Chapter 14: Down In Flames, Up In Smoke

The crowd cheered as the Ash and Marla stared each other down across the field. Each fan of the boy with the messy black hair and the girl with the neat blond curls shouted for his or her favorite trainer. With the aid of a microphone and many speakers around the stadium, the referee announced the start of the match. "This is a full six-on-six battle between Marla of Rosewood City and Ash of Pallet Town! The battle will continue until all of either trainer's Pokemon are unable to battle, with no time limit! Each trainer may substitute Pokemon at will! The trainer with the first attack will be randomly selected!" A virtual roulette wheel on the scoreboard started spinning. It was color-coded with red and green wedges. After about ten seconds, it stopped, with the pointer on a green wedge. "Ash will choose the first Pokemon!" announced the referee.

Ash had been thinking about his first choice when the wheel had been spinning. Marla's favorite type was Fire, but Ash wanted to save his Water Pokemon for later; if he sent out Squirtle or Totodile now, Marla could just use an Electric-type or Grass-type. However, Ash also knew that Fire-types tended to be very quick. If Marla liked Fire Pokemon, maybe her style was suited to using speed. Therefore, Ash decided to go with a strong defense. Throwing his first Pokeball, he shouted, "Torkoal, I choose you!"

Marla then released her first Pokemon. "Go, Probopass!" she said. A metallic Pokemon with a gray body appeared opposite Torkoal. The crown of its head and its very large nose, however, were bright red. Three miniature versions of itself, or "mini-noses," as Ash had heard them called, were attached to its body.

So Ash's theory about Marla and fast Pokemon was out the window. I'll just have to hit Probopass as hard as I can and hope for the best, Ash thought. "Torkoal, use Flamethrower!" he commanded. Torkoal spouted fire from its mouth, which scored a direct hit. Although Probopass wasn't giving an inch, it had to be feeling the effects of Torkoal's attack. "Now, Torkoal," called Ash, "Body Slam!" Torkoal jumped, and Ash waited eagerly for the low crunch that signified a successful Body Slam attack. However, a sound like a gong filled the stadium, and Ash's mouth dropped open as he saw Probopass, who looked completely unhurt from this attack.

"Probopass, use Stone Edge!" ordered Marla. Probopass filled the air around it with stones and directed them at Torkoal. Unable to block or dodge them, Torkoal screamed in pain as the stones hit it. Torkoal was thrown off Probopass' body, but luckily landed on its feet. "Now, Zap Cannon!" called Marla. Probopass formed a crackling sphere of electricity at the tip of its nose, and threw it right at Torkoal.

However, even after losing the initiative, Ash wasn't about to give up. "Torkoal, knock that Zap Cannon away with Flamethrower!" he ordered. Torkoal aimed its attack at the Zap Cannon, and sure enough, it managed to detonate Probopass' attack in midair, filling the arena with smoke.

"Flash Cannon!" shouted Marla.

Oh yeah, thought Ash, Probopass can sense its opponents even when we can't see anything! "Torkoal, Iron Defense!" he commanded. This call was just in time. Torkoal retreated into its shell, and the Flash Cannon, which scored a glancing hit, ricocheted off harmlessly.

However, when the smoke had cleared, Probopass' mini-noses were hovering around Torkoal. "Use Stone Edge!" Marla ordered. Each of the three mini-noses hit Torkoal with sharp rocks.

Watching his Pokemon wince in pain, Ash grabbed Torkoal's Pokeball. He would have to use a different Pokemon. "Torkoal, return!" he called, pushing a button on the Pokeball.

Marla, however, had other ideas. "Now, Block!" she commanded. The mini-noses got between Ash and Torkoal, stopping Ash from recalling his Pokemon.

Torkoal looked over its shoulder to get a look at the mini-noses. Ash, though, ordered, "Don't look at the mini-noses, look at Probopass! Use Overheat!" Thankfully, Torkoal obeyed, ignoring the mini-noses and blasting Marla's Pokemon with a super-powerful jet of flames. Probopass was clearly in pain; its eyes convulsed, and the mini-noses fell out of the air, just as Ash had hoped. "Keep it up, Torkoal!" Ash encouraged his Pokemon. But Torkoal couldn't keep it up longer than a few seconds. It stopped its attack and fell to its knees, panting. "Torkoal, return!" said Ash, trying to recall it again. However, the mini-noses were back up, keeping the Block in place.

