Welcome back everyone! Last time, the preliminaries were underway as Ash and Spearow barely made it past the first leg of it.
Ch 10: Free for all
Ash watched on, Zubat maneuvering through the cave with little difficulty just as Janine had believed to be the case. The Bat Pokémon's Supersonic allowing it to figure out which paths were dead ends and which would lead to the correct path. Making his way to the finish line of this section, Ash was shocked to see Zubat catching up to the leaders.
"Thanks to its echolocation, Zubat has a distinct advantage over the others currently navigating through the cave," Giovanni spoke up, Ash putting the two announcers' thoughts into the back of his head. "By bouncing its Supersonic around the cave, it can determine where it needs to go. Definitely smart of Janine to send it into this section. Zubat has allowed them to catch up to the front, though there's still a while to go. Gary's Growlithe is using its keen sense of smell to follow the leaders and Brock's Onix is also tearing through the cave with ease."
"Well what else would you expect with a Pokémon who are found in caves?" Romeo asked in response, adjusting his glasses. Ash meanwhile was now at the finish line, waiting in anticipation as the first few made it out of the cave.
"Advantages or not, Mayaka and Rue will do everything in their power to make it through! These two young girls have been holding strong to their lead since the preliminaries first began! Though not too far behind seems to be the group of Bruce and Trent, those two are surprisingly in second place with Kai's Ninetales about to pass them," Romeo continued on, Ash glancing at the screen only to see a Nidorino burst out of the cave, running straight for Mayaka and Rue.
They're already onto the third section!? Ash thought to himself, Nidorino being recalled while a Machoke sprinted off to the mountainous section. Ash watched on with interest as the Fighting-Type scaled the first cliff and began its climb upwards. Ash quickly turned his attention away, making his way over to Janine and their remaining Pokémon.
"We're not in too bad of shape right now," Janine stated to him, their wristbands still showing green as Onix came barreling outwards with tremendous speed. Brock looked over to them, waving with a smile as a Geodude shot off for the mountains, Kai's Ninetales emerging from the cave now. Ash had a feeling that whatever Pokémon Bruce and Trent were using was now lost in the cave considering how two teams that were behind them were now outside. Geodude took to the rocky ledges, climbing up them with ease while Kai's partner used a Raticate, the Normal-Type jumping to each placement.
"Though, from what it seems like, once a certain number of people reach a specific finish line, those who haven't reached it yet are eliminated," Janine spoke, pointing over to the group sitting around at the end of the water section. To his surprise, there seemed to be about fifteen or so students just sitting there looking on in defeat. He had to wonder if the number advancing each time would be lower than the last, but there was no way for him to tell.
"So, any idea on what we should do then?" Ash asked, Caterpie looking slightly nervous now that it was nearly his turn to go at it. "Or do we just stick to the plan?"
"Stick to the plan," she replied out, Venomoth crying in agreement as Zubat could now be seen approaching the exit to the cave. The Bat Poké wasn't alone however, Growlithe and the Diglett from before now right behind it. "Venomoth should allow us to catch up easily, especially since she'll just fly right over this course while everyone else is climbing it. Caterpie just has to bring it home for us."
Nodding in agreement to her idea, Ash bent down to pick up Caterpie before looking ahead. The rest of the race may have seemed easy in theory, but Ash had a feeling they were in for a tough fight until the end. Turning to face the path he needed to take, Ash sprinted along with Caterpie and Pikachu, passing by the mountain area as he watched Machoke flying through it.
"Priiiii..." Caterpie moaned out in worry, Ash making sure to not rattle the Bug-Type with his running. Seeing the finish line approaching, his small group knew that this would be their final stand.
"Pipipi. Pika! Chupi!" Pikachu stated happily, Caterpie staring down at the Electric-Type as the group came to a stop. Ash took a quick glance at the screen to see just where Venomoth was and it seemed like the Bug and Poison-Type was already off. Ponyta wasn't too far behind it though, and a Gengar was also fazing through the mountains with ease.
"Pikachu is right, Caterpie," Ash started to say, the Bug-Type being placed gently on the ground before Pikachu began to slap his back. The motivation from Pikachu seemed to work for a little, as Caterpie's spirits seemed to be raised. "You'll do just fine. Just keep in mind of our training and focus on the end goal. We don't need to win the whole thing right now, just make a placement that qualifies us."
"Don't waste ya breath, hotshot," Mayaka's voice echoed over to his ears. Turning away from Caterpie, Ash could see the troublemaker staring him down as Machoke started to make his descent down the opposite side of the course. He wasn't alone either, Gengar and Venomoth right behind them. Ash was honestly surprised at the Poison Moth Pokémon's speed, having already caught up to the front just like Janine had said would happen.
"Something like a Caterpie could never keep up with Magneton. That thing probably couldn't keep up with anything if I'm being honest. Though, it will be fun seeing the thing fail here and costing you a chance to get beaten by me," she finished, placing her hands on her hips and smirking. "Ya made it this far, so pat yourself on the back and head home!"
Ash clenched his fists, but didn't say anything; last thing he needed was to make an outburst on national television. Instead, they would just have to show her. Though, he also knew that he couldn't push Caterpie too hard. Watching as Machoke reached the finish line, Ash turned to Caterpie right as Magneton flew towards the trees that were the last obstacle.
"Don't listen to what she says. You'll do just fine, Caterpie, I just know you will! We've trained so hard for this day, and I believe in you. So let's go out there and make it into the actual tournament," Ash stated, Caterpie slumping a moment before hearing Mayaka laugh at them. The taunting voice seemed to do something to Caterpie, the Bug-Type looking much more determined than what any pep talk could do for him.
