Pummelo Island Coliseum
"That Ketchum kid sure is something else!"
"Can you believe it? He's knocked out three of Drake's Pokemon without losing a single one of his own. I can't even remember when that happened last?"
"Well, what did you expect? This kid just saved the world, flying on the back of a Lugia! Of course he's going to be special!"
"My friend told me that Lorelei crushed him only a month or two ago."
"Please. Drake's good, but he's no match for Lorelei or the Elite Four."
"It's not over yet. Drake still has his ace in the hole left."
"True." Fighting the crowds, and holding onto popcorn and drinks, Brock caught wind of this conversation and several others of a similar nature. It was all the same. People were fawning over Ash and his Pokemon. Some older women had even made some suggestive comments that creeped the teen out. Ash was still just a kid for crying out loud! Shaking his mind out of such thoughts, Brock retook his seat, passing along Misty her water.
"Thanks Brock," smiled the girl, taking a large gulp.
So cliche, idly thought Brock, seeing Kanto's Water Gym Leader enjoy water itself. The girl never drank anything besides it, but it wasn't like she was a health nut either.
"No problem Misty."
"Hear anything interesting out there?"
"Not anything different than what they're saying around here. Everyone's singing Ash's praises and already crowning him champion," Brock sighed evenly. Misty's eyebrows rose at the tone her friend had used.
"You don't share their opinion? Ash is up 3-0 Brock! Give him some credit."
"I'm not saying Ash will lose," Brock started defensively.
"But?" asked Misty.
"But it's not so simple. This Drake guy is a champion. He's the best trainer in the Orange Islands. That may not mean much when compared to mainline regions like Kanto, but it does mean something. There's also been whispers about this ace that Drake has up his sleeves. I can't help but think it's that Dragonite of his," grimly finished Brock.
"Maybe you're right? I just hope Ash doesn't let this hot start go to his head," Misty muttered with a frown. Lucario, also sitting among them, said nothing. Internally, he shared the opinion of Brock, knowing that this wouldn't be as simple as it had seemed. A powerful aura signature emanated from inside the stadium. It was coming in the direction of where Drake had exited the arena.
Stadium Locker Room
Fortunately for Misty, Ash was anything but cocky about the current situation. Unfortunately, he was currently on the other end of the spectrum. Pacing back and forth, Ash muttered aloud.
"It doesn't make any sense. How am I beating this guy so badly? He's a freaking Champion! Lorelei crushed me. Heck, that Hydreigon was more powerful than Drake's Pokemon. I've gotten stronger, but not that stronger. And then there's that smile and weird Pokeball around his neck. He also has a Dragonite. Is Dragonite in that Pokeball? Just what is going on?"
"Pika. Pikachu!"
"Overthinking it? You think so buddy?" Ash turned to his little pal sitting on a bench.
"For sure! Pikachu's right daddy. Just chill out and keep it up," chirped Espeon with her radiant smile. Ash exhaled, releasing the tension he had built up.
"Thanks guys. I can't focus on all that nonsense. Just got to do work on what I can control I guess." A horn echoed in the distance.
"That's the signal. Let's get back out there and win this thing!" shouted Ash, regaining his normal swagger. The boy and his Pokemon eagerly marched back towards the outside, in high spirits after the short break. As he moved forward, the familiar sound of the stadium grew louder. That wasn't what Ash focused on though. Instead, his eyes stayed forward, ready to take on the sight of the new battlefield. After his eyes adjusted to the sun once more, he soaked in the sight before him.
The battlefield was far rockier then before, with rocks actually jutting out from the ground. However, the main attraction was the small pond of water at the center.
Those rocks will cut down on my faster Pokemon's range of movement, but they could also make for good barriers. As for the water, looks like holding Lapras and Cloyster back paid off. The area around the water also appears to be muddier. Could come in handy, mentally processed Ash, taking his previous position. Drake also stood at the ready, arms crossed, eying the referee expectantly.
"The battle stands as follows. Drake, the champion, is down three Pokemon. Ash, the challenger, maintains all six of his Pokemon. We will now resume the match until a single trainer has no remaining Pokemon. Champion, send out your Pokemon!" ordered the referee.
"Electabuzz, to battle!" The feline humanoid Pokemon with antennas graced the field, pumped up and discharging electricity.
