Meanwhile, back in the gym…
Dawn played with her Pokétch for a few moments after Misty and Ash left. There was precious little to do with it, though. What were they talking about? Were they bragging, again? Dawn pursed her lips, brows furrowed.
"I've got plenty to show off," she grumbled. "I won the Wallace Cup. And, I'm good at fashion. Okay, so maybe I've got a little more to learn with battles, but I can keep up with him okay…" Dawn looked over at Prinplup and Rosa. "You guys think I could catch up to Ash and Misty with a little training, right?"
Rosa, ever chipper, nodded with her paws up. ~YEAH! WE SHOULD TRAIN AGAIN SOMETIME SOON!~
Prinplup, meanwhile, looked at Dawn as if in shock. She doubted that?! She doubted that she could catch up to anyone she wanted if she just put her effort into it?!
Recognizing his expression, Dawn gasped. She was… jealous?! Her, Dawn of Twinleaf Town, was jealous?! Of what?! Of… Of Misty and Ash?! Why?! She ruffled her own hair, horrifically mortified and embarrassed by this revelation. She then tried to soothe herself. As embarrassing as it was to privately recognize that she was… jealous of someone else, it would probably kill her to have anyone else figure out that same truth.
"No need to worry," she mumbled to herself. "Once we're out of here, I'll remind Ash he's got lots of cool friends. Like me. Especially me."
With a click of his beat, Prinplup put the rest of the puzzle together. Dawn would, too, eventually. Probably. For now, it was fine.
When Ash and Misty returned to their stations, the relentless shower of Drizzle continued.
Ash turned his hat forwards in preparation, guarding his immediate vision from the precipitation. Standing tall on his end, he heard a chirp from below.
"Pikapi?" Pikachu hopped atop Ash's shoulder, frowning. He nudged Ash's cheek with his nose, begging the obvious question; 'Is everything okay?'
Ash laughed at the ticklish sensation of his partner's cold, wet nose. "Everything's fine, Buddy! I don't want you to worry about me from here on out, alright?" Grinning, he affectionately ruffled the fur atop Pikachu's head.
The mouse cooed and hopped down to stand beside Ash, content.
Misty didn't flinch at the downpour, naturally, kneeling down by the pool to hold her hand out to Lanturn. "Sorry for the wait, girl. You ready for more?"
Lanturn leaned into her touch, allowing Misty to scratch under her chin. The globe-like lure hanging over her head lit in a show of enthusiasm. "Lannn~!"
"Good." Smiling, Misty stood back up. "Now, I hope the same goes for you, Ketchum!"
"Don't you worry about me, Misty." Ash adjusted the brim of his cap, and met her gaze with glimmering enthusiasm. "You better stay focused on what's coming your way, from now on!"
"Ash seems a lot better, now," Dawn remarked. "What on earth happened, back there?"
Dawn's concerns would hang in the air, as there was a battle to resume. Ash took the lead.
"Snorlax! You're up, again!" Ash called. Once again, Snorlax stood atop the rocky bridge that hung over the water. This time, though, Ash took care to give his Poké Ball a spin that landed him on much more stable territory, absent Pikachu's aftermath.
"Hmph." Misty huffed at his boasting. Had the battle's atmosphere really changed? "Confuse Ray!"
"Use Body Slam," Ash countered. At a surface-level examination, a thoughtless move. What would charging head-first into the status move that had caused so much grief do!? "...Right on the water!"
Snorlax sprinted and jumped, soaring high over the pool. Rather than jump into Lanturn's range, he hit the water with a massive cannonball. The result was a gargantuan splash. Waves crashed over the pool's sides, and Lanturn was disrupted by the aftermath throwing it into the air. Belly-up, it never had the chance to use Confuse Ray.
"Now, that's the Ash I know," Misty smirked. "Thunder!"
Reorienting himself, Lanturn shot lightning into the storm. Thunder came crashing down on the surfacing Snorlax, drowning his silhouette out in gold.
When the light faded, Snorlax stayed floating, boasting a few blackened marks on his short fur. He grumbled, scratching idly at his chest.
"It barely scratched him!?" Misty was taken aback, grimacing. 'Snorlax has always been a glutton for punishment, but I didn't think I'd fallen this far behind. It's going to take the power of the rain or a status move to finish him off, now.' Despite her troubles, the girl smiled to herself.
This predicament was much preferred to what came before it.
"Alright, Snorlax! Swim towards Lanturn!" Ash commanded. The Normal-type paddled towards his foe as asked, quickly picking up speed.
"What's he up to…?" Misty frowned. "Use Confuse Ray!"
Lanturn lit her lure with a disorienting flash.
"Protect!" Ash shouted.
Snorlax tucked his head, deflecting Lanturn's light with an emerald, translucent barrier. Picking up speed with a powerful breaststroke, the giant continued to close in on Lanturn!
