Hey guys, I'm back with another chapter for this story! This chapter will pick up where the previous one left off and will continue with the Indigo League while having Ash dealing with Nessa. I started college again, and I'm still working whenever possible, so that's been taking up almost all of my free time once again. So once again, I ask that you just please be patient and new chapters will be out eventually.

P.S. I beat Pokemon Shield over Christmas break and I must say I was thoroughly disappointed. The game was mind-numbingly easy and it felt like I was stopped every 2 minutes by Hop or some other random NPC to discuss the boring and uninteresting plot. Much like with Pokemon Lets Go Pikachu/Eevee, I felt like the game was holding my hand the entire time. Dynamaxing is still a complete joke and is the worst battle gimmick GameFreak has ever come up with, I still can't believe we lost mega evolutions and Z-moves for that trash. The story was meh and the postgame content is completely laughable. Hop was one of the most annoying companions/rivals in any Pokemon game, and I just wanted him to go away whenever he was on screen. Leon was kinda boring as champion and had an absolutely terrible design, the gym leaders were leagues better in design and personality. The music in the game was utterly forgettable and underwhelming, the only music that I really enjoyed was the gym battle theme. The new Pokemon were so hit or miss, some are great, while others are just plain bad or boring. My playthrough was also plagued by numerous glitches and really bad performance problems. Also, the Wild Area is extremely boring and just wasted potential in its current state, hopefully, they further expand upon it in future gens, and raids are underwhelming right now. I didn't hate Shield, but it's easily one of my least favorite Pokemon game, easily in the bottom two or three. I really hope they drop this yearly Pokemon game bullshit and give the developers proper time to make these games because it's only hurting the series. Also screw the expansion pass, all that content, and those Pokemon should have been in the game at launch.

P.S. In case you didn't know, I recently started a My Hero Academia story, called 'What it Takes to be a Hero.' So if you haven't already, please check it out and follow/favorite if you enjoyed it!

Well, that's all I wanted to say, so let's get to the fic.

"Speech"

"Thoughts"

Pokemon Attack

"Announcer"

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or any of its characters.

(Outside the Stadium)

"Oh Calem, you were so great out there." Serena said in a sweet tone as she pulled her boyfriend in for a tight hug. "You really gave it your all."

"Thanks Serena, that means a lot..." Calem said with a smile, before leaning forward and giving Serena a brief kiss. "When we get back to our room, I have something important I need to talk to you about."

"Oh...of course..." Serena said with a smile of her own before she suddenly gasped. "Oh my Arceus, I almost forgot!" Serena dashed over to where Nessa was and pulled her over towards the rest of the group. "Ash, I have someone here who really wanted to meet you!"

"Who's this, Serena?" Ash asked, staring at the beautiful newcomer in surprise. He was briefly entranced by her exotic appearance before he shook his head and regained his composure. "You said she wanted to see me?"

"Yes!" Nessa said as she reached out and enthusiastically shook Ash's hand. "My name is Nessa and I was seriously impressed with your battle earlier, especially with how well trained your Greninja was."

"Oh thanks, Greninja and I trained really hard." Ash said with a chuckle, scratching his cheek as his cheeks slightly tinted red in embarrassment. "We've been through a lot together and have worked hard to get where we are now."

"I can tell...I was actually hoping I could get a look at your Greninja up close..." Nessa said as she clasped her hands behind her back. "And maybe even some of your other water-types..."

"Sure thing!" Ash said with a smile, unclipping Greninja's Pokeball off his belt. "I'm sure Greninja would love to meet a fan."

"Before you do that!" Nessa suddenly exclaimed as she grabbed ahold of Ash's wrist, stopping him from releasing Greninja. "You see, I'm training to become a gym leader back in my home region...one that specializes in water-type Pokemon. Your battle today with Greninja was one of the most impressive displays I've seen with a water-type Pokemon...Serena also told me that you have other really strong water-type Pokemon...I still need to get a lot stronger before I can become a gym leader...so I was wondering..." Ash quirked an eyebrow when he saw that Nessa's face was now burning bright red, nervously shifting from foot to foot. After taking a deep breath, Nessa's suddenly lunged forward, her face only a few inches away from Ash's. "Would you make me your student and teach me how to train strong water-type Pokemon!?"

