Rotation Battle Madness

"Help! Help me!"

"Seel!" A little girl clung to her Seel who desperately tried swimming away from a whirlpool's current but the whirlpool was just too much for Seel to handle. The inexperienced Water type would survive as there wasn't any danger of it drowning but the little girl? She wouldn't last if the whirlpool dragged them under.

"Oh my gosh!" Chloe anxiously gasped out at the sight, her hand hastily reached for her belt before releasing one of her Pokemon. "Sakura use Psychic on the girl!"

"Freeee!" The pink Butterfree burst from her ball and quickly turned her attention towards the drowning girl, her eyes turned bright blue while a similar color surrounded both Seel and the girl before the two were telekinetically carried away from the pool and towards Lapras where Brock helped pull the little girl onto the boat while Tracey pulled up Seel so it wouldn't be left behind.

Brock felt the girl's pulse and uttered out a sight of relief as the girl began coughing up water.

"You okay?" Chloe asked while looking the younger girl over with visible concern. 'What she was even doing out here?'

"Y-Yeah, I-I think so..." The little girl coughed out some more water before turning her gaze upwards, her eyes quickly widened at the sight of Chloe. "Are you an angel?"

Chloe couldn't help but blush at her words. "No, I'm pretty much I'm a human." She laughed.

"You're real?" The girl gasped while clasping her hands together. "Oh this is perfect, you can marry my brother!"

"Marry your-I have a boyfriend." Chloe was quick to inform but the little girl wasn't listening, eagerly pointing towards Trovita Island.

"Please take me home so I can propose for him!"

Ash lightly rolled his eyes. He was pretty sure that her brother would shut down her offer but he still found the mere suggestion annoying, Chloe was his girlfriend after all. "Well we do have to get her home... Lapras, continue traveling to Trovita Island please!"

"Laaaa!" Lapras uttered out his melodic tune as he resumed his course for the nearby island.

"Stuff!" Stufful cheered as his mother dropped a massive pile of berries before him, the Rocket trio and their Pokemon.

"Bewear!" Bewear cried out while giving them all a gentle push towards the berries as if to say 'Eat up!'. Bewear had taken up residence in a cave on Pinkan Island, her presence going relatively unnoticed on account of all the pink colored Pokemon residing on the island.

"Again? Lady I'm all for a free meal but you just fed us three hours ago-" Meowth went quiet as Bewear shoved a fistful of berries into his mouth.

"Bewear!"

"How are we going to get out of this one, James?" Jessie hissed out. "The rare pink colored Pokemon are practically within our grasp and there's no twerps around to screw things up for us!"

"Probably best to wait until she falls asleep, we definitely can't outrun her." James nervously sweated as he recalled Bewear racing across the ocean at mach speed.

"Wobbu!" Wobbuffet shivered.

"You're right, let's just-" Jessie soon went quiet as Bewear stuffed a fistful of berries down both hers and James' mouths.

"Bewear!"

"Stufful!" Stufful cutely giggled out while clapping his paws together.

"Big brother!" The little girl raced off towards the Gym which was the only building on the island. The large rocks that surrounded the island's coasts and the occasional whirlpool deterred ideas of making settlements or tourist traps on the island as no captain was brave enough to constantly brave the storm. Getting there was left entirely up to the Orange League challenges, rather it be by air or water.

"Mahri!" A male trainer that didn't appear to be much older than Ash and Chloe raced out of the Gym's doors and quickly scooped his younger sister into his arms, holding her close while tears fell from his eyes. "Never run off like that again, I was worried!"

"Sorry Rudy, I was only trying to find you a wife. I wanted to make our family whole again... I miss mom and dad." Mahri sniffled while burying her head into her brother's arms.

"I miss them too," Rudy softly spoke while continuing to hold onto his younger sister. "But you can't just run off like that, you could have gotten killed or worse! Besides I've tried telling you that I'm not interested in finding a wife or a girlfriend, haven't wanted one for a few years now. I just want to keep you safe, I can't lose you too. You're so lucky that these challengers came along and found you." There wasn't much else they could be as the Gym was the only thing of note on the island. "Thank you for saving my sister."

"Don't mention it, we wouldn't just stand by and let her drown." Chloe spoke up.

"Well regardless I'm in your debt, so which of you came to challenge me?" Rudy questioned while gesturing for his sister to go get changed so she wouldn't get sick. He wanted to continue scolding his sister but didn't want to make it awkward for the newcomers. "We can get things started right away!"

