Chapter 61 Surprise Encounter
Once they get inside the Gym, Ash and Lillie are surprised to see so many fashion items.
Ash: Looks like they are selling a lot of Silk Scarfs and Choice Scarfs.
Lillie: Yeah, but don't forget, you are here for the eleventh Gym Battle.
Ash: You bet. This place is gorgeous. No wonder this is the Silk Studio.
As they walk to the elevator, only to find that it is locked. Then they also notice a room where the stylists are trimming Furfrou. After that, they finally go to the leftmost room, which is for male clothes, and they see two Gym Trainers wanting to battle.
Gentleman Barrington: The most stylish buy their attire from Silk Studio!
He uses Araquanid, Orbeetle, and Crustle, and Ash goes for Dodrio to use Drill Peck to knock out both of them, though Crustle is harder than Araquanid since it is a Rock Type after all.
Gentleman Barrington: It seems you're among the most stylish of trainers!
Gentleman Chucklesworth: You can buy clothes here, but you can't buy the Gym badge.
He uses only a Shuckle, so Ash goes for Swanna to battle, with the Hydro Pump and Aqua Ring, it defeats Shuckle with ease.
Gentleman Chucklesworth: I see you'd rather earn it anyway!
At the end of the room, they find the first elevator key on the ground.
Ash: So we need to find one more elevator key before getting to the Gym Leader.
Lillie: You're right.
After the room is done, they go to the rightmost room and battle two female Gym trainers.
Beauty Anastasia: Silk Studio has outfits for both work and home! If you want, you can even buy a comb!
She uses a Beautifly, a Butterfree, and a Vivillon, Ash goes for Rhyperior to battle, with the Rock Wrecker, it manages to defeat all three Pokemon in the end.
Beauty Anastasia: I could shop here all day. Maybe I'll be here until next May!
Beauty Antoinette: You'll be left paralyzed from the performance of my Vikavolt! Prepare yourself for a massive Thunderbolt!
Ash goes for Gliscor to battle her Vikavolt, and Gliscor's Acrobatics manages to defeat the Pokemon in the end.
Beauty Antoinette: You were stunning. I guess I'm not really all that cunning.
After that, they find the scone elevator key.
Lillie: So we can open the elevator.
Ash: Yeah, let's go.
As they insert the keys to the elevator, it starts to come down from the top floor. But when the door opens, they are surprised to see who comes out from the elevator.
Pandora: (Surprised) You two...
Ash: Pandora? What are you doing here?
The person in front of them is the boss of Team Portal, though she is wearing her casual clothes instead of the uniform of the boss.
Pandora: What are you doing here? And nice outfits by the way.
Ash: Thanks, we could have asked you the same question of why you are here. We are just here because of a Gym battle against Wendy.
Pandora: So you're challenging Wendy? Wendy and I have actually been friends since before I started Team Portal, we connected over fashion, and also two more friends as well.
Ash and Lillie know that the two more friends are Delia and Lusamine, their mothers.
Pandora: They probably don't know I'm their leader, of course. That's definitely the worst part, for anyone in Team Portal. To have to hide something about yourself from your friends and family. Knowing that if they knew about what you're hiding from them, you might have to become enemies for a while.
Ash frowns as he might have told Delia about her being the leader of Team Portal, he just hopes that she doesn't tell anyone about it.
Pandora: Enough about that, though. When we battled at Norall Mountain, I did everything to put you at a disadvantage to test your resolve...and it didn't work out so well. Articuno showed up and we both know what happened from there. I need to see what happens when we battle one on one in neutral terrain with no surprises.
Ash: Of course. (Hesitates) Aunt Pandora.
Pandora flinches a little after Ash calls her aunt, and she recognizes the last name of Ash being Ketchum and Lillie being Aether. From their first meeting, she has been wondering if Ash is somehow related to her, but now she confirms, Ash is her nephew. After heading outside, they have a battle in front of the gym.
Pandora's first two Pokemon are Froslass, TwinkleSnow, and Hatterene, Macaroni. Ash sends out Talonflame while Lillie sends out Duraludon to battle.
In the battle, Duraludon is hit by the Will-o-wisp by Froslass, causing it to get burned, but Duraludon uses Steel Beam to knock out Hatterena, which lands a Psychic on Talonflame and Majestic Fire on Duraludon.
Pandora's third Pokemon is ChocolateDisco, her Chandelure, and it uses the Water Type Hidden Power to knock out Talonflame, having Ash send out Bisharp as the next Pokemon. Lillie's Duraludon uses Metal Claw, finally defeating the Froslass.
