Junior:Welcome back to my story. Also, does anyone know why the name is 'A battle well served', not 'For the Joy of true battles'?.
Jade: U idiot, that was my doing. As a penalty. And why hide it?
Junior:(drags my hands down my face) What did I do?
Jade: The fact that you don't acknowledge me is bad. But first,
"We don't own anything related to pokemon".
Junior: Hehe, thanks. I forgot about this.
Jade:Of course you will and only my magnificence is redeeming you.
Junior: I am not that bad! I write all of these battles. Why don't you put that large vocabulary of yours to not berate me?
Jade: Unwise choice, for the imbecile of you fail to recognize and acknowledge my aid.
Junior: Argh, let's get going.
Without further ado, let's take off.
"What an amazing quarter final battle between Ash and Paul!" said the official league commenter as the screen flashed.
"Ash now proceeds to the semi-finals for the first time in his league career. Let us see what the match-ups for the semi finals are."
As soon as the commenter said, the screen showed the semi-final matchups.
"Hey dawn, do you know where Ash is?" Barry asked.
"No" Dawn shook her head.
"He left as soon as he gave his pokemon to Nurse Joy." Brock answered.
"Argh, he should be fined for missing my compliments on his battling. Where had he run off so quickly?" Barry shouted.
"To meet Paul presumably." A voice from the side.
Barry, Brock and Dawn turned to the side to see Cynthia Shinora.
"Champion Cynthia? I mean, why?" Barry shouted, a little calmer this time due to surprise.
Across the city, Ash was running to the stairs that led to the docks. "Paul." Ash shouted.
Paul looked back from below the steps with his usual face.
"Whenever two opposite fires meet, something grand is the output. And today's grand battle gave birth to something between those two as well." Cynthia continued explaining to Brock, Dawn and Barry.
"Respect for others' power and work. When they met, Ash and Paul hated each other. But they have grown to understand each other's style and respect it." Brock said.
"That's why today's battle is so amazing." Barry stated.
"And the one thing that made it all possible" Dawn said.
Back at the stairs, Ash was panting as he caught up to Paul, whose face was no longer in annoyance.
"Infernape's got a lot stronger." Paul stated coolly.
"Sure has Paul. Are you going?" Ash asked.
"I lost and I have no reason to be here." Paul stated as he turned away from Ash, "I will go back to snowpoint city and request Brandon to a rematch."
"Gotcha and good luck Paul." Ash said.
Paul was about to leave but then he half turned towards Ash.
"Be careful with Tobias ,Ash. He is a pale imitation of mine." Paul said as he clenched his bag straps tighter. "He thinks a pokemon power alone is enough but fails to recognize that how you train that power is the most important factor."
"Ash and Paul will someday soon reach the championship match and I will be looking forward to that day." Cynthia said to the three.
"So, Good luck and I will see you again soon," Paul said as he started climbing down.
"And one more thing Paul: Let's battle then." Ash said after nodding.
Paul was surprised for a second before he waved his hand and continued.
"Hey guys, how are you doing?" Ash asked as he came near the pokemon center, spotting Dawn and Brock.
"Fine. Where were you?" Brock asked.
"I went to see Paul goodbye." Ash said, but Paul's words ringed in his mind.
"Did he say anything?" Dawn asked in a suspicious tone.
"Just a… tip, yeah tip for my next match." Ash said.
"Funny that someone else too came here to warn you about Tobias." Brock said. "Cynthia."
"Cynthia? Champion Cynthia?" Ash asked in disbelief.
"She came here to warn you. Tobias was once a great trainer. Rough around the edges and a little unconfident about his tactics but got a heart of friendship. Yet, after losing for the 5th time in a league final to a first timer who taunted him about his methods of raising pokemon, he disappeared." Dawn said.
"And came back with legendaries after seven years. Now, he is a shell of his former fire, one who goes around showing trainers and their pokemon what the truth of pokemon is." Brock continued.
"She didn't want you to lose sight of that fire you showed in battle as Tobias might try to preach you the truth of the world." Dawn said as he air quoted the last part.
"Ash Ketchum?" Suddenly Nurse Joy called over the loudspeaker.
