Chapter 37

When we arrive at Lake Acuity, Paul and I are going to have a full six-on-six battle. Paul sends out Torterra first, while I send out Floatzel, but I decide to change Gliscor before the battle even starts.

"Water Types won't work so well against Torterra, you're up instead. Gliscor!" I say while sending out the Pokemon.

Gliscor tries to obscure its moves by using Sand Attack, but the trick has no effect.

"Giga Drain!" Paul yells, but Gliscor dodges the attack. I have Gliscor use X-Scissor, which deals some damage to Torterra.

"Check it out, Torterra took it." I say, but Paul already goes for Frenzy Plant. I try having Gliscor jump up, and we decide to use the change to go Fire Fang, hitting Torterra.

"Gliscor, let's go for one more attack, Steel Wing!" But Torterra uses Crunch and it gets caught. "Now! Giga Drain!"

Gliscor has to get away before the power is drained. "Come on, Gliscor, stay strong!" I say.

"Paul is well aware that Ash knows Torterra's battling style, so he made a strategy before that." Reggie says.

I have Gliscor go for Fire Fang and get out of the crunch, but because it's injured, I decide to switch to Staraptor.

Torterra is tired too, but Paul keeps it in the battle, so I decide to finish this thing up by using Acrobatics, but Torterra uses Stone Edge to deal some damage.

"That was super effective." Gladion says, "So that's why he didn't switch Pokemon."

I have Staraptor use Dual Wingbeat, defeating Torterra in the end. Lillie cheers, "Alright! Ash has his first win!"

"But there are still five more..." Dawn says with worry.

Paul says, "Weavile, stand by for battle."

Weavile is next, and Staraptor is still injured from the Stone Edge. "Quick Attack!"

Staraptor manages to hit Weavile, and Weavile goes for Swords Dance to power its Attack power. "Aerial Ace!" I know that this move won't miss, but Staraptor is hit by the Blizzard and then Metal Claw.

"Weavile's faster than Staraptor..." Daniel says.

"It's coming! Use Close Combat!" "Metal Claw, now!" Staraptor uses the attack to continue to hit Weavile, but Weavile goes for Blizzard, I have Staraptor use Brave Bird. In the end, Weavile is unable to battle.

"Staraptor! You did great." I say. I know that this is not the time to celebrate. Staraptor's health is in the red zone after the battle with Torterra and Weavile. "Staraptor! Return!"

Then Paul sends out Electabuzz and I decide to go with Torterra. I decide to go with the Energy Ball, but Electabuzz uses Light Screen to take the hit.

Paul decides to switch out already and sends out Honchkrow. "Honchkrow..." I say. "Alright, time to show them what you got! Leaf Storm!"

"Night Slash!" Both attacks clash with each other, and I have Torterra use Energy Ball, which is protected by Light Screen.

"I shouldn't have used Leaf Storm first..." I mutter, and Honchkrow goes for Haze, covering Torterra. Dawn says, "I think Paul's battle style is different than usual."

"I agree with that. He seems to have changed a different strategy today." Tox says.

I know that Torterra is taking a lot of damage, so I have Torterra goes for Synthesis, but it is then Honchkrow goes for Sky Attack, starting to charge the power.

"Torterra! Use Double Edge!" I yell, and both Pokemon are hit, knocking out of the battle together.

"Ash miscalculated the timing when he used Synthesis. Using a healing move gets your Pokemon completely vulnerable." Reggie says. "Consider your Pokemon's condition, then use, or be an easy target like Torterra." Reggie says.

"So that means Ash is having a lot of pressure, he wants to beat Honchkrow and it clouded his judgment." Lillie frowns.

Pikachu wants to battle, so I decide to get him inside. And Paul decides to go for Magmortar. "Magmortar... he really evolved his Magmar..." I mutter.

"Pikachu, don't let your guard down. Use Quick Attack now!" Pikachu lands the first attack, only to be burned by Magmortar's Flame Body Ability. I have Pikachu use Thunderbolt, but Magmortar reflects it with Flamethrower. I decide to go for Volt Tackle, but Magmortar goes for Rock Tomb, which sends Pikachu backwards.

