"So be honest with me Brock, how are things with Professor Ivy?" Ash asked, as Brock was piloting a boat to Cianwood.
"They're good, how about you here in Johto, how close are you to taking on the Johto League?" Brock asked curiously.
"Four badges down, and an all new team of Pokemon." Ash said confidently.
"Well, hopefully you can take on the Cianwood City gym while we're there." Brock said.
"There's a gym there?" Ash asked curiously.
"Yeah, kind of like the one back on Cinnabar, it's off the mainland but the gym leader apparently has a tough reputation." Brock said.
"Our focus should still be on getting the medicine back to Olivine City." Ash said, looking ahead.
At the front of the boat were Molly and Casey along with their starters, enjoying the ocean breeze.
"Your new friends seem nice." Brock admitted.
"Yeah, Molly's an old family friend, like a cousin to me, and Casey, we get on each others nerves, but she's fun to have around." Ash commented. "Any idea how long it will be before we get to Cianwood?"
"We should be arriving there sometime today." Brock said calmly.
"That's good, it means we'll be able to get the medicine to Amphy quickly." Ash said.
Laer at the Cianwood City Pharmacy
"Yep, okay, I see what she needs." The pharmacist said, reading Jasmine's notes.
"Can you help?" Molly asked.
"Yeah, as soon as my Shuckle's feeling better, he came down sick out of nowhere." The man said. "Wouldn't take any medicine either, strangest thing."
"Seems to be a reoccurring problem, mind if we took a look?" Casey asked.
"Go ahead, I actually have someone else taking a look as well." The Pharmacist said, leading the four around back.
"Ah shopkeeper, wonderful news, I found the issue, this card was stuck in Shuckle's shell." Eusine said, holding out a Joker before turning around to see the group. "Ash and Pikachu, and friends, plus a new one, what are you doing here?"
"We could ask you the same thing." Casey said.
"I just happened to be going by and this man's poor Shuckle was in such terrible condition that I had to help." Eusine said.
"You know, I would believe you if that wasn't the same card as the Miltank." Casey argued.
"Ash, who is this?" Brock whispered.
"Eusine, it's a complicated situation." Ash responded.
"Ash and Pikachu, surely the two of you understand I am not the victim here, just happenstance that I was in the area." Eusine said.
"I wish I could Eusine, but even I have to admit this seems fishy." Ash said. "Molly, you and Casey make sure Shuckle is all good and get that medicine for Amphy, I'll handle this."
"Surely you must jest, there is nothing strange going on here." Eusine said calmly, walking forward.
"If there's nothing strange going on, then you won't have a problem proving just that in battle." Ash said.
"Ahahah, we already had a match, or did you forget?" Eusine commented.
"We did, but knowing how you've acted since then, I want a rematch right here and now, like rivals do." Ash said.
"Ah ha! We would need a judge to make sure our emotions do not get the better of us, and there is no neutral third party!" Eusine exclaimed.
"I might not be neutral, but as a registered Pokemon League Gym Leader I am authorized as an emergency judge for battles when necessary." Brock offered.
"Any other problems?" Ash asked.
"This area, it is too small, we could damage the buildings or hurt someone!" Eusine said trying to remain calm.
"North of the city there's an empty beach, I saw it on the way in, we can go there." Ash said sternly.
"Ash, are you sure about this?" Brock whispered as they walked.
"If he has nothing to hide, he wouldn't be this defensive, he initiated the battle for the first time, and last time we met, he showed skills in battle." Ash said.
North of the city
"Alright Ash, you've had your fun with this, now we can just let bygones be bygones and go on our separate ways." Eusine said.
"No, you say you want to meet Suicune, but I think Suicune knows better than to meet with someone so selfish, so prove me wrong here and now." Ash said, holding out a Pokeball.
"And how long will this battle go?" Eusine questioned.
"How many Pokemon do you have?" Ash retorted.
"Four." Eusine commented nonchalantly.
"Then we have a four on four battle, draw your Pokeball." Ash said sternly.
"Very well, if you insist. Hypno come out!"
"Scyther I choose you!" Ash exclaimed.
"Hypno use Hypnosis!"
"Scyther use Double Team!"
Scyther's body became a blur before two more Scyther joined them, causing Hypno to not know where to hit.
"Now use Fury Cutter!"
"Use Headbutt!"
Scyther flew forward with their two clones as Hypno lunged into one, destroying the copy as the other Scyther flew by.
