Episode 170: A Rival's Instinct

Ash and Ryu have both taken positions on a battlefield. The field has taken the form of a canyon-like environment filled with stone pillars. The two are looking each other straight in the eyes. Both look completely determined, and neither shows a single sign of weakness.

Ash and Ryu. Ever since the day these two met so long ago, they've been at odds. They battled over and over, but this will be their final battle. Only one of them can move on to the final round of the Cosmic Conference. Either our hero will defeat his rival, or his dreams of winning the Tenno League are over.

In the audience, Brenda is absolutely giddy with excitement. "This battle is going to be amazing! That full battle they had before was already great, and I just know that they've both found ways to step it up. I wonder what Pokémon Ash will use."

Brock contemplates the question. "We already know he's going to use Curemodo. Pikachu too. But beyond that, Ash has a big advantage, knowing exactly what kind of Pokémon Ryu will bring into battle. As an Ice-Type, his Glalie would be a great choice." Brock pauses for a moment of consideration. "He managed to get in contact with the Goodra he released in Kalos for his last battle with Ryu, so maybe this time he could surprise us and get in contact with his Lapras. Or, if he wants to go the Dragon-Type route, after its impressive showing against Braydon, it wouldn't be a bad idea to use Dragonite again."

Brenda grins. "No matter what he uses, I'm sure he put a lot of thought into it."

Ash shouts across the field, "Hey, Ryu! Does this battle terrain remind you of anything?"

Ryu acknowledges, "Yes," but doesn't elaborate.

So, Ash explains anyways, "It's the same sort of terrain we had our last battle in. Our full battle. But let me tell you something. Despite the familiar environment, I won't be repeating my mistake from that battle."

"Mistake?"

"Yeah. It was a mistake to battle you using a team of Dragon-Types. It wasn't being true to myself. I was so desperate to get another battle with you, that I didn't battle in my own way. I battled in yours. Today, I fix that."

Ryu nods. "We shall see."

Both Ash and Ryu pull out their first Pokéballs, knowing exactly how they want to kick things off.

"Eagladiator, I chose you!"

"Garchomp, to battle!"

"Eagladiatooooooor!"

"Gaaar!"

Brock nods. "I sense meaning behind Ash's choice of Pokémon. If I recall correctly, the very first Pokémon Ash used against Ryu was Apprentichick."

At the same time, both Ash and Ryu command, "To the sky!"

Eagladiator takes off with several powerful wingbeats, while Garchomp folds its arms in and lunges upwards to glide.

"Eagladiator! Use Wing Attack!"

"Garchomp, Dragon Claw!"

The two Pokémon fly directly at each other and trade blows as they pass. After passing, Garchomp climbs while Eagladiator descends.

"Brave Bird!"

"Dragon Rush!"

The two Pokémon quickly change their angle to fly at each other, with Eagladiator now diving and Garchomp now ascending. Both Pokémon become cloaked in intense energy as they prepare to collide.

A massive shockwave rips out from their point of impact, kicking dust up off the floor. Eagladiator and Garchomp are both flung against a stone pillar.

Ash makes a quick call and recalls Eagladiator before it falls to the ground. He swaps Pokéballs. "Go, Dashilisk!"

Meanwhile, Garchomp has managed to find footing on an outcropping of its stone pillar to prevent it from falling.

Brenda pauses to consider something. "Wait a second… Eagladiator, then Dashilisk… And we already know he's using Curemodo and Pikachu…"

Brock nods in agreement. "It would seem that Ash is going with his Tenno team."

Brenda objects, "But isn't that limiting himself? He's giving himself a handicap!"

"If I had to guess, Ash feels that Ryu is his greatest rival in Tenno, and therefore feels that it should be his Tenno team that battles him. Also, perhaps Ash sees this as being the full battle with his Tenno team he never got because he used a team of dragons instead."

Brenda crosses her arms as she looks down skeptically towards Ash. "I just hope he doesn't regret that decision…"

Ryu orders, "Garchomp, leap down and use Dragon Rush!"

Ash orders, "Weave around with Aqua Jet!"

As Garchomp dives down to strike with a fearsome draconic aura, Dashilisk jets into the air as it's surrounded by water, and with a skillful display of control over its movements, it goes around Garchomp, forcing the Pokémon to crash into the ground instead of it. In the moment that Garchomp is stunned from ramming into the ground, Dashilisk smashes into it with Aqua Jet.

Ash shouts, "Follow with Dragon Claw!"

As Dashilisk bounces off of Garchomp's back while still facing forward, it slashes its green glowing claws at Garchomp, also striking on the back.

"Gaaar!"

Ryu pulls out a Pokéball. "Garchomp, return! Baxcalibur, to battle!"

"Baaaaaax!

"Use Freeze-Dry!"

Ash shouts, "Counter with Scald!"

The super-chilled air of Baxcalibur's Freeze-Dry meets the super-heated water of Dashilisk's Scald. The result is an explosion of steam that very suddenly covers the entire battlefield.

Ash leaps right in and orders, "Aqua Jet, but go at it from a different angle!"

"Dashiiii!"

Ryu asserts, "If you think being blinded by this steam will make us weaker, you're wrong! Baxcalibur, use Breaking Swipe, full spin!"

Baxcalibur shrieks, "Calibuuuuuuur!" Its tail glows purple and it spins about to hit in all directions, including towards the side that Dashilisk is coming in from. Dashilisk is struck by the tail and slammed against a pillar.

