Chapter 13: Slateport Tournament! Go!
"There's so many people!" Ash exclaimed as he entered the stadium with Goh and Chloe. After having a quick breakfast and registering for the tournament, the trio made their way to the stadium and were shocked by the number of people outside of the stadium.
"Are all of them competitors?" Chloe asked as she looked around in spacious room they were in. There were many trainers, and she saw many different kinds of strong Pokémon. A Machamp was flexing its muscles, an Arcanine was running around in circles, and there was a Spoink jumping up and down.
"I think so," Goh grimly said, glancing at his opponents and their Pokémon. Yesterday, he was confident that his Pokémon would stand a chance, but he was having second thoughts. Even though he just needed to be in the top three to get a Key Stone, it was still not an easy task.
"Don't worry, Goh!" Ash spoke as he reassured his friend with a gentle slap on the back. "You have been training hard for this tournament, and I'm sure that you'll win!" Despite his recent loss in the PokéRinger competition, Ash seemed to be fine, and he was beaming with confidence. This was the perfect opportunity for him to train Gengar, Farfetch'd, and Lucario, and he wouldn't make the same mistake as before and underestimate his competitors.
"Never thought to see you again," a voice interrupted from behind. The trio turned around to see a trainer with well-groomed hair sitting on top of a Hariyama. The trainer had a hairbrush in his right arm and grinned at Ash.
"Hodge!" Goh exclaimed with surprise, recalling how he lost against him in the first round of the Battle Frontier Flute Cup. "You're in the tournament too?"
"Yes," Hodge replied while he sternly looked at Goh. "I came here, hoping to get a Mega Stone for my Pokémon. Are you participating as well?"
"That's right!" Goh said confidently as he raised his right fist forward. "I may have lost to you before, but I have been training hard for this tournament."
"Me too," Hodge smirked, putting the hairbrush into one of his pockets. "I look forward for a rematch, but I'll win." Hariyama continued walking away from the trio, and Ash and Goh stared as Hodge slowly disappeared into the crowd.
"You know him?" Chloe questioned with a confused expression. She remembered that Ash and Goh went to Hoenn before to participate in a tournament and that Ash brought back flutes as a prize.
"Yeah. We battled before. He's strong," Ash acknowledged while he remembered his battle against Hodge. He knew that Hodge had a Hariyama and a Mightyena, but he was curious about Hodge's third Pokémon.
Frowning, Goh muttered, "This is going to be much harder than I thought." To his dismay, another figure approached the trio, and Goh recognized her and her Pokémon as well.
"Leaf," he spoke with a hint of annoyance. Next to her was her Venusaur, and the two had an unfriendly relationship after their encounter in the Petalburg Woods.
"I never expected a trainer like you to compete," Leaf smugly remarked, raising her eyebrow. "Venusaur still remembers how your Cinderace lost to him."
"Venu!" Venusaur confirmed with a deep voice. Even though Goh had the type advantage, he still lost, and it was humiliating for him.
"Cinderace and I have gotten a lot stronger!" Goh retorted, glaring at Leaf. "We have been training hard, and we aren't going to lose again!" He had tied with Brawly in his double battle with Ash and trained with Drake yesterday. He was fired up, and he badly wanted to prove to Leaf how much he had improved.
"If you say so," she stated as she started to walk away. "But make sure you don't lose too early!"
"Goh," Ash warned as he placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Be careful. You lost to her because of Cinderace being poisoned. You need to be careful." He didn't want Goh to panic and lose control of the situation, just like he did with Dragonite against Dragapult's Infestation.
Goh smiled and gave a thumbs up. "Ever since that day, I have been thinking long and hard, and I have a plan. Cinderace can—"
"Trainers, thank you for being patient! The Slateport Mega Evolution Tournament is about to begin!" a girl interrupted Goh's words. The trio turned toward the screen to see a girl announcing the tournament. "My name is Hibana, and I am proud to say that there are 192 trainers who are competing!"
"One hundred and ninety-two!?" Goh anxiously thought. He never expected for there to be so many trainers, and his chances of winning were getting smaller and smaller.
"Because of the large number of trainers, we have decided to split the tournament into 3 rounds and change some rules," Hibana continued speaking as she gestured toward a nearby screen. "The first round will consist of 1 vs 1 battles. The second will be 2 vs 2, and the final round will be 3 vs 3. The first round will eliminate 144 people, and the second round will continue eliminating competitors, until there are 6 left. The three trainers who emerge victorious will be given their Mega and Key Stones, and they will be continue battling for fun with their new rewards!"
"That means that the winners get a chance to try out Mega Evolution!" Ash enthusiastically shouted as the matchups began to happen on the screen. Goh sweated as the results showed, and he saw that he was against a trainer called Nick and that Ash was against someone named Hailey.
"I guess this is it," Chloe spoke as she looked at the screen. "I'll find somewhere to sit in the stadium and watch your battles. Good luck to the both of you!"
"Everyone, please welcome our next competitors! Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town and Nick from Rustboro City!" Hibana announced from her podium as Ash and Nick face each other from the battlefield.
"You may choose your Pokémon!" the referee declared. Nick tossed a Pokéball in the air, and a Mismagius appeared.
"Mismagius," Ash said as he looked at the Magical Pokémon. It was a Ghost type, and he had the perfect Pokémon to deal with it. "Gengar! I choose you!" Ash proclaimed, throwing a Pokéball forward.
"Gengar!" Gengar chuckled as he appeared. He was itching to battle, and he was happy to work with Ash.
"Begin the battle!" the referee spoke as he swung his arm forward. Immediately, Nick ordered, "Use Shadow Ball, Mismagius!"
"Counter it with your Shadow Ball, Gengar!" Ash commanded, pointing his finger at Mismagius. Both Pokémon summoned a large purple ball and threw them at each other. The balls collided, causing an explosion that shook the battlefield.
"Night Shade!" Ash shouted and watched as Gengar blasted a beam of dark energy at Mismagius.
"Magical Leaf!" Nick exclaimed, and Mismagius shot out a stream of glowing leaves at Gengar's Night Shade. Once again, the two attacks collided with each other, but Gengar was stronger and he managed to push the leaves away. The Night Shade smashed into Mismagius, and Mismagius wailed as it collapsed onto the floor.
"Mismagius is unable to battle! Gengar and Ash are the winners!" the referee announced after it glanced at the fallen Mismagius.
"Awesome!" Ash happily shouted while Gengar smiled at his victory. Ash knew that the first round was the easiest and that it would only get harder as he progressed. He would just need to win one more battle to progress to the second round.
"Cinderace! Pyro Ball!" Goh ordered as Cinderace began launching a flaming pebble. The ball of fire crashed into Hailey's Cherrim, and the unfortunate Pokémon stumbled backward from the super-effective attack.
"Cherrim is unable to battle! Cinderace and Goh are the winners!" the referee proclaimed as Hailey recalled her knocked out Pokémon.
"Alright!" Goh praised while he high-fived Cinderace. "Keep this up, and we have a chance."
"Cinder!" Cinderace responded with a grin. Even though he took a little bit of damage of Cherrim's Leafage, he was still ready to battle.
Goh felt that someone was looking at him, and he was surprised to see Leaf looking at him and Cinderace from above. Before he could say something, Leaf gave him a small frown and walked away without saying anything.
"She's still not impressed," Goh noted as he watched her walk away. Cinderace looked upset, but Goh calmed his Pokémon and reassured him that it was all right.
"We'll prove to her how strong we are when we battle her," Goh spoke before returning Cinderace to his Pokéball. It was going to be a long day, but he was confident that he would make it to the second round.
"Lucario! Finish this with Aura Sphere!" Ash shouted on the top of his lungs. His opponent's Serperior was immobilized from using Frenzy Plant, and this was the opportunity to win this battle.
"Lucario!" Lucario roared as he threw a blue sphere of Aura. The sphere slammed into Serperior, knocking it out on the ground.
"Amazing!" Hibana remarked as cheers could be heard from the audience. "Ash has easily made it to the second round, and his Lucario's strength is superb! There is only one battle left for the first round, and after that, we will take a short break!"
