Chapter 78

Now that we're members of the League Club, and Alice is providing us with a lot of BPs, I excitedly navigate through the computer menus until I finally locate something known as the Item Printer. Its icon beckons with a promise of incredible possibilities. My finger hovers over the 'Purchase' button, and I decide to invest 200 BPs to acquire this intriguing device. With determination, I allocate 1700 BP for upgrades, ensuring it's fully optimized."

Alice's eyes widen as she observes my actions. "Wow, it's fantastic to see those BPs being put to good use with the Item Printer."

I can't help but grin in response. "Yeah," I reply, "but look at this," I gesture toward the screen, "now, with the full upgrade, the Item Printer is capable of producing a wide array of rare items, and who knows, maybe even a coveted Master Ball!" I say while showcasing the comprehensive list of possibilities that the staff had provided.

Serena nods enthusiastically, her eyes filled with anticipation. "That will be very useful," she remarks, her voice reflecting the excitement that courses through all of us at the prospect of what we can achieve with this newfound capability.

As we explore the digital menus further, our attention shifts towards the Terarium Club quests. Lillie, her eyes fixated on the screen, remarks, "It seems like they want to boost the biodiversity in the four biomes. Each one costs 3000 BP."

Alice, with a hint of concern in her voice, asks, "I did give you some BPs, but are you sure you're going to spend all of them for those innovations?"

I pause for a moment, considering her question, before confidently stating, "Well, why not?" With resolve, I allocate the required amount of BP, and to our amazement, a figure named Terry appears on the screen to inform us that new Pokemon will inhabit the Terarium, including Starter Pokemon from all regions except for Paldea.

"Wait, so that means people can capture their very own Charmander or Froakie right here in the biomes... and they behave like Wild Pokemon!" Serena gasps in astonishment.

Insey chimes in, her voice filled with excitement, "That's a total of 24 Starter Pokemon available... that's incredibly exciting." She directs her comment towards me, her eyes sparkling with anticipation for the adventure ahead.

As we make our way towards the Savannah Biome, the captivating sight of Charmander, Charmeleon, and even Charizard in their natural habitat unfolds before us. Serena's awe is palpable as she gasps, "Wow... wild Charizard in the Biome..."

With curiosity driving us, the group of ten continues to explore the Savannah Biome. Majestic Pyroars command attention as they stand atop rocks, reminiscent of the iconic scenes from the Pokestar Studio movie 'The Pyroar King.' In contrast, we come across Trapinch holes, cunningly used to capture unsuspecting prey.

Among the Starter Pokemon, Serena's excitement is evident as she spots Fennekins roaming gracefully. We also notice Snivys, Sobbles, Totodiles, and Rowlets, each contributing to the vibrant tapestry of this unique environment.

Lucine, always inquisitive, asks, "So, who are you going to challenge first?"

"I think I should go with Crispin," I reply thoughtfully, displaying the Rotom Phone.

"Crispin of the Elite Four: BB League Rank: #5. He cooks up amazing, super-spicy dishes with his fire Pokemon. Though relatively new to battling, he fights tenaciously with natural talent. Not the most gifted student, hailing from Virbank City in Unova."

As we continue exploring the Savannah Plaza, it becomes evident that the news of my upcoming challenge with the Elite Four has spread rapidly, attracting the attention of students seeking battle tips and updates on my progress. It's surprising how quickly word has traveled, but it also fuels my determination.

Upon arriving at the Savannah Plaza, we approach the reception for the Elite Four challenge. Each battle costs 50BP, and I readily pay the fee. The staff promptly calls out, "Hey, Crispin! An order's just come in for you!"

Crispin makes his appearance, his enthusiasm infectious as he recognizes me from the cafeteria. "Oh hey, I saw you in the cafeteria! You're Ash Ketchum, right?!" He grins, his energy palpable. "Just the person to get my energy pumping. I feel like I'm cooking at a nice simmer over here! But we gotta move somewhere else for this next part. Follow me!"

