Both Pokemon are knocked out!" The announcer said. "What will be Ash's and Luffy's next Pokemon!?"
"Go, Snivy!" "Go, Sanji!"
The announcer yelled, "A Snivy and Hitmontop!"
"Ash's third Pokemon will be facing Luffy's fourth." The referee stated. "Let the battle begin!"
"Neither Pokemon is weak to the other." Serena pointed out.
Clemont added, "This should make an interesting match."
"Pikachu." Pikachu agreed.
Sanji, huh? Ash thought to himself. That's a boy's name. He chuckled. I know what that means.
"Now, Snivy, use Attract!" Ash directed.
"Oh no!" Luffy yelled, but it was too late.
Snivy winked, the heart hit Hitmontop, and his eyes turned into hearts.
"Hitmon!" Sanji cried out in love, staring at Snivy.
"Now, use Vine Whip, Snivy!"
"Snivy!" Snivy lashed Sanji multiple times, sending him to Luffy's feet.
"Come on, Sanji!" Luffy pleaded.
Sanji got up with hearts still for eyes.
"Leaf Storm!"
The attack pushed Sanji into the air and dissipated, dropping him to the ground.
"Finish it with Leaf Blade!"
"Wake up, Sanji!"
"It's no use."
Snivy's attack hit, knocking Sanji away.
Luffy growled. "Sanji, if you don't snap out of it right now, I'll never let you cook again!"
"Hitmontop!?" Sanji snapped out of it and tears began to comically pour from his eyes as he begged on his knees to Luffy.
Luffy knelt down, putting his hand on Sanji's head and said, "I knew that would get you out of her trance."
Sanji looked to Snivy and then pointed to Luffy's pants. "Hitmon."
Luffy fell on his head and recovered. "Fine. Return."
The entire stadium fell on their heads with a resounding "HUH!?"
"I am quite confused!" The announcer admitted.
The ref then asked, "You are substituting your Pokemon?"
"Yep," Luffy answered. "He refuses to battle girl Pokemon that he thinks are pretty or beautiful."
"Aww!" Bonnie and Serena said in unison.
Snivy blushed.
"You hear that, Snivy?" Ash chuckled.
Snivy scoffed and turned her head to the side, with her eyes closed, in typical tsundere fashion.
"Alright," Luffy said, grabbing his Pokeball. "Come on out, Zoro!"
The announcer then said, "Luffy's Zoro is a Gallade!"
A Gallade, huh? Ash thought to himself. "Wha'dya say, Snivy? Wanna take on Zoro?"
"Snivy," she responded with a cocky grin.
"Awesome," Ash said with a smile. "Open this up with Leaf Storm!"
Snivy conjured the spiraling storm of leaves and it raged to Zoro.
"Use Protect!" Luffy advised.
Zoro put up his hands and a green shield of energy defended him for the Leaf Storm.
"Now, run to Snivy and use Close Combat!"
"Stop it with Vine Whip!"
Snivy's vines went for Zoro.
"Counter with Slash!"
Zoro struck away both vines with two slashes from both his hands.
"Continue with Close Combat."
Snivy winced in pain when she retracted her vines.
"Quick, Snivy, use Leaf Blade!" Ash hastily commanded.
"Sni," Snivy agreed, jumped into the air, with the end of her tail glowing green, and swung it down towards Zoro.
"Leaf Blade!" Luffy yelled; and Zoro countered Snivy with his own Leaf Blade.
Glowing green Zoro's right forearm collided with Snivy's, but he pushed through hers and his blade uppercut Snivy.
Snivy crashed in front of Ash.
"Come on, Snivy!"
"Close Combat," Luffy demanded, in a teasing manner.
"Attract!"
Snivy winked pink hearts at Zoro.
Luffy chuckled.
Zoro struck all the hearts with Close Combat, cancelling out the move.
"Slash," Luffy yelled.
Zoro slashed Snivy, sending her away, to his left.
"Get up, Snivy!" Ash pleaded.
Snivy groaned her name and stood.
