Ch 64:Pressing on
Sam was sitting on top of a hill overlooking a lake on the plateau.
She was curled up with her arms wrapped around her legs and tears coming down her face.
Moments later, she heard someone sit beside her.
"Sam." Ash said.
She turned her head and saw him.
"Ash." She said.
"How are you holding up?"
She sunk her head back in her legs."
"Look, I'm not going to pretend that loosing is fun or easy. But it is part of your journey. I didn't win my first pokemon league, but I didn't give up." Ash said.
"It's not just the fact that I lost, I came so far only to have all 6 of my pokemon get knocked out by one pokemon. To do everything I did, just so I can loose like that." Sam said.
Ash put his hand on her shoulder.
"Listen to me, everyone has their highs and lows in life. Sometimes it seems like you're at your lowest. But even then you can only go up from there." Ash said.
Sam looked back over at him.
Her expression changed.
"You're right, I'm going to keep training. I'm going to come back and get stronger." She said.
"That's the right attitude Sam." Ash said.
"Pika!".
As they got up , Sam hugged Ash.
"Thank you Ash, for everything." Sam said.
Ash patted her on the back before the two went back to their respective condos.
The following morning, Ash stood on one end of the Indigo stadium battlefield with his opponent on the other side.
Riley Houston had Orangish Brown Hair with brown eyes. He wore a basic white shirt, a bllue sweatshirt with Helioptile Icon, Black sneakers, and Baggy Blue Jeans.
In the stands, Serena sat with the others and was joined by Sam.
"The quarterfinals battle between trainer Ash Ketchum and Riley Houston is about to begin. Trainers choose your pokemon." The ref said.
"Go Lucario!" Riley shouted.
A lucario came out and stood in front of his trainer.
"I choose you Muk!" Ash shouted.
"Muk!" Muk shouted as he came out.
"Muk use Mud bomb!" Ash shouted.
"Muk!" Muk shouted as he opened his mouth and unleashed a massive clod of explosive mud.
"Lucario use Dragon Pulse."
The Lucario got in a stance as his his eyes glowed violet and he unleashed a pulse of dragon energy from his mouth. The Dragon pulse tore through the mud bomb and flew right at Muk.
"Muk use Minimize." Ash said.
Muk looked like he melted completely as he used his liquid form to sink as close to the ground as possible.
The dragon pulse went right over him as he moved his puddle of a body around the battlefield.
"That was close." Lucy said.
"Ash has this figured out." Serena said.
Muk moved close to the ground until he was at Lucario's flank.
"Muk use Mud bomb!"
Ash shouted.
"Muk!" Muk shouted as he unleashed another Bomb of explosive mud.
"Dodge and use Close combat!"
"Grouu!" Riley's Lucario shouted as he acrobatically leapt up and over the Mud bomb before crashing his foot into Muk.
After doing so, Lucario smashed his feet and fists repeatedly into Muk's liquid body.
However, Muk rose back up with a grin.
"Muk." He said sounding like he hadn't been hurt at all.
"Yes." Ash said counting on Muk's liquid body to give him an edge.
"Amazing folks, just like with Meganium Muk is absorbing the blows." The announcer said.
"Lucario get out of there!" Riley shouted.
Lucario quickly leapt up and out of Muk's body before landing a few feet away.
"Muk use Body slam!" Ash shouted.
"Muk!" Muk shouted as he hurled his body over and onto Lucario.
"Grouu." Lucario growled as his eyes widened when Muk landed on him.
"Yes we got him. " Ash said.
That was when he noticed Muk getting lifted up and off the ground.
"Muk?" Make said in confusion.
"What's going on?" Bonnie asked.
"Oh dear." Oak said as Ash and the people in the crowd saw Lucario gritting his teeth and growling as he lifted Muk up and off him.
"No Lucario throw him and use Earthquake!" Riley shouted.
"Grouu!" Lucario roared as he hurled Muk off him and then smashed the ground with his left foot, creating a ground quake that shook the entire stadium.
"Muk!" Muk shouted with the powerful ground move being super effective.
"Riley's Lucario turns it around on Ash's Muk."
When the quake ended, Muk's eyes were swirly and his head back into his body.
"Muk is unable to battle." The ref said.
Ash and Pikachu grit their teeth.
"Oh no." Shauna said.
"Come on Ash." Serena said as she tightened her grip on the railing.
