Heh...h-hey everyone. *dodges flying beer bottles* Ok ok I'm sorry! It's just that I've been real busy with other stuff, like trying to organize the Sonic movie that I've been working on, trying to get stuff done for Vacation Bible School (look that up if you have an empty summer), and plus, the fanfiction private messaging system went all wonky on me, so I couldn't reply to too many revies, so I'm sorry if anyone didn't get one. And to top it all off, the archives I use to send the update messages went somewhere so I couldn't send them. Please forgive me everyone! I swear I'll get the next one out faster! I don't own anything except the story. *Gets hit by a bottle* Ow...
_
Chapter 47
Misty's POV
Well after the whole Froslass incident, we were glad to be able to take a day to relax and just do nothing. We stopped in this small town that was famous for its noodle restaurant, so we decided to stop for a while and enjoy a good lunch, and oh wow was it good! What a refreshing aspect, doing nothing for a day. Just some good old fashioned rest and relaxation. We definitely needed it after all the excitement we'd been through in the past week. Of course Riolu made sure the day wasn't COMPLETELY boring. The little guy was all whiny about doing some training, but all of the other Pokémon just wanted to sit around too, even Azurill was in the mood for a lazy day. But of course, Riolu being Ash's Pokémon decided to go off on his own and practice by himself.
When Pikachu pointed out Riolu was missing, Ash tried using his aura to find out where Riolu had gone exactly, and he was shocked to find he had gone off into the nearby mountains all by himself. Ash ran off and we followed, and before long we found Riolu at the bottom of the hill that led to the mountainous region. Ash snagged the Emanation Pokémon who was somewhat displeased that he had been caught, but he didn't know how lucky he was. Brock spotted a warning sign that explained there was a rogue Metagross in the mountains!
A few seconds later, we heard faint screaming and a ping out of nowhere, and just like that the sounds stopped. Ash suggested it was Team Rocket blasting off again, of course I knew he was just joking. So after we took a night to get some sleep, we moved on and started back on our trip to Snowpoint City, and on our way there, we found a town down in a canyon.
Normal POV
"Hey look guys, a town!" Ash exclaimed. "I bet whoever built it went through a lot of trouble to put it right in the middle of a canyon." Misty added. "According to the guidebook, that town's called Squallville." Brock said. "Wow, what a view." Dawn added. Just then, a sharp gust of wind blew, forcing Dawn to release Piplup in order to hold down her skirt. "What a wind!" she exclaimed. When the wind died down, the group breathed a gasp of relief. "Hey Dawn, where's Piplup?" Misty asked. "Huh? Piplup! Where are you?" Dawn cried.
The group heard a terrified chirping from up above them, and they saw Piplup flapping desperately to stay airborne and not fall to a painful experience. "Aah! Piplup!" Dawn leaped up to catch Piplup just before the small penguin hit the ground, and managed to wrap her arms around the water-type. "(Sigh) That was close." Dawn said. "You guys ok?" Ash asked. "Yeah, we're ok now." Dawn sighed. "No wonder it's called Squallville, that wind came out of nowhere." Misty said. "What does that have to do with anything?" Ash asked.
"Ash, you really are the king of unintelligence. Squall means a sharp, sudden gust of wind." Misty sighed. Ash made a face at the redhead, "Well you're the queen of using words I don't know." he said. "I'll take that as a compliment, thank you. It's nice to know that even though you beat me in the height department, I'll always be smarter than you." Misty stuck her tongue out at her boyfriend who just stuck his tongue back at her. "Ahh, good times." Brock sighed. Just then, the four teens heard a loud shout echo from the canyon, the group looked around and saw something floating up into the air. "Awesome!" Ash exclaimed.
"What is that?" Misty asked. "It's Pokéringer!" Brock replied. "What's Pokéringer?" Dawn asked. "You'll see! Come on, let's check it out!" Ash and Brock took off running down the path, leaving Misty and Dawn in a state of confusion. "Wait for us you guys!" Misty cried. The two girls managed to catch up with the trainer and breeder just as they reached a low enough cliff that they could see what was happening. "Awesome! They have Pokéringer matches in Squallville too!" Ash exclaimed. "Ok now that you made us run all the way down here, answer our question. What is Pokéringer?" Misty asked.
"Pokéringer is a really fun competitive sport where trainer and Pokémon compete together as a team, just like what they're doing down there." Brock explained. The group averted their attention to the two flying Pokémon down below. A Yanmega and a Wingull were busy fighting for possession of a plastic ring that was floating around via a tiny parachute that was riding the wind. "The object of the game is to grab the ring while simultaneously trying to take your opponent down, and whoever places the ring on one of the three hooks is declared the winner…like what Yanmega just did!" Brock exclaimed.
"Wow, sounds like fun!" Dawn exclaimed. "Come on, let's ask the guy down there when the competition is! I wanna compete again!" Ash exclaimed. "Again? When did you compete before?" Misty asked. "Back when I was travelling Hoenn, I entered with my Taillow and it evolved into Swellow to win!" Ash replied. "And…how come you never called to tell me?" Misty asked suspiciously. "Musta…slipped my mind." Ash chuckled nervously. "Just like everything else in there." Misty playfully knocked his head with her fist before walking past him.
"Hey! I've got a great memory!" Ash yelled. "Let it go Ash." Brock laughed. Ash grumbled before following the others down the cliff to speak with the man whose Yanmega had just won the competition. "The guy sure looks determined." Misty commented. The teens walked up to the man and all simultaneously said, "Hello!" Apparently they had caught the man off guard as he cringed in shock and curled up into a ball with his back turned to them. "Excuse me, something wrong?" Dawn asked. "We're sorry if we scared you." Misty added.
The man suddenly raised his head up and then stood tall in front of the teens. "No no it's quite alright, now what can I do for you lovely young people?" the man asked. "We were wondering if Pokéringer is really popular here in Squallville." Brock said. "And we were also wondering if there's a competition!" Ash added. "Not only are your musings correct, but said-ville is holding a Pokéringer contest this very day!" the man replied. "Wow! Awesome!" Ash exclaimed excitedly. "I'd LOVE to get in on that!" Dawn added.
Obviously excited, Piplup jumped out of Dawn's arms and flapped his flippers, but unfortunately for the small water-type, he had forgotten he was a flightless bird, and fell to the ground with a thud. "Piplup! Are you ok?" Dawn asked worriedly. Piplup groaned softly as Dawn bent over to scoop up the small penguin and hold him. "Maybe we'll just sit this one out." Dawn giggled. "Too bad Gyarados can't fly; I'd love to enter the competition too." Misty said. "No offense Mist, but I don't think you'd be able to handle it." Ash replied.
"What do you mean I wouldn't be able to handle it? Listen here Ash, I can handle anything you throw at me and then some and don't you forget it!" Misty hissed. "I didn't mean anything by that Misty! I just meant that it's kinda complicated if you're entering for the first time!" Ash replied nervously. "You did just fine obviously, and anything you can do, I can do better!" Misty hissed. "Guys, knock it off! Misty, you said yourself that you don't even have a flying-type to enter, so it doesn't really matter anyway." Brock said.
