Orange Islands Sea

Another beautiful day in the Orange Archipelago. The sun is out, the seas are calm, and not a cloud is in the sky. Today, Ash, Brock, Tracey, and Lucario find themselves riding the open waters on the back of Ash's newly acquired Lapras.

After the emotional display on the beach with Lapras, Ash wanted to get going to his first Orange Island Gym Battle. Brock's map of the region, which of course he had, indicated the island lied north. The issue of transportation was resolved easily enough, as Lapras was happy to carry her new friends from island to island. Besides, this way she might run into her family. A few hours into the trip saw the band of travelers finishing up a discussion.

"And that's pretty much what we've been through on our journey," concluded Ash, looking to Tracey.

"Wow! You guys don't do things by halves do you? Adventure, Pokemon, battles with dastardly villains, and more! I wish I was there," wistfully replied the eager teen.

"Well, I'm sure you've had your own share of interesting experiences," offered Brock with an encouraging smile.

"Yeah Tracey! Have you caught any cool Pokemon?" Ash asked, perked up at the thought.

"Not as much as the two of you, but I do have a few. First, there's my trusty friend Venonat, and then I have Marill."

"I'm guessing Marill is another Pokemon not native to Kanto," muttered Ash.

"You'd be right about that. Marill is a Water-Fairy Pokemon, typically found in the Johto region, but the Orange Islands is home to Pokemon from both Kanto and Johto," Tracey confirmed with a nod. Ash processed the information before groaning and smacking himself in the forehead.

"Uh, why did you hit yourself Ash?" Brock asked with a mixture of concern and amusement.

"I just realized that I completely forgot to ask Professor Oak for that Pokedex upgrade. He said I could get the national version as soon as I collected 8 Gym Badges. Oh well, I'll just call him when we get to the next island," sighed Ash.

"And then you'll let me talk to the great Professor Oak?" pleaded Tracey, clasping his hands together in a begging fashion.

"Sure Tracey," sweat-dropped the boy.

"Anyway, why don't you tell me more about this upcoming Gym Battle."

"I can do that. The Gym Leader on Mikan Island is a Water Pokemon specialist.

"We know one of those, don't we Brock?" Ash nudged his friend, while the older boy chuckled.

"You're talking about Misty, the leader of the Cerulean City Gym, right? Well Ash, unlike the Cerulean City Gym, this one is going to have more to it. In fact, all Orange Island Gyms are more than just battles," lectured Tracey. Ash focused yet again at the new information.

"You see, the Orange Crew requires that each challenger completes a challenge, or set of challenges, before they earn the right to a Gym Battle. I'm not sure why they do it, but it does drastically cut down the number of challengers our local champion gets every year. Maybe that's why we don't have a tournament like the Kanto League?" Tracey thoughtfully said aloud.

"So, you wouldn't happen to know what kind of challenges we're going to face against this first Gym Leader, do you?" pressed Ash.

"I'm pretty sure about the first one, but I've heard the Mikan Island Gym has two challenges and I don't have a clue what the second one is about," Tracey answered apologetically.

"Better than nothing. Let's hear it!"

"The challenge I know about has something to do with Water Pokemon and target practice. You'll probably need a Pokemon that knows something like Water Gun or Bubble Beam to get past it."

"I have just the Pokemon in mind for the job," Ash answered with a gleam in his eye.

"Thanks for the info Tracey!"

"No problem Ash."

"If you're done conversing apprentice, now would be a good time to get back to your meditation. I sense we have a way to go until we meet our destination, and I will not have you wasting this precious time," spoke Lucario, eyes closed and still in his own meditative trance. Not wanting to annoy his master, Ash got to it without complaint. It was starting to pay some dividends at any rate, and it would certainly pass the time.

Cerulean City Gym

Speaking of target practice, hundreds of miles away and across the seas between the Orange Islands and Kanto, a feisty red-head and her new student continued their own work with a little Water Pokemon.

"W-Water Gun Squirtle!" ordered the shaky boy. Squirtle sucked in his breath and released a splurge of water towards the unmoving Psyduck. The water harmlessly passed the psychic duck Pokemon, missing to the left by a wide margin.

"Man, things just can't ever go right," moaned the boy.

"Jimmy, what did I say about confidence?" Misty asked, tapping her feet impatiently.

"T-That my Pokemon can pick up on it," weakly answered Jimmy. Misty nodded.

"That's' right! You lack conviction in your attack calling and Squirtle is emulating you with poorly aimed attacks. Observe. Staryu, use Water Gun!" sternly ordered the girl. The bright yellow star emerged from the pool and into the air, unleashing a powerful blast of water that struck the helpless Psyduck and sent him to the ground.

"Psy…" grumbled the Pokemon, sending a glare at his trainer, which she ignored.

