After the final day of the screening round Ash is pleased to see not only all of his group made it to the main but also all of the traitors as well. After breakfast he calls a meeting and invites his father, Stepmother, and uncle.

"Thank you all for coming so quickly. The main competition starts in a few days. Our prey has cleared the screening round and our revenge is close at hand. For now go about your duties. I'll assign a traitor to each of you and send out a message with each of their teams. From there I want you to return a detailed plan of how to deal with them. We won't interfere with the selection process unless it's for a good reason. In the event one of us deals with a traitor we aren't assigned the one assigned to them needs to send their plan to the individual. 

"You should receive your assignment by lunch. Under no circumstances are any of you to show your legendaries or engage the traitors. If they approach you act cordial and answer any questions they have that don't pertain to any of us. This excludes yourself. If it is a question that pertains to you be polite and answer as you see fit. Under no circumstances are you to reveal our plans for them or get aggressive. This is an absolute order. 

"When you leave please discuss your plans with each other and keep in constant contact. We do not want any slip ups. Check in every half hour if you aren't in a battle in which case check in as soon as the battle is over. Those who don't check in will receive a recall order. If you fail to arrive for this within an hour everyone will drop what they are doing to come find you. Furthermore, if you become injured and cannot respond send a flying type back here to notify me. Should this occur any elite or brain within a mile should head straight to the location of the downed to administer first aid.

"With that done are there any questions?" Ash says. "In the event that a traitor is the cause of said injury what protocol do we follow?" Kiawe asks. "Depending on the injured and the traitor involved the protocol varies. I will include this order in the message I send you. Once received I will need a confirmation that the details have been memorized then delete the orders so as not to reveal our plans." Ash answers.

"What if the cause of our injury is related to a different competitor?" Gladion asks. "In that case notify Nanu and the island's police so they can be detained and removed from the master's league. The police have already been informed that the traitors are exempt from this order." Ash says.

"What should we say if questioned on this by other competitors?" Chloe asks. "We will not be questioned. For this if a traitor is involved the individual assigned to that traitor will take a group of team skull grunts and Aether foundation employees to silence the traitor responsible. To the masses' knowledge they will be told the individual has been detained and awaiting trial. No other information involving these circumstances will be leaked." Ash says.

"What procedure should be followed in the event we are seen silencing the offending traitor by a civilian or competitor?" Yellow asks. "All silencing will be done within the safety of Po town's walls so as not to be seen. Protocol will dictate that the traitor is to be taken silently to the specified location with no witnesses." Ash answers.

With no other questions everyone leaves to handle their individual tasks leaving only Ash, his elites, and his family.

"What should we do?" Sato asks. "The three of you will do as you please but stay together and refrain from breaking any laws." Ash says. With a nod the three leave.

"Gary prepare a workup of the traitors' Pokémon and skill sets. Max, you and Bonnie will head out to town and act as if you are on a date wherein you will survey any misgivings about the rest of the participants. Any information of this nature needs to be sent to the police and myself immediately.

"Brock, you and Cynthia will be assigned to Melemele island to do the same as the previous pair. Orders are the same.

"Lillie, you're with me as always. We'll remain here on Ula'Ula island but we'll be working out of the lake of Moone. From our station there we'll observe the region and handle any issues that come up." Ash says. With a nod the remaining individuals get to work.

On Melemele island

Guzma runs his facility like normal taking on every challenger that steps in. The battles are quick but hard fought nonetheless. Between two of the battles he receives his orders and sees he's assigned to Tierno. "Easy enough. Hard to miss the tub of lard." Guzma chuckles to himself before having Plumeria memorize the orders for him. Once the orders are read and memorized Guzma sends confirmation and deletes the thread then gets back to his challengers.

After getting confirmation from everybody Ash gets to work with the help of Lillie, A Solgaleo, A Lunala, and several ultra beasts.

"So what's our plan here?" Lillie asks. "It's simple. Our plan is to act as if we're scouting out trainers for the frontier when we're really spying on the traitors." Ash says as he uses a computer set up to track down each of the traitors.

"Couldn't we have done that from our main base or Aether paradise?" Lillie asks. "Not as well as here. The lake is connected to ultra space meaning it's undetectable to any scan. Truth be told here wasn't my first choice. I would've preferred going to the alter of the Sunne but it's too close to the island trial and three of the battle facilities." Ash says. Lillie only nods before getting to work on finding her half of the traitors.

With Sawyer 

Sawyer trains hard with his group which consists of Iris, Bianca, Trip, and Paul. They all train separately but stay near by each other so as to maximize both safety and training. The four are on Akala island and are near Brooklet hill.

Training goes smoothly until several other competitors come to them demanding battles saying that if they win the traitors have to drop out of the league. The traitors look at them as if the opposing group were dumber than a box of rocks.

When Paul tells them to buzz off the lead trainer plays the "too afraid to battle because they know they'll lose" card. None of the traitors get defensive and Bianca says, " We have no reason to jeopardize our spots in the main competition over something as stupid as exhibition battles. Paul's right buzz off."

This gets the opposing group angry until Lana, Kiawe, and Mallow show up.

"Is there something wrong here?" Mallow asks. "None at all. We were just asking for a few battles." One of the trainers says. "Bullshit. You made the stipulation that if we lost, we'd have to drop out of the master's league." Sawyer says angering the other group.

"Coercing someone out of the biggest tournament of the decade is against the rules. This is your only warning. Next time you'll be ejected from the league and permanently banned from ever entering again." Kiawe says. "In addition, from here on you'll be monitored anytime you are out of the stadium grounds by our security teams. Please leave these trainers alone unless you are in an official battle with them." Lana says. "That's unreasonable. We were just trying to advance in the tournament." One of the trainers says. "Intimidation is no way to win the masters league. If you want to advance then do it the right way. Have a fair battle in the tournament and legitimately eliminate them. If you have a problem with it then take it up with president Goodshow." Lana says. "Be lucky this is your first offense. The second warning is where we have to take actions which include limited contact with other participants." Kiawe says.

"I believe now is a good time for your group to leave your fellow competitors alone." Mallow says. With only grumbled complaints the second group of trainers leave the traitors alone.

"Were you spying on us?" Paul asks. "Not at all. we were actually on our way to lunch when we saw this." Lana says. "Mind if we join you?" Iris asks. "Not at all. Be our guests." Mallow says after consulting her friends.

Meanwhile on Poni island 

Acerola watches as Misty, Barry, Lyra, and Trip take on the dragon island challenge. 

The group seems to have difficulty dealing with the Hakamo-o portion of the trial getting the frontier brain to giggle then think about Sawyer until her next challenger arrives. Acerola proves to be a tough elite and leaves all but a few challengers without the symbol. Between long periods without challengers she goes back to examining her group of traitors who are making slow progress in the trial of the traitors Lyra is the first to make it to Kommo-o and in the end she's the only to pass.

"Kazuki will want to know this." Acerola says before sending the message.

The day of the first round of the main competition 

"Welcome one and all to the main competition of the master's league. This round will be three on three battles.  This round will have four sub rounds to narrow down our current 256 down to just 64. Each round will be fought on one of four battlefield which are ice, rock, grass, or water. This round will be fought on the rock battlefield.

"On the board are this round's first matches. Good luck to everyone who have made it this far." President Goodshow says. In this round only one of the elites is facing a traitor. This match being Clemont versus Cilan.

Stay classy, Nightfuries