"I am here." Ash said as he went to the counter. "How are my pokemon, Nurse Joy?"
"Pikachu is completely fine and recovered quickly. I would wager a guess that this isn't his first time in a league?." Nurse Joy said.
"Yeah, this is his fourth league." Ash commented. Nurse joy nodded.
"Buizel and Gliscor have completely recovered too. Staraptor and Torterra were poisoned badly but Torterra's ground type and synthesis helped it a lot. Although your staraptor is fine, I won't say he is at his full potential yet." Nurse Joy said.
Ash sighed in relief before he asked, "What about Infernape?"
Nurse Joy steeled at this, "He is completely fine, but totally over-exerted. The blaze took care of his poison but the exertion was too much. So, I don't recommend using him in the semi-finals either."
Ash then got a solemn look on his face. Nurse Joy further took a deep breath and steeled herself for the oncoming argument.
"Please take good care of him, Nurse Joy." Ash said, with his head down as if ashamed of himself.
Nurse Joy's entire demeanor changed into confusion, "You won't take him to the semi-finals? I thought after today's performance you would put up more of a … ugh resistance?"
"True, he grew strong, but he isn't invincible. And he too deserves his rest." Ash said.
Nurse Joy smiled and continued to chat with Ash about his pokemon conditions but neither noticed the one in shadow.
'Another one who will suffer and hopefully he will learn.' Tobias thought as he turned away.
"So what pokemon are you going to use against Tobias?" Brock asked as they exited the center. "We only know he has darkrai."
"And infernape and staraptor are out of battle." Dawn said from the side.
"I know the right pokemon I will use against Tobias. I will show him that he wasn't wrong all along." Ash declared after a minute.
"You are going to bring them back aren't you?" Brock asked with a smile.
"Yes and we have two more days until the semi-finals." Ash said as he looked towards the night sky, "But dinner first."
(Tobias POV)
"Welcome everybody to the semi-finals of the Lily of the Valley conference. On one side we have Tobias, the mysterious trainer who vanished for the last 6 years, now back with a darkrai at his side. And a Darkrai it is, winning over entire teams without falling to his knees at the very least." The commenter announced as he entered the battlefield.
"On the other side we got a trainer from the pallet town, entering the semi-finals for the first time. The skills he displayed till now are impeccable along with the power of his pokemon. Let us see if he has what it takes." Ash entered the battlefield as the crowd roared in applause.
"This is a 6 on 6 pokemon battle with substitutions allowed. When all 6 pokemon on one side are unable to battle, the match ends." The referee said as he raised his flags. The battlefield opened up.
"We got grass terrain, which might be dangerous to Ash as he can't escape from Darkrai's dark void." The commenter said.
"Darkrai enter the battlefield." And his ace made his way to the battlefield.
"Go heracross." Ash called for his heracross.
"A type weakness? You are on the right path, kid. But when you deal with absolute power, type isn't much of an issue." Tobias said as he smirked.
"Absolute power doesn't exist, only the bond makes one stronger and stronger." Ash said.
'Maybe this kid is denser than I thought. No problem, A true nightmare is all it takes.' Tobias thought as he snickered internally at his pun.
"Darkrai, use dark void." Tobias said.
"Use swords dance." Ash called for.
Heracross used swords dance before dark void attacked.
"Hmm, if you don't attack, your increase in stat is useless. Use Dream eater." He called.
But Ash grinned, "Sleep talk."
And before Darkrai's dream eater reached full power, he was struck with megahorn.
"A minor inconvenience." Tobias said as he grumbled.
"Come on heracross wake up and use brick break." Ash called.
"That's not how you wake up a poke.." He was about to comment before heracross awoke, flapping his wings.
"Beginner's luck. Darkrai, dark void." Tobias commanded.
Unlike the previous times, Heracross escaped the Dark void and shot at Darkrai with a super-effective brick break.
'Maybe one of his aces next to pikachu. Explains the off-the-charts reaction speeds.' Tobias thought.
"Woah, Ash was lucky here." Barry said from the stands.
"No, he gave heracross a lot of sleep and placed some honey on the wings of heracross. He knew heracross would flap its wings to perform megahorn." Brock said from the stands.
