CHAPTER 26
THE ULTIMATE BATTLE


The next day, I was summoned to the stadium to hear the results of Kamon and my battles, and the announcement of the new Orange Island League Champ.
As I walked in, Ash greeted me.  'You did well yesterday,' he said.  'And now, I would normally be crowning you as the new Pokémon Master of the Orange Islands.'
'Normally?' I questioned.  It became apparent to me what happened: Kamon had also won, and now I was going to have to battle him.
'Yes, for you see, your comrade beat me, also.  It came down to the wire, his Typhlosion against my Pikachu, but in the end, he proved to have greater stamina...anyway, your fate is now in your hands.  If you wish to claim your position as Pokémon Master, you must beat Kamon, and vise-versa.'
Kamon stood at the other end of the stadium, waiting for me.  It's now or never, I thought.  I stepped up onto the concrete playing field.
'Just like the old days,' Kamon shouted to me from across the arena.
I smiled.  'Kamon, you have no clue how long I have waited to show you my true power...'
'I'm sure,' Kamon replied.  He threw out a capture ball, unleashing his first Pokémon: Typhlosion.
I was caught off guard, really.  Why would Kamon use one of his most powerful Pokémon-if not his most powerful Pokémon-first?  Well, no matter.  I would have to counterattack it with something he wouldn't suspect.
'Heracross, attack!' I said, throwing out Heracross's Pokéball.
'I don't know what you are trying to pull,' Kamon said to me, 'but from my point of view, it sure looks foolish.  Typhlosion, Fire Blast!'
'You see, Kamon, therein lies the difference between you and me.  Reversal, Heracross!' I commanded.
Kamon watched in horror as Heracross took Typhlosion's attack and returned it.  Typhlosion stuck its fist out to block it, but with no success; the flames overtook him, and he fell to the ground.
Of course, Heracross took damage, also, but not to the degree that Typhlosion did.
'Typhlosion, get up!' Kamon called.  His Pokémon rose from the embers, ready to engage his adversary.  'All right, Drew.  If you don't want to fight with special attacks, I guess we'll fight physically.'
'Fine by me,' I replied.
'Typhlosion, Dynamic Punch, now!' Kamon yelled.  His Pokémon punched mine, confusing her.  I told Heracross to retaliate with Counter, but it failed, and she hurt herself in confusion.  'Now's your chance!  Finish her off with Flame Wheel!'  While Heracross was confused, Typhlosion launched a ring of fire at her.  The flames engulfed my Pokémon, knocking her out.
'Bravo,' I said.  'Heracross, return, and Feraligatr, go!  Whirlpool!'  The relatively simple attack was enough to knock out Typhlosion.
'Then I guess I'll have to use Umbreon!  Use your Faint Attack!'  Umbreon disappeared from sight, but then quickly reappeared to strike Feraligatr.  However, within a couple of seconds, Feraligatr reacted to Umbreon's attack with Slash.  While Umbreon was laying on the ground, Feraligatr stomped on her.
'Good job, Feraligatr,' I said.
As Umbreon rose, Kamon said, 'Umbreon, Hyper Beam, now!'  The golden energy beam struck Feraligatr, but did not knock him out (thankfully).  Feraligatr used Ice Beam twice while Umbreon recharged.  'All right, Umbreon, Toxic!'  After Feraligatr became poisoned, he took down Umbreon with Submission.
'Nice work, Feraligatr.  Just don't let the poison get to you.'
'Umbreon, return.  Corsola, come out and attack Feraligatr with Psychic!'
Corsola damaged Feraligatr with the blue aura attack, Psychic.  Feraligatr managed to get in one Earthquake before he fainted from the poison of Toxic.  I recalled Feraligatr and sent out Ampharos.
Ampharos used Thunder, but Corsola reflected it with Mirror Coat.  I changed my strategy, as Kamon did, to physical attacks.  I told Ampharos to use Iron Tail, doing a high amount of damage to Corsola.  In turn, Corsola used Earthquake.  Before I could tell Ampharos to finish off Corsola, Kamon told his Pokémon to use Explosion, knocking both of us out.
