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"Today's final battle is winding down, folks! Deidra has just two pokemon left, while Ash still has three. Let's see how Ash's Infernape, apparently an old favorite of his from an entrance into a Sinnoh league tournament, does against Deidra's Metagross, her almost exclusive choice for this tournament, so far!"
Overhearing this in the stands, Delia's fists balled up. "He's so close!" She stood in her seat, raising a fist. "Oh, do your best, baby! Momma's so proud of you!"
Not catching onto how embarrassing her cheering was, Dawn joined in. "That's right! We're so, so proud of you, Ash! Do your best!"
Seated behind Dawn, Delia, and Dawn's cheering pokemon, Brock put his face in his hands. "He's gonna get distracted, guys…"
On the battlefield, Ash held out a hand, ready to claim his long-time-coming victory. "Infernape, let's start off with Dig!"
"Infernie!" the fire type called, running forward to gain momentum before diving underground. It split like butter before his paws.
Deidra closed her eyes. "Earthquake."
The Kantonian trainer gulped. "Switch that, abort! Escape with Mach Punch!"
As Metagross slammed a heavy arm onto the ground, Infernape broke the surface with a fist gleaming full of fighting type energy. Hovering over the briefly shaking ground, the fire type locked eyes with his metallic opponent.
"Get at 'em with Mach Punch!" Ash ordered, sweeping his arm across.
Darting across the now still land, Infernape slugged Metagross across a raised hand once.
"Iron Defense," Deidra said.
The steel type gleamed and then Infernape found that his second hit didn't send his opponent as far back as it had the first time. The third punch did less, as well! Retreating, the agile fire type leaped back, analyzing his opponent.
Ash, likewise, frowned, assessing the situation. "Well, let's try Flare Blitz, then!" It was a little risky, but they couldn't afford to take a conservative approach right now.
"Infernape!" he chirped in agreement, cloaking himself in flames before running on all four limbs towards Metagross.
Deidra's voice was even as she spoke, a sense of control returned to her. "Psychic."
A layer of blue covered the ape. As he tried to run forward, it dragged him back, though slowly at first. After Infernape failed to get traction, the Psychic truly took hold. It flung Infernape back, who barely managed to tuck and roll to land properly back on the far end of Ash's side of the field.
"Meteor Mash," the dragon specialist said.
While Infernape was catching his breath, Metagross skidded across the field. Thankfully, the creature was slow enough that Ash was able to call out a warning and Infernape was able to raise his arms in defense. The thwack of impact rang through the area. Infernape, snorting, didn't give his massive opponent an inch. Muscles flexing, the monkey glared in Metagross's dangerously close face.
The impact had hurt, but it ended. And, Infernape had moved no further back.
Ash smiled and nodded to his fire type as Metagross retreated to its side of the field. "Good job, buddy!"
"Infer!" he chirped back, smiling as well. He wanted nothing more than to make Ash proud. If that meant beating this big lump of iron, then he'd do it, gladly!
Across the field, Deidra quietly drank in the tender moment between trainer and pokemon. Keeping her opinions to herself, she uncrossed her arms. "I hope that's not all you're going to give me," she quipped.
Smugly smirking at her, Ash lifted his chin. "I've got plenty more! In fact, Infernape, let's give 'em another Mach Punch!"
Dashing across the field, Infernape slugged Metagross hard in the middle of its golden X.
"Now, up and over with Close Combat!"
Using his nimble body and skilled hands, Infernape climbed on top of his opponent. Scoffing, Deidra didn't have time to properly respond before Infernape was hailing down a rapid-fire collection of kicks and punches on her steel type.
"Retreat!" Ash ordered.
Leaping away, Infernape breathed heavily, assessing for damage on his opponent.
Metagross, for its part, looked peeved, but not particularly pained.
Deidra, not bothering to explain what happened, ordered the next move. "Meteor Mash!"
As Metagross's heavy hand smacked Infernape so hard the fire type landed on its back, Ash tried to puzzle out what happened.
"The Iron Defense!" he whispered. "Crap, that's really some move… Direct attacks aren't gonna cut it!"
Sensing Ash's displeasure with his observation, Pikachu tried to cheer him and Infernape on. "Pikapi Pi Pikachu!"
"Psychic!" Deidra called.
"Infernape, dive with Dig!" Ash ordered in return.
Barely escaping before even his tail could be grasped, Infernape hid underground, out of Metagross's sights.
"Earthquake," Deidra said.
As Metagross got ready to slam a hand into the ground again, Ash yelled: "Flare Blitz!"
As before, Infernape popped out of the ground, avoiding the rumbling earth.
Deidra, however, was ready for him this time. "Meteor Mash!"
Metagross buckled his front arms in, launching his weight at Infernape.
With a toss of his head, Infernape roared, surrounding his body in a crackling blue blaze. He lunged.
Rather than striking Metagross, he was contending with Metagross's gleaming fist. The two knocked off each other, sparks scattering across the dull brown earth. Their strength was impressive, but unfortunately, neither had an edge on the other, yet.
"Tch, guess she's figured that already," Ash bitterly noted. "I kinda liked using it."
Deidra wasn't talkative, as usual. "Psychic. Hold 'im."
Metagross's eyes glowed blue. It held Infernape above the ground. The monkey struggled briefly before succumbing to the clutches, only his eyes moving, chest expanding, and occasional muscle twitch marking that his body was even vaguely under his control.
Frowning, the trainer knew he had to figure out how to get his pokemon out. "Flare Blitz!"
Blinking, Deidra tilted her head. Uncharacteristically, she offered Ash advice. "He can't move."
"He doesn't have to!" Ash shot back, though he noted that Deidra was voluntarily speaking to him now.
Infernape's teeth gritted. Over his body, bundles of fire began to form. Sparks began bouncing off and hitting the battlefield. Some of them even landed on Metagross. At first, the steel type endured. When the flames built up, a particularly large ember broke off, striking the steel type right in the face. Concentration broken, he dropped Infernape!
"Right on target!" Ash cheered, sporting a grin. "Alright, let's try something new! Dig, buddy!"
"Earthquake," Deidra ordered, though her confusion was clear by her posture.
"Mach Punch!"
As before, right as Metagross slammed its fist down, Infernape appeared.
"In the face!" Ash added.
Metagross, who had lifted a fist to block, found Infernape perching on his arm, the ape's fist slamming into the steel type's singed face. Flinching and recoiling, the psychic type gave away its weak spot!
"Bingo!" Ash smirked, brushing his thumb over his nose. "Alright, Dig, again!"
Deidra squinted, and held her tongue. Her Metagross remained on guard, waiting for Infernape to appear.
And, he did. Coming out swinging with a brutal uppercut, he felt no resistance. Snapping to reality, he gasped, watching Metagross leap out of harm's way. He'd missed!
"Meteor Mash!"
Letting out a low rumble, Metagross swung one of his mighty arms to pulverize Infernape.
Ash's facial features tightened. "Spin!"
Recalling Dawn's Sinnoh technique, Infernape tucked his limbs close, nimbly spinning off to the side and out of harm's way.
"Great! Close Combat!"
Still at the beast's side, Infernape jumped up, getting leverage on one of Metagross's own legs to begin pummeling the steel type with a barrage of kicks and punches.
Metagross let out a grinding noise that could only be one of irritation. The move didn't hurt enough to even make it think of quitting, but it was starting to get on its nerves.
"Despite Metagross' amazing power, Infernape is staying on top of it with a series of persistent attacks!"
Ash punched forward. "Now, Dig again!"
Abandoning his assault, the fire type dove, burrowing back into the field.
Metagross, meanwhile, stuck a heavy landing.
"How many times does Ash expect this to work? Deidra's not dumb, she's bound to catch on." Drew frowned, laying back into his seat. His fingers drummed on the arm rest that May had left unoccupied. As much as he liked to act detached, the match had him a little on edge.
"Maybe he doesn't have a choice. Between Psychic and Earthquake…!" May pouted. "I wouldn't want to be in his place, right about now."
"Yes, it's quite the conundrum…" Professor Oak furrowed his bushy brows. "If Ash doesn't give his opponent more credit, he may pay the price for it."
