I looked down at my Ribbon Case in wonder, still not believing what had just happened a few days ago. Three ribbons... I've got three ribbons! I'm already a little bit more than halfway through! Only two more ribbons and I will be able to compete in the Grand Festival.
"I still can't believe it... we've won against the famous Tiger Lily!" I exclaimed, hugging Piplup closely as we all sat around the fire of our camp. "She had defeated my mom for a Ribbon Cup!"
"It was all your hard work, yours and Buneary and Ambipom's," Riley told me with an encouraging smile.
I beamed at him and turned toward my brother, which made my smile dimmer. I still recall the shock I felt when I heard the news of Team Galactic having stolen both the Adamant Orb and Lustrous Orb. What's worse is that people have been demanding Ash come out and start hunting them down. This is why we went to Hearthome City before going to Canalave City for Ash's next gym battle. They made a show-off of the meeting between the Head Ranger of Hearthome City, Champion Chyntia, and Ash. Gym Leader Fantina had offered her city, as some kind of recompensation for the aid Ash had given her a couple of months ago. All went well and the people calmed down a little bit, though the orbs were still missing. It's not like the people know why they are so important, they are just historical relics for them, but they got scared about Team Galactic starting to get brave. After all, they've been quiet lately, mostly thanks to Ash and the team I'm not supposed to know about. I just know about the importance of those orbs because Ash told me about his previous adventures with Legendaries, it does not take a genius to make the connection. However, I was calm about the whole thing, I know that Ash has a plan and I trust him.
On the other hand, we met Paul in Hearthome City, and I got to watch his re-match against Fantina while Ash was working. He got his medal! He also asked for a re-match against Ash, which ended up in a tie when in the middle of the battle between Turtwig and Paul's Honchkrow, Ash's pokemon evolved into Grotle. Ash had noticed that the evolution had hurt Grotle, as his body had grown too much in such a small amount of time. Paul had cordially agreed and after congratulating them for the evolution he had left the city. It still surprises me how much he had grown since the first time I met him! I can't believe the guy I used to hate is now one of my closest friends. Truly a Pokemon Journey is a magical experience.
Now on a not-so-positive note, Barry had decided to join us in our journey to Canalave City, tomorrow we will be taking the blimp to the city. Oh, how that guy makes my blood boil! Calling me the "hopelessly geeky" trainer that lost to Paul! How dares he?! Well, at least, I showed him good and beat the crap out of him. That will show him to never underestimate a coordinator, especially one trained by The Saint himself! The only good thing that came out of that meeting was my Swinub evolving into a Piloswine.
"We better get going to sleep," Riley told me gently.
"But..." I tried to protest, looking at the still awake Ash in concern.
"We can't do much for him now," Riley tried to placate me. "Nothing we say will calm him down or get him to take a break. The best we can do is make sure that tomorrow not all three of us will be dead on our feet and get some sleep. His pokemon will be there for him," he assured me pointing at Pikachu and Torkoal, the rest of Ash's actual team was quite young and are already asleep around him.
I pouted at him but agreed, as I will need all my energy as I had a whole day of travel with Barry ahead of me. The journey on its own was pleasant, I tried to ignore Barry most of the time, luckily he was more focused on The Saint than on a "hopelessly geeky" trainer. But of course, things will never be simple while traveling with Ash Ketchum, don't get me wrong I love my brother, but things are starting to get ridiculous! The Gym Leader was not in the city, but don't worry some special guests decided to appear. Cresselia and Darkrai people! What's next Arceus?! Nope, no God of the Gods coming to visit us? Maybe for another day.
At least, they simply wanted to visit Ash, because Legendaries seem to like doing that, and there was no town being held hostage this time around. Yes, Josh and Sarah let it slip what happened in Alamos Town. Just one word: R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S-!
At least, Ash paid me back by bringing me to the Old Chateau to get a taste of their delicious Old Gateau. There was a small issue, which Ash fixed rapidly, I was too busy in cake heaven to care about it. Too much had happened the last few days, so I decided that ignorance was bliss in this case and just let it be.
