Chapter 88; Final gone wrong
Tails twisted and span in his bed, trying to get some shut eye. But he just couldn't seem to relax.
Following Ash's victory over Knuckles and his advancement to the finals where he would face Sonic, the crew met up again and they all comforted Knuckles telling him he battled incredibly throughout the tournament.
Knuckles was comforted by his friends' kind words and admitted his frustration was not because of losing but because he wanted to face Sonic just as much as Ash did. Sonic assured him that they could do that anytime back in Green Hills.
Afterwards, the talk shifted over to the upcoming final match that would take place the next day.
The grand rematch was becoming reality.
Ash vs Sonic.
Knuckles commented on how the team Ash used was surprisingly powerful and had it not been for Heracross weakening Snorlax enough for Suicune to out it, he would have lost a lot earlier.
Sonic also reminded them Ash had other powerful options too like Muk and Primeape from Kanto and Noctowl from Johto. And those were the ones they knew about. He could have anything for all they knew.
That made Sonic even more excited. When asked by Jasmine why he was so eager to fight Ash, he told her of the feeling he had when the two met for the first time. It was like Sonic could sense Ash's future. Not see it but sense it.
The kid had immense potential. And now with that fully evolved team save for Pikachu, that potential was coming out.
Jasmine nodded at this, explaining to everyone how Ash had used his cyndaquil to defeat her Steelix, as it had gone for sandstorm and with the use of flamethrower it became a flaming whirlpool, trapping Steelix in and driving it to defeat.
Right before going to bed, Ash briefly joined them, thanking Knuckles for the great battle and assuring him there were no hard feelings about the words exchanged. Afterwards he and Sonic exchanged a few quips with each other about their upcoming final battle. Lastly Knuckles was asked to join Ash for a while as Brock was intending to continue travelling after the Johto league with Ash probably joining him or more probably vise versa and wanted Knuckles opinion on a few fronts regarding surviving in the wild. Knuckles took his massive backpack and headed for their room in the Pokemon center.
The rest called it a day and headed for their rooms each.
All those events had left Tails unable to get any sleep. But there was also something else. A bad feeling that he could not shake off.
He had managed to pinpoint it earlier in fact. During the faking of their deaths. The words of the dragon dojo's master about something dark surrounding Sonic.
"That darkness was not about team rocket. But what could it have been about? Am I overthinking this?"
He had completely forgotten those words during their five weeks of just doing whatever they wanted while waiting for the league up until Morrison's death.
All the psychological rollercoaster rides Sonic had had to go through following that incident… Tails wondered how he was back to normal so fast.
It didn't feel natural. And he worried about his friend.
He twisted in the bed to look towards Sonic's bed and talk to him but found him gone.
Curious, Tails headed outside. Knuckles had yet to return.
He found Sonic in the main room. He was observing 11 pokeballs.
"What are you doing up so late?"
"Shhh.. I'm thinking".
"Thinking about what?"
The number 11 then helped him realize.
"You brought all your pokemon here?"
"Yes. Mewtwo brought them a few minutes ago".
"And why are you staring at them?"
"I'm trying to figure out the perfect team to use against Ash tomorrow. There's just so many possibilities. Part of me wants to use both Moltres and Entei tomorrow but with his Snorlax having thick fat, two fire types are a suicide move. And there's also his tauros with intimidate. And I also only have one fighting type but I also have pinsir which only knows fighting moves so it could also prove useful against both of his normal types. And I also need to think about all the possible type coverage…"
Tails was very surprised to see Sonic kinda geeking out.
"You really that excited to battle him?"
Before Sonic could answer, Knuckles walked into the dark room. Although there was a nurse joy available at all times, she wasn't always present so when she wasn't the room was dimly lit.
"Woah you guys still awake?"
"Yeah. I'm trying to decide what to register for the match tomorrow".
"Heh" Knuckles joined them "with the power that team had it's completely understandable".
"I know right. My opponent has unrivalled battle potential AND his team is so strong. Finally what I desired in Kanto will happen".
