Ash's Team
Styx - Hydreigon
Hemlock - Grimmsnarl
Bane - Zoroark
Mirae - Mytheon
Sagitta - Togekiss
Libra - Hakamo-o
Nettle - Naganadel
Castor - Krookodile
Polaris - Greninja
Artemis - Houndoom
Orion - Alolan Ninetales
Ladon - Appletun
Wisteria - Galarian Ponyta
Astria - Pichu
It would have been a silly sight in any other circumstance.
But be that as it may, the destruction, injuries, and shock from the last ten minutes (it had felt like hours) had spirits low.
All 13 feet of the Naganadel was trying to fit itself onto Ash's lap, though only its head and chest had room. Ash had his arms wrapped around Nettle's head, their auditory canals pressed against his heart to steady their own.
Astria had curled up on Nettle's abdomen, sending out reassuring squeaks every minute. Mirae had been returned after Ash had made sure his lungs were clear.
He was just relieved they were all mostly physically unscathed. Though the same couldn't be said for him.
Ash had kept his left hand out of Nettle's sight, but the pulsing pain from the mangled flesh had him gritting his teeth. The UB's claws had almost punctured his entire hand from how tightly they had gripped it. He was pretty sure his metacarpals were snapped in two.
"Here…"
Looking up, he saw an ashen Hau holding out his hand, eyes glued to the ground. Switching his attention, Ash saw the dented but whole soothe bell. The leather tie had snapped but all in all it was still in good condition. Taking it with his good hand, Ash held it in front of Nettle and shook it to elicit a gentle ringing.
Nettle's visor-like eyes flashed - blinking - before it perked up. Clicking its claws out like a toddler's grabby hands, Ash couldn't help but smile and hand the bell over. The UB shook it, tension easing out of it with every soothing tink.
"Ash… I'm so-" Tears started to pour from Hau's eyes, the sob in his throat cutting off his apology. The heels of his palms came up, wiping away the rivulets and trying to stop the flow.
Gladion was off to the side, not trying to comfort Hau, though he looked conflicted about it. Instead, he released Lycanroc and his Lucario, Lokela, to start rebuilding the route. Astria growled from her place atop Nettle, shivering but admirably trying to protect the Naganadel from the Alolan Rock type that most likely haunted her memories.
Ash turned his attention back to the regretful teen in front of him.
If he was being honest with himself, which he tried to be lately, he was furious with Hau. But he knew better than to punish someone for what was obviously a mistake. Hau looked wrecked.
The Alolan teen was taking desperate gasps of breath in an attempt to calm himself down, even as the tears renewed every time he glanced at Nettle.
"Tapus I'm so sorry." His voice was shaking, cracking on the 'so'. "I just-just panicked! We just maste-mastered Surf and it helped-helped us beat Janine's Venomoth a few wee-eeks ago." Hau's words were breaking every time he had to take a sudden inhale. "It was a desperate call and-and-and I'm sorry!" He once again used the heel of his hand to roughly and fruitlessly brush his eyes dry.
"If Nettle hadn't grabbed you-you-you could have drowned!"
…What?
"What?"
Hau lifted his head, bloodshot and puffy eyes meeting Ash's for the first time. He sniffled and tilted his head. "Huh?"
Ash was blinking, looking down at Nettle - who was still enraptured by the soothe bell - then back at Hau. "Nettle saved me?"
Hau frowned, tears momentarily ceasing. "Well, yeah." Wiping his face again, Hau exhaled and found his composure. "Yeah, the Surf was coming down on you and then suddenly this purple spinning torpedo cut right through it, and dropped you to the ground a ways away. As soon as you were dropped, Nettle went berserk."
Tightening his arms around his teammate, Ash looked down at the Naganadel in awe. They saved him.
Thinking back, something had slammed into his back, not his front. The soothe bell must have come off when they dove through the wave.
His heart ached in the best way as he ducked his head. "Thank you for saving me." Ash whispered. Nettle momentarily looked away from the bell and stared at him with wide glowing eyes. A soft rumble vibrated from their chest.
Ash felt his own eyes dampen before he let his own Familial Thrum sound.
Hau had a weirded out expression on his face and took a step back. Ash ignored him and scratched at the metallic scales around Nettle's mandibles. The UB closed their eyes and kept rumbling. The sound was odd, echoey and staticy, but it was a Thrum through and through.
The relationship between Ash and Nettle would never be the same as it was, and that was a hard pill to swallow. It would be different, but that wasn't a bad thing. They'd create something new, something stronger.
Something better.
Until then, he definitely had to find a sturdier chain for the soothe bell.
Sighing, Ash once again used his good hand to pluck the Beast ball from his pocket. "Nettle, I'm going to return you for a little, you've had an exciting day." Surprisingly, the UB didn't argue, lightly tapping its forehead against the ball.
Blood rushed back to Ash's legs and Astria squeaked when she plopped to the ground. Ash smiled sheepishly when she sent out a weak shock at him.
There was an awkward silence for a moment, Hau not sure what to say to Ash and Ash not really caring to talk. Gladion walked over, his Pokémon done fixing the route. Astria hissed at the Midnight Lycanroc, burying under Ash's shirt instead of diving into his pocket. The sparks she released were a bit harsher against the sensitive skin of his stomach but he did his best not to dislodge her with his flinch.
Gladion frowned but returned his partner, but Astria still didn't emerge. The blonde sighed and decided to break the tense atmosphere. "Want to go get dinner?" Hau immediately nodded, though Ash hesitated.
There was something he needed to do.
