considering that she already knew the answer.

"Sure am" Nolan winked back at her, grinning. Ash quickly rounded on his blonde haired best friend, a competitive gleam shining in his russet coloured eyes.

"Not before me you're not!" he exclaimed playfully, and without even bothering to check to make sure that his friends would follow him, the raven haired boy quickly darted over to the trail that the other trainer had indicated to him, and set off sprinting down it as fast as his legs would carry him.

Nolan, Misty and Brock all huffed in indignant annoyance. Their friend sure was being impetuous today. Still, not wanting to risk losing him in the woods and then having to waste several hours trying to find him again, the three humans quickly set off in pursuit of Ash, with Meadow and Iris trailing along behind them. Weaving through the trees and dodging around fallen logs at a breakneck past, it didn't take very long for Nolan and the others to catch up with their run away friend. Soon enough, the quartet came across a structure out there in the woods, which could only be the homemade gym that that other boy had alluded to. The golden haired boy took a moment to catch his breath, before glancing up at the structure.

He had to admit, it was very impressive.

The building itself, which in actual fact wasn't really a building at all and was more a huge gazebo-style tent, admittedly wasn't much to look out. It was more what this A.J guy had built around it that was so awe-inspiring. Fashioned out if gigantic tree trunks and bound together with thick, dark green vines, were fifteen foot high walls that looked almost impenetrable. They made the whole place look like some sort of naturally grown fortress, except for the sign that stood over the main entrance. That aspect was the only part of the place which looked as though it belonged in the modern day world. The main body of the sign read: 'A.J's GYM: UNDEFEATED!' in large blocky letters. Nolan then realised that it must have been hooked up to some kind of rudimentary portable generator, since the sign was electric, no doubt so that the digital numbers on it totalling the amount of victories versus the amount of losses could be updated automatically. It was currently displaying the figures: Ninety-Seven Wins. Zero Loses. Arching an impressed eyebrow, Nolan then noticed some writing at the bottom of the sign and squinting up a bit he saw that it read: 'Note: Gym not sanctioned by Pokemon League'. The golden haired boy mutely nodded his understanding to himself, realising that even if this wasn't the type of establishment where he could earn a gym badge, it would still be worthwhile checking it out, for the experience it was sure to give his Pokemon if nothing else. At his side, Ash had read the same caption that Nolan had, and was distinctly unimpressed by it.

"Look at that!" Ash laughed scathingly, not even attempting to hide his contempt for an unlicensed gym, "This gym isn't even licensed by the Pokemon League".

Nolan couldn't help but frown upon hearing those arrogance words from his best friend's lips.

Call him paranoid, but Nolan had an awful, sinking feeling that he knew where this whole thing was heading, not that he was about to tell Ash his suspicions of course. There was no way that the raven haired boy would like them after all, and that was mainly because Nolan had a sneaking suspicion, that Ash was going to be in for quite a nasty surprise upon battling this A.J character. It was more than a little obvious that his friend wasn't taking this as seriously as he should be, but the golden haired boy kept his thoughts to himself. With the mood that he was in, there was a little doubt that Ash would not appreciate any comment he had to make on the subject.

"Undefeated?" Ash continued his condescending tirade, not noticing how all of his friends were shaking their heads at his cocky behaviour, "Big deal! I can beat him!"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that Ash" Misty tried to caution her friend, but naturally, it felt on deaf ears, "This guy has had ninety-seven wins in a row. I know that you did well in winning those ten battles, but he's won almost ten times more matches than you have. He obviously has a lot of experience, so you'll need to be careful".

Ash turned to his female friend and gave her a slightly offended look.

"I go for quality, not quantity!" he snapped at her, and whilst Misty looked taken aback by his harsh tone, Ash just continued arrogantly, "And don't forget, I earned two official gym badges, so I've got some good experiences as well!"

Misty looked not only a little upset, but distinctly angry by this point. She furiously opened her mouth, no doubt to fire off some kind of scorching retort at the boy, but sadly for the orange haired girl, she wouldn't get the chance to bring her friend back down a peg or two. It was a shame. He sorely needed it today. And the reason why Misty's response was cut off was really very simple. It was at that exact moment that the sounds of footsteps on grass met their ears, and a voice with an unusual accent suddenly called out to them.

"Any of you guys my next victim?"