"Pikachu! You gotta hang in there." Then Magmortar uses Smog, and Pikachu goes for Thunderbolt for the Counter Shield. Magmortrar goes for Flamethrower, while I have Pikachu use Iron Tail from above, and in the end, I say, "Pikachu, return for now."

Pikachu returns to my side as I send out Floatzel. "Use Aqa Jet!" I have Floatzel land a super-effective hit on Magmortar, and when it goes for Water Pulse, Magmortar goes for Rock Tomb to counter it.

But just then, Magmortar appears on top of Floatzel and uses Smog, hitting Floatzel. "Floatzel!" I gasp.

"That Rock Tomb is forbidding Floatzel for seeing where the Rock Tomb is!" Daniel says.

I notice that Paul is going to switch Pokemon, and I yell, "No you don't! Pursuit!"

"What?" Paul is shocked as the move causes Magmortar to faint. Dawn asks, "What is going on?"

"Pursuit is a move that deals double the damage if the target is switching out." Gladion says.

"That is a smart move, considering Paul is preparing to switch out Magmortar." Reggie says.

"Ursaring, stand by for battle!" Paul's final Pokemon is Ursaring, and I have Floatzel go for Water Gun, which is stopped by Hammer Arm.

"Now! Bulk Up!" Ursaring is trying to raise offense and defense, but I'm not worried and I have Floatzel use Aqua Jet. Ursaring uses Slash to knock it back.

"Focus Blast!" I have Floatzel uses Aqua Jet to knock it back using the Counter Shield. "Pikachu is not the only one who can use Counter Shield, now Sonic Boom!"

Ursaring goes for Hammer Arm, I try to return Floatzel, but he still wants to battle. And when a Focus Blast hits Floatzel, it is knocked out.

My only Pokemon right now are Staraptor, Gliscor, Pikachu, and Monferno... while Paul only has Electabuzz and Ursaring on the field. I have to play it smart.

"Floatzel is defeated because of Ash's poor judgment." Reggie says.

"Now, Staraptor! I choose you!" I have Staraptor use Aerial Ace, but Ursaring uses Hammer Arm and Focus Blast to hit Staraptor.

"Close Combat!" I have Staraptor attacks, but it counters with Slash and then uses Hammer Arm to hammer it to the ground, knocking it out.

Paul switches to Electabuzz so I decide to go for Monferno. Paul stares at the Monferno as I yell, "Flamethrower!"

"Protect." Paul says as the move is blocked, then it goes for Light Screen once more, and Paul switches back to Ursaring.

I have Monferno use Mach Punch, but Ursaring uses Hammer Arm to deal some damage back.

"Flamethrower!" I yell, but the Light Screen still blocks the damage. "Monferno! Return for now!"

I decide to go for Gliscor, and I know for sure that Ursaring is already damaged a lot. I try to attack with X-Scissor, but Ursaring uses Brutal Swing to defeat Gliscor.

Pikachu is now back on the field, and I say, "Everything is for your speed and your attacks! I'm counting on you!"

Pikachu is now on the field, and it goes for Quick Attack, which is sent back by Hammer Arm. "Use Iron Tail!"

Then Ursaring tries to use Focus Blast, but Pikachu's Static ability causes Ursaring to get paralyzed. But much to my horror, Ursaring has the Guts ability and it goes for Hammer Arm. I try to stop it by using Thunderbolt, but Ursaring sends Pikachu into the lake. I rush to grab Pikachu, finding that it's knocked out.

"I think Paul was just trying to wait for that ability to be activated." Reggie says.

Monferno is my last Pokemon, while Paul still gets two. But all of them have taken a lot of damage. "Let's show them how powerful you can be!"

Monferno uses Flame Wheel, while Ursaring uses Slash to deflect it. Then the Flamethrower hits Ursaring, defeating it.

