The sixth chapter:

A Real Rival Rouser!

Ash's POV

There I was, in the middle of my match against Paul and Buizel was struggling to get free. I ordered, "Sonic Boom!" Paul commanded, "Grab Buizel's tail!" At those words, Drapion grabbed Buizel's tail and the move failed. I snarled under my breath. It was just like I thought. The battle had just begun. I turned to the stands and saw my friends were anxiously waiting my next move.

Ranee's eyes were so filled with concern for not only for me but for Paul as well. I could guess what she was thinking. She was probably worried that even if I did win, Paul might not return to his original self. I vowed right then and there that Paul's new personality would fall and his old personality would re-emerge. 'I made a promise and I'm going to keep it.' I thought to myself. I looked over to Paul and something strange was going on with him. 'What's wrong with Paul?' I wondered to myself.

Paul's POV

I had awaken a saw that I was floating in some dark room. I asked, scared out of my mind, "W-where am I?" I looked through a window of some sort and Buizel was trying so hard to escape Drapion's grip. I saw that I was battling Ash in the quarter finals. I asked, "Ash, what's going on?" But, there was no answer. I asked again, "Ash? Can you hear me?" No answer again. What in the world? Just then, I could've sworn that a voice that sounded just like me asked, "What are you waiting for? Finish Buizel off!" I looked up and saw….me! I had to admit, even I was creped out. I was face-to-face….with myself! What was going on? I asked, "W-who are you?" The other me answered, "You're pathetic! I'm you!" I answered, "Y-you can't be me! I'm me!" He saw that I was confused and explained, "I'm your alter ego that you created years ago when your father did what he did. Your father was right. You are pathetic."

I responded, "Take that back! I…I just wasn't a good enough son."A tear rolled down my face as I said other me shot back,"That's just pathetic. You're a pathetic alter ego." I shouted back, "I am not! I have my wounds, yes but I should've never created an alter ego! Well, this is it! You're going away after this battle!" He smirked and responded, "I'm not going away after this battle because we are going to win against this pathetic boy. And then we'll show Ranee a thing or three." I yelled, "His name is Ash and you're not going to hurt him or…"

Before I could finish my threat, I heard Ash command, "Buizel, inflate your flotation tube!" Buizel did as it was told and escaped Drapion's grip. I yelled, "Alright Buizel!" Ash then commanded, "Water Gun!" Buizel did as it was told and hit Drapion dead on. I smiled at the sight and the other me just frowned. He said, "That's just pathetic." I responded, "It was not! It was brilliant! Ash is a good trainer! That's why you're going away after this battle!"

He ignored that fact, turned to me, and said, "Looks like I'll have to take control by force." I yelled, at the top of my lungs, "Ash, Ranee, help me!" He told me, "Don't waste your breath, he can't hear you….no one can." At those words, my evil self took back over…half way. Unknown to either of us, he was wrong…very wrong.

Ranee's POV

I was watching the battle instantly and then, out of nowhere, I heard Paul's voice. But…it wasn't his ice cold voice. This voice sounded filled with love…and fear. I heard him say, "Ash, Ranee, help me!" I looked up and around. Dawn turned to me and asked, "Ranee, are you okay?" I answered, the best I could, "I-I thought I heard a voice." Misty just turned away from me and responded, under her breath, "Pretty sure it was just you getting dizzy again."

I snapped up and asked, "What's that supposed to mean?" Before Misty could answer, Brock saved us both. He commented, "Okay, that's enough you two." Barry turned to me and asked, "Whose voice did you think that you heard?" I answered, still pretty shaken up, "Paul's voice…unthawed." Barry perked up as he knew what I was talking about and responded, "But, he's sounding like the Paul we've all met. How can this be?" I shrugged and I was starting to hope that I wasn't hearing things.

Misty responded, "I think she's just hearing things due her being dizzy." I snarled under my breath and I wanted to tell her off right then and there but I thought it would best if I just wait it out. I just turned back to the battle and Dawn advised Misty, "Dial back a smidge, Misty." Brock nodded and our eyes went back to the battle. 'Please, please don't let be wishful thinking.' I thought to myself.

