Episode 21: Double Challenge!
Episode 21 in my Fan Fiction series about the Pokémon journey of Ash and Angie. Involves some MorpheusShipping (Ash and Angie liking each other) so if you don't like that idea, stop reading here. The rest, I hope you enjoy this fan-fiction.
Yesterday, after Ash and his friends had rescued Flint's daughter from Mount Moon, and Flint had helped them get their Pokémon back from Team Rocket, they had enjoyed the hospitality of Brock's family. Flint's wife, Lola, had even made up some beds in the spare room, so our friends had a nice place to stay for the night. The next day our friends first went to the Pokémon center, where Ash learned that Liza had left a message for him, asking him to send back Charizard. So Ash thanked his large fiery friend for all his help, and then sent him back to Charicific Valley, this time flying.
"Goodbye, my friend!" Ash shouted, "till next time!"
A powerful cry sounded, as Charizard said goodbye from high in the air, to Ash and his friends. After that they noticed it was getting close to noon, so they joined Flint, Lola and the kids at the table for lunch.
"I always thought Brock would be the first of you two to go steady," Suzie's brother Forrest suddenly remarked, out of the blue, "who'd think that Ash would beat him at that?"
"Do you kiss often?" Suzie asked, causing Angie to blush slightly.
"Huh?" Ash said, as he almost choked on the bite he had just taken.
"No way, a strong trainer like Ash doesn't waste time kissing girls, right Ash?" one of Suzie's other brothers asked.
"Well..." Ash started, also blushing a little now.
"Okay kids, that's enough," Lola intervened, "I don't think Ash came here to talk about that."
"That's right," Ash said, looking grateful at Lola for this sudden save, "I am traveling around Kanto again to challenge the gyms, and let my Pokemon get stronger."
"So, you want to challenge me next then, right?" Flint asked.
"Right!" Ash said with enthusiasm, "I did get a Boulder Badge when I beat Brock back then, but I was also lucky since the sprinklers that went off, made Brock's Onix wet, and that enabled Pikachu to beat it."
"Well, I think you'll need more than luck this time Ash, "Flint laughed, "I have been training a lot since we last met."
"So I've noticed. That Rhydon of yours was really good yesterday against Team Rocket!" Ash complimented Flint.
"Ready to see it in action then?" Flint asked.
"Sure, let's go!" Ash almost yelled as he sprang up.
After the battle Brock and Lola had fought over control of the Pewter City Gym, it was agreed that the gym would be restored to it's former state, and Ash noticed that this had indeed been done. It looked almost exactly the same as when Ash had his first gym battle here, with Pikachu. Ash went to one side of the rocky battlefield, and Flint took position on the other end. Tracey was already sitting at the side of the battlefield, next to Lola and the kids. But Angie was still standing on the battlefield, hesitating to step aside and join the other spectators.
"What's wrong, Angie?" Ash asked.
"Well...actually.... I... I also wanted to battle," she started, "to see if I am any good at it, you know."
"Oh, a lady with a spine, I like that," Flint said, "and it's ladies first, right Ash?"
"And this time you can't say you didn't know I am a girl, like at summer camp," Angie remarked, while smiling.
"Yeah... well... okay," Ash gave in.
"Of course that might mean, depending on how strong your girlfriend is, you may have to wait until my Pokémon have recovered again, before I can have that battle with you, Ash," Flint added.
Angie noticed how sad Ash looked when he heard this. For a moment she thought about stepping down, and let Ash go first. But she really wanted to try a real gym battle, to prove herself and show Ash what she and her Pokémon were capable of. "I want to make him so proud of me!" she thought, "but I also don't want to stand in his way, and make him have to wait another day for his battle with Flint." Then an idea came up...
"Mr. Flint, how many Pokémon will you use for this battle?"Angie asked.
"I was thinking of two, or maybe three," Flint replied.
"What if we make it two, and Ash and me will each use only one Pokémon to battle you together?" Angie proposed.
"Hmmmm...., it's a bit odd..." Flint hesitated, "well...fine, let's do it...but if you two win, you'll just get a single badge."
"Fair enough," Ash said, "are you ready Angie?"
"You bet!" Angie spoke with confidence, "Bulbasaur, come out!"
"Pikachu, how about some action little buddy?" Ash asked.
"Bui! Bui!" Ash Buizel said as it stepped forward.
"Looks like someone else also wants to prove itself," Flint remarked.
