Hello, lovely people! Okay so I know you all probably hate me by now for taking so long at this, but I promise I was hard at work the whole time. This chapter just proved to be unbelievably difficult to write – there was just so much going on. It also sits at over twelve thousand words, which makes it the longest chapter so far by a long shot. But here it finally is, so enjoy!
This chapter is dedicated to Texas Longhorn :)
Note: Spoilers ahead for Ash's Silver Conference battle.
Chapter Twenty One: Breaking Free
The crowd was cheering as Professor Oak announced the final pairings, his voice rolling through the stadium like thunder. Ash was oblivious to the clamor; his senses felt muffled, and the crowd seemed to echo from a long way off. He felt oddly detached from the situation. It was almost as if he were outside of his body, watching himself stand there and gaze desperately up at the screen as if staring at it long enough would change the fate it had brought upon him.
Ash took a deep, shuddering breath, suddenly aware of the fact that his three fellow competitors were staring at him. Their expressions showed an interesting range of emotions: Gary's face was calm and blank but his eyes were oddly anxious; Daisy looked like she was about to breathe fire and Misty…well, Misty looked like she's just been hit with her own mallet. Her crystal blue eyes were dazed and unfocused and her mouth hung a little open, like a Magikarp taking a snooze.
Ash turned back to the screen. There it was, in full color, for all the world to see; his name linked with Misty's, under their tall, smiling pictures. And there was nothing he could do about it. His brain turned to soup just thinking about it.
Nurse Joy appeared though a door concealed by the stadium wall and gestured for them to join her. Gary, cool as an ice cube, began sauntering over to the pretty nurse; Ash saw Daisy throw her brother a venomous glance as she followed him. Misty fell into step behind her ex-partner and Ash could do nothing but follow suit.
The door turned out to be an entrance to a long corridor that led straight to the school Pokémon Centre, where each competitor had the chance to check in their injured Pokémon for treatment and select a new team for the final battle. Misty was first and Ash watched curiously as she hesitated over a Pokéball, clearly in two minds whether to leave it at the Centre or not. Her face crumpled as she eventually surrendered the tool into Nurse Joy's grasp.
When all four finalists had a full team Nurse Joy escorted them back onto the field, indicating a small group of seats in the lower part of the stands that had been specially set aside for the use of the finalists. Ash pushed his way to the front of the group and threw himself down in the far seat, determined not to be stuck beside either Misty or Gary. As he'd predicted, Daisy immediately swooped into the seat beside him, shooting Misty an evil glare. Misty crossed her arms and refused point blank to sit beside her ex-partner so Gary filed in next to his sister, leaving Misty to perch on the opposite end of the row to Ash.
Down on the field, Drew, Paul, Dawn and May were trudging out onto the field, but Ash was barely watching them; nor was he listening to Daisy's moaning over how unfair it was that they weren't partners. He was too busy worrying about the upcoming match.
He'd started out determined to win the Tournament for his own sake, but now that he was facing Gary as an opponent, everything was riding on this match. This was the chance he'd been waiting for. If he lost, it would be another month before he had a chance to redeem himself. Another month of a horrifically gloating Gary shadowing his every move and seizing every opportunity to berate his stupidity, his laughable technique and pathetic insistence that the most important thing was the bond between Trainer and Pokémon. He wasn't sure if he could take it.
But if he won…everything would change. He'd be back as the school's top Trainer. He'd get his bragging rights restored, and Gary wouldn't be able to make a single crack about his battle style or his weak Pokémon. He'd regain the respect of everyone and prove to them all that he didn't care about Gary stealing Misty in the slightest. And maybe, just maybe, he'd start to actually feel that way himself.
At least, that's what Ash told himself.
But how the heck was he ever going to manage to win? He was only stuck partnering the girl he loved and hated with the fire of a thousand suns. How were they ever going to communicate and work as a team? Heck, could he even bring himself to talk to her, after everything she'd done?
Leaning forward on the pretence of getting a better view of the field, where May, Drew, Dawn and Paul were all hesitantly shaking hands, Ash shot Misty a covert glance out of the corner of his eye.
The frostiness between Misty and her new boyfriend was painfully obvious. Misty was slumped in her chair, leaning as far away from Gary as possible and staring blankly down at the stadium floor, where the four competitors of the consolation round were uncomfortably gathered. Gary made no attempt to engage her in conversation; his eyes flicked between her and Ash, the worried look back in his eyes despite his smooth countenance.
Ash's forehead creased in confusion, Drew's words from the morning floating back into his mind for the first time that day:
It doesn't seem right, somehow…it's common knowledge that she was crazy about Ash. Why would she dump him for someone else?
Ash's gaze traced Misty's wintry expression, her haughtily ruffled amber hair, her flinty eyes, and wondered, for what felt like the millionth time, how someone he cared about so much could treat him like that.
His mouth tightened and he gave his head a quick shake, battling the internal division. He didn't have the time to worry about that now. Tuning out Daisy's whining, Ash forced himself to concentrate on the battle beginning on the field below.
The two battlefields that had hosted the semifinals matches had disappeared, their glowing lines fading into the dust, and one larger battlefield had replaced them. Misty's eyes were fixed on the four figures who were taking their places in the Trainer boxes, but she might as well have been staring at a blank wall, for all she was actually seeing.
After suffering the humiliation of losing to Gary and thus losing the bet where she'd been forced to risk everything; after the pain of Ash's condescension and disgust; after enduring Daisy's gloating spite; after battling through the first three rounds of the tournament and even after surviving a match paired with Daisy…after all of that, she found herself bound to Ash for the final round. It didn't seem fair, somehow.
Ash and Misty not spoken since the day she'd lost to Gary. Misty was forced to acknowledge that if they were to battle together, some basic communication would be necessary if they hoped to win the match – she had no doubt that Gary and Daisy would prove an extremely challenging team to beat. And yet Ash's attitude towards her had been nothing but ice and steel. It was an impossible situation.
Misty's empty gaze slid across to the other side of the stadium, where the students were clustered in the lower rows, hanging over the railings and cheering themselves hoarse. She wondered briefly what today would have been like, if only Gary had left her alone. She would be sitting next to Ash. They would be congratulating themselves on their excellent good luck at being paired together, merrily arguing over strategy and occasionally finding the time to cheer on their four friends…
Feeling guilty for being so self centered, Misty tried to focus on the battle playing out right in front of her. The consolation round had been raging for several minutes, and Misty was ashamed to admit to herself that this was the first time she'd paid it any attention to it. It only took one glance to see where things were headed.
On one side of the field, in the box marked out for the trainers, stood May and Dawn. Clearly, the relief of being paired together was already starting to wear off; both of the girls seemed to have lost their heads entirely. Even from where she sat, Misty could hear snatches of their conversation.
'Blaziken, uhhh…Ember!' May shouted wildly, flapping her arms about like a windmill. 'On, erm…on Butterfree! No, on Hariyama! No, I mean on Butterfree!'
'May, no!' Dawn screeched, grabbing her friend and shaking her. 'Get Blaziken to take Butterfree, Buneary'll never be able to beat it, it's got the type advantage!'
'I am taking Butterfree – you blind or something, woman?' May demanded. 'Look, Blaziken's attacking it right now!'
'No, no, I mean take Hariyama!' Dawn shrieked, tearing at her hair. 'It's a Fighting Type, Buneary's got no chance!'
'Alright, alright, you do something with Butterfree then! Blaziken, switch your Ember to Hariyama, actually! Yeah, that one! Nice job!'
On the opposing side, things weren't going much better. Drew seemed to be attempting to forcibly rip Paul's head from his body.
'You stupid purple haired freak!' Drew shrieked, seizing his friend by the collar. 'Attack her Buneary! You've only got a giant type advantage that could win us this match!'
Paul scowled deeply and wrenched himself from Drew's steely grip. 'Uhhh…no,' he replied icily, sidestepping his friend. 'Hariyama, use Arm Thrust on Blaziken!'
Drew's face went very red. 'Will you stop being such a wuss?' he shouted. 'Take down her Pokémon!'