Normal POV

Paul commanded his Pokémon, "Toxic Spikes!" Toxic Spikes landed onto the battlefield as did Buizel and it was instantly poisoned. "Buizel!" Ash cried. Little did Ash know, that the real Paul was crying out for the seal weasel Pokémon as well, begging for his evil self to stop. The evil Paul ignored his pleas and went back to the battle. He commanded Drapion, "Pin Missile!" Pin Missile hit Buizel dead center, knocking the water type out. Misty felt bad for the water type as the referee called, "Buizel is unable to battle! Drapion wins!"

Ranee was holding her head, trying to keep her own thoughts straight. She was the only one able to hear Paul pleading with his evil self to stop what he was doing. Barry was the first to notice her unusual behavior. He knew that this battle was what she was waiting for but why was she acting so weirdly? Back to the battle, Ash called upon Staraptor and advised to beware of Drapion's tail. Paul commanded, "Pin Missile!" Drapion did as what it was told. Ash commanded, "Dodge it and use Aerial Ace!" Staraptor also did what it was told and just when Aerial Ace was about to hit, Drapion ducked and grabbed Staraptor with its tail. Paul commanded, "Cross Poison!" Drapion used its Cross Poison attack, which hit Staraptor and caused it to land on the ground.

Toxic Spikes took effect and knocked out Staraptor. With the referee saying, "Staraptor is unable to battle! Drapion wins!" Ash called back Staraptor. He looked up and saw that Paul was holding his head. Ash couldn't help but wonder what was wrong. Ash decided to put that on the back burner and threw out Torterra next. Torterra is effected by the Toxic Spikes as well. Back in Veilstone, Reggie notes that Ash has made a big mistake. Ranee's parents, who came over to watch the match, agreed to that. Back in the stands, Misty's anger was melting away as she saw her 'rival' was holding her head in much pain. Dawn looked at Ranee with worry as did Brock and Barry. Even Team Rocket, who was near-by selling food, noticed this as well. They didn't know Ranee very well, but even those guys know when something is wrong.

Paul commanded, "Cross Poison!" Ash commanded, "Energy Ball!" Energy Ball hit first, causing Drapion to go back a little. Paul commanded, "Pin Missile!" Ash commanded, "Leaf Storm!" The two attacks collided, causing an explosion and the smoke cleared rather quickly. Ash commanded, "Rock Climb!" Torterra did as it was told but before it could finish up the move, Paul commanded, "Poison Fang!" Drapion grabbed Torterra and used the poison type move on the grass ground type. Torterra is weaken, obviously and Ash told his Pokémon, "Synthesis!" Torterra healed itself up and that quickly proved to be a bad move. Paul commanded Drapion, "Pin Missile!"

At that moment, Pin Missile hit Torterra, knocking it out. Dawn commented, "Déjà vue." Brock nodded in agreement as he knew that she was referencing Ash and Paul's battle at Lake Acuity. The referee called, "Torterra is unable to battle! Drapion wins!" Ash recalled Torterra. Brock commented, "I bet Paul did that to shatter Ash's confidence." Dawn pouted and responded, "I hope Ash is okay." Barry turned to Ranee and asked, "Are you okay?" Ranee answered the best she could, "Not really. I feel like I'm being torn apart." Misty perked up, her face softened as she saw a tear rolling down Ranee's face. She had heard Ranee whisper, "Please Ash. Please save Paul." 'Save Paul? What in the world?' Misty thought to herself. Paul heard Ranee's voice and asked his evil self, "Don't you care about what you're doing to Ranee?" The evil Paul perked up and asked, "Wait. You can hear her?"

At that moment, the evil Paul took over again as he recalled Drapion after taunting Ash a little about their battle at Lake Acuity. While he was taunting, the good and real Paul was thanking Ash for the great battle they had that day. Reggie was glued to his seat as were Ranee's parents, all of them wondering the outcome. Ash sent out Gliscor while evil Paul sent out Ninjask. Misty squirmed at the sight of the bug type. She still hated bugs. The evil Paul took over again and commanded Ninjask, "Agility!" Ninjask did as it what it was told. Ash commanded, "Stone Edge!" Ninjask quickly dodged it and Ash was surprised at its speed. Paul commanded, "Fury Cutter!" Ash commanded, "Fire Fang!" Gliscor didn't get a chance to attack for Ninjask was much speedier. Gliscor landed on the battlefield and the Toxic Spikes took effect. Ash had no choice but to call back Gliscor and call upon Infernape. Toxic Spikes took effect automatically. Ash thought, 'I've got to do something about those Toxic Spikes. Too bad I can't turn the whole battlefield upside down. Wait! Upside down, that's it!'