Infernape, meanwhile, burrowed underground, with no signs of surfacing, yet.
Deidra, surprisingly, was silent. She stood with uncharacteristic patience.
"Isn't she gonna use Earthquake…?" Ash cocked a brow. "I don't like this… well, it's now or never! Infernape, follow through!"
"Meteor Mash!" Deidra shouted, stomping the earth.
"Roaargh!" Metagross cried, smashing the earth before him to rubble.
Splintered rock and dust flew. Unearthed by bone-shuddering force, a tunneling path ascended towards Metagross' feet.
"...Where is it?" Deidra scowled.
"What's this!? Infernape is nowhere to be seen!"
"Got you!" Ash declared, grinning from ear to ear. "Flare Blitz!"
Metagross recoiled at a blazing red spouting from the burrow, but he acted far too late.
A pillar of fire burst from the hole, consuming Metagross in a roaring orange blaze that climbed well above the battlefield.
"Metagross!" Deidra looked on in horror, her functioning eye reduced to a pinpoint. Wisps of heat blew her dark locks about, exposing the pale coloration of her blind eye. Uncomfortable heat bathed over her, cascading from several explosions of heat along the battlefield.
"An explosive counterattack from Infernape! Flare Blitz has erupted from every hole on the field that Infernape has dug up! I can feel the heat from up here, and I'm sure the rest of you can, as well!"
"It's a spin on an old favorite," Ash boasted, brushing his thumb over his nose. "The underground - Flare Blitz. But, thanks to Dig, I brought all the heat right to Metagross. I call this one, 'Flare Geyser!'"
"Gross…" Metagross groaned, emerging from a thick black cloud of smoke. His blue, metal coat boasted several burn marks, matching the singed silver cross on his face.
"Ape!" Infernape surfaced, bearing a grin. "Infernape!" He challenged Metagross. Was he ready for more!?
"Great job, Infernape!" Ash pumped a fist. "You really pulled it off."
"Pikachu!" Pikachu hopped, cheering his teammate on.
"Yes! They got 'em!" Dawn cheered, pumping her pom-poms in the air. "Way to bring the heat, Infernape!"
"That was clever," Brock remarked, crossing his arms. "Giving the heat of Flare Blitz an outlet, with Dig. When the same move was used against Paul's Ninjask, it was safer to heat the whole field up, to prevent its escape. But with Metagross, a more concentrated attack was probably the best option."
While certainly not fear, a certain element of cold realization washed over Deidra. Whatever sure advantage she had previously had over her rival was gone. Backed into a corner, she reacted as cornered things tend to do; ferociously. "Metagross, Psychic! Put him out of it!"
"Meta!" Metagross let out an earth-rattling roar, his blood-red eyes taking on a bright cyan glow. His telekinetic powers gathered, rattling nearby rubble.
"Ackh…!" Infernape tensed. An alert, nimble mind, clear for battle, warped, any rational thought blurred into the next. Resistance wasn't even an option.
"Metagross!" Metagross roared, unleashing his wrath.
"Infernape!" Ash gasped.
Infernape's body was tossed like a ragdoll, flying past Ash before the trainer could so much as process the sight. He froze, terrified by Metagross' power. Sweat cascaded down his face, not unlike the chunks of debris that fell behind him. Ash dared to turn around.
Infernape was embedded in the stadium's wall, likely leaving a large dent on the other end. Spectators close by seemed too shocked for words.
"Metagross strikes back, with a Psychic like one we've never seen! That overwhelming power may be too much for Infernape to come back from."
"What kind of attack was that!?" Max blurted out, adjusting his glasses.
"It already looked powerful, on the play-by-plays… but it's a whole other story, in person." Misty grimaced, holding a fist to her chest. "Ash may have to try with another one of his pokemon…"
"Do you think he has any pokemon that could stand up to that?" Koda replied.
"Infernape…!" Without a second thought, Ash sprinted to the ends of the arena, crouching by his embedded companion. "Are you alright!?" The urge to care for his pokemon was overwhelming. To at least offer him a hand. But, interference was definitely illegal.
The referee's vigilant gaze said as much.
"Pika… Pikachu!" Pikachu joined Ash, encouraging Infernape with waves of his arms.
"Ergh…" Infernape lifted his head, eyes half-lidded. He tightened a fist, and yanked from the wall, and he fell with it onto all fours. He drew heavy, labored breaths. The wind had been knocked clearly out of him when he'd been pressed into the solid surface.
"With no call from the referee, it seems Infernape is still in this fight! But, for how long?"
"Hey…" Ash did his best to give the Flame pokemon his space. He leaned his weight on one knee. "You think you can still keep fighting?"
"Infern…" Feeling groggy, Infernape shook his head. His bearings started to return to him.
"Enough stalling!" Deidra shouted from across the field. "If you believe in your pokemon, let it stand on its own two feet."
Infernape's eyes widened.
Ash saw this. His brows furrowed. "I do believe in Infernape. I've got all my faith in him!"
"Pika-Pikachu!" Pikachu shouted, waving his arms. He had it in him to finish this battle!
"Infernape..." The pokemon stood, now, on his hind legs. His posture was slouched, but the flame atop his head continued to roar. He'd leave no room to question Ash's faith in him.
"Metagross may be extremely powerful… but, you haven't seen Infernape battle!" Ash asserted and raised a fist. "Together, we won't lose!"
"Pika-Pika!"
"Ape!" The primate chattered, dashing back within the field's borders on all fours. Once within bounds, he stood, provoking Metagross with a waving gesture of his paw. "Infernape…!"
This was far from over.
"Infernape is ready for more!"
Ash and Pikachu were soon to follow to the trainer's box. The former adjusted his cap atop his head. "Let's keep this thing going. Infernape," he commanded, throwing a hand out. "Charge in!"
Infernape took heed, sprinting towards his four-legged opponent.
Deidra tightened a fist. "Meteor Mash."
Metagross roared, smashing a leg into the field. A rumbling shockwave splintered through the field.
Infernape nimbly flipped aside, mid-charge, avoiding the obstruction completely.
Deidra continued. "Use the terrain. Psychic!"
Ash gasped. "Infernape, look out!"
Infernape suddenly felt a smacking, dull pain to the back of his head, falling onto all fours. A slab of uprooted ground fell beside him. That'd been the culprit.
"Don't let it rest."
Metagross persisted, surrounded by a faint glow. Chunks of rubble lying about were chucked at Infernape.
"You can take it," Ash encouraged. "Mach Punch!"
Infernape sprung to his feet. He was quickly confronted by a barrage of rock.
A flurry of indistinguishable punches followed, busting the oncoming rocks into fine gravel and dust. A booming wind persisted, failing to rattle Metagross.
In fact, The Iron Leg pokemon continued, ripping weakened earth out of the ground, giving the field the appearance of an unfinished jigsaw puzzle.
As the barrage descended upon Infernape, Ash swallowed. "Okay, we can't fight all that… Dig!"
Infernape sprinted forward, and dove.
A slab of earth shot out of the ground, knocking Infernape with a fierce uppercut.
"Ooh! That one had to hurt! How much punishment can Infernape take!?"
The Flame pokemon was knocked on his back. He groaned, rubbing his jaw.
"Finish it, now!" Deidra commanded, throwing an open hand out. "Meteor Mash!"
Metagross stomped the field, raising one of his juggernaut limbs. With a psychic-assisted lunge, he threw a mighty punch at the hurting Infernape.
"Get over that," Ash urged. "Close Combat!"
Infernape's heart raced. He could already feel the pressure of the incoming blow. Rolling onto his back, he flipped forward. The moment his foot touched the cold, inorganic surface of Metagross, it struck him just how close he'd come to that punishment.
But, he had no time to waste. He hammered away at Metagross' metallic skull with punch after furious punch.
Metagross roared, tossing his body about.
"It's working!" Ash grinned.
"Metagross! Pull free," Deidra coached with urgency.
"Me-taaa!" Metagross howled, turning into a furious spin.
Tried as he may to cling to Metagross' body, Infernape was roughly tossed off.
