She trailed after him in the same pink uniform as ever. Ash idly wondered if it was the same one as their first journey together or whether she'd remade it during her stay with Paris in Hoenn. Regardless, she was already shaking her pom-poms excitedly as they entered the gym.
"Alright, new strategy, a clear head, and your cheer squad to pump you up!" Dawn enthused, prancing in place with Prinplup mimicking her at her side. "There's no way you can lose!"
Rosa walked at Ash's side, giving the uniform an odd look. She'd already had the concept explained before they'd left, but she still didn't understand the point of the frilly outfit to go with the cheer routine. She shrugged, deciding it bored her. Compared to this, she was entirely focused on the coming match!
Ash, on the other hand, smiled. The familiar, bubbly energy of his friend was always a good way to lighten his spirits. If Dawn hadn't become a coordinator, she could have easily become some sort of inspirational entertainer. A kind of high strung, intense entertainer, but an inspirational and heartwarming one all the same.
"Thanks, guys," Ash said. "We won't let you down!"
"Pika!" the little mouse added, paw up in the air as a promise.
"Wha's all dis?" Surge asked, sporting a smile from ear to ear. As Dawn scooted off to the viewing box, Surge crossed the field to speak as quietly to Ash as he could manage. "Uh, there some kinda situation goin' on here you'd like t'share, Baby?"
Catching Surge's implication, Ash stomped a foot and looked up at the mountain of a man with exasperation. Him and Dawn…? The thought of it alone heated his cheeks, but he just roughly adjusted his cap to calm himself down. Pikachu jumped down from his shoulder, already sensing the rising tension.
"You're tryna rile me up!" Ash accused.
Surge backed off, chuckling. "Well, I mean, botherin' folks 'bout their li'l cuties is an easy way to psyche 'em out…"
His cutie…? Ash briefly looked over to Dawn. Oblivious to the topic at hand, she waved one pom-pom up high before shouting out encouragement.
"Blow him away, Ash! Pikachu, you'll totally get your one up on Raichu, no need to worry!"
Jeez, that didn't make it easier to calm down! Deciding he would sort that out after the match, Ash took Dawn's encouragement and mentally ran with it.
"You should really focus more on how you're gonna beat me instead of my… my da-dating situ…" Shaking his head, Ash snatched up Pikachu and stomped over to his side of the match. "Call you first Pokémon!"
Snickering, Lt. Surge moseyed back to his side. "Gonna feel a li'l bad if I embarrass you twice, now," he joked. "Electavire, let's show 'em what's what!"
Ash exhaled through his nose, grateful for the chance in subject. "If that's who you're starting with…" Ash's fingers lingered over his belt, before a split-second decision led them to snatch a Poké Ball, and sling it into the fray with practiced finesse. "Tyranitar! I choose you!"
A flash of light rose and took the shape of a large, pale green mountain-dwelling creature. He let out a feral roar, and in conjunction, clouds of sand flooded out of the gaps in his armor. In no time at all, the field was mostly obscured by his Sand Stream ability.
"We're doin' this again, eh?" Surge laughed. "I hope you're not counting on the storm holding off our attacks, dis time." With that said, the Gym Leader had his own defense to worry about. He was pretty sure he'd heard Ash curse Rotom's Levitate, the last time he'd sent Tyranitar out.
Rather than wait for the worst, the veteran decided to set the stage. "Awright, Electivire. Use Magnet Rise!'
"Viiire!" The manic chatter of Electivire did his diligence little justice. Both of his tails burrowed into the field, sending pulses of electromagnetic disturbance throughout the arena. The various metals buried in the soil started to react, ripping many chunks of earth out of the ground, floating in a delicate balance, according to the laws of magnetism.
Being a walking, breathing generator, himself, Electivire began to levitate, and used his tails to anchor him to a nearby floating slab.
All of this was well and good for the leader and his chosen fighter, but from Ash's end, he may as well have been looking at sepia-filtered television static. "Magnet Rise, eh… I don't know what that move is, but there's only one way to find out. Tyranitar, Earthquake!"
The Armor Pokémon's tail collided viciously with the ground, sending seismic disruptions towards Electivire… or at least, that was what Ash had figured. But he heard no collapse, nor a cry of damage. Not even the efforts of a defense.
"That's weird," Ash muttered.
"Surprised, Baby?" Surge taunted over the storm. With his booming voice, even Ash could hear him almost clearly. "Dat's the power of Magnet Rise. Just what it sounds like; it suspends any'tin' with an electric charge in the air. Whether that's da ground, or an Electric-type Pokémon! At least for a bit. Tough luck, with ya Ground-type moves!"
"That figures," Ash grimaced. Recalling Electivire's array of moves from their last battle, Ash made note that Sabrina wasn't the only Gym Leader who could break the four move limit. And regrettably, he'd just locked himself into one useless move out of four.
"Wild Charge!" Surge broke Ash's contemplations, when a flickering light shone from within the Sandstorm. Beyond anyone's line of sight, Electivire ignited himself with a golden aura before leaping to the next floating slab over. His own move lit his path, allowing an easy, jagged navigation between footholds. Zipping closer and closer, Electivire crashed his full body-weight into Tyranitar's hide with an efforted snarl.
"Gahr!" Tyranitar cried, dragging his clawed feet through the dirt under Electivire's duress. His tough hide negated most of the punishment the juggernaut dealt him, but snaps of electricity still hurt. But he wasn't the only one to suffer.
