Mount Silver's lower steppes were speckled with small ponds and crisscrossed by lively streams. In one of these refreshing baths currently swam Lapras, the babble of a low series of waterfalls providing a background to the water type's melodic cries.

Ash, for his part, sat atop the Transport pokemon's back, a bit dusty from earlier battles but pleased to see the ice type so in his element. "You sure are having a great time in there, huh? If I wasn't afraid of turning into an Ash-cicle, I'd wanna join in!" he gleefully pointed out to Pikachu.

The previously placid waters were abruptly breached by the snarling maw of a Gyarados, who was greeted with a screaming teenager and his squealing mouse alike. Dilated eyes stared into the angry face of the Atrocious pokemon, whom snapped blindly at where Lapras lay, only to chomp down on thin air. Lapras' swiftness in water, along with the waves accompanying Gyarados's surfacing, helped him avoid a nasty bite.

"That's just our luck," Ash lamented, clinging to one of the spikes atop Lapras' shell. "I thought we'd be taking it easy… But, we really don't have a choice, here! You ready to show it what we've got, Lapras?"

Lapras let out a cry of affirmation, turning towards Gyarados. And, not a moment too soon, as he spotted a brilliant Hyper Beam already coming their way. The water type promptly ducked his head, just barely avoiding the stream of destructive energy that exploded far off behind it.

Gawking at the expanding smoke beyond the battle, Ash swallowed a lingering breath before turning his attention back toward Gyarados. "It won't be able to move right now, Lapras! Hit it with an Ice beam!"

Lapras did just as told, parting his mouth to fire a freezing beam of energy towards the large sea serpent. The bitter cold caused the defenseless Gyarados to roar out in pain before diving back under the surface.

"Good one, Lapras! That look like it hurt. But, still… We've gotta be careful. It could be anywhere, now that it's hiding out underwater!" Ash's eyes darted left and right across the cavern, looking for any sign of disturbance.

Not before long, the long tail of the Atrocious pokemon surfaced, surrounding itself in a water cyclone that sent ripples and waves through the small lake within the mountain. The limb was swift to slam into Lapras' side, earning a cry from the pokemon as he bounced across the water.

Ash clung to the shell below him for dear life, with Pikachu tucked under his arm. "I think that was Aqua Tail! Man… If we take more hits like that, we'll be in serious trouble." Soon, Lapras had regained its composure atop the water, and Gyarados had once more exposed itself above the surface.

"We can't let it keep attacking like that! Try to keep hitting it with Ice Beam!"

Lapras did just as told, parting his maw to fire one Ice Beam after another, each barely missing their target each time Gyarados writhed and dove out of range. Even so, the chilly attacks had left their mark. Part of the water had frozen over thanks to each of the Ice Beams, forcing Gyarados to burst through a sheet of ice. Clearly, it wasn't very fond of waters that were quite that cold.

"Great, now what…?" Ash's teeth gnashed together, black orbs following the creature's frightening head out of the water. When his gaze darted back to the ice, a lightbulb went off in the trainer's head. "I've got it! Lapras, use Water Pulse on the ice near Gyarados! Full power!"

Lapras let out another cry, making it clear that his words were acknowledged as a glowing sphere of water formed in front of his mouth. The orb was fired at the snow-white sheet, causing a booming explosion that sent sharp shards and chunks of ice flying every which way. The assault's main victim was Gyarados, who let out a cry as it was pelted with the combination attack.

Sadly, it seemed this just wasn't enough. After bearing the assault, the Atrocious pokemon closed in, eyes dead set on Lapras, Ash, and Pikachu. An ear-splitting roar heralded their fate. It was done playing games.

"If this keeps on, we're done for…! Pikachu! Thunderbolt!"

Feeling every bit as desperate as his companions, Pikachu crouched before unleashing a brilliant bolt of electricity towards Gyarados. "Pika… chuuu!" The mouse's wrath was unleashed upon the serpent, causing it to recoil quite a bit. Unfortunately, he hadn't been cautious enough to leave Lapras' back.

"Hey, Pikachu… Could ya be a little more careful next time?" Ash struggled to suggest, laying charred on Lapras' back. The Transport pokemon let out a whine of agreement, golden sparks still dancing along his form.

"Pikachu…" The mouse apologized, rubbing the back of his head. Spotting that Gyarados was still conscious and ready to strike, he opted to leap into the air, preparing another Thunderbolt. "Pika…!"

This time, he wasn't so lucky. Gyarados' tail swung towards the mouse, coupled with a violent cyclone that slammed brutally into the tiny pokemon's body. Pikachu was sent reeling, flying across the body of water before landing on the land near the mouth to the cave. Swirls in his eyes indicated defeat.

"Pikachu!" Ash shouted in worry, watching his best friend land out of bounds. He hardly had time to worry, though, turning to spot Gyarados nearing himself and Lapras. Heart pounding in his chest, he clung to Lapras' shell. "Uh, Lapras…? I think we're in trouble here!"

A glowing golden orb forming in Gyarados' maw confirmed Ash's fears. A Hyper Beam was only seconds away from firing, which meant Ash and Lapras were seconds away from living up to the former's name.

Lapras let out a whine of defiance, eyes shut tight. This couldn't be it. They couldn't become fish food after all they'd worked for! Her horn began to glow, circled by residual sparks from Pikachu's earlier attack. Static electricity began to course through the spike, culminating before launching towards Gyarados in a golden flash of light.

Countless volts of electricity coursed through the water/flying hybrid, drawing a roar of pain that replaced a charging Hyper Beam. Sizzling and weary from the super-effective attack, it stared daggers at Lapras.

"Hey, awesome! Looks like you learned Thunderbolt, Lapras! Awesome job." Ash congratulated, growing cocky with their momentary triumph. "Man, I didn't even know you could learn electric attacks."

Gyarados, however, clearly felt different. Its tail dipped beneath the water, rushing forward to kick up a current under the Transport pokemon. A twister shot out from below the water, carrying Ash and Lapras high into the air.

"Wah! Ah, man…! We're in serious trouble, Lapras!" Ash clung to the pokemon, arms holding to his neck for dear life. Being tossed about was no fun for Ash, and being scraped by the rough winds was no more enjoyable for the pokemon. Luckily enough, the trainer had an idea by then, "Lapras! Brace yourself, and use Surf to launch yourself off of Gyarados's attack!"

Willing to try anything at this point, Lapras let out a melodic cry. Gushing water formed under his body, resulting in a wave that launched him off the cyclone. Better yet, they were sent flying towards Gyarados.

"Now, use Body Slam!"

Lapras took advantage of its momentum, slamming his heavy body into Gyarados's head.

The trainer atop its back braced himself, feeling the wind knocked out of him when they each hit the water. At this point, he could have sworn that his stomach turned upside down. "Ah, man… That was a close one!" Sitting up atop the hill, he turned to find that the Atrocious pokemon had fallen unconscious.

"We really beat 'im… Thanks a lot, Lapras! I owe ya one!"

Lapras let out a cry of approval. Not before long, they'd made their way to shore, where Ash had stopped off to rummage through his backpack. Several Super Potions were foraged, administered to Pikachu and Lapras alike. The latter was back to full health, and Pikachu had come back to consciousness.

"It's great to see you guys doing well… I wouldn't've made it out of there without both of you. And, man, Pikachu, you really missed it! I think Lapras took a page outta your book and learned Thunderbolt! It really saved the day!"

"Pika-Pika!" Visibly stunned, the mouse was quick to congratulate his larger friend. Even if they'd cut things a little close, everyone came out of it just a little bit stronger! All's well that ends well, after all.


Stepping high, Ash weaved his way among the jagged rocks. They were far off the trail now, but a wild inclination had overcome Gible, and Ash figured it would be easier to let the dragon complete his mysterious task rather than fighting it the whole while. Besides, he was only a little resentful of the way Pikachu so skillfully hopped from rock to rock and the way Gible burrowed among them.

"Must be nice," he pouted. The tops of the stones were too pointed and narrow for a human to walk on them, much less have a hope of hopping across without face planting. The rocks were also too close together to make for good walking space. "Gible, could you hurry up?! What are we even out here for?!" The whole area had a pleasant, earth aroma, but surely Gible wasn't out here just to smell the rose quartzes!

"... Hm, are there any of those out here?" the trainer asked, distracted. He looked at one of the nearby boulders, curious. He didn't know much about rocks and jewels, but he knew quartzes were pretty. Maybe it'd make a neat present to send back to Mom! He snickered, half tempted to send some to Brock, too, with a note that it'd help with the ladies.

His mind was brought back to the situation at hand when a flash of blue and yellow caught his peripheral vision.

"Pika!"

Ash turned, watching Pikachu chide Gible. The dragon had a dusty rock as big as he was lifted. On the opposite side of the rock, clearly distressed and pissed off, was a Larvitar.

"Vitar larvi larvi larvi!" the miniscule ground type chattered, glaring down at Gible who stared obliviously on. Or, at least, Ash had thought it was oblivious. Judging by the way it very suddenly started to shake its head, Gible definitely knew someone else was trying to claim his rock and wasn't prepared to give it up at all.

"What are they even fighting over?! A rock?!"

When a voice answered, Ash almost fell down, circling to seek out the speaker. After a moment, he realized it was just his Pokedex. Fishing it out, he listened to the rest of its explanation. "-bentonite clay. This mineral is capable of absorbing water and has been valued by humans who partake in pica. However, some ground and rock types consume it in an attempt to build up tolerances to water type moves."

Pleasantly surprised by this knowledge, Ash had to wonder how Gible knew the mineral was out here. Did it have a distinct smell to ground types? Regardless, it seemed that they would have to battle over it. "Alright, Gible, let's get ready to-Gah!" The trainer threw his hands over his ears as Larvitar Screeched. Pikachu followed suit, but Gible's stubby arms were unable to do much. "Man, that' thing's shrill! Gible, use Rock Smash!"

Dropping the bentonite stone hastily, Gible hopped on top of the rock and then slammed his hands into Larvitar's head, earning a brief cry of pain from the mountain dwelling pokemon.

