A/N: Please enjoy the chapter. Hmm...I said I would be doing shorter chapters, but they ended up long sometimes again. I guess sometimes I just can't resist.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.
Chapter 27: The Winstrate Family
The group had left Mauville City a couple of days ago after saying their goodbyes to Clemont, Bonnie, and Wattson. With the largest city in Hoenn behind them now, it was time to start a new part of their journey. Their next destination would be Lavaridge Town where Ash would compete for his fourth gym badge. After that would be Fallarbor Town where May would compete in a contest and hopefully win her first contest ribbon.
However, unlike other paths the group had taken in Hoenn, the path to Lavaridge City was quite bare. They had complex forests on the way to Rustboro City. They got to ride on a boat and experience the ocean on the way to Dewford Island and Slateport City. They had the Trick House and Cycling Road going into Mauville City, and the way to Verdanturf Town had lush and beautiful pathways.
"Man. Could this walk be any more boring?" Ash muttered, "There's nothing here."
"Yeah. There are just miles of dirt and occasional grass as far as I can see," Serena agreed.
"Well, I'm sorry that every part of Hoenn isn't scenic," May said, slightly annoyed.
"I didn't say it had to be, but is it going to be like this all the way to Lavaridge City?" Ash wondered.
"It's not that bad. I mean…we have grass, dirt, the occasional tree. Lots of farmland," May rebutted before she gave a sigh, "Okay. It's pretty boring here. Not much to see."
Ash sighed, as well, before he placed his hands behind his head for a stretch. There had to be something to take his mind off of the boring scenery. Then it came to him.
"Does anybody want to have a Pokemon battle? Nothing like that to take our minds off of this mindless walking. It'll cheer me up," Ash suggested before he looked at Brock, "Want to have one, Brock?"
"Sure. Why not?" Brock said.
The four teens then stopped a short way off the dusted road to begin their battle. Serena would act as the judge since Brock was battling this time as May and Togetic watched from the side. Ash then gave a determined smiled and took out a pokeball before he threw it forward.
"Corphish, I choose you!" he yelled and threw it forward.
"Let's go, Pineco!" Brock said and threw his pokeball forward.
It was actually quite exciting for Ash to battle Brock right now. Now that he thought about it, he didn't think he had battled the Brock since he had joined them again in Hoenn. He had been too busy training with May lately or battling Serena.
The two Pokemon appeared ready as Corphish gave a snarky cry and clicked its pincers at Pineco who simply sat there. Corphish knew that Ash hadn't battled with it as much as he would've liked so it was eager to prove itself.
"This is a practice battle between Ash and Brock that will be one on one with no time limit! Begin!" Serena declared.
"Okay, Corphish! Let's start things off with a Bubble Beam!" Ash said.
Corphish opened its pincers and let loose a stream of bubbles from them.
"Use Protect, Pineco!" Brock countered.
Pineco then made a protective shield around itself as the bubbles bounced harmlessly off of it. Brock then decided to go in for an offensive attack.
"Pineco, use Gyro Ball!" Brock commanded.
Pineco lost its shield and began spinning very rapidly towards Corphish. Corphish set its ground as it prepared for what Ash told him next.
"Try to catch Pineco in your claws and use Vice Grip!" Ash said.
Corphish braced itself and reached out its claws to catch Pineco just in time. Corphish was pushed back and grimaced a bit due to the force of the attack, but it held strong. Brock gave a sigh as Corphish began to squeeze down on Pineco as the Pokemon struggled to break free. He was trying to think of something to do but realized he didn't have to once he saw Pineco start to smoke. He and Ash both gasped as they realized what was coming.
"Wait, Pineco! The battle's not over yet! Don't explode!" Brock shouted.
"Let it go, Corphish!" Ash warned.
Corphish's eyes widened as it saw was about to happen. It went to hurl Pineco from its claws, but it was too late. Pineco gave a cry and set off a massive explosion that covered practically the whole battlefield in dust and smoke.
The group coughed as they tried to see through the cloud of smoke. Ash ran forward to find his Corphish as Brock did the same for his Pineco. Ash was the first to find them and found both Pokemon lying on the ground and covered with soot. Both Pokemon were clearly out of commission making the match a draw, though Ash technically would've won in an official match. Ash knelt down and picked up his Corphish and gave it a sympathetic smile.
"Oh, man. Sorry about that, Corphish. That turned out a bust," Ash said.
"Phiiiiiish," Corphish croaked and let out a puff of smoke from its mouth.
"What am I going to do with you, Pineco?" Brock muttered with a sigh as he picked it up.
"Pineco!" Pineco said as it woke up and gave the equivalent of cheesy grin before it began to glow white.
Brock began to panic and tossed Pineco around in his hands as he feared it was going to explode again. However, that wasn't the case as he saw Pineco growing larger. Brock instead smiled and set Pineco on the ground as it continued to change. Once it stopped glowing, Pineco had finally evolved into a Forretress.
"Hah! Look at you, now!" Brock said.
"Well, I guess that's one good thing that came out of this," Serena said.
"Congratulations, Forretress!" Brock praised and gave it a light tap with his hand.
"Forretress!" the newly evolved Pokemon said happily before it began to smoke.
"No! Wait! Don't explode!" Brock cried as everyone hit the ground and covered their heads. If Pineco gave off huge explosions, there was no telling what a Forretress could do.
However, after a few seconds, nothing came. Brock was the first to chance a peek and saw Forretress hadn't exploded yet. In fact, it wasn't smoking anymore, either. It was just merely lolling back and forth like a ball as it stared at the panicked group.
"You…aren't going to explode?" Brock questioned and went over to it.
"Forretress," Forretress responded as other three and their Pokemon looked, too.
Brock waited a few more seconds to see what it would do before he gave a wide grin. It seemed that upon evolving, Forretress had lost its exploding tendencies…for now, anyway. The rest of the group came from their huddled positions and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Well, I'm glad you're Forretress is okay, Brock, but Corphish kind of took a huge beating from that explosion," Ash said and gestured to the knocked out Pokemon.
"I'll check to see if there's a Pokemon Center in the area," May spoke up before she took it out and looked. She then frowned, "Great. The nearest Pokemon Center is a good six miles away."
"Six miles?" Ash questioned before he looked at Corphish, "It looks like it'll be a while before we can help Corphish."
The group nodded and figured that was the only thing they could do. Brock had medicine but they didn't really have anything that could clean it off since Corphish as covered with smoke burns and soot. They were about to leave before they saw an elderly lady coming towards them. They couldn't help but wonder what she was doing out here and were even more confused when she appeared to be heading right to them.
