"Absolutely not." Blaine said. "You are not ready to quit your training already."

"But master, this is my decision alone." Flannery argued.

"You came to me with a broken heart, asking to be taught in my ways." Blaine said. "And I told you I would teach you, but you had to do exactly as I said. And now I'm saying you aren't ready."

"Master, I've fought things no one could ever dream of, I'm more than ready." Flannery said.

"Then prove it. Prove you are a master fire type trainer in battle." Blaine said.

"I feel like we shouldn't have come along for this part." Wally whispered.

"You green haired child, you are up first!" Blaine said.

"Wait why am I being tested!?" Wally asked in shock.

"You aren't, but my pupil needs opponents. You will battle her using your two Pokemon best suited for fighting fire types. Let me see what you have." Blaine said.

"This seems rigged." Brendan pointed out.

"Coming from the guy with how many Pokemon that are good against fire?" Ash joked.

"Touché." Brendan commented.

"Alright, Flannery your opponents will be this boy's Quagsire and Flygon." Blaine instructed.

"I'm still confused." Wally admitted.

"Join the club." Ash and Brendan said.

"Flannery choose your Pokemon wisely, these are critical battles." Blaine said, standing in the center of the arena. "Trainers, send out your first Pokemon!"

"Quagsire lets go!" Wally said.

"Master, may I use any of my Pokemon for this?" Flannery asked.

"Any that you have readily available here." Blaine said.

"Thank you master. Castform come out!" Flannery called out.

Castform flew out from a side hall, already in it's sunny form.

"With all the heat Castform is already a fire type." Brendan chuckled.

"Won't do it much good against a water and ground type though." Ash said, watching the battle unfold.

"Quagsire use Waterfall!"

"Castform use Solar Beam!"

Castform spun in the air before firing off a beam of light energy that engulfed Quagsire.

"That's not good." Brendan said. "With this heat, she doesn't need to charge. Solar Beam to use it."

"Of course not! Any fire type trainer has something like that up their sleeves at all times." Blaine said.

"Quagsire use Headbutt!"

"Castform use Weather Ball!"

Castform launched a red fiery orb towards Quagsire, sending the water type crashing back into the ground.

"Now Castform use Solar Beam!"

"Quagsire dodge it and use Yawn!"

Quagsire, ever the slowpoke didn't react in time to both dodge and attack, so while it was engulfed in the beam of light, Castform was surrounded by the sleepy cloud.

"Quagsire is unable to battle, the victor is Castform." Blaine said.

"Quagsire return. Flygon let's go!" Wally said.

"Castform use…" Flannery said only to be interrupted.

"Flannery, you are not to use Castform again. What are you planning on proving with only using a single Pokemon." Blaine demanded.

"Sorry master." Flannery apologized. "Castform return. Come out Magcargo!"

"What's her plan with Magcargo?" Ash wondered out loud.

"Flygon use Sand Tomb!"

"Magcargo use Lava Plume!"

A stream of lava shot from both sides of Magcargo's shell, instantly turning the sand into glass before striking Flygon midair.

"Flygon use Dragon Claw!"

"Magcargo use Body Slam!"

Magcargo leapt with surprising agility, landing on top of Flygon and pushing it to the ground, its attack never having gotten close.

"Magcargo use Rock Slide!"

"Flygon use Hyper Beam!"

Flygon reared its head around, letting loose a beam of white energy blasting Magcargo off of it before flying out of the way of the rocks.

"Magcargo use Lave Plume!"

Flygon was still recovering from his previous attack as he was struck by the two bursts of lava, knocking the dragon out.

"Flygon is unable to battle." Blaine said. "Flannery, that was sloppy at best."

"Hey she did great!" Brendan said.

"Is that what you think?" Blaine questioned. "Then you will be her next opponent, but use Pokemon that would do poorly against fire types."

"Okay… not really my style, but I can try." Brendan said. "Pinsir let's go!"

"Magcargo return." Flannery said. "Let's go Houndoom!"

"Pinsir use String Shot!" Brendan called out.

"When'd Brendan get a Pinsir?" Ash whispered.

"Right, you were in the middle of a crazy battle last time he was out by you." Wally said.

"We caught Pinsir and Scyther on Six Island." Wally commented.

"When'd you catch a Scyther?!" Ash asked.

"I told you, about the same time Brendan caught Pinsir." Wally said.

"Houndoom use Fire Fang!"

Houndoom bit down on the string shot, setting it ablaze, the flames quickly traveling right towards Pinsir.

"Pinsir use Super Power!"

"Houndoom use Crunch!"

Pinsir charged forward, slamming into Houndoom, as the dark type's fangs got stuck in Pinsir's hard shell.

"Now Pinsir use Guillotine!"

Pinsir flipped forward, getting Houndoom between it's horns before clamping down on their opponent.

"See now that is what I call sloppy." Brendan said proudly. "Except that this was a test for Flannery, not for me." Brendan remembered.

"Precisely." Blaine said. "This was a poor example of a fire type trainer. How can you not even defeat a bug type?"

"I'm sorry master, it was a mistake." Flannery apologized.

"Yes, I believe this was, but like all tests, you must finish this one." Blaine said sternly.

"Pinsir come back." Brendan said. "Shiftry you're up!"

"Houndoom return, come on out Magmortar!" Flannery called out.

"Just so you know, I don't plan on going easier on you this round." Brendan said.

"Because Shiftry has had much luck battling fire types?" Ash joked.

"Magmortar use Fire Blast!"

"Shiftry use Razor Wind!"

Shiftry flapped his fans, trying to hold off the fire blast, still taking heavy damage in the end though.

"Magmortar use Flamethrower!"

"Shiftry stop it with Feint Attack!"