We follow Crispin to a restricted area, presumably for the trials. He continues, "I've been waiting for a fiery challenger like you! Taking on the Elite Four pretty much right after coming to our school? Now that's lit! No wonder Kieran and Drayton like you. And if I'm being honest, you've kindled my curiosity too! I should warn you, though—my trial is no cakewalk! My Elite Trial is... putting together a super-spicy sandwich! And I mean SUPER-spicy! I want something so hot it'll have me breathing flames!"

I chuckle at the seemingly simple challenge. "Oh? Is that it? I mean, that is quite easy, considering that you're looking at an S-Class Connoisseur here."

Crispin's eyes light up at the mention of my culinary expertise. "Oh? An S-Class Connoisseur? That's perfect! But you can't use your own ingredients! You have to negotiate with the League Club members around here to get what you need! Once you think you have all the right ingredients, come back and talk to me. Then I'll judge your sandwich-making skills with my own two eyes! The key to cooking any dish is picking the right ingredients. The rest is easy as pie!"

With the challenge set, we embark on the task of negotiating for the necessary ingredients, mindful that we can't simply buy them from vendors. It's a unique and intriguing challenge, adding an extra layer of excitement.

With Crispin's challenge before me, I eagerly begin my quest for the ingredients needed to create a super-spicy sandwich. Crispin's words serve as my guide, and I set out to negotiate with the League Club members.

Approaching a man behind a rock, I inquire about the spicy jalapenos I require. He grins confidently and says, "We all know jalapenos are super spicy! And guess what? I've got some! And I'll also have you know I'm good at battles. Like, really good. You look like you want jalapenos, so I'll give you a choice. Do you want to battle me for some? Or buy some off me for 50 BP?"

A smile crosses my face as I reply, "I'll battle you." The prospect of another battle excites not only me but everyone in our group.

The trainer, Roux, presents a diverse team of Pokemon, including Torkoal, Bellossom, Vileplume, and Magmar. Glimmora and Kilowattrel emerge as my choice of allies, and together, we overcome all four of his Pokemon to secure the jalapenos. "That's a whole lotta pain-yo. What a burn!" he exclaims after his defeat. "I see you're a jalapeno-worthy Trainer."

With my first ingredient in hand, the League Club member kindly offers to heal my Pokemon, setting me on the path to gathering the remaining elements for Crispin's spicy sandwich. Then, I come across a girl who eagerly exclaims, "I've got some potato salad if you want! You'll have to beat me in battle to get it, though!"

I consider the offer, thinking that having some potato salad for trading might be a good idea. The student named Julinee confidently states, "I've got some potato salad, and I'm ready to battle for it!" She sends out her Eelektross and Camerupt for a double battle, where her strategy becomes clear as she attempts to use Earthquake to target both of my Pokemon. I decide to go with Greninja and Garchomp to counter her choices, and together, they emerge victorious in the battle. Some onlookers express disappointment for not witnessing an Ash-Greninja in action.

"Yes, I can hear the voice of the potato salad speaking to me now!" Julinee exclaims enthusiastically. She recalls her Pokemon and hands me the coveted potato salad. She continues, "There's something so restorative about carrying potato salad around, don't you think?"

Pleased with my acquisition, I then engage with another person who shares his craving for cold potatoey stuff. He eagerly exclaims, "Man, I've got a hankering for some of that potatoey stuff that you eat cold, you know? I'd hand over three ingredients for just a bit of it! Got any of that potatoey stuff for me?"

I decide to offer him the Potato Salad, and his eyes light up with excitement. "Yes, this is it! You won't believe how much I've been craving potato salad all day!" In exchange for my potato salad, he provides me with Onion, Cucumbers, and Prosciutto.

Apart from the boy, I also encounter a girl named Carmela who offers, "Do you want mayonnaise? I'll share some with you, but only if you can defeat me!" She sends out two Pyroars with different genders for our battle. To counter her choice, I select Krookodile and Corviknight, and together, they make quick work of her Pyroars.

