Welcome back everyone! Last time, we jumped ahead two months and saw Ash complete his training with Surge while also arriving just in time for the tournament where he saw a large amount of different students from the schools. Though he also learned this little tournament wasn't just for fun as the winning school shall become the one and only official school for the Kanto region, with students from the other campuses moving into that school.
Ch 25: Advancement
Three weeks ago
"Electabuzz, Thunder Punch!"
"Charmeleon, duck under and use Flamethrower!"
Electabuzz rushed forward, arms whirling with electricity as they swung wildly around. Charmeleon however held his ground, mouth alit with flames as the first punch came flying his way. Ducking quickly, the Fire-Type barely avoided the punch as a few shocks grazed the back of his head. The second punch landed, however, striking Charmeleon right in the stomach as his flames shot outwards.
The fire enveloped Electabuzz but had little effect on the titan. With one swipe of his arms, the Electric-Type dispersed the flames as all that remained was the charred field. Ashes flew in the air slightly as Ash wiped sweat from his face. Both himself and Charmeleon were exhausted after Surge had them spend the morning climbing up the side of a mountain.
"Come on, gotta be faster!" Surge called out as Electabuzz spun his arms around. Electricity built up in the area as Charmeleon panted heavily, his fatigue now keeping him from being able to dodge. Without a word spoken, Electabuzz threw his arm down towards the ground as electricity rained from the sky and engulfed Charmeleon.
An explosion ensured as Charmeleon flew back slightly, the Flame Pokémon resting on his back defeated as smoke willowed from his mouth.
"Time to rest, Charmeleon. You were great out there," Ash stated as the red light shot out from his pokeball. In enveloped the defeated Pokémon as Charmeleon returned to his capture device, Surge likewise doing the same with Electabuzz.
"Yer gettin' there slowly," the Gym Leader stated as his hand pushed through his hair. Sweat sat on his face as well, his eyes darting around the area as if he was paying attention to something nearby. "We'll pick up the pace tomorrow, otherwise ya won't be caught up to the others. Gotta really push ya."
Ash nodded as Pikachu brought a bottle of water over to the boy, Ash thanking him as he chugged the liquid slowly. His thoughts wandered for a moment towards the training they all had been through the last few weeks as Pikachu resumed his practice of Iron Tail with Surge's Raichu. It was still incomplete, but the form was improving thanks to the fact they already knew Slam.
A rustling sound stopped all that however, all eyes darting in the direction it came from as Pikachu got low to the ground. Ash likewise got ready, the duo planning to attack if another wild Pokémon charged at them. The rustling continued, sparks now flowing around Pikachu's cheeks as he readied an attack.
A green and white scythe then emerged from the bush, Ash and Pikachu both growing confused as Surge laughed slightly. The electricity dispersed from Pikachu's body as the Mouse Pokémon walked slowly over towards the bushes.
"Picha?" Pikachu asked, sniffing the air for a moment until a smile crossed his face. "Picha! Picha!"
"Figured ya were out here still," Surge muttered as Ash looked at the older man. He didn't seem surprised at all as Scyther emerged from the bush, the Mantis Pokémon looking a bit worn from what must have been a handful of battles in the past few weeks. Though Ash also noticed some wounds from their bout with Thad, the Bug and Flying-Type making his way towards Ash.
"I looked all over for ya, but unlike Corey's other Pokémon ya weren't with him. Figured ya were in the Islands somewhere," Surge spoke up as he pulled out a pokeball. Scyther stared at the device for a moment as a smirk crossed his face. Ash looked between the two as he wondered just what was going on, Scyther silent as Surge rolled the pokeball towards him
"Scyther," the Bug and Flying-Type muttered out as he rolled the ball with his scythe. He seemed a bit lost now, his scythes slightly dull compared to the last time Ash saw him. His eyes glazed, as if he had lost the desire to fight as he stepped slightly forward.
"You miss him, don't you?" Ash asked. Scyther nodded as he rolled the device towards Ash, the boy noticing the scuff marks upon it as he tried to clean it up. "We all miss Corey but knowing him he wouldn't want us to mope around."
"He's right," Surge added in as Scyther nodded slightly. "But that doesn't mean yer dreams have to end either. Ya and Corey wanted to be strong. Corey with his gym and yer cuttin' abilities. Ya could really do somethin' special still if ya join this brat."
"Wait, what?" Ash asked, Scyther also looking slightly confused as Surge stood there smiling. Ash couldn't understand why he would offer such an idea but held no desire to argue. Especially with the current shape Scyther was in.
"Think about it, Corey would want ya to keep goin'. And the kid here is a good trainer that will help ya. Plus, it's better than bein' out here."
Ash looked at the pokeball in his hand as it shook slightly, the boy feeling uncomfortable with the idea of being Scyther's next trainer. Though it seemed to mean little as the Mantis Pokémon approached him. Extending his scythe forwards Ash wondered if this had been something Scyther had mused over for a while. With a reluctant sigh Ash extended the pokeball forward as Scyther tapped it, the Bug and Flying-Type returning to the capture device.
Present
"And another victory for contestant number two. With that he has secured the first of two spots from the block," the judge declared as Ash watched Cross and his Lycanroc once more finish off their opponent. This time it had been a boy from Saffron, his Weepinbell standing no chance against their opponents despite his insistence on having a type advantage.
Cross stepped down from the ring, a smirk present on his face as Lycanroc kept pace. For only a second the boy looked at Ash, his eyes falling onto the Pallet Town native only to slide away. Ash continued to watch the retreating figure of the boy only to have his number called once again. The boy jumped for a second as his number was called, jumping onto the stage once more as another student stood opposite them.
While he couldn't remember the guy's name, he did recognize him from the beginner's section from his school. Ash felt slightly bad that this was where it would all end, the boy sending out Scyther once more as the Mantis Pokémon flashed his scythes. His opponent paused for a moment as he dropped his pokeball at first until he finally tossed it forward. A Raticate emerged from the device, its fangs looking well trained as they bit down onto each other.
