Welcome back everyone, last time we left off, the second round had come to a close with all six teams being tied for first. Later on, the separate groups appeared to be off doing their own things.
Also, in a sports related mention... That Super Bowl! Ah! I swear, that was amazing seeing Tom Brady lead them back to victory! It is a great feeling to be a Pat's fan today. Now that that's out of the way...onto the story!
Chapter 54: Overcoming Mountains
"And you're positive about it?" Looker asked as he talked across the secure connection. Appearing on the TV in his room was none other than Michael as the man seemed a little too laid back for what was to come.
"Yeah, saw it with my own two eyes. There's this giant rock thing down in the laboratory," Michael explained as he waved his hands around to add in some flair. "It's strange though, only a few seem to know about it. It's as if Giovanni is hiding this as some sort of ace up his sleeve. I'll try to find as much about it as possible, but everyone that's working on it is tightlipped. I only managed to catch a glimpses by sneaking around."
"His big surprise is a giant rock?" Silver muttered to himself as his partner appeared to look around the area just to be safe. "And what exactly are they doing in the lab?"
Michael shrugged his shoulders in response as the other three sighed at his answer. They should have expected something close to that as a response. "I have no clue. Whenever someone tries to get close to it, we get shooed away and told the area is off-limits. Though, I can guarantee that it's no good."
"Then why sit around and wait? We know Giovanni is here so let's apprehend him before something awful can occur!" Silver called out as he slammed his hands against the table. Looker looked at him with a mix of worry and surprise at the boy's outburst, yet let it slide. "We can finish just what we started now without any chances of an attack."
"For once I have to agree with him," Nate joined in as he leaned against the kitchen wall. "Why risk any possible destruction if we can stop him now?"
"Easier said than done, boy-o," Michael responded with a sly smirk. "First off, they have so many grunts surrounding this place that it would be impossible to get you all in here undetected. Add in Giovanni's possible escape and the fact we have no clue what he's got cooking down there in his lab and it's a recipe for disaster if we just jump in there now. We need to wait for the right time. For now, Giovanni and the rest of Team Rocket don't seem interested in attacking just yet. Allow me to get more intel before we plan an attack."
"Still, we have him where we want him," Nate argued as Silver arched an eyebrow at the little outburst. The Johto native may have seen only glimpses of him, but never once was Nate so serious as he was now. "Why are we sitting here twiddling our thumbs. Even if he's protected, with everyone we have there's no reason not to strike now."
"You must really hit it off with Silver," Michael joked as he waved a hand in front of his body. "Alright, so you have all these people who'll help fight. And what happens if they get hurt, or dare say die? How would you feel being responsible for it?" Nate remained quiet from that as he thought about any repercussions that could happen. "Listen kid, not to put you down, but our actions won't only affect us, but every single person around the world. If we fail in this mission, there might be no one left to stop Giovanni. That's why we need to wait it out," he continued on, Nate just taking it all in as he continued to think it over. Silver felt slightly bad for the boy, he was just trying to finish this whole thing before anything bad happened after all. "Now, if you two don't mind, I would like a word alone with Silver. This involves a matter we've spoken of before."
"Of course," Looker replied as he signaled for Nate to leave the two alone. Silver watched on, the two International Policemen leaving him alone with his partner. "Silver, you can just end the call once you two are finished talking."
Now with it just the two of them, Michael seemed to relax, or to Silver he seemed more like himself. Sighing, a slight smirk crossed over his face. "Man, I hate having to act like that. Being so serious is annoying. Can definitely kill the mood, you know what I mean?"
"Just get to the point, Michael," Silver stated, he was not in the mood right now. "What's so important that only I can hear it?"
"My son." The sentence was short and to the point, Silver being caught off-guard by it as he took a step back. "You see, I had a chance to leave the base earlier today. While out, I swung by the stadium to watch a few of the matches and nearly ran into my son. I managed to get away before he saw me, but still...seeing him here isn't a good feeling. Especially once everything goes down," he explained, a sober look on his face. "Silver, I'm asking for a huge favor from you. Please keep an eye out for him. Make sure he's safe once everything goes down."
"He's here!?" Silver asked, shocked by the sudden realization. Michael merely nodded, Silver regaining his composure before continuing on. "But, how am I even supposed to know what he looks like! You know how many people are here?"
"Relax, you'll be able to tell who he is just by seeing him," Michael responded, a slight smirk crossing his face once more. "He sticks out like a sore thumb, I can only imagine what he's been up to recently."
Silver sighed, watching Michael from across their connection. "Alright, I'll do my best to keep him from getting hurt. To the best of my ability...because once things go down then I can't be playing baby sitter."
"Thank you," Michael said, clasping his hands together, Silver merely frowning at this action. Michael let out a light chuckle before releasing his hands, both appendixes falling to his sides. His face looked like it had moments prior when he talked with Nate. "Silver...be safe out there. I'm worried we're making a grave mistake with this plan."
"You should be worried more about yourself. Sitting in the wolf's den puts you in a worse situation," Silver replied as the duo merely nodded at each other. "Listen, we may argue at times, but, in the event we don't see each other again, it's been a pleasure being your partner. I may not say it, but I see you as a father figure, Michael."
"Likewise," the older agent replied, hearing footsteps coming from down the hallway. "Got to go, someone's coming now. But, Silver, it's been a great honor working with you. I too saw you like a son, so please, stay safe."
Silver watched the screen fade to black, the connection having been broken. Sighing, Silver placed his hands in his pockets, making his out of the room and over towards Nate and Looker. "It's over. Michael ended the call, so I'm leaving."
