"Chapter 8: Round 5 - Reality Check"
"Where is he?" Damon asked. Ash's next opponent, Damon Zenrai, paced anxiously in the center of the battlefield, waiting for his counterpart to arrive to get this 5th round match underway. He checked his watch, noticing Ash was now going on 15 minutes late. The referee was also waiting impatiently, getting ready to give the match to Damon at his request. Damon didn't want that. He didn't want to advance on disqualification. He had made it all the way to the finals four yeas ago and was determined to make it there again this year by winning all his watches the proper way.
"Hurry up, Ketchum," he said.
"Will Ash Ketchum please report to Stadium 4," said the PA announcer through the loudspeakers that echoed throughout the island. "Your Round 5 match is about to begin."
"I'm almost there!" Ash shouted as he rushed into the stadium. Misty, Brock, and Pikachu ran behind him.
"Why does he always do this?" Professor Oak wondered, anxiously waiting for the match to begin from his seat in the stands.
"Ash does like to be fashionably late," May said.
"Or he's in trouble again," Delia added, now growing a little concerned.
"Knowing that boy, it's probably the latter," said Professor Oak.
"Gramps!" Gary shouted, rushing over to take his seat beside his grandfather. Richie followed behind him, taking the seat open next to Gary's.
"There you are," Professor Oak said. "Where's Ash? Did he find his Pokémon?"
"Yeah," Gary said. "Well, most of them."
"Most of them?" May asked.
"I helped track them down," Richie said. "Unfortunately, Charizard's PokéBall is still missing."
"Well thank you anyway, Richie," Delia said. "At least Ash will have enough Pokémon to battle with. I just hope he gets here soon."
"There he is!" May shouted, pointing to Ash as he dashed into the arena.
"I'm here!" Ash yelled, running up to where his opponent was standing. "I'm here!"
"About time," Damon said.
"Sorry," Ash began to explain as he panted from the run over. "My Pokémon kind of got stolen."
"Oh, so you're the trainer," Damon realized. "Did you get them back?"
"Yeah, all except one."
"Well if you want to delay the match until you find it, that's alright with me. It wouldn't be honorable to beat a trainer who wasn't able to fully compete because of what you've been through."
"If a trainer has the required number of Pokémon, the battle must proceed," the referee said.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Ash said. "The rest of my Pokémon will be more than enough."
"Then let's get this battle undeway," the referee announced. "In this Round 5 battle, a Pokémon will only be able to use Special attacks and defensive moves. No physical attacks will be allowed. Use three Pokémon in this battle, and battle with only one at a time. Good luck to you both. Please take your places."
Ash and Damon walked to their respective sides of the field, taking their spots in the Trainer's boxes. Ash considered carefully which Pokémon he would use.
"Ash, are you ready?" Misty asked. "You look a little nervous."
"Me, nervous?" Ash asked, brushing off that thought. "Never. I can take this guy easy. Just watch me."
Ash took the first PokéBall he was going to use off his belt, pressing the button on it to enlarge the ball.
"Feraligatr, I choose you!" he shouted, tossing the ball out onto the field. It popped open, and Ash's Feraligatr emerged from it. Standing tall on the center of the field and flexing its muscles and jaws, it readied itself for battle.
"That's a nice Feraligatr," Damon said. "However, it's no match for my strongest Pokémon. I doubt any of yours will be. This match will be over before it begins. Go, Dragonite!"
Damon threw out his first Pokémon, Dragonite. It came out of its ball and faced Feraligatr at midfield.
"Uh-oh," Brock said. "You sure you can handle a Dragonite?"
"I can handle anything," Ash said confidently.
"I hope so," Misty said quietly.
"So this Round 5 match begins with two terrifyingly powerful Pokémon, Feraligatr and Dragonite," the announcer said. "These Pokémon will only be able to attack with their Special moves, so how well they've been raised will be key here today."
"Let the battle commence!" the referee announced.
