Chapter 114; Rival vs new rival
A flock of swablus in the shape of a V flew peacefully across the Hoennian skies, above Mauville city.
Ash's gaze followed them as he led his friends back to Mauville, a blank expression etched on his face.
Subconsciously he took out his gym badge case.
He observed the newly acquired one, the heat badge.
The battle with gym leader Flannery had been quite the challenge with her Torkoal being an absolute unit thanks to its ability to retreat into its shell and block any attack.
"Or at least any attack I could throw".
With an improvised side strike of crabhammer, Torkoal had been forced out and subsequently fell to Ash, earning him the 4th badge.
Following his victory, Ash had convinced his friends to take it easy and plan their next destination instead of immediately setting out.
The destination was pretty much predetermined as Ash would now have to head back to Petalburg city for the 5th gym badge but he actively engaged in debates on other possibilities.
Brock, May and Max knew it too.
And, although they didn't confront Ash about it, they knew Ash had been staking out near Flannery's gym.
It didn't take a genius to know what he was waiting for.
Or more accurately who he was waiting for.
Another non-Ash course of action the pallet town trainer had been taking recently, even after leaving Lavaridge town, was to immediately get to training whenever things got too peaceful or there was nothing to do.
That, as Brock knew better than May or Max, wasn't Ash acting normally.
The Ash he knew, knew how to relax. He would engage into fun activities with them or his pokemon.
But this Ash seemed like someone trying to keep himself busy at all costs. Trying to avoid confronting his thoughts.
Brock didn't mind the training itself as the brawl at the peak of Mt Chimney had shown them all how truly out of their waters they were about such situations.
Situations that Sonic, Tails and Knuckles had dealt with in Johto to a much more dangerous level and with a lot more at stake.
Despite his current stance regarding Sonic, Brock couldn't not respect the hedgehog.
The museum brawl had been nothing compared to that.
Brock and May had had a talk about the volcano brawl after their success at crossing the desert with Ash's new pokemon, Torkoal, joining them.
May shared his views on the seriousness of both brawls and admitted this was the primary reason she had asked Sonic for help in Slateport city.
The blue hedgehog was a lot more battle hardened than they could ever dream of. And May also admitted that she didn't believe Blaze's statement on Sonic taking on all of team Magma at meteor falls until she saw him in battle with her own two eyes.
"Do you think Ash is training for a match with Sonic?"
"No. I've seen that behavior. Ash preparing to battle Sonic would have been bursting with excitement and anticipation. And above all he would be absolutely certain he would win this time. This isn't it".
"Then what is it?" May had asked in concern.
"I have no idea. And that's what worries me the most" Brock had admitted.
"This can't go on" Brock thought in the present "first chance I get, I will have him spill everything".
As the group arrived at Mauville city, intending to travel west through the Rustuff tunnel to Rustboro city and from there to Petalburg city, Brock confronted Ash as they waited for May and Max to get their supplies.
And the way he went about it was simply staring at Ash.
"What?"
Nothing.
"Brock?"
Nothing.
"Earth to Brock you ok?"
"Yes".
"Then why are you staring? Is there a cute girl in front of me?"
"Haha very funny".
Ash was now perplexed. Brock wasn't one to joke about girls.
"What's wrong?"
"You tell me".
"Me? I got nothing to say".
"Just fess up already Ash. We know you have been waiting for Sonic to show up in Lavaridge town".
Ash was flabbergasted.
"You were spying on me?"
"Yes. Because we are worried. You are not acting like yourself ever since Mt chimney. It's been two weeks and…"
Ash didn't need more to crack.
"It's been two weeks and he is still off the grid. I mean where even is he?!"
"So you want to meet with him? Why?"
Ash averted his gaze.
"When we were at Lavaridge… I thought I wanted to watch his battle with Flannery. See how he would deal with her Torkoal. When we were leaving I thought this was the end of it. But then we left and I still couldn't calm down unless I faced him again".
