Chapter 29 – Serena Vs The Lady
The Lady walked toward the entrance of the fourth Temple. She never thought she was going to battle Ash. Although she told all Team Tenebris member she was the one who was supposed to get rid of him, she was hoping Mascaro, Myers and Lance to save her the time of doing it by taking care of him and his friends themselves. But all of them including Lance were defeat by Ash, May, Serena and Dawn. Since the Lady was mentally connected to her puppies she knew whenever one of them was down. Mascaro was alive; she could still feel him at the first Temple although he hasn't moved since his lost to the blue haired girl. Myers on the other hand didn't only lose to the battle against the two other girls, something happened that made his soul to completely vanish from the world, she obviously concluded he was dead. And Lance… had also been defeated by Ash. He was alive as well but her mental connection to her brother had somehow got interrupted, so she also concluded that he had fainted. Now not only Ash, but the other girls were all heading to the fourth and last temple, where she was waiting for them. She knew the girls wouldn't be a problem to her… but Ash… he was something she had never seen before. Somehow he surpassed Lance's abilities and was probably the most powerful trainer of the world… after her of course.
"Come Ketchum" she said "I'm waiting for you"
Ash, Serena, Dawn and May were almost reaching the fourth Temple, after Ash's battle against Lance, he was visibly tired and his Pokémon were probably too. May, Dawn and Serena were worried because that could give The Lady an advantage against him.
"Ash" asked Dawn "Are you feeling okay?"
"Of course Dawn" Ash answered "Why do you ask?"
"Well… you look tired… I'm worried you and your Pokémon are tired to fight The Lady"
"She's right Ash" said Serena "Would you like us to face her first?"
"Yes" May concluded "Maybe we can get her and her Pokémon tired before you take her in"
"Well… it is not a bad idea" said Ash "My Pokémon are resting within the Poke balls trying to get as much energy back as they can… but…"
"But what?" asked Serena
"I'm not sure if I can beat her… so you probably won't be able to"
"We know we are not that much" said Dawn smiling "But we just want to get her a little bit weaker before you face her"
"So what do you think?" asked May
"I think… it will be of good use" he answered "Thank you girls"
"No problem" they all said together
After a couple of minutes, they all saw the fourth Temple. It was the biggest of them all in honor to The Dragon Master Duvivier. It was said that Duvivier had a bond so strong with his Dragon Pokémon that he was able to fusion with it. Together they became only one in spirit, mind and heart. It was only a tale, but Lance told Ash once that himself was hoping to someday get so connect to Dragonite that they both would fusion like Duvivier and his Pokémon, a Dragonite as well. Because of that Duvivier became an inspiration to many other Dragon Masters of the past who also tried to achieve this goal, but unsuccessfully unfortunately.
"So… you've arrived" said a female voice at the Temple's doors
They all looked at her; she was really there waiting for them. The Lady herself
"Hello Jennifer" said Ash trying to make her angry. He knew she no longer was known by that name
"You will soon stop calling me that and will start calling me master again" she said smiling
"I don't think so" Ash said also smiling "We already defeated you best trainer, your sword-arm and your brother. They all probably are way better than you"
Ash was lying of course; he knew The Lady was the most powerful trainer ever. Maybe she was so good that not even he and Lance together could beat her. But he wanted to send some positive thoughts to May, Serena and Dawn and since her only known Pokémon was Alakazam, who she constantly lent to Team Tenebris members, he had no idea what was coming from her.
"So let's start Ketchum" said The Lady
"I'm not the one who is battling Jennifer" said Ash
"What?" asked The Lady surprised
"That's right. My girls are" he answered and blushing after realizing he said "My girls", but they didn't seem to care, although all of them also blushed at Ash's commentary
"What do you intend to?" The Lady asked "To get me weaker so it will be easier to defeat me?"
"That's right" Ash said
"What?" she asked surprised again
"That's exactly our strategy. There's no need to hide" Ash said
The Lady started laughing, very loud, so loud that echoed all through the Temple
"Okay then" she said "It will be an honor to destroy your concubines first"
"What did you just call us?" asked Serena
All of them got scared, Serena normally was pretty calm and polite, but somehow The Lady's words made her furious
"Wow, that one is energetic" said The Lady "So you will be the first?"
