Waking up next morning following he and his harem's orgy in the Scarlet Caberet, Ash and co decided to mingle with one another a while longer, not only to brush up further on the Gala operation, but to get to know each other on a more personal note as well. Sitting down in one of the booths, with Hilda and Rosa nuzzling him on either side, Ash made his newest slave Jessie prepare the group's morning meal, as Perrin, Orla and Anabel analyzed the blueprints of the Parfume Palace.

"So, according to my news crew, we will have two teams attending the event. I unfortunately will be alongside the outer perimeter, away from the major showings." Perrin sighed, the young reporter feeling deflated as she wanted so desperately to be where all the action was. "Malva, my boss, will be attending the event herself, apparently, and from what I gathered, she had another newswoman more experienced than I to be able to get through the gates. Even with their press passes, though, they still aren't able to go anywhere beyond the front courtyard."

"And remember what Xavier told us. He serves as Prospects' Cheif of Security." Rosa advised. "We now doubt might have to deal with him there, as well as any of the other Lieutenants, like that Gale person he warned us about."

"That's the guy who bumped Faba off, right? We'll just have to be extra careful then." Ash reassured his pet as Jessie brought him his food. "All we have to do now is wait, at this point. And of course, if on the off chance something goes wrong, we'll use the Caberet as a rally point."

"And with that, I think we can conclude such talks. Let's just get some food in us so we can all be prepared for today." Anabel smiled. "After all, Master. You have school to attend."

"As much as I'd love to enjoy hanging with you and your slaves, I think its still for the best sis and I keep playing hooky." Hilda remarked, kissing Ash's neck. "As long as my mother remains governor, I don't think Sycamore will be in any rush to expell us for being out for so long. I bet he'd prefer to keep the school scandal free so whoever gets elected doesn't see fit to replace him."

"That's fine. I'd like you to fill a few of your guys in on the job. I have a few guys of my own, but we can use a few more extra people." Ash replied, petting Hilda on her head, letting his fingers run through her long brunette ponytail. "And as much as I don't want Calem in on this job, we most definitely will need him. He's got the look of a person who's younger than he looks. We'll need him to pose as one of our guys who will be disgused as catering staff. But yeah, let's change the subject now. Thinking about that dick irritates me.'

"Let's see what's on the news, then." Orla commented, flipping on the tv.

Catching a news report delievered by Malva herself, Ash remembered seeing her on tv before. Not only was she the head newscaster, Malva owned a major share of Kalos Today's stocks, making her a woman of significant renown. Anyone who's anyone tuned into that news channel, the most prominent one in the Region, no less. But one thing that struck Ash was just how pretty she was. She was regal, elegant and sexy all at once, and yet she was only in her 30's.

"She's gorgeous, Perrin." Ash commented, turning to his slave. "Hey, maybe one day, I could brainwash her into be a slave, eyyy?"

Before Ash could jest further, a bulletin passing across the bottom of the screen caught his attention. As he saw what it described, Malva began to report on the story.

"News just in: two bodies turned up in a back alley just off of Autumnal Avenue in the East District. Police responded to a call of distress from bystanders reporting two men being kidnapped in the area last night at approximately 9:13 pm. Upon investigating the area, police reported the two men's identities; one 34 year old James Gordon and one 28 year old Mike Croff, were found in a dumpster around 4:00 am, their bodies lacerated with some form of sharp instrument alongside being bludgeoned with a blunt object, their fingers having been removed before hand, according to the on site coroner. Police believe the two men were tortured before they were ultimately killed due to gunshot wounds to the back of their heads. The suspect responsible for such an act, nor the murder weapon, has not yet been found at this time. While many locals believe this to be turf war violence between the criminal groups known as Prospects and The Vipers, police have assured reporters that there is no link between criminal entities to the double homicide, whatsoever..."

As Malva continued to report on the story, the pictures of the two victims were put on screen, Ash's eyes widening, the teenager recognizing them as the two who accosted his mother in the park not too long ago.

"They're...dead..?" Ash asked aloud.

"You knew them?" Hilda asked.

"Remember when you were robbing my mom's shop? I stood at the front door to block those two from harassing my mother. They also approached us in the park about a week or so ago, as well. If I had to guess, they might have even been the ones who burned my mom's business down, too." Ash replied, his focus remaining on the tv.

"Wait, did she say they were found on Autumnal Avenue?" Rosa asked, worried, her sister realizing why. "That's only a few blocks away from here, isn't it?"

"Yeah, why's that important?" Ash asked.

"Damnit. Remember how I told you last night we thought Calem might have been trying to tail us last night?" Hilda reminded Ash. "I think when we lost him, he might have just decided to blow some steam off on some Prospect guys. This has his handiwork written all over it."

"And here we go back to talking about that dick again... Does he make a habit out of doing that to Prospect guys?" Ash asked, a tad concerned that he might have to deal with such a violent person during such an important job.

"Not like this, far as I know. He's always had a cutthroat, ruthless demeanor, but this kind of cruelty is new to me." Hilda shook her head.

"What makes you so certain it was him?" Orla asked. "Couldn't it just be some other person who did that?"

"No. There's nobody who's brave enough or stupid enough to attack a Prospects member, let alone two. Unless you're Calem." Hilda replied, deadset on believing he was the cause of the crime. "Ever since I knew the guy, he's always seemed to have a desire for strength. Holding power over people like Prospects. But despite his claims, I don't think I ever saw him hold a truly altruistic motive to heart. I think he just loves having power."

"Why not just cut him loose?" Jessie asked. "From what you told us about yourself earlier, he seemed to join you out of loyalty to your own strength."

"I did beat him in battle, yeah, but with he and his gang, I think they maybe saw it more convenient to join up woth anoher group to stand a better chance to Prospects. I made him third in command because his bravery inspired some of my more unconfident pals in the gang. But lately, I've seen more people gradually flock to his ideals as time goes on. If I kicked him out, I reckon most would think I'm either feeling insecure as their leader or getting rid of one of our best gang members for no reason beyond his questionable methods."

