Good to see you all again! Now, it's time for the next gym battle! As always, feedback is appreciated!
On the docks of Cinnabar Island, our heroes and their friends were set up to part ways once more. With the Wallace Cup finished, their journeys had to continue. After all, it'd be a shame if Dawn won the Aqua Ribbon only to not enter the Grand Festival.
Standing tall before Ciara, Brendan shrugged his bag up higher on his shoulder. "Ciara, please do your best. I'll be cheering you on at the Grand Festival, okay?"
Posture still uncertain, she cocked her head. "W-Won't you be there?"
Scratching the back of his head, Brendan laughed. "Wallace has me on a strict training regime right now. I'm too busy to properly try for another ribbon cup, but I'll take a break to come cheer you on."
Ciara beamed at his words. Beside her, Kenny looked a bit miffed.
"You should really focus on your studies," he said. "I'll be there to support Ciara. Don't worry."
"Besides, we should all be supporting you!" Larkspur chirped. "I wish I had a cool mentor like you, Brendan! You were the coolest out there on the stage."
"Hey, I'm the one who won it!" Dawn complained.
"... Right! Then, Dawn, will you be my mentor?" Larkspur asked.
Blinking in surprise, she hummed in thought. "... If I win the Grand Festival, I'll think about it more seriously, okay?" Actually, her mother tutored people in coordinating, so this was a step closer to her dream, wasn't it?
"Great!" the young boy enthused.
"I hate to break this up, but Dawn, our boat's going to leave soon if we don't hurry up and board." Ash gestured to their waiting vessel.
"One minute!" Dawn pleaded. She turned to Kenny, then. "... Are you going to keep going down this path?"
Realizing what she meant, he nodded. "I won't turn back to where I was. I'll walk side by side with people instead of insisting I've got to run ahead of them."
"Good," she said with a smile. "I've always wanted you to be a proper rival to me."
Confused but happy the two were getting along, Ciara spoke up. "Where are you and Ash headed?"
"I'm gonna challenge Blaine," the trainer clarified.
"Oh, wow! He's so fiery! Good luck!" She was practically swooning.
Kenny tilted his head and put his hands on his hips. "You really like fire types and users, huh?"
"They're the best!" she answered.
"... Tell you what: once we see Ash and Dawn off, why don't you help me catch my own fire type before I go back to Johto?"
"Definitely!"
Touched by the moment between the two, Dawn turned to Ash. "Alright, we can go now. Bye, guys!" She stopped in her tracks suddenly, turning back to the violet-haired girl. "Oh, Ciara! Good luck on your ribbons! I'll see you at the Grand Festival," she added with a wink.
"O-of course!" Ciara beamed, her fingers linking together. "I'll meet you there!"
"See you!" Ash said as well, before pulling Dawn along to board the boat.
"Pika-Pika!"
Relaxing on the white plastic chairs set on the small porch outside of the Pokemon Center, Dawn took short sips of orange juice. "It's so good to be back!" she cooed. She breathed in deeply of the warm, salty air.
Slouching in his chair, Ash watched intently as Dawn drained her drink. "C'mon, Dawn. We need to hurry! Lance said Blaine's gym is in the Seafoam caves and that'll take all day to get through!" he whined.
"You're lookin' for Blaine's gym?" asked an old man, dressed in leather fringe and tie dye. The Pokemon Center doors closed behind him.
Shocked by the quiet approach of the stranger, Empoleon squawked.
"Uh, yeah, we are," Ash answered. He looked towards Pikachu, who shrugged. The guy was quiet, but not fishy. He seemed more like an old hippie than a real threat.
"Well, little dudes, here's a riddle for ya. I think it'll help. Alrighty… How far can a Vulpix run into a pecha berry patch?" Satisfied with himself, the man started walking off. "The answer's groovy. Peace out."
Making a face at the riddle, Ash gestured at the retreating figure. "What the hell does that mean?! How big's the berry patch?! I don't have a Vulpix; how am I supposed to know how far they can run?!"
Putting down her cup, Dawn looked over to Ash. "Halfway."
"... What?" Ash barked.
"It can only run in halfway. After that, it's running out."
Opening and shutting his mouth before shaking his head, Ash crossed his arms. "How did you know that?!"
Smiling proudly, the coordinator answered. "Riddles are just clever poems! My mom got me a book with some when I first got into the poetry man!"
Shrugging at her surprising but useful skill, Ash sunk into his chair again. "That doesn't really help us, though… Oh! Yes it does!" Ash quickly began shrugging on his backpack and scooping up Pikachu. "I was looking at a map of the island last night to see where the gym might be, and there's an entrance to the Seafoam Caves near a pecha berry grove! If we go there, we should go half-way through the caves to find Blaine's gym, right?!"
Getting ready just as quickly, Dawn nodded her head. "Makes sense! Empoleon, we're going!"
"Empo!"
After a short walk, the trainers reached the pecha berry patch. Dawn was taking in the scenery and admiring how healthy and huge the fruit were when she noticed Empoleon gorging himself on them.
"Hey, leave some for everyone else!"
The water type quickly pointed at Ash and Pikachu.
Having been ratted out by the mama's boy of the team, Ash and Pikachu stopped in the middle of their own feast. The duo hastily wiped pink pulp from their lips to hide their crimes.
Sighing, Dawn put her hands on her hips. "I guess it can't hurt… Let's still hurry to the cave."
"Of course!" Ash agreed. "We gotta keep up our energy, though!"
A brief walk through the patch, our heroes looked into the mouth of a cave which sloped into a small hill and down, deep into the ground.
"It's cold," Ash complained. Blaine couldn't pick a normal location, could he?
