Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, or any other property in this work that I did not make myself.
Pokémon: Sinnoh no Isekai
Chapter One-hundred and twenty-seven: Clubsplosion Conundrum, part two
It was the second day of the Clubsplosion tournament in Ambiga Town, Unova. The heroes saw that most of them made up the contestants in round two; indeed, aside from that Betty girl who would be battling Ash, round two contained only the heroes and friends of theirs. Dawn, who chose not to enter so she'd have extra time getting Pina to fully master Brick Break and Earthquake, was back in the seats with the rest of the audience, once again having Chi-Chi out for company. Joining Dawn and Chi-Chi was Bianca, the only one of the heroes who entered the Clubsplosion who didn't make it into round two; Bianca and her shiny Haxorus were eliminated by Trip and his Electivire, Fourze.
"Winning would have helped me become stronger," Bianca said in a sad tone, "Strong enough to potentially take down that jerk who killed my father."
"Defeat teaches just as much as victory, if not more so," Dawn said, "Even if you only watch defeat and not receive it yourself." Turning to look down into the arena, Dawn said, "Now you ought to try keeping quiet. Ash's battle against that Betty girl is about to start."
True to what Dawn said, Ash was about to fight the first battle of round two against Betty, who was using her Simipour. As Dawn secretly hoped Ash's Scrafty would strike Simipour in its stupid closed-eyed smiling face that she hated so much, the battle was commenced, much to the excitement of the roaring audience who was eager to see the Clubsplosion tournament continue.
"Simipour, use Aqua Tail!" Betty called out.
"Scrafty, use Headbutt!" Ash commanded.
The two Pokémon rushed one another, with Simipour's tail cloaked in surging water, while Ash's Scrafty did a simple charge with its head leading the way. Scrafty was the faster, and not only did it land its attack on Simipour, but Simipour was struck smack dab in its face, eliciting a cheer from Dawn in the audience. The strike had also made Simipour flinch, giving Scrafty an opportunity to deal another wicked blow. A chance that Ash fully intended to capitalize on.
"Scrafty, use High Jump Kick!" Ash called out.
Scrafty jumped up really high, then came soaring down right at the stunned Simipour. Just as Simipour had shaken off the stun, it got struck in its face again (drawing another cheer out of Dawn in the audience in the process), and sending it skidding back on the ground, even kicking up a trail of dust in the process. When the skidding on the ground stopped and the dust settled, everyone saw that Simipour had been defeated. "Simipour is unable to battle," Don George who was the referee called out, "The winner is Scrafty!" Gesturing to Ash, Don George went on, "Ash advances to the semifinals!"
As Ash cheered upon being declared the winner of his round two battle, Dawn and Bianca let out relieved sighs. Ash's victory here meant that only one of the heroes, or someone who's friends with them, will win the Clubsplosion tournament. But that begs the question; who among the heroes and their friends will claim victory? This was especially important as not only are there some competitors who weren't in the Clubsplosion in the BW anime in Dawn's previous life, but a lot of the competitors are using Pokémon that didn't appear in said event in the anime.
...
"The second battle of round two will be between Cilan and Ideku!" Don George said as he began to officiate the match between Cilan and Ideku, "Last trainer with their Pokémon still standing wins! Begin!"
"Go, Pansage!" Cilan said, sending his Pansage out into battle.
Tossing up an Ultra Ball, Ideku said, "Go, Tornupto!" Coming out to greet Cilan's Pansage in battle was Tornupto, Ideku's alpha Hisuian Typhlosion.
Gesturing forward, Cilan said, "Pansage, use Rock Tomb!"
"Tornupto, counter with Infernal Parade!" Ideku called out.
Pansage made large rocks appear to try to fall down around Tornupto, but the alpha Hisuian Typhlosion's Infernal Parade blocked all the rocks with one myrad fireball each. Also, one of those myrad fireballs flew past the Rock Tomb barrage and clipped Pansage on its side, dealing some moderate damage and even inflicting a burn on Pansage as well. "Pansage, try fighting through the pain and use Bullet Seed!" Cilan ordered.