"So in short, you're worried he'll try and oust you entirely, but if you do anything about it, people will just side with him and mutiny anyways." Perrin sighed. "Not a comforting choice to make, either way."

"No matter how much support Lusamine has offered us, no matter how many sucessful missions I've pulled off with Master's help, they're no decisive results that help tip the tide in our favor. That's why this mission is so important." Hilda remarked, turning to address everyone in the room. "We have to find the leader of Prospects and use nonviolent methods to ensure his criminal empire falls. If I do any harm unto him at all, at that would do is prove Calem's way was right, and Vipers would follow him instead."

"And if that happens, our Master can't control Lumiose's criminal underworld as he desires." Anabel added on.

"We have our plan, we just need to execute it." Ash smiled, before turning to Hilda. "I do agree, reluctantly, that we need Calem for this job, but what sort of guarantee do we have that ensures that he doesn't act up, though??

"Being like you said, we plan to impersonate a catering service, we need several of our older looking teammates to play that role." Hikda replied. "Your friend Alain looks old enough to play that role, but one guy isnt enough. We need Calem, and his friend Nate, to help sell the idea we belong. Once they sneak in and Anabel helps us with access to their security room, they'll change disguises and take control of the security room. From there, we can use a USB Rosa developed to hack into their system and give her backdoor access."

"Yeah that sense and we've covered that, but Calem is still a problem on his own. I don't know what we'd be looking at if we had a buddy of his join us." Ash remarked.

"We're not a fan of it, either, Ash." Rosa admitted. "But like we said, tensions are high in Vipers. Many already believe Calem is more worthy of being a leader as it is. If we keep him and the others in the dark as we did with the Chateau operation and Silvally's retrievable, their distrust will only grown, even if we succeed in capturing Prospects' leader. We have to have him come along to prove we still have their interests at heart."

"I understand. I'll trust you two to make sure he stays in line, then." Ash relented, recongizing that even if he simply commanded his slaves to ensure Calem didn't come, it would only impact him later in the long run. "Well, with that all recognized, I consider this meeting adjourned. Ladies. Get to work!"

"Yes, Master!" They all cheered.

Returning back to Lumiose Academy, with help from Anabel giving him a lift, Ash returned to school just in time for classes to commence, gathering along with the others at the school's battlefield at the backend of the campus grounds. All of the students taking a part in the school's trainer class program stood beside their partners, with some family, friends, and even other campus staff sitting up in the bleachers as Sycamore took to the center of the field, microphone in hand.

"Good morning, Students! Today is the day you all prove what you all have learned over the course of these last few months, both in class, as well as your school field trips!" The principal smiled, his voice booming over the speakers. "Following in accordance to the Kalos League tournamant sanctioned ruleset, your tournament based exam will be structured in brackets, as if you were to partake in the Kalos League itself."

The crowd of students and teachers watched on, the fledgling trainers tensing up in anxiety as Sycamore continued his speech.

"This exam will judge not only how you handle yourself as a trainer, using your wits and training to manage your Pokemon team, but how you can depend on others and communicate effective teamwork and cohesion." The principal added on before beginning to list the rules of the tournament. "There will be 16 teams comprised of 2 trainers each. Both trainers are allowed 2 Pokémon each, with substitutions allowed. No remember, even if you lose, you will not be docked points on your exam. So long as you show you know the principles of battle I mentioned previously, I reckon you will all pass with flying colors! Now: Students! Find your teammates and prepare for the tournament! Which of you shall reign supreme?!"

Teaming up with Lillie, Ash and his secret slave passed through the first few tournament matches with ease, with Ash using his Salazzle and Gallade mostly, withholding from using Silvally, due to the possibility that using his chimera would no doubt cause questions to be raised, Ash believed that he and Lillie were gonna win the whole thing, no problem, up until the semifinals, where Ash saw Alain and Trevor go up against Drayton and Crispin, two of the transfer students from the prestigous Blueberry Academy in Unova.

"Charizard, close in and use Dragon Claw!" Alain ordered.

"Back him up, Charizard! Use Air Slash!" Trevor commanded.

As Alain's and Trevor's Fire types prepared to launch their attacks, their opponents planned their counter attack.

"Draco Meteor, Flygon!" Drayton commanded.

"Thunderbolt, Magmortar!" Crispin issued.

Flygon flew up into the sky, from its mouth, a devastating orb of energy burst free, soaring even higher before bursting into the air, a shower of energy spheres raining down onto her opponent. Distracted by the falling Meteors, Trevor's Charizard was caught off guard as a bolt of electricity launched from Magmortar's arm cannons, his body seizing from the attack, falling to the ground.

"Defend him, Charizard!" Alain commanded, hoping to shield Trevor's starter Pokemon from the attack from above.

Flying up to intercept the attack, Charizard rended and tore throug several meteors before inevitably being overwhelmed, the attack ultimately hitting both him and Trevor's Pokemon, the duo left speechless and defeated.

"We couldn't even beat one of their Pokemon..."Trevor sighed, recalling his Pokemon.

"Those two aren't slouches. I guess Blueberry Academy's battle lessons aren't worth underestimating..!" Alain observed, taking his loss to heart. "We won't let that stop us, though. We'll get em, next time..!"

"You did great, Flygon!" Drayton grinned, petting his Dragon type.

"Excellent support, Magmortar!" Crispin cheered, throwing his Pokemon a snack.

"And with the semifinals concluded, that leaves our final match between two teams: Team Ash and Lillie vs Team Drayton and Crispin!" Sycamore sportcasted from a booth on the sidelines. "Before the next battle begins, we will conduct a brief maintenance period for the field. Finalists! Take this opportunity to choose your pokemon and your strategy!"

