Hello everyone sorry this chapter took so long but I was out of the country for the last month due to a family member falling ill. And besides that I've been tied up at work. I have already started on the next chapter and it will be out soon. Again sorry for the delay I didn't mean to keep you waiting this long thank you.
The sun was shining brightly and the sky was clear. He laid there for a few more seconds listening to the sounds of his pokemon interacting with each other. Hi body felt tired and weak and all he wanted was to remain the way he was until he suddenly saw a Garchomp flying above him with a blond woman on its back. He quickly sat up and saw his friend Lucario in front of him.
"It seems you have recovered well master, how are you feeling?" asked Lucario.
"I am feeling well but I guess I have you and Faith to thank for that" Ash responded.
"Thanks are unnecessary master you would have done the same for us" Lucario stated.
Ash smiled and looked in the direction Cynthia had taken off in.
"I assume Cynthia spent the night here considering I just saw her heading towards the stadiums" Ash explained.
"Yes it appeared the mistress was quite intent on postponing the match you have scheduled in a few minutes" replied Lucario.
"Well then I suppose I better hurry if I plan on staying in the tournament" said Ash calmly.
"Way ahead of you master" stated Lucario as he handed Ash three pokeballs.
Ash took the three spheres and clipped them onto his belt before he heard Lucario say.
"I hope they are to your liking master."
"Don't worry my friend I trust your judgment, I better get going, I will be back after my match I wish to speak to speak to you then" said Ash.
"Of course master I will be here waiting" Lucario responded.
Ash smiled and let out a loud whistle and after a few seconds Garchomp arrived with Raichu on his back.
"Hey buddy" said Ash as Raichu climbed onto his shoulder and rubbed his cheek against Ash's.
"How are you feeling Ash?" asked Garchomp.
"I am okay my friend but it seems I need to get somewhere fast, do you think you could help me?" Ash asked.
"Of course, I was wondering when you would ask" replied Garchomp.
Garchomp kneeled down and Ash quickly jumped onto his back and landed standing up.
"Okay Garchomp let's go, take us to the stadiums."
Garchomp roared loudly, bent his legs and pushed off the ground with great force as he sped off towards the stadiums.
Three minutes later Ash was in the empty trainer's locker room waiting for the match to start. He sat on a bench looking at the floor deep in thought. Raichu quickly noticed this and walked over to him before asking.
"Are you alright Ash?"
"Yeah I'm okay buddy, just got a lot on my mind" Ash answered.
"You're thinking about what happened last night aren't you?" Raichu questioned.
Ash let out a deep sigh and responded.
"I lost control again, all I remember is that yesterday I was with Cynthia and then they showed up. I saw them and could feel my anger start to grow and I needed to get away, I almost hurt her because of it. It happened again and I could do nothing to stop it. The last thing I remember is that Lucario snapped me out of it but I saw him lying there bruised and battered. It broke my heart to see him like that, I never wished to hurt any of you. All of you are my family, all of you trust me with your lives but I broke that trust last night and I hurt one of my family."
Raichu saw a lone tear fall on the ground and then climbed onto his master's lap and stated.
"Ash you are our friend and our family, we will always trust you no matter what. There is nothing and no one in the world that can make us doubt that you care for each and every one of us. You were not yourself last night and everyone understands that. Luca risked himself last night because he cares for you and trusts you more than anyone else. He knew what could've happened to him last night but he never looked back because just like you would risk your life for us, we would risk ours for you."
Ash looked at Raichu and smiled. He scratched the back of raichu ears and said.
"I don't deserve you guys, but I'm glad I have all of you."
Ash kept scratching Raichu behind his ears and under his chin for a few more seconds before the intercom sounded.
"Trainers the match is about to begin please make your way over to the battlefield."
"Well then lets get going buddy" Ash stated as he let Raichu on his shoulder.
Ash walked out of the room and headed down the tunnel that led to the battlefield. He got to the end of the tunnel and walked out onto the battlefield taking his spot in the trainer's box. The crowd cheered wildly for the competitors as they awaited the referee to start the match. Finally after a few moments the referee raised both his flags and yelled out.
"This will be a three-on-three battle between Gabriel Dunn and Red Satoshi, first triner to defeat all of his opponent's pokemon shall win and advance to the next round. Ready…. Begin!"
"Kricketune come on out!" exclaimed Gabriel as he threw his pokeball.
Ash looked down at Raichu and said.
