Hey guys, I'm back with a new chapter for this story! I've finished updating all of my other stories, so now I can focus on making a new chapter for this one. We'll be picking up where the previous chapter left off, with Ash's group traveling to Goldenrod City for his next gym battle! This was decided by a poll on my P atreon (if you'd like to vote in similar polls and help influence my stories, please consider supporting!) I'll have another poll posted after this chapter is released to help pick where we go next!

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Well, that's all I wanted to say, so let's get to the fic!

"Speech"

"Thoughts"

Pokemon Attack

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or any of its characters.

(Two Weeks Later: Outskirts of Goldenrod City)

"Oh, yesterday was so fun!" May gushed with a massive smile as she practically skipped around the camp. "It was so great having a picnic at the Johto Nation Park!"

"And the bug-type catching contest was awesome!" Dawn added, helping Cilan and Burgundy wash their dishes. "We caught so many Butterfree! They were so adorable! The prizes we got were nice too, plenty of berries and even some evolution stones!"

"Ash and Hilda really went wild during that bug-catching contest." Iris said with a small smirk before she paused to take a sip of her coffee. "They caught more bug-type Pokemon than all of us combined."

"Ah, I see you're regaling my epic performance during the bug-catching content." Hilda said with a cocky smirk, letting out a fake, haughty laugh as she playfully flicked her ponytail over her shoulder. Seeing everyone else roll their eyes, Hilda chuckled and took a seat next to Iris. "In all seriousness, it really was fun at the National Park yesterday. But I definitely enjoyed getting a see a Pokéathlon firsthand more, they don't really happen in Unova. I wish we could have participated instead of just watching!"

"Perhaps we can do it another time, once has finished his journey. It takes a lot of training to prepare for a Pokéathlon." Cynthia chimed in as she brushed some blonde hair out of her one visible eye. "I actually participated in a Pokéathlon when I was younger. It was quite the experience."

"Did you win?" Roxie asked, her tongue sticking out of her mouth as she fiddled with her guitar and tried to tune it. "A former champion like you...I bet you kicked some serious ass."

"Heh, given my reputation, that's what you'd think..." Cynthia replied as she chuckled and rubbed the back of her head. "But I actually failed miserably. I tried to do it pretty early on during my journey and I totally wasn't prepared. I'm just lucky I didn't come in dead last."

"Well, that is surprising." Flannery said, tying up her hair into a ponytail as she emerged from her tent. "But I'm sure if you participated in one now, you'd probably win."

"Ugh, I couldn't deal with all that running around." Annabel added as she shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest. "I hate strenuous exercise like that."

"Oh, come on, Annabel!" Ash said, suddenly appearing behind the lavender-haired girl and kissing her on the cheek. Annabel squeaked in surprise at the sign of affection, her face flushing bright red. "Some hard exercise is good for you, even if it's only every now and then! You should join Nessa and I during our training next time!"

"Yeah! You should totally come with us!" Nessa exclaimed in a cheery tone as she playfully patted Annabel's shoulders. "The more the merrier!"

"Uh...why are you both soaking wet?" Cilan asked, gesturing toward both trainers as they were both thoroughly drenched. "Did you go swimming or something?"

"Yep! We found a small lake nearby and decided to head into the water with our Pokemon! Get closer to them while training, ya know!" Ash replied with a toothy grin as Pikachu hopped off his shoulder, the Mouse Pokemon shaking himself dry. Without a thought, Ash took off his wet T-shirt and showed off his muscular chest, something that his lovers appreciated but embarrassed both Burgundy and Nessa. "I'll get changed, then we can finish packing and head out!"

"Ugh, I need to change too..." Nessa grimaced, pulling at her wet shirt which clung to her skin. "I hate wearing wet clothes."

"So, we're heading to Goldenrod City, right?" Dawn asked as she released a light sigh, putting away the last of the dishes. "Is there anything to do there?"

"Well, you'll be happy to hear, that, unlike Blackthorn City, there's plenty to do in Goldenrod. It's the largest city in the region." Burgundy said, reading the Johto travel brochure she had taken from Cilan's bag. "There's a huge department store and even a casino!"

"Department store!?" May exclaimed as her eyes lit up, rushing over and snatching the brochure from Burgundy's hands. "Oh my, Arceus! There are so many shops! I can look for new outfits to wear in my contests! Dawn! You have to come with me!"

"Sure, that sounds like fun." Dawn said with a smile, before taking a seat across from Cynthia. "I need to get some new outfits too."

"I'm more interested in going to the casino." Flannery said as she rested her hands on her hips, a small smirk spreading across her face. "I love to play blackjack."

