Xannytoes: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to The Return To Hoenn! Currently ranked 4th on AdvancedLover's list of favourite stories. I'll start off by thank both you good sir and the other readers. You guys have the patience of saints, waiting for me to churn out these chapters xD We left off with Ash facing a much darker version of Trip, to say the least. With both sides down one Pokémon, who will prevail in this battle to the fainting? Get it? Cuz Pokémon don't die in battles. They faint. Yeah, it was pretty bad. Oh well. ON WITH THE STORY!
"I choose you!"
The Pokéball clattered against the ground, freeing its willing prisoner. The Pokémon in question towered over Ash. It sported a pair of stubby legs, limbs which looked incapable of supporting its massive weight. It was splashed with green and cream, its skin rippling as its shout tore through the air.
"SNORLAX!"
"And Ash sends out his second Pokémon, Snorlax!" the announcer's voice was almost loud enough to be heard over the audience's. Almost.
"I can't believe Trip would do something like that," Cilan sighed, "He's no saint, but Trip always had a respect for the art of battling. He never used to resort to tricks like that ."
"People change I guess," said Iris, grimacing as Brock and Max struggled to keep May from jumping down into the arena.
"I'LL THROW A CHUNK OF CONCRETE AT HIM! SEE HOW HE LIKES IT!"
"So you're planning on beating me... with a marshmallow," Trip's expression contained trace elements of confusion, humour and hunger.
"That's right Trip," Ash nodded, tossing a berry into Snorlax's open mouth, "I'm going to defeat you and your Pokémon with a marshmallow."
"Enough banter, get ready to fight!" cried the referee.
Just who does Ash think he is? Trip was somewhat torn between pummeling Snorlax into the ground and bathing it in chocolate sauce.
What's your strategy Ketchum? Slow as he is, Conkeldurr is still faster than Smorelax. And you haven't even seen my third Pokémon yet.
Trip watched as Ash and Snorlax moved to their respective starting positions. So much as looking at the teen got him another round of boos. There was even some crazy girl threatening to throw concrete at him.
Mindless fools. Ketchum acts like the goody-goody hero and gets all the respect and attention he could want. Well they'll know the truth soon enough...
"Conkeldurr, prepare for battle!"
Conkeldurr nodded, returning to the starting position at Trip's command. It glowered at Snorlax, beating its chest with its fists and flexing.
Trip admired his Pokémon with a chuckle, only to have his amusement replaced with something else. A familiar feeling, sounding as if it was calling out from thousands of miles away.
What is this? So foreign, so bizarre, and yet I've experienced it before. Like, a mix of anticipation and excitement. I bet that Cilan guy could describe it better. Question is, what is it?
And like someone turning a dial, the feeling was drowned out by all else. His anger towards Ketchum, the blazing furnace within him from which he drew his burning strength. His want to humiliate his foe, crushing his pathetic creatures and leaving him sobbing on the arena floor.
Come on Ketchum. Bring everything you have. Then watch as it amounts to nothing. For I promise that before this is over, I will break you!
"Trainers, standby for battle!"
I still don't understand why Trip is acting like this. Ash had always known Trip as someone quite full of himself, not often respecting the feelings of his opponents. Still, he'd battled with passion and pride in their prevous matches. And even at his worst, Trip had never shown such menace. This was certainly out of character.
Why now? Does he hold something against me? What could have done to upset him?Ash briefly drifted towards their previous meetings, but there was nothing to explain the situation.
Maybe I can figure something out from battling him. Although strategic, his attacks are incredibly aggressive. Maybe he's angry, or just wants to end the battle as quickly as possible. If that's the case, I'll just have to show him what my team can do!
"Ready... Begin!"
"Conkeldurr, use Rock Smash!"
The muscular Pokémon swung its fist into the ground. Even without its concrete weapons, its strength was formidable. The ground shattered, propelling a boulder to the surface. Conkeldurr, deciding to rest its arms, delivered the rocky sphere with an almighty kick.