"Tornupto, use Flamethrower!" Ideku called out.
As Pansage fired a Bullet Seed attack at Tornupto, Tornupto itself unleashed a blasting fire breath weapon attack, which burnt up the Bullet Seed as it tried flying at Tornupto, then going on to blast Pansage itself, making Pansage cry out in pain. After the Flamethrower attack had ended, Pansage was seen standing still for a moment before it eventually fell over backwards, clearly defeated. "Pansage is unable to battle!" Don George called out, "The winner is Typhlosion!" Gesturing over to Ideku, Don George went on, "Ideku advances to the semifinals!"
As the audience cheered over Ideku's victory, Bianca in the audience said, "Aww, Cilan lost."
"Well that's kind of to be expected," Dawn remarked, prompting Bianca to turn to look at her. "Cilan was fielding his Pansage against Ideku's Typhlosion who, in the round prior to this one, defeated Pansage's evolved form Simisage without much difficulty." Looking down where Ideku stood after he had recalled Tornupto, Dawn went on, "...If I'm correct, then Ideku will be facing Ash in the semifinals."
"You think Ash can win?" Bianca asked.
Dawn closed her eyes as she wore a serious expression of consideration on her face. "...I'm not sure. Granted, on paper Ash seems to have an advantage, given that Ideku's Typhlosion is the Hisuian variant that's dual fire ghost rather than pure fire like the bog standard, and Ash is using Scrafty which is part dark type. But a lot of Scrafty's moves won't work on Typhlosion due to the partial ghost typing, meaning unless Ash had Scrafty learn a dark move to compliment Scrafty's dark typing, then Scrafty might fall in battle to Typhlosion despite the advantage."
"Oh, Ash's Scrafty knows how to use Crunch," Bianca confirmed.
Dawn nodded once, showing some relief. "Then Ash does have a chance against Ideku."
...
The next battle of round two saw Iris prepare to square off with Trip. After the battle was commended, Iris sent out Excadrill while Trip sent out Fourze, his Electivire. "Aha!" Iris boasted, "You're using an electric type Pokémon, whereas Excadrill is a part ground type! I have this in the bag so bad, I can already taste the semifinals!" With a confident gesture forward, Iris called out, "Excadrill, use Dig!"
"Fourze, use Earthquake!" Trip called out, drawing a surprised look out of Iris.
Excadrill, before it could hear what Trip had ordered, immediately dug underground and was preparing to go right for Fourze in order to burst out from the ground to strike at the named Electivire. But said named Electivire, after Excadrill had used dig and was underground at the time, triggered his Earthquake attack, violently shaking the ground with seismic waves. Being underground when Earthquake went off doubled the damage that Excadrill took, and it took double damage again due to being part steel type thus weak to ground attacks.
The end result was Excadrill being popped out of the ground before landing hard on the ground about a meter from Iris's feet, clearly out of it. "Excadrill is unable to battle!" Don George declared, "The winner is Electivire! Trip moves on to the semifinals!"
Iris looked a mixed of shocked and surprised that Trip had pulled this surprise, upset win from out of nowhere. Up in the audience, Dawn and Bianca were watching, with Dawn giving a gentle sigh. "...I guess Iris wasn't expecting Trip's Electivire to know Earthquake," Dawn remarked.
"Wow..." Bianca said, "...And in one hit. Talk about strong." Bianca wondered if Trip would be strong enough to take down Admin Swordsman, head of Team Scorn's Longsword Sector, and the man who killed Bianca's father. And if so, how Bianca could go about getting some of that kind of power to use for her quest to avenge the death of her father at Swordsman's blade.
...
"This last battle of round two will see Stephan face off against Kenny," Don George declared, "Last trainer whose Pokémon is still standing wins and moves onto the semifinals!" Throwing a hand up into the air, Don George called out, "Begin!"
"Go, Sawk!" Stephan said, seding out his Sawk.