"Elec-lec-lec… vi…!" Surge's Pokémon suffered the inevitable recoil dealt by Wild Charge, with unpleasant sparks dancing over his body. Even worse, a rough, granular wash of sand and dust pummeled him without warning. The Sandstorm's effects made an unwelcome addition to his recoil.
"Dragon Claw!" Ash ordered, without any discouragement.
Emerald extensions of real mass ripped through the clouds of dust, and slashed their way across Electivire's hide. Even being a brawler, it didn't boast Tyranitar's defenses, and was sent flying back, before clinging to a topsy-turvy piece of land. He winced, dusting off his chest.
"A real brawl-out battle! I like it!" Surge laughed boisterously. "Hit 'em with Cross Chop!"
Digging his primate-like hands into its foothold, Electivire leaned forward to snap his twin tails out with bone-breaking force. There was little Tyranitar could do but sluggishly react to the two whip cracks forming a pincer attack on both sides of his body. Suffering an attack that was super-effective twice over, even the mighty Tyranitar took a knee.
From the backseat, Ash winced at the cracking sound he could hear over the storm. In the moment, though, he knew he had to be snappy; he knew that Electivire attacked Pikachu with its tails - maybe it was the same, this time? "Don't give in, Tyranitar! Use Crunch!"
It was fortunate that Ash reacted fairly quickly; there was just enough lag in Cross Chop's execution that the reeling Tyranitar could gnash his teeth into the retreating, cable-like tails. Electivire's yelp could be faintly heard, behind the raging sands, and Tyranitar took full advantage of the moment by wringing his head around in circles.
The poor Electric-type was swung around like a flail, unceremoniously bashing into a floating rock; busting it to pieces. The turbulence didn't help at all with the abrasive sand splashing against his (luckily coarse) fur, stockpiling damage. To add insult to injury (or perhaps to end said insult), Tyranitar flung Electivire away. There was no heavy crash of thunder-yeti hitting solid ground. Only an end to their physical combat, for the time being.
"Feisty," Surge remarked. "Wild Charge!"
The same bright light shot through the storm, and Ash reacted in kind.
"Dragon Claw!"
Lustrous green crashed against shining yellow. The ground trembled and quaked under the duress of the two powerhouses, forcing Ash to steady his footing. Snarls of stubborn persistence overlapped, before the two Pokémon seemingly reached a stalemate. The two lights backed off and faded away.
"A stalemate," Dawn narrated. "These are two powerhouses that just won't give up!" Raising a pom-pom, she cheered in kind. "Let's go, Tyranitar, let's go! Rough them up, from head to toe!"
~Yeah! Beat 'em up, beat 'em up!~ Rosa cheered, hopping from foot to foot.
"Whoo! Now that's a brawl!" Visquez whistled. "Ain't often you see Electivire matched, blow for blow."
"If this drags out, they're just gonna keep beating each other up," Ash thought out loud.
"Piiika." Pikachu nodded in agreement. Surely, there was a way to tip the scales? That had to be approximately what the mouse meant, his trainer was sure.
"Wait… hold on." As Ash lowered his cap's brim to ward off an unwelcome gust of sand, the gears turned in his head. "Come to think of it… I haven't heard Electivire hit the ground once. It's just like Surge said. But, then how is he keeping at it…? It's not like I can see an Electivire walking on air." Then, his eyes widened. "That's it…!"
'Iit suspends any'tin' with an electric charge in the air. Whether that's da ground, or an Electric-type Pokémon! At least for a bit.'
'That was Ash's clue, and key to turning the tables. "Tyranitar!" He shouted, sweeping a hand through the air. "I want you to use a Hyper Beam, right across the field! Whatever Electivire's got floating around - I need you to blow it to bits!"
"Say, what!?" Surge recoiled, gritting his teeth. Just what was that scrawny kid planning!?
Tyranitar obliged, and with a turn of his neck, bright, boiling orange energy cut an arc through the storm, revealing - if just for a moment - what Ash had been trying to picture.
Floating pieces of earth, ripped out of the ground, and Electivire standing atop one of them. This was all that could be scouted through the blinding orange tint, before a chain reaction of explosions ripped across Surge's end.
Even the mighty giant had to brace himself from the fallout. "Gutsy kid… What the hell did he pull!?"
"That should do it… Good work, Tyranitar!" Ash praised, as he brushed dust off his jacket. No doubt, his plan had been successful. If no vestiges of floating rock remained - at least enough to serve as a foothold - then Electivire would be suspended above ground, with absolutely nowhere to go. A sitting duck.
With that in mind… Tyranitar wasn't much different, at the moment. After Hyper Beam, Ash could see as much through the dust; the big guy was catching his breath. That meant that this had turned into a tense waiting game.
'C'mon, Tyranitar… all you gotta do is recover, before Magnet Rise wears out!'
Tyranitar huffed haggard breaths, watching his opponent float unceremoniously above solid ground; as if it'd been caught and tangled in an invisible net. He wanted to take the initiative and attack; he really did. But, he just hadn't quite caught his breath.
Then, Electivire dropped, hitting the ground with a 'thud.' The humiliating display was over.
That much had reached Ash's ears, as well as Surge's. "Shoot, we're too late!"
"End of da line, Baby!" Surge swung a fist. "Earthquake!"
Ash swore through his teeth. It was do-or-die. "Hyper Beam!"
Tyranitar finally found his strength, firing a bright orange burst that cut through his own storm with ease. The move created a tunnel of dust, revealing the action for all to see. Electivire had smashed its herculean fists into the earth, shaking the Gym with a violent tremor.
