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Chapter Fourteen
After journeying and training for several days, Ash, Brock, Pikachu, and Gallade arrived in Fortree City. Gallade was shocked to see that people lived in trees here. The others had already seen this, but the sight was still stunning. After all, it's not every day that you see a community living in trees.
After checking in at the pokémon center, the quartet made their way to the gym so that Ash could challenge Winona for the Flying Coin. As the group walked in, Winona welcomed everyone and Brock and Gallade went to sit in the stands. Winona and Ash took their respective sides on the field as a referee walked up to his square on the side of the field.
"This will be a three on three battle between challenger Ash Ketchum and leader Winona. The battle will end when one side is out of pokémon. Battle begin!"
"I choose you, Glalie!"
"Altaria, go!"
"Well, Ash, it looks as though you have the advantage, but we'll see. Use flamethrower!"
"Dodge and use ice beam!"
"Protect!"
Red hot flames were spewed out of Altaria's mouth and headed straight towards Glalie who dodged and then retaliated with ice beam. Seconds before the whitish blue beam hit Altaria, Altaria put up a shield which blocked the attack.
"You'll have to try better than that, Ash. Use dragon pulse, Altaria!"
"Dodge and use ice beam!"
Once again, Altaria fired a beam from its mouth only for Glalie to dodge and hit back with an icey beam. At the last minute, Winona once again called for protect and so Altaria was protected from the ice beam.
"You can't win Ash! Altaria keep using flamethrower and use protect if Ash counters!"
"Dodge those flamethrowers and use ice beam!"
The two pokémon kept firing potentially devastating attacks at each other but no one took any damage. Glalie kept dodging and Altaria kept using protect. The battle was at a stalemate until someone figured out a way to break it. Winona was confident that Glalie would tire out first and therefore, be hit with flamethrower.
I have to figure out a way to beat that protect. Ash thought to himself. Eventually, protect wears off, but how long is eventually? I'm running out of time and Glalie is getting tired. As Ash was trying to figure out a plan, Altaria put up another force field. That's it! I have to get in close to that Altaria. "Glalie, hit flamethrower with ice beam and push forward!"
"What?" Winona cried out.
The next flamethrower launched by Altaria was met by Glalie's ice beam. The two beams were pretty evenly matched with Glalie's same type attack bonus making up for the fact that fire had the type advantage over ice. Slowly but surely, Glalie edged closer and closer to Altaria.
"Now, Glalie, move up now. And use ice beam pointing down!" Ash suddenly cried out.
Out of nowhere, Glalie shut off the ice beam and shot straight up. Altaria, in confusion, stopped its flamethrower and reoriented itself to look up. As soon as Altaria looked up, Glalie once again launched an ice beam straight at Altaria's head and wings. This time, Altaria was unable to put up its protect and fell prey to ice beam. The dragon flying time was knocked unconscious from the extremely effective attack.
"Altaria is unable to battle! The winner is Glalie! Would the leader please send out her next pokémon?"
"Very impressive Ash. But then again, you beat Altaria once. Can you defeat Skarmory?" And with a flick of her wrist, Winona sent out the flying steel type. "Use steel wing!"
"Block it with ice beam!"
Skarmory took flight and its already hard wings hardened further. Glalie's ice beam barely did any damage against the Skarmory. The wing cut through the ice and slammed into Glaie, who went flying into the wall and then collapsed to the ground.
"Glalie is unable! The winner is Skarmory! Challenger, please send out your next pokémon!"
"Return Glalie. You did great! Now, let's take this battle to the sky. Go Charizard!"
Out of Ash's pokéball, the large red lizard pokémon emerged and let out a giant roar that almost caused the gym to vibrate. Winona kept her cool but shivered a bit. This was a magnificent flying type indeed. She didn't wait for Ash to make an attack though.
"Skarmory, take to the sky!"
"Charizard, follow that bird!"
Both pokémon extended their wings and shot up towards the sky since this gym didn't have a roof. They circled each other as they waited for their trainers to call out an attack.
"Skarmory, use rock slide!"
"Dodge and use flamethrower!"
As the metal bird summoned a bunch of rocks to throw at Charizard, Charizard dodged out of the way and unleashed a powerful flamethrower attack at Skarmory, who also dodged part of the attack but was burned.
Hmm. That Charizard is fast. Winona thought to herself. We'll have to get faster. "Use automatize, Skarmory!" The bird let out a shrill scream as its body glowed for a second. After the glow dimmed, Skarmory was able to fly a lot faster and was flying circles around Charizard.
Not good. Ash thought to himself. "Use flamethrower as you spin!"
"Rock slide, one more!"