"Use Zap Cannon!" commanded Marla. All three mini-noses fired the attack at Torkoal, who flew threw the air and landed right in front of Probopass. "Now, Flash Cannon!" yelled Marla. Probopass itself fired a burst of metallic light at Torkoal at a close range. Torkoal went sailing threw the air again, this time in the opposite direction. It landed on its back next to the mini-noses, which were moving back towards Probopass.

The referee saw that Torkoal was not about to get back up, so he raised a red flag. "Torkoal is unable to battle!" he said. "Probopass is the winner!"

Ash recalled his fallen Pokemon. "Thanks, Torkoal," he said to the Pokeball. "You did your best." He looked up to see Probopass disappearing in a flash of red light. Marla was obviously saving it for later.

Marla didn't even wait for Ash to choose a Pokemon before throwing another Pokeball of her own. "Go, Flareon!" she said. It looked like a bright red dog, except that it had a mane and a fluffy tail of yellow fur that made its body look like a fire.

So Marla's using a Fire Pokemon, Ash thought. Time for a Water-type. "Squirtle," he called, throwing a Pokeball, "I choose you!" Squirtle emerged from its Pokeball and faced its opponent. "Squirtle, Water Gun!" Ash called. Squirtle aimed a jet of water at its opponent.

"Flareon, dodge that and use Quick Attack!" ordered Marla. Sidestepping Squirtle's attack, Flareon rushed forward, barreling into its opponent. Squirtle was knocked backward, and landed on its stomach. "Now, Shadow Ball!" called Marla. Flareon opened its mouth, forming a dark purple ball of energy which it threw at Squirtle.

"Quick, Squirtle, use Rapid Spin!" shouted Ash. Squirtle retreated into its shell and spun around, deflecting the Shadow Ball. "Turn that into a Hydro Pump!" ordered Ash. Squirtle kept spinning, and shot jets of water out of every opening in its shell.

"Dodge it, Flareon!" yelled Marla. Flareon managed to avoid taking the attack head-on, but a few gallons of water went in its direction anyway. Flareon winced, feeling pain from the Hydro Pump. "Quick Attack!" Marla commanded. Flareon sprinted toward the still-moving Squirtle.

"Squirtle, Withdraw!" ordered Ash as Flareon came closer. Squirtle pulled its arms, legs, and head into its shell again, and Flareon's attack sent it flying. Squirtle, however, was unhurt, and landed on its feet.

However, as Ash's Pokemon was still coming out of its shell, Marla called, "Flareon, Shadow Ball!" The Shadow Ball hit Squirtle in the legs, sending it flying upward, but not so far backward. "Now, Flareon, use Hyper Beam!" commanded Marla. Her Pokemon shot a yellow-orange beam of light at its opponent, who was blasted even higher into the air. Squirtle landed on the ground with a loud thud.

The referee raised its red flag again. "Squirtle is unable to battle!" he announced. "Flareon is the winner!"

Ash recalled Squirtle, thanked it, and put the Pokeball away. He knew his opponents would be tough, but he was not ready for this. He had already lost two Pokemon, while Marla's team was intact. Fighting the impulse to run, he threw a third Pokeball into the arena. It was a risky shot, but he'd have to take it. "Totodile, I choose you!" he called. Totodile appeared in front of Ash, doing a little dance before facing its opponent.

"Flareon, return!" called Marla across the field. She put Flareon's Pokeball away, and threw another out, shouting, "Go, Starmie!"

Ash understood his opponent's decision. After using a Hyper Beam, Flareon was temporarily immobile, leaving it wide open to a devastating Water-type attack from Totodile. She was now using a Starmie, which Ash knew, thanks to a tip from Misty, was also part Psychic-type. Since Water attacks wouldn't work very well, and Starmie's Psychic attacks would work just fine, Marla was obviously trying to use a small type advantage to sneak in a victory. Ash smiled; he had a nice counter-strategy for that. "Totodile, Bite!" he commanded. Totodile jumped, and clamped its jaws around one of Starmie's arms.