"Honestly Ash, even you should know you need to hit a Pokemon in order to win. Hypno use Psychic!"
Hypno rose his hand holding the string but the coin had been cut off.
"What?! How did this happen?!" Eusine exclaimed.
"Come on Eusine, you should know that I know you need to hit a Pokemon, I also know that Hypno needs that coin in order to use their psychic attacks. Now Scyther use Fury Cutter again!"
"Hypno! Use Headbutt!"
Hypno lunged forward, only to be knocked back by Scyther's scyth, tossing the psychic type into the cliff face with relative ease.
"Scyther use Fury Cutter once more!"
"Hypno use Future Sight!"
Hypno rushed forward, tossing his coin into the air before Scyther landed a finishing blow.
"Hypno is unable to battle, the winner is Scyther." Brock declared after checking Hypno.
"Well since you demand on playing this way, the kid gloves are off. Electrode let's go!" Eusine called out. "Use Zap Cannon!"
"Scyther dodge it!"
The two Scyther leapt out of the way as the blast of electricity hit the beach sending a pillar of sand high into the air from the recoil.
"Note to self, don't get hit by that." Ash said, seeing the damage it dealt to the beach. "Scyther use Fury Cutter!"
"Electrode use Thunder Wave!"
The two Scyther leapt forward, one being dissipated from the static electricity wave as the other struck Electrode.
"Now Electrode use Zap Cannon!"
"Scyther get out of the way!" Ash called out.
Scyther struggled to begin moving, before being launched up by the Zap Cannon and right back down by the future sight.
"Scyther is unable to battle, the winner is Electrode." Brock declared seeing as Scyther wasn't getting back up.
"Scyther return!" Ash called out. "Totodile's no good, and even Pikachu would struggle against that power, maybe Sudowoodo or Houndoom?" Ash said in thought.
"Vee!" Eevee exclaimed, slamming into Electrode, causing it to roll further into the sand.
"Eevee?!" Ash said in shock. "You can't keep coming out like this, first Wobbuffet and now you… Eevee use Double Edge!"
Eevee rushed forward, slamming Electrode further down again.
"Electrode get up and use Zap Cannon!"
Electrode spun in the sand, only to have it fly around, digging themself further in.
"Now Eevee use Tackle!" Ash called out.
Eevee slammed into Electrode once more, rendering it fully unconscious.
"Electrode is unable to battle, the winner is Eevee." Brock declared.
"I'll prove I'm worthy and you're in the wrong, Alakazam use Psychic!" Eusine called out, lifting Eevee high into the air above the water.
"Eusine just put Eevee above the land, no need to get crazy like this." Ash said.
"I trusted you Ash, and yet you honestly believe I would put that card in the Shuckle's shell just for some free medicine?" Eusine snapped.
"No one said anything about you doing it for free stuff just that it's the same problem that Miltank had." Ash said, realizing what Eusine was admitting moments later. "Wait, did you plant the card for Miltank to eat it too!"
"I'm not a bad person! All my money goes to finding and capturing Suicune, and yet it seems drawn to you! I always clean up what I do so no harm done!" Eusine said.
"Eusine, that is wrong on so many levels." Brock pointed out.
"I'll show you, Suicune will come to your rescue and then all my work will have paid off! Alakazam stop!" Eusine said triumphantly.
"Eevee!" Ash exclaimed, diving into the water, as a glowing light shone from below.
Brock and Eusine watched in amazement as Suicune raced over the water, diving down into the waves before leaping back up with Ash and a green Pokemon clinging to it.
"I knew it! Suicune, you must know that I am destined to be your trainer!" Eusine exclaimed.
"All you've proven is how far you'll go to try and prove yourself wrong." Ash said, catching his breath. "Ready Espeon!"
"Esp!" Espeon declared.
"Espeon use Shadow Ball!"
The gem on Espeon's forehead shone before sending a shadowy ball straight at Alakazam, knocking the larger psychic type into their trainer.
The winds whipped around Ash and Suicune as he walked up to Eusine.
"There was a time where I thought you were the one that would help me save the world, but now I know you're only in it for yourself." Ash said sternly, his eyes glowing red.
"So what you'll send me away like some criminal?!" Eusine demanded.
"No." Ash said as the winds died down. "No you're not deserving of that. You're two faced, and don't care who is in your way, but you're not a criminal. Your punishment is knowing that you could've done more and chose not to." Ash said as Suicune ran off. "Come on Brock, let's go see how the girls are doing with the medicine."