Misty cursed under her breath. No one with a brain would be at ease with a full-grown Snorlax charging at them, no matter how formidable they were. "Use Surf, Lanturn!"
Misty's pleas were answered. A climbing, roaring tidal wave eclipsed Snorlax, carrying Lanturn safely out of its reach atop its crest. What comes up must come down, and Snorlax was about to be on the receiving end of it.
Meanwhile, a coy smirk crept up Ash's lips. "We've got you, now! Snorlax, give that wave a good ol' uppercut, with Ice Punch!"
Bitter cold coated Snorlax's paw, wound up into a forceful upward swing. His frosty fist ripped through the base of the tidal wave. Following his follow-through, ice quickly crept up Surf.
"What the!?" Misty exclaimed. What was, just a moment ago, a titanic Surf, was now a giant, frozen ice sculpture in the shape of a falling wave. At the very top was Lanturn, who was halfway submerged in ice. The flash freeze left her completely immobile.
"Check that out!" Dawn gushed. "It's just like how I froze the field over, during our battle!' Beneath the surface, her heart swelled with pride. Ash was putting her tactics to use!
"We won't be taking anymore tricks from you guys!" Ash shouted. "Hyper Beam!"
Destructive light gathered in Snorlax's mouth, and fired. Hyper Beam cut through the frozen wave, capturing Lanturn in a bright, orange explosion. Surf began to crumble, collapsing in the aftermath. Much of it was even melted by Hyper Beam's raw power. Slush and ice drifted across the pool, with Lanturn lying in the center, belly-up.
"Return, Lanturn!" Misty recalled her Pokémon and whistled. "Well! Getting rushed by a big Pokémon like Snorlax was not something I expected, today."
"You know what I always say." Ash grinned. "The best defense is a good offense!"
"That is your hallmark strategy," she agreed. "But, I've got my own policy: an all-out offensive with Water-type Pokémon!" To prove her point, she twisted around, tossing another Poké Ball.
"Misty calls… Azumarill!"
"Azu!" The Water Rabbit Pokémon materialized atop solid rock.
"Azumarill!" Ash exclaimed. "So, Azurill evolved. All the way, too!" Ash bundled up his fists, filled with excitement. The charge in the air was completely different, now; embarrassing attention grabs no longer plagued them. Only the thrill of a good fight!
Snorlax had climbed atop the remains of an ice bed that his punch left behind. Luckily, he was now free to stand atop the pool's waters.
"But, I think Snorlax has had his fill of swimming. Use Ice Punch on the water, in front of you!"
Snorlax struck the pool surface, freezing a solid path to Azumarill.
"Well as long as you're coming to us, we'll make you regret it!" Misty winked. "Belly Drum!"
"Zu!" Azumarill complied, beating its round belly with its paws. Loud reverberations carried through the air, as the Pokémon's attack power massively increased in exchange for stamina.
"So, you're powering up," Ash replied. "We'll take that head-on! Snorlax, Body Slam!"
Snorlax charged across the ice, an initially slow start quickly building momentum, thanks to the ice under his feet.
"Aqua Jet!" Misty ordered. Azumarill launched itself at Snorlax, propelled by a gushing veil of water around it. Under Drizzle, it quickly expanded to twice its initial size.
The charging behemoth threw his weight at Azumarill, belly-first. Aqua Jet collided with Body Slam, each move providing a great deal of resistance to the other. A shockwave of raw power rippled across the water, splashing Ash, Misty, and Pikachu in the process.
"Snor…!" Snorlax grunted, grimacing in great concentration. His closed eyes squinted, the full force of his weight pressing into Aqua Jet's current. Surprisingly, he soon lost ground - Azumarill smashed into his gut, knocking the wind out of Snorlax before breaking off with an uppercut.
"Zu!"
"Aqua Jet was stronger!?" Ash exclaimed. Seeing Snorlax beat out in raw strength was almost unheard of!
"Well, Belly Drum was a big help," Misty smirked. "But, we owe that advantage to Huge Power stacked on top of it!"
"Huge Power?" Ash echoed.
"It's Azumarill's ability. It doubles a Pokémon's attack power, right from the start!" Misty boasted. "Packs a real punch for something so small and cute."
"Azumarill!" Azumarill puffed out its chest, flexing its stubby arms.
'So, Huge Power on top of Belly Drum means even Snorlax is gonna struggle with its power,' Ash mused quietly. 'And with the rain giving Aqua Jet more power, we're on the back foot with speed, too! Misty's got us in a pickle, here.'
"Come around for another Aqua Jet!" Misty commanded before Azumarill even hit the waters. Another veil propelled it in a loop, coming for a shot on Snorlax's blind spot.
"Behind you!" Ash urged. "Another Body Slam!"
