"You haven't taken the lead yet, Gary." Ash raised his voice to make sure his rival could hear every word. "My friend's and I aren't half done, but you are."

Gary snorted, although his eyes almost flashed. "Tch, your math all jumbled up? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you won't be picking anything apart anytime soon." Ash's smile was not a smirk, but it was steel, a small wave of confidence glowing in his face as he tossed the Poke Ball and released Phenom.

As the Tyrunt emerged from the light, his head was held high, and his arms were spread out pointed upwards as he let out a passionate cry. Gary's face scrunched up as his eyes examined the newcomer.

"Jolteon, come here."

While Jolteon turned back to speak to his trainer, Ash quickly signaled for Phenom to come to him as well. Kneeling down and patting the dinosaur on the head, he couldn't help but appreciate the visible growth of the team's youngest member, who was now the typical size of his species.

"Each side has three Pokemon left, buddy, and in my opinion, you're the best option for him." As the boy nodded in Jolteon's direction, Phenom looked back at his soon to be opponent for just a second before returning his focus to his trainer. "You should be able to handle Jolteon's electric attacks, but he's a lot faster than you are and can power up his Double Kick. That could spell a lot of trouble for you if we're not careful, and of course, look out for the spikes. He knows Double Team as well so stay alert, especially when you're on offense. You got it?"

Reading Phenom's face, there was a level of seriousness that almost would have felt uncharacteristic if he had worn the expression several weeks ago. It was not quite hardened, but nonetheless, there was a concentrated energy and vigor in the Tyrunt's eyes as he nodded definitively to his trainer's run down. It was not a playful look, or a childishly excited one. It was the look of a Pokemon ready to win. "Motivation" was the best way to summarize it in one word.

But that motivation was not yet done coming.

"Good." Ash patted Phenom's head one more time before rising back to full height. "Electricity might heal him so don't use Thunder Fang. Oh, and Phenom?" Having almost turned away from his trainer to take up his position on the battlefield, the young dinosaur stopped midwalk and locked eyes with his trainer again, just in time for the trump card to leave Ash's mouth.

"That Jolteon took out Glaceon and Valiant."

Ash saw it. It wasn't something extravagant, like an explosion of fire in the dinosaur's pupils. But he saw, in real time, the shift. The change in Phenom's eyes. It was a look that perpetually remained as the young Tyrunt assumed his spot and crouched down into his stance, head pointed forward as his eyes locked onto Jolteon, who's spikes once again began to very briefly spark at the tips.

Gary, Ash knew, would say whatever he wanted about him. But that ignorance was at his own peril, because he did not know what he or his team had been through. And he certainly did not know how they had been brought together.

But maybe they could give him a taste.

"Rock Blast, and Dragon Tail!"

Phenom's roars, (when he wasn't using the move itself, at any rate) were nothing like his evolved form, but nonetheless, the attempt he made as he took off charging towards Jolteon carried an intensity and vigor that few would think to expect from a creature so outwardly cute.

And what a charge it was; the young dinosaur's legs carried him with the force of a one-man stampede, and Ash could not help but wonder if his friend had abruptly grown faster in the moment. This was accompanied by the barrage of rocks that escaped his wide open mouth.

It was a barrage that Jolteon had no trouble avoiding, however. The electric type galloped across the pavement and circled around behind the charging Tyrunt before firing a Shadow Ball directly at Phenom's back. Phenom's Dragon Tail was already ready, however, and Gary could not suppress his frustrated grunt as the prehistoric dragon whirled around and smacked the ghostly orb back in the direction it had been fired. Jolteon leapt to the side and resumed dashing.

"No Shadow Balls against this one either, then." Gary stated. "Double Kick!" Picking up speed, Jolteon's gaze locked onto the Tyrunt, who had started running towards him again.

"Roar, then Earth Power!" Ash knew he was taking a gamble meeting Jolteon head on, but with their opponent's speed making distance combat a likely losing game, they could not afford to be afraid of getting gutsy.

Fear was hardly in Phenom's vocabulary; the young dinosaur quickened his own pace as Ash called out to him. Jolteon was by far the faster of the two, but as the distance between the two fighters rapidly drew to a close mere moments after the command, the Tyrunt's widely opening jaws let loose a loud, forceful shockwave that knocked the charging electric type back, completely halting his momentum and leaving him open and vulnerable. Gary's shout resembled something closer to a shriek as Phenom struck the ground beneath him, sending a surge of energy traveling from underneath towards its target. Having not fully regained his footing, Jolteon yelped as he hastily leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack as the Earth Power detonated at the spot he had just occupied. Not fully balanced, Jolteon didn't land correctly, tumbling as his paws hit the ground.

On his side of the battlefield, Gary released a breath as his electric type companion returned to all fours and broke into another sprint, away from his opponent. Even as he picked himself up, Phenom was already charging him again, and fired a Dragon Pulse in pursuit of the evolved Eevee's fleeing form. The attack likely would have struck Jolteon from behind if he had not looked back and quickly swerved to the side, only barely avoiding the blast as it exploded against the pavement a good distance away.

'We have Gary and Jolteon on the run,' Ash observed the exchange. 'But we'll never catch him. Not when he's running away.'

Although not supremely confident, however, Ash was not too worried either. Jolteon's best offensive option against the Tyrunt would require him to come to them, in which case both combatants would become equally lethal to one another depending on who could win the ensuing exchange. Jolteon was gaining some distance to regroup, but sooner or later, Gary would tell him to…

"Double Team and Super Kick!"

Ash's face tightened, and Phenom's eyes widened just a bit (albeit more in alert than in surprise) as Jolteon split into two, both the real one and the clone running in separate, parallel directions. The Tyrunt's efforts to give chase would not bear fruit, the exchange was going to be on the faster electric type's terms.

"Rock Blast in a circle, catch the real one with Poison Fang!" Even as the words left his lips, Ash knew how this could backfire, pitting the power of Jolteon's Super Kick (backed up by how fast he was coming in) against the strength of Phenom's jaw, but he had full confidence in the latter, and pretty soon, Gary would see why.

A spark of aggression shined in Phenom's eyes as Jolteon charged him. The shards of rock were fired in all directions, quickly evaporating the clone while the real target managed to leap over them. Even as he did, the venom began to lace the Tyrunt's teeth.

Ash's face scrunched in frustration as Phenom, with no wasted effort, whirled around with his jaws wide and Poison Fang fully powered, only for his target to barely swerve away in time, just before he had a chance for his powerful bite to clamp down. The electric type slid backwards as he turned his body to face the Tyrunt's exposed back.

"Hyper Voice, then Super Kick!"

Ash called out a warning as Jolteon fired the Hyper Voice into Phenom, who got hit in the side as he tried to turn to face his target again. The impact sent the Tyrunt staggering back, trying to retain his balance as the Poison Fang began to dissipate, and then Jolteon struck.

The impact was just as loud, forceful, and definitive as the one that had finished Glaceon off. Phenom felt his head jarringly whip to the side as Jolteon's glowing back leg rammed into the side of his skull, and whatever balance he had managed to maintain was immediately lost on him as his body was sent tumbling away several feet. Coming to a stop, the dinosaur's claws dug into the pavement in an effort to hold himself up, but he quickly found himself reaching for the spot on his head that Jolteon had struck, and the first signs of tears formed in his eyes as his vision blurred for a split second.

It was only a split second, however. Massaging his head for only a moment, a low growl, debatably lower than any one he'd given off before, rumbled in Phenom's throat as he forced himself to his feet. When his glowering eyes locked onto Jolteon, something else sparked in his gaze as he let loose another, far louder battle cry.

Jolteon responded with a bark before firing a Thunderbolt from his spikes, no doubt intending to immobilize the Tyrunt and leave him open for the kill. Phenom leapt to the side, leaving the streak of lightning to scorch the ground where he had previously stood before charging forward with a snarl of vigor. As his feet stamped against the pavement, it felt as though his speed had not been reduced an inch, and Ash could not prevent the flare of pride in his chest from reflecting in his grin, nor did he try.

"Let him have it, Phenom! Dragon Pulse!" Jolteon wanted very little to do with the dragon-shaped blast of energy erupting from Phenom's mouth, quickly leaping to the side before turning around and sprinting away once more in another effort to put distance between himself and the dinosaur. Phenom did not relent, firing a Rock Blast the moment the Dragon Pulse was avoided. The shards of stone missed their mark as well, and Jolteon responded with a Swift, even as he continued to retreat.

"Deflect them with Play Rough!" Ash knew the Swift was not likely to do much against the Tyrunt, but they needed to avoid him being knocked off balance a second time. The first Super Kick to the head had not depleted the prehistoric dragon's tenacity, but a second blow of the same nature might not end well for him.

Phenom's body lit up pink just as the first projectiles reached him. A series of flails, tail lashes, and headbutts knocked each and every star away without resistance.

Gary didn't seem too annoyed, likely due to his next command. "Another Super Kick!"

Ash's face turned tight again. This was it. "Poison Fang, catch him this time!"

Both Pokemon took off running towards one another, Jolteon easily the faster of the two as usual, but Gary was not done yet. "Circle with Swift!"

His heart quickening, Ash quickly shouted. "Rock Blast, in a circle!"

Still a fair distance away, Jolteon lapped around the Tyrunt three entire times as the stars were fired from his mouth. Phenom did his best to follow his opponent's movements, firing shard of rock after shard of rock to intercept the golden projectiles. A good few of the stars struck him, prompting pained winces that almost broke his concentration (and momentarily slowed it), but the majority of Jolteon's offense was successfully blocked, just before Jolteon himself made his move and charged straight for him.