"Okay, Priestess," Kenny said as he sent out his named alpha Hisuian Lilligant, "Let's make it cringe!"
Pointing forward, Stephan said, "Sawk, use Double Kick!"
"Priestess, use Poison Jab!" Kenny called out.
The two fighting Pokémon rushed one another, but while Sawk was able to land both hits with Double Kick, Priestess landed her Poison Jab which had also poisoned Sawk. Seeing his Sawk under a status ailment, Stephan gritted his teeth. "Sawk, use Karate Chop!" Stephan ordered.
Gesturing forward, Kenny commanded, "Priestess, use Drain Punch!"
The two Pokémon once more engaged in close quarters combat, but Priestess was quicker and dealt a devastating blow with Drain Punch, healing up what damage she took from Double Kick before Sawk's Karate Chop could land. The two Pokémon jumped away from one another, but the damage from Poison Jab and Drain Punch, topped with how it took two hits from its poisoning, left Sawk on the edge. Seeing this, Kenny decided that now would be a good time for him to strike while the iron was blistering hot.
"Priestess," Kenny called out, "Use Aerial Ace!"
Stephan looked worried when he heard Kenny call for what would deal super effective damage to his Sawk. "Sawk, get out of there!" Stephan called out. Sawk tried to move, but his injury plus Priestess's speed left him no hope there; Priestess struck true with Aerial Ace, and sent Sawk flying back before he landed with his back on the ground. He skidded for a bit until he came to a stop, and when Sawk stopped, everyone saw that he had been knocked out. "Sawk is unable to battle," Don George announced, "The winner is Lilligant!" Gesturing over to where Kenny stood, Don George announced, "Kenny moves onto the semifinals!"
Pumping both of his fists into the air, Kenny cheered, "Woot! Another win for the power of cringe!" With Kenny's win, the second round of the Clubsplosion tournament had been brought to a close. But the second round was only a taste of what awaited in the semifinals, which would be held later that day in the afternoon after Ash, Trip, Kenny, and Ideku had a chance to have their Pokémon be rested. The semifinals would be seeing Ash face Ideku and Trip face Kenny. Dawn and Bianca knew that their friends needed them to support them, so they were going to be there.
"Grr!" Iris complained, "I can't believe that I lost! Now I don't have a chance to put Ideku in his place for tattling on Skyla!"
Leaning to his side towards Trip, Ash whispered to him, "And yet she has the nerve to call other people little kids." Trip had to snort back a laugh, not to mention conceal his glee over Ash being on such friendly terms with him.
"Well we ought to take what losses we suffered as lessons to learn from and grow to be better than we are now," Cilan said, "Losing isn't the end of the wor-"
*clap* *clap* *clap*
Cilan was cut off when he and the others heard someone clap as if giving sincere applause. Turning around, the heroes saw Ideku standing there, looking at Cilan with an approving expression. "Now that is a proper professional attitude," said the roaming trainer from Johto, "That Skyla girl back in Mistralton City can learn a thing or two from you, Cilan."
Iris was about to get up to go get up in Ideku's face, but Kenny and Trip held her back. "Thanks, Ideku," Cilan said, "And given that I'm one of the triplet brothers who leads the gym in Striaton City, I actually do know how to be a professional."
Ideku nodded once to Cilan before turning to look at Ash. "Hey Ash," Ideku began, "I was wanting to ask you something about the battle we'll have with one another in the semifinals."
"Oh?" Ash replied, "What's that?"
"Does your Scrafty know any moves that work on ghost Pokémon?" Ideku asked, "Because I only saw it use a mix of Brick Break, High Jump Kick, and Headbutt in rounds one and two. Two fighting attacks and a normal attack."
Nodding once, Ash said, "My Scrafty also knows Crunch. Why do you-"
"Good," Ideku said, "I am relieved then."
