The microphones chimed in, as the main host, the Deputy Champion Steven Stone took his place at the center of the stage, raising his arms outward. "Everybody having a nice evening?"

The audience cheered back, raising their glasses up to the former Hoenn Champion.

"Well, not to spoil your fun, but it is now time to introduce the winners of our Clubsplosion event, for which, I'm sure, you all are super-excited."

The crowd returned an appreciative cheer.

"Great. So, help me welcome on stage, our third runner-up for the event, Ritchie from Frodomar City, Kanto. Fantastic job, Ritchie."

Austin observed how Ritchie walked up the elevated platform, as he shook hands with Steven.

My turn.

Austin took a deep breath as he was going to shake hands with one of the most coolest trainer's in pokemon in his opinion.

Don't do anything embarrassing.

Don't do anything embarrassing.

Austin whispered to himself as if it was a mantra.

" Our next, our second runner-up. Ash from Pallet Town, Kanto. A big hand."

Harrison patted his shoulder appreciatively, as Austin slowly trudged up to the platform. The audience were all cheering for him, though inwardly, Austin knew that he was far more comfortable in a battle ground, with audiences around him, than here, in a party.

"Well done, Ash." Steven smiled, as they shook hands. "Wonderful demonstration of your skill."

Austin mumbled a thanks, before Steven allowed him to stand aside.

He could see Ethan pointing at himself from the crowd while Kris shook her head in embarrassment while yellow was smiling and trying not to fall asleep.

"Our next, and runner-up, please welcome Harrison from Little Root Town, Hoenn, my own region." Steven shook Harrison's hand as he whispered something to him like he had done to Austin ,before going ahead with the final name. "And now, ladies and gentlemen, the winner of the event, the one person who will get a direct entry into the Top-32 of Indigo Conference due next year, is Jon from Sento Cherry Town, Johto."

Jon was a rather tall, lanky guy with brown hair, who looked to be around twenty. The elder guy shook Steven's hand, who actually looked a little smaller than Jon in height.

"And now, it is time for the finalists to get their mystery pokémon." Steven announced, as an entire table, with eight glittering ultraballs on it came levitating down from the ceiling, almost as if they had come down from the heavens themselves. "I should remind you that there are eight pokémon, all of them have been specially bred by the top breeders of Kanto and Hoenn.On behalf of the Kanto and Hoenn League, I hope that these pokémon will be able to support you fully in your path to become powerful trainers and Masters."

Everyone clapped hard for the four finalists.

"Now, I will ask Jon to step forward and choose a single ball from the stack, and then release your mystery pokémon for everyone else to see. Will you sporting enough to do that, Jon?"

Jon gave him a pursed smile. It wasn't vivid, but Austin thought that the guy wasn't terribly happy with the idea. Jon strode forward and after few seconds of indecisiveness, chose a random ultraball from the eight, before releasing the pokémon out for everyone to see.

The red light flashed, before materializing into a small,a quadrupedal Pokémon similar in appearance to hyenas and canines. Its body is primarily gray with a black face and throat, paws, and belly. Its eyes are red with yellow sclerae, and it has a red nose. Its lower jaw has two pointed teeth sticking out. The fur at the base of its tail is rumpled and shaggy. Poochyena has gray paw pads on its three-toed paws. It let out a woof, as the audience cheered.

"And Jon's mystery pokémon is Poochyena." Steven announced, as Jon returned the pokémon before stepping back to his place.

"Harrison's next."

Harrison strode up with confidence, as he selected a random pokeball, before smiling, and releasing it out for everyone, as a beautiful Vulpix materialised.

"Wonderful! A Vulpix. Thank you, Harrison."

"Ash, if you please ? "

Austin strode forward, pausing slightly as he considered the remaining six balls, each of them having a mystery pokémon. After a moment of indecisiveness, he plucked the one on the extreme right, before holding it up and releasing it in front of the crowd. The red light that shot out materialized a small, whitish, insectoid Pokémon. It had a pointed snout, a thin stripe that dips in a V-shaped pattern between its eyes, and two whisker-like antennae on its face. Its eyes are black with green iris-like rings inside. As it is virtually blind, it uses its antennae to sense its surroundings.

Steven looked at Austin as Bug types were looked down upon my many trainers and he wanted to see what this young trainer's reaction would be ?

Unlike what Steven was expecting , Austin was brimming with a smile mostly because nincada and it's subsequent evolutions , Ninjask and Shedninja were some of his most favourite Pokémon from Pokémon emerald.

" Wonderful, Nincada. Nice choice, Ash."

Austin slowly held the ultraball up, his eyes never leaving the white pokémon that now belonged to him, as he recalled it back, before slowly stepping back.

"And finally, Ritchie, please come up and select your mystery pokémon." Steven welcomed, as the trainer from Frodomar city walked up confidently, his Pikachu still on his shoulder, and picked up a random pokeball, before releasing the pokémon within. The energies shifted and condensed into a small, brown Pokémon that resembles an acorn. A beige, mask-like pattern covers its large black eyes, and it has two beige feet. It has a gray "cap" with a short stem on top of its head

"A Seedot." Steven announced. "Great choice, Ritchie."

Just as Ritchie had stepped back the four remaining pokeballs suddenly turned incorporeal and vanished from sight, much to everyone's surprise. Steven however, simply walked up to the center. "Now, I will call upon our guests to present the prizes to our Top-4 finalists." He turned towards Jon, as he beckoned him to join him at the centre.