I'm sorry for the long wait but I really struggled with this chapter
Guest-I have thought about it before but I'm planning on giving someone else a Dodrio
Ash: A Fighter's Heart
After a goodnight's rest in the Pokemon Centre, the group are preparing to go about their day.
"Come on let's get moving." Ash whines, "The sooner we get on the ferry the sooner we get to Cinnabar Island."
"There's no rush Ash." Brock says, "If we miss the ferry today we can take the next one."
"But I want to get to Cinnabar now!"
"Can't we just take a day to relax?" Misty asks, "It took us weeks to get here, I don't want to leave immediately."
"I'm with Misty on this." Alex says, "I'm tired of constantly travelling from place to place. Let's just take a day or two off."
"But gym badges..." Ash trails off depressed. Pikachu pats his leg
Pika Pika
The group exit their room. They head down to the lobby and see a bunch of trainers there
"Did we oversleep or something?" Alex asks, "It's not usually this busy in the morning."
Todd, who has been taking pictures of all the Pokemon, heads over to them
"Oh did you guys not see the poster?" Todd asks
"Is it something to do with food?" Ash asks, "Cause I'm starving."
Todd shakes his head, "No overthere."
He points at a poster stuck to the wall behind them. Everyone turns to read it
MATCHA CITY HOSTING ELEMENTAL LEAGUE TOURNAMENT-ALL POISON TYPE TRAINERS MAY ENTER!
2 POKEMON ARE REQUIRED
"A Pokemon tournament!" Ash pumps his fist and yells out excitedly, "I'm gonna win!"
"Do you even have enough Poison types?" Misty asks
"Well I have Bulbasaur." Ash starts counting on his fingers, "And Haunter. That's two."
"Don't forget your Muk." Brock reminds Ash
"That's true!" Ash realizes, "I need to go speak to Professor Oak immediately!"
He dashes off to one of the videophones
"I need to get Beedrill." Alex says, "With her and Nidorino I should be able to win this. I assume you're gonna enter as well Misty?"
"I would but my only Poison type is Oddish." Misty replies
"What about Tentacool?"
Misty looks conflicted, "I don't know. Tentacool doesn't really seem to like me."
"I'm sure that's not true." Todd says
"The last time I tried to train with it, it attempted to drown me." Misty replies
"Oh." Todd looks away, "I bet that would have made a good picture."
"You and Tentacool just need to bond." Brock advises, "Like Aerodactyl and I have."
Flashback
Brock is trying to polish Aerodactyl's rock hard skin
"Ok Aerodactyl. I promise this will make you feel like an all-new Pokemon." Brock tries to touch Aerodactyl but the Fossil Pokemon lunges at him
"Ahhhhh!"
Flashback ends
Brock is nodding his head, "We're the best of friends now."
"You should probably spend more time training that thing." Alex says, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go grab Beedrill from Professor Oak."
Ash has just received Muk's pokeball, "Got it!"
"Good. And don't worry about the smell." Professor Oak reassures him, "I've made sure Muk keeps on top of it's personal hygiene."
"Thanks Professor." Ash says happily, "With Muk at my side I'm guranteed to win this thing!"
Ash, Misty, Brock and Todd are eating breakfast
"So where did Alex say he was going again?" Todd asks
Ash replies with a mouthful of food. Crumbs fly everywhere
"Swallow first!" Misty exclaims angrily
Ash rolls his eyes and swallows his food, "He said something about not wanting to be cramped in with all these trainers and then he just left."
"I'm surprised he left before breakfast though." Brock says, "His appetite is almost as bad as yours."
Ash has already started stuffing his face again, "Mmssry whmnt?"
"You're disgusting." Misty rolls her eyes
Alex is exploring Matcha City. He hears a police siren and sees Officer Jenny driving down the street
"Oh hey Officer Jenny!" Alex waves to get her attention, "Remember me?"
She parks next to him, "Not really no."
Alex slumps over depressed, "You falsely arrested me for Pokemon theft."
"Oh now I remember you! Sorry I can't stay and chat. I'm on the lookout for some escaped criminals!"
"Escaped criminals?" Alex asks confused
"Yeah those Team Rocket agents we caught with you somehow managed to tunnel out of our cell! We seriously need better security." She mumbles to herself as she prepares to head off
Alex notices a giant house nearby, "What's that overthere?"
"Hmm. Oh that's Dr Akihabara's home. He's a famous inventor or something. Now I really have to go." Officer Jenny speeds off leaving Alex to his thoughts
"Hmm. Should I trespass into some strange inventor's lab?" Alex asks himself, "Yes. Yes I should."
He approaches the house and pushes the doors open. Other than some lit candles on the wall the entire place is quite dark
"Maybe this is a bad idea." He mumbles to himself, "Oh well."
He carries on through the hallway. The place is eerily quiet and as he carries on he slowly starts losing his nerve
(This is alot harder without Ash around.) He thinks
A giant hologram of a man's face suddenly pops out in front of him
"Intruder!" It yells
"Ahhhh!" Alex yells startled and falls backwards
"This is what happens to people who break into my house!" The hologram lunges for him
"Porygon protect me!" Alex tosses his pokeball and Porygon pops out
Beep boop Porygon!
The hologram stops and stares at Porygon confused
"A Porygon?"
Alex looks up confused, "Uh yeah this is my Porygon."
The hologram studies the Porygon intently, "Could it be? Yes I recognize this Porygon!"
Alex gets to his feet and dusts himself off, "What do you mean?"
"Follow me." The hologram starts floating down the hallway. Alex glances at Porygon before they follow it
The hologram leads them into a lab where the actual scientist is sitting. He looks identical to the hologram
"Greetings. I am Dr Akihabara!" He yells dramatically
"I figured." Alex replies
Dr Akihabara heads over and inspects Porygon upclose, "Yes there's no mistaking it. I know this Porygon!"
"Look weirdo I don't know what you're talking about but there's no way you know this Porygon." Alex says confused, "I got it in Celadon and-"
"I know this Porygon because I invented it!" Akihabara yells
"You what?"
"Yes! In fact this was the very first succesful prototype!" Akihabara brags, "Porygon-Zero. I was going to use it to create a whole line of Porygon!"
Akihabara sighs sadly, "Unfortunately some crooks broke into my home and stole it not too long afterwards."
"Oh that's a shame." Alex says
Akihabara suddenly grabs his hands, "Where did you find Porygon-Zero! You must tell me!"
Alex stares at the guy uncomfortably, "I won it at a casino."
"A casino? My life's work reduced to a prize for gamblers!"
Alex scratches his head, "Couldn't you make more Porygon?"
"Oh I did." Akihabara says, "Quite a few actually. Although no one really seemed too interested in them. I eventually started selling them out in Johto."
Dr Akihabara starts pacing around the room, "Without the original I could not work out the flaws in the design, but now...now I can finally get to work on upgrading them!"
He spins around to face Alex, "Thank you for returning Porygon to me!"
"Wait a second!" Alex interrupts, "I didn't return Porygon to you! This is my Porygon! I spent a lot of money on it!"
"I will pay you double for it!"
Alex's eyes widen, "Say what now?"
He briefly looks interested at the offer, but then he glances at Porygon, "Absolutely not. We've been through a lot together the two of us."
Po-ry-gon
Dr Akihabara looks depressed, but then he gets an idea, "How about this. Instead of giving Porygon to me, how about you just leave it with me for awhile. I promise once I'm done your Porygon will be far superior to what it was before."
Alex looks conflicted, "I...no I can't leave Porygon here."
Ash and Misty have gone off to the woods to train. Pikachu and Togepi are accompanying them as usual
"Do you think Brock can really get Aerodactyl under control?" Ash asks nervously
"If anyone can do it it'll be Brock." Misty replies
The two of them stop walking and Pikachu hops off Ash's shoulder. Misty gently places Togepi on the ground and Pikachu heads over to keep the baby Pokemon company
"Alright let's start the training!" Ash claps his hands excitedly and grabs a pokeball, "Go Muk!"
Muk!
Muk looks around the area and it's eyes widen happily at the sight of Ash
Muk!
"Hi Muk! It's been-" Muk suddenly dives ontop of Ash driving him to the floor, "Ah Misty help!"
Misty watches amused as Muk smothers Ash
"It's just happy to see you." Misty giggles
After eventually getting Muk off, Ash and Misty have started battling. Misty is using Oddish against Ash's Muk
"Alright, Muk, let's show them what we're made of! Use Sludge Bomb!" Ash dramatically points at Oddish as he yells.
Muk launches the sludge towards Oddish
"Not so fast, Ash! Oddish, dodge and counter with Sleep Powder!" Misty yells and Oddish nimbly rolls to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack. Oddish then lets loose a puff of fine powder, which drifts toward Muk, making its movements slow down.
"Muk, shake it off! Use Toxic!"
Despite the sleep-inducing powder making Muk sluggish, it retaliates by emitting a noxious, purple gas that swirls toward Oddish. Oddish shakes its leaves, trying to dodge, but the gas lands and begins to seep in.