"Freeze-Dry again!" This time, Dashilisk is unable to respond as the hyper-chilled air surrounds it and suddenly freezes into icy crystals.

"Dashiiii!"

Brock comments, "Freeze-Dry is a move that's super effective against Water-Types, despite being an Ice-Type move. That hit would have done some major damage to Dashilisk."

Seeing the damage Dashilisk just took prompts Ash to swap it out. "Dashilisk, return!"

Brenda points out, "Both Ash and Ryu are really going all in on the switching in and out."

Brock nods. "They both know that they're very evenly matched trainers, and one mistake could be all it takes to turn the battle against them. They can't afford to use the wrong Pokémon."

"Solurtle, I choose you!"

A faint grin appears on Ryu's face.

"Solurtle, use Flamethrower!"

Ryu commands, "Stand firm, Baxcalibur!"

This surprises Ash. "But Baxcalibur is part Ice-Type! It can't resist fire like other Dragon-Types!"

Solurtle's breath of flames hits Baxcalibur. While the flames encompass its body, the Pokémon seems entirely unworried. The blade-like fin on its back begins to glow as heat from the fire is absorbed into it. A whirlwind of cold then surrounds Baxcalibur and blows the remaining fire away, and Baxcalibur somehow looks stronger.

Ryu asserts, "A foolish move that played right into my hands. Baxcalibur may be an Ice-Type, but it has a unique ability to absorb heat right out of the air and replace it with cold. This process powers it up. I wanted you to think a Fire-Type would have an advantage against it. Now, Baxcalibur, use Glaive Rush!"

"Calibuuuur!" Baxcalibur flips upside down and slides on its icy head towards Solurtle. It pivots about so that its now glowing blade-fin is pointing directly at Solurtle.

Ash grunts in frustration. "Solurtle, meet it with Rapid Spin!"

"Soool!" Solurtle throws itself at the incoming Pokémon as it withdraws into its shell and spins. The Pokémon collide, but Baxcalibur strikes much harder than Solurtle. Solurtle is thrown back and crashes into a boulder.

After a quick consideration, Ash pulls out a Pokéball. "Solurtle, return!"

Brenda questions, "Which Pokémon will Ash use next?"

Brock suggests, "I'm afraid he doesn't have many choices. Baxcalibur is actually a really powerful counter to his team. As an Ice-Type, it's super effective against Eagladiator, Arborrior, and Curemodo. With Freeze-Dry in its move set, you can add Dashilisk to that list as well. Add on the fact that its Thermal Exchange ability gives it the advantage against Fire-Types like Solurtle, and that leaves Ash with only one option."

As Brock says it, Ash points forward and declares, "Pikachu, I choose you!"

Pikachu runs forward onto the field. "Pika!"

Brock strokes his chin in contemplation. "It's in Ryu's interest to do as much damage to Pikachu as possible, as soon as possible. In fact, Baxcalibur is so finely tuned to that purpose, that I have to question if Ryu predicted that Ash was going to use this team."

Brenda gasps. "No way! That's not possible! We didn't even know that was Ash's plan!"

"Well, Ryu and Ash are rivals. They have a certain understanding of each other that no one else will ever have."

"But Ryu doesn't care at all about Ash."

"That what he claims, but Ash has always been there to challenge him. We don't always choose our rivals. Sometimes rivalries form on their own, regardless of our own thoughts on the matter."

Brenda slowly nods as she thinks over the implications of Brock's hypothesis. "Wow…"

Once Baxcalibur is back on its feet, Ryu orders, "Icicle Crash!"

"Baaaax!" Baxcalibur exhales a cold burst of air that flows over Pikachu and forms into massive icicles hanging in the air above it.

Ash quickly counters, "Pikachu, climb up the icicles!"

"Pik!" Pikachu leaps up just as the first icicle falls. Pikachu lands atop it, then leaps from it to the next icicle. From there, it jumps off, bouncing off the side of one icicle to give it a boost to the top of the highest one.

"Now Iron Tail!"

Pikachu leaps off the falling ice and towards Baxcalibur. "Chu, pika!" Pikachu's metallic tail slams into the side of Baxcalibur's head.

"Breaking Swipe, Baxcalibur!" Even as it reels back from Pikachu's hit, Baxcalibur manages to spin itself around to strike a return blow at Pikachu with its own tail. As Pikachu is sent hurtling away, Ryu follows up, "Freeze-Dry!"

Ash spots the stone pillar that Pikachu was flung towards and orders, "Pikachu, kick off from the rock! Go straight through the Freeze-Dry and use Thunderbolt!"

This draws a gasp from Brenda and an intrigued look from Brock.

Pikachu manages to kick off the pillar just as ordered. It braces itself just before passing through the extremely cold burst of air of the Freeze-Dry and manages to make it out the other side quickly enough to not sustain any notable damage. "Pikaaaaa chuuuuuuu!" It delivers the strongest electric shock it can manage against the icy dragon.

As it's being electrocuted, Ryu orders, "Icicle Crash!"

Even through the electric shock, Baxcalibur manages to generate another wave of giant icicles above Pikachu, who has only just landed on the opposite side of Baxcalibur. It has no chance to avoid them before they collapse down onto it, canceling the Thunderbolt and inflicting damage to Pikachu.

With the electricity gone, Ryu follows up, "Now Glaive Rush while it's down!"

"Baaaaaax!" Once again, the Pokémon flips onto its head and slides blade-fin first at Pikachu, who's still downed from the Icicle Crash.