"Feraligatr, Hydro Pump!" Ash ordered. The large gator-Pokémon reared its head back and let loose a massive blast of water from its mouth straight at Damon's Dragonite. The water spouting forth from Feraligatr slammed into Dragonite with intense force, pushing the Dragon-type backwards. Dragonite stood its ground, though, not letting Feraligatr get the best of it. It turned its back to its foe, using its wings to shield its body from the Hydro Pump attack. The oncoming water deflected off Dragonite's large wing and into the air.
"Keep it up!" Ash shouted. Feraligatr continued to fire water from its mouth at its adversary. It was having little effect, however, as Dragonite's wings and natural resistance to water provided more than enough protection from Feraligatr's attack.
"Dragonite, into the air!" Damon commanded. His Pokémon dashed up into the air, a few feet above the ground and over the Hydro Pump. Feraligatr finally let up its attack.
"Don't quit!" Ash yelled. "Keep attacking!"
Feraligatr blasted another spurt of water at the flying Dragonite, but it missed. Damon's Pokémon had too much room in the air to dodge attacks and was flying from side to side to avoid each and every blast of water sent at it by Feraligatr. Ash's Pokémon eventually let up again, as it began to run low on water.
"You've got get Dragonite on the ground," Brock said. "Use can use Feraligatr's Crunch attack then."
"Don't you think I know that?" Ash said, a little annoyed at how the battle was going so far.
"It's too late for that!" Damon shouted over to his opponent's side. "Dragonite, let's end this. Thunderbolt!"
An electrical spark emanated from the top of Dragonite's head and grew into a larger ball. It sent the gathering electrical attack right for Feraligatr, connecting with it perfectly. Dragonite continued to poor on the juice as it electrocuted the Water-type. Feraligatr tried to stand strong against the electrical onslaught, but its pain was beginning to get the best of it, forcing it onto a knee.
"Stay strong, Feraligatr," Ash said. "Break free!"
Feraligatr tried to stand back on its own two feet to escape the continuing Thunderbolt but it was growing too weak. Dragonite was just too strong.
"Fer...al...li," Ash's Pokémon said, trying its hardest to listen to Ash's commands telling it to stay up, but it couldn't. It began to blackout and fall to its knees again.
"Dragonite, let up," Damon said. "It's finished."
Dragonite stopped its electrical blast and returned to the ground in front of Damon. Feraligatr collapsed before them, no longer able to battle.
"Feraligatr has been defeated," the ref said. "Dragonite is the winner!"
"Blast it!" the now furious Ash said. He whipped out Feraligatr's PokéBall and quickly recalled it.
"And in a dominating performance, Dragonite has beaten Feraligatr," the announcer said. "If Ash doesn't do something quickly, he could be gone from this tournament just as fast."
"Sceptile, I choose you!" Ash said, sending out his next Pokémon.
"Since you lost the last battle," Damon said, "it only seems fair to let you have the first move, Ash."
"That's very nice of you," Ash said sarcastically. "You're still going down. Sceptile, Leaf Blade!"
Sceptile launched its sharp leaf blades at Damon's Dragonite, striking it in the chest area. The Dragon Pokémon stood strong, not letting the damage it suffered effect it at all.
"Again!" Ash yelled. Once again, Sceptile used its Leaf Blade, but Dragonite simply swatted this attack aside with its hands. Sceptile's attack just weren't enough to hurt Damon's rock-steady Dragon-type. Damon himself couldn't help but laugh at the feeble attempts of Ash's Pokémon.
"Like I said, you didn't stand a chance," Damon said, still laughing. "Dragonite, Fire Blast."
Dragonite sent the blast of fire streaming from its mouth towards Sceptile. With nowhere to go, Ash's Grass-type could only try and tough it out. The Fire Blast landed on target, severely singing Sceptile and causing it to fall over on its side. It tried to regain its footing, but its burns were quickly draining its remaining energy. Sceptile stumbled back to the ground and lay there, no longer having the strength to move.
"Sceptile is defeated," announced the referee. "Dragonite wins this battle."
