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Hey guise :D Guess what? I'm bored, so I'm uploading another chapter for you all! Feel loved, froglets!
The morning was bright, and Skye Furie waited with Dawn and Brock as Ash finally came out of the pokémon centre.
"Tracey made the transfer!" he cried, running over to them. "Sorry for the hold up."
"So," Dawn said, eager in her anticipation for his upcoming battle. "What pokémon are you using against Nando?"
Skye Furie chuckled, and rubbed her head against Ash's arm. He patted her neck, and grinned smugly.
"It's a secret. You'll just have to wait until the battle!"
"OUT OF MY WAAAY!"
Skye Furie and Ash turned in time to see Barry sprinting towards them, before he crashed into the pair.
"Barry!"
"Are... you three alright?"
The dragoness groaned and got to her paws, her hold on the light broken. Ash too was getting to his feet, Pikachu somehow still clinging to his shoulder. Skye Furie growled murderously at a shocked Barry. He backpedalled immediately.
"Oh Skye Furie I am so so so sorry!" he cried, hiding behind Dawn and Brock. When the black-blue dragoness merely rolled her eyes and checked her now slightly grubby scales, he dashed out and confronted Ash, who frowned.
"Urgh... Barry, what's your problem?!" The hyper blonde had the nerve to look indignant, Skye Furie observed.
"What's my problem?! You bumped into me!" He began dusting himself off. "But hey, there's no fine."
Skye Furie turned.
So why's our human rocket feeling so generous today?
Barry grinned at her excitedly.
"Cos I'm psyched!" I've just picked out an amazing three pokémon team!" Dawn raised her eyebrows.
"It's that good, huh?" she asked disbelievingly. Barry nodded, folding his arms.
"Better than good! No doubt, I'm winning today." He lifted his head higher. "Yup! And the WHOLE tournament too!"
Skye Furie rolled her eyes at the two boys as Ash shot up onto his feet like a bullet.
"No way – I'm winning the Sinnoh League!" he growled. Skye Furie sensed someone approaching, and made herself invisible.
The two boys noticed her sudden disappearance, and stopped their tirade as Barry cried out, eyes fixed on his watch.
"Gah! I'm LAATE! Gotta fly, Ash!"
And he ran off, the human rocket, as ever.
Ash growled at his retreating back.
"I'm definitely beating him," he said determinedly. "Right, Skye?"
You bet, she agreed, amused.
"Does Barry ever slow down?" Brock asked. Skye Furie laughed quietly.
When he does, the world will end as you know it, she joked.
"An amazing team, huh? I wonder which three they are..." Dawn muttered to herself, going over which pokémon she knew Barry owned.
"You know, I could tell you," a freakishly sly voice offered, and Dawn jumped out of her skin with fright. Skye Furie observed the skinny, sandaled teen with suspicion in her gaze. Ash jerked around to see what was going on.
"No one makes an entrance like you," Dawn said in a freaked out growl, frowning at the chuckling guy.
"Conway!" Ash cried, proving he could keep track of other people's names. The teen in question merely chuckled at how the spotlight was now on him.
"You ought to know by now. I can answer every question you can think of," he smirked, adjusting his glasses suggestively. Dawn shrunk back, and Skye Furie shivered with utmost dislike, forcing herself to remain silent.
"Uh – no thanks Conway – I'm good," Dawn squeaked, and Piplup squirmed in his trainer's grip.
"Get me away from this freak of nature!" he cried desperately.
The freak of nature in question chuckled evilly and wandered away in his shorts and sandals.
Skye Furie snarled.
Eurgh! I hope he's beaten today, so we won't have to suffer being in his presence again! She exclaimed to the group, and they all agreed heartily.
"My match is in an hour or so," Ash said, and Brock checked his watch.
"Well, let's see the stalls and then head over to Green Stadium – that's where you'll fight Nando."
So they wandered away from their spot by the pokémon centre, towards the hustle and bustle that was the colourful street of stalls.
"Okay – I've got to get in the stands," Kate said, folding her arms. Tobias chuckled at her.
"You're actually worried for me – I'm touched," he replied dryly, and she rolled her eyes.
"Get over yourself," she chided playfully, then turned serious. "Are you using one of the experiments?" He nodded, also lowering his voice.
