[1] The Daughter of Nurse Joy

Indigo League: Opening Ceremony

After the whole situation with Mewtwo, even though Ash, Brock, Misty, and Mairin didn't remember it, the gang had finally arrived at the Indigo Plateau.

"So Cora, how far do you think you'll get in the Indigo League?" Mairin asked.

"Well I would like to win it," Cora replied, "But I do know that trying to win the league isn't going to be easy. So I just hope I can at least make it through the Preliminary rounds."

"I think you'll do great, Cora." Alain smiled.

Just then they approached a large fanfare and people with flags.

Mairin blinked, "Erm...what was that?"

"They must be waiting for the torch bearer." Misty replied.

"Torchbearer?" Ash asked. 

"It's someone who runs to the Indigo League stadium, with a flaming torch, and lights up a huge flame that burns during the entire Pokémon League Competition." Cora replied.

"That's right and the flame is supposed to be a form of inspiration for the competitors. They also say that the flame is supposed to be of a Moltres." Brock explained.

"Moltres?" Ash asked.

"The Legendary Bird of Fire; Moltres." Cora stated.

"From what I know, Moltres is also known as one of the Legendary Birds of Kanto." Alain added.

Cora looked at Moltres on her phone:

[Moltres, the flame Pokémon. When Moltres is injured, it is said to dip its body in the molten magma of a volcano to burn and heal itself.]

"What an amazing Pokémon." Ash commented.

"I wish that I could be the torch bearer." Cora said.

"It would be kind of fun." Alain admitted.

"Yeah." Brock agreed.

"Hey, I think I see the runner now." Misty pointed to the front.

Sure enough, someone was indeed running with the torch in hand. He was being escorted by an Officer Jenny, and before Brock could get any funny ideas, Misty had yanked him by the ear real quick. The Torch Bearer waved to the crowd as he ran past them with a goodhearted smile on his face. The crowd waved back at him, the group included in that wave.

"Once the Torch Bearer lights up the flame the league will begin." Cora won't deny that she was feeling excited right now.

"You're really fired up about this aren't you, Cora?" Alain teased.

Cora smiled and nodded, "I am."

CRASH!

The gang's eyes automatically looked over at where they heard the noise from. Obviously worried, they ran to the scene and saw that not only was the Torch Bearer injured, but both Officer Jenny and another vehicle were stuck in what appears to be a pitfall trap.

Cora's eyebrow twitched, "Don't tell me..."

"Ahahaha!"

"Yep." Misty rubbed her temples.

Team Rocket showed their annoying faces yet again, and once again being a bunch of annoying trio of idiots.

"Found you twerps!" Jessie pointed at the gang.

"Thought that we wouldn't show up, huh?" Meowth taunted.

"Now hand over both the Torch and your Pokémon." James smirked.

Alain, Mairin, Misty, Ash and Brock prepared to send their own Pokémon out. 

"We're not gonna let you guys ruin this competition!" Ash called out.