Dawn shrugged. "It's not that bad. It's kind of a relief. The weather's nice here, but I get hot too easy."
Putting a hand on his hip, Ash sighed. "You only think that because you're from Sinnoh."
"No need to worry, if you need to cuddle for warmth, I won't say no," she teased instead of properly replying.
Blushing, Ash charged into the cave. "What with this playful mood all the sudden?!"
Poking her tongue out, Dawn followed him into the caves. "You started the teasing back when you doubted my riddle skills."
As they walked through the caverns, the group found themselves entertained by Empoleon's clear pleasure with the frigid air. He even made himself doubly useful by taking them with easy navigation across particularly slippery parts of the paths! Pikachu, meanwhile, lit the way by giving off slight electric charges.
"This should be it!" Ash announced once they reached a branching of trails. "I think we're almost at the middle. One of these paths will take us to-"
"The gym." Stepping out from the dark of the caves, the old man from before threw the party a peace sign. "Greetings, brothers and sister. I see you rocked my riddle. Far out."
"I bet you're here to give us another hint," Dawn suggested. She looked eager to solve it.
The old man nodded. "If you can solve this one, I'll take you right to Blaine myself."
"You will?!" Ash enthusiastically asked. He turned to Dawn before bowing a bit to her. "I'm leaving it up to you!"
"No need to worry! I won't let you down!"
"Alright, sister, here's your riddle: A man rode in on Tuesday and two days later he left on Tuesday. How so?" Content with his stumbling block, the man sat down and rested on the ground.
Jaw dropping, Ash looked to Pikachu, then Empoleon, and finally Dawn. "We can figure this out together! Um, let's see… Ah, I know! Celebi helped him use time travel! … No? Okay, uh, five day weekend! Weekends don't count for shipping, so maybe…!"
Interrupting Ash's frantic guesses, Dawn declared her answer. "He was riding a Ponyta named Tuesday."
"It was just a nicknamed Ponyta?!" Ash snapped.
Smirking, the old man stood up. "Right on."
Yanking under his beard and tossing off his glasses, the disguise the man wore fell away. Under it all was none other than Blaine!
"Well! Aren't you a clever girl?" he said, praising Dawn loudly. Tapping his cane against the cave floors, he then turned to chide Ash. "Kid, you still suck at riddles."
"I can kick butt plenty fine," he grumbled. "It's fine! I don't have to solve your riddles to get a badge myself! I just gotta win!"
Chuckling, the old man began walking down the centermost cave. "Well, why don't you show me what you've got, huh? Been waiting on you. Lance sent word that you got confused about where I was. Told me you've gotten good and strong. I wanna see how cool you've gotten, kid."
Soon enough, Ash and Blaine stood across from one another at far ends of a cavern, Pikachu accompanying Ash on his shoulder. The frosty corridor made Ash and Pikachu shiver. Though, few icicles hung from this part of the caves. Perhaps the routine matches Blaine held had done away with the most extreme signs of the cold climate.
Meanwhile, Dawn, along with Empoleon, stood comfortably off to the side halfway through the room, and an official referee stood far opposite of Dawn. He was decked in a zip-up jacket, likely worn for the sudden shifts between hot and cold. He probably wasn't paid enough for this.
Nonetheless, he did his job. "This gym battle between Ash from Pallet Town, and Blaine the Gym Leader, will now begin! Each trainer will use three pokemon. The first to have all of their pokemon faint, or the first to surrender will lose the match! No time limit… Begin!"
"My first pokemon will be… Rhyperior! Go!" Growing old and feeble, Blaine pitched the pokeball with a bit less dexterity than he had in the past. All the same, the pokeball opened.
"Rhy!" The gargantuan rock type appeared on Blaine's side of the cavern.
"Rhyperior, huh… So, it evolved!" Ash smirked, gripping a pokeball from his belt. "I thought I'd be seeing you… Which is why I brought along Primeape! I choose you!"
"Pri! Pri!" The Pig Monkey pokemon burst from his ball, hopping from one foot to the other.
"You may not be good at riddles, but at least this time you came prepared! Color me impressed." Blaine sneered, clenching his feeble fist as he called his first order. "Rhyperior, Rock Blast!"
"Dodge that, and go in for Power-up Punch!" Ash shouted.
The pokemon put his onyx, stony hands forward, firing off a barrage of boulders.
Primeape sprinted towards his larger opponent, leaping past and hurdling over one stone after the next. When he saw the opportunity, he hopped on top of one of the stones, bounding towards Rhyperior.
He landed in front of his opponent, a fiery glowing fist at the ready.
"Fury Attack!" Blaine ordered.
The attacking Primeape was forced to abandon his punch when a remarkably sharp horn came his way, ready to jab him. He snorted, just barely stepping out of its path.
A flurry of stabs from the large pokemon's skull forced Primeape to put his footwork to the test. Each time the horn came, he slipped to the side, each time avoiding it by mere inches.
Ash's heart was already beginning to gain a pace. He smiled nonetheless. "Grab the horn, then Close Combat!"
Ducking under another thrust by Rhyperior, Primeape grabbed the sharp horn on its dull end, holding on tight as he was yanked into the air. He put his tenacity to use, squealing as he pummeled Rhyperior's skulls with angry kicks, stopping at nothing to pound on his opponent.
Rhyperior groaned in pain, unable to stop the kicks and punches to his head.
Blaine grimaced. "Shake him off and use Megahorn!"
Grunting in undignified fury, Rhyperior bucked his head, launching Primeape off of his horn and above. Now, he made a perfect target. "Perior!" He roared, slamming his shining spike into Primeape's gut.
The Pig Monkey appropriately squealed, the breath knocked out of him as he tumbled across the cavern floor.