"Yeah, I'll meet you guys there. I need to stop by a jeweler first." Gladion and Hau took it at face value, waving with promises of meeting up in an hour or two.
Ash stayed seated with Astria hiding in his shirt until the two Alolan natives were out of sight. Finally, he bowed over his hand, a sharp hiss of pain escaping his throat. Left behind on the ground where his hand had been hidden was a puddle of blood seeping into the dirt. His entire palm looked mangled with how much red covered it, pulsing and dripping. The puncture wounds were almost straight through, over an inch in diameter with white bones and tendons vulnerable to the air.
Astria squeaked and jumped out, landing on the ground and staring up at him with wide eyes.
He heaved for breath, good hand hovering over the other. He wanted to cradle it to his chest but knew touching it would make the pain worse. His breaths were coming in short shallow pants and Ash had no idea how he'd kept his composure so long.
"Gah-" Gritting his teeth, Ash kept his injured hand close to his chest, using his good one to pull himself up and stumble to the edges of the route.
Even through his foggy pain addled mind, he knew he had to test it.
His hazy gaze was set on a young tree right at the edge of the route, practically still a sapling. But its spark was like a beacon in his mind, the light within it just right. His ears were buzzing and his fingertips prickled with something other than agony.
He blocked out Astria's concerned "Pi?" as he reached black-tipped fingers towards the tree.
Both dread and relief washed over him as the stabbing ache immediately lessened.
Before his eyes, the tree paled and cracked, lively brown turning to sickly gray. Wood turning petrified and dead. Withered buds broke free of young branches, drained before full bloom and falling like soot to the ground below.
Numbly, Ash stared down in morbid curiosity, pulsing red and black tendrils twisting around his punctured hand, bones aligning and fusing, tendons unfurling and pulling taught as severed ends reconnected. Fascia, muscle, vasculature, and nerves knitting back together in front of his eyes.
Bile built in his throat as new pink skin, rough with scar tissue, rippled over his palm.
Flexing his hand a few times, there was not a twinge of pain, numbness, or pins and needles. But the tree in front of him cracked and flaked, dust falling from splits in the stone. The tree trembled for a moment, before the structure crumbled in on itself, a plume of dust billowing outwards.
The only proof of Ash's desperation was obsidian hands and shattered stone.
He stared at his palms for a long moment, the blackness receding with every heartbeat. But still, Ash kept his hands where he could see them.
He had… never used it purposefully before. Escaping Allearth, with the Gyarados, with Oleana's Garbodor, all had been instinct.
He had never used Yveltal's gift on purpose. With the intention to take so he could heal.
His shoulder and side pulsed with phantom aches, the fatal wounds sealed over with tough scar tissue.
"Chuu?"
A gentle tap to his knee had Ash recoiling, tucking death hands to his chest. Astria's ears were pressed against her skull, her entire body tense and tucked up, staring at Ash with equal fear.
"I-" Ash pressed his lips together. "I don't-." How slippery was this slope?
When was it worth it?
The most terrifying part of humanity was their ability to rationalize inhumanity.
Astria eyed him for a few tense seconds before slowly creeping forward. Ash tried to crawl back but found his way blocked by a live-bright-breathing tree. The tiny little Pichu, so frail and so brave, kept marching forward, heedless of Ash's desperate glances and attempts to hide his hands.
It was an exact mimicry of Styx outside Allearth. A trust in Ash that he didn't have in himself.
Eons passed before Astria lightly pressed her nose to the back of Ash's hand.
There was a beat of silence, then she pushed forward, rubbing her cheek against his hand with a soft 'chaa'.
With trembling hands, Ash dragged a finger down the sparking fur, eyes sharp and keen on Astria, prepared to tear away the moment the Pokémon so much as stiffened.
Minutes later, Ash exhaled slowly and dragged the Pichu into his arms.
The next moment, a Thunder Shock lit up his nerves.
"Why?!" Ash dropped Astria, his hands curling back to his chest. Astria just sat, smirking and sparking. "I could have hurt you!" Astria huffed and gestured to his hands. Frowning, he uncurled his fists, seeing normal, olive-toned fingers nestled within.
A squeak got his attention, seeing Astria gesturing between the two of them, firing off a weaker Thunder Shock into the ground. It took Ash a few seconds before he riddled out what she meant.
"Okay, it's like your Thunder Shock…" Not much was known about Yveltal, only that before it slept it would take in all the life energy around it. Allearth was prime evidence of that; everything surrounding the cocoon was dead. This ability was some sort of technique unique to Yveltal, that much was obvious.
Astria trilled excitedly. She waved her arms around, her excitement almost too much for her tiny body. Even the unnatural protrusions on her back twitched.
Ash sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, grimacing as his fingertips swept past the golden necklace. "What if I do something I can't take back?" His eyes dragged over towards the remnants of the sapling. Nothing more than a small pile of gravel now that the breeze had blown away the dust. How easily would one of his Pokémon succumb to that kind of power?
Astria honest-to-Mew rolled her eyes. She once more gestured between the two of them, then fired off a Thunder Shock, Charm, and Lucky Chant.
"I'm supposed to, what, train?"
The damn smug smirk was back.
Ash stared at his hands once more. Yveltal had done… something to him, gave him some of their power. He could heal himself, but it seemed like he needed more energy compared to what needed to be healed.
Why had Yveltal gifted him this curse?
But could he call it a curse when it had saved his life twice?
