Welcome back everyone! Last time we left off, Ash entered a Showcase for the sick Serena to try and help her out. Unfortunately, he wasn't that good. However, along the way his density began to crack. Now, onto the chapter.
Ch 36: Seeing Beyond the Beast!
"Alright, Charizard, finish this off with Flamethrower!" Ash called out as he threw a fist forward. The duo were currently facing off against an Electivire and its trainer in the back of the Coumarine City Pokémon Center. They had followed Alain's advice and had been challenging trainers all day to battles, hoping to finally overcome their issues.
"Rawwwrrrrr!" Charizard cried out as the flames emerged in his mouth. Shooting outwards, the Fire-Type attack crashed hard into Electivire as the Electric-Type was thrown backwards across the field.
"Elec..." Electivire muttered out as he collapsed from the pain. That Flamethrower was a lot more powerful than he had been expecting.
"Electivire is unable to battle! Charizard is the winner!" Clemont immediately declared while Charizard celebrated his victory by launching a Flamethrower up into the sky.
Sighing, the defeated trainer quickly recalled his Electivire before walking over to see Ash. "Your Charizard is something else. I mean it, he's really powerful, I've never seen Electivire go down that easily."
Ash smiled at the compliment as he watched Charizard make his way over to them. Landing next to Ash with a thud, the duo exchanged a quick knuckle tap while letting out a light chuckle. "Thanks, we've been through a lot together. But, you and Electivire were just as strong."
"No, we still have a long way to go to be on your level," the boy responded while shaking his head in disappointment. "But, good luck on the rest of your journey, Ash. I'll be rooting for you against the other Elite Four members!" He said while waving goodbye to Ash before making his way back into the Pokémon Center to heal up Electivire.
"That was amazing, Ash!" Bonnie cried out as she ran onto the field. Joining her were the rest of the group as they gathered around him. It was quite obvious that the two were tired following their constant battling, but from the looks of it they weren't ready to stop just yet.
"You two are so cool! That makes ten straight wins, right?" She asked while staring at Charizard in admiration. The Flame Pokémon appeared to enjoy the attention as he flexed his muscles a little for the little girl.
"Yeah," Ash answered as both Charizard and himself appeared to be proud over their current progress. They both felt good about their chances of finally mastering Mega Evolution and getting past their problems with it.
"We've won ten straight battles now. I think we might be ready to try Mega Evolution once more," he said seriously, shocking his friends just a little. Was he really comfortable enough to try it so soon? What if it backfired on them?
"Ash, are you sure about that?" Serena asked as she clutched at her blue ribbon. She had a concerned look on her face as the Performer still remembered quite vividly how the previous attempts had ended for them. She just didn't want to see either of them hurt or disappointed after everything they accomplished today. "Maybe you should wait just a little longer. There's no reason to rush into it."
"She's right, Ash," Cilan added in as he crossed his arms. He didn't want to be on the receiving end of Charizard's Flamethrower, especially after he Mega Evolved. It appeared as if the others were in agreement with him as well.
"Both of your battling spirits are nearly finished roasting thanks to your training, but it might be better for you two to let it simmer for just a while longer. You don't want to serve a dish before it's fully cooked to perfection."
"We're ready for this, right, Charizard?" Ash asked as he pumped his fists up into the air, Charizard copying his pose. It didn't matter what the others thought, all that mattered was the fact that they felt ready. "We're going to go for it! We'll never accomplish it if we don't try!"
"Rawr," Charizard muttered in agreement as he prepared himself. Personally, there was a bit of worry inside of the Flame Pokémon. But, he had to do it, he couldn't let Ash down again. He just had to get stronger for the next time he was needed in a battle.
Moving towards the center of the field, Ash and Charizard faced each other in anticipation. Moving slowly, the Pallet Town native raised his Mega Ring up in front of his body until pressing his fingers against the Keystone held inside of it.
"Charizard, Mega Evolve!" He cried out with excitement as the light shined off of his Keystone. A similar light was flowing off of the Mega Stone as well and made it nearly impossible to see anything. Not wanting to look away, Ash continued to face forward as he tried to look past the light and see Charizard transform only for it to be useless. Finally, the light died down as a Mega Charizard Y stood where Charizard had been moments ago.
"Rawwrrrr!" Charizard roared out proudly while shooting a Flamethrower up into the sky while spreading his wings. In one swift movement, Charizard flew up above everyone and searched around the area as he got used to his new, sleeker body. He was excited, they had finally gotten it all under control. There would be no more issues with using Mega Evolution. But, immediately after that, Charizard started to feel guilty for not being stronger on his own. He just had to be stronger for Ash, he couldn't let him down again! If he had been stronger like Alain said about the duo, then these problems never would have happened in the first place.