Brock leans in slightly as he comments, "Ryu's battling smart here. Glaive Rush may be a powerful move, but using it leaves the user completely vulnerable to counter-attacks, so Ryu waited to use it until Pikachu was down to minimize the chance that Pikachu can strike back.

Ash either knows exactly that, or figures it out in the moment and encourages, "Pikachu! You have to get back up and attack with Iron Tail! Quickly!"

Pikachu was struggling to get back up, but with Ash's insistence, it gives it everything it's got and recovers just in time to use Iron Tail on the incoming Pokémon.

"Chu, pikaaaa!" Pikachu slams its tail into Baxcalibur's side. This forces the Pokémon to slide off uncontrollably perpendicular to its original direction.

"Now Electroweb!"

"Chu, pika, chuuu!" Pikachu flings an electrical orb ahead of Baxcalibur, which unfolds into the Electroweb. It is strung across the gap between two stone pillars directly in the path of Baxcalibur. And before the Pokémon can regain its control, it becomes ensnared by the web.

Ash grins. "Great job, Pikachu! Now let's give this next one everything we've got! Hallowed Lightning!"

"Pika, pika, chuuuuuu!" Pikachu throws a burst of electricity at Baxcalibur, which upon impact, summons down a massive bolt of lightning from the sky. Baxcalibur is completely immobilized by the Electroweb and unable to dodge or avoid in any capacity.

Once the lightning dissipates, Baxcalibur is left hanging limply from the Electroweb.

"Baxcalibur is unable to battle!"

Brenda cheers, "Yeah! Ash just got the first knockout of the match!"

Brock contends, "But it's taken a majority of his team to get to this point. And now Ryu has one massive advantage."

"He does? What is it?"

"His Dragonite is still fresh. It hasn't battled yet. Meanwhile, Pikachu is already starting to get worn down from that last match. If this battle comes down to a contest of each trainer's strongest Pokémon, then Ryu is currently the one favored to win."

Brenda silently contemplates this possibility.

Who's That Pokémon!?

This Pokémon walks rhythmically, swaying and shaking its hips as if it were dancing. Its motions are so bouncingly alluring, people seeing it are compelled to shake their hips without giving any thought to what they are doing.

Ryu recalls Baxcalibur and pulls out his next Pokéball. "Tyrantrum, to battle!"

"Tyraaaaaaan!" A large Tyrantrum appears, much to Ash's surprise.

"Wait, is that the same little Tyrunt we rescued?"

Tyrantrum, while standing next to Ryu, lowers its head and nuzzles against him for a moment. For a brief moment, Ryu looks annoyed at the Pokémon, but even he can't seem to be upset with the display of affection.

Ash grins widely. "It really is. Wow. Good for you, Tyrantrum. You're all big and strong now." He looks to Pikachu and asks, "You ready for a break?" Pikachu runs back to his side as Ash picks out his next Pokéball. "Dashilisk, I choose you!"

"Dashi dashi!"

Ryu orders, "Tyrantrum, Head Smash!"

"Tyraaaaaaaan!" Tyrantrum charges at Dashilisk with its head lowered. The crown atop its head glows as it prepares to strike.

Ash counters, "Dashilisk, get above it with Aqua Jet, then switch to Hydro Pump!" Dashilisk Aqua Jets straight up to avoid the Head Smash, twists about in the air, then uses Hydro Pump straight down. The attack forces Tyrantrum to lose balance and stumble forward. "Now dive down and use Dragon Claw!"

"Dashiiii!" Dashilisk tucks its arms and legs in so it can quickly plummet down towards the fallen Tyrantrum and attack from above with Dragon Claw.

But Ryu orders, "Draco Fang!" Without even bothering to stand back up, Tyrantrum quickly moves its jaw to chomp down on the incoming Dashilisk.

Dashilisk cries out, "Daaaash!"

With Dashilisk caught between its teeth, Tyrantrum stands back up and begins to shake its head from side to side as it continues to hold Dashilisk in its mouth.

Ash shouts, "Dashilisk! You need to use Dragon Claw to force it to let you go!"

"D-dash!" Dashilisk struggles, but it manages to use its one free hand to swipe at Tyrantrum's head. The attack is just enough to force Tyrantrum to open its jaw.

Ash grins as he realizes an opportunity. "Use Hydro Pump into its mouth and escape!"

Not only does Dashilisk strike Tyrantrum in an area with no armor plating, but the recoil from the attack propels Dashilisk away from Tyrantrum.

Tyrantrum roars in both anger and pain. "Tyraaaaaaaantruuuuum!"

Dashilisk lands on its feet and performs a quick dance to celebrate its freedom.

"Tyrantrum, use Meteor Beam!"

"Tyraaaaaan!" As Tyrantrum roars, it gathers a golden orb of energy in front of its mouth, from which a massive beam fires towards Dashilisk.

Dashilisk freezes mid-dance when it sees the size of the incoming beam. "Dashi…?"

Ash orders, "Dashilisk, Hydro Pump on the floor!"

Dashilisk attempts to use Hydro Pump on the floor to rocket itself up and over the beam, but it's not quite fast enough. The edge of the beam lands a glancing blow against Dashilisk, sending the Pokémon into an upwards tumble.

"And Head Smash!" Tyrantrum charges at Dashilisk with its head lowered once more. The attack is timed so that Tyrantrum rams into Dashilisk just as the Pokémon falls enough to be struck by the move. The force of the impact sends Dashilisk crashing into the nearest stone pillar. It falls limply to the ground.

"Dashilisk is unable to battle!"

It's Jynx!