Using the almost complete lack of traction on the wet ice, Snorlax swerved around, and charged.
"Now, drop that Aqua Jet for Play Rough!"
Unfamiliar with the move, Ash could only watch, as Aqua Jet dissipated. Azumarill rode its momentum, however, jumping Snorlax in what turned out to be a cartoonish, chaotic pink cloud of smoke. Golden stars were tossed around, and the veil finally dissipated, only for the trainer to witness Azumarill whacking Snorlax in the face with its weighted tail.
The beast fell on his back, subdued by a passing blue aura.
"Now, that move's new," Ash remarked.
"It's one of the newly discovered Fairy-type moves!" Misty explained. "And, aww, it looks like you got hit with its side effect! It's got a chance of lowering a Pokémon's attack, on top of delivering a wholop."
"Tch." Ash grit his teeth. Now, there was even more of a gap between them. "This time, we'll get you! Use Body Slam, Snorlax!"
"Snorrr!" Snorlax rolled back onto his feet and charged Azumarill.
"Aqua Jet!" Misty countered.
Aqua Jet got the edge with its remarkable speed, bashing into Snorlax's side. The large, sleepy creature spun in place as his opponent soared by.
"Again!" Misty snapped her fingers. Azumarill consequently looped around, coming for a second strike.
"Ice Punch!" Ash punched the air.
Snorlax swung at the incoming missile, only to suffer the Water-type bashing into his skull as he swung his fist at the rain.
"Aqua Jet!" Misty called.
"Ice Punch!" Ash countered.
The same song and dance repeated, several times over. Azumarill would coast by with Drizzle's generous donation of water and force, and Snorlax would come at it with a frosty haymaker. Successively, the large mammal was knocked around the ice, despite his respectable speed.
"This is getting nowhere," Ash grimaced. "He can't land a hit!" Even as he cursed his situation, though, the trainer had picked up on something. Whenever Ice Punch missed, it produced an after-effect; many rain droplets froze on contact, and were propelled by the force of Snorlax's blow.
'A long-range attack like that could come in handy… but not like this. It's too unpolished, and Azumarill's too quick for Snorlax's reflexes, anyway.' Ash's mind ran through the possibilities, and he smiled. "But, maybe there's something else we can do… Snorlax! Wait to take the next one, head-on!"
"Now, I know you're up to something," Misty replied. "But, we're not going to win by sitting around, either. Get him, Azumarill!"
"Zu!" Dropping from overhead, Azumarill appeared before Misty before shooting a straight path towards Snorlax. Aqua Jet burst with roaring force under the rain.
In retaliation, Snorlax grumbled, winding up a fist. "Lax…!" He swung with all of his might, smashing his fist into Aqua Jet. The crash sent chilling winds over the pool, assaulting all observers with a chill. (Except for Prinplup, that was.)
Snorlax was quickly losing ground, finding little traction on the ice. If Azumarill pushed him any further, he was at risk of stumbling into the pool, once more.
Misty couldn't help but notice, though, that Ash looked no less confident for it. Across the way, he watched the scene play out with an eased posture and a smile on his lips. "What's he…?"
As much ground as Azumarill had gained, it was quickly discovering a downside to their stalemate - Aqua Jet was becoming uncomfortably cold. The forceful waters were starting to freeze over! It grunted in effort, expelling more pressure to break down the ice.
Unfortunately, this filtered slush and broken ice into a quickly chilling veil.
"Oh, no, Azumarill!" Misty exclaimed.
"Let 'em go!" Ash punched the air triumphantly, mirroring his Snorlax. The Normal-type followed through with a right hook, sending Azumarill spinning past him! By the time it escaped, the Water-type found itself soaring in an oblong chunk of ice.
"It's the Ice Aqua Jet!" Dawn exclaimed.
"Right!" Ash affirmed, cutting a smirk at his companion. "Only this time, it's not gonna do you guys any good - now you're frozen solid!" The trainer waved his hands outward. "Hyper Beam!"
Snorlax aimed and fired. Hyper Beam shot across the pool, targeting a frozen Azumarill who was very much in peril.
"Azumarill!" Misty shouted.
On cue, cracks spread through the unwelcome Ice Aqua Jet. "Zu!" With a flex, Azumarill shattered the ice.
"They broke it!?" Ash exclaimed. Before his very eyes, Hyper Beam soared just over the Water Rabbit's floppy ears, missing it completely. The sun-like shine of the move highlighted its target with a lustrous orange glow along its coat, which with the consecutive Aqua Jet Misty ordered, shone all the brighter.
Resuming its flight immediately after breaking the last, Azumarill looped back around towards an exhausted, huffing Snorlax. "Zuuuu….!"
"Shit," Ash muttered. "Snorlax is winded. We can't do anything!"
Misty, on the other hand, was beaming with confidence. "Use Superpower!"