"Why? I thought you didn't want to ever see him again after Forina. You admitted yourself you only tolerated his presence for May at the contest".
"I did… but that was before…"
"Before what?"
Ash sighed.
"Before he risked his life to save the enforcer, his old bully, from dying".
Brock nodded after a moment of consideration.
"That was indeed a stupid move. Noble but stupid. Shadow tried to get him killed twice in Forina. And yet, twice Sonic has spared or saved his life".
Ash was going to continue but May and Max returned with the supplies.
He and Brock quietly agreed they would talk it over more later.
The group then departed for the Rustuff tunnel, passing outside the HQ of Socexp in the process.
Needless to say, all four travelers were on edge. They were prime targets for Shadow if he chose to come after them.
The anxiety ended when they were far away from the tower, outside the city now and travelling down route 117.
As they were walking, Brock tried to continue the conversation.
"Why are you bothered by Sonic's actions towards Shadow so much?"
Ash tried to his best to answer but found it very hard.
"I… I'm not sure. There's so many reasons that I can't really pick one. But there is something… something that bothers me a lot and makes me wish to confront Sonic again".
"What is it?"
"Twice, no wait thrice, Sonic had the chance to let Shadow suffer the consequences of his actions".
"Thrice?"
"Yes. Once when Shadow was tied down and Sonic returned to save him from the Groudon's tentacles, twice when he could have chosen to redirect Jirachi's blast towards Shadow instead of himself and thrice on mt Chimney".
Brock nodded with a subtle hint of surprise. Indeed it was thrice. He motioned to Ash to continue.
"Thrice Sonic had the choice to get back at Shadow and thrice he went out of his way to save him. He risked his life all 3 times too. And I can't stand that".
"Why? Because you're still angry at him?"
Ash hesitated.
"Because I'm still so mad at him… that if I was in his place and he was in Shadow's… I don't think I would have saved him any of the 3 times".
Brock was shocked. He didn't expect to hear that from Ash. From the same Ash who had pulled so many reckless stunts before to save one pokemon. Like lifting and throwing that log to save that bagon from falling into the water recently.
Sure Ash was right to be angry but to hear that same Ash confess that he would likely leave Sonic to meet his doom…
"That is so wrong on so many levels Ash".
"I know but…"
"Hey guys, I've been thinking" May joined in, stopping Ash from finishing his sentence.
"What's on your mind?" Brock casually asked her, not wanting to give away hints to the dark talk he and Ash were having.
"Verdanturf town has a contest happening in two days. I would like to participate so maybe we could stop there for a couple of days".
"Sure thing" Ash eagerly said, his mind focusing on the training he and May would to to prepare her and to pass the time.
He needed the distraction badly.
Otherwise all he would end up thinking was if he was as much of a donuthole as…
An electric discharge was heard nearby. The sound was similar to…
"A thunder punch!" Ash rushed to the source without thinking.
"Ash where are you going?!" May exclaimed as they chased their friend who was quickly straying from the path.
Ash rushed through the bushes, hearing thunder punch go off again, certain it was Sonic.
Just as he emerged into a clearing, he saw a thunder punch heading his way.
He ducked, dodging the attack.
The thunder punch crashed into a short tree behind him, completely uprooting it.
Ash turned, fully expecting to see Raichu.
But what he saw instead was…
"A kirlia?!" he asked in shock.
"Ash!" his friends finally caught up.
"Are you ok?" May instantly asked him.
"I'm fine".
"Why did you rush off?" Max asked next.
"I heard this Kirlia using thunder punch and just followed the sound" he explained without giving many details.
May's eyes fell on Kirlia. It seemed strangely familiar.
Her beautifly then came out of its pokeball and greeted Kirlia, almost as if they knew each other.
And May quickly realized they did know that Kirlia.
"This belongs to…"
"May?"
They all turned and met the sight of the familiar green hair.
"Wally? Is that you?" May immediately rushed to greet him.
Wally shook her hand.
"Long time no see".