Ash felt his teeth rattle, and his feet stumble for true purchase into the breaking ground. Without a second thought, he ducked to scoop a coughing Pikachu into his arms, and did the only thing he could think to do when sand and dust rudely pummeled their faces - he ducked and rolled. Harsh sand that didn't get caught by his jacket brushed over his bare arms. It was an unpleasant experience, but he preferred it to eating dirt. When Ash heard a grateful 'Pikapi,' he felt all the more satisfied with his course of action.
"...Well, I guess dat's dat. Ten-hut!" The Lieutenant's voice barked over what Ash only just noticed was a quieting storm, and sounded a harsh sound with the whistle around his neck. "Off the ground, Baby. Or do you want me to consider you knocked out, like your Pokémon?"
"...Huh?" Ash blinked, stumbling back up to his feet. While Pikachu properly boarded his shoulders, the trainer regained his bearings, and finally understood what Surge meant. Tyranitar laid on its back, unconscious. Electivire was much the same on the other end, at least before it disappeared into its Poké Ball. "A double knockout."
It suddenly dawned on Ash, as he approached his unconscious Pokémon, that he was grateful he hadn't trained him to maintain Sand Stream for a longer period of time. Stray piles of sand and dirt dug into the crevices of the broken battlefield, and crunched under his shoes, but it no longer scraped his throat and nostrils. He smiled, crouching beside the beast. "Hey."
"...Graaarh?" Tyranitar blinked wearily, looking up at a blurry vision of Ash.
"You were awesome," Ash praised, wearing a smile of gratitude. "Leave the rest to us, okay?" There was no room for an argument, as a red light converted Tyranitar to digital form. Walking back to the trainer's box, Ash shook out his jacket, removing any loose sand. "Okay. We're ready for round two!"
Surprisingly, the Lightning Unovan showed a great deal of patience through the process; far more than he had for Ash groveling on the floor. The latter had to guess that it had something to do with his respect for camaraderie in battle. Finally, though, he broke his silence with a gruff exhale. "I'd sure hope so, Baby. 'Cause there's a lot more where that came from! Rotom, on the front lines!"
Once more, the appliance-haunting trickster floated above the wreckage, wearing its signature, unnerving grin. Like before, it still haunted what appeared to be a washing machine.
"Rotom… Alright. Let's give this another go!" As Pikachu's weight left his arm, Ash took the cue to sling a second capsule into the fray. "Gengar! I choose you!"
"Gehehehe!" Gengar bounced onto the scene, hitting the ground several times before slinking himself into a consistent air presence. His spirits seemed rejuvenated, after the other day.
"I take it yer' using the same Pokémon as before," Surge surmised. "I better not see any repeats." Despite his brutish, competitive nature, Ash swallowed down those expectations with a thoughtful lens - Surge was doing his job as a Gym Leader. Like a drill instructor, he wanted to impart those facing him with a valuable lesson - even if he had to beat it into them.
"Don't you worry. We've got some new tricks up our sleeve," Ash hinted, turning to send Dawn a wink. The blue-haired girl blinked, looking as if she had no clue what he meant. 'Right. I didn't update you, did I? Well, no need to worry, Dawn. We'll show you, here and now!'
Surge raised an eyebrow, then laughed, patting his hands against his chest in a provocative gesture. "Good. Then, bring it on!"
"It's brought!" Ash fired back.
"Very well. Rotom, Hydro Pump!" With Surge's orders, Rotom flung open the door to its host mechanism, attacking Gengar with a powerful torrent. Gengar quickly sailed through the open air, weaving his ghostly body around Hydro Pump.
"Use Lick!" Ash ordered.
Shooting past Rotom, Gengar managed to stay ahead of the bulky ghoul's aim, even snaking behind it. He whipped his elastic tongue around with a twirl of his rotund body, blindsiding Rotom. The ghost recoiled, hitting the ground before floating back up. Moving in the oddly stiff way an inorganic creature would, it once again faced Gengar.
"Not bad," Surge remarked. "But, not good enough! Hydro Pump!"
Rotom returned fire, this time landing a direct hit on Gengar. The purple specter was launched through the air on the brunt of the torrent.
"Shoot," Ash hissed. "Don't give up, Gengar! Giga Drain!"
The high-pressure punishment dealt to Gengar quickly became enveloped in his own green glow, coursing through Hydro Pump to envelop Rotom. The poltergeist recoiled and chattered in pain, putting an end to Hydro Pump.
Receiving the benefits of Giga Drain, Gengar took it upon himself to swallow the remainder of Hydro Pump, chugging it down, as if he'd just tried to chug the contents of a fire hose. And not unlike that scenario, he was forced back by the jet, producing a napkin from seemingly nowhere to blot and dry his visage. "Genh!"
"What on earth!?" Dawn looked upon the scene with something between fear and disgust, cupping her hands over her mouth. "How much can he drink!?"
"Priinplup…!" Prinplup turned his head up in indignant disgust. Even for a Water-type like him, that was unsightly. Actually, as a producer of Water-type attacks, it was particularly unsightly.
Buneary simply, and quietly, prayed for Pikachu's turn in the battle to come soon.
~Woaaah. COOL!~ Rosa gawked at Gengar's little act. ~Is there anything Gengar CAN'T do!?~
"...I'm gonna hafta tell Ash that there's something wrong w' his Riolu." Visquez frowned. Looking over to Dawn, and then Gengar, she quickly concluded that Ash just kept odd company.
"That's… a real great show you're giving us, Gengar," Ash chose his words carefully, frowning. "But, do you have to go and show off like that? I think you overdid it a little." He chided, rightfully, as Gengar floated down clumsily to cough and sputter away from their audience.
