Chapter 3

Black Jack and Ash were in the grand final of the Hoenn League Championship. Their friends were part of the audience as they focused on the competition. All of them knew that there was something more at stake than the title of the Hoenn League champion. If Black Jack defeats Ash, he’ll get the chance to battle the villainous Mane to rescue his brother’s family. If Ash wins, he’ll get the opportunity to battle Mane but it’s for the freedom of the pokemon that Mane captured using underhanded technology. At that moment, Black Jack was winning 2-1.

“I have never seen a battle like this,” Prof. Oak said. “Feraligatr’s Focus Punch and Swellow’s Sky Attack sure made quite an impact.”
“Mane must be scared stiff after seeing that attack,” Cassandra said.
“He better be,” John replied with an angry tone. “After what he has done to me and my family… if he laid a finger on them…”
“Calm down,” Brock said. “Ash wanted to save your family as well but Mane saw this coming and set up this stipulation. The way I see it, being in a tournament is like a test to Ash and Black Jack, they both see this match as a test to see who would be fit enough to battle Mane. In some ways, they found a way to help each other.”
“Don’t worry, John,” Misty said. “One way or another, we’ll help you get you’re family back.”
John slightly smiled. “I don’t know how we are going to do it, but I’m certain we will. Thank you, Misty.”

Back on the battlefield, Black Jack and Ash were waiting for the big screen to select the trainer to pick his pokemon since the last round ended in a draw. The big screen selected Black Jack again to pick his pokemon.

“Not a problem with me,” Black Jack said as he picked out a pokeball off his belt. “Go! Nidoking!”

Nidoking popped out of his pokeball and gave a loud roar as he prepared for battle. “My turn!” Ash cried. “Go! Snorlax!”

Snorlax popped out of his pokeball and caused an earthquake as he landed. Black Jack smiled as he predicts that this round would be something else.

“Nidoking!” Black Jack cried. “Mega Punch attack!”

Nidoking gave Snorlax a hefty punch to the face, giving a major damage, so hard that it sounded like thunder. Snorlax staggered backwards and Ash instantly saw what Black Jack was up to.

“So, you want to see if Snorlax is as strong as Nidoking, huh?” Ash said. Black Jack smiled and s******ed in response, so did Nidoking. “Snorlax, give Nidoking YOUR Mega Punch!”

Snorlax’s paw glowed as he gave Nidoking a thunderous punch to the face. Nidoking staggered backwards, only slightly further away than Snorlax did when Nidoking punched him.

“Nice,” Black Jack commented. “Nidoking! Again!”

Nidoking punched Snorlax in the face again. This time, Snorlax saw this punch coming and stood his ground after he received that punch. Nidoking smiled at the fact that he was facing a tough opponent.

“Snorlax! You do that too!” Ash cried.

Snorlax punched back at Nidoking again, this time, Nidoking stood his ground. He and Snorlax then looked at each other with determined look on their faces while their trainers also had determined look on their faces. They kept on ordering their pokemon to repeatedly use Mega Punch over and over until one of them gets knocked down. Each time Nidoking and Snorlax punched each other, it sounded like huge thunder coming down near you or on you.

Finally, Nidoking knocked down Snorlax. “Got you now, Ketchum!” Black Jack yelled. “Nidoking! Get ready to grab his neck and slam him!”

Nidoking raised his clawed paw, ready to grab Snorlax by the neck while Snorlax was struggling to get up. “Snorlax! Don’t turn around!” Ash cried. Snorlax, feeling quite dizzy, turned round and got snatched by the neck.

“But… Snorlax weighs way over a thousand pounds!” Max cried. “There’s no way Nidoking can get him up!”
“We’ll find out about that,” Cassandra replied, remembering the time when Black Jack’s Feraligatr gave a wild Steelix a Seismic Toss attack.

To everyone’s surprise, Nidoking used his great strength as he lifted Snorlax up but Ash saw the weak moment of that move. “Snorlax, slip out of that move!”

“What?” Black Jack cried as Snorlax used his body to slip out of Nidoking’s grip.
“Now! Give Nidoking your Dynamic Punch!” Ash cried.

Snorlax’s paw glowed more vigorously than his Mega Punch attack as he quickly punched the confused Nidoking in the face, sending him flying.

