Hey everyone, and I hope you've been enjoying this story. I wanted to take a sec to thank everyone who has followed me and my store from the beginning, even with the near eight month hiatus I took. Thanks to having the entire weekend off, I've been doing a lot of writing, so if things go my way, I'll still be submitting one more chapter before the weekend ends. I'm sure you can all surmise that this story is nearing its end, but I have no intention of stopping after this story is complete. I'm already making plans for a type of sequel to this storyline, so if you want to continue reading my work, please take a sec to follow me so you can be notified when the next story begins. I'm also planning to redo the first few chapters, because quite frankly, they suck! I've also been notified of some mistakes in different parts of the story, such as Pokemon using moves they can't learn, and getting some abilities effects wrong. Again, thank you everyone for your reviews, and don't forget to follow me so you can read the sequel soon after this story ends!
"Fifteen minutes remaining," an official called through the door that led into Ash and his team's break room.
The group sat around, munching on different snacks. Other than the sound of chips crunching in Gary's mouth, it was relatively quiet. Every few minutes, someone would make a comment, but the conversation would only last a few sentences before silence ensued once again.
Ash sat on a couch on the far end of the room, and Misty sat next to him. He simply stared down at his hands as he twiddled his thumbs. Additionally, he failed to notice his left leg was rapidly bouncing, which was quickly beginning to irritate Misty.
"You need to calm down," Misty finally said sternly. Ash changed his focus from his hands to Misty. She was visibly annoyed, leading him to stop his leg from bouncing.
"Sorry Misty," Ash said after a few moments of silence. "Guess I'm a little more nervous that I thought I'd be."
"As should be expected," Rick suddenly said as he opened the door. Everyone turned to face him. As always, he carried a near emotionless look on his face, and spoke with a solid, stern tone. "Ash, you're about to battle the Grand Champion. This task cannot be taken lightly."
"I know," Ash responded. "I'm not going to make this battle easy for her, though."
Rick nodded shortly. "Belle is far stronger than you could even begin to imagine. I came here to give you a small piece of advice. Whatever you do, avoid being surprised or confused when you see Belle's Pokemon and their methods of battle. I can guarantee you have never seen someone battle the way she does. Keep your thoughts quick, and your orders to your Pokemon even quicker."
Before Ash could thank Rick, he quickly turned and left the room. Ash kept Rick's words in the front of his mind, then glanced at the clock. Only five minutes remained until the start of the battle.
Ash was first to get to his feet and begin walking toward the door that led to the tunnel. Misty followed closely behind, and the rest of the team followed soon after. Upon exiting the tunnel and entering the stadium field, they took notice to the battlefield. It was covered with grass, and only a few trees stood within. Aside from that, there was nothing else.
The crowd was already cheering loudly after noticing Ash had entered the stadium. Soon after, Belle and her team also arrived, leading to even more roars of excitement.
"Welcome back, everyone!" Mr. Yuki shouted into his mic. "I'm here with an eager heart as we stand only a few minutes from the start of the ultimate Pokemon battle! Our Grand Champion, Belle, stands as the sole remaining obstacle for the challenger, Ash Ketchum. Should Ash leave this battle victorious, he will be crowned as the new Grand Champion, and his four teammates will stand as the new Elite Four!"
Both Ash and Belle entered their respective trainer's box at the same time. Belle placed her six pokeballs in the podium next to her, then looked across the field to Ash.
"Ash, before we begin, I want to offer you a choice," Belle began. Ash looked at her and waited for her to continue. "I know I approved for you to use a replacement Pokemon due to your Charizard's injury, but I need to warn you. Should you win this battle and become the Grand Champion, the six Pokemon you battle with today will remain as your permanent party in any future battles within this league."
Ash's eyes widened with surprise. "So if I win, I can't use my Charizard against future challengers?"
"Correct," Belle answered. "That being said, here is your choice. You can battle me with your six Pokemon, and keep the replacement Pokemon in your team. Your second choice, though, is that you can battle me with just five Pokemon, and leave the sixth slot open for your Charizard to rejoin the team should you win."
Ash took almost no time to give his answer. "I'm battling with six Pokemon today, just like it should be."
Belle was slightly surprised at Ash's quick decision, but simply nodded in response. Ash placed six pokeballs on his podium, then turned to look back at his team.
"You've got this, Ash!" Iris shouted.
"I know you'll win!" Misty called out soon after.
The whole team began to cheer him on, forcing a smile to form on his face. Pikachu stood on his shoulder and nudged his cheek. The mouse Pokemon had a determined look on its face, along with a smile.