Ash reckoned that, were it not for Giga Drain, Gengar might've just fainted from that stunt on the spot. Regardless, the ghost waved him off without a care. 'You're a stubborn guy…'
"That Gengar…" Surge grit his teeth, feeling the trickle of a lone bead of sweat roll down his forehead. Regardless of the little show's outcome, that ghost was dangerous. And he had a healing move, backing him up. "Hope ya had your laughs, Baby, 'cause I'm shutting yer act down! Will-o-Wisp, Rotom!"
Several blue, haunted flames coalesced around Rotom before launching towards Gengar.
'Here it comes!' Ash narrowed his eyes. "Here we go, Gengar!" Ash commanded, with a forceful thrust of his open hand. "Use Psychic on Will-o-Wisp!"
A mischievous glint shone in Gengar's eyes, before they took on a bright purple. A forceful thrust of his palms froze Will-o-Wisp in mid-air. The flames gained the same tint, and with a whirl from Gengar, started to spin counter-clockwise.
"What the!?" Lieutenant Surge gawked.
"Great!" Ash grinned. "Now, send 'em back!" With Ash's orders, Gengar slung the band of otherworldly flames back to orbit and ambush Rotom.
"Plup!?" Prinplup blinked, beady blue eyes focusing in. This seemed familiar.
"That's it!" Dawn gasped.
"Eh?" The twin-tailed girl cocked her head. "What's it?"
"The way he took command over Will-o-Wisp to corner Rotom… it's just like Ciara did against us! That's what Ash had in mind, all along!" Dawn couldn't keep the growing smile off her features. Even if the technique was her rival's, something about Ash learning from her contests and applying it to his own battles… it did something for her pride.
"Look at that. Think you're crafty, huh!" Lieutenant Surge grimaced. "Rotom, gain some altitude! Stat!"
The possessed appliance found itself trapped in a ring of vengeful flames, and had nowhere to go but up. It soared towards the ceiling, and predictably, Will-o-Wisp followed.
"Now, Hydro Pump!"
Rotom opened its door, dousing the chasing flames decisively.
"They beat it!?" Ash watched his stolen embers die away, and grimaced. 'Damn… that was our chance to turn the tables on them. Unless there's another way…' There were only so many ways to make it past Rotom's defenses, and it wasn't likely that Surge would fall for the same trick twice. Then, Ash smirked; he was working with a Pokémon who was full of tricks, wasn't he? "Gengar! Send 'em flying, with Psychic!"
Gengar exerted a wicked, telekinetic grip over Rotom. With all of his might, he flung the washing machine away… though, given its bulk and relative experience, wasn't all that much.
"That won't hold 'em off for long." Ash grimaced. "Gengar, c'mere!" He gestured with a wave of his hand, calling the ghost over to his side. "I need you to listen to me, quick…"
As Ash whispered past his hand, Gengar floated about him, nodding intently. Suddenly, he looked awfully amused, chuckling into his paw. "Gengar!" For all his chortling, he was lucky he overheard the sound of roaring flames, and an uncomfortable heat nearly grazing the spikes on his back. He panicked, soaring higher to narrowly avoid a Will-o-Wisp. "Gengar!?"
"Hey! What's the big idea!?" Ash barked. "You could've really turned me into Ash!"
"I'm gonna ignore that y'just implied my Pokémon don't have the control to avoid torchin' bystanders." The blond man grimaced, folding his arms over his chest. He looked particularly angry; it was enough to unnerve even Ash. "There's no time for tellin' secrets on the battlefield! Stay at attention, or suffer da consequences!"
"Tch… alright! You asked for it! Gengar, get in there and Lick 'em!" Ash ordered, as he quietly wished to complete his mastery of Aura as soon as possible. He certainly would have avoided that scolding, if he had already.
Oblivious to Ash's gripes, Gengar swept in, snapping his paralyzing tongue out at Rotom.
"Bad move, Baby!" Surge taunted. "Use Will-o-Wisp!"
Rotom attacked with his haunting flames, and Gengar reflexively snapped back his tongue - a moment too late. The ghost shrieked, zipping frantically about the Gym with smoke hissing out of the gaps in his teeth.
"Oh, no!" Ash slapped his palm against his forehead. "He burnt his tongue on the Will-o-Wisp!"
"Hah! That was a pretty dumb move, Baby. Y'burned your own Pokémon, for me!" Surge scoffed. Really, the sight was both funny, and a little sad. The flailing ghost was now closer to a piping hot red than purple, even floating over to Rotom to grip the possessed appliance.
"G-g-g-gh-ghe!" Gengar pleaded, knocking on the washing machine's door.
Surge blinked, and shrugged a shoulder with mild amusement. "Well, alright. Give 'em what he wants, and cool 'im down with a Hydro Pump!"
Just as told, Rotom opened his door.
"Got you!" Ash grinned, with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Do it, Gengar!"
"Say, what!?" Surge exclaimed. What he witnessed next was the last thing even a man of war expected - Gengar stopped showing any signs of pain, unrolling his tongue to unleash a carefully maintained ember - the remains of Will-o-Wisp. There was no time to command Rotom, and even if he had, the plasma ghost was already preparing its own attack.
Rotom was tricked by the wildly smiling Gengar, subjected to an unwelcome burn.
"...Well, I'll be damned." Surge exhaled, his shoulders sinking. He couldn't deny that he felt just a tad humiliated, right now. And at the same time, he felt pride in his challenger. "I'd be doin' myself a disservice if I didn't ask you how the hell you pulled that off, Baby."