"But I…(sigh) you know, you're right. Sorry Ash, I love you." Misty suddenly snared Ash into a tender lip-lock, which caught everyone including Ash off guard, but as Ash began kissing back, Dawn noticed Misty's hand moving towards Ash's waist. "What's she up to?" Dawn thought. Then the kiss broke, and Ash just stood there in a daze before coming back to his senses. "Wow, that was a nice surprise." he chuckled. "I'm sure it was." Misty replied with a smile of her own. "Anyways, I'm gonna enter that contest with Staravia for sure!" Ash exclaimed to the man.
"Ooh, we are fired up aren't we?" the man said. "Hey you bet! Because I'm in it to win it!" Ash replied. "Well in that case, I think it's time I got some more training in with Yanmega, so if you all would be so kind as to move along." the man said. "Wait a second, where is the contest?" Ash asked. "It's right over that ridge, now go on, you should do some training too." the man replied. "Gee, thanks a lot!" Ash exclaimed. So the group headed over to the contest site, where Ash would sign up to join the competition. Misty and Dawn were shocked to see just how many people were watching this thing. "Wow! I can't believe what a huge competition this is!" Dawn exclaimed. "I know! Even Rhonda the news lady is here!" Misty added.
"When you win a Pokéringer contest, the hosting town makes you an honorary citizen!" Brock explained. "And the winner gets other prizes as well, like a whole bunch of special boxes of Pokémon food!" Ash added. "What are you getting so excited about Pokémon food for? You plan on eating it?" Misty laughed. "What? I don't care so much about the prize! I just wanna win and give it my all!" Ash exclaimed. "Well I think you better give it more than your all, because it looks to me that a lot of these teams around here know more about this stuff than you do." Misty replied.
"Oh yeah? I'll show you!"
"Yeah, I dare you to show me!"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
"OH YEAH?
"YEAH!"
"OH YEAH?"
Before their bickering could continue, Rhonda the reporter walked up with her sadly out of shape microphone holder and the rest of her crew. "Hmm, I smell a scoop, 'Couple Trouble in Squallville, will it blow over?' I like that title!" Rhonda said. "No no no no! They do this stuff all the time, there's no real trouble here, really!" Dawn exclaimed. But Dawn quickly got bowled over by Rhonda in order to get to Ash and Misty who were apprehensively watching the reporter as she stuck a microphone in their face. "So tell me, does she yell at you a lot?" Rhonda asked. "Um…not as much as she used to, but she doesn't unless…" Ash was cut-off by Rhonda who had turned around to talk to herself. "So we're looking at a possibly abusive relationship here."
Rhonda then turned around and stuck the microphone in Misty's face. "Tell me, is there a specific reason you treat him so badly?" Rhonda asked. "She doesn't treat me badly!" Ash exclaimed. Rhonda then turned around to talk to herself again. "He's in denial! What a story this will make!" Rhonda then turned to them again. "Tell me, has it been this way since you first became a couple?" Rhonda asked. "Um…not…hey wait a second! How did YOU even find out?" Misty asked. "News travels fast when you're the one reporting it. I saw you and him together while reporting the Wallace Cup." Rhonda replied.
"Oh wonderful…tell me…what makes you think that the media will have any interest at all in a relationship of two teenage trainers?" Misty asked. "Oh don't play innocent with me, I haven't forgotten who you are, Misty Waterflower, Gym Leader of Cerulean City." Rhonda replied. Misty got a little nervous at the use of her old title, if she were to get put into a scandal, the gym's reputation might lower even further, or worse, get shutdown. "Listen, we do this kind of stuff all the time, we know we don't mean the things we say, it's kind of a way to…build determination!" Misty exclaimed suddenly.
"What do you mean?" Rhonda asked suspiciously. "I mean yeah! The blood gets flowing, the adrenaline starts pumping, and in the end he's more determined than ever to win because he…well…wants to prove me wrong, and I'm happy to say he usually does." Misty explained. "I see…perhaps there's a better story back over there." Rhonda turned around and headed back to where she was before, but not before she got bumped in the head by her microphone holder, who was also the unfortunate victim of a Rhonda outburst. "I swear if you hit me with that thing again I'll stuff that microphone in your mouth!" she screeched. "Sorry Ms. Rhonda." the microphone holder whimpered.
Once Rhonda was out of earshot, the couple sighed with relief. "That was close. Nice job Mist, that was quick thinking." Ash said. "Heh, that was nothing…actually no it was something, I thought we were Sinnoh Star front page scandal stories for sure." Misty laughed lightly. "Well alright, I'm gonna go sign up, see you later?" Ash asked. "Later's too late, I'll see you real soon." Misty planted a quick kiss on the trainer's cheek and headed over to where Brock and Dawn were waiting for her. "You guys ok?" Brock asked.
"Yeah we're fine, but I'll tell you what, she nearly gave me a heart attack." Misty replied. The three found seats near the front by some miracle, and managed to sit down before three other overly-excited kids got to them. But just as they sat down, Misty got back up. "I'm gonna go get something to drink, anyone want anything?" she asked. "But we just got here! And the competition hasn't started yet!" Brock replied. "I figure if I go now I'll avoid the lines later, so anyone want something?" Misty asked again. "I guess a lemonade will do." Dawn replied. "One lemonade! Brock?" Misty asked.
"Uh…just get me a small lemon-lime soda." Brock replied. "Got it, ok, be back in a flash!" Misty took off running, which left Brock and Dawn to wonder why Misty was acting so squirrely. Back at the registration table, Ash was getting signed up for the competition. "Team Name?" the registration lady asked. "Team Ash!" Ash exclaimed proudly. "And what Pokémon will you be entering?" she asked. "I'll be entering with my Staravia, and I'm here to win too!" Ash replied. "So is everyone else kid. Go over there and wait for your team to be called." the lady said.
Ash sweat-dropped and thanked the lady before walking over to the waiting area. "Boy she's real cheerful eh Pikachu?" Ash asked sarcastically. "Pika chu." (Sure is.) Pikachu replied. Although Ash didn't know it, there was someone else he knew that was getting ready to sign up, and it would prove to be a real shock. Meanwhile, back in the stands, Misty had just come back with two drinks, panting as she gave them to her friends. "One lemonade for Brock, and a lemon-lime soda for Dawn!" she huffed before plopping down into her chair.
"Uh Misty, I ordered the lemonade, not Brock." Dawn said. "Oops, sorry! Just switch cups!" Misty exclaimed. "What happened to YOUR drink Misty?" Brock asked. "My…drink. I forgot to get mine!" Misty slapped her head in frustration and ran off again, leaving the two remaining teens to once again wonder what was going on. "You think she's up to something?" Brock asked. "Like what?" Dawn asked back. "I dunno, Misty's really hard to predict." Brock sighed. Just then fireworks began to burst in the sky, signaling the beginning of the event, and Rhonda came up on the big screen for everyone to see. "It's the event you've all been waiting for; yes it's time for the glorious Squallville Pokéringer competition! This special coverage at the Squallville Arena is brought to you by Sinnoh Now!" As Rhonda turned around however, she wound up face to face with her microphone again as it whacked her in the forehead.