Ash left the battlefield and headed toward the stands. He knew that the last battle was Goh between another opponent called Jacob. If Goh managed to win, he could enter the second round, and Ash hoped that his friend would win.
As he looked at Goh approaching the battlefield, he was interrupted by Leaf speaking, "All of you are from Kanto as well."
Ash turned around and saw Leaf and Chloe standing behind him. "Yeah," he responded while he heard Goh call Cinderace. "You're from Kanto too. I think Hibana said that you were from Cerulean City."
Leaf nodded, but she switched her attention to Goh and Cinderace. "Is he going to depend on Cinderace for all his battles?" she snorted as she observed Cinderace's Double Kick. "This only proves my point that he has a weak bond with other Pokémon."
"Goh is strong!" Chloe angrily responded, glaring at Leaf. "He has been training hard for this tournament since he heard about it."
"I'll believe it when I see the rest of his team," Leaf tranquilly spoke as she walked away from Ash and Chloe. A couple of second later, the referee's voice could be heard as he declared Goh the winner of the battle.
"He made it!" Ash exclaimed as he watched the grin on Goh's face. "We're all in the second round!"
"Pikachu!" Pikachu happily said.
"The first round is over, and there are 48 trainers left!" Hibana declared from her podium. "We will take a short break before we proceed to the second round!"
"I can't believe how easy the first round was for some trainers," Chloe said as she and Ash walked back toward the registration room to meet up with Goh. "Some of the Pokémon were knocked out with only one move!"
Hearing Chloe's words reminded Ash of someone he met before. Someone who failed to collect all eight Gym badges and never got a chance to enter a league. "Not everyone is strong," Ash replied with a sad tone. "In the leagues that I participated, there were usually not a lot of people."
"League?" Chloe asked with a curious expression. She knew that Ash had battled Gym leaders before, but she never heard of a league. Ash opened his mouth to respond, but a voice stopped him.
"You made it to the second round as well, but I'm not surprised. It's that friend of yours."
Ash and Chloe both turned to face Hodge as he was sitting on Hariyama and combing his hair. Carefully brushing his hair, he continued speaking, "His Scorbunny evolved, and it looks much stronger. But it still isn't enough to beat me."
"Har!" Hariyama confirmed while it slowly trudged away from the duo.
"Ash! Chloe!" Goh shouted, prompting Ash and Chloe to turn back. "They're about to announce the matchups for the second round. There'll be two 2 vs 2 battles before the third round."
"Welcome back to the Slateport Tournament, folks!" Hibana yelled, speaking into her microphone. "We will be starting off the second round between Goh from Vermilion City and Chris from Jubilife City!"
Goh and Chris stepped onto the battlefield and faced each other, while the referee explained the new rules. "If I could win this, I'll be one step closer to the third round!" Goh thought as sweat trickled down his face. The remaining 48 trainers were strong, and he needed to be careful.
"Trainers release your Pokémon!" the referee declared, and both trainers tossed their Pokéballs onto the field.
"Sob!" Sobble uttered as he emerged out of his Pokéball.
"Prinplup!" Chris's Pokémon exclaimed after it stretched its legs.
"What Pokémon is that?" Goh muttered as he pulled out his Rotom Phone to scan it.
"Prinplup, the Penguin Pokémon, and the evolved form of Piplup. One blow from its wings is strong enough to knock down trees," the Rotom Phone responded.
"One blow?" he repeated, looking at the Penguin Pokémon again. It would be dangerous to get close to it, but Sobble's hit-and-run strategy would be perfect for dealing with the Pokémon.
"You may start the battle!" the referee spoke after Goh put away his Rotom Phone.
"Use Mist!" Chris ordered with a grin. Prinplup opened its mouth to release a white cloud that began to cover the entire battlefield.
"Hide yourself with Water Gun!" Goh quickly commanded, and Sobble shot out a stream of water and became invisible. It was impossible to see anything on the battlefield, but Goh was confident that Sobble would be alright. "Pound!" he exclaimed into the mist, hoping that Sobble would understand his order.
"Quash," Chris chuckled after hearing Goh's command. Sobble slammed into Prinplup with a strong Pound, but Prinplup managed to use Quash on the exposed Sobble.
"Sobble?" Sobble inquired confusedly. The move did nothing to him, but he quickly hid himself with another Water Gun before Prinplup could make another move.
"Sobble, are you alright?" Goh shouted into the mist. He didn't hear Sobble being attacked, and he didn't like the cocky expression on Chris's face. Ignoring it, he continued ordering, "Use Water Gun at Prinplup!"
"Drill Peck!" Chris exclaimed as Prinplup's beak began to glow. Prinplup jumped in the air and spun like a drill. The spinning Prinplup collided with Sobble, who was shocked from how fast Prinplup was.
"Sobble!" Sobble wailed as he crashed onto the floor. He managed to get up and disguise himself with Water Gun, but he was unnerved by Prinplup's speed. The Mist began to disappear, and both trainers could now see the battlefield. Goh was glad that Sobble was still hiding, but Prinplup was a tough opponent.
"Pound!" Goh commanded as he pointed toward Prinplup, but Chris shot back, "Shadow Claw!"
Once again, Prinplup made its move first, and Sobble tumbled onto the ground from the attack. "Why can't Sobble make a move before Prinplup?" Goh anxiously mused, watching Sobble get up. He then looked carefully at his Pokémon and realized that Sobble was much slower than before.
"Why is Sobble so slow?" Chloe questioned worriedly. Sobble was supposed to have the advantage, but Prinplup kept going first.
"It's because of Quash," Leaf suddenly spoke nearby, and Chloe and Ash was surprised to see her again. "Quash forces an opponent to move last."
"Then, Goh's in trouble," Ash grimly spoke, looking at Goh and Sobble. "Sobble's strategy won't work if he can't attack first."
Reconsidering his strategy, Goh pulled out Sobble's Pokéball and recalled his Pokémon. He thanked Sobble for his hard work and pulled out another Pokéball.
"Goh has recalled Sobble!" Hibana spoke while a board updated Goh's switch. "What Pokémon will he use now?"
"Aerodactyl! Go!" Goh shouted, throwing the Pokéball toward the field. The ball opened, and Aerodactyl roared as he soared in the air.
"Goh's other Pokémon is Aerodactyl! It looks strong, and I wonder how Chris will respond!" Hibana announced.
"Rock Slide!" Goh quickly yelled before Chris could say anything. He needed to knock out Prinplup as fast as he can. Aerodactyl roared once more as he summoned a bunch of rocks and threw them at the Penguin Pokémon.
"Break them with Brick Break!" Chris ordered, and Prinplup's arm glowed as it swung toward the approaching rocks.
"Prepare yourself, Aerodactyl! Charge up a Hyper Beam!" Goh shouted as he thrust his arm forward. Aerodactyl opened his mouth and released a powerful beam toward Prinplup who was busy breaking the rocks. The beam crashed into the Penguin Pokémon, and Prinplup collapsed onto the floor, groaning in pain.
"Prinplup is unable to battle!" the referee declared after observing at the fallen Pokémon.
"What a strong Aerodactyl!" Hibana spoke with awe. "It managed to knock out Prinplup with two moves!"
Chris sneered as he returned Prinplup and glanced up at Aerodactyl. He tossed another Pokéball, and a Skarmory appeared on the battlefield.
"Aerodactyl is immobilized from Hyper Beam," Chris stated with a smile. "Use Dual Wingbeat!" Skarmory screamed as its wings glowed. It quickly lunged toward Aerodactyl and slammed the Pokémon twice, causing Aerodactyl to wince in pain.
"Hang in there!" Goh encouraged, pointing at Skarmory. "Use Iron Head!" Aerodactyl's forehead glowed, and Aerodactyl slammed into Skarmory with the powerful Steel type attack. Skarmory tumbled backward from the attack, but it was still flying in the air.
"Finish it with Steel Beam," Chris impatiently snapped, and Goh's eyes opened wider as he saw Skarmory charge up the attack.
"Hyper Beam!" he quickly ordered. He remembered seeing Raihan's Duraludon use Steel Beam, and he knew that the attack was extremely powerful.