Slowing his pace, Charizard continued to dwell on his current problems as he grew more and more anxious. What if he still wasn't strong enough? What if he disappointed Ash? Then, it happened before he even knew it. He lost control of his evolution as the new power managed to rush to his head and cloud his judgement as it fed off of his worries. The sudden rush of power was too great for Charizard as it mixed with his worries and fears and caused Charizard to forget about his times with Ash. Instead, all he cared about was himself and being the strongest.
"Charizard!" Ash then called out as he waved to the Fire and Flying-Type. "It seems to have worked! How are you feeling?"
Charizard just snorted flames in response which made Ash a little confused. He didn't need any help from a trainer like him, he would only hold him back in this case. Instead of responding, Charizard saw Pikachu and a memory of how strong the Electric-Type was entered his mind. It was time to test this new strength out. Throwing his head backwards, Charizard then whipped it forward as a stream of flames were aimed right at Pikachu.
Seeing the incoming attack, both Ash and Pikachu leapt to the side as they barely dodged it. Not entire sure of the situation, Ash looked up at Charizard with a mix of concern, worry and agitation. "Charizard! What were you thinking!? Your Flamethrower is much stronger while Mega Evolved, you can't just shoot it off like that," he said, unaware of what was about to happen.
Growing annoyed, Charizard began to flap his wings as a breeze soon formed from it. Then, without warning, blue streaks of energy rode the newly created breeze as they collided with Ash. Being thrown back by the blast, Ash looked up to see Charizard readying a Flamethrower attack right at himself and Pikachu.
"Charizard..." Ash muttered as he braced himself for the incoming attack. How could this happen to them? He thought they had a special bond, one that they had worked hard to forge. One that Ash believed would never be broken. But, now he was questioning just if Mega Evolution was worth the strain on his and Charizard's relationship. Waiting for the attack to come, Ash looked up to see Charizard tied up by vines, much to his surprise.
"Howdy," Ramos stated calmly as Ash turned to see the Coumarine City Gym Leader and his Gogoat off to the side of the field. "I was taking a short walk when I noticed this little tussle going on. I figured you might need some help and decided to lend a helping hand."
Nodding to Gogoat, Ramos decided they should calm the entire situation down before Charizard could break free. "Alright, Gogoat, you know what needs to be done."
"Go!" The Grass-Type cried out as he whipped his vines downward with a thrust. Following the momentum, Charizard was thrown from the air and smashed into the ground without any warning. The fall had been stronger than the actual attack, and due to it he was reverted back to his base form.
"Charizard!" Ash cried out as he ran over to the Flame Pokémon with concern. Lifting his head carefully off of the ground, Ash and Charizard looked at each other before the Fire and Flying-Type couldn't bring himself to continue looking at his friend who he nearly roasted. "Are you alright?"
"Rawr," he muttered in response. He clearly seemed fine on the outside, but on the inside he was disappointed in himself. Not only had he lost control, but he also attacked Ash and Pikachu.
"Ash!" Serena called out as he noticed everyone else running over to him. "Are you alright? We were so worried when Charizard was about to attack."
"Yeah," he answered without any sound of emotion in his voice. He too was disappointed as he tried to just force his way through his issues. He should have known better by now, he had already gone through a similar situation like this and yet he still didn't learn from it! "I'm more worried about Charizard though."
"It was a good thing Ramos showed up when he did though," Clemont then joined in as he thanked the elder man. "Who knows what might have occurred if he didn't stop Charizard."
"And this was why we told you not to rush into it," Cilan reprimanded Ash. He didn't want to, but he also didn't want to see Ash put himself in danger if he didn't have to. "You shouldn't just rush into this entire Mega Evolution situation, you need to prepare and ready yourself like gathering the ingredients needed to develop an excellent stew."
"Yeah, I know," Ash responded again without any enthusiasm. He had gotten his hopes up thanks to Alain's advice on training. He just knew they were close though.
Ramos however stared at the young boy with a hint of sadness in his eyes. To Ramos, Ash was a strapping young lad. One who had proven himself time and time again while in Kalos and seeing him like this wasn't something he was used to seeing from the boy. Deciding to help him out, Ramos offered his hand to Ash as Charizard stood up on his own.
"Why, I have an idea," the elder Gym Leader spoke as Ash took his hand. With a light pull, Ash was back on his feet and staring at Ramos with confusion in his eyes. "I have an old acquaintance coming over to visit me today at the Gym. Why don't you visit with us, I'm sure they could help with your issues."