"I may-o' underestimated you..." Carmela mutters, admitting defeat, before handing me the mayonnaise and kindly healing up my Pokemon. I accept the mayonnaise and move on to the next challenge.

Approaching a boy, he presents a trivia question, saying, "Let's see if you can get this trivia question! If you do, I'll give you three ingredients! What do you get when you mix eggs, oil, and vinegar? Tell me, if you've got it!"

I offer him the mayonnaise, and he rewards me with three additional ingredients: Egg, Olive Oil, and Vinegar. It's becoming clear that there are plenty of students here eager to trade.

As I continue my quest for ingredients, I encounter another boy who exclaims, "Well, I'm in a fine pickle, I am... I'm missing two whole ingredients! Listen, I'll give you a super spicy jalapeno if you front me some prosciutto and olive oil!"

I hand over the prosciutto and olive oil and receive another Jalapeno in exchange. My determination to collect all the required ingredients remains unwavering.

Beside the boy, I also trade the vinegar for a bottle of mustard, and I successfully exchange eggs for Chorizos. It seems I'm getting closer to completing the ingredients list.

Then, I find a girl who expresses her wish for some lovely green cucumbers. She asks, "How about you? If you have a cucumber, will you trade me for some chili sauce or ketchup?"

"I'll trade for chili sauce, please," I respond. We make the trade, and I now have the Chili Sauce in my possession. It appears that I have gathered all the necessary ingredients for Crispin's spicy sandwich.

"Got everything you need? Wanna start making a super-spicy sandwich?" Crispin's question hangs in the air, and I respond with an evil smile, prompting Insey to express her concerns, "I don't like the face you're making, brother..."

Crispin seems eager, noting, "I can tell you're cooking on high heat! Looking forward to something extra spicy, then." With that, I begin assembling the sandwich, layering two Jalapenos, onions, and Chorizos on the bread, and adding mustard and chili sauce as dressings. As the sandwich takes shape, Drandon comments, "Oh my... I think I can feel the spiciness coming from that sandwich..."

Lillie seems worried and sweats, saying, "You're not going to let us eat that, right?"

Crispin stares at the fiery creation before him, then divides it for his Magmortars. After they consume the sandwich, flames erupt from their mouths, a visual testament to the intense spiciness. Crispin, who also tastes the sandwiches, is now sweating bullets. He laughs heartily, "WHOOO! This isn't spicy anymore, it's just PAIN! I'm burning up all the way inside! Even the spiciest of souls would love that super-spicy sandwich! So you know what? I think I can already give you my verdict. You pass! That was absolutely perfect! Your sandwich brought the heat like nothing else!"

"Glad to hear that," I chuckle, relieved to have passed Crispin's fiery challenge. "I'm gonna enjoy the tingle on my tongue as we head back to the plaza."

As Crispin and I prepare for our elite battle on the battlefield in the plaza, he starts by acknowledging the complicated situation, saying, "Well, that wraps up the trial, so now it's time to face me in an elite battle! So... Ash! I take it there's some messy history between you and Kieran, huh? And it sure seems like Drayton's cookin' up something fishy, too..."

Crispin's frustration bursts forth as he exclaims, "Gaaah! Everything's getting so complicated! Can't you all just get over yourselves?! If you wanna say something, just say it! If you wanna do something, just do it! I'm not the kinda guy who wastes time sweating the small stuff! I battle because I wanna battle! And you know what? That's how it should be! I'm Crispin, the Elite Four rep in this here Savanna Biome! I wanna win, so that's exactly what I'll do!"

He then sends out two Pokemon: a Talonflame and a Heat Form Rotom. I choose to start the battle with Lycanroc and Wugtrio.

"Now then, time to get cooking—wait, no! Time to start battling!" Crispin declares as he commands Talonflame to set up the Sunny Day.

Minami observes, "So Talonflame and Heat Form Rotom... both of them won't get hurt by Ground moves..."

"Talonflame seems to have a Focus Sash... which means that it won't go down that easily," Lucine adds.