"Huh?!" Ash exclaimed in a dumbfounded tone, with everyone else present staring at both trainers in shock. "Are you serious?"

"I'm dead serious." Nessa replied as she nodded her head, before gently grabbing one of Ash's hands. "Your battle just now was phenomenal and your Greninja was insanely strong. If your other water-types are even half as strong...I don't think I could ask for a better teacher."

"Look...Nessa...I think you'd be better off asking a trainer who actually specializes in water-type Pokemon..." Ash said, slowly shaking his head and freeing his hand from Nessa's grasp, before clipping Greninja's Pokeball back onto his belt. Finally noticing how close they still were, Ash took a step away from Nessa. "I know a couple of gym leaders who could-"

"NO!" Nessa yelled as she lunged forward and grabbed Ash's hand once again. "It has to be you! The battle I watched confirmed you're not just an amazing water-type trainer, you're just a fantastic trainer in general! I could see the unbreakable bond you shared with your Greninja and your battling strategies were unbelievably creative!" Stepping even closer once again, Nessa locked eyes with Ash and gave his hand a squeeze, her face inching closer to his. "So I'll ask again...please teach me how to be an amazing trainer like you!"

"Well..." Ash muttered, looking towards the rest of his group for advice, all of them simply shrugging their shoulders, not knowing what to say. It looks like he'd be on his own for this one. "You're absolutely sure this is what you want?" Nessa smiled brightly and enthusiastically nodded her head. "*Sigh* Okay fine, I'll help train you."

"YES!" Nessa cheered as she threw her hands up into the air, practically shaking with excitement. "I can't wait to get started. I'm gonna train hard and become the strongest gym leader in Galar!"

"Yeah, you might want to pump the brakes a bit there." Ash said, reaching back and grabbing a Pokeball off his belt. "I agreed to train you, but we won't really be starting until after the Indigo League is over..." Ash suddenly smirked and rested his hands on his hips. "And I become champion of Kanto...after that, we'll start your training."

"Oh...okay..." Nessa said as she deflated slightly but still appeared to be brimming with energy and excitement. "If it's okay with you, I'd like to hang out with your group during the rest of the tournament...you know...get to know them better." Nessa leaned slightly to look passed Ash, smiling brightly at the rest of his group. "We're gonna be spending a lot of time together once my training starts, so we should all try to be friends."

"That's fine with me..." Ash said, turning his head to look back at the rest of his group, seeing them all nod their heads. "Well, welcome to the group, Nessa!" Enlarging the Pokeball in his hand, Ash released Greninja, which caused Nessa's eyes to light up. "And you said you wanted to meet Greninja, well here you go."

"Oh my Arceus!" Nessa exclaimed as she bolted over towards Greninja, instantly beginning to examine the Ninja Pokemon. "I can almost feel the power radiating off of Greninja...it's incredible! I've never seen a water-type like him before!"

"Well, she's sure to be an interesting addition to the group..." Dawn muttered, watching as Nessa darted around Greninja, the Pokemon seemed to like the attention it was receiving. "She is beautiful though, I wonder if she's interested in trying out contests?"

"That's not a bad idea..." May said as she stroked her chin, eyeing Nessa up from head to toe. "She's got great style...and a certain air about her...I'm sure if she put her mind to it, she could be a great coordinator."

"Maybe we should talk to her about it?" Dawn asked, turning to face May. "She's going to be traveling with us, so while Ash is training her to become a gym leader, we can teach her how to be coordinator too."

"Oh, sounds like fun!" May exclaimed with a bright smile as she clapped her hands together. "I've always wanted to try being a mentor! Why don't we ask her now and see if she's interested?"

"Looks like Nessa will be quite popular..." Serena said with a chuckle, wrapping her arm around Calem's waist and resting her head on his arm. "She has a lot of energy, just like everyone else in Ash's group."

"So, what are you two going to do now?" Ash asked as he walked over to where Serena and Calem were standing. "Are you guys going to stay and watch the rest of the tournament."

