Chapter 10: Double Battle! Brawly and Bea!
Ash, Goh, and Chloe were currently standing outside of a building. They were in Petalburg City, and after resting at the Pokémon Center for a day, they were ready to continue their journey to the Sky Pillar. However, Ash insisted on stopping at the local Petalburg Gym.
"It brings back memories!" Ash remarked as he looked at the gym. The Petalburg Gym was the first gym he visited in Hoenn. He remembered having an unofficial battle with Norman since he didn't have any Pokémon. He lost back then, but he won in a rematch for an official gym battle.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed too. He recalled his intense battle against Vigoroth, and he was looking forward to seeing an old friend of Ash's.
"Ash?" Goh asked as he and Chloe watched his friend standing in front of the gym. "Are we going in, or are we going to stay out here?"
"Oh! Sorry!" Ash chuckled as he placed his hand behind his head. "Let's go in!" Ash knocked on the Gym's door and patiently waited for a response. They waited and waited, but nothing happened.
"What's going on?" Ash asked as he continued knocking on the gym. "Why is no one responding!?"
Chloe walked over to the door and noticed a sign that had fallen off. "Look at this," she said as she picked up the sign from the floor. "It says here that the Gym Leader and his family are out on a vacation to Johto."
"What!?" Ash unhappily exclaimed as he looked at the sign. "I was looking forward to seeing Max again, and I hoped that Norman was in the Pokémon World Championships too!"
"Wait!" Goh spoke as he looked at the sign from behind. "There's more on the back."
Chloe and Ash flipped the sign and saw that another Gym Leader was substituting for Norman temporarily. "Another gym leader?" Chloe questioned as she looked back at the gym. "I wonder who he or she is."
"Why is the other gym leader so slow?" Ash impatiently stated as he continued waiting. Then, the door flung open, and a man stepped out. The man had blue hair and had a pair of orange googles pushed back on his head.
"Sorry!" the man nervously laughed. "I was training with someone else, and it took a while for us to finish our training session!"
The man stopped laughing and looked at Ash. "Blue jacket, red cap, and a Pikachu!" he spoke as he slapped Ash in the back. "I remember you! You were the challenger who wanted a gym battle so badly!"
"Brawly!" Ash replied as he rubbed his back. "It's nice to see you too. You're the substitute Gym Leader? But you also have a gym in Dewford Town!"
"One of my buddies is covering for me back at Dewford!" Brawly responded with a grin. "Why don't you come in and tell me what brings you to Norman's Gym?"
Ash, Goh, and Chloe stepped into the gym and followed Brawly as they walked down a hallway. "Brawly?" Ash asked with a hopeful expression on his face. "Are you in the Pokémon World Championships?"
Brawly nodded as they continued walking. "I'm busy being a Gym Leader, and I prefer to surf in my free time. I don't want my surfing to be interrupted by PWC opponents," he explained as he stood outside of a large door.
Ash frowned. He was hoping to battle against a powerful opponent to raise his ranks. He really wanted to be in the Ultra Class. Brawly slid the door open and walked in. "The person I was training is in the PWC!" he shouted back. "You could ask her!"
Hearing this, Ash quickly rushed in and saw a Grapploct and a figure standing on the opposite side of the battlefield. Goh and Chloe followed, and they too saw the person.
"Bea," Ash acknowledged as he looked at the Galar Gym Leader and her Grapploct.
"Ash, trainer of Riolu," Bea sternly responded as she recalled their last battle that ended in a tie.
"Goh, who is she?" Chloe questioned as she saw Bea and Ash recognize each other.
Goh responded as he walked toward Ash, "Bea's a Gym Leader in Galar, and she battled Ash twice before in the Pokémon World Championships. Ash lost the first time, and they tied in a rematch in Johto."
"She must be strong," Chloe remarked as she followed Goh. She saw how Ash battled, and she was a little surprised to hear that he lost and tied against Bea.
"Splendid!" Brawly clapped as he watched the two. "You know each other. This is perfect! We could make our training session much more easily!"
Bea raised her eyebrow as she turned toward Brawly. Brawly might not take things seriously, but he trained with Chuck and is a formidable Fighting-type Gym Leader. "This could be a double battle!" Brawly continued explaining. "Me and Bea against Ash and someone else? How about you, young girl?"
