The moment the referee spoke, Ash and Calem called out their attacks.
"Sludge Bomb!"
"Mud Shot!"
Muk shot out a huge blob of toxic waste. However, Chesnaught countered with a powerful stream of mud. As the two attacks collided, they exploded, flinging balls of sludge all over the icy arena.
"Move in and hit it with a Poison Jab!" Ash ordered. Muk complied, charging at his opponent with an outstretched glowing arm.
"Spiky Shield!"
Chesnaught slammed his arms together and extended a shield around itself. Muk tried to stop, but slammed into the spiked defense, injuring himself.
"Now use Seed Bomb!"
Chesnaught dropped its shield and blasted Muk with a barrage of exploding seeds. While the attack wasn't too effective, receiving so many of them at such close range did plenty of damage to Muk.
"Muk!" Ash yelled. "Sludge Bomb!"
The sludge Pokemon spat a ball of waste right into his opponent's face. Chesnaught yelled out, but did not go down yet.
"Drain Punch!"
"Poison Jab!"
Both Pokemon slammed their arms against each other; Muk was doing plenty of damage with his poison arm, but Chesnaught was keeping himself steady by siphoning energy out.
"This is an impressive show of close combat!" the announcer said.
The two Pokemon refused to budge, and for a moment it seemed that the stalemate was unbreakable. After a moment, however, Muk managed to push Chesnaught back by a few feet, causing Ash to grin.
"Body Slam!"
Muk flung itself into the air towards Chesnaught, who had no time to put up a shield before he was smothered by the sludge Pokemon's toxic body.
"Cheeeessss!"
"Chesnaught!" Calem yelled. "Shove it off and use Seed Bomb!"
The spiny armor Pokemon gritted its teeth and shoved his opponent off with as much force as he could. He then spat out several large seeds, which exploded all around his opponent, doing damage to both Muk and the icy field below.
"Muuuuk!"
After a moment, the barrage of seeds came to an end. However, Calem was not going to give Muk a single second to rest.
"Now use Take Down!"
"Dodge it!" Ash yelled desperately.
Muk tried to move out of the way, but Chesnaught was too fast for him; Muk was slammed with extreme force, sending him flying across the stadium. The sludge Pokemon groaned as he landed, his eyes now turned into swirls.
"Muk!" Ash yelled in shock.
"Muk is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Chesnaught is the winner!"
"Amazing!" the announcer declared as Muk's picture vanished. "Even with an advantage in typing, Muk was unable to overcome Chesnaught's sheer power!"
Ash sighed as he lifted up his Pokeball to return Muk. He then looked down at it happily.
"You were great, Muk. Now rest up."
He then looked up towards the field, and grabbed another Pokeball.
"Charizard! I choose you!"
He flung out his next Pokeball, which burst open to reveal the mighty fire dragon. Charizard roared as he landed in front of Chesnaught, causing him to wince slightly.
"And Ash's second Pokemon is Charizard!" the announcer said as Charizard's image appeared on the scoreboard. "Can Chesnaught overcome this typing disadvantage?"
Calem frowned. While he was trusted in Chesnaught, he was also smart enough to realize that he was a terrible match for a fire and flying type. Thus, he quickly grabbed his pokeball.
"Chesnaught, return!" he said as he returned it to its Pokeball.
"And Calem has decided to recall his Chesnaught!" said the announcer. "What Pokemon will he call upon now?"
Calem smiled as he grabbed a Pokeball. He knew exactly what he needed.
"I choose you! Rhydon!"
Calem flung his Pokeball, which opened to reveal a large gray pokemon with a single horn on its nose. Ash frowned as he remembered Calem's Rhyhorn.
"So, it's evolved since then," he mused to himself.
Up in the stands, Grace was groaning.
"I can't believe he evolved his Rhyhorn," she said sadly. "Rhyhorn are perfect for racing!"
"Yeah," muttered Serena. "Just perfect."
Back down on the field, Charizard and Rhydon were staring each other down. Charizard may have had a disadvantage, but he was still determined to win.
"Charizard!" Ash yelled. "Flamethrower!"
The flame Pokemon blew out a huge breath of fire, which hit his target head on. However, Rhydon seemed to be mostly unaffected.
"Rhydon!" Calem yelled. "Use Stone Edge!"
"Dodge it!"
Rhydon fired a number or rocks at Charizard, who quickly opened his wings to fly out of harm's way.
"Charizard!" Ash yelled. "Dragon Rage!"
"Counter it with Stone Edge!"
Charizard fired off a ball of blue fire just as Rhydon flung a volley of sharp rocks. The two attacks collided, creating an explosion.
"Charizard!" Ash called. "Use Flamethrower!"
"Bring it back down with Smack Down!"
Charizard blasted out another scorching blaze from its mouth. Unfortunately, the drill Pokemon countered by firing a glowing yellow ball of rock into the sky. As it reached up to Charizard's level, it exploded, pelting the flame pokemon and causing him to fall downwards.
"Charizard!" Ash said in alarm.
Charizard roared in pain as it hit the icy floor.
"Charizard has been brought back down to earth!" the announcer said. "Can it recover from this?"
"Not if we have anything to say about it!" said Calem. "Use Stone Edge!"
As Ash watched Charizard struggling to get back up, he looked back towards where his Flamethrower had hit. He then realized that the icy ground had been partially melted in some areas. An idea came to him.
"Charizard! Slide on the ice to get away!"
Charizard grunted, and slashed at the floor. Just before the rocks could reach him, he slid out of the way.
"What a creative way to dodge!" the announcer praised.
"Awesome!" said Ash. "Now use Fire Spin below Rhydon!"
"What?!"
Trusting its trainer, Charizard blasted a tornado of flames out below its opponent. The intensely hot blast caused the floor to melt, creating a pool of water below Rhydon. Calem gasped as he realized what was happening, but it was too late.
"Rhydon! Get out of-"
Before he could finish, the drill Pokemon sank, yelling out in pain as he was immersed in water.
"Amazing!" the announcer said. "Ash and Charizard have found a clever way to exploit their opponent's weaknesses!"
Ash smiled, then looked back at Charizard. To his delight, it was already starting to get back to its feet.
"Okay Charizard!" he said. "Finish this with Seismic Toss!"
Charizard opened up its wings and sped off towards its opponent. Rhydon was still grimacing in pain as he tried to get out of the pool, and he was taken by surprise when he felt himself being lifted out. However, he quickly realized that the reason why was not friendly.