Ash commanded his fire type, "Dig, Infernape!" Both Paul's couldn't help but wonder what Ash was up to. But, it was the good Paul that figured it out first. Ash commanded before the evil Paul could figure out, "Flare Blitz!" At that command, Flare Blitz burned up the Pin Missiles underground and it hit Ninjask as well. Paul shouted, "Wait to go, Infernape!" The evil Paul demanded, "Keep quiet. You'll soon be gone forever once we win this battle." Paul didn't like the sound of that, not at all. The evil Paul took over again and commanded Ninjask as Infernape came up from underground, "Giga Drain!"

But, Ninjask was moving slower than usual. Ash saw this chance to strike. Ash commanded, "Mach Punch!" Infernape used Mach Punch against the bug type and it went down for the count. Misty was relieved that the bug type was down for the count. The referee called, "Ninjask is unable to battle! Infernape wins!" Paul recalled Ninjask and Ash recalled Infernape. Paul called upon Froslass to take over. Ash turned to his electric mouse and Pikachu ran on to the field. Paul commanded, "Hail!" At those moment, it started to hail in the stadium. Brock commented, "That was a good choice seeing that Froslass' special ability is Snow Cloak. It moves faster in hail weather." Dawn added, "It looks like Paul is trying to end this in one move."

Barry turned to Ranee, who was still holding her head. Misty looked at her, fear in her eyes. She couldn't help but be afraid for her 'rival'. After all, she barely knew this girl, only what she read in her file and what she had told them about Paul when they were kids. Back to the battle, Ash was able to get Pikachu to land Iron Tail successfully. The hail stopped as Paul commanded, "Ice Beam!" Ice Beam froze poor Pikachu solid. Paul commanded, "Ice Shard!" Ice Shard was about to be launched but Ash reacted first.

He called out, "Volt Tackle!" Pikachu did as it was told, shattered the ice, and hit Froslass dead center. Froslass was down and out. The referee called, "Froslass is unable to battle! Pikachu wins!" Barry, Dawn, Piplup, Brock, and Misty cheered as they knew that Ash had the lead again. Ranee was too much in pain from hearing Paul arguing with his evil self to notice. No one knew that she could hear them…not even both Paul's. But, both Paul's could hear her. Paul recalled Froslass and called upon Drapion.

Ash called Pikachu back and called upon Gliscor, who still looked weaken from its battle with Ninjask. Ash encouraged his Pokémon. Paul commanded, "Pin Missile!" Ash commanded, "Dodge it!" Gliscor did so in a clever way. Ash commanded, "Stone Edge!" Paul commanded, "Cross Poison!" The two attacks collided head on, creating an explosion.

Ash's POV

The smoke cleared and I knew that this battle wasn't over with. Not in a long shot. I looked over at Paul, who looked like he was a million miles away. At times, his eyes went from ice cold to warm as a fire type. I couldn't help but wonder if what was happening to him was what I went through when the evil king of Pokélantis did to me when I faced Brandon for the first time.

If that was the case, I had to defeat Paul and hope for the best. I commanded Gliscor, "Giga Impact!" Gliscor did as it was told and went into the smoke. Paul commanded, "Poison Fang!" That didn't work seeing that Gliscor had hit Drapion on its back and got away perfectly. Its training with the air battle master was helping me in a big way. It was giving me an edge. I decided not to get too ahead of myself, seeing that things weren't over yet. Paul commanded, "Pin Missile!" I commanded, "X-Scissor!" Gliscor dodged Pin Missile perfectly as I said to myself, 'Don't give up on me, Paul. And don't give up for Ranee's sake. She loves you.'

Announcer: Will Ash pull off a victory? Or will Paul turn the tides? And what of Ranee? Stay tuned for the final installment as I promise you, it will get hot!


Author's note: Sorry that it took me so long to update! I wanted to see the episode first before I re-mixed it! Let me elaborate a little. I got the idea of Paul having a split persona after seeing 'Battling the Enemy Within' for the hundredth time. That's where I got the idea for this chapter. I hope you like and please review!