"You see Jimmy? I didn't hesitate and neither did Staryu. Try again, but this time don't hold back," urged the girl.

"Right," nodded Jimmy, taking a deep breath and releasing it.

"SQUIRTLE, USE WATER GUN!" yelled the boy. Squirtle fired a much more powerful attack, drenching the Psyduck once more.

"We did it?" Jimmy said in bewilderment.

"Yes, you did. We have a long way to go through," cautioned Misty with a smile.

"What's next Master Misty?" the hopeful boy asked.

Master Misty? I like the sound of that.

"Next, you're are going to bring out your Bulbasaur, and we are going to master a technique to attack Water Pokemon while they are under the water. A good friend of mine showed it to me actually," Misty explained, thinking of a certain boy.

Mikan Island Pokemon Center

"Hello Ash! Enjoying the Orange Islands so far?" asked the friendly face of Professor Oak through the video screen.

"You bet Professor Oak! This is way better than lounging around in Pallet Town all the time… uh no offense," backtracked Ash.

"None taken my boy. Professor Ivy called by the way and confirmed the delivery of the GS Ball, so thank you for that. Now, what can I do for you today?"

"A few things. First, I'd like to get my Pokedex upgraded to the national version. You mentioned that you would do so as soon as I collected 8 badges back in Kanto. I guess between Team Rocket and all the other things going on, we kind of forgot to follow through with that." Professor Oak scratched the back of his head at that, an embarrassed and apologetic expression on his face.

"Indeed. My apologies Ash. You have certainly earned the right to the new information. It would have been easier if you were still in Pallet Town, but these things can be done virtually. Please stick your Pokedex into the slot on the video phone and I will transmit the upload.

"Got it!" sounded Ash. Pulling his Pokedex out of his jacket, Ash carefully slid the Pokedex into the slot the professor mentioned.

"Ok, I can see the connection from my end. Just a few clicks here and there. Excellent! The download is now under way. When it is complete, you will have data on all Pokemon known to the world's many scientists and researchers. Of course, I'm sure there are plenty of Pokemon not catalogued that have yet to be discovered, but that's part of the fun.

"How many Pokemon have been discovered professor?" the curious boy asked.

"Around 900 at my last check. If you add in regional forms and Pokemon from the past that no longer exist in the current climate, that number jumps even higher! There are truly countless Pokemon to interact with!" the old man answered with vigor.

"Good to know. Anyway, while the Pokedex update is downloading, can I go ahead and swap out Butterfree for Kingler?"

"Preparing for a Gym Battle are we?" Oak asked with a knowing smile.

"Yeah. You know me well," chuckled Ash.

"We're currently on Mikan Island for the first Gym Battle of the Orange League."

"Say no more Ash. I have Kingler's Pokeball right here. Place your Pokeball in the transport and we can make a swap." Placing Butterfree's Pokeball in the device, Ash was soon holding the familiar device holding his Kingler.

"Thanks Professor Oak!" cheered the boy.

"Happy to help. It would seem your Pokedex has been updated as well," noted the man, prompting Ash to take the device from the slot.

"If that's all, then I'm going to go ahead and let—"

"NO!" dramatically cried Tracey, shoving Ash to the ground and taking his place.

"I was going to get to you in a second Tracey," Ash grumbled from the floor to deaf ears. Brock was amused and simply pleased it wasn't him that experienced unexpected pain. Lucario was disappointed his student didn't sense the oncoming blow and dodge it. As for Professor Oak…

"Erm… who are you?"

"Tracey Sketchit! I'm an aspiring researcher, who specializes in drawing Pokemon in the wild to document their habits. I'm also your number one fan! Would you like to see a drawing? Here, take a look!" blurted the boy, rapidly firing off his words and pulling out his sketchbook to show Professor Oak.

"That's very flattering Tracey, and it is nice to meet you. My, that is quite the drawing of a Ryhorn eating a berry. If I had to guess, that comes from the Isle of Pink Pokemon there on the Orange Islands correct?" pondered Professor Oak.

"Y-yes it is," the stunned and elated then responded, surprised Professor Oak could grasp that from his drawing alone.

"You certainly captured the essence well."

"I'm glad you like it, because it is my fervent dream to—" A whining on Professor Oak's end on the phone interrupted the poor boy.

"Ah, looks like my coffee is ready. Sorry but I must get to that. It was a pleasure Tracey, and best of luck out there Ash!" interjected Professor Oak, ending the conversation.

"But… but I was so close," sighed Tracey, hanging his head low.

"Serves him right for shoving me," grumbled Ash.

"No need to be mean Ash," chided Brock.

"You're just saying that because you act the same way every time a girl rejects you," shot back Ash.

"Heh. Fair enough. So, what's your plan?" Ash shared a quick look with Lucario and shared a nod with his Aura Master.

