Kanto - Indigo Plateau

The Pokemon centre was full like always but not crowded as it was on the first day of the matches. Before Pokemon who were larger than six feet were not allowed out of their pokeballs, but now Ash could see a Snorlax following their trainer around. Even Ritchie had his Charizard outside, Ash mentally thanked Arceus for making Lucario be exactly 3.0 m at their tallest. It was no taller than normal human height and allowed Lucario to stay close to him wherever he went.

Nurse Joy, "Your Butterfree is doing just fine."

Ash, "Thank you Nurse Joy."

Misty, "Ash!"

Ash, "Misty how was your battle?"

Misty, "I won, and I'm advancing to the next round. My Cloyster was awesome and I think people are starting to notice my preference for water types now."

Ash, "That's good right? They'll know you are serious about becoming a Water Pokemon Master."

Misty, "Yeah but now they are taking out type advantage against my Pokemon."

Ash gave her a look, "You enjoyed beating them and slapping it on their faces that type is not everything."

Misty laughed, "You bet I did, it was so worth it too."

Brock, "Ash, Misty congratulations on making it to the last day of one on one battle elimination rounds."

Ash, "Thanks Brock. Congratulations to you too Paul."

Paul nodded, "It was fun, my Aggron had a harder time beating Brock and his Pokemon as his opponent than the ones I was paired up with before."

Misty pat Brock's back, "That's expected after all Brock used to be one of the Gym Leaders, now he is planning on being a field medic."

Paul's eyes shone, "Do you plan on joining the Rangers?"

Brock nodded, "In a few years yes. I still plan on traveling a little after the League to increase my knowledge of various Pokemon."

Paul smirked, "Interesting, not bad for a former Gym Leader."

Ash sweat dropped, 'He does not respect Gym Leaders, does he? Looks like Brocko dodged a bullet.'

The fourth day of the one on one elimination match was here and the trainers were all very excited as it would mean the end of the first hurdle. The second hurdle was the two on two elimination matches but that would be a headache for next week. For now everyone was at the centre getting their numbers and finding their next opponent.

Ash, "And I got, lava field this time. Cool! And my opponent is Chrome... Wasn't she one of your opponent before Misty?"

Misty blinked, "Yes, she was, her Pokemon are really powerful."

A dainty looking girl approached them, "We meet again."

Misty, "Chrome!"

Chrome, "Hello Misty."

Ash, "Looks like we are opponents this round."

Chrome nodded, "Yes and our battle is the first one."

Misty, "I'm going against a guy called Morrison in the wind arena. Guess I got no choice but to use my other Pokemon."

Paul, "A guy called Jim in the ground arena. I better go. Good luck!"

Ash, "Good luck Paul! I'm sure you will think of something Misty. Shall we go to our arena?"

Chrome looked at him curiously, "Yes!"

Announcer, "Welcome to the fourth elimination day everyone. Today is the last day of the one on one elimination match."

Ash sweat dropped looking at the lava field below him, 'It looks like a copy of Blaine's gym.'

Announcer, "Choose your Pokemon!"

Chrome, "Golem let's go!"

Ash, "Pidgeot let's do this."

Announcer, "Isn't this a rare sight folks? Am Alola variant and a Shiny battling."

Chrome looked at the Pidgeot and frowned, 'It is larger than normal Pidgeots.'

Announcer, "Begin!"

Ash, "Agility wing!"

Chrome, "Thunder shock!"

Ash, "To the ground!"

As Golem used the electric attack Pidgeot hit the lava field ground with a steel wing and felt the electric pass through her. She then used agility to move quickly and used steel wing on the Golem making him grunt.

Chrome, "Golem use rock throw!"

Ash, "Hyperbeam!"

Pidgeot and Golem attacked using rock throw and hyperbeam. While Golem was throwing rocks Pidgeot used agility to fly around the air borne projectiles before shooting the hyperbeam at her opponent. The hyperbeam hit Golem hard causing him to be blown off from where he was standing to a lava mount which rumbled. The heated lava spurt out making Golem shriek at the sudden pain and Chrome and Ash wince.

Chrome, "Golem?"

Golem dusted himself, "Lem Golem!"

Chrome smiled, "Alright then thunder wave bring her down followed by thunder punch!"

Ash, "Steel wing followed by steel ace!"

Golem attacked using thunderwave and Pidgeot answered by using steel wing on the ground which made lava nearby frizzle. The female bird narrowed her eyes before using the combination of aerial ace and steel wing to dodge the thunder punch and attack. She hit her opponent hard and fast causing him to fly towards one of the mounds and crash land on it loudly.

Announcer, "Golem is unable to battle, Pidgeot is the winner. Looks like Ash is moving on to the double battles elimination round."

Ash, "We won! Pidgeot we won!"

Pidgeot screeched proudly displaying her shiny feathers for everyone to see, "Eotttt!"

Ash hugged her and she nuzzled him in return, "You were amazing!"

Chrome approached him, "I didn't expect you to be a trainer. I thought you were a coordinator."

Ash, "I wanted to try out both. Although it was my Pokemon who chose what they wanted to do. Some like my Banette enjoy coordinating while my Pidgeot here loves battling. My Charizard enjoys doing both."

Chrome got a contemplative look, "I see, you have given me a lot to think about. See you around."

Ash nodded and Chrome left, "Let's go meet the others at the centre girl."

Ash sat at the centre, as it turns out his match was the first match and aside from Chrome who was at another booth, no other trainer was currently present. He turned his attention to Banette as he came out of his shadow and sat next to him and Lucario. Ash smiled and rubbed Banette's head before turning to the live broadcast, it was showing Paul battling Jim and Misty battling Morrison in the wind arena.

