38. Day Of The Blaze Part One

Chapter 38. Day Of The Blaze. Part One

Summary. More tests for Paul, while Olly and Jim managed to save Cynthia.

Olly, Jim and Cynthia appeared in the woods on Starburst Island.

"That was weird." Cynthia muttered.

"What day is it?" Jim asked worried. "I have a battle."

"Hey, battling Dialga and Palkia was good practice at least." Olly remarked. "Whatever Harrison throws at you, you can still claim to have had a part in beating a legendary Pokemon senseless. Even if you lose."

"Don't give me advice." Jim said, dejectedly. "It really isn't reassuring."

"I think you'll beat Harrison." Cynthia said, giving her brother some support. "I was flattered by the way you two decided to come looking for me."

"Actually, we had no idea what we were looking for, and got into the Hall of Origin by accident." Olly admitted.

"I'm going over to the stadium to get ready." Jim remarked. "I need to give my Pokemon some encouragement before the battle."

"Good luck." Olly said.

Jim was walking into the stadium, when his opponent encountered him.

"Hello Jim." Harrison said. "Long time no see."

"I didn't realise you were here until I heard I was drawn against you."

"Me neither." Harrison replied. "I wasn't listening to who else was in this competition."

"Nice to know." Jim replied, sarcastically. "How've you been?"

"Great. I've been looking forward to this." Harrison said. "Time to test out the Pokemon I caught in the other regions against a real opponent."

"Do your worst." Jim laughed. "I've beaten you before."

"I can reciprocate." Harrison replied. "What was the record?"

"Don't recall, but I'm pretty sure I'm on top."

"That you might be, but just because I'm your friend, don't think I'm going to hold back from beating you. My luck has to change sometime."

"I hope you don't." Jim grinned. "I'm looking forward to seeing Blaziken again."

"And likewise with Bayleef." Harrison said. "See you in an hour."

Ash had withdrawn Gible, after he had taken a phone call from Tracey, saying that the Land Shark was missing him. He had felt bad about sending Gible to Oak's lab, but he had needed to clear his squad for the battle with Steven. Sometimes, the rule of six was a pain.

May had been happy to see Gible again, and Gible had replied that affection by biting her finger.

Paul and Anabel were walking back towards the resort, when they felt a strange shaking in the ground.

"What's that?" Paul asked, as they heard a crash.

"Uh oh." Anabel said, as a pack of angry Ursaring approached them from the woods.

"Ursaring?" Paul asked.

Anabel went quiet, as she reached out to them. She then shook in fear as their anger threatened to overcome her.

"Hey, stay back!" Paul said, as he reached for a Pokeball.

"Paul, no." Anabel whispered, as she grabbed his arm. "They're too powerful."

"I don't care how powerful they are." Paul hissed, as Anabel cried out in pain. His voice was instantly full of concern. "What's wrong?"

"Their anger." Anabel said. "They are so angry. They want to kill us."

"Not going to happen." Paul snarled. "Rhyperior, Torterra go."

Paul sent out his Pokemon. The pack of six Ursaring looked angrily at the intruders.

"Paul, you can't attack them." Anabel said. "We're in their territory, and they will defend it."

"What do you suggest then?" Paul asked, as Anabel took a Pokeball out.

"Metagross, Barrier."

Metagross burst from its Pokeball, and created a barrier. The Ursaring angrily slashed at it, but nothing was giving.

"Time to run." Anabel remarked, as she called Metagross over. She jumped on its back, and dragged Paul on board. "Metagross can fly, so let's go!"

Metagross folded its legs underneath it, and started to use them as jets. Paul and Anabel watched as they accelerated away from the Ursaring.

"You shouldn't have come after me!" Cynthia yelled.

"Why, I didn't know what was going to happen."

"Then you are a moron for fooling around with time."

"I never said I was smart." Olly protested. "You were the one who forced that pearl into my hand, and I was obligated for finding out about it. You know how I have a habit of doing stupid things."

"That's true." Cynthia conceded. "I had forgotten."

Jim had his Pokemon with him in the changing room. Bayleef, his oldest and most trusted friend. Skorupi, Combusken, Absol, Glaceon and Umbreon. All Pokemon he had captured through his journeys. They would win together, or lose together, but either way, they were going to put up one hell of a fight.

Harrison sat in his own room, his Blaziken stood nearby, arms folded.

"Are you ready for this?" He asked.

"Blaze!"

"Then." Harrison replied, as he heard the bells ringing to get them out on stage. "Let's get ready to rumble."

"Ken!"

He put Blaziken back in the Pokeball, and started to walk out.

"Do you think Gible will stop biting everyone soon?" May asked.

"It's just a sign of affection." Ash replied. "Given that it's the only way to show affection."

"Pikapikapikachu." Pikachu laughed.

"What's your plan for beating Gary?" May asked.

"I thought I might knock out his Pokemon before he knocks out mine." Ash replied, casually. "Plus with Nightmare on my side, and listening to me, I can beat anyone."

Gary was enjoying the massage. He was glad that he had accepted her offer.

"You enjoying this?" Misty asked, as she ran her palms across his back.