"Me?" Chloe stammered backwards. "I don't battle much, and I don't think I can take on two Gym Leaders."
"I'll battle with Ash!" Goh volunteered as he stepped forward. "This could be a great opportunity to improve my battling skills for the Slateport Tournament!"
"Very well then!" Brawly exclaimed as he stood near Bea. "I look forward to a rematch with you Ash!"
"Wait!" Ash said with confusion. "I came here for a Pokémon World Championships battle, so I could get into the Ultra Class!"
"You aren't in the Ultra Class yet?" Bea asserted with no expression on her face. "I'm already in the class. My rank is 87."
Ash held his head low after hearing Bea's words. "I'm too slow," he muttered to himself as Pikachu comforted him. "At this rate, someone else might defeat Leon before I do."
"Cheer up, Ash!" Goh yelled to his friend as he grabbed a Pokéball. "This is the perfect chance for us to get stronger! Cinderace, go!"
Cinderace appeared and began showing off. He was ready to battle for Goh, and he knew that he had to get stronger if they wanted to earn a Key Stone for Aerodactyl.
"You're right, Goh," Ash said with a grin on his face after recovering from his shock. "Lucario! I choose you!"
Ash swung his Pokéball, and Lucario appeared. "Luca!" Lucario roared as it watched Grapploct. Last time, he had tied with his rival, but he was now stronger.
"It evolved," Bea spoke as she observed Lucario. She knew Riolu was a strong opponent, and she would have to be even more careful against Lucario.
Brawly cheerfully shouted as he tossed his own Pokéball onto the field, "Interesting! This is going to be a great battle! Hariyama, I need you!"
"Hariyama," Ash mumbled as he looked at Brawly's Pokémon. He remembered battling against it with Treecko. Treecko won, but he nearly lost against it.
Chloe sat down on a nearby bench in front of a window. "Ash and Goh, please be careful!" she said to herself as she looked at the boys. Little did she know that someone else was observing the battle from the window, but it was more focused on Chloe. "Cott!" it happily exclaimed.
"Cinderace!" Goh yelled as he gestured to Hariyama. "Let's make the first move! Pyro Ball!"
"Lucario! Aura Sphere on Grapploct!" Ash quickly ordered.
"Vital Throw!" Brawly ordered as the Pyro Ball came closer and closer to Harivama. The Pyro Ball slammed into Harivama, but Harivama quickly recovered and slammed into Cinderace. Then, Harivama grabbed Cinderace with one of its arms and threw it toward the ground.
"Cinder!" Cinderace groaned as he slowly got up. The attack dealt sustainable damage to him.
"This isn't good!" Goh thought as he looked at Cinderace's wounds. "Vital Throw always go last, but it never misses. I'll need to take it out before it can use the move."
"Liquidation!" Bea ordered as she thrust her hands forward. Grapploct was surrounded by glowing blue water, and it shot the water out toward the Aura Sphere. Both attacks collided midair, and neither of them looked stronger than the other.
"They're equally strong," Chloe noted as she watched Lucario and Grapploct glare at each other.
"Now's our turn to fight back!" Brawly exclaimed as he pointed at Lucario. "Arm Thrust!"
"Octolock," Bea calmly said as she looked at Cinderace. Immediately, Grapploct shot out its tentacles and grabbed Cinderace. The tentacles began to wrap around Cinderace, and Cinderace struggled to move as it was pinned down.
"Cinderace!" Goh anxiously screamed. He remembered how dangerous Octolock was. Riolu and Pikachu experienced the attack before, and he saw how painful it was. However, he also recalled how Ash broke free of Octolock.
"Don't struggle! Build up your power in your feet! And prepare to use Double Kick!" Goh ordered to Cinderace.
"We won't fall for the same strategy twice. Use Liquidation," Bea spoke as Grapploct removed two of its tentacles from Cinderace. Water began to form around the tentacles, and it was only a matter of time before the attack would fully execute. If Cinderace was hit with it at close range, the attack would surely knock him out.
