For the rest of the day in Ambrette Town, the gang has returned to the glittering cave so that they got all the fossils for the Pokedex, and at least have one for each of them. Serena got an archen while Ash chose to get a Craniados, though the latter did not replace anything on Ash's team. Shauna too, for even though Amaura was super cute, she had to send it home because unfortunately, she'd never get any actual use with a rock/ice type which had too many weaknesses. On their beach side travel Trevor also caught a luvdisc, a heart shaped pink fish. After a day and a half, they finally reached Cyllage City, the home of Grant the gym leader. Most of the residential homes were on the left side with a few stores in the middle, especially the Pokemon Center, but one thing that stood out was the giant paved ring around the town, and zigzagging up the hill East of the town, which was where a lot of bikers were participating. Deciding that they needed some new clothes, Serena dragged the group to the Pokemon Center to change their looks to be appropriate for the town. Replacing their old and slightly worn bags, the boys got red bags while the girls, Serena and Shauna respectively, got white purses with red stripes and blue stripes. Then they each took their chosen clothes and went to change in the gender specific fitting rooms. The boys came out first. Ash got a King labeled red and yellow T-shirt while Trevor got a green T-shirt with a white Pokeball design on it, and a green zip-up jacket to go with it. Both of them got red sneakers now and while Trevor kept his pants, Ash now wore some cargo shorts.
"Wow, don't we look sporty in these clothes?" The black hair trainer asked with brimming confidence.
"Well, it's certainly a change." The short red head agreed.
"Wow Trevor, you actually look good when you don't look like some bubble boy nerd." Serena's voice 'tried' to compliment him. He cried out in an undignified manner,
"What's that supposed to-" He stopped, nothing else escaping his throat while Ash was similarly struken as they saw what the girls were wearing. Each of them wore an aqua colored sports cap and high top shoes, black and pink for Serena and Shauna respectively, matched with blue socks. Individually, Shauna wore purple baby-doll tee with pink jean shorts. Serena was the most revealing through with only an orange and yellow midriff halter top that stopped at her lower rib cage, and jean shorts with fashionable damage holes.
"Ah, it feels so nice to wear something so athletic. Don't you agree boys?" Serena was practically modeling for the boys, but aimed herself specifically at Ash, puffing her chest out with a stretch and swaying her hips. They didn't respond.
"Oh Serena." Shauna giggled. "I believe you broke their brains. I think you might be too beautiful for their minds to comprehend and thus overloaded."
"Is that so?" The tomboy chuckled. "Then let's bring them back into reality." Strutting over to them, she went behind her male friends, draped her right arm over Ash while placing her left hand on Trevor's shoulder, and said, "You boys are paying for everything." That snapped Trevor out.
"Wait, what?! Why do we have to do it?!"
"Please, aren't you supposed to be gentlemen and cater to the whims of the girls that are accompanying you?" Shauna asked, playing along as she played up her new level of cuteness. Ash was still brain dead.
"Ash? Yoohoo." Serena tried getting Ash out of his stupor, but it was like he really was bamboozled out of the living world, with drool now dripping out of his mouth. "Guess there's only one way to get him back." Stroking his arm, it only took a few seconds before Serena pinched Ash really hard, bringing him back with pain.
"Ow! What was that for?!"
"We tried calling for your name several times." She chuckled. "Also, you have some drool there."
"Wha?" Ash wiped his mouth to see there really was saliva escaping his mouth. Once they went to the counter, Serena was stumped by the price.
"It's that much?! No way are my parents going to allow me to buy this much?!"
"Oh, something the problem?" The group turned to see that it was Grant! He was wearing a thin long sleeve black shirt and grey jeans. "Oh, I remember you guys. From the Battle Chateau." He said with a smile.
"Oh, hey Grant. Yeah, we tried getting some new clothes, but everything is way too expensive!"
"Ah, I understand. Here, I just won this from a bike race I won." He handed her an all clothing free coupon. "I have no need for this. I just wanted to race. You can have this for your new clothes.
"Oh thank you so much!" Serena cheered as she happily took the coupon. Once everything has been bought, they went outside where Grant asked,
"So, who wants to face me first?" After doing some rock paper scissors, Ash won out.
"I'm first. And this will be my second gym badge."
"Great. Follow me." Once they reached the gym, which happened to be inside of the giant racing hill that was part of the city, they soon found that the place had a giant rock climbing wall pillar in the middle of the room, standing at 37 meters tall! It was wide at the base but it progressively became smaller towards the top.
"Now that's a climbing wall." Serena gasped.
"Yep." Grant nodded with a smile. "37 meters of transversing colorful rocks with nothing but your fingers and a harness to prevent you from falling. Only challengers are required to use it, with exceptions such as lack of physical strength, endurance or medical reasons. I just want to give my challengers the experience my great love of rocks.
"What do you think Ash?" Shauna asked her friend. With an excited chuckle, he popped his knuckles.