He was quiet all through dinner with Hau and Gladion, though he was sure they assumed it was due to the earlier shit show. The two tried to draw him into conversation with teasing compliments on his various 'bling' or comments on the constellation of scars he didn't have back in Alola.
When they realized he preferred to listen, the two Alolan natives took it upon themselves to bring up their Gym Battle recordings. It helped him get a better idea of how Erika and Janine battled.
The two were challenging every Gym Leader, not just the Big Eight. Hau had lost both matches against Surge, ending his chance at the Thunder Badge. Gladion had lost both matches against Sabrina - Hau hadn't even battled her.
Ash figured it was another way to explore all of Kanto, including the minor cities and towns. Both had conquered the Fighting Gym in Saffron City, the KazYas Gym in Dark City, and the Flying Gym in HopHopHop Town.
It was nice to catch up, but Ash wished his mind wasn't elsewhere.
"Can we watch your battle tomorrow?"
A fire stoked to life in his chest when he remembered the battle tomorrow. If there was one thing to take his mind off the catastrophe that is his life, it was a good battle.
Ash nodded his acquiesce before deciding to head back to the Pokémon center, Hau and Gladion staying behind for dessert. Leaving money for his portion of the bill, Ash strolled through the night, Astria finally popping out of his pocket from where she had taken a post-dinner nap.
She climbed up to his shoulder, leaning most of her inconsequential body weight against his ear. Ash smiled softly to himself, reaching up to scratch her cheek.
Astria was an unexpected pillar of strength today, and Ash would cherish the good fortune that ensured their paths crossed.
"Follow me, Mr. Ketchum."
Ash had been called down from his room not even 20 minutes after he got back. He had left Astria on the bed to curl up, releasing Artemis to keep her company. Nurse Joy was waiting for him and they went back to the same room from earlier that morning.
Sitting down, the nurse handed Wisteria's Ultra ball back to him before placing a folder down on the table.
"You were correct that she has an unknown sire. I was able to call Professor Oak and see what his theories were and I told him what I found." She flipped the folder open and pulled out two pages, both with line graphs showing four different lines of different colors. One line was pink, one was dark purple, one was blue, and the last was black.
"These are two graphs comparing average psionic output and average spectral output across Psychic types, Ghost types, Galarian Ponyta, and your Ponyta. This graph," Here she pulled one of the sheets forward that had the pink line spiking, the blue and black lines overlapping, and the purple line slightly flatter, "shows the psionic output. Naturally, Psychic types emit much higher levels than Ghost types. You can see that Galarian Ponyta have a very slightly lower output than most Psychics because their power is more physical."
Ash hummed, unsure what to think since Wisteria managed to telepathically speak to him the other day.
The nurse switched out the graphs, this one now showing a spike of the purple line, the blue practically horizontal, the pink with a meager slope, and the black significantly steeper. "This is where it gets interesting. Your Ponyta has a higher spectral output than most Psychic types. It's interesting because Galarian Ponyta has no spectral energy output." She tapped the steep black line and then the horizontal blue line.
Pulling the graphs back after Ash nodded, Joy then grabbed the last page from the folder. This showed scans of Wisteria's hooves and ankles.
"The only thing we should be concerned about are her ankles. The muscle mass, ligament strength, and the bone density of the long and short pasterns are all quite low. Have you noticed any evidence of this?"
Ash blinked in shock. "No, not at all. She's extremely capable and doesn't show any signs of leg weakness."
Nurse Joy nodded, like she expected that. "It seems, from a scan I took on a whim, that she has some spectral energy coalescing at the joints to support them. She's a bit lighter than most Ponyta, and this could take power away from her attacks."
Ash frowned and let his mind work on solutions. If she was lighter, then they could work on her speed and subsequent velocity to supplement the decreased mass to balance out the loss of momentum. It would just be like if she wasn't a draft breed, no big deal.
"How is the spectral energy not interfering with the psionic?"
Nurse Joy smiled. "If Wisteria was a special attacker like a vast majority of Psychic types, she would have been weakened by the added spectral energy. However, because her psionic powers work more like… shards or lances you could say, instead of a wave of liquid-like energy, they are unimpeded by the gas-like structure of spectral energy."
She smirked somewhat smugly at Ash's complete bafflement. "I have a doctorate in Pokémon Biochemistry alongside my medical degree."
Breakfast, warm up, and one last strategy revision and the team was ready.
Their last advantaged Gym Battle. The last Gym Battle where Leaders were forcibly handicapped. His last 3v3 battle.
After this, he'd be in a whole different league.
Clipping his Pokéballs to his belt and brushing the shrunken Beast ball and Love ball in his pocket, Astria on his shoulder, and pulling his hair back into a Ponyta-tail, Ash was ready.
Hau and Gladion were waiting for him out front, one a bundle of energy - yesterday practically forgotten - and the other calm but supportive. They walked in step, the Celadon Gym a looming greenhouse in the distance. Astria shifted over to his far shoulder trying to get away from Hau's lovestruck stares.
"What Pokémon does she use for 3v3 matches?" Gladion asked curiously.
"First two can change, a toss up between Weepinbell, Tangela, Lombre, and Skiploom. She always uses her Vileplume as the third. I read she likes to use a different facet of Grass types for each battle. Spores, terrain manipulation, aromatherapy, recovery, and weather enhancements."
Gladion hummed. "I think my biggest trouble was the recovery and terrain manipulation. Exeggutor aren't fast, so she had Leech Seed, Ingrain, Grassy Terrain, and Giga Drain going full force."
