Day 20 — May 22nd
Olivine City
Sex appeal, Misty decided, was an extremely potent weapon.
The voyage from Vermillion City to Olivine City aboard the S.S. Aqua had taken only two days. Where the S.S. Oceania was more of a luxury cruiser, meant for its patrons to enjoy the atmosphere and attractions it offered (especially considering its destination was the Sevii Islands, a renowned vacation spot), the S.S. Aqua was vaunted as a high-speed craft designed for quick journeys between Kanto and Johto's main ports. She guessed it made sense then that the trip between the two regions was significantly shorter than the one between Cinnabar and Knot Islands.
Misty found herself wishing the voyage had been longer, if only to make more headway in her master plan. That she'd seen any progress at all was impressive, and the extra days certainly would have been nice to further along her ultimate goal.
Never before had Misty so openly tried flaunting her femininity for the purpose of attracting someone of the opposite sex. It was a stratagem more befitting of her sisters – all of whom had a greater tendency to be more superficial when it came to men – but she figured that as long as her intentions were noble (for instance, attracting only the one guy with the purpose of forming a lasting relationship), perhaps using her feminine wiles wasn't a bad idea. After all, everything else aside, Ash was still a man, and what man could resist an attractive woman trying to (essentially) seduce him?
Watching Ash flounder outside his comfort zone was also highly entertaining, regardless of the scenario.
Misty tried to start simply, especially since there was no single formula designed for any woman to woo any man. She wasn't deluded enough to consider herself drop-dead gorgeous, as her sisters so painstakingly worked to make themselves, but if Ash's reaction to her outfit on Mt. Ember was any indication, her looks certainly seemed capable of garnering his attention.
Which is how Misty found herself hanging around the pool area dressed in a simple blue bikini similar to the bathing suit she had worn on Knot Island. In reality, it wasn't too different from any of the outfits she wore at the gym when facing challengers. The glaring contrast wasn't actually the swimsuit itself, she supposed, but the intention behind wearing it.
Lying in one of the lounge chairs by the pool, a pair of sunglasses perched on her nose and her Shellder resting comfortably beside her, Misty felt content. The Bivalve Pokémon had proven to be a rather relaxed creature, often remaining relatively still when released from its Pokéball. Of course, part of that probably stemmed from the fact that Shellder had no real legs to speak of, but it was a nice contrast to how they had met in Seafoam. In the pool floated Staryu, the only one of her other Pokémon quiet enough to not disrupt the atmosphere of the cruise.
Ash walked by, a towel slung around his neck and a pair of red swim trunks on, and Misty peered at him over the rims of her glasses, drinking in the sight of her best friend. The redhead fought the urge to whistle in appreciation of his toned body, even if it could be written off as a joke. It was hard to reconcile that Ash, who ate whatever he wanted whenever he wanted, seemed to carry none of that food on his physique.
Then again, Ash's research involved lots of physical activity, plus whatever other exercise he did on a routinely basis, so she supposed that would balance out his ridiculous eating habits well enough.
Ash placed his towel on the chair next to hers, Pikachu moving towards the pool in an inner tube. He pulled a single Pokéball from his pocket, opening it to reveal a yawning Quilava, who immediately settled for a nap between the two trainers' chairs.
Pitching her voice to sound more saccharine than usual, the redhead asked, "Ash, can you put sunscreen on my back? I can't cover it very well by myself."
"Sure thing, Mist."
She rolled over to settle on her stomach, as Ash sat on the edge of her lounge chair, positioning himself to better access her back. Misty allowed herself to simply focus on the feeling of her friend's strong hands applying lotion to her body, reveling in the simple touch of her best friend. There was no need to think about whether Ash reciprocated her feelings in that moment; it simply didn't matter.
Ash's hands paused in their ministrations as Misty reached back and undid the knot keeping her bikini top tied. There was an audible gulp, followed by the stammer of her name. She looked back coyly, saying in the same innocent voice, "I don't want to get a tan line." Her eyelashes lowered slightly, adding to the seductive effect she was going for. "You'll still help me, right?"
A light pout with just a tinge of piteousness sealed the deal. Ash mumbled something incomprehensible before hesitantly returning his hands to Misty's bare upper back. The redhead made sure not to move too much; being seductive was one thing, but allowing Ash to get an eyeful of her being topless was not currently on her list of priorities.
After feeling that she had milked the sunscreen bit for all it was worth, she tilted her head to face her friend. "Want me to do you?" Not trusting his voice, Ash could only shake his head vigorously. "If you say so," she said with a partial shrug. "Thanks Ash. I really appreciate it." She watched him nod, about-face, and half-run into the pool with a cannonball. Quilava perked up at the loud splash caused by Ash's hasty entry into the water, craning her head to peer at Misty with curious eyes.