Venusaur was my original strategy, and I'm going to stick with it, even if he is a bit worn out.
"Venusaur, time for round 2!" called Ash, sending him out back to the battlefield. The Plant Pokemon was panting and had a clear sheen of sweat from the earlier battle.
"Begin!"
"Sunny Day and Synthesis!" Immediately snapped Ash, thinking there was no way Electabuzz had a weather alteration move that could counter his strategy, unlike Onix. Still, Drake was not idle.
"Thunder Wave," smirked the man. A blue volt, originating from Electabuzz's antennae, flew towards Venusaur, who had already summoned the sun to the battlefield, and was in the process of restoring his energy.
"RETURN!" The beam from Ash's Pokeball connected just before the electricity did, successfully sparing Venusaur from paralyzation.
"ASH RED KETCHUM IMMEDIATELY CALLS BACK VENUSAUR AFTER SETTING UP A SUNNY DAY! WHAT DOES THE YOUNG TRAINER HAVE UP HIS SLEEVES?" Ash answered that question swiftly, tossing another Pokeball into the air.
"RAOOOOO!"
"IT'S CHARIZARD!" roared the announcer, bringing the crowd to a renewed hype.
"Thunderbolt!" Drake spoke quickly, slightly irritated at Ash's swap.
"To the skies!" Charizard zoomed into the air, avoiding the electricity with ease.
"Now follow with Flamethrower," continued Ash with confidence. Charizard let loose, sending flames towards the ground in a stream of fire.
"Dodge!"
"Keep firing and don't let up!" Electabuzz managed to avoid the initial strike, but avoidance became an issue when Charizard kept the flames coming. Unlike the skies, the battlefield was full of obstacles, making what came next inevitable. Electabuzz leapt aside, clipping a rock and tripping to the ground, falling face forward.
"FIRE BLAST!"
"SUBSTITUTE!"
BOOM!
A fiery explosion rocked the stadium, bringing up smoke and shielding the Pokemon from view.
"Do your best to spot Electabuzz and stay on your guard Charizard!" yelled Ash through the smoke, coughing a bit. Had he been able to see, he might have seen the once again shifting weather conditions in the sky. As it so happens, Ash had to feel it to understand what was going on.
"Water?" muttered the confused boy, feeling rain drops descend on him. His features shifted to horror as realization struck him.
Electabuzz knows Rain Dance! Too little too late.
"THUNDER!" A large bolt of lightning surged from the sky, straight down towards the airborne Charizard. His high altitude left no time for him or Ash to order any dodge.
"RAAOOOO!" cried Charizard, lighting up in pain from the super-effective attack, taking even more damage due to the conductive properties of the rain. BAM! Charizard fell hard, crashing to the ground. Finally, the smoke cleared, revealing Ash's first Pokemon crackling with electricity. So much for avoiding paralysis.
"You still good to go buddy?" Ash asked, gritting his teeth at his overconfidence that had led to the current situation. Slowly, Charizard forced himself upright, standing, but still reeling from the attack.
"Impressive. Most Pokemon from challengers go down to a single blast from Electabuzz's Thunder, much less a super-effective variant. I wonder if it is wise of you to allow your Pokemon to continue in such a state though," neutrally offered Drake. Ash glared at the man. Charizard was fine, and Ash knew his Pokemon's limits. Time to shut him up!
"Flamethrower!"
"Thunderbolt!"
BOOM! Another explosion rocked the stadium, with both attacks cancelling each other out. Ash didn't even think about asking Charizard fly into the air again, not that he could sustain flight with his paralyzed status. Ash's ears, enhanced by his aura senses, perked up, hearing the patter of feet against the muddying floor. Electabuzz was getting close.
Drake's sending him in for a close-range attack, using the smoke as cover. Thunder Punch if I had to guess. Theres's no way we will be able to dodge thanks to that paralysis. Another super-effective hit may be the end for Charizard too… muddying floor? That's it!"
"Roll all over the ground Charizard and then brace yourself," softly called Ash, ensuring his Pokemon got the message, while hiding the order from Drake. Charizard sprung to action, muddying himself up like a child playing in the rain.
"Thunder Punch!" Ash finally heard, seeing Electabuzz appear from the smoke, once again clearing.
