Chapter Text
Mornings at Cerise Labs were less of a cut and dry routine and more of a disorganized scramble for any semblance of sanity. Whoever woke up first varied between Ash and Chloe, as the former often wanted a headstart on training, while the latter was simply an early riser by nature. In any case, the morning Pidgeys had an unspoken agreement not to wake Professor Cerise if they could help it- Chloe’s father worked odd hours, and needed whatever sleep he could get. Goh, on the other hand, had no such rule applied to him. As a result, Ash and Chloe had made a game of waking him up in the most annoying way possible. Their current go-to was giving the city boy’s Grookey a soup pot from the kitchen to practice his drumming with, which produced such a cacophony that not even Ash’s Snorlax could have slept through it. All in all, it was a comfortable madness.
The morning on which everything began to change started like any other morning at the lab. Chloe was the first out of bed, rising alongside Eevee and Yamper. After making sure that her companions had breakfast within their reach, Chloe started the coffee. While Ash had the ungodly ability to both rise with the sun and function without caffeine, she only had one of those talents, hence the presence of a relatively nice coffee maker in the lab’s kitchen.
With her coffee in hand and the Vermillion Sun spread across the table, Chloe was all set for a peaceful morning. Even Ash’s clumsy entrance into the kitchen barely broke her concentration, engrossed in the paper as she was. As the older Trainer made breakfast, Chloe’s eyes finally caught on an interesting headline.
“Huh, that’s neat.” She mused.
“What’s neat?” Ash queried through a bite of toast, having sat down with a plate and a glass of juice.
“There’s a Luvdisc festival in a week. It’s going to have a street carnival, and a bunch of the shops downtown are doing special promotions. It would probably be fun to invite some friends.”
Ash swallowed his toast, washing it down with a sip of his juice. “Sounds fun. Who’re you thinking about inviting?”
Chloe shrugged. “I’ll have to see who’s in town, but I think Lisia mentioned that she and Serena were going to have some free time soon.”
At the mention of her friends, Chloe noticed a peculiar expression across Ash’s face. It was somewhere between surprise, longing, and another feeling that she couldn’t figure out. This merited further investigation.
“I need to get started on training. Dragonite and Tyranitar have some new moves to practice.”
Ash excused himself, clearing his plate with a distinct awkwardness that left Chloe wondering what she’d said to upset him. Ash was easygoing most of the time, but oddly private about certain things. This was just one more thing to add to the mystery, she supposed.
When Goh eventually wandered into the kitchen, blinking the sleep out of his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of Chloe puzzling over her laptop.
“Something going on, Chlo?” The city boy yawned, pouring instant oats into a bowl of hot water.
Chloe took another sip of her coffee- she was on her second cup, finally starting to feel human. “Something’s up with Ash.”
“When is something not up with Ash?” Goh raised an eyebrow.
“No, I’m being serious. We might need the Board for this one.”
That caught Goh’s attention. The “Ketchum Conspiracy Board” had started as a tongue in cheek joke about the strange things that seemed to happen around their fellow researcher, and had gradually evolved into an actual database of all Ash-related weirdness. Chloe implying a need for the Board meant that something was seriously off.
“... let me finish my breakfast first.”
A bowl of oatmeal later, Goh retrieved his laptop and sat across from Chloe. The shared online whiteboard was already open, ready for their latest investigation to begin.
“So what’s the situation?” Goh inquired.
Chloe explained the events of breakfast, highlighting Ash’s awkward exit once Lisia and Serena were mentioned. Goh listened carefully throughout, surprisingly not interjecting even once. When Chloe finished, Goh raised his hand.
“Just to make sure I have this right: Ash Ketchum, the least hormonal teenager known to man, might be having girl problems?”
Chloe sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Why did you have to put it like that?”
Goh shrugged. “I call it like I see it. And I’d have to be blind not to notice those two, because damn.”
Overcome by the strong urge to slap her best friend upside the head, Chloe settled for giving him an extremely disappointed Look.
Goh backed away nervously, throwing his hands up in a clear sign of surrender. “Okay, okay. Point taken. What else do we know?”
“Not much, besides the fact that Ash clearly knows at least one of them.” Chloe mused, before an idea struck her.
“Why don’t I just text the group chat?”
Goh blinked. “We have a group chat?”
“You’re not in it.”
“Why not?” The researcher pouted.
“It’s for girl talk, which you are definitely not invited to if that was your reaction to Lisia and Serena.” Chloe snarked, drafting a text to the Uproar chat in question.