"Primeape! Are you alright!?" Ash called out, leaning forward with a clenched fist.
"Pri… Primeape!" The sturdy fighting type affirmed, pushing himself to his feet.
"Good." Ash let out a breath of relief. "Now, Power-up Punch!"
Primeape sprinted forward once more, brandishing a glowing fist.
"Rock Wrecker!" Blaine called out.
"Rhy-Rhy-Rhy… Perior!" The Drill pokemon summoned a huge boulder, firing it.
Primeape's squinted eyes went wide, his strength channeled towards stopping the oncoming gargantuan stone. He squealed as he was pressed to the hurling object, completely unable to stop it in its tracks. Struggling to gain any sort of hold, he screeched as the rock exploded.
"Crap, that's bad…" Ash looked on with wide eyes, sweat dripping down his cheek. "That's the most powerful rock type attack…" He remembered it quite well from his match with Palmer.
Dawn's eyes flicked from the dust cloud to Rhyperior, his breathing and heaving becoming quite apparent. The girl blinked, the sight serving her memory. "That's right! Rock Wrecker is powerful, but it needs recharge time, like Hyper Beam!" She clutched a hand over her chest.
If only Ash could figure that out.
Alas, it took quite a bit for Primeape to stumble out of the rubble, dusting himself off.
"Rhyperior's up and at it again," Ash noted with a grimace. "So much for that."
"You didn't think we'd let you take advantage of that?" Blaine scoffed at the younger trainer before him. "Now, your Primeape is easy prey! Rhyperior, Take Down, now!"
The huge, burly Drill pokemon sprinted towards Primeape, ready to crash into it with all of its weight.
"Don't underestimate my pokemon," Ash countered. "Primeape, Low Sweep!"
Primeape bounded forward on crouched legs, grunting as he kicked forward, crashing his padded foot into Rhyperior's rocky, bulky leg. "Pri…!" He grunted, putting his weight into the kick.
"Perior!" The rock type wailed in pain, stopping in his tracks to support himself on one knee.
"Ah! Rhyperior!" Blaine shouted, his face twisting at the turn in events.
"I told you not to underestimate them," Ash repeated, sliding his index finger over his nose.
Blaine grimaced. "Megahorn!"
"Rhy!" The pokemon growled, his horn glowing silver. He stepped forward, only to grunt and falter in his footing.
"I knew that'd slow him down. Now's your chance, Primeape! Close Combat!"
Primeape had been waiting for this. He eagerly sprung at the ailing pokemon, pummeling him with a series of punches and kicks to the face and chest, quickly overwhelming him. Seeing that Rhyperior was weary, he finished his combination with a kick to Rhyperior's chest with both legs.
The Drill pokemon groaned, sliding far back across the battlefield. It huffed, its eyes filled with fury centered on Primeape.
"It's still fighting? Seriously!?" Ash gawked at the resilient pokemon. "This'll be tougher than I thought."
"The plates on its body make it very durable," Dawn recounted. "I read about it in school once."
Blaine only laughed. "Surely, you didn't think you'd break through a fully grown rock type that easily?"
Wrinkled features creased into a frown, however, tired, sunglass-covered eyes focusing on Blaine's own pokemon. 'That kid's got me in quite a predicament. Rhyperior's no longer going to be able to fight head-to-head in this condition. He's no longer the snot-nosed greenhorn he used to be.' It was hard not to enjoy the challenge before him. With that in mind, he smirked.
"Use Rock Blast!"
Meanwhile, Ash was along a similar train of thought. "If this keeps up, he'll have to use Rock Wrecker again… Primeape's not strong enough to take that on." A grimace that showed quickly flipped into a smirk. "...Not yet, anyway! Primeape! Take those on with Power-up Punch!"
As a multitude of boulder flew towards the Pig Monkey, he bounded forward, slamming a fiery fist into the first of several stones. The rock crumbled, and Primeape's adrenaline rushed.
"To the right!" Ash ordered.
That one probably would have missed him, but he took care to smash both glowing fists over it regardless, crumbling it. He jumped forward again, turning to crush another boulder with the back of his fist.
His body took on an orange glow after every strike, steam expelling from his nostrils.
Ash grinned, and Blaine had broken out in a sweat.
"That clever, snot-nosed kid…" Blaine grunted, tightening a fist. "Rock Wrecker!"
"Rhyperior!" The desperate giant channeled all of his roaring might into a huge jagged rock. Forced to dig his weighted tail into the ground in lieu of his hurt leg, he struggled not to recoil when the blast was fired.
"Power-up Punch, again!" Ash cried out, punching forward, himself.
"Pri, Pri!" The fighting type squealed, vaulting forward to slam his fist into the boulder. He grunted, continuing to shove his shaking fist into the rock. Cracks and hair lines began to run through the large mass, soon enough, it all split in two. The fuzzy fighter shot through.
"One more time!" Ash called with a grin, punching into the air.
Landing on all fours before the heaving Rhyperior, Primeape sprung up, slamming a fist into Rhyperior's jaw.
The Drill pokemon was actually, for once, launched into the air, falling helplessly on his back.
Noting the swirls in its eyes, the referee raised a hand. "Rhyperior is unable to battle! Primeape is the winner!"
Blaine exhaled, returning his Rhyperior. "Very impressive, Ash. You're worlds ahead of the trainer that first challenged me for the Volcano Badge. This may be a great match yet." With that in mind, he grabbed his second pokeball. "...But, don't get too cocky! Next, you'll have to face my Ninetales!"
"Niiine!" The lithe, blonde beauty cried, sitting comfortably across from Primeape. Her cluster of tails wagged and swerved about, a very clear threat. Approaching her would be dangerous.
