Chapter 36: The Battle Before The Champion

Mirage Island

An International Police's investigation squad led by Black was in the island were the Arceus Cult's base of operations in Hoenn was established. The island seemed to have no signs of life though after the officers' Arcanine couldn't trace anything, something that raised everyone's suspicion.

"It's all clear!" Said one of the officers to the team.

"Still nothing. Maybe we should enter in their base. There is no security and the camp is easy to explore." Black stated.

"So we are going after all, sir?"

"Yeah if we keep searching around the island we will lose time. It's already 12:10 and we have another 20 minutes left before the fog covers everything again. If we don't make in time, we will get lose our orientation. Let's proceed to their camp."

"Yes, sir!" X4

After searching around the base camp they found no one there or a clue which could help to trace or learn more about the Cult as well. One of the officers though discovered a ladder which led to a secret underground passage.

"I found something! They might have been trying to escape from here." An officer said.

"That doesn't make any sense. They didn't know that we were coming." Black stated and held his chin confused. "I also doubt this is an emergency exit but we might find something useful there. Let's go down."

As the team entered the passage they were walking on a narrow path which also seemed that to be abandoned just like the whole island.

"Grrrrr!" All four Arcanine suddenly started growling after they sniffed something and ran ahead.

"So we have some progression after all? Let's hurry. We have only 10 minutes left." Black said as he and his team followed the Pokemon from behind.

Then they reached a vast room with a giant pit. It was dark there compared to the rest of the path but some things were moving there making weird sounds.

"Ele, ele, ele…"

"There are Pokemon down there!" An officer said.

"Quickly, give me a flashlight. We won't use fire." Black stated.

Once he opened he noticed a pit full of Electrode being cramped down there much to his horror.

"Don't tell me- GUYS, GUYS! QUICKLY, FALL BACK FALL BACK!" Black said with the officers following panicked from behind but without understanding what is going on.

"What happened, sir? Why are we rushing? What are those Electrode doing down there?" One of the officers asked while he and the other teammates followed Black from behind.

"Bombs! They abandoned the base and left all those Electrode there with the order to explode once they notice someone unfamiliar to them! They were intending to use the base as a bait and blow up the whole island to take down their enemies meaning us!" Black explained to them.

"Pardon my insolence but that's ridiculous! They were supposed to know nothing about this raid!"

"No they most likely dismissed their members from here because they have other plans instead. But we have to see what they are actually-"

*BOOM*

Lilycove City

Ash and his friends reached Lilycove City. The town looked as lively as it was ten years ago when Ash along with Brock, May and Max were travelling across Hoenn.

"Finally, Lilycove City." Ash commented with a happy look.

"Where are you going to meet your girlfriend, Brock?" Dawn asked him.

"She told me that there is a nice café in the city's districts. She will be waiting for me there. We will spend our time alone there and later I plan to introduce her to you." Brock answered.

"So that means that you won't be there to watch my battle against Drake, right?" Ash asked as he place his hands back to his head.

"Yeah, sorry about that, Ash." Brock apologized.

"No! Please don't apologize for a reason like this. Enjoy your date and we will meet later." Ash chuckled.

"Thanks, Ash. I will go ahead since it will take me some time to find the place. Good luck with your match! See you later, guys!" Brock said as he waved and then disappeared at the crowd.

"So you girls will go for shopping?" Ash asked the three girls.

"I think I'm fine."

"Me too."

"Same here."

Ash was speechless.

"What happened to you? Why are you staring us with a deadpan look?" May asked him with a suspicious look.

"I should be asking that. You are always into shopping…" Ash answered.

"You think we are like all the stereotypical girls who are just overly obsessed with shopping? If you hadn't been missing for so long, I would have punched you now." May said with a cold look which scared Ash a bit.

"Oh sorry about that. I meant no harm here." Ash apologized.

"Well, well. I think we should start looking for Drake instead of arguing for pointless things like these." Dawn tried to calm down the situation.

"I agree. That's not a reason to start a quarrel now." Lillie added as well.

