It was mid-morning in Lumiose City as the group of six ran through downtown, eagerly making their way to the tower that dominated the skyline. Prism Tower was one of the largest and most impressive landmarks in Kalos's largest city, and it chiefly served as the home of the Lumiose City Gym, where aspiring challengers battled for the Voltage Badge. For the first time since their journey began, Ash wasn't the one leading the charge to the gym.
"Serena, wait up!" Iris called out, trying to keep pace. "Where's the fire?"
"I'm just excited!" Serena answered, glancing back as she ran, beaming from ear to ear. "It's been years since I saw Bonnie and Clemont! I can't wait to see them again!"
"That makes two of us!" Ash concurred, running right behind Serena, already pumped up. "A gym battle and a reunion with Clemont and Bonnie… this is going to be so great!"
It didn't take the group long to reach their destination, and they walked through the front doors of Prism Tower brimming with anticipation. Iris, Shannon, Brock and Madison looked around in wonder as they entered, taking in the front hallway filled with machinery and crackling electricity; Ash and Serena kept their eyes forward, having been here several times before. They stopped in front of a large metal door that led to the gym proper, as a screen up above came to life, displaying a wireframe symbol of the Kalos Pokémon Gyms.
"Welcome to the Lumiose Gym," a robotic but familiar voice spoke. "What business do you have here today?"
Ash took a step forward, Pikachu sitting dutifully on his shoulder. "I'm Ash Ketchum, and I'm here to get my Voltage Badge!"
"No challengers are being accepted at this time," the screen responded. "The Lumiose Gym is closed today."
"I know that!" Ash replied, gesturing to himself with his thumb. "I've got a special battle against Clemont today! He knows who I am! He closed the gym for us!"
"You are not ready for a Gym Battle against Clemont." The robotic voice was growing more stern. "You have not met the requirements. You need more preparation."
"What are you talking about?" Ash was starting to lose his patience a bit, as he grabbed his vest and opened it, revealing the badges he had earned thus far. "Look, I've already got four baaAAAAHHHHHH!"
His words were cut off as a trapdoor opened up underneath him, barely having the sense to grab onto Pikachu as he started to fall, and his friends gasped and crowded around as he vanished into the floor. The trapdoor quickly turned into a slide, and after a few moments and several twists and turns, the slide spat Ash and Pikachu out onto a soft mat, where they rolled to a painless but disorienting stop.
"Unh… what's going on?" Ash wondered aloud as he sat up, Pikachu hopping out of his arms. "Has Clembot gone out of control again?" He turned and looked further into the room, eyes going wide as he saw a full-length obstacle course in front of him, with piston platforms, swing balls, and even a Tesla coil or two for good measure.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me…" He stood up and sighed, stretching his arms and legs. "I just can't have a normal Gym Battle here, can I?" He looked down at Pikachu, who gave him a resolute nod, and the two started running forward through the obstacle course.
Pikachu was able to quickly run through with his small size, not having to worry about the swinging obstacles overhead, and was soon on the rising and falling piston platforms, turning around and waiting for his trainer, who had to dip, duck, dive and dodge his way past the numerous obstacles. After a bit of being pushed around, and almost getting himself shocked, he finally made it onto the same platform as Pikachu, nearly losing his balance as it receded below him, having to quickly kneel down and grab hold. Taking a moment to regain his bearings, he waited for the platform to rise again; once it did, both trainer and Pokémon clambered across the remaining platforms to the other side, at the end of the room.
Ash slowly stepped forward, thankful to be back on solid ground, and he grabbed at a railing at the end of the room as he caught his breath, feeling adrenaline pumping through his veins. As he and Pikachu took a moment to rest, he jumped as he felt the ground underneath him rumbling, starting to rise. He looked upward, seeing the ceiling open up above him, welcoming them both as they continued on their upward trajectory. Half a minute later, the floor finally stopped rising, and Ash and Pikachu found themselves on the battlefield of the Lumiose Gym, as the railing retracted into the ground.
"It's been a while, Ash Ketchum." Ash's head snapped toward the other end of the battlefield, his eyes lighting up as he spotted a blonde, teenaged boy in a blue-and-yellow jumpsuit, pushing his glasses further up his face, wearing a smirk. "I hope you enjoyed my special greeting." The overhead lights of the gym were reflecting off the lenses of his glasses, obscuring his eyes.
Ash grinned wide, clenching his fists excitedly. "If you're trying to throw me off, Clemont, it's not working! I'm more pumped up than ever now!"
"That's exactly what I wanted." The Gym Leader raised his head, the reflected light vanishing from his glasses, revealing the blue eyes that Ash was familiar with from his first Kalos journey. "Let's have the best battle we've ever had!"
"Good luck, Ash!" The challenger turned his head toward the stands, where all of his friends were sitting in the front row. His attention snapped to a ten-year-old girl in a maroon dress who was hanging off of Serena's shoulder, waving frantically, her blond hair tied up in two braided ponytails that hung down to her shoulders. "You too, Clemont!" He grinned and waved at her in response, thrilled to see Bonnie again and glad to see her close with Serena, as she always had been; Pikachu waved as well, energetically, with both arms.