In short order, though, it sniffed before glaring at Gible again. Its mouth opened wide, a dazzling white sphere forming before it shot out, blasting Gible in the face and sending it flying backwards.

"Whoa!" Ash blinked, unable to believe what he'd just seen. "Was that… Hyper Beam?!" No way, only fully evolved pokemon knew that move, right?! "This just got serious. Gible!"

Shakily standing to his feet but expression portraying no pain, the ground type barked back at Ash.

"Listen, you've got to use Draco Meteor while it's recovering!"

"Gib!" Staring at the sky and opening his maw wide, the little dragon type soon summoned down a rain of draconic energy to pummel the opposing pokemon.

Larvitar took each blow, unable to move due to the energy used up in Hyper Beam. However, as soon as its strength was renewed, a nasty snarl left its muzzle. It rushed towards Gible on all four limbs, glowing with dark energy. When its Payback attack landed, Gible faltered, another nasty blow landed.

The trainer's brows furrowed and turned his cap around. Tiny as they both were, this battle was getting rough. "Gible! Use dig!" If Larvitar couldn't get to him, that'd help out a lot.

A hearty snort was heard from their opponent before it slammed its foot into the ground. Pikachu jumped into Ash's arms, in no mood to be hit by the Earthquake attack Larvitar just set off. Ash was jostled by the moving stones, some sinking and disappearing into the earth and others jutting up suddenly. "Youch!" he called, slammed sideways by the sudden splitting of a boulder. He was only momentarily aware of the beautifully gleaming pale stones within the rock.

"... Gible!" That Earthquake had to have done a number on him! He'd been mid-dig when it went off!

Soon, the little dragon surfaced, snagging Larvitar's foot and shaking the other pokemon quickly before releasing it to slam into a freshly surfaced stone. All the same, it panted. Gible was nearing his breaking point, as was Larvitar.

"All of this for a dirt sandwich," Ash lamented.

"Pika," the electric type agreed.

Suddenly, Gible shook, growling his own name at Larvitar. The wild pokemon looked disinterested, apparently unbelieving of whatever the other said. However, a glow began to overtake Gible. It spread over his whole body, soon making it hard to even look at him.

Ash couldn't help but grin. "He's evolving!"

True enough, when the light faded, a bigger, more ferocious looking pokemon remained where Gible had once been. Gabite was better equipped to obtain the bentonite. "Gabite!"

Fist out, Ash grinned. His Pokedex went off as he called out, "Rock Smash!"

"Dual Chop learned."

Gabite looked towards Ash, confused.

"Oh… I guess Dual Chop replaced Rock Smash. Alright, let's use Dragon Pulse, then!"

Larvitar had no interest in being hit by that attack. Another Hyper Beam left its mouth. The two attacks met, white and blue wavering in the air. Soon, the two energy attacks unstabilized and exploded. The roar drowned out all other noise.

When Ash was able to orient himself again, he found himself painfully sprawled on top of the rock that had been split, the exposed jewels digging uncomfortably into his back. Pikachu was already alert, ears flicking and eyes set towards the battlefield. The trainer sat up, looking out to the field. Larvitar laid motionless on the ground, not knocked out, but wiped from the Hyper Beam. Gabite, on the other hand, was stirring, still raring to go.

"Gabite! Finish it with Dual Chop!"

Two quick slashes with his energized arms finished the battle. Larvitar rested uneasily.

Ash walked over, working out kinks in his back as Pikachu continued to shake his fur, working out debris. "Great job!" he praised, patting Gabite's back. The pokemon paid him little mind, though, seeking out his prize and returning with it in short order. As the dragon ferociously tore into the mineral clay, Ash spoke up. "Hey, Gabite." He looked up. "Give half to Larvitar."

A snort told him exactly what Gabite thought of it.

"It found it first," Ash chided.

Clicking its teeth, Gabite hesitated before using Dual Chop to split the rock. Giving the smaller portion to the still unconscious Larvitar, he greedily gobbled down the rest.

As he polished off the last of his portion of the bentonite, Larvitar looked at the surprise that awaited it. It was moved, squeaking as if to ask them if it was really its to keep. Upon getting a nod from Ash, the Larvitar followed suit and gorged itself on bentonite. Belly full, the little rock type let out a happy chirp to the trio before running off.

A nostalgic smile crossed Ash's lips. "Hm… yeah, run on home, huh?" He wondered how that Larvitar he returned here all those years ago was doing. Did it have a family now? How big as it? Had it evolved? "Let's head back."


Unbroken by canopy, the warmth of high noon shined down upon Ash and his team. A hard earned lunch weighed delightfully in their stomachs. For some, the lull of sleep was hard to resist. Ash didn't even try; he and Pikachu were sprawled upon a sun baked rock, perfectly content and cozy sprawled out. Lapras, meanwhile, warmed himself on the sandy shores of a clear river, occasionally splashing himself with water when he felt dry. Gible was thankfully deep sleep. He twitched on occasion, chasing some elusive quartz in his dreams. Sceptile, on the other hand, remained vigilant, preening his tail every few moments as he soaked up the sun as grass types were wont to do.

Above flew Charizard and Pidgeot. Both felt better lightly working off their meal rather than waiting for it to slowly digest in sleep. As such, the avian drifted behind her draconic teammate, taking advantage of the way his latent heat could create an easily navigated updraft.

Pidgeot did wish she had Charizard's natural ability to do this. While she was an incredibly strong flier, it was tiring to battle the wind if it wasn't on her side. If she could manipulate breezes like this, even the longest of flights would be a piece of cake!

The fire type seemed to notice her jealousy and snickered. In turn, and quite naturally, the flying type took offense, clicking her beak rather harshly to pointedly ask just what it was that he thought was so funny. The exchanged turned to bickering as they flew around and around the small peak of the cave the group had just traversed.

So caught up in their argument and so lulled by lunch and the pleasantness of the day that they failed to notice some of the mountain was no longer joined to it, but levitating. The trap was already sprung by the time they realized what was going on. Someone's Stealth Rock rained down upon them, triggered like a Feraligatr's bite instinct by the lightest of touches from some unfortunate fool.

The smaller stones were swifter, cutting through the air like pins. Charizard bellowed. His roar cut through the air as he steeled his leathery wings, cutting at the larger rocks as they flew towards him. Likewise, Pidgeot chirped furiously, injured and confused. Her own Steel Wing made short work of the remaining stones from the surprise Stealth Rock.

Their assailant didn't bother to hide itself any longer. Chuckling-or, what passed for chuckling for a sentient bell-the cocky looking Bronzong levitated forth from the sparse foliage on the slope.

Pidgeot hesitated, mind reeling as she recalled seeing no Bronzong before now, only Bronzor. Why? Was their area the unusual thing-or this particular pokemon?

Having no reservations like inquiring so much about the nature of their opponent, Charizard could only think of the bitter scent of metal upon the air and in his flaring nostrils. He belched flame, signifying to Pidgeot that he would quickly attend to this matter and giving Bronzong its one and only warning. Snarling, he jetted forward, leaving his flying companion behind.

Charizard snatched up Bronzong, flipping and rolling in flight to set up a Seismic Toss.

As he headed towards the ground with the guerrilla heavy weight, a curious sensation overcame him. He veered, unable to right himself. The ground was approaching too quickly. What were these lights?

In the distance, panic ran through Pidgeot. Twin spheres of light danced around Charizard, confusing him. The Seismic Toss-ruined thanks to Bronzong's Confuse Ray-faltered. The duo crashed into the slope and she watched, unable to do much else at the moment. The steel stranger rose quickly, seemingly unscathed by the failed move. Charizard struggled to get his bearings, stuck on all four limbs and erratically turning his head. He spat fire but hit nothing, save frostbitten earth.

Crumbled debris from their impact scattered downhill. Pidgeot's eyes followed their trail, taking everything in. With her hawkish eyes she saw Sceptile looking upon them, judging the situation-the sounds must have alerted him-before he ran off. She knew he was going to get Ash; otherwise, being the battler he was, he would have joined the fray.

For now, though, this battle was in Pidgeot's claws. She would not fail. Though Charizard could never pass for a Pidgey and only a fool would mistake him for a Pidgeotto, she would protect her flock-her teammates, now.

As Bronzong used Confuse Ray again, she narrowly dodged by using Aerial Ace, all the while furiously seeking a solution to her current conundrum. She was perfectly capable of taking down any soft skinned opponent-she would wager she could even take down those with shells or scales! This, however, was foreign. She did not tangle with steel types regularly.

All the same, she was swift. So, she used a quick attack to avoid the Bronzong's Heavy Slam by a wide margin. She clicked her beak, noting the formless manner in which it attacked. It seemed young and yet it already had an adult's shape. She wondered what this would mean for the battle. Would her opponent be stronger than her?

She liked to think she was cleverer, though. She just needed time. For now, she settled for turning on the youngster, sending sparks across its blue metal shell with a Steel Wing. The effects were negligible, and as she flew a measure away for her own safety, she noted the use of Iron Defense.

Her physical moves would now be all but useless.

Thankfully, the cavalry arrived.

"Pidgeot!" Ash called.

This momentary distraction cost her. A Heavy Slam sent her spinning, brown form without direction. At the last moment, she righted herself, barely skirting the mountain with her tail feathers. She cawed, letting Ash know she was fine.

"Charizard," he called after confirming the first battler was fine. He looked to Sceptile, who, aside from Pikachu, was the only pokemon he'd left out as they ran from their makeshift campsite. He couldn't send Sceptile in against that thing and he wasn't sure if Pikachu would be any good, either.

As if sensing Ash's doubt, Charizard snored. He emitted a stream of fire as if to prove his point of being capable. And, behold, his aim had increased, for the Flamethrower was skyward bound!

Yet, it was sent towards his ally.

"Charizard, no!" Ash berated all too late. "Pidgeot, you've got to dodge!"