Whipping around in surprise, Nolan and all of his friends saw that they now had company. A boy that was roughly their own age was approaching them from behind. He wore a black and red T-shirt, dark blue shorts, and red trainers. On his back he carried a large blue and yellow rucksack, and there was an arrogant smirk on his face, one which matched the attitude that Ash had been spotting all day down to a T. But it was the boy's hair which was what was causing Nolan to gape at him incredulously. It was bright green, and gelled into jagged-looking spikes. The whole ensemble gave the buy a somewhat eccentric appearance, and for one brief moment, Nolan wondered exactly who he was. But then the stranger's words from before hit him, and Nolan quickly realised that this must be the mysterious A.J that they had heard about and come here to challenge. Nolan honestly didn't think much of the guy's dress sense, but he also knew that appearances could be deceptive. Either way, he wasn't about to let his guard down. This challenge would be unlike any he had faced before.

He was ready to give it his all.

"You must be the wild Pokémon trainer" Ash had obviously come to the same conclusion that Nolan had, and narrowed his eyes at A.J as he looked him up and down.

The acclaimed expert Pokemon trainer returned the favour, giving all four of the travelling quartet of friends a calculating look. Then his sharp eyes settled upon Ash again, and his lips twisted into a mockery of a smile.

"Training wild Pokemon is my job" the green haired boy confirmed with an air of superiority in his drawling tone, "But beating chumps like you is my hobby. Ready to lose?"

Ash bristled indignantly at the expert Pokemon trainer's rude remark, but he didn't get a chance to retort before A.J had moved over to the fortress-like doors in the huge walls of his unofficial gym. The aloof boy pushed them open with minimal effort, which in and of itself was quite impressive, and stepped aside to allow Nolan and his friends access to his home away from home. All four of them, as well as their beloved Pokemon, looked around at the place in wonder.

Once again, Nolan would freely admit that he was very impressed.

The confines of A.J's unofficial gym were in actual fact a lot larger than they had appeared from the outside. It even had its own battlefield, one which had been built into a raised platform with a short flight of wooden steps leading up to it on either end. With a jolt of surprise, Nolan realised that A.J must have built it himself. It was clear that the expert Pokémon trainer had great skills in other areas as well, and not just in raising creatures to battle.

"Wow" the blonde haired boy puffed out a breath of amazement, but at his side, Ash still didn't look overly impressed. Thankfully, he at least kept any negative comments to himself.

Misty and Brock on the other hand, were both looking around at homemade gym with interest, as were Pikachu, Meadow and Iris.

"Now, this is not too shabby at all" Misty smiled after giving the whole place an approving look.

A.J looked proud at the compliment, but chose not to comment on it, instead turning his attention to a small figure which had just emerged from the huge gazebo that served as his house of sorts. Nolan and the others all immediately recognised the Pokemon that was hovering through the air towards them. It was a Butterfree, just like the one that Ash had. This one was so well trained however that it floated down in front of its trainer, and with its tiny purple paws, plucked the rucksack that A.J was carrying out of his arms, and began to carry it away.

"Free! Free!" it thrilled happily as it made its way back to the tent.

"What's in the backpack?" Ash couldn't help but ask curiously, his russet coloured eyes fixated on the other boy's Butterfree until it disappeared through the flap which was the gazebo's 'door'. A.J turned back to him with a cocky grin.

"The wild Pokemon that I just caught" the acclaimed expert Pokemon trainer announced smugly, "There's a whole bunch more in the tent, and then some".

Ash's entire face lit up at the possibility of seeing more species of Pokemon that he had yet to encounter before.

"Hey! Can I see them after the match?" the raven haired boy asked with an air of hope.

"If you want" A.J shrugged, not really bothered either way, as he started climbing up the wooden steps leading to the left hand side of the battlefield. As he watched, Nolan was surprised to see A.J pick up a whip of all things that had been left lying there, and clutch it tightly in his hand.

Ash quickly took up his position on the other side of the raised platform, and the two boys began to face each other down. Nolan, Misty and Brock all remained at ground level, but moved other to the side of the platform with Pikachu, Meadow and Iris in order to get a better vantage point. It wasn't long until they were all ready to go, and so A.J quickly got things underway.

"So which Pokemon are you gonna choose for my ninety-eighth win?" the expert Pokemon trainer asked cockily, his face the very definition of confidence. It was as though the possibility of losing hadn't even occurred to him, and it made Ash's blood boil.

"Ninety-eighth, huh? We'll see about that" the raven haired boy but back, his eyes narrowed in determination, "You see, I'm afraid you're gonna have to change your sign after this match A.J. You'll be 'formerly undefeated'".

A.J just smirked back at him in response.

"You may think that you're hot stuff, kid..." the green haired boy said in a tone which practically oozed with condescension, "But you're not playing in the Pokemon little league anymore!

