Announcer: "Up next folks is something a lot of you have been wanting to see... Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, a former Indigo conference winner up against Goldenrod's own Rischu Ganski!"
To say that the main arena was packed and bubbling with anticipation was an understatement. Despite only ever winning one major conference and that being several years ago now, Ash Ketchum was still a celebrity in the traditional battle circuit. He's conquered a few of the minor leagues too such as the Orange Islands cup and the formidable Battle Frontier and he was even rumoured to be one of a small number who had received the ever elusive and rarely seen 'Black Trainer Card' from Sinnoh's battle tower - the prize for clearing 100 consecutive floors i battles.
In the stands, Misty, Jasmine, May, Dawn and Paul sat there on one side watching whilst over the other side, Clair was sat next to her cousin, the current Kanto and Johto champion, Lance. Somewhere in the crowd lurked Drew and Serena. It seemed all eyes were definitely on this clash.
Jasmine: "So Waterflower... You gonna spill the beans on what went down with you and Clair? I know you've already told Girl-Ash next to you because she's currently trying to glare our blue haired acquaintance to death from across the crowd..."
Usually one to object whenever her likeness to Ash was brought up, May completely ignored it. The brunette was too focused on giving Clair the death stare which the Gym Leader either had not spotted, felt or had noticed and couldn't give one about.
Misty: "Long story short... She says it's complicated between her and Ash..."
Jasmine: "Girl talk for she doesn't love him, she doesn't love him the way you love him or I don't know what the fuck is going on with us but the sex is great!"
Misty: "So yeah... She basically told me to keep out of their business and what they felt for each other was none of my concern... I kindly informed her the moment she fucked Ash over I would be paying a visit to her"
Jasmine: "One thing which actually scares me about you Mist... It's that rage you can unleash... You are so hotheaded and quick to boil... Punch first, ask questions later... If you were a Pokémon you'd be a Primeape!"
Misty scowled at Jasmine who burst out laughing.
Jasmine: "By the way... Your boy Ketchum... He isn't winning this match... Ganski is cold... Like seriously cold... That's why Lance is here... Talk is Ganski has already beaten three of the Johto Elite 4!"
Misty: "Please... Ash will walk this... Provided he actually turns up to seriously battle and doesn't want to use this as a training exercise for his newer captures..."
May: "Shut up! It's about to start... I think I see Ash in the tunnel now!"
=...=...=
Ash: "You've been registered for this match buddy, but depending on how it goes, we may not need you to jump on in there... Its 3 on 3 too, so you or Charizard are the crunch time obviously!"
Pikachu nodded as it sat on Ash's shoulder.
Ash: "Well... Our first time out in nearly two years... Let's live it up!"
Pikachu: "PI-KA!"
=...=...=
Announcer: "Here we go folks... Both participants are on the field and going through the rules with the referee now... It looks like we're on the shifting field... That means that midway through the battle or when one opponent's Pokémon is unable to battle, the field environment will shift... Let's see how these two top tier trainers deal with the unexpected"
With both men walking to their respective podiums, Ketchum on the red and Ganski on the blue, they each reached for their first Pokéball. Neither one called out their Pokémon's name, trying to give as little away prior to this bout as possible. As the two explosions of white light materialised on the standard field, one of them floated in the air whilst the other took a large form as tall as it was round.
Announcer: "And it seems we have Snorlax for the red side and... Skarmory on the blue side!"
Misty: "Snorlax... I saw that thing battle Crystal's Suicune, your boy better be wary of it!"
Jasmine: "Heh! Like that thing can stand up to the Skarmory which single handedly toppled Clair!"
As Snorlax eyed the airborne Skarmory with suspicion, it glanced over its shoulder to Ash who nodded to it.
Ganski: "Skarmory, Spikes! Let's make sure whoever follows Snorlax in gets a good reception shall we?"
As Skarmory let out a powerful sounding caw and flapped it's wings, shooting out metallic barbs across the floor, Snorlax raised both its arms up in the air and slammed them down into the floor, using an ineffective earthquake attack.
