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

Ash and his friends are aiming high in their second Triple Challenge, with Ash challenging Fiona, a Colorless beauty, for his second win...but before Ash can get comfortable and enjoy the thrill of victory, Gary returns yet again to challenge Ash, this time to see who is worthy of adding Rayquaza lv. 50 into their collection...

Can Ash fend Gary off for a fourth time? Find out!

The Heart of the Cards, part 30: Reunion with a Rival

Ash sighed as he arranged his cards. "Gary...why must you insist on following my every move and triumph I make?"

"Because..." Gary smirked as his stats appeared on the scoreboard: RUBY 4 2 4 53 150 "Rayquaza would be a great addition to my arsenal of Legendaries! Besides, I only have one Crest left before I can face the 4 Grand Masters!"

"Well, we see who's truly worthy of wielding Rayquaza in battle!" Ash retorted as his stats appeared on the scoreboard. SAPPHIRE 2 4 4 53 230.

"All right then, let's see you try and make a scratch on my new Ghost Pokemon!" Gary smirked as the coin went up....

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"Maya? May I see what is so important about the Rayquaza card?" Misty asked.

"All right, let me bring up the card database here..." and Maya typed a few commanded into her Pokenavi. She waited as the card's picture loaded, then began. "This is Rayquaza lv. 50." she began, gesturing to the picture of the shiny card depicting Rayquaza flying in the sky.

"Ooh..." Misty was impressed. "It's a holo card too!" She then nudged Brock in the shoulder. "Hey, take a look at this!"

"Huh?" Brock looked up from penciling in the matchup of Sableye vs. Charmander long enough to look at the picture. "That's a pretty card...I'll bet it has some nice moves to boot."

"It does, all right..." Maya smiled as she turned her attention back to the duel...

[CENTER---------[/CENTER]

"Sapphire plays first!" announced the ref. "And begin!

"Charmander, Flare attack!" Ash commanded. He watched as the Charmander hurled a fireball at the Sableye, causing it to wince in pain. Gary's HP went down by 10.

"Ruby's turn!"

"Sableye, Dark Bind!" Gary commanded. The Sableye formed a wave of black energy in its hands, then hurled it at the unsuspecting Charmander, making Ash's HP go down by 20.

"Sapphire's turn!

Ash placed a Potion on his Charmander, followed by a newly drawn Pluspower. "Charmander, Flare with Pluspower!" he commanded. The Charmander's fireball gained a reddish glow as it struck the Sableye, causing Gary's HP to go down by 20.

"Ruby's turn!"

"Sableye, retreat!" and Gary recalled his Sableye. "Let me introduce...Duskull!" At this, a Duskull floated into the room, frightening some of the crowd, including Ash. "Scared, aren't you?"

Ash tensely turned his cap back, all the while remaining aware of the frightening presence of the Duskull in the room. "Y-you may think you're so high and mighty w-with your ghosts, b-but they don't scare me!"

Gary just snickered, apparently enjoying watching Ash quiver with fear over his Duskull. "Oh yeah? You'll definitely be scared when Duskull comes to Haunt you!" The Duskull swooped down into the Charmander's face, causing it to yelp in fear and surprise.

"Sapphire's turn!"

Ash shakily reached for his bench and overlaid Kadabra lv. 38 on top of his waiting Abra, engulfing the card in bright light. "Come on...it's okay...Gary should be no match for Kadabra..." he thought...

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"Is everyone okay?" Maya asked as she struggled to regain her composure.

"I think so..." Misty replied as she watched Ash recall his Charmander for a Pikachu. "Gary's ghosts scared me good! But Brock's watched plenty of scary movies before, so I don't think he was scared..."

"For your information, I've seen much scarier stuff than a little Duskull..." Brock smiled. "And not all of it was on the silver screen either!"

"Like?" Maya was interested.

"Oh, Ash getting turned to stone, a darkness Groudon, an Unown dream world..." Brock continued, naming off some of the group's scarier encounters. "So just be thankful that Gary didn't summon a worse Pokemon..."

