After such a long break, along with an unexpected acquisition of the entire first generation of Pokemon DVDs, I have returned to the world of Fanfiction to continue my work. I altered the original plan of Pokemon RETURN being a three-parter into a two because I'm saving those plot points for later. Until then...
Trainers come from near and far to compete in Pokemon matches, challenges emphasizing a mixture of skill, strategy, and speed... great trainers become Pokemon Masters after proving their abilities in the Pokemon League. The Pokemon League meets in various regions of the world once a year, with hundreds of trainers and thousands of Pokemon rushing to participate... Ash Ketchum is one of those trainers.
He dreamed he was running. He wasn't sure what toward or what he might be running away from, but Ash was certain he had to keep running. If he stopped, he might be frozen in place forever. If he slowed down, it might catch up... whatever it is.
Just as he felt like he was safe, he stepped off a cliff he didn't see and fell down a dark chasm. He screamed as he fell, waking himself up in the process.
"Ash, are you okay?" Misty asked.
"I'm fine," he lied. He'd had the nightmare several times since Melody joined them on their journey a couple days ago. He'd gotten tired of explaining the dreams to them.
"You can tell me," Misty said softly.
"I'm fine, is breakfast ready?"
Misty shook her head, "The sun only just came up. I was gonna get started on it in a little bit."
Ash nodded, thinking about his next gym battle. The last time he'd battled Erika, she'd emphasized her faith on her relationships with her Pokemon. Her Tangela had overcome Bulbasaur, and he countered with Charmander against Weepinbell. It had been a tough fight, even with a type-advantage... but Ash had prevailed. But it was Gloom that had defeated Charmander, despite the disadvantage... he needed to be prepared.
He started training his Pokemon immediately by battling Misty using a variety of techniques. He focused on battling all of his Pokemon with her, even the ones with type-disadvantages. He rationalized that if a fire-type could beat a water type, a grass type shouldn't be as much of a problem.
Of course, that was the theory.
"The 3 on 3 Pokemon match between Gym Leader Erika and the challenger from Pallet Town will now begin!" The referee exclaimed. Misty, Melody, and the other people who worked with Erika were just taking their seats as the match began.
"Umbreon, I choose you!" Ash declared.
"Victreebel, my old friend, go!" Erika announced.
The two Pokemon stared at each other, waiting for the first move to be called.
"Confuse Ray!" Ash called out.
"Razor Leaf!"
Ash's Umbreon, after playing nonstop for hours and hours, was significantly faster and its attack made the mark sooner. Victreebel's leaves started flying in all different directions.
"Tackle attack!"
"Look out, Victreebel!" But there was nothing Victreebel could do as it was pounded from a full attack. "Victreebel, use Leech Life!"
"Umbreon, get out of the way!" Ash called out, but Umbreon did not heed the command. The BUg type move was super effective, draining Umbreon of much of its energy and returning Victreebel a great deal of power. "Use Feint Attack!"
"Vine Whip!" Neither attack found its opponent, but Umbreon was still losing energy because of Leech Seed.
"Umbreon, Psychic attack!"
"UMBREON!" Umbreon's attack knocked Victreebel out, at the cost of Umbreon's own power. The young Pokemon keeled over and passed out almost as quickly as Victreebel had.
"You did your best," Ash said, returning Umbreon to its Pokeball.
Erika was impressed, "You must have learned something about empathy these last few years, Ash. That's the only way to evolve an Eevee into Umbreon."
"I'll show you empathy," Ash replied with a smile, releasing Infernape.
"Hm, I'm not familiar with this one."
"This is Infernape. We met when he was a Chimchar, but he had this trainer who turned out to be a real jerk and released it. So he came with me, and we got stronger together."
"Impressive," Erika commented. "But you're still no match for me! GO BELLOSSOM!"
"Isn't that...?" Ash muttered, remembering the little Gloom he'd retrieved from a fire the last time he was in Celadon.
"Bellossom is a lot stronger these days, Ash. Be ready for a fight!"
"You're on! Infernape, flame wheel!"
"INFERN!" Infernape blasted through Bellossom, knocking the little green Pokemon to the ground with burns all over her body.
"Flamethrower!"
Infernape was about to take a second shot when Bellossom started dancing.
"Infern?"
"What is she doing...?" Misty muttered.
Ash tried to call out, "Infernape, watch out!"
"Hyper beam!" Erika yelled.
The attack collided with Infernape and knocked him out in a single blow.
"Bellossom!" The green Pokemon said cheerfully.
Ash hung his head when he returned Infernape. Now, he was down to his last Pokemon. If he was going to have a chance at beating Erika, he would have to beat her at her own game. Pure connection with his Pokemon. Which meant his last choice had to be Pikachu.
"Pikachu, it's all up to you buddy."
Pikachu jumped onto the field.
"Agility!"
"Bellossom?" The grass Pokemon couldn't keep track of where the yellow mouse was running.
"Electro ball!"
The attack collided but did very little, even to the already hurting Bellossom.
"Bellossom, use Razor Leaf!"
"Pikachu, Thunder Shock! And follow up with Iron Tail!"
Pikachu's first strike stopped Erika's attack before it could do any damage, with the second being an attack straight on Bellossom. She tried to stay standing, but ultimately she fell.
"Pikachu is the winner!"
"One more,' Ash muttered.
Erika thought long and hard before releasing Tangrowth!
