Good to see everyone again! Today's a very special installment for Another Road, so rather than make you guys wait another two weeks for chapter 45, we felt it'd be best to upload both of them together. We hope you enjoy these revelations! As usual, feedback and commentary on the story is highly encouraged and appreciated. Enjoy these two chapters!
A long day of battles, hardship, and losses had finally come to an end, giving way to the comforting sunrise over the Kanto region the next morning. The outskirts of Fuschia were humid, basked in golden sunlight, and uncomfortably empty. After departing from the ninja compound, the two who could speak did their best to avoid talking about the lack of fauna. Shallow but chipper small talk filled the silence of their walk back to Fuschia's Pokémon Center.
A loud, boisterous yawn came from the mouth of Ash, which currently put a Mawile's to shame as he stretched his arms over his head. "Ahhh… I really wasn't lookin' to get up so early. How do they even make it through the day, anyway?" The trainer leaned back with crossed legs, his belly full from the generous breakfast offered inside the hospitable center.
"Chu…" Pikachu lay on his back on the seat beside his trainer, his lids heavy and hunger sated. Normally, he woke pretty quickly, but unsurprisingly, all the drama from the day prior had made him a bit slower to rise.
"Well, they don't keep up at night thinking about battles when they should be having a good night's sleep," Dawn raised a finger, speaking matter-of-factly with a wink. "...Or, stuff themselves when they wake up." Even as fit as Ash had gotten, she swore she could see a bit of a belly on him that would likely fade by the middle of the day.
"Hey, they have their way and we have ours!" Ash shot back with crossed arms, indignant.
"Pika-Pika!" Pikachu raised a paw in agreement… Even if he was still laying on his back.
"When I find a way to burn as much energy as you two do, maybe I'll join you." Dawn flashed a cheeky smile, finishing off the last of her pancakes… Only to notice a similarly bloated Empoleon sitting beside her. "...You too, Empoleon."
Their harmless squabbling was cut short when the quiet, low-energy morning news cut away to a far more notable announcement on the Center's television on the wall. "...And this'll all be at this year's Wallace Cup, in just over a week!" The peppy, distinguishable voice of Lilian rang through the room, turning all eyes toward her presence on the screen.
"Did she say Wallace Cup!?" Dawn blurted, hands slamming down on the table hard enough to make the silverware jump and clatter. In just a moment, her lax demeanor had vanished in favor of teetering on the edge of her seat.
"What was that about not having energy?" Ash ribbed, though he wouldn't be fooling anyone. Both fists clasped tight, he similarly kept his eyes on the screen.
"But, before we wrap things up, let's hear from the man behind the name himself: Hoenn's Champion Master and famed Contest Master, Wallace!" Lilian lauded, holding her microphone up to the elaborately dressed, teal-haired man.
"Thank you, thank you." The man started, lips curving upward just an inch, keeping to his usual, cool demeanor. "It's been quite a while since I've seen Kanto's Coordinators show off the beauty of their pokemon, and the love they both share. I'm looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible next week on Cinnabar Island. Now, remember to train hard, but keep in touch with your pokemon. That's the true key to unlocking a pokemon's appeal."
Leaning forward, Ash nudged Dawn's rib with his elbow, a cheeky smile forming. "Pretty cool that we got that advice face to face before everyone else did, huh?"
"Yeah," Dawn mouthed, though her complete fixation on the screen was enough to tell that she wasn't truly paying attention.
"You heard it straight from the Contest Master himself! Now, coordinators, get out there and make the best of your time with your pokemon so you can give us a great performance at the big event!" Lilian took over, winking at the camera. An emblem in the shape of the Wallace Cup Ribbon flashed on the screen, concluding the announcement.
"I can't believe it… Another Wallace Cup, and I'll get the chance to enter!"
"Isn't that awesome!? I bet you'll win this one, too." Ash chimed in, giving Dawn a pat on the shoulder.
"I'll definitely give it my all! Oh, man, it's so exciting… And… Ah! It's so soon! I haven't had any time to prepare!" Dawn blurted out, nearly falling backwards out of her seat.
"We'll hardly have any time there, even if we rush… How am I going to get a routine ready in time? We've barely had time to train lately with everything that's going on... " Somewhere between guilty and hysteric, the coordinator slumped down with a glazed expression.
"Hey, take it easy." Ash blinked, retracting his hand from her shrinking form. "Your pokemon have been only getting stronger and more skilled, with all of our battling, anyway!"
"I'm going to have to second that," another voice chimed in, more motherly than the last. Nurse Joy had left her perch behind the counter, approaching the duo and their pokemon. "It's not going to help you to get so nervous all of the sudden. Besides, getting there might not take quite as long as you think. There'll be a ferry leaving from the Seafoam Islands tomorrow that'll be heading towards Cinnabar! As long as you hurry and make it on time, you'll on a steady course to arrive with time to spare." Nurse Joy informed, a finger raised. She may have been running a Pokemon Center, but she couldn't very well leave a fretting trainer be, either.
"Hey, that's great! The Seafoam Islands aren't all that far from here, either!" Ash grinned. "Besides, Cinnabar Island is where I'm gonna have my next Gym Battle!" If anything, this just meant getting there faster, which was fine with him!
"Really? Oh, thank you, Nurse Joy. That's great news!" Dawn bowed her head to the authority, partly out of respect, but also to hide the growing streak of scarlet across her face. Freaking out like that had been a little embarrassing…
"The ferry should be leaving at noon tomorrow. I suggest you get a head start so you won't be rushing when it comes in! A little time at Seafoam Islands should do you some good."
"Really? What's so special about them?" Dawn perked up, her blush beginning to fade.
"They're like a vacation spot! There's a couple of really chilly caves off on the edge, but most of it feels like summer, almost year round! My mom used to take me there when I was a kid to see the beaches." Whether Ash knew it or not, a smile was spreading from cheek to cheek. "They have some pretty good food, too! I did some training there while I was waiting for my first shot at the Indigo League."
"Pika…" Pikachu shot his trainer an incredulous look. What they did there could hardly be described as training.
"Quiet, buddy," Ash whispered, angling a hand to hide his conversations from the others. Their older habits weren't something everyone else to know.
"Hey, that sounds great! We could get some fresh air and sunshine while we wait for the ferry. I guess there really was no need to worry after all, was there?" Bashful, Dawn folded her arms behind her back.
"You bet. Besides, remember what Wallace said? We could use this time to just kick back and have fun with our pokemon! You're not gonna win the cup if you guys are too high-strung."
Satisfied with her salvation of the conversation, Nurse Joy let out a giggle, returning to the counter. "If you have any problems, feel free to let me know, but the path to the islands is pretty straight forward! A bridge connects it to Fuschia for travelers that don't have water pokemon to take them there."
"You've got a point, Ash… And, in that case, we should probably get moving! I want to be ready for the big event!" Dawn sprung from her seat, confidence renewed. "You ready to dazzle them, Empoleon?"
"Pol! Poleon!" The Emperor pokemon bounced from where he sat, clanging his two large wings together. He was ready to wow that huge crowd a second time, and bring home the gold!
"Hm… If we want to chill out and enjoy our day off, maybe we should find the fastest way over?" Dawn reasoned. Even if there was a bridge, walking would likely take a while.
"Why don't we fly over on some of our pokemon? You have Togekiss…" Ash sprung from his feet, eyes growing wide. "...And, I don't have any pokemon for that kind of thing right now! I guess I better go talk to Professor Oak quick."
After a quick chat and exchange and speedy flight on Charizard and Togekiss, the trainers arrived at the end of the bridge to the Seafoam Islands.
"What a view," Dawn cooed, absently scratching under Togekiss's chin as she looked down from the grassy knoll to the gorgeous beach city. "Thanks for flying me over here, Togekiss. It's beautiful."
"Toge," the pokemon politely replied, happy to be of service.
"It's good to see it again, huh, Charizard?" Ash pitched in. He turned to his big fire type, flashing a grin. "Thanks for your help, buddy."
"Pi! Pika!" the mouse chirped gratefully.
Charizard merely closed his eyes, huffing out a cloud of smoke. He accepted their thanks.
"Well, let's get you put up while we head into town. See you in a bit!" Ash said, bidding farewell before he returned his pokemon.
Dawn followed suit. "I'm gonna let Empoleon out, but I'll see you later, Togekiss!" Dawn promised. As quick as she'd returned her fairy type, she released her starter.
Empoleon took one look at the beach and already had his heart set on going there. "Empo…"
"We're gonna go!" Dawn assured.
"After we get some lunch!" Ash interrupted.
Dawn looked at him, expression shocked somehow. "Are you seriously hungry already?!"
"It's been, like, three hours since we last ate!" Ash argued.
"Pikaka," Pikachu joined in, begging. He dramatically draped himself across Ash's shoulder, clutching his stomach.