"You're the kid that was following Sonic around right?" Brock asked for clarification.
"His biggest fan" Ash added.
"That's true. But I am not just his fan anymore" Wally said pulling the left side of his jacket outwards.
Inside, the stone badge and the Knuckle badge were glimmering.
"You are also taking place in the gym challenge?!" Ash exclaimed in surprise.
It wasn't so long ago Wally was only a beginner who had helped them in the museum brawl.
To have two badges already…
"That's some impressive progress" Brock commented "and the fact that your Ralts evolved into Kirlia before you had any badge is even more impressive".
"How do you know that?"
"Sonic told us. Brave move, standing up to your family" May commented.
"Appreciated. What have you all been up to? I haven't seen you since May's first contest".
"A whole lot happened. Like a lot a lot ".
"Interesting. And how many badges so you have?" Wally asked Ash.
Ash took out his badge case and showed it to Wally.
"Four badges?! My guy! You are crashing it! You must absolutely battle me!"
"Battle you?" Ash was surprised "it's not an even match. I got 4 badges you only got 2".
"Oh you would be surprised at how much progress me and my pokemon have made".
Ash was both impressed and surprised at Wally's confidence. It was kinda mirroring his own.
"Where did that confidence come from?" he wondered. The Wally he remembered was a shy fanboy.
"Alright. Full battle?"
"Agreed".
"Alright. How many pokemon do you have?"
"Four".
"I see. I got five. Let me just choose one out…"
"You know what? Don't. Use all of them".
"Five against four? And with me having two more badges? That's not in your favor".
"It's ok. I want to push my limits further. You are the perfect opportunity for this".
Ash was familiar with this line of thought. He liked pushing his limits further himself. But something told him that Wally, being heavily influenced by his liking of Sonic, had a different idea of what pushing his limits meant.
"Alright. But remember" Ash said taking out Swellow's pokeball "you asked for this".
"I know" Wally grinned taking out a pokeball of his own.
"On three!" Brock said as he would be the referee "one, two, three!"
"Swellow I choose you!"
"Gyarados! Bring forth the storm!"
Swellow came out and was immediately intimidated. It was facing one of the biggest Gyarados Ash had seen in his entire life.
"That thing's huge!" Ash stumbled back one step in shock.
"Like my buddy? Wait until you see him in action! Gyarados! Bite!"
Gyarados lunged at Swellow, biting down hard, almost swallowing it in the process due to sheer difference in size.
"Swellow! Wing attack!"
Swellow, not flinching in the face of the bite, attacked Gyarados with its right wing, striking at the palate of the massive water and flying type. Gyarados, disgusted due to the strike, spat Swellow back out.
"Impressive strike. But let's see you handle this! Dragon rage!"
Gyarados fired the powerful move. Swellow weaved around, trying desperately to not get struck by the powerful attack but was ultimately unable to outrun it.
Dragon rage landed, knocking Swellow out of the sky and out of the battle.
Ash was shocked. His Swellow had taken so much punishment in his battles. And yet that Gyarados struck it down with a single strike.
"He is stronger that I could have imagined. He trained on his own after he and Sonic split and grew this powerful. He evolved his Magikarp into Gyarados in only a month!" Ash thought horrified, only now realizing after having claimed Wally stood no chance that the kid had pulled an uno reverse on him.
"Whenever you're ready. I can wait all day" Wally said confidently.
Ash was bothered by his opponent's attitude.
It reminded him a lot of Sonic.
But also a lot of himself.
And that he couldn't handle right now.
"Pikachu! I choose you!"
"Pikachu! Pika pika!"
Wally frowned, weighing his options.
That Pikachu had defeated a Suicune. Gyarados was at a massive disadvantage. But at the same time, none of his other 3 pokemon would have a much better fight against it.
Wally decided Gyarados needed to take one for the team.
"I'm sticking with Gyarados".