"Didn't it already? I mean his tactics in Kanto were amazing too" Tails asked confused.
While this conversation was taking place, Ash was arriving at the pokemon centre to return Knuckles' knife which he had forgotten at their room.
He was about to walk in when he heard the three friends talk.
"Yes his tactics were good" Sonic's voice was heard "but ineffective".
Ash was surprised to hear that from his rival.
"Ineffective as in?" Tails asked for details.
"Remember how his squirtle could use hydro pump? By retreating into its shell and spinning? That move was clever indeed. But… weak".
Ash silently gasped.
"But the move is very strong. You saw how well Suicune performed today".
Sonic looked at Knuckles disapprovingly.
"Are you really going to compare a first stage pokemon to a legendary? Come on Knuckles. Let's be real here. A hydro pump from a Squirtle is like Suicune firing water gun".
Ash felt his blood rush to his head. Squirtle was a very powerful and trustworthy team member in his eyes.
"So… you still believe Ash could have done better in Kanto?"
"Definitely. I believe he could have beaten me. Had battled smart too of course".
"Smart?"
"I mean to not save Pikachu for last. He clearly wanted for Pikachu and Raichu to clash. Now of course it's clear that Pikachu is strong, there's no denying it. Those electric attacks brought down Suicune. But back then… to make it so it would battle Raichu when he KNEW… I repeat… he KNEW he stood no chance against it… it was just foolish. He stood no chance".
"So you're saying if he had used Pikachu first against your Blastoise back then, things would be different?"
"He would have stood a far better chance. He could have won. Pikachu is powerful but Bulbasaur… I don't know what he was thinking. A first form can he as tricky and unpredicable a match up as you want but it will never, I repeat, NEVER… be strong enough to defeat a final form or a legendary".
Ash wanted very badly to go in and confront Sonic but refrained. Knuckles was also there and he didn't want to be mean in front of him so he left to return to his room with his friends.
"And what do you think now is the probable result of a possible clash between Pikachu and Raichu? "
"Honestly I can't say. It probably all depends on how much punishment me and Raichu can both take before losing. But come on. Ash won't be so stupid as to have Raichu and Pikachu clash. He could have Tauros weaken Raichu and Snorlax draw out the battle. Anything but a head-on confrontation between Pikachu and Raichu could likely result in his victory. And I believe he knows it. The way he battled at the end, when you tried to explain to him why he needs power… I think he understood it his own Ash way. Which is why I want to give it my all tomorrow".
While his rival was admitting Ash stood a legitimate chance at defeating him under these circumstances, Ash walked into his and his friends' room and slammed the door in anger.
"Woah what happened?" Brock jolted up, taken by surprise at the loud sound.
"That blue arrogant idiot happened!" Ash threw his backpack on the wall fuming.
"Sonic? What happened there? I thought you were going to return Knuckles' knife".
"I was! But I heard them talk! Sonic was calling Squirtle and Bulbasaur weak!"
Brock was genuinely surprised but asked for greater detail.
"He said that because Squirtle hasn't evolved it was a mistake using it in Kanto! He said its hydro pump attack could only reach the power level of Suicune when it fires water gun!"
He took long deep breaths. Misty didn't even wake up as she had an eye mask and ear plugs on.
"He said the exact same thing he said in Kanto! That I battled him mistakenly and stood no chance! Basically saying that unless I use only fully evolved pokemon tomorrow I stand no chance!" he slammed his hands on the wall.
"I'm sure he didn't mean it this way" Brock tried to reason with his friend.
"What else could he mean?! You know what else he said?! That Bulbasaur was weak and would never have beaten Blastoise back in the Kanto league!"
"Ash..."
"Aaargh! I can't believe I felt sorry for him in Alto Mare! He is the same arrogant hedgehog I met in Kanto!"
"Ash just calm down. You heard his stories. All throughout his two journeys he needed power to survive. Even you can't deny that".
"And what did he sacrifice for that power?! Remember his Chikorita?! He himself admitted back then that it left him because it didn't want to evolve!"
