Chapter 23 Thundrome Pass Part 3

As the sun dips lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the river, the group is about to relax after a successful day of captures when Alice suddenly looks around, noticing something amiss. "But where is Pikachu?" she asks, concern creeping into her voice.

Ash glances around, realizing that his loyal companion is nowhere to be seen. Just as worry begins to settle in, they hear Pikachu's familiar voice calling out from nearby. "Ash, there is a Pikachu in the wild!"

"What? A Pikachu in the wild?" Ash repeats, astonishment clear in his voice. Without wasting a moment, they all rush toward the sound, only to find Pikachu standing face-to-face with another Pikachu.

"That is not possible," Delia says, shaking her head in disbelief. "From what I know, there aren't any Pikachu in this region."

Elena steps closer, her sharp eyes narrowing as she observes the other Pikachu. "Wait a second... those red eyes... it is a Formling!"

"A Formling?" Ash echoes, confusion evident. He quickly pulls out his Pokédex to scan the mysterious Pokémon.

Formling: The Form Changer Pokemon: Normal Type. A master shapeshifter, Formling are said to be able to take permanent form of other Pokémon at will. Due to this, they are theorized to have spread to other regions.

"So it's like a Ditto in this region..." Alice observes, her tone thoughtful. "I think it could be useful in the future, don't you think, Ash?"

"Sure," Ash agrees, recognizing the potential. Without hesitation, he tosses a Quick Ball at the Formling. The ball barely touches the ground before it clicks shut, signaling a successful capture. "And Quick Balls are really handy for situations like this."

Elena nods in agreement. "Yeah, they have a higher capture rate when used right after a Pokémon is spotted. Smart move, Ash."

Once they return to their training, Pikachu notices a Raizid nearby, its tail inserted into the ground. "What is that Raizid doing?" Ash asks his mother, curiosity evident in his voice.

Delia smiles, always happy to share her knowledge. "It's recharging its electricity from the electro-magnetic field underground. That's what Raizid does to maintain its power levels."

Pikachu, intrigued, decides to try the same thing. As he mimics Raizid's action, the wild Pokémon notices and watches Pikachu with interest. The two begin to communicate, exchanging thoughts and ideas.

After a few moments, Pikachu turns to Ash and says, "Ash, the Raizid is willing to come with us."

"Is that true?" Ash asks, turning his attention to the Raizid. The Pokémon nods back confidently. "It seems like he's such a strong Pokémon. I want to be like him," Raizid explains through Pikachu.

Ash smiles warmly. "Of course, I'll help you with that." With that, he tosses a Quick Ball, capturing Raizid with ease.

Raizid: The Punker Pokemon: Electric and Ground Type. Raizid draws its power from the Earth's electro-magnetic field. They recharge themselves of energy by stabbing their tail into the ground.

Elena looks up at the sky, her expression shifting to one of concern as she notices dark clouds rapidly approaching. "I think a thunderstorm is coming. Maybe we should head indoors."

Delia nods in agreement. "It's lucky there's a cave nearby," she says, leading the way as they hurry inside just as the first rumble of thunder echoes across the sky.

The cave is dark and foreboding, the only light coming from the faint glow of their flashlights. "This cave sure is dark," Ash remarks, his voice echoing slightly in the cavern. "But thanks to Rodney, we've got some light." He and Alice switch on their flashlights, illuminating the rough, stone walls.

As they explore further, they notice clusters of Vambat hanging from the ceiling, their eyes gleaming in the dim light. The sight sends a shiver down Alice's spine. "Are they going to suck our blood while we're inside here?" she asks, fear evident in her voice.

Ash quickly reassures her. "Don't worry, we'll protect you."

But the deeper they go, the more winding and complex the cave becomes. Elena, her voice reflecting the group's unease, says, "This place sure is like a maze... If only we knew how to get out..."

As they navigate the maze-like cave, Ash notices a large, golem-like Pokémon walking ahead of them. Deciding to take a chance, he approaches the Pokémon and asks for directions. The Pokémon turns to them, its stone face revealing a friendly expression.

"I see, you guys must be brave to venture inside here," the Pokémon says in a deep, resonant voice. "I'll help you get out."

"Thank you, Golkid," Delia responds with gratitude.

Golkid leads the group through the winding passages of the cave, guiding them to another exit. As they step outside, they realize that this area isn't affected by a thunderstorm like the one they entered from.

"Thank you for helping us," Ash says, genuinely appreciative of the assistance.

Golkid nods, pleased. "No problem. I think your group is amazing. Is there a way I can join you?"

Ash smiles at the unexpected offer. "Of course. Welcome to the team." He then throws a Poké Ball, capturing Golkid and adding it to his growing team of Pokémon.

Golkid: The Golem Pokemon: Rock Type. Golkid are ancient Pokémon created as helpers. Throughout centuries, it has always assisted people in building constructions that were too big for human hands.

As they approach the exit to the pass, Elena gestures ahead. "After we pass through the gate, we'll reach Rustbolt City. And you know, the Gym Leader there is a good friend of mine."

"Really? You know the Gym Leader?" Ash asks, surprised.

Elena nods with a smile. "Yeah, we've been childhood friends ever since you and Mother moved to Kanto."

Just as they near the gate, they spot Rick up ahead, busy training his Pokémon. He notices Ash and his group approaching and quickly recalls his Pokémon, his expression turning from surprise to annoyance.

"You again? Did you follow me?" Rick snaps, clearly irritated. But then his expression shifts to one of smug satisfaction. "Ha! I wiped the floor with Damon and got the Darkness Badge! I see that you have it, too..."

Ash rolls his eyes, unimpressed. "What are you doing here?"

