The Final Battle
-Disclaimer thingy: I have no financial ties to Pokemon, etc, etc, etc. You know the drill.
-A/N: This might become AAML later, so if you’re reading it for that, stay tuned!
-part 1-
"It's a beautiful summer day here in Ever Grande City!" the stadium announcer boomed. "We're about to witness a historic battle right here in this stadium, as young Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town challenges Pokemon Master and current League Champion Steven Stone. If Ketchum wins, he will become the youngest Pokemon Master in history! I can almost feel the excitement in the crowd as the two trainers prepare for battle! Everyone, get ready for an intense, 6-on-6 match!"
"Brock, I don't think I've ever been so nervous!" Misty Spring commented to her friend Brock Slate. Misty's Togetic, hovering next to her, chirped a couple of times in agreement.
Brock smirked. "If you think you're nervous, imagine how Ash must feel."
"Yep, and I bet under all that nervousness, he's pretty impressed that you came all this way from Cerulean City just to see him battle." May White, sitting on Misty's left, couldn't resist teasing her new friend. After they had met earlier in the group’s journey through Hoenn, May had quickly suspected Misty's secret. Misty just sighed. She was concentrating too much on watching Ash prepare for battle to rebuke the young contest coordinator. May’s younger brother, Max, didn’t say anything. He was too focused on the battle, almost as much as Ash was. He was elated, since this was his first chance to see the Hoenn League Champion battle in an official match. The three friends fell silent and waited from their seats in the stands.
"I gotta remember to thank Brock for reminding me to do research on Steven," Ash thought as he took several deep breaths and tried to psyche himself up and calm his nervousness. "If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have known that Steven trains mostly Steel-type Pokemon. Now I have a carefully planned team to battle him with." Ash looked across the field at his opponent. Steven was a tall, distinguished-looking man whose hair had gone prematurely gray, but the sunlight made it almost look silver. As was his custom for important battles that challenged his position, he was dressed in an expensive-looking business suit. To him, a professional image helped intimidate the opponent. Ash, however, having faced down several legendary Pokemon on various occasions without flinching, and who had even sacrificed himself once to stop a fight between two of them, was hardly put off by a guy in a suit.
“OK,” the announcer continued, “the computer will now decide who gets to make the first move. As experienced trainers know, the trainer who makes the first move is at a disadvantage, because the opponent is free to counter whatever Pokemon has been chosen.” On the JumboTron above the flat, grassy field, a spinner spun around a roulette-like wheel that had six sections alternating in blue and white colors. If it stopped on a blue section, Ash would make the first choice. A white section would mean Steven’s Pokemon would be revealed first. The spinner stopped, barely touching a blue section of the wheel.
Ash knew this meant he had to go first, but he was still confident. He turned to his best Pokemon-friend, Pikachu. "Are ya ready, buddy? You're up first!"
"Pika!" the electric mouse exclaimed eagerly as it hopped off the platform Ash was standing on and onto the field.
"I sort of suspected that you'd lead off with your Pikachu," Steven commented in a slightly cocky voice. He brushed a strand of spiky silver hair out of his face, pulled out a Pokeball of his own, and tossed it. "Aggron, go!"
"So, Aggron, we meet again," Ash said to himself, remembering his encounter with Steven and Aggron near Dewford Town.
“So, the challenger leads off with Pikachu, while Steven counters with his Aggron!” the stadium announcer barked. “Can Pikachu’s speed prevail against Aggron’s pure power? We’ll soon find out!”
“Uh-oh,” said Misty from her seat in the stands, “Aggron is going to be a tough opponent.”
“Mm-hmm,” agreed Brock, next to her. “Aggron isn’t a Ground type though, it has qualities of both Rock and Steel Pokemon, so Pikachu’s Electric attacks will be as effective as always, but…”
“But,” Max interrupted, knowing what Brock was about to say, “Even though it’s not a Ground-type, it can still learn Ground-type attacks, which can do serious damage to Pikachu.” The young navigator of the group turned back to the battle. “This is gonna get interesting.”