"Your trainer should be grateful to me," Misty informed her. "He's completely hopeless. Anyone else would've given up by now." She met the wide ruby eyes of the Johto starter before Quilava yawned and settled back down to nap. The redhead would be hard-pressed to admit it out loud – especially since she was a Water-type Pokémon trainer through and through – but there was something innocently cute about Quilava that endeared the Fire-type to her. It reminded her a little of how Ash had acted in their youth, all naivety and obliviousness.
Misty stroked the top of Quilava's head with a finger. Let's hope this keeps up.
The duo leaned on the railing of the S.S. Aqua as it neared Olivine's pristine port, the lighthouse towering overhead as a welcoming beacon. The tower reminded Misty of the first time they had come to Olivine City, when Ash had been questing for the Mineral Badge from the resident Gym Leader.
A jealous knot slowly curdled in Misty's stomach at that thought. Jasmine was pretty, and Misty knew for a fact that Brock at least kept in contact with her, though that was presumably because Jasmine was a Steel-type expert and Brock had his own Steel-types to look after. But did Ash talk with her? Was she like Sabrina, a close personal friend whom Ash dashed off to see at the drop of a hat? Or was she more like Erika, simply another female Gym Leader he had met once and never reconnected with?
Paranoia, she thought bitterly, was not very becoming.
The uncomfortable feeling disappeared when the ship docked and Ash ran off with an excited cry of, "Come on, Misty!" Pikachu almost lost his balance atop his trainer's shoulder in the process, sending a small jolt into him in retaliation for the jarring ride. She shook her head at Ash's childishness, but followed his path to the edge of an empty pier, where he proceeded bounce on the balls of his feet, a bundle of excess energy. It was surprising how quickly he could regress to his younger self; he hadn't been this animated since just before their trip to the Seafoam Islands. "Hurry up, Misty, let's go let's go let's go!"
In spite of her exasperation, Misty ended up smiling, hiding the gesture behind her hand. "Ash, chill. Where are we even going?"
His arm shot out to gesture towards the open sea before him, index finger pointing to something beyond the horizon. "The Whirl Islands," he proclaimed with an air of 'isn't it obvious?' "Now come on, we're losing daylight."
"Fine, fine. Just tone it down a notch, you're freaking people out."
"But there's no one here."
"Well you're freaking me out, and I'm your ride." She withdrew Gyarados' Pokéball and opened it, releasing the serpentine creature into the harbor. Climbing aboard and taking her place atop his crested head, Misty added, "One of these days, you should really get a Pokémon you can travel over water with."
"I've got Buizel," he protested, "and Wartortle, too."
"Alright, someone who can take more than one passenger," she amended, "and who can go long distances. Like Lapras used to. I'm not always going to be around to ferry your sorry ass places." When Ash's only response was to stick his tongue out at her, Misty turned away and smirked. She signaled Gyarados to start moving. "Charming, Ketchum. Real mature. Watch yourself though, or Gyarados might just accidentally hit some turbulence and send you overboard."
-l-l-l-
Ash couldn't say for certain why he was suddenly so hyper. It was probably a culmination of different things, though he certainly wasn't going to look a gift Ponyta in the mouth.
Part of it he could attribute to his battle with Joey. The challenge to capture the Legendaries had started to feel more burdensome as he had progressed throughout Kanto, what with the pitfalls in Seafoam, the hike up Mt. Ember, and then Mewtwo's challenge, watching his Pokémon, his friends, fight against clones of themselves. But being back on the Battle Island, fighting a worthy opponent for nothing but the thrill, seeing Moltres revitalized by its new home (as well as watching the other Legendaries create their own niches) had reminded Ash of the true nature of the adventure. With that firmly in mind, his dwindling vigor for the challenges ahead had been rekindled.
Of course, it may have also been connected to the strange turns in conversation Misty and Brock had brought up throughout their travels. Why they were suddenly so interested in his dating life (or lack thereof) was beyond him, and the Frontier Brain was unused to having to defend his position to his two best friends.
Ash would've had to be completely blind – or his prepubescent self – to miss the subtle clues both Gym Leaders were dropping to him. Brock had so cleverly pointed out that Misty – feisty, tomboyish, easily aggravated Misty – was not like other girls. And it would've been easy to write off any ideas conjured by that insinuation if it wasn't for the fact that the redhead seemed to be actively flirting with him.