After recalling Dashilisk, Ash takes a moment to consider his next move. He looks towards Tyrantrum, which is once again giving Ryu an affectionate nuzzle, which Ryu is doing his best to ignore. Ash picks his next Pokéball. "Go, Arborrior!"

"Arbooor!"

"Okay, Arborrior, let's use Wood Hammer!" Arborrior rushes forward with one arm out to the side. Green energy taking the form of a stump of wood surrounds the arm.

Ryu orders, "Head Smash!" Tyrantrum charges at the incoming Pokémon with its head lowered and glowing.

Just as Tyrantrum is about to ram into Arborrior, Ash orders, "Get low and slide to attack!"

"Borrior!" Arborrior lets itself fall backwards, supporting itself with its non-attacking arm. Using its momentum, it skids forward, traveling right underneath Tyrantrum. As it slides beneath Tyrantrum's belly, it thrusts its Wood Hammer up right into it.

Tyrantrum bellows, "Rantruuuuum!"

Ash quickly follows with, "Now Low Sweep!" While still down low, Arborrior performs a sweeping motion with its legs to kick right at Tyrantrum's feet, forcing the large Pokémon to trip and topple on its side with a thud. Ash grins. "Follow that with another Wood Hammer!"

Arborrior moves to attack again, but it finds it can't. "Borrior?" It looks down to see Tyrantrum's jaw has locked down on its legs.

Ryu orders, "Toss it up! Then Meteor Beam!"

"Tyraaanatruuuuum!" Tyrantrum leaps back up onto its feet and uses the momentum from its jump to add to its throwing force as it tosses Arborrior up into the air. As Arborrior arcs upwards, Tyrantrum generates another intense golden beam that erupts at the now falling Arborrior. Arborrior looks to have no hope of dodging.

Ash gets a different idea. "Arborrior! Use Wood Hammer to deflect the beam!"

"Borrior!" Arborrior swings its Wood Hammer at the beam like baseball bat and somehow knocks the beam aside.

"Now bring the hammer down on Tyrantrum!" Arborrior redirects its hammer straight down so it will onto Tyrantrum for an even more powerful blow.

"Dragon Tail, now!" Tyrantrum whips a glowing tail up at the incoming Arborrior, smashing it aside before it can land its Wood Hammer. "Follow with Meteor Beam!"

"Tyraaaaaaaaan!" Another beam is shot at Arborrior, and this time, before Arborrior can react, it slams against a pillar. This stuns it for just long enough for the Meteor Beam to hit its mark.

When the light from the beam dissipates, Arborrior has fallen.

"Arborrior is unable to battle!"

Tyrantrum stomps on the ground as it roars in triumph. "Tyraaaantruuuuuuuuum!"

Ash recalls Arborrior as he says to himself, "Tyrantrum is really powerful. It's hard to believe it's that same baby Tyrunt we found. Ryu really has done a great job raising it." He pauses after saying that, realizing the compliment he just gave his rival. "Okay, let's try this from a different angle! Let's try again, Eagladiator!"

"Eaglllllladiator!"

Ash advises, "Eagladiator, we've got to be careful to stay away from Tyrantrum's mouth. That's how it gets the upper hand. We steer clear of it, and we've got a shot at pulling this off.

Eagladiator nods an acknowledgement. "Gladiator."

"Okay! Then let's use Talon Grapple!"

"Eaglllllladiator!" The Pokémon flies at Tyrantrum from the side in an attempt to strike it with its talons.

Ryu commands, "Draco Fang!" Tyrantrum attempts to snatch Eagladiator out of the air with its jaw, but Eagladiator is able to dive underneath its head to avoid the teeth.

With Eagladiator below Tyrantrum's chin, Ash shouts, "Sky Uppercut! Go!" Eagladiator jabs its wingtip like a fist straight up into Tyrantrum's chin with such a force that Tyrantrum is flung up and forced into a backflip.

"And Talon Grapple! For real this time!" As Tyrantrum falls upside down to the ground, Eagladiator strikes it rapidly with its talons.

"Get it off you with Dragon Tail!" Even while tumbling through the air, Tyrantrum is able to use its tail to knock Eagladiator away and interrupt the attack before it causes too much damage. Eagladiator is flung upwards by the hit. Then Tyrantrum crashes into the ground with a thud.

"Eagladiator, use Brave Bird while its down!"

"Tyrantrum, don't waste time getting up! Use Meteor Beam instead!"

"Tyraaaaaaaaan!" Without even bothering to stand back up, Tyrantrum aims its Meteor Beam at Eagladiator, who is diving towards it, cloaked in the intense aura of Brave Bird.

"Keep on diving, Eagladiator and add in a Talon Grapple!"

This order earns Ash a raised brow from Ryu.

"Eaglllllladiator!" Without canceling its Brave Bird, Eagladiator thrusts a talon forward in front of it. When the Meteor Beam hits, the combined power of the Brave Bird and the Talon Grapple allow Eagladiator's talons to slice straight through the beam as it continues down to Tyrantrum. Just as the beam ends, Eagladiator tucks its wings in and slams into Tyrantrum with all the force it can muster. As Eagladiator flaps its wing to push itself away from Tyrantrum, the massive Pokémon's head falls to the ground.

"Tyrantrum is unable to battle!"

Ash cheers, "You did it, Eagladiator! That was amazing!"

Ryu returns Tyrantrum to its Pokéball and stares at the Pokéball for a few moments, before giving it a faint grin.

Ash catches this and knows exactly what Ryu's thinking, which makes him grin as well.