In response, I have Lycanroc unleashed Rock Slide, dealing damage to both Pokemon. Crispin gasps, "Gwah! You're really gonna douse our flames if you keep using moves like that!"

Talonflame counters by using Roost to heal itself, while Rotom targets Wugtrio with Thunderbolt. Wugtrio retaliates with Triple Dive, causing damage to Talonflame but also getting burned due to its Flame Body ability. Now that Wugtrio is burned, Rotom capitalizes on Hex, dealing even more damage. Meanwhile, my Lycanroc prepares for a Counter attack as Talonflame goes for Brave Bird, ultimately defeating his first Pokemon.

Crispin's unexpected choice of Exeggutor, a non-Fire type Pokemon, catches me by surprise. Exeggutor promptly launches a Solar Beam, which instantly knocks out Wugtrio. Concerned about Lycanroc, I mutter, "As long as the sun is still here... Lycanroc might be damaged by Solar Beam as well..."

I decide to send out Tatsugiri in Droopy Form, who manages to retaliate with Mirror Coat, taking an Overheat hit from Rotom and defeating it. However, when Lycanroc attempts a Crush Claw attack, it's thwarted by Exeggutor's Protect. To make matters worse, Exeggutor plants a Leech Seed on Lycanroc, slowly sapping away its remaining health.

For my next move, I bring in Dondozo as my fourth Pokemon, while Crispin opts for Camerupt as his fourth.

With the Commander ability at play, Tatsugiri quickly enters Dondozo's mouth. I issue commands, "Tatsugiri! Muddy Water! Dondozo! Order Up!"

Dondozo obligingly opens its mouth to allow Tatsugiri to unleash a stream of muddy water, causing damage to both Camerupt and Exeggutor. Simultaneously, Dondozo throws an array of sushi at Exeggutor, an amusing yet strangely effective Dragon move. As a result of these coordinated attacks, Dondozo's defenses are boosted. Although Exeggutor tries to counter with Leech Seed on Dondozo, Tatsugiri prevails, finishing off Exeggutor with an Icy Wind attack. However, Camerupt manages to strike Dondozo with Zen Headbutt, causing it to flinch.

As Crispin unveils his fifth Pokemon, Magmortar, a Thunderbolt attack takes down Dondozo, leaving Tatsugiri exposed. In response, I switch to Palafin to protect Tatsugiri. Crispin's Camerupt attempts to strike both my Pokemon with Earthquake, but I use Palafin's Flip Turn, a switching move that also inflicts damage, and replace it with Garchomp.

Crispin remarks, "I see you're aiming for Palafin's Hero Form..." He has Camerupt unleash Heat Wave, targeting both my Pokemon. Fortunately, both Garchomp and Palafin are Dragon types, so they withstand the fiery assault. Unfortunately, the move takes its toll, and Tatsugiri is knocked out.

With Tatsugiri defeated, I recall Palafin, who is now in its Hero Form, realizing that Crispin's final Pokemon is Blaziken. "Time to Terastallize and really turn up the heat! Go on, Blaziken! Burn bright red!" Crispin exclaims as he Terastallizes his Blaziken into a pure Fire type. I follow suit, Terastallizing Garchomp into a Dragon type. The sun disappears momentarily, only to be brought back by Magmortar's Sunny Day. Blaziken attempts a Stone Edge attack, but it misses as Garchomp digs underground.

Crispin smirks and says, "That's your mistake! Temper Flare!"

As Garchomp emerges from below and deals damage to Magmortar, the Temper Flare attack hits Garchomp, dealing substantial damage. Drandon inquires about the move, asking, "What's that move?"

Insey explains, "Temper Flare, the move that goes double if the previous move has failed. Brother had Garchomp use Dig, so that's how the move works a lot..."

Seizing the moment, I command, "Palafin! Hydro Pump!" Palafin dodges the incoming Thunderbolt from Magmortar and promptly knocks it out. With Magmortar out of the equation, Blaziken remains Crispin's sole remaining Pokemon.