"Snatch him!" Ash's voice rose arguably higher than at any other point throughout the match thus far, and Phenom lunged for his approaching foe.

Only for Jolteon to break away again, potentially sooner than he had in the previous exchange.

'Damnit!' His heart racing, it took a great deal of willpower for Ash to not speak it out loud.

"Do it, Jolteon!"

Once more, a Hyper Voice slammed into Phenom's back, sending him staggering just in time for Jolteon to charge forward and strike-

Ash's breath caught in his throat as Phenom whirled around, his teeth still charged with poison Fang as his powerful jaw clamped down on Jolteon's glowing leg.

The force of the Super Kick was far from lost on the Tyrunt, who immediately found himself tackled onto his back by the charging Jolteon's second to none momentum. As he hit the pavement, he almost lost his grip, and felt his hold on his opponent's leg loosening as his jaw flared in pain. The weakened grip only lasted for a moment, however, and as though in defiance, the young Tyrunt somehow managed to strengthen his hold to an even tighter degree as Jolteon screamed in pain. The muscles in the electric type's leg were greatly strengthened and amplified by Focus Energy, and the same could be said for the skin, which felt greatly reinforced. Nonetheless, Tyrunt continued to chew, eyes flaring in determination as his teeth dug into the leg, injecting the venom of Poison Fang as he squeezed harder and harder.

Though his heart had not yet slowed down, Ash managed to find his breath just in time to call out. "You did it! Don't let go!" His trainer's encouragement prompted Phenom to double down on his efforts further, squeezing with increasing aggression until he could not strengthen his grip any further. It did not take long for Jolteon's leg to give, and it only took a bit longer for Tyrunt to begin slowly rising back to his teeth, Poison Fang still clamped onto his opponent with no signs of mercy.

All of the color had left Gary's face, but the same could not be said for his eyes. "You know what, Ash? FUCK YOU! Thunderbolt, Jolteon! ZAP HIM!"

Jolteon cried out again as he struggled to summon the effort, the first signs of electricity sparking and fading at the tips of his spikes. With a final burst of vigor, and fire in his eyes, he unleashed the Thunderbolt point-blank, with Phenom's jaws still clamped on his now broken and infected leg. Struggling to maintain his grip, Phenom screamed through his teeth as the electricity bathed his body.

"Hang in there, buddy." Fists clenched, Ash supportively called out to his friend. "Spit him out with Roar!"

Though Phenom's eyes were briefly clenched shut, they slowly found their way open as a final spark ignited inside of them. With a mighty lunge, the Tyrunt launched his opponent out of his mouth, leaving Jolteon to sloppily tumble across the pavement, leaving behind a streak of blood.

"Earth Power!"

With a grunt, Phenom ignored the sparks dancing across the surface of his hide as he struck the ground yet again. This time, Jolteon had no chance of avoiding the surge of energy racing towards him from beneath the ground, and took the impact full force, launching him away with a final cry of pain that cut off halfway through, and leaving the blood from his mangled leg to drip further across the battlefield before he stilled.

Jolteon did not get up.

With triumph in his eyes, the last remaining sparks flickering against Phenom's body fizzled out as the young Tyrunt raised his claws and let out a loud, forceful cry into the air. Grinning from ear to ear, Ash allowed his friend to bask in the moment before calling out to him. The moment of pause also allowed for his quickened heart to calm itself, only somewhat slowly. He kept his eyes locked onto the dinosaur, not daring to catch a glimpse at Jolteon and his leg.

"Phenom, over here!" The dragon had an expression matching his trainer's own as he turned back and headed over to Ash. In that moment, the image of the blissful hatchling of the group saw a resurgence. Crouching down to meet him at eye level, Ash patted the Tyrunt's head fondly while his eyes scanned his teammate's body.

Jolteon's final attack had left more than a few superficial scorch marks, but although Ash was no medical mind, they did not appear too bad. Phenom's natural resistance to lightning had definitely paid off. What looked worse was the mark that the Super Kick had left on the side of his head, which Ash was careful not to touch. "How's the bruise, pal? It hurt?" Phenom nodded, his posture shifting to a more alert state, but not upset, or too serious. "How bad is it? Do you think you can keep it up?" He had done a great job maintaining his strength up to this point, but now that the round was over, it was an important question to ask. Phenom nodded in response, but it was a calmer nod; not the frantic, giddy gesture he would make in the past. The thoughtfulness conveyed in the dinosaur's answer was more reassuring than the nod itself: It meant that Phenom had actually stopped to think, and took the question seriously. "Sounds good, buddy." with a smile, he patted the Tyrunt's head one last time before standing up.

As he rose, his eyes fell back on Gary. The Oak boy was frozen in place, still holding the Poke Ball of the now returned Jolteon. Ash felt some guilt at the thought of the electric type's injury, but he knew what Janine would say, and has said in the past: "It's nothing the Center cannot fix."

The thought of Jolteon's knocked out form provoked another sensation, however, and he could feel his chest tighten for a second or two.

'Only two more.' The words echoed in Ash's mind.

…

Only. Two. More.

…

"...We can win." It took a few seconds for Ash to realize he was whispering out loud. "We're going to win…"

He could feel the malice in his rival's gaze as Gary finally reclipped the ball to his belt, and set his eyes on Ash. Only about half of the color had returned to the spiky haired boy's face as he stared swords into Ash's chest.

Ash did not flinch from the attention, and his heart only quickened to a slight degree, for the briefest of moments. The look he gave Gary in return was not a glare, but a stern gaze nonetheless. "I've said it more than once, I'm not the same person or trainer you remember. If you haven't accepted that yet, you're the only one to blame."

Gary's face darkened. "Shut up." His eyes fell on Phenom for a moment as a shaky hand made its way back to his belt. "You're not beating me, you'll never beat me. It won't…"

The pause hung in the air for several seconds before his hand finally wrapped around a Poke Ball. After a forceful toss, Ash's eyes turned steel.

Wartortle had appeared.

Gary's starter, Ash was certain had grown a good deal bigger since their battle at the foot of Mt. Moon, as the boy would have expected. But everything else, at least in this moment, remained the same. The bulky water type stood across from him and Phenom, in front of Gary, with an uncompromised state of calm and arms crossed against his chest. The stoicism had only ever broken when his Torrent ability had been activated against Nebula. It had only been over two months ago, but by this point, two months felt like an eternity.

"Pichu, I said DOUBLE SLAP!"

Looking at the blue turtle, nonetheless, felt as though it had only been a day. The most humiliating moment perhaps in his life, and one of the worst possible starting points he could have ever imagined his career having. Followed by the dominance at Mt. Moon, where they had come so close, but in the end could not muster up enough to bring down Gary's first partner. The partner that the Oak boy had selected so long in advance, and had even done his essay on.

Gary allowed his narrowing eyes to burrow into Ash one final time before kneeling down and speaking to Wartortle, who silently turned to hear what his trainer had to say as Ash addressed Phenom.

"Hey, buddy." It took a second or two for his voice to register with the dinosaur, who had been gazing intently at the stoic turtle since his arrival, but nonetheless turned to Ash with equal attention. "That's Gary's starter. We haven't seen him fight since before you hatched, but he was a monster. He beat Valiant and Nebula on his own back then. It's been a long time since that match, so we have no way of knowing how much stronger he's gotten." He nodded sternly. "But he definitely has." When the alert nod from Phenom signaled that he understood, he continued. "That shell of his is very strong. It's what they're famous for, the Squirtle line. It's also the reason Gary loves them so much in the first place, so he's definitely found good ways to make use of it. We'll need to get a feel for his defenses first."

Another nod from Phenom, which Ash returned. On the other side, Gary and Wartortle appeared done with their exchange as well, and both Pokemon assumed their positions on the battlefield. Trainer and Pokemon alike locked eyes for a good few seconds as Phenom crouched back down into his stance, the focused passion in his eyes gazing into the immovable steel of the unfazed Wartortle's gaze.

Ash made the first move, as quickly as he could. If they were going to get a reading on Wartortle's sure to be daunting durability, they needed to be able to get on the offensive as quickly as possible. "Approach with Rock Blast!"

Phenom did not waste a single second more than Ash did, charging forward with the same speed and passion he had displayed against Jolteon. Predictably, the shards of stone erupting from his mouth harmlessly struck the surface of Wartortle's shell as the bulky water type Pokemon wordlessly retreated into it. The stone projectiles shattered against the shell's exterior with so much ease that it was as though they were not even there in the first place, not making a single mark.

Phenom quickened his pace, however, and Wartortle remained inside of his shell as the dinosaur closed the remaining distance between himself and the turtle.

"Thunder Fang!"

"Iron Defense!"

Jaws filled with lightning, Phenom leapt forward as Wartortle's shell glowed with a layer of chrome. With as much force as he could muster, Phenom chomped down onto the surface of the shell, gnawing away with all the strength his body could manage.

…

And everything remained still.

Ash's eyes were still widening as Gary's own gaze turned elatedly vindictive. "Checkmate, Ashy boy. Rapid Spin and Aura Sphere!"

Ash didn't have time to warn Phenom: The dinosaur's eyes widened as Wartortle's shell began spinning with his jaw still clamped around it. Within seconds, Phenom was flung to the side with a startled yelp and Wartortle had exited his shell with seamless perfection and speed, standing tall with his hands cupped to his side, charging up a sphere of dark blue light.

