Chapter 30: Kepler Gym Battle
After leaving Sonata City, the group rides on the Pika Taxi to Kepler City, the place where Ash's fifth gym is. Now that the flooding is gone, the city is back to normal and they are relieved about it. After the group steps in front of the gym, Ash frowns as he is thinking about something.
"What's wrong? Brother?" Nora asks, noticing her brother's sad face.
"This will be the first time in this region that Lillie wasn't by my side cheering me on...It just feels not right..." Ash says as he feels some pain in his chest.
"I know." Nora says. "But we will have to be stronger if we want to save her, and this gym battle can train you to become stronger than ever."
"I guess you are right. I just hope it all goes well..." Ash nods as they step inside the gym. After walking through some pipelines, they see Anastasia waiting for them in front of the machines.
"Well, well, well. Look who it is?" Anastasia says with a smile. "The children of Augur and their friends who single-handedly shut down the Abyssal Cult."
Ash frowns and he thinks about the things in the Abyssal Base, the fact that Lillie, or all people, attacked him and he still can't believe it.
"I have to admit: That's very impressive. You have my thanks, on behalf of everyone in this town. So how is Audrey?" Anastasia asks.
"How did you know that we saved Audrey?" Gladion asks, and Anastasia replies, "We gym leaders are informed about her in the Sonata Hills being treated with injuries."
"She is unconscious, and Damian will take care of her." Taen says.
"The storms faded away, and we cleared the streets of all the water. Everything looks like it's going to be all right. But let's not keep you waiting any longer! You guys are here for a Gym Battle, right? Allow me to introduce myself."
"Why are you interesting yourself again?" Emily asks. "I mean...you already did that when we were at the observatory."
"I haven't officially done it. My name is Anastasia- the leader of the Kepler City Gym. The theme of my Gym is machinery- as such, I specialize in Steel- and Electric- types. I have to admit, I am pretty excited about this battle. I mean, it's not every day you get to beat someone who dismantled a cult."
As Ash and Anastasia walk towards the battlefield, she says, "My Pokemon work together like the gears in a machine! You might have beaten Audrey, Ash. But you won't Faraday against me!"
After the referee states the rules, which is going to be a six-on-six battle as usual. Anastasia says, "Now go with your appearance! Klefki!" As the keyring Pokemon appears, Ash says, "If my opponent is a Steel Type, then Fire Type will be a good choice. Glalie! I choose you!"
As the battle begins, Anastasia says, "I will go on defense. Use Substitute!" As the copy of the Pokemon appears, Ash says, "Destroy it with Incinerate!"
The fire attack destroys the Pokemon, but Glalie gets hit by a Swagger attack from the Kelfki, causing it to get confused.
"A Swagger? Oh no...get yourself together, Glalie!" Ash yells. "Head Smash!"
"Dodge it." Anastasia says as the Klefki dodges all the attacks the Glalie uses. "Foul Play." Kelfki throws Glalie to the ground. But much to Ash's delight, Glalie is back together as the confusion finally ends.
"Finish with Overheat!" Glalie shoots out the fire energy, and Klefki is defeated by an Overheat. Anastasia returns her Pokemon and says, "Return, Klefki. Now, Electivire! Come on out!"
As the Electivire appears, it is seen hanging on a balloon. The group are dumbfounded at the sight that Electivire is actually floating in the air.
"Why is there a balloon tying on Electivire?" Nora asks in confusion.
"The item is known as Air Balloon, it can make Electivire immune to Ground attacks." Taen says. "But when it gets attacked, it will pop, so it is not a good item as well."
Then Electivire goes with quick speed and defeats Glalie with a Rock Smash, causing Ash to recall his Pokemon.
"Wooper! Come on out!" As his second Pokemon appears, Wooper uses Seed Bomb, breaking the balloons. "Alright." Ash says with agreement.
"Too soon to cheer, Electivire, use Wild Charge!" Electivire goes with quick speed, much to Ash's surprise, it hits Wooper and now it is on the ground.
"Wooper, can you still go?" Ash asks, the Pokemon nods and starts to evolve, it becomes a Quagsire.
"A Quagsire..." Ash says as he scans the Pokemon.
Delta Quagsire: The Halloween Pokemon: Grass and Fire Type. Despite its appearance, this Delta Species is kind to every Pokémon it meets. It glows with Halloween spirit.
Electivire then tries to use Bulldoze, but Quagsire dodges, and then with the Mimic, it makes Bulldoze on Electivire and causing it to faint.
Alice says, "Emily, do you notice this?"
"What?" Emily asks.
"I don't know why, but I can see Ash is rushing...he feels like he wants the battle to quickly end..." Alice says with a frown.
Emily recalls the battle and she whispers to Alice, "You are right, but why?"
The third Pokemon is Rotom in wash form, with the move Hydro Pump, it defeats Quagsire. So Ash is forced to send out his third Pokemon, Muk. But it is struggling with the Hydro Pump because it is a Ground Type.
"Good thing that it ate a Bellsprout last night." Ash says as the Earthquake gives out the additional Grass attack, eventually defeats the Rotom.
"You think you are in the lead, but it will change the tides with this Pokemon. Magnezone." As the next Pokemon appears, it also has a balloon.
"Damn it...not another Air Balloon..." Ash says. "Submission!"
