Chapter Thirty-Four: Skills and Surprises
"That Hadrian guy was awful. I'm glad you're okay," Ash said as he and Serena walked back to the Pokémon Center after the premature end of the Exposition.
("He's lucky I wasn't down there,") Pikachu said darkly. ("I've been mind-controlled a bit too often to let it slide when someone does it to my friends.")
"I'm just glad Sabrina was able to handle him," Serena said. "By the way, she said that she was looking forward to your battle and that she'd be waiting for you."
Ash grinned. "Figures she already knew I was coming," he said. "I can't wait to finally properly battle her."
("I can't believe you're not even using me,") Pikachu said with a shake of his head.
"It's not like I won't use you for any of the other fights," Ash said, "but I think Krookodile, Noctowl, and Noivern can handle it."
("Of course they can, but watching a fight is much harder than actually being in one,") Pikachu said.
"Imagine how I feel in every battle you guys get into," Ash said. "Serena at least gets to perform with her Pokémon, all I can do is give you advice on how to win."
("Yeah, fair point,") Pikachu conceded.
"Would you want to fight for real?" Serena asked. "I mean, every time I've been hit by a Pokémon's moves when they were actually aiming to hurt…I didn't really like it much."
Ash shrugged. "When I synced with Greninja, I felt the hits he took and I could see what he saw, but also with my own eyes. It was really weird, but I wouldn't mind actually fighting too. I've taken more than enough hits from Pokémon already over the years, so I'd probably be fine. Besides, it would only be right; I ask them to fight, so I should at least be willing to do the same."
Serena smiled. It was just like Ash to want to share his Pokémon's pain from battle with them, though she was glad that generally Trainers didn't fight and get hurt in Pokémon battles, given the abilities some Pokémon possessed. Although of course, you also had people like Sabrina, who'd easily stood up to Malamar's Hypnosis.
If there were people who had powers like a Psychic-type, would that mean there were also people who had traits from other types? Would there be people who could use Fire-type attacks? She'd never heard of any, but that didn't mean they didn't exist. Before setting out on her journey, she hadn't really known about people with Psychic-type powers either, after all. And that old man in the haunted house…hadn't he been a ghost? Or had that whole thing been a dream to begin with? Even if it had, though, the world was a big place. Maybe she and Ash would run into other people with powers just like Pokémon at some point on their adventures.
For now, however, she was just happy that Sabrina was using her powers to help people now, instead of turning them into dolls like she apparently used to do. Still, she was strong, and tomorrow Ash would be facing her in a Gym battle. Hopefully he'd be able to pull through. She shot a sideways glance at Ash, who looked as confident as ever, and smiled to herself. He was Ash. Of course he'd pull through.
Early the next morning they made their way over to the Gym, and it didn't really surprise Serena that Sabrina was waiting for them when they arrived. What did surprise her was the Haunter floating next to her.
"Good morning, Ash, Serena," Sabrina said with a smile. Without her eyes glowing red, and with her relaxed smile, she looked far more approachable than she'd done yesterday. "Haunter and I have been eagerly awaiting your arrival."
"Hi, Sabrina, Haunter," Ash said with a smile. "Thanks for helping Serena out yesterday."
Sabrina slowly shook her head. "It was nothing. I was happy to be able to use my powers to help."
Ash grinned and then looked at Haunter. "It's great to see you again, Haunter. Have you stayed here ever since you came with me?" he asked.
Haunter nodded and said something, to which Sabrina nodded in agreement.
"Good to hear," Ash said. "So are you going to fight for Sabrina today?"
Haunter shook his head and Sabrina said, "Haunter is my friend, but he does not officially belong to me. He'll just be watching our fight. Shall we begin?"
Ash nodded eagerly. "Yes, please! I can't wait to show you what my Pokémon and I have learned on our journey — and to see what yours have learned, too."
They followed Sabrina to the court and Serena made her way into the stands, where she called out her Pokémon as she always did.
Haunter noticed Misdreavus and floated over to her, and Serena saw Pancham eyeing him warily, though he said nothing.
Haunter said something to Misdreavus, who cocked her head and said, ("Oh, yeah! You used to live in that old tower, right?")
Haunter nodded excitedly.
"You know each other?" Serena asked.
("Sort of,") Misdreavus said. ("We've run into each other a couple of times, more like, but I didn't hang around for long because I didn't want the competition for food.")
Haunter said something, followed by a laugh, and Misdreavus giggled as well. ("I guess, but still. Scaring people is easier without other ghosts around,") she said.
