Welcome back everyone. Last time, we came to a conclusion for the Charizard mini-arc which culminated in Ash being able to finally have Charizard see him as his equal while Mega Evolved. Elsewhere, Looker showed up and things seem to be getting interesting.
Ch 38: An Electrifying Battle
"You didn't have to cut off all ties to your son," Silver replied as he looked down at the ground. They had different reasons. Michael wanted to protect his son and Silver wanted to bring his father to justice. "You could have just quit the G-Men."
"Heh, a friend told me the same thing," Michael said as he leaned back in his seat. "But, I've always lived by the thought that if I can help create a better place for the future generations then it'll work out for the best. You know what I mean? Like, you kids are the next generation. If I can help you all out the best I can, then I did something right for once." Standing up, Michael tossed his coffee cup into the trash before looking back at the boy sitting down. "We should probably head back before they grow suspicious. Come on."
However, to their surprise, there appeared to be a man in a brown trench coat standing before them. "Michael and Silver?" The man asked before receiving a head nod of agreement from the two. "I've been sent by the International Police to help. My partner is on his way from Unova right now. But, for the time being you can call me Looker."
"And I thought Silver was a strange name," Michael muttered as he looked at the man before them. He definitely looked like a guy who would be a detective of sorts.
"I heard that!" Silver yelled at his partner in rage. Just when he thought they were getting to know each other better.
Looker laughed at the situation before himself before growing more serious. "You see; Looker is but merely a code name for myself. My true identity shall remain hidden for security purposes and to protect my family and friends."
"You should have done something like that," Silver muttered as he looked up at Michael. To think, this guy was actually a father. That fact alone shocked Silver more than it should have.
"Now's not the time," Michael muttered back as he tried to think of his own jab to throw Silver's way. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't able to.
"From my intel, I've learned that you two have been working undercover within the Kalos branch of Team Rocket," Looker stated as he looked back and forth between both of them. "Could either of you explain what's been happening since your arrival?"
Silver and Michael exchanged glances before the former sighed. "We don't know much about anything here. Their leaders are very secretive but what we do know is that they're building some sort of weapon."
"A weapon," Looker muttered as he rubbed his chin. It was a good thing that he had been sent out here after all. Especially if there was a weapon of sorts being built. "Could you tell me anything else? Like a reason or who's in charge? Even the slightest details might be important here."
"Reasons, don't really know of any," Michael responded with a shrug. They really hadn't been told much. It was more of them being told where to go and not so much of why. "But, a while back they wanted to study psychic waves and how some Pokémon can use them to control others."
"Sounds vaguely similar to a plot of theirs that I heard happened years ago," Looker responded as he wrote the information down on a notebook. "Now, any names. Those could be the most important when it comes to any unknown details. Any previous history could help me uncover more clues."
"There's a girl. She has this reddish hair that swirls around. Her name was Jessie," Michael started off with as he used his hands to describe Jessie's hair. "And then this guy, he has blueish hair and finally a talking Meowth."
"A talking Meowth!?" Looker cried out in confusion. They couldn't be who he thought they were, could they? There was only one talking Meowth he knew of and his two friends had helped him in the past. In his previous encounters with them they had been anything but evil. "Are you sure about that? I know three people like that and they're anything but evil. More like, bumbling idiots who mean well."
"Oh they're idiots for sure," Silver responded as he handed a picture of them to Looker. "How they were handed Admin positions is beyond my thought process. These three are in charge of this entire branch and yet all I ever hear from them is something about Showcases. And then they vanish for weeks with no word for why."
Looker stares at the picture hard and long. These were the three from Sinnoh and Unova yet here they were. "This has to be a mistake, there's no way these three could lead Team Rocket. Perhaps they are nothing more than a hoax. A way for Giovanni to work from the shadows and if things go wrong, the perfect scapegoats."
"Try again," Silver muttered as he took the picture back. Was it that hard to just admit these guys were evil? "There has been no communication with any outside branches. Everything has been done on their own accord."
"Very well, you two keep up the good work," Looker mentioned to them before turning away from them, his trench coat blowing in the wind. "I'll leave you for now. Explore the city, gather clues, anything that could possibly unravel this case. Good day to you." With that, Looker walked away from the two G-Men who just stood there confused.
"It's great to be back in Lumiose City! I wonder if daddy's home?" Bonnie asked as she skipped down the sidewalk. Clemont and Cilan were behind her as Clemont tried to make sure she didn't run into anyone and Serena lagged behind them.
"Bonnie, you need to be more careful!" Clemont cried out as he used his Aipom Arm to grab ahold of her and keep her from running into a person. "You can't just run off like this. You need to watch out for others."
"Clemont, can't you be a little easier on her?" Serena asked as she brought up the rear. Clutching Ash's hat, she wondered if he had made it here yet. "Bonnie's just excited to be home. Plus, maybe Ash has already made it here and he's waiting at your house."