The Iron Leg pokemon grumbled, leaning his weight on his foremost legs. His mind, for the moment, was rattled.
"Your persistence, if nothing else, is admirable," Deidra remarked. She gave the tiring Infernape a glance. "Your blows shouldn't be able to do damage, after Iron Defense. Yet, you're gaining ground against Metagross."
"That's the thing!" Ash smirked. "Iron Defense is a hell of a power-up. Before, we couldn't really do any damage, hitting Metagross. But, as great as it is, it's still a steel type move. Which, just meant that we had to take care of that coat!"
The dragon apprentice blinked. Ash was met with a look of disbelief. "Then, that Flare Geyser…"
"That was our plan all along," Ash confirmed. "We just needed an opening."
His confidence, right now, though, was only skin deep. Even as he boasted, he watched Infernape. 'He's breathing heavy… this battle's really getting to him. Leaving him open after Close Combat won't be good.' Ash's eyes narrowed. Time for plan b. "Infernape, Dig!"
Infernape exhaled. The reprieve was welcomed. He quickly burrowed.
"You heard it here, first! Faced with the obstacle of Metagross' impenetrable defenses, Ash and Infernape had conspired to wear it down with that underground Flare Blitz! And both pokemon seem to be losing stamina, quickly! This battle may just be reaching its end!"
Beneath the earth, Infernape tunneled, closing in on Metagross.
The ground below the steel type began to break. He quickly stood, alert.
"Now!" Deidra cried. "Meteor Mash!"
Metagross reared a leg.
A blue fist smashed through the field.
Infernape emerged. He shrieked, smashed back down into the terrain. A tremendous weight buried him.
"Infernape!" Ash panicked.
"Pikachu…!" Pikachu's ears dropped.
"Don't give in…" Ash grit his teeth. "Out of there, with Mach Punch!"
Deidra's eyes narrowed. "Earthquake!"
Metagross roared, smashing his full weight down upon the field.
The break in the ground before him rattled horribly. Loose chunks of earth were shaking from the sides, burying Infernape under their weight.
Color drained from Ash's face. "Infernape!"
"A merciless combination! This time, Infernape may very well be down for the count!"
"Infernape…" Dawn bit her lip. "I don't know if even he could get up after that…"
"Deidra's battling style is brutal… It might even make Paul's look gentle," Brock brooded. "They say it's always darkest before dawn… but, this may be it for Infernape, this time. That was a lot of damage."
Ash's blood drummed in his ears as he strained to hear his partner. He couldn't hear anything. Breathing shallowly, he activated his aura sensing abilities.
Infernape's presence was weak!
"The judges are yet to come to a conclusion," the announcer began, "but we may take a brief intermission to allow our field team to liberate Infernape for safety reasons. However, that will forfeit Infernape, so the judges want to be sure before measures are taken."
Ash looked towards the judge's box. He looked to the referee, who was close to raising a flag. He then looked to Metagross. He wasn't going to be in a great position if he couldn't take that thing out with Infernape. But, he cast another glance down at the hole and was about to raise his hand. He had to get Infernape out of there!
Before he could forfeit Infernape's participation, Deidra whistled. "Metagross, free it with Psychic."
Shocked by her actions, Ash looked to the dragon apprentice. She briefly caught his eye before looking away, posture nonchalant. Metagross, meanwhile, lifted a single stone.
As soon as it was removed, an inferno roared out of the gravely pit Infernape had been trapped in. Staggering out of the hole, Infernape, red eyed and wild, burned brightly with his Blaze ability.
"He's alright!" Ash shouted, cheerful. Ecstatic, he looked across to Deidra's confused expression. "It's his ability," he explained. "Infernape's Blaze is apparently especially powerful! He used to be the partner of another trainer who wanted to use it. But, we unlocked it together! If you thought this battle was tough before, you're in for a shocker, now!"
Confirming Ash's words, Infernape dropped onto all fours, tail twitching behind him. He let out a feral screech, challenging Metagross again. "Infern!"
Happy to hear his partner's battle cry, Ash lifted a hand. As he turned his hat backwards, Pikachu jumped onto his shoulder. "Alright. We're in the 9th inning, and all the bases are loaded. Let's hit it out of the park, Infernape!"
Sporting a small smile even she couldn't hide, Deidra nodded in understanding. "I see," she said. "Metagross, use Psychic! Give Infernape a few challenges, then!"
"Infernape, Mach Punch, and get in close!" Ash ordered.
Ducking, diving, and climbing over and around the rocky debris that Metagross had sent flying, the fire type made his way over to his opponent. He struck the steel type, enough power behind his punch to actually send the psychic type staggering backwards.
"Close Combat!" Ash called.
Deidra threw an arm out. "Keep on guard!"
As Infernape began a barrage of punches and kicks, Metagross lifted its huge forelegs, blocking most of the blows, even as the din of the collision echoed all around the arena.
'Those legs are powerful… Meteor Mash, Earthquake… even that defense! If we can get past them…' There was a thoughtful gleam in Ash's eye.
"Psychic!" Deidra said.
Metagross launched itself backwards, creating some distance between itself and its opponent. With a toss of his head, he trapped Infernape.
"Ape…!" Mid-lunge, Infernape struggled, finding himself immobile. Suddenly, he was thrown roughly into the air.
"With newfound power, Infernape has begun to pressure Metagross! But, the Iron Leg pokemon won't go down without a fight!"
"Flare Blitz!" Ash ordered, pointing back at Metagross.
Shifting his body in the air, Infernape coated himself in a blue, fiery blaze with a toss of his head. Diving back towards his opponent, he readied for a powerful collision. "Ape!"
Deidra smirked. "So, this is your full power… very well! Hold nothing back! Meteor Mash!"
Blue flickers of electromagnetism rumbled between Metagross' raised arms. With earth-rattling force, the two massive limbs smashed together. Blasting forward like a missile, the steel type threw his full weight at Infernape.
Furious, wild flames crashed into metallic, brute force, forcing a shockwave across the field that forced both competitors to raise their guard.
"Infern…!" The furious primate growled, bearing his teeth as he pressed his weight into his opponent. Struggling to step forward, he forced his forearm against Metagross' arms.
Blue flames danced, as did spraying sparks, as Metagross roared, pushing his full weight against Infernape's assault.
It was not enough. Skidding back so far that he was pushed outside of the lined battlefield, Metagross was overwhelmed by Infernape's flaming impact.
Ash nodded. "Dig!"
Flipping out of his opponent's hands, Infernape dove into the ground within the lined battlefield.
"Let's use Earthquake," Deidra suggested.
Metagross glided back into the ring, but was gentler when slamming its legs down. When they hit the earth, he painfully recoiled.
Deidra gasped.
Enduring the Earthquake, Infernape popped up under Metagross, smashing his hide into the steel type's underside.
Taking the brutal hit, Metagross soared. He landed helplessly upside-down, outside the ring.
He didn't budge at all.
The referee threw a hand up. "Metagross is unable to battle! Infernape wins!"
"Yes! That's the Infernape we know!" Dawn whooped, throwing her hands in the air.
"Good for Infernape!" Delia cooed, linking her fingers together. "Full of courage, right until the end!"
Brock smiled to himself, folding his arms. "He's really grown into his own, from being a frightened little Chimchar… That comment Deidra made earlier, about Ash believing in Infernape… I think that set him off."
"Oh, yeah!" Dawn chimed in. "That wasn't a great thing to say to Infernape, of all pokemon, was it…"
"No. After all he'd been through, he's had one certainty - Ash had confidence in him, and that allowed him to gain confidence in himself. But, I think that it worked out, this time. It made him all the more eager to prove how strong a team he and Ash are, together. Because of that, he refused to lose."
"Empollll!" Empoleon sobbed, frantically waving a wing above him, towards the field. He was tearfully offering Infernape his full respect!
"Bun! Buneary!" Buneary hopped in Dawn's lap, emphatically giving her praise.
Deidra stared on, shocked. How long had it been since she'd seen Metagross knocked out?
Ash, meanwhile, was going wild. Jumping up, he pumped a fist. "You did it, Infernape!"
