Welcome back, everyone! Enjoy the second half of this exciting Gym Battle. And we also hope you enjoy the surprises we have in store!
"I choose you, Tauros!"
The Wild Bull pokemon appeared, stomping its front hooves into the floor with a loud bellow.
Silver's silence was enough to tell Ash that it was up to him to make the first move. "Fire Blast!"
A tremendous heat fired from Tauros' nostrils in the form of a star, chasing down Weavile.
"Weav!?" Fretting at the terrific fire type attack, Weavile narrowly jumped over the flames.
"Use Ice Shard!"
Still in mid-air, Weavile chucked several blocks of ice at Tauros. He'd be better off bringing this brute down as quickly as possible!
The ice hit its mark, irritating Tauros.
Fuming, he bellowed loudly, whipping his hide with his own tails until he was worked into a frenzy. His eyes narrowed upon the small ice type. He was going to trample it.
"He's really in the mood now," Ash remarked. A confident smirk picked up. "Double Team!"
Tauros took to a loud stampede around the battlefield, circling Weavile. What was one running Tauros became two, and then four, and then eight.
Weavile grimaced, stepping backwards in one direction before banging hooves made him jump. The constant clatter of heavy feet made finding the real deal quite difficult.
"Weavile can't tell them apart any better than I can," Silver admitted aloud. "Isolate him, with Night Slash!"
Whipping its long claws around itself, Weavile fired off a huge, arcing whip of black energy. It cleaved through the afterimages, finally losing momentum just before it touched on the remaining Tauros, which was undoubtedly the real one.
That was all the time Ash needed. "Horn Attack!"
The icy assailant swept in from above, and Tauros ducked his head, swiftly throwing it back up.
A harsh squeal came when Weavile's gut was jabbed with a horn. It tumbled pathetically onto the gym floor.
"Nice one!" Ash praised.
Silver uttered a grunt of disappointment. "Icy WIND!"
The black weasel blew out, gleaming clear crystals of ice glittering amongst the blistering cold wind.
"Now's the time," Ash narrated. "Battle Armor, Tauros!"
Tauros answered with a loud cry, stomping his hooves into the ground. A roaring blaze was sprayed onto the ground before the bull, coating it in a veil of heat.
One that held up stubbornly against the incoming chill. Little remained of Icy Wind, pardoning a small puddle before Tauros' feet.
Feral, errant flames snapped at Weavile, threatening it to retreat. "Vile!" That actually stung!
"Back to this idiotic move? You said you learned from your mistakes," Silver spat.
"I did," Ash argued. "Horn Attack, again!"
The blazing bull began its stampede, chasing down Weavile with ducked horns.
"Don't get close to that," the Gym Leader warned.
"Weav!" With less sheer force, but superior agility, Weavile had no problem darting out of the normal type's path. Another stream of embers did leave it sweating, however.
"Back the other way!"
Tauros skidded to a halt, ending his momentum before resuming his chase.
For such a large, inflexible creature, Tauros was catching up quickly, Silver noted. "Jump!"
A bellowing battle cry became a roar of frustration as Tauros missed jabbing his target yet again. The flames began to grow irritating to his hide, prompting his three tails to snap at his side.
Ash growled. This was getting tedious. "Give 'im a full-fledged Horn Attack!"
Tauros cried, his horns growing brightest among the flames. Two skewers of heat fired from them like projectiles, making Weavile, ironically, the bull's eye.
Silver grit his teeth. "Pull back!"
Fretting, Weavile rolled back, screeching at the glancing burn that crossed its chest.
"This is taking too long," Ash complained aloud. "Put that fire out!"
Scraping one of his horns against the gym floor, Tauros lifted the settled dust and dirt off of it, smothering the flames along his mane and hide. His blazing battle armor was nullified.
"Ice Shard!" Silver yelled. He frowned. So, Ash had figured out how put out his own fires? That wasn't good - for Silver. "Good to see you won't let your pokemon burn themselves out."
"Not twice, at least," Ash offered with a slightly embarrassed laugh. "Fire Blast!"
The massive white-blue Ice Shard collided with the wall of fire. As the attack tore through Weavile's, the dark type dodged again.
"Night Slash!"
Rushing forward, Weavile slinked close to the ground. Sweeping up, the violet dark energy tore at Tauros's belly, earning a critical hit. The bull stumbled back, falling onto his side with his eyes shut from pain. When they opened, his pupils were constricted, nostrils flaring. He snorted, pawing at the ground.
"Bing! There's the Anger Point!" Ash noted. "You're in for it, now."
"Anger Point?" Dawn echoed, pulling out her Pokedex.
"Anger Point: An ability boasted by temperamental pokemon. When one possessing Anger Point is struck with a critical hit, their rage peaks, greatly boosting their attack power."