Pandora: I really am expecting much more considering you two are Delia's and Lusamine's children.
Ash: So you already know that I'm your nephew, right?
Pandora: (Sighs) When we are at Norall Mountain, I am not sure if you are considering the only clue are your last names, which are the same as your mothers. I have met Delia not long ago, judging by what she had said, she probably didn't know about our encounter in Norall Mountain.
Ash flinches a little as she already knows about it, but she has to act in front of Pandora that she didn't know about Pandora being the Team Portal Leader.
Pandora: (Turns to Lillie) How about your mother? I mean, the Aether Foundation business must have been hard for her, right?
Lillie: She has been doing fine as the president, though.
Pandora sends out her fourth Pokemon, which is an Aromatisse named SecretSecret. It uses Psychic with Chandelure's Shadow Ball to finally knock out Duraludon, so Lillie goes for the second Pokemon and that is Toxapex.
Toxapex uses Poison Jab on Chandelure, and with Ash's Bisharp using Night Slash, Chandelure also faints. The fifth Pokemon of Pandora is a Pheromosa named PickMeUp.
Ash: By the way, Aunt Pandora, may I ask what kind of nicknames are your Pokemon?
Pandora: My Pokemon are named after songs from a famous JPop band. You can listen to their songs, the band is called "Perfume."
Ash: We will listen to it when we have the time.
Pheromosa uses Lunge on Toxapex, and it lowers its Special Defense. Aromatisse also uses Calm Mind to boost the Special Defense as well, but it doesn't work well as Bisharp uses Iron Head to knock out the Pokemon, but Toxapex is defeated by Psychic from the Pokemon as well.
The final Pokemon for Pandora is Gardevoir named PerfectStyle, and Lillie sends out Snowy as her last Pokemon. Gardevoir uses Focus Blast to defeat Bisharp, so Ash sends out his final Pokemon, which is Pikachu.
Pheromosa is then defeated by Ninetales' Dazzling Gleam, but it still manages to use Brick Break on Ninetales to give a lot of damage. And Gardevoir uses Focus Blast again to knock out Ninetales, and then they have a tie with Pikachu using Iron Tail on Gardevoir while Gardevoir uses Future Sight as it crashes on both of them.
Pandora: So we're about even. Good to know. (Recalls Gardevoir) "I need to get better." That's what we usually think when we lose. It's true, but there's more to it than that. Just getting better won't be enough, because you're going to get better as well. I need something more...something you don't have. And fortunately, I know exactly where to find something like that.
?: I must say that was a nice battle you three have there.
The three of them turn around and see Delia standing there.
Ash: Mom? How long have you been watching?
Delia: I was just here not long ago, and I see you two are battling. Looks like my son and Lillie might be able to beat you someday, Pandora.
Pandora: (Smirks at Delia) Maybe. Though I must admit, the two of them might have your and Lusamine's battling style.
Delia: Ash and Lillie, if okay, I will like to talk with Pandora for a while, how about you go challenge the gym like you planned to?
Ash: Sure Mom. Bye, Aunt Pandora.
Pandora: Farewell. I'll be looking forward to next time. And thank you for the battle.
Once Ash and Lillie go back inside the Silk Studio, Delia turns to Pandora and she decides to ask about something.
Delia: So Pandora, you might have noticed the new outfits of Ash and Lillie, right?
Pandora: I must say that they look really badass. I assume you choose these outfits for some reason, right?
Delia: Of course, it is related to Team Portal, which is on the news, I assume you have seen it, right?
Pandora sighs as she knows what Delia is going to talk about, so she is ready to tell her about anything about Team Portal.
Here is a new chapter, when I was playing this game, I never knew that I would have to battle the leader for the second time before I battle the Gym Leader. As you can see, Team Portal is trying to lay low because of what happened in the Underwater Hotel. I am sure that not even Giovanni would want Team Rocket to be in the spotlight like that. (Except for Jessie and James, they are not that smart) I hope you like this chapter and the next chapter would be the Gym Battle. (I might add some mature content in the next chapter, be warned.)
Normal: Fearow, Meowth, Tauros, Snorlax, Miltank, Blissey, Zangoose, Castform, Lopunny, Porygon-Z, Stoutland, Audino, Bouffalant, Furfrou, Toucannon, Silvally, Dubwool, Obstagoon, Smeargle, Ditto
Fighting: Poliwrath, Machamp, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, Heracross, Hitmontop, Hariyama, Medicham, Lucario, ?, Conkeldurr, Scrafty, Mienshao, Pangoro, Hawlucha, Bewear, Sirfetch'd, Falinks
Flying: Pidgeot, Dodrio, Noctowl, Xatu, Skarmory, Swellow, ?, Staraptor, Honchkrow, Gliscor, Unfezant, Swanna, Braviary, Talonflame, Oricorio, ?, Corviknight, ?