"You ready for this Pikachu?" Ash asked his best friend.
"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed. Sparks surged from its cheeks, always serving as a sign that it was ready for a challenge.
"It would appear both challengers are ready to get this battle started," Mr. Yuki announced. "I hereby declare that this battle shall begin! Both trainers, send out your first Pokemon!"
Belle lifted her first pokeball from the podium. "Persian, I choose you!"
The pokeball remained in Belle's hand as it opened and released a stream of energy that brought her Pokemon to the field. The Persian appeared, and stood with proud posture. Though it was an uncommon Pokemon to see in high-level battles, Ash couldn't help but feel a sense of intimidation from Belle's first Pokemon.
"Alright, Persian aren't known for special attacks," Ash thought to himself. "It's fast, though. I'm going to need to use a Pokemon that can match that speed."
Ash looked as his six pokeballs, and took a few moments before finally making his decision. Before releasing his first Pokemon, he took one more look back to his friends. They all watched eagerly, and Misty gave him a reassuring nod.
"Alright, Tauros, I choose you!" Ash shouted as he tossed the pokeball into the air.
Tauros emerged from the pokeball and appeared on the field. It stomped its feet, vibrating the entire field. Even so, Persian seemed to be unbothered by the vibrations and still stood with perfect balance.
"Ash, I sincerely hope you prepared for this battle," Belle called to her opponent. "If you didn't, you will surely lose. Even if you did prepare, there is no guarantee it was enough."
"I know, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to give it my all," Ash replied with a fist clenched. Tauros let out a roar in response to its trainer's declaration.
Mr. Yuki waited a few more moments as the atmosphere within the stadium grew more intense by the second. The crowd had grown quieter as they waited for the battle to begin. Signs rooting for Ash were held over dozens of peoples' heads. It seemed as if there wasn't a single spectator who wasn't rooting for Ash.
"Here we go!" Mr. Yuki finally shouted into the mic. "Let the final battle begin!"
Belle began to give her first order, seemingly before Mr. Yuki even finished speaking. "Persian, use slash."
"Dodge and use double-edge!" Ash called to his Tauros.
Tauros dug its two left legs into the ground and pushed off to jump to the left. Persian narrowly missed the slash with its sharp claws. Immediately after, Tauros turned and rammed into Persian's side. Persian flew through the air for a few seconds, then twisted its body to perfectly land on its feet. Ash watched it carefully, realizing it didn't even seem phased by the attack.
"Use swift," Belle ordered.
Both Ash and his Tauros recognized the impossibility of dodging the attack. Tauros dug its four hooves into the dirt of the field and took the attack. It seemed to have resisted the attack pretty well, to Ash's relief. Luckily for him, swift was known to be a powerful attack. That simple fact worried Ash, though. Belle had to be planning something. She wouldn't use weaker attack combinations for no reason.
"Alright Tauros, use earthquake," Ash ordered, hoping to tear the field up a bit in hopes of making Persian's mobility more limited.
"Hypnosis," Belle ordered immediately after.
Ash felt a small panic rise within him. Before Tauros could react, it slammed its hooves into the ground, creating a massive earthquake that broke the ground apart. To Ash's dread, Persian flawlessly jumped around to dodge the debris, then released its hypnosis. Tauros stared blankly for a few seconds, then fell to the ground asleep.
Ash shook his head and grabbed his pokeball to return Tauros, but Mr. Yuki suddenly stopped him. "Ash, according to the rules set forth in your guidebook, afflictions like sleep and frozen do not result in an automatic loss in this battle. The only way a Pokemon can be defeated is either by knocking it out or throwing it out of the field's boundaries."
Ash nodded and put his pokeball back on the podium. He cursed himself for not paying closer attention to the rules in the guidebook. Misty had reminded him multiple times throughout their journey to do just that, but as was tradition for him, he blew it off.
"Now use dream eater," Belle continued with her assault.
Ash watched helplessly as Persian regained its energy by stealing from the sleeping Tauros. Tauros continued to sleep, leaving it wide open for whatever attack Belle should choose. Unfortunately for Ash, it didn't take long for her to issue her next order.
"Use swift, followed by slash," Belle ordered.
Persian released its swift attack, sending multiple stars flying toward the still sleeping Tauros. Once the attack connected, the stars lifted Tauros completely off the ground and into the air. Immediately after, Persian sprinted forward and jumped toward Tauros. With a single powerful slash, Persian's claws swept across Tauros body, leaving a large scratch on the bull's side. Tauros crashed down on the ground, only inches from the edge of the field. Ash watched closely after the landing kicked up a cloud of dirt, blanketing Tauros within it.