Ganski: "Pfft, Snorlax fighting for itself, Using earthquake? pitiful, Ketchum should train his Pokémon better! Skarmory, Steel Wing!"
As Skarmory's wing's begun to glow pale blue, it shot forwards towards the massive normal type.
Ash: "Alright Snorlax, that earthquake just set us up perfectly... You know what to do!"
Snorlax let out a massive roar of it's name as it drove it's hand into the ground, splitting open the cracks it had caused with the earthquake. Wrapping it's clawed hands around a chunk of the terrain, it dragged it up and flung it towards the Skarmory!"
Ganski: "Skarmory, Steel Wing to break that projectile!"
Instead of hitting the Snorlax, Skarmory had to smash the attempted Smack Down move out of the air. As the chunk of earth exploded on impact, Skarmory momentarily stayed in place.
Ash: "NOW! LIKE WE PRACTICED! ICE BEAM!"
Snorlax's eyes opened wide as the frozen cyan beams shot forwards at Skarmory which narrowly managed to evade it.
Ash: "Keep at it Snorlax! Just like we worked on!"
As Snorlax kept firing Ice Beams off randomly, some in the direction of Skarmory, others across the floor where the cracks seemed to be thickest, many of the crowd were wondering what Ketchum was planning.
Announcer: "It seems like Snorlax is preparing for something... Either that or it's trying to keep Skarmory in the air to tire it out!"
Ganski cursed as Skarmory continued to circle round, weaving in between ice beam shots whilst simultaneously having to weave between pillars of Ice from the randomly targeted ice beams.
Ganski: "Skarmory, Screech, try and interrupt that damn oaf, Ketchum's planning something!"
As Skarmory cawed in acknowledgement, it managed to barrel roll out the way of an ice beam before it honed in on Snorlax. Speeding towards it, it opened its metal beak and let out a horrific screech which disrupted Snorlax enough to stop with the ice beaming.
Ganski: "NOW! DRILL PECK!"
As Skarmory begun to spin round rapidly as it closed in on Snorlax, Ash smirked.
Ash: "Snorlax, Block and follow up with Fling!"
Bringing it's giant arms up and holding them across it in the shape of an X, Snorlax took the drill peck head on before Snorlax flung it's arms outwards, sending the steel bird backwards and crashing through one of the ice pillars.
Announcer: "WHAT A HIT! EVEN A STEEL TYPE LIKE SKARMORY WOULD FEEL THAT ONE! KETCHUM'S SNORLAX IS TERRIFYING!"
Ganski: "Skarmory! right back at it, Giga Impact!"
Ash: "Focus Punch!"
The two attacks collided. The explosion of energy from them temporarily obsucred the battlefield, but the huge thud and small shockwave it created signalled the battle was over. As the smoke cleared, Snorlax stood tall as Skarmory lay there on the floor by the wall.
Official: Skarmory is unable to battle, Snorlax and the red trainer win this bout. Blue trainer, please select your next Pokémon!
Ganski: "Hmph! I had hoped it would not have required your services friend, but alas, needs must... Come forth from the shadows...Gourgeist!"
As Gourgeist appeared in the middle of the field, sirens blared as the terrain started to rumble.
Announcer: "Folks, it looks like we're about to get our first change to the field... AND ITS THE FORREST ONE!"
Trees sprang up along with lush vegetation, creating an almost idyllic hidden grotto in the middle of the woods styled effect. Ash simply smirked at this whilst Ganski's eyes narrowed, seemingly ready to do battle.
Ganski: "Gourgeist, we may be on home turf here, but watch it... That Snorlax is dangerous!"
Ash: "He's a ghost type Snorlax, so we can't go about this the easy way... Make him come to you and you know the rest!"
As both Pokémon responded to their trainers, Gourgeist started to sway before vanishing into the shadow of one of the trees.
Ash: "Snorlax, he's using shadow sneak... It won't affect you but be prepared... Focus!"
Snorlax stood there with its eyes closed and a look of concentration on its face. Seemingly relying more on its sense of smell and hearing, the large Pokémon waited for Gourgeist to strike.