"Hmmm..." Calem hummed, gazing down at Serena before a smile spread across his face. "Nah, I think we'll head out tomorrow morning." Chuckling lightly, Calem held Serena a little closer. "I think I'll take your advice Ash..."

"I see, I think you're making the right decision..." Ash said with a smile as he gave Calem a thumbs-up. "We'll have to battle again, Calem. Not in a tournament like this though, a battle just for fun."

"Hey, what are you guys talking about?" Serena asked, tilting her head up to look Calem in the eyes. "Did I miss something?"

"No, it's nothing...now come on, let's get back to our room and relax...and don't worry Ash, we'll watch the rest of the tournament on TV and cheer you on. Since you beat me, you better go all the way and win the whole tournament." Calem said before he wrapped his arm around Serena's shoulders, guiding her back towards their hotel room. With a wave, both trainers began to walk away from Ash and his group. "And of course we'll have to battle again Ash! But next time we do, I'll give you a real run for your money!"

"I'm looking forward to it!" Ash called out, waving back to his departing friends. Once Calem and Serena were out of sight, Ash released a light sigh and turned back towards his group, all of them gathered around Nessa. Looks like Serena was right, Nessa would fit right in with the rest of the group. "Alright, everyone! Serena and Calem have the right idea, let's all get back to our rooms and call it a night!"

(The Following Afternoon: Indigo Plateau Tournament Grounds)

"Man, this place sure is crowded." Ash muttered to himself as he walked through the throngs of people mingling in the tournament ground's shopping district. He had a little bit of time before he had to be back at the main stadium, so he decided to do some sightseeing. Everyone else in his group was off doing their own thing, deciding to meet back up once it was time for the battle to start. The raven-haired trainer's hands were in his pockets and Pikachu was perched on his shoulder, doing his best not to bump into the crowds of people. As Ash passed by a row of small cafes and restaurants, he stopped when something caught his eye. Sitting alone at a table outside one of the cafes was Rosa, the brunette trainer appeared to be enjoying a cup of coffee. Having some time before his next battle, Ash decided to stop and say hello. With a toothy grin, Ash quickly approached the cafe Rosa was at. "Hey Rosa, how ya doing?!"

"H-Huh!?" Rosa exclaimed, seeming to be pulled from a deep thought as she slightly jumped in her seat. Her face tinted a light shade of pink when she saw that Ash had suddenly appeared on the other side of the small table she was sitting at. "Hello A-Ash, it's nice to see you again."

"I caught some of your battle yesterday, you were great!" Ash complimented as he pulled a chair out and sat down across from Rosa. "Your Emboar and Simisage were super strong!"

"Thanks, Ash..." Rosa said with a small smile, the blush on her face darkening a few shades as she began to fidget slightly. "I saw your match too...that Greninja of yours is incredible."

"Hehe, Greninja and I have trained really hard over the years..." Ash said with a chuckle as he crossed his arms over his chest. "He's a hard worker and always gives me his best. I'm so proud of how far he's come over the years."

"That's one of the things I've always admired about you, Ash." Rosa said, gripping her coffee cup and taking a brief sip. Setting the cup back down, Rosa smiled brightly at Ash. "You always treat your Pokemon so well and manage to bring out the best in all of them. Even if it's a Pokemon that everyone considers weak, you still believe in them and manage to do amazing things...it's really inspiring."

"Thanks Rosa...that means a lot..." Ash said as he scratched his cheek, a faint blush spreading across his face. "So, are you ready for your battle today?"

"Yes, I'm ready to go!" Rosa replied, slightly clenching her fists and grinning at Ash. "But I have a sinking feeling that my run in this tournament is going to end early."

"Don't think like that Rosa, I'm sure you'll do great!" Ash exclaimed as he gave Rosa a thumbs up. Turning his head slightly, Ash got a look at a nearby clock. His eyes widened slightly when he saw what time it was. "Shit! We really should get going Rosa, they're going to announce today's matchups in like twenty minutes!"

"Damn it, you're right!" Rosa cursed, bolting out of her seat and gathering her things. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, Rosa dropped some money onto the table. "I must have lost track of time! If we hurry, we should just make it in time!"