Girl Talk (No boys allowed!)
NotNamedJune: That’s how it’s done! [BlackthornFinal.mov]
ShiningSpinning: Fabulous as always, May! Glaceon and Blaziken was an inspired choice
Tsumoreofapain: Don’t think we didn’t notice the look Drew gave you, though. That boy has it bad.
NotNamedJune: afhskjlirhdk I HATE YOU DAWN
Bloombolt: Hey, everyone. Is Serena offline? Something weird came up, and i’m not sure if i should be asking her about it
Tsumoreofapain: CHLOE!!!! So happy to see you :D
Tsumoreofapain: to answer, she’s offline, spill
Bloombolt: What’s the story with Serena and Ash? I brought her up at breakfast today, and he got this weird look on his face.
ShiningSpinning: i forgot that she doesn’t know The Lore ™
NotNamedJune: @Bloombolt let’s take this to the DMs, because there is HISTORY there, but idk if Serena wants it all out in the open
DM with @MissMayple
MissMayple: Do you want the long version or the short version?
Bloombolt: Medium version if it exists, plz
MissMayple: So basically, Ash and Serena have known each other since a summer camp when they were kids. They travelled together in Kalos, and Serena developed a huge crush on him. Right before they separated, Serena kissed him. They call sometimes, and Serena’s still head over heels, but idk if Ash even realizes how much she loves him.
Bloombolt: Wow.
Bloombolt: that’s a lot to take in, but I think i know what i need to do now
Bloombolt: thanks, May
MissMayple: np
Girl Talk (no boys allowed!)
Bloombolt: Hey, Lisia and Serena, are either of you up for coming to Vermillion next week? There’s some fun stuff in town, and I feel like it’s been forever since we hung out.
ShiningSpinning: Count me in! @BlueRibbonGal and I can clear our schedules, for sure!
Bloombolt: Perfect
DM with @ShiningSpinning
Bloombolt: Two requests: one, don’t outright tell Serena that I had ulterior motives for this. Two, try not to break Goh’s heart too badly. He is, well, a boy.
ShiningSpinning: :thumbsup:
Chloe only looked up from her phone when Goh tapped her on the shoulder, his quizzical stare betraying his intentions.
“You might want to sit down for this.” Chloe warned her best friend, and though he was confused, Goh obliged.
Once Chloe filled him in, Goh couldn’t contain his shock. “I can’t believe Ash got a girlfriend before I did…” He pouted, only half joking.
“And you’ll never find someone with an attitude like that.” Chloe fired back, before sucking in a deep breath.
“Look, I don’t care if you mess with Lisia while she’s here- god knows she could use someone to fool around with- but under no circumstances are you to interfere with Ash. I’ll handle getting him ready.”
Goh gave her a two-fingered salute. “Understood.”
Chloe smiled at her best friend thankfully, clapping her hands together. “Perfect! Operation Ketchum Confession is a go!”
The state of the art training field at Cerise Labs, as usual, was occupied by a raven haired Trainer from Pallet Town and his Pokemon. Today’s exercise was all about speed and accuracy, mostly in the form of trying not to get hit.
“Alright, Tyranitar, try a Smack Down again! Dragonite, see if you can dodge it with Dragon Dance!”
Ash’s commands rang out clearly, instructing his two newest captures in their training. He counted himself incredibly fortunate to have met the two of them. (Or re-met in the case of Tyranitar, then a Larvitar.) Dragonite’s knowledge of Dragon Dance would be a great tool for both evasion and sweeping strategies, while Tyranitar’s deep movepool meant that he was capable of versatility, which was something that Ash always worked to bring out in his Pokemon.
As Dragonite gracefully dodged Tyranitar’s thrown rock, Ash grinned. “Good work, Dragonite! Now bring the house down- Sky Attack!”
Trilling her name, Dragonite became cloaked in a blue light, Flying type Infinity Energy surrounding her body as she tucked into a dive. Without Ash’s prompting, Tyranitar retaliated with a well-timed defensive Stone Edge, directing the majority of Dragonite’s momentum at the granite wall. However, the young Rock type failed to account for the multiple Dragon Dances his friend had stacked during their training session, and was promptly knocked off his feet by a flying tackle from Dragonite.
Ash shielded his eyes from the cloud of dust, only opening them once the air was cleared.
“You okay, big guy?” He asked Tyranitar, and the Armor Pokemon rumbled in the affirmative.