"That sounds like a recipe for success," Cilan chimed in as the others all agreed. Perhaps Ash needed a new way of training. Alain's worked so well because that was how Alain was; always wanting to be stronger. But Ash, he was different. It wasn't so much about the end results as it was about the journey that it took to reach them.
"Alright, but does this person think they could help me out?" He asked, a little bit more emotion in his voice than just recently. Perhaps if they could figure this all out then it would be better for them.
"Oh, I'm certain about it," Ramos replied cheekily as he got onto Gogoat. "Follow me, they should be here shortly." And with that, Ash, the others, Pikachu and Charizard followed behind the elderly and wise man as they made their way towards his Gym.
"So, Ash," Ramos began as they reached the outside of his Gym. "I've heard you've defeated two of the Elite Four already. That sounds like quite the accomplishment for a lad your age."
"It wasn't easy at all, but together with my Pokémon we managed to work our way through them," he replied while thinking back to Sceptile and Hawlucha taking down Mega-Blastoise and Mega-Scizor respectively. They had all come such a long way from when they first started out. "And I'm certain we'll beat the remaining two!"
"Quite the confident one as always," Ramos replied with a chuckle. It was always good to stay confident during difficult times, made it easier to see the light at the end of the tunnel. "But, I wouldn't be too over confident, Ash. The two remaining Elite Four members are something else. One of whom was the previous Champion of Kalos before Diantha beat her."
"You're kidding, right?" Bonnie asked in amazement as they all entered the Gym. "Then, whoever it is must be such a strong trainer."
"Oh, believe me, it was a battle for the ages when Diantha managed to defeat her," Ramos continued on as he thought back to that battle. It really had been something else. "Despite being at a disadvantage the entire battle, she pushed Diantha to her limits and nearly won. If not for a last second strategy by Diantha, then she may not have won."
"Still talking about that battle, Ramos?" An unfamiliar voice for everyone but the elder asked. Looking over to the side, everyone saw an older woman who was dressed in a reddish-brown top and a red and brown bottoms that went down to her ankles. Added to her were accessories that appeared to be based off of Dragon-Type Pokémon.
"Drasna, it's a pleasure to see you again," Ramos began to say as he took his hat off and introduced the others. "I'm glad you could make it today. Allow me to introduce you to my friends. These are Ash, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie and Cilan. And for you, this is Drasna, a member of the Elite Four and the previous Champion before Diantha."
Ash was taken back by that statement. A member of the Elite Four was the previous Champion? He didn't know how to feel. Part of him was excited while another was shocked. Could he actually battle on par with a Champion when the time came for it?
"Ah, yes, I've heard quite a bit about you children," Drasna answered with a warm smile. Right away she felt welcoming to the group, almost like how a grandmother would feel when you went to visit them. "Siebold and Wikstrom told me all about their battles with you, Ash, and I must say I am quite intrigued to have my own match with you."
Ash nodded in agreement as the elder lady's words touched him. An Elite Four member and former Champion wanted to face him! How many people could say that about themselves? Then, an idea came to him as he looked over at Charizard. "Why don't we have the battle right here and now! If it's alright with Ramos to use his Gym of course."
"Ash, don't just rush into this, you don't even have any idea which Pokémon you should use," Serena reminded him as she grasped for her ribbon. It was like him to rush into things, but a battle right now? Especially after what happened to Charizard not too long ago?
"Now isn't the time, child," Drasna replied before taking a sip of her tea that Ramos had just poured for her. She wanted to battle him, but also sensed something was bothering him and clouding his judgements. Almost like he wasn't battling for his usual reason, whatever they may be. "I haven't got the correct Pokémon with me today."
"Please! I'm begging you!" Ash cried out while placing his hands together. He was practically pleading with her to have a battle right now and everyone was shocked by his desire to face her now. But, little did they know that he wanted to face her to continue as Alain told him; to battle powerful trainers with Charizard. And who was more powerful than an Elite Four member?
Placing her cup of tea down, Drasna smiled at the young boy. "Child, I can tell your fire for battling is burning bright and hot but I mustn't accept your request. It wouldn't be fair to face you without my entire team. But," she began to say as a smirk crossed her face. "How does an exhibition match sound. One where the outcome has no effect on your Champion's League challenge?"
"That's perfect!" Ash cried out in joy as he had a smile cross his face. If they could win, then maybe Charizard would control his Mega Evolution.
"Ramos, do you mind at all?" Drasna asked kindly while smiling at the older man. She felt obligated to help the boy with whatever problem he was going through right now. "It'll be just a quick battle."
