Going forward and beyond {Path of the Aura Ranger: Book I}

IV Zoey's P.O.V

"Well, it's been working." Candance chuckled, taking out a Poke Ball and calling out her next pokemon. "Glalie!"

Ash stopped frozen before throwing his Poke Ball and burst out laughing. We all saw the pokemon that came out of the Poke Ball... and we burst out laughing. "Did we coordinate this somehow and I am not aware?" Ash inquired, still laughing.

"Not that I am aware of," replied Candance, tearing up from laughing so hard. "Let's do this!"

"Double Team!" Ash commanded, doubles of Glalie appeared surrounding Candance's Glalie.

"Make them disappear with Freeze-Dry!" Candance ordered, making the doubles disappear in a show of lights. That's pretty, I thought. I'll steal that for my contests. However, Candance did not see Ash's Glalie sneaking from behind and attacking with a precise Iron Head. "Glalie!" Candance shouted worriedly. "Pay Back!"

"Glalie!" Now it was Ash shouting for his Glalie. "Retaliate with a Dark Pulse and Shadow Ball combo!" The Dark Pulse surrounded the Shadow Ball creating a beautiful attack, one that burst into a light show of violet and black lights.

That! That I am so stealing! I exclaimed internally.

"Beautiful!" Dawn murmured beside me.

"Since when does Ash fight like a coordinator?" Paul asked confused.

"It seems that your training practices with Ash are showing," Riley commented towards Dawn, who beamed back at him.

"Water Pulse!" Ash ordered, his Glalie attacking the other before they could get off the ground. "Frost Breath!" It was then that I realized how brilliant his plan was. Candace's Glalie was soaked and now he was attacking him with an ice attack. He was frozen in seconds. "Iron Head!" The ice sculpture shattered revealing a battered and fainted Glalie.

"Glalie is unable to fight! Ash Ketchum and Glalie are the winners!" Mr. Honcho announced to a cheering crowd.

"Well done buddy!" Ash smiled blindingly at his Glalie, who was floating in circles around him. "Return and relax."

"You might be winning, but this is far from over!" Candance warned him. This time both of them called out their pokemon at the same time, no matching set this time.

"Glaceon vs Miltank... bad match up," Riley murmured.

"Does Miltank have the Thick Fat ability?" Jeremiah inquired.

"Yes, but she is also very versatile," Riley replied.

"To be fair, all of Ash's Normal-type pokemon are very versatile," Dawn commented with a chuckle. "What I find funny is the fact that Ash was thinking of bringing his Glaceon to this battle but ended up deciding not to at the last minute."

"Wait, he has a Glaceon?" I exclaimed surprised.

"It would have been a three for three then," replied Paul with a dry chuckle.

"Don't you remember Zoey? You met them during Christmas!" Dawn exclaimed.

"I thought that was May's Glaceon!" I replied. "There were so many pokemon back then and I was already nervous about the Wallace Cup, I did not notice two different Glaceon going around." Soon our attention was recalled by the ongoing battle before us. Glaceon started with a Quick Attack to get close to Miltank fast and bite down on Miltank with a vicious Ice Fang. But because of Thick Fat, it was not very effective. Miltank retaliated with a Fire Punch to the gut and before it could send Glaceon flying, face-slapped him with an Iron Tail. "Ouch!" I muttered as Glaceon landed on the wall behind Candance, leaving a crater behind. "That must have hurt!" But Ash was not over. "Rollout!" He commanded, taking us all by surprise by the speed of that Rollout. Then again, Miltank's Rollouts are known for being both powerful and fast. However, Glaceon was expecting it and received it with a well-timed Double Kick, that sent Miltank rolling back and crashing into the wall behind Ash. Glaceon then followed with a Rain Dance and an Icy Wind that froze Miltank. "Well, they do say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery," I commented with a chuckle.

