Disclaimer: I really do not own Pokémon. Whatever the rest of the world says, the only things I own are my hands and this laptop. Which wasn't really mine to begin with; but it is now!
A/N: Yay four reviews for a single chapter! Now that's a first. Anyways I'll only update if you review, so I've spent the last two days re-playing Crystal because it's fun. Oh and unfortunateduelist, it's not exactly a flying-type gym… hope this chapter works for you, anyways!
Oh and about character additions… I wouldn't actually mind, but for the fact that I'd most probably write him/her OoC.
If no one minds I can add any new characters I guess… just tell me what the character's like… biodata would be incredibly helpful, all of it. Also where you'd like the character to appear and all. Just send me a message.
But I don't think I'll be having a posse or anything… would be a tad cliché.
Oh and thanks also due to VampireWizard for being the most regular reviewer for this fic! Woo…!
Detaching the other Pokéball from his belt, he looked at Ash's Ditto. A little worn out, but you really couldn't tell; not with a Ditto.
"Come out then! Aipom, I choose you!"
A purple monkey erupted from the red immateria.
An Aipom…?
Ash's mind raced back to the previous battles he'd seen. They'd all involved flying-type Pokémon… but this?
"Fine… Ditto, attack with Bubblebeam!"
In a flash, Ditto was Azumarill, and released a stream of bubbles at the creature. Unable to fully dodge the spread, the Aipom took a hit, but instead of falling to the ground, its tail grabbed onto one of the metal columns, using it as a pivot to make an about-turn.
What…?
"Aipom! Now! Scratch attack!"
Using the centrifugal force, Aipom launched itself into Ditto-Azumarill with a crushing Scratch. There wasn't even enough time for it to use another attack. Ditto stumbled, off-balance, and de-transformed into its original form again. Immediately Aipom leapt back onto its platform.
As if struck by a sudden thought, Ash removed the PokéNav from his bag and checked it. Immediately the inbuilt PokéDex flickered on.
About time you actually thought of consulting me… all you need to know about Aipom is its tail is extremely versatile, and can do just about anything your hand can do; possibly more.
"Yeah… I sorta figured that out… Ditto, use Agility and jump to the top of the column!"
Ditto nodded as it turned began to glow; in seconds it was a Hitmontop. As Ditto used agility, adrenalin rushed through its veins, bolstering its reaction speed and power. It now stood above the Aipom, who hung just a bit below it.
Just what I need to…
"Aipom! Use Slam now—"
The Aipom swung upwards with its tail, preparing to slam its full weight against Ditto-Hitmontop.
"Ditto! Counter!"
"What—"
The Hitmontop lashed out with a leg, jumping to a side even as it attacked the monkey.
"Darn it! Aipom, counter its counter!"
In the nick of time, Aipom grabbed hold of Hitmontop's leg with its tail, swinging it around in what seemed to be a Seismic Toss.
"De-transform, Ditto!"
The Aipom watched in surprise as its prisoner literally slid through its grasp. Thrown off balance, the Aipom struggled to find its footing on the narrow column.
"And now… the finishing blow. Do whatever, Ditto."
Ditto looked at him, confused for a second, then shrugged. In a flash it had knocked the Aipom off the column under a crushing Double-Edge attack. Unconsciousness was immediate.
"Darn it! Aipom, return!"
He looked at his Pokéball, then at Ash and his Ditto.
"Fine. The way to Seryn is, like I've already said, that way. Unless you've got something to say, I'm off to heal my Pokémon."
Nimbly he jumped off the platform and slid down the metal column. In seconds he was on the ground. With that, Ash had a sudden realization. Looking over the edge of the stair-rail, he shook his head in amazement, and a more than a little fear.
How'm I going to get back down…?
Hefting his heavy backpack, he stumbled up the stairs, this time making sure he didn't look down.
As he finally scaled the final platform, he was panting nonstop. Figuring that it was Ditto who'd have to battle, he'd let it ride on his backpack, but that only further worsened his condition. The Gym leader watched him, a sorry mess, as he collapsed on the floor, his backpack falling to the ground beside him.
"Here. Have a shake."
Ash looked up to see the Gym leader offering him a MooMoo™ Milkshake, and looked around enough to realize that the entire platform was stocked with food. The leader read the thought in his eyes, and responded to his unasked question.
"I'm stuck up here twelve hours a day; what'd you expect?"
A buzzing from a machine in the corner interrupted her examination of him; she walked over to it and removed two Pokéballs.
"Good… they're fully recovered."
Her hair was green, and remarkably long; it hung to her hips. She could hardly have been more than two years older than him, and yet she was a Gym leader. She wore a pair of jeans and an OPL sweatshirt (I told you it was popular). She clipped the two Pokéballs on her belt and turned to face him.
"So, are we going to battle or not?"
The shape of her jaw reminded him of something; it was firm and yet had a certain softness about it. He'd seen that pattern somewhere before, but he was too tired to think.
"Just… give me a minute…"
She threw her hands up into the air and gave a sigh of mock frustration. Curious, she walked up to him and tried hefting his backpack. The weight unbalanced her and sent her crashing to the ground.