"Muk return, you did your best Muk." Ash said as he took out his next pokeball.
"I know you'll enjoy this battle. I choose you Hawlucha!" Ash shouted.
"Hawl!" Hawlucha shouted as he did 3 front flips and landed in front of Ash with his arms raised.
"Trainer Ash Ketchum has chosen his speedy Hawlucha." The second announcer said.
"Hawlucha, yes." Serena said.
"This should be good." Red said smiling.
"How fast is his Hawlucha?" Brock asked.
"His Lucario is agile, Hawlucha is fast." Korrina said.
"Lucario use Dragon pulse!".
"Group!" Lucario roared as he unleashed a pulse of Dragon energy.
"Hawlucha dodge and use Swords dance." Ash said.
"Hawl!" Hawlucha shouted as he moved almost as fast as Pikachu and soared over Lucario and his Dragon pulse.
When Hawlucha landed behind Lucario, he got in an aggressive stance as he glowed blue and his attack sharply rose.
"Don't give him a chance to strike! Use Metal claw"
Lucario turned his claws metal before furiously slashing at Hawlucha.
Hawlucha moved like a demon and avoided every attack like it was nothing.
"High Jump Kick!"
Hawlucha knocked Lucario's arms aside with his arm wings and then hurled himself up , crashing his knee into Lucario's face like a freight train.
"Ouch, I felt that from up here folks." The announcer said.
"Lucario!" Riley shouted as his Lucario fell onto his back with swirly eyes.
"Lucario is unable to battle."
"Yes." Serena said with some relief.
"That's quite the skilled Hawlucha. Ash has certainly trained his fighting types well." Oak said.
"Well deep down all aura guardians are part fighting type." Korrina said.
"Lucario return, I'm proud of you. Ok this guy is fast and strong. I need someone stronger. Go Nidoking!" Riley shouted as he hurled a great ball forward and a large Nidoking came out.
"Grooww!" The Nidoking roared.
"Trainer Riley Houston has now chosen a Nidoking."
"Nidoking use Thunder!"
"Growwww!" Nidoking roared as a spark ran across his back then shot out of his horn at Hawlucha.
"Hawlucha dodge and use Wing attack."
"Hawl!" Hawlucha shouted as leapt up and soared over the incoming Thunder before slashing Nidoking across the face.
"Groww!" Nidoking grunted as he stumbled backwards.
"Nidoking force him out of the sky with Blizzard."
"Groww!" Nidoking roared as he opened his mouth and unleashed a furious blizzard into the air.
Hawlucha, who was still airborne was hit by the the furious blizzard around him and took a lot of damage from the effective attack.
"Hawl." He grunted.
"Hold on Hawlucha, loose some altitude." Ash said.
Hawlucha got lower and took less damage as he got out of the worst of the Blizzard.
"Fire fist!" Riley shouted.
Nidoking leapt up with fire around his right first.
"Karate chop!".
Hawlucha smashed his left wing fist into Nidoking's right fist and forced it back.
Nidoking landed back not he ground as well giving a frustrated look.
"Nidoking Thunder!"
"Groww!" Nidoking roared as he unleashed another Thunder at Hawlucha.
"Sky attack!" Ash shouted as Hawlucha flew up and avoided the electric attack before glowing blue and came soaring down like a Meteor before crashing into Nidoking.
"Nidoking!" Riley shouted as Nidoking landed on his back with swirly eyes.
"Nidoking is unable to battle." The ref said.
"Alright great work Hawlucha!" Ash shouted.
"Trainer Ash Ketchum knocks out another of Riley's pokemon and has taken the lead." The announcer said.
"Yes, he's taken the lead." Serena said.
"Nidoking return."
"Hawlucha come back, rest up you've battled two pokemon now." Ash said before he took out another pokeball.
"I choose you Kingler!"
Ash's large Crab pokemon came out and stood in front of him.
"Ok we need to turn it around. Go Pidgeot!" Riley shouted as the large bird pokemon came out and soared over him.
"Kingler vs Pidgeot. This could be difficult for Ash." Red said.
"Kingler did great against Manny, he can beat a Pidgeot." Serena said.
"Kingler plant yourself and follow Pidgeot." Ash said as he stayed in the same location but rotated himself to follow Pidgeot.
"Pidgeot use Hurricane!".
