Greetings everyone, Mgunnels3 here, and welcome back to A Promise Kept Ash's Johto Journey. Let's get this chapter started.
Chapter 44: Pride, Arrogance, and Rivals Gary vs. Paul
"Human Speech"
"Pokemon Speech"
The battle between Gary and Paul was about to begin as Ash and Drew were watching this, knowing that no matter who won this battle, it would get ugly. And Cydnaquil was watching this beside Ash.
"Arcanine vs. Magmar, let the battle begin," the ref announced. "Arcanine, use Extreme Speed," Gary commanded his Arcanine while still angry from what Paul said, hitting his Ego more.
"Magmar use Thunder Punch," Paul commanded his Pokemon, whose arm charged with electricity and slammed into Arcanine.
"Use Dragons Breath," Gary commanded his Pokemon, who fired Dragons Breath at Magmar.
"Rock Tomb now," Paul commanded his Pokemon, who fired rocks at the Dragons Breath.
"Now, Crunch," Gary commanded his Pokemon, who nibbled at Magmars arms Magmar sent Arcanine flying from that. Ash and Drew were watching this from the locker room.
"It's tough to see who will win this battle. They both look evenly matched?" Drew said.
"I wouldn't say that. It seems like Gary is forcing his moves," Cyndaquil said, and Charizard and Ash nodded as Ash turned to Drew.
"I don't think so, Drew?" Ash said to Drew, who looked at Ash in confusion. "Paul got under Gary's skin before the match started. If you look closely. Is Gary forcing his moves and not thinking straight? I think his Arcanine isn't the only one getting hit in this fight," Ash said. Drew was surprised by this as the attention turned back to the battlefield.
"Ugh, this guy is a pain. I have to regain control of this battle," Gary thought as Paul was calm and wasn't afraid of losing this battle, even showing a smug look. The face of he is going to put this trainer in his place soon. "I have to calm down because he is winning because of this. Arcanine, use Hidden Power," Gary commanded his Pokemon, who fired psychic energy right at Magmar, hitting it and sending it to the side.
"How do you like that Paully-boy?" Gary said as Paul glared and crossed his arms.
"So you finally decided to use a useful move, kid?" Paul said to Gary, who was taken aback by this. "Sludge Bomb now," Paul commanded his Pokemon, who fired its attack at Arcanine.
"Extreme Speed and then Reversal," Gary commanded his Pokemon, dodging the Sludge Bomb and charging into Magmar.
"Cross Chop," Paul commanded his Pokemon, who slammed right into Arcanine with a force that made Arcanine whimper. Gary was now worried about Arcanine, not about whether he could win. As a trainer, he was never pushed this hard in all his time as Arcanine was sent to the ground right in front of Gary.
"If you are that great, Gary, and earn my respect, I suggest you forfeit the match?" Paul said to Gary, who grunted at this. "Because your pride shows so much that you are forcing your moves," Paul said to Gary as it was self-evident, and everyone noticed this. Arcanine struggled to get up as the Cross Chop attack hurt its leg. Gary noticed this and had no choice but and throw in the towel. A victory wasn't worth injuring or losing his trainer's license for this, and he ran out to Arcanine.
"Well, ladies and gentlemen, this is the first that a trainer forfeited the match in this Tournament, but it is the right call. Paul is the winner and moving on to the next round," the announcer said. Gary tended to his Arcanine, who was whimpering. Paul returned his Pokemon and turned around, and looked at Gary.
"You made the right decision Gary? But you are more pathetic and more the lamest trainer of your hometown. If you shut up that pride and leave it out of the battlefield, you could've given me a good battle," Paul said to Gary, who looked down. "If we meet again, you show me I'm wrong about you. Stay out of my sight, you pathetic trainer," Paul said before leaving.
Ash and Drew were watching this.
"Man, that was harsh of Paul, but he had a point. He acted very pathetically out there and not the Gary I knew," Drew said as Ash sighed at this.
"Gary nearly lost his trainer's license by forcing his moves like that. And as much as I hate to admit it, Paul speaks the truth. He wasn't battling normally out there, and now his Arcanine suffered cause of it," Ash said.
"With the last battle now done, we can reveal the top 32 trainers, and here they are," the announcer said as Drew and Ash were shocked when they saw who Ash was up against. It was Paul. From what she saw in the battle, Charizard noticed, Cyndaquil looked confident she wanted to get back at Paul. Ash went to get his Pokemon healed and noticed Gary, who was about to leave hurt and upset.