"No complaints here, you two enjoy yourselves," he replied with a light chuckle as everyone made their way over to the Gym section of the building. "Just do try to keep it from getting out of hand, I just tidied up around here."
"Ash, why are you doing this?" Clemont asked his friend as they trailed behind the two elderly people. It wasn't good to try and battle when he wasn't prepared. "You should use this time to find any weaknesses Drasna has and then use them to your advantage in the official battle."
"Because I have to," Ash responded as he appeared serious. "Alain told me to battle powerful trainers with Charizard and if that means an Elite Four member then so be it. I just know we can get it right in this battle! Charizard doesn't deserve to go through all of this trouble."
"You know, there's always more than one way to cook a dish. That also applies to Pokémon," Cilan stated while raising his index finger. "Perhaps what Alain told you doesn't work with your style of raising Pokémon."
Ash shook his head while continuing to follow behind Drasna. That wasn't it at all and after this battle they would have it all figured out.
Walking down the pathway, the group finally stumbled upon the battlefield. Making their way to their respective sides, Ash and Drasna were both ready to begin. Striding over to the referee box was Clemont, who immediately raised his hand.
"The exhibition match between Ash and Drasna will now begin! Both sides are allowed the usage of three Pokémon and substations are permitted," he explained while dropping his hand downwards. "Begin!"
"Alright, Charizard, I choose you!" Ash yelled out while tossing the Poké Ball forward. Opening up, the Fire and Flying-Type landed on the field with a mighty roar.
"Hmm, quite the interesting choice to begin with," Drasna replied as she pulled a Poké Ball out of her clothes. "Altaria, dear, it's time for a battle."
Tossing the Poké Ball onto the field lightly, the Dragon and Flying-Type emerged from the device and flew into the air. Floating in front of its trainer, Altaria awaited a command.
"It's been a while since we've had a good battle hasn't it, Altaria?" Drasna asked while a warm smile crossed over her face. To everyone watching, her and Ash appeared to be complete opposites. She was calm and relaxed while Ash looked to be itching to get started.
"Charizard, let's show them your Flamethrower!" Ash confidently called out while throwing his left fist forward. They were going to control this battle right from the beginning.
"Counter with Dragon Pulse please," Drasna responded with as they watched the Flamethrower emerge from Charizard's mouth. Opening her own mouth, Altaria launched off a purple beam in the shape of a dragon.
Colliding, the two attacks managed to cancel each other out as neither could overpower the other. The ensuing explosion managed to create a large gust of wind which both Pokémon used to avoid any remnants of the attacks.
"That Flamethrower was quite the attack, child," Drasna replied as she smiled at Ash. It seemed odd, why was she acting so easy going for this match? It didn't make any sense to Ash, even if it was an exhibition she should be going all out.
"That isn't all we have! Charizard, use the gust to pick up speed and then use Steel Wing!" Ash yelled up to the Flame Pokémon as Charizard nodded in response.
"Raww," he grunted while riding the last bit of the gust. Now flying right for Altaria, Charizard's wings glowed a shade of silver as they stiffened up.
"Counter with Sky Attack," Drasna called out at the last second. Flying straight up, the Dragon and Flying-Type dodged Charizard's incoming attack and started to glow a shade of yellow-orange. Performing an aerial backflip, Altaria came soaring right at a shocked Charizard. Unable to do anything in time, Charizard felt the full force of the attack as he was smashed into the ground.
"My, it seems like you're impatient today. Perhaps if you cleared your mind of all worries you'd focus better," Drasna offered advice as Altaria floated upwards following the attack.
Ash smirked at the response as he fixed his hat. "Thanks, but we'll be alright. Charizard and I am just getting started!" Ash explained while pumping his fists upwards. "Now, Charizard fly back up into the air and get behind Altaria!"
Charizard roared in approval as he brushed off the last attack and spread his wings before taking off in a flash. Despite the powerful hit, Charizard wasn't going to be kept down. Flying across the field, Charizard managed to come up behind Altaria and readied for an attack.
"Great, now use Flamethrower!" Ash commanded as the Fire-Type move was being prepared in Charizard's mouth.
"Dodge with Double Team!" Drasna called out as Altaria flashed white for a split second before copies of the Dragon and Flying-Type emerged all around Charizard. The Flamethrower then collided with one of the Altaria before it disappeared, revealing itself to be a copy.
Confused, Charizard continued the attack as it managed to destroy another copy of Altaria. Then, before they even realized it, Altaria and her copies managed to get behind Charizard who was now wide open for a counter attack.
"Altaria, show them your Dragon Pulse!" Drasna yelled out while throwing her open palm outwards. If this was the best this boy could do, then Drasna was surprised he had beaten two Elite Four members already.