"Skar!" Skarmory exclaimed as it released a powerful beam of energy with all its might. Aerodactyl countered with its own beam of energy, and the Hyper Beam and Steel Beam collided with each other. A bright light appeared, and Goh closed his eyes as he heard a huge explosion. A large gust of wind picked up, and the audience was trying to make sure their belongings don't fly away.
"Amazing! Both Pokémon are using their most powerful attacks!" Hibana yelled over the sound of the wind. "Who will emerge victorious!?" Once the bright light was gone, Goh and Chris turned back toward the battlefield, and one of them gasped as his Pokémon laying on the floor with swirls in its eyes.
"Skarmory is unable to battle! Aerodactyl and Goh are the winners!" the refer announced, waving a green flag in the air.
"We did it!" Goh cheered as he jumped in the air for joy. He went over and hugged Aerodactyl and praised him the Pokémon for his hard work.
"I'm next!" Ash stated as he stood up and prepared to leave. "Cheer for me, Pikachu! Won't you?"
"Pika!" Pikachu responded, raising his fist in the air.
Leaf didn't say anything and continued thinking about Goh's recent battle. She now knew all of Goh's Pokémon, and she was curious about Ash's third Pokémon. Judging from their skills, she knew that they were both threats. Ash was stronger than Goh, and she'll have to prepare accordingly. This was the perfect opportunity to study Ash and his Pokémon.
"Gengar! I choose you!" Ash proclaimed as the Ghost-type emerged onto the field.
"Yamask!" Ash's opponent, Rex, declared, and Ash saw a Yamask appear.
"Begin the battle!" the judge declared, and both trainers looked at each other with an intense glare.
"We'll make the first move! Night Shade!" Ash ordered, pumping his hand in the air. Gengar laughed as he shot out a stream of purple energy out of his eyes toward the Yamask.
"Destiny Bond," Rex commanded, and Ash gasped as he watched Yamask execute the move. The last time he saw the move was back in the Hoenn League, and he knew how dangerous it was. The Night Shade slammed into Yamask, and the Pokémon stammered backwards.
"Don't be discouraged, Gengar!" Ash shouted after he saw the worried look on his Pokémon's face. "Use Psychic!"
A pink aura surrounded Yamask, and Gengar slammed the Spirit Pokémon around the battlefield, dealing massive damage.
"Ya!" Yamask groaned as it got up.
Rex scoffed at Gengar and stated, "Finish it with Curse!"
"What's that?" Ash asked as he saw Yamask and Gengar both glow. A strange aura surrounded Yamask, and Gengar shrieked in pain as the attack was happening. Yamask was also straining, and both Pokémon appeared to be in pain. Once it was over, Yamask crashed onto the ground, and it was knocked out. Soon, Gengar followed from the Destiny Bond, and he was also knocked out.
"Both Pokémon are unable to battle!" the referee asserted with a stern tone, and Ash and Rex both returned their Pokémon.
Ash sighed but put on his best smile. "Thank you, Gengar," he spoke as he pulled out another Pokéball. Rex was a dangerous opponent, and he was willing to put his Pokémon in harm in order to win. Luckily, Ash faced a rival like this before and triumphed.
"Farfetch'd! I choose you!" Ash exclaimed, tossing the Pokéball onto the field.
"Conkeldurr!" Rex stated, and a large Conkeldurr emerged and let out a rumble.
"Begin!" the referee stated once again, and Rex told Conkeldurr to use Focus Punch.
"Counter it with Brick Break!" Ash commanded, and Farfetch'd slammed his leek at one of Conkeldurr's glowing stone rods.
"Farrrr!" Farfetch'd yelled, pushing himself to his limit. He broke a steel beam with his leek, and he was not going to back down from a fight. Conkeldurr was slowly being pushed backward from Farfetch'd's assault. Realizing this, Rex yelled, "Hit it with your other rod!"
"Get out of there!" Ash shouted, but Conkeldurr's rod slammed into the Wild Duck Pokémon. Farfetch'd tumbled backwards and moaned in pain, but he got up and glared at Conkeldurr.
"Stone Edge!" Rex yelled, and a stream of sharp stones appeared from the ground and approached Farfetch'd.
"Get out of the way and use Fury Cutter!" Ash proclaimed while thrusting his right hand forward. Farfetch'd swiftly dodged the rocks and slammed its glowing green leak at Conkeldurr's face.
"Conkell!" Conkeldurr groaned in pain from the attack, but it still wasn't enough to beat it.
"Focus Blast!" Rex commanded, and Conkeldurr summoned a large orange orb of energy and shot it at Farfetch'd.
"Send it back with Brutal Swing!" Ash shouted, and Farfetch's leek struck the orb. But he was struggling to send it back.
"Far!" Farfetch'd panted. He was injured and tired, and he was using all of his strength. But it wasn't enough, and he strained against the Focus Blast.
"Don't give up!" Ash encouraged, raising his fist upward. "You can do it! Show them how strong you are, Farfetch'd! Remember all the battles you won and the ones that you lost. You have gotten stronger since then, and you overcame all those challenges."
Farfetch'd continued to groan, but a deadly serious glint could be seen in his eyes. He slowly stepped forward, and he roared as he swung the leek forward. The orb was sent flying back at Conkeldurr, and it slammed into the Pokémon.
"Conkeldurr!" Conkeldurr screamed as it fell onto the floor, but it used its rods to get up.
"This isn't over!" Ash ordered, pointing at Conkeldurr. "Use Focus Energy!"
Farfetch'd jumped in the air and glowed. He felt even stronger, and he was ready to finish the battle.
"Conkeldurr, don't let them fight! Focus Punch!" Rex exclaimed, and Conkeldurr thrusted both of its rods toward Farfetch'd, but Farfetch'd deflected both of them with his leek.
"Don't give in! Brick Break!" Ash ordered, and Farfetch'd's leek glowed as he attempted to push back both of Conkeldurr's rods. Conkeldurr and Farfetch'd were locked in a stalemate, and they were trying to topple the other with their tools. Eventually, Farfetch'd began to step forward, and cracks started to form on the rods.
"Con?" Conkeldurr asked as it began to waver from Farfetch'd attack, and that gave Farfetch'd a small window of opportunity. He roared once more and pushed even harder onto the rods. The stone rods continued to crack, and Conkeldurr was having a hard time matching its strength with the relentless Wild Duck Pokémon.
"Farfetch'd!" Farfetch'd shouted, and he pushed himself even farther. The rods broke from the leek's strength, and Farfetch'd slammed his weapon at Conkeldurr's head. Conkeldurr stumbled backward from the impact and shook. It was disorientated and dizzy, and it let out a small groan before crashing onto the floor and releasing its broken rods.
"Farfetch'd and Ash are the winners!" the referee announced while Rex rushed forward to calm his distraught Pokémon.
"Alright!" Ash hailed, while Farfetch'd merely showed an intimidating expression at the audience and walked away, dragging its huge leak on the floor.
Goh was currently in another battle, and it was his Cinderace against his opponent's Rhyperior. Ash had already made it to the third round after two more successful battles, and Goh had to win this battle if he wanted to advance too. Hodge and Leaf were also among the remaining five people, and the audience knew that the winner of this battle would determine the last contestant to enter the third round.
"Cinderace! Double Kick!" Goh shouted, swinging his left arm to the side.
"Block it with Megahorn!" Rhyperior's trainer shouted, and Rhyperior's horn glowed white as it intercepted Cinderace's Double Kick.
"Now's our chance!" Goh smiled, pointing to the sky. "Use your second kick to launch yourself higher and use Pyro Ball!"
Cinderace kicked at Rhyperior's horn again, and the impact caused him to fly in the air. Cinderace began kicking a pebble that he had carried and launched the Pyro Ball at Rhyperior.
"Rhyperior!" Rhyperior yelled as the ball crashed into it.
"Blaze Kick!" Goh commanded once more, and Cinderace thrust his flaming foot forward and kicked it at the fallen Rhyperior. The Drill Pokémon collapsed onto the floor on its knees before crashing onto the ground.