"Hang in there, Oddish! Let's go for Acid!" Misty yells
Oddish turns around and releases a strong spray of acid from its body, hitting Muk square in the face. Muk flinches but is otherwise unaffected
"Nice try Misty but that won't work on Muk! Now let's end this with Gunk Shot!"
Muk pulls back and fires a large, sticky glob of toxic sludge straight at Oddish. The attack hits hard, and Oddish is sent flying to the ground. However he quickly hops back to his feet
"We're not done yet Ash! Oddish use Stun Spore!"
Oddish releases a burst of yellow spores that fly toward Muk. Muk is paralyzed by the spores and struggles to move
"Muk no! Use Sludge Bomb again!"
Muk tries to fire the Sludge Bomb but can't move because of the paralysis
"Now Oddish use Giga Drain!"
Green glowing vines emerge from Oddish and shoot out towards Muk. They wrap around the Sludge Pokemon and start absorbing it's energy. Muk thrashes around in pain
Mukkkk!
Muk eventually collapes
"Alright I think that's enough. Well done Muk." Ash returns Muk
"You did great Oddish." Misty returns Oddish
Ash grabs his next pokeball, "Ok let's do Bulbasaur and Tentacool now."
"Uh I'm not so sure Ash." Misty says
"Uh come on Misty. I've got all this energy from the last battle and I need to let it out somehow." Ash says
"It's just...Tentacool doesn't seem to like me much." Misty admits
"I'm sure you're imagining things. Send it out."
"If you insist." Misty tosses her pokeball and Tentacool comes out
Tentacool
It looks around the forest annoyed and scoffs
"I choose Bulbasaur!"
Bulba Bulbasaur!
Meanwhile Pikachu is keeping Togepi busy by running around it and allowing Togepi to chase after him
Prii! Priii!
"Alright let's begin! Bulbasaur use Razor Leaf!" Ash yells and Bulbasaur fires the leave. Tentacool is able to slip past the leaves and dodge the attack
"Tentacool counter with Supersonic!" Misty yells
Instead Tentacool's fin starts glowing a pink colour and it rushes towards Bulbasaur
"No Tentacool not Poison Jab!" Misty yells
Bulbasaur lets Tentacool hit it and easily shrugs off the attack. It grabs Tentacool with it's vines and slams it head first into the ground
Coool!
Bulbasaur then tosses Tentacool aside
Saur
"Are you ok Tentacool?" Misty asks concerned
Tentacool gets back up. It's clearly furious. It suddenly starts firing Poison Sting at Bulbasaur who easily dodges. Tentacool keeps firing
"Tentacool stop!" Misty yells
Tentacool ignores Misty and keeps firing at Bulbasaur who continues dodging the attack. Bulbasaur leaps out of the way of a couple just as Togepi runs past and directly in the line of fire
"Togepi!" Ash and Misty yell
Bulbasaur spots what happens and jumps in the way taking the attack
Bulba!
Togepi carries on completely oblivious
Togi Togi
Tentacool is about to attack Bulbasaur again when Misty returns it. Ash checks on Bulbasaur
"Are you ok Bulbasaur?"
Bulbasaur nods
"Thank you for protecting Togepi." Misty says
Bulba...saur
Misty glances down at Tentacool's pokeball
(Why won't you listen to me?)
Alex walks into the Pokemon Centre and notices two strangely dressed people standing at the receptionist desk. They're clad in bright, sun-soaked attire, as if they've stepped straight out of a beach vacation. The man has striking blue hair that stands out against his oversized, mustard-yellow Hawaiian shirt. The shirt features vibrant palm tree patterns in shades of green and orange, and his shorts are a deep shade of sand, paired with flip-flops, completing the laid-back, sunny look. Resting on his head is a wide-brimmed straw sun hat adorned with a ribbon, and he sports a pair of oversized, reflective sunglasses that obscure his eyes. The woman beside him matches the vibe. Her long, flowing pink hair cascades over her shoulders, and she wears a light lemon-yellow sundress with a pattern of white daisies scattered across it. She, too, has a wide-brimmed sun hat perched atop her head, decorated with a band of multicolored fabric. Her sunglasses are large, round, and tinted a soft lavender, making her look almost like she's stepped out of a retro fashion magazine. At her side, tugging at the leash she holds, is a mischievous-looking Meowth, its fur a clean white with a shiny golden coin hanging from its forehead. The man is currently filling out a form on the desk
"Uh hi?" Alex says causing the two of them and the Meowth to jump. They turn to face him
"Greetings young man. What may we do for you on this fine day?" The blue haired man asks
"I couldn't help but notice your...interesting taste in fashion." Alex grimaces
"Hm so yes this is the height of fashion in Alola." The pink haired woman says, "And we are oh so fashionable"
"Ah-ha. So you're from Alola?" Alex asks
"Yes. We are currently vacationing through Kanto though and we saw this interesting tournament here so I decided to enter." The blue haired man says
"Cool cool. What are your names?" Alex asks
"I am Jase and this is Jessa." Jase introduces himself
"And this cutie is our beloved Meowth." Jessa scratches Meowth's head, "Say hello Meowth"
Meow
"Uh alright. See you guys tomorrow." Alex walks away
"Do you think he suspects anything?" Meowth asks
"Not a thing." James and Jessie reply in unison
The next day all the trainers have gathered for the tournament. Todd is going around snapping pictures of everything. Ash,Alex and Misty are discussing their strategies
"I'm just gonna wing it." Ash says
"Ash that's the complete opposite of a strategy." Misty points out exasperated
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
Alex walks away as their arguing starts drawing eyes. He spots Jessa and her Meowth spying on some trainers
"Oh hey." Alex says causing Jessa to jump
"Oh my you snuck up on me." Jessa says startled
"Sorry. I didn't realize you were so...engrossed in people watching." Alex grins. Jessa growls annoyed. Her Meowth starts tugging on her dress
Meow
"Excuse me." Jessa picks up the Meowth and walks away
"I think he's onto us." Meowth whispers softly
"Don't be ridiculous Meowth. My disguise is perfect." Jessie replies
Brock is looking for a good seat in the audience. He has Pikachu riding on his shoulder and Togepi in his arms
"Hmm." Brock notices an empty seat next to a beautiful woman and his face heats up. He walks over, "Excuse me is this seat taken?"
"No." The woman replies
(Yes! This is the chance I've been waiting for!) Brock takes a seat excitedly. The woman glances over
"What a cute little Togepi." The woman notes
"Thank you. I raised it all by myself." Brock brags. Pikachu rolls his eyes
Chu
"Ladies and gentlemen allow me to welcome you to the Matcha City Poison Tournament!" The Announcer yells as he steps onto the battlefield, "We have sixteen trainers all battling for the Poison Badge!"
Alex glances around at the other competitors. Besides Ash, Misty and Jase, he notices a teenage boy and girl who are dressed like punks and seem to be a couple, a man with huge round glasses, and a young boy dressed like a ninja that stand out the most.
"We will now begin the first match!" The announcer yells
Jase steps onto the battlefield opposite a female trainer named Mikayla
"I choose Nidoqueen!" Mikayla tosses her pokeball and Nidoqueen pops out
Nido Nidoqueen!
"Go Victreebel!" Jase yells and Victreebel pops out...and immediately bites Jase
"Not me! Not me!" Jase yells
Jessa and Meowth both just have looks of annoyance from the crowd. Jase throws Victreebel off
"Wow your Victreebel's training sucks!" Mikayla yells, "This will be easy! Nidoqueen use Poison Fang!"
Nidoqueen's fangs start glowing purple and she rushes towards Victreebel. However Victreebel falls backwards and an exact duplicate of it appears in it's place. Nidoqueen bites into the substitute which disappears in a puff of smoke
"Victreebel Vine Whip now!" Jase yells
Victreebel's vine shoots out and smacks Nidoqueen across the face and sends her crashing to the ground
Queen!
"Now Razor Leaf!"
Victreebel slashes it's leaf arms and razor-sharp leaves fire off and hit Nidoqueen causing it to faint
"Nidoqueen is unable to battle!" The referee yells
"What?" Mikayla yells shocked
"Hahaha! My Victreebel is better trained than you thought!" Jase yells
"He's quite good." Ash says to Misty
"Something about him seems familiar though." Misty says
"Go Nidoking!" Mikayla tosses her next pokeball and Nidoking pops out
"You got lucky with Nidoqueen!" Mikayla yells at Jase, "But Nidoking will squash that stupid plant!"
"How dare you!" Jase yells offended, "Victreebel Stockpile now!"
Small energy orbs surround Victreebel who starts powering up
"Nidoking Poison Jab!" Mikayla yells
Nidoking's horn starts glowing and it charges towards Victreebel
Nidoking!
"Spit Up now!"
Victreebel fires a powerful beam of energy hitting Nidoking head on
Kinnnnnnng!
