Like many times in his journey, Ash found himself lost in a forest. For now, he was resting by a waterfall, all his six Pokemon out to play or relax. The only one not relaxing was Wartortle, who had gone to the waterfall to do something Ash couldn't make out from the spot he was currently sitting on.
From the shadows of the forest, four sets of eyes watched Ash and his Pokemon closely.
"He might be a challenger," one set of eyes told the other, the latter making a noise of consent. The former was a girl and the latter a Pokemon. She could count five Pokemon, including the one at the waterfall.
She stiffened. There were six Pokemon not too long ago.
And right then Gengar appeared behind them, shoving them both out of the shadows while cackling.
Ash jumped when the girl and her Pokemon fell out of the shadows, the rest of his Pokemon turning to look at the intruder. Wartortle was still near the waterfall, but he was swimming over now.
"Who are you?" Ash demanded to know.
The girl stood up, dusting herself off while her Pokemon shook the dust off of it. She had blue eyes and green hair and wore an orange ninja contume. Something that freaked Ash out. She was too old to play dress up.
"My name is Aya. Are you a challenger of the Fuchsia City Gym?"
Ash perked up at the mention of a Gym.
"I am!" Ash declared.
Aya got into a weird fighting position.
"I am the Fuchsia City Gym Leader's younger sister and I challenge you to a battle! If you can beat me I'll take you to my brother for your official Gym battle."
Ash could never say no to a battle.
Aya sent out her Pokemon, a weird purple bug-looking thing.
"Venonat, the Insect Pokemon. Venonat is said to have evolved with a coat of thin, stiff hair that covers its entire body for protection. It possesses large eyes that never fail to spot even minuscule prey."
A bug type then. The most logical Pokemon to send would be-
Wartortle stepped forward, ready to battle.
Ash blinked in surprise before smiling.
"Alright then. Wartortle, I choose you!"
The battle began with Venonat charging with Tackle and Wartortle meeting it with a Skull Bash. Wartortle easily overpowered the bug type and followed it up with a punch, and to Ash's surprise, a small section of Venonat frosted over before fading.
Ash knew that attack, he'd seen it being used before.
The failed attempt at the move allowed Venonat to release a stun spore, which hit Wartortle from close range. The paralyzed Wartortle fell on his feet before the Paralysis forced him to his knees.
"Venonat, Psybeam!"
"Wartortle, Withdraw!"
Paralysis prevented the move from being used, resulting in Wartortle being hit by the Psybeam.
"Is that all you have? You were planning to challenge my brother with that?" Aya sneered.
"We're not done yet! Wartortle Water Gun!"
Wartortle blasted a stream of water from its mouth, hitting Venonat clean in the face.
"Follow it up with a Skull Bash!"
The turtle Pokemon lowered his head and just as it was about to launch himself forward, the Paralysis kicked in.
"Venonat! Go for Psybeam!"
Venonat unleashed a beam of psychic and shot it at Wartortorle, who was still on his knees with his head lowered.
"You can do this! Fight the Paralysis!" Ash shouted at his Wartortle.
The Turtle Pokemon closed his eyes, grit his teeth and pushed forward through the Paralysis. Wartortle launched itself forward, a thin layer of white surrounding him. Skull Bash clashed against Psybeam and Wartortle pushed harder. The colliding attack caused an explosion and Wartortle was sent flying back. He landed on his shell and struggled to get back on his feet. But he managed it and looked nothing close to giving up.
"I commend your Pokemon for being so resilient, but this ends now! Venonat Psybeam!"
Venonat's eyes glowed a light purple before it shot two beams of psychic energy out, which combined into a larger single beam towards Wartortle.
"We can do this Wartortle" Ash said, confidence oozing in his tone. It gave Wartortle a sense of comfort knowing how much his trainer trusted him, and a sense of belief that he could accomplish anything with him.
"Water Gun!"
Wartortle reared his head back and shot a huge volume of water at Venonat. The move overpowered Psybeam in an instant engulfed the bug-type Pokemon in no time and knocked it clean out.
The power behind that move was nothing like Water Gun to Ash. And his suspicions were confirmed when he checked his Pokedex. Wartortle had learned Hydro Pump.
Ash rushed forward and hugged his starter, who was completely spent after the battle.
"I knew you could win," Ash said with a grin. "And that punch you tried… we'll master it together."
Wartortle grinned at him.
Aya stepped forward, and Ash and Wartortle turned to her.
"You've defeated me, and as such I shall act on my promise. Follow me if you wish to challenge my brother."