Now all I had left to do is to train and help Poliswine to get used to his new body. Especially, with the Chocovine Town Contest happening so soon. Ash and Gliscor already have an advantage on us, having learned Screech and Fire Fang. With determination I decided to teach Poliswine Ancient Power, we needed a powerful card like that under our sleeve. If only things could work out my way, the moment he learned the move Poliswine started to completely ignore me, and what took the cake was Kenny appearing from out of nowhere to annoy the daylight out of me. Showing off his newly earned Gerbera Ribbon. Now we were matched with three ribbons each! I can't let that happen, I need to win the next one pronto! If only Poliswine would listen to me!
Luckily Riley appeared as an answer to my prayers to announce that the Canalave Gym Leader had returned and Ash was getting ready to go and face him. Saying my goodbyes to Kenny, I rapidly fled the place after returning Poliswine to his Poke Ball. Maybe after Ash's gym battle, I could ask him for some advice, from what I recall from my brother's stories about the past journeys he used to have some problems with Charizard when he had first evolved too.
As always the place was packed with fans and the entrance with reporters. They had tried to bother me, but I've already mastered the look-how-cute-I-am and ask-all-you-want-but-I-will-not-answer. Thank you, Champion Wallace! We rapidly took our seats behind Ash, as the bleachers were full, and waited for the referee, Gym Leade Bryon, or at least I believe that's who he was, was already standing on the other side of the battlefield.
"The battle between Ash, The Saint, and Bryon, the Gym Leader of Canalave City, will now begin. Each trainer is only allowed four pokemon, and the battle will be over once all pokemon on one trainer's side have been defeated. Furthermore, only the challenger may substitute pokemon." The referee exclaimed.
"Steelix, it's your turn!" Bryon called out, and I shuddered when the huge pokemon roared.
Paul has one of those?! I exclaimed in my head.
"Pupitar you go first!" Ash called out, and I was suddenly deafened by the squeals from the fangirls. It seems like the story it's still pretty popular with the Sinnoh crowd.
Poor pokemon, I thought as I saw them flinch at the noise.
"Begin!" The referee announced, and as if they were magical words, the crowd shut up.
"Stomping Tantrum!" Ash went for the attack rapidly, which damaged Steelix. But it did not keep them down, Bryon rapidly retaliated with a powerful Dragon Rage- one that I felt even with the psychic shields up. Luckily, Ash's specialty is speed and Pupitar rapidly dodged with an effective Dig. However, Steelix was all over Pupitar as soon as he came out and tried to strangle him with Bind. "Brick Break!" Ash's command was rapidly followed, which ended up with Steelix flinching away after receiving a strong Brick break point-blank on the face. "Earthquake!"
"What?!" I exclaimed when the attack did not affect Bryon's pokemon.
"It seems that Ash's pokemon are not the only ones who have discovered ways to evade the effects of Earthquake," Riley commented solemnly beside me. But it was his smile the ones that calmed me down. "Don't worry, this is all part of Ash's plan."
"Iron Tail!" Bryon commanded.
"Take it!" Ash's order took the whole gym by surprise, me included. Take it?! I screamed internally. Scared but still unable to take my eyes off the battle before me. I winced as the steel snake slithered through the battlefield and launched into a fast Iron Tail, which Pupitar received on his side. "Now! Superpower!" I could only gape as Pupitar trashed the huge Steelix. I know I keep on saying this, but... Ash is RIDICULOUS! No small pokemon like that should have the power to trash a pokemon ten times their size so easily. Even as naturalized as I am with Ash's level, they still scare me sometimes. "Finish it off with Earth Power!"
Yeah, that's it. The battle is over. I thought bemused, Piplup wincing on my lap as Steelix crashed on the wall behind Bryon unconscious. Wait a minute... I thought as I saw Pupitar start to glow. Are we going to watch the evolution of a Pseudo-Legendary?!
"Arceus!" Bryon exclaimed as the crowd gasped in awe. Before us, all stood a powerful Tyranitar, one that made the walls of the gym shake with his roar.