"Goh makes it to the third round!" Hibana declared as the audience clapped for Goh's victory. "He is one of the six trainers. Only three of them will manage to receive Mega and Key Stones! Please look at the screen to see the battles that will take place!"
Goh looked up and was surprised to see the results. "I'm up against Hodge," he thought with a mixed expression on his face. He needed to defeat Hodge to acquire a Key Stone, but Hodge badly beat him last time.
"Cinder," Cinderace reassured as he placed his hand on his trainer's shoulder. He remembered losing as a Scorbunny, and he wanted to tell Goh that everything was going to be alright.
"Cinderace," Goh spoke back as he saw Cinderace's grin. "Let's beat him and get a Key Stone for Aerodactyl!"
"I'm impressed," Hodge spoke as he glared at Goh from the other side of the battlefield. "You really have gotten stronger, but I also trained after losing to your friend last time."
"I won't lose!" Goh said with a grin as he clenched his fist. "My Pokémon and I worked too hard, and we are going to show you how much stronger we have become!"
"Please send out your Pokémon!" the judge declared, interrupting their conversation and snapping them back to reality.
"Hariyama!" Hodge declared as he threw a Pokéball toward the field.
"Cinderace! Go!" Goh yelled at the same time, and Cinderace emerged and faced Hariyama.
"Begin the battle!" the referee announced as he swung a white flag in the middle. Immediately, both trainers issued their commands:
"Force Palm!"
"Double Kick!"
Cinderace's foot slammed with Hariyama's giant palm, and both Pokémon glared at each other as they cancelled each other's attacks.
"Arm Thrust!" Hodge ordered, and Hariyama's arm glowed as it thrusted its arm forward.
"Blaze Kick!" Goh commanded, and Cinderace jumped and slammed Hariyama's arm with his flaming foot. Both Pokémon were stuck, trying to overcome the other with their attack.
"Use the arm to launch yourself with Double Kick!" Goh stated, and Cinderace jumped into the air and prepared to kick Hariyama in the face with his second kick. However, Hodge was prepared, and he yelled, "Whirlwind!"
A gust of powerful wind blasted Cinderace away, and Cinderace returned to his Pokéball. Before Goh could say anything, Sobble appeared on the battlefield, and he glanced at the looming Hariyama.
"Sob!" Sobble spoke as he noticed how large his opponent was.
Brushing away with what just happened, Goh quickly ordered, "Hide yourself! Water Gun!" Sobble recovered from his shock and turned invisible from the water.
"Use Sand Attack, Hariyama!" Hodge yelled, and Hariyama began hurling sand throughout the battlefield. Some of the sand stuck onto Sobble's body, and Sobble was now visible.
"Force Palm!" Hodge speedily said after he saw where Sobble was.
Goh gasped and ordered, "Pound!"
Sobble slammed into Hariyama's palm, but Hariyama was stronger and it closed its hand around the small Pokémon. "Sobbb!" Sobble squealed as Hariyama tightened its grip. He was stuck, and the grip was painful.
"Sobble!" Goh shouted as he saw tears form in his Pokémon's eyes. "Calm down! Think about Inteleon!"
"Sob?" Sobble wavered as he recalled Looker's Inteleon and telling him to remain calm in bad situations. He took deep breathes, and a serious expression formed on his face.
"Good!" Goh praised with a smile. "Now, use U-Turn with your fin!"
Sobble hit Hariyama's hand with his exposed fin, and he returned back to his Pokéball. Cinderace appeared onto the battlefield once more.
"Pyro Ball!" Goh commanded as he pointed at the shocked Hariyama.
"Block it with Force Palm!" Hodge yelled as he watched Cinderace launch a powerful ball of fire at his Pokémon. The collision caused an explosion, and Goh ordered a Quick Attack. The unexpected attack caught Hariyama off guard, and it tumbled onto the ground.
"Wow! Look at Goh!" Chloe noted as he saw how well he and Cinderace are fighting. "I have never seen him so serious."
Ash nodded and continued looking at their battle. "Goh is doing this for his Pokémon. He wants to get stronger with them," he responded with a smile.
Leaf, who was viewing the battle from another part of the stadium, was interesting in the battle. It appeared that Goh did improve and that he did form a bond with his Pokémon. He and Cinderace were very close, and he managed to encourage Sobble to not cry. However, she was curious about his relationship with Aerodactyl. It was his strongest Pokémon, but the bond wasn't as strong as the others.
"Har," Hariyama groaned as it got up. Hodge took one look at his injured Pokémon and promptly recalled it. The battle board updated, and Goh prepared himself for his next Pokémon. Hodge tossed another Pokéball in the air, and Mightyena snarled as it appeared.
"Cinder!" Cinderace proclaimed as he glanced at Mightyena. He lost to it as a Scorbunny, but he was much stronger than before.
"Mightyena! Use Fire Fang!" Hodge ordered, and Mightyena's teeth became engulfed in flames as it lunged forward toward Cinderace.
"Don't let it bite you!" Goh warned, watching Mightyena's mouth. "Double Kick!"
Cinderace charged toward Mightyena and slammed his foot at the Bite Pokémon's side, but Mightyena continued advancing and bit Cinderace's leg. Both Pokémon stumbled backwards from the attack, but neither of them was willing to give in.
"Snarl!" Hodge commanded as he ruffled his hair. Mightyena opened its mouth and released a stream of purple and black rings at Cinderace. The rings made Cinderace weaker, and Goh knew that he would have to knock out Mightyena as fast as possible.
"Quick Attack!" he shouted as Cinderace began charging toward Mightyena.
Figuring out Goh's strategy, Hodge yelled, "Sucker Punch," and Mightyena unexpectedly leaped forward and slammed into Cinderace with a headbutt. Cinderace tumbled backward from the sudden attack, and Goh started to remember how Sucker Punch almost always goes first.
"Cinderace," Cinderace groaned as he stood up. He had to finish this battle soon, and he knew the best way to do this. He eyed his trainer, and he saw Goh's face lit up with understanding.
"You want to finish this," Goh spoke to his Pokémon, raising his fist in the air. "Then, let's give them all we got! Pyro Ball!"
Cinderace grinned as he began to kick a pebble from the ground. This was just like their old battles where he worked together with his trainer to overcome the odds. He defeated Team Rocket's Chewtle, Flygon, and Oleana's Milotic with Ember. Now, he was going to beat his first rival with Pyro Ball.
"Stop it with Crunch!" Hodge exclaimed as he watched the pebble catch on fire. Mightyena opened its mouth, and a yellow aura in the shape of a mouth appeared above Cinderace. The mouth bit Cinderace with its set of teeth, but Cinderace continued kicking. He fought against the pain and used all of his might to launch the flaming pebble at Mightyena.
Mightyena's eyes were wide open, and the pebble crashed into the Bite Pokémon. "Mightyena!" Mightyena bemoaned before collapsing onto the cracked floor. Hodge gasped while the referee declared that Mightyena fainted.
"We did it, Cinderace!" Goh hailed while Cinderace panted with a smile. He finally won against Mightyena in a rematch, and he was beaming with pride. Contrarily, Hodge wasn't that happy, and he summoned Hariyama again.
"Force Palm!" he ordered once more, waiting for Goh's command. Goh didn't hesitate and told Cinderace to use Double Kick, but Hodge was expecting the order. Cinderace slammed its foot at Hariyama's palm, but Hariyama grabbed Cinderace's foot with its other hand.
"Cinder! Cinderace!" Cinderace panicked, trying to break free of Hariyama's grip. But he was stuck.
"Slam it onto the ground!" Hodge calmly stated with a wide grin, and Cinderace moaned as he hit the ground multiple times. After Hariyama released the him, he attempted to stand up, but he was stopped midway by the pain.
"Get up, Cinderace! You can do it!" Goh tried to encourage, but he could also see that the injuries on his Pokémon were taking a toll.
"Finish it with Arm Thrust!" Hodge said, pointing at the tired Cinderace. Hariyama thrusted its arm forward, and Cinderace fell onto the ground again. This time, he did not get up, and there were swirls in his eyes.
"Cinderace is unable to battle!" the judge proclaimed, breaking the silence in the stadium.
