Chapter 62

"I can't believe I have to battle Gary in the next round..."

Ash had probably muttered this about a hundred times before, but Brock wasn't even sure if he noticed. In fact, Ash seemed more focused on trying to carve a path into the wood flooring of their rented cabin from the way that he was pacing back and forth. The Pallet Town Trainer was feeling such a variety of emotions: anxiety, tension, excitement, determination – and they were all fighting for dominance in his chest and head.

Brock and his mother sat on the furniture, watching him go like this since he had found out the night before. Professor Oak had visited as well to congratulate him on his victory since he and his mother were watching with Brock from the stands, but then went on to spend some time with his grandson. "You knew it was going to happen eventually, Ash," Brock reminded him. "You've wanted to battle him since you began your journey – what a better way to go up against your rival than during a full match at the Pokémon League competition."

"But Gary is really strong!" Ash argued, finally giving the soles of his shoes a break and stopping in place. They had looked up Gary's stats on the computer the night before as they had with Ritchie, and they found out that similarly to the Pokémon Trainer from Frodomar City, only three of Gary's Pokémon had been defeated throughout the entire competition.

"You really shouldn't worry about that, honey!" his mother said.

"If you believe in your Pokémon, they'll do their best for you," Brock added with a grin. "And, I'll be right behind you, too!"

"And no matter the outcome of the match, if you and your Pokémon do your best, you're always a winner in my book." Ash's eyes flickered between his mother and traveling companion, and a small smile slowly spread across his lips. He let out a short breath of air through his nose, deflating slightly and pushing out some anxiety as well.

"Thanks, you guys."

o 0 o

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the sixth round coverage of the Pokémon League competition! Only the most tenacious Trainers and their Pokémon have made it to this level, so get ready: some sensational battles are about to begin!

"The first Trainer to come out will be the green Trainer Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!" That was Ash's cue, and swallowing the huge lump in his throat, he stepped out where applause rang out all around him. He dared not look up to look at anyone, but knew that his mother and Professor Oak were somewhere up in the sea of people. "Ketchum is accompanied by his coach who will cheer him on during the match as well." Using his peripheral vision, Ash peered back at Brock, and the narrow-eyed Pokémon Breeder only had a smile of encouragement for his friend.

"And now, Ash's opponent will take the stage now." The audience cheering continued as Ash's rival stepped out of the shadows on the other side of the arena, a grin planted on his face, and he waved up to the audience to soak in the cries. "Gary Oak is accompanied by his cheering section, and is grandson of the famous Pokémon Professor, Professor Samuel Oak."

"Gary Gary, he's the best! Gary, Gary, he won't rest!" The cries of his cheerleaders behind him thankfully were almost drowned out by the audience, but still annoyed Ash slightly. And as Ash sent them a dirty look, his vision focused on Gary, who finally looked at Ash and his trademark smirk settled on his face. Unlike Ash, Gary didn't look the least bit nervous.

"Yes, you heard that right, folks: both Trainers are from Pallet Town. In fact, they both set out on their adventure at the same time! We have a rival fight that is sure not to disappoint, as both Trainers have shown their skills time and time again during the competition."

"I've been waiting and training for this moment, Ashy-boy," Gary called while settling a single hand on his hip. "This match isn't going to go the same as the last time we battled back at Grandpa's lab."

"You're right; I'm gonna win this time!" Ash shot back, twisting his cap backwards on his head.

"Let's let our Pokémon decide that. Put your Poké Balls where your mouth is."

"Now, without further ado, let's get this battle started!"

"Battle begin!" the referee announced, and with a wave of his flags, both Ash and Gary pulled out their Poké Balls.

"Pidgeotto!"

"Kingler!"

"I choose you!" Both Trainers called at the same time, and with a burst of light from either side, a pair of Pokémon formed in a blink of an eye. Ash had chosen his Pidgeotto, and the Bird Pokémon let out a shrill of a cry as it flapped and steadied itself in the air. Across from it, a Kingler appeared, but Ash's eyes widened at the sight of it. The Kingler was much more bigger than his own, and its claw was the size of Gary himself.