"Pre!" He cried in determination, eyeing down Mayaka before turning to face the entrance to the forest. As soon as Venomoth crossed the finish line for her section, Caterpie was off. Crawling along the forest floor, Caterpie could see Magneton getting further away from him. Even other Pokémon were now passing him despite his best effort of crawling.
Ash felt bad for Caterpie, the poor guy being passed by everyone as Leaf's Meowth and a Beedrill passed by him. Looking on, he knew that Caterpie wouldn't win if they continued doing this, so he called out to the saddened Bug-Type.
"Caterpie, you can't beat them like this! You need to do your own thing! Try using String Shot to propel yourself forward!" Ash called out, the Bug-Type nodding in agreement before shooting off the substance. The white silk shot forward, wrapping itself around a tree as Caterpie swung himself across the distance before landing on a tree branch while passing by a few other competitors.
"That's something you don't see every day," Romeo muttered much to his excitement. The crowd also seemed to enjoy the way Caterpie was right back into the race. Using another burst of String Shot, Caterpie catapulted itself forward before tumbling across the forest floor.
"Through some quick thinking, Caterpie has put himself close to lead! By using String Shot like it was a sling shot, this Bug-Type vaulted right past the majority of the competition and should have a shot at finishing this race in a strong position."
"I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I have a small bias towards the Bug-Type," Giovanni spoke up, arms crossed as he leaned forward. Ash's attention was split between the man speaking and his partner, Caterpie taking a moment to get back up after that tumble. Looking at the participants coming from behind, Ash hoped that Caterpie would get back up before he was passed once more.
"That Caterpie belongs to one of my students and I've watched him grown since the first day of class. If there is anything Caterpie isn't, that's a quitter. His ability to use mundane moves such as String Shot for offensive purposes has left me intrigued with his growth," Giovanni finished speaking as Caterpie stood back up, though it seemed like the Beedrill was about to pass him.
"Drilll!" the Bug and Poison-Type screeched out, ramming one of its stingers into Caterpie while it flew by quickly. Caterpie rolled back onto the ground as Meowth passed by, jumping from branch to branch to avoid any interactions with other Pokémon. Caterpie was slow to get up from the scuffle, but just as Giovanni had stated, Ash knew his partner wasn't a quitter.
And just as he thought, Caterpie got back up, rearing his head back before shooting out another silky substance. Only this one was different than the previous one. Striking Beedrill in the back, the substance soon sparked with energy causing the Poison Bee Pokémon to cry out in pain before dropping to the ground for a second. Using this to his advantage, Caterpie then shot off a String Shot, soaring through the forest like before.
"I guess that was a shocking turn of events! Beedrill better learn not to mess with Caterpie any longer unless it wants more of that Electroweb!" Romeo cried out, Giovanni sighing at the awful pun. Ash couldn't help but smile though, it had taken them a while to master Electroweb, but now it was paying off for them.
"Great job, Caterpie! Keep it up and we'll be just fine," Ash called out, hands cupped around his mouth. He could see Janine approaching from the distance, but wasn't sure if she would make it here before the end of the race. Either way, Caterpie seemed in control of the situation. Or at least he was until Beedrill got back up.
"Beeee," the Bug and Poison-Type stated angrily, his two stingers glowing before purple needles shot out of them. Having seen them before, Ash knew all too well that it was a Poison Sting attack. Though, before he could call out to his partner, Caterpie was struck in the back by the attack and then rammed with a powerful Twineedle attack from Beedrill.
Caterpie went to counter, shooting a String Shot attack off towards a tree branch only for Beedrill to cut it in half. Caterpie fell to the ground, the silk hanging lazily from the tree as he tried the idea once more. Only, Beedrill once again cut the silk in half and leaving Caterpie without any options.
"It seems as if Caterpie's story might be ending! His good fortune seems to have run dry against Beedrill! Can this scrappy Bug-Type do anything to prolong defeat?" Romeo declared, but Ash knew differently. He just knew Caterpie had a plan to take down this thing.
That was when Ash noticed what Caterpie was creating. He wasn't trying to swing away, but instead pull Beedrill into a false sense of security. The torn pieces of his previous String Shots were hanging around the area from the two branches next to Beedrill while a third one that was just launched had been at Beedrill's base. Three pieces of silk now hung in close proximity to Beedrill or were attached to the Poison Bee Pokémon.
It was then that Caterpie launched off his next attack. The one that Ash had a feeling would end this unless Beedrill saw through Caterpie's plan. Launching off an Electroweb, Caterpie and Ash watched on as Beedrill avoided this one unlike the previous attacks. Ash grit his teeth, having thought it would have worked. Though, this seemed to not be Caterpie's plan at all.
"Pri!" Caterpie cried out once more, shooting another Electroweb as Beedrill dodged it again. This one however landed onto the String Shot hanging from a tree branch, sending the electricity surging into the tree. That was when Ash noticed the previous Electroweb hanging from the opposite String Shot. Launching another one off, Caterpie had it connect to his previous two Electroweb attacks, creating a giant electrical barrier. It seemed as if the Bug-Type didn't want any distractions while fighting.
"Amazing! With some quick thinking, Caterpie has blocked off the path so that no Pokémon can advance without taking a risk at being electrocuted!" Romeo declared as Caterpie lowered itself and began charging Beedrill. The Bug and Poison-Type went to move, but found itself stuck to a tree branch due to the String Shot on its base. Lowering itself slightly, Caterpie missed his attack only to turn back around.
"It is an interesting idea by Caterpie. In theory, he's boxed himself in with someone stronger than himself. Though, Beedrill is at a severe disadvantage currently. Even if he breaks free of the branch, he has that silk attached to him and Caterpie could use it as a way to connect it to his giant Electroweb. Add into the equation that Beedrill has to make sure that silk doesn't hit the trees flowing with electricity and Caterpie has his opponent right where he wants it," Giovanni explained, Ash hearing a sound of pride in his voice. As if the man was joyous of Caterpie's development.