"Pff, I don't believe that you fell for it. I wasn't offended. I was just messing with you, Ash." May revealed and started laughing. "I didn't expect that you would fall for it either." She added as she glanced at the other two girls that looked embarrassed.

"So it was a dumb joke after all." Ash sighed in relief. "Drake is most likely at the port. He won't be difficult to find since his ship is stationed there."

"At least it will be easy to find. Have you decided the team that you will use, Ash?" Lillie asked him with a smile.

"It's a secret. You will have to wait and see." Ash said as he returned smile.

Then they started heading towards the port.

Half an hour later at Lilycove's port

"Ash. Do you know what kind of ship Drake owns?" Dawn asked as she was looking around.

"It's a caravel." May answered instead. "We had been on board with Max and Brock when Ash challenged Drake in a Pokemon battle." She added.

"So you have battled him before. How well did you do?" Lillie asked Ash who started sweating.

"Well you know…"

"He lost 2-0 effortlessly." May once again replied instead.

"Can you stop answering the questions that are directed to me? And why did you have to add 'effortlessly'?" Ash sighed.

"It's fun to tease you. Dawn told me how fun she had when she was with Iris in Unova." May responded.

"Oh really?" Ash answered with half-closed eyes.

"Is that the ship you were talking about?" Lillie then pointed at a caravel that was anchored there.

"Yeah that's it." Ash replied with a smile. "Let's go!" Then he ran towards there followed by the girls.

"Young man, are you here to challenge me?" Then Drake who was on his deck asked Ash.

"Of course I am! I bet you remember who I am, right?" Ash said with a smile.

"Yes, I was waiting for you after all and I remember that girl over there as well." He answered as he pointed at May. "Now, let's start. Once this battle ends I will have to set sail so let's get this over with. Fitzwilliam! Be the referee!" Then he gave his order to his first mate who took his position.

"Wait! It's ok for us to fight on board? This battle will be nothing the one we had 10 years old. The ship might get some serious damage." Ash expressed his concern.

"No problem. The wood the ship is made can withstand every attack. All the challengers battle on board of my ship. Well let's start!"

"This is a 3-on-3 match between Drake of the Elite Four and the challenger Ash Ketchum! You may release your first Pokemon!, Fitzwilliam gave the signal for the battle to start.

"Flygon, you go first!"

"First time I see you using one. Well Greninja, I choose you!"

"Greninja again?" Lillie commented surprised.

"Yeah I didn't see that coming either." May said as she was looking at Ash.

"No need to worry. I'm pretty sure he has something in his mind for using Greninja again." Dawn added while being optimistic.

"Greninja use Water Shuriken!"

"Flygon counter with Flamethrower!"

Both attacks were equal cancelling each other creating smoke.

"Keep going with Night Slash!"

Then Greninja emerged from the smoke striking Flygon with his purple Kunais.

"Flygon respond with Dragon Pulse."

Greninja took a hit as well which pushed him back.

"Greninja, it's time."

"Koga!"

Then Greninja transformed revealing his form in front of Drake who looked unfazed.

"Flygon use Dragon Pulse!"

"Greninja dodge using the mast."

Ash-Greninja then start climbing the mast using his powerful legs to jump.

"Just like back then with Grovyle. Use Boomburst to bring Greninja down!"

A large supersonic wave coming from Flygon's mouth hit Ash-Greninja while it was on the top of the mast but managed to maintain his balance.

"Damn it hurts." Ash thought as he grabbed his body but he felt relieved seeing his Pokemon being ok.

"That was close. Greninja use Water Shuriken again!"

"Flygon use Flamethrower!"

The attacks proved to be equal again.

"Now go with Dragon Pulse!"

"Too fast! Use your Shuriken as a shield."

Ash-Greninja lost his balance but managed with his strong grip to not fall from the mast and took his battle position once again.

"Damn, it's not working. Drake probably knows that I want him to go for a close range attack so his Flygon isn't approaching Greninja. I think it's better to give up on this plan."

"Greninja get off from the mast and launch another Water Shuriken with all your might!"

"Koga!"

