Greetings everyone, Mgunnels3 here, and welcome back to A Promise Kept Ash's, Johto Journey. I appreciate the new readers for both stories, and I have more to talk about when the chapter is over, but let's get this chapter going, shall we?
Chapter 30: Bayleef vs. Bayleef Battle of the siblings
'For Pokespeech
"For Human speech
The next day of the grass-type tournament, the top 64 trainers were ready to battle. On the other hand, Ash was more concerned as he was up against James and his overpowered Bayleef and didn't know if James would use both Victribel and Bayleef or just Bayleef.
Ash and James went out to the battlefield as James pulled out one finger, indicating that he was using one Pokemon in this battle. Ash knew that something was up given that he knew that James had two grass-types on his team until James spoke up.
"But it wouldn't be a fair fight given from what I heard he has two grass-types, so let's make this a two on one battle," James suggested to this which Ash was taken aback by this, as did the ref, and the crowd was surprised by this suggestion.
"What is going on? This is a first, ladies and gentlemen, a request from one of the contestants asking that it's a two-on-one battle. Yes, he won without taking damage in the last battle. And yes, Ash has two Pokemon, but we can't accept this," The announcer said.
"I mean, come on, you wanted this tournament to be one of the best ones today, and I must admit that it wouldn't be fair for it to be one-on-one battles," James, in disguise, said to the ref.
"That is true but will Ash agree to this suggestion," The announcer said to Ash as the crowd was now wondering what Ash would have in response to this suggestion.
"Ugh, while I admit he has a point there, I can't risk Bulbasaur and Bayleef getting what happened to Jeannette's Victribel," Ash thought. "But, if something does happen, I have one just in case," Ash thought as he looked around to see everyone hoping Ash would do the right thing. Ash shook his head at this, which caught James off guard.
"I'm not stuping down to cheating to win like that. You may be right. This would make things more interesting," Ash said before pulling out a Pokeball. "But, I would rather win fair and square than win under dirty tactics like that and not what I signed up for in this type of tournament," Ash said.
"Well said, Mr. Ketchem, I don't know why James wanted to battle like that, but we don't tolerate this type of rule-breaking unless it's a gym battle suggestion," the ref said as James wasn't showing signs of anger at this. "But any more tactics like that or during the battle will result in disqualification? Do I make myself clear to both of you?"
Ash nodded as he knew that the ref had to tell both of them to make it fair. Usually, Ash would take offense to this, but that part of him is what James was banking on. James sighed and nodded at this as they let out their Bayleef.
It was apparent who was whose given that one James's Bayleef was male and was taller than Ash's. But something was different about him. He was more menacing looking, especially at his little sister. But Ash noticed that his eyes were redder than before, as if he was under deep hypnosis by Noctowl. But Ash knew that was the least he had to worry about.
"Bayleef vs. Bayleef, let the best one win and begin the battle," the ref announced. Ash didn't know what moves he knew other than a Vine whip, so Ash had to approach this battle carefully. His Bayleef noticed this and agreed with this.
"Well, if you won't start this battle, we shall do so?" James said as his Bayleef smirked at this. "Use Frustration," James commanded his Pokemon, who charged into Bayleef, hitting her, doing damage to her sending her back. "
That move was much stronger than normal, as if the distrust between trainer and Pokemon were a thing, ladies and gentlemen? Given that its Power comes from when a trainer and Pokemon were not trusting each other," the announcer said as James Bayleef walked over to James as Ash Bayleef got up. 'Where do you think you are going, bro,' Ash's Bayleef said to her brother, who was wide-eyed by this.
"Bayleef? You going to be okay?" Ash asked Bayleef, who nodded at this. 'It will take more than some cheap tactic to take me down. Are you going to fight me fair and square, or will you cheat with whatever you are using to beat me?' Bayleef said to her brother, who growled at this.
"Bayleef, she noticed that something was off with her brother but what is it?" Ash thought but nodded at this. "Bayleef, use Earthquake," Ash commanded her, who slammed her paws on the ground, shaking James's Bayleef, who stood his ground.
"Use Vine whip Bayleef," James commanded his Pokemon, who grabbed Ash's Bayleef and sent her back to him. "Show her why you are better to use Furry Cutter," James commanded his Pokemon, who was slashing right at Ash's Bayleef, who couldn't get out of her brother's Vine whip attack, which caused lacerations on her as her brother tossed her back to Ash like a ragdoll.
'Your just as weak as I left you, sister, to think you would put up a fight,' her brother said to Bayleef, who was injured but managed to stand up.