Aqua Jet burst just as the rabbit was within range, and Hyper Beam's orange glow was replaced with a faint outline of blue. Grinning, the rabbit delivered a brutal kick to Snorlax's stomach.
Snorlax was sent flying back with a groan, hitting the open waters with a gigantic splash.
When the mist drifted away, he floated belly-up, unconscious.
"Guess that's that." Ash smiled sadly, recalling his Pokémon. "Thanks for the hard work, Snorlax!"
"I hope you didn't think you'd beat me using the same trick twice," Misty taunted.
"Guess I did get a little greedy with that one, huh?" Ash smirked. "Don't sweat it. I've got plenty more tricks up my sleeve!" Retrieving another Poké Ball, he chucked it into the fray. "Let's show 'er, Lapras!"
Appearing in Snorlax's place on the water, Lapras sang.
"Lapras!? No way!" Misty beamed, enthusiastically waving. "It's been so long!"
Lapras happily cried back to Misty in greeting.
"Lapras is back with us! I was really happy about that, too," Ash added. "And, you should see how strong she's gotten! Lapras, use Thunderbolt!"
"An electric type move! You're really covering your bases, Ketchum," Misty replied. "Aqua Jet!"
Lightning fired from Lapras' horn, striking at a quickly spiraling Azumarill that weaved its way around the charge. With all the precision and speed it'd shown off previously, the Water Rabbit crashed into Lapras' belly.
The Transport Pokémon winced, forced back towards Ash's end of the pool.
"Got you." The trainer grinned. "Use Sheer Cold!"
"Sheer what!?" Misty balked. "Azumarill, pull back! Pull back!"
But, there was no recoil from Lapras to afford Azumarill that chance. Lapras was actually unfazed, and used the opportunity to sing a swan song for her opponent. Absolutely freezing temperatures spiked out across the pool, weaving a terrifying ice sculpture.
It was one Misty had no time to prepare for. She winced, watching Sheer Cold shatter.
Azumarill floated lamely through the slush, face submerged. "..."
"Return, Azumarill." Misty puffed out her cheek, looking over to Ash. "Really. A one-hit KO move?"
"Scary, right?" Ash grinned. "And, tough to use. I needed to find the perfect moment to land it, or I know you guys would've dodged. That's where Water Absorb came into play!"
"Water Absorb… So, that's what Lapras' ability is!" Misty exclaimed. "Then, Aqua Jet was a freebie for you guys… Y'know, I really don't like being played for a fool by water in my own Gym." She smirked. "When I go through the rest of your team, Ash, remember that you asked for it. Go… My one-and-only!"
The Tomboyish Mermaid gracefully called her last Pokémon into the fray. Floating as a denizen of the rough waters was none other than Kingdra. "King!"
"Kingdra," Ash echoed. "...Then, you're Horsea! Wow, you've grown up! I can't wait to see how strong you are, now… no, really! I can't wait! Lapras, use Thunderbolt!"
Thunderbolt zeroed in on Kingdra. Suddenly, though, the regal Pokémon stretched into a blue blur; Thunderbolt blasted away at slushy waters, missing him completely.
"That speed!" Ash marveled. Kingdra darted through the waters, tearing a divine into the pool waters as he zigzagged into Lapras' blind spot.
"Thank Swift Swim," Misty explained, a smirk tugging up her lips. "Under Drizzle, you might as well give it up, Ketchum! You won't be hitting Kingdra!" She pointed towards Lapras. "Laser Focus!"
Kingdra's eyes suddenly gained an eerie, yellow glow.
"I don't know what that is," Ash muttered, "but I'm not waiting to find out. Ice Beam, behind you!"
"Dragon Pulse!"
Lapras craned her neck, firing at Kingdra, behind her. Ice dashed across the surface, freezing it, but Kingdra zipped around the freeze with ease. Twirling its way into Lapras' personal space, he aimed his snout at Lapras' belly. With no shell to guard, she suffered an explosive blast of dragon energy to her soft hide.
"Lapras!" Ash exclaimed, watching his Pokémon crash through icy plates. "That had to be a critical hit… so, that's what Laser Focus is for!" Storing this information away, Ash threw a hand out. "That's gonna be dangerous… Ice Shard; rapid fire!"
Swift and lethal chunks of ice shot towards Kingdra. Even the priority move, though, was falling two steps short of keeping up with him. Quick and agile twirls on the water's surface kept Kingdra dancing safely away; Ice Shard rose to the surface after pelting it.
"No dice," Ash remarked. "Kingdra's moving around them like it's nothing… wait a sec." Ash smirked. "Keep up the pressure, Lapras! Ice Beam!"
Persistent patterns were drawn along the pool with bright flashes, freezing a trail behind Kingdra.
