Greetings, everyone. Mgunnels3 here, and welcome back to Ash's Unova Journey My version. I don't have much to say here, so let's start this chapter.
Chapter 40: Battle of Friends: Iris vs. Georgia
"Human Speech"
"Pokemon Speech"
The match between Iris and Georgia is about to get underway as both Bisharp and Dragonite are ready to battle each other. "Dragonite vs. Bisharp, let the battle begin," The announcer announced.
"Dragonite, use Dragon Claw," Iris commands her Dragonite as it charges at Bisharp.
"Use Psycho Cut Bisharp," Georgia commanded her Pokemon as the Bisharp launched her attack on Dragonite, who blocked it with its claws, causing an explosion and sending Dragonite back.
"You're going to need to do more than just close-range combat with Bisharp Iris," Georgia said to Iris, who groaned at this as Dragonite brushed it off as that didn't hurt as much.
"Use Thunderbolt Dragonite," Iris counter-attacks Georgia's strategy. Dragonite launched a thunderbolt toward Bisharp, who was hit by the attack and took a knee at this. "Wann tries that again, Georgia, or do you want to do something else?" Iris told Georgia, who smirked at this.
"Night Slash now," Georgia commands her Pokemon, whose arm's glowed a dark color as she charged into Dragonite.
"Counter with Brick Break Dragonite," Iris commands Dragonite as the two moves clash, hitting both of them hard though it seems like Dragonite got the worst of the hit than a super-effective hit to Bisharp.
"You want a change of pace? You got it, Iris. Use Iron Head," Georgia commands her Pokemon. Bisharp's helmet glowed a steel-like sheen and charged at Dragonite.
"Use Dragon's Rush now," Iris commands her Pokemon, who also charges in. The Two Pokemon's moves clashed as both were knocked back, not giving an inch. Ash and the others were watching this from the sidelines.
"Man, these two aren't giving an inch, but it seems they are holding back as well?" Ash said, noticing this in the way that they were battling.
"That's Iris for you, Ash. She tries to let the opponent use their best moves before she finds an opening," Cillian said to Ash before turning to the battle. "But it seems like your friend Georgia isn't giving her an inch minus the beginning, and you are the first to call out that she is holding back."
"Use Dragons dance and Giga Impact Dragonite," Iris commands her Dragonite, who powers up and charges in.
"You use Giga Impact as well, Bisharp," Georgia commanded her Pokemon as the two moves clashed, causing an ever more substantial explosion from before.
"What power, ladies and Gentlemen? I wouldn't expect less from these two trainers," The announcer said to the crowd. "But the real question is, who will come out on top of this?" As the smoke cleared, the announcer said that both Pokemon were down and out, which surprised both Iris and Georgia.
"Bisharp Dragonite is both unable to battle," the announcer announced as the result of what happened. It was now down to one Pokemon on both sides as both Iris and Georgia returned their Pokemon.
"I can see why you will be the next gym leader Georgia. But I will be more challenging this next round. Excadrill, come on out," Iris sent out her last Pokemon. One that she is known for even at the gym.
"This must be big if Iris sent out him. That is Iris's first Pokemon before she specialized in Dragon Pokemon and obtained Haxorous," Cillian said to Ash, who was taken aback by this. "Excadrill is one of her biggest Powerhouses. What would your friend respond to this."
Georgia, upon hearing this conversation, smirked and pulled out her ball. "Mamoswine, come out," Georgia sent out her second Pokemon, and Ash felt like he knew that Pokemon and realized who it was.
"I see Pryce allowing Georgia to use your main partner for her Journey given your age, smart," Ash said out loud to this, and it was now Cillian's turn to be surprised by this.
"I see she. This was her right of passage to be the next gym leader. I heard stories that her grandfather's original ace returned him. It seems like that said Pokemon evolved," Cillian said.
"Let's get this going, Mamoswine; use Ice shard," Georgia commanded her Pokemon, who sent out multiple shards of ice, sending it right at Excadrill in a fast manner.
"Use drill run and Brick break," Iris commands her Pokemon, who spins in, smashing through the Ice Shard attack, barely causing damage to the mole-Pokemon and hitting Mamoswine, who stood his ground.
"Use Earth power," Georgia commanded her Pokemon, who slammed its hands down, sending a pillar of ground towards Excadrill, who couldn't get out of the way in time and got struck. As Mamoswine lets out a roar at this, showing that he isn't going to be a pushover like that. Iris smirked at this as this is what she likes in a challenger, a challenge, that is.
"Use Focus blast," Iris commands her Pokemon, who launched the fighting-type attack at Mamoswine.
"Use Ancient Power and takedown attack," Georgia commands her Pokemon, who charged in as the Focus Blast hitting Mamoswine only for it to smash right into Excadrill and send him back.