"We're going to get some serious training done and the best place to do it is at the beach!" declared the boy with fire in his eyes.

Mikan Island Beach

Unlike the previous island, the beach wasn't exactly shut down on Mikan Island, so finding a good spot to train proved to be a little more difficult. With some effort though, the group find a secluded area where the waves were rougher than normal, which was off-putting to most beach goers. Brock sat down to make camp, while Tracey got his sketchbook out, documenting Ash and his Pokemon in action, as well as any other interesting Pokemon the boy observed.

Ash's training started out just like it always did, with a run. The one hiccup in this place of course was Lapras, but the boy's Pokemon-related intelligence sorted that out rather quick. Lapras was let out of her Pokeball and instructed to swim alongside Ash and his other Pokemon while they ran. For extra training, Ash had Lapras get closer towards the land, but not too close, just to offer some minor resistance. After a good few hours, Ash had them wind things down and captured the attention of his Pokemon.

"Good work guys. I can see you are a bit tired Lapras, but don't worry, you'll get used to it," smiled the boy to the poor Pokemon laying down like a beached whale.

"We have our first Orange League Gym Battle coming up. The Gym Leader specializes in Water Pokemon. They do things a bit differently here than Kanto, so before we even get to battle, we're going to have to complete some challenges. Our new friend Tracey thinks they will involve Water Pokemon and said one of the challenges will have target practice. Kingler, this is where you come on," Ash said, turning to his Water powerhouse.

"Cookie?"

"Your Bubble Beam is the perfect attack to strike targets. Espeon and I set up some sandcastles earlier off near the camp Brock set up. I want you to spend some time hitting stationary targets. However, we also need to prepare for moving targets. Tyrogue, you're going to step up to the plate and help out. Barring Pikachu and Pidgeot, you're probably the fastest member of our team. Go along with Kingler and dodge his Bubble Beam attacks with evasive maneuvering. Think you two can handle it?"

"Cookie!"

"Rogue!" affirmed the two Pokemon, heading out towards the sandcastles. Satisfied with those two, Ash continued his address to the others.

"Not sure what this second challenge will be, but I think Tracey is right about it involving Water Pokemon. So, I want Shellder and Lapras to stick with me, while the rest of you guys pair up. I assume you're probably going to go off on your own anyway Scyther," muttered Ash, which Scyther did indeed proceed to do. Ryhorn and Tauros paired off as always, while Espeon and Ivysaur decided to get some training in together.

"Hey Ivysaur," Ash called, getting the Grass Pokemon's attention before he was out of hearing range.

"When we make it to the battle phase, and believe me we will make it there, I'm probably calling on you to step up. Be ready," advised Ash with a serious look. Ivysaur nodded, a grin on his features, and he turned back to join Espeon.

"Ok, let's see what we can do with you two. According to dexter Lapras, you currently know Water Pulse, Rain Dance, Ice Beam, and Sing. That's pretty good. Shellder, how about you help Lapras master that Ice Beam attack. Teaching is a great way to improve yourself after all," encouraged the boy.

"I agree apprentice. I find myself wanting to improve at the moment, so why don't you join me in meditation," Lucario suggested, or rather commanded, with a smirk.

"Yes master… guess you two are on your own after all. You're in charge Shellder," Ash finished, walking off with Lucario and sitting on the beach in his stance.

"Interesting of you to give authority to the little one. What are you planning apprentice?"

"That transparent huh? Well, Shellder had an awful battle back on Cinnabar Island and it hurt her confidence quite a bit. My dad's Lapras helped to build that back up in Pallet Town, and I'm hoping some responsibility to teach our own baby Lapras will continue that. With luck, she can win some battles and prove herself ready for evolution with the Water Stone. I believe in her!" the boy said with conviction, glancing back at the two Pokemon.

"I see great wisdom in your plan but let us speak of other matters now. Namely, I have noticed your aura sensory skills are coming along. Your ability to pick up Lapras' distress back on the previous island was well done," praised the Pokemon.

"Thanks Master! Does that mean we can—"

"NO! You have only scratched the surface. We shall not move on until you can detect the aura of another and their movements instantaneously, which you shall demonstrate in a blindfolded spar as we did back in your hometown. It still took you quite a few hours to sense outward aura, so there is plenty of work to be done. Further meditation may allow you to develop certain other abilities as well. Now, let's get to it!" barked Lucario. With a soft sigh, Ash obeyed, closing his eyes and focusing on his friends to clear his mind of distraction.

