Last time, on "Pokemon: The Heart of the Cards"...

A second Triple Challenge is underway! This time, our heroes are vying for Rayquaza lv. 50, one of the most powerful cards known on the TCG circuit.

Ash's first duel is against Diana, a perky young duelist that has just entered the big leagues...and she also has a fascination with Latios, Latias, and Alto Mare. Some of the memories nearly rduce Ash to tears, but he shakes off the saddening thoughts and wins the duel!

Can Ash kep his winning streak alive? Find out!

The Heart of the Cards, part 29: Fighting with White

"Charizard, Flame Pillar!" Ash commanded, smiling with pride as his Charizard blew out a blast of hot fire at the Ruby side, engulfing the opponent in a column of flame. The crowd cheered as the ref blew her whistle and announced "Game Set! Sapphire wins the Legendary Cards!"

"YEAH!" The others stood nearby, clapping and celebrating as Ash stepped down from the platform and shook hands with his opponent.

"Well done!" Maya ran and gave Ash a giant hug. "I knew you could do it, Ash....Ash...Ash...."

"Hey..." Misty nudged Ash again. "You awake?"

"Yeah..." Ash yawned and trudged over to the closet, where he began sorting through the clothes for a clean shirt.

"Have a "winning the Legendary Cards" dream again?" Misty smiled as she uncovered Togepi and began to clean him.

"I did, but this one was different...the last one only showed me stepping down after I clinched the win, but this time, I was using my special Charizard to deliver the final blow." Ash explained as he reached for his tin and began thumbing through the cards, stopping to admire his holo Charizard...

"Who knows? Maybe it's predicting the future!" Brock suggested as he entered the kitchen and stuck two pieces of bread in the toaster. "Could you see your opponent?"

"Nope...just a black area on the Ruby platform..." Ash mused....until he noticed something was amiss: his Psychic cards were missing; only to be replaced with Fighting type cards. "Uh guys, have you seen my Psychic cards anywhere?"

"I put them by your bed and gave you some of my best Fighting cards in return; Maya says you'll need them today..." Brock assured Ash.

"Why?" Ash was confused. "I'd be sunk without Mewtwo and Kadabra!"

"Mewtwo and Kadabra wouldn't be able to do much damage against your opponent today..." Maya explained as she walked in the room and got comfortable at the table."because she likes to duel with Colorless Pokemon."

"And Psychic is not very effective against Colorless..." Brock cautioned. "That's why I donated some of my best Fighting cards..."

"Oh, I see!" Ash smiled as he closed up his tin, pocketed it, grabbed his cap from the hat stand, and started towards the door. "You want me to have the best advantage as possible!"

"Exactly..." Brock smiled. "I gave you Geodude, Machop, and Hitmonchan to help you....

"Thanks!" Ash chuckled as he led the others into the grand hall...

The ref was waiting for the group when the group arrived. "Does the challenger need time to prepare?"

"No thanks! I'm ready!" Ash called to the ref as he stepped up to the Sapphire platform and began organizing his cards. The scoreboard blipped to life and displayed Ash's deck information: SAPPHIRE FLAME OF CONFUSION

"So this is the famous Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town..." a girl with flowing blonde hair purred as she stepped up to the Ruby platform. "I've heard a lot about your amazing adventures..." At this, the scoreboard flashed her deck information: RUBY SHINING WHITE

"Uh..." Ash was surprised about his beautiful opponent's remark. "I'm--uh--honored!" he stammered as his stats appeared on the scoreboard: SAPPHIRE 4 2 4 53 170

"She's so beautiful..." Brock mused, smiling over Ash's opponent. He was about to get up from his place at the sidelines and talk to the girl--until he felt a jerk at his collar that pulled him back into his seat!

"Oh no, you don't..." Misty growled as she led Brock back to his seat. "Behave yourself!"

"I don't blame him for drooling..." Michael sighed. "Fiona's one of the prettiest beauties of Titan City--no, in all of Kanto, maybe!" At this, Fiona's stats appeared on the scoreboard: RUBY 3 3 4 53 180.

"Well, let's hope Ash doesn't go all goo-goo eyes like Lover Boy here..." Misty sighed, gesturing to a drooling Brock...