Huffing through his flattened nose, Primeape carefully toed the battlefield like the prize fighter he was, carefully eyeing Ninetales. At a critical moment like this, he had to be careful.
"Let's wrap this round up, Ninetales. Heat Wave!" Blaine ordered.
Ninetales cried, spewing from her mouth a horribly hot gust, engulfing the field.
Ash, meanwhile, grinned. "We're prepared for this! Primeape, Overheat!"
"Pri-Pri-pri!" Primeape cried, launching an explosive inferno from his nostrils. The bath of flames collided with the heated air, forcing the flames to rise and burst. A wall of fire rose between the two pokemon, as well as their trainers.
"Now, Primeape! Let's settle this in one go!" Ash declared, thrusting an open hand forward.
"Ape!" The Pig Monkey leapt forward, bounding through an opening in the flames.
"Close Combat!"
Primeape cleared the flames to close in on Ninetales, furious fists ready.
"Psychic!"
"What!?" Ash's eager expression fell apart, his brows furrowing.
Ninetales' ruby eyes centered on Primeape, surrounding him in a blue glow.
He was suspended in mid-air, flailing unceremoniously in an attempt to break free.
A toss of Ninetales' head flung Primeape at a cavern wall. A loud crash made Ash cringe.
Primeape slid down to the ground, swirls in his eyes.
"Primeape is unable to battle! The winner is Ninetales!"
"Thanks for giving it your all," Ash spoke aloud as he returned the fighting type. "I didn't know what he had in store for us, but you did your best." Clipping the ball back to his belt, he tossed a second pokeball. "Up next is… Floatzel! I choose you!"
Floatzel appeared in a flash, his arms crossed over his chest. "Float!"
"Go, go, Floatzel!" Dawn cheered with glee, pumping her fists. Not pom-poms, but close enough.
"Back with the type advantages, eh? Let's hope that goes better for you than last time." Blaine smirked to himself. As condescending as he came off, he was eager. "Ninetales, Heat Wave!"
Ninetales repeated her first move, firing another torrent of heat.
"Break through with Aqua Jet!" Ash ordered.
Floatzel launched at Ninetales, wethering the firestorm with his watery veil.
Most of the distance was closed before the opposing forces burst, surrounding the field in warm steam.
"Ice Punch!" Ash called, punching forward.
Floatzel overheard the command just as he landed, stepping forward to throw a frosty right hook.
Ninetales crouched under the punch, pouncing forward as a blow was thrown at her head. She slid under the weasel as he threw the second punch, throwing her opponent off-balance.
"Behind you!" Ash warned.
Gritting his teeth, Floatzel turned back, throwing several more jabs. "Float! Zel!"
Ninetales' slender form allowed her to sidestep a few more, finally leaping atop a rock.
"Holy cow, she's fast," Ash admitted, sweat dripping down his cheek.
"She sure is. Ninetales has been a part of my team for a very long time, now! She's just about as well-trained as a pokemon can get. I'd worry she'll get frail soon, but Ninetales live for a thousand years." Blaine boasted.
"A thousand years!?" Ash parroted, gawking. "I knew they lived long, but holy hell…"
"I've read legends about that," Dawn added. "I never knew they were true!"
"Indeed, you're working against many years of experience. Ninetales, Solarbeam!"
The fire type howled, craning her neck to gather whatever faint solar particles had gathered in the arena.
"Now's our chance," Ash encouraged. "Ice Punch, and make it quick!"
"Floatzel!" Already growing frustrated, Floatzel jumped at ninetales, a cold limb ready.
"Now! Fire it at the ground!"
Ninetales threw her head down, firing the beam of light downward. It wasn't quite as potent as one would expect in broad daylight, but the shockwave billowed all the same.
"Float…!" Floatzel grunted, blown back by the attack's force. He skidded backwards.
"Psychic!"
Floatzel was surrounded in a glow, screeching as he was flung back towards the wall.
Ash grit his teeth, shaking his fists. "Use your flotation ring to protect yourself!"
The startled water type inhaled, inflating his yellow ring in the knick of time. The blow was softened, and he landed on his hind legs, canines bared at the pesky Ninetales.
"Impressive," Blaine complimented. But this gave them their opportunity. "Sunny Day!"
"Nine~!" The Fox pokemon fired off a blinding orb towards the cavern ceiling. It burst with heat, shining down harshly upon the battlefield. For such a dark climate, it was a little unwelcome.
"Man, that's bright," Ash winced, pulling his cap further down over his eyes.
"And, that's not at all," Blaine taunted. "My fire type moves are twice as powerful, now! You better have Burn Heal!"
Ash swallowed. "This isn't gonna be easy, huh."
Blaine only answered with his next command. "Solarbeam!"
Ninetales quickly summoned energy from the orb above, firing a blinding beam.
"Dodge that!" Ash ordered.
His heart racing, Floatzel darted to the side, shrinking the distance between himself and Ninetales.
"Hydro Pump!"
The Sea Weasel spit out a torrent of water, striking Ninetales head-on.
"Nine!" The pokemon cried as it was launched above ground, tumbling before landing with grace.
Ash growled. "Sunny Day really watered that down." Any other time, he'd be proud of that pun.
"Out of the frying pan, eh, Ash?" Blaine sneered. "Heat Wave!"
Ninetales fired another hot gust, this time aided by the hot climate.
Even Ash was beginning to feel sweaty in these normally freezing chambers. He tugged at his gloves. If this was bad for him, then surely, Floatzel was hurting. "Block it with Counter Shield!"
Feeling his fur frizz and heat, Floatzel needn't been told twice. "Zel!" He flipped onto his back, summoning a torrent of water spiraling around his body.