"Climb it of course!" Going over, he grabbed a harness that was right next to a climbable section of the pillar, and started his way up.
"I like your spirit Ash! Meet you at the top!" Leading Ash's friends to the elevator, he was left alone to scale the climbing walls. He had a slip a couple of times, but the safety harness made sure that he didn't fall. After about five minutes of climbing, Ash finally reached the top, collapsing onto his front, breathing heavily from the effort.
"Hey...Grant. I...made it."
"Well done Ash." The gym leader complimented, having stood there near the edge over the past three and a half minutes. "Tell me, what were you thinking as you were climbing?"
"Uhh...nothing really. I was just...thinking about reaching...the top."
"And where were you looking?"
"Straight...up?"
"Exactly. You were so focused you reached a state of enlightenment. You had a clear concentration and unclouded mind. Now that you've conquered the wall, your next wall to overcome is me."
"Ok, just give me...a few minutes."
"Sure. Take your time." Walking to his side of the field, Ash's friends came to his side.
"Oh man, I don't know if I could climb all of that. In fact, just looking down...is making me..." The short red head fainted onto his back as he looked down the tall height they were at.
"Wimp." Serena commented with sigh and eye roll. Ignoring her fallen friend, she went to Ash, making him feel comfortable by helping Ash onto his back and placing his head on her lap. "There, is that better?"
"Uh, thanks Serena, but isn't this a little embarrassing and unnecessary?" The raven headed trainer asked.
"Uh-of course not! I'm just trying to keep your head off the hard floor is all." She tried excusing herself, now a bit nervous, but Shauna could see right threw her act and decided to do something about it.
"He doesn't need a lap pillow Serena. He just needs a boost is all." Taking his arm, the darker toned girl helped Ash onto his feet, completely undoing Serena's plan. "There, all better?"
"Yeah, thanks." He nodded. Patting her shoulder, he went to the battle arena. Serena got up, looking at her old friend with an irritated expression, Shauna returning it. Both girls exhaled in an annoyed manner where going back to the sidelines, Serena grabbing Trevor's ankle so that she dragged him across the ground with them. A referee walked up to the arena.
"Now, the battle between Grant the Cyllage City gym leader and Ash the challenger from Vaniville Town is about to begin. It will be a three on three battle, and only the challenger will be allowed to substitute. Let the battle begin!"
"Amaura, let's go!" Upon seeing the rock/ice type, Ash knew what to do.
"Frogadier, I choose you!" Once his shiny water starter was out, he instructed, "Use Smokescreen!" Opening her mouth, the Bubble Frog Pokemon expelled black smoke from her mouth, obscuring the battle field.
"Amaura, use Hyper Voice!" Thanks to its Refrigerate ability, the Tundra Pokemon not only shouted with enough volume to create light blue shock waves, ice crystals floated out as well, turning the normal type move into ice. The move cleared out the smokescreen, but Frogadier was nowhere to be seen. Ash grinned.
"Water Pulse!" Looking up, he gasped when he saw that the water frog jumped high into the air, forming an orb of water. Throwing it down, she was able to land a critical blow against Amaura's back, whom yelled from the painful impact as she was splashed. It was downed in one move.
"Amaura is unable to battle! The winner is Frogadier!"
"Alright, you rock Frogadier!" Ash cheered. The water starter smiled.
"Yeah, both of you did great!" Serena celebrated.
"Way to go! You're so cool!" Shauna added, pumping her fist up.
"Thanks Amaura, you did great. I can see that you're quite good with type match ups, but don't think that it'll help you out entirely. Tyrunt, let's go!" Once his second Pokemon was out, Grant ordered, "Use Dragon Dance!" Stomping around in a dance like manner, the Royal Heir Pokemon glowed orange as it grew stronger.
"Tyrunt!" It growled.
"Water Pulse, once more!" Creating another water orb, Frogadier sent it flawlessly into the powered up rock/dragon type. But even with its weak defenses, the little dinosaur survived to the water bomb thanks to being said dragon type, shocking Ash.
"Counter with Stone Edge!" Forming white orbs of energy that turned into rocks, the foe launched them at surprising speed, in which Frogadier couldn't dodge in time and was bombarded, croaking in pain. Falling onto her back, she was beaten."
"Frogadier is unable to battle! The winner is Tyrunt!"
"Huh, that's unexpected." Ash remarked.
"I wonder how powerful Grant's Tyrunt is after that Dragon Dance? It beat Ash's Frogadier, so is it too powerful now?" Shauna wondered about out loud. Serena shook her head.
"No way, he's definitely got this."
"Good thing I know what to use next. Diggersby, I choose you!" This normal/ground type was a fat rabbit that had brown and yellow fur over its midsection making it seem like everything above his arms was above ground level Everything else was colored with grey fur with also exception to its ears, which were like muscular arms past the ear holes near his head.
"Tyrunt, use Outrage!" The Royal Heir Pokemon roared as it glowed with a red outline, running at top speed.