The flying type flapped herself higher, willing the fire to not burn her. Somehow, it didn't. Her eyes widened, watching as the flames panned out, conflicted before dispersing into the breeze which was now warmer, akin to how it was when she and Charizard flew together. Unfortunately, there was no time for her to marvel over the newly unlocked move.

"Quick attack down!" Ash commanded. He listened to the Pokedex continued to rattle off about the new move as he carefully watched Pidgeot dodge yet another Heavy Metal from Bronzong. "Heat Wave," he muttered. "That's a fire type move…" Grabbing onto his cap's brim to ready himself mentally for the turning point of the battle, Ash almost smirked. That was all she needed. Pidgeot was powerful and clever; given a single good tool, he knew she could take care of this new opponent. Now, they'd prove it. "Pidgeot!"

Her attention flicked down to him.

"You've got listen to me! Do what you just did! You used Heat Wave! It's the only way you'll beat this guy!"

Trusting in her trainer, Pidgeot copied her previous movements down to the same desperation and force of will she'd exhibited. Then, she felt it. It started off under her belly then spread out to the tips of her wings, churning the air around her like a dozen tiny twisters. It felt magnificent! This must have been the power Charizard felt, aware of the conflicting cool air from the mountain meeting and fighting and failing against his fiery breezes. It ignited a second wind within her.

She let out a battle cry.

Swooping towards Bronzong, her talons locked onto what might pass for a handle atop the giant bell, her scorching gale crashing into it as she landed. It let out a thunderous chime, a melodious roar. As she released her opponent and flew to a safe distance, she felt proud.

"Alright! Great work!" Ash cheered. "Let's circle around for another!"

Panic was clear upon Bronzong's face. It stiffened, uselessly summoning another Stealth Rock.

As she came to her conclusions about the nature of the Pokemon she would shortly defeat, something like pity entered her heart. It had to be newly evolved, tricked by that rush of energy into believing itself invincible. Yet, if she knew nothing else thanks to a certain electric rodent friend of hers, it was that evolution was not everything.

Training, however, could be.

Her talons hooked onto the ornate details of the Bronzong's shell. As her weight and the blisteringly hot winds her Heat Wave had summoned to surround and support her crashed into him, she hung on for a moment. Down, down, down, the steel type fell. Then, she let go, satisfied to let it crash into the earth hideously and tumble away upon seeing the swirls in its eyes.

She let out a final chirp, a warning of sorts and a particularly good one liner if anyone who spoke Pidgeot was around to hear it. Unfortunately, Charizard was the only one nearby and he was still working himself out. As the others began to try to navigate up the slope, the bird landed beside her recovering flight partner.

As Ash patted her plumage and praised her efforts whilst comforting the orange, fully evolved starter, Pidgeot cooed, boasting a bit and perhaps not so politely rubbing it in Charizard's face that she could now master the skies like he did.

Charizard snorted. Birds and their need to prove aerial superiority.


The boy's laughter echoed through the empty air as he held on tightly to his fiery dragon. The orange pokemon glided, dipping and rising in turn to make the ride down to the Pokemon Center more fun. It wasn't often he indulged in just a bit of silliness, but Ash was his friend. It was time they just had a laugh together.

Besides, he liked making Pikachu squeal at the way he showed superiority in the air. Speed and tricks were right up his alley and Pikachu was loving it.

But, naturally, on Mount Silver, that did not last for long.

Charizard was spinning, tree line and sky tossing over each other over and over again. The dragon felt an incredible ache along the side of his stomach. What in the world had hit him? What was that screaming?

… Ash!

Spreading his wings to keep the trio from crashing in the trees. Still, he touched down onto a hardy branch, all the while snarling and clacking his teeth at the distant Onix. The big behemoth had hit him out of nowhere! Where did it even come from?

"That Onix… it's the one from the cave," Ash muttered as he and Pikachu stepped off and onto the tree branch they hoped would be safe enough. "Use Steel Wing. That should scare it off."

Charizard took off, wings gleaming silver. However, it was countered, the two moves sparking with friction and force. Charizard strained, strength waning.

Ash likewise gritted his teeth. "That's Iron Tail! Charizard, hit it with Flamethrower to make it back off!"

The Onix did, writhing. After a moment, though, it was ready to attack. It did; Rock Tomb rained down upon Charizard, who dodged several rocks, but dozens of others hit him, battering him down and eventually grounding him. The fire type roared, spitting fire, as its assailant neared where it lay prone.

"Charizard!" Ash yelled. "C'mon, you've got to-" The boy's eyes went wide as the dragon's tail glowed blue and it span, sweeping away with rocks. Though still injured, his fury had been fully manifested. Between being frustrated with the tide of the battle and the need to protect his friends, Charizard had truly become ferocious.

"-has learned Dragon Tail."

"Right," Ash chattered back to Dexter, not bothering to take the Pokedex out of his backpack. "Try it on Onix!"

Charizard needn't be told twice. The rock snake let out a screech of pain, backing off as it tried to sort out what move had just been used against it. It settled for Iron Tail, metallic end rapidly headed for Charizard.

However, Ash would give it not time to rest or return fire. "Seismic Toss! Don't pick it up, just throw it!"

Catching the Onix's tail and only skidding a bit from impact, the fire type smirked. Exerting all his strength, he lifted the tail and quickly lowered it, sending a rippling whipping effect down the snake all the way down to its head. The booming crack of rock against rock as its head rattled against the ground signaled the improvised Seismic Toss's effect.

"Finish with a Dragon Tail!"

Letting out a mighty roar, Charizard took to the air, clearly laboring. He dived, tail glowing until contact was made. Debris shattered around the small crater created by the impact, but when the dust settled, Onix was unconscious.

Ash began shimmying down the tree. "Great job, Charizard! Way to go!" Running over, trainer and starter alike praised the exhausted fire type. "Here, let's fix you up, huh?" Spraying the pokemon with a potion and giving him a Sitrus berry to ease the pain, Ash then put his hands on his hips. "Hm… It might be better if we walk down. You're probably tired."

Looking almost insulted, the fire type snorted. Ash was getting a ride down, whether he liked it or not now. The dragon's pride was not to be trifled with.

"Alright, alright, we can ride if you're okay!" Ash agreed, scratching the back of his head. Soon enough, the trio were flying down to the Pokemon Center again.


Muted by the thickness of the pine needles resting above them, the trilling clang of metalized tail against hardened claw reached only Ash's ears as he kept watch over the battle. The Iron Tail and Slash attacks canceled each other, causing Ursaring's arm to sling back and Pikachu to nimbly twist to right himself before landing on the ground.

His eyes widened. "Pikachu, it's going for Thrash, back off! Quick Attack!"

Needless to say, the fleet footed mouse very quickly dodged the enraged foot falls and slashes of the brown bear, both breathing quite heavily by now. Ursaring's fur was a bit charred from taking a Thunderbolt head on earlier and Pikachu's trust wavered towards the big pokemon, recalling the nasty Feint Attack he'd taken at the creature's hands.

"Alright… Pikachu, let's-whoa, dodge, dodge!"

The ground split under the Ursaring's Hammer Arm attack, its eyes never straying from Pikachu's arm even as dizziness overcame it. Confusion did nothing to deter the beast.

"Come on, let's try Volt Tackle while it's out of it!"

Sparks danced over Pikachu's body before he took off for the normal type, dashing up its arm and eventually headbutting it. The little electric type skidded as the titan fell. When Pikachu righted himself and Ursaring did not, Ash realized the wild pokemon was paralyzed.

Grinning and forming a fist, Ash nodded. "Finish it with a Thunderbolt."

Nodding back, the yellow mouse gripped his hands and summoned a bolt of lightning. "Pika-chuuu!"

When Ash could see again-the pillars of plasma never stopped being blinding-he was satisfied to see the Ursaring was out of commission. "Let's get out of here," Ash urged, picking up his tired partner. The recoil from Volt Tackle had taken a lot out of him. However, as they walked downhill, Ash's Pokedex went off. "Hm?" He took it out, curious.

"A new move has been learned. The move Electro Ball has replaced Volt Tackle."

"Aw, man, Volt Tackle was really useful, too," Ash pouted. "Ah… I guess we can learn to work your move set without it, huh? Shame you can't learn more than four moves, haha!" Ash joked with Pikachu, who chirped back in bitter agreement.

Dexter spoke up again. "Actually, the four move rule applies only to unlearned pokemon and League regulations. While you would be disqualified in any official match where you used more than four moves, it is the potential of some pokemon-particularly those who are fully evolved, to-"

"Wait, so Pikachu can relearn Volt Tackle?"

The momentary lapse in response made it clear the artificial intelligence was upset with Ash's interruption. "Yes. That is what I was saying. Do you need anything else obvious clarified?"

"Since when has this been a thing? I've only ever battled… people…" He furrowed his brows. Wait, now that he looked back on it, he did think some things that hadn't added up at the time were suddenly making sense.

"The most infamous case of a pokemon breaking the four move tradition is Gym Leader Sabrina's Alakazam. It knows six moves and many owe its success to its mental efficiency and Sabrina's psychic abilities unlocking the potential within the pokemon more easily than it would have otherwise been achieved. Lance, the Champion, has a Dragonite which knows eight moves; it should be noted that Lance is both much older and more experienced than you."

"Gee. Thanks, Dexter," Ash grumped.

"That is the highest confirmed case, as are all others. It is generally believed that the most moves a pokemon can learn is eight. However…"

"Hm?" Ash looked down at the Pokedex, Pikachu inquiring as well from where he perched on Ash's shoulder. "However what?"

"There is an unconfirmed case of ten."

Ash was floored. "Ten moves?!"

"The Champion of the Orange Islands is reported to sport a Dragonite with ten moves. This is unconfirmed with League authorities-the Orange League is generally quite self-regulated, like all other sovereign region's Leagues-but it could be owed to the peculiar nature of some of the islands." The Pokedex paused. Its screen briefly flashed, showing Pikachu's data-particularly, its region of origin. "If this is true, you have no chance of learning ten moves." Dexter then showed Ash's trainer's data. "You'll be lucky to relearn Volt Tackle."