Even as it was summoned, though, the cannons dispersed into mist, sweeping Floatzel away.
"It didn't work!?" Ash looked on in horror, watching the shield vanish. "It's way too hot for that water… At this rate, any water's gonna turn into steam before it can do anything." His eyes narrowed.
Meanwhile, Dawn was tugging at her pink jacket, none too happy that it was sticking to her shoulders. "And, just when we'd found some good Sinnoh weather… My hair's going to frizz from this!"
"Floatzel, Ice Aqua Jet! Keep on spinning and keep on icing!" Ash punched both fists forward.
"Ice Aqua what, now?" Blaine cocked an eyebrow. "What's he up to?"
"Float!" The water type spun, shooting off towards Ninetales. His fists both shone with icy, sky blue energy, leaving swirling trails of frost as the Sea Weasel spun. The Aqua Jet became an icy corkscrew, catching dispersing mist each time it strayed. Even under the punishing sun, the Aqua Jet retained its shape.
"What!? Sunny Day isn't stealing its thunder!" Blaine gawked at the combination move.
"You're darn right!" Ash grinned, holding a fist across his chest before pointing forward. "Go, Floatzel!"
Crossing the battlefield with outrageous speed, Floatzel crashed into Ninetales. "Float!"
Ninetales cried, knocked from her comfortable perch by the powerful jet.
"Solarbeam, now!" Blaine countered.
"Ice Punch!" Ash quickly added on.
"Nine~!" Ninetales bared her canines, quickly gathering a bright light.
Turning out of his Aqua Jet, Floatzel landed in a crouch, swinging his fist above. "Float-zel!"
A streak of chilling pain collided with Ninetales' jaw, knocking her head upward. The Solarbeam fired though, regardless, its sun-fueled might spraying across the rocky cave ceiling above.
A booming rumble caused the hearts of everyone present to jump, followed by one rocky chunk of debris after another dropping down. Ninetales shrieked, leaping several bounds out of harm's way.
"Slick move, kid. Dirty, but very resourceful!" Blaine praised, smiling widely. "Ninetales, Heat Wave!"
"Controlling the battlefield is what we do best!" Ash boasted. "Crouch behind the rocks!"
The water type quickly slipped below a row of boulders, his back to the icy rock.
Heat Wave cascaded over the field once more, hot as ever. This time, though, it missed its target.
Ash blinked, his dark hues glimmering with revelation. "I've got it."
Blaine's glasses glimmered over, a snow-white brow raised. "Hm?"
Ash's face showed that familiar gleam of mischief. He raised an arm, pointing an open hand towards the stalactites. "Floatzel! Let's try using Sonic Boom, right at the ceiling above Ninetales!"
Floatzel's eyes narrowed, his trainer's orders heard. "Float!" He quickly turned to whip his two tails, firing one powerful soundwave before a second swerve fired another. "Zel! Zel!"
The barrage of shock waves pummeled the ceiling from one end to the next, triggering loud, dusty explosions that basically amounted to a Rock Slide attack on Ninetales' turf.
"Ninetales, dodge that!" Blaine stammered, beginning to panic.
It didn't help that Sunny Day's glow was already beginning to slip away.
"Nine! Nine!" The slender creature hopped from one spot to the next, frantically dodging a hail of boulders that had just barely left her untouched. She huffed, giving her tails an undignified swish.
"Now the heat's gone away," Ash noted, relieved for himself as much as he was the battle. A smirk spread from cheek to cheek as he reared back, punching back forward. "Aqua Jet!"
Floatzel took off again, boosted forward by the misty propulsion.
"We're not making it that easy," Blaine asserted. "Ninetales, Psychic, now!"
"Tales!" The weary fire type howled, surrounding the multitude of boulders with a bright light. Sure enough, under her will, they rose, flinging themselves violently at the approaching target.
"Dodge that!" Ash ordered, throwing a hand to the side.
"Float!" Floatzel rolled and turned, weaving up, down, and beside the assault with precision.
As soon as he passed through the storm, the rocks turned tail, shooting back towards the retreating Sea Weasel. At this rate, there'd be no escape! They'd just keep chasing him. Ash clenched a fist, a mischievous thought tugging at the corner of his lip. "Get behind Ninetales!"
"Zel!" Only meters from the mythical Fox, Floatzel tumbled, swerving around before skidding to a halt.
It was only then, when the boulders were staring Ninetales right in the eye, that Blaine caught on to Ash's ruise. Breaking out in a sweat, he shouted to his prized veteran. "Ninetales, dodge that!"
The blonde fox panicked. She made one quick bound before the next, but it was no use. A boulder struck her in the side, crumbling upon impact in tandem with her own shriek.
"That's our chance!" Ash announced, clenching both fists at his side. "Hydro Pump!"
Turning on his paws, Floatzel huffed up his water supply before firing the jet. "Zel!"
The powerful spray struck Ninetales in the stomach, carrying her into the air before allowing her to tumble off across the battlefield. The impact left her body limp, ruby eyes turning to swirls.
By now, Ash and Floatzel alike were breathing heavily, grinning at the exhilarating outcome.
"Ninetales is unable to battle! Floatzel is the winner!" The referee raised a hand, wiping sweat from his brow with the other.
Ninetales was swallowed by a red flash, retreating to the pokeball in Blaine's palm. "Bravo. Not many challengers face the wrath of my senior fire types, and even less overcome the heat. Lance wasn't full of hot air when he went on about you!"
"Well, you know me. I strike when the iron's hot!" Ash grinned, brows raised in cheesy self-satisfaction.
"I know I should appreciate wordplay, but they're going to give me a heatstroke," Dawn deadpanned.