Ryu pulls out his next Pokéball. "Garchomp, return to battle!"

"Gaaaar!"

Brenda points out, "Ash recalled Eagladiator last time it was battling against Garchomp. Is he going to do the same here?"

Brock points out, "Ash has fewer options this time. He also tends to believe in keeping up momentum when possible. My guess is Eagladiator's staying in this time."

Ash proves Brock correct by ordering, "Eagladiator, use Talon Grapple!"

"Glaaaaadiator!" Eagladiator flies straight at Garchomp in order to strike it with its outstretched talons.

"Counter with Dual Chop!"

"Chooomp!" Garchomp raises each of arms, both glowing green. It lashes out with both of them in order to quickly parry Eagladiator's blows. Despite the ferocity of Eagladiator's blows, Garchomp is able to easily deflect each one of them. After several traded blows, it even moves fast enough to deliver a strike of its own right past Eagladiator's guard, knocking the Pokémon away.

"Hit it with Sand Tomb!" Garchomp thrusts its arms up, and at its command, the sand all around Eagladiator, which is lying on the ground, lifts up and slams down on it, burying it with incredible force.

Eagladiator shouts, "Eaglllllladiatoooor!" as it struggles to free itself from the sand, but it seems to be no use. Within another moment, it can struggle no longer.

"Eagladiator is unable to battle!"

Ash quickly recalls Eagladiator to get it free of the sand. He looks to Ryu with a grin. "It seems we've reached the half-way point of this battle." He glances up at the board displaying the Pokémon both trainers have used so far. "I may be trailing a little, but I'm far from through! Solurtle, come on back out!"

"Sooool!"

Brenda grimaces. "I sure hope Ash knows what he's doing, sending out a Fire and Steel-Type against a Ground-Type…"

"No wasting time, Solurtle! Sunny Day!"

"Soluuurtle!" The intensity of the ambient sunlight increases dramatically. Solurtle's solar panels shimmer as they absorb the light.

Ryu orders, "Don't let it charge up! Sand Tomb!" Garchomp once more causes the sand beneath Solurtle's feet to shift.

Ash seemed ready for this. "Rapid Spin! Go!" As the sand begins to surround it, Solurtle withdraws into its shell and spins. The rapid spinning repels the sand as it pounds down onto the shell. Already moving in a whirlpool like motion, the sand begins to spin even faster as it synergizes with Solurtle's spinning and becomes larger. The resulting sand tornado flings Solurtle into the air. "Solar Beam! Now!" Solurtle pops out of its shell and while Garchomp is still surprised by this turn of events, it unleashes an instantly charged Solar Beam, thanks to the harsh sunlight.

"Luuuuuurtle!" Before Garchomp can even consider dodging, the Solar Beam strikes and blasts it away. The recoil from the Solar Beam has also pushed Solurtle back so that it lands on an outcropping on one of the stone pillars.

Ryu orders, "Back on your feet and use Dragon Rush!"

"Gaaaaarchooooomp!" Garchomp leaps up and glides at Solurtle. As it flies, it becomes surrounded in draconic energy taking on the form of a dragon itself.

"Jump down, Solurtle!"

"After it, Garchomp!"

While Ash was clearly hoping that Garchomp would crash into the pillar, Garchomp is able to control its attack well enough to reangle itself back towards where Solurtle just landed on the ground.

"Give it another Solar Beam!"

"Soooooool!"

Garchomp flies straight through the Solar Beam as it dives at Solurtle, but not without taking some of the damage.

Ash shouts at the last second, "In your shell!"

Just before Garchomp crashes into it, Solurtle stops the Solar Beam and retreats into its shell. Garchomp strikes, resulting in a concussive blast that flings Solurtle away. But even as it crashes back into the ground, its shell seems to absorb most of the impact.

"Pursue it with Dragon Claw!" Garchomp rushes forward to attack with Dragon Claw before Solurtle can recover.

Ash doesn't give a counter right away. Instead, he waits until just the right moment, then orders, "Rapid Spin! Now!" Just as Garchomp is bringing its claws down on Solurtle, Solurtle spins. Garchomp hits the shell, but is flung away by the centrifugal force. "And let's end this with one last Solar Beam!"

"Sooooooool!" Solurtle pops from its shell and fires Solar Beam at Garchomp as it's still hurtling back. The beam strikes and pushes Garchomp back even faster. The Pokémon crashes against a pillar and falls to the ground.

"Garchomp is unable to battle!"

Ash grins. "And that puts us all tied up."

Ryu recalls Garchomp. "In numbers only. Both Pikachu and Solurtle have been through intense battles. Meanwhile, I still have three fresh Pokémon. We'll see how long things remain even. Archaludon, to battle!"

"Aaaarch!"

Ash commands, "Let's apply some heat! Flamethrower!"

"Luuurtle!" Solurtle's Flamethrower has its strength increased by the sunlight, resulting in an intense breath of flames.

"Archaludon, Dragon Pulse!"

"Ludoooon!" Archaludon unfolds its body and attacks with a purple orb of draconic energy. The orb flies straight through the incoming Flamethrower, deflecting the flames out in all different directions.

"Follow it with Electro Shot!" While still unfolded, Archaludon's entire body begins to course with electricity, which gathers at its head and fires as a powerful beam.

With both attacks moving towards Solurtle quickly, Ash orders, "Back in your shell!"