"That'd be me, the name's Ash Ketchum and I'm challenging the Orange League!" Ash exclaimed while excitedly clenching his fists.

"Pika pi!"

"Tox tox!"

Rudy glanced towards Toxel and tilted his head lightly before offering Ash a smile as he extended a hand. "The name's Rudy, I'm the Gym Leader around here and an expert in the art of Rotation Battles!"

"How do Rotation Battles work anyways?" Ash questioned with a tilt of his head. "I've never heard of them before..."

"So if Ash has already faced off in a Triple Battle and Sky Battle, what's left after this one?" Brock turned to Tracey.

"No idea." Tracey shrugged. "But I suppose we'll figure it out when we get there."

"A Rotation Battle works similar to the Triple Battle style, you'll use three Pokemon but only one can attack at a time. One of your Pokemon will be centered at the front and take on any incoming attacks while also dishing out some of their own, the two in the back will be immune to any incoming damage but can't attack unless you rotate." Rudy explained.

"Alright I think I understand... but how do I rotate?" Ash asked with a light tilt of his head.

"Simple," Rudy reached into his pocket and handed Ash a small remote control. "The battlefield's designed to rotate around at a whim, that way the battle isn't held back by slower Pokemon such as Slowpoke and Metapod/Kakuna. And now that we've got that out of the way, you ready to begin?"

"Of course!" Ash flashed an eager smile. "I can't wait to get started!"

"Pika pika!"

"Heh, follow me then." Rudy gestured for them to follow as he made his way into the Gym. Much like the other Orange League Gyms, it appeared to lack a referee as nobody else was in sight. Across the room there was a door that led further into the Gym, most likely to Rudy and Mahri's home. Rudy took his position on the far end of the battlefield and politely waited for Ash to take position before reaching for his belt to retrieve a group of Pokeballs. "Ready Ash? It's custom that the Gym Leader and Challenger choose their team at the same time to avoid giving either one an edge."

"Of course!" Ash grinned while reaching for his own belt.

"Alright then; Chansey, Exeggutor, Cloyster let's go!"

"Melmetal, Snorlax, Butterfree I choose you!"

"Chansey!"

"Cloyster!"

"Metal!"

"Snor!"

"Freeee!"

"Exeggutor!" The appearance of Exeggutor caused Ash, Brock and Chloe to gasp out as the Grass/Psychic type resembled a palm tree and stretched towards the Gym's ceiling.

"Whoa!" Brock exclaimed while stepping back with a shocked expression.

"Is that... an alternate form?" Chloe questioned.

Ash quickly pulled out his Rotom Phone to check.

"Exeggutor the Coconut Pokemon, the warm climate of the Alolan region and the Orange Islands result in Exeggcute undergoing significant changes upon evolution. As it grew taller and taller, it outgrew its reliance on psychic powers, while within it awakened the power of the sleeping dragon!"

"Grass/Dragon, that's a new one." Chloe remarked.

Rudy tapped his remote causing Exeggutor to take frontal position. "Dragon Hammer!"

Ash was momentarily stunned as he'd never heard of the attack before.

"Counter with Psychic!" He shouted while rotating Butterfree to the front.

"Freee!" Butterfree's eyes glowed while a similar color surrounded Exeggutor's body. The large tree Pokemon grunted out before forcefully breaking free of Butterfree's grasp as he began swaying his long neck about before bringing his head crashing down upon Butterfree! "Freee!" Butterfree gasped out as his body was pinned against the ground.

"What attack was that?!" Ash shouted to the Rotom Phone.

"Bzzt. Dragon Hammer is an attack that only Alolan Exeggutor and Tropius are capable of learning."

"Tropius..?" Ash questioned before hastily shaking his head. He'd have to find out what Tropius was another time. 'If Exeggutor's now Grass and Dragon then that means that Ice attacks...' "Snorlax use Ice Punch!" Ash shouted while rotating Snorlax into frontal position.

"Snor!" Snorlax's fist glowed an icy blue color as he prepared to lash out.

Rudy quickly tapped the rotate button causing Chansey to take frontal position.

"Chansey!" The nurse Pokemon cheerfully cried while not seeming the least bit bothered by the punch!

"Huh?" Ash blinked before shrugging it off. "Melmetal use Double Iron Bash!"

"Metal!" Melmetal took frontal position and began rapidly spinning in place while extending his arms as he rocketed across the field. "Metal metal!" Melmetal cried out as he repeatedly bashed his fists against Chansey's body.