"Use another slash," Belle ordered.
Persian began to run toward the still thick cloud of dirt. Once it reached the cloud, it disappeared within, leaving everyone to resort to their ears for a clue to what was happening. First a loud thud could be heard, followed by a labored screech from Persian. Suddenly, Persian came flying out of the dust cloud and had to twist its body to safely land on its feet. Seconds after, Tauros came charging out of the cloud with a ferocious look on its face.
"Wait to go Tauros!" Ash nearly shouted.
Belle watched Tauros slam its hooves into the ground with rage. She had to admit to herself that she was surprised Tauros still had as much energy as it did. After the dream eater, she figured it would have been greatly depleted if it managed to wake back up at all during the battle.
"Stay on guard, Persian," Belle called to her Pokemon. She eyed Tauros carefully. Her memory served her well in reminding her of Tauros' traditional strategy to build up its rage attack.
"Tauros, use blizzard," Ash called to his Pokemon.
Tauros planted it feet and opened its mouth wide. The powerful snow storm flew from its mouth and began to swirl around the field, greatly limiting Persian's vision. Additionally, the freezing cold attack began to damage it greatly.
"Use double-edge," Ash continued.
Tauros, having grown used to the limited vision created by blizzard, charged straight through with ease. Only seconds later, Tauros was ramming its massive body into Persian's smaller body, sending it flying. Persian was clearly dazed from the powerful attack, but still managed to catch itself on the trunk of one of the trees, then safely land on the ground.
Ash groaned inwardly at the persistence of Belle's Persian. He could already tell the entire battle would be far more challenging than any he'd had in the past.
"Tauros, use earthquake," Ash ordered.
Tauros quickly complied by lifted its front legs and slamming them into the ground. The prior earthquake attack had already torn the field up quite a bit, which only furthered the severity of Tauros' second attack. Nearly every tree on the field fell over with a crash, and pieces of the field began to fly around. From Belle's viewpoint, she couldn't see Tauros as the rocks flew through the air, and Persian was equally lost.
"Now use double-edge," Ash quickly called out.
Persian stood still and waited for a glimpse of Tauros. Unfortuantely for the cat Pokemon, Tauros didn't reveal itself until it jumped out from behind a piece of debris that was only a couple feet away. Tauros rammed its large body into Persian with great force, sending Persian flying until it landed with half of its body hanging over the edge of the field. The clearly damaged Pokemon struggled to get back to its feet, but its weak legs could no longer support it well enough. As a result, it fell to the side and completely out of the ring.
"Persian has fallen out of the ring," Mr. Yuki called as he tried to contain his own excitement. "Persian is disqualified from the battle. Please send out your next Pokemon."
The entire stadium flooded with loud shouts and cheers after Ash succeeded in taking out the first of Belle's Pokemon without losing any of his own. Ash himself was even feeling proud over the fact, but he also reminded himself that the battle was only just beginning. He glanced at the watch he wore on his wrist and saw that the battle had already gone almost fifteen minutes.
"Return Persian," Belle called as her Pokemon returned to its pokeball. "Excellent job, now get some rest. You earned it."
Belle took almost no time at all in picking up her next pokeball. Ash couldn't help but notice the look on Belle's face. She didn't wear a smile at all, but Ash was all too familiar with the sparkle in her eyes. It was a tell-tale sign that the trainer was engrossed in the joy of a Pokemon battle.
"Ledian, enter the battle," Belle called out.
Belle's flying bug Pokemon emerged from the pokeball and began to fly a few feet over the field. For the second time, Ash was slightly surprised at the Pokemon Belle selected. He could only assume her strategy with Ledian was going to be just as unpredictable as the one she used with Persian. He also recognized the increased difficulty Tauros would face while trying to battle a flying Pokemon.
"Begin the battle!" Mr. Yuki called out.
"Ledian, fly high and use swords dance," Belle ordered.
Ash remained silent for a few seconds, then issued the only order that made sense at the time. "Tauros use blizzard!"
Belle shook her head disapprovingly. "Use mach punch."
Ledian abandoned its attempt to use swords dance and swooped down towards Tauros. Just before Tauros released its blizzard attack, Ledian bolted towards Tauros and threw its fist into the bull's side. Tauros let out a loud yelp as it fell on its side.
"Now use thunderpunch," Belle continued.