"If you don't start paying attention you'll be sleeping in the unemployment line!" Rhonda roared. "Sorry Rhonda." the poor microphone holder mumbled. "Psst, Rhonda, we're still rolling tape!" the cameraman whispered. Rhonda turned around and let the microphone holder drop to the ground as she put her hands behind her back and blushed embarrassedly. "Today's Pokéringer competition will be single elimination. The team that wins all their matches will be the winner! So now let's get this competition underway! The Squallville Pokéringer competition's first matchup will be…Team Ash versus Team Taylor!"
"Awesome! We're up first!" Ash exclaimed. "Let's get going Pikachu!" Ash and his opponent headed over to the balloons where they would be controlling their Pokémon. Ash looked into the stands to find his friends, and saw that Dawn and Brock were there, but Misty wasn't sitting there with them. "Where'd she go?" he wondered.
"Excellent! Ash is up first!" Dawn exclaimed. "I can't wait to see what Pokémon his opponent will use." Brock added. "Hey, where's Misty?" Dawn asked. As if on cue, Misty came running with a blue drink in her cup. "Feraligatrade?" Brock figured. "Tastes pretty good really. So what'd I miss?" Misty panted. "Ash is up first! You're just in time!" Dawn replied.
"Pikachupi!" (Misty!) Pikachu pointed into the stands and spotted Misty who had just sat back down in her seat. "There she is. For a second there I thought she'd miss it." Ash said. "Competitors, take your places!" a backstage official yelled. "This is it Pikachu, let's do it!" Ash hopped into the basket and floated off facing his opponent in midair. At the same time, a ring being suspended by a balloon was let loose into the sky as well. "The balloon ring has been released and the Pokéringer competitors are being raised to the official altitude!" Rhonda exclaimed. "Alright Pikachu, you ready for this?" Ash asked. "Pi pika chu!" (Let's do this!) Pikachu replied determinedly.
Ash clutched the Pokéball he would be using and awaited the command. "Now! Pokéringer Round One: Match One, start!" Rhonda shouted. Ash yanked the Pokéball off his belt and launched it into the air. "Staravia, I choose you!" At the same time, his opponent in the other balloon did the same thing. "Skarmory, let's go!"
Both Pokémon emerged flying towards the ring with incredible speed, as they raced to see who would get possession first. "And both Pokémon race towards the ring at full speed!" Rhonda announced. Finally the ring was grabbed, and the Pokémon that grabbed it immediately swooped down towards the goal. "Now head straight for the goal, quick!" Ash yelled. "Stop them by using 'Swift'!" Taylor countered. Skarmory turned around in midair and opened its beak to launch a barrage of golden stars towards Ash's flying-type, who took the hit hard and accidently let the ring fall as she got hammered by the attack.
"And Skarmory lands a clean hit! Will their strategy slow Staravia down so they can steal the ring?" Rhonda announced. That assumption would prove to be correct as Skarmory appeared from behind Staravia and snatched the ring and took off towards the goal. "Alright! Go for the goal!" Taylor ordered. Skarmory hurried to do just that, but Ash was far from out of it. "Get that ring back Staravia!" he yelled. Staravia regained her balance and swooped down after the steel/flying-type who was surprised to see that Staravia was catching up.
"Looks like Staravia has the speed advantage over Skarmory." Dawn said. "True, but Skarmory defenses are really tough, unless Ash gets a hard hit, I'm not sure he'll be able to get the ring back." Brock replied. "They're getting too close! Skarmory, chase them away with 'Fury Attack'!" Taylor ordered. Skarmory turned around and charged towards Staravia, ready to attack with a vicious barrage of pecks and scratches. "Dodge it!" Ash yelled. Skarmory tried to attack, but Staravia's airborne speed and agility were simply too much for the bulkier and slower Skarmory.
Finally Skarmory got slightly dizzy from chasing Staravia in circles, and accidently released the ring to try and regain its bearings. But that split-second rest would prove to be a huge mistake, as Staravia reacted immediately and took back the ring. "Alright! Now Staravia, the goal!" Ash ordered. Staravia swooped down to head for the goal, but the persistent Taylor wasn't yet ready to throw in the towel. "Get ahead and use 'Sand Attack'!" he ordered. Skarmory unleashed a burst of speed and managed to get ahead of Staravia. Skarmory flapped its wing hard and threw a cloud of sand into Staravia's eyes, forcing the bird to stop and avoid getting off balance. "Now use 'Air Cutter'!" Taylor ordered. Skarmory's wings glowed brightly as it launched a barrage of energy blades at the bird who seemed helpless to do anything. "No, Staravia!" Ash yelled nervously.
But luck proved to be on Ash's side as a sudden gust of wind lifted Staravia up higher into the air and got her out of danger of the attack. "Unbelievable! Staravia was just saved by one of Squallville's famous wind gusts!" Rhonda announced. "That was a really powerful 'Air Cutter' too." Dawn said. "A direct hit and it would've all been over." Brock added. "Ash got really lucky just now." Misty also added.
"Staravia, you ok?" Ash asked. Staravia cringed for a moment, but eventually managed to regain her composure and calmly hover in place. "Awesome! Now quick, head for the goal!" Ash ordered. Staravia started her third attempt to get to the goal, but for the third time, Skarmory moved in to attack and prevent it. "Unleash 'Air Cutter' again!" Taylor yelled. As Skarmory moved in closer and closer, Ash seemed to get more and more focused on it. "Get as close to it as you can…" he said quietly.
"What is Ash doing? Staravia's about to dive headfirst into an 'Air Cutter'!" Dawn exclaimed. "Only Ash knows. Let's see what he's up to." Misty replied. Skarmory flapped its wings and unleashed the attack, and only then did Ash make his move. "Now, dodge it using 'Aerial Ace'!" he roared. Incredibly, Staravia actually picked up speed using 'Aerial Ace' and swooped upwards in the blink of an eye, making the 'Air Cutter' seem like it wasn't even moving, and also surprising Skarmory and Taylor. "That's fast!" Taylor exclaimed in shock.
"Now it's time, go!" Ash yelled. Staravia used the extra speed and agility from 'Aerial Ace' to swoop down for the goal. "Aah! Stop them Skarmory!" Taylor exclaimed nervously. Skarmory swooped down after Staravia, but the small bird was simply too fast for it as Staravia placed the ring on the hook and swooped back up and did a shrill victory cry. "Goal! And Team Ash moves right along to the second match!" Rhonda announced. "Good job Staravia!" Ash exclaimed. Staravia smiled at her trainer and chirped happily as Ash returned her to her Pokéball.
When the balloon landed, Ash shook hands with his opponent. "Good match, that Staravia of yours sure is fast." Taylor said. "Hey thanks, you have an awesome Skarmory too." Ash replied. "I guess, we'll be back next year even faster and stronger! Good luck in the next round!" Taylor headed off to the stands where he would be watching the rest of the battles, while Ash headed back to the waiting area. "Alright folks now it's time for our next match. Who are our next two teams?" Rhonda said. The first profile picture appeared on the screen and caused a loud cheering in the stands. "Whoa, what's with these people?" Misty asked.
