"I can't believe we're really doing this." Ash said sitting next to Brendan.
"I can't believe Flannery is fighting for someone else's gym." Brendan said.
"I can't believe Zap Cannon missed." Wally complained.
"I can't believe you went from two gym leaders to these three." Brock said, watching the shocked faces of Wally and Brendan.
"He's right guys, be serious, Flannery is going out on a limb to save the Pewter Gym, give her your support. Go Flannery!" Ash cheered,
"This will be a three on three match just like before, the winner will be decided when either side is out of usable Pokemon." The judge said. "Trainers at your ready."
"Ready." Flannery said.
"Ready." Lola said, far happier.
"Solrock come out!" Flannery said.
"Let's go Blastoise!" Lola called out.
"Solrock use Rock Throw!"
"Blastoise use Hydro Pump!"
Solrock spun forward, slamming into Blastoise's hard shell, easily avoiding Blastoise's attack.
"You know while I was training, I watched a lot of league videos, including a certain Johto League match featuring a Blastoise." Flannery said. "And what I learned is those cannons can't hit if you're up close."
"Wait, is she talking about my match against Gary?" Ash asked.
"I think she is." Brock said.
"Solrock use Flamethrower!"
Solrock spun in place, releasing a mighty stream of flames, that even pushed Blastoise back.
"Blastoise use Crunch!"
"Solrock use Psychic!"
Solrock lifted the charging Blastoise into the air with ease, keeping the water type's cannons pointed upwards and away from it.
"Now Solrock use Solar Beam!"
Solrock released Blastoise from the psychic hold and began charging up as the water type crashed to the ground.
"Quick Blastoise while its charging use Hydro Cannon!"
"Come on Flannery, you've got this." Ash said.
A stream of water shot from both of Blastoise's cannons, combining into one powerful stream heading straight for Solrock. Just as it was about to his, Solar Beam went off, pushing back against the water until Blastoise was left tired and quickly absorbed by the light.
"Blastoise is unable to battle, the winner is Solrock!" The judge declared.
"Hey Ash, not that I'm worried yet, but does Flannery have enough rock types for a three on three match?" Brock quietly asked.
"In fact, she does not." Wally said. "And her second is Magcargo, so we're in trouble if Solrock goes down. OW!"
"Be more supportive, she was for you." Brendan said.
"She wasn't here for my fight!" Wally exclaimed, rubbing the back of his head.
"BOTH OF YOU JUST SHUT UP!" Flannery yelled.
"Sorry Flannery." Brendan and Wally apologized.
"Now, where were we?" Flannery asked.
"Very well. Blastoise return, you did wonderfully. Come out Tentacruel!"
"Solrock use Psychic!"
"Tentacruel use Wring Out!"
Tentacruel's tentacles shot out, wrapping around Solrock and squeezing tightly, not letting it go.
"Solrock return!" Flannery said. "Let's go Solrock, use Flamethrower!"
"Wait did she just switch out Solrock for Solrock?" Wally asked.
"It's not a common tactic, but a way to get rid of non volatile attributes that is technically legal." Brock commented. "Not many trainers even think about it as a possibility."
"Tentacruel use Hydro Pump!"
"Solrock use Psychic!"
Solrock's eyes glowed brightly as the water spun around the battlefield, avoiding Solrock at all costs.
"Solrock use Flamethrower!"
"Tentacruel use Sludge Bomb!"
The poisonous blob was immediately sent up in flames by Solrock's attack, resulting in an explosion.
"Solrock use Psychic!"
"Tentacruel use Giga Drain!"
Solrock was drawn in as Tentacruel was lifted into the air.
"Solrock use Rock Throw!"
Rather than pulling away, Solrock launched right for Tentacruel, slamming into the poison type and causing it to crash into the wall of the gym.
"Tentacruel is unable to battle, the winner is Solrock!" The judge declared.
"Could she really pull off a sweep?" Wally asked.
"She's trained under at least three fire type experts. She has to know a thing or two about fighting water types." Brendan reminded.
"Let's just hope she'll be enough." Brock said.
"I trust that she is." Ash assured.
"Tentacruel come back! Let's go Gyarados!" Lola said, getting angry.
"Sounds like fun. Solrock take a rest. Let's go Magcargo!" Flannery said.
"I can't watch." Brock groaned.
"I can. Magcargo is her ace Pokemon." Ash said. "Things are getting good now."
"Magcargo use Lava Plume!"
"Gyarados use Hydro Pump!"
Lava spewed from either side of Magcargo's shell, rocketing towards Gyarados as a blast of water came at them, resulting in a growing cloud of steam.
"Wait, if they've collided, why is it getting hotter still?" Wally asked.
"Purgare Fumum." Brendan said, raising his hand causing the steam to disappear, showing that Magcargo's attack was still going.
"That's Flannery for you." Ash said.
"Now Magcargo use Rock Slide while they're recovering!"
"Recovering from what?" Brock asked.
"The heat, and Flannery has definitely brought it this time." Ash said.
"Hey I helped." Wally said.
"Its true, his Magneton did cause the pool to drain." Brendan said. "Sorry about that by the way."
"No problem, I always hated it anyways." Brock said.
"Magcargo use Body Slam to TAKE THEM DOWN!" Flannery said, emphasizing the last parts.
Magcargo leapt with surprising force into the air, slamming into Lola's Gyarados and sending both of them crashing back down to the ground with a resounding thud.
"Gyarados use Hyper Beam!"
"Tank it, and use Rock Slide!"
A burst of white light shot out from Gyarados, engulfing Magcargo in an instant, as the beam cleared, Magcargo was still upright, though a little damaged at this point, before sending rubble from the bottom of what used to be the gyms pool at Gyarados, pinning the water type to the ground.
"Gyarados is unable to battle, the winner is Flannery." The judge declared.
"No! No no no no no!" Lola exclaimed. "I tried so hard to be a part of this family, a part of this gym, and you just had to go and have me kicked out!" Lola said angrily to Brock.
"Mom, stop it." Brock said. "You kicked us out of the gym first."
"Because you refused to meet my needs!" Lola exclaimed.
"We are a Rock type gym first and foremost, we have a pool section per league requirements, but turning the entire gym into a pool isn't a good strategy for us." Brock said. "Look, you've been gone a long time, you couldn't just expect things to be fine right off the bat."
"But they could have been!" Lola plead.
"No, in your absence I became the adult of the house, both the mother, and the father, on top of being the gym leader. Now Forrest is the gym leader, you can't rush into this." Brock said, never raising his voice.
"How am I supposed to be a part of the family then! I can't run the gym, and I'm barely needed at home!" Lola said.
"Why not work at that?" Flannery asked. "Coming from someone who has had to find their place in an old team, I can tell you the first step is just rejoining and making an effort to be there."
"You think that'll work?" Lola sniffed.
"I don't know, I don't know your family all that much, but if Brock is friends with Ash they can't be all that bad." Flannery said.
Authors note:
A Flannery chapter done right for once. This is leading into where her character was going to go originally, but plans changed, I didn't like how they changed so I removed her, but then I brought her back so now the original plans are wrapping up!