"Ash calls the match now. This isn't worth her safety," Misty said to Ash, who was ready to throw in the towel or wished that he had offered James's suggestion for a two-on-one but was interrupted by his Bayleef.
'No, if you do that, this will continue. Ash, please, he's cheating. I can see it. I won't let this team down,' Bayleef said to Ash. Who was shocked? as her brother was humphing, only for something to sparkle on the part of the leaf on his head that caught his attention. "That's it, he isn't using his true strength but cheating," Ash said but knew it would be hard to prove.
"If you don't want to quit Bayleef, I won't either? I will take full responsibility if something does happen? But I won't let this battle end like this? You hear me?" Ash said to Bayleef and James, who were taken aback by hearing this and stared at Ash. 'You are willing to put your trainer's license on the line, huh, twerp? Suit yourself,' Bayleef said to Ash.
"I'm willing to win this for everyone here, so let's get this going. Use Ancient Power Bayleef," Ash commanded his Pokemon, who launched the attack right at her brother. "Use Razor leaf," James commanded his Bayleef. He launched the attack right at the rocks, only to do little to it as if whatever he was using wasn't meant to be lasting this long in battle as Ancient Power hit him.
"What the how did that happen?" James said to himself as Ash noticed this and knew that this was what Bayleef was after. She was willing to harm herself to cause issues for whatever was used on her brother. Ash was about to command Bayleef for another attack when he noticed that the buds around her neck started to glow and gather energy.
"Bayleef," Ash thought and had the face of determination and wanted to use that move when the time was right. "Use Vine whip," Ash commanded her, who launched vines right at her brother, who was slapped hard by both vines. 'Ash, end this now," Bayleef said to Ash, who nodded at this. "End this Solar Beam, Bayleef," Ash commanded his Bayleef, who fired the built-up energy at her brother.
"Use Razor leaf," James commanded his Pokemon, not realizing he messed up by not using another move as Bayleef was hit right after launching his attack. Hitting Bayleef caused more damage to her, not enough to cause a permanent scar.
However, whatever was on his head fell to the ground shattering as everyone saw this just as he was knocked out. "James's Bayleef is unable to battle victory goes to Ash Ketchem from Pallet town," The ref said as everyone cheered at Ash and booed at James.
James recalled his Bayleef as Ash's Bayleef was trying to stop him from doing that, but the damage she took was too much as she passed out. Ash ran over to Bayleef, worried as James took off and Jessie and Meowth shortly after. Ash returned her and took her to the Pokemon center.
While Ash was at the Pokemon center, the rest of the tournament continued. "I must admit, Ash, you took a big risk out there," Ash heard Drew's voice, checking on the situation on Ash's Bayleef.
"Drew? What are you doing here?" Ash asked him, who sighed at this. "You haven't changed. You are still reckless even back when we were kids," Drew said to Ash, who looked down at this.
"But," Drew said as Ash looked at him. "This time, it was worth the risk but don't do that again? You are lucky that they aren't taking your trainer's badge because of it, Ash?" Drew said. "If you hadn't revealed that cheating method during battle, you would've been out of the competition."
"Drew is right, Ash," Nurse Joy said, entering the room after treating Bayleef. "Nurse Joy, how's Bayleef?" Ash asked her, who looked back at the room she came out of.
"Right now, she's out for a few days. In other words, the day off tomorrow and the next round, she sustained cuts that aren't normal for a Furry cutter, let alone a Razor leaf that the last one caused some trauma that caused her to be in intensive care," Joy said.
"Bayleef didn't want to lose this way. That's what she told me. She was badly injured during that moment," Ash said to Drew and Nurse Joy, who was taken aback by this. Ash explained his understanding of Pokemon because of his Slowbro, so he wasn't acting insane, which they believed.
"I'll let the officials know about this, Ash, but you can't let your Pokemon go through this situation unless forced to. You still have a grass-type for the next round. Until then, you should use that Pokemon and let Bayleef be? You can visit her tomorrow and after your match the day after that," Joy said to Ash before she left.
"Bayleef," Ash said to himself as Drew placed his hand on his shoulder, showing that he understood Ash's feelings about this. Ash knew that there was nothing that he could do about it but head back to the tournament.
The battles in the tournament were wrapping up as Erika, Drew, Tyson, and Casey made it through. Ash was up against a young man with blond hair and a blue and white shirt named Jackson as the group was off to have dinner and take a good time off.
Ash explained to his friends the situation about Bayleef, who was surprised by this, and that it was her idea to stay in the fight, not Ash's. "She's that stubborn and willing to battle her brother to prove a point to that situation. Man, I hope that won't be the situation with any of us?" Casey said to Ash as the group understood why Ash did what he did.