"And Charizard is now lifting Rhydon into the air!" the announcer said in amazement. "Can Rhydon escape this predicament?!"
Rhydon struggled to escape Charizard's grasp as he went higher into the air. However, it was all for naught, and the mighty flying-type quickly turned around and dove towards the ground, still holding tightly onto his opponent. He then released Rhydon, tossing him straight into the ground.
"Rhydon!" Calem yelled. However, there was nothing he could do as he watched the large ground-type slam into the ground, throwing shards of ice everywhere. After just a few seconds, it became clear the he was out cold.
"Rhydon is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "Charizard wins!"
"That was quite the battle!" the announcer said as Rhydon's image vanished. "That's one tough Charizard, folks!"
Calem sighed as he returned his Rhydon to its Pokeball. He had to admit, he wasn't too surprised. Ash had already proved to be a master of overcoming type disadvantages in his battle against Gary. He knew that this would be a tough battle.
"Well then," he said as he grabbed another Pokeball. "Let's see how you like this one! Gyarados! I choose you!"
He flung his Pokeball out onto the battlefield, where it burst open. With a flash of light, his mighty Gyarados was revealed.
"And Calem's brought out another powerful fighter to deal with Ash's Charizard!" the announcer said as Gyarados' picture appeared on the scoreboard.
"Gyarados, eh?" said Ash. "We can still deal with that, right Charizard?"
Charizard roared in approval, showing that it was still fired up. Calem smiled, impressed by their determination.
"All right, then!" he said. "Gyarados!" Get them with Waterfall!"
"Dodge!"
Gyarados charged at Charizard while enveloped in water, only for the flame Pokemon to fly out of the way.
"Now use Dragon Rage!"
Charizard blasted out a ball of blue fire, which hit Gyarados head on.
"Don't let it hit you like that!" Calem yelled. "Chase it down with Waterfall!"
"Dodge it again, and hit it with Fire Spin!"
Gyarados charged once again as water coated her whole body. However, Charizard was too fast for her, and managed to fly out of the way once more. He then fired off a tornado of fire, which surrounded Gyarados and prevented her from moving any further.
"Now hit it with another Dragon Rage!"
"Counter with your own Dragon Rage!"
The two draconic Pokemon fired off two blazing spheres of blue fire. Both attacks collided in midair and began to push against each other. After a moment, however, Charizard's Dragon Rage overpowered his opponent's, blasting through it before it crashed into Gyarados.
"It looks like Gyarados is in trouble!" the announcer said in amazement.
Calem frowned. As long as Charizard was in the air, its speed was unmatched. He needed to fix that.
"Looks like we'll need to speed things up!" he said. "Dragon Dance!"
"Stop it with Flamethrower!"
Gyarados roared as she began to shake frantically, boosting her attack power and speed. Charizard blasted her with fire in an attempt to stop the move, with no success.
"Now use Waterfall!"
"Dodge it!"
The atrocious Pokemon was surrounded with water as she charged at its opponent. Charizard attempted to fly out of the way, but this time Gyarados was much too fast. The flame Pokemon was hit head on, causing him to fall back to the ground in the very center of the arena.
"Earthquake!"
Gyarados slammed her tail against the ground, sending a shockwave through the battlefield. Charizard roared in pain as he was hit by the wave.
"Charizard!" Ash yelled in horror.
"Finish it with Waterfall!"
Just before Gyarados could begin, Charizard's body began to glow as his tail flame grew. With only a split second to spare, Ash made a decision.
"Blast Burn!"
Gyarados charged, her body surrounded by water. But just as she was about to hit, Charizard blasted out a wave of extreme heat at point-blank range, which exploded all around the two combatants. Ash lifted his hand to shield his eyes, hoping that Charizard would pull through.
After a moment, the intense blaze died down, leaving behind a cloud of smoke and steam. Finally, the cloud dissipated, revealing Charizard standing triumphantly next to a pool of melted ice. Below him, Gyarados was floating in the pool, unconscious.
"Gyarados is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Charizard is the winner!"
"Amazing!" the announcer said as Gyarados' image vanished from the scoreboard. "Once again, Charizard has managed to overcome a typing disadvantage! Is there nothing that can stop it?!"
Calem groaned as he returned Gyarados to its pokeball. He then looked down at it.
"Sorry, Gyarados. I guess I underestimated that Charizard. But you still did great."
He then looked back at Charizard, a thoughtful look on his face.
It's managed to take down two of my Pokemon, so it's probably starting to get tired. Even so, it's a very strong opponent, so I need to take it down now!
With that in mind, he grabbed one of his Pokeballs and flung it out.
"I choose you! Togekiss!"
With a burst of light, a large white Pokemon with two tiny legs and broad wings emerged onto the battlefield and floated in midair. Surprised, Ash opened his Pokedex to scan it.
"Togekiss, the Jubilee Pokemon, and the final evolved form of Togepi. Togekiss visits peaceful regions, bringing them gifts of kindness and sweet blessings."
"So that's what Togepi could become?" Ash said as he put his Pokedex away. "That's really cool!"
"And Calem's fourth Pokemon is a Togekiss!" the announcer said as Togekiss' picture appeared on the scoreboard. "How will it fare against this mighty Charizard?"
Charizard roared in defiance, determined to stand up to any opponent even in his injured state. Seeing this, Ash grinned.
"Okay, Charizard! Fire Spin!"
"Air Slash!"
The flame Pokemon blasted out a ring of fire. However, Togekiss swiped at the air, sending a blade of air that cut through Charizard's attack.
"Charizard!" Ash called. "Flamethrower!"
"Dodge!"
Charizard blasted out a huge breath of fire. However, Togekiss flew away as fast as she could, narrowly dodging the intense blaze.
"Keep firing at it!" Ash yelled. Charizard obeyed, blasting fire at its opponent, only for Togekiss to keep dodging. Finally, the flame pokemon stopped attacking to catch his breath, giving his opponent an opening.
"Togekiss!" Calem called. "Use Aura Sphere!"
"What?!" Ash yelled.
Togekiss collected energy into a glowing blue ball of energy. Ash watched it in awe. While he had never seen the attack before, there was something about it that felt familiar somehow.
He shook his head. He needed to fight back!
"Charizard!" he yelled. "Dragon Rage!