"Come on, let's go!" Ash yelled as he grabbed ahold of Rosa's hand and took off running towards the main stadium. Rosa had no time to protest as Ash began to pull her through the crowds of people, doing their best not to crash into anyone. As they neared the stadium, Rosa's face suddenly started to flush red. It was finally sinking in that she was really holding Ash's hand, his strong grip making her feel oddly safe and comforted. She had also noticed that Ash was purposefully going slower so that he wasn't dragging her along, he was making sure to go at a pace she could easily keep up with.

"Jeez, does he even realize how sweet he can be without even trying?" Rosa thought, smiling softly at Ash as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze, her heart pounding in her chest for reasons that didn't involve the running she was doing. "After this tournament...I know he has all those other girls around him...but I have to at least tell him how I feel...I don't know how much longer I can keep things bottled inside."

A few minutes later, both trainers found themselves standing in the center of the main stadium, amongst the remaining contestants. Ash and Rosa stood in the center of all the other trainers, with the brunette remaining rather close to him, something he took notice of. Rosa soon noticed that was staring at her and smiled back him, causing his face to flush slightly. Before either of them could say anything, the announcer's voice boomed over the speakers.

"Ladies and gentlemen! I hope you're all ready for another day full of amazing battles! Today's winners will move on to the semi-finals and will be one step closer to their ultimate challenge, a chance to battle Kanto's elite four and its champion, Lance!" Suddenly a series of light lit up a viewing box near the top of the stadium, revealing Lance standing behind the glass. Kanto's champion was smiling and waving to the crowd, causing a series of thunderous applause and cheers.

"I wonder where that coward is..." Ash thought as his eyes narrowed slightly, scanning through the various viewing boxes around the stadium. Not spotting Tobias anywhere, Ash released a light sigh and clenched his fists. "I know that bastard is watching...he's just hiding somewhere I can't see him. Just wait you bastard, you're next. I'll humiliate you, just like you humiliated me."

"Alright folks, here's today's matchups!" The announcer bellowed, leading to another round of deafening cheers. On the stadium's main monitor, pictures of all the remaining trainers appeared on the screen. Moments later, the pictures began to rapidly shuffle around, all the trainers on the field eagerly waiting to see who they would be matched up against. Soon the images stopped moving and the matchups were revealed. When Ash saw who he was matched up against, he chuckled lightly and turned to look at Rosa.

"I hate to say this...but that bad feeling you had earlier might be true." Ash said, rubbing the back of his head.

(Twenty Minutes Later: Main Stadium)

"Looks like we're up first this time." Ash said as he basked in the crowd's cheers and applause, resting his hands on his hips. The raven-haired trainer's right hand rested underneath his Pokeballs, all of them filled with a specific team he had picked just for this battle. "I was so excited for today's battle, I would have hated to wait for my turn."

"Yeah, there's no point putting this off." Rosa said with a small smile, standing on the opposite end of the battlefield. "I'm glad we're first too." Reaching back, Rosa grabbed a Pokeball off her belt. "I know my odds of winning aren't great, but I'm still super excited! I've wanted to battle you for a long time now, Ash!"

"The same goes for me!" Ash exclaimed with a grin as he reached up and twisted his cap backward. "I've been looking forward to this battle ever since we first met back at the Celadon Department Store! I had a feeling we were destined to fight in this tournament! So let's both give it our all!"

"I hope everyone is ready for another exciting day of battles! Our first battle today will surely be an amazing one! We have Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, battling against Rosa from Aspertia City! Both trainers look excited and ready to go!"

"This will be a three-on-three elimination battle between Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town and Rosa Whitley from Aspertia City! A winner will be decided when all of their opponent's Pokemon are unable to battle!" The referee exclaimed, walking towards the center of the battlefield. Raising both his flags, the official glanced at both Ash and Rosa. "Are both trainers ready to battle!?" With matching smiles, both Ash and Rosa nodded their heads. "Then let the battle begin!"

