Chapter 1: Face-Off!

"Alright, Giovanni! You have finally met your match!"

"Don't be so sure, kid. You seem so determined, but you will not win." An evil smile spread across his face, and he chuckled.

Slash, Ash, Misty, and Gary stood in the Viridian City Gym, facing the shadowy Giovanni. As soon as Slash had read that Giovanni had never been defeated before, he decided to go show him who was boss.

"I think you're the one who shouldn't be so sure, Giovanni. You may find more surprises than just your defeat today." But the Rocket Boss only smiled more broadly.

"Let the match begin. It will be a standard battle. I will choose for my first Pokémon Gyrados."

"Alright, then I choose Venu! Go!" Slash threw the Pokeball straight downward, causing it to bounce back up as a huge Venusaur emerged. "Alright, Venu! Razor Leaf, now!" Venu roared as a whirlwind of leaves busted out of the flower on his back.

"Gyrados, Waterfall!" A huge wall of water blasted out of Gyrados' mouth, shooting straight up and pounding down, blocking all leaves from affecting the Pokémon. "Now, follow up with a Hydro Pump!"

"Alrighty, then! Venu, Giant Leaf attack!" A huge leaf emerged from the flower on the Venusaur's back, covering the Pokémon and deflecting the attack back at Gyrados.

"What the…?!" Giovanni gaped at the unknown attack. "How did you…?"

"Who said you can't teach an old Pokémon new tricks?" Slash smirked. "Watch this one! Venu, Evergreen attack!" Pine cones shot out from Venu's flower, latching on to the flying water Pokémon and burrowing into its tough skin. Roots began to emerge, sucking the life from Gyrados to hasten their growth.

"Gyrados, Dragon Rage! Get rid of those sproutlings!" Gyrados went into a violent rage and the sprouting pine trees fell of like leaves. "Now catch it in a Whirlpool!" A hole emerged in the stadium floor and water poured from Gyrados' mouth and filled up the stadium as a whirlpool began to form.

"Plug the hole!" Venu stepped on the hole, which only caused it to enlarge. He was caught. "Get out! Use Vine Whip to pull yourself out!" The Venusaur grabbed hold of the strong metal rafters, bending them as he dragged himself to safety. The water drained and the hole disappeared.

"Enough of this foolishness!" Giovanni roared, "Gyrados, use Hyper Beam!"

"Counter it, Venu!" A beam shot out of each of the Pokémon's mouth, each meeting in a ball in the middle. The ball of energy grew, and the Pokémon fought to push it into the other. Light from the surge of energy brightened the whole arena, and the two Pokémon struggled to gain control. Slowly, the blast neared Gyrados, and the Pokémon appeared weak. Finally, the Gyrados' strength gave way to the awesome power of Slash's Venusaur, and the creature fainted with a sigh.

But it was never hurt.

Right as Gyrados exerted the last of its energy, Venu blinked out of existence, sending the pulsing ball of energy hurtling into the challenger and his supporters. Ash dove and knocked misty out of the blast, just in time. Gary dropped to the floor and let the mass pass above him. But Slash, frozen at the sight of his Pokémon flashing out of existence, couldn't move in time. The blast hit him full on, engulfing him in an overpowering mass of heat.