Ash was on the battlefield. It was finally his turn. He felt his heart start pounding with adrenaline. Battling was the best feeling. He relished the challenge each of his opponents presented to him, and the sweet feeling of accomplishment when he and his Pokémon were able to prevail was euphoric.
"This will be a three on three battle between Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town and Battle Master Aliyah. Substitutions are allowed, and the battle will be over when either side's Pokémon are unable to continue. Trainers, bring out your first Pokémon."
"Pikachu, I choose you!" Ash exclaimed. Pikachu's cheeks sparked as he jumped out onto the battlefield.
"Milotic, help me please." The powerful Pokémon appeared out of her Pokeball, howling a challenge to Pikachu, who responded with more sparks.
"Battle begin!"
"Milotic use Bulldoze." Aliyah started promptly.
"Pikachu dodge!" Ash exclaimed. He saw the power of that bulldoze when Aliyah used it against Gary. And those weird eyes and purple smoke still freaked him out. Pikachu used his speed and jumping ability to launch himself into the air, effectively dodging the ground attack. "Thunderbolt!" Pikachu gathered up electricity around his body, loosing the powerful, jagged beam of electricity. The move hit Milotic directly, and caused severe damage, but still, ash was concerned because that move should have KO'd Milotic. He had a good sense of Pikachu's power, and the fact that Milotic was a water type should've caused an immediate knockout.
"Pikachu is really powerful, that should've knocked Milotic out," Serena muttered, brow furrowed as she watched the battle.
"You're right," Clemont said. "I wonder why it didn't?"
"I'm thinking it is something to do with their weird eyes and the vapor surrounding them," Serena was so used to Clemont having the answers, she had forgotten that Gary was a research assistant for Professor Oak and Professor Sycamore. "I think we can deduce that something about all the Pokémon we've faced: the vapor clouds and red-ringed eyes, are side effects of something that happened to these Pokémon, something that caused them to power up."
"I get what you're saying, and I wonder that if those shapes we saw in the smoke are a product of the potentially twisted minds they could've inherited? Bane's Pokémon seemed unusually savage, and the same thing with Aliyah's Gyarados and how it gave that roar that wasn't quite right." Clemont agreed, adding his own observations to Gary's.
"It could always be Fieronite," Luca murmured.
"There's no way," Gary said, which Clemont nodded. "Researchers have looked for that Pokémon for centuries and haven't found a single trace of any devil Pokémon living in the Aspera Mountains." Gary continued. "Even with Yveltal there were signs, as well as Mewtwo and Giratina."
"Mewtwo was made in a lab, that's not a fair comparison," Naomi pointed out. Gary inclined his head in acknowledgment.
"Still, there's no way it's Fieronite, it's one of the few Pokémon that are actually myths."
"If you say so," Luca conceded. As the group was talking, Ash and Aliyah had exchanged several more hits, and Milotic looked like it was about to faint. Pikachu was tired and beat up, but he looked okay for now.
"Pikachu use Quick Attack to get in close, then use Electro Ball!" Aliyah's eyes widened slightly as Pikachu darted close with Quick Attack while charging up his second move. Ash smirked, that was the first hint that she was starting to worry. Aliyah regained her composure instantly. But that split second, he knew he could win.
"Dodge please." But Milotic was too slow, and it got his with the electric type move. Because of the incredible speed of Pikachu, Electro Ball has a disastrous effect on Milotic, causing it to spin and slam into the wall with a loud crash as rocks fell over her. Milotic didn't get up.
"Milotic is unable to continue, Pikachu wins!" Aliyah called back her Pokémon with a sigh. Ash cheered as he held his arms open for Pikachu, who launched himself into Ash's arms.
"Great job buddy! But I want you to rest okay?" Pikachu nodded and jumped to the floor.
"Feraligatr, I need your help." Aliyah releases her second Pokémon. Ash grabbed Greninja's ball.
"I choose you!" Greninja appeared with a growl, a determined look in his eyes.
"Battle begin!"
"Let's get stronger Greninja!" Ash closed his eyes and allowed himself to connect with Greninja. When he opened them, they were one.
"Start this off with Night Slash!" Greninja sped towards Feraligatr.
"Superpower to counter please," Aliyah commanded. A millisecond later, the two Pokémon were locked in ferocious combat. Neither one was gaining an inch. Finally they collided with such force, both Pokémon were blown back.
