Chapter 17

We meet up with Barry before we're leaving Hearthome City, and he says, "Ta-daah! Kept me waiting again, guys! Let's see how much tougher you and I have gotten, right here and now!"

"Seriously?" We are not surprised as he says, "Hey, you're trainers! You're expected to be ready for a battle. No whining! No waiting! Let's get the show started!"

Then we have a battle and it seems that Barry also has a Buizel and a Roselia of his own, not to mention his Chimchar also evolves into a Monferno. But they are still no match for me as I defeat him.

"Waaaagh! You KO'd my team again?! This messes up my dream of becoming the greatest Trainer ever... No! I just need to get tougher and keep winning. One day... That's it! I'm going to challenge the Veilstone Gym next! See you around, guys! You'll be blown away by how much tougher I'll be next time we meet!"

After he leaves, we find a fisherman and he says, "Hmm! A Good Rod is really good! Wouldn't you agree?"

"Of course?" We say. And Dawn receives her Good Rod, much to her delight.

Lunchtime has come as we have our Pokemon out for help along with the others. At the same time, Chimchar is watching the scene and he is surprised to see everyone in a happy mood helping out each other. Not only that, he also sees how we're sparing with Buizel and Pikachu when we are training and he remembers all the difference between Paul and our training.

I turn to Chimchar and ask, "Chimchar, so how about a little battle with you?"

Chimchar blinks and then Piplup arrives wanting to battle. Dawn says, "Well Piplup's ready to go."

"Yeah. So let's work together." I say as we have a battle. Despite putting up a tough fight against Piplup, Chimchar loses the battle, causing it to be reminded of losing in the Tag Battle Tournament and being cruelly released by Paul.

"Chimchar, what's wrong?" I think Chimchar is afraid that I'm going to say something harsh to him. I know this and I say, "That was awesome Chimchar, you're really strong, you know."

Lillie says, "You almost beat the opponent that's tougher than you. And you did a great variation in your moves. And it's amazing to watch."

"You look wonderful, your Flamethrower rocks." Dawn adds, and all the Pokemon agree with Chimchar. Chimchar is left very nervous and confused, and starts crying since it cannot handle its drastic change in environment.

"Huh? What's wrong? Everyone thinks you're great..." I hug the chimp Pokemon, knowing that he has to let it all out because he couldn't show any emotion with Paul.

The next morning, I decide to have Chimchar help me get the water, but when we get back, we find Team Rocket's balloon, and Team Rocket is trapped in their own cage because of three Zangoose?"

Chimchar is scared because of the Zangoose, and I say, "Chimchar, I know how weird and scary that time it is for you way back then. But they're in trouble and you're the only one who can save them."

Chimchar looks at me and I say, "I know you can."

Chimchar looks at everyone who is begging for him to help, and with the encouragement, Chimchar is motivated and starts to glow. "It's evolving..." Lillie says.

I guess all those harsh training with Paul finally make this one evolve, and now it is a Monferno.

Monferno: The Playful Pokemon: Fire and Fighting Type. Evolve from Chimchar at LV:14. To intimidate attackers, it stretches the fire on its tail to make itself appear bigger.

And with the new move Mach Punch, the Sevipers are easily defeated. With the Zangoose defeated, Team Rocket open the container from the inside and try to escape, but we command Pikachu to use Thunderbolt, Monferno to use Flamethrower, Togetic to use Moonblast, Piplup to use Bubble Beam, and Buneary to use Ice Beam to attack Team Rocket, sending them blasting off. And now Monferno is cheering with the other Pokemon.

At Emogrove Town, we meet up with Gardenia once again. Team Rocket tries to take Pikachu again, but Gardenia comes and hugs James' Cacnea and even asks to have a tag battle. Gardenia has advised Cacnea to use Drain Punch, but it can't learn it yet. So after the battle, James asks us to help him train the Drain Punch. But it fails a lot of times. So James decides to let Gardenia takes care of Cacnea as he and the rest of the group runs off.

After that, we meet Zoey again and this time she decides to watch how we are practicing, she also suggests to us that Buizel prefers to battle in the gyms and Aipom likes to partake in the contests, so we decide to help them out, but Team Rocket tries to capture those two Pokemon for James losing his Cacnea, but only to fail as we blast them off again.

During the training at Route 209, Ash and Gladion are training with Umbreon using Shadow Ball at Pikachu, only to dodge. But the attack accidentally hit the Hallowed Stone Tower. When we find the tower, Lillie says, "Look, there is something we can put in..."

"Maybe we should try the Odd Keystone that you found the other day?" Daniel asks as we put it inside. The tower immediately crumbles into bricks, which begin to glow on their own. The sky turns black and clouds roll in. In the rubble lies the Odd Keystone we placed. Lightning strikes the Odd Keystone and a Spiritomb emerges from it.

