Part 8
May 25th
Main Stadium
The stadium was in a buzz as the fans prepared themselves for the exciting start of what many people had began to address as the Championship Run. At this point in the tournament only sixteen trainers were remaining, and each of them could safely say that they had just as good a chance as anyone else to win the Championship. Now it was time to turn it up and show everyone what they had as they made a mad dash toward the trophy waiting at the top of the staircase.
"It is with great anticipation and excitement that I welcome all of you, both trainers and fans to the final leg of the Indigo Conference. The Championship Run!" Charles Goodshow declared, raising his arms to encourage the fans to voice their feelings. "I know you all can't wait to see which trainer out of the sixteen remaining contestants becomes the Champion of the Indigo Conference, so we're going to get right to the battles!"
Charles smiled brightly at the crowd before stepping down from the podium where he motioned for the referee to take his place on the field while a pair of security guards quickly moved onto the field to take the podium off, clearing the area for the main event. The announcer than gave a call for the two trainers of their first match to make their way onto the field, giving a rousing introduction as they appeared within the stadium.
Marcy looked around the stadium from her seat in the stands, feeling the goose bumps rise up on her skin from the atmosphere that had set in throughout the entire stadium. This match had earned quite a bit of attention, and everyone had a part in setting the tone. Marcy felt a smile creep on her face as she rose from her seat. She couldn't remain seated for this battle. Ash was definitely going to show everything something that would have everyone on their feet.
Making her way over to the stairway separating the seating sections, the announcers called for everyone attention from the small box they were providing commentary from.
"A fuse to an explosive battle had been lit just a few days ago by the words of a young trainer to an accomplished one. Now that fuse has finally reached the end of its length as this battle nears." The introduction began as the crowd settled into their seats, waiting for the appearance of the two trainers. "A passionate trainer currently in his first season in the professional circuit now stands on this grand stage within Indigo Plateau, aiming for the Championship with fierce determination. Representing the Silph's Co franchise, Ash Ketchum!"
Ash stepped out of the tunnel he had been waiting in, acting as the signal for his cheering squad to begin from within the stands. Waving their flag proudly back and forth from high within the stands, they harmonized their voices as Ash made his way toward his trainer box. Unlike the previous rounds, the trainer box had been upgraded in order to keep up with the rising level of the battles. Now the location for the trainers was now a raised platform with a railing surrounding three sides for the safety of the trainer.
As Ash continued to walk, he looked about at the stands, placing a hand over his head to block the sunlight from above. The open stadium was no help with the blazing sun, although it wouldn't be too hard to ignore this once the battle begun. Once Ash was set in his spot, the platform rose up several feet hovering over the ground.
"And now, the experienced and battle hardened trainer who has been on stage like this numerous times in his career in the professional circuit. Representing the Celadon Entertainment franchise, Mandi!" The announcer continued, introducing the second participant on the match who entered the stadium. The moment Mandi left the darkness the tunnel, he and Ash made eye contact with each other. Mandi's gaze became sharp and cold as he gave Ash a glare, but Ash remained firm as he hardened his expression. He wasn't going to let Mandi get the better of him this time. Once Mandi was on his platform, the ref raised both of his flags to explain rules to the trainers.
"This will be a three on three Pokemon battle. There will be no substitutions for either party. During the battle, malicious attacks are to be used with caution by both trainers." The referee declared. In other words, they wanted a clean battle, but you were allowed to be dirty if need be. "Trainers, are you ready?"
Ash and Mandi gave the ref a nod of confirmation. With this he lowered his flags and quickly abandoned his spot at the center of the field to allow the battle to begin. Ash and Mandi only stared at each other several moments, quietly trying to make a decision as to which Pokemon they should use first.
'His Pikachu isn't out today.' Mandi noted. Mandi had watched numerous replays of Ash's battles, and so far he had never seen Ash enter a battle without Pikachu on his shoulder. Was this some sort of trick?
If Pikachu was in its Pokeball, then Ash was clearly going to use it first. But then why would he bring it in its Pokeball? Based on the replays Mandi had seen, Pikachu was Ash's most trusted partner that he relied upon to win close battles that would decide the fate of the match. If it was in its Pokeball, was he saving it for later, or was he going to use it first?
'He's always saved his Pikachu for close battles. If anything, he'll want to start strong with a Pokemon who can stay calm considering his entire team was livid after our exhibition match.' Mandi stated. Recalling all of the Pokemon he had seen that day when Ash's Charizard had attacked him, he could eliminate a number of his Pokemon on the spot. 'If he's not using his Pikachu, then I'll need someone with a wide move pool to fight all of the other possibilities.'
Ash and Mandi detached a Pokeball from their belts having decided what Pokemon they would use to start this battle. Together, the two trainers hurled the spheres into the air where they opened up, releasing a formless white flash that jumped to the field.
Mandi's Golbat hissed as it took shape, stretching its wings a bit as it waited for Ash's Pokemon to finish taking shape.
'My Golbat's move pool should be large enough to handle any of the Pokemon that he will likely use.' Mandi concluded with a smirk, although this look of confidence vanished as the small yellow mouse took shape on the field, immediately going down on all fours with electricity crackling from its cheeks.