Phenom had mostly returned to his feet when Gary's starter lunged forward to hurl the Aura Sphere towards him. The dinosaur successfully leapt to the side, but the enigmatic projectile curved mid-flight, alternating its trajectory. Phenom's eyes widened yet again as it slammed into his side, exploding against him with a shockwave that sent him tumbling across the pavement, landing on the bruise Jolteon had left behind on his head.

"You okay?" It was all Ash had time to ask before his tongue froze at Gary's next order.

"Surf, and Iron Tail!"

'Surf…?' Ash's eyes ripped away from Phenom and towards Gary's starter. 'He can use Surf in battle already!?'

Gary's order was not a bluff: Beneath Wartortle's feet, a small pillar of water lifted him slightly above the ground, and carried him towards Phenom at a significantly greater pace than the water type could most likely run. The young Tyrunt lifted his head just in time for the swiftly approaching blue turtle to swing his metal-coated tail into the side of his skull, not far from the spot Jolteon had struck him before. The dinosaur felt the pain for just a moment or two before everything went black, and he collapsed head-first into the concrete.

Phenom did not get up.

With a breath, Ash recalled his fallen partner and gently looked down at his Poke Ball. Gary interrupted his train of thought before he could say anything, however.

"Let me guess, was your plan to 'test his durability'?" There was venom in the Oak boy's scoff. "Talk about predictable. Well it looks like you failed that test, Ashy boy. Just like you should have failed that Exam!"

Without a word, Ash's face tightened before relaxing as he gazed back down at Phenom's Poke Ball. That Iron Defense had completely blocked the Thunder Fang, seemingly just as easily as a simple Withdrawal had blocked the Rock Blast. He had known Wartortle's shell was going to be a powerful shield, but if it could block Phenom's Strong Jaw ability the way that it did, nothing in Pikachu or Tempest's arsenals was going to get through.

Gary must have known that he was going to try and feel Wartortle's durability out to start the round. He had fallen right into his rival's trap.

"That was not on you, buddy." Ash coaxed Phenom's Poke Ball. "I was way too careless, but you did a great job." he reclipped Phenom's ball to his belt, but did not let go, his hand frozen in place.

The knowledge of how far Wartortle's durability went was essentially the one good thing to come out of the bout, and it had come at the expense of Phenom himself. The thought brought a bitter frustration to Ash's tongue, but he did his best to drown that in brainstorming. Things were far too critical for him to dwell; that was self reflection that needed to be done after the battle, not during.

'Two Pokemon left, for each of us.' Ash's eyes fell on Wartortle, who had returned to Gary's side with crossed arms and a seemingly perpetually unchanged expression. With near certainty, Gary's sixth Pokemon would be Weepinbell, whom Ash had only seen in action just long enough for the grass/poison type to make short work of Eevee back at the foot of Mt. Moon. On the other end, he was left with Pikachu and Tempest. 'That means there are four possible matchups.'

Pikachu against Wartortle or Weepinbell. Tempest against Wartortle or Weepinbell. All of that would depend on which Pokemon each of them chose for the next round…

…

Ostensibly, a type matchup against Wartortle would be in Pikachu's favor, while one against Weepinbell would not be. But his starter had ways to oppose the grass type opponent with his mobility, while the same could be said for Wartortle against Pikachu. After all, if Gary's starter could block a Thunder Fang backed up by Phenom's devastating biting power, he could certainly shrug off any electricity the young mouse sent his way. Meanwhile, Tempest had his own boons in defense, his shell armor ability granting him enough natural durability to where Ash usually was not uncomfortable using him against grass or electric types. His defensive prowess coupled with his now fairly useful utilization of ice type moves gave him a reliable means of combating Weepinbell, whilst a battle between him and Wartortle would be a slugfest between two tanks.

But what was Gary's viewpoint? Ash was not sure if Gary himself was aware of Tempest's ability, yet he had little doubt that the Oak boy suspected it. Gary was far too knowledgeable, and Ash was all but certain that the spiky haired trainer knew what a Krabby's potential abilities were. At the very least, the possibility of Tempest having such an ability would at least be a part of his rival's thought process.

But what matchups did Gary want? Whatever advantages Ash could think of for any of the four possible matchups, Gary could likely think of his own as well. And with Ash being the one to send out his next teammate, the Oak boy effectively had the power to choose whatever the next round would be, depending on which of his two remaining teammates he was most comfortable using against whichever two of Ash's. On some levels, it did not matter who he sent out next; Gary would either keep Wartortle out, or substitute for Weepinbell according to his own interests.

And as he looked over at his opponent, Ash knew that Gary was likely in the middle of his own brainstorming, thinking the same thoughts, and making his own decisions.

With a light sigh, Ash gripped Tempest's Poke Ball. 'Just two more.'

The Krabby appeared in front of him as the Poke Ball burst open. The first thing he did was predictably scan the battlefield, eyes slightly narrowing as they fell on Gary and Wartortle before turning to focus on his trainer. Ash could see the ever so familiar passion in his aquatic teammate's gaze as the river crab looked up at him with expectation. At times like these, it was appreciated.

"It's finally your turn, Tempest." the boy started, to which the crab nodded with gradually growing excitement. Raising a finger, he continued. "It's only you and Pikachu left now. Gary has two left as well, so this battle is in its last stretch. I'm counting on you."

The clicking of the Krabby's pincers oddly felt more reassuring than excited or bloodlusted. As the duo turned back to Gary and Wartortle, the Oak boy slowly removed a Poke Ball from his belt and returned his starter. Ash's face tightened as a new Poke Ball found its way into Gary's hand, and Weepinbell appeared in front of him.

'So he believes Weepinbell has a better chance against Tempest.' Or was it Wartortle who had a better chance against Pikachu…?

"Tempest," Ash broke away from the thought to regain his teammate's attention. "Listen real quick: I don't know much about how that Weepinbell fights, but there is a reason Gary chose her over Wartortle against you. It could be her typing, and you've beaten your fair share of grass Pokemon, but Gary knows better. Put your ice to use, but never forget to be on guard. Your defense is just as useful."

The Krabby nodded. There was understanding in his features, but it did not eclipse the fire in his eyes. That satisfied Ash.

"Then let's win this." With an anticipatory gurgle, Tempest assumed his position, clicking pincers held out in challenge as he stared down Weepinbell. The plant's eyes narrowed at the gesture, but she made no further response.

"Alright Tempest," Ash was quick to kick things off. "Frozen Bullets!"

Tempest took a step forward while aiming his pincers directly at the plant. The new technique that Ash had pitched to him before Lavender Town had since proven to be a fairly effective tactic; freezing his signature Bubble Beam solid to turn it into a makeshift ice type move. The challenge, Ash had found, was being able to use the move at the same rate as a normal Bubble Beam, something that the river crab had initially experienced trouble with. That trouble was over now, and the frozen bubbles exited Tempest's pincers just as easily as the regular version of the move.

Weepinbell did not need Gary to order her; as soon as Tempest fired the icy projectiles her way, she summoned her own barrage of small, glowing rocks to intercept the onslaught. Tempest's first offense was nullified as the rock type hidden power easily halted the Frozen Bullets, but he was already running towards Weepinbell while preparing a Metal Claw. Though easily the slowest of the team, his movements were not as slow as one would expect from a Krabby, even one of such above average size like him. Now safe from the icy blast, Weepinbell, in response, summoned a cloud of whitish-blue powder to intercept the charging crab.

"Tempest!" Ash began speaking at a quick pace. "That's Sleep Powder, shoot it down!"

Shifting gears as quickly as his trainer had spoken, Tempest halted his advance and sprayed an icy Wind, as large as he could muster, into the cloud of powder, managing to do away with all of it. Just as he began to resume his approach, Weepinbell lashed out with a Vine Whip that knocked him back, although the sturdy Krabby successfully maintained his footing as Gary narrowed his eyes.

It was only the first moment or two of the fight, but it had given them a decent look at their opponent: Weepinbell was good enough at the rock type Hidden power for it to make a decent shield against ice (and would probably work even better against fire, for that matter), and the usage of Sleep Powder meant that approaching her for close quarters was not going to be safe without difficulty. Weepinbell were capable of learning Poison Powder and Stun Spore as well, and Ash didn't doubt she knew all three.

"Acidic Machine Gun!"

The Bullet Seed that Weepinbell fired out of her mouth was coated in a burning acid that reminded Ash of Janine's own Bullet Seed combos. Getting hit by them could prove worrying, but Tempest wasted no time crossing two Metal Claws together, leaving the acidic projectiles to harmlessly bounce off. As Tempest began to approach again, the plant fired an emerald sphere at him, and he quickly responded with an Ice Beam to destroy the Energy Ball.

"Vine Whip!"

"Catch it, Tempest!" Weepinbell swung the vine at her water type target, but Tempest reacted with haste, snatching the vine out of the air with one of his pincers. Eyes widening, and then narrowing in annoyance, Weepinbell pulled back against Tempest's grip, only for him to respond in kind. Before a tug-o-war could break out, he began raising his other pincer to take aim at her. "Ice Beam!"

"No! Outta the way!" Summoning a second vine, Weepinbell awkwardly propelled herself to avoid the blast of ice. Still holding onto the first vine, Tempest felt himself being pulled by her movements, and quickly clamped his other pincer down onto the vine, now holding onto them with both as he stumbled forward. The extra strength and grip enabled him to regain his balance as Weepinbell now found herself struggling against his forceful pull. "Energy Ball!"