Joining the rest of the boys, Empoleon leaned against Dawn.
"Empoleon, get off, you're heavy!" Dawn whined.
"Poleon… Empo!" he lamented, raising a flipper. He was so weak and weary, so very hungry.
"Alright, alright!" Dawn squeaked, almost about to collapse under Empoleon's weight. "Let's go get some lunch!"
"Yeah!" "Pika!" "Empo!"
A bit miffed that all three of them had worked together against her, she looked off to the side. "We can't have a good time if everyone's hungry, anyway."
"Right on!"
Grabbing Dawn's hand, Ash ran down the hill. The girl struggled to keep up with him while Pikachu happily chirped at Ash's speed. Empoleon reverted to his Ice Beam-sliding combo to keep up. He didn't need to do it for long, since at the bottom of the hill, numerous shops and shacks were waiting at the beach front.
"Geez, you move fast," Dawn lamented once they'd stop, taking her hand back from Ash. She worked her shoulder over.
"Whoops," Ash apologized, "sorry." Turning his attention back to the business at hand, Ash walked slowly down the wooden platform. He scanned each vendor's sign and offered menu, evaluating whether he wanted to eat there or not.
Lagging behind him, Dawn decided to window shop at the non-food vendors. Some had cute swimsuits while others boasted lovely sun dresses. If she had more room in her bag, she might have stopped to pick some up. As it was, she was rather tight on space.
"This is it!" Ash shouted, pointing at the vendor before him and, by extension, the very startled teenage boy manning the register of which.
Dawn walked over, reading the name of the eatery outloud. "Exploud Ernie's Earnest Eats: A Harmless, Wholesome Hunter-Relief." She quirked a brow before turning to the sole visible staff member. "What's that mean?"
"Uh… the boss, he's got a real strict no violence policy. He don't even show battles when it's league season if he knows one of the battlers does unethical stuff… All the food here? Good. Real good. Good source, good methods, good service." The kid shrugged. "A li'l different in what we service, though."
Ash, however, seemed to be gleaming. "A man who truly cares about pokemon… And, a menu I can chow down on! It's a trainer's dream restaurant!"
"What other trainer has a dream restaurant…?" Dawn wondered.
Empoleon began to raise his flipper.
"You aren't a trainer," Dawn interjected.
"So, uh, what can I get for you?" the server inquired.
"I'll take… a sweet potato-avocado burger, fried mushrooms, onion rings, seaweed chips and fries, and the sea cakes! With the team pleaser platter!" Ash rattled all of this off with vigor, getting out his wallet happily.
The boy blinked. "... O-Okay, guy." He quickly rang Ash up and got the money before hanging the order on the line for the kitchen staff. "And, you, miss?"
"I'll take the team pleaser platter with a slice of the barbeque cauliflower pizza and some chili peanuts." She hoped that would taste good. She only picked it because the picture of it looked nice.
The boy did just as he had before with Dawn. He handed the trainers two cups. "The drink machine is over on the side in the eating area. There's a water fountain for the pokemon around back. We'll bring your order to you, so don't wander off, okay?"
"Okay!" the two answered in unison.
Walking over to the back, Dawn couldn't help but smile at the area behind the shack. With a good view of the beach from the seating area, but thick grass around the fountain for the comfort of their pokemon, she couldn't help but feel comfortable already!
"Hey," Ash offered, "I'll get our drinks if you let out our pokemon." He shrugged off his backpack, offering it to her.
Taking it, she nodded. "It's a deal! I want something peach flavored!"
While Ash went to fill their cups up, Dawn sat down his bag on the nearest wooden table before putting her bag down by it. Slowly but surely, she released all of their teams. Pikachu and Togekiss tried to keep the group calm while they waited. Buneary sat as near to Pikachu as she could without him reacting too much. Empoleon was happily chattering with Rosa and Primeape. Mamoswine impatiently waited for his lunch alongside Charizard, though it was clear that Charizard was quickly losing patience for Mamoswine's food aggression. Quilava expressed fascination with Torkoal's shell while Gliscor lapped thirstily from the large water fountain.
Dawn watched it all fondly. It made her rather happy that her and Ash's teams got along well together.
"Well, they look happy," Ash said aloud, snapping Dawn out of her momentary calm. He jerked a thumb over to the table when he got her attention. "They had this peach-mango juice? I dunno if it's any good. I got root beer."
"Oh! Okay, thanks," Dawn accepted, walking back to the table.
Ash followed, sitting by her. Together, they just watched their pokemon.
"Oh, Charizard's getting mad… Look at the way his tail's twitching. He keeps flexing his hands," Ash pointed out, resting his chin in one hand.
Dawn nodded. "And… Mamoswine's still oblivious to it."
Charizard finally stomped away from Mamoswine, laying down by himself.
"Guess he got tired of it."
She giggled. "He did good, though."
He snorted. "Yeah. No one got attacked, so, he's doing better."
Suddenly, a rather burly looking man with a magnificently coiffed mustache walked out, carrying one heavily laden platter in one hand. Behind him was the front counter boy, carrying two watermelons. Two girls followed out after, carrying two buckets of pokechow with them.
"You!" the man howled. "Did you order all of this?!"
Dawn's eyes went wide. Did he mean them?
Ash gulped before nodding. "Uh… yeah?"
The man walked over, heavy footfalls sending tremors through the wooden platform. His staff hurriedly provided the pokemon with their food. Out of the corner of his eye, Ash could see that Togekiss had to make Mamoswine not stampede one of the poor chefs while she was putting down the bucket.
"You…!" the chef dragged on, putting down the large tray of food that had both Ash and Dawn's food on it. "... Are a very bold young man. No one else except my staff orders my sea cakes. Everyone always wants Krabby cakes, but I will not serve them. How can I serve Krabby cakes? Pokemon are our friends."
Just as quickly as he'd dramatically made himself known, the man turned into a babbling brook, crossing his arms indignantly. In the background, his staff returned to the pokemon's eating area with the last half of the team pleaser platters.
"A man with a good heart such as myself cannot make them, and you must be a man with a good heart if you canot eat them!" he continued.
"This must be the boss," Dawn whispered.
Ash nodded in acknowledgement before answering the man. "Yeah! I love pokemon, but I love food, too! You can do good by both, right?"
"Right!" the man agreed. "Well, I must get back to work. Please enjoy your meal."
After the calm settled, the two trainers looked to each other.
"Well, they seem nice," Dawn lamely said.
Ash jerked a thumb to their teams. "Their food does, too. Just look at 'em, chowing down! There isn't a squabble among 'em!"
It was true. Though Pikachu was trying to puzzle through the exact angle to slice the watermelons they'd been given so that everyone could get a slice, it was still incredibly peaceful. The food must have been very good to get such a calm out of even Charizard and Mamoswine.
"Well, I'm gonna dig in, then!" the Pallet native enthused before dragging the paper wrapped item that read "swpt hb." Quickly unwrapping it, Ash was treated to a mouth watering sight. It smelled sweet but a little spicy. Biting into it, he found that the bread was carefully toasted and that the sweet potato patty was thoroughly laden with just the right mixture of cinnamon and cayenne. The avocado slices on top as well as the rest of the garnishments helped knock the heat down enough to where it wasn't a bother to eat.
"I'm in heaven," Ash mumbled between bites. Maybe he should call his mom and give her the idea to try cooking something like this…
Dawn raised an eyebrow. "You definitely look like it." Deciding that she should get in on the action, she delicately picked up her fragrant slice of pizza. The blue cheese crumbles on top of the mild, melted pepper-jack already had her mouth watering before she even opened it. Biting into the tasty treat, she suddenly realized what Ash meant. The smoky chunks of cauliflower blended it perfectly with the herb rich tomato paste and slightly salty pizza crust.
Normally not one to talk with food in her mouth, even Dawn couldn't hold back. "Oh my gosh… This is so good."
Already half way done with his burger, Ash shoveled in a few of the fried mushrooms. Light, a little moist, and slightly tangy, they helped clean his palette a little bit. "I know, right?!"
"We've gotta come back here some day."
The crisp symphony of fresh onion ring skin begin crunched between Ash's teeth rang out through the area. "I'm for it! I loved this place as a kid, but I never knew this place was here! If it's gotten this much better over time, I can only wonder what the rest of the place is like."
Nibbling on a shockingly spicy chili peanut, Dawn coughed for a moment before agreeing. "I bet it's great!" She sipped from her juice blend. Not as good as the food, admittedly, but she guessed she could just go to a regular soda when she finished it off. "This'll be great for our pokemon."
Ash popped a fried slice of seaweed into his mouth. It had the consistency and nearly the flavor of fish. "And, us. I don't know about you, but I'm still kinda…"
"From yesterday?" she finished, pausing in her meal.