"Use Drill run," Iris commands her Pokemon as Excadrill spins again at Mamoswine, who was using Ancient Power again, even though Georgia didn't command the Pokemon to use that move. The two Pokemon clashed again as Excadrill and Mamoswine exchanged glares. "Now Focus Blast at close-range," Iris commands her Pokemon as Georgia notices that Iris plans this to happen.
"Fight back with Hyper beam Mamoswine," Georgia commands her Pokemon as the attacks hit each other, sending them back; however, Mamoswine was on his side hard and struggling to get up. "Come on, Mamoswine; you can do it?" Georgia politely commended her Pokemon, struggling to get up but panting heavily.
"Excadrill use Brick break," Iris commands her Pokemon, whose arms glowed and charged in as Georgia smirked at this, which Iris noticed.
"Your mistake Iris. Use Avalance Mamoswine," Georgia commands her Pokemon, who sends a massive amount of Ice balls towards Excadrill, who was hit hard, canceling its moves.
"Ugh, I walked into that one, but we can't let this go. Use Brick Break and Focus Blast," Iris commands her Pokemon, who used its speed advantage to use the Brick Break to send the Focus Blast right at Mamoswine, hitting it hard and knocking it out.
"Mamoswine is unable to battle Excadrill. Wins the winner of the next round is Iris," The announcer announced as the scoreboard was shown that she was moving on to the next round.
Iris ran over to Excadrill to hug him. Georgia also ran over to her Mamoswine, checking on him. She was mad that she lost, but Iris Georgia lost, and she knew that the two of them would battle again later on. Mamoswine nuzzled Georgia, showing that she did well with him. Georgia smiled at this and walked over to Iris.
"Well, Iris, I must say you beat me. Nice job so far, my friend," Georgia said to Iris, who finished hugging Excadrill and stood up and nodded at this.
"Thanks, Georgia, but you make this battle easy, and I can tell that you aren't the type to be predictable, unlike most people I battled," Iris said to Georgia, who chuckled at this.
"Come on, Iris? I know you all too well not to battle you unprepared don't think this ruins our friendship? I know we'll battle again," Georgia told Iris, who nodded. They returned their Pokemon and walked off to the trainer's spectator area.
"With that, ladies and gentlemen, tomorrow will be the top 32 battles with Ash against Bianca. Catch you all tomorrow," The announcer said as the crowd left as the remaining trainers saw the order of tomorrow's battles. It hadn't changed since the announcement yesterday, as this would be how the tournament would be.
Later that night, Ash and the others are having dinner. Ash looks at Georgia and says, "I must say Georgia. I'm surprised to see you owning your grandfather's Pokemon in that battle today," Ash asked Georgia, who sighed and nodded.
"Not gonna lie, Ash, I heard stories about his Piloswine growing up but never saw it in person, and it was tough to raise as well," Georgia told Ash. "I was actually in Kanto when he was reunited with Mamoswine as a Piloswine," Georgia said to Ash, who nodded at this.
"Do you know what happened to your grandfather's Pokemon? It seems like he was looking for Mamoswine for a long time?" Cameron asked Georgia, who sighed and nodded and told them what she knew, what happened, and what did happen.
"According to Grandpa, one of his challengers helped him find his Pokemon in a block of ice and helped it get out of the ice," Georgia told her friends. Who was surprised by this aside from Ash and his friends?
Ash was finishing eating at this.
"Your welcome, Georgia. That was me who did that," Ash told Georgia, who was taken aback by this. "Pyrce saved my friends and me from a Gyrados attack the previous day, and minus having a bad agreement on how to raise Pokemon, well, you know the rest," Ash told Georgia, who didn't know that it was Ash and chuckled which Ash noticed.
"That is like you, Ash, always sticking your nose into people's business, but that helps in the end," Georgia told Ash, who nodded at this. "Now that I think about it, you did mention you recognized Mamoswine. Now I know why?" Georgia told Ash, who nodded and noticed that Bianca was gone.
"Sorry to bolt, guys. I'll be back in a bit," Ash politely excused himself before heading towards where Bianca went as. The group was curious but let it be for now. Ash noticed that Bianca was talking to an adult with a red scarf around his neck.
"Come on, Daddy; you can't just take me home right now? I've grown so much on this Journey," Bianca said. What was her father, who put his hands out to calm her down?
"I'm not going to during this tournament Bianca. You've shown you've grown stronger, but this is against trainers. I contacted the local gym leader a couple of days after the tournament. If you proved yourself to either win by beating her with a minimum of two Pokemon knocked out on her team, tie or win the match, I'd let you continue your Journey. Your mother suggested that you need this, and while I am protective of you," Bianca's father said before noticing Ash watching this. "We'll discuss this when that day comes. Until then, I'll be watching your battle tomorrow. Good luck, sweetie," He kissed her forehead before leaving.