"This will be a three-on-three battle!" a referee announced from the side of the arena. "The match ends as soon as one trainer's Pokémon are unable to battle! In addition, only the challenger will be able to substitute Pokémon!" He turned his head toward the boy in the jumpsuit. "Gym Leader Clemont will be the first to bring out his Pokémon!"
"Hope you're ready, Ash!" Clemont called out, grabbing a Poké Ball and flinging it onto the battlefield. Out of the ball emerged a metallic, magnetic Pokémon shaped somewhat like an alien spaceship. Ash recognized the Pokémon immediately, but up in the stands, Serena took out her Pokédex and pointed it at Clemont's Pokémon, tilting the screen to face Madison, who was on Serena's other side, opposite of Bonnie.
"Magnezone, the Magnet Area Pokémon," the device announced. "It evolved from exposure to a special magnetic field, and it emits energy from each of its three magnets."
"So, your Magneton evolved, huh…" Ash muttered to himself, as he grabbed a Poké Ball of his own. "Well then, I'm going with…!" He hurled it into the arena, summoning Absol as his first Pokémon; Absol quickly took an offensive stance, ready to give his all for his trainer.
"Both Pokémon are ready!" the referee called out. "Let the battle… begin!"
Clemont cast his hand out in front of him, wanting to steal the first move from his opponent. "Magnezone, use Tri Attack!" His Pokémon generated three balls of energy, one in front of each eye, each one a different color.
"Dodge, Absol, and hit it with a Quick Attack!" Ash countered. His Absol leaped out of the way as the three attacks shot toward him, dashing forward at high speed and jumping toward his opponent. Magnezone was barely able to hover out of the way of the charge.
"Hit it with a quick Electro Ball!" Clemont commanded, and his Pokémon immediately began charging up a large ball of electricity. Before it could complete the attack, Absol dashed in with a Sucker Punch, slamming its paw into Magnezone's underside; the Pokémon emitted a metallic cough, its eyes bulging out, as the electricity dissipated. Before it could recover, it was swatted away with a Night Slash, and it wobbled unsteadily as it tried to right itself.
Ash grinned wide, thrilled with his newest Pokémon's performance. "You're doing great! Go in for another Quick Attack!" Absol rushed in once again, buoyed by his trainer's praise, wanting to end this battle quickly and in dominant fashion.
Clemont was unfazed by being on the back foot, his voice calm and confident. "Stop it with Discharge!" His Magnezone righted itself, finding its opponent, and a bolt of blue electricity shot out from the antenna on top of its head, zapping Absol from head to toe and stopping him in his tracks. Absol collapsed to his knees, but shook the attack off quickly and got back to its feet, looking at Magnezone just in time to see a second Tri Attack heading his way.
Ash watched nervously as all three attacks connected, knocking Absol across the arena, and as his Pokémon stood back up he hoped that he hadn't been inflicted with a burn, or paralysis. He sighed in relief as Absol shook out his fur, roughed up but still ready for battle. Magnezone had some tricks up its sleeve, but Ash was certain that Absol's superior speed would win the day.
"Good work, Magnezone!" Clemont called out. "Now charge in! Get ready to attack!" His Pokémon nodded, taking an offensive stance and flying toward Absol. Ash watched it approach, not at all impressed with its speed.
"Counter it with Shadow Ball before it can hit you!" he commanded. Absol opened his mouth, charging up an orb of black energy, getting ready to launch its attack. Clemont was unable to hide a smirk; Ash had reacted just as he had hoped.
"Now! Use Thunder Wave!"
Ash's smile changed to an expression of panic, as Magnezone fired a series of electric rings at its foe. Absol shot out its Shadow Ball attack in response, but it was too late to stop his opponent, and both attacks hit their marks perfectly. Magnezone was knocked to the ground by the Shadow Ball, while Absol managed to stay on his feet. As he tried to move, however, he cried out in pain as electricity wracked his body, rendering him mostly immobile.
"Oh, that's not good…" Brock muttered, sitting between Iris and Madison as he watched Absol struggle, his arms folded.
"What's happened?" Madison asked, leaning in closer, concerned.
"He's been paralyzed by Thunder Wave," Brock explained. "This is big for Clemont."
"Absol's biggest advantage was how much faster he was than Magnezone," Iris elaborated. "Now he's barely going to be able to move. He's going to be a sitting duck." Madison looked back down at the battlefield, biting her lip, not wanting anything to happen to such a sweet Pokémon.
Clemont grinned mischievously, pleased that all of his time spent traveling with Ash was still coming in handy now. "Time to do some real damage! Use Gyro Ball!" Magnezone issued a metallic sound of affirmation, rolling forward and spinning at a high speed until it became a blur. Once it was moving fast enough, it dashed forward, ready to knock Absol off his feet.
Ash watched the magnetic Pokémon approach, not sure how to deal with this attack under the circumstances. He eventually stepped forward and called out a command. "When it gets close, try to knock it away with a Night Slash!" Absol steeled itself as Magnezone approached, his paw starting to glow purple in anticipation. Once his opponent was a handful of feet away, he lifted his leg and swung as hard as he could at Magnezone's body.