"Knock it back," Ash shouted as the sphere formed in Weepinbell's mouth. "Ice Beam!"

Gary yelled for Weepinbell to hold her fire a second too late. Letting go of the vines, Tempest batted the green orb back at his attacker with Metal Claw. The attack predictably did not do much to hurt Weepinbell, but it knocked her off balance just long enough for the crab to blast her with the ice, eliciting a pained shriek from his grass type opponent.

"Hit her with Night Slash while she's down!" Both of the Krabby's pincers lit up blackish-purple as Tempest charged his foe with a loud gurgle.

"Not for long!" Gary retorted. "Slam!" Shooting up with a willpower that Ash couldn't help but feel impressed by, Weepinbell's body glowed a light orange as she used to two vines to slingshot herself into the surprised crab. Unprepared for the attack, Tempest easily bowled over and tackled into the ground. "Giga Drain!"

Ash failed to suppress his grimace as the glowing vine latched itself onto Tempest's body with Weepinbell pinning his back to the pavement. The tenacious water type squirmed against the pressure of his opponent's hold, but the pain and discomfort began to grow as his energy was sapped.

But Ash knew his partner could fight it. Tempest had more "fight" in him than any Pokemon he'd met, and for as many problems as that had once caused, he knew the river crab was the one he could rely on the most in a situation like this. "Don't let up, pal! Freeze it!"

Weepinbell pressed her body against Tempest more firmly as the Giga Drain continued to take hold. Both of his pincers shook as he struggled to raise them, but to Gary and Weepinbell's widening eyes, the struggle was short lived, and both pincers clamped down onto the glowing vine of Giga Drain on either side. Tempest's eyes squeezed shut out of pain for a moment or two, but then the vine began to freeze over, and the pain gradually subsided.

Weepinbell still had Tempest pinned, however, and that danger made itself known when Gary spoke again. "Keep him down, girl. Poison Powder!"

Ash's eyes flashed. They were not getting hit by that move point-blank. "Surf, Tempest!"

Just as the first signs of the bright purple powder began to appear, a pillar of water emerged from just beneath Tempest's back. The river crab still could not get much out of the technique (not yet, at any rate) but the battle with Sabrina had demonstrated that using it in split-second bursts could have its benefits. One such benefit being when your opponent was pinning you to the ground: the force behind the water's emergence pushed Tempest's body upwards despite Weepinbell's best efforts to keep him down, and the startled plant was forced off of him as a result. Now above her, Tempest's left pincer once again glowed with the dark energy of Night Slash, and a blade of the same color and glow extended outwards. Lashing out, the Krabby struck his opponent in the face with a loud, aggressive grunt, knocking her back. As she tumbled away, he fired Frozen Bullets from his other pincer, but Weepinbell forcefully used a vine as a somewhat awkward slingshot to change the direction of her roll, narrowly avoiding the icy projectiles just before regaining her balance.

"Good work!" Ash commented as the pillar of water collapsed and Tempest's feet returned to the ground. "How are you feeling after that?" Whatever strength had been sapped from Tempest by the Giga Drain hopefully had not been too great, as it had not taken too long for his teammate to stop it. He hadn't had much of a chance to breathe in the poison powder either.

Tempest responded to the question with two raised pincers and an affirming gurgle, although he wisely did not take his eyes off of Weepinbell. The plant looked like she was about to fire an attack when Gary spoke up.

"Swords Dance, and Poison Jab."

A pale light appeared on Weepinbell's body, first starting on what was likely her forehead between her eyes, and quickly spreading across as she performed strange motions not perplexed Tempest for a moment or two. The river crab decided it would be best not to wait; quickly firing another barrage of Frozen Bullets. Even as she maintained her dance, Weepinbell narrowly dodged the attack with another slingshot motion from a Vine Whip, and the light surrounding her body became concentrated around the leaves that looked to be her hands, now shining to what felt like blindingly-bright extents. A second slingshot sent her barreling forward in Tempest's direction as he charged her, both leaves now dripping with poison while still glowing with the amplifying energy of Swords Dance.

Tempest staggered back as his Metal Claw struck the first Poison Jab. It had been an attempt to block Weepinbell's attack, undoubtedly amplified in hopes of piercing through his powerful shell, but the force behind her blow had been overwhelming, and he found himself on the verge of losing his balance. His eyes quickly fell on the second Poison Jab, which she was almost certain to strike with next. He raised a pincer to fire an Ice Beam-

"Acidic Machine Gun, in the pincer!"

The order caused Ash's face to lose some of its color, but even as it did, the boy couldn't help the confusion he was feeling. 'Is that familiar…'

Tempest opened his pincer as the first signs of cold air began to seep out from inside, but the moment the pincer opened, a barrage of Acid-coated Bullet Seeds were fired right inside.

The river crab's eyes bulged as his arm went limp. He staggered even worse, barely retaining any semblance of balance before Weepinbell drove the second, still powered-up Poison Jab into his torso. The Poison Jab mildly punctured the armored surface as the Krabby's breath left his lungs, and a small amount of poison found itself injected into his system. The force of the blow lifted his body off of the ground, knocking him back and sending him tumbling away against the concrete as Ash's eyes widened in horrified recognition.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"Pikachu! Get a Thunder Wave in when it opens its pincers!"

Now a lot more color had left Ash's face. 'This is how Pikachu and I beat Tempest in the first place!' It was the first time Valiant had ever spoken to him telepathically, and the very strategy that they had initially used to overcome Tempest's impressive durability back at Bill's Lab.

All of a sudden, it was making a lot more sense why Gary had chosen Weepinbell to use against Tempest, for reasons beyond just type matchups. Had he wanted to do this from the start, or was it a spur of the moment improvisation?

He knew he did not have time to think that question over. Tempest was already picking himself up, but it was clear that his left arm was not the same. The Krabby's eyes narrowed in discomfort as his pincer ached from the inside, and his stomach burned. Though there was no sign of blood (from what Ash could see, at any rate) it was still possible that the poison from the Poison Jab had found its way into the water type's bloodstream, or would eventually if it had not already. Even if it had not, the effect it had on his abdomen was clearly debilitating as it was already. Gary would waste no time capitalizing.

"Venoshock! Then Energy Ball."

Venoshock was a dangerous move when used on a poisoned opponent. It interacted with the toxins in a way that amplified whatever pain or, in especially skilled instances, general symptoms that the victim already had from the poison itself. Getting hit with the move would force the target to suffer further, making it harder and harder to fight back.

Tempest did not let it come to that, raising his good pincer and firing a Scald into the dark purple liquid that Weepinbell attempted to spray him with. The Venoshock was quickly followed up with an Energy Ball, which the Krabby was quick to block with a raised Metal Claw from that same, uninjured pincer. Weepinbell was already acting again, however, slingshotting herself into the Krabby with another Slam. As he was bowled over and pinned onto his back once more, the force from the collision further irritated both the injured pincer and his sore stomach, prompting a spiteful hiss from the water type, frustration mixing in with the pain.

"Giga Drain, right around the pincer, girl!" Weepinbell quickly summoned the glowing vine, which latched onto the injured pincer. Tempest's eyes watered as the river crab howled in a disturbing combination of rage and agony.

The chill that the sound of Tempest's voice sent down Ash's spine was a feeling surpassed by very few that he had experienced during a match, but he did not allow it to twist his tongue. His teammate needed him right now. "You can do it, Tempest! Do what you did before!" it almost felt as though his own volume was slowly restoring the color on his face.

Yes, Tempest could do this. He had the best chances out of anyone on the team.

"He's not doing anything this time!" Gary raised his voice so it was louder than Ash's. "Sleep Powder! Bury him deep!"

"Spray it away!" Ash quickly shouted, trying to be louder than Gary.

The glowing vine remained wrapped around the injured left pincer, squeezing it as hard as Weepinbell could manage. With clenched eyes, Tempest struggled to lift the other, good pincer, but was only halfway through when the whitish-blue powder came into view. There was nothing stopping him from breathing it in.

But the sight of the powder triggered a surge in the water type's chest. Even as he began breathing it in, his eyes shot wide open for a moment or two, feeling the adrenaline will his good pincer all the way up. A stream of boiling water spat out of the pincer and washed away the powder. Weepinbell hissed in discomfort as the Scald splashed onto her as well, her grip around Tempest's injured pincer mildly loosening for just a moment as the Krabby forced himself to (painfully) angle his body, fighting her efforts to keep him pinned to his back and latching onto the glowing vine with the good pincer. Once more, the Giga Drain began to freeze over, and a second pillar of water emerged from just underneath Tempest, pushing him upwards, and Weepinbell off of him.

Tempest's eyes blazed with pained fury as he took aim at Weepinbell, firing a vengeful Icy Wind point-blank into her eyes. The plant screamed in an agony that uncomfortably tingled both Ash and Gary's spines, but Tempest was not done. Even as the pillar of water beneath him collapsed (and his aching stomach flared up upon his feet landing back on the ground), the river crab lunged forward with Night Slash, driving the dark blade into Weepinbell's side with a violent stab. The pain shot all the way through the plant's body as Tempest drove the attack in as deeply as he could, before keeping his pincer embedded as more cold air began to leave it. The grass/poison type's screams filled the Krabby's ears as he continued to press, until, in a moment of final, forced tenacity, she spat out a Sludge Bomb that blasted him point-blank. Caught off guard, Tempest was knocked back and sent tumbling away as the burning and aching grew worse and worse, laying on his side as he came to a stop, and Weepinbell slumped over onto hers, pressing her leafy hand into the pavement to push herself back up.

