"So how are you feeling for todays match?" Molly asked.
"Nervous, but still good." Ash admitted. "Ritchie won his fight against Jimmy so it comes down to this fight."
"I hope you've got heavy hitters lined up to fight him." Casey said.
"I have a plan for it, not to worry." Ash said. "And with Gary and Harrison already with two wins, now I know I can't loose."
"You and Harrison really hit it off yesterday." Molly pointed out.
"Yeah, he looks like he'll be a tough trainer, even if all I've seen is his Houndoom and the Sneasel he caught." Ash said. "But for now I need to focus on beating Ritchie."
"Well, lets hope you have a winning strategy." Casey said with a sarcastic chuckle.
"I always do." Ash said with confidence.
"Except against Clair." Molly pointed out.
"Also against Jasmine." Casey said.
"And Misty, you didn't beat her either." Molly said.
"You also kind of lucked out against Whitney." Casey added.
"And you did lose to Clair a second time." Molly realized.
"Not to mention your two losses to Gary." Casey listed off.
"Thanks for the votes of confidence." Ash said plainly.
A bit later at the arena
"Today's match will be between Ash of Pallet Town and Ritchie of Frodomar City! The coin is flipped and Ritchie will begin today's match!" The judge declared.
"Come on out Cruise!" Ritchie said, sending out a grey Pokemon.
"Who's that Pokemon?" Casey asked, pulling out her Pokedex.
'Pupitar, the Hard Shell Pokemon, a Rock and Ground type. It will not stay still, even when its a pupa. It already has arms and legs under its solid shell.' Casey's Pokedex said.
"Squirtle, I choose you!" Ash called out.
"Cruise use Sandstorm!" Ritchie called out, a stream of sand whipping around the rock type.
"Squirtle use Whirlpool!" Ash called out.
Squirtle tucked into his shell, spinning around as the sand turned into mud and the waves crashed into Pupitar.
"Cruise use Headbutt!"
A thud was heard as Squirtle was launched out of the storm, landing prone on his back.
"Squirtle switch out! Come on out Muk!" Ash called out.
"Cruise use Rock Slide!"
"Muk use Minimize!"
Muk swished back and forth across the arena, dodging the rocks as he moved forward, keeping his body more closely formed.
"Muk use Sludge Bomb!"
Muk sent out a series of poisonous blobs, striking Pupitar multiple times, pushing them back.
"Cruise use Earthquake!"
The ground of the arena shook, sending Muk into the air with various shock waves.
"Muk use Body Slam!" Ash called out, the poison type enveloping Pupitar.
"Cruise use Headbutt!" Ritchie commanded.
Muk's body was thrown into the air once more as he was pushed off of Pupitar, crashing onto the arena ground a ways off.
"Muk is unable to battle, the winner is Cruise the Pupitar." The judge declared.
"Not great, Ash is already down one Pokemon." Molly said.
"Squirtle come back out! Use Water Gun!" Ash called out.
Squirtle send out a stream of water, blasting into Pupitar with his full force, knocking the rock type over.
"Keep them down, use Whirlpool!" Ash commanded, the water type spinning at Pupitar, sending it crashing into the arena wall, getting stuck inside of it.
"Cruise the Pupitar is unable to battle, the winner is Squirtle." The judge declared.
"No worries, I've got this from here. Cruise, return! Sparky you're up!" Ritchie called out.
A Pikachu with a tuft of hair ran out onto the field, sparks flying from his cheeks.
"Squirtle return!" Ash said, recalling the water type presumptively.
"Does Ash have anything good against a Pikachu?" Casey asked.
"Maybe Pikachu, but he didn't pick him for this fight." Molly said, looking at Pikachu who was seated between the two of them.
"Wobbuffet come on out!" Ash called with confidence.
"He picked Wobbuffet." Casey said dumbfounded.
"Sparky use Agility!"
"Wobbuffet use Safeguard!"
Ritchie's Pikachu rushed around the field, closing in on Wobbuffet, as a light barrier appeared around him.
"Now Sparky use that built up electricity and fire off a Thunder!"
"Wobbuffet use Mirror Coat!"
Several bolts of electricity fired at Wobbuffet, each bouncing off in sporadic directions, only one striking Sparky, knocking him backwards.
"No matter, we have other options! Sparky use Iron Tail!"
"Wobbuffet use Counter!"