"Blackjack is fun, but I'm more of a poker player myself." Cynthia said, closing her eyes and smiling. "I've got a mean poker face."

"Now that, I'm not surprised by." Flannery teased with a smirk as she chuckled lightly and crossed her arms. "I bet you could clear out anyone you play against."

"Hmmm, I've never been to a casino before." Hilda said, leaning back in her seat and stroking her chin. "I'm not much of a gambler."

"It's fun every now and then." Roxie chimed in as she set her guitar down, having finished tuning it to her liking. "But you need to be careful, it's easy to get sucked in and lose all your money. I had an old bandmate who lost all his savings because he was hooked on betting in Rapidash races. He kept saying that because he spent so much money on his bets, he had to keep going so that he could win it all back."

"Ah, the sunk cost fallacy..." Cynthia said with a small smile, slowly shaking her head. "Something a lot of gambling addicts fall prey to. You need to be careful because it's easy to start that way of thinking."

"Oh man, I don't know if I even want to try gambling anymore..." Hilda said as she cringed slightly, not liking the things she had been hearing. "You guys make it sound pretty bad."

"Roxie was right before, it's fun to do every now and then..." Ash said, emerging from his tent in a set of fresh clothes as he dried his hair. "You just have to be smart and try not get swept up in all the excitement if you start winning. Plus, make sure to set a limit for how much you can lose before you call it quits."

"Also, it's best to quit while you're ahead." Cynthia added as she got up from her seat, making her way toward her tent so that she could begin packing. "You won't be able to keep a hot streak going forever."

"Just have fun and don't worry too much." Ash said, gently patting Hilda on the back before walking over to help Cilan put away all their cooking gear. "I'll make sure to drag any of you out of the casino before you can bankrupt us if things are looking a bit too dicey."

(Several Hours Later: Goldenrod City)

"Woah! This place is amazing!" Nessa gushed as the group finally entered the sprawling and bustling streets of Goldenrod City. Everywhere she looked, Nessa saw massive buildings, flashing lights, and people hurrying to wherever their destination was. "I've never been to a huge city like this!"

"Are there any big cities in Galar?" Dawn asked, clasping her hands behind her back as she walked next to Nessa. "I'm sure there must be a few."

"Oh yeah, there are some bigger ones..." Nessa said with a massive smile as she slowly spun around, taking in her exciting surroundings. "But nothing like this!"

"Well, Goldenrod isn't just the largest city in Johto, it's one of the largest cities in the entire world." Cilan explained, skimming through his guide for the region as he energetically flipped through the pages. "Along with the aforementioned casino and department store, there's also the Goldenrod Radio tower, which broadcasts numerous programs daily, the two most prominent being Professor Oak's Pokémon Talk and Buena's Password. And then there's the magnet train which connects Goldenrod to Saffron City in the Kanto region."

"No way! They have a train that connects Johto and Kanto!?" Hilda exclaimed excitedly as she rushed over and gripped Ash's shoulder. "We totally have to take it on our way back!"

"Sure, we can do that." Ash said with a smile, wrapping his arm around Hilda's waist and pulling her close which caused her face to flush slightly. "Despite coming to Johto several times, I've never actually ridden on the magnet train, so it'll be fun."

"So, what do we want to do before your gym battle, Ash?" Anabel asked as she glanced around the expansive city, seeming somewhat conflicted by it. "There's plenty to do in this city."

"Well, back at camp, it seemed like everyone wanted to do different things." Ash replied, raising his wrist to check his watch. "We've got a couple of hours before my gym battle. So, why don't we all split up and meet at the gym when it's time for my battle? You can all explore the city and have some fun!"

"That sounds like a good idea to me!" May exclaimed with a bright smile as she grabbed Dawn's hand and began to pull the bluenette. "Alright Dawn, let's go shopping!"

"I'm coming, no need to drag me." Dawn said with a chuckle, letting May lead her along. "I said that I'd go with you back at camp."

"Hey, I'll come with you guys too!" Nessa said as she jogged forward to catch up with May and Dawn, surprising both of them. "I'm interested in learning more about contests, we don't have anything like that in Galar. And from everything you've both told me about them, they seem pretty fun!"

"That's great to hear, Nessa!" May cheered, her smile widening as she reached out and grabbed Nessa's hand as well, starting to pull her too. "Dawn and I will teach you all about contests and being a great coordinator!"

"Try not to overwhelm the power girl." Anabel said as she watched the three girls disappear around a corner. "Knowing May, she'll talk Nessa's ear off." Turning around, Anabel faced the rest of the group. "Well, I don't feel like shopping and am not particularly fond of gambling. So, I suppose I'll explore the city and see if anything catches my eye."

