Hoenn League Torch

After the Hoenn Grand Festival concluded, the gang had taken a ferry to Ever Grande City where the Hoenn League was taking place. Apparently this Pokemon League was ca;;ed the Ever Grande Conference. Ash felt excited about entering his fourth Pokemon League and he couldn't wait to get there.

"Hey Ash, do you think you'll win this Pokemon League?" Tomo asked.

"Well I can't really say." Ash admitted. "Because I don't know how strong the other trainers will be. So all I can say is I'll just keep on fighting until someone does defeat me."

Ash knew how tough Pokemon Leagues were, especially considering he had participated in them before.

Soon they had set foot in Ever Grande City. It was a busy city, filled with shops, restaurants and other buildings. May had a guidebook which explained the shops and restaurants in Ever Grande City and she suggested they try out the famous ramen restaurant. With May leading them, the gang tried to find the ramen restaurant. Of course with May having poor direction they found it to be difficult. Then there was trouble; a flock of Murkrow were in the area and they started to attack the gang with Peck.

"Cover your ears." Ash instructed.

He roared loudly and scared the Murkrow off.

"Nice job." Tomo told his brother after uncovering his ears.

Just then a male trainer and his Meowth, who was wearing boots and a hat, ran up to the gang.

"Hey, you okay?" The trainer asked.

"Yeah, we just had a issue with a Murkrow flock." Ash answered.

"That's the problem with Murkrow. They love causing trouble wherever they go." The trainer said.

Max asked the trainer if he knew where the ramen restaurant was, since his sister had no idea where it was located.

"I'm heading there too, so I'll lead you to it." The trainer said.

Thanks to him, they made it to the ramen restaurant and began to chow down. The trainer introduced himself as Tyson and he said he was entering the Ever Grande Conference too. So Ash had another rival alongside Morrison to deal with in the Ever Grande Conference.

"I must say Tyson." Brock said. "Aside from wearing a hat and boots, your Meowth looks very well raised."

"Thanks, I've had my Meowth for a while now." Tyson said.

Meowth was eating Pokemon food with Growlithe. Despite being a dog-like Pokemon, Growlithe didn't chase or pick a fight with Meowth; he had been trained not to chase or fight cat-like Pokemon like crazy.

Suddenly Tyson said he had to leave because he was the runner of the torch.

"So that means you will be running with the Hoenn League torch right?" Ash asked.

"That's right." Tyson nodded. "And they say that the flame of the torch comes from Moltres."

"Just like the torch from the Indigo League." Ash said.

He explained that the flame of the torch was from Moltres too and he also explained that the flame for the torch in the Silver Conference was from Ho-Oh.

On a hill a crowd of people were waiting for the Hoenn League torch flame to arrive. Officer Jenny, Nurse Joy and Mr. Goodshow were there too. But they weren't the only ones; Jessie, James and Meowth were also there waiting for the flame, and they were planning to steal it.

"How will we get the Moltres flame this time?" James asked. "I mean when we tried to get it back in Kanto we failed because Moltres appeared and sent us flying."

"True, but that's because we used a big dish that was hard to get away with." Meowth said.

"Yes, so this time we will use a small flame container that we can easily carry away." Jessie added.

"Let's do it." James declared.

Then some police officers arrived, carrying a flame on a dish as Tyson and the gang arrived. Tyson apologized for being late, but Mr. Goodshow reassured him that he made it just in time.

"Nice seeing you again Mr. Goodshow." Ash said.

"Ah Ash, Brock and Tomo it's nice to see you three again." Mr. Goodshow replied. "I take it you're participating in the Ever Grande Conference Ash?"

"Yes I am." Ash said. "And I have high hopes on winning."

"Ah full of spirit like always." Mr. Goodshow said. "And I can't wait to see how you will do in this Pokemon League Ash."

Max and May were surprised; they knew Mr. Goodshow was the president of the Pokemon League, but they were surprised to know Ash, Brock and Tomo knew him. Ash informed them that they met Mr. Goodshow at the Pokemon Leagues in Kanto and Johto.

"And Brock, Misty, Tomo and I were the runners of the torch at the Indigo League, and I got to run with the torch a bit at the Silver Conference."