Paul, "Hariyama stand by for battle!"

Jim, "Let's do this Machamp!"

Announced, "Begin!"

Paul, "Hariyama force palm!"

Jim, "Bulk up and focus punch!"

The two fighting types clashed in the ring shaped arena, Paul had gotten the fighting type arena. It was one of the newer arenas that came up after the Grand Prix for fighting types started to become more popular the last three years. It had pleased many fighting type specialist when they got the recognition from the League and encourage many to take fighting type Pokemon more seriously.

Paul, "Take down!"

Jim, "Use take down as well, we won't go down easily."

Both fighting types clashed against each other and the ring shook under the strength of both Pokemon. Ash watched fascinated by the raw strength and half wondered when he'll battle on that field. Primeape would be very excited to take part, actually he is excited to take part and is just waiting patiently for Ash to land the fight arena. Ash turned his attempt back to the broadcast as Hariyama over powered his opponent and took him down.

Announcer, "Machamp is unable to battle, Hariyama wins the match. Paul will be going to the double elimination round."

The crowd cheered as Hariyama approached Paul with bright eyes and Paul nodded and smirked which made the fighting type brighten even more. Ash thought it was cute and definitely much more different from the anime which really brought the point home a lot of times. The broadcast turned to the wind arena where Misty and Morrison were about to battle as well.

Misty, "Misty chooses Starmie!"

Morrison, "Let's go Gligar!"

Announcer, "Begin!"

Misty, "Psybeam!"

Morrison, "Dodge it and use sand attack!"

Gligar dodged the attack and used sand attack on Starmie who was hit.

Misty, "Starmie recover and rapid spin!"

Morrison, "Poison tail!"

Misty, "Hydro pump!"

Starmie who was using rapid spin to fly in the air released hydro pump that hit poison tail straight on. Ash marvelled at the sight it made water and poison combined to make flashy purple sparkles.

Morrison, "Gligar, use sky uppercut!"

Gligar dodged the rapid spin and hydro pump combo and ran after Starmie to use sky uppercut. Misty waited and watched patiently as the flying type Pokemon got closer.

Misty, "Now thunder wave!"

Morrison, "What? No way!"

Misty smirked as Starmie used thunderwave on Gligar causing him to fall unconscious to the battlefield. Being hit by water gun had made Gligar wet and susceptible to electric attacks.

Announcer, "Gligar is unable to battle, Starmie wins the match."

Misty, "We won! Great job Starmie."

Misty hugged Starmie after coming down from the podium before leaving the stadium and going to the centre. She gave a big sigh of relief as she heard the announcement she would be going on to the next round. When she had stormed off from the gym in her anger, she had only thought about being a Water Pokemon Master. She didn't have a plan or path to reach her goals and now, here she was competing with other trainers to prove herself. Ash grinned as he turned his attention to where Ritchie was battling with his opponent, who turned out to be Giselle, surprise surprise!

Ritchie, "I choose Geb!,"

Giselle, "Show them what you got Sandslash!"

Announcer, "Begin!"

Ritchie, "Geb rock throw!"

Giselle, "Retaliate with your own rock throw Sandslash!"

Lucario, -He caught an Onix. It was not there before.-

Ash, "Yeah and you can tell he is taken care of very well. Look Giselle has improved too if her battling style is an indication. And Ritchie named Onix, Geb... Like the God of Earth from Egyptian mythology."

Banette, "Ban?"

Lucario, -We met Giselle a long time ago, she is an acquaintance.-

Banette nodded, "Ette!"

Giselle, "Steel claw!"

Ritchie, "Iron tail!"

Both ground types used the steel type attacks causing a loud clang to resonate through the arena and the two Pokemon winced. It made Lucario rub his hands wondering if others felt the same way whenever he battled using steel type moves. They could see both Pokemon were straining under the two attacks against each other and Ash figured they had both just started using it.

Ritchie, "Dig!"

Giselle, "Dig!"

The two ground types burrowed into the ground and for a few seconds no one could see what was going on. All that anyone could hear were rumbling and muffled digging before both Pokemon came out looking annoyed with each other.

Giselle, "Use fury swiped!"

Ritchie, "Rock tomb!"

Giselle, "Watch out!"

Ritchie watched as Sandslash avoided the rock tomb but was sent off kilter, "Now iron tail!"

Onix roared as he hit his opponent hard and fast knowing this was it. Sandslash skidded across the arena before stopping. He tried to get up but was unable to in the end and fainted on the spot.

Announcer, "Sandslash is unable to battle, Onix wins the match and Ritchie will be going to the double elimination round!"

Ritchie cheered and Onix roared as he nuzzled against his trainer, "You were great Geb."

The next match broadcaster was between AJ and to Ash's surprise, was that Samurai from the Viridian forest? Lucario was also looking at him incredulously, he was allowed to carry a sword to the arena, albeit it was a wooden sword but still.

AJ, "Beedrill take the stage chum!"

Samurai, "Scyther let's go!"

Announcer, "Begin!"

AJ, "Agility and twin needles."

Samurai, "Parry with sword dance."

The two bug Pokemon fought against each other and it looked like they were dancing against each other using the weapons. It was a terrifyingly fantastic to look at and everyone who watched agreed they didn't want to be on the receiving end of those needles and sword like claws. The two Pokemon separated after a few seconds of fighting each other.

Samurai, "Scyther slash!"

AJ, "Solar beam!"

Beedrill let out a powerful solar beam that overpowered Scyther and knocked him out.

Announcer, "Scyther is unable to battle, Beedrill is the winner! AJ has advanced to the double elimination round!"

[A. N.: I can finally update. Phew!]