"Pika!" Pikachu said as it glared at Golbat. Ash thumbed his nose at Mandi with a grin, content with the man's expression of shock. Ash's smile on widened as Mandi's shock was replaced with a cold glare, showing Mandi's frustration.
'This damn kid tricked me.' Mandi muttered as he grinded his teeth together. He had done too much second guessing because Ash had made one small change. Now he was at a disadvantage, but he wouldn't let that upset the match. "Golbat, use Sludge Bomb!"
"Pikachu, counter with Thunderbolt!" Ash ordered. Pikachu unleashed a fury of bolts toward Golbat's oncoming attack, obliterating the wide spread attack with ease. Pikachu then gave another shout as it increased the power of its attack, sending one large bolt toward Golbat with the clear intent of knocking it out with this one hit.
"Golbat, knock it away with Air Slash!" Mandi shouted. Golbat gave a shout as it stiffened one of its wings before thrusting it toward Pikachu's approaching attack, sending a ripple through the air toward the electricity. The two attacks met with an astounding thud as the Thunderbolt was split apart by the piercing slash of wind. 'I won't let you land a single electric type attack on my Golbat.'
"Pikachu, get out of the way!" Ash hollered, seeing that Thunderbolt was having no effect on the Air Slash whatsoever. Once the opposition to the Air Slash was gone, the attack raced toward Pikachu who leaped out of the path of the attack just in time to save its skin. The Air Slash had crashed into the field, creating a deep hole in the ground that demonstrated the piercing power of the attack. "We don't want get hit by that. We'll need a speed boost, so use Agility!"
"Golbat, use Confuse Ray!" Mandi ordered. Pikachu would need a few moments to heighten its speed, and that would be just enough time for them to land this attack. Golbat's eyes gained a blue hue before it released a circular pulse from its mouth that traveled toward Pikachu who was still motionless at the moment.
'Come on!' Ash said, watching as the attack neared Pikachu. He wanted to end this battle quickly, but this Confuse Ray would put everything on hold. 'Come on Pikachu, you can do it!'
Pikachu disappeared, leaving nothing more a small dust cloud to mark where it had previously been standing while the Confuse Ray faded away having missed its target.
'What!?' Mandi exclaimed, scanning the field for Pikachu. He was positive that Pikachu must have been grazed by the Confuse Ray, but right now the first thing he would have to worry about is dealing with Pikachu's speed.
"Pikaaaa…" Pikachu cooed as it came to a halt, becoming visible once again as it stumbled a bit.
"Oh crap." Ash mumbled as he caught sight of Pikachu, realizing that the Pokemon had been affected by the Confuse Ray. It failed to get away entirely.
"Golbat, use Air Cutter!" Mandi commanded quickly. He would have to take full advantage of this right now and go for the knock out punch with a quick and powerful combination.
"Pikachu!" Ash shouted, waving his arms as he tried to snap the Pokemon out of its confused state. Pikachu only looked around at the crowd with a dazed look before it ears perked up at the sound of Golbat's wings creating multiple ripples through the air. Listening closely to how each of the attacks were approaching, Pikachu began to move through the fray relying on sound alone.
Mandi, along with everyone in the stadium watched in awe as Pikachu got through the entire Air Cutter attack without receiving so much as a scratch before it rushed at Golbat.
"Alright Pikachu, let's go for a close range Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted, deciding to capitalize on this opportunity.
"Golbat, hold off that Thunderbolt with Shadow Ball!" Mandi yelled. An electric type attack from this close up would surely end the battle right now, and he wouldn't allow that. But to both Ash and Mandi's surprise, Pikachu began to flicker as multiple images of itself appeared all over the field. The Shadow Ball Golbat had been preparing faded away as it looked around the field, unsure of which Pikachu was the real one. 'Why is it using Double Team?'
Looking about frantically, Golbat failed to notice one of the Pikachu's appear behind it in mid air where it latched itself onto the back of the bat Pokemon. With a surprised hiss, Golbat tried to shake off the electric mouse while Pikachu's copies disappeared, allowing the Pokemon to begin charging up for an attack.
"Pika-CHUU!"
Ash and Mandi were forced to place a hand in front of their eyes as the entire field disappeared within the blinding light of Pikachu's Thunder attack.
"WHOA!" One of the announcers roared, trying to comprehend how all this power was packed into such a small body. The audience was very audible with their reactions, more the impressed with the show Pikachu had put on so far. Soon enough, the blast radius of Thunder shrunk away until it was completely gone, revealing Pikachu resting on top of a thoroughly roasted Golbat.
Mandi observed the scene with a stoic expression, refusing to allow his anger to be seen. The last thing he needed right now was for Ash to know that he was getting under his skin.
"Golbat is unable to continue! Pikachu is the winner!" The ref declared, taking a glance at Mandi as he motioned for him to recall his unconscious Pokemon. Mandi did so without a word, having already decided which Pokemon he would be sending out next.