The mighty draconian Pokemon quickly shot a blast of blue fire, which hit its target head on. However, to Ash's shock, Togekiss seemed to be completely unaffected.
"Unbelievable!" the announcer said. "Togekiss didn't even seem to notice!"
Togekiss then fired off the ball of energy, which hit Charizard in the face. He roared out in pain, then began to fall downwards.
"Finish it with Dazzling Gleam!"
"Charizard!" Ash yelled. "Blast Burn!"
Togekiss' body began to glow with white light. She then unleashed a blast of rainbow-colored rays, which slammed all around Charizard. It yelled out in pain, but still managed to expel one last burst of heat, which flew up towards Togekiss and exploded around her . As Charizard hit the icy floor, the flames dissipated, revealing Togekiss to still be conscious, albeit heavily damaged.
"Charizard is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Togekiss is the winner!"
"And Charizard has finally been taken down!" the announcer said as Charizard's image faded from the scoreboard. "But Togekiss has taken a lot of damage!"
Ash sighed as he returned Charizard to his Pokeball. He then smiled as he looked at the ball.
"You did great, Charizard. Now take a good rest."
As he put the Pokeball away, Pikachu yelled out, raising his fists. Ash looked down at him and smiled.
"So you want to try your luck with Togekiss?" Ash said as he looked at Pikachu.
"Pika-Pikachu!"
Ash smiled and nodded. "Okay then! Pikachu, I choose you!"
Pikachu grinned and ran out onto the battlefield. He then winced as he slipped slightly on the icy ground.
"And Pikachu has made its way onto the field!" the announcer said as Pikachu's image appeared on the scoreboard.
"Okay, Pikachu!" Ash called. "Let's start this off with Thunderbolt!"
"Dodge!"
Pikachu shot off a bolt of electricity at Togekiss, who just barely managed to dodge in time.
"Keep it up!"
Pikachu cried out as it unleashed another blast of electricity. Togekiss flew out of the way, but one of her wings was grazed by the bolt, injuring her slightly. Calem winced at this, then called out.
"Togekiss! Use Aura Sphere!"
The jubilee Pokemon charged up its mysterious attack once more, causing Ash to panic.
"Pikachu! Dodge it!"
Pikachu attempted to run away, but he slipped on the ice and fell to the floor. Smirking, Togekiss fired her Aura Sphere, hitting the mouse Pokemon dead on and sending him flying into the air.
"Pikachu!"
"Finish it with Dazzling Gleam!"
Ash gritted his teeth as Togekiss began to glow. There had to be a way to get out of this. But Pikachu was in the air, with no way to move away or-
And then Ash had an idea.
"Pikachu!" he yelled. "Blast yourself upwards with Thunderbolt!"
The small electric rodent gritted his teeth as he let out a large discharge of electrical energy. The blast began to slow down his descent, but not fast enough, for he was still in the line of fire.
"Don't give up, Pikachu! Keep it up!"
As he said this, Togekiss fired off her blazing rainbow. Pikachu kept struggling, pouring more and more energy into his Thunderbolt. He was not willing to go down just yet. He had to endure!
And then he began to rocket upwards, right before the blast could hit him.
"What?!"
Pikachu felt something rising within him. It was as if the electricity was somehow pushing him upwards, preventing gravity from taking hold and pulling him back down. As his cheeks sparked, excitement took over, causing him to flip out his tail and place both of his feet onto it. He then let the energy surrounding him to push him forwards, crying out in joy as the current pushed him forwards.
"Pikachuuu!"
"Unbelievable!" the announcer said in awe. "It looks like Pikachu has learned Magnet Rise!"
"Magnet Rise?!" Ash said in shock. However, he didn't dwell on it too much. He had a battle to win! "Pikachu! Chase after Togekiss! Then land on it and use Thunderbolt!"
"Dodge!" Calem yelled desperately.
Togekiss flew off as fast as she could, but Pikachu was already far too close. The electric mouse cried out as he landed on his opponent's back, then unleashed a massive blast of electric energy. The jubilee Pokemon screamed in pain before she went crashing back down to the floor, utterly defeated. Pikachu then bounced off, smiling in satisfaction.
"Togekiss!" Calem shouted, to no avail.
"Togekiss is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "Pikachu is the winner!"
"And a timely new move helps Pikachu pull through!" the announcer said as Togekiss' image disappeared from the scoreboard. "And since one trainer has lost three Pokemon, a five-minute break shall now take place!"
Calem sighed as he returned Togekiss to its Pokeball, he then looked at it fondly.
"Well done, buddy. You helped a lot by defeating that Charizard. It would have been a real threat to Chesnaught if it wasn't for you."
He then looked back out onto the field. Ash may have been ahead of him, but he was still perfectly capable of making a comeback. There was no reason to worry yet.
Up in the stands, however, Serena was worrying. She was happy to see Ash winning, but at the same time, she was worried about Calem. What would Ash say if he lost? Would he get angry and stomp off in frustration, leaving her alone again? Would he be so depressed he'd give up on his dream? What if he won? Would Calem and the rest of her family hate Ash so much that she'd never be able to see Ash again?
She shook her head. That was all crazy talk!
...Right?
"Hello? Earth to Serena?"
Serena yelped in shock, then realized that her mother, along with Delia and Oak, were staring at her. A mareepish smile formed on her face.
"Sorry, mom. Just… have a lot to think about!"
Grace stared at her for a moment, then turned to Delia with a knowing smile. Serena had no idea what had just transpired, but she quickly decided that she didn't want to know.
"Anyway," said Delia, "how do you think Pikachu was able to pull that off, Professor? I've never seen anything like that!"
"It's certainly intriguing," Oak said, deep in thought. "While Pikachu aren't normally capable of learning Magnet Rise, they can be taught the move by skilled trainers. There are other methods of learning unusual moves, but none that fit the current situation. Unless…"
"Unless what?"
Oak didn't answer. He was merely thinking to himself about the strange abilities Pikachu had suddenly displayed. He'd have to look into them later.
Meanwhile, down on the sidelines, Ash and Pikachu were talking to Brock and Misty.
"Man, Calem is just a much of a trainer as I thought he'd be," Ash said. "I can't believe he's already taken down Muk and Charizard!"
"Hey, don't worry about it," said Misty. "You're at an advantage right now!"
"Just don't get overconfident, and everything should work out," said Brock.
"Gotcha," Ash said with a thumbs up. "You bet that we're going to win!"