But Marla yelled, "Starmie, use Rapid Spin!" Starmie started spinning around faster and faster, with Totodile just barely holding on. Ash's Pokemon eventually flew off its opponent's arm, landing hard on its back. "Now, use Power Gem!" Marla called. Energy gathered in the giant ruby at the center of Starmie's body. Quickly, Starmie threw the ball of energy at Totodile.

"Totodile, return!" shouted Ash, calling back his Pokemon before the attack hit. Squirtle was already down, and Ash did not want to risk losing his other Water-type. He threw another Pokeball. "Bulbasaur, I choose you!" The stubborn dinosaur Pokemon with the giant seed on its back materialized, and it was glaring at Satrmie. He saw Marla and Starmie staring down the field at him, waiting for him to make a move, and he obliged. "Bulbasaur, Razor Leaf!" he commanded. Bulbasaur sent sharp, rapidly spinning leaves at Starmie, one after the other.

"Starmie, Rapid Spin!" ordered Marla. Starmie spun around again, deflecting the leaves.

"Solarbeam!" yelled Ash before Starmie was finished. If I can land this hit, he thought, it'll just take a little more to beat Starmie.

Watching Bulbasaur charge up for its next attack, Marla commanded, "Starmie, use Power Gem!"

Bulbasaur, who was concentrating on charging its powerful Solarbeam, did not move, and took the full force of Starmie's attack. It stood firm, however, and Ash yelled, "Now!" Bulbasaur released its attack, aiming right at Starmie.

"Dodge that and use Rapid Spin!" shouted Marla. Starmie dodged to the side and started spinning again. It looped around Bulbasaur, hitting it in the back.

Bulbasaur got up, looking distinctly tired. So attacking it head-on won't work, thought Ash. "Bulbasaur, use Sleep Powder!" he called. Bulbasaur produced a cloud of glistening white powder from its bulb, which would make its opponent go straight to sleep.

"Starmie, use Psychic to send it back!" Marla ordered. The ruby suddenly glowed blue, and the cloud of Sleep Powder halted. Then, the cloud made its way back to its originator. It engulfed the surprised Bulbasaur, whose eyes widened in shock and then began to droop. "Now," Marla continued, "use Psychic directly on Bulbasaur!" Starmie lifted its opponent into the air, squeezing it with its mind. Bulbasaur was struggling, and in intense pain. Suddenly, Starmie slammed Bulbasaur into the ground, where it stopped moving and did not get up.

"Bulbasaur is unable to battle!" announced the referee. "Starmie is the winner! Since Ash has lost three Pokemon, we will take a ten minute break!"

"Bulbasaur, return," said Ash, recalling his third fallen Pokemon. "You did your best. Thanks, Bulbasaur."

Barely hearing the crowd, which was screaming louder than ever, Ash was walking back through the locker room with Pikachu at his side. "Of course," he said to himself, "I forgot. Bulbasaur's part Poison-type, so that Psychic attack must've hit it hard." How could he have forgotten? Roger had told him so in his critique of Ash's Pokemon.

"Ash?"

Hearing his name, Ash stopped and looked to the side. Misty, Brock, and Dawn were waiting for him. "Hey, guys," he said.

"You okay?" asked Misty. "I expected you to do a lot better."

"Yeah, so did I," said Ash. He paused. "I hate to to say it, but Roger gave me some good advice."

"Wait," said Dawn, "Roger as in the ex-champion?"

"Yeah," said Ash. He explained his encounters with Roger to Dawn, on Roger's cold training style and connection to Paul, his own brief estrangement from his friends (and his longer estrangement from May), and the plan to revamp Ash's battles.. "So I should've remembered that Bulbasaur was part Poison-type." he finished.

"And Torkoal probably would've beat Probopass if you'd used its Earthquake," said Brock. "See what I told you before we got the train here? Roger's a pretty heartless trainer, but he really knows his battle strategy."

Ash thought. As much as he didn't want to believe it, Brock was right. "That's what I was afraid of," said Ash. "But what if...? Hey, guys? I need to say something to my Pokemon." He pulled his Pokeballs from his belt, and called out his whole team. Pikachu was already out, of course, but Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Torkoal all appeared, looking battered. Totodile looked slightly bruised but in good spirits, while Gabite was completely unhurt. "I owe you guys an apology," said Ash, looking at the ground. "We're losing big. But I promise to make it up to you guys," he continued, looking up. "There's just something I need from you." His team looked at him nervously, and he took a deep breath before continuing. "Remember the moves I was teaching you? The ones that Roger came up with? We're gonna need them to get out of this hole." His Pokemon looked as though their worst fears had been confirmed. "Don't worry," said Ash reassuringly. "This isn't like last time. I'll talk to you guys before teaching you any new attacks, I promise." His Pokemon looked relieved.