"Receive it and grab on!" Elecabuzz's fist flew forward, striking Charizard in the chest. Nothing happened. No electricity dispersed from the attack, being completely absorbed by the mud clinging to Charizard's skin, serving as armor. With one arm, Charizard grabbed the ironically shocked Electabuzz. With the other…
"DRAGON CLAW!"
WHAM! Electabuzz received a brutal slash filled with purple draconic energy, sending the feline Pokemon flying into a rock. Electabuzz sank to the floor with a groan, spent from the combined damage from Substitute and a point blank Dragon Claw.
"Electabuzz is unable to battle!"
"WHAT AN EXCITING TURN OF EVENTS! JUST WHEN IT LOOKED LIKE CHAMPION DRAKE WAS GOING TO GET ON THE BOARD, THE KID FROM PALLET TOWN DOES IT AGAIN! HE NOW HAS SIX POKEMON REMAINING COMPARED TO JUST TWO FOR CHAMPION DRAKE! ARE WE ABOUT TO WELCOME IN A NEW CHAMPION?" blared the announcer, competing with the pouring rain and the ravenous crowd in making noise.
I may be up 4-0, but at what cost? Charizard is exhausted and Venusaur wasn't able to get off that Synthesis. Two of my powerhouses are in dire straights, and Pikachu and Espeon aren't 100% either. Can't get overconfident, Ash thought internally, warily eying Charizard, who was breathing heavily, but stood proud.
"I suppose Charizard had more in the tank after all. Nicely done Ash. Now it's time for you to meet my own Venusar," spoke Drake, sending his variant of the Grass Pokemon out.
"Return Charizard," quickly ordered Ash, not even thinking of keeping him in.
"You did good. Now it's time for you to rest up." Turning to his side, Ash nodded at Espeon, who immediately pranced back onto the now completely muddy field, rain still pouring.
"Begin!"
"Sunny Day." Drake's Venusaur cried out to the heavens, returning the blaring sun to the battlefield in yet another change to the weather. Simultaneously, Ash had called for Calm Mind, upping Espeon's special attack and special defense. Her previous removal from battle had negated any boosted stats from the earlier bout.
"Solar Beam," called Drake. The beam of energy materialized immediately, making a beeline for Espeon at a high speed thanks to Sunny Day.
"Double Team into Agility. Run in random directions!" Espeon vanished, evading the beam and duplicating herself into fifteen carbon copies. Each one started moving about the battlefield at a high speeds, traversing it at random. Solar Beam continued, similar to Ash's Charizard's earlier stream of fire. Slowly, Espeon's copies began to be picked off.
The mud is slowing her down, observed Ash, seeing the slight downturn from Espeon's normal agile movements. Sunny Day was hardening the ground, but not fast enough. Venusaur didn't rely on fast movements for his own battle style, so it wasn't something he had to worry about.
"Adjust and start moving from rock to rock," changed Ash. Espeon and her remaining copies obliged, jumping up and leaping from various rocks, now avoiding Solar Beam completely.
"Enough! Cover the battlefield with Petal Blizzard!" Solar Beam ceased, replaced by powerful sharp petals, exploding from Venusaur and flying ahead in all directions.
"Psychic!" A powerful psychic blast burst from Espeon, meeting the oncoming petals head on. Thanks to the earlier power boost, Espeon's attack was just strong enough to negate Venusaur's, causing the petals to fall harmlessly to the ground.
"Again!" called Drake.
"Agility, weave through, and Psybeam!" This time, Espeon and her copies continued jumping from rocks, avoiding the second Petal Blizzard altogether, and successfully firing a Psybeam attack.
"SAUR!" cried Venusar, struck by super-effective damage.
"Get rid of those rocks with Earthquake!" Vensuaur raised his legs high, just as Ash's did earlier, ready to deliver a seismic attack.
"Make them pay! Psychic at full power!" Another powerful wave of psychic energy left Espeon, heading for Venusaur. The attack arrived just as Venusaur's legs hit the ground to deliver Earthquake.
"SAUR!" Yelled out Venusaur, in even more pain from this attack. The Grass Pokemon trembled from two super-effective blasts. Meanwhile, Espeon was dealing with the repercussions from Earthquake. All around the battlefield, the rocks exploded, destroying all of Espeon's copies and sending the original flying. She landed in a heap in front of her trainer, standing back up and shaking.
"Synthesis," smirked Drake.
"Morning Sun!" Ash countered with narrowed eyes. Both Pokemon healed, staring each other down as they did so. Sunny Day's presence only aided them both in almost completely recovering.
"Back to square one with this battle, but this time with no way to hide," chuckled Drake.
"Oh, and it appears Earthquake had another unintended effect," noted the man. Ash eyed the battlefield warily, trying to see what the man had meant. He froze when he saw it. The pond at the center of the battlefield had cracks, and was now completely drained of water.
So much for keeping Lapras and Cloyster in reserve…
"Razor Leaf!" fired Drake, jolting Ash back to the battle. Stupid! He needed to focus.
"Double Team and Calm Mind," recovered the boy, allowing Espeon to duplicate into twelve copies to avoid the oncoming leaves, while boosting her special attack and defense yet again.
"Swords Dance!" Venusaur roared again, and his body glowed with a sheen of white, sharply boosting his own attack.
"Psychic!" snapped Ash, trying to interrupt.
"Petal Blizzard!" Venusaur's attack left just in the nick of time, tearing through Espeon's boosted attack, and continuing on its path. Thinking on his feet, Ash reacted. He could only hope Espeon could read his mind with this one.
"Disappear and Double Team!" Espeon immediately dug a hole, leaping in. Several of her copies jumped after her, but a few were too late, and vanished when Petal Blizzard connected.
"Come on Ash. You know how this will end," sighed Drake with a disappointed shake of his head.
"Earthquake!" Venusaur raised his legs, looking to end the battle now. Drake's eyes widened when a single copy of Espeon appeared on the battlefield, sprinting towards Venusaur. The man hardened his resolve though, opting to ignore it.
"You already fooled me with that trick with Pikachu. Not going to work here! Now finish the attack!" yelled the man. Vensuar obeyed, slamming his feet down. At the same time, the one visible Espeon jumped, avoiding the vibrations and coming to reside just above Venusaur. Ash curled his lip when this copy didn't vanish. Espeon knew what he was thinking after all. All of her copies were obliterated underground, but the original survived in plain sight.
"FULL POWERED PSYCHIC!" Espeon's gem glowed like it never had before, firing a point blank twice boosted blast of psychic energy straight down.
BOOM! The pressure from the attack shoved Venusaur down, creating a small crater and rocking the stadium with the blast. Drake's Pokemon didn't even cry out, succumbing to the attack immediately.
"Venusaur is unable to battle!
"FIVE FOLKS! COUNT IT! THAT'S FIVE STRAIGHT VICTORIES FOR ASH RED KETCHUM! THE BOY IS ONE OF A KIND! HIS VICTORY SEEMS INEVITABLE!" The crowd clamored in agreement, making wild sounds of approval with their cheering.
"Way to go Espeon!" cheered Ash, a big smile on his face from the successful maneuver.
"You're the one with the ideas daddy. I just stick to the plan," replied the Pokemon, though she was clearly pleased, jotting up to her trainer with her own grin. A slow clap from across the battlefield interrupted the happy duo. They both looked to see it coming from Drake.
"You're not the only one to bring me to the brink Ash, but you are the first to do it without losing a single Pokemon. Nobody has even gone up 5-0 on me. For that, you've done more than earn my respect," nodded the man with a smile. He continued as his own lip curled, mirroring Ash's earlier expression.
"Still, I think I've figured you out. You thrive on unusual strategy to catch your opponents off guard. It's something that works well against Pokemon and trainers below, at, or slightly above your skill level. I wonder though… how might it work against a Pokemon with power far beyond your own? A Pokemon like my oldest friend," clarified Drake, unclipping the Pokeball that hung around his neck as he spoke.
"Let's find out. Dragonite, it's time!" passionately declared the man, tossing the ball into the air. The familiar visage of a powerful orange dragon surfaced, almost howling with his low dulcet tones, which had a unique beauty to them. Dragonite's feet hit the ground in a way that was anything but gentle, projecting its power from the start. The dragon's facial expression was surprisingly serene though, not displaying any fury or passion that Drake and his other Pokemon radiated.
"Looks scary," gulped Espeon. Ash couldn't disagree. He could practically feel the power in that creature.
That thing feels like it is on par with Lorelei's Pokemon for sure, nervously thought the boy. He'd have to be at his best. Taking a deep breath, Ash knelt down, looking into Espeon's eyes.
"You're right. Dragonite is going to be hard, but since when has that ever stopped us?" Ash asked, cracking a smile. Espeon's nerves fled, returning her trainer's expression.
"Start us off well," urged Ash, prompting Espeon to return to the battlefield.
"Begin!"
"Dragon Rush!" Ash and Espeon had no time to react. It was over before it even started. Dragonite disappeared, re-appeared, and rammed Espeon had on, covered in draconic energy.
BANG!
"PRINCESS!" cried Ash, seeing his Pokemon crash into a stadium wall and form a noticeable dent. Espeon fell and moved no more.
"Espeon is unable to battle!" called the referee.
"THE CHAMPION IS FINALLY ON THE BOARD, SCORING AN INSTANT KNOCK OUT WITH DRAGONITE!" Now, the crowd cheered, only this time it was for Ash opponent. Not that he cared, as Ash was still stunned from what had just happened. Slowly raising the Pokeball, Ash called Espeon back, glancing to the other side of the battlefield to see that Dragonite had returned to his starting position.
He's fast. Way too fast! And powerful! Too powerful! No more room for error. I have to be precise. Maybe his speed is something we can use against him?
"Venusaur, come back out!" Called Ash, sending his Grass Pokemon back to the field.
"Begin!"
"Stun Spore all around you," Ash called right away. His Pokemon reacted instantaneously, releasing the spores. The problem was, Drake hadn't bothered trying to repeat his strategy. Instead, he had called for…
"Flamethrower." The stream of fire came fast, connecting with Venusaur, who could do nothing to dodge, already committed to Stun Spore. Adding in the effect of Sunny Day did nothing to help. Like Espeon before him, Venusaur sank to the ground, instantly knocked out.
"Venusaur is unable to battle!"
"TWO ATTACKS AND TWO POKEMON KNOCKED OUT! HAS ASH RED KETCHUM BITTEN OFF MORE THAN HE CAN CHEW?" Ash bit his tongue, returning Venusaur with a suppressed scowl. Drake merely smiled, patting Dragonite on the back.
I can't make assumptions like that, or this battle is going to be over fast. Taking out Dragonite is going to require a team effort, so trying to slow it down with paralysis wasn't a bad idea. I think setting up is still the right play, but it may require another sacrifice. This time, it won't be in vain.
"Lapras, make your debut!" Like Dragonite, Lapras appeared, crying out with a musical melody. If she was feeling nervous at staring down a Dragonite for her first live battle, she didn't show it, instead displaying a youthful confidence.
"Begin!"
"Rain Dance!" instantly called Ash, putting his plan into action. Lapras sang to the skies, sending the sun away and calling back the rain. Meanwhile, Drake made his own move. Cognizant of the fresh spores surrounding Lapras, he chose to keep Dragonite at a distance, which was just fine.
"Thunderbolt," calmly ordered the man. Like the others, the attack came fast. Lapras had no chance. She cried out, shrieking in pain from the super-effective attack, dealing even more damage thanks to the rain. In one shot, Lapras fell to the floor, knocked out.
"Lapras in unable to battle!"
"CAN KETCHUM DO NOTHING TO STOP THIS COMEBACK?" cried the announcer. Now the cried was beginning to mumble, judging the boy critically for losing three Pokemon in rapid succession. Could such a child have truly saved the world? Again, Ash ignored this, calling back Lapras with a neutral expression.
Well done Lapras. You did exactly what I needed you to do. Ash paused here, taking stock of the field. Once more the hardened ground began to muddy. The pool at the center was still drained, but slowly began to fill with water. Dragonite itself simply waited, not bothered by the rain. Speaking of the rain, by now it had washed away the remnants of Stun Spore. Taking all of this in, Ash tossed out his next Pokemon.
"Cloyster," cried the crustaceous creature, opening its shell to reveal the darkened core with a smirking face.
"Begin!"
"Ice Beam straight ahead!" Ash cried out. A beam of ice quickly left Cloyster, heading for Dragonite on the other side of the battlefield.
"Fly away to avoid it," Drake responded nonchalantly. His dragon did so, easily avoiding the beam of ice.
"Keep up the attack Cloyster," Ash called, keeping his cool. On it went, Dragonite flying circles to avoid the ice, and Drake was content to let it happen, letting Ash's Pokemon wear itself out. Ash said nothing, letting his Pokemon continue for an inordinate amount of time. His stamina training, as with his other Pokemon, had done wonders for allowing Cloyster to keep up the attack. Suddenly, Dragonite cried out in pain, forcing Drake to narrow his eyes and focus. Ice Beam had done more than simply chase Dragonite. Some of the rain began to fall as hail and the dragon was getting pelted by it, taking minute quad-super effective damage that was adding up.
"Thunderbo—"
"SHELL SMASH!" Interjected Ash. Cloyster's shell exploded, flying in all directions, actually striking and stunning Dragonite. All that was left with Cloyster's black core. Annoyed, Drake repeated his order. Ash had more fun in store though.
"Ice Skate!" called the boy, completely baffling his opponent. Cloyster shot a beam of ice on the ground and dashed forward, using enhanced speed to dodge Thunderbolt and literally skate around on the ice. Ice Beam's earlier use had created plenty of other pathways for her to use as well, allowing Cloyster plenty of mobility.
"Clever Ash," grudgingly admitted Drake.
"Fly in close for a Thunder Punch!" Dragonite's speed continued to impress. The dragon was closing in, despite Cloyster's upped speed from Shell Smash and skating on the ice. That's why Ash suddenly ordered…
"Ice Shard!" Cloyster stopped, spinning around and delivering a super-effective blast, causing Dragonite to cry out in pain yet again. Still, Dragonite pushed through, sending a first coated with electricity towards Cloyster.
WHAM!
Cloyster flew into a wall, meeting the same fate as several other Pokemon from the battle. Dragonite meanwhile, sank to the ground, breathing heavily, and trying to ignore the ice it was still being pelted by.
"Cloyster is unable to battle!" called the referee.
"KETCHUM IS DOWN TO TWO POKEMON, BUT DRAGONITE ISN'T LOOKING GOOD FOLKS. HOW IS THIS THING GOING TO END?" Ash called back Cloyster, more than satisfied from its performance. Dragonite was injured, a mix of hail and rain continued to fall, and the pond at the center was practically full. The stage was set.
"Pikachu, I choose you!" pointed the boy.
"PIKA!" cried the mouse, sprinting onto the battlefield, completely fresh, having not battled since the start.
"Begin!"
"Dragon Rush!"
"Double Team!" Dragonite blurred as it had done earlier, but far slower thanks to its sustained damage. Pikachu had plenty of time to vanish, replacing himself with fifteen copies, surrounding the dragon.
"Thunder," uttered Ash.
"PIKACHUUUUUU!" Lightning coursed from a cloud high above, locking in on Dragonite thanks to rain dance. Dodging was not going to happen. Dragonite lit up, crying in pain.
"FIGHT THROUGH IT DRAGONITE! TWISTER" roared Drake
"Ice skate Agility!" Dragonite sent a powerful twister at the various Pikachu copies, wiping out a good chunk of them, but a few managed to dodge, gaining speed and skating on the ice.
"Thunderbolt Pikachu!" pressed Ash. Electricity left each copy, while they continued to move, inflicting even more damage. Dragonite was undeterred, refusing to go down. Meanwhile, Ash noticed Pikachu and his copies nearing the water. So did Drake.
"TWISTER AGAIN, BUT USE THE WATER!" A cyclone rose at the center of the battlefield, made entirely of water. Pikachu and his copies were sucked within.
"NOW OUTRAGE!" Dragonite soared forward, heading for the heart of Twister where Pikachu lied. Ash reached out with his aura, feeling for Pikachu. The mouse opened his eyes, and the boy knew it.
"FULL POWERED THUNDER!" Dragonite entered the Twister and Pikachu let it out.
"CHUUUUUUUUUU!" The cyclone turned a bright yellow, blinding everyone to what was going on, as it coursed with electricity.
"KEEP GOING PIKACHU!" cried Ash, yelling at the top of his lungs. Hearing the call, the intensity of the brightness grew.
"CHUUUUUUUU!" And then…
BOOM!
An explosion rocked the stadium. Smoke sizzled where the two Pokemon had met in the air. The cyclone died. Two Pokemon began to fall to the floor. One fell with a loud thud on two feet, while the other landed on his four feet, breathing heavily. Ash said nothing, looking ahead through the smoke. As it cleared, Ash and Drake saw both of their Pokemon, standing on opposite sides of the once again empty pond.
Dragonite huffed, sending a goofy smile at Pikachu, confusing the mouse. Pikachu flinched, one of his back paws giving out, but it was Dragonite who fell face forward. He didn't move.
"Dragonite is unable to battle! As Champion Drake is out of usable Pokemon, I declared Ash Red Ketchum the winner and new Champion of the Orange League!" called the referee.
"HE'S DONE IT! HE'S ACTUALLY DONE IT! DOWN GOES DRAKE! DOWN GOES DRAKE! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE DAY HAS FINALLY COME! WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!" A fury took the crowd. Ash was drowned out by an explosion of sounds. Cheering, applause, confetti, stamping of feet, and more.
"I-I did it," mumbled the boy, a bit shocked himself at the outcome. Pikachu falling forward snapped Ash out of it though and he ran towards his pal.
"Pikachu!" cried Ash, sliding down to scoop him up into his arms. You okay buddy?" he asked in concern.
"Pika… Pikachu," weakly smiled the Pokemon, giving his trainer a thumbs up. Ash sighed in relief, returning it. Pikachu was ok. Ash and his Pokemon were champions. It was a good day. A hand appeared in front of the young man's face. Looking up, he saw that it belonged to Drake.
"Well done Ash," genuinely smiled the man, helping the boy up.
"Uh thanks Drake," awkwardly said the boy, not exactly sure where to go from here. Luckily, Drake did.
"It's pretty loud out here, and I can see that you're not exactly used to that," said the man, amused at Ash's uncomfortable expression.
"Follow me," chuckled the man, heading towards where he had entered the stadium from. Confused, but curious, Ash did, carrying Pikachu along the way.
Mysterious Hall
Leaving the loud and boisterous atmosphere of the outside, Ash followed Drake until the two of them eventually came to an old door made of stone. Fishing something out of his pockets, Drake placed what looked like a pebble into a hole. The door creaked open, and Drake motioned for Ash to move inside.
With trepidation, Ash stepped forward, entering a surprisingly spartan room. To be honest, he had been expecting something grand after all this silent walking. Still, there were some interesting things. Pillars aligned the room. Between each set of pillars, resided a stone tablet and a picture. The tablets contained seven marks, while each photo displayed a trainer and six Pokemon.
"You find yourself, Ash Red Ketchum, in the Hall of Heroes. It is where those who have conquered the Orange League are forever enshrined with their Pokemon. An apt name for one such as you," Drake said, stepping up next to Ash.
"It is pretty cool," Ash said, warming up to the place. Perhaps having a fancy area wasn't important. The idea of trainers and their Pokemon being recognized in such a fashion. Well, that was more than enough.
"It is, and you will join them, forever remembered here, but that can wait."
"Wait?"
"Well, your Pokemon do need to be healed before they can pose for a photo and make their mark," noted Drake. Ash blushed at that, but furrowed his brow in confusion again.
"Well, why are we here then?"
"Because Ash, you're champion now, and that means something more than winning a trophy and getting a place on the wall here."
"It does?" Drake sighed.
"Ash, when you beat me, you took my job. I'm no longer champion of the Orange Islands. You are. The position is yours to defend."
"WHAT?" Ash half-yelled and half-panicked.
"You didn't know?" Drake asked, once again amused.
"Well, I kind of expected the trophy, a cash prize, and maybe something like this," Ash gestured to the wall.
"But, I didn't really think about anything else," admitted the boy. Drake placed a comforting hand on Ash's shoulder.
"Well then it's a good thing I'm here to explain it. First, it's really not that big of a deal. There's no big ceremony. Unlike the champions from mainstream regions, such as Kanto, there isn't much to the job either. You have no government authority or power. You don't even have to make public appearances if you don't want to. All you have to do is defend your title when a challenger earns the right to battle you."
"Phew," exhaled Ash.
"And it does come with some perks. You mentioned a cash prize. Well, I'm sorry to say that there will be none of that for this battle. You do get an annual salary of 1,000,000 Poke for each year you hold onto the position. It's your share of the revenue generated from all Orange League events. Payments will be deposited to an account of your choice every two weeks." Ash goggled at the amount. That was twice as much as the prize from that tournament back at the Laramie Ranch!
"You also get this key," added Drake, handing over the pebble.
"Guard it well. The Hall of Heroes is a sacred place, only meant for those who have overcome the perils of the Orange League. Now, I can see you have some questions, so ask away."
"Can I continue my journey?" Ash asked. Really, that was the most important thing here.
"I don't see why not. You would need a way of getting back here fast though in the event of a challenger popping up, as you'd only get a twenty four hour notice. That shouldn't matter for a few months though. No other challenger has more than a single badge at the moment," mentioned Drake.
"Oh, I think I have an idea for that," Ash answered, brushing that issue aside.
Espeon won't just be learning Future Sight.
"Very well. Anything else?" Ash adopted a guilty expression now, looking at Drake with worry.
"Yeah… what about you? You said I took your job…" Drake laughed, waving his concern away.
"I'll be fine Ash, but I appreciate your concern. Our battle showed me that I still have a lot to learn. I've neglected the training of several of my Pokemon in favor of Dragonite. I intend to go on my own journey and fix that. After that, maybe I'll be back for a rematch," winked the man.
"I'd like that," smiled Ash.
"And Drake?"
"Yes?"
"Can you do me a favor?"
"Sure…"
Post Victory Press Conference (A Few Hours Later)
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN CHAMPION KETCHUM IS UNAVAILABLE FOR COMMENT?" cried out a distressed reporter.
"What I said. Champion Ketchum is officially on vacation. He'll be back for his first challenger though. Until then, he asked that I give you his best regards," smirked Drake, turning to walk away.
"AND YOU DRAKE? ANY COMMENT?" Pleaded the reported. Drake slowly turned, his eyes twinkling before he gave his response.
"No comment."
Meanwhile in a Helicopter above the Orange Island Seas
"That was pretty decent of Drake to help you out like that," pointed out Brock.
"Yeah, he's a cool guy," agreed Ash with a grin. Thanks to Drake, Ash was able to get his Pokemon covertly healed, take his picture, make his mark, and take off in a Kanto League Helicopter that Lance had left waiting on the island. All of this was done in a few short hours, and it was all done with Ash once again escaping the press.
"You know, you are going to have to appear on camera and talk to an actual reporter some day," Misty said.
"But that day is not today!" declared Ash
"Why do I even bother?" muttered the girl.
"Full speed ahead sir!" beamed Ash, ignoring Misty's statement. Valencia Island beckoned. After that, a return home to Kanto. He didn't admit it, but Ash was looking forward to his homecoming. He had a bright new trophy and title to show off, but more importantly, he missed his mother.
END CHAPTER
It's been a while, but I hope the wait was worth it with this battle! Not many authors, or the anime, cover the repercussions for winning the Orange League. So, I made up my own. Hope you liked it!
Next Time - Ash and Co pick up the GS Ball, a pit stop is made for a certain ceremony and a big change, Ash is welcomed home to celebrate a special occasion, and we may end the chapter with a dramatic cliffhanger. I can feel the Indigo League Conference getting closer!
Sd74 - Thanks for the review! I hope you are liking the story. Feel free to offer critique when you catch up.
TalesFanJMF - Thanks for the review! Lucario's past is fun to hint at, so I'm glad you liked it. We will explore it more down the line, but not for some time.
Reader - Thanks for the review! Misty has had a while to come to terms with her leaving, but it was sprung on Ash out of the blue, who is younger here. I guess that explains the shifting dynamics. In answer to your Whirl Cup question… maybe ;)
Espeon860 - Thanks for the review! Lapras will be staying. It is sad she didn't get to contribute much during this battle, but given her lack of experience, I did want to make it somewhat realistic.
Reader2 - The battle with Drake was written the way it was intentionally. In the anime, Ash had four Pokemon remaining when Drake called out Dragonite as his only remaining Pokemon. Dragonite proceeded to wipe the floor with all of Ash's Pokemon until Pikachu won in the end. As my version of Ash is more powerful, I wanted to increase this. Thus, Ash ended the battle with two Pokemon remaining, though both of them were extremely weak. I feel like Drake neglected his other Pokemon in training in favor of Dragonite, which I did touch on near the end there. Also, I agree to an extent. The Orange Islands always felt like a giant side quest, but it was one that had to be done. Finally, Ash is not an idiot who will reset every region, particularly like he did in Unova… Anyway, I have a work around for him getting stronger, which is similar to the anime in a sense.
Remember to review with your thoughts and critique : )
Smell ya later!