His good pincer was pointed right at her, however, and in a moment of forced tenacity of his own, one last barrage of Frozen Bullets found their way to his opponent, who collapsed soon after the onslaught as Tempest's eyes went shut and his body went still.

Neither Tempest nor Weepinbell got up.

Ash's heart began quickening again as he removed Tempest's Poke Ball from his belt, preparing to recall his friend. The action was over, but the meaning of it all had immediately hit him, the moment both Pokemon stilled.

'Just one left.'

…

Just one left…

…

Just. One. Left. That applied to both sides.

Gary recalled Weepinbell first, and Ash returned Tempest soon after. The two trainers' eyes met as the Krabby disappeared back into his Poke Ball, but if Gary had wanted to say something, the Oak boy had uncharacteristically held his tongue.

"Way to go, Tempest." he spoke approvingly into the water type's Poke Ball. From day one, the Krabby had been the most stubbornly defiant member of the group, sometimes for the worst. But today, it was for the best, and Ash was certain that streak would only continue. "You fought a really hard fight today, and we'll make sure it's not wasted."

He meant it when he said that, but it was still as sentence that Ash felt the need to hear himself say, just as much as he had wanted to speak it to the river crab directly. It was as though the boy was assuming the role of somebody trying to assure him, assure himself in a moment where it was just him and Gary.

Just him, Gary, and their starters. That was all that stood between both parties and the end result of this battle.

His hand reclipped Tempest's ball to his belt, and immediately wrapped around Pikachu's. As he gripped the electric type's ball, the boy sucked in a breath of air, giving his nerves a chance to ease themselves. Moments later, Wartortle was out, and Ash, after briefly staring at the ball, followed suit, releasing the mouse.

Pikachu's ears twitched as he emerged from the light, before immediately standing full erect as his eyes fell upon his opponent. Wartortle was standing directly in front of Gary with what may have been his signature pose: Crossed arms, legs perfectly straight, face calm and unreadable.

"Pikachu," before his friend could focus his full attention on the water type, Ash quickly grabbed the electric mouse's attention, crouching down as he spoke. Pikachu did not turn right away, but it did not take him very long. On the other side, Gary and Wartortle had done the same. "You and Wartortle are the last ones."

The words were spoken in the simplest tone he could have mustered, but they hung in the air as heavy as a damp log. The emotion on Pikachu's mostly neutral face did not outwardly change, but from this close up, Ash could see the shifts and twitches as his starter processed the information.

"Pikachu, listen to me." The declaration had quickened Ash's heart once more, but speaking to the mouse kept him focused. He needed to keep talking before he lost his thoughts in the surge. It worked for Pikachu, at the very least, ears twitching for just a moment before standing firm." "Phenom fought Wartortle a little bit ago, and his shell was strong enough to completely tank a Thunder Fang. He's also able to use Surf." he glanced over at his rival and the water type for a split second. They were still talking. As he looked back, he managed better eye contact with Pikachu this time. "Before I sent you out, Tempest was fighting. Gary recalled Wartortle in favor of Weepinbell, knowing full well that it would likely lead to Wartortle fighting you instead. There's no way he would have done that if he wasn't confident in Wartortle's chances at beating you. I know we could just call that arrogance, but he's still brilliant. That's the whole reason why he's arrogant in the first place. Whatever benefits your typing and electricity may grant you in this fight, they won't be the deciding factor." his lips tugged upwards, just barely. "Unless we can make better use of our advantages than they can of their counters, right?"

Pikachu's lips stretched further than his trainer's did, an affirmative squeak accompanying the sparks that laced his cheeks. From this close, Ash almost thought he could feel the heat from those sparks, but it was likely just his imagination.

"Alright," his starter leaned into his touch, briefly closing his eyes as his hand patted the top of the yellow mouse's head. "Remember what I said: Not even Phenom's Strong Jaw could do anything to that shell. There's no way through him, we'll need to go around him to win. So if-... when your attacks bounce off of him and do nothing, don't let yourself be surprised or intimidated. Just keep fighting. You're faster, and you have Agility. Don't use it too much and wear yourself out, but don't be afraid too, either. Do whatever it takes to keep the pressure on him and find a decisive opening. You got that?" Pikachu's nod widened Ash's grin. "Great. Now let's beat Gary Oak."

Those five words sat atop their shoulders as Pikachu, on all fours, made his way onto the battlefield, and Ash stood up to full height. Wartortle was assuming his position as well, arms crossed once more as his head angled barely downwards to look the mouse across from him in the eye. Pikachu returned the steel gaze with a neutral stare, tail fully erect and cheeks mildly sparking.

Squealing in surprise, Pichu skidded to a halt, shivering a little bit at the sight of his opponent. Fists planted in his hips, the turtle towered over the mouse with his stoic expression, perfectly calm.

Ash's beating heart quickened again. With only mild frustration, the boy pressed a hand to his chest and took a deep breath, feeling his nerves relax as his eyes scanned the battlefield, then the two combatants, and then his rival.

Gary's line of vision mimicked Ash's own, observing the sparks rolling across Pikachu's cheeks, and the lightning-bolt shaped tail sticking upwards, as firm as a steel bar. Finally, his and Ash's eyes met from across.

"Heh, brings back some nice memories, doesn't it, Ashy boy?"

Ash didn't answer; his face simply tightened slightly as he crossed his arms, although his eyes did not leave Gary.

The Oak boy's face scrunched for a moment, a twinkle of venom flashing in his eyes as he pointed forward. "We'll do a whole lot more than just embarrass you two, this time. Aura Sphere!"

Wartortle's knees bent as he leaned forward, hands cupped his hip. The same orb of dark blue light that he had hurled at Phenom appeared between his hands, expanding in size before he shot it forward with a quick lunge.

"Don't dodge it, deflect it!" Ash recalled what had happened when Phenom had attempted dodging the move. The orb had homed in on him and caught him off guard. Pikachu was fast enough to avoid such a fate, but they needed to pressure Gary and Wartortle as much as possible.

Pikachu shot forward, sprinting with the full force of Quick Attack backing him up, and smashed a Thunder Punch into the blue sphere.

The Aura Sphere was batted back to its user with just as much force as it had been thrown with in the first place, but Wartortle showed no signs of surprise, simply retreating into his shell. The projectile exploded against the exterior and even pushed the shell back a couple of feet, but Wartortle felt no pain from the collision, and quickly exited his shell for a counter attack.

"Strike his head, then Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu had felt a mild sting when his fist connected with the Aura Sphere, but his momentum did not slow, and as Wartortle left the safety of his shell to fire a Scald, the electric mouse easily avoided the blast of boiling water before closing the remaining distance between them.

"Double Slap again, Pichu!" Ash called out. "Aim for the head!" the head would likely be a better target.

The time between the Scald leaving Wartortle's mouth and Pikachu, after avoiding the stream, leaping above the blue turtle as his tail turned to metal was likely not much longer than a single second. Locking his narrowing eyes onto Wartortle's, the mouse came down and swung his Iron Tail straight into the side of the water type's head. Grunting in clear displeasure, Gary's starter staggered one, two, three steps, not falling over, but left with compromised balance. Landing on his tail, a habit almost as old as Ash's career, Pikachu used the still metal tail to push himself back into the air with a jump, now taking aim with Thunderbolt.

But Wartortle was back in his shell, and the streak of lightning washed harmlessly over the surface, the water type feeling little more than a bit of warmth from the electricity. Pikachu showed no signs of frustration as a few lingering sparks danced along the exterior before fizzling out with no effect.

"Mud Sport!"

Exiting his shell as quickly and seamlessly as he had entered, Wartortle reared his head back and spat out a large, round glob of mud. Backflipping over the the projectile with ease, Pikachu took off running the moment he landed, but did not run straight for Wartortle, instead performing two zigzags as the large turtle followed turned his head to follow the mouse's movements, before finally charging forward as Ash spoke again.

"Zap Tail!"

As Pikachu blitzed his way towards him, Wartortle made no attempt at attacking from a distance this time, instead rearing his body back as his tail became coated in metal. Pikachu leapt into the air, his own tail taking on the identical metal coating becoming bathed in electricity, before swinging downwards to strike his foe's head once more. Swinging upwards, Wartortle met the Zap Tail with Iron Tail. Sparks splashed in every direction as the two tails smashed together, and Pikachu grit his teeth in an effort to push through, but his eyes widened as the force behind Wartortle's parry grew, and he was soon shoved off with a startled yelp. As the mouse landed close by, Wartortle fired a second Mud Sport, but Pikachu landed on his tail, and once more used the durability of the metal coating to leap upwards and dodge. As he rose back into the air, an Electro Ball formed at the tip of his tail.

"Surf, and Ice Punch!" As Pikachu flung the Electro Ball downwards, a pillar of water emerged from beneath Wartortle's feet, carrying him slightly off of the ground. Angling his body forward, he rode the now moving pillar at an even quicker rate than when he had fought Phenom, and his clenched fist began freezing over in an icy aura, charging straight in Pikachu's direction as the mouse landed further back.

Ash's eyes narrowed. 'Here we go.' "Pikachu, Counter Shield!"