"Lucky?!" Ash snapped. He clicked the Pokedex shut, snorting angrily. "I'll show you lucky… Pikachu! We'll relearn Volt Tackle, won't we?! You knew it before, which means you were born to know it! It's your birthright!"

"Pika! Chu." Hopping down from Ash's shoulder, looking proud and eager.

The trainer's confidence wavered. "But… how do you learn it again?"

"Chu…"

The two stood for a time, Ash's hands on his hips and Pikachu's ears folded back lowly.

"I've got it! We'll combine Quick Attack and Thunderbolt until we recreate Volt Tackle!" he insisted. The trainer cracked a grin. "We'll figure it out. I know it!"

The electric type blinked before nodding. With that, he dashed off, bounding off a tree. However, when it came time to gather up the electricity for the Thunderbolt-

Crack!

Ash ducked, dodging the swift falling of a struck pine tree. He gave Pikachu a thumbs up. "Hey, it's fine! Let's try again."

The next time, Pikachu was able to retain the Thunderbolt for a time… but it exploded before he impacted upon the tree he was targeting, resulting in another felled. Again and again he tried, but there were negative results. Soon, they'd blazed a trail towards their base of operations, Volt Tackle slowly forming.

Finally…

"Alright!" Ash cheered, watching as the coat of electricity kept, not wavering, nor threatening to give way even as Pikachu ran. The Quick Attack changed… the trail was no longer gleaming white, but a tail of residual charge. Upon impact, the pokemon recoiled. Picking the exhausted pokemon up, Ash chuckled. "Good job, buddy!" Ash could hear his Pokedex in his bag, but he didn't need to get it out to know what had just happened.

"You learned your fifth move!"


Far away, deep within Team Rocket headquarters, a myriad of monitors and computer screens flashed periodically in an otherwise poorly lit room. Bony fingers clicked diligently away at keys, eyes hidden by spectacles darting between the visuals on display. Buried in his work, the man was quite startled at the click of a parting door. Turning from his work, he was greeted with the sight of three shadowy figures. Two were more or less the same height, while the third was dwarfed by the others.

"So. Have you come across anything new?" A feminine voice questioned, gloved fingers resting on the individual's hip, drumming on her figure with a certain urgency. The cold and reserved tone betrayed her.

"Ah, yes!" The less-than-intimidating man seated across the room stood, posture straight and formal. "We've been watching the leads that our espionage equipment have allowed us to come across. Pokemon have been withdrawn and deposited in Professor Oak's laboratory in Pallet Town and we were able to trace his destination." Turning toward the monitors, he gestured to a map of Kanto that was on display. A highlighted path ran from the home of the pokemon authority towards the northwest. "The receiving center is stationed outside Mt. Silver, southwest of the Indigo Plateau."

"Excellent." A man stepped out of the shadows to get a closer look at the display, brushing a lavender bang astray. Emerald eyes gleamed upon the destination, a grim glee building in his chest. "Finally, we'll make it known that we're not a group to be trifled with."

"Ahem." The man spoke up, at the risk of sounding insubordinate. "I applaud that objective, but it might be in your best interest to know… Those mountains are far from safe. Powerful wild pokemon riddle the area in numbers great enough to bring the league to close the area to the public. It would be wise to exercise caution when traversing the area." And, it went without saying, that any trainer who could survive in such a climate was worth acknowledging as a threat, as well.

"Ya got no need to worry about dat." The last of the three stepped forward, paws folded behind its back. A sinister curved smile was fixed upon the pokemon's lips, parting only for him to exhibit his unusual talent of speech. "We've got all dat unda control. That twoip is gonna finally see the real powuh of Team Rocket!"

"Yes," the spectacled man stepped down, choosing not to argue. "Just be aware that Mister Giovanni wants you available, in case he has need of your services. It would be best not to be gone too long."

"Oh, don't worry. We'll be in and out before it can make a difference. He won't know what hit him." Lips decorated in crimson curved into a smile. Their time to shine had finally arrived.


A narrow tunnel had gone on for quite some distance, and Ash had sworn his eyes were adjusting to the lack of illumination. Was that a good thing? Probably not. Soon enough, though, a light at the end of the tunnel become apparent. "Hey, Pikachu! Check it out!" A chuckle left the trainer's lips as he rushed towards an end to the nightmarish maze he'd gotten himself mixed up in. "Looks like we finally found a way outta here!" Joined by a cry of joy from the mouse, he was quick to exit the cavern.

Before Ash, then, was a welcome sight. A large open cavern spanned a decent enough width, complete with the open blue skies above. "Alright! This'll be a much better place to train! Looks like we finally lucked out." Smiling from ear to ear, he placed both hands upon his hips. "I guess we should get right to it, then!" Reaching for his belt, his hands lingered before grabbing two of the metallic spheres.

"Gliscor, Heracross! Come on out!" Each pokeball was tossed, bursting open to reveal each pokemon respectively. Heracross landed on his hind legs, letting out a cry of its name. Gliscor balanced atop his large, scorpion-like tail. Each happily greeted the trainer, waiting for whatever his command might be.

"Alright, guys. Time to get down to business! What do you say we start out with a battle between you guys? I bet you've both gotten stronger since I last saw you at the ranch, right?" Ash raised a fist in the air, only to be met by cries of affirmation from both pokemon. "Great. Then let's get started!"

Each pokemon stood opposite of one another.

"Alright! Let's see what you can do! Gliscor, use Fire Fang! And Heracross, you use Focus Punch!"

The Fang Scorpion pokemon bounced off of his perch, taking to the air before gliding down toward Heracross, his mouth lighting ablaze for the inevitable attack he would make on the other. Heracross responded in kind, crouching before launching towards Gliscor with buzzing wings. A fist was drawn back, glowing with considerable power stored. Soon, the two came within mere inches of the other, and Gliscor parted his mouth to gnash down upon its opponent. Not quite fast enough, though, it seemed, as a powerful punch was dealt to his jaw before it had the chance.

Gliscor was sent tumbling through the area, making the best of his aerial mobility before spreading his wings to come to a sudden halt. Cringing in pain, he was quick to shrug off the damage.

"Gliscor, you use Stone Edge! Heracross, you try to dodge it and use Horn Attack!"

Good. This was where it excelled. Gliscor's pincers were thrown outward, two belts of sharp stones conjuring out of thin air to orbit around his form. With a cry and a toss of his arms, the volley of rocks was launched towards the Stag Beetle pokemon. Meanwhile, the latter's wings spread, buzzing loudly as he took off into flight. Various haphazard movements allowed him to avoid each barrage heading its way. It took little time, then, to close in, a glowing horn jabbing into Gliscor's chest.

"Now, try another Fire Fang!"

This time, Gliscor was ready. Still within close range of his opponent, Gliscor parted his jaws before clamping down on Heracross' head, setting the pokemon ablaze with the super effective attack. Not one to waste the opportunity he was presented with, Gliscor tossed the bug type roughly towards the ground. The latter was sent reeling, making use of his buzzing wings to land safely upon the ground below. A defiant cry was uttered, letting Gliscor know he wasn't done yet.

"You guys are doing great!" Ash cheered from the sidelines, a grin spread across his features. The battle had been pretty intense, so far! Both of his pokemon were holding up well. "Now, let's get serious! Heracross, you use Megahorn! And Gliscor, you use Giga Impact!"

Still hovering above, Gliscor surrounded himself in swirling orange streaks, launching down towards Heracross. A purple aura took over his form, glowing brighter as his velocity grew. Of course, the Stag Beetle wasn't going to take this sitting down. His horn took on a brilliant white shine, brandished like a knight's lance as the pokemon leapt forward, clashing with Gliscor center-stage.

The two pushed back and forth, struggling to overcome the other in strength. Ash was forced to raise an arm in defense, bracing from bellowing wings that emanated throughout the small cavern. Soon, though, the victor made itself known. "Hera… Cross!" The bug shrieked, pushing through the multicolored barrier to slam his horn into Gliscor's body, sending the latter pokemon reeling.

"Gliscor…!" The other pokemon grunted, still tumbling through the air. Though immobilized by Giga Impact's exhausting effects, its aerial prowess still proved handy in allowing it to escape further damaged. Nonetheless, it was growing frustrated. No matter how hard it seemed to try, Ash's veteran pokemon seemed to outclass it in both strength and speed. Teeth grit together, golden orbs narrowed upon the Stag Beetle pokemon. There had to be a way to win this.

Standing on the sidelines, Ash looked between both of his pokemon, growing aware of the intensity the match was generating. Each was staring the other down, looking increasingly stubborn to win. "Things are getting heavy in here," Ash remarked, answered by a nod of agreement from Pikachu. "Guess they really wanna go all out… Alright, let's try that again! Heracross, Megahorn! Gliscor, Giga Impact!"

Repeating his previous move, Heracross ducked before launching himself at the airborne pokemon, his horn shining bright for yet another strike. Swirling shades accompanied Gliscor, gravity aiding his descent to smash into Heracross once more. The two continued their struggle of pushing against the other, each doing their best with their pride on the line.

Gliscor's teeth gnashed together, frustration growing as he was failing to overtake the other. Even giving everything he had, he'd seemed to hit a brick wall. His entire body was occupied with holdings its own. Surely, there had to be some other way to win this…? Though, the only limb free was his tail. Maybe it could make a difference?

Raising the end of its scorpion-like tail, Gliscor put in all the focus it could while still holding his position, swinging the limb forward to jab it into Heracross' upper body. The barbs on his tail suddenly took on a bright purple glow, venom coursing through and permeating into the Stag Beetle's body.

Heracross let out a cry, parting from the collision as a numb, unpleasant sensation began to take over his form. Landing on all fours, he felt himself succumbing to the effects of poison. Purple static buzzed along his form, giving his condition a visual outlet for those on the outside to see.

"Hey, check it out! Gliscor learned Poison Jab! Congratulations!" Ash cheered, only to have his attention stolen away by a furious red glow. "Huh? What's that?" Looking over, he found the source to be Heracross. "That's weird. Wonder what that's about." Reaching for the red device inside his pocket, Ash flipped it open.