"Scy," the Bug and Flying-Type muttered as Ash ran a hand through his hair. He didn't want to do it this way, but Surge had told him not to reveal too much of his training too early in the tournament. Heck, it had even been his idea to use Scyther up until there were only a handful of trainers left as much as Ash had argued against it.
Seeing that the match had begun, the duo avoided an attack by Raticate as its fangs sank into the ring, a few tiles shattering as Scyther reared his arms back. Ash called for a Swords Dance followed by a Slash attack, the combo proving to be effective as Raticate was launched backwards. The Normal-Type tried to stop itself, but the momentum was too strong as its body fell from the ring.
"And contestant number seventeen has secured the final spot from this block and will advance onto the main stage."
Ash chuckled slightly, Pikachu sitting there annoyed as Ash recalled Scyther. "I know you wanted to battle too."
"Pikapi!" Pikachu complained as the duo made their way off of the ring. Looking at the bracket on the board, a few blocks had already completed their preliminaries as only a handful of trainers remained. Ash quickly recognized Cross off to the side as Jimmy tried to talk to the silent boy only to be ignored. Elsewhere in the room was still Ritchie as the boy wiped down his pokeballs as Gary and his Blastoise blew their final opponent away with a Hydro Pump as the Golem smashed into a wall. On the opposite of the room waited Janine as it appeared everyone in her block had emptied out except Otoshi much to Ash's shock.
In fact, there was only one block still battling as Ash noticed Leaf making her way up to the ring. It had been the first time in months he had seen his childhood friend as Ash noticed the change in her appearance, a teal tank top and athletic shorts being covered by what Ash could only describe as a long black shirt. Gone was her hat as her hair ran a bit wilder as a few tufts stood up at the top of her head. Standing opposite her was another girl who had green hair while dressed in a black t-shirt along with jeans.
On the stage beside Leaf was her Ivysaur as the Grass and Poison-Type fired off a Vine Whip attack. The vines shot across the stage as they struck at a Golem, the Rock and Ground-Type taking the attack with ease. Leaf started to sweat as the girl wiped at her face, Ash walking towards the stage as a few others followed suit.
"There's got to be some way to crack that impenetrable shell," Leaf muttered as Ash's eyes widened in awe. The timer was nearly up now as only twenty seconds remained, Ivysaur's vines having barely done any damage to Golem. Instead, the girl opposite Leaf remained calm, calling for a Seismic Toss as Golem grabbed ahold of the vines.
With a simple snap forward Ivysaur was yanked across the stage as Golem rammed a fist into the Seed Pokémon. Ivysaur cried out as Leaf took a step back. Ash could only watch as he noticed his friend had lost her composure. Calling for a Venoshock, Leaf watched as her opponent countered with a Rollout. Golem tucked itself inwards as its body became a sphere, the Venoshock bouncing off as the liquid splashed against the ground. Golem didn't remain stationary however as it instead rushed for Ivysaur, sending it airborne.
Ash's eyes darted towards the timer, the clock now down to a mere ten seconds as Leaf's eyes looked confused. The girl slammed them shut for a moment as she bit on her thumb, her hair flowing behind her from the wind that Golem created. Ash could see her knees shake from the situation as she finally yelled out.
"Ivysaur, Solar Beam!"
"Saur!" the Grass and Poison-Type replied as her bulb started to glow. Energy continued to coalesce within the bulb as it glowed a bright white. Golem continued to roll around the stage however as Ivysaur landed on the tiled stage only to be struck once more. Energy continued to be absorbed despite that, Ivysaur finally launching the powerful blast off as it struck Golem.
Light engulfed Golem for a moment as smoke rained outwards, Ivysaur panting heavily as she landed back onto the stage. Though Leaf quickly dropped to her knees once the smoke faded, Golem standing opposite them with only a few scratches apparent. She was about to call for another attack but the timer went off, her eyes darting to the judge as he raised a hand.
"One minute has officially passed without a definite winner," the man stated as his eyes looked between the two Pokémon. Pikachu lowered his ears slightly as a murmur escaped from his lips, Ash biting his nails as they both knew the outcome. His own eyes looked around as Gary appeared to lower his head slightly at the expected outcome but otherwise revealed no emotions.
"With my best judgement it would appear that Golem is in the better shape and controlled the battle from the get-go. And so contestant number one hundred seventeen has claimed the final spot from this block and will advance onto the main stage."
The room started to empty out now as Ash watched most of those who had advanced head down further in the hallway, a few who had lost instead heading back towards the entrance. Ash paused for a moment as he looked at Leaf, the girl remaining on her knees as she hugged Ivysaur. They both looked disappointed as Ash took a few steps towards her, his shoes echoing as they smacked against the floor.
Leaf looked up immediately, rubbing at her eyes in an attempt to hide her tears. It was impossible however as the floor under her was wet from her tears. A sniffle escaped from her nose as mucus ran slightly out of her nostril, eyes red as she rubbed at them again.
"Guess I lost," Leaf said as she put on a fake charade. A smile sat across her face though Ash could tell it was forced, Ivysaur hunched across the ring as Pikachu walked over towards it. The Electric-Type patted the seed atop her back though Ivysaur didn't respond. "Looks like I'll have to train quite a bit after this. Otherwise you and Gary will leave me in the dust."
"It's okay, Leaf," Ash said as he sat next to the girl. His feet dangled off of the ring as they failed to touch the ground, his eyes instead focused on the floor as it seemed just out of reach for his feet. A chuckle escaped from him as his hands slid back against the cool tile. "If you're upset let it out. No one will judge you as long as you gave it your all."
A noise came from Leaf now as the girl nodded, Ash noting her scrunched up face as he placed a hand atop her head. His fingers ruffled her hair slightly as Leaf pushed him away. Ash nodded as he stood up, Pikachu jumping onto his shoulder as the duo turned away from Leaf.
"Ash..." Leaf muttered out as Ash heard something splash against the floor. He paused for a moment as his head turned slightly towards the girl. Her shoulders shook as her hands clinched at her outfit, the end of it all wrinkled now as her grip increased. "Promise me you'll beat her."