"I know, but I can't help it," Clemont sighed as he released his sister from his invention's clutches. "But, maybe you're right. Ash could already be here. We should get going."
"It's quite amusing," Cilan stated while letting out a chuckle. "Your sibling relationship reminds me of my own. You see, as siblings, our bonds with our brothers and sisters is like that of a lemonade. Too much sweetness and it is bitter but not enough and it'll turn sour. But, when one uses the correct amount, it turns into a drink of perfection."
"Sure, whatever you say, Cilan," Bonnie muttered as everyone looked on confused at the Pokémon Connoisseur. Sometimes his little outbursts were strange.
"How you two remind me of the times my brothers and I would argue before coming together in our times of need," Cilan continued on as the others walked on ahead without him.
"I really hope Ash is here," Serena stated to the group as she held onto his hat. "It's been almost a week since he left."
"Yeah, you must really miss him, Bonnie teased as Serena turned a light shade of pink. "You haven't let that hat out of your hands except for when you sleep. It's as if you're worried for him more than us."
"D-Don't be silly, Bonnie," Serena began to say as she felt her face heating up. This girl was going to be the end of her one day if she continued to mess with her. "It's... It's just that... That he's in the Badlands by himself. And well, when Charizard Mega Evolves he kind of loses control." It wasn't a lie, but Serena did leave out how she was missing him. Charizard could always lose control again and with no one with Ash, who knows what would happen.
"Uh huh," Bonnie replied as she stared at Serena with a grin. Her story obviously didn't fool Bonnie at all. "Well, perhaps you'll be able to check up on him if he's at home."
"Speaking about Ash, I wonder if they've finally figured out a way to Mega Evolve properly," Clemont muttered as they turned down a street. It had been over a week since they had last seen Ash at all and the others were wondering if he had mastered it yet
"I hope, tomorrow's my next Showcase and I hope he'll be there for it," Serena muttered before Pikachu rubbed his head against her cheek.
"Pikaaa," he cried out while trying to cheer her up. He missed Ash just as much as everyone else if not more than everyone.
"You must really miss him, don't you Pikachu?" Serena asked before scratching behind his ear. She had never seen the duo separated before and so this was strange for her. "I'm sure he'll be here."
Walking around the corner once more, the group came to a stop as they noticed Meyer talking to someone. "Huh, who's dad talking to?" Clemont asked as they could make out his father, Clembot and a third boy who was too far away to distinguish.
"Whoever it is, things appear to be heating up just like a Tamato Berry," Cilan explained as they noticed the boy throw his hands up in frustration. They could now make out his features a little better and noticed he was roughly Ash's height with dark blue hair that branched off in all directions. He was dressed in a white and red jacket and had blue pants on to go along with red sneakers.
As they walked closer, the group could start to make out the ongoing conversation that was occurring. "I'm sorry, but this is the current Gym Leader," Meyer could be heard saying as he pointed to Clembot.
"If you want a battle you'll have to accept that Clembot will be your opponent. Clemont isn't around right now since he's away. And the fill in is Clembot."
"I'm not interested in battling a robot," the boy stated with a sound of frustration in his voice. "I traveled all the way from Unova to compete at the Kalos League and I have no intention of earning my eighth Gym Badge from a machine!"
"What kind of Gym Leader leaves his Gym to travel? I had heard stories about the Lumiose Gym Leader helping to protect the city during an attack. Yet when I come to challenge him he's nowhere to be seen. I'm disappointed in the fact he's too weak to fight his own battles and instead has a tin-can take his place."
"I don't appreciate the way you're talking about my friend like that," Clemont stated as he and the others walked up behind the boy. "I'm flattered that you traveled all the way here to face me personally, but Clembot is more than a robot, he's family to me and you can't just say that about him."
"So, you're the electric whiz kid, Clemont," the boy stated as he placed his two hands in his pockets. "The name's Hugh. I've traveled all the way from Unova and I want a Gym Battle. If you're not scared of course."
Clemont looked on with determination in his face. He may not know who this Hugh was or why he came to the Lumiose Gym for his final Gym Badge, but he couldn't just insult Clembot or even himself for that matter. "I'll gladly accept your request. If you could follow me to the Gym please," he stated before passing by Hugh, an air of confidence only seen during his Gym Battle with Ash and when Team Flare attacked his city.
"Now, we're talking," Hugh muttered while smirking. Moving forward with an equal amount of confidence in his own step, Hugh seemed ready for this match. He had been looking forward to this.
"I've never seen Clemont like this," Serena muttered to Bonnie as they all followed behind the two trainers. He seemed like a completely different person right now.