As Muk tries to grab the Pokemon, but a Flash Cannon stops him. Then it tries to break the balloon with the Rock Tomb, but fails, and then it is defeated by Flash Cannon.
"Go! Torterra!" As the fourth Pokemon appears, Ash asks him to use Aqua Jet to destroy the balloon.
"Even though it is a Ground Type, but with the Aqua Jet covered it in water...Volt Switch!"
Ash gasps as Magnezone hurts Torterra from outside the battle and then an Aegislash appears.
"King's Shield!" Then the Ghost Type Pokemon blocks the Aqua Jet, much to Ash's frustration.
"Now Shadow Ball!" Torterra is hit by the attack, but it manages to hold on.
"I have to win this battle no matter what! Earth Power!" "Shadow Sneak!" When the Earth Power is about to hit the Pokemon, it hides into the shadow and attacks Torterra.
"Your mind isn't focused, so the next move will be Torterra's loss. Use Flash Cannon!" Anastasia says with a stern voice, and the attack causes Torterra to faint in the end.
Nora can't just watch the battle anymore, so she yells at Ash, "Brother! What are you doing? Why are you so rash?"
"I..." Ash tries to say, but Gladion beats him to it. "Ash, you are worried about my sister, right? If that's the case, you have to calm yourself and focus on the battle! Lillie won't want you to lose because of her!"
Ash then recalls the memories about how Lillie always cheer for him after the gym battles, he nods and says, "Thanks, I really need that." He takes out the fifth Pokeball and says, "Riolu! I choose you!"
As the Pokemon appears, Aegislash tries to use Shadow Sneak again. "Wait until it comes." Ash says as Riolu nods. Then as the attack is about to come, Ash yells, "Now! Foul Play!"
With the attack, it defeats Aegislash. Anastasia says, "I see your focus is getting back, Magnezone, come out again."
As the Pokemon is back, Ash says, "We need to focus on the balloon. Aura Sphere, but aim it first!"
Riolu closes his eyes and feels its aura. Anastasia says, "Break its focus with Hidden Power!"
As the flames from the Hidden Power keep hitting Riolu, but it remains unfazed, and then it starts to glow and the Aura Sphere also destroys the balloon.
"Lucario!" Ash cheers in delight as he scans the Pokemon.
Delta Lucario: The Anubis Pokemon: Dark and Ground Type. Evolved from Riolu with high friendship during the night. The afterlife and rebirth of souls are sacred to this Pokémon. It will fiercely guard any tomb or cemetery that it comes across from graverobbers.
"Saved by the night approaches..." Taen looks at the watch.
"Yeah." Alice says, "But it is a shame that Lillie might not be able to see this..."
Then Lucario uses Bone Rush, which crashes Magnezone a lot, but eventually, Magnezone fires a Flash Cannon while Lucario is still hitting, and then both Pokemon have fainted in the end.
"Well done, Ash, this is the most loyal Lucario I have ever seen." Anastasia says as she recalls her Pokemon. "But here is my final Pokemon, Metagross!"
Ash notices that there is a Mega Stone on its leg, which means that Metagross is the Mega Pokemon of Anastasia. Ash says, "If I want to have a shot at this, then I will have to play her game. Charizard, I choose you!"
Charizard appears with a roar, then both Anastasia and Ash press their Key Stones and they yell, "Mega Evolve!"
Both Pokemon change their forms and then Charizard activates its ability Noctem, which turns the field dark and gloomy. Anastasia isn't fazed at the ability, as she lets Metagross uses Zen Headbutt, but Charizard dodges and then uses Lunar Cannon, which hurts a lot as Dark Type moves are super effective against Psychic Types. In the end, with the Confuse Ray making Metagross confused, Charizard finishes with a Shadow Ball.
"Metagross is unable to battle, Charizard is the winner, which means the match goes to Ash Ketchum." The referee says.
"I won!" Ash cheers with Charizard, instead of Flamethrower, it uses Dragon Breath on Ash to show its affection. "I guess the only thing that changes is the move..."
"Don't get too excited, you'll change state!" Anastasia says as she recalls her Pokemon. "Awesome. No seriously. That was an awesome battle."
Then she gives Ash the Circuit Badge, Ash accepts it and thanks to her. Then she also goes battle Nora, Nora also wins, but it is because of her Flygon helping her out.
"Now I'm off to work on a side project. I will be in my workshop under the Gym if you need me. Just don't come in for a while. I'm working on something...private." Then she walks away, leaving the group alone in the gym.
"So now what should we do?" Alice asks.
"We should go to her lab as well, I mean...my father did say that he would have to go there for business with Anastasia." Taen says as they nod.
When they head outside, Ash asks, "So where is her lab? Does anyone of you know where it is?"
"Well, she did say that it is under the gym, so there might be a cave somewhere..." Nora says as they search up.
After a while, they find a cave, and then Taen says, "What a weird place to put a workshop..."
Ash says, "I agree, but we should pay her a little visit before we leave the city. After all, you said that your father is coming here as well, right?"
"Yeah." Taen says as they go inside, trying to see what Reukra is up to.
Here is the fifth gym battle, now Ash has only three more gyms left. And what will happen in the workshop, will something bad happen to the gym leader and the group? I hope you like this chapter.