Shiftry sliced its arm forward, disrupting the flamethrower momentarily before being engulfed by it in the end.

"Better." Blaine said.

"Thank you master." Flannery said.

"I said better, still far from great. You should have led with Flamethrower, you know the fans of Shiftry can't stop that stream forever." Blaine said. "Ash, you're up."

"Of course I am." Ash sighed, standing up.

"Ash, hold on, I wish to battle alongside you." Lucario said.

"I can't do that." Ash said. "I have honor in battles, and battling with you isn't an honorable way to fight someone, even an old friend."

"I do not understand." Lucario said.

"Ash likes using his Pokemon in battle." Brendan commented. "The Pokemon he caught and raised, he doesn't feel right any other way. Even rental Pokemon are weird for him."

"So to battle with him, he wants to capture the Pokemon." Lucario said.

"That or borrow one of ours, but only in an emergency." Wally said.

"Interesting." Lucario said.

"Blaine, who should I use?" Ash asked.

"As the only one of the four of you to have earned my gym badge, I will allow you to use your best judgment." Blaine said.

"Alright then." Ash said.

"Allow me to go first. This Pokemon holds a special place for us. Solrock come out!" Flannery called out.

"Quilava come out!" Ash said, not moving his hand from where it was.

"Solrock use Stone Edge!"

"Quilava use Lava Plume!"

Stones shot up straight at Quilava, as the fire type launched forward with the stream of lava, narrowly avoiding the attack.

"Quilava use Hidden Power!"

"Solrock use Cosmic Power!"

Orb's launched out from Quilava's spine as Solrock was covered in a strange energy.

"Quilava use Flamethrower!"

"Solrock use Gyro Ball!"

Solrock spun in midair, redirecting Quilava's flames away from it, taking away any damage.

"Quilava use Lava Plume!"

"Solrock use Stone Edge!"

Quilava leapt forward, covering Solrock in lava as stones jutted from the ground.

"Solrock turn around and use Solar Beam!"

Solrock spun around, blasting Quilava who was readying an attack at that moment.

"Quilava use Hidden Power!"

"Solrock use Gyro Ball!"

Solrock spun at Quilava, as orbs of energy shot back around at the rock type, knocking them both out at once. Blaine remained silent as both Pokemon were recalled.

"Blaziken let's go!" Flannery exclaimed.

"Ready Pikachu." Ash said.

"Same old predictable Ash." Flannery said. "Blaziken use Blaze Kick!"

"Pikachu use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu spun around, blocking the Blaze Kick, before tossing the fire type backwards.

"Blaziken use Sky Uppercut!"

"Pikachu use Shock Wave!"

Pikachu whipped his tail around, sending out a pulse of electricity as he was launched into the air by Blaziken's claws.

"Pikachu use Quick Attack!"

"Blaziken keep up with your Quick Attack!"

The two Pokemon sped around the arena, neither making headway on the other for very long.

"Pikachu use Thunderbolt!"

"Blaziken use Overheat!"

Blaziken unleashed an intense burst of heat, as a bolt of electricity shot through the attack, zapping Blaziken.

"Blaziken use Blaze Kick!"

"Pikachu use another Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu sent a bolt of electricity up through Blaziken, knocking out the fire type for the win.

"I've seen enough." Blaine said.

"Master this isn't fair, Brendan won the minor Hoenn league, and Ash has competed in three Pokemon Leagues." Flannery argued. "You can't call me out about not being strong enough as a fire type trainer."

"You can't even defeat a bug type." Blaine argued.

"It used a one hit knock out!" Flannery argued. "You know what, I don't care. I'm done."

"Flannery, think about what you're saying." Blaine said.

"I know, I'm saying I'm done. I can't stay here forever trying to reach perfection, that dream is out there somewhere, and I can't wait around for you to say I'm there." Flannery said. "Let's go guys."

"Never thought I'd be happy to hear her want to join us again." Ash commented. "Next stop Metallica Island."

Brendan's Current Team and their moves

Swampert: Ice Beam - Rollout - Hydro Cannon - Mud Shot

Shiftry: Razor Wind - Faint Attack - Leaf Storm - Extrasensory

Aggron: Double Edge - Earthquake - Rock Tomb - Metal Claw

Rhyperior: Mega Horn - Crush Claw - Aqua Tail - Rock Blast

Hypno: Confusion - Headbutt - Hypnosis

Pinsir: Guillotine - Superpower - String Shot

Ash's Current Team and their moves

Pikachu: Thunderbolt - Quick Attack - Shock Wave - Iron Tail

Sceptile: Double Team - Leaf Blade - Dig - X Scissor

Swablu: Peck - Mirror Move - Dragon Pulse - Heat Wave

Quilava: Flamethrower - Lava Plume - Hidden Power - Brick Break

Sneasel: Ice Shard - Agility - Thief - Metal Claw

Wally's Current Team and their moves

Gallade: Teleport - Psycho Cut - Night Slash - Aerial Ace

Flygon: Sand Tomb - Crunch - Dragon Claw - Hyper Beam

Cacturne: Pin Missile - Needle Arm - Sandstorm - Drain Punch

Farfetch'd: Peck - Swords Dance - Knock Off - Poison Jab

Quagsire: Rock Smash - Waterfall - Ice Punch - Yawn

Scyther: X Scissor - Cut

Flannery's Current Team and their moves

Magcargo: Lava Plume - Rock Slide - Body Slam - Smog

Solorock: Psychic - Flamethrower - Rock Throw

Blaziken: Blaze Kick - Sky Uppercut - Overheat - Quick Attack

Castform: Sunny Day - Weather Ball - Double Team - Solar Beam

Houndoom: Crunch - Dig - Fire Fang - Iron Tail

Magmortar: Fire Blast - Thunder Punch - Brick Break - Flamethrower