Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, If I did Ash would win all the leagues and be a Pokemon Master already.
A/N: Below is the gym battle in Azalea town. Now I know in canon Ash faces a spinerak and a Sycther, but in this story he will be facing something a little more challenging.
Team Rocket HQ Goldenrod City
Giovanni sat behind his desk, stroking his Persian when one of his operatives stepped into his office. The operative quickly bowed towards him.
"Sir, she has just arrived, would you like me to show her in?" A small smile graced Giovanni face. His mission to catch the three legendary bird Pokemon of Kanto had been a complete failure thanks to the incompetence of his staff. So he had decided to invest in some outside help.
"Excellent, bring her straight through, I don't want to be disturb for anything, is that clear." The operative bowed and then left. Several minutes later he returned with a woman who stood at 5ft 8 inches, she had silver hair and wore a pair of dark shades on her face. She was dressed in a black top, with black tights and black boots. Over all this she wore a long black trench coat. Giovanni stood from his seat and shook the woman hand. He then gestured for his operative to leave, who did just that and closed the door behind him.
"I thank you for coming Miss J, I was given your number by one of my colleagues who had nothing but good things to say about you. I am in need of your service. I want you to catch the three legendary bird Pokemon of Kanto. They're Articuno, Moltres and Zapdos. My team has already failed to capture the three legendary forcing me to seek out your services."
The woman smiled. "Such an order will not be cheap Mr Giovanni. You're talking about three legendary Pokemon."
Giovanni shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Straight to business I see, very well, I am willing to pay 500,000 Poke dollars per bird, with a 200,000 advance for each one. That will give you a nice tidy sum of 2,100,000 poke dollars. How does that sound?"
The woman grinned. "I was thinking at least 800,000 per bird and a 300,000 advance for each one. After all I will need specialist equipment to catch them."
Giovanni frowned, this woman was playing hard ball, still from what he had heard from Cyrus, this woman knew how to catch and poach Pokemon. "How about 650,000 per bird and 300,000 advance for each one.
The woman stayed silent for several moments before out stretching her hand towards the leader of Team Rocket. She smiled as Giovanni extended his own hand and shook hers. "You have yourself a deal Mr Giovanni, here is the account detail I wish the money to be paid into. Once I receive the 900,000 advanced I will begin my search for the three Legendary Pokemon. This is the secure number that will connect to my air ship if you need to contact me further." The woman was about to leave before she was stopped by Giovanni.
"Just one more thing Miss J, I need you to sign this contract. You see I don't want the police or the authority on my tail, and if for some reason you or any of your henchmen are caught, then I don't want it coming back to me. So this is a contract of silence to say, if you are caught then you will not disclose anything that could be traced back to me. Once you sign the contract I will put the advance into your account."
J turned and pulled the contract towards her, she scanned down it, and could see it was the usual deal that all her clients made her sign. She took a pen and signed her name, and then returned the contract to Giovanni, who filed it and then started to type on his computer. After several minutes he stopped. "There 900,000 poke dollars transferred. I trust you will now keep your end of the bargain. Good day Miss J."
J left Giovanni office and strolled down the corridors and out into the open. She then pressed a few buttons on her wrist control. Just then something shimmered into existence. It was large black airship, several henchmen came walking down the from the ship.
"Is every thing okay Mistress J?" J just smiled and removed her shades and replaced them with her grey visor over her eyes.
"Everything his fine commander. Set course for the Orange Islands in Kanto, we have a special mission to complete."
Azalea Town
Ash and the girls had just arrived in Azalea Town. Ash and Sabrina couldn't wait to get to the gym to earn their second gym badge. However first they had to find Kurt, the Poke ball maker who Ash was to give the GS ball too. The three trainer strolled down the busy streets of the town, looking into the various shop windows as they passed. Just a head they could see the Pokemon Centre. They made their way towards the dome shaped building and walked through the swinging doors. They noticed the Pokemon Centre seemed empty. Ash walked up to the main desk and noticed Nurse Joy was smiling at him.
"Good afternoon, young man and welcome to the Azalea Town Pokemon Centre, are your Pokemon in need of healing?"
Ash removed his trainers belt and allowed Pikachu to jump off his shoulder onto the counter. "Yes Nurse joy, i do, and do my two friends. Also could I book a room for the night, you see I am here to challenge for my second gym badge." Ash handed over his Pokedex.
