"Finally back in Olivine, and I'm feeling all kinds of better! Ash said hopping off the boat with a big stretch.
"I don't know how but it was a full turn around recovery." Brock admitted.
"Now first things first, check in with Jasmine, Amphy and your Flaaffy." Ash said to Molly. "And then it's time for my gym battle!"
"I guess I can stick around for a bit longer, maybe see him actually win for once." Misty joked.
"If we're heading the same way back to the Orange Islands, might as well." Brock agreed.
"Awesome, then you'll really get to see my new team in action, right buddy!" Ash exclaimed.
"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu cheered as the duo rushed towards the lighthouse.
"Ash, hey wait up!" Molly said, running after him. "It's my Flaaffy remember!"
At the top of the lighthouse
"Alright eat up you two." Jasmine said, setting bowls of Pokemon food down.
"Jasmine we're back hows…". Molly said, stopping mid sentence to see two Ampharos.
"Ampha!" The Ampharos with a ribbon around their tail cried out, running over and hugging Molly.
"Flaaffy, you, you evolved." Molly said in shock.
"I'm sorry Molly if I had caught it, I would have done something to stop it, but I came back to the lighthouse one day and your Flaaffy had evolved over the night." Jasmine apologized.
"No, it's it's fine, really. This is amazing." Molly said, petting Ampharos's head.
"Magne-Magne-Magneton." A Magneton said, floating around Ampharos's tail.
"Sorry about that, Magneton has been curious about your Ampharos ever since their evolution, I don't think it's gotten through for him that these are two separate Pokemon." Jasmine said, as Ash, Casey, Brock and Misty made their way up the stairs.
"Hey Amphy is looking a lot better!" Ash said, seeing the second Ampharos standing tall unlike last time.
"Thanks to you and your friends help of course." Jasmine admitted. "Now Ash, I think you were hoping for a gym battle, is that correct?"
"Yes, but if it's alright, can we have the battle tomorrow?" Ash asked.
"Of course, is everything okay?" Jasmine asked.
"Yeah, just after all this time on water and coming back, I want to have a bit of on land training before our battle." Ash said.
"Not a problem, I'll be at the gym tomorrow afternoon whenever you're ready." Jasmine assured.
A bit later, back at the Pokemon Center
"So Ash, what are you planning on doing for your training?" Misty asked.
"Well, between her Ampharos and that Magneton I'm guessing she's an electric type trainer." Ash said confidently.
"Actually Ash, I heard that until recently I heard she was a rock type gym leader like me." Brock commented.
"Alright, I have an idea, let me get one Pokemon from Professor Oak and in the meantime get your rock and electric types ready." Ash said, rushing back over to the transfer phones.
Back outside a few minutes later
"Alright Ash, what's your big plan now?" Misty asked curiously.
"Well we know Jasmine has some electric types and she was a rock type trainer, so I figure I should get some training against those two types." Ash said, stretching a bit. "So who's up first?"
"Seems only fitting for me to go first." Brock said. "Onix come on out!"
"Houndoom I choose you!"
"Why do you think Ash picked Houndoom, surely he knows fire is weak to rock types." Molly commented.
"It's to train against resistance." Misty said. "Ash knows that for Croconaw, beating a rock type would be easy, but for Houndoom, that's another story."
"Houndoom use Flamethrower!"
"Onix use Rock Throw!"
Onix lobbed a boulder at Houndoom, the dark type sending out a stream of flames, stopping the boulders launch, causing it to fall to the ground.
"Houndoom use Solar Beam!"
"Onix use Slam!"
Onix slammed their tail at Houndoom, knocking the fire type, skidding across the beach before he hopped back onto his feet firing off a bright green beam from his opened jaw, blasting into Houndoom and knocking the rock snake to the ground.
"Okay, at least I know Houndoom is agile enough to take a strong hit, and get back up with no problem." Ash said. "So who's next?"
"Let's see how you do against electric types like Elekid." Casey said, sending out the baby Pokemon.
"Gligar I choose you!" Ash called out.
"So that's who he grabbed from Professor Oak's." Molly commented with bemusement.
"Elekid use Thunderbolt!"
"Gligar use Poison Sting!"
"And I'm guessing that Gligar is a ground type." Misty said as he shrugged off the Thunderbolt, sending a flurry of poisonous needles at Elekid knocking them back.
"Elekid use Quick Attack!"
"Gligar use Double Team!"
Elekid rushed forward only to leap through an after image of Gligar with four more remaining.
"Looks like Gligar has gotten faster since we last saw him." Molly commented.
"Gligar use Wing Attack!"
"Elekid use Dizzy Punch!"
Gligar spun through the air, striking Elekid, narrowly avoiding his fist, sending the electric type tumbling back once more.
"Gligar use Poison Sting once more!"
Gligar flew around firing off a flurry of stingers around Elekid, pinning it in place.
"Now let's end this use Wing Attack!"
Gligar swooped down, striking Elekid knocking him through the stingers and onto his back in defeat.
"So you proved you can beat them, but you still haven't beaten me." Misty said, sending out Corsola.
"Wait, I thought you won the badge from her gym?" Molly asked.