Nidoking faints
"No!" Mikayla yells
"Nidoking is unable to battle! The winner of the match is Jase!" The referee yells
"I actually won?" Jase says shocked, "I did! I won!"
Mikayla slumps over depressed, "I can't believe I lost to that loser..."
"So are we gonna swipe her Pokemon or...?" Jessa asks Meowth
"Not." Meowth finishes
"May the next two competitors approach the battlefield!" The announcer yells
Alex smirks and steps onto the battlefield. The young ninja boy is his opponent
"Trainers send out your Pokemon!" The referee yells
"Go Beedrill!" Alex tosses his pokeball and Beedrill pops out
Buzz Buzz
"Go Zubat!" The young ninja yells and does a dramatic backflip as he tosses his pokeball
Bat!
"Battle begin!"
Beedrill and Zubat both start racing around the battlefield
"It seems these two Pokemon are in a bid to outperform each other!" The Announcer yells
"Zubat Air Cutter now!" The Ninja boy yells
Zubat's wings start glowing and as it flies energy blades shoot out from it's wings towards Beedrill at an incredible pace. The attacks hit Beedrill head on causing the Bug to be knocked out of the sky
"Incredible! Zubat used it's speed to increase the damage it's Air Cutter could perform!" The Announcer yells, "And Since Air Cutter is a Flying type move that means Beedrill takes a lot of damage!"
"Beedrill! You good?" Alex asks Beedrill who responds by taking flight again
"Beedrill is still in this!" The Announcer yells, "I have seen this Pokemon in action before and it will take a lot to keep it down!"
"Then that's what we'll give it! Zubat use Air Slash!" The Ninja Boy yells
Zubat flaps it's wings causing multiple light blue glowing saw disc-like energy blades to fly towards Beedrill
"Beedrill Agility!" Alex yells
Beedrill starts flying quicker easily dodging the Air Slash. It flies right up to Zubat and strikes it with it's pincer
Zubat!
Zubat is sent flying backwards
"Now Pin Missile!"
Beedrill points it's pincers at Zubat and starts firing multiple stingers at it. Zubat manages to get it's bearings and fly past the stingers
"Zubat is still in this!" The Announcer yells
Zubat heads straight for Beedrill. It's fangs start glowing purple and it bites Beedrill's necks.
"And Zubat gets Beedrill with it's Poison Fang!" The Announcer yells
Beedrill thrashes around in pain but Zubat won't let go
"What are you going to do now?" The ninja asks Alex mockingly, "My Zubat has your Beedrill trapped!"
Alex smirks at him, "Other way around buddy."
The ninja boys looks at him confused
"Beedrill Drill Run now!"
The ninja's boys eyes widen, "Zubat get away now!"
It's too late though. Beedrill's body has started spinning like a drill dragging Zubat along with it. Beedrill flies forward crashing into the ground and crushing Zubat with it
"Zubat is unable to battle!" The referee yells
"Amazing! Beedrill was able to take advantage of it's closeness to Zubat in order to hit it with Drill Run!" The Announcer yells
"Yeah! Way to go Alex!" Ash cheers from the sidelines. Alex takes a dramatic bow
"It's not over yet!" The ninja boys yells before doing another spin and chucking his pokeball. Out pops an Ekans
Ekannnnsssss
"Alright Ekans use Wrap!" The Ninja boy yells
Ekans dashes towards Beedrill...who just flies further in the air to avoid it. Ekans tries to jump into the air to grab it but can't reach. Alex watches on with a bored look on his face
"This is kind of sad. Beedrill finish things off with Drill Run."
Beedrill's body starts spinning again and it slams into Ekans knocking it out
"Nooooooooooooo!" The Ninja boy falls to his knees dramatically
"Ekans is unable to battle! The winner of the match is Alex!" The referee yells
"Way to go Beedrill!" Alex pumps his fist
The next two trainers head onto the battlefield while Alex rejoins Ash and Misty
"Nice going Alex." Misty says
"It was nothing." Alex replies smugly
Next to them the punk couple start arguing with each other
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Oh hey they sound just like you two." Alex says to Ash and Misty who look at him offended
"What do you mean!?" They yell
Jessa and Meowth are watching the current battle from the crowd
"Why do all these trainers have such sucky Pokemon." Jessie complains, "We can't bring any of these to the boss!"
"Relax Jessie. I'm sure one of these trainers will have something very rare we can swipe. We just got to be patient." Meowth says
The battle comes to the end and so the announcer calls up the next two trainers
"Ash Ketchum and Aster Grove!" The Announcer yells
"Yes! It's my turn!" Ash jumps into the air excited before heading over to the battlefield. His opponent, a girl dressed in dark green colours with braided lavender hair and bright green eyes steps onto the field as well.
"Wow. She's very pretty." Alex says stunned. Misty punches him in response
"I choose you!" Ash tosses his pokeball, "Bulbasaur!"
Bulba Bulbasaur!
"Ah, the stage is set, and the spotlight shines upon us! Let's make this battle a tale worth telling. Come, let's weave magic together with our Pokémon!" Aster moves her head to the side causing her braid to whip through the air. She tosses her pokeball and out pops a Slowbro
Slow...bro
"What?" Ash asks confused
Something about this Slowbro looks quite different to normal Slowbro. Unlike the usual pink of a Slowbro, this one is a more purplish colour, and the Shellder shell that would normally be biting on it's tail is now on it's arm.
"There's something weird with that Slowbro." Misty says
Ash takes out his pokedex to scan Slowbro
Slowbro the Hermit Crab Pokemon. A Poison/Psychic type. This is a Galarian variant of Slowbro. A Shellder bite set off a chemical reaction with the spices inside Slowbro's body, causing Slowbro to become a Poison-type Pokémon. Slowbro is the evolved form of Slowpoke. This Slowbro is Male
"Huh. We can still manage Bulbasaur!" Ash says confidently, "It's still just a dopey Slowbro!"
"Battle begin!" The referee raises his flags. The Shellder suddenly bites down on Slowbro's arm and Slowbro looks up much more focused
"Umm..." Ash trails off nervous
"Slowbro, let your mind guide the blow with Zen Headbutt!" Aster yells
The top part of Slowbro's head starts glowing blue and it flies forward towards Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur tries to leap out of the way but isn't fast enough. He's hit fullforce by Slowbro's attack and sent flying through the air
"Bulbasaur no!" Ash yells
Bulbasaur slams into the ground unconscious
"Bulbasaur is unable to battle!" The referee yells
Ash,Alex and Misty are all in disbelief over how quickly Bulbasaur was taken out
"That Slowbro is very powerful." The woman sitting next to Brock comments. Brock however is too distracted by her to pay attention
"Bulbasaur return." Ash says. He then grabs his next pokeball, "Alright you're up buddy."
Ash tosses the pokeball, "I choose you! Muk!"
Muuuuuuuuuk!
Muk looms over Slowbro who stares up at it fearful
"I hope Ash can handle this." Misty says, "This is the first time he's used Muk in a battle."
"Once more, Slowbro, let your serene mind strike with the force of Zen Headbutt!" Aster yells and Slowbro flies forward. However it gets stuck in Muk's sludge
Slowbro! Slowbro!
"Oh no my precious!" Aster yells. Muk just falls forward covering Slowbro entirely
"It seems like Muk is trying to suffocate Slowbro!" The Announcer yells
"No it's just trying to...hug it." Ash sighs
Pink energy surrounds Muk and he's flung off Slowbro. Muk lands on the ground unharmed
"Ok Muk it's time to go on the offensive! Use Sludge Bomb!" Ash yells
Muk opens his mouth wide and fires out a bunch of globs of brown sludge towards Slowbro. The sludge strikes Slowbro knocking it to the ground
"A direct hit by Muk! Will Slowbro be able to recover?" The Announcer asks
"Now, Slowbro, embrace the calm and rest your weary soul with Slack Off!" Aster yells
Slowbro stretches it's arms out and a green energy surrounds it. Slowbro then hops to it's feet rejuvenated
Slowbro!
Slowbro then rushes towards Muk. It swings it's Shellder arm hitting Muk. Muk's sludge body absorbs the blow and covers up Slowbro's arm.
"Nice going Muk!" Ash yells, "Now use-"
"Ah, ah, ah," Aster interjects with a playful smile, "Patience, my spirited friend. Let's not rush the magic of the moment."
Slowbro is surrounded by psychic energy and Muk is blown back with a Psybeam
Mukkkkkkk!
Muk crashes back into the ground unconscious
"Muk is unable to battle! The winner of the match is Aster!" The referee yells and the crowd cheers. Alex and Misty are both stunned while Ash is in disbelief
"Muk return..." Ash trudges away. He passes Alex and Misty but doesn't address them, just walking off
"Maybe I should check on him." Misty says
"May the next two trainers step up for battle!" The Announcer yells
"You can't. You're up." Alex says and Misty sighs, "I'll go check on him. Don't lose too quickly." Alex smirks and Misty rolls her eyes annoyed before getting onto the battlefield. Alex heads off after Ash
Ash has gone to the Pokemon Centre to get his Pokemon healed up. He is currently in the waiting area sulking. Alex enters the Centre and approaches him
"Why so down chum?" Alex asks grinning
"Did you see how terrible I did out there?" Ash snaps
Alex sits across from Ash, "Come on Ash it's not the end of the world. Aster's a tough opponent."