Nidoking landed hard on the field on his back. “Nidoking!” Black Jack yelled. “Get up!”

Nidoking struggled to but to no avail as he suddenly fainted. “Nidoking is no longer able to battle!” the ref cried. “Snorlax is the winner! Now both trainers are drawing two all!”

Black Jack smiled at the fact that Snorlax was another tough cookie like Ash’s Tauros and Swellow. “You did well, Nidoking,” Black Jack said as he took out his pokeball with a smile. “Return!”

“Phew!” Prof. Oak said, wiping the sweat off her forehead. “I thought Snorlax was a goner. That was a breathtaking moment.”
“I know,” Misty thought deeply. “Ash is battling to save the pokemon and Black Jack is battling to save John’s family. Both of them wanted to save everyone but Mane, being the creep that he is, made the stipulation. I just wish… I just wish that both of them get what they want in the end.”

Mane clapped his hands as he was enjoying the match. “Superb,” he said. “Snorlax defeated the pokemon who seemed to be on the winning end. Life is so full of surprises.”

Black Jack closed his eyes, thinking of whom to battle with next. He then quickly opened his eyes and picked out a pokeball off his belt. “Metagross! Go!” he cried as he tossed out his pokeball.

Metagross came out of his pokeball and yelled out his battle cry. “Metagross!” Ash thought as he showed his determined face. “This is going to be a tough one, even for Snorlax.”

“Metagross!” Black Jack yelled. “Psybeam attack!”
“Snorlax!” Ash cried. “Dodge it!”

Metagross shot out two psybeams out of its eyes but it barely missed as Snorlax moved out of harm’s way.

“Now, Snorlax,” Ash yelled. “Dynamic Punch now!”

Snorlax’s paw glowed again as he went to deliver his devastating punch.

“Metagross!” Black Jack yelled. “Counter attack!”

Metagross glowed a strange colour as Snorlax delivered his punch. Unfortunately for Snorlax, he bounced off Metagross and was sent flying.

“No way!” Ash cried after seeing his attack backfired.
“Now Metagross!” Black Jack yelled. “Body Slam attack!”

Metagross leaped into the air and dived his head down on the Snorlax, who was falling caused by the counter attack. After Snorlax was caught by Metagross’s attack, Metagross slammed his body to the ground, creating a small but powerful earthquake.

Snorlax lay on the floor. “Snorlax!” Ash cried. “Try to get up!”

But Snorlax wasn’t able to get up, as he was unconscious. “Snorlax is no longer able to battle,” the ref cried. “Metagross wins and Black Jack leads again three-two!”

Ash called back Snorlax. “I need something to beat that Metagross… I got it!” he thought as he took out another.

“Bayleef!” he cried as he tossed it out. “I choose you!”

Bayleef popped out of her pokeball and yelled out her battle cry. “Bay!”

Upon seeing Bayleef on the battlefield, Black Jack noticed how weak Bayleef was compared to Metagross, just by looking at her. “Sorry, Ketchum,” he said. “But Metagross will beat Bayleef with one shot! Metagross! Hyper Beam attack!”

Metagross shot out two Hyper Beams out of his eyes, but Bayleef barely dodged out of the way. If she did get hit, it would be curtains for her straight away.

“Bayleef!” Ash cried. “Razor Leaf!”

“Bay… eef!” Bayleef cried as she swung the leaf on her forehead as the leaves came flying at Metagross. The move connected, but Metagross wasn’t even hurt by it.

“What!” Ash cried, as he couldn’t believe that the attack didn’t affect them.
“Bay!” Bayleef cried, as she couldn’t believe that either.
“You shouldn’t have sent out that Bayleef, Ketchum,” Black Jack said. “Even though she’s tougher than her pre-evolved form, her attacks won’t even weaken Metagross. I admire your guts, Ketchum, but I don’t think that all of your pokemon combined can beat it.”

Bayleef’s eyes narrowed and grew angry upon hearing that. No one insults her dear trainer, her pokemon friends and human friends and gets away with it!

To everyone’s surprise, she started to glow and started to change shape. “Interesting,” Black Jack said with a smile. “It’s evolving!”