"Looks like Gary evolved that big Krabby of his..." Ash murmured quietly under his breath.

"Go ahead, Ash! Show me what you've got!" Gary stated, and instantly, Ash's eyebrows collided together on his forehead.

"I'll show you! Pidgeotto, Quick Attack!"

"Pijiot-TOH!" The Normal and Flying Pokémon tucked in its wings and shot at Kingler, letting gravity help speed it up as it descended toward the giant Water-type Pokémon.

"Kingler, Harden attack!" Gary countered, and his Pokémon brought its claws closer to its body and a pale blue glow appeared around it. As Pidgeotto slammed into it, Kingler hardly moved, but Pidgeotto bounced off it as though it had just hit a brick wall. "Now use Crabhammer!"

"Back off, Pidgeotto! Hurry!" Ash quickly sputtered. The glow around Gary's Kingler faded, and it reared its large pincer back, but just as it swung, Pidgeotto flapped its wings, pushing air out from them and shooting it backwards at the same time, dodging just in time for Kingler's Crabhammer to strike the air. "If physical attacks won't work then... Pidgeotto, Gust attack!"

"Pigooooo!" Pidgeotto cried, and began to flap its wings powerfully whilst turning its cream-colored belly at Kingler. A strong torrent of wind came out of them, and Kingler struggled for a moment, but when it started to slip backwards, it raised its claws into the air and brought them down. The sharp tips of its claws dug into the ground, and gave it a foothold in which to hold onto.

"Kingler shows off its impressive strength. One hit from that Water-type will surely be the end of any frail Pokémon!"

"It's defenseless now! Pidgeotto, Double-Edge attack!" Switching from Gust to Double-Edge in the blink of an eye, Pidgeotto shot back across the stadium at Kingler, but this time, a emerald green trail of energy was left in its wake.

"Kingler, Guillotine attack!" Gary called, and instantly, Brock gasped behind Ash.

"Ash, watch out!"

"Pidgeotto, dodge it!" Ash quickly cried, but before Pidgeotto could flap its wings to change direction, Kingler reached its larger claw upward and quickly closed it around Pidgeotto. Pidgeotto cried out in pain as the Pincer Pokémon put the squeeze on it before slamming it onto the ground. The brown bird Pokémon fell into a heap of feathers and didn't get back up.

"Pidgeotto is unable to battle! Kingler wins!"

"And Kingler delivers a devastating Guillotine attack that instantly knocks Pidgeotto out of the match and brings Gary his first victory!"

The audience's cheers almost drowned out the noise the billboard made as one of Ash's boxes under his face disappeared, and he bit his lip before pulling Pidgeotto back into its Poké Ball. Not only did that Kingler have strong attacks, but it also had great defense in Harden.

But his next choice was an easy one: if Gary had a Water-type, then he would use a Grass Pokémon. Quickly replacing Pidgeotto's Poké Ball with another, he reared his arm back before throwing it forward. "Bulbasaur, I choose you!"

"Bulbasaur!" the Seed Pokémon announced as it appeared in front of the arena in a flash.

"The green Trainer's next Pokémon is the Grass-type Bulbasaur!"

"Let's start off strong, Bulbasaur! Vine Whip, now!" Bulbasaur nodded and released two vines from underneath the bulb on its back. The pair of dark green vines slithered through the air like snakes straight toward Gary's Kingler.

"Kingler, Harden!" Gary countered, as Ash had predicted. The same blue glow shimmered around Kingler's scarlet shell, and the vines were repelled as they struck out.

But this was all exactly to plan. "Bulbasaur, use your Leech Seed!" Ash said with a triumphant smirk on his face.

"Bulba...ZAUR!" it cried, hopping high into the air. A small seed sprouted in the opening of Bulbasaur's bulb, and it launched into the air. Ash's eyes followed the seed as it arched in the air and landed on Kingler's shell just as the blue glow of its Harden attack faded. Gary's face was stoic as vines dotted with curled up leave buds sprouted from the seed and wrapped themselves around Kingler.

