"Okay guys, what's on the schedule for today?" Ash asked, stretching as he walked into the main area of the Pokemon Center.
"I know we have that tournament event Professor Juniper was talking about coming up, but I thought we could check out Celestial Tower in the meantime." Rosa offered.
"Celestial Tower?" Ash asked curiously.
"It's a bit north of the city, apparently ringing the bell on the top of the tower rings to show the true nature of whoever rings it." Rosa pointed out.
"Works for me." Ash said nonchalantly.
First Floor of the Celestial Tower
"If you think you'll reach the bell before me you won't get past without a fight." A boy in purple said confidently.
"I can get behind that." Ash said. "Larvesta I choose you!"
"Elgyem come out!"
"Larvesta use Leech Life!"
"Elgyem use Psybeam!"
Larvesta scuttled forward, dodging the beam from Elgyem before latching onto the psychic type, sinking his teeth into the strange Pokemon.
"Elgyem use Headbutt!"
"Larvesta use String Shot!"
Larvesta leapt off of Elgyem just in time to avoid their attack before wrapping the psychic type up in his silk.
"Now Larvesta use Ember!"
"Elgyem break free!"
Larvesta sent out a flurry of embers that engulfed Elgyem, fueled by the string shot wrapping them up, knocking out the psychic type.
"You've bested me, I guess you can continue on to the next floor." The boy said.
"Alright, let's keep moving." Ash said, recalling Larvesta as he went.
On the second floor
"Let me guess, you also want a battle?" Ash asked, noticing a girl with cat ears.
"Good guess. Litwick come out!"
"Ash, Litwick is a ghost and fire type." Elliot pointed out.
"Good to know." Ash said. "Trubbish I choose you!"
"He chose Trubbish." Rosa said. "Wouldn't Dewott, or Riolu, or even I don't know Braviary have been a better choice?"
"Depends on who he has, but Ash has beaten worse odds." Elliot pointed out.
"Trubbish use Sludge Wave!"
"Litwick use Ember!"
Trubbish sent out a wave of poisonous sludge as it was immediately sent up in flames, damaging Trubbish a bit in the process.
"Litwick use Hex!"
"Trubbish use Sludge!"
Trubbish's sludge broke through Litwick's strange attack, soaking the fire and ghost type in the poisonous goop.
"Litwick use Fire Spin!"
"Trubbish use Sludge!"
Litwick sent out a swirl of flames, igniting the goop around them, creating a cloud of smoke as it also engulfed the incoming Sludge.
"Trubbish needs a stronger attack to get through those flames." Rosa said.
"Trubbish use Sludge!" Ash called out.
"Litwick use Ember!"
Trubbish let loose a more concentrated blast of poisonous sludge, easily overpowering the ember and striking Litwick with full force.
"Did Trubbish just get a more powerful sludge?" Rosa asked in confusion.
"Close, that was a Sludge Bomb!" Ash cheered. "Alright Trubbish use Sludge Bomb one more time!"
Trubbish unleashed a Sludge Bomb, striking Litwick for the win.
"Come on guys we're on a roll here!" Ash said, rushing forward towards the stairs.
On the third floor
"Dewott use Fury Cutter!"
"Gothorita use Confusion!"
"He's not even waiting for us this time." Rosa commented.
"Wasn't that the idea of this?" Elliot whispered.
"Maybe, but he could have at least waited for us." Rosa pointed out as Dewott was locked in combat with the black psychic type.
"Dewott use Razor Shell!"
"Gothorita use Psyshock!"
Dewott rolled out of the way of Gothorita's attack, sending one of his scalchops flying forward, striking the center of the psychic type causing it to drop down in pain.
"Gothorita get up and use Faint Attack!"
"Dewott use Aqua Jet!"
Dewott coated himself in water, launching forward with speed and force, pushing through Gothorita's attack and sending the psychic type into the wall.
"Gothorita use Psyshock!"
"Dewott use Fury Cutter!"
Dewott pushed through the psychic attack, striking Gothorita with one of his scalchops length wise, knocking out the psychic type.
"Alright Dewott!" Ash cheered.
"Dew." Dewott said proudly.
"Great work Ash!" Rosa cheered under a facade.
Floor four
"Let me guess if I want to go up to the roof and ring the bell I have to defeat you as well?" Ash asked confidently.
"Yes, but I doubt you'll win that easily. Frillish come out!" The trainer said, sending out a pink jellyfish Pokemon.
"Pikachu, you're up! Use Thunderbolt!"
"Frillish use Shadow Ball!"
The shadow ball and thunderbolt connected, sending out a cloud of smoke surrounding the two Pokemon and their trainers.
"Elliot, can you see anything?" Rosa asked.
"Rosa I'm right next to you. DO YOU THINK I CAN SEE MORE THAN YOU!?" Elliot countered.
"Pikachu use Charge Beam!"
"Frillish use Brine!"
Pikachu sent out a straight beam of electricity at Frillish, striking the jellyfish before being engulfed by a blast of water from the ground.
"Pikachu use another Charge Beam!" Ash called out.
"Pi!" Pikachu exclaimed, sending out another electrical shot.
"Frillish use Night Shade!"
Frillish shuddered from the electrical attack as Pikachu was engulfed by the shadowy force from the most recent attack.
"Pikachu use Thunderbolt!"
"Frillish use Shadow Ball!"
Pikachu's Thunderbolt pierced through Frillish's attack this time, having been powered up by the charge beams, blasting into Frillish and sending their limp body down to the floor, knocking them out.
"That's all four floors." Ash said. "Let's head to the roof and ring that bell Pikachu!" Ash cheered.
"Pika Pi!" Pikachu exclaimed, following Ash up the stairs.
Up on the roof
"So this is the bell then?" Ash asked, seeing the large bell.
"Looks like it." Rosa commented. "Go on ring it, you earned it."
"Right, right." Ash said, walking over to the bell.
'DING DONG DING DONG'
The bell echoed out across the skies above Mistralton City and the surrounding areas.
"Was that a good ring or a bad ring?" Ash asked.
"Does it matter?" Rosa asked.
"Of course it matters." Ash pointed out.
"You didn't think once about what N said climbing up here, did you?" Elliot asked.
"No, I guess I didn't do that." Ash admitted.
"Exactly, good or bad he got into your head and this got him out of your head. You didn't think about your decisions being good or bad, you just fought with your heart like you always have." Rosa reminded.
"You did this all on purpose, didn't you." Ash commented.
"Maybe." Rosa commented.
"Okay, no more beating ourselves up." Ash said, looking out over the edge of the tower. "Pikachu, you and I have been through more than enough to be sure of our tactics, regardless of what anyone says."
"Pika Pi!" Pikachu cheered in agreement.
"And next up is the Clubsplosion!" Ash cheered.
Ash's Current Team and their Moves
Pikachu: Quick Attack - Thunderbolt - Iron Tail - Charge Beam
Riolu- Force Palm - Blaze Kick - Bullet Punch - Rock Slide
Servine: Wrap - Leaf Tornado - Energy Ball - Aqua Tail
Braviary: Wing Attack - Slash - Hone Claws - Aerial Ace
Darmanitan: Hammer Arm - Flame Wheel - Belly Drum - Rollout
Trubbish: Sludge Bomb - Double Slap - Toxic Spikes - Sludge Wave
Larvesta: String Shot - Ember - Leech Life
Dewott: Razor Shell - Fury Cutter - Revenge - Aqua Jet