Fight for the Right
"Hello." Humans
"Pika-chu." Pokémon addressing humans
"Hello." Pokémon addressing Pokémon
"Come on, come on. Can this jalopy move any faster?" Ash grumbled, tapping his foot impatiently as the school bus rumbled along a country road.
"Pika, Pika." Pikachu groaned, trying to catch some sleep on his trainer's lap. Not helped by said trainer's eternal impatience.
"Calm down, Ash. It'll get there when it gets there." Isaac told his friend.
"He's right, Ashie Boy. Just relax and enjoy the ride. Have a trip down the slow lane for once." Gary added, relaxing back in his seat with his Squirtle in his lap.
"Gary, you're not even attempting the gym yet. Why are you here?" Ash snapped, turning his head to glare at him.
"To enjoy the show." Gary replied cheekily.
Lillie rolled her eyes as she gently brushed Snowy's hair. "You three are being too energetic this morning. It's bad for your joints." She said with a sigh. "Snowy can you please hold still?"
"Us three? Talk to the Energizer Scorbunny over there." Issac replied, pointing his thumb at Ash.
"Because I want to get to the gym! This is my first gym battle!" Ash said, jumping to his feet and spilling Pikachu onto the floor.
Pikachu glared at his trainer, sparks dancing off his cheek pouches. "Piiikaaaa…!" he growled in anger at being disturbed.
"Easy, buddy. We are on the…" Ash tried to negotiate with, but it was too late.
"CHUUUUUUUUU!!" Pikachu roared, shocking Ash with his strongest Thunder Shock attack.
"AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Ash cried as the entire bus looked at him.
"Mr. Ketchum, Pikachu! Sit down and calm yourselves!" A teacher called out from the front seat.
"Sorry, Professor Croaker…" Ash groaned, sitting down. As if to prove a point, Pikachu then jumped back onto his lap and snuggled in.
"Sometimes, I wonder how Gramps caught that little firecracker." Gary sighed.
"You and me both, Gary…" Isaac replied, looking over the extra crispy Ketchum boy.
"Forgive me for asking, but what's the big deal with these Gyms?" Lillie asked.
"It's the only way you can qualify for the Pokémon League. After you beat all eight Gym Leaders and earn their badges, you have a shot at the championship tournament. After you beat the tournament, you get a shot at the Elite Four and the Regional Champion." Isaac explained to Lillie.
"... Again, not to be rude but… you're saying words, but all I hear is nonsense." Lillie sheepishly replied.
Isaac rolled his eyes. "It means you get a chance to be acknowledged as the greatest trainer in the region. It's a chance for both trainer and Pokémon to test their mettle and prove themselves the best of the best." He elaborated.
Gary looked at Lillie's still confused face, before turning to Isaac. "Isaac, she doesn't get it cause she's from Alola. They don't have a league over there and don't participate in any inter-region leagues." Gary explained to his Sinnohian compatriot.
Sighing, Isaac thought about how to explain it. Seeming to have a good explanation, he began again. "Think of our Gym Battles like your Island Trials. Except also get a shot at glory, a trophy, and being both famous and known as the best trainer in your region." He told her.
"Oh! I got it now. Wait… you guys have Z-Crystal's here too?" Lillie asked excitedly.
"Unfortunately, no. We do have Mega Evolution though." Isaac explained, a bit down at that.
"Guys, my everything will not stop tingling. Should I be concerned?" Ash groaned.
"Breathe into the bag, Ashie Boy." Gary told him, handing his friend a paper bag.
"Where did you get that?" Ash asked as he took the bag.
"It's left over from my lunch." Gary simply said.
Ash sniffed the inside of the bag and recoiled. "Tuna and egg salad again!? Gross!" Ash yelled, now suddenly get over his tingling.
"Hey! My grandpa makes a great tuna and egg salad sandwich!" Gary replied indignantly.
"It smells like a boot. A size ten boot." Ash grumbled.
Later: Pewter City
After what felt like forever, at least to Ash, the bus finally arrived at Pewter City. As the students looked out, they saw a decent sized city that could easily hold thousands. Its sidewalks were made of cobblestone of the finest craftsmanship. Trees and other plant life lined the streets as they were waved through the intersection by a Machamp. A Snorlax having fallen asleep in the middle of the crosswalk. As they moved to the heart of the city, they saw towering skyscrapers made as much of stone as they were made of metal and glass. However, all of this failed to be seen by our heroes, as Lillie sat in awe of what Isaac had explained.
"And that, Lillie, is what Mega Evolution is." Isaac told his friend.
"Wow… a stage of evolution beyond evolution…" Lillie said with awe.
"Vul-pix?" Snowy said confusedly, cocking her head to the side.
"In fact, some Pokémon can have two different Mega Evolutions depending on their Mega Stone. For now, however, the only recorded one at the moment is Charizard." Isaac continued explaining.
"Wow…" Lillie said in awe.
"And this is relevant to the gym, how?" Ash asked impatiently.
"You never know, Ash. Brock could have a Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution on his team. You need to be ready." Isaac explained to his friend.
"I highly doubt he uses that on students like us." Ash answered with a roll of his eyes.
