Ash met us at the Battle Subway and escorted us to the Nimbasa City Gym. In the way, we met with Bianca, who later followed us to the gym to get her fourth badge. On our way I had wanted to ask Ash why he had disappeared soon after the tournament, but I kept quiet. I knew that look on his face, Legendaries were involved. Lugia, I hate when Legendaries are involved. Don't get me wrong, I respect and am grateful for the work they put in keeping the world turning. However, why do people keep trying to catch them or use them against their will?!
Well, it doesn't matter. When we got to the gym, it was close because the Gym Leader Elesa was having a fashion show. Of course, instead of waiting outside we entered and observed the show. Funny fact, Ash's Champion Jacket/Cape was designed by the same fashion brand Gym Leader Elesa was modeling. Small world!
Another funny fact, as soon as Gym Leader Elesa caught sight of Ash's Pikachu she jumped of the catwalk and took him in her arms. She had never seen a Pikachu in real life. After finding out Bianca, Max, and Ash wanted a gym battle she was all for it and told them to return tomorrow. Which we did, but the challenge got interrupted by Bianca's father who had came all the way to Nimbasa City to bring her back home. The same father Bianca had to sneak around to start her journey, because he had not allowed her to start her journey after she had finished high school- telling her she had to go and get a degree from a good university. Ash had to get involved and strike a deal with her father, if Bianca won her gym battle against Gym Leader Elesa she would continue her journey, if she lost... she would go back home with her father.
Bianca lost...
Of course, Iris was furious and challenged Bianca's father into a battle, which she easily won thanks to Ash's training. Bianca's father then agreed to allow her to continue with her journey.
After all the drama and excitement had died out, Gym Leader Elesa ended up pushing Max and Ash's battle for the following day. This time around there was nothing to distract them from having the gym battles. Max went first, he had still not forgiven Ash for what happened at the Castelia City Gym.
"Come on out sweetheart!" Gym Leader Elesa called out her first pokemon, Emolga.
"Max is in a disadvantage," I winced. "While he chose a Rock-type and another Electric-type pokemon to battle this time, they are both male. Emolga's are well known for their Attract."
"It seems that you've forgetten one little thing," Ash commented, smiling as Max released his Pikachu. "Max's Pikachu knows Charm."
"You are right!" I exclaimed, surprised that I've forgotten about that.
"You also have a Pikachu? Lucky!" Gym Leader Elesa pouted cutely. She is a very beautiful woman, one that if I had not been gay and in a relationship, I would have totally asked her out.
"I got him from the Alola Islands, there are a lot of them there," Max told her. "You can always go there for a vacation and catch one."
"Really? I can find a Pikahcu so close home?!" Gym Leader Elesa was shocked. Which was not a surprise, Pikachu is a rare pokemon in Unova and Kalos, if you can even find one. "I have a photoshoot theree next month, I'll totally catch one! Thank you!" She smilled at a blushing Max, which had her chuckling at how adorable Max looked. "But this is a battle! So, let's go back to business! Emolga, use Attract!" Gym Leader Elesa commanded, Emolga then blew a kiss at Pikachu, causing multiple pink hearts to fly and surround Pikachu.
"Pikachu, counter it with Charm!" Max ordered to Gym Leader Elesa's surprise. Pikachu was surrounded by pink hearts, as he spread his arms out and made a cute face at Emolga. Both hearts met and neutralized each other, they were both in even ground! "Electro Ball!"
"Emolga, use Electro Ball too!" Gym Leader Elesa shouted, once more both attacks neutralized each other.
"Pikachu, Swift!" Max was not giving up. Pikachu jumped into the air and swished his tail, which was glowing gold, releasing multiple yellow stars with golden sparkles towards Emolga.
"Use Acrobatics to dodge!" Gym Leader Elesa ordered, Emolga glided around the battlefield at top speed evading the stars being thrown at her. As she flew through the air, she moved so fast that it seemed to leave behind two afterimages. "Now, Aerial Ace!" Emolga then dived down towards the ground and shot towards Pikachu, moving so fast that it becomes a blur. But not fast enough for Pikachu not to notice her. "Emolga!" Gym Leader Elesa shouted in worry, as in the last minute Pikachu dodged the Aerial Ace and delivered an Iron Tail to the gut.
"Now, let's finish this!" Max shouted in excitement. "Volt Dig!"
"Volt Dig?!" We all exclaimed in confusion.
"That boy! When did he advanced this much?!" Ash was laughing next to me. "He is combining moves now!"
And he was, Pikachu digged down into the ground and crashed into Emolga from bellow with a powerful Volt Tackle. As powerful as you can train small pokemon like Emolg and Pikachu, the disadvantage they possess is that they are unable to take many hits. Emolga was out of commission before she landed on the ground after the Volt Dig.
"All right!" Max cheered as Pikachu jumped in his arms, they were both smiling and celebrating.
"Well done Max!" Gym Leader Elesa complimented him. "That was a wonderfuly electric battle! It shows that you've been mentored by someone who knows about Electric-type pokemon," she smiled to Ash and Pikachu, who smirked back. "But it will take more than that to take me down! Tynamo, my "Electric Queen", you are next!"
"Then, Roggenrola you are next," Max decided after returning Pikachcu.
Elesa took the initiative and had Tynamo use Tackle. Tynamo quickly rushed into Roggenrola, sending him from the field to the wall. Max was as stunned as we were by her speed and power. Roggenrola dislodged himself from the wall and returned to the field. Tynamo used Tackle once more and Roggenrola tried to dodge but Tynamo disappeared. Roggenrola then looked upwards to see Tynamo descending swiftly and tackled Roggenrola into the ground. Stuck, Roggenrola tried to free himself, but Tynamo repeatedly used Tackle on Roggenrola.