It was subtle, or at least not overt, especially considering that Ash's only real evidence was the sunscreen incident from the day before and the fact that she was wearing swimsuits that accented just how kind the years had been to her body, but he was convinced it was there nonetheless. If it wasn't for Misty almost flaunting her womanhood when she had never really done so in all their years of friendship, Ash might've never caught on to her game.
He couldn't really wrap his mind around the idea that his best friend seemed to be attracted to him in a romantic sense. There was really no other explanation for what was occurring.
And the strangest part was…it was working.
Even weirder was that he was actually responding to the flirtations. Sure, he wasn't flirting back (he was sure that, even if he did know how to flirt, it would be a failure of an attempt), but the fact that his body was reacting to her subtle advances while his mind took a backseat was evidence enough.
And he just didn't know what to do. On the one hand, Misty was an attractive, intelligent, talented woman, who could probably land any guy she wanted (provided they could deal with her temper). On the other hand, this was Misty, his best friend, the person who had kept him grounded when his ego got too big, who had teased him and hit him and argued with him since the day they had met. He liked the way things were between them, and giving that up for a shot at a relationship – which he was sure he would be completely inept at – was a risk he wasn't sure he really wanted to take.
Fortunately, his excitement at continuing the challenge had overrode any of his worries about their relationship as they had disembarked the S.S. Aqua. That had allowed him to act more like his younger self, the person who was completely unaware of all things related to romance, the person who Misty was apparently still okay with.
He found he couldn't explain why that knowledge made him happy.
Ash was lurched from his thoughts by Misty's call of, "Land ho!" He scrambled to his feet, trying not to lose his balance along Gyarados' scaly hide. Misty turned to face him. "I can only assume that's what we're looking for."
The Frontier Brain followed the direction of his friend's finger to a craggy piece of land still some distance away. His eyes scanned the horizon, finding a second and third landmass on either side of and behind the first one, essentially shadows from the trainers' current position. "Yep. The Whirl Islands." He unclipped Charizard's Pokéball from his belt and tossed it into the air, releasing the dragon-like creature. Charizard roared and then swooped down to glide beside Gyarados, allowing Ash to jump on his back. "Catch up when you can!" he shouted with a laugh as the Flame Pokémon took off.
Misty shouted something at Ash that was lost to the wind roaring in his ears. He patted Charizard's long, leathery neck affectionately. "Women. Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em." His Pokémon snorted his own assent, and Ash remembered the female Charizard, Charla, who had inspired his own Fire- and Flying-type to stay behind in the Charicific Valley to improve himself. "Trouble, plain and simple. But we wouldn't have it any other way, right?"
Charizard didn't respond, and the rest of the ride was made in silence. Soon enough, he was gliding over the first of the Whirl Islands. The Fire/Flying hybrid glided in lazy circles as his trainer looked out over the area, taking in the placement of the isles – set at the four points of a rhombus – and trying to spot any marked difference among them. Unable to do so, he signaled Charizard to fly to the center of the islands, where he withdrew the small silver feather he had discovered a couple of days prior. He twirled it around, thinking about what it represented.
Long ago, he, Misty, Brock, and their friend Ritchie had met up on Ogi Isle, a small, deserted piece of land that was part of an archipelago between the Whirl Islands and Cianwood City. The entire chain of islands – called the Whirl Archipelago – was relatively small, but it was home to many Whirl Island enthusiasts, as well as the Whirl Cup competition. One of the islands was famous for the silver wings it crafted from its supply of silver rock stone, taking the form of the feathers from Lugia, which was supposed to inhabit the nearby Whirl Islands. Ogi Isle, in particular, had lent credence to that theory when Ash and his friends had rescued a baby and mother Lugia from the clutches of Team Rocket.
Of course, even after years of searching, scientists and researchers hadn't yet located a Lugia around the Whirl Islands. Many people believed that lack of evidence didn't mean much, considering all the worship present in the Whirl Archipelago, and since Ash had actually met a Lugia there years ago, he knew that the Whirl Islands would make an ideal place for the Legendary creature to hide. Lugia, he theorized, were probably very good at navigating the seafloors they guarded, and even if the archipelago natives found one, they would be reluctant to share its discovery with the rest of the world, fearful of outsiders intruding upon its habitat.
With the silver wing in hand, Ash knew without a doubt that there was some connection between the Lugia he was supposed to challenge and his current locale. The only problem was discovering it.
Ash held up the small V-shaped feather, allowing the sun to glint off its pristine silver color. He expected something to happen by doing so – what, exactly, he had no idea – but after a minute passed with no change in the area below him, he lowered his arm. "Damn," he muttered. What am I missing?