"I better be getting back too, people might start wondering where I've been all night," Nate replied as he tossed his bag over his shoulder and his hat on his head. "As it is, my team probably wants to know why I've been gone all night. Especially after I brought home the win for us today."
"Yeah, what was that all about?" Silver asked, a hint of anger being found on his voice. The Johto native seemed to be slightly ticked off with the mention of today. "You tried passing it off as 'getting caught in the moment'. If so, why not skip the round like I did?"
"I couldn't just not battle, Silver, come on. Besides, you owe me one for sweeping an entire team during the preliminaries. So cut me some slack," Nate stated confidently, placing his hands behind his head and hoping Silver let him go.
Sighing, Silver just shook his head in annoyance. Raising his eyes to look at Nate, Silver seemed to just not care anymore. And after his conversation with Michael, he knew it wasn't worth arguing. "Fine, you're right. I'll let it go."
Silver knew he had shocked Nate, but didn't feel like sitting around to hear his shocked babbling. Grabbing his bag, Silver slung it across his shoulder before walking out the front door. "That was a waste of time. We didn't learn anything at all. At this rate, I could have gathered more information on my own," Silver thought as he passed by the stadium. Various vendors were still out and about as many tourists seemed captivated by their stalls. Lowering his gaze, Silver didn't notice the attendant in his way, crashing hard into the boy who appeared to be selling food.
"Watch it, buddy," the boy's voice called out, Silver standing back up as he got a good view of the boy. He had unkempt hair that was all over the place, covering his scared face. On his face appeared to be broken glasses, though the eyes looked familiar to Silver. They reminded him of Michael's own eyes. "What are you staring at?"
"Michael?" Silver muttered by mistake, hoping that the boy hadn't heard his slip up. Unfortunately, it appeared to have not been the case based on his reaction.
"No, I think you have me mistaken. The name's Nick," the boy responded as he picked up the spilt goods. Silver noticed that the boy was moving a lot slower since the slip up. The name seemed to be having an effect on the boy, Silver wondering as to why. "Though, my father's name was Michael. You wouldn't happen to know him, would you? He's been away on a business trip for quite a few years now. I actually came here to try and find him, but have had no luck."
"N-No," Silver stuttered for a moment, Nick's mood seeming to have become slightly depressed by the response. Feeling bad for the boy due to knowing what it was like for growing up without a father, Silver gave Nick a hand with his last few supplies. "Though, I'll look for him when I get a chance. And if I find him, I'll be sure to let him know how much you miss him."
"You'd really do that?" Nick asked, unsure if he was being played or not. However, based on the way Silver was speaking, it didn't seem to be a lie. It was almost as if he was being genuine about the entire situation.
Silver merely nodded, fixing his jacket slightly before facing away from Nick. "I know what it's like to have father issues. So, if I see him at all, I promise I'll tell him. Though, the chances of me seeing him out of every person here are slim." Silver than began to walk away, knowing full well he had talked with the boy for far too long. He was lucky that he hadn't blown Michael's cover while he was at it, had the kid found out, then the entire operation would have been ruined. Waving behind his, Silver paid little attention to the boy, instead continuing on until he was sure that the boy couldn't hear him.
"That was close. I need to be more careful with that boy, even by just mentioning Michael's name, he was jumping at the thought it was his father," Silver muttered, walking into the entrance of the Trainer Village, the sounds of a slight argument being heard. Turning his head slightly, Silver noticed that it was being held between the Lumiose Gym Leader and his teammate. Silver couldn't remember the latter's name, hardly caring for it and continued on as he entered the dark hallway.
"You ready for tomorrow, Pikachu?" Ash asked, feeling the breeze of the wind blow through his hair. For some reason, he just couldn't sleep tonight, the thought of having to face Serena's team tomorrow and his father's words continued to keep him awake. "I mean, after everything today, it's kind of a lot to take in only to find out we have to face our friends tomorrow."
"Pipikachu. Pikapi, cha," Pikachu replied, standing up on the railing, the duo overlooking the entire city. Lumiose City looked to be stunning tonight as Prism Tower was lit up off in the distance, and the nearby vendors had their shops decorated as well. "Pipika, pikapi, pika!"
Sighing, Ash ran one hand through his hair, the other holding onto his hat as he stood in silence. Listening to his best friend talk, Ash could only smile at his words. "I know, Pikachu. But, Serena's different than when we have to face the others. There's just something about her...maybe my dad was right, but there's no way to tell really. Why do things have to be so difficult?"
"Because if they weren't you'd never grow as a person," a familiar voice spoke, Ash recognizing that it belonged to Janine. Turning around, the Pallet Town native was surprised to see the girl standing beside the entrance to the building. He could have sworn he was the only one on the roof when he first arrived. Seeing his confusion, Janine waved her hand before walking over to him. "I was up and saw you making your way up here. I figured after what happened last time, it would be better to keep an eye on you. We don't need anyone attacking you here."
"You're right about that," Ash replied with a nervous chuckle. He really didn't need anyone to attack him again. "Who would have thought all of this would happen at the tournament though. I mean, between the preliminaries and now that attack, it feels as though someone wants me gone."
"I have that same feeling," Janine answered, standing next to the boy as she leaned against the railing, scratching Pikachu behind his ear. "Whoever it is though, they want you gone for sure. Sending two different groups to dispose of you isn't something to be taken lightly... And...and I don't really like it. It feels as though this tournament has been set up with an ulterior motive behind it. Why else are so many people gathered here?"