"Not this time!" Ash called out, happily surprising Drasna who wondered just what the young boy might have up his sleeve. Pumping his arms by his sides, Ash smirked as he yelled out. "Charizard, close your wings now and freefall towards the ground!"
"Rar," Charizard muttered in agreement as the Flame Pokémon folded his wings inward and began to descend immediately. Altaria continued to get her attack ready, but was just as surprised as her trainer. Not waiting for a command, Altaria and her copies launched off the Dragon Pulse as the large beam chased after Charizard.
"Just a little further..." Ash muttered as he watched Charizard approach the floor. Just as he reached the ground they both looked up and noticed the Dragon Pulse coming right at them. "Just like I wanted! Now, Charizard, push off the ground with all your strength! Fly right at Altaria!"
Without another word, Charizard rocketed straight upwards, flying right past the Dragon Pulse as the attack crashed into the battlefield and kicked up dirt while also creating a powerful gust. That appeared to have been Ash's entire hope since once the gust had kicked up, Charizard appeared to be moving at an even faster speed than before.
"Now use Steel Wing!" Flying faster now thanks to the gust of wind, Charizard was already in front of Altaria as his wings glowed a shade of silver. Smashing hard into the Dragon and Flying-Type, Charizard slashed his wings against Altaria before flying right past her.
"That was quite the idea to use the wind created by an explosion to power up your attack," Drasna applauded as Charizard turned around to face Altaria once more. "But you'll have to do better than that to beat us. Altaria, use your Dragon Pulse!"
"We'll just match you blow for blow! Charizard, Flamethrower!" Ash called out as the two attacks collided in midair once again. This time, Charizard appeared to be overpowering Altaria as his Flamethrower managed to push the Dragon Pulse backwards and forced the two attacks to crash into Altaria. A cloud of smoke covered the Humming Pokémon.
"My, you two seem to be quite in sync," Drasna praised them while Altaria appeared to be only slightly scrapped up from all the attacks. Smiling up at her Pokémon, Drasna decided it was time to end this. "But, how can you handle something like this?"
Touching a bead on her necklace, Drasna appeared to be covered in a bright light. "Altaria, allow us to battle together, Mega Evolve!" She cried out as Altaria's puffy, white feathers parted slightly to show a Mega Stone strapped to her chest. Changing shape, everyone noticed that Altaria's feathers moved from her front to backside as her entire chest was now seeable and her tail grew in length as well.
"Altaria can Mega Evolve!" Serena cried out in shock. None of them had even imagined the possibility of Drasna having a Mega Evolution, but given the fact that both Siebold and Wikstrom had them, it only made sense she did as well.
"It appears so," Cilan responded as he placed his hand underneath his chin, How Ash would respond to this was beyond his imagination, but the one idea he did have didn't sit too well with him. "But, hopefully Ash doesn't try anything too reckless against Altaria. Who knows what it could be hiding."
"It's so cute!" Bonnie cried out as her eyes sparked with excitement. She hadn't been listening to what the others said, instead focusing on the now Mega Evolved Pokémon. It looked like the softest thing she had ever seen before. "I just want to go down and hug it!"
"Still, looks can be deceiving, Bonnie," Cilan said as he tried to teach her, but the young girl was too preoccupied with Altaria to listen. "Just because it looks soft and cuddly, Altaria is still very powerful."
"You could say something like that," Ramos added in as he stroked his white beard. He had seen countless times just how strong Altaria could be. "Altaria is her strongest Pokémon, so Ash shouldn't take it lightly."
"Alright, Charizard, use Flamethrower!" Ash's voice could be heard down on the field as both Pokémon were on the move again. Opening his mouth, Charizard launched off the Fire-Type attack only to be surprised when Altaria didn't make any effort to move. Taking the blast full on, the Dragon and Fairy-Type didn't appear to be harmed at all.
"W-What!?" Ash muttered out when he noticed the Humming Pokémon to be alright. He hadn't been expecting something like that to happen. "Well, we won't stop there! Now, Steel Wing!"
"Counter with Sky Attack," Drasna calmly replied as she narrowed her eyes. Something was different, almost as if Ash was thinking of using something. It was as if his mind wasn't fully on the battle at all.
The two Pokémon both cried out in agreement before charging at their opponent. Clashing in midair, the two of them exchanged blows back and forth before Mega-Altaria finally gained the upper hand. Breaking free for a split second, Mega-Altaria managed to get behind Charizard and slammed hard into his back.