Both Pokémon were staggered by the exchange, with Magnezone spinning off in another direction, and Absol sliding along the ground, trying to regain his footing. As he tried standing again, another round of paralyzing electricity shot through his muscles, and he cried out in pain a second time. He managed to get back to his feet with a bit of effort, looking back at his opponent, eyes widening at the powerful Flash Cannon headed his way. With no hope of avoiding the incoming attack, he was blasted helplessly across the arena, skidding to a stop at Ash's feet. Ash kneeled down to study Absol's face, his heart sinking as he got a good look at his Pokémon's eyes.
"Absol is unable to battle!" the referee declared, raising a flag in Clemont's direction. "The Gym Leader, Clemont, wins the first bout!"
"Yay! Good job, Clemont!" Bonnie called out, the only member of the audience cheering for the Gym Leader. "Keep going! I know you can win this!"
Serena glanced down at her, conflicted, not wanting Clemont's only supporter to be his younger sister, but wanting Ash to win his badge at the same time. She eventually leaned forward and offered tepid support for both battlers. "Both of you are doing great! Keep at it, Ash! You can come back from this!"
Ash let out a disappointed sigh, but he managed to keep his cool as he stood up and grabbed Absol's Poké Ball. "You did a great job. Get some rest and I'll have you fixed up as soon as I can." He brought the Pokémon back to his ball and reattached it to his hip, before glancing up at his shoulder. "Alright, Pikachu. You ready to show Clemont what you're made of?" Pikachu gave a cheer and leaped into the arena, locking eyes with the Gym Leader as his cheeks sparked.
"The challenger has chosen his Pokémon!" the referee announced. "The Gym Battle will resume… now!"
"Magnezone's weak, Pikachu!" Ash called out, not giving Clemont a moment. "Get in close and use Iron Tail!" Pikachu dropped down onto its front legs and raced forward, quickly closing the gap.
"Use Thunder Wave again!" Clemont commanded. "Stop it in its tracks!"
"Dodge it, Pikachu!" Ash countered. Pikachu easily leaped to the side of Magnezone's attack, running behind his opponent before leaping up and swinging its iron-hard tail into the back of Magnezone's head, knocking it to the ground.
Ash cheered. "Yeah! Do it again!" Pikachu grinned and moved in for another attack, as Clemont's Pokémon started to hover again.
"Grab Pikachu before he can hit you again! Give him a Thunder Shock!"
As Pikachu jumped in for another attack, Magnezone whirled around and snatched his foe out of the air, giving the mouse Pokémon a quick zap before he could get free.
"Shock it back, Pikachu! You're the stronger Pokémon!" Ash insisted.
"Toss Pikachu away, then follow it with Gyro Ball!" Clemont ordered at the exact same time. His Magnezone spun about and hurled Pikachu across the battlefield, before starting to spin once again. Pikachu slid for a moment before getting back to his feet, watching as a whirling Magnezone approached.
"Stop Magnezone with an Electroweb!" Ash shouted, thinking fast. Pikachu nodded and focused, charging up a ball of electricity at the tip of his tail, before spinning about and flinging it at the approaching Pokémon. The ball opened up and spread out into a wide web, which wrapped around Magnezone and delivered a powerful shock, stopping its advance immediately.
"Shake it off, Magnezone!" Clemont called out. As the Electroweb attack dissipated, Magnezone righted itself and looked around, finding Pikachu running toward it at full speed, surrounded by an electric aura. Before Clemont's Pokémon could dodge, Pikachu leaped up and slammed into it with a full-force Volt Tackle, shooting it across the battlefield like a cannonball. Magnezone hit the ground hard, rolling over and over until it finally came to a stop, making no attempt to get back up and continue the fight.
"Magnezone is unable to battle, and Pikachu is the winner! Both trainers have two Pokémon left!"
"Great job, Pikachu!" Ash shouted, the cheering from the stands filling him with energy. "How are you feeling? Still good to go?" Pikachu spun around and gave an affirmative cheer, raring to go for another round.
Clemont looked unfazed as he returned Magnezone to its Poké Ball, offering words of praise before putting it away. He immediately grabbed another, knowing exactly who he wanted to take on Pikachu, and he tossed it into the arena. Everyone watched as a short, yellow-and-black, dinosaur-like Pokémon emerged onto the battlefield, immediately letting out a cry in an attempted show of intimidation. Iris pulled out her Pokédex, wanting to know who this creature was.
"Heliolisk, the Generator Pokémon and the evolved form of Helioptile. Heliolisk produces enough electricity to power a large building and recharges by spreading its frills."
Ash grinned from ear to ear, excited for the upcoming showdown. Pikachu and Heliolisk were two powerful and speedy Electric-type Pokémon, with no obvious advantages one way or the other. This was going to be skill vs. skill, power vs. power, and he couldn't wait to see the result.
"Both Pokémon are ready for battle!" the referee's voice rang out. "The match will resume… now!"
Ash once again took the initiative, going with a familiar strategy. "Use Quick Attack, Pikachu! Let's see who's faster!" Pikachu nodded, dashing forward as fast as lightning toward his opponent. Clemont, however, was not about to play Ash's game just yet.
"Stop Pikachu's charge with Bulldoze!" he ordered. Heliolisk growled and lifted his leg, bringing it back down and sending a shockwave through the battlefield, just as Pikachu was closing in. Ash's Pokémon stumbled and slipped, losing his footing as the ground underneath him rose and fell, sliding across the field. As he got to his feet, he was knocked away by a Dragon Tail from his opponent.