Ash smirked, brushing his index finger over his nose. "Truth is, it came to me when Gengar pulled that stunt with your Hydro Pump. Gengar here has a long way to go, when it comes to battle experience, but he's got his own strength - all the weird, tricky things he can do as a Ghost-type Pokémon!" He rested his hands on his hips, looking over proudly to his partner. "I had 'im use Psychic to hold onto just one of the Will-o-Wisps. It was a risky move that'd be easy to screw up. But I knew that catching you and Rotom off-guard was the only way to gain the upper-hand!'
"Ya don't say…" Thoughtfully, Surge rubbed his chin. "Hah! Even at my old age, I guess dere's always something new to learn. But, ya haven't beaten us. Not yet!"
"Oh, I know," Ash replied. "That's what this is for. Gengar, use Hex!"
Gengar backed away from the ailing Rotom, and conjured something far scarier than himself - an eerie web of purple and blue lights, with a glowering red eye at the center. A dark, grim purple pulse of energy crashed into Rotom, and subsequently exploded at point-blank range.
"Rotom!" The Gym Leader called out in worry.
"Pretty nasty, huh? Gave me a scare at first, too," Ash chuckled. "And it does double the damage to any Pokémon with a status condition. So, we turned your nasty burn strategy right back at you!" He boasted, pointing at his gargantuan opponent.
Surge grimaced, seemingly calculating his next move in his head. "Alright, Rotom. Volt Switch!"
Another blue blaze flashed over Rotom's incorporeal form, before it pulled itself up into the air. Zipping and crackling with electricity, it crashed into Gengar with a merciless shock, before retreating to its Poké Ball held in Surge's hand.
"Gengar!" Ash called out, watching over the ghost as he hovered close to the floor. "Gengar, are you alright?"
The Ghost-type hardly looked 'alright.' Battered and burned by the sequence of unforgiving waters and a sequential shock, he frankly looked close to fainting. But, he flashed a cheery grin, regardless. "Gengar!"
"You're a good trickster," Ash said, smiling to himself. "But you're not a very good liar, y'know that? Take a rest for now." He extended a Poké Ball, recalling Gengar.
"A good show of judgment," Surge commended, gaining Ash's attention. "Night and day, from our last battle. So now, I oughta reward ya with the moment you've been waiting for!" The man made a rare show of external effort that was far from needed, chucking his last capsule forward.
"Gooo, Raichu!"
At several feet tall, the orange, rotund mouse may as well have been his trainer's height, with the confidence he exuded. Smirking and erratically whipping his tail, the creature eagerly awaited his showdown. "Raiii." He said, in a low growl. Beady eyes lingered before landing on Pikachu.
"Well, that's your cue." Ash smirked, winking at his partner. "Ready for 'im, this time?"
"Pika!" Pikachu smirked, cocking his head as if to say 'of course I am.' He carried a coolness contrary to the other day; tempered, and sure of himself, but not overly anxious. It dispelled any lingering worries Ash had, and he smiled, shrugging his shoulder to let his partner go. "Give 'em hell, Buddy."
Pikachu dashed down Ash's arm, and somersaulted onto all fours, opposite of Raichu.
"Awwwright, Raichu. Give 'em a Thundahbolt!" Surge commanded, swiftly and forcefully pointing his index finger towards Pikachu. His greatest companion showed no hesitation, unleashing golden cannon fire on Pikachu in the form of deadly shock.
Despite this, Ash said nothing, and Pikachu did nothing. The latter held his own on all fours, wincing as he took Raichu's shock, head-on. Powerful electricity snapped through his system, making the small rodent bare his fangs. "Pi…!" Despite the assault, he stood tall, and sent Raichu a glare.
Raichu smirked at this, violently flicking his tail. A paw was raised and tucked in, in a 'bring it' gesture.
"So that's how it is, huh?" Ash grinned, catching on to Raichu's provocations. "Let's show them our Thunderbolt, Buddy!"
"Pi-ka!" Pikachu gleefully obliged, smacking his paws against his red cheeks. "Piiiikaaaaaa… Chu!" With his rallying cry, Pikachu struck back with a vengeance.
Lightning arced over to Raichu, punishing him with a not-so-healthy dose of Pika-Power. Lit with a golden glow that made the sunlight breaking through the windows seem dim in comparison, Raichu recoiled at Pikachu's power. A lesser Pokémon would have buckled, or fainted. But he had far too much pride. He used his massive body and stores of electricity to his advantage, choosing to stand upright. "Rai!"
Watching this, Pikachu grinned. "Pika-chu!"
"What're they… doing?" Dawn trailed off, cocking a brow in her confusion. "They're just taking each other's attacks. Why aren't Ash and Pikachu using their speed to their advantage, like they usually do?"
Beside her, Visquez grinned. "You ain't been around Electric-types much, huh?"
Dawn flushed, bristling at the accusation. "Well…! Mostly Pikachu and my Pachirisu-"
"Exactly," the Gym Trainer rudely cut her off. "This is how Electric-types test their strength. Shockin' each other into submission. It's like two Bouffalant lockin' horns!" The girl bundled up her fists, giving Dawn the impression she was thrilled about this. "A show of pride! Y'know?"