In hindsight, with all of the context Sonic had given Wally regarding Ash's battling style plus what Wally had seen in Ash's battles with Brawly and Blaze, he was sure an opening would present itself before Pikachu could defeat Gyarados.
And he was proven right the next moment.
"Let's go Pikachu! Quick attack!"
Pikachu on its own was faster than Gyarados. The use of quick attack was pointless as all of Pikachu's moves would go off first. But Ash was none the wiser for it.
Pikachu slammed into Gyarados' jaw, actually causing the massive pokemon to raise its head to the sky, impressing Wally.
"That was a good strike. But I hate to say it, Sonic and Blaze were right. You never learn! Gyarados, dragon rage!"
Gyarados lowered its head back towards Pikachu again and unleashed the dragon rage, just as Pikachu was ricocheting from the quick attack.
Pikachu crashed down in front of Ash, badly bruised but still standing.
"Pikachu! Take down that Gyarados! Thunder attack!"
"Pikaaa… chuuuuu!"
Thunder came crashing down on Gyarados. The pokemon let out an ear piercing roar, shaking the leaves of the bushes around them.
The thunder dissipated. Gyarados remained perfectly still for a moment before growling and toppling with a big thud, knocking Pikachu up.
"Ha! Take that! That'll teach you not to say I never learn!"
"Are you sure about that?" Wally genuinely asked him as he recalled Gyarados thanking it.
"Your fainted Gyarados agrees with me".
"And your bruised Pikachu agrees with me".
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"I'll explain once we're done!" Wally said picking his next pokemon "Go!"
"Gro!" a grovyle emerged from the pokeball.
"A grovyle?! Now we're talking! Pikachu return! I choose you! Grovyle!"
Ash's grovyle emerged, facing down Wally's grovyle as if it was staring at a mirror, with the exception that Ash's grovyle had a twig in its mouth.
"So it finally evolved. Let's see what you got! Grovyle! Screech!"
Grovyle let out a defeaning screech, causing Ash's grovyle to let its guard down as it tried to cover its ears, wherever those were, to stop the sound.
"Grovyle! Bullet seed!" Ash called out the attack as he also covered his ears.
Grovyle started firing bullet seeds.
"Dodge them with quick attack!"
Wally's Grovyle disappeared for a moment, moving so fast it was able to glance at the bullet seeds as it weaved through them, to eventually slam sideways into Ash's Grovyle, causing it to stumble back.
As Ash's grovyle tried to regain its balance, Wally went further on the offensive.
"Now Grovyle! Leaf blade!"
"Counter with leaf blade!" Ash also called the attack.
The leaf blades clashed with the impact sending a small wind current around it. Although neither Grovyle was injured, the attack pushed Ash's Grovyle further back into defensive stance because of its already bad posture at the moment of the attack.
And Wally, having been adopting Sonic's style and infusing it with his own elements, continued striking.
"Grovyle! Now's our chance! Fury cutter!"
Grovyle slashed at its opponent with an unexpected attack. Normally fury cutter wasn't a powerful attack but as Sonic had taught Wally, striking when your opponent least expected it, could make up for it with ease.
Now Ash's Grovyle was also as bruised as his Pikachu.
"Keep it up Grovyle! Leaf blade!"
Ash quickly recalled Grovyle causing the attack to miss.
"I don't understand! I have been with my Grovyle way longer than you've been with yours! How is it yours is overpowering mine?!"
If that had been Sonic, he would have said to Ash that he was slacking in his training. But Wally was no Sonic.
"Only you know the answer to that".
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Every battle is a battle of wills. And not just the wills of the present but the wills of every moment in our lives up to this point. All my life I desired to be a trainer. And now that I finally have that freedom I intend to battle to be the strongest trainer!"
"I still don't follow".
"I desire to be the strongest trainer and work with my pokemon to achieve that. And for this entire month we have been making up for lost time, training day and night nonstop to achieve this goal! This is how strong my will is! Now tell me Ash! How strong is your will?!"
"What are you saying? That I don't want to win?"