"Oh yeah." Gary replied, dreamily.

"I used to do this for my Togepi." She continued.

"What happened to Togepi?" Gary asked. "You had it in Kanto, Johto and the Orange Islands."

"I went to Hoenn, and something came up." Misty said. "I met up with Ash, and we were attacked by someone who wanted to control the Mirage Kingdom. Said kingdom was full of Togepi, and my Togepi evolved to protect them. I left it behind, and not seen it since."

"Hey Mist." Gary replied. "When this tournament is finished, want to go to Hoenn, and see of we can find Togetic?"

"Love to." Misty said. Her eyes were shining, but Gary couldn't see it. "Seeing Togetic again could be good."

"We have the first match of round three today, and what a match to kick it off with. Jim Jacobs, the former champion of Hoenn facing off against Harrison James, a powerful trainer from Littleroot Town. Sparks could fly here, as these two trainers aspire to reach the next round. We are sure to see an exotic array of talented Pokemon. I would like to remind you that from this match onward, the stage will not be changed at half time. This is going to start as a grass battlefield, and it will finish as a grass battlefield. Each trainer can use six Pokemon, and the battle is over when all of a trainers Pokemon are unable to battle. After three Pokemon have been defeated for one trainer, we will go for a fifteen minute break."

Jim and Harrison faced each other across the arena.

"You ready for this?" Jim asked.

"You aren't?" Harrison replied.

"Trainers, can you pick your first Pokemon."

"Go, Drimblim." Harrison said, sending out the strange bulb shaped Pokemon.

Jim was slightly surprised by the choice, but he quickly grabbed one of his own.

"Absol, time to battle."

Elias stood watching from the roof of his hotel. He came up here to think. Being alone was one of the only times he could think calmly. He could have been battling Paul tomorrow, but instead he had done the right thing. Cynthia, despite what he had thought, wasn't a bad person. Faith had convinced him that he had been wrong, despite being controlled by Gengar. He had been grabbed while going for a walk in the morning. The thought of that Gengar using his Pokemon made his blood boil, as he saw the events of that day flash before his eyes. He saw his Empoleon fire the Hydro Pump and land the powerful blast of water on Cynthia. He felt the despair as she collapsed to the ground, and ceased to breath. He then felt the pain, as Dragonite slammed a tail into his chest and freed him from Nightmare's control. Finally, he felt the humiliation of dropping out of the tournament.

Elias was still thinking, when he heard the beating of wings. He looked up and saw an Aerodactyl floating above him.

"What the...?" He muttered, as someone dropped from the back of the ancient Pokemon. They landed on the ground without sustaining any injuries.

"Mr. Mao." The tall woman with long brown hair said. It seemed to be a statement, rather than a question.

"Yes." Elias replied. "What do you want?"

"My name is Claudia Coppinger, and I would like to have a quick talk with you."

"Drifblim vs Absol. Begin."

"Absol, Thunder." Jim shouted.

Absol charged up a blast of electricity and launched it at Drifblim.

"Evade, and use Silver Wind." Harrison said.

Drifblim faded away, before sending a powerful wind at Absol, doing quite a bit of damage. Drifblim also looked stronger after it.

"Silver Wind can of course raise the users abilities."

"Damn!" Jim shouted. "Use Water Pulse."

"Double Team." Harrison countered, as Absol fired an orb of water at Drimblim.

Drifblim evaded the attack, by making several copies of itself. The Water Pulse faded into nothing.

"What are you going to do now?" Harrison asked.

"Faint Attack." Jim said.

Absol vanished, and then reappeared behind the real Drifblim, who was on the end of a powerful slash from Absol's head blade.

"Absol strikes back."

"Yeah, now use Night Slash!"

Absol roared, and ran the blade across the back of Drifblim, knocking it out. As Jim was about to celebrate, Drifblim exploded, and the Aftermath knocked Absol out. Jim was speechless, as the referee raised both his flags.

"Absol and Drifblim are unable to battle. This match is a draw."

Jim and Harrison recalled their Pokemon.

"I thought Absol was tougher than that." Harrison joked. "Now, Venusaur, let's battle."

Jim sighed, as Harrison sent out the final evolved form of Bulbasaur.

"That's a new one." Jim remarked.

"Caught this guy in Kanto when he was a Bulbasaur." Harrison replied. "Do something against him, and I'll be surprised."

"Skorupi, go." Jim shouted, throwing a Pokeball.

Skorupi appeared on the grass.

"I don't get what you are trying to do here." Harrison remarked.

"You wouldn't." Jim quipped.

Metagross charged through the trees, narrowly avoiding several of them.

"Do you even know where we are going?" Paul asked, as he ducked a low branch.

"I have a vague idea." Anabel replied, as Metagross stopped suddenly. Paul and Anabel didn't even have time to brace themselves as they were thrown from the back of Metagross. They crashed to the rapidly melting snow, and had the wind knocked out of them.

"That hurt." Paul remarked, as he tried to see if his ribs were all still unbroken.

"Yep." Anabel coughed, as she tried to discover what the soft thing she had landed on was.