Sky blue eyes appeared in his mind's eye, a simple sentence accompanying the orbs. "Remember Shamouti Island…" he whispered, almost dream-like. His own eyes widened as the words suddenly registered. "Of course!"
He wasn't wholly sure how the entire event had even escaped his memory, considering that he had been bestowed the title of 'Chosen One' during it, but perhaps the trauma of the ordeal had made it more desirable to forget. When he had decided to take part in the Orange League, he and his friends had gotten swept away by a sudden storm and arrived on Shamouti Island. From there, he had been forced to collect treasures from the surrounding islands – Fire, Ice, and Lightning, which served as homes to a Moltres, Articuno, and Zapdos – in order to restore peace to the area. During the event, a Lugia had appeared to aid him in calming the Legendary birds.
So was that the answer? Would the presence of Kanto's elemental birds trigger some sort of reaction in the Whirl Islands, forcing a Lugia to appear? The idea was a bit ludicrous, considering that Lugia was a creature renowned far more in Johto than Kanto, not to mention that another correlation between the Guardian of the Seas and the Legendary birds seemed to be pushing the envelope.
But Ash really didn't have any other ideas to go off of, and the fact that Shamouti's prophecy had come to fruition hinted that the theory held water.
"Ash!" The raven-haired trainer peered down over Charizard's side, spotting Misty and Gyarados fording across one of the whirlpools which were the islands' namesake. "What's going on?"
Cupping his hands around his mouth, Ash shouted back, "I'll be down in a minute!" He signaled Charizard to circle the sky, his eyes taking in all aspects of the terrain. The Whirl Islands weren't uniform in structure, composed of rocky spires of varying heights and jaggedness. Lugia, Ash remembered from his experience riding one, were quite capable of aerial acrobatics despite their great mass. The islands looked like they would provide little assistance as far as land-based battling tactics were concerned, leaving little area for long-range Pokémon like Pikachu or Bayleef to maneuver easily. And while using the surrounding water was a possibility for Croconaw, Lugia was not known as the Guardian of the Seas for nothing. Plus, it could easily take to the air and snipe away at Croconaw while remaining relatively safe from counterattacks.
That just narrowed his options to the sky, which was ironic considering how vast a battlefield the sky really was. His head bobbed in assent of his analysis before instructing Charizard to dive within distance of Misty. "We need to go back to Olivine," he said as he climbed atop Gyarados and recalled his own Pokémon. "We'll have to come back tomorrow."
Misty rolled her eyes. "You're so unprepared. Has anything changed in the last 15 years?"
"Yes," he replied with a grin, "but nothing that I can show you in public." Two can play at this game, Misty.
"So you say," she retorted before telling Gyarados to surf back to Olivine. "I look forward to seeing the evidence when we're in private." Ash tried not to gape at how easily she had turned his own innuendo against him; he managed to stop looking like a beached Magikarp when Misty turned around to face him once more. "So, are you going to tell me why we have to return tomorrow?"
As Gyarados surfed to the mainland, Ash explained his theory to his best friend. She remained quiet throughout his diatribe, but internally, her mind couldn't help but recall what had happened on Shamouti Island: Melody's flirtations, her own jealousy, the moment she had risked her own life to save that of her friend…
Her history with Ash was far more convoluted than she would've liked.
By the time they reached the Pokémon Center, the sun was almost completely hidden beyond the horizon. While Ash practically ran inside to rent rooms and turn in at least Charizard for a checkup, Misty decided to take her time approaching the building, admiring the view of the sunset over the ocean. The setting was unbelievably romantic, the ocean glistening in front of a backdrop of golden yellow and orange. It made the redhead a little melancholic that she couldn't share the moment with anyone.
She walked through the sliding double doors of the Pokémon Center and placed Gyarados' Pokéball on the counter, asking Nurse Joy to take care of him overnight. The pink-haired woman agreed with a smile, freeing Misty to locate Ash by the series of video phones that were standard in all the healing facilities. Pikachu, standing by his trainer's feet, turned to her as she approached. "You know that you have a phone in your pocket, right?"
Ash cast her a sheepish glance. "I know. I just prefer using these phones. Kind of nostalgic."
"Ooo, big word for you."
"Yeah, well, you pick up some things when you're not being hit in the head all the time."
"You and I both know those were all deserved."