Brock, Tracey, my Pokemon, Lucario. Brock, Tracey, my Pokemon, Lucario. Brock, Tracey, my Pokemon Lucario. He wasn't sure how much time passed, but Ash began to detect the same blue energy as before. This time, he could identify the familiar signatures of Brock, Lucario, and Espeon with ease. Lapras' was also familiar. He could sense the other Pokemon and Tracey, but the Pokemon themselves were difficult to distinguish from one another due to his lack of exposure to them. Tracey's humanity made it easier to single out, though that might have been difficult as well had there been other strangers around him.

"Excellent! It only took you two hours for your abilities to manifest my apprentice," Lucario spoke up.

"Awesome!" Ash cheered, standing up to stretch. He soon found himself holding a familiar wooden staff in one hand, while another held a blindfold.

"Uh Lucario, I thought you said we wouldn't test this until I could sense aura instantaneously," the nervous boy said. Lucario look rather amused at that.

"I never said that at all apprentice. I merely stated that you would be tested to confirm your readiness, not that we wouldn't spar beforehand. Continued lessons in humility will do you a world of good, and the pain should serve as motivation to continue pushing yourself. Shield your eyes… Good. EN GARDE!" cried his teacher. Ash did not land the first blow, or the last. His ego though, that suffered a good many.

Lumiose City Pokemon Laboratory (Kalos Region)

A young and eager blonde walked into the Kalos Region Pokemon Lab, escaping the bright lights of Lumiose. Her nervous mother accompanied her.

"Are you sure this is what you want dear?" Grace asked, walking towards the elevator with her daughter. Serena rolled her eyes.

"Yes mom. I already promised not to leave for at least a year, but I want to start getting ready at the very least.

"Well, if you're sure." The two entered the elevator, pressing the button to the second floor. In a few moments, the doors opened, revealing a bubbly girl with purple hair, glasses, and a white lab coat.

"You must be Serena and Grace! I'm Sina, one of the professor's assistants. Nice to meet you!" smiled the young adult.

"Nice to meet you too Sina. Is he ready for us?" asked Serena, excited, but trying to keep it somewhat under check.

"He sure is! His office is just around the corner. You two can follow me." Grace and Serena followed the girl around a corner, coming into an office area filled to the brim with oddities. Paintings and books were scattered about at random. An old phonograph was hooked up at the side, playing soothing music. Behind a desk sat a somewhat young-looking man, well young for a researcher. He had wavy black hair, a blue dress shirt, black dress pants, and a matching white lab coat. The man's eyes lit up at the new arrivals.

"Fantastic! My guests are here. Welcome to our Pokemon Laboratory. My name is Augustine Sycamore, and I am the main Professor here at the lab. Serena and Grace right? I must say, it is an honor to meet the famed Vaniville Town Ryhorn Racer in person," beamed the man.

"That's flattering to hear you say so," flushed Grace.

"Don't think I've forgotten about you young lady," Sycamore continued, seeing the look of longing on Serena's face.

"Yes, I can see the desire and passion for a Pokemon of your own. For you my dear, I have three options. Allow me to introduce them." The man pulled three Pokeballs attached to his belt and tossed them into the air. Out popped a bright yellow-orange fox, green-brown rodent like creature with quills, and a light blue frog.

"From left to right, we have Fennekin, Chespin, and Froakie. New trainers here in the Kalos Region have traditionally started their adventures with on of these three as their companion. Will it be Fennekin, the elegant Fire Pokemon? Perhaps you might choose Chespin, an excitable Grass Pokemon? Maybe, your eyes are set on Froakie, the passionate Water Pokemon. Choose wisely," advised the man.

"I've already made up my mind Professor Sycamore," Serena confidently answered.

"Oh? Well don't leave your mother and I in suspense."

"A good friend inspired me to go down this road. In his honor, I choose…"

Mikan Island Beach (Two Days Later)

Brock and Tracey watched on in the background, seeing the youngest of their trio continuing his intense training regime for the third day straight. Brock was working on a nice stew for lunch, having Vulpix stoke the flames and Cubone help with stirring. Tracey opted to lounge against a tree, having just finished up a nice portrait of Shellder and Lapras working together.

"Is Ash always this intense with this whole training thing? Three straight days of work seems like an awful lot," commented Tracey.

"That's just the way he is. Ash's dream is to be a Pokemon Master and the boy always overprepares for any challenge, especially a Gym Battle," answered Brock, not taking his eye off the stew.

"Hey, it looks like a kid is walking up to him," Tracey pointed out, prompting the other teen to spare a glance. As he said, a boy was in fact making his way towards Ash, who was currently talking strategy with Ivysaur. The boy had spiky hair and he wore a yellow shirt with green pants. He also looked to be a good deal shorter than Ash, who had admittedly done some growing over the year, thanks in large part to his consistent training.

"Hey punk! I've seen you training here these past few days. Think you can take on the Mikan Island Gym right? Well, you're wrong! No amount of training will make you good enough to defeat the Gym Leader!" cockily said the boy. Ash turned fast, ready to respond with his own venom, but he could feel the eyes of his master on him, so he forced his initial desire away.