May and Max were amazed. Mr. Goodshow also pointed out that he saw Ash and May at the Hoenn Grand Festival on TV and he was impressed. Just then Tyson started the running of the torch and Nurse Joy and Mr. Goodshow gave the gang a lift in the limo.

Thanks to Mr. Goodshow's lift the gang got to the Pokemon Center, where Ash had to register for the Ever Grande Conference. They even saw the area where the conference was taking place. The stadium stood in the middle of a huge lake with mini stadiums surrounding it in two big circles; you could say that looked like a ring target. After Ash registered and got the guidebook he felt ready now. Just like he did at the Silver Conference, he decided to only use his Hoenn Pokemon for the conference; it was his Hoenn Pokemon who helped Ash get the badges after all.

Suddenly an alarm went off; the flame of the torch was stolen. The gang met up with Tyson and he told the gang what had happened. What had happened was that he, a Nurse Joy, and some Officer Jenny's had reached the storage room where the flame was to be kept before the conference started. But then a Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny stopped them and told them that there was a Moltres in the sky. But as soon as Tyson, Nurse Joy and the Officer Jenny's looked up at the sky, the Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy swiped the flame and took it with them.

"It's obvious that it was two crooks disguised as Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy who stole the torch." May said.

"Let's go after them and get the torch back." Ash said.

Without it the Ever Grande Conference wouldn't be able to start.

The crooks who stole the torch were Jessie, James and Meowth. Jessie and James disguised themselves as Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny to steal the flame and now they were using a motorcycle to get away. Right now two Officer Jenny's were on their tail and Tyson, the gang and Mr. Goodshow were catching up.

Jessie and James then ditched the motorcycle off a cliff and landed in their balloon where Meowth was waiting for them.

"Give the torch back!" Tyson shouted.

Jessie and James took their disguises off and simply replied that the torch was theirs now.

"I'm not surprised Team Rocket would steal the torch." Ash said. "Especially considering they tried to steal it at the Indigo League and during the Silver Conference."

Tyson was angry and released a Metagross from a Poke Ball.

"Use Confusion to stop Team Rocket from getting away Metagross." Tyson commanded.

Metagross' Confusion held Team Rocket's balloon in place. Meowth tried to make the balloon fly away with more rocket power but it was a struggle.

"Ash do you have any ice type Pokemon with you?" Mr. Goodshow asked. "An ice type attack won't put the flame out like a water type attack would."

Ash didn't have his ice type Pokemon on him but he did have a Pokemon that knew an ice type move. He sent out his Grumpig and ordered her to use Bounce and Icy Wind. Grumpig bounced up to Team Rocket's balloon and froze them in place with Icy Wind. The flame didn't go out or freeze.

"Get the torch Grumpig." Ash said.

Grumpig took the flame from James and then jumped off the balloon.

Team Rocket was enraged and they broke out of the ice.

"Get that torch back from Grumpig Meowth!" Jessie demanded.

"You don't need to tell me twice." Meowth said.

Meowth jumped down from the balloon and got his claws ready to battle Grumpig. Ash was about to give Grumpig a command, but Tyson's Meowth stepped forward to battle Meowth. Tyson's Meowth dared Meowth to come and get him.

"Fine with me puss in boots." Meowth said.

Meowth attacked first with Aerial Ace and Tyson's Meowth attacked with Slash.

"Is it just me or does Team Rocket's Meowth look stronger?" Brock asked.

"Meowth is stronger than he used to be." Ash said. "I can tell Meowth has trained himself to become stronger."

"That's a surprise." Tomo stated. "I mean before it wasn't anywhere near as strong as our Pokemon."

Meowth then fired Water Pulse at Tyson's Meowth, but Tyson's Meowth used Iron Tail to counter that attack and then it used Quick Attack to send Meowth flying.

"I'm not done with you!" Meowth shouted while blasting off.

Now that Meowth was out of the way Tyson told his Meowth to use Thunderbolt on the balloon. Jessie and James were sent flying in a matter of seconds.

With the torch safe and sound and returned to the storage area, the Ever Grande Conference could continue. Mr. Goodshow was grateful and he thanked Tyson and Ash getting it back.

"I must say Ash, I thought you were brilliant back there." Tyson admitted. "I definitely cannot wait to battle you in the conference."

"I cannot wait to battle you either Tyson." Ash smiled.

So Ash and Tyson had become friends/rivals.