Ash just looked on, confused by her statement. He had never thought anything about the possibility that this could just be a front for something bigger. "But, the League set it up as an anniversary event. Why would they want to get rid of me? And I know almost everyone here except a handful of guys like Wally, Hugh and Silver."
"Well, who's to say someone hasn't infiltrated the League and planted the idea of the tournament to set something up for himself? For all we know, there could be someone working with them. You can't really trust many people here since outside of your group of friends, everyone is so secretive. Like earlier today, I saw Silver sneaking off somewhere," Janine explained, turning around so her back was leaning against the railing before crossing her arms. Smirking, she let out a light chuckle at the memory. "He thought no one saw him, but you can't fool me. I'm always watching, hiding until the time to strike is right, just like a ninja."
"Silver?" Ash asked back, knowing very little about the guy other than him seeming to be quite powerful. "What could he be up to?"
"Beats me," Janine answered with a shrug. "I followed him for a little, but grew tired of it once it seemed like he was walking in circles. Something told me he knew someone was watching him, so I left before he saw me. Better to stay hidden than found," she explained before a light yawn escaped from her mouth.
"Though, you've been gone all day I just realized. Where have you been, Mr. Ketchum? Not trying working for these guys trying to kill you, are you?" she playfully teased before elbowing him playfully.
Ash just shook his head, eyes looking up at the clouds for a moment. He thought back to earlier today when he had run into his father of all people. "I just needed some time to think about a few different things. And I couldn't do it around here, I needed to get away. But, I think I finally figured out what I needed to know, for the most part anyways."
Janine merely smirked, Ash feeling slightly unsettled by her look. "Whatever it is you figured out, does it involve a certain blonde haired girl?"
"W-What!?" Ash stammered, slightly flustered by the question. He was not only surprised by Janine guessing correctly, but also his reaction. He was never nervous about anything, yet here he was, flustered by a simple question. "What do you mean by that?"
"Please," she replied, walking past the confused boy, scarf flowing in the breeze. "I said it before, Ash; I'm everywhere. I've seen and heard quite a bit here. Did you know Team Lightning is fighting amongst themselves? They seem to not get along. But, I promise that I won't tell Serena anything. I'll let you handle that one. Don't stay up too late, Ash, tomorrow might be a long day." Leaving the roof, Janine entered back through the door, leaving a confused Ash all to himself.
"Pikachu, I think it's best that we get some sleep," Ash stated, letting out a light yawn, Pikachu copying his action. Nodding in agreement, Pikachu scurried up Ash's arm before perching himself onto the trainer's shoulder. "Hopefully after a good night sleep, we'll be able to battle to our best!"
"Pika!" The Electric-Type cried in agreement, Ash sprinting through the door and down the stairs. The duo made their way through the hallway, heading right for their room.
Rounding a corner, Ash came to a quick stop, nearly running straight into Silver. The boy appeared to be waiting for someone. Standing in the hallway, Silver turned to face Ash, no emotion on his face at all. "I've been waiting for you."
"Pi!" Pikachu cried softly, his cheeks sparking slightly. Silver didn't seem too worried about all of it, quickly putting a finger to his lips, signaling them to remain silent. Nodding to Pikachu, Ash decided they would give the guy a chance to speak. It was the least they could do, though Ash remained ready, hand on his Poké Balls.
"You are not the easiest man to find, Ash Ketchum," Silver began to say, whispering so softly that Ash could barely hear him. "You're probably the most interesting guy here. Don't worry, I'm not after you or anything like that, just wanted to finally meet you in person for once. That's all, and now that I have, I'm out of here," Silver stated, leaving Ash in a confused daze. Not giving him a chance to question anything, Silver rounded the corner and was already out of sight before Ash could react.
"That was really strange, Pikachu, maybe Janine was right about Silver," Ash said to his best friend, the duo walking just a bit further until they found their room. Opening the door, Ash kicked his shoes off and tossed his hat onto the bedside cabernet before plopping down into the comfortable bed.
Falling asleep quickly, the duo knew they would need to get some sleep before morning arrived. However, thoughts of possibly facing Serena still kept him awake. How would he handle it? How would he take a chance like his dad told him to? These thoughts lingered on in his mind, ever so slowly fading away as he felt himself drifting off to sleep. The rest of the night was uneventful for Ash, the young boy actually managing to get sleep for the short amount of time that was left.
Hearing an alarm blaring in his ear, Ash quickly woke with a jump, looking over at his alarm and realized he had overslept. Looking at his best friend, Ash and Pikachu quickly got ready for today as they rushed out of their room. "No time for breakfast today, Pikachu," Ash stated sadly, running down the hallway and towards the stairs. He knew he had no time for the elevator either, the first match must have already started by now. He could only wonder what Trip would say to him for over sleeping. Jumping down the last flight of stairs, Ash quickly rounded a corner and was on his way outside of the lobby.
"Why is it today of all days I had to oversleep?" Ash moaned, pushing his way through the crowded streets, Pikachu hanging on tightly as the duo soon saw the stadium approaching. "You would think someone would have tried to wake me up! Especially if no one had seen me." Picking up the pace, Ash soon burst through the last part of the crowd before diving through the entrance to the stadium. Getting up quickly, the young boy could hear the sounds of cheering fans fill the stadium. He knew the first match was about to begin at any moment now.
"There you are!" Trip's voice could be heard, a slight pant evident in his voice. Looking over at the Unova native, Ash could tell that it seemed like he had been searching for someone. "Where have you been all morning!? Our match is going to start in any second now, come on!" Trip commanded, waving Ash along back towards the entrance to the field.