"What a comeback!" Hibana remarked. "Hodge and Goh both have two Pokémon left, and the battle is getting more intense!"
"Poor Cinderace," Chloe acknowledged with a frown. "I hope Goh will be alright."
"Things aren't looking good for Goh," Ash stated with a worried expression on his face. "Hodge knows all of Goh's Pokémon, and Goh only knows two of them. For the first and second rounds, Hodge has been careful to only use Hariyama and Mightyena."
"Pika. Pika," Pikachu quietly spoke as he watched Goh call Sobble out.
"Sobble!" Sobble said while he looked at Hariyama. He was ready to battle, and he would try his best.
"Hide yourself and move around!" Goh shouted, watching Sobble shoot a stream of water above. "And keep using Water Gun!"
"Sand Attack!" Hodge quickly spoke as he pointed at Sobble. "Make sure you hit him!"
Hariyama began tossing sand all around him, but the sand was blocked by Sobble's Water Gun. He tried again and again, but he couldn't pinpoint Sobble's location as the Water Lizard Pokémon kept moving and blocking with Water Gun.
Frustrated, Hodge ordered, "Force Palm on the ground!" Hariyama slammed its palm onto ground, shaking the floor and causing cracks to form. Sobble tripped on one of the cracks and let out a cry. Hearing this, Hariyama swiftly advanced to Sobble's location and used another Sand Attack, revealing Sobble.
"Arm Thrust!" Hodge smugly cried out.
"Block it with your Pound!" Goh commanded as he carefully watched Hariyama lift its arm to deal the final blow. The arm prepared to strike Sobble's body, but Sobble blocked the attack with one of its arms.
"Sob!" Sobble shrieked as he attempted to push back Hariyama. Hariyama was much stronger and larger than him, and he finally gave in as he saw Hariyama's hand strike his stomach.
"Sobble!" Goh anxiously yelled, watching Sobble topple onto the ground. The dust began to settle, and Goh saw that Sobble was knocked out.
The refer glanced at the fainted Pokémon and announced, "Sobble is unable to battle! Hariyama is the winner."
Goh sighed and recalled Sobble. Despite Sobble's loss, he was still proud of him for trying, and he was not going to give up. After sending a glance at Hariyama and one at the ground, Goh tossed the Pokéball of his final Pokémon into the air.
"Aerodactyl!" Aerodactyl roared as he sent out a powerful gust of wind. He wasn't going to lose, and he was prepared to show his opponent how strong he was.
"Dragon Breath and follow it up with an Iron Head!" Goh commanded, thrusting his hand confidently forward toward Hariyama. He looked onto the floor to confirm his idea and smiled to himself. A light blue beam of energy emerged from the Fossil Pokémon's mouth and struck the Arm Thrust Pokémon before it could doge the attack.
"Hariyama!" Hariyama wailed, tumbling backwards from the attack. It didn't get a chance to recover as it glanced up to see Aerodactyl charge toward it with an Iron Head. It attempted to move out of the way, but one of its legs was stuck in the cracks.
"Har!" Hariyama urgently screamed, trying to pull its leg free, but Aerodactyl slammed into it, dealing massive damage.
"Hariyama!" Hodge shouted with fear. He didn't expect Aerodactyl to be that fast and saw the spirals in his Pokémon's eyes.
"Hariyama is unable to battle!" the referee proclaimed, waving a red flag in the air.
"Aerodactyl knocks out Hariyama who managed to knock out both Cinderace and Sobble earlier!" Hibana declared with enthusiasm. "Each side has only one Pokémon left, and Hodge hasn't revealed the identity of his last Pokémon. I wonder what it could be!"
Hodge smirked after he returned Hariyama and looked back at Goh and Aerodactyl. "My last Pokémon is not going to go down that easily," he spoke with a wide grin. "Banette! Show them all your power!"
"Banette!" the Pokémon cried out as it emerged onto the field. It had a large grin on its face like its trainer, and it chuckled to itself as it looked at the Aerodactyl in the air.
"Banette," Goh repeated as he scanned the strange Pokémon with his Rotom Phone.
"Banette, the Marionette Pokémon. A Ghost type. A cursed energy permeated the stuffing of a discarded and forgotten plush doll, giving it new life as Banette. The Pokémon's energy would escape if it were to ever open its mouth," his Rotom Phone responded, and Goh grimaced at the entry. Banette looked like a strong Pokémon, and he didn't like the way it looked at him.
"Will-O-Wisp!" Hodge spoke, and purple fireballs began to surround the Fossil Pokémon before striking him.
"Aero!" Aerodactyl groaned as he felt the fire. He was burned, and it was going to be a problem for him.
"Ignore it!" Goh yelled to his Pokémon. "Use Rock Slide!"
"Send it back with Psychic!" Hodge promptly yelled in response. Banette stopped the boulders Aerodactyl sent and threw them back at the shocked Fossil Pokémon. He tried to dodge all of the rocks, but some of them managed to slam into his wings, causing him to lose his balance and crash onto the floor.
"Aerodactyl!" Goh cried out, but he was relieved to see his Pokémon stand up. Suddenly, Aerodactyl was engulfed in flames for a short time, and it caused Aerodactyl to winch. "This isn't good," Goh thought, looking at Aerodactyl's state. "He's burned, and that Banette is strong. I need to try something else."
"Iron Head!" he commanded after reaching a decision. Aerodactyl soared into the air once more and charged toward the Ghost-type Pokémon with an Iron Head.
"Shadow Ball," Hodge replied, and Banette threw a large purple ball toward the oncoming Aerodactyl.
"Charge through it!" Goh encouraged, hoping that Aerodactyl would make it. Aerodactyl collided with the Shadow Ball and continued pushing forward. Slowly, he broke though it and landed a direct strike on Banette's body. Banette was flown backward, but it managed to stay afoot.
"Aero!" Aerodactyl moaned as he received damage from the burn. This caused Banette to smirk in response to the Fossil Pokémon's condition.
"Feint Attack!" Hodge ordered with a tone of disappointment. Banette laughed and began making strange gestures and pointing in a certain direction. Confused, Aerodactyl turned his head, but Banette suddenly jumped forward and hit the Pokémon with an unexpected Sucker Punch.
Aerodactyl stumbled from the attack, but he continued to soar in the air. He then received another burn, and he was beginning to have trouble staying aloft in the sky. Seeing this, Goh frowned and began thinking as he glanced at Banette. He knew all of the Pokémon's moves and was trying to form a strategy.
"Finish it with Shadow Ball!" Hodge said, determined to make the first move. Banette threw another Shadow Ball at Aerodactyl, and Goh snapped out of his thoughts to order Aerodactyl to use a Rock Slide. The Rock Slide broke through the Shadow Ball, but Hodge wasn't discouraged when he spoke, "Psychic." However, he didn't expect to see Goh smile and raised his eyebrows when Goh commanded Aerodactyl to use Iron Head.
Aerodactyl broke the boulders with its steel-covered head and soared toward the surprised Banette. He then smashed into the Pokémon, causing it to fall onto the floor.
"What!?" Hodge cried out. He didn't expect Aerodactyl to face the rocks and break through them.
"Steel is super-effective against Rock!" Goh explained, raising his left fist. "Aerodactyl, I know that you're tired, so let's finish it! Use Hyper Beam with all of your strength!" Aerodactyl opened his mouth and began to collect energy for his powerful attack.
"Close its mouth shut with Psychic!" Hodge shouted, and a pink aura surrounded the Fossil Pokémon and forced Aerodactyl to shut his mouth tight. Aerodactyl strained as he attempted to open his mouth, but he couldn't. To make things worse, he felt the burn again and began to pant.
"Don't give up!" Goh encouraged as he looked at Aerodactyl right in the eye. "We came too far to lose! I believe in you, and I will always be with you!"
"Goh," Chloe muttered to herself as she watched Aerodactyl return his glare to Goh. Ash clenched his fist as well, while he watched the moment between the trainer and Pokémon. As Aerodactyl looked into Goh's eyes, he remembered their moments together. He remembered how Goh protected him from Beartic, and he remembered how Goh rescued him from Hunter J. With all of his might, Aerodactyl slowly began to open his mouth and fight against Banette's strength.