Nodding to himself, Ash didn't let the information change his plans. Working with Ladon has been enlightening, opening up a whole different battle style. While he certainly wouldn't call himself an expert in Grass types - not even close - he did have a better idea of how they battled. At least, how the slow ones battled.
In what felt like no time at all, they were at the glass doors of the gym. Actually; the entire thing was glass, and as soon as they opened the doors, Ash's nostrils were assaulted with the various overwhelming scents of Grass type Pokémon.
The most pungent of the smells had to be Erika's signature Gloom.
Resisting the urge to plug his nose, Ash breathed in and out of his mouth as subtly as he could. He walked to the front where a young woman in a pink kimono was manning the reception table. She beamed as he approached, the perfect 'service industry smile' in place.
"Good morning! How may I help you?"
"I called last night. Battle for Ash Ketchum."
The woman glanced down at her computer and clicked a few times. "Ah yes, three badges, first attempt at Celadon Gym. Erika is ready for you right through those ferns! If you two are here to watch, please follow the signs to the stands."
Hau clapped Ash on the back, Gladion gave him a nod, and the two were gone.
Letting his fingers run over his belt, Ash took a fortifying breath before pushing his way through the enormous ferns.
Shockingly enough, the foliage had been blocking the brightness of the greenhouse, as well as the humidity. Plants of all colors, shapes, and sizes littered the enormous area. Women and men tended to the flowers, while others tended to the variety of Pokémon that made the greenhouse their home.
He continued to walk until he came to the far back, a massive Kanto Oak brushing the glass ceiling. Attached to the sizable trunk were benches, going all the way up till the first branches split off. He caught sight of Hau and Gladion getting settled, as well as a few others here for entertainment.
Official challenges were posted publicly on the gym's website and were free to watch in person. For those who bet on the Indigo Conference, it was a great opportunity to get an early look at potential competitors.
Every gym battle was also recorded and saved to the trainer's profile and within the League's internal servers. For any trainers trying for a specialty, they had to use at least three Pokémon of their specialty type in a Gym Cycle.
Pulling his eyes away from the sparse audience, Ash looked at his opponent.
Sitting serenely in the shade was Grass Master Erika. Her vibrant kimono gave the impression of a rainforest, all dark greens and bright floral pinks.
She blinked her brown eyes open and smiled, gracefully pulling herself to her feet. Her hands came together inside her sleeves as she strode forward.
"Ashton Ketchum, a pleasure. The Lieutenant warned me of your arrival. I have high expectations of you. Now, let us begin." She tapped her foot three times and waited. Ash was confused for a moment, then one of the large pink flowers beside her moved.
Oh, it's a Meganium.
The towering Johto starter shook itself before rearing up on their hindlegs, green energy erupting from the ground when it slammed back down.
Thick, tall grasses sprouted from beneath its feet, spreading out before changing directions at right angles.
After only seconds, a field had been created.
Some of the large ferns shifted, Exeggutor standing from their rest and shivered, pinkish barriers flaring to life from just behind the line of grasses. It seemed like these were only for manifested energy instead of physical impacts.
Ash nodded to himself and pulled Astria from his shoulder. "Hey girl, I'm going to need you to stand outside the barriers, just until the battles are over. I'll be in your sights the entire time, okay?" The little Pichu's ears flattened against her skull but she nodded, hopping down to the ground and sadly plodding outside the trainer's box. She plopped down right at the edge, as close to the barrier as possible when it flickered back up.
Another woman strolled out, her ref's uniform stained with color. She lifted a green and red flag to each side of the field
"This is an official Gym Battle of Celadon Gym between Ashton Ketchum of Pallet Town and Grass Master Erika Minhwa. This will be a 3 on 3 battle, and a victor will be declared when all Pokémon on one side are unable to battle. Substitutions are allowed. Gym Leader Erika will release first."
"Come out, Darling." Lightly tossing a Friend ball, a tangle of vines landed on the field, Tangela shaking and flaring its dextrous appendages.
Nodding to himself, Ash unclipped the Ultra ball, full of trust for his partner.
Wisteria appeared on the field in all her adorable ferocity, neighing and stamping her hooves into the grass. Her tail swished aggressively and her small horn glowed in preparation.
"3-2-1 BATTLE BEGIN!"
"Field Set, Darling." With well-practiced ease, the unassuming Tangela juggled its following attacks like a veteran.
Sunny Day.
Ingrain.
Grassy Terrain.
And finally, Reflect.
Ash squeezed his fist but outwardly didn't react. They prepared for this. Ever since battling Lt. Surge, Wisteria had been running herself ragged to prepare for this.
How do you break through an unbreakable, healing barrier?
He took a breath, ignoring Erika's serene smile, and dove.
"Swift."
First you test it.
The golden stars locked onto the immobile mass of vines, pelting against its shell before they were subsequently destroyed by the wriggling mess. Tangela glowed, the few shallow bruises immediately healing over.
Nodding to himself, he wasn't surprised Erika didn't retaliate. This was her giving her opponent a chance to think. Gym Leaders were meant to be teachers, afterall.
"Swift again."
He didn't distract himself by noticing Erika's confused expression. Wisteria reared back and sent another bout of stars flying forward. They were once again destroyed by the vines, though almost half heartedly.
"Once more." The crowd was murmuring at this point, and Erika looked… disappointed.
But it was different this time and Tangela wasn't prepared.
See, there was a way to cover up the fact that a young Pokémon needed time to power up and concentrate. It was a little mind game he liked to call 'The horse that cried Swift.'
