We find our hero's on route to Fuschia City, home of Brendan's next frontier battle, and Ash's next contest, but what is this? This doesn't look like they're making progress!
"Come on Ash, the waters great!" Wally called out.
"I'm good right here." Ash said, sitting on a beach towel.
"Come on Wally, just let him relax." Brendan said. "We could all use a day off. Even the Pokemon are enjoying themselves."
Wally looked at the small beach, seeing the gathered Pokemon. Milotic and Marshtomp were further out in the waves, racing one another. Aggron, Vibrava, Arcanine, Cacturne and Rhydon had found what Wally could only assume to be buried treasure or a lost city based on the mountain of sand they'd dug up. Farfetch'd and Swablu had found a nice spot to perch and rest for the time being. Kirlia and Pikachu were sparring, and Cyndaquil and Shiftry were enjoying the warm weather nearby Ash. Grovyle however, where was Grovyle?
"Hey Ash, you sent out Grovyle, right?" Wally asked, realizing they were in fact down one Pokemon.
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure." Ash said, reaching for his Pokeballs and double checking.
"Mi! Mi!" Milotic cried out, swimming back to shore.
"Wait, where's Marshtomp?!" Brendan exclaimed. "He's curious but he would never just leave!"
"Two missing Pokemon isn't a good thing." Ash said, stepping onto the sand and focusing. "I've got nothing."
"Try harder!" Brendan shouted.
"Hey my Pokémon is missing too!" Ash remarked. "I'm trying my best! Swablu see if you can see anything from the air!"
"Farfetch'd and Vibrava go with Swablu." Wally commented.
"Arcanine, can you get a scent on them?" Brendan asked, looking down the hole as Arcanine popped back up, his fur covered in sand.
Arcanine barked in response before easily leaping out of the deep hole, and began sniffing the ground.
"I'll keep trying to sense them." Ash said, grabbing Milotic and Cyndaquil's Pokeballs. "For now, it might be best to keep anyone we can in their balls."
"Good idea." Brendan said. "Rhydon and Aggron return!"
"Cacturn come back!" Wally said. "What you get Pikachu and he gets Shiftry, can't I have Kirlia out in case of emergency."
"I didn't say anything." Brendan said defensively.
"I think it's a good idea." Ash said.
"Bork Bork!" Arcanine barked, looming out at the sea.
"What is it boy?" Brendan asked, seeing the tide coming in. "Oh it's just a wave."
"No it's not! Somethings in it!" Ash shouted, aura tendrils grabbing everyone and moving them quickly off the beach. Farfetch'd and Swablu landing with the group close by.
"What is it?" Wally asked.
'Tentacruel, the Jellyfish Pokemon, a Water and Poison type. With 80 tentacles for ensnaring victims, is prevents escape until the prey is weakened by poison.' Brendan's Pokédex said.
"Look in its tentacles! Grovyle and Marshtomp!" Wally shouted.
"Pikachu use Thunderbolt!" Ash called out.
"Wait, you'll hurt Grovyle!" Brendan said worriedly. "We need to get them free before we think about attacking it."
"Getting them free, I can do." Ash said, as four aura tendrils shot out from his back.
"Ash, what are you doing?! The Pokedex said it has 80, you won't win like that!" Brendan scolded.
"The Pokedex also says Pikachu will bite you if you pull his tail, go ahead test it if you want." Ash said. "I'll get Grovyle and Marshtomp, then you send out the attacks."
"Copy that!" Wally said. "Do we really want to know what happens when we pull it?"
"One problem at a time Wally." Brendan said, keeping an eye on Ash and the Tentacruel.
"Hey you want a fight! Then fight me!" Ash shouted, whipping a tendril at the water Pokemon.
Tentacruel sent several of his tentacles back towards Ash, easily stopping the opposing attack.
"Alright then, kids gloves are off." Ash said, summoning two more tendrils now coming from his hands.
"Do you think Ash will be okay?" Wally asked.
"I hope so." Brendan said.
What they and Tentacruel didn't know that is between the thrashing tendrils and tentacles, Ash had sent Milotic out to get Marshtomp free and rescue Grovyle.
"Gotta keep going!" Ash said, wrapping up several of Tentacruel's tentacles.
"Ash! Your powers!" Wally screamed, as the aura tendrils faded for a moment.
"I've got this!" Ash said, pushing Tentacruel back as Milotic and Marshtomp escaped with Grovyle.
"They're free!" Brendan exclaimed, only to watch Ash get blasted by a Sludge Bomb!
"Ash!" Wally shouted, as the aura tendrils dissappeared, and Ash fell into the waves.
"Marshtomp go and get Ash!" Brendan called out. "I'll finish Tentacruel."
"How? Marshtomp was the only one you had who could reach him?" Wally reminded.
"I don't know." Brendan admitted. "Arcanine use Extremespeed! Shiftry use Razor Wind!"
Arcanine sped across the water, making it about halfway before falling in himself, while Shiftry couldn't make it the rest of the way either, both returning to the beach defeated.
"And I don't think Aggron or Rhydon can swim." Brendan groaned. "You wanna give it a shot?"
"I don't think that will be necessary, they're coming this way!" Wally called out.
Marshtomp had Ash wrapped in one arm as the other was used to try and get them to shore, with the wild Tentacruel not far behind them.
"Shiftry use Extrasensory!" Brendan called out.
Shiftry focused his energy, flinging the Tentacruel out of the water and into the air.
"Now use Leaf Storm!"
Shiftry flapped his fans, sending a barrage of leaves out at the Tentacruel as it came crashing back down.
"Now, I'll catch you." Brendan said. "Pokeball go!"
'Ding ding ding!'
Later on
"Oww, my head." Ash groaned.
"Welcome back." Brendan said. "Gave is a scare there for a minute."
"How are you feeling?" Wally asked.
"A bit exhausted but otherwise fine." Ash said, sitting up.
"You were doing great out there and then you got hit, and went down fast, what happened?" Brendan asked.
"I wish I knew, I've taken harder attacks than that before, this time was different for some reason." Ash said. "It's like my powers just quit on me."
"We can worry about that another time." Brendan said. "Come on we made dinner."
"Ahem." Wally said angrily.
"Okay Wally made dinner while I made sure you were still breathing." Brendan said with a chuckle.
Brendan's Current Team and their moves
Marshtomp: Ice Beam - Rollout - Muddy Water - Mud Shot
Shiftry: Razor Wind - Faint Attack - Leaf Storm - Extrasensory
Aggron: Double Edge - Earthquake - Rock Tomb - Metal Claw
Rhydon: Mega Horn - Crush Claw - Aqua Tail - Rock Blast
Arcanine: Extremespeed - Fire Blast - Dig - Bite
Tentacruel: Surf - Constrict - Sludge Bomb