The Championship Finals: Ash vs. The Mask Part 2!

In the locker room Ash sat there frustrated while May and Paul stood beside him. "This is by far the hardest battle I've ever had," Ash said. "I'm down to my last 6. If this were a normal match, I would have lost already! I was beaten by some Pokemon that I know my team is capable of defeating… I have never felt so paranoid about losing in my life..."

"Come on Ash, snap out of it," May said. "You've trained so hard for this battle. You've put in so much effort..."

"Don't underestimate the Mask, May," Paul said. "Clearly this guy knows what he is doing and Ash doesn't. I guess we found the World's Greatest Trainer after all."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Ash said, raising his head.

"I'm just saying you deserve to lose if this is how you're going to act," Paul said. "You call yourself a trainer, but you're too afraid of getting beaten. Where's the trainer who always put his faith in his Pokemon first? You're so afraid of losing this match that you've lost who you are as a person."

Ash sprang to his feet and shoved Paul into a locker with his eyes glowing blue. "How can you just say that? I know I'm able to defeat this guy, no matter what… but if I don't that's okay." Ash let go of Paul and walked towards the entrance ramp. "Thanks Paul, I needed that." Ash said grinning, rolling his shoulders.

"Anytime," Paul said, walking beside him, giving him a fist bump. "Just figured I'd give you some encouraging words to help you snap out of this funk. I was always a dick to you back in Sinnoh and that always seemed to light that fighting spirit from deep within."

"Will Ash please return to the battlefield." The intercom called.

"Good luck out there," Paul said. "

"You got this," His fiancé said.

Ash smiled, hearing the motivational words from his friends and exited the locker rooms while Paul and May returned to their seats. While he may have been at a disadvantage, Ash was prepared to give it his all.

"You always know what to do in order to bring out the best in him," May said.

"What can I say? The greatest Pokemon battle I have ever had was against him," uttered Paul. "The guy's my best friend. I was such an asshole to him all those years ago. I'm just glad we're on the same side now."

"Arcanine, let's start this battle off right!" The Mask yelled, throwing out his large fire-type canine.

"Infernape, may the Aura guide you!" Ash said, throwing his Ace of his Sinnoh Team.

"Arcanine, use Extreme Speed!"

"Infernape, take it on with a Mach Punch!"

Infernape and Arcanine both shot from either side of the field, meeting in the center. Infernape slammed its fist into Arcanines skull, while Arcanine's momentum managed to throw Infernape backwards. Both Pokemon landed on their feet in front of their respective trainers.

"Infernape, use Dig!"

"Arcanine, Flamethrower, quick!" The Mask yelled.

Arcanine shot a Flamethrower at Infernape, but the monkey-like pokemon was too quick and jumped into the air, dodging the attack and then began digging a hole in the ground. "Arcanine, stay alert," The Mask said. "We have no idea where Infernape's going to pop out."

"Who said anything about 'popping' out of the ground?" Ash said.

Suddenly the arena floor burst, as walls of fire came up nearly collapsing the field. While Infernape was underground, it had used Flare Blitz, the same way it had been done during Ash and Paul's battle in the Sinnoh League 11 years ago. Arcanine fell to the ground, after getting battered by the erupting arena floor, unconscious.

"Arcanine is unable to battle!" the ref said. "Mask, choose your next Pokemon."

"What an amazing strategy," The Mask said. "I never thought of a maneuver like that before."

"It's a strategy I came up with battling a close friend of mine years ago!"

"Aerodactyl, you're up next," The Mask said.

The large fossil Pokemon flew out of its ball and took to the skies. "No way you're hitting that, Infernape. Why don't you take a rest?"

'Fine by me,' Infernape said. ``I can feel my Blaze ability beginning to take control.'

Ash returned his Pokémon. Ash pulled out his next Pokeball. "What do you say buddy, shall we give this one a go? Charizard, may the Aura guide you!" The Flame Pokemon came out of its ball and fired a large Flamethrower into the air. It then took to the skies in order to pursue Aerodactyl.

"Aerodactyl, use Ancient Power!"

"Charizard, use Steel Wing!"

Aerodactyl flew low to the ground and made several large boulders levitate as it hurled them at Charizard. Charizard's wings glowed a brilliant silver as it smashed through each boulder, eventually running into the Pokemon it was after. Aerodactyl fell into one of the holes from the previous battle and Charizard landed in front of it.

"Aerodactyl, use Stone Edge!" Aerodactyl let out a loud screeching noise and large, jagged stones shot up from the ground hitting Charizard. Charizard was pushed into the air, but was able to keep itself from falling into the stones again once its wings were able to get mobility.

"Charizard, use Dragon Breath, followed by Blast Burn underneath Aerodactyl!"

"Aerodactyl, brace yourself!" The Mask shouted.

Charizard did as its trainer said and fired a blue and yellow pulse at the fossil Pokemon. Aerodactyl dug its feet into the ground and used its wings to shield itself from the attack. Once Charizard finished that move, it began firing off a fire attack with such intensity at the feet of Aerodactyl, the ground below it began turning into molten rock.

"Aerodactyl, get out of there!" The Mask called, but Aerodactyl was unable to move. "Damn, its wings must be paralyzed from that Dragon Breath." Aerodactyl then began sinking into the ground as it heated up and hardened beneath it.

"Now Charizard, use a direct Steel Wing!"

Without anywhere to move, Aerodactyl took a direct hit from the move and was knocked out. "Aerodactyl is unable to battle. Please choose your next pokemon."