"But then it returned and evolved on its own. It changed its own mind".
"Because he didn't accept it! That little Chikorita became a Meganium only to fight! Only for power! It pushed its own feelings aside like they were nothing!"
Brock now struggled to counterargue. Neither of them knew what had caused Meganium's change of heart back then so it did seem like it returned to Sonic and evolved because it had no place to go. But he also couldn't deny Sonic and his friends were at war. Power was essential.
Both parties were right. But Ash was unwilling to budge any longer.
"His true colors have come out at last. I promise you and all my pokemon right here, right now, tomorrow I will defeat him! My way!"
He took a deep breath.
"I respect what Knuckles tried to say in our match. But he is wrong. I can still become a pokemon master while being me and my pokemon being themselves. And I will prove it to this blue jerk tomorrow. I swear I will".
The tense night rolled over slowly, giving its place to the next day. Sonic awoke earlier than anyone in the crew, having barely slept. He couldn't hold himself anymore.
He had spent around 2 more hours after Knuckles and Tails withdrew to sleep until he came up with the perfect lineup in his opinion.
As his crew was waking up, a woman entered the Pokemon center.
Carrie Morrison.
"Mrs Morrison?!" he exclaimed in surprise "what a surprise. Are you ok? Is Nolan and the baby ok?"
She nodded, not saying a word and not altering her depressed expression.
"I was told the final is today".
"Yes. It is indeed".
"And what comes next for you?"
Sonic felt uneasy by the question.
"I… will return home with my friends".
Carrie looked visibly upset at hearing this.
"Have you…considered … reconsidering your choice?"
Sonic's eyes widened for the fraction of a second before he sighed.
"No Mrs Morrison. There is no reconsidering this. I almost lost everyone and everything by pursuing Giovanni. I can't take that chance again".
Tears started streaming down her cheeks.
"You will talk to me about losing everything?! After what Jake did for you and your friends this is the thanks?!"
"Mrs Morrison this is not about me or my friends…"
"Of course not. It's about doing the right thing. That's what Jake said you always claimed while playing the hero! Do you know what Looker said about the case?!"
Sonic waved his head negatively.
"He said his superiors want Giovanni alive. They believed what Looker stood upon to pursue you. The world still fears Giovanni and they want to humanize him again! To show the world he is only a man and therefore not someone that should be feared!"
Sonic honestly didn't know what to answer. The conflict from a few weeks ago was rising inside him again.
"Their politics will result in my husband's killer being locked up, allowed to rot in a cell and breathe the same air as everyone else! Have free food and shelter until the end of his life for society's eyes! You think that's fair?!"
"No… but I can't be the one to do it".
Carrie gave him a dirty look while rubbing her belly.
"I used to think my unborn baby was coming to a better world if more individuals like you were out there. But in the end you are just as much of a hypocrite as everyone else. Unwilling to do what must be done and letting evil continue to exist. And that in my eyes, makes you just as bad as Giovanni. Good luck in the final. Hero".
She spat as she spoke that word with the utmost sarcasm. Afterwards she turned and left the Pokemon center. Sonic was left mentally broken by her words.
Was it a mistake giving up? Choosing his loved ones over revenge? Had he allowed the world to continue being darker even though he could do something about it?
And most importantly, was that making him as bad as Giovanni?
Tails' hand came out of nowhere and grabbed his shoulder.
"Gah! You scared me!"
"You ok?"
"Y-yeah… Mrs Morrison was just here. Her words… were not the most pleasant".
"What did she tell you?"
The arrival of their other friends put their talk on hold as they all began making their way to the stadium.
Tails and Knuckles accompanied Sonic to the start of the hallway leading into the arena.
"Sonic wait. Before you go. What did Mrs Morrison tell you?" Tails brought it up again.
Sonic hesitated.
"She said Looker's higher ups want Giovanni alive. That by going back on my promise I perpetuated the existence of his evil".
Tails was shocked at this. Clearly her therapy wasn't working.