Some of the heroes looked confused by Ideku expressing relief that Ash's Scrafty was capable of damaging ghost type opponents. "...Wait, why are you relieved that Ash's Scrafty knows Crunch?" Iris asked, suspicious of Ideku's intent, "It's a dark type move, and I got it your special Typhlosion is part ghost type. Wouldn't it be more logical for you to feel relieved if Ash's Scrafty didn't know anything that could hurt your special Typhlosion? Because that would mean you'd have an easy time winning and moving on to the finals."
Turning to look at Iris, Ideku said, "If Ash's Scrafty DIDN'T know anything that could work on Tornupto, then I'd look into having Ash be allowed to use a different Pokémon that WAS able to fight back so that he'd stand a sporting chance against me. As much as I want to win, I want my opponent to have a chance to win as well, otherwise winning has no value." Turning to look at Ash, Ideku said, "Winning isn't worth it if it's not fair."
"I couldn't agree more," Ash replied, offering Ideku a warm and sincere smile, "Thanks for being considerate, Ideku."
Nodding once in acknowledgement, Ideku then turned around and took off. After Ideku was gone, Iris said, "Ash, you had better beat him. He needs to have some of that smug attitude knocked out of him."
Turning to look at Iris, Ash with a curious and mildly annoyed look on his face said, "What smug attitude are you talking about? He was being completely sportsmanlike and considerate just now." Clenching a hand shut tight into a fist, Ash said, "And I'm going to be repaying that good attitude in kind by giving Ideku a battle he won't be forgetting anytime soon."
"You had better win, Ash," Kenny said, "Because I want to face you in the final round. I got my loss against you in the Lily of the Valley Conference back in Sinnoh to avenge, after all."
"That'll have to wait, Kenny," Trip remarked, "Because I'M going to be battling Ash in the final round!"
Turning to look at Ash, Bianca said, "Wow, Ash, you must be a really great trainer if so many people want to have a crack at battling you!"
Ash couldn't help but chuckle in appreciation. "Yeah, it's kind of flattering that there's a lot of people who think highly of me." The heroes were able to laugh away their worried for the time being, up until the semifinal round was called for. Cilan and Iris would join Dawn and Bianca in the audience, given Ash, Kenny, and Trip were still fighting in the Clubsplosion tournament. The semifinals would see one of the heroes fight a friend, and two more of the heroes fight each other. Depending on how things went, the heroes might see an overall win for their group.
But that depended on how things went.
"This semifinal battle will be between Ash and Ideku!" Don George announced, "The last trainer whose Pokémon is still standing will move onto the final round!" After throwing both of his hands into the air, Don George called out, "BEGIN!"
"Scrafty, I choose you!" Ash called out, sending out his Scrafty into battle.
Tossing up an Ultra Ball, Ideku said, "Go, Tornupto!" Comng out into battle was Ideku's named alpha Hisuian Typhlosion.
Gesturing forward, Ash said, "Scrafty, use Crunch!"
"Tornupto, use Flamethrower!" Ideku ordered.
As Scrafty ran in to deal a powerful biting blow to Tornupto, Tornupto breathed a powerful fiery breath weapon attack at Scrafty, scoring a grazing hit on Scrafty's left side before Scrafty got close enough to bite down. Bite down Scrafty did, and it did so hard on Tornupto's left thigh, eliciting a pained cry from Tornupto. But Scrafty soon let go and fell back, hissing in pain as it covered its left side. When Scrafty lowered its hands, it was seen that Scrafty's left side had a notable burn mark on it.
"Scrafty has been burned," Cilan in the audience said in a worried tone, "Oh boy, this doesn't look good for Ash."
Down in the arena, Ideku ordered, "Tornupto, use Infernal Parade!"
"Scrafty, use Crunch again!" Ash commanded.
Given that Tornupto was still right there, Scrafty didn't have to run in from a distance, it was able to just lurch forward and bite down, this time on Tornupto's right front paw. But this left Scrafty at point blank range for Infernal Parade; even though Scrafty is a part dark type with its secondary type not nixing its resistance to ghost, it was still hit hard by Tornupto's Infernal Parade due to suffering from a status ailment. Gesturing forward, Ideku called out, "Tornupto, use Swift to push Scrafty away!"