Ash ordered Tauros to dodge the attack, but his Pokemon was still dazed from the prior attack. Ledian's fist began to surge with electricity, then it threw its fist into Tauros side in almost the exact same spot as where the mach punch hit. Once again, Tauros let out a yelp, then it fell limp as it passed out.
"Tauros is no longer able to battle," Mr. Yuki announced. "Please send out your next Pokemon."
"Return Tauros," Ash called. "Thank you for a hard battle."
"How could Ledian be that powerful?" Iris asked as she sat next to Gary on the bench.
"My guess is Ledian's ability," Gary answered. "Some Ledian have an ability known as "iron fist." The ability increases the power of the Pokemon's punching attacks. Since it knows mach punch and thunderpunch, it's likely her strategy is surrounded around that."
Ash could hear his friends talk about the strategy. He had to admit to himself that he didn't even know that Ledian could have such an ability. For the second time, he was battling a highly uncommon Pokemon for such a high level of battling.
Belle watched Ash as he stared down at his pokeballs, clearly deep in thought. His eyes constantly followed the line of pokeballs from one side to the other. Belle simply smiled while chuckling in her mind.
"I'm all too familiar with the look you have on your face," Belle eventually called to Ash.
Ash was broke free from his trance upon hearing Belle's words. "What face?"
"The wide-eyed, confused look. I've seen it many times through my years as a Pokemon trainer. Most trainers I have faced struggled to find the right choice to use against my Pokemon, and that is because no one expects me to use the Pokemon that I use. I'm even willing to bet you received similar looks in your younger years when you battled with your unevolved Pikachu."
Ash chuckled while displaying a smirk. "I have a few times. I'll admit that your strategy so far has caught me completely off-guard, but I'll bet the same happens to you at times during this fight."
Ash waited for Bell's response, but she gave none as she smiled and waited for Ash to select his next Pokemon. Only a few more seconds passed before Ash finally picked up one of the five remaining pokeballs.
"I'm counting on you, buddy," Ash said as he gripped the pokeball tightly. "Floatzel, I choose you!"
All four of Ash's friends on the bench let out a collective gasp. They found it hard to believe that Ash had already forgotten about Ledian's thunderpunch, but they couldn't begin to guess what he had planned. Belle, on the other hand, didn't appear confused.
"Ash, you will have to try harder than this if you want to become the new champion," Belle stated. "You send out Floatzel in hopes of luring my Ledian in with its thunderpunch. Due to your Floatzel's superior speed, it would have an easy time dodging the attack. After that, it would use ice punch to land a super effective attack on Ledian."
Ash's eyes shot far wider than anyone thought possible. "How could you possibly have predicted that?"
Belle slightly chuckled while shaking her head. "Decades of experience will do that for you. I've seen countless different strategies with nearly every Pokemon imaginable, and I remember every single one. Additionally, I have followed your career since word hit the news about your victory in the Orange League against Drake. You've improved substantially more than anyone would think possible over the years, but you've barely changed your battle style over those years. It has made you predictable in a battle like this."
Ash could feel a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead. He was planning to do exactly what Belle predicted, but now he knew it wouldn't work. He knew a new strategy would have to be thought up, but what it would be was still to be determined.
From the stands, Delia, Rick, and Professor Oak sat in the front row directly behind the team's bench. Rick glanced over to Oak, who had a concerned look on his face. A bead of sweat could be seen rolling down the side of his face, and he was leaning forward in his seat from anticipation.
"You need to calm down," Rick spoke up, refusing to soften his harsh tone. "You're too old to be getting worked up like this."
Oak flashed Rick an irritated look. "I'll have you know I'm perfectly healthy for a man my age! Besides, I can't help it. I'm worried about Ash."
"There's no need to worry." Rick noticed Oak was giving him a surprised look. "But don't misunderstand, Oak. I say you don't need to worry because nothing will be accomplished by doing so. Ash isn't going to battle any better just because you're anxious."
"He'll win," Delia spoke up with a large smile. "My boy is the best trainer in the world!"
Rick kept his emotionless face, but did allow himself to smile within. Unfortunately, Delia knew him too well not to notice the look in his eye. He was rooting for Ash just as much as anyone, though he would never admit it out loud.
"Begin the battle!" Mr. Yuki called, forcing everyone to put their attention back on the field.
"Floatzel, use aqua jet," Ash quickly ordered.
Belle simply shook her head. "Your strategy will not work. Ledian, use ice punch."