"Ha! Yes! We got it!" the Pallet Town Trainer celebrated with a wave of his fist.

"Kingler, Guillotine attack!" Gary commanded, as if the Leech Seed attack hadn't landed.

"Oo, ee!" the large Pincer Pokémon uttered. It closed its eyes as the vines sizzled and turned red, sapping away its energy, and once it faded, it scuttled sideways toward Bulbasaur, powering through the pain.

Instantly, Ash began to panic, and his eyes widened as Kingler closed in on Bulbasaur. "Oh no! Bulbasaur, Razor Leaf now!"

"No, Ash!" Brock warned, but it was too late.

"Bulb-ba!" his Pokémon exclaimed, and released a spinning cyclone of leaves from its bulb at Kingler.

"Block it!" Gary instructed. The Water Pokémon raised its arms to cover its face as its Trainer commanded it, and the leaves sliced at its shell. The vines sizzled once again as they drained its health, but suddenly, the red glow stopped and when the Razor Leaf had finished, the vines fell apart at Kingler's feet.

"Gary seemed to have outsmarted Ketchum and tricked him into slicing up his own Leech Seed attack!"

"What have I done?!" Ash said with horror and widened eyes.

"Thanks for trimming those pesky hedges, Ash," Gary sneered from across the arena. "Now, Kingler, Crabhammer!" It didn't take long for the large Pincer Pokémon to reach the Grass-type now that it was significantly closer, and Kingler swung its smaller claw at Bulbasaur. The Grass-type managed to dodge this one, but the first one was just a bluff, and once it realized that, its red eyes looked up just in time to see Kingler bring its giant claw down on its head.

"Coookkiiieee!" it yelled, and slammed its claw into Bulbasaur. When it pulled back, the ground was cracked beneath the poor Seed Pokémon, and it was laying on its stomach with swirls in its eyes.

"Bulbasaur is unable to battle! The winner is Kingler!" Ash felt a steel pit fall in his stomach as he looked at his fallen Pokémon in utter disbelief. How could he have been so foolish?

"Be careful, Ash," Brock warned. "Not only is Gary smart, but that Kingler is one tough cookie."

"I know that..." Ash muttered back angrily, but his anger was not directed at Brock, but toward himself. He was already down two Pokémon and he had barely touched Gary's first. "Well, drastic times calls for drastic measures..." he whispered, pulling out his next Poké Ball and tapping the silver button on its face. Waiting for it to grow in his hand, he held it up and threw it high into the air. "I choose you!"

The red and white sphere flew through the air, and let out a flash of light that condensed and formed into a pile of purple sludge. The sludge rose slightly and white eyes opened near the top. "Muuuukk!"

"Ketchum's next choice is a Muk!"

"Muk?!" Ash heard Brock gasped behind him, and the dark-haired boy threw a smirk over his shoulder. "But you've never battled with it!"

"I figured since Kingler did so well, I'd give Muk a shot as well." His brows came down over the tops of his eyes and he looked across at Gary's Kingler. "I'm counting on you, Muk!"

"Muk-muuuk!" it happily responded.

"Kingler, Crabhammer attack!" Gary began, and like before, the Pincer Pokémon scuttled toward Ash's Pokémon, and when it reached Muk, it swung its claw. The large pincer sank into Muk's sludgy body, and simply bounced off it like rubber. Gary's eyes blinked in surprise, but meanwhile Ash's smile grew wider. "What the...? Kingler, again!"

"Ooooeeee!" Another swing of its claw – this time its larger one – and this one managed to move Muk to the side, but like gelatin, it flopped onto its side into a puddle, and then formed back into its usual appearance.

"It seems that no matter how strong the Pokémon is, Muk's body is absorbing those physical attacks like it is nothing!"

"Muk, Poison Gas now!" Ash commanded.

"Muk, muk... KAHHH!" The Pokémon sputtered and released a thick dark green smog from its mouth that surrounded Kingler's body. Seconds later, the Water Pokémon came scuttling out of the smoke with its eyes closed and coughing in pain. A faint purple tint colored its normal scarlet face, but it still stood on its feet and shook away the smog that had surprised it.