"Pika!" the yellow starter called.
Infernape smiled, eyes still red. He began running towards Ash. Chattering happily, he jumped at the last moment.
Ash panicked, looking towards the referee. Was this allowed?! As Infernape's weight fell on him, almost knocking him over, he saw the referee smile, shake his head, and shrug. When Ash looked back at his pokemon, he saw why.
Infernape must have used up the last of his energy. He'd fallen unconscious in Ash's arms. Grinning, Ash cradled the fire type, soothingly rubbing his back.
"Great work. Take a rest."
Infernape was recalled.
Lounging in the VIP section, Jimmy took another sip of his soda. The battle was taking a five-minute break to clean up and repair after the intensity of the match. Jimmy was using that time, of course, to make his snack order. Having a girlfriend with connections to all these fancy rich people paid off.
Marina, just back from chatting with their host, sat by Jimmy. "It's been a really intense match so far…"
"No kidding. I don't even mind losing to him if this is how he's gonna go winning. Talk about style! Ash really deserves a win, I guess," Jimmy said back, getting his feet off the table as his extravagant nachos showed up.
Marina lifted a brow, smiling. "Oh? Who died and made you the judge of who deserves to win?"
Around a mouthful of cheese and salsa, Jimmy snorted. "I've, uh, won a conference, Marina." He cocked his head, swallowing. "It's totally my right."
"You aren't the only person who's won," she chided.
"Yeah, well, you asked me," he retorted. "... For real, though… Ash's got talent. It's cool the dude's coming into his own. And, hey, if Deidra's right and Lance favors him, all the better! I definitely didn't wanna become champion for real after I won! Maybe he'll make a good champion one day!" Jimmy laughed, imagining Ash doing paperwork as the champion of a region and making celebrity appearances.
He spotted her guzzling down a sports drink. Walking over to her, Ash tried to make small talk.
"So, uh," he began. "That Metagross of yours is something."
Regarding Ash quietly, Deidra looked him over. She seemed to notice Pikachu's presence for the first time. "You've always got that Pikachu with you."
"He's my starter and my best friend," Ash said, as if it were obvious.
Humming, she took another sip. She reached to the counter of the competitor's waiting room, offering Ash a fresh white towel. "Here. You've got dirt on your face. It's clean."
Blinking in surprise, Ash nodded. He took one of the complimentary water bottles, emptying half onto the towel and offering Pikachu the other half. The little electric type greedily guzzled it down as his trainer wiped his face down. It had been dusty and dry out there! "Cha!"
"Thanks." He felt clean and refreshed, now.
With nothing else left to say between the two of them, Ash fell into a comfortable silence by Deidra as they watched a team of ground types repair the field.
As they returned to the field, Ash steadied himself. He was close. Deidra was down to her last pokemon. He had a whole fresh team member, as well as one still remaining from earlier.
Clicking her pokeball, Deidra released a… Well, Ash wasn't sure what it was. It was huge. Massive. It had black fur and three heads?! His jaw dropped, shaken by the sheer sinister aura the creature gave off. Was it possible for a pokemon to be this intimidating? Taken off guard, he fumbled for his pokedex.
Ignoring the crowd's confusion, Ash scanned it.
Dexter whirred to life, bleeping without a care in the world. "Hydreigon, the brutal pokemon. It has six wings and two false heads. It responds to movement by attacking, devouring everything in its path."
"It does what?!" Ash yelped.
Deidra nodded. "It's very reactive." She pushed her bang back, making her point clear by revealing the scarred, pale blue eye. "But, it isn't a bad pokemon. Once it's trained, it's powerful and loyal. Since you've beaten the rest of my team, I think you're worthy of seeing the fruits of my sacrifice." Lifting her chin, her bang fell back into place. "Don't disappoint me, Ash."
"Don't say that like this is a test or something," he muttered, thinking it over. He only knew the pokemon's type, which was dragon and dark. Sucking in a breath, he knew he had to test it out first. "Gliscor… I'll let you have a long rest after this, but for now, buddy… I need you." Ash grabbed the appropriate pokeball. "Gliscor, I choose you!"
The scorpion appeared with a flash, sticking his tongue out jovially to the foreign dragon. Hydreigon merely gurgled in response, all three heads locking onto Gliscor's location.
"Deidra has revealed her last pokemon - one few of us have ever seen! Hydreigon, a pokemon native to the Unova region, will be the masterful trainer's last line of defense! How will Gliscor fare!?"
"Wait and see!" Ash replied, pointing forward. "Use Stone Edge!"
"Gli!" Gliscor took to the air, creating a belt of sharp stones that orbited around him. With a toss of one of his pincers, he launched the assault at Hydreigon.
Deidra didn't so much as flinch. "Double Team."
One intimidating copy after the next spawned from Hydreigon, forming what seemed to be a small army of the three-headed dragon.
Stone Edge pulverized the foremost Hydreigon in its path. The debris kicked up soon cleared, and several Hydreigon had dissipated.
"We missed," Ash hissed.
"Crunch!"
Gliscor screeched. A sharp, stunning pain immobilized his shoulder, suddenly. He attempted to fly free, but to no avail. His wing was caught squarely in the Brutal pokemon's jaws.
Muffled by the Fang Scor's wing between his fangs, Hydreigon gurgled, spinning around to roughly toss his victim away.
"Hydreigon gets the first hit, with a devastating Crunch!"
"Gliscor…! Are you alright?" Ash tensed, looking to his hovering pokemon with concern.
"Gli…" Quickly nursing his sore wing, the pokemon shook his head. Turning back to Ash, he winked, sticking his tongue out. "Gliscor!"
Ash smirked. "Y'know, you haven't changed a bit… Poison Jab!"
Gliscor raised a claw, and took off towards Hydreigon. His long, flexible tail curled over above his back, trailing a faint, glowing venom.
Deidra closed a fist. "Tri-Attack!"
Willing and eager for more, the hydra drew his three heads back. A glimmering orb appeared in each mouth - one formed of fire, one of ice, and one of electricity. He howled, launching a multicolored storm of hazards at his incoming prey.
"Dodge that!" Ash ordered. "With all of your training, you'll be fine!"
"Gli!" Gliscor approached, quickly dipping in altitude. A chilling blast of ice was hastily avoided, as Gliscor frantically swerved to the right. Just as he felt safe, a bolt of lightning was next. He could probably take that, no trouble, but anything interrupting his flight could prove fatal. He dove below the assault.
A final, blazing projectile suddenly crashed into Gliscor.
"It got him," Ash hissed. "Hang in there!"
The winged scorpion tumbled out of the sky, wincing in pain. His wings were marked with soot.
"Pursue it," Deidra ordered. "Crunch!"
Hydreigon howled, dive bombing Gliscor. All three of its mouths prepared to snap up its weakening opponent.
Ash grimaced, throwing a hand out. "Back in the air, now!"
"Gli…" the pokemon groaned, forcing himself upright. The stinger on the end of his tail touched the ground, allowing the extremity to compress and coil.
Hydreigon was already upon him. Ash didn't dare breathe.
"Scor!" Gliscor cried, springing high out of Hydreigon's reach.
"Keep the pressure on him," Deidra commanded.
An ear-splitting screech made Gliscor recoil. He found himself in Hydreigon's shadow.
Three faded blue heads leered over him, two looking to be little more than puppets for the center head, having only grey markings for eyes. The center was far more charismatic, showing off its blood-red eyes, and a crown of wild purple scales.
"No good running away." Ash grit his teeth. "Then, we'll use Stone Edge!"
As Gliscor summoned a belt of stones, Ash turned his eyes away from the action, for just a moment. "Pikachu, I want you to watch."
"Pika?" Standing at Ash's feet, the mouse turned his head. Wasn't he already watching the battle? Why would Ash… "Pika!" The lightbulb went off. He understood!
Ash smiled. "Alright, good. Just wanted to make sure. If Gliscor can't take this… then, it's all on you. He's giving his all out there, so we can understand how this new pokemon battles. Let's not put it to waste!"