"...Well, I do know a lot about pride," Dawn surmised. With a furrowed brow, she quietly made her decision. "In that case, it's our job to cheer Pikachu on! C'mon, everyone!" Dawn rallied Prinplup and Buneary, raising a pom-pom into the air. "Boom! Bang! Bam! Crash! That's him, the one: comrade to Ash! He'll always strike the field electric! Pikachu, go and leave their butts kicked!" Dawn performed a series of energetic kicks and waves, mirrored by her Prinplup and exceptionally enthusiastic Buneary. Rosa simply punched the air, failing to synchronize with the cheer by loudly projecting for Pikachu to kick Raichu's tail.
Meanwhile, Visquez watched the display with something between shock and embarrassment. "...What a weirdo."
"Hah! You two got a lotta moxie, as always," Surge commended. "And I see you got ya Thundahbolt back. Not gonna lie; it threw me off when ya rolled in here without it, last time."
To which, Ash smirked. "You're not the only one who can break the four-move limit, y'know."
The larger man paused, raising an eyebrow at the response. "Well, I'll be. A trainer yer age figuring that out… each generation just gets tougher, doesn't it?"
"It's something I picked up in my training, a while back," Ash explained. "And you know how it is; news spreads like wildfire, once it's out. That trick found its way back to my whole family of Pokémon, back home. Even without me, they started teaching each other! That's one of our strengths," the trainer asserted, tightly closing a fist. "We work together to get stronger. As a family, and as a team!" Beyond the test of strength and sufficiently pumped to continue, Ash waited no longer. "Pikachu! Quick Attack!"
Silver light trailed a speeding Pikachu, who vaulted from where he stood before the naked human eye could even tell the difference. With a cathartic "Pi-Ka!", he bashed into the slower and unreactive Raichu, toppling him.
"Use Slam, Raichu! Bring 'em down!" Surge barked.
The pudgy Electric-type caught himself by pressing one of his paws to the gym floor. With Pikachu just passing over, Raichu had just a tiny window of opportunity to harshly smack him in the back of his head with his lightning bolt tail.
Pikachu cried, crashing face-first into the hard surface.
"Now, we got 'im right where we want 'im!" Surge said decisively, bringing a fist into his open palm. "Focus Punch!"
Raichu pivoted onto his feet, winding up a powerful, now-glowing fist. In just an instant, he'd punish Pikachu with an unrestrained haymaker. "Rai…!"
He went for the kill, but suddenly stopped. Something sharp poked him in the abdomen, catching Raichu entirely off-guard. Pikachu's tail had pointed itself right at its owner's opponent, like a bayonet pointed squarely at his throat.
Likewise, Raichu knew his attack had been compromised. Just that hesitation gave Ash ample time to make a command. "Great going, Pikachu." Ash smirked. "Thunderbolt, now!"
"Pikachyuuuuu!" Pikachu shrieked, unleashing a spine-rattling shock, point-blank. It wasn't enough to subdue Raichu, perhaps, but it did make him flinch and falter; that was the weakness of Focus Punch.
"Now, give him an Iron Tail!" Ash coached.
Pikachu swiftly pivoted on his two front paws, swinging his weight around not unlike a break-dancer, as his tail coated itself in a sturdy metal. "Chua… Pi-ka!" He cried, smashing his Iron Tail into the disoriented Raichu.
Raichu was sent sliding back, knocked on his rear.
There was a twitch of Surge's eye. "Dat's it. No more games! Give 'em a Focus Punch, back to back, Raichu!"
The electric mouse was quickly back on his feet, flexing both of his paws, which were filled with a glowing burst of energy. "Rai…!" Sure to charge his attack beforehand, this time, he sprinted towards Pikachu, and swung.
"They want a brawl? We'll give 'em a brawl!" Ash declared. "Iron Tail, back to back!"
Pikachu sprinted forward in retaliation. Suddenly, he felt grateful he'd put a great deal of time into polishing Iron Tail while training Rosa; he had little trouble in aiming for Raichu's fist, and rolling to pivot off it and engage in another strike. And a third and fourth, beyond it.
The Vermilion Gym's arena was currently a spectacle - two electric rodents of the same line duking it out in a storm of powerful punches and tail strikes. The ground beneath the two - which was already faulty - began to crumble under the weight of their blows. This was enough to disrupt Raichu's concentration, and he suffered a stinging Iron Tail to the face.
"Got 'em!" Ash celebrated. Though, when he looked across to Surge, his confidence wilted; the man was wearing a self-assured grin, and he was afraid to ask why that was.
"Your tail, Raichu! Get 'im!" The military man ordered. In time, a snappy shot of Raichu's tail constricted itself around Pikachu, holding him airborne. "Checkmate."
Pikachu squeaked, feeling all the pressure of Raichu's powerful extremity pressing into his chest. Worse yet, he'd wandered into yet another mouse trap, wounding his pride. "Pika…!"
"Slug 'em. Focus Punch!"
Raichu reared back his fist, and mercilessly socked the binded Pikachu in the gut.
Watching this, Ash winced. It was overwhelmingly obvious that Raichu's weight and bulk were his greatest assets, against the smaller, faster Pikachu. That gave him an idea. "Don't give up, Pikachu! Thunderbolt!"
Pikachu coughed, and gathered his strength. "Piii… ka… chu!" Electricity shot right through Raichu's tail, and into his system. He recoiled in pain, bashing Pikachu against the gym floor to put an end to the shock. But, it was futile - Pikachu was stubbornly pouring on the charge.
Ultimately, Raichu held out as long as his pride allowed. But even he buckled to his knees, soon. Where on earth had Pikachu picked up this kind of power!?
"Gah… Stubborn rat!" Surge cursed. "Let go of 'im, Raichu! Use your tail as a ground!"