"Tough talk kid. How about a friendly battle to back those words up?" offered Ash.

"You're gonna regret it!" smirked the boy, sending out a Staryu.

"We will see," evenly responded Ash.

"Shellder, this battle belongs to you." Shellder made her way to the beach in front of Ash, while the other Pokemon ceased their activities, focusing on the apparent battle at hand. Scyther in particular took interest.

"Start things off with—"

"Ice-Shard," coolly interrupted Ash. Shellder's speed and the priority of the move took effect, allowing her to rapidly launch shards of ice at Staryu, dealing some minor damage and momentarily stunning it.

"Lucky sneak attack! Use Water Gun!" growled the boy.

"Counter with your own Water Gun," easily countered Ash. Both Pokemon shot water, but Shellder's attack quickly overpowered Staryu's, allowing her attack to connect once again and pushing Staryu back.

"No way—"

"Ice Shard," Ash interjected again, pressing the attack. Ice hit home, dealing further damage.

"THAT'S IT! USE RAPID SPIN!" roared the agitated boy. Staryu shook off the damage, before rising in the air and spinning towards Shellder at a great speed.

Got you kid.

"Confuse Ray," Ash ordered with a curled lip.

"LOOK OUT STARYU!" Staryu was far too close though and the dizziness from the spinning blocked out any chance of hearing the command. Shellder's ray struck Staryu in the air, and the Pokemon's trajectory changed immediately, causing Staryu to crash into the sand below. Ash wasn't feeling particularly merciful either.

"Finish with a powerful Ice Beam," instructed the raven-haired trainer. A powerful beam of ice flew from Shellder, slamming into Staryu in the next instant and sending the Pokemon crashing into its trainer, making both of them fall to the ground. Staryu was out for the count.

"I-I lost?" the boy said in denial, looking at the fainted Pokemon is his lap from his spot on the ground. Meanwhile, Ash knelt down next to Shellder, praising her for a well-executed battle. Slow clapping drew everyone's attention to its source. An older teenager girl in a black tanktop with orange pants and wild hair slowly approached them.

"That was quite the one-sided battle. You and Shellder were pretty good out there," complimented the woman.

"Thanks. And you are?" asked Ash, slightly annoyed at the second straight interruption to his training.

"I'm Cissy, member of the Orange Crew and the Mikan Island Gym Leader. The kid you thrashed is my little brother, but don't worry about it. The kid's head was growing too big anyway," chuckled the girl.

"Cissy!" protested said little brother, but he was ignored by all.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Ash Red Ketchum, and these are some of my Pokemon on the beach with me. I'm here on Mikan Island to challenge you for a badge."

"Good to hear. I haven't had a good challenger in quite a while. Maybe you'll change things up?" retorted the girl.

By this time, Brock and Tracey had also come closer. The former was ready to open his mouth and proceed with some serious flirting due to being in the vicinity of a pretty girl, but a tapping on his shoulder by a certain Aura Pokemon indicated that he might want to pass, and he wisely did.

"So, let's get to the rules then. Here in the Orange League, you have to pass certain challenges before you earn the right to an actual Gym Battle. My gym includes two challenges followed by a 1 on 1 battle if you make it that far. Sounds good?" asked Cissy. Ash nodded, gesturing for her to proceed.

"Great! Normally I start with the target challenge first, but that's back at the actual gym. Instead, your first challenge will be a Water Pokemon race!" declared the girl.

"A race?" Ash asked, looking for some clarity.

"Yup! See that buoy out in the ocean. You and I will race on the back of a Water Pokemon there and back. To pass this challenge, you have to beat me and my partner. Speaking of, come on out Blastoise!" The powerful final evolution of Squirtle emerged from a Pokeball. The turtle Pokemon had a rock-hard shell and two cannons protruding from the back.

A race on the back of a Water Pokemon. Shellder is too small and Kingler has no experience surfing the waves, which leaves Lapras. She may be a baby, but she has trained hard these past few days and built a little bit of speed. With the right strategy, she can pull through.

"Any other rules to this race?" checked Ash, already formulating a plan.

"You just have to stay on your Pokemon's back the entire time. Other than that, no other rules," confirmed Cissy.

"Then I will go with Lapras. Guys stand with Brock and Tracey," Ash instructed his other Pokemon, who obeyed. Even Scyther listened, still captivated on his trainer, especially after the impressive way he dispatched that boy. Ash proceeded to jump onto Lapras' back, whispering in her ear to explain what was going on and their strategy. Likewise, Cissy got into position with Blastoise.

"Brat, go ahead and give us a countdown," Cissy motioned to her brother.

"I have a name you know," grumbled the boy.