"I should have done better..." Ash mumbles, "I let Bulbasaur and Muk down."
"You didn't let anyone down." Alex says, "You tried your best."
"Well my best wasn't enough." Ash groans
"So don't sit here and sulk. Come on Ash I've known you for years." Alex starts saying, "You're practically an endless well of optimism. It's honestly kind of annoying at times."
Ash just stares at Alex confused. Alex lets out a breath
"I'm trying to say that you'll bounce back. Now come on. Misty's currently battling and-"
"Misty's battling!" Ash yells and dashes out of the Pokemon Centre. Alex rolls his eyes and stands
"And he forgot his Pokemon." Alex mumbles and goes to collect Bulbasaur and Muk's pokeballs from Nurse Joy
"And Misty's Oddish continues to show it's tenacity!" The Announcer yells as Ash and Alex get back.
Oddish is currently battling a Venomoth. Oddish is clearly tired having already taken out one Pokemon before this. Oddish rushes forward and tries to slam into Venomoth who flies above Oddish to avoid the attack
"Now Venomoth use Psybeam!" Jason yells
"Oddish look out!" Misty yells but Oddish isn't fast enough. The multicoloured beams strike Oddish sending the Pokemon flying through the air and crashing into the ground
"Ooh! That looked like it hurt!" The Announcer yells
Odd...
Oddish struggles back to it's feet
"We're not done yet!" Misty yells, "Oddish use Giga Drain!"
Oddish's body starts glowing green and three beams shoot out from him. Venomoth starts flying around the battlefield frantically to avoid the beams. However they manage to grab onto the Poison Moth Pokemon and starts sucking it's energy out
"And Oddish gets a grip on Venomoth!" The Announcer yells, "Venomoth is thrashing around in pain! Desperately trying to get free but Oddish will not let go!"
"Get out of there!" Jason yells but it's no use. The beams eventually rescind and Venomoth plummets to the ground. Oddish meanwhile looks stronger than ever
"Now let's finish this." Misty says confidently, "Oddish use Take Down!"
Oddish starts charging towards Venomoth who is trying to flap it's wings to take flight
"Get in the air already!" Jason yells
Oddish slams into Venomoth so hard that the Weed Pokemon is knocked back by the force of his own attack. However it works as Venomoth has fainted
"Venomoth is unable to battle!" The referee yells, "The winner of the match is Misty!"
The crowd bursts into applause
"Way to go Misty!" Ash yells
"And there you have it!" The Announcer yells, "Misty and her Oddish put on an impressive performance!"
Jason returns his Venomoth with a scowl, "Useless." He snarls at the pokeball before storming off. Oddish meanwhile has hopped into Misty's arms and she is hugging it
"Yeah way to go Oddish!"
Oddish suddenly starts glowing causing the entire crowd to quiet in surprise and anticipation. Oddish starts growing bigger and the leaves on it's head merge together before expanding outwards. Once the glow dies down a Gloom is in Oddish's place
Glooom
"Incredible!" The Announcer yells, "Oddish has just evolved into Gloom before our very eyes!"
The crowd starts cheering again and Misty hugs her Gloom
"Oh Gloom you were incredible out there." Misty says happily
Gloom!
After that the last four battles took place. The final battle ended in a double-knockout causing both contestants to be eliminated
"After that exciting turn of events we are now down to seven trainers!" The Announcer yells, "However as the battles ran on longer than expected we'll have to postpone the next battles for tomorrow!"
The crowd starts dispersing and Ash,Alex and Misty join up with Brock,Pikachu and Togepi. Brock seems depressed
"What's wrong Brock?" Ash asks
"Rejection...so much rejection..." Brock slouches over
Pikachu!
Priiii!
The group start heading towards the Pokemon Centre when Alex stops
"Uh guys I have to go take care of something quickly." Alex says
"You do?" Ash asks
"Do you want us to come with?" Brock asks
"Nah it's fine. I'll catch up with you guys at the Pokemon Centre." Alex says before heading off leaving everyone else confused
"I wonder what that was about." Misty says
"Who knows with Alex anymore." Ash says
Todd runs over to them, "Hey guys. Check out all the cool pictures I took."
Alex has returned to Dr Akihabara's lab. The doctor is compiling some data on his computer while Alex speaks
"I've been thinking it over and I've decided to leave Porygon with you." Alex says
"Excellent!" Akihabara spins on his chair to face Alex, "How much do you want for it?"
Alex shakes his head, "I'm not doing this for money."
Alex takes out his pokeball, "This is Porygon's home. If it weren't for those crooks stealing it then I wouldn't have gotten it in the first place. It's only right to return it."
Alex hands the pokeball to Akihabara
"Thank you. With Porygon-Zero returned to me I can finally start work on the next Porygon upgrade." Akihabara spins back around to his computer. Alex hesitates a few seconds before he turns and leaves
Back at the Pokemon Centre all the trainers have since gone to sleep. Ash is spread out on his bed, Pikachu sleeping next to him. Misty is sleeping on the bed opposite Ash with Togepi cuddling with her. Brock is asleep on the bed above Misty. The door to their room opens slowly and softly and Meowth tiptoes in with a bag. He grabs the sleeping Togepi and Pikachu and places them in the bag before sneaking out. He heads down to the lobby where Jessie and James have filled their respective bags with pokeballs
"I got em." Meowth says softly causing James and Jessie to laugh softly
"We finally got Pikachu." Jessie whispers cheerfully
"Not to mention all these other rare Pokemon." James shakes his bag
"Quick." Meowth gets their attention, "Let's get out of here before anyone wakes up."
They rush out of the Pokemon Centre and to their bad luck run directly into Alex
"Oh hey there." Alex says with a smirk causing Team Rocket to freeze up
"Um hey Alex." James says politely, "We weren't doing anything suspicious."
"Oh really?" Alex asks, "So what's in the bags?"
"Oh nothing important." Jessie says and tries to think of something on the spot, "It's um...laundry."
"Yes exactly." James snaps his fingers, "All our disguises are filthy. We need to go clean them."
Alex rolls his eyes and reaches for the golden painted pokeball on his belt. Team Rocket's eyes widen
"Wait Alex!"
"Please don't!"
"We'll give em back!"
Alex casually tosses the pokeball and Gyarados pops out and immediately starts powering up a Hyper Beam. Team Rocket stare up at it terrified before screaming and running off, dropping the bags in the process. Gyarados fires the Hyper Beam hitting them and sending them flying
"We're blasting off againnnnnnn!" ding
Alex chuckles and returns Gyarados
The next day Ash is on the phone with Professor Oak. Alex,Misty,Brock and Todd are hanging out around him
"I have received Muk." Professor Oak tells Ash
"Good. Thanks Professor." Ash says. He's about to end the call
"Actually before you go, I need to speak to your friend Todd." Professor Oak says
"Wait me?" Todd asks confused. Ash gets up and Todd takes the seat
"You are the famous photographer Todd Snap correct?" Oak asks and Todd nods enthusiatically, "Excellent. I'm very impressed by your photographs young man."
Todd looks stunned, "You like my photos? It's such an honour to hear you say that!"
"In fact how would you like to work with me?" Professor Oak asks causing Todd's eyes to widen
"Work with you?" Todd asks in disbelief
"We'll give you some privacy." Brock says and the rest of the group walk away
Ash,Alex,Misty,Brock,Pikachu and Togepi are heading towards the battlefield. Todd has been walking with them but is preparing to head out soon
"So I'm heading off to this island that is a sanctuary for wild Pokemon." Todd explains to them, "No humans are allowed to step foot on the island so it's entirely habitated by Pokemon."
"That sounds so cool." Ash says
"So why is Professor Oak sending you to take pictures?" Misty asks
"Professor Oak would like to study pictures of these Pokemon in their natural habitats, and since I don't like taking posed pictures he figured I was best suited for the job." Todd replies
"Well we'll see you Todd." Ash and Todd slap hands
"Goodluck with your badges Ash. And you too Alex." Todd says
"Goodluck with your pictures Todd." Alex says
Todd says goodbye to Misty,Brock,Pikachu and Togepi before heading out
Alex,Misty,Aster,the punk couple,the man with the round glasses and another trainer stand on the battlefield. Ash,Brock,Pikachu and Togepi have found front row seats in the audience
"Well it seems Jase has decided to forfeit!" The Announcer yells and Jase's name is crossed out. Alex chuckles to himself, "So we will proceed with the remaining seven participants. One of them will get a BYE to the semi-final rounds!"