"My pleasure you bitch" said Serena "Do you have anything against it?" she asked looking at Dawn and May
"No" the two of them answered fast
"Great" Serena said
"Serena… which Pokémon do you have completely restored?" Ash asked
"I lost Sylveon and Noctowl in the last battle, and Delphox is tired too" Serena said "So… only Pangoro"
"So use it" Ash said "Go with all you've got from the beginning"
"Alright Ash" Serena said taking Pangoro's poke ball and throwing it in front of her
Pangoro came out of the poke ball in front of everyone already on an attack position. He knew it was going to be difficult, but he was going to do his best for Serena.
On the other side of the battlefield, The Lady using her psychic power made a poke ball appear and open, revealing an Espeon
"So an Espeon will be?" Thought Serena
"Be careful" Ash said
"Don't worry" said Serena winking at him "Pangoro, use Crunch"
Pangoro ran toward Espeon to try to hit it, if succeeded, it was going to be a super effective attack
However, a little before Pangoro got close to Espeon, many other Espeons appeared on the field, confusing Pangoro who had to stop his attack
"What?" Serena asked "What happened?"
"Espeon used Double Team" May said
"But… I didn't hear she ordering that"
Ash looked at The Lady who was smiling. It was true after all. He remembered when he was being controlled by The Lady that she uses her psychic powers to communicate to her Pokémon, just like she always did with her Team Members
"She doesn't need to speak" Ash said "She does it mentally"
"So… how am I supposed to know her attacks and strike back?" Serena asked
"You… are not" Ash said
Serena was still looking at Ash when she heard Pangoro shout in pain. She didn't even see what happened
"What happened now?" Serena asked
"Espeon used Psybeam" Dawn said
"She didn't order it either" Serena said
"She did… mentally" Ash said again "If you want to win Serena… you have to be smarter than she"
"But… how am I going to think on a strategy if I don't know what she is going to do?" she asked
"You don't need to know" Ash said "A good strategy will work anyway. You just have to think fast"
"Right" she said turning her attention back to the battle "So I shall not give her an opportunity to attack me"
Suddenly Espeon started to gather more energy with its mouth. Serena then understood what Ash told her
"It's Psybeam again" she thought "Pangoro, use Dig"
Pangoro dig a hole on the ground avoiding Espeon's attack at the last second
"Well done Serena" Ash said
"Pangoro, attack from underground" Serena said as Pangoro came back to surface almost hitting Espeon who disappeared at the last second as well
"What happened?" Serena asked
"It used teleport" said Ash "Don't forget Serena… think fast"
"Think fast" Serena thought "Even if I think fast… she will avoid my attacks because she knows what I'm asking Pangoro to do"
Espeon reappeared behind Pangoro and fast shot him many stars making it fall into the ground
"Swift" thought Serena "I'm not good at thinking fast"
Serena then realized something. She could use the same strategy The Lady was using If The Lady didn't know what attack Pangoro is going to use… she would have more trouble to strike back
"Pangoro" Serena asked "Remember the codes we used on our performance? We are using now"
"What?" The Lady thought "What is she talking about?"