Suddenly, Wisteria burst into motion. She reared once more, kicking off and spinning, the stars torpedoing towards Tangela now glowing pink with razor edges spinning like Razor Leaf.
Nurse Joy's words about Wisteria's shard-like energy were like a missing puzzle piece. Techniques that had fought Wisteria every step were now snapping into place.
Wisteria kicked off, Agility powering her charge as the shuriken-like Swift fell upon the Grass type. Cracks appeared in the Reflect, one after another, before it shattered, and the stars sliced into the Tangela. However, most tore into the ground by its feet.
Vines twitched and wrapped around its body, upping its defense.
But they weren't aiming for the body.
Wisteria slammed into Tangela with all the force her Agility-enhanced 200-something pound body could manage.
A spine chilling tearing sound echoed through the field as Tangela was ripped from the ground, the weakened roots of its Ingrain shriveling where they were left.
"Mystical Fire!"
"Amnesia!" Erika gasped out, but Wisteria had known what was going to be asked of her. The pinkish fire swirled from her horn in a torrent powered by Sunny Day, trapping Tangela in a blaze of psionic fire. The awful shriek of pain had Erika bringing a hand to her mouth.
Thank you Mirae.
"Split, Poison Powder!" Twin vines burned as they cut through the swirling flame, but it created a gap for a stream of purple spores to be shot straight at the equine.
Ash bared his teeth in a feral grin.
"Psybeam!" The Poison Powder washed over Wisteria harmlessly, Pastel Veil making her immune. Her Psybeam, more pointed and jagged now that it played to her strengths, utilized the gap in her own attack and struck Tangela in the chest.
Vines seized as the Tangela flinched, Grassy Terrain unable to give back energy quick enough to offset the damage.
Mystical Fire petered out, but Ash refused to let up on the assault.
"Psybeam!"
"Seed Bomb!" The explosions tripped up the young colt, the Psybeam striking the barrier behind the Grass type. "Synthesis!"
"Charge!" Ash practically snarled the order, refusing to let the Vine Pokémon heal itself after all of that effort. Wisteria glowed and whinnied as loud as her little chest could handle, Agility flaring from her body like a beacon and her psionic energy silencing her hooves on the ground. Fairy Wind burst to life around her as she closed the distance.
Tangela, in a surprising burst of reflex, cut off the Synthesis and sent a plume of Stun Spore out from its body. Wisteria plowed through the cloud, legs immediately locking up and tumbling over herself.
She rolled and rolled, coming to a stop a few meters behind Tangela.
Her furious whinnies tore at Ash's heart.
"Darling, let's try that Synthesis again."
"Wisteria!" The equine forced her head in his direction, her eyes burning with anger and shame. He bared his teeth once more and lifted his chin.
Huge pupils turned to pinpricks and she brayed in fury.
"FACADE!"
"DARLING!"
Wisteria lept like a feral Meowth, her psionic energy propelling her when her body could not.
The two Pokémon crashed into each other, rolling away until they were both collapsed and panting. Impossibly, they both glowed with the slight energy gain of Grassy Terrain.
Without his input, Wisteria pulled herself to her feet, stiff and shaking and infuriated, a final sharp lance of Psybeam slamming into Tangela right between the eyes.
There was a pause, then Tangela's eyes rolled back and it fell, bright rubbery feet sticking straight into the air. The Sunny Day immediately dimmed, the sweat beading on Ash's temple leaving a cold line.
The breath left Ash's lungs in a whoosh, heart beating a mile a minute from the fast-paced battle. Ignoring his own adrenaline-infused limbs, Ash jogged out to the field, ignoring the ref's admonishing, and knelt down next to his paralyzed teammate.
Her chest was heaving even as she shook, her eyes still frenzied but proud.
"You were absolutely incredible." She huffed in a pretentious tone and even found the strength to flick her tail against the ground. Smiling, Ash scooped her up gently and brought the Ultra ball to her side. "Thank you, take a rest."
Ash jogged back to his trainer box and turned to the disapproving ref. "I won't be using my Ponyta again in this battle." The ref's eyes softened around the edges somewhat and she nodded.
"I must say, that must have been the most… unique way someone has defeated my Tangela." Erika still had a hand to her mouth but it was now more in an assessing way than one of shock.
Merely inclining his head, Ash prepared his next Pokémon. Erika grinned and selected a Net ball.
"Trainers release your Pokémon in 3-2-1!"
Across from them, a droopy-eyed Lombre landed on the field, its forearms braced against the grass.
Even as Ash's Quick ball left his hand, he grimaced.
Ladon landed with a thud, his eyes flapped up to take a look at his surroundings and opponent. The eyes swiveled around separately, both eventually facing behind him to look at Ash, at which point they quivered happily.
A fond and helpless smile made its way onto Ash's face without his say-so, prompting him to send a wave to his Appletun. His eyes flapped up and down as Ladon bounced on his clawed forelegs before he turned his eyes back to his opponent.
Erika had a quivering lip and a hand pressed to her heart. "I love him."
Even Ash couldn't hold back his laughter at that statement.
Their interaction was cut short by the impatient ref. "3-2-1 BATTLE BEGIN!"
"Mist!"
"Rollout."
"Icy Wind."
"Up!"
Ladon uncurled just before he reached the icy patch, launching himself into the air with his hindlegs. Even with the Appletun's fatigue the last few days, he had put in an incredible amount of training to fix his timing, influenced by his battle with Paul.
The Appletun reared his head back and launched a crackling Dragon Pulse at the stationary Lombre, which unfortunately was met with another Icy Wind that destabilized it inches before it struck the Grass and Water type.