"You eat fear too?" Serena asked warily.
Haunter shook his head, and knowing that Serena couldn't understand him, Misdreavus translated his reply for her.
("He just enjoys pranking people and scaring them a bit for fun. He and his friends don't really eat anything unless they want to, and then it's usually regular food,") she said.
"So you don't need to eat at all?" Serena asked.
("It's…a bit weird,") Misdreavus said. ("If I eat fear, I get stronger. If I eat regular food, I also get stronger, but not as much as from eating fear. If I don't eat anything at all, I'm fine, but I can't really battle or perform that well because I get tired more easily. I won't starve, though. Kind of hard to die when you're not exactly alive in the first place, although I'm less dead than real spirits. Those guys really are just empty space, basically.")
Haunter pointed at Ash, and Serena was pretty sure she knew what he said, which was confirmed when Misdreavus translated.
("He said he sort of killed Ash and Pikachu once but put their souls back into their body afterwards,") Misdreavus said in surprise.
Serena nodded. "Ash told me. I think that was just before you joined us, actually. I'm just glad he didn't die for real…" she said quietly.
Haunter vehemently said something, and Misdreavus smiled. ("He says he only meant to scare them, and the 'killing' part was an accident, but since they knew they could fix it they just decided to have some fun with it.")
"Still, please don't try to have 'fun' with me. I don't like being scared and I don't think I'd like being dead, either," Serena said to Haunter, who nodded solemnly and then smiled and floated back down to join Sabrina, as the referee had just finished announcing the rules of the battle.
"Alright, Ash, show me how strong you have become! Go, Mr. Mime!" Sabrina said.
"Krookodile, I choose you!" Ash said, and Krookodile and Mr. Mime faced off in the center of the field.
"Use Crunch, Krookodile!"
"Reflect!"
Krookodile lunged forward with glowing fangs, but Mr. Mime drew a rectangle in the air with his hands, creating a shimmering barrier in the air, which seemed to fold along with Krookodile's attack, blunting it before it hit Mr. Mime.
"Dazzling Gleam!"
"Dig!"
Krookodile quickly burrowed beneath the ground, barely avoiding the blast of sparkling light Mr. Mime created in front of himself.
"Move your Reflect beneath you," Sabrina instructed, and Mr. Mime seemed to fuse his Reflect screen to his fingertips before pulling it underneath himself.
Ash seemed to have been waiting for that, because he smirked and yelled, "Now, Krookodile!"
Krookodile burst out of the ground behind Mr. Mime at an angle, slamming into him hard from his unprotected side.
"Follow up with Crunch!"
"Dazzling Gleam!"
Mr. Mime turned around in midair, and the moment he got hit with the Crunch, he managed to fire off another Dazzling Gleam. When the sparkles cleared up, Krookodile still stood, albeit slightly worse for wear, but Mr. Mime lay supine, miming weakly, but also clearly knocked out.
"Mr. Mime is unable to battle! Krookodile wins!" the referee announced.
"Great job, Krookodile!" Ash yelled happily.
Krookodile turned around and grinned at him, cockily adjusting his sunglasses.
("Looking cool, dude!") Pancham yelled approvingly. Krookodile gave him a thumbs-up.
Sabrina recalled Mr. Mime. "Thank you for your efforts. Rest, now," she said. "Well done, Ash! I can see that you have grown. But the real battle begins now! Go, Hypno!"
Ash grinned back at her. "You too! I didn't think about Mr. Mime's Fairy-typing for a second, but it worked out… And thanks for actually giving the commands instead of just using telepathy."
"You and Haunter showed me the risks of that approach. I have chosen to learn from my mistakes," Sabrina said.
"Good to hear. Now, Krookodile, return. Noctowl, I choose you!"
Noctowl appeared with a faint sparkle and stared down Hypno, who looked up at him with his pendant lazily swinging from side to side. Even from the distance from which Serena was watching the fight, looking at the pendant made her feel a bit sleepy, so she quickly looked away and focused on Noctowl instead.
"Alright, Noctowl, Air Slash!"
"Hypnosis, Hypno!"
Hypno raised his pendant, but Noctowl simply gave it an unimpressed look and sharply flapped his wings, sending light-blue sickles of light flying at Hypno and slamming into him.
"Noctowl's Ability is Insomnia," Ash said. "I figured you'd try to have one of your Pokémon use Hypnosis, so I brought someone to deal with that."
"Commendable, but that foresight alone won't be enough to win. Zen Headbutt!"
Hypno leapt up, his forehead glowing pink, and he slammed it into Noctowl, who was knocked back but recovered quickly.