"No! Pikachu!" Ash called out, shocked, as Heliolisk ran forward in pursuit. "He's after you! Use a Thunderbolt!" Pikachu twisted about to spot his foe, closing his eyes and firing off a powerful electric shock, zapping Heliolisk and stopping his charge cold. Pikachu was able to land on his feet, and the two Pokémon stared each other down, ready for another attack.
"Flash!" Clemont yelled out. Heliolisk wasted no time, instantly extending the black-and-orange collar around his neck, which emitted a blinding light right in Pikachu's face. The mouse Pokémon cried out in pain, looking away too late to save his vision, and even Ash had to wince and cover his eyes. As the world slowly returned, Pikachu was abruptly blasted away by a powerful Focus Blast, sending him rolling across the battlefield.
"Great work, Heliolisk!" Clemont was confident as he took a step forward, pleased to have Pikachu on the back foot so early. "Now follow up with a Thunderbolt!"
Ash reacted quickly, not about to let Clemont have an easy win. "Pikachu, throw an Electroweb in the opposite direction of me!" Pikachu was still squinting, his vision not fully returned, but he obeyed his trainer's command dutifully, flinging his Electroweb away from his trainer; the attack collided with the incoming Thunderbolt, and the two cancelled each other out. Pikachu shook himself out as he stared down his opponent, his vision finally back to normal. Seconds later, both trainers ordered their Pokémon to charge, and they were off and running.
The spectators in the stands watched with amazement as Pikachu and Heliolisk traded blows, their bodies clashing repeatedly as they ran at each other at high speeds. Sparks flew everywhere and electricity raked the walls as the two Electric-type Pokémon battled ferociously, wanting to bring victory to their trainers. Both Ash and Clemont were laser-focused on the battlefield, calling out attacks one after the other, each of them trying to play several moves ahead, wanting to show the other trainer how much they had grown.
As Pikachu charged in for another assault, another Flash attack left him partially blinded once again, and he screeched to a halt as he grumbled in pain, dropping to all fours. Ash watched as Heliolisk took the time to summon another Focus Blast, before an idea came to him.
"Pikachu, use Iron Tail on the ground, as hard as you can!"
His Pokémon complied immediately, leaping into the air and performing a front flip, swinging his Iron Tail into the battlefield with incredible force. The battlefield splintered and crumbled where it had been struck, and a shockwave swept outward through the arena, knocking Heliolisk off-balance and breaking his focus,
"Now, Volt Tackle, quick!" Ash followed up, and Pikachu began to charge through squinting eyes.
"Dodge it, Heliolisk!" Clemont countered. His Pokémon attempted to move out of the way, but without a sure footing, he ended up stumbling and falling instead. He could only watch as the incoming Volt Tackle slammed into him, knocking him away and knocking the air out of his lungs.
"Pikachu's got him on the ropes!" Madison exclaimed excitedly, as she watched Heliolisk fly backwards. "Look at Heliolisk! He looks like he's on his last legs!"
"It was close for a while, but I think you're right," Brock concurred. "That last attack took a lot out of him."
"Maybe… but you should never count Clemont out too soon," Serena mused. "He's a Gym Leader for a reason." They all watched Heliolisk get unsteadily to his feet, as Ash plotted his next move. Clemont watched his Pokémon rise, still looking cool as a cucumber, not concerned with the damage Heliolisk had taken.
"Now's the time!" he declared. "Use Parabolic Charge!"
His Heliolisk nodded, extending its frilled collar once again and letting out a hissing sound, a powerful electric charge forming and then shooting into the air. The large ball of electricity hung in the air for a few moments, before powerful bolts of electricity began shooting out of it, arching down toward the ground.
"Pikachu, dodge! Don't let yourself get hit!" Ash's Pokémon tried to heed his words, jumping and running about to avoid the electric barrage, but it wasn't long before he was struck by a powerful bolt of electricity, then another. Pikachu collapsed to his stomach, his energy drained and his body in pain, as the electric attacks shot back out of him and rejoined the orb hovering above the battlefield. Once the attack ceased, the orb issued one more bolt of electricity toward Heliolisk, who stood taller and stronger as a result.
"That's what I was afraid of," Serena spoke, wringing her hands. "Parabolic Charge damages Pikachu and heals Heliolisk. That attack could turn the whole battle around." The others watched Pikachu slowly stand, suddenly nervous.
"Great job, Heliolisk!" Clemont grinned. "Again! Use Parabolic Charge!" Ash watched as Heliolisk summoned another ball of electricity, his mind racing, knowing Pikachu wouldn't be able to take many more of those. His eyes soon lit up with an idea.
"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" he commanded. Everyone watched as Pikachu raced forward toward his opponent, not sure what the plan was, before Ash called out again. "Now jump overhead! Get behind him!"
Pikachu abruptly stopped his charge and leaped over Heliolisk in a tight arc, landing directly behind his opponent. Heliolisk whirled around and took a defensive stance, not wanting to take an Iron Tail to the back.
"Heliolisk, move!" Clemont yelled, able to see what was about to happen. "Get away from Pikachu, now!" His command came too late, as the first bolt from the Parabolic Charge shot downward toward Pikachu, but connected with Heliolisk instead, who was directly in the way. The Gym Leader felt his heart drop into his stomach as one shock after another wracked his Pokémon's body with friendly fire. By the time the attack finished, Heliolisk was barely able to stand, woozy and sore, his frilled collar still extended.
