At the hot springs, I am sitting there with Max accompanying me. Max asks, "So what happened to your special training, Ash?"

"I haven't forgotten... I don't want to start too quickly. I don't want to wait too long either. I just don't know what to do, so what is it that only I can teach myself?"

After getting out of the hot spring, we decide to find others, and Max asks, "It's Beautifly and Skitty!"

"It sure has been a long time." I say.

"Yeah, I know, Mom told me that Beautifly has just learned how to use Psychic." May says.

"That's great, good for Beautifly." I reply.

"That's gotta make you happy." Max says.

"It does, but my combination isn't working that well..." May says.

"So Ash, how's your training?" When Reisa asks me, I frown, "It's not going so good. I can't just figure out what to do."

"Maybe you just need someone to work with." My Mom says as we look at her. "You train with May and May trains with you."

"That sounds like a good idea." Serena says.

"No way." When May says it, we turn to her, "Well, I'm trying to say I'm not as strong as Ash..."

Just then, much to our surprise, Professor Oak, Dad, and Dia have come to the Pokemon Center. I gasp, "Dad! Dia! Professor Oak! What are you doing here!"

"We come to see you face to face after all." Professor Oak says.

"Mom call us and tell us about the problem." Dia says. "You seem to have some trouble with training, is that right?"

Then we decide to head back to the center hall, and we notice that Professor Oak actually has a big bag. "Professor Oak, what's that?"

"You'll see." Then my Dad takes out a giant banner with all the footprints, he says, "When your Pokemon heard that you're having a tough time, they insisted on making you something to cheer you up. And it is a rather unique piece of artwork."

When he opens it, we can't believe how many footprints are there.

"Wow, there are so many of them." Ariel says.

"Yeah, this is Venusaur, Typhlosion, and this is Muk's!" Serena says.

"They did all of this for me, that's really great." I say. "Thanks, Dad, you really make my day."

"No problem Ash." My Dad says.

Professor Oak then also gives me a lunch box that belongs to Brock, and a special lure from Misty.

"With all that training you have there, you should take a good rest, young man." Professor Oak says.

"Thanks." I say.

"And finally there's a little something from Gary." Professor Oak says as we flinch.

"What does Gary want this time?" Reisa asks.

"It is a postcard from Sinnoh." Professor Oak says while handing me the card. "He's currently using it as his home base for Pokemon Research."

"Sinnoh?" I say. "That looks great. Sounds like Gary's working hard too."

After thinking of a memory before I separate with Gary, I say, "He's right. I don't have time to waste either. Let's do it right, I'm ready!"

Then with the new determination, I know what to do against Brandon's three Regis. Professor Oak recites a poem for me to help me, while Nurse Joy runs up to him and asks for his autograph.

"So what do you say we're going back to work?" I say as Pikachu cheers.

Just then, a Roselia comes to us. "Hey, isn't this Roselia..."

"Imagine that I run into you guys here, May." We turn around to see Drew and we are surprised. "Drew?"

Then Nurse Joy goes up to him and asks for his autograph, causing him to sweat drop.

"You really give me a shock back there, I was just thinking about you when all of a sudden there you were." May says.

"Any good thoughts?" Drew asks. May then waves her hand in embarrassment. "Of course they were. We've always talked about rivals... so of course naturally I start thinking about you."

"Well, I'm honored. So how are you doing after the loss?" Drew asks.

"All right, I guess. How about you?" May asks.

"I guess I've been doing all the coordinator does, they make sure all Pokemon are well taken care of, and wait for the next contest to arrive and take part in it." Drew says. "You're still holding your loss to Solidad, aren't you? That just shows your weak point. But now I'm sure that you don't know what to do to overcome it. To tell the truth, am I close?"

May nods, and Drew suggests that they have a Pokémon battle, since it is better than just being depressed all of the time. Just then, Team Rocket tries to fool them by dressing up as judges, but Harley comes and stops them.

"Harley? Why are you here?" May asks.

"To make you cry, I don't need any help for them." Harley says.

Team Rocket tries to leave, but his Cacturne jumps in front of them with needles out and Harley tells them that it doesn't mean he doesn't want them to stay.

"For today, I will be supporting the crowd instead." He says to us.

"Are you sure you are going to do anything?" I ask with a glare.

"Of course, I'll give my word back to back." Harley says.

Then we decide to ask Professor Oak, my Mom, and Scott to be the judge, and Nurse Joy wants to be the announcer like Lilian. And because of my Mom, we can't believe how many people show up for the battle.

