Nomination for Neo Champion

We'll be holding a new Neo Champion Stadium here on Pasio!

This competition is for finding Pasio's Neo Champions, sync pairs who can be role models for others to measure up against.

This time, the main judge will be...

Me! Iris, Champion of the Unova region!

I'll go ahead and start explaining the judging criteria for this tournament!

This time, I wanna see sync pairs who have the power to touch the hearts of others!

Show me that you can lead your fellow sync pairs on Pasio to new heights by touching their hearts!

I wanna see the powerful bonds of sync pairs who can do that!

That said, I figure it's hard to determine on your own if you have this power to touch the hearts of others...

So this time, to enter the tournament, you'll need to be nominated by other Trainers!

Plus, in order to keep the judging fair, I've called in an assistant to help me!

If we're requiring nominations, it's possible that an organization could rally behind their leader to nominate them!

However, that's not representative of the power to touch the hearts of others using the bonds you've built with people and Pokémon!

To address that concern, we'll use my Colress Machine to add an unbiased assessment to the judging!

The competition will be a simple tournament with one-on-one battles!

Go ahead and start submitting your nominations of Trainers you think might be a good fit!

Whaaaaat?!

You all want to nominate ME to be Neo Champion?

This is a huge opportunity, you need to be nominated to participate in the Neo Champion Stadium this time around...

But...why me?

Well, N felt strongly that it should be you.

You battled beside us when Ghetsis arrived on Pasio, Nate...

You got angry and shed tears for my sake...

Your honest emotions really touched my heart.

And I know how good you are at battling! Plus, you've got the guts to keep going no matter what happens!

When we infiltrated Team Plasma's hideout, we were able to get through it because of your quick thinking!

You know how to calmly and thoroughly assess what's going on around you.

It means a lot to hear you all say that...

but what about Rosa and Hugh?

They're talented and worthy of being Neo Champions, too!

I heard Rosa is busy with something that requires her attention.

Hugh is helping her, apparently.

But even if they didn't have that going on...

it doesn't change the fact that you're the one I want to nominate, Nate.

Even Haxorus agrees with me.

He says he wants to be a Neo Champion with you.

Haxorus...

So, what do you think? Will you accept our nomination?

OK, I'll take on the Neo Champion Stadium!

I won't let you or the others down, N!

Man, Hilda's training was tough...

You like the soil around here, huh?

Go ahead and lick up some minerals, then!

Back when we met in Unova, I never even dreamed that we'd become a sync pair.

You were pretty mad at me back then because I accidentally set foot in your territory...

Deepest apologies, customer!

We are out of service today. It is a shame.

I recognize those voices! You're the Subway Bosses...

Ingo and Emmet!

That's right, this is the spot that was turned into a battling area that uses a trolley...

So we're in the battle facility that the Subway Bosses made!

Nate! Thank you for coming all the way here!

Unfortunately, we are repairing a few things, so we're currently out of service.

When Team Break was on the loose, they broke part of our facility.

So that's why nobody was here, huh.

You know what? I'll help you with those repairs!

But I thought you were planning to participate in the Neo Champion Stadium, Nate...

Aren't you too busy?

Not at all!

Besides, if the repairs take too long, everyone eagerly waiting for you to reopen will be sad!

It looks great!

What do ya think you're doin' here?

Oh, Clay!

We're restoring the cave here that collapsed!

I see that.

But shouldn't you be preppin' for the Neo Champion Stadium?

If ya keep stoppin' to help everyone on the way, ya might forget whatcha gotta do, y'know?

But...

I'd feel worse if I didn't help someone who needed it!

Anyway, I should get going now. I'll be back soon!

Cheeky kid!

Clay, look at this!

We completed our repairs ahead of schedule!

It was so easy to work with Nate!

Our combination worked so well! It's like he was reading our minds!

I saw that, yeah.

But I don't think I'd call that mind-readin'.

I think he's just good at pickin' up on what others are feelin' and basin' what he's gonna say or do on that.

I see why there's folks out there who've recognized his talent.

Phew... Today's training was rough, too...

Marlon?! Why'd you come out of a glacier?!

I was swimmin' with the Pokémon, and it felt real good, so I kept goin' and goin', and that's how I ended up here!

What about you?

We're training for the upcoming Neo Champion Stadium.

Huh. Didn't realize a tournament like that existed...

When the ocean's your home, you don't worry about that sort of thing!

(That's right. Rosa did mention that back in Unova, Marlon didn't really know what was going on with Team Plasma...)

(He really is a laid-back guy, just like the rumors say...)

Oh! I just remembered!

I heard you battled Team Plasma when they were going wild here on Pasio. Props, dude!

I just did what I could.

Also...

I hate you. I'll never forget what you did in Unova.

But you're still N's father!

You truly have a kind heart...one that resonates with others.

You got angry for the people of Unova, you yelled at Ghetsis for me...

and now, you're even crying for me...

I know now that not everything is black and white.

But that doesn't mean I'm just going to stand there and do nothing!

If someone's in trouble, I wanna be there for them, and we can get angry or cry together...

If there's a wall in their way, I wanna help them break it down.

That's the kind of Champion we wanna be!

You're strong as a gnarly wave and as nice as a glassy sea.

Whatever the reason, it's all good. But think 'bout why you're doin' what you do.

The strength of your beliefs is what gives you and your Pokémon power!

Understood!

At long last, the Neo Champion Stadium began!

The sync pairs who were nominated based on their power to touch the hearts of others began a fierce competition...

Nate continued winning his battles...

(My opponent in the finals...)

For the sake of everyone from Hisui who's cheering me on...

I've got to win!

(They're strong!)

(So this is Rei, the guy who saved the people and Pokémon of the Hisui region! He's good!)

(If I'm gonna beat him...)

Haxorus.

Will you trust me and follow my lead?

Hey! They're really taking a beating!

Is this some sort of strategy, maybe?

(Nate...)

(So this is the path you've chosen...)

(You get hurt over and over, but keep moving forward without looking away...)

(It's a tough path you've chosen...)

But knowing you, Nate, I'm confident...

(Yup, I knew it.)

(They're avoiding hitting us head-on, they keep moving into our blind spot before they attack.)

(But if we know they're aiming for our blind spot, then we can predict where they'll be!)

Right there, Haxorus!

Uh-oh! Keep your distance, Decidueye!

Now...

time to focus on attacking!

All the sync pairs showed us amazing battles that really touched our hearts!

Among the competitors, there was one pair that truly put their trust in each other and gave it their all...

They showed us a strong bond that was so touching it made our hearts ache!

I'm gonna award Nate the title of Pasio Neo Champion!

Haxorus appeared to only be defending, but I measured a significant jump in its power, as well.

The Pokémon trusted its Trainer, and that allowed their feelings to resonate with each other. The power that created was explosive!

It was truly magnificent!

Lookin' cool, Haxorus!

Together with you, I can go anywhere.

It can be scary at times, overwhelmingly so. But...

I want to extend my hand...

as a Neo Champion of Pasio!