"Rawrrrrrr," he cried out in pain as Mega-Altaria slammed him hard into the ground as a crater formed from the crash. Getting out of the hole, Charizard appeared to be quite beaten up from the last attack. But, that wasn't what worried Ash. Instead, Mega-Altaria appeared to be charging up a Dragon Pulse from point blank range.
"Charizard, you have to move!" Ash called out in concern as he watched the blast be launched right at the Flame Pokémon. There wasn't any time to counter and so they could only dodge. However, when Charizard went to fly, a surge of pain flew through his body making him unable to fly. It appeared as though when he crashed into the ground he had damaged himself.
"Rarrrr," Charizard could only grunt as he felt the full force of the attack blast into him. Being launched backwards, Charizard landed in front of Ash with a loud thud as he just laid there. It looked like Charizard was done.
"You two tried hard, but I don't recommend continuing," Drasna replied, dropping her kind outer appearance. Her voice sounded sterner than anyone imagined it could have been. She wasn't recommending it, but actually telling them to stop, almost as if she knew they couldn't compete against Altaria. "You'll only get yourself hurt."
"Rawwrrr!" Charizard then yelled out as he stood back up shakily. He wasn't one to quit. He would keep going until his body gave out on him, granted it might not be much longer until it happened, but he wasn't going to stop.
"I'm sorry, but as long as Charizard will fight, then so will I," Ash responded as he raised his wrist in front of his face. Seeing it for the first time, Drasna noticed the Keystone embedded in the bracelet on his wrist. "Charizard, we'll show them! Mega Evolve!" He cried out and waited for the transformation to begin.
But, nothing happened. No light, no transformation for Charizard. Nothing. Ash looked on shocked as he pressed the Keystone again only for the same results. Charizard was just as shocked by the outcome as he looked back at Ash. What was happening? Why wasn't it working?
"Mega Evolve!" Ash cried out once more as he grew frustrated. This always worked in the past, but why when they needed it most would it stop working? Finally frustrated by the fact it wouldn't work, Ash stopped with it. "You know, we don't need Mega Evolution to win, we're strong enough on our own!"
"Are you?" Drasna asked curiously. To her, they could barely keep up with Altaria in her base form and now that she had Mega Evolved, they weren't keeping up at all. "Do you honestly believe that you'll be able to win? Charizard is immobile because of his hurt wing and none of your attacks have done anything to harm us."
"That doesn't matter!" Ash called out as he raised a fist in front of his body. "We've been through too much to quit now! This may be just an exhibition match, but what would it show Charizard if I were to just quit on him while he won't quit? I have to continue pushing myself to be a better trainer for him!"
Drasna frowned as she heard his words. Could he not see what was really happening? There was a reason that Charizard didn't Mega Evolve despite having all the necessary pieces. Their bond wasn't as strong as before, there was something that neither of them could see. Sighing, she raised a hand and pointed it outwards. "Very well, Altaria, use Dragon Pulse!"
Once more, the Dragon-Type attack came roaring at them from up above. And just like the last time, Charizard couldn't move at all. Raising his arms upwards to cover his body, Charizard felt the full force of the blast as he skidded backwards. However, he never fell over, instead managing to stay on his feet the entirety of the blast.
"Now! Flamethrower, full power!" Ash commanded as they were practically left with just one attack. Being unable to fly, Charizard couldn't use Steel Wing or Seismic Toss effectively at all. And with his wings hurting, he also couldn't use Air Cutter. Instead, they were going to have to rely on Flamethrower.
"This again," Drasna muttered as she looked at the flame. It was smaller than the other ones he had launched. Something was different and she then looked over at the flame on his tail. It was growing smaller as the battle progressed onwards. Charizard was literally risking his own life to win this match. "Dodge with Double Team and then use Dragon Pulse to end this!"
"Tarriaaa!" The Humming Pokémon sang out as she flashed white as the Flamethrower crashed through one of her new copies. They then all started to charge up the familiar move once more as they all launched the attack at the same time.
"Charizard!" Ash yelled out in concern as the Flame Pokémon took the entire blast head on once more. Smoke covered the entire area as no one could see Ash or Charizard due to the thickness of the blast.
"This match is over," Drasna muttered while recalling Altaria to her Poké Ball. From what she witnessed today, there was no reason to continue and there was no way Ash could win with this thought process.
The smoke then cleared to show Charizard still standing to the surprise of everyone watching. How in the world was he able to still battle after that? That was when Drasna noticed he was actually knocked out, but his will to continue on was forcing him to stand. His tail was practically out by this point and his body was beaten and broken but his will kept him standing.