Now came the part Ash wasn’t always a fan of: the critiques. As much as he wanted to just compliment his Pokemon, he’d learned from both Paul and Cynthia that constructive feedback went a long way, especially with younger Pokemon like the pseudo Legendaries from Kanto and Johto.
“Okay, that was some great work by both of you. Tyranitar, you had good instincts there- shielding with Stone Edge is something we can practice. Next time, remember your footwork so you don’t get knocked down so easily. Dragonite, you did an awesome job using Dragon Dance to get away from Smack Down. If we get your speed high enough, though, it’ll become less about dodging consciously and more about unconscious reaction time. If you want, we can run some more drills for that later.”
Both pseudo-Legendaries absorbed Ash’s feedback in a state of rapture, neither speaking until their Trainer was done. Once Ash finished, however, Tyranitar raised his hand.
“Should I work on actually hitting Dragonite with Smack Down next time?” He asked curiously, his voice still childlike in spite of his imposing size.
Ash chuckled. “Don’t worry too much about that, buddy. We’ll get better with time and repetition.”
“Daddy! Look what I can do!” Kairi’s voice tugged at Ash through their connection, and Ash let out a fond laugh. Raising the Riolu had been an adventure, and her enthusiasm was a breath of fresh air.
“Let’s see it, kiddo!” He turned his full attention to the Fighting type, while Dragonite and Tyranitar sat down to provide their sister with an audience.
Kairi scrunched up her nose in concentration, seemingly deep in focus. After a moment, three metallic claws emerged from her knuckles, which she used to shatter the arm of the rock training dummy Tyranitar had constructed for her.
“Kairi, you just taught yourself Metal Claw! That’s amazing!” Ash enthused, rushing over to his daughter and scooping her up in a hug.
“Lemme go!” She giggled, attempting to escape Ash’s surprisingly strong grip.
Ash laughed. “Alright, alright. You win this one.” He gently placed her on the ground, though not before playfully ruffling the fur on top of her head.
At the sound of a shutter flash, he turned around, and was greeted by the sight of Chloe smiling from behind her digital camera.
“That one’s going in the blackmail folder.” She informed him.
Ash just shook his head with a smile. “If you say so, Chloe. What’s up?”
“You know that Luvdisc festival I read about?”
“Yeah, what about it?” Ash tilted his head in confusion.
Chloe internally braced herself. “I’m inviting Lisia and Serena to stay with us for the week, so they can go to the festival too.”
Whatever Ash was expecting, it was clear that he hadn’t been ready for that. The blood seemed to drain from his face, and his grip tightened around his Key Stone bracelet. It was a nervous tic of his that Chloe had noticed, one that usually only came up before a big Ultra Class match.
Sensing her opportunity, Chloe decided to gently begin her investigation. “How do you know them?”
Ash released a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. “Lisia and I met at a press conference, after I won the Manalo Conference and was formally inducted as a Champion.”
“What about Serena?”
The Kantonian boy tried to hide it, but Chloe could see the faintest hint of a blush on his cheeks, and she grinned. Jackpot.
“We traveled together in Kalos. Me, her, our friend Clemont, and his little sister Bonnie. Man, that was probably the most fun I’ve ever had on a journey.” His voice took on a softer, nostalgic tone that Chloe recognized from the few times Ash had spoken to her and Goh about Kalos.
“Tell me about them.” Chloe requested, and Ash immediately obliged.
“Clemont is probably the smartest guy I know, and he’s a great big brother to Bonnie. She’s so full of energy, but she also has so much love to give- to both Pokemon and people. We wouldn’t have made it out of the Crisis if she hadn’t befriended Zygarde. And Serena… she's the kindest, most determined person I’ve ever met. When she lost the Master Class, Clemont was really worried about her, but I knew she would be fine. Serena is so much stronger than she gives herself credit for. I don’t know too many other people who could take a loss like that and keep smiling.”
“You must really care about her.” Chloe observed.
Ash smiled softly. “Yeah, she’s pretty incredible. She’s definitely made good on her promise.”
“Promise?”
Realizing he’d said too much, Ash quickly backpedaled. “Anyway, I should start getting ready. My match against Bede is in three days, and I want to make sure everyone’s prepared.”
Chloe tilted her head questioningly. “Bede’s a Fairy type specialist, right?” When Ash nodded, she continued. “But aren’t Tyranitar, Dragonite, and Riolu all weak to Fairy types?”
