L.S: Okay, here's the deal. Pokémon is not mine. It never has been and
it never will be. The only thing that is mine in this little fic is
Crystal. She's a new friend of mine.
Crystal: Sí. Yo estoy una amiga nueva de la autora.
L.S: In case you didn't get that, she said, "Yes. I am a new friend of the author." I promise you, I will not go into the Spanish language structure. Well, enjoy this little idea that popped up in my head.
Crystal: Adiós! Hasta luego!
L.S: In other words, bye! See you later!
Crystal Clear
"I can't wait to get to Olivine City!" Ash Ketchum exclaimed as he and his friends, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu, walked down yet another well-worn trail leading to the next Johto League gym.
Today they the path they followed wound its way through a flower-filled field. Pokémon would occasionally poke their heads out of the clumps of pastel flowers. A group of Ledyba flew across the route, much to the delight of the travelers. The terrain was slightly hilly, and as they came over the top of hill they saw a strange girl looking around in confusion. The Raichu at her side was looking at her expectantly.
"Who's that?" Ash asked.
"Pika chu", his Pikachu companion replied (Translation: No clue [I am not saying I don't know what the Pokémon said, that is what the Pikachu said]).
"Do you think she's lost?" Brock asked, a bit too eagerly. Everyone else sighed.
"If she is, maybe we can help her out," Ash suggested. With that, they all began to walk toward the person at the bottom of the hill.
As they came up behind her they heard her talking to the Pokémon at her side.
"Pues, Lightning, dónde estamos vando?" she asked the Raichu. The Pokémon shook her no, looking down each trail in turn. The girl followed the Raichu's example, trying to pick one of the branches.
Ash was just about to speak up when she raised her hand into the air. All became perfectly silent except for the soft breeze rustling through the flowers, slightly rustling the girl's blue hair, most of witch was collected into a pair of pigtails that curved slightly to the sides of her face.
"RELÁMPAGO!!" she shouted, and the Raichu let loose an immense burst of voltage at the fluffy white cloud above them. Everyone looked up as the flare of voltage raced out of the cloud and struck the left path.
"Zap!" she exclaimed, and a Pidgeot came coasting down from the sky. It landed by her left side as she turned. Ash, Misty, and Brock were all astounded. The creature had to be at least three times her height!
"Pues, dónde allá está?" she asked.
Pidgeo, geo, pidge, geo, the Pokémon replied.
"Oohh, la ciudad de Olivino!" she exclaimed. "Y?" The Pokémon looked over at the four spectators. The girl followed the Pidgeot's gaze, finally noticing she had been watched. She was startled at first, then turned to face them.
"Hola! Yo soy Cristal! Y tú?" she asked. They all stared at her like she was insane. "No comprendo español?"
"I have no clue," Misty replied.
"Oh, okay," the other girl said. "I said, 'my name's Crystal. Who are you?' Make more sense now?" she laughed. She had a slight Spanish accent, but she was still easy to understand. Crystal was instantly confronted by Brock.
"Hello, my name's Brock, and I'm a Pokémon breeder. Would you like to join me for a romantic dinner for two and..." he cut off there. Misty had grabbed his ear and was dragging him away.
"I don't think she'll be very impressed," Misty said, exasperated. Crystal stared at them as Ash walked up to her.
"Hi, my name's Ash," he said, extending his hand. Crystal shook it readily. She had to be one of the stranger girls he had seen. She wore a white baseball cap forward on her head, and her white jacket matched well with the bright red shorts she wore. Her eager blue eyes showed not only her love of Pokémon, but also her love of adventure.
What really struck Ash as odd was the fact that the girl carried two backpacks. One was bright orange and had four pockets, while the other was a pastel pink form of Misty's bag.
"You must be a Pokémon trainer," Crystal said.
"Yeah, how could you tell?" Ash laughed.
"I saw your Pikachu," she replied, crouching down and stroking the Pokémon's fur. "It's been trained well. The fur is smooth and silky, the eyes are bright and clear, the electric sacs appear to be in fine condition."
"Are you a trainer?" Ash asked eagerly. He had been yearning for a battle for a while, but they hadn't come across any worthy opponents.
"I hope I am. If I wasn't I wouldn't be hauling around all these Pokémon," Crystal laughed. She slipped the pink backpack off her right shoulder and opened it. It was filled to bursting with Pokéballs.
"Wow!" Misty exclaimed. "You carry all your Pokémon around with you!?"
"Yeah," Crystal replied, slightly embarrassed. "It helps when you get lonely to have a lot of friends around. Most people think I have a few screws loose, though."