"Ban?" Banette gasped as it watched Aerodactyl's mouth move slightly upward. Eventually, the pink aura faded, and Aerodactyl successfully opened his mouth Aerodactyl snared and roared in triumph.
"It can't be!" Hodge exclaimed with his eyes wide open. "How can it break free?"
"It's because I trust Aerodactyl and Aerodactyl trusts me!" Goh answered with a wide grin. "Now, use Hyper Beam!"
"Dodge it!" Hodge screamed at his Pokémon, but Aerodactyl had already released a powerful Hyper Beam at Banette.
"Banette!" Banette bemoaned as it received the full impact of the attack. Everyone in the audience silently watched and muttered in disbelief when they saw that Banette was still standing.
"That's my Banette!" Hodge began to speak with a snicker, but his expression changed when Banette began to shake. Banette continued wobbling, until it finally collapsed onto the floor.
"Banette!" Hodge yelled, rushing forward to his fallen Pokémon. Hodge wasn't the only one who was shocked. Goh was also speechless when he heard the judge declare that he was the winner.
"We did it," he muttered to himself as the audience started to cheer. "I can't believe it. We did it!"
"What an amazing battle!" Hibana yelled over the sound of cheering. "Goh makes it to the Top 3, and he is now able to receive a Mega Stone and a Key Stone!"
"Awesome!" Ash shouted with glee. "Goh did it! He and Aerodactyl actually won! I can't believe it!"
"Me too!" Chloe spoke as her eyes lit up with happiness. She was proud of her friend, and she couldn't wait to congratulate him. Meanwhile, Leaf kept her indifferent expression and glanced up on the board to see that she was next. As she walked toward the battlefield, she saw Goh leaving, and the two faced each other for a second as they stopped.
"Leaf," Goh acknowledged as he stared into his rival's eyes. He was confident that he would face her later, and he wanted to tell her that he was going to prove her wrong.
"Goh," Leaf responded, knowing what Goh was thinking. Both of them continued looking at each other in silence, until Goh broke it with his confident voice.
"My Pokémon and I showed you how strong we are," he spoke as he thrust his left hand upward. "Our bond is strong."
Leaf nodded at Goh's words and continued to walk toward the battlefield, but she hesitated for a second before entering. "It could be stronger," she replied as she left the corridor, leaving Goh behind.
"Venusaur defeats Aggron! Leaf is the winner, and she makes it into the Top 3 as well!" Hibana declared as Leaf returned her Pokémon and exited the battlefield.
"That battle was interesting," Chloe remarked as she turned to look at Goh. "She's strong."
"Other than Venusaur, she has a Swellow and a Drednaw," Goh said with a worried expression. "They all look tough to beat."
"Don't worry, Goh," Ash spoke with a smile. "I'm sure that you can beat her."
"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed as he supported his friend.
"The final battle to determine the last member of the top 3 will take place shortly! It will be Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town versus Smith from Accumula Town."
Ash got up as he heard his name and waved goodbye to his friends. He was excited to battle against another trainer, and he had to win if he wanted to be one step closer to becoming stronger.
"Trainers, send out your Pokémon!" the referee spoke after Ash and Smith entered the battlefield.
"Farfetch'd! I choose you!" Ash shouted, tossing the Pokéball in the air.
Smith grinned as he proclaimed, "Bisharp! Battle for me!"
"Farfetch'd!" Farfetch'd declared as he glared at the Bisharp in front of him.
"Bi!" Bisharp grunted in response.
"You may begin the battle!" the judge shouted, and Ash quickly made his first move.
"Brick Break! Go!" he commanded, and Farfetch'd charged forward with his glowing leek.
"Counter it with Night Slash!" Smith ordered, and Bisharp blocked Farfetch'd's leek with one of its hand.
"Switch to a Brutal Swing!" Ash spoke as he swung his right hand forward. Farfetch'd continued to push his leek forward as he prepared to swing it in a circle. Bisharp continued blocking the large leek with its hands, but it was forced to retreat as Farfetch'd relentlessly attacked it.
"Fury Cutter!" Smith yelled, and Bisharp jumped backwards as it formed an X shape with its hands. Its hands began to glow white, and it charged forward.
"Use Fury Cutter as well!" Ash said, and Farfetch'd's leek glowed green as he prepared to intercept Bisharp's attack.
Both Pokémon slammed into each other with their Fury Cutters, and neither of them were backing down as they strained against the other.
"Swords Dance," Smith spoke and Bisharp broke off the attack and leaped backward as orange swords surrounded it. Ash knew that Swords Dance boosted a Pokémon's attack, and he had to be careful.
"Focus Energy!" he shouted, and Farfetch'd glowed orange as he executed the move.
"The battle between Farfetch'd and Bisharp is heating up!" Hibana enthusiastically announced. "It appears that both Pokémon are giving all they got!"
"Guillotine," Smith snickered as he saw the surprise on Ash's face. Bisharp's blades glowed light blue, and it lunged toward Farfetch'd.
"Make sure it doesn't hit! Brick Break!" Ash ordered, and he watched Farfetch'd's leek collide with Bisharp's blades.
"Farrr!" Farfetch'd declared as he pushed back Bisharp's attack. Bisharp was stronger from the Swords Dance, but Farfetch'd was going to give up.
"Hit it!" Smith ordered, and Bisharp placed one of its feet forward as it pushed its blade forward against Farfetch'd's leek.
"Don't give in!" Ash encouraged, and Farfetch'd roared as he stepped forward too.
"It's a battle of sheer strength! Which Pokémon will win and overcome its opponent?" Hibana commented while everyone's eyes were watching the intense battle.
"It will be us!" Ash boldly proclaimed with a smile. "Farfetch'd, never give up till the end! Push forward with all of your might!"
"Use all of your strength as well," Smith shot back as he glanced at Bisharp.
Both Pokémon listen to their trainers and continued executing their attacks, but they were still locked in a stalemate. The duel was taking a toll on both Pokémon, and it was clear that they couldn't go on like this forever.
"Farfetch'd!" Ash called out, causing the Wild Duck Pokémon to glance over. "Do you trust me?"
Farfetch'd locked his eyes with Ash, and he saw Ash's serious expression. Farfetch'd thought of all their battles and how they overcame most of them. Ash wanted him to get stronger, and he recalled the day that Ash caught him and Ash's words to him:
"You could get stronger in my team."
Farfetch'd let out a roar, and Ash smiled as he heard his Pokémon's answer. "Prepare yourself, Farfetch'd!" he shouted, pointing at Bisharp." Use your feet and kick Bisharp"
"What?" Smith confusedly asked as Farfetch'd caused Bisharp to fall backward. However, Bisharp thrusted its hand forward, hitting Farfetch'd's side while he was distracted. Bisharp stumbled backward onto floor, and Farfetch'd groaned as he collapsed as well. Both Pokémon weren't moving, and they had spirals in their eyes.
"Bisharp and Farfetch'd are unable to battle!" the referee declared, and Smith dejectedly recalled the Sword Blade Pokémon back.
"Thank you, Farfetch'd!" Ash spoke, recalling Farfetch'd back into his Pokéball.
"Chandelure! Come out!" Smith yelled as he threw another Pokéball onto the field.
"Chan!" Chanedlure muttered as it floated above the field.
"What Pokémon is that?" Chloe asked as she pulled out her pink Rotom Phone:
"Chandelure, the Luring Pokémon and the evolved form of Lampent. A Ghost and Fire type. Chandelure uses its dancing flames to hypnotize opponents."
"It looks dangerous," Goh noted after he heard Chandelure's Pokédex entry. "How will Ash deal with it?"
Looking at the Pokémon, Ash tossed another Pokéball in the air and shouted, "Gengar! I choose you!"
Gengar laughed and stuck out his tongue as he appeared. Despite his entrance, he was ready to battle.
"Chandelure! Shadow Ball!" Smith ordered, and Chandelure summoned a large purple and black ball and threw it at Gengar.