Nobody but Pangoro seemed to understand Serena's words. He looked at Serena just waiting for her new orders
"Pangoro, use move seven" Serena said to her Pokémon who started run into Espeon
The Lady was ready to ask Espeon to teleport, but suddenly Pangoro jumped high, distracting The Lady, since she didn't hear Serena asking Pangoro to jump… she didn't know what to do
From up high, Pangoro used an attack that seemed like a dark spiral, which came down and hit Espeon, making it fall into the ground
Smiles appeared on Ash, May and Dawn's faces, while on the other side, The Lady was still trying to understand what had just happened
Impaired by Pangoro's attack, Espeon got up and sent more swifts on Pangoro's direction
"Pangoro, use move two" Serena ordered making many other Pangoro's appeared on the battlefield and making now Espeon confused
"He used Double Team?" The Lady thought "I do not understand what she's doing"
Ash looked at The Lady and saw something that made him so proud of Serena. Terror. The Lady was completely unaware of what to do
"Serena! Make it fast" Ash said "You have to finish this battle on the next round"
"Right" she said "Pangoro… Use move Seven"
Pangoro, who was still on the air along with all his copies started falling on Espeon's direction, his fist then glowed yellow, it was a move everybody knew
"Thunder punch" said Dawn
"ESPEON, USE DOUBLE TEAM" The Lady shouted, speaking for the first time
Espeon used the move but unfortunately for The Lady, Espeon's copies matched with Pangoro's, so each Pangoro hit an Espeon. One by one, the fakes Espeons and Pangoros started disappearing until the two real ones remained on the battlefield, and Pangoro's Thunder Punch hit gorgeously Espeon, who fall on the ground… knocked out
"Es..Espeon?" asked The Lady, but no answer came from her Pokémon
"Serena you did it" said May "You won"
May and Dawn hugged Serena, it was amazing how she beat The Lady
"Thank you" Serena said "I knew you could do it Pangoro"
Serena hugged her Pokémon and then returned him to his Poke ball. Her part was completed. Now The Lady had one less Pokémon to use against Ash
"How… was that possible?" asked The Lady
"I tell you how" Ash shouted form the other side of the arena "Serena used the same strategy as you. Without knowing which attack was coming… you had no chance to strike back. I once was told you were the best trainer ever Jennifer… But if you only have one strategy, as soon as somebody finds out how to avoid it… you would be defeated. And it was Serena who found that out"
The Lady looked at Ash angrily, he was right; she relied heavily on that strategy. She never thought someone would find a way out of it. If she wanted to be succeed she was going to battle normally from this moment ahead
"What exactly did you do Serena?" asked May
"Well… A couple of years ago, I started to use codes for the moves my Pokémon should use" she said
"But why?" Dawn asked
"It's faster to order and without knowing what was coming… the audience would be even more impressed by the surprise"
"Very smart Serena. I knew you could do it" Ash said "I'm so proud of you"
Serena blushed and looked at May and Dawn who were also smiling
"Are you mad?" Serena whispered to May and Dawn
"Of course not" May said
"We are proud of you too. You were amazing" Dawn said
"I made a mistake" said The Lady "I let myself think I had this battle already won. But that is not happening again"
"She's scared" whispered Ash "It's our chance to put one more Pokémon of her down"
"So Ketchum. Why don't you stop this bullshit and face me once for all?" The Lady asked
"Are you kidding me?" Ash answered "I'm enjoying seeing my girls kicking your ass"
He said it again. "My girls" that made all of them happy
"So be it" said The Lady "Who's next?"
Ash looked at Dawn and tilted his head to the battlefield, making clear he wanted her to be next. Dawn smiled and stepped forward
"I am" Dawn said "And don't worry. I'm not using the same strategy as Serena and yet I'm gonna destroy you"
"I'm not using that strategy either" The Lady said "I can defeat you only by my skills"
The Lady used her psychic powers once more to make a poke ball appear and open. This time it revealed a Sigilyph
"Be careful Dawn" said Ash "Espeon was only a Psychic Pokémon, but Sigilyph is also a flying type"
"It could have as many types as it wants" Dawn said "I will destroy it"
"I love when she talks like that" said Ash to May and Serena making them a little uncomfortable "Go for it Dee-Dee"
"As you wish Ashy-boy" she answered
"Wow… let's stop with the nicknames and focus on the battle okay?" asked May angry
Dawn smiled at May and took a poke ball from her pocket and looked at it
"I never trained you" she said "Catching you was my last accomplishment back on that freezing mountain, but somehow… I feel this battle is yours. GO WEAVILE"
Dawn threw the poke ball and released the last Pokémon she caught that day when Brock came to her to deliver the Elite Four Tournament letter. She never used him after she caught, his first real battle was about to start, but she knew he was ready
"Let's do it Weavile" Dawn said "I trust you"
Weavile looked at Dawn and nodded. He was ready as well
One more battle was about to start. The Lady and Sigilyph Vs Dawn and Weavile. The Lady needed to win to show them she was real strong, and Dawn also had to win to keep helping Ash to get stronger to the last battle. But who was actually going to win?
Nobody knew.