Ash returned his three defeated Pokemon to their Pokeballs, but he needed to say something else to Pikachu, Gabite, and Totodile. They all looked nervous, but not despairing. "Don't worry, I believe in you guys," Ash reassured them. "We're just gonna have a long battle." Turning to his best friend, he continued, "You're up first, Pikachu. Take out as many of Marla's Pokemon as you can." He turned to the other two. "Do you guys remember any of Roger's moves? Gabite, show me an Iron Head!" Gabite charged forward into a nearby locker, putting a dent into it. "Nice! Totodile, show me a Slash!" Totodile swiped the air with its claws, making a loud whooshing sound. "Great job! Okay, guys, let's go back out." After his friends had wished him luck one more time, he left the locker room.

"There's Ash's determination," said Brock.

"But will it be enough for him to win?" wondered Misty aloud.

Ash walked back onto the field. His body was numb from nerves, but his mind was completely clear. He had no idea of just how hard his task would be, but he knew what to do.

After Marla had returned with a confident look on her face, the referee raised both flags and announced the continuation of the match. "This match will resume now! Ash will have the first attack!"

"Go, Pikachu!" commanded Ash. Pikachu ran onto the field, ready to fight.

Marla then called out her next Pokemon. "Go, Mr. Mime!" she called, throwing a Pokeball. A Mr. Mime, about the same height as Mimey, emerged from the Pokeball. It faced Pikachu, leering at its diminutive opponent.

"Pikachu, let's start things off with Quick Attack!" ordered Ash. Pikachu ran forward, charging into Mr. Mime before it could move.

"Mr. Mime, Psybeam!" shouted Marla.

"Pikachu, Agility!" yelled Ash. Mr. Mime shot a beam of psychic energy at its opponent, but Pikachu dodged the attack. It started running around the field, constantly changing direction; although its speed had already been formidable, it became impossible for the eye to track its movement.

"Mr. Mime, Barrier!" shouted Marla. If her Pokemon could not hit Pikachu right now, Mr. Mime would have to defend itself and wait for an opening.

However, Ash commanded, "Quick Attack!" Pikachu darted around Mr. Mime's Barrier and barreled into its opponent again.

"Barrier again!" yelled Marla. "Try to encircle yourself!"

"Pikachu," commanded Ash, "Iron Tail, and make it count!" Pikachu ran forward, and as Mr. Mime completed its next Barrier, Pikachu jumped, caught the top of the Barrier, flipped over it, and brought its tail down on Mr. Mime's head. "Now use Thunder!" called Ash. Pikachu blasted its opponent with a powerful bolt of electricity at point-blank range. Although Mr. Mime was still standing afterward, its knees looked wobbly.

"Use Fire Punch!" ordered Marla in desperation.

Mr. Mime raised a fist encircled in flames to punch Pikachu, but Ash shouted "Quick Attack!" Pikachu landed its third Quick Attack before Mr. Mime could fight back, and the Psychic-type fell over backwards.

"Mr. Mime is unable to battle!" announced the referee, holding up a green flag. "Pikachu is the winner!"

Marla recalled Mr. Mime, stunned by this turn of events. Before, Ash's Pokemon were hardly putting up fights, but Pikachu had just dominated Mr. Mime, winning without a scratch. What was going on? However, Ash would not have it so easy with its next adversary. Throwing a Pokeball, Marla called, "Go, Magnezone!" A bizarre metallic Pokemon appeared on the field. The evolved form of Magneton, it looked as though the center of its body had swelled up.

This'll be tough, thought Ash. None of Pikachu's attacks will do much damage. "Pikachu, you want to keep fighting?" Ash asked his Pokemon. Pikachu bent low and shot sparks from its cheeks, indicating that it wanted to stay in the battle.