"Block it with your Shadow Ball!" Ash yelled, and Gengar threw his own Shadow Ball at the incoming Shadow Ball. Both balls collided and eliminated each other, but Smith was discouraged from Gengar's counterattack.
"Chandelure, use Imprison!" he exclaimed with a smile, and Gengar glowed pink for a second before the aura disappeared.
"What happened?" Ash questioned. The attack appeared to do nothing, but he didn't have time to think about it as Smith ordered, "Fire Spin."
Chandelure released a blue and purple stream of fire on its head toward Gengar. The flames surrounded Gengar, and the Shadow Pokémon was trapped in the flames.
"Gen!" Gengar panicked as he couldn't get up. Ash was also worried since he knew that Fire Spin lasted for a while before disappearing.
"Shadow Ball!" Smith commanded, and Chandelure tossed a Shadow Ball into the flaming vortex.
"Counter it with your own Shadow Ball!" Ash shouted, but Gengar didn't do anything. The Shadow Ball slammed into Gengar, and it caused Gengar to hit the flames.
"Gengar!" Gengar wailed in pain before getting up and avoiding the flames.
"Why didn't it do anything?" Ash inquired, and he heard Smith chuckle at his question.
"Imprison prevents your Pokémon from using a move that my Pokémon knows," he explained with a snicker. "Your Gengar can't use Shadow Ball in this battle."
"This is bad," Goh spoke as he looked at Ash's situation. "Gengar can only use three moves, and he is also trapped. He has nowhere to go if Chandelure keeps attacking him."
"Use Shadow Ball again," Smith spoke, and Chandelure threw another Shadow Ball at Gengar. Once again, the Shadow Ball collided with Gengar, and the Shadow Pokémon suffered more damage from the flames.
"I can't get rid of the flames until they disappear," Ash solemnly thought as his hands shook. "It's just like Infestation." Ash lost to the move yesterday, and he couldn't believe that he was dealing with something similar today. "What should I do?" he pondered as panic set in. He was going to lose just like he lost against Dragapult.
"Shadow Ball!" Smith triumphally cried as Chandelure tossed another Shadow Ball at Gengar.
"Why isn't Ash doing anything?" Chloe anxiously spoke. "Gengar is going to get knocked out if he continues receiving damage."
"He's panicking," Goh replied with a frown. He saw Ash's worried expression and remembered how Ash had the same face when Riolu couldn't defeat Flygon after his loss against Bea.
"Gengar!" Gengar bemoaned as he slammed into the flames again. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't dodge the Shadow Ball. The flames blocked his vision, and he couldn't see where Chandelure was. He was feeling weak, and he was close to being knocked out.
Ash was still struggling to come up with a plan. Even if he managed to prevent the Shadow Balls from attacking, he needed to worry about the flames as well. He couldn't get rid of them, and he didn't know what to do. He was about to lose all hope, until he heard Goh's voice:
"Control the situation! You taught me to use everything to your advantage."
Ash looked up and was shocked to see Goh shouting to him from the stands. He saw Goh and remembered how he helped him deal with Flygon. "Control the situation," Ash mused as he looked at the flames again. "Control. Control. Control the flames!" Instantly, his eyes lit up at the idea, and he commanded, "Use Psychic on the flames, Gengar! Make them bigger!"
Gengar's eyes glowed pink, and an aura surrounded the flames as Gengar began to control them. The flames began to move, and Gengar made the vortex larger and larger. Soon, the Fire Spin surrounded both Gengar and Chandelure.
"Now, things are equal!" Ash cried out as a calm expression returned to his face. "Night Shade!"
Gengar's eyes shot a black stream of energy, and the stream blasted into Chandelure, causing the Pokémon to collide with the flaming vortex.
"Chand," Chandelure groaned. The fire dealt little damage to it, but the Ghost-type attack was super-effective.
"Shadow Ball!" Smith grimaced, hoping to gain the upper hand, but Ash ordered his Gengar to break the ball with an Ice Punch.
"Gengar, Night Shade!" Ash commanded once more, and Gengar shot out another stream of energy at the Luring Pokémon.
"Use Minimize!" Smith yelled, and Chandelure shrunk itself as it swiftly dodged the attack. It reverted back to its original attack after it finished the move.
Ash told Gengar to use another Night Shade, but Chandelure kept dodging it with Minimize. "He's trying to tire Gengar out," Ash thought as he looked at Smith and Chandelure. "I need to make sure that they can't use Minimize, but how?" Ash didn't have any moves to disable a Pokémon's attack, but he could disable Minimize with another way. As he looked at the flames coming out of Chandelure, he knew it was a risky move, but he would have to take it.
"Use Night Shade and prepare to slam Chandelure after it finishes the move!" he shouted, and Gengar followed Ash's directions as he shot out another stream. Once Chandelure finished using Minimize, Gengar physically hit Chandelure, and both Pokémon stumbled backward from the impact.
Then, flames surrounded Gengar, and Gengar winced in pain. He was burned, and Smith grinned at Gengar's weakened state. "Chandelure's ability is Flame Body," he arrogantly spoke. "That was a very foolish decision. Use Shadow Ball!"
"Ice Punch!" Ash yelled as he thrusted his right hand forward. Gengar broke the Shadow Ball with a powerful Ice Punch, and he prepared himself for Ash's next command.
"Use Night Shade!"
Smith rolled his eyes and ordered another Minimize, but he was shocked to see that Chandelure did nothing as the Night Shade slammed into his Pokémon.
"Gengar's ability is Cursed Body, so Minimize is disabled!" Ash shouted back with a wide smile. "Finish this with another Night Shade!"
"Use Shadow Ball!" Smith commanded with a hint of panic in his voice.
The burn effect hurt Gengar again, but the Shadow Pokémon continued to summon a stream of energy at Chandelure's Shadow Ball. The Night Shade crashed into the Shadow Ball, stopping it from moving. But Gengar was having trouble breaking through it.
"You can do it!" Ash exclaimed with encouragement as he pointed at the Shadow Ball. "Break the ball!"
Gengar cried out, "Gengar!" and used all of his energy for the attack. The Night Shade began to push back the Shadow Ball and eventually broke it, sending the stream of energy directly toward Chandelure.
"Chandelure!" Chandelure cried out as it collapsed onto the ground from the Night Shade. It attempted to get up after Smith cheered for it, but it ultimately fell and stopped moving.
"Chandelure is unable to battle!" the referee spoke as cheers erupted from the audience.
"Ash is on a roll! He still has two Pokémon, while Smith only has one!" Hibana announced.
"We did it, Gengar!" Ash praised as he embraced the Shadow Pokémon in a hug. After thanking Gengar again, Ash told him to rest and grabbed Lucario's Pokéball. He needed to defeat Smith's last Pokémon in order to win the tournament. Even though Ash had the advantage, Smith was a dangerous trainer, and his last Pokémon would be his most powerful one.
"Lucario! I choose you!" Ash exclaimed, throwing the Pokéball onto the field.
Smith looked at the Pokéball in his hand and threw it as well. "Gigalith! Go!"
A Gigalith appeared on the battlefield and roared as a sandstorm started to form from Gigalith's Sand Stream ability.
Goh pulled out his Rotom Phone and scanned the bulky Pokémon.
"Gigalith, the Compressed Pokémon. A Rock type. Gigalith's attacks, using the compressed energy from its core, are powerful enough to destroy a mountain," the Rotom Phone responded.
After putting the phone away, Goh commented, "Ash has the advantage here. Lucario is a Fighting and Steel type, and he should be faster than Gigalith."
"Wouldn't Lucario have trouble seeing though?" Chloe spoke as the sandstorm began to increase in intensity.
"Gigalith! Iron Defense!" Smith proclaimed, and Gigalith glowed white as its defense increased from the move.
"Lucario! Aura Sphere!" Ash ordered as he thrusted his right arm forward.
"Luca!" Lucario roared as he summoned a large sphere of aura and threw it straight at Gigalith.
The Aura Sphere slammed onto Gigalith's body, but the Iron Defense decreased the damage it received.