"Then, Weavile really grabbed the bull by the horns."
Empoleon and Buneary groaned at Dawn's pun, while Rura snickered.
"Crap," Silver muttered. "Low Sweep!"
Leg out, Weavile aimed to kick the still down-and-out Tauros.
"Stomp!"
As the ice type got close, Tauros's hind leg kicked out. The bull's powerful hind leg sent Weavile flying and then skidding back. The fine feathered fighter landed heavily on its own side.
"Weavile is out!" the judge called, in awe of the battle.
Silver returned Weavile, nodding. "Not bad. Let's see how you handle this one, though. Gengar! Let's go."
"I'm not an old Arcanine. I've learned plenty of new tricks. Tauros! That was great, take a rest. Kingler, I choose you!"
"Kuu-kiii!" Kingler gurgled, snapping his larger claw.
"S-Silver!" the judge called out. "Are substitutions legal?!"
The gym leader nodded. "They've never been against house rules."
The judge nodded, swallowing. That was embarrassing. "Then, let the match continue!"
"Gengar, use Dark Pulse!"
"Geg-gen-gen… Gar!" Gengar spun about, launching a barrage of dark energy at Kingler.
"Block it, with Crabhammer!"
The larger pincer swung like a hammer, smashing into the flurry of rings that threatened Kingler himself. With a grunt, he swatted them aside. The wall behind him took the brunt of the damage.
"Good job," Ash praised. "Now, Bubble!"
"Ku-ku-ki!" Kingler opened both of his pincers, spraying a wide wave of foam over the battlefield.
Ash was greeted with an awe-stricken, incredulous, very judgmental look. "Bubble? Is this your idea of a prank? Who's even cocky enough to bring such a basic move into this kind of battle?"
"You had your answer right on the tip of your tongue, Silver!" Ash taunted, smugly resting a hand on his hip. ""Basic' is the idea. It doesn't do a lot of damage, but it's easy to use, which means there'll be a lot of it before Kingler even thinks of tiring out!"
And, they couldn't afford to lose any range while battling a pokemon like Gengar.
An irritated ghostly grumble gave Ash all he needed to hear. "Get in there, and use Crabhammer!"
Kingler sprung into the suds and struck hard. But, he found himself swinging at thin-air.
"I didn't hear anythin'... What gives?"
"Kii." Kingler landed, crawling around on his four legs to search for the escapee.
"It must've gotten away…" Ash frowned. "Do ya see it anywhere, Kingler?"
"Ku-ki, ku-ki," Kingler shrugged with his claws, before gesturing to Ash.
"I should know the answer? Well, if I knew, I wouldn'ta asked! Because leaving a Gengar free to slip around is just asking for…" Ash's sentence trailed off. "We really shouldn't be wasting time, here. Use Bubble 'n turn this place into one big bubble-bath!"
A collective groan surmised his audience, then.
"I wasn't asking for notes," Ash mumbled.
Kingler obeyed all the same, spraying Bubble in every direction until the gym hall was flooded with the attack.
"I still don't hear anything from Gengar… Which must mean it's still hiding." The raven haired trainer shrugged, mimicking how Kingler had done before. "Fine. Be like that." An energetic, almost gleeful smirk crossed his lips. "Kingler, use Blizzard!"
"...Shit!" Silver snapped, gray eyes narrowing to a pin point as he watched Kingler's move take hold.
The mass of frothy bubbles that floated around the gym like a sudsy bath gone rogue were frozen over, crystalized like a winter fairytale. Delicate snowflakes and sharp, tiny shards of ice alike whipped between the now solid and slow floating bubbles. A drafty fog of moist, cold air floated between it all.
Dawn's heart leaped out of her chest at the beauty of the move. "Incredible…!" she said in awe. Nothing would ever compare with the beauty of pure, driven diamond dust falling silently in the infinitely dark night of Snowpoint with only the fat, pale moon to light the way, but this was definitely a close second. The delightful chill that entered the gym energized her, making her hairs stand on end. "What a move, Ash!"
"Empooo!"
Dawn wasn't the only one who liked the move, it seemed.
Rubbing beneath his nose in pride, Ash chuckled. "That ain't all."
Silver's breathing was still shallow and anticipatory. And, as he had expected, the multitude of collected bubbles soon began to let out high, squeaking sounds as cracks formed along their surfaces.
The orbs shattered, their crystal edges raining on the battlefield like broken glass.
Genger let out a ghostly wail as he took a hit, floating among froth-turned-frost. The pain was so intense his transparency had been nullified, his shadowy form once more visible to all within the gym.
"Not a bad move," Silver praised. "Definitely one to borrow."
"Glad I could learn you one," Ash teased.
"... Confuse Ray." Perhaps Silver was a prideful man, like Ash. He seemed to dislike being shown up.