"Pinsir!" The Pokemon growled as it landed on the field, stomping its feet several times to pump itself up.
Ash drew a sharp breath at the sight of the Pokemon. Just the sight brought back the memory of Ivysaur trapped between its two large horns, screaming in pain. Ash shook his head, putting the thought in the back of his head as he focused on the battle at hand.
"Pikachu, how are you feeling?" Ash called out to his Pokemon.
"Chaaaa." Pikachu replied as it fought to maintain its balance as the world spun around it. The Confuse Ray still hadn't worn off yet.
"This isn't going to be pretty." Ash muttered.
"Pinsir, start off with X-Scissors!" Mandi yelled. Pinsir began to stamp its feet again in preparation to charge at Pikachu, but the small Pokemon dashed off in the direction of the sound.
"Pikachu?" Ash said, looking about the field for it along with Pinsir who remained where it stood now that it lacked a target. It clear now that the Confuse Ray had Pikachu acting on its own, following instinct rather than Ash's command. That had won them the battle against Golbat, but he doubted that this would continue.
"Sir?" Pinsir felt something land on top of its back, causing the Pokemon to whirl around in search of what was on it. Everyone present except for Pinsir could see that it was Pikachu who had landed on its back, and its cheeks were beginning to crackle as a sign that it was preparing to attack once again.
"Pika-CHUU!" Pinsir disappeared within the blinding electrical cloud that was known as Pikachu's Thunder attack. The crowd was just as impressed with the incredible power of the attack despite it being used twice in a row. But while the crowd was in awe, one of Ash's worries about his small yellow partner surfaced.
'Pikachu, please be okay.' Ash said as the Thunder attack faded away, revealing the duo of Pokemon who hadn't moved an inch since Pikachu's attack had begun. Ash eyed Pikachu closely, immediately noticing its Pikachu rapid breathing and that its fur was beginning to glisten from sweat.
Ash's number one fear with Pikachu was its use of Thunder. During their many months of training, Pikachu had become ridiculously powerful despite its small stature, but that proved to be the biggest issue. Its body was too small for this much strength, and one more than one occasion Pikachu had suffered from the dangerous electrical output of Thunder. Ash could only hope right now was that Pikachu hadn't put itself in any serious danger.
"Pinsir, use Vital Throw on Pikachu!" Mandi ordered, seeing that his partner was unaffected by the powerful electric attack since it had buried its feet into the ground to release the electricity into the earth. Pinsir ripped Pikachu from its back and hurled it to the ground with a triumphant shout.
"Pikachu!" Ash hollered as his Pokemon hit the ground a with a deafening thud.
"Pinsir, follow up with Vicegrip!" Pinsir bent over and scooped up Pikachu within its two horns which earned a sharp glance from Ash at this familiar scene. "And finish it with Guillotine!"
"Pikachu, use Thunder!" Ash barked, trying to snap Pikachu out its confusion. It was still dazed and confused as Pinsir's horns began to close up around its small body. Ash's eyes widened as the sight of Ivysaur within these same horns flashed before him once again. "No, not again...PIKACHU!"
Ash bellowed the skies above, being heard throughout the entire stadium. Pinsir had paused for just a moment, surprised with the volume that Ash could shout at, unaware of the fact that Pikachu's vision had finally become focused again.
"Pi?" Pikachu asked itself before realizing that it was located in a very bad situation.
"Pinsir, finish it!" Mandi demanded.
"Use Thunder!" Ash roared. Once Pinsir focused its attention of Pikachu again, its eyes widened as Pikachu unleashed a surge of electricity on it a second time as it was slowly crushed by Pinsir's horns. For a third time, the field disappeared within the powerful light produced from Pikachu's Thunder attack as everyone waited on the edge of their seat for the result.
Was this enough for Pikachu to remain in the battle? Or did Pinsir successfully injure two of Ash's precious Pokemon?
The light faded away once again, revealing the pair of Pokemon who was in the exact same position that they had been before their attacks had begun. But now Pikachu's body had gone limp in between Pinsir's horns, and the beetle Pokemon had buried its feet in the field once again to release all the electricity into the ground.
"Excellent Pinsir." Mandi stated as the Pokemon separated its horns, dropping Pikachu to the ground in front of it. The sight of Pikachu made Ash leap over the side of the platform where he grabbed on the rungs that he could use to climb down it.
Once he was one the ground, Ash rushed onto the field, placing himself in between Pinsir and Pikachu more aggressively than he had planned on. Bumping into Pinsir just enough to force it back a step, Ash could hear the gasps in the crowd as the Pokemon loomed over him with a dark stare. Scooping Pikachu up from the ground with one arm, Ash fearlessly returned Pinsir's stare with a glare of his own.
"Hey, don't taunt a Pokemon." The ref snapped at Ash since he was so close to Pinsir, although Ash paid no mind to this fact. He continued his stare down with the Pokemon as one of the Pokeballs on his belt began to tremble. "Didn't you hear me?! Get back to your box!"