"I'll go contact Looker. Inform him of this. Afterwards since I will remain here I will keep an eye on Mrs Morrison myself. You focus on your battle for now ok?"
Sonic smiled despite the crushing feeling Carrie's words had bestowed upon him.
"At least the time has come. I can finally battle full power Ash".
"Don't take too long. Plane leaves tonight" Tails joked.
Knuckles patted Sonic on the shoulder.
"Go give him a piece of me too".
"I will" Sonic confidently said as he turned and awaited for the announcer to call him and Ash out.
"The time has come my friends! The final battle of the greatest Silver conference in history is at hand! Our first contestant! The rising star that blew out the North wind! Give a warm welcome to Ash Ketchup from Pallet town!"
Sonic hopped in place. He could no longer hold himself. He called out Raichu to stand by him during the battle as it was so excited its pokeball was wiggling.
"And his competition! The leader of the Sonic heroes, chosen one of Moltres and tamer of the legend of the flames Entei, the hero of Kanto, Sonic the hedgehog!"
Sonic walked into the arena, spontaneously waving his fist in the air. His friends all cheered from the stands. Tails was standing at the top, on a phone call with Looker but also cheered.
Sonic also noticed the arena wasn't switching. He figured that meant no field advantages. It was only their skill here.
Smiling he then stood opposite Ash. Despite the atmosphere of excitement, he was confused to see Ash staring at him with what seemed like annoyance.
Wrong. Not annoyance. Anger.
"You ready to put this show on the road?" Sonic asked him excitedly.
"Ask that to yourself!" Ash bluntly answered.
Sonic was taken aback but took out his first pokeball.
"Trainers send out your pokemon… now!"
"Go! Alakazam!"
"Totodile! I choose you!"
Sonic's trusted Alakazam hit the field. On the opposing, a mere smiling Totodile cried out its name.
"What the…?" Sonic thought although his surprised expression gave away the thought.
"Let the final round… begin!"
"Totodile! Bite Alakazam!"
Totodile jumped towards Alakazam. Alakazam raised its spoons in defense but Sonic was too shocked to move.
The bite attack went through, damaging Alakazam. The psychic type threw Totodile back and hummed towards Sonic, asking for instructions.
Sonic's mind was racing and didn't eve realize Alakazam was trying to get through to him.
"What is this? Why is he using totodile? It's a first form. What is his plan here? Is he faking me out? Probably. He has to be. Yeah that's it. He's trying to get me to lower my guard to bring out something overpowered afterwards and try to beat me like Silver did. But what would he use? What could he have so powerful".
While the hedgehog overthought every scenario, Alakazam was bit again by Totodile getting frustrated and actually cried out towards Sonic.
"Come on! Fight back already! Is totodile so weak in your eyes it's not worth fighting?"
Sonic got a strong feeling of deja vu at this. This was similar to the start of their battle in the Kanto league.
Shaking his head, he quickly determined if Ash was really faking him out to bring something strong in later, he needed all of his pokemon as healthy as possible.
As Totodile was still biting down on Alakazam, Sonic called out the attack.
"Psychic!"
Alakazam used its move to cast Totodile away with great force. Totodile slammed into the ground so hard it fainted, getting a yell of denial from Ash and a look of surprise from Sonic.
"Totodile is unable to battle! Alakazam is the winner!"
"Huh. Talk about having a good training partner" Sonic said to Alakazam, inferring to Mewtwo. Alakazam nodded as it had trained with Mewtwo extensively for this event.
Ash recalled Totodile, complimenting it on its performance before looking back at Sonic.
"Still think you're so tough! I was foolish to think you had changed!"
"Woah! Where is this coming from?!"
"Forget it! I choose you!"
Sonic held his breath, expecting something big to come out and change the tide of the battle.
"Bay. Bayleef" the cry reached his ears.
"Wha…" Sonic was again stunned.
Bayleef was Ash's great play to turn the tide?
"Bayleef! Vine whip!"