"You've got it," Ash replied as he turned away. Flashing a thumbs up towards the girl, Ash made his way for the hallway that the others exited in. Sniffles echoed outwards now as Leaf's crying could be heard by him, the boy adjusting his hat to pull it down. Pikachu reached for his face but Ash ignored it as he continued down the hall. Though to his surprise the only thing present at the end was a staircase. Pausing for a second, the sound of an echo filled the hallway as a cane continued to smack against the floor. Ash and Pikachu turned in the direction of the noise, Agatha making her way towards them.
"It appears I missed the preliminaries based on the lack of individuals present," she muttered as Ash nodded. Her eyes narrowed onto him as Ash blinked for a moment, his packet (or what was left of it) sat in her hand as she crumpled it against her cane. "Fortunately I managed to find you before things continued any more."
"What for?" Ash nervously asked. His voice shook for a moment as even Pikachu tried to cower away but had nowhere to go. The boy raised his hands defensively as Agatha swung his packet around in the air. More pages ripped out along with dirt and grass as the woman sighed out in defeat.
"You didn't let me talk to you after your midterm and now you failed to do your course work for the remainder of the semester," she began to say as her hand dropped the packet on the ground. Ash stared at it as he wondered if he should have just done the work despite his fatigue every night. "If you had met with me after finishing your midterm exam you would have known you were dangerously close to failing.
"And now that you didn't do any of the work presented in that packet...I'll have to fail you."
Ash gulped at that, his body stepping backwards as his foot struck against the staircase. He lost his balance for a moment as the action caused him to slip, his hands reaching out for the railing behind him as he forced himself to remain standing. "There's gotta be a mistake, right? I did some of the work in that packet so it must count a little. Right?"
"I looked it over. Over half the packet is missing or destroyed and of the half still in a form that can be read, you did maybe a fifth of that," Agatha stated as thoughts ran through Ash's head. He realized that failing meant he would need an extra year of school along with being separated from his friends. Both details being unwelcomed but the latter the worse of the two.
"However," Agatha stated as she cleared her throat. Ash's eyes looked right at her as hope returned to him. Even Pikachu perked up as the woman appeared lost in a thought, her hand resting under her chin while the other held her up with her cane. A few minutes passed in silence as Ash waited for her to speak, the older woman looking like she was about to several times only to stop. Finally she smiled as her voice echoed around the hallway.
"How about this? If you win the entire tournament then I'll let you pass. But if you don't win, you repeat the year."
"Sounds better than no option, right, Pikachu?" Ash stated, his hands clinched into fists as Pikachu copied the motion. A few sparks of electricity flew off the Mouse Pokémon as the duo laughed, Agatha smiling at their energy as she turned away. Ash could hear the sound of her cane smacking the ground once more, but when he looked towards her, he found that the woman was already gone.
Now knowing what had to be done he took one final deep breath before climbing the wooden staircase behind him. The climb took no time at all as he opened the door atop them to find himself in a large waiting room as benches and lockers sat all around them. It seemed that he was not alone as fifteen other individuals sat around the room along with a taller gentleman with shades and a clipboard at his hip.
The older man smiled upon seeing Ash as he waved at the boy, Ash returning the action with a nervous chuckle as some employees wheeled out a white board that held a new bracket. Sixteen spots were present as the board was now numbered one to sixteen, Ash realizing that he now had to win this entire tournament. Though he still had no intention of using Scyther in the main section out of fairness to his opponents and his other Pokémon. A table sat next to the whiteboard as a box sat comfortably atop it.
"Ah perfect," the man stated as he twirled a microphone in his free hand. The action reminded Ash of the man who had announced the Class Battle and figured it was the same individual based on his energy. "Now that the sixteen individuals competing in the main section of the tournament have arrived, we can begin drawing for lots to determine who will fight against who.
"But before we begin, I'd like to congratulate the lucky sixteen of you who managed to battle their way past the preliminary screenings. I'd imagine it wasn't easy," the man stated as he adjusted his sunglasses. Ash's eyes looked around the room for a moment as he noticed Cross on one side with Jimmy and Marina while the only other group of people appeared to be from Celadon University as Ash recognized the trio of Jeanette, Otoshi and Pete standing by a set of lockers. Everyone else appeared to be by themselves or lost in thought for the moment as the announcer tapped his microphone to grab their attention.
"As is obvious, there are sixteen spots available on the bracket which will be determined by drawing lots. As your name is called, please make your way up to table and draw a number from the box here," the man stated as he detached the clipboard from his hip and placed his microphone in the slot instead. Looking at the list of names in his hands, he cleared his throat for a minute before calling for the first name.
"Alright, if we could have Jimmy from New Bark University step forward and draw. Jimmy it's your turn."
"Alright," the young boy said as he leaned his skateboard against the wall. Stepping forward, he cracked his knuckles in anticipation as all eyes rested upon him. Now standing before the box, he lunged his hand into the box as the sound of swirling paper entered the room. "Hopefully my match isn't too late in the first round. I want to battle right away."
Pulling his hand out of the box the boy held tightly to a folded piece of paper as he handed it over towards the announcer. Carefully unfolding it, the man wrote it down on the whiteboard before pulling a radio from his back pocket.
"Jimmy is number fifteen. That's the final match."
"Oh come on..." the boy muttered as he grabbed at his hat. His head sunk low before rejoining Cross and Marina, the former looking indifferent. Ash could hear the cheers of the crowd around them as he wondered just where the room was located, a nearby window allowing him to see the field outside.
The stadium was packed to the brim as he saw a large tiled field stand above the normal League fields, Ash curious what that meant as he noticed a few workers fill out a larger whiteboard outside. A small section of the crowd roared in approval as they saw the name written down, Ash wondering just how popular Jimmy was in the Johto region.
Turning back towards the room, he watched as he saw Giselle walk towards the box. Their egg sat comfortably in her arms as she cradled it into one as her free hand rummaged around the box. Within seconds she retreated with a number and handed it towards the shades wearing man.