"What do you say Ash? Let's see who's Charizard is truly the best." The Mask then threw out his much larger Charizard into battle, who landed on the ground with a thud. The opposing Charizard flared its nostrils, as it threw its head forward and let out a roar that rattled Ash's insides.

"We can take him on pal," Ash said. "This is his strongest Pokemon yet!"

'Let's do this Ash!' Charizard said as it let out a battle cry.

The two Charizards locked eyes and began an intense battle. The Mask's Charizard made the first move, sending a Fire Blast at Ash's Charizards, which Charizard took head on. When the attack subsided, Charizard let out a snort and shot off across the field. With its claws glowing green, it slashed its opponent across the face, then struck it in the abdomen. The Mask's Charizard then swung its head forward, clamping onto its opponents neck with its teeth.

Ash's Pokemon then swung its body around, causing its opponent to release its grip. Ash's Charizard then followed up with a Dragon Tail, which sent the other Charizard flying into the stadium wall. The Mask's Charizard, however, remained on two feet.

"Flamethrower Charizard!" The Mask called out.

"You too Charizard!" Ash commanded.

The two Pokemon fired their own respective Flamethrowers which collided in the middle of the field. Without letting up, each Charizard continued on intensifying their Flamethrowers. After some time had passed, both Charizards stopped their attacks. The two Fire/Flying types then pushed off the ground and took off into the sky in order to do some aerial battling. Slamming into each other in mid air, the two Charizards raced higher and higher into the sky. Ash's Charizard, however, spread its wings out, catching the wind and causing it to fall behind its opponent. From its mouth, Charizard fired a Dragon Pulse which hit The Mask's Charizard in the left wing, causing it to lose its ability of flight. The Pokemon then took a nosedive, slamming into the ground, sending up a large cloud of dust. Ash's Charizard touched down in front of Ash as the dust settled, revealing The Mask's Charizard still standing tall.

"Charizard, use Overheat!" both trainers said. The attacks collided and neutralized each other.

"Flamethrower!" the two trainers said simultaneously. Once again, both attacks collided and cancelled the other out.

"Blazing Wings!" Ash yelled.

"Blazing Impact!" The Mask called.

Ash's Charizard flew across the field with its wings on fire, while The Mask's Charizard attacked with a Giga Impact with fire surrounding its body. Both Charizards collided with each other, causing a large explosion of fire to consume the two Pokemon.

"Both Charizards are unable to battle. Will both trainers please select their next Pokemon.

"Poliwrath, give me a hand!" The Mask said throwing out the Water/Fighting type.

"Lucario, may the Aura guide you!" Said Ash, throwing out his Steel/Fighting type. Ash's eyes glowed blue as he established a special link to his pokemon. "All of our training has led to this. Let's see how strong our combined powers really are."

'I'm ready Master,' Lucario said. Ash revealed his mega ring on his wrist and pressed down on the keystone Mega Evolving his Lucario.

"Poliwrath, use Close Combat!"

"Lucario, use Bone Rush!"

Poliwrath shot across the field with a barrage of punches at Lucario, but it formed a long bone-staff out of Aura and smacked the opponent on the head. Lucario then took its staff, twirled it in the air, and then hit Poliwrath again, this time in the stomach, sending it backwards.

"Now use Bonemerang!" Ash yelled. Lucario broke its Aura staff in half into two smaller bones and threw each at Poliwrath, each landing a direct hit. Like a boomerang, the bones came back to Lucario as it caught them and reformed them into one.

"Poliwrath, let's use your Z-Move!" The Mask yelled using Poliwrath's Fightinium Z with a now revealed Z-Ring. Poliwrath jumped to its feet as it became overpowered with energy as it unleashed an All-Out Pummeling on Lucario, driving it into the ground. When the attack subsided, Lucario was in rough shape, but still conscious.

"Lucario!" Ash called out. "You can do it! The Aura is strong with you!"

Lucario slowly pushed itself up, 'I will not let you down Master-No- My friend, Ash.'

"Atta boy!" Ash yelled. "NOW USE YOUR AURA STORM!"

Lucario got back up to its feet as Aura coursed through and around its body, forming a large sphere in its palms. 'Now watch the power!' Lucario lunged forward and fired off a huge beam of concentrated energy at Poliwrath, whose eyes grew wide at the oncoming attack. Poliwrath was then enveloped in the blue beam of energy. After its attack, Lucario dropped to one knee, heavily panting. The Mask's Poliwrath stood in one place for a moment, before falling onto its knees, and then landing face first on the ground.

"Poliwrath is unable to battle. Mask, please choose your next pokemon."

"I've never seen a move like that before! Blastoise!" The Mask said, throwing out its own turtle pokemon. "Use Aqua Jet to knock out that Lucario."

The pokemon left its ball and immediately launched its attack, directly hitting Lucario, who used all of its energy on such a powerful move. Lucario fainted and reverted back to its normal form.

"Lucario is unable to battle," the ref said. "Ash, please choose your next pokemon."

"This battle is incredible," Alexa said. "I've never seen Ash's Pokemon fight like this."

"Your brother sure does take after his father," Delia said. Ever since the Mask had met her before the battle she couldn't help but dwell upon his true identity. He brought back memories of her wedding day. She couldn't forget his smiling face, let alone the role he played in it. This man reminded her of the joy she and her husband, Red, felt settling into their home in Pallet Town. The Mask had revealed so much to her, a part of her wanted the match to be over so she could be reunited with her husband once more. Delia tuned back into the battle and saw The Mask's Blastoise fall to the ground, with Ash's Sceptile standing tall over it, retracting its Leaf Blade back into its forearm.