The dark, iridescent lights floated from Gengar's crafty claws to Kingler. They circled the water type, confusing it.
"Harden!" Ash knew there was little use in trying to resist the confusion status, but they could prepare for it.
"Ki!"
Obedient, the bewildered Kingler made itself taunt, exoskeleton shining with a summoned layer of fresh, thick protection. Now, even if it hit itself, the blow would do less!
"Now, let's try Blizzard!"
Lifting a massive claw above its head, Kingler tried to summon Blizzard… But, it fizzled as it formed. A few wisps of faint white frost were all it had to show for its efforts.
Gengar, for its part, snickered, loud and mirthful with a hint of schadenfreude. "Ge-gegegege!"
"Don't get too confident," Silver warned his ghost. "Use Sludge Bomb." If Ash claimed he was learning, then Silver wouldn't give him the opportunity to catch up.
"Dodge that!"
As much as Kingler wanted to obey Ash's order, it could not. Scuttling to the side, the crab tripped on its feet. It landed heavily. The damage was minimal, but the fall hard hurt. Even worse, though, was the burst of toxic liquid upon its back. The shell touched by the wicked move was stained purple before it was quickly absorbed. A sickly parlor overcome Kingler's expression.
"Ki… Ki…" it croaked, feeling ill.
Ash clenched his teeth and his fist. "Kingler!" The crab had been poisoned.
Silver was satisfied by this. "Dark Pulse!"
A malevolent arc of biting black-purple energy swung from Gengar's waved hand, racing with disastrous speed for Kingler. The water type cried in pain as it was struck. However, the blow was enough to knock it to its senses.
This was not lost on Ash. "Crabhammer!"
"Dark Pulse!"
Colored like dark chocolate melted over a decadent shade of purple, Gengar's attack once again aimed true for Kingler. The orange pokemon was ready this time. Swinging its arm up, it buffeted the dark type attack. For a brief moment, the two moves fought, testing strength. Then, with a flick of what would pass for its wrist, the move was brushed away from Kingler.
"Alright!" Ash praised. "Blizzard!"
Silver looked to Gengar, noting the ghost's stature. It was time to throw in all his chips. "Dark Pulse!"
The two moves met in the middle. Though Dark Pulse was smaller and less all-consuming than Blizzard, it was a greedier move, made of dark energy. It stretched in the ice as it spread across the battlefield, rapidly fanning out. Soon, the two mixed, creating black ice and a chill like a the never ending winters of the arctic. The lights of the gym flickered and someone - the judge - cried out.
When the lights turned back on, everyone quickly looked to the pokemon. Each resting in a settled heap of ice, Kingler and Gengar alike were knocked out.
Gulping, the judge shyly spoke out. "D-Due to the circumstances of the match… I will declare the round a draw!" He hadn't seen who had actually fainted first, after all.
"Make it cool, cool like ice! The way Ash battles is super nice!" Dawn cheered, trying to cheer him on for the tie.
"Kingler, return!" Ash recalled the crustacean, offering his ball a look of pride. "Y'did great. Now, we're one step closer to winning." He turned, then, to his 'cheer squad,' flashing a victory sign with his fingers. "And, you guys can count on that!"
An enthusiastic yip from Rura answered Ash, and Dawn couldn't contain her smile.
His confidence was definitely back.
"Don't make promises you don't know you can keep," Silver butted in, calling on his next pokemon. "Go, Magneton!"
"Don't worry, I'm not!" Ash vigorously tossed his next companion's sphere. "Pidgeot!"
"Pidgooo!" The large avian shrieked, hovering opposite of the bound magnets.
"Are you sure you want to repeat this match-up?" Silver squinted.
"I was gonna ask you the same thing," Ash fired back.
Now, that one earned an irritated growl. "Arrogant little… Hmph. Thunderbolt!"
A crackling current crossed the fray, forcing Pidgeot to pull up.
"Heat Wave!"
Pidgeot spread her wings, ready to leave the battlefield blistering. A second Thunderbolt forced her to tuck kin, barreling to the side. Another made her squawk and duck.
"She's never gonna pull it off, at this rate," Ash lamented. "They're too fast. And, this gym's too small to let her use her full speed…" Sure, the ceiling was remarkably high, but it didn't accompany the momentum of a large flyer like Pidgeot.
From Ash's vantage point, she seemed to be having trouble skirting one bolt after the next.
"Lock-on!"
Three red points merged into one over Pidgeot's torso.
"Shoot," Ash muttered. "There's no dodging that! Just use Heat Wave!"
"Thunderbolt!"
Pidgeot began flapping her wings, stirring up hot air. She'd leave those magnets toasted.
A sizzling current running up her spine coupled with flashing lights told her otherwise.