"Snorlax, use Mega Punch!"
The colossal cat-like creature pulled back its fists, a radiant blue glow covering the hand. Taking a step backwards, Snorlax leaped forward, extending the fist and shattering Cokeldurr's boulder. Only a cloud of dust remained.
"How's my 'pathetic' team now Trip?" asked Ash, a grin forming on his face.
"Snorlax might be strong," Trip nodded, "But you just sealed his fate! Now Conkeldurr, use Rock Tomb!"
Raising its arms, Conkeldurr's face developed a frown as a faint white orb began to form between its hands. The orb began to expand, forming a massive sphere of glowing white energy. The colour soon faded to silver and the energy dissipated, revealing the form of a massive boulder.
"Just how does Conkeldurr have the strength to do that?" Cilan heard Iris ask, watching the battle with an agape mouth.
"Donphan left a few hits but Conkeldurr's had time to recover," Cilan replied, "And believe it or not, Rock Tomb isn't that hard to pull off."
"And out of all of Trip's Pokemon it's one of his strongest," Brock added, having finally restrained May to her seat with some duct tape, "It's no wonder it can pull all of this off."
"Snorlax is pretty tough though, right Brock?" Max asked. The green-haired noted the twinkling in the young boy's eyes and the clenched fists.
"Course he is," Brock nodded, "I haven't seen many battles with Snorlax, but I once saw him take on two Pokemon owned by a Battle Frontier member. Even with a type disadvantage, Snorlax beat them both."
"Let's hope he can do the same here then," said Cilan, turning to watch the battle.
"Just look at the size of that boulder," Ash gawped.
"Here, have a closer look!" Trip declared, as Conkeldurr tossed the boulder into the air. The large, spherical stone ascended about two feet, before cracking straight through the middle. Similar to an explosion, smaller fractures sprang outwards, covering the hard surface and shattering it into smaller pieces. Whereas before Snorlax had only been threatened by a single object, he was now facing a firestorm of rock.
"Let's see you escape this one Ketchum!"
Like rain, the stones tumbled, toppling towards the Normal-type. Some no bigger than pebbles, others capable of tearing a building in two. Ash looked on with his jaw agape, eyes searching, mind whirling.
There's a way to beat this. There has to be...
Now you learn Ketchum, there is no one superior to I.
Trip was grinning, his smile stretched across his face. Did Ash not understand the true power of his team? Raw strength, beyond the understanding of that fool's mind. Conkeldurr had fortitude and endurance. Vanilluxe was unpredictable, yet could adapt to any given situation. A shame a spot of bad luck had been his undoing. But it didn't matter. Conkeldurr would dispose of Snorlax, and then Ash would be so crushed, he'd be defenseless against Trip's final Pokémon. Heck, he'd be helpless against it even at the best of times.
"Don't worry Ketchum, I'll be sure to visit you and your 'friends' at the Pokémon Center," Trip laughed, "If you behave, I might even let you hold my trophy."
The end was coming. Shadows flooded Ash's side of the field, the objects of his defeat drawing nearer and nearer. Snorlax appeared to have dug his feet into the ground, perhaps in an attempt to soften the blow. Like it would help. With all his ferocity, all his courage, it would prove to be useless. He'd be buried, crushed and left unable to battle... If he was lucky.
I wonder how Ketchum must be feeling. If only I could read his thoughts and listen to his despair, his anguish. Perhaps his resolve will break, and he will show it. Tears streaming down his face, fallen to his knees as he begs for forgiveness from his team.
As if expecting to see it, Trip found his rival's face. Yet he found no tears, no sign of pain, no weakness. Just a teen standing with his arms tightly to his side, fists clenched. Trip could have ignored all of this, could have waited for Ash to crack, however long it took. But what the Unova trainer could not ignore, could not understand and could not stand, was the cheeky grinned plastered across Ash's face.