As Charizard spun in the air, Skarmory kept flying out of the way and throwing rocks at Charizard. The fire that Charizard released was so intense though, that the fire melted the rocks. Once again, Ash's and Winona's pokémon were stuck in a stalemate.
"Charizard, use seismic toss!"
Charizard flew at Skarmory and picked it up before going into its signature loop. After making several revolutions, Charizard slammed Skarmory into the ground, who then got up on shaky legs. Ash and Brock were shocked because very few pokémon had ever survived Charizrd's seismic toss. Charizard, himself, considered Skarmory's survival a personal affront.
"You'll have to try better than that Ash. Skarmory, end this by combining steel wing with brave bird!"
After hardening its wings once more, Skarmory let out a screech before being engulfed in a red and blue aura. Skarmory then launched itself towards Charizard who was unable to dodge in time. The powerful flying type move knocked out Charizard, but Skarmory was also knocked unconscious due to the recoil.
"Both Skarmory and Charizard are unable to battle! Both trainers, please, send out your final pokémon!"
Without uttering a word, Winona sent out her final pokémon: Talonflame. After recalling Charizard, Ash called on his Pikachu who jumped off of Ash's shoulder and landed on the field.
"Pikachu, use thunderbolt!"
"You may have the type advantage, but I have the speed advantage. Use brave bird!"
Before Pikachu could strike Talonflame, Talonflame slammed into Pikachu who was sent flying.
How did Talonflame hit Pikachu so quickly? Ash wondered.
"You see, Ash, my Talonflame has the ability of gale wings which allows it to strike first whenever using a flying type move. Let me show you one more time. Brave bird once more!"
Just as Pikachu got up and jumped back onto the field, Winona's bird once again slammed into Pikachu, who once again went flying. Although Pikachu's typing resisted flying type moves, brave bird was still a strong attack, and Ash could see Pikachu getting tired. Fortunately for Ash though, Talonflame was also getting tired due to brave bird's recoil. We'll just have to attack first too. "Use quick attack!"
Uh-oh. Winona thought to herself. Quick attack is also a priority move, so I need a way to block that attack. "Use steel wing!"
Talonflame's wings hardened and then slammed into Pikachu before the mouse could hit the bird. Pikachu once again went flying.
Ok. Well, that didn't work either. We can't out speed Talonflame, so now what? Ash looked at Pikachu whose cheeks were still sparking with electricity. That's it! "Pikachu, wait for Talonflame to come to you!"
"Given up Ash? If you insist, brave bird once more!"
Once again, Talonflame barreled down on Pikachu who patiently waited for Ash's command. "Now Pikachu, use thunderbolt!" Just as Talonflame collided with Pikachu, Pikachu unleashed a powerful thunderbolt which caused an explosion. When the smoke cleared, both pokémon were barely standing and staring each other down. After a few moments, Talonflame collapsed to the ground unconscious.
"Talonflame is unable to battle. The winner is Pikachu and that means that the challenger, Ash Ketchum, is the winner of the flying coin!"
Ash ran up to Pikachu and cradled him in his arms. "You did great buddy!" "Thanks Pikapi."
After recalling her Talonflame, Winona approached Ash with the flying coin in her hand. "Congratulations Ash! That was a great battle and as proof of your victory, I present you the Flying Coin!" In her palm, a light blue coin lay.
Ash picked it and posed with it. "I just won the Flying Coin!"
After saying their farewells, Ash and Brock left the gym and went to the pokémon center. After healing his pokémon, Ash and Brock left Fortree for Lilycove so that they could board a ferry for the Sinnoh region.
-Line Break-
Diantha's private jet touched down at Amistar City International Airport after a long flight from Pokémon Isle. Diantha spent the flight reading a script and memorizing her lines for an upcoming movie. Gowly spent the flight mediating with his Lucario. When the two deplaned, Gowly bid Diantha a farewell before heading south towards the Pokémon Village.
"Gosh, that was a long flight. Wasn't it Lucario?"
Indeed it was Master. I assume we pick up the plate, and then Salamence flies us back to the Isle?
"You assume correctly, old friend. Now, let's hurry and get that plate."
After walking for a few minutes, Gowly's communicator buzzed, so he answered it.
"Hello Mr. Walker."
"Hello sir. Ash just beat Winona, and we're now on our way to Sinnoh."
"Very good. Thanks for the report, Mr. Walker. Keep following them and don't be seen. Got it?"
"Yes sir."
"Good." Before Jackie could respond, Gowly hung up.
Do you have to hang up on him so abruptly? It's rather rude.
"I know, but this is becoming fun. I'm afraid I have a bad habit."
You should break that habit.
"I'll try, but for now, let's focus on getting that plate."
As you wish.
With that, the duo continued their journey in silence.