'Well done, but a foolish move,' I said.
'It knocked you out, didn't it?' Kamon inquired.
'Yeah,' I responded, 'but you didn't even give yourself a chance.'  Kamon shrugged.  I switched my Pokémon to Tyranitar, and he to Golem.
Golem began the fight by using Earthquake.  Tyranitar returned the favor with the same attack.  Golem then used Dig.  Now's my chance, I thought, and commanded Tyranitar to use Fissure.
'No!' Kamon shouted.  His eyes widened as the ground split in two, and his Golem was raised from the Earth, unconscious.  'I'm down to only two more Pokémon.  Well, I had better make the most of it.  Entei, go!  Use Solarbeam!'
'Tyranitar, Rock Slide!' I cried.  As boulders sailed towards Entei, it fired Solarbeam, shattering the rocks and striking Tyranitar in the chest.  She was knocked out.  I was flabbergasted.  How could my Tyranitar, who was almost at full health, get knocked out in one hit by Kamon's Entei? I thought.  He can't be that powerful.  But...maybe he is.  After all, he is shiny...  'Lugia, go!' I said.  'Hydro Pump!'
Entei raced around the water blast, and then rammed into Lugia-Skull Bash.  However, as Entei fell back down to the earth, Lugia fired Hydro Pump again, severely hurting Entei.  Entei turned around and used Fire Blast.  Lugia came back with Aeroblast, but it wasn't a critical hit; Entei was still a threat.
'Entei, Hyper Beam!' Kamon shouted.
As I told Lugia to use Hyper Beam also, I remembered something.  Kamon's last Pokémon was Delibird.  Therefore, if I could knock out Entei, Ho-oh would have a huge advantage over Delibird.  But I couldn't let Ho-oh get hurt, because then it would greatly hinder my chances of winning.  Lugia had to defeat Entei right now.  Even if it meant self-destructing (though Lugia could not learn that move).
The energy beams of Hyper Beam met in the middle, and immediately exploded.  Apparently our Pokémon were far too powerful to launch the same attack at each other.  Or, at least, and attack like Hyper Beam.
'Lugia, Surf!' I commanded.
'Entei, Extreme Speed!' said Kamon.  Entei rushed towards Lugia, but before it could hurt my Pokémon, it was hit with a tidal wave.  Kamon's legendary Pokémon was hurt even more, but still not knocked out.  'Another Fire Blast!'  Flames swallowed up Lugia, burning it, but not knocking it out.
'Lugia, Aeroblast!' I instructed.  A white energy beam exploded on impact with Entei, knocking it out, finally.  I sighed with relief.
'Delibird, you're my last Pokémon,' Kamon muttered.  'Make me proud.  Go!  Use Blizzard!'  With that, Lugia fainted.  I sent out my last Pokémon, Ho-oh.
Kamon knew as well as I did that he would lose.  It was inevitable now.
Kamon's eyes lit up as he told his Pokémon what to do.  'Blizzard again!'  Ice sickles surrounded Ho-oh, and encased it.  The crystal rock containing Ho-oh fell to the ground.  Kamon cheered.  'All right!  Nice job, Delibird.'  He was grinning from ear to ear.
It made me defeating him hurt even worse.  With one attack, his hopes were gone.
'Sacred Fire!' I yelled.  The ice shattered and melted as flames shot up from the ground.  A pillar of flames struck Delibird, one-hit K.O.
After we recalled our Pokémon, Kamon and I met in the middle to shake hands.
'No hard feelings, right?' I said.
'Of course not,' Kamon replied.
'Good.  I mean, it's like, my job, you know?  To beat you...'
'And you finally did.'
'What do you mean, "finally" ?' I questioned.  'This makes us 2-1; two wins for me, one win for you.'
'Ah, true.  Well, anyway, we gotta get outta here.'
'Right.'
Ash handed me the Orange Island League Trophy, and crowned me Pokémon Master of the Orange Islands.
Now all that was left was Gehta.