Greetings, everyone. Mgunnels3 here, and welcome back to Ash's Unova Journey, my Version. We have only two chapters left of this battle club before we continue onto the next arc of the story. Let's see who will face Ash in the finals in the battle club, shall we?
Chapter 48: Clash of the Titan's Haxorus vs. Gyrados.
"Human Speech"
"Pokemon Speech"
The battle club's semifinal second match between Misty and Iris was about to begin as both Flygon and Kingdra were ready to fight, staring each other down.
"Kingdra vs. Flygon, let the battle begin," The announcer said.
"Alright, Kingdra, use Hydro Pump," Misty commands her Kingdra, who launched a Hydro pump which was too quick for Flygon to dodge.
"Ugh, use Flamethrower," Iris commands her Flygon as the two moves clash, but Hydro Pump is stronger. When Flygon was sent back, she wasn't backing down. "Use Draco Meteor," Iris commands her Flygon, who launches a flurry of Meteors at Kingdra.
"Dragon's Dance and Dragon pulse," Misty commanded her Kingdra as Kingdra barely dodged the Draco Meteor and launched a Dragon Pulse at Flygon, only for one of the Meteor's hit Kingdra right after the Dragon Pulse was sent. Kingdra's Dragon Pulse connected with Flygon, and both were sent to the wall hard. Knocking each other out as both Misty and Iris were surprised by this.
"Flygon and Kindgra are unable to battle," the announcer announced as the crowd cheered. Both Misty and Iris returned their Pokemon.
"Man, Iris isn't giving Misty an inch in that battle. It may be the first part of the battle, but Misty isn't going to let this get to her," Ash said to Brock, who nodded at this.
"You think you will win if you and Iris battle each other in this Ash if she wins or later down the road?" Brock asked Ash while hiding that Iris is a gym leader from the crowd. Ash looked down at this. Ash knew he would have a tough time against Iris in either situation. Brock can tell just by how Ash was quiet upon hearing that question that he doesn't know. "Well, you better think quickly about that, Ash, cause one way or another, you two will battle each other?" Misty congratulated Kingdra for his battle and turned to Iris, smiling.
"Not bad, Iris. You are showing why you are Draydon's granddaughter. But don't expect this battle to be a cakewalk," Misty said to Iris as if she was a gym leader facing her challenger. Iris noticed this and smiled at this.
"Agreed, Misty, and I can see why you are as strong as you are. But the real battle begins here. Dragonite, come on out," Iris sent out her second Pokemon, her Dragonite Misty wasn't expecting to face in this battle as she pulled out her next ball.
"Golduck, come on out," Misty sent out her next Pokemon.
"A Golduck, huh? Well, let's see what it has in store for Dragonite. Use Thunderbolt Dragonite," Iris commanded her Pokemon, whose antenna sparked and launched at Golduck.
"Golduck, use Psychic send it right back," Misty commanded her Golduck, who caught the Thunderbolt attack right back at Dragonite, hitting him. "Now use Ice beam," Misty commanded her Golduck, who fired an Ice beam at Dragonite.
"Ugh, use Hurricane Dragonite," Iris commanded her Pokemon, who countered the Ice beam attack as it was blocked. "Now, Giga Impact," Iris commanded her Dragonite, who charged in with the attack.
"Ugh, of all moves, use Psychic," Misty commanded her Golduck, who used the attack and struggled to hold Dragonite still, but it was too much for Golduck to handle, and the Giga Impact hit Golduck but not knocking him out. "Now use Ice beam before it can bring its guard up, Golduck," Misty commanded, who managed to hit Dragonite with said Ice attack.
Iris was now worried about the outcome of the battle.
"Misty is not letting up either. She used Dragonite's Giga Impact's downside to her advantage that Psychic attack was a lure to soften the damage," Iris thought before clenching her fists.
"Use Hyper beam," Misty and Iris commanded their Pokemon, who charged up and fired their attacks. The two attacks clashed and caused a shockwave that made an explosion that didn't settle down. The smoke shows that both were barely standing but weren't moving, as both were knocked out standing up.
"Golduck and Dragonite are both unable to battle. Both sides are now down to one Pokemon each," the announcer said as Misty and Iris were shocked. They were evenly matched in their team's strength as both returned their Pokemon.
"I've never seen Misty push this far back when traveling with us. Misty made a risky move with that Psychic attack on Giga Impact to get a good shot with Ice beam," Ash said to Brock, who wasn't sure that was her plan as he crossed his arms.
"I'm not sure that was the case, Ash?" Brock said to Ash, who was taken aback by this. "I think Misty was banking on that Psychic would help her stop the Giga Impact than softening the Impact."
"Misty, you didn't plan on a strategy for Dragonite, did you?" Ash said to himself but loud enough for Brock and Pikachu to hear that Eevee.
"So she was hoping to either face Haxorus or Excadrill? Huh? That's not like Misty," Pikachu said to Ash, who translated that to Brock, who nodded in agreement.
"If Misty doesn't focus and get it together, Iris might clench the win here?" Ash said to Brock. "Come on, Misty? You can do this. You're not fighting like I know you would," Ash said to Misty, catching Misty off guard.
"A-Ash?" Misty said in surprise at this. Before regaining confidence from this. Ash is right. She's been fighting as if she was in her gym, not as a trainer. "Your right, Ash? It's been so long that I've been battling as a regular trainer that I incorporate my gym leader role in my battles," Misty said before having a confident smile at this, pulling out her last Pokeball. "Gyrados, come on out," Misty sent out her team's leading ace.