Why won't you give up? Why won't you break? Don't you realize Ketchum!? IT'S OVER!
The attack smashed into the ground, and covered everything in a flood of dirt and dust.
"What happened? I can't see anything!" said Iris, pouting as she did.
"We'll just have wait for the field to clear," said Cilan, rubbing his face with a handkerchief.
"Knowing Ash, he probably came up with some amazing strategy to block that attack," Max smiled, clearing his glasses and attempting to get a better look through the storm.
Brock would have normally agreed, were it not for the fact he was once again restraining a certain blue-eyed coordinator.
"I'LL THROW A MASSIVE BOULDER AT HIM! SEE HOW HE LIKES IT!"
"You seem to be pretty protective of Ash," Brock raised an eyebrow as he reached for the duct tape.
As if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on top of her, May froze up. She briefly glanced at Brock, before leaning back in her seat.
"What makes you say that?" she asked, as Brock picked up stuttering in her voice.
"No reason," Brock shrugged, also sitting back and returning his attention to the battle below. He felt May's eyes on him for a moment longer, perhaps trying to get a feel of what he was thinking.
"I just didn't like seeing Donphan getting hurt like that," May sighed, "Even Team Rocket isn't that bad. What Trip did was really cruel and... and..."
The former Gym Leader looked at her once more and for a second, thought he saw a gentle gleam in her eyes.
"Guys, the smoke is beginning to clear!"
And so it was. The mysteries of the match would at last be revealed. Had Snorlax survived the attack? Or was he out of the running for good? Maybe Ash, like Max said, had found a way to defend his Pokémon from harm.
"Oh no," he heard a whisper to his left.
Conkeldurr was still standing on his side of the field. Even if he was sweating and panting, he was far from defeated. Where Snorlax had stood only seconds ago, there was now only a field of boulders and stones. The entire area had been covered, leaving few areas unscathed by the attack and forming some sort of burial mountain. Even Brock was struck speechless by that display. It was obvious that Trip's Pokémon were in a league beyond that of the ordinary creatures found in the wild.
"Please don't tell me Snorlax is trapped."
"It's hard to say, but I don't see him anywhere."
"Ash can't lose to Trip! I know he's better than that!"
Brock listened to his companions but said nothing. He left his mind to that task.
As much as I'd hate to crush them, I don't see much hope for Snorlax. He might be tough, but I've never seen a Pokémon walk away from an attack like that.
The former Gym Leader thought of May, and was immediately frightened at looking at her. What would he see? Anger? Despair? Utter hopelessness? He had a feeling that she'd been rooting for Ash more than anyone else, and now the raven-haired trainer was that much closer to losing. With one Pokémon left against the unfathomable power of Conkeldurr and Arceus only-knew-what for Trips final Pokémon, Ash's fate looked to be sealed.
However, when Brock turned to look, his eyes burst-open wide. Not out of fear for getting smacked by a rampaging May, nor was it out of sadness for his friend. Because May was neither enraged or miserable. She was smiling.
Smiling. As in, a bright, sparkly smile that went well with the sun. The kind that could light up a room on a rainy day. The kind of smile you wouldn't expect to see after your friend looked like he was about to lose a Pokémon battle. So what was it with this mysterious change in attitude? Prior to this, she'd been bent on smashing Trip with a heavy object.
Noticing Brock's flabbergasted expression, May held up a single finger, before pointing towards the field. To the center of the rocky wastelands, where a massive summit of stone stood as some sort of monument.
What? Why is she pointing towards -
Brock opened his mouth. Closed it. Took in a breath.
Ash, you're brilliant.
"SAY SOMETHING LOSER!"
Trip's nails dug into his skin as his fists tightened. His teeth ground to an ear-wrenching tune. Even his eyes seemed to flash sparks of red.
I beat you! You should be crying into the dirt, like the pathetic worm you are! So what if you've got one Pokémon left? There's not a chance in the Reversal World you can top me. I destroyed you Ketchum! With all your macho battling skills, all your strategies, I destroyed you! So why the heck aren't you balling your eyes out?