"Pika-chu!" Pikachu agreed, pumping a paw into the air. His ear twitched, and he pointed back to the field. "Pikapi!"
"Dark Pulse!"
With a howl, a whistling blitz of dark energy burst through the sky. Gliscor swiftly threw his wings to full span, gliding over the rings. He was dangerously close - but, a dodge was a dodge.
Judging by the large distance between the pokemon, Ash figured, Stone Edge had been avoided, too. He threw a hand out. "Close the distance! Try another Stone Edge!"
The pressure of Dark Pulse passed, and Gliscor was allowed to breathe in relief. But, he couldn't rest for long - Hydreigon was getting closer, and his window of opportunity narrower. "Scor!" He cried, launching a barrage of sharp stones at Hydreigon.
Deidra extended a hand. "Dark Pulse!"
Violet rings blasted the stones to rubble.
Ash inhaled sharply. "Get out of there!"
"Gli!" Gliscor cried, hastily retracting his wings to drop altitude. His ears were keen to the rushing power of Dark Pulse, shooting over his head. He was breathing heavily.
"Things are looking grim for Gliscor! Its aerial prowess from earlier in the battle isn't doing it much good! Hydreigon has it on the ropes."
"Gliscor's flight is much more graceful than that…" Ash frowned. "He's tired. This battle won't go on long, at this rate… Time to go for broke!"
Closing a fist tight, Ash punched forward. "Show Hydreigon everything you've got," he encouraged. "Giga Impact!"
"Gli…" The Fang Scorpion pokemon panted. There was a glimmer in his solid yellow eyes. "Gliscor!"
A rushing vortex of purple and orange captured all eyes. Giga Impact rushed across the field, ready to smash Hydreigon with all of Gliscor's might.
Nodding, Deidra gave Gliscor a final, respectful lift of her hand. "Hydreigon, finish it with Crunch!"
As Gliscor's body moved, the air morphed around him, creating a small shield. Hydreigon, on the other side of the field, braced, hind legs touching down on the ground while all three mouths were open wide, waiting and willing. Gliscor dove, aiming for Hydreigon's stomach.
Hydreigon's left mouth bit onto Gliscor's right wing, jerking the sky scorpion out of his dive and taking him off guard. As he looked at where he'd been caught, the right mouth bit into his left wing, holding him up in the air and ready for the final, true Crunch attack from the real head. Hydreigon growled softly. Gliscor's pupils shrunk, fully comprehending the massive mouth on the beast.
"Be kind," was all Deidra said.
And, Hydreigon was. Though he Crunched down on his opponent, it was a quick attack and he lowered his head as Gliscor twitched and gasped before fainting. Leaving the felled opponent on the ground, Hydreigon took to the air again.
"He… He finished it exactly how he wanted to," Ash noted, stunned. Though incredibly powerful, Hydreigon was also completely in control of himself; or, at least, for now, it was doing exactly what Deidra wanted.
Somehow, that didn't make him any less terrifying to have to face in battle.
Clenching his fist, Ash tried to clear his head of what had just happened. Gliscor hadn't gotten any hits in on Hydreigon, leaving it all up to Pikachu. Though this was their first strong opponent in a while…
Ash had complete faith in his starter. Looking down to his side, he nodded. Pikachu's ears perked up and his tail stood on end. Completely in sync with one another, the electric mouse jumped into the air, offering his tail to Ash, who bumped his knuckles against it.
With that, Ash pointed a hand forward as Pikachu rushed onto the field. "Deidra, I'm glad we got to know each other over this battle. But, if it's you standing between me and my dreams, I've gotta take you down! So, without further ado…" Posing, Ash jerked his hand back so that his elbow was beyond his back, and the other hand was lifted above his head with his legs stanced slightly apart. "Pikachu!"
"Pikapi!" the starter called.
Ash grinned. "I choose you!"
In the stands, Max crossed his arms. "Well, he's certainly not sparing the theatrics, is he?"
Misty smiled, sitting on the edge of her seat. "I'm glad he isn't… If he was anything less than his normal, wild self, I'd be worried he was nervous."
Sitting back so far he was verging on slouching, Samuel Oak tried to breathe evenly. "Goodness, I haven't been this on edge since I was waiting for Professor Rowan's response to letting Gary intern…" He did feel a streak of paternal pride for Ash. After all these years, seeing Ash befriend his grandson, checking up on Ash, realizing who Ash was to him, and just being there for the boy and his mother, how could he not?
May, meanwhile, huffed. "Out of all the times I've wished I really had a camera, this is one of the worst…" All the same, she lifted her hands to form a square with baited breath. "Click."
Joining Delia and Dawn in their standing, even Brock had taken to cheering. "Ash! You can do it! You're almost there!" This was the closest he'd ever been. The excitement was too much for even Brock to resist.
Delia and Dawn were beside each other, arms wrapped around each other's waists as they shared Dawn's pom-poms. "Ash and Pikachu, we are here for you!" they cheered in unison.
Standing on the railing, Buneary waved her own pom-poms. "Bun-Bun, Buneary!" she cried, saying her own special cheer for her beloved Pikachu.
The sounds from Ash's sections were loud enough that the battlers could hear them. Deidra turned an eye up to them, quirking a brow.
"You've got fans," she noted.
"I've got friends," Ash corrected.
Seeming to approve of his words, Deidra nodded. "I see. Well, then, let's start."
"You read my mind!" Ash grinned, throwing a hand forward. "Pikachu, Quick Attack!"
"Pika!" Pikachu bolted off, blazing a zig-zag trail across the battlefield. He trailed silver, smashing into Hydreigon's belly in the blink of an eye.
Deidra tightened a fist. "Use Crunch!"
The howling hydra recoiled, met face to face with Pikachu, somersaulting from the previous blow. He saw the mouse give him a brief smirk. He'd question that confidence, soon.
Hydreigon snapped, like a hungry Feraligatr, biting down on Pikachu's hide before tossing his head, sending the mouse reeling.
Deidra stomped the ground. "Dark Pulse!"
Hydreigon's three heads harmonized, firing an onslaught of pitch-black rings.
"Thunderbolt!"
Collecting his senses, Pikachu recovered mid-air, firing a wild bolt in response. "Chu!"
A rippling explosion crackled, center-stage, as black smoke consumed both attacks.
Ash threw an arm out. "Iron Tail!"
"Pika!" Pikachu sprinted, leaping above Hydreigon. His tail gained a silver coat.
"Chua… Pika!" He cried, bringing down his wrath.
"Double Team!"
Iron Tail drove right through Hydreigon - it disappeared. The ground broke in its absence.
Pikachu tensed, his ears standing on end. Looking about him, he found himself surrounded by the Brutality pokemon from every angle.
"Hydreigon avoided a powerful Iron Tail, with Double Team! How will Pikachu handle this horde of clones!?"
"Glad you asked." Ash smirked, brushing his thumb over his nose. "Thunderbolt, all around!"
"Pi!" Pikachu grinned, planting a paw on the field. With a shriek, an abundance of electricity was released.
Golden bolts ripped through the ground in every direction, blasting the clones away.
Assaulted by the remnants of a Thunderbolt, the true Hydreigon pulled away.
"Don't give him momentum," Deidra ordered. "Tri-Attack!"
Three heads reared, forming three elemental orbs.
Ash grinned. "Electro Ball!"
"Pika-Pika-Pika…" Pikachu growled, forming a charged orb on the end of his tail.
Hydreigon fired.
Pikachu spun, launching the electric attack. "Chu-pi!"
Pronged rays of fire, ice, and lightning danced around one another, slipping clean past Electro Ball.
Both attacks explosively hit their targets.
"Pi… Pika!" Pikachu skidded back towards Ash, eagerly voicing his excitement. His tail stood on end.
Hydreigon responded with a snarl, consumed by the lust for battle.
"Not bad," Ash commended, adjusting his backwards cap. "I'd say that's good for a warm up, don't ya think?"
Deidra, in response - chuckled - something he never thought he'd hear. "I'd have to agree. I hope you know it'll only get more difficult, from here."
"I was hoping you'd say that!" Ash widened his stance. "Well, Pikachu? Ready to turn up the heat?"