"That's a matter of opinion." Ash dug into his pocket and pulled out a key. "Rooms 13 and 14 are ours. I'm not sure which one this key is for, but it's all yours. I'll head to mine in a bit." Misty almost protested the separate rooms – after all, the pair of them (plus Brock) had always shared a single room in the olden days, even if they had gotten separate ones recently – but then decided against it. Maybe Ash was being considerate to her privacy as a woman. She took the key and walked down the hallway leading to their rooms, making sure to put a swivel in her hips as she went.
Ash watched the redhead's departing form with glazed eyes. A tug on his pant leg snapped him back to attention, and he looked down to see Pikachu's paws on his jeans. "Pika-chu, pi pika. Pi Pikachupi kachu, chaaa?"
"I wasn't staring," he protested indignantly, "but I'll be damned if her plan's not working." The electric rodent looked a bit confused at this statement, but said nothing else. Ash turned to the video phone and dialed the number for the Battle Island.
"Hey James, I need a favor."
-l-l-l-
They left around nine o'clock the next morning after picking up Gyarados and Charizard from Nurse Joy. The ride atop the Atrocious Pokémon was once again made in silence, both trainers lost in their own thoughts.
Ash decided not to ditch Misty again as they approached the Whirl Islands, but once they reached the first whirlpool by the closest isle he released Charizard and again took up position on the creature's back. Pikachu, who wouldn't be of any use in the battle against Lugia, was left in Misty's care.
Charizard gained altitude quickly, soaring above the rocky landmass and giving his trainer his second good look at the islands. Ash withdrew three Pokéballs and opened them. Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres burst forth with varying cries. The Frontier Brain was suddenly relieved that the area was deserted; there was no telling what the reaction of people would be to see the three Legendary birds flying above the Whirl Islands.
Without a command, the trio split apart, each of them flying towards one of the other islands. Some sort of instinct, Ash figured, was what was guiding them, since to the best of his knowledge they had never been to Johto before. He guided Charizard to hover over the remaining island, something the dragon-like creature seemed to protest given his indignant snort. Remaining airborne and stationary was not an action the Flame Pokémon took kindly to, especially considering he had far too much pride to be used exclusively for transport.
That was currently the least of Ash's problems though. Despite theorizing that the trio of elemental birds was a requirement to bring forth Lugia, he had absolutely no idea what the specifications of such an arrangement was. In the Orange Islands, each of the birds had a sphere which had lit up with their own power when touched. Ash stared at the palm of his hand in memory, as if the ghost feeling of the warm orbs would bring him some form of inspiration. "What to do, what to do," he muttered, wracking his brain for ideas.
The effort was proven to be unnecessary as Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres took the situation into their own hands (or the aviary equivalent, as it was). Ash watched as an Ice Beam, a Thunderbolt, and a Flamethrower were fired into the center of the four Whirl Islands. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the silver feather, wondering if it would work now. If the three elemental attacks could act as stand-ins for the treasures, maybe the small silver wing he possessed would be a catalyst for Lugia's summoning.
For the second time in as many days, he held the feather up to the sun. Light gleamed off it, but this time it acquired a silver-white aura. The area the Legendary birds were firing in adopted the same glow, one of the area's trademark whirlpools forming with the center at the focal point of the three attacks. Amazed, Ash could only stare as the swirling water widened to thirty feet in diameter, retaining the same silver-white shimmer as the feather clutched between his fingers.
Finally, the elemental triad cut off their attacks and remained hovering over the isles. They, along with Ash and Charizard, were silent as a swirling torrent of water erupted from the epicenter of the whirlpool, reaching the height of the flying creatures. A huge pair of wings burst forth, breaking the vortex and causing any remaining liquid to fall back into the sea.
Ash pocketed the silver feather and then recalled the Legendary birds as he took in the sight of Lugia. The Guardian of the Seas was at least 15 feet long from head to tail, and possessed a wingspan just as impressive, each of the appendages having five, finger-like digits, almost like a hand. Silvery-white feathers – arranged in a fashion so tightly layered they appeared to be skin – covered its entire body except its stomach, which was a pale blue. Deep bluish-purple miniature extensions – five along each side of the spine – ran along its back, with a pair of similarly-colored spikes protruding from its tail and also accenting its eyes. Ash couldn't remember the last time he had faced a Pokémon so large; even Snorlax and Moltres, big Pokémon in their own right, paled in comparison to Lugia.
The Diving Pokémon stared at Ash, not even making a sound, simply hovering in midair. Ash snapped out of his daze, realizing that the Psychic/Flying hybrid was prepared for battle and simply awaiting his move. "Heracross, you're up," he said, snapping open the Pokéball. The blue insectoid immediately opened the wings hidden under his carapace, vibrating them quickly to stay aloft.