"Hello, there!" the old woman greeted with enthusiasm once she reached them.
"Umm…hello. May we help you?" Serena asked.
"I saw an explosion off in the distance and came over to see what the racket was. It appears you lot were having a Pokemon battle!" the woman observed.
"Yeah. We were," Brock confirmed, "My Forretress decided to use Explosion during the battle."
"My Corphish was injured," Ash added and gestured to the Pokemon in his arms, "I want to get it cleaned off and rested, but the nearest Pokemon Center is six miles away."
"Hah! You don't need a Pokemon Center, young man! My family owns a farm not too far from here! We'll get your Corphish feeling as good as new!" the woman offered.
"Really? You'd do that?" Ash asked.
"Of course! I'm a big fan of Pokemon trainers and always allow them to rest at our farm as they're passing by!" the woman replied.
The group exchanged glances with each other before they looked back at them. She had a wide smile on her face and had a certain spring and enthusiasm that most people her age wouldn't have. They certainly couldn't turn down a kind offer like that.
"Sure! If it's really okay! We'd love to come by!" Ash replied.
"Excellent! In that case, follow me!" the woman commanded before turning to lead the way.
After a few minutes of walking, the group could see what looked like a farmhouse in the distance. As they got closer, they could see a barn as well as crops growing and even various types of Pokemon grazing in the grass. The most prominent of the Pokemon on the barn were Miltank, Tauros, and even Camerupt.
As Ash saw the Camerupt, he was immediately reminded of Tabitha's Camerupt. His Treecko had its pride destroyed twice by it due to its Overheat attack. Ash then remembered that these weren't the same Camerupt and pushed that thought from his mind. There was no reason to get worked up over it. Still, Ash figured it would be best if he didn't release his Treecko for any reason while they were here.
"Welcome to our farm!" the woman announced as they entered the property, "Our family's been operating it since I was just a sprout!"
"It's very nice," Serena commented as she looked around.
"Thank you," the woman said as she approached the door and opened it. She then stood off to the side to allow them entrance.
The group walked past her and took in the appearance of the house once they entered. It was a nice, quaint house. There was a comforting smell of fresh fruit, vegetables, and hay from outside once they walked in that relaxed them. They could hear the ticking of an old clock and the occasional moo from the Pokemon outside. The area just gave off an air of…peacefulness.
"Visitors!" the old woman suddenly screamed which made the group jump and immediately shatter their impression of the place.
A family of four came out of various rooms of the house at the sound of her voice. It consisted of a mom, a dad, and their two kids who was a teenage boy with green hair tied into a ponytail and a young girl. They had broad smiles on their faces when they saw the group, but Ash couldn't help but notice the confident aura coming from the teenage boy. It sort of reminded him of how Gary Oak was.
"Oh, wonderful!" the mother exclaimed, "How do you do? I'm Victoria."
"Nice to meet you! It sure is nice for us to have visitors drop by since our house is the only one in the area! I'm Victor!" the father introduced.
"I'm Vivi!" the young girl chirped.
"Vito," the teenage boy simply answered.
"And I'm Vicky, the matriarch of this family," the woman said.
"It's nice to meet you, too. I'm Serena, and that's Togetic," Serena replied.
"I'm Ash, and this is my buddy, Pikachu," Ash said next.
"I'm May," May stated.
"And I'm Brock," Brock finished.
"Well, now that the pleasantries are out of the way, let's find a place for your Corphish to rest, and then you all may join us for a nutritious farm lunch," the old woman said.
"Wow! That's so nice! Thank you!" Serena said.
"It's our pleasure. Like we said, it's rare to have visitors so we always want to show them hospitality," Victor replied.
As the group and the family walked through the house, Ash couldn't help but notice the teenage boy had his eyes on him. It was almost a calculating look that made Ash feel he was being analyzed. He also noticed the boy's eyes occasionally darted to the three badges Ash had pinned on his jacket. Not knowing what to make of the situation and because the family was showing them hospitality, Ash decided not to question it. He did have one question, though.
"So, I'm just curious, why do all of your names start with V and I?" Ash wondered, "Is it a tradition?"
"V is for victory, young fella!" Vicky answered as if it was obvious, "We're the Winstrate family, after all!"
The group got a thoughtful look on their face once they said that. So, their last names were Winstrate, and all of their names sounded like victory? Was there a reason for this?
"Maybe because they have such a victorious farm," May whispered to the group.
Upon hearing May, the Winstrates gave a light chuckle. It wasn't the type of chuckle that one makes because they thought it was funny, though. It was more like the type that hinted they knew something the group didn't. Despite that, the group had a feeling they would know why soon enough. First, however, was them finding a nice place for Corphish and eating.
The group was now sitting at the Winstrate family table finishing their lunch. The Winstrates had allowed Corphish to rest on their couch in the living room while they ate. The meal the Winstrates had made was very delicious. Ash and May gave a contented sigh as they patted their stomachs and leaned back slightly in their chairs. It had been a while since they had a home-cooked meal like that. Everything was so fresh. They were too full to really say anything so Serena and Brock did the talking.
"I can't say enough about how good that was," Serena complimented as she finished her salad, "The vegetables in this salad were fresh and delicious. The steak was cooked just right, and the mashed potatoes with homemade Miltank butter were amazing."
"And these biscuits are as light as a feather," Brock added and took a bite, "And I thought my cooking was good."
"We're very glad you enjoyed it," Vicky said kindly.
"So, you were telling us you were Pokemon trainers?" Victor asked.
"Yes. Ash, Brock, and I have been on our journeys a few years, now, while May just started hers. We're actually training her," Serena replied.
"Mmmhmm," May agreed, suddenly feeling sleepy from all the food.
"Now that I think of it, you look familiar," Vivi commented as she inspected Serena.
"Perhaps this would help?" Serena suggested with a smile as she took off her glass and sporting cap. Vivi's eyes then grew wide.
"Oh, wow! You're the Johto Queen! I saw you win last year! You were so beautiful and cool! Now, you're actually in our house!" Vivi said in excitement.
Serena smiled in return. Though she normally tried to keep her identity hidden, for a young girl like Vivi, it was quite alright. It was only when adults pestered her did it make Serena feel uncomfortable.
"Well, this really is a nice surprise," Victoria stated.
"Heh. Not to mention we have the Johto League winner from last year, too," Vito added and gave a sideways glance at Ash.
"Umm…yeah. That's right," Ash agreed.
"Well, we surely don't have just ordinary trainers in our house. You all are apparently quite skilled," Vicky commented.