"Well, his pride as a Gym Leader is on the line," Cilan joined in while he pointed upwards with one finger and waved it back and forth. "He's not battling just any trainer, this guy specifically searched for Clemont's Gym like a chef searches for only the freshest ingredients. Imagine if someone called Ash out, he would be ready to prove them wrong as well."
"There isn't any need to worry though," Bonnie said as she smiled widely. "Clemont has this one easily. He's much stronger than when he battled Ash and look at how close that was."
"I wouldn't be too confident about that Bonnie," Meyer stated while ruffling the hair on his daughter's head. "Even Clemont knows that his challengers would most likely counter his Electric-Types with Ground-Type Pokémon. He knows that he'll need to work hard for this battle as not only to give the challenger a great battle but for his pride as both a Gym Leader and an Electric-Type specialist."
"I will be today's referee for the match," Clembot spoke as he pointed towards himself with his metallic hands. "The match is between the Gym Leader Clemont and the challenger, Hugh of Aspertia City. The match will be a three-on-three with the winner being decided upon when one side loses all three of their Pokémon. Finally, the challenger will be allowed to switch out freely. Now, begin!" He cried out while dropping his arm towards the ground.
"I expect you to give it your all," Clemont stated to Hugh as he raised a Poké Ball up near his chest. Tossing it forward, he cried out. "Come on out, Luxray!"
With a light thud, the Electric-Type landed on the ground as he got down low, ready to pounce at whoever his opponent may be. "Lux," he muttered in anticipation. Battling with Clembot was one thing, but alongside Clemont was something completely different.
"An Electric-Type, just as I thought," Hugh muttered as he reached into the pouch that was strapped to his waist. Pulling out his own Poké Ball, the Unova native tossed it forward. "Flygon, you're us first!" As the device opened up, the Dragon and Ground-Type emerged in the air as he flew above the field waiting for the first command.
"You're not the first Electric-Type Gym I've faced and this time I'm completely prepared for it," Hugh remarked as he smirked at the blond Gym Leader across from him. "Since Ground-Types are immune to Electric-Types I'll be able to see just what you're really made of."
Clemont just smirked back as the two appeared to be in a stare down as neither broke their stare. "Perhaps if you challenged me before my travels you might have me there but a friend of mine has taught me there's more to a battle than just type matchups. Luxray, use Electric Terrain!"
"Luxray!" The Gleam Eyes Pokémon cried out happily as electricity surged from his body and covered the entire Gym floor. The field was now covered in a yellow tint as electricity surged off of the ground.
"Hmm, obviously a plan to set up for later on," Hugh muttered as he watched the now changed field with interest. Perhaps it would come into play later on, but for now he had to focus on the match in front of him.
"Alright, Flygon start off with a Flamethrower attack!" Flygon nodded in agreement before flying forward towards Luxray. Once within range, the Mystic Pokémon opened his mouth as flames began to form. Launching the Fire-Type move, Flygon appeared to have landed a direct hit.
Clemont watched on as the Flamethrower approached his Pokémon and looked at the situation with a clear mind. One thought was running through his head on how to avoid this attack: be like Ash. Nodding to himself, Clemont threw his left hand forward. "Luxray, use your hind legs as a spring! Avoid the attack and then counter with Swift!"
Doing just as he was asked, Luxray readied his hind legs as he waited for the perfect opportunity to dodge. Waiting until the stream of flames were about to crash onto him, Luxray jumped upwards, shocking Hugh with his incredible leaping abilities before swinging his tail forward. A stream of stars soon formed from the backend of his tail as all of them crashed into Flygon.
"If you want this badge, you'll have to do better than this," Clemont told his opponent only to be shocked to see Flygon fully recovered already.
"Don't worry, I plan on it," Hugh replied as he threw his right fist forward. "Dragon Rush! Now that Luxray has no way to dodge he's open for an attack!" Flying forward, Flygon was soon enveloped in blue energy that took on the shape of a Dragon and was now heading right for a falling Luxray.
"Alright, this might only work once but we'll have to try! Luxray, use Wild Charge!" Clemont cried out as the Electric-Type looked to be running on air as his entire body was covered in an electrical current. If they couldn't dodge, then they could at least fight back!
The two Pokémon crashed hard into each other as an explosion soon followed as the two showed off their strength. Both Pokémon began their descent as Luxray fell faster and harder than Flygon, who managed to float thanks to his wings.
Landing on the ground with a loud thud, Luxray appeared to be shaken up a little but for the current situation he was perfectly fine. Nodding back at Clemont, the duo were ready to continue on with their battle and would win it no matter what.
"Okay, Luxray, now use Swift!" Jumping upwards, Luxray swung his tail forward once more as a dozen stars formed. Flinging them forward, they shot towards Flygon with amazing speed and precision.
"Block them with your Dragon Tail attack, Flygon!" Hugh called out as he swept his arm across his entire body.