"Though, Caterpie is the same way. If he touches that giant Electroweb, well...you could say it's all over!" Romeo countered, but Giovanni just smirked.
"That's where the fun comes from. Caterpie has boxed himself in between someone stronger than him and a giant electric field of energy. There is no escape for him, so he can't hold back. There's a saying I've heard before 'you achieve survival by fighting from a position of certain death'. Well, Caterpie put himself into one and now we're going to see his true strength right here," Giovanni explained while Caterpie launched another String Shot.
Beedrill flew out of the way before being snapped back towards the branch it was stuck to. Flying towards Caterpie, the Poison Bee Pokémon launched off another Poison Sting attack only for Caterpie to dodge with a String Shot. The silk grabbed ahold of a branch, bringing Caterpie to eye level with Beedrill now.
"Pri! Caterpie, pri!" the Bug-Type cried out, launching off a series of String Shot in multiple directions before shooting another right at Beedrill. The Bug and Poison-Type tried to avoid it, but soon found itself unable to move at all. To Ash's shock, it had been caught in a giant web similar to what Caterpie did to Koffing!
"No way!" Ash shouted out, amazed at Caterpie's quick thinking and fake out on Beedrill. "I didn't even think of doing something like that, Caterpie is definitely something else!"
"It was pretty smart, I'll give ya that," Mayaka muttered in agreement, her Magneton crossing the finish line in first place, followed shortly after by Meowth and then a Dugtrio. "Faking out Beedrill by creating a giant electricity filled web only for his real plan being to immobilize him. By making Beedrill be concerned about its movements cause of the possibility of being fried, he couldn't stop Caterpie's assault of String Shot. One wrong move and it was all over for either side.
"I'll admit, that Caterpie there is a smart Bug-Type. Too bad it won't do you any good if he doesn't finish," Mayaka stated, a grin on her face as Ash turned back to Caterpie and the field.
The other competitors were now approaching, a Raichu slicing through the web easily before running further along. Knowing that he had to get going, Caterpie left the trapped Beedrill in its current location before shooting a String Shot off towards the direction of the finish line. Soaring through the trees now, Caterpie seemed to be glowing, Ash thinking that it was just from all the excitement he had been through. Though it wasn't that at all as evidenced by the fact his body began to change shape.
Shooting off one more String Shot, Caterpie soared through the air as the silk attached to his mouth was cut off, his body landed on the ground before rolling to a stop. As the light died down, Caterpie had vanished and in his place, was what seemed to be a chrysalis laying there.
"I...I can't believe it!" Romeo stuttered out, even the crowd shocked at the sudden event that occurred. "In a stunning turn of events, it appears that Caterpie has evolved into a Metapod!"
Ash didn't know how to react, excitement bubbling up inside of him from his first evolved Pokémon. He just wanted to run out there and congratulate Caterpie...or rather Metapod now, but knew better than to do so. Instead, he watched Metapod on the screen as he shot out one more String Shot, having it attach to another tree branch before swinging itself over to the finish line. Landing there, Ash made his way over to the spot where Metapod landed, a large smile upon his face.
"You did it, Metapod!" Ash cried out, lifting the newly evolved Bug-Type into his arms. The Cocoon Pokémon didn't reply at all, choosing to just sit there in silence while Ash celebrated. Though Metapod remained quiet, Ash knew he was quite happy with himself; especially with the way he handled himself against Beedrill. Still carrying Metapod, Ash made his way from the finish line and off to the side as more Pokémon made their way through.
"Caterpie was amazing out there, he really gave it his all out there. He even managed to evolve into a Metapod!" Janine stated happily, the young ninja finally making her way over to Ash. The Pallet Town native merely nodded in agreement as the last few competitors crossed over the finish line, a loud buzzing sound filling the stadium as if to signal the end. Words couldn't describe how proud he was of his partner. Even when put in a tough spot, he pulled through and delivered them a chance to advance on.
"Metapod, you were amazing out there. Take a nice, long rest," he stated, a smile still plastered on his face as he pulled out the Bug-Type's pokeball. Recalling the Cocoon Pokémon into the capture device, Ash's attention was swiftly pulled towards the screen.
On it, the images had changed once more from views of the course to another timer. This one already counting down from ten minutes as Ash scratched his head in confusion. Even Janine seemed to have no clue as to what it was all about, a puzzled expression on her own face. Before Ash could even ask a question, he felt an arm slung around his shoulders, Brock now standing next to him along with Ritchie.
"It shouldn't be much of a surprise that we all made it through. It seems as though everyone who made it past is from the Battle course," Brock stated, Ash's eyes still glued to that number counting down. Whatever it was counting to, he didn't like it one bit. Especially since it could mean anything.
"Well, we have gone through classes to better ourselves and our Pokémon. So it's only natural that the majority, if not all, of us are part of that course. Though, this is where things are going to get harder," Ritchie joined in, Ash looking at the boy to see his gaze narrowed in the direction of the others. Namely Kai stuck out the most to Ash, the boy having stated his intentions to beat him. "Only the best of our freshman class is left. And with people like Kai and Mayaka...well, we're going to have our hands full."
Ash was about to respond to Ritchie's claims, but his voice was drowned out by Romeo. The announcer getting back into it as Ash felt the entire stadium shake. Before his eyes, the field that they were just using seemed to disappear, lowering itself down underneath the stadium.
