Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, If I did Ash would age and he would have a girlfriend by now.
A/N: Finally its nice to see Ash actually evolving his Pokemon in this series. He is also using good strategy against the gym leaders, maybe there is hope for him yet. (I can dream can't I)
Ecruteak Town Gym
Ash, Cynthia and Sabrina stood outside the gym, with the events that had taken place yesterday, both Morty and Ash had decided that it would be best to battle today, this would give Morty time to prepare for the challenge, and give Ash and the girls some much needed rest. Now though Ash was pumped and ready to earn his forth gym badge. Due to Morty's love of ghost Pokemon, Ash had made a few adjustments to his team. Battling today would be Knuckles, Zoroark and if needed then he would use Darkrai.
Cynthia like Ash had also been giving it thought about what Pokemon to use, and in the end had decided to go with Spiritomb, Noctowl and Garchomp. All three trainers walked into the gym and noticed the atmosphere around the gym, it was very quiet, and thick fog rolled across the gym, giving the place an eary vibe. All three trainers got a shock when Morty appeared from the fog, and floating by his shoulder was Gastly.
"Ash, welcome to Ecruteak Gym, I hope you're well rested and ready to demonstrate just how good you really are. As usual the same rules apply, we will both use three Pokemon, only the challenger may substitute, there will be no time limits. Are you happy to agree to these rules?"
Ash nodded. "Yep I agree to the rules of this gym and officially challenge you for the Fog badge."
Morty grinned, and then turned away and lead the group towards the main battle field. Once they had arrived he turned back towards them. "Which one of you will be battling first?" Morty noticed Ash had stepped forward.
"We decided that I should challenge first and then Cynthia." Ash walked over to his side of the field and stood in his box. Out of the fog appeared an official Pokemon league referee. Who was carrying to flags, one red and blue.
"Challenger state your name and place of origin"
Ash adjusted his cap and gloves and then announced in a loud voice. "My name is Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town."
The referee nodded and then stood ready and raised both flags in the air. "This is an official gym battle between the Challenger Ash Ketchum from Pallet town, and the Ecruteak gym Leader Morty. This is a three on three battle, only the challenger may substitute, there will be no time limit. trainers send out your first Pokemon. Battle three, two, one!"
Ash wasted no time in throwing is first ball onto the field. "Knuckles I choose you!" The ball opened up to reveal Knuckles ready to battle. As usual its eyes glowed blue briefly before the reverted back to normal.
Morty was surprised with Ash's choice of Pokemon, however from the kid accomplishment, then him sending out the fighting type couldn't have been a mistake. "Gastly I choose you!" The ghost Pokemon suddenly appeared on the field. "Gastly you know what to do vanish and then Night shade!" Gastly suddenly vanished and and black bolt of energy appeared from thin air and headed towards Knuckles.
Ash smiled. "Knuckle dodge it then use Foresight!" Knuckles rolled to the side to avoid the energy blast, its eyes then glowed red as both eyes emitted a red beam that scanned over the battle field, Suddenly the beam hit Gastly causing the ghost type to appear and look worried.
Morty smirked, so that's why Ash started with Lucario, clever. "Gastly use Willo Wisp!" Gastly formed a ring of purple fire and the threw it at Knuckles. Ash however was ready.
"Knuckles dodge and then use Extreme Speed into Bullet Punch!" Knuckles used Extreme speed to dodge the willo wisp and then jumped in the air and landed several sharp jabs to Gastly who backed off looking a little dizzy.
Morty frowned "Ghastly shake it off then use Shadow Ball!"
Ash however wasn't going to allow that. "Knuckles intercept that Shadow ball with Aura Sphere." Both Pokemon charged up their attacks and then launched them at each other. The Aura sphere and Shadow ball collided, however Knuckles attack was stronger and tore through the shadow ball and hit Gastly causing a small explosion. Out of the explosion Gastly was blasted back and slammed into the gym wall. It the fell to the floor with two X for eyes.