"It's a Spiritomb!" Gladion says. "It's a Ghost and Dark Type Pokemon..."

The Spiritomb sees me and Pikachu, and they roar, "You again!" If you ask why I say they, because I can hear 108 voices at the same time. Then it proceeds to attack us with Shadow Ball and Hyper Beam.

"Absol, use Dark Pulse, Togetic, Hidden Power. Counter them." As the two of the Pokemon attack, it dodges and then it uses Shadow Ball to knock Pikachu out before flying away.

"What is with the Spiritomb's deal?" Tox asks. "Is it angry that we disturb its sleep?"

Lillie says, "I heard that he sees Pikachu and says 'You again', does that mean he hated Pikachu?"

The next day, we arrive in at a nearby village to find it derelict. We hear stories about a strange Ghost-type Pokémon that attacked the village in the night and immediately connect this with Spiritomb.

We meet an old woman who tells them the story of a Spiritomb that terrorized the village and how an Aura Guardian with a Pikachu defeated and sealed away Spiritomb in the Hallowed Stone Tower 500 years ago.

"The Aura Guardian with a Pikachu destroyed the same tower 500 years ago?" Lillie asks me, "Is it you?"

"I didn't remember about it. But I should ask my Dad about it." I say as I leave the Spiritomb to others while contacting my father. After coming back, I say, "Yeah, my father is the one that sealed the Spiritomb. But I am going to capture it so it won't go back into the pain of being sealed."

Of course, my friends think the plan is nuts, but they still want to help us out. As we find the Spiritomb, the Spiritomb decides to attack us and I say, "The one who sealed you is my father, so you wanted revenge on my family, is that true, right?"

And the Spiritomb uses the Omnious Wind on Pikachu, who dodges in time. "If you want me, you have to catch me." I say as I run away.

I run to the ruins of the Hallowed Tower with Spiritomb in close pursuit. It stops us in our tracks by using Dark Pulse. Pikachu replies with a Quick Attack, but Spiritomb dodges. Then Pikachu uses Thunderbolt hitting Spiritomb which counters with Hyper Beam. They continue running, but Spiritomb stops them again. Pikachu continually uses Thunderbolt, getting more and more tired, while Spiritomb resists each attack. Then it uses Shadow Ball but misses Pikachu. It then initiates a Giga Impact, striking both of us. Pikachu falls to the ground, exhausted, as dark clouds gather above again.

"Pikachu... get up please!" I say, and Pikachu gets up and I say, "It's our last chance. Aim that Thunderbolt in the sky!"

Pikachu does it and this recharges Pikachu's energy. Pikachu uses Volt Tackle and then Thunderbolt, just like in the legend, defeating Spiritomb.

"Go! Pokeball!" I throw the Pokeball and then it shakes three times before being successfully captured.

Spiritomb: The Forbidden Pokemon: Ghost and Dark Type. It was bound to a fissure in an Odd Keystone as punishment for misdeeds 500 years ago.

After that, I bring the Pokeball to my father so that he and Gina can cleanse the evil in the Pokemon and make him a part of the team. Once I get it back, I say to him, "You won't be going back to the tower and I promise that I will make you as strong as Pikachu."

The Spiritomb nods and then I recall him. Then the old lady states that a new legend has been born thanks to Ash and Pikachu and, hearing Dawn's stomach rumble, invites us for dinner before we continue on our journey.

On the way to Solaceon Town, we reach a river with an unfinished bridge. With the help of my Bidoof helping out the other Bibarel, we manage to chase off the evil head engineer and finish the bridge. Ou Bidoof also evolve at the same time.

Bibarel: The Beaver Pokemon: Normal and Water Type. Evolved from Bidoof at LV:15. A river dammed by Bibarel will never overflow its banks, which is appreciated by people nearby.

"Wow, this place looks like an Arcade." Dawn says as we see a lot of games in side a tent like building.

"Yeah. How about we play some for fun?" Tox asks.

"Good idea." Daniel says. "I can't wait to play some of the games."

When we play some of the games, I accidentally bump into a lady. I apologize to her as the others arrive, and she says, "It is fine. I am Dahlia, and you?"

We all introduce ourselves, and Dahlia asks, "Seeing the satisfying looks on your faces, I suppose that you all like my games?"

"Of course, this place is fun. So you own the place?" I ask.

"Yes. She is the Arcade Star." We are surprised to see Scott with us. and I ask, "Scott? What are you doing here?"

"Hello, Ash. You're in the Battle Arcade, one of the five Sinnoh Battle Frontier Facilities." Scott says. "Dahlia here is the Frontier Brain."

"Wow... I guess we can take a break from the gyms and contests." I say.

"So this is the trainer who has won Darach's Castle Print. I'm looking forward to the match, that is... if you reach the 7th round of the 7th set."