"Great job!" Ash lauded his Pokémon. "Now finish him off with an Iron Tail!" Pikachu leaped up and spun around, smacking Heliolisk right in the collar with his tail, knocking him heavily to the ground and kicking up a large cloud of dirt and dust. Five of the six spectators cheered as the dust cleared to reveal Clemont's Pokémon, leaving no doubt as to the outcome.
"Heliolisk is unable to battle!" The referee lifted one of his flags in Ash's direction. "Pikachu is the winner! The Gym Leader only has one Pokémon left!"
"Yes!" Ash thrust his fist into the air. "Great job, Pikachu!" His Pokémon turned around to face him, giving a tired cheer.
"Come on, Clemont!" Bonnie called out, cupping her hands to her mouth, unable to hide a mischievous grin. "This trainer's nothing! You can beat him with your eyes closed!"
"Bonnie!" Serena chastised, turning to the young girl in surprise, as Bonnie snickered.
Ash laughed, turning toward Bonnie in the stands. "Hey, whose side are you on?!"
"I'm on Clemont's side, of course!" she responded, leaning forward and placing her hands on the wall in front of her. "Someone here has to be!" Ash sighed and shook his head, not sure who the target of her teasing was anymore.
"Don't worry, Bonnie!" Clemont responded, as he returned Heliolisk to his Poké Ball. "I'm not planning on letting you down!" He attached the ball to his belt, turning his gaze back to Ash. "You're as crafty as you've always been, Ash. Let's see how well you do against my last Pokémon!" He grabbed another Poké Ball and tossed it onto the battlefield. "Come on out, Luxray!"
Ash watched as a four-legged, black-and-blue Pokémon emerged onto the battlefield, his tall fur making him look larger and more imposing. He smiled wide, glad to see another familiar face, before looking back toward his own Pokémon.
"How are you feeling, Pikachu? You need to rest for a bit?" Pikachu looked back and shook his head, clearly tired but still full of fighting spirit, wanting to show Clemont what he had. Ash gave him a nod, letting him stay in the fight, not about to remove a Pokémon that was raring to go. He knew Pikachu wouldn't last the entire bout, but if he wanted to go down swinging, Ash was going to let him.
"Gym Leader Clemont has chosen his final Pokémon! The battle will resume… now!"
Clemont was the one to make the first move in this round. "Luxray, attack with Swift!" His Pokémon raised his tail, which began to glow yellow, before spinning around and swinging the tail toward Pikachu, unleashing a mass of stars.
"Stop those with Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded. Pikachu unleashed a powerful bolt of electricity at the oncoming stars, and the two attacks destroyed each other in midair.
Ash grinned, pleased, before issuing another command. "Get in there with Quick Attack! You're faster than Luxray!" Pikachu took off running, not as fast as he had been earlier in the battle, but still much faster than the larger Luxray.
Clemont waited a few moments for Pikachu to approach before his counterattack. "Discharge, quick!" Luxray bristled, his fur standing on end as electricity coursed through it, and it shot out in a bolt that arched directly toward Pikachu, zapping the Pokémon and stopping him in his tracks. Ash grimaced, worried that Pikachu was much more worn out than he had let on.
"Good work! Now follow it up with Wild Charge!" Luxray immediately started running, his body surrounded with an electric aura, much like the Volt Tackle that Pikachu often used.
"Stop him with Electroweb, Pikachu!" Pikachu hopped up to his feet, whirling around and flinging a wide web of electricity at the incoming Pokémon. The web wrapped itself around Luxray, delivering a powerful shock and stopping him cold, as Pikachu took a minute to catch his breath.
"Now attack with Iron Tail, while he's still stunned!" Ash's Pokémon nodded and began to focus, his tail slowly becoming hard as iron, much more slowly than Ash was hoping for. A few seconds later, he ran forward toward Luxray and leaped into the air, ready to attack.
"You can stop him, Luxray!" Clemont called out. "Grab that tail with Thunder Fang!"
As Pikachu spun around in midair, Luxray shifted his body slightly and reached out with his jaws, clamping down hard on Pikachu's tail. Pikachu cried out in surprise, then in pain, as the Thunder Fang delivered a delayed but powerful shock, leaving the Pokémon limp and exhausted. Luxray growled and flung Pikachu away with a tilt of his head, sending him sliding across the battlefield. As he groaned and tried to get to his feet, he didn't even see the final Swift attack coming his way before it hit him, flinging him away a second time. All of the spectators, even Bonnie, watched glumly as Pikachu rolled to a stop, not getting back up.
"Pikachu is unable to battle!" the referee declared, raising a flag toward Clemont. "Luxray is the winner! Both trainers are down to their final Pokémon!"
"Poor Pikachu…" Bonnie lamented, her hands clasped in her lap. Though she was supporting her brother in this battle, she still loved Pikachu dearly, and it was hard to see him roughed up. Serena reached out and rubbed the girl's shoulder.
"He'll be alright," she offered. "He wanted to fight to the end, and that's what he did. He'll be perfectly fine later, after a trip to the Pokémon Center." Bonnie nodded, watching as Ash ran out onto the battlefield and knelt down next to Pikachu, cradling the defeated Pokémon in his arms.
