203 Jhoto - Ecruteak City

Ash, "Max is doing really well against his opponents for a first timer."

Casey, "Yeah he is!"

Verity, "I hope he is remembering to enjoy himself."

Gou, "Don't worry Max is smart."

Max, "We are going against Miette this time."

Breloom, "Loom loom."

Shana, "Let's give it up for our first battlers, Max from Hoenn and Miette from Kalos."

Miette, "Let's make this a battle to remember."

Max, "Definitely!"

Shana, "Ready? Begin!"

Miette, "Use leech seed Liligant."

Max, "Sword dance!"

Breloom used sword dance to dodge the leech seed while attacking Liligant who danced around as well. The two females fought with each other narrowing their eyes, they would not go down easily.

Max, "Use mach punch once you get an opening."

Miette, "Prepare Moonblast."

The two Pokemon didn't stop using sword dance and attacked using mach punch and moon blast. The two attacks hit and blew the two apart and they were both down. Shana started to count down to ten and Breloom started to get up while Liligant stayed down.

Shana, "Breloom has won the match, Max and Breloom will be moving to the finals!"

Max, "We are at the finals? We reached the finals! Breloom that was awesome. Come on girl, let's make sure you are okay."

Breloom nodded getting up, "Loom loom breloom."

Max took him to sit back stage and took out the super potion he had saved and used it on Breloom who thanked him. Max however warned her that even if she was fully healed her energy levels might still be down and to be careful next battle. Breloom agreed with that and decided to be careful when battling the next opponent, she decided she should use absorb probably to gain some of her strength back in the time being. Breloom directed the absorb to the ground and started a photosynthesis process that could hopefully help her get sixty percent of her strength back.

Shana, "The winner of the semi finals is Ephram and his Skiploom. The final match will be between Ephram from Jhoto and Max from Hoenn."

Max, "Looks like this is it Breloom."

Breloom stopped using her absorb, "Breloom."

Shana, "Max has been doing quite well in his battles so who will be this year's winner? Will Ephram be able to keep his two year winning streak or will Max take the title this year?"

Max, "He won twice? Now I'm very excited to battle him."

Breloom fist pumped as well, "Bre breloom."

Mareep, "Marrrrr!"

Beedrill, "Bzzzz."

Ralts, -You can do it!-

Shana, "Let's give it up for our two finalist, Max and Ephram."

Ephram, "Hello! Let's do our best."

Max, "May the best trainer win."

Shana, "Ready?"

Ephram, "Let's go Skiploom!"

Max, "Ready Breloom!"

Shana, "Begin!"

Ephram, "Synthesis followed by cotton spore!"

Max, "Sword dance followed by mach punch!"

Breloom nodded and performed sword dance and attacked using mach punch only to widen her eyes in surprise. Skiploom had used cotton spores, not just one spore but a handful of spores spread around him. It not only slowed her down but some of them turned into cotton guard protecting skipping from her attack. Breloom had used sword dance to make up for the lost speed but she still couldn't touch him.

Ephram, "Now use Ariel ace!"

Max, "Breloom counter with force palm. We are not going down that easily!"

Breloom nodded and used force palm to stop Skiploom only for Skiploom to disappear and attack from her left. Breloom gave a shout as she was hit and Max called for mind reader to figure out the next attack. Breloom grunted as she used mind reader and used force palm again stopping Skiploom.

Ephram, "Now solar beam!"

Skiploom who had been gathering energy while flying around unleashed a solar beam in Breloom's face. The attack hit at point blank distance knocking Breloom out making her faint in a second.

Shana, "Breloom is unable to battle, Ephram is the third time Champion of the Junior Grass tournament."

Max sighed and bit back his tears, "Breloom are you okay?"

Breloom came to and nodded tiredly, "Bre."

Max gave a smile, "Get some rest. I will get you to Brock soon, okay?"

Ephram, "That was an awesome battle. You almost took out Skiploom."

Max blinked and looked at Skiploom and saw the damage Breloom did, "Yeah, but I need to train more. Next time we battle, I will win."

Ephram, "A second battle? Cool! That's a promise."

Max shook his hand, "Definitely!"

Shana, "Congratulations to our third time winner. If the first and second runner up will come to the stage."

Ephram, "Come on, they are waiting for us."

Max, "Yeah."

The award ceremony went without a hitch and everyone clapped as Max received his award that consisted of prize money and a leaf stone. Max said goodbye to Ephram who went with his parents and headed outside where Ash, Gou, Casey, Verity and May and his parents were waiting. His eyes widened in surprise before the tears came and he ran to hug them as he cried, he was not sure why he was crying at the moment. Partly because of the loss maybe and partly because he missed his family and also partly because of happiness of seeing his family again.

Ash, "Sorry we didn't tell you."

Verity, "We wanted it to be a surprise."

Casey, "They were very excited about your first tournament."

Gou, "Don't cry Max come on now."

May, "Yeah baby bro. You did really well. You did even better than me. I only reached top sixteen in mine."

Caroline, "We are here baby, my little genius boy."

Norman, "Stop crying champ."

Max sniffed, "I'm not crying because of that. I am just really happy to see you three again."

Ash, "Let's give them privacy."

Gou nodded, "Yeah."

Norman nodded in thanks as they left and the Maple family went to the Pokemon center together after Max finally calmed down. He started to tell them about the adventures they had so far, the poachers they had to deal with and Team Rocket. Norman and Caroline were visibly alarmed while May cheered her brother when he said he defeated them. Despite the loss Max was quite happy with how far he came in his first tournament at a Junior.

Max, "Everyone has been helping me with my training. It's a lot of fun."

May pouted at her mom, "Mom why can't I travel with an older trainer?"

Carolina smiled, "There are procedures you have to follow sweetheart. And Max gave his exam you didn't."