Heracross, while capable of flight, was not someone Ash regularly relied upon for aerial combat, let alone at such an altitude. Not only that, but Heracross was far better at physical combat and lacked the maneuverability many of his Flying-types – Swellow, Staraptor, even Charizard – possessed. He was relying more upon the Single Horn Pokémon's endurance to flesh out some of Lugia's attacks and strategies to better plan his own.
A violent blast of water was all the warning Ash had that the battle had begun. "Heracross, Megahorn!" he shouted. The insectoid's horn turned white as he positioned it in the path of Lugia's Hydro Pump. Heracross gritted his teeth as his trademark split the flow of liquid, though he was still pushed back in the process. As the deluge ended, Lugia opened its mouth and fired a multi-colored beam of energy at Heracross, which the Bug- and Fighting-type dodged.
Lugia then formed a series of silver orbs – at least two feet in diameter – and sent them flying towards Heracross. Knowing his Pokémon wouldn't be able to avoid them all, Ash ordered a Fury Attack to counter them. Heracross would take some damage, but slight collateral was better than a direct hit.
Another Hydro Pump followed Heracross' counter, necessitating Ash to call out an immediate Hyper Beam. The energy lanced through the water stream, forcing Lugia to cut off its own assault and bank out of the way. The Frontier Brain took the moment afforded by the Legendary's movement to consider the battle.
Lugia was keeping Ash on the defensive; the rapid-fire attacks made that perfectly clear. Whether that was because it was intelligent enough to know that Heracross was unsuited for long-distance fights or simply because that was its tactic, Ash couldn't tell. The good news was that the Diving Pokémon would eventually wear itself out with such a strategy; the bad news was that Ash had to actually last that long.
His attention returned to the fight in time to see a blue energy beam strike Heracross in the abdomen, blasting the insectoid out of the air amid a raspy cry of his name. "Alright, that's enough Heracross, return," he said, recalling the Single Horn Pokémon before any more damage could be done. "Thanks for the help," he whispered, mind grappling for a strategy. Okay, Lugia can use Hydro Pump, Extrasensory, Ancient Power, and Aeroblast, at the very least. So it has a lot of variability in its attacks, as well as a fair amount of strength behind them, and it's pretty agile despite how huge it is.
Charizard craned his head around and growled to get his trainer's attention. Ash patted his leathery neck in a placating gesture. "Sorry buddy, I don't think you're the right guy for the job here." The raven-haired trainer unclipped another Pokéball and opened it, revealing the seven-foot purple form of Gliscor. The Fang Scorp Pokémon glided elegantly above his trainer, floating vertically a good 15 feet over Ash's head.
With both Hydro Pump and Ancient Power (and who knew what else at its disposal), Lugia would be a horrible match-up for Charizard. The Flame Pokémon had certainly fought against some astounding odds in the past, and Ash had little doubt that, given the opportunity, he would battle the Diving Pokémon until he either won or his pride allowed Lugia to get the better of him.
Not to mention that trying to dismount the Fire/Flying hybrid in midair and resettling himself upon a different Flying-type was an endeavor he would rather not undergo.
Lugia opened the battle with another Aeroblast. "Stone Edge!" shouted Ash. Two rings of white pellets formed around Gliscor's body, crisscrossing diagonally over his wings. They solidified into bits of rock, which Gliscor directed at the incoming blue beam. Ash watched as scattered pebbles fell from the collision, then said, "Gliscor, move in close and hit it with a Night Slash."
"Glis-cor," agreed the bat-like creature, swooping down to build a little momentum. Lugia fired a series of Extrasensories at the Fang Scorpion Pokémon, all of which were narrowly dodged by swift midair veers (on the other hand, Charizard was forced to flap hard and shoot a Flamethrower down to propel himself and his trainer out of the range of several errant shots).
Then Lugia stopped attacking and just hovered in midair. Ash hesitated, wondering if the large creature was planning something, but Gliscor was already too close for Ash not to take advantage of the opportunity and pull back now. Gliscor's claws turned violet before one of them was slammed against Lugia's chest before flying out from under the Legendary. The Psychic/Flying hybrid turned to face him as the bat-like Pokémon hovered in the air, awaiting his trainer's next command.
"Get in close with Quick Attack," Ash ordered. Gliscor zipped forward, a white trail tailing him as Lugia fired another Aeroblast. The larger creature craned its neck to follow its opponent with its attack, forcing the Fang Scorp Pokémon to zigzag and swoop awkwardly to avoid the continuous beam. When Gliscor was close enough, Ash shouted, "Giga Impact!" A lavender bubble surrounded the Ground/Flying hybrid, golden-yellow streams of light trailing out from a singular point at the front. Gliscor slammed into the base of Lugia's neck, causing it to cry in pain and anger as the smaller Pokémon spun head-over-tail away.