"We'll go with you, Anabel." Cilan said with a smile, approaching the lavender-haired girl with Burgundy hugging his arm. "We wanted to explore the city as well."

"There's supposed to be a lovely flower shop that I wanted to check out." Burgundy said as she showed Anabel an image of the store from the travel brochure. "Perhaps the three of us can go there together."

"That sounds like a lovely idea." Anabel said, waving to rest of the group as she began to walk away with Cilan and Burgundy. "We'll see you all later!"

"Well then, I guess the rest of us are going to check out the casino." Ash said with a grin as he clapped his hands together, with Pikachu mimicking his actions. "Let's get going!"

(Fifteen Minutes Later: Goldenrod City Game Corner)

"Holy shit..." Flannery breathed out, immediately being assaulted by flashing lights and playfully chimes as she stepped into the casino. A giddy grin spread across Flannery's face as she gazed at the rows of slot machines, blackjack tables, and roulette wheels. "This place is fucking nuts!"

"I've never been to a casino this large before." Cynthia added as she crossed her arms, scanning the sprawling floor for the poker tables. "It sure is stimulating."

"I'm hitting the craps tables!" Roxie exclaimed, rushing toward the closest table which already had a small crowd. "I've got hot hands."

"Well, I'm gonna try out some roulette." Iris said as she spotted a table that only had a few people around it. "I've always wanted to try it."

"I'll join you, Iris." Flannery said with a smirk, wrapping an arm around Iris' shoulders. "I'll show you the ropes!"

"I can feel that poker table calling my name." Cynthia said with a rare grin as she spotted a table with a single seat open. "I'll clean those suckers out."

"Wow..." Hilda muttered, quirking an eyebrow as she watched all her friends spread out throughout the casino. "Gambling really brings out different sides of people."

"Heh, it really does." Ash chuckled, feeling Pikachu hop off his shoulder. The raven-haired trainer then watched with an amused smile as the Mouse Pokemon dashed across the casino, joining Roxie at the craps table. Pikachu then hopped onto Roxie's shoulder, before being handed a pair of dice and tossing them out onto the table. "So, what are you going to do, Hilda?"

"Um, I'm not really sure..." Hilda replied with a nervous laugh as she scratched her chin. "This place is kind of overwhelming, so I have no clue where to start."

"If you want, you can just stick with me." Ash said with a grin, rubbing the back of his head. "I was planning to bounce around and try out a bunch of different games."

"Sure, that sounds nice." Hilda said as she walked over to the raven-haired trainer's side, a faint blush spreading across her face. "Yes! I get to spend some time alone with Ash!"

"Great, why don't we start with something easy...ease you into this..." Ash said, scanning around the casino floor for what they could do first. "Why don't we start with some slots?"

"That works for me." Hilda said as she followed Ash to a seemingly endless row of slot machines. All of them shining with bright, flashing lights and humming with various alarms and buzzers. Passing several people, Hilda cringed slightly when she saw that some of them almost looked like zombies, with their faces practically glued to the spinning slot wheels. Eventually, Ash sat down in front of the machines and Hilda took the seat next to him. "So...I just pull this lever, right?"

"Pretty much, yeah." Ash replied, before putting a coin in his machine and pulling the lever. The wheel began to spin rapidly as the slot machine lit up and began to play a little jingle. After a few moments, the wheel stopped spinning and Ash had apparently lost, getting two Cheri berries and a Staryu. Reaching out, Ash pointed toward a diagram on the machine, listing all of the possible winning combinations. "You just need to get one of these sets of symbols and you win. But the jackpot is a triple 7."

"Alright...let's give it a try." Hilda said as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a coin. After slipping the coin into the machine, Hilda pulled the lever and the slot sprang to life. Hilda had to admit she did enjoy the little show the slot machine put on as the wheel spun round and round. A few moments later, the wheel began to stop, and Hilda perked up a bit when she got a 7 right off the bat. Then another one, causing Hilda's eyes to widen slightly as she felt a sudden rush of anticipation. However, Hilda's excitement was quickly dashed when she got a Pikachu, causing her to groan in disappointment. "Aw! Damn, it! I was so close to a jackpot!"

"Man, it would have been crazy if you got a jackpot on your first spin!" Ash said with a chuckle, pulling the lever once again. After a few moments, Ash's machine began to flash erratically and play celebratory music. He hadn't gotten a jackpot, but he had won one of the lower-tier amounts, causing him to barely break even. "See, this is pretty fun. But you need to be careful, it's easy to lose track of time and just keep pumping money into these things."