"Yeah," he answered. He picked up one of the sea cakes and ate it. It was wonderfully flaky.
The solemn moment was interrupted by Torkoal's approach. Totting a pokechow kibble bit in his beak, the pokemon put it on the table, looking fondly up at Ash.
"... Oh, buddy, did you bring that for me?!"
Already processing what was about to happen, Dawn's eyes went wide. "Ash, don't you dare-!"
But, it was too late. Popping the morsel into his mouth, Ash chewed the kibble, seemingly enjoying it. "Oh, it's cheese flavored! Thanks. Here, have one of my sea cakes!"
Wagging his barely visible tail, Torkoal took the offered food happily before scampering back to the other pokemon.
Dawn stared wide eyed at Ash. "I can't believe you ate that."
"Is Torkoal back with the others?"
"Yeah."
Ash quickly picked up his drink and alternated between swishing that around his mouth and eating the onion rings. "Disgusting…! That's… the worst cheese I've ever had ever!" he snarled, trying to keep quiet so he didn't upset his generous but sensitive party member.
"Why'd you eat it, then?!" she asked.
"Torkoal gave it to me… He obviously liked it. Wouldn't it be mean to refuse it?"
"I guess… Here, have a peanut. They're strongly flavored, so that'll take the taste away."
Ash did as she suggested before blinking. "Whoa, nice. Trade you for my seaweed chips and fries."
"Haha, just eat as much as you want. I think I'll grab some of what you had if you don't mind, though, yeah."
Picking through the ends of each other's meals, the two quickly found themselves getting full.
"Hm… You know, back on what we were talking about earlier. We did promise to train harder. So, what better way to work off some of this meal than with a battle? Plus, it's kind of relaxing to have an intense one. I feel better after. I think it's cathartic or something."
"I don't know about carts, but I'm always down for a battle, especially if it means no repeats for last time." Ash turned to the pokemon. "Hey, guys, you wanna battle?!"
Most of the pokemon cheered. Charizard, however, took one look at the pokemon involved before snorting. It had taken three of Dawn's pokemon to take him down when he wasn't trying last time. No matter how highly Ash valued Dawn's friendship, he wasn't about to hold back again for a battle with her.
Spreading his wings, the dragon quickly found himself a nearby tree and stubbornly sat there.
Walking away from their table, Ash and Dawn headed to the large, empty field between the beach walk and the city itself.
"Aw, Charizard, don't be like that!" Ash adjusted his cap, looking up at his temperamental fire type.
"Char!"
Ash crossed his arms. "I'm not sure exactly what you said, but I bet it was rude…"
Dawn shook her head. Somehow, she felt suspicious of Charizard's reasons. But, she supposed she didn't have nearly enough evidence to say anything right now. "It's fine. We can just use three each instead of six, huh?"
"That's fine," Ash agreed. He looked to his pokemon, trying to decide who to use. "Rosa… You're still a little sore after yesterday, huh? You're still really young. Say, why don't you watch me and Dawn battle this time?"
The puppy nodded, though she was a little disappointed. She had her new training anklet on! She wanted to see if she did better with it. But, she supposed she could wait.
"Buneary, you got beat up really badly, too. Why don't you help Rosa spot some of our techniques, hm?"
Buneary tilted her head before nodding in agreement. She could do that. If Pikachu was battling, she could cheer him on. If he wasn't, maybe they could sit together!
"Torkoal… Haha, I think he's asleep."
"Quilava's knocked out, too," Dawn noted.
The two fire types were indeed snoozing right by each other.
"Clefairy and Togekiss… Who wants to go, girls?" Dawn asked. Ash had already narrowed down his party into a suitable team.
Togekiss looked to Clefairy. The two reached a consensus very quickly.
"Toge."
"Cool!" Dawn enthused. "I've got Empoleon, Togekiss, and Mamoswine."
"I'll use Pikachu, Gliscor, and Primeape," Ash clarified.
"I know we'll both be honest, so we don't need a referee." Dawn took several steps away from Ash, making a clearing between the two of them as they stood in the empty field.
"Whaddya say we start out strong? Pikachu, you're up first, buddy!" Ash grinned, pointing forward with the arm that his companion stood upon for support.
"Pika!" The mouse chimed, eager to battle. Dashing down his trainer's arm, he launched into the air before landing on all fours. "Pika, Pikachu!" He allowed sparks to dance from his cheeks, a smirk fitted on his lips. It'd been quite a while since he'd had a real battle. This was long overdue!
"Sounds good to me! In that case…. Empoleon, show us your stuff!" Dawn shouted, winding up her starter's pokeball before tossing it forward, calling upon him.
"Empol!" The water type jeered, clanging his two wings together in a show of rowdiness. Spotting his opponent, Empoleon grinned. "Poleon!" It'd been a while since he sparred with his best friends. It was time to show Pikachu how strong he'd gotten!
"Looks like you guys are as hyped as we are!" Ash observed, adjusting his cap atop his head. "So, we're not gonna let you down! Pikachu, let's start this with Quick Attack!".
The yellow bolted tail rose, ears tucking behind Pikachu's head. His hind legs crouched before springing out, launching him at speeds that made the ground below him crumble.
A blinding gold and silver stream of light darted in, smashing Empoleon right in his midsection. the penguin squawked in pain, taking a few angry, disoriented steps backwards. Coughing, he gawked at the mouse that stood before him on all fours, looking smug as could be.
Dawn could only blink, eyes wide at a scene that had unfolded in the blink of an eye. "I could hardly even see him… Is that how fast Pikachu is!?" She hadn't seen that sort of agility since the match with Surge… Maybe that creep and his much more likeable Raichu were at a higher level than she'd judged. "Hey, hold on. Were you guys holding back last time!?"
Ash flinched. Tugging at the collar of his jacket, he averted his eyes.
Pikachu mirrored his trainer, rubbing the back of his head.
"We just, uh…"
"I get it… That's just how strong you are." What had been a flicker of indignation quelled in Dawn, a smile knitting its way across her face. 'With the way his pokemon have been battling, I shouldn't be surprised… You really outdid yourself, didn't you, Ash?' Feeling an oddly placed sense of pride, Dawn felt her brows lower. "You guys may be stronger, but don't count us out yet! If I'm going to be Top Coordinator, we've got to be at the top of our game!"
Ash's shoulders dipped, a sense of relief washing over. At least she wasn't mad. "But first, the Wallace Cup, right?" Offering a cheeky grin, he threw a hand forward. "Quick Attack, again!"
"Quick! Block it with both fins using Metal Claw!" Dawn hastily ordered.
Watching his best friend crouch once more, Empoleon took haste to guard himself, the tips of his wings taking on a silver glow.
His defense was soon greeted with a swift, full-body attack, forcing his stance to waver. Talons dug through the ground that he was pushed back across, crossed extremities struggling to hold off the unusually strong skull that Pikachu used as a weapon.
But Empoleon got tired of defending. "Pol!" He cried, throwing his wings forward. Pikachu could be seen recoiling off the parry, only to be brutally smacked into the ground by Metal Claw.
"Good one, Empoleon!" Dawn praised. Time to gain momentum. "Now, Whirlpool!"
"Polll~!" Empoleon cried, both wings raised above his head. With a shout, he conjured a large, roaring whirlpool, siccing it on Pikachu with the motion of an overhead throw.
Still coming to his senses, Pikachu let out a cry that was quickly deafened by the roaring waters, caught up in a moving, twisting cyclone. Irritated as he was tossed and knocked about, the mouse's cheeks began to crackle.
Ash didn't need to think twice, throwing his arms outward. "Break out with Thunderbolt!"
Pikachu shrieked, unleashing a golden fury from his body. The Whirlpool was quickly blown away, powerless under the might of the mouse that landed on his hind legs.
"Hey, not bad! You've really powered up, Empoleon!" Ash grinned.
"Pol!" The Emperor pokemon boasted, puffing his chest out.
A bead of sweat rolled down Dawn's cheek. "Modesty isn't his strong point, that's for sure."
"Let's just see how he holds up against us. Pikachu, Iron Tail! Back to back!"
"Chuaaa…!" Pikachu beamed as well, leaping towards his opponent.
"Fight it with Metal Claw!" Dawn threw a finger forward.
"Pol!" Empoleon squawked, throwing both of his wings outward. Both of them were coated in metal, their reinforcement quickly put to work. Clashing with the aggressive attack by Pikachu, he dug his talons into the ground before swinging his opposite wing at the mouse.
As quickly as he'd been parried, Pikachu turned to clash his tail with the next attack. Teeth grit, he pressed his weight down on Empoleon, forcing the penguin back before twisting around with another Iron Tail.
If Empoleon could, he'd likely be sweating bullets. Just as he forced off the weight of one Iron Tail, he was left dealing with another. Growing indignant, he allowed one flipper to take the full pressure of Iron Tail. Beginning to lose his center of gravity, the Emperor pokemon took the opportunity to smash Pikachu with his opposite extremity.