"Pidgeot!' Ash clenched his fist, watching his pokemon fall. Not good. "Try to pull up!"
"Flash Cannon!"
Regaining awareness thanks to the scent of crisped feathers, Pidgeot blinked, trying to right herself.
A sudden burst of metallic energy ended that bid, the explosion sending her tumbling across the floor.
"This is looking bad," Dawn lamented, clutching her pom-poms. "There's got to be a way out of this!" Her face scrunched. If anyone could come up with something, though, it was Ash.
Hopefully he could do it in time.
"Zor! Zor-Zor!" Rura frantically yipped, hopping atop Dawn's head to make himself heard. Pidgeot had been so big and tough and scary the other day! There was no way she could lose now!
"Pika-Pika!" Pikachu waved his paws frantically, standing beside Ash. He knew Pidgeot could take more than that!
"Djooo…" Pigeot groaned, shaking her head. One wing slowly pushed her off the ground.
"Lock-on, then Thunderbolt!"
Pidgeot was made a target once again, a singular red dot attracting the attention of another surge.
The battle's audience braced for the worst.
"Steel Wing!"
A huge, gleaming extremity coated in silver became the target of Thunderbolt, glimmering with angry golden sparks that danced up and down Pidgeot's wing.
Silver grit his teeth.
"Now, channel that into the ground!"
Pidgeot reinforced her opposite wing, allowing the current to run from one wing to the next, harmlessly flickering off into the nonconductive gym floor.
"What a move!" Dawn cheered, bashing her pom-poms together. "I knew Ash'd figure it out."
"You weaseled your way out of that one," Silver admitted. He smiled, finding it hard to be angry. Ash was making him work for his victory.
"I picked that up from a flying type expert in Hoenn," Ash boasted. If there was anyone to borrow from when it came to flying types, Winona was high on the list. "Now, Steel Wing, with a twist!"
Pidgeot'd had adequate time to recover, and she returned with a vengeance. Swooping across the field with glimmering silver feathers, Pidgeot neared her prey.
Magneton split without needing an order, floating apart, and out of Pidgeot's range.
"Now," Ash commanded, punching across his chest.
Pidgeot's assault turned into a ferocious horizontal spin, silver wings lashing out all around.
All three heads of Magnemite were struck, bashed off in different directions.
"Direct hit!" Ash celebrated.
"Amazing! She looks like a giant silver bullet!" Dawn marveled. Pidgeot was every bit as beautiful as she was vicious.
"Pika-Pikachu!"
Silver didn't need a reminder of what came after Magneton's separation. "Come back together, for Gyro Ball!"
The three heads were bouncing about. "Mag! Magnetooon~ Ton!" Their ricocheting returned to an orbit in their angry buzz, all three using the momentum to pick up speed.
Pidgeot fretted, pulling up towards the ceiling to steer clear of the electric type.
"C'mon…! You can dodge that!" Ash wasn't sure whether he was trying to convince himself or Pidgeot.
What soon became a silver cyclone followed suit, and smashed brutally into Pidgeot.
"Pidgoooo!" The huge avian squawked in pain, sinking towards the floor of the fray.
"That had to hurt… Uh-oh. Pidgeot?"
Wincing, Pidgeot found herself restricted in a net of sparks that danced along her feathers.
"She's… Paralyzed? But how? Far as I've ever heard, Gyro Ball can't do that."
"I'm as surprised as you are. This is a first." Silver squinted, resting a hand on his hip. "My only guess is that the static that remained from taking on Thunderbolt clung to your Pidgeot, and was passed back to Magneton when it was hit with Steel Wing. So, Gyro Ball carried an extra charge."
With that uncovered, the Gym Leader sneered. "Must hurt having your own strategy backfire."
Ash opened his mouth, but no comeback came to pass his lips. He closed it to grimace.
"You're done being a smartass? Good. Then, let's wrap this up."
"Pikachu…" Pikachu's ears sunk. "Pika!" There had to be a way out of this!
"Lock-on, and Flash Cannon!"
Magnemite's segments hung close, spinning together to fire another burst of light. "Ton~!"
"We've only got one shot at this…" Ash's eyes narrowed. "Tough it out, and use Aerial Ace!"
Pidgeot's fierce gaze narrowed. If anyone thought that the former guardian of Viridian Forest would be shot down in this humiliating a manner, they had another thing coming. "Pidgo!"
She fought the numbness in her wings, sailing towards her opponent on spanned wings.
"I don't know if you forgot, but you can't dodge it," Silver remarked. "It would've been more considerate to Pidgeot to just surrender.
A belly-laugh was Ash's only answer.
Silver light trailed Pidgeot, mirroring the Flash Cannon that was moments from landing.
She vanished.
"Zor!?" Rura yipped, blinking at the scene. She… She was just gone!?