But no. He wouldn't admit defeat. He was just standing there. Expressionless. Not moving. Just staring at Trip. Like some sort of human-sized doll. Just what was with this creep?
Come on Ketchum. Say something. Even if I have to listen to one of your awful speeches, it'll be worth it. Just so long as I get to crush you again. And again. And again.
Ash cast a glance to the stands and stared at something for a few seconds. Probably giving another unfortunate audience member the same look. He turned back, looking at Trip once more.
Did he change or something in the last three seconds?
Trip couldn't make it out. In the span of a few beats, something had changed. Ash was still expressionless, yet something was... Different. He was emanating something. Like an odor. Only, not something you could see or hear or smell. His very aura was giving something off, and Trip couldn't pick it up.
Is it fear? Are you afraid Ketchum? Afraid of losing everything? Well, you should be. I'm going to take everything from you, and there's not a thing you can do about it.
"Snorlax, use Hyper Beam!"
From the mass of stones, a bright light emerged. At first, it only seeped through the cracks. Nearly invisible against the sunlight. Then, with an almighty shudder, it burst forth, breaking free from its prison and crossing the field in a single breath. The remnants of Conkeldurr's attack that stood in its way were battered aside, shattered into dust and atoms.
Conkeldurr didn't fair much better. The ray of revenge crashed against the Pokémon's chest, before lifting him upwards from the sheer force of impact. For a moment, the creature looked left and right, left open-mouthed by the attack. By the time it hit the ground however, Conkeldurr was already unconscious.
"Conkeldurr is unable to battle, Snorlax is the winner!"
From the slabs that once had him buried, the Sleeping Pokémon, very much awake, emerged to the sound of up-roaring applause. In an almost comical fashion, Snorlax bowed. He even waved to a few fans who were nice to throw him a bit of food.
"You did it Snorlax!" Ash wrapped his arms around his companion, burying his face in the flabby folds of Snorlax's stomach. The Pokémon sighed, before wrapping his own arms around the much smaller and much thinner teen.
"YOU CHEATER!"
Ash poked his head out, noticing that Trip was storming across the field. Ash might have been worried, were it not for the fact that Trip had just tripped over the many boulders scattered around the field.
"You okay Trip?" Ash asked, offering his hand.
"Get your cheating hands away from me!" the Unova trainer slapped it away, jumping to his feet and brushing himself off, "You cheat! They'll disqualify you for this! How dare you have the nerve to cheat in the Unova league!"
"You seem to think that I've cheated," Ash grinned, "Are you sure I didn't just beat you?"
"NOBODY BEATS TRIP SCHUMAKER! HOW ELSE COULD YOU HAVE BEATEN MY STRATEGY? YOU MUST HAVE CHEATED!"
"Because Trip, I actually had the moves to beat you."
"ENOUGH!" the referee declared, stepping between the two and waving his flags, "Computer systems show that Ash Ketchum ordered Snorlax to use Protect, before Trip Schumaker's attack landed. No foul play was involved. As for you Schumaker, if you cause another incident like this, you'll be disqualified. You were already warned about attacking before my signal."
Trip glared as the referee walked off, "I don't care what he says Ketchum. You're going down, no matter what."
Ash said nothing more, watching as Trip returned to his position and drew his last Pokéball. Whereas the last two had been the standard red and white, this one was a mix of black and dark grey. The button itself glowed a threatening red.
Something tells me Trip's last Pokémon is going to be his toughest. Even that Pokéball looks threatening. Still, Snorlax handled Conkeldurr. With any luck, he'll take this guy on too!
"Trainers, stand-by for battle!"
"He's going to use it, isn't he?" asked the first man.
"He is," the second one nodded.
"What do you think we should do?"
"Nothing, for now. My main concern is whether or not he can control it."
"I guess we're about to find out."
Let's see how you handle this one Ketchum.