Ash checked Dexter, " Tangrowth, the evolved form of Tangela. When it remains still, it appears to be a large shrub. Unsuspecting prey that wander near get ensnared by its vines."
"We'll have to battle as hard as we can!" Ash called out to Pikachu.
"Pika pi!"
"Try Volt Tackle!" Pikachu charged up and started running.
"Pika pika pika pika pika pika! CHU!"
"Tangrowth! Use Earthquake!"
Pikachu could not make it to its opponent in time as the ground started to quake. The intensity of its attack died down.
"Come on Pikachu!" Misty cheered.
"Pikachu, Iron Tail!" Pikachu leapt into the air and smacked Tangrowth with a powerful force behind it. But still the Pokemon stood. "Agility!"
Just as Pikachu was picking up its speed, Erika called out, "Earthquake, again!"
"Pikachu, jump with your tail!" Pikachu leaped into the air while using its tail as a springboard as Gary's Nidoqueen once did in the Johto League's Top 16 round. He fell in the direction of Tangrowth and charged up his tail for another Iron Tail.
"Grab it!" Erika called out, Tangrowth reaching and taking Pikachu's by the tail and smashing the little yellow Pokemon into the ground with rocks flying in every direction. "Use Solar Beam!"
Ash would have to sequence his moves to beat Erika, he realized, "Pikachu, dodge using Agility. Then try a Quick Attack!"Tangrowth's shot went high, and Pikachu's speed made it impossible for the towering Pokemon to land a hit on the little yellow mouse. Tangrowth was struck and Pikachu latched on. "THUNDER!"
"PIKACHU!"
A critical hit! But... it's not very effective.
Tangrowth wrapped its vines around an exhausted Pikachu and hurled it across the field so that the trainers were now standing behind the opponent's Pokemon. Pikachu was breathing heavily, but so was Tangrowth... the end of the match was drawing near, this would come down to who was willing and able to fight longer.
"Electro Ball!" Pikachu charged up its energy and sent a flying ball of energy toward Tangrowth, who side stepped. "Agility!"
Erika gritted her teeth, "Tangrowth, Leaf Storm. Follow up with Earthquake!"
Pikachu took many hits from the successive attack, doing its best to stay standing before the referee called the match finished.
"You can do it Pikachu!" Misty yelled. "Ash, you've got to unlock Pikachu's real power!"
"Pikachu, tackle attack!" Ash called out. Pikachu ran as fast as it could, Tangrowth holding strong. "Pikachu, SLIDE UNDER IT!" Pikachu hit the ground baseball style and got right behind Tangrowth. "Use Iron Tail and charge it up with Thunder Shock!" Ash had used variations of this attack several times because Pikachu was good at improvising the move. Speed, surprise, strength, and an extra boost with a powerful electric attack was often exactly what was necessary to overcome tough opponents.
Pikachu landed on all fours, heaving.
"Tangrowth," the giant evolved form of Tangela stared down at Pikachu accusingly. "...growth." It fell over.
"Tangrowth is out of the match!" The referee declared. "This match is won by the challenger, Ash of Pallet!"
"YES! We WON!" Ash ran to Pikachu, barely noticing Misty and Melody applauding at their victory. He raised his exhausted best friend into the air and swung him around, showing him to everyone in the room. "Pikachu did it! We're on our way back to the Indigo Plateau! We're gonna win!"
Misty sighed, "Just when you think Ash has grown up a little."
Melody smiled, "We've all got a little bit of kid in us, I suppose."
Misty nodded, "Where are you going next? Are you coming with to Pallet Town?"
Melody shook her head, "I'm off on my next adventure. Haven't exactly figured out where yet, but it was nice being with friends for a couple days."
"Ash will be sorry you're leaving," Misty commented coolly, still watching Ash and Pikachu parading around the field like they'd already won the Pokemon League.
"Maybe," said Melody. "But you don't have to be."
"What do you mean?"
Melody shrugged, "Deny it all you want, something has changed between you two."
Misty was about to argue when she nodded slowly, "We kissed."
Melody was shocked, "I did not see that coming."
Ash was receiving his badge from Erika.
Erika spoke sincerely as she handed Ash the badge, "As proof of your defeat of the Celadon City Gym, I proudly present to you, Ash Ketchum, the Rainbow Badge. May you carry it with you with pride and honor knowing that your empathy with your Pokemon was enough to overcome my own."
"That means I'm ready for the Indigo League..." Ash muttered.
And with Ash's victory over Erika, he is qualified to reenter the Pokemon League in the Kanto region. Many challenges still await him beyond just the Indigo Plateau... will he be able to do it? Can he finally achieve his dreams of becoming a Pokemon Master? Find out... soon.
I realize that there's a lot of Pokeshipping in this story... unfortunately, it's one of those 'sorry, not sorry' kind of things. I try not to overdo it, which is why we haven't really had a chapter just on AshXMisty. Every chapter has other plot points and significant events.
This chapter wasn't a shipping one, as you can probably tell. But I like to mention it once or twice to remind readers who might have taken a break for a while of what happened previously.
Lastly, I appreciate all of your feedback and positive responses! I know this Fanfiction isn't perfect. I know I sometimes bend the rules, but I try to keep it as close as I can to how the anime felt to me. With that said, we'll see you next time on:
POKEMON: RETURN TO KANTO