"Why's that?" Ash asked.
"I only train Pokémon that know electric type moves," she replied proudly.
"What about that Pidgeot?" Brock asked. "Pidgeot can't learn electric type moves."
"Well, that's where Zap is special," Crystal explained, scratching the Pidgeot's chest. "If I tell her to she can do a kind of spinning Agility, and she gets going so fast that she can create electricity around herself. After that it's just a matter of shooting it off at her opponent."
"Do you want to battle!?" Ash asked eagerly. Crystal laughed happily.
"I'd love to! I haven't been in a decent battle in a month!" she exclaimed. They both stepped back to clear a battlefield. "How does a four-on-four match sound to you?" she asked. Her tone easily conveyed her confidence.
"That's fine by me!" Ash replied. "Do you feel like raising the stakes any more than that?"
"Sure! Winner does lunch!" she shouted. "I hope that works for you, because here We GO!" Crystal grabbed a Pokéball from her waist and threw it, shouting, "Go, Dynamite!" The ball opened, revealing a little Pichu.
"You're fighting with a Pichu?" Ash asked, startled. He grabbed his Pokédex.
Pichu. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon. It cannot control its voltage power, and may let of a spark if surprised or happy. However, this Pokémon cannot release a shock without shocking itself.
"What a weird choice of Pokémon," Misty said, looking carefully at the miniature Pokémon. Its fur was coarse and ruffled, but it seemed to know what it was doing.
"I choose Bulbasaur!" Ash shouted, tossing his own Pokéball into the ring. His Pokémon emerged and braced itself for any oncoming attacks. When it saw it was first startled, then humored. Dynamite walked forward and extended a paw. Confused, Bulbasaur released a vine and shook hands with its opponent. The Pichu smiled happily, then jumped back and braced itself on the hard-packed ground.
"All right, Bulbasaur, use your Razor Leaf attack!" Ash shouted. His Pokémon released dozens of sharp-edged leaves at the Pichu standing before it.
"Dynamite, Double Team!" Crystal called. Before anyone could blink Bulbasaur was surrounded by Pichus, each one as realistic as the original. The Razor Leaf attack hit only copies, which were replaced moments later. The Bulbasaur was now looking around in confusion, trying to find the real opponent.
"Okay, Dynamite, now it's time to show them how you got your name!" Crystal exclaimed. A single Pichu from behind Bulbasaur rushed forward and slid right underneath it. In less than a second there was a brilliant flash and an enormous explosion. The field was covered in smoke for about a minute. When the smoke cleared, Bulbasaur was lying unconscious on the ground, while a mussed up looking Dynamite was brushing the soot from its fur.
"Bulbasaur is unable to battle. Dynamite is the winner!" Brock shouted. Ash returned his fainted Pokémon, surprised to have been beaten by such a harmless looking adversary.
"Muy bien, Dinamita!" Crystal exclaimed, rushing forward and picking up her victorious companion. "All that training really paid off, didn't it?" The Pichu nodded happily, then climbed up on her shoulder.
"Go, Chikorita!" Ash shouted. The grass type emerged from its Pokéball...turned, saw Ash, and jumped onto his shoulder, nuzzling his cheek. "Okay, Chikorita, that's nice, but we kind of have to battle now." The Pokémon jumped down into the field, waiting for the next Pokémon to emerge.
"Okay, go...Flame Tip!" Crystal shouted, tossing another Pokéball. A Magmar emerged in the ring.
"What!? A Magmar!?" Ash exclaimed, surprised. "I thought you only trained electric types!!"
"No, I said I trained Pokémon that learned electric type moves," Crystal told him, wagging her finger it him. Flame Tip walked forward and extended one hand. Chikorita warily extended her vine and shook with him. Strangely, her vine did not catch fire. The Magmar smiled and walked back toward his trainer.
"Chikorita, use Vine Whip to knock it off its feet!" Ash ordered. His Pokémon extended her vines and tried to grab the Magmar's legs.
"Flame Tip, use Flamethrower!" Crystal shouted. The enormous Flamethrower that erupted from the Magmar's mouth was too much for Chikorita to dodge or to survive. It was an instant knock out.
"Chikorita is unable to battle. Flame Tip is the winner!" Brock shouted.
"I still don't understand why you're using a fire type," Misty said.
"Watch this," Crystal said, a mischievous glint in her cobalt eyes. "Flame Tip, use Thunder Punch!" she exclaimed. The Pokémon's fist became enveloped in electricity, and it struck the ground. It left a sizeable dent there. "That's why."