"One of Heracross' abilities is Guts. When suffering from a status ailment, the pokemon in question gains a considerable boost in attack power."

"Oh, right! Paul's Ursaring had that ability, too. So that means Heracross is stronger than ever!" For that matter, both pokemon seemed to be at their peak. At least, in spirit. Both had been revitalized by a turning point in the battle, and both looked more stubborn to settle things than ever. "I guess they really wanna muscle each other out… Okay, you guys! The same moves, one more time!"

Both took their cue, with Gliscor plummeting down surrounded by orange and purple streaks of light, and Heracross launching forward with a powerful Megahorn attack. Both clashed in the center once more, putting out more power than ever before.

This time, however, a vibrant red glow swirled with the bright light of Megahorn, granting Heracross the power strike Gliscor, tossing him off of his horn. The latter was sent flying towards a nearby wall, slamming into the rocky surface. When the debris cleared, swirls had formed in his eyes. Gliscor was out of commission and unable to battle.

"Man, that was intense…! You guys were great!" Ash rushed over to a huffing Heracross, giving him a pat on the head before rummaging through his bag. "I can tell, you've gotten a lot stronger! And you're still as hardy as ever, huh?" He complimented, feeding the pokemon a Pecha berry.

"Cross!" He happily accepted the fruit, quickly freeing himself of his poisoned status. Along with coming out victorious, he'd been thrilled to engage in such a fierce battle!

"You alright, Gliscor?"

Golden eyes parted, spotting Ash cradlings his form. Still sore, in body and spirit, he let out a huff. "Gliscor." Even after learning a new move, he'd come up short. It was hard not to feel a bit sour, to say the least.

"Hey, don't sweat it! You put up a really great fight there, and you learned a new move! I guess close-up fights of that kind just aren't your strong point, yet. Plus, Heracross has been around longer than you… But hey! That just means we'll have to train harder! You'll keep getting stronger, in no time! Don't let that get you down, alright?"

"Gliscor!" The Fang Scorpion chirped, taking well to Ash's words. At the very least, he'd gotten a little bit stronger, and found a good battle partner! From here, things would only get better.


The sun hovered just above the canopy. Ash looked down upon it from the cliff he'd strayed onto. A path to the side would lead him back down to the Pokemon Center. But, for now, he had one final battle of the day to carry out before he turned in.

"Swellow, Staraptor, come on out!"

The two flying types took to the air before seeking perches. Swellow landed on the ground beside Ash, feet tucked neatly under her body. Staraptor landed on a barren, dead tree, weight only barely supported. The trainer looked between the sleek and the stout birds, a smile upon his lips. "Alright, guys, I'm gonna see how you're faring with a battle!"

"Star!"

"Wellow."

Nodding, Ash watched them take off, gliding upon the air.

"Okay, Staraptor, use Aerial Ace!"

At once, the brown bird took off for Swellow, wings beating furiously.

"You, too, Swellow!"

However, no matter how quickly Staraptor beat his wings, Swellow was faster. She made impact, feet pressing down upon Staraptor's back.

"Hm," Ash paused, considering the options as the two birds separated. "Staraptor, use Quick Attack. Swellow, you use Double Team."

By using Quick Attack, Staraptor was able to land his hit, sending Swellow flying. By the spinning, falling Swellow became two which became three which became four, all saving themselves before they hit the canopy below. Bathed in the orange light of sunset, the mystery of the true Swellow was only compounded by the failing light. Both birds relied upon sunlight.

"Aerial ace, Staraptor!" Maybe he'd land a hit, even if there were four… but he couldn't leave Swellow a sitting duck. That wouldn't happen in a real battle. "Quick attack, Swellow!"

Staraptor's eyes strained, looking for the slightest hint of which Swellow was real as he approached the party of four. He studied the stroke of their wings, eventually figuring out three of them lacked the fluid motion of the fourth. Upon that one Staraptor closed in.

Unfortunately, the Swellow was able to dodge by using Quick Attack, flipping in the air to come around behind Staraptor as the grey bird's massive wings swept through its doubles.

"Steel Wing, Swellow!" The trainer gritted his teeth, watching as the blue bird drew closer and closer to Staraptor. Finally, her wings folded in a brief interlude before it would deal out pain. "Close Combat, now, Staraptor!"

Like a switch, Staraptor flipped, claws extended and latching onto Swellow's own. The duo tumbled, Swellow's Steel Wing failing in her panic. They'd been so high in the sky when they started, but now they plummeted. All the while, Staraptor pounded Swellow with his wings, giving the other bird no rest.

As they neared the trees jutting up from the valley, Staraptor released Swellow, saving his own skin. Swellow likewise pulled up, though she was clearly weary. Whatever advantage she had with speed was now negated by her injuries.

"Swellow, let's try Quick Attack, again. And, Staraptor… see if you can finish up with Brave Bird."

Swellow tried. However, as slow as Staraptor was compared to her, the other bird could just take a hit better than Swellow. As such, Staraptor came from behind, ramming into the Hoenn native flying type. Soon, the two skidded into the ground on the cliff, Ash inches away from getting caught up in the wreckage.

Swellow stilled, unconscious. Staraptor panted, worn out.

Ash walked over, chuckling. He squatted beside the bird, patting it. "Well. I think someone got a little cozy back at the ranch. You're gonna have to work on that speed, buddy!"

Staraptor turned his head away, embarrassed. "Raptor…"

"It's fine. We came up to train, remember?" He looked towards Swellow, then. "And, Swellow's endurance… definitely going to have to make her tougher." Nodding, he returned both. "Thanks guys, great job!"


Another brisk afternoon had come to the rocky cliffs of Mt. Silver, which meant another prime day that would inevitably be full of training. Ash stood atop one of the slopes, just outside of a cavern leading back into the innards of the mountain. "Alright! About time you've got some one-on-one training…" Ash smiled down at a pokeball that was held within his grasp, winding up before throwing it into the air. "Infernape, come on out!"

A flash of light quickly took the form of a bipedal fighting type, indiscernible chatter following the pokemon's appearance. Infernape turned to Ash, expectant and eager to begin whatever training the boy likely had in mind. Sure, battling wild pokemon was a great workout, but he had to have had something in mind to simply call Infernape out on his own.

"Bet you're ready to get started, huh? Today, I came up with something a little different. There aren't a ton of fighting types up on the mountain… So, how about you get some exercise by sparring with me, instead? Ya might have to take it a lil easy on me…" Lest he end up needing to be dragged down the mountain in bandages. "But, it could be fun! That way, you'll be able to keep your fighting style in top shape! What do you say?"

"Fernape!" The simian cried, a fist raised in front of him that said it all, even if Ash couldn't quite understand his words. This was unconventional. All the same, though, this should be fun! Ash seemed like he was in pretty good shape. He'd even endured the pokemon's own rampages back before it had evolved. If he was hardy enough to take that, then it wouldn't weigh on Infernape's conscience to spar a little with his trainer.

"Great! Then, come at me! I wanna see how tough you've gotten since the league." Ash challenged, widening his stance and crouching slightly with both arms raised.

"Ape!" The pokemon lunged at Ash, throwing a restrained punch that was caught with a quick correction of Ash's forearm. Bearing a small grin at the boy's swiftness, the pokemon threw a few more jabs, each barely ducked and parried by Ash, if not without a few painful scrapes.

"Hey, not bad! You've gotten pretty fast. Now, heads up!" With that warning, Ash threw a punch towards the shorter primate. The blow was swiftly dodged, followed by several more attempted strikes. All were blocked and ducked with impressive prowess on Infernape's part, followed by a couple of strikes in return. Soon enough, Infernape did manage to land a punch on Ash. Watching the boy recoil, he quickly retracted his fist.

"Man… Talk about power. That kinda hurt!" Ash massaged his sore cheek, even still managing to crack a grin. Headstrong as ever, though, he dove right back in, trying to return the favor. Playful strikes and the occasional kick were exchanged between the two, echoed by the stealthy sounds of strikes thrown, and the occasional grunt or yell of one of the participants.

Sooner or later, the exercise caught the ears of an intrigued observer. Loud, heavy steps could be heard from inside the cave, growing nearer and nearer to the light of the outdoors. Ignorant to being noticed, Ash and Infernape had come to a halt after a rather invigorating sparring session.

Breathing heavily, Ash wiped sweat from his brow before standing upright. "Wow… That was great! I wouldn't wanna fight you in a real battle, that's for sure! You're really getting stronger, Infernape." Chances were, he'd walk out of this with a couple of bruises, but Ash was hardly one to complain. At least, right now. His pokemon were his first concern, and Infernape was holding up well.

"Ape!" A bit less winded, but still in a fighting mind, the hybrid agreed, hopping energetically from one foot to the other. For someone who wasn't a pokemon, Ash had held his own. Though, his focus on their results didn't last long. Slow, ground-shaking steps caught his attention, bringing his yellow orbs toward the nearby cavern. His instincts proved correct, as a fellow pokemon stepped out of the shadows.

"It's a Hariyama!" Ash's eyes followed Infernape's, now lying upon the rotund pokemon standing opposite of the two. It certainly wasn't one he'd seen before; he hadn't even known there were any of its kind up in these mountains. Watching its restless movements, Ash quickly came to a conclusion. "Hey, Infernape! I think this Hariyama wants to pick a fight with you!"

"Infernape!" The pokemon nodded, baring a grin when a nod from the fighting type confirmed his trainer's suspicions. It was likely that the other shared his sentiments. The presence of a powerful fellow fighting type was probably rare, and it would be silly to turn down such an opportunity.

"Yama!" The Arm Thrust pokemon bellowed, stomping down with one foot upon the rocky surface before the other. Crouching, it awaited the first move from the pokemon and his trainer.

"Then let's go! Infernape, use Flamethrower!"