"At least, we know what will be tomorrow's front-page news," Riley commented with an amused chuckle, as he clapped while the crowd went wild with their cheering. I watched worriedly as Tyranitar stumbled, trying to turn around to face his trainer. He almost hit him with his tail if not for Ash's training. Still, Ash simply laughed and patted his head in congratulation, while Pikachu was nuzzling his son. Son... I can't believe a small mouse-like Pikachu is the dad of an enormous Tyranitar. It did not matter, Tyranitar looked majestic, excuiding so much power. I can't wait to see what he'll be capable of after he gets used to his new body and power. "They are both down to three pokemon now," Riley said, as Ash was returning Tyranitar to his Poke Ball. "There's no way he'll be recalling him to battle."
"That's all right, it just makes the battle even more exciting!" I exclaimed, making Riley laugh.
"It looks like Ash has infected you with his passion for gym battles!" Riley said with a smile.
"It seems like he did," I replied with a smile of my own, before turning my attention back to the battle before us.
"Magneton/Torkoal!" Both trainers called out their pokemon at the same time.
"Tri Attack!" Bryon was the first one to attack this time, but Torkoal simply returned to his shell for protection. However, instead of feeling bad, Bryon smirked in victory and commanded: "Zap Cannon!"
"He'll get paralyzed if he gets hit!" I exclaimed in concern, but Ash simply smiled.
"Did you really think it will be that easy?" Ash asked him, while Pikachu snickered on his shoulder. Somehow that got the fans into a hysteric attack, something about Ash being 'so cool!' "Rapid Spin chained with Smog!" Torkoal rapidly spun away from the attack and with a speed, I would not believe such a robust pokemon should possess, he made a quick tour of the whole battlefield, filling it with Smog. Wait! This is like with Fantina! I thought shocked. Then next should be... "Inferno!" Just like with Fantina, that combo was the end for Bryon's Magneton.
"You can notice the difference in power and experience between pokemon," Riley commented with a grimace. "So hot!" He was right, Houndoom's combo stayed within the range of the attack. However, Torkoal's almost shattered the psychic shields and turned the temperature to... inferno! "He is not one to repeat a trick two times... too unoriginal."
"Maybe he wanted to measure the difference between the newer pokemon and his old one's power?" I commented
"Maybe," he replied with a thoughtful expression.
Both Bryon and Ash recalled their pokemon and called out the next pair: a Bastiodon and Gliscor. Another Fossil Pokemon! I am honestly too lucky to be traveling with Ash, I get to meet all sorts of rare pokemon. But what a stroke of bad luck for Gliscor and Ash. Just like I thought Gliscor only managed to soar to the sky before being brought down, by a powerful and vicious combo of Rain Dance and Blizzard.
"That was extreme..." Ash commented stunned by the power display.
"I can't have you beat me four times in a row, I still have my pride as a Gym Leader!" Bryon replied with a maniac smirk.
"You got it!" Ash laughed, returning Gliscor, before calling Torkoal back to the battlefield. "Sunny Day!" He commanded, neutralizing the weather attack of Bastiodon. "Earthquake!" This time the attack worked, making Bastiodon lose their balance and fall on their side. "Body Press!" Torkoal marched forward at a rapid pace, as soon as his last attack finished, getting to Bastiodon before they could get back on their feet. It did make a lot of damage but not enough to win the battle. However, the next attack did it for Bryon's team. "Bulldoze!"
"Now Bryon is down to his last pokemon while Ash still has three!" I exclaimed happily.
Ash will have the Mine Badge soon!
"Skarmory/Skarmory!" We all stood in silence watching what had just happened, before breaking into laughter. What are the odds?! Even Bryon and Ash were laughing, poor Pikachu had fallen from Ash's shoulder and was now rolling on the ground and crying from laughing so hard.
The next battle was the one that lasted the most, Metal Claw was received with a Steel Wing, Drill Peck was taken care of by a Brave Bird, and Sand Storm was neutralized with Icy Wind. With the fight being in the air and both Skarmory using Agility, it was hard to follow. However, I was able to catch the end. As both Skarmory clashed in the air with an Aerial Ace battle of will. The current of air in the gym made my hat blow away, but I uncharacteristically did not care, as I watched both Flying-type pokemon fall to the ground in an epic tie.
That was it, Ash had just won his sixth Sinnoh Gym Badge! Awesome!