"Oh, no! It's been poisoned!" Gary said with surprise.

"Great job, Muk!" Ash encouraged. "Now, let's keep it going! Sludge Bomb, now!" Uttering a short reply, Muk opened its mouth and fired a barrage of dark globs of sludge from its mouth at Kingler.

"Block it with Harden!" the auburn-haired Trainer countered, and though it still seemed to be thrown off by the Poison Gas, Kingler drew its claws close to it and started to glow light blue. The blobs of sludge hit Kingler and were repelled, but then exploded, sending Kingler flying backwards. It landed on its backside, and its whole body shook as it stood, but then it seemed as though it lost all the strength it had and fell on its back.

"Kingler is unable to battle! Muk wins!" The audience cheered, drowning out Gary's cheerleaders cries of despair at the announcement, and Gary's mouth settled to a slight frown as he recalled his Kingler back into its Poké Ball.

"It seems that the poison was too much for Kingler to handle, and Muk has proven itself a resilient battler. Now Oak will have to really think on his feet for his next choice."

Ash's rival only thought for a quiet moment or two before selecting his next choice of Pokémon. Pulling the Poké Ball from his belt, he held it up before throwing it into the air. "I choose you Nidoqueen!"

In seconds, a blue bipedal Pokémon burst from the ball and gave a loud, boisterous cry. It looked just as tough as his giant Kingler, but Ash believed in his Pokémon. "Don't let it intimidate you, Muk! Let's use the same strategy as before! Poison Gas attack!"

"Muuuuukkk!" the Sludge Pokémon bellowed, and opened its mouth wide before releasing a cloud of dark green gas out onto the battlefield. Gary and Nidoqueen stood silently without an ounce of emotion on their face, and in a matter of moments, the smog covered over Nidoqueen's body.

"We got it!" Ash cheered again, but suddenly, Gary spoke up, which made the smile instantly evaporate from his face.

"Strength attack!" Plowing through the smoke like a speeding bus, Nidoqueen gave another loud roar before it dipped its head down and – to the point of almost scraping its nose against the stadium floor – dug its horn into the bottom of Muk's body. The Sludge Pokémon waved its arms around as it was hoisted off the floor and sent soaring into the air.

"Muuuuuuuuukkk!"

"Muk!"

"Use Hyper Beam!" Gary ordered, and as fast as the words left his mouth, Nidoqueen faced its opponent and opened its mouth. An orange ball of energy formed in a matter of moments, and fired forth an orange beam straight at the defenseless Poison-type. The explosion that followed upon impact shook the stadium underneath Ash's feet, and the Pallet Town Trainer's eyes widened as Muk came flying down and slapped against the hard floor where it didn't even make an effort to move.

"Muk is out of the match! Victory to Nidoqueen!" the referee announced, followed by a fanfare of screams and cheers. Ash's teeth peeled back from his lips as his shaking hand held the Poké Ball. Just when he had finally gained a step forward, he had now taken two back.

"You did well, Muk. I'm proud of you," he said, trying to mask his anxiety as he pulled his Pokémon back into its ball.

"You should study," Gary interrupted Ash's thoughts. "Even a novice would know that you can't Poison a Poison-type Pokémon." Ash opened his mouth to shoot back a response, but couldn't seem to find his voice. Instead, his cheeks burned with embarrassment. That was the second time he messed up this match. What was wrong with him?

"Clear your head, Ash; don't let him get to you," Brock supported from the bench behind him. Surprisingly, it did its job, and Brock's voice soothed Ash slightly and helped him find ground to stand on. He turned back and nodded at Brock. "Remember, Nidoqueen has to charge because of Hyper Beam; choose wisely."

"Right!" he nodded again, and plucked a Poké Ball from his belt. "Primeape, I choose you!" Primeape emerged out of the Poké Ball and huffed as it took a battle stance.

"With half of Ash's team defeated, he's putting his faith in Primeape!"

"Nidoqueen's gotta rest after using that Hyper Beam attack," Ash instructed his Fighting-type Pokémon. "Let's hit it hard while we have the chance! Primeape, use Mega Kick, now!"

