"Okay guys, eat up." Ash said, setting food down for his Pokemon.
"You're up early." Lucy said calmly.
"I try to make the most of each day." Ash said.
Ash and Cassie had set up camp a bit outside of what they had found out was called the Battle Pike.
"You know you could have slept inside." Lucy said.
"Where?" Ash reminded. "There weren't many places other than the battle arena. Besides it wasn't bad out last night."
"To each their own." Lucy said. "I think I see Scott's car coming.
"Is his car okay?" Ash said seeing it driving crazily.
"Unfortunately yes." Lucy said. "That's Scott for you."
Later inside the Battle Pike
"Okay it took a bit of work but I found an old guide on how to decipher these. Let's see one." Scott said.
"Here you go." Ash said, handing Scott one of the discs.
"Okay let's see." Scott said, flipping through hundreds of pages. "Ah ha!"
"Did you find out what it is?!" Ash exclaimed.
"Wait, no. Is that a three or an eight?" Scott said second guessing himself.
"Why don't we just pop them in, couldn't we figure it out that way?" Ash asked.
"If we had more than one of them sure." Scott said. "Years ago they stopped making most of them, these might be the only copies left."
"I found three in a vending machine, is it possible they've been used?" Ash asked.
"Not a chance, the discs shattered upon being used up." Lucy said.
"Yet another reason why they're discontinued." Scott said. "Okay that's definitely a three."
"So what is it?" Ash asked.
"This has the training technique to teach a Pokemon Ice Beam." Scott said, making a label and sticking it on the discs case. "Give me another."
A while later Scott had finished finding all of the training machines moves.
"So Lucy, you said that you had a way to use these discs, right?" Ash asked.
"Ash, these are powerful moves, you need to be sure about when you're using them." Scott said.
"I know, but these are Dragon Rage, and Hyper Beam." Ash said holding up the machines numbered 15 and 23. "And, I feel like if Dratini had some better moves, he might be able to keep up with the others."
"You do need to think about this, at least for Hyper Beam." Scott said. "Dragon Rage makes sense seeing as he's a dragon, but Dratini, and eventually Dragonair, and Dragonite do learn these moves."
"I have to agree with Scott on this, maybe talk over this with Dratini, make sure he's okay with this." Lucy said.
Back outside the Battle Pike
"Dratini come on out." Ash said gently tossing the Safari Ball.
Dratini popped out of his Pokeball, happy to see Ash.
"What do you think Ash, he could be better, but think about everyone else." Cassie said. "Like Jigglypuff, she hasn't gotten much better lately, and with her microphone destroyed…"
"I know!" Ash said. "I know, and I know I'm doing better, it's just what if better isn't enough."
"Ash, you don't need to be so hard on yourself." Cassie said.
"That's just it though, Cassie I've been doing great for a trainer at my level, but you saw that Snorlax, it did more damage to itself than I did with my entire team. If I want to be a Pokémon Master, eventually I'll have to fight and beat Pokémon just like that." Ash said.
"Yes, eventually! No one is asking you to be that strong right now!" Cassie argued.
"The choice is up to Dratini." Ash said. "If he doesn't want this, then I won't do it."
"You really think Dratini will know what you'll be talking about?" Cassie asked.
"Pikachu, can you help translate for me?" Ash asked.
"Pi." Pikachu said with agreement. He didn't feel the need for those machines, he was strong on his own without them.
A while later
"Okay, Dratini is in." Ash said.
"Okay, we'll set up the gear." Lucy said.
Dratini was placed in front of a screen, some headphones on his head.
"Ash before we start I want to warn you, I read that using these may change your Pokemon's attitude.
"I know, I had a feeling that might be a risk." Ash said. "I'll still love Dratini no matter how he is."
"Ni." Dratini said, his eyes going cross eyed, as he squished slightly.
"Might even be an improvement." Scott said.
"Nothing wrong with cute and happy Pokemon." Lucy commented.
"Don't worry Dratini, you'll be great, and I'll be here the entire time." Ash assured.
A short while later
"Okay Dratini, how are you feeling?" Ash asked.
"Dra! Dra!" Dratini said, hopping a bit.
"Ready to try out your new moves?" Ash asked.
"Tini!" Dratini said excitedly.
At the battlefield
"Okay Snorlax, just a few minutes and you can have lunch." Lucy said.
"Alright Dratini use Dragon Rage!" Ash called out.
A small orb of blue flames shot out from Dratini, only for it to be fizzled out by the time it got to Snorlax.
"Let's try it again, this time let it build up before you release it, Dratini use Dragon Rage!"
A ball of blue flames built up in Dratini's mouth, only for him to sneeze, and the attack to backfire.
"Dratini!" Ash exclaimed.
"Ni?" Dratini said, slightly confused.
"Do you think something went wrong?" Scott wondered.
"No, I think Dratini is exactly the same as he was before and is simply struggling to keep the focus needed for these moves." Lucy said.
"It's okay, we can work on Dragon Rage later, let's try your Hyper Beam!" Ash said.
Dratini heard the command and unleashed a Hyper Beam immediately. Unfortunately for Ash, he was right in front of Dratini at the time.
"Ash!" Cassie exclaimed, as she, Lucy, and Scott rushed over to him.
"Woo!" Ash shouted sitting back up. "That was amazing!"
"Ni? Ni! Ni! Ni!" Dratini said excitedly, hopping up and down.
"Ash, are you okay?" Scott asked worridley.
"Yeah, I mean we have a ways to go before we get a Hyper Beam like Snorlax's, but you saw it for yourselves, Dratini did it!" Ash said excitedly. "Gym badge six is as good as ours."
"Well then, best of luck in your next gym." Scott said with a smile.
"I don't need luck, I've got Dratini now." Ash said confidently.
Ash's team and their moves
Pikachu: Thunderbolt - Quick Attack - Thunder Wave - Thunder
Gloom: Mega Drain - Sleep Powder - Toxic - Acid
Jigglypuff: Sing - Pound - Disable
Ponyta: Ember - Stomp - Agility
Dratini: Wrap - Leer - Dragon Rage - Hyper Beam