"How in the world did you get a Magmar with Thunder Punch!?" Brock asked, shocked.
"Well, I left my Electabuzz at a Pokémon breeder center in Goldenrod once, and apparently someone else left their Magmar. When I came back they asked if I wanted my Pokémon's egg. I said yes, and left with a Pokémon egg. When it hatched, I had a Magby, and it wasn't long until I figured out it had Thunder Punch as one of its moves. I'm clueless to how it happened, but it did. Now, are you ready to go again?"
"Sure!" Ash shouted. "Go, Cyndaquil!" he yelled, tossing yet another Pokéball.
"Okay, Ash," Crystal said as she returned her Magmar. "I guess I'll go with Stars!" As she said it she flipped a ball up from her waist and flicked it into the ring. A Starmie emerged.
"I know about Starmie!" ash muttered to himself. He clearly remembered his experience at the Trovita Gym. He had almost lost the match and the Spike Shell badge because of the Starmie's Thunderbolt.
"Bueno," Crystal said, nodding in appreciation. "So you'll also know about this! Stars, Bubblebeam!" A jet of bubbles emerged from the Starmie's top point.
"Cyndaquil, dodge it with your Agility!" Ash ordered. The Pokémon disappeared and reappeared behind the opponent. "Now use Tackle!" As Cyndaquil charged forward Crystal shook her head in disappointment.
"Ash, Ash, Ash, you have to learn to expect the unexpected," she said, laughing. "Stars, aim a Hydro Pump straight at the ground!" she shouted. Mere seconds before Cydaquil's attack hit a water cannon blasted straight at the ground, sending Stars straight up into the air. Unable to stop its charge, Cyndaquil ran straight into the stream of water. A third knock out was issued.
"No way!" Ash moaned. Crystal just chuckled as she returned her Starmie.
"Cyndaquil cannot continue. Stars is the winner!" Brock exclaimed. "Now it looks like a one-on-one match-up. Ash is bound to choose Pikachu, but I wonder what Crystal will chose. She has enough powerful electric types to power all the Pokémon Centers in Kanto and Johto for years."
"You're up, Pikachu," Ash said, and his Pikachu jumped from his shoulder into the ring.
"Your turn, Lightning," Crystal murmured, crouching down and rubbing her Pokémon's head. The Raichu walked out into the battlefield, calm as though this were not even happening. She walked up to Pikachu and extended her paw. Pikachu shook it happily, and the two electric types smiled at each other. As they released the other's paw Lightning leapt back and crouched down, tail curved dangerously over her head. Pikachu was slightly intimidated, but it mimicked it's opponent's posture.
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt before it can attack!" Ash shouted. As Pikachu charged Crystal smiled. She had a secret that only she and her Pokémon knew. Ash and his friends would figure it out soon enough.
Pikachu released the Thunderbolt attack, a column of voltage headed straight for Lightning. The Raichu looked like she couldn't care less. Just before the electricity hit Lightning it split into three parts: one part flowed onto each ear, the last onto her tail.
"Thanks for charging her up, Ash," Crystal said. Ash and Pikachu were astonished. The attack had no effect on the opponent!
"Well, Pikachu, if electric attacks won't work, we'll just have to use a Quick Attack!"
"Counter with Double Team!" Before Pikachu could move it was surrounded by Raichus. "I guess I should have warned you about Lightning," Crystal said as Pikachu tried to figure out which Raichu was the real one. "Lightning was my first Pokémon, and my best friend. She was never put into a Pokéball, so her skills have been honed to perfection. Like your Pikachu's," she said, gesturing to the bewildered Pikachu.
"Lightning is fast, cunning, and incredibly powerful. She is never to be underestimated. Okay, let's get this moving, shall we? Lightning, Take Down!" Crystal shouted. All of the Raichus charged the lone Pokémon in the center, and Pikachu seemed to take damage from each one. As suddenly as the barrage began it ceased, and Pikachu was struggling to its feet. There was a lone Raichu standing before it.
Slowly, Lightning walked forward and helped the Pikachu stand up.
"I think that's enough, Ash," Crystal murmured. "Pikachu is stubborn, like you. I can see it in both your eyes. But it just can't win against Lightning. Let's call it a draw." Ash stared at her for a moment, then nodded. He walked onto the field and picked up his friend as Lightning ran back to Crystal. The two trainers smiled at each other. They had reached an understanding.
Suddenly a net dropped out of the sky. Everyone looked up at the Meowth balloon floating over them. Two people stood on the side of the hot air balloon, looking down at the trainers on the field.
"Prepare for trouble," a woman's voice called.