"Magnezone, use Thunder Wave!" ordered Marla. A blue bolt of electricity shot at Pikachu from its opponent's magnets.

"Dodge and use Quick Attack!" called Ash. Pikachu avoided the attack, and landed a hit on Magnezone. "Now use Thunder!" Ash commanded. Pikachu hit Magnezone with electricity just like it had with Mr. Mime. However, it had far less effect now.

"Magnezone, Swift!" called Marla. Pikachu was still very close, and Magnezone sent an attack of star shapes right at it.

"Pikachu, use Agility to get out of there!" shouted Ash. Pikachu dashed away from its opponent, and tried to get out of the line of fire. However, Magnezone produced more stars, which followed Pikachu as it circled to field. Unable to avoid all of them, Ash's Pokemon took a hit.

"Now, Magnezone, Gyro Ball!" commanded Marla, pressing the attack. Her Pokemon started spinning around rapidly and zoomed forward, slamming right into Pikachu. The electric mouse flew through the air and landed on the opposite side of the field.

"Pikachu, go in for another Quick Attack!" shouted Ash. The cycle started again, with Pikachu scoring hits with Quick Attack and Thunder, and Magnezone countering with a close-range Swift. "Try to block it with Iron Tail!" commanded Ash. This proved just as unsuccessful as trying to dodge. There were simply too many stars to block with an Iron Tail, and Pikachu was hit anyway.

"Now, use Thunder Wave!" shouted Marla triumphantly, watching Pikachu get back on its feet. If Magnezone could land this hit, Pikachu would be in severe trouble; it would lose its speed, which was its main advantage in this battle.

"Pikachu, spin and use Thunder!" yelled Ash. Pikachu did so, and instead of releasing one bolt of electricity, it released several smaller ones. They formed a counter shield, which blocked the attack. "Now, Quick Attack!" called Ash, watching Marla's shocked face. He smiled; now, he even had a plan to stop Magnezone's Swift. He watched the Quick Attack hit, and ordered another Thunder. Then he waited for his opponent to call for a Swift.

Sure enough, Marla commanded, "Magnezone, another Swift!"

"Pikachu," ordered Ash, "Quick Attack to get behind Magnezone!" In the blink of an eye, Pikachu slipped behind its shocked opponent. Magnezone tried to get out of the way, but it was too slow; its eyes squinted in pain as it was hit by its own attack. "Pikachu, give it your best Thunder!" Ash called. Pikachu hit Magnezone with yet another bolt of electricity. Although none had done much good by itself, the damage was piling up. After this latest attack hit home, Magnezone fell over, unconscious, its three eyes blank.

"Magnezone is unable to battle!" called the referee. "Pikachu is the winner!"

The crowd was now cheering even louder than it had when Bulbasaur had been knocked out. Ash had almost managed to even the score after being three Pokemon down. If he could actually win this battle, it would be a first in Champions' League history.

Marla, however, was not pleased at all. After winning herself a hard-earned lead, she had somehow let Pikachu almost nullify it by itself. It was time to get serious about beating this impudent yellow mouse. Throwing another Pokeball, she called, "Go, Camerupt!" Marla's final Pokemon to be revealed was red, four-legged, and hulking. It had three blue circles on each side, and two volcano-shaped humps on its back.

"Pikachu, time to switch out!" Ash called to his Pokemon. Pikachu, ran back to Ash's side gratefully. Having Pikachu fight Camerupt wasn't worth the risk. As a Ground-type, it would be unhurt by Pikachu's electric attacks, and Pikachu was winded anyway. But I was right, thought Ash, she's using another Fire Pokemon! I'm glad I saved Totodile for now. "Totodile, I choose you!" shouted Ash, his voice brimming with a new confidence, as he threw a Pokeball. Totodile appeared for a second time, ready to get back into the fray.

"Camerupt, Earthquake!" commanded Marla. Her Pokemon sent shock waves through the ground, and Totodile was powerless to avoid the underground shock waves.

"Totodile, Scary Face!" called Ash. Totodile gave its opponent a death stare; it looked frozen by fear. "Now, Waterfall!" Totodile darted forward, its body sheathed in water. Right before crashing into Camerupt, it stopped short, hitting its foe with the water.