"Yeah, almost winning...that was kind of a rush." Hilda said as she slipped another coin into her slot machine. After pulling the lever, Hilda's face lit up when her machine began to flash and buzz, just like Ash's. This time, she had won a mid-tier payout, actually earning her a bit of extra money. "Hell yeah! I'm getting into this now!"

"Heh, glad you're having fun..." Ash said with a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck as looked at his friends and lovers scattered throughout the casino, all of them appearing to have a good time. Releasing a light sigh, Ash slipped another coin into his slot machine. "Thank Arceus I still have most of my prize money for winning the leagues because this is gonna be an expensive stop."

(Several Hours Later: Outside the Goldenrod City Gym)

After a few hours of fun and exploration across Goldenrod City, Ash and the rest of his group met up at the gym. Nessa looked thoroughly exhausted, having received an extensive lesson on everything related to Pokemon contests from both Dawn and May. The nearly dozen bags the three girls were carrying highlighted how fruitful their shopping endeavor had been. Anabel, Cilan, and Burgundy seemed to have had an enjoyable time, visiting several local landmarks and tourist destinations. The large bouquet of flowers Anabel and Burgundy were carrying was evidence they had visited the flower shop.

The group who had visited the casino also had, had an enjoyable time, most of them even making a profit. The only ones who had lost money were Flannery and Iris, having an unlucky streak at the roulette tables. Cynthia had been true to her world, cleaning out every person who sat at the same Poker table as her, and the new fat stack of money she had was proof of that. Roxie, and surprisingly Pikachu, had done fairly well at craps, with the Mouse Pokemon going on a bit of a hot streak. Meanwhile, Ash and Hilda had simply enjoyed their time bouncing between various games and machines, gaining and losing money the whole time, with both of them earning a small profit by the end of their gambling escapades.

"So, did everyone have a fun time?" Ash asked with a bright grin as he stood outside the doors to the Goldenrod gym, resting his hands on his hips. "I hope you all had a chance to relax and unwind."

"I wouldn't exactly call the time I had relaxing..." Neesa said with a chuckle, releasing a light sigh as she set down her bags and rubbed her shoulder. "These two had me running around that damn department store from shop to shop...talking my ear off the entire time and making me try on outfit after outfit." Seeing that May was about to speak up, Nessa smiled and quickly cut her off. "But I did learn a whole lot about being a coordinator, and how hard it is. So, I'm glad I went with you both."

"Aw, that's sweet of you, Nessa." Dawn said as she clasped her hands behind her back. "It was fun hanging out with you too! It was also nice to learn more about Galar! We'll have to take a trip there sometime!"

"Oh, that sounds like a blast!" May exclaimed in a giddy tone, clapping her hands together. "Maybe after Ash finishes his journey we can all visit Galar together! And since they don't have a Pokemon League set up there, I'm sure they don't have a contest circuit there either. Dawn and I can make some calls and possibly pull some strings, maybe get the ball rolling on establishing contests in Galar!"

"I could also help Galar get its own Pokemon League started." Cynthia said as she crossed her arms under her chest. "I have plenty of connections in the League. I'm sure they'd love to get something started in Galar."

"That's so nice of you all." Nessa said with a bright smile, rubbing the back of her head. "I can't thank you guys enough for the hospitality you've shown me ever since I met you all back in Kanto."

"It's no problem, Nessa, you're our friend. And we always help each other out." Ash said as he wrapped an arm around Nessa's shoulders, causing her face to flush red. Nessa could feel her heart start to race as Ash held her close. Gently patting Nessa's shoulder, Ash gestured toward the gym. "But we can talk about this more later. I've got a gym battle to win!"

"That's our Ash..." Iris said with a chuckle, slowly shaking her head and shrugging her shoulders. "Battling is always at the front of his mind."

"Hey, I'm itching to see a good battle too!" Hilda exclaimed as she energetically pumped her fist into the air. "I love watching Ash do his thing! It's like watching an artist at work!"

"Well, that makes sense." Flannery said with a smirk, teasingly slapping Hilda's arm. "You and Ash are practically the same person."

"Alright, let's hurry up and get inside." Anabel said as she began to usher the rest of the group into the gym. "Before a bickering match can start."

Opening the doors of the gym, the group walked into the lobby. Other than the receptionist, and a few other trainers, the relatively plain lobby was quite empty. Some of the trainers recognized Ash, coming up to him to introduce themselves and make small talk, a few even asking for pictures. Somewhat embarrassed by the extra attention, Ash happily obliged and spent a bit of time with the trainers. However, he eventually had to shoo them away so that he could approach the receptionist.