"Congratulations to all who advanced, though don't think things will get any easier for you! In just a few short minutes, you'll all be shown how the finals of your Class Battle will be completed. So sit back and relax for the time being, because trust me, you'll need all the time you can get," the overly enthusiastic announcer cried out, Giovanni remaining silent as the timer now reached six minutes. Ash wondered just what that last sentence meant, or if it was hiding something behind it. He didn't seem to be the only one, as multiple trainers were now sitting down against the back walls. He could even see a few of them getting a quick drink of water as the timer continued to tick away.
"I don't like this," Ritchie stated, their small group looking at him in confusion. The young boy didn't wait for any questions, instead continuing on as the stadium began to shake once more. "They're telling us to rest up as if a long battle is coming. And all of this after we just put our Pokémon through a tolling preliminary. It's as if they want to see how our endurance holds up."
"Couldn't it just be that they want to just push us?" Ash asked, unsure of the entire tournament having any hidden agendas. At most, they probably just wanted to give the crowd a good show for the preliminaries. That thought was quickly squashed the moment Ash saw the field rising out from under the stadium. "What in the..."
"This isn't any ordinary tournament I take it," Brock joined in, the group stunned from the field. Instead of a simple grass or water field, there seemed to be a mixture of the field they had just used. Only this one was different.
Instead of it set up in a race format of each field transitioning into the next, this one seemed to just be a mangled-up combination of them all. In the exact center was a grassy plain with what seemed to be a mountain sticking up from the center of the area, a forest located around one section of the plains. A river seemed to run right by the mountain and cut across the plains before heading down a hill and towards a lake that was surrounded by trees on the opposite side.
"That's a big field for individual matches," Ash muttered, the timer finally hitting zero as a buzzer went off, this one louder than the others as the field came to a rest. Looking around, Ash could tell that his fellow classmates who had moved on were also wondering what was happening.
Luckily for them, Romeo was on the case, announcing to them all just what was to come. "Alright, let's get this tournament rolling along! After racing against your fellow classmates, fifty of you have advanced to this stage of the event where things will only get harder! Previous years we've held normal events like the always standard one-on-one battles, but today we're breaking boundaries!" he shouted out, cameras floating above the field as the screens showed different sections of the arena.
"Instead of each one of you going individually, we're instead throwing you all into the ring at once! A fifty man battle royal; last one standing is the winner! So get up onto that stage, don't be shy! Pick any area you like and prepare yourselves for this battle!" he finished stating, the students not moving at first. It took Kai walking onto the field without any worry. Others soon followed after him, slowly but surely everyone walking out onto the field as they prepared themselves for whatever was to come.
"The rules are rather simple; one Pokémon per student and when that Pokémon can no longer battle, you're eliminated," Romeo finished stating, spinning the microphone around in his hand before sitting back down. Ash just let off a nervous chuckle as he moved onto the field, his friends right behind him as they took a spot on the grassy plain.
"Stick together, they'll be less likely to attack us if we stay in a group," Ritchie spoke up, Brock and Janine nodding in agreement while Ash sighed. He wanted to complain and say that it isn't any fun this way, but knew he wouldn't get anywhere with it. "They'll try and pick off the stragglers first, so once this begins, everyone stand with our backs to each other. That way we can cover our blind spots."
"And if anyone is dumb enough to attack us, we'll just team up on them," Brock joined in, Ash liking the idea of battling, but not in anything more than a one-on-one. He wanted to have good battles with his classmates, that way he could prove he deserved to be in the elite class. "Don't chase anyone, it's best that we conserve stamina for the end. That way we won't be tired when it's time to face the likes of Mayaka, Kai or Gary."
Without another word from either their own group or the announcers, Ash and the others quickly chose their partners; Ash going with Pikachu, Janine choosing Venomoth, Ritchie going with Sparky and Brock going with Onix. Getting into their formation, Ash could hear Romeo declaring the start of the event as students seemed to clash immediately.
An explosion occurred off into the distance, Ash immediately looking at the screens to see what happened. Catching sight of Kai and Ninetales, Ash assumed that the boy had been attacked, only for the plan to not go well. Seeing two quick eliminations, Ash was shocked to see Kai make quick work of his first opponents. It was almost as if he had no interest in trying here, but instead to rush through it to get all the way to the end. In that moment of looking away, Ash knew someone would take advantage of his mistake; that being exactly the case as a Sandslash appeared from under the ground.
"Sandslash!" the Ground-Type shouted out, shooting the quills off of its back and towards Pikachu. The Mouse Pokémon dodged with ease, avoiding each of the tiny needles while the others moved as well. Knowing that this was his fault, Ash called out for a Thunderbolt attack to push Sandslash backwards.
Pikachu nodded in agreement, leaping high into the sky as his body built up the electrical charge. His fur bristled with electricity before shooting it all out towards his opponent during his downward descent. "Pika...chuuuu!" he shouted out as his body fell back towards the grassy field. A few explosions occurred in the background, Ash making out what seemed to be Mayaka's group ganging up on a single trainer, but he chose to ignore them for now.
The Thunderbolt finally crashed into Sandslash, the move proving to be useless as the Ground-Type shrugged it off before slamming its claws into the ground. Its trainer laughed for a moment before calling for a Stone Edge, the familiar blue stones shooting up out of the ground as they were heading straight for the descending Pikachu.
"We've got this! Onix, break those stones with a Gyro Ball! Make sure they don't come close to Pikachu and the others!" Brock called out, sweeping his hand to the side as his trusty partner sped from next to him. Ash was glad the others were here now, they were able to cover for his earlier mistake.
"Warrrrkkk!" the Rock Snake Pokémon declared as his body spun quickly, a silver circle forming around the outside of the spin. The spinning Rock and Ground-Type flew into the approaching Stone Edge, shattering the rocks into bits of dust before slamming himself into Sandslash. The move proved quite useful, allowing an opening for Janine as Venomoth used Psybeam; the multicolored beam smashing right into Sandslash's chest and confusing him.
