Disclaimer – I don't own pokémon.
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"And now, we are starting the three on three pokémon battle, between Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town and Misty, the Cerulean City Gym Leader!" Brock announced, as Dawn and Misty's sisters cheered from the sidelines.
"Like, go, Misty! Kick his butt!"
"Good luck Ash!"
The battle was taking place right near the hotel's huge league-size swimming pool, which was currently empty.
Ash stood, arms crossed, unashamedly checking Misty out as she approached him.
"Are you trying to distract me?" Ash gestured to the red bikini she was wearing.
"You know I always prefer to battle near water dressed like this." Misty answered. "But is it working?"
"Somewhat. But you'll still lose, even if I am distracted," came the insolent response.
Ash and Misty then shook each other's hands.
"Do you remember the stakes?" Misty asked.
"How could I forget!" Ash replied cockily. "I think you want to lose, Mist."
He wasn't exactly right – though Misty hated losing pokémon battles, if she lost this one, the consequences wouldn't be that bad… but better still, if she won! After all, Misty loathed losing against Ash - in anything. And even though she knew he was just joking around, and that he respected her a lot as a trainer, she wanted to prove to him that she was every bit as good as he was!
Misty shot him a determined look.
"No way."
She was going to win.
Ash was similarly driven to win – she had promised him enough incentive, which would drive him to victory.
--
"Torterra, I choose you!" Ash shouted, throwing a pokéball into the air.
With a flash of red light, his fully evolved Turtwig emerged.
An advantageous choice, since Torterra was a grass pokémon, and thus had the upper hand against any of Misty's pokémon, which were all water-types.
Misty smiled, pulling out her pokéball, and kissing it, fully aware that Ash was watching this particular action.
"Misty caaaaaaaalls… Gyarados!" she cried, tossing the pokéball up.
With a roar, a huge dragon-like pokémon emerged from the pokéball, fangs gleaming.
Ash gulped. He hadn't expected her to use Gyarados till the end. And it was part flying, and therefore doubly strong against his grass/ground type. Plus, he was pretty sure it knew flamethrower.
"Torterra, bullet seed!" he ordered.
"Dodge it by diving in the water, Gyarados!" Misty commanded.
Before the potentially dangerous seeds could hit Gyarados, it disappeared with a splash, and Torterra's attack was futile.
Misty winked at Ash from across the pool.
Ash clenched his teeth – she would have the advantage, since they were on what could be considered a water-type battlefield. He needed to get the monster out of the water… and there was an attack which could do the trick.
"Earthquake!" Ash shouted. It was a risky choice, but since Gyarados was under water, it ought to be effective.
Torterra stomped on the ground, with it's powerful, bulky legs.
The ground trembled, and the water in the pool sloshed around violently.
"Gyarados, come back out!" Misty cried, and Gyarados emerged, slightly shaken by the strong attack.
"Torterra, Razor Leaf!"
The leaves shot towards Gyarados, cutting his tough hide, and causing him much agony, as he roared in pain, thrashing his tailed wildly.
"Gyarados, calm down!" Misty cried. "Use Fire Blast to end this once and for all!"
"RAAAAAAAARRRGH!" came the terrifying roar, as Gyarados unleashed a large ball of flames towards Torterra.
Ash was stunned – fire blast was even stronger than flamethrower, and would take his pokémon out in one hit – though he admired Misty's decision to teach it to her pokémon… she really was a smart trainer.
"Torterra, dodge it!" Ash yelled.
However Gyarados's attack was too fast, and too strong – it hit Torterra dead center, and the pokémon immediately fainted, though the flames continued to lick it's body.
"Torterra, no!" Ash cried in distress.
Misty realized this, and came to the rescue.
"Gyarados, Hydro Pump those flames out!"
Gyarados obliged, and a few moments later, Torterra was sopping wet, but saved from further harm by the flames.
"Thanks so much," Ash said, shakily recalling his pokémon. He wanted to kiss Misty for that.
Misty smiled, blowing a kiss at him from across the pool.
Dawn and her sisters squealed at this.
"Torterra is unable to battle. Gyarados wins this round!" came Brocks' voice.
There was some applause, and Ash and Misty noticed quite a crowd had gathered to watch the battle.
"Alright!" Ash said. "I'll choose a water-type too – go, Floatzel!"
A large weasel-type pokémon emerged, eager to battle.
"Ice attacks should do this – use Icy Fang!" Ash shouted, knowing that Gyarados's dragonish properties made it weak to ice.
Gyarados roared in agony at the attack.