"C-Chansey..." Chansey gritted her teeth while appearing to have taken a sizeable amount of damage, though still appeared raring to go.

"Soft-Boiled!"

"Chansey, chance!"

"Soft-Boiled?" Ash blinked once more. Although he'd seen plenty of Chansey he wasn't familiar with battling them.

"Ash, Soft-Boiled is an attack that heals either the user or their ally!" Brock shouted out.

"Huh?" Chloe gave Brock a look. 'How does he know that?'

And sure enough the markings on Chansey's body began to disappear as a bright yellow glow surrounded her body. "Chance!"

"So she can take a lot of attacks much like Snorlax and heal herself?" Ash clenched his fists as light frustration became visible across his face. Though a solution soon occurred to him. 'If she's paralyzed, that ought to stop her from healing!' It wasn't a guaranteed solution as paralysis didn't always lock a Pokemon down but it was good enough.

"Melmetal use Thunder Punch!"

"Metal!" Electricity crackled through Melmetal's fist as he lunged towards his opponent.

Rudy quickly tapped the rotate button causing Exeggutor to switch into frontal position. Ash was quick to adjust to the change. "Melmetal cancel the attack and switch to Flash Cannon!"

"Metal!" Melmetal halted a few feet away from Exeggutor shortly before a large white-blue energy beam shot from his eye, blasting Exeggutor and knocking the palm tree back!

"E-Exeggutor!" The Pokemon grunted out.

Rudy clenched his fists before tapping the rotate button once more. "Double-Edge!"

"Now's our chance, Thunder Punch!"

"Chance!" Chansey rushed towards Melmetal before tackling the metal giant with great force, pushing him back as a light grunt emitted from both Pokemon. Melmetal's fist crackled shortly before punching Chansey in the gut.

"C-Chansey..." Chansey's eyes widened as she uttered out a pain filled shriek while electricity surged through her veins. "Chansey!" Electricity lightly sparked as the attack died down, indicating that the attack had done it's job and left her paralyzed.

"Soft-Boiled!"

"C-Chansey..." Chansey gritted her teeth as electricity crackled across her body, preventing her from utilizing the healing move.

Rudy cursed beneath his breath while Ash gave the air a light punch.

"Alright!" He cheered before quickly shooting out another order. "Double Iron Bash!"

"Metal metal METAL!" Melmetal's arms extended once more as he rapidly spun in place before rocketing off across the field, his fists soon began bashing against Chansey's body in a repetitive manner causing the nurse Pokemon to grunt out. Her breath began to grow heavy as she neared the exhaustion point.

Rudy gritted his teeth and tapped the rotate button once more, figuring Soft-Boiled a lost cause for the time being as Exeggutor took frontal position. "Earthquake!"

Ash was quick to tap the rotate button causing Snorlax to switch into frontal position. The ground shook violently beneath Snorlax's feet but the Pokemon continued snoozing peacefully, undisturbed by Exeggutor's attack.

"Ice Punch!"

"Snor!" Ash's words caused Snorlax to shoot wide awake, he quickly sprang to his feet before rushing forward with an icy covered fist. "Snorlax!" Snorlax lashed out and dealt an icy blow to Exeggutor's neck! Exeggutor grunted out and began shivering as a cold sensation flowed through his body shortly before his eyes rolled up into his head.

"Exegg...utor..." The Alolan form groaned out while falling towards the ground like a collapsing tree, landing with a loud heavy thud that shook the entire Gym. Swirls soon became visible within his eyes, indicating that he was no longer capable of battling.

"Alright we got one! Way to go, Snorlax!" Ash cheered.

"Snorlax!" Snorlax glanced back towards his trainer and offered a light smirk.

"Huh, I'm guessing Exeggutor's quadruple weakness to Ice attacks greatly helped Snorlax out here." Tracey remarked while appearing to be lightly stunned by the result.

Rudy's jaw dropped while his eye lightly twitched. He'd expected Exeggutor to take a sizeable amount of damage, not outright faint! Rudy shook his head as he recalled Exeggutor before rotating Cloyster into position.

"Icicle Spear!"

"Cloyster!" Cloyster fired off an array of sharp icicles towards Snorlax. Snorlax uttered out a light grunt before brushing off his stomach, the attack being a minor inconvenience to the large Normal type.

"Snor..."

Ash tapped the rotate button causing Melmetal to take frontal position once more. "Melmetal use Thunderbolt!"

"Metal..." Electricity crackled around Melmetal's body before firing off in a singular electrical bolt, the bolt soared towards Cloyster before delivering a powerful electrical shock to the Water type.