May whined, "So unfair!"

Norman laughed, "Come now May! You do enjoy traveling with your mom don't you? You get to go to different cities and meet new people."

May pouted, "Yeah but it's not the same."

Carolina, "Patience sweetie, just a few more months and you can go on a journey. Let this be a lesson though."

Norman chuckled as he enjoyed the time with his family and Max asked how long would they be in Ecruteak City. Carolina was staying till the end of the week while Norman was there to talk to Ash about hopefully receiving a Tauros and a Miltank for two of his students that he was sponsoring. Max blinked remembering the large herd of Tauros and Miltank Ash had running around Professor Oak's laboratory. Max mentioned Ash was talking about finding trainers for some of the older Pokemon in the herd and Norman brightened up.

Max, "You can ask him after the Gym battle. Ash will do his ace battle tomorrow after Casey does."

Norman, "Well if he is willing to part with his Pokemon."

May, "I only have Corvisquire at the moment, he is such a gentleman."

Max looked at the large flying type, "Yeah he is awesome. I bet he can carry you around too."

May, "We have been training on that and yes he can. but not for a long time though. Once he evolves into Corviknight."

Corvisquire, "Cor!"

Ralts, -He is awesome.-

Max, "Maybe you can get a Miltank or Tauros to join Corvisquire."

May, "I guess I could. We'll see. I'm very happy with Corvisquire at the moment."

Max, "I think his match will start soon. We can go and watch."

Caroline, "Yes, let's go."

Norman, "You like him, don't ya?"

Max, "Being around him is like being around mom and an older brother. I can't explain it, I just feel very safe around him."

May looked at him curiously, "An older brother huh? That would be cool."

Max, "Right?"

Max went to the front and grabbed Breloom's pokeball and joined Sorrel and Brock who had finished their shift. The two had started early morning and worked through the whole day and now had time off from work. They went to the Gym together and met with the others who waved at them to join them at the bleachers. The match for the fog badge was about to start and Max was excited to watch, the referee was announcing the match for the fog badge.

Referee, "Choose your first Pokemon."

Morty, "Let's go Misdreavous."

Ash, "I choose Noctowl."

May, "That's a Noctowl? It's different from the pokedex."

Max snickered, "That's because he is a Shiny."

Referee, "Begin!"

Ash, "Sky attack!"

Morty, "Shadow ball."

Noctowl flew up before coming down on Misdreavous who shot him with a shadow ball but Noctowl did not let that stop him and tilted slightly. The shadow ball missed him by an inch and he hit Misdreavous straight on getting a shriek of pain from the ghost Pokemon. Noctowl flew off again and prepared another sky attack and Misdreavous shook herself and glared at her opponent.

Morty, "Aerial ace!"

Ash, "Double team."

Misdreavous growled and went after Noctowl who added double team to his sky attack, but didn't let it stop her. She could use aerial ace alongside shadow ball as well and started to shoot shadow ball at some of the doubles while attacking the rest.

Ash, "Now use air slash!"

Noctowl who had stopped using sky attack was waiting for Misdreavous to come closer as he avoided the shadow ball. That one ball almost got him, yikes! The ghost Pokemon came closer and then Noctowl attacked from behind his double using a powerful air slash hitting Misdreavous. Misdreavous fell to the ground with a loud thump and was out cold.

Referee, "Misdreavus is unable to battle, the first round goes to Ash. Choose your next Pokemon."

Morty, "Not bad! Noctowl can use psychic type moves but you mostly stuck to flying type attacks instead."

Ash, "Well Misdreavous and Noctowl can both fly and honestly speaking it comes back to my one old rule. They can't hit you if you are fast so using speed based attack usually works for me."

Morty, "I see, well then let's even the odds, Shedinja let's do it."

Ash, "Noctowl, return."

Noctowl pointed at Shedinja, "Hoooo?"

Ash, "Next time okay buddy. If I loose the second match I will call you. Though I hope I'll win."

Noctowl tilted his head and then nodded agreeing, he realized it would be unfair to others who were looking forward to their matches as well. He opted to stay by Ash's side next to Lucario instead and watch the next battle instead which would be very interesting.

Ash, "Let's go Tyrantrum."

Referee, "Begin!"

Morty, "Metal claw!"

Ash, "Dragon tail!"

The metal claw and dragon tail made a loud clang which reverberated through the stadium making the audience teeth itch. The Dragon and Ghost Pokemon separated and Shedinja attacked again adding fury swipes. Tyrantrum was no push over and used roar powered by dragon aura making Shedinja freeze in fear before shaking himself. Shedinja didn't stop and attacked using fury swipes and metal claw while Tyrantrum retaliated using ancient power.

Shedinja used fury swipes to defend himself from the many attacks from ancient power and dodged some. Shedinja then used shadow claw which was answered by dragon claw from Tyrantrum. Shedinja hissed at the Dragon Pokemon who smirked at him accepting the challenge. He was the King, Ash his sweet Meema calls him King, as a King he would not back down, he refused to back down.

May was confused, "Wait I didn't hear any attacks being called."

Casey smiled at her, "Actually this is common if you raise Pokemon since they were Poke eggs or if you have known your Pokemon for years now."

Max nodded giddy, "I hope I can reach that sort of understanding with my Pokemon one day."

Breloom nodded, "Loom."

Mareep, "Marrrrr!"

Beedrill, "Bzzzzzz."

Ralts, -We hope the same too Max.-

Norman, "Well you are both at a good start already."

Caroline nodded, "Yes, trust yourself more."

[A. N.: Hope you all enjoyed this chapter.

My little kittens started to drink milk now. Soon they'll be able to eat solid foods. They are so adorable.

Take care of yourselves dear readers. Till next time ≧ω≦]