Stepping away from the field and into the nearby gym's locker room, Ash and Lillie conversed in private about their strategy.

"So, I'll call Ninetales out first, use Aurora Veil to shield your Pokémon, then I'll recalled her and use my Clefairy. Her Friend Guard Ability will help reduce any damage you take further." Lillie suggested.

"Sounds good. I'll go strong with Salazzle, first. Use her speed and ferocity to keep them on the defensive. Depending on what terrain the field will have, I'll have her use Sludge Wave to do as much damage to both of their pokemon as possible. Just make sure yours dont get caught up in it. I also have another plan when using her, but I'll keep it a secret."

"So this is where you two were hiding!" A voice called out.

Looking up, Ash noticed another pair of the Blueberry Academy transfers, Carmine and Lacey, the voice of the former having been the one to greet them, Lacey far more contained.

"Oh hey, you two..!" Lillie greeted her fellow cheerleaders. "Going to get changed to join the other girls to cheerlead?"

"Yeah! We're all so happy to see one of our own right up there in the finals! Even battle crazy Nemona wasn't able to make it past Drayton!" Carmine smiled.

"Don't forget about Crispin, Carmine." Lacey spoke up, reminding her fellow transfer to show support for both of their fellow Unovan students.

"Anyways, it'll still be a shame you won't be with the rest of us." Carmine finished the sentance Lacey had cut off.

"What brought you two over to see us, though?" Ash asked. "Figured you two would want to cheer on your home team? Being you're all Blueberry Academy and all."

"I mean, I don't mind cheering for them, but I don't know..." Carmine smiled, getting closer to Ash. "I bet you might be the ones who could put that weirdo Drayton in his place!"

"Not a fan of him?" Ash asked.

"Nah, nothing like that. He just likes thinking he's some Casanova and he tries hitting on me all the time." Carmine chuckled. "I mean I get that I'm gorgeous, but that toothpaste haired bozo is so not my type!"

Seeing that Carmine was single, Ash realized he had yet another possible addition to his harem on the way. Sensing what Ash was thinking, Lillie decided to discreetly steer the conversation further.

"So what is your type, Carmine?" The blonde teen asked.

"I like guys who are mysterious..! The kind of guys that keep me guessing and wanting more and more of him, everytime I'm with him..! The kind of guy who appreciates just how sexy I am!" Carmine laughed, her self confidence practically suffocating. "Ain't that right, Ash?"

"Huh?" Ash asked.

"Oh, come on, mr spa club manager..! I see how you and Serena are. But that's totally not where your relationship ends, is it? You and Lillie seem awful close as well! I have a scent for these kinds of things, ya know! In fact, Lacey and I here we're talking about how our cheerleading couch, Flannery is in an affair with May!"

"Carmine! You promised to only talk about that between us Cheerleaders!" Lacey pouted.

"What?! Lillie's a cheerleader and Ash has a whole club dedicated to the cheerleaders! That practically makes him one of us!" Carmine snickered, a conniving air to her Ash never knew about her.

"Pretend you didn't hear that, Ash!" Lacey begged.

"Oh, don't worry, my lips are sealed." Ash grinned, his double meaning going well above both girls' heads.

"So..." Carmine began to ask, sitting down on the bench right next to Ash, putting one of her legs across his lap, the teen trying in her own way to coax Ash into getting what she wanted. "When's my invitation to your club..?

Seeing Carmine getting so comfortable with the young man left Lacey feeling left out. She could not deny her own curiosity on the matter, both with Flannery before, and with Ash now. Deep down, she knew her best friend Carmine had a nose for such things. Was Ash as illustrious as her friend suggested? Why was his spa club so exclusive, even among the cheerleaders? Even she felt curious enough to ask these questions. Though not nearly as aggressive as Carmine was laying it on, Lacey drew closer to Ash, sitting on the other side, not as close as Carmine was, but just close enough to show Ash she was interested.

Lillie saw the two on either side of her Master. Lillie knew enough about both of these two that they weren't necessarily attracted to Ash. Carmine seemed to show some interested, but she seemed a rather flirtatious teen to begin with. Lacey always seemed more reserved about her taste in men, never giving a straight answer whenever the other cheerleaders prodded her in the locker room. All they needed was to pull out the pen and enslave them.

But despite what their preferences were and who they liked, it mattered little to none whenever Ash brainwashed one of his playthings. And now would be an absolutely perfect time to enslave them, here and now. But before any attempt could be made, the sound of footsteps coming from around the corner.

It was Drayton and Crispin. Upon noticing their fellow finalists sitting down, nice and comfy with their fellow Blueberry students, the two males called out.

"Well, look who it is. Sup, Ash?" Drayton called out nonchalantly. "Whatcha doing with my girl over there?"

"We aren't dating, Drayton! Not in a million years." Carmine responded to his quip, it clearly having hardly been the first time he addressed her that way, the black haired girl now putting both her legs in Ash's lap to prove a point. "What are you doing here, anyways?"

"We're just heading back to the battlefield. We're on in 2 minutes." Crispin replied, turning to wave politely at Lacey. "Hey Lacey! Think you could cheer me on extra for the battle?"

"Yeah...sure thing, Crispin..!" Lacey replied, the presence of the young man making her retract from Ash.

In that moment, Ash had begun to realize why Lacey was more reserved. She seemed to pose some degree of feelings for this Crispin guy. It didn't look like they we're dating, seeing as how Crispin didn't make a scene about Lacey sitting next to Ash. But Ash could feel when Lacey drew in she was curious about him. Even if it wasn't attraction, her curiosity would be enough to coax her into the spa room. Even if he couldn't brainwash these two now, he certainly could open up the opportunity to do so later. All he needed to do is draw them in further.