Paul's cheeks went a little pink but he scowled even more fiercely. 'Well, why don't you try and take down May's Blaziken?' he snapped. 'It's already scorched your Butterfree once this round, you should be out for revenge!'
Drew's spluttered indignantly, his face going positively purple, but he could find no argument to the contrary. Paul smirked, cocking his eyebrow disdainfully and looking almost scarily like Gary for a moment.
'That's what I thought, tough guy. Now get that Butterfree to knock Buneary out!'
Drew muttered something incomprehensible and turned back to the battle. 'Butterfree, use Stun Spore on Buneary!' he said loudly.
Misty's fingers began to fidget nervously and she crossed her arms tightly to stop them shaking. Her whole body seemed to hum with nervous energy, and even as Butterfree performed a magnificent Stun Spore on Buneary, she couldn't make herself concentrate. Her mind kept returning to what was waiting for her on the other side of the consolation round. She felt cold every time she thought about it…she would have to stand at Ash's side in front of the whole school and battle with him…
A piercing whistle jerked Misty back to attention and she quickly turned her attention to the battle. In her mental absence, the whole thing had descended into chaos – much to the amusement of the rest of the audience. The four Pokémon on the field seemed to have picked up on their owner's hesitations and despite the various commands all four competitors were yelling, their Pokémon just ran wild. Blaziken was roaring and launching random fireballs at whichever of its opponents came closest; Butterfree was high in the air, displaying its impressive Silver Wind attack for the benefit of the spectators; Hariyama was flexing its muscles and doing push ups; Buneary, safe behind Blaziken, was waving sweetly up at the cooing crowd.
Misty started to laugh as May and Dawn left off yelling at their Pokémon and began shrieking at each other, each gesticulating wildly at the other's Pokémon. Drew and Paul also seemed to have lost interest in the battle; Drew was hollering at Paul to do something and for once in his life, the level headed Trainer looked completely and utterly lost.
'All four of the Pokémon on the field refuse to battle,' the referee roared, waving his flag. 'Recall all monsters and progress to Round Three!'
There was an angry outcry from both sides of the field, but the referee wouldn't budge. Giving up, four jets of red light meant that four errant Pokémon were immediately withdrawn from the match. Strains of various consolations and tellings-off floated through the air:
'Blaziken, you bad boy! You do what I tell you, you hear?'
'It's okay, Butterfree…that Silver Wind was very pretty after all…'
'I know you were scared, Buneary, but that still doesn't give you a right not to listen to me!'
'If you EVER disobey me again, Hariyama, I swear…'
As each of the competitors chose another Pokémon, Misty glanced at thescreen on the opposite wall; apparently,May, Dawn, Drew and Paul were all on their last Pokémon. Misty winced, wondering how she'd managed to miss the first round entirely.
'Gliscor, go!'
'Spotlight, Cyndaquil!'
'I choose you, Masquerain!'
'Take the stage, Beautifly!'
The third round progressed haphazardly, much like the previous two, but at least the four competitors were able to keep control of their Pokémon. May and Dawn appeared to have gotten over their momentary rift and were bringing out the big guns in an attempt to win the battle.
'Cyndaquil, use Lava Plume on Masquerain!' Dawn cried. Her little Fire Mouse Pokémon let out a sharp cry, the flames on its back exploding into a suffocating cloud of smog and embers which immediately engulfed Masquerain. The delicate Eyeball Pokémon began to wail, flapping its wings hard in an attempt to escape the smoke and flames.
'Beautifly, fly above Cyndaquil's Lava Plume and use a Tackle on Gliscor!' May shouted. Beautifly immediately soared above its partner's attack and headed straight for Gliscor, who had been partially surrounded by Cyndaquil's Lava Plume attack. Beautifly came bursting out of the haze, its colorful wings glowing in the sunlight, and careened straight into Gliscor. The half Ground type was caught off guard and thrown several feet backwards.
But Drew and Paul weren't giving up that easily. Beautifly's Tackle had helped clear some of the smog produced by Cyndaquil, and Masquerain quickly recovered itself.
'Masquerain, use Gust on Cyndaquil!' Drew yelled.
Masquerain drew itself up and flapped its wings so hard that they became a blur. The all important flames on Cyndaquil's back began to flicker and die, the little Fire Pokémon squealing under the strain of keeping the source of its power alive.
'Cyndaquil, jump out of the way!' Dawn cried.
As Cyndaquil retreated, Gliscor managed to evade Beautifly's ongoing Tackle, leaving it free to make its own move.
'Gliscor, Steel Wing on Beautifly!' Paul commanded.
The black parts of Gliscor's wings glowed white with power and it struck Beautifly hard, sending the pretty half Bug type sailing backwards.
Misty watched as May's face turned pale, her eyes glittering as she stared at her Beautifly. She turned abruptly towards Dawn and the two girls had a quick, whispered conversation, Dawn nodding seriously. They both turned back to the battle, their faces sporting matching determined expressions.
'Beautifly, Psychic on Masquerain!' May cried in a tremulous voice.
'Cyndaquil, finish Gliscor with a Flamethrower!' Dawn shouted simultaneously.
From Beautifly's head exploded a beam of frosty blue light, heading straight for Masquerain; Cyndaquil unleashed a jet of blazing fire, the flames on its back flaring victoriously. Drew and Paul exchanged a stunned glance but there was no time to confer; they had to act.
'Masquerain, counter with a Hyper Beam!' Drew shouted anxiously.
'Gliscor, X-Scissor, now!' Paul hollered.
Masquerain responded with amazing speed, powering up an enormous jet of glittering amber light and firing it towards Beautifly. At the same time Gliscor launched itself higher into the air and slashed its glowing claws in a menacing "X" shape, leaving an eerie pale blue cross shape that it fired across the field, aiming for Cyndaquil.
The resulting explosion, as all four different attacks met in the centre of the battlefield, was so powerful that it forced every spectator backwards into their seat. Misty clapped her hands over her ears as the shock wave thundered through the stadium, and down on the battle floor she saw May clinging to Dawn to prevent the younger Coordinator from being thrown to the ground. A towering plume of mushroom shaped smoke soared into the air and out of the open roof of the stadium, leaving a smoky, sulfuric tang breezing through the stadium.
Misty leaned eagerly forward as the haze began to clear; the crowd was quiet, back on their feet again as they eagerly awaited the sight of the winning pair. When the dusty battle floor finally became visible, it was clear who had won.
'All four of the Pokémon on the field are unable to battle,' the referee shouted, wiping the sweat from his forehead. 'The match is a draw!'
Misty's face broke out into a large grin as she saw May and Dawn exchange horrified glances. Paul and Drew didn't look any happier with the state of affairs; indeed, the two so-called friends had already begun tussling with each other, each clearly blaming the other for the loss. Misty didn't have a chance to watch them meet and shake hands. It was time for her to fight her own battles.
Misty felt like the blood in her veins had turned to ice. She didn't look at Ash as the four finalists clambered down the stairs and onto the floor of the Pokémon High Stadium.
Ash's legs moved mechanically as he shuffled out onto the battlefield, heading towards the Trainer box marked in red. Adrenaline was singing through his veins, heightening his senses and sharpening the nerves that clawed anxiously at the pit of his stomach. The cheers that lit up the stadium bore oppressively down on him, like physical pressure, and the bland impersonal faces of the crowd seemed to meld together, like in a distorted dream.
Ash took his place in the box, all his senses strained on the girl who walked behind him. He sidled into the corner farthest from her, shooting her a sideways glance. Her face had paled to a clammy gray, but her eyes still burned with grim determination.
An awkward silence pervaded the small red box that cut them off from the rest of the world. Ash was very aware that this was the first time they'd been comparatively alone together for an entire week. He was glad, for the first time, for the noise of the crowd; it diluted the testy quiet.
The silence stretched on in increasingly uncomfortable lines as they waited for Gary and Daisy to take their places on the other side of the field. Ash's eyes narrowed as they alighted upon his enemy; if he didn't know better, he would have said that Gary was dragging his feet on purpose.