"Bun, Buneary~!" Buneary sing-songed. Rura would see, soon enough!
Pidgeot's image materialized again, hovering over Magneton. Dwarfing it, beak poised, like a predator ready to snap up its lunch in one bite.
Wincing from paralysis, she hesitated in her numb state before charging forward.
That moment of pause made her far too late. She'd missed Magneton entirely.
"Sorry. It's basic knowledge that a flying type can't fight to its fullest while paralyzed. You failed your pokemon."
"Did I?" Ash grinned, poised as ever.
Silver's attention shot back to the battle just in time to watch Flash Cannon swerve and chase its target. Unfortunately, Magneton was blocking its view.
A booming, glittering explosion followed.
"Alright!" Dawn cheered, jumping for joy. This battle was intense! "What a way to beat Lock-on!"
"It's not over yet," Ash noted, watching Magneton hang in a lazy, disoriented pile above ground.
"Heat Wave, now!"
There was no time to waste; Pidgeot knew that as well as Ash, as she unleashed hell upon her foe.
"Mag… Magne-tonnnnn…!" The assortment of magnets groaned, bouncing off the floor with swirls in their eyes.
"...Magneton is unable to battle!" The referee called.
Ash finally had the chance to let out a heavy sigh. "Good job, Pidgeot. Return!"
"Djoo!" She wearily raised a wing to Ash, secretly content to be recalled.
Silver recalled Magneton quietly. "That was risky."
Ash couldn't keep a nervous chuckle down. "Go big or go home, right?"
"I couldn't agree more." The redhead grabbed his final pokeball, tossing it with a bit more enthusiasm than usual. "Feraligatr!"
The gator made his presence known, stomping his heavy hind legs into the gym floor. An eager, guttural growl made the feeble among the group shudder.
Rura held tightly onto dawn's bangs, much to her dismay. "Is it gonna eat us!?"
Pikachu instinctively clung to Ash's pant leg. He felt a little pathetic for doing so.
"Then, this is the last one… Time to give it all we've got!" With furrowed brows, Ash wound up his last pokeball, pitching it with all his might. "Torterra, let's finish this!"
The Continent pokemon took a sturdy stance. Eyeing his large opponent, he asserted his weight on the field with ground-quivering stomps. He'd disappointed himself a few times too many in the past, and though the trainer would predictably deny it, he was sure that he'd let down Ash. Today would come with a different tune.
"Terra!"
Today, he'd decide this battle.
Feraligatr hissed in return, snapping his jaws. He would not be out-muscled here. Not again.
"We'll start," Ash decided. "Torterra, Stone Edge!"
"Terra!" The sturdy pokemon conjured an orbiting series of sharp stones, launching them at Feraligatr.
"Aqua Tail!"
Feraligatr hoisted its burly body around, launching a cyclone from his tail. The strong current pounded away at the rocks, grinding them to sediment, as well as blasting Torterra.
Being part grass type, Torterra didn't have much trouble shaking the attack off. The plants on his back even felt the slightest bit refreshed.
Of course, the offensive had only just begun. "Hit hard, with Slash!" Silver ordered.
The gator stampeded across the field, sharp claws poised to strike.
"Block it with your shell!" Ash countered.
Torterra did as much, turning his body to the side, as well as ducking his head. He felt razor sharp claws slash across his shell, but as always, the injury was dulled by a reliable, sturdy exoskeleton.
"It's working for now," Ash thought aloud. "But, we don't want it staying close. Leaf Storm!"
"Terra!" The pokemon cried, launching a furious storm of sharp, emerald leaves that carried Feraligatr into an airborne frenzy.
Roaring in agony, the water type was thrown carelessly onto its side.
Silver's thumb dug into his palm. "That cost us."
"It's about to cost a whole lot more," Ash assured. "Nail it while you can, with Stone Edge!"
With a toss of the Continent pokemon's head, he flung another barrage of pointed stones at his opponent.
"That's not going to work," Silver argued. "Hyper Beam!"
Feraligatr was just now pushing himself to his feet. In a moment where time was the essence, he threw his head around, firing a dark violet beam from his jowls that blasted across the battlefield without mercy.
The stones were incinerated, and Torterra crouched, preparing himself to bear the brunt of the blast.
An earth-shaking explosion followed, flooding the field with smoke and soot.
Ash dug his heels into the gym floor, guarding himself from the wind that followed. "Hang in there, Torterra!"
"Yikes!" Rura yelped, picked up into the air by the resulting shockwave. Luckily, he was caught by Empoleon, who proudly guarded the cub in his reliable grip.
When the blinding light died down, Ash fully opened his eyes.
Torterra stood amongst the debris, boasting a large burn mark on his shell for his trouble. He grunted. "Torterra."
"Alright, Torterra! He's still in the game!" Dawn cheered.