"Well then, shall we?" Ash asked, waving to the door beside him, letting the two males lead the way, with Lacey following closer to her fellow Unovans, while Carmine opted to stick closer to Ash and Lillie.

Entering the open field, the hundreds of people in the stands began to cheer the finalists as they took to their positions. Peers, teachers, even family members, including Lusamine herself took the time out of their day to see the venue. Knowing her had dozens upon dozens to impress and dazzle, Ash began to shake with excitment. Despite all the people attending the event, none were wise to Calem's Kecleon, the camouflaged Pokemon still remaining on campus, recording Ash from atop a lamppost overseeing the event. Realizing she could not stick by him any longer, Carmine stepped in front of Ash, giving the teenager a wink and a thumbs up.

"Good luck, Ash..!" Carmine playfully tapped him on the shoulder, making her way to her fellow cheerleaders on the sidelines. "I'll be rooting for you. Take them down..!"

"Good luck, Crispin..!" Lacey meekly waved by to her friend, only to look at Ash on the other side of the field, noticing just how confident he looked.

Sighing, Lacey went and joined Carmine and the other cheerleaders. Just before the ceremony started, Flannery approached her cheerleaders, the bubbly teacher pumping her fist into the air.

"Alright, girls! Lets show the crowd our school spirit! Give Crispin and Drayton a happy cheer!"

"GO CRISPIN! GO DRAYTON! YOU! CAN! DO! IT!!" The group cheered, kicking their legs up and shaking their pom poms.

"Now, lets hear it for team Ash and Lillie!!" Flanneru cried out, her tone of voice thinly veiling her bias for her secret Master.

"GO ASH!! GO ASH!! HE'S THE MAN!! WHO CAN DO IT?! ASH CAN!!!" The cheerleaders cried out, their zeal for Ash far greater than for the other team, even so much so that the yet to be brainwashed cheerleaders couldn't help but match their teammates' energy. "WOOO!! WE LOVE YOU, ASH!!"

"It seems the Lumiose Academy cheerleader squad has a bit of a bias towards Ash, don't they, Augustine?" Sophie, Sycamore's assistant and Lumiose Academy's Vice principal asked her superior from the sidelines, the woman picking up on the pep in the students' voices.

"I guess that's what being the club leader of the girls' spa club will get you..." Sycamore shrugged before stepping onto the center of the field. "Ladies and Gentleman! Thank you all for attending the Lumiose Acacamy sanctioned school tournament finals! For our final bout, we have our two teams, ready and waiting to get the match started! But before we begin, allow me to give both team's a moment to say something to one another, to rouse that competitive spirit!"

Handing the mic off to Ash as the young man approached the center of the field, Professor Sycamore stood to the side as Ash addressed both his opponent and the crowd, the cheers from Ash's guy friends being overshadowed by the overwhelming applause from many of the females in the audience. His family, his teachers and peers alike all cheered and clapped before hushing to allow Ash to speak.

"Let me just say, its a great honor to find myself here, in the finals. I've seen all my peers perform remarkably well and conducted themselves with integrity and sportsmanship! Now its time to decide which of us is the best amongst our classmates, Drayton and Crispin! Regardless of who wins, let's make it a good one for all our friends and family to witness." Ash smiled, showing humility to the crowd as they clapped in applause.

"Your boyfriend is really quite a gentleman, isn't he, Serena?" Carmine asked the honey blonde. "He's way less of a braggart than Drayton is, anyways!"

"That's my Ash for you!" Serena proudly smiled. "He'll prove he's better than Drayton at battling, too!"

Handing the mic to Drayton, the white haired teen began to smile, though it hardly seemed genuine. Ash could tell back in the locker room the Unovan prodigy was vexed by all the attention Ash got from the other girls in their class, especially when it came to the teens among the cheerleading squad.

"A well said speech for one who will lose, Ash!" Drayton boldly proclaimed, his words stunning the crowd. "The cheerleaders seem to have grown fond of you, in no short part due to you making a special club for them. But your time in the limelight is soon to end. When Crispin and I crush you completely, we'll be the ones worthy of adoration!"

The crowd remained silent, their quiet apathy towards the young man's boasting palpable.

"Ah geez..!" Crispin groaned, facepalming at Drayton's transparancy despite the young chef sympathizing with his envy.

"And there you have it, folks! A fued between men! Two young men desperate for the attention of their female peers!" Sycamore snatched the mic from Drayton, desperate to put a competitive spin on Drayton's words to make them seem more akin to wrestling trash talk. "This will be an insteresting match, to be sure! Now that our challengers got their words in, lets see if their strength can back up such claims! This match will be a 2v2 match. All four trainers have access to 2 pokemon each! Substitutions are allowed! One team wins when all 4 pokemon on the other side of the field are unable to battle! Ready? Set. Begin!"

"Salazzle, dazzle them!" Ash called out his pokemon.

"Make it snow, Ninetales!" Lillie cried out.

"Magmortar, let's turn up the heat!" Crispin cheered.

"Flygon, take to the air!" Drayton tossed his ball.

All four Pokémon emerged from their balls, with Lillie's Ninetales' Snow Warning ability activating, causing a snow cloud to appear above the battlefield. Not missing a beat, Lillie launched the first step in her Master's plan.

"Use Aurora Veil!" She ordered, her Pokemon's fur lighting up like a borealis, protecting their side of the field.

Quickly returning her ace Pokemon, Lillie immediately called in her second.

"Clefairy, come on out!" She cheered, her Pixie Pokemon now standing where Ninetales was.

"Clefairy has the ability Friend Guard." Drayton advised his companion. "It will reduce the damage we do to Ash's Pokemon. Between that and the Aurora Veil, we won't do much at all to Ash's Pokemon. Focus down on Lillie."

"Right! Magmortar, use Sludge Bomb!" Crispin ordered, his Fire Type launching balls of concentrated sludge at the Fairy type.