"Giselle is number two," the man stated as his marker wrote on the board. He immediately radioed it over to the others as he called for the next name. Pete Pebbleman being the next called to step forward.
"Not exactly what you imagined, was it?" Gary asked as his voice etched its way into his ear. Ash jumped slightly from it as he hadn't even seen Gary approach him. And yet he didn't feel tense around the boy as he felt different. Almost a calming aura appeared to radiate off of Gary as a smile crossed the boy's face. Ash was unsure if it was all a ploy by his rival and so he decided to keep his guard up.
Behind them the announcer called out that Pete had drawn number four as Jeanette Fisher made her way up towards the box. Her own hand fishing out a number in no time at all as Ash watched her be written on the board into the sixth match as number twelve.
"Honestly, Ash, most of these students aren't much to write home about considering they only allowed sixteen of us to advance. And out of us here, there's only a handful to be worried about since I watched most of their matches during the preliminaries."
"We're not much either in comparison. Everyone here are still freshmen," Ash replied as Pikachu nodded in agreement. Before them, Ritchie strode forward as he quickly pulled out the number seven from the box. Ash noted how the speed had increased in regard to the selection process, but he was more occupied with Gary at the moment as the girl who beat Leaf made her way to draw a number.
"For all we know, any one of these guys could have been holding back. Gary, don't be looking down on any of them. Okay?"
"Hmph," Gary muttered as he smirked at Ash. His hand raced across his hair for a moment as the announcer now called his name. Ash noticed that the girl from before had drawn number fourteen, placing her in the seventh match as he hoped to be paired up against her. "I guess it's less me looking down on them and more wanting our first real match.
"It won't fix all our issues, but I'm hoping it'll be the start of something," the boy stated as he walked towards the box. Ash blinked in confusion for a moment as he tried to understand just what the boy had said. Did he finally see Ash as a worthy enough rival or was it just a mind game to throw Ash off? Either way, the boy wondered just what Gary went through during the past couple months to be calm enough for them to talk without it ending in an insult.
"And Gary has drawn number thirteen. That gives us our first official match as it pits you against Melissa from Saffron Community in the seventh match."
Ash looked on in worry as he wondered if Gary would be fine against her, especially since Leaf had lost and out of the three of them she was the best when it came to strategies. Gary appeared unconcerned however as he walked past Ash, their eyes meeting as Ash noticed the determination resting within Gary. It had been a look he hadn't seen since before they attended school, one that made Ash now excited to face Gary.
Ash began to grow bored as one by one the other students began to draw their numbers, the Pallet Town native wondering when it would finally be his turn. Looking at the board, he noticed that a few matchups had been decided as the first, second, sixth and seventh matches were now filled as Cross, Mayaka and Assunta went and drew the numbers one, three and eleven respectively. Though Ash had no clue who Assunta was, Ritchie appeared to be excited for the girl as they high fived after her drawing. Misty had also gone a while back as the obnoxious girl had drawn number five, placing her into the third match as Ash scanned the board.
There weren't many spots left now and the only open match that held no one was the fifth match, though that quickly vanished as he watched Paul stroll up. He hadn't even seen the boy in the room, but it surprised him little to see him here. The boy silently pulled out a slip of paper and handed it towards the announcer.
"And Paul draws number nine. Placing him in the fifth match.
"Could we now have Ash come and draw."
Ash gulped for a moment as he walked forward, his eyes bouncing around the room as he caught the looks of everyone else present. Though only a few looked interested as Janine flashed him a thumbs up while Mayaka and Cross smirked while Jimmy took a few steps forward in anticipation. With a deep breath, he lunged his hand into the box as he felt around for a slip of paper.
"Wish me luck, buddy," Ash muttered as he realized most of the papers were gone now. He wondered for a moment how easy it would have been to grab a slip if the box was full, but he eventually managed to fish out one of the remaining slips. Sighing, he handed the slip over towards the announcer as it was slowly opened.
"Ash Ketchum has drawn number six. That puts him in the third match against Misty."
Ash looked at the board now, his name sitting there next to Misty as his eyes located the young girl. She seemed to have little interest in him as body appeared as calm as the water. And yet it felt like a storm was ready to break out. Looking back at the board, Ash realized now that the only way he and Gary were to face off was if they both made it all the way to the end. The notion was quickly added to his growing list of reasons he had to win.
With only three spots remaining, Ash hoped that meant things would go by quickly as Janine made her way towards the box. Ash watched her for a moment as she pulled one of the slips out, the man writing down her name into the eighth and final matchup against Jimmy.
"Guess we won't face each other for a while," she muttered as she stood next to Ash. The boy nodded in agreement as Janine looked a bit disappointed by that notion. "And here I wanted to show you the fruits of my training. But it'll be great to see you in action again. It's been too long."
"Same," Ash responded as they bumped fists. For some reason things felt normal again for Ash despite the situation he found himself in, Janine's presence helping him stay relaxed as Marina walked up to the box. "After this is over we should hang out. We haven't done that in forever."
"Huh?" Janine asked as Ash rubbed at the back of his neck. He wasn't sure what was so confusing by the concept as he watched Marina's name be written into the fourth match. That left just Otoshi who was written right into the fifth match, though he asked to still draw just to make sure it was number ten that remained in the box.
"You know, me and you and maybe the others just go and do something fun."
"Oh," she replied as Ash noticed she lost her enthusiasm. His eyes narrowed at that but the girl didn't notice as she immediately regained her determination. Her hands clinched now as the announcer began speaking once more.
"The first match which will feature Cross facing off against Giselle will begin promptly so please remain here in the waiting area. When it's time for your match your name will be called. Though you can leave if necessary, if you're not back by the start of your match it'll be counted as a forfeit. The first two rounds will be held tonight as we narrow the field down to four individuals for tomorrow.