"Bay!" Bayleef cried out wrapping its vines around Alakazam who looked at Sonic for guidance. The hedgehog again didn't move.
Bayleef quickly raised Alakazam and slammed it down. The already tired Alakazam, hurt by the two bite attacks fainted.
"Alakazam is unable to battle! Bayleef's the winner!"
"Ash is actually keeping up!" Misty said joyfully in the stands.
"I'm surprised Sonic's Alakazam went down so easily. It took down a Gengar in Kanto" Brock said, pleasantly surprised with his friend's progress.
Gary heard them comment and couldn't disagree more.
His eyes were carefully observing Sonic and quickly figured the hedgehog wasn't fighting back.
Ash wasn't keeping up with Sonic. For Sonic wasn't even trying.
Sonic stood there, looking at his fainted Alakazam, not even bothered. Raichu jabbed him with its tail to get him to return to reality.
Sonic shook his head again.
"What the heck is this guy's plan? Why is using these pokemon and not the ones from yesterday".
Knowing from the schedule that the final was not going to have a break, Sonic decided there was only one way to get Ash to fight back.
Ash would have to use whatever strong pokemon he was holding onto if Sonic went all out.
"Come on out Entei!"
Entei came out and roared ferociously. Everyone, both in Sonic's crew and Ash's group were surprised at his pick. Sonic usually kept his legendaries for later.
"Bayleef get ready!"
Sonic gasped.
"Get ready? What the heck is he thinking? Bayleef can't beat Entei".
And so he just stood there. A few seconds passed with neither of the two contestants making a move.
"Come on already!" Ash egged him on.
Sonic didn't take the bait.
"What game are you playing?"
"No game! I'm all serious!" Ash fired back.
Sonic was getting dizzy.
"He can't be serious. What's wrong with him?"
"Fine! If you won't attack we will! Bayleef razor leaf!"
Bayleef unleashed a barrage of leaves towards Entei. Standing its ground, the ferocious beast of fire allowed the leaves to strike it on its chest, tanking the attack perfectly.
"Don't stop bayleef! Vine whip!"
Bayleef's vines wrapped around Entei's body. Its mane heated up in response, forcing Bayleef to let go.
All this while Sonic was still in his existential funk.
"What the hell did he catch so strong he can have two throwaway team members just to bait me?"
"Fight back already!"
Sonic this time took the bait, needing to figure out his opponent's plan.
"Entei! Sacred fire!"
Entei fired the mighty attack.
"Dodge and use body slam!"
Bayleef dodged the attack, jumping high in the air, aided by its vines.
This move reminded Sonic of his Meganium, back when it was Chikorita and his first battle with Knuckles. But this was certainly a very different case.
"Flamethrower!"
Flames erupted from Entei's mouth, engulfing bayleef with such intensity the attack was stopped mid air and it was sent to Ash's side fainting.
"Bayleef is unable to battle! Entei's the winner!"
Ash recalled Bayleef, thanking it just like he did Totodile, albeit with a less obvious smile.
"Come on bring it out already!" Sonic spoke to him.
"You want it?! You got it! Go! Snorlax!"
The sleeping pokemon emerged.
"Finally!" Sonic said, his brain racking as he tried to conceive the best way to beat Snorlax and be ready for whatever Ash was planning to throw at him next.
"Entei return!"
"What?!"
"Go!"
The pincers clicked in anticipation as Pinsir appeared in the arena, glad to finally see some competitive action again.
"Just how little do you think of me?! Bring Entei back out and face Snorlax with it!"
"Why would I be foolish enough to do that? Entei is strong but why would I deliberately fight an unfavorable matchup when I don't have to?"
"Because a true trainer can face anything with their partner if they believe in each other! You just proved you don't believe in Entei's power enough to fight!"
"Just what is wrong with you today? What is this logic you're using?"
"You should know! You're the one who called me weak!"
Sonic remained confused for a little longer before deciding to just keep forcing Ash's power out.
"Pinsir! Bulk up!"
Pinsir raised its stats bewildering Ash.