Before Ash could even celebrate his Pokémon's success, a strong wind picked up, and then a massive ball of multicolored energy struck Gliscor squarely in midair. While the bat-like Pokémon was still stunned by the attack, Lugia became encased in an aura not unlike Giga Impact, except colored a light blue. The Diving Pokémon rushed forward with a burst of speed, slamming into Gliscor with unbelievable force and sending the Ground- and Flying-type rocketing backwards.
Ash's brain slowly returned to the situation at hand as his Pokémon careened through the air. What just happened? That energy was clearly some sort of Psychic-type attack. When it didn't move…Lugia wasn't doing nothing, it was using Future Sight! And then that aura was Dragon Rush. Man, Lugia's incredible! "Gliscor," he called out, "can you keep battling?"
"Glis," affirmed the Pokémon, having righted himself. Ash hesitated, noticing Gliscor's weariness, but he could sense determination emanating from the Fang Scorp Pokémon. Gliscor countered an incoming Extrasensory with a quick Stone Edge, swooping in close with an X-Scissor as Lugia cut off its assault and used Swift.
The Bug-type attack allowed Gliscor to crush any of the golden stars that he couldn't outright dodge while he used his speed to land another powerful blow on Lugia's chest. The Guardian of the Seas let out another roar of pain, and the Ground/Flying hybrid was a fraction too slow to avoid the swing of his opponent's massive tail as he tried to fly out from beneath the Legendary.
Gliscor was sent tumbling towards the water far below as Lugia aimed down and fired an Aeroblast straight at him. "Gliscor, MOVE!" Ash bellowed, half-panicked. Golden-yellow eyes snapped open, followed immediately by small, leathery wings. The blast only clipped the exhausted Fang Scorp Pokémon, who turned swiftly to face Lugia. The Legendary Pokémon threw itself into another Dragon Rush, and Ash hastily shouted for a Giga Impact to counter.
The ensuing collision resulted in a cloud of smoke that covered the area of impact, though Gliscor's purple form burst through it a moment later in the same backwards somersault as before, headed not into the air, but straight for the sea. A powerful jet of water followed him out, striking the Ground- and Flying-type and completely engulfing him. Ash cried out at the sight of the Fang Scorp Pokémon spiraling towards the ocean in free fall.
The Frontier Brain managed to recall the bat-like creature into his Pokéball, staring at it morosely. Whenever one of his friends took such a beating, he always felt at fault for putting them through such a situation, though it wasn't uncommon for his Pokémon to fight past their limits for his sake. On one hand, Ash was grateful for the trust and loyalty they had for him, but in situations where they were completely overwhelmed, he couldn't help but regret not recalling them sooner. Hindsight, unfortunately, was always 20/20.
When the smoke cleared, Ash tried to judge Lugia's condition. The Psychic/Flying hybrid didn't show any affects of Gliscor's assault, but then again, many of the Fang Scorp Pokémon's attacks had struck the Legendary's underside. Lugia's size also made the extent of its injuries a bit difficult to properly assess, but the Diving Pokémon still looked ready to continue battling.
Beneath him, Charizard let out a snort of restlessness, clearly growing aggravated with playing the equivalent of chauffeur. Ash permitted himself a moment of sympathy for one of his oldest companions, knowing that constant hovering with a passenger was proving a great test to his friend's character. It was even worse because the fiery dragon was still not the optimal choice for this battle. He snapped another Pokéball, revealing the brown- and tan-feathered form of Pidgeot.
Lugia launched an Ancient Power at the bird, which Pidgeot immediately countered with a Twister at Ash's directive. The silvery orbs of the Rock-type attack were caught in the powerful cyclone, which whipped the Ancient Power right back at its user. Lugia's large wings spread out wide, and a moment later, a cerulean-colored barrier appeared in front of it, repelling the assault. "Safeguard," Ash growled in frustration. The Guardian of the Seas had a lot of tricks up its sleeves, but Ash had faith in his Pokémon. All he had to do was enact the same strategy he had with Gliscor.
As a Hydro Pump bore down on the Bird Pokémon, Ash commanded for Pidgeot to use Agility. She vanished as the stream of water zeroed in on her position, reappearing above Lugia and striking the larger creature with one glowing white wing. The Flying and Normal-type disappeared again, coming into sight some distance behind the Legendary and firing an Air Slash which Lugia dispersed with a hit from its tail.