"Make it double," a man's voice continued.
"AY CARAMBA!!" Crystal shouted. Jesse and James looked down at the net. Crystal, Dynamite, and Lightning were all struggling inside. "LOS PERSONAS ESTUPIDOS!! USTEDES SON LOCOS EN LAS CABEZAS!!"
"Did she just say we was stupid?" Meowth asked, poking his head over the side.
"I'm not sure," James replied.
"LET US GO!!" Crystal yelled. Dynamite and Lightning were making almost as much noise as their trainer.
"Not until we take all those Pokémon you have," Jesse said evilly.
"NEVER!!" Crystal shouted, opening her Pokéball backpack. She grabbed two from the top of the bag. "GO, Mini Jolt! Mega Jolt!" she shouted, throwing the two balls through the holes in the netting. On either side of the hot air balloon a Jolteon had emerged. One appeared to be a foot smaller than the average Jolteon; the other was a foot larger than normal.
"PIN MISSILE!!" she shouted to her Pokémon. The spikes covering her Jolteon's bodies began to shoot off at the balloon, starting at the base of the basket and making their way to the balloon.
"BEACON!!" Crystal yelled, digging into the bag and grabbing another Pokéball. She dropped this one just to the side of the net she was trapped in. Ash, Misty, and Brock were ready to help when she needed them, but she seemed to be doing fine on her own. What emerged from the ball amazed everyone around, even Team Rocket.
The creature that stood below the net was huge. It was an Ampharos, almost twice as tall as normal. The jewels on its head and tail were bright red, but as the creature looked up at her trainer they changed to pale yellow, then back to red.
"That's an Ampharos!" Brock shouted. Ash grabbed his Pokédex from his pocket again.
Ampharos. The Light Pokémon. The bright light on this Pokémon's tail can be seen from very far away. For this purpose it has been coveted since ancient times as a beacon.
By this point the Pin Missiles were puncturing the Meowth balloon, and the net began to come down.
"HELP!!" Crystal shouted as she fell. Suddenly she stopped, and when she looked up she saw that Beacon had caught her. "Gracias, Beacon," she said. "Lightning, Blade," she said, a bit calmer now that she wasn't ten feet off the ground. The end of Lightning's tail seemed to sharpen into a finely honed blade. A single swipe cut the net wide open. "Okay, sheath it," Crystal sighed, relieved, as she got out of the net. Lightning's tail returned to normal as she followed her trainer, Dynamite riding on her back.
"Should I take it from here?" Ash asked.
"Be our guests," Crystal replied, bowing.
"Okay, Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Pikachu leapt from Ash's shoulder as it began to charge for the attack. It sent a pillar of electricity straight at Jesse and James. It hit the basket of the balloon, and a huge explosion followed.
"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!!" they shouted as once more they were blown into the distance. As everyone watched, a small star appeared in the sky.
"Who were they?" Crystal asked.
"Don't ask," Ash, Misty, and Brock said in unison. Crystal stared at them all for a moment, then started laughing. She returned Beacon and Dynamite, then turned back to them.
"So, where are you headed?" she asked.
"Olivine City," Misty replied.
"That's where I'm headed, too!" Crystal exclaimed. "It's absolutely beautiful this time of year. This is the second year I've wandered around Johto with nothing to do but check out the scenery and battle the Gym Leaders."
"Does that mean you've been in the Johto League!?" Ash asked excitedly as they started walking down the trail to Olivine City.
"You bet!" she exclaimed. "That's where you're headed, verdad?"
"Yeah! Was the competition hard?"
"Well, that depends on who you're asking. If you ask somebody who made it to the first round and lost, they might say yes the competition was tough. Or, if they were headstrong idiots, they'd say that the competition was measly. The other trainer just got lucky. I personally say that it takes a lot of training to reach the finals, and even more to win first place. I'm hoping to win the third year running…"
"WHAT!?!" the other three shouted. Crystal looked back at them.
"What?" she asked.
"The third year running!?" Ash asked. Crystal nodded.
"Actually, I don't think I'll compete this year. I'm going to battle the Gym Leaders for fun, then spend some time with my Pokémon friends. I just hope I'll get the opportunity to battle you again."
"Me, too. Hopefully I'll be better next time," Ash said, slightly embarrassed at how easily Crystal had defeated him.
"Don't worry. Next time it might be my Pokémon who are falling to yours. Just keep practicing. You'll get there. I think I might head back to Ecruteak for a while," she said as her Pidgeot settled on the ground beside her. "See you guys later!" she called as Zap took off, heading in the opposite direction. She waved back to them and they waved to her until they had lost each other in the distance.