"Flygon, use Scorching Sands!" Drayton commanded, his Flygon forming a sphere of sand in its mouth.

"Salazzle, quick, while its distracted, use Dragon Pulse on Flygon!" Ash commanded, his Fire Type quick in her execution.

From her maw, Salazzle released an intense blast of dragonic energy, the purple beam hitting Flygon's flank, the Dragon type reeling, but still standing.

As the two attacks from Drayton's team careened towards Lillie's Fairy type, the Aurora Veil formed a shield in front of her, reducing the damage. Despite that, however, Clefairy was hurting from the double attack.

"Heal with Moonlight!" Lillie ordered, the Fairy type begining to glow pale like the moon.

"War of attrition ain't gonna work!" Drayton sneered. "Flygon, use Boomburst!"

"Fire Blast, Magmortar! Don't let it recover!" Crispin advised his pokemon.

"Salazzle, trip them up! Use Attract!" Ash ordered.

Jumping high into the air, Salazzle began to spin around, dispersing her pheromones into the air. As the mind addling fumes spread out, just a small trace amount of them reached the crowd watching from the sidelines. Though the men in the crowd weren't effected, the women in the audience began to feel slightly different. Though they were not able to take in enough to grow horny and submissive from it, the women began to pay more attention to Ash. This was Ash's plan all along. In a bid to make himself even more popular amongst the women at school, he used the chance with Salazzle battling to sow the seeds for future conquests.

"Attract? Nice try, Ash, but my Flygon is a female. She won't fall prey to-" Drayton began to say until her noticed his Flygon all of the sudden fall head over heels for Ash's Salazzle.

Though the main reason for using Attract was in effect, it also doubled as being effective in the actual battle. Ash hadn't initially planned or expected Flygon to have been a female, making it prone to his unique Salazzle's pheromones, but it was proving effective, none the less, making the implementation of such a move much more believable to the audience, avoiding any suspicion.

"What the hell is wrong with your Salazzle?!" Drayton asked, perplexed beyond belief that Attract was able to effect his Pokemon. "Do something, Crispin!"

"Right! Magmortar, focus on defeating Salazzle! Use Earth Power!" Crispin commanded, his male Magmortar unaffected by the pheromones.

As the battle continued on, with Salazzle evading Magmortar's attacks, discreetly dispersing more phermones as she did, Lacey and Carmine watched from the sidelines, the duo having been effected by the trace amounts of pheromones in the air. The duo began subconsciously paying more attention to Ash, impressed by his battle tactics. Seeing their Master's sly trick was working, Serena and May grinned deviously to each other, sliding discreetly behind the duo whispering into their ears.

"See..? Isnt my boyfriend awesome?!" Serena seductivly breathed into Carmine's ear, the black haired teen nodding her head in approval.

"Yeah..!" She grinned, agreeing with her fellow cheerleader. "He's so much cooler than Drayton is, for sure..! Cuter too!"

Carmine wasn't sure why she was beginning to feel the way she did about Ash in that moment. Sure, she was being flirtatious in the moment prior to the match, but she did all that in a bid to get under Drayton's skin. But this felt different. She seemed to be genuinely enamored by him. Wondering why she suddenly felt this way quickly became an afterthough, however, for Carmine began to see nothing wrong with finding Ash impressive, even if his girlfriend was right there, whispering into her ear.

"Isn't Ash so much cooler than Crispin?" May asked Lacey, her soft words like honey on Lacey's ears.

"Y-yeah..!" Lacey began to agree absentmindedly.

Suddenly, Lacey paused for thought. What did she just say? Ash was cooler than Crispin?! Lacey knew Crispin for a long time, and they were a closely knit friendship. Lacey wondered if that would blossom into something more, but yet in this moment, she began to doubt herself. Was what she thought of Crispin just a flight of fancy? Something that would pass? The more she thought of Crispin, the more the face of Ash crept into her mind. Crispin was a good friend, sure, but Ash? He was charming, mysterious, and even had the near rest of the cheerleader team singing his praises. Lacey wondered why she was beginung to feel this way, but one thing crept into her mind.

"Is it really a crime to like Ash?" She thought to herself.

As the fight dragged on, Salazzle continued to weave around Magmortar's attacks, chipping away at the Fire type with Dragon Pulses, with Flygon all the whole helplessly paralyzed by infatuation. Crispin, beginning to panic, looked to the sidelines, hoping to see Lacey cheering him on as moral support. What he saw, however, was Lacey watching Ash, instead, her gaze hardly once even looking his way. Gritting his teeth, Crispin's anger began to rise.

"Enough of this! Magmortar! Use Brick Break!" The fire type trainer commanded.

Jumping into the air, Magmortar's arm came crashing down on Salazzle, shattering the Aurora veil and landing a critical hit on the frail lizard, the force of the strike cratering the ground underneath the duo. Even despite the resisted hit, Salazale was left reeling from the strike, the Lizard's concentration on maintaining the pheromones inhibiting Flygon broken, Drayton's Pokemon coming to.

"Great job, Crispin!" Drayton cheered. "Flygon, Boomburst, now!"

Without giving Salazzle the chance to throw out another attack, Flygon opened her mouth and screamed loudly, the force of her roar devastating the field as well as her opponents. Even though the sound based attack hit Magmortar as well, the attack was worth it, leaving Salazzle and Clefairy both unable to battle. Recalling their Pokemon as the cheerleaders on the side did their routine to bolster their morale, Ash and Lillie sent out their aces, Greninja and Ninetales.

"Let's do it, Lillie!" Ash commanded his secret slave, his fighting spirit undeterred.

"Right!" Lillie cheered, adopting a more offensive support role upon realizing any attempt to erect another Aurora Veil would be quashed as long as Magmortar was in play . "Ninetales, use Icy Wind!"