Misty cleared her throat slightly and Ash's insides leapt, his eyes snapping automatically to her face. Misty seemed to feel his eyes on her and turned to face him, their eyes locking instantly. For a moment, everything seemed to fade; the stadium, the battle, the betrayal. Ash was conscious of nothing but those glittering blue eyes staring straight back at him, pleading with him. The tension that had been crushing his chest for seven days straight seemed to melt away in an instant. He could breathe freely again. This was the way it was supposed to be.
Then the referee stepped forwards and began bawling out the conditions of the battle. Misty started, blinking rapidly, before turning hastily away and hiding her humiliated face by peering at the Pokéballs attached to her hip. Her lips were trembling. Ash's heart sank and he ground his teeth together in frustration. He hated that after all this time, after everything she'd done to him, she still held him captive. He wanted to kick himself for being so weak.
Ash turned to stare blankly at the referee, who was finishing his monologue on the rules of a double battle. His flag whipped merrily as he snapped it downwards.
'Begin!'
With that cry, Ash felt reality hit him like a ton of bricks. For the last few minutes, he'd allowed his feelings for Misty to take over; now the conditions of the battle and what was at stake came rushing back to him. Here he was, facing Gary in a fair battle. He could not waste time on self pity or regret. He could not afford to show weakness, especially towards Misty. This was the chance he'd been waiting for - his chance to prove himself, and defend his title, and nothing was going to stop him from winning.
Ash bared his teeth in a feral snarl, glaring poisonously at his hated opponent. He felt his well tuned battle instincts began to take over, his brain automatically surveying the conditions of the battlefield, mentally scrolling through his own available Pokemon, predicting the possible first choice of both his partner and his opponents. He grabbed the peak of his hat and yanked it backwards, settling it into its old battle position, and reached for a Pokéball.
'Clefairy, go!' Daisy shouted.
'Go, Muk!' Ash shouted, seizing a Pokéball from his hip and throwing it out onto the field. The brownish-purple Poison Pokémon appeared, letting out a joyous roar at the sight of its Trainer. Ash smirked across the field towards Gary, sure that such an unorthodox choice would mess with his opponent's attack plan.
Gary coolly appraised the Sludge Pokémon, a small smile playing on his lips. It widened to a smirk as he deftly selected a Pokéball and tossed it casually out onto the field.
'Scizor, go,' he called lazily.
Ash swore under his breath, suddenly remembering his Silver Battle Conference with Gary.
'Starmie, go!' Misty shouted, lobbing her Pokéball out onto the field. The Star Shaped Pokémon appeared in a flash of light, edging nervously away from Muk's slimy toxic bulk.
'Scizor, Tackle on Muk!' Gary called languidly, only the speed with which he gave the command betraying his eagerness to draw first blood.
Ash hesitated, trying to make his muddled brain come up with some sort of plan. Calling on any sort of Poison attack would be nothing but a waste of Muk's strength, as the half Steel Type was immune to Poison attacks. With a match like this, he needed to think outside the box.
Scizor snapped its claws threateningly and rose higher in the air before streaking towards Muk, its body cloaked in a shimmering blue aura. Ash felt a vague touch of panic, falling back on a tactic as old as Pokémon battling itself.
'Muk, just…dodge it,' he shouted in helpless defeat, waving his hands dejectedly. But as the scarlet blur drew closer to Muk he again recalled his struggle with Gary in the Silver Conference, realizing with a grin that he was not the only one who'd made the same mistake twice.
'Muk, just spread out!' he trumpeted triumphantly.
Ash's Poison Type responded so quickly that he wondered if that had been Muk's plan all along. With a nasty squelch, Muk spread itself out into a glistening puddle on the battle floor and Scizor soared straight over it. Ash grinned openly, staring across the field at Gary, who was staring at Scizor with a furious expression. There was nothing like getting one up on his archrival.
Scizor was left to circle around and Ash turned his attention to the other side of the battlefield, where Daisy and Misty were facing off. Clefairy seemed to be trying to get close to Starmie but its attempts appeared futile; the half Water Type was repelling it with a powerful Water Gun attack. Ash risked a glance at Misty. Her face was lit up with a vindictive smile and her eyes gleamed with glee. Ash knew that Misty had been itching to destroy Daisy in battle since her first day at Pokémon High, when Daisy had insulted her. He could only imagine the satisfaction she had to be feeling now.
'Muk, combine your Sludge Bomb with Starmie's Water Gun and aim it at Clefairy!'
Misty visibly started, turning to face Ash with an amazed expression. Ash felt himself flush under her gaze but he refused to look at her, staring intently at the battle. Muk had slimed closer to Starmie and was releasing large globs of poisonous sludge from its mouth. The gelatinous bullets were combining with the water to create a powerful jet of toxic matter that was striking Clefairy straight in the face.
'Scizor, use Fury Cutter on Starmie!'
Ash shot Gary a dark glare, quickly debating his next move. Starmie was weak to Bug Types and would suffer a lot of damage from a Bug Type move like Fury Cutter. He glanced at Clefairy, who still looked dazed from the double attack, and made a split second decision.
'Muk, use Body Slam on Scizor!' he shouted.
Scizor's Fury Cutter had already struck; Misty's Pokémon danced backwards, trying to escape as Scizor slashed at it with unrelenting rapidity, but Gary's Pokémon pressed on, dealing out crushing swipes of its large claws. The Pincer Pokémon was so focused that it didn't see Muk coming, and the lumbering Poison Type easily engulfed it in its sticky body.
Meanwhile, Misty's Starmie had recovered itself and Ash spared a glance to see what she would do next.
'Starmie, use Swift on Clefairy!' Misty cried.
But Clefairy, who'd had several seconds to recover itself from Muk and Starmie's joint attack, was back on form and easily evaded the Swift. It backed further away from the half Water Type, clearly squaring up for something big.
'Clefairy, Metronome!' Daisy said clearly, with a confident smile.
Clefairy grinned cheekily and raising both of its index fingers, it began waggling them backwards and forwards in a steady, hypnotic motion.
'Starmie, try a Tackle!' Misty cried, staring in horror as Clefairy's attack escalated.
Though every vengeful fiber in his body urged him to continue attacking Gary, Ash immediately recognized that Clefairy was now the biggest threat. It could not be allowed to complete its move. He was just about to call Muk off when he heard Gary shout, 'Scizor, use Razor Wind on Starmie!'
Ash's attention snapped back to his own Pokémon. In the mere seconds he'd been watching Misty's progress, Scizor had somehow managed to slip from Muk's slimy grasp and now hovered perpendicular to Starmie, using Razor Wind to keep the Star Shaped Pokémon away from Clefairy, and thus allowing the little Fairy Pokémon to complete its Metronome attack. Starmie staggered under the force of the attack, the glowing white crescents striking it again and again.
'Muk, use Sludge on Clefairy!' Ash cried, but he was too late.
A burst of blinding ocher light exploded from Clefairy's raised fingers, the beam jetting straight for Misty's Starmie. There was no blocking it or dodging it; Starmie was immediately overcome, its violet body thrown backwards. Ash heard a sharp gasp and looked quickly at his partner. Misty's face had blanched white as she watched her Pokémon struggle to right itself.
Ash growled. 'Muk, use Pound on Clefairy!' he shouted.
His Poison Type let out a rumbling roar and surged towards Clefairy, raising its larger left arm and bringing it down hard across the Fairy Pokémon's face.
'Scizor, Silver Wind on Muk!' Gary shouted.
'Muk, Smoke Screen!' Ash retaliated harshly, crossing his fingers and hoping that his Pokémon could produce the camouflaging attack before Scizor could strike.
Muk let out a long, loud belch and with it came a thick stream of dark green gas that gave off a horrid reek of rotting eggs. Ash's gamble had paid off; he could see the faint forms of Clefairy and Scizor moving about in the smoke but neither seemed to be able to locate their opponents.