Crystal: Sí. Yo estoy una amiga nueva de la autora.
L.S: In case you didn't get that, she said, "Yes. I am a new friend of the author." I promise you, I will not go into the Spanish language structure. Well, enjoy this little idea that popped up in my head.
Crystal: Adiós! Hasta luego!
L.S: In other words, bye! See you later!
Crystal Clear
"I can't wait to get to Olivine City!" Ash Ketchum exclaimed as he and his friends, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu, walked down yet another well-worn trail leading to the next Johto League gym.
Today they the path they followed wound its way through a flower-filled field. Pokémon would occasionally poke their heads out of the clumps of pastel flowers. A group of Ledyba flew across the route, much to the delight of the travelers. The terrain was slightly hilly, and as they came over the top of hill they saw a strange girl looking around in confusion. The Raichu at her side was looking at her expectantly.
"Who's that?" Ash asked.
"Pika chu", his Pikachu companion replied (Translation: No clue [I am not saying I don't know what the Pokémon said, that is what the Pikachu said]).
"Do you think she's lost?" Brock asked, a bit too eagerly. Everyone else sighed.
"If she is, maybe we can help her out," Ash suggested. With that, they all began to walk toward the person at the bottom of the hill.
As they came up behind her they heard her talking to the Pokémon at her side.
"Pues, Lightning, dónde estamos vando?" she asked the Raichu. The Pokémon shook her no, looking down each trail in turn. The girl followed the Raichu's example, trying to pick one of the branches.
Ash was just about to speak up when she raised her hand into the air. All became perfectly silent except for the soft breeze rustling through the flowers, slightly rustling the girl's blue hair, most of witch was collected into a pair of pigtails that curved slightly to the sides of her face.
"RELÁMPAGO!!" she shouted, and the Raichu let loose an immense burst of voltage at the fluffy white cloud above them. Everyone looked up as the flare of voltage raced out of the cloud and struck the left path.
"Zap!" she exclaimed, and a Pidgeot came coasting down from the sky. It landed by her left side as she turned. Ash, Misty, and Brock were all astounded. The creature had to be at least three times her height!
"Pues, dónde allá está?" she asked.
Pidgeo, geo, pidge, geo, the Pokémon replied.
"Oohh, la ciudad de Olivino!" she exclaimed. "Y?" The Pokémon looked over at the four spectators. The girl followed the Pidgeot's gaze, finally noticing she had been watched. She was startled at first, then turned to face them.
"Hola! Yo soy Cristal! Y tú?" she asked. They all stared at her like she was insane. "No comprendo español?"
"I have no clue," Misty replied.
"Oh, okay," the other girl said. "I said, 'my name's Crystal. Who are you?' Make more sense now?" she laughed. She had a slight Spanish accent, but she was still easy to understand. Crystal was instantly confronted by Brock.
"Hello, my name's Brock, and I'm a Pokémon breeder. Would you like to join me for a romantic dinner for two and..." he cut off there. Misty had grabbed his ear and was dragging him away.
"I don't think she'll be very impressed," Misty said, exasperated. Crystal stared at them as Ash walked up to her.
"Hi, my name's Ash," he said, extending his hand. Crystal shook it readily. She had to be one of the stranger girls he had seen. She wore a white baseball cap forward on her head, and her white jacket matched well with the bright red shorts she wore. Her eager blue eyes showed not only her love of Pokémon, but also her love of adventure.
What really struck Ash as odd was the fact that the girl carried two backpacks. One was bright orange and had four pockets, while the other was a pastel pink form of Misty's bag.
"You must be a Pokémon trainer," Crystal said.
"Yeah, how could you tell?" Ash laughed.
"I saw your Pikachu," she replied, crouching down and stroking the Pokémon's fur. "It's been trained well. The fur is smooth and silky, the eyes are bright and clear, the electric sacs appear to be in fine condition."
"Are you a trainer?" Ash asked eagerly. He had been yearning for a battle for a while, but they hadn't come across any worthy opponents.
"I hope I am. If I wasn't I wouldn't be hauling around all these Pokémon," Crystal laughed. She slipped the pink backpack off her right shoulder and opened it. It was filled to bursting with Pokéballs.
"Wow!" Misty exclaimed. "You carry all your Pokémon around with you!?"
"Yeah," Crystal replied, slightly embarrassed. "It helps when you get lonely to have a lot of friends around. Most people think I have a few screws loose, though."
"Why's that?" Ash asked.