The referee raised the flag on Ash's side of the field. "Gastly is unable to battle, the winner is Lucario, gym leader send out your next Pokemon."
Morty recalled Gastly. "Good try my friend, Haunter I choose you." The ball opened up to reveal Gastly evolved form. The ghost Pokemon floated in the air ready for battle. "Haunter use Substitute!" Haunter glowed and created a copy of itself.
Ash frowned. "Knuckles don't let Haunter deceive you, use Foresight!" Knuckles eyes then glowed red as the beam washed over the field, however Morty had a surprise for Ash.
"Just what I was waiting for, Haunter use Disable!" Haunter suddenly appeared and its eye glowed, causing Lucario to flinch, it was now prevented from using Foresight. Ash nodded in approval. "Nice counter Morty, Knuckles use Blaze Kick and break that substitute!"
Knuckles jumped up and then brought its long leg around in a huge arc, leaving a fire trial behind it. The attack smashed into the substitute causing Haunter to appear.
"Nice Ash, but now you have left yourself wide open. "Haunter use Hypnosis!" Haunter eyes glowed again this time sending out hypnotic waves. The attack would have hit, had Ash not ready with a counter.
"Knuckles use Double team!" Knuckles was able to create several copies of itself, just before the Hypnotic waves hit. The waves washed over one of the copies leaving Knuckles unharmed.
Morty was impressed. "Now I see why you're the Indigo and orange island champion Ash, Haunter use Dark Pulse!" Haunter created an orb of dark energy and then blasted the wave across the field, causing all the copies to vanish and leaving the real Lucario standing on the field.
"Knuckles use Blaze Kick!" Knuckles again swung its leg around leaving a flame trial in its wake, however Morty was ready this time.
Haunter vanish and then use Lick!" The ghost Pokemon vanished just as the kick was about to land, it then reappeared near Knuckles, its huge tongue rolled out and licked Knuckles, causing the steel/fighting type to become paralysed.
Ash groaned, that was unfortunate. "Knuckles try shake it off and use Psychic!" Knuckles gritted its teeth, it could barely move, however his eyes glowed blue and a soft glow surrounded Haunter, freezing the ghost type in place.
Morty eyes widened, not only was this Lucario able to use physical attacks but special too, and being how Haunter was not only ghost type but poison too, this attack would be super effective. Morty watched helpless as his Haunter was thrown about from one side of the gym to the other. It was then slammed against the ceiling, before being slammed down onto the field, where it stayed knocked out.
The referee raised the flag on Ash's side. "Haunter is unable to battle, the winner is Lucario, gym leader send out your final Pokemon.
Morty recalled Haunter. "You're full of surprises Ash, however its time you met my most powerful Ghost Pokemon. This was my first ghost Pokemon, come on out Gengar!" The ball opened up to reveal the fully evolved ghost type. It floated onto the field and gave a manic grin, ready for battle.
Ash could see that this ghost Pokemon was unlike the other two, it looked much stronger. "Knuckles be very careful, use Psychic!" Lucario eyes glowed once more, and a glow surrounded Gengar, however Morty was ready.
"Gengar show that Lucario a real Psychic attack!" Gengar own eyes glowed and Knuckles found itself trapped, and unable to move.
Ash growled, Gengar psychic attack had completely over powered Knuckles. Ash watched as Knuckles was thrown all over the field. Finally it was smashed into the field. Knuckles growled in pain, as it got to one knee, that attack had left a serious mark, plus it was suffering from being paralysed too.
Morty could see Knuckles didn't have much left. "Good job Gengar finish it with Focus Blast!" Gengar charged up an orb of energy it then focused and threw it towards Knuckles.
Ash eyes widened, "Knuckles quickly dodge it!" Knuckles attempted to dodge the attack, however as it was about to succeed, an electrical current ran up through it body, preventing it from moving. Knuckles could only kneel helpless as the focus blast hit him, and blasted him across the field, face down in front of Ash. Knuckles growled once more, he attempted to get up, however it was just too much for him.