"Spray the ground with Mud Shot!" Spraying the field with spheres of mud, the field was covered in a layer of wet dirt, which the enemy Pokemon started to slip and slide across.
"Tyrunt, no!" Grant yelled as it missed its mark hitting Diggersby, whom stepped to the side. Tyrunt slid into a protruding rock, causing it to crack.
"Use Double Kick!" Leaping forward, the Digging Pokemon landed two powerful kicks against the little dinosaur, smashing it through the rock it crashed into. Having been already weakened against the earlier Water Pulse, the rock/dragon type fell down defeated amongst the pebbles.
"Tyrunt is unable to battle! The winner is Diggersby!"
"Alright, nice comeback!" Both of the girls cheered.
"Good job Tyrunt, that was great. Rest now. I was right to not underestimate you, but now it's time to finish this! Binacle, let's go!" This last one was a pre-evolved form of Barbaracle, this time it's just a rock with two hand and arm shaped sentient barnacles on it.
"Diggersby, use Double Kick!"
"Counter with Razor Shell!" The water/rock type let its heads glow bright blue, which then swiped to utterly stop the normal/ground type, while also hurting the Digging Pokemon as he grunted with pain, surprising Ash that it could counter so effectively. "Now use Cross Chop!" Going from blue to white, the piece of barnacle leapt forward, and chopped both its hand/heads into Diggersby's sides, causing the fat rabbit to spit out saliva with a groan from how much the pinch hurt, and fell onto his butt and then his back, brought down from the sheer, painful power of the move.
"Diggersby is unable to battle! The winner is Binacle!"
"Ouch, that's got to hurt." Shauna winced.
"Yeah, I hope he'll be okay." Serena gulped.
"Diggersby, return." Once his Pokemon was withdrawn, he looked down at the pokeball. "Sorry that hurt so much. We'll win this for you. Pansage, I choose you!" Grant lost his grin and sweated from seeing the grass type monkey. "Use Seed Bomb!" Spitting out glowing, powered up seeds, the water/rock type was unable to move from its spot too much, and thus was caught in multiple explosions from the 4X super effective move. When the smoke cleared, the Two Headed Pokemon was defeated.
"Binacle is unable to battle! Pansage wins, and the victor of this battle is Ash!" The referee declared.
"Awesome Pansage, we won!" Ash celebrated as the grass monkey jumped into his arms, laughing all the while.
"That's how you win!" Serena exclaimed in joy.
"Hooray!" Shauna shouted as the two girls went in to hug him, wanting to celebrate with him together in jubilation. It was then that Trevor woke up.
"Huh, what did I miss?"
"Thank you Binacle. You did your best." Grant said to his returned Pokemon. "Well, with the teamwork of your Pokemon, you've proven to be a wall that I'm unable to surmount. I may be the truest believer of climbing over obstacles, but there may be times something is out of reach no matter how hard we try. However, no matter the odds, you should never give up. I could tell that from how passionately you battled. To commemorate such an impressive show of teamwork, please accept the Cliff Badge." Handing Ash his second badge, it showed that it was like a climbing wall with cubes of bronze and copper acting like the nature of rock.
"Thank you so much Grant."
"Now that you've completed the gym, there's something I'd like to tell you. Since you're on a mission about Mega Evolution, head to Shalour City next and talk to Korrina Beaufort. She's not only your likely next gym match, but also the one out of eight of us that truly understands Mega Evolution.
"Wow, thanks so much!" Serena expressed extremely gratefully. "We'll go as soon as we can!"
A/N: Now we're getting somewhere with that. Now, here's some more of my Mega Evolution ideas.
1. Hawlucha Type: flying/fighting ability: tough claws Mega: Mega: atk/def: 137/90 spa/spd: 60/90 spe: 145
2. Probopass Type: steel ability: filter Mega: atk/def: 110/150 spa/spd: 125/150 spe: 30
3. Yanmega Type: bug/flying ability: speed boost Mega: atk/def: 40/99 spa/spd: 170/60 spe: 160
4. Nidoking Type: poison/dragon type ability: sheer force Mega: atk/def: 52/90 spa/spd: 150/90 spe: 142
5. Nidoqueen Type: poison/dragon type ability: multiscale Mega: atk/def: 90/155 spa/spd: 60/150 spe: 60
6. Tentacruel Type: water/poison ability: levitate Mega atk/def: 50/100 spa/spd: 100/180 spe: 145
7. Ampharos Type: electric ability: serene grace Mega: atk/def: 60/105 spa/spd: 180/ 150 spe: 25
8. Lapras Type: water/ice ability: magic guard Mega: atk/def: 60/145 spa/spd: 120/150 spe: 30
9. Jolteon Type: electric ability: speed boost Mega: atk/def: 90/100 spa/spd: 120/100 spe: 150
10. Leafeon Type: grass ability: magic guard Mega: atk/def: 140/150 spa/spd: 30/120 spe: 120
What do you think?