Ganski: "Gourgeist... How about we play a game with Snorlax... Shadow Sneak between the trees and get closer... You know the rest!"
As all eyes in the crowd focused on the big screen showing a closer look at the battle between the trees, they gasped each time the pumpkin ghost appeared out of the shadows behind a tree and made Snorlax turn its head in that direction.
Ganski: "Leech Seed it!"
Ash: "Fire punch that pumpkin Snorlax!"
Snorlax's fist glowed bright red with a small layer of flames dancing around it, but as the giant swung, Gourgeist had already slipped out of the way again, successfully seeding the lumbering Pokémon.
Ash: "Ignore the seed Snorlax, since it's so keen to move in the shadows, let's cut them down... Earthquake, body slam style!"
Snorlax bellowed at the top of its lungs before it lunged forwards. Arms up and out as far as they would reach, the beast slammed itself into the floor, creating a shockwave which caused the very core of the stadium to shake for several seconds.
(stands)
Jasmine: "Now that is what I call an Earthquake attack... I'd love to face that Snorlax with my Steelix!"
Misty and May both nodded in agreement. They were impressed with the power Snorlax possessed, May more so having never seen it battle that much but Misty was more impressed with how much it had came on since when Ash first captured it.
(battlefield)
Ganski: "Now Gourgeist, Trick or Treat the oaf!"
As Snorlax slowly pushed itself back up to a vertical base, Gourgeist emerged from its shadow and emitted a strange purple wave of energy. For a moment Snorlax froze in place, seemingly paralyzed and unable to move but it suddenly jerked back to its feet as many in the arena wondered just what that move was, including Ash.
Ash: "Snorlax... Whatever that was, don't let it phase you... Pick up one of the trees and swing it round like a club, lets clear some more space!"
As Snorlax proceeded to level the forest terrain, it started to grow noticeably slower in its movements as the effects of the leech seed became apparent.
Ganski: "Now Gourgeist... Take it head on - Shadow Sneak!"
Ash: "What the?"
Gourgeist appeared from the shadow of the log Snorlax had in its hand and slammed itself into the giant Pokémon with all its might. The crowd gasped as Snorlax actually dropped the log and stumbled back, showing signs of actually being affected by the ghost type move which caused Ash's eyes to narrow.
"...He somehow got ghost type moves to work on normal types... It must be that trick-or-treat move! He's turned Snorlax into a part ghost type!"
Ash: "Snorlax, hang in there buddy, he might have found a way to hit you, but we still have the advantage here, Use shadow ball!"
As Snorlax summoned up a dark energy, Gourgeist retreated to the shadows once more before coming out with another shadow sneak, this time striking the oaf at the right moment, causing it's attack to explode in front of it.
Ganski: "Finish it off... Phantom Force!"
Gourgeist suddenly vanished in front of Snorlax, leaving the Pokémon perplexed to where it's opponent was.
Ash: "Snorlax, stay on guard, this thing could be anywhere!"
'LAAAAAAX!'
Out of thin air, Gourgeist appeard and crashed into Snorlax's back, knocking the huge Pokémon to the floor, knocking it out.
Official: "Snorlax is unable to battle, Gourgeist and the blue trainer take this round!"
As the scores drew level to 1 a piece, Ash watched as the screens flashed - the terrain was changing again.
Ganski: "Good Gourgeist, stay in there, we shall deal with whatever comes out next"
As the terrain flashed white, the decimated forest vanished and in its place was a rock-littered landscape.
Announcer: "LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE THE ROCK AND GROUND FIELD UP NEXT... WE'RE TIED AT ONE A PIECE... WHO IS ASH KETCHUM GOING TO SEND OUT NEXT?"
Ash: "Go... GOOMY!"
=...=...=
A/N: Sorry on the delay folks. It's that time of year - work is hectic and I've been ill recently - problem with the nerves in my left arm so typing is a bit problematic. Until I can get better/this sorted, the updates won't be regular, more whenever I get a chance to post them.
Hope you all have a great Christmas!
