Pokémon: Masters
Chapter Ten – Good-bye Enemy, Hello Friend
"Now, both trainers have only three pokémon left," the commentator announced over the speakers. "What will be Ash's next choice to go against that Gengar?"
"You can do it, Ash!" Misty shouted above the crowd.
Ash gritted his teeth as he chose his next pokémon.
"Charizard, I choose you," he shouted as he tossed in the pokéball.
Rob smirked. "Gengar, Night Shade."
Charizard quickly dodged the ghost's attack by flying in the air and countered with his fire-spin attack.
When the flames down, Gengar stood dazed but willing to fight.
"All right, Gengar, let's use confusion," Rob commanded.
The attack managed to hit Charizard, forcing him to ground.
"Charizard, fire blast!" Ash shouted.
Unfortunately, the confused dragon missed his opponent with its blast.
"Charizard," Ash cried while the ghost made several attacks on the helpless pokémon.
He lowered his head not wanting to see Charizard lose to the ghost. After a moment, he closed his eyes and raised his head back up. His eye lids quickly opened, revealing his now gold eyes.
"Charizard, eruption!" he shouted.
Charizard's tail began to grow as the pokémon used this new technique. Soon it was back on its feet and ready to battle.
"Now, try fire blast again," Ash commanded.
This time the attack struck the gengar. When it did not get back up, the judge called in favor of Charizard.
"Gengar, return," Rob said as he switched pokémon. "Go, Nidoking."
When the new pokémon entered the field, Charizard wasted no time in greeting it with fire spine. This time it took down the opponent because he was still feeling the effects of the eruption technique.
"I can't lose this," Rob muttered under his breath.
"Hey, Ketchum," he called out to the opponent. "See if you can beat this."
He tossed in his last resort.
"Quagsire," it greeted.
"What's that?" Ash said as he pulled out Dexter.
"Quagsire," it replied. "A recently discovered pokémon. There is no data available."
"That's some help," Ash replied as he put Dexter away. "Charizard, try a seismic slam."
Charizard flew over to grab the strange looking pokémon but received a hydro pump. This attack was the final act needed to bring down the dragon.
"Good job, Charizard," Ash said as he recalled the pokémon.
"So it's a water-type," Ash commented as he thought which of his two remaining pokémon to use. "Pikachu, I choose you."
"Pika!" he shouted as he jumped into the arena.
"All right, thunderbolt should work," Ash shouted.
When Pikachu released the electricity at the pokémon, Rob smirked. After the light died down, Quagsire was still standing.
"What?" Ash murmured. "But it's a water-type, and Pikachu didn't even phase it."
"My turn," Rob called. "Quagsire, earthquake."
"It's also a ground-type," Ash whispered as he watched his best friend taken out by the powerful ground attack.
"Pikachu!" he shouted as he ran to pick up his friend.
"Pikachu is out," the judge unfeeling called. "Please return to the trainer's box and choose your next pokémon."
After Ash carried Pikachu to his box, he pulled out his final pokémon.
"Jigglypuff!" she cried as she appeared with her "mike."
Rob stared at the pokémon. He soon broke out laughing.
"A jigglypuff," he laughed. "This should be easy."
"Jigglypuff, sing!" Ash quickly commanded.
The pokémon gladly began sing her lullaby. Ash watched as most of the heads in the lower rows started bobbing up and down. The quagsire was also falling asleep along with its trainer. Fortunately, the pokémon fell asleep before the judge.
"Quagsire, out," he yawned. "Match to the red trainer."
"I won!" Ash shouted to the sleeping crowd.
"Jiggly," his pokémon hissed when she noticed her audience was asleep. She pulled the top off her "mike" and demonstrated her drawing skills on both her opponent and its trainer.
"What a match, Ash," Misty yawned when she met up with him at the Pokémon Center.
"I still need to teach Jigglypuff how to focus that attack," he sighed as he handed Nurse Joy his pokémon.
"Give it time," she replied. "Look how long it took you to get control over Charizard. By the way, nice new technique."
"Huh?" Ash absently asked.
"That eruption technique that Charizard used," she restated. "I've never knew about that one."