"This is a day I've been dreaming of for a while now, so let's go all out right from the start!" Rosa cheered as she enlarged a Pokeball in her hand, before tossing it out onto the field. "Simisage, come on out!" In a flash of bright white light, the Thorn Monkey Pokemon did several flips and landed in front of Rosa. Simisage pounded its chest and let out a fierce yell. "You said my Simisage looked strong earlier, now you'll get to experience his strength first hand!"

"I picked out a special team for this battle." Ash said with a smirk, unclipping a Pokeball off his belt and enlarging it. "Since you're an Unova native, I figured I'd only use Pokemon that I captured during my trip to Unova." Cocking his arm back, Ash threw his Pokeball out onto the battlefield. "Leavanny, I choose you!" Landing onto the field gracefully, the Nurturing Pokemon did a brief bow for the crowd. "I'm going all out right from the start too, Rosa!"

"Are both trainers ready to begin!?" The official called out, glancing at both Ash and Rosa. Seeing both trainers nod their heads, the official made a grand sweeping motion with two flags. "Simisage vs. Leavanny, let the battle begin!"

"Let's go all out from the very start!" Rosa exclaimed as she extended her arm gestured towards Leavanny. "Use Vine Whip to tie up Leavanny, then get in close and use Toxic! We need to keep constant pressure on Ash!" Simisage let out a fierce roar, before lashing out at Leavanny with two thick vines, both of them wrapping around the Nurturing Pokemon's arms. Showing its impressive strength, Simisage leaped towards Leavanny, quickly closing the distance between them.

"Leavanny, use X-Scissor escape! Then wrap Simisage up with String Shot!" The Nurturing Pokemon's blade-like arms began to glow dark blue, slicing clean through the vines wrapped around them. Leaping backward, Leavanny opened her mouth and fired out a line of incredibly strong silk. But Leavanny's efforts were in vain, despite being wrapped in string, Simisage still managed to get close enough and doused the Nurturing Pokemon in a stream of poisonous sludge. "Damn it! It's only a matter of time now! I have to finish this quick!"

"Simisage, use Iron Tail and cut through that string!" Grunting in exertion, Simisage's muscles flexed at it attempted to free itself, managing to create enough room to move its tail. With its tail now glowing brightly, Simisage began to cut through its string bindings.

"Leavanny, use Bug Buzz!" The Nurturing Pokemon rapidly began rubbing its blade-like arms together, producing a piercing screech and sending out powerful green shockwaves. The powerful bug-type attack hit Simisage just as it managed to free itself. Simisage roared in pain as it was sent flying backward, skidding across the battlefield. After coming to a stop, Simisage groggily got back onto its feet, grunting when it felt its special defense drop. "I'm impressed Simisage managed to take that attack..." Ash glanced over and noticed that Leavanny was panting slightly and looked exhausted, even though the battle had just started. "Looks like Toxic is starting to kick in...Leavanny doesn't have much longer before she faints."

"Shake it off Simisage and use Acrobatics!" After punching its fists together a few times to psyche itself up, Simisage rushed towards Leavanny and leaped into the air. Despite its large size, Simisage displayed surprising grace in the air and seemed to glide towards the Nurturing Pokemon.

"Leavanny, wait until the last moment and leap into the air, then use Silver Wind!" The Nurturing Pokemon slipped into a defensive stance as it waited for Simisage to get a little closer. At the last possible moment, Leavanny jumped high into the air, narrowly dodging Simisage's attack. While still in the air, Leavanny inhaled deeply and exhaled a powerful gust of wind. The swirling winds hit Simisage and slammed it into the ground, pinning the Thorn Monkey Pokemon to the ground. "Keep it up Leavanny!" The Nurturing Pokemon doubled her efforts, bombarding Simisage with continuous blasts of wind. Simisage howled in pain, taking extra damage because its special defense had been lowered earlier in the battle. "Leavanny, finish with Bug Bite!"

Stopping her gusty assault, Leavanny dashed towards Simisage, who was struggling to recover from the previous attack. Leavanny now stood in front of Simisage, latching onto the Thorn Monkey Pokemon. Then with her mouth glowing faintly green, Leavanny bit down into Simisage's neck. The Thorn Monkey Pokemon let out a piercing howl as it collapsed down onto its knees, pain reverberating through its body. To make sure Simisage went down for good, Leavanny bit down into the Thorn Monkey Pokemon's neck several more times, each one earning another pained yell. After several moments Simisage collapsed to the ground as Leavanny stood over it, panting heavily.