And as if to prove his point, A.J then wound up the harsh leather whip in his hand, and lashed it out so that it struck at the ground, perilously close to Ash's feet.

"Yaaah!" Ash exclaimed, jumping back in alarm.

Not appreciating that little stunt one bit, the raven haired boy snarled at his opponent from across the battlefield. A.J was totally unfazed by the harsh look however. If anything, he just seemed amused.

"After I win a hundred matches in a row, I'll start competing for badges" A.J announced in a promise, his eyes narrowed darkly, as if daring Ash to contradict him.

"That means he's only three wins away" Brock realised over on the sidelines, slightly awestruck by the boy's unbroken winning streak.

"And he'll be extra psyched to win" Misty slowly nodded in agreement, worried about Ash's rather slim chances of winning this match.

"Hopefully Ash won't let his newly inflated ego get in the way. He can't afford too" Nolan frowned grimly, because despite privately believing that a defeat might teach his best friend a valuable lesson, he still didn't want Ash to lose, "Not if he wants to be in with a chance of winning against this guy".

Unfortunately though, Ash was still to wrapped up in his own recent successes to share in his friends' concerns. He couldn't see the danger that was staring him right in the face.

"Ninety-Seven wins and you still don't have a badge?" Ash scoffed mockingly, not bothering to even attempt to hide his condescending amusement, "That's tough luck, A.J. I only have ten wins, and yet I've managed to earn two Pokemon League badges outside of that amount!"

And as if to prove his point, the raven haired boy opened the front of his jacket, revealing the shiny Boulder Badge and the pretty Cascade Badge that he had pinned there. The smug look on his face was so intense, it was practically nauseating.

It was A.J's turn to scoff in contempt this time.

"Did you buy those badges or steal them?" A.J taunted the boy that was to be his latest opponent, just knowing that such a remark would be enough to get under his skin from the other boy's inflated sense of pride alone, "Either that or you competed in some loser gyms. Where were they, Failure City or Wimpsville?"

Nolan immediately grimaced. He knew that it was likely that Ash's ego had just taken a dent there, but he also knew that his raven haired best friend wouldn't be the only person present to be affected by that particular comment. Sure enough, when he turned to face his other friends, Nolan found that Misty and Brock were both boiling mad with barely suppressed rage.

"What do you mean, 'loser gyms'?!" Misty snarled, her eyes practically on fire, as she fought against the urge to rip this guy limb from limb with her bare hands.

"Hey, Ash! Pulverize this guy" Brock demanded furiously, seething at the comment as well.

Slightly intimidated himself, despite knowing that their anger wasn't being aimed at him, Nolan carefully edged away from his two friends, a nervous expression appearing on his face. Around him, Meadow and Iris, as well as Pikachu, all did the same. Despite the cord of fear that they had just put into him, Nolan could understand their outrage however. Regardless of having both stepped down from their positions in favour of travelling, he knew that both of his friends must still be very proud of all the hard work that they had put into their respective gyms. It wasn't right for A.J to drag them into his slanging much against Ash, and so the golden haired boy frowned at the expert Pokemon trainer in disapproval.

Up on the raised platform, Ash chuckled nervously at the sheer intensity of his friends' fury, but chose not too comment on it in fear of losing face in front of this guy he was desperate to beat. A.J didn't respond to the anger of the others either, and instead fixed Ash with a look that could only mean one thing.

He was ready to get down to business.

And that's the end of Part 1 : )

So yeah, I decided to stick with the canon episode in terms of how arrogant Ash could be in the earlier days of the anime at times. I know I've toned that aspect of his character down in previous characters, but it just felt right to go this way for this particular episode, especially considering so much of the plot actually hinges on it. Hopefully he'll come to his senses soon, before Nolan has to puncture his ego for him ; )

But enough about the contents of this chapter for now. Instead, let's move on to discussing the details of the previous chapter's voting topic. As you probably remember, it was to decide on the newest member of Nolan's team, and all the options were Water Type Pokemon. Well, the result ended up being a three-way tie: one vote for Shellder, one vote for Squirtle, and one for Seel. I actually had to contact the reviewer that wanted Seel to confirm their vote, and they very kindly got back to me on the matter : ) But yeah, we've narrowed five down to three, so please, please help to break up the tie and vote for either Shellder, Seel or Squirtle in a review. I'd really appreciate it so please all go vote : )

And I think that's just about everything from me for this time, so thank you so much for reading this chapter and my story in general. I hope you are enjoying it all so far, and please consider leaving a review because I'd love to hear your comments and feedback : )

Until the next time, keep on reading : )