"And with one powerful Fire Blast, Dragonite further pushes Ash Ketchum to the brink," said the announcer. "Ash's next Pokémon better be something good, but even so, this could be a hole too big to dig out of."
"Oh great, now what do I do?!" Ash exclaimed as he recalled Sceptile. His frustration was growing by the second. He knew this might be it.
"Pi-Pikachu-Pika!" Pikachu said, motioning to Ash that it wanted to enter battle.
"No," Ash said. "I'm not letting you battle, Pikachu."
"Pika-Pikachu!" Pikachu shouted back, wanting badly to go out there and challenge Dragonite.
"I'm not going to let you get hurt again," Ash said. "I know you've battled a Dragonite before, but not by yourself. You can't handle this one. It's too powerful for you to take down on your own."
"Pika...." Pikachu said, very disappointed at not being allowed to fight.
"Ash, you don't have much of a choice!" Brock said. "You can't use Snorlax since it doesn't know any Special attacks, and you don't have Charizard. You have to face facts. Let Pikachu battle."
"Hey, wait a second!" Misty realized. "What about your 6th Pokémon, Ash?"
"That's right," Brock said. "You haven't even told us what it is."
"I can't use it yet," Ash said.
"What do you mean you can't use it yet?" Misty asked.
"I'm waiting until the finals. I don't want to use it until then."
"Well if you don't use it now you aren't going to make it to the finals!"
As much as Ash didn't want to admit it, she was right. He was out of options. He really wanted to keep that Pokémon a surprise for his final opponent, but his hand was now being forced. He decided it was time. If he didn't use this Pokémon now, Damon would be his final opponent.
"You're right," Ash said, taking the PokéBall of his 6th and final Pokémon off his belt. "The time has come."
"So are you finally going to choose your Pokémon, Ash?" Damon asked. "I think you've delayed the inevitable long enough."
"You're right, I have," Ash said. "Prepare yourself, Damon. This Pokémon is all I need. PokéBall, go!"
Ash tossed his final PokéBall out onto the field. It opened up at center field before Dragonite, revealing Ash's last hope to advance to the next round of the Pokémon Masters Tournament.
"Where is he?" Damon asked. Ash's next opponent, Damon Zenrai, paced anxiously in the center of the battlefield, waiting for his counterpart to arrive to get this 5th round match underway. He checked his watch, noticing Ash was now going on 15 minutes late. The referee was also waiting impatiently, getting ready to give the match to Damon at his request. Damon didn't want that. He didn't want to advance on disqualification. He had made it all the way to the finals four yeas ago and was determined to make it there again this year by winning all his watches the proper way.
"Hurry up, Ketchum," he said.
"Will Ash Ketchum please report to Stadium 4," said the PA announcer through the loudspeakers that echoed throughout the island. "Your Round 5 match is about to begin."
"I'm almost there!" Ash shouted as he rushed into the stadium. Misty, Brock, and Pikachu ran behind him.
"Why does he always do this?" Professor Oak wondered, anxiously waiting for the match to begin from his seat in the stands.
"Ash does like to be fashionably late," May said.
"Or he's in trouble again," Delia added, now growing a little concerned.
"Knowing that boy, it's probably the latter," said Professor Oak.
"Gramps!" Gary shouted, rushing over to take his seat beside his grandfather. Richie followed behind him, taking the seat open next to Gary's.
"There you are," Professor Oak said. "Where's Ash? Did he find his Pokémon?"
"Yeah," Gary said. "Well, most of them."
"Most of them?" May asked.
"I helped track them down," Richie said. "Unfortunately, Charizard's PokéBall is still missing."
"Well thank you anyway, Richie," Delia said. "At least Ash will have enough Pokémon to battle with. I just hope he gets here soon."
"There he is!" May shouted, pointing to Ash as he dashed into the arena.
"I'm here!" Ash yelled, running up to where his opponent was standing. "I'm here!"
"About time," Damon said.
"Sorry," Ash began to explain as he panted from the run over. "My Pokémon kind of got stolen."
"Oh, so you're the trainer," Damon realized. "Did you get them back?"
"Yeah, all except one."