Pikachu was startled, his ears ringing as he spun back from the counterattack.
"Hey, not bad… Pikachu, let's kick it into high gear! Give 'em an Iron Tail they won't forget!"
"Pika!" Landing on his hind legs and an outstretched paw, Pikachu quickly returned to the fray, launching off a twisted hip to pummel Empoleon with his tail. He turned into a whirling fury of metal-clad strikes, barraging the water type's guarding limbs with one blow after the next.
Empoleon's wings, even with their new coating, were beginning to grow numb. Letting down his guard just for a moment, the proud pokemon was greeted with the sight of an overhead Iron tail slamming into his skull.
"Pol…!" He whined, sent flying back under Pikachu's strength. Digging his claws into the ground as he went, Empoleon finally came to a stop, and he was beginning to see red. Sure, Pikachu had always been a few steps ahead of him since they'd met… But even after evolving twice, it felt like the gap between them had only grown larger.
His pride was hurt, but he couldn't help but smile from one edge of his beak to the other.
Dawn didn't have a hard time judging her partner's thoughts. "They're really testing us, aren't they?" Brushing a long, blue bang away from her forehead, Dawn narrowed her eyes upon their friends. "...Then we'll just have to try harder! Empoleon, Hydro Pump!"
"Empoleon!" He squawked, firing a terribly powerful jet of water from his beak.
"That's the way to go," Ash goaded. "Pikachu, fire back with Thunderbolt!"
"Chu!" Pikachu shrieked, firing off a golden maelstrom of electricity.
Water clashed with electricity center stage, the two powerful moves testing their mettle.
Thunderbolt cleanly cut through Hydro Pump, splitting the jet clean in two, not unlike the precision of a Scyther's Slash attack. It made its way across with just as much speed, too.
Both Dawn and Empoleon gawked, their hearts nearly jumping out of their chests.
The latter acted quickly, raising a steel-lathered ling to block the bolt's impact.
A numbing current was sent down the Emperor's spine, though it wasn't nearly as agonizing as he'd feared. Instead, golden currents flickered about his wing like Venomoth to a flame, contained by what basically doubled as a lightning rod.
"...! Good thinking, Empoleon!" Dawn exhaled. She could've sworn she was ready to have a heart attack, right there. "If you can catch it, maybe… Quick! Throw it right back at Pikachu!" She improvised, throwing a hand outward.
Mimicking his trainer's gesture, Empoleon lurched outward, swinging his limb at the mouse.
A golden flash enveloped Pikachu instead, forcing the bracing electric type to ride out his own potent current. Eyes shut tight and limbs curled in, Pikachu bore the pressure before throwing his limbs outward.
"Pika!" He roared, dispersing what was left of the attack with sheer will. "Chu…" His lips curved upward, stout body hedged by a few errant flickers of static.
"That Thunderbolt… I-it would've been over for us if we didn't avoid it!" Dawn stammered, hindered by a slack jaw. "I guess it slipped by me not only how fast Pikachu is… But how powerful he is, too!" Truly, Dawn and Empoleon were outgunned.
'There's no chance of us overpowering them now, so it's not gonna help to worry about it. I guess if we want to win, we're going to have to change gears!' Dawn concluded, blue brows furrowing.
"...Alright, Empoleon! Ice Beam!"
"Empol!" Empoleon fired a bitter-cold beam of energy, his sight set on Pikachu.
"Dodge it!" Ash threw a hand out.
Pikachu zipped to the side, avoiding a chasing stream of freezing energy that couldn't quite catch him.
"Give us another one, Empoleon!"
"Pol!" A second beam was fired, aimed at where Pikachu now stood.
"You know what to do, Pikachu!"
Pikachu's agility was put to work, a rather high jump keeping him well out of Ice Beam's range.
The penguin-and-mouse chase continued with one shot of cold after another, with a stubborn Empoleon falling short each time.
"That attack's pretty good," Ash praised. "But you're not gonna catch Pikachu at this rate."
Dawn's lids fell shut, a smug smile and a wagging finger answering Ash. "I wasn't trying to!"
That was enough to tip Ash off. finally, he realized the problem. Pikachu was barely staying on his feet on what the field had now become; a wide-reaching, thick sheet of ice. Small frozen spires and chunks broke up the smooth battlefield, leaving Ash fighting a battle much like Pryce's Gym, or Candice's. "Oh, boy… Smooth." He cracked a smile. That was clever.
Pikachu was preoccupied with the field on which he stood, trying his best not to slip and fall. Fortunately, had made him very acquainted with frozen tundra, lending him the experience to at least hold his ground.
But, it was rather obvious who held the advantage in this fray.
"Now, the field is ours, Empoleon! Slide on in there and show 'em what you're made of!"
Gleeful, Empoleon dove onto the ice, sliding across the surface on his belly. Veering from one direction to the next with simple tilts of his wings, he moved about the makeshift rink with ease.
"Good, now use Steel Wing!"
"Dodge it, Pikachu!"
Pikachu made a quick attempt to steady himself, leaping backwards.
Unfortunately, Empoleon was far too quick on the ice. Sweeping by, he held out his silver-gilded wings, smashing Pikachu with his right limb as he passed on by. Knocking Pikachu into the air.
"Pika…!" Pikachu shrieked, skidding about as he landed. The momentum had packed quite a punch.
"Good, now come back around!" Dawn ordered.
Pushing off one of the spires with his wing,Empoleon turned, zipping back towards Pikachu.
"If you can't dodge, then get him with Thunderbolt!"
"Pika…!" Pikachu cried, electricity building around his form.
Before the electric type could retaliate, a second strike of Empoleon's wings sent him reeling.
Watching Pikachu land on the ice once more, Ash bared his canines. "He's too fast like that… Pikachu, dodge the next one with Quick Attack!"
"Pikachu!" Pikachu sprung off his paws, carried quickly away from Empoleon.
"They're still pretty fast… But this is our field! Empoleon, Hydro Pump!"
"Pol!" The Emperor pokemon fired.
By now, Pikachu had begun to skid to a halt, attempting to gain control of the speed he'd built.
Out of the corner of his eye, he was only barely able to spot the attack coming his way, the wind knocked out of him as the jet swept him into its ruthless current. Before Pikachu know it, he'd been knocked up against a rather large chunk of ice.
"Pikachu's getting knocked around like a Boccer ball!" Ash remarked, gawking at the scene.
"We told you this wasn't going to be easy," Dawn interjected. "Empoleon, Whirlpool!"
Empoleon threw his wings over his head, a shrill cry preceding the giant whirlpool that was fired at Pikachu.
"Who said I doubted ya?" Ash countered, a smile picking up on his lips. "We aren't either. Electro Ball!"
Pushing himself up, Pikachu raised his tail, quickly conjuring a golden ball of lightning.
"Chu… Pi!" Pikachu shrieked, lurching his tail forward. The launch knocked him back, slamming his small body against the ice behind him.
Noting the recoil, Ash blinked.
Electro Ball was caught up in the typhoon, unleashing its electric charge into the rushing water. It spun and spun, soon exploding in a huge, blinding flash.
"Well, that didn't work…" Dawn trailed off, discouraged. "Empoleon, slide on through!"
Empoleon wasn't deterred. Launching onto his belly into the smoke, he made for Pikachu like a sliding torpedo on ice.
"We've gotta get out of there, and quick…" Ash clenched his fist, mind racing for options. The collision just moments ago tipped him off. "Alright, Pikachu! Use Electro Ball, right below you!"
Pikachu didn't question his trainer's scheming. Another electric charge built up on his tail, lifted above before Pikachu slammed it into the icy ground with a vertical strike with his tail.
Empoleon shrieked, skidding to a halt as he was assaulted by residual static.
Pikachu emerged from the debris, launched high above the smoky battlefield.
"He got away…!" Dawn gawked, then throwing an open hand towards Pikachu. "Ice Beam!"
Shaking his head to regain composure, Empoleon turned his attention on his fleeing friend.
Another freezing beam was fired into the air.
Airborne, there was little Pikachu could do to avoid the incoming attack. His eyes grew wide.
"Use another Electro Ball," Ash ordered. "To the right!"
A second attack was shot away from Pikachu, launching his light body out of Ice Beam's way.
"Ash isn't messing around," Dawn frowned. "Catch him this time, with Steel Wing!"
"Empoleon!" The penguin crouched, leaping into the air above with reinforced limbs.
"One more time! Electro Ball!" Ash ordered, punching the air.
"Chu…. Pi!" Pikachu cried, for a third time attacking with a condensed orb of electricity.
Empoleon had just been too slow. pulverized by the electric attack.
Falling out of the smoke with trailing wisps of grey, the Emperor pokemon collapsed.