"Technically speaking I did." Ash admitted.
"Technically I think you won my badge in a similar manner." Brock chuckled.
"Exactly how many badges did you technically win?" Casey chuckled.
"Hey, I've won all my Johto badges and that's what counts right now." Ash said. "Come on out Croconaw!" Ash exclaimed
"Croco! Croco Croco Croco Croco! Nawnawnawnaw!" Croconaw chanted, dancing where he came out.
"Glad to know that Croconaw hasn't changed ever since he evolved." Molly sighed with a light chuckle.
"Corsola use Spike Cannon!"
"Croconaw use Hydro Pump!"
Croconaw sent out a mighty blast of water, pushing through Corsola's attack and knocking her backwards a few feet.
"Corsola use Ancient Power!"
"Croconaw use Slash to counter it!"
Croconaw ran forward, slashing at the rocks knocking them around as he neared Corsola.
"Corsola use Bubblebeam!"
"Croconaw use Bite!"
Croconaw rushed through the stream of bubbles, getting a bit confused when all of them hit him, missing Corsola in his attack.
"Corsola use Spike Cannon!"
"Croconaw use Ice Punch!"
Croconaw launched his fist forward, encasing the upper half of Corsola in ice, keeping her Spike Cannon from going off.
"Corsola use Recover!"
"Croconaw use Hydro Pump quickly!"
Croconaw sent a massive blast of water as Corsola began to glow, shedding off the layer of ice from the top of her.
"Croconaw use Bite!"
Croconaw ran forward, biting down on Corsola before tossing her aside, knocking out the rock and water type.
"I guess that leaves me and Ampharos then." Molly said walking to the spot opposite Ash. "So who is it for me? Scyther, Sudowoodo, Espeon, Wobbuffet?"
"Pikachu." Ash said calmly.
"Pika!" Pikachu said, excited to get back in the ring after the long whirl cup journey.
"Okay, just give me a second to check her moves." Molly said, looking at her Pokedex. "Okay use Cotton Spore!"
"Pikachu break right through with Quick Attack!"
Pikachu launched forward, pushing through the cotton fluff taking no damage but coming out the other side still covered in it.
"It says here that Cotton Spore sharply reduces the opponents speed." Molly said.
"Well then we'll just have to speed back up, right Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed.
"Pika!" Pikachu cheered in agreement.
"Use Agility!"
Pikachu rushed around, freeing himself from the cotton before redirecting his route back towards Molly's Ampharos.
"Ampharos use Flash!"
The gem on Ampharos's tail shone so bright that it made it impossible for anyone to see.
"Molly, too bright!" Casey exclaimed.
"Sorry, I guess the month she spent helping at the lighthouse made her flash a lot more powerful!" Molly apologized. "Ampharos stop it!"
"Ampha?" Ampharos said apologetically as the light died down.
"Pikachu follow the sound and use Thunder Punch!"
"Ampharos counter with your own Thunder Punch!"
Pikachu ran forward to where he believed Ampharos was, missing the larger electric type by a large margin.
"Pikachu use Zap Cannon!"
Pikachu spun around, getting hit by Ampharos's attack before unleashing his most powerful attack right at Ampharos at point blank range.
"Pikachu use Quick Attack!"
"Ampharos use Tackle!"
Pikachu was able to make out the large yellow outline of Ampharos, allowing him to launch forward, trading blows with the larger Pokemon.
"Use Thunder Punch!" Both trainers called out.
Pikachu leapt up, matching Ampharos's attack before sending the fully evolved electric type hurdling backwards in defeat.
"Alright Pikachu!" Ash cheered.
A short while later
"So Ash, are you feeling ready for tomorrow's fight?" Brock asked.
"You betcha, regardless of wether she uses rock or electric type me and my Pokemon are all ready to go!" Ash said with confidence.
"Let's hope so." Brock said, wondering just what Jasmine's new type was if it really was electric.
Ash's Current Team and their Moves
Pikachu: Zap Cannon - Quick Attack - Thunder Punch - Agility
Houndoom: Flamethrower - Crunch - Solar Beam - Headbutt
Croconaw: Hydro Pump - Bite - Ice Punch - Slash
Scyther: Fury Cutter - Wing Attack - Double Team - Pursuit
Sudowoodo: Flail - Mimic - Rock Throw - Low Kick
Gligar: Poison Sting - Sand Attack - Double Team - Wing Attack
Molly's Current Team and their Moves
Quilava: Flame Wheel - Tackle - Smokescreen - Cut
Ampharos: Tackle - Thunder Punch - Flash - Cotton Spore
Teddiursa: Strength
Phanpy: Rock Smash - Rollout - Sandstorm
Casey's Current Team and their Moves
Bayleef: Razor Leaf - Vine Whip - Body Slam - Sweet Scent
Beedrill: Twin Needle - Fury Attack - Poison Sting - Pursuit
Elekid: Thunderbolt - Quick Attack - Dizzy Punch
Authors notes
In case you haven't noticed yet, Molly's team is based off of the Pokemon she had in the movie, and they have all the field moves commonly used to explore dungeons or mazes in the games.