"And the smell would wake him up. That's why he didn't use megahorn till now." Dawn stated.
"That is a stupidly clever strategy as far as I know of. Ash should be fined for not telling me this earlier." Barry exclaimed.
On the battlefield.
"Use Ice beam." Tobias ordered.
"Dodge it and go on with the megahorn." Ash said.
Heracross reacted again in record time and dodged most of the ice beam but what struck him, was thwarted by a swipe from megahorn. And by the time Darkrai ended his Ice beam, Heracross was in Darkrai's face and hit him with a megahorn encased with ice, breaking the ice and hitting hard simultaneously.
Darkrai this time fell back to ground from his floating but shook his head and floated back up.
'Something is amiss. Heracross's moves are unnaturally strong for something thwarted with Ice.' Tobias thought when it hit him, 'Guts. Clever kid, foolish in his ideals but nevertheless a clever one to sacrifice his health for the power. Now, he just needs to remove that INFESTATION in his eyes.'
"Use dark pulse." Tobias said.
"Dodge it." Ash called.
"Till it connects." He shouted.
"No matter how strong your bond is, you won't win this boy. But I respect your strategy and battle smartness." He said.
But Ash grinned and said, "We will win this and you will see."
'That stupid grin. Those eyes that think that the bond is more important over the power, yet are willingly letting their friends to battle to reach their strengths. They need to be enlightened. Maybe then this infection within will end.' Tobias thought as he felt a forbidden ball on the back of his belt.
Darkrai kept on using dark pulses and Heracross was able to miss most of them but with time, it was getting worn and the pulses were getting nearer. The fire is going back, it is time to teach him once and for all.
"Now, hit it with all you got. Spark it up." Tobias called.
And this time Darkrai's dark pulse was coming in larger cones, with dark sparks erratically firing off the beam. This isn't just a thin and concentrated beam to escape, it is a large and chaotic release of power that only a legendary is capable of. This will be the end, even if Heracross did manage to escape the beam, he cannot escape the sparks and they will end it.
Tobias looked at Ash. His face was set into a thin line, as if contemplating the next pokemon? Tobias smirked, that's it, just a few more wins and he will be taught. But then he smiled. Not just any smile, that stupid smile of his, is he thinking he has strength enough to counter this? No friendship can…..
"Heracross, now use brick break." Ash ordered.
Tobias didn't understand, but Heracross reacted with no hesitation before the dark beam reached him and sliced the beam in half with his brick break.
"Megahorn." Ash ordered, and before he could finish heracross was launched.
Heracross then charged his megahorn and went head on slash on the beam. As Heracross clashed with the beam, the beam split into strands and Heracross was pushing back.
"Dark void." Tobias ordered.
Darkrai released his left hand from the dark pulse, decreasing its power, and powered the signature move. Heracross cut through the beam with double speed and was in front of Darkrai whose left hand held a charged dark void. This ends now.
"Brick break." Ash said and with reaction speed he didn't know any pokemon could, heracross launched a brick break on Darkrai's left hand. Which held the dark void and is now pointed back towards Darkrai.
In a blink, Darkrai was hit with both Heracross's brick break on its hand and its own dark void, going to sleep.
"Megahorn, before it wakes up." Ash commanded.
Heracross charged with his Megahorn at Darkrai, all while Tobias wondered, 'how? I was this close to winning. What does this stupid idiot have on me? I will crush him'
After two megahorns, Tobias saw Darkai's eyes flutter.
"Dark pulse now." Tobias shouted.
Darkrai, even in its half awoke state while skidding across the ground from the blow of Megahorn, charged a dark pulse at the unsuspecting Heracross. But after a few seconds, Heracross rebutted against the attack with Megahorn while Darkrai was back to his senses.
"Come on Heracross." Ash shouted.
And Heracross cut through the dark pulse, creating a great blast that blinded everyone.
When the dust cleared, "Darkrai and Heracross are unable to battle." The referee declared.
Tobias couldn't believe it, he saw many teams, teams of six fall to Darkrai but this kid did that with only one pokemon. Tobias was extremely pissed off from the answer he got, this kid should bow to the truth.