"You were great, Pikachu," he reassured, wearing a warm smile, as the mouse Pokémon came back to his senses. "You've done more than your fair share. You've earned a nice, long rest." Pikachu gave him a tired smile as they walked back to the end of the battlefield, exhausted but happy, deeply enjoying the feeling of being cared for by his beloved trainer. Ash placed Pikachu at his feet, watching as he sat up and looked back out at the battlefield, before turning his own eyes toward Clemont.
"This has been a great battle, Clemont! Just what I was hoping for!" Ash reached down to his belt, fingers wrapping around one last Poké Ball. "But that badge has my name all over it!" He hurled the ball into the arena. "Snivy, let's go!" Clemont watched curiously as the green, snake-like Pokémon emerged onto the battlefield, sizing up her opponent with a confident smirk, certain that she could take him down.
"That's a good choice," Brock commented from the stands, his arms folded. "Snivy's a Grass-type, so she'll have a resistance to Electric-type attacks. And she's agile, too." Iris and Shannon nodded in agreement, as the referee raised both flags.
"Both trainers are ready! The final round will begin… now!"
Clemont stepped forward. "Luxray, start with Electric Terrain!" Luxray howled as several bolts of electricity shot forth from his body, dissipating into the air and giving the arena a yellow, electrified glow.
"Well, so much for that advantage," Iris muttered. Electric Terrain was an attack that powered up Electric-type moves, which would offset Snivy's natural resistance.
"He purposely waited for Pikachu to leave, so only Luxray would benefit," Shannon observed thoughtfully. "That's a clever move on his part." Down in the arena, Ash had come to the same conclusion, but he was undeterred. He knew how fierce of a fighter Snivy was. He was certain her tenacity would carry her to victory.
"Snivy, attack with Leaf Storm!" Ash began. Snivy immediately summoned a whirlwind of leaves around her, before thrusting her arms forward and flinging the projectiles in Luxray's direction. Clemont's Pokémon dodged easily, leaping to the side.
"Run in closer! Get in range to attack with Discharge!" Clemont responded. Luxray started running forward, toward Ash and Snivy, and Ash tried to hide a confident smirk as he issued his next command.
"Stop him with Grass Knot!" Snivy made no attempt to hide her smirk as her hands glowed green, pointing them toward Luxray. Immediately, a vine burst from the ground and snagged Luxray's foot, causing him to stumble and somersault forward, scrambling to get back on his feet. When he finally was able to look up, he was greeted with a glowing Leaf Blade right to his face that knocked him back.
Ash pumped his fist excitedly, amped to see that Snivy had the strength to contend with Luxray, and not just the speed. "Keep up the assault! Use Slam!" Snivy reached out with her vines and grabbed Luxray by the shoulders, pulling herself in quickly for a powerful tackle.
"Quick, hit her with Discharge!" Clemont responded. Luxray instantly shot out a bolt of electricity at the incoming Pokémon, delivering a powerful shock and knocking Snivy out of the air. As she worked to get up, she cried out in pain as Luxray's jaws clamped down on her torso, delivering an even more powerful shock with Thunder Fang.
"Snivy!" Ash called out, worried and thinking quickly. "Slap him around with Vine Whip!" Snivy gritted her teeth and extended her vines, reaching back and slapping Luxray repeatedly across the face, as hard as she could. It wasn't long before Luxray was forced to let her go and back off, feeling dazed and unsteady from the repeated attacks to the head.
Ash exhaled, watching Snivy get to her feet. "Quickly, go in with another Leaf Blade!" The grass Pokémon rushed in immediately, leaping upward as her tail began to glow.
Clemont responded quickly, needing to eliminate one of Snivy's advantages immediately. "Luxray, stay still and use Thunder Wave!"
Ash's eyes went wide, and he went into panic mode. "Snivy, stop! Get away!"
His advice came too late. Snivy was unable to stop her mid-air charge, and flung herself directly into the electrified rings of Luxray's Thunder Wave attack, as they issued forth from his mouth. Her Leaf Blade attack hit him directly in the jaw, sending him sliding backward, but the damage was already done. As Snivy landed on the ground, she cried out in pain as electricity coursed through her lower body.
"Oh no! Not again!" Madison gripped her legs tightly, watching nervously as Snivy struggled to stay upright. Next to her, Serena was trying her best to keep cool, knowing how good of a trainer Ash was, but paralysis was undeniably a major setback in a Gym battle.
"Come on, Ash, you're being careless!" Iris spoke to herself, though secretly hoping Ash could hear her chastising him. "Did you really think an Electric-type Gym Leader wouldn't paralyze your Pokémon a second time?"
"You've got to be kidding me!" Ash held his head in his hand, eyes locked on his Pokémon. "Snivy, can you move?" Snivy glanced back at him, wincing as her legs received another painful and paralyzing shock. She extended her vines, moving them about freely, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Great job, Luxray! Now let's show them some power!" Clemont clenched his fist. "Run in and use Thunder Fang again!" His Pokémon barked and charged forward, baring his fangs as they crackled with electricity.