Flipping forward in the air, Flygon twisted his tail forward as it was quickly covered in green scales. "Fly!" The Mystic Pokémon constantly cried out as he smashed through each of the stars with ease. Then, once a path was clear, he charged forward. Swinging his tail down towards Luxray, both Pokémon were prepared for anything.
"Now, use Thunder Fang! Grab ahold of Flygon's tail and don't let go!" Clemont called out, shocking everyone as Luxray opened his mouth. Electricity soon flowed from his open mouth as the aura from it formed fangs.
"Luxray, lux!" He cried out energetically as he clamped his mouth down around the scaly tail of his opponent. Neither Pokémon managed to land their attacks due to the stalemate and so it looked like nothing would come from this attack.
"Not bad, I see exactly what you're doing," Hugh praised as he waved his hand back and forth. "However, you'll have to actually hurt us to beat us. Now, Flygon, throw that annoying Pokémon into the sky!"
"Flygon," the Mystic Pokémon muttered as he swung his tail around with all his might. However, Luxray wouldn't let go and instead sunk his fangs in deeper to make sure he wouldn't lose his grip.
"What is Clemont doing out there?" Bonnie asked as everyone watched Luxray hang onto Flygon's tail with everything he had. To them, it seemed like Clemont was playing defensively the entire battle. "He's got to do something otherwise Luxray won't hold on much longer."
"He's actually doing an excellent job, Bonnie," Meyer answered as he smirked at the scene before them. Meyer could tell that Clemont had a plan set up from the moment Flygon appeared on the field. "Despite Electric-Type moves being ineffective, Clemont is actually managing to keep the pace of the battle to his liking."
"Yes, Wild Charge and Thunder Fang didn't inflict any damage to Flygon but it still is tiring him out. Look right now, all the effort and energy being used by Flygon is tiring him out. By this point, Clemont is hoping that Luxray can hold longer than Flygon."
"It makes sense," Cilan muttered as everyone watched as Luxray was thrown upwards towards the sky. "Clemont knows none of his attacks can inflict any damage to Flygon so he used Electric Terrain to power up his moves. Then the ensuing explosions like from when Wild Charge and Dragon Rush collided will be larger and the aftereffect will hurt Flygon."
"He's really grown in this past year, more so than even he imagined," Meyer responded as they all looked at Clemont. He appeared to be calm even in this situation, something that everyone know wouldn't have been the case when they first met him.
"Now, Luxray, use Wild Charge!" Clemont could be heard crying out as Luxray fell through the sky. Electricity surged off of his body as the move was powered up thanks to the effect of the Electric Terrain. To everyone watching, Luxray looked like a bolt of lightning from a storm more so than himself.
"Please, don't think we'll just sit back and let you do this," Hugh stated confidently as he placed a hand on his hip. He knew what Clemont had planned and he wasn't going to fall for it. "Flygon, dodge it and fly upwards!"
"Flyyyy!" The Ground and Dragon-Type cried out before a burst of speed lifted him off of the ground. Flying right past the surging Luxray, Flygon watched as the Electric-Type crashed into the ground and formed a crater from the impact.
"I know just what your strategy is now. You're hoping to tire us out to the point we can't fight back," Hugh told the young Inventor, much to Clemont's surprise. It wasn't too hard to realize though. He had commanded Luxray to use three Electric-Type moves and Swift. What else could he have done?
"It became obvious the moment you used Thunder Fang to grip onto Flygon's tail. But, this match is over! Flygon, use Dragon Rush!"
"Gon, flygon!" The Mystic Pokémon cried out happily before nosediving right for Luxray. Flygon was quickly covered in the same blue aura from before and was on a direct collision with the Gleam Eyes Pokémon.
"Think, Clemont, there has to be something you can do," he thought to himself as Flygon drew closer. They couldn't keep going on the defensive but they also had no way to go on the offensive. There had to be something though! Looking around, the young inventor soon noticed something interesting. The portion of the field wrecked from Luxray's collision had kicked up some chunks which were still flowing with Electricity.
"Perhaps I can use that..." Clemont muttered to himself before deciding to go for it. "Alright, Luxray, Wild Charge once more!"
"Lux!" The Electric-Type cried out before his entire body was covered in electricity. This time however, the flow not only remained on him but it also was attracted to the chunks of rock scattered around the field. Soon, the bits and pieces were all attracted to Luxray as they appeared to form a shield of sorts for the Electric-Type.
Surprised by the sudden command, both Flygon and Hugh had no way to counter it and so, the Ground and Dragon-Type crashed hard into the rock shield as an explosion occurred. The rocks were shattered into hundreds of pieces as the explosion kicked them all over the field and dust clouded out their view of the two Pokémon.
Waiting for the dust to finally settle, everyone was surprised to see both Pokémon completely unconscious from the previous attacks. Nodding, Clembot raised both of his mechanical arms upwards. "Both Luxray and Flygon are unable to battle. Both sides are now down to two Pokémon each!"