The Announcer pulls out a small electronic device, pressing a button as the screen flickers with the remaining seven names. The crowd watches in anticipation as the device randomly selects one of the contestants to receive the BYE.
"And the lucky contestant moving directly to the semi-finals is… Aster Grove!" the Announcer declares.
Aster places a hand on her chest and bows gracefully. "Ah, the fates have smiled upon me! I shall savor this moment and prepare for the battles ahead," she says theatrically.
Alex snickers, nudging Misty with his elbow. "Guess that means you won't get instantly flattened like Ash did."
Misty smirks. "Yeah, unlike some people, I know how to put up a fight."
The punk couple standing nearby overhear their banter, and the girl grins mischievously. "Aw, you two are adorable. How long you been together?"
Misty and Alex freeze, their faces turning a shade of red that could rival a Cheri Berry.
"Wha—No, no, no, we're not a couple!" Misty protests, waving her arms frantically.
The punk guy chuckles, elbowing Alex. "Sure, sure. Keep tellin' yourselves that, lovebirds."
Alex groans, rubbing his forehead. "Great. That's exactly what I needed today."
Meanwhile, Aster chuckles at the exchange, twirling a strand of her lavender hair. "Ah, young hearts tangled in the vines of denial. Such a classic tale."
Ash, watching from the stands, raises an eyebrow. "What are they freaking out about now?"
Brock sighs dreamily. "Ah, love is in the air..."
Ash and Pikachu exchange a skeptical look.
Pikapi...
With that, the Announcer clears his throat. "Alright, now that we've settled that—let's move on to the next match!" The crowd cheers as the tournament continues. Misty is going up first against the punk girl whose name is Brooke. They both get into position and grab their pokeballs
"Go my steady!" Misty yells and tosses her pokeball at the same time as Brooke tosses hers. Gloom and Gengar pop out
"Let's go Misty!" Ash cheers
"Battle begin!" The referee yells
"Gengar hit hard and fast!" Brooke yells and Gengar speeds directly for Gloom. Black claws grow out from it's hands as it approaches Gloom
"Gloom stop it with Stun Spore!" Misty yells and Gloom releases the powder from it's flowery head. However Gengar flies above the powder before swinging it's shadow claws downward and striking Gloom hard
Glooooom!
Gloom is knocked into the ground
"Now Gengar Shadow Ball!"
Gengar creates a black ball in it's hand and launches it towards Gloom who manages to roll out of the way avoiding the attack. The Weed Pokemon then opens it's mouth and forms a ball of green energy which it launches at Gengar. The Energy Ball makes connect sending Gengar flying backwards. However the ghost manages to right itself
"Brooke's Gengar manages to shrug off a direct Energy Ball!" The Announcer yells
"Alright Gloom use Bullet Seed!" Misty yells and Gloom starts firing the seeds out of it's mouth towards Gengar. The Shadow Pokemon starts ducking and weaving as it dashes through the air towards Gloom. As soon as the Shadow Pokemon gets close Brooke yells her order
"Gengar Sucker Punch!"
Gloom's eyes widen as Gengar disappears before it suddenly slams into Gloom's side
Glooom!
Gloom is sent flying through the air and crashes into the ground hard. It doesn't get back up
"Gloom is unable to battle!" The referee yells
Misty stares ahead shocked. Brooke's boyfriend Curt is cheering on the sidelines
"Way to go darling!" He yells. Alex rolls his eyes annoyed
"This is bad." Brock says to Ash who nods stunned
Pikachupi...
"Return Gloom." Misty returns her Pokemon. She then hesitantly reaches for her next pokeball while talking softly, "I have no choice. Please listen to me."
She takes a deep breath before tossing her pokeball, "I choose Tentacool!"
Tentacool pops out of it's pokeball and stretches out it's tentacles
Tentacool
"Gengar use Shadow Punch!" Brooke yells and Gengar flies towards Tentacool, it's fist glowing with Shadow energy
"Tentacool dodge out of the way and then use Supersonic!" Misty yells
However instead Tentacool fires Water Gun at Gengar who dodges easily
"No Tentacool don't attack!" Misty yells but Tentacool ignores her and keeps firing
"For some reason Tentacool isn't listening to it's trainer!" The Announcer yells, "Could this be a secret strategy?"
Ash and Brock both look at each other worried. Gengar easily dodges Tentacool's repeated attacks and strikes it directly in the face with the Shadow Punch
Tentacool!
Tentacool hits the ground. It quickly hops back to it's feet and glares at Gengar. One of it's tentacles starts glowing a pink colour and it rushes directly at Gengar
"Tentacool don't!" Misty yells, "Gengar is half Poison type!"
Tentacool doesn't care though and prepares to strike Gengar with the Poison Jab
Tentacoooool!
It strikes Gengar who doesn't show any reaction. It instead disappears
Tentacool?
"Tentacool look out!"
Gengar appears on the side of Tentacool and kicks the Jellyfish Pokemon sending it flying across the battlefield
Tentacooool!
"Ooh! Another Sucker Punch by Gengar gets the better of Tentacool!" The Announcer yells, "Young Misty seems to be having no luck today!"
"This is kind of sad." Brooke says
Curt nudges Alex's side, "Go comfort your girlfriend."
Alex growls at him, "She's not my girlfriend..."
Tentacool manages to get back to it's feet. It starts preparing to fire another Water Gun at Gengar
"Tentacool listen to me!" Misty yells, "You can't win this way!"
Tentacool ignores Misty and fires the Water Gun again. Gengar dodges and flies straight towards Tentacool
"Gengar use Night Shade!" Brooke yells and Gengar's eyes start glowing red
"Tentacool get out of the way!" Misty yells
Beams of black energy fire out of Gengar's eyes and strike Tentacool knocking it backwards. Tentacool gets back to it's feet and fires another Water Gun at Gengar who dodges and prepares to fire another Night Shade. Tentacool continues firing Water Gun while Misty watches on frustrated
"Just listen you stupid Pokemon!" Misty yells
Tentacool's eyes widen and it suddenly leaps to the side dodging the Night Shade. Misty gasps in surprise
"Did Tentacool just listen to Misty?" Ash asks confused
"It seems so." Brock replies equally confused
"Gengar use Shadow Claw!" Brooke yells and Gengar flies towards Tentacool. Misty looks thoughtful
"Maybe..." Misty lets out an annoyed breath, "If you want to win this Tentacool then you better listen to me! Use Supersonic!"
The gem in Tentacool's forehead starts glowing and red sound waves emerge from it and go straight for Gengar. There's a horrible ringing sound and Gengar stops in it's tracks to clutch it's head
Gen...gar?
"Supersonic manages to confuse Gengar! Will Misty and Tentacool be able to capitalize?" The Announcer asks
"Gengar snap out of it!" Brooke yells
"Now Tentacool use Hydro Pump!" Misty yells
Tentacool starts gathering a large amount of water in front of it's face before firing the powerful stream at Gengar. Gengar tries to fly out of the way but is too disorientated and is hit straight on. The Hydro Pump drives Gengar into the ground and rips the ground apart around it. Once the attack ends Gengar is revealed to have been knocked out
"Gengar is unable to battle!" The referee yells and the crowd cheers. Brooke returns Gengar
"Yay! Way to go Tentacool!" Misty cheers. Tentacool scoffs at her, "Right sorry. This is serious."
"I don't understand." Ash says to Brock, "Why did Tentacool suddenly start listening to Misty?"
"Well Tentacool's always been a tough Pokemon with a distate for those weaker than it." Brock starts theorizing, "Maybe by snapping and yelling at it Misty proved that she won't let Tentacool walk over her and so earned it's respect in a way."
Pikachu shakes his head exhausted. Togepi just hops around excited
Togi Togi Priiii!
"You got lucky." Brooke growls, "It won't happen a second time!"
She tosses her pokeball, "Go Seviper!"
Seviper!
"Ooh what's that?" Ash pulls out his Pokedex excitedly
Seviper the Fang Snake Pokemon. A Poison Type. It sharpens its swordlike tail on hard rocks. It hides in tall grass and strikes unwary prey with venomous fangs. Seviper has no known evolutions. This Seviper is Female
"Yeah! You show her who's boss!" Curt yells. He turns to Alex with a smirk, "Your girlfriend's about to get owned!"
Alex's hand clenches around his baseball bat
"Seviper use Poison Tail!" Brooke yells
Seviper's tail glows pink and it slithers at incredible speed towards Tentacool
"Tentacool use Poison Jab to counter!" Misty yells and Tentacool's tentacles start glowing. It holds them up and blocks Seviper's tail. The two push against each other, Seviper is slowly starting to wear Tentacool down
"Almost there." Brooke eggs on Seviper. Tentacool is visibly struggling
"Now break!" Misty yells and Tentacool suddenly pulls back. Seviper is forced to the ground by it's own attack
"Wrap now!"