"Bri! Pri-yah!" Without needing any time to warm up, Primeape charged at Nidoqueen. Its heavy footfalls could be heard pattering against the stadium ground before it leaped into the air and dove at Gary's Nidoqueen with its foot extended. The Drill Pokémon could only watch as the foot drove into its hardened chest armor, and it skidded backwards slightly, but didn't seem too damaged from it.

"Grab it, Nidoqueen!" Gary ordered. As bulky as its arms were, Nidoqueen was able to snatch the Pig Monkey Pokémon's leg with a free hand before it could jump away. "Now use Mega Punch!" Holding Primeape in place, the Poison and Ground Pokémon struck the Fighting-type with a solid blow in the stomach. Ash's Primeape went flying backwards, but flipped in midair and landed back on its feet.

"Are you all right, Primeape?" His Pokémon nodded in reassurance, and the Pokémon Trainer let out a sigh of relief. "Great! Then let's use Thrash attack!"

"Nidoqueen, counter it!" Gary retorted. Both Pokémon charged toward each other and unleashed a variety of strikes upon each other. It wasn't a Pokémon battle anymore, but more of a brawl. As Primeape struck with punches and kicks, Nidoqueen held its bulky arms up to block most of the blows and struck forth with Mega Punches and Double Kicks of its own.

"Both Pokémon are really giving it all they have, and it's now turned into a match at the P-1 Grand Prix! They're really showing us how powerful they really are with blow after blow!"

Ash watched as they struck each other back and forth without tiring. He knew that his Primeape was capable of enduring, but he wasn't sure just how long it would go like this against Gary's well-trained Pokémon. "Primeape's not gonna hold out for much longer..." Ash murmured. While his trusty Fighting-type Pokémon was getting in good shots, he knew that Nidoqueen had better defenses than his own. "Primeape, Seismic Toss!"

"Briyah!" Ducking under a Mega Punch, Primeape lunged forward and wrapped its strong arms around Nidoqueen's waist. With a mighty push, it hoisted Nidoqueen off its feet and into the air. The Poison and Ground Pokémon seemed to be caught off-guard by the attack, and its eyes widened slightly. Bending at the knees, Primeape jumped into the air and spun its body before throwing Nidoqueen into the stadium floor below.

"That Seismic Toss was enough to shake the stadium, but was it enough to knock out Nidoqueen?" The referee watched closely as the dust settled around Nidoqueen, but Gary's Pokémon picked itself up and stood up straight with only minor scrapes on its body.

"Nidoqueen, Double Kick!" Gary called. From the way his face was, it looked as though he hadn't been worried in the slightest. Nidoqueen let out a grunt and then pushed its tail into the ground, launching itself into the air at Primeape. It then stuck both of its feet out and stomped them into Primeape's head. The force of the blow took Primeape off its feet and sent it sliding backwards on its back. And finally, the Fighting Pokémon stopped by Ash's feet, and the Pallet Town Trainer gasped when he saw swirls in his Pokémon's eyes.

"Primeape is out of the match! Victory to Nidoqueen!" the referee cried upon seeing the same results he did. Ash's lip found its way between his teeth for the umpteenth time that match, and this time he could hear Gary's cheerleaders screaming through the audience's cries.

"Gary rocks, Gary rules! He makes Ketchum look a fool!"

Their customized cheer only infuriated Ash, and he could feel his blood boiling beneath his skin. Mostly because they were right. He had made it this far in the Pokémon League competition only to be swept by Gary. "No more," Ash promised, returning Primeape into its Poké Ball and replacing it with another. "This is the turning point! I'm gonna make a comeback, just you wait and see!" Tossing the ball high into the air, he put all of his faith in his throw as if it would power up the Pokémon inside. "Charmeleon, I choose you!"

The red Fire Pokémon emerged from Ash's Poké Ball, and spit out a small stream of fire before glaring up at Nidoqueen. But much to his surprise, Gary held up a Poké Ball and pointed it at Nidoqueen. "Nidoqueen, return!" he called, and a red beam shot out of the center button and hit his Pokémon, converting it into red energy before pulling it inside.