"Yes. I'll use number one, just to ensure I meet our foreign trainer in the final rounds."
"Don't worry," Kate smirked, "Saturn's got a technician ready to swap you and Target X's trainer's pairings in the semi finals."
"Good. I'll see you later. And don't try and snoop around in Target X's room again," Tobias warned her. "I'm surprised she didn't kill you there and then."
"How was I to know she would be snoozing?" Kate snapped defensively. "And anyways, she probably doesn't remember me. Oh, bother with it all – get going, you dry-humoured git."
Laughing, Tobias bid her goodbye and strolled down the corridor to face his first opponent in the Sinnoh League.
Kate smirked and wandered off, already dialling Saturn's number to report their progress.
"That was a smashing battle, folks! And now, we progress to the next battle this afternoon! Please welcome our next contenders to the field – Nando from Eterna City and Ash from Pallet Town!"
The crowds screamed in excitement as both Ash and Nando walked out onto the regulation, yellow dirt field.
Unbeknownst to all but Ash and his friends, Skye Furie also went on, sneaking invisibly behind her trainer. Since the stadium seats were too small for her, and she felt too lazy to fly, the invisible dragoness had decided to stand by Ash in his battles, to provide moral support.
She looked about her as Ash and Nando took their places.
It's so bizarre to be down on the field, in the centre of attention, she said, and Ash gave a discreet smile in her direction as the referee took his place.
"This is a three-on-three battle between Ash of Pallet Town and Nando of Eterna City," he said into the microphone set into his headset, amplified so the crowd could hear. "Both trainers are allowed substitutions."
The referee turned to the huge screen. It changed images, now showing Ash and Nando's faces in a two-coloured wheel. Ash was in a red box and Nando was in a green one. The wheel started to spin, and soon stopped on Nando's face. The referee turned back to the battle field again.
"Nando will have the first move. Begin!" he cried, holding up his flags.
Nando swept back his cloak and threw out a poké ball.
"Now, Roserade!"
Skye Furie gave Ash a mental nudge of encouragement, knowing herself which pokémon he had chosen.
Good luck, trainer, she whispered into his mind, and he grinned.
"Alright Staraptor, I choose you!"
He flung out the sphere, and Staraptor appeared on the field in a flash of white light. She squawked a little at Nando's roserade.
You can do it, Star! The dragoness called to the hawk, who flapped her wings, eager to start.
"I'm ready to roll, Ash!" she cried.
Up in the stands, Dawn and Brock watched eagerly with Piplup.
"So Ash has chosen Staraptor – that's good, because she has an advantage against grass-types, like Roserade," Brock muttered to himself, as he often did during pokémon battles. Dawn listened, like she often did, as it was always interesting to hear from an expert.
Down on the field, Ash waited for Nando to make the first move.
"Alright, Roserade – Magical Leaf!"
The green, flowering pokémon spun rapidly, and released a huge torrent of shining leaves, and flung them towards Staraptor.
"Dodge, Staraptor, and use Aerial Ace!" Ash ordered, in his element. Skye Furie watched, her blood boiling with excitement.
Soon, it would be her he would order on the battlefield!
Star swooped past the storm of leaves, and attacked Roserade with a flash of light. The bud pokémon soon recovered, and waited for her next order.
"Now – Sweet Scent!"
She obeyed and sent out a wave of sickly incense from the bouquets growing out of her hands.
"Dodge, Staraptor!"
But the wave hit Star just as she wheeled around to see the danger. She squawked and beat her wings frantically, but the damage was done, and she suddenly felt woozy and dizzy.
"That Sweet Scent has harshly lowered Staraptor's evasive ability!" the announcer cried.
"Magical Leaf again, Roserade!"
"Dodge!" Ash cried again, but Staraptor felt too ill and disorientated to even attempt a swift dodge, and the pointed leaves struck her hard.
Staraptor crashed to the ground.
"Urgh, up Staraptor," Ash urged desperately.
"Now, Roserade – Solarbeam!" Nando cried. Roserade crossed her arms and a green ball of energy began to form. It charged quickly.
"And Roserade's going in for the big finale!" the announcer cried.
"Come on, Staraptor – you can do it!" Ash yelled. Skye Furie sent a mental wave of encouragement towards the fallen bird as Roserade fired the Solarbeam.