Bianca didn't notice Ash and went out of the building to where a group of trees was and let out her Pokemon: Pignite, Cincinno, Excavilier, Deerling, and a Ducklett. In her current team, most were evolved, and most just joined. Cincinno noticed that Bianca and Pignite, and the others were distraught.
"Bianca, you okay? You seemed more upset than usual what's wrong?" Cincinno asked Bianca as he noticed Ash watching as Excavilier took a defensive stance to protect Bianca.
"Relax, Excavilier. I'm a friend. You don't have to protect her," Ash told the Pokemon, who was still unsure as he had never met Ash.
"Let him come. I know him. He knows Bianca's situation as much as we do," Pignite told his fellow teammate, who stood down and nodded at this and let Ash to Bianca, who was a wreck earlier.
"You say the whole thing, didn't you, Ash? What did my father say about giving me one chance to prove myself?" Bianca asked Ash, who nodded at this.
"Yeah, I can tell he is very strict but cares about you, Bianca, but he shouldn't have done that. It puts pressure on the trainer even more than it should, and given what Elisa's gym is known to be, that might make it worse," Ash said to Bianca, who wiped away a tear from her eyes.
"It's more than just that, Ash?" Cincinno said, crossing his arms to Ash, who recognized the voice but let him finish. "He's been checking on her numerous times during her Journey, making her show her progress, not what Pokemon she has or has done for them," Cincinno said as Bianca's Pokemon nodded at this.
"I thought at first he was going to take me out of the tournament, but it seems like that wasn't the case given how far I've come, but he didn't ask me how I was doing or anything of that sort. He just told me what you heard about me getting only one shot in a gym battle," Bianca said, looking down.
"Right now, you should listen to your Pokemon, Bianca. I can tell you have the translator requested by the league and me. I figured that something like this would happen one day," Ash told Bianca, who wasn't surprised by the fact that Ash was the one who requested the translator.
"Listen to my Pokemon?" Bianca questioned Ash, who nodded at this as she looked around at her Pokemon. Who wasn't going to give up on her? It was shown in their eyes, and nodded in agreement with what Ash said.
"You did more than raise us, Bianca. You've helped up as well, more than you think? It's our turn to help you, whether it be our battle tomorrow or whatever challenge your father set for you. You didn't give up on us when we needed you when we joined your team, and we won't either," Excavilier said to Bianca.
"Excavilier?" Bianca said, looking at Excavilier, who looked at her Pokemon, who nodded at what he said as she got up and had a fierce look in her eyes. "Thanks, everyone. I don't know what I will do after this point, but I won't let this chance down," Bianca said to them, who cheered at this and then turned to Ash. "Thank you, Ash. Here's hoping that tomorrow this won't affect me," Bianca told Ash, who nodded at this. "See you tomorrow, Ash. I need a little more time with my Pokemon, please," Bianca told Ash, who nodded at this.
"See you tomorrow, Bianca. I also need to get my team ready," Ash said before leaving.
Little did he know it, but Bianca's father was watching and listening to this and had to admit he was harsh with her. Still, there was nothing he could do about it right now, but he could tell from the way her Pokemon were acting that they were willing to fight for her and smiled before leaving himself.
As the next tournament day comes, Ash and the rest of the contestants are ready for today's competition. However, Bianca was nowhere to be seen. Ash was now worried about this, only to see her running towards the battlefield in a frantic panting. Ash sighed and headed out to the battlefield as Bianca's father watched in the audience.
"Now, with that out of the way, let's get this battle started," the announcer said. "First, as she already made her appearance on the battlefield. A feisty girl from Nuvema town who is trying her best to be the best trainer gives it up for Bianca," The crowd cheered after hearing all this.
"Now for the other trainer, you know and have seen him in action so far from Pallet Town. Give it up for Ash Ketchem," The announcer said. The crowd cheered again as the two were ready to face each other. "Now, you two send out your Pokemon."
"Ash, don't think that what you did for me yesterday won't make things easier for you today. I'm going to give it my all. Cincinno, come on out," Bianca sent out her Pokemon.
"I don't expect this to go easy, and let's have fun doing so. Palpitoad, come on out," Ash sent out his Pokemon.
With the battle club's next round underway, Ash and Bianca are in high spirits and ready to get things underway as the battle club continues.
Stay tuned.
Done and done. This chapter was fun to write. Bianca's team needs a buff, given that we only saw three of them in the anime, and showing her father this situation was harsh early in the story. Still, it sets up her situation later as the translator for Bianca. During the rewriting of chapter 11, Ash told her to do that only to tell them off-screen in chapter 14. The battle between these two is next. See you guys next time.