"Now allow me to go over the rules real quick," the man stated as his clipboard was back on his side. His microphone rested in his hand, but it appeared to not be in use as he instead belted the words out. "Matches across the first two rounds will consist of one-on-one battles with a thirty minute time limit. A victory is decided upon by either making your opponent faint or falling from the ring. In the event that the time limit is reached, a panel of judges headed by Lance will decide on the victor. However, attacking an opposing trainer is completely prohibited and will result in an automatic forfeit if the attack was intentional.
"With that I'll see each of you in just a short while. I'm hoping you all manage to deliver exciting performances," the announcer stated as he made his way towards a double hinged door. The sides swung out as he locked them into place, Ash able to see outside even clearer now as he watched the man continue out towards the stage.
His shoes tapped against the steps until he stood atop a square ring. The area rested about four feet above the ground as the tile surface shined in the sunlight. Ash noticed the outline of a regular field underneath it as the realization that this stage had been specially made hit him.
"Ladies and gentlemen are you ready!" the announcer cried out as Ash watched him stand in the middle of the stage. The stadium erupted into applause as Ash noticed one of the large screens around the stadium turn on. It immediately revealed the bracket as two employees wheeled away the whiteboard. The screen quickly changed within an instant, however, the only names remaining on it being that of Cross and Giselle.
"Today is the day you've all been waiting patiently for! Sixteen of the best freshmen will compete against each other to see who will be crowned the strongest amongst them. Each student has spent the past year learning and training in their hopes to one day earn their right to become a professional. But for right now they'll showcase their teachings and put everything on the line here. As always, I'm Romeo and I'll be announcing the matches as they occur but you're not here for me. So let's get the first match underway!"
"Here," Giselle stated coldly as Ash noticed her for the first time. The young girl shoved their egg into his hands, the boy surprised that it hadn't hatched yet. Though she seemed to care little for it right now. "I won't be able to battle seriously if I have to watch over the egg. Besides, I've had it for the past two months. You can take care of it from now on."
Ash glared at the girl as she walked away with a flip of her hair. He figured it wouldn't be a shame if she lost right away. His eyes then moved over to Cross as the boy waited by the opened doors, his eyes shut as Ash wondered how focused he was on the match. Romeo's voice cried out once more as both Cross and Giselle began to walk out.
"Our first match is about to get underway so let's get our first battlers out onto the ring!"
Ash slowly made his way towards the double doors as the two trainers approached the pristine ring, his ears picking up on footsteps near him. Casting his eyes to the side, Ash noticed Jimmy on the opposite side of him also peering out the doors.
"The first match will consist of two drastically different students as Cross will face off against Giselle! Cross actually hails from the Alola region but due to a lack of interest in the islands left for Kanto and then made his way into Johto where he joined Professor Elm's latest class of freshmen. Despite having the lowest grades of his class, his teachers would describe his battling skills as five out of five.
"Giselle on the other hand started the year at Saffron Community where she earned straight A's. Immediately transferring to Pokémon Academy, she continued her run as an unheralded genius. Though we have no information in regard to her battling skills, if she's anything like she is in the classroom this will go down as one outstanding battle."
The two students finally made their way up onto the square ring as Cross continued until he was on the opposite side. Though it was the sight of two employees next to the boy that confused Ash, the same sight occurring next to Giselle. Unsure of what was going on, Ash stared in confusion as the duo both placed something within one ear, a small microphone looked to be sticking out of it now.
"This is going to be good," Jimmy muttered as both Ash and Pikachu perked their ears at his words. The young boy held a smile on his face before turning towards Ash, a glisten in his eyes as both trainers sent out their Pokémon. "He's the guy I wanted to introduce you to during our time here before."
"If you don't mind me asking, but when exactly did he register for your school?" Ash asked as a few others joined their watch party. A Marowak emerged before Giselle, the Ground-Type swinging its bone for a moment as a large creature appeared opposite it. The Pokémon looked similar to Torracat but stood only on its hindlegs and appeared to be much more muscular than before. "Cause last time I saw him, he wasn't attending any schools."
"No problem," Jimmy replied as Marowak launched its bone right at the feline looking Pokémon. The object spun rapidly as Cross quickly ordered his partner to dodge as the bone sailed past him only to circle back around, his voice booming as Ash realized they were wearing microphones.
"Honestly he's only been a part of our class since midterms ended. The guy showed up with Incineroar and beat every single one of us without a break. Of course we were tired from our exams, but he just mocks us for using excuses," Jimmy continued on, Ash having a feeling that Incineroar was the creature standing atop the stage right now.
"Incineroar, Bulk Up!" Cross ordered as the Fire and Dark-Type's body was quickly covered in muscles. It was as if Incineroar was merely flexing as a red aura surrounded him, the returning bone merely bouncing off his body as it fell to the stage with a clunk.
"Professor Elm begged him to sign up since he felt with Cross we couldn't lose here. Not that we need to win, he just wants to. Actually, I don't even think Cross showed up to a single class after he joined. He only agreed since Elm told him he'd get to battle here," Jimmy finished as Cross called for another attack.
Incineroar's arms erupted in flames, the Heel Pokémon bounding across the stage as he broke into a spin. The flames surrounded his entire body for a moment as Giselle tried to counter, Marowak creating an uneven surface as it stomped its feet. Ash felt the sensation from the waiting room as Incineroar lost his balance, the spinning coming to an end only for his still ablaze arms to reach forward.
"Even with a Stomping Tantrum to stop the attack, Marowak was unable to bring Incineroar's assault to a complete end," Romeo called out as Incineroar's claws grabbed ahold of Marowak's head. The Bone Keeper Pokémon struggled to get free, its feet kicking around wildly as Incineroar kept his distance. The flames traveled down Incineroar's arms until they reached Marowak's head, the Ground-Type crying out as a spinning sensation began.
"Can't believe he's gotten even better," Jimmy mused. Ash and Pikachu blinked at that statement as Marowak emerged from the spinning inferno with a few bruises, its body sliding across the floor as the Ground-Type was close to its bone.
