Ash grinned as his most trusted partner took the field, electricity crackling in the air around Pikachu's cheeks. "Pika!" Pikachu cried, smiling as he noticed Misty across the way. Misty smiled. Despite the situation at hand, she really was happy to see the yellow mouse pokemon after all these years. Even though she knew better, she told herself that she would squeeze those red cheeks of his when she had beaten Ash in battle. Ash smiled, seeing how Misty and Pikachu appeared happy to see each other. He thought that they may have all sat there until the sun had finished setting if it weren't for the bellow that came from Gyarados upon seeing it's old battle partner and now enemy. Pikachu refocused, answering Gyarados' roar with a cry of his own. "Okay, then, Gyarados, start with hydro pump!" Misty instructed, bringing her hand forward and pointing at Pikachu. Ash grinned, calling out to his partner. "Pikachu, use quick attack to dodge, then get in close!" he instructed. Pikachu nodded, disappearing in a barely visible blur. The yellow blur streaked forward, dodging left, right, and even leaping above and over the almost solid beam of water that came gushing from the sea serpent's mouth, before slamming into the face of the larger pokemon, causing it's wide open maw to point skyward. The continuous stream of water spouted skyward, causing clouds to form before everyone's eyes. Soon, water was no longer streaming skyward, but streaking down toward the earth in drops of rain. Misty grinned brightly. "Gyarados, blow them away with hurricane!" Ash's eyes went wide, realizing that the situation had turned in Misty's favor. Then he smiled, opportunity dawning among his thoughts. "Quickly, Pikachu! Use thunder!" As the blue serpentine pokemon reared back, Pikachu arched his back, hurling voltage towards the newly formed clouds. Just as Gyarados was rearing forward to unleash hurricane force winds on it's opponent, a bolt of pure electricity pearled straight down, striking the great beast upon the dark blue crest that resided at the top of it's head. Gyarados let out a groaning cry, falling into the water around it, displacing much of the surf. "Gyarados?!" Misty shouted, concerned. Gyarados rose slowly from the waves, rapidly shaking it's head in an effort to dispel the soreness it undoubtedly felt in it's muscles.
"Enough, Gyarados. Save your strength for later." Misty said, recalling the great pokemon. She glared across the sandy dunes at her dashing opponent. Just like Ash, always too clever for his own good. A small smile spread across her lips. So long as it has to do with pokemon, that is. Let's see how he handles this next pokemon! Misty threw a new pokeball, this time a netball, releasing a blue, beaked pokemon that stood nearly as tall as she did. It had a spiked crest at the back of it's head, and a red gem sat upon it's forehead. It held it's arms out in front of it in a battle ready stance, it's webbed hands clenched in fists. "Goooolllll!" It cried. Ash blinked in astonishment. I didn't expect Psyduck of all pokemon to have evolved. He turned to Pikachu, who was staring at him expectantly. "Alright buddy. I wanna save you for when Gyarados reappears. So for now, I'm going to switch you out. Pikachu nodded with a cry of "Pi!" and dashed back to Ash, climbing up to sit upon his shoulder. "Alright, then. Trevenant, come on out!" he shouted, calling upon the shiny grass type. Misty gasped. "Since when have you had a Trevenant, Ash?" She called out. Ash frowned. That's right. Misty has never met Trevenant, and Brock probably doesn't know either. "I met Trevenant as a Phantump in the Kalos region. Team Rocket was up to their usual shenanigans, only this time they were trying to steal food from the wild pokemon in the forest. Phantump helped us stop them, and I later ran into it when I was passing through the Kalos region again. We battled a bit, and it agreed to join the team." he called out in explanation. Misty frowned. "So what other surprises do you have for me Ash?" She called, determined to come out on top of this battle. "That's my little secret, Misty." Ash replied cheekily. Misty's brows came together. "Fine then. Golduck, get in close with aqua jet." The duck pokemon nodded, streaking forward while surrounding itself with water. Ash nodded slightly, discretely please that he had predicted the move. "Phantom Force." he said lowly. Trevenant's silhouette darkened, and shadows grew to wrap around the pokemon. The shiny grass type vanished just as it's opponent would have hit it. Instead, Golduck barrelled through the exact spot Trevenant had been standing in. It came to a stop, the water surrounding it dissipating in an instant. "Be careful, Golduck!" Misty called out. "It could come from anywhere, but it'll probably come out behind you." Ash gapped at her perception. Most trainers would panic just about now. But of course Misty wouldn't do that. She's too talented, too experienced, to do so. It's too bad she's wrong. Unfortunately for the water type, Golduck headed it's trainer's advice, turning around in order to face it's foe should it reamerge. At that very moment, the air above the water type darkened, and Trevenant clawed it's way forward, as if tearing into the air itself. The tree pokemon fell straight downward, rending painful swipes across Goldcuk's back. The water type cried out in pain, stumbling toward it's trainer. "Hang in there, Golduck! Use ice beam." In a flash, Golduck turned around, firing a beam of pure ice at it's tricky opponent. It struck true, coating one of Trevenant's arms in ice. Trevenant reared back, bellowing hauntingly in pain. "Get a grip, Trevenant! Use horn leach!" The grass type shook itself, before dashing forward faster than Misty thought possible for such a pokemon, and slamming it's head into Golduck. Her pokemon cried out, and green sparkles appeared in the air around it, heading straight for Trevenant. "Wood hammer, Trevenant!" Ash shouted. As Misty and Golduck were reeling from the blitz like attacks, Trevenant raised it's still encased arm and slammed it into Golduck. The water type went flying off to the right of Trevenant, landing among sand dunes. When the dust cleared, Brock found Golduck typing face first in the sand, swirls in place of it's eyes. "Golduck is unable to batte, and so the victor is Trevenant!" he cried, raising his left arm. Trevenant vanished, reappearing behind Ash and sweeping him up in it's arms. Laughing, Ash said "Alright! Alright! You did great, Trevenant! Now put me down!" Smiling mischievously, the grass type dropped it's trainer into the sand before disappearing into the luxury ball at his belt.
