Okay, change of plans. This chapter will not have violence but the next chapter will and why am I staring at a dead, crushed roach on my desk? Aah whatever. Anyways, I have gone hiatus now on two fics to work on this one! I somehow got the energy to do the battle scenes again, so yeah, I'm back but with the sacrifice of two fics. Okay, disclaimer…please refer to the previous chapter's disclaimer as I do not like to waste my breath on such things.

A/N: I'd wondered why I had Emi battling Forrest and that was when it hit me: If Ash battled every single battle, this fic would be boring and having all of the CCs and OCs in here would have been a huge waste. Not to mention that I'd be more or just as bored and PO'd as all of you.

Previously…

"Ash, can I battle him?"

"Uh…yeah but don't you--"

"Okay! Let's go with the rules that you decided, kid!" she said, already full of ego. Forrest looked down at the floor in disappointment.

"Already have the Boulderbadge?" he asked though not loud enough for her to hear.

"But I wanted to battle Ash…"

Viridian Fall

Chapter 6: Power of Ice Blue

Day 3, Week 1

Emi held her Pokeball in her hand, eager to get started. Forrest though was confused. He wanted to battle with Ash but then that crystal blue haired girl suddenly wanted to challenge him. Then that was when he realized it.

"H-Hold on!"

"What?"

"D-Don't you a-already have the Boulderbadge?"

"Oh, this?" she asked, showing him her badge case with said badge. "Well, now that you mention it…"

"We've already battled some time ago, haven't we? You won so why?"

"If I want to become as great and powerful as Prima, then I'll need to learn to be able to overcome my team's weakness, one being Rock types and the others being Fire and Steel." she answered. "I really don't care much for a badge since I already have one from here!"

Forrest, at first intimidated, regained himself. "Alright, you're on. This'll count as training for me!"

"Same here!"

Brock walked up to the two. "I'll be the judge for the 1-on-1 battle. Report to your position and when the arena is set, the battle will start."

The challenger went to the entrance of the Gym while the Leader went to the back of the Gym. Brock stood to the right of Emi and to the left of Forrest.

Emi nodded to him as she looked at the boy. "I hope you've improved."

Forrest drew out a Pokeball, readying for the battle. "I hope you know what you're doing!" he shouted.

The blue haired girl smiled back. "Oh, I hope you won't take me nicely just because I'm a girl."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because I could tell that you lost because you underestimated me the last time!"

Forrest couldn't help but redden at the thought. "Shoot, she's right…"

"Are you ready?" she asked. "You're up first."

"Okay, then I cho--"

"Wait!"

Forrest stumbled forward a bit before looking back at her. "What now!?"

"Choose Steelix."

"What?"

"I said choose Steelix. I want to battle a Steel type with an Ice type."

Everyone excluding Raven dropped their jaws. Emi was looking at Forrest. "Well?"

"One question," as everyone turned to Raven. "Why?"

"To prove that even in battle, type disadvantage does not matter so long as the Trainer can come up with a plan to fight against the odds!" she exclaimed. Had anyone ever noticed, the man's smile had widened a bit.

"Meaning?" Forrest asked.

"Your drive to win. As long as you know the boundaries, you can overcome any obstacle." Raven said. "Simply put: Determination."

Everyone gave him a look that said, "Wow?"

Emi then shook out of the reverie and turned to Forrest. "Ready?"

"If it's a losing battle you want, it's a losing battle you'll get!"

"Whoever said I was gonna lose?"

Brock, the judge of the battle watched the ball containing his old longtime Pokemon companion appear as Forrest and Emi drew out the Pokeball that contained her Pokemon.

"Go, Steelix!"

A rather huge steel snake appeared on the field, its red eyes enough to intimidate even the most bravest of Pokemon.

"Okay, time to show em' why I'm called Ice Blue!"

She threw the Pokeball with a kind of elegance that resembled that of a swan. Out of the Pokeball came out…

"A Spheal!?"

Tracey looked on nervously. "You're kidding me?"

Raven merely said nothing. "……"

Misty laughed. "Ahahaha, yeah right! You're challenging a powerful Steelix with that?"

Emi grinned. "Oh, you won't be laughing once I'm done. This match won't take long."

Everyone looked at her. "What did she say?"

"You can make the first move if you want, squinty eyes!" she said, as Forrest raised a brow but decided not to ask.

