Sky Battle Showdown
"Wow, that is one big mountain!" Brock couldn't help but exclaim as the group approached Navel Island. A large mountain sat at the island's center and stretched towards the sky above, looking to be even higher than Mt. Moon in scale as the peak was barely visible within the clouds.
"Well I guess we know what battling style the Gym Leader specializes in." Chloe remarked with a light smirk.
"Sky battles..." Ash trailed off. Fortunately Primeape and Sandslash had already been swapped for Pidgeot and Skarmory, the group made a slight detour to pick up supplies after their adventure at the ancient ruins and while Brock and Chloe were handling that, Ash gave Professor Oak a call to check in on Melmetal before proceeding to rotate his team.
There was a small village not far off the island's coastline but no sign of the Gym, seemingly proving Ash and Chloe's assumption correct.
"Thanks for the ride Lapras, take a good long rest!" Ash thanked Lapras while returning him to his ball, Lapras responded with a melodic tune as he disappeared.
"Hey Ash, look what I found." Tracey spoke up causing Ash and the others to turn their attention towards him. Tracey's hand pointed towards a wooden sign that had been planted into the ground. "'The Navel Island Gym is this way'" Tracey's finger followed the direction of the arrow before landing on a cable car that sat at the outskirts of the village.
"A cable car? Well that's a relief." Chloe breathed out a sigh of relief upon discovering that they wouldn't be forced to climb up the mountain.
"Indeed, originally challengers were required to climb to the top of the mountain without the cable car's aid but after certain changes to the League's regulations it was deemed unsafe. If the Navel Gym wanted to remain in operation, I had to make some changes to the rules." The group turned upon hearing another individual speak up. "I take it you all are challengers? The name's Danny and I'm more than willing to accept your challenge, especially yours." Danny's face resembled Brock's as he stepped forward in an attempt to take hold of Chloe's hand. "And you are...?"
Ash couldn't help but feel annoyed at the sight of another attempting to flirt with Chloe so he quickly stepped forward and placed himself between them. "That's Chloe, my girlfriend."
Danny's eyes widened at the reveal and he was quick to step back while raising his hands. "Oh, so sorry about that. My mistake!"
Chloe was surprised at Ash's behavior, she was going to inform Danny but Ash had beaten her to it. She was quick to give Ash's cheek an appreciative peck.
"Don't worry about it." Ash was quick to calm down after Danny lost interest in pursuing Chloe. "The Navel Gym, I'm guessing that you're the one that specializes in Sky Battles?"
"That'd be me." Danny smirked while shooting a longing gaze towards the mountain peak. "I always enjoyed flying through the skies alongside my beloved Flying types, I truly feel at home up there."
"By alongside you mean on their back right?" Tracey asked.
"Hm? Oh no, I'd never ride my Flying types!" Danny was quick to shake his head. "I put on my wingsuit and glide alongside them through the air, it's quite exhilarating!"
"Sounds dangerous to me." Chloe couldn't help but frown at the thought before speaking up with a concerned tone. "You're not going to make Ash wear one are you?"
"No. The mountain's too big for somebody inexperienced with the sport, if something happened to him then I'd be held responsible." Danny shook his head once more. "I shall remain on the ground alongside him while our Pokemon fight in the skies above the battlefield!" Danny exclaimed while pointing towards the mountain peak. "So Ash... I trust you have two Flying types with you? This battle will be a one on one with both of us utilizing two Pokemon each." Danny made sure to clarify that this wouldn't be a double battle as some of the other Gym Leaders specialized in the craft.
"Yep, I've got them with me!" Ash eagerly exclaimed while tapping his belt. "And I'm ready to get started if you are!"
Danny smirked at Ash's eagerness and gave a swift nod in response before making his way towards the cable car. "I'm always ready, let's get going!"
"Well that was quick." Meowth remarked as the Rocket trio watched from the local café, wearing their usual disguises to prevent themselves from being discovered. "Usually the twerps get all friendly with the Gym Leader or help them resolve a family or self inflicted crisis."
"That's probably because we're nearing the end of the adventure and the darker themes are being saved until then." James suggested. "Just light heartedness and fun times until then."
"I just hope we aren't forgotten about in the sequel." Jessie sighed while tapping her fingers against the table in an impatient manner. "Hopefully that twerp finishes his battle soon so we can jump them on their way b-"
"BEWEAR!" Bewear screeched out as she slammed onto the ground beside the café.
"Ah!" The Rocket trio and Wobbuffet shouted out. They'd just escaped from her den and motherly attention and she'd managed to track them down in a matter of hours, fortunately their Magikarp sub came with a remote control that made it automatically drive towards them at the tap of a button so they were never truly stranded. Bewear quickly scooped the four into her arms before racing towards the nearby ocean. Tourists and locals alike gasped out and began eagerly snapping pictures as Bewear raced so fast she literally ran on the water as if it were land!
"Looks like Team Rocket is being carried off again!"