Up, my winged sister! She ordered, and Staraptor's eyes shot open.
There was an explosion, but Staraptor swooped high, in the air once more.
"Alright!" Ash grinned. He was back in control now – a powerful move like Solarbeam meant Roserade would have to recharge.
"Staraptor, let's go with Brave Bird!"
The hawk smirked and dived, clasping her wings, and was wreathed in blue energy. She slammed into the defenceless roserade and sent her flying. As she flew upwards, though, Staraptor was engulfed in the crackling energy again as it dealt her recoil.
"No, Roserade!" Nando cried in concern as he beheld his fallen pokémon.
"Roserade is unable to battle," the referee decreed, and raised Ash's flag. "The winner is Staraptor!"
"And Ash gets the first score!" the announcer added, and the crowd cheered.
Ash smiled.
"Yeah!"
Be careful, Skye Furie reminded him sternly, you lost control for a while there. You don't want to sound too cocky.
You're sounding like Brock, Ash replied in his mind with a grin.
"Roserade, my friend, you deserve a rest," Nando thanked his pokémon and returned her. "Armaldo – you're next!"
The next pokémon on his team was large, bulky and covered in armour. It flexed its large, blue lobster-like claws and clicked its pincers threateningly.
Ash groaned.
Up in the stands, Dawn consulted her pokèdex, while Brock scratched his chin.
"It's going to be difficult defeating a rock and bug-type," he said, eyeing Ash with some concern. He hoped Ash had something good up his sleeve. A rock-type wasn't good at the best of times, but if Ash was focusing on facing bug and grass-types, then he might just lose.
"No need to worry," Dawn cheered, having far more faith in Ash than her more realistic companion, "after all, he's totally got the momentum!"
But down on the field, Ash looked on with worry as Staraptor landed for a minute, panting. Her first fight had taken a lot out of her.
Skye Furie waited and watched her trainer, refusing to say anything – this was practice for her. She needed to learn not to question the judgement of her trainer.
"Hmm," Ash muttered. "I know Staraptor's been hit several times... so we'll hit the offense!" he punched the air. "Staraptor – Close Combat!"
The hawk obeyed and swooped in for the blow.
"Armaldo, use Protect!"
Skye Furie watched, intrigued as the blue rocky bug completely shielded himself from Staraptor's attacks – she bounced right off the shield. Ash bit his lip.
Before he could order a counter-attack, though, Nando swooped in for the kill.
"Now, use Rock Blast!"
Armaldo surrounded himself with small sharp rocks, before flinging them towards a barely recovered Staraptor. Skye Furie winced as she crumpled to the ground.
"Staraptor is unable to battle! The winner is Nando!"
"And Nando makes a comeback! This is a fierce battle where neither side is backing down. How do we like it here in the Green Stadium today, folks?"
The crowd answered with wild cries and cheers of encouragement.
Brock frowned in his seat.
"Nando knows flying-types like Staraptor are weak against rock-type moves, so he simply made it part of his strategy."
"No need to worry," Dawn repeated worriedly, "after all – the battle's just beginning!"
"Man oh man! Man oh MAAN!"
Barry came charging down the steps and skidded to a halt beside them, panting like crazy.
"Huh?" Dawn asked, puzzled. "What's up with you, Barry?"
"Yeah, why don't you relax?" Brock suggested.
Barry ogled at him.
"Relax? HOW CAN I RELAX?! I've just seen the most amazing trainer beat a whole team of three with just his Darkrai!"
Brock froze.
"He's got the Darkrai? The legendary?" Barry nodded violently.
"Yeah! Took the first match like it was nothing! No one said that kind of trainer would be here! Someone deserves a fine! Don't you think so too, Dawn?"
She firmly ignored him and called out her support for Ash as he returned Staraptor.
"Come on Ash!"
Barry looked murderous.
"Gah! Why aren't you listening to me?! Oh, what do you know, Ash is having a battle!"
Dawn banged her head against the seat in front of her.
"Thank you, captain obvious!"
Barry watched as Ash pocketed Staraptor's poké ball.
"Hey, looks like Ash is having a rough time out there," he sat down behind Brock and Dawn, "Hope he's okay."
Barry looked around suddenly. "Hey, where's Skye Furie?" he asked in a quiet tone. Dawn turned.