"Pi…" Pikachu hummed, carefully sidestepping the field, sizing up his monstrous opponent. He perked up, letting electricity dance from his cheeks. "Pika! Pikachu!"
"What a thrilling start to the final round! And they say it's just a warm-up - are you all excited, or what!?"
Roars of excitement and approval filled the stadium. Cheers for either contestant rang loud.
"Then, you can't say you weren't warned." Intensity shone from her one, golden eye. "Crunch!"
Wind and dust blasted the Dragon Tamer, as Hydreigon zipped across the field, snapping his powerful jaws at Pikachu.
"Dodge!" Ash hurried.
Pikachu was very quickly put in Hydreigon's shadow. "Pi!" He gasped, somersaulting just over the dragon's foremost head. He stuck the landing, free of its clutches.
"Behind you!"
"Pi!?" Pikachu turned, and his heart raced. Three mouths were snapping at him again. "Pika!" Pikachu turned tail, and sprinted.
Hydreigon flew in pursuit.
Ash watched intently. "To the right!"
Pikachu swiftly rolled to the right. Hydreigon's left head snapped painfully close.
"The left!"
Pikachu spun, twisting into a hasty landing. He found himself at the edge of the field's markings, his back effectively against the wall.
"Hydreigon's ferocious Crunch attack has Pikachu on the run!"
Hydreigon's main, most vicious head snapped.
"Jump!" Ash hurried.
"Pi!" Pikachu leapt, making Hydreigon's head a stepping stone to leap sky-high.
Pikachu was in its blind spot. "Now," Ash commanded. "Electro Iron Tail!"
Deidra quirked a brow.
"Pika!" Pikachu quickly coated his tail in iron, preparing the first half of his combination.
By now, he'd lost momentum. Gravity was soon to reel him in. He tensed, electricity from his cheeks flooding his tail. "Pika-Pika-Pika…!"
A burst of gold erupted from Pikachu's tail. A first-shapeless bolt took form, as a huge, lively, jagged lightning bolt, in the shape of Pikachu's tail. Scattered metal particles coated its shape, at least five times Pikachu's size.
Gravity had pulled him in. Hydreigon watched, like a Stantler in headlights.
Throwing down his weight, Pikachu roared.
"Chu-PI!"
Thick black smoke, dancing with electricity, stormed the field. Competitors and the referee alike felt their ears ring from the deafening strike.
Pikachu tumbled backwards out of the smoke, landing on his hind legs. "Pi…!"
The mouth paused, allowing himself a moment of recovery.
"Perfect!" Ash celebrated. "Good shot, Pikachu."
"A powerful combination attack, by Pikachu! And, it looks like it hit its mark!"
"Bun! Buneary!" The Rabbit hopped repeatedly in Dawn's lap, punching with her pom-poms. Way to bring the pain!
"What a dazzling combination!" Dawn gushed, in turn. "I bet that did a number on Hydreigon."
"That did look like it packed a punch," Brock mused, eyes glued to the field.
After a pause, he frowned. "But, it looks like it'll take a lot more than that."
"Pi…" Pikachu exhaled, standing on his hind legs. He'd regained his breath well enough, after that attack. It'd been a direct hit - could he have done heavy damage, so early on?
His ears perked. Bold lights flickered in the black smog. Colors danced together, and grew larger.
"Pika!" The mouse's heart raced, a moment too late. A trio of explosions crashed into Pikachu, knocking him airborne.
Nippy cold, angry heat, and familiar electricity nipped at his fur as he soared. Flipping comfortably back into a somersault, Pikachu landed on all fours. He wouldn't be going down, anytime soon.
He growled in frustration, still. As Hydreigon made itself visible, he got the idea that it wouldn't be giving in without a monumental effort, either. At least that was exciting, he thought, smiling to himself. "I haven't had a battle like this in a while!"
What was left of the smoke around Hydreigon trailed away. The main head stretched about, inconvenienced by a bothersome mark - black scales fanning over its shoulders and heads were scorched with a large, brown burn - surely, the 'gift' Pikachu had left behind from his attack.
"I'm indebted. I haven't seen one bit of action since this tournament began!" He snapped his jaws, brimming with excitable energy. "Your brethren saw to it that I was needed - and it'd be a shame if my presence was a waste of time." Meaningful speech was put on hold for an ear-splitting howl. The hydra stretched its necks out, gearing them all towards Pikachu.
"Despite your shrimpy stature, I think you'll be worth my while."
"Small or not, I'll show you a thing or two," Pikachu boasted, his cheeks crackling with electrical vigor. "Like, the bigger they are, the harder they fall!"
Raichu wasn't here to comment, this time.
"Hydreigon still seems raring to go! This battle may be far from over."
"It's nice, to see Hydreigon enjoying himself. We'll reward that. Crunch!"
Hydreigon lurched with glee. Approaching Pikachu swiftly, he snapped at the mouse, treating it like the most formidable of prey.
"Pi!" Pikachu tensed, and jumped. He aimed to spring off Hydreigon's head.
Instead, he squealed.
"Pikachu!" Ash gasped.
Hydreigon had snatched up Pikachu, biting into his hide. He turned his heads towards Deidra, showing off his achievement. He felt Pikachu struggle, but to no avail.
"Good," Deidra praised. "Tri-Attack!"
Flickers of red, blue, and yellow strayed from Hydreigon's mouth. An explosion rippled, flooding the field with smoke.
Ash winced, guarding his eyes. "Hang in there…"
"A brutal combination from Hydreigon! Pikachu suffered a point-blank Tri-Attack! Is this match already over!?"
Hydreigon emerged, and roughly tossed his head. Pikachu was flung into the sky, limp. There were several notable bite marks on his left side.
Ash growled. "That looked like it hurt… not good."
"Bun-Bun!" Buneary hollered, holding her paws to her mouth. Her poor, dashing brawler… He could handle this!
"That attack was brutal," Dawn gasped. "No wonder it's Deidra's last."
"Pikachu's defenses aren't his greatest asset, either," Brock hummed. "It's time to see just how far their training has gone."
"It's not over!" Deidra roared, raising her palm towards Pikachu. "Tri-Attack!"
Tri-Attack fired from its mouth. Three elemental bursts weaved around one another, uniting towards a singular target - a falling, vulnerable mouse.
Or, maybe not.
"You've got this!" Ash called, throwing a hand out. "Iron Tail!'
"Pi… ka!" Any discomfort was set aside. Pikachu tensed his tail, flipping forward without hesitation.
"Chua… Pika!"
Iron Tail crashed down upon all three bursts, iron smashing into raw energy.
Tri-Attack exploded, and Pikachu soared higher.
Deidra spotted an opportunity and called out for Hydreigon. "Now! Crunch!"
Ash's eyes bulged as the dark type shot up, gunning for Pikachu as he still lingered in the air. "Buddy, you're gonna have to Quick Attack that mouth shut!" he yelled.
Twisting himself around mid-air, Pikachu spotted the giant dragon headed right his way. Correcting his aim, he readied himself attack in turn.
"Put on the speed!" Deidra ordered. "Dark Pulse, behind!"
A wave of darkness heralded his arrival. The two pokemon collided, though in a more controlled manner. Pikachu managed to land atop the dark type's primary mouth, shutting it swiftly. Using Quick Attack, he also jumped out of the way of the lesser mouth's attempts at Crunch.
Ash fist pumped. "Iron Tail, send 'em flying!"
While Hydreigon was still gathering himself, Pikachu's tail began to glow as he fell once more. Somersaulting in the air, he brought down his Iron Tail right on the crest of the primary head's neck. A choked gagging sound echoed out before Hydreigon floundered, falling faster than the little mouse.
"Great job! Electro Ball!" Ash ordered, knowing they needed to barrage the dragon as much as they could.
"Crunch it!" Deidra said, determination clear in her eyes.
As the crackling ball of lightning headed right for the dark type, the two lesser heads reached out. Each grabbed onto it, dissipating the attack like a burst bubble. Growling lowly, Hydreigon got up.
