Chapter 16
"Agatha"
The third member of the Elite Four was an old woman named Agatha. At first I thought it was weird that someone like her would be one of the best Pokémon trainers in the world, but on the other hand, I wasn't too likely of a trainer either…
"Our battle will be four on four. Are you ready, Ash?" Agatha asked.
Ready when you are.
"Then let's begin. I shall start off with…Gengar!"
Her purple ghost Pokémon came out of its Pokéball ready to battle.
Wait a second. I've seen that Gengar before! It's really strong…
It was the same Gengar that I had been watching on TV the night before I got Pikachu…
This isn't going to be easy……So, I'm gonna use……
"Pik?"
'Me?'
I can't use Taper against a ghost Pokémon…and not too many other attacks affect it, so…..
Go, Pikachu.
"Pika!"
'All right!'
"…Pikachu…" Agatha said mostly to herself, "Okay, Gengar…Let's start off with Night Shade!"
Uh oh…Pikachu!! Agility, now!
"Pika!"
A dark sphere surrounded Gengar and another started to appear around Pikachu. Pikachu dodged out of the way, but just barely.
Pikachu, get ready to attack!
"Chu!"
"Gengar…Confuse Ray…"
Gengar closed its eyes and clapped its hands together. It opened its eyes and stared straight into Pikachu's. Pikachu stopped dead in its track and seemed to be hypnotized or something.
Pikachu? Pikachu, are you okay?
"Pi……ka……"
Hey Pikachu! Snap out of it!
Pikachu turned its head towards me and looked at me with a distant gaze.
…Pikachu?
"Gengar…Hypnosis," Agatha said.
Uh-! Pikachu look out!
It was too late. Pikachu was already drifting to sleep.
Wake up! Pikachu!!!
"Dream Eater."
I floated up and shouted at Pikachu as "loud" as I could.
Pikachu!! You've gotta wake up right now, or you're gonna get hurt!!!
Pikachu continued to snooze peacefully. Gengar strode over to it casually, then started picking out dreams that seemed tasty.
Yuck…
Aside from the fact that dreams didn't seem very appetizing, I could see that Pikachu was really starting to hurt…
Pikachu……Ehhh……Pikachu!! WAKE UP RIGHT NOW!!!!
Pikachu's ears twitched and it opened its eyes slowly.
Pikachu! Use Thunder!!
"Pik? Pika!"
'Huh? Right!'
Its body started to fill with electricity, and from the sky I heard saw a flash of lightning and the crack of thunder.
"Piiikaaaaaa………PIKACHUUU!!!!!"
I saw a bolt of lightning emerge from Pikachu and zap straight up into the clouds. A split second later, a lightning bolt ten times the size of the first one hit Gengar with the force of an entire thunderstorm.
The flash and the explosive sound left us all stunned for a while afterwards, but when we finally looked up, Gengar had become nothing but a shadow.
"……Return………" Agatha said.
……Wow……
"……That was the strongest Thunder attack I've ever seen in my life……You did an amazing job at training that Pikachu of yours…"
Uh……Thanks…
"………But now it's time to fight speed with speed…and plenty of power to back us up……Golbat, go!!"
A Golbat…?
Her Golbat left its Pokéball in a flurry of webbed wings.
If she's using a flying type against Pikachu, that must mean it's really strong…
Pikachu! Thunderbolt!
"Golbat, Double Team!"
"Pika chuuu!!!"
Pikachu hit one of the fake Golbats, but the real one was just fine.
"Golbat, Confuse Ray!"
Ugh. Not again!…Pikachu, watch out! Use Agility!
"Pii!"
Golbat tried the same move that Gengar had used on Pikachu, but this time, Pikachu was able to outmaneuver it and didn't get hit.
Pikachu! Quick Attack!
"Golbat, Wing Attack."
Pikachu hit Golbat, but it hardly seemed phased. Golbat whacked Pikachu with its wing, and Pikachu fell aside.
Pikachu!!
"Pii…Ka!"
Pikachu jumped up. Sparks appeared at its cheeks.
…Okay……Thunderbolt, now!
"Double Team!" Agatha called.
Hit all of them!
"Pika……CHUUU!!!"
Pikachu's electrical attack jumped from Golbat to Golbat, until the only one left was both shocked and paralyzed.
All right, this is it. Thunderbolt again!
"Piika!! CHUU!!"
Agatha recalled Golbat before the attack hit.
Huh!?
"Piika!?"