"Alright! This team has won four competitions in the past. The unbeatable four time champions, Team Provo!" Rhonda announced. At the mention of the actual name, the crowd got even louder. "Looks like this guy is some sort of local legend." Misty said. "I feel sorry for whoever has to face him." Dawn added. "And facing him will be…Team Paul!"
Ash stopped in his tracks when he heard that name announced, and he turned around to see if it was the Paul he thought it was. "It IS Paul!" he said to himself. And as if on cue, Paul came walking over to the balloon. "Paul, I had no idea you were entered in THIS competition." Ash said, trying to be friendly. "Yeah, so what if I am?" Paul replied, not even bothering to make eye contact. "Well so much for friendly." Ash thought to himself. "You could've at least said hi you know." Ash growled. Paul ignored Ash and simply hopped into the basket to make some adjustments to the balloon. "Well aren't you gonna say anything?" Ash asked. "Ok fine. Drop out before I embarrass you in front of everyone here." Paul replied, still refusing to look at Ash.
"Embarrass me? Get real! We're not gonna lose to you again!" Ash growled. "If that's what you wanna think, be my guest. Now beat it, I have to get ready." Paul replied. "Why you…you know what? Fine. Good luck Paul." Ash stuck his hands in his pockets and walked away from the purple haired trainer, doing his very best not to think about going back and punching him in the mouth. "Pikapi?" (Ash?) Pikachu squeaked worriedly. "I'm ok Pikachu…just that Paul really knows how to push my buttons." Ash replied, "We'll beat that guy."
"What do you know? Paul's in the competition too. Suddenly I don't feel so sorry anymore." Dawn said. "Knowing him he probably entered the competition in order to raise his Pokémon's level." Brock added. "That's disgusting, it honestly makes me wanna hurl." Misty spat. "But what kind of flying-type Pokémon does Paul have?" Dawn asked. "Um…what did Reggie say it was? That's right! Paul's got a Honchkrow!" Misty exclaimed. Paul and Provo were now up in the sky. "Now that both second match competitors are in their places, start!" Rhonda announced.
"Honchkrow, stand by for battle!"
"Dragonite, let's go!"
The two Pokémon burst out of their Pokéballs and hurried towards the ring. "So it's a Dragonite versus Honchkrow." Ash said to himself. "I hope that four time champion manages to knock Paul out fast." Misty hissed. "Wishful thinking if you ask me. We all know that whenever Paul enters in something, he usually puts up a really good fight." Brock replied. "A girl can only hope." Misty sighed.
"And Honchkrow zooms to the ring!" Rhonda announced. Indeed, Honchkrow had taken off immediately after its release and was already on its way to the ring. "Honchkrow's got a head start but Dragonite's faster!" Provo roared, his Australian accent shining through his speech, "Dragonite, 'Dragon Pulse'!" Dragonite acknowledged and launched a green ball of energy at the dark/flying-type. "Dodge it!" Paul ordered. Honchkrow did a barrel roll and easily dodged the attack, and just as easily grabbed the ring and headed for the goal.
"No ya don't! Dragonite, get going! Use 'Fire Punch'!" Provo ordered. Dragonite swooped down with its fist cocked back and enveloped in flame. "Dodge it!" Paul countered. Honchkrow looked back and spotted Dragonite gaining on it, and quickly flew up to avoid the attack. "Now, 'Dragon Rush'!" Provo ordered. Dragonite continued the assault and charged forward with a mighty dragon-type move, and this time Honchkrow couldn't move fast enough to avoid it. "Wow, what a powerful move! And a clean hit as well!" Rhonda announced.
"Get it Dragonite!" Provo yelled.
"Take back the ring!" Paul also shouted.
The two Pokémon raced down towards the ring to try and get to it first, and in the end it was Honchkrow who still managed to wind up with the ring. "Alright, use 'Dragon Rush' again!" Provo ordered. Dragonite once again rushed for the dark/flying-type. "Sky Attack'!" Paul ordered. Honchkrow acknowledged and began to glow in a harsh light, but while the attack charged, Dragonite was still gaining ground. "Honchkrow's fast but my Dragonite's faster!" Provo snickered. For a second it seemed that the powerful dragon-type attack would hit, but then Paul felt a slight breeze come from below, and that's when he made his move. "Ride the wind and dodge it!"
Honchkrow gently let the wind lift it up and out of the way of the 'Dragon Rush', and the surprised Dragonite got off-balance and basically became a sitting duck for Honchkrow. "Finish it off!" Paul roared. Now with a fully charged attack, Honchkrow got behind Dragonite and blasted forward with an incredibly powerful 'Sky Attack'. The move hit the dragon/flying-type square in the back, and the pained dragon couldn't recover from the sheer force and power, and fainted right then and there, which gave Honchkrow the obvious victory. "And Honchkrow's powerful 'Sky Attack' ends the battle! Team Paul has surprisingly defeated the competition's favorite Team Provo, and will move on to the second round!" Rhonda announced.
"Wow, Honchkrow did it in one hit!" Dawn exclaimed. "Well one of Honchkrow's abilities is called 'Super Luck', and Paul used it to his advantage and struck Dragonite's weak spot." Brock explained. "That's just like Paul. What do you think Misty?" Dawn asked. Dawn looked over, but noticed that Misty wasn't there anymore. "Where'd she go?" she asked.
"And now for our next match! The competitor's will be Team Jamus and Team Violet!" Rhonda announced. "They call me Mr. Jamus; they also call me the magician of the wind!" Jamus said. Jamus's opponent, a young girl in a tight hoodie jacket with the hood pulled tight around her head, hiding her hair and eyes, merely stayed silent, though she was obviously not impressed with Jamus. "And start!" Rhonda announced. Once the match started, both trainers called out their Pokémon.
"Yanmega, let's go!"
"It's all you Charizard!"
Both Pokémon came out of their balls and faced off. "A Charizard, at least you've chosen a worthy opponent for the great Mr. Jamus!" Jamus exclaimed. "Why don't you just shut up and battle? I'm here to win, not talk trash!" Violet shouted back. "Have it your way." Jamus laughed. "Go Charizard, get that ring!" Violet yelled. Charizard roared and flew up towards the ring, while Yanmega merely waited there. "And Charizard rushes right for the ring, but for some reason Yanmega doesn't seem to be moving!" Rhonda announced.
"Wonder why he's not doing anything." Dawn said. "He's probably trying to read the wind currents and patterns in order to find the right time to make his move." Brock said. "In that case, Violet and her Charizard better be careful." Dawn replied. "Let's see, presently there's a gentle breeze blowing to my right, but my expert forecasting tells me there's soon to be a breeze from above!" Jamus exclaimed. "You hear that? Get ready Charizard!" Violet ordered. "Hey! Make your own predictions!" Jamus yelled. "Just as Jamus predicted, the wind blew, but not in the direction Jamus thought.
Charizard reached for the ring, but the sudden updraft pushed Charizard upwards and away from the ring, and it knocked Yanmega off-balance. "And the sudden wind gust keeps Charizard from getting the ring first!" Rhonda announced. "Hey, you said there would be a downdraft!" Violet screamed. "Even an expert such as myself is entitled to a mistake." Jamus replied. Violet just growled, "Charizard, level off and get that ring!"