The Mouse Pokémon stumbled around due to its confusion, launching off a Sand-Attack straight at its trainer. During this, Pikachu had managed to land back on the ground unharmed, Ash still unsure of why his Thunderbolt proving ineffective. Though, he did take the advantage given to him, looking to Brock as the duo raced for their opponent.
"Quick Attack, Pikachu!"
"Tackle, Onix!"
Both trainers punched forward with their commands, the two Pokémon racing forward as a white light enveloped Pikachu. His speed increased while running across the field until finally slamming into Sandslash's chest. The impact seemed to break the Ground-Type free from its confusion, but it was too late as Onix steamrolled right through it with a Tackle. His head slamming into the entire body of Sandslash, completely tackling it (and its trainer by extension) backwards and away from their group. Though, they weren't worried about that one trainer returning, especially since Sandslash seemed to have fainted from that final attack.
"And with a coordinated effort, the group of Ash, Ritchie, Brock and Janine manage to completely overpower their opponent!" Romeo cried out, Ash paying him little attention as the screens showcased Mayaka and her Magneton taking out three opponents with ease. Elsewhere, he could here Gary commanding Wartortle in battle, the duo seemingly playing with their opponent. "Those working in groups like these four will have a better chance of surviving to the end, but that doesn't mean everyone will work together."
"That moved fast," Ash breathed out, Pikachu climbing up onto his shoulder as the others nodded in agreement. None of them were lowering their guards, so Ash quickly raised his once more. "I didn't expect someone to come after us so quickly, especially like that. Because of it, I forgot that Electric-Type moves have no effect on Ground-Types."
"You have to be smarter than that, Ash. I know it sounds harsh, but right now we can't survive a mistake against someone strong," Ritchie replied, Ash watching as their eyes scanned the area for any approaching trainers. Off in the distance, it seemed that Mayaka was regrouping with Rue and their other friends before splitting off again; planning their next attack no doubt. "This guy was alone and we took care of him with ease, but what about when there are more trainers? There's no room for a rookie mistake right now."
Ash knew Ritchie meant no harm with his comment, but it didn't hurt any less because of that. Ritchie had been right; Ash made a rookie mistake. And if it hadn't been for his friends being here, who knows how the entire battle would have ended for him and Pikachu.
"Forget about that for the time being, we have company!" Brock's voice shouted out, Ash looking in his direction as a Scyther came flying for them. On their opposite side, a Tauros was likewise stampeding for their group. It seemed as if the two trainers were trying to split their attention and possibly weaken any plans.
"We've got them now, Scyther! Night Slash on that Pikachu!"
"Tauros, ram right through them with Giga Impact!" the two students called out in unison, their partners rushing forward. Scyther's sickles glowed a purplish hue while Tauros soon was engulfed in a white and purple light, energy surging off of his body as it rushed forward.
Ash had no time to react, Scyther slashing down upon Pikachu before he could issue a command. Tauros likewise was already rushing into them, Sparky and Venomoth being smashed into by the raging Normal-Type. Pikachu skidded along the grassy plain before rolling to a stop next to their friends.
"Pika..." the Electric-Type muttered out, standing back up as the others quickly closed ranks. It seemed like Scyther and Tauros were coming back around for a second attack; an Aerial Ace and Horn Attack respectively. Pikachu and the others braced themselves for a collision, but nothing seemed to strike them. Instead, to Ash's surprise, Onix was now wrapping itself around them. It seemed almost like a protective barrier of sorts as his rock-hard exterior allowed the attacks to bounce off harmlessly.
"Nice thinking, Brock," Janine pointed out, the older boy merely nodding in approval. "Onix can take those hits without any worries due to his exterior. Unlike the others, he's easily the strongest when it comes to defense between the four of us."
"Warrrrkk," the Rock and Ground-Type cried out, whipping his tail outwards to trip Tauros. Scyther seemed to get away for the time being, taking to the air before circling back around with two glowing sickles. This time however, they were white instead of purple, Ash wondering just what it meant.
"Scy! Scyther!" the Bug and Flying-Type shouted out before slamming its glowing sickles onto Onix's head. The attack caused the Rock Snake Pokémon roared out in pain, stumbling backwards as his body uncurled. This movement gave Tauros all the room he needed, ramming right into the sheltered group once more before sending their bodies careening into Onix's laid out figure.
"That must have been Brick Break! A Fighting-Type move would be super effective against Onix," Ritchie cried out, their small group getting back up as they all shook off the blows. Ash had to admit, despite the amount of times they were struck, it hadn't seemed to hurt their Pokémon too much.
"This gives me an idea though..." the young boy trailed off, his words being interrupted by Scyther and Tauros once more. Ash and Janine issued a Thunderbolt and Psybeam respectively, but their targets merely charged through the attack with little damage; Scyther slamming its now purple sickles down onto Pikachu while Tauros slammed his horns into Venomoth.
"It appears that the group composed of four are having some trouble despite their advantage in numbers," Romeo pointed out, Ash gritting his teeth a moment as Venomoth lifted Pikachu off of the ground and away from another attack. It wasn't for long though, Scyther flying up after them.
"Even if they have things planned out, sometimes it's intuition and reaction time that helps a trainer overcome a disadvantage. Right now, the group down there seem to be stiff, almost like they're relying too much on each other," Giovanni pointed out, Ash listening to the words before being drawn away by Pikachu's cry.
"Pika...chuuuuu!" the Electric-Type cried out, sending a weaker Thunder Shock out, wanting to avoid hurting Venomoth. Scyther redirected the attack elsewhere, the small blast exploding out into the forest. The Mantis Pokémon continued its assault, landing another Night Slash as Pikachu was dropped by Venomoth.