Ninetales opened her mouth, letting a breath of air cold as the arctic come forth. Though the attack wasnt much damage to Magmortar, Flygon howled in pain from the attack, the Ground/Dragon type hurt immensely by the ice. Additionally, the effect of the move slowed down their opponents long enough for Ash to get a move of his own in.

"Water Shuriken!" He ordered, his starter slinging ninja stars in quick succession, devastating both of his opponents, knocking both out at once.

"Yeah!" Ash and Lillie cheered, giving each other a high five for the teamwork.

"We're only just getting started." Drayton grinned, clutching his second Pokemon. "Sceptile!"

"Yeah..!" Crispin growled, vexed by Lacey still continuing to watch Ash over him. "Blaziken!"

The duo's aces emerged from their balls, their bodies adorned with mega stones affixed to accessories on their bodies.

"I see they could get serious! Let's do this, Greninja!" Ash cheered. "Use Acrobatics!"

"Blaze Kick!" Crispin ordered.

"Leaf Blade!" Drayton commanded.

As all three Pokémon charged in, in a split second, Blaziken veered off from Greninja, using Sceptile as a screen to allow him to leap past the Water Type, aiming for Nintales.

"Use Dazzling Gleam!" Lillie commanded, realizing the encroaching threat,

But it was too late. In a swift kick to Ninetales' neck, the Ice Type went down, fainting instantly before getting the chance to retaliate.

"2 on 1 now!" Drayton mocked Ash. "What are you gonna do now without your teammate giving you protection?"

"Yeah, it is 2 one 1..." Ash began to say. "I needed the challenge anyways..!"

"Why you..!" Crispin grumbled. "Close Combat!"

"Leaf Blade!" Drayton followed up

"Get ready Greninja!" Ash commanded.

As the two Pokémon got up in Greninja's face, the duo lauched attack after attack, but Greninja's speed and agility proved far too difficult for the duo to land a hit, the Ninja Pokemon effortlessly dodging every punch, kick and slice aimed at it. Ash and Greninja nodded to each other, the duo crossing their arms in a cocky manner, their gesture not only exciting the crowd further, but irking his opponents even more.

"That does it!" Crispin shouted. "Drayton, let's do it! No more holding back!"

"Right!" Drayton agreed.

Suddenly, the duo withdrew a keystone each from their pockets, their touch upon the stone resonating with their starter's mega stone. With the sudden transformation, Mega Sceptile and Mega Blaziken now stood before Ash, power radiating from their bodies.

"I guess we are finally fighting for real now?" Ash smugly asked.

"Let's see you talk shit after this! Blaziken, use Thunder Punch!" Crispin commanded.

"Sceptile, use Dual Chop!" Drayton issued.

In the blink of an eye, Greninja flinched at the newfound speed his opponents aquired. Raising his arms, Greninja defended against the Thunder Punch just barely, the attack sending him skyward, only for Sceptile to follow up with his own move, the two hits from Dual Chop striking Greninja against the chest. Suddenly, Blaziken's Speed Boost ability kicked in, giving another burst of speed, allowing him to soar up into the air, before a Blaze Kick sent Greninja crashing down, creating a massive cloud of dirt where Greninja landed.

Getting back up, Greninja and Ash nodded to one another. Preparing a Dark Pulse, Greninja released the attack at Sceptile, the Grass type unable to dodge in time.

"Blaziken!" Crispin ordered.

In a moment, thanks to Speed Boost, Blaziken jumped in front of Sceptile, intercepting the blast, its Fighting type helping resist the move. Using this opportunity, Greninja rapidly begun slinging Water Shurikens at the Fire type, only for Sceptile to take the hit this time, the duo's coordination impressively calculated.

"Ash is having some trouble..." Iris, one of Serena's fellow cheerleaders said from the sidelines.

"Don't underestimate Ash, hermosa!" Nemona whispered into Iris's ear, the ebony skinned teen's mind still a tad susceptible to influence due to the pheromones. "He'll show you just how amazing he is at battling in time."

"I suppose you're right..." Iris hummed, absentmindedly staring at Ash, captivated by his confidence, the cheerleader blushing, wondering why she all of the sudden felt this way toward Ash. "He does look really cool right now, though..."

"Of course he's cool..! My boyfriend is the hottest guy in school..!" Serena spoke up before whispering into Carmine's ear. "Don't you think, Carmine..?"

"Yeah..!" Carmine softly replied, her gaze upon Ash unbroken. "I'm frankly jealous you've got such a chill boyfriend."

"I wish I could have a boyfriend as cool as Ash..!" Mallow silently admitted, the green haired teen not quite sure why she would suddenly say such a thing, only knowing she felt it was right."

"I suppose so..." Lacey partly agreed, her conflicted mind still wishing to cheer for Crispin.

Serena, Nemona and Ash other enslaved cheerleaders watched deviously as they saw their fellow unhypnotized peers begin to harbor thoughts of Ash, their words alongside the trace amounts of pheromones in the air influencing their minds.

Ash continued launching attack after attack on his opponents, Sceptile and Blaziken still taking hits meant for tge otger before they went on tge offensive once more. Using their speed to flank Greninja in a pincer maneuver, Greninja jumped to evade a Leaf Blade from Sceptile, only to get swatted back to the earth from a Close Combat from Blaziken, the crowd gasping as they believed Ash to have lost.

Struggling to get up, Greninja watched as the two mega evolved Pokémon flanked him from either side once more, Ash's opponents looking smug, envisioning their victory in sight.

"Game over." Drayton sneered. "Guess you aren't the hunky badass the cheerleaders think you to be."

"You sure about that? Greninja is still up." Ash asked.

"You must be joking!" Crispin laughed. "We got you outnumbered, and we have mega evolution to boot!"

"Then I guess I better go mega myself..!" Ash grinned confidently, closing his eyes in sync with Greninja.