"What makes her think that she can win? Then again, Spheal is a Water/Ice type and Steelix is a Steel/Ground type…" Then it hit him!

"Type advantage…? Sh-She tricked me!"

-Kanto Gym Leader Battle theme-

"Whew, it's kinda warm in here! Let's start with cooling things off! Spheal, use Hail!"

As soon as she had said that, Spheal summoned a mighty hail, as Forrest did his best to withstand the cold and the ice pellets that seemed to hit the ground at a fairly brisk pace. Unlike everyone else, excluding Raven whom did not mind the pellets of ice hitting against his cloak, Emi seemed to not mind standing in the hail. Ash, surprised asked, "A-Aren't you cold?!"

She turned to him with a cute smile. "Oh, I'm used to it!"

"Steelix, use Slam on that Spheal!"

The huge steel snake quickly towered over the small round Water/Ice type before crashing down towards it! "Spheal, dodge it!"

The Pokemon easily moved out of the way, as Emi then pointed at Steelix. "Now, use Encore!"

Spheal began to clap his fins or whatever they are as Forrest shouted, "Use Iron Tail!"

But Steelix instead used Slam, Emi commanded her cute seal-like Pokemon to use Ice Beam on the Steel-type. The freezing beam didn't do that much damage but it was still powerful when Forrest suddenly remembered what Encore does! "Argh, now I remember! Encore makes the Pokemon that has been effected use the same move for several turns! She's not just better than before, she IS better! Keep trying to use Iron Tail!"

"Spheal, use Ice Ball!"

The cute round seal-like creature began to shoot out huge ice cubes at the steel dragon-like Pokemon but the attack was immediately halted by the Iron Tail attack! The glowing tail shattered the ice into pieces! "Finally! Now, time to show her that we're not that easy to beat!"

"I was wondering if you were even serious about battling me, kid? I hope you won't disappoint me as a Gym Leader!"

"Don't worry," as the second oldest of the Slate children grinned. "Just as long as you know what you're really up against! Steelix, use Dragonbreath!"

"Dodge it, Spheal!"

"Nice try, switch to a close-ranged Crunch attack!"

The harder-than-diamonds snake canceled the attack then lunged viciously at the cute, round, blue, seal-like Pokemon! The attack connected as Ash & co were shocked at how fast Steelix moved well except Raven. Even Emi was winded back a bit but she became even more determined not to mention was enjoying it even more!. Soon the Hail stopped as Forrest stopped shivering. He had been doing that for a while since the ice began to fall.

"Now that's what I like to see! C'mon Spheal, use Icy Wind!"

"WHAT!?"

A cold gust of chilly wind struck Steelix, as while the attack was not so powerful due to type disadvantage, Forrest actually saw it did some good damage all while lowering the Pokemon's ability to act faster.

"Aargh! Steelix, use Dragonbreath!"

"Dodge it, Spheal!"

The attack was easily avoided. Emi followed up with a Return attack, which was quite powerful, showing that she and Spheal shared such a powerful bond of friendship! Steelix slid a bit across the floor when the attack had connected.

"The powerful bond…of friendship!" the Ice Trainer said, spreading her arms open.

Misty tilted her head. "Bond of friendship?"

Emi waved to Ash. "Our love knows no bounds, Ashy! Now, to bring back the winter, use Hail, Spheal."

It began to Hail again as Forrest shivered a bit but ignored it.

"Y-Yeah, whatever. Use Rock Tomb, Steelix! Now let's see how you can handle things without speed?"

"Double Team!"

The attack missed. "No way!?"

There were sixteen clones of Spheal as now Ash & co were thoroughly impressed. Raven just looked on.

"Now use, Water Pulse!"

All the clones surrounding Steelix simultaneously unleashed a big watery orb at the Pokemon! They all ripped across the field, the power already shown by how damaging it was to the floor, tearing it apart with the sheer might of the attack's force.

"Now you're using a Water type attack!? Steelix, use Iron Tail to sweep them all!"

Brock was impressed. "Expect the unexpected huh?"

The steel snake did a 360 degree motion to all but one of the Pokemon as Forrest smirked at his assured victory at sight. Spheal was in the air and Pokemon that are not Flying types that are in the air are sitting Psyducks!

"Now, " he shouted, pointing at the exposed Pokemon. "Use Hyper Beam!"

"You know what do! Use Blizzard!" she shouted and since Hail was still going on, it couldn't miss even if it could.