"Leaf Storm!"
"Psycho Cut!"
Gallade's forearm glowed light blue, he punched the ground, and a crescent light blue energy ring came from his arm, slicing through the Leaf Storm and exploded when it hit Snivy.
Snivy was blasted out of the battle square.
"Oh no, Snivy!" Ash ran to her.
The referee saw Snivy's eyes showing the iconic swirl and declared her unable to battle.
"You take a nice rest, Snivy," Ash told her and returned her to her PokeBall. He then went back to his block. "Get ready to battle. Let's go, Torkoal!"
The announcer then informed the audience that Ash and Luffy are both down to their final three Pokemon.
Clemont pointed out, "Ash sure is making sure that his and Luffy's Pokemon aren't at any disadvantages."
"I think he's being a bit more cautious with this tournament," Serena replied. "The only question is: why?"
"Hurry and use Slash, Zoro!"
Zoro ran to Torkoal.
When Zoro was close enough, Ash told Torkoal to use Iron Defense.
Torkoal hid in his shell and was perfectly protected from the attack.
"While he's in front of you, use Flamethrower!"
Torkoal came out of his shell and went to execute the move.
"Dodge it by jumping into the air!"
Zoro jumped right before Torkoal spewed flames.
"Move the Flamethrower up and hit him before he lands."
Torkoal looked up and the flames blazed towards Zoro.
"Use protect!"
Zoro shielded himself from the blaze and back flipped away, landing in front of Luffy.
"Now, Torkoal, run up and use Body Slam!"
Torkoal rushed to the center of the stadium, jumped into the air, and spread out his legs to slam onto Zoro.
When Torkoal got dangerously close, Luffy told Zoro to dodge.
Zoro jumped to his left, dodging the attack; luckily, Torkoal landed safely on the ground.
"That's a fast Torkoal," Luffy complimented.
"Thanks," Ash responded with a proud grin.
"Zoro, use Night Slash!"
Zoro put his hands together, and a purple sword of energy formed. He then dashed to Torkoal.
"Counter with Heat Wave."
The Heat Wave blasted towards Zoro and he blocked it with his Night Slash.
The two were in a deadlock.
"Push against it, Zoro."
Zoro slowly walked forwards, pushing against the Heat Wave.
Ash told Torkoal to put more energy into the attack.
Torkoal's Heat Wave pushed Zoro back to where he was and they were back into a standstill.
Clemont pointed out, "These two are evenly matched."
"Pika", Pikachu agreed.
The two attacks caused an explosion, sending Zoro back, dragging his feet on the ground making long craters.
The match continued on with both Pokemon trying to hit the other with the opponent dodging, guarding, or countering…
"They're too evenly matched," Serena added to Clemonts' previous statement.
"Uh-huh," Bonnie replied.
Torkoal and Zoro stood in front of their trainers, breathing heavily, but not showing much damage; though Zoro is more damaged from the explosion earlier.
"There's only one way to settle this," Luffy said.
Ash chuckled. "I was just thinking the same thing."
At the same time, they informed the audience, "One final powerful move."
"Zoro, put everything you've got into a final Psycho Cut!"
"You do the same with an Overheat, Torkoal!"
Zoro fired a large Psycho Cut and Torkoal blasted out a ferocious Overheat.
The two attacks met, causing wind to blast out through the stadium in a powerful gale, blowing dust into the eyes of the audience and loose fitting hats into the sky above.
Psycho Cut pushed Overheat, Overheat pushed back, the two went into a gridlock.
Then, Torkoal's Overheat shattered the Psycho Cut, raging through and striking Zoro!
"Zoro!" Luffy cried out as a raging tornado of fire engulfed his Pokemon.
"Gaaaalll!" Zoro yelled in pain.
The incineration stopped, Zoro fell to one knee, and Luffy asked if he was okay.
Zoro grinned back to Luffy, "Gal-" his eyes rolled back "lade," and he fell down face first.
"Zoro is unable to battle!" The referee declared. "The winner is Torkoal!"