"Water Shuriken!" Greninja created the Shuriken and spun it over his head, causing it to increase in size. The two of them had battled so much now that the Shuriken immediately was more powerful then average. They threw the Shuriken, the wind from the force of it stirring up the ground and sending up a fine layer of dust. Ash and his friends' were getting buffeted by the strong winds, as well as Aliyah. Feraligatr didn't have time to dodge, the Shuriken hit it full force, doing some serious damage.
"Use Giga Impact," Aliyah requested. Faster than before, Feraligatr charged up the attack and launched itself at Greninja. Ash and Greninja didn't have time to dodge, and the massive attack nailed them right in the stomach. Ash felt a rib snap, whether that was his or Greninja's he didn't know. To top it off, Greninja was sent flying into the wall behind Ash, causing them to arch their back as the impact wracked their back with pain.
"Greninja can you still battle?" Ash gasped. The water type stood up shakily, stumbling back to the battlefield.
"Ninjaaaa," he replied, setting his jaw. Ash nodded.
"Use Aerial Ace!" They raced towards Feraligatr, jumping up and slamming their foot down on Feraligatr's head. Fortunately because of the Giga Impact, Greninja was able to land a hit. Unfortunately, it didn't do as much as Ash had hoped. Feraligatr was one tough Pokémon.
"I still don't understand how her Pokémon can stand so many hits? Ash's Pokémon are incredible strong, there's no doubt about that." Serena muttered. Naomi nodded, the purple smoke and red ringed eyes making her nervous.
"I agree. Ash's Pokémon are probably some of the strongest Pokémon I've ever met, and that was 7 years ago." Korrina said. "I can only imagine the strength they have now."
"I've watched him since I was little, he rarely has to use more than 1 or 2 Pokémon during his battles, it's so weird." Luca replied. The rest of the gang nodded.
"Shadow Sneak!" Ash called. Greninja melted into the shadows, causing Feraligatr to pause for a moment, its eyes narrowed and brow furrowed as it tried to sense where Greninja was.
"Now!" Ash and Greninja melted out of the shadows, directly to the right of Feraligatr, slamming hard into its side. Feraligatr roared in pain, then its lips curled up and it bore it's teeth with a never ending feral growl that rose and fell in cadence.
"Feraligatr use Hydro Pump please," Aliyah requested. A jet of water exploded out of Feraligatr's mouth and hit Greninja hard, pushing him into a wall underneath the stands where Ash's friends were all sitting. Ash arched backwards as the rocks pummeled Greninja's back, and they almost buckled with the pain.
Ash grit his teeth, Greninja doing the same as he stumbled away from the wall. Greninja was shaking, which Ash emulated. Their strength was failing.
"Water Shuriken!" Ash called as a last resort. Greninja made the huge, orange Water Shuriken, holding it above his head as it spun rapidly. "Now!" With a mighty yell, Ash wasn't sure who's, they released the Shuriken, sending the powerful attack slicing through the air towards Feraligatr.
A moment passed as the Shuriken caught Feraligatr under its throat, then it continued. The Shuriken propelled Feraligatr into the opposite wall that Greninja had been thrown into, and a pile of rubble crashed down on him just as the massive Shuriken dissolved and splashed to the ground, the water's fluke reaching the battlefield where Ash and Aliyah stood, subsequently soaking them.
The rubble shifted as Feraligatr pulled itself from the wreckage, tumbling down the pile to the ground, where he didn't move again.
"Feraligatr is unable to battle, Greninja wins!" Aliyah called her Pokémon back, smirking.
"You are something else my fine trainer," but she grinned. "I have a secret weapon." She tossed Gyarados out, who challenged the whole room with a mighty roar that shook the ceiling. A couple of boulders shifted from where they had fallen, rolling to a stop and few feet away from the original wreckage.
"Greninja, you need a break," Ash gasped. He and Greninja had disconnected themselves, and now both were hurting badly and shaky. Greninja nodded and allowed Ash to call him back into his Pokeball. Ash was about to call out Pikachu once more, but the glint of something strapped to the middle horn of Gyarados's crest. He changed his mind and sent out Vulpix.
"Why Vulpix?!" Luca exclaimed worriedly. "That poor Pokémon is going to get destroyed!"
"I have to agree with you, it's very strange." Gary said, almost absentmindedly. He was trying to figure out why Ash went with Vulpix. She's tough, but she's the weakest one on his team right now. There's no way that Pokémon would last through one move, especially with the abnormal amount of power Aliyah's Pokémon seem to have. Unless...
"A Vulpix?" Aliyah asked, somewhat amused. Ash nodded. He was busy analyzing Aliyah. Why does she all of a sudden seem so confident? Gyarados has a Mega Stone, but that doesn't necessarily mean she acquired a keystone, but on the off chance she did, he wanted to use Vulpix's Moon Blast to take care of it.