Nurse joy pressed a button on her counter and a Blissey came running through the doors pushing a large trolley. It loaded all the Poke balls onto it, along with Pikachu. It then turned and vanished through the main doors once more. Nurse Joy was checking the trainers details when she read his accomplishments, so this was the famous Ash Ketchum. She pressed a few more buttons and then pulled his Pokedex from the reader.
"There you are, Mr Ketchum, all booked in. Here is your room key, the room is just down the the corridor on your right. I trust you have a pleasant stay in our fine Town. Is there anything else I can do for you?
Ash suddenly thought about the GS ball, they needed to find Kurt. "Well there is one thing. Do you happen to know where a man called Kurt lives? I heard he makes Poke balls and wanted to give him something I have been carrying."
Nurse Joy smiled. "Certainly, Kurt lives on the outskirts of town near the forest, if you go out of this centre and turn left, and then carry on walking towards the forest ahead. He lives in the last house on the right."
Ash thanked the Nurse Joy and then left with the girls to drop everything off in their room. Once they had dropped everything off, they left the Pokemon centre and made their way towards Kurt's house.
meanwhile elsewhere in Azalea Town, Butch and Cassidy were enjoying a nice meal at one of the cafes on the high street, when their communicator went off. Cassidy pulled it out of her pocket and pressed the button to see the face of Giovanni on the screen.
"Cassidy report, are you and Butch still on Ketchum tail?" Cassidy smiled and nodded. She then told Giovanni, where they were and what Ketchum was going to do next. She left out the details of the Pretty Princess Contest, and the failure to capture Cyndaquil.
"Excellent work, you two keep it up. Giovanni out!" The screen suddenly went blank, which allowed Cassidy to put it back in her pocket, before carrying on with her dessert.
Outside Kurt House
The three trainers came to a free standing house, which had a workshop built onto the side of it. Ash and the girls made their way up the bath and then knocked on the door. After a few minutes the door was opened a boy in his late teens.
"Yes can help you?" Ash removed his cap in respect.
"Hi, my name is Ash Ketchum, and this is Sabrina and Cynthia. I was told to deliver something to Kurt, is he home at all?"
The boy opened the door fully and allowed the three trainers in. He then lead them towards a door that obviously led to the workshop on the side of the house. The boy opened the door to the sound of hammering and clanking. "Dad, there is someone here to see you, he says his name is Ash Ketchum and that he has something for you."
The noise suddenly stopped and a man with spiky black hair, dressed in a dirty apron appeared from around the corner. "So you're the boy old Samuel sent to see me. Names Kurt, come let's go into the main house so we talk."
Ash and the followed Kurt into the main house and took a seat on the sofa, while Kurt sat in one of the arm chairs. Ash removed the ball from his Pocket and then handed it over to Kurt who examined it.
"So this is the mysterious GS ball, that Professor Oak and Professor Ivy, couldn't work out. Interesting, I must say I have never seen anything like this before. How long are you in town for?"
Ash took a cup of tea offered to him, by Kurt's son. "Well I was planning to go to the gym and win my second badge, and then after that, leave for Goldenrod City."
Kurt frowned. "Well that doesn't leave me much time, but then again, even looking at it now, I don't thing I could so anything with it. However leave it with me and I will see If I can solve the riddle of it. Any way as Pokemon trainers I am sure I can tempt you into buying some of my special Poke ball. You see make special Poke ball, for certain Pokemon. For example." Kurt pulled a ball from his pocket, one half was silver, while the top half was blue with a red zig zag pattern in the middle, with three vertical yellow lines within the Zig Zag. "This is a lure ball, and it makes cashing water Pokemon easier. Tell you what you can each have one free of charge."
Ash took the balls from Kurt and then handed them to Cynthia and Sabrina. "Thank you, what other type of balls do you make?"
Kurt smiled and then stood up. "Follow me and I will show you." Ash and the girls followed Kurt into his workshop, he led them to a desk with baskets and baskets of Poke ball. "I make all type of Poke ball, for example." Kurt picked up a ball. This one was black with large green filled circles all around it. "This is a dusk ball, and is best used for ghost Pokemon and those found in caves and dark places. Feel free to have a look."