Ash cracked a smile. “Funny enough, Tyranitar’s the only one of these three who I’m going to use against Bede. They’re just training together because they like to.”
The auburn haired girl shrugged at that. “Fair enough. Who’re you going to use against Bede, then?”
Ash grinned. “Let’s just say he’s got a surprise headed his way.”
“Altaria, Earthquake!”
“Jump and use Swift, Sylveon!”
Winona’s Altaria beat its wings fiercely, rattling the battlefield, but Sylveon was ready. With the grace of a seasoned Performer, she leaped into the air, before flinging a series of stars from her ribbons. The stars honed in on Altaria, striking the Dragon type with a relentless assault.
Sylveon’s Trainer grinned, adjusting her hat atop her honey-blonde locks. “It’s time for the finale! Sylveon, use Hyper Voice!”
“Air Slash!” Winona countered.
A pair of wind buzzsaws formed at the tips of Altaria’s wings, and the Flying type let them loose once they reached an appropriate speed. By that time, however, Sylveon had already inhaled and begun to sing. Her powerful voice drowned out Altaria’s attempt at a counterattack, and boosted by her Pixilate ability, the wall of sound struck the Dragon type head-on. Altaria dropped from the sky like a stone, and was only saved from a crash landing by the red recall beam of her Pokeball.
The referee raised their flag. “Altaria is unable to battle! As Winona has no Pokemon remaining, the match goes to the challenger, Serena of Vaniville Town!”
Serena grinned, running over to Sylveon and embracing her. “You were fantastic out there, Sylveon! You’re getting extra Haban Berries on your Poke Puffs tonight!”
A rustle from the Pokeballs in her purse made Serena giggle. “Don’t worry, I didn’t forget about you guys! All of you did an amazing job!”
The sound of Winona clearing her throat got Serena’s attention, and she sheepishly turned to face the Gym Leader. In spite of her defeat, the Flying type specialist was smiling.
“Congratulations, Serena. Through your quick thinking and excellent strategy, you’ve more than earned this Feather Badge. Take it, and remember what you accomplished with your Pokemon today.”
Serena gratefully accepted the badge, pinning it to the inside of her stylish pink jacket. “Thank you, Winona. It was an amazing battle!”
Winona nodded. “That it was. Now, you should get your team to the Pokemon Center. They’ve more than earned a rest.”
Serena nodded. The battle had been a three on three, and it had come down to Sylveon against Winona’s ace Altaria. None of it would have been possible without Pangoro and Milotic’s valiant efforts, however, so Serena made a mental note to give them extra brushings when they returned to her room at the Pokemon Center.
After handing her Pokemon off to Nurse Joy, Serena pulled her phone out of her pocket to check her notifications. Her latest Pokevision video, a preview for her Gym battle against Winona, seemed to be doing quite well. What surprised her, however, was a single text from Lisia.
ShiningSpinning: Call ASAP. I have exciting news
Serena took a moment to commandeer a quiet table in the corner of the Pokemon Center, before pressing the call button.
“Girl, where have you been?” Lisia immediately chided, her exasperation clear.
Serena smiled sheepishly. “I was at the Fortree Gym for a battle.”
Lisia shook her head in a clear show of fondness. “Only you, Rena. Anyway, I didn’t call you without a reason. How would you like to go to Vermillion City next week to hang out with Chloe and go to a Luvdisc festival?”
Serena’s face lit up. “That sounds like so much fun! I’ll make sure to clear my schedule and book rooms at a Pokemon Center.”
At that, Lisia waved a hand dismissively. “No need, Chloe said we could stay at the lab with her dad’s research fellows. There’s more than enough room.”
“Research fellows?” Serena quizzed, feeling like she’d heard the term recently, and Lisia barely bit back her smile.
“Just a couple of interns, boys around our age. Chloe said they shouldn’t be a problem.” That was a bold-faced lie, but what Serena didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.
“If it’s fine with Chloe, I’ll get the flights booked. See you soon!”
Serena hung up, just as Nurse Joy approached her with her Pokeballs in hand.
“Miss Yvonne? Your Pokemon are fully healed and ready to go.”
The Kalosian girl accepted her Pokeballs with a grateful smile. “Thank you, Nurse Joy!”
Nurse Joy walked away with a smile, and Serena’s Pokemon took that as their cue to come out of their balls and hug their Trainer. Delphox, Absol, and Lilligant- the three who hadn’t actually fought in the Gym Battle- hung back, knowing that the battle’s participants needed their moments with Serena. In a breach of her normal composure, Milotic was the first out of her ball, coiling around Serena enthusiastically.