"Come to talk. Will you two save it? I know that I goofed up out there, so save what I already know, I failed as a trainer to Arcanine and my Pokemon, not myself," Gary said to Drew and Ash before leaving. Ash shook his head.
"Gary, while I agree with both of you? You are better than that," Ash said to Gary, who stopped walking. "Gary, this isn't the end of your Journey. But should you let this help you with your team just because it is the end of your time in the Tournament? That doesn't mean that you won't have a second chance in battling against him again in another," Ash said to Gary, who looked down.
"Gary, remember your Pokemon are the ones battling, not you out there. You forgot that today," Ash said to Gary, who nodded. "As a person who lost a league because of Charizard, I felt the same way, defeated and not like I'm worthy of being a trainer because of not only Team Rocket, but as Charizard trainer, my friends are the ones who talk to me through it."
"And yet you conquer it? How am I supposed to fight against someone like me who isn't willing to rub it in? Huh?" Gary said to Ash.
"Listen to your Pokemon, Gary, not yourself. That is all I can say," Ash said as Gary took this to heart, nodded, and walked off. Little did they know it, but Paul was watching this from the side of the Pokemon center.
"He may be stubborn, but I can tell he took that to heart, but will he show it? Something about this Ash person isn't someone I shouldn't take lightly," Paul said before leaving. Ash noticed this and left him be for now.
Later that night, Ash talked to Charizard, Growlithe, and Cyndaquil about who he should use in the next match.
"Paul isn't going to be easy, and you saw what happened in today's match? I can promise you three I won't let what happened today get to me nor ruin my focus in tomorrow's battle," Ash said to his Pokemon, who smiled at this.
"I should battle in tomorrow's battle, Ash. I have the most experience out of the fire types on our team, and Paul won't get the best of me," Charizard said to Ash as Growlithe nodded.
"I agree with Charizard on this one. Even at my best, I can't do better than I can against Paul. I can be in the next match depending on the trainer, Ash?" Growlithe said to Ash, who nodded.
"No, I want to battle tomorrow," Cyndaquil said to Ash, and Ash and the others were surprised.
"Cyndaquil, that isn't a good idea. You're still young, and Charizard has more experience," Ash was interrupted by Cyndaquil.
"I'm also agile and can get around that, Magmar, regardless of my size. I watched how Magmar was moving and knew I could get around him easily; yes, Charizard is strong and all," Cyndaquil said as Charizard interrupted her.
"I'm sorry, Cyndaquil, but I'm not going to make your mother angry at me if something bad happens to you, let alone Murkrow, and I already got an earful from you disappearing from me a while ago, apprentice or not," Charizard said, crossing his claws as Cyndaquil pouted. "Look, you are strong now but not at my level of strength; please understand," Charizard said to Cyndaquil, who looked down. "No mean...no," Charizard noticed something was happening to Cyndaquil, which Ash and Growlithe noticed.
The next day came.
The battle between Ash and Paul was about to begin, both Ash and Paul walked out towards the battlefield, and cheers and boos were given more boos to Paul as both trainers were at the trainer's boxes.
"I hope you will provide a better battle against me than your friend Gary, Ash?" Paul said to Ash, who nodded at this.
"You won't get to me like Gary and most other trainers you faced, Paul. Enough talk. Let's get this battle going, shall we?" Ash said to Paul, who nodded that Ash was brave enough to face him head-on but can Ash back it up?
"Will, both trainers, let out their one Pokemon, please," the ref announced. Ash and Paul pulled out their Pokeballs.
"Magmar, standby for battle," Paul sent out his Magmar, which Ash smiled.
"It's time. You wanted to be a part of this battle now's your chance to do so. Let's go," Ash sent out his Pokemon, and what was revealed wasn't Charizard. Nor was Cyndaquil, but her newly evolved body Quilava. Paul and everyone were surprised by this as Paul realized that this was the same Cyndaquil he saw in the first match.
"Let this battle begin," The ref announced.
"Magmar uses Flamethrower," Paul commanded his Pokemon, who fired the Flamethrower towards Quilava.
"Quilava, use Flame Wheel," Ash commanded her, who rolled straight at the Flamethrower.
With the next round underway. Ash isn't just fighting for himself but for his Pokemon. Who will move on to the next round, and who will be knocked out? As the Fire-type Tournament continues.
Stay tuned.
Done and done. Man, this chapter was fun but rough to write. Yes, it's short battle-wise, but you knew who would win this battle the instant the names of these two were facing each other. But yeah, Paul put Gary in his place hard. But there is more to these two battles, as they will face each other in another Tournament later. It's Ash vs. Paul in the next battle, and it won't be as short (I hope). See you next time.