In its shell, Solurtle is easily able to withstand the initial Dragon Pulse. But then the Electro Shot hits and Solurtle's entire shell becomes electrified. This quickly spreads inside. Solurtle shouts out in pain, "Sooool!" as the electricity forces it to emerge once more.

"Archaludon, Body Press!"

"Archaaaaa!" As Archaludon folds its body back up, it leaps into the air, aiming its entire body at Solurtle. The stunned Solurtle has no chance at dodging the full-body impact of Archaludon.

"Luuurtle!"

Ash urges, "Get it with Flamethrower while it's on top of you!" Despite the pain from the attack, Solurtle is able to aim its head up and breathe flames directly at Archaludon's face. Some of the flames hit before forcing Archaludon to move back in order to avoid further damage. Solurtle stands back up. "Even more with Flamethrower, Solurtle!" Solurtle starts its flames anew.

"Metal Burst!" Archaludon's entire body glows silver just as the Flamethrower hits.

"Archaluuuuudooooon!" After absorbing the damage from the Flamethrower, the silver glow about Archaludon explodes off of its body and condenses into a silvery orb of light that's flung at Solurtle.

"Out of the way, Solurtle!" But Solurtle was committed to the spot it was standing to use Flamethrower and has no chance at dodging in time. The Metal Burst hits its target and causes Solurtle to tumble back.

"Electro Shot!" Archaludon unfolds and fires another electric beam at the tumbling Solurtle. It hits as well before Solurtle can recover, electrocuting it once more. Solurtle is starting to look weak as the damage takes a visible toll on its body.

To make matters worse, that's when Solurtle's Sunny Day runs out and the sunlight returns to a normal intensity.

Brenda worries, "Oh no! Sunny Day is over, and Solurtle's lost its momentum entirely! There's no way Ryu will let Ash get another Sunny Day in…"

Ash either doesn't agree or wants to test the theory for himself. "Solurtle! We need another Sunny Day!"

"Electro Shot!"

Before Solurtle can influence the weather again, it's pounded by another electrical beam. This time it falls to the floor as it writhes from the shock. Ash grunts as he watches. He seems to have no immediate plan for a counterattack. At least for a moment. Then inspiration hits.

"Solurtle! Fight through it and use Rapid Spin! Spin as fast as you can!"

At first, Solurtle seems unable to respond, but then it somehow finds the strength and fights through the shock to pull back into its shell. While this does nothing to shield from the electricity, it starts to spin about for Rapid Spin.

Ryu urges, "Keep it going, Archaludon! It won't last much longer like this!"

Solurtle spins faster and faster in place. Suddenly, it's spinning fast enough for something strange to occur. The electricity coursing through Solurtle seems to stop passing through its body, and instead floats about just outside its spinning shell. As Solurtle spins, the electricity begins to form a spiraling vortex around it.

Ash shouts with all his determination, "Do it!"

"Sooooool!" Solurtle flings itself at Archaludon with the electricity traveling with it. It passes straight through the incoming Electro Shot, using it to gather even more energy about it.

Ryu is shocked by the improvised move. Realizing it's too late to dodge, Ryu asserts, "Knock it off course with Dragon Pulse! Don't let this attack connect!"

"Archaaaaa!" Archaludon launches another Dragon Pulse at the incoming Solurtle. But the electricity orbiting around it effortlessly bats the Dragon Pulse aside, and it explodes harmlessly against a pillar.

With nothing else in its way, Solurtle slams its electrified spinning self into Archaludon. Archaludon cries out in pain as both the electricity and Solurtle's shell are forced into it. "Luuuuuuuudooooooon!"

As Solurtle bounces back from the attack, Archaludon collapses.

"Archaludon is unable to battle!"

Ash cheers, "You're on fire! Way to go, Solurtle!"

"Sol." Solurtle slowly nods in acknowledgement of Ash, but its injuries stop it from cheering along.

Ryu throws his next Pokéball. "Kommo-o, to battle!"

"Kommooooo!"

The moment Kommo-o appears, Ash is already making his first order, determined not to lose his chance. "Solurtle! Sunny Day! Quickly!"

Ryu orders, "Dispose of it with Brick Break!" Kommo-o's scales jangle as it rushes at Solurtle, prepared to strike with a glowing fist.

"Sooooool!" But before Kommo-o can strike, Solurtle has completed Sunny Day. But the moment the sunlight intensifies, Kommo-o plows its fist into Solurtle, blasting the Pokémon onto its back and knocking it out.

"Solurtle is unable to battle!"

Brenda demands with frustration, "What was Ash thinking!? He had to know that Solurtle was on the cusp on being knocked out! Getting Sunny Day active again was worthless!"

Brock grins as he chuckles. "Oh, no it wasn't. It wasn't in the least. I think it's time for us to welcome back an old friend." Brenda looks at him with surprise.

Ash recalls Solurtle and says to the Pokéball, "Thanks for that, Solurtle. Sorry I couldn't have you fight there, but that Sunny Day was vital to the next phase of this battle." He puts away the Pokéball and grins as he pulls out the next and enlarges it. "Ryu, this is where our battle truly transforms into a clash of rivals. This is where we enter the climax."

Ryu nods. "Send it out. I'll admit that I'm curious to see what it's learnt."

This earns a smirk from Ash. "Curemodo, I choose you!"

"Mooooodo!" The Pokémon takes a moment to soak in the strong sunlight.

Now Brenda realizes what Brock meant. "Curemodo! Its ability is Cold Blooded! Its speed is increased in sunlight! Of course!"