"Snivy, dodge!" His Pokémon extended her vines and used them to push against the ground, launching her deftly away from the incoming attack. Both Clemont and Luxray goggled as she came to a graceful landing, her vines bringing her slowly back to the ground. Serena couldn't stop herself from letting out an excited cheer from the stands.
"What?! How can she still move like that?!" Clemont gestured toward Snivy with his hands, incredulous.
Ash briefly covered his mouth to hide his snorting laugh. "Snivy's better with her vines than she is with her arms or legs! Maybe you should have paralyzed those!" He looked back at his Pokémon. "Attack with Leaf Storm!" Snivy was bursting with confidence, fueled by Clemont's stunned expression, as she flung a barrage of razor-sharp leaves toward Luxray, who was unable to dodge them in time.
"Don't let her get the best of you, Luxray! Hit her with Discharge!" Luxray growled and closed in, trying to get close enough to zap Snivy with a bolt of electricity. Snivy stayed on the move, using her vines to jump, turn and dodge with ease, her paralyzed lower half proving to be a minimal hindrance. The occasional Vine Whip kept Luxray at bay, unable to get in range for a Discharge or a Thunder Fang, and Ash and Snivy were able to keep control of the battle.
After a minute or so of dodging and jumping around, another wave of paralyzing shocks wracked Snivy's lower half, causing her to fall to one knee. Clemont's eyes flashed, seeing an opportunity.
"Quickly, hit her with Swift!" Luxray's tail glowed and he quickly spun around, flinging a mass of stars at his opponent. Still groaning in pain, Snivy was unable to dodge the attack, and was blasted away, landing on her back. She used her vines to help herself back to a standing position, looking forward to see Luxray bearing down on her, electric fangs bared once again.
"Snivy, grab and stop him with Vine Whip!" Ash ordered. His Pokémon extended her vines further, wrapping them around Luxray's shoulders and pushing him away as best she could, but the paralysis and the last attack had left her weaker than she wanted to be. Soon the two of them were engaged in a shoving match, as Luxray tried to force himself forward, while Snivy tried to hold him back.
"Use Discharge and push through!" Clemont commanded, able to see victory in his grasp. Snivy cried out in pain as the electric charge coursed through her body and her vines, and she fell to her knees, allowing Luxray to inch his way closer to finishing her with a Thunder Fang. As Ash racked his brain for some way to get Snivy out of this situation, he gasped as her body began to glow with a blue light.
"Oh my gosh, look!" Shannon exclaimed, sitting up straight and leaning in closer, knowing exactly what this light meant. Everyone in the room fixed their gaze on Snivy as the glowing light slowly expanded to cover her body. After a few seconds, she let out a loud cry and lifted Luxray off the ground with her vines, tossing him across the battlefield. Luxray got slowly to his feet, turning and watching the evolution with everyone else, wanting to see what his opponent would transform into. Several long seconds later, however, it became clear that something wasn't quite right.
"What's happening?" Madison wondered aloud. "Isn't Snivy supposed to be changing shape? What's going on?" The others began to wonder the same thing the longer they watched. Snivy was standing perfectly still, her eyes shut tight and all of her muscles tensed, as the glow in her body stayed at a constant dim level. Eventually, another bout of paralyzing electricity shot through her, causing her to cry out in pain, and she began to glow more brightly.
Ash stepped forward, getting as close to the battlefield as he was allowed. "Snivy, what's going on? Are you alright?" She turned back to face him, and his breath caught in his throat as he saw the expression on her face. He had known Snivy for a long time, and he had seen a wide range of emotions from her, from confidence, to consternation, to contentment. He had never seen her scared before. Yet right now, the expression on her face was one of distress, panic, and absolute terror. Her eyes were filled with fear, pleading desperately for help.
Ash instantly shifted gears, forcing his own panic down for his Pokémon's sake. The outcome of this battle was no longer important; the only thing that mattered was stopping Snivy's evolution into Servine. Right now, he had no idea how he was going to do that. He wouldn't have time to go and obtain an Everstone to stop the evolution, as he only had a handful of seconds to act, not minutes. He thought of forfeiting the battle and using a Paralyze Heal to help her fight the evolution, but it wasn't clear that it would even help. He had no real experience in preventing a Pokémon evolution in progress.
"We have to knock her out before she evolves!" Clemont shouted, on the same page as Ash. "Luxray, use Wild Charge! Give it everything you've got!" Luxray nodded and took off like a large bolt of lightning, running as fast as his legs would allow, lowering his head in order to hit Snivy with full force. Ash watched him approach, not giving Snivy any order to dodge, hoping that Clemont was capable of knocking her out, and furthermore that it would prevent her transformation.
His mind continued to race, thinking back to all the times that he had witnessed a resisted evolution. Many years ago in Kanto, his Bulbasaur had stopped himself from evolving just with his own internal strength; this clearly wasn't working for Snivy, due to her damage, or her paralysis, or both. During his journey with Dawn in Sinnoh, her Piplup had forced its evolution back down by using Bide, taking the evolution energy as damage and expelling it back out. Snivy didn't know Bide, however, and he didn't know of any other-
In an instant, his mind clicked with the answer. Snivy couldn't use Bide, but she did have one other technique that might just do the trick. They had been practicing it together in secret, waiting for the right time to unleash it, and if there was ever such a time, it was now.
"Snivy!" he called out. "Take all of that evolution energy and turn it into a Solar Beam!"