Floatzel began to dart toward Ledian, encased in a wave of water. Ledian easily dodged the attack by flying higher into the air. Just as Floatzel moved past Ledian, the bug Pokemon turned and threw the ice punch into Floatzel's backside. The water that surrounded Floatzel suddenly began to freeze over, but to Ash's relief, the impact with the ground caused the ice to shatter. Nevertheless, Floatzel was shivering from the cold water and ice, and was breathing more rapidly.
"Now use swords dance," Belle continued.
"Stop it by using waterfall," Ash tried to counter.
Floatzel sent a rush of water upward towards the bug Pokemon. Ledian responded quickly by fluttering to the right, then successfully performing swords dance. Down on the ground, Floatzel was grumpily shouting at its opponent as it continued to flutter high in the air.
Ash stood almost completely still while he tried to get his heart rate to drop. Conventional battle strategies were proving to be fruitless, but he was struggling to think of something fresh. For years, he battled with a specific style because it never failed him before. He was beginning to realize just how bad an idea that really was. He wasn't sure if his Pokemon could adjust to a new way of battling right in the middle of the battle.
"Use thunderpunch," Belle ordered, forcing Ash out of his small trance.
"Dodge and use ice punch!" Ash nearly shouted.
Ledian dove out of the air and toward Floatzel with its surging fist. Floatzel waited until Ledian was mere feet away, then ducked and rolled to the side to dodge the attack. Once it was back on its feet, it threw an icy fist toward its opponent. Ledian quickly flapped its wings to shoot straight into the air to dodge the attack, then did a loop to end up behind Floatzel.
"Thunderpunch," Belle called as soon as Ledian was behind its opponent.
"Use waterfall!" Ash quickly ordered.
Floatzel turned to face Ledian, but didn't attempt to dodge the thunderpunch. Instead, it sent a waterfall attack straight upward, created a wall of water between it and Ledian. Ledian's thunderpunch connected with the water, sending electricity through it.
"Now use ice punch," Ash continued.
Floatzel lifted one of its fists and threw an icy punch into the water. The electricity began to surge through Floatzel's body, clearing cause significant damage. At the same time, the ice punch quickly began to freeze the water over. At the last second, Floatzel withdrew its fist from the water, but Ledian failed to do the same. With the water completely frozen, Ledian found its fist frozen within the ice.
"Are you alright?" Ash asked his clearly weakened Pokemon. Floatzel connected eyes with its trainer and nodded with a determined look. "Great, now use ice punch on Ledian's backside!"
Floatzel quickly darted around the frozen waterfall and stopped directly behind Ledian. With a quick swing, Floatzel's ice punch connected perfectly with Ledian. The force of the punch pushed Ledian against the frozen waterfall, but the ice didn't shatter, leaving it still trapped.
"Use crunch," Ash continued while he still had the upper hand.
Belle stood still, showing zero emotions, though she was strapped for ideas. Ledian let out a cry as Floatzel clamped down on the bug Pokemon's back, then followed up with another ice punch that was ordered by its trainer. The end result was an unconscious Ledian, still trapped in the icy waterfall.
"Ledian can no longer battle," Mr. Yuki announced. "Send out your next Pokemon."
Ash let out a sigh of relief. His heart was still racing, but he felt like he could take a moment to breath. His Floatzel did the same by retreated back and standing in front of the trainer's box. It was breathing heavily, but Ash knew all too well how resilient the water Pokemon was. It would keep fighting until it could no longer stand.
"Ash is doing great!" Victoria exclaimed while she barely sat on the edge of the bench.
Gary nodded, but didn't offer much in expression. "I have a funny feeling though."
Victoria eyed Gary curiously after hearing his cryptic statement. Misty sat on the other side of him, giving him a similar look.
"Belle's the champ," Gary continued. "No matter how good Ash is, she has age and experience on her side. Even if Ash is ahead, it's still an uphill battle for him. Besides, I'll bet Belle hasn't even shown her full abilities yet."
Misty completely agreed with Gary. She was also sure that Ash had the same viewpoint. In order for Ash to win the battle, he would have to keep himself from getting excited over a couple of victories.
"You can do it Ash," Misty said softly. "I believe in you."
"To the battle, Weavile!" Belle suddenly exclaimed.
The evolved form of Sneasel jolted from its pokeball and landed on the field. Known as one of the fastest Pokemon alive, Ash knew he and his Pokemon would have to stay on their toes to keep up. It was bound to have a strategy based around that speed.
"Ash, I must commend you for your quick thinking so far," Belle called to her opponent. "You managed to use the ice punch strategy after all, but not before changing it around a bit. Now, however, you will have to do far more. What will you do when you can't even keep up with my Pokemon?"