"Snorlax! Body slam!"
Snorlax slammed down on Pinsir but the powerful bug type stood its ground, pushing Snorlax off just enough to get out of the danger zone.
"Now! Brick break!"
Pinsir's attack was far from powerful enough to knock Snorlax out but its effects were still devastating.
"All matchups can be won is that right Ash? Do you still believe in this flawed logic? I remember how you tried battling Harrison's Steelix with Pikachu. Just what gave you the idea you could win?!"
"My belief in Pikachu! And in the same way my belief in Snorlax will lead us to victory! Snorlax headbutt!"
Snorlax charged forward with a roar. It slammed its hard head into Pinsir. Pinsir was pushed back.
"Submission!"
Pinsir however braced itself.
"Pinsir's scared?" Wave said in surprise.
"Headbutt can cause the opponents to flinch" Knuckles explained "Ash just got lucky here".
Ash didn't see it that way.
"Now's our chance Snorlax! Hyper beam!"
Snorlax fired the powerful move, striking Pinsir right in the face.
Pinsir toppled. Fainted.
"Pinsir is unable to battle! Snorlax wins!"
"Ash tied it again!" Misty exclaimed remembering how one-sided the Kanto tournament was.
Sonic observed Snorlax for a bit. Right now he had one chance to beat it. But then again he had not registered Hitmontop.
Therefore he had to slowly draw out Snorlax's health. No matter how many times it rested it wouldn't win the next matchup.
"See Sonic?! See that any matchup can be won?!"
"I don't know what's gotten into you today but your logic is flawed, it's mere sentimentality. And this next pokemon will make you see it! Go!"
Meganium came out.
"Snorlax can't move right now. So let's see you scurry out of this! Meganiun! Leech seed!"
Meganium fired a seed at Snorlax. Sonic and his crew had seen Meganium's leech seed wrap many pokemon before but never one as big as Snorlax. It was quite the spectacle as well as a testament to the move's power.
Snorlax roared as the leech seed drained its health.
"That all you got? Snorlax headbutt!"
"Poison powder!"
Meganium unleashed the poisonous cloud of powder around it. The moment Snorlax made contact, it got poisoned.
Meganium also flinched because of the attack.
Ash smiled, thinking now was his prime chance to knock it out. But to his horror the leech seed kicked in again, restoring Meganium to full health.
"Care to reconsider Ash?" Sonic taunted him as Snorlax was also damaged by the poison "you are free to switch Snorlax out you know".
"No! We're not losing to you! We are not weak and we can achieve our dream our way! Snorlax rest!"
Snorlax went to sleep, Ash thinking it was a reset. But the leech seed started draining Snorlax's health again.
"Meganium! Use razor leaf!"
The leaf barrage came down on the sleeping Snorlax.
"The damage is small but it will add up. Especially with leech seed too " Brock solemnly warned his fellow viewers.
"I need to switch Snorlax out! Charizard can handle Meganium" Ash thought before crossing eyes with Sonic.
"No! If I do it I'm admitting he is right! I won't accept that!"
Unconsciously, he had shouted the last words, confusing Sonic.
"What won't you accept? Defeat? Or the fact that not all matchups are winnable?"
"I won't accept that I have to be like you to win! Only battling on favorable conditions is cowardice! My pokemon and I never feared the odds being against us!"
Sonic felt a flame of anger ignite in him.
"You will speak to me about unfavorable conditions?! You know what I have fought against! Were the conditions in my favor back then too?!"
"What's happening? Why are they fighting?" Jasmine asked Tails perplexed.
"I don't know. But I think Ash is actually hitting Sonic where it hurts the most right now".
"Tell me Ash! Were the conditions in my favor at silph co?!"
"This isn't the same!"
"It doesn't matter! Knuckles showed you yesterday that you need power to achieve your dream! Hell we needed power to survive! We had to learn to gain control over all variables in a battle to survive! Why is this so hard for you to wrap your brain around?!"
"Because power changes you! Makes you arrogant! Just like you showed when you claimed I battled mistakenly in Kanto!"