As Muk continued to produce the Smoke Screen, Ash looked anxiously at Misty's Pokémon. Starmie was back on its feet and thought it was carefully avoiding Muk's poisonous torrent, it still seemed able to battle. Ash thought quickly. Both Scizor and Clefairy were momentarily wrong footed; how could he use this to his advantage?
But Misty was way ahead of him.
'Starmie, Rapid Spin!' she shouted.
Starmie immediately launched itself into the air, spinning so fast it became a pink and purple blur. It cut through the fog like a shuriken, crashing into Clefairy with tremendous force. With a squeak of agony the little Pokémon collapsed to the ground, and did not stir again.
But Starmie was not finished. The force of its Rapid Spin was so great that when it struck Clefairy, it simply rebounded off the little Fairy Pokémon and collided straight into Scizor. The Pincer Pokémon was caught off guard and went soaring backwards.
Ash half turned to look at Misty but checking himself, he forced his eyes forwards again. He couldn't help but be impressed with Misty's Pokémon – Starmie had endured what was presumably a Solar Beam yet still had the strength to deal out such a powerfully physical attack itself, strong enough to hit both Pokémon and dissipate much of Muk's Smoke Screen attack.
'Clefairy is unable to battle. The green team selects their third Pokémon!' cried the referee.
Ash narrowed his eyes at Daisy as she recalled her Pokémon. She didn't seem at all fazed at loosing her Clefairy; in fact, she was smiling positively serenely.
'Leafeon, go!' she shouted, throwing a Pokéball down onto the field.
The Verdant Pokémon appeared in a flash of red light and stepped unhurriedly out onto the field, its pale green fur glimmering as it stretched in a distinctly feline manner. Catching sight of Starmie its hazel eyes narrowed and it gave its long, leafy tail a haughty jerk.
Ash's heart sank as Leafeon crouched, tensing for the battle. Daisy had made an excellent choice; as a pure Grass Type, Leafeon would hold the advantage over all of Misty's Pokémon. He needed to take it down with some of Muk's Poison attacks – and fast.
Misty, however, didn't seem at all intimidated by the new addition to the field. In fact, she ignored Daisy's new Pokémon entirely.
'Starmie, Psychic on Scizor!' she called, as soon as the referee indicated that battling could begin again.
Ash couldn't help it this time. He turned to Misty in amazement as Scizor was caught in a web of sparkling blue energy. He was already impressed with Starmie's performance, but this was something different entirely. He knew that several of Misty's Pokémon had capabilities outside of their dominant Water typing, but as far as he'd been aware, she'd never shown much interest in training them to use them. And yet here Starmie was, trapping Scizor in telekinetic power and quelling its chances to retaliate.
'Leafeon, Magical Leaf on Starmie!'
Leafeon's leafy extremities began to glow acidic green and a flurry of razor sharp leaves burst from its body, powering towards Starmie like a hurricane. Starmie seemed to sense this attack coming and began to quiver nervously, the force field around Scizor flickering.
'Muk, Toxic on Leafeon!' Ash shouted.
Muk let out a throaty roar and expelled another jet of gas, this one a murky black, which met Leafeon's Magical Leaf in the centre of the field. Under the influence of the poison, the glittering green darts withered and crumpled to the floor.
Beside Ash, Misty expelled a long, shaky breath.
'Uhhh… thanks,' she muttered, flushing as she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.
'No problem,' Ash replied stiffly, trying and failing to quell the pleasant glow her words caused in him.
But Starmie's momentary falter had allowed Scizor to escape the clutches of the Psychic attack, and the large half Bug Type was zoning in on Muk.
'Scizor, Swift Attack on Muk!' Gary shouted.
Ash gritted his teeth, the memory of the Silver Conference battle rushing back to him even more strongly than before. He and Misty needed to swap opponents - and fast.
But once again, Misty already knew what to do.
'Starmie, hit Scizor with a Water Gun!' she called.
Several things began to happen all at once. Scizor threw its head back, releasing a stream of shimmering white stars at Muk. Starmie's central core began to flicker dangerously but it summoned a surprisingly strong jet of water, blasting Scizor's Swift attack away from Muk. The stars scattered, melding with the drops of water and falling like glistening rain upon the battlefield.
Ash felt like cheering. 'Muk, use - '
'Leafeon, use Bullet Seed on Starmie!'
'Scizor, another Swift on Muk!'
Ash's stomach dropped. 'Muk, use Sludge Bomb on Leafeon!' he hollered.
His command came seconds too late. Leafeon had already sent a hail of golden bullets towards Starmie, who was sagging awkwardly with exhaustion. Unable to repel or dodge the attack and especially weak to Grass moves, the half water type succumbed quickly to the force of Leafeon's assault. Ash's heart gave a painful tug as Misty squeaked in dismay.
Starmie lay still on the battlefield as Muk's poisonous darts began raining down upon Leafeon. The Eeveelution skipped around the field, its superior speed allowing it to dance between the sticky fallout. But before Ash could do anything to avoid it, Scizor's final blow struck home and Muk collapsed into a pile of sticky goo with a deadened groan.
'Both red team Pokémon are out of the match. The red team selects their third and fourth Pokémon!'
Misty's face was pale as she recalled her Star Shaped Pokémon, but she smiled as she whispered to it through the curved surface of the Pokéball. Ash tried not to listen in; he felt uncomfortably like he was eavesdropping on a private moment.
Turning away from her, Ash quickly debated his own choice; considering his opponents, he thought it was pretty obvious.
'Infernape, go!' he shouted. The primate-like Pokémon sprang to life on the field, its boldly patterned fur shining in the full sunlight. It caught sight of Scizor on the other side of the field and smiled menacingly, its yellow eyes gleaming as the flame atop its head flared with the challenge.
Gary's expression turned obviously sour at the sight of Ash's half Fire Type, and Ash couldn't resist a smirk. Scizor was toast now.
'Pokéball, go!'
Ash turned quickly as the red light from Misty's Pokéball faded; her choice couldn't have been an easy one, given that Daisy held the obvious type advantage.
'Dewgong!'
Ash stared blankly at the stunning silver-white Pokémon, its pale, lithe body stark against the dingy gray of the dusty battle floor. It bright black eyes scanned the colorful crowd with interest and turning with catlike fluidity to look at Misty, its graceful, feathery tale twitched happily.
Ash had to admit it; Misty could not have made a better choice, and judging from the pleased look on her face, she knew that just as well as he did. As a half Ice Type, Dewgong was not nearly so vulnerable to Leafeon as Misty's other Pokémon, and with Ice attacks in its own arsenal, taking down Daisy's Verdant Pokémon was suddenly within her grasp.
'Begin!' the referee shouted.
'Dewgong, Ice Beam on Leafeon!' Misty said clearly.
'Infernape, Flame Wheel on Scizor!' Ash shouted.
Both red team Pokémon responded at once. Dewgong frisked around, and lifting itself up on its broad tail it summoned a ball of blazing blue energy between its jaws. Leafeon, painfully aware of what was coming, tried to dodge out of the way, but it couldn't match Dewgong's speed; the Sea Lion Pokémon launched the attack with incredible dexterity, the frosty azure light solidifying into ice as it crashed down upon Leafeon.
At the same time, Infernape's already impressive flame swelled to enormous size, engulfing the half Fighting type in a smoldering wheel of fire. It launched itself forwards, the flames swirling and flickering around its agile body, and powered straight into Scizor. The half Bug type succumbed immediately and when Infernape stepped back, its prone body could be seen on the battle floor.
Leafeon got shakily to its feet as Gary withdrew his first Pokémon at the referee's command. Ash shifted nervously. He hadn't counted on Scizor going out that quickly, and now Gary was in an excellent position to choose a dominant typing.
Gary cocked his head to the side, staring at Infernape, before reaching decidedly for a Pokéball and chucking it beside Leafeon.
'Golem, go!' he shouted.
Ash groaned as the Megaton Pokémon lumbered forwards, growling stupidly and shaking its vast rocky hide. It eyed his Infernape beadily, snapping its large jaws. Gary had made another excellent choice.