"Pi-Pikachu!"
As Ash and Pikachu smiled, the raven haired boy's eyes fell to the small pokemon that was currently nestled within Misty's arms.
"It's pretty amazing that Togepi could become a Togekiss like that one," Ash said, causing Misty's eyes to open in curiosity.
"That was Togepi's evolved form?" she asked.
"Oh yeah," said Brock. "I heard that Togepi could become a Togetic, and then Togekiss. It's pretty amazing that we saw one in action today!"
"Yeah," Ash agreed. "I still can't believe it was able to shrug off that Dragon Rage like it was nothing!"
"Well, it might have been."
Ash, Misty, and Pikachu all looked at Brock, surprised by his words.
"What do you mean by that?" asked Ash.
"Well, you know how that Steel and Dark types were discovered recently?"
"Yeah," said Misty. "Everyone knows about that."
"Of course everyone knows," said Brock. "What not everyone knows, however, is that after the discovery of the steel and dark types, some inconsistencies in the matchups of those two types with certain Pokemon began to pop up."
"What do you mean?" asked Ash.
"Well," said Brock, "Sometimes, those attacks would deal more or less damage to certain Pokemon, particularly those believed to be normal types. In addition, those Pokemon also seemed to take unusual levels of damage from attacks of other types, and they could use attacks that did equally strange levels of damage."
"How is that possible?" Misty asked.
"Several prominent Pokemon researchers, most notably Professor Birch of the Hoenn region and Professor Sycamore of the Kalos region, believe that it may be evidence for a third new type."
Ash, Misty, and Pikachu all gasped at the news.
"Another new type?" Ash said in amazement.
"Exactly," said Brock. "And it looks like Togekiss- and by extension, Togepi- could be one of them. It would be the most likely explanation for why it was able to resist that Dragon Rage."
"You mean… Togepi has a new type?" Misty asked in shock.
"Togepriii!" the spike ball Pokemon giggled, oblivious to the life-altering events happening around it.
"Most likely."
Ash was shocked by the news. A third new type? This was amazing! Could he obtain a Pokemon of this brand new type?
Of course, his break was about to end. He could worry about this later.
"Well, maybe we can talk about this later," he said. "Right now, I've got a battle to win."
"Good luck!" said Brock.
"Go win, Ash!" said Misty.
"Togepriiii!"
Ash and Pikachu smiled at each other as they walked back towards the battlefield. Calem had already taken his place and had a Pokeball in his hand. Ash smiled, determined to win.
"Let the battle recommence!" the referee announced.
"Let's go, Weavile!"
A Pokeball flew through the air and burst open, revealing the sharp claw Pokemon. Ash grinned and turned to Pikachu.
"Ready, buddy?"
"Pikachu!"
"Then I choose you!" Pikachu!
Pikachu happily leaped out onto the icy battlefield. He then grimaced slightly as he slipped around.
"And the current matchup is Pikachu against Weavile!" the announcer declared.
"Battle begin!" yelled the referee. The instant the words left his mouth, the two trainers were already giving out their first orders.
"Thunderbolt!"
"Ice Shard!"
A bolt of electrical energy collided with a flurry of sharpened pieces of ice. The result was an explosion of icy particles which flew out in all directions.
"Weavile!" Calem commanded. "Use Night Slash!"
"Dodge it!"
Pikachu tried to run out of the way, but his feet slipped on the ice, causing him to stumble. Seeing this, Weavile grinned maniacally and charged, his claws extending outwards with purple energy.
"Being an ice type, it seems Weavile has no trouble getting across the ice!" the announcer said. "But Pikachu is having trouble!"
Ash gritted his teeth. He needed to get Pikachu out somehow. But with the floor being so icy, Pikachu would slip if he tried to-
And then it hit him.
"Pikachu! Magnet Rise!"
The mouse Pokemon began to charge up its electricity once more, and then blasted off just before Weavile could hit him. The fierce black Pokemon snarled as his target escaped, but he was not about to let the yellow rodent get off so easily.
"Weavile! Ice Shard!"
"Dodge it!"
Pikachu let his legs rest on his tail, and then surfed off. A barrage of sharp icicles shot past him, but he was able to stay just out of range of the projectiles. Weavile snarled and gave chase, hurling more and more icicles. The mouse Pokemon had no trouble getting out of the way, however. Grinning, Ash made his move.
"Pikachu! Thunderbolt!"
Pikachu's cheeks began to glow with electricity, and he began to fire his attack.
And then he began to fall.
"Pika?!"
"What?!" Ash yelled in shock.
"It appears that Pikachu's having trouble with its Magnet Rise!" the announcer said.
As Pikachu fell, Calem saw his opportunity.
"Weavile! Take it down with Night Slash!"
The sharp claw Pokemon ran off, extending his claws as much as it could. It then jumped up towards the falling Pikachu and slashed him as hard as it could. Pikachu yelled out in pain as he was hit by the attack, but the worst was yet to come.
"Finish it with Ice Punch!"
Weavile's fist was coated in freezing energy as he slammed it into Pikachu, sending him flying across the battlefield. He then landed right next to Ash, defeated.
"Pikachu!" Ash said in shock.
"Pikaaa…"
"Pikachu is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Weavile wins!"
Seeing its opponent defeated, Weavile began to laugh hysterically as he began to dance around. After only a second, however, he fell on one knee and screeched out in pain. Calem gasped as he saw his Pokemon, wondering what had happened.
"Weavile!" he said, before he noticed something alarming; there were small sparks of electricity coming out from his body.
"Weavile has managed to take down Pikachu, but not without a heavy price!" the announcer declared. "It looks like Pikachu's static ability has paralyzed it!"
Ash took Pikachu in his arms, contemplating what he'd heard. While it was certainly strong, Weavile's greatest asset seemed to be his speed. And with that gone, he may well be unable to match up to whatever Ash sent out next.
As he reached the sidelines, he stroked his partner's cheeks kindly.
"You did great, buddy. Now get some rest."
"Chuuuu."
Brock and Misty smiled as they took him.
"We'll take care of Pikachu, Ash," said Brock.
"You just go and win," said Misty.
"Thanks, guys," said Ash. "I know I can count on you!"
He then turned away and began to walk back to the battlefield. As he walked, he grabbed a Pokeball, ready to defeat the troublesome Weavile.
"All right!" he said as he tossed a Pokeball. "Squirtle, I choose you!"