Ash didn't say anything in response. He wanted to give a rebuttal, but he knew he'd end up sounding like the naïve child he once was. He would have to be the man he'd grown into if he wanted to keep up.
"Begin the battle!" Mr. Yuki called out.
Belle gave no order before Weavile burst into a full sprint that caused it to look like nothing more than a black and red blur. As its speed continued to increase, it began to circle the field. Floatzel stayed in place, but was quickly losing its ability to keep an eye on the amazingly fast Pokemon.
"Use nasty plot," Belle ordered.
Ash wanted to counter to stop the move, but Weavile didn't even stop running as it used its ability. Floatzel was no longer following its opponent, and instead looked to Ash for an order.
"Now use double team," Belle continued.
Again without stopping, Weavile suddenly split into four different bodies. All four Weaviles ran in different directions, only furthering Floatzel's confusion. Ash watched the field nervously, still trying to find an answer to slowing down Weavile.
"Dark pulse," Belle called before Ash could come up with a counter.
"Wait to see where it comes from, then dodge," Ash told Floatzel.
Floatzel acknowledged, keeping its attention on the four blurs. Seconds passed, but no attack was released. Seconds more passed, and both Ash and his Pokemon was beginning to feel confusion set in.
"Alright, use waterfall to try and flush it out," Ash ordered, growing weary over simply waiting for the attack.
"Now, Weavile," Belle suddenly called immediately after Ash finished issuing his own order.
Floatzel began to use its attack, but stopped when all four blurs disappeared completely. Ash's eyes widened, and he quickly began to scan the field for Weavile's location. Due to Tauros tearing the field apart, there were plenty of rocks for Weavile to hide behind, so it could come from anywhere.
Only a few more seconds passed before Weavile suddenly appeared from behind a rock not far from Floatzel. Floatzel barely caught it and moved to dodge the dark pulse, but was shocked when Weavile disappeared. Ash instantly knew it was another copy from double team, but had no time to react when the real Weavile appeared behind Floatzel and hit it with a close-range dark pulse. The attack sent Floatzel flying, but the water Pokemon barely managed to land back on its feet.
"Alright, now use ice beam," Belle continued.
Weavile had barely stopped moving from its last attack when it fired a large ice beam attack directly toward Floatzel. Floatzel tried hopping to the side to dodge, but the edge of the beam made contact with its arm, knocking the Pokemon to the ground. Just as Floatzel began to stand back up, Weavile swept by it while using another dark pulse. The attack resulted in Floatzel letting out a cry before falling to the ground, unmoving.
"Floatzel is unable to battle," Mr. Yuki announced. "Send out your next Pokemon."
"Return, Floatzel," Ash called. "You did as well as I could have asked."
Ash let out an exasperated sigh. He could feel the pressure building up within him. Belle's Weavile was faster than any Pokemon he had ever faced, and the double team strategy it used made it nearly impossible to keep up with.
"He's only got one option at this point," Rick told Oak. The professor turned his attention to the dragon master with a curious look. "Ash's only Pokemon that could hope to keep up with Weavile is Pikachu."
"But he won't want to use Pikachu so early in the battle," Oak retorted. "Pikachu's always been a knockout for later in his battles."
Rick folded his arms across his chest with his eyes closed. "That's precisely the problem. Ash is set in his ways, and has been for quite a while now. It's understandable, since those ways always worked in the past, but they simply won't now. If he doesn't do something to make Belle uncomfortable in this battle, then she'll control every match from here on."
Ash quickly shuffled through his remaining Pokemon in his head. "Krookodile and Ivysaur both have weaknesses to Weavile, and definitely can't keep up with it. I don't want to show her my sixth Pokemon yet, so I've only got one choice."
Ash glanced down at the electric mouse that stood next to him. They locked eyes, and Pikachu knew what was coming. With sparks surging from its cheeks, it hopped onto Ash's shoulder, then across to the field.
Belle observed Ash's Pikachu carefully. No matter how well-known Pikachu was, there was no way to fully prepare for a battle with it. No elaborate strategies were used, and Ash usually implemented a similar moveset with it, but Pikachu was simply overpowered for an unevolved Pokemon.
"Begin the battle!" Mr. Yuki quickly called out, just as anxious as the crowd to see the battle ensue.
"Watch out for its volt tackle and stay on your toes," Belle quickly called to her Pokemon. "Open with nasty plot."
"Use quick attack Pikachu!" Ash quickly called out.