The referee signaled that the match could begin again, and Misty was first off the mark. 'Dewgong, use Icy Wind on Golem!' she shouted.
'Infernape, try a Mach Punch on Leafeon!' he shouted, calling on his Pokémon's signature move.
Gary smiled lazily. 'Golem, Roll Out!'
Infernape never got the chance to strike with the glowing fist it was brandishing in Leafeon's direction. With a primal roar, Golem leapt into the air and withdrew into itself, transforming into a six hundred pound wrecking ball. It struck Infernape like a giant bullet and the Flame Pokémon let out a howl of agony, a nasty crunching sound echoing through the stadium. But Golem was not finished yet. With a surprising twist of agility Golem pivoted on a dime and whisked around to face Dewgong. As the half Ice Type was powering up a growing stream of frigid wind, ready to emit the attack from between its jaws, Golem smashed into it from behind, and the Sea Lion let out a pained cry, its lithe tail crushed by the mass of rock.
Ash's felt the blood drain from his face as Golem rolled over to its own spot on the field, its arms and legs snapping back out again. Okay, he thought firmly, trying to steady his heavy breathing. So I underestimated Gary's Pokémon just a little. No big deal. I've still got this. He shot Gary a sneaky glance; his opponent was staring boldly at him from the other side of the field, his eyes dark with vindictive satisfaction. It was clear he thought he had this round won. Ash gritted his teeth; he needed a new game plan.
But before any burst of inspiration hit him, Daisy struck again. Her Leafeon, which had been looking a little shaky under the influence of Muk's Poison and Dewgong's Ice, seemed to have recovered it spirits, and was eyeing Dewgong fiercely.
'Leafeon, try an Energy Ball on Dewgong!'
Leafeon sprang into the air, its teeth bared, and in front of its mouth formed a glittering green and blue sphere that pulsed and hummed with suppressed energy. With a cry the Grass Type launched the projectile at its foe.
'Dewgong, dodge it!' Misty cried anxiously.
Dewgong flicked its tail and tried to roll out of the way but out of its natural element, it was without its usually unmatchable agility. It struggled harder as Leafeon's attack drew closer but there was no avoiding the collision; the silver edged circle struck it full in the face.
'Dewgong!' Misty shouted desperately as her Pokémon slumped backwards.
'Leafeon, Giga Drain on Dewgong!' Daisy shouted relentlessly.
'Golem, Stone Edge on Dewgong!'
Gary smiled in slow satisfaction as three acid blue rings encircled Golem's vast body, the energy forming into solid rock before their very eyes. Ash's insides went cold as he realized what Gary and Daisy were up to. He recalled his last double battle with Gary, when he'd been stuck with Amy, and how his rival had concentrated on taking out Amy's Pokémon, leaving Ash to defend himself against two Pokémon at once. Clearly, the Oaks thought they could employ the same tactics on Misty. Ash's insides burned at how apparently little Gary thought of Misty, and he was determined to prove him wrong.
'Infernape, Counter Shield!' he roared.
Infernape, sensing the urgency of the situation, leapt in front of Dewgong, the flame atop its head surging outwards and engulfing it in a mighty flaming wheel. The Flame Pokémon blazed up into the air, directing jets of white hot fire to form an amber spiders web that stretched across the battlefield, shielding Dewgong entirely.
Ash felt a surge of pride as Leafeon's beams of chartreuse light struck the flaming shield with a shower of white sparks. With a resounding crash the green jets rebounded off the fiery wall and collided straight with Golem. The half Rock Type let out a pained bay as the energy was sucked out of it, but it was too late to stop its Stone Edge attack. The hail of slate gray stone passed straight through Infernape's flames, each chip glowing gold and white with the friction and heat of the fire.
Ash's stomach dropped. He might have succeeded in blocking the Giga Drain, but Infernape's fiery Counter Shield had only strengthened Golem's attack.
'Dewgong, Aurora Beam!' Misty screeched.
Ash watched in amazement as Dewgong, who had been cowering from the rush of heat, rose once again up onto its tail. From its horn burst a wave of unearthly light, hued in every color of the rainbow, that spread out to fill every gap in Infernape's white-hot defense. The rush of stones struck the Aurora Beam like pebbles against a window before falling uselessly to the floor.
Ash turned to stare at Misty with an open mouth. For her to come back with such a powerful attack, when Dewgong was so weak…it was nothing short of amazing.
Misty blushed heavily under Ash's admiring scrutiny and hastily remembering that he hated her now, Ash turned his attention back to the field.
The battle floor was a mess. Long black marks had been left by Infernape's Counter Shield and a mass of useless stones littered the center of the field. Dewgong's fins were shaking and Leafeon was charred and dusty; Ash guessed that both Daisy and Misty would try and stay out of the action for a few minutes and so preserve their Pokémon's longevity. Golem, though rattled by the impressive combination, still looked in fighting shape, as did Infernape. Ash decided that now was the best time to take out Gary's Pokémon. He'd be at only a slight Type advantage, but it was still worth a shot.
'Infernape, Close Combat on Golem!' he cried, deciding to play to Golem's weaknesses and use a Fighting Type move.
Infernape braced itself and sprang across the field towards Golem's bulk, dark energy radiating out from it as it besieged the hulking half Ground Type with a volley of kicks and punches.
'Golem, use Earthquake!'
Golem gave a hard shake and leapt into the air. Infernape was left clinging to the Megaton Pokémon's vast hide, its own attack stuttering as it tried to stop itself from falling the twenty feet to the ground. As Golem reached the peak of its trajectory Infernape managed to scramble atop of the rocky Pokemon, and Ash, who had been watching in horror, had a burst of inspiration.
'Infernape, when you get closer to the ground – jump!'
Golem rocketed towards the ground, gaining speed as it fell. Infernape was perched above Golem's head, gritting its teeth as it braced itself against the air rushing past it. And just before Golem ploughed headfirst into the stadium floor the Flame Pokémon rose to its feet, and pushing hard off its opponent's back, it shot back up into the air like a flaming arrow.
The crash that echoed through the stadium was enough to rattle the teeth of every spectator in the building. Waves of white energy radiated out from the crater where Golem had struck, powerful enough to make the ground shudder, and Ash heard Dewgong cry out as it suffered the secondary effects of the attack. But Infernape simply soared across the battlefield, gave deft twist midair and landed lightly on the ground in front of Golem, completely unharmed by the attack.
Ash resisted the urge to punch the air in victory. He'd successfully executed one of his miraculous comebacks and he wasn't about to stop now.
'Infernape, Mach Punch!' he yelled, shooting Gary a triumphant glance. His rival was too busy staring hard at the battlefield to notice.
'Golem, Tackle!' he shouted.
But Infernape's superior speed won out once again. Though it was beginning to show signs of exhaustion, Infernape managed to reach Golem before the Megaton Pokémon could power up for its Tackle. Its blinding white fist struck Golem hard across its puny little head and with a throaty roar, the hulking Pokémon sank to the floor in a dead faint.
Ash stared blankly at Golem's prone form, excitement rising up in him like fire. Infernape had beaten out Gary's first and second Pokémon, and it was still able to battle. We've got the advantage, Ash thought giddily. We actually have a shot at winning this thing.
He raised his taunting eyes towards Gary but before he could gloat over his rival's loss, a commotion on the other side of the field drew his attention.
It was clear that the two girls hadn't been able to hold off attacking each other for long, as Leafeon and Dewgong were grappling on the floor like a couple of errant children. It appeared as if Daisy had called upon some sort of physical attack, as the Verdant Pokémon was on the red side of the field, but Dewgong was having none of it, repelling the attack with fierce zeal. Ash saw Leafeon slash at Dewgong's tender underbelly with its sharp greenish claws; Dewgong gave an indignant snort and retaliated by smacking Leafeon smartly on the back of its head with its long pearly tail.
The two Pokémon separated and Leafeon backed up, limping painfully. Dewgong was also looking very battle worn; its milky fur was streaked with gray and there was a scratch on its fin, but it was still glaring furiously at its opponent.