"Wobbuffet!"
Ash and Danny stood on opposite sides of the battlefield as they prepared to start the battle. The ground beneath the mountain peak was no longer visible as the group was now positioned high above the clouds.
"Noctowl, let's soar!"
"Skarmory, I choose you!" Ash shouted while tossing a ball into the air.
"Skar!" Skarmory screeched as he burst from the ball.
"Hoot!" His opponent came swooping down from the sky above rather than bursting from a Pokeball. A rather large brown owl Pokemon landed before Danny, the Pokemon's head came right up to his trainer's shoulder. Quite a massive difference in scale compared to that of his pre-evolved form.
"Whoa, who's that Pokemon?" Ash asked while retrieving his Rotom Phone. Although he had seen Hoothoot before, he never really had the case to catch one nor had he encountered the evolution.
"Those a lot bigger than they did in books..." Chloe sweated at the sight. "I thought they'd be smaller than that."
"Noctowl the Owl Pokemon, Noctowl never fails at catching prey in darkness. This Pokemon owes its success to its superior vision that allows it to see in minimal light and to its soft supple wings that make no sound in flight."
"Alright Skarmory, let's start off with Autotomize!"
"Skar!" Skarmory screeched while shedding away razor sharp feathers, making himself lighter while his movements sharply increased.
"Hypnosis!"
"Hoot!" Noctowl hooted, his eyes turned bright blue as he stared into Skarmory's eyes.
"Close your eyes and use Drill Peck!"
"Skar!" Skarmory closed his eyes and listened to Noctowl's movement as he began rapidly spinning like a drill before shooting off across the field, his spinning beak struck Noctowl's stomach causing the owl to emit a pain filled screech.
"Hooot!"
Danny clenched his fists while uttering a light grunt of frustration. "Shadow Ball!"
"Hooot!" Noctowl hooted out once more while a ball of black-purple static energy formed within his mouth.
"Noctowl can use Psychic and Ghost attacks?!" Ash exclaimed with a shocked expression.
"Bzzt, yes. Noctowl has quite the diverse moveset for a 'regional bird' Pokemon."
"Wow, I wish I had one... Skarmory fly up!"
"Skarrrr!" Skarmory swooped up, avoiding the shadow ball with ease thanks to his swift movement.
"Now use Brave Bird!"
"Skarrrr!" Skarmory stretched out his wings as a light blue aura surrounded his body. Skarmory swiftly maneuvered through the air before powerfully slamming into Noctowl's body, sending the owl crashing towards the ground below! A thud was heard as Noctowl's body made contact with the battlefield, dust briefly rose up before fading away to reveal the defeated form of Nowtowl.
"Hoot..." The owl weakly groaned out.
"Alright, Skarmory! Way to go!"
"Pika Pi!"
"Skarrrr!" Skarmory uttered out a victory screech while Danny couldn't help but frown as he recalled Noctowl to his Pokeball. Danny gave Ash a brief look before whistling out causing a Pidgeot to come swooping down from the skies above, the Pidgeot was remarkably similar to Ash's as there was no visual difference or size difference.
"Let's make things interesting," Danny pulled up his shirt's sleeve to reveal a Mega Ring which he swiftly activated causing a familiar bright pink light to envelop Pidgeot's body as the species was transformed into it's Mega form!
"Coooo!"
"Mega Pidgeot!"
"Pi Pikachu!" Ash and Pikachu gasped out at the sight of the Mega form.
"Be careful, Ash. Pidgeot gains the No Guard ability upon transitioning into it's Mega form, meaning that all of his attacks and yours will hit regardless of what happens!" Chloe warned.
"So no dodging..." Ash gently clenched his fists as now it'd be a matter of who was strongest as the two Flying types shared blows with each other. "Alright Skarmory, let's start off with Drill Peck!"
"Skarrr!" Skarmory's body began rapidly spinning as he shot towards Pidgeot once more before piercing the bird's skin as he made contact with his body.
"Cooo!" Pidgeot grunted out.
"Hurricane!" Danny shouted out.
"Cooo!" Pidgeot swiftly flapped his wings, summoning a fierce gust of wind that swept Skarmory up and battered him about before he was sent falling back towards the ground where he landed with a heavy thud!
"S-Skar..." Skarmory grunted out while slowly raising back to his feet.
"Skarmory, you okay?!"
"Skar..." Skarmory nodded while glancing back towards Ash.
"Okay, let's try Brave Bird!"
"SKAR!" Skarmory swiftly took to the air once more as a bright blue aura surrounded his body, Skarmory soared towards his opponent before slamming into the Mega Pokemon. Pidgeot let out a pained gasp before shooting Skarmory a light glare as he regained balance and kept himself in the air.
"Hyper Beam!"
"Cooo!" The familiar orange-yellow light formed within Pidgeot's beak before shooting off towards his opponent.