"Ape!" Infernape shrieked, parting his mouth to let loose a scalding stream of flames toward the other pokemon. Hardly the fastest pokemon around, Hariyama was bathed in the heat, obscured from sight until orange lights and black soot faded away. It stood strong, bearing little more than a few scratches on its body. It brushed its belly with one of its large hands, seemingly unaffected.

"You're kidding! Flamethrower didn't do a thing!" Ash gawked, soon interrupted by a beep of his pokedex. Drawing the device from his pocket, he was answered with Dexter's robotic voice.

"One of Hariyama's abilities is Thick Fat. This reduces the damage of fire and ice type attacks."

"That figures… Flamethrower isn't going to help us." Ash noted, only to catch the pokemon charging out of the corner of his eye. It rushed toward Infernape, one arm drawn back, clearly ready to be thrown towards the other. "That's Arm Thrust! Infernape, dodge it!"

Quick footwork and acrobatics allowed Infernape to spring out of the attack's range, landing atop a small boulder that adorned the battlefield. Though he'd avoided damage, that attack had seemed quite powerful. Infernape and his trainer would definitely have to be careful.

"We'll have to use speed… Infernape, use Mach Punch!"

The Flame pokemon quickly obliged, crouching before lunging towards Hariyama, a glowing fist brandished that was thrown toward the other with remarkable speed. The punch landed its mark, hitting Hariyama clean in the face. The latter pokemon skidded back a bit across the ground, uprooted by the punch. Infernape would look on in awe, though, as the other appeared to be only marginally winded by the move.

Breath quickly left his lungs, a brutal Arm Thrust smashing into the simian's chest in return. Gasping for air, the fire type was sent reeling before regaining his footing further away from Hariyama.

"Man, it can really take a punch…!" Ash observed, visibly impressed. It seemed stamina was this pokemon's strong point. This time, he was coy to the pokemon's next move. A sweep of Hariyama's arm had kicked up a curtain of sand and dust, threatening to surround Infernape.

"It's using Sand Attack! Infernape, dive underground and use Dig!"

Infernape wasted no time, leaping before quickly burrowing under solid rock. Quickly burrowing through the ground before emerging within mere inches of his opponent. A striking uppercut was dealt out, knocking Hariyama clean into the air. Landing with questionable balance, Hariyama grunted in pain.

"Nice one!" Ash cheered. "That oughta do it!" Relief soon turned to horror, though, as the heavy pokemon lunged forward, catching Infernape's body on its remarkably large arm. After knocking the wind out of Infernape, Hariyama swung his arm forward, tossing the Flame pokemon across the battlefield. "Infernape!"

The fire type pulled himself to his feet, canines bared. His attack were only doing so much, and just two hits from the sumo wrestler had left him short of breath. Hardy as ever, though, he let out a battle cry. He was sure that Ash would figure out a strategy that would lead them to victory.

"It takes hits way too well… The way things are going, it'll just keep coming back at Infernape!" Though it had put on an impressive display, it was quickly finding itself cornered. "We'll have to go for broke. Use Flare Blitz, now!"

A whip of the fire type's head surrounded his body in a roaring blue flame, preparing him for the brutal assault that would follow. Infernape threw itself at Hariyama, crashing into the other in a brilliant blaze. The sheer momentum pile-drived the recipient into the cave wall, ending in an explosion of flames that covered its form.

Unfortunately for Infernape, who was currently dealing with the move's recoil, Hariyama hadn't been done in. Dislodging itself from the stone, Hariyama let out a battle cry as a strike was thrown toward its opponent, striking him in the face with its open palm. This time, however, it didn't stop there. Multiple blows followed, quickly overwhelming Infernape.

"That's Close Combat!" Ash identified the move, swallowing before throwing a fist forward. "Don't give in! Try to fight back, with Mach Punch! Back to back!" Infernape followed, teeth grit as a glowing punch was thrown, once more hitting Hariyama in the chin. Another blow followed, striking it in the gut. Another punch was thrown, this time met with another opposing strike.

The two pokemon met each other blow for blow, initially appearing even. When Infernape spotted an opening, however, a sweep of Hariyama's leg knocked into his shin, throwing him off balance. Two more kicks followed, pushing the tiring primate on the defensive.

A gleam in the Flame pokemon's eyes followed, a brilliant fighting spirit igniting in his guts. Instinct took over, allowing Infernape to strike like lightning. Precise punches and kicks pummeled Hariyama, swift attacks slipping by the slower strikes it dealt out. A roundhouse kick sent it skidding across the gravelly surface once more, vision growing weary in the face of the assault.

"Hey, check it out, Pikachu!" Ash beamed, watching the battle turn around before his very eyes. "Infernape's fighting just like he was when we were training! He must've learned Close Combat, too!"

"Pikachu!" The mouse cheered, congratulating his teammate. By now, Infernape had created some distance between himself and his opponent, its posture less than ideal and its breath racing.

"Now's our chance!" Ash threw an arm forward, yelling at the top of his lungs. "Now, finish this up with Flare Blitz!" Another fiery film surrounded the pokemon, bolting forward like a shooting star that slammed into the larger fighting type, ending in a fiery explosion.

Ash's arm reached up to cover his mouth, guarding it from smoke and soot that flew his way. Coughing several times to clear the sting from his throat, he waited for the dark veil to clear.

Soon enough, it did. Infernape stood in the middle of the clearing, hunched over. Laying before him was the challenger, Hariyama, who had been knocked out cold. Victory had been snatched after bordering on the verge of defeat.

"Infernape! That was great!" Ash let out a chuckle, sprinting over before catching the tired pokemon in his arms, spinning Infernape in his arms before setting him down. "That battle looked like a real tough one. You held your own out there, big time! Guess our training paid off after all, huh?" He winked, more than proud of the fruits of their labor.

"Infernape!" Tired and weary, but proud all the same, the fire type agreed. He'd kept his honor.


The sun had set over the horizon facing Johto, and a temperate summer time breeze had cast over the mountainous area, marking night time's dark embrace. The starry skies made for quite the camouflage for a pitch-black vehicle that traversed the atmosphere with a low hum, keeping it well out of the eyes of the law. It hovered in circles around the jutted cliffs of Mt. Silver, ever vigilant for some sort of target.

"They did say he was out here, didn't they? It feels like we've been looking for over an hour…" A frown had fixed itself on the features of an emerald-eyed man, the orbs darting left and right across the surface of the titanic mountain from the security of the small airship.

"Dey sure did. But he could be anywhere in dis mess o' rocks. We could be out here all night for all we know." Meowth quipped, fitted with a pair of x-ray goggles that scanned over the very same area. Even with their state-of-the-art technology, scraping through such a cluttered area was no fun.

"Whining won't help. Just keep your eyes peeled! If we know the kid, he should at least be awake." Jessie interjected. Ash wasn't exactly a night-owl, but judging by their experiences, he wasn't the first to fall asleep here. "...Which means, he should have some sort of light out."

Lo and behold, an ember burned in the distance, lighting up a small area near the foot of the mountain. Standing out like a glimmering star among the scenery, the fire left a gleeful smile upon each of the agents' faces.

"Looks like we've found our target."

Down below, Ash sat on a mossy rise at the bottom of Mt. Silver, propped up against the rocky wall of one of its cliffs. Before him was a roaring campfire, where Pikachu sat adjacent to him. Feeling at peace, he smiled, folding his arms behind his head. "Ah… Can ya believe how long we've been here, Pikachu? It feels like just yesterday, we got permission to come up here."

"Pika!" His electric companion agreed, basking in the warmth of the flame. The journey had been strenuous, to say the least, but he was sure his strength had grown a great deal. He couldn't wait to see the results!

"We've really come a long way. Just wait 'till we head back down and-"

An explosion of black, lung-scratching smoke interrupted the youth, shrouding the entire area in its murky grasp. Ash and Pikachu coughed violently, waving their arms in a feeble attempt to rid themselves of the smog. "What the heck is that!?" Ash barked, guarding his mouth.

"Oh, just a couple of familiar faces!" The voice of a young woman bellowed, turning Ash's eyes toward a large boulder nearby, his ears picking up on the voice he'd come to known all too well.

"It's been a lil' while since we've seen ya, so we thought we'd drop in!" A catty voice coupled with a heavy accent added in, just as irritating as ever.

"We're honestly a little hurt. You didn't forget about us, after all this time, did you?"

Ash's stomach turned in a familiar mixture of annoyance and disgust, the boy's teeth clashing together. Standing to move beyond the smokescreen, he found himself face to face with the trio of Rockets, each standing atop the large rock with their usual grandiose flair. This time, however, they looked a little bit different. Rather than sporting their usual wear, Jessie and James were sporting pitch-black uniforms, matching from head to toe, pardoning the red "R" on their chests.

"Team Rocket!? You followed me all the way out here…? Man, you guys never give up!" Bitterness rang in his tone. This time, he really thought he'd gotten them out of his hair for a while. "Look. We're stronger than ever, now, so why don't you just do yourselves a favor and leave?"

"Pi-Pikachu!" Darting up to his trainer's shoulder to be free of the smog, Pikachu agreed.

"I'm offended. You really don't know us better than that?" Jessie feigned hurt, dramatically resting a hand atop her forehead.

"Don't be fooled, twerp. Things are a little different, now."

"You guys aren't the only ones who've toughened up! Da three of us got a big promotion! And we're gonna make ya wish you never messed with Team Rocket!"

"What're you talking about!? You guys are the ones who always start fights with us!" Ash barked, quickly losing patience with the trio. New gear or not, this all had gotten old.

"But that was the old Team Rocket. We have a bone to pick with you."

"...So allow us to reintroduce ourselves!"

Another explosion went off behind the group, starting yet another rendition of something all too familiar.

"Prepare for trouble!"

"Make it double."

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!"

Ash raised a brow at the trio, raising his hand over his mouth to fake a yawn "What do you mean, new? You're just back to the old motto! Can't you find a new way to bore us?"

Jessie's brow twitched. Suppressing her well known temper, she went on. "But, you don't understand. You don't know what we can do, yet. As if you could wrap your twerpy little head around it."