May brings out Blaziken and Beautifly, while Drew brings out Butterfree and Roselia. May's friends comment on how Beautifly and Blaziken have never been seen together on the stage. Blaziken uses Fire Spin and Beautifly uses Psychic to create a fire version of the Blizzard and Psychic combo that Delcatty and Beautifly did before. It looked like a horizontal flame tornado. Roselia used Petal Dance to break up the flames, and Beautifly used Psychic to send those flames again towards the opponents. Roselia uses Magical Leaf to break it up into fiery leaves. Blaziken goes after the opponent to attack, but Butterfree uses Gust to send the flaming leaves right at Blaziken and Beautifly. The judges comment on how May's combinations were good, but Drew's were a lot better. May tells Beautifly and Blaziken to focus their energy on Butterfree. Butterfree uses Psybeam while Blaziken dodges and uses Sky Uppercut which hits its mark. Roselia uses Petal Dance while Beautifly uses Silver Wind, but the petals turn white and are sent right at Blaziken and Beautifly. Beautifly uses Silver Wind, while Blaziken uses Overheat at maximum power. Roselia uses Solar Beam and Butterfree uses Psybeam. They all hit each other as the match ends up a draw.

"A draw... you really improved yourself." Drew compliments May, who blushes. "Yeah, I see things differently now..."

Later on, May and Drew are standing outside.

"You know, I thought I was overconfident, which is why I lost the Grand Festival. But I will find my own style and make it different from others."

"Sounds good. Hey, May. After Ash's battle, how about we go to Johto for contests, together?"

"You mean the two of us?" May asks with a little blush.

"Yeah, how is that sound?" May thinks for a second, and she then says, "Well... I am not sure..."

"How touching. It's dangerous, two kids alone like this." He says.

"We're just talking, really!" May panics.

"Relax. I'm just telling you that I'm going to Johto as well!" Harley says. "And the next Grand Festival trophy will have my name on it!"

We are happy that those three are getting along well, and then Drew and Harley leave. Minami says, "It looks to me that Drew and Harley are always there to help May with her Contest..."

"Seems like it." Professor Oak nods.

"Looks like you and I are on a new path now, Ash." May says to me, and I ask, "How come?"

"I think we both how we're doing in our own special way. I'm sure that'll be important for you in the Battle Pyramid." May says.

"Yeah. We keep working on our own special styles and we can't go wrong." I say.

The next day, when I'm training my Pokemon, my Dad wants to talk to me about Team Plasma. "I want to ask if N has returned to you?"

"Well, I know that he's riding Reshiram and flying towards me anytime soon. So you already know that I'm N, Dad?"

"Your Mom already told me about it. Considering the mess in Unova... my Dark self really gives you a lot of trouble, doesn't it?"

"Well... I was a little hurt after hearing those words after Hilbert defeated me with Reshiram..." I say. "But all the Seven Sages are arrested... what is Mom going to do with them?"

"Since Team Plasma is still a fraction of Team Alpha, obviously we're going to let them go. However, the Shadow Triad, I mean, your siblings, will keep an eye on Zinzolin and Ghetsis. If my prediction is correct, Team Plasma will strike Unova again two years later."

"Two years later? So that's how long we're going to destroy your Dark selves?" I ask.

"Yes, and once it happens, I want you as yourself to stop my Dark self this time, not as N." I nod as we go back to training.

We find that Nurse Joy has a fever, so we decide to help her out. And there was an accident on the mountain road, so we rush to find what's going on. The driver, a Pokésitter named Matt, tells us that an Electrode falls off the mountain and crashes into the bus, and the Pokemon are panicking. And why am I not surprised that there is also Bagon who wants to fly into the air in the group of Pokemon, that reminds me of my own Salamence.

Then Serena and I decide to help Matt find the Bagon who just runs off on his own. Then we find that it is standing at the cliff trying to fly, but Bagon obviously falls into the river and is about to get washed away.

"Salamence! I choose you!" I have Salamence chase after the Bagon, but there are Carvanha who are trying to attack the Bagon. "Dragon Rage on the Carvanha!"

Salamance picks up the Bagon and also defeats the Carvanha. But the impact from Hyper Beam hits Salamence's wings and Bagon is sent flying.

"Bagon! Fly now!" Matt yells as Bagon tries to fly back to Matt, but after he does, he gets a fever and we have to get it healed. Good thing that my parents are here, so we can try to heal the Bagon.

And there are a lot of Pokemon who are getting used to my friends. However, Team Rocket is trying to mess everything up by stealing the Pokemon, and they try to threaten us by attacking the Pokemon if we attack back. But good thing that Larvitar goes for a Sandstorm, which causes the balloon to fall, and after we bring the Pokemon out, they try to attack once more.

"Pikachu! Volt Tackle now!" Then I have Pikachu send them flying once more. After Nurse Joy become better, they manage to heal Bagon. Scott also manages to fix the bus and now Matt can bring the Pokemon back. So we bid farewell to them and that's when Brandon's referee comes.

"I just received the message from Brandon. He's fine, he found the Pokemon he's looking for and he'll be back." I'm delighted because it is finally time for me to battle Brandon.

Here is a new chapter, and the next chapter will be back to N's perspective because we're going to write the Battle in N's Castle. I hope you like this chapter.