Ash had slipped there. And Sonic caught on to it.
He realized Ash had heard what he and his friends had talked about last night. And he had taken his words personally.
And then another realization came.
"You… how many not fully evolved pokemon did you bring in this battle?"
"Three! Excluding Pikachu!"
Sonic felt his mind snapping.
Ash had just admitted he was using a less powerful team to prove Sonic wrong.
"You… you battled Knuckles with you full might! You beat Knuckles with your full might! I wanted to battle that team! How can you do this to me now?!"
"This is why! Because my team yesterday only contained pokemon either fully evolved or that couldn't evolve! And you call that my full power! But you're wrong! Squirtle! Bulbasaur! Cyndaquil! All my non evolved pokemon are just as strong and are capable of beating you!"
"… you're delusional! Totodile and Bayleef went down instantly! Why can't you just see that you're inhibiting your own power?!"
"I'm not! We are strong! And I'm not an arrogant jerk like you!"
Sonic lowered his head. He couldn't take it anymore.
He lifted his pokeball and recalled Meganium.
"Raichu… go in there and make him regret his words!"
"Rai! Raichu!" Raichu charged in.
"Snorlax wake up and use body slam!"
Snorlax remained asleep.
"Launch with quick attack then spin and use brick break!"
Raichu did just that.
The attack was devastating and even worse, Snorlax was smacked on the head.
Although it wasn't very obvious, Snorlax fainted.
"Snorlax is unable to battle! Raichu wins!"
Ash recalled Snorlax and immediately sent out another pokemon.
His bulbasaur.
"You still won't respect us enough to battle seriously, will you?!"
"I won't if it means becoming like you! Bulbasaur! Razor leaf!"
"Use iron tail to deflect it!"
Raichu started spinning and twisting mid air so its tail could deflect the lead barrage. Having practiced with Knuckles' victreebel in this move, it was child's play to do so with a bulbasaur.
This time however Sonic wasn't going to play around.
"Now iron tail that Bulbasaur!"
"Vine whip!"
Bulbasaur tried to stop Raichu mid air. It succeeded in stopping Raichu but not the tail strike.
"Bulbasaur!" Ash reached out.
Bulbasaur immediately fainted.
"Bulbasaur is unable to battle! Raichu wins".
"I think Ash just triggered Sonic big time" Brock said seriously.
"None of you has any idea what Sonic has survived through" Gary cryptically said "Ash completely disregarding his point of view was a massive mistake".
"How weak. Still think Bulbasaur could beat Raichu?!"
"I'll show you weak! Charizard I choose you!"
Charizard emerged, firing flamethrower in the air, trying to intimidate Raichu. Raichu growled back as lightning crackled on its tail.
"No!" Sonic thought "they're not worth us using the lightning phenomenon!"
Surprisingly, the lightning stopped crackling.
"Charizard! Flamethrower!"
"Quick attack then thunder punch!"
"Counter with slash!"
The slash and the thunder punch collided. Charizard wasn't overpowered by Raichu but came out of the exchange a lot more hurt than its opponent.
"This doesn't make any sense! Why is it that you with your disregarding your pokemon's feelings logic are winning?!"
"Because my pokemon and I fought for something greater than ourselves! We had to let go of our pride, continuously adapt, learn and change to survive and achieve our goals! Our minds were all focused on one goal! Stopping team rocket! We knew what we were up against and accepted we would have to change! But you?! You battle for your dream! And therefore for yourself! I used to respect that because what you seek to achieve is no easy feat! But now all I see is a brat who thinks his dream will be handed to him just because he wants it, without sacrificing anything along the way! And your Pikachu is just the same!"
"If we can't achieve our dream without being ourselves then the dream is meaningless!"
"Heh. So you think you already are a pokemon master and all you have to do is claim it. Such a disappointment. Worse than Kanto!"
"Charizard show him disappointment! Fire spin!"
"Use iron tail to disperse it!"