"Use Earth Power!" Smith commanded, and the ground beneath Lucario glowed as it began to erupt. Lucario groaned as the attack caused him to stumble backward, but Smith saw this as the perfect opportunity to attack again.
"Body Press!" he shouted, and Gigalith suddenly jumped in the air and landed on Lucario's body.
"Lucario!" Ash screamed with worry after Gigalith stepped back. Lucario was laying on the ground, but he slowly got up and moaned. The attack was powerful, and Lucario was struggling to stand. Once Lucario was ready to battle, he was shocked to see that Gigalith was missing. The sandstorm continued raging, and his eyes were hurting as more and more sand appeared.
"Be careful!" Ash warned, placing one hand on his hat. "Gigalith could be anywhere! Stay alert!"
"Stone Edge!" Smith commanded, and a series of stone pillars erupted from the ground as they headed toward Lucario.
"Dodge them!" Ash yelled, and Lucario leapt out of the way just in time.
"What should we do?" Ash muttered to himself as he tried to see in the storm. If Gigalith managed to hit Lucario a couple more times, it would be over. This wasn't the first time Lucario had trouble with battling without able to see. Flygon's sandstorm, Roxanne's sandstorm, and the smoke from the attacks in his battle against Bea all resulted in Lucario losing, and Ash was worried that Lucario would lose again. "How can we battle if we can't see?" Ash continued saying, but he was interrupted by Smith yelling, "Body Press."
"Look up and try to dodge!" Ash shouted, but Lucario couldn't see anything until Gigalith was close. Once Gigalith appeared above, Lucario tried to dodge, but he fell and Gigalith landed on one of his legs.
"Lucario!" Lucario roared in pain as the weight of Gigalith crushed his right leg.
"Quick! Use Force Palm!" Ash ordered as he watched Lucario summon a powerful wave of energy and blast it at the Compressed Pokémon. Gigalith stumbled slightly backward from the attack, and Lucario freed his leg before turning to face the Pokémon.
"Stone Edge!" Smith cried out, and Lucario managed to dodge the attack as he ignored the pain from his leg. However, Gigalith escaped deeper into the storm, and Lucario lost sight of it.
Ash knew that Lucario couldn't go on. Through aura, he had a link with Lucario and could feel his pain. Suddenly, Ash thought of a solution to his problem as he felt his connection with Lucario. "Lucario, close your eyes and concentrate!" he yelled over the roaring sandstorm. "Use Aura to find where Gigalith is hiding!"
Lucario listened to Ash and took deep breaths. He closed his eyes and ignored the sound of the sandstorm. He saw his surroundings, but they appeared differently. He could feel the audience and their anticipation. He could feel the sandstorm, and he could see everything inside it. Lucario's eyes opened as he felt where Gigalith was.
"Good!" Ash praised as he felt Lucario's success. "Aura Sphere!"
Lucario tossed an Aura Sphere at Gigalith's location, and he heard Gigalith groan in pain.
"Earth Power!" Smith shouted while he was shocked that Lucario could find Gigalith.
"Reversal!" Ash commanded, and Lucario swiftly moved away from the ground and charged toward Gigalith. He continued to ignore the pain in his leg and slammed the attack straight at Gigalith's body.
"Giga!" Gigalith said as it stumbled backward. The Pokémon didn't expect Lucario to be that fast, and it was starting to take serious damage.
Smith panicked and told Gigalith to use Body Press again, but Ash was prepared for the move. "Lucario! Use Double Team!" he ordered, and fake copies of Lucario appeared. Gigalith hesitated as it looked at the multiple moving Lucarios. It couldn't execute the attack properly without knowing where the real Lucario was.
"Now's our chance! Win this battle with Aura Sphere!" Ash proclaimed as he pointed toward Gigalith. The Lucarios arranged themselves in a circle and surrounded Gigalith. Then, they began to create large blue spheres of Aura and launched them at the trapped Compressed Pokémon.
"Gigalith!" Gigalith cried as it received the blows from the super-effective Aura Spheres. It crashed onto the ground, and the sandstorm started to disappear.
The referee glanced over at the fallen Gigalith and waved a green flag toward Ash. "Gigalith is unable to battle. The winners are Lucario and Ash Ketchum," he proclaimed. Immediately, claps could be heard from the audience, and Ash was stunned by his victory. He managed to overcome the odds in his battle and won, meaning that he could also get a Mega Stone and a Key Stone.
"We won Lucario!" Ash said as he rushed over to his injured Pokémon. "We did it."
"Luca," Lucario grunted in response, and Ash helped him get up as they started to walk to the nearby Pokémon Center.
"Congratulations to Goh, Leaf, and Ash for being the winners in the Slateport Mega Tournament!" Hibana spoke as she gestured toward the trio and their Pokémon, who were all standing on a podium. "They will be able to obtain a Mega Stone and Key Stone of their own choice."
"Awesome!" Ash said as he walked over and picked up a Key Stone. "Look at all the choices!"
"Lucario!" Lucario spoke as he rushed over and pointed at a Lucarionite. He really wanted to Mega Evolve after meeting Korrina's Lucario, and he was hoping that Ash would understand. Seeing Lucario's eagerness, Ash picked up the Lucarionite and gave it to his Pokémon. "We'll have this," he said as he faced Hibana.
Leaf chose a Venusaurite as her Mega Stone, and Goh finally got the Key Stone that he had always wanted. "Aerodactyl, we did it!" Goh spoke as he raised the Key Stone in the air. "You can finally Mega Evolve!"
"Aero!" Aerodactyl happily roared. He was excited for the opportunity to become stronger, and he couldn't wait.
"Now, our winners will continue battling to determine who is the first and best trainer in the tournament," Hibana announced while she pointed at a board behind her. "Two of the trains will battle to determine third place. Then, the next battle will determine who is first and second."
The board began to shuffle between the three, and it finally stopped when it picked Goh and Leaf. "The first battle will be between Goh and Leaf," Hibana proclaimed, and the two trainers stared at each other when they heard the results.
"I'm finally up against her," Goh thought as he and Leaf continued their stare. "I need to win this rematch to prove to her that I am strong."
"Cinder! Cinderace!" Cinderace exclaimed as he glanced at Venusaur.
"Venusaur," Venusaur responded to Cinderace's taunt.
"I guess I'll be battling either Goh or Leaf," Ash said, watching the intense moment between the two.
"Pikachu," Pikachu agreed as he sat on Ash's shoulder.
Goh and Leaf get a rematch in the next chapter, and they will get a chance to try out Mega Evolution in their battle. Gengar gets a major win, and Lucario has learned to use Aura when he has trouble seeing. Farfetch'd and Ash are continuing to be more in sync, but the Wild Duck Pokémon is still too reckless.
Can you do a chapter with Ash gaining weight after getting rather "hooked" on Alcremie offerings? Also, how is Lysandre alive?
Ash has gained weight before, but he quickly loses it due to his training. I might make him eat too much of Alcremie offerings. Lysandre has somehow been sent to another dimension by Z1 and Z2, but he has returned.
When is Serena going to show up and will this be a amour story ? and will more of ash's friends show up ?
All of Ash's friends will eventually show up. There will be no shipping in the story.
Will Ash meet Drake again?
Yes, and they will battle.
Will Ash's Farfetch'd gonna learn Detect in this story?
I'm not sure since he has recently learned Brick Break. I don't think so, but I'll make him learn it if I can work it out.
I do not mean to sound critical so please do not take it personally, but I think that there have been a few too many losses for Ash. I would like if he won more. I know that you are showing his losing streak but I just feel frustrated that Ash can't bounce back like usual.
Also Charizard. I am begging you please bring back Ash's strongest back. Hopefully soon.
Ash has suffered some losses, but he isn't in a losing streak. He has some minor wins between his losses, but his major win in the tournament shows how he is bouncing back to normal. I'm planning on bringing back his Pokémon at Oak's lab after two more arcs.
¿Regresará el Pokémon más temido de todos?
Me refiero a Jigglypuff obviamente, seria divertido ver cómo Ash corre del miedo al verlo y la reacción que tendrá Gou y Koharu por eso
Jigglypuff will return, and Goh and Chloe will learn to fear the Pokémon.