"Thank you, Luxray, you battled valiantly," Clemont said to the defeated Pokémon into his Poké Ball. Then, he reached for a second Poké Ball but before tossing it he looked over at Hugh who has thanking his Flygon.
"If you don't mind, could you tell me how you saw through my plan," he asked as Hugh had his second Poké Ball in his hand already.
"The way you played defensively the entire battle gave it away," Hugh responded with a smirk. "It worked out real well however. That last move caught me by surprise. However, I would recommend teaching Luxray a move to cover his weakness to Ground-Types."
"As a Gym Leader, I thank you for the advice, but, this battle isn't over yet! There's still a lot left in this match if you want the Voltage Badge! Now, you're up, Helioisk!" Clemont cried out as the Generator Pokémon emerged from the Poké Ball before dancing happily.
"Another Electric-Type," Hugh muttered as he looked at the Poké Ball in his hand. He had wanted to give his latest capture a chance but decided against it after how Clemont surprised him last time. Placing it back in his bag, Hugh picked a different Pokémon. "Play time's over! Liepard, go!"
The Dark-Type landed on the field gracefully as it looked at its opponent with interest. To Liepard's surprise, Helioisk was dancing happily while waiting for a command. Getting ready to attack, Liepard awaited Hugh's command.
"Liepard start off with Dark Pulse!" Hugh called out as the Cruel Pokémon opened its mouth. Charging up the black and purple beam of energy before firing it off.
"Quick, Helioisk, counter with Thunder Wave!" Clemont called out while fixing his glasses. The Electric and Normal-Type opened his frills before pointing his tail forward. Rings of electricity soon shot out of it as it collided with the incoming Dark Pulse before the two attacks exploded.
"Now, use Parabolic Charge!"
"Helio!" The Generator Pokémon cried out before opening his frills. Then, before anyone could even say anything, a large ball of electricity shot straight up into the sky before breaking off into multiple streaks of lightning.
"Dodge it!" Hugh called out as Liepard jumped to avoid one of the blasts of electricity. The Dark-Type then managed to maneuver its way around each blast through the use of perfectly timed movements to get through the attack unharmed. "And now use Night Slash!"
"Liepard!" The Cruel Pokémon cried out as it appeared to push across the field. Moving stealthily, the Dark-Type appeared out of nowhere to slash its now glowing purple claws against Helioisk's stomach.
The Electric and Normal-Type skidded across the field before coming to a stop in front of Clemont. He was obviously shaken up by that last attack, some scratch marks across his chest and arms. They would have to change things up if they wanted to win.
"Helioisk, are you alright?" Clemont asked as the Generator Pokémon happily nodded before preparing to launch a counterattack. Raising his arms up into the air, Helioisk was ready to attack or defend based on whatever happened next. "Alright, then get in close and use your Dragon Tail attack!"
"Helio!" Helioisk cried out in joy before sprinting across the field and towards Liepard. The Electric and Normal-Type was practically slithering across the Gym floor as he stayed low to the ground while running. Moving so swiftly, Helioisk was now hard to keep track of and was also making Hugh go on the defensive.
"He's fast..." Hugh muttered while a smirk formed on his face from trying to watch Helioisk as he ran around freely. "Clemont's trained his Pokémon well. Just as I had wanted for my final Gym Battle, but I will win!" Hugh thought to himself before punching up into the air. "Liepard, Double Team now!"
"Lie!" Liepard cried out before flashing white. Within seconds, dozens of copies formed as Helioisk sliced through one of them with his tail. Clemont bit his lip as he looked at the situation, they were so close to landing a hit too.
"Helioisk?" The Generator Pokémon asked as he looked around in confusion. One Liepard had turned into over a dozen and they were all looking at him with a devious grin that left him feeling unsettled.
"This is over now, Clemont! Dark Pulse, let's go!" Hugh yelled out as he threw his right fist forward. It had been an interesting battle up to this point, but Hugh had to end this now. Clemont still had one more Pokémon left and if he had already used the Luxray that he saw on TV, then whatever was left must be pretty strong. He was going to need everything he had to beat him. Opening their mouths, Liepard and its copies were not preparing to strike.
"Not so fast," Clemont responded back as he swept his left arm across his body. He still had one more thing to try out. "We still have one trick up our sleeves! Helioisk, dodge with Flash!"
Opening his frills, Helioisk got low to the ground as a white flash of light filled the room. Everyone were blinded from the light and were unable to see Helioisk dodge the attack, but could hear the explosion and vanishing Double Team copies which signaled at the very least Helioisk avoided some of the attack.
"Now! Get in there with Dragon Tail!" Clemont's voice could be heard from the bright light. Before the light died down, everyone listened on as they all could make out the sound of Helioisk running across the field followed by the sound of a swift movement. No doubt it was him swinging his tail down onto Liepard. This was soon followed by a loud smashing sound and so everyone assumed he had landed the attack easily.