Serena laughed, pulling the Water type into her chest in a tight hug. “You were wonderful, Milotic! I’m so proud of you for learning Dragon Pulse!”
“Milo, milotic!”
“Goro.” Pangoro joined in the hug, holding Serena gently. His growth from a stubborn attention seeker to a protective older sibling had been a pleasant surprise for Serena, but his big heart remained.
Once Pangoro and Milotic released her from their respective embraces, Serena clapped her hands to gather her team’s attention.
“I have some exciting news, everyone!”
All six of her Pokemon turned their gazes onto her, and Serena smiled at them.
“We’re going to Kanto in a week!”
A hush fell over her Pokemon, before a flurry of whispers broke out, no doubt from her original Kalos team explaining the significance of Kanto. Of course, thinking about Kanto meant thinking about Ash, and that brought back a wave of feelings that Serena wasn’t entirely prepared to face right now.
“Serena? You looked lost.” Sylveon informed her, placing a ribbon on her Trainer’s wrist to better communicate the statement. Serena was making fast progress in understanding her Pokemon, but Delphox’s psychic powers and Sylveon’s empathy made it easier for her to hold complete conversations with them.
Serena stroked Sylveon’s ribbons absentmindedly, her mind occupied with the boy she had come to love.
“I was never really over him, was I?” She mused, a blush forming on her cheeks.
“Not even close.” Delphox smiled fondly, resting her paw on Serena’s shoulder in a comforting gesture. “We know you by now, Serena. And we know that you’re going to get your happy ending with Ash.”
Serena smiled, but she also felt the beginning of a sob build in her throat. Was it too much to hope for a happy ending that she surely didn’t deserve? She didn’t even know if Ash felt the same way- he’d had many companions before her, and more after her departure. He was a boy who had said goodbye to a thousand friends. What made her special?
“Serena, look at me.”
Sylveon’s gentle voice jolted the Performer out of her thoughts, and she knelt to see eye to eye with the Fairy type.
“You’re doubting yourself again.” Sylveon observed quietly.
Serena hiccoughed out a laugh. “How could I not? We’re going to Kanto in a week.”
Seeing Sylveon’s understanding gaze, she continued. “I know Lisia’s lying to me about the interns not being a problem- Ash works for Chloe’s father, probably with that other boy we met in Lilycove. Which means she’s trying to set me up, which I appreciate, I really do, but I’m so tired of other people doing what I should do myself. I have to tell him, Sylvie. Properly.”
“And if that’s your decision, we will support you through it, as we do with everything.” Delphox chimed in, pulling Serena into a warm hug.
Serena smiled, turning to face the rest of her companions. “Thank you, everyone. I promise, we’ll make the best of our time in Kanto. But first…” her lips turned up in a smile, some of her earlier enthusiasm returning. “Who wants to get another Gym Badge? Mossdeep has an airport and a Gym for us to challenge!”
The cheers of her Pokemon were all the affirmation Serena needed, and her smile felt more natural.
“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”
As a rule, Ash wasn’t a huge fan of caffeinating before a battle, when his nerves were already at their peak. However, he made an exception for the Kanto to Galar jetlag. A Blue Tauros brand energy drink stood in front of him, promising lychee flavor. Ash highly doubted that it would taste anything like the sweet fruits of his childhood, but at this point, he’d take what he could get.
“Nervous?” Goh queried. He was chugging a cold-brew coffee, the size of which could charitably be described as ‘load-bearing.’
Ash shrugged. “I guess? I’m more excited than anything. Winning against Bede means a spot in the top eighty.”
Goh shook his head with a small laugh. “Assuming you win. Want me to listen to your pre-match breakdown so you don’t have to do it all in your head?”
Shooting his friend a grateful look, Ash launched into a recap of the research he’d done on his opponent.
“Okay, Bede’s a Fairy type specialist who’s training to take over the Ballonlea Gym when Opal retires. He usually starts the battle with a Galarian Weezing, which is a Poison and Fairy type capable of setting Toxic Spikes. Ground type moves won’t work on Weezing, since it has Levitate. His next Pokemon is an unknown variable- he’s used a Wigglytuff, an Azumarill, and a Klefki in previous matches. The kicker is Bede’s ace, Hatterene. It can Gigantamax, and it’s known for setting up Psychic Terrain to block attacks from faster Pokemon.”
