@Silverwing23

Ash wasn't even prepared for Darkrai this time, he simply chose Pokémon who could fight for themselves, Charizard and Pikachu just have experience against him.

@Thor94

Yes Darkrai's defeats are becoming like a certain three, but remember it's implied that they too were extremely skilled before running into Ash. Also Ash's patience for Darkrai has plummeted, and will only get worse. There is a set point that I have planned for Ash to finally defeat Darkrai for real though.

"So who do you think Ash picked?" Marnie asked as they were walking.

"Why do you ask?" Goh asked.

"Just trying to make conversation, didn't mean to imply anything." Marnie defended.

"Knowing him he went for his fastest Pokémon. So probably Dragonite, Infernape, and Sceptile." Goh said.

"Who'd you pick?" Marnie asked.

"Oh, I picked my best and most loyal Pokémon. Cinderace, Inteleon, Golurk, Registeel, Lopunny, and Scyther." Goh gloated.

At the tower

"Trainer welcome. Your Pokémon must be left out here to defend the tower from the forces of the island. Once inside you cannot stop until you have finished, and you can only use the Kubfu that chose you." A dojo student read from several notecards. "Sorry, I've never had to do this before." He apologized.

"No problem. Alright you all play nice while I'm gone." Goh waved as he and Marnie entered the tower.

"Challenger, I am your first opponent. Are you prepared." A girl from the dojo said.

"Yep, Kubfu let's do this!" Goh said.

"Zorura let's go. Use Night Slash!"

"Kubfu use Power-Up Punch!"

Kubfu punched the top of Zorura before flipping off, and back onto the ground behind it.

"Zorura use Slash!"

"Kubfu use Power-Up Punch!"

Kubfu collided its paw with Zorura's, taking some damage in the process, but knocking the small fox out.

Outside

"Incoming forces, I've got it!" Cinderace and Inteleon said at the same time, firing a Snipe Shot and Pyro Ball at the same spot.

"I've got it." Golurk said standing up, and firing a Hyperbeam at the cave, causing the entrance to collapse.

"Hey! We need those paths to get back!" Scyther shouted and scolded.

"I stopped the attackers, that's all that matters, we can break the rocks later." Golurk said calmly.

Back inside

"Alright round two, let's keep with our strategy." Goh said.

"You mean using one move to just keep boosting its power?" Marnie asked.

"That's the plan." Goh said.

"Scraggy show them how to really fight with a Headbutt!"

"Kubfu use Power-Up Punch!"

Kubfu's fist collided with Scraggy's head, both jumping back in pain.

"Don't let them recover use High Jump Kick!"

"Get out of the way and then use Power-Up Punch!"

Scraggy landed, breaking a few floor boards as Kubfu turned around and punched it out.

Back Outside

"Now this, I can handle." Cinderace said, lining up stones.

"Look out!" Lopunny cried, tackling Cinderace down the cliff.

"Looks like I'm up." Scyther sighed, running towards the water Pokemon, a zap Cannon nearly missing him. "Hey! Watch where you're firing that!"

"My job is to protect Goh, no matter the cost." Registeel said plainly.

"Yeah, well I'm a pretty big cost!" Scyther argued.

"They're coming." Golurk said readying another Hyper Beam.

"Will you knock that off, we have guys down there! And you, get off the tower and actually help us!" Scyther scolded.

Back Inside

"Round three. Fight!" Goh said excitedly.

"Inkay use Psywave!"

"Kubfu dodge and use Power-Up Punch!" Goh said excitedly.

Kubfu was beginning to regret his choice, this trainer was not the smart person he had initially thought, but orders were orders, and he had made his choice.

"Alright, three down and two to go!" Goh said, turning and giving Marnie a big kiss. "Oh, umm I'm sorry, I know you're not great with that."

Marnie stuttered, trying to hide her blush. Goh was such a child, why did he make her feel like a schoolgirl with her first crush?!