Charizard shook its head and swooped down to the ring-toting parachute. "And Charizard makes its second attempt to get the ring! But for some reason Yanmega has yet to make a move!" Rhonda announced. "This next one will be an upward current, with that in mind, ride the wind!" Jamus yelled. But again Jamus was proven wrong as the gust came from above and shot both Charizard and Yanmega downwards. "And another sudden wind gust catches our competitors off guard!" Rhonda announced. "Boy, Jamus obviously isn't that good at predicting wind currents." Dawn said.
"Maybe, but then again, Violet obviously isn't that great either." Brock said. Meanwhile in the competitor's seating, Ash was watching the battle unfold, and the slightest bit of suspicion was starting to reach his mind. "That Charizard looks really familiar."
"I'm done listening to you! Charizard, get the ring and then take this creep out!" Violet ordered. Finally Charizard flew up and managed to grab the ring with its claw, and then turned his attention to Yanmega. Jamus whimpered nervously when he saw that Violet had no intention of racing for the goal, she was instead intent on knocking out Yanmega, and being a bug/flying-type, Yanmega was at a serious disadvantage facing off against a Charizard. "And it looks like now that Charizard has the ring, it's going after Yanmega!" Rhonda announced.
"You wouldn't try to eliminate a Pokéringer celebrity in such a cruel and vicious manner would you?" Jamus asked nervously. "Charizard, knock it out with 'Overheat'!" Violet ordered. Charizard opened his mouth and unleashed a furiously powerful blast of fire, which engulfed the bug/flying-type and instantly knocked it out. "Magician of the wind. No amount of magic can beat good ol' fashioned battling." Violet said. Charizard put the ring on the hook and roared victoriously. "Goal! And Team Violet easily takes the victory, and will move on to the second round!" Rhonda announced.
"Hmmph…the Sinnoh winds are tough to predict, but at the moment I confess to being overwhelmed with awe. That's because, I will learn from my loss and return as a greater Pokéringer challenger!" Jamus cackled maniacally and returned the dragonfly Pokémon upon reaching the ground. Violet on the other hand hurried to return her fire/flying-type and ran to the competitor's area instead of staying to accept the applause. "Boy, that Violet sure plays aggressively." Dawn said. "And that Charizard's 'Overheat' was really something." Brock added.
Inside the waiting area, Violet accidently bumped into Ash, which for some reason made her cringe. "Oh hey, that was an awesome match! Your Charizard's got some awesome power!" Ash exclaimed. "Uh, yeah thanks!" Violet rushed by Ash and Pikachu, leaving the two partners confused. "What was that all about?" he asked. Pikachu hopped off of Ash's shoulder and started walking in the direction Violet rushed off to. "Where ya going Pikachu?" Ash asked. "Pika chu." (Nowhere.) Pikachu replied. "Well alright, but hurry back, we gotta get back in the air!" Ash exclaimed. Pikachu gave a thumbs-up and scampered off.
The electric mouse caught the scent of the girl who had just rushed off, and peered around the corner to see if his suspicion was correct. Violet took her hood off and sighed, and that simple act confirmed it for Pikachu. "Pikachupi!" (Misty!) Indeed, Violet was actually Misty in disguise, and it also explained why her Charizard looked so familiar; it was actually Ash's Charizard. Pikachu scampered over to Misty who got a huge sweat-drop on her head when she saw Pikachu standing there with his arms crossed. "Heh…hi Pikachu…I was just uh…looking for the little girl's room." she said nervously.
Pikachu shook his head at the red-head, which gave Misty the impression that the electric mouse wasn't buying her story. "It's true! Guess I can't hold my Feraligatrade I guess." Misty laughed. Pikachu shot a small spark of electricity at the feet of the water-trainer. "Pika pika Pikachupi." (Stop lying Misty.) Pikachu said disapprovingly. "(Sigh) Fine. How'd you know it was me? You caught my scent? Guess you know me too well." Misty laughed. Pikachu laughed as well. "I just wanna show Ash that I can do anything he can do and do it better! Just because he's been in a Pokéringer match before doesn't mean he's better at it!" Misty exclaimed.
"Pi pika pi pika chu?" (Then why are you hiding?) Pikachu asked. "Well…mostly it's because I don't want Ash to know he got beaten by me. I'll take off the disguise after I beat him…but it also has something to do with the fact that I stole Charizard from him. Remember when I kissed him? I took Charizard off his belt." Misty replied. "Pi ka chu." (I get it.) Pikachu replied. "So…you won't tell him it's me right?" Misty asked. "Pika pika chu pi pika!" (Your secret's safe with me!) Pikachu replied. "Thanks Pika-pal!" Misty exclaimed. "Pika Pika-Chu pi Pikaka pika chu?" (Do Brock and Dawn know about this?) Pikachu asked. "Oh my gosh, Brock and Dawn! I forgot all about them! See you later Pikachu!" Misty took off running towards the stands, which left Pikachu by himself to merely chuckle.
"So, what'd I miss?" Misty panted as she sat down in her seat again. "Paul won his match, and this girl with a Charizard beat the guy we met earlier this morning. Where've you been?" Dawn asked. "Guess I can't hold my Feraligatrade." Misty laughed. "Now let's get going with the second round! The next competitors that will match up will be…Team Ash versus Team Violet!" Rhonda announced. "This really isn't my day." Misty thought. "I'll be right back; I gotta get something to eat." Misty said. "Now? Ash is about to get started!" Dawn exclaimed. "I know, don't worry I'll make it." Misty took off running again. "Why's she acting so squirrely today?" Dawn asked suspiciously. "Who knows? Let's just see what happens." Brock replied.
"The two competitors will now prepare to get started!" Rhonda announced. Inside the balloon hallways, Ash and "Violet" were now facing off. "Hey, no matter what happens, let's give it our all." Ash held out his hand for her to shake, and she glanced over at Pikachu who gave a sly wink to her. She smiled slightly and shook Ash's hand back. "Good luck to you too." she said. "Competitors! Take your balloons!" Rhonda announced. "This is it, seeya up there!" Ash exclaimed. Ash ran for his balloon, and Misty took off in the other direction, happy that Pikachu had kept her identity secret.
"Start!" Rhonda announced. "Staravia, I choose you!" Ash yelled. Staravia popped out of her Pokéball and gave a shrill cry of determination. "Now Charizard, let's do this!" Violet shouted. With a loud roar, Charizard popped out of his Pokéball, which immediately gave Staravia a shock. "Star staravia?" (You're competing?) Staravia asked. Charizard grunted and put his claw to his mouth. (Keep it quiet, Misty wants to keep it a secret for now.) Charizard replied. "It seems that the Pokémon are having a small conversation." Rhonda announced.
"What's going on here?" Dawn asked. "I'm starting to wonder…that Charizard looks WAY too familiar." Brock replied. "C'mon Staravia! Focus!" Ash yelled. Staravia shook her head and got back to the battle at hand. "Now, get that ring!" Ash ordered. Staravia acknowledged and flew towards the ring. "Go Charizard, beat Staravia to it!" Violet countered. Charizard also flew up and raced with the bird to get to the ring. "And both Pokémon rush to get first possession!" Rhonda announced. After a quick race, Charizard managed to get there first. "And Charizard gets first possession! Will history repeat itself with Charizard looking to knock out its opponent?" Rhonda announced.