To both trainers horror, it was another Ursaring. It wasn't happy about being woken up either.

"Crap." Paul muttered, as it advanced on them. He tried to reach for a Pokeball in defense, but he saw them laid on the ground several feet away.

Anabel had the same problem, so neither of them could do anything but watch as the giant bear approached them.

"Venusaur, Razor Leaf."
Venusaur fired a barrage of powerful leaves at Skorupi, who didn't seem too badly hurt by the attack.

"Pin Missile." Jim ordered.

Skorupi fired several needles at Venusaur who looked to take some damage from the attack.

"Now, how about Shadow Ball."

Skorupi fired a ball of dark energy at Venusaur who roared in pain under the attack.

"Venusaur, Take Down."

Venusaur charged across the arena and slammed into Skorupi, sending it flying.

"Use Earthquake."
As Skorupi landed in a heap, Venusaur reared up and sent a powerful shockwave at the Scorpion Pokemon.

"This could be bad for Jim and Skorupi!"

"Endure!"

Skorupi was thrown into the air, by the force of the attack, but managed to survive.

Jim suddenly had an idea. It might not save Skorupi, but it might make the rest of his battle easier.

"Use Toxic Spikes."

Skorupi fired several small purple spikes at Venusaur, surrounding it. Venusaur wasn't affected, but Jim knew that any Pokemon Harrison used in the future would take damage from them.

"Let's knock Skorupi out with a Vine Whip."

"Dodge it." Jim shouted.

Skorupi managed to avoid the gauntlet of vines.

"Rock Tomb."

Skorupi landed on the ground, and slammed a claw into the grass. Seconds later, several rocks were flung up and smashed into Venusaur.

"Razor Leaf."

Venusaur fired more leaves at Skorupi, who was looking fatigued from the effort. It screeched as the leaves sliced into its armour, and knocked it out.

"Skorupi is unable to battle. Venusaur is the winner."

The crowd gave Skorupi a round of applause, as Jim recalled it.

"That Venusaur is powerful alright." He admitted. "Let's find out how powerful, Glaceon, I need you."

Jim sent out Glaceon, causing the crowd the cheer. Glaceon was a popular Pokemon.

"This is going to get interesting." Harrison said.

Ash and May watched as Gible was playing with Pikachu. Pikachu would zap Gible with electric attacks, and Gible would laugh.

"Pikachu is so great." Ash said. "Reminds me of the way he used to play with Phanpy."

"I remember that." May smiled. "When we travelled through the Battle Frontier."

"May." Ash said. "What are you going to do after this tournament?"

"Well, I'm sticking around until you either win or get knocked out. And I'm hoping you'll win."

"I guess I'll go back to my training, but I'd rather be with you."

"Really?"

"Of course." Ash replied. "These last few weeks have been such a rush."

"I noticed that it had an effect on us." May laughed. "You proposed after a fortnight, and I sang that song to you."

"What Light of my life?"

"Yeah." May said. "I should release a CD for that. I'd make a fortune."

"Glaceon, use Ice Beam."

"Use Razor Leaf." Harrison said.

Venusaur fired several leaves into the air, and blocked the beam.

"Grab it with Vine Whip."

Venusaur grabbed Glaceon with it's vines.

"Slam her into the ground."

Venusaur slammed Glaceon into the ground, causing her tremendous pain.

"Use Ice Shard."

Glaceon managed to recover and launched a powerful spear of ice at Venusaur who roared in anger.

"Venusaur, use Seed Bomb."

Venusaur launched a powerful seed shaped bomb at Glaceon who mewled in pain.

Jim could see that Glaceon was taking a huge amount of damage.

"We have to finish this now." He exclaimed. "Use Ice Beam."

"Venusaur, Solar Beam."

With incredible speed, Venusaur charged and fired a powerful beam of solar energy at Glaceon's oncoming Ice Beam. The two attacks collided, and created a huge explosion. The smoke created filled the arena, and obscured the vision of almost everyone in the stadium.

"What is happening down there?"

"Glaceon." Jim shouted, worried about his Pokemon.

Harrison remained impassive, but Jim could tell that behind his eyes, he was worried about Venusaur.

Eventually the smoke cleared, and everyone could see that both Pokemon had fainted. For the second time in the match, the referee raised both his flags.

"Glaceon and Venusaur are unable to battle. This match is a draw."

"How about that? We now go to a fifteen minute break, and Jacobs is behind. His Absol, Skorupi and Glaceon have been defeated, but he has knocked out Drifblim and Venusaur. What will happen next in this thrilling match."

Jim headed down to the changing room. He saw Harrison go down his own way, and he knew one thing.

It was going to be one hell of a conclusion.

Author's Notes. Note the Part One part in the title.

I've had a busy day for one reason or another, so this chapter is a bit shorter. Plus, I wanted to try it out with a two parter.

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed.

Cliff hangers. Three of them to be precise. The Paul and Anabel one. The Jim and Harrison one, and the Elias one.

For anyone who doesn't know, Harrison is the trainer who knocked Ash out of the Johto Silver Conference.

Don't forget to review.