"Or even summon a Dusclops..." Maya cautioned. "They can knock out a Pokemon in on hit, thanks to their Judgement attack!"

"Now THAT'S scary..." Misty shivered as she turned her attention back to the arena...

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"Sapphire, make your move..." the ref called.

"Well?" Gary smirked, anticipating Ash's next move.

Ash swallowed hard and yelped "Pikachu! Use Pikabolt!" The Pikachu hurled a huge thunderbolt at the Duskull, causing it to fade into a card with a poof, ultimately appearing in Gary's discard. The crowd cheered as Ash grabbed a prize: Pokewhistle.

"Ruby's turn!"

Gary gritted his teeth as he summoned a Haunter in the arena, boosting his HP to 80. "Say goodnight, Ash!" The Haunter's eyes began to swirl in a strange pattern and chant a hypnosis spell. The Pikachu's eyes began swirling in the same pattern, then fluttered, then closed as it slumped to the arena floor, asleep.

"Sapphire's turn!" the ref announced.

"Goodnight, Ash!" Ash taunted Gary, causing some people to laugh at the joke. Gary, meanwhile, just blew a strand of hair from his face, unamused by Ash's smart remark. Ash meanwhile, picked up the Pokewhistle and played a soothing melody...waking up his Pikachu, which promptly delivered a Pikabolt in the Haunter's face!

"Ruby's turn!"

"Don't try to be funny with me!" Gary snapped. "That card's going to be mine, and you know it!"

"Try all you like, but you did forget something important..." and Ash recalled his Pikachu for Kadabra.

"Like what?" Gary asked. "That my Pokemon are stronger than yours?"

"Nope..." Ash smiled wryly.

"Umm...that..." Gary tried again to think of an answer to Ash's taunt. "That...."

"How about if I just show you?" Ash smiled, motioning to his Kadabra. "Kadabra, Super Psy!" The Kadabra formed a blue ball of energy in its hands and fired it at the Haunter, defeating it!

"Ruby has one Pokemon remaining!" the ref announced....

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"Come on, Ash!" Misty cheered from the sidelines as Ash selected another prize.

"He's almost got him!" Brock agreed. "One more Super Psy and Gary's down for the count!" The others watched as Gary's Sableye returned into the arena.

"I hope Gary knows that Psychics are weak to other Psychics now..." Maya agreed as she watched the Sableye try to use Dark Bind on the Kadabra, but the Kadabra ran out of the way.

"Here it comes!" Everyone watched as the Kadabra fired another energy blast at the Sableye, defeating it!

"Game Set!" called the ref. "Sapphire wins!"

[CENTER----------[/CENTER]

"Well done, Ash!" Maya called as Ash ran to the sidelines to greet the others. "That was some quick thinking on your part!"

"Thanks!" Ash smiled, pleased with himself.

"Come here, you..." and Brock embraced Ash in a joyful hug. "Let's go claim your prize..." With that, the group walked up towards the winner's podium, where they saw Gary slink away into the crowd, defeated.

"Ash..." the referee began. "You've improved a lot since your last Challenge, and you and your friends are doing very well in the tournament. We wish you the best of luck in claiming the Legendary Cards!" The crowd cheered in agreement.

"Well, I've learned a lot during my time competing..." Ash began...

"Then take Rayquaza lv. 50...I'm sure he'll help you in the finals." the ref smiled as she presented the card to Ash...

[CENTER----------[/CENTER]

"All right!" Michael cried as the group returned to the room for the evening. "You've earned another rare card!"

"I know..." Ash smiled as he slipped the card in his deck tin, then collapsed on the couch and flicked on the TV, where highlights of his duel with Gary flashed across the screen

"You know, you may have to face Gary in the finals..." Brock cautioned. "Even then, when you face him that time...he's not going to hold anything back..." He let that hang for a moment, making the room fall eeriely silent...

Will Brock's prediction come true? What will the Pokepals face in the semifinals? Stay tuned