Poor Lombre's eyes bulged when hundreds of pounds of their opponent landed a Body Slam, crushing the Pokémon beneath.
"Dragon Rage!"
"Tickle!"
"For the love of-" Ladon twitched, gulping for air as Lombre's red claws 'attacked' his underbelly, the wheezing sounds were uncomfortable to hear. And as soon as Ladon shifted slightly to the left, Lombre fired an Ice Beam straight to his chin.
The Appletun was sent flying back, ice freezing his maw shut. He landed forcefully, eyes lifted frantically.
Erika pressed her advantage, gleefully calling for a Teeter Dance.
"Rollout again!" Ash's voice cut through Ladon's panic, rolling up tightly in response and cutting off his sight before the Teeter Dance could fully set in. While the ice collected over his maw no doubt hurt, his Thick Fat ability made it manageable.
Lombre easily sidestepped the large Dragon, landing an Ice Punch that bounced right off the Pokémon.
"Circle!" Ladon tucked, arching around his opponent and gaining speed as the circle grew tighter and tighter. Ice Beams eventually deflected right off the Appletun until he barrelled into the other Pokémon.
Lombre skidded as it landed, recovering quickly with a clawed hand on the ground to balance. Rearing back, it slammed both hands into the grassy field, head snapping forward and a Hydro Pump striking Ladon in the flank, dousing him in water.
"Blizzard!"
"Gyro Ball!" The frigid wind washed over his teammate just as a silver sheen spread over his body, freezing the water that coated him.
The field and audience were silent as the frozen sphere that was Ladon sat motionless.
"Come on come on come on…" Ash whispered under his breath as the seconds ticked by. By League rules he had 30 seconds before the match would be called due to freezing.
As the seconds ticked down, Erika leaned back, a self satisfied smile on her face.
26
27
28-CRACK
The ice shattered spectacularly, sending shards gleaming through the air.
"YES!" Ladon was definitely on his last legs, parts of his body still frozen and his movements slow and jerky. Thick Fat could only do so much with Ladon's extreme susceptibility to cold. But his eyes were fierce as they swiveled to find his opponent.
The next moment an enormous Dragon Pulse struck Lombre in the stomach.
"Lotus, Rain Dance!"
"Sunny Day!" The two weather attacks collided in midair, exploding outward in a blast of rainbows, vapor settling over the field.
"Gyro Ball!"
"Fire Punch!"
Dear Mew, how could Lombre learn Fire Punch?
"Up!"
"We're not falling for that again, Whirlpool!"
Ladon descended right into the swirling vortex, trapped and struggling, his body and weight not built for swimming. Lombre was obviously expending most of its remaining energy on this large attack, hoping to cut off the Dragon's oxygen.
Ash grit his teeth, eyes darting this way and that looking for an exit, an opportunity, something. But there was nothing, not with Ladon helpless to the vortex's power.
It was like battling Paul all over again.
There was nothing to do. Ladon could't fight against the pull and none of his attacks could disrupt the Whirlpool surrounding him. He didn't have space to focus, to build up an attack.
Ash made an urgent gesture with his hand to the ref that made it clear he was forfeiting Ladon.
Immediately, the Whirlpool destabilized, crashing to the ground and leaving a heaving Appletun lying on his side.
Once again ignoring the ref, Ash jogged out to the field. His shoes squelched on the sodden grass, and Ash was uncaring of his knees as he knelt in the puddles. His hands were shaking when he reached for his teammate.
"Hey bud, you did well, thank you." The poor thing whined, eyes drooping with both exhaustion and disappointment. It was rare for attacks to pierce Ladon's defenses, but even he needed oxygen.
Ash scratched the Pokémon under his chin before returning him, a couple ice chips finding their way painfully under his fingernails. They'd find a counter. Ladon wouldn't be made helpless.
Ash returned to the trainer box, eying Lombre critically with a hint of spite.
The Pokémon was trembling from exhaustion.
He really hadn't expected to worry about Water attacks of all things at a Grass gym, especially with Ladon's impressive resistance to them. And he'd admit it to himself, he didn't think he'd struggle this much with Erika.
Shaking his head, Ash primed his last Pokémon, Luxury ball at the ready.
Orion landed on the field, eyes wild and lips curled back to unveil sharp fangs. His legs were braced and head lowered, biting at the air as he trembled in anticipation.
Even Erika looked taken aback at the aggressive display.
"Scald!"
Leaping over the steaming blast of water, Orion sprinted, closing the distance in a heartbeat, claws primed as he barrelled into Lombre. The opponent was knocked onto its back, hissing in pain as Orion's claws tore at him, not even using an attack.
Lombre was engulfed in a red light as it was returned, Erika's face pale like most of Orion's adversaries.
The Ninetales huffed, stalking back towards Ash's side as he waited not-so-patiently.
"Well." Erika sniffed, shoulders still a bit tense. She didn't say anymore, instead tossing a Repeat ball, her archetypical Vileplume landing heavily on the field, large petals slapping together loudly.
The pungent smell from Vileplume's body immediately suffused the field. Ash had to bring a sleeve up to his nose while Orion snarled and wrinkled his snout.
"3-2-1 BATTLE BEGIN!"
"Safeguard." Ash knew Hex was a strong move, especially against a Pokémon that most likely had Effect Spore as an ability, and he didn't want to risk Vileplume knowing it. Vileplume was going to be a difficult opponent no matter what, especially with its Poison typing. No reason to shoot himself in the foot by letting Orion get paralyzed or poisoned.