Just then, the referee raised a flag. "Let the match begin!" he called.
"Aggron, start with Mud-Slap!" commanded Steven. He figured the best way to gain an advantage over a faster opponent was to blind them temporarily first, then strike when they’re down.
"Pikachu, dodge it using Agility!" called Ash.
Aggron tried desperately to fling mud in the direction of Pikachu, but Pikachu was just too quick. Aggron’s head could barely follow the speedy Electric-type, much less attack it. Ash waited for an opportunity when Aggron was looking to one side, but Pikachu had zipped the other way. He quickly found it. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt now!" he called. Pikachu immediately let off a powerful arc of Electric energy, scoring a dead-on hit. The Iron Armor Pokemon roared as the electricity coursed through its body.
Steven didn’t even flinch from the unexpected attack. Without missing a beat, he called out, “Aggron, Earthquake!”
“Quick, Pikachu, jump onto Aggron’s head!” Ash countered.
Aggron braced itself and prepared to make a jump in which the landing would set off an Earthquake. For a split-second, Ash was grateful that the reinforced platforms with surrounding guardrails that he and Steven stood on had been specially designed to withstand any kind of attack. But now Ash needed to concentrate on the battle if he had any hope of winning, he couldn’t let his mind wander in the least. Just as Aggron was about to land, Pikachu reached it and leaped, barely avoiding serious damage from an Earthquake. The ground shook with a deafening noise, but Pikachu had taken no damage. The little yellow Pokemon wrapped its arms tightly around one of Aggron’s horns. Aggron stumbled around, shaking its head, trying to shake Pikachu off, but Pikachu’s grip was strong.
“That’s the way, Pikachu!” Ash congratulated it. “Now, use your Thunder attack!”
The little Electric-type strained, summoning its most powerful attack. A tall, solid, yellowish-white field of electricity formed around both opponents as the Thunder attack scored a dead-on, close-range hit. Aggron roared in pain again, then collapsed. The referee pointed one flag low to Aggron’s side of the field, and another flag straight up on Pikachu’s side. “Aggron is unable to battle. Pikachu wins!”
“Wow,” said May, in the stands, “I didn’t expect a powerful Pokemon like Aggron to fall so quickly. Ash must have really thought this out.”
“Well, you know,” Max interrupted again, not taking his eyes off the field, “Aggron is powerful, yes, but its strength lies in its physical attacks. A skilled trainer can still beat an Aggron using special attacks and speed, and that’s just what Ash did.”
“Max is right,” said Brock, “I just hope Ash can keep this up.”
“Us too,” May and Misty agreed.
Down on the field, Steven was surprised as well, but he was nowhere near finished yet. Holding Aggron’s Pokeball straight out at arm’s length, he commanded, “Aggron, return!” The familiar reddish, transparent beam shot out from the ball, enveloping the powerful Rock/Steel type and carrying it back inside its Pokeball. “You did a great job, Aggron. I underestimated that Pikachu of his.” Replacing the Pokeball on his belt, Steven made his second choice. “OK, now let’s see how that Pikachu handles this!” he exclaimed, tossing another Pokeball. “Steelix, I choose you!” The iron snake Pokemon materialized with a roar, staring sternly down at its tiny opponent.
“Great job, Pikachu, return!” said Ash. He knew it was best to save Pikachu until later, and switch to a Pokemon that had a more clear advantage against the Steel/Ground type Steelix. Ash had planned for his; he knew just who he was going to use. Pikachu ran back to the platform’s supports, and up the short ladder to sit next to Ash and watch. Selecting a Pokeball from his belt, he tossed it out on the field. “Crawdaunt, I choose you!” The Water/Dark-type lobster-like Pokemon materialized, brandishing its claws.
“So, after losing one of his battlers so far, Steven has chosen a Steelix to continue the match, and Ash has countered with his Crawdaunt! Can Steelix overpower Crawdaunt with sheer strength, or will Crawdaunt’s Water attacks prove too much for this Ground-type? The crowd awaits the answer!”
-Disclaimer thingy: I have no financial ties to Pokemon, etc, etc, etc. You know the drill.
