A New Beginning

Chapter 10

"I'll go ahead," Nate said confidently.

Ash smiled at him. "Break a leg."

***

Nate stood on his small platform. The battlefield was changed from a rectangle to a huge triangle shaped field. Each trainer stood at each corner. His other two opponents were Gary and Hugh. It was the first he had fought a battle like this. He needs to hold his ground long enough so that when he is knocked out, Ash could finish the rest, provided he doesn't screw this up.

Their match was the first so everyone was watching. Nate felt nervous and excited at the same time.

"Hey Guys, good luck to you. You are facing against me after all," Gary joked while calling out to them.

"Don't let your guard down. I won't be holding back," Hugh glancing at them both.

Nate nodded with a smile as he took out a pokeball.

"Get ready trainers. Now bring out your pokemon."

All of them threw their pokeballs at the same time.

"Emboar!" Nate yelled, calling out his Unovan fire starter pokemon.

"Samurott," Hugh calmly called out his own starter from the same region.

"Blastoise," Gary grinned and brought out one of his strongest pokemon.

Nate's eyes widened in horror at the matchup.

"You gotta be kidding me!" Barry exclaimed.

"We are so screwed," Chloe muttered.

"The trainers have chosen their pokemon. Oh, what's this? It seems that the student named Nate placed himself in a severe disadvantage," Professor Nomura analyzed in the mic. Many students pitied him for his bad luck.

Nate clenched his fists. He should have gone with Lucario again.

'This is bad. At this rate, I'll be knocked out quickly and Ash will have a huge burden on himself. Dammit. I am sorry Ash, I...huh?' He was having these thoughts when he made eye contact with his partner at the stands. Ash's face was void of any emotions. He wasn't pitying him nor encouraging him. But the look in his eyes told him everything he needed to know. Nate took a deep breath and firmed his resolve.

'That's right. This hasn't even started and I am acting so pathetic. I am not going down that easily without a fight.'

Ash smiled, glad that Nate understood his thoughts. Type advantages and disadvantages were just the strategical part of a pokemon battle. It was important, but it wasn't the only thing that controlled the outcome of a battle.

Meanwhile, Gary thought of a plan to carry out in this match. Teaming up with Hugh and taking out Nate will be pretty convenient. While Hugh is distracted, he will eliminate him too. Gary thought as he looked at his target.

"I have a proposal Hugh. It could benefit us both. Let's take Nate out first and then battle each other late-"

"Samurott, Ice Beam," Hugh cut him off and commanded immediately, calling the first move of the match.

The water type sprung upwards and fired an ice beam, creating a barrier between the three of them. Hugh knew it wasn't a wise choice to trust anyone in this kind of battle. Gary smirked, seeing that Hugh saw his real intentions.

"Emboar, use Flamethrower."

Emboar's powerful attack melted through the icicle barrier. Gary immediately took that opening.

"Blastoise, use Skull Bash."

The Kanto water type flew towards Samurott at a fast rate. Hugh's reaction time was slow, as Samurott took a direct hit, at least that's what Gary thought.