"Wow, I must say, even Ash's non-water-type Pokemon are impressive." Nessa muttered as she watched the battle intently, leaning forward in her seat. "I look forward to meeting all of his Pokemon, they must all be really interesting."

"That's an understatement." Dawn said with a small smile, gazing lovingly down at Ash. "All his Pokemon are amazing, I'm sure you'll love them all."

"Hmmm, I'm sure you're right." Nessa hummed as she glanced over at the bluenette, before turning her attention back towards the battlefield.

Back down on the field, the official made his way over towards Simisage. Kneeling down next to the Thorn Monkey Pokemon, the official saw that the large Pokemon was unconscious. However, before the official could make a call, Leavanny began to falter. With her legs now wobbling, Leavanny soon succumbed to Toxic and collapsed to the ground beside Simisage. Shuffling over towards Leavanny, the official saw that the Nurturing Pokemon was also unconscious.

"Both Leavanny and Simisage are unable to battle! Would both trainers bring out their next Pokemon!"

"What an amazing finish to that intense battle! Both Pokemon were knocked unconscious and now Ash and Rosa are down to only two Pokemon each!"

"Great work Simisage, you did an amazing job." Rosa said with a smile as she returned the Thorn Monkey Pokemon, shrinking the Pokeball and clipping it back onto her belt.

"You gave it your all Leavanny, you were totally awesome." Ash said, returning the Nurturing Pokemon and staring down at the Pokeball with pride. Shrinking the Pokeball, Ash grabbed another one off his belt. "That was a smart strategy Rosa. Using Toxic forced me to react quickly and end the battle as soon as possible. You even managed to draw the battle out long enough to knock Leavanny out."

"Well, I know I can't really win a head-to-head battle against any of your Pokemon, so I need to get creative." Rosa said with a smirk before she tossed out her next Pokemon. "Now, come on out, Conkeldurr!" When the Muscular Pokemon landed on the battlefield, it sent out a stadium shaking quake. Letting out a low growl, Conkeldurr slammed both its concrete slabs into the ground.

"That's an interesting choice, I wasn't expecting a Conkeldurr." Ash said, before enlarging the Pokeball in his hand and throwing it out. "Krookodile, I choose you!" With a quick frontflip, the Intimidation Pokemon landed on the field and flicked on his signature sunglasses.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is sure to be an interesting battle! We have two absolute powerhouses from Unova battling it out! But with Ash's Krookodile being part dark-type, it's at a disadvantage against Conkeldurr! Will Ash be to overcome the type disadvantage and come out on top!?"

"Since both trainers appear to be ready to continue, Conkeldurr vs. Krookodile, let the battle begin!"

"Conkeldurr, use Hammer Arm!" With a slow yet menacing pace, Conkeldurr charged towards Krookodile, its concrete slabs causing the battlefield to quake.

"Krookodile, use Dig!" When Conkeldurr was only a few feet away, Krookodile leaped into the air before diving headfirst into the ground, digging into the battlefield.

"Be careful Conkeldurr! Krookodile could pop up anywhere!" Rosa said as she scanned the ground, looking for any possible signs of where Krookodile could be. After not seeing anything for several moments, Rosa began to get worried. "Conkeldurr, use Earthquake, and try to force Krookodile out!" Letting out a short shout, Conkeldurr raised its concrete slabs and prepared to slam them into the ground.

"Krookodile, use Low Kick on Conkeldurr's slabs!" The Intimidation Pokemon sprang up from the ground underneath Conkeldurr, his leg glowing brightly. With one powerful kick, Krookodile knocked out both of the Muscular Pokemon's concrete slabs, causing it to collapse to the ground. Conkeldurr tried to get back up but was struggling to do so. "Now Krookodile, us Focus Punch before Conkeldurr can get back onto its feet!"