"I'm considering you the winner," she explained, "I'm ready to send out my next Pokémon. Are you ready?"
I'm ready…What about you, Pikachu?
"Pika!"
'Ready!'
"Then I choose……Haunter!"
Uhh…A Haunter……?
She let her Haunter out of its Pokéball. I was surprised. Hers looked a lot scarier than the one I had…eh…"caught"……
"Haunter, Psychic attack."
What!?
"Pii?"
Haunter's eyes glowed red for a brief moment, and Pikachu was suddenly flung backwards to the wall of the stadium, where it fell to the ground…
Pikachu!!!
I flew next to it.
Pikachu, are you all right?
"Pi……Pikachu……"
'I'll……be okay……'
Can you still fight…?
"Pikachu……"
'I can try……'
I shook my head.
No way. If you're not positive, then I'm not gonna let you…
"Pikapi!"
'Let me try!'
No, Pikachu. I don't want you to get hurt!
"Chu……"
'Ash……'
I'll just use a different Pokémon. You need to rest.
"…Pika…"
'…Okay…'
I carried Pikachu with me to the trainer's box, then I had to try to decide which Pokémon to use next.
No one has a real advantage against Haunter……but if I just use one that's really strong……
Uh……Charizard! I choose you!
I tapped Charizard's Pokéball to let it out. It roared fiercely then glared at its opponent.
"Char? Zard?"
'A Haunter? You want me to fight a Haunter?'
Uh…Yeah, that's right……
"Rrrr……Chhaarr…"
'Mm……No thanks…'
What!?
"Chhaarizard…"
'I don't feel like it…'
But Charizard, you've got to!
"……Zard?"
'……Why?'
Because I need you to help me win! You're already out of your Pokéball, so you might as well fight!!
"Chhaarizzarrrd…"
'I don't want to…'
Charizard! What's gotten into you!? You were listening to me before!!
"Charizaaardd…Zard."
'No I wasn't…I was just fighting. That's different.'
But Charizard…!!
"…Haunter?"
'…What's going on?'
That's when I remembered about everybody else. I glanced around. They all seemed to be staring at me……
They probably think that I shouldn't be here right now…If I can't even control Charizard, why should I be a Pokémon Master……?
"…How on earth did you get this far…?" Agatha wondered out loud.
How did I……?………She's got a point……I shouldn't be here……I should be training harder……or maybe even not training at all……Maybe I was just wrong all along……I'm never gonna be a real Pokémon Master………
I crouched low. I wanted to make myself as small as possible. I didn't want to have to be humiliated anymore…
Charizard stood up slowly.
"Zzzarrrd…"
'You're really taking this seriously, huh?'
I glared at it.
Of course I am! This means everything to me! If I don't win………
I realized that I had no idea what I would do if I didn't win…Trainers were only allowed to challenge the Elite Four one time after they win the League Tournament, and if they don't win then, they have to wait another year, win the tournament again, and then try again……That was one of the reasons why it was so hard to beat the Elite Four.
"………Chhharrr……Charizard…"
'………Alright, I'll battle……Just remember, I'm not doing this for you.'
I stared up at Charizard again, this time full of hope.
I just might be able to pull this off…!
……Thank you, Charizard……
"Zzzaaardd!"
'I told you! This isn't for you!'
Charizard flapped its wings and flew into the air. Then it hit Haunter with a super powerful Fire Blast. Haunter didn't seem to mind the heat though.
"Haunter, Hypnosis! Bring Charizard down!"
"Hhaaunterrr!"
Haunter's eyes glowed red again and it stared fiercely at Charizard. Charizard's movements started to slow down, and it drifted towards the ground.
Charizard! Don't look in its eyes! Try to stay awake!!
Charizard laid its head on the ground, closed its eyes and started to sleep.
Charizard! Charizard, wake up right now!!
It wasn't any use. Charizard was out like a light.
"Haunter, Night Shade."
I can't let Charizard lose…There's gotta be some way to wake it up……
Ehhh…! Charizard! Water Gun now!
"Piik!!?"
'What!!?'
Use Horn Drill! Blizzard! Psychic! Comet Punch! Anything! Attack!
Agatha stared at me blankly.
"…He's gone nuts……" she said.
Acid attack!!
"Pikachu!!?"
'What are you doing!?'
Use Lovely Kiss!!!
"Pikapi!!"
'Ash, stop it!!'
Pin Missile! Solarbeam! Rock Slide!! Recover!!!!
Charizard's opened its eyes sleepily.
Use Explosion!!!!!