However, to Clemont's surprise, Helioisk didn't land the attack but instead was locked in a stalemate with Liepard. Helioisk's Dragon Tail was clashing with Liepard's Night Slash and neither Pokémon appeared ready to back down just yet. But, Liepard had the ground to push off of and managed to overpower Helioisk to the point of sending him flying back onto the Gym floor.
"That was a close call," Hugh smirked while placing his hands into his pockets. Who knows what could have happened if that last move landed? "It Liepard hadn't heard his footsteps, Helioisk might have landed that attack after all."
"But now!" Hugh started to yell out as he removed his hands from his pockets. Throwing his opened left hand forward, he quickly formed a fist with it and pulled it back, close to his chest. "Now, it's time to really end this! Hyper Beam, Liepard!"
"Liepard!" The Cruel Pokémon cried out as it jumped into the air. Raising its head and pointing it towards the ceiling, a large purple and black beam formed in its mouth. It was definitely different than a Dark Pulse as it appeared to be much more powerful just based on its size alone.
"Liepard then whipped its head forward as the beam was fired off. Crashing hard into the Gym's floor, the Hyper Beam attack flew across the ground as it teared up bits of the Gym. Then, with Helioisk just getting up from the last attack, the powerful blast slammed hard into the Electric and Normal-Type as he was shot backwards from the ensuing explosion.
"Helioisk!?" Clemont called out in concern as he watched the Electric and Normal-Type get back up only to collapse from his fatigue. "Helioisk, are you alright?"
"Heli," the Generator Pokémon muttered as he laid on the floor defeated. He had tried giving his all, but it wasn't enough to win today.
"Helioisk is unable to battle! The winner is Liepard," Clembot announced as he pointed in the direction of Hugh and Liepard.
Clemont nodded in agreement as he raised Helioisk's Poké Ball. "Thank you, Helioisk," he said while recalling the defeated Pokémon into his device. "You battled great out there. Now just leave the rest to Manectric."
"That was a good battle," Hugh called out as he waited for Clemont to make his third choice. "I was expecting a challenge like this and you haven't disappointed me yet."
"Well, it isn't over just yet," Clemont called out as he pointed his third and final Poké Ball out towards Hugh. "Time for Pokémon number three! Manectric, go!"
"Ohh, Clemont has a Manectric now," Meyer stated with interest as he folded his arms over his chest. "I didn't know he caught another Electric-Type Pokémon. This should be interesting to see how they battle together."
"Yeah, daddy, Clemont caught him not too long ago," Bonnie said as they watched on in anticipation for the first moves. "They're kind of similar though."
"How so?" Meyer asked with interest. For a Pokémon Clemont just recently caught to already be close to him would be something else.
"Well, it's hard to explain but, they're both always so serious. They can never relax and have fun," Bonnie began explaining as Meyer noted the similar stare from his son and his Pokémon. "Also, their stubborn. Like, Clemont won't let me find him a keeper, but even Manectric won't let me brush his fur."
"My, sounds like they are very similar," Meyer laughed as he looked at his daughter's annoyed expression. If they had grown this close in a short amount of time, imagine if they were training during that time.
"Alright, Manectric, start off with a Thunder Wave attack!" Clemont called out as the Discharge Pokémon lowered his front legs before a wave of electricity surged from his body. Flying out across the field, the status move crashed into Liepard as electricity could be seen flowing all over its body.
"And now, get in close and use Bite!"
"Liepard, counter with your Night Slash attack," Hugh called out, but it was for no good. As soon as Liepard tried to raise its claw, electricity flowed through the Dark-Type's body and made it unable to move. Then, before either of them knew it, Manectric was already biting down onto Liepard.
"Yes! Keep it up Manectric, give it everything you have!" Clemont pleaded with the Electric-Type as Liepard tried to shake him off to no avail. No matter how hard Liepard shook, Manectric just clung on harder.
"Well then, we'll have to do it the hard way," Hugh muttered as he threw a fist forward. He was going to pull off a trick he saw on old Sinnoh League reruns they showed on TV. "Liepard, drop to the ground and spin! Then use Dark Pulse."
"Lie," the Dark-Type cried out in agreement before falling onto its back. Manectric was caught by surprise from this and instinctively let go. However, he was still too close to Liepard as the Cruel Pokémon began spinning while launching off a Dark Pulse. Manectric was caught in the attack as the purple and black beam was shot off in all directions.
"Manec!" The Electric-Type cried out as he was flung backwards. Getting back up, Manectric knew it would take more than just that to beat him. He was not going down after just one attack.
"That's counter shield," Clemont muttered as he looked on in awe. He had no idea that other trainers knew of Ash's technique despite how often they aired reruns of previous Leagues.