"Charizard, can keep battling, so this isn't over yet," Ash said, unaware of what had happened. He had to push through it, just like Alain told him to. If Charizard saw how he never quit, then maybe he would listen when Mega Evolved. Then, to his shock, Charizard collapsed on the ground defeated. "Charizard are you alright!?"
No response. Charizard just laid there motionless as his tail flame grew weaker. Noticing this for the first time all battle, Ash quickly recalled his fainted Pokémon into his Poké Ball. He just had to get Charizard to a Pokémon Center before it was too late. Not waiting for his friends, Ash sprinted out of the Gym and back down the street.
"Nurse Joy, how's my Charizard going to be?" Ash asked as the Nurse Joy of this Center walked out of the ER with Wigglytuff behind her. It didn't look good as Ash looked through the window to see Charizard stretched out across a bed with all sorts of machines strapped to his body. "Will he be alright?"
"Charizard will be just fine," Nurse Joy responded as Ash immediately looked back towards the window. "All of his vitals are showing he'll make a fast recovery, but he suffered a lot of injuries from that last battle. What exactly happened if I may ask?"
"He was being reckless," Drasna's voice interrupted as she walked down the hall followed by everyone else. She didn't appear to be smiling at all, but instead frowning at the young boy. "Despite seeing he had no chance he continued to battle while Charizard took hit after hit. There was no reason to continue on once I Mega Evolved Altaria."
"And what, forfeit?" Ash asked back with a slight tone of annoyance. He wasn't upset at Drasna, more so at himself for allowing this to happen. Charizard appeared fine throughout the entire battle but now... Well, now he was in the ER. "We never give up and always battle our best!"
"Ash, calm down," Serena tried to tell him as she walked in between the two trainers. They didn't need anything to happen here at the Center. Drasna was only trying to help him. "Just relax, you didn't do anything wrong."
"Stop protecting him," Drasna shot out to the surprise of everyone except Ramos. Not many had seen this side of Drasna, this was her strict side. Like a mother she could be kind, but then there were times that she knew tough love was required. "He nearly had his Charizard killed just to continue battling. Throughout that entire battle his tail flame was growing weaker and yet you allowed him to continue on!"
"It doesn't matter how strong you believe yourselves to be, you always put the health of your Pokémon before the importance of an exhibition match. Someone trying to be a Champion would know when to give up and grow stronger instead of pushing through insurmountable odds." Drasna was upset with him, Ash had been reckless the entire battle and because of it Charizard was here.
"I didn't mean to do it!" He shot back, slightly taken aback by her words. He hadn't even noticed his flame weakening during the battle at all.
"I understand that," she replied more calmly. "But you need to be more responsible for your actions. What would have happened if his flame went out?" She asked, but instead of waiting for an answer she continued to speak. "Charizard would have died if his flame went out. Now tell me, is that worth a battle?"
"No, not at all," Ash muttered in response as he first looked over at Charizard from behind the glass and then to the Keystone on his wrist. "We're just frustrated since we can't get this Mega Evolution to work. We've tried everything!"
Drasna smiled down at the boy in front of him, she knew deep down he was good but just confused due to some overwhelming emotions. Some of them she could tell were with Charizard but there were others as well. "Ash, what advice were you told exactly?"
"Charizard and I were told to challenge powerful trainers. You see, whenever Charizard Mega Evolves, we lose control of the evolution and he stops listening to me. We just don't understand why it happens," he responded while continuing to look at the Keystone. "And then today, we couldn't even Mega Evolve."
"That's because you're looking at it in the wrong sense," Drasna explained to the young trainer. She could tell that by using someone else's way it had placed a strain on his relationship with Charizard. "You two are so focused on getting the process right, that you're missing the little things that are right in front of you."
Those words sounded familiar to Ash, they were almost the words of advice Ramos had given him prior to their Gym Match. Not waiting for a reply, Drasna then continued on with her answer. "You two have become so scared of failure, you've lost the one thing that made your bond; trust. Now, it's nothing but a shell of itself. You both have a deep friendship, but just from our battle I can see cracks in the foundation of it. Don't let something special be ruined over this."
"But, how do we work this out?" Ash asked as he practically pleaded with the Elite Four member. "What can we do to figure out a way to overcome this problem?"
"That's for you to figure out. But for right now, you two trying to just push through has only made things worse. I can sense that Charizard was nervous yet you still tried to Mega Evolve. To fully master Mega Evolution, you have to have a true bond with your Pokémon. You have to understand exactly how their feeling. How they react to a certain situation. You two have to be practically one."