Charizard looked at Staravia and stared intently at the bird. "Why isn't Violet telling Charizard to go after Staravia?" Dawn asked. "If I'm right, it's personal." Brock replied. "Personal, what do you mean?" Dawn asked. "Well, aren't you gonna make your move?" Ash asked. "I think before I do anything, you should know who I really am!" Violet ripped off her hoodie jacket, and as it fell to the ground, everyone in the area gasped in shock, especially her opponent. "MISTY?" he yelled in shock. "That's right Ashy; your Pokéringer rookie girlfriend is on the verge of winning this match! Now Charizard, take it to the goal!" Misty ordered.
Charizard flew past Staravia and headed for the goal, and Ash wasted no time retaliating. "Staravia, use 'Quick Attack' and get that ring back!" he yelled. Staravia regained her balance and blasted forward towards the fire/flying-type. "How'd you even get your hands on Charizard?" Ash asked. "It was easy! Kissing you makes your mind go blanker than usual!" Misty replied, "Charizard, stop Staravia with 'Flamethrower'!" Charizard turned around and blasted a flame at the bird, who merely spun out of the way and hit the dragon with a hard hit to the gut. "And a hard, clean hit! But Charizard is hanging in there and still has possession of the ring!" Rhonda announced.
"Violet was really Misty in disguise!" Dawn exclaimed. "I KNEW that Charizard looked familiar, that was Ash's Charizard!" Brock added. "You know I actually did notice Misty doing something weird when she kissed Ash this morning, she must've snatched Charizard off his Pokéball belt!" Dawn exclaimed. "Well let's see how this plays out then. Charizard's obviously got the size and strength advantage, but Staravia's faster and has more agility." Brock said.
Staravia, 'Quick Attack' again! Snatch the ring right from Charizard's hand!" Ash ordered. Staravia pushed back and got ready to swoop down, but a sudden updraft sent both Charizard and Staravia careening upwards, and by accident, the mighty Charizard let the ring go flying as well. "Oh no!" Misty exclaimed. "Go Staravia, get that ring!" Ash ordered. Staravia regained her balance and flew towards the ring and grabbed it. "Oh man! Alright Charizard, now it's time to get busy! Use 'Steel Wing' and 'Overheat'!" Misty ordered. Ash gasped at Misty's order, as he watched Charizard reel back and prepare his improvised 'Flare Blitz'.
"What is Misty doing? If Staravia gets hit by that she'll be knocked out right away!" Dawn exclaimed. "She's just being aggressive, but I agree, that's a lot for just a Pokéringer match." Brock replied. "And Charizard heads right for Staravia in a blazing fireball! What a move!" Rhonda announced. "Quick Staravia, use 'Aerial Ace' to dodge!" Ash countered. Staravia literally had seconds to react, and managed to only get grazed by the ultra-powerful attack as she did a midair flip and avoided sure defeat. But at the same time, she also let Charizard get to the ring first. "Now, go for the goal!" Misty ordered.
Now in possession of the ring, Charizard swooped down to get the ring to the goal. "Oh man…this isn't good…" Suddenly Ash felt a slight breeze coming from below. "Staravia, ride the wind and get some height!" he ordered. Staravia acknowledged and allowed the sudden wind gust to carry her up into the sky, while Charizard was caught off guard and wound up off balance. "Now's our chance! 'Brave Bird'!" Ash ordered. Staravia became enveloped in a red and then blue flame, and nailed Charizard right in his midsection, which effectively got Charizard to open his claw and release the ring.
"Now, the ring! And then use 'Quick Attack' to get to the goal!" Ash ordered. Staravia charged forward and grabbed the ring, and then used 'Quick Attack' to speed up her descent. "We're not finished yet! Charizard, use 'Heat Wave'!" Misty countered. Charizard opened his mouth and spewed a harsh wave of pure heat towards the bird. "Turn around and push back!" Ash ordered. Staravia turned around and flapped her wings hard, and managed to blow the waves of heat away. "Let's see you blow this away! 'Flamethrower'!" Misty ordered.
Charizard opened his mouth again, and this time a laser beam of flame came out and headed straight for the bird and managed to score a direct hit. But somehow Staravia managed to keep possession of the ring. "Way to hang tough Staravia!" Ash cheered. "But how did Staravia survive a direct hit from Charizard?" Dawn asked in shock. "My guess would be that 'Overheat' Misty had Charizard use. With moves like 'Overheat' or 'Leaf Storm', the user's special attack goes down substantially after use, so Charizard's 'Flamethrower' or any other special attack is a lot weaker than usual." Brock replied.
"Looks like special attacks won't work, so it's time to get in close! Charizard, use 'Seismic Toss'!" Misty ordered. Ash gasped as he watched his dragon charge towards Staravia and grab the bird, getting ready to do his signature finishing move and end the match. "Come on Staravia, hang on!" Ash yelled. Just as Charizard was about to dive down, Staravia began glowing in a bright white light. "Staravia?" Ash exclaimed in shock. "She's starting to evolve!" Brock exclaimed from below. As the figure began to grow in his claws, Charizard stopped the attack and released it. When the glow dissipated, Staravia was now a Staraptor. "Awesome!" Ash pulled out his Pokédex to scan his new Pokémon.
"Staraptor, the Predator Pokémon, and the evolved form of Staravia. Staraptor has an aggressive temperament, and bravely willingly enemies that are far bigger than itself." The Pokédex chirped. "Guess that fits Charizard to a tee." Ash chuckled. The two Pokémon smirked at each other, as they both were well aware the battle had just gotten a lot more interesting after Staraptor's evolution. "This battle's all ours now Staraptor! Head for the goal!" Ash ordered. Staraptor took off flying, its newly evolved form speeding down towards the goal at a rate it had never reached as a Staravia.
"You're crazy if you think we're just gonna give up! 'Steel Wing' now!" Misty countered. Charizard flew down and chased after the bird, but Staraptor merely laughed to itself as it picked up the pace. "Oh no!" Misty exclaimed. "Yeah, this is all over!" Ash cheered. Staraptor finally placed the ring on the goal, and ended the match at last. "Goal! After countless possession changes, a shocking reveal, incredible dodges and attacks, and finally a dramatic evolution right in the nick of time! What a spectacular match!" Rhonda announced. "Yeah Staraptor, you won it!" Ash cheered.
"Nice try Charizard, looks like Pokéringer just isn't our thing." Misty sighed. Charizard grunted and crossed his arms as Misty returned him to his Pokéball for a well-deserved rest. "What an incredible battle!" Dawn exclaimed. "Amazing how Staraptor evolved just when Ash needed the boost the most." Brock added. Down in the competition landing area, Ash and Misty confronted each other. "Well Ash, looks like you beat me. Although if Staraptor hadn't evolved I would've had you dead to rights." Misty said. "I can't believe you stole Charizard from me." Ash replied. "Ah ah ah, if your girlfriend takes something that belongs to you, it's called borrowing, not stealing." Misty said. "Is that one of those unwritten rule things?" Ash chuckled. "Yeah kinda." Misty laughed.