"Did you say you wanted to clean the gym with a toothbrush?"

"Trainers, we will begin on go!" instructed the now motivated boy.

"3…2…1…GO!" Blastoise and Lapras zoomed into the ocean blue, their respective trainers surfing on each Pokemon's back. Blastoise had an early clear advantage, showing plenty of experience riding the waves. Lapras wasn't completely crushed considering that she had lived the entirety of her short life swimming around the ocean.

"I think it's time we catch up Lapras. Use Ice Beam!" Ash yelled out. Lapras fired a beam of ice ahead into the water, creating a smooth path of ice, straight ahead. The ice itself allowed Lapras to slide forward at a much higher speed than when she was swimming. Soon enough, the duo made it to the buoy, just ahead of Blastoise and Cissy.

"Make the turn and fire another Ice Beam to complete our path Lapras!" ordered Ash. Lapras obeyed and the two continued on their way to an apparent victory.

"Not so fast! Spin around 180 degrees and use Hydro Pump Blastoise!" commanded Cissy. Blastoise spun at the spot and fired. The water being exuded dramatically sped up Blastoise and Cissy, effectively allowing the duo to surf backwards.

No way! They're almost even with us. At this rate, Hydro Pump is going to allow them to overtake us right before the race ends. I don't see a way for us to speed up either… Maybe the key to victory is to get them to slow down then?

"Slow your speed Lapras and allow Blastoise to get a little bit ahead of us," Ash yelled, drawing Cissy's attention as well. Lapras slightly slowed, letting Blastoise overtake them and Cissy frowned, trying to see what the boy was up to.

"NOW ICE BEAM AT BLASTOISE'S CANNONS!" screamed Ash. Cissy was caught off guard by the attack and so she could do nothing but watch as the cannons were frozen solid, stopping Hydro Pump and Blastoise in its tracks. The abrupt change of speed had consequences as the Gym Leader was flung forward into the water off her Pokemon just ahead of the land. Ash and Lapras managed to squeak in a narrow victory as a result, crossing the finish line.

"YES! WAY TO GO LAPRAS!" Ash jubilantly cheered, pulling his newest Pokemon into another hug. The resident little fart of the beach put an end to that pretty fast.

"You attacked Cissy and her Pokemon! That's got to be cheating! I'm disqualifying you from the challenge!" yelled the boy.

"Quiet kid!" fired back Cissy, who had now gotten out of the water just fine.

"Ash is not disqualified. His strategy was unorthodox, but I never specified any rules against using Pokemon attacks, even against your opponent. It was a good plan."

"But Cissy…" tried the boy.

"No buts! The next part of our challenge will take place at the Gym. Come Along Ash," finished the Gym Leader, calling back Blastoise and walking off, little brother in tow. Ash shrugged and recalled his own collection of Pokemon, not noticing the beginnings of respect in Scyther's eyes, before he joined her. Tracey tried to go too, but he was yanked back by a disgruntled Brock.

"What was that for?"

"Lucario may have stopped my chances at getting a girlfriend, but i'll be darned if I'm forced to clean up this uneaten lunch and camp by myself," grumbled Brock.

Mikan Island Gym

The exterior of the gym wasn't anything to write home about. The roof was a long reddish-orange cylinder with metal ridges. Walls of stone made up the rest of the outside. Inside, the story looked to be the same. Just regular walls and a standard battlefield, or so it seemed.

"Brother?" asked Cissy with a pointed look.

"On it!" nodded the little pest, pulling out a large device, shaped like a controller of sorts.

"Just a little press here... and bam!" An ordinary looking part of the wall rose, revealing a long table with cans stretching across.

"Kind of looks like one of those games you'd see at an amusement park," commented Ash.

"The principle is the same. Instead of using a water gun though, you will be using a Water Pokemon to knock the cans away as efficiently as possible with an attack. If your Pokemon can't aim right and strike fast, there will be no point in having a battle. Thus, you have your second challenge," explained the older girl.

"How do I know if I pass your test?"

"I'll tell you if you do," shrugged the girl. Ash nodded, pulling out a Pokeball.

"Kingler, this challenge is yours!" called the boy, sending out his giant crab Pokemon.

"Cookie!"

"Just like we practiced on the beach buddy. We need to hit those targets with your Bubble Beam as fast and as accurate as possible. You ready for this?" asked the boy.

"Cookie! Cookie!"

"Good stuff!" smiled Ash

"You may fire when ready Ash," nodded Cissy.

"Kingler, take down those cans with short burst Bubble Beam attacks!" ordered the boy. Kingler lined his claw up with the first can, and the Pokemon let loose. A short beam of bubbles repeatedly left his claw. All the while, Kingler shuffled down the line, striking each target in an effective and efficient manner.

"It looks like he knew what this challenge was ahead of time," analyzed Cissy, watching the impressive display.