The referee might have sided with Ash, but Trip knew his rival. Of course he had cheated. Not that it mattered. There wasn't a Pokémon in Ash's PC that could take on his magnificent creature. The dirty-blonde haired grasped his Pokéball. Sparks shot up his arm, as that feeling returned again.
There it is again. What is it? Excitement maybe? The fact that I'm about to smite down my rival in the most glorious way possible? Yes, that's it. It has to be.
"Trainers, release your Pokémon!"
"HYDREIGON! Come forth and destroy Ash Ketchum!"
With an almighty roar, Hydreigon burst forth from its home. An entrance so violent, Ash thought it might break the strange looking Pokéball. It was a mix of dark blue, black and a strange purple/reddish colour. Atop its spiky neck sat three heads, each wearing what looked like a mohawk for hair. Its wings snapped open, as the dragon ascended to the skies, releasing flames from each of its mouths.
"That's one way to show off," Ash laughed, "You've got a pretty strong Pokémon there!"
"Believe me Ketchum, you don't know what he's capable of. I can't wait for you to find out."
He has a point. Even with Snorlax's endurance, I don't see how he can take on Hydreigon. But I think I know what can...
"Snorlax, return!"
The Sleeping Pokémon returned to its Pokéball, which Ash clipped back to his belt. He replaced with a third.
Let's make this a battle for the skies. Ash bounced the ball in the palm of his hand, before throwing.
"Gliscor, I choose you!"
What resembled a massive vampire-bat rose to face the new challenger. He was painted blue and purple, with splashes of red here and there. His pincers, double-barbed tail, sharp fangs and even yellow eyes screamed for battle. After taking to the air, he glanced around the field, before his piercing eyes landed on Hydreigon. Gliscor flinched, though retaliated with a snarl.
"You're going to take on my pseudo-legendary with that? That's like sending a Magikarp against a Kyogre!"
"I think you'll find Gliscor is more than capable of taking Hydreigon down."
Can it?
He'd only met a handful of Hydreigon in his travels, but the tales and rumours of such a creature couldn't be ignored. A Dragon-type renowned for unfathomable skill and devastating potential. Widely considered to be on par with Pokémon such as Salamance, Garchomp and even Metagross. How Trip had manged to catch one, Ash wasn't certain. What he was sure of was that this would be his toughest battle in the league so far.
No, I know Gliscor can beat him. Power isn't everything. Defeating Conkeldurr and Vanilluxe proved that. I just need to exploit some sort of weakness. Maybe take out his wings. If I can do that, I can win.
"Trainers, begin battling!" the referee declared for what could be the last time.
"Gliscor, use Stone Edge!"
The Fang Scorpion Pokémon's eyes began to glow a titanium white, sparkling in the afternoon sun. Two blue rings enveloped his body, spinning at intense speeds. The rings faded to the same colour as Gliscor's eyes, before forming into large stones. They encircled the Flying-type for a few seconds longer, only to be catapulted at dangerous speeds towards Hydreigon.
"Hyper Voice!"
Hydreigon's middle maw opened wide, releasing a brutal discharge of light blue circles. The stones cracked and shattered before their might, but the attack refused to stop until it had smacked into Gliscor, knocking Ash's Pokémon back quite a ways.
"Gliscor," he hissed, shaking his head before returning to his original position.
"You okay buddy?" Ash asked, to which he only received a nod.
"Now Hydreigon, blast that bat out of the sky with Dragon Breath!"
Opening three mouths this time, a thin mist of purple energy began covering the Brutal Pokémon. Cocooned in its fog own, it began pulsating, fading from light to dark, before Hydreigon sucked it all in and released it in an billow of fire and purple.
"Dodge and use Steel Wing!"
At the last possible moment, Gliscor shifted its weight to the left and plunged towards his opponent. The Dragon Breath sailed past, with Gliscor closing in on its user. His wings gleamed with silver, leaving a white streak behind him.