The two powerful attacks connected at such a frightening pace, creating an explosion in the air. Ash & co were shielding themselves from the force of the tremors, while Brock was trying to see the outcome of the attacks.

Forrest was the first to see something, as his eyes widened. "But how…?"

The cute round blue seal-like creature was still standing! Emi grinned. "Blizzard."

Forrest knew that because of the effects of Hyper Beam, Steelix would be unable to move. But Blizzard would hit hard and with Steelix unable to move and also with his speed decreased, this battle, was already lost for him.

Spheal blew a mighty-looking chill of air at the Pokemon as in a matter of seconds, Steelix was struck, falling mightily to the field's floor. Brock knew that the match was already decided. He raised the green flag in his left hand.

"Steelix is unable to battle! This match's victory goes to Emilia-"

"You can call me Emi!" the girl said as Brock immediately smiled…weirdly.

"Emi Runes from Celestic Town in the Sinnoh region!" he shouted, before the flags were immediately dropped.

"Uh-oh, Brock's at it again?" Ash said, as the Breeder was holding the girl's hands in his.

"I'm so sorry my dear for not introducing myself to you earlier! My name is Brock, former Pewter City Gym Leader and an aspiring Master Breeder! But you can call me Romeo, Don Juan, Lothario, my dear sweet-!"

He didn't get a chance to finish before taking mighty blow to his gut.

"How about Mr. Take-a-Hike!?"

The boys winced at the power of her kick as Emi hugged Ash. "The only man in my life is right here!"

"H-H-Hey!"

Misty went to try to pry Ash out of the girl's hands but Emi wouldn't let go.

"Let go!"

"Not on my life!"

"Why me?"

Forrest looked nervously at the scene of the two tugging Ash back and forth. "H-Hey you two, you're gonna rip his arms out of their sockets!"

When asked to stay the night, Ash & co accepted the proposal. As night had fallen, a figure sat up in his bed. He was sweating like crazy due to a dream.

"Man…what a nightmare! I'll never eat pizza before going to bed again."

Brock looked around at the other boys. Tracey was turned on one side facing the wall while Raven was…Brock couldn't find him in bed at all.

"Well, he is who he is, whoever he is?"

Forrest and the other little brothers were sleeping finely as the older teen saw that Ash's bed was unoccupied, Pikachu still sleeping soundly at the base. The Breeder walked out of the room, carefully going down the hallways so as not to wake his parents, his little sisters, Misty and Emi up. When he reached the living room, he saw the chain to the door was down so he knew where the raven haired teen went.

Brock didn't have to travel far as he found Ash sitting beside a well at the top of the hill overlooking the Gym and city. "Couldn't sleep too huh?" the teen asked. Brock laughed nervously.

"Ahahahaha, no, it was the worst possible nightmare a guy like me could ever have. Anyways, why are you still up?" he asked, changing the subject. Ash gave him a look that meant, 'What kind of nightmare did you have?'

"I'm guessing that you're out here cuz you couldn't sleep too huh?"

"I told you Ash, it was just a nightmare- huh, what's wrong?"

The teen looked up at the night sky and smiled. "Aah, it's nothing."

……

"So…have you told her yet?"

"Huh? Told who what?"

Brock sighed. "Oh boy, you're a tough one to figure out Ash!"

"What do you mean by that?"

Brock then shrugged. "Never mind. Make sure you don't stay up too late, Ash."

"Sure, Brock." he answered. Brock walked down the road back to his house/Gym while Ash sat against the well, secretly knowing what Brock meant.

When morning came, a certain crystal blue haired girl cheerily said, "GOOD MORNING EVERYONE!"

All eyes were on yesterday's winner as Emi went to sit right next to Ash. "Morning…Ash."

It was easy to see Misty seething as Brock served her and the rest of them and the Slate family pancakes, as Ash was quickly using this as an excuse to gorge himself. Tracey ate quietly, while Misty and Emi shot each other death glares and ate noisily, though not as noisy as Ash. Raven just ate his in the manner of a gentleman, taking his knife and fork and cutting the hotcakes into four or six equal parts and eating them. In short, breakfast was breakfast, with Ash being himself and Misty and Emi continuing to compete with each other. Brock looked on at the four then went back to his food. "……"

When the gang was all set and packed again, all of the Slates except for Brock stood at the door, bidding them farewell. "Come back any time!"