Standing up, Ash dusted himself off before grabbing the ball at his belt. I guess Trevenant's done for today. "Starmie, come on out!" Misty shouted, throwing a new ball into the surf. The purple, jeweled pokemon appeared, floating among the waves. Ash used speed and stealth to get past our defenses, instead of charging forward like he used to. He's really changed. Misty thought to herself, watching her crush carefully. Ash thought for a moment before making his decision. Then, he pressed the button in the middle of the luxury ball, and a red beam flew forth. Itr dissipated after a few seconds, leaving Sceptile standing in it's wake. "Sceptillle!" He cried, flexing the leaves on his arms like blades. Misty groaned quietly to herself. While she had never seen Sceptile in action herself, she had heard from Brock how powerful and agile it was, going toe to toe with Darkai in the Sinnoh League and winning. She could even be forgiven for thinking that Sceptile was among Ash's most powerful pokemon, because even is she didn't have first hand proof to prove her theory, she was right. "Sceptile, quick attack and leaf blade." Ash instructed. Immediately, the grass type before Misty and Starmie moved, it's form little more than an afterimage. Internally, Misty panicked. I can't even see it! "Starmie, psychic, now!" She called, and not a second too soon. Starmie spun in place, light purple energy welling from it's fins, and then Sceptile appeared just behind it, frozen in place and surrounded by the same energy. Misty sweatdropped when she noticed that the blade like leaf on Sceptile's left arm had been less than an inch away from her pokemon. "Sceptile, use night slash!" Misty was about to issue commands of her own, but she stopped, confused? Doesn't he realize that Sceptile is trapped? It can't move. Her eyes widened when, as she watched, Sceptile reared back, struggling the entire way, and struck itself in the chest with a leaf that glowed with a dark, inky black energy. The violet energy surrounding the grass type vanished, and Sceptile fell to the ground, slashing at Starmie on the way down.
Misty gapped, stunned, as Brock announced Starmie's defeat. What was that? She thought to herself. She had an idea on what it may have been, but it was too outlandish for it to be true. How could Ash have known to do that? And where did he learn it? "-next pokemon." Misty shook her head, pushing aside her thoughts for a moment, and stared at Brock. "What?" she asked, confused. "I said," Brock began, exasperation written on his face, "please send out your next pokemon." Misty nodded, turning around to grab another pokeball. "Let's do this, Corsola." The pink pokemon appeared no before Misty, as Ash was expecting, but bobbing on the water's surface. "Corsola, let's try that strategy we practiced!" Misty called, determination reentering her eyes. Corsola dipped below the waves, neither reappearing nor giving away it's location. Ash scowled. This wasn't going to be easy.
I did promise something, didn't I? Well, here it is. At least until I write more. Surprisingly, Misty is not fairing very well in the polls, and we currently have a tie on our hands. Personally, I figured Misty would be the one to win, but apparently you guys think otherwise. I have no idea what I'll do about the tie. I know I previously said this won't be harem, but maybe it will if the two I'm talking about are still tied when the time comes. Otherwise I would have to choose, which I don't want to do, since I can realistically see Ash with any of the girls who are in the running right now. If I do end up going that path, it will ONLY be with two girls. It is incredibly difficult to write believable polyamourous relationships, as any fic reader could attest to. Keep the votes coming, because the cutoff will be some time next month. Cynthia, Dawn, Zoey, Flannery, and Clair, are not candidates for multiple reasons, so please do not message me asking to add them. That's all for now! Please continue commenting, and thank you again for all your support.