"Talk about stubborn," Misty frowned. "They're really keeping on our tail…" Her eyes widened, and the emerald in them shrunk. "Don't tell me… Kingdra, Dragon Pulse!"
Turning around in the midst of swimming, Kingdra returned fire, with multicolored energy taking the form of an angry wyvern. The attack struck Lapras, blowing her back.
"Lapras!" Ash shouted out. "Are you alright?"
The Pokémon emerged from the smoke, sporting a burn mark on her shell. She winced, shaking it off.
"If you think you're pulling us into another one of those Sheer Colds, you've got another thing coming," Misty shouted across the pool.
"Yeah, I know." Ash smiled, puzzling his opponent, judging by the look on her face. "Lapras, return!" He recalled the Transport Pokémon to her ball, smiling upon it. "Thanks, girl. You did a great job setting us up… now!" Grinning, he held out an arm towards his partner.
"Pika!" With a twitch of his nose, Pikachu got the message, hopping up atop his trainer's wrist. Scaling his arm, he dashed around Ash's shoulders, running towards his opposite hand.
"Pikachu, I choose you!" Ash threw his foremost hand into the air, vaulting Pikachu into a clean leap over the rocky broken rocky arch.
"Pika-chuuu!" Pikachu landed on the ice path on all fours, exerting static from his cheeks that danced on the rainfall. Smirking at Kingdra, he was eager to get back into the action!
"Dra!" Kingdra greeted Pikachu.
"It's good to see my Pika-pal back in action!" Misty said. "Don't disappoint me this time, guys!"
"Oh, we won't!" Ash grinned. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
"Pika-chu!" Pikachu obeyed, attacking with overpowering lightning.
"Hydro Pump!" Misty countered.
The two elemental moves collided, center-stage. Surges of mist and static sprayed in all directions, cutting into each other in a bid at domination.
"Hydro Pump's holding up!?" Ash frowned. While his partner's Thunderbolt was a force to be reckoned with, he was watching his partner slowly lose his ground. 'Of course. With the rain going, it's twice as strong, and Kingdra's anchored in the water. On slippery ice…'
Pikachu's struggle met its logical conclusion. Despite his efforts, he found himself at the ice's edge. With no further ground to take, he slipped. Hydro Pump blasted through.
"Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed. Hydro Pump passed over, but there was no sign of him being blown back by the move. In fact, he could just barely be seen from Ash's vantage point.
His tiny little paws gripped the surface's edge. "Pii… ka!" With a grunt of effort, Pikachu pulled himself over, and got back on his feet. "Pikachu!"
"How's that?" Misty taunted.
'Without any traction, he'll be too busy slipping and sliding to defend himself, or even tag Kingdra,' Ash thought to himself. 'On the other hand… maybe we can make use of that!' Smirking, Ash waved a hand in the air. "Pikachu! Use Iron Tail on the middle of the ice!"
Pikachu tumbled forward, bashing his tail into the vast white. A web of cracks spread throughout, shattering it into many fractured slabs. "Chua… Pi-ka!"
"You're up to something," Misty accused. "Hydro Pump!"
Kingdra complied, firing at Pikachu.
"Now, Pikachu!" Ash waved a hand. "Turn your body to the side, and give that Hydro Pump the flat end of your tail!"
The command echoed hums of confusion from all observers; all but Pikachu, who dutifully followed. Pivoting his feet, he turned away from the coming Hydro Pump, raising his tail to meet the great pressure. "Piii…! Ka!" The jet blasted his tail, making him recoil. He was quickly pushed towards the edge!
"Now!" Ash ordered. "Flick your tail to the right!"
Pikachu growled, pushing against the opposing force. With a cathartic swipe, he swung himself free from Hydro Pump. The result was sudden, and overwhelming; built up momentum sent him sliding, shooting from one slab of ice to another, soaring right over open waters.
"Now! Jab your Iron Tail into the ice, and swing around!" Ash followed.
Iron Tail's end pierced the surface like a knife, hooking him in for a spin. Catching on to his trainer's plan, he unhooked his tail, launching himself across the pool like a slingshot. "Pi-ka!"
"Now, Thunderbolt!" Ash gleefully commanded.
Drifting over the pool, Pikachu fired a bolt at Kingdra. The regal Pokémon was forced to dart back, narrowly avoiding it.
"Now, this is new," Misty narrowed her eyes. "Dragon Pulse, where he'll land next!"
Kingdra retaliated with a colorful, wyvern-shaped blast, aiming at the path of Pikachu's trajectory.
"Stop short!" Ash quickly urged. Give yourself some drag, with Iron Tail!"
Watching the prismatic blast, Pikachu grit his teeth. "Pi...!" He held out his tail preemptively, slashing it into the surface, the second he landed. Breaking through ice was no impossible task for Pikachu, but it did put a major stopper on his speed. Just in front of him, Dragon Pulse hit.
