"May, wake up! It's happening!"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
May rolled over and looked at the clock.
"This had better be important… you ornery little…"
"Ash is fighting his father, it's on TV!"
"Wait what?"
"They're battling on Jeneshisu Island! The Man with the Black Charizard's Bisharp just took down Ash's Snorlax!"
"Why didn't you say that in the first place?!"
David couldn't resist broadcasting his rematch with his son to the whole world.
"This is going to be my last Pokémon battle; we might as well have an audience."
The battle had just started, and the HUD in David's helmet indicated that his heart was beating a little faster.
"Let's hope that's just the thrill that comes with a Pokémon battle."
Ash knew from experience how tough these augmented Pokémon could be, and he knew that this Bisharp was just the tip of the iceberg. He was already down one Pokémon, he needed to turn this around before the situation got any worse.
"Go Infernape!"
Infernape emerged from his Poké Ball bathed in the same red glow as Pikachu and Snorlax. He screeched with anticipation.
"Infernape, use your Fire Spin!"
Inferape shot a spiraling flame from its mouth and trapped Bisharp in a vortex of fire.
"If you think type advantages are enough to beat me, you're going to be sorely disappointed. Bisharp, attack his monkey with Psycho Cut!"
Bisharp leapt out of the fiery pillar and fired a crescent-shaped blade of energy from the blade on its arm. Infernape took the hit, but was quickly back on his feet.
"Infernape, Flamethrower!"
"Bisharp, Double Team!"
Bisharp conjured two duplicates of itself, and Infernape's attack hit the wrong one.
"Guillotine!"
Bisharp flew at Infernape like a bullet.
"Blaze Kick!"
When Bisharp got too close, Infernape leapt up and kicked him in the face.
"Now finish him with Close Combat!"
Infernape repeatedly beat Bisharp until he fell.
Misty and the kids were watching the battle unfold from their hotel room.
"He did it!"
The last time Ash fought his father, five of his Pokémon were effortlessly defeated by just one of the augmented specimens. The only member of his team that had been powerful enough to fight them was Omegamoah. After years of training, and harnessing Omegamoah's ability to loan some of his power to his teammates, he was able to take one down like it was just another Pokémon battle.
"Mommy, who is that fighting with daddy?" asked Kai.
Adena still hadn't even said her first word. Ash and Misty had done their best to shelter Kai, but now was probably as good a time as any to tell him the truth.
"I'm afraid… that's your grandfather."
"Well look at that, I just took out one of your augmented specimens, without putting my own Pokémon through inhumane experiments."
"Don't worry; I've still got five left… Let's go Gyarados!"
Ash had seen his father's Gyarados during their last fight at New Cerulean. Omegamoah had defeated it effortlessly with his Thunder Fang attack.
"Infernape, return!"
Ash took a moment to consider which Pokémon he should use next.
"I'm never going to get used to those angry bloodshot eyes… Gyarados has a double weakness to electric attacks, but he's probably trying to draw Pikachu out."
Ash didn't want to use Omegamoah until he needed to. Given what he had with him, there was only one other Pokémon he could use in a situation like this.
"Go Feraligatr!"
"Gaa-tooor!"
"Feraligatr?" asked Iris.
"Well this ought to be interesting." said Kamilla.
"Not as interesting as Omegamoah…"
"Gyarados, Thunderbolt!"
"Feraligatr, Agility!"
Feraligatr ran around the arena at preternatural speeds and dodged every blast of electricity that came his way.
"Amazing." said Cynthia "Not only does a fragment of Omegamoah's power make Ash's Pokemon stronger, it increases their speed as well."
"You probably won't think it's so amazing if you have to battle him tomorrow." said Kamilla.
"Don't worry, I came prepared. You should worry about what you're going to do if you have to fight him."
"Feraligatr, Rock Slide!"
Feraligatr raised his hands and two large rings appeared above his head. Large boulders appeared inside the rings and came raining down on Gyarados.
"Now use Crunch!"
A normal Pokémon would not have been able to pierce the augmented Gyarados' hide, but with a fraction of his Omegamoah's power coursing through his body, Feraligatr was able to do just that. When he sank his teeth in, Gyarados howled in pain.
"Gyarados, Iron Tail!"
Gyarados swatted Feraligatr like a baseball and sent him into the wall.
"Now hit him with Solar Beam!"
"What?!"
Most of the people watching the fight couldn't believe what they were seeing. Gyarados began to channel energy into his mouth.
"That's impossible! Gyarados can't learn Solar Beam!" exclaimed Kamilla.
"Somehow Ash's father has found a way to teach these Pokémon moves that they aren't normally capable of learning." said Cynthia "I'd be impressed if the things he's done weren't so cruel."
"Feraligatr, Protect!"
Feraligatr had more than enough time to raise the barrier.
"Now hit him with your Ice Beam!"
Feraligatr's attack struck Gyarados dead-on and froze him solid.
"I knew I should have taught him Flame Wheel." groaned David.
Somewhere far away, Eris sat in her room looking at the fragments she had collected.
"It won't be long now…"
A moment later there was a knock on the door. When Eris answered it, she pointed her knife at the unfortunate messenger's forehead.
"You have ten words to explain to me why interrupted my alone time. If I don't like what I hear, I'll be eating your brains for dessert."
"You can't be serious…"
"That's four. You have six words left." replied Eris as she licked the blade.
"David Ketchum is on Jeneshisu Island."
Eris counted on her fingers.
"Ten words exactly… nicely done. Tell everyone to get off their good for nothing asses and get ready to move out."
"Yes ma'am."
The young grunt had formerly been a member of Team Rocket. Eris happily paid all her goons in cash, but he was beginning to wonder if the rumors circling around her were true. Apparently her plan was to summon a powerful ancient Pokémon unless the world paid her a hefty ransom, but so far they had done nothing but commit senseless acts of violence and gather some special looking rocks.
"I miss Giovanni."
(To be continued)