Ash looked at each ball, eventually he bought six of each, Cynthia and Sabrina also bought six of each. With their business taken care of, Ash and the girls left Kurt's house promising to return tomorrow before leaving for Goldenrod city, now though they were on their way to the Pokemon centre to pick up their Pokemon, and then it was on to the gym.
It wasn't long before they found it. The gym was a large oval building that backed on to the forest. pictured around the gym at the front was a number of bug Pokemon. Ash and then girls opened the main door and found themselves walking through a small indoor forest, in the trees around them, were all types of bug Pokemon. The small forest finally opened up onto a huge battle field where a boy who couldn't have been older than eight or nine was stood there dressed in safari clothes and carrying a bugs net. Ash and the girls walked up towards the boy, wondering where the gym leader was.
"Excuse me, could you tell me where the gym leader is? My girlfriend and I want to try earn our second badge."
The boy brushed some green hair from his face. "Well you found him, my name is Bugsy and I am the leader of the Azalea Gym, your Ash Ketchum aren't you?"
Ash blinked surprise and then nodded his head. "Yes I am, I was wanting to try win my second gym badge. Is that okay with you?"
Bugsy shrugged. "That's fine with me, however you must understand that this gym is really for novice trainers, however I do have an elite team of bug Pokemon I can use against you, if you want more of a challenge."
Ash grinned. "That's fine with me, and Cynthia will also face your Elite team. Is that okay with you Cynthia?"
Cynthia just nodded. Ash then turned back to Bugsy. "Okay then, what are the rules exactly. Falkner was two on two is it the same for this gym?
Bugsy nodded. "Yes, two on two, challenger are allowed to Substitute where I may not, there is no time limit, all other league rules and clause are in effect. Do you agree with these terms?"
Ash and Cynthia both nodded and watched as Bugsy walked over towards his side of the field. "So who would like to go first?"
Ash looked to Cynthia who nodded and then walked towards the trainers box. Ash went and joined Sabrina on the outside of the battle field, where a referee had just appeared.
"Challenger please state your name, and place of origin."
Cynthia removed a ball from her trainers belt. "My name is Cynthia and I am from Celestic Town in Sinnoh."
The referee nodded and then raised both flags. "This is an official Johto league Gym challenge between the challenger Cynthia from Celestic town and the gym Leader Bugsy from Azalea Town. This is a two on two contest, only the challenger will be allowed to substitute, all other league rules and clauses are in effect. Trainers send out your first Pokemon and good luck. Let the battle begin."
Bugsy threw a ball onto the field. "Go Vespiquen!" The ball opened up to reveal a bug Pokemon who fluttered onto the field. it was yellow and black and its body was in two parts. the top half was round with two bug like arms, however the bottom half was in the shape of dress.
Cynthia was surprised. "Togekiss I choose you! Quickly use Light Screen!" Togekiss created a wall of light in front of it.
Bugsy looked to the field to see the flying type. "Vespiquen use Defence order!" The bug type glowed, before hundred of little spectral bees buzzed around it, boosting its defence and Special defence.
Cynthia frowned. "Togekiss use Reflect!" Togekiss created all wall to protect itself from physical attacks.
Bugsy smiled. "Vespiqueen use String shot and then follow it up with Poison Sting! The bug Pokemon spat out white thread that was about tangle around Togekiss, however Cynthia countered.
"Togekiss use Safeguard and then use Double team!" Togekiss was surrounded by a blue veil, it then made copies of itself, dodging the poison stings that Vespiquen was trying to land."
Bugsy noticed that Poison sting wasn't doing anything, and thanks to safe guard none of his none attack moves would do a thing either. "Vespiquen use Sludge bomb!" The bug type began to spit out globs of purple goo all over the field, several impacting the light screen around Togekiss. Although the attacks were causing damage, it was being reduced in power by light screen.
Cynthia smiled. "Nice try, Togekiss use Air Slash!" Togekiss wings glowed it then dived across the field, and hit Vespiquen in its mid-drift, sending the bug type retreating back to its trainers side of the field. It then flinched due to Air Slash secondary effect.
Bugsy watched on. He knew his next attack would do nothing thanks to the flinch. He watched as Togekiss came in for another attack and hit his Pokemon who fell to the floor, however it could still battle and fluttered up ready to attack.
"Vespiquen use Attack Order! The follow it up with Sludge bomb!" Vespiquen glowed this time the spectral bees all swarmed towards Togekiss who was attacked from all angles. Suddenly the reflect fell and togekiss was feeling the full power of the attack order.