Spiraling through the air, Pikachu release his Thunderbolt attack in hopes of landing a blow on one of them. Luckily, Pikachu managed to strike Tauros, the Normal-Type running around in frustration from the shock before colliding into Onix. The Rock Snake Pokémon appeared unaffected by the electrically charged Tauros, instead knocking the Wild Bull Pokémon away from himself with his tail. Tauros rolled along the field, slamming his hoofs into the ground to stop his momentum before charging right at Sparky.
"That's it!" Ritchie finally called out, Sparky jumping over Tauros as Pikachu landed onto the Normal-Type's back. Tauros immediately shook him off, causing Pikachu to land on the ground with a loud "thud".
"What's it, Ritchie?" Ash asked, both Pikachu and Sparky using a double Thunderbolt as the combo slowed down Tauros slightly. The slowdown in momentum gave Onix all the time he needed, wrapping his body around the Normal-Type and crushing it with a Bind attack. Seeing this, Scyther's trainer called for the Mantis Pokémon to dispose of Venomoth and help out Tauros.
"Scy!" it cried out, slashing its sickles across the sky as a powerful blast of wind energy struck Venomoth. The attack caused the Bug and Poison-Type to lose her balance in the air, giving Scyther all the time to escape and soar towards Onix. Sparky jumped between Onix and the now approaching Scyther.
Readying himself for a Thunderbolt, Sparky was knocked aside by a Brick Break attack, but not without launching a small amount of electricity. It wasn't enough to inflict pain, but the Mantis Pokémon sparked with electricity, its movements seeming slower as it landed another Brick Break onto Onix's head. The blow once more caused Onix to release his grip, Tauros breaking free as his body glowed a dark purple.
"Moooooo," he cried out, kicking Onix right in the midsection (or what Ash assumed was a midsection for the Rock Snake Pokémon), causing him to topple over.
"Are you gonna say what's on your mind or not?" Janine snapped out, Venomoth now back into action as she flew back down towards the field. In the distance, they could hear other battles coming to an end, the screens revealing that eight trainers had been defeated so far since they first began this event. "Because if you keep it to yourself any longer, things may not end well for us!"
"Right!" Ritchie replied, nodding in approval before pointing towards Onix. "Have Venomoth hide within Onix's body. Ash, get Pikachu onto Onix's head and Sparky will join him," he explained, no one quite understanding the plan at the time. Instead, they merely agreed to it, Pikachu using Quick Attack to collide with Tauros head on before skidding off to the side.
Scampering away, Pikachu made it to Onix, launching a Thunderbolt to keep Scyther at bay. Using their small opening now, Venomoth soared towards the rest of the group, Sparky providing support from a distance as Scyther and Tauros were forced to dance around the multiple Thunderbolt attacks. Once within range, Onix wrapped his body around Venomoth, protecting her from the outside battle. Sparky now made his move, dashing across the field but not before sliding between the legs of Tauros, the Wild Bull Pokémon having tried to trample him, but instead was shocked by a small bolt of electricity.
Making it to Onix, Sparky dashed up the body, meeting Pikachu at the head before Sparky's cheeks sparked with electricity. Pikachu understood what needed to be done, the duo launching off a joint Thunderbolt attack. However, instead of firing off into multiple directions, the attacks were rather targeting Onix's body.
Electricity flowed through the Rock and Ground-Type's body, a golden glow radiating off of him. Though, he didn't seem to be in any danger, a fact that wasn't unnoticed by Ash. Instead, it was their opponents who didn't see what was happening, issuing their next attacks as Scyther rushed forward with another Brick Break. Tauros right beside his partner with a Giga Impact.
"This seems to be their final stand! Can Onix hold up against this tag team attack or is it the end for our group of four!?" Romeo asked.
Ash paid him little attention, instead watching on in shock as both Scyther and Tauros were shocked with electricity. It didn't make sense to Ash, neither Pikachu or Sparky were targeting their opponents with their Thunderbolt attacks.
"It worked perfectly!" Ritchie cried out, snapping his fingers in excitement as Scyther and Tauros were stunned from the attacks. The due seeming more shaken up than they should be, as if the electrical surge was strengthened from the earlier shocks Sparky had shot into their bodies. "By using Onix's body as a lightning rod, we were able to direct all of our strength into one location. Mixed with our opponents' tendency to rely on physical attacks and it became a game of cat and mouse.
"Sorry I didn't say anything sooner, but I had to let them gain a false sense of security. That's why I didn't finish my sentence earlier; I couldn't give away our chance to win. Though I needed it to look like we were staying on the defensive, so I had Venomoth hide within Onix," he finished explaining, Onix uncurling himself to reveal Venomoth unharmed. Pointing forward, Ritchie called out to Sparky for one final Thunderbolt.
Venomoth joined in, using a Psybeam as the two attacks merged together, growing in size before smashing down into their targets. The blast dug through the grassy plain, ripping up chunks of the field before exploding outwards. A gust of wind shot outward, Ash grabbing for his hat to keep it from blowing away. Dust clouded his vision, unable to see their opponents though the sound of Pikachu scampering towards him allowed his body to relax. If Pikachu felt it was over, then the battle had been won.
To little surprise, the dust finally settled to reveal both Scyther and Tauros having been defeated from the combined blast. Ash could even hear Romeo crying out about Ritchie's plan and how there were only forty students remaining, but he didn't care much for that. Not with the person standing across from their group, her voice and laugh giving away her location. Standing there with a large grin was none other than Mayaka, the girl cracking her knuckles as Magneton floated next to her. There were no signs of Rue or Thad, but it didn't mean Ash lowered his guard.