With Hydreigon distracted with its Dragon Breath, Gliscor should have a clean shot.
"Hydreigon, redirect your Dragon Breath!"
Noticing its approaching assailant, the Dragon shifted its three heads, its attack still spurting, and veered the beams at Gliscor. Caught unawares, the bat creature attempted to roll to the right, only for the force to burst into his left, flinging him back to the earth below.
"No! Gliscor!"
A mere few inches from the ground and Gliscor spread his wings once more, barely avoiding a collision with the arena grounds as so many had before him. Despite his determination, Ash could already see scrapes and bruises coating his friend's body. How many more attacks could he take?
Hydreigon's too powerful to confront directly. I can't risk another close-range attack this way. I'll have to resort to something else...
"Gliscor, use Stone Edge again!"
"Take it down with Hyper Voice!"
Again, Gliscor created and threw another set of granite at the beast and again, Hydreigon responded with a scream that blasted the move to molecules. And of course, the Hyper Voice continued, aiming to strike Gliscor once again. Only...
"Wait, where'd Gliscor go?" Trip asked, putting a hand above his eyes and searching the skies.
"Quick Attack!"
From above Hydreigon's triple necked form, a dashing blur streamed downwards and struck one of the heads with a painful smack. The other two traced Gliscor's path and, without waiting for an order, delivered a frightening cascade of blue fire. But Gliscor was too swift, evading the flames by the tips of his tail and performing a magnificent U-Turn. Sailing above the Flamethrower, Gliscor dived down once more and struck another one of Hydreigon's heads.
That leaves only one. Gliscor fled Hydreigon's range before the creature could retaliate with something stronger. Even so, the left and right heads had been stunned somewhat by the Fang Scorpion's nimble strikes. They could barely support their own weight, resorting to dangling forward and leaving their hopes of victory on the shoulders of the central head. It let loose a cry of anger, of vengeance, challenging the bat in its own personal language. Much to Ash's delight, Gliscor responded with his own bellow, albeit not as loud or as threatening.
"Hydreigon, quit messing around and throw a Dragon Pulse at him!"
Obedient as ever, the Brutal Pokémon envisioned its target and prepared its attack. But Ash noticed something, just before the delivery. A slight hesitation. An uncomfortable look on the creature's face. The way it glanced back at its trainer. A look of malice, of fury. Having spent so long watching the connection between trainers and their Pokémon, Ash could tell what Hydreigon was feeling. It didn't like Trip, but forced itself to obey him anyway. Was it because it had nowhere else to go? Maybe it respected Trip's attitude? But that didn't make sense. From what Ash could see, Hydreigon wasn't exactly pleased with Trip's demeanor. Yet it still followed his every word...
Ash was brought back from his thoughts to watch the Pokémon in question deploy a massive turquoise sphere from its only working mouth.
"Gliscor, knock it back with Giga Impact!"
Gliscor flew to meet the attack head-on, its body generating orange and yellow. In a brilliant streak, the Flying-type smashed into the orb, deflecting it back with a show of might. It exploded against Hydreigon's chest, sparks coursing all over the wounded Pokémon's body, before its wings gave way and Hydreigon was given a one-way ticket back to earth. Like a Pidgey incapable of flight, the crippled beast attempted to soar but was defeated by its greatest foe yet. Gravity.
Like many previous battles, a cloud of dirt and dust flooded the arena. Even down on the arena stage, Ash couldn't make out the shape of Hydreigon among the filth. Had Gliscor taken him out? Or was Hydreigon still standing, furious that he'd been outsmarted by a much smaller and weaker foe?
That was a nasty hit. Hydreigon might be one of Unova's greatest, but it did just get struck by its own attack. Still, I figured this battle would be a little more... Challenging.
As if the universe wanted to mess with Ash Ketchum, the smog which had blinded the spectators and the battlers faded with the wind, revealing a still-standing and still-angry Hydreigon.