"Aw, man… Empoleon!" Dawn fretted, rushing over to her partner. Cradling him, she was left with a resigned smile. His eyes had turned to swirls. "You really gave it your all there, huh…? Thanks."
Pikachu, meanwhile, landed upon the battlefield, which had already begun to melt under the spring-time sun. Huffing and puffing, he wiped some sweat from his brow. To say that he'd been busy moving was quite an understatement.
His injuries, however, were limited to a few scratches.
"Awesome job, Pikachu!" Ash beamed, lavishing his companion with praise. "Man… That battle was really intense, Dawn. You guys really outdid yourselves!"
Dawn, who had now returned her starter to her pokeball, courtesy of Buneary, stood. "Looks like Pikachu came out the clear winner… Thanks, though! We really gave it our all. Pikachu's amazing!"
Even if she'd lost, Dawn couldn't help but swell a little in pride. She'd actually put a little pressure on Pallet's unstoppable duo. Even when Pikachu was putting in more effort.
"We did our best!" Ash chimed, resting his hands upon his hips. "You ready for the next round?"
"You bet! Togekiss, spotlight!"
As she was called upon, Togekiss fluttered over. Her pure white wings flapped ever so slightly, carrying her above the field that the battle was taking place on.
Similarly, Ash called upon Gliscor with an adjustment of his brim. "Gliscor, I choose you!"
Leaping off the ground, Gliscor snaked into the air, taking wing much quicker than Togekiss. The flying scorpion's eyes zeroed in on his opponent, tongue poking out curiously to sample the air.
"The air's kinda stale here… Gliscor, let's start off with Tailwind!" Ash already knew that Togekiss could handle a few blows, so they'd just overwhelm her. Besides, a speedy offense was Ash's specialty.
"If it's prep time we're getting, might as well use it," Dawn decided. She knew enough about Gliscor's moveset to be cautious. "Togekiss, use Safeguard!"
Closing her eyes, Togekiss crossed her wings briefly before quickly flapping them open. A light armor-aura of green surrounded her with small sparkles twinkling off her body. Meanwhile, Gliscor whipped up a spirited gale wind. The grasses of the field bent under the force and both trainers' clothing flapped a bit. The two flying types locked eyes after their moves were completed.
If Dawn wanted to play defensively, Ash would be sure to keep her on the ropes. "Stone Edge! She's slow, Gliscor! Keep her moving!"
"Break 'em with Aura Sphere!" Dawn countered.
The two pokemon obeyed. Gliscor lifted his claws, orchestrating a volley of large stones to fly up to Togekiss. The fairy type, for her part, mostly remained in place, blasting the occasional stone with Aura Sphere when she knew she would not be able to dodge.
Seeing that Togekiss was busy with the rocks, Ash saw ample opportunity for another strike. "Poison Jab!"
Dawn wasn't exactly shocked that Ash did that. Rather, she was frustrated. Right now, Togekiss was busy trying to dodge the remainder of Gliscor's Stone Edge move. "Togekiss, look out!" Would she be able to dodge it, though?
She was trying, at least.
Heeding Dawn's order, Togekiss barely dodged Gliscor's first swipe with Poison Jab. For her efforts, though, a wing was clipped by one of the last rocks jutting up from Stone Edge. Her reflexive recoiling from the collision sent her straight into Gliscor's waiting pincers. He wrapped his arms around the struggling white flying type, digging his tail into her side. However, the hit was partially in vain.
Her Safeguard thankfully kept Gliscor's poison from sinking into her skin, but the sheer force of impact with which Gliscor had tried to dig his stinger into her side still hurt.
"Toge!" she cried out. Struggling more, she finally freed herself.
"Glisc…" the ground type mumbled in confusion. Well, that was a little disappointing..
"It's fine, Gliscor!" Ash yelled with a wave of his hand. "You got in some good blows! That' all that matters!"
"Gliscor!" the pokemon replied, thoroughly encouraged.
Dawn stepped forward a bit, a balled fist raised in concern. "You got hit pretty hard, huh?" she asked.
"Kiss…" the flying type trailed off.
"Don't worry! We'll hit 'em back just as hard! Use Sky Attack!"
"Ge!" Flying up higher, Togekiss's previous green aura expanded, growing paler until it was a light mint green. Sky Attack's larger aura left a glittering trail behind, the two move's glamorous natures combining into a truly stunning look.
"Whoa… I didn't know it was gonna do that," Dawn uttered in awe.
"You mean you never tried mixing them before?" Ash asked from across the way.
Dawn frowned. "Well, normally, I use Safeguard for one turn. It's really supposed to block out moves like Toxic or stuff that causes burns, but most trainers force their pokemon to really concentrate it so that it works like a Protect ripoff." She crossed her arms. "So, excuse me for not knowing!"
"Hey, no need to get defensive… Togekiss is doing that enough for you," Ash said, trying to lighten the mood back up.
"Togekiss is doing enough of what?"
But, it was too late.
"Gliscor, Fire Fang!"
As Togekiss began to execute her Sky Attack, Gliscor's mouth began billowing flames from his sharp teeth. Flying down like a mint green bullet, the fairy type collided with Gliscor with enough force to piledrive them towards the ground. Thankfully for both, Togekiss disengaged just in time.
Unfortunately for Togekiss, Gliscor followed her, chomping down on a wing with his Fire Fang.
"Gliscor!"
"Toge!"
Despite the incredible force of her Sky Attack, it wasn't enough to even make Gliscor hesitate in retaliating.
"No need to worry! Just give him a taste of your Aura Sphere if they like using their mouths so much!" Dawn instructed, raising a fist.
No sooner said than done; Togekiss clapped her wings together as soon as Gliscor backed off of her. The energy ball slammed into the ground type with satisfying results: he was sent tumbling back, knocked down to earth. Togekiss promptly took off into the skies, avoiding her opponent.
Ash tilted his head, eyes on the white form in the air. "There's no hiding up there. Gliscor, use Stone Edge again! Then," he said, more quietly, "when she's getting tired, go use Poison Jab again."
"I can hear what you're saying, you know," Dawn stated.
"I know. Togekiss is the one who isn't supposed to know. Unless you warn her," Ash pointed out with a sly grin.
Ash shifted the decision onto her. She looked up, time ticking down as Gliscor's Stone Edges began to launch. She couldn't tell if Togekiss's Safeguard was still in effect or not with how high up she was against the blue sky. If it was still in effect, it would be better for her to tango with Gliscor's Poison Jab. If not, then she should risk getting hit by a rock or two to put some distance between herself and Gliscor.
What a decision to make… "Togekiss! Dodge those rocks!" She had to hope Safeguard was still working.
High in the sky, Togekiss obeyed, beginning to weave in and out of the rocks. It was hard work, but she was doing her best. She couldn't let Dawn down. Meanwhile, she was aware of a speck of purple rapidly approaching her. Before she could do anything, though, it was upon her.
Gliscor stopped his ascent when he was above Togekiss, surveying her struggle to move among his stones. He followed her flight pattern, discovering a delightful bit of information: she had no outline of green anymore. Readying his stinger once more, the ground type tackled her mid-flight, once again grappling her. He executed Poison Jab without hesitation.
"Kiss!" the flying type cried out.
Gliscor released her, retreating.
A sickly warmth rushed to Togekiss's cheeks and she fluttered her eyes weakly. She had been poisoned.
It was a direct hit. Ash couldn't help but be excited. "Alright, Gliscor! Finish her off with Fire Fang!"
Dawn's eyes widened. "Togekiss, retreat! Use Air Slash to cover your trail!"
She tried to obey. However, flying away from a faster pokemon on top of trying to attack back proved almost impossible. Togekiss fired off one Air Slash that Gliscor easily dodged before he was upon her, chomping down with another Fire Fang.
With that, the last of Togekiss's strength was sapped.
"... Her pokeball!" Dawn shouted, looking over to her bag on the table while Togekiss began tumbling towards the ground.
"Crap," Ash muttered. He admittedly hadn't considered that they didn't have their pokeballs on them right now. "Gliscor, catch her!"
Gliscor dived, claws extended to reach for Togekiss's wings. Reaching out, he followed her in her quick descent down. The earth was approaching as he barely grabbed onto her huge white wings. Struggling, the ground type barely slowed their fall, acting as a parachute for the two.
All the same, they landed roughly.
"Gli… Scor," the ground type complained, tongue poking out with exhaustion.
Dawn ran over to the middle of the field. "Thank you, Gliscor!" She praised. She then pet Togekiss's head. "You did good. We're going to have to work on your moves next, huh?"
Ash walked over, too. Looking the scene over, he decided to just scratch Gliscor behind the ears. "You did good, buddy. Thanks."
When she looked up, Dawn saw Buneary standing by her. In the bunny's hands was a pokeball. "Thanks, Buneary. We'll let Togekiss get a nice, long rest."