"And this time, we're going to take Pikachu, and all of your precious pokemon!"

"But, just to show ya how generous we are, we'll play by da rules. We'll beat ya fair and square, and then take all yer pokemon. How does that sound, twoip?"

"You'll never steal Pikachu and the others! But a battle sounds fine with me!" Ash yelled back at the gang, a fist raised in the air. "Whenever you're ready, come and get me!"

"Don't say we didn't warn you. Wobbuffet?" Jessie snapped a finger, answered by a red flash of light taking the form of the Patient pokemon. Eager as ever, it saluted her. "Wobbuffet!"

"It's your turn, Carnivine!" James tossed a pokeball forward, only to be ensnared by the affectionate grass type. Letting out a squeal, he tossed it toward their opponent. "Not now, Carnivine! We've trained for this!" Brushing that embarrassment aside, he bore a smirk.

"That goes double for me! Pikachu, go! Swellow, I choose you!" The electric mouse quickly joined the fray, and a tossed pokeball released the flying type. She let out a caw, eager to fight.

"Now, Pikachu! Thunderbolt!" Ash called out, beginning the battle in his usual fashion.

Pikachu let out a shriek, unleashing a vicious bolt of electricity that cut through the air.

"Wobbuffet, use Mirror Coat!" Jessie called, her command answered almost immediately. The psychic type threw itself into the bolt's path, surrounding himself in a multicolored veil. The electric attack crashed into his form, pushing him back momentarily before a thrust of his form launched the attack back with twice the power.

The frightening flash of electricity was quick to make its way back, enveloping both of Ash's pokemon. "Pikachu! Swellow!" Ash called out in horror, waiting for the smoke to clear. Both emerged with a number of burns, one worse for wear than the other. "Are you guys alright?"

Pikachu winced, pulling himself to his feet before regaining a battle-ready gait. "Pika!"

Swellow, however, hadn't been so lucky. Having taken the hit from a super-effective attack, she struggled to shrug off the pain. Stubborn and hardy as ever, though, she persevered. "Swellow!"

"Now, Carnivine! Bullet Seed!" James put a hand forward, quickly joined by the cry of the Bug Catcher pokemon. Opening its wide maw, it spit out a volley of energized seeds toward Pikachu. The electric mouse was pelted with them, letting out a cry as he stumbled back under the shower.

"Don't let it get away with that, Swellow! Aerial Ace!" The flying type quickly took to the air, turning into one of her signature loops before closing in on Carnivine. The gentle breeze was cut like an ocean wave split by the hull of a boat, making way for Swellow's speedy assault.

Tutting and wagging his finger, James interjected. "Careful, twerp! Carnivine, use Power Whip to catch that bird brain!" Two vines shot out from the grass type's neck, each glowing a bright purple color. They wrapped around the bird's aerodynamic body, moving with her momentum to swing her before tossing her towards a nearby cliff face. Tried as she may, Swellow was only able to somewhat slow its impact.

"They weren't kidding…! They really are stronger!" Ash's teeth grit together, brows furrowing. "But, that won't stop us! Pikachu, use Quick Attack on Wobbuffet!" The mouse wasted no time, righting himself before breaking into a silver-tinted sprint. In no time at all, he'd closed the gap, smashing his body into the other, sending it reeling and flipping through the air.

"Good, now help Swellow out, by using Iron Tail!" Just landing from his encounter with the psychic type, Pikachu sprang into action once more, hips twisting as his jagged tail took on a silvery coat. It soon slammed into Carnivine, sending the pokemon flying into the air.

"Good! Now, Swellow! Use Quick Attack on Wobbuffet!" Growing frustrated with her opponents, Swellow let out a shrill cry, furiously beating her wings before zipping in towards her opponent.

"Wobbuffet, Counter!" An orange aura surrounded it, shielding it when Swellow's beak crashed into its body. A repelling force smashed into the bird, sending her sailing once more into the air.

"Hang in there, Swellow! Use Quick Attack on it, again!" Stubborn as ever, Swellow cawed before swooping in once more, surrounding herself with a silver light that trailed her form.

"I think the twerp's losing his head." James let out a chuckle brushing a bang from his eyes.

"I guess all dis time away from da rest of da world made him a little loopy!" Meowth cackled.

"Well, if the twerp wants to throw the match, that's not our problem. Wobbuffet, Counter!"

Meanwhile, a snide smile had curved its way onto Ash's lips. Coy as ever, he didn't stop there. "Now, change that into an Air Slash attack!" Watching the trio's jaws drop, Ash witnessed Swellow do just as told. The bird came to a screeching halt, opting to furiously flap her wings, unleashing several swirling orbs of energy spun about by wind. They barraged Wobbuffet, earning a cry of pain from the Patience pokemon.

James' eye twitched, his patience wearing thin. No matter. They'd make him pay for his insolence, soon enough. "Don't let them rest, Carnivine! Use Bullet seed on Pikachu, once more!" Carnivine let out a cry, its large mouth parting to barrage the electric mouse with explosive seeds.

"Pikachu, dodge them with Quick Attack!" Pikachu wasted no time, darting to and fro to avoid the shower of projectiles, hopping from rock to rock, followed by a gleaming trail of light that carried him safely out of the attack's range. "Good, now keep it up, and use Electro Ball!"

Still making use of his momentum, Pikachu vaulted into the air above, building up electricity on the tip of his tail. "Pika, Pika, Pika, Pika…" He recited the syllables of his name, the vibrations of his small frame building up a brilliant golden sphere behind him. "Chuu… Pi!" Soon, it had grown to the size of a beach ball, and it was launched toward Carnivine.

The grass type stared into the blinding light, awestruck. Far from fast enough to dodge, it took the powerful electric attack head-on, emerging from the resulting debris unconscious. As soon as it had appeared, it was removed in a flash of red light, returning to its pokeball.

"Great! Now, it's two on one!" Not letting the opportunity slip by, Ash threw a hand to the air. "Now, let's finish this! Pikachu, Electro Ball! Swellow, Aerial Ace!" If Wobbuffet was dealing with two different types of attacks, then it couldn't deflect both of them, could it? Pikachu jumped up once more, flipping over before firing a brilliant ball of electricity. Swellow followed, turning into a loop before launching forward, aligning herself with Pikachu's attack.

What should have been a look of horror on Jessie's face was anything but. Cherry red lips curved upward, parting to call a single command. "Use Destiny Bond!" Wobbuffet surrounded itself in a purple glow, standing still as it took the two powerful attacks head-on. Swellow had already been moving too fast to stop, and Pikachu could do nothing about his own attack. The combined force knocked Wobbuffet out-cold. Though, unfortunately for Ash, it wasn't the only one.

A similar purple light surrounded Swellow and Pikachu, promptly rendering the two unconscious. Ash gawked, eyes wide at the sight. "Pikachu! Swellow!" Gritting his teeth together, he returned the latter before walking to pick up the former. Brow twitching, he stared the trio down. That was the last thing he would have expected.

Jessie, James, and Meowth reveled in laughter, hands on each of their hips as their gaze turned toward their sworn enemy. "Surprised? We told you we were in a whole other league."

"And now we've beaten your precious Pikachu. You might as well make things easy, and hand your pokemon over, now! Unless you want to continue embarrassing yourself." James added. All of their hard work was paying off. They'd started turning the tables on Ash! Revenge was proving to be all too sweet.

"You may've beaten Pikachu, but not my other pokemon! We're still gonna beat you." Ash yelled back, adamant as ever in holding his ground. He reached for the brim of his cap, flipping the headwear backwards in his usual dramatic fashion. Two pokeballs were then thrown forward. "Staraptor, Gliscor! I choose you!" The two airborne pokemon made their appearance, hovering above the battlefield. Spotting their opponents, they needed no explanation.

"No skin off my bones, then. Magneton, it's your turn!" James tossed a pokeball, letting out the electric/steel hybrid. It let out a synchronized shriek of its name, hovering above ground.

"Get them, Yanmega!" Jessie called on her pokemon next, unveiling the large insect.

There was only a brief moment of calm as all the flying or levitating pokemon looked at each other. James then cracked a smile. "Magneton, use Electric Terrain!" The pokemon let out an ear-straining screech, unleashing a golden ragnarok of electricity along the mountainside. Stray bolts danced from the ground, forcing Ash to jump out of harm's way once or twice.

While the move itself wouldn't do much, the presence of some much latent electricity would be sure to make Staraptor nervous, the Rocket assumed. And, in a pinch they could always have Magneton land to make use of the extra energy.

"Whatever you're planning isn't gonna work!" Ash warned, pointing a finger forward. "Gliscor, use Fire Fang on Magneton!"

The ground type glided forward, momentum from his impact rocking Magneton a bit. The metallic pokemon reeled upon being bitten, less than pleased with the flames dancing upon its form.

Jessie's frown deepened. "Yanmega! Use Ancient Power on Staraptor!"

"Quick Attack to Dodge!"

While Staraptor successfully managed to dodge the largest and thus most damaging of the rocks, a few did nick the bird. The major advantage, however, was the increase Yanmega felt from the use of the move. It had unlocked some temporary wells of strength in the bug type.

"We're going to have to nip that in the edge," Ash muttered. "Gliscor! Use Stone Edge on Yanmega! Staraptor, you use Close Combat on Magneton!"

"Counter it with Sonic Boom, Yanmega!" Jessie ordered.

James was too late to give any orders. Staraptor pounded Magneton with his wings and talons, pressing the steel type down until a final batter of his wings sent it crashing into the earth. Meanwhile, Gliscor's stones hit their mark, though they were slowed and rendered less damaging due to the Sonic Boom, which was able to take Gliscor off guard.

"Fine! Magneton, stay down and use Lock On!"

Jessie grinned. If James had in mind what she thought he did… But, she had the battle at hand to focus on.

"Staraptor, use Brave Bird on Yanmega!"

Flapping his wings mightily to fly higher, the bird eventually folded his limbs, headed straight for Yanmega.

"Zap Cannon on Staraptor," James called out.

At the same time, from the ground below, Magneton fired off an enormous burst of electricity.