"Is that right Buizel?"Ash asked, "do you want to fight?"
"Bui!" was the answer, while Buizel looked at Flint like he meant to say: "bring it on!"
"Is it okay, Pikachu, if Buizel will battle instead of you?" Ash asked.
Pikachu nodded and gave the water-weasel Pokémon a high five with it's tail against a paw of Buizel.
"Trainers ready?" the referee informed.
"Yes!" Angie and Ash both said at the same time.
"Ready," Flint stated with a calm voice.
"Go!" the referee shouted, as he ran to the side of the battlefield.
"Come out, Rhydon and Crobat!" Flint shouted.
"Bulbasaur, do Razor Leaf on Crobat!" Angie yelled, forgetting in her enthusiasm that grass-type attacks are not so effective against flying types like Crobat.
"Crobat, do Wing Attack!" Flint reacted, causing the Razor Leaf attack to be swept away, and Crobat closed in on Angie's Pokémon fast.
"Uh oh..." Angie stuttered, but then she regained herself, "dodge that attack, Bulbasaur!"
Bulbasaur rolled over to the left side, just in time to make Crobat miss it. Meanwhile Ash had ordered Buizel to do Aqua Jet on Rhydon, but despite the type advantage he had, Rhydon was hardly affected by this attack. "That Rhydon is really very strong!" Ash thought, "and Angie has trouble with that Crobat as well."
"Crobat, do another Wing Attack on Bulbasaur!" Flint ordered his Pokémon to attack again.
Bulbasaur couldn't dodge the attack this time, and was hit pretty hard. It was trying to get up, but Flint didn't allow it the necessary time to recover.
"Now, finish it with Poison Fang!" the Pewter City gym leader commanded.
"Oh no! Bulbasaur!" Angie yelled.
"Quick, Buizel, help Bulbasaur and do Sonic Boom on Crobat!" Ash shouted.
Buizel responded immediately and was able to hit Crobat, sweeping it a few meters aside, right before it would make contact with Bulbasaur.
"Thanks, Ash!" Angie said.
"How about we switch opponents?" Ash proposed.
"Okay, sounds like a good plan!" Angie agreed.
"Buizel, do Water Gun on Crobat!" Ash shouted.
"Avoid it and do Supersonic!" Flint countered.
"Sonic Boom, now!" Ash yelled, in response to that.
Crobat's Supersonic collided with Buizel's Sonic Boom, causing an explosion in mid air, with the blast pushing all Pokémon that were in battle backwards. Buizel was blasted away flying through the air, straight towards a large rock that was part of the battlefield. But before he could really hit it, Bulbasaur's vines caught it, and put Buizel safely back on the ground.
"Nice save! Thanks Bulbasaur!" Ash said.
"You're welcome Ash, and now we're even again," Angie said, "Okay, Bulbasaur, do Razor Leaf on Rhydon!" Angie ordered her Pokémon into battle again.
Against Rhydon, this attack was much more effective, but Rhydon managed to endure it, although with some damage.
"Buizel, do Aqua Jet on Crobat!" Ash commanded.
"Crobat, Wing Attack!" Flint responded, hoping to stop Buizel in it's tracks.
But Buizel burst right through Crobat's defenses, and hit it in mid air, forcing it to crash down on the ground in a large splash. Crobat fainted and Flint had to call it back into it's Poké Ball.
"Rhydon, do Take Down on Buizel!" Flint ordered, hoping to even the odds a little by taking out Buizel fast.
"Buizel, Aqua Jet!" Ash reacted.
Both Pokémon collided head on, and dust was blown all around, combined with little drops of water as Buizel's water attack was shattered against the rock hard body of Rhydon. Both Pokémon were dazed by the impact, with Rhydon still standing up, and Buizel lying on the ground, trying to get on it's feet again, with one eye still closed.
"Angie, now it's your turn!" Ash yelled.
"Okay Ash!" she said, as she realized it now came down to her. "Bulbasaur, do Solar Beam!"
Rhydon was regaining it's strength, and was now looking around to see where Bulbasaur was. "I hope that Solar Beam is ready in time..." Angie thought. Rhydon had located her Pokémon, and was getting ready to do another Take Down attack... "Just a few seconds..." Angie and Ash both thought. But Rhydon started it's attack!
"Now!" Angie yelled, and Bulbasaur released all the energy it had gathered in a blinding Solar Beam.