"Again?" I ask with a sigh. "Sounds good to me."

When I enter the battlefield, I notice that there are a lot of icons on the screen. I ask, "Is that a roulette?"

Lillie asks, "What's going on?"

Scott says, "This is the Battle Arcade's famous 'Event Roulette' Before the battle, the challenger has to press the roulette to determine what event will be happening.

I notice the button and the moving panels, I press one and it seems to be showing the icon of snow. And then the weather on the field is Hail.

"It's hailing!" I gasp in surprise.

"That means until the end, the match is going to be happening in the hail condition." The referee states as we have a battle under the cold.

After that tough battle, we go to the next round, and I'm going to spin the roulette again, and this time it lands on a berry. Just then, the ceiling opens and three Sitrus Berries land on my three Pokemon. Not only that, I can actually use the berries until the end of the 7th turn.

After my 20th victory, I usually get the weather conditions or the status conditions, there are a few that I'm interested about. When I land the one that has a loop arrow, I am surprised that I don't need to battle and just go through my third round.

"Ash is really doing good in this one." Lillie says.

"Indeed, Ash is actually swift to pick the one that he wants." Scott says.

And after my 48th win, Dahlia is the one that arrives. She says, "No need to worry. Let chance do what it does. Like surprises from the game board, life goes through twists and turns. No need to worry. Things will go as they will. But, enough of that. I know one thing for certain. You have arrived here not merely because you were lucky. Let us not waste any time. I wish to test your skills myself!"

"Wow, nice song. But I am ready to spin the roulette." I say. And just when I press the button, it stops at a button that I have no idea what's for. There are two arrows that point different directions.

"I know I've seen this one a lot of times but never land it. What does it mean?" I ask.

"Exactly what it looks like... in order words... Swap! Battle after swapping all Pokémon with foe."

"What?!" Everyone is shocked. Dawn asks, "There is even a mode like this? Ash has to battle his Pokemon?"

Scott says, "How unfortunate for him, but this is a surprising turn of events."

And I get her Pokemon, which is a Ludicolo, Medicham, and a Dusknoir, while Dahlia gets my Combee, Pikachu, and Togetic.

I ask Dusknoir to attack Pikachu with Shadow Punch, but Pikachu is my best buddy and my nerves are forbidding me to say it out loud. And Pikachu is also scared, using a Thunderbolt to hit Dusknoir.

"Poor Ash, now he can't fight his Pokemon..." Daniel says.

"But he needs to attack them if he wants to win the print." Gladion says.

Lillie then yells, "Ash, what are you doing? You have come this far. Don't give up because you are fighting against your Pokemon!"

That's right... I can't hesitate. Even if my opponent is my Pokemon, I've been doing the same thing to Lillie... what am I afraid of? I say, "Guys, just give it your all, thinking it is Lillie commanding you like we are training."

The three Pokemon nods and they gain their fighting spirit. I use the 3 Pokemon I gain from Dahlia to win against my own Pokemon. Even if I win, I also cheer for my Pokemon's hard work.

"How fabulous of you! Your love of Pokémon shone through, and, in turn, your Pokémon believed in you. That is why you handled everything thrown your way splendidly. A most wonderful victory it was! Here is your print." Dahlia gives me the Arcade Print, and I thank her.

"Since your challenge is done, how about I show you the best arcades here?" Dahlia asks.

"Sure." I say as we all follow her. We play through a whole day before saying goodbye to both Dahlia and Scott.

I am sure you are surprised to see the Battle Arcade, I made it almost the same as the manga. Where Platinum has to face her Pokemon. I hope you like this chapter.

Ash and Lillie's Pokemon:

Charizard x2 (In training), Butterfree x2 (One Pink), Pikachu, Lickitung, Rhydon, Tangela, Electabuzz, Magmar, Lapras, Eevee, Meganium, Togetic, Aipom, Yanma, Espeon, Murkrow, Gligar, Steelix (Crystal), Sneasel, Piloswine, Mantine, Porygon2, Sceptile, Gardevoir (Shiny), Milotic, Dusclops, Absol, Turtwig, Monferno, Piplup, Staravia, Bibarel, Kricketune, Shinx, Roserade, Cranidos, Shieldon, Burmy x4, Pachirisu (Shiny), Buizel, Cherubi, Shellos (West), Drifloon, Buneary, Mismagius, Stunky, Bronzor, Spiritomb, Finneon, Magnezone, Leafeon, Gallade, Probopass, Rotom

Dawn's Pokemon:

Ponyta, Piplup, Pachirisu, Cherubi, Buneary

Tox's Pokemon:

Roserade, Stunky, Croagunk

Gladion's Pokemon:

Umbreon, Riolu

Daniel's Pokemon:

Girafarig, Bronzor