Pikachu jumped into a full sprint, and even surprised Weavile with its speed. Before Weavile could use its ability, Pikachu slammed its body into Weavile's. Weavile flew through the air for about five feet before landing back on its feet and taking a defensive stance.
From the bench, Gary watched with a confused look. "When did Pikachu use quick attack? I figured he'd open with volt tackle."
Misty let a small giggle out. "Ash figured Belle would anticipate the same. Just wait and watch."
"Use another quick attack," Ash continued.
"Use ice beam on the ground," Belle called to her own Pokemon.
Weavile waited until Pikachu began to sprint, then fired its ice beam directly in front of Pikachu. The ground quickly froze over, leading to Pikachu losing its footing and falling over. It continued to slide until it hit the edge of the ice, only a short distance from Weavile.
"Now use dark pulse," Belle ordered.
"Pikachu, jump and use electro ball!" Ash quickly called.
Belle flinched a bit at Ash's order. Pikachu jumped into the air as an orb of electric energy formed at the base of its tail. Weavile's dark pulse quickly flew toward the electric mouse, but once the electro ball left Pikachu's tail, the two attacks impacted and created a loud explosion.
Belle waited for the smoke to clear, revealing both Pokemon standing on different ends of the field. They both appeared to be full of energy and ready for more.
"That's twice now you've surprised me with your choice of attack," Belle commented to Ash. "It's clear to me now that you and Pikachu trained with a whole new set of attacks just for this battle."
"That's right," Ash exclaimed confidently. "Pikachu and I have trained with a lot of different moves over the years, so it doesn't take long to train for a specific set."
Belle couldn't help but let a slight chuckle out while she shook her head with entertainment. "Very well then, Ash. Let's keep this battle going. Weavile, use double team!"
Weavile did exactly as before and began to sprint around the field with blazing speed. Soon after, the blur became four blurs. Pikachu quickly turned its head in an attempt to follow the movements, but it struggled even with its speed.
"Move in and use dark pulse," Belle ordered.
Ash waited until he saw Weavile disappear from sight, just like before. It was bound to be hiding behind one of the rocks nearby, but there were too many options to narrow it down to just one.
Weavile suddenly jumped out from behind a rock, revealing itself directly behind Pikachu. Ash almost instantly reacted. "Pikachu, use iron tail!"
Pikachu twisted its body to face Weavile just as the dark Pokemon released its dark pulse attack. Pikachu's tail turned to a bright metallic color, and the tail connected with the dark pulse attack. The resulting explosion encased both Pokemon in smoke once again.
"Use thunderbolt Pikachu!" Ash called out.
Belle waited until she heard Pikachu let out a loud cry, followed by bolts of electricity flying in every direction from within the smoke. Silence followed, and once the smoke cleared, Pikachu was standing next to an unconscious Weavile.
"Weavile is unable to battle," Mr. Yuki announced. "Send out your next Pokemon."
Belle returned her Weavile while the crowd practically screamed with excitement. She glanced over to Ash's Pikachu. It was standing straight up, still full of energy like the battle took nothing out of it. To no surprise, Ash's Pikachu was everything the stories said, possibly even more.
Mr. Yuki suddenly stepped onto the field with his hands up. "With one of the trainers down three Pokemon, we will be taking a short intermission to change to field."
Ash was slightly caught off-guard by the announcement. He was anticipating a long battle without pause, but welcomed the short breather. Pikachu returned to him and jumped on his shoulder, then they joined the group on the bench.
From within her box, Belle stayed in place for a few more seconds. She looked into the stands and made eye contact with Rick. He had a look of anticipation, which led Belle to nod her head before turning and returning to her own bench.
"What's wrong?" Delia asked Rick after he suddenly got to his feet and began to walk away.
"There's something I need to do," Rick said quickly, then retreated before Delia could question him any further.
"You're doing awesome Ash!" Iris exclaimed, barely containing her excitement.
Ash smiled, but didn't say anything. His friends were praising his battle up to that point, but to him, something felt off. While it was easily the most difficult battle he'd been in, it just didn't feel like a battle against the Grand Champion. Belle almost appeared to be holding back in a way.
"Ash, I need to speak with you," Rick suddenly said from behind the group.
Ash nodded and slowly got to his feet. Rick led him into the tunnel where no one else was around. Ash was curious already, but he was surprised to see a look of concern on Rick's face.
"What's got you showing emotion?" Ash tried to poke fun.
"Don't waste your time with jokes," Rick snapped, reverting back to his serious face. "I'm here to warn you. I'm not going to reveal any details, but Belle has you right where she wants you. I've known her for a lot of years, and no one's more familiar with her style than I. The next Pokemon you face will no doubt force you into a corner."