"How can I help-" The receptionist stopped mid-sentence when she spotted Ash grinning at her. She simply stared at him in shock for several moments before squeaking in surprise, quickly fixing her hair and making sure she looked presentable. "O-Oh my! M-Mr. Ketchum! So, nice of you to visit our gym! Can I assume you're here for a gym battle?"

"You bet I am!" Ash replied, leaning against the receptionist's desk as he clasped his hands together. "So, is Whitney here?"

"I apologize, Mr. Ketchum..." The receptionist said in a somewhat nervous tone as she glanced down at her watch and frowned. "Ms. Whitney left to run some errands...but she was supposed to return over two hours ago. I've been trying to call her, but she isn't picking up."

"That is a problem." Roxie said, stepping forward and leaning on the desk next to Ash. "Do you want us to go look for her?"

"Oh, that'd be such-" Once again, the receptionist stopped mid-sentence when the front doors to the gym suddenly burst open. Standing in the doorway, panting slightly, was the gym's leader, Whitney. "Where have you been!? I was starting to get worried!"

"Sorry about that..." Whitney said with a chuckle, taking a moment to catch her breath as she scratched her cheek. "I've lived in this city my entire life, but I still get lost all the time. I was running all around trying to find my way back here."

"Could you have at least picked up your phone?" The receptionist asked in an annoyed tone as she released a light sigh and crossed her arms. "I've been trying to call you! I could have helped you get back to the gym, or at the very least sent someone to pick you up!"

"Yeah...about that..." Whitney said with another nervous chuckle as she rubbed the back of her neck. "I uh...kind of forgot my phone..."

"Ugh, there should be a limit to how careless someone can be." The receptionist said, pinching the bridge of her nose and shaking her head. Releasing a heavy sigh, the receptionist got out of her seat and gestured toward all the people in the lobby. "Because of your little adventure, you've kept all these trainers waiting!"

"Sorry about that everyone, I really am..." Whitney apologized as she bowed slightly, lowering her head. "If everyone is ready, we start the battles-" Whitney stopped when she spotted Ash smiling at her, causing her eyes to immediately light up. "Is that Ash Ketchum!? Oh! And Pikachu too!" Quickly rushing over, Whitney embraced the Mouse Pokemon in a tight hug. "I missed this cute little guy so much!"

"And he missed you too." Ash said with a smirk, watching Pikachu squirm against Whitney's embrace, clearly uncomfortable with it. "It's good to see you again, Whitney."

"It's great to see you too, Ash! And you brought so many friends with you!" Whitney exclaimed as she hugged Pikachu against her chest, energetically waving to the rest of Ash's group. "I've been keeping tabs on you ever since you won the Hoenn League! You've been a serious role, Ash! I'm guessing you're here to challenge my gym."

"That's right." Ash replied as approached Whitney, taking Pikachu back from her, much to the Mouse Pokemon's relief. "Goldenrod City is the next stop on my way to the Johto League!"

"Well, that's great! I've been looking forward to battling you again!" Whitney said, glancing at the other trainers that were gathered around the lobby. "But, even if you're a champion, these other trainers were here first. So, you'll have to wait your turn. I hope that's okay."

"Oh, that's fine." Ash said with a smile as he nodded his head. "That'll give me a chance to see how much you've improved since we last battled."

(One Hour Later: Goldenrod City Gym's Battlefield)

"Where's Ash?" Hilda asked, scanning around the battlefield for her raven-haired lover. "Whitney is about to finish her battle, and he's up next."

"He went somewhere with Dawn." May replied as she crossed her legs, gesturing toward a nearby door. "He said they'd be back soon."

"Huh, I wonder what they could be doing..." Iris muttered, stroking her chin as she gazed at the doorway. After a few moments, she shrugged her shoulders and turned back to watch Whitney's current battle. "Well, whatever, he'll be back in time. There's no way he'll be late for a battle."

"I guess you're right." Flannery said as she pointed toward the doors, noticing Ash and Dawn walk through them. "They're back, right on time."

"Where'd you guys go?" Roxie asked, leaning back in her seat as Ash and Dawn approached. "You both just kind of disappeared."

"Oh, Ash wanted me to lend him one of my Pokemon." Dawn replied as she took a seat next to May. "So, we had to go take care of that real fast."

"Yeah, I thought that I'd mix it up this battle." Ash said with a grin, holding up one of Dawn's Pokeballs. "Get a bit out of my comfort zone, ya know."