"My god; what kind of people would pack so much into one bag…?"
Ash gave a wry grin as he sat up against the railings of the platform.
"My parents…"
Shaking her head (quite an impressive sight, what with all the hair), she handed him a sandwich, which he finished in approximately half the time it took Ditto to transform. In case you were wondering, that's a remarkably short frame of time.
Other Pokémon had Max Revives. Ash and his Ditto had a sandwich.
"Ditto! Let's get this battle started!"
Ditto faced the Gym leader. Twice in a day and it was already getting tiring.
"Here we go again, Dit…"
"Finally ready to battle, are we?"
The girl watched amusedly as the sandwich seemed to entirely revitalize him. Silently she detached one of the Pokéballs from her belt.
"Go on, Ditto!"
"Go, Ekans!"
The arena was fairly straightforward, a metal platform with a long column in its middle. Around them were plenty of platforms, of course, but neither Pokémon bothered straying so far. The rules were clear, but the preliminaries still had to be obeyed.
"Ash from Palladium, am I correct? Well, I, Seryn of Rubidium City, leader of the Rubidium Gym, accept your challenge!"
Two Pokémon and one trainer looked at her with something close to bemusement in their eyes. She sighed.
"Fine. Now that's over with, let's begin."
Ash shrugged; anticlimaxes happened way too often in his line to bother him. He decided to keep his eyes on the battle instead.
"Ditto, let's begin with a Focus Energy!"
The pink Hitmontop began to glow with a strange gold aura.
"Ekans! Break its focus with a Torment!"
The Ekans slithered around Ditto, hissing and taunting with weak physical attacks. Ditto struggled to remain composed, fighting the urge to counterattack.
It won't be able to keep this up…
"Break it off! Rapid spin!"
The unexpected attack sent Ekans flying, but it somehow managed to recover in time to slither to the top of the column. It curled itself about it, its neck arched in a vehement hiss.
"Good, Ekans. Now use Leer!"
In a flash, Ekans sent itself flying towards Ditto, using its body like a giant spring. Its stare pierced through Ditto's defenses, leaving it momentarily frozen as Ekans wrapped itself about it.
"Now… Bite!"
Ash stared as the Ekans began its counterattack. Its moves were fluid; the trainer had obviously used this combination on many occasions. Its fangs sank into Ditto, eliciting a squeal of pain.
"Ditto…! De-transform!"
Ditto began to shrink back into its pink form.
"Ekans! Let go now!"
Ekans uncoiled, releasing its fangs just in time; a second later and it would've had a mouthful of pink slime.
That thing's fast…
"Ditto! Agility, now!"
Ditto began to shine with a white light again. When the initial surge subsided, it opened its eyes to a world in slow motion. Ekans was slinking away from it, springing for the safety of the column…
"Now, Ditto! Quick attack!"
Its little body began to morph once again. First the general bodily shape, then the feathers… in a mere instant it was a Farfetch'd and in another it had the Ekans in its beak. Flinging the Ekans off the platform, it watched in slow motion as the Ekans turned itself around by hooking its tail around the railing.
"Ekans! Poison Sting!"
It watched as dozens of pointed needles came rushing towards him. Before Ash spoke, Ditto already knew what he wanted.
"Steel Wing! Go for it!"
Wrapping its wings in front of itself, Ditto's wings turned to metal. The stings disintegrated on impact, turning to dust on the ground.
"Leer, Ekans!"
Not that again… but this time I'm prepared.
"Ditto! Look away!"
Ditto obeyed, but not before using Foresight. Its four other senses quickly came to the fore as it identified the mark of the Ekans. It turned away before the effect of Leer affected it.
"Ekans! Use Bite before it turns around!"
Ash smiled. If he knew Ditto, they'd already had this first battle won.
"Ditto! When you're ready…"
Ditto nodded; an imperceptible shift in its features.
"Now!"
It de-transformed just in time to catch Ekans off guard. Crashing into Ditto, the Ekans was momentarily stunned.
"Good job, Ditto! Now finish it off… Wrap!"
Ekans was powerless to resist as Ditto enveloped Ekans with its pink body, then transformed itself into a replica of the Ekans. Only green. But it was an Ekans, anyway.
"And… that's a wrap," Seryn observed, "… but you haven't met the star of the show yet, have you…?"
Ash tensed. Bad pun aside, Seryn was a talented trainer; she might have been designated the weakest Gym leader in the region, but she was still a far better trainer than he was. She slipped a pair of dark glasses over her eyes.
"And now…"
Ash recognized the resemblance at once. The glasses had something to do with her strategy, he realized; but besides that, it also enhanced her profile…
"Have you ever seen a girl with purple hair, a little shorter than you…?"
Seryn laughed, and let her Pokéball hand drop to her waist.
"See her…?
"She's my younger sister."
A/N: End of Chapter!
Of course, after this they're just going to battle anyways, but trivialities always amuse me. Next chapter: Battle against the Gym leader! Will Ash win? Or will he lose and force me to go into a long description of his training before coming back to beat Seryn?
Either way… I won't be updating tomorrow… going out and all; but hope you all review nonetheless!