Letting out a light chuckle, Ash followed behind Trip, making sure that they were both at the field entrance. "I overslept just a little bit," he answered, the duo making their way onto the field. Looking around, Ash noticed that Dawn was already making her way up to the battlefield opposite Serena. The two had received a plain grass field, something Ash was partially surprised with due to the newer fields being used recently.
"A little?" Trip asked, a light chuckle escaping from his mouth before sitting down on the bench located in their dugout. "I thought you weren't even showing up today."
"Well, I'm here now so that's all that matters. But for now, let's cheer Dawn on," Ash joked, rubbing the back of his head while Pikachu let out a light sigh of relief. For Ash, he knew this was cutting it close and he figured he would have to make sure he was up on time for tomorrow. He didn't want a repeat of today. "Come on, Dawn! Show them what you're made of!"
Turning to face her friend, Dawn had a light smirk on her face, Ash knowing full well what she was thinking. "So, you finally decided to get out of bed?" She playfully teased, Piplup chirping along as the Penguin Pokémon stood by her side. "Well, there's no need to worry about you not showing up now. Though, maybe next time get a better alarm clock. We can talk later, Ash, right now I have a match to win."
"Right! Good luck, Dawn!" Ash cried out, before looking over at Serena. "Serena, you do your best as well! I'll be rooting for the both of you!"
"Pipika!" Pikachu joined in, his voice filled with excitement. The duo were ready for an interesting battle between two friends for sure.
Hearing Ash's words, Serena smiled softly as she gripped her own Poké Ball. She was going to do everything in her power to win for her team, though she also knew Dawn was in the same situation as she was.
"You know, rooting for just our team is also appreciated," Trip muttered, closing his eyes from Ash's latest comment. "Why would you root for the other team as well? We need every win we can get at this point."
"Well, Serena's my friend too," Ash explained, scratching behind Pikachu's ear, receiving a light cry of joy from the Electric-Type. "I can't root against a friend even if we're facing them. Besides, it's more fun rooting for both of them."
"Suit yourself," Trip muttered, shaking his head from Ash's response. Sometimes he wondered just what Ash thought, his own train of thoughts being interrupted by the match beginning. Reacting to the cheering crowd, Trip watched as Serena chose her Braixen, while Dawn went with Piplup.
"And the first match of day three begins with Dawn and Piplup taking on Serena and Braixen! Both sides seem ready to give it their all in today's opening match!" Freddy cried out, the stadium roaring to his voice as fans anticipated the first move.
"Alright, Piplup, let's start it off with a Bubble Beam attack!" Dawn commanded, pointing her left hand forward. Ash watched on with interest as to how Serena would counter and was barely surprised by her quick response.
"Braixen, cancel it out with Hidden Power and then use Flamethrower!" She called out, Braixen jumping past the first few bubbles before pointing her branch forward. Twirling it around, Braixen soon formed three rather large spheres, launching them right through the encroaching Bubble Beam attack as smoke filled the field.
With a grass field, Ash knew neither side would really be able to take advantage of the field, and so they would have to outsmart each other first. With the smoke clouding everyone's vision, Ash felt he had an idea as to what Serena was up to and was only proven correct. A stream of flames soon shot out of the smoke, Braixen's cry being heard over the crowd as Piplup barely dove out of the way of the attack. Nodding in approval, Ash couldn't help but continue rooting for Serena, it just felt right to him.
"That was a smart idea to use the smoke as coverage," Dawn praised her opponent, the smoke having now vanished from the field, allowing both of them a clear view of the other now. "Though you'll have to do better than that to beat us. Piplup, use your Ice Beam attack to create an ice slide!"
"Piplup, lup!" Piplup cried out, the icy energy forming within his beak shooting out onto the field towards Braixen's feet. Dodging the attack, Braixen jumped high into the air, watching as the Ice Beam attack ended by creating what looked to be a ramp of sorts. Both Serena and Braixen had no clue what was about to happen, but Ash had a good idea.
"Nice idea by Dawn," he silently muttered to himself, watching as Piplup broke off into a sprint towards his newest creation. "This could be bad for Serena though, let's see how she'll respond to it."
Serena stared on in confusion. For some reason, Piplup was sliding across the field on his stomach, his beak glowing white as he approached the now falling Braixen. Looking across the field, Dawn appeared to be smiling softly and Serena didn't like the look on her face. Trying to think of any command she could give, Serena's thoughts were quickly interrupted by Piplup's sudden cry of joy and Braixen's painful yelp.
"Braixen!" Serena called out, watching as Piplup rammed his beak right into Braixen's chest. Looking at the field again, Serena now understood the point of the slide. Dawn was using it to build up speed to hit Braixen even harder. "Quick, brace yourself for a quick landing, then bounce right back with a Scratch attack!"
"Brai!" The Fox Pokémon cried out in slight pain. Flipping her body around in the air, the Fire-Type landed gracefully on the ground before quickly jumping right back up at Piplup. Her claws were now glowing a bright white, the two attacks colliding and causing sparks to fly. Both Pokémon were locked in a battle, landing back on the field while still being engaged in a stalemate.
Thinking things over, even Serena knew she didn't have much of a chance when it came to winning on pure power alone. Instead, she knew she had to win by outsmarting Dawn, even if that would be near impossible. "Braixen, heat up the entire field with a Flamethrower!"
Dawn watched on in confusion, unsure of just what Serena had planned. To her, it looked odd for Braixen to be burning the entire field to a crisp, but decided it was better to wait things out instead of acting on an impulse. Watching, it seemed as though Serena was wanting to surround Piplup in flames and tire him out, though none of the flames were really approaching the Water-Type enough to hurt him. "Just what are you up to, Serena..." Dawn thought to herself, watching the Fox Pokémon spray flames all over the field, burning it to a crisp.