"Now Lola, you know that they have a schedule to keep." Flint said to his wife. Lola smiled.

"I know dear, by the way, where is Brock?"

Ash looked around. "Here's not here to see us off?"

"Well, he's not the one that's been staying in one place most of the time!" Misty and Tracey muttered, though Tracey was frowning a bit since he was supposed to be the one that's supposed to be that mad like this.

"That's good, that No-Eyes guy won't be coming with us."

Ash, Misty, and Tracey turned to her. "W-What!? He's a flirt, I don't like flirts!"

"Hypocrite." Misty muttered.

"What was that, you scrawny redhead!?"

"You heard me, you anorexic bluehead!"

"I am NOT anorexic, I am just simply…pretty and cute," as she narrowed her eyes. "Unlike you."

"Say that again, why don't you, you short, flirty, show-off!"

"Alright, I will!"

"Bring it on!"

Tracey was waving his hands at the two trying to calm them down while Ash just looked on nervously. Raven slung his bag over his shoulder. "We should get going. If we leave now, we should reach Cerulean City by sundown."

"If not, we could camp outside Mt. Moon."

Emi had hearts in her eyes. "A nice romantic night with my Ashy!"

"Hold yer horses, sister!" Misty countered.

As the four all said their goodbyes to the family, a lone figure watched from the road to exit Pewter City as they neared it. When they came closer, Ash recognized the figure. "Brock!?"

The Breeder grinned at the four. "Hey guys. Mind if I tag along?"

"But what about your family, Brock?" Misty asked. "Do they know?"

He nodded, shocking them, except Raven of course. "Yeah. Also, I can't let you four go off again without a cook and someone to…" as he put his arms around Ash and Misty. "Watch over these two…"

"Are you suggesting something Brock because unless you'd like to be sore in-between your legs, I'd advise you to not say anymore!"

"Uh…what she said?" Ash said, not able to come up with something as good as Misty's. Emi watched the three reacquaint with each other and frowned.

"Oh great, now the flirt's with us!"

"Sure is great to have you with us, Brock." Tracey said cheerfully.

"……"

The dark haired man glared at Brock, giving the Breeder the creeps and the goosebumps as he fixed his hat, tilting it over his left eye. "Let's go."

Everyone else nodded and before the five could step onto the road to Mt. Moon, a great figure emerged from the sky towards Ash! The figure was a man whom struck the boy hard with a punch that sent him into the ground.

"Aagh!"

"ASH!"

"What was that?!"

"Oh no, my Ash!"

"What kind of person are you, attacking our friend like that!?" Brock shouted.

"Wait…" Raven said, holding his arm out to keep them safe. Ash slowly got up, as his friends looked at him with worry. "Ash, are you fine?"

Ash stood up, wiping the blood from his mouth. "After getting jumped by some guy out of nowhere, who wouldn't!?" he said, chuckling. Misty looked at him, seeing through his sarcasm.

"Ash…"

"I wouldn't be laughing if I were you, kid." the mysterious man said. He was a great man, with flaming red hair that was combed up like spikes. He wore a burgundy red coat with no shirt under, showing his bare chest, with lighter burgundy red pants and black boots. His belt was black while the buckle was in the shape of a flaming skull. His face suggested he was around Raven's age, possibly a little older though he had a scar running across the middle of his nose and another on his bare chest, running from his left down to his right at the waist.

He wasn't alone though. With him was a dark green haired man, wearing a similar colored cloak that covered him completely except for his fearsome yellow eyes. The green haired man looked at the five.

"W-Who are they!?" Emi shouted.

The flame haired man smirked at Ash. "You're not going anywhere, kid!"

They all drew out their Pokeballs, ready to move him out of their way. The man laughed as he looked at the five.

"You guys wanna battle me?" as he drew out his Pokeball, which had a fire design on it. "Sure, why not? By the way, our names are Evers and Void. Sorry, nothing personal but we were ordered to get rid of you, Ash Ketchum!"

---

Whew, finally, this chapter's finally done! As the end said, the fighting begins next chapter! I'll get started on that ASAP since I somehow do battle scenes at a better and quicker pace than dialogue! Anyways, R&R and yeah, Brock's back!

A/N: FINALLY! This is the last revision. Yes, the last of the last- well not technically the last but with this done, I can move on to start Ch. 7! I have 8, 9 and 10 planned out, well, the basic plot to them but yes, finally, the real battles begin!