Done taking in sunlight, Curemodo turns its attention to Kommo-o. In turn, Kommo-o has its gaze locked on Curemodo. The two Pokémon stare fiercely at one another. "Modo."

"Komo."

Somewhere in the audience stands, Team Rocket, disguised as concessions salespeople, regroup. Jessie says, "That's all of mine planted."

James nods. "As are mine."

Meowth adds, "Mine too. We're ready whenever we get the signal. The plan is a go."

James suddenly squeals as he catches sight of the battlefield below. "Oh my goodness! Is that Curemodo!?"

Jessie and Meowth jump in surprise. They both shout, "Curemodo!? Where!?" as they look all around. Then they spot the battle too.

Meowth declares, "It really is! Back from its special training with the Dragon Master!"

Jessie wipes tears from her eyes as she declares with joy, "To think, we helped that little Pokémon with special training before the Dragon Master did. We're in good company."

"Wobbuffet!"

James, like a child, begs, "Can we take a break and watch? Please!"

Meowth suggests, "Well, we did wrap up everything on our end of the plan. I think we've earned ourselves a break." With that, they all dart into nearby seats.

Ash kicks the battle off by declaring, "Let's show him what you've learned, Curemodo! Dragon Force!"

Ryu also shouts, "You too, Kommo-o! Dragon Force!"

Curemodo adopts the arms at its side stance that Kommo-o once taught it. Kommo-o takes the same stance. Both Pokémon gather purple draconic energy into their bodies.

At the same time, Brock and Brenda, as well as Team Rocket lean in to see the result.

Much quicker than ever before, Curemodo unleashes all of the gathered energy into a beam that's larger than ever before. "Curemoooooooodooooooo!"

Kommo-o also fires its beam near simultaneously. "Kommoooooooo!"

The two Dragon Forces collide, but, to everyone's surprise, Curemodo's beam is larger and more powerful. It easily rips through Kommo-o's beam and continues on towards the Pokémon.

Realizing it's going to hit, Ryu orders, "Block it!"

"Kommo-o-o!" Kommo-o crosses its arms in front of itself to use its armor plating to protect itself from the beam. The beam forces it to skid back several feet, but it seems to successfully absorb most of the damage. After lowering its guard Kommo-o looks at Curemodo and gives it a subtle nod of approval.

Curemodo catches this, and returns the gesture.

Brenda marvels, "Wow! Curemodo used to take forever to charge Dragon Force! And now it can do it just as fast as Kommo-o!"

Brock adds, "Not only that, but it was able to overpower Kommo-o's Dragon Force, which is a significant achievement. That training with Dragon Master Holloman really paid off!"

Even Ryu seems mildly impressed. But the look is short-lived. "Kommo-o! Brick Break!"

"Kommoooo!" Kommo-o runs at Curemodo, just as it did with Solurtle before.

"Curemodo, dodge and use Cross Poison!"

"Modoooo!" As Kommo-o approaches, Curemodo dashes to the side with incredible speed granted to it from the warmth of the sunlight. In the blink of an eye, Curemodo is behind Kommo-o and swiping its arms down in an X pattern, leaving behind a trail of poison.

Kommo-o is flung forward by the attack. "Kommo!"

"Now use Ice Fang!" Curemodo runs at the downed Kommo-o to bite down on its with glowing white fangs. Once again, it's too fast for Kommo-o to do anything about, and Curemodo bites down on Kommo-o's shoulder, purposefully aiming for a spot with no armor scales.

Unworried, Ryu cooly commands, "Clanging Scales!"

"Kooooooo…mmooooooo!" Kommo-o vibrates all the scales on its body, which jangle about as they hit each other. This intensifies into a purple shockwave of sound that rips out to blast Curemodo. Curemodo is flung away by the attack.

Ryu follows with, "And Dragon Force!"

"Kommoooooo!" Before Curemodo can get back up, the Dragon Force has already been launched.

Hitting where Curemodo touches the floor, the force of the attack flings Curemodo up into the air, moving towards a pillar.

"Curemodo! Kick off the pillar and use Cross Poison!"

Just before hitting the side of the pillar, Curemodo uses its legs to kick off of it and sends itself rocketing towards Kommo-o as it prepares to attack with Cross Poison.

"Kommo-o, Counter!" Kommo-o raises its arms to guard from the attack and they glow orange. As Curemodo slashes at it with poison-steeped claws, it lashes back with even greater force, blasting Curemodo away again.

Curemodo lands on the ground and skids to a halt. Ash orders, "Ice Fang!"

"Counter!"

Kommo-o prepares to counter Curemodo's attack again, but Curemodo uses its speed to suddenly appear behind Kommo-o and attack where it's not guarding.

Ryu grunts, but orders, "Brick Break!" Without turning, Kommo-o slams a fist backwards to hit Curemodo and knock it away.

Team Rocket are sitting at the edge of their seats. They're all throwing fistfuls of popcorn into their mouths.

A young man a few rows down shouts up to them, "Hey, can I get some popcorn down here!"

Without peeling his eyes away from the fight, Meowth shouts, "Go get it yourself!" completely ignoring the uniform he's dressed in.

The man slowly sits back down with some embarrassment.

Curemodo and Kommo-o have entered an intense session of close combat, each reflecting their own unique styles. Curemodo is constantly on the move. Whenever it thinks it has an opening, it lunges in with great speed to strike with Cross Poison or Ice Fang. While Kommo-o remains rooted firmly in place. It uses Counter where it can in order to block Curemodo's attacks. If it can't, it simply absorbs the blows and attacks back with Brick Break.