"Go Latios." Tobias called.
"Heracross return. You were awesome there." Ash said to his pokeball.
'Stupid emotions won't win you this battle, kid. Only true strength will. And let's see how you face a dragon of thought.' Tobias thought.
"Go Gible." Ash said as the gible appeared on the battlefield.
"Really? What do you think this is? Mockery? I will show you devastation, Latios end this match with your dragon claw." Tobias shouted angrily.
"Get ready Gible." Ash said.
The land shark readied itself to get away, but both Latios and Tobias saw it being inclined slightly towards Latios's dragon claw.
'A grave gamble. Win and you will have successfully escaped with your enemy's back to you, lose and you will face the entire power. Just on the precipice. This kid is just on the precipice.' Tobias observed.
"Now" Ash called.
"He won't escape As…." Tobias was cut off again as instead of sweeping away, gible just went to bite on latios's arm.
It seems the land shark has readied a bite attack all along and is now tightly clutching Latios's arm, who was crying out in pain from the super-effective move and Tobias observed that somehow, the draconic energy of dragon claw dissipated.
'Did Gible just eat…. a dragon claw? What is this kid?' Even though he asked it internally, a small voice in his head was replying, taunting that he was someone who didn't bow like himself. And Tobias promptly squashed that voice.
"Use psychic to get it off." Tobias ordered the panicking 'thought' dragon.
Latios swing his arm and used Psychic to get gible off and launched him high into the air.
"Luster purge, go." Tobias said.
"Dragon rush." Ash commanded.
Both Latios and Gible surrounded themselves with their respective psychic and draconic energy. As soon as Latios released the psychic energy gathered in the form of Luster purge towards Gible, Gible came down crashing with Dragon rush. Both attacks clashed with Gible coming down upon Latios due to gravity and when Gible was a foot away from Latios, an explosion occurred.
"Dragon claw." Tobias commanded.
"Draco meteor." Ash countered.
Gible was already flung high from the explosion looking as if it was biting something down in its mouth while Latios charged at Gible with a dragon claw. And then Gible looked down upon the incoming Latios and unleashed his draco meteor in the form of a blue-green orb.
Gible's natural draconic power and Latios's previous dragon claw power combined and were brought upon Latios, who was too near to dodge the attack. Just before striking, the meteor broke into pieces, effectively hitting all of Latios. Tobias never saw a draco meteor that came down instead of going up. The attack was powerful enough to blast Latios back down to ground while Gible slowly glided down to Earth, both panting heavily.
"Gible return." Ash recalled his pokemon. "Go pikachu."
It felt demeaning to him, like degrading him. Beating him with a bunch of unevolved and decent pokemon. Him who owned legendaries. He saw it with his own eyes, the power legendaries held. How? Just how can Ash do this to him? Did he never hold the power he thought he held? Was he the weak one all along? No, he will prove the kid wrong.
A small voice in his head said, 'maybe bcoz this isn't you, Tobias.'
'That's it. I will teach him and remove this infection once and for all.' Tobias thought.
"Use luster purge and end this." Tobias commanded.
"Use volt tackle." Ash called.
Pikachu started using quick attack to dodge Luster purge and charged up his volt tackle and lept onto a beam of luster purge, bouncing on it as if it was a stone and came crashing on Latios.
PIkachu then held onto Latios and Tobias understood what is about to happen.
"Use thunderbolt." Ash called.
"Use psychic and get it off you." Tobias commanded but before Latios could listen, Latios was shocked. Hard.
'Latios cannot concentrate enough now, why wasn't this thing faster before?' "Get it off you now." Tobias said.
Latios already started thrashing and after Pikachu discharged enough and the power was enough that Latios could push through, it used psychic to yeet Pikachu into the air.
"Use luster purge properly this time." Tobias shouted.
"Volt tackle." And before Ash completed Pikachu who was going in circles, turned and surrounded himself with electric power and came down on Latios like Gible previously had.
The two powers were evenly matched due to Pikachu descending from height and Latios not getting enough time.
"Iron tail." Ash called and just as both energies just dissipated, Pikachu charged an iron tail onto Laitos.