"Otto!" Pidgeot shouted as he unleashed a furious wind cyclone that consumed Kingler inside.
"Kingler brace yourself." Ash said.
"Kruki." Kingler said grunting as he tried to endure the attack.
"Pidgeot use Steel wing."
"Kingler Crab hammer! "
"Kruki!" Kingler shouted as he hurled his larger claw out of the cyclone at the last moment to block Pidgeot's metal wings and force him back.
"That was close." Serena said.
"Still Kingler needs to go on the offense if he wants to win." Oak said.
Pidgeot got some more altitude to keep himself out of Kingler's reach.
"Pigdeot use Hurricane again."
Once again, Pidgeot blasted Kingler with Hurricane and Kingler was unable to do anything but endure it.
Ash git his teeth at how helpless Kingler was.
"Pidgeot use Sky attack."
Pidgeot glowed blue before dropping down right at Kingler.
"Kingler use Guillotine!"
Kingler waited until Pidgeot was close then snapped his larger claw at him.
However, just at the last moment, Pidgeot moved his wings up and flew just over Kingler's reach.
"No." Ash said before Kingler was hit by Sky attack and forced into the ground.
"Kingler!" Ash shouted when he saw Kingler's swirly eyes.
"Kingler is unable to battle." The ref said.
"Riley just evened things out." Clemont said.
"Come on Ash." Serena said.
"Kingler return, rest well Kingler. Ok I choose you Pidgeot!" Ash shouted as his own Pidgeot.
"Otto!" Pidgeot shouted as he flew over Ash.
"So trainer Ash Ketchum has chosen a Pidgeot as well."
"Pidgeot use Hurricane." Riley said.
His Pidgeot violently flapped his wings and unleashed a cyclone of wind at Ash's Pidgeot.
"Pidgeot ride the wind." Ash said.
"Otto!" Pidgeot shouted as he angled his wings ring and rode the Hurricane wind.
"Air slash!" Ash shouted.
Pidgeot flew out of the cyclone like a bullet with his own natural speed combined with that he got from being launched from the cyclone and slashed across Riley's Pidgeot.
"Looks like that Hurricane didn't quite work out for Riley." Brock said.
"Keep it up Pidgeot!" Serena shouted.
"Pidgeot get up high." Riley said as his Pidgeot flew up far higher than Ash's Pidgeot.
"Pidgeot use Arial ace, stay close to him." Ash said as his Pidgeot flew after Riley's.
"Brave Bird!" Riley shouted.
Riley's Pidgeot made a sharp turn and glowed red as he smashed into Pidgeot and forced him back towards the ground.
"Great job Pidgeot!" Riley shouted.
"Looks like Riley's Pidgeot is still going strong." The announcer said.
"Follow up with Sky attack."
Riley's Pidgeot now glowed blue as he flew down at Pidgeot as fast as he could.
"Pidgeot use Hurricane!"
Ash's Pidgeot quickly regained himself and unleashed a cyclone of wind up at Riley's Pidgeot that caught him before he could reach Ash's Pidgeot.
"Oh no." Riley said as he saw his Pidgeot get sucked inside of the Cyclone.
"Pidgeot use Giga impact!" Ash shouted.
"Otto!" Pidgeot shouted as he glowed green and hurled himself forward into the Cyclone. He then came immediately out the other side with Riley's Pidgeot in front of him, tumbling to the ground before crashing into the ground with swirly eyes.
"Trainer Riley's Pidgeot is unable to battle." The ref said.
"Ash has the lead again." Serena said.
"Pidgeot return. Ok we need to shoot this bird down, go Ampharos!" Riley said as the tall electric type came out and stood in front of Riley.
"An Ampharos." Ash said slightly concerned, he considered returning Pidgeot , but Pidgeot made it clear to Ash that he wanted to stay in the battle.
"Ampharos use Power Gem."
The large Ampharos unleashed 5 large red gems from his stomach at Pidgeot.
"Pidgeot use Steel wing!".
"Otto!" Pidgeot shouted as he coated his wings in metal before smashing each of the incoming stones.
"Zap cannon!" Riley shouted.
The Ampharos unleashed a powerful blast of electricity.
"Dodge it!" Ash shouted as Pidgeot narrowly avoided the electricity. However, it was close enough for the electricity to be absorbed by the metal wings and filled Pidgeot.
"Otto!" Pidgeot shouted.