"Grah!"

Once Ash-Greninja jumped he threw a big Water Shuriken hitting Flygon on its head making it flinch losing some of its altitude as a result.

"Now use Aerial Ace!"

Ash-Greninja hit Flygon with another attack but Flygon blasted a Dragon Pulse directly at Ash-Greninja's face making Ash grab his as well much to the girls' horror.

"Ash, are you ok?!" Lillie asked concerned.

"Yeah don't worry. The pain lasts for a few seconds only." Ash reassured her after he removed his hands from his face. "Greninja let's end this! Double Team!"

Ash-Greninja multiplied.

"Flygon! Destroy all the copies with Flamethrower!"

All the copies were destroying the real Ash-Greninja.

"Now Water Shuriken!"

"Koga!"

"Grah!"

The shuriken with tremendous speed hit Flygon which collapsed and fainted.

"Flygon is unable for battle. Greninja wins this round!"

"Great job, Greninja!"

"You did well my friend. Rest now. Altaria you are next!"

Altaria appeared on the stage.

"Greninja just like before! Double Team!"

Ash-Greninja created new copies of himself and charged towards Altaria.

"Altaria relax and focus on your target."

"Tch! I don't like this."

Then he saw that Altaria quickly intercepted the real Greninja.

"Quick Greninja! Use Water Shuriken!"

"Solar Beam!"

"What?!"

Both attacks hit each other but Ash-Greninja fainted reverting back to its original form.

"Damn it." Ash cursed as he held his body.

"Greninja is unable for battle! Altaria is the winner!"

"You were great Greninja. Have a nice long rest." Ash then recalled his Pokemon and turned his gaze at Drake. "That was really smart. You asked your Altaria to pinpoint Greninja by observing the clones' movements while it was charging its Solar Beam at the same time."

"Exactly. Altaria is pretty good at charging its Solar Beam unnoticed but the timing was a bit off this time. If it was done right your Greninja wouldn't have time to attack." Drake explained.

"As expected from you, Mr. Drake. Gible, I choose you!"

Gible was Ash's second Pokemon.

"So you intend to fight with a Dragon-type? You have guts, kid!" Drake smirked.

"It's not about the typing but the way it battles! Gible use Rock Smash!"

"Altaria use Sky Attack!"

Sky Attack hit Gible before it could attack and bounced back.

"Again, Altaria!"

"Retreat Gible! Dig!"

"This won't work!" All the girls said at the same time.

Gible then tried to hide but it just hit its head on the ship's deck.

"Damn, I forgot there is no earth here!" Ash said as he was holding his head.

Gible received another attack from Altaria but managed to get up again but it was evident that it had received a lot of damage.

"Altaria now go with Aerial Ace!"

"Gible use Dragon Pulse!"

Altaria got hit by Dragon Pulse and got pushed back.

"I just need one opening." Ash kept thinking inside his head.

"Altaria use Dragon Pulse!"

"Don't try to counter the attack! Jump and then use your own Dragon Pulse!"

Gible jumped avoiding Dragon Pulse and unleashed its own one which Altaria dodged as well.

"It's now or never!"

"Use Draco Meteor!"

Gible opened its mouth and shot a ball of energy which exploded releasing smaller spheres around the ship. Altaria started flying around to dodge all of them.

"Now use Rock Smash!"

Gible then managed to hit Altaria on its face which threw it towards one of the falling spheres causing a massive explosion. Altaria was seen on the ground once the smoke subsided.

"Altaria is unable for battle! Gible is the winner!"

"Phew, so it worked after all." Ash said as he was cleaning his forehead from his sweat then he suddenly noticed his Gible acting weirdly. "Hey Gible is everything alright?"

"Grah!" Gible's body then started glowing and changing shape.

"Is this really happening?" Dawn was dumbfounded.

"Amazing!" May shouted.

"I can't believe in my eyes!" Lillie who really likes studying Pokemon was also really happy at this turn of events.

Then Ash started slowly approaching his Pokemon. "Gible, are you evolving?!"

TO BE CONTINUED