"Your Corphish should be feeling better, as well. You're welcome to check on it," Victor said.
"Thank you. I don't know how we could repay you for your hospitality," Serena said.
"I can make something for all of you in exchange. I make a pretty mean soufflé," Brock offered.
"Heheh. Well, there is one thing you could do for us, if you'd like," Vicky replied as a gleam seemed to sparkle in her eyes. The group then noticed a sparkle in the eyes of the rest of the family, as well.
"What's that?" Brock asked as he and the others looked on in interest.
The Winstrate family then jumped up from their seats and stuck a pose. The group was rather surprised at how fast they were able to move after eating so much, but they were even more surprised by what the Winstrate family said next.
"We're the Winstrates, and we love Pokemon battles!" they all said before Vicky added, "If you really want to repay us, agree to a Pokemon battle with all of us unless you think we're too much to handle!"
The group blinked in confusion at how quickly the family's demeanor changed on them. One moment, they were a friendly, inviting, farm family, and the next moment they had transformed into a confident family of Pokemon trainers, particularly Vito. Ash was the first to recover from the sudden change and jumped up from his seat, forgetting about his stomachache.
"I'd love to battle you!" Ash declared and turned to the others, "What about you guys?!"
"So, I guess that means no soufflé?" Brock figured with a chuckle.
"Just the battle, young man," Vicky answered.
"You see, because we get so few visitors, there isn't really anyone to battle but ourselves so it gets kind of lonely," Victor explained.
"My grandson, Vito, actually is home visiting from his own Pokemon journey. He's been a trainer for several months," Vicky added.
"Really?" Ash asked Vito.
"That's right," Vito replied with a nod, "And I have three badges, just like you."
"So, what do you say?" Victoria asked.
Ash had already agreed, but Brock, Serena, and May hadn't immediately answered. They exchanged glances with each other as they decided. They figured it was the least they could do since the Winstrates had been so nice to them. They hadn't been out in this area long, but they could understand how the Winstrates could get bored when it came to battles. They had been battling each other before Vicky had found them, after all.
"Okay. We accept your challenge," Serena answered, "How should we go about it?"
"It will be four on four. You four vs. us," Vicky replied and gestured to herself, Victor, Victoria, and Vito, "Vivi's too young to be a Pokemon trainer, but she'll be able to battle soon enough."
"Just you wait!" Vivi asserted.
"We'll each use one Pokemon each, and the group who has the most wins will be declared the winner," Victor said.
"Alright! We agree to the terms!" Ash responded with a nod.
"Then let the battle begin!" Vicky declared.
The group had made their way over to a special battling area near the Winstrate's house. It was a rocky area, but it had a smoothed out battlefield that was perfect for a match. There were even a few benches off to the side where anyone not participating to watch. Apparently, the Winstrates highly valued their Pokemon battling.
"Our whole family pitched in to build this. Cool, huh?" Vivi asked.
"It is. It's just like a professional battlefield," Serena replied.
"I'll be the first to battle you. Which of you would like to battle me?" Victor asked.
"I'll go," Ash volunteered, but a quick rebuttal cut him off.
"No," Vito suddenly said seriously as all eyes turned to him, "I'm battling you. I trained very hard with my family before I started my journey. Battling the winner of the Johto League would be a perfect test of my skill level."
Ash shrugged his shoulders at that as he honestly didn't care who he battled. Still, Ash and the rest of the group figured this Vito guy could lighten up a little bit. He seemed too serious compared to the other excitable natures of the other Winstrates.
"Okay, then," Ash agreed, "Who wants to go instead?"
"I'll go," Brock stepped in, "Like Forretress, I have another Pokemon that could use some training."
"That's fine with me, too," Victor answered as he moved to his side of the battlefield while Brock moved to his.
"I'll act as the judge!" Vicky spoke up, "The rules are simple. It will be one of one with no substitutions. Whoever knocks out the other Pokemon first is declared the winner."
"Since we're the home team, I'll release my Pokemon first," Victor said and threw forward a pokeball, "Go, Trapinch!"
A small, brown, ant-like Pokemon with a large mouth appeared from the pokeball. It blinked a few times before it crouched down in what appeared to be a battle stance. For such a strange-looking Pokemon, it appeared to be quite serious about battling, as well, like the other Winstrates. The group took out their pokedexes to scan it.
"Trapinch, the ant pit Pokemon. Its big jaws can crunch through boulders. Because its head is so big, it has a hard time getting back upright if it tips over onto its back," the machine said.
"So, Trapinch is a ground-type," Brock mused as he looked over their shoulders to see the entry, "Perfect for who I wanted to try out. Go, Lotad!"
Lotad appeared from the pokeball, and like Trapinch before it, blinked around as it surveyed the area. Unlike Trapinch, however, Lotad didn't seem all that interested in a battle and gave off an air of dottiness. Nonetheless, Brock would find it best to encourage it.
"Alright, Lotad. This is a serious battle. I need you to focus," Brock told it.
"Lotad," Lotad replied lazily which caused Brock to chuckle nervously.
"Well, let's get started then! Victor for the home team and Brock for the vistors! Begin!" Vicky announced.
"Lotad, use Water Gun!" Brock ordered. He had worked with Lotad on this so he hoped it would pay off.
However, Brock practically fell over in when Lotad actually used the attack. It opened its small mouth and a pitiful sprinkle of water came out of its mouth. It didn't even reach Trapinch. It only made it about half the distance! Meanwhile, Trapinch simply watched the attack in mild interest while everyone else on the battlefield had their mouths open in disbelief.
"Try Water Gun, again!" Brock ordered.
Just like last time, Lotad let out a trickle of water from its mouth. It arched into the air and splashed harmless on the ground a few feet in front of Trapinch.
"Uhh…that was the Pokemon you wanted to use against Trapinch, right?" Victor asked.
"Well, yeah," Brock answered, feeling absolutely humiliated.
His Lotad had done so well the past times Brock had been training it in his free time. It was able to get out quite impressive Water Guns and thought it was ready to battle. Why were the attacks so pitiful now? Was it only like this when it didn't want to battle? Judging by how disinterested Lotad looked at the moment, that was probably the case. Brock sighed. It looked like Lotad could only battle properly when it wanted to.
"Well, I was kind of nervous when I saw you send out a Lotad, but I don't think there's anything to worry about, now," Victor said, "Sorry, son, but I still intend to win this! Use Dig, Trapinch!"
Trapinch quickly dug a hole and burrowed underground while Lotad watched it. Lotad knew what was coming, it just wasn't feeling it to really move out of the way despite Brock's yells. Lotad then felt the ground shake underneath it, and it was quickly knocked into the air as Trpinch came up out of the ground.