"S-Skarrrr!" Skarmory's eyes widened as the attack dealt a critical blow to his wings, sending the fierce bird falling towards the ground below.
"Skarmory!" Ash dove forward to catch Skarmory but the round had already been decided, swirly eyes were visible as Skarmory landed within the safety of Ash's arms.
"Skar..."
"Skarmory return," Ash pulled out Skarmory's ball, a beam of red light surrounded Skarmory's body as he returned to the safety of the ball's confinement. "You were great out there. Don't worry about the rest, Pidgeot can handle it." Ash reached another ball and pulled back his hat as he threw the Pokeball forward. "Pidgeot I choose you!"
"Coooo!" Ash's Pidgeot burst out and began staring his Mega counterpart down as they soared high above the battlefield. "Cooo..."
"Coo..." Mega Pidgeot gave his opponent a light leer but couldn't move as he was still recharging.
"Alright Pidgeot let's give it our all, use Brave Bird!"
"Cooo!" Pidgeot tucked in his wings and bravely swooped towards his Mega form while an orange aura enveloped his body. "Coooo!" Pidgeot slammed against Mega Pidgeot's body, delivering a powerful blow to his opponent!
Mega Pidgeot uttered out a light grunt before delivering a harsh glare towards his opponent. "Cooo..."
"Steel Wing!" Mega Pidgeot's wings glowed a bright metallic color as he swooped towards his opponent before proceeding to slash his wings across his body!
"C-Cooo..." Pidgeot grunted out while brushing himself off as he recovered his balance.
"Twister!" Ash shouted out.
"Cooo!" Pidgeot flapped his wings once more, summoning a powerful gust of wind that took on the form of a tornado. The twister swept across the battlefield and the sky above before sucking Mega Pidgeot into it causing the Mega to cry out as the Dragon energy battered his body about.
"C-Coooo!"
Danny clenched his fists while looking on with visible frustration. "Ugh... break free with Brave Bird!"
"C-Cooo!" Mega Pidgeot began tucking in his wings while a fierce orange aura surrounded his body as he prepared to break loose of the twister's grasp.
"Counter with your own Brave Bird!" Ash swiftly called out.
"What's he planning?" Tracey tilted his head as he struggled to figure out Ash's strategy.
"Cooo!" The orange aura surrounded Pidgeot's body once more as the bird swiftly shot towards the twister to meet Mega Pidgeot head on, the two attacks were guaranteed to meet as a result of No Guard and that was precisely what Ash was counting on. Pidgeot met his Mega counterpart head on causing the two birds to grunt as their attacks met before the pair found themselves being knocked back by a light explosion. Pidgeot fell towards the ground but quickly caught himself just in time before swooping back up to find his opponent.
Mega Pidgeot found himself falling back into the twister causing the Mega to screech out as the attack damaged him all over again. "C-Cooo!" Mega Pidgeot screeched out before shortly going limp as the storm began dying out causing his unconscious form to fall towards the ground. The pink light appeared around his body as he fell, reverting him back to his standard form seconds before he could hit the ground.
"Coooo..." Pidgeot groaned, drool poured from his beak while swirls formed within his eyes.
"Ash did it!" Chloe leaped up while cheering out for her boyfriend.
"Way to go, Ash!" Brock clapped his hands.
"Just two more Gym battles to go!" Tracey exclaimed.
"Cooo!" Pidgeot swooped towards the ground and began affectionately nuzzling his trainer. "Coooo..."
Ash chuckled while stroking his Flying type's head feathers. "You were great out there, Pidgeot. Couldn't have done it without you!"
"Cooo!"
Danny was still visibly upset but soon took a deep breath while forcing a smile upon his face. Ash had proven himself the superior opponent and Danny had to accept that. "Well done Ash, you definitely proved yourself as quite the skilled battler and proved yourself worthy of the Sea Ruby Badge!" He reached into his pocket as he approached Ash, withdrawing what appeared to be a clam that had a colorful gemstone embedded onto it. It appeared that all of the Orange League badges were made of seashells and gemstones.
A large grin spread across Ash's face at the sight of the badge and he was quick to thank Danny before turning back towards his Pokemon. "Alright, we just got the Sea Ruby Badge!"
"Pi Pikachu!"
"Coooo!"
"Tox tox!" The Pokemon posed alongside their trainer as he held the badge over his head.
Chloe couldn't help but giggle at the sight while Brock turned towards Tracey. "So which Gym do you suggest we head for next?"
"Well Kumquat Island is closer than Trovita Island but the Orange League tournament is hosted on Pummelo Island which isn't far off from Kumquat Island." Tracey noted.
"Then Trovita Island it is!" Ash exclaimed upon reuniting with the group. "I can't wait to see what's in store for me there!"
And the Orange Islands arc is half way done! Next up is Ash's final capture of the story and a certain favorite of mine, shouldn't be hard to guess considering where they're at. After that, there won't be anymore until Froakie joins the team in the sequel :)