Poison: Beedrill, ?, Tentacruel, Muk, ?, Crobat, Qwilfish, Dustox, Swalot, Seviper, Skuntank, ?, Scolipede, Garbodor, ?, ?, Toxapex, Naganadel
Ground: Nidoqueen, Nidoking, Quagsire, Donphan, Swampert, Camerupt, Claydol, Torterra, Gastrodon, Mamoswine, Excadrill, Krookodile, Golurk, Diggersby, Mudsdale, Palossand, Sandaconda, Runerigus
Rock: Golem (A), Kabutops, Aerodactyl, Sudowoodo, Shuckle, Tyranitar, Cradily, Relicanth, Bastiodon, Rhyperior, Gigalith, Archeops, Barbaracle, Aurorus, Carbink, Lycanroc, ?, Stonjourner
Bug: Butterfree, Venomoth, Pinsir, Ariados, Scizor, Ninjask, Volbeat, Illumise, Armaldo, Vespiquen, Yanmega, Leavanny, Crustle, Accelgor, Vivillon, Araquanid, Golisopod, Frosmoth
Ghost: Gengar, Marowak (A), Shedinja, Sableye, Banette, Drifblim, Mismagius, Dusknoir, Cofagrigus, Jellicent, Chandelure, Trevenant, Gourgeist, Decidueye x2, Mimikyu, Dhelmise, Polteageist, Cursola
Steel: Sandslash (A), Dugtrio (A), Forretress, Steelix, Aggron, Metagross, Empoleon, Magnezone, Escavalier, Ferrothorn, Klinklang, Stunfisk (G), Bisharp, Aegislash, ?, Melmetal, Perrserker, Copperajah
Fire: Charizard, Arcanine, Flareon, Typhlosion x2, Magcargo, ?, Torkoal, Infernape, Magmortar, Emboar x2, Simisear, Darmanitan, Volcarona, Pyroar, Salazzle, ?, Cinderace, Centiskorch
Water: Blastoise x2, Kingler, Gyarados, Feraligatr, Mantine, Ludicolo, Milotic, Gorebyss, Floatzel, Lumineon, Samurott x2, Seismitoad, Greninja x2, ?, Wishiwashi, Pyukumuku, Inteleon, Drednaw
Grass: Venusaur, Vileplume, Meganium x2, Bellossom, Sceptile x2, Shiftry, Cacturne, Tropius, Roserade, Serperior, Lilligant, Sawsbuck, Chesnaught, Gogoat, Shiinotic, Tsareena, ?, Flapple
Electric: Pikachu, Jolteon, Lanturn, Ampharos, Manectric, Plusle, Minun, Luxray, Electivire, Rotom, Zebstrika, Galvantula, Eelektross, Heliolisk, Vikavolt, Togedemaru, Boltund, Toxtricity
Psychic: Alakazam, Slowbro (G), Starmie, Espeon, Wobbuffet, Girafarig, ?, Chimecho, Bronzong, Gallade, Musharna, Gothitelle, Delphox, Meowstic, ?, Bruxish, Orbeetle, Indeedee, Unown
Ice: Ninetales (A), Dewgong, Cloyster, Jynx, Lapras, Delibird, Glalie, Walrein, Abomasnow, Glaceon, Froslass, Vanilluxe, Beartic, Cryogonal, Avalugg, Crabominable, Eiscue, Arctozolt
Dragon: Exeggutor (A), Dragonite, Kingdra, Flygon, Altaria, Garchomp, Haxorus, Druddigon, Zweilous, Tyrantrum, Goodra, Noivern, ?, Kommo-o, Appletun, Dracovish, Duraludon, Drakloak
Dark: Raticate (A), Persian (A), Umbreon, Houndoom, Mightyena, Sharpedo, Crawdaunt, Absol, Spiritomb, Weavile, Liepard, Zoroark, Mandibuzz, Malamar, Incineroar x2, Thievul, Grimmsnarl, Morpeko
Fairy: Clefable, ?, Mr. Mime, Azumarill, Granbull, Gardevoir, ?, Togekiss, Whimsicott, Florges, Aromatisse, Slurpuff, Sylveon, Primarina, Ribombee, Comfey, ?, Alcremie
LMU: Buzzwole, Pheromosa, Celesteela, Guzzlord, Stakataka