"Lotad, use Bubblebeam!" Brock tried, hoping bubbles would be easier to shoot than a Water Gun.
Lotad then went to shoot forth the bubbles from the air. However, only a couple of them came out. They flew down towards Trapinch who was too slow to move. They then popped on Trapinch's big head, but they appeared to annoy the Trapinch more than damage it. Brock frowned as Lotad landed on the ground and slowly got back up.
"Try Absorb!" Brock yelled.
Lotad then blinked and appeared to concentrate really hard, but nothing seemed to happen. Lotad then stopped trying and simply yawned which caused Brock to sigh again. If his Lotad actually wanted to battle right now, he would have a great advantage since its two typings were super-effective against ground types and Trapinch was too slow to dodge.
"Come on! Try Water Gun again!" Brock pleaded.
He then smiled when Lotad actually unleashed a decent Water Gun that time. It flew through the air and struck Trapinch dead on. Trapinch was pushed back by the torrent of water and slammed into a rock where it slid down.
"Alright! There you go!" Brock encouraged.
"Okay, Trapinch. Use Earth…what's this?" Victor began as Trapinch got up, but stopped.
Lotad gave another yawn before it fell over on its back. Brock stared in confusion as he thought Lotad had fainted, but it turned out to be more embarrassing than that. Lotad had fallen asleep right in the middle of the match! The soft snores coming from Lotad and the small snot bubble all but confirmed it. Had it really lost interest this quickly?!
"Oh, Lotad," Brock muttered sadly. He had been excited to use Lotad in this match to see what it could really do, but it as a no go. Maybe he should've used his newly-evolved Forretress instead.
"Due to Lotad falling asleep in the middle of the match and not battling, Victor wins by default!" Vicky announced.
"Aw, man. I'm happy for the win, but I wish I could've battled longer," Victor muttered as he returned Trapinch.
"Boy, that Lotad sure looked silly. It only used one good attack," Vivi commented and crossed her arms.
"Now, Vivi, I'm sure there was an explanation," Victoria scolded.
"Heheh. Sorry," Brock said sheepishly as he returned Lotad and hung his head and walked back to his teammates.
They all patted Brock's back in comfort while he looked at Lotad's pokeball. Brock didn't know what he was going to do. How would he know when Lotad was interested in battling? Would he have to find a way to get it psyched up every time? If so, how? Well, this was where his Pokemon breeder background came into play. He would just work with Lotad a little more!
"I would like to go next," Victoria declared as she stepped forward.
"Let me go battle her," May stated as she looked at the others.
"Alright, May. Good luck," Serena told her as May walked forward.
"Are you ready, dear? I'll pick first," Victoria said and threw forward her pokeball, "Go, Roselia!"
"Roselia?" May questioned as she thought back. Didn't she see one with Drew at some point?
The Roselia appeared from the pokeball and gave small cry as it looked read to battle. Despite the small surprise, May sent forth her own pokeball.
"Go, Torchic!" May said.
May had wanted to use Skitty in its first real battle, but after what happened in Verdanturf Town when she battled Serena, May didn't want to risk it. The last thing she wanted was to have a repeat of Lotad with Skitty more interested in playing. That would surely make the Winstrates think they were some kind of joke. May had to prove they were serious battlers so she chose her first Pokemon.
"You ready to win, Torchic!" May asked.
"Torchic!" Torchic cried in agreement.
"Very well. Both trainers appear ready! Begin the match!" Vicky declared.
"Torchic, use Ember!" May said immediately.
Torchic quickly shot the embers from its mouth straight at Roselia. The Roselia grit its teeth and braced for the attack. The embers struck it dead on and Roselia was knocked backwards due to the super-effective attack. Though the attack was effective, Victoria knew it would take more than that take down her Roselia.
"Shake it off, Roselia! Use Sweet Scent!" she told it.
Roselia spread its petals out as a pleasing aroma filled the battlefield. Torchic sniffed the air and got a relaxed look on its face. It smelled so nice. It could smell this all day, even. May knew what Roselia must've planned as she began to cry out to snap Torchic out of it.
"Ignore the smell, Torchic! Use Peck!" May told it.
"Use Leech Seed!" Victoria called out.
Roselia pointed one of its roses at Torchic and astutely shot out a seed straight to Torchic's forehead. Being too relaxed to dodge, Torchic was struck by the attack as vines came out of the seed and began to suck the energy out of it. That seemed to snap Torchic out of its trance, but the damage had already been done.
"Now, use Stun Spore to hold it still!" Victoria cried.
"Look out, Torchic!" May warned.
The Roselia spread its petals once more as a brown powder came from it. Torchic tried to run away from the attack, but it ended up tripping over the vines that were wrapped around it. Torchic fell over and face-planted into the ground as the Stun Spore washed over it. Torchic began to chirp in pain as it felt its muscles becoming stiff and hard to move from the attack. What's worse was that its beak was stuck in the ground.
"Torchic!" May cried out in worry as Torchic tried to pull its beak from the ground, but it was hard due to the restraint of the Leech Seed and Stun Spore.
"Use Poison Sting!" Victoria ordered.
Roselia shot the glowing needles straight at Torchic. They struck Torchic one by one who gave squeaks of pain from each successive hit. The force was enough to dislodge Torchic's beak from the ground, though. Torchic shakily began to stand to its feet, but an energy sap from Leech Seed quickly sent it back to the ground.
"Oh, what can I do?" May asked herself nervously. She didn't want to be the cause of another loss for their group.
"Come on, May! Think!" Serena called out from the sidelines, "Torchic's a fire-type! Use that to your advantage against Roselia's attacks!"
"What do I need to do?!" May asked frantically as she turned to Serena.
"I can't tell you that, May! You have to learn how to get out of these situations yourself sometimes, or you'll never learn! It'll help you with your coordinating battles, too!" Serena called back before her look softened, "I have faith you can do this."
May bit her lip and nodded her head before she faced the battlefield again. Serena was right. To become a better battler, she had to do this on her own. Think about Torchic's strengths. Ash and Serena always played to their Pokemon's strengths to turn around a disadvantage. She could do the same.
"Use Poison Sting again, Roselia!" Victoria shouted.
"Counter with Ember!" May blurted out.
Despite its limitations, Torchic managed to shoot the Ember from its mouth. The two attacks met in midair which created a small explosion and a draw. However, May also noticed that some of the fire from the embers struck the vines of the Leech Seed that were wrapped around Torchic. The vines smoked and turned black, and May's eyes lit up.