"Well, looks like you'll get to do that real soon." Cynthia said as she pointed toward the battlefield, watching as Whitney's opponent returned his last Pokemon. "Cause it looks like you're finally up."

"She's right, Ash." Whitney said with a smirk, resting her hands on her hips as paused for a moment to shake hands with her defeated opponent. "It's your turn now."

"I've been waiting for this all day." Ash said as he adjusted his cap, beginning to walk onto the battlefield. Once Ash took his place across from Whitney, he enlarged the Pokeball he had been lent by Dawn. "Let's do this, Whitney!"

"The official three-on-three battle between the Goldenrod City gym leader, Whitney, and her opponent Ash Ketchum will commence! Are both trainers ready?!" The official called as he glanced at both Ash and Whitney. Seeing them both nod their heads, the official waved his officiating flags. "Then, let the battle begin! Both trainers, send out your first Pokemon!"

"Come on out, Ursaring!" Whitney exclaimed as she tossed out her Pokeball. In a flash of white light, the Hibernator Pokemon crashed onto the field and let out a ferocious roar. "Let's see what you've got, Ash!"

"Alright, we've never battled together, but I know you're really strong! Lopunny, I choose you!" Ash called out, throwing out the Pokeball he had borrowed from Dawn. With a flash of white light and a hop, the Rabbit Pokemon gracefully landed on the battlefield. Immediately whipping around, Lopunny winked at Pikachu and blew him a kiss. "Okay, okay, save the flirting for later! We've got a battle to win!"

"Lopunny?" Anabel said in a confused tone as she quirked an eyebrow. "Why would Ash want to use her?"

"He didn't really specify why." Dawn answered, watching as her Pokemon playfully hopped from foot to foot and punched the air. "All he said was that he got a gift from Professor Juniper and wanted to test it out."

"Alright, Lopunny! Let's give this thing a test drive!" Ash exclaimed as he pulled down his sleeve, revealing his mega bracelet with a shiny new mega stone inside it. After pressing the mega stone, it began to glow brightly before Lopunny was engulfed in a shimmering pink light. Humming energy filled the air as Lopunny began to transform into its mega-evolution. With a final burst of light, Lopunny revealed her new form. "Woah! Now that is bad ass!"

As Mega Lopunny, her personality seemed to change drastically, becoming extremely aggressive with wild fighting instincts. In order to become a more capable fighter, she shed the fur on her neck, upper torso, fingers, and legs, forming black patterns on her legs that resembled ripped pantyhose. The tufts of fur above her eyes combined to form a single butterfly-shaped crest. The cream fur on her wrists and ankles became more round instead of fluffy. Lastly, her ear fur now only covered two segments of each ear in fluffy bands.

"AH! I love it! Lopunny looks amazing and so powerful!" Dawn gushed, shooting up out of her seat as her eyes instantly lit up in excitement. "I'll have to incorporate this form into my contests!"

"Wow, I've heard about mega-evolutions before, but I've never seen them in person! This is so cool!" Whitney exclaimed as she gazed intently at Lopunny. "Well, let's see how powerful mega-evolution is! Ursaring, use Hammer Arm!"

"Dodge it, Lopunny, and counter with Close Combat!" Showcasing incredible speed, Mega Lopunny bound forward and closed the distance in mere seconds. Easily ducking underneath Ursaring's glowing arm, Lopunny unleashed a devastating and blindingly fast barrage of kicks. With each strike, Ursaring grunted in pain and stumbled backward. For her final attack, Lopunny got down low and struck Ursaring with both legs, sending the Hibernator Pokemon flying backward. "Now follow it up with Mach Punch!"

With a crash, Ursaring slammed into the wall and was dazed momentarily. Before the Hibernator Pokemon could recover, Lopunny's fist began to glow brightly before she shot forward at an insane speed. In the blink of an eye, Lopunny crossed the entire battlefield and slammed her fist into Ursaring's stomach, knocking the air from its lungs. Falling onto its knees, Ursaring began to pant heavily and tried to catch its breath.

"Oh no! Ursaring! Are you okay!?" Whitney exclaimed as she watched her Pokemon struggle to get back up. "Use Rest to recover!" In an instant, Ursaring closed its eyes and collapsed to the ground, fast asleep. Despite its injuries, Ursaring's body began to glow faintly as it began to heal. "C'mon, Ursaring! You need to wake up fast!"

"You're just delaying this battle!" Ash said with a smirk, crossing his arms over his chest. "Lopunny, use Circle Throw!" Surprising everyone, Lopunny showed immense strength by lifting Ursaring off the ground. Then, after several rapid spins, Lopunny threw the Hibernator Pokemon across the battlefield, sending it crashing into the ground in front of Whitney. "Finish it with Focus Blast!"