"I'm saying you don't want to win enough! Enough to do all in your power, all that is humanely possible to win, always within moral reason!"
"So I'm supposed to be like you and Sonic? Only live to build power, to force my pokemon to evolve, to…"
"You know what? Let's finish the battle, then we end this debate! Bring out your next pokemon".
"As you wish! I choose you! Torkoal!"
The coal pokemon emerged from its pokeball, spitting smoke out of its nostrils, making it look very cool.
"A torkoal. Now that is a rather good pick! And you have already knocked out my Gyarados. Good play. But let's see if you can keep it up! Grovyle! Screech!"
Grovyle unleashed another defeaning screech. Ash wasn't going to fall for this a second time.
"Torkoal! Iron defense!"
Torkoal retreated into its shell, completely blocking out the screech attack.
"Alright then! Plan b! Grovyle! Use quick attack then leaf blade!"
Grovyle charged Torkoal.
"Iron defense again!"
The fire turtle retreated into its shell again. The hard exterior of the shell repelled the leaf blade to perfection.
Wally however had been trained for that too by Sonic. After all Sonic had trained a stalling pokemon in his Meganium. He knew how one would beat a stalling pokemon.
The key was knowing the staller's weakness. And torkoal was a pokemon native to Wally's homeland, of course he would know its weak point.
"Grovyle! Leaf blade again!"
"Iron defense!"
Torkoal retreated into its shell for the third consecutive time.
"You really need to stop trying to tire out your opponents and give them openings! Grovyle! Leaf blade inside the shell!"
Grovyle, with nothing stopping it as Torkoal was hiding, positioned its arm next to Torkoal's head and slashed into the shell with leaf blade, hurting Torkoal and forcing it out.
"No Torkoal!"
"Now fury cutter!"
Grovyle slashed at Torkoal over and over, each strike making fury cutter stronger than the last.
"Ash don't just stand there. The damage is small but it is adding up fast!" Brock warned his friend.
Overwhelmed, Ash went for the last resort.
"Torkoal! Overheat!"
Torkoal unleashed its most powerful attack, engulfing Grovyle in extremely hot flames. The intensity of the flames was so high that Grovyle was sent back to Wally's feet knocked out.
"Wow. That was… wow. Overheat? This attack is crazy. But…"
"But what?" Ash asked Wally.
"Why didn't you lead with it? You could have avoided Torkoal getting hurt in an unnecessary fight. Are you going easy on me or something?"
"No way! I'm battling to win!"
"Then why are you not putting your back into it?"
"I am!"
"Then prove it! Come on out!"
Wally's second last pokemon was revealed to be a Houndoom.
"Houndoom! Bite!"
"Iron defense!"
Torkoal retreated into its shell. Wally tilted his head.
"What are you doing? You staying in?"
"Yeah. Houndoom is strong but a fire type can't hurt Torkoal in its shell".
"Never say never! Houndoom smog!"
Houndoom spat a poisonous smog from its mouth straight into Torkoal's shell. With nowhere to go and no fresh air unless Torkoal emerged from its shell, the coal pokemon got poisoned.
"Oh no Torkoal!"
"Finish this with bite!"
Houndoom bit down on Torkoal's neck just as it protruded, knocking it out once and for all.
"You should have switched Torkoal out" Wally said to Ash as Torkoal was returned into its ball and Houndoom joined him back on his side, as he petted it "that way it could have regained its firepower and come back with a vengeance. But no, once again, just like in your battle with Brawly you shifted gears completely and patiently waited to lose".
"The battle isn't over yet! I choose you! Corphish!"
Corphish came out, giving Wally a choice once again.
Face a bad matchup or force Pikachu back out?
While the battle was continuing Pikachu had been licking its wounds, trying to get back in shape as much as possible to help Ash win. It was far from tip top shape but not nearly as roughed up as it was after being struck by dragon rage.
"At least I can exhaust it more. Then Kirlia can take over clean up duty" Wally thought.