"Well buddy I guess its time to find out who Lucario chose for us."
Ash reached back for his pokeball confidently and grabbed the first one. He tossed the pokeball out onto the field and smiled when he saw a small brown fox-like pokemon appear before him.
Eevee looked around and saw the many people that surrounded the stadium. She begun to get a bit intimidated until she heard the voice of someone she recognized. She quickly turned around and saw Ash and Raichu standing there.
"Hey Eevee its time for your first match are you ready?" asked Ash.
She looked at Ash and Raichu with worried eyes. Raichu gave her a smile and nodded as a way of telling her she could do it. The confidence that both her trainer and her mentor were showing her made her own confidence rise up. She looked at Ash and gave him a confident nod.
"You may have the first move" Ash declared to his opponent.
"Kricketune use x-scissor!" shouted Gabriel.
The Kricketune crossed it arms and fire an x shaped attack towards Eevee.
"Use quick attack to dodge and then use shadow ball" Ash ordered.
Eevee quickly took off dodging the attack and immediately fired a shadow ball at Kricketune.
"Use night slash to counter" yelled Gabriel.
Kricketune charged one of his arms with dark energy and struck the shadow ball making it soar in another direction.
"Eevee use quick attack again and wait for my command" Ash instructed.
Eevee once again took off running toward Kricketune but before she got to closeshe heard.
"Kricketune use bug buzz."
Kricketune quickly began emitting a buzzing noise that stopped Eevee in her tracks. She couldn't stand the noise she was hearing and was hoping that it would stop soon. Then suddenly she heard something, not from around her but in her head.
"Eevee its me Ash, don't worry just calm down and do as I say. Use shadow ball followed by quick attack."
Eevee calmly tried to tune out the noise, created a shadow ball and fired it. She then did as Ash had told her and took off towards Kricketune.
"Eevee use iron tail now!" Ash exclaimed.
Now able to clearly hear her trainer she jumped up in the air just as Kricketune had finished dodging her last shadow ball. Eevee hardened tail struck and sent the bug face first onto the ground.
"Use shadow ball while its down" declared Ash.
Eevee did not hesitate and begun to fire continuous shadow ball attacks toward the spot where Kricketune had landed. After a few more seconds Eevee ceased fire and returned to her trainer's side.
Gabriel was astonished at how that Eevee was able to do some serious damage to his Kricketune but it seemed she was getting tired.
"I have to defeat one of his pokemon" Gabriel muttered to himself.
"Alright Kricketune we have to win this use perish song" Gabriel commanded.
Kricketune was hesitant but quickly began to emit a joyless and sour tune.
Ash scowled at the trainer across from him. He now had a limited time before Eevee would faint.
"Eevee use trump card followed by shadow ball!" Ash yelled.
Eevee materialized a group of red cards around her and fired them towards Kricketune followed by a shadow ball.
"Kricketune protect" ordered Gabriel.
Kricketune crossed his arms and formed a green barrier around himself. Eevee's attacks collided with the barrier but did not penetrate it. Ash knew what this guy's plan was, he was trying to stall until Eevee fainted but he was going to do everything in his power to prevent that, and he had a plan.
"Eevee use trump card again" instructed Ash.
Without hesitation Eevee charged up and fired her attack and once again Kricketune protected itself.
"Okay Eevee ready, use quick attack!" Ash exclaimed.
"Protect one more time" Gabriel ordered.
Eevee ran towards Kricketune until she heard her next command.
"Dig."
Eevee stopped and dug into the ground disappearing from sight. Kricketune dropped his barrier and begun looking around for any sign of where Eevee would emerge.
"Now! Use bite!" Ash yelled.
Eevee emerged directly behind Kricketune and bit down fiercely onto the cricket pokemon making it screech loudly.
"Throw it up in the air" Ash commanded
Eevee swung her head and flung the Kricketune into the air.
"Finish it, use trump card" Ash ordered.
"Kricketune try to dodge it please" Gabriel pleaded.
Gabriel could not believe how fast the small pokemon had been able to overcome his Kricketune but he knew that if Kricketune endured this next attack he would be the first to defeat one of Red's pokemon.
Eevee could feel her energy fading, she summoned everything she had left and fired her attack. The attack connected and caused a small explosion, a second later Kricketune fell and impacted on the ground. Eevee could only watch as her opponent laid there unconscious. She could barely stand and was thoroughly exhausted.