Satisfied, Deidra knew the ball was back in her court. "Now… Tri-Attack!"
With each head producing a ball of energy, Ash knew they were going on the offensive again. "Buddy, we're gonna need Quick Attack again."
The three heads launched the Tri-Attack. First went the frosty bundle of ice energy from the left mouth. Then, the burst of fiery heat from the right mouth. Hydreigon's true head let loose the electric portion of the attack, perhaps in a show of power.
Pikachu wasn't the only one with a mastery of lightning.
Said electric type, meanwhile, scrambled across the field, barely dodging the first electric bundle. The fire orb clipped his side, spinning him so that he fell. He was then prone for the attack from the electric ball.
Hydreigon let out a triumphant roar as the field was covered in smoke.
It was short lived. Running out of the smoke, Pikachu headbutted the dragon in his stomach with Quick attack.
Both trainers reacted in unison, equally intense. "Again!"
As Hydreigon's heads began to open in turn, gathering energy, Pikachu darted between them, kicking his paws, slapping his tail, and ramming head against them to shut them as quickly as they'd opened. In this dangerous game, Pikachu was barely keeping the edge!
The heads coughed, upset by Pikachu's persistent attacks. Irritated, Hydreigon roared.
"You've got this!" Ash encouraged, punching forward. "One more!"
Landing on his front paws, Pikachu pivoted. He kicked off, speeding towards Hydreigon, coated in an intense silver glow. "Pika… Pika… Pika!"
He smashed into Hydreigon's gut with all of his momentum.
The creature howled, recoiling in pain.
"Don't let it overtake you!" Deidra commanded, stomping the ground. "Dark Pulse!"
Hydreigon retaliated. Violent black rings spawned from the main head's mouth.
Still airborne, Pikachu stared on, helpless. Pulverized by the dark energy, he shrieked.
"Pi…." Tumbling across the field, the mouse found his footing, skidding back. He shook his head, ignoring the ringing in his ears. Was that all Hydreigon had!? "Pika-Pika!"
"Keep the offensive!" Deidra held a hand out. "Tri-Attack!"
Fire, ice, and lightning followed Dark Pulse, ambushing Pikachu.
"Knock it back!" Ash ordered, throwing a hand out. "Iron Tail!"
"Pika!" Pikachu's tail took on a silver glow, and he jumped.
The blazing orb was swatted aside before it could burn. The icy orb before it could freeze. The crackling one dissipated into static.
"Pikachu!" Ash shouted. "There's more on the way!"
The mouse's ears perked up. Another assault was on the way. He jumped into action, twisting his stout body around. Iron smashed into the elements with each spin of his hips.
Errant explosions went off around him, spraying a backdrop of dust and rubble. Pikachu stood, alert.
"Again!"
"There's more!?" Ash tensed, watching Pikachu reflexively handle the next batch on his own, without direction. "I've lost count… how many Tri-Attacks can your Hydreigon use!?"
"We've pushed our limits." Deidra replied, fists clenched at her sides. Her cape rustled and blew with the medley of explosions between the two trainers. "We won't accept being helpless at a critical point - as mighty as Hydreigon is, we've been surrounded by teachers, mightier, more cunning, and more daunting, as long as we've known one another. We learned to make every attack count!"
Ash smirked. His eyes gleamed with excitement. "Hey, I get that. Pikachu and I have been pushing our limits, big-time, too! So, we could prove that we have what it takes to be the best!"
"Pika!" Pikachu agreed, lying in wait for the next barrage to come.
A swarm of elements came from above, cornering the mouse.
He grit his teeth, leaping at Tri-Attack. Swinging his hips, he smashed his tail into all three. Under the weight of the explosion, he struggled. Errant sparks and embers splintered. Pikachu hissed, losing his momentum.
The mouse tumbled, landing on all fours. "Pi…. Pika!"
"Pikachu," Ash shouted, "watch out!"
"Chu?" Pikachu looked about. Suddenly, his ears perked. He didn't even have a moment to breathe as he flipped backwards, crowded by smoke from the explosion he'd only just avoided.
"This looks bad…" May bit her lip. "Pikachu's been doing so well, but he can't do much more than dodge, now!"
"That pokemon is no joke." Drew frowned, tapping his fingertips on his arm. "It's really no surprise that Deidra picked it as her last. Those attacks are never-ending. Tri-Attack really shouldn't be able to used as successively as a Pin Missile."
"On the other hand," Professor Oak interrupted, "no Pikachu I've ever seen should ever be able to take this much punishment. I think it's worth noting that Deidra is faced with quite the obstacle, herself. That is, if Ash does what he does best, and invents a solution to his dilemma."
Thick smoke billowed across Ash's end of the arena, obscuring his and Pikachu's sight.
"This ain't good… I can't see Hydreigon, and that means Pikachu probably can't, either." The trainer blinked, his eyes irritated. "Stay on your guard, Pikachu!"
"If you're just going to cower, we won't drag this out further," Deidra barked. "Tri-Attack!"
Hydreigon craned his three necks, forming a glimmering attack in each mouth.
Ash tutted through grit teeth. "We've got no choice… charge out of the smoke, Pikachu!"
Pikachu nodded, though Ash couldn't see it. He charged forward, dashing into the clarity of the afternoon sun. His beady eyes caught onto the charging attack, and his tiny, fleety feet skidded to a halt.
Tri-Attack fired towards its small target.
"Thunderbolt!" Ash would have to trust his partner's intuition.
"Pika… chu!" Pikachu cried, returning fire.
Thunderbolt's golden glare ripped through the air, surrounded by the elements of Tri-Attack. Its charge swerved, crackling viciously, and found its familiar. Hydreigon's golden orb took Thunderbolt, and fizzled.
"Pika!?" Pikachu stammered, surrounded by fire and ice. The remaining spheres struck.
"And, Pikachu takes another attack! Just how much longer can he handle this punishment!?"
The smoke had mostly died away, allowing Ash to see this with his very own eyes. A dropping jaw tightened back into a smirk. "Got it." The trainer stood straight, taking a deep, calming breath.
Pikachu shook some more soot out of his fur. This was becoming a problem. How would they…
~Pikachu!~
"Pikapi!" Pikachu's ears perked. He was quick to notice that the voice hadn't reached his ears at all. ~Ash? What is it?~
~I've got an idea, and I need you to trust me on this.~
Deidra squinted. Ash and Pikachu stood still, without any command given to the latter. "I hope you're not stalling." With that, the dragon tamer snapped her fingers.
Hydreigon followed the order, spitting yet another Tri-Attack at Pikachu.
"Now, Pikachu!" Ash shouted from across the fray.
Pikachu stood on all fours. His cheeks lit a vibrant gold, discharging a faint web of static into the air.
Ash's eyes narrowed. "Thunderbolt!"
Pikachu shrieked, unleashing his power. Thunderbolt took its typical shape, as the three-pronged Tri-Attack approached.
Suddenly, the bolt ripped apart. Splitting into three, the wild Thunderbolt collided with Tri-Attack on three fronts, bursting all three.
"Pikachu counters with a vicious Thunderbolt! Somehow, he managed to wipe out all of Tri-Attack in that one shot; as usual, Ash defies odds and expectations!"
"That attack… I've rarely Hydreigon's Tri-Attack completely blown away, let alone in one shot." Deidra quirked her one visible brow.
"You like that?" Ash grinned, brushing his index finger over his nose. "It's a little trick I just figured out, from that last Tri-Attack! Pikachu let off some extra static before Thunderbolt, to make a couple different paths for the electricity. That way, it could be split into three, to stop Hydreigon's attack! I'm just lucky that Pikachu's a quick learner."
"Pika!" Pikachu turned to his trainer, pumping his paw in the air.
Ash beamed, giving his companion a thumbs-up in return. "The truth is, I came up with that on the spot."
"Incredible… simply incredible." Despite her being impressed with Ash's ingenuity, Deidra didn't have time to linger on his skill. "You're truly talented. So, I'm glad we're battling you! Dark Pulse!"
The huge dragon writhed, all three heads roaring to the sky as wave after wave of chocolate-and-plum colored energy peeled off of him.