"Bun!" the normal type agreed, clapping her paws together as Togekiss was returned.
Dawn looked over to Mamoswine before gesturing for him to come over with a wave of her arms. "Mamoswine, your turn! Come on!"
"Good job, Gliscor. You can go rest with the others. Primeape, I'm choosing you, now!" Ash instructed, giving the fighting type a thumbs up.
Both pokemon mosied over, looking refreshed and ready to do battle.
Without hesitance, the coordinator claimed the opening move. With how this match was going, she had to quickly try to take down Primeape, or she'd lose three to zero! That'd be a little embarrassing. At least before, it hadn't been quite so bad… But, then again, Ash and his team had been holding back some. At full power, they were taking her down with no losses on his side.
So, she couldn't hold any punches, either. "Mamoswine, use Hidden Power on the ground!"
Stomping a foot, a sparkling orb of energy was sent out, splashing against the field to send out a shallow flood across it.
"Now, use Blizzard!"
As the quick freeze passed over them, Ash lowered his hat. "I guess she thinks she can use the same trick twice… Primeape, hang in there!"
Though his fur billowed against the chilling winds, Blizzard was rather ineffective against Primeape. It went without saying that he certainly didn't freeze.
Once the move ended, Ash looked around the field. His suspicions were confirmed. Nearly solid ice covered their battle area. "Primeape, use Overheat!" She should have already known by now: nobody beat Ash when it came to speed. Besides, controlling the battlefield was his specialty!
Primeape raised his fists before lowering them, squealing loudly. "PrimeeeeAPE!" A cannon of white-hot flames expelled from his nostrils, residual gusts of heat following the blast. The ice quickly melted and dispersed under the temperature, and Mamoswine was also singed.
"Mamo!" he cried out, pained.
Dawn balled a fist. Ash had quickly seen through her ruse, so she had to figure out another method.
However, to drive his unspoken point home, Ash didn't allow her any thinking time. She wanted to get better, so he was going to give her a run for her money. "Primeape, Mega Kick!"
Dawn's eyes widened as Primeape took a running start before kicking into Mamoswine. The less-than-gentle giant was sent stumbling back while Primeape returned to a defensive position.
"Take Down, Freight Train style!" Dawn called, reacting before she really thought it through. She had to at least get some blows back in.
Ash crossed his arms, a little proud. He rubbed his finger under his nose. "Aw, shucks, I think she's picking up my moves again."
Meanwhile, Mamoswine returned the favor from earlier with a full-on tackle. Thanks to his superior-size, he sent the Pig Monkey reeling.
Primape's fighting experience was put to work, allowing him to fall back with grace. The monkey even taunted Mamoswine upon landing safely, gesturing for the giant to come closer.
"Take the battle to him, Primeape! Use Seismic Toss!"
Running over, Primeape darted under Mamoswine's stomach. While the ground type was trying to get his bearings, Primeape tried to lift the mammoth. He tried very hard… But, Mamoswine was just incredibly heavy. Between the slippery mud and his trembling limbs, Primeape managed to keep his opponent lifted for all of five seconds. Ash and Dawn watched with equal amounts of shock.
"Wow, I guess he's kind of heavy," Ash mused.
Dawn just looked Ash's way before shaking her head. "Not everyone's freakishly strong for their kind like you are, Ash," she mumbled.
Had he heard her, Ash might've inflated his ego even further. As it was, though, he was focused on the battle. "Okay, so throwing it's not gonna work… Primeape, pull back!"
Letting out an irritated snort, the fighting type shoved Mamoswine before springing back to Ash.
"Let's put use that weight to our advantage, Mamoswine! Use Dig!"
"Mamooo!" It cried, swiftly tearing through the ground below to create his burrow.
"Watch out, Primeape. Keep your eye on any cracks in the ground!"
The Pig Monkey hopped from one foot to the next, guard raised in the typical stance of a boxer. Charcoal orbs darted from one side of the field to the next, darting for their target in an impatient frenzy.
Finally, the ground before him began to crumble. "Pri!" He screeched.
"There we go! Now, hit it with Low Sweep!" Ash commanded.
Primeape hopped back, meaning to get out of Mamoswine's range.
Unfortunately for him, Mamoswine was just too huge. Snorting, Mamoswine emerged in a terrible fury that struck Primeape head-on.
"Pri…!" The fighting type grumbled, managing to land on an unsteady leg. His eyes narrowed, his giant fuzzy form lurching forward to deliver a particularly nasty kick to Mamoswine's right foreleg.
Mamoswine squealed, relenting putting weight on the injured leg. Standing in a less-than-optimal posture, he glared daggers at Primeape. That was a dirty move.
"Ah… Mamoswine! Are you alright!?" Dawn fretted, holding a closed fist to her chest.
"That's Low Sweep… It lands the kind of hit that'll make it harder for Mamoswine to move. Now he can't use all that weight against us!" Ash explained, leaning forward at this point. Whether that kind of move was necessary was unclear, but he couldn't help but get absorbed in the match.
"What a move… Well, if we're not moving, you're not either! Mamoswine, Blizzard!"
Sufficiently provoked, Mamoswine was all too happy to summon a howling storm of ice, assaulting his hot-blooded opponent with a chilling barrage.
"Huddle up, Primeape! Keep your temperature up," Ash advised.
This time, the Pig Monkey wasn't so lucky. The mud coating his feet and splashed onto his fur was all too conductive to the cold. Solid ice began to encase his body, suspending him in an immobile, frozen state.
"Aw, no… This is bad." Ash grimaced. As it was, his teammate couldn't move a muscle.
"Now, it's our turn to land a big hit!" Dawn beamed, throwing a hand forward. "Take Down!"
Mamoswine began his thunderous stampede, drawing frighteningly close even on a bad leg.
"If we don't stop that, Primeape's finished… But, he's all chilled out… Good thing we have the perfect move for that," Ash boasted, a devious smile picking up on his lips. "Break out of there, with Overheat!"
The ice encasing the furious furball began to cascade and crack, shattering under the explosive heat expelled by the hotheaded fighter. Dulled by one prior use, though, Overheat did little to stop Mamoswine in its tracks.
For Ash, though, that wasn't a problem. "Good job. Now, finish it, with Mega Kick!"
Nearing the point of no return, Mamoswine could only brace himself for the inevitable impact. As Primeape swung around, adding momentum to his kick, Mamoswine made contact. The two forces trying to force each other back was enough to send an aftershock of energy out, kicking up mud around the field.
Both trainers watch intently, but it took a moment for them to realize what had happened. Mamoswine, anticipating Primeape's blow, had locked his knees. Much like how Rapidash could sleep while standing, Mamoswine had passed out while still standing!
"W-What?!" Dawn cried out. "He's never done that before!"
"He's… probably never run straight into anyone's foot before, either," Ash supposed, walking over through the muck to ruffle Primeape's head. "Good job, buddy. You did it."
"Primeape!" the fighting type cooed, basking in Ash's praise.
Dawn picked her way carefully through the mud, checking on Mamoswine. "He's really out of it… Thanks anyway, big guy. Here, take a rest." During the match, Buneary had gone to fetch what Dawn would inevitably need. The coordinator returned her final battling member.
"So, this is how strong you really are, huh?" Dawn asked, turning to face Ash as the mud squelched under her boots.
The trainer nodded, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah. This is a truer side… I mean, I…" Well, truth be told, he hadn't exactly gotten desperate against her when they were all going at full strength.
To spare him trying to juggle her feelings and the truth, Dawn raised her hand. "I get it. I'm still a novice compared to you, and I've been slacking off. Don't apologize for what you did to battle me."
Appreciating her words, Ash let out a laugh. "You shouldn't sell yourself short, though. It was still a good battle! You're still as creative as ever. Plus, the work you've put in even over the journey is showing itself."
The coordinator smiled at his compliment. "Thank you."
"Alright! Well, let's head to the Pokemon Center!" Ash enthused.
Dawn nodded before thinking about it. "Um… Well, would you mind if it was just me, you, Pikachu, and Empoleon for the rest of the afternoon?"
Ash shrugged. "That's fine with me, yeah! You must wanna go sightseeing."
The coordinator merely smiled, nodding her head and humming in agreement. Yeah, something like that was what she wanted.
After a winding walk to find the Pokemon Center and a brief rest in the lobby while their pokemon healed, the trainers once again found themselves with their starters. Pikachu and Empoleon were getting particularly chummy with each other as Dawn and Ash led the way down to the beach.
"I think Pikachu likes Empoleon's height as much as the big guy does," Dawn mused, unable to hold back her amusement with the way Pikachu looked around from where he sat on Empoleon's head. Similarly, the water type looked rather proud to be the one toting his old friend.