"IS THAT IT KETCHUM!?" Trip's eyes shot daggers. His hair was split and his clothes were splattered with dirt, but he looked like he was past caring. "YOU THINK THAT'S GOING TO DEFEAT ME!? HYDREIGON IS UNBEATABLE! I AM UNBEATABLE! YOUR STUPUD LITTLE BAT COULDN'T TAKE HIM DOWN, NOR CAN ANY OF YOUR PATHETIC POKÉMON! SO WHAT IF YOU TOOK DOWN CONKELDURR AND VANILLUXE? THEY WERE PATHETIC! COULDN'T EVEN HANDLE YOUR WEAK EXCUSE OF A TEAM! NOW WATCH AS I PROVE YOU TO BE THE CHEATER YOU ARE, BY DEMOLISHING YOU ONCE AND FOR ALL!"
Ash was frightened. Not from Trip's yelling or empty threats, but for his rival's sanity. Just what had happened to the arrogant, yet still somewhat likable trainer he'd met at the start of his journey in Unova? This wasn't just a case of bitterness or anger. Something was seriously wrong with Trip.
"Trip, you need to calm down!" Ash noticed Gliscor was poised to attack Hydreigon a final time, but the raven-haired boy just shook his head. His Pokémon gave him an odd expression, though said nothing more, deciding to circle around a little bit.
"What happened to you? I thought you used to enjoy battling, but right now you're getting some thrill out of causing pain to my team. I know that the real Trip wouldn't do that. Sure he wasn't the nicest person to be around, but he didn't exactly make it his goal in life to inflict harm and torment on people who are supposed to be his friends!"
"I..." Trip looked somewhat embarrassed. His cheeks were flushed and his mouth hung wide open. His eyes looked at Ash, though his expression told him he was staring into empty space. His right foot shifted from left to right, drawing a pattern in the ground. His fingers flexed, opening and closing a fist rapidly.
"They won't stop," Trip muttered, which would have been completely inaudible were it not for the microphone strapped to his neck, "They won't stop, Ash."
"What are you talking about?" Ash raised an eyebrow. Even Gliscor stopped flying for a moment to stare at the rival trainer. "Who won't stop?"
"They won't stop."
And before Trip could say anything more, Hydreigon struck. Its tail caught Trip unawares, knocking the poor trainer aside like a common doll. Trip tumbled across the ground before braking in a painful manner by hitting the wall.
"Trip!" Ash cried out, as Hydreigon roared. An ear-shattering shriek, much louder than its last, which left the audience with their hands on their heads and threatened to break the commentator box's windows. Not entirely satisfied with leaving people death, Hydreigon instead charged up a fresh jet of flames, blaring them towards the stands.
"NO! GLISCOR, USE QUICK ATTACK!" Ash's Pokémon was already on it, charging Hydreigon with a speed to rival a Rapidash. It struck the Dragon-type once. Turned back around. Knocked its head a second time. The Flamethrower went skyward, saving the audience from a swift barbecuing. Many of them took this as an opportunity to flee the scene. All but a few.
Ash searched the audience, catching a glimpse of his companions. They weren't fleeing, rather, descending the stairs to the battlefield. Brock, Cilan, Iris, Max. Even Paul and Gary were making their way to the scene of the battle. But it was May's form sprinting down the steps that both empowered and scared Ash. There were very few people he choose over her to have by his side, but what if she got hurt? He'd never be able to live with himself.
"Stay back!" Ash shouted towards her, and for a moment, she hesitated. Stumbled and stopped just short of the arena. The Pallet Town trainer wanted to return his attention to the battle, where Gliscor would be fighting an incredible fight against Trip's Hydreigon. But he couldn't tear himself away. From her quivering lips. From her shaking body. From her tear-filled eyes.
"ASH, LOOK OUT!"
And he ripped himself away, only to watch with horror as Hydreigon launched another Dragon Breath, not as Gliscor, but at Ash...