"Oh, what a bother. Fine, Razor Leaf."
"Ice Tomb." Raising the sharp shards of ice all over its fur, Orion shook, eyes glowing and sending the shards outward in a shield of ice.
Thank you Castor for the inspiration.
The Razor Leaf and Ice Tomb canceled out, Orion quickly taking the few icy remains and sending a weak Ice Shard straight at the Grass and Poison type.
A quick burst of Petal Blizzard danced in front of Vileplume, shielding it.
Alright, long range attacks were just going to cancel out like this.
"Hail."
"Grassy Terrain." Ash narrowed his eyes. Why wouldn't Erika try to stop the Hail? Perhaps she thought Orion wouldn't be able to summon it quickly.
After a few moments, the ground glowed once more with the Grass energy, all while clouds gathered and started dropping dense, sharp hailstones.
Orion faded into the storm, Snow Cloak active and Aurora Veil wrapping around the Ninetales like a blanket.
Erika smiled.
"Aroma."
Various colors spilled from Vileplume's flower, Ash unable to differentiate them to figure out what the Pokémon was doing. But the fumes were pulled into the snowstorm, mixing with rough crystals and harsh cold.
His question was answered when Orion was suddenly visible, pupils dilated and walking forward.
Shit, Gastro Acid and Sweet Scent. Somehow Vileplume had been able to give Gastro Acid a gaseous form.
Vileplume was ready, Sludge Bomb exploding against Orion's chest, eliciting a howl that had his pupils shrinking in anger.
Icy fur solidified on his chest before being shed, the remains of the acidic sludge falling on the ground. The fox hissed, flexing his claws before launching forward, no longer bothering to hide. He still had Aurora Veil dancing over his fur and boosting his resistance.
"Seed Bomb." Orion dove right into the frey, the seeds detonating against his flank harmlessly, deactivated and weakened by the swirling aurora.
Orion slammed into the Vileplume, swinging his tails around to land multiple Iron Tails in succession, thunk thunk thunk. "Confuse Ray!"
The Flower Pokémon shivered, eyes going glassy and giving Orion the opening to fire an Ice Beam right into its petals and freeze them together. Vileplume, even in its confusion, shrieked in pain.
"Padma!" Erika's worried voice echoed over the field, her usual professional, calm demeanor breaking in the face of her teammate's pain and disorientation.
"Hypnosis!" Orion followed his commands, though he looked like he wanted to keep attacking. His eyes glowed and he howled, bringing Vileplume's scattered attention to him.
Ash knew Gym Leaders trained their Pokémon not to look into another's eyes, so the Confuse Ray was needed.
The Grass and Poison type's eyelids fluttered and shut, body falling backwards with a plume of spores saturating the air.
"Dream Eater." Ash pushed his advantage, knowing they weren't in the clear yet, Vileplume had surprisingly good defenses for a Grass type.
Orion's opponent thrashed in their sleep, some of the ice freezing their petals chipping and cracking. Its mind was completely overwhelmed by the Confuse Ray and Dream Eater, unable to heed Erika's call for Sleep Talk.
The Hail was petering out around them, Orion's attention and energy going towards draining as much of Vileplume's health as he could before Grassy Terrain could heal it back.
Then with a sudden gasp, eyes snapped open and a torrent of sludge burst from the Grass type. Orion had no time to dodge, getting swept up in the burning acid that ate away at the mystical aurora protecting him.
"Shield!" Snarling, Orion dug pointed claws into the grass, tendons and muscles straining against the Sludge Wave. Eyes flared pink, Extrasensory cleaving the wave in two, allowing Orion to cover himself in nine steel-coated tails before the wave washed over him once more.
The Sludge Wave slowed, revealing the silver dome that was Orion. "Disable!" Bunching his legs beneath him, Orion cut off the Iron Tail and lept, a wave of energy leaving his body and slamming into Vileplume from across the field.
The remaining swell of poison suddenly cut off, leaving Vileplume wary, tired, and blinking.
Both Pokémon were now panting, Orion still a bit better off than the other.
"Grass Knot!" Thick strands burst from the ground where Orion landed, tangling around his feet.
"Freeze!"
"Strength Sap!"
"Orion Ice Tomb!" The dark green energy beam slammed into Orion, who howled before icy shards and leftover Hail swirled around him, cutting the beam off before Vileplume could close its wounds.
Erika pivoted quickly, hands shaking in the heat of battle, calling for a Seed Bomb to pummel the icy twister.
Orion shook where he stood, Strength Sap leaving his muscles trembling even with the attack being at half strength.
Ash grit his teeth, knowing they had to end this soon.
"Spite, Nasty Plot." Orion barked, his willpower over the twister forcing it outward, pushing the Seed Bombs back. As it grew it weakened, feeling no worse than a tap against Vileplume's rubbery hide.
The Grass and Poison type shivered, its Seed Bomb weakening with the effects of Spite. Orion, on the other hand, grinned maliciously.
Nasty Plot had come easy to him after a little bit of practice.
Ash saw the moment Erika noticed the lack of protective sheen around Orion, and bit his tongue.
"Burst!"
Orion sprinted towards the obvious cloud of Stun Spore and Sweet Scent, and moments before he reached it, Orion's eyes flared with icy power.
Cold, like the depths of Seafoam Caves or the peak of Mount Lanakila, erupted from the Ninetales' body, freezing the pollen-filled haze in place. Orion leapt through it, unharmed and unimpeded.