"Gary is recalling his Nidoqueen! Will he perhaps send out a Water Pokémon to counter Ash's Fire-type?"

Ash was surprised by the quick substitution as well, and anxiety gripped his stomach as he waited for Gary's next choice. He thankfully didn't have to wait long, because Gary drew his next Poké Ball and brought it to his mouth. After kissing the shining red cap, he tossed it forward. "Arcanine, I choose you!" A flash of light later and Gary's familiar orange and black striped Pokémon appeared in the plasma released.

"Arroooo!" The Fire-type Pokémon threw its head back and howled, before locking its gaze onto Charmeleon.

"What is he up to?" Ash murmured quietly, but he didn't have a chance to ponder on the thought before Gary called his first attack.

"Arcanine, Take Down attack!"

"Charmeleon, Slash attack!" Ash quickly retorted. Both Pokémon charged at each other and met in the middle of the arena, where both of them leapt at each other. While Arcanine lunged and drove its shoulder into Charmeleon's stomach, the Flame Pokémon slashed at Arcanine's fur with a glowing white claw. Both attacks made direct hit on the other, and they ricocheted off each other before skidding on their feet in unison to face the other Fire-type.

"Flamethrower!" they both exclaimed in unison, and like mirror images of each other, they opened their mouths and sent flames of high intensity from their mouths at the other. The two Fire-type attacks met in the middle, essentially canceling each other out. But neither Pokémon seemed keen on giving up, and continued blowing out flames in an effort to appease their Trainers.

Unfortunately for Charmeleon, Arcanine seemed to have more training, and the former's flames were starting to dissipate while Arcanine's were still going strong. Soon, the Legendary Pokémon's flames overtook Charmeleon's, and the flames enveloped the Fire-type. "Charmeleon!" Ash cried, and when the flames were devoured by the oxygen in the air, Charmeleon was still standing, though it had burns all over its scales and was breathing heavily. "Can you keep going?"

Charmeleon nodded its head, shaking away the pain and giving its Trainer a toothy smirk. "Is it getting hot in here, or is it just the fire?! The two Fire-type Pokémon are really giving it all they got and showing us the red-hot spirit of Fire-type Pokémon that would make even the legendary Moltres proud!"

"Arcanine, Fire Spin attack!" Gary ordered, and right away, Arcanine released another stream of flames from its mouth, but this one aimed at Charmeleon's feet.

Knowing it would come in close and curl around Charmeleon to the point of trapping it, Ash thought fast on his feet. "Charmeleon, Skull Bash attack!" he declared.

"Chaarrrr!" Lowering its head, Charmeleon charged at Arcanine and side-stepped around the stream of fire coming towards it before leaping at Arcanine.

"Dodge it!" Gary shouted, and fast as lightning, Arcanine jumped out of the way as Charmeleon headbutted the air and landed back on its feet.

"Look at the speed on that Arcanine! It's barely a blur!" Arcanine finally stopped to Charmeleon's left and opened its mouth with fire already peeking through its sharp teeth.

"Fire Blast attack, now!"

"Aaaaaarrrrrrkkk!" Arcanine howled, opening its jaw and sending out a blast of fire. The blast quickly morphed into a star-shape and sailed at Charmeleon.

"Charmeleon, look out!" Ash warned, but his Pokémon was too close to Arcanine and the Fire Blast attack was fast. In a blink of an eye, Charmeleon was taken off its feet and carried to the side of the stadium along the Fire Blast. It didn't stop until it hit the barrier where the audience sat, and all eyes nearby looked down to see Charmeleon slide down and fall onto its back.

"Charmeleon has been defeated!" the referee called, raising the red flag in his right hand. Another ping on the monitor up top brought Ash's eyes to it. He only had one glowing box under his face. He almost couldn't seem to find his breath, but held out Charmeleon's Poké Ball. The ball weighed a thousand pounds, but he still managed to get it up and point it at his fainted Pokémon.