"You must think you're so cute, Ash. We both know you have no mega stone."

"Heh..!" Ash laughed to himself, his hair beginning to stand up.

As everyone in the stands not privy to what was going on with Ash began to wonder why he and his Pokemon were just standing there, Cynthia smiled with pride, turning to Sycamore who sat right beside her.

"Remember how you said that Froakie Ash partnered with was special?" She asked.

"Yeah, why?" Sycamore asked.

"You're about to see why..!" She grinned, her attention back to her favorite student.

Suddenly, a vortex of water began to form around Greninja, forming a pillar of water reaching several dozen feet into the sky. Caught off guard, Drayton and Crispin and their Pokémon gasped, the audience watching in complete disbelief as well, Calem's Kecleon watching and recording the transformation. As the water condensed and concentrated on a single point on Greninja's back, Greninja and Ash had transformed, their Battle Bond transforming them into Ash Greninja.

Looking at Greninja, Drayton noticed not only the massive shuriken Greninja now sported on his back, but the raven black hair and red markings now on his head too, his eyes, as well as Ash's now glowing a faint red. Ash's hair began flowing in the air as he and his partner stood before their opponents, arms folded in confidence and calm. The cheerleader squad was captivated by the sudden transformation. While all of Ash's hypnotized pets cheered him on wildly, the yet to be controlled teens looked on with gaping mouths and wide eyes.

"Woah..!" Mallow gasped. "Did Ash just mega evolve his Greninja?!"

"And without a keystone, no less!" Iris breathed, a smile beginning to form on her face.

"Serena, your boyfriend looks so hot!" Carmine shouted, the black haired teen immediately captivated by Ash's look upon his transformation. "Go Ash! Kick that Drayton's butt!"

"Crispin...what are you going to do..?" Lacey muttered to herself, the pink haired teen, while enamored by Ash's sudden reveal, still wished the best for her friend from Blueberry.

"Ok, color me impressed, Ash." Drayton explained, keeping his composure in the face of such an unknown quantity. "You may have some crazy hidden form change, but we still have you outnumbered. Sceptile, close in and use Leaf Blade!"

Priming the blades on his arms, Sceptile began to take the offensive, when suddenly Greninja vanished. Looking up above him, Sceptile's eyes widened as he noticed Greninja's speed rose exponentially, the Ninja Pokemon having jumped right above his head.

"Acrobatics!" Ash called out, his Water type glowing white, his body emanating wind.

With a swift kick to the head, Greninja smacked Sceptile right into the dirt, the Grass type barely even knowing what hit him. Raising his speed even further with Speed Boost, Blaziken primed a Blaze Kick, flying right at Greninja, his back toward the Fire type. But before he could, Greninja ducked his head, the Water type's reaction speed somehow able to evade Blaziken's strike, even without him so much as looking at him.

"What the?!" Crispin gasped. "What happened? He wasnt even looking?!"

Unbeknownst to his opponents, Greninja has seen Blaziken's approach through Ash's eyes, the duo's linked senses coming through. With his opponent tripped up, Greninja seized the moment, the light in his eyes glowing magenta, his Extrasensory wave hitting the Fighting type with Psychic force, the attack blasting him toward the other side of the field, crashing into Sceptile just as he began to get back up.

Left in a pile, the two Blueberry Academy trainers' Pokemon were beginning to feel the pain. Still not out just yet, the duo got up once more.

"Come on you guys. You were talking so big before the match..!" Ash taunted the duo, he and Greninja's hands waving in sync for the duo to approach them. "You gotta be much stronger than this, I hope!"

Ash's jeers did not fail to excite the crowd. After Drayton's bold declaration prior to the fight, the audience cheered Ash on, the transfer students receiving some karma for his unsportsmanlike remark from before. The cheerleaders especially found Ash's gesture to be an attractive display of dominance, all but Lacey shrieking in affection, cheering Ash on even further. Watching the group blatantly display their bias for the other team, Drayton and Crispin grew bitter and vindictive.

"That does it!" Crispin yelled, turning to his ally. "Drayton! Let's go with that combo!"

"Yeah..!" Drayton growled. "Sceptile, use Frenzy Plant!"

Slamming his arms into the ground, Sceptile proceeded to spawn a torrent of plant roots, the branches rushing across the field like a wave. Greninja jumped up to evade them, but the vines quickly rose from the earth. Grabbing his Water Shuriken off his back, Greninja proceeded to use it like a sword, cutting away at the masses before he quickly became overwhelmed, the roots ensnaring the water type and suffocating him. Feeling the pain of the attack, Ash began to wince, struggling to breath, taking a knee as the pain spread through his body.

"Ash!" Lillie gasped, kneeling by his side.

"What's going on with Ash?" Carmine asked. "Why's he kneeling on the ground like that for?"

"Come on Ash! Give Greninja a command!" Mallow cheered, worried Ash would lose the match.

Ash looked up to see a massive tree had formed in the center of the field, with Greninja trapped in the spiraling roots that made up its trunk. Smiling maliciously, Crispin readied for his follow up.

"We're not done yet! Blaziken, use Blast Burn!"

An aura of fire erupted around the Fire type, the flames coalescing inside Blaziken's beak before ultimately being released in the form of a giant fireball, the sphere of flame setting the tree alight, burning it all the cinders. The crowd began to watch in horror as they worried if Greninja would escape the flames in time. Even as he felt the sting of fire all accross his body, burn marks beginning to appear on his skin, Ash remained composed, despite the excruciating pain. Smoke began to flood the battlefield, obscuring everyone's vision. At this point, only through Ash's link with Greninja was he able to see what was happening inside, the young trainer suddenly having a moment of clarity, seeing the chance to escape the deadly combo attack.

"Greninja. Concentrate the power of your Water Shuriken around yourself." Ash relayed the Greninja through their mind link.