"Well I think this is yours." Misty handed Ash Charizard's Pokéball, "Just do me a favor." she said. "Sure Mist, it's the least I can do for knocking you out of the competition." Ash replied. "If you happen to face Paul, make sure you bring the pain!" Misty exclaimed. "No problem there, me and Staraptor will show him what we're made of!" Ash replied. After a quick hug, Ash and Misty split up. "You knew all along it was Misty, didn't you Pikachu?" Ash asked knowingly. "Pika chu." (Yeah I did.) Pikachu chuckled.
"Well what happened to your food Misty?" Brock asked sarcastically. "Oh, ha ha." Misty replied just as sarcastically. So the group watched as Ash and his brand new Staraptor dominated the following matches, but unfortunately, Paul and Honchkrow did the same, until the inevitable happened, and it was Ash vs. Paul in the final match. "So it's Ash and Paul in the finals. Amazing." Dawn said. "No doubt this'll be a fierce battle." Brock added. "Especially with their rivalry fueling the fire." Misty also added.
At that moment, Ash was confronting Paul. "Paul, let's do this!" he exclaimed. Paul turned back and shot an icy glare at the Pokémon Trainer, then finally turned around and walked towards the balloon. "Staraptor starting to intimidate you a little?" he asked cockily. That caught Paul's attention. "Intimidated? I'm not even impressed. And if you honestly think you can get me to think otherwise, you're an even bigger idiot than I thought." Paul replied. "What was that?" Ash growled. "We'll settle this in the skies." Paul walked over to his balloon and made a few adjustments. "Yeah we will. You're mine Paul." Ash growled to himself.
"And now we're down to the final round, the question is, which team will be crowned our winner? Will Ash and his newly evolved Staraptor come out on top again? Or will Paul and his Honchkrow emerge victorious?" Rhonda announced. "What do you think Brock?" Misty asked. "I really don't know, Staraptor's been awesome this whole competition, but we all know how tough Paul and Honchkrow have been." Brock replied.
"Now Staraptor, I choose you!"
"Honchkrow, stand by for battle!"
Immediately upon being released, the two Pokémon rushed towards the ring. "And Staraptor takes the lead!" Rhonda announced. Staraptor grabbed the ring and took off towards the goal. "Nice job Staraptor!" Ash exclaimed. "Use 'Sky Attack'!" Paul ordered. Honchkrow glowed in a harsh light and charged for the Predator Pokémon. "Staraptor, counter it with 'Brave Bird'!" Ash countered. Staraptor dove down towards the glowing Honchkrow and enveloped herself in a ball of blue fire. The two collided and a huge puff of smoke was created from the resulting crash. When the smoke cleared, Staraptor had been knocked off balance, and Honchkrow was only slightly dazed.
"Snap out of it! Use 'Night Slash'!" Paul ordered. Honchkrow shook its head and charged forward for another attack against Staraptor. "Dodge it with 'Quick Attack'!" Ash countered. Staraptor waited until the last minute and dodged with 'Quick Attack' just before Honchkrow made contact. "Now head for the goal!" Ash yelled. Staraptor flew out to get to the goal, but Honchkrow wasn't far behind. "Dark Pulse' now!" Paul ordered. Honchkrow puffed out its chest and launched dark rings of energy at the Predator Pokémon that got nailed by the attack and released the ring. "Stay strong Staraptor!" Ash yelled.
Staraptor snapped out of her daze and grabbed the ring back. "And Staraptor dives straight for the goal!" Rhonda announced. "Ash is gonna win!" Misty cheered. But just then, a gust of wind shot Staraptor upwards and left her vulnerable. "And another sudden wind gust keeps Staraptor away from the goal!" Rhonda announced. "Honchkrow, ride the wind and use 'Aerial Ace'!" Paul ordered. Honchkrow let the wind blow under its wings, and did a flip to attack the Predator Pokémon. But luckily, Staraptor was strong enough to fight the wind enough and dodge the attack. "Staraptor get out of the wind and head for the goal!" Ash yelled over the wind.
Staraptor managed to regain her balance and fly towards the goal once again. "Use the wind to your advantage with back-to-back 'Aerial Aces'!" Paul ordered. Honchkrow reeled back and charged for Staraptor again. "Dodge it!" Ash yelled. Staraptor managed to dodge Honchkrow's first and second attempt, but its third swoop managed to nail the Predator Pokémon and knock the ring out of her beak. Honchkrow immediately took the ring for its own and sneered at the bird underneath him. "Now Honchkrow, head for the goal!" Paul ordered. "Use 'Aerial Ace' and get that ring back!" Ash countered.
Staraptor did a flip and headed right for the dark/flying-type. "Dodge it!" Paul yelled. Honchkrow easily dodged the attack. "Use 'Quick Attack' and fly down!" Ash ordered. Staraptor swooped up and dove down towards Honchkrow, and in the blink of an eye, a certain pink ring was absent from Honchkrow's beak. "Awesome! Now head straight for the goal!" Ash exclaimed. Paul growled and barked out another order. "Sky Attack'!"
Honchkrow headed straight for Staraptor and nailed her with an ultra-powerful flying-type move, and knocked her off balance. "Night Slash'!" Paul ordered. Honchkrow charged again. "Use 'Quick Attack' to counter again!" Ash countered. Staraptor balanced out and charged to counter, but this time Staraptor missed as Honchkrow dodged it. "We're not falling for that twice." Paul said smugly. Honchkrow connected with the dark-type move and knocked Staraptor down to the ground. "How did Honchkrow dodge 'Quick Attack'?" Dawn asked in shock.
"This is bad, if 'Quick Attack' doesn't work, Ash loses one of his best strategies against Honchkrow's combination of power and speed." Brock said. "Come on Staraptor; show him what you're made of!" Ash exclaimed. "Pathetic…how can he even think that encouragement will do a thing? Finish this up with 'Sky Attack'!" Paul ordered. Honchkrow reeled back and charged. "Honchkrow mercilessly unleashes 'Sky Attack' on a motionless Staraptor! Is this the end of the line for Team Ash?" Rhonda announced. "You can do it Staraptor!" Ash yelled.
Something clicked in the bird's mind then, it was not about to go down and prove that Paul was right about it all along, at this point, it was all about proving the purple-haired trainer wrong and making him eat his words. With a rush of adrenaline, Staraptor leaped back into the air and awaited Honchkrow's next move. "What?" Paul exclaimed in shock. "Yeah, nice move Staraptor!" Ash cheered.
"Amazing! Staraptor just won't quit!" Dawn exclaimed. "Probably because she doesn't want Paul to be proven right about her, there's actually a lot more than just a prize riding on this one match." Brock replied. "What do you mean by that?" Misty asked. "Oh yeah, you don't know this. Chimchar wasn't the only Pokémon that Paul deemed worthless." Dawn said. "You're kidding; Ash has TWO of Paul's castoffs? That's disgusting, Paul could've at least given her to Reggie or something, not just catch them and basically say 'you're a weakling'." Misty spat.
"You won't get lucky twice. 'Night Slash'!" Paul ordered. Honchkrow charged to attack again. "Dodge it!" Ash yelled. With a newly found strength and energy, Staraptor managed to narrowly dodge the attacks, but then Honchkrow got in one lucky hit that finally knocked the ring out of the Predator Pokémon's beak.