Ash's breath caught and he urged his voice on. "Gliscor, block that!"

Amidst the chaos, Gliscor obeyed, swooping in to take the blow meant for Staraptor… at very little cost to himself. Aside from the sheer impact of having that much energy tossed to him at once, he seemed to be unaffected. It was as if he'd been shoved, really… which only served to frustrate James to the point of pulling his own hair.

Jessie gave him a disapproving look before attending to her own portion of the battle. "Fine, Yanmega, defend yourself with Steel Wing!"

While Yanmega tried valiantly, the velocity of Staraptor was simply too much. Slamming into his opponent with overwhelming strength, both went skidding across the-thankfully-fading Electric Terrain.

Deciding to not let up, Ash called for another attack. "Gliscor, use Fire Fang, again!"

"Scor!" Chomping down on the Magneton once more, it was clear this time that Gliscor meant business. Vampire-like fangs slammed down upon the metallic surface, lighting it ablaze.

Realizing Yanmega was momentarily dazed, the trainer once again took advantage of the situation. "Close Combat, and one last Fire Fang!"

"Not so fast, Silver Wind, Yanmega!" Jessie instructed.

The Silver Wind trailed behind Staraptor as he went to join Gliscor in doling out punishment to Magneton. The pale gray breeze obscured the trio as one portion of the battle led to its conclusion. Yanmega enjoyed another temporary burst of power…

But, seeing as the fading of Silver Wind showed the defeat of its ally, would it be enough to manage against both of Ash's pokemon?

Not if the trainer could help it.

"Let's finish this! Staraptor, Aerial Ace! Gliscor, Giga Impact!"

Leading the assault, Staraptor surrounded himself in a bright blue blaze, crashing into Yanmega, which sent it tumbling. By the time it knew what was happening, Gliscor was upon it, surrounded by a swirl of purple and orange hues.

"Alright!" Ash praised, giving a thumbs up to the clearly exhausted Gliscor and the fatigued Staraptor.

Fuming, Jessie returned her pokemon, following the example James had already set. "You little brat! Nidoqueen, I choose you!"

"Nidoking, let's follow through!"

Wasting no time, Jessie called an order before Ash could open his mouth. "Toxic Spikes!" Nidoqueen opened her mouth wide, firing a multitude of poisonous projectiles. Each of them rained onto the field, sinking into the ground below in a purple mist.

"Great. Now, we'll have to deal with that if we don't wrap this up." Eager to finish this, Ash continued. "Staraptor, use Aerial Ace on Nidoqueen! Gliscor, try Fire Fang on Nidoking!"

"Nah-ah-ah!" James taunted, wiggling his finger. "Nidoking, hit 'em with a Double Kick!"

Rather than getting to sink his fangs into the Nidoking's hide, Gliscor got a face full of kicks. Thankfully, though, Staraptor's Aerial Ace landed true, sending Nidoqueen stumbling backwards.

Feeling desperate, Ash called for a more forceful set of moves. "Giga Impact! Brave Bird!"

Before it could strike, however, it seemed that Jessie's patience had run short. "Nidoqueen, end it with Blizzard!"

The sudden snowstorm blew the two flying types back. Covering his eyes to protect them from the heavy hitting clumps of snow, yet still desperately trying to see what his pokemon were doing, the trainer was despaired to see… nothing.

It was all harsh noise and frost.

However, as quickly as the storm had blown up, it ended. His pokemon were nowhere to be seen, he realized with fright, as he shook off snow. He brought out their pokeballs, wildly firing each until they both returned their proper contents from under the snow. Opposite him, the two ground types stood, snow sliding off their bodies.

"What a mess," James muttered, stomping his boots to get the snow off himself.

"It got the job done," Jessie bit.

Sweat dripped down Ash's brow, despite what the frost-ridden battlefield might have one believe. The campfire had been subdued by Blizzard, leaving the battlefield quite dim - in spirit, and in reality. 'This is getting bad… They weren't kidding about changing a whole lot. And now my last two pokemon are gonna be poisoned, too.' A chuckle left Ash, a grin appearing that very much betrayed the situation. "I guess this really is our test, huh? Well, we're still gonna win! No matter what!" Showing defiance in the face of troubling odds, Ash tossed his last two pokeballs forward.

"Heracross, Infernape! I'm counting on you!" Each pokemon appeared in a flash of light, standing among the snow. Each let out a cry of pain, suddenly permeated with toxic goo that slipped through the ground below. Infernape let out a cry in response, hunched over and ready to battle. Heracross, meanwhile, had been surrounded in a faint red aura.

"Sorry, guys… But I need you, now! Let's show Team Rocket just how tough we are!" Ash rallied the pokemon to battle, answered by two cries of agreement. As always, they were eager and willing to fight on their trainer's behalf. Especially if it was for his protection.

"Now, Infernape, use Dig, and head for Nidoqueen!" The Flame pokemon leapt forward, digging under the surface to burrow towards the other pokemon. With any luck, he'd land a super effective hit.

"Nice try, twerp. Nidoqueen, Earth Power!" Jessie's call was answered with swiftness, the large poison type striking the ground with her fist. Cracks formed along the surface, trails of golden light shining through the snow. An explosion erupted underground, sending Infernape soaring into the air above. Definitely hurting from the super effective attack.

"Don't give in! Hit it with Flamethrower!" Ash called next, stubborn to avoid giving them momentum in the battle. Recovering quickly, Infernape parted his mouth to unleash a stream of fire, further melting away the snow blanketing the battlefield.

"Don't let that through, Nidoking! You use Flamethrower, too!" James interjected. Nidoking did just as told, letting loose another wave of heat. The two attacks collided, erupting in a scalding explosion that seemed to make the battlefield uncomfortably hot. Peppering it with ashes.

A growl of frustration passed under Ash's breath. "Heracross, hit it with Focus Punch!" The Stag Beetle pokemon took initiative, zipping across the battlefield to deliver a powerful punch to the distracted Nidoking's face. Caught off-guard, the pokemon stumbled back, wincing in pain.

"Don't allow that to go unpunished! Use Double Kick!" Letting out an irritated roar, Nidoking rebounded, slamming one of its taloned feet right into Heracross' chest. Watching the other recoil, it followed up by swinging its body around, rocking his form with a strike of its tail.

Meanwhile, Infernape let out a cry of pain, suffering the creeping, stinging wrath of poison flowing through his body. Unfortunately all too familiar with this sensation, thanks to Paul, he persevered, golden hues turning on Ash. More or less begging to let him back in on the action.

"Don't let it get to you, Infernape! Hit 'er with Close Combat!" He didn't need be told twice. Springing back into action, he entered with a right hook, leaving Nidoqueen no time to rest under the assault of coordinated punches and kicks. A roundhouse kick to the chest sent the pokemon skidding back, reeling and hurting.

"Don't take that from that primate! Use Earth Power!" Although, Jessie, like her comrades, still held something of a soft spot for Infernape. Even they had their limits on cruelty. All the same, victory was their priority. Besides, once they took it off of Ash's hands, they could give it a rightful home!

Oblivious to her trainer's thoughts and motives, Nidoqueen struck the ground once more. An earth-shaking force ran through the battlefield, letting loose slivers of golden light before erupting under Infernape.

This time, though, he was prepared. Springing out of the explosion's range with athletic prowess, Infernape landed back closer to his trainer. Just as soon as he'd avoided danger, though, a rush of stinging pain overcame him, reminding him of that ever annoying poisoned status.

Of course, this battle was continuing on a different front. "Heracross, Stone Edge!" The insect spread his buzzing wings, conjuring two belts of rather sharp rocks that circled its form. With a cry, he launched them all forward, pelting Nidoking with the onslaught. A grunt of pain and an explosion followed, obscuring the poison type.

"Nidoking, show them your strength with Megahorn!" The burly pokemon stampeded out of the debris, its head lowering to point its horn towards the bug. The extremity took on a brilliant white glow, growing in size. Ready to deliver a devastating below.

"Heracross, you use Megahorn too!" Ash threw an arm forward, pointing towards the other. Heracross bowed his head as well, his own horn taking on a brilliant white glow, mixing with the red aura surrounding his body. With a call of his name, he launched himself at Nidoking.

The two pokemon clashed in the center of the makeshift battlefield, horns colliding in a furious explosion of might, expression of their raw power dancing around them in currents of air. It was enough to ruffle hair and clothes. Shortly, Heracross pushed Nidoking back, wings buzzing behind him in a show of force.

Disappointed by the lack of victory on Nidoking's part, Jessie decided to take over. "Nidoqueen, use Superpower!"

Ash noticed the poison type charging towards the fire type. "Flamethrower!"

Despite the billowing flames flowing over her, Nidoqueen continued. Soon, the struggle turned to Infernape grappling with Nidoqueen as he was slid back. The torrent of flames ended as Nidoqueen lifted Infernape and then slammed him down.

"That was actually a pretty good idea!" James chimed. "Nidoking, you use Flamethrower, too!"

"Are you kidding me?!" Ash snapped. They were in a tight spot and he wasn't about to back down now, not when they were all so close! "Heracross, Hyper Beam!"

There was so much noise: the scraps of Infernape returning to his feet, Nidoqueen's gurgling snarls, and the all-consuming roar of Nidoqueen's flamethrower being consumed by and further igniting Heracross's Hyper Beam.

Ash's ears were ringing when the blinding white light faded. As his vision steadied and he saw Nidoking still standing, but only barely so, he realized the ringing was not his ears.

"Jessie and James reportin' in," Meowth took over, aware the other two might need to speak for the battle. "Uh huh. Yes'sa. Yeah. Okay. Right away." Clicking off on the headset, the Scratch Cat Pokemon looked up to the duo. "We gotta go. Zager wants us right now."

"Right now?!" Jessie spat.

James returned Nidoking, not willing to fight right then. "Come on. We've got bigger fish to fry."

And, stunned, Ash could only watch as the trio ran off before letting his backpack slide from his shoulder to fish out medicine. "Man… that was close."