"Sky Attack, Noctowl, let's go!"
Noctowl flew up high, and white-gold aura began to form around his body.
"Prepare, Hypno. Once Noctowl attacks, use Zen Headbutt once more!"
Noctowl reached his apex and tucked in his wings momentarily, before spreading them and sending himself flying at Hypno with one powerful beat.
Hypno, meanwhile, lowered and widened his stance, his forehead glowing pink once again.
The two attacks met with tremendous force, but when the dust cleared both Noctowl and Hypno still seemed to be able to fight on, though they'd clearly taken a lot of damage.
"Peck, Noctowl, go!"
Noctowl beat his wings and flew forward, his beak glowing, and then Sabrina said, "Now, Hypno! Dodge and Thunder Punch!"
Hypno sidestepped Noctowl's attack, and then swung his right fist, which crackled with electricity, smashing Noctowl into the ground and cleanly knocking him out.
"Noctowl is unable to battle! Hypno wins!" the referee said, and Ash recalled Noctowl with a wince.
"You did a good job, buddy. Thank you," he said. "Another surprise. You're really strong," he said to Sabrina, but his expression was happy, and Serena knew he loved the challenge he was facing. "Okay, then, Krookodile, I choose you!"
Krookodile appeared once more, clearly not fully recovered from the damage he took from fighting Mr. Mime, but looking less battered than Hypno.
"Crunch, Krookodile!"
"Hypnosis, Hypno!"
Hypno raised his pendant once again, and Krookodile didn't have Noctowl's immunity — but despite that, he sank his fangs into Hypno's shoulder and brutally slammed him into the ground, before standing up straight with a roar.
"Hypno is unable to battle! Krookodile wins!" the referee announced.
Ash grinned. "You're not the only one with surprises. When I was preparing for this fight, I told Krookodile that if he faced someone who could use Hypnosis, he should just close his eyes because his opponent would be standing still anyway, and then carry on with his attack."
("That's actually pretty clever,") Delphox said with an impressed look.
Serena nodded. "It is," she said with a smile. Now Ash was in the lead again…
Sabrina had recalled Hypno by now and looked at Ash approvingly. "I had expected no less from you," she said. "So now, it comes down to my final Pokémon. He was very pleased when he heard you were coming back. Go, Alakazam! It's your turn!"
Alakazam appeared, and though he looked austere, Serena could still see him giving a small smirk.
"Alright, Krookodile! Just hang in a little longer, then! Dragon Claw!"
"Dazzling Gleam, Alakazam!"
Krookodile lunged forward, his claws glowing, but Alakazam crossed his spoons and blasted Krookodile with shimmering light, forcing him back.
"Alright, then, Dig!" Ash yelled, and Krookodile shook off the effects of Alakazam's attack before burrowing underground once more.
"Miracle Eye, Alakazam."
Alakazam's eyes glowed purple and he scanned the floor beneath him.
"Now, use Psychic!"
Serena watched in awe as Alakazam spread his spoons wide, a blue glow appearing around them, and then forcefully yanked Krookodile out of the ground, before slamming him back down.
"Krookodile is unable to battle! Alakazam wins!" the referee said.
Ash seemed momentarily stunned, and Serena could understand why, but then he grinned again. "Miracle Eye, huh? The surprises just don't stop with you, do they?" he asked, recalling Krookodile. "You did really well, Krookodile, now have a good rest. Noivern, I choose you!"
Noivern appeared and spread his wings wide, glaring defiantly at Alakazam, whose eyes still glowed from his use of Miracle Eye.
"Go, Noivern, Acrobatics!"
"Psychic, Alakazam!"
Noivern darted around the battlefield, his movements too fast for Serena to properly track, but Alakazam seemed to be able to follow them easily, and when Noivern began his final charge, Alakazam raised his spoons, which once again glowed blue, and changed Noivern's trajectory with his powers, causing him to crash into the ground at top speed.
"Noivern! Are you okay?" Ash called out, and Noivern quickly jumped back to his feet.
("I'm fine!") he called back.
"Good, then use Boomburst!"
"Shadow Ball, Alakazam!"
Noivern took off again and his ears began to glow white, static crackling around the edges, while Alakazam created a dark-purple ball in front of himself.
They fired their attacks at the same time, but Noivern's Boomburst dissipated the Shadow Ball with ease and the soundwaves hit Alakazam with tremendous force, great enough to make the floor around him crack.
Alakazam staggered back, clearly disoriented from the noise.