"That's it!" she thought before she got a determined look on her face, "Torchic, use Ember on those vines to burn away the Leech Seed!"
Torchic nodded its head and began to use Ember all around its body. The vines caught fire and began to quickly burn up under the embers. Despite still being under the effects of Stun Spore, Torchic now felt a lot less restrained. Serena herself smiled when she saw it working. She knew May could figure it out. Victoria gasped when she saw this and knew she had to finish the match quickly.
"Use Petal Dance, Roselia!" she called out.
Roselia opened up its roses, and a massive swarm of petals came out and flew towards Torchic in a spiral. May gasped as she knew Torchic's Ember wasn't enough to burn away all of the petals, and it would still be hit. Torchic couldn't take too much more attacks. Nonetheless, she had to try. She couldn't lose this.
"Torchic, use Ember and burn away as much as you can!" May hollered.
Torchic began to use the ember, but as it did so, it felt a greater power coming from its beak instead. It still felt like fire, but it was a lot more than embers. Torchic took a deeper breath to gather as much fire as it could and unleashed it. The group gasped when Torchic let lose a spiral of fire from its beak. The fire twirled through the air and completely engulfed the Petal Dance before it continued heading towards Roselia.
"Torchic, you learned Fire Spin!" May said in delight.
Victoria and Roselia gave a cry of surprise as spiral flares continued to fly through the air until it completely covered Roselia. Roselia screamed in pain as the flames swirled around it. The attack finally dissipated, and the Roselia was left there covered in burn marks. The Pokemon let out a cough before it fell over backwards and didn't get back up.
"Oh, no! Roselia!" Victoria moaned, "I was so close, too."
"Roselia is unable to battle! The winner is May!" Vicky declared.
"Great job, Torchic!" May said happily as she ran over to it and picked it up, "That Fire Spin was amazing! I can't wait for us to perfect it and use in a contest!"
"Tor…" Torchic said weakly and nodded at May.
"I guess that fight took a lot out of you. We'll get you fixed up, but for now, take a good rest," May told it as she returned Torchic.
May then proudly went back over to the benches and saw the group grinning broadly at her. That was her first true battle outside of the mock ones and contest battle. She had won it, after all, and she did it on her own.
"You were awesome, May!" Ash praised with a thumbs up.
"Definitely!" Brock agreed.
Serena walked forward and gave a May a hug, "Well done, May. I knew you could do it."
"Thanks," May replied in embarrassment, a little flustered by all the praise she was getting.
"Well, it looks like it's tied one to one," Vicky observed before she walked forward, "I'll be the one to break this tie and bring another win to the Winstrate family. Who's going to battle me?"
"Since Ash and Vito are battling, I guess that leaves me," Serena stated and went to the battlefield, "I have no intention of losing, either, and I'll be breaking the tie in our favor."
"Ohohohoho!" Vicky cackled, "I like strong trainers! Battling the Johto Queen will be a treat, for sure! Just know that I'm really strong myself!"
Because Vicky was battling this time, Victor was the one to judge the match. He went over to the center and raised two flags to signal for the trainers to each choose their Pokemon.
"Medicham, let's go!" Vicky called out.
A humanoid Pokemon that reminded the group of a yoga instructor crossed with an alien came out of the pokeball. Unlike the other Pokemon who looked ready to battle before it, this Pokemon seemed to be meditating before it battled. Serena was a little bit reminded of her Hitmonlee in that regard. The group took out their pokedexes as they scanned the Pokemon.
"Medicham, the meditate Pokemon and the evolved form of Meditite. Through the power of meditation, Medicham developed a sixth sense. It gained the ability to use psychokinetic powers. This Pokémon is known to meditate for a whole month without eating," the machines informed.
Serena remembered that Ash had battled a Meditite in his match with Brawly, and it was a pretty tough opponent. Serena had planned on using Seviper in this match to bond with it better, but because Medicham being part psychic-type, that wouldn't be such a good idea. Still, there was another Pokemon she was eager to try out.
"Mudkip, I choose you!" Serena said and threw the pokeball forward.
Mudkip appeared from the pokeball and crouched down on all fours as it prepared for battle. Serena knew that Mudkip didn't have the power that Medicham would have, but if battled smartly, she could still win. It would take a lot of skill, though.
"Hmm…a Mudkip, eh?" Vicky mused, "Let's take care of it, Medicham!"
Medicham opened its eyes from its meditation and took on a battle stance. Serena knew this was going to tricky, but she still would try her best. She wasn't called the Johto Queen for nothing, after all. She should be able to handle any Pokmeon thrown at her.
Victor then raised his flags, "Okay. Medicham versus Mudkip! Begin!"
"Medicham, use Force Palm!" Vicky shouted.
"Dodge it, and use Water Gun!" Serena countered.
Medicham gave a brief charge of its fists before it thrust its palms outward. A blast of energy came from its hands and shot through the ground at breakneck speed like a shock wave. Mudkip quickly jumped up into the air safely out of harm's way. It then sprayed from its mouth a stream of water straight at Medicham.
"Use Force Palm!" Vicky said again.
Instead of slamming its hands into the ground, this time Medicham thrust its hands to the water coming towards it. The shock wave blasted from its hands and easily tore through the jet of water. It then continued to tear through the water until it reached Mudkip and struck it head on. Mudkip gave a squeak of pain as it was knocked out of the air and onto the ground.
"It's okay, Mudkip! Use Hydro Pump this time! The Force Palm shouldn't be able to tear through that," Serena told it.
Mudkip got off the ground before it unleashed a huge volume of pressurized water from its mouth. It was so powerful that Mudkip itself was pushed back a little due to the force of the water from its mouth. Vicky knew that this stream of water was too powerful for Force Palm to work, but she had another idea.
"Use Confusion!" Vicky told it.
Medicham's eyes glowed blue for a moment before it made a few movements with its hands. Serena and Mudkip then both gasped as the water was redirected right back at Mudkip. Mudkip then halted the stream of water from its mouth briefly before it shot the Hydro Pump from its mouth at the water coming towards it. The two forces of water then met in midair, and a huge splash of water exploded from the middle and rained down over the battlefield.
The two Pokemon then tried to dominate the other one. Medicham increased its psychic hold over the water to force it down towards Mudkip, but that just made Mudkip increase the pressure from its mouth to push the water back. The difference, however, was terms of power. Medicham was an evolved Pokemon and able to hold its control over the water longer than Mudkip could use the attack.