"Those incredible defenses paid off," Ash agreed, looking across the fray.
Feraligatr was hunched over, panting.
"Now's our chance!" Ash declared, eyes wide and a hand held high. "Torterra, Rock Climb!"
"Terra!" The Continent pokemon made use of his tremendous mass, smashing his feet into the gym floor.
A tremor shot across, isolating Feraligatr atop a rocky outcrop. The water type stumbled, barely maintaining balance.
He was sitting prey for the stampeding Torterra, who bounded the field in a reckless charge. He clawed his way up the elevation, throwing himself at Feraligatr. His heavy body smashed brutally into its hide.
Feraligatr was thrown from his unwanted perch, colliding with the ground with a thud.
Rock Climb retreated, and Torterra took a few steps back, admiring his work while also keeping his distance.
"Excellent work," Ash laid on the praise. "You took your punishment and gave it back double!"
"Tor!" He grunted back with enthusiasm, a wide smile spanning his crooked beak.
The fire in Ash's eyes wasn't lost on Dawn, nor was the steady, sure footing he'd taken. He was back on his groove. And, what was more… "It took him a while… But he really did it."
~Wuzzat? Did what?~ Rura queried, hoping back atop Dawn's head.
"Ever since Torterra evolved from a Turtwig, he got a lot slower, and his battling capabilities changed completely. Ash likes to use speed to stay ahead of things, and he lost his agility, so they had a lot of trouble working together after that. Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen him win a single battle since he became a Torterra."
The disheveled field spoke for itself.
"But, Ash finally figured it out. How to be patient, and use Torterra's power and defenses in the best way!"
She couldn't be more proud.
"Don't start celebrating early," Silver interrupted. "We're not done, yet."
Feraligatr had regained his bearings by now, brushing off what would probably become a bruise. "Fer..." He hissed. As much as that had hurt, he was tougher than that. He wasn't going down to no garden turtle!
"I was hoping you'd say that," Ash countered, refusing to lose his cool. "So, bring it!"
"Terra!"
"Of course. Hydro Pump!"
Feraligatr dug his claws into the floor, preparing himself for the recoil that would come with the brutal burst.
Torterra had taken a Hydro Pump before. But, after a Hyper Beam, it was doubtful he'd walk out of a second.
"We're not taking every attack you throw at us. Rock Climb, right in front of you!"
Pikachu hopped atop Ash's shoulder in anticipation of the coming tremor.
Silver pursed his lips. "What's he up to?"
Torterra backed onto his hind legs, allowing gravity to do the rest for him. "Tor!"
The heavy collision forced up ramp made of earth in front of Torterra.
The fury of Hydro Pump crashed into the elevation, pulverizing its obstacle.
Within seconds, all that was left of Rock Climb was an assortment of pebbles, thrown up by a thick mist.
But, Torterra was unharmed.
"Good job… Huh!?"
"Slash!"
A deadly set of claws sliced through the mist, swiping across Torterra's hide.
"Ter…!" The mark along his head stung. He ducked, providing his shell for protection.
Feraligatr emerged from the camouflage, battering Torterra's shell with repeated Slash attacks.
It wasn't doing a great deal of damage. But it did allow Silver to spot an opening. He smirked.
"Crunch, now!"
It was then that a sharp pain shot through the grass type's skull and jaw.
Every onlooker gawked in horror at the sight. Feraligatr had trapped his foe in a critical Crunch upon Torterra's head.
"Torterra…! Say something! Are you hangin' in there?" Ash's confidence vanished, swept away by fears for the worst.
"Terr…." The pokemon groaned in agony, his vision growing blurry.
Wrestling his way out of the hold could only bring him more harm.
"It's time to surrender." Silver spoke up, resting a hand on his hip. "Your pokemon is in danger. You've lost."
"Why, you dirty…!" Ash hissed. What was it with this region's Gym Leaders threatening him into forfeiting!?
"Ash, I hate to say it, but you better do it!" Dawn shouted, her pom-poms dropping. "You can always come back!"
"Yeah, I know…" Ash's fist clenched at his side. "I…"
"T…. Terra…!" Unable to shake his head, he barked down Ash's thoughts. "Tor…. Torter…!" Even now…. Even in pain as he was, he would not allow Ash to throw in the towel!
"But, Torterra…"
"Tor!" He did his best to force his jaw open, hoping to free his head. No such luck.
But, he couldn't quit. Not after coming this far.
Ever since he'd grown out of being a tiny, nimble Turtwig, he'd ironically done worse and worse in battle. He'd certainly improved over the past months. He'd even won a few matches. But, he'd never had a big victory.
He'd never used his strength to the fullest, until now.
As far as he was concerned, it was now or never.