"Marowak, grab your bone and use Bone Club!" Giselle ordered but Cross and Incineroar were faster.
"Like we would let you," the boy declared as his partner dropped to all four. The Heel Pokémon darted across the stage, his body wrapped in flames as Ash noticed these started from its waist. With a kick Incineroar sent the bone sliding off the stage and onto the dirt field beneath them. Giselle bit at her thumb from that, Cross merely smirking.
"Marowak are stronger with their club, it was stupid to separate the two at the start."
Giselle's hand shook as she tried to compose herself, Ash having never seen her get like this during their classes. It was as if she had lost the urge to continue fighting as Marowak blinked at its bone being too far from the stage to grab. Though Incineroar wasn't finished with his attack either. His body ramming into Marowak as the flames exploded outwards, a few sparks surrounding the Fire and Dark-Type as he stood back up. Marowak was thrown across the stage once more as the Bone Keeper Pokémon was defenseless, Ash wondering what other moves it had.
"It seems like Marowak is already on the ropes as its having a difficult time standing! And without its club this will just get harder. How will Giselle manage to overcome it?"
"Might as well forfeit," Cross stated, his hands resting comfortably in his pant's pockets. The boy looked bored with the match Incineroar awaited the next command. "I don't want to hurt your Pokémon if you can't battle. But if you won't forfeit I'll have to keep battling myself. So what is it?"
"As if," Giselle replied, her hair flying around as Marowak stomped at the stadium floor again. Cross shook his head at the response, Incineroar rushing forward despite the shaking sensation. Ash was amazed with how the creature held his balance despite the shockwaves being sent through the ground.
Incineroar's arms were ablaze once more as he reached Marowak, the appendages reaching forward as they grabbed the Ground-Type's body. Incineroar roared out in annoyance, lifting Marowak up over his head before slamming him down onto the tiled floor. A few of the tiles cracked from the impact, the stone flying into the air as the thrashing continued.
"Something isn't right. Cross should be more careful," Ash muttered as Pikachu nodded in agreement. Jimmy looked at the boy in confusion as they watched Incineroar sling Marowak around. "Giselle wouldn't normally allow this. She must have something planned."
"You sure? Maybe she's just shut down what with the Marowak's club being gone," Jimmy stated as the duo both noticed a white glow begin to form around the Bone Keeper Pokémon. With each hit it continued to glow brighter until even Cross and Incineroar noticed it, the former looking confused as Marowak managed to break free from its confinement.
"I should thank you," Giselle taunted as she flipped her hair backwards. The glow was so bright now that even Ash struggled to watch, he was forced to squint in hopes that he could just barely make out the battle. "If you hadn't fallen for our little act then we couldn't have won this match."
"What are you blabbering about?" Cross asked as Marowak punched Incineroar right in the gut. The Fire and Dark-Type stumbled for a moment as he fell to one knee, his opponent giving him no time to react as it swung its tail right into Incineroar's face. The impact left the Heel Pokémon on his back now as Giselle continued to laugh.
"You honestly thought I'd forget that Marowak as a species are stronger with their club? Throwing it early in the match was to draw you into a sense of security and continue to inflict damage. That way our real attack could work. Especially since I doubt anyone expected us to use Endeavor."
"Amazing! Giselle and Marowak have Incineroar on the ropes now thanks to Endeavor! For those who don't know what that is, it's a move that increases with power the weaker the user is in battler. And with Marowak having taken a beating this entire match...well let's just say that Incineroar should be feeling like he just got hit by a train," Romeo declared.
Marowak continued its assault with a barrage of kicks and punches but Ash thought it was weird that Incineroar wasn't getting hurt from them now. In fact, it seemed like they did no damage to the Fire and Dark-Type as he merely brushed them off.
"Heh, so that was it," Cross chuckled out as his voice echoed around the stadium. The boy clapped slightly for Giselle, the action causing her to glare at the boy out of annoyance. It didn't bother him however as Incineroar caught Marowak's latest punch. The action surprised Giselle and the crowd as a gasp radiated through the stands.
"You do remember Endeavor's one weakness, right? You can't knock a Pokémon out with it since it only makes the two combatants equal in health," the boy stated as he threw his hands behind his head. His eyes narrowed onto the Marowak that was held within Incineroar's grasp, Ash knowing this match was over now.
Without the need for a command, Incineroar tossed the fatigued Ground-Type out of the ring as its body planted against the dirt beneath the stage. The Heel Pokémon roared out in celebration as Giselle stood there stunned, the girl unable to say a word as Romeo made his way towards the stage.
"Remarkable folks, Cross and Incineroar managed to see right through Giselle's plan and tossed Marowak from the ring! With that he'll advance onto the second round while this unfortunately marks an end for Giselle's run in the tournament. Let's give her a hand!"
Romeo started to clap for the young girl as she recalled Marowak into its pokeball, Giselle paying it no attention as the entire stadium began to clap for the duo. Cross seemed to take his time leaving the ring as he recalled Incineroar.
Ash watched the boy as he approached the two doors, his eyes locked onto Ash as a grin sat upon his face. The Pallet Town native didn't like that look but said nothing as Cross wrapped his arm around Ash's shoulders, Jimmy looking surprised by it.
"Let's go talk," Cross muttered into Ash's ear as Pikachu's cheeks sparked slightly from it. Behind them Ash could hear Romeo begin the announcements for the second match as both Mayaka and Pete began to stroll outside.
"Oh don't worry, I just want to catch up."
Ash removed Cross' arm from his shoulders as he followed the boy towards a different section of the waiting room despite feeling uncomfortable by it. Approaching a table set up with food, Ash watched as Cross grabbed a banana and began to peel it. Biting a bit of it off, Cross laughed for no reason as Ash took a step back.
"That girl got me good out there. Never expected her to use a move like that after trying three Ground-Type moves," Cross stated as a few pieces of his banana fell from his mouth. Ash blinked at that as he heard the match begin outside. He wanted to look and watch, but he figured Cross wouldn't allow him to.