Serena noticed Mudkip start to strain as it ran out of breath, and the Medicham was steadily getting the water towards it. Serena knew she had to break this in order to keep Mudkip from getting hit again.
"Use Protect, and then Take Down!" Serena hollered.
Mudkip halted the Hydro Pump, and the water came gushing towards it. Mudkip then hastily put up a barrier as the water came towards it, and the water bounced harmlessly off the shield. After Mudkip caught its breath, it dashed towards Medicham who was still trying to control the water away from it from the sudden stop caused by Mudkip. Medicham and Vicky saw Mudkip coming towards them and had to call out an attack fast.
"High Jump Kick!" Vicky ordered.
Medicham went to swing its leg to give a mighty kick to Mudkip. However, Mudkip leaped up and slammed into Medicham's stomach before it could. Medicham gave a gasp of pain as Mudkip hit it, and the attack caused it to lose its concentration from the kick. The kick kept swinging around and made Medicham lose its balance and fall to the ground.
At that moment, the water that had been held up by Medicham came crashing back down to the ground. It quickly washed over and covered most of the battlefield and swept up both Mudkip and Medicham. Mudkip wasn't harmed due to being a water-type, but the Medicham was having a hard time adjusting itself. Serena knew exactly what to do.
"Use Whirlpool!" Serena shouted.
Mudkip then begin to quickly swim in a circle around Medicham, and soon, a spiral of water formed inside the wave and sucked Medicham in. Mudkip then hopped out of wave as Medicham was spun around and around inside.
"Great, Mudkip!" Serena encouraged.
"Hmph! Use Force Palm!" Vicky said.
Despite getting dizzy and taking damage in the Whirlpool, Medicam focused its mind and thrust outward as hard as it could with both hands. The Whirlpool exploded into tiny rain drops from the inside and rained down on the battlefield. Medicham fell to the ground and landed on one knee. Despite that, it still had plenty of fight in it.
"Use Zen Headbutt!" Vicky yelled.
Medicham focused the power in its head before it ran towards Mudkip for a powerful head bash. It then leaped forward with its head outstretched to attack.
"Use Protect!" Serena quickly said.
Mudkip threw up the shield just in time. Medicham crashed headfirst into it. It then tried to force its way through the shield, but despite that, the Protect held strong. Vicky then smirked.
"Use Feint!" she commanded.
Serena gasped as Medicham then went through the Protect and smacked Mudkip into the ground.
"Now use Force Palm!" Vicky said next.
Before Mudkip even had the chance to get up, it was slammed back into the ground by a Force Palm. There was an explosion of rocks and debris as Mudkip was smashed into the ground by the force of the attack. Medicham then hopped back to observe as everyone awaited the results. Serena sighed as she saw the smoke began to clear and a Mudkip-sized hole in the ground.
Serena thought that was the end of it, but she saw Mudkip soon climbed out of the hole and was gasping in pain. Even though it withstood the assault, Mudkip barely still appeared to have fight in it. Serena was quickly thinking of options. Vicky herself was amazed, but she could easily remedy that.
"Use Force Palm!" Vicky told it.
"Use Endeavor!" Serena hollered.
Mudkip gave a burst of energy and flew at Medicham before it could use the attack. It then collided into Medicham's stomach as a flash of energy rang from it to Medicham. Both Mudkip and Medicham then fell to the ground, panting heavily. Because of the Endeavor by Mudkip, Medicham only had a sliver of energy left to use. The two Pokemon stared back at each other for a little bit before they both collapsed onto the ground and didn't get back up. Victor then raised his flags.
"Both Pokemon are unable to battle! This match is a draw!" he yelled.
Vicky seemed to sigh as Serena frowned. That had been way too close. Even though it was a draw, Serena felt that Medicham would've won had it not been for that Endeavor. Still, Mudkip worked really hard for that last attack and survived being blasted into the ground like that so she should be proud of its fight, and she was.
"Well done, Mudkip. Return," Serena told it as she and Vicky both returned their Pokemon.
"Well, now. I should've expected no less from someone who calls herself a Johto Queen. I guess I wasn't the tiebreaker, after all," Vicky muttered.
"That's okay because I'll be it," Vito asserted.
Ash knew now that he was the last one remaining so he stepped forward. He gave Serena a comforting pat on the shoulder as they passed by each other. Vito was already on his side of the battlefield, and Vicky resumed her position as judge. Vito was confidently tossing his pokeball up and down in his hand as he waited for Ash to take his position. Despite Ash being a region champion, Vito didn't appear intimidated in the slightest and seriously believed he would win.
"I'm going to bring pride to my family name, Ash!" Vito called out to him, "Hit me with your best Pokemon. If you don't, it won't feel like a true victory when I win!"
"My…best Pokemon?" Ash asked as he looked at Pikachu.
The yellow rodent stared back at him. There was no doubt that Pikachu fit that bill as of right now, and it definitely had the most experience. Ash tried to refrain from using it most of the time as a way to train his other Pokemon, and Pikachu understood that. He wasn't planning on using Pikachu this match, but if Vito demanded it, he should comply.
"Fine with me," Ash said before he turned to Pikachu, "You ready to have another victory, buddy?"
"Pika!" Pikachu responded and hopped off Ash's shoulder to run to the starting battle.
Vito curtly nodded his head when he saw Pikachu as he believed that was Ash's strongest Pokemon at the moment, too. Ash still though this guy could lighten up a bit and not take the battle so seriously. He and the others then waited as Vito threw his pokeball to reveal the Pokemon.
"Shiftry, I choose you!" he said.
The pokeball opened up, and a strange, wooden Pokemon with a shaggy white mane that sort of resembled a shaman came out of the pokeball. The Pokemon looked just as serious as its trainer judging by the intense gaze on its face. The group then took out their dexes as they scanned the mysterious Pokemon.
"Shiftry, the wicked Pokemon and the evolved form of Nuzleaf. Shiftry is a mysterious Pokémon that is said to live atop towering trees dating back over a thousand years. It creates terrific windstorms with the fans it holds," the machines said.
"Hmm…" Ash mused as he looked up from his national dex to look over Shiftry. This certainly wouldn't be an easy opponent.
"I'm the toughest trainer in my family and have every intention of making it to the Hoenn League and winning. You're going to help me reach that level when I win!" Vito told Ash.
"Umm…okay?" Ash said in an unsure tone. He just thought these battles were for fun. He wasn't aware how much stock Vito was taking in this battle.
Vicky then looked from side to side to make sure both trainers were ready. Upon seeing so, she raised her flags.
"Shiftry versus Pikachu! Begin!" she declared.
"Shiftry, use Razor Leaf!" Vito immediately said.
