@E3ora Kalos will be next, completing this arc of the story I've been telling as the final region out when I started, however we are still a ways off from getting to Kalos, there's still more of Unova than what would appear based on the fact that we're in the final 8 of the Vertress Conference. Golett however will not evolve in this story as I'm trying to not give Ash a fully evolved team this time, not that Larvesta or Deino fully evolving were likely being the two of the three highest evolution levels to date.

"Welcome everyone to another day of the Vertress Conference!" Don George exclaimed from center stadium. "At this point you've seen four rounds of intense battles from the best the region has to offer, but now it is time for the main events! From this point forward all trainers will be competing in full battles, and they will know who there possible opponents are for the rest of the tournament right now!"

A bracket appeared on the screen, showing the eight final contestants, Ash's next opponent was none other than Dino.

"Looks like it's time for that rematch Ash has been wanting all this time." Rosa said.

"And it looks like N and Hugh made it this far as well." Elliot said, seeing the other two familiar faces. "Let's just hope Ash and Hugh can keep winning."

Later at the arena before Ash's next match

"Good luck Ash." Hugh said, having just finished his quarter finals match.

"Won't need it, I still need to fight you, remember?" Ash said with a chuckle, shaking his fellow trainers hand.

"Welcome to the fourth round matchup of the Quarterfinals of the Vertress Conference, this match will be between Dino and Ash, and the coin has been flipped, and Ash will be sending out his Pokemon first!" Don George declared.

"Pikachu let's start this round strong, I choose you!" Ash called out.

"Seismitoad, let's go!" Dino called out.

"A ground type, that was a smart choice for Dino." Elliot said.

"But a bad matchup for Ash." Rosa sighed.

"He'll get it, I believe in him." Stephan said with a smirk.

"Exactly, Ash has faced enough tough trainers in his time as a trainer, he can take on Dino. Besides even I beat him, and Ash has beaten me twice." Georgia said.

"Pikachu use Quick Attack!"

"Seismitoad use Earth Power!"

Seismitoad shuddered, sending shock waves across the arena, breaking it into jagged chunks as Pikachu leapt from one to the other, getting knocked into the air by one of the jutting pieces.

"Okay, speed alone won't cut it here, Pikachu come on back for now! Braviary I choose you! Use Crush Claw!"

"Seismitoad don't give them the chance, use Hydro Pump!"

Pikachu ran between the stones, dodging the blasting water until he was in the clear, allowing Ash to switch back out. Braviary quickly took the electric types place, swooping down at Seismitoad, digging his claws into the water type before dragging it across the ground.

"Seismitoad use Hyper Voice!"

Seismitoad sent off a loud shout, knocking Braviary away, forcing the flying type to shake off the attack from a distance.

"Braviary use Hone Claws!"

"Seismitoad use Hydro Pump!"

With Braviary's height and distance, the Hydro Pump was just short of being able to hit him as he prepared his next attack.

"Braviary use Aerial Ace!"

"Seismitoad use Poison Jab!"

Braviary dove down at the ground, closing in on Seismitoad, striking the water type as he was struck by the poison coated fist.

"Braviary are you okay?!" Ash called out, as the flying type recovered, coughing slightly.

"Alright, stay strong and use another Crush Claw!"

"Seismitoad use Hydro Pump!"

Seismitoad sent out a blast of water against Braviary, forcing the flying type to spin towards him to avoid taking unnecessary damage, Braviary eventually making contact and dragging Seismitoad across the ground until it stopped fighting.

"And Seismitoad has been knocked out!" Don George declared.

"Ash has the lead!" Rosa cheered.

"Hardly, Braviary is clearly hurting and even Pikachu didn't get out clean." Georgia pointed out. "And one win hardly declares a lead in this size of a match."

"You could try to at least be supportive for Ash." Rosa commented.

"I could, but I choose to be realistic about this fight." Georgia commented.

"Mandibuzz come on out!" Dino exclaimed.

"That Mandibuzz, does it look familiar to anyone else?" Rosa asked.

"No." Stephan admitted.

"Yeah, I think that's the one we encountered in the desert." Elliot said.

"Meaning this isn't just a rematch, it's a grudge match." Rosa realized.

"Care to elaborate for those of us who aren't Ash's full time cheerleaders." Georgia questioned.

"Back in Castelia, we took a few trips to the desert of route 4, where we encountered a wild Mandibuzz and Ash's Braviary." Rosa said. "Two very different personalities."

"But the same hunting grounds." Elliot remarked. "Ash caught the Braviary and even the Trubbish of Mandibuzz's squad joined him eventually, we thought we'd seen the last of them."

"Clearly that is no longer the case." Stephan pointed out.

"Braviary use Super Power!"

"Mandibuzz use Brave Bird!"

The two birds flew across the arena, striking each other multiple times back and forth, and while Braviary was able to keep up his damage dealt, the poison damage, along with damage from both Seismitoad and now Mandibuzz was beginning to stack up.