Paul brings in Electabuzz, who has the defensive moves to keep Monferno's attacks at bay. Monferno burns with the will to win, but it all comes down to Monferno's Mach Punch versus Electabuzz's Thunder Punch. When the smoke clears, both Pokemon faints, so the match is a draw.

"A draw..." Everyone is looking with shock, and I frown, "Monferno... you did great. Thank you..."

Reggie says, "That was a spectacular battle, you two."

"Yeah, it sure was." Paul says, "I'll send you my Pokemon."

Then Paul leaves, and I still feel sorry for my Pokemon. After getting them to the Pokemon Center for rest, healing, and recharge, I start to think of my Pokemon and then I rush off.

"Ash! Wait!" Dawn yells, but it seems that Lillie stops Dawn and wants to chase after me. I am now sitting near Lake Acuity, thinking of the battles and how his battle really hurts my Pokemon. Lillie asks, "Ash, are you okay?"

"It is my fault, Pikachu and the others are badly injured…" I say.

Lillie says, "Don't you blame yourself. It is true that Paul is ruthless, but they have given it their all, you should be happy with yourself."

"But…" I mutter.

"Don't you see? We often lose and hurt badly, but what makes us grow is that we learn from our mistakes." Lillie smiles.

"You are right. Paul is a strong opponent. I just have to win back again." I say.

But then, I am surprised to see the silhouette of Uxie at the lake, I ask, "Why? Isn't Uxie taken by Team Galactic?"

"Uxie can also learn Future Sight after all, I think maybe he wants to cheer you even though he's not here in the lake..." Lillie says.

Then I start to remember Team Galactic and how we still need to save the three Pokemon, and we all decide to head back to find our Pokemon starting to recover. Dawn is also preparing a small contest show for us to watch, but Team Rocket has to ruin it by taking Pikachu away once more.

But in the end, we still manage to get Pikachu back, and they seem to be arguing until I decide to have all six of my Pokemon give their best shot, sending them blasting off again.

"Now that was some serious teamwork." Gladion says.

"Nice to see everyone feeling great." Dawn adds. "Which reminds me, we have to get ready for the next contest."

We hear from Nurse Joy that Lilypad Town is where Dawn will have her fifth ribbon, and we decide to take a rest. However, I don't know what's going on with me, but I feel a lot of tiredness and getting to sleep is the first thing on my mind.

Here is a new chapter, and in this chapter, you know that this is Ash and Paul's full battle, and I don't want Ash to lose that badly. The next chapter will be the Arceus movie.

Ash and Lillie's Pokemon:

Charizard x2 (In training), Butterfree x2 (One Pink), Pikachu, Tangela, Lapras, Meganium, Togetic, Espeon, Murkrow, Steelix (Crystal), Sneasel, Mantine, Porygon2, Sceptile, Gardevoir (Shiny), Milotic, Absol, Torterra, Monferno, Empoleon, Staraptor, Bibarel, Kricketune, Luxray, Roserade, Rampardos, Bastiodon, Wormadam x3 (Plant, Sandy, Trash), Mothim, Vespiquen, Pachirisu (Shiny), Floatzel, Cherrim, Gatsrodon x2 (East, West), Ambipom, Drifblim, Lopunny, Mismagius, Glameow, Skuntank, Bronzong, Spiritomb, Gabite, Riolu, Hippowdon, Skorupi, Croagunk, Carnivine, Lumineon, Snover, Magnezone, Lickilicky, Rhyperior, Electivire, Magmortar, Yanmega, Leafeon, Glaceon, Gliscor, Mamoswine, Gallade, Probopass, Dusknoir, Froslass x2, Rotom, Phione, Manaphy, Darkrai

Dawn's Pokemon:

Rapidash, Piplup, Pachirisu, Cherrim, Lopunny, Piloswine

Tox's Pokemon:

Roserade, Skuntank, Croagunk

Gladion's Pokemon:

Umbreon, Riolu

Daniel's Pokemon:

Girafarig, Bronzong