Ash let Drasna's words seep into his mind. The entire time he thought Charizard had been fine with trying to force the Mega Evolution and just fight their way through their issues. Could this have actually hindered them? And, what was Charizard so nervous about, it wasn't about Mega Evolving, was it? Whatever the issues were, the two of them were going to figure them out together.
"You're right," he finally managed to say while lowering his head. He was disappointed in himself since not only was this the second time something similar had happened, but both times he had been too enticed by the thought of power. "I was too caught up in trying to fix this problem that I only made it worse and now Charizard is hurt when he never should have been. But, the next time we face off, it'll be different."
"I hope so, child," Drasna responded while giving him a warm and motherly smile. She was hoping for a real battle from him, one that would give her a thrill just as her match with Diantha had given her one all those years ago. "And I'll be waiting for your challenge. But for now, I have to leave." And with that, Drasna turned around and left the Center. Ramos quickly excused himself by saying his goodbyes while also wishing both Ash and Serena good luck on the rest of their journeys.
Once gone, it was back to being the five of them as Ash just stood there looking at the glass. He didn't move a single muscle as he was too fixated on watching Charizard. "I'm so sorry, Charizard. I never meant for it to come to this. If I knew you were scared of losing control, then I never would have pushed us as far as I did. I'm sorry..." he thought to himself as he clenched his fists and lowered his head in frustration before looking back through the glass window.
"The tournament should be announced shortly," Lance said as he spoke over the safe connection. He had finally gotten the last bits of approval from the League Committee and so it was a go. They would use the tournament as a trap to lure Team Rocket. "Trainers will be receiving their invitations shortly and those who haven't been invited will hear about open registration over a news broadcast. And hopefully so will Giovanni."
"And so you want us to enter as well," Michael asked as a grin plastered his face. It had been a long time since he had entered a real battle and so the thought excited him.
"No," Lance's responded quickly as Michael's smile faded away. He had a good reason behind it as well. "Michael you will not be entering since we'll need someone on the inside when everything happens. However, Silver, you'll enter and compete. So that way you'll be there when it happens as well."
"Why me?" Silver asked as he crossed his arms over his chest. Personally, he didn't mind battling but at the moment he only had one thought on his mind: to find Giovanni and capture him. "Why not switch me and Michael's roles?"
Lance shook his head as a smile crossed over his face. "I don't think so. You see, Michael is too recognizable. Unlike you, we can't change his hair style and make him look different if even just slightly. However, there is one more thing before I get going. We're sending you a little help."
"Help?" The duo asked, both equally confused and curious. Before when they asked if any help was coming they had been told no, but why the sudden the change in plan?
"Who exactly is coming?" Silver asked, getting right to the bottom of things. Once they could figure it out, then they could start planning on how to capture Giovanni and end this entire threat.
"I'm not sure," Lance explained as a file of information appeared over the connection. It appeared to be a file on some agent of sorts, but neither Silver or Michael had seen a profile like this. "He isn't one of us," Lance added in as he noticed their expressions.
"The League Committee only agreed to this entire plan under one condition: that we allow the International Police to be involved as well. And so, they're sending a few men out to meet with you. They should be there within the next few days to plan something," Lance finished up as he heard someone knocking on his door. "I have to go now, if anything comes up, please contact me immediately." And without another word, the call had ended.
"So, we actually get some help," Michael said with a smile as he threw his arms behind his head. "I wonder who it'll be. Maybe a cute girl," he muttered before feeling a whack over the back of his head.
"You know, for someone who is a top agent you think way too much about girls," Silver answered as he prepared himself to strike again. Sometimes he wondered just how he even got involved with the G-Men with an attitude like this.
"When you've been through some of the things I have, you need to stay loose and keep your mind off of the hard times," Michael answered as he swung an arm over Silver. "I'll have to tell you some of my stories later on."
And well, that's the end of the chapter. Man, why do I always have my favorite Pokémon get beaten so badly? Honestly, I don't know why I wanted to but it was an idea that came to me to have Charizard always be beaten when I made the outline for this story. Hopefully when he gets his moment it makes up for everything. And yes, Alain's advice hurt Ash instead of helping him. That's what happens when someone tells you to "fight strong people all the time". Like, how would battling in Charizard's base help when it's in his Mega Evolution that he doesn't listen? That's for a different chapter though. Oh and one final thought before I let you go, it's a head canon of mine that Drasna was the previous Champion prior to Diantha and became an Elite Four member following the retirement of a previous one.
Now, about how updates will work from here on out. For the time being, it'll be one update a week with a possible second one depending on how many chapters I have finished and what school looks like for me.
Thank you to everyone who read the chapter and supports this story. Please leave a review letting me know what you enjoyed and how I can improve the story.