Flipping onto his back, Pikachu began spinning his body as quickly as he could. As he did, he fired a Thunderbolt from his tail. The streak of electricity rotated along with its user, creating a tornado of lightning that extended outwards and lashed out at the rapidly approaching water type. Eyes widening, Wartortle could not halt his advance in time. The pillar of water carrying him collapsed beneath his feet, and the exterior of the lightning tornado zapped painfully against his skin as all momentum he had was completely cut off.

"WHAT!?" Ash allowed himself some satisfaction from Gary's startled screech. It was a good sign: They had never seen a technique like this before. Gary recovered from the surprise at an impressive rate, however. "Charge through it with Aqua Rush!"

Grunting one final time from the painful encounter with the Counter Shield, Wartortle retreated into his shell, which quickly became coated in Iron Defense. Using Aqua Jet, the blue turtle rapidly propelled himself through the makeshift barrier of lightning, intent on running Pikachu down with no remorse. At Ash's call, however, the mouse was already moving, narrowly avoiding the speedy charge by temporarily activating Agility. Wartortle exited his shell several meters away, and Pikachu quickly came to a stop. The two turned around to face each other once more. On all fours, tail fully erect, Pikachu narrowed his eyes as the water type stoically glared at him, additional sparks rolling down his cheeks. His tail almost began seemingly vibrating.

Ash's eyes calmly fell on Wartortle. The Counter Shield had proved just about as effective as he had hoped, and Gary and Wartortle's ability to safely approach them without risk was now limited to shell charges. It was not without concern, however: Wartortle's Aqua Rush was astonishingly fast in its own right, and although Pikachu had proved capable of avoiding it with his speed, it was best not to tempt fate. Wartortle would take big hits far better than Pikachu would be able to, after all. It was nonetheless a proven tool from here on out.

They needed to be the ones approaching them, however. Wartortle was predictably excellent with his powerful shell: Given how much stock and admiration Gary had put into such an attribute when talking about the Squirtle line, it was no surprise to Ash that the Oak boy had done everything that he reasonably could to train his starter into utilizing it as good as possible, and Ash was not ashamed to admit that it had paid off tenfold. It was still at his and Pikachu's expense in the current moment, however, and they needed consistent pressure to find a way over the hurdle.

"Keep moving, Pikachu!" As if remembering, Pikachu's ears perked up as Ash called out to him, and the young mouse took off once more, running close to his full speed with Quick Attack as Wartortle's eyes followed his movements. "Static Tail!"

"Dodge it, and Ice Punch!"

Now activating Agility, Pikachu raised an Iron Tail, bathing the metallic exterior in Thunder Wave as he charged forward to strike the water type. He grimaced in frustration as an Aqua Jet carried Wartortle just in time to avoid the attack. The water type did not go far, however: A pillar of water was summoned beneath his feet, and he launched himself to change direction. Still charging with Aqua Jet, this time in Pikachu's direction, the rapidly approaching turtle reared back an icy fist and swung.

But Pikachu maintained Static Tail, and whirled around on his forepaws to meet the strike. Wartortle winced as the sparks from Thunder Wave licked his fist, but Pikachu let out a loud, startled squeak as the force of the Aqua Jet boosted Ice Punch flipped him over, soon to land onto his back. Wartortle's tail became coated in water, swinging an Aqua Tail to bash Pikachu in the skull, but the mouse had already skillfully driven his still metallic tail into the ground to catch himself and prop himself up. Just before the Aqua Tail could strike him, the electric type raised two fists coated in lightning, attempting to block the strike with the two Thunder Punches. Wartortle felt the electricity on his tail, growling in discomfort, but Pikachu still failed to suppress his pained cry as the attack smacked into both of his fists and launched him backwards.

"Ice Beam!" Even as Pikachu was flung away from him, Wartortle whirled to face the mouse's retreating form and fired the blast of ice. Just barely in time, Pikachu drove another Iron Tail into the ground, catching himself yet again, before rolling to the side to avoid narrowly avoid a direct hit. His face still scrunched up in discomfort as the Ice Beam struck the ground right beside him, the air around him turning disturbingly frigid as the immediately nearby concrete froze over. As his paws pressed into the ground, he clenched his teeth to suppress a painful wince, still feeling the collision from the Aqua Tail.

"You're doing fine, buddy!" Ash encouraged. Wartortle was getting far more offense than he was comfortable with, something that needed to be reversed as soon as possible, but every close call reminded him of how big a fan he was of the "Break your fall with a steel type move" tactic.

"No he isn't!" Gary's voice was laced with mild wrath. "Aqua Rush, and Aura Sphere if it doesn't land!"

"Block the Aura Sphere with Electro Ball!"

Pikachu slipped into Agility just long enough to leap away from the charging form of Wartortle's water cloaked shell. True to Gary's orders, the moment Wartortle failed to feel an impact, he exited his shell, the momentum of his charge sending him sliding backwards for a split second before stopping himself with a pillar of water. His hands were already cupped together at his hip, and in what felt like an instant later, the Aura Sphere had been chucked.

Pikachu's Electro Ball was already formed at the tip of his tail as his opponent threw the attack. Responding in kind, Pikachu swung his tail forward and tossed the ball of lightning into the Aura Sphere. The two attacks exploded against each other, but the young mouse's eyes widened as Wartortle, lunging forward with Surf, fired another glob of mud at him from his mouth, having prepared the second attack the moment the Aura Sphere had left his hands. Pikachu barely avoided the muddy projectile, but in a moment of slight panic, dodged forward instead of backwards or to the side, closing additional distance between himself and his opponent, even as Wartortle voluntarily did the same with Surf. As the pillar of water began to collapse (although Wartortle was clearly better with the move than Tempest, it was still predictably far from perfect), the turtle launched himself forward with a brief, split second Aqua Jet. Pikachu tried to change direction as the water type's bulky form flew headfirst towards him, but Wartortle was already lashing out, and the electric type was struck in the face by an Aqua Tail that launched him several feet away.

"Do you WANT to lose this, Pichu?! JUST DO IT!"

"You're alright, Pikachu!" Ash's voice did not lose its encouraging tone as his starter was painfully smacked away, the swinging of Wartortle's tail almost resembling that of a baseball bat. Pikachu's eyes briefly stung with tears that he blinked back as quickly as he could, and he tried to ignore the pain (and undoubtedly, bruise) on his face as an imperfect Iron Tail broke his fall. Before returning to all fours, he quickly massaged his head with a paw, wincing a bit before turning his head back to Wartortle and running to the side. "Use Agility!"

This time not using it in a short burst, Pikachu's body glowed blue and his pace skyrocketed. As he did, Ash felt his heart quicken again, the pressure atop his shoulders feeling like it had gone up. They would be putting themselves on a time limit if Pikachu held onto Agility extensively; eventually he would tire himself out. They needed that opening.

But Gary was looking for one as well. "Freeze the ground!"

Taking a step forward, Wartortle unleashed an Ice Beam that traveled across the pavement, initially in a straight line until his head started turning. With widening eyes, Pikachu nearly ran over the now frozen ground-sure to send him slipping out of control- before barely changing direction in time.

"Melt the ice with Thunder Wave!" Ash knew they were giving Gary an opportunity by focusing on the ice; most likely what the Oak boy wanted. But the alternative would be for Pikachu to become a sitting duck on a battlefield where he could not properly run. They could try to rush Wartortle while he blasted the ground, but they weren't close enough. Not yet. Even with Agility, the water type's reaction time had proven very deceptive for something so bulky- yet expected for a Pokemon with such good defense.

The moment Pikachu leapt into the air, Gary's eyes lit up. "Aqua Rush!"

"Block it!" Ash quickly responded.

Pikachu was already firing the Thunder Wave, which sizzled against the icy ground, but he did not have time for much more. Wartortle was already inside of his shell, coated in Iron Defense and rocketting upwards towards him in a stream of water. Knowing full well that he could only minimize the assault, not block it, the mouse swung an Iron Tail to intercept the deadly projectile that Wartortle had transformed himself into. He hissed in pain as the Aqua Rush slammed against his tail, launching him several feet further back in the air as Wartortle's momentum catapulted him away. Fighting to not lose his barings, the electric type somersaulted in midair, and fired an Electroweb from his tail. The net of lightning landed on the ice, spreading more sparks that softened the frozen surface.

Pikachu was still flying backwards, on a collision course with the barrier on his trainer's side of the field. Ash saw their split second chance. 'We're turning this around now.' "Bouncing off rush him with Agility!"

Common habits put themselves to good use as Pikachu's Iron Tail smashed the barrier, the force of the collision triggering a brief shimmer. Eyes narrowing, but lips curving into a small smile, the electric mouse launched himself off of the artificial wall and his body glowed blue again. He was dashing at top speed the moment he landed on all fours, curving around some of the ice with little to no momentum lost and driving a Static Tail into Wartortle's forehead. Ash did not blink as the water type staggered back, some sparks dancing across his head for a moment before he lunged forward with an icy fist. Pikachu met the Ice Punch with a well-timed Brick break, and although the mouse's fist stung from the clash of strikes, his opponent recoiled more.

Ash almost failed to find his voice, but forced the words out as quickly as he could. "Play Rough, then Thunder Wave!"

"IN YOUR SHELL, WARTORTLE!"

"Hit him fast, Pikachu!"