"It's good." Marnie squeaked out.

"Come on, I promised I'd make it worthwhile and the quicker we do this, the quicker I can keep that promise." Goh said, grabbing Marnie's hand and rushing up the stairs.

Back outside

"If you two are done down there, we could use the help!" Scyther yelled, slashing through a Politoed.

"I was more useful from a vantage point." Inteleon said, flipping over another Pokémon.

"You were hitting water with water! How is that helpful! Meanwhile Lopunny is acting like she's at a daycare, and those two are trigger happy!" Scyther said angrily.

"I'll show you just how powerful my water is if you don't back off. You may have been around longer than most of us, but you have little to no experience working with us." Inteleon argued.

"Bring it fish face." Scyther said facing Inteleon.

Back with Goh

"Krokorok use Aerial Ace!"

"Kubfu use Power-Up Punch!"

This was the fourth battle Kubfu had been using this one attack, and at this point the punches were getting incredibly powerful, but also very slow as a result.

"Just gotta land one hit, and I'll be set." Goh said. "Now!"

Kubfu turned, striking Krokorok in the gut as it loomed above him about to clamp its jaws down. The dark Pokémon had doubled over in pain, clearly not expecting the strike.

Back outside

"We've gotta stop them! We've gotta do something." Registeel said panicking. "I can't go back to hiding, I actually hated that cave."

"Just relax, I'll handle this." Golurk said rising back up, firing a Hyper Beam at the oncoming Pokemon. "See, problem solved, now they can't get up here."

Registeel looked at the chaos, Cinderace and Lopunny had been gone for a while. Inteleon and Scyther had been overrun by the watery forces, and now both paths to the tower had been destroyed.

At the top of the tower

"Klara? Are you my opponent?" Goh asked confused.

"No, Mustard assigned Avery and I here to oversee the final matches as payment for what we did." Klara sighed.

"Well if I'm not fighting you, then… no. Nonononononono. No! I'm not fighting Marnie." Goh said firmly.

"If you don't, the island might fall into chaos." Klara pointed out.

"Ash might have done this already though." Goh argued.

"Hey, it's fine. I mean it's for the best." Marnie said.

"As long as you're sure." Goh said.

"Yeah, don't go easy on me though." Marnie said. "Come on out Morpeko, and use Aura Wheel!"

"Kubfu use Iron Head!" Goh said changing it up.

Kubfu and Morpeko collided, both bouncing back from the damage.

"Goh, I say to not go easy on me, and then you do that?!" Marnie questioned angrily.

"I don't understand! Chloe said I shouldn't fight with you, you're saying to fight you, what should I do!" Goh said.

"Stop treating me like your girlfriend for this once! I'm more than a capable trainer, and you need to get Kubfu to evolve! So stop whining and start fighting!" Marnie scolded.

"I, okay." Goh said. "Kubfu use Power-Up Punch!"

"Morpeko use Aura Wheel!"

Morpeko sped towards Kubfu only to get launched back defeated.

"Now I just need to step up my game." Marnie said under her breath. "Toxicroak come on out and use Poison Jab!"

"Kubfu use Iron Head!

Kubfu took the attack head on, literally. Pushing back the Toxicroak in the process.

"Now quickly use Iron Head again!" Goh commanded.

"At least it's something new." Kubfu said charging at Toxicroak, a bright light emitting as contact was made.

"You did it! The island's armor is restored!" Klara said excitedly.

"Hey, you okay." Goh said, extending a hand to Marnie.

"With you I never know, and I guess that's what makes it fun." Marnie realized.

"Let's head back to the dojo, I'm sure Mustard will be happy to see Urshifu has arrived." Goh said.

Outside the tower

"What happened!" Goh cried out at the wreckage. Scyther and Inteleon were knocked out. The tower was on a sole plateau now, and he couldn't even see Cinderace or Lopunny.

"Look, the important thing is, we protected the tower." Registeel said reassuringly.