"Alright Corphish! Let's finish this! Use bubble beam!"
"Cooor… phish phish phish!" Corphish cried out as the bubble beam was fired.
"I don't think so! Houndoom roar!"
Houndoom roared extremely loudly, sending the bubble beam back to its sender as well as the sender itself back into its pokeball before forcing Pikachu back on the field.
"Hey no fair! Pikachu isn't ready yet!"
"Too bad! Houndoom ember!"
Houndoom fired ember at Pikachu that tried to retreat but got burned instead.
"Thunder!" Ash blindly called out the attack.
Thunder came down on the unsuspecting houndoom resulting in a critical hit, knocking it out and leaving Wally with one pokemon.
Wally himself didn't anticipate houndoom to go down this easy. Then again, it was his latest catch so it was natural it was the least trained. He recalled it.
"You did great Houndoom. Get a good rest" he said as he took out Kirlia's pokeball.
"Alright Kirlia. This is it. Time to settle the score with Ash!" he thought as he winded his hand.
"Kirlia! Help me out!"
Kirlia emerged, fully loaded and ready to fight.
"Pikachu get back" Ash instructed his partner.
Pikachu limped back to Ash's side as the latter sent out Corphish again.
"That Kirlia knows thunder punch, courtesy of Wally's training with Sonic. Close combat is dangerous. In this case…"
"Corphish! Use bubble beam!"
Corphish once again attacked with its bubbles.
Wally grinned. Of course Ash wouldn't dare attempt hand to hand battling here.
"Kirlia! Psychic!"
Kirlia harnessed its psychic powers, first defensively by redirecting the bubble beam back to Corphish, blinding it to the offensive use of it.
Corphish was lifted above the ground and then slammed down hard, taking major damage from the psychic.
"Kirlia is a lot stronger than I remember from the museum brawl" Brock commented.
"And it hasn't evolved into Gardevoir yet" Max added, unnerving Ash.
But at the same time it made him more determined. He wouldn't lose this battle. He would prove to Wally their desire to win was stronger.
"Corphish! Get that Kirlia! Vice grip!"
Corphish's clamp closed down on Kirlia which had no time to react because of Corphish's unexpected speed. Kirlia let out a cry of pain, giving Ash the impression they were winning.
Wally shook his head.
"You just won't ever battle seriously will you?"
"Excuse me?!"
"Kirlia! Hit him with all your might! Thunder punch!"
Kirlia charged its hand, channeling powerful electricity. Pikachu's ears perked.
The electricity felt similar to Raichu's. And it made sense that it did.
After all it was Raichu that had taught Kirlia how to use thunder punch.
"Corphish! Counter with crabhammer!"
Due to Corphish still vice gripping Kirlia, it was forced to use crabhammer with its left clamp, whereas Kirlia used its right hand for thunder punch.
The attacks collided damaging both pokemon but forcing Corphish to release Kirlia.
"End this Kirlia! Another thunder punch!"
"Crabhammer!"
This time the attacks landed simultaneously, knocking each pokemon back.
Kirlia, beaten and bruised but still pretty capable of battling, hopped back up.
Corphish on the other hand collapsed.
"Corphish return. You were great. Grovyle I choose you!"
Grovyle emerged, still pretty banged up.
"Leaf blade!"
"Redirect the attack with psychic!"
With extreme ease, Kirlia threw Grovyle roughly aside, knocking it out as well.
And then there was one. Ash has no other choice anymore.
"Pikachu. Are you able to battle?"
"Pika… pika pi".
"This is it. It's ace vs ace" Brock said, hoping this battle wasn't as one sided as he feared.
Pikachu had leagues more experience than Kirlia, literally, but it was beaten up, bruised and burned. And against the great and still rising power of Kirlia…
"Pikachu! Let's win this! Thunderbolt!"
Piiikaaa… chuuu!"
"Kirlia! Thunder punch the ground!"