"Keep up the speed!" Ash encouragingly called. "Deidra may like us now, but she ain't pulling' any punches!"
The little yellow pokemon ran, looking over his shoulder as the first Dark Pulse hit the ground. Skidding to a stop, he flipped backwards, barely avoiding the Dark Pulse that had been headed where he'd been going previously. He was sweating profusely; though his endurance was great, Hydreigon was definitely testing it!
In the stands, Max gripped his fists tightly. "Hey, there was some lag there! Pikachu's slowing down!"
"Of course he is," Koda quipped. "Have you seen the work he's been putting in? I don't think he's stopped moving since he hit the field."
Misty, meanwhile, was leaning at the edge of her seat. "Nah… Pikachu could keep going for way longer than this. He won't get sloppy here. Definitely."
"Give us some cover!" Ash yelled. "Thunderbolt!"
Glad to be given the opportunity, Pikachu's electric pouches sparked as he flexed. A flash of bright light surrounded him before the scent of ozone and an obscuring of smoke covered the field.
"After him!" Deidra ordered.
Rushing into the smoke, Hydreigon was greeted with a glassy, scorched mess, evidence of the strength of Pikachu's attack.
"Get in close!" Ash grinned, though he would be obscured by the field's smoke.
Darting out of the haze, Pikachu managed to latch onto the thick trunk of Hydreigon's main neck! "Pika!"
"Shake him off." Deidra's words came less as an order and more as if she were stating the obvious choice.
Hydreigon obeyed, all the same. The dragon's heads writhed, forcing Pikachu to latch on more tightly.
"Now!" Ash raised a fist. "Roll with him! Iron Tail!"
Latching on with just two paws, Pikachu allowed himself to pick up momentum. As he swung around with Hydreigon's thrashing, he slapped both lesser heads with his tail before sliding off. As he skidded across the battlefield on all four paws, he kept his eyes locked onto Hydreigon.
The dragon apprentice's visible eyebrow raised. "Crunch."
Taking off, Hydreigon was upon Pikachu in short order. The left and middle head missed, but the right managed to snag the mouse, holding him up to the glorious afternoon sun like a trophy.
Frantically waving her pom-poms, Buneary hopped on the railing. "Bun! Bun-Bun!" she cried, urging Pikachu to break free.
"Ugh… That Buneary's such a nuisance," complained another watcher.
Brock, who had previously been biting a few of his nails for the tension, immediately whipped his head around. "Aw, you hush! She's really letting her heart fly out there for her crush, you know!"
Delia, momentarily distracted by Brock's words, looked at him. "Well! Someone's full of vigor!"
"Guys, focus! Ash needs our support right now!" Dawn snapped, though they'd had less than a half minute lapse in their near endless cheering for him and his team.
Giggling at the girl's adamant nature, Delia resumed helping her son's girlfriend in cheering.
As he tensed his muscles more, he felt a latent charge escape him. Hydreigon was shocked and immediately spat the little electric type out, staggering backwards.
Already figuring out what was going on, Deidra nodded. "The Static ability…"
Adjusting his cap, Ash nodded. "Yeah… It's pretty rare that we see it have use, though."
"I'll take that as a compliment," she said in return. "Dark Pulse!"
Though he was willing, the small sparks over his body betrayed Hydreigon. The Dark Pulse escaped slower, moving across the field more languidly.
"There's our opening!" Ash grinned. "Iron Tail!"
Hopping over the first few arcs of Dark Pulse, Pikachu then twisted his hips, batting the last batch back. They exploded; truly, for all the force Pikachu put into the hits and the power Hydreigon poured into them, plus the fact Pikachu had hit a pair of the Dark Pulses into each other.
The announcer, making assumptions, spoke up. "It looks like we've got a sudden death situation here, folks! Whoever comes out of the smoke first is our winner!"
"As if it's over this early!" Ash smugly said.
Deidra nodded, watching as the smoke cleared. "This is hardly the end."
True enough, as the smoke dissipated, Hydreigon and Pikachu were both still there, though they had been pushed further apart by the explosion.
"Oh man! I'd give my Top Coordinator Trophy cup for a camera right about now!" May whined, absolutely enthralled over how cool Pikachu looked. "Pikachu's really giving it his all!"
Drew raised a brow. "... Careful what you say, May."
Chuckling, Professor Oak nodded. "Truth be told, Pikachu is a little different from most others of his species. But, I think what's made him the strongest is that he's been with Ash this whole time."
Raising a fist, Ash pointed to the sky. "Pikachu! We're going to put it all into this! Charge up a Thunderbolt this crowd'll remember forever!"
"Pika!" the mouse shouted in agreement, tensing his little body. The air began to thicken with latent electric potential.
Deidra, meanwhile, narrowed her eyes. "Double Team."
Hydreigon hummed, gurgling lowly. He toddled back and forth, but try as he might, he just couldn't create proper clones! The paralysis had made him too slow to achieve the speed needed to set off the Double Team attack!
Max, his little pride abandoned, stood. "C'mon! Give it all you've got!"
"Pikachu!" Misty yelled. "You can do it! You, too, Ash!"
Koda, meanwhile, raised his hoodie, looking embarrassed. Did they have to make a scene?"
Empoleon, Rura, Buneary, and Dawn moved in unison, furiously cheering for Ash. "Thunderbolts and lighting, oh-so exciting! A win's within reach! Practice what you preach! Go, go, go! Show us that Ketchum vigor!"
Delia, meanwhile, had gone completely silent. Eyes slightly misty, she watched her one and only son battle his heart out.
Brock, meanwhile, kept tapping his foot, full of anxious and excited energy. "C'mon, Ash… This is in the bag…!"
"Keep going, buddy… We won't move until they do," Ash decided. They were going to make this last attack count, and if it meant exploiting Hydreigon's temporary inability to battle, that was fine by him!
"Dark Pulse," Deidra ordered, growing uncomfortable with how much power they were gathering. The hairs on the back of her neck were beginning to stand!
Hydreigon hacked up a wave of black energy, but it hit the ground at Pikachu's feet, evidence of the paralysis's hold. Pikachu trembled, taken off balance. He stood once more, muscles sore from all the tensing he was doing.
"Keep holding, buddy," Ash pleaded.
Pikachu's ears tipped back. He trusted Ash, but this was starting to make his muscles ache! His electric pouches felt so warm!
Narrowing her eyes, Deidra decided to put an end to it. "Tri-Attack!"
Slower now, Hydreigon's mouths opened one by one. The leftmost mouth brimmed with horrible, frosty energy. The rightmost jaws crackled with electricity.
"Wait for it," Ash warned.
The center mouth opened.
"Wait for it…"
Hydreigon's true mouth began brimming with fire. All three heads perfected the energy into spheres, ready to fire off.
"Wait for it…!"
All three heads launched, the electric attack leading with the fire and ice following after.
"Now!" Ash yelled.
Pikachu released his stored energy, calling down a marvelous, mysteriously red jolt. It shot out from the little mouse, eating up first the Tri Attack's electric portion, and then the fiery plasma, and finally the icy blast. Still not yet sated, the vermillion bolt slammed directly into Hydreigon's true head, exploding in a blinding white light.
The sound of it was deafening. Ash blinked, hearing only a low whining sound for a moment as he gathered himself. He saw Pikachu, trembling and not looking back at him, instead staring across the field.
And, there, he saw it, just before Deidra returned him. Hydreigon had fainted.
Ash felt his blood run cold, then incredibly hot.
He'd won!
"... Meaning, our winner is, Ash Ketchum, of Pallet Town!" came the announcer's voice, finally breaking through the temporary deafness.
Ash barely heard him, though, rushing onto the field to greet his weary starter.
Pikachu, smiling softly, turned around. His big, dark eyes squinted as he smiled at Ash before collapsing, thoroughly exhausted. Ash skidded on his knees, hand barely coming under his starter's cheek in time to keep him from hitting the ground.
His heart hammered in his chest as he stood, cradling Pikachu to his chest. Tears began to spill down his cheeks.
Then, he whooped loud enough for the whole world to hear.
"We did it! We won!"