"Enough of waiting around, Piplup, use Bubble Beam to put those flames out!" Dawn commanded, Ash smirking at the sight of the battle since it reminded him of his match against Gary. Piplup nodded in agreement, firing off a barrage of bubbles, each one putting a little bit of the fire out until only smoke covered the field. "Stay attentive now, she'll probably try to attack from anywhere now!"
"Piplup!" The Water-Type agreed before dropping to the ground and barely avoiding a Flamethrower. Something seemed off about it though to Dawn. The first strike didn't seem to be meant to land, but instead to make Piplup just dodge it.
"Alright, Braixen, let's give them two Flamethrowers! Back to back, keep making Piplup dance!" Serena called out through the smoke, a trail of flames soon following after her voice. Calling for Piplup to dodge, the Penguin Pokémon appeared to be dancing all over the field as fans struggled to see any of the action happening down below.
"What is she trying to do? It looks like you want Piplup stuck in that general vicinity, but why? Give us a hint, Serena," Ash thought to himself as he could have sworn he saw something bright shoot straight up into the air. It looked almost like a shooting star, yet he wasn't quite sure as to what it could be.
"Piplup, spin with a Bubble Beam attack! Clear all of this smoke away right now and then use Whirlpool!" Dawn commanded, throwing her fist forward, Serena appearing to remain slightly calm despite the counter.
"Pip! Lup, lup, lup, lup!" The Water-type shouted, a cylinder like wall of bubbles soon forming around him before firing off in all directions. Serena silently cursed her timing as the smoke was now fading away and the sight of Piplup caused her to bite at her bottom lip. Casting her eyes skyward, Serena watched her bright orbs (now revealed to be a Hidden Power attack) begin their descent while Piplup raised his arms over his head. She just had to stall for a little while longer.
"Braixen, don't let them get that attack off, use your Fire Blast!" Serena shouted, throwing an open palm out towards the Fox Pokémon. Nodding, Braixen soon did a little twirl to avoid the last remnants of the Bubble Beam attack before pointing her branch forward. Soon, a large, five pronged star erupted from it and shot across the now barren field. "Come on, keep him still for a few more seconds!"
"Piplup, I say let them have it! Launch our Whirlpool attack now!" Dawn commanded, the Water-Type nodding in agreement before tossing the large move forward. Moving slowly, water and fire clashed as steam filled the entire field. As lightly chuckled at this, the fact that Dawn would probably be complaining about her hair after, making him miss the moment this battle moved in Serena's favor.
A crashing sound soon filled the stadium, followed swiftly with Piplup's cry of pain. Looking away from the two powerful attacks, the audience could make out the Penguin Pokémon flailing in the air, having been hit by an attack of some sorts. "Wait, but how? When did you attack?" Dawn asked, Piplup being met in the sky by a newly launched Flamethrower. "I never saw you attack!"
"It was more of a hopeful try than anything else," Serena began to say, brushing a few strands of her hair out of her face. "When the original smoke happened from you putting the field out, I quickly commanded Braixen to launch a Hidden Power attack as high as she could right above Piplup. That was the reason I didn't want Piplup to move, so I made him constantly dodge and forced him to stay in that one general vicinity. Of course, when you used Whirlpool I was worried about it absorbing the attack, but our Fire Blast managed to force you into attacking and leaving yourself open."
"Where did you ever learn something like that from? I thought Showcases didn't have actual battling?" Dawn asked, watching as Piplup landed across from Braixen. Her partner was now panting heavily, worn out from the last barrage of attacks.
Serena lightly chuckled before rubbing the back of her neck. "Well, I actually saw it used in one of Ash's old battles. During the Kalos League, we watched some old clips of his past Leagues and one really stuck out to me. He used his Charizard to heat the field up and force his opponent to cool it down, allowing the steam and smoke to provide a cover for him and Charizard to attack."
Ash listened closely to all of this, surprised that she had watched his old battles that closely. Though, the thought of it made him feel excited that she paid that much attention, a light smile forming on his face before his interest was drawn back into the battle with a clash of Drill Peck and Scratch, Braixen being overpowered once more. Gritting his teeth, Ash couldn't help but feel nervous for Serena, she had been working so hard in this battle he just wanted her to win!
"You know, you're pretty good when it comes to thinking on your feet," Dawn stated, the two girls exchanging a smile. "But can you handle something like this? Piplup, let's show them what we're made of! Bubble Beam!" Getting the hint, Piplup opened his beak nice and wide as a large bubble soon formed.
Watching it float towards Braixen, Serena was unsure what it was capable of. Deciding not to think it over, she quickly called forth a Flamethrower. The fire managed to burst through the bubble, but in the process a stream of water was released. Unable to dodge, Braixen soon found herself being thrown backwards by the water before being frozen to the ground, Piplup's Ice Beam freezing the water remnants. Serena was shocked by this. What were they going to do now?
"Well, looks like this is it, Serena," Dawn replied, Piplup breaking off into a sprint, his beak growing in size. "Braixen can't move her branch anymore, so now you can't counter with any of your moves. Piplup, Drill Peck!"
"It isn't over yet!" Serena called back, shocking both Dawn and, the now airborne, Piplup. "Braixen may not be able to use her branch, but she can still fight back! Flamethrower from your mouth!"