Lopunny closed her eyes, using all her focus to gather energy between her hands. All while she was doing this, Whitney was urging Ursaring to wake back up, the Hibernator Pokemon still fast asleep. But it seemed like Whitney's pleas were pointless as Lopunny charged forward, a massive, swirling ball of energy between its hands. Leaping into the air, Lopunny fell back down and slammed the Focus Blast into Ursaring's back. A small explosion and thunderous bang rang out as Ursaring was bombarded by the devastating ball of energy. Leaping away, Lopunny landed back in front of Ash. When the dust debris finally settled, Ursaring was lying motionless on the ground, clearly unconscious.

"Ursaring is unable to battle, the winner is Lopunny!" The official announced after he took a moment to examine the Hibernator Pokemon. "Whitney, please send out your next Pokemon!"

"Aw man, well you did a good job, Ursaring..." Whitney said with a light sigh, returning the Hibernator Pokemon before grabbing another Pokeball off her belt. "Alright, let's do this, Blissey!" Cocking her arm back, Whitney tossed the Pokeball out onto the battlefield. With a dull crash, the Happiness Pokemon landed on the battlefield. "We've got this, Blissey!"

"Blissey...that's an interesting choice..." Ash muttered as he quirked an eyebrow, stroking his chin. "Okay Lopunny, start things off with Low Sweep!"

"Don't let her get close, Blissey! Use Disarming Voice!" Inhaling deeply, the Happiness Pokemon unleashed a shout infused with fairy-type energy. The soundwaves crashed into Lopunny, causing the Rabbit Pokemon to wince in pain and stop in her tracks. "Now, while Lopunny is stunned, use Defense Curl!" As Lopunny took a few moments to snap out of her disorientation, Blissey curled itself into a ball and its body began to shimmer as its defense rose. "Great, now Double-Edge!"

"Lopunny, dodge and use Drain Punch!" Rapidly shaking her head, Lopunny came back to her sense just in time to narrowly dodge Blissey's attack. After avoiding Blissey's massive, powered-up body, Lopunny lept forward and hit the Happiness Pokemon with her glowing fist. Lopunny sighed in relief as energy filled her body, healing the damage she had received. "Follow it up with High Jump Kick!"

Crouching down, Lopunny sprang high up into the air before hurdling back toward the ground with her leg glowing with powerful energy. Before Blissey could even react, Lopunny landed her devastating attack, sending the Happiness Pokemon skidding across the battlefield. Huffing lightly, Blissey winced in pain as it finally came to a stop. The Rabbit Pokemon looked barely winded as it landed back on the battlefield.

"Quick Blissey, heal yourself with Soft-Boiled!" The egg resting against Blissey's stomach began to glow faintly as its injuries visibly began to heal and it looked revitalized. "Now use Take Down!"

"Meet Blissey head-on and use Low Kick!" Without any hesitation, Lopunny charged toward Blissey, powerful energy radiating off the Happiness Pokemon's body. When Lopunny was only a few feet away from Blissey, she suddenly slide onto the ground and kicked out the Happiness Pokemon's legs. With a pained grunt, Blissey collapsed to the ground and began to tumble forward. "Finish this with Aura Sphere!"

The second Lopunny's feet touched the ground, she sprang toward Blissey at an incredible speed. With her eyes glowing faintly blue, a swirling sphere of energy formed in both of Lopunny's hands. Then, when she was only a few feet away, Lopunny lept into the air, before rapidly descending toward Blissey. With a bright flash of light and a thunderous explosion, Lopunny slammed both Aura Spheres into Blissey. Releasing a brief exhale, Lopunny jumped away from Blissey and landed back on the battlefield. After Blissey didn't move for several moments, the official approached to examine the Happiness Pokemon.

"Blissey is unable to battle, the winner is Lopunny!" The official announced as he stepped away from Blissey, gesturing with his officiating flags. "Whitney, please send out your final Pokemon."

"Man, mega evolutions are no joke, you did your best, Blissey." Whitney said, before returning her unconscious Pokemon. After shrinking the Pokeball and clipping it back onto her belt, Whitney grabbed her final Pokemon. "Let's make a comeback, Miltank!" Amidst a flash of white light, the Milk Cow Pokemon landed on the battlefield and let out a bellowing 'moo' as it smirked. "It's time for my ace to wipe you out, Ash!"

"Heh, we'll see about that..." Ash said with a grin as he spun his cap around, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I know exactly what you have planned, and I know just how to counter it."