Xxx
Aya led Ash to an odd-looking mansion, where instead of going through the front Aya took him inside from a secret passage at the side of the building. Aya then proceeds to lead him through various traps, activating none of them as they walk through. Finally, they reached the back, where a battlefield was already set.
A ball rolled in and exploded and in the smoke appeared a man grey spiky-haired man with deep black eyes.
"Aya, what is the meaning of this?" the man demanded.
"Brother, this trainer has defeated me in battle and as such I have brought him to challenge you."
The man's eyes shifted to Ash.
"Very well… It shall be a three-on-three battle. Neither I nor you are allowed to switch Pokemon. Is that agreeable?"
"Yes," Ash nodded. He had a suspicion that he didn't have a choice in that matter.
The man nodded, throwing a Pokeball out and sending out… another Pokeball? Ash pulled his Pokedex out to check.
"Voltord, the Ball Pokemon. Voltorb is extremely sensitive - it explodes at the slightest of shocks. It is rumoured that it was first created when a Poké Ball was exposed to a powerful pulse of energy."
An electric-type Pokemon. Ash did not have a surefire type advantage against this one.
"Pikachu, you're up" Ash declared and Pikachu jumped in.
Aya sounded the gong for the battle to begin and the Gym Leader called for Voltorb to use tackle. Ash asked for Pikachu to use dig, only for the floor to shake as an explosion rocked under the wooden battlefield. Pikachu was sent flying out and hit the battle field smoking and knocked out.
"Under the battlefield, you'll find similar traps you would have encountered had you made it here without Aya's guidance" the man explained calmly.
As, a little shaken by the event, brought Pikachu back to his side and took a moment to think about his next Pokemon. He can't rely on the battlefield to not be rigged with more traps. There was only one option.
Ash sent out Gengar. Gengar floated, hence was no danger of her touching the ground.
The man smirked.
"Voltorb, thunder wave!"
The orb Pokemon sent a weak wave of electricity at Gengar, who countered it with Night Shade. As per Ash's order Gengar used Psychic, lifting Voltorb before slamming him through the wooden floor. Another explosion rocked the building. When Gengar pulled it back out, the Voltorb had been knocked out.
The Gym Leader looked displeased at the defeat. Probably because Ash used his tricks against him. He called out his next Pokemon, a Venonat that evolved immediately upon being sent out.
The battle began with Venomoth being ordered to use Psybeam, which Gengar countered with Nightshade. Immediately Gengar went into the smoke. Venomoth used whirlwind to get rid of the smoke, only to find Gengar not there. Gengar popped up from Venomoth's shadow instead, dragging it down to the ground and landing a close-quarter Hypnosis. Ash immediately had her follow it up with a Dream Eater and Gengar began draining Venomoth of its energy.
The Gym Leader called Venomoth back, conceding the round to Ash.
"Your victory against my sister was no fluke I see" the man complimented. "Your use of Gengar's abilities is quite ninja-like. No wonder it overpowered her."
"Gengar didn't beat Aya. My Wartortle did" Ash explained. The man turned to his sister, who nodded with a small blush.
"I see" The man brought out another Pokeball. "I have yet to force you to bring out your best Pokemon."
And with that, he called out his Golbat.
The fight began with the man ordering his Golbat to use Confuse Ray, immediately confusing Gengar. The Ghost-type Pokemon floated around before passing right through the wooden board. An explosion followed much to Ash's horror. He was sure he'd lost Gengar as well and was not forced to his final Pokemon.
He did not notice the look of annoyance on the Gym Leader's face.
Which was explained when Gengar came back out, unscathed and no longer confused. Much to Ash's relief and confusion.
"Golbat, Wing Attack!"
"Gengaruse Psychic to stop it!"
Ash knew how fast a Golbat could be. He had one after all.
The Psychic stopped Golbat mid-strike and Gengar threw it to the ceiling before forcing it to smash into the wooden battlefield. Then she got close and used Hypnosis, following it up with a Dream Eater.
The Gym Leader smirked and Golbat woke up. It used Leeck Life on Gengar, which she couldn't dodge from that range.
"How was it? A taste of your own medicine?" the man smirked as Golbat kept on sapping Gengar's energy.
Ash called for Gengar to use Psychic to force Golbat away from her, which she did with some difficulty before following it up with a Night Shade that hit. Ash had Gengar focus on that tactic, stopping Golbat's movement with Psychic and hitting it continuously with night shade until the Pokemon fainted.
The Gym Leader called his Pokemon back looking disgruntled and vanished before anyone could say anything in a strong gust of wind. When the wind faded, Ash noticed that there was an extra badge pinned on his jacket.