"Scrafty, counter the Swift with Brick Break!" Ash ordered.
Swinging around its chopping hands quickly, Scrafty blocked most of the Swift stars Tornupto cast at it. Most because two of the Swift stars in the end were able to get in and strike Scrafty, and on the burn mark no less. "Tornupto, use Infernal Parade!" Ideku called out.
The named alpha Hisuian Typhlosion cast another myrad fireballs attack at Scrafty, blasting right into the dual dark fighting type and kicking up a huge cloud of dust. "Scrafty!" Ash called out, "Are you okay?!" The audience seemed to be on the edge of their seats, but cheered excitedly when Scrafty, a determined look on its face, had burst out from the dust cloud and rushed right in at Tornupto. "Alright, Scrafty!" Ash said, "Use Crunch!"
"Tornupto, use Flamethrower!" Ideku called out.
Tornupto fired another fiery breath weapon attack at Scrafty, who was able to dodge around it before getting in close enough to deal a strong hit with Crunch on Tornupto's right shoulder, even with Scrafty's burn halving its physical damage output. As Tornupto stumbled back, Ash said, "Scrafty, use Crunch again!" Lurching forward, Scrafty bit down hard on Tornupto's left shoulder this time, eliciting a pained cry that sounded more intense than the others; Dawn in the audience thought that it was due to Scrafty's Crunch landing a lucky critical hit.
A critical hit it was, for after Scrafty fell back to get its feet back on the ground, Tornupto fell over onto the ground, clearly out of it. "Typhlosion is unable to battle!" Don George said, "The winner is Scrafty!" Gesturing to Ash, Don George announced, "Ash moves onto the final round!"
Ideku, after recalling Tornupto, smiled warmly at Ash. "...Not bad, Ash," Ideku said, "I'm going to be completely honest with you. You... you are actually the first person that I ever lost a battle to."
Ash looked surprised by Ideku's confession. "Really?"
Ideku nodded in the affirmative. "Really. I really have been undefeated until you ended my streak. Although I'm glad that the one to end said streak was someone like you, a trainer who understands and appreciates the value of fair play." The two trainers then shook hands, which was started at Ideku's offer and sealed on Ash acceping it. Given that Ash had won, the heroes' group was now guaranteed the year's supply of vitamins regardless who it was between Ash, Kenny, and Trip that ended up in the first place spot in the end.
...
"He left Ambiga Town?"
Later, during an intermission between the two battles in the semifinal round, the heroes were wondering where Ideku had gone off to, only to learn from Stephan who saw it that Ideku had left Ambiga Town to make his way right to Icirrus City. "He said that since he's no longer in the Clubsplosion tournament, that he wanted to get right on back to his journey to Icirrus City so he can battle the gym leader there to earn a badge," Stephan explained, "Ideku also said something about wanting to look into some place located close to Icirrus City, but didn't say anything on that matter before leaving."
"Ha!" Iris laughed in a boasting tone, "He probably didn't wanna stick around to be shamed for being a little kid who tattles on others, given that he had lost his battle with Ash and therefore wouldn't be able to talk back."
Dawn pinched the space between her eyes. "...Odin above in Valhalla," Dawn muttered to herself under her breath. Speaking up normally next, Dawn went on, "So Kenny, Trip! You two will be battling one another in the other semifinal round! How do you guys think you'll do?"
"Oh I am in it to win it," Kenny said, "Then after I cream Trip, Ash and I will have a rematch that's a long time coming!"
"I beg to differ," Trip said, "For it is I who will win our battle rather than you, and get to go on to battle Ash!"
Leaning to her side towards Ash, Bianca whispered to him, "It seems getting a shot at battling you is more of a prize to them than the actual prize for winning first in the Clubsplosion."
Ash smirked in sincere amusement. "Well I'm just glad I'll get one awesome battle in the final round either way."