"Now, Noivern, Dragon Claw!"
"Alakazam, use Psychic!"
Alakazam raised his spoons, but he was too late. Noivern had already closed the distance and hit Alakazam with a glowing green claw, blasting him into the wall on the side of the battlefield.
"Alakazam is unable to battle! Noivern wins, which means the victory goes to Ash!" the referee said.
"Yes! Great job, Noivern! You got him!" Ash yelled, and Noivern happily flew back to him to accept the celebratory hug.
Sabrina recalled Alakazam and thanked him, and then walked over to Ash with a smile.
"Congratulations, Ash. You have truly shown me how strong you have become, and it is with great pride I once again give you the Marsh Badge," she said, handing over the badge.
"Thanks, Sabrina. Your Pokémon were really strong, too," Ash said as they shook hands.
Then he looked up at Serena in the stands and held up his badge. "Yes! We've won the Marsh Badge!" he yelled.
"Congratulations, Ash! Well done!" Serena yelled back, followed by her Pokémon congratulating him as well.
Haunter floated over to Ash and 'hugged' him, instead phasing right through him and grinning at Pikachu instead, who jumped back in surprise. Haunter laughed, and though Pikachu momentarily gave him an annoyed glare, he quickly joined in with the laughter.
"Thanks, Haunter," Ash said after Haunter had congratulated him for real. "It was great to see you again, too."
Serena recalled her Pokémon and joined Ash and Sabrina down on the field.
"Ash, Serena, now that our battle has been concluded, there is something I should tell you," Sabrina said. "You know that I possess the gift of precognition. I have foreseen that something dangerous awaits in all of our futures, and that the two of you will be instrumental in how those events play out. Frustratingly, I have been unable to see what the outcome of the events will be. It's as if something is interfering with my abilities whenever I attempt it. Whatever lies ahead for the two of you…be careful."
("Us? Getting caught up in mysterious and dangerous events? That's never happened before,") Pikachu said with a sigh.
"Be that as it may, I would not like to see either of you get hurt," Sabrina said.
"We'll watch ourselves, Sabrina. Thank you for the warning," Ash said. "Did you see when this will happen?"
Sabrina shook her head. "Sadly, no. I believe it will take some time still, but it will likely not be more than a few months at most," she said.
("So around the League, then. Good to know the universe is regular like clockwork,") Pikachu said. ("Maybe Dawn was right and we really do attract trouble.")
"At this point, I wouldn't be surprised," Ash agreed. "But we'll deal with whatever comes our way. I'm sure we'll manage somehow," he said with a smile.
Sabrina returned the smile and said, "I admire your optimism, so although I don't entirely share it…I will put my trust in your abilities. Now, go and enjoy yourselves. You have a long journey ahead, and I don't want to keep you from it. If you find yourselves in the city, feel free to drop by. Haunter will enjoy it, too."
"We will, Sabrina. Thank you, and goodbye for now!" Ash said, and raising his hand in greeting, he turned around.
"Thank you again for your help at the Exposition," Serena said with a small bow. "Until next time."
She wanted to turn around and follow Ash, but Sabrina said, "Wait just one more moment."
Serena gave her a quizzical look and Sabrina said, "I have seen…some other glimpses, whilst trying to discover what you and Ash will be up against…you will find the moment you're looking for."
Serena immediately realized what Sabrina was referring to and felt her cheeks heat up. "You know…?"
Sabrina nodded. "Don't worry, I did not see much, and it was Haunter who sensed your worries, not I. I no longer read the minds of others without express permission. But I saw enough to hopefully be able to alleviate your fears somewhat. You will find the right time."
Serena smiled, suddenly feeling extremely light. "Thank you," she said happily.
Though her thoughts about finding the right moment to kiss Ash hadn't been at the forefront of her mind in the buildup to the Exposition and the events during it, she hadn't realized just how much they'd been bothering her in the background until Sabrina had just told her she'd find her chance.
She looked at Haunter and added, "And thank you too, for telling Sabrina about it."
Haunter gave her a wide smile.
Serena bowed to Sabrina and Haunter once more and then followed Ash outside. She was looking forward to their next adventure already.
Okay, Miracle Eye technically doesn't allow you to hit Pokémon who are underground with Dig, but this still fits the spirit of the move and it's something the anime might go for as well, so I'm okay with it. I also wanted to give Noivern a good win for a change, so I figured I might as well do it now, although I suppose Noctowl doesn't have a great record either. Oh well.
I'm not sure if I'll be able to post tomorrow, but if I don't then I'll manage on Monday. See you then!