The ball burst open, revealing the tiny turtle Pokemon. He grinned as he lay eyes on his opponent, who was still cringing in pain.
"Ash's fourth Pokemon is Squirtle!" the announcer said as Squirtle's picture appeared on the scoreboard. "Can Weavile overcome its crippling status condition?"
Despite the pain, Weavile grinned and flexed his claws, showing that he was still determined to fight. Satisfied, Calem called out an attack.
"Ice Shard!"
"Dodge it with Rapid Spin!"
Weavile began to fling its sharp icicles, although with less speed than before. Squirtle, on the other hand, was just as fast at dodging projectiles as he had ever been, and he moved away in no time at all.
"Water Gun!"
"Dodge it!" yelled Calem.
Weavile attempted to move, but the paralysis was too strong, and he was hit by a stream of water. He yelled out in pain as he was pushed away, unable to resist his attacker.
"Now use Skull Bash!"
"Counter it with Night Slash!" Calem said desperately.
Squirtle tucked his head in, then charged at Weavile. The sharp claw Pokemon attempted to strike back, but was too slow, and he was hit hard enough to send it flying.
"Weavile!" Calem commanded. "Try using Ice Shard!"
Weavile gritted his teeth and began to fling as many icicles as he could. Squirtle's eyes widened as the shards approached, but he knew he would be unable to dodge them.
"Come on, Squirtle!" Ash called. "You can beat this! Use Water Gun to spray them away!"
Squirtle grinned and spat out a stream of water, pushing the icy attack way. Weavile gritted his teeth and extended his claws, daring its opponent to try again.
"Okay, Weavile!" Calem yelled. "Go for a Sucker Punch!"
Weavile grinned as he rushed towards his opponent, no longer bothered by the lack of speed.
And then the paralysis took over, leaving him completely immobile.
"Weavile!" Calem yelled. Ash, on the other hand, saw an opportunity.
"Finish with Hydro Pump!"
Squirtle tucked his body back into his shell, then began to fire a massive amount of water out of every opening. He then slammed into Weavile, sending the sharp claw Pokemon flying into the wall of the stadium. Calem's eyes went wide as he saw his Pokemon falling out, now unconscious.
"Weavile is unable to battle!" the referee said. "Squirtle is the winner!"
"Amazing!" the announcer said as Weavile's image vanished. "Weavile's paralysis was too much for it, and Squirtle was able to take it down with no problem!"
Calem sighed as he returned Weavile to his pokeball. It seemed like Pikachu had managed to defeat it after all.
"Don't worry, Weavile," he said as he held the ball. "You still did great."
He then grabbed another Pokeball. It was exactly what he needed to take down a water-type like Squirtle.
"I choose you! Heliolisk!"
With a flash of light, a bipedal Pokemon with a yellow body and black head emerged. Ash raised an eyebrow in surprise as he looked at it.
"Who's that Pokemon?" he wondered as he pulled out his Pokedex.
"Heliolisk, the Generator Pokemon," the machine said. "Heliolisk produces enough electricity to power a large building and recharges by spreading its frills."
"So it's an electric-type, huh?" said Ash. "Be careful, Squirtle!"
"Squirt-Squirt!"
"And Calem has brought out another Pokemon foreign to the Johto region!" the announcer said as Heliolisk's image appeared on the scoreboard. "Will it be enough?"
"I think it will be!" said Calem. "Heliolisk! Use Thunderbolt!"
"Withdraw!"
Squirtle shrunk back into his shell as the electric attack hit him. While it was somewhat painful, the tough shell had protected him somewhat.
"Squirtle!" Ash called. "Use Skull Bash!"
"Counter with Hyper Voice!"
The generator Pokemon unleashed an earsplitting screech, which sent a wave of energy hurtling towards Squirtle. However, he managed to stay strong long enough to smash his head into his opponent. Now that he was close, however, Calem chose to make his move.
"Now use Thunderbolt!"
"Deflect it with Rapid Spin!"
Heliolisk opened up her neck frill and shot out a huge discharge, only for it to be blocked by the rapid spinning of Squirtle's shell. He then slammed into the yellow lizard, sending her backwards.
"Now hit it with Hydro Pump!"
Squirtle began to spray water out of his shell, slamming Heliolisk with extreme force. For a moment, Ash grinned as Squirtle continued its assault. However, this turned into shock when the tiny turtle Pokemon was grabbed by the reptilian pokemon's hands.
"What?!" he said in shock. He then realized that Heliolisk seemed unaffected by the water that had just slammed into her. If anything, she actually seemed even more energetic!
"You made a big mistake!" said Calem. "Heliolisk's ability is Dry Skin, which lets her absorb water to heal herself!"
Ash gasped in shock. He had never been able to see that coming. And now Squirtle was going to pay the price.
"Now, Heliolisk! Parabolic Charge!"
"Pair-of-what?!"
A field of electrical energy began to extend from Heliolisk, enveloping Squirtle and causing him to yell in pain. As the attack ended, the electric energy flowed back into the electric lizard, restoring her health.
"Squirtle!" Ash called out, only to be met with silence.
"Squirtle is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "Heliolisk wins!"
"What a powerful Heliolisk!" the announcer said as Squirtle's image faded from the scoreboard. "Squirtle never stood a chance!"
Ash gritted his teeth as he returned Squirtle to his ball. He then looked at it fondly and smiled.
"I'm sorry, Squirtle. If I'd known about Heliolisk's ability, you could have won."
He then put the ball away, then grabbed another one. This time, he was going to win!
"I choose you! Tauros!"
He flung out his Pokeball, and it opened to reveal a huge brown bull-like Pokémon. He snorted as he faced his new opponent.
"Ash's fifth Pokémon is a Tauros!" the announcer said as Tauros' image appeared on the scoreboard below Ash. "Can it stand up to Heliolisk?
Heliolisk flapped her frill as she stared down her opponent. She would prove just how strong she was!
"Tauros!" Ash called. "Horn Attack!"
"Heliolisk! Dodge it!"
Tauros charged, pointing his powerful horns forwards. Heliolisk just barely managed to dodge the larger Pokemon's attack.
"Now fire off a Thunderbolt!" Calem ordered.
"Power through it and use Take Down!"
Heliolisk fired off a blast of electricity, which hit Tauros and caused him to yell in pain. However, he did not give up, and smashed into his opponent and sent her flying.
