"Charizard, I choose YOU!" Ash yelled, sending out a huge dragon-like Pokemon.
"Aero!" Red said, flying up in the air with his holding its shoulders with its talons. "Make the first move."
"Hey, what are you doing? This is a battle!" Ash yelled.
"Red, you get down from there right now!" Dawn scolded.
"That's one weird kid." Brock said.
"Get down and stay behind, or you'll be disqualified." The announcer said.
"So we just stay behind and command our Pokemon and hope no attacks hit us?" Red asked. "Kinda dumb."
The boy got down and sent "Aero" to the field. It turned out to be an Aerodactyl!
"Hah, that's more like it. Charizard, use Dragon Rage!" Ash commanded loudly.
Charizard opened its mouth and released a burst of green flames, which Aero dodged.
"Stealth Rock!" Red said.
Floating, pointed stones formed around Aero before they flew towards Charizard.
'I know that move!' Ash thought. 'He's got me in a corner. If I switch, my next Pokemon will get hurt, and possibly open for attack. If I don't, its rock attacks will surely beat Charizard.'
"No you don't! Charizard, use Flamethrower on those rocks!" Ash yelled.
Charizard spewed flames from its mouth.
"Whirlwind!" Red called.
Aero flapped its wings violently, and not only did the flames blow away, but Charizard was forced back into its ball.
"It looks like Charizard is forced to return!" the announcer said. "Who will be next?"
"Wow, Red is one step ahead of him everytime." Dawn said from the stands.
"Piiip-luuup." Piplup said.
"Ash is going to have to think harder than he ever has before." Brock added.
Red looked in front of him to see Ash's determined face still there. Surprisingly, it wasn't wiped off face yet. But it would be.
"Torterra, I choose you!" Ash said, sending out a huge tortoise with a tree on its back. The pointed stones dug into Ash's Torterra. It cried out in pain, but it was still in battling condition.
"Torterra, Stone Edge!" Ash yelled.
Pointed stones formed around Torterra and flew towards Aero. They were similar to Stealth Rock, only they were glowing. Aero was maneuvering gracefully around them.
"Aero, Substitute, Agility and Double Team!" Red said.
Everyone else was surprised, even the announcer.
"Is that really possible?" Dawn said.
"I've never seen something like that before." Brock said.
"And Red tries to do the impossible! He is not holding anything back!" the announcer said.
Aero made ten copies of itself before going even faster than before. It then made a substitute, which Ash didn't see.
"Leaf Storm!" Ash yelled.
Torterra shot a flurry of leaves at the multiple Aeros, but they all dodged it. They all glided near the ground, charging at his Torterra.
"Protect!" Ash yelled.
A green energy shield surrounded Torterra, and some of the clones went through it. When the shield disappeared, Ash commanded a Frenzy plant attack. Huge thorns sprout from the ground and hit Aero.
"Yes!" called Ash.
His "victory" was short lived when Aero disappeared in a puff of smoke. The real one was latched on its tree.
"Fire Fang!" Red said.
Before either Ash or Torterra could do anything about it, Aero's fangs were surrounded by flames. It then bit down on Torterra, making it yell out in pain. It fell to the ground with a loud thud.
"Do it!" Red said.
Aero opened its mouth again, but this time, its fangs were covered in ice. When it bit down on Torterra, it was frozen solid.
"Torterra, no!" yelled Ash.
"Torterra is unable to battle, the winner is Aero!" the announcer said.
Everyone (including Ash) was speechless.
"Aero, you did great." Red said, recalling it. Ash did the same to his Torterra.
Red held out a Poke Ball defiantly, and threw it. "Pika, let's go!"
Red sent out his Pikachu to the field. Ash was shocked. He had a Pikachu too?
"I choose YOU, Charizard!" Ash screamed.
'How often must he say that?' Red wondered.
When Charizard was sent to the field, the rocks dug into it, sending it crashing to the ground and smoke to appear around it. When the smoke cleared, Pika used Thunder Wave on it, paralyzing it. Charizard tried to fly back up, but to no avail as a knot of grass was tied around its leg. Once again, Charizard fell down to the ground.
"Charizard, get rid of it!" Ash yelled.
Charizard used its flames to get rid of the knot, and flew up. It was glowing with a red aura; its Blaze ability had been activated.