Ash finally began to move again, taking a hold of the shaking Pokeball which he proceeded to hurl at the ground. A deafening roar forced Pinsir to take a number of steps back as Ash's Charizard appeared on the field beside him, clearly prepared to begin the battle. Ash rose up with Pikachu in his arms and returned to his platform, and once he was back in his proper position, the ref declared that the battle could continue.
'Thank you for all your effort Pikachu, I really hope you're okay after taking that Guillotine and Vicegrip.' Ash said as he looked down to observe the damage done to Pikachu. He could see a bruise appearing around its torso where Pinsir had been crushing it. Right now he could only hope that it wasn't something in serious as he pulled out Pikachu's Pokeball and called it back. 'You put Charizard in a position to win it all Pikachu. We won't let you down.'
Ash set his sights on the field now, taking a moment to look at Pinsir who was sizing up Charizard with a rather fearful look. It knew exactly what kind of punishment it was going to face against a Charizard, but Ash's Charizard had much more in mind.
"Charizard, use Flamethrower!" Ash shouted, deciding that they would make the first move. They had the clear advantage now, and they weren't going to allow Mandi to land even one hit with his Pinsir.
"Pinsir, dodge it!" Mandi said rather plainly. They had no options when it came to fighting a fire type, and that was evident with how comically Pinsir dashed away from the oncoming flames. Pretty soon a majority of the field had been bathed in flames, and Pinsir found itself staring up at Charizard who stood over it with a threatening glare.
"Let em' have it Charizard!" Ash ordered as he threw a fist into the air. Pinsir could only spare a gasp before its world became hotter than it could ever imagine.
Ash could tell that Mandi hadn't put in any effort to trying to extend the battle between Pinsir and Charizard. He spent nearly the entire time just watching his Pinsir run around the field, deep in thought, probably preparing to use whatever Pokemon he was going to use next.
"Pinsir is unable to battle!" The ref declared as Charizard looked down at the roasted Pokemon. With a snort, Charizard rose its foot and gave Pinsir a kick that rolled it over onto its back which Charizard then placed its foot on top of. Recalling the replay it had seen of Pinsir injuring Ivysaur, Charizard bared its fangs which became ignited with flames. There was a low grumble from Charizard as it gave Pinsir a stare that alarmed the ref who took a step toward the two Pokemon. "The battle is over!"
Charizard shifted its gaze to the referee before shutting its mouth to end its attack. Then it looked toward Mandi, extending one hand toward him to make one short gesture said three words. Bring it on.
The atmosphere became heavy as though a storm was approaching, all eyes on Mandi as they waited to see his response to Charizard. Mandi's attention was focused solely on Ash at the moment. He was receiving a look from the rookie trainer that he was hoping he wouldn't see. The stare of a true competitor.
Mandi raised a Pokeball to call back his Pinsir from beneath Charizard who took a step back to let the Pokemon disappear within its containment unit. Placing it back on his belt, Mandi then took the Pokemon that would surely allow him to win this battle.
"Aerodactyl, let's go!" Mandi yelled as he tossed the Pokeball onto the field, releasing the prehistoric Pokemon who roared with tis arrival to the field. While his Golbat had wound up with the short end of the stick when it was battling Pikachu, Mandi was completely confident that his Aerodactyl not only had the move pool to beat any of Ash's Pokemon, but the physical ability as well.
If the mood of the audience couldn't be felt before, it was definitely being felt now as Charizard and Aerodactyl observed the other. It turned out that a few people had actually seen the scuffle between Charizard and Aerodactyl, and a video had gotten onto the internet showing the short battle between the two Pokemon. Everyone present had seen the video since it had been one of the headlines during the Indigo Conference, and now they were finally going to see the next part.
"Aerodactyl, use Dragon Claw!" Mandi commanded.
"Charizard, counter with a Dragon Claw of your own!" Ash yelled.
Charizard and Aerodactyl met at the center of the field without any hesitation at all, slamming their hands together which sounded like a clap of thunder as they tried to overpower each other. Their hands glowed with a purple aura as they roared at the other. They were already heated.
"Aerodactyl, use Iron Tail while you're so close!" Mandi called out. Aerodactyl quickly raised a knee and drove it into Charizard's belly which gained a gasp of surprise from the fire type as it hunched over in pain. Breaking away from Charizard, Aerodactyl's tail began to glow as it spun around to slap Charizard across the face with its tail.
Aerodactyl raised an eyebrow with a level of surprise at the fact that Charizard was not sent tumbling away from the attack. It remained firmly planted where it stood, still in the position from when it had been hit.
"Get it with Flamethrower Charizard!" Ash hollered. Charizard began to act without a moment's notice, giving Aerodactyl a fierce looking glare before it grabbed onto the shoulders of Aerodactyl and hoisted it into the air. With a mighty roar, Charizard threw it to the ground before opening its wide jaws to unleash a wave of flames onto Aerodactyl.
The flames burned for just a few moments before one of Aerodactyl's hands burst out of the flames, grabbing onto Charizard's neck which shut down the Flamethrower. Charizard gasped for a moment as it struggled to breathe while Aerodactyl shook off the flames that had coated its skin which revealed that the powerful fire type attack had done little to no damage to the ancient Pokemon.