"Well if you want to delay the match until you find it, that's alright with me. It wouldn't be honorable to beat a trainer who wasn't able to fully compete because of what you've been through."
"If a trainer has the required number of Pokémon, the battle must proceed," the referee said.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Ash said. "The rest of my Pokémon will be more than enough."
"Then let's get this battle undeway," the referee announced. "In this Round 5 battle, a Pokémon will only be able to use Special attacks and defensive moves. No physical attacks will be allowed. Use three Pokémon in this battle, and battle with only one at a time. Good luck to you both. Please take your places."
Ash and Damon walked to their respective sides of the field, taking their spots in the Trainer's boxes. Ash considered carefully which Pokémon he would use.
"Ash, are you ready?" Misty asked. "You look a little nervous."
"Me, nervous?" Ash asked, brushing off that thought. "Never. I can take this guy easy. Just watch me."
Ash took the first PokéBall he was going to use off his belt, pressing the button on it to enlarge the ball.
"Feraligatr, I choose you!" he shouted, tossing the ball out onto the field. It popped open, and Ash's Feraligatr emerged from it. Standing tall on the center of the field and flexing its muscles and jaws, it readied itself for battle.
"That's a nice Feraligatr," Damon said. "However, it's no match for my strongest Pokémon. I doubt any of yours will be. This match will be over before it begins. Go, Dragonite!"
Damon threw out his first Pokémon, Dragonite. It came out of its ball and faced Feraligatr at midfield.
"Uh-oh," Brock said. "You sure you can handle a Dragonite?"
"I can handle anything," Ash said confidently.
"I hope so," Misty said quietly.
"So this Round 5 match begins with two terrifyingly powerful Pokémon, Feraligatr and Dragonite," the announcer said. "These Pokémon will only be able to attack with their Special moves, so how well they've been raised will be key here today."
"Let the battle commence!" the referee announced.
"Feraligatr, Hydro Pump!" Ash ordered. The large gator-Pokémon reared its head back and let loose a massive blast of water from its mouth straight at Damon's Dragonite. The water spouting forth from Feraligatr slammed into Dragonite with intense force, pushing the Dragon-type backwards. Dragonite stood its ground, though, not letting Feraligatr get the best of it. It turned its back to its foe, using its wings to shield its body from the Hydro Pump attack. The oncoming water deflected off Dragonite's large wing and into the air.
"Keep it up!" Ash shouted. Feraligatr continued to fire water from its mouth at its adversary. It was having little effect, however, as Dragonite's wings and natural resistance to water provided more than enough protection from Feraligatr's attack.
"Dragonite, into the air!" Damon commanded. His Pokémon dashed up into the air, a few feet above the ground and over the Hydro Pump. Feraligatr finally let up its attack.
"Don't quit!" Ash yelled. "Keep attacking!"
Feraligatr blasted another spurt of water at the flying Dragonite, but it missed. Damon's Pokémon had too much room in the air to dodge attacks and was flying from side to side to avoid each and every blast of water sent at it by Feraligatr. Ash's Pokémon eventually let up again, as it began to run low on water.
"You've got get Dragonite on the ground," Brock said. "Use can use Feraligatr's Crunch attack then."
"Don't you think I know that?" Ash said, a little annoyed at how the battle was going so far.
"It's too late for that!" Damon shouted over to his opponent's side. "Dragonite, let's end this. Thunderbolt!"
An electrical spark emanated from the top of Dragonite's head and grew into a larger ball. It sent the gathering electrical attack right for Feraligatr, connecting with it perfectly. Dragonite continued to poor on the juice as it electrocuted the Water-type. Feraligatr tried to stand strong against the electrical onslaught, but its pain was beginning to get the best of it, forcing it onto a knee.
"Stay strong, Feraligatr," Ash said. "Break free!"
Feraligatr tried to stand back on its own two feet to escape the continuing Thunderbolt but it was growing too weak. Dragonite was just too strong.
"Fer...al...li," Ash's Pokémon said, trying its hardest to listen to Ash's commands telling it to stay up, but it couldn't. It began to blackout and fall to its knees again.