Tentacool leaps onto Seviper's back and wraps it's tentacles around Seviper's throat
"A tricky manuever by Misty and Tentacool gets Seviper all wrapped up!" The announcer yells
"Way to go Misty!" Ash yells
Seviper thrashes around and tries to break free. It's tail starts glowing again and it starts trying to stab Tentacool
"Just hang on Tentacool!" Misty yells
Seviper manages to make contact with Tentacool but Tentacool doesn't lose it's grip. It pulls Seviper downwards
Seviper! Ssssss!
"Seviper, stop messing around and get it off you!" Brooke yells frustrated
"Now Hydro Pump!" Misty yells
The Hydro Pump fires from Tentacool's mouth hitting Seviper. Tentacool pulls it's tentacles back and Seviper is sent blasting into the air
"Seviper!" Brooke yells
Seviper lands onto the ground hard
Se...vi...per...
It manages to get back to it's feet but it's clearly badly hurt
"Amazing! Seviper withstood a full powered Hydro Pump at point blank range!" The Announcer yells, "This is still anyone's battle!"
"You have to finish this off quickly!" Curt yells
"I'm aware!" Brooke snaps at Curt, "Seviper Poison Tail!"
Seviper rushes towards Tentacool, however it's injuries have obviously slowed it down. It tries to strike at Tentacool who dodges to the side and fires a Water Gun hitting Seviper. The Fang Snake Pokemon screams in pain before fainting
"Seviper is unable to battle!" The referee yells, "The winner of the match is Misty!"
The crowd bursts into cheers
"Woohoo!" Ash yells
"We did it!" Misty cheers and tries to hug Tentacool. The Jellyfish Pokemon shoves her back
"No! No No!" Brooke throws a tantrum and returns her Pokemon
"She cheated!" Curt yells
"Misty pulls off an impressive comeback and secures her spot in the Semi-Finals round!" The Announcer yells, "Now may Alex and Curt step onto the battlefield!"
Alex and Curt head towards the battlefield. Curt passes Brooke and kisses her cheek before getting onto the battlefield
"I'm going to make you pay for what your girlfriend did to Brooke!" Curt yells
Alex's eye twitches, "I'm going to hurt you now."
Alex tosses his pokeball and Nidorino pops out.
A couple minutes later both of Curt's Pokemon have been knocked out and Alex is celebrating his win with Nidorino
"It can't be!" Curt yells dramatically
"And Misty Waterflower wins her match and qualifies for the Final round!" The Announcer yells and the crowd cheers
"And now we begin the last match of the Semi-finals!" The Announcer turns to the screen and the names pop, "Alex Martin vs Aster Grove!"
Alex's eyes widen but he quickly masks his nerves. Misty pats his shoulder
"Goodluck." She says
Alex chuckles, "I've got this don't worry."
Alex and Aster step onto the battlefield and reach for their pokeballs
"I choose Beedrill!" Alex tosses his pokeball and Beedrill pops out
Buzz buzzz
Aster twirls her Pokéball between her fingers, a playful smirk on her lips. "Ah, the tides of fate bring us to yet another tale. Let us paint this battlefield with brilliance!"
She tosses the Pokéball into the air. "Come, my dearest muse—Slowbro, let the curtain rise!"
The Pokéball bursts open, and in a flash of light, Galarian Slowbro lands on the battlefield, flexing its Shellder-clad arm.
Slow…bro.
Aster giggles, resting a hand on her hip. "Steel your heart, dear foe, for my Slowbro's venom strikes swift and true. Shall we make this a performance to remember?"
Alex shakes his head, "Sorry I got distracted at how cute your smile is."
Aster tilts her head and blinks in surprise before a soft, amused smile graces her lips. She places a hand over her chest.
"Oh my, such a bold remark in the midst of battle," she chuckles, "Flattery may earn you favor in a ballad, dear Alex, but on this battlefield… well, we shall see if your charm can withstand my Slowbro's might."
She gives him a playful wink, clearly entertained by his words. "Still… how very endearing. I do hope you're as quick on your feet as you are with your tongue."
Slowbro rushes towards Beedrill. Beedrill flies upwards dodging Slowbro's strike and then starts firing Pin Missiles towards the Hermit Crab. Before the Missiles can strike though a green force field surrounds Slowbro and the pins bounce off it harmlessly. The force field dissipates and Slowbro points it's Shellder arm at Beedrill. Streams of poison fire out towards Beedrill who weaves sideways to avoid it. Beedrill dives towards Slowbro with it's Pincers outstretched and tries to stab the Pokemon. However Slowbro blocks with it's Shellder arm and they start trading blows
"These Pokemon are in an intense back-and-forth!" The Announcer yells, "It's just sequence after sequence yet neither seems to be gaining an edge!"
"You can do it Alex!" Ash yells from the crowd
"Beedrill pull back and Harden!" Alex commands and Beedrill backs away from Slowbro's next strike. Slowbro immediately slashes forward again but Beedrill's skin hardens allowing it to easily take the blow. Beedrill then fires a stream of Pin Missile from it's one pincer hitting Slowbro and knocking it backwards
Slowbro!
Beedrill rushes forward and starts repeatedly jabbing Slowbro with it's pincers
"And Beedrill takes the advantage due to some quick thinking on Alex's part!" The Announcer yells, "But what will Aster do next?"
The crowd gasps in shock as Aster suddenly returns Slowbro
"Can she do that?" Ash asks Brock who nods
Alex smirks at Aster, "What's the matter? Are you scared?"
Aster simply smiles, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Fear? Oh no, dear opponent. I am merely a painter refining my canvas, selecting the perfect stroke for this masterpiece."
She gracefully plucks a different Poké Ball from her belt. "And now, let the flames of elegance take the stage."
She tosses her pokeball
Salazzle!
Alex looks at the Pokemon confused. He grabs his Pokedex and scans it
Salazzle the Toxic Lizard Pokémon. A Poison/Fire type. For some reason, only females have been found. It creates a reverse harem of male Salandit that it lives with. Salazzle is the evolved form of Salandit
Alex's eyes widen, "A fire type. Oh boy."
Aster chuckles softly, folding her hands together. "Ah, but fire is not merely destruction—it is passion, it is grace. Now, Alex, let's see if you can dance in the embers. Salazzle use Fire Fang!"
Salazzle dashes towards Beedrill in a surprisingly graceful manner. Her fangs alight with flames and she leaps to bite Beedrill who raises it's pincers to block. Salazzle bites into the pincers
"Beedrill Bug Bite!" Alex yells and Beedrill bites down onto Salazzle's neck. Salazzle thrashes around in pain but Beedrill has her pinned between itself and it's pincers
"Ah, but fire cannot be contained so easily. Salazzle, let your flames dance—Fire Lash!" Aster yells and a whip made of fire forms from Salazzle's hand. The whip swings through the air hitting Beedrill hard. Beedrill falls backwards in immense pain. Salazzle immediately leaps forward and bites down on Beedrill with Fire Fang. Beedrill is knocked out by the attack
"Beedrill is unable to battle!" The referee yells
Alex curses to himself and returns Beedrill
"And Alex is now at a disadvantage! He only has one Pokemon left while Aster still has both Salazzle and Slowbro!" The Announcer yells
"It's not over yet. Go Nidorino!" Alex yells his pokeball and Nidorino pops out
Nidorino!
Nidorino immediately takes off into a charge towards Salazzle, it's horn at the ready. Salazzle leaps to the side as a blue aura surrounds it before slamming into Nidorino.
Rino!
Nidorino is sent flying throuhg the air but manages to spin and land on it's feet
"Nice going Nidorino!" Alex yells, "Now use Double Kick!"
Nidorino rushes towards Salazzle. He leaps into the air,spins and kicks Salazzle across the face with both of his feet
Salazzle!
Salazzle hits the ground and skids across it a few feet before jumping back up
"Salazzle, let your flames weave their fury—Fire Lash!" Aster calls out and Salazzle lashes out with the fire whip. Nidorino leaps backwards to dodge the whip
"Nidorino use Flatter!" Alex yells and red energy waves emerge from Nidorino before swirling around Salazzle. The Toxic Lizard Pokemon becomes confused and accidentally strikes herself with her own Fire Lash
Lazzle!
"Now take advantage!" Alex commands and Nidorino charges towards Salazzle with his horn outstretched. Aster however just smirks
"Ah, the mind is a delicate thing, so easily swayed by sweet words and deception." She places a hand on her hip, her voice carrying a soothing rhythm. "But fire is resilient, ever-burning, ever-rising. Now, Salazzle, steady yourself—breathe and focus."
Salazzle snaps out of the confusion
"Nidorino look out!" Alex yells but it's too late. Salazzle lashes out with the Fire Lash hitting Nidorino dead on
Nidorino!
Nidorino is sent flying backwards hard and crashes into the ground. He doesn't get back up
"Nidorino is unable to battle!" The referee raises his flags, "Aster Grove is the winner!"
The crowd bursts into cheers. Ash slumps into his seat
"He lost..."