"Braixen! Braixen, brai," the Fire-Type muttered as flames soon formed in her mouth. Ash nodded in excitement, the match was coming to a close now. The only question left to be answered was if Braixen's Flamethrower was more than enough or if Piplup would survive and finish Braixen off.
The flames erupted from Braixen's mouth and immediately consumed Piplup. However, the Penguin Pokémon continued his descent, crashing through the flames. It looked to Serena that she was done for. That Braixen was going to lose right here after everything they did. But that was when Piplup stopped and was blasted backwards. The heat had been too much for his fatigued body, losing concentration and dropping the Drill Peck. Looking over at the Water-Type, Serena stared on in shock at his defeated body.
"Piplup is unable to battle! The winner is Braixen, and so one point will be awarded to Team Heartbreak!" The referee declared, Dawn making her way out to the field. Cradling Piplup in her arms, she looked over towards Serena and softly mouthed a "congratulations" to the girl.
"We... We won?" She asked first in confusion before repeating it with excitement in her voice. Running out to the field and helping Braixen get free of her icy constraints. "You were excellent, Braixen!" Serena said, the two sharing a brief hug before getting off of the field. "We managed to pull off that timing just right today! Now to have it ready for our next Showcase and we should be ready for Aria at the Master Class."
"Braixen!" The Fire-Type agreed, the duo making their way back to their bench.
"Wow, Serena did great out there," Ash said out loud, Pikachu perking his ears up at that mention. Even Trip seemed to have heard it, looking over at Ash with curiosity on his face from the boy's previous statement. Paying no attention to him at all, Ash only continued on with his little speech. "She's improved so much since first setting off on her journey, it's great seeing her have so much fun out there. Hopefully she'll be able to use this experience to help herself at her next Showcase."
"Careful, Ash," Trip began to say, crossing his arms as he did so. Peering over towards his teammate, Trip eyed him curiously before sighing. "If I had to take a guess, there's more there than you two just being friends. I don't care or want to care about whatever is going on between you two, just don't let it interfere with you match. Because if you win here, you'll have to face her to decide the winner and I'd like to leave with a win, thank you very much."
Ash rubbed the back of his neck, standing up nice and tall while Dawn approached their dugout. "You don't have to worry about any of that, Trip. You know I'll be giving it my all out there, won't we, Pikachu?"
"Pikapi! Pi pikachu!" The Electric-Type cried out happily, sparks flying off of his cheeks, accidently hitting Ash with one of them.
Trip merely shrugged at their behavior, choosing to not get involved in any of it at all. Looking up at the duo, Trip just let out a light chuckle. No prodding would ever get him to admit it, but between them and Alder, they had changed him for the better. "Go get her, Ash," he whispered, watching Dawn sit next to him on the bench.
"Nice try out there."
"Thanks, Piplup and I were just caught off guard there with her little strategy. For not battling, Serena really proved herself to be able to throw us off balance just enough to win," Dawn replied, placing Piplup onto her lap as she did so. "Ash is definitely going to have his hands full with her, especially if she's using altered strategies of his."
"He'll be just fine," Trip replied, his sentence having two meanings to it. Yet, Dawn only picked up on the one about battling. "He's shown us all before he can handle a good challenge."
Dawn just stared in confusion, having never seen this side of Trip before while in Unova. "Are...are you alright, Trip? I mean, I've never seen you act like this. No offense, but usually you're kind of stuck up and snobby."
"I guess...I guess you could say I've had a few influences in my life since then," he merely replied, silencing himself now that the two trainers had reached their location at the field. To no one's surprise (who knew of their relations to each other) Ash and Brock were staring at each other from opposite sides). It appeared that the duo would be battling it out on a rocky terrain with a lake in the middle.
"So, I guess we finally get to battle. To tell you the truth, I was hoping you were my opponent. It's been way too long since our last one," Ash joked, fixing his cap slightly before letting a light chuckle escape his lips. "You should already know who I'll be using."
Brock laughed back for a moment before pausing. Gripping a necklace he wore underneath his green shirt, he let go before selecting a Poké Ball. "It has. To think, all these years have passed by since you came challenging me with a Pikachu. You really have grown since then, Ash, you're not the same immature, hotheaded trainer like you used to be," he stated with a smirk. Tossing the Poké Ball forward, the device erupted open as none other than a Steelix emerged from it.
"Though, even if you've grown, Ash, I still wanted to finish our very first battle. We never did get a chance to end it properly. And even then, you showed me there was more to you. A trainer who truly cared for the wellbeing of their Pokémon and not about the victory. You wouldn't accept a victory due to sprinklers," Brock stated, smirking down his opponent as Steelex grinned at his longtime friends.
Ash just stood there, staring down the large Steel and Ground-Type on the field. "This'll be interesting for sure. Alright, Brock, you better be ready for one amazing battle! Pikachu, I choose you!" He shouted, throwing a finger forward. Pikachu replied by jumping onto the field, landing on one of the few rocks scattered around the area. "I guess we'll finally see how our first battle will end."
"And here we go ladies and gentlemen! Ash vs Brock, a battle of friends will be taking place right before your very eyes! Though, the question that seems to be on everybody's mind 'can Pikachu overcome a glaring disadvantage or has Brock already won'? Well, watch closely because both trainers are no pushovers!" Freddie's voice filled the stadium, eliciting a few roars of approval. Not paying any attention to them all, the two longtime friends stared each other down, awaiting for the first move. With the sound of the buzzer, both trainers were off.
"Steelix, burrow your way underneath the field!" Brock took the initiative, issuing the first command. Letting out a might roar, Steelix rammed his down into the earth, spinning like a drill until his body completely vanished from sight, the field shaking slightly from Steelix's underground drilling.