The grip on Pikachu loosened and then gave, and Raichu jabbed his tail into the dirt below him. The last of Pikachu's Thunderbolt drained into the soil, finally giving the larger mouse a break.
"There it is!" Ash's eyes focused on Raichu's tail. "Pikachu! Hook your Iron Tail in with Raichu's, and make a run for it with Quick Attack!"
While the Gym Leader muttered something about what Ash was up to, Pikachu dropped to all fours, and swung his hardening tail around to catch it in the jagged groove of Raichu's. "Pi-ka!" He started to sprint, dragging the hefty weight of his opponent with him. The weight of Raichu occasionally bashing against the floor could be felt in Pikachu's spine, slowing him down just a tad. But 'slow' was relative in the Electric Mouse's case.
"Now, bounce off the wall!" Ash commanded in succession.
"Ka!" Pikachu leapt off the broken floor, planting all fours sideways on the closest wall of the Gym. He could wager a guess at what Ash wanted him to do, and angled his tail so the hooked Raichu would smack unceremoniously into the flat surface.
"Eh, Raichu!?" Surge bumbled out. The leader seemed totally stumped; Ash's strategies were anything but predictable, and he recognized that complete look of confusion in an opponent's eyes.
Just a sign that everything was going according to plan.
"Good!" Ash triumphantly punched a fist through the air. "Now, give 'em a good toss!"
"Chua….!" Pikachu bounded off the wall back towards the field, dragging Raichu's weight with him. He felt the reluctant drag of his foe, and decided to let it go in one forward somersault. The centripetal force sent Raichu flying, and buried him in the dirt.
"Pi…!" Pikachu landed on all fours, panting. Sweat trickled down his forehead, and his fur was dirtied in a few places. But, that was nothing compared to his opponent's condition.
Raichu groaned, pushing himself out of the dirt. His composure was questionable, with a dizzy, uneven gait. He'd hate to admit it, but he was getting thrashed. "Raichu…!" He growled, exerting sparks from his cheeks.
"That was a real slick move, Baby." Surge commended. "You're making us look like jackasses, out here, I've gotta admit."
"I came up with it, once you had Pikachu in a hold," Ash explained. "Pikachu's got a way of leaving his opponents with a real shock, but some are smart enough to ground them." In his mind's eye, he recalled instances like Winona, mitigating damage to her flying types. He swore there was an opponent from one of his leagues, too, who kept her grass types rooted to dilute electricity. "As an expert with Electric-types, I figured you'd know to do that! And, that was our chance to use Raichu's own weight to our advantage!"
"...Hmph." Surge smirked, shaking his head. "Looks like I don't got a whole lot left to teach ya's." His gaze turned to Raichu. Much like Ash and Pikachu, they seemed to share a silent, unbreakable bond. They quickly came to their own agreement, and Raichu was back on all fours. "Awright. Then, let's settle this, man-to-man! Mouse-to-mouse." The man pointed forward with gusto. "Use Volt Tackle, Raichu!"
"Rairairairairai…!" Raichu charged, building up a golden, earth-scorching shock about him. This was his last gambit - an all-or-nothing tackle!
"I don't know about you, Pikachu, but I'm game!" Ash grinned, tucking in his fists at his waist. "Pikachu, Volt Tackle!"
"Pika!" As if Ash had to ask! He made a swift charge forward, kicking up a similar aura of lightning. "PIkapikapikapikapikapika…!"
The two streaks of gold - one large, one small - crashed center-stage. Lightning danced wildly from the point of their meeting skulls, cutting and scorching the field even further. The momentum and progress between the two gave out; a head-to-head clash tested the strength and resilience of both competitors.
Pushing his superior weight, Raichu snarled, meeting eyes with Pikachu.
Taking his challenge, Pikachu grit his teeth, bucking back against the larger force.
The clash, initially leaving the audience speechless, sparked something in Buneary. With furrowed brows, she waved her pom-poms, cheering on Pikachu with all her might. "Bun-Bun! Buneary! Neary!"
"Buneary's got the right idea," Dawn smiled, and put on her game face to resume her cheer. "Volt Tackle! All out! This is it - their final bout! Do it, Pikachu, do it Ash! Let's make this the victory lap!"
"Priiin-lup-lup-lup!" Prinplup joined in, waving his wings with fervor.
~BRING 'EM DOWN, UNCLE PIKACHU!~ Rosa's scratchy voice screeched in the minds of all present.
The violent struggle continued with flash and flare, but it soon became apparent that the two forces weren't entirely equal. Raichu's feet were digging in, kicking up wisps of dust, before they were charred by lightning in an instant. His forward charge gave way with his weight, and he was forced onto his hind legs. "Rai… rai-rai…!" He struggled, now gripping Pikachu's forehead with both of his paws. Tried as he may, he just couldn't slow Pikachu down!
And Pikachu was well aware. Chanting his name at a rapidly increasing rate, he put his all in, and dethroned Raichu. Tackling him into the air. "Pika-pi-ka!"
Lieutenant Surge could only watch, as his ace Pokémon was laid out on his back. Swirls in his eyes. "...Well, I'll be damned."
"Yes! We did it!" Ash cheered, as his partner shook off the nasty recoil of Volt Tackle. "Awesome job, Buddy."
"Pika-chu!" Pikachu grinned, flashing a thumbs-up at Ash. He couldn't have done it without his trainer.
After returning the gesture, Ash's expression hardened. "But, there's still one hurdle left."
"Ha! You remembered!" Surge had recalled Raichu, exchanging his partner for one final round. "Y'still haven't overcome your own Achilles heel. At attention, Rotom!"
