I don't own Pokemon or the idea of this story which I got from Captain Buggles. I just own my OCs.
TMs will exist in this universe but instead of replacing older moves I will just add to the list like TM02 is still Razor Wind but Headbutt is TM57. I will put a list of TMs in this universe on my profile and I'll just make the HMs TMs as well.
Ashley and her friends are on their way to the Battle Factory. It's nearing sunset, and they aren't sure exactly where they are. When Brock comments that he thinks they're lost, Max assures him that they're almost there.
Several hours later, they're still not there. The sun has set, the full moon is visible above the trees, and after Max's apology, they start preparing to set up camp for the night. Then, while they take a few minutes to admire the moon, a bit of snow blows by and they see something fly overhead. After a few brief glimpses, they finally see it clearly enough to identify: it's an Articuno.
Articuno is soon joined in flight by a small biplane. There is an apparent mechanical malfunction, the plane emits a large cloud of smoke, and when things have cleared up, neither the plane nor Articuno is visible.
Ashley and friends have been walking around trying to find Articuno again. They don't find it, but they do find a Pokémon Center. They spend the night there, and the local Nurse Joy promises to give them directions to the Battle Factory in the morning.
Morning comes, and Joy is about to give them the directions, when she is interrupted by someone telling her not to bother. It's Scott, and he offers to take them to the Battle Factory himself. It turns out that Scott is every bit as insane a driver as Professor Birch, and he takes a shortcut. Fortunately, everyone survives the trip.
They are about to enter the Battle Factory when they hear the noise of an engine. A large vehicle smashes through the doors of the Factory and nearly runs the group down. When a voice from inside the vehicle makes it clear that the thing is out of control, Ashley , May, and Brock use their Pokémon to stop it. A hatch opens on top of the vehicle, and a man climbs out, complaining about how it doesn't listen to a thing he says. He thanks them for their help, and Scott addresses him as Noland. Noland goes on to introduce the vehicle as the Noland J-9, his latest and greatest super-machine. He is interrupted by an assistant, who runs out and, rather exasperated, asks Noland if he's been playing around with that thing again. Noland replies that he isn't playing, it's his hobby. The assistant asks what the difference is, and Noland doesn't have an answer. Noland introduces the assistant as Sergio, his number one apprentice. Scott asks Noland to introduce himself. He introduces himself as Factory Head Noland, and Scott explains to Ashley that that means he's the Frontier Brain of the Battle Factory. Ashley introduces himself and says he's there to challenge Noland.
Sergio calls out that it's Pokéblock time, and about a dozen powerful-looking Pokémon come running. May's Munchlax comes out of its Poké Ball to join them in the meal. May is about to call it back, but Sergio assures her that there is plenty of Pokéblock for everyone. Ashley asks Noland if all these Pokémon are his. Noland says yes, and that more Pokémon give more possibilities for battles. He asks Ash which ones he wants to battle, and says Ashley can pick as many as he wants. Ashley has trouble deciding. Does he want to face Venusaur, the final form of Bulbasaur? Rhydon, for a test of power? Machamp, with its Fighting-type moves? While he's considering the options, Munchlax grabs one of the bowls of Pokéblock, and runs off into a nearby building. May and Max give chase.
May and Max enter the building Munchlax went into. It's dark inside, and they can't see clearly, but it doesn't take long to spot Munchlax standing on a crate, eating Pokéblock in private, to May's curiosity. Then Max notices something else: the airplane they saw the previous night. And then, a cold breeze starts blowing, apparently coming from Munchlax. May wonders if it's learned an Ice-type move, but Max says it isn't Blizzard or Icy Wind. The truth is revealed moments later, as Articuno arises from behind Munchlax, then flies out of the building.
When everyone is back together, Noland explains that he'd been doing a little "night cruising" with Articuno the previous night. Max comments on how impressive it is that Noland caught such a powerful Pokémon, but Noland says it wanted to go with him. He goes on to explain:
One night, while he was test-flying his plane, he was quite startled to find Articuno flying alongside him. Then Articuno started having trouble flying. Noland figures that it injured its wing during one of its flights from mountaintop to mountaintop. He got it to land on top of his plane, brought it down, and helped it heal. Since then, it has come to visit him with some regularity. The Freeze Pokemon eventually wanted Noland to catch it.
Max says he wants to fly with Articuno, and Noland offers to take him up in the plane. Max invites Pikachu along, and they take to the air. Before long, Noland and Articuno are competing at fancy flying. May, Brock, and Scott, watching from the ground, are so enthralled that they don't even notice Ashley is gone until he gets back. Brock asks where he was, and Ashley says she was just making a quick phone call.
That night, Noland asks Ash if he's decided which Pokémon he wants to battle, and he says yes. Max thinks he'll go for Venusaur, and May thinks Rhydon, but Ash says neither. He wants to go one-on-one against Articuno. This surprises everyone, except possibly Noland. He just turns to Articuno, asks if it agrees to this, and when its reply is affirmative, asks what Pokémon Ash will be using. Ash then sends out his Charizard.