"Her self-confidence is as stubborn as you are, Ash? Rudy was right about that," Drew said to Ash, who nodded. "But I'm not going to drag this situation further, and I'm glad to see you again, given that it's been eight years since we have last seen each other," Drew said to Ash.
"Eight years, six months. You left before winter vacation, Drew, "Ash corrected Drew, who shrugged at this as he will admit that he's lost track of time during those years. "So you are here to take part in Pokemon contests? Not the league Drew?" Ash asked Drew, who put down his soda and nodded at this.
"I'll be taking part in the Hoenn League at another time, but yes, I am taking part in them," Drew said as he turned to Ash. "As I told Tyson before, contests, trainer battles, and tournaments are the same to me, and I did begin my journey with a starter as well, not like most Coordinators would. Trust me, Ash, I would love to battle you at the league and all that, but right now, I'm taking a break on gym battles for this."
Ash nodded at this as Casey spoke up. "Ash mentioned that you two knew each other in school, right?" Ash nodded at this as well as Drew.
"I'm originally from Kanto but moved to Hoenn because my family started a new job there. Ash was one of three friends I made back then," Drew said to Ash, who nodded at this, and it was his turn to explain this.
"Yeah, it was me, Drew, Gary, who is also here in Johto, and Silver, who we haven't spoken to since we started our journey as trainers," Ash explained. "We were technically friends because we had the same goals and were into Pokemon battles more than the rest of the class. Of course, Drew and I had as much rivalry as Gary, and I or Gary and Silver did back then."
"Speaking of Silver? He's here in Johto. I ran into him lately, but he seems like he's on a mission of sorts which I couldn't get out of him other than a hi or can't talk," Drew said to Ash, who was unsure what to say about that. "I guess we can move on right now and talk about something else."
"Yeah, like say your next opponent Ash? Jackson isn't the type of guy you should take lightly even though he too has a Bayleef," Casey said to Ash, who was now curious about this. Casey noticed that all eyes of her friends were on her as she sighed at this. "I know the guy because he became a trainer before me before I started. We too went to trainer's school," Casey said.
"He might be an over-enthusiastic airhead. But he knows how to battle even if he is making a show. Don't overestimate him, Ash? As of right now, he has four badges and was in the area to take part in this tournament," Casey warned Ash, who took that to heart as Drew left.
As night came and Ash went to see Bayleef, who was sleeping in the hospital room, now bandaged up from her injuries. Ash remembers what Professor Oak told him. "You need to get stronger not only with your moves but as a trainer as well? You can't let those around you get to you or run you over? But you have to do it the right way, Ash," Ash remembered as he clenched his fists at this.
"But, can I do? I'm trying my best at being stronger, but it's still not good enough, and now this is that result," Ash thought to himself, almost in tears. He almost threw his trainer's license away to win for what Bayleef wanted to win and practically sunk to not only Team Rocket's level but also Damien's standards.
"I almost became what they are? Letting those get to me like that? This happened twice now? First back when I last saw Damien, and now this," Ash said to himself, realizing that he should've gone at this with a different approach. Damien and James forced Ash's hand to the point that two Pokemon suffered because of it.
"Ugh, I promised myself that I would change how I acted and not rush into things. Bayleef, Growlithe, I won't let this happen anymore, not to you two or anyone else. That's a promise that I made to Umbreon to myself and now to you two," Ash thought, now calmed down from all this.
With the second round of the grass-type tournament now coming to a close. Ash is now down to one Pokemon for the next match. Can Ash bounce back and make it to the next round as the tournament continues.
Stay tuned.
Done and done. Sorry about how that battle went, everyone. Don't worry. Bayleef be back in the chapter after next. While I didn't introduce Jackson directly, we all know who he is, so there is no need to beat around the bush. Before we go, I want to address something that someone offered to me in this part, not in a separate update. Someone suggested a collab story cross-over with Pokemon and Digimon. If this does get started, be on the lookout for that, not going into detail.
"However," if anyone offers me a suggestion of collaboration for a story idea? First, please specify that you want to make it one? If you are throwing suggestions out, that will make me wonder if this is another story suggestion or an idea that you are thinking of and want my opinion about it? I do have a beta-reader profile for those types of things. If you wish to do one is a title, what else to write, or how do you want us to do that? I.e., editing, helping write it, etc., for the collab. And lastly is communication. I do have an email address under my username. I'm also on Deviantart, where these stories go up and Furraffinity. I'm rambling on, and this chapter is getting long, so let's end this and see you next time as it's Ash vs. Jackson in the next round.
