Ash climbed up another cliff, finally taking a rest.

"Well, nobody ever said looking for a member of the Indigo Elite Four was going to be easy." Ash mused to himself, pulling out his canteen, giving a cup of water to Pikachu in the process. "Bruno's training ground is just up there, he said he'd wait for me, I'm just curious to see why he climbs up the cliffs." Ash carefully got back up, dusting off his jeans, and continued climbing, Pikachu on his head.

A while later

"Finally!" Ash shouted, having reached the top.

"Welcome Ash, congrats on climbing up here, but may I ask why you didn't take the stairs?" Bruno asked.

"Stairs?" Ash wheezed.

"Here, eat this." Bruno said, offering Ash a bit of food.

"Thanks, you know most of the elite four members I've faced aren't nearly as slow to battle me." Ash commented.

"I respect the strength of a trainer, and of their Pokémon, and believe that if they aren't at their best even a trainer can lead to defeat." Bruno said calmly.

"So you come up here to train yourself and your Pokémon?" Ash asked.

"Yes, it's out of the way for most trainers, gives us plenty of room to work." Bruno said.

"Well, alright then, let's use the open area to our full advantage. Give it your all!" Ash said, shakily getting to his feet.

"Relax, we have time, and you need to rest, we can battle tomorrow." Bruno said.

The next day

"So why did you want to wait until today for our match, there was hours of daylight left?" Ash asked.

"Do you still feel dizzy, or lightheaded?" Bruno asked.

"How'd you know that?" Ash asked curiously.

"The air is thinner up here, in a relaxed state, you were able to adjust properly. Had we gone right into battle, you would have passed out." Bruno said. "I fight fair, and expect the same from my opponents."

"Well then, I'm ready whenever you are." Ash said.

"Then let's begin. Onix we have a challenger!" Bruno shouted.

The rock snake slid up the rocky cliffs from the backside with ease, letting out a guttural roar.

"Come on out Gigalith!"

"Onix use Dig!"

"Gigalith use Iron Defense!"

Onix dove back behind the cliffs, clearly circling around, while Gigalith braced itself.

"Now Onix!"

"Gigalith use Flash Cannon!"

Gigalith turned around just in time for Onix to be bathed in a bright light.

"Onix use Dragon Breath!"

"Gigalith use Rock Blast!"

Ash knew Gigalith didn't stand a chance of outmaneuvering an Onix, but over powering it was a good bet.

"Onix use Iron Tail!"

"Gigalith use Iron Defense!"

Gigalith braced itself, only moving a foot from Onix's attack.

"Onix use Dig!"

"Gigalith use Flash Cannon!"

Onix was just barely able to escape the attack, diving back under the cliffsides.

"You forget, we train here everyday, Onix knows the canyon like the back of its neck." Bruno gloated.

"Doesn't help much if Gigalith is in the center of the platform though." Ash pointed out.

Seconds passed like hours as they waited for Onix to come back up.

"Gigalith, now on your left use Flash Cannon!"

Onix had just leapt over the ledge, as the attack sent it into a nearby canyon wall.

"Onix, return!" Bruno called out. "Machamp! It's your turn!"

"Gigalith come on back! Rowlet I choose you!" Ash said, switching to a smaller Pokémon.

"Machamp use Cross Chop!"

"Rowlet use Seed Bomb!"

Rowlet fired its stone at Machamp, the fighting type simply knocking it back.

"Use Seed Bomb again!"

Again, the stone was simply knocked back as Rowlet caught it a second time.

"One more time use Seed Bomb!" Ash shouted.

As the stone launched a third time at Machamp, Ash called out another move. "Now use Brave Bird!"

With Machamp's focus on the incoming stone, he hadn't noticed Rowlet quick enough to get hit by both attacks.

"Machamp use Bulk Up!"

"Rowlet use Shadow Claw!"

"Grapple it!" Bruno shouted.

As Rowlet swooped in, he was pinned between Machamp's four arms, the lock only getting tighter.

"Machamp use Giga Impact!"

"Rowlet use Feather Dance!"

As Machamp landed on the ground a poof of feathers spread out from the impact.

"I had no idea that, that that could happen." Bruno said stunned. "Look, I'm sorry."

"Coo." Rowlet said landing by Ash.

Beneath Machamp was Rowlet's Decidueye costume.

"How did you?" Bruno asked.

"Escape? No clue. Rowlet manages somehow though." Ash said. "Now Rowlet use Brave Bird!"

…

"Rowlet?" Ash said kneeling down, the tiny owl fast asleep. "Rowlet! Wake up!"

Rowlet quickly panicked, flying high into the air, awake and ready again.

"Strange, no matter. Machamp be ready." Bruno said.

"Rowlet use Brave Bird!"

"Machamp use Ice Punch!"

As the two Pokémon struck, Ash knew it was the end. Brave Bird was a risky attack, and using it twice was even more dangerous. Between that and the Ice Punch, Rowlet was defeated. What he wasn't expecting was for Bruno's Machamp to land Nelly up a few feet from him also defeated.

"Very impressive, but the match is far from finished." Bruno complimented.

"I'd expect nothing less." Ash said, recalling Rowlet. "Alright Primeape, I choose you!"

"Come on out Hitmonlee!"

Ash could picture a similar fight years ago. The last match he and Primeape had together before going their separate ways, this time had much more on the line this time though.

"Primeape use Mega Kick!"

"Hitmonlee use High Jump Kick!"

Primeape landed right where Hitmonlee was just moments prior.

"Primeape get out of there!"

Primeape just barely got out of the way as Hitmonlee came crashing back down.

"Primeape use Outrage!"

"Hitmonlee use Blaze Kick!"

Primeape went ballistic attacking Hitmonlee repeatedly, knocking the kicking Pokémon off balance.

"Hitmonlee, use High Jump Kick!"

In Primeape's rage, he wasn't able to notice Hitmonlee lining up its leg, sending the pig monkey flying into the air.

"Hitmonlee use Jump Kick!"

"Primeape use Final Gambit!"

The fighting types collided midair, Primeape putting everything it had behind one final attack.

'Both Hitmonlee and Primeape are unable to battle. The winner is Ash Ketchum.' The Rotojudge announced, showing a photo of Ash along with Gigalith's image.

"You're a great trainer Ash, and a strong fighter too. Your Pokémon believed in you through the end." Bruno admitted.

"It's taken me some time to get to this point, but I'm glad I did." Ash said. "Now, if you'll excuse me. Dragonite let's go!"

"You had a flyer the entire time?" Bruno asked.

"Yeah, but there's no challenge in flying above the canyons." Ash said with a smirk.

"They sure are a strange one." Bruno said to himself. "That much power, and they didn't use it, Lance is in for a tough fight soon."