Krookodile cocked his fist back, quickly gathering a large amount of energy. The Intimidation Pokemon's fist began to glow brightly as energy swirled around his entire arm. After a few seconds, Krookodile had gathered up enough energy, his fist trembling with raw power. Then Krookodile's fist shot forward, slamming into the back of Conkeldurr's head. Letting out a ferocious roar, Krookodile smashed Conkeldurr's head into the ground facefirst. A cloud of dust and debris was kicked up by Conkeldurr's impact, obscuring both Pokemon. When the dust finally began to settle, Conkeldurr's head was buried in a small creature. The entire stadium gasped when they saw the Muscular Pokemon's unmoving form, unable to believe what they were seeing. After a few moments of stunned silence, the crowd burst into boisterous cheers and applause. The official slowly made his way over to Conkeldurr's side, checking to see if the large Pokemon was still conscious. After a few moments, the official had made his decision.

"Conkeldurr is unable to battle, the winner is Krookodile! Rosa, please send out your final Pokemon!"

"My goodness ladies and gentleman, we just witnessed something spectacular! Ash's Krookodile managed to take out Conkeldurr with a single devastating attack! I've never seen such raw strength and power before! Rosa is down to her final Pokemon, will she be able to mount a comeback!? She's got quite the uphill battle ahead of her!"

"You tried your best Conkeldurr, but Ash's Krookodile is crazy strong." Rosa said, releasing a light sigh and returning Conkeldurr to its Pokeball. Shrinking the Pokeball, Rosa clipped it onto her belt and grabbed her final Pokemon. "All right, it's all up to you, Beartic!" In a flash of bright white light, the Freezing Pokemon crashed onto the battlefield, letting out a bellowing roar. "You got this Beartic, I believe in you!"

"You good to keep fighting, Krookodile?" Ash asked, which earned him a thumbs up from the Intimidation Pokemon. "Good, that's what I like to hear!"

"We have another amazing matchup folks! Once again Rosa has the type advantage, but we saw last time that Ash was easily able to overcome that! This is going to be another battle between two powerhouses!"

"Beartic vs. Krookodile, let the battle begin!"

"Don't waste any time, Beartic use Blizzard!" Letting out a ferocious roar, Beartic inhaled deeply, before exhaling a massive stream of freezing wind and snow.

"Counter it with Sandstorm!" Slamming his fists into the ground, Krookodile sent out a small shockwave, kicking up a large amount of dust. The wall of dirt and dust began to swirl around the entire battlefield, colliding with Blizzard and stopping the attack. Beartic winced in pain as it was buffeted by flying debris, using its large arms to try and shield its face. "Now, rush in and use Fire Fang!"

"Beartic, use Icicle Crash!" Ignoring the raging sandstorm, bright blue energy began to form in the Freezing Pokemon's mouth before it fired a barrage of razor-sharp ice at Krookodile. Despite his large size, Krookodile managed to dodge and weave his way through Beartic's attack. Now only a few feet away, Krookodile opened his large mouth, his rows of teeth aflame. Lunging forward, Krookodile bit down into Beartic's arm, digging his teeth in deep and causing the Freezing Pokemon to roar in pain. The scorching flames from Krookodile's mouth spread across Beartic's arm and chest, causing even further damage. "Use Brick Break to knock Krookodile off!"

Letting out a fierce growl, Beartic raised its glowing fist and began to repeatedly slam into the top of Krookodile's head. The Intimidation Pokemon winced in pain but continued to hold onto Beartic's arm tightly, his fangs digging in even deeper with flames still gushing from his maw. Beartic continued to hammer its fist onto Krookodile's head, and eventually, the Intimidation Pokemon began to loosen its grip. After another surprisingly powerful Brick Break, Krookodile released Beartic's arm and collapsed onto the ground.

"Great work Beartic, you did it! You took out Krookodile!" Rosa exclaimed with a bright smile as she pumped her fist into the air, the Sandstorm finally beginning to die down.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Ash said with a smirk, causing Rosa's eyes to widen in shock. The brunette trainer was stunned when she saw Krookodile slowly get back onto his feet, an ominous red aura radiating off his body. "That last Brick Break Beartic was a critical hit...which activated Krookodile's ability." The entire stadium flinched in fear when the Intimidation Pokemon let out a deafening roar, sending out shockwaves around him. Krookodile was panting heavily and bearing his fangs, glowing red eyes visible even behind his sunglasses. "Anger Point."