Turning to get a good look at the student standing across from them, not surprised in the least at them having already shown up for a battle. "You showed up a lot sooner than I expected. Guess that just means it's time to settle this then," he stated, hands raised by his sides as Pikachu got low to the ground. Ritchie and the others moved closer to Ash, their own partners ready to jump in at a moment's notice. But before anyone could issue a command, Mayaka made a strange motion, the ground exploding outwards in a golden blaze before everything vanished from Ash's sight.
"Magneton, use Flash Cannon!" Mayaka commanded, the Electric and Steel-Type screeching in agreement as a ball of silver energy formed in between his three body parts. Focusing on his opponent, Magneton released the concentrated from his hold, the beam shooting outwards and striking the Raticate. The blast proved too much for the Normal-Type, ending the battle as Mayaka strode towards the remaining two trainers.
"And with a coordinated effort, the group of Ash, Ritchie, Brock and Janine manage to completely overpower their opponent!" Romeo cried out, Mayaka keeping her attention on her opponents. Cracking her knuckles, the young girl smirked before calling for a Thunder attack, the blast ridding her of the pests.
"Tired of playing with the simpletons I see," Thad spoke up, appearing from the shadows with a Gengar by his side. Mayaka cast him a glance as Rue also came out from her hiding spot. The smirk on her face died down as the screen showed off an image of that Ash Ketchum and his friends after they managed to take down a Sandslash.
"I wouldn't put it that way," she replied, the trio making their way up the mountain that stood in the middle of the field. Climbing it with ease, they were soon greeted by the fourth member of their group; the boy having rode up the structure with help from his Dugtrio.
"I've just got bigger items to attend to," she finished saying, Rue nodding in agreement while Thad merely raised an eyebrow. Down below, her target seemed to already be in another battle, this time against a Scyther and Tauros. "Gotta show that hotshot just what he's dealing with around here."
Running a hand through his hair, Thad let out a rather audible sigh, Mayaka glaring at him for the action. Moving his hands into his pockets, Thad and Gengar exchanged smirks. "You're interested in that Neanderthal, aren't you? Why else would you focus on such a buffoon so much; he hasn't offered any showing of exemplary skills and yet you've made him worth our time."
Mayaka smashed her fist against Thad's face, the boy rubbing at the sore spot while Mayaka laughed out, her voice echoing across the field. "You'd like that. But it ain't that at all. Just have some orders to keep a close eye on the brat, push him to his limits."
"Oh? You told him about Ash?" Rue asked, perking up from Mayaka's last statement. Despite the conversation, said girl kept her eyes down on the field, watching as Ash and his friends were still battling. "You never mentioned that you were in contact with him."
"Never said I wasn't. And it was only after the first day here, I needed to tell someone about the trashing I gave hotshot," Mayaka replied, the feelings of adrenaline beginning to swell up within her as thoughts from her last match with that Ketchum boy ran through her mind. "They were surprised about a Ketchum being here and asked me to keep a close eye on him, to do everything I could to make his life difficult and to not relax on the boy. I would have picked on him regardless, but because of this, I can't even enjoy playing with the weaklings here at the Class Battle. I have to place all my focus on Ash."
"Quite the conundrum isn't it," Thad mussed over the announcement, Mayaka shaking her head in annoyance with the boy. She wished he would just talk normally, or better yet, not at all.
Shrugging her shoulders, the girl crouched into a squat, Magneton floating right beside her as her eyes stayed glued onto Ash. For some reason, the boy frustrated her and also had her interest piqued. Even without being asked to go after him, she knew that he would have still garnered her attention just from their interactions on their first day at the school.
"Well, here's the plan," she spoke up, Rue moving closer while Thad merely gestured with his hands to continue on. Their other acquaintance (if Mayaka could even call the kid one. Especially since they had just picked him up randomly to have equal numbers against Ash and his friends) stared off into the sky, Mayaka noticing he had little care for the events unfolding around them. "I need that Ketchum boy separated from his friends immediately. Otherwise he'll have a crutch to lean on and never show us what he's really made of. So what we'll do first is draw him out into the open.
"After that happens, Kumo the daydreamer over there and his Dugtrio blast the ground apart, sending everyone flying in different directions," she explained, smashing a fist into her open palm. It was rather simple, but Mayaka felt that it would all work out, especially if she was able to distract Ash long enough.
"How do you plan to draw him out? Especially once his friends see us," Rue spoke up, the group looking down to now see Onix glowing a golden tinge.
"Easy, I jump down there and use myself as bait. Hotshot wants to beat me badly, so if I get down there and keep him focused on me, Kumo can blow the entire section up. Though, make sure you don't kill them. I need the one with the Pikachu alive," Mayaka replied, her three acquaintances shrugging in agreement to her statement. Everything seemed to be working out for her, all they needed to do now was to wait until the fight below them was finished.
"Though, please tell me if I can have some good old fashion fun once your plan is set into motion," Thad asked, strumming his fingers against the side of his leg. Mayaka rolled her eyes at the question, knowing full well what his definition of "fun" was. Nodding her head, Thad grinned deviously at the prospect of letting loose against these trainers.
"Great plan, probably would work on him too," a new voice called out, Mayaka cursing herself for not making sure the place was secure before speaking. Looking around the area, the young girl soon caught sight of the remaining two trainers from Pallet Town standing by one of the ledges. "Ash isn't exactly the brightest when it comes to things like sneak attacks, so if you want to catch him off guard that plan is your best choice. Though, you better finish him in one chance, otherwise it'll come back to haunt you."