"That's good! Because, Pikachu might wanna ride Empoleon. There's a wind surfing shack near here, if I remember right. You wanna try that, Dawn? There's still lots of daylight left, and there's a rock I wanna see out in the ocean!" Ash adjusted his cap, shrugging his bag higher up on his back. He was struggling to remember if there were lockers. If there weren't, maybe they could talk Pikachu and Empoleon into playing on the beach and watching their stuff…?
Dawn perked up. "Wind surfing?! I've never done that before! Sure, let's go for it!"
"Empo!" the water type agreed.
"Pika," Pikachu mumbled, remembering the way treading water near here usually went for the adventurous. He might just stick to the shallow waters.
At any rate, Ash eventually spotted the shack and pointed it out to Dawn. "There we go! Hope you've got a swimsuit."
Dawn smirked. "It's actually supposed to be coming out for this summer, but it's Paris's Eneco de Allure in white," the coordinator purred, clearly proud of the swimsuit.
Ash, however, only cocked his head. "What the heck does that mean? Do you have a swimsuit or not? There's some stores in town, so we can get you one if you need one."
There was a moment of silence.
"I… I was saying I have a couture swimsuit."
"Oh."
With that out of the way, the foursome quickly made their way to the rental area. After a short bit of discussion and agreeing to exchange their items for their windsurfing boards, Ash and Dawn went to get dressed while Pikachu and Empoleon entertained themselves by making sand castles.
In short order, both trainers stepped out, appropriately dressed. Ash sported a rather sensible pair of navy blue trunks with gold detailing on the bottom hems and sides while Dawn's custom swimsuit looked every bit as darling as high fashion would have it. With plenty of ruffles, a few golden detail points dangling here and there, and soft, muted pinks and whites making up the main color scheme, somehow, she looked less ready for the water than her companion.
While an eye for fashion certainly one of Ash's stronger qualities, it was hard not to pick up on the elaborate-looking swimsuit she'd picked out. He was poised to remark that this was the beach and not a fashion show, but… It did make her look pretty good. It was form-fitting, especially now that she'd grown. From bottom to top… Oh, Arceus, she was staring.
"I, uh…." He stammered, his stomach tied in knots. Had she noticed he was looking at her!?
"Oh my gosh, Ash, what happened?" Dawn blurted, walking over. She walked around her companion, expression growing worried. She hadn't really even noticed him gawking. Well, she had but her attention on it had been so brief that she merely assumed he was processing something along the lines of "Dawn, swimsuit, pink, check." She didn't even really register how much he'd also grown, looking more man than boy now with a physique befitting someone as active as him. All she could see were the scars.
"...Oh! That. Well, happened," he deadpanned, turning his eyes back on his own body. A trio of ribbons of darkened flesh on either forearm, a long slash from his side to his abdomen, and most notably, a pinkened patch of skin that spanned from his left shoulder down to his upper back. Surely a sight worthy of a double-take, if not a shiver down one's spine. "Some of the pokemon up there are super tough, and super-vicious. Sometimes, protection from my pokemon didn't always cut it… So, yeah. No need to worry, though! Everything's fine, now!" He scratched the back of his neck, borrowing Dawn's catch phrase.
At least he'd gotten out of that one scot-free.
"That's when I worry the most," she retorted, smoothly taking the phrase so often used on her and tossing it back. Letting out a sigh, she reached up, running her finger over Ash's skin… Only for her brows to quirk and an expression almost like confusion to quickly take over her face. She'd touched his shoulder recently, yeah, but it was with his clothes on. They were way softer than he was himself!
With that thought in her mind, Dawn quickly turned away. "Alright, I'll let it go," she managed, making sure not to face Ash. She was really started to get irritated at having a crush on her traveling partner and close friend. Furthermore, what business did he have being that muscular?! She knew the scar tissue would be tough, but the rest of his skin wasn't exactly soft, either!
"Uh… Yeah. Great! So, whaddya say we hit the waves!?" Ash grinned, brushing their minor troubles aside to sprint off towards the ebbing waters.
"Yeah! Let's go for it!" Dawn cheered, running towards the waves as well.
"Empo…?" Empoleon asked.
Pikachu lifted his tail. The weather seemed alright today. "Chu," he replied, hopping on Empoleon's back.
The water type waded into the sea. There, both pokemon followed after their trainers.
"So," Dawn started, "tell me about this rock."
Ash looked around his sail to speak to her. "He was this really old guy. Had a blue eyed Pikachu! Knew the first dude to put a flag on… that rock!"
Though it was still far in the distance, Dawn spotted what he was pointing out. A monstrous, craggy spire stood out above any wave that dared to crash into its foundation. towards the very top was a small flag stabbed into its side, still billowing just as it had years ago.
"Holy crap, it's tall!"
"Tell me about it. Guy spent most of his life trying to put his flag up there."
"We don't have to do that, do we?!"
Ash laughed. "Nah. But, I wanna go out to it, for old time's sake."
Dawn shrugged. "Sure, why not."
With that, the two tried moving their boards closer to the rock. Ash, slowly recalling how he'd done it before, moved a bit quicker than his companion. Dawn, however, was no slouch. Once she got the hang of it, she was keeping up with Ash.
"Hey, this is pretty nice! Not exactly, like, a super efficient way to travel, but it's fun!"
"It is, right? Count yourself lucky that you don't have to ride humunga-dunga!"
"A who-ga what-ga?" she asked, whipping her head around. However, the motion was poorly timed. A churning wave tossed her board, putting her off balance. Going white knuckled, the girl's eyes went wide as she tried to balance herself.
"Careful out there, Dawn!" Ash warned, though the grin that his words were forced through wasn't fooling anyone. "Keep goofin' off like that and you'll be all washed up!" Laughing at his own joke, the teen held a tight grip on the pole that held up his own sail.
He'd done it before, so surely he'd do just fine, right? That was what Ash assumed, at least, when he began to swerve and move with the waves, laughing all the while.
Failing to respect the sea bit him in the rear end. Letting out a yelp, Ash tipped and wavered under the duress of tossing currents, mere inches from toppling over. "Wo-o-oah-!"
Still bobbing to and fro too far for comfort herself, Dawn still tried her best to reach a hand out to Ash, the other on her sail's handles. "Wha!" she cried, only realizing what she'd done after it was too late. The duo were mere inches above the salty water, both of their crafts dangerously tipping.
Behind them, Empoleon swamp up, prepared to help them up out of the drink if either fell in.
Reaching desperately for some sort of balance, Ash grasped at Dawn's noticeably paler hand, managing to clasp her fingers in his. Letting out a huff, he pulled on her hand, pulling both of their boards into balance.
"Ah…" Ash sighed, exasperated. "Man, that was a close one… I was worried we'd end up Gyarados chow." Finally free of the sting of what he assumed to be salt water, Ash's lids opened to the outside world.
Much to his surprise, he found Dawn's face mere inches from his, looking equally stunned.
Locked in eye contact with his blue-haired companion, Ash could only so much as blink, their digits still interlocked. His own breath had grown shallow, and either they'd been splashed, or his palm was getting really sweaty.
Though her breath was caught in her throat, Dawn's mind scrambled for excuses. Though, the question was: should they disengage or should she savor the moment. She dwelled on it for a second more before speaking up. "Um, we're more well balanced when we're holding hands! Let's try to drag our boards closer and then get up right!" she suggested.
Ash's face lit up, distracted by her suggestion. That meant grabbing further up her arm the closer they got, though… Or, holding hands more tightly to pull each other closer. For some reason, that put Butterfree in his stomach. "Okay!" he agreed, all the same.
Quickly, the two tugged on each other's hands, lifting them until they were elbow to elbow. Their boards dragged along with their bodies, pulled closer. This continued until their boards were almost touching, Ash bobbing with the waves as did Dawn, standing a little bit taller than she unless a wave favored her particularly.
"That worked out nicely," she noted, still holding his hand.
Ash cocked his head. "Uh, duh. We're the dream team, remember?"
"When did we start calling ourselves that?" she questioned, not at all minding the title.
"Uh…" he trailed off. "Just… now I guess? But it's totally true, so whatever!"
Still not letting go of his hand, Dawn only giggled. "Sure, sure, whatever you say, Pokemon Master in training!"
"Thank you for your polite cooperation, Miss Top Coordinator," Ash praised, equally playful.
All good things must come to an end and the hand holding was no exception. Letting go casually, Ash put both hands back on his own handle.
"Alright, let's head out to the flag rock!" he cheered.
Dawn looked down at her hand before blushing. Flexing it, she tried to focus on the task of keeping up with him. "Yahoo!" she cheered.
After reaching the rock, it was time for a new activity. Naturally, the day was sunny, so there was nothing better to kick back on the beach for a while. Smelling of the clear, salty sea, our heroic duo was relaxed on a pair of sunning chairs, soaking in sunshine. Those of their pokemon who could tolerate the heat were playing on the shore, dancing in and out of the surf.