"W-What the hell is g-going on..." Rosa stuttered out as she took a step away from the menacing Pokemon. "Beartic hit Krookodile so many times...it should have been knocked out."

"Anger Point is a particularly rare ability...when a Pokemon with this ability is hit with a critical attack, their attack power is increased dramatically...and they get really, really pissed off." Ash explained with a widening smirk, crossing his arms over his chest. "Krookodile, finish this with Superpower!"

Practically foaming at the mouth, Krookodile snarled and rushed towards Beartic at incredible speed, its body faintly glowing. Rosa tried to give Beartic a command, but it was too late. Cocking his fist back, Krookodile hit Beartic in the stomach with a devastating punch, sending waves through the Freezing Pokemon's body. Beartic hunched over, clutching its stomach in pain, the air knocked from its lungs, but Krookodile wasn't finished yet. Bending down, Krookodile grabbed Beartic by its legs. Showing incredible strength, Krookodile lifted Beartic off the ground and spun it around several times, before hurling the Freezing Pokemon into the stadium's wall. A loud crunch was heard when Beartic smashed into the wall before it collapsed to the ground. Making his way over, the official checked on Beartic's condition, quickly coming to a conclusion.

"Beartic is unable to battle, the winner is Krookodile! Since all of Rosa's Pokemon are unable to battle, the winner is Ash Ketchum!"

The entire stadium burst into thunderous cheers and applause, amazed by the fantastic battle they had just witnessed. By now Krookodile's rage hand died down and he collapsed down onto one knee, panting heavily from exhaustion. Making his way over, Ash patted Krookodile on the back and flashed the Pokemon a bright smile.

"You were amazing buddy, I knew you could do it." Ash said as he bumped fists with Krookodile. Pulling out his Pokeball, Ash returned the Intimidation Pokemon. "Get some well-deserved rest."

"That was an incredible battle Ash." Rosa said with a smile, walking up to the raven-haired trainer. "I may not have won...but that battle was everything I had hoped for...thanks for not holding back."

"Of course, Rosa." Ash said as he reached out and shook Rosa's hand, causing the girl to blush lightly. "You're a great trainer, I wouldn't dream of going easy on you...if I had I would have lost for sure."

"That's a huge compliment coming from you." Rosa said, ending the handshake and clasping her hands behind her back. "But I'll keep training and get even stronger, then one day we'll battle again...and I'll win for sure."

"Well, I look forward to that." Ash said as he adjusted his cap, putting his hands into his pockets. "Are you going to stick around and watch the rest of the tournament?"

"Of course, there's no way I'm gonna miss out on watching these battles live." Rosa said with a bright smile, before spinning on her heels and making her way back towards the locker room. "Besides, I still need to catch up with Hilda while I'm here." Blush returning, Rosa spared a quick glance back at Ash. "Plus I want to spend as much time as possible with you before I go."

"Come join our group then sometimes, we'd love to have you hang out with us!" Ash called out as he waved to Rosa. Once Rosa disappeared into the tunnel leading to her locker room, Ash released a light sigh and smiled, before turning his attention towards the luxury boxes at the top of the stadium. In one of them, he spotted Lance and both trainers seemingly locked eyes. Staring at Ash for several moments, Lance eventually smiled and nodded his head, before stepping out of sight. "You're next Lance, I'm coming for your title."

And done! Holy shit this chapter was a nightmare to write! I once again apologize for the very long wait for this chapter, but with school and work this past semester, I simply had no time or motivation to do much writing. I would get a couple hundred words written then just give up. But I finally pushed through and got this chapter done. The next chapter will have Ash's battle against Lance and will conclude the Kanto arc of this story. After the next chapter, this story will be in the final stretch, so I hope you're all excited. I'll be working on my Fairy Tail story next, so look forward to that. Remember to follow/favorite if you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW (I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK), check out my profile and other stories if you haven't already (especially my new My Hero Academia story), and PM me any ideas you might have for any of my stories. So until next time, I'm outta here!