"...I understand." Ash spoke, monotone. "This is important to you… But, there's no way for us to…"
Ash's voice trailed off, and his eyes grew wide.
"Giga Drain!"
"What!?"
Feraligatr's satisfaction was sapped away, a sudden, parasitic essence attacking his every nerve. His vigor, now likely running on adrenaline, slowly sapped away amidst the emerald glow.
He released Torterra, backing up to flee the super-effective move.
"Terra!" The Continent pokemon bucked his opponent with his head for good measure. His head felt sore, but Giga Drain's healing properties remedied most of the damage.
"Are you alright?" Ash checked, feeling a strong urge to run onto the field. "Can ya keep fighting? If you wanna call it quits, it's fine."
"Tor!" The tortoise shook his head, working out what passed for a neck for good measure.
"Right… Then, let's go for broke! Rock Climb!"
He eyed the heaving amphibian, charcoal, narrow eyes solid with determination. With a cry, he slammed downward.
"Feral!?" Suddenly upheaved by another mound of earth, he hissed. He could hardly stand!
"Alright~!" Dawn cooed, throwing her pom-poms up with glee. "Let's cheer them on! Ash and Torterra, it's up to you! Knock that gator down a few! Up 'till now, you've had it rough, but for a Sinnoh 'mon, that's not enough!"
Dawn's pokemon chattered in unison, flailing with enthusiasm.
"Pika-Pika-Pikachu!" Pikachu shouted, pumping a fist in enthusiastic support. If he couldn't fight, he'd still cheer his teammates on!
"This has gone on long enough." Silver threw a hand outward. "Hyper Beam!"
Feraligatr dug his claws into the earth, preparing for what would soon become a devastating blast. A sun-colored orb formed in the pokemon's drooling, snarling mouth. That tortoise was history!
"Torterra can't take anymore damage…" Ash grit his teeth. He clenched his fists, shutting his eyes tight. "It's all or nothing, Torterra! Leaf Storm!"
"Terra!" The grass type leaned forward, unleashing his full, unbridled fury from the mighty tree atop his back.
Feraligatr pushed to fire his blast, but the maelstrom of leaves swarming his body left him roaring.
Moments later, he offered little resistance. The very edge of the platform gave under Feraligatr's foot.
Before he could hit the ground, he disappeared in a flash of crimson.
Silver huffed, grasping the pokeball tightly in his hand.
There was a momentary silence. The judge coughed before raising his hand. "Feraligatr has been incapacitated, and recalled by the Gym Leader! Silver is out of pokemon, which makes Ash, the challenger, the victor!"
A breath that had been held for what felt like forever left Ash's lungs in the form of a loud whoop. "We did it!" Absolutely jubilant, Ash sprinted onto the field, kneeling to embrace Torterra. "You really stuck it out there, Torterra. Congratulations! You won it all for us!"
"Tor… Terra!" Exhausted, but thoroughly satisfied, the tortoise leaned just a bit on Ash, giving the trainer a wide smile. He even nuzzled against Ash's cheek! This had been their victory.
"Ash!" Dawn hollered, running to join the commotion. "Congratulations! You really gave 'em heck out there!"
"Thanks! But I owe you guys one, for cheering us on when things got rough!"
Empoleon and Buneary puffed out their chests, and Rura simply grinned.
"Pika-chu~!" Pikachu leaned over, patting Torterra's shell.
"And, you, too, buddy. I know it must've been hard for you to be out here… But, you gave me confidence when things got hairy. Thanks for stickin' by us." A hand reached up to affectionately scratch Pikachu's chin.
"Cha~!"
"Ahem."
A cough interrupted the festivities. Silver stood before them. He nodded to Ash, letting a hand slide into his pocket. "I've got to hand it to you. Your ability to adapt to a situation is top-notch. As obnoxious and annoying as you can be…"
Emphasis hung on those words.
"...You're also talented. Keep battling seriously, and you will go places."
"Hmph," Ash huffed. Indignant as he sounded, though, he couldn't keep himself from smiling.
"And, don't make me embarrassed to lose to you."
"You've got nothing to worry about," Ash boasted, resting an affectionate hand on Torterra's shell. "After this coming league, you'll be able to say you lost to a future Champion!"
"Terra!"
"And, his amazing pokemon."
The thin, tender sliver of the moon faintly glowed outside of the window where Ash and Dawn has settled to wait on their orders from the Pokemon Center kitchen. The place was surprisingly empty, but considering the time of year, Ash chalked it up to newer trainers being anywhere from Erika's gym to Blaine's. The eighth gym was always the last hurdle, reached after crossing the wide, shining sea south of Kanto.
It was a hurdle he had crossed for the last time. Having proven himself for absolute certainty at Silver's gym, Ash treated his team to a good healing. Now, they had been returned to him. All that was left to settle before dinner was a quick call to his mother.