Goh whistled. “Damn, dude, you did your homework.”
Ash shrugged again. “It was a bad habit of mine to never research my opponents when I was younger. That bit me in the ass more times than I can count. Sure, some surprise is nice, but it’s better to go in with at least a little preparation.”
“Who are you, and what have you done with Ash?” The younger boy quipped, and Ash laughed.
“I have to take things more seriously if I want to be on the level of people like Cynthia and Leon.”
Goh looked like he was about to respond, but the two researchers reached the stadium before he could say anything.
Ash turned to his friend. “I need to check in with the referee. You know where your seats are, right?”
At that, Goh nodded. “Yeah. Catch you later, dude.”
The young researcher then began the process of entering the Ballonlea stadium, while Ash walked through a service entrance to access the battlefield. Once he was in his dressing room, the raven haired Kantonian looked at his partner.
“Sorry I’m not using you for this battle, bud. If it helps, you’ll definitely get the next one.”
Pikachu shrugged. “It’s fine. Tyranitar needs the experience, and the others haven’t battled in a while, so they take priority.”
Ash smiled. “Thanks for understanding.”
He looked down at the three Pokeballs on his belt. They weren’t exactly a conventional team, but they were his friends, and he trusted them to defeat Bede.
A referee approached him, a stage microphone in hand. “We’re ready for you, Mr. Ketchum.”
Ash smiled, his confidence shining through. “Perfect.”
He walked onto the pitch and was greeted by the roar of the Galarian crowd, many of whom threw jeers at him. It made sense: Bede was the hometown hero, while Ash was some foreign upstart. Still, he wasn’t here to indulge the crowd. He was here to win.
From across the field, Bede smirked, raising his hands to quiet the crowd. Amplified by his microphone, his words rang out over the stadium’s speakers.
“So, you’re the nobody everyone’s talking about, the one who wants to enter the Master’s Eight. If you expect me to be an easy opponent, prepare to be disappointed.”
Ash met his opponent’s smug smile with a grin. “I don’t think this’ll be easy, but I’m still going to win!”
The referee waved her hands, signaling for silence. “This World Coronation Series match will be a three on three battle between Ash Ketchum and Bede of Ballonlea. Both competitors will be permitted the use of one battle mechanic, and there will be no limits on moves or substitutions. Competitors, please send out your first Pokemon!”
“Weezing, to the battlefront!”
“Tyranitar! I choose you!”
Bede’s Galarian Weezing floated above the field in a nonchalant manner, while Tyranitar landed with a heavy thump. The Rock type pseudo-Legendary looked to his Trainer in case of any last minute advice, but Ash shook his head.
“Remember what we practiced, and don’t put up Sand Stream until I tell you.” He advised, using their connection to communicate rather than having to shout above the crowd.
Tyranitar nodded, turning back to face Weezing. He didn’t want to let his Trainer down, especially in a battle that meant so much.
Seeing that both sides were ready, the referee lowered her arms. “Let the battle begin!”
Ash grinned, his enthusiasm clear. “Let’s start with Iron Tail!”
Bede balked at the immediate use of a super effective move, though to his credit, he kept a level head. “Dodge and use Toxic Spikes, Weezing.”
Tyranitar’s tail galvanized into steel, and he pivoted on one foot, swinging at Weezing with a powerful lariat. The Poison type made an attempt to float out of the way, spitting out Toxic Spikes as it did so, and it was ultimately able to avoid most of Tyranitar’s attack.
Ash frowned at that. “Use Ice Beam!”
“Counter with Strange Steam!”
Weezing produced a cloud of steam from its smokestack, attempting to disorient its opponent. Tyranitar was unfazed, however, and fired the freezing beam through the mist. A grunt of pain told him that his attack had hit, and the leviathan followed up with a Dragon Dance to power up his next attack.
“Go for broke, Tyranitar! Smack Down!” Ash cheered.
Tyranitar nodded, drawing on his training and chucking a boulder at his opponent. Unable to counter in time, Weezing crashed into the battlefield, the effect of his Levitate ability vanishing. In addition, the boost to his physical attacks that Tyranitar had received from Dragon Dance meant that Weezing was barely hanging on.
“Flamethrower-”
“Earthquake!”
As Weezing attempted to produce the jet of flames, Tyranitar stomped the ground twice, sending out seismic ripples that jolted his opponent’s body repeatedly. The super effective damage proved to be too much for the regional variant, and when Tyranitar’s attack subsided, Weezing was clearly unconscious.