"Grab that ring!"
"Get that ring before Honchkrow!"
The two Pokémon flew downwards to get the falling ring, and as they did so, they began doing what looked like a midair dance as they spun in circles as if trying to avoid each other. "Night Slash'!" Paul roared. Honchkrow unleashed the dark-type move on the off guard Staraptor and managed to get a head start and go for the ring again. But the now infuriated Staraptor refused to give up so easily and chased the dark/flying-type down. Upon getting neck-and-neck with it again, Staraptor got in close and started kicking Honchkrow with her talons. "What?" Paul gasped in shock.
"Whoa, what's that?" Misty asked. "Staraptor just learned 'Close Combat'! 'Close Combat' is a fighting-type move!" Brock exclaimed. "And that means it's super-effective against a dark-type like Honchkrow!" Dawn exclaimed. "Well don't be so sure. Remember Honchkrow is also a flying-type, so if 'Close Combat' is a fighting-type move, then Honchkrow does have some resistance." Misty said.
Staraptor finally finished the attack by slapping the crow down hard with her wing. "That was so awesome Staraptor; you can use 'Close Combat'! Alright, keep it up and get that ring!" Ash exclaimed. Staraptor once again swooped down to go after the ring. "Honchkrow, get the ring first!" Paul barked. Honchkrow swooped down to go after it itself, but Staraptor was still able to get there first and head for the goal.
"Night Slash'!"
"Dodge it!"
Staraptor once again dodged Honchkrow's attack, and flew from behind the dark/flying-type. "Yeah, time for a little offense! Use 'Brave Bird'!" Ash ordered. Staraptor swooped down to attack. "You want to play sheer power? I'm fine with that. 'Sky Attack'!" Paul countered. Honchkrow turned around to have another faceoff against Staraptor, and just like before, it was a stalemate, with the only difference being that Staraptor relinquished possession of the ring and let it go flying. "Get that ring!" Both Ash and Paul exclaimed.
Both Pokémon came charging out of the smoke cloud, but it looked like Staraptor was starting to slow down. "So why is Staraptor lagging behind?" Dawn asked. "It must be from all the damage it took earlier, Staraptor's probably reached her limit." Brock replied. "Well with the beating it took it's amazing Staraptor can even still fly, even Charizard would be tired after all this." Misty added.
"The ring is falling right near the goal! Whichever team grabs the ring first will be our big winner!" Rhonda announced. Paul had a smug grin on his face as Honchkrow was quite obviously the Pokémon closest to the ring. "This battle's over." he said. "C'mon Staraptor, you can do it! Get that ring and put it on the goal!" Ash yelled. With one last sudden burst of speed, Staraptor came out of nowhere and blocked Honchkrow from getting the ring, and used her wing to hit the plastic ring and finally end the match.
"Goal! Just when it looked like it was all over for Team Ash, they refused to go down and made a miraculous comeback to obtain the victory!" Rhonda announced. "Yeah Staraptor, you did it!" Ash cheered. Staraptor flew up to the balloon and sighed with relief. Her mission had been accomplished and her pride had been restored. "I thought that Staraptor would use her beak instead of her wing!" Dawn exclaimed. "That would be too conventional after all that's happened don't you think?" Misty laughed. "Well, you can always leave it to Ash to surprise you every time." Brock added.
Back in the balloon landing area, Paul hopped out of the balloon and glared at his dark/flying-type. "We didn't win because your reaction time was too slow." Paul scolded. Honchkrow bowed its head in remorse and returned to its Pokéball. This did not go unnoticed by Ash, who merely watched in disgust as Paul walked away from the arena. But he decided to let it slide this time; after all, he had a ceremony to attend and friends to greet. "Way to go!" they cheered, as he walked onto the battlefield once more. The first thing Ash felt was the embrace of the water-trainer congratulating him, and then the friendly grip of Brock on his shoulder.
"That was amazing Ash! Paul probably couldn't believe he lost huh? What was his face like?" Dawn asked. "He scolded Honchkrow for losing." he growled. "That's just like him. But hey, this is supposed to be a happy time! Come on Ash, they're waiting to take your picture!" Misty laughed. "Oh yeah! Be right back! Come on Staraptor!" Ash, Pikachu, and Staraptor headed over to the stage where he was presented with a plaque and got his picture taken with his Pokémon. "And there you have it everyone! Team Ash has just been handed an honorary citizen's certificate for Squallville Fair, and as promised a large supply of special Pokémon food!" Rhonda announced.
"Whoa! Large supply is an understatement!" Dawn exclaimed. "So why don't we get the gang to dig in?" Ash suggested. "Great idea! Come out everybody!" Dawn exclaimed. "No Dawn wait! Not EVERYBODY!" Misty shouted. It was too late, Dawn had tossed out her Pokéballs, and Buneary, Pachirisu, and Ambipom all appeared. And after a slight delay, so did the eternally hungry Mamoswine, and in a matter of seconds, the huge pile of Pokémon food was nothing more than shredded remains of paper from the boxes.
"Mamoswine! When are you going to learn that others are hungry too?" Dawn screamed angrily. "Forget it Dawn, it's no big deal." Brock chuckled. "And on that note, I bid you all a friendly farewell from Squallville Arena! Goodnight everybody!" Rhonda announced. The group left the arena and began heading back on their original path as the sun set behind them. On the way though, they caught up with Paul. "Hey Paul!" Ash yelled. Paul stopped and turned his head slightly, just enough to get a glimpse of them. "So what do you think? The Starly you didn't care for evolved into a Staravia, and now into a powerful Staraptor! Isn't that awesome?" Ash exclaimed.
Paul turned his head away and replied, "It sure took you long enough." Paul began walking again, leaving Ash dumbfounded and angry. "Long enough'? Hold on a minute Paul! Paul!" Ash yelled. As Paul kept walking on, Ash just growled and clenched his fists. "He hasn't changed." Dawn hissed. "He just refuses to admit that Ash is a better trainer overall than he is." Misty added. "Hey, that's Paul for you." Brock shrugged.
"Well once Ash pulverizes the next gym, he'll be one step closer to getting into the Sinnoh League, where he can beat Paul where it REALLY counts!" Misty exclaimed. "You bet Mist, and now we've got Staraptor on our team too! Let's keep this up and win the next gym!" Ash replied.
And so with the Squallville Pokéringer competition behind them, and a newly evolved Pokémon in their group, the teens continued their journey towards the Sinnoh League, and who knows what will happen next?
_
A/N: And there you have it. I recall midniteryder saying that he'd like to see this episode done without a cheesy evolution in order for Ash to win. But obviously I couldn't ignore the fact that Staravia was supposed to evolve, so I just had Misty steal (excuse me, borrow) Charizard and enter the competition under an assumed name, and I made Staravia evolve against Charizard. Hope that wasd to your liking. Now, on to new business. Since I lost all of the archives, everyone needs to review this chapter! And I promise anonymous reviewers, I WILL respond to you in the next chapter to whatever you have to say about this one. Remember folks, you want messages, you gotta review! And I'm still sorry about how long this took!