Ash grit his teeth together slightly. He knew that with Steelix underground, it was going to be a difficult battle for sure. "Pikachu, don't stay in one spot! Keep moving around the field with Quick Attack! That way Steelix can't pinpoint you!"
"Pika!" Pikachu shouted in agreement, blasting off in an unprecedented speed. Rocketing around the field, Pikachu zigzagged across the stones, making sure to keep Steelix from finding his exact location.
"Ash, we've got other ways of finding you," Brock stated confidently, causing Ash to look on in confusion. Pikachu continued his constant running, yet he too seemed a little off put by Brock's words. "Steelix, use your Iron Tail attack from underneath the stadium! Shake this entire field!"
A roar soon erupted from the ground, followed up by a sudden shaking. In the midst of his transfer from one stone to another, Pikachu lost his balance and skid across the rocky terrain, his body landing next to the small lake. However, the Electric-Type had no time to react, instead feeling the ground beneath him crumble away before being lifted up into the sky, Steelix chasing right behind him.
"Keep right after him, Steelix, use Dragon Breath!" Brock commanded, the doctor throwing a fist forward. Ash watched on in worry as the Steel and Ground-Type fired off his attack. Streaks of blue flames erupted from his mouth and engulfed Pikachu, causing the Electric Mouse Pokémon to cry in pain. Steelix was being more of a problem than he had first imagined. "And now use Iron Tail!"
"Steel!" The Iron Snake Pokémon shouted out, whipping his large metallic backside around and smashing it into Pikachu. The tiny Electric-Type felt the entire force of the attack followed by a crash into the ground, the impact leaving a small indent in the field.
"Pi...ka..." Pikachu moaned, getting right back up despite Steelix landing three straight hits on him. Both Ash and Pikachu knew they couldn't back down, they had to win this match for their team.
Looking at the field, Ash knew they were at a disadvantage. Not only did Electric-Type attacks fail to have any effect on Steelix, but the Iron Snake Pokémon must have felt at home battling it out here. Not knowing what to do, Ash was quickly caught off guard by another Dragon Breath attack. Calling for a Thunderbolt, the two attacks cancelled each other out but not before Steelix burrowed back under the field.
"Pikachu, stay sharp, he'll be coming from anywhere," Ash warned his best friend once more, the duo getting into a defensive stance, anticipating an attack from anywhere. Closing their eyes, the duo listened for the noise created by Steelix tunneling about. Hearing the same rattling sound from before, they knew roughly where he was coming from and quickly grew excited. "Now, Pikachu, Iron Tail on the ground!"
Swinging his entire body around, Pikachu's tail soon stiffened up before he smashed it hard into the ground. However, just as Ash thought, the impact wasn't against the actual rocky terrain, but instead Steelix's head. The duo appeared to be locked in a stalemate only for Pikachu to bounce off of Steelix with his Iron Tail, swinging back around and smacking the Iron and Ground-Type in the side of his face.
"Keep it up! Electro Ball, Pikachu! Aim it in the lake!" Ash commanded, punching forward while Pikachu landed on the ground softly. Jumping back into the air, Pikachu focused his electrical energy all into his tail, forming a large ball of concentrated energy before flicking it forward.
Brock watched as the ball soared past Steelix. He was confused by the action, Ash knew that Steelix was unharmed by Electric-Type attacks, yet here he was trying something different. "What are you doing, Ash?" He asked himself, only breaking his eye contact to watch the Electro Ball strike the lake. Water exploded outwards, causing it look like it was now raining. Still unsure of the situation, Brock wasn't going to wait around and see what Ash had in mind. "Steelix, use Dig once more!"
"Pikachu, Electro Ball on the lake, once more!" Ash countered, Pikachu launching off another sphere while Steelix burrowed under the field. Water splashed all over the field, causing mud to form and the field to take on a spongey feel to it. "Alright, Pikachu, now use Iron Tail on the ground before he can attack!"
"Pika!" The Electric-Type shouted joyfully, his tail glowing a metallic color before striking it against the soft earth. The attack seemed to have little effect (if any at all), only causing a slight shake of the entire field. Steelix seemed unaffected by the attack and soon came barreling up out of the ground, smashing into Pikachu and sending the Electric Mouse Pokémon flying skywards once more.
"Not this time, Brock! Pikachu use Thunderbolt!" Ash countered, Pikachu firing off the attack despite flailing all around in the air. The streams of electricity soared through the air, striking Steelix despite having no effect on the Iron Snake Pokémon. The remnants of the attack continued on, striking not only the lake but also the muddy field, hardening and solidifying the field. Brock watched on, waiting for Pikachu to land before continuing with his attack.
"You know, Ash, Steelix was my first Pokémon given to me by my father," Brock began to say, playing with his necklace once more. "I started my journey with him and so my family figured it would be best to start this new journey with him as well. So they surprised me with his Poké Ball before I left for Kalos, but there was something else with it," he explained, touching down on the necklace, a small sphere sitting on it. Light soon shined from it before a familiar light came from Steelix himself. Soon, his entire body changed shape and size. His body became longer, he looked twice as long to Ash now. Even his jaw seemed different with it looking rounder, more armored so to speak.
"They gifted me with a Mega Stone and Key Stone before leaving. You see, my father managed to find one of them while out looking for rocks to sell and stumbled upon a Steelixite laying undiscovered and first offered it to Forrest since he was taking care of Steelix at the time. However, after they found a Key Stone, the duo decided to surprise me with it. It was a gift to remember how far I've come on this journey, a new chapter for myself. And now we'll just have to see how well Pikachu can handle us," Brock stated before Steelix launched off a Dragon Breath attack.