"Dragonite, let up," Damon said. "It's finished."
Dragonite stopped its electrical blast and returned to the ground in front of Damon. Feraligatr collapsed before them, no longer able to battle.
"Feraligatr has been defeated," the ref said. "Dragonite is the winner!"
"Blast it!" the now furious Ash said. He whipped out Feraligatr's PokéBall and quickly recalled it.
"And in a dominating performance, Dragonite has beaten Feraligatr," the announcer said. "If Ash doesn't do something quickly, he could be gone from this tournament just as fast."
"Sceptile, I choose you!" Ash said, sending out his next Pokémon.
"Since you lost the last battle," Damon said, "it only seems fair to let you have the first move, Ash."
"That's very nice of you," Ash said sarcastically. "You're still going down. Sceptile, Leaf Blade!"
Sceptile launched its sharp leaf blades at Damon's Dragonite, striking it in the chest area. The Dragon Pokémon stood strong, not letting the damage it suffered effect it at all.
"Again!" Ash yelled. Once again, Sceptile used its Leaf Blade, but Dragonite simply swatted this attack aside with its hands. Sceptile's attack just weren't enough to hurt Damon's rock-steady Dragon-type. Damon himself couldn't help but laugh at the feeble attempts of Ash's Pokémon.
"Like I said, you didn't stand a chance," Damon said, still laughing. "Dragonite, Fire Blast."
Dragonite sent the blast of fire streaming from its mouth towards Sceptile. With nowhere to go, Ash's Grass-type could only try and tough it out. The Fire Blast landed on target, severely singing Sceptile and causing it to fall over on its side. It tried to regain its footing, but its burns were quickly draining its remaining energy. Sceptile stumbled back to the ground and lay there, no longer having the strength to move.
"Sceptile is defeated," announced the referee. "Dragonite wins this battle."
"And with one powerful Fire Blast, Dragonite further pushes Ash Ketchum to the brink," said the announcer. "Ash's next Pokémon better be something good, but even so, this could be a hole too big to dig out of."
"Oh great, now what do I do?!" Ash exclaimed as he recalled Sceptile. His frustration was growing by the second. He knew this might be it.
"Pi-Pikachu-Pika!" Pikachu said, motioning to Ash that it wanted to enter battle.
"No," Ash said. "I'm not letting you battle, Pikachu."
"Pika-Pikachu!" Pikachu shouted back, wanting badly to go out there and challenge Dragonite.
"I'm not going to let you get hurt again," Ash said. "I know you've battled a Dragonite before, but not by yourself. You can't handle this one. It's too powerful for you to take down on your own."
"Pika...." Pikachu said, very disappointed at not being allowed to fight.
"Ash, you don't have much of a choice!" Brock said. "You can't use Snorlax since it doesn't know any Special attacks, and you don't have Charizard. You have to face facts. Let Pikachu battle."
"Hey, wait a second!" Misty realized. "What about your 6th Pokémon, Ash?"
"That's right," Brock said. "You haven't even told us what it is."
"I can't use it yet," Ash said.
"What do you mean you can't use it yet?" Misty asked.
"I'm waiting until the finals. I don't want to use it until then."
"Well if you don't use it now you aren't going to make it to the finals!"
As much as Ash didn't want to admit it, she was right. He was out of options. He really wanted to keep that Pokémon a surprise for his final opponent, but his hand was now being forced. He decided it was time. If he didn't use this Pokémon now, Damon would be his final opponent.
"You're right," Ash said, taking the PokéBall of his 6th and final Pokémon off his belt. "The time has come."
"So are you finally going to choose your Pokémon, Ash?" Damon asked. "I think you've delayed the inevitable long enough."
"You're right, I have," Ash said. "Prepare yourself, Damon. This Pokémon is all I need. PokéBall, go!"
Ash tossed his final PokéBall out onto the field. It opened up at center field before Dragonite, revealing Ash's last hope to advance to the next round of the Pokémon Masters Tournament.