Curemodo comes in from above to attack with Ice Fang, but Kommo-o is prepared for it and strikes upwards with Brick Break. But Curemodo is able to abort, land on the ground, and suddenly reappear to Kommo-o's side and attack with Cross Poison instead. The attack lands but leaves Curemodo open for a Brick Break counterattack. Kommo-o attempts to land a second attack with its other fist, but Curemodo is already out of the way and attacking with Ice Fang from the opposite side. Curemodo manages to move its arm just in time to have Curemodo bite down on a scale to drastically reduce the damage taken. With Curemodo biting down on its arm scale, Kommo-o powerfully thrusts its arm up, which flings Curemodo up with it.

Ryu breaks the sparring session by ordering, "Clanging Scales!"

"Koooooooommooooooooooo!" The concussive force of the sound strikes Curemodo once more, blasting it to a distance.

"Get ready for Dragon Force, Curemodo!" Even as it falls to the ground, Curemodo begins to gather energy for Dragon Force, a feat that would have been impossible for it before its training.

"Modoooooooo!" It unleashes the purple beam the moment it lands on the ground.

All Kommo-o can do is raise its arms into a guard stance. Once more, it goes skidding back from the force of the attack, but it remains on its feet.

At this point, Curemodo is starting to tire. The attacks from Kommo-o it's taken, combined with its nonstop movement are beginning to take their toll.

In that moment, Ash realizes something. "Curemodo! Kommo-o's entire strategy revolves around standing firm and blocking attacks! We could keep throwing everything we've got at it, and never make a dent. We need to uproot it!"

Curemodo nods in understanding. "Modo."

"Get in close, Curemodo!" Curemodo rushes forward.

Ryu warns, "Stand firm, Kommo-o! Be ready to block!"

"Kommo-o-o!" Kommo-o widens its stance and readies itself.

"Curemodo, Venoshock to its face!"

"Cuuuure!" Curemodo spews a burst of toxic fluid at Kommo-o. Kommo-o attempts to block it, but much of the liquid makes it around its arms to hit its face. This forces Kommo-o to shut its eyes in discomfort and stagger back ever so slightly.

"Now's our chance! Cross Poison!"

"Modooooo!" Curemodo aims its Cross Poison lower and strikes at Kommo-o's unguarded belly. Though it hits armor scales that reduce the damage, it strikes with enough force to send the disbalanced Kommo-o tumbling back.

"Dragon Force! Go!"

"Cuuuuuuuuremoooooooodoooooooo!" Curemodo launches its fastest Dragon Force yet, and this time from close range.

"Get up, Kommo-o!" Despite Ryu's urging, Kommo-o isn't able to do it in time. The Dragon Force overtakes it, and it has no chance to block it.

When the light of the beam fades, Kommo-o remains still on the floor.

"Kommo-o is unable to battle!"

James leaps up, gives a powerful clap, and declares, "That's our Curemodo! Yeah!"

Meowth and Jessie also get up for a standing ovation. While much of the audience is applauding, Team Rocket stands out like a sore thumb for how much more they're cheering. It earns them several uncomfortable glances.

Brenda applauds as she cheers, "Curemodo was able to defeat its rival! And now Ryu's down to his last Pokémon!"

Brock reminds her, "Don't expect Ryu's Dragonite to go down easy. The hardest part of this battle for Ash has yet to come."

Ryu recalls Kommo-o and stands still for a moment as he contemplates something. Finally, he looks Ash directly in the eyes and declares, "Without a team of Dragons, you have pushed me to my absolute limits. But make no mistake. This battle is far from over."

Without needing to be told, Dragonite takes flight and lands in front of Ryu. It roars as it readies for battle.

Ash grins. "Ryu, I've never managed to defeat Dragonite before. I've come so close, so many times. But ever since it was just a Dratini, it's always been the one to stop me from winning. I don't plan on letting that happen again."

Ryu nods. "I'm sure you don't. But you also don't understand what you're up against this time. Dragonite and I have increased our power and our bond tenfold while training with the Dragon Master. Curemodo may have gotten stronger, but it's nothing compared to how we've changed. In fact, you've pushed me so close to my limits, that I'm about to do something I told myself I would save for the finals. But if we lose here, then there is no finals." He reaches into his pocket to pull something out.

This intrigues Ash. "What's this?"

Ryu pulls a closed fist out from his pocket and thrusts it out. Dramatically, he turns his palm up and opens his fist to reveal two round stones in it. It's a Key Stone and a Mega Stone.

Ash's eyes widen. "No way…"

Ryu throws the Mega Stone to Dragonite, who raises an arm to catch it without looking back to Ryu, a clear demonstration of their bond and how in sync they are with each other. Ryu holds up the Mega Stone and declares, "Show everyone your true power, Dragonite! Mega Evolve!" The Key Stone begins to glow intensely.

Dragonite flies up into the sky and roars as it also holds its stone upwards. The Key Stone and Mega Stone connect with tendrils of energy and Dragonite is enveloped by an orb of power.

Everything gets darker and storm clouds cover the sky. The bright sunlight is completely obscured. Just as the energy surrounding Dragonite breaks away, a blinding flash of lighting appears immediately behind it, silhouetting its new form.

Ash, Pikachu, and Curemodo all look up at it in awe. The wind from the storm blows at them.

An intense battle between rivals, with neither willing to give an inch. Ryu has just pulled out his trump card in this battle against Ash. Can our hero withstand the coming storm? Or will he be blown away? Next time: The battle concludes!

To Be Continued…