Chapter 48

In front of Twist Mountain, we find the final Elite Four member, Marshal, who is training with his Fighting Type Pokemon. He says, "You look familiar... Ah, yes. I met you at here a few months ago. The strength you are radiating is far greater now than before! Greetings, challenger. My name is Marshal. I am the No. 1 pupil of my mentor, Alder. In order to master the art of fighting, I've kept training. You're also walking a similar path with your Pokémon. It is my intention to test you - and take you to the limits of your strength. Kiai!"

Marshal's first Pokemon is a Throh, so I decide to go with Unfezant. Unfezant lands an Air Slash attack, but Throh uses Rock Tomb to deal a lot of damage and even lowering Unfezant's speed. But in the end, Unfezant manages to defeat Throh with Brave Bird the moment Throh is using Circle Throw.

The next Pokemon is Sawk, which defeats Unfezant with Retaliate and Brick Break. I decide to fight fist with fist as I send out my own Sawk. Both of them are having a Karate Fight, but my Sawk lands a Low Sweep that damages Marshal's Sawk's feet, which gives me the opportunity to land the final blow with Close Combat. However, Marshal's Sawk also lands the Rock Slide, knocking my Sawk out as well.

Mienshao is his third Pokemon, so I send out Gardevoir to battle. But the sudden U-turn makes Conkeldurr out of the field and then defeats Gardevoir with Retaliate and Stone Edge. My fourth Pokemon is Gothitelle, and I have it use Psychic to stop the Stone Edge and sends it back to Conkeldurr, then finishes him with a Future Sight.

The fourth Pokemon for Marshal is Lucario, which I'm worried because Lucario really is a tough Pokemon. I switch out to my own Lucario, using Bone Rush to deal some damage, but Marshal's Lucario also uses Aura Sphere, and the match is a draw since I have Lucario uses Final Gambit.

Marshal says, "Everything comes down to this next move! I'll use the last bit of my strength!" He sends back Mienshao while I end back Gothitelle.

Mienshao uses Bounce to make Gothitelle hard to attack, but Gothitelle uses Thunderbolt to knock him down. Gothitelle catches Mienshao with Psychic when Mienshao uses a U-Turn, and then she holds him as he is hit by Future Sight, defeating him.

"There is no single strongest Pokémon or sole best combination... That's why it is difficult to keep winning. However, I think a heart that desires strength and strives to grow stronger is a precious ideal. That is why I respect you-because you have these things."

Marshal decides to give me the Fighting Medal, and he says, "You are a strong challenger. Walk the path you believe in with the Pokémon you believe in."

Iris says, "Since you have four wins, that means you're going to face me in the Champion match."

"Yeah, I can't wait to get my fifth league done." I say as we bid Marshal farewell.

We decide to take a rest at Pinwheel Forest's Bug Manor, it is then we met Gorm, who tries to scare us. I say, "Gorm? Is that you?"

"It is nice to see you again, Ash, I mean, Lord N. I learned of my old ally's recklessness, and I had come here to admonish him... But the matter has already been resolved, and this place made me think... What did we believe in that made us try to steal the Dragon Skull? A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it is committing another mistake. Do you understand what this means? Avoiding all mistakes is impossible, but not fixing mistakes you've made - that is truly foolish."

"What does he mean by that?" Reisa asks.

"I should explain. You see... Gorm tried to steal the Nacrene Museum's Dragon Skull. But it is thanks to Burgh and Hilbert working together to stop him." I say.

"That being said, this doesn't really concern you, does it? Well then, Trainers, may you and your Pokémon be well." Then he leaves, and Cilan says, "Still... he is different compared to Dawn..."

"Yeah, if it wasn't for Ghetsis, he might've chosen another path... Or maybe not. He was the one who decided to follow Ghetsis, after all..." Alice says.

When we're at Striaton City, Chili and Cress have a big problem, there is an Ice Type Trainer named Morana who challenges them at the Striaton Restaurant with an unusual request: if she wins, she wants them to turn over the entire restaurant to her! Chili's hot temper got the better of him, and he agreed to the challenge. The battles didn't go well for the brothers, though—Morana's Mamoswine overcame a type disadvantage to defeat Chili's Pansear, and then her Glalie took down Cress's Panpour in short order. Now, she's here to challenge Cilan, the third brother, to complete her victory and claim the Striaton restaurant for herself.

Iris advises Cilan to use Crustle in the battle, since its Rock-type moves are strong against the Ice-type Pokémon Morana seems to favor. But he's determined to defend his Gym with his dearest partner, Pansage. To justify that decision, he offers an eloquent account of their history together, including their travels with us.

Morana sends out her Abomasnow, and of course, Cilan brings out Pansage. After a few attacks, Cilan offers a critical evaluation of Morana's partnership with her Abomasnow—it lacks warmth and caring, so the two of them aren't as effective a team as they could be. He talks about how important it is for a Trainer to connect with a Pokémon's heart, the way he and Pansage have connected. Morana isn't interested in connecting—she just wants to win, and she interrupts his speech with a devastating attack that leaves Pansage frozen. But the sun's rays—and Cilan's voice—can still reach Pansage through the ice, and it breaks free with a powerful SolarBeam. Morana is too stunned to react, and Pansage's next attack leaves Abomasnow unable to battle. Cilan has won, and the Striaton brothers get to keep their restaurant.

Cilan wonders if he should stay at the restaurant with them, but his brothers assure him that everything will be fine—as long as Cilan is enjoying his journey, they want him to keep traveling with them.

Then we decide to explore Route 17 and 18. But much to our surprise, we find a familiar person near the cliff singing.