Oh no…Misty thought. If this thing knows ice attacks, we'll have to end this soon!
"In the water, Gyarados!" Misty cried.
"You too, Floatzel!"
Ash was relieved – since the pokémon were in the water, Gyarados wouldn't be able to use Thunder, the one attack that he feared would certainly finish off his Floatzel. Any electric attacks would be too dangerous, as Gyarados could risk harming itself too.
However, he was shocked, as Misty took up a small breathing device, which was tossed to her by Violet, put it on, and dove elegantly into the water.
"Hey, I want one too!" Ash shouted, and Violet obliged, throwing him one as well.
"Alright, Misty – I'm coming." he muttered, pulling of his hat and t-shirt. He had suspected that, with Misty's water-loving propensities, the battle would soon go underwater, and thus had worn his swim trunks in preparation.
Ash jumped into the water, in a far less graceful manner than Misty.
Misty had politely declined from ordering Gyarados to attack, waiting for Ash to join her underwater, to be fair.
The huge dragon was now circling Floatzel, it's eyes gleaming dangerously.
"Floatzel, Icy Fang again!" Ash shouted, a stream of bubbles emerging from his breathing device.
"Gyarados, dodge and start powering up for a Hyper Beam!" came Misty's command.
"Floatzel, chase him!"
Gyarados sliced through the water, his sinuous body twisting and turning out of Floatzel's reach.
"Floatzel, keep at it!" Ash cried, noticing that Gyarados seemed almost fully charged for the attack.
Finally, Floatzel managed to get a bite out of Gyarados – however, at that moment, Gyarados released a refulgent beam of energy, which knocked Floatzel out in one hit.
"Floatzel!" Ash cried, as the fainted pokémon sank to the bottom of the pool – he couldn't even recall it since he'd left his pokéball outside.
He looked desperately at Misty, who nodded, swimming swiftly downwards, and lifted up the pokémon in her arms, aided by Gyarados.
She then placed Floatzel on Gyarados's head, she herself sitting on his back, as they swam towards Ash.
Misty held out her arm, and Ash took it, seating himself behind her on Gyarados.
"Thanks again…" he murmured through the breathing device, wrapping his arms around her bare waist from behind.
"No problem." she said, and he was surprised at the humility of her tone – if it was him, he would have been boasting by now…
"You rule, Misty." he said, as they glided through the water, finally surfacing, showering sparkling droplets of water everywhere, as the audience cheered and whooped.
Ash dismounted Gyarados, picking up his pokéball and recalling his fainted Floatzel. He then offered a hand to Misty, helping her down.
They discarded the breathing devices, looking at each other for a few moments.
"Misty, I-" Ash began, but Daisy cut him off, shouting from the sidelines.
"Like, save all the mushy stuff for after the battle, you Luvdiscs!"
Ash and Misty both blushed, smiling at each other, before rushing off to opposite ends of the pool for the next round.
"Gyarados beat Floatzel and Ash has one more pokémon left, whereas Misty, who is leading at the moment, has all three!" Brock shouted, more for the edification of the other spectators.
Ash grinned. Misty used her strongest pokémon first. But Gyarados, after having battled twice already, seemed exhausted – and he still had his strongest pokémon remaining.
He looked to the sidelines, where his furry yellow Pikachu stood, watching him expectantly.
"Come on, buddy, you're up!" Ash said.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu said enthusiastically, leaping into his arms, a determined glint in his eyes.
"Win the next three round for me, pal… the stakes are really high here." Ash whispered, and Pikachu nodded, before bounding towards the edge of the pool.
"Ash!" Misty called, clearly upset. "You know I don't have the heart to attack Pikachu!"
"Pika chu pika pikapi pikachupi…" Pikachu apologized, looking very upset.
"Ah, come on, Pikachu! Don't get taken in by her! Use thunderbolt on that Gyarados!"
"Nice way to repay me, Ash, after I saved your pokémon." Misty said sulkily.
"Sorry." he shrugged. "But all is fair in love and war."
Love, Misty wondered. I wish…
Pikachu watched the exchange patiently, waiting for his Pikapi and Pikachupi to stop their 'flirting.'
Once they did, he faced the monstrous Gyarados, ready to unleash an attack, his cheeks sparking.
"Gyarados, get out of the water, quick!" Misty shrieked.
"Pikachu, now!"
"PIKACHUUUUUU!!!!" Pikachu unleashed a huge bolt of energy.
"Gyarados, thunderbolt!"
Gyarados did the same, and the two attacks collided mid-air, resulting in an explosion.