Snivy immediately heeded his command, ignoring the audible confusion from the spectators, extending her arms in front of her and focusing hard. A small ball of light appeared between her hands, which quickly grew to a massive size as it was flooded with evolution energy. Luxray's eyes went wide as he saw the giant energy ball in front of him, almost blindingly bright and dangerously threatening.
"What the…?!" Clemont took a moment to react, falling back into Battle Mode. "Luxray, jump! Avoid it!" Luxray obeyed immediately, leaping into the air as he continued his charge, only feet away. Snivy let a confident smirk cross her face once more, as she aimed her arms up at her foe. She wasn't about to let this attack go to waste.
The Solar Beam erupted right in Luxray's face, slamming into him from point-blank range with incredible force. He was blasted away, carried along with the beam that sent him flying nearly fifteen feet into the air before he fell out of it. The attack carried on without him, lighting up the entire room, slamming into the roof of the arena and nearly cracking it with its strength, as Luxray landed heavily and helplessly on the ground. As the attack dissipated and the light receded, Snivy slumped forward and caught her breath, the glow completely faded from her body. She looked across the arena at Luxray, grinning as she saw him lying still on his side, completely incapacitated by Snivy's display of power. The referee, dutiful as ever, watched Clemont's Pokémon for a moment before raising a flag in Ash's direction.
"Luxray is unable to battle!" he announced. "Snivy wins the battle, and the challenger Ash wins the match!"
As soon as Ash heard the referee's words, he ran out onto the battlefield, not concerned at all with his badge and worried only about his Pokémon; Pikachu ran after him, similarly worried. "Snivy! You're not glowing anymore! Are you feeling alright?"
Snivy turned around, her eyes lighting up as they met his, and she extended her vines to wrap around his shoulders, pulling herself upward. She came to rest on his right shoulder, leaning in and rubbing her cheek against his, gratefully and affectionately.
"Hey!" Ash laughed and reached up to rub her head gently, never having seen this side of her before. "I'm glad that you're still you, Snivy." He grinned and looked back into her eyes as she pulled away, having a suspicion that he wanted to confirm.
"Snivy, that wasn't your first time resisting an evolution, was it?" She shook her head in response, and he smiled up at her. "Then I guess we'll be getting you an Everstone as soon as we can. However you want to be, that's the way I want you to be." Snivy nodded and voiced her agreement, still wearing a grateful smile, never having been as happy with her trainer as she was right now.
"Well, I'm glad everything worked out." Ash looked forward to see Clemont walking toward him, a thoroughly amused expression on his face. "Every time I think I've seen everything from you, you always prove me wrong, Ash. You're the most unpredictable trainer I've ever known."
Ash chuckled. "That's how I win most of my battles. But not even I was expecting what happened today to happen."
"How did you know that Snivy would be able to resist evolution with a Solar Beam? I've never seen anything like that?"
Ash rubbed the back of his head. "Honestly, it was just a guess. I'd seen something sort of like it before with Bide, and I was running low on ideas, so…"
Clemont shook his head, amazed. "You're really something else, Ash." He reached into the pocket of his jumpsuit, pulling out a metallic yellow badge that looked like a triangular shield, with six bolts of electricity emanating from its center. "And you've definitely earned your Voltage Badge. Not like there was ever any doubt."
Ash grinned and reached out, accepting the badge from his old friend. "Thanks, Clemont. That was an awesome battle! You did a fantastic job, just as I knew you would."
Clemont smiled back and nodded. "Same to you."
"Ash!" He turned to his left to see Bonnie leaping up at him, throwing her arms around his neck and clinging to him tightly, nearly knocking Snivy off her perch. "That was amazing! You were so great, the way you saved Snivy like that!"
He laughed as he regained his balance, holding her gently, as all of his other friends walked up after her. "It's great to see you again, Bonnie!"
"You too, Ash!" Bonnie slid off his shoulders, turning and looking toward Serena, who was standing next to Ash. She reached out and grasped one of each of their hands in her own, her eyes shining. "I'm so happy you two are traveling together again! I want you to tell me everything that's happened!"
Serena giggled, squeezing the young girl's hand in hers. "We will, Bonnie, we promise!"
Clemont was smiling from ear to ear as he watched the happy reunion, before speaking up. "I want to hear all about it, too. And I want to meet all these friends you've brought with you." He pushed his glasses up. "There's a special lunch waiting for all of us, after we take a trip to the Pokémon Center. Let's get going!"
Ash nodded, his stomach already growling in anticipation. "Sounds great!" He kneeled down and lifted Pikachu up in his arms. "Come on, everyone!" Clemont turned and led the way out, with the other seven following him, talking amongst each other about the battle they had just seen.
"Ash, when did you teach Snivy how to use Solar Beam?" Brock wondered, walking on his other side. "I don't remember seeing you practicing that."
Ash smirked and started to answer his question, loudly enough for everyone to hear. As he walked and talked, Pikachu turned in his arms to look curiously up at Snivy, who was sitting on her trainer's shoulder.
"Why didn't you let yourself evolve?" he asked her, speaking in his own Pokémon language.
"Why would I want to evolve?" she replied, her nose in the air. "I'm already perfect."
Pikachu nodded, unable to find fault with this logic.