Goh patiently watched as the water began to increase, but he was more focused on Cinderace's feet. Power was slowly building up, and he needed enough for Cinderace to escape the Octolock. "Come on, Cinderace. You can do it," Goh thought as sweat trickled down his face. If he timed it incorrectly, Cinderace would be knocked out, and Ash would have to deal with two Pokémon.
"Reversal, Lucario!" Ash commanded as Harivama began thrusting its arms toward his Pokémon. Lucario countered each of the Arm Thrusts with his Reversals, but Lucario was slowly being pushed back. Soon, he would hit a wall and have nowhere else to go.
"This isn't good!" Ash pondered as he watched Lucuario, but he had a plan. He was waiting for the right moment, until:
"Dodge the Arm Thrust and use Force Palm!"
Lucario ducked under one of Harivama's arms as it thrust forward, and he placed his palm at Harivama's body. Energy emitted from the palm, and it managed to throw Harivama backwards.
"Harivaaa!" Harivama yelled as it stumbled backward from the attack. It didn't fall, but the attack dealt serious damage to its body.
"Now! Double Kick!" Goh yelled at the Cinderace. Cinderace began to kick Grapploct with his feet, but Grapploct executed the Liquidation attack. Smoke formed from both attacks, and Bea and Goh stared at the smoke cloud, waiting for their Pokémon to emerge.
"Grapp!" Grapploct roared as it stumbled outside of the cloud. It was injured, and it was panting. The Double Kick had landed on it, and the attack was powerful at such a close range and after building it up.
The smoke cloud slowly disappeared, and Goh saw Cinderace standing up. "You did it!" Goh happily exclaimed as he watched Cinderace give him a smile, but he noticed that Cinderace was also tired.
"Part of the Liquidation must have hit him," Goh mused as he saw how Cinderace was straining.
"Goh," Ash stated with a serious expression on his face. "Double Battles require teamwork. If we want to defeat Brawly and Bea, we need to work together."
Goh nodded, understanding what Ash just said. "Cinderace can't take much more damage, but Harivama is also weak," he thought as he observed the Pokémon and the battlefield. "Lucario and Grapploct are still strong, and they should fight each other." Suddenly, Goh had an idea. It was difficult to pull off, but it might just work.
"Ash," Goh said with a grin. "Remember that strategy you used with Pikachu in the Battle Frontier Flute Cup?"
"Yeah!" Ash responded as he eyed Goh. "Are you thinking the same thing I'm thinking?" Ash remembered how Pikachu used the momentum from his opponent to turn the tables in their battle against Hodge. Goh was suggesting the same thing, and Cinderace and Lucario needed to work together in order to succeed.
Goh gave a thumbs up and thrust his arm forward. "Cinderace! Use Blaze Kick on Hariyama!"
"Lucario! Double Team and run to confuse our opponents!" Ash ordered as he watched Cinderace charge toward Hariyama with a flaming foot.
"What are they up to?" Brawly muttered to himself as he watched Cinderace and Lucario. "Use Arm Thrust on Cinderace!" However, Bea wasn't giving an order to Grapploct. She was patiently looking at Lucario, trying to figure out the boys' strategy.
Cinderace's foot slammed with Hariyama's arm, causing Hariyama to wince slightly. But Harivama grabbed Cinderace's foot with its other arm and swung him backward.
"Lucario! Prepare yourself! Grab Cinderace by the arm and swing him forward!" Ash commanded while Lucario began to move toward Cinderace.
"Grapploct!" Bea exclaimed, realizing Ash and Goh's strategy. "Stop Lucario from meeting Cinderace with Liquidation!"
Grapploct shot out a multitude of water toward Lucario and his clones, but the water failed to hit the real Lucario before Cinderace came. Lucario grabbed Cinderace with his right arm and swung in a circle before tossing it in the direction toward Grapploct.
"Now! Use Double Kick!" Goh ordered as Cinderace flied toward Grapploct. Cinderace's high speed prevented Grapploct from fleeing, and the Double Kick landed on Grapploct.
"Grapploct!" Grapploct groaned as it stumbled backwards from the attack. It wasn't done yet, but the attack dealt some damage to it.
"Quick! Aura Sphere on the ground!" Ash shouted as a smile formed on his face. Goh was surprised when he heard Ash's command, but he decided to trust Ash and go along with the plan.