It was a moment that could spell the difference between victory and defeat. They'd be back to square one if Wartortle returned to that impregnable shell in time, but that fact pumped the adrenaline through Pikachu further. Body glowing pink, the electric type drove a fist into his foe's sturdy stomach, before showering the bulky turtle with a series of punches and kicks that sent him progressively staggering backwards. A final strike nearly caused the larger fighter to lose his footing, leaving him hopping on one foot in an increasingly desperate effort to regain balance.

Pikachu did not give him the chance. His line of vision was a tunnel as his eyes narrowed, cheeks sparking, and tail blazing with lightning. Thrusting forward, he fired the Thunder Wave straight into the water type's chest, eliciting wide eyes from the turtle as his balance finally failed him. His muscles locked up, and the electricity traveled across his body while his bottom collided with the pavement in a forced sitting position.

"Wartortle, GET UP!"

The color drained from Ash's face, and he forced himself to swallow. This was a chance they might not recreate. "He's down, buddy! Super Shock Rush!"

"Super Shock Rush" was code for "Use Shock Rush with Agility". Pikachu's ears twitched at the order, eyes not leaving Wartortle's fallen form as he ran past the water type to pick up speed. The turtle had been struck by the Thunder Wave while off balance and without guard, and now, still in a sitting position, he was straining himself to rise to his feet.

Pikachu would not give him the chance. Curving back in the water type's direction, his body glowed blue, running at the highest speed his capabilities would ever allow him too. The electricity sparking along his cheeks, and crackling out of his tail, spread across his fur until he was enveloped like a living bolt of lightning. At the highest speed he had ever used the attack, he lunged forward with Slam, smashing shoulder-first into Wartortle's ribs.

The water type was still unsteadily rising to his feet. His body was not ready for such a collision, especially one with this much speed and force. His eyes bulged, and Pikachu's electrified body pierced his sturdy form like a sentient bullet. His cry was cut off halfway through as his lungs lost air, and his body was launched away, bouncing across the pavement for what felt like an eternity before coming to a stop.

When striking the water type, Pikachu had felt the collision as well. His shoulder ached as picked himself off the ground, first rising to a sitting position to catch his breath before standing back up in full. Another deep breath calmed his nerves as his eyes landed on Wartortle's fallen form. Sparks were still dancing across his body, and his eyes were closed. There was no sign of movement.

For a moment or two, the young mouse just stared. He was still breathing hard, trying to regain his oxygen. The pain in his shoulder had been mostly temporary, now just a mild ache after a quick massage from his paw. He was tired, but-

"Heads up Pikachu!" his ears shot up. Ash's voice was not panicked, but serious. Like a guard on alert during double duty. "It's not over!"

Wartortle's eyes shot open.

"You already know you're not going to be a trainer anytime soon; you really wanna torture yourself by bringing more disappointment?"

Involuntarily, Pikachu's feet sprung back, and ocean blue aura surged out of the water type, wrapping around his body like an extra layer. Adrenaline surged through the blue turtle's veins like the raging waves of the ocean in a hurricane, and all the sparks dancing across his body vanished. His muscles, strained and locked up, loosened, more free than they had ever been. With a leap, he was on his feet as though he had never left, and his glowing blue eyes locked onto Pikachu's form.

The stoicism was gone. The sheer ecstasy and excitement of Torrent had completely replaced the usual demeanor of Gary's starter, in a manner almost identical to whenever Nebula used Reckless. Spreading his arms out as though to pump his muscles, a battle ready shout left the water type's mouth, as though he had put his full lungs into it.

Ash did not dare to take his eye off of his rival's starter. His gaze remained glued to the turtle like his life depended on it. Like the next move the turtle made would be the last thing Pikachu ever saw.

"Pikachu," his eyes were still on Wartortle, as was the mouse's. Nonetheless, the electric type zeroed in on every word. "Keep breathing, and run. Hold onto Agility for as long as you can."

On the other side, Gary sucked in the deepest breath of air he had all day. As he exhaled, his hands curled, and his fists tightened.

"I really have had it with you, Ketchum. I've had it with your rat, your crab, your bird, your luck, your nonsense, EVERYTHING." His eyes scanned the battlefield on their way to Ash himself. "Who do you think is going to be the one breaking the records? The one with the legacy to make? The one who's been busting his ass to make it to the top while you flounder at the bottom? Me. I'M that guy." Finally, his gaze fell on his starter. "Blow it all away, Wartortle! Hit him with EVERYTHING!"

A pillar of water appeared beneath Wartortle's feet, a bit larger than the previous ones. With a forward lunge, Wartortle surged towards Pikachu, riding atop the wave as it ripped its way through the battlefield, leaving a wet trail in its wake. Previously, he had only been able to use Surf for decent but ultimately short bursts. With Torrent, the strength of his water, and his control over it, had all been amplified, allowing him to use the move both longer and better. Even the speed of his charge had greatly improved to a degree that was immediately noticeable to both Ash and Pikachu.

Pikachu wasted no time activating Agility and dashing out of the water type's path, but his eyes widened as Wartortle changed direction in pursuit, making the increase in speed sink in even further. A barrage of bubbles, glowing incredibly intense, were let loose from Wartortle's mouth, and spread to a wide range that came close to resembling a cloud. With a sharp u-turn, the mouse fired a Thunderbolt that exploded into the bubbles before charging through.

The streak of lightning collided with the cloud of Bubble Beam in a burst of water that forced Pikachu's eyes shut as he dashed through the aquatic mayhem, feeling his fur wetten for the split second or so that it had taken for him to run through. On the other side, Wartortle had fired a glob of mud that Pikachu opened his eyes just in time to see. With a startled squeak, the mouse swerved, nearly losing his balance as the Mud Sport missed him to the shortest degree conceivable. The close call broke his momentum, and Wartortle's continued advance closed the remaining distance. The Aqua Tail that the turtle lashed out with was bigger and more concentrated than before, and the electric type knew his fate would not have likely been good if he had not somersaulted over it.

As Pikachu flew over the turtle's head, both combatants were now headed in opposite directions. It would not remain that way for long: the moment Gary's starter registered that he had missed, the water type kicked off of the wave he had been riding and submerged himself in water. His Aqua Jet was now far faster and stronger as well, and Pikachu was in no position to dodge.

So instead, the mouse struck, definitely hollering and swinging an Iron Tail that his larger opponent smashed head first into. The metal plating did not prevent the surge of pain Pikachu felt in his tail as he was launched backwards with a loud cry. A large blast of boiling water was sent surging after him as he reached the ground. Smacking his tail into the pavement to break his fall (but still hissing through grit teeth at the impact), he narrowly avoided most of it, but still felt some of the heated liquid splashing against his fur as he activated Agility once more.

'At this rate, Pikachu's either going to tire himself out or get pulverized before he has the chance.' Ash did not grit his teeth, but the thought of doing so was mildly therapeutic. Fatigue was already starting to set in for his starter right before Torrent had activated, and now the electric type was forced to do double duty just to stay alive. Pretty soon, it would be sheer willpower keeping the strain of constantly maintaining Agility from catching up to him. But that willpower would only last so long, and all Wartortle needed was one good hit. 'But the same could hopefully be said for us.'

The incredible power boost of Torrent was a mask that made it easy to forget that Gary's starter was on his last legs as well. One or two big hits should be enough to end this for good, but only if they did it right. That would require going for broke. "Double Team! Get in there and use Zap Tail!"

"Spread Bubble Beam!" Gary's voice was as unrepentant as it was intense.

Giving everything he had, Pikachu split into multiple clones, all of which tried to split off in separate directions. Even as he did, Wartortle's mouth opened to unleash the greatest barrage of bubbles that Ash had ever seen in person. The sheer storm of aquatic projectiles that came out of the turtle's gullet would have been a beautiful spectacle had it happened anywhere else. Here, all it did was bring his hand to his chest.

The real Pikachu kept Agility intact, fighting against the incoming fatigue that urged him to stop running. Pretty soon, the mental fatigue of the psychic type speed boosting move would make him want to lie down and close his eyes, but the thought of doing so was one thought that the young mouse refused to let enter his mind. With a loud, defiant cry, he navigated the storm of bubbles while his raised tail became encased in lightning-coated metal.

The Double Team clones had no such speed boost, and were soon struck by the bubbles, vanishing upon contact. Hoping for an opening, Pikachu closed in on Wartortle, lashing out with Zap Tail…

And struck hard against the blue turtle's Iron Defense coated shell. The impact sent his protected opponent sliding back several feet, but both Ash and Pikachu's scrunched in realization that no harm had been dealt.

"Aqua Rush!"

Staying in his shell, Wartortle was launched back the way he came by another burst of water, leaving yet another wet trail in his wake as he ripped across the pavement like an aquatic missile. Expecting to be hit, Pikachu screamed in desperation as he bolted to the side. In that one moment, Ash Ketchum's starter ran at a speed far greater than anything he had ever managed to reach before, and it was most likely the only reason he was not pulverized.

The moment Wartortle exited his shell, Ash watched with tight fists as the turtle hurled a large Water Pulse in pursuit of Pikachu. It did not have much chance of hitting its mark, but it did ensure that the electric type stayed on the evasive. A war of attrition that Pikachu would almost certainly lose if he was forced to keep dodging for too much longer.

Agility put a strain on the mouse when used for this long. Another Double Team could make that strain worse. Stopping Agility would make Pikachu a sitting duck; his impressive utilization of the speed boost was arguably the only thing keeping him in the fight.

As Ash's brain combed through everything that he knew his starter was capable of, his eyes widened. It was far too impossible, but right now, it did not matter.