"She's down on the field with Ash, encouraging him," she replied with a grin. Barry smiled.
"Cool! Well, she better be encouraging him now, cos he looks unhappy down there!"
Down on the field, unaware of this new opponent with a legendary, Skye Furie urged on her trainer.
You can do this. I'm here for you, she said, and Ash nodded.
"Alright – Quilava – I choose you!"
He sent out the small volcano pokémon, who growled eagerly.
"Time to show them what you can do," Ash cried with a grin, ready for the second round of the match. Quilava smirked and released the flames along his crest and back in an impressive display.
"Make sure you do not let your guard down, Armaldo," Nando warned gently, and his pokémon nodded.
"Now, it's a face of between Armaldo and Quilava!" the announcer announced.
"Armaldo – Rock Blast!" Nando ordered, diving in at once. Ash grinned.
"Dodge with Agility, then use Smoke Screen!"
Quilava swiftly swerved away from the rocks hurled his way, and soon began spurting out black smoke. The field was soon covered.
Secretly, Skye Furie beat her wings and kept the smoke from reaching Ash.
Nando coughed.
"Use X-Scissor and try to find Quilava!" he cried.
The Armaldo grunted from within the smoke, and slashes could be heard. Skye Furie heard Quilava squeal as a lucky shot hit.
"Now, use Quick Attack, but power it up with Agility!" Ash yelled.
A flash and a grunt of pain could be seen and heard as Armaldo toppled over from the attack, and some of the smoke cleared.
"Rock Blast, Armaldo!"
"Now!" Ash cried. "Eruption!"
As the smoke drifted into smaller clumps, Armaldo and Quilava were revealed, stones bouncing off of Quilava, who charged the larger bug with a flaming body.
He jumped, and the flames erupted forcefully onto Armaldo's chest, before another Rock Blast sent him tumbling off. Quilava scrambled back up just as Ash ordered,
"Flamewheel powered up with Agility!"
The little, blue-furred pokémon spun around, a huge flaming wheel forming around him as he whizzed past Armaldo, the befuddled bug unable to land a direct hit.
"Amazing technique by Ash, there!" the announcer commented.
"Now, Quilava!" Ash grinned, and the huge wheel of fire darted towards Armaldo.
Nando had prepared his comeback, however.
"Use X-Scissor!"
Quilava slammed into Armaldo's charged claws, the two attacks cancelling each other out. The explosion blasted both pokémon back.
"X-Scissor again!" Nando said, smiling. Ash wiped the sweat from his face.
"Quilava – use Aerial Ace!"
The two pokémon charged at each other, glowing.
The explosion was small but potent, and both Armaldo and Quilava fainted from the brunt of their joined attacks.
"Both pokémon are unable to battle!" The referee said. "It's a draw!"
"A draw! Amazing, folks!"
"They both have one pokémon left!" Barry said, leaning far out of his seat. "This is getting good!"
"I would think Nando would use Kricketune, next," Brock said, arms folded, watching the battle with interest. "But I'm not sure about Ash."
Down on the field, both Ash and Nando returned their fallen friends to their poké balls for a rest.
Skye Furie crept forwards, and nuzzled her trainer.
You're doing really well! She encouraged eagerly, and Ash smiled at her, clutching his last pokémon.
You sure about this choice? He asked, still unsure, clutching his third pokémon choice they had agreed on. She huffed on his head. Pikachu protested, but she ignored him.
Yes.
Then that's good enough for me, Ash replied confidently. Let's win this!
That's the trainer I chose, Skye Furie told him with a proud keen, even though he could not see her.
"Kricketune, let's take it away!" Nando cried, and his favourite, small red cricket appeared on the field.
Ash grinned.
Showtime.
"Heracross – I choose you!"
Ash's own bug-type landed, and prepared himself for battle.
"Two bug-types?" Nando wondered with a smile. "That Ash. So many fascinating choices."
"Alright, I want a good strong fight between bug-types!" Ash yelled for all to hear. "Heracross, we wanna give it all we've got, so use Megahorn!"
Heracross leapt into the air with his charged horn and flew with speed towards the waiting kricketune.
"Silver Wind, Kricketune!" Nando cried.
The two powerful moves were strong, but they cancelled each other out easily.