Ashley May, Brock, Max, Latios, and Scott are led into the Battle Factory's arena by Sergio, Nolan's top assistant and the designated official of this match. Ashley thinks that the arena is great, and can hardly wait for the battle to begin. Noland enters and tells Ashley that it's been a while since he's had a top-notch opponent, and he hopes Ashley knows that he won't hold back. Ashley says that she was counting on it, and Noland calls in Articuno, while Ashley sends out Charizard. Max says he's never seen a Pokémon as great as Articuno, and May thinks that it's really beautiful. Scott suggests that they all go up to the stands.
Back inside the Battle Factory, Max says that this will be an awesome match-up, while Brock remarks about how he's never seen an Articuno battle before. May starts cheering for Ashley , but suddenly the roof begins to open up. Scott explains that it was designed to do that so that Flying-type Pokémon would be able to use their full potential.
The match finally begins, and both Charizard and Articuno fly up into the air. Charizard uses Flamethrower. Articuno counters with Ice Beam, and the two attacks meet. Flamethrower burns right through Ice Beam, striking Articuno for a direct hit, and sending it crashing into the ground. Ashley is exultant that Charizard can stand up to Articuno, but it flies straight back into the air, not looking any worse for wear. Ashley calls for another Flamethrower, but Articuno uses its speed to evade the attack and fly right past the dual Fire/Flying type Pokémon. Noland tells Articuno to spin in a steep dive and Ash tells Charizard to fly right for it. Articuno uses Mist, and Charizard can't see. It hovers in midair until Articuno flies right into it, sending Charizard to the ground. Cut to the spectators and Brock comments how Mist is usually used for defense, or even to help the Pokémon using it escape, but he's never seen it used like that before.
Charizard stands up, shaking his head. He looks up just in time to see Articuno fly straight for him out of the Mist cloud. Ashley calls for Dragon Breath, and though Articuno dodges twice, it is hit on the third try. Noland calls for Ice Beam, and it strikes Charizard on the wing. Ashley calls for Flamethrower, which Articuno dodges and hits Charizard with a Steel Wing. Charizard falls from a huge height and crashes into the earth again.
Charizard stands up, growling. He looks battered, but Articuno is still unmarked. Articuno hits Charizard with a Water Pulse, sending Charizard into the wall. Ashley calls for Charizard to get up, but it hunches its neck. Ashley is getting really nervous, and thinks he may have only one chance left.
However, Ashley decides that it's still too soon to use that attack. Articuno uses Ice Beam, striking Charizard's wingtip, freezing it. Charizard falls from the air and spins along the ground as Articuno uses Water Pulse on the ice that hit the ground. The ice shatters, and flies towards Charizard, who shields himself with a wing, but a big piece knocks him off balance. Ashley tells Charizard to climb in the hope that he will be able to avoid another combination attack. May notices that something is wrong with Charizard, it's flying much too slowly. Brock sees that the wingtip is still frozen. Scott realizes that the reason Noland kept getting Articuno to use Ice Beam was because even though it wasn't very effective, he knew that eventually it would freeze part of Charizard. Noland tells Articuno to use another combination of Ice Beam and Water Pulse, and Ashley gets Charizard to use Flamethrower on the ice shards, but some get past the attack and strike Charizard. Noland tells Articuno to finish the battle by getting above Charizard. Ashley realizes it's time to use that attack Charizard learned all on its own. He tells Charizard to get above Articuno, and use Overheat! Charizard glows bright red, and the ice on the wing melts. Noland and Articuno are both stunned. So are May and Max.
Both Pokémon zoom higher and higher into the air. Ashley orders Overheat, and a blast of white flame is sent at Articuno. The legendary bird counters with Water Pulse, which results in an explosion when the two attacks meet. Light fills the stadium, and when it fades, and huge cloud of smoke hides the Pokémon from each other. Noland orders a Steel Wing. Articuno bursts from the smoke and scores a direct hit. Charizard looks tired and very battered, while Articuno is still as strong as ever. Brock realizes that Charizard won't be able to withstand another direct hit by any attack. Ash knows that he can't use Overheat anymore - it won't be as effective. He realizes that there is only one chance left to win the battle.
Noland tells Ashley he has battled bravely, but it's time to end the battle. He orders another Steel Wing. Charizard stays unmoving in midair, as May, Brock, Scott, and Max watch in anxiety. Right before Articuno can strike, Ashley orders Charizard to grab it. Charizard grabs the glowing wings with its claws, taking both Noland and Articuno by surprise. Ashley directs Charizard to perform a Seismic Toss! Charizard brings Articuno in close, and spins downward, faster than ever before. They collide with the ground, raising a large cloud of dust. When it finally clears, Charizard is seen stretched out on the ground, seemingly unable to move. Articuno struggles to its feet. The official begins to call the battle, but Noland tells him to wait until the battle is over for sure, right as Articuno collapses. Then Charizard manages to struggle to its feet. With Articuno fainted, Charizard has won, defeating a legendary Pokémon, and giving Ashley her first Battle Frontier Symbol in the process.
Ashley and friends say goodbye to Noland, Scott, Sergio, and Articuno and leave the Battle Factory. Ash says goodbye and the group sets off for the next Battle Frontier challenge.