"Dragon claw." He called.
But he was late by a second and Latios was hit back to ground.
"Latios is unable to battle." The referee called.
"Go regigigas." Tobias didn't care. He will squash this pest.
"Go torkoal." Ash called.
'This is getting ridiculous. I didn't catch legendaries to lose to such weaklings. . .THING. NO matter what.' Tobias thought, clouded by rage.
"Use earthquake." Tobias said.
"Body slam." Ash said.
Due to regigigas's slow start, before the earthquake could reach Torkoal, it jumped. High. High enough that by the time it came crashing down, the Earthquake passed.
"Thunderpunch." He called.
"Heat wave." Ash ordered.
And the thunderpunch couldn't reach enough before it was engulfed in heat wave.
'Just a few more turns and we will sweep him.' Tobias thought.
"Use strength." Tobias called.
"Body slam." Ash called.
"Catch it." He ordered and Regigigas finally caught it. "Your lucky streak ends here. Flip it upside and use superpower."
Regigigas turned Torkoal upside down and shoved the turtle to the ground. And then charged up for the superpower on the flailing turtle.
"It doesn't matter,kid. The bond you hold, you only pit them against the inevitable. Legendaries are always the winner here." Tobias said as regigigas started to attack. But to his surprise, Ash smirked and he knew he was tricked.
"Sunny day." Ash said as Torkoal released a blinding light ball from his mouth that blinded Regigigas and made it hit the side of Torkoal, causing Torkoal to flip back into position a few meters to right due to the miss.
And Regigigas missed the rest of superpower from the light sunny day caused. But not before decreasing Regigigas stats.
"Why did I use it now? Arghhh" Tobias asked himself, out loud this time.
"Body slam now." Ash commanded as torkoal lept and landed on regigigas, toppling the giant and paralyzing him.
'How on the earth did that thing topple Regigigas?' Tobias thought.
"Use earthquake." Tobias said.
"Overheat." Ash called.
While Regigigas started the earthquake, before the first wave could pass, it was struck with an overheat. That was at full power and hyped by sunny day. Torkoal yet withstood the earthquake and continued his assault.
Tobias never thought he would be thankful for paralysis, bcoz if the heat he is feeling this far away is any indication, Regigigas will be thoroughly burned. A further attack drop and continuous burn damage is worse than a speed decrease for a very fast hitter.
"REGI" Regigigas shouted as the overheat ended. Finally, slow start is done. It is just pummeling down for Ash from here.
"Use thunderpunch." Regigigas moved at considerable speed and struck Torkoal, "Topple it."
Regigigas obeyed and hit Torkoal from underside, toppling it again. This time no sunny day will stop him.
"Super power and end this." Tobias ordered.
"Use heat wave at Regigigas's feet." Ash countered.
While the first strike was to hit, the heatwave caused Torkoal to spin around madly away from Regigigas whose only one punch landed. The heatwave residue surrounded Torkoal like a ring of fire. And Ash's face lit up.
"That's it." He shouted.
Tobias was ashamed but he was pretty nervous about what this kid has. He has to end this fast. "Earthquake. Tear the field apart."
"Withdraw into your shell and use heatwave continuously." Ash ordered.
Torkoal did as said and the ring of fire around Torkoal caused it to race away from the incoming Earthquakes, towards the wall and at last when the earthquake connected, it toppled Torkoal's shell to one side, the heatwave on that side compressing and blasting Torkoal off the ground.
"Stop it and hold tight." Ash ordered happily.
But Tobias wanted to rip his hair off. Nothing is going his way, even earthquakes. What the actual duck is going on? He has legendaries for arceus sake.
The torkoal's shell hit the wall and bounced back, high into air above regigigas. Finally something in his way. "Use superpower and never let it land."
"Now, continue with overheat." Ash ordered.
Torkoal, who was spinning from all the previous events, started spewing out overheat that caused multiple tentacles of fire to reach out to slap Regigigas.
But Regigigas continued to hit and dissipate all the whips of flames coming his way but when he went to the nearest rings of fire to Torkoal that were accumulated due to high spinning, another explosion happened.
When the smoke cleared, Regigigas was on his back, knocked out.