"I only train Pokémon that know electric type moves," she replied proudly.
"What about that Pidgeot?" Brock asked. "Pidgeot can't learn electric type moves."
"Well, that's where Zap is special," Crystal explained, scratching the Pidgeot's chest. "If I tell her to she can do a kind of spinning Agility, and she gets going so fast that she can create electricity around herself. After that it's just a matter of shooting it off at her opponent."
"Do you want to battle!?" Ash asked eagerly. Crystal laughed happily.
"I'd love to! I haven't been in a decent battle in a month!" she exclaimed. They both stepped back to clear a battlefield. "How does a four-on-four match sound to you?" she asked. Her tone easily conveyed her confidence.
"That's fine by me!" Ash replied. "Do you feel like raising the stakes any more than that?"
"Sure! Winner does lunch!" she shouted. "I hope that works for you, because here We GO!" Crystal grabbed a Pokéball from her waist and threw it, shouting, "Go, Dynamite!" The ball opened, revealing a little Pichu.
"You're fighting with a Pichu?" Ash asked, startled. He grabbed his Pokédex.
Pichu. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon. It cannot control its voltage power, and may let of a spark if surprised or happy. However, this Pokémon cannot release a shock without shocking itself.
"What a weird choice of Pokémon," Misty said, looking carefully at the miniature Pokémon. Its fur was coarse and ruffled, but it seemed to know what it was doing.
"I choose Bulbasaur!" Ash shouted, tossing his own Pokéball into the ring. His Pokémon emerged and braced itself for any oncoming attacks. When it saw it was first startled, then humored. Dynamite walked forward and extended a paw. Confused, Bulbasaur released a vine and shook hands with its opponent. The Pichu smiled happily, then jumped back and braced itself on the hard-packed ground.
"All right, Bulbasaur, use your Razor Leaf attack!" Ash shouted. His Pokémon released dozens of sharp-edged leaves at the Pichu standing before it.
"Dynamite, Double Team!" Crystal called. Before anyone could blink Bulbasaur was surrounded by Pichus, each one as realistic as the original. The Razor Leaf attack hit only copies, which were replaced moments later. The Bulbasaur was now looking around in confusion, trying to find the real opponent.
"Okay, Dynamite, now it's time to show them how you got your name!" Crystal exclaimed. A single Pichu from behind Bulbasaur rushed forward and slid right underneath it. In less than a second there was a brilliant flash and an enormous explosion. The field was covered in smoke for about a minute. When the smoke cleared, Bulbasaur was lying unconscious on the ground, while a mussed up looking Dynamite was brushing the soot from its fur.
"Bulbasaur is unable to battle. Dynamite is the winner!" Brock shouted. Ash returned his fainted Pokémon, surprised to have been beaten by such a harmless looking adversary.
"Muy bien, Dinamita!" Crystal exclaimed, rushing forward and picking up her victorious companion. "All that training really paid off, didn't it?" The Pichu nodded happily, then climbed up on her shoulder.
"Go, Chikorita!" Ash shouted. The grass type emerged from its Pokéball...turned, saw Ash, and jumped onto his shoulder, nuzzling his cheek. "Okay, Chikorita, that's nice, but we kind of have to battle now." The Pokémon jumped down into the field, waiting for the next Pokémon to emerge.
"Okay, go...Flame Tip!" Crystal shouted, tossing another Pokéball. A Magmar emerged in the ring.
"What!? A Magmar!?" Ash exclaimed, surprised. "I thought you only trained electric types!!"
"No, I said I trained Pokémon that learned electric type moves," Crystal told him, wagging her finger it him. Flame Tip walked forward and extended one hand. Chikorita warily extended her vine and shook with him. Strangely, her vine did not catch fire. The Magmar smiled and walked back toward his trainer.
"Chikorita, use Vine Whip to knock it off its feet!" Ash ordered. His Pokémon extended her vines and tried to grab the Magmar's legs.
"Flame Tip, use Flamethrower!" Crystal shouted. The enormous Flamethrower that erupted from the Magmar's mouth was too much for Chikorita to dodge or to survive. It was an instant knock out.
"Chikorita is unable to battle. Flame Tip is the winner!" Brock shouted.
"I still don't understand why you're using a fire type," Misty said.
"Watch this," Crystal said, a mischievous glint in her cobalt eyes. "Flame Tip, use Thunder Punch!" she exclaimed. The Pokémon's fist became enveloped in electricity, and it struck the ground. It left a sizeable dent there. "That's why."
"How in the world did you get a Magmar with Thunder Punch!?" Brock asked, shocked.