"Battle begin!"
"Gyarados, wild as the raging sea, that frightening temptress She is, respond to the roar of the restless ocean. Mega Evolve!" Aliyah held up a closed fist, and tendrils of light seeped out and connected with the tendrils from Gyarados. That was the first time Ash had heard any passion, any raised voice from her. His body was humming with anticipation. This is what battling was about, meeting people and testing yourself against the strongest trainers in the world.
Gyarados glowed white as the tendrils of light connecting the keystone and the Gyaradosite changed it into its mega form.
"Use Ice Beam!" Ash called. Vulpix gathered a ball of blue light in its mouth, preparing to send the move towards Gyarados.
"Dodge it!" Aliyah exclaimed. The strange looking mega Gyarados shot to the side, avoiding Vulpix's move.
"Use Hydro Pump!" Aliyah exclaimed.
"Vulpix, block it with Moon Blast!" Ash exclaimed.
"Of course!" Gary exclaimed in the stands. "Mega Gyarados is a dark typing with its water type. Ash must've seen a mega stone on Gyarados, that's why he chose Vulpix. The fact that it can learn Moon Blast is a great way to win. He's playing the advantage."
"Oh my Arceus you're right!" Serena exclaimed. She smiled brightly down at Ash. He was amazing.
Down on the battlefield, the pink and blue beams of energy and water were pushing against each other. Each Pokémon trying to get the upper hand and break through. Ash was very impressed with Vulpix, she has grown very strong.
"Come on Vulpix, I know you can do it!" Ash exclaimed.
"Break the connection!" Aliyah exclaimed. Gyarados wasn't getting anywhere, that tiny Vulpix was a formidable opponent. Gyarados broke the connection, and the moves exploded together as they disappeared.
"Moon Blast one more time!" Vulpix gathered up another ball of pink energy in its mouth, releasing the move once she had gathered enough energy.
"Counter with Flamethrower!" Ash set his jaw. Fire is resistant to fairy. If Gyarados broke through, that Flamethrower would seriously injure Vulpix.
"Come on Vulpix!" Something in his voice must've transferred to Vulpix, because she started yelling determinedly, and the Moon Blast seemed to grow brighter and stronger. The pink beam of light slowly started pushing away the jet of flames roaring from Gyarados's mouth.
"Just a bit farther," Ash said, determination setting his jaw and hardening his eyes.
With a final push, Vulpix was able to beat the Flamethrower, and her move collided with Gyarados, lighting it up pink and white. Gyarados roared as the attack made contact. Once the move was over, Gyarados fell slowly towards the ground, changing back to its original state.
"Gyarados is unable to battle, Vulpix wins! That means the match goes to Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!" The announcer declared. Ash smiled happily as he walked to the center to pick Vulpix up.
"You were incredible." He whispered to the pale blue-white Pokémon. Vulpix smiled and bumped her head against his.
He put Vulpix down as Aliyah approached.
"You and your friend are unusual trainers. Both of you have beat me here today, for that I am impressed. There are not many who can defeat me, I told your friend that before."
"Thanks," Ash replied, pulling out his stamp book." Aliyah stamped a large number 3 on the corresponding page, then nodded to him, withdrawing.
Ash's friends joined him below, eager to congratulate him. Ash turned to Vulpix, kneeling down.
"Vulpix, I think you're ready for this," he pulled out an ice-cold, blue-white stone. Vulpix's large bluish-purple eyes brightened with happiness. Ash held out the stone for Vulpix, and she touched it with her paw.
The rest of the gang got to the battlefield next to Ash just as Vulpix started glowing bright white, the ice stone changing her body, making her grow and giving her more tails. When the evolution was finished, Ninetales stood before them.
"Ash that battle was amazing." Naomi exclaimed, giving her brother a huge hug.
"And you were awesome, Ninetales." Serena added, scratching the newly evolved Pokémon.
"Nine!" Ninetales yipped. The gang laughed and congratulated Ash. Bonnie and Luca were ready for their battles, and Naomi and Serena were excited about the showcase.
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Okay thank you guys so much for reading! I'm so sorry it's so long between updates, even in the summer, and God knows I have nothing else to do right now, especially with the state of the world. I'm just having difficulty writing this book. I know how it ends and I know big important stuff that's supposed to happen, I'm just having trouble getting there.
If you've been patient all this time, thank you so much for sticking with me.
Vote and comment!