The still wobbly looking appliance appeared, looking less than ideal. But he was in the match, all the same.
"Pain Spli-"
"Quick Attack!"
Ash hadn't forgotten their folly, last time. Nor had Pikachu. The mouse had already reared himself to charge before either trainer spoke, and he took off in a trail of light as Ash commanded. Dashing for the airborne ghost, he sprung up, and bashed his skull into the appliance. With a toss of his head, he flung Rotom towards the ground.
"Egh…!" Surge grit his teeth. "Pain Split!"
Rotom sat up to do as told, but it couldn't account for the sudden blaze that overcame it. Its burn status remained.
"Oh, no!" Surge exclaimed.
"Now!" Ash grinned, waving a hand through the air. "Use Thunderbolt!"
Pikachu went for the kill. Flexing his red cheek pouches one last time, Pikachu rained down a vigorous Thunderbolt on Rotom. The attack sizzled, and then exploded.
It was only a moment's wait, before the cloud dispersed. Rotom was unconscious.
Spotting his final Pokémon down for the count, Surge straightened his back. He took his defeats with more grace than he took his victories. "White flag up," Lt. Surge announced, returning his Pokémon. "We'll get you t'the canteen."
Swinging his attention to Ash and Pikachu, Surge noted that the tired Pokémon was doing a sort of dance with his trainer. Ash was getting to be too tall to really hold Pikachu's paws when the yellow Pokémon stood on his own, but the dark haired boy tried regardless.
That loyalty was admirable, Surge thought. And, it would carry the two all the further now that they knew to complement each other's weaknesses rather than just lean strictly into the strengths they shared.
On the side lines, Visquez walked out from behind the thunder-shield, hands in her pockets. "That was much better!" she announced. "My heart's still racing… What a white hot match!" She grinned, nodding to Ash. "One day, we're gonna have our own match."
Dawn followed after. "I think everyone got what they wanted." She and Prinplup shrugged in unison at the direction of where Pikachu had wandered off to greet the equally exhausted Raichu.
Ash looked on fondly as Raichu ruffled the top of Pikachu's head. Pikachu swatted the larger Pokémon's mitt away before they both laughed. The two talked jovially. Their previous, less amicable rivalry had melted into something more pleasant. Friendship tempered by competitiveness, perhaps?
"I'd like that, Visquez," Ash finally answered. "But, uh, I do gotta head to the Pokémon center, now…"
The girl nodded. "Yeah, yeah. I gotta train up so our match is as good as the lieutenant's!"
Surge barked a laugh. "You got years before you're on my level, cadet!"
"Sir! Yes, sir!" Visquez cheered. She marched over, scooping up the orange electric type. "Alright, Raichu, let's rub down those tired muscles before dinner!"
Shaking his head before following after her, the gym leader waved to the duo. "I might have found my heir already… F'now, see ya, Baby and…" He chuckled, a twinkle in his eye. "Baby's baby."
"Baby's baby?" Dawn echoed. She looked at Prinplup. "... Does he not know what you are? I don't actually remember if I introduced you to him or not…" Deciding to shout despite Surge no longer being in the main part of the gym, Dawn cupped her pom-poms around her mouth. It actually quieted her yell, but oh well. "HE'S A PRINPLUP!"
"Never mind that," Ash said, hand on Dawn's shoulder. "He's weird, don't try to figure out everything he says." Not addressing what Surge meant gave Ash time to think about what he wanted, but he didn't want any repeats. Misty's warning came back to him and he froze, taking in the sight of Dawn's blue eyes.
Then, like snow after the sun, he melted into a relaxed smile. "Hey," he began, "thanks for cheering us on. It's always really helpful, and I like when you do it."
How direct! Ash wasn't exactly the ungrateful type, but his gratitude usually came in more boisterous terms. Taken off-guard by the gentle tone and the lingering touch, Dawn just gazed back into his eyes for a moment.
Then, of course, her ego took over. She raised her chin, hands on her hips. "Heck yeah! You just needed to get in your zone! I'll always make sure you're being you, so you always do your best! No need to worry."
Chuckling, Ash bumped his shoulder into Dawn's before heading for the gym exit. Pikachu hopped onto his shoulder, weariness in the mouse's every limb. "Same here. Oh, yeah! Where's your next contest?"
"Celadon City, I think!" Dawn answered, walking in pace with Prinplup. "We're still going over ideas for appeals, but… I'm pretty sure Celadon's where we want to go."
"Prinplup!" the water type added in agreement.
"Bun-Bun!" Buneary hopped in place.
"Celadon's perfect!" Ash insisted, petting Pikachu's head. "We can take on the gym there." He winked. "We can kick back a little bit. Erika's a tough cookie, but she doesn't play mind games like Lt. Surge, huh, buddy?"
"Pika…" the mouse added. As much fun as he had with Raichu, it was tiring. He could use a change of pace.
With that, the four of our heroes made their way through the streets of Vermilion. Today, a victory had been earned. And, tomorrow, they'd go after even more.
So, that's the end of Companions! I'd like to thank any readers for reaching this point, and following Ash and Dawn's adventure. The fourth book will take a little while to be completed, but rest assured that I'm working on it. There's still a plenty long story to tell! In the meantime, I really hope you all enjoyed the first leg of their Gym-Contest challenge! It should set the pace, though they're sure to encounter more than just their standard challenges, later!
For now, how did you feel about the story? Any thoughts? Hopes or thoughts for future entries? Any review is greatly appreciated!
Until next time! See you on book four!