Nando ran his fingers along his precious harp.
"Kricketune, use Sing!" he declared with a smile.
At once his pokémon began making music with its long claws, and Heracross crashed to the ground, fast asleep.
Ash growled.
Nando smiled.
"Now – Fury Cutter!"
Kricketune's claws blazed red, and he skimmed towards the sleeping, oblivious Heracross.
Now, Ash! Skye Furie cried.
"Sleep Talk!" Ash shouted.
Just before Kricketune's attack could hit, Heracross jumped into the air, and smashed his fist into the cricket with a powerful Focus Blast. The sleeping pokémon hovered, before waking up.
It was a good idea to use Sleep Talk as a counter strategy, Skye Furie complimented, and Ash smiled.
"It is obvious Ash used Sleep Talk as a countermove against Kricketune's Sing." Nando said to himself with a slight smile.
"Now, Heracross," Ash ordered, "use Focus Blast!"
Heracross complied, but Kricketune dodged.
"Back-to-back!" Ash yelled again with excitement.
"Use Fury Cutter, Kricketune!" Nando cried.
The two bugs attacked each other ferociously, a subtle, strange rhythm in the way they moved.
"Now this is the battle I've been waiting for," Ash grinned, and Skye Furie could see what he meant – the power and the thrill in watching the battle was just amazing.
She sensed Nando was overcome with the same thrill, and felt it amazing that her trainer, her Ash was able to inspire such emotion into the people he met.
"Use Sing!" Nando cried.
"Oh no you don't," Ash grinned, "Heracross – use Megahorn, and aim for the ground!"
The blue bug flew down towards the singing kricketune, and his horn soon became firmly embedded in the rock below.
"Let's wrap this up with Horn Attack!" Ash yelled ecstatically.
Heracross tensed, and charged with power, freed his horn and threw Kricketune and several chunks of battlefield into the air.
Kricketune crashed to the ground, spent, and it was all over
"Kricketune is unable to battle," the referee decreed. "The winner is Heracross. And the match goes to Ash of Pallet Town!"
"YES!" Ash punched the air, triumphant, and Heracross crashed into him with a celebratory hug.
Nando returned his Kricketune and came over to shake Ash's hand.
"I must thank you for a spectacular battle, Ash," he smiled at the teen, who grinned unabashed
"It was nothing! I'll see you around, Nando!"
On the screen, Ash's next opponent was shown
"And Ash will be battling his second opponent in Round Two, folks! Let's give it up for the guy, who we'll be seeing again in a few days!"
Ash thanked Nurse Joy and pocketed his poké balls, and then he and Skye Furie walked out of the Pokémon Centre together.
Turning towards the invisible dragoness, Ash smiled.
"Thanks a lot for helping me choose which three to use," he said quietly, and Skye Furie hummed quietly.
Not at all. I've been listening to Brock, and Pikachu is a good help, too.
Dawn, Brock and Barry were in their room when they arrived. Skye Furie revealed herself and leapt onto Ash's bed with a grin.
"You did really well, Ash!" Dawn congratulated him, and Brock smiled.
"Yes, it was clever to use Heracross – Sleep Talk was a great counterstrategy."
Skye Furie stretched her wings proudly.
Yes – I was the one who suggested that.
"Oi – with my expertise help!" Pikachu interrupted with a grin, perched on her head.
Barry jumped up and down.
"Sooo, what are we gonna do to pass the time until the Second Round?" He looked around excitedly. "I've got nothing to do so I'm just gonna hang out with you guys, if that's okay."
You certainly make interesting company, Skye Furie admitted, and Barry brightened.
"YEAH! I am approved company by a legendary! WHOO!"
"KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN!"
"I'M FINING YOU ALL FOR TELLING ME TO SHUSH!"
Barry is too amazing for words. I just love writing him. Expect to see more of him in this story! :D Soo... Ash's first battle! Since we didn't see a bit of the battle in the episode, I improvised, which is always fun.
And in Ash's next battle, we only see the end - so I get to improvise again! YAAY!
I just want to say, also... 20 REVIEWS! I know it isn't a lot in the grand scheme of things, but it means a lot to me, so thank you all for reading and reviewing, and a big thanks to Arsenal18, my twentieth reveiwer!
SkyeFurieX