Daisy seemed to realize that she only had one shot at defeating Misty and prepared to risk all on her final attack.
'Leafeon, Solar Beam!'
'Dewgong, Ice Shard!'
Leafeon struggled to unleash a beam of silver white energy; with its last remnants of energy, Dewgong launched a flurry of electric blue icicles. The two attacks met with a terrific crash.
Ash saw what was going to happen a split second before it did, but there was nothing he could do to stop it.
'Infernape, NO!' he screamed.
The Flame Pokémon turned and its yellow eyes widened, but it was too late. Leafeon's Solar Beam had rebounded off Dewgong's Ice Shard and jetted out sideways in an uncontrollable surge of light. It was heading straight for Infernape. Unable to dodge or repel the surprise attack that hadn't even been meant for it, Ash's Pokémon was blasted backwards, landing in a crumpled heap at its Trainer's feet. Its flame flickered feebly.
Ash felt his body go numb as he stared at his Pokémon's battered form, unable to process what had just happened. One minute he held the distinct advantage and the next it was snatched from him in a freak accident. Great, Ash thought bitterly. Just great.
He automatically raised his arm and recalled his fallen comrade, raising the Pokéball to his face.
'You…were awesome, Infernape,' he said quietly as the button on the Pokéball blinked chirpily. 'I wish you were coming with me to the final round.
Returning the Pokéball to his belt he glanced up to see both Leafeon and Golem disappear in flashes of red light; Misty was already tucking Dewgong's Pokéball back into its place. Ash stared across the field at his two opponents; Daisy's face was pinched and sour, while Gary's aloof expression didn't quite match the steely clench of his jaw. The battlefield was empty, though silvery mist still rose from the place where Leafeon and Dewgong's attacks had met.
Ash took a deep breath and turned to look at Misty. She stared steadily back, her expression perfectly composed. And it seemed to Ash that all the rage and hurt and cynicism he harbored towards her just seemed to melt away. At this moment, it didn't matter what she'd done. All that mattered was the battle – the battle he was sure she wanted to win as badly as he did. She was here with him, by his side, perhaps for the final time, and Ash was not going to let Gary steal that away from him.
Ash watched as she smiled with passion and turned her blazing eyes back to the field. Blinking a little dazedly, Ash looked back at the Pokémon perched behind him. Pikachu looked expectantly back, bouncing excitedly up and down on its heels. Ash grinned.
'You're up, buddy!' he said.
'Pika!' Pikachu cried as it bounded forwards onto the field, brandishing a fist in Gary's direction. Ash allowed himself an amused smile; at least Pikachu had its priorities right.
Gary contemplated the little electric mouse for a second, before pointedly rolling his eyes. Ash bristled. He'd known that Pikachu was an obvious choice, but it was still his strongest Pokémon; Gary wouldn't be looking so smug when Pikachu had fried his Pokémon to a crisp.
Gary selected a Pokéball and threw it out on the field.
'Nidoking, go!'
Ash could hardly keep his face blank as the huge half Poison Type emerged on the field. He hadn't seen Gary's Drill Pokémon since its loss in the Indigo League, but it was clear that since then, he'd done some serious training with it. It had grown to the size of a small elephant, muscles bulging from under its violently purple armor like a body builder. Its long, poison tipped horn glinted dangerously, as did its beady black eyes as they fixed upon Pikachu.
Ash felt the blood drain from his face. Nidoking was immune to Electric attacks.
Nidoking began rampaging around the field, bellowing and flexing its muscles, but Gary made no move to cub its aggressive behavior. He merely smiled with indulgent pride and shot Ash nasty gloating glances, as if daring him to make the first move. Ash couldn't imagine how or why Gary had kept such a powerful Pokémon under wraps for so long, but it was clear he'd kept it for the final round in hopes of facing Ash with it. Protected against Pikachu's main type of assault and heavily armored, Nidoking was a formidable foe indeed.
Ash glanced hopefully at Misty; she'd made her final selection, a Pokéball wedged comfortably in her fingers. Staring at Gary's intimidating Pokémon she seemed to steel herself and raising her hand, she made to throw the Pokéball out onto the field.
'Politoed, go!' she shouted.
But before the tool could part with her nervous grip, there was a flash of light that seemed to come from Misty herself. Both she and Ash jumped backwards, alarmed, and as the light dissipated there was a heavy 'thump' from somewhere in front of them. Ash looked up quickly, already fearing the worst.
'Psy?'
Ash felt his stomach drop out of his body. He could hardly comprehend it – an entire day's work and hope had just vanished before his very eyes, right as Psyduck had popped from its Pokéball. This was it. They didn't have a chance now.
He watched with growing horror as Pikachu hurried over to its companion, hauling the struggling Duck Pokémon to its feet and hastily brushing the dust from its rubbery yellow skin. Gary's never going to let me forget this one, Ash thought hollowly.
Ash glanced up at his archrival and was greeted with a very unpleasant sight. Gary was doubled over, openly jeering as he pointed disdainfully at Psyduck, and Daisy didn't look much better. Ash's eyes strayed to Misty. Her face, neck and ears were all a flaming shade of crimson, but she held her head high, staring boldly into the Oak's laughing faces with an expression that would have left a lesser man than Gary running for his life.
Ash felt a surge of white hot anger as he looked back at his hated opponent. It made him furious that Gary would laugh at Psyduck so openly; after traveling through Kanto, Johto and the Orange Islands with the thing, Ash held no small affection for the dimwitted duck, despite its unfortunate habit of appearing on battle fields at the most inopportune times. But it was more than that. It infuriated Ash beyond reason that Gary would treat his Misty like that – and in front of the whole school. To mock your girlfriend's Pokémon, especially before a match…Ash shook his head, wondering yet again what possessed her to leave him for someone so downright cruel.
And so Ash made, right then and there, one of his famously impulsive decisions. He would win this match – not for himself, but for Misty, so that her new boyfriend would give her the respect she deserved. Ash realized that he no longer cared how she'd treated him. All he cared about was her happiness. That was how much he loved her. And if her choice was to be with Gary, then he'd do his level best to make it work for her, even if it killed him.
He turned to her, his new resolution wavering as he remembered the scene in the dining hall, when Gary had told him what she'd done, but he steeled himself and spoke.
'You ready, Misty?' he said bravely, his voice trembling.
Misty turned amazed eyes to him, and Ash could see the humiliated tears struggling to break free. But she smiled that bold, daring smile, replying to him in kind.
'Ready, Ash.'
Ash turned back to the field, his heart throbbing; Daisy's was eyeballing him furiously, her expression growing sourer by the minute. She threw Misty a very nasty smile as she withdrew a Pokéball and tossed it carefully onto the field.
'Golduck, go!' she called in her clear, silvery voice.
Daisy's fully evolved Duck Pokémon broke free of its Pokéball, performing a graceful twist before landing lightly on its feet. It caught sight of Psyduck, who had fixed it with its usual vacant stare, and burst out laughing. Ash sighed. He was fully aware that Golduck was Misty's favorite Pokémon of all time, but he was pretty certain she wouldn't be too pleased to see this one.
Something's up here, Ash thought as he saw Daisy shoot Misty a nasty, mocking glance. It seemed strange that Daisy had saved her Golduck for last, especially when Gary had obviously known that he would use his Pikachu – after all, Golduck was weak to Electric Types. Daisy had clearly made the choice with Misty in mind…but she couldn't have known that Psyduck would appear…and all Water Types were weak to other Water Types…
Then suddenly it hit him. Misty was a Water Trainer. Golduck was a Water Type – and a strong one at that. Daisy was trying to beat Misty at her own game, and prove she could train a better Water Pokémon. She must have heard about Misty's Psyduck, and decided to use her fully evolved Golduck to make her point. It was by sheer luck that she was facing Psyduck now.
Either way, it looked like she was going to be proved right.
Ash repressed a snarl; here was another reason to pound both Oaks into the dust. He wasn't going to let spoiled, selfish Daisy tarnish Misty's reputation, both as a Water Expert and a Water Gym Leader. But Misty didn't need a strong Pokémon to win a match. All she needed was her skill, guts and determination, and that was what made her better.