Ritchie's Pikachu launched a flurry of Iron Tails at Wobbuffet, knocking him back and forth until Sparky grew exhausted, catching his breath as Wobbuffet's wild flailing threw him forward, creating a massive dust cloud around where he landed, a crater forming around him and Sparky.
"Sparky the Pikachu is unable to battle, the winner is Wobbuffet." The judge called out.
"What are the chances that whatever Ritchie sends out won't be strong enough to beat whatever is left of Wobbuffet's health?" Casey asked.
"Considering their battle record, even for a Wobbuffet, the chances of Wobbuffet surviving a few more attacks is small, and then Squirtle will have to pick up whatever is left of the fight." Molly said with worry.
"Come on Ash! You can't loose now!" Casey shouted, pulling out her flag to wave it.
"You've got this Wobbuffet!" Molly cheered.
"Sparky return!" Ritchie said, recalling his Pikachu. "Come on out Zippo!"
"Oh no." Casey said, seeing exactly what Zippo was.
"He has a Charizard too?" Molly asked, dumbfounded.
"Zippo use Flamethrower!"
"Wobbuffet use Mirror Coat!"
Zippo flew around the arena, sending a stream of flames down on Wobbuffet as the psychic type took it all before launching it right back in a massive blast, sending Ritchie's Charizard crashing to the ground.
"Zippo use Slash!"
"Wobbuffet use Destiny Bond!" Ash called out.
"Molly, any idea what that move is?" Casey asked.
"I've got nothing, all I know is that it's an incredibly rare move." Molly admitted.
Zippo rushed forward, slashing his claws at Wobbuffet, striking the psychic type multiple times.
"Wobbuffet use Counter!"
"Zippo use Flamethrower!"
"No, Ash called his counter attack too soon!" Casey exclaimed, as Wobbuffet was engulfed in flames, as the flames died down Wobbuffet fell to the ground in defeat.
"At least Squirtle has a type advantage." Molly said with a hint of hope. "Wait what's happening?"
Before the judge could declare Wobbuffet defeated, a shadowy purple aura pulsed over Ritchie's Zippo causing it to fall to the ground in defeat.
"Wait what?" Casey asked in confusion.
"Zippo, what happened?" Ritchie asked.
"Destiny Bond, a signature move of Wobbuffet, it made it so when you defeated him, you also took out your own Pokemon." Ash said.
"Both Wobbuffet and Zippo the Charizard are unable to battle, leaving Ash's Squirtle as the only remaining Pokemon able to battle, making him the winner of the battle." The judge declared.
"Congrats Ash, I have to admit, that move was a genius idea." Ritchie said, shaking Ash's hand.
"It was a great battle Ritchie, glad we could finally have an official one." Ash said.
"And our next battle will be even better I'm sure." Ritchie said with a smirk.
Author's notes
I just want this known, I've given each of the more full battles an actual coin flip with Ash being heads and the opponent being tails, it's been pure chance that he won the coin flip both times. Also I finally used all FOUR of Wobbuffet's moves. I think this is the first time I've ever had a Pokemon show off every move it could use in that generation in one chapter.
Ash's Current Team and their Moves
Pikachu: Zap Cannon - Quick Attack - Thunder Punch - Thunderbolt
Houndoom: Flamethrower - Crunch - Solar Beam - Headbutt
Feraligatr: Hydro Pump - Crunch - Ice Punch - Thrash
Scizor: Fury Cutter - Wing Attack - Steel Wing - Slash
Sudowoodo: Slam - Mimic - Rock Throw - Low Kick
Espeon: Double Edge - Bite - Shadow Ball - Psychic
In Training
Charizard: Flamethrower - Iron Tail - Dragon Breath - Seismic Toss
Squirtle: Water Gun - Whirlpool - Skull Bash - Hydro Pump
At Oak's Lab
Bulbasaur: Vine Whip - Razor Leaf - Return - Leech Seed
Kingler: Bubblebeam - Ice Beam - Hyper Beam - Crabhammer
Muk: Body Slam - Sludge Bomb - Minimize
Tauros x29: Take Down - Horn Attack - Fissure - Double Team
Snorlax: Ice Punch - Mega Kick - Body Slam - Hyper Beam
Gligar: Sludge Bomb - Earthquake - Double Team - Wing Attack
Wobbuffet: Counter - Mirror Coat - Safeguard - Destiny Bond