"Ruby plays first!" the referee announced. "And begin!"

"Pidgey, take flight!" Fiona commanded, watching as a Pidgey flitted into the arena.

"Pikachu, I choose you!" Ash called, flipping up his active card and watching as a Pikachu skittered into the arena, warily eyeing the Pidgey.

"Ruby's turn!"

"Pidgey, peck the Pikachu!" Fiona commanded. The Pidgey flew up and pecked the Pikachu in the stomach, making Ash's HP go down by 10.

"Sapphire's turn!"

"Pikachu, Scratch!" Ash commanded. He watched as his Pikachu ran up and scratched the Pidgey hard, leaving a red mark on its left wing. Fiona's HP went down by 20.

"Ruby's turn!"

Fiona smirked as she overlaid her next card, Pidgeotto lv. 26, in the arena, making a Pidgeotto take the Pidgey's place. "Pidgeotto! Whirlwind!"

"Pidjoooo!!!" cried the Pidgeotto as it flapped up a tornado inside the arena, blowing the Pikachu away and dragging out a Charmander in its place. Ash's HP went down by 20.

"Sapphire's turn!"

Ash attached a Fighting Energy to his waiting Hitmonchan, then overlaid Charmeleon lv. 32 on top of his Charmander. "Mankey see, Mankey do!" he called to Fiona, pleased with himself. "Charmeleon, Slash attack!" he commanded, watching as the Charmeleon slashed the Pidgeotto in the face...surprisingly defeating it!

"Critical hit!" the ref announced as Ash grabbed one of his prizes. "Ruby's turn!"

"And you thought Pidgeotto was easy...." Fiona purred. "Say hello to Clefairy...and her Shining Fingers!"

"Shining what????" Ash was confused. But he watched as the Clefairy's fingertips began to glow an eerie green...making his Charmeleon's eyes flutter, then close.

"Shining Fingers puts your Active Pokemon to sleep." Fiona explained...

"Sapphire's sleep check!" the ref announced, tossing a coin.

"Tails..." Fiona called the toss

"It's heads." the ref explained. The Charmeleon groggily rubbed its eyes and yawned, waiting for Ash's next order. "Sapphire's turn!"

Ash's eyes brightened when he discovered his holo Charizard was his next draw. Now to see what this guy can do... he smiled as he overlaid the card over his Charmeleon. The Charizard flexed its wings a little, then roared with triumph!

"Ruby's turn!"

"Oh my..." Fiona gasped when she saw the firey dragon staring down her Clefairy. "Drastic times call for drastic measures..." she mused as she recalled Clefairy. "So, let me introduce...Dratini!" At this, a Dratini swam into the room, unafraid of the monstrosity towering over it. "Dragon Smash!"

The Dratini surged foward and rammed the Charizard in the stomach, making Ash's HP drop by 40.

"Sapphire's turn!"

"Charizard, Collect Fire!" Ash commanded, watching as his Charizard blew out several embers, some of which damaged the Clefairy, and some of which turned into Fire Energy cards.

"Ruby's turn!"

Fiona swallowed hard, knowing none of her Pokemon stood a chance against Ash's Charizard. "I defer to Sapphire...he is much too strong for my deck.' she told the ref.

"All concedes defeat." The two opponents stepped down from the platforms and shook hands.

"I never knew you were so strong...I must work hard to build a better deck." Fiona mused.

"It's okay..." Ash assured her. "Just keep trying until you find some strong colorless Pokemon!"

"I think I will...Farewell, for now." and Fiona disappeared into the crowd.

"That Charizard doesn't scare me!" called a voice.

"What the...?" Michael gasped as some lights came up on the Ruby platform, where Gary stood, ruffling his cards.

Ash quickly grabbed all the Fighting cards out of his deck and hurried over to the sidelines, where Brock was waiting with Ash's Psychic cards. "Here! I do want to keep Hitmonchan, though..."

"Okay then..." Brock smiled. "Mow Gary down with Charizard!"

"I think my Blastoise will be doing the mowing down..." Gary smirked as the deck information appeared on the scoreboard: RUBY CHAMPION GARY SAPPHIRE FLAME OF CONFUSION...

Can Ash defeat Gary and claim a rare card? Stay tuned!