'Looks like Flamethrower will be useless here.' Ash noted. They would need something more powerful, and he had something in mind. But they would only get one clean shot with it, so he would have to wait for an opening.
Charizard closed one of its hands into a fist and drove it into Aerodactyl's stomach, forcing it to release it hold on Charizard's neck. The fire type Pokemon then followed up by spinning around to slam its tail into Aerodactyl as a revenge for the Iron Tail it had taken earlier. To Mandi's surprise, Aerodactyl was sent sliding away on its side after taking the blow from Charizard, demonstrating the difference in power between the two of them.
"Charizard, use Dragon Claw again!" Ash ordered, motioning for Charizard to rush in while Aerodactyl was still on the ground.
"Aerodactyl, dodge it!" Mandi said in response. Charizard spread its wings with authority before rising up slightly to rush at Aerodactyl who jumped back to its feet. As Charizard neared Aerodactyl, it took a wild swipe at Aerodactyl who barely managed to evade the attack. From there, Charizard began to pursue Aerodactyl, attacking at every given opportunity while the rock type Pokemon demonstrated its high level of agility by avoiding each of the attacks.
At this point both Ash and Mandi could see what kind of battle this was going to shape to be. Speed versus power.
'His Charizard holds the kind of power that could defeat a Pokemon in one hit.' Mandi noted. "But such crushing power is useless against untouchable speed. Aerodactyl, use Agility!"
Charizard gave a roar of frustration at yet another failed attempt to strike Aerodactyl before it seemingly disappeared from the field entirely. Turning quickly, Charizard looked about the field in search of the speedy rock type who was reaching near untraceable speeds. Unable to even figure out what direction it was coming from, Charizard was sent stumbling forward after taking a hit to its back from Aerodactyl who continued to zoom around the field at an unseen speed.
"Charizard, use Flamethrower on the field around you!" Ash ordered. Despite the frequent attacks it was taking, Charizard opened up its mouth to let a wave of flames surge out onto the field around. Even with the sudden change increase in temperature around Charizard, Aerodactyl continued to strike it from all over.
Ash grabbed on the railing surrounding the edges of the platform and leaned forward to give the field a hard stare, focusing specifically on the flames surrounding Charizard. It took a few moments, but the flames that had been dancing on their own split apart behind Charizard before it took another hit to its back.
'Found you.' Ash stated as Charizard turned around furiously in search of Aerodactyl. Taking note of the area where they flames had been put out, Charizard caught on to Ash's plan, giving its trainer a nod now that it understood. 'You won't be able to counter Aerodactyl at its current speed Charizard, but with your instincts you should be able to dodge it.'
Charizard shut its eyes, lowering its head slightly as it took in a few deep breaths, relying on sound in attempt to follow Aerodactyl. Unfortunately, all Charizard could hear was the cackle Aerodactyl produced as a taunt since Charizard could do nothing to stop it at the moment. Charizard's jaws became tight as it tried to contain its anger, but the fire type Pokemon felt as though it was going to explode trying to hold itself back.
"Charizard, channel all that anger you have into your attacks. With it you'll be unstoppable!"
Mandi felt a chill run down his spine as Charizard began to exert pressure that was similar to Ash's when its eyes snapped open. It was a competitor. The flame on Charizard's tail flickered for a moment before it doubled in size as Charizard gave a roar.
'I know you've been frustrated lately Charizard, and you've been waiting for your chance to prove yourself to everyone here. Let's show all of them what you're made of.' Ash said as Charizard tensed the muscles in its arm, preparing for Aerodactyl's next attack.
"Hold back Aerodactyl!" Mandi called out before his Pokemon could rush in again. Aerodactyl finally reappeared in the air, quietly hovering over the field where peered down at Charizard. Mandi didn't like the aura that both his opponents had now, it made him nervous. "Keep your distance and use Stone Edge!"
Two wide rings of white energy formed around Aerodactyl which eventually became separated into multiple gray stones. Aerodactyl then began to flap its wings furiously, launching the stones at Charizard.
"Charizard, dodge it!" Rather than avoid the attack entirely, Charizard leaned over and slammed both of its hands into the field before ripping out a chunk of it to use as a shield that nearly matched the size of its own body. The Stone Edge attack pounded away at Charizard's makeshift shield, creating a cloud around the Pokemon that left everyone unable to see the condition of it. 'What are you up to Charizard?'
Ash could only take in a deep breath and hope for the best. Trusting your Pokemon to execute without your command was one of the hardest parts about being a trainer, but Ash was confident that Charizard knew what it was doing.
"Is his Charizard stupid or something?"
"Why would it take a Stone Edge attack head on like that?"
"It completely ignored Ash's orders."
Whispers floated around the audience as they waited to see the result of the attack that could potentially defeat Charizard with just one hit. Suddenly the cloud that had been surrounding Charizard was split in two as it raced up into the air holding the same piece of earth it had used a shield. It was several times smaller now, matching the size of Charizard's stomach although the weight of the rock didn't seem to bother Charizard as it charged at Aerodactyl.
