Gotta Catch That One

Chapter 40: Ash's New Rival

"I've got Infernape, Sceptile and Houndoom." Ash answered, not quite understanding why Gurkinn needed to know his Pokemon.

Gurkinn looked a little confused. "A Houndoom? I would have thought you'd have your Greninja."

"He's uh...kind of busy." Ash said quietly.

Korrina's eyes lit up in excitement. "That's Malva's Houndoom, though, right Ash?" She clenched her fists. "Can I please battle it?"

Calem coughed and everyone looked at him. "Sorry...but Ash...didn't we have an agreement?"

Ash nodded and then looked apologetically at Korrina. "Sorry Korrina, but I promised Calem I'd battle him. Maybe later?"

Korrina sighed but nodded. "Alright." She turned around and started walking. "Come on, why don't you guys battle here?"

In a few minutes, Ash and Calem were standing on opposite sides of the gym battlefield. Ash was on the challenger's side, while Calem stood on Korrina's usual spot. Gurkinn was on the sidelines as the referee, while Dawn and Korrina sat in the stands.

"How many for the battle?" Ash asked Calem.

Calem shrugged. "Full battle?"

Ash nodded and then Gurkinn, who seemed eager to start the battle, spoke up. "Alright, this will be a six on six battle between Ash and Calem. Substitutions are allowed. Once all Pokemon for one trainer are unable to battle, the other will be declared the winner. Let the battle begin!"

Calem threw out a pokeball first and his Blaziken appeared before him. Ash was tempted to use Infernape, but something told him to go with someone else. "Sceptile, I choose you!" He yelled, throwing out his pokeball, which flashed and then revealed the reptilian grass-type.

Calem made the first move. "Blaziken, sky uppercut!"

"Leaf blade!" Ash countered.

Both Pokemon whipped forward with incredible speed and Ash was barely able to register it. It seemed that both of them sensed this was an important measuring stick for each trainer. Blaziken's fist clenched and he lowered it quickly, before springing it up with extreme force. Meanwhile, Sceptile jumped up, his leaf blade glowing in a green light, and then he slammed it down. The attacks slammed together and a shock wave of wind blasted outwards, causing Ash to grab his hat, before it could fly off. Sceptile and Blaziken leaped away from each other and stood in front of their trainers and stared each other down.

Ash noticed Calem looked quite pleasantly surprised. "Amazing." He said. "Even though he's a grass type, Sceptile's leaf blade matched Blaziken's power perfectly."

"Sceptile's no ordinary Pokemon." Ash said. "None of my Pokemon are."

Calem looked like he was thinking and then he smiled. "This is the Sceptile that beat the Darkrai in the Sinnoh League isn't it?"

Ash looked at him in surprise. "Yeah."

"I've done my research, Ash. I've been planning for this battle. I've got my A-Team as well." Calem said confidently."

Ash narrowed his eyes. This was definitely going to be quite the challenge. "Alright then, why don't we get this going again? Sceptile use leaf storm!" Sceptile answered immediately and turned quickly and raised his leafy tail. Immediately green wind started swirling towards Blaziken, leaves whipping around inside of it.

"Blaziken, flamethrower!" Calem ordered. Blaziken opened his mouth and blasted a massive jet of flames towards the leaf storm attack. The attacks met head on clashed together for a few moments, but ultimately the flamethrower was able to power through. It burned through the swirling leaves and slammed straight into an alarmed Sceptile, blasting him back, causing him to land on his face in front of Ash. "Quick, blaze kick now."