Cynthia growled. "Togekiss you Flamethrower!" Her Pokemon had only recently learnt the move and she had been saving it for a surprise. The hot stream of flames washed over the field sending the attack order retreating, the flames then surrounded Vespiquen and engulfed the bug type. When the attack had died down, Vespiquen fell to the floor with swirl for eyes.
The referee raised the flag on Cynthia side of the field. "Vespiquen is unable to battle, the winner is Togekiss, gym leader send out your final Pokemon."
Bugsy recalled Vespiquen, and then threw another ball onto the field. "Go Mothim" Out of the ball appeared a bug type Pokemon that had a small black and orange body. Out of the body two large wings flapped with two smaller wings below it. It fluttered on the field ready to battle.
"Mothim use Hidden Power!" Mothim wings suddenly glowed, it the sent a circle of spheres towards Togekiss, who cried out in pain as the attack made contact with it body.
Cynthia wondered what element that attack had been, seeing the damage it had done to Togekiss then it must had been super effective. "Togekiss use Flamethrower!" Togekiss sent a stream of hot flames towards the bug type.
"Mothim use Protect, and then Hidden power again!" Mothim protected itself from the flames it then sent another shower of small spheres towards Togekiss, causing the flying type to wince and then full face down on the floor with swirl for eyes.
The referee raised the flag on Bugsy side of the field. "Togekiss is unable to battle, the winner is Mothim, trainer send out your next Pokemon."
Cynthia recalled her Togekiss and then removed another ball from her belt. "I choose you Garchomp!" The ground/dragon duel type appeared on the field and roared. "Garchomp use Sandstorm!"
Garchomp suddenly whipped out a huge cloud of dust and wind that swirled around the battle field. Due to Garchomp ability sand veil it completely vanished in the storm.
Bugsy gritted his teeth as the storm battered his Pokemon about, that and he couldn't even see the Dragon type was making this battle that much harder. " Mothim use Quiver dance!" Mothim increased it speed, special attack and special defence by dancing around on the field.
Cynthia grinned. "Now Garchomp use Dragon Rush!" Garchomp was surrounded by blue energy which took shape of a dragon, it then charged towards Mothim knocking the bug type flying against one of the surrounding trees. It fluttered back onto the field barely due to the powerful Dragon type attack.
Bugsy frowned. "Mothim use Silver wind" Mothim flapped its wings covering the field with a silver mist that battled with the Sandstorm. All its stats suddenly rose. However that was no good as Garchomp came charging out of the Sandstorm and slammed into it once again, after its trainer had ordered another Dragon Rush. Mothim fluttered to the floor before both wing folded in and it had fell with swirl for eyes.
The referee raised the flag on Cynthia side of the field. "Mothim is unable to battle, the winner is Garchomp, with both of the gym leader Pokemon knocked out, I declare Cynthia of Celestic Town the winner."
Cynthia fist pumped and then hugged her Garchomp, who was also smiling with the affection her trainer was showing to her. However the two were interrupted by Bugsy approaching them. In his arms was cushion and on the cushion was a badge that was circular, three quarters of it was red, with a quarter being black, it also had three small black circles in the shape of triangle engraved into the red part.
"Congratulations Cynthia, I bestow on you the Hive badge. You put on a brilliant display of power and strategy, and fully deserve this honour." Bugsy then turned Ash. "I hear you have several legendary Pokemon with you, I watched you battle with Mew and Darkrai and was wondering if you would willing to use those two in our battle. I know they are both weak to bug types, but I am sure a trainer of your caliber could manage the disadvantage. You see I have always wanted to test my skills against a legendary. So will you do me this honour."
Ash was a little taken back, however he smiled and nodded in agreement. "Okay Bugsy, but it might be a little one sided. However if you want to challenge them, then I will use them. Why don't I come back tomorrow, Cynthia gave your Pokemon a good work out, and it wouldn't be fair not to fight them at full strength."
Bugsy nodded. "Thank you Ash, I was actually going to ask you if we could battle tomorrow. I will see you here tomorrow them. I can't wait to battle you."
Ash and the girls said their good byes and left the gym, they then made their way back to the Pokemon centre for the night.
A/N: Next Chapter will be Ash battle with Bugsy.