"Alright! Fall back into the smoke cloud!" Goh ordered while Lucario's Aura Sphere created a smoke cloud with its impact on the ground. Cinderace jumped backward and entered the cloud, preventing Brawly and Bea from seeing the Striker and Aura Pokémon.
"Hariyama! Don't let them have the upper hand! Charge into the smoke and use Seismic Toss!" Brawly spoke as he watched the cloud. Once again, Bea did nothing while she glared at the smoke. She didn't like this, and she had a feeling that the smoke was a distraction. Unlike Brawly, she and Grapploct were prepared, and they knew that they would need to eliminate one of the Pokémon if they have a chance of winning this battle.
Hariyama charged toward the cloud and saw Lucario in the corner of its eyes. It turned and thrust its arm to grab Lucario, but it was shocked to see that Lucario disappeared when its hand went through. "Hari?" Hariyama questioned as Lucario was gone. It then realized that it was a fake Lucario. Lucario must have used Double Team! Before it could properly react, an Aura Sphere slammed into its stomach and caused it to tumble onto the ground.
"Finish it with Blaze Kick!" Goh yelled as he began to saw the fallen Hariyama as the smoke began to disappear. Cinderace jumped in the air and landed a direct attack on Hariyama's body.
"Liquidation and get closer," Bea said as she pointed at Cinderace. Grapploct executed Liquidation and swiftly moved closer and closer to Cinderace. Cinderace managed to dodge all of the Liquidation attacks, but Grapploct was soon within range.
"Close Combat!" Bea ordered as Grapploct's tentacles lunged toward Cinderace.
Goh gasped and shouted, "Get out of there," but Cinderace couldn't escape. Hariyama was still able to battle, and it pinned one of Cinderace's foot onto the ground as it was laying on the ground. The tentacles slammed into Cinderace, and Cinderace was moaning from the pain while he struggled to escape.
"Blaze Kick!" Goh said as Cinderace's foot began to engulf in flames. He could hear Hariyama roar in pain, but Hariyama continued to hold Cinderace's position.
"Let's help out! Aura Sphere, Lucario!" Ash quickly ordered as he pointed toward Grapploct.
"Detect and then Octolock," Bea calmly said as Grapploct's eyes began to glow blue. It successfully dodged the Aura Sphere and then squeezed Cinderace with its tentacles.
"Cinder!" Cinderace finally screamed before Grapploct released him. Cinderace collapsed toward the ground with spirals in his eyes, but he wasn't the only one who was out. Brawly's Hariyama was also eliminated due to its tiredness and Cinderace's final Blaze Kick.
"Hariyama, return," Brawly sighed as he recalled his trusty Pokémon back. "Thank you for that awesome battle!"
"Thank you, Cinderace," Goh spoke after returning his Pokémon. He walked toward the sides and sat near Chloe.
"That was a good battle, Goh," Chloe commented as she watched Lucario and Grapploct face each other on the battlefield. "Who do you think will win?"
"Hard to say," Goh responded with a frown on his face. "Both Pokémon are tired, and Bea has been really careful. I think the real battle is starting now."
"We need to be careful," Ash pondered as he recalled his past battles with Grapploct. "Bea probably has something planned after we broke out of Octolock last time."
"Liquidation," Bea ordered as she thrust her arms forward in a fighting stance. Grapploct lunged slightly toward Lucario and began shooting water out of its tentacles.
"Dodge and use Reversal!" Ash exclaimed as he swung his arm toward the right. Lucario charged toward Grapploct, while dodging all the attacks and shoved his arm forward at the Jujitsu Pokémon.
However, Grapploct dodged the attack and began to wrap Lucario with its tentacles. Ash knew what is was planning to do before Bea could utter, "Octolock." Immediately, the tentacles began to tightly squeeze Lucario.
"Luca!" Lucario squealed as Grapploct squeezed his body with the tentacles. The attack was taking a toll on him, but he still patiently waited for Ash's command. He remembered not to struggle and to remain calm from last time.
"Lucario!" Ash shouted as he watched Grapploct's tentacles. "You're bigger than before! Grapploct can't engulf all of you! Use your feet!"