Raichu was encircled by the flames. With a strong sweep of its iron tail however, the flames were out actually causing Ash to step back.
"Now finish this with thunder punch!"
Charizard tried firing flamethrower. Raichu pushed through the flames with both it and Sonic feeling the heat but pushing through regardless.
Charizard's face took the thunder punch. The fire and flying type toppled with a thud.
"Charizard is unable to battle! Raichu wins!"
Ash felt his spirit break. It couldn't end like this. Respecting his Pokemon's wishes couldn't be what was causing his defeat.
"Pikachu! It's the end of the show! We won't let history repeat buddy!"
"Pika!"
Ash turned his hat.
"Pikachu! I choose you!"
Pikachu faced its rival at long last after so many weeks since their battle in Ecutreak city.
"Make this quick Raichu! Brick break!"
"Dodge with quick attack!"
Pikachu dodged the attack before slamming into Raichu's stomach where its wound once was. Although it shouldn't have mattered something about it made Sonic even more mad.
"Thunder punch!"
With a good right hook, the thunder punch landed, sending Pikachu rolling to the ground. Just like with Suicune the previous day, it sprang back up.
"Pika pika!"
The previous day, this had filled Sonic with respect. But now that Ash was so adamant on his view that he disregarded what Sonic and his friends had gone through simply because they had to change and adapt to survive and win, it only filled him with anger.
"Pikachu iron tail!"
"Counter with iron tail!"
The two iron tails clashed. Raichu easily overpowered Pikachu as Pikachu had only learnt the move the previous day.
Pikachu again didn't give up.
"Thunderbolt!"
Raichu was zapped but in the current state it was a pinch to it and Sonic.
"Quick attack!"
Just as he had explained to Ash at the entrance of unity cave, Raichu's bigger body compared to Pikachu made the quick attack all the more devastating towards the latter electric type.
Pikachu was now visibly injured but wouldn't stop.
"Pika pika! Pikachu!"
"You will not beat me! Not again! I don't need to evolve to be strong! And neither did you! You are an embarrassment to all Pikachus!" Sonic heard in his head from Raichu's thoughts.
Raichu let out a loud cry as Sonic called out brick break.
Pikachu tried to dodge but the attack put it in the ground literally, opening a small crater.
Even then Pikachu would just not quit.
"Just stop Ash! Stop! You can't win!"
"Never!"
"If you truly care about your pokemon as you claim you do, prove it to me and stop! Pikachu can't take it anymore!"
"If anyone here doesn't care about their pokemon it's you! If you did you would let them choose their path! But you didn't! So you don't care!"
Sonic snapped. That was the last straw.
"Iron tail Pikachu!"
Pikachu jumped.
"Iron tail!" Sonic also shouted.
"Make it suffer!" he thought.
Raichu's eyes widened and it looked back at Sonic in shock.
The momentary distraction allowed Pikachu's iron tail to land. Sonic felt the sharp pain in his head as the iron tail landed on Raichu's head.
Pikachu ricochetted and went for another iron tail.
"Iron tail now!" Sonic snapped at Raichu "make it wish it was dead!" he thought.
Raichu looked visibly torn for a moment again.
"DO IT!"
Raichu obeyed spooked, going for iron tail.
The iron tails clashed.
But the usual metal clashing sound wasn't heard.
Bone cracking sound echoed instead.
"Pikaaaaaaaa!" pikachu screeched as it rolled on the ground, hugging its tail.
Sonic snapped out of his enraged state and gasped.
The cameras of the event focused on pikachu. The big screens also showed it.
Pikachu was crying in pain while hugging its tail. The tail was twisted.
The tail bone had snapped.
"PIKACHU!" Ash rushed to its side with terror in his voice.
Everyone of the spectators began talking at the same time while they all got up to get a better look. Some were pointing at the big screen, others at the arena.
"Sonic!" Tails' voice was the only audible thing in Sonic's head. The rest was incoherent buzzing. His mind was numb. His body was numb.
Then he heard another thing.
His own broken voice.
"What have I done?"