A short while later, Trip and Kenny faced off in the last semifinal battle of the Clubsplosion. "This semifinal battle will be between Kenny and Trip," Don George announced, "The last trainer with their Pokémon still standing will move onto the final round!" Throwing both of his hands up into the air, Don George then called out, "BEGIN!"
"Okay, Priestess," Kenny said as he sent in his alpha Hisuian Lilligant, "Let's make it cringe!"
"Alright, Fourze!" Trip said as he sent in his Electivire, "Let's rock it!"
Pointing forward, Kenny said, "Priestess, use Poison Jab!"
"Fourze, use Fire Punch!" Trip called out.
Both Pokémon rushed in at one another, with Priestess striking with Poison Jab and poisoning Fourze, and Fourze striking with Fire Punch and burning Priestess. Fire Punch not only inflicted a burn but it was also super effective; Kenny knew that and knew that he had to pick up the pace if he wanted to win this. "Priestess, use Drain Punch!" Kenny called out.
"Fourze, use Ice Punch!" Trip ordered.
Although Priestess was slightly faster thus she struck first, she was only able to heal a little bit more than the pain she suffered from her burn the first time it pained her when she hit Fourze with Drain Punch. And Fourze was more than able to make up for it with the Ice Punch he threw into Priestess's stomach, although he was pained by his poisoning immediately afterwards. The battle would be ended within the next few attacks, both of the reborn trainers battling one another knew that, so it was best for them to either go big or go home.
Gesturing forward, Kenny called out, "Priestess, use Leaf Blade!"
"Fourze, use Fire Punch again!" Trip called out.
The two close quarters fighters went at one another again, Priestess striking Fourze with Leaf Blade and even scoring a critical hit. But Fourze was able to push on through, and landed his Fire Punch right on the burn mark he left on Priestess the first time he hit her with Fire Punch. The alpha Hisuian Lilligant cried out in pain before she stumbled backwards and fell over onto the ground, clearly out of it. "Lilligant is unable to battle," Don George called out, "The winner is Electivire! Trip moves onto the final round!"
Up where she sat in the audience with most of the rest of the group, Dawn nodded to herself once in acknowledgement; the final round would end up seeing Ash face off against Trip, and no doubt Kenny was at least somewhat annoyed he couldn't get a shot at a rematch against Ash. Still, the final battle of the Clubsplosion was going to be a treat to see, given that it'll pit Ash against Trip.
The first Ash versus Trip battle here, now that Dawn thought about it. Huh, weird.
END, CHAPTER ONE-HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVEN
Author's notes;
This chapter saw the second and third rounds of the Clubsplosion tournament here, with Ash and Trip ultimately making it to the final round to face off against one another. But more than that has been put out there; Kenny stated an interest in avenging his loss against Ash in the Lily of the Valley Conference back in Sinnoh, and now Ideku has battled Ash as well. There will be another chance for an Ash versus Ideku battle in the future, as I'm wanting to establish something of a friendly rivalry between the two of them, one that will be tested during the League Conference for Unova once everyone has enough badges.
But that's not here or there. The next chapter will see the final battle of the Clubslposion tournament, then after that the heroes will continue to make their way over to Icirrus City to look into challenging the gym there. Don't turn that dial.
Dawn's Pokémon: (on hand) Chi-Chi (female Infernape), Germany (male Garchomp), Zatch (male Hariyama; shiny), Pina (female Haxorus), Foamy (male Pachirisu), Tsukune (Palkia)
Kenny's Pokémon: (on hand) Godzilla (male Tyranitar), Giyu (male Samurott; Hisuian), Juan (male Pikachu; Libre), Black (Giratina; Origin Form), Priestess (female Lilligant; alpha; Hisuian), Shallot (male Glaceon)
Trip's Pokémon: (on hand) Metroid (female Galvantula), Tsunade (female Gastrodon; east sea), Myde (male Empoleon), Veda (female Abomasnow), Deelia (Dialga), Fourze (male Electivire)
Ash's Pokémon: (on hand) Pikachu (male), Krokorok (male; Sunglasses), Scrafty (male), Tranquil (female), Servine (female), Jellicent (female)