"Regigigas is unable to battle." The referee called.
Tobias looked at Torkoal whose head was still spinning in small circles due to all the spinning. "Return." Ash asked.
"Go squirtle." Ash sent out.
He knew he should have sent Zapdos or Suicune or even Entei but the events he saw unfolded were madness. He couldn't bear it.
When he failed for the fifth time in sinnoh league, everytime reaching top 4 but not making it further, Tobias felt weak. As if his view of the world was all wrong. He felt his own self crumble from the truth. Always struck in a place with no reprieve, just destined to suffer. But he wasn't alone then, he had her. She was his support and strength.
After he was done with his suffering, he decided it was enough. He should have caught Darkrai when it offered to join him. He trained his pokemon team strong enough to find and defeat Darkai. And then added to his team, while replacing a weak one.
The power he felt when Darkai was with him was incredible. He didn't think he could lose. Thus, began his quest to find more legends and replace his entire team.
But in the end, when he had to replace her with his Suicune, he just couldn't. Something was holding him back. He felt weak for depending on her yet, he wanted to get rid but his hands shook every time he reached to do so. That forbidden ball was always on him, a weakness he always wanted to remove. But now?
When his trust once again began to crumble, when his world was once again threatened to be ripped off, he went for her. No, he wanted her, Hide.
"Is that,... Tobias's starter?" Dawn asked in the stands.
But as the glow faded, Tobias saw his weakness stand. As she stood and locked her eyes on the screen displaying their pokemon, she steeled. Then looked at the opposing squirtle.
"Emp" roared his starter, empoleon as she faced him with a fire he trusted once upon a time.
Nothing was fine, he couldn't look at her. He neglected her for the last two years. Her last battle was with Zapdos. She is weaker than most of his legendaries, out of loop. They are destined to fail.
"You are right, we have come a long way, we will proceed and catch Darkrai. No need to deflate, we will climb over this obstacle or you can metal claw through this?" Tobias heard his slightly younger voice tell this to his empoleon, both of them on a snowy mountain with a large rock rubble preventing them from going forward.
"No matter how we fail, you and me." Tobias heard his teen voice say to a prinplup, "Will win this league together." The young boy completed as he looked at the league after losing there for the first time.
"We are strong piplup. Together. I can never leave you piplup. You are my partner, the otter half in my journey." A 10 year old voice of his said to his starter piplup after he caught a shellos and was laughing at the angry pout on her due to his pun.
Tobias couldn't handle it, he wanted to run away. He can't. He neglected her. Her who trained hard and helped him in every nook and corner for him. Her who repeatedly faced against legendaries just so he could catch them. The one who pulled the team together always after the defeats.
Just when he was about to fall to his knees, he heard her cry. Tear filled eyes met raging inferno.
"Emp empoleon." Empoleon said, but he could easily hear, 'we will win this, together. Remember?'
"That's right. Let us give our best, empoleon." He shouted, his voice full of fire.
"And we will give ours." Ash said as his squirtle nodded.
"Use rapid spin and get near." Ash called.
"Use steel wing." Tobias called.
Squirtle spun fast enough to levitate and escape Empoleon's attacks but he waited. And then when he was sure squirtle was in range, he shouted, "Now."
Empoleon spun his charged steel wing and clashed with Squirtle, who was flung back into the wall.
"Use hydro pump." Ash called.
Squirtle got back up from the wall and started spinning towards Empoleon with the hydro pump rotating around its shell. And when they collided, Empoleon's steel ring was slightly overpowering Squirtle's aquatic one.
For the spectators this was a show of full power. Empoleon's shiny metal ring collided with squirtle's aquatic rings, neither budging an inch when both the pokemon jumped back due to exhaustion.
But he knew empoleon is not done, by a large margin. "Show them the true hydro pump."
Empoloen immediately charged a hydro pump and hit squirtle, who was pushed to the ground.
"Go and use drill peck." Tobias ordered and before he was done, Empoleon was launched. And the earth near squirtle shattered from impact. And Squirtle was obviously out.
"Squirtle is unable to battle." Referee called. And Tobias could hop around in joy.