"Kricketune is unable to battle, Eevee wins. Green trainer please send out your next pokemon" yelled the referee.
Eevee felt joy inside her body but was too exhausted to celebrate. She looked back at Ash and saw him smile and nod at her. She had made her friend proud and that's all that mattered to her. She collapsed and became unconscious.
The referee quickly noticed this and yelled out.
"Eevee is unable to battle red trainer please send out your next pokemon."
Suddenly a bright red beam came out of Ash's waist and a Heracross materialized on the field. The Heracross walked over to Eevee and picked her up. He then walked back to Ash and set her down next to him. Raichu quickly went over and begun to look over Eevee.
"Thank you Heracross, are you ready?" Ash asked
Hearcross nodded and walked back onto the field assuming his battle stance.
Gabriel returned his Kricketune and withdrew another pokeball.
Gabriel was still confident that he could win this battle. He drew back his arm and threw the pokeball onto the field.
"Golem destroy that bug!" he yelled.
Ash looked at the golem across the field and quickly come up with a strategy. He then looked at Heracross and stated.
"Be careful Heracross we don't know what this Golem is capable of."
Heracross looked back and nodded to his trainer.
"Okay Heracross mega horn" Ash declared.
"Golem use rollout!" yelled Gabriel.
Golem retracted his arms, legs and head into himself into his body and begun rapidly rolling towards the incoming Heracross. The two pokemon collided and were held at a standstill in the middle of the field.
"Perfect, now Hearcross throw it up in the air." Ash ordered
Heracross snapped his head upwards and sent the large rock pokemon flying up in the air. Surprised that it was now airborne golem began to flail his arms and legs in panic.
"Good now Heracross mega horn once more!" Ash yelled out.
Heracross rapidly flew towards golem with a glowing horn and struck him in the chest sending him up a bit higher.
"Now brick break, bring him back down" Ash stated.
Heracross flew high until he was above golem and with one deadly blow to the head he sent him plummeting down to the ground. The large rock pokemon impacted harshly on the ground causing a cloud of dust to rise. Heracross flew down and landed in front of Ash waiting to see his opponent's condition. On the other side of the field a single voice could be heard yelling out.
"Come on Golem get up we can win this, get up and keep fighting!"
The cloud of dust dispersed and Golem could be seen bruised, battered and panting.
Good now golem use stone edge!" shouted Gabriel.
Golem materialized rocks that that rotated around him and then fired them at Heracross.
"Fly through them with mega horn" Ash said calmly.
Heracross lifted off the ground and charged his opponent's attack with his mega horn. Heracross pssed through the attack unharmed and continued with his attack.
"Brick break now!" Gabriel commanded.
"Heracross counter!" shouted Ash.
Golem raised his hand and brought it down right where Heracross would be but suddenly his attack was stopped by another. Heracross was now standing in front of Golem with his left hand at a stalemate with Golem's brick break. Without wasting any time Hracross charged up his right hand with a brick break attack and struck Golem in his midsection making the large pokemon forfeit his attack and rear back in pain.
"Close combat, finish it" Ash declared.
Heracross immediately begun assaulting his opponent with punches and kicks. Gabriel could see that his Golem would not last much longer and he refused to loose to Red. He looked at his pokemon being pummeled and yelled.
"Golem explosion!"
Ash's eyes quickly widened and he yelled out.
"Heracross move!"
Heracross heard his trainer but was too late. Golem glowed white and caused an enormous explosion that engulfed the field in smoke. Gabriel was quick and returned his pokemon before he spoke up.
"Well Red that's another one of your pokemon down, it seems that I will be the one to finally defeat you I guess were still tied."
"Then you better guess again" Ash remarked coldly.
The cloud of smoke was beginning to fade away and on the other side of the field Gabriel saw something that left him speechless. Standing there was Heracross singed and with scratches across his body still ready to fight.
"How?" Gabriel asked surprised.
"Do you really believe I didn't train my pokemon to fight people like you. You sacrifice your pokemon to get an easy win, you are a disgrace as a trainer." Ash responded.
"How dare you call me a disgrace, I'll show you that I can defeat you!" exclaimed Gabriel.
Gabriel took his final pokeball and angrily tossed it out onto the field. From the pokeball emerged a purple pokemon. The pokemon had bright red eyes and a devilish smile.
"Garr!" it yelled out.
