Chapter 22: First Battle
Inside the stadium, a woman dressed in blue was currently talking the Sinnoh league tournament format.
200 trainers are participating in this pokemon league so the pokemon league decided to split the 200 trainers into 4 different groups, to be able to move on into the main tournament the trainer must be placed in the top 4 in their group category.
The group stage will go on for ten days and each trainer will have a battle every single day until their final battle on the last day of the group stages, the organizer will then count your win and defeat ratio and will announce the top 4 trainers that will be moving on to the main tournament of the Lily of the Valley Conference.
After explaining the group stage rules the woman raised her hand and 4 huge screens appeared above her showing the trainers the group that they are in and their opponent for today's battle.
Ash and Bonnie who just arrived stared at the screens, Bonnie looked carefully at each trainer and shouted, "Look! look! My big brother is in group A while you are in group D."
Ash stared at where Bonnie was pointing and nodded, he looked at the photo of his opponent which was a middle-aged man he then checked the time of the battle and saw that it will be starting in an hour.
"Bonnie, you go and meet with your brother. I will be going to stadium D and prepare for my upcoming battle." Ash said.
Bonnie nodded her head and said raising her fist, "Good luck big brother Ash! I know that you can do it!"
Ash patted Bonnie's head and left the stadium making his way towards stadium D where his first battle will be held.
An hour quickly passed by and many people were already gathered inside the stadium because there were already 3 battles that took place and they are currently waiting for the 4th match to start.
"Madam, Boss' battle is about to start any minute now," James informed Delia who was talking with Bonnie who they just met a while ago with her big brother Clemont who just finished his first battle.
"I didn't think that you guys would be working under Ash now, haha what a shocker," Bonnie said while looking at Meowth, Jessie, and James.
Meowth sneered and replied, "Remember that Ash is our boss and not you little twerp so don't act all high and mighty, or else-"
Delia shook her head seeing this and interjected, "Let's all keep quiet now and wait for Ash's battle to start."
A man with stripe clothes arrived at the center of the battlefield and announced, "The pokemon battle between Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town and Diego from Hoenn region is about to begin, let us first welcome Diego!!!"
All of the audience clapped, A man in his early 30's wearing a long coat walked out and made his way to the center and stared at the opposite side waiting for his opponent.
"Let us then welcome the other trainer Ash Ketchum!!!"
The door on the left side opened and Ash walked out with a smile on his face, he glanced at the audience and saw his mom along with his friends cheering for him.
The referee then said, "This battle will be a one on one pokemon battle, LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!!"
As the referee announced the start of the battle Diego took out a Pokeball, "Altaria, let's do this!"
"Come out and slice your way to victory!" Ash said and threw out his Pokeball.
"SAMUROOOOTTT!!!!" Samurott roared in excitement, he was finally about to battle.
"Altaria, go up in the sky so that Samurott won't be able to reach you," Diego commanded.
Ash smirked seeing Altaria keep a good distance between them, he then ordered. "Samurott, make it hail."
Altaria who was flying felt his wings getting heavy, Diego immediately ordered "Shook off that hail and use Dragon Pulse!!"
"Samurott, don't let them have the momentum and slice it up."
Samurott stood up with his hind legs and took out two shiny swords, he then jumped towards the incoming Dragon Pulse and sliced it in half.
"Finish it with Ice Beam."
Samurott continued his ascent and blast Altaria with an Ice Beam head-on. Altaria who just shook off the hail from his wings started feeling heavier again as the hail continued to fall making it unable to block the incoming attack.
"Altaria!" Diego shouted as he saw Altaria falling to the ground.
Altaria got dizzy and shook off the dizziness away, he tried to flap his wings but he felt that his right-wing won't move and saw that it was completely frozen by the Ice Beam.
Ash smiled seeing Altaria still not defeated and said, "Samurott, no need to play around I will be using you for 5 whole days so finish it with X-scissors."
"Samurott!" Samurott cheered when he heard that he will keep on fighting and dashed towards the unguarded Altaria and slashed it with X-scissors making it faint on the spot.
"Altaria is unable to battle the winner is Samurott!"
Samurott roared showing his dominance and went back towards Ash's side with his head held high.
Ash could only smile wearily and patted Samurott's head, "You did a great job. but next time don't play around because we won't know if Altaria still has a few tricks up his sleeves."
Samurott nodded and went back inside his Pokeball.
Ash then left the stage and went back to the trainer's lounge where he saw a purple-haired lady staring at him intently.
"Well, well, well, If it isn't Mr. Ask Kethcum from Pallet Town," Iris said and approached Ash.
Ash smiled seeing his old friend from Unova and replied while giving her a hug, "Long time no see Iris, I didn't expect for you to come here."
Iris hugged back and said, "I am here because I wanted to see how much stronger you have become so be ready to face me in the upcoming battles as we are in the same group."
"I will be happy to face off against you but don't you cry later if you lost to me." Ash teased while separating their hug.
"Hmph, Let me tell you Ash that I am already a Dragon Master in Unova so don't you dare underestimate me," Iris said while raising her head high.
Ash nodded, "Then it will be an interesting match indeed."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone