Chapter 50 Tanzan Cove Gym Battle

After getting inside the mansion, Ash finds that even Charlotte and Shelly are there, but all of them are sitting in the living room discussing what happened to Saphira.

Anna: Yeah, but she was so cool riding that giant Steelix! Do you think when she comes back, she'll let us all take a ride together?

Noel: Anna, she fell off of it at the peak of Tanzan Mountain. Saphira probably won't make it.

Anna: (Glares at Noel) Noel! Don't lie!

Noel: I'm not. Nomos says it's a rough fall too. Don't get your hopes up, all right?

Delia: Noel. If you don't have any hope, then how can you keep moving forward?

Charlotte: Oh, please. I'm sure she'll pull some mid-air "Dragonite, help me out!" thing and then just fly away peacefully. People in our family DON'T go out that easily.

Shelly: Speaking of your family... where are your parents?

Charlotte and Laura flinch at the question, and Ash and Delia are showing concern for both of them.

Charlotte: There's a reason we were in the Orphanage, you know. Rather than that, who was the woman with the Hydreigon?

Anna: There was a lady there? I didn't see anyone...

Noel: Yes, Anna. That Hydreigon didn't just appear on its own. Someone was riding it. Ash, would you have any idea?

Ash: Her name is Lin, and she seems to be gaining a lot of ranks in Team Meteor until recently she becomes the leader instead of Solaris...

Charlotte: ...Lin? That's a gross name.

Anna: Hey! You didn't happen to get my Pendant back, did you? The Amethyst Pendant?

Ash: (Frowns) No, I haven't...Team Meteor still has it, and they're going to use it as a key...

Anna: What do you mean, they're using it as a key?

Shelly: A key? Wait...I just remembered an old story I read... In the story, it described an ancient city built around the crash site of a meteor. The temple that housed the meteor was sealed by four crystal keys: Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, and Amethyst. But the city fell into ruin, and it was lost. What if your Amethyst Pendant is actually the key from that story?

Noel: Then, that would mean that the ancient city...

Charlotte: Became Reborn.

Shelly: So the ancient temple is just underneath Reborn City? That must be why they blew up the Grand Stairway! I heard when the city officials explored underneath the Stairway, they found a huge cavern with a ruin at its base.

Charlotte: They found the lock, and now they need the keys.

Anna: Heather's Ruby Ring must be one of the keys, too!

Delia: Indeed. We have to stop Team Meteor from getting those other keys. Whatever they're trying to do down there, it can't be good.

Laura: Which leaves Emerald and Sapphire, right?

Charlotte: Wait, so these keys are embedded into jewelry, right? (Turns to Laura) Laura, do you remember those Sapphire Bracelets Dad gave you as a present for your birthday that year?

Laura: Oh, I had entirely forgotten...

Charlotte: Where are they now?

Laura: I- I lost them when Mom and Dad died...

Ash: So the Sapphire Bracelets were from your family after all. (Ash takes out one of the Sapphire Bracelets, and both Laura and Charlotte gasp in shock)

Charlotte: That's the bracelet! Where did you get them?

Ash: I got it from Amaria, who said that she got it from her friend named Titania. It was two of them, so Amaria wants me to keep one from Team Meteor while she keeps the other one.

Charlotte: So you mean you and that Water Leader have Laura's Sapphire Bracelets all the time...

Laura: I can't believe that it survived the fire...

Anna: Fire? Is that where you got those burn scars from?

Charlotte: Anna, for the last time, I don't have any scars. (Shows her skin) See? Perfectly clear.

Shelly: I don't see anything...

Anna: Right! Sorry, I keep forgetting! I won't talk about them anymore! But since it is important, what fire are you talking about?

Laura: Um, well... It was something that happened with Charlotte when we were younger.

Charlotte: (Stands up and yells) Yeah, okay. I don't wanna be here for this. (Leaves)

Laura: Charlotte...! (Chases after her)

Ash, Delia, Noel, Anna, and Shelly look at one another with silence, until Shelly speaks a word.

Shelly: Awkward...

Anna: Yeah... Sooo...How's everybody doing...? (Comes up with an idea) Oh, I know! While they're out, why don't Ash and Noel finish their battle from earlier!

Noel: I suppose it's necessary.

Anna: Okay! Let's go outside. The last one there is a rotten Exeggcute!


As everyone gets outside, Ash and Noel are now standing at the sides, since Charlotte is not here, Delia decides to be the referee for both of her sons.

Noel: Okay. Nomos and I are ready whenever you are. Like before, take your place.

Delia: This will be a six-on-six single battle between Ash and Noel. Either Trainer can make substitutions, and the battle will end when all six of one Trainer's Pokémon have been knocked out.

Noel: Well, Nomos, do you think they can do it? (Turns to his doll before sending out his first Pokemon, a Cinccino)

Ash decides to go with Crabrawler for this battle after seeing the first Pokemon.

Delia: Begin!

Cinccino goes for Tail Slap, with the Skill Link ability, it attacks 5 times without misses, Crabrawler goes for Power-Up Punch, which raises the attack and deals some damage. But Cinccino goes for Bullet Seed, which is strengthened by the Grassy Terrain.

Ash: I forgot this is a Grassy Terrain...

Then, Ash has Crabrawler go for Crab Hammer, finally knocking out Cinccino. The second Pokemon for Noel is a Porygon-Z, and its ability Download causes its Special Attack to boost, and then it goes for a Psychic to knock out Crabrawler.

Ash decides to go for another Fighting Type, and this time he chooses Scrafty. Porygon-Z goes for Thunderbolt, with the boost of Nasty Plot, Scrafty is having a hard time blocking it with its pants. But it goes for a Focus Blast and then Head Smash, knocking out Porygon-Z.

Bewear is Noel's third Pokemon, and it goes for Hammer Arm, knocking out Scrafty. Ash decides to go with a Psychic-Type and he chooses Meowstic for this battle.

Noel: Use Ice Punch!

Bewear tries to attack with the Ice Type move, but because of the Hammer Arm causing it to be slower, Meowstic dodges the attack and goes for Psyshock, which is super effective. Bewear goes for Stomping Tantrum, but Meowstic goes for Dazzling Gleam first and defeats the bear Pokemon.

The fourth Pokemon for Noel is Swellow, and it is holding the Flame Orb.

Ash: Why does it have a Flame Orb? Unless...

And much to Ash's horror, Swellow gets burned by the item, and then it goes for Facade, which is better if the user gets status damage. And Meowstic was defeated by the attack. Ash decides to go for a Rock Type Pokemon, and he chooses Alolan Golem. it goes for Double Edge, with the ability to help, it is super effective. Swellow goes for Steel Wing, but it doesn't seem to do that much damage. In the end, the match is a draw with Ash using Self-Destruct.

The fifth Pokemon is Girafarig, and Ash goes for Wormadam in Trash Form. It goes for Iron Head, but much to Ash's surprise, Girafarig goes for Hidden Power and it is Fire Type, and it deals a lot of damage. But in the end, Wormadam still defeats Girafarig with Bug Buzz.

Noel: It's too bad. They can't always get what they want! (Sends out Clefable)

Ash knows that Clefable is not a Normal Type, but Noel is going to use it as his ace, so Ash decides to continue with Wormadam, however, it goes for Cosmic Power until it gets a lot of stat raise, and then it goes for Stored Power, knocking out Wormadam.

Ash: Sorry, Noel, but I'm going to do this. (Sends out Melmetal)

Everyone is surprised at the Pokemon, and it goes for Double Iron Bash, which is super-effective. Noel has Clefable go for Recover to heal itself, and Melmetal also lands a Thunder Punch, eventually causing Clefable to get paralyzed. And in the end, Melmetal goes for Double Iron Bash once more to knock it out.

Noel: Well, Nomos... I think they're setting a new standard.

Anna: (Hugs her brother) Yay! Great job, Ash!

Ash: (Smiles) Thanks, Anna.

Noel: In accordance with official Reborn League policy, I present to you the Standard Badge.

Ash gets his circular seventh badge from Noel, and he thanks him and puts it in his pocket.

Noel: By having the Standard Badge, Pokémon up to level 60 obey. That's all, right?

Laura: (Arrives) Did I miss something?

Anna: Ash just beat Noel for a Badge!

Ash: How is Charlotte?

Laura: She's fine, but I think she needs some time alone right now.

Anna: Can you tell us what really happened?

Laura: Um, well...It was a long time ago, but when Charlotte was very young, there was an accident. Back then, we all lived together. Charlotte, Saphira, and I, and Mom and Dad. She would sneak out late every night, usually just to play in the garden or stare out at the lake. Nothing harmful. And that was fine because it was safe here. But one night, she was playing with her Vulpix and...As you can see, it's easy for a fire to spread in a place like this...Saphira woke me up and rushed me out of the house just in time, but our parents didn't make it. Ever since then, it's just been Saphira looking out for us... Especially after the Doctor took us in. She's kept us safe for years. I really hope Charlotte's okay. I don't know what I'd do if she-If she were...

Ash and the others notice that Laura is about to cry, and Delia, being the one who knows the whole truth, hugs her like she is her own child.

Laura: I'm sorry, I shouldn't cry. I should be strong like Saphira...

Delia: No, it's okay. Cry all you need. Tears are just one way of getting sadness out of the body.

Anna: C'mon, let's go inside, okay? Nostra says you'll feel better if you have a snack and sit down.

Laura: All right...

After getting into the house, the others are trying to comfort Laura, and Ash decides to turn to Delia.

Ash: Mom, didn't you say that it was Team Meteor who burnt their parents? How come it was Charlotte?

Delia: Perhaps it was because of different viewpoints...I was told by Solaris about this before I got killed by his Garchomp...

Laura: (Walks towards her) T-thanks, Ms. Ketchum...You're right, I shouldn't be too hard on myself...I just can't stand the thought of losing either of them. Not when they're all I have. I don't know how they always keep their cool all the time. Saphira tells me- that our emotions make us strong. I understand how she finds the drive to fight as hard as she does all the time, but me...I think I'm just compromised. But then she tells me, no, I'm just a different kind of strong. I don't know what that means yet. But maybe someday I'll learn.

Ash: I'm sure you would.

Just then, Noel asks Ash to talk alone, and Ash nods as he follows Noel to the bedroom.

Noel: I know the others are trying to save face, but there's no use in denying the obvious. There's a very high chance that Saphira is dead. We can't sit around and wait for her. But there's no way Mom or Anna will let me leave. If we're being pragmatic, someone needs to go look for her. Based on where she and the Steelix fell, it won't be far from Tanzan Mountain.

Ash: I see, so you want me to look for them...

Just then, they can feel the ground shaking again, and they also hear Anna's voice.

Anna: Whoa! Did the top of Tanzan Mountain just explode?!

Shelly: That's... That's where Team Meteor's base was, isn't it?

Noel: Perhaps you'd better hurry.

Ash nods as he decides to leave the manse, before telling his mother that he needs to find Saphira.


And this is the end of the seventh gym battle. Ash is now heading to Tanzan Mountain again to find Saphira. I hope you like this chapter.