"Charmeleon, return," he stated, and within moments his Fire-type Pokémon was back safely inside its Poké Ball.

"Now Ketchum is down to his last Pokémon while Gary Oak still has quite a few that still have yet to make an appearance."

Dark brown eyes glanced back up at the scoreboard. Gary only had one box missing under his face, showing that he still had five Pokémon up his sleeve. The odds didn't seem good, but his last Pokémon was one he believed it. Pulling out his final Poké Ball, he closed his eyes and pushed his hope from his chest into his palm so it would warm the red and white capture device in his hand. "It's all riding on you, now, but if anyone can do it, it's you. I'm counting on you." Rearing his arm back, he threw the ball and as soon as the metal sphere left his fingertips, he opened his mouth. "Blastoise, I choose you!"

The ball opened in midair, and Ash's starter Pokémon came crashing down onto the arena. Its cannons were already out of its shell, locked and loaded. "Blaaaastttoooiiise!" it bellowed.

"Ash's last Pokémon is Blastoise. Arguably Ketchum's most powerful Pokémon we've seen, will it prove to be enough with its shell against the wall?"

"Blastoise, Hydro Pump!" Ash ordered promptly. Aiming true, Blastoise fired a pair of torrents at Arcanine, but like before, Arcanine bolted out of the way, and the attack hit the floor uselessly.

"I thought I told you in our last match, Ash: your Water moves aren't going to hit my Arcanine!" Gary told him as Arcanine sped in circles around Blastoise. Ash's starter stood in place, calmly turning its head this way and that in order to try and keep its eye on it for when it inevitably attacked. "Arcanine, Fire Blast attack now!"

Arcanine skidded in place on Blastoise's right side and opened its mouth, releasing a powerful blast of fire from its mouth. Like the one it had fired before, it too spun before forming into a star-shape, and sailed toward Blastoise. Digging its feet in the dirt, Blastoise held its arms forward before catching the strong Fire-type attack in its palms. Arcanine's strength and special attack was no joke, and even Ash had to admit – silently – that Gary's star Pokémon was well-trained indeed, as the Fire Blast managed to push Blastoise back quite a few feet. "Blow it away with Hydro Pump!" Ash ordered.

Blastoise's teeth were grinding behind peeled back lips as it struggled against the star of flames pushing against it, it finally released a blast of water from its hydro pumps. A loud hiss filled their ears and steam covered the arena as the attack was put out completely. "Ha! Yes! No matter how strong their attacks are, water always puts out fire!" Ash smirked eagerly.

But Gary wasn't going to let up. "Arcanine, Flamethrower!" he heard his rival command. Though he couldn't quite see through the steam, it lit up in a misty orange blast in the center.

"Blastoise, Withdraw!" Ash commanded quickly. Before the attack could reach Blastoise, the Shellfish Pokémon quickly pulled its limbs into its shell, falling onto the lighter side as the Flamethrower attack barely skimmed the dark brown top of it. The Flamethrower also succeeded in breaking apart the mist, and Arcanine and Gary were in full view now. "Now use Skull Bash!"

Blastoise obeyed, and pulled its head and legs out of the dark depths of its shell before launching itself through the air and at Arcanine. The attack made contact with Arcanine, and the force of the Normal-type attack send it skidding backwards. Blastoise ricocheted off Arcanine and flew through the air. Now, Ash wore a grin. "We've got them now!" he called up to his Pokémon. "Now, let's wrap this up! Dig underground!"

"Blaaastt!" Flipping through the air, Blastoise pulled its arms out of its shell and tucked its hydro cannons in before diving downward and crashing through the surface of the arena.

But because of their battle last time, the element of surprise was no longer on their side. In fact, strangely enough, Ash thought he saw Gary... smirk? "Arcanine, go!" his rival ordered, and quick as the wind, Arcanine patted forth on all fours. In a matter of moments, it reached the hole that Blastoise had dug, and took in a deep breath with sparks of red-yellow fire already flickering out between its teeth. It was at that moment that Ash figured out what was going on – they had been waiting for Blastoise to Dig. "Arcanine, Flamethrower attack!"