"Use Thunderbolt, Pikachu!" Ash countered.
Shiftry raised its leafy hands and shot out a flurry of sharp leaves at Pikachu. Pikachu charged up its cheeks and unleashed the Thunderbolt upon the incoming leaves. The leaves were completely fried by Pikachu's electricity and fell to the ground harmlessly. Vito grit his teeth but didn't let that deter him.
"Oh yeah? Well try a Faint Attack, Shiftry!" he yelled.
Shiftry disappeared, and Pikachu looked around quickly. Shiftry then appeared behind Pikachu and whacked it with its leafy hands, and Pikachu was knocked to the ground.
"Now, use Leaf Blade!" Vito said next.
Shiftry charged up its hands and put them in an X shape and lunged at Pikachu. Pikachu quickly got up from the ground and jumped out of the way, and Shiftry crashed into the ground where Pikachu was just a second earlier. Pikachu was now in the air high above Shiftry.
"Use Iron Tail!" Ash said.
Pikachu's tail glowed white, and it swung its body in an arc as it descended upon Shiftry. It then smashed its tail right onto Shiftry's back. Shiftry gave a growl of pain as it collapsed onto its stomach. It quickly swung its arm around to hit Pikachu, but Pikachu had already flipped away from Shiftry.
"Use Leaf Storm!" Vito shouted.
Shiftry got up from the ground, and spread its hands out again before it summoned a massive flurry of leaves. Ash knew that there was no way Pikachu would be able to get rid of all those leaves so the only other option was to hide.
"Pikachu, jump in the one of the holes!" Ash yelled.
Pikachu then hopped into one of the holes that Trapinch created earlier and began to follow the path it created. Vito, however, smirked.
"Hah! Your Pikachu won't get away that easily!" he said.
Shiftry then walked over to the hole that Pikachu went into and pointed its arms downward. The massive flurry of leaves then redirected themselves down into the hole where Pikachu was. A few seconds later, Pikachu was thrown out of the other hole as the leaves pelted it.
"It's okay, Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted.
"Sucker Punch!" Vito countered.
Pikachu charged up its cheeks to unleash the Thunderbolt, but Shiftry leaped into the air and smashed a leafy fist into Pikachu's face. Pikachu cried out in pain, but it still managed to the get the electricity out and zapped Shiftry. Shiftry grimaced in pain from the attack, but easily withstood the electricity as both Pokemon fell to the ground but landed on their feet.
"Woo-ee! This battle is heating up!" Vicky commented.
"Hah! It's just getting started!" Vito replied. "Shiftry, use Leaf Tornado!"
Shitry then moved around its hands in a circular motion and whipped a tornado of leaves that began to spin towards Pikachu.
"Run away from it with Agility!" Ash shouted.
Pikachu sped off and quickly ran away from the impending Leaf Tornado. It then began to dash around the battlefield as the tornado chased it, but Pikachu was quickly gaining distance while Vito and Shiftry grunted in frustration.
"Turn the Agility into a Wild Charge Pikachu!" Ash hollered.
Pikachu then began to dash towards Shiftry as it electrified its body and became a speeding electrical bullet. Shiftry was a little startled by the speed and stumbled a little bit as Pikachu slammed right into its stomach. Shiftry cried out in pain as Pikachu slammed into it.
"Follow up with an Iron Tail!" Ash stated.
Pikachu then swung its glowing tail around and smashed it right into Shiftry's face, and the Pokemon fell backwards on its back with a pained grunt. Ash thought that was the end of the match and was surprised when he saw Shiftry get back up.
"There you go, Shiftry! That's how a Winstrate Pokemon pulls through!" Vito encouraged it.
"Shiftry!" Shiftry agreed.
"Well, it looks like we still have some battling to do, Pikachu," Ash told it as Pikachu nodded its head.
"Heh! You should've watched your back," Vito said with a smirk.
Ash and Pikachu looked and gasped as the Leaf Tornado from earlier was now upon Pikachu. They had completely forgotten about it. Pikachu was quickly caught up into the attack and lifted into the air as the leaves pummeled it.
"Now, Leaf Blade!" Vito shouted.
"Try to use Iron Tail!" Ash cried.
Shiftry then jumped up to the Leaf Tornado where Pikachu was still spinning around. Shiftry then charged up its leafy hands as Pikachu swung its tail. Despite being trapped in the Leaf Tornado, it still managed to meet Shiftry's Leaf Blade as a flash of energy lit up between to the two. Both Shiftry and Pikachu gritted their teeth as they tried to fight for dominance. For Pikachu, it was more difficult since it didn't have control of the Leaf Tornado like Pikachu did.
It eventually ended up in a draw as the Leaf Tornado dissipated, and both Pokemon were thrown out of the tornado. Shiftry landed on its feet while Pikachu landed on its tail and used it as spring to bounce off and shoot towards Shiftry.
"Use Wild Charge, again!" Ash shouted.
Pikachu was again became a speeding bullet through the air as it shot towards Shiftry. It was going so fast that Shiftry wasn't able to keep up with it. Just like before, Pikachu slammed into Shiftry's stomach, and the Pokemon cried out in pain as it fell to its knees and clutched its stomach. It then tried to stand back up but ended up falling down again.
"Don't give up, Shiftry! That's not how a Winstrate acts! Get up now!" Vito shouted.
"Vito…" Vicky muttered.
The group couldn't help but raise their eyebrows at this. Did winning really mean this much to Vito? The Shiftry was still conscious, but barely. It seemed their only thing keeping Shiftry up was its adrenaline to not disappoint its trainer.
"I'm giving your Shiftry ten seconds to stand. If it can't, I'll declare it unable to battle," Vicky told Vito.
"What?! Grandma, you can't be serious! Do you want us to lose?!" Vito exclaimed.
"Of course I don't like losing, but I also know when we must admit defeat!" Vicky scolded.
"Grrr…" Vito growled as he turned and glared at his Shiftry, "Come on! Get up!"
Shifffftryyyyy," Shiftry gasped as it struggled to stand.
"Five seconds," Vicky said.
"Dang it, Shiftry! Get up!" Vito hollered.
Unfortunately for him, the Shiftry just didn't have the strength. It gave a final heave to get itself up before it collapsed onto the ground. Vicky sighed before she raised her flags.
"Shiftry is unable to battle. The winners of today's matches are the challengers which ended in two wins, a loss, and a tie!" Vicky announced.