However, by the time Totodile had reached its opponent, Marla had shouted, "Defense Curl!" Camerupt had already curled up tightly, and it was hurt less than it would have been otherwise. "Now, Camerupt," she ordered, "Double-Edge!" Camerupt charged forward, bearing down on its much smaller opponent:

"Totodile, Slash!" yelled Ash. Holding its ground, Totodile swiped at its adversary with its sharp claws. Camerupt roared in pain, smoke billowing from its nostrils.

"Camerupt, return!" called Marla, putting the Fire-type back inside its Pokeball. She couldn't take the chance of losing Camerupt just yet; she might still need it to defeat Pikachu. She chose another Pokemon, the only one left that was not at a type disadvantage against Totodile. "Go, Starmie!"

Starmie and Totodile faced each other again, but Ash immediately recalled his Pokemon. After Totodile's near loss to Starmie earlier, he did not want to pit Totodile against it again. Reluctantly, he said, "You're up again, Pikachu!"

"Starmie, return!" called Marla. She had witnessed too much of Pikachu's phenomenal speed to allow this matchup. Adding said speed to a type advantage would likely make Ash's first Pokemon unstoppable. However, she had Pikachu back in the arena, and she intended to keep it there. "Go, Probopass!" she called, throwing another Pokeball. Probopass returned to the arena, ready to battle again.

"Pikachu, use Thunder!" Ash commanded immediately.

But Marla paid no heed to the bolt of electricity headed for her Pokemon. "Probopass, Block!" she yelled. Although taking the hit, Probopass got between Pikachu and Ash, cutting off its escape.

You snooze, you lose, thought Ash. You think I want to switch Pokemon? "Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" he ordered.

"Stone Edge!" called Marla. The attack with sharp stones hit its mark and took both Ash and Pikachu by surprise. It wasn't the speed or the move choice that surprised them; it was the direction. The mini-noses had detached themselves from Probopass, and they had initiated the Stone Edge.

"Pikachu, get away from the mini-noses!" Ash commanded, panic in his voice. "Use Agility!"

"All mini-noses, use Zap Cannon until you hit Pikachu!" ordered Marla. She smirked as they followed her commands. Pikachu was trapped in this battle, it was on the run, and it couldn't keep going forever.

"Keep dodging, Pikachu!" Ash encouraged his best friend. "I'll think of something!" While Pikachu dodged one Zap Cannon after another, Ash frantically brainstormed, trying to think of a way out of the battle. Pikachu can't keep this up much longer. Can it stay still long enough to attack the mini-noses or Probopass? No, they're timing their attacks too well. What can I do? Wait... will the same thing work as with Magnezone? I'll have to try it. "Pikachu, Quick Attack to get behind Probopass!" he shouted, crossing his fingers in his pockets. Pikachu dodged just as each of the mini-noses readied a new attack. They all aimed and launched them, but Pikachu had performed its instructions admirably: it was between Probopass and the mini-noses, and two of the Zap Cannons hit Probopass on its flank. "Yes!" cheered Ash, pumping his fist into the air.

However, his moment of triumph was short-lived. Pikachu, who was thoroughly exhausted, stopped to catch its breath a split second too soon. The third Zap Cannon hit its intended target, knocking Pikachu back a few feet, where it came face to face with Probopass.

Ash and Marla were both unhappy about this turn of events. Ash had hoped that his Pokemon could avoid the Zap Cannons altogether, and now, the star Pokemon of his current team had a significant chance of losing the battle. Marla was upset that she had fallen for the same trick twice in the same battle. Now, with their paralyzed Pokemon facing off only inches away from each other, they called their final moves.

"Thunder!"

"Stone Edge!"

The two attacks collided, exploding like an especially powerful bomb. Electrically charged dust and gravel filled the air, blocking both Pokemon from view. Both trainers shielded their eyes, waiting for the dust and smoke to clear.

Author's Note: So here's the first battle chapter in the Champions' League. I've been hoping to finish the last few chapters quickly, because I was planning to post a special chapter for Christmas. Now, though, that seems kind of impossible...

So after a poor start, Pikachu took out two of Marla's Pokemon. Now, however, Pikachu and Probopass are locked in a duel, and it is unclear who, if anyone, is the victor. Did Pikachu win or lose against Probopass? And can Ash still pull this battle out of the fire? Stay tuned for the next chapter to find out!