"C-Cloyster..." Cloyster grunted out as the attacked died out, his breath growing heavier.

Rudy uttered out a light grunt of frustration as he switched Chansey back into frontal position.

"Soft-Boiled!"

"Chansey!" The yellow glow surrounded Chansey once more as she restored some of her health.

"Snorlax use Hyper Beam!" Snorlax rotated back into the front and opened his mouth before firing off an orange-yellow energy beam. The attack shot towards Chansey before exploding upon impact, sending her flying across the field before landing in a collapsed heap in front of her trainer's feet as swirls formed within her eyes.

"Chansey..." She groaned out.

Rudy uttered out a sigh as he recalled her. "Alright Cloyster, let's try our best! Use Tri Attack!"

"Cloyster!" A beam of ice shot from Cloyster's mouth and was quickly followed by a stream of fire and an electrical bolt. The three attacks flew towards Snorlax before striking his stomach. Snorlax grunted out and was pushed back a bit but remained standing strong.

"Snor..."

"Butterfree use Electroweb!"

"Freee!" Butterfree switched back to the front before firing off a silky electrically charged string towards his opponent, the string quickly began forming into a net as it fell onto Cloyster and delivered a powerful electrical shock upon impact!

"C-Cloyster!" Cloyster cried out as electricity surged through his veins. The Pokemon rapidly shook before keeling over in defeat as swirls formed within his eyes. "Cloyster..."

Rudy stood in stunned silence for a moment as he couldn't believe that Ash managed to beat him without losing a single Pokemon!

"Alright, we won! Way to go everyone!" Ash cheered.

"Snor!"

"Metal!"

"Freeee!"

"...big brother, you lost?" Mahri frowned upon returning from the backroom in a pair of dry clothes.

"Yeah... it's sad but just something you've got to accept as a Gym Leader and trainer, there will always be somebody stronger than you." Rudy sighed while pulling his sister in for a light hug. "And maybe he'll be strong enough to defeat Drake..."

"Way to go, Ash!" Chloe cheered.

"Eevoi!"

"I knew you could do it!" Brock cheered.

"Croa..."

"Congratulations Ash, one more badge and you'll be able to face off against Drake!" Tracey exclaimed.

"Marill!"

"Thanks you guys," Ash smiled at his friends before turning his attention towards Rudy as the Gym Leader made his approach.

"Congratulations Ash, I'll admit that I'm a bit embarrassed by the result but I'm not ashamed to recognize my defeat." Rudy reached into his pocket and produced another shell shaped badge, this one resembling a triumphant star turban. "This is the Spike Shell Badge, I trust you'll take good care of it."

Ash was quick to thank Rudy before turning towards his Pokemon with an excitable grin. "Alright, we just got the Spike Shell Badge!"

"Pi Pikachu!"

"Metal!"

"Snorlax!"

"Freeee!"

"Tox tox!" The Pokemon posed alongside their trainer as he performed his traditional pose.

"Bye Ash, good luck in your next Gym battle!" Rudy waved after the group as they departed on Lapras.

"And take good care of that angel beside you!" Mahri shouted out, referring to Chloe.

Chloe's face shot a dark shade of red while Ash chuckled out. "Don't worry, I will!" He waved back at them while Lapras maneuvered around the island's sharp rocks, setting course for the north where Ash's final Gym badge awaited.

"Man I'm psyched, it won't be long before we're battling the Kumquat Island Gym Leader!" Ash excitedly exclaimed.

"Pi Pikachu!"

"We'll have to make a quick stop for supplies first, Ruby did give us some grapefruits but it won't be enough to last the entire journey." Brock reminded Ash.

"Oh right, Snorlax ate all our food..." Ash sweated.

"We can stop at Mandarin Island North, it's not that far from here." Tracey advised with a bright smile. "Plenty of places to stock up on supplies there!"

"Mandarin Island North? Alright Lapras, you know the way?"

"Laaaaa!" Lapras sung out while giving off a light nod.

"Then set course for Mandarin Island!"

"Laaaa!" Lapras adjusted his trajectory as he began swimming towards the northern island.

Just four chapters to go until the finale; Two character growth chapters and the end of the Orange League arc.

Ash won't know what the final Gym's battling style is until they get there but if you want a hint, it's something that often happens in fillers and happened during one of my favorite Sinnoh arcs :)

I won't let Ash sweep often but I wanted to show just how powerful Melmetal and Snorlax are.