Kirlia did as Wally instructed, successfully grounding itself and canceling out the thunderbolt as it landed.
"What the heck?!" Ash almost fell back. That was the craziest tactic he had ever seen that wasn't his idea.
"Kirlia psychic!"
Kirlia lifted Pikachu up and prepared to slam it down.
Ash risked it all as Pikachu was heading towards the ground.
"Pikachu! Use iron tail as a spring!"
Pikachu positioned itself so that its tail was aiming to the ground.
The move worked to perfection. The elasticity of iron tail despite the common misconception that the deformation would be plastic, propelled Pikachu upwards.
"Now! Quick attack and iron tail!"
Pikachu launched itself towards Kirlia as its tail glowed again.
"Thunder punch go!"
Kirlia countered the combo head on.
Thr collision of the attacks was felt by everyone present and even some wild pokemon that looked towards them in awe.
Both pokemon fell down to the ground raising a cloud of dust.
When it settled, both Pikachu and Kirlia were panting heavily, fighting exhaustion, running on will.
"Our will is stronger" Ash thought "our will is stronger. Our will is…"
Pikachu fell to its side, followed half a moment later by Kirlia.
Both pokemon fainted.
Ash knelt in shock.
Wally too was shocked at the outcome.
But it finally answered the question he had had since Slateport city. And the answer saddened him greatly.
He recalled Kirlia and approached Ash who had picked up Pikachu.
"Dude… a draw. I didn't expect that".
Ash, holding back his frustration, replied.
"It wasn't a draw. You won".
"What are you talking about? Both Pikachu and Kirlia fainted at the end".
"Pikachu fell first. That means defeat in my book".
Wally remained silent for a while.
"It's sad that it didn't have to be though. You could have won".
"How? I gave it my all".
"Your battle choices were all over the place. Instead of striking down Gyarados before it could fire dragon rage at Pikachu you went for an ineffective quick attack".
"I wanted to get the first hit in".
"You would have. Pikachus are inherently faster and more agile than Gyarados. You could have just gone for thunderbolt and give yourself a massive advantage right away".
Ash was shocked at this.
"How would you know? How can I know if Pikachu is faster if I don't test the waters?"
"Isn't it obvious? I learned that from studying Sonic".
Ash scoffed.
"Of course. He taught you everything he knows, right?"
Wally shook his head.
"No. I mean that I learned that by studying Sonic, not under him".
"What do you mean by that?" May asked Wally.
Wally looked at her with a serious look.
"I mean that I want to defeat him in a real battle. And to do that I need not only to build power but know my opponent. So apart from training to grow stronger, I study the deeper battle biologies of pokemon. It was this studying that taught me Pikachu is a fairly fast pokemon, faster than Gyarados at least. Which of course meant Raichu is faster than it".
"Doubtful".
"Deny it all you want but it's the truth. Pikachu can't be faster than a Raichu, certainly not Sonic's unique Raichu. And plus, not taking advantage of your Pikachu's speed was only the first mistake you made".
"Do you do anything else other than point out mistakes to others?!" Ash almost got into Wally's face who remained calm.
"I'm trying to help you learn as Sonic helped me learn. And right now I'm trying to help you understand keeping Torkoal in was a stupid move, it would never be able to fight off Houndoom, not only because hiding and stalling gives your opponent time to think but also because of overheat. It had been weakened. It wouldn't never be able to keep up with my other pokemon in that state".
"You don't know that. Torkoal defeated a Steelix upon using overheat for the third time in a row!"
"It only knows overheat?"
"No. It also knows flamethrower".
"Then why didn't you teach it to start with it? Save its firepower for later? And now that I think about it why risk staying in on a fire type with a houndoom? Don't you know they can have flash fire?"
"Your Houndoom has flash fire?! That is such a powerful ability!" Max said in admiration.
"Why what does it do?" Ash asked having never heard of the ability before.
"Cancels out fire attacks and absorbs them to enhance houndoom's fire attacks. So far it only knows ember but a flash fire enhanced flamethrower can do some major damage" Wally explained.