"It's the one kind this kid ain't half-bad at," Blaine admitted as he tossed his next pokeball. "But, this next pokemon is really gonna scorch you! Magmortar, let's show them!"
The Blast pokemon towered over Floatzel, leering down at the Sea Weasel. "Mortar!"
"Hey, whaddya know, Magmar evolved!" Ash was just about ready to explode with excitement! He did bring the right team, after all. "I knew we'd be facing you again… Floatzel! You ready!?"
"Floatzel!" The weary pokemon flexed, eager to keep pushing his limits.
"Then, use Hydro Pump!"
Floatzel threw his head forward, firing another powerful jet.
"Lava Plume!" Blaine countered.
"Mag…" The burly fire type pointed his arm cannon forward, spewing forth hot magma.
The two attacks met center-stage, but the result could not be drawn up to type. The instant the Hydro Pump touched the hot projectile, it evaporated into steam. Floatzel only barely avoided it.
"Man, that's hot," Ash marveled, his fingers trembling. He couldn't even imagine Floatzel getting hit with that. Naturally, it was his responsibility to make sure he didn't. "Sonic Boom!"
Floatzel was sweating bullets himself, but he wasn't out yet. Several more shockwaves were fired.
"Those things are real pesky," Blaine complained. "Blow them away with Fire Punch!"
"Mag!" Magmortar punched forward with clawed, burning hands. The snapping and crackling flames emanating from him collided with the Sonic Booms, obliterating them with ease.
Ash leaned forward, gritting his teeth. "This is bad… Aqua Jet!"
"Float!" The Sea Weasel cried, firing off towards the Blast pokemon with ferocity.
"Catch it, with Strength!" Blaine ordered.
The Blast pokemon held his arms wide open, swallowing the pain of the collision with his chest. Without hesitation, he snagged his arms around the water type, squeezing him without mercy.
Floatzel struggled and squirmed, growling through gnashed teeth.
"Magmortar, Thunderbolt!"
"Mag… Mortar!" The fire type boomed, lighting the dim cavern with a golden, terrifying current of electricity that coursed through the two pokemon. Ash, Dawn, and their pokemon had to watch on in horror as Floatzel was roasted,unable to move. His cry of pain could hardly be heard.
He probably preferred it that way.
Magmortar loosened his grip, tossing the weasel back towards Ash. Floatzel was unconscious.
"Floatzel is unable to battle! Magmortar wins!"
"Floatzel..." Ash stared on, perhaps a bit too long. 'I knew Magmortar was powerful, but maybe Floatzel was in over his head.' Sure, he was tired, but all of that power… He'd need the big guns. "You did your best, thanks." Recalling the water type, he grinned. "Magmortar, I've got a surprise for you. There's someone who's been waiting to see you!" He drew back an arm, winding up before tossing his third and last pokeball. "I choose you… Charizard!"
The dual-colored sphere spun, exploding to give birth to the image of the large, fiery lizard. The Flame pokemon dug his talons into the cave floor, batting his wings once or twice before greeting the battlefield with a booming roar. He spotted Magmortar, and his flame-tipped tail began to swish.
Meanwhile, the flames atop Magmortar's head began to rage. "Mortar…" The giant growled, taking cautious steps to the left and right, sizing up his old opponent. It wasn't hard to tell that the lizard was even more formidable than he had been during their last bout. This was thrilling.
"You could cut the tension in the air with a knife," Dawn observed. Even her heart was racing.
"It looks like Magmortar remembers your Charizard. Not to mention, raring for a fight. I just hope that this time, you have some command of your pokemon. I'd hate to see you throw the match." Blaine taunted, spitting his words from his grinning mouth.
"That stuff's long gone," Ash answered as he toyed with his cap. "Charizard and I are a team. And, together, we're going to beat you guys at your best!" He pumped a closed fist. "Bring it!"
"Very well, Ash. Magmortar, Lava Plume!"
The Blast pokemon linked his arms forward, firing a large mass of lava.
"Counter with Dragon Pulse!" Ash called, pulling a hand back only to throw it forward.
"Roagh!" Charizard craned his neck before firing, launching a violet beam of energy.
The scalding liquid and the blast collided, creating a volatile fusion that exploded immediately.
Removing his cap to fan himself with the headgear, Ash huffed in the wake of the expulsion of heat. "Charizard's lucky he's a fire type… I can feel that all the way over here!"
"I hope you're not done already. A few more Lava Plumes, Magmortar!"
"Mag!" It aimed both cannons at Charizard, firing one blast of magma after the next.
"Dodge it!" Ash ordered with a wave of his hand. "Then, use Slash!"
Charizard was quick to take off, swerving past a first shot with a tilt of his wings. Maneuvering around a few scorching projectiles, the Flame pokemon quickly closed the distance between the two. He followed his approach with a drawn back arm, brandishing shining, elongated claws.
"Counter with Fire Punch!" Blaine ordered.
"Mor!" Magmortar dug his feet into the ground, pulling a blazing fist back.
Both titans struck forward at the same time, striking one another across the face.
Magmortar bled, and Charizard's jaw was scorched.
"Good job," Ash praised. "Now, another Slash Attack!"
"Too obvious," Blaine decried. "Hold onto Charizard with Strength!"
The second slash of Charizard's claws were stopped with an iron grip. To add insult to injury, the first arm that had struck the Blast pokemon was clutched tight, leaving the Flame pokemon struggling to free himself. He bore his canines, pulling away from Magmortar.
And, with good reason. Having a bad feeling where this was going, Ash shouted. "Charizard, get out of there, and make it fast!" How the hell did he fall into that trap so easily?
"Too late. Thunderbolt!"