Rolling to his right, Pikachu narrowly avoided the blast before smashing into one of the nearby rocks. Looking at the field, Ash watched on with interest, the field now cracking from the attack just as he had hoped so. Mega Evolution or not, Steelix had taken a few hits earlier in the match and to Ash, Brock had timed it all wrong. He should have Mega Evolved earlier in the match, especially since he assumed they were still fairly new to it. The process had to have taken a bit out of the Steel and Ground-Type.
"Pikachu, slide down one of Steelix's holes! Use it as a chute to get behind Steelix and use iron Tail!" Ash yelled out, Pikachu leaping over an incoming Iron Tail and into a hole. Sliding along the trail created, Pikachu leapt up out of a different hole and landed right on top of Steelix's head.
"Get him off of you!" Brock shouted, fully aware that Steelix couldn't reach that he couldn't reach that one location at all. Smashing into the nearby rocks and ground, Steelix tried everything he could, but was unable to get Pikachu off of his body. About to try one more idea, Steelix was soon smashed into the ground, Pikachu having used Iron Tail in that split second to knock him down, the ground breaking a bit more from the impact.
"Okay, Pikachu, Quick Attack and get across the lake!" Ash commanded, swinging his arm across his body.
"Pikachu!" The Electric-Type shouted before breaking into a sprint. Reaching the body of water, Pikachu picked up his speed, running straight through it and causing a wave to splash over the entire field and head right for Steelix. Seeing this, the Iron Snake Pokémon grumbled in fear before the liquid crashed over his body.
Gritting his teeth, Brock knew Ash was using the field to his advantage now, making full use of the water and Steelix's fear of it. Needing time to think, Brock felt it was best to draw back for now. "Steelix, hide underground, get away from the water!"
"Steeellll," Steelix moaned, slithering under the field once more. Only this time, Ash wanted that to happen, let a light chuckle out.
"Brock, this looks to be just about wrapping up now," Ash explained, rubbing underneath his nose. Brock seemed slightly confused by this news, instinctively taking a step back before looking at the field. "I hope you realize it now, but the constant cooling and heating of this entire field has left it very unstable. And with all the tunnels you've created from digging under the field, the whole place is ready to capsize in on itself. It just takes one hit," Ash explained, Pikachu nodding in agreement with his statement.
Pikachu leapt high into the air once Ash called for an iron Tail. Whipping his body around seamlessly, the Electric-Type smashed it hard against the ground, a seismic activity taking place as the entire field shook from its weakened. Soon, the entire field collapsed in on itself, just as Ash had said it would, unable to withstand the force of the attack and buried Steelix along with it.
"Steelix, no!" Brock shouted, rocks, mud and water falling down into the hole where his first partner laid. There was no way around it, Brock knew it was over now, but he held out hope, hearing a burrowing sound approach the surface. Seeing something sticking out of the pile of rocks, Brock held hope for Steelix. But it was crushed once he saw the Steel and Ground-Type's defeated figure.
"Steelix is unable to battle! The winner is Pikachu and so Team Champions has one point! The match is now tied and after a field change, the final battle of this match will begin!" The referee declared, the scoreboard being updated to show the latest results.
"That was a close one, Pikachu," Ash replied, scratching his best friend behind his ear. "Luckily we were able to cause that cave-in, otherwise I don't know what else we could have done."
"Ash," Brock's voice interrupted his own conversation. "I'd like to know; how did you know the field was structurally unsafe? At least to the point to cause the cave-in."
Rubbing the back of his head, Ash just chuckled lightly. "Well, the fact you used Dig so many times alone gave me a feeling that it was weakened than normal. Also, when you used Iron Tail from under the field to shake everything, it gave me a thought of causing a similar action but from above. Only I thought to weaken the field first, causing a huge collapse to finish you off. Though, had you Mega Evolved sooner, that collapse might not have worked. Honestly, you waited way too long into the battle to use it. By then, Steelix was already starting to get tired."
"So with Mega Evolution you need to time it just right..." Brock muttered, receiving a nod of assurance from Ash himself. "But, Ash, you've really grown. I mean, I saw how you handled the Kalos League, but here...it's still amazing to see how far you've changed from when I first met you."
"Brock, I'm still the same guy. Heck, I still feel like I'm just starting my journey for the first time whenever I enter a new region. It's just...after Unova I'm more focused now. I made a promise to win it all to my mom and I did that. Now's to go all the way and beat Diantha!" Ash explained, pumping his fists in excitement, Brock letting out a light chuckle.
"I see you're still as excitable, Ash," Brock joked before the sound of a new field filled the area. "Well, looks like it's time for me to head back to my team. Good luck facing Serena." Brock then left, only to be replaced with a slightly nervous Serena.
Ash didn't know why she would be nervous, not after how she did against Dawn earlier in the match. But whatever was causing her nervousness, he felt was causing his too. It was time to face Serena in more ways than just a Pokémon battle.
"Time to figure this all out," Ash spoke, wiping a drop of sweat from his forehead. "Whatever is going on with me and Serena...and maybe my dad's right."
Hey, I'm back. Sorry for the long wait, just been busy. But, we're back with another chapter where Team Champions are making their way back into the round. And Brock, that sneak having a Mega…granted his use of it was to show off how not everyone with a Mega is powerful and how timing is needed for it to be used at the most opportune time. Anyways, hopefully you enjoyed the chapter, but the next one is where the fun will be at. Expect that one to be released either Wednesday night or Thursday morning.
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.