"Pikachu!" Ash called out. He guarded himself from flying debris and smoke, waiting for it to clear. The blast zone could be seen, soon; the bulk of the platform had been blown to smithereens. Atop the icy remains, though, was Pikachu - lifting his body weight with his upright tail, Pikachu swiveled around a single point, not unlike a spinning top! The gap carved out by the sliding Iron Tail left a generous groove for him to hold himself up.
"Nice!" Ash praised, pumping a fist. "I get it. You stopped yourself by putting all your weight on your tail! You're amazing, Buddy!"
Although he'd saved himself, Pikachu's spinning hadn't stopped. "Pikapi!" He cried out.
"Oh, right; use Thunderbolt, now!"
The adorable, yellow spinning top lit up like a star, launching errant lightning ricocheting across the slushy pool. The bolts weren't terribly accurate, but they did plenty to startle Kingdra, who came within arm's length of several. He was forced to retreat, darting away from the falling shocks. At every turn, though, he was forced to navigate around the broken ice.
"There's so much ice, now…" Misty muttered. "Kingdra's speed is being hindered!"
"That's the way." Ash smirked. "After him, Pikachu! Quick Attack!"
"Pikapikapikapikapika… Pi-ka!" Pikachu's spins became wider and wider from that point on, Thunderbolt's gold fading away for Quick Attack's silver. A burst of speed launched him in pursuit of Kingdra.
"Now, keep up the pressure! Iron Tail to turn, and Thunderbolt!"
"Don't give them momentum! Dragon Pulse!" Misty commanded.
Working through the maze, Kingdra turned to swim backwards, firing his counterattack.
Speeding towards Dragon Pulse, Pikachu dug his tail in, and shot to the left. Without missing a beat, another Thunderbolt crossed over the ice. It crashed into the pool, igniting a shocking explosion that sent Kingdra soaring in the aftermath.
"Good, now keep up the chase!" Ash praised, and Pikachu did so. Slinging himself once more, he was quickly closing in on Misty's edge of the field.
"Look at him go!" Dawn cooed, clapping her hands together. "They're chasing Kingdra down!"
~Pikachu's so fast! So, so fast!~ Rosa cheered, hopping up and down. ~Like, NYOOM! And BAM!~
"Prinplup-lup!"
"...Damn it! That's what you're trying to do, Ketchum!" Misty hissed, confronted with an ugly realization, as her partner found himself with very little room to navigate; he was caught between Pikachu, ice, and solid rocks to his back. "That's what Lapras' ice moves were for; not Sheer Cold. He wanted to cut off Kingdra's mobility, and come at us with Pikachu's speed. He's boxed us in!"
"Glad you figured it out!" Ash grinned, brushing his index finger over his nose, before pointing it towards one particular landmark - the largest rocky outcrop standing. "Let's hit that rock, Pikachu! Thunderbolt!"
With his tried and true cry, Pikachu sent a bolt that obliterated the crown of the land mass. Boulders, dust, and rubble were sent flying. Kingdra, in his panic, was unfortunate enough to be clocked by one of them.
"Go!" Ash gestured his hand. Pikachu followed his trainer, springing up to dash across the falling rocks. "Thunderbolt!" Pikachu swerved around in mid-air, firing at the disheveled Kingdra. "Pika… chu!"
Thunderbolt came down into the rubble, blasting through to electrocute Kingdra.
"Kingdra!" Misty called out in worry. When the lightshow faded, her Pokémon floated on the surface, looking charred and weary. She grimaced. "I really didn't want to have to use this… But, since you're not giving us any choice! Kingdra, use Draco Meteor!"
"Kingdra!" The Water/Dragon hybrid was weary, but proudly stubborn to continue the fight. He aimed his snout towards the storm clouds, gathering a bright, orange light in his belly. It rose and condensed, firing high into the sky. A tiny, pinpoint meteor rose until it hit its apex.
"It's coming…!" Ash grit his teeth in worry. "Pikachu! Bash that rock, with Iron Tail!"
Having already abandoned the rubble, Pikachu stood atop the landmass. It was all he could to hammer away, as blazing meteors crashed down from above, blasting away at the pool mercilessly.
"Pikachu…!" Ash winced, guarding himself from the explosions.
"Prin-luuuup!" Although Kingdra's Draco Meteor had perfect aim, the move continued to haunt Prinplup. The move's shockwaves sent the poor penguin flying.
~BIG BRO!~ Rosa yipped, jumping to grab him by his foot, only to start soaring with him!
"Prinplup!? Rosa!?" Dawn exclaimed, stumbling up the steps to snag her starter into her arms. "Got you…!" Dawn succeeded, only to suffer the same fate. She couldn't stop her partner's weight, or his momentum, not to mention Rosa's - not with her klutzy footwork!