"Thank you very much Squirtle. Let's do this Pikachu." Ash said.
"Use volt tackle." Ash called.
"Steel wing." Tobias called.
Just before both forces collided, Empoleon crossed his arms in front forming a shield. When Pikachu clashed, Empoleon held his ground and pushed Pikachu back.
"Damn that empoleon is really strong." Ash said.
"Use hydro pump." Tobias called.
"Use quick attack and dodge it." Ash said.
Pikachu was able to dodge most of the streams but when Pikachu got near, Empoleon suddenly unleashed a full power stream at Pikachu before he could react.
"Pikachu use thunderbolt." Ash called.
Pikachu stood his ground and charged a thunderbolt on the incoming hydro pump. The hydro pump clashed with the thunderbolt and even when a few thunderbolts conducted and hit Empoleon, it didn't falter. And finally, Empoleon's hydro pump overpowered Pikachu and sent him onto the wall.
"Pikachu is unable to battle." The referee declared when the attack ended and Pikachu was unconscious.
"Empoleon" the empoleon roared.
"Thanks buddy, you were awesome." Ash said as he brought back his Pikachu.
"Go Torkoal." Ash called.
"Empoleon, hydro pump." Tobias asked.
"Leap above." Ash called.
Torkoal leapt up in time and Ash said, "Sunny day."
Being at height and sunny day shining hard temporarily blinded empoleon.
"Use bubble beam to your north, halfway up." Tobias said.
And Empoleon fired without delay and Torkoal would have been done for. "Overheat" But Ash was not keen on losing on the first turn itself.
While Torkoal was powered up from the sun, Empoleon's water attacks reduced, Torkoal attacking from a higher ground giving him an advantage, Empoloen's bubble beam had canceled off overheat.
"What are you waiting for? Drill peck and end this." Tobias shouted, full of life.
Empoleon leapt up faster than ever and launched at Torkoal, who was mid-air. Empoleon hit Torkoal and flew a few meters above before she turned around to hit Torkoal back to ground.
"Heat wave." Ash called.
But the heatwave wasn't strong enough and Torkoal was down while Empoleon stood tall and strong.
"Thanks a lot buddy. Go Sceptile." Ash said.
"Sceptile, be careful, this empoleon is very powerful and got a move against you." Ash warned.
"Use steel wing." Tobias ordered.
"Dodge it with leaf storm." Ash called.
Empoleon proceeded to cut, sorry slash through the storm as if it was thin air.
"Sceptile use solar beam." Ash called.
Due to the sun, Sceptile was able to charge up faster and hit Empoleon, who just came out of storm and was directly in front of Sceptile. The attack caused Empoleon to slide back a few feet and for the first time, caused him to fall to his knees.
"Use ice beam now." Tobias ordered, Empoleon already charged up.
"Solar beam again." Ash called.
Both attacks collided and a huge explosion took place as the sunlight faded.
"Use steel wing." Tobias called.
Empoleon spun so fast that all the smoke from the explosion was circling around her.
"Look for the center and use leaf blade." Ash called.
When both attacks collided, the smoke blew away from the sonic boom of the clash itself. Along with the Pokemon sliding back.
"Use x-blade." Tobias ordered.
Ash didn't know of such a move, but Empoleon proceeded forward with another steel wing, while Scpetile went in with a leaf blade. And when they were near, Empoleon swung his right wing fluidly across Sceptile's Leaf blade, causing Sceptile to turn a but then Empoleon brought down her other wing onto Sceptile.
Sceptile was flung back from the blow itself.
"Use ice beam." Tobias ordered.
"Dodge it and use solar beam." Ash countered.
Sceptile dodged it by a good margin, charging his solar beam. Ash grimaced as he saw an ice tomb where Sceptile used to be.
Empoleon once again charged her strongest Ice beam on Sceptile, who shot back the solarbeam just before the ice beam reached. The resulting explosion flung the sceptile out of the battlefield and knocked him off, as it was very near to its face.
"Sceptile is unable to battle." Referee said.
Empoleon was on his knees, panting from exhaustion.
"Go gible." Ash tossed his pokeball.
"Empoleon, are you ready?" Tobias asked as Empoleon stood back up with his steel wing. "Go then."