Bede frowned. “You’re better than I expected.” He admitted grudgingly, recalling his Weezing.
Ash grinned at the compliment. “Thanks, but we’re just getting started!”
The Galarian considered for a moment, then tossed out his Azumarill. Ash cursed under his breath- that was the one Pokemon he’d been hoping not to face.
Bede wasted no time. “Aqua Jet!”
Azumarill rocketed across the field, slamming into Tyranitar with a hydro-infused tackle. Tyranitar roared in pain, right before Azumarill hit him with a Waterfall uppercut that knocked the kaiju flat on his back.
Ash winced. That Azumarill had to have Huge Power as its Ability- Tyranitar could stand up to a lot of punishment, but a sequence of super effective moves like the one the big guy had been hit by would tire out any of his Pokemon.
“Tyranitar, return!”
Ash bit his lip, fidgeting with the other Pokeballs on his belt. He’d wanted to give Tyranitar more experience, but that would have to wait for another day. He wasn’t going to risk the health of his Pokemon in a battle said Pokemon wasn’t ready for yet.
“Alright, let’s match speed with speed! Gengar, I choose you!”
“Hehehe…” Gengar cackled, melding into the shadows before hitting the ground. This also had the effect of eliminating Weezing’s Toxic Spikes, which was a nice bonus.
Bede scowled. “Type advantage doesn’t mean much at this level, Ketchum. Zen Headbutt!”
“Sludge Wave!” Ash countered, and Bede’s eyes widened.
As Azumarill dove forwards, her charge was met with a wave of pollution, which swept her up and trapped her in the swell. Gengar, who had somehow procured a pair of sunglasses and a surfboard, chortled from his position atop the wave.
Ash groaned. “I don’t know how he does it…”
Unfortunately for the comedically inclined ghost, Azumarill wasn’t out of the fight yet. Having freed herself from the crashing Sludge Wave, she rushed Gengar from below with a full power Ice Spinner, buzzsawing through the spectral Poison type and leaving him distinctly uncomfortable.
“Aqua Jet, once more!”
“Get in there with Sucker Punch!”
As Azumarill prepared another Aqua Jet, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning around to face the source of the touch, the Water type found nobody there- before Gengar suddenly reappeared out of thin air, slugging the rotund Pokemon across the jaw.
“What’s the matter, egghead, too scrambled to fight?” Gengar taunted, then yelped as Azumarill lunged at him with a Waterfall.
“Focus, Gengar!” Ash called. “You have the advantage! Set up some Shadow Ball mines!”
The Ghost type took a second to recalibrate, before following Ash’s instructions and using Shadow Ball on the ground, enough that Bede started to get suspicious.
“Watch your step, Azumarill.”
Ash grinned. “It’s too late for that, Bede! Gengar, light ‘em up with Will-o-Wisp!”
Gengar matched his Trainer’s smile with an eerier equivalent, summoning flickering witchfire to his hands. As Azumarill approached one of the stationary Shadow Balls, the Ghost and Poison type launched his Will-o-Wisp, setting the sphere of ectoplasm alight with pale red flames. For a moment, everything was still. Then, without warning, the Shadow Ball detonated, setting off a cascading reaction with the remaining mines that Gengar had laid out. Azumarill was blown into the air, clearly stunned from the force of the explosions.
Bede gaped. “How do you come up with such utterly mad strategies?”
Ash chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck in a rare moment of self deprecation. “Honestly, they kinda just happen most of the time. The Shadow Ball trick came from when Gengar started a prank war with my Squirtle… that didn’t end well.” He shuddered, remembering the incident in question.
Bede shook his head. “Regardless, we’re not out of this yet. Hydro Pump!”
A blast of pressurized water shot out from where Ash assumed Azumarill had landed, clearing the residual dust from the explosion. Thankfully, Gengar managed to escape the worst of it, and retaliated with a Dazzling Gleam that blew Azumarill backwards. Both Pokemon rose to their feet unsteadily, neither willing to give in to the fatigue they were experiencing.
“Finish this, Azumarill! Aqua Jet, one last time!” Bede called out.
Following her Trainer’s orders, Azumarill began to accelerate, a veil of water surrounding her as she did so.
Ash grinned. “Gengar, freeze it with Ice Punch!”
Gengar nodded, gathering the cryogenic energy around his knuckles. As Azumarill closed in, he disappeared into the ground, before smacking the Aqua Jet with an Ice Punch as it passed overhead. Surprised by the additional weight, Azumarill crashed face first into the field, her sudden landing drawing a trench through the muck.