"Ah!" Dawn yelped, and all three of them were bowled over.
"Dawn!?" Ash shouted, looking over to the chaos. "Are you guys alright, over there?"
"Urgh…" Tangled in the bleachers, Dawn laid upside-down, supporting a dizzy Prinplup and Rosa. "We're fine…! No need to worry…"
Sighing, Ash shook his head, and returned his attention to his partner. The distraction had given enough time for the debris to clear, where what was once a giant rock was now a flattened pile of rubble. "Pikachu! Are you there?"
The rocks began to shift, and a yellow paw popped out of them. "Piii…" Pikachu groaned, pulling himself to the surface. Dusty, ashen and bruised. He supported himself on all fours.
"You made it!" Ash cheered, snapping his fingers. "Way to give yourself cover! We've got 'em, now."
Misty hissed through her teeth. Even pardoning Lapras, Pikachu was still battle-ready. Kingdra was weary, and his special moves were now half as strong. The words needn't be spoken, nor heard; her back was up against the wall. She laughed to herself. "It would end up this way, huh? Well, hell if we're going down without a fight! Kingdra, Laser Focus, and then Draco Meteor!"
Kingdra cast a glowering stare at Pikachu, assessing his weaknesses, before launching his closing assault. Draco Meteor soared into the stormy skies, ready to burst.
"There it is!" Ash beamed, throwing an open hand to the sky. "Pikachu! Let's strike down that Draco Meteor! Use Thunder!"
"Did he say Thunder!?" Misty shouted.
"Pikaaa!" Smirking, the mouse bundled his paws into fists, taking on a golden brilliance. "Pikaaaaaaaaaaaa… Chu!" Throwing up his paws, he sent lightning up into the clouds. Flickering gold danced through the storm in electric excess, before it came crashing down…
...Right into the core of Draco Meteor.
"Oh, no! Kingdra!" Misty was forced to guard her eyes from a blinding flash. Thunder crashed down into Draco Meteor, driving it back down towards its source - a wide-eyed Pokémon, helpless to stop it.
A deafening boom rang in the ears of all watching, and stray lightning snapped in all directions, before fading away into clouds of ash. It would take a good moment for Ash and Misty's eyes to adjust, but there was little room for doubt.
Rubbing the spots from her own hues, Misty sighed. "Thank you, Kingdra."
Ash spotted a red flicker in the fading aftermath, affirming his victory. He smiled to himself. "We did it!"
"You sure did! Much as I hate to admit it," Misty answered. "Now, tell me how that big mouth of yours held that Thunder a secret, for the entire match?"
"Well, I wasn't planning on using it," Ash explained, as his partner dashed across the glacier-ridden pool, hopping up into his arms. "But, the second you told me about Thunder's perks in the rain, I knew we'd make use of it. And if you knew we had it, I know you'd find a way around it," he explained, grinning.
"Well, I can't say you didn't learn from my command of water types. Consider my duty as a Gym Leader done!" Satisfied, the redhead reached into her jacket, and lightly tossed a Poké Ball. "Psyduck, I need you."
"Psyyy." The goofy, yellow duck appeared, tilting his head. And although the duck did nothing but cast a dopey gaze, Drizzle's effects quickly dissipated. The downpour was over.
"Er…?" Walking around the pool's perimeter, Ash tilted his head at Psyduck, then Misty, warranting an explanation.
"Right. You've been away for a while!" Misty sing-songed, crouching down to affectionately pat the top of Psyduck's three-haired head. "That's Cloud Nine. An ability that dispels any weather effects! Bet you never guessed ol' Psyduck had that going for him?"
"No… can't say I did!" Ash chuckled. "That's pretty cool, Psyduck!"
"Awfully handy for someone who specializes in a Rain Team~!" She cooed, lightly rubbing cheeks with the duck. His expression was more-or-less blank, as usual. But, Ash swore he saw just the hint of a smile on his beak. "My little weather manipulator!"
"Speaking of that Rain Team," Ash replied, "what a doozy! You nearly washed us out… if not for Pikachu's Pika-Power, that is."
"I really couldn't have expected anything else." Misty stood up, shaking her head. "I really didn't want to lose… but, if you just had to beat me, I'm glad it came from my Pika-Pal!" She winked at Pikachu, who'd walked over to catch up with Psyduck.
"Hmph!" Ash smirked, extending a hand to his old friend. "We never did get to battle with him, back then. I guess that settles our score, huh?"
"Hmm… for now." Misty's hand clasped Ash's. His look of satisfaction was met with her own, overseeing a firm shake.
From down on the Gym floor, Pikachu oversaw the exchange, smiling to himself. Whatever had tripped Ash up, earlier on, seemed to have passed. He and Misty were on the level.
Tilting his head, Psyduck may have caught a hunch that he'd missed something big.
"Duck…?"