However, the ice sculpture did not last long, being cracked open by a Fire Punch from within. "Miltank, Heal Bell!" Ash's pokemon was healed up, while Glaceon was bruised and tired. "Now, let's finish this! High Horsepower!" Glaceon had no chance, it was truly a bad match-up. "Well done, sweetheart!" Ash congratulated her on her win, as Miltank rolled back to her trainer, before returning her to her Poke Ball. "This is getting good!"

"Just wait, we are just getting started!" Candance replied, getting all fired up. An Ice Master should not be that firery, but we would not want our city's Gym Leader any other way. "Abomasnow, you are next!"

"Then I will choose you, Nidoking!" Ash called out his fourth pokemon. This has now become a battle of titans! "Poison Jab!"

"Recieve it with Wood Hammer!" Candance commanded.

Her Abomasnow roared, and the titans fought. They received one hit with another, evenly matched when it came to raw strength. It did not make it any less exciting. If anything it umped things up. We could feel the shocks from the strength of the hits from where we were sitting. I felt as if I watching a fight between Fighting-type pokemon, their form was very well trained. Things got to a point both sides were starting to get tired, which was when Ash decided to change the pace with a well-timed Earthquake that destabilized Abomasnow and made him fall to the ground from a Poison Jab to the gut.

"Fire Punch!" Ash went for the kill, but the punch was received with an Ice Punch. Abomasnow was not giving up!

"Abomasnow! Go for it!" Candance shouted, startling us all, even Ash's razor-sharp concentration faltered. Abomasnow then summoned an Energy Ball, but instead of attacking he swallowed it. I was so confused, until the moment Abomasnow fired a Solar Beam.

"Nidoking!" Ash screamed, as his pokemon hit the ground, leaving a crater behind.

"Nidoking is unable to fight! Candance and Abomasnow are the winners!" Mr. Honcho announced to a silent crowd, which broke into cheers.

"She used the Energy Ball as a charging battery," Paul said stunned. "And here I thought only Ash came up with crazy attacks."

"She is good..." Dawn murmured.

"But it does not matter much, Abomasnow is done for," Jeremiah commented, pointing at a heaving Abomasnow. "He is exhausted and poisoned, he won't last long." As if he had heard him, Abomasnow fell forward and faceplanted on the ground.

The next battle was a quick one. As good as Mawile was, taking Weavile by surprise with a nasty Flamethrower from her jaw, Weavile was just too fast. No matter what a good match-up Mawile was against Weavile, what good was it when her attacks could not reach Weavile? What's worse Candance and Weavile did not give Mawile an opening to use the terrain or their attacks against them. So, Mawile ended up having to be on the receiving end of a barricade of well-placed and well-timed Shadow Claws and Focus Punches. Candance and Weavile ended the battle with a powerful Focus Blast, that caused Mawile to faint. But Ash did not take it laying down. He rapidly called out Miltank, Weavile's speed had nothing on Miltank's Rollout and Thick Fat. They ended up taking Weavile down with an overpowered Hyper Beam to the face.

"Ouch!" I cringed. "They are truly going for the kill out there."

"Yeah, I have not seen Ash this vicious before," Dawn commented.

"I have... during his battle against Bruno," Paul replied, thoughtfully.

"How did you see that? It was before you guys met," Riley asked him.

"My brother had the recording, he showed it to me," Paul answered.

"Weavile is down, all of Gym Leader Candace's pokemon are out," Mr. Honcho announced. "Ash Ketchum and his pokemon are the winners!"

The crowd was deafening, just like I was expecting. But Candance paid it no attention, recalling Weavile with a smile and walking towards a celebrating Miltank and Ash. She took out a badge and smiled at our friend. "This is the Snowpoint Gym's badge, the Icicle Badge, It is my greatest honor to present it to you. It was a well-earned badge and an amazing battle. Thank you!"

"No, thank you!" Ash replied, taking the badge and shaking her hand, before jumping in the air and posing with his pokemon. "I GOT AN ICICLE BADGE!"

I was so happy for Ash, he had truly earned this badge. It was an incredible battle, one that I will forever remember. Thank you Ash!