"You like it?" Hugh asked with a smirk. He had just recently learnt about this little technique and thought it was great. It allowed him to attack and defend at the same exact time and he was hoping to slightly tweak it to match his battling style. "I saw some trainer by the name of Paul use it in the Sinnoh League, he's really something else to create such an idea like this. But, by your reaction I can tell you've seen it before."
"A close friend of mine, Ash, taught me it as well. But, you've got your facts mixed up, whoever this Paul is didn't create the technique," Clemont responded as he watched as Liepard stopped spinning and jumped onto its four feet before getting ready to pounce again.
"Please, then why didn't Ash use it in his Quarter-Final match against Paul?" Hugh asked as he raised one eyebrow curiously. He didn't care who created the move, just that he wanted to ask them how they created something so great. "But, now isn't the time! Liepard, Double Team and Then Hyper Beam!"
"We're not allowing that!" Clemont called out while pointing forward with his index finger. Quickly swiping to his right with the same hand, he issued the next command. "Manectric, you use your Double Team and then use Thunder!"
"Manectric!" Manectric cried out as both Pokémon flashed white at the same exact moment. Then, there were dozens of Manectric and Liepard on the field that it was hard to see where one group of copies ended and the other began. Both of these trainers were getting into it now.
Electricity soon flowed all over Manectric's body as the electricity from the Electric Terrain soon flowed out of the ground and joined with the Manectric. Liepard, likewise was charging up its attack as the familiar black and purple beam was forming in its mouth. Then, at the same exact moment, the two attacks were launched off as a huge explosion occurred from the blast.
A gust of wind was created as dirt and rocks were thrown all around the field. The wind got so powerful that Clemont had to firmly plant his feet onto the ground as he felt himself being pushed backwards. Looking over at Hugh, Clemont couldn't help but smirk as he noticed the determined expression on the challenger's face. This was the joy of being a Gym Leader, pushing your challengers to their limits and watching them grow in battle.
"Manectric, are you good to continue?" Clemont asked as the Discharge Pokémon had a few bruises from the explosion. Shaking off any pain, Manectric signaled that he was perfectly fine to continue on in this battle. He couldn't give up, he had to win this.
"Alright, then get in close with Bite!"
"Liepard?" Hugh asked with concern as he saw the electricity flowing through the Cruel Pokémon's body once more. Giving a glance that told Hugh it was fine, the trainer issued the next command. "Alright, use Night Slash to block that attack!"
The two Pokémon raced out across the field, avoiding the missing portions of it and then lunged forward as Manectric sunk his teeth into Liepard's glowing claw. Sparks soon formed as an explosion followed the confrontation, forcing both Pokémon to jump backwards and call off their current assault.
"He's good. Everything I've thrown at him, he's managed to counter," Clemont thought to himself as he watched Liepard disappear for a split second. This thing was getting to be a nuisance for him and so they needed to get rid of it now!
"Okay, Manectric, let's put our training to good use," Clemont said while adjusting his glasses by pushing up on them. "Use Thunder, but just like we practiced!"
"Manec!" The Electric-Type cried out happily as he fired off a large Thunder attack. Only this time, instead of one large bolt, the attack appeared to split off into multiple bursts that covered the entire field. Not only that, but thanks to Electric Terrain, the power of the blast was increased and sent a jolt of electricity throughout the entire field.
"Liepard!" The Dark-Type cried out in pain as it fell to the ground following the attack. Just as Clemont had thought, it was trying to constantly move and stay out of sight. But, thanks to his attack it had felt the effects of the Thunder attack. Yet despite all of the damage it had taken, Liepard stood back up, shocking Clemont.
"You looked surprised," Hugh stated as he placed one hand on his hip while having the other one out in front of him, palm facing the ceiling. "You see, Liepard here was my first Pokémon, a gift from my grandfather before my tenth birthday. Together, we dream of becoming strong enough to protect my family. Years ago, a group of thieves who called themselves Team Plasma, kidnapped my sisters Purrloin. We weren't able to stop them and since then we've trained hard to make sure something like that would never happen again!"
"Now," Hugh started to say as he formed a fist with his open palm ad shook it at Clemont. "Liepard, Hyper Beam!"
"Not yet, Manectric, use Thunder!"
The two Pokémon charged up their most powerful attacks as they put everything they had into this. There was no going back from here, whatever happened after this would decide the battle between these two.
"Now!" They both yelled out as their Pokémon fired off their respective attacks. Once more, an explosion occurred as Thunder met Hyper Beam and unlike before, both trainers were thrown from their feet and landed on the ground due to the blast.
Standing back up, they both quickly looked to the field to see the current situation of the battle and what they saw surprised them greatly. Laying on the ground defeated were both Manectric and Liepard. It had turned into a double knockout for the second time today.