"Man, it feels like summer here!" Dawn cooed, arms folded under her head as she tanned.
Ash hummed in agreement, chugging the fruity ice cream soda he'd picked up. "I wonder what it'd be like to have a battle on the beach…"
"A mess," Dawn quipped. She sat up, gesturing to the sand. "It's, like, impossible to move quickly on without almost falling down. So, you'd either be going too slow but steady or so fast you're, like, falling on your face half the time."
Ash crinkled his nose. "Nah. I say this could be a great spot if you get creative. I mean, flying types could really give each other a go with all the water and sand. I bet Dig would be a lot easier to hide while using here!"
"Eh, I guess that's true." Picking up the kiwi juice, Dawn took a sip. "Have you ever battled on a beach?"
"I've battled everywhere," Ash bragged, leaning over and smugly looking at his traveling partner.
Rolling her eyes but somehow finding his look rather charming, she continued. "Okay, so, like, was it at a gym or what?"
"Nah. Most gym leaders have their stuff inside." He cocked his head. "I guess the League tournaments might have a beach field, maybe. They didn't, last time. Sand must be hard to clean up after."
"Sand is second only to glitter," Dawn assured, referencing to the way there was still some stuck to her thighs.
Ash's eyes lingered for a second before going on with the conversation. "They did have it during my big match at the Orange League." That'd been so long ago, but really, it was his most significant battle in that kind of arena. "I remember using the sand to my advantage to soften a blow from the Champion's Dragonite! My Tauros held 'im off long enough to do some damage so Charizard, Squirtle, and Pikachu could wrap it up." Ash had folded his one free arm behind his head, adopting a smug air over his successful strategy.
"Clever!" she praised. "So, like, was the Orange League like the others? I've never been, but, like, some people I grew up with had cousins or whatever who did. They said their league is weird. Is it?"
"Oh yeah. It's a lot different from the other leagues! A lot smaller, too." Come to think of it, it was kind of a bummer that winning it didn't get him the kind of recognition the others would've… But then again, he had the Indigo League ahead of him, anyway. "There are only four gyms in the Orange Archipeligo, but you don't win them like normal gyms. Each of 'em has a special task you have to complete with your pokemon, better than the Gym Leader! One of 'em had a surfing and water gun target test. In the next, you had to climb a mountain and race back down after you make a toboggan out of ice… The third one had another target test, and you had to win a pokemon battle using the same type as the Gym Leader. The last was just a double battle!" He paused. "...Man, come to think of it, it'd be cool if there were more gyms like that… Anyway! Once you got all four badges, you could go to Pummelo Island, and challenge the Orange League Champion! He gave me a really hard time, but I beat him and got a place in the Orange League Hall of Fame! The Championship trophy's still back home."
"Whoa!" Leaning over on the table between them, Dawn's eyes were wide with curiosity. "So, it's like a battle with extra stuff!" She tilted her head. "I guess that means that you're actually really good. You know, considering the odds of winning a League, if they were all set up where you only had to battle four people before battling the champion, you would probably win them all. I think luck is all that's been biting you in the butt," she mused, almost leaning on the fourth wall.
Sitting back down, she rested her chin on her now draw up knees. "If it's all the same, I like battles the way they are here and in Sinnoh. Puzzles are fun, but I'm a coordinator, not a… puzzle-r? Yeah." She cocked her head. "You know, sand turns to glass at a certain heat. If you wanted, you could probably make a shield with really hot moves. Maybe Overheat? Have you tried anything like that?"
Ash sat up as well. "Hm, I don't think so, but I'll keep it in mind." Ash gestured to the ocean. "When was the last time you brought in lots of water type moves to your stuff? You know the Wallace cup will have that again."
"Yeah, that's true. I suppose something that's bright would look good. Maybe Flamethrower? Really take advantage of having, like, a mirror under me."
"What about Moonblast?" Ash suggested. "Didn't Clefairy learn that."
Dawn looked towards the pink pokemon. "I don't know if she's ready to perform by herself."
He shrugged. "That's fair. … Oh, hey, look at what they found! It looks like a big shell!"
"Pika-Pika!" Pikachu chimed, approaching the duo, with Empoleon in tow. Held up high with his stubby paws was a large, pink shell that had was still dripping with salt water, giving off the gentle scent of the ocean.
"Empol!" The larger pokemon trilled, looking rather proud of their discovery.
"It's so pretty!" Dawn cooed, leaning over to get a better look at the treasure. "...Hey, Ash. If you're done with that, you wanna go find some seashells, ourselves? It could be fun!"
"Sure, why not!" Ash leaned to slurp up the last of his soda, a sour pout forming when all he was slurping on now was ice. "I bet I'll find the coolest one out there!" With that, he rushed past Dawn, eager to turn this into a competition.
"Please. You're dealing with someone with an eye for fashion here!" The coordinator boasted, leaving her empty drink behind to catch up with her companion.
After a bit of digging, Ash flashed a triumphant grin. "Check this out!" A coral blue shell with spiked ends was held in his grip. In his opinion, it was pretty cool-looking! "Kinda reminds you of a Cloyster, huh?"
"It does, but check this one out!" Dawn was burrowing through sand that had buried quite a few shells, unearthing a large, white shell. "See? The sand even makes this one look like it's sparkling!"
Pikachu and Empoleon boasted a few more, soon resorting to building small sand castles out of them. Much to their dismay, though, a stray Wingull made the now-pile-of-sand its perch.
"A Wingull…? Must be a swarming season," Ash mused.
"No, it's just a sign."
Ash backed up as a huge, off-white shell was put in front of his face. On the other side of it was Dawn, a hand on her hip and a proud smile on her face.
"Tada!" she proclaimed, turning the shell around.
Even Ash had to let out a low murmur of awe. Dazzlingly smooth and pearlescent, the inside of this shell was covered in pale pink nacre!
"It's like… a bad mirror!" Ash proclaimed, able to vaguely see the silhouette of his reflection within it.
Dawn blinked before bursting out laughing. "You sure have a weird way of describing stuff!" Holding it with both hands, she looked at it more closely. "... I wanna keep it."
Ash nodded. "It kind of looks like your swim suit, so go for it! I won't hurt anyone to keep a few." The trainer looked out to the horizon. "It's been a while… Wanna head back to the Pokemon Center to get cleaned up?"
"Sure!" Dawn agreed. Her cheeks were tinted a light pink. She would take good care of the shell. Today wasn't exactly just the two of them, but it would be a fun reminder of the day she and Ash spent on the beach.
Back in their regular clothes, the duo walked up hill from the beach. Only their starters were out and the orange light from the setting sun shined down on them all.
Out of the corner of his eye, Ash spotted something happening beneath the ledge-bound trail they climbed. He stopped. "Hey. Dawn, come look at this." He leaned over the railing, watching it quietly.
"Hm?" The coordinator and her starter came over, watching just as quietly as the trainer and his Pikachu.
Beneath them, a single fat, pink Slowpoke lazed on the shore, his tail dipped into the water beside him.
"He must be fishing for Shellder," Ash softly said. The evening breeze picked up the ends of his jacket, lifting and tugging at them just the same as they tugged at Dawn's hair. The ripples on the water below played a lonely story for the Slowpoke.
"We had a play about this when I was a kid," Dawn added. "He's ready to evolve. But, he needs someone else to get stronger." Something about saying that made her words get caught in her throat. She gripped the railing tighter.
"Let's watch, then," Ash announced. "He can't stay alone, right? No one ends up alone when they're doing their best."
Dawn didn't answer, merely looking over at him. His bronze skin shined like gold in the amber light of sunset. Her heart ached. If the Slowpoke could be so honest in his needs for companionship and succeed, then so could she. The coordinator looked down, silently willing that the Slowpoke would be able to evolve.
Suddenly, there was a tug at the Slowpoke's tail. Just as quickly, the water type jerked his tail up.
Ash and Dawn both gasped happily. Empoleon squawked in joy. Pikachu hopped off Ash's shoulder, cheering aloud.
On the Slowpoke's tail was a Shellder!
A dazzling, multi hued light overtook the two pokemon. The group watched in awe. When it disappeared, a Slowbro was where the Slowpoke had been.
"He did it!" Ash cheered, recklessly loud now. He laughed, still looking down on the recipient of their support. "Now, together, they're gonna be stronger than ever!" He looked to Dawn. "They'll make a great team, won't they?"
"Yeah," Dawn agreed, the sudden weight of what she was about to do pressing onto her. "And… I think we do, too." Before he could interrupt her with his usual "Of course, we make a great team!", Dawn spoke up, almost shouting. "I like you! I've got a crush on you, and I want to be with you!"
Ash froze, looking down upon Dawn. "... Woah, that's intense," he replied, dumbstruck.