Charizard tugged and pulled, but he wasn't freed from the wrath of the blinding golden flash that consumed him. Electric charges ran through his every vein and bone, prompting a roar of pain.
"Now, get rid of 'em!" Blaine ordered in succession.
Magmortar quickly complied, twisting his body before roughly tossing Charizard.
"Another Thunderbolt!"
A surge of electricity was fired from Magmortar's arm cannon.
"Climb up high, and use Fire Spin!" Ash ordered, raising a hand before pointing it forward.
Pain was taken in stride, and Charizard shot upward, barely avoiding the static that snapped at his tail. Huffing in indignance, the pseudo-dragon swung his tail about in a spiral. The residual flames circled below him and continued downward, capturing Magmortar in a pillar of fire.
"I thought you'd know better than that, Ash." Blaine scoffed. "You don't really think that kind of heat is going to put Magmortar out of commission? Even before he evolved, he was capable of sleeping in lava! You're going to have to do better."
"Was already planning on it," Ash answered through a mischievous grin. "Add in Dragon Pulse!"
Charizard cried out again, spitting out a second wave of draconian energy. This time, it went unhindered, spiraling into the roaring Fire Spin. The pillar of red and orange practically doubled in size, surrounded in blue, pink, and violet, assaulting Magmortar with inflamed draconian energy.
The Blast pokemon's shout of pain was hardly audible over the twister.
"I call that one Dragon Spin!" Ash declared with pride, flipping his cap backwards on his head.
"So powerful, and it's gorgeous, too!" Dawn marveled, fingers clasped.
...Was Ash borrowing her simplistic move-dubbing style?
"Real menacing strategy you've got there," Blaine admitted through a grimace. "Even for Magmortar, that looks pretty deadly. Get out of there, and use Fire Punch!"
The Dragon Spin burst in the middle, parted by a leaping Magmortar, ashened with burns from the combination attack. Unrelenting in his fury still, the fire type closed the distance between himself and Charizard, he threw a fiery punch at his rival, followed by one blow after the next.
"Dodge that!" Ash warned.
Charizard stepped backward in the meantime, his head swerving to slip past every punch thrown his way. Soon, though, he found himself cornered, with only solid wall behind him.
He wouldn't be able to dodge the next attack.
Ash clenched a fist, punching it across his chest. "Dragon Tail!"
The Flame pokemon pivoted on his foot, swinging his huge, glowing tail around, striking Magmortar with a brutal whiplash to the chest. The heavy pokemon was sent reeling.
"Strength! Grab him!"
Just as he'd been thrown from the cave wall, Magmortar grasped Charizard's swinging tail, yanking him along for the ride. With a cocky, competitive sneer, Magmortar took the Flame pokemon down with him. "Mag," he boasted, swinging the other fire type with a grunt.
Charizard cried out as he was thrown aside, breath knocked from him brutally as his spine collided with yet another rocky wall behind him. He was swiftly embedded in a crater.
"Charizard! Hang in there! You can handle more than this," Ash insisted, leaning forward enough to worry about falling over. The trainer wiped sweat from his forehead. This was a much tougher trial than the first time around. That was saying a lot.
"Don't let them rest. Lava Plume!" Blaine quickly dragged Ash from his thoughts.
Skidding across the earthy floor, Magmortar aimed his cannon once more. "Mortar!"
"You've gotta get out of there, quick!" The raven-haired trainer warned.
Thin, but muscular arms tore from their rocky prison, forcing Charizard out of the wall he'd been embedded in. He lurched forward, tilting and skidding just shy of the hunk of lava that splashed into the crater he'd just escaped. He could hear the frosty stone behind him sizzle. But admitting fear was never on Charizard's agenda. He didn't look back, soaring into the shallow height that the cavern allowed.
None too soon, as several more shots fired his way.
He swept under one, just barely flapping above another, only to spin past a fourth shot.
By time he'd turned, all he could see was red heat.
"Charizard!"
A glowering, explosive bubble of liquid heat drew the attention of everyone present, completely swallowing Charizard. The last Lava Plume had hit its mark, and even the far-off Dawn and Empoleon were uncomfortably hot under the results.
"Charizard's so powerful, and even he's struggling here…" Dawn marveled, brows furrowed in distress and awe. She clenched a fist, her free hand brushing sweaty bangs off of her cheek. Normally, that would bother her. "Can anyone even beat Magmortar, at this rate?"
"Empol…" The Emperor pokemon behind her stared into the blindingly bright mess of red and yellow hues. His claws clutched, eyes narrowed. Even the pokemon who had inspired him to evolve was being dominated, despite his best efforts.
While Dawn and Empoleon fretted in doubt, and Ash in worry, only one train of thought dwelled inside the bubble of heat.
Humiliation.
No matter what was thrown at that damnably powerful and valiant lava-dweller, it kept coming back for more. The lava licking at his skin, no matter how resistant it might be, attested to that. Irritation grew in the heart of the Flame pokemon as the assault continuously reminded him of his failure. Irritation turned to hot-blooded rage.
The mass of lava exploded, hazardously flying in every direction under the duress of a teal explosion from its core. Even the blast, though, was deafened by a booming roar.
"Charizard!?" Ash stared in wide-eyed awe, adjusting his cap with the palm of his hand.
The Flame pokemon was on display for all eyes to see, anxiously flapping his wings that were cloaked in a bright, crackling veil.
"...I get it now," Ash grinned, beaming on with pride, copper pools appearing in his hues. "You really wanna win, don't you." His pokemon shared his drive. There were few things more rewarding than that. "Alright, Charizard! Let's show them what you can do! Dragon Rush!"
"Groar!" Chazriard bellowed, firing across the field like a vengeful Moltres, surrounded by the bright blue image of a dragon's head. The false jaws opened wide, ready to swallow Magmortar.