Blaziken tries to retaliate with Shadow Claw, but Garchomp blocks it with Dragon Claw. Then, at close range, Blaziken unleashes Hyper Beam. The powerful attack lands successfully, but it also exhausts Blaziken, ultimately knocking it out of the battle.

Crispin reflects on the battle, lamenting, "I wanted to win...but I lost!" He recalls his Blaziken and continues, "Wooo! That was amazing! We cranked the heat all the way up, eh, Ash? I love battles and I love cooking 'cause they're both so easy to understand! In battles, you either win or you lose! With cooking, your dish is either spicy or not spicy! Simple, right?"

I sweatdrop a bit as I reply, "I don't think it's that simple..."

Crispin's expression shifts to one of frustration as he adds, "But right now, the mood in the League Club feels...I dunno, off. It's so frustrating... I wish I knew how we could go back to being the fun club we were before..." He frowns, seemingly concerned about the club's atmosphere. "But hey, didn't mean to douse the flames there. You were real strong, Ash! Lemme see if I can transfer the burning heat from our battle to my frying pan! I'll whip you up something great!"

Despite his enthusiasm, Crispin's culinary efforts result in dishes that are excessively spicy. He admits, "I've got no clue how to manage the temperature of anything besides what I'm cooking. So all I can say is...crank up the heat all you want in the BB League, Ash!"

After our meal and bidding farewell to Crispin, we head back to our dorms, hoping to get some well-deserved rest. However, we encounter Drayton, who approaches us with some encouraging words, "Yo, Champ in the making. That's one Elite Four member beaten. Things are lookin' good for you! Crispin's no pushover - he's just super straightforward. I think that's kinda part of his charm, y'know? We used to all chow down on Crispin's cooking after club activities let out. Those were the days. Guess he's been worrying about the way things are, too, in his own way."

My frown deepens as I ponder Drayton's words.

"You just might be the one we need to shake things up in the League Club. That's it from me. Good luck with the remaining Elite Three." With that, Drayton departs.

Alice shares her thoughts, saying, "Well, Crispin is probably the easiest to beat in my opinion, but he's still tough compared to other students."

"Yeah... but anyway, let's go back to our dorms," I agree, eager to rest and prepare for the challenges ahead in the BB League.

Here is the first Elite Four battle, and this one is not that easy but I hope you still enjoy it. The next chapter will be Lacey's turn.

Ash and Serena's Pokemon:

Charizard x2, Pikachu x2, Tauros (Paldean) x3, Lapras, Steelix (Crystal), Sceptile, Gardevoir (Shiny), Garchomp, Lucario, Krookodile, Zoroark, Greninja, Sylveon, Noivern, Lycanroc (Dusk), Mimikyu (Shiny), Corviknight, Indeedee x2, Kleavor, Ursaluna (Blood Moon), Sneasler, Meowscarada, Skeledirge, Quaquaval, Oinkologne x2 (Male/Female), Spidops, Lokix, Pawmot, Maushold x2 (Family of four/three), Dachsbun, Arboliva, Squawkabilly x4, Garganacl, Armarouge, Ceruledge, Bellibolt, Kilowattrel, Mabosstiff, Grafaiai, Brambleghast, Toedscruel, Klawf, Scovillain, Rabsca, Espathra, Tinkaton, Wugtrio, Bombirdier, Palafin, Revavroom, Cyclizar, Orthworm, Glimmora, Houndstone, Flamigo, Cetitan, Veluza, Dondozo, Tatsugiri X3, Annihilape, Clodsire, Farigiraf, Dudunsparce x2 (Two, Three segment), Kingambit, Great Tusk, Scream Tail, Brute Bonnet, Flutter Mane, Slither Wing, Sandy Shocks, Iron Treads, Iron Bundle, Iron Hands, Iron Jugulis, Iron Moth, Iron Thorns, Baxcalibur, Gholdengo, Wo-Chien, Chien-Pao, Ting-Lu, Chi-Yu, Roaring Moon, Iron Valiant, Koraidon, Miraidon, Dipplin, Sinistcha, Okidogi, Munkidori, Fezandipiti, Ogerpon