"Braviary use Crush Claw!"

"Mandibuzz use Rock Tomb!"

Braviary dove towards Mandibuzz, as rocks flew at his wings, clipping them as he went, slowing him down while further damaging him, faltering his flight and causing him to crash on the ground before reaching Mandibuzz.

"Bra!" Braviary exclaimed, pushing himself back up by the wings before darting straight at Mandibuzz, carrying some of the rocks and ground chunks with him as they all collided into Mandibuzz.

"What, was that attack?" Rosa questioned.

"Rock Slide, and just in the nic of time by the looks of it." Stephan said in shock as both birds fell down to the arena floor in defeat.

"Both Mandibuzz and Braviary are unable to continue battling." Don George declared. "As he is in the lead, Ash will once again send out his Pokemon first."

"Pika!" Pikachu declared.

"Alright Pikachu, yeah you're up again." Ash said with confidence.

"Cofagrigus come out!" Dino said. "Use Will-o-Wisp!"

"Pikachu dodge it with Quick Attack!"

Pikachu sped across the field, doing his best to jump and run out of the way of the spiritual flames, only to be struck by three at once.

"Pikachu, let's not waste any more time. Use Thunderbolt!" Ash called out.

"What does he mean any more time?" Rosa asked.

"Will-o-Wisp is a move that inflicts a steady burn." Elliot said.

"And since Ash never returns his Pikachu, that burn would continue to inflict Pikachu even if he wasn't in battle." Stephan said.

"You have to admit, even for someone whose ace is a Dragon, Dino does have some solid strategies." Georgia commented.

"Cofagrigus use Shadow Ball!"

Cofagrigus sent out a set of four Shadow Balls, two being destroyed by Pikachu's thunderbolt before snuffing out the electric attack, the latter two striking Pikachu.

"Pikachu use another Thunderbolt!"

"Cofagrigus use Psychic!"

Cofagrigus sent out a strange energy, redirecting Pikachu's bolt of electricity straight up into the air above the arena.

"Pikachu use Iron Tail!"

"Cofagrigus use Shadow Ball!"

Pikachu leapt at Cofagrigus, slicing through the shadow ball before striking the ghost types hard body, sending him spinning as Pikachu was inflicted once more by a burn.

"Cofagrigus use Shadow Ball!"

"Pikachu give it one final Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu leapt into the air, sending a bolt of electricity hurdling across the arena as he was bombarded by Shadow Balls, knocking him out before his attack had the chance to connect.

"And Pikachu has been defeated." Don George declared.

"Great work Pikachu, we'll handle this from here." Ash said, setting his partner down next to him. "Now come on out Golett, use Shadow Punch!"

"I don't get it, why did Ash send out Golett?" Rosa asked.

"Seriously, even the most basic of trainers knows ghost is good against ghost." Georgia commented.

"But doesn't that also mean that Golett is at a disadvantage?" Rosa asked.

"It does, and a big one based on power differences between him and Cofagrigus." Elliot remarked.

"Cofagrigus use Shadow Ball!"

Cofagrigus fired a shadow ball at Golett's rocket powered fist, sending it veering off course.

"Cofagrigus use Energy Ball!"

"Golett use Bulldoze!" Ash called out.

Golett went down on the ground, shaking as the energy ball passed overhead, the shaking causing Cofagrigus to shudder.

"Cofagrigus use Shadow Ball!"

"Use another Shadow Punch!"

Golett launched his other fist, while recalling the first, striking Cofagrigus before being struck himself by the shadow ball.

"Keep up the Shadow Ball strikes!" Dino called out.

"Golett use Shadow Punch!"

Golett fired his fist again rocketing it towards Cofagrigus as a flurry of Shadow Balls launched back, striking Golett repeatedly until the ground type fell in defeat.

"Golett is unable to battle, making Cofagrigus the winner. We will now take a short break before continuing the second half of the match." Don George stated.

Ash's Current Team and their Moves

Pikachu: Quick Attack - Thunderbolt - Iron Tail - Charge Beam

Lucario: Aura Sphere - Bullet Punch - Thunder Punch - Dragon Pulse

Serperior: Wring Out - Leaf Storm - Energy Ball - Aqua Tail

Braviary: Super Power - Crush Claw - Rock Slide - Aerial Ace

Darmanitan: Hammer Arm - Flare Blitz - Belly Drum - Rollout

Garbodor: Gunk Shot - Body Slam - Sludge Bomb - Smack Down

Larvesta: String Shot - Ember - Leech Life - Flame Charge

Dewott: Razor Shell - X Scissor - Revenge - Ice Beam

Duosion: Telekinesis - Future Sight - Psychic - Rain Dance

Golett: Mega Punch - Shadow Punch - Focus Punch - Bulldoze

Deino: Bite - Dragon Breath - Fire Fang