"Yeah Charizard, go get em'!" Ash shouted as he threw a fist in the air.
"Aerodactyl, move!" Mandi hollered, although his eyes could only widen with shock when he realized that Aerodactyl was still stuck in the process of using Stone Edge with the rings still floating around its body. It wouldn't be able to move in time.
Charizard came to stop in the air just about Aerodactyl before it hurled the small boulder down at its opponent. Aerodactyl gave a screech as it was hit by the stone that sent it hurtling toward the field, getting a gasp from the crowd at the sound of the impact. It took a few moments for the dust to settle, but when Mandi could clearly see Aerodactyl, he could only stomp is foot with frustration. The stone Charizard had dropped onto Aerodactyl had landed on its wing.
Aerodactyl gave a pained shout as it tried to shove the boulder off of its wing, unable to do so with just one hand.
"Charizard, this is our chance! Overheat!" Ash shouted, pointing at Aerodactyl who clearly lacked a method to escape being hit. Charizard flexed its muscles with a low growl, allowing its body to gain a deep red glow as it prepared the powerful fire type attack. Opening its mouth just slightly, the crowd grew in anticipation for the finish as Charizard gave them a glimpse of the white flames that were building up within its mouth. "Gooo!"
Charizard opened up its mouth to point where someone would be able to see down its throat if not for the stream of white flames that was ejected from its mouth with orange flames spiraling around it. Aerodactyl froze in place at the sight of the approaching attack, forgetting about the weight that was currently crushing its wing. This was definitely going to hurt.
"Aerodactyl, use Stone Edge as a shield!" Mandi shouted as the last possible moment for a command to have any effect on the battle. As Overheat came into contact with its target, a blinding light was produced that prevented anyone from seeing the result, although this didn't deter Ash from raising his fist above his head. He was confident that they had won.
Mandi on the other hand, tightly held onto the railing of his platform as though he was holding onto the small sliver of hope that Aerodactyl had miraculously blocked the attack. Not only had Ash managed to push him into a corner, but he had done so while battling with a disadvantage. There was nothing more humiliating in a Pokemon battle than losing a match up that you should've been able to win with ease. Mandi's grip on the railing tightened to the point where the veins on his hands became visible. He wouldn't allow Ash to beat him in such a fashion!
Charizard gave a low grumble as it ended the attack, drawing in a few deep breathes as it felt the drain on its strength from using Overheat. It was then Charizard caught sight of its target, or rather what had been in front of its target. Multiple silver stones were packed together and hovering above Aerodactyl, and it appeared as though it had blocked out the Overheat entirely.
"What?!" Ash exclaimed as he nearly threw himself over the railing to see Aerodactyl's condition. The prehistoric Pokemon hadn't taken any damage from the Overheat as it rested beneath the protective Stone Edge, still struggling to yank its wing free from beneath the boulder Charizard had thrown on it.
"Aerodactyl, attack with that heated Stone Edge now!" Mandi ordered as he raised a hand to motion for the attack. Adding a smirk to his expression, Mandi could see now that this would be a perfect opportunity to turn this around right now. Charizard was sacrificed quite a bit of energy to use Overheat, and it would be immobile for a while, so this was their chance to finish it off with one super effective hit.
The shield Aerodactyl had created to block Overheat broke apart into multiple jagged stones that were sent up toward Charizard who was still hovering in the air. Ash bit down on his lower lip as he looked up at Charizard. Its wings were a trembling, a sign that it could barely keep itself in the air, let alone move to actually avoid the attack. But there just had to be a way for them to dodge this. There had to be. Ash took a moment to stare intently at the attack, studying it anything out of the ordinary.
At first he couldn't find any openings that Charizard could slip through until he looked at the big picture, literally. Taking a step back on the platform, Ash could see that the entire Stone Edge attack followed the pattern of a single helix as it rushed up toward Charizard.
"Charizard, dip into a nose dive and head straight into the middle of the Stone Edge!" Ash commanded, cupping his hands around his mouth to make sure he was heard by Charizard. The fire type Pokemon glanced at its trainer skeptically, unsure of how diving straight into this attack would allow them to win the battle. "Trust me!"
Eye contact with Ash in addition to his verbal reminder allowed Charizard to take a deep breath as it began to turned downward, descending straight into the path of the Stone Edge. Ash had trusted in Charizard's ability to improvise, so Charizard would have to return the favor.
Ash began to measure the distance between Charizard and the Stone Edge, trying to calculate when to give Charizard its next order. If he wasn't spot on this, Charizard would take the beating of a life time that would surely end this battle. But if he was successful, victory would be in their grasp.
"Start spinning now Charizard!" Ash hollered.
Charizard held its breath and began to twirl around in the air as it flew head first into the Stone Edge. Bracing itself for the painful impact with the stones, Charizard was more than surprised to find that it wasn't experiencing any pain at all. It was effortlessly rotating through the center of the Stone Edge, avoiding the rocks that spiraled around it. Catching on to what Ash had been planning again, Charizard smirk as it continued on its course to toward Aerodactyl who anxiously waiting for Charizard to get hit.