"Zekrom! Elesa has turned this battle around swiftly!" Iris cursed. Roggenrola was worned out but he still managed to pull himself out of the ground. Elesa decided to wrap things up with one more Tackle. "Come on Max! You can do it! Just think outside the box!"
That seem to be all that Max needed, as he rapidly commanded one powerful Sandstorm-Stone Edge combo that covered the whole battlefield. When the smoke cleared the flat field was now rocky forcing Tynamo to attack Roggenrola head on only. Elesa tried to stop Tynamo but she zipped off as Roggenrola readied a Flash Cannon. At the last second Roggenrola dodged Tynamo then quickly retaliated with a Flash Cannon. Tynamo was battered into the wall, knocking her out.
"We did it!" Max celebrated, spinning Roggenrola around. "We won our fourth badge!"
"That you have," Gym Leader Elesa stepped forward with a smile, after returning her fainted pokemon, and handed Max his medal. "Congratulations! You've won the Bolt Badge!" The badge was shaped like a lightning bolt or an Emolga tail, with an orange crown sticking out of the tip. Max smiled as he placed it in his green badge case. He then he practically skipped towards the bleachers, after returning Roggenrola, and threw himself into Ash's arms. Who laughed and hugged him close, whispering words of pride in his ear. Once Ash had finally released him, he stepped towards the battlefiel and took his position. "So, I am finally facing the famous Saint."
"Be kind with me, I am only using my newly caught pokemon," Ash smiled back.
"Got it," Gym Leader Elesa chuckled, readying her Poke Ball. "By the way, I adore the jacket you used while battling Champion Alder. Nice style! Sporty, yet chic." After the compliment, she threw her Poke Ball, releasing her third pokemon of the day.
"Zebstrika," Ash hummed, taking out his Poke Ball. "I was expecting that. Come out, Tepig!"
"Zebstrika, use Flame Charge!" Gym Leader Elesa commanded, and her Zebstrika repeatedly stompped on the ground until a cloud of dust covers his entire body. His body then became surrounded in an orb of red and yellow flames, and he jumped forward and slammed into Tepig... or at least, tried to. Tepig rapidly countered it, slamming his hooves on the ground, causing pillars of fire to rush towards Zebstrika. When the pillars reached Zebstrika, they formed a ring of pillars and then merged into one giant fire pillar, damaging the Electric-type pokemon. "Zebstrika!"
"Trying to use a Fire-type move against a Fire-type pokemon was a bad idea!" Ash exclaimed with a smirk. "Do not underestimate us because he is a first stage pokemon! Tepig, Flame Charge!" As Zebstrika had done previously, Tepig repeatedly stompped on the ground until a cloud of dust covered his body. Then, he emerges from the cloud, covered in flames, and crashed into his opponent. Repeatedly, until Zebstrika had fainted. "All right! Well done Tepig!" Suddenly, a bright light surrounded Tepig as he evolved into Pignite. "Pignite! Cool!"
"Of course, Ash's pokemon would evolve in a Gym Battle," Lucario shook his head beside me. "I would be more shock if he didn't."
"Do not jinx us partner," I warned my bonded partner. "Do not jinx us."
"Honestly, I am going to continue to lose against you?!" Gym Leader Elesa complained, but she had an excited smile on her face- the expression of someone who loves battling.
"Just think of poor Cress," Cilan complained from his seat, but he had a smile on his face. "He lost four times in a row, three times against Max and once against Ash. They didn't give him a moment of respite."
"Well, I'll get a win out of him for sure!" Gym Leader Elesa claimed. "Come on out, Galvantula!"
"So cool!" Iris exclaimed.
"Well, you are completely different from my sister!" Max laughed. "She hates Bug-type pokemon!"
"Doesn't she have a Beautifly?" I turned to him confused.
"Don't ask me! I don't understand it either!" Max complained. "It's a May thing!"
"I choose you, Krokorok!" I turned my attention back to the battlefield as Ash released his Ground-type pokemon.
"Galvantula, use the Electroweb-Sticky Web combo!" Gym Leader Elesa commanded.
"Krokorok, dodged it with Dig!" Ash shouted and his pokemon digged his way out of the attack just in time. However, Galvantula jumped out of the way of the attack at the last moment. But as Ash smirked I realize that was part of his plan. "Do it now!" Krokorok created wisps of sand that surrounded Galvantula's landing apot, which then turned into a swirling sand vortex which encompassed him. That was Sand Tomb! "Let's finish this! Earth Power!"
"Ash's favorite Ground-type move!" Max cheered next to me.
Even knowing how powerful Ash's pokemon are, even newly caught, I was shocked when Galvantula fainted just from the Earth Power.
"You used Hone Claws, didn't you?" Gym Leader Elesa sighed, returning her pokemon.
"Yup!" Ash popped the word with a cheely grin. "Ever since I called him out, he has been silently stocking up power."
"Great job," Gym Leader Elesa smiled handing him tje Bolt Badge. "You deserve it."
"Thanks!" Ash smiled, but my attention was on the Riolu on his shoulder- the same Riolu that was frowning.
"How much do you bet that Riolu will evolve on the next Gym Battle?" Lucario smiled mischievously at me.
"That's a sucker bet, if I've ever seen one," I returned the smile, but paised for a moment. " 3,000 that he'll evolve on the way to the next city."
"Deal!"