As the smoke cleared, it was apparent that neither pokémon was harmed.
However, Gyarados, now being on land, wasn't as agile as he was in the water. But Misty couldn't allow him to go in the water, for that would provide Pikachu's electricity a direct and deadly path towards him.
This, Ash decided he would use to his advantage. There was no point releasing thunderbolts, for Gyarados would only counter them with his own. The pokémon was strong, very strong – however, certainly not as fast as Pikachu…
"Pikachu!" Ash cried confidently. "Use Agility and then Volt Tackle!"
"Gyarados, dodge!"
However, the large pokémon was unable to dodge Pikachu's attack, which hit it with an alarming celerity.
"Gyarados, NO!"
The majestic pokémon gave one last roar, before succumbing to it's injuries and Pikachu's electrifying attack.
"You were great." Misty said sadly. "Return, take some rest."
"I'm sorry, Mist." Ash whispered, feeling rather guilty at her troubled expression.
He was pretty sure he'd win now – Pikachu had taken out Misty's toughest pokémon without much trouble. His prize pokémon, as usual, had turned the tables around…
And the reward… the stakes were high… she said she'd do anything and everything if he won… as Ash elapsed into another blissful daydream, he barely noticed Misty call out Starmie, and command a Bubblebeam attack.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu (who was getting pelted by bubbles) cried, and he gave Ash a small shock to bring him back to his senses.
"S-sorry Pikachu – uh – Thunder!"
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A few minutes later, Misty returned Starmie to it's pokéball.
"Alright!" Ash cried, exchanging a high-five with Pikachu.
"Ash and Misty are now down to one pokémon each!" Brock shouted. "What will Misty's next choice be?"
Misty turned to Daisy, her eyes flashing.
"Daisy, give me Dewgong's pokéball."
"Like, no way. Dewgong is mine."
"Daisy, I'm the one who evolved him from Seel, and I've trained him the most the past few years!"
"Like, alright…" Daisy sighed, tossing the pokéball to Misty, who deftly caught it.
"Okay!" Misty cried, as Ash watched her affectionately.
"Misty calls Dewgo- PSYDUCK??!!"
"Psyiyi?"
The rather discombobulated yellow duck popped out of it's pokéball, displaying it's tendency to unfailingly appear at crucial junctures.
"Oh no." Ash muttered to Pikachu. "This doesn't look too good."
"Pika pikachu." Pikachu agreed.
"Psyduck! Why, why do you have to ruin this for me!! Do you have any idea how important this match is?!" Misty wailed.
The duck just stared at her doltishly.
"Oh…. fine, Psyduck use – any attack you know how…"
"Psy – duck?"
"Tackle? Tail whip? Water gun?"
"Psy?"
"Oh, you're hopeless!" Misty seemed close to tears.
Ash's heart went out to her – she had saved his pokémon after all...
"Poor girl," he murmured. "Let's give her a chance, Pikachu – at least a shot at a fair battle… I'm pretty sure you can beat that thing even when it has psychic powers, right?"
"Pikachu!" Pikachu confirmed.
"Alright then – Pikachu use Bite!"
"Pika!"
Misty looked up, puzzled. Why was Ash asking Pikachu to use bite, when he could easily finish off the match with one electric attack?
"PSY-DUCK!" the duck screeched in pain, as Pikachu latched it's teeth around it's head.
"Bite him harder!" Ash called.
"Psyiyi!!!!" Psyduck soon started dashing around aimlessly, clutching its head in agony.
"Oops… I think we accidentally gave Psyduck a headache, Pikachu!" Ash said sheepishly. "Oh well."
Misty wanted to hug him – hug them both.
They'd done it on purpose… they weren't going to let her lose so unfairly…they didn't want to humiliate her… so they were going to give her a fair chance at the battle…
"Oh, Ash! Pikachu! I – thank you!" Misty cried, eyes watering.
Ash winked at her. So did Pikachu, flashing her a victory sign.
I love them! Misty thought.
Soon, Psyduck's pain had saturated to the point where his eyes started to grow blue.
Ash and Misty locked eyes. It was down to this.
"Pikachu, thunderbolt!"
"Psyduck, confusion!"
The neon yellow flash of electricity hit Psyduck dead-on.
The shimmering blue waves hit Pikachu.
"Pikaaa!"
"Psyiyi!"
Ash, Misty, Brock and the rest of the audience watched with bated breath, as the pokémon teetered uneasily...
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cliffy - mwahaha... don't hate me! will update soon
please review!
xx