Once Ash and Misty shook hands, Misty assuring Ash she would update her gym logs with his new, secured victory, Dawn darted down the steps of the viewing area. She only slipped once, but stumbled rather than falling. She ran over, panting as she stood beside Misty and nearly glared up at the older girl.
Misty raised a brow. "Uh-"
"I want you to watch out for my contests!" Dawn blurted. "You know how strong Ash is and he knows how strong you are, but I just realized how strong you are! You need to realize how strong I am, too!"
With a click of her tongue, Misty nodded. "Uh, huh… Let's go talk about where you plan to battle." She looked over to Ash. "Why don't you see if you can find Daisy? She can get your info done. If you wait, I might forget."
That was a sufficient distraction. Ash made a face. "Are you serious?"
"Do you wanna find out?" Misty shot back.
Once Ash left the room, Misty sighed.
"Are you jealous?"
At the question, Dawn's jaw dropped. Her eyes watered. Her very soul may as well have flown out of her chest. "D-Don't say it out loud!" she hissed, feelings absolutely battered. "Is it that obvious?! Oh, my gosh, this is so embarrassing!"
"You two are the exact same kind of stupid," Misty muttered. "It's kind of vain, really." Then, louder to catch the dramatic girl's attention, Misty spoke up. "I'm not interested."
"Huh?" Dawn asked. "You're not gonna watch my-"
"What? No, yeah, sure, I'll watch your-" She squinted. "Wait, are you not jealous about me and Ash? 'Cause, you shouldn't be. We're just friends."
Dawn stilled, processing what Misty had said. A wave of relief washed over her. Then, she stiffened. Why had she been that relieved about it. Her cheeks flushed, an entirely new embarrassment filling her. "I… I wasn't even embarrassed over something cool like your battle skills? It was…"
"..." Misty breathed in deeply, doing her best to speak gently to Dawn. She was younger than Ash by only two years, but it was clear she was infinitely less emotionally mature than Misty. She would need this guidance. "Dawn, listen to me."
"Hm?"
"You need to be direct. With whatever you want." With that, she took her hand away. "Seriously, I won't be involved. Don't worry about me."
"I… I wasn't!" Dawn insisted. "I just needed to be sure everyone knew exactly how skilled I was!"
"Mmhm," Misty taunted.
"That's it!" Dawn insisted. "'Cause, if I really wanted Ash, I-I could have him! As… As…"
"Your boyfriend?" Misty added, reveling in the way Dawn grew only more irritated at every turn she was proven the less experienced of the two. "Ahaha, you're a riot! You're way too easy to read!"
"'Cause I don't have to hide anything!" Dawn insisted. "But… Thank you! For telling me! And, offering to watch my contests!"
With a snort, Misty waved her off. "It's whatever. We're friends, right?"
At this, Dawn perked up. Despite her little temper tantrum over being called out, correctly, for her jealousy, Dawn was excited at the idea of having someone as impressive as Misty be her friend. "Yeah. We are."
"Well, you better go find Ash. I'm gonna see about cleaning up the battle ground."
"Alright. Bye, Misty!"
"Bye, Dawn."
As Dawn darted out of the gym with Prinplup at her heels, she very nearly ran into Ash and Pikachu.
"Oh!" Dawn yelped.
"Hey!" Ash cried, skidding to a stop just before he smacked into her. They stared at each other for a moment before Ash cracked a grin. "We need to head to the Pokémon center so we can heal up and drop off our stuff, but what do you say to a real victory dinner tonight?! I'm starved!"
Dawn perked up. "Oh, can we find somewhere near the cove?! If there's this much water here, it's a waste not to enjoy it!"
"Did you get used to that in Hoenn?" Ash asked, settling in to walk at Dawn's side out of the gym and into the city. "What'd you and Misty talk about, anyways? She agree to watch your battles?"
At this, Dawn folded her hands behind her back. She didn't like keeping secrets, but it felt, somehow, unimpressive to admit to Ash her interest, here. She didn't feel quite impressive enough. Maybe once she won a few more victories in Kanto and hyped herself up with her own skills, she would. Somehow, the idea of confessing to him only to have him fawn over her seemed most suiting; anything lackluster wouldn't do.
So, she raised her nose in the air and marched forward. "A bit of mystery is every woman's ace in the hole… That's what Glenda said."
Ash's eyes immediately half lidded. He looked off, disinterested. He had had quite enough of women's mysteries for a lifetime, thank you. "You keep your nose up like that, and you're gonna trip," he instead snarked.
Knowing what he said to be true, Dawn blushed a fraction and kept her eyes on the road. "Congrats on the win."
Ash perked up. "Thanks. It was a tough battle."
Dawn chuckled. "What else did you expect? All of your friends are way strong!" she insisted. It went unsaid that Dawn would prove herself chief among the strongest.