Lucario began kicking its feet on the ground and attempted to shake Grapploct off, but Grapploct had other plans. It removed one of its tentacles from Lucario's stomach and used it to wrap around Lucario's feet, casing the Aura Pokémon to fall onto the ground. With Lucario completely immobilized on the floor, Grapploct turned toward its trainer.
"Liquidation," Bea said as Lucario began to pant from Grapploct's weight. Grapploct removed two of its tentacles and water began to build up.
"Remember, Lucario! Build up your power and use Force Palm!" Ash commanded as he saw the glowing water grow. Lucario took deep breathes, and he began to shimmer from the buildup of power. Seeing this, Grapploct quickly executed the attack, and the powerful water slammed onto Lucario's body. However, Lucario was not discouraged, and he continued to buildup power. Despite the pain, Lucario began to move its hand and slowly placed it on one of Grapploct's tentacles. Grapploct's eyes opened wide in alarm, and a powerful Force Palm blasted Grapploct off Lucario.
"Grapploct!" Grapploct wailed as it fell onto the floor. It soon got up and glared at Lucario. The battle wasn't over, and Grapploct had been waiting a long time for a rematch since their tie.
"Lucario!" Lucario roared as he stared at Grapploct. He was panting from the Liquidation, but he was also determined to fight until the very end.
"Let's show them how strong we've gotten!" Ash exclaimed as he adjusted the cap on his head. "Aura Sphere!"
Bea smiled slightly when she heard Ash's enthusiasm. "Grapploct, let's show them our strength as well. Use Detect and then Close Combat!"
Grapploct dodged the Aura Sphere with Detect and lunged toward Lucario with its tentacles.
"Double Team and then Reversal!" Ash shouted as the tentacles came closer to Lucario.
"They're both so strong," Chloe noted as she saw how the tentacles passed through the fake Lucarios and Lucario charging toward Grapploct with a glowing fist.
"Yeah," Goh replied with a smile. "Grapploct and Lucario must be both pushing themselves to the limit. They want to show how strong they've gotten to each other. They're rivals, and I hope I can battle as good as Ash one day."
"Are you and Leaf rivals?" Chloe asked when she heard Goh mention the word "rivals."
Goh had an uneasy expression on his face. "I don't know," Goh responded as he scratched his hair. "But I'll show her how strong I've gotten next time I see her. Today's battle showed how strong my bond with Cinderace is!"
"What about Sobble and Aerodactyl?" Chloe questioned while Lucario slammed into Grapploct with a Reversal. "The tournament needs three Pokémon to battle. Are you sure that they are strong enough?"
"Sobble," Goh muttered to himself. Sobble did help battle with him, back at the Glittering Caves, but Sobble was still weak and afraid. He didn't know what to do. "I need to bond with Sobble as well," he finally thought before looking back at the battle.
Lucario and Grapploct were both tired, and they could barely continue the battle.
"Use all of your strength! Aura Sphere!" Ash yelled as he pointed at Grapploct.
Bea thrust her arms forward and commanded, "Show them your final strength! Liquidation!"
Lucario summoned a large blue sphere and tossed it at Grapploct with all its strength. Grapploct shot out multiple streams at water at the sphere, and the attacks collided with each other. A large smoke cloud appeared, and both trainers couldn't see each other.
"Where are they?" Goh asked as the smoke blocked his view.
Brawly frowned while he watched the smoke. He knew that Liquidation wasn't all of Grapploct's strength. Bea was purposely holding back, and she had something planned.
Bea closed her eyes and finally spoke, "Close Combat."
Ash couldn't see anything, but he heard Bea's words. "Lucario! Dodge it!" he ordered, hoping that Lucario could avoid all the tentacles. However, he heard Lucario scream in pain, and he clenched his fists. "Come on, Lucario!" Ash thought as the smoke started to dissipate.
Once the smoke was gone, Ash looked and saw that Lucario was still standing, but something was wrong. Before Ash could call anything out, Lucario stumbled and collapsed onto the floor. Grapploct soon followed. Both Pokémon were knocked out, but Lucario fell first.
Brawly looked at both sides and announced, "Bea and Brawly are the winners of the double battle."
"Lucario!" Ash rushed over and helped his Pokémon get up. "Are you okay?"