"Well, I left my Electabuzz at a Pokémon breeder center in Goldenrod once, and apparently someone else left their Magmar. When I came back they asked if I wanted my Pokémon's egg. I said yes, and left with a Pokémon egg. When it hatched, I had a Magby, and it wasn't long until I figured out it had Thunder Punch as one of its moves. I'm clueless to how it happened, but it did. Now, are you ready to go again?"
"Sure!" Ash shouted. "Go, Cyndaquil!" he yelled, tossing yet another Pokéball.
"Okay, Ash," Crystal said as she returned her Magmar. "I guess I'll go with Stars!" As she said it she flipped a ball up from her waist and flicked it into the ring. A Starmie emerged.
"I know about Starmie!" ash muttered to himself. He clearly remembered his experience at the Trovita Gym. He had almost lost the match and the Spike Shell badge because of the Starmie's Thunderbolt.
"Bueno," Crystal said, nodding in appreciation. "So you'll also know about this! Stars, Bubblebeam!" A jet of bubbles emerged from the Starmie's top point.
"Cyndaquil, dodge it with your Agility!" Ash ordered. The Pokémon disappeared and reappeared behind the opponent. "Now use Tackle!" As Cyndaquil charged forward Crystal shook her head in disappointment.
"Ash, Ash, Ash, you have to learn to expect the unexpected," she said, laughing. "Stars, aim a Hydro Pump straight at the ground!" she shouted. Mere seconds before Cydaquil's attack hit a water cannon blasted straight at the ground, sending Stars straight up into the air. Unable to stop its charge, Cyndaquil ran straight into the stream of water. A third knock out was issued.
"No way!" Ash moaned. Crystal just chuckled as she returned her Starmie.
"Cyndaquil cannot continue. Stars is the winner!" Brock exclaimed. "Now it looks like a one-on-one match-up. Ash is bound to choose Pikachu, but I wonder what Crystal will chose. She has enough powerful electric types to power all the Pokémon Centers in Kanto and Johto for years."
"You're up, Pikachu," Ash said, and his Pikachu jumped from his shoulder into the ring.
"Your turn, Lightning," Crystal murmured, crouching down and rubbing her Pokémon's head. The Raichu walked out into the battlefield, calm as though this were not even happening. She walked up to Pikachu and extended her paw. Pikachu shook it happily, and the two electric types smiled at each other. As they released the other's paw Lightning leapt back and crouched down, tail curved dangerously over her head. Pikachu was slightly intimidated, but it mimicked it's opponent's posture.
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt before it can attack!" Ash shouted. As Pikachu charged Crystal smiled. She had a secret that only she and her Pokémon knew. Ash and his friends would figure it out soon enough.
Pikachu released the Thunderbolt attack, a column of voltage headed straight for Lightning. The Raichu looked like she couldn't care less. Just before the electricity hit Lightning it split into three parts: one part flowed onto each ear, the last onto her tail.
"Thanks for charging her up, Ash," Crystal said. Ash and Pikachu were astonished. The attack had no effect on the opponent!
"Well, Pikachu, if electric attacks won't work, we'll just have to use a Quick Attack!"
"Counter with Double Team!" Before Pikachu could move it was surrounded by Raichus. "I guess I should have warned you about Lightning," Crystal said as Pikachu tried to figure out which Raichu was the real one. "Lightning was my first Pokémon, and my best friend. She was never put into a Pokéball, so her skills have been honed to perfection. Like your Pikachu's," she said, gesturing to the bewildered Pikachu.
"Lightning is fast, cunning, and incredibly powerful. She is never to be underestimated. Okay, let's get this moving, shall we? Lightning, Take Down!" Crystal shouted. All of the Raichus charged the lone Pokémon in the center, and Pikachu seemed to take damage from each one. As suddenly as the barrage began it ceased, and Pikachu was struggling to its feet. There was a lone Raichu standing before it.
Slowly, Lightning walked forward and helped the Pikachu stand up.
"I think that's enough, Ash," Crystal murmured. "Pikachu is stubborn, like you. I can see it in both your eyes. But it just can't win against Lightning. Let's call it a draw." Ash stared at her for a moment, then nodded. He walked onto the field and picked up his friend as Lightning ran back to Crystal. The two trainers smiled at each other. They had reached an understanding.
Suddenly a net dropped out of the sky. Everyone looked up at the Meowth balloon floating over them. Two people stood on the side of the hot air balloon, looking down at the trainers on the field.
"Prepare for trouble," a woman's voice called.
"Make it double," a man's voice continued.