Wiping a piece of banana off of his shoes, Ash stared at the boy with a look of boredom. "I'm pretty sure that's not what you wanted to say."
"Of course not, but why so serious? I thought we were friends?"
"Between trying to steal my feather and then abandoning Charmander, you haven't left the best impressions on me lately."
"Fair enough," Cross replied as he tossed the banana peel into the trash. Wiping his hands onto his pants, the boy smirked at Ash as the Pallet Town native noticed the glint in his eyes. "But I have an offer that should interest you.
"Let's place a wager on this tournament. If we face off and I win, I get your feather."
"Why would I ever agree to that?" Ash asked as an explosion rang out behind them. The boy turned his head slightly as he noticed an Arcanine being chased by what Ash assumed was Mayaka's Nidoking. The latter launched off a Hyper Beam as it blew Arcanine off its feet and skidding towards the edge of the ring.
However, the Fire-Type managed to stop itself by using Flame Wheel and then attacked back with a Dragon Rage as a large twister shot up before Arcanine as it shot for Nidoking. Unable to dodge, Mayaka ordered her partner to take the attack head on and counter with Earth Power once he could move. Ash was unable to see the conclusion however as Cross turned him away from the match, the boy now eating an orange.
"Cause I have something you want," Cross stated as Ash and Pikachu looked at each other. Their curiosity was answered as the boy smirked slightly. "If you manage to beat me here, I'll tell you why I abandoned Charmander. Sound like a deal?"
Ash grit his teeth at the offer, the boy really wanting to know but not wanting to risk his feather. Especially since it meant so much to him and what they went through over it just a couple months ago. "And what happens if we don't face each other?"
"I'll tell you about Charmander for free. Cause I'm such a nice person."
Cross extended his hand outwards as Ash mused over the offer. He had little time however as he heard Romeo declare Mayaka the winner of the match. Turning his head once more, he watched as a few employees of the League were quick to change out the broken tiles from the previous match as he looked back at Cross. Knowing it was against his better judgement, Ash shook the boy's hand as he agreed to the wager.
"But no funny business. I don't want to wake up at night and see you trying to sneak into my room," Ash stated. Cross nodded at that, the boy raising his hands in defense at his previous interaction with Ash. The Pallet Town native wanted to say more, but he lacked time as he heard Romeo begin to call out the next match.
"Our third match of the day consists of a small rivalry as Misty of the Cerulean University will face off against Ash of Pokémon Academy. The duo have actually faced each other once before so this will be an interesting match up. Misty comes from the Cerulean Gym and is training to become not only the next Gym Leader but also a Water-Type master in order to face Lorelei. Ash on the other hand attends school at Pokémon Academy and according to his teacher he's rough around the edges but holds immense potential. If only he could stay awake in class," Romeo cried out, Ash pulling his hat down slightly at that last remark.
He passed by a few other students as quite a few looked to be rather interested in the match, Pikachu jumping from his shoulder as he walked over to Janine with the egg. Careful not to drop it, Pikachu handed it over to the girl as Ash continued without him. Misty was waiting for him at the entrance, the girl smirking as she held her hands behind her back.
"You ready for a repeat of our last battle?"
"We'll see about that. You'll be surprised with our improvement."
The duo made their way onto the stage as Ash noted the difference in the original tiles compared to their replacements, the newer ones being a slightly different color as Ash wondered how many they would go through by the end of this tournament.
No words were spoken between the two trainers once they reached their respective spots, Ash being handed a microphone by one of the employees as he placed it within his ear. He wondered if they were being used as a way to be heard over the crowd. Though to his annoyance it seemed like Misty had an entire cheering section compared to him.
I wasn't really expecting anyone anyways... Ash thought to himself as the two trainers were now ready to go. With a quick toss of their pokeballs, their two Pokémon emerged on the field as Ash held little surprise for their opponent. Wartortle stood before Ash as they stared down Gyarados, the Water and Flying-Type thrashing its tail all around as the action caused Romeo to duck to avoid being struck.
"And let the match begin!" he cried out as he ducked once more.
"Wartortle, let's start things off with a Hydro Pump!"
"Tortle!" the Water-Type cried out, his limbs shooting into his shell as it began to rotate. With each turn the shell picked up momentum until finally rotating at an immense speed, water shooting out of the openings around the shell. Water whipped outwards as it smacked into Gyarados with little effect. The attack being nothing more than a minor annoyance.
"Dragon Tail! Knock him away!" Misty commanded, her arm swinging to the side as Gyarados roared out in agreement. Its tail shined a light green as scales ran down it, the appendage being swung downwards.
Tiles shook as a few pieces flew into the air from the impact, the entire stage shaking as Ash lost his balance for a moment. Wartortle however managed to avoid the attack by rolling to the side, only to find himself at the edge of the ring. Ash quickly called for Wartortle to reposition himself as Gyarados' tail swung down once more and shattered the edge of the ring. Chunks of stone and tile fell onto the dirt below as Ash heard Romeo cry out for a moment, but it wasn't in excitement but rather worry over his ring.
Another swing of Gyarados' tail came for Wartortle as the Water-Type avoided it with a quick Hydro Pump attack. As he watched Wartortle's ability to dodge, Surge's words echoed within his head.
If ya honestly gonna use Wartortle in a possible match with her, ya can't expect to win with strength. We'll need a plan.
"Now, Ice Beam!" Ash shouted as he punched forward. Wartortle's head emerged from his shell as ice formed around his mouth, the temperature dropping slightly as it built an ice wall in front of him by freezing the water from his Hydro Pump. Gyarados' tail smashed into it, a few chunks of ice sticking into the tail but still struck Wartortle. The attack sent the Turtle Pokémon skidding across the ring, but he quickly got back up as Gyarados slithered slowly towards him.
Stall for as long as ya can, kid, and then use her power against her. Ya gotta use brains over brawn...even if that's impossible for a brainless kid like ya.