"I see, Misty? You see me like I was one of your gym challengers, and not going to lie. It's similar to me here?" Iris thought not since Georgia had had a battle where she fought against someone who got her this serious.
"You should thank your boyfriend there, Misty," Iris told Misty, curious about what she meant by that. "Haxorus, come on out," Iris sent out her leading ace on her team. Misty was now getting where this was going. Iris would fight like she was with the rest of her Pokemon as both Pokemon were staring each other down.
"Alright, Gryados, use Dragon's dance," Misty commanded her Pokemon, who powered up. "Now use Earthquake," Misty commanded her Pokemon, which caused an earthquake shaking Haxorus.
"Use Dragon's dance and then use Dragon tail," Iris commanded Haxorus, who powered up and charged with a Dragon tail attack.
"Use Aqua tail, Gyrados," Misty commanded her Pokemon, who slammed her tail at Haxorus as it hit, sending Haxorus back as Gyrados was stronger.
"Clever, she's keeping me off Counter by facing Haxorus head-on when Haxorus attacks," Iris thought. "Giga Impact," Iris commanded her Pokemon, who charged in, hitting Gyrados, who took it like it was nothing.
"Ice fang Gyrados," Misty commanded Gyrados, who launched the attack right at Haxorus. The attack hit Haxorus, sending her to the ground, but she got up. "Aqua tail now," Misty commanded Gyrados, who slammed her tail at Haxorus.
"Got you now, Misty. Use Counter," Iris commanded her Pokemon, who tossed the attack and Gyrados back and hard. Gyrados was barely getting up from that attack.
"Come on, Gyrados. You can do it. I believe in you. We can do this together," Misty said as Gyrados roared at Haxorus, who returned it.
"Now, this is the type of battle you want to see, ladies and gentlemen," The announcer said to the crowd. "A clash of two Powerhouses from both the Kanto and Unova region. The only thing on our minds is who is the strongest regardless of the move counter or not?"
"Use Giga Impact," Both Misty and Iris commanded their Pokemon. As they used the move, they charged at each other as the two moves clashed, causing an explosion again like the Golduck, Dragonite battle but a much stronger shockwave than before.
Both Pokemon were standing after what looked to be almost ten minutes of smoke caused by their attacks. Both were exhausted and at their limit; however, one of the two fainted, sadly Gyrados.
"Gyrados is unable to battle. Haxorus wins moving on to the finals is Iris," the announcer announced. Iris sighed as she fell on her butt as if this could've gone either way. Misty was surprised but kept a straight face and smiled before walking over to Gyrados.
"You did great, Gyrados. You earned a good rest," Misty said as Gyrados smiled at this as she admitted that she did her best, not to mention Haxorus was a strong opponent and smiled at Haxorus, who returned the same feeling towards Gyrados. Iris walked over to Misty.
"Good battle, Misty. You show me why you are as strong as you are. I won't lie. That battle would've gone either way," Iris said, holding a hand for a handshake that Misty happily accepted.
"Thanks, Iris, and best of luck against Ash," Misty said to Iris, who nodded. As the two walked to the Pokemon center, it was shown that the finals would be, as said before, Ash vs. Iris.
"Tomorrow will be the final battle of the battle club, ladies and gentlemen. At 1 pm, enough time for both trainers to get their Pokemon healed and devise a strategy against their opponent, and best of luck to both of them. Until then, have a good rest of your day, and see you tomorrow."
"Yeah, I will need more than luck to beat Iris tomorrow. I would be in trouble if Misty struggled this much for two of Iris's Pokemon," Ash thought. Brock noticed this and knew that Ash would need to bring in the big guns for tomorrow's battle. Later that day, as Misty was letting her Pokemon rest as she noticed that Ash was still thinking about who to use in tomorrow's match.
"I know that look, Ash? I haven't seen you this focused since the Battle Frontier?" Misty said to Ash, who looked at her as Misty sat beside him.
"Yeah, I might bring Gabite for this battle I talked to?" Ash said to Misty.
"And what did he say?" Misty asked Ash, who looked down.
"He is willing to battle against his cousin Haxorus, but the problem is that we don't know who Iris will use in tomorrow's battle given that she has Excadrill as well, and Flygon has been in almost all of her battles," Ash said to Misty who smacks Ash in the back of the head. "Hey, what was that for?" Ash said to Misty.
"And you said I'm not fighting as I used to in today's battle? Ash, you are overthinking this? It would be best if you could counter her power attacks and Haxorus's Counter. She might be the one you will be facing in a future gym battle, Ash, but right now, focus on her as a trainer," Misty said to Ash. Ash calmed down after that.
"Thanks, Misty. I needed that, and you are right. I need not overthink this and take what happened today to heart," Ash said as he got an idea for his team for tomorrow and kissed Misty on the cheek, which Misty returned to Ash as the two's lips connected as they shared a kiss.
With the finals set up for the battle club's finals, Ash is now full of energy and set for tomorrow's battle. The battle club will end soon.
Stay tuned.
Done and done, man; this chapter was fun to write. I won't lie. It was hard to choose who would win this fight if I had it similar to the Anime or changed things up. Given that the Anime battle between Ash and Iris was quickly the best, I had to choose this type of battle. The next chapter is the battle club's final battle and the battle club's last chapter. See you next time.