The Blast pokemon braced itself.
Just as the jaws shut, Charizard smashed into Magmortar with all of his prideful might. Greeted by a groan of pain, the Flame pokemon circled back above, the glowing image around him fading. He spit out an ember, declaring victory in his own words.
"You really wanted that move," Ash recalled aloud. "A match like this with a rival was just what you needed, huh?" He couldn't be more proud as a trainer. "But, it's not over yet! Dragon Pulse!"
Swerving back around, Charizard fired another purple blast at his downed opponent.
"Lava Plume!" Blaine swiftly ordered.
Bruised and scorched, Magmortar raised an arm to fire another round of lava. "Mag!"
The two bursts collided, and Ash grinned. "Finish it, with Fire Spin!"
A toss of Charizard's head launched another spiral of fire, coiling into the Dragon Pulse. A corkscrew of cool colored flames drove through, blasting Magmortar with explosive might.
"Mortar!" A painful moan could be heard from within the smoke.
"Magmortar…!" Blaine's jaw had dropped. How had this been turned on him so fast?
The smoke soon withered and dispersed, showing Magmortar to be flat on his back.
An exhausted, scorched Charizard hovered lower, landing to huff and spit out flames.
The referee peered over the felled giant. "Magmortar is out! Which means the victors are Charizard, and the challenger, Ash, from Pallet Town!" The man declared, raising a hand high.
"Ahaha! Alright, Charizard!" Ash sprinted onto the field, occasionally leaping out of the path of lava that hadn't yet cooled.
"Ash!" Dawn called out in caution, her eyes glassing over in worry. "I better not have to carry you out of here missing a foot!"
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing!" The teen laughed in joy, throwing an arm around the weary Charizard. "This time, we won the battle together. And, you picked up on that move!"
"Pika-Pikachu!" Pikachu climbed from Ash's shoulder to their companion's, giving him a pat on the neck, for lack of a better option. Charizard had put up such a great fight!
"Groar!" Charizard growled in joy, raising a fist to pump against Ash's own.
"Bravo! What a thrilling battle, Ash." Blaine clapped his hands, walking across the field, hazards and all, to meet with the accomplished teen. "Lance was right. You really know how to turn on the heat. I'm also satisfied to see that your bond with your Charizard has improved. Your command of that battle made it worth the wait!"
"Ahah! Thanks, Blaine!" Ash rubbed the back of his head with his free hand, sporting a bashful grin. "We worked really hard to get this strong. Now, we're one step closer to being ready to win the Indigo League! Right, guys?" He turned his head towards his companions.
"Pi-Pikachu!"
"Roarh!"
"So, that was the reason behind your challenge? Well, I'll be expecting to see you win. Don't disappoint me." The elderly but still spirited man demanded. "If you can handle the wrath of fire types like you did today, there's no excuse for losing that tournament."
"Ash, that was amazing! You too, Charizard!" Dawn gushed, carefully toeing past the heated patches of rock to approach her companion. "What an incredible battle! And, that combination… What a great inspiration for contests! Watching that was worth the awful heat."
"Thanks, Dawn! Training with you helped a lot, y'know." Flushing red in the face, though after nearly being overheated it was hard to tell, Ash brushed his index finger over his nose.
"And, you, young lady. Your riddling skills give me hope for your generation. Stay sharp!"
"Oh, I will. There are few things more beautiful than poetry and riddles!" Dawn enthused.
"Good… Now, I'm guessing you're dying to get out of this gym? I know that the extremes of hot and cold aren't ideal for most young trainers."
"Hey, I've proved myself in the heat and cold!" Ash insisted, jerking a thumb towards himself… But, he shrank in stature when he noticed that he was starting to work up a cold sweat. "...But getting outta here works, too."
"Don't give yourself a stroke," Blaine teased. "I'll show you the way back out."
"Can we maybe take a break in the first ice we come across," Dawn pleaded with her hands pressed together.
Beside her, Empoleon mimicked her actions.
The gym leader laughed. "Sure, sure! I don't see what'll hurt!"
Later, with our heroes safely back in the Pokemon Center, Dawn relaxed on a couch in front of a fan while Ash watched television. The Pokemon Center lounge was quite relaxed this evening. Most of the visitors were probably off enjoying the sunset or watching the sea pokemon play in the water.
"-Thank you for the weather update, Tom! Now, here's an update on local festivities and competitions! In Lavender Town, a small remembrance ceremony will be held in honor of those who lost their lives on the St. Anne-"
Recalling that particular misadventure, Ash was almost ready to change the channel which the next event flashed on the screen.
"There's already a big audience buying up tickets to the Saffron City Contest! With all the businessmen in the city, rumor has it that some will be watching to try and recruit coordinators to cameo in commercials for their businesses! This is already on top of Silph Co. preparing some demonstrations of their new technology for the public soon! Representatives insist that what they have up their sleeves will revolutionize pokemon battles! Stay tuned through the next few days to learn more!"
Dawn practically cooed upon seeing it. "Ash, I know it's a little out of the way, but let's go there!"
"Of course!" he agreed, happy to take his mind off the sunken ship. "You just can't go cheering for some company, okay? I need you to support me."
Giggling, the girl sat up. "You know I wouldn't do that."
"Good. Then, it's settled. Besides, I wanna see what the deal is with Silph Co. Revolutionizing pokemon battles… That sounds pretty damn exciting!"
"We'll have to check that out once we get there," Dawn chirped. "When, we'll head off on the next boat to Vermillion City! It won't be hard to get to Saffron from there!"
"Sounds like a plan to me!" Ash agreed with a grin.
