@sethelephant

We do still have a fight against Shauntal, as well as a few more named characters in the region. I think a total of nine more now.

@Yaw6113, no there won't be a crossdressing chapter, they've felt a bit forced in the past which is why the last one was Alolan Ash and it was kind of rushed in. And the ladies that caused the crossdressing episode in Best Wishes don't make sense in this story as the only girl in the group is Rosa and she is a bit more confident in her self identity than Iris tended to be. Thirdly, she's leaving in a few chapters and like why would Ash and Elliot willingly with no push put on wigs and ballgowns? Anyways, back to Castelia!

Outside Castelia Cities southern Pokemon Center

"All set now?" Rosa asked.

"Yeah, Professor Juniper took back Zweilous for a bit and sent over Braviary again. She was excited to be able to study one up close." Ash admitted.

"Not to mention it means they aren't fighting each other around the rest of us too." Rosa pointed out.

"That is also a good point." Ash chuckled. "Hey Elliot, is everything alright?"

"I'm not sure." Elliot admitted, looking at the dock. "That's a Blueberry Academy boat."

"Oh yeah, I recognize the symbols, did you ask to get picked up?" Ash asked a bit confused.

"No, I, I mean I've been in contact with one of my professors saying my project was nearing it's testing phase and I'd be ready to go back soon, but I also told them I'd let them know when we got back here." Elliot admitted.

"Well, we are back here." Rosa pointed out.

"No, I mean, back here, back here, after we bring you home." Elliot corrected.

"Well, maybe it's just a coincidence." Ash theorized. "Maybe they're bringing another student to do research here."

"That's foolish of you to believe such a childish notation." A girls voice said from behind them.

"Gah! Why would you do that?!" Rosa exclaimed turning around to see a girl around their age with dark skin and glasses in a Blueberry Academy Uniform.

"Amarys? What are you doing here?" Elliot asked.

"Who's Amarys?" Ash asked. "I mean outside of the obvious."

"She's the academy's student council president and a member of the Blueberry League." Elliot informed. "And one of the ones most against my original program."

"Yes, and it's time for you to return to the academy Elliot." Amarys said. "To test your program and prove your time here hasn't been wasted."

"It's not complete yet! I need a bit more time." Elliot argued.

"Then you need to show progress on it." Amarys said. "Director Cyrano asked me to look into it."

"Now hold on!" Ash said angrily. "If Elliot says its not ready, then it's not ready, give him a chance."

"I can't show it at it's fullest here, but there is one other way for her to stand down and give me a bit more time." Elliot said. "A battle."

"Go ahead Ash, you've had the most luck. You beat Drayton and Crispin." Rosa said, thinking back to his battles against them and her own battle against Lacey.

"Not this time." Elliot said calmly. "You two have fought my battles long enough, now it's my turn."

"You think you can beat me?" Amarys questioned.

"No, I can almost guarantee I can't, but I also can't hide behind my friends forever." Elliot said. "So I challenge you to a one on one match, and if my program is right, I'll know how to fight you at least a bit."

"Very well then, Metagross come out!" Amarys declared.

"Porygon-Z I choose you!" Elliot called out.

"Ash?" Rosa asked.

"On it." Ash said, pulling out his Pokedex.

'Metagross, the Iron Leg Pokemon, a Steel and Psychic type. It folds it's four legs when flying. It's four brains are said to be superior to a supercomputer.' Ash's Pokedex informed.

"Helpful." Rosa said bluntly.

"They rarely are." Ash admitted, putting away his Pokedex.

"Porygon-Z use Thunderbolt!" Elliot called out.

"Metagross use Meteor Mash!"

Metagross flew into the air, launching an attack at Porygon-Z as the normal type separated it's body before firing off a bolt of electricity from behind Metagross.

"Ash, you're the battle expert, do you think Elliot is right, that he can't win?" Rosa asked.

"Considering who Amarys keeps as company, I'd say no." Ash admits. "But Elliot is smart, he always has been, and he's learned a lot more about battling than even he realizes I think,"

"So there's a chance?" Rosa asked.

"If I could beat an Onix with a Pikachu, he can beat a Metagross with a Porygon-Z." Ash responded.

"Porygon-Z, use Lock On!"

"Metagross use Hammer Arm!"

Porygon focused as he was slammed into the concrete by Metagross's attack.

"Use Ice Beam!"

"Absorb his attack with Ice Punch!" Amarys called out.

Porygon-Z fired a freezing beam at Metagross as the steel type slammed their fist back down creating a block of ice.

"Got it! Use Ice Beam again, just like before!" Elliot called out.

"Use Meteor Mash!"

Metagross threw one of its front legs at Porygon-Z, striking the normal type once more as the freezing beam passed overhead.

"Whats the deal, doesn't Lock On, you know make moves lock onto their target?" Rosa asked.

"They did, both times. Look." Ash whispered, pointing at Metagross subtly.

"I see Elliot getting thrashed." Rosa retorted.

"Just watch." Ash said. "You've got this Elliot!"

"Use another Ice Beam!" Elliot called out.

"Use Hammer Arm!"

Metagross extended its arm, slamming down as Porygon-Z avoided the attack, sending a freezing blast at the connection joint of that arm.

"He's freezing Metagross's arms in place." Ash said with a smirk.

"Porygon-Z use Ice Beam one more time!"

"Metagross use Psychic!"

Porygon-Z's body was scattered by the psychic attack before firing a final beam at Metagross's last joint, sticking the steel type in place.

"Alright Elliot!" Rosa cheered.

"I'm impressed, the old Elliot would have simply admitted he'd loose and call it a day." Amarys commented. "But did you really know who I was going to use?"

"Yeah, it's this new program I've been working on, so trainers can fight other trainers teams regardless of location or time." Elliot said, pulling out his laptop. "I'm calling it a battle simulator. I've input a lot of data from my old program and all the matches I've watched."

"That's incredible Elliot!" Rosa said in shock.

"So it just predicts who they might send out first?" Amarys asked.

"Not even close. Say you wanted to fight Ash in a full battle. The program would say Pikachu would be on his team for sure, but he'd throw a wild card first, like Braviary or Larvesta." Elliot said.

"Wait I'm in it!" Ash exclaimed excitedly.

"Of course you will be, I wouldn't have gotten all this information if it wasn't for you." Elliot commented.

"Look, there's Cynthia and Garchomp! And Marlon and Mantine!" Rosa said.

"Plus Drayton and Archaludon, Lacey and Excadrill, even Amarys and Metagross." Ash said, seeing all sorts of trainers and their ace Pokemon.

"It's a long ways from being ready, and it will never be truly complete, but with a bit more work it will be able to nearly emulate any trainer you choose." Elliot said. "I just need to finish what I started here on the mainland before I return."

"I am sure the director will be happy for that as a report and he'll be expecting to see it once you return." Amarys said, holding out a key. "For when you're ready to return."

"But how will you get back?" Rosa asked.

"Metagross, break free, it's time to head back." Amarys said as Metagross easily broke out of the ice.

"Told you I couldn't win." Elliot commented.

"No, you definitely won that fight, just not the Pokemon Battle." Ash said with a smirk, looking down at the display of him and Pikachu.

Authors Note

Yes the BB league is finally complete, with Elliot facing the fourth member. And the program he's been working on, yeah it's pretty much an in universe Pokemon Showdown, but that's a great app to train and practice with, don't lie. So it makes sense for him to be going to that level after learning that a battle predictor is inherently flawed at its source. He's grown so much since we first met him.