Ash remembered the event and gave a soft blush. "I wonder if creating new attacks and skills during a match is cheating?" he asked her.
She gave him a puzzled look until Rob Rocket walked over to him.
"Good match," he greet as he offered his hand to Ash.
"What?" Ash blankly asked as he stared at the Rocket.
Rob sighed. "I'm not like the rest of my family," he replied. "I know we've had our differences, but at least let's act like professional trainers."
Ash glared at him. "Do you have any idea what your father has done?" he pointedly asked.
"I better go," Misty said seeing how this was about to go.
"No wait," Rob told her. "Can we talk in private?"
Misty looked at Ash and nodded. "All right," he whined as Rob led them to a secluded section of the Pokémon Center.
"I first want to apologize for my father," Rob told the couple. "I can't undo what he has done, but I can at least see to it that it does not happen again."
"How?" Ash demanded.
"I can get Team Rocket off your backs," he replied. "That won't be too difficult since I can say it would be a waste of man power."
"Is that all?" Ash asked.
"What else can I do?" Rob replied. "My father is in jail, and Shane, while more heartless, is exactly that heartless. No emotions, good or bad, whatsoever.
Ash eyed the boy and finally replied, "It's a start."
Rob looked at Ash who was now offering his hand. Rob smile and gladly shook it.
"I hope to battle you again, Ash," Rob at last spoke. "Your Charizard is amazing."
"So is that Quagsire," Ash added. "A ground and water-type pokémon. That could be very useful to throw off opponents."
"Nothing like that Jigglypuff," Rob replied. "I think almost the entire stadium was asleep."
"Well," Ash blushed, "I do need to teach it how to focus on just one opponent."
Misty left the two boys to discuss the finer points of pokémon battles. At least we won't have to worry about Team Rocket, she thought as she went back to their cottage.
"So, Rob," Ash said as the two walked back from the Pokémon Center, "what are you going to do now?"
"I plan to stick around until the ending ceremony," he answered, "then it's back to TR Headquarters."
"What is it like?" Ash asked him. "To run Team Rocket and all?"
"To tell you the truth," Rob replied, "I prefer being a trainer. Shane really runs the show. I just get saddled with the paperwork."
"Paperwork?" Ash questioned.
"Who do you think keeps track of the various business accounts," Rob answered. "What I mostly take care of is the legal end of things since my brothers wanted me to remain eligible to be trainer."
"You mean there's more to TR than pokémon poaching?"
"Yes, much more," Rob replied. "We own several majors businesses. It's much more profitable than stealing pokémon."
As the two new friends entered the cottage, they were greeted by the screams of three other trainers.
"What's he doing here?" Jessie demanded.
"Relax," Ash said as he tried to calm his nerves. "He's a friend."
"But dat's Rob, the second Rocket Brother," Meowth shouted.
"You don't have to yell in my ear," James shouted at the cat.
"I think we better leave those three alone," Ash whispered to Rob.
"Are they always like this?" Rob asked as the two went into the kitchen.
"Always," Ash answered.
Misty, Brock, and Tracey joined the two in the kitchen.
"Hi, I'm Tracey," the pokémon watcher greeted.
"I'm Rob," the boy replied.
"I heard about that pokémon of yours," Tracey continued. "Mind if I take a sketch of it?"
Rob looked over at Ash and Misty wonder if this guy was for real.
"Ah, sure," he reluctantly replied. "Just wait until I pick it tomorrow."
"Okay," Tracey said as he mistakenly walked into the middle of the former Rockets' fight.
"Out of my way, twerp," Jessie yelled at the poor boy.
"Take dat," Meowth said as he made a swipe at Tracey.
"I guess some things never change," Brock sighed.
"I don't know," Ash said as he looked at his girlfriend and his new friend. "I'm beginning to believe that change is a good thing."
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Author's Note:
First, Sorry about taking so long to write this part, but I ran into a bad case of writer's block. Also, Quagsire and Eruption are from Pokémon GS. For more info go to www.totallygs.com.
Second, I just started the prequel to my Destiny series, "Generations." It's about the pokémon journey of Michael Ketchum up to the prologue of "Destiny." That will be the final part I write in this series. So, once "Masters" and "Generations" are done, so is the series.
Jaxxon