"I doubt you'll permit it to occur though," Thad replied, looking down at the boy. Mayaka wasn't worried about Gary Oak or the girl with him, especially since the battle down below seemed to be ending thanks to that crazy strategy Ash's group had used. "Being an associate of Ash Ketchum, you'll probably engage us and hinder our plans. And with you being a rather strong trainer, I don't like our odds against you."
Gary let off a laugh, an action that confused Mayaka and Thad to the point the girl looked away from her target and finally at the young boy. "Please, saying Ash and I are friends is a stretch. At best you could call us rivals, and only because I want to crush him into the ground and prove I'm the best trainer from Pallet Town.
"So go ahead and gang up on him, but you better listen to the advice I gave you. Don't let Ash linger on the battlefield," Gary finished speaking, riding down the mountain on the shell of his Wartortle. The entire conversation seemed off to Mayaka. As if Gary was genuinely trying to help them, but at the same time he was warning them to not get involved with Ash unless absolutely necessary.
Shaking her head, Mayaka scoffed at the young boy before he left her field of view. Off in the distance, it seemed that Kai and Paul were in battles against other trainers as well, Mayaka wondering when she should have to face them herself. And if she did, what her plan of attack would be. She had been taught to not rush in without a plan, to treat every battle like it was part of a war. And this tournament was no different, especially with multiple battles occurring all around her.
Standing up, the young girl stretched her muscles, the wind blowing her wild hair behind her body before coming back into its usual position. "Time to get going," she stated triumphantly, slamming a foot down onto the mountain she stood on before jumping forward. She could hear Thad laughing while Rue gasped, but she was never one to wait around. Battles, yeah, she knew she needed to be cautious. But here she could act on instinct and that was exactly what she did, her body falling out of the air, heading straight for the ground only for Magneton to catch her.
"Magne!" he cried out, slowly lowering her until her feet touched softly onto the grass. Praising Magneton, Mayaka looked up to the mountain, seeing the rest of her acquaintances making their way down and towards their target. It was time to send this battle into a state of war. Take the definitive action that would place her in an advantageous situation while fulfilling her orders.
"Yo, Hotshot!" she shouted out while cracking her knuckles, Ash turning to face her. Her grin held strong, the glare in Ash's eyes only giving her more enjoyment as they both stared each other down. She felt slightly on edge though, as if his eyes were drilling right through her; yet, she accepted it. She wanted this feeling, as if it pushed her harder to want to destroy whatever was inside of him that made him how he was.
"You showed up a lot sooner than I expected. Guess that just means it's time to settle this then," he stated, hands raised by his sides as Pikachu got low to the ground. Ritchie and the others moved closer to Ash, their own partners ready to jump in at a moment's notice.
Mayaka didn't respond, instead choosing to stand there and continue cracking her knuckles. The situation was almost ready, the trap about to be sprung on this group. Though, the one she worried the most about was easily the ninja girl, if anyone could see through their plan it would be her. Not to mention that she was probably the strongest one out of the four. Disposing of her would be the hardest. Seeing everyone finally in range of the attack, she made her move. Keeping her intentions hidden, Mayaka made a slight motion with her head. Ash seemed to pick up on it, but it was far too late to issue any warnings.
"Dugtrio, Earth Power!" a voice called out, Mayaka knowing it as Kumo. The calmness present within it even causing her to shudder for a moment; that boy seemingly having no care in the world for anything. It was by pure luck they ran into him when they did. Though, she had no intention of keeping him around once his work was finished. And it wasn't as if he had any intentions of staying either.
The ground began to shake, glowing a golden blaze before erupting outwards from underneath Ash and his friends. Mayaka watched on happily as the four were thrown across the field, Ash separated from them now.
Great! Now let's go hunting, she thought to herself, watching the four trainers be thrown to different areas of the field. The blast was stronger than Mayaka had expected, though it didn't seem to hurt them too badly, just separate them as she asked. Though, she was going to have to remind Kumo to hold back a little next time; Ash was her target.
"And what is the next stage of our operation?" Thad asked, appearing from the shadows of a nearby tree, Gengar emerging out of the boy's own shadow. "Do we pursue the target immediately or allow him time to recuperate?"
"What do you think?" Mayaka shot back, Rue laughing at her response as the leader crossed her arms. She had half a thought to hit Thad, but knew better right now. "We're going after that Ketchum brat and destroying him now!"
"I thought I warned you that Ash was off limits for you," a cold voice joined in, the group of four looking around only for a Flamethrower to shoot out at them. Mayaka and the others jumped backwards, avoiding the attack with ease.
Walking from the same location of the attack was none other than Kai, the young student looking pissed off at the group, Ninetales growling right beside him, the Fire-Type low to the ground. Mayaka wondered if the beast could sense Dugtrio hiding under the ground or if they were just being cautious around four opponents.
"I specifically told you he was mine! So now we'll have to settle this with a battle," he finished speaking, no emotion present on his face as the duo moved closer. Mayaka wasn't expecting this to happen already, Kai getting in their way, but here he was.
She figured it would be a long battle, motioning for the rest of her group to get ready. The three of them crouching low to the ground (and Kumo who stood there apathetically) they were ready to go to war.
And that's that. The battle royal begins as Mayaka makes an early attack on Ash and his friends. Now, who is this person she contacted and why does he have an interest in Ash? That'll come later, but it probably won't be who you'll expect. Or maybe you will, who knows. Either way, things are getting heated now as the students are now dropping and Ash has to prepare for any other attacks from Mayaka.
And Caterpie also evolved, the little Bug-Type proving that size and strength isn't all that determines a victory. Though, does his usual strategy work now that he's a Metapod, or will Ash need something else now?
Thank you to everyone who read the chapter and supports this story. Please leave a review letting me know what you enjoyed and how I can improve the story.