"That Aster sure is a tough trainer." Brock notes, "She seems so calm during battle, like nothing bothers her."
Alex returns Nidorino, "You did great buddy."
Aster returns Salazzle, "Rest your spirit now."
Aster and Alex approach each other and shake hands
"You battled with heart and instinct, Alex. A true strategist in the making," she says with a soft smile. "Your Pokémon trust you, and that is a treasure worth more than victory itself."
Alex rubs the back of his neck, grinning. "Heh, thanks… You're pretty amazing too. Y'know, if we were a Double Battle team, we'd be unstoppable!"
Aster chuckles, tilting her head playfully. "A tempting thought, but the world is vast, and our stories are still being written. Perhaps one day, our paths will align again—on the same side of the battlefield."
Alex's face flushes slightly, and he quickly nods. "Y-Yeah! That'd be cool!"
Aster walks away and Alex heads off towards Misty still distracted. He's snapped out of it by her punching his arm
"Ow! What was that for?" He asks and rubs his arm
"I swear you're just as bad as Brock sometimes." Misty huffs annoyed
Alex rolls his eyes, "I'm going to so enjoy seeing Aster demolish you."
Misty smirks at him, "Too bad. Because I'm going to win."
Alex shakes his head, "You're just like Ash sometimes you know that?"
Misty and Aster step onto the battlefield. They both look determined
"Go my steady!" Misty tosses her pokeball and Gloom pops out
Gloom!
"And Misty starts things off with her reliable Gloom!" The Announcer yells, "How will Aster respond?"
"A steady heart and unwavering roots… a worthy start, Misty." She twirls the Poké Ball gracefully in her fingers before tossing it into the air. "But let's see how your garden fares against the kiss of fire! Salazzle, take the stage!"
The Poké Ball bursts open in a swirl of embers, and Salazzle lands elegantly on the battlefield, her sleek form glimmering as she flicks her tail.
"Salazzle!"
The crowd murmurs in excitement as the Announcer chimes in. "And Aster responds with Salazzle! A bold choice—this Fire- and Poison-type has a clear advantage over Gloom! How will Misty handle this matchup?"
Aster folds her hands behind her back, her voice playful yet poised.
"The dance begins, Misty. Let's make this battle a spectacle to remember."
Misty stares at Salazzle and a small smirk grows on her face
"I knew you'd do that." Misty says softly
"Battle begin!" The referee yells and Salazzle immediately rushes towards Gloom
"Fire Lash!" Aster yells and the fiery whip forms in Salazzle's hand. Salazzle cracks the whip through the air towards Gloom but the Weed Pokemon dodges to the side
"Now Gloom use Stun Spore!" Misty yells
Gloom lets out the spore causing Salazzle to freeze up
Lazzle!
"Salazzle has successfully been paralyzed!" The Announcer yells, "Misty and Gloom will surely take advan-"
The Announcer shuts up in confusion as Misty suddenly returns Gloom
"What she is doing?" Alex asks Brock
"I don't know but I'm sure she has a plan." Brock replies
"Go Tentacool!" Misty tosses her pokeball and Tentacool pops out and immediately fires a Water Gun hitting the paralyzed Salazzle. Salazzle lets out a pained scream as she's knocked to the ground
"A brilliant strategic move by Misty!" The Announcer yells, "Tentacool is part water type and therefore has an advantage over the fire type Salazzle!"
"Oh I get it." Ash says to Brock and Alex, "She used Gloom to paralyze Salazzle before switching to Tentacool. Way to go Misty!"
Aster nods impressed, "Impressive, Misty. You've woven your strategy with finesse—using Gloom's Stun Spore to set the stage and then switching to Tentacool for the perfect strike. A beautiful dance, indeed."
She reaches for her pokeball, "But every performer knows when to step back and let another take the lead."
Misty curses to herself as Salazzle is returned. Aster pulls out another pokeball
"Slowbro it's your time now." Aster tosses the pokeball and Slowbro pops out
Slow...
The Shellder bites it's arm
Bro!
Slowbro stands up alert and stares down Tentacool. The Jellyfish Pokemon stares back at it fearlessly. Everyone watches in anticipation to see who makes the first move. Tentacool's the first to break
Tentacoooool!
The Water Gun fires towards Slowbro who dodges out of the way and rushes towards Tentacool. The top of it's head starts glowing as it prepares a Zen Headbutt. The attack strikes Tentacool but it manages to endure
"Wrap now!" Misty yells and Tentacool's tentacles shoot out wrapping around Slowbro and constricting the Pokemon. Slowbro struggles to get free as Tentacool suggests itself to rest on Slowbro's head. It starts choking the Hermit Crab Pokemon. Slowbro swings it's Shellder arm to strike Tentacool but the Jellyfish Pokemon won't loosen it's grip
"Tentacool has Slowbro in an iron grip!" The Announcer yells, "If Slowbro doesn't free itself soon then it may be choked unconscious!"
Aster rubs her chin thoughtfully. "Slowbro use Disable."
Slowbro's eyes glow blue and Tentacool is surrounded by a blue light
"Oh no." Misty says concerned. Tentacool's arms suddenly go rigid
Cool?
It tries to move it's arms but it can't
Tentacool! Tentacool!
Slowbro shoves Tentacool off of it. Tentacool tries to get up but it still can't move it's arms
Tentacool!
"And Disable seems to have completely immobilized Tentacool!" The Announcer yells, "It seems it may just be a sitting Magikarp waiting for Slowbro to finish it off!"
Misty grinds her teeth together as she tries to think of a plan
"Slowbro Zen Headbutt once more." Aster commands and Slowbro slams into Tentacool. Tentacool flies through the air and lands on the ground. The harsh sunlight glows on it
"Come on Misty." Misty mutters to herself, "Tentacool try Water Gun!"
Tentacool fires Water Gun at Slowbro but it dodges and slams into Tentacool once again
"The fight has definitely shifted in Slowbro's favour!" The Announcer yells
As the sunlight continues shining on Tentacool, the red orbs on it's head start glowing
"Wait what's this?" The Announcer asks as Tentacool suddenly fires a laser out of the orbs and straight into Slowbro
Slowbro!
"What just happened?" Misty asks confused. Ash meanwhile takes out his Pokedex
Tentacool absorbs sunlight and refracts it using water inside its body to convert it into beam energy. This Pokémon shoots beams from the small round organ above its eyes.
"Wow. I didn't know it could do that." Ash says amazed
Tentacool's tentacles start twitching
"It seems the Disable has worn off!" The Announcer yells, "Tentacool managed to buy itself enough time to regain movement in it's arms!"
"Yes!" Misty cheers, "Now Tentacool use Surf!" Misty yells and Tentacool starts rushing towards Slowbro. A large wave of water forms underneath it allowing Tentacool to ride atop it and crash into Slowbro
Slowbro!
"And Tentacool taking back the advantage!" The Announcer yells
Aster bites her lip in contemplation, "Psychic Terrain!"
Slowbro's eyes start glowing a pink colour and psychic energy emerges from it. It spreads around the battlefield until a psychic dome has covered both itself and Tentacool. Misty looks at the dome concerned
"I don't like the look of this." Brock says to Ash and Alex. They both nod in agreement
"It seems like Slowbro has trapped itself and Tentacool inside of a Psychic dome! What could Aster possibly be thinking?" The Announcer asks
"Now then use Expanding Force!" Aster yells
Brock's eyes widen, "Oh no."
Slowbro starts creating psychic energy in front of it. The energy starts getting bigger and bigger
"What's the matter Brock?" Ash turns to Brock
The psychic energy forms into pillars that then explode striking both Slowbro and Tentacool
Slowbroooo!
Tentacoooool!
"Ah Tentacool!" Misty yells
The psychic dome around them shatters and both Slowbro and Tentacool fall to the ground fainted
"Both Slowbro and Tentacool are unable to battle!" The referee yells
"A double knockout!" The Announcer yells
"What happened?" Alex asks confused
"Expanding Force, when used on Psychic Terrain, is so powerful that it strikes anything trapped within the dome." Brock explains, "It seems Aster intentionally set up that situation to take out Tentacool, even though it cost her Slowbro."
Misty and Aster return their Pokemon. Misty is still in shock
"I can't believe...you took out your own Pokemon." She mutters shocked.
Aster gently runs her hand along Slowbro's pokeball, "A true artist knows that sometimes, to create something breathtaking, one must be willing to lose a piece of the masterpiece."
She reaches for her Salazzle's pokeball, "A fleeting sacrifice for a greater melody, wouldn't you say, Misty?"
Misty grips Gloom's pokeball, "Maybe… but this show isn't over yet, Aster."
Aster tilts her head, her smile widening. "Good. Because I do love an encore."
They both toss their pokeballs and Gloom and Salazzle pop out
"And we're back where we started!" The Announcer yells, "Once more Gloom and Salazzle will be facing off!"