-A/N: This might become AAML later, so if you’re reading it for that, stay tuned!
-part 1-
"It's a beautiful summer day here in Ever Grande City!" the stadium announcer boomed. "We're about to witness a historic battle right here in this stadium, as young Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town challenges Pokemon Master and current League Champion Steven Stone. If Ketchum wins, he will become the youngest Pokemon Master in history! I can almost feel the excitement in the crowd as the two trainers prepare for battle! Everyone, get ready for an intense, 6-on-6 match!"
"Brock, I don't think I've ever been so nervous!" Misty Spring commented to her friend Brock Slate. Misty's Togetic, hovering next to her, chirped a couple of times in agreement.
Brock smirked. "If you think you're nervous, imagine how Ash must feel."
"Yep, and I bet under all that nervousness, he's pretty impressed that you came all this way from Cerulean City just to see him battle." May White, sitting on Misty's left, couldn't resist teasing her new friend. After they had met earlier in the group’s journey through Hoenn, May had quickly suspected Misty's secret. Misty just sighed. She was concentrating too much on watching Ash prepare for battle to rebuke the young contest coordinator. May’s younger brother, Max, didn’t say anything. He was too focused on the battle, almost as much as Ash was. He was elated, since this was his first chance to see the Hoenn League Champion battle in an official match. The three friends fell silent and waited from their seats in the stands.
"I gotta remember to thank Brock for reminding me to do research on Steven," Ash thought as he took several deep breaths and tried to psyche himself up and calm his nervousness. "If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have known that Steven trains mostly Steel-type Pokemon. Now I have a carefully planned team to battle him with." Ash looked across the field at his opponent. Steven was a tall, distinguished-looking man whose hair had gone prematurely gray, but the sunlight made it almost look silver. As was his custom for important battles that challenged his position, he was dressed in an expensive-looking business suit. To him, a professional image helped intimidate the opponent. Ash, however, having faced down several legendary Pokemon on various occasions without flinching, and who had even sacrificed himself once to stop a fight between two of them, was hardly put off by a guy in a suit.
“OK,” the announcer continued, “the computer will now decide who gets to make the first move. As experienced trainers know, the trainer who makes the first move is at a disadvantage, because the opponent is free to counter whatever Pokemon has been chosen.” On the JumboTron above the flat, grassy field, a spinner spun around a roulette-like wheel that had six sections alternating in blue and white colors. If it stopped on a blue section, Ash would make the first choice. A white section would mean Steven’s Pokemon would be revealed first. The spinner stopped, barely touching a blue section of the wheel.
Ash knew this meant he had to go first, but he was still confident. He turned to his best Pokemon-friend, Pikachu. "Are ya ready, buddy? You're up first!"
"Pika!" the electric mouse exclaimed eagerly as it hopped off the platform Ash was standing on and onto the field.
"I sort of suspected that you'd lead off with your Pikachu," Steven commented in a slightly cocky voice. He brushed a strand of spiky silver hair out of his face, pulled out a Pokeball of his own, and tossed it. "Aggron, go!"
"So, Aggron, we meet again," Ash said to himself, remembering his encounter with Steven and Aggron near Dewford Town.
“So, the challenger leads off with Pikachu, while Steven counters with his Aggron!” the stadium announcer barked. “Can Pikachu’s speed prevail against Aggron’s pure power? We’ll soon find out!”
“Uh-oh,” said Misty from her seat in the stands, “Aggron is going to be a tough opponent.”
“Mm-hmm,” agreed Brock, next to her. “Aggron isn’t a Ground type though, it has qualities of both Rock and Steel Pokemon, so Pikachu’s Electric attacks will be as effective as always, but…”
“But,” Max interrupted, knowing what Brock was about to say, “Even though it’s not a Ground-type, it can still learn Ground-type attacks, which can do serious damage to Pikachu.” The young navigator of the group turned back to the battle. “This is gonna get interesting.”
Just then, the referee raised a flag. "Let the match begin!" he called.