"Heliolisk!" Calem yelled. "Fire off a Thunderbolt!"
"Dodge it, Tauros!"
Heliolisk blasted out a shot of electrical energy, only for the wild bull Pokemon to rush out of the way.
"Okay then! Try using Parabolic Charge!"
The generator Pokemon fired off a field of electric energy to catch her foe, but Ash was ready this time.
"Tauros! Wild Charge!"
The wild bull Pokemon surrounded his whole body with electricity, canceling out the absorbing effects of Parabolic Charge. He then slammed into his opponent, momentarily stunning her.
"Helioooo!" the reptilian Pokemon yelled in pain.
"Now finish it with Horn Attack!"
Tauros slammed his horn into Heliolisk with as much force as he could, sending her flying across the arena. Finally, she landed right next to Calem, completely out cold.
"Heliolisk is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Tauros wins!"
"What an amazing battle!" the announcer said as the generator Pokemon's image vanished from the scoreboard. "Tauros' Wild Charge may not have been too effective, but it allowed it to block out the absorbing effects of Parabolic Charge! And now Calem is left with only one Pokemon! Can Chesnaught stand up to both of Ash's remaining Pokemon?"
As Calem returned Heliolisk, he looked at Ash in awe. He had met trainer who were as strong as the raven-haired trainer, but they had always been older than Calem. True, Ash was only about a year younger than him, but he was still impressed at how far he'd gotten despite his youth.
You're definitely a worthy trainer, Ash, he thought to himself. I can see why Serena gets along so well with you.
He then looked down, and his eyes caught sight of his last Pokeball. He smiled and took it in his hand.
"Well, buddy, it's just you and me. I know you're up against a powerful trainer, but you've been my partner since the beginning, and I believe in you. So you show them just what an amazing and powerful Pokemon you really are!"
He then tossed the Pokeball onto the field.
"Chesnaught! I choose you!"
With a flash of light, Chesnaught appeared on the battlefield. He gave out a war cry as he faced his opponent, ready to claim victory.
"And Chesnaught has returned to the battlefield!" the announcer declared. "And it has a lot to overcome right now!"
"And we will overcome it!" yelled Calem. "Right buddy?"
Chesnaught cried out in agreement and slammed his first together. Tauros snorted and whipped his tails in defiance.
"Tauros!" Ash yelled. "Horn Attack!"
"Seed Bomb!"
Tauros charged at its target with his horns pointing forwards. Chesnaught countered by tossing out a number of explosive seeds, which exploded all around the wild bull Pokemon. He grimaced slightly, but did not stop, and slammed into his target head on.
"Cheeesss!"
"Chesnaught!" Calem yelled. "Use Drain Punch!"
"Dodge it!"
Tauros galloped off before Chesnaught could hit him, narrowly evading the attack.
"Now use Take Down!"
"Spiky Shield!"
Tauros charged again, but the bulky grass type Pokemon lifted his arms up and shielded himself. Ash saw this and tried to call Tauros back, but it was too late. The bovine Pokemon smashed into the wall of spikes, crying out in pain as he did so.
"Tauros!" Ash yelled. "Get back!"
"Drain Punch!"
Tauros managed to take a few steps back, but he was then slammed by a glowing fist. He cried out in pain as energy was siphoned out of his body and into his opponent.
Up in the stands, Serena was worried. Tauros was in trouble, and if he fell, Ash would have only one Pokemon to face off against Chesnaught. And she had seen the mighty grass type in action several times. Did Ash's final Pokemon have the strength to stand up to the mighty Chesnaught?
"Come on, Calem!" Grace yelled. "You can win!"
"You can do it, Ash!" Delia yelled. "Show him what being a trainer is all about!"
"This is an amazing battle!" Oak commented. "Calem has clearly done a great job raising that Chesnaught! Ash may very well be the one who loses!"
Serena's heart sank. Even the professor thought Ash would lose?! That couldn't be! Ash just had to win!
Suddenly, everything became clear to her.
"We know you can win, Calem!" Grace said. "Right, Serena?"
She then turned to look at her daughter, only to be met with an empty seat.
"What?!" she said in shock. "But the match is getting really good!"
Back on the battlefield, Chesnaught had grabbed Tauros by the horns, and had lifted him straight off the ground. The wild bull Pokemon struggled in vain to escape, but the spiny armor Pokemon was just too strong for him.
"Amazing!" the announcer said. "Chesnaught has backed Tauros into a corner! Can it escape?!"
"We won't let it!" said Calem. "Chesnaught! Toss it back out, and finish it with Seed Bomb!"
The mighty grass type tossed his opponent onto the ground, causing him to cry out as he was slammed onto the icy floor. But it was not over yet; a barrage of seeds fell all around Tauros, causing massive damage as they exploded. The force caused the floor around it to break apart, sending shards of ice everywhere.
"Tauros!" Ash yelled in horror, only to be met with silence.
"Tauros is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Chesnaught is the winner!"
"That was incredible!" the announcer declared as Tauros vanished from the scoreboard. "Chesnaught has managed to even the score! And now Ash has only one Pokemon left! Will it be enough to stand up to this mighty Chesnaught?!"
Down on the field, Ash was feeling worried. As he returned Tauros to his pokeball, he gazed worriedly at his opponent. Its strength was unbelievable, and it had already managed to defeat two of his pokemon, including one which should have had the advantage. How was he supposed to beat it?! Was it even possible?!
…Should he give up?
"ASH!"
Ash was broken out of his thoughts by the sudden voice. He had been so caught up worrying about what to do that he hadn't noticed the sound of someone approaching him. He turned around to see who it was, and gasped in shock.
It was Serena.
"Listen, Ash!" she said. "Calem is really strong, but you're stronger! You've managed to come this far, and you've even beat Gary! If there's any trainer that can take Chesnaught down, it's you! Do you understand?! Don't give up until it's over!"
Ash kept staring in shock. Serena actually wanted him to defeat Calem? She supported him over her cousin? And… she believed he could win?
Across the stadium, Calem was watching in amazement. While he'd known that Ash and Serena had a close relationship, he'd never thought that they were so close that she would support Ash over him. Almost imperceptibly, he let out a chuckle.
Sorry, cousin. But I'm going to have to beat your new boyfriend.
Up in the stands, Grace and Delia were watching in awe. They then looked at each other, and a smile began to form on their faces.