Turning around, Lugia fired an Extrasensory at the bird, who raced forward in a speedy Quick Attack as her trainer's behest. Pidgeot struck the other aerial Pokémon and soared away, again stopping behind the larger beast. "Pidgeot, keep it up!" Ash encouraged.
The raven-haired trainer watched as Pidgeot used a series of Quick Attacks, simultaneously wearing Lugia down and dodging any of the energy beams it shot at her. He was impressed with how well the hit-and-run strategy was working; Pidgeot wasn't really taking any damage from Lugia, and the Legendary was wearing itself out faster than the Bird Pokémon was.
Then, instead of trying to follow Pidgeot's movements, Lugia moved forward in a hasty Dragon Rush, throwing its full mass into the bird and sending Pidgeot tumbling backwards with an angry screech. She countered with a violent Gust in an effort to right herself, but another Safeguard negated the twister.
Ash frowned. Pidgeot's small attacks could only wear down Lugia for so long before he would need some sort of finisher. And the problem was that Pidgeot didn't really have a final move. She wasn't like Gliscor, Heracross, or Charizard, who had moves like Giga Impact, Megahorn, and Overheat; she wasn't even similar to his other bird Pokémon – Staraptor and Noctowl – who possessed attacks like Brave Bird and Sky Attack.
Pidgeot narrowly dodged an Aeroblast with a fast Agility. What Ash wouldn't give for one of those moves, something to show Lugia what it was like to be under fire from its own attack…
That's it! Another Aeroblast was bearing down on the Bird Pokémon, and Ash grinned at his sudden burst of inspiration. "Pidgeot, dodge it, then use Mirror Move!" he yelled excitedly. His Pokémon folded her wings, dropping just enough to avoid the blue blast of energy before flaring suddenly, wings spread wide. A translucent, square barrier formed before her chest, a small blue dot in the center rapidly growing larger. Within seconds, Lugia's own trademark attack was bridging the distance between the two Flying-type Pokémon.
Surprised, Lugia took the Aeroblast took the chest, in the same spot Gliscor had already hit several times before. The Diving Pokémon shrieked as it was struck. As if in slow-motion, the Legendary's form drooped, its eyes closed, and it plummeted head-first out of the sky. Below it was the smallest of the Whirl Islands, and Ash became immediately worried at the harm that would befall Lugia if it collided with the landmass.
He signaled Charizard to head towards Lugia as fast as he could, and when he was close enough, he chucked a Pokéball at the falling Legendary. Thankfully, Lugia's size made it unlikely that he would miss the throw, and the large white Pokémon was sucked into the capsule in no time flat. Ash watched with bated breath as the sphere continued to drop out of sight. When Lugia's form didn't burst forth from the ball, Ash pumped his fist in the air and allowed a huge grin to spread over his lips.
"Alright!" he cheered. "We caught Lugia!" Pidgeot crowed happily alongside her trainer as Charizard roared his own approval. A new sound cut through the trio's happiness – the roar of Gyarados from far below – followed by Misty's shout of, "ASH! OVER THERE!"
The Frontier Brain looked down at his best friend, following the direction of her outstretched arm with his gaze. His brown eyes widened when they landed upon what Misty was pointing at.
Standing on the water not 100 feet from where Misty was stationed atop Gyarados' head was a sky-blue quadruped with white rhomboid markings on its skin. A purple, cloud-like mane billowed out from the creature's skull, upon which was mounted a two-foot aquamarine crest, shaped like an oblong, hexagonal crystal with a similarly-shaped hole in the center. Two white, ribbon-like tails flowed around its body, whipping around in the salty breeze. "Suicune," Ash whispered, and almost as if it heard, the Aurora Pokémon looked up at Ash. From one Legendary right into the next. Well, at least I don't have to work to find—
Suicune turned and ran.
NO! "Charizard, down! Pidgeot, grab Lugia's Pokéball and catch up to us when you can!" Pidgeot immediately swooped towards where the Pokéball had fallen while Charizard dove towards Misty at Ash's command. "Grab on!" he shouted at her as they neared, holding out his arm. Her own hand came up and clasped his around the forearm. Grunting with effort, Ash hoisted her onto Charizard's back just behind him as Pikachu leapt from Gyarados to the fiery dragon, then shouted, "Follow Suicune, Charizard!"
Misty hastily recalled Gyarados as the Fire- and Flying-type flapped twice and took off in pursuit of the Legendary beast with a bellow.
The chase was on.
-l-l-l-
Author's Note: I changed the whole Whirl Islands anime arc with Ogi Isle and all that to not take place on the Whirl Islands, but in an archipelago close to it.