Ash looked at his opponents pokemon and slightly shook his head. He brought up Heracross' pokeball and returned the large beetle like pokemon after thanking him. He knew what his opponent was planning but no matter what he had already won this match. Ash reached for his final pokeball and threw it onto the field. Out of the pokeball a beautiful white pokemon with ice crystals adorning her body emerged. It hovered in mid air as it looked at its fellow ghost type across the field.
"Froslass lets finish this fast, sheer cold" Ash commanded.
Froslass immediately raised up both her arms and begun forming an enormous ball of ice.
"Gengar quick hit it with shadow ball!" Gabriel shouted impatiently.
Gengar fired three quick shadow balls towards Froslass and awaited the results but what happened next shocked both trainer and pokemon.
"Blow them away with ominous wind" Ash said calmly.
While still forming the sheer cold attack Froslass summoned a strong dark wind powerful enough to blow away the three shadow balls. Once they were no longer a threat Ash uttered a single word to Froslass.
"Fire."
Froslass flung the huge ice sphere at Gengar without delay and awaited the results.
"Quick destiny bond!" Yelled Gabriel.
But Gengar was frozen in place, he saw the sphere that was going to hit him and stood wide eyed.
The large attack impacted causing an explosion so big it covered the field and half of the crowd. An eerie silence is all that was left as everyone awaited the inevitable results. The cloud of dust slowly faded away and on one side a large crater could be seen and on the other a floating pokemon in front of its trainer. With the dust finally gone Gengar could be seen laying unconscious in the middle of the crater.
The referee wasted no time in announcing the match results.
"Gengar is unable to battle the winner of this match is Red Satoshi!"
The crowd erupted in cheers as they heard the referee's announcement. Down on the field Ash was congratulating his Froslass on a job well done.
"Good job girl, now I know that wasn't your full power but next time just tone it down a bit we almost destroyed the field" Ash stated.
Froslass smiled while rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment. Ash thanked her one last time before returning her and calling out to his opponent.
"Your pokemon deserve better than that, sacrificing them to achieve victory is disgraceful. The ends never justify the means."
With that said Ash turned around and headed into the tunnel out of the stadium with Raichu and a now conscious Eevee at his side.
As soon as he was outside he saw a crowd of reporters ready to swarm him. He heard them asking questions left and right without pausing to let him answer. Ash let out a large whistle calling his Garchomp and within seconds the large dragon had landed next to him and let off a loud roar that quieted everyone.
"Sorry but at this moment I am not taking any questions. I have something very important that requires my immediate attention but I will answer your question some other time thank you" explained Ash.
He then returned Eevee to her pokeball and let Raichu onto his shoulder as he climbed atop Garchomp.
"Take us back to camp buddy" Ash said to Garchomp.
Garchomp took off into the air and headed towards the forest.
"Spectacular match, but then again I would expect no less from him" stated Goodshow.
"Yes it takes me back to when he competed in the battle frontier" Scott added.
"Yes he has become quite exceptional but I think I shall take my leave" Cynthia said.
"Very well, tell Ash I send my regards" said Goodshow.
"Same here, tell him I will see him soon" said Scott.
"Is it that obvious?" asked Cynthia.
"Quite obvious Cynthia but in my opinion you could not have picked someone better" responded Goodshow.
"Agreed" Scott stated.
Cynthia blushed and walked out of the office and begun heading out of the stadium.
Back in Ash's camp.
Garchomp landed and let Ash off his back and headed toward a group of Ash's pokemon after Ash thanked him.
Ash quickly spotted Faith and walked over to her.
"Hello Faith how are you?" asked Ash.
"I am well master I hope you are feeling better" she replied .
"Yes thank to you and Lucario" Ash stated.
"No need for thanks master you would have done the same for us" Faith responded.
Ash smiled took out his three pokeballs and handed them to Faith.
"They did very well, could you please look them over?" Ash requested.
"Of course master, I will take care of them" she answered.
"One more thing Faith" Ash added.
"Yes master" Faith said.
"Where is Luca, I wish to speak to him?" Ash questioned.
Faith looked towards the forest with sad eyes and said.
"He headed into the forest earlier today, he said he was going back to where you and him were last night. He seemed very distraught so I told him to be careful and be back as soon as he could."
"Thank you Faith, Ill bring him back don't worry" Ash told her.
Ash told Raichu to stay at camp and look out for everyone and then headed into the forest to fin Lucario.