The referee stepped forwards, signaling that the final round could begin.
'Pikachu, Thundershock on Golduck!' Ash cried immediately, thinking it wouldn't hurt to weaken Golduck a little.
'Psyduck, Water Gun on Nidoking!' Misty cried.
With a high pitched war cry, Pikachu leapt forward, discharging a sizzling bolt of electricity. Psyduck hadn't moved.
'Golduck, Disable,' Daisy called languidly.
Golduck cocked its head to the side, its sharp red eyes glowing an eerie blue. It raised its two webbed hands and burst of acid blue smoke burst out from between its fingers, rushing across the field and engulfing both Pikachu and Psyduck. Pikachu's attack was deflected, almost scorching the referee and not even coming close to touching Golduck.
'Pi!' Pikachu cried as the paralyzing attack struck hard, its limbs stiffening painfully and leaving it frozen in place. Psyduck just keeled over backwards, its eyes widening as it clutched its head even tighter.
'Nidoking, use Thrash!' Gary shouted.
With a primal roar Nidoking sprang forward, baring its long, dangerous looking fangs. It collided heavily with Pikachu, slashing the little Electric Type across the face with an iron fist. As Pikachu slumped to the floor Nidoking turned on Psyduck, and with one vast sweep of its thick tail the Water Type went soaring backwards, landing in a fluffy heap.
But the Slash attack had freed Pikachu from the effects of the Disable and shaking off the dirt, the Mouse Pokémon leapt back to its feet.
'Pikachu, try using your Agility on Golduck!' Ash cried.
'Psyduck, get up!'
'Pi…Pi…Pi…' Pikachu panted, sprinting around the field so fast it appeared to teleport, disappearing and reappearing in a ring around Golduck.
'Golduck, retaliate with Fury Swipes!'
Golduck shook its head, dizzy from following Pikachu's progress, and began making wild slashing movements with its razor sharp claws. It took several attempts for the attack to meet its target but when it did, Pikachu was left with three burning welts across its little furry face.
'Pikachu!' Ash cried in terror.
'Nidoking, Megahorn on Pikachu!' Gary roared.
'Get up Psyduck!' Misty howled.
As Nidoking's horn began to glow, Psyduck struggled to its feet, swaying a little from the force of the attack. Ash felt a surge of relief. The reality of the match was starting to kick in; however good his intentions, he knew he couldn't win alone. Pikachu needed Psyduck's help.
'Psyduck, Water Gun on Nidoking!' Misty shouted, pointing dramatically.
Psyduck turned and looked blankly at its Trainer, tilting its head to the side in confusion.
'Psy…duck?'
'Psyduck, Water Gun on Nidoking! NOW!'
Psyduck just blinked dimly, staring at Misty. Nidoking began stomping its feet, preparing to charge at Pikachu, who was still dancing out of reach of Golduck's continuing Fury Swipes. Ash gritted his teeth; Nidoking could not be allowed to strike. If Pikachu took any more serious damage it was going to be out of the match, and that would mean the match was over.
Misty seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Ash and was clearly steeling herself to do something desperate.
'WATER GUN THAT NIDOKING OR YOU'LL GET EXTRA SWIMMING LESSONS FOR A MONTH!' she hollered, balling her hands up into fists.
'PSY!' Psyduck squeaked in terror, waddling quickly forwards and unleashing a surprisingly powerful jet of water over Nidoking. The Megahorn Pokémon had been just about to gore Pikachu into pieces; instead it threw its head back, bellowing with pain. Ash breathed a sigh of relief.
'Again, Psyduck!' Misty cried, hardly believing what she was seeing.
Psyduck seemed just as surprised as its trainer over the strength of its attack, and actually managed to produce a second stream of water. Nidoking roared again as the jet hit it right in the face. Shaking off the loose droplets to reveal a murderous expression, Nidoking charged across the field like a raging bull, snarling in rage.
'PSY-Y-Y-Y-Y!' Psyduck bawled as it sprinted away as fast as its chubby little legs could carry it weaving all over the field with the enraged Nidoking hot on its tail.
'Psyduck!' Misty gasped anxiously, clearly worried that her Pokémon was going to end up sliced and diced.
'Pikachu, use Volt Tackle on Golduck and then Iron Tail on Nidoking!'
Misty turned in astonishment as she heard Ash's ambitious command, but Pikachu didn't seem to think anything of it. It had been locked in a risky battle of speed and wits with Golduck, trying to avoid its opponent's dangerous claws, but with one last burst of Agility, Pikachu drew back far enough to charge up for the Volt Tackle. Its body faded to an eerie silhouette of black and white as the force field of golden energy surrounded it, and within seconds it had overcome the tired Golduck.
But Pikachu didn't stop there. Whipping around it leapt into the air, its lightening shaped tale glowing with suppressed energy, and with a twist it came down hard upon Nidoking.
Pikachu landed lightly at Ash's feet, but he was distressed to see that it was panting hard. He kept his face stony as he frantically tried to weight how much energy it had left. He glanced up at Misty; she was staring from him to Pikachu, her expression terrified. She snapped her gaze back to the field.
'Psyduck, Bubblebeam!' she shouted harshly.
But Psyduck was still recovering from the emotionally scarring effects of Nidoking's attempt on its life, and didn't even seem to hear its Trainer's commands.
'Psyduck, Bubblebeam, come on!' Misty yelled. Psyduck turned to look at her, its expression hazy, before turning back to the battlefield and opening its bill –
Golduck, appeared out of nowhere, moving like a streak of light towards Psyduck.
'Zen Headbutt, Golduck!' Daisy cried, her expression making it clear that she thought it was all over for Psyduck.
Misty's eyes widened. 'No – no, Psyduck, watch out!' she cried.
Golduck struck Psyduck head on, the spikes atop its head glowing blue as it collided heavily with its pre evolution. Psyduck was thrown backwards, landing flat on its back in the corner of the field.
Ash felt like his stomach had been filled with lead. Psyduck was struggling weakly to get to its feet, and Pikachu didn't seem any closer to recovering. He didn't know what to do.
Misty turned to him, her face crumpling. 'It's no good,' she said desperately, her voice cracking as she reached out and touched his arm. 'He can't do it. It's all my fault, I lost this for you and I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…'
She rambled on, but Ash was barely listening; he could do nothing but stare as the tears began to well in her eyes again. It was such an alien sight, Misty so crushed, so vulnerable. She was usually utterly untouchable, her indomitable will and scorn for any sort of weakness making such shows of public emotion repulsive to her. But he'd never seen her give up like this before. She seemed so…broken. Like this was not the only reason she was crying.
A strange ringing noise echoed in Ash's ears. He'd said he was going to win this for her, and if Misty had taught him one thing in their eight years of friendship, it was never give up. Never let the odds beat you. Never admit defeat when you're still able to fight.
Ash grabbed Misty's wrist and jerked her so close their noses were almost touching.
'Stop it Misty,' he said harshly, his voice low and rough. Misty's monologue stuttered and died, her eyes widening. 'What's gotten into you, girl?'
Misty's mouth opened, and then closed, and then opened again, but she seemed to have lost the power of speech.
'We haven't even lost yet, and - '
'Yes we have!' she cut in shrilly, her voice growing hysterical. 'We can't win now! It's all my fault, I should have - '
Ash let out a growl, jerking his other hand out and placing his index finger over her lips. 'No,' he repeated, his eyes were boring into her. 'It's not over, so don't you go giving up on me! We're going to win this, you hear?' He gave her arm a little shake. 'Do you?'
'But - '
'Trust me, okay?'
Misty let out a high pitched squeak and nodded. Ash nodded curtly in response and released her, his heart pounding so hard he was sure it was going to burst out of his chest. He turned back to the field.
'Pikachu, you know what to do.'
Pikachu took a deep breath and with an apologetic glance at Misty, it bounded over to its battling companion. Psyduck had managed to haul itself to its feet and was now tottering around, its claws digging into its soft skin as it gripped its head tightly.