"Don't worry about me." Ash kept a stern, but reassuring tone. Pikachu, who was still on his shoulder, shouted immediately afterward to show its support. "Rick, I appreciate the concern, along with the advice. You really don't have to worry, though. By the end of this battle, I'll either be the new champion, or Belle will still be the champ. Either way, I'll have no regrets and walk away happy."
Rick nodded, then shocked Ash with a slight smile. "I may not have been in your life while you were growing up, but somehow you still took after me. Stubborn to a fault, and never failing to find a bright side."
"You have a bright side?" Ash poked with a smirk. "Thanks again. I'm gonna get back to my friends."
Rick nodded, then turned to return to the stands. He admired and respected Ash's outlook, but still hoped his son would stay on his guard. The true battle hadn't even begun yet for either challenger.
Ash returned to the bench just as the new field was being airlifted into the stadium. Unlike the prior field, the new one was completely plain. It matched a traditional tournament-style field, displaying the massive pokeball in the center of the floor. There would be no obstacles, and no outside factors to determine each battle.
Ash's eyes were peeled on the field, almost like he was in a trance. It didn't take long for Misty to notice, but she knew his trance wasn't focused on the new field. Whatever Rick had to say, it was causing the wheels to turn in the trainer's head. Only a few more moments passed by before Misty put her hand on top of Ash's, forcing him to turn his attention to the redhead.
"What's going on in that big head of yours?" Misty asked with a smile.
Ash chuckled as he put his other hand on top of Misty's hand. "Just thinking about the rest of the battle. I really wish they didn't give us an intermission. I'd rather stay in the heat of the moment. I don't need time to sit and start to worry about what's to come."
Misty, who was still getting used to showing her affection in public, leaned in and gave Ash a peck on the cheek. "You're Ash Ketchum, last I checked. You don't worry about those things. You battle because it's what you love, and your Pokemon love it just as much because they love and trust you. I believe that's all it takes for you to win."
Ash looked at Misty, who was smiling as largely as possible for her. She had the most reassuring look on her face, giving Ash a sense of ease. He continued to look at her, failing to notice the loud crash that resulted from the field touching down on the ground only fifty feet away. Dust kicked up and covered the stadium for a few seconds, and when it dissipated, Gary and Victoria both noticed Ash and Misty kissing, completely unaware of their surroundings.
Gary let out a cough, forcing the couple out of their embrace. "You two done yet? I think you have a battle to get back to, Ash."
Gary had a coy smile, and Victoria was giggling closely behind him. Even Iris was holding a laugh in while both Ash and Misty turned red in the face. Ash turned his focus to the field, and saw Belle already standing in her box. Even more, she was already holding a pokeball in her hand. Her eyes were fixed on Ash as she patiently waited for him to return to his own box.
"You got this," Misty said softly, giving Ash's hand a slight squeeze.
Ash leaned over and gave Misty one more quick kiss, then let go of her hand and began to walk toward his box. Pikachu walked next to him, carried just as determined a look as its trainer did. Over the stadium's speakers, intense battle music began to blast. The music served to both hype the crowd up, and get the two trainers back into the battling spirit. Ash was all too familiar with the music, having heard it multiple times as a child while watching the Indigo Plateau tournaments on television.
"Are you ready Ash?" Belle called loudly, hoping she could be heard over the music.
"I've been ready since the battle started!" Ash replied energetically.
Pikachu jumped onto the field and waited for its next opponent to reveal itself. Belle was gripping her pokeball tightly, but Ash couldn't help but notice the design on the ball. It was white on the bottom, just like any pokeball, but the top was purple with what appeared to be an "M" on it.
"It seems you've noticed the design of this pokeball," Belle said while holding up the ball, giving Ash a better view. "This is the first master ball ever developed by Silph Company. They developed this ball as a prototype, and they approached me shortly after I won the Kanto League Tournament. They wanted me to test it on the first rare Pokemon I could find."
Ash's heart began to race all over again. If he knew Belle, she wouldn't have wasted a pokeball that can supposedly capture any Pokemon without fail on just any rare Pokemon. She would have targeted something that almost no other trainer in the world could hope to capture.
"I held onto the master ball without even thinking of using it for almost six months, but an unusual and rare phenomenon happened while I was on a ship that was headed for the Unova Region."
Ash's nervously slowly began to fade, and was replaced with curiosity. What kind of Pokemon could she be referring to? Even more than simply seeing it, he wanted nothing more than to battle against it.