"It looks like Pidgeot's metal wings are working against him now." The ref said.
Ash then saw and felt Pidgeot get paralyzed by the attack.
"Now use Power gem." Riley said.
The Ampharos unleashed 5 more gems that crashed into Pidgeot, hurling him into the ground with swirly eyes.
"Pidgeot is unable to battle." The ref said.
"Geez, he's coming right back." Brock said.
"Come on Ash." Serena said.
"Pidgeot return, you battled very well."
"My Ampharos will knock out all 3 of your remaining pokemon." Riley said.
"We'll see about that. I choose you Mightyena!" Ash shouted as the dark wolf came out and snarled at Ampharos.
"Mightyena, he's in trouble now." Serena said smiling.
"Trainer Ash Ketchum has now Chosen his Mightyena."
"Ampharos use Signal Beam!"
Ampharos opened his mouth and unleashed a white beam of bug energy.
"Mightyena Dark Pulse into Crunch." Ash said.
"Yena!" Mightyena snarled as she unleashed a pulse of dark energy that crashed into the Signal beam and cancelled the two attacks out.
After doing so, Mightyena charged forward and snapped her jaws across Ampharos,'s neck.
Ampharos cried out in pain as the dark wolf bit down on him.
"Ampharos use Zap cannon!"
Ampharos blasted Mightyena with as much electricity as he could, but she just won't let go.
"Take down!" Ash shouted.
As soon as Mightyena let go of Ampharos, she pounced into him and smashed him into the battlefield ground.
When Ampharos hit the ground his eyes were swirly.
"Ampharos is unable to battle." The ref said.
"Ash's Mightyena has taken down Ampharos, that's no cute puppy there folks."
"Ampharos return." Riley said before he gave Ash a frustrated look.
"We aren't giving the crowd their money's worth in length. None of these battles seem to last very long." Riley said.
"They last long enough for me."
"Pika!".
"Geez, I can't tell if he's confident enough to inspire his pokemon, or just cocky. Well his pokemon seem we'll trained enough." Riley said to himself.
"Ash has the edge now, 3 to 2." Red said.
"All he has to do is knock them out and he's in the semi finals." Serena said.
"Go Rapidash!" Riley shouted as he hurled another pokemon forward.
The large fire horse came out and whinnied.
"Rapidash use Flamethrower!"
The large fire horse opened his mouth and unleashed a thick jet of fire at Mightyena.
"Mightyena dodge and use Crunch!"
Mightyena sprinted forward, snarling as she ran under the incoming fire.
"Wild charge!" Riley shouted as Rapidash covered himself in electricity and galloped forward, crashing into Mightyena, and filling her with electricity.
"Gotcha." Riley said.
"Mightyena takes a direct hit folks."
"Mightyena dig in!" Ash said.
"Yena!" Mightyena growled as she dug her paws into the ground and endured the electricity before forcing the much larger horse to a halt.
"What?" Riley said as Rapidash gave an equally confused look.
Mightyena then clapped down her mighty jaws on Rapidash despite being shocked.
"Hold on Mightyena!" Serena shouted.
Mightyena endured the pain before Rapidash was forced to pull back and get away from the dark wolf.
"It looks like Mightyena's bite is worse than her bark. She's dominating the fire horse."
"Keep it up Mightyena!" Ash shouted.
Riley sweated nervously.
"Rapidash use Signal beam!"
Rapidash blasted at Mightyena again with a beam of bug energy.
"Dodge and use Take down!" Ash shouted.
Mightyena easily avoided the attack before sprinting at Mightyena.
"Now I've got you, Rapidash use Hypnosis."
"Hypnosis?" Ash said in confusion.
"Rapidash's eyes glowed blue as he unleashed the psychic attack at Mightyena.
Mightyena did her best to stay awake, but the Hypnosis was to much and she fell asleep.
"Mightyena is now fast asleep." The announcer shouted.
"Ha, looks like Mightyena needed a good nap after that wild charge."
"Mightyena return. Alright I've been going easy on you by this point, time to bring out a real titan, I choose you Tyrantrum!" Ash shouted.
Riley's eyes widened as he saw the 16 foot 7 ton dinosaur pokemon loom over him and Rapidash.
"Groou!" Tyrantrum roared.
"He's sent him out folks, his mighty dinosaur!"
"Alright Tyrantrum. This battle is over now." Serena said.