"Yeah, just shows he is cheater through and through," chimed in her brat brother. Cissy sighed and shook her head, tired of correcting the kid.

"Nice work Kingler!" praised Ash, seeing the last of the cans fall to the floor.

"Well, you passed that for sure. I wonder how Kingler handles moving targets though?" Without missing a beat, Cissy grabbed a few disks lying on the floor and tossed three into the air at a high speed.

"FOCUS AND HIT THOSE DISKS FAST WITH BUBBLE BEAM KINGLER!" roared Ash. Kingler's focus quickly shifted and the crab Pokemon fired off three short bursts, striking each disk in the air with no problem.

"Anything else?" grinned Ash.

"I was hoping you'd make it this far Ash. Now, it's time for a battle!" Cissy answered, returning the grin with one of her own. In the next instant, Cissy threw a Pokeball into the air, revealing her Blastoise from earlier.

"Blastoise huh? Return Kingler, you knocked it out of the park today buddy," smiled Ash, walking to his side of the battlefield. By now, Brock and Tracey made their way into the Gym, immediately noticing the beginnings of a battle and they headed off towards a wall next to Lucario to observe.

"Looks like we made it just in time," an excited Tracy said.

"You're in for a treat. Ash was just getting warmed up earlier. A battle against a Gym Leader is where he really shines," commented Brock. Back on the battlefield, Ash sent out his chosen Pokemon, ready to reveal a few tricks it had picked up training with its own mentor back in Pallet Town.

"Saur!" cried Ivysaur, pumped up at seeing the giant Blastoise ahead of him.

"A Grass Pokemon? I hope you don't expect to win based on type alone Mr. Ketchum," chuckled Cissy.

"No, but it doesn't hurt to have it," offered Ash with a wry smile.

"Fair enough."

"This will be a 1 on 1 battle between the Gym Leader and Ash Red Ketchum from Pallet Town. At stake is the Coral Eye Badge. The victor will be determined when one Pokemon is unable to battle. Let the match begin!" yelled out Cissy's brother.

"Let's get started quick with Water Pulse!" commanded Cissy.

An aggressive opening attack. Just like her little brother, but she probably knows how to back it up.

"Sunny Day Ivysaur and then take the hit," countered Ash. Ivysaur cried, looking to the air and summoning a miniature sun. Things noticeably warmed in the Gym, but then Water Pulse struck. Thanks to Sunny Day and Ivysaur's type advantage, little to no damage was incurred.

"Now use Razor Leaf!" Ivysaur unleashed powerful leaves on command.

"Withdraw!" Blastoise disappeared into his shell and the projectiles bounced off the razor hard shell.

"While they're hiding, power up with Growth!" Ivysaur cried again, but this time he glowed a shining light, indicating amassing power.

"Oh no you don't! Stick your head out and use Ice Beam!" yelled Cissy. Blastoise emerged, quickly letting loose with the super-effective beam of ice.

"Dodge with your Vine Whip slam!" Two vines came out of Ivysaur, slamming the ground and propelling the Grass Pokemon high into the air above the beam of ice.

"You're wide open Ash," laughed Cissy.

"STAND UP AND USE A FULL POWERED ICE BEAM!" yelled the Gym Leader, victory in her eyes.

"Am I?" Ash asked with a dark chuckle, seeing Blastoise emerge from his shell.

"USE YOUR NEWEST ATTACK! USE SOLAR BEAM!" Blastoise fired first, but Ivysaur returned soon enough, unleashing a powerful beam of pure grass energy from his bulb instantaneously. Normally, Ice Beam might win in such as contest between attacks, but Growth and Ivysaur's affinity for grass moves had something to say about that. Solar Beam easily over-powered Ice Beam, continuing its path and slamming into Blastoise for a super-effective blast.

"TOISE!" screamed the giant turtle, falling to a knee.

"You planned that from the start with Sunny Day," observed Cissy. Ash ignored her, happy to exploit his opponent's desire to chat.

"Again," cooly called the boy. Ivysaur had landed by now, but fired off another beam with no trouble.

"Dodge with Rapid Spin and use Rain Dance!" Cissy yelled, slightly irritated at her opponent's sly move. Blastoise withdrew to his shell, spinning away from the beam, while roaring from inside. Clouds covered the sun and rain began to fall.

There goes quick Solar Beams and weakened water attacks. That's an unusual strategy for dodging attacks as well. Time to slow them down.

"Sweet Scent Ivysaur!" snapped Ash. Ivysaur sucked in a deep breath and spat out a pink mist, covering the entirety of the battlefield and seeping into Blastoise's shell. The Water Pokemon noticeably slowed.

"Fine then! Use Shell Smash!" Blastoise emerged from his shell once more, but this time it burst open when he did so, revealing a glowing blue body with cannons and no shell to hide behind.