Charizard gave a deafening roar as it neared Aerodactyl, a roar that warned Aerodactyl that it was going for the finish. Ash pumped fist, pleased that drain from Overheat had passed now.
"Dragon Claw, go!" Ash shouted. As Charizard reached the end of the Stone Edge attack which brought its need for rotating in the air to end, allowing to head at Aerodactyl at full speed with a glowing claws that were poised to strike.
"Aerodactyl!" Mandi yelled as Charizard landed on top of Aerodactyl, thrusting its hands as Aerodactyl's wings. Aerodactyl felt a wave of short lived relief as Charizard shattered the boulder that had been crushing it wing, only to give a screech of pain as Charizard dug its claws into Aerodactyl's shoulders. Charizard then hoisted up Aerodactyl up from the ground and spread its wings to take off once again.
"You got the idea Charizard, wrap this up with Seismic Toss!" Ash said, giving Charizard to green light to use is signature finish. Charizard raced up into the skies with the struggling Aerodactyl where it began to fly in the path of the circle as though it was tracing around the outline of the sun for guidance to build up speed for the finish.
Mandi stomped his foot with a shout of Aerodactyl's name, wearing an expression that seemed to produce malice in waves.
"Aerodactyl! You only have one change!" He roared, putting all of Aerodactyl's squirming to an end as it listened for its command. "Use Dragonbreath directly into Charizard's face, right now!"
Charizard's eyes widened as Aerodactyl opened up its large mouth immediately, unleashing a spray of green flames that covered Charizard face completely.
"Charizard, Flamethrower!" Ash shouted, although this proved to be unnecessary as Charizard a roar to inform Ash that it was fine. The green flames that had enveloped Charizard's face were blown away by a sudden burst of orange flames from Charizard. When Aerodactyl caught sight of Charizard, the strength of its Dragonbreath withered away at the fury held within Charizard's eyes.
Charizard gave one final roar as the strength of its Flamethrower attack increased once again, engulfing the two of them in a fire as Charizard began the trip down the field. Everyone in the stands rose to their feet as the column fire that surrounded Charizard and Aerodactyl came crashing down onto the field. The impact created a billowing dust cloud that was large enough to cover the space of the entire field as well the platforms that Ash and Mandi had been standing on.
Everyone remained silent; peering over one another as they patiently awaited the outcome of the battle. The referee coughed several times as he came running out of the flag, waving his flag as he tried to keep the dust out of his nose and mouth. Both the ref and the cameras had no idea who had won. They could only wait.
Soon enough, the platforms came into the view as the dust began to settle, and the crowd found an interesting sight waiting for them. Ash was no longer standing on his platform.
"Where did Ash go?" They asked one another.
"Hey, what's that in there?" Someone cried out, pointing out the silhouette within the cloud. Two wings spread broadly from the shadow, blowing away the surrounding dust to reveal that it was Ash and Charizard standing together as they looked down on the defeated Aerodactyl.
Ash had one hand placed on Charizard's snout as if to hold back his Pokemon from going any further as it glared menacingly at Aerodactyl. The small hovering camera bots that were floating around the stadium quickly rushed down to the field to get a better view of the trainer and Pokemon that had come out of this match victorious. While the artificial intelligence of these camera bots weren't amazing, they were more than capable of finding a perspective that made the scene all the more impressive.
One camera had gone down low to the field beside Aerodactyl and looked up at Ash and Charizard, making them appear larger than they actually were as they looked down at their fallen opponent with the dust billowing around them.
"Sensational!" One of the announcers shouted over the roar of the stadium. "Not only has Ash Ketchum defeated one of the big name trainers in the Indigo Conference, but he did so in a convincing fashion!"
"What a battle!"
"That was awesome!"
"His Charizard is a beast!"
Mandi's platform had already sunk back down into the field, and the sole occupant of the platform was resting on his knees as though he had been rattled to his very bones. He had lost. To Ash Ketchum. After everything he had done to break down the young trainer beforehand…Ash still proved to be too much to handle now that he was shaping up to be a trainer worthy of the hype he had received before entering the professional circuit.
Mandi glanced up at his opponent, making eye contact with Ash. It was then Mandi began to feel the chilling aura that surrounded Ash, something that he had only felt while battling trainers of the highest caliber. It was just as he thought. Ash Ketchum would one day become a force that would take the professional circuit by storm. Mandi rose up to his feet as he pulled out Aerodactyl's Poke-ball to call his Pokemon back. At the very least he could do at this point was try to gather up what pieces of his reputation were left and try to put it together.
Mandi stepped off of his platform and began making his way toward Ash. It wasn't exactly easy to approach him since his Charizard was still beside him, producing a low growl as Mandi got closer. But he wouldn't allow this to stop him. Mandi extended one hand toward Ash, hoping that he would respond with a show of sportsmanship. Charizard was first to respond as the fire on its tail began to grow in size.
"Charizard, stop." Ash said calmly as he rubbed its snout, calming the beast beside him. Ash then accepted Mandi's handshake, much to the delight of the crowd.