As the dazzling turquoise came to take his life, his last thoughts were only of her.
Xannytoes: Haha! Don't you just hate cliffhangers? I know I sure do. But I'm a cruel person, so I'll let you worry over what happened to Ash. Is he dead? Will the gang be able to defeat Hydreigon? And what about what Trip mentioned? Guess we'll find out on the next one.
Before I continue however, I do have some bad news. You probably noticed that the opening to this chapter was lacking my partner, Deathwhisper7. Sadly, Death is no longer able to continue writing for the story. For the time being, I'll be working on it solo. I'm not sure if I'll get a new co-author just yet, or if Death will one day return. Either way, I hope you'll joining me in thanking her for her amazing writing and contribution to the story. You will be missed sis.
Now then, on with the review responses!
AdvancedLover: Drunk commentator? How absurd. Everyone knows that in Pokémon, there's only fruit juice. At least, if you ask 4Kids :P Thank you very much for being so patient AND for making us your 4th favourite story. That actually gave me the inspiration to finish this chapter today :D I'm going to do my best to aim for that number one spot on your list, so wish me luck xD Again, thanks for reading and for waiting. I'll never be away for that long again. Cross my heart!
AcePotterBlaziken63: Hey Ace! Worry not, I'll be bringing back most (if not all) the OCs at some point during the story. Maybe as a sort of 'Character of the Day' type deal where they meet up with Ash and pals and go on a crazy adventure! Thanks for reviewing (:
BabyBlueEyes23: Hello there new reviewer! Welcome! Pop your feet up and have a cup of tea. Thank you for the very kind review :D I'm glad you like the style of writing. I always worry that it might not be what people like, but you guys seem to enjoy it :P That love triangle I mentioned was actually between Brock, Gary and Nurse Joy. Something that shall be concluded next chapter xD Thanks again!
SupernalGodzilla: Hey Godzilla! Nice to see you, to see you nice (dated references ftw). Trip is indeed not the nicest person around, though this chapter certainly puts a spin on that. Maybe there's a reason he's acting the way he is. Glad to be back and I look forward to bringing you even moar content!
Reborn Dark Phoenix: Hallo there! Thank you very much for your detailed and heart-warming review. I'm glad you like what we've done with the characters, especially Ash. We've tried to keep things as canon as possible, though I made sure to double Ash's IQ. Unova was indeed a tragedy upon the Pokémon universe, and something I hope we can all purge our minds of. Gary and Paul have been here since the start and although I haven't explained it fully yet, Gary's taking a break from research to do some battling and Paul... I'm guessing he just wants a shiny trophy :P
You did indeed bring up an excellent point concerning Ash's Pokémon being far more powerful than Trip's. A great piece of advice and something I have not only incorporated into this chapter, but will continue to do so throughout the rest of the story. I hope you like how this chapter turned out (: Originally it was going to be Serperior for Trip's final Pokémon, but I figured that a pseudo-legendary would make for a much more interesting and challenging battle. Again, thank you and I hope you stick around :DD
SparklingSkies8752: Hey again Sparkle! Thanks again for the lovely words. I shall indeed keep going with the story :D
Omicron Epsilon: Yay new person! I'm glad you like our epic action, our humorous humour and our freshly-baked cookies. Stick around, for there is plenty more to come ;)
Hannibal Barca: Oooh, an Irish man! Well met good sir. Thank you for posting a review. I make sure to reply to all of them xD Here's hoping you stick around (:
LMC8133: LMC! Good to see you! Sorry about the last cliffhanger, and this one for that matter :P Hope you're as hyped for the next one as I am :D *Passes a slice of pie*
Bloodmoon633: Hello Bloodmoon! Welcome to the party! Nice to meet another fine Advanceshipper. Whilst I don't hate Amourshipping per say, I do not agree with it. I mean come on, why have Serena when you can have May!? May Ketchum sounds so much better. Ah well. *Passes a freshly baked cookie* Thanks for reviewing!