Rhydon was immediately stopped in it's tracks, and blasted backwards, shattering a large boulder as it crashed right through it! Flint had to cover his eyes from the small pieces of rock and the dust that came blowing his way.
"Rhydon is unable to continue, the challengers Angie and Ash are the winners!" the referee said out loud.
"Nice job Angie!" Ash said as he gave her a pad on the back.
"Thanks! But you were also great, helping me out when Crobat almost took out Bulbasaur," Angie returned the compliment.
"Let's just say you are a great team, and I'm happy go give you this," Flint spoke, as he gave them a Boulder Badge.
"Great! We have a Boulder Badge!" Ash and Angie said simultaneously as they performed Ash's special victory pose together.
Tracey congratulated the two winners, and although the kids didn't like to see their daddy lose, they had to admit it had been a good battle. After that, Ash asked Angie to come outside with him, and they walked to the edge of the forest, that was close to the house of Flint's family, to have a little privacy.
"You did really great with that battle today, Angie," Ash started.
"Ah... you did all the hard work," Angie said as she looked down a bit, to hide her slightly blushing face.
"You know that's not true," Ash replied, "I only helped you once, and you helped me when Buizel was in trouble. And you took out Flint's last Pokémon, remember? I think you're an excellent trainer."
Angie blushed even more at all this praise from Ash, and turned her head away now, hoping he wouldn't notice.
"Wait, I've got something here for you," Ash said, as he felt inside his backpack.
"For me?" Angie said, really surprised, looking back at Ash now.
"Yes, here it is, because you did so well during your first gym battle," Ash explained, as he gave Angie a small box.
Angie was baffled. Ash was very kind to her, when they were not fighting over something small that was, but apart from the roses in Lavender Town, Ash didn't have a way with giving presents. Not that she really needed them, "his attention is worth a lot more" she always thought. But this box looked a lot like it could contain a ring or some other precious jewelery. "Or would it...?" she wondered.
"Aren't you going to open it?" Ash asked Angie, waking her from her wondering thoughts.
"Oh...yes... of course, silly me!" Angie apologized, blushing a little.
She carefully opened the box, and saw the small bottle of perfume. "Produce of Celadon City Gym – Finest Quality" the note on the side of the bottle read. Angie had seen these bottles before, in the display of a shop as they were walking through Celadon City, and had noticed the high price tag of this perfume.
"Oh, Ash... I can't take this... it's way too expensive," Angie whispered, as she was about to put the bottle back into the box again.
"Well, not really," Ash confessed, rubbing the back of his head, "Erika gave it to me for free," he blurted out.
"What!?" Angie said out loud, "so you're just giving me something that cost you nothing? So that's how you value me?"
"Yes...well, no...that's not what I meant," Ash stuttered, "Erika gave it to me under one condition, I was supposed to save it for a special person, at a special moment."
"Really?" Angie said, as her face cleared a little.
"Honest truth," Ash said, as he looked into her eyes, "now you can smell almost as pretty as you look."
"Aww... that's so sweet of you," Angie said, "but I didn't get anything for you..." she said, sounding a bit guilty.
"That's okay, Ange," Ash reassured her, "you being here with me, supporting me in every way, that's your gift to me."
"Oh Ash!" Angie sighed as she fell around his neck to give him a good hug, and then kissed him on the cheek as she slowly let go of him again.
"I guess that means you like your present then?" Ash remarked, blushing.
"Yes I do!" Angie said, "but even if you wouldn't have gotten me anything, to me, being with you is also the best present you can give me," she explained, blushing heavily.
"Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes!" they heard Lola shout, to make sure all her kids got the message.
"Better get back to the others then, right?" Ash said to Angie.
"Yeah, let's not keep them waiting," Angie said, looking at Ash with a smile on her face.
Ash took her hand and together they walked back to the house. Tonight they were invited to have dinner again with Flint's family, and spend the night there. Tomorrow they would travel further, and try to get some extra training, before Ash would challenge the next gym they would encounter on their path.
My 26th fan-fiction story. I apologize for any typing errors, or grammatically not 100% correct sentences. Remember, I am not a native English speaker or writer. I tried to make this story as close to the Pokémon series as possible, so that the characters will react roughly the same in this fictional story as they do in the series. Comments are always welcome, you can use the review function on this FanFiction site for that.
Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own any trademarks of Pokémon. Any similarities to the works of others is purely accidental, and not meant as an infringement on anyone's achievements.