Greninja heeded his trainer's order, pouring all of his energy into his Water Shuriken. Manipulating the water, Greninja sensed his Trainer's intent, making the Water Shuriken disolve, all before forming the sphere of water which had once inhibited him prior. The spiralling orb of water acted as a shield from the flames, keeping Greninja safe as his enemy's attack incinerated the Frenzy Plant that had trapped him. As the smoke cleared and Drayton and Crispin examined the devastation, the duo surmised Greninja had to have fainted in the attack.

They hopes were dashed, however, as the duo stared in disbelief to see Greninja still standing, the orb of water around his body once again reforming into the giant Water Shuriken.

"That was a oretty cool combo attack, guys." Ash complimented the duo, seeing now was his chance to counterstrike. "Let me show you my own..!"

"Blaziken! Get out of there!" Crispin warned his pokemon.

"Sceptile, guard!" Drayton ordered.

But their Pokémon were too fatigued, the act of performing such strong moves as they did was too intensive, the recoil preventing them from even so much as moving. Greninja and Ash saw their chance, moving their bodies in sync. Removing the Shuriken off his back, Greninja began to channel multiple moves into the attack, a sphere of Dark Pulse now in the center of the shuriken, with the wind generated from Acrobatics putting a devastating spin to the weapon.

"Take this! Our Dark Wind Shuriken!" Ash called, his freeform combo move now hurled at the helpless duo.

The second the shuriken connected with the duo, a blast of wind and Dark type energy enveloped them, the malignant explosion of Water, Dark, and Flying type moves devastating the enemy. As the blast cleared, the two Pokemon fell to their knees, their Mega Evolved forms fading as their bodies returned to normal.

"Sceptile and Blaziken are unable to battle! All four pokemon on team Drayton and Crispin have fainted! Therefore, the winners of the Lumiose Academy Tournament are...Ash and Lillie!" Sycamore said from the sidelines, declaring the match.

As the crowd went wild, the cheerleaders rushed the field, running to congratulate Ash, the teenagers, Lillie included, all collectively picking him up and tossing him into the air, shouting his name in delight. Watching in defeat, Crispin and Drayton simply collapsed to their knees in defeat, utterly humilated, and more importantly, left as and afterthought to the cheerleaders they desperately wanted to impress. All seemingly except for one.

"You tried your best, Crispin." Lacey said, approaching the duo, looking down at her friend.

"Lacey..." Crispin sighed, though happy to see she cared enough. "You came to comfort me, even after I lost? I'm touched you think about me that way."

Lacey took one moment to look down at Crispin, then looked over to her fellow cheerleaders huddled around Ash, all of them getting close and personal with him, giving him hugs, pats on the back, with Serena even giving him a passionate kiss in front of her entire cheer squad, the whole group cheering on the couple. The way Ash looked in the match, and they way he was being recieved now by her peers made Lacey wonder why Ash was so popular.

Sure, Crispin was a dear friend, but after she saw what Ash and his Greninja did, she became flustered. Conflicted with her feelings, Lacey began to question why she was over here with the losers when she could go and cheer on the winner of the match. After all, after her moment with Ash in the locker room, Lacey could tell he had an enigmatic charm to himself. His display on the battlefield only made her more curious.

And though she didn't know it, Ash had already laid the seeds for her conflict when he dispersed his Salazzle's Pheromones into the air. Though Lacey didn't know why it was she suddenly felt this way, but it just felt natural to be curious about Ash. Though she felt bad to leave Crispin hanging, the pink haired teen felt far more interested in joining her fellow cheerleaders in congratulating the winners.

"Well...you did your best. That's what matters in the end." Lacey sheepishly said, her words confusing Crispin, the young man now even left further dismayed as he saw Lacey turn around and join the others.

"Let's have a party in my club room later tonight, girls!" Ash cheered to the group, the unhypnotized cheerleaders ignorant to what awaited them later.

"Yeah!!" They all simultaneously cheered, the group walking off the field with Ash.

With the normal classes resuming for the remainder of the school period, Ash had only needed to count down the hours before hos plan to conquer the rest of the cheerleaders would take place. In but a short amount of time, all of some of the hottest girls in hos school would soon all be at his beck and call. All he needed to do was wait.

Author's Note: Hello once again, dear readers! YaboySteven back again with another installment to the Highschool Hypno Harem. I apologize for taking so long to get this chapter out. Recently, I got sick with the flu and was simply not in the condition to do anything in regards to my story. But thankfully I am back in full health now, and am now able to bring you a new chapter in my fanfiction.

In this chapter, Ash and Lillie took part in a school tournament, with Ash revealing to the school his special form change. After quashing some competition, Ash has now opened the path to secure the entire cheerleader squad, making the remaining cheerleaders he didn't brainwash all his playthings in one single stroke.

Naturally, the next chapter will be heavily smut focused as treat for being so patient with me taking so long to get this chapter out, but also serve as a buffer period before the Parfume Palace arc begins. Naturally, Mallow, Carmine and Lacey are destined to become slaves in the next chapter, but I believe some additional cheerleaders can also be made to be controlled in this next chapter, as well. Iris is already a candidate I set up in this chapter, but I would like to hear from you all you you would like to see be on the cheerleader team, and thus be subjugated by Ash.

Some cadidates include, but are not limited to: Chloe, Lana and Juliana. If there are any other characters you'd like to see make the cut, please recommend them to me in your reviews.

DISCLAIMER: Though I will accept suggestions, note this will not guarantee that I will use them for this specific chapter. I will make my decision based on if I deem that there are too many, as that would mean the chapter would become too disjointed and bloated from such a large cast in a single chapter. If I don't use the characters you recommend, that doesn't necessarily mean I wouldn't use them later in the fanfic.

Regardless, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and I thank you all for being so patient with my work, and feel free to tell me how you felt about this chapter in the reviews below. Happy Reading!