"AY CARAMBA!!" Crystal shouted. Jesse and James looked down at the net. Crystal, Dynamite, and Lightning were all struggling inside. "LOS PERSONAS ESTUPIDOS!! USTEDES SON LOCOS EN LAS CABEZAS!!"
"Did she just say we was stupid?" Meowth asked, poking his head over the side.
"I'm not sure," James replied.
"LET US GO!!" Crystal yelled. Dynamite and Lightning were making almost as much noise as their trainer.
"Not until we take all those Pokémon you have," Jesse said evilly.
"NEVER!!" Crystal shouted, opening her Pokéball backpack. She grabbed two from the top of the bag. "GO, Mini Jolt! Mega Jolt!" she shouted, throwing the two balls through the holes in the netting. On either side of the hot air balloon a Jolteon had emerged. One appeared to be a foot smaller than the average Jolteon; the other was a foot larger than normal.
"PIN MISSILE!!" she shouted to her Pokémon. The spikes covering her Jolteon's bodies began to shoot off at the balloon, starting at the base of the basket and making their way to the balloon.
"BEACON!!" Crystal yelled, digging into the bag and grabbing another Pokéball. She dropped this one just to the side of the net she was trapped in. Ash, Misty, and Brock were ready to help when she needed them, but she seemed to be doing fine on her own. What emerged from the ball amazed everyone around, even Team Rocket.
The creature that stood below the net was huge. It was an Ampharos, almost twice as tall as normal. The jewels on its head and tail were bright red, but as the creature looked up at her trainer they changed to pale yellow, then back to red.
"That's an Ampharos!" Brock shouted. Ash grabbed his Pokédex from his pocket again.
Ampharos. The Light Pokémon. The bright light on this Pokémon's tail can be seen from very far away. For this purpose it has been coveted since ancient times as a beacon.
By this point the Pin Missiles were puncturing the Meowth balloon, and the net began to come down.
"HELP!!" Crystal shouted as she fell. Suddenly she stopped, and when she looked up she saw that Beacon had caught her. "Gracias, Beacon," she said. "Lightning, Blade," she said, a bit calmer now that she wasn't ten feet off the ground. The end of Lightning's tail seemed to sharpen into a finely honed blade. A single swipe cut the net wide open. "Okay, sheath it," Crystal sighed, relieved, as she got out of the net. Lightning's tail returned to normal as she followed her trainer, Dynamite riding on her back.
"Should I take it from here?" Ash asked.
"Be our guests," Crystal replied, bowing.
"Okay, Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Pikachu leapt from Ash's shoulder as it began to charge for the attack. It sent a pillar of electricity straight at Jesse and James. It hit the basket of the balloon, and a huge explosion followed.
"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!!" they shouted as once more they were blown into the distance. As everyone watched, a small star appeared in the sky.
"Who were they?" Crystal asked.
"Don't ask," Ash, Misty, and Brock said in unison. Crystal stared at them all for a moment, then started laughing. She returned Beacon and Dynamite, then turned back to them.
"So, where are you headed?" she asked.
"Olivine City," Misty replied.
"That's where I'm headed, too!" Crystal exclaimed. "It's absolutely beautiful this time of year. This is the second year I've wandered around Johto with nothing to do but check out the scenery and battle the Gym Leaders."
"Does that mean you've been in the Johto League!?" Ash asked excitedly as they started walking down the trail to Olivine City.
"You bet!" she exclaimed. "That's where you're headed, verdad?"
"Yeah! Was the competition hard?"
"Well, that depends on who you're asking. If you ask somebody who made it to the first round and lost, they might say yes the competition was tough. Or, if they were headstrong idiots, they'd say that the competition was measly. The other trainer just got lucky. I personally say that it takes a lot of training to reach the finals, and even more to win first place. I'm hoping to win the third year running…"
"WHAT!?!" the other three shouted. Crystal looked back at them.
"What?" she asked.
"The third year running!?" Ash asked. Crystal nodded.
"Actually, I don't think I'll compete this year. I'm going to battle the Gym Leaders for fun, then spend some time with my Pokémon friends. I just hope I'll get the opportunity to battle you again."
"Me, too. Hopefully I'll be better next time," Ash said, slightly embarrassed at how easily Crystal had defeated him.
"Don't worry. Next time it might be my Pokémon who are falling to yours. Just keep practicing. You'll get there. I think I might head back to Ecruteak for a while," she said as her Pidgeot settled on the ground beside her. "See you guys later!" she called as Zap took off, heading in the opposite direction. She waved back to them and they waved to her until they had lost each other in the distance.