"Fire Blast!" Ash yelled.
Charizard let out flames the shape of an outstretched man. They grew bigger as they approached Pika.
"Pika, you know what to do!" Red said.
Pika dug a hole in the ground as the attack missed him. Steam started to form in the air. When it was clear, there were nine holes in the ground. Pika came out of the one in the middle.
"Charizard, Dragon Claw!" Ash said.
Its claw glowed green as it swiped at Pika, who went back in. It appeared out of another hole, and Charizard repeated its attack. This went on until Charizard finally hit Pika, who fell to the ground.
"One of Red's Pokemon gets hit for the first time in this match!" the announcer said, shocking everyone.
Just then another Pika got out of the hole just in front of him.
"So the one before was a Substitute!" Ash said. " Flamethrower!"
Charizard used Flamethrower to aim at the little electric rodent, and hit it. It fell to the ground, scorched.
"Got ya!" Ash said.
Unfortunately for him, the scorched Pikachu disappeared in a puff of smoke, just like his Aero from before.
"What the-?" Ash said.
"Do it!" Red yelled.
The Pikachu that got hit got back up and charged an electric attack.
"Don't let him do it! Use Flamethrower, quick!" Ash yelled.
Charizard had its full attention to Pika, who also disappeared in a puff of smoke. A speeding bullet of electricity shot at Charizard, hitting it. It went down for the count.
"I can't believe it! Charizard is unable to battle; the winner is Pika!" the announcer started. "Not only that, but Pika actually wasn't damaged!"
Everyone (except Ash's friends) kept quiet for a few minutes before cheering.
Ash recalled Charizard, and called his Pikachu.
"I CHOOSE YOU, PIKACHU!" he screamed.
"This is Ash's last Pokemon! Will he make a comeback, or is he doomed to be booted out of the Sinnoh League?" the announcer yelled.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled.
Red waited for it to be mere inches near Pika before saying, "Defend!"
A clear, pinkish wall appeared in front of Red's Pika and made the attack bounce off.
"Two can play at that game! Reflect!" Ash yelled.
A wall appeared in front of Ash's Pikachu, only it was a clear light blue. Right when the wall came up, Pika shattered it with its paw and struck Pikachu with it.
"Pika, let's try not to use physical attacks. We can't risk being hurt by Static." Red said.
"Reflect again!" Ash said.
Pika stuck its tongue out at Pikachu and put its hands to its ears. Reflect didn't come up.
"What's going on?" Ash questioned.
"That Taunt did the trick." Red said. "Hidden Power!"
"Pikachu, agility!" Ash said, but nothing happened. The orbs from the Hidden Power hit Pikachu dead-on.
"Hang in there, buddy!" Ash said. This inspired Pikachu to get back up. "Use Iron Tail!"
Pikachu's tail became like steel as it charged at Pika. Pika used Reflect to counter the Iron Tail, before jumping over the glass and letting loose a red and green beam from its mouth.
"That's Signal Beam!" Brock said.
"What's that do?" Dawn said.
"It has a chance of confusing the opponent if it misses." Brock said.
"Oh no." Dawn said, worried.
The beam hit Pikachu, who wouldn't dodge it.
"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash yelled.
His starter used quick attack onto the wall that Pika put up just seconds before. Pika slapped mud onto Pikachu's face, hindering its eyesight. It bumped into the wall once again, falling down. It couldn't get back up.
"That's it, folks! Pikachu is unable to battle; Pika is the winner! The winner is Red!" the announcer said. "That means Red will be fighting Cynthia in the finals!"
The crowd cheered louder than ever before. Pika jumped in Red's arms.
"Great job, Pika! Sorry I made you take recoil damage from Volt Tackle, though." Red said. Pika responded with a lick to Red's face.
Ash went to scoop up Pikachu, and his friends went to him.
"Don't feel bad, Pikachu. You did great. You all did." Ash said.
"You did your best, and that's all that counts." Brock said.
"You made us proud!" Dawn trilled. "Don't let a loss get you down!"
"Yeah!" Red said, appearing in front of him. "Maybe next time, you'll have a chance." He then flew away on his Aero.
"Thanks, guys." Ash said, leaving with his friends.
Next chapter, Red will fight Cynthia.
