Episode 94! The indigo championship matches have begun!

Disclaimer: What have I to disclaim? Oh. I get it! Anyways, I do not claim to own pokémon. It belongs to Nintendo, Game FREAK, 4Kids, etc. Destiny is mine. It belongs to me by copyright law. So don’t steal, mail if you want to use in your fic…

Notes: See last chapter

Episode 96: First match – playing on the water field

Ash was reading the Indigo League Championships rulebook. “Okay, the first four rounds are for elimination, they are the rock, water, grass, and ice fields. If you make it to the fifth level you fight in a normal stadium. The sixth round is in the astral field, so it is widely recommended that you use ghost, dark, or psychic pokemon, and the seventh round is also a normal stadium battle.”

“Sounds kind of like the Cosmos League Championships to me.” Pika-chan said.

“What’s that?” Lance asked.

“Oh, just an adventure when I was transported to another universe.” Ash said offhandedly.

“I see.”

“And the costumes!” Teresa said, all starry-eyed. “You have to promise me that you’ll wear them!”

Ash sighed. “All right…”

“Hey Ashy-boy! I won the first round already! Piece of cake! Too bad I’m not fighting you!” Gary said.

“Gary…” Ash looked up from his chocolate milkshake. “Leave us alone.”

“Oh, I hit a nerve, didn’t I, loser?”

“Just leave me alone.” Ash said. “We don’t want your company.”

“Hey! Don’t be mean to my boyfriend!” Cary said defensively.

Ash narrowed his eyes. “Excuse me? He was the one who started badmouthing me first.”

“Oh yeah! Wanna make something of it?” Cary asked, getting into his face.

“Would a battle satisfy you?”
“One on one. Sudden death.” Cary said arrogantly.

“Very well.” Ash said, getting up. They left the restaurant, because the manager wouldn’t appreciate a battle inside.

“Paras, go!”

Ash smiled. * Fire type? Okay. *

“Flareon, I choose you!”

“Paras, use Spore!”

“No use! Flareon, incinerate them with a Fire Spin!” Flareon nodded and the spores were destroyed.

“Argh! Paras, try scratch!”

Flareon waited until the Paras almost touched her before she turned her head and breathed out an Ember attack.

Paras went up in flames.

“Oh no!” Cary said, wailing.

Ash recalled Flareon. “Now leave us alone!”

He left for the stadium. Lance and Teresa followed.

“Here’s your costume!”

Ash nearly choked on his spring water. “Um… okay…”

He wasn’t sure if he wanted to look, but he did try.

Ash wound up dressed in a light blue shirt with a dark blue diagonal shaped jewel set in gold on the front, right under the collar. His pants were a slightly darker shade of blue. He had gold shoulder clasps with white jewels on them, and a cape of ultramarine blue with white foamy bubbles on top. The cape attached in the front with a band of white silk.

Pika-chan clapped.

“Looks fine to me.” Lance said. * Interesting water theme. *

Ash sighed. * It could be pink… I won’t complain. *

“This match is between the red trainer Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, and the Astounding Mandy!”

“The battle will now begin!” The ref said, holding up his flags.

“Exeggutor, go!”

Ash closed his eyes. * I still feel tired… but whom can I use? *

< Use Rapidash! > Pika-chan said telepathically.

< Oh yeah! Thanks, Pika-chan! > “Rapidash, I choose you!”

Rapidash landed on the small strip of concrete. She looked nervous, since the pool was between her and Exeggutor.

“Exeggutor, use Psychic!” The wave of psychic energy headed for Rapidash, who jumped through it with Agility, landing on top of Exeggutor.

“Stomp!” Ash said. Rapidash nodded and stomped hard on Exeggutor.

“Throw it into the water!” Mandy commanded. Exeggutor threw rapidash, who barely managed to land on a small concrete circle.

“Careful, girl. Flamethrower!” Rapidash reared up and fired off the attack, which headed straight for Exeggutor.

“Use Barrage!” Mandy commanded.

“Fire Spin!”

This time, Rapidash’s unerring aim managed to set Exeggutor aflame. The pokemon quickly jumped into the water to put out the burning conflagration.

< Use Flaming Thunder! > Ash commanded. This time, Rapidash breathed out a stream of yellowish flames. As soon as they hit Exeggutor, which was still underwater, they crackled into electricity.

Exeggutor fainted.

“Exeggutor is unable to battle!”

“Nice!” Lance said, cheering.

Teresa nodded enthusiastically. “The costume really brings out the light in his eyes, doesn’t it?”

Both Pika-chan and Lance blinked at her.

“Teresa… are you feeling all right?”

“Of course! Why shouldn’t I be?”

“Seadra, go!”

Ash winced. < Seadra’s pretty fast, rapidash… can you beat it? >

Rapidash looked uncertain. I’ll try my best!

“Okay. Rapidash, use Rapid Fire!” Rapidash nodded and started sending little fast bursts of fire at Seadra.

“Seadra, use Agility!”

“Rapidash, use Agility, also! And try to nail it with Take Down!” Rapidash nodded and slammed into Seadra. Seadra went flying. Rapidash staggered as the backlash of Take Down hit it.

“Seadra, use Water Gun!”

Rapidash jumped over the water attack and launched a Spin Kick. Seadra went fell into the center of the pool. It didn’t get up.

“Seadra is unable to battle!” The referee said.

Mandy enlarged a poke ball that he had been holding between his fingers. “It’s time to play my trump card! Golbat, go!”

Ash nodded to Rapidash. “Return!”

The crowd gasped. Ash shrugged. * I know Rapidash is tired already; Seadra took a lot out of it… hmm… an ice type, maybe Dewgong, but that would be pretty draining… got it! *

His key glowed briefly, before a new Ash card formed. “Seel, I choose you!” The small tubby pokemon appeared in the water.

Hi! It said as it splashed around.

Mandy blinked. “Golbat, use Wing Attack!”

As you wish, master. It replied.

Oh, but can you hit me? Seel asked as it dived underwater to avoid Golbat’s attacks.

“Double Team!” Mandy said. Golbat nodded and copied itself twice. Three golbats hovered above the water.

“Seel, use Blizzard!” Seel nodded. A spiral of powdery ice began to spin around it with increasing velocity. When Seel jumped out of the water, it fired off a ring of ice, hitting all three Golbats.

“Darn! Try Leech Life!”

Seel panicked and used Aurora Beam. One of the golbats vanished, proving that it was just a copy.

The two left charged, but only one drained any energy.

“Seel! Get the one on the left with Ice Beam!”

Seel nodded. From its horn shot a beam of freezing power. The attack nailed the Golbat and it fell into the pool, frozen solid.

A hushed silence fell over the crowd.

“Golbat is unable to battle! Ash is the winner!” The announcer finally said.

“Yay! He did it!” Lance and Pika-chan said as they high-fived.

Teresa started taking pictures like no tomorrow. * Soon, people are going to want these… and I’ll be able to make money, so I can buy more costume-making supplies! *

End Episode 96! It’s all fun and games at the pokemon league now! Please leave a review! Flames will be used to toast garlic bread, yummy! *Hands out slices to nice reviewers*