"So," said Delia. "I don't want to be too hasty, but we are so going to be in-laws!"
Grace nodded. "Oh, I can certainly see that happening."
Back down on the sidelines, Misty was gritting her teeth. Once again, Serena had come out of nowhere and was trying to take Ash away from her! Who did she think she was?!
"You know, I think Ash really needed to hear that," said Brock. "Don't you think so, Misty?"
"Yeah," Misty grumbled. "Totally needed it."
Back on the field, Ash's shock was fading, replaced by unbelievable joy, and unwavering determination. Now, he felt more determined than ever to win the match!
"Thanks, Serena," he said happily. "I won't give up! You just watch!"
Serena smiled and gave Ash a thumbs up. The raven-haired trainer smiled and looked away, his cheeks now glowing crimson. Trying his best to ignore the Butterfrees flying around in his stomach, he grabbed his final Pokeball.
"Okay, buddy. That Chesnaught might be strong, but we're stronger! So you go out and show them all just how amazing you are!"
He then tossed the ball out as hard as he could.
"Meganium! I choose you!"
With a burst of light, the ball burst open, revealing Ash's mighty Meganium. She cried out with determination as she landed on the icy floor.
"And Ash's final Pokemon is Meganium!" the announcer said as Meganium's picture appeared in Ash's last Pokemon slot. "The battle has come down to two mighty grass-type starters! Johto's Meganium versus Kalos' Chesnaught! Which one shall emerge victorious?"
The two grass-type Pokemon watched each other as they stood on the field. They could both tell that they were powerful fighters, but they were undeterred. Their pride as grass-type starter Pokemon was on the line.
"Are you ready, Meganium?" Ash asked.
"Megaaa!" the herb Pokemon cried in determination.
"We're ready too!" said Calem. "Right, Chesnaught?"
"Cheees!" the spiny armor Pokemon roared.
The referee waved his flags, signaling the beginning the final fight.
"Razor Leaf!"
"Seed Bomb!"
The two Pokemon fired off their attacks, which collided in midair and exploded. As the smoke cleared away, both combatants charged at each other.
"Body Slam!" Ash yelled.
"Drain Punch!" yelled Calem.
Chesnaught's arm began to glow as he lunged for Meganium. The herb Pokemon managed to dodge the attack, however, and landed right on top of her opponent.
"Cheeees!"
"Don't give in, Chesnaught!" Calem yelled. "Toss Meganium off!"
The spiny armor Pokemon grabbed Meganium, then lifted his mighty arms and tossed her off. However, Ash was not going to let her get injured that easily.
"Meganium! Use your Vine Whip to break your fall!"
The herb Pokemon let her vines shoot out and land on the floor, slowing her descent down as she landed.
"Chesnaught!" Calem yelled. "Seed Bomb!"
Chesnaught fired off a barrage of seeds out, which exploded all around Meganium. Ash watched as she took the damage, seeking some way to strike back. It was then that he noticed that the constant Seed Bombs had caused several pieces of ice to break away from the floor. This gave him a sudden idea.
"Meganium! Use Earthquake to loosen the floor up!"
The herb Pokemon had no idea what her trainer had in store, but she decided to trust him. She slammed her feet against the frozen ground, causing several shards of ice to shoot upwards.
"Now use Vine Whip to send that ice towards Chesnaught!"
Meganium shot her vines out and began to hit the ice, sending it flying towards her opponent. The bulky grass type cried in pain as he was pelted with Meganium's improvised ice attack.
"What a way to use the field to your advantage!" the announcer said. "Ash sure has a knack for this sort of thing!"
Calem gritted his teeth. He wasn't going to let this go unpunished!
"Chesnaught! Send some of those icicles back at Meganium!
Chesnaught punched the ground, to loosen up some ice, but before he could do anything, Ash issued his next command.
"Meganium! Wrap your vines around Chesnaught's arms!"
Not wasting a second, the herb Pokemon shot out her vines and caught her opponent's arms, preventing him from flinging any icy debris. Calem frowned for a moment, but quickly got an idea.
"Chesnaught! Pull it in and use Drain Punch!"
Chesnaught roared as he tugged his arms forward, yanking Meganium off the ground and into the air. The light green Pokemon cried out in shock as she went hurtling towards her opponent. As Chesnaught's arms came loose, he prepared to toss a punch at her.
"Meganium!" Ash called. "Use the momentum and slam Chesnaught with Body Slam!"
Meganium's eyes widened, and she obeyed her trainer. The two Pokemon then collided into each other, with Chesnaught slamming his fist into the herb Pokemon as she landed on top of him.
"And both Pokemon have collided into each other!" the announcer said. "That is bound to do a lot of damage!"
Meganium groaned in pain as she got back to her feet. While she was certain that her attack had done a lot of damage, she'd received plenty as well. And to make matters worse, Chesnaught had managed to siphon some of her energy, so he wasn't as badly injured as he should have been.
As she walked off, Chesnaught began to get up as well. He was in plenty of pain, but he wasn't going to give up just yet. He was absolutely determined to emerge victorious!
"Meganium!" Ash called. "Tackle!"
"Protect yourself with Spiky Shield!"
To Calem's shock, Chesnaught didn't try to protect himself; he instead charged right back at Meganium, slamming against her as the two met.
"Chesnaught!" Calem said. "Why didn't you-"
Chesnaught then fired a barrage of Seed Bombs at Meganium, who made no effort to dodge them. She then tossed a number of sharpened leaves at Chesnaught, who also endured the attack. The two then slammed against each other, struggling for a moment before they were both forced backwards. It was then that a sudden realization hit Calem.
"I… understand," he said. "This isn't just a trainer battle. It's a battle for the pride of grass-type starter Pokemon."
He then looked towards Ash, who has a similar look of understanding on his face. The raven-haired trainer then caught sight of Calem and nodded. He nodded back, then turned to look at the combatants.
"Chesnaught!" he commanded. "Use Solarbeam!"
"Counter with your own Solarbeam!"
Meganium's petals began to glow as she absorbed the sun's energy. The spiny armor Pokemon lifted his hands to the sky and began to do the same, with both hands beginning to glow. Soon, a ball of glowing yellow energy formed in Meganium's mouth, as did a similar one in Chesnaught's hands.
The herb Pokemon then blasted the solar energy she'd collected at Chesnaught, who thrust his hands forwards to unleash a blast of his own. Both beams met in the center of the arena, where they created a blinding explosion which engulfed them both.