"Skull Bash." Blastoise blinked from it's location, reappearing in front of Ivysaur and ramming him head first. Ivysaur flew into a wall, crashing loud behind Ash. Visibly stunned, Ash watched his Pokemon slowly slide to the grind, while time seemed to slow down for the boy.

Crap! That's an extremely powerful attack, powered up by Shell Smash, also boosting her speed dramatically. Ivysaur can't take another of those. Blastoise took a ton of damage earlier too and without his shell, one good hit should end this. How can we hit something that fast though before it hits us? Wait? Maybe we don't need to actually strike first? What if we make Blastoise come to us? Time to use an ace in the hole, thought the boy, time speeding back up.

"You ok Ivysaur?"

"Saur!" cried the Pokemon, standing back up and walking back onto the battlefield.

"All right then. Let's finish this battle with Razor Leaf!" yelled the boy, sending a subtle wink to his Pokemon. Ivysaur reared back, preparing to fire an attack.

"Sorry Ash, but it's us who will be finishing this off. Skull Bash once—"

"GRASS KNOT IN FRONT OF YOU!" interjected Ash!"

"What? WAIT!" yelled Cissy. Blastoise had already blurred away. This time, he came into view early, tripping hard on the knot of grass in front of Ivysaur, sending the Pokemon flying over Ivysaur and Ash, and into the same wall. BOOM! Like Ivysaur, Blastoise slowly slid to the ground. Unlike Ivysaur, he did not get up.

"SAUR!" Ivysaur roared in triumph.

"SAUR!" he yelled again.

"SAUR!" On the third yell, Ivysaur started to glow white. This time, the glowing did not stop.

"Is he?" breathed Tracey.

"He is," nodded Brock. Ivysaur's height began to grow, his body mass drastically increasing. The bulb on Ivysaur's back bloomed into a large flower. When the light settled, a new Pokemon stood twice as tall and nearly ten times as heavy.

"VENUSAUR!" roared the creature.

"Woah..." muttered Cissy's brother. Ash looked to the boy with a raised eyebrow, glancing behind himself at the fallen Blastoise. The boy flushed at the implications.

"Oh right. Blastoise is unable to battle. Therefore, the victors are Venusaur and Ash Red Ketchum!" declared the boy, formally ending the battle.

"You were amazing Venusaur. Return," called Ash, drawing him back into his Pokeball.

"He wasn't the only one who was amazing Ash," added Cissy, having already called back her own Pokemon.

"Your use of strategy, preparation, and improvisation throughout the challenges and Gym Battle were incredible. It is for that reason that I am proud to present you with the Coral Eye Badge," beamed Cissy, handing Ash a pink badge with a blue eye and gold trimmings in the center. Ash politely thanked the girl for a good battle, but internally he had a different reaction.

One down, three to go.

Things were off to a hot start for the aspiring Pokemon Master in the Orange Islands. Time would tell if that remained true.

END CHAPTER

Ash claims his first Orange Island League badge and Ivysaur finally evolved! Note, in Kanto I usually had at least 2-3 chapters between Gym Battles. The Orange Island Arc is significantly shorter, especially in a compressed 4-month fashion, so this will not always be the case. In fact, I plan on only 1 chapter between this Gym Battle that occurred and the next. Finally, going on a 7-day cruise starting on December 26. Chapters will likely come to a halt during this time. I may do some writing/outlining though during down times on the boat.

Next time – Tracey desires the group travels to an island with a mysterious crystal Pokemon and the gang comes across a camera crew on an island of mystery.

Reader - Thanks for the review! Dorian may show up, but I have no plans on it as of now. Just four badges and Drake. My logic is that the added challenges at the Gym Battles prevents too many trainers from even getting to schedule a match with the man.

Reader2 - Thanks for the review! Jimmy is featured in the Hoenn anime episode (AG092). It features a trainer who has given up on his journey to become a Pokemon Judge. It is mentioned that he won a pity badge in Cerulean City from Misty's sisters on his journey. Having Misty mentor him will contribute to her own growth. I share your feelings on the lack of quality Ability Shipping in Fanfiction, but will neither confirm or deny that Anabel is the shipping pair in this story until after Hoenn. After all, the other obvious contender made an appearance this chapter.

Espeon860 - Thanks for the review! Lucario being the Brock blocker was one of my better ideas for sure lol. No spoilers for Anabel. As for the 2000 Movie, probably going to stick with the same plot with some twists. To be honest, I kind of wrote the first movie as it happened, no major plan going into it, aside from a few key elements. I was lucky I created a plot device with the Dark Balls earlier in the story.

Remember to review with your thoughts and critique :)

Since this may be the last chapter until the new year, I will not smell ya later. Instead, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!