"Aaaaaarrrrrrrroooooo!" With a mighty howl, Arcanine let out a massive stream of flames down into the hole that Blastoise had dug into. The flames filled the cavern, but nothing could be seen from the angle they were at.

"Blastoise digs underground, but Gary sent his Arcanine to burn Blastoise from behind! What an astounding strategy from young Oak!"

The crowd was silent as Arcanine finished its attack and jumped back to Gary's side of the battlefield. It seemed all eyes were staring in the direction of the hole that Blastoise had dug, and even Brock stood up from his seat and stared with his mouth open in a silent scream. Ash couldn't find his breath, and time seemed to move by slowly, and while he hoped for the best, he was expecting the worst.

After an eternity, movement could be seen, and Blastoise poked its nose out of the hole it had created. Slowly, the Water starter pulled itself out of the hole. Its entire body was burnt and covered with brown spots that Ash wasn't sure were burns or dirt. "Blastoise..." he moaned, and his voice sounded like it was miles away and speaking through an old radio. His starter Pokémon gave one last look at its Trainer before it crawled completely out of the hole and fell onto its stomach limply.

"Blastoise is unable to battle! Victory goes to the team of Gary and Arcanine!"

As the audience cheered all around him, Ash fell to his knees. He was clutching Blastoise's Poké Ball so hard he thought it might break, but he was staring in utter disbelief. Finally, his eyelids pinched together to the point that he saw stars, and held the red and white ball forward. "...Blastoise, return." He could feel the ball vibrate as it pulled his Pokémon back inside, and with his free hand, he swapped his cap back so the brim was over his face. His eyes prickled as tears threatened to escape his eyelids, but he quickly lowered his face. He didn't want Gary to see him cry, even if he was celebrating across the stadium.

Just like that, his adventures in the Pokémon League had come to an end.

"Get up," he heard Gary's voice right above him, and the surprise of it made Ash wince slightly. Quickly using the back of his forearm to wipe any hint of tears from his eyes, the black-haired Trainer jolted up and looked into his rival's eyes. But what he saw wasn't his normal mischievous smirk, but a small smile... and a hand extended. "Thanks for the match, Ashy-boy."

Ash stared down at the hand, a mixture of shock and disbelief coloring his face. His eyes danced between the palm of his rival's hand, and the sincere look on his face. Was he in some other reality? But after a moment of debate, Ash let himself smile just a bit and shook the other Pallet Trainer's hand.

Behind them, even Brock wore a smile on his face as he observed the handshake, and with a nod, he muttered to himself, "From here, they both look like winners to me..."

-end-

Ash:

Party:

Blastoise (Poké Ball)

Moves: Skull Bash, Dig, Hydro Pump, Withdraw

Pidgeotto (Poké Ball)

Moves: Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind, Double-Edge

Bulbasaur (Poké Ball)

Moves: SolarBeam, Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Leech Seed

Charmeleon (Poké Ball)

Moves: Flamethrower, Fire Spin, Skull Bash, Slash

Primeape (Poké Ball)

Moves: Thrash, Mega Kick, Scratch, Seismic Toss

Muk (Poké Ball)

Moves: Poison Gas, Sludge Bomb

At Professor Oak's Lab:

Tauros (Safari Ball) x2

Moves: Fissure, Horn Attack, Take Down

Kingler (Poké Ball)

Moves: Water Gun, Bubble, Crabhammer, Hyper Beam

Badges:

Boulder Badge

Cascade Badge

Thunder Badge

Marsh Badge

Rainbow Badge

Soul Badge

Volcano Badge

Earth Badge

Brock:

Party:

Onix (Poké Ball)

Moves: Tackle, Bind, Dig

Geodude (Poké Ball)

Moves: Seismic Toss, Tackle

Zubat (Poké Ball)

Moves: Whirlwind, Supersonic

Psyduck (Poké Ball)

Moves: Tail Whip, Water Gun, Disable, Confusion

Vulpix (Poké Ball)

Moves: Fire Spin, Flamethrower, Agility, Quick Attack