Nonetheless, they first needed the chance to try.

"Get closer, Pikachu!" With that order, an Aura Sphere was fired at the mouse, who hurled an Electro Ball to intercept it before dashing to the side to avoid an Ice Beam. The ground where he had once occupied was frozen, but Pikachu paid it no mind, attempting to rush Wartortle even as another storm of bubbles left his mouth. "Double Team!"

The clones did not last long, but they did their job. For the brief moments it took for the bubbles to strike and eliminate them, Wartortle's attention was divided, and the real Pikachu redoubled his push. Ash's face lit up as his starter neared the other side of the onslaught. The next order could easily backfire, but he knew he'd never blame Pikachu for not being able to pull it off.

"NOW! Counter Shield, while running!"

It took only the instant his ears twitched at the order for the electric mouse to get over the surprise. Eyes narrowing he burst forward before flipping onto his back. His body rotated in midair, allowing him to spin on the ground like a top the moment he landed. All the momentum he had accumulated allowed him to slide across the pavement (which briefly included some of the frozen ground) as his body erupted in a tornado of lightning.

The startled Wartortle took a step back in vain just before the lightning lashed out and struck him. Before, he had simply been on the border of the Counter Shield. Now, he was forcibly near the Center, inside of the vortex of lightning. A loud, pained holler erupted from his throat as the lightning covered his body, leaving him doubled over and immobilized.

Gary's screech somehow rose over his starter's pained cries. "NO! In your shell, NOW!"

"Don't let him!" All color was gone from Ash's face, and likely would not return until the battle was over.

Pikachu sprung back onto his feet with haste, but Wartortle was unable to show the same. He was still reeling from the electrical onslaught when the mouse leapt up and drove an Iron Tail into the back of his head, leaving a mark as the water type stumbled forward, sparks still dancing along his body…

Ash almost stopped breathing. He almost lost his voice. Wartortle was vulnerable. Definitively vulnerable, with no way out. It was right here…

In that moment, he almost choked, his train of thought nearly failing to find the words. But the realization of that came an instant later, and he forced the words out, even if it took every bit of effort that he could muster.

"Do it Pikachu! SUPER SHOCK RUSH!"

Pikachu ran in the opposite direction just long enough to build up speed before a u-turn sent him barreling straight for his target. All the aches and fatigue in his body were ignored as held onto Agility for the final few moments that he needed. It had only taken a few seconds at most, but it felt like an eternity to him before he made contact.

The moment did come, and his electrical body charged straight into Wartortle's hip. He felt the impact in his shoulder that very instant, and it stopped all of his momentum. He collapsed onto the pavement, rolling painfully as the bruise pressed against the ground multiple times, before stopping on his side in a daze. His eyelids felt heavy, and a new battle began to keep them open.

In that same moment, Wartortle let loose a pained cry that never saw itself complete. His bulky form was launched like a baseball struck by a bat before bouncing across the concrete several times, stopping on his stomach.

There were no calls of encouragement, or any commentary. Both trainers stared between their starters, who lay still. Pikachu's back was to Ash, who could not tell if the mouse was still conscious.

Then there was movement. The electric type rolled over, his heavy but still open eyes coming into view, and with a strain, slowly pushed his body upwards. All he could manage was a sitting position before his head turned weakly to Gary's starter. The blue aura of Torrent was fading, and after a moment or two, evaporated, leaving only a motionless turtle as the mouse stared at his opponent's unconscious body.

Wartortle did not get up.

Ash's nerves could not quite register what was shooting through his body, or how to properly respond. All he could manage was a hand shooting up to his mouth as the first signs of tears were quickly blinked back.

It might have been the sight of Gary's frozen body that finally managed to get him to realize that he was frozen as well. That realization moved his muscles, and the next thing he knew, he was crouching down in front of Pikachu.

"B-Buddy, you alright?" He only struggled to get his voice out for a moment, the briefest of giggles stumbling his words before gaining a grip. "You did it. We won, you hear me?"

Pikachu's expression was welcoming as Ash gently pulled him in, doing his best not to aggravate his starter's bruises. The mouse did not mind; he simply leaned into his trainer's embrace, cheeks sparking for an instance as his face was buried in Ash's first. A soft, gentle squeak responded to the boy stroking the back of his head before he finally stopped fighting the fatigue.

/

Although no cheering left her lips, Janine's face had lit up to a somewhat embarrassing degree in the lobby. She nearly stood, but suppressed that urge, remembering that she was not alone. What had come over her?

A sudden sound caught her attention. Patricia's hands were clapping, somewhat slow, but consistently as the veteran trainer released a brief. "You're definitely not gonna see something like that every day. I don't think anyone's gonna say your friend isn't ready for Fuchsia after this."

Janine shot her a quick smile before her eyes turned back to the monitor, with a fond twinkle this time. "Yeah."

A few seconds later, a nudge from Patricia directed her attention to the three other trainers in the lobby. "What did I tell you? They did shut up halfway through."

Josh and Beth could only manage a brief, annoyed glance sent in the older girl's direction before Jordan finally found his voice, his eyes having never left the monitor.

"T-t-that… how the hell could two first years have a fight like… whatever the hell that was?" For once, Janine was not annoyed as the blonde boy's gaze landed on her. "And you're just as strong as they are!?"

"Careful, Jordan." Beth piped in. "She might be ready to make you find out the hard way after her buddy's little demonstration. His face turned red as he glared at her, but he did not manage anything else.

To Janine's mild guilt, she felt a slight sense of satisfaction from the exchange, but chose to distract herself by focusing on the monitor. On Ash, who was still cradling his starter.

/

It had not taken Ash long to realize that Pikachu had fallen asleep in his arms. It might have been the final note he needed to bring himself back down to Earth, fishing for the electric type's ball. "Get some rest, buddy. A lot of it." A light tap to the top of the head, and his friend was sucked back in, safe and sound.

Now alone, he slowly stood up and looked across the battlefield, taking in a breath as his eyes fell on the only other two parties.

He hadn't noticed Gary move from his spot, too occupied with his own starter. Now, the Oak boy was with Wartortle, not saying a word, simply holding the water type's unconscious body in his arms. For the briefest of seconds, Ash felt the urge to slip away. He was not sure where it came from, and it did not last long enough for him to try and find out. Taking in another breath, he walked forward.

The other boy's attention was grabbed by the sound of his footsteps about halfway through. With mild hesitance, Ash stopped in front of his rival, slowly crossing his arms as he peered down at Wartortle's condition.

Gary, standing over him as Ash cradled the unconscious Pichu in his arms.

"That's it, then." The tone in his voice was fairly final, as though it was the last piece needed for pressure in his shoulders to subside. "This battle's over."

Gary's face, having been devoid of color, scrunched up for a moment. "No, it's…" his hands curled as his tongue stopped halfway through. "None... None of this makes any sense. You had to have-"

"You're gonna call this a fluke, too?" Ash's voice stern. For a moment or two, he wanted to harness the anger in his chest. He an idea of where that had come from, but was equally glad he didn't follow. "If you want to keep doing that, that's on you. But if you think I'm going to care, you're wasting your time. I wasted my time letting you drag me down for years. I realized that a good while ago, but I also wasn't going to run away whenever you showed up." He let out another breath. In that time, he expected a response, but when none came, he spoke again. "You know something, Gary? There were times when I blamed myself. If I had just kept up with the rest of you, you and I might still be friends. I could've had a lot more friends back at home. Sometimes that ate away at me just as much as the things you said and did." another brief pause. Now, his entire body felt light. Almost weightless. "But in the end, you were probably never worth pleasing in the first place. I got this far without you and the others, and with some exceptions, it was the happiest I've been in a long time." images of a crumbling tower and dark cavern were pushed out of his mind. "I never needed you. You were my anchor. You dragged me down just as much as you think I would have done to you." For a moment, Gary's eyes narrowed, and despite the Oak boy's vulnerable state, Ash could still feel the venom. "I… hate the fact I'm about to say this to you, but… I guess I should thank you for one thing."

"..." there was a pause before Gary said "And what's that?"

Thoughts to the previous night replayed in Ash's mind. "You remember what you said before I challenged you? You said I had no motive behind this dream I've been chasing. That I just saw Pokemon training as this romanticized thing we all see as kids." his face stiffened. "You… you were right. I never really put much thought into this, and yet I dedicated so much to it just because I saw people like Lance and the Elite Four and thought they were awesome. If things were more… I don't know, real, I guess, maybe I would have done better in the past. If my goals were more tangible like you and Angelina, or even Sarah. My view of training might have been a lot more mature." his arms fell to his sides. He'd be leaving soon. "So that's what I'm going to do. I don't know how long it will take, but… a lot of stuff has happened since I left home, and I'm not sure I'll see certain things the same anymore. So I'm going to find a real reason. Something that will actually drive me, the way it drives you. That'll be what gets me to the Conference. And further than that." one final glare, and his voice carried a rare, definitive tone that he was determined to get used to. "And after today, you know that I can. Even if you had won today, don't for a second think that I'm just some stepping stone that you can leave behind, because I'm not going anywhere."

He had said everything he wanted and needed, and didn't want or need to say anything else. Not waiting for Gary's response, he walked past his rival and towards the door. Stopping just in front of the entrance, he felt his chest flutter and spoke softly as his hand ran over the six Poke Balls on his belt.

"You guys are the best thing that ever happened to me, I love all of you."