It worked. Charizard had heard me the whole time, and it had finally had enough. It flew up high above the stadium, then sent down a Fire Blast big enough to cook a whole Tauros or two…or three…or more……
Yes! It's using Rage!
I ignored the fact that everyone in the stadium was staring at me as if I had just said that the world was made out of Jigglypuffs and actually meant it.
Charizard!! Use Metronome!!
The flame on its tail became a huge ball of fire, and it crashed down to the ground and seared Haunter in a blaze that would make an arsonist very jealous.
Charizard! Peck attack!!
Charizard aimed a Flamethrower attack at me, but I blocked using a special defensive technique that Mewtwo had taught me. Charizard didn't notice that it hadn't hurt me though. I just stopped giving out commands, and it continued to fight Haunter with a dragon fury.
"Haunter, Thunderbolt now!!"
Haunter tried to zap Charizard, but Charizard blocked it with a Flamethrower and toasted Haunter at the same time.
I remembered what Brock had told me about when I was fighting Blaine…
An air lens……Electric attacks won't work……Ha! There's no way we can lose now!
"……Haunter! Return!"
"ZZAAAARRRRRRRRRRDDD!!!!!!!!!!!"
Charizard wasn't happy about having the battle end so soon. It tried to hit Agatha with a Fire Blast.
This had better work…
I grabbed hold of the flaming character with my mind, and then gradually turned it into smoke……
"Pi…"
'Wow…'
It didn't take too long for Charizard to realize what had happened. It turned and stared at me…I could see the fire raging in its eyes…
"……Arbok, go!!"
Huh?!
Charizard slowly to face its new enemy. I saw its fury go way up when it saw Arbok's fearsome pattern…Before anything could be said, Charizard used a giant Flamethrower, leaving Arbok burnt and weakened.
"Arbok! Rock Slide!!" Agatha shouted.
Charizard! Double Team!
Charizard didn't use Double Team, but it did try to get out of the way. The attack still hit it, but that only made Charizard all the angrier…It used Fire Blast against Arbok, but Arbok somehow managed to slither away enough to be left with only a minor burn.
"Poison Sting attack!"
There was no use telling Charizard what to do anymore. I just let the battle continue.
Arbok sprung up and bit Charizard on the leg. Charizard raoared in pain, then swiped at Arbok and knocked it back to the ground.
"Arbok, Glare!"
…Too bad for Jessie that she doesn't train her Arbok this well……Heh…
Arbok raised its head and gave Charizard a look that paralyzed it immediately. Charizard dropped from the sky and remained frozen in place.
No……Charizard! Flamethrower! Now!
Charizard couldn't move…Anything I tried was useless…
"Bite!"
Arbok chomped down on Charizard hard enough to make it scream…
If she can call her Pokémon back early, then so can I!
Charizard! Return!
Charizard disappeared inside of its Pokéball, and I had to decide which one to use next.
I can't use Bulbasaur…and I don't think Squirtle can handle this Arbok…so……that leaves Sandslash and Taper……Sandslash could use more experience……
Sandslash! I choose you!
"…Pika?"
'…Sandslash?'
"Ssaand, slash!!"
"This should be no problem, Arbok. Earthquake!"
What…?
"Slash…?"
Uh…Sandslash! Counter with your own Earthquake!
"Sssaand!!"
"Ar…bok!!"
They both slammed the ground and sent powerful waves towards each other. They met in the middle and canceled each other out.
That is a strong Arbok……Okay Sandslash! Fury Swipes!
"Arbok! Acid!"
Sandslash ran forward, determined to cut Arbok into pieces, but Arbok just reared back its head and spat out a ball of Acid that burned into Sandslash's tough hide.
Hang in there, Sandslash!!
"Ssllash!!"
Sandslash ignored the poison covering it and swiped at Arbok until it started to bleed.
I don't want to do this…but I have to win……
…Slash attack!
"Sand………SLASH!!"
Sandslash swung its giant claw down on Arbok and cut through its scales and knocked it to the ground. I noticed a hint of red on Sandslash's claws…
"Return! Arbok!"
I was relieved to see Arbok go back inside of its Pokéball. It looked like it was really in pain…
"…That was an unbelievable match, Ash," Agatha told me, "…It's the first time I've lost since I fought against……your next opponent…You'll need a lot of luck to beat him, child…"
It's more than just luck…
"Yes…That is true……If you know and use the other elements of training, then you might stand a chance……but good luck anyway!"
…Uh…Thanks!