Rapidash sweat dropped at the sight of Tyrantrum.
"He's still a dragon type Rapidash, use Dragon pulse!"
Rapidash opened his mouth and prepared to unleash a pulse of Dragon Energy.
"Dragon claw into Head smash!"
Tyrantrum's right claws glowed violet as he smashed the incoming dragon pulse into nothing before charing forward with his head down and smashed Rapidash so hard that he actually plowed him halfway underground.
Riley sweat dropped as he saw his fire horse with half his body buried under the battlefield.
"Rapidash is unable to battle." The ref said.
"Great job Tyrantrum!" Ash shouted.
"Tyrantrum truly is impressive, I've greatly enjoyed studying him at the lab." Oak said.
"Just one more." Serena said.
"Rapidash return. Ok Ash you may have a dinosaur, but I have a titan of my own. Here he comes, Dragonite!" Riley shouted as a massive Dragonite came out and stood before Tyrantrum.
"Growww!" Dragonite roared.
"A Dragonite vs a Tyrantrum, this should be quite exciting folks."
"Dragonite use Outrage!"
Dragonite flew up in the air and roared as he unleashed a furry of dragon energy around the battlefield and at Tyrantrum.
"Tyrantrum use Dragon claw to clear your way through, then use Stone edge!"
Tyrantrum snarled as his claws glowed violet and he cut through each incoming burst of Dragon energy.
Once he was directly over Dragonite, Tyranturm unleashed a fury of spiked rocks up at Dragonite.
"Moving outrage!"
Dragonite flew out of the way as he unleashed another storm of dragon energy that smashed through the incoming rocks.
As he flew he got behind Tyrantrum and hit him with several bursts of dragon energy,
"Hold on Tyrantrum!" Ash shouted as the massive dinosaur did his best to endure an attack he was weak against.
"Looks like your Tyrantrum may be a little too big. Dragonite use Hyper beam" Riley said.
"Growww!" Dragonite roared as he unleashed a massive beam of energy right at Tyrantrum.
"Tyrantrum Hyper beam!"
"Grouaaa!" Tyrantrum roared as he opened his mouth and unleashed a massive beam of orange energy that tore through Dragonite's Hyperbeam before crashing into him.
"Dragonite!" Riley shouted in fear.
"He's still more powerful." Serena said.
Dragonite tried to regain himself, but lost much altitude.
"Now's our chance! Tyrantrum use Head smash!" Ash shouted.
Tyrantrum charged forward with his head lowered and crashed hard into Dragonite's stomach, plowing him into the ground.
When the dust cleared, Tyrantrum was standing over an unconscious Dragonite.
"No Dragonite." Riley said.
"Dragonite is unable to battle." The ref said.
"We did it!" Ash shouted.
"Grouu! Tyrantrum roared in victory.
"It's over folks, trainer Ash Ketchum and his mighty Tyrantrum are victorious."
"Yes, he made it to the semi finals." Serena said.
"Just one more battle before his chance at his goal." Felix said.
Riley returned his Dragonite and sighed.
"Well , at least when I go home I can say it took a dinosaur to beat us."
Ash went right to the pokemon center and dropped off all 6 of his pokemon with Nurse Joy.
He then turned to see Ritchie sitting at a table with Alana.
"I'm sorry Alana." Ritchie said.
"I guess I should be happy I made it this far." Alana said.
"Ritchie, Alana." Ash said as he walked over.
"Ash." Ritchie said as he reached them.
"How did your match's go?" He asked.
" I managed to win, but." Ritchie said.
"But I lost." Alana said.
"Alana, I'm sorry." Ash said.
"We did our best, It just wasn't enough."
"How did your match go?" Ritchie asked.
"We won."
"Congratulations." Ritchie said.
"We're both in the semi finals now." Ash said.
That is when they heard something on the TV.
"Well folks, our winners today are now in the semi finals and we know what the matchups for tomorrow." The announcer on TV said as he showed the match ups for the semi finals.
Their hearts nearly dropped as they saw Ash was facing none other than Ritchie.
Author's note
So round 2 of the victory tournament is over. I'm afraid that is the last fan submitted OC you'll see.
Sorry if you didn't see yours, but without Red competing I didn't have to show as many battles.
only 2 more battles in the Indigo league, but not necessarily 2 more battles in the story.
So until next time, please review , comment, suggest, or ask(via PM)