"Aggron, start with Mud-Slap!" commanded Steven. He figured the best way to gain an advantage over a faster opponent was to blind them temporarily first, then strike when they’re down.
"Pikachu, dodge it using Agility!" called Ash.
Aggron tried desperately to fling mud in the direction of Pikachu, but Pikachu was just too quick. Aggron’s head could barely follow the speedy Electric-type, much less attack it. Ash waited for an opportunity when Aggron was looking to one side, but Pikachu had zipped the other way. He quickly found it. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt now!" he called. Pikachu immediately let off a powerful arc of Electric energy, scoring a dead-on hit. The Iron Armor Pokemon roared as the electricity coursed through its body.
Steven didn’t even flinch from the unexpected attack. Without missing a beat, he called out, “Aggron, Earthquake!”
“Quick, Pikachu, jump onto Aggron’s head!” Ash countered.
Aggron braced itself and prepared to make a jump in which the landing would set off an Earthquake. For a split-second, Ash was grateful that the reinforced platforms with surrounding guardrails that he and Steven stood on had been specially designed to withstand any kind of attack. But now Ash needed to concentrate on the battle if he had any hope of winning, he couldn’t let his mind wander in the least. Just as Aggron was about to land, Pikachu reached it and leaped, barely avoiding serious damage from an Earthquake. The ground shook with a deafening noise, but Pikachu had taken no damage. The little yellow Pokemon wrapped its arms tightly around one of Aggron’s horns. Aggron stumbled around, shaking its head, trying to shake Pikachu off, but Pikachu’s grip was strong.
“That’s the way, Pikachu!” Ash congratulated it. “Now, use your Thunder attack!”
The little Electric-type strained, summoning its most powerful attack. A tall, solid, yellowish-white field of electricity formed around both opponents as the Thunder attack scored a dead-on, close-range hit. Aggron roared in pain again, then collapsed. The referee pointed one flag low to Aggron’s side of the field, and another flag straight up on Pikachu’s side. “Aggron is unable to battle. Pikachu wins!”
“Wow,” said May, in the stands, “I didn’t expect a powerful Pokemon like Aggron to fall so quickly. Ash must have really thought this out.”
“Well, you know,” Max interrupted again, not taking his eyes off the field, “Aggron is powerful, yes, but its strength lies in its physical attacks. A skilled trainer can still beat an Aggron using special attacks and speed, and that’s just what Ash did.”
“Max is right,” said Brock, “I just hope Ash can keep this up.”
“Us too,” May and Misty agreed.
Down on the field, Steven was surprised as well, but he was nowhere near finished yet. Holding Aggron’s Pokeball straight out at arm’s length, he commanded, “Aggron, return!” The familiar reddish, transparent beam shot out from the ball, enveloping the powerful Rock/Steel type and carrying it back inside its Pokeball. “You did a great job, Aggron. I underestimated that Pikachu of his.” Replacing the Pokeball on his belt, Steven made his second choice. “OK, now let’s see how that Pikachu handles this!” he exclaimed, tossing another Pokeball. “Steelix, I choose you!” The iron snake Pokemon materialized with a roar, staring sternly down at its tiny opponent.
“Great job, Pikachu, return!” said Ash. He knew it was best to save Pikachu until later, and switch to a Pokemon that had a more clear advantage against the Steel/Ground type Steelix. Ash had planned for his; he knew just who he was going to use. Pikachu ran back to the platform’s supports, and up the short ladder to sit next to Ash and watch. Selecting a Pokeball from his belt, he tossed it out on the field. “Crawdaunt, I choose you!” The Water/Dark-type lobster-like Pokemon materialized, brandishing its claws.
“So, after losing one of his battlers so far, Steven has chosen a Steelix to continue the match, and Ash has countered with his Crawdaunt! Can Steelix overpower Crawdaunt with sheer strength, or will Crawdaunt’s Water attacks prove too much for this Ground-type? The crowd awaits the answer!”
Mentioning "a guy in a suit" makes you think of Giovanni? That has nothing to do with my fic, it just means that you've got Rockets on the brain.