"The ring is my roiling sea.
The towering waves shaped me.
Crash! Crash! Crasher Wake!
Crash! Crash! Crasher Wake!
I'm the tidal wave of power to wash you away!
Put out the fire, Crasher Wake!
Run from electricity, Crasher Wake!
Ah, ah, aaaah!
The ring is my sea. "

"Crasher Wake!" I greet the man, and he says, "Well if it isn't Ash. How have you been?"

"It's great, so what are you doing here?" I ask.

"I'm here for the Driftveil City's Pokemon World Tournament, but before it starts, I want to relax and what's great to be here and sing a song?"

Then as a fellow musician and Water specialist, Reisa of course wants to learn more from the Sinnoh Gym Leader, and after we're done, he is back to Driftveil City.

"Is that Plasma Frigate?" Alice asks as we notice a ship beside the P2 Laboratory, I say, "It is... I wonder if Dr. Colress is inside..."

I wasn't there when Alice and the others fight Dr. Colress as a member of Team Plasma, and when we find him in the monitor room, we find Colress there.

"Could I say that you're curious for coming clear out here?" Colrerss asks.

"Of course. So what are you doing here?" I ask.

"I dissolved Team Plasma. The ones who are left here are deciding what they want to do. I would like to have them decide on their own! There are far more questions in this world that don't have any answers! Well then... Please show me you and your Pokémon's strength once again!"

Then he asks us to battle, so we decide to do it. It seems that he has a team of Magneton, Magnezone, Beheeyem, Klinklang, Rotom Wash Form, and Metagross. Those Pokemon are really working hard, but in the end we still emerge victorious.

"In Pokémon battles where you can't afford to make a mistake, the true nature of the Trainer's personality becomes clear. I see! If Trainers believe in their Pokémon to the fullest extreme, as you do, their Pokémon partners will also give everything they have! So that must be the answer I've been looking for. Still, I'm glad you won. For one thing, I detested Ghetsis from the start!"

"That's good to know." Eve says.

"There is something that I should give you." Colress says while taking out a Pokeball, and when I throw it out, it is a mythical Pokemon Genesect. "Genesect..." I say.

"Yes, Team Plasma made this Pokemon from a fossil, and then they enhanced the Pokemon with the power of science." Colress says. "Since you used to be N, you sure have heard about it, right?"

"Of course. Science damages the natural beauty of Pokemon, they are perfect beings. That's what I said to the scientists who are working on this project. And that's why the P2 Laboratory there was closed and the research is halted."

"Then what happened to those scientists?" Golly asks.

"They are probably arrested by my Mom or something else." I say. "So you have this with you all the time?"

Colress says, "It is true that Pokemon aren't supposed to be tools, but sometimes science can be very captivating. I know Adam will know how to deal with this Pokemon. And with this Pokemon also include these drives as well."

We are given 4 different drives, which each one changes the type of its Techno Blast move.

Genesect: The Paleozoic Pokémon: Bug and Steel Type. Over 300 million years ago, it was feared as the strongest of hunters. It has been modified by Team Plasma.

After heading back to Nuvema Town, we meet Cedric Juniper, who finally gives us the item that he wants to give us... the Super Rod. Somehow there isn't an Old Rod or a Good Rod in Unova... weird. The Super Rod is also given to Golly.

With all the Pokedex in Unova are complete, Professor Juniper gives us a ticket to Nature Reserve, a place where we can find some rare Pokemon for the Unova Dex. And now that's done, we decide to head to Vertress City for my final battle against Iris.

Here is the new chapter, and now Ash has defeated Marshal. The next chapter will be the finale of Unova and I hope you like it.

Ash and Alice's Pokemon:

Charizard x2, Butterfree x2 (One Pink), Pikachu x2, Lapras, Meganium, Espeon, Steelix (Crystal), Mantine, Sceptile, Gardevoir (Shiny), Milotic, Absol, Infernape, Lucario, Abomasnow, Magnezone, Victini, Serperior, Emboar, Samurott, Watchog, Stoutland, Liepard, Simisage, Simisear, Simipour, Musharna, Unfezant, Zebstrika, Gigalith, Swoobat, Excadrill, Audino, Conkeldurr, Seismitoad, Throh, Sawk, Leavanny, Scolipede, Whimsicott, Lilligant, Basculin x2, Krookodile, Darmanitan, Maractus, Crustle, Scrafty, Sigilyph, Cofagrigus, Carracosta, Archeops, Garbodor, Zoroark, Cinccino, Gothitelle, Reuniclus, Swanna, Vanilluxe, Sawsbuck, Emolga, Escavalier, Amoonguss, Jellicent, Alomomola, Galvantula, Ferrothorn, Klinklang, Eelektross, Beheeyem, Chandelure, Haxorus, Beartic, Accelgor, Mienshao (Shiny), Druddigon, Golurk, Bisharp, Bouffalant, Braviary, Mandibuzz, Heatmor, Durant, Hydreigon, Volcarona, Cobalion, Terrakion, Virizion, Tornadus, Thundurus, Reshiram, Zekrom, Landorus, Kyurem, Keldeo, Meloetta, Genesect

Golly's Pokemon:

Gastly, Liepard, Scolipede, Krookodile, Scrafty, Cofagrigus, Garbodor, Zoroark, Amoonguss, Jellicent, Chandelure, Bisharp, Mandibuzz, Zweilous

Eve's Pokemon:

Houndoom, Mightyena, Liepard, Krookodile, Scrafty, Zoroark, Bisharp, Mandibuzz, Zweilous

Iris' Pokemon:

Lapras, Aggron, Excadrill, Archeops, Emolga, Axew, Druddigon, Hydreigon

Cilan's Pokemon:

Pansage, Maractus, Dwebble, Ferrothorn, Stunfisk