"Luca," Lucario tiredly spoke as he nodded. He looked up and saw Bea and Grapploct approach him.
"Ash and Lucario," Bea spoke as she eyed both of them. "It was a close battle, and I believe that you have what it takes to enter the Ultra Class."
"Thank you!" Ash responded with a smile. "I hope we can battle again!"
Bea nodded and turned toward Brawley while she bowed. "Thank you for today's training session. I have learned a lot from my journey. I will be returning to Galar tomorrow."
Brawly bowed in response, and he and the trio watched as Bea recalled Grapploct and began to exit the room. Before she stepped out of the room, she turned back and said, "When you get into the Ultra Class, find me in Stow-on-Side. I will be there, waiting for you."
"Stow-on-Side," Ash muttered as he watched Bea leave. He was excited to battle Bea, and he knew that she would be even stronger the next time they meet in Galar.
The trio were currently standing outside of the Petalburg Gym.
"Thank you, Brawly for that battle!" Goh eagerly spoke as he shook Brawly's hand. "I learned a lot from today's battle, and I hope I will learn more!"
Brawly gave Goh and thumbs up. "Your welcome, and good luck with the Slateport Tournament!"
The trio began to walk away and waved goodbye to Brawly. The double battle was exciting, and the day was still young. They planned on making their way to Oldale Town before dark and hoped to reach Slateport City tomorrow. As Ash and Goh talked about their battle, Chloe had the funny feeling that something was following her. She glanced back, but she saw nothing. She shrugged and continued walking with the boys.
"Cottonee!" Cottonee squealed as it glanced at the trio. They looked like good people, but it was still curious about Chloe. The girl didn't do much, and she appeared to be hesitant about many things.
This chapter developed both Ash and Goh. Goh got a chance to sharpen his battling skills, and Lucario got some development. Bea is in the Ultra Class, and Ash will challenge her in Galar, the land of Dynamaxing.
Next chapter will focus on Sobble, Chloe, and Team Rocket as they make the short journey to Oldale Town. Two people will make a return.
I plan on bringing old companions and old Pokémon after Ash enters the Ultra Class. He will enter it at the end of the Sinnoh mini arc.
But you will update if Ash catches a new Pokemon, right?
I will try to. For example, if Ash catches a Corviknight in the anime, then I will try to make him get one in the story.
Will Ash realized that Leaf is from Pallet town like him and maybe was his child hood friend like Serena?
I don't think I'll make Leaf from Pallet Town. I'm planning on making Leaf from Kanto, but I haven't decided on what city yet. She started her journey on the same day Ash did.
If you to involve the three Galarian variants of Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, how would you do it? If it were me, I'd make them involved by being captured, and controlled by Emma/Essentia. What do you think?
I haven't decided on what to do with the Galarian Legendary Trio, but I think they will be captured. Peony might play a role.
Speaking of rivals, will any of Ash's rivals like Paul and Trip will gonna appear here and they're also a participants in World Coronation Series? Also, is there a chance that Goh's Cinderace and Chloe's Eevee will be able to Gigantamax in the future? And do you have a plan of including the game protagonists like Nate, Hilbert, Calem, etc. here in this story?
Yes. Ash's rivals will be in the Ultra Class or close to it. I'm planning on making Eevee Gigantamax. Goh's Cinderace will just Dynamax, but I plan on him using Max Shop to make Cinderace have a Gigantamax factor. I don't have any plans of adding the game protagonists in the story.
I absolutely love the way that you are writing this fic. However, I am begging you please do not give legendaries to Goh or Ash (i might accept Ash having a legendary). In my opinion fics in which the trainer get legendaries start relying on them more and ruin the entire fic.
Also hope to see the Kanto Battle Frontier in the fic.
I will attempt to balance it out. I plan on Ash getting Kubfu, and I still haven't decided on Goh. He might get a "weak" legendary like Heatran, or I'll just give him a Mythical. However, Ash and Goh would receive lots of development to justify their capture of powerful Pokémon.
The Battle Frontier will make an appearance.
Will Ash defend his title? and will they find out soon?
I'm not sure, but maybe Kiawe could challenge Ash for his title. They will find out when they go to Alola. I'm not sure when the Alola mini arc takes place, but it will take place after at least two mini arcs.