While Dawn flipped through a beauty magazine, Ash dug through his bag for his X-Transciever. He pulled it out and noticed with a worry that the screen was cracked severely in a corner. He desperately clicked the power button and grew frantic when it didn't turn on. He shook the device and droplets of water flew out of it as a rattling noise was emitted from the device.
"What the hell?!" Ash snapped.
Looking up, Dawn wondered what Ash was doing. However, as she put the scene together, her eyes went wide. Back at the underground Rocket base, she'd flooded the room Ash's bag was in. After that, she'd thrown his bag at him.
"Oh, my god! I'm so sorry. When I rescued you…!"
Ash's heart sank. That's what'd happened to it? Sighing, he put it down on the table. "Not your fault." He shook his head before getting up, headed to the public phones.
He was grateful the Pokemon Center was empty. He sat down at one, dialing his mother's phone. It was only a moment before she picked up.
"Ash?"
"Hey, Mom! I won! Everyone did great."
"Oh, congratulations! I'm so proud of you, Ash." She looked around, as if trying to see someone else. "Did Dawn wear the uniform?"
"How'd you know about that?" Ash asked as his eyebrows knit together.
"She borrowed my iron to press it."
"Oh. Yeah, she wore it."
The mother giggled. "So, when are you headed home?"
"None of us are crazy about traveling in the dark, so we'll head back at first light tomorrow. We'll be home by lunch at the latest."
"Okay, honey. See you then. Tell Dawn I said hello."
"Will do! Bye, Mom."
The trainer hung up before heading back to the table. He saw that their food still hadn't arrived. He gestured to Pikachu, who had been playing checkers with Empoleon, and the electric mouse came with him. So, quietly stealing away behind the Pokemon Center, Ash found a relatively secluded place. He and his starter were both cautious to avoid the same field they had been ambushed at, before.
Once he was sure he was alone, he released his team. Pikachu stood on his shoulder, peering at them all. Ash smiled at them before walking to each, one by one.
"Torterra, you were great today. I mean it. I know you had to wait for it, but your patience really paid off. And, Tauros! Oh, man, buddy, you really took one for the team. I'll always remember this. Kingler, you were great out there, too. Good work, even when you were confused. Pidgeot, your endurance is incredible! Thanks for hanging in there. And, you, Rosa… You did great under all that pressure. Thanks."
As he went down the line, he came to the final pokemon, Meema. Resting a hand atop her head, Ash pet her.
"And, you. This was your first battle, but you did great. Thanks."
Ash turned to all of them. "We're gonna have to all rely on each other in the upcoming league! I know we can win! We just gotta work hard and have each other's backs!"
Crying in agreement, Ash's pokemon rushed into hug him. Most of them, anyway. Meema lingered back. She watched curiously, not able to fully comprehend Ash's kind ways. All the same, she was grateful. One hard battle was all she had faced this week, and yet she and her pup were well taken care of and full.
Quietly, as Ash invited her into the group hug with an echo from Pikachu, she promised herself she would work hard for her new alpha. She wouldn't lose her spot in this pack.
"I said we'd be over first thing in the morning… Didn't think we'd sleep past ten." Ash rubbed the back of his head, walking down one of the many dirt roads of Pallet. "Hope Mom isn't steamed." Even as he said so, he raised a hand to his mouth to yawn. Maybe rushing off right after breakfast hadn't been the greatest idea.
"Hey, it's not like we've had it easy," Dawn added, breathing in the refreshing breeze that filtered through the grassy hills of the small, out-of-the-way town. "It's no surprise that you needed the rest."
"So, it was all me, huh?"
"I already had my hair in order by the time your eyes were open," Dawn reminded him, tapping a finger on Ash's nose before retreating her hand to flick her silky smooth locks. "And, we all know how much you go on about that taking time."
"Point taken." Ash admitted defeat. There was no point in debating further, anyway, as they'd reached the front porch of his very own home. He reached to turn the knob, twisting it.
"Pol!" Empoleon chattered, showing off his glimmering crown.
"I even had time to polish Empoleon's crown! Looks pretty stunning, huh?"
"Pika-chu~!" Pikachu cooed, his eyes glimmering in enthusiastic approval. He was in top form!
"Hey, Mom! I'm home!" Ash called as he stepped in first, kicking his sneakers off his feet.
"Huh!?"
Dawn cocked a brow at the teen who was still blocking the doorway. "Ash, what… What's the matter?"
The answer laid inside, Dawn's eyes joining Ash's, and Pikachu and Empoleon's with her, to peer into the Ketchum household.
The couch was occupied by Delia, and with her, two familiar faces; Misty and Brock.
Each of the three was occupied with a cup of tea.
Misty broke the silence with laughter, flashing a smirk. "Meowth got your tongue?"