"She manipulated the situation perfectly." Brock explains to Ash and Alex, "She knew Misty was relying on Tentacool's type advantage over Salazzle and so she made it Slowbro's mission to take Tentacool out no matter the cost. Now Misty and Gloom have to overcome their disadvantage if they want to win this."
"She can do it." Ash says confidently, "Go on Misty!"
"Gloom use Bullet Seed!" Misty yells and Gloom starts spitting the glowing seeds at Salazzle. The Toxic Lizard Pokemon rushes towards Gloom, dodging the seeds in the process, her fangs erupt in flames and she leaps to bite Gloom with Fire Fang...when the Stun Spore kicks back in
Sa!
Salazzle falls to the ground paralyzed
"Ooh! It seems the paralysis from earlier has still not worn off properly!" The Announcer yells
"Gloom Bullet Seed straight ahead!" Misty yells and Gloom starts pummeling Salazzle with the Bullet Seed. Aster actually looks a little panicked as Salazzle takes the hits, unable to defend herself. Salazzle starts crying from the attack
"It seems the pain from Bullet Seed has driven Salazzle to tears!" The Announcer yells
Gloom stops the attack in shock
Gloom?
Salazzle suddenly leaps up and bites Gloom
Gloom!
"It was a trick!" Misty yells
Aster's momentary panic vanishes, replaced by a knowing smile ,"Ah, the tears of a serpent… a delicate ruse hiding the fire within." She lifts a hand, her voice steady and commanding. "Salazzle, now let the flames consume—Fire Fang!"
Salazzle's fangs ignite with blazing heat. The crowd cheers as Gloom screams in pain
Glooommm!
"Gloom get out of there!" Misty yells
Gloom tries to break free but can't. Salazzle's grip is too strong
(Come on think Misty! There has to be a way...)
She looks around trying to find some inspiration and her eyes land on Ash, "I've got it! Gloom use your vines to tickle Salazzle!"
Aster blinks having been caught off guard, "Tickle...?"
"What's this?" The Announcer yells, "Misty is using Tickle as a counterattack, what an unorthodox move! Let's see if it pays off?"
Gloom's vines extend and starts brushing them against Salazzle's side. Salazzle tries to shake the feeling off. She starts twitching and spasming as Gloom continues tickling her. The crowd erupts into laughter and cheers at the bizarre sight.
"I don't believe it!" the Announcer exclaims. "Misty has completely thrown Salazzle off with… tickling?! And it's actually working!"
Aster watches in stunned silence for a moment before letting out a soft, amused chuckle. She places a hand over her mouth, eyes twinkling.
"Ah, Misty… I expected a storm, yet you bring a playful breeze instead. Very well played."
Salazzle, still twitching from the tickling vines, finally loses her hold on Gloom and stumbles backward
"Huh. She took a page out of your book." Alex nudges Ash's side
Pikachu
"Nice thinking Misty!" Ash yells
"Quick Gloom use Sludge Bomb!" Misty yells and Gloom starts spitting globs of brown sludge towards Salazzle. The attacks strike and Salazzle is knocked backwards
Lazz! Lazzle!
Salazzle opens it's mouth and multiple fireballs form around it. These fireballs have a bright centre with black highlights
"Salazzle use Incinerate!" Aster yells and the fireballs shoot towards Gloom
"Look out Gloom!" Misty yells
Gloom manages to dodge a few of the fireballs but the rest hit
Gloooooooom!
Gloom falls to the ground badly burned
Glooom...
"That attack looks like it really did a number on Gloom!" The Announcer yells, "I think this might be it for our little grassy friend."
Salazzle approaches Gloom who can barely move
Gloom...
"A valiant effort, but the curtain must close." Aster lifts a hand, her voice steady yet graceful. "Salazzle, deliver the final act."
A sudden green beam of energy bursts from Gloom, striking Salazzle square in the chest!
"Wha—?!" Aster gasps, her poised expression breaking into genuine shock.
"Unbelievable!" the Announcer shouts. "Gloom fires off a last-second Mega Drain! This battle isn't over yet!"
Misty's surprised look quickly turns into a grin. "Heh… You didn't think I was out just yet, did you?"
Salazzle stumbles back, some of her energy drained, while Gloom rises back to his fet
Aster recovers from her surprise, a slow smile forming. She chuckles softly, shaking her head. "Ah, a flower may wilt, but its roots still cling to life… Well played, Misty. Well played indeed."
The battle is starting to take a toll on Salazzle who seems to be staggering a bit. Aster notices this
"It truly is time to end this." Aster says, "Salazzle use Fire Lash!"
Salazzle summons the fire whip and swings towards Gloom. However she can't get the aim properly and misses. Gloom counters with Sludge Bomb
Salazzle!
The attack knocks Salazzle out causing everyone to fall into silence. Everyone takes a few seconds to process what just happened
"Salazzle is unable to battle! The winner is Misty Waterflower!" The referee yells and the crowd erupts into cheers
"Woohoo! Way to go Misty!" Ash yells
Pikachupi!
Prii! Togi Togi Pi!
"Alright!" Misty yells excited, "We won! You did it Gloom!"
Gloom! Gloom Gloom!
"What a brilliant battle between these young women!" The Announcer yells
Aster returns Salazzle and approaches Misty with a smile on her face, "Ah, even fire must yield when faced with unwavering roots. The dance was yours to claim, Misty—beautifully done." She offers Misty her hand and Misty shakes it. The crowd cheers even louder
"And a great show of sportsmanship." The Announcer says as he approaches Misty and Aster. Aster walks off and the Announcer pulls out the Poison Badge. He offers it to Misty
"Congratulations Misty for winning the Matcha City Poison type Tournament." The Announcer says, "As proof of your victory I present to you the Poison Badge."
Misty takes the badge gracefully. She turns and poses towards the crowd who cheer. Alex rolls his eyes
"She really is just like you at times." He says to Ash
After all the excitement of the tournament finally wore off, the Pokegang are relaxing in the Pokemon lobby. Ash,Alex and Misty are looking at their Elemental League badges
"That's two each." Ash says excitedly,"So we all just need to win one more and then we're qualified for the Elemental League!"
"Um I don't want to ruin this moment," Brock interrupts, "But Ash do you even know when the Elemental League is taking place?"
Ash's eyes widen,"No I don't! For all we know it's tomorrow!"
Ash starts panicking while Misty tries to calm him down. Alex chuckles amused
"Relax. We'll just give Professor Oak a call and ask him." Alex says
"Oh yeah that's a great idea." Ash says
After a quick call to Professor Oak who told them the date for the Elemental League hasn't been announced but promised to keep them informed, the Pokegang head towards their room for the night. Ash is still very excited
"I can't wait for tomorrow." Ash says, "We're finally gonna reach Cinnabar Island."
TBC
Finally. Jesus Christ I've been working on this chapter since October. I am so sorry for how long it took but I just had serious writer's block with this one. Anyway so a couple big things happened this chapter: Porygon is gone for the foreseeable future, Oddish has evolved into Gloom, and Tentacool has sort of started listening to Misty. Oh and we're finally getting to Cinnabar Island next chapter(I promise it won't take five months this time)
Pokemon:
Ash Ketchum:
Pikachu(Male)(Electric)
Pidgeotto(Male)(Normal/Flying)
Bulbasaur(Male)(Grass/Poison)
Charizard(Male)(Fire/Flying)
Squirtle(Male)(Water)
Haunter(Male)(Ghost/Poison)
Egg
At Oak's Lab:
Krabby(Male)(Water)
Muk(Male)(Poison)
Sandslash(Male)(Ground)
Tauros(Male)(Normal)(x30)
Primeape(Male)(Fighting)
Alex Martin:
Charmeleon(Male)(Fire)
Parasect(Female)(Bug/Grass)
Gyarados(Male)(Water/Flying)
Machop(Male)(Fighting)
Rhyhorn(Male)(Ground/Rock)
Eevee(Shiny)(Male)(Normal)
Nidorino(Male)(Poison)
At Oak's Lab:
Magnemite(Electric/Steel)
Hypno(Male)(Psychic)
Beedrill(Female)(Bug/Poison)
Misty Waterflower:
Goldeen(Female)(Water)
Staryu(Water)
Starmie(Water/Psychic)
Gloom(Male)(Grass/Poison)
Tentacool(Male)(Water/Poison)
Horsea(Male)(Water)
Psyduck(Male)(Water)
Togepi(Male)(Fairy)
Brock Harrison:
Onix(Male)(Rock/Ground)
Geodude(Male)(Rock/Ground)
Zubat(Male)(Poison/Flying)
Dugtrio(Jenny,Joy and Suzie)(Female)(Ground)
Vulpix(Female)(Fire)
Tauros(Male)(Normal)
Aerodactyl(Male)(Rock/Flying)
Team Rocket:
Meowth(Male)(Normal)
Arbok(Male)(Poison)
Weezing(Male)(Poison)
Seaking(Female)(Water)
Victreebel(Female)(Grass/Poison)
Lickitung(Female)(Normal)