"Both Manectric and Liepard are unable to battle. This means that Hugh is the winner due to the fact he has one remaining Pokémon," Clembot declared as both trainers praised their Pokémon before recalling them.
"Not bad, just like I was hoping for," Hugh muttered as he approached Clemont and Clembot. "I'm much happier about facing you instead of the robot."
"The robot has a name," Clemont mentioned as he took the Voltage Badge out of the case Clembot carried over to him. "But, as a sign of beating the Lumiose Gym, here is the Voltage Badge. You really are quite powerful, Hugh, some of those strategies were excellent."
"Thanks," the blue-haired boy replied as he took the badge and placed it inside of his case. He could now compete at the Kalos League and to add to it, the League had moved its Conference to Lumiose now so he didn't need to worry about traveling. "You were pretty good yourself. Hopefully I'll see you around sometime. Perhaps at the tournament that's coming up," he mentioned before leaving the Gym.
"A tournament?" Clemont muttered as he looked at Clembot in confusion. He hadn't heard of anything like a tournament at all. "What could he be talking about?"
"I'm not so sure myself," Clembot responded as he looked at Clemont in confusion.
"Clemont lost..." Bonnie muttered as they all watched Hugh leave the Gym. She had thought for sure he was going to win, but that Hugh had gotten the better of him.
"I wouldn't be disappointed at all, Bonnie," Meyer stated proudly as he smiled down at Clemont. "Your brother is turning into quite the fine young Gym Leader. His growth over the past year is so noticeable, that sometimes I even question if he's the same Clemont. Just look at how he got into that battle and how despite Luxray only having Swift as a move to damage Flygon, he created a double knockout."
"I guess you're right, daddy," Bonnie muttered as Clemont and Clembot appeared to be talking about something now. "But that doesn't mean I can't be sad that he lost."
"No, but the least we can do is congratulate him on a hard fought match. He's making quite the name for himself now," Meyer stated boldly as they watched Clemont turn towards them with a somewhat sober look in his eyes. "Hey, son, that was quite the match you had out there!"
"Yeah, but I thought I had him for a moment," Clemont responded as a small smile formed on his face. He never expected that Liepard of his to be that powerful to match blows with Manectric. Especially with Electric Terrain active during the battle. "That Hugh is one good trainer."
"It isn't anything that a little training won't help. Besides, you were at a disadvantage due to his Flygon," Meyer continued to tell his son before Clemont seemed to be lost in thought. "But, why don't we go and get something to eat now? I heard of this nice new restaurant that's open now. Sells the best pastries."
"That sounds like a good idea," Serena responded as herself, Cilan and Bonnie thought about the treats that were sold there.
"What a perfect way to compliment such a spicy and savory battle. The sweetness of the pastries and the delicacy from the meal will help us to calm down after such an invigorating match," Cilan agreed as everyone heard a phone ringing.
"Allow me," Clembot spoke as he caused a huge monitor to appear over the field. Answering the call, everyone had a good surprise as Ash was on the other line.
"Ash!" They all called out happily as the trainer laughed at their response. He wondered how they would react to his current situation. His clothes were a little torn and he was covered in sand and dirt from his time in the desert.
"Hey, it's been a while," he joked as Charizard roared in agreement from the background. He looked to be ready to pass out by now, but he wanted to make this call. "So, Charizard and I just reached a town that's on the outskirts of Lumiose City. We should be there for the Showcase tomorrow," he explained before yawning. It had been a long day of traveling and he was exhausted.
"That's good to hear," Serena replied as she unknowingly clutched onto Ash's hat at the sight of him. She was able to relax now that she knew he would be alright and make it in time for her Showcase. "How was your training?"
"Yes, please tell us how your training went, Ash," Cilan joined in as he too wondered just what happened and if they mastered Mega Evolution yet.
Yawning, Ash rubbed his eyes as he tried to focus on the conversation but it wasn't helping. The more he fought, the more tired he felt. "Well, we ran into this nice guy who helped us..." he started to say before he felt his eyes growing heavy. "And, he helped us... helped us to see... see that, see that we just needed to remember the past," he managed to get out with a yawn thrown in.
"Seems like you've had quite the busy time out there, Ash," Meyer joked before flashing a large grin at the young boy. "Perhaps you should just tell us all about it tomorrow after the Showcase."
"That sounds good," Ash muttered as he felt his eyes drooping again. "I'll see all of you tomorrow then," he finished before shutting off the connection.
So, another Clemont chapter. Hugh is here as well. I haven't played B2W2 but I enjoy him from the B2W2 chapter of the manga so I decided to include him as a pseudo-rival for Clemont. Someone who can push him so to speak. Also, it was different having no Ash for an entire chapter wasn't it? Just wanted to give the others (mainly Clemont) a chance to do something since I'm usually just casting him to the side.
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.