"Meganium!" Ash cried out.
"Chesnaught!" yelled Calem.
As the light died down, both combatants were revealed to be lying on the floor, struggling to get back to their feet.
"Meganium!" Ash called. "Are you okay?!"
"Megaaa!" the herb Pokemon groaned as she got back up.
"Chesnaught!" yelled Calem. "Can you still fight?!"
"Chesss!" the spiny armor Pokemon uttered as he rose up.
"Unbelievable!" the announcer said in awe. "Neither Pokemon wants to give up yet!"
Ash and Calem both gritted their teeth. It was clear that neither Pokemon would be able to take much more damage.
"Chesnaught!" Calem yelled. "Take Down!"
"Meganium!" Ash called. "Vine Whip!"
Chesnaught charged at his opponent, only to be caught by the arms by Meganium's vines. He gritted his teeth and grabbed the vines, trying to yank Meganium away. However, this time she stood strong and pulled at her opponent with as much strength as she could muster. For a moment, the two Pokemon pulled at each other, locked in a bitter stalemate as they each tried to overpower the other.
Then Ash and Calem gave out their commands.
"Razor Leaf!"
"Seed Bomb!"
Both Pokemon unleashed their respective attacks, which collided with their targets and forced them to break their stalemate as they were pushed backwards. They gasped as they stopped, exhausted and in pain.
"Meganium!" Ash yelled. "Razor Leaf again!"
"Seed Bomb!"
Both Pokemon unleashed their attacks, which collided in midair and exploded, creating a huge cloud of smoke.
"Use Tackle!" Ash cried.
"Counter with Take Down!" Calem yelled.
Both Pokemon rushed at each other as the smoke cleared. They collided against each other, crying out in pain as they touched but refusing to accept defeat. They then pushed against each other, absolutely determined to win.
"Meganium!" Ash called. "Solarbeam!"
"You use Solarbeam too!" Calem ordered.
The two Pokemon gathered solar energy as before. However, this time they were right next to each other, and they had no intention of moving away. Even if it meant taking a close range Solarbeam, they were going to continue their struggle. They were going to win!
"Fire!"
The two Pokemon unleashed their attacks at point-blank range, causing them to explode violently. Both Chesnaught and Meganium were forced backwards, landing roughly on the floor. They both cried out in pain as they hit the floor, causing their trainers to gasp out in horror.
"Meganium!"
"Chesnaught!"
Both grass types groaned in pain, but gritted their teeth and pushed themselves back up. As long as one refused to give in, the other would continue to fight.
"Those two are absolutely determined!" the announcer said. "Neither is willing to go down until the other one has been defeated! Which of these two mighty grass fighters has the will to go farther?"
Ash and Calem were both watching worriedly. They didn't want to lose, but they also didn't want their Pokemon to get injured too badly. And it was clear that the two combatants had taken far more punishment than could ever be considered safe for any Pokemon.
Meanwhile, both Pokemon were now slowly making their way towards one another. They were both panting in exhaustion, and cringing in pain with each step they took. However, they stubbornly refused to admit defeat. Their pride would not allow it.
Then, right before they could reach each other, they both screamed in pain and collapsed.
"No!" Ash yelled in horror. "Meganium!"
"Chesnaught!" Calem yelled.
Meganium shot out her vines to stop herself from hitting the floor, and Chesnaught slammed his fists into the ground to do the same. They both tried desperately to push themselves up again, but they were too exhausted to do anything more than hold themselves steady.
"This could be it!" the announcer said. "These two are all but finished!"
Meganium screamed in pain as tears streamed down her face. It took all of her willpower to hold herself above the frozen ground. Every single inch of her body was in agony, and her vision was starting to become blurry. She could barely hear her trainer calling out to her, worried about her wellbeing. She smiled. Even when he was in danger of losing a match, her wellbeing was all he cared about.
She then tried to focus on her opponent. In spite of everything, she couldn't help but admire him. He was every bit as stubborn as her, and he was absolutely loyal to his trainer. In addition, his strength had been so great, that even she had trouble going up against him. She hoped that he had the same respect for her as she did for him.
She then thought about Ash. Ever since she had first joined him, they had worked together to become the best of the best. And she had done her best to help him, evolving to her final form against Gary, and fighting until she could fight no more against Calem. Truly, she had done everything in her power to allow Ash to become a champion.
Finally, as her vines began to fail below her, a single thought went through her head.
Ash… I'm so sorry.
With that, she slipped into unconsciousness and fell to the floor, defeated. For a moment, Chesnaught smiled triumphantly, then fell to the floor and fainted as well.
The entire stadium was silent. The audience was in shock. The battle between Meganium and Chesnaught had been more intense than any previous battle in the Silver Conference, and it had only ended when both combatants had been unable to take any more.
Then, the referee spoke.
"Since both Pokemon are their trainer's last Pokemon, a tie can't be declared. Therefore, because Meganium was the first to faint, the winner of the match is Calem Xavier of Aquacorde Town!"
Ash looked out onto the battlefield speechlessly. His eyes rested on Meganium, who was still lying on the floor motionlessly. She had fought valiantly, but ultimately, Chesnaught had been the stronger of the two.
"Return, Meganium," he said as he lifted up his Pokeball and returned her. "You couldn't have done a better job, old friend. You battled valiantly, and you didn't give up until the very end. I'm proud of you."
He then looked back down towards the ground sadly. He couldn't believe he had lost. After all the battles he'd been through, his Silver Conference experience had come to an end.
"Ash?"
He was broken out of his thoughts by Serena's voice. Looking behind him, he saw her smiling at him reassuringly.
"You may not have beaten Calem, but you did amazingly well."
Ash smiled, deeply moved by Serena's words. He hoped to Arceus that he wasn't blushing.
"Thanks, Serena."
Back on the sidelines, Misty was feeling the need to punch something.
A/N: Yes, I am aware that many of you wanted to see Ash win. Well, I'm sorry to disappoint, but I feel that Ash can't win a major Pokemon League (I consider the Orange league to be a minor League) just yet. After all, he still needs to have plenty of time bonding with Serena before he can become a champion. And he has a whole new region to conquer too...
Anyway, Calem has managed to win this one. How is Macy going to react? And how will Calem deal with her? Well... that's for me to know, and you to find out.
Next time: A lot of stuff happens. And I mean a lot.