Ash pumped a fist in victory. “Now, shatter it with Shadow Ball!”
Grinning, Gengar charged the Shadow Ball in his hands, and with a mad cackle, he fired directly at the prone form of Azumarill. The ice exploded from the force of the attack, sending freezing shards everywhere. Azumarill, now free from the ice, was visibly unable to battle.
Bede grimaced, clearly unhappy with how the battle was progressing. Though both of his opponent’s Pokemon were clearly tired, he only had Hatterene remaining against Ketchum’s full team. He would have to pull out all the stops if he wanted to win.
“Hatterene, your power will turn the tide!”
Ash looked at Gengar. The ghost looked like one good hit would put him down for the count, but there was a fire in his eyes that the teen from Kanto respected.
“Come on, Gengar, give it all you’ve got! Sludge Wave!”
“Psychic Terrain!” Bede countered.
The pink miasma of Psychic Terrain overtook the battlefield, but Gengar’s Sludge Wave progressed without issue, slamming liquid pollution into Hatterene before the Fairy type could react. Purple lightning crackled across Hatterene’s body, and Ash bit back a smile- though Sludge Wave had a lower chance to poison the target than its cousin move Sludge Bomb, the chance was still there.
To Ash’s surprise, almost as soon as the purple lightning appeared, it vanished, cleansed by a multicolored light.
“Healer, right…” He murmured, still watching Bede for another command.
The Galarian Trainer remained composed, calling out to his strongest Pokemon.
“Use Expanding Force!”
A wave of psionic force rippled across the battlefield, striking Gengar before he could phase into the ground. That proved to be the straw that broke the Camerupt’s back, and Gengar collapsed to the floor, unconscious.
“Great job, Gengar. We’ll win this one for you.” Ash smiled at the Pokeball, before sending out his final teammate.
“Torterra, I choose you!”
The Continent Pokemon landed heavily, his very entrance into the battle shaking the ground. Bede looked intimidated, but clearly wanted to stand his ground.
“Hatterene, attack with Mystical Fire.”
Ash grinned at the use of a super effective move on Bede’s part, already preparing his counterattack.
“Use Amnesia, then follow it up with Curse!”
Torterra closed his eyes, concentrating on his body. He felt his capacity for movement drop, but the growth covering his shell thickened to compensate. With three of his stats boosted, the Grass and Ground type was ready for whatever Ash needed from him.
The teen from Pallet punched the air. “Time to show them what you’ve got, Torterra! Rock Climb, straight into a Wood Hammer!”
“You got it!” Torterra rumbled, building a pillar with Rock Climb and scaling it with astonishing speed, even through the loss of mobility from Curse. Once he had summited the artificial mountain, the tortoise jumped, bringing his glowing green tail down on Hatterene’s skull.
The entire arena seemed to rattle from the force of the blow, but Ash was unfazed.
“Synthesis, go!”
Torterra backed off from Hatterene and began calling on the inherent healing power of his tree, pulling nutrients from the additional growth that dotted his shell. When the light of Synthesis faded, the Continent Pokemon assumed a fighting stance once more- but as it turned out, this was unnecessary.
“Hatterene is unable to battle! As Bede has no Pokemon remaining, the match goes to the challenger, Ash Ketchum!”
“Torterra did it in one shot…” Ash murmured, surprised by the outcome. Though the Grass type from Sinnoh joined in on training sessions often, Ash’s lack of battles with him had left the Trainer unaware of how much stronger his Pokemon had grown.
Torterra lumbered over to Ash, a small smile clear on his face. “How was that, Boss?”
Ash smiled, though his disbelief at the swiftness of the victory was still present in his expression. “You were incredible, Torterra! I’m so proud of you!”
The behemoth tortoise chuffed out a laugh. “Thanks. Now, if you don’t mind, I need a nap.”
“Go right ahead, buddy. You earned it.”
Ash recalled his Pokemon, before crossing the pitch to shake hands with Bede. “Hey, thanks for a great battle!”
The Galarian looked bewildered, but he accepted the gesture nonetheless. “... You as well. If you’re serious about getting to Master Ball tier, the next few matches after me are your chance to prove it.”
“Good to know!” Ash grinned, then winced as Pikachu gave him a small shock. “What was that for?”
“You have a flight to catch.” The electric mouse reminded his partner.
Ash blanched. “Oh, crap.”