Bayleef evolved into Meganium! “That’s more like it!” Black Jack shouted. “Now let’s see if she’s any stronger!”
“You’ll soon see!” Ash yelled. “Meganium! Vine Whip!”

Two green vines sprouted out of Meganium’s neck. It quickly reached Metagross’s legs before Black Jack can react. Meganium’s vines lifted the shocked Metagross up and tossed him into the far distance, knocking it out as it crashed on the ground.

“Metagross!” Black Jack worryingly. Metagross couldn’t respond as it was knocked out.

“Metagross is no longer able to battle,” the ref cried. “Bay, I mean, Meganium wins the round! Ash Ketchum draws again with Black Jack at three all!”

“Yeah!” Ash cried. “Great work, Meganium!”

“Meg! Meg!” Meganium cried as she happily ran to Ash and tackled him, knocking him down.

Ash quickly picked himself, but was still feeling happy about Meganium’s victory over a strong pokemon like Metagross.

“Metagross! Return!” Black Jack ordered as Metagross returned back to its pokeball. “Looks we’ve overestimated them a bit, huh?”

Black Jack smiled at the fact that Meganium liked Ash a lot, maybe even loved him. But love doesn’t conquer everything, as Black Jack was about to show as he picked out another pokeball.

“Go! Salamence!” Black Jack yelled.

Salamence popped out of his pokeball and gave a loud roar. Ash and Meganium’s eyes narrowed at her opponent, knowing that he’ll also be tough to defeat.

“Salamence!” Black Jack yelled. “Fly and Flamethrower attack!”

Salamence flew high in the skies and shot out countless Flamethrowers, only to have Meganium dodge each and every one of them. “Meganium!” Ash cried. “Razor Leaf attack!”

Meganium shot out her Razor Leaf attack but Salamence shot out his flamethrower again and burned them to a crisp. “No!” Ash cried.

Black Jack noticed that Meganium was getting tired out caused by limitless dodging. “Now, Salamence!” Black Jack yelled. “Seismic Toss attack now!”

“Meganium!’ Ash cried as Salamence was diving down at Meganium. “Dodge the attack!”

But Meganium was too tired to move as Salamence swooped down and grabbed her. He lifted her up high in the air of a hundred feet!

Salamence was holding her around her middle, and everyone knew what was coming next.

Upon seeing that, Ash became desperate to save Meganium from getting hurt. “Black Jack, don’t!” Ash cried. “I don’t want Meganium hurt this way!”

All of Ash’s friends stood up and yelled out things in an attempt to stop Black Jack and Salamence finishing their attack.

“Black Jack! Don’t do this!”
“Don’t become as low as someone you hate!”

“Wrong answer, people!” Black Jack yelled. “Salamence, say ‘happy landings’ to Meganium!”

Salamence released Meganium and she fell a hundred feet from the air! Ash can only watch in awe as one of his beloved pokemon crashed on the battlefield like a ton of bricks!

After Meganium fell, Ash and Pikachu ran over to her with tears in Ash’s eyes. “Meganium!” he cried. When he touched her to comfort her, she let a small but painful cry.

The ref was also shocked at Black Jack’s actions but he soon came round and announced that Meganium was beaten and Black Jack was in the lead again of four-to-three.

“Why, Black Jack?” Ash demanded. “Why did you harm Meganium this way?”
“Pika!” Pikachu cried also demanding Black Jack’s answer.

Black Jack looked down, feeling sad and sorry for injuring Meganium. “I didn’t want to do it,” he thought to himself.

He suddenly came round and changed his expression to anger. “You should’ve been prepared for anything, Ketchum!” he yelled. “That is one of the things I plan to do to Mane for harming my brother’s family!”

Ash looked at his hurt Meganium. “Meg…” she whispered in pain.

Ash knew that Meganium was trying to say something. “It’s okay, Meganium,” he said quietly as he took out Meganium’s pokeball. “Return.”

Ash looked at Black Jack and saw the determination in his eyes, even though he was wearing sunglasses. Ash doesn’t know much about Black Jack, but recently he and his friends noticed that he does have a soft side that never wanted to hurt pokemon so badly.

“That move was a bit rough, Black Jack,” Ash said as he smiled at his devotion. “But trust me…” he continued as he picked out another pokeball. “I have a rough side too, as you’ll soon find out!”
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