"You know what to do, Miltank, use Rollout!" Curling herself into a ball, Miltank shot toward Lopunny at an impressive speed. However, Whitney was surprised when she noticed that Ash didn't seem to order his Pokemon to move out of the way. "What does he have planned?"

"Alright, Lopunny, use Circle Throw!" Bracing herself, Lopunny dug her feet into the group as she prepared to grab Miltank. Moments later, Miltank slammed into Lopunny, the force causing the Rabbit Pokemon to skid back several feet. However, Lopunny wasn't knocked down by Miltank's powerful attack. Instead, she used Miltank's momentum to hurl the Milk Cow Pokemon across the battlefield. "Keep it up, Lopunny!"

Now locked into using Rollout, Miltank recovered from the throw and sped toward Lopunny once again. However, this time, Miltank's attack was even faster and more powerful, but this would prove to be Miltank's downfall. Using Miltank's increased momentum and power, Lopunny braced herself and tossed the Cow Milk Pokemon once again. This time, Miltank crashed into the ground with more force and speed, taking even more damage than before. After she recovered, Miltank huffed in frustration before launching yet another Rollout.

With her eyes narrowing in determination, Lopunny crouched down low and fully braced herself for Miltank's attack. With her third, consecutive attack, Rollout was substantially faster and more powerful than when it was first used. Lopunny grunted in exertion when Miltank slammed into her, skidding back nearly to Ash's trainer box. However, Lopunny soon found her footing and grabbed Miltank by her horns. Letting out a fearsome roar, Lopunny lifted Miltank into the air and spun the Milk Cow Pokemon around several times before hurling across the gym. With a loud crash, Miltank crashed into the gym's wall, actually flying clear through it. Everyone in the gym was shocked by the power behind Lopunny's attack, all of their eyes wide in surprise.

"Miltank is unable to battle!" The official announced after sticking his head through to hole in the wall and examining Miltank's condition. "Since all of the gym leader's Pokemon have been defeated, the winner is Ash Ketchum!"

"Yeah! You did amazing, Lopunny!" Ash cheered as he rushed over and high-fived the Rabbit Pokemon. With a brief flash of pink light, Lopunny returned back to her normal form. "I knew you could do it!"

"That was amazing, Ash." Whitney said, returning Miltank and approaching the raven-haired trainer. Reaching out, Whitney shook Ash's hand. "You're not a champion for nothing!"

"You did great too, Whitney! It was fun battling you again." Ash said as he released Whitney's hand and rubbed the back of his head. Briefly turning around, Ash returned Lopunny to her Pokeball before she could start flirting with Pikachu. "Once I'm done with my journey, I'll make sure to stop by Goldenrod City again! It was fun seeing the town! Hell, maybe we can even have another battle!"

"That sounds great, Ash!" Whitney said with a smile, clasping her hands behind her back. "I'll definitely be rooting for you in the Johto League, Ash! I know you'll come out on top!"

"Thanks for that, Whitney!" Ash said as he began to walk back toward his group, waving to the gym leader. "See you later!"

(Ten Minutes Later: Outside the Goldenrod City Gym)

"That was amazing, Ash!" Dawn exclaimed with a massive smile, leaning her head against Ash's shoulder as she hugged his arm. "I never knew Lopunny could battle like that!"

"She can only battle like that because you did an amazing job training her, Dawn." Ash said which caused Dawn's face to flush bright red. Chuckling at his lover's embarrassed expression, Ash reached down and popped the mega stone out of his bracelet, and handed it to Dawn. "Here you go, Dawn. This was always meant for you."

"Thank you so much!" Dawn cheered, taking the mega stone and hugging it against her chest. "I have so many contest ideas flying through my head. I can't wait to incorporate this into my routine."

"It was interesting to see you use a Pokemon that wasn't your own, Ash." Cilan said as the walked to the center of the group and pulled out the map of Johto. "So, where are we heading next?"

And done! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and Ash's battle against Whitney! Now, to quash two things before any of you ask. First, no, Ash and his group won't be traveling to Galar, Alola, or Paldea in this story. I may mention them in the epilogue, but the main story ends after the Johto League. Second, no, Whitney won't be joining Ash's harem. Okay, with that out of the way, I'll be working on my Fairy Tail story next. If you'd like to help pick where Ash and his group head next, I'll be posting a poll on my P atreon. So, please consider supporting if you'd like to help influence this story. Remember to follow/favorite if you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW (I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK), PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING MY P ATREON (AGAIN, I'LL HAVE A NEW POLL POSTED), check out my profile and other stories if you haven't already, and PM me any ideas you may have for my stories. So until next time, I'm outta here!