"I 'm sorry father!" Knuckles then fell face down knocked out on the field. The referee raised the flag on Morty side of the field.
"Lucario is unable to battle, the winner is Gengar, challenger send out your next Pokemon."
Ash walked onto the field and helped Knuckles up. "You have nothing to be sorry for Knuckles, you did your best, now take a good rest." Ash then recalled Knuckles back into his ball, before pulling another of his belt. "I choose you!" The ball opened up to reveal Darkrai, floating on the field ready to battle, or what everyone thought was Darkrai.
Morty couldn't believe it, Ash had summoned a legendary in his gym, and it was the darkness Pokemon Darkrai. or what he thought was Darkrai, anyway. "I see you brought out the big guns Ash, Gengar use Focus Blast!" Gengar started to charge up the attack.
Ash noticed the attack was taking a while to charge up, so decided to intercept it. "Quickly use Shadow ball!" Darkrai created several orbs of ghost energy and the lopped them towards Gengar, who had just launched its own attack. Both met in the middle and collided with each other.
"Gengar use Thunderbolt!" The ghost type let loose a bolt of lightning, that hit Darkrai, causing the Darkness Pokemon to suddenly shimmer and reveal its true form. Growling after the attack was now Zoroark.
Morty blinked in surprise. "So you didn't use Darkrai, what on earth is that Pokemon, i have never seen it before."
Ash smiled. "After the battle I will tell you, but now, Zoroark use Flamethrower" Zoroark unleashed a stream of flames from its mouth which engulfed Gengar. Once the flames had died down, Gengar was floating dazed by the attack.
Morty frowned. "Gengar shake it off and use Focus blast! Gengar gave its head a shake, and charged up the attack, however it had no time to launch the attack, as Ash quickly countered.
"Zoroark quickly get in close and use Crunch!" Zoroark opened its mouth showing rows of sharp teeth that suddenly grew and were surrounded by a black aura, it then charged across the field and bit down on Gengar just before the Ghost type could use its Focus blast, Gengar cried out in pain as Zoroark jaws were still clamped around its head. Its eyes started to spin, before it fell towards the battle field floor with swirl for eyes.
The referee raised the flag on Ash's side of the field. "Gengar is unable to battle, the winner is Zoroark, with all three of the gym leaders Pokemon knocked out, I declare the challenger Ash Ketchum the winner."
Morty bowed his head in defeat, he had lost 3-2, however he walked into the middle of the field and shook Ash's hand. He then removed the badge from the velvet case the referee was now holding. "Ash, as proof of your win here today, I present you with the Fog badge, congratulations. Now tell me about that Pokemon you used, I have never seen one before."
Ash scratched the back of his head nervously. "Well you see its only native to the Unova region, our paths crossed when it was a Zorua, some crooks had stolen it from its home, and it had escaped after they had bought it back to Kanto. It was by pure chance that it ran into me, and seeing it was in trouble, I decided to help it. After I had chased away its captors it wanted to join me on my journey. It only evolved a few months ago. As for your next question, it has a special ability called Illusion, this allows it to take on the appearance of any one of my team, when its summoned to the field. This helps me surprise my opponents. It this case as Darkrai was part of my team then it took on his form."
Morty smiled. "I see, so you really did have Darkrai with you. It's a shame I never got to battle it, anyway I see why you're a two time champion. Is your girlfriend as strong?"
Ash grinned. "You will just have to wait and see when you face her, also its plural, both Sabrina and Cynthia are my girlfriends."
Morty blinked in surprise. "Really, well you're one lucky guy, anyway I need to go heal my Pokemon, I will battle Cynthia when I get back." Morty then left the gym, leaving Ash and the girls in the hands of the referee. Ash placed the Fog badge inside is badge case, and walked over to Sabrina and Cynthia who both hugged him, and congratulated him on a good win.
A/N: Little short I know, but I am easing myself back into writing, next chapter will be Cynthia battle with Morty.