"Dig." Ash called.
"Wait for it." Tobias said as he looked all over near empoleon. Then a crack appeared at the empoleon's back, slightly to the left.
"Your southwest." Tobias said as the ground cracked.
Empoleon immediately charged his steel wing but instead of hitting a Gible she cracked a rock(?). Then Tobias understood what happened and yelled, "Defend."
But he was late as Gible rushed from the ground behind Empoleon and struck him with dragon rush before Empoleon could defend himself.
Empoleon skidded to his feet, paralyzed from the attack.
"Perfect, use honing draco meteor" Ash called. Back in the stands, Piplup immediately tore off his cheering outfit, showing that his pokeball was in his pockets. And quickly went back into the ball.
"Use X-blade." Tobias ordered. He didn't know what Ash's attack meant but he had a decent guess.
Empoleon got through paralysis and charged his steel wing, launching himself towards Gible as Gible concentrated all his draconic energy within a small ball in his jaw.
But due to paralysis, Empoleon reached Gible just a mere second after Gible launched the attack, both of them in point blank range with Empoleon directing all his momentum into the steel wings to counter the draco meteor.
The resulting explosion this time shook the battlefield and made all the personnel on the battlefield lose their balance from the incoming sonic boom which cracked up a small crack on the screen.
Gible was launched down to ground like a missile in front of Ash, kicking up a dust cloud on contact with ground. Empoleon, on other hand, was flung upwards slightly before she started bouncing down on Earth towards Tobias.
When the dust and bouncing cleared, for a few tense seconds, neither of the pokemon got up. The referee waited for another five seconds.
"Both Empoleon and Gible are unable to battle. SInce Ash lost all six of his pokemon, Tobias is the winner." The referee declared.
"You did a great job, return gible." Ash recalled his pokemon. He just hoped none of his pokemon were going to be as beaten as in his match with Paul.
"Thanks Ash."
Ash got out of his trance to see Tobias in front of him, holding his hand forward. Ash smiled and shook Tobias's hand.
But Tobias surprised Ash as he pulled him into a hug, "Thanks for reminding me what the true strength is. Who pokemon truly are." Tobias said as empoleon cried his name from behind.
"You are welcome, Tobias, and thanks for the amazing battle." Ash said.
Tobias backed from the hug and looked at Ash as he said, "Promise me Ash. Promise me that you won't even lose sight of this fire, of what I lost sight of nearly. Promise me, you will try again and again till you reach your goal, bcoz believe me Ash. You are nearer than you think." Tobias asked.
Ash just smiled and nodded while he clasped Tobias hand, "You betcha."
Tobias smiled. "I will release all my legendaries. They are not what I want and I don't want them wasted." He said.
Ash just nodded while the commenter declared the final matchups.
Junior: And that folks is how you make Ash lose. Or at least that's what I think the better way is.
Jade: Indifferent. The actual story did some justice to Sceptile while you straight up
Junior: Hey, look properly. Sceptile and Squirtle are the only ones who were not merely whipped by Empoleon and that thing is trained to fight legendaries. Freaking legendaries.
Jade: Hmm, anyways. Hear a recton to this story, I wanted to treat our readers to..
Junior: Wait, you can't go on withou…
Jade: In this universe, Arceus created legendaries first, a direct descendents in a sense, thus they are revered as gods among pokemon and people alike. They are eternal and powerful guardians. But at their core, they still are pokemon. And they do crave some fun. And I don't think a female can say nay to such a powerful alpha, or if luckier, have a descendant from them(we are talking about Pokemon who, might I remind you, are based on animals). Thus, we do have some duplicate legendaries of sorts and their power, while can never match the true legends they descended from, are far more than most pokemon or pseudos.
Junior: Wow, that was really awesome. And that is the longest I heard from you where I don't need a dictionary to understand you.
Jade: Rather than my intellect, it is your incompetence that shines.
Junior: Uhhhhh, Hey! I am competent enough to write some good stories. But anyways, until next…. Wait a minute, this is where you meant that I am not acknowledging you, isn't it?
Jade: ….
Junior: Until next time folks,
- Junior & Jade