The camera crew came rushing out of the tunnel of the stadium, approaching the duo to begin to the interview as the crowd calmed to down to listen in.
"Great battle you two. Clearly one of the highlight matches of the day." The reporter began. "Mandi, can you say that you're surprised you've been beaten by Ash Ketchum, the youngest trainer competing in the Indigo Conference this year?"
"Of course. Anyone should be surprised if they are beaten by such a young trainer. It was the last thing I expected if I had to be honest, but it's impressive to say the least." Mandi began with a smile, getting a pair of raised eyebrows from Ash. "It's not often you get to witness a future superstar in the making."
"I'm sure many in here would agree. Great battle today." The reporter said with a nod before turning to Ash. "Now Ash, everyone is aware of what took place before this match between you and Mandi, can you say that the two have put that in the past?"
Mandi felt a pang in his heart as he waited for Ash's reply. Ash had every right to tell him off to a news crew that was broadcasting around the world, the question was would he.
Ash placed a hand on the back of his neck and gave the camera a broad smile.
"Yeah, or at least I think so. Pokemon battles are so much more than just Pokemon trading attacks. Trainers connect with each other during Pokemon battles as they try to outdo their opponent. Mandi tried his hardest to beat me today, and that's what counts in my book. So I guess we can put all that behind us." Ash said as he glanced at Mandi. "Right?"
Mandi gave him a nod. Then they shook hands again.
"So then Ash, if you don't mind me asking. How do you feel now that you've defeated one of the trainers that were considered a contender to win the Championship?" The reporter continued.
"It's sort of a weird feeling of pride and relief. A lot of people thought I was going to lose the one, so I came out and did my best. It feels good to know that my best is enough to beat highly respected trainers like Mandi." Ash replied.
"And do you have any thoughts on making it to the Quarter Finals of the Indigo Conference?"
"Well I made it this far. I don't see why I can't win the whole thing at this now." Ash responded, receiving a chorus of cheers not only from his cheering squad in the stands, but everyone present in the stadium.
"Thank you Ash, good luck with the rest of the tournament." The reporter said as they waved him off. Ash returned the wave with a small smile which quickly faded away as he turned to Mandi and leaned in close to whisper to him.
"I want to talk to you."
Ash and Mandi had retreated into one of the tunnels where the camera crew wasn't located within the stadium. Mandi was leaning against the wall, quietly watching Ash as he paced back and forth in front of him.
"Why?" Ash asked suddenly.
"Hmm?" Mandi replied.
"Don't act like you don't know. All the crap you've been doing to me and my Pokemon since day one of this tournament." Ash said as he gave Mandi a threatening glance. "What reason do you have for doing all of that?"
"You want a reason?"
"Yes. That's exactly what I want. My Ivysaur has been in intensive care with Nurse Joy for over a week because of you and my Charizard is ready to roast your ass because of that. I was almost eliminated from this tournament because of you and its clear your were aiming for that, so I want to know why you would do something like that?" Ash said in a low voice, pointing a finger at Mandi who bumped his head against to wall to avoid losing an eye. "What did I ever do to you?"
"You've never done anything to me directly Ash. Indirectly, you've done a lot to me though. But I can't tell you what you want to know right now." Mandi said as he inched away from Ash.
"Why not?!" Ash shouted.
"It's personal." Was all Mandi said before turning his back to Ash, beginning to make his way down the tunnel.
"Mandi, tell me." Ash said as he pursued him.
"I can't Ash."
"You owe me that." Ash went on. "I could've destroyed everything you've worked for during that interview. But I didn't. So tell me whatever it is your hiding."
"I just…can't do that Ash. But I bet you can figure out. Just think about it." Mandi said. Ash stopped in his tracks, allowing Mandi to leave. At this point he wouldn't get anything out of him. But what had he done that would make Mandi go to such lengths for just one battle?
"Damn it." Ash muttered as he ripped off his hat and threw it at the floor. What could possibly give Mandi the right to give him so much trouble since the beginning of the tournament?
A/N
That was probably the longest battle I've ever written despite it only being a three on three, and it wasn't even a complete three on three battle either. I didn't particularly enjoy writing this battle for some odd reason even though I spent so much time trying to create some hype around it. Please share you thoughts. I sort of felt like I was forcing this battle along because there was a lot of stuff I was trying to fit in while trying to keep the Ash/Mandi rivalry going.
Something that I had been meaning to mention for a while now is that my battles are similar to the games in the sense that one decisive hit can win a battle. Just like in the games where you try to end the opponent with one super effective hit, that's how it works for me. But something else I added in is momentum. When a chain of attacks are put together, any Pokemon can be knocked out even if your at a disadvantage. And that was case with Aerodactyl versus Charizard.
Anyway, the Indigo Conference is going to hits its peak in the next update as we watch Ash advance to the Quarter Finals, having finally overcome the opposition that Mandi had presented.
Hopefully my next update will be out later this week. It's September now and school is starting up again so I won't get to write as often as I did during the summer so I'll trying to have another chapter ready for you guys sooner rather than later. So until next time guys, see ya.