Ash found it harder to remain frustrated but still did. In the moment his choices of moves felt like the best. And now he was learning he could have won had he done things differently?
And it wasn't even because of lack of evolution on his part. Wally was telling him what Sonic never truly did; That he could have won with his current power.
"And what about corphish? When you said I was holding back?"
"You went for vice grip, clamping down on Kirlia, thinking that would immobilize it. But thing is, experienced trainers won't ever fall for a lockdown tactic like yours. They always have a plan to escape a pinch. And since your literal pinch wasn't immobilizing Kirlia, it went for a point blank thunder punch. You get it?"
Ash didn't know what to say. He really could have won.
"So you were saying then if I had gone for crabhammer instead of vice grip…"
"It would have been an entirely different battle. One that could have resulted in your victory".
Ash allowed Wally's words to sink in.
"Regardless of how well you can battle though" Wally suddenly said "it was clear as day you battle with your heart. You are a genuine individual" Wally said as he sighed "and that means I believe you".
"About what?"
"About what Sonic did in the Johto league. That he meant it in the moment. That he isn't the great hero I thought him to be".
Ash didn't expect to hear that from Wally. The same kid that had stood up for Sonic in the museum.
And he was especially unnerved by hearing the disappointment in the kid's voice.
"Wally" May in turn intervened "I can see that you are not blinding yourself to Sonic's shortcomings anymore and that's important. But you're wrong. Sonic is a hero. A greater hero than even he gives himself credit for".
Wally was flabbergasted.
"You're literally supporting Sonic in front of the one person he wronged?"
"She is right to do so" Ash admitted, shocking Wally more "I can't see his good side just as you couldn't see his bad side. But it is there".
Wally couldn't say anything for a few moments.
"Something tells me I missed quite a lot of events".
The squad headed back to Mauville city to get their pokemon healed and along the way they told Wally everything. About Sonic's berserk incident at Wattson's gym, about Forina and Jirachi and about the brawl on mt chimney.
Wally was of course appalled by Sonic's intention to wish his problems with Ash away.
But when May explained Sonic's self sacrifice as well as the multiple instances of saving or sparing Shadow's life despite the black hedgehog attempting to get Sonic killed during all those instances, Ash could swear he saw the fanboy in Wally resurfacing through the gleaming of his eyes.
"He… went so far out of his way… to save the enforcer? The most hated person in the region? And his once bully?"
"Yes. As impossible as it sounds… he even gave up saving the Mikado meteor to save Shadow".
Wally was amazed but also perplexed.
Sonic had gone back on a promise to save a life. And no one would understand his reasoning.
Once word got out that Sonic the hedgehog, the hero of Kanto had the chance to rid Hoenn of the enforcer and chose to spare his life instead the uproar would be massive.
There was of course the possibility that people would cheer for Sonic and stop fearing the enforcer once that was revealed.
But Wally, knowing his homeland better, wasn't optimistic about this possibility.
"The result could be some middle ground too. I guess we're gonna have to wait and see".
After healing their pokemon, Ash and his friends bid farewell to Wally who took off to challenge the gym.
As Ash and May walked side by side she couldn't help but ask him something.
"Did you mean that? That you are aware that Sonic isn't all bad?"
"I do. I am not ready to forgive him yet but I do. It's like you said when Butler and Diane were taking us back. He isn't all black and white. It takes a lot of understanding for someone to figure that spikehead out".
May nodded.
She turned to ask Brock to ask for a snack but he was busy.
Busy pestering a girl as always.
"Oh blonde angel that graced my sight, I'm Brock. Would you bless my very existence by…" his monologue was stopped by May pulling him by the ear.
"Sorry for my friend Ms…"
"Maria" she replied with a smile which quickly turned into a frown of confusion when they turned their backs on her.
"Well I can give him points for shooting his shot. Very aggressive marketing though" she thought as she headed for Mauville city to meet her date.