"Gotta be a way to push it back," Ash muttered as his nails dug deep into his palms. The battle before them had quickly turned into a repeating pattern as Wartortle had been continuously on the defensive against Gyarados, unable to launch an attack as a barrage of Dragon Tails kept him on his toes. Ash knew if this continued then Wartortle would be too exhausted, but he had to believe that his partner could carry out the plan.
"Alright! Now Skull Bash!" Ash shouted as he saw an opening. As Gyarados pulled its tail back to swing once more, it exposed its underbelly to which Wartortle raced forward, head shining brightly. Though based on Misty's reaction, it was exactly what she wanted.
"Hyper Beam, Gyarados!" Misty cried out with a snap of her fingers. Ash blinked in shock from the command, his feet stepping backwards as Wartortle cried out in concern. The orange energy quickly formed within Gyarados' maw, Ash unable to think of a way to get Wartortle out of the way of the attack.
"Fine, if we can't dodge, let's meet it head on! Ice Beam!" Ash shouted as Wartortle once more summoned forth the icy energy. The Hyper Beam was launched off easily as it struck the Ice Beam, the crowd gasping in surprise as it managed to freeze the attack for a few seconds. In that small moment, Wartortle managed to slide underneath the beam and strike Gyarados' underbelly as a roar surged through the stadium.
"And what seemed like a dire situation quickly turned into an opportunity for Ash! This match is just getting started everyone!" Romeo cried out as Wartortle went in for another Skull Bash.
Unfortunately, Gyarados had recovered from the Hyper Beam now, Misty calling for another Dragon Tail as the green tail struck Wartortle in the head. The Turtle Pokémon bounced off of the tail and right into the ring, a small crater forming as he stood back up only to be hit with a Hydro Pump.
Water floored into Wartortle as the Water-Type struggled against the blast, his body floundering about. Nearly thrown from the ring, Wartortle held tight to the edge as he pulled himself back up, Ash breathing a sigh of relief.
"You alright, Wartortle?"
"Wartortle, tort!" Wartortle replied as he stared down Gyarados. The Water and Flying-Type looked slightly bored from the battle, its tail swishing about lazily.
"I guess you have gotten better," Misty remarked as she flipped her hand backwards. Ash refused to reply at the moment as he refused to give her any openings. Especially with Wartortle starting to pant from exhaustion. "But whatever training you did won't be enough. In a battle between Water-Type Pokémon I'm miles ahead of you. Gyarados, Dragon Tail once again!"
"Ughhh. It's always Dragon Tail with you," Ash muttered as he threw an arm to the side. Wartortle followed his action as he rolled to the side and avoided the blow once more. "Why can't you use something else. Hydro Pump, Wartortle!"
"Tortle!" Wartortle agreed once more as he broke into a spin. Water shot from his shell as the multiple whips slapped against Gyarados, this time proving to be an annoyance as it pushed the Water and Flying-Type backwards.
"Don't get so cocky, Ketchum," Misty stated, a smirk sitting on Ash's face as he watched Gyarados be pushed back. He was only a few feet away from the edge now as Misty made her next move. "Keep in mind that I'm planning to be a Water-Type master, so I'm prepared for anything water related! Whirlpool!"
Ash became perplexed from the order as he watched Wartortle lose control of his Hydro Pump, the attack becoming larger until finally it resembled the move that defeated them last time. Bracing for whatever would be next, Ash watched Wartortle be thrown about within the large typhoon of water. His body being thrashed about as Misty looked on with ease.
"Guess it's time to stop playing," Ash muttered as he threw his hands behind his head. This caused Misty to change her stance into a defensive one as she leaned back. Her hands were raised before her body as a gasp escaped once she saw Wartortle sitting on his tail atop the Whirlpool.
"It's time we showcase our special training! Surf!" Wartortle didn't respond as he broke into the water, his tail acting like a surfboard as he controlled the large body of water. The Whirlpool slowed down, its waters calming until finally taking on the shape of an oversized wave. Wartortle rode atop it, his body surfing back and forth as the tidal wave shot for Gyarados.
The water smashed into the Atrocious Pokémon as it managed to push it back towards the edge of the ring, Ash smirking while Misty looked on in worry. The boy merely adjusted his cap as Gyarados quickly ran out of room, its tail now hanging over the edge as it had to pay attention to the appendage.
"We won't go down like this! Shatter that wave with Hyper Beam!" Misty shouted, her arm sweeping across her body as mist started to rain down on her. Gyarados roared out in agreement as the orange energy began to form once more.
It was just what Ash wanted.
"Wait until they fire and then jump into a Skull Bash!"
"What!?"
Misty quickly tried to cancel the command, but it was too late, the orange beam erupting outwards as it exploded against the tidal wave. Wind and rain picked up as Ash grabbed at his hat, his vision blurry from the torrential downpour as he struggled to make out Wartortle. With a slight glint he managed to see his partner as he soared through the air, his head ramming into Gyarados' midsection as both Pokémon began to fall from the ring.
"And with a surprising command, Ash has had Wartortle lunge right for Gyarados!" Romeo declared as he rushed to the side of the ring. His eyes followed the two falling Pokémon as the cameras zoomed in to make sure they caught who fell first. "This match will end based not on skill but luck as they're falling towards the ground. Who will land first, Gyarados or Wartortle?"
Ash bit his lower lip, eyes focused on the area as the rain came to an end. Able to see across the field now he managed to make out the two Pokémon splayed across as Wartortle stood atop his opponent triumphantly. Excitement welled inside of him as the boy exchanged a thumbs up with his partner, the Water-Type placing his shades atop his face with a smirk.
"And that does it, folks! Gyarados has been knocked from the ring making Wartortle the winner. Ash will advance to face the winner of the next match!"
And that brings an end to the chapter. Wartortle getting his moment of revenge along with explaining where Ash got Scyther. Also, if anyone has any questions on the matchups for the first round they're as follows:
Cross vs Giselle, Mayaka vs Pete, Ash vs Misty, Ritchie vs Marina, Otoshi vs Paul, Assunta vs Jeanette, Melissa vs Gary, Janine vs Jimmy.
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.