Erika balked at the useless cloud, throwing out a hand as she called, "Energy Ball!" Grassy Terrain did its job, making the Grass attack glow like a sun as it sped towards a charging Orion.
Timing was everything.
"NOW!" Screaming with willpower and righteous fury, Orion kicked off, flipping himself over and Iron Shield passing in front of his face just as the Energy Ball struck, deflecting it to the ground. Howling, the Ninetales continued his spin, planting his legs as Aqua Tail froze around the steel tails.
With harsh flicks, the spears were released.
The Ice Lances sliced deep lacerations into Vileplume's rubbery hide.
Vileplume wailed in pain upon impact, a gush of Acid Spray attempting to spread before coagulating in the deadly cold.
"Hex!" Ash barked, watching Orion's eyes glow purple.
Hex bombarded their opponent, targeting the center of the great flower, ice shattering and shredding the petals.
Vileplume collapsed.
Ash swung his pack around, grabbing on almost too tightly to the sitrus berries he kept stored there. He raced onto the field, Orion shaking out his fur and almost biting Ash's hand when the sitrus berry was offered.
The fox munched on the fruit happily as Ash scratched his jawline. "Amazing, as always."
Orion preened.
He was momentarily startled when a light weight landed on his shoulder, chittering excitedly in his ear. Turning his head, Astria was waving her little paws around, her eyes bright. Orion eyed the tiny rodent with smug superiority, but accepted the praise with his head held high.
"What a rush!"
Ash blinked and lifted his eyes, seeing Erika jogging towards him with a wide grin on her face. She looked like she was about to burst with energy, reminding him a bit of Artemis. It was a complete 180 from her countenance prior to the battle.
"That was so fun! The Lieutenant was right about you, Mr. Ketchum! How long have you had your Pokémon?"
Ash stood up and brushed off his pants, which were still somewhat soggy from the battle with Lombre. Astria grabbed his ear for balance and Orion thrashed his tails, always ready to fight. "Wisteria, my Ponyta, I've had for a little over a month. Ladon, my Appletun-"
"Who I love and would die for."
"-has been with me for around two and a half months. Orion, here, has been with me for almost four months. All three are my most recent captures, besides Astria." He gestured to the Pichu on his shoulder with his chin, smiling at her sudden suspicion of Erika.
"Wow! Very impressive! Especially your Ponyta, who I can tell is very young. But she's already learned how to infuse?"
Ash nodded, proud of the colt for her Psychic-infused Swift. "Only with psionic energy so far. It took a lot of practice to keep it as accurate as a true Swift. Wisteria and I have been working on it since Surge."
"Marvelous! And how did you find such a large Appletun?"
Ash huffed out a laugh and shrugged. "My Pokémon found a massive Applin in Galar. I had actually been planning on a Flapple but got the apples mixed up." Ash looked away with a self-deprecating smile when Erika chuckled.
"It seems to have worked out."
"Without a doubt." Ash was still somewhat shaken by the repeat drowning, knowing it was his own failure to anticipate it. He didn't want Ladon to develop hydrophobia, especially if their opponents kept using that weakness against him. That, paired with what happened with Hau and Surf yesterday, Ash just might develop a fear of the water himself.
"Well, you have formally defeated me, so I can offer you the Rainbow Badge! Because this is your fourth gym badge, you have officially completed the Halfway Benchmark, all your remaining battles will be 4v4 or more, and against the Gym Leader's stronger teams. May I also present to you this, the TM for Seed Bomb."
Ash took the badge and green disc from the Grass Master, reading the back as a refresher as to the details of the attack.
His head snapped up as he remembered something. "Oh, I've been meaning to ask about the fast Lilligant you have?"
A secretive smile quirked Erika's lips as she folded her hands behind her back. "Hm, are you taking on the remainder of the Big Eight?"
Ash frowned at the change of subject but nodded once.
"Cinnabar is lovely this time of year." She beamed at him before bowing, her eyes shimmering with mirth and something else before she turned and walked off the field.
His searching gaze was interrupted by a sudden hug. Astria hissed from her spot on his shoulder.
"That was so cool!" Hau released him and bounced on the balls of his feet. "Wisteria was great, and Ladon and Orion and holy Tapu!"
Clapping Hau on the shoulder and resting a hand on Orion's head, Ash accepted the nod from Gladion.
The group walked out of the gym, Orion tapping his Luxury ball to rest now that the battle was over.
Hau jogged ahead and turned, walking backwards with his hands behind his head. "Early lunch?"
As the group walked through Celadon, Ash rubbed his chest unconsciously. It felt like a mixture of heartburn and the beginnings of a panic attack. His rib cage felt both too tight and too gaping, a conflicting sensation that Ash pushed from his mind.
He ignored the feeling of something wrapping around his torso, unfurling, and then cracking like a hatching egg. He ignored the baffling mixture of emptiness and weight that nestled beside his heart. Astria's ears were pinned back as she looked at him, claws digging into the fabric of his shirt.
He pushed the discomfort away, reaching up to pet the rodent, sparks tickling his fingertips.
In Saffron, cradled by the smoking remains of Silph Company, a stone woke up.
Ash stop letting your Appletun drown oh my god
If the physics of psionic/spectral energy doesn't make sense, shhh yes it does.
Ash finally confronts the fact he can kill living things with his hands by draining their energy, so that's cool. Astria's like, 'no big deal' which actually helps Ash. I've alluded to it, but Ash doesn't keep his 'extra sense' active all the time
Next: Depart for Fuchsia, Return of a rival, and Astria's first battle!