Rick smirks, clearly enjoying the attention. "I was just in that cave and found a strong Pokémon. I battled it and caught it! Wanna see it? I guess you'll have to battle me to find out what it is!"

As Rick continues to taunt Ash, Delia leans over to Alice and asks, "Alice, who is he?"

Alice sighs softly, her expression one of mild exasperation. "That's Rick. He's a bit full of himself. He thinks Ash and the other challengers are losers while he's the only winner. But Ash always ends up beating him."

Elena, curious, tilts her head slightly. "I wonder why he acts like that?"

Alice shrugs. "I'm not sure, but he seems to have a big chip on his shoulder. Maybe he feels like he has something to prove."

Ash, overhearing the conversation, glances back at Rick, determined not to let his rival's arrogance get under his skin. The tension between the two is palpable, setting the stage for another heated battle.

Rick smirks as he sends out his first Pokémon, Toron, the fierce-looking Ground Type. Ash responds by sending out Bushoo, the bush-like Pokémon that had recently joined his team.

"Bushoo, use Grass Whistle!" Ash commands, his voice calm and focused.

Bushoo sways gently, emitting a soothing melody that quickly puts Toron to sleep. Rick's frustration is immediate, his fists clenching as he watches his Pokémon helplessly drift off.

"Toron, wake up!" Rick yells, but it's no use. Seizing the opportunity, Ash orders the next move.

"Bushoo, use Leaf Storm!"

Bushoo releases a whirlwind of sharp leaves that engulf the sleeping Toron, dealing massive damage. The attack is more than enough to knock Toron out, and Rick recalls his Pokémon with a scowl.

"You're just lucky that Grass Whistle worked!" Rick snaps, clearly annoyed. "But let's see how you handle this! Go, Jumple!"

Rick sends out his second Pokémon, Jumple, a nimble and quick Grass Type with strong jumping abilities. Ash wastes no time and orders Bushoo to attack with Razor Leaf, but Jumple swiftly dodges the attack by bouncing high into the air.

"Bounce, now!" Rick commands, and Jumple descends rapidly, landing a direct hit on Bushoo. The impact is too much for Bushoo, and it faints, unable to continue the battle.

Ash recalls Bushoo and quickly sends out Flawk, his fiery bird Pokémon. "Flawk, use Flame Charge!" Ash commands, determined to turn the tide of the battle.

Flawk surrounds itself in a cloak of flames and charges toward Jumple. However, Jumple leaps into the air once again, using Bounce to dodge the attack. This time, Ash is ready.

"Flawk, intercept it mid-air!" Ash shouts.

Flawk adjusts its trajectory, soaring upward with incredible speed. It collides with Jumple in mid-air, the force of the Flame Charge overpowering Jumple. With no way to recover, Jumple faints, and Rick grits his teeth in frustration as he recalls his Pokémon.

"You're not bad, but let's see how you handle this! Go, Paracaw!" Rick sends out his third Pokémon, Paracaw, a swift and agile bird Pokémon.

The two bird Pokémon take to the skies, engaging in a high-speed chase. Flawk uses Flame Charge to increase its speed, while Paracaw counters with Quick Attack, darting through the air with precision. The battle is intense, with both Pokémon dodging and striking with lightning speed.

Finally, the two Pokémon collide in mid-air, Flame Charge and Quick Attack clashing with explosive force. When the dust settles, both Flawk and Paracaw are knocked out, unable to continue the fight.

With both of their Pokémon fainted, the final showdown comes down to a battle of Dinomites. Rick sends out his Dinomite, and Ash follows suit, his own Dinomite stepping forward with the twig still held firmly in its mouth.

Rick's Dinomite wastes no time, charging up its power with Power-Up Punch, landing a solid hit that causes significant damage to Ash's Dinomite. But Ash remains calm, knowing his Dinomite's strategy.

"Focus Energy, Dinomite," Ash commands, and his Dinomite narrows its eyes, focusing intensely as it braces for the next attack.

Rick's Dinomite moves in for another Power-Up Punch, but Ash's Dinomite counters with a series of Low Sweep attacks, targeting its opponent's legs and reducing its speed. The repeated hits weaken Rick's Dinomite significantly.

"Now, finish it with Revenge!" Ash calls out.

Ash's Dinomite, now fully powered up and with a score to settle, delivers a devastating Revenge attack, knocking out Rick's Dinomite with one powerful blow.

Rick grits his teeth as he recalls his defeated Pokémon. "But I'm still better!" he yells, frustration evident in his voice. "Drat! Not again... No problem! I don't care... I have Potions, so you're lucky I don't have to go all the way back to Crestlight City to heal up."

As he turns to leave, Rick throws one last parting shot over his shoulder. "I'll go and train my Pokémon so that they evolve and become much better than yours! Catch you later, loser."

With that, Rick storms off, leaving Ash and his team victorious yet again.

Alice sighs, watching Rick's retreating figure. "He's still not going to change, is he?"

Delia places a reassuring hand on Alice's shoulder. "Maybe he won't, at least not right away. But Ash has managed to change some of his friends back in the past, so there's always hope. Maybe he will change eventually."

Elena nods in agreement, her expression thoughtful. "Mother is right, Ash. You just have to keep moving forward. Who knows? Your influence might get through to him someday."

Ash smiles, appreciating their support. "Sure, I'll keep that in mind. But for now, let's head into the city."

With the battle behind them and the promise of new challenges ahead, Ash and his group continue their journey, stepping into Rustbolt City with determination and optimism.

Here is the final part of the Thundrome Pass, it is a long path and it is also a long map as well, and there is also a rival battle in the end that was annoying. I hope you like this chapter.