Ash smiled before he went over to his Pikachu and picked up. The two then gave each other a high five for a hard fought match. It had been a while since Pikachu could battle hard like that. It showed that despite not having a real battle in a while, Pikachu wasn't rusty. It proved to Ash that he could still call upon his older Pokemon to battle when necessary. The Hoenn League was going to be awesome when he would use them all.
"Great job, Ash!" Serena said as she hurried over and gave him a hug before she looked at Pikachu, "And you, too, Pikachu!"
"Pika!" Pikachu replied as Togetic gave it a high-five, too.
It was then that Vicky and the other Winstrates came over to the group. Despite not being the winning team, they still had a smile on their faces. Vicky nodded the group before she held out her hand for them to shake.
"Woohoo! Our family hasn't had battles that exciting in a long time! Thank you for treating us! We sure had a blast!" Vicky told them.
"Well, it was the least we could do with the hospitality your family showed us. Besides, we had fun with the battles, too!" Ash replied.
"Of course, this loss only motivates our family to be even stronger so we don't lose! We're still the Winstrates, and we aim to win!" Vicky exclaimed as her family struck a pose.
The group chuckled nervously at that. There was certainly no denying that this family had a lot of spirit. It was good to be proud of the family name like that.
However, a loud slam broke up the moment. All eyes turned to see the front door of the Winstrate home slam shut. It was then the group noticed that not every Winstrate was present. Vito was missing, and he clearly didn't take his loss as well as the rest of the Winstrates. Vicky frowned before she turned apologetically to the group.
"I'm sorry about my grandson. He takes pride in our family name more than anyone and has always been extremely competitive. He's never took to losing well at all. If he loses, he feels like he let everyone down and loses his confidence. It must've been especially bad today because he probably felt like our family lost because he couldn't break the tie," she exclaimed.
"Will he be okay?" Serena asked.
"He'll be fine," Victor assured, "We just have to remind him that win or lose, he's still a proud member of the Winstrate family, and we still love him."
"He's the first member of our family to go on a Pokemon journey since our matriarch, Vicky," Victoria added.
"Hohoho! My grandson is still much stronger than me! His talent reminds me of my late husband, Vince! We still have every confidence he'll reach the Hoenn League," Vicky laughed.
"Well, if that's the case, I look forward to seeing him there!" Ash said.
"I'm sure should you face each other there, it would be a great battle," Vicky agreed, "In fact, speaking of great battles, our family wants you and your friends to have this for winning."
Vicky then walked over to Ash and placed a small device in his hand. Ash looked inquisitively at it for a moment as the others gathered around for a look. It looked like some sort of specialized brace.
"Thanks, but what is it?" Ash asked.
"That is a Macho Brace. We use one all the time on our Pokemon! It helps promote a Pokemon's power while they wear that as it requires more effort. It's the perfect training tool for a Pokemon but not very practical in a real battle as it slows them down," Vicky explained.
"Wow! Thanks!" Ash replied.
"Our pleasure!" Victor said with a smile.
Pikachu then took the device from Ash's hand and inspected it for a little bit. It then stuck its head in the brace to sniff it, and the Macho Brace clamped down over its face. Pikachu let out a cry as it tried to pry the brace off of its face as the rest of the group laughed. Despite being embarrassed, Pikachu was sure this would prove quite useful as it was requiring enough effort to pull it off!
The group spent the rest of the day letting their Pokemon rest and enjoyed a snack courtesy of the Winstrates again. Vito hadn't been there to join them for the snack, but the rest of the family assured the group that he would be okay.
Now it was time for the group to leave, and they still had some distance to go until they reached Lavaridge City. Truth be told, it wasn't a trip they were looking forward to. The Winstrates had been an exciting diversion, but the rest of the way didn't seem as fun with how the pathway was. As the group said their goodbyes, Vicky seemed to notice this and smiled at the group.
"You know, there's a place that's only slightly out of the way from the main path called the Valley of Steel. You might be able to find some interesting Pokemon there to capture. Our family has visited there a couple of times to train with the mighty Pokemon that reside there," she informed them.
"The Valley of Steel," Ash mused, "What do you think, guys?"
"It sounds good to me," Serena agreed.
"Me, too," Brock added.
"Anything that can distract us from this boring scenery," May said.
"Well, I guess that's settle then. Our next stop is the Valley of Steel," Ash stated and adjusted his cap, "Thanks a lot, Vicky."
The group was about to head on their way when the door of the Winstrate house burst open. Vito came charging out of the house and reached the group before he got in Ash's face. Ash leaned back a little from the pulse of determination and fervor in Vito's eyes. The boy then pointed his index finger straight at Ash for emphasis.
"Listen here, Ash! I may have lost this time, but it was just a fluke! I don't care if you won the Silver Conference! I'm still better than you and any other trainer in Hoenn, and I'm going to prove it when we battle next and I win the Hoenn League! Count on it!" he declared.
"Uh, sure. Of course," Ash said with a sweatdrop.
"Don't brush me off! I mean it!" Vito stated before his look softened, "Until next time, keep at it. You better not lose to anyone else. Your first and only loss in Hoenn will be against me."
Ash nodded his head at Vito to show he understood what the teen was saying. He couldn't say he agreed with everything the boy was saying, but his determination and confidence was somewhat admirable, if not quite faulty.
"Well, with that, I guess we'll see you all again," Brock said with a cough to clear the tension in the air.
"Of course. Good luck on the rest of your journey," Victor replied.
"Take care!" Vivi chirped.
"Maybe we'll meet again when we come to watch Vito in the Hoenn League," Victoria said.
"We'll continue to train, too, in the meantime," Vicky stated.
Vito said nothing and just gave a curt nod to the group. He had already said he wanted to say and felt no more words were needed. With that, the group smiled and turned to leave. It seemed like they had a new destination to see before they reached Lavaridge City. They weren't exactly sure what the Valley of Steel would have in store for them, but it was certainly bound to be worth it. They had already met the ambitious and quirky Winstrates, after all. Maybe the path to Lavaridge City wouldn't be so bad, after all.
Yeah. Vito will appear again in the Hoenn League. He also may show up once more before it. Ash needs another not very nice rival for Hoenn since he hasn't had one in a while and Jimmy, Brendan, and Sawyer were all friendly with him. Paul won't appear again until Sinnoh.
I'm glad I did this chapter. The group was able to get some training in with their Pokemon through battles.
I'm doing things slightly out of order. I'm doing Lavaridge City before Fallarbor Town and the Valley of Steel before Lavaridge City. Of course, the Valley of Steel is where a canon Pokemon of Ash is introduced so I think we all know what's next. It will be out in two weeks! Until next time, have a good one!
Chapter 28: The Valley of Steel.