'Pika Pika,' Pikachu said mournfully, patting Psyduck on the shoulder. Then it stepped backwards, its furry face set. With a sharp cry, the little Electric Type sprang high into the air, gave a neat little flip - and landed heavily on top of Psyduck.
'PSY-Y-Y-Y!' Psyduck screamed, looking at Pikachu with horror as it stumbled backwards.
'Ash!' Misty cried, immediately forgetting her embarrassment as she whacked him on the arm. 'That's my Pokémon you're attacking, idiot!'
Ash ignored her. 'Again, Pikachu!' he commanded.
The crowd were on their feet, hollering a torrent of abuse as Pikachu came down hard upon Psyduck once more. The referee was staring uncertainly from Ash to Misty, as if he wasn't sure he could disqualify the whole team when one partner randomly attacked the other. Daisy was pale, horrified that her boyfriend had apparently lost his mind – what was the good of dating Ash Ketchum, School Champion, if he lost a final round match because he couldn't remember which Pokémon to attack?
Gary, however, looked like Christmas had come early.
'Your little rat's as stupid as you are!' he trumpeted above the din of the crowd, grinning with venomous triumph. 'Thanks for helping me finish off that pathetic excuse for a Pokémon, Ashy Boy – Nidoking, Tackle that stupid duck!'
Ash's insides clenched, the blood pounding in his head as adrenaline zinged through his veins like fire, but his eyes never left Psyduck. If it was hit now…Nidoking was charging closer and closer…please work, he prayed desperately, please, please work…
Psyduck's body went rigid, its eyes glowing a dangerous acidic purple,
Misty let out a gasp. 'Oh!' she cried, flushing deeply at her own apparent short sightedness.
'Now!' Ash yelled.
'Psyduck, Confusion!' Misty hollered.
Nidoking raised a chunky iron fist, its face grinning with a sadistic smirk, but the attack never came. A beam of purple light burst violently from Psyduck's eyes, powerful enough to send the enormous reptilian beast soaring backwards.
Daisy's nostril's flared. 'Golduck, Hydro Pump!' she shouted angrily.
Psyduck turned its attention to its evolved form as Golduck threw its head back and opened its sharp yellow beak, its red eyes glinting with fury. But then something strange happened. Instead of unleashing the attack that surely would have meant the end of Psyduck, it abruptly snapped its bill shut again, its head slumping down onto its chest. Its body began to glow an eerie purple that clashed with its azure skin.
'Come on Golduck, Hydro Pump!' Daisy shrieked. Golduck slowly raised its head; its eyes were unfocused and blank.
'Shake it off Nidoking and use Earth Power!' Gary shouted, looking disturbed.
Nidoking clambered to its feet, its outline flickering with a bright fuchsia light and its expression mirroring that of its partner. It turned slowly towards Golduck – and then, with an ugly roar, struck the ground with its chubby fist, sending golden cracks glowing with energy towards it. The attack struck Golduck and the Duck Pokémon screamed in agony.
'No, Nidoking, what are you doing?' Gary howled. 'Shake it off, shake it off!'
Golduck sprang into the air, its eyes boring into Nidoking like lasers. With a wave of its webbed hands it opened its beak and jetted a torrent of pulsing water over its partner. Nidoking attempted to lumber out of the way, but it wasn't quick enough, and received a heavy dousing. Water dripped into every crevice of its armor, streaming down its horn and into its ears.
Ash allowed himself a grin; so far, everything had worked out exactly as he'd hoped. Gary and Daisy were playing into their hands. He turned and looked at Misty; she was looking back, her blue eyes blazing. She nodded firmly to show that she understood and he nodded back, grinning with glee. They both turned back to the field, preparing for the last decisive blow.
'Psyduck, switch to Psychic and lift them both up into the air!'
The dreamy expressions began to fade from Nidoking and Golduck's faces and they stared at each other in surprise, clearly confused at how they'd ended up facing each other instead of the opposition, but their problems weren't over yet. The violet energy surrounding them faded to a dusky pink, and slowly but surely, they rose high into the air. Golduck's arms windmilled wildly and Nidoking struggled and twisted, but neither had a hope of freeing themselves from the attack. On the ground, Daisy and Gary were loosing their heads, pointing and shouting random instructions, but their attempts were useless. Their Pokémon were Psyduck's prisoners.
Ash turned to his little Pokémon. 'Pikachu…you know what to do.'
'Pika pika!' Pikachu cried, leaping forwards. Summoning the last of its energy, it leapt high into the air and unleashed a bolt of electricity so powerful it lit up the stadium like a Christmas tree. The electric shock combined with Psyduck's Psychic and surrounded Golduck and Nidoking in a bubble of throbbing electric current. Not even Nidoking's type advantage could save it; parted from the ground that allowed it to discharge electric currents and soaked with water, it was no stronger against electricity than Golduck was.
The two Pokémon went tumbling back to earth in a blackened, smoking ball, and landed with a terrific crash at the feet of their dumbstruck Trainers.
'B-both green team Pokémon are out of the match,' the referee announced to the stunned silent stadium. 'The red team win!'
The entire place erupted. Those who had been criticizing Ash the loudest just moments ago were now singing his praises, claiming they'd suspected his strategy all along. Even those who had predicted the Oaks to win were cheering; Gary's reign of terror was over, and Ash Ketchum was right back where he belonged – the top spot.
Ash stared up at the crowds screaming his name, but he could hardly hear them; the blood was still throbbing in his head. He alone knew just how close they'd come to losing, and the memory of the fear and despair he'd experienced was still too close to forget. But that didn't matter now. Nothing about the match mattered, except that they'd won.
Ash let out a triumphant whoop and punched the air with his fist, his face shining with triumph. He let the admiring shouts drench him like a waterfall, soaking up the noise which confirmed his success. I did it, he thought giddily. I did it!
He looked across the field, where Gary was recalling his charred Nidoking. Daisy had already collected Golduck and looked as if she wished the ground would open up and swallow her. But Ash, as usual, wasn't the slightest interested in Daisy. He stared hard at his oldest and fiercest rival, on whose face was written nothing but bitter disappointment and sour resentfulness, and he felt the slightest flicker of pity that dampened his triumph just a little. He knew that a single mistake during the match, and he could have been in Gary's shoes right now. And perhaps it was easy for him, now that he'd won, but Ash resolved to be gracious to Gary. He wanted to be the bigger man.
Well, Ash thought with enormous amusement, maybe I'll pay him back just a little…
Ash's musings were interrupted by an odd sniffling sound and his head snapped sideways. He'd forgotten about Misty. She was staring at him, her eyes watery, but she was smiling more beautifully than Ash had ever seen. His heart ached in his chest and for a moment, he made to sweep her up into his arms and clutch her to him. He wanted to tell her that she'd been wonderful and that he loved her, and that he'd never let anything come between them ever again.
But then he remembered. And despite his determination to win the match for her, and love her no matter what she did, he knew he couldn't do it. It had been her choice to leave him. He could be her friend again, painful as it was, but he had to respect her, and honor her decisions.
So he offered her a crooked, friendly grin that he hoped hid his tumult of emotions, and raised a trembling hand for her to shake.
'Congratulations, Misty, you did great,' he mumbled.
Misty's expression crumpled and her tears began to fall in earnest, but she managed to smile. Ash couldn't understand it.
'Congratulations, Ash.'
Owari!!! So, there you have it – Ash and Misty bonded during the match, stomped all over Gary and Daisy and are now the new school Champions. What more could you ask for? Umm…perhaps to find out what happens next? What exactly is going down between Ash and Misty? Are May, Drew, Dawn and Paul going to get in a public smackdown over the results of their match? And will Gary get yet another dose of humiliation like we ALL want him to? Wait and see! You'll be pleased to hear that I've already started the next chapter, and it's gonna be FABULOUS ;)
I received a grand total of thirty one reviews for the last chapter…y'all are EPIC!!! I would love to thank each and every one of you but I am just dying to post this, so just know I love you all!!!
Until next time :)