Soon the bus came to a stop as Mrs. Croaker rose up. "Alright, class. We have arrived. Please exit in a single file." She said. If it wasn't for being near the back of the bus, Ash would already be off the bus.
"Alright, let's go!" Ash cried out as he jumped down the steps of the bus.
"Pikachu." Pikachu said, lazily pumping his fist from Ash's backpack.
"Ash, relax. The Gym isn't going anywhere." Isaac told him.
"That's what they all say. Until it is." Ash answered, squinting his eyes at Isaac.
The others looked at him in dumbfounded disbelief. "Ash, did you forget to take your medicine today?" Gary asked his best friend.
"I haven't had to take those since I was six, Gary." Ash huffed before crossing his arms.
Before them stood the gym. To their collective disappointment, it wasn't as large or grand as they expected. It was a stout building made of firm stone, with little ornamentation aside from the usual decorations to indicate it was a gym. As Mrs. Croaker led the class to the door, they were greeted by an overweight man in a Hawaiian shirt with black shades and a brown curly afro.
"Why hello there, Mrs. Croaker. Long time no see." The man said in a slow, smooth voice.
"Hello, Scott. It's been a long time." Mrs. Croaker said with a smile.
"I see we have the next generation here to take on Kanto's Rock-Hard Gatekeeper?" The man identified as Scott asked, looking over the group.
Mrs. Croaker nodded. "Yes, they are. Everyone, this is Scott. He owns Kanto's Battle Frontier." She explained, motioning to Scott.
"The what now?" Lillie asked in confusion.
"Well, my dear young lady. The Battle Frontier was a devilish little decision by my dearest Grandfather. To test people beyond the level of an Elite Four member, or even Legendary Pokémon. To push the boundaries of what competition and the bond of trainers have their teams to the absolute limit. Many have tried and failed, but those bold and brave few will live in immortality." Scott explained, his voice speaking with fervor and conviction to stir the soul.
"Wow…" Lillie said, before pulling out her notebook to write all of it down.
"But that's a journey for another day. Right now, all of you are here to witness the mighty warden of the hallowed path. The Champion of Mason Smashing. The Dynamic Master of Destruction. Brock!" Scott continued with gusto.
"But I don't wanna witness him! I wanna challenge him!" Ash insisted earnestly.
This got an ear-to-ear smile out of Scott. "Now that is the kind of spunk I like to see in a battler. However, he is currently finishing up with a challenger already. But it shouldn't interfere with your scheduled early attempts. Come in quickly." He replied, before opening the door and quickly ushering them in.
The battlefield before them was simple, yet vast. Pillars of stone and rocky crevices littered it, giving a basic, but still opportunity-filled battlefield. Bleachers on one side overlooked the battlefield as to its side as a set of smaller, simple dirt patches with white lines. Heading over the railing looking down into the pit that contained the battleground, they saw him. Standing shirtless with a body practically made like an ancient statue, Brock stood with his gaze firmly locked with his challenger. His black hair swayed in the breeze as he threw an outstretched hand towards his Onix. The great rock snake ready to receive his command.
"Onix! Lock him down with a Rock Tomb!" He cried out forcefully.
"On-ix!" It roared, its guttural booming cry echoing through the great arena like an avalanche.
Across from him stood a boy of somewhat younger age to the students with pale skin, midnight blue hair and an athletic body. A small frown formed on his thin lips as his blue eyes scanned for something, anything to help him. His face was fairly plain, almost non-descript many would say to the point where you could easily miss him in a crowd. He held onto his gold and silver outdoor coat as a black Rattata stood before the monstrous rock leviathan.
"Rattata, dodge and use Bite!" The young boy called out, throwing his hand out at their foe.
As the entire Gym shook, rocks began to levitate around Onix. With another roar from the serpentine stone behemoth, the rocks shot at Rattata to try to trap it in place. Rattata dodged as best as it could, trying to get in close for a bite attack. Getting the Bite attack off, Rattata chomped down onto Onix's tail as the rock snake roared in pain. However, it quickly threw Rattata off and into the air as the rocks closed in. Soon, Rattata cried out in pain as he was trapped by the rocks.
"Rattata, no!" The challenger called out in concern.
"Now, Onix! Finish this with Tackle!" Brock roared.
Using its massive bulk, Onix roared and charged in. With a full-body charge, it slammed into Rattata. The force of the attack smashed Rattata out of the rocks trapping it and slammed it hard into the wall, making it cry out in pain as a cloud of dust was kicked up by the force of the impact. When the dust finally cleared, the strange looking Rattata lay there unconscious.
"Alolan Rattata is unable to battle! The victory goes to Onix!" The Referee declared, throwing up the red flag to the Gym Leaders side.
"Not a bad showing, Dusk. You have talent for someone so young. But talent isn't all of what you need to win a battle." Brock said with respect in his voice, a small smile forming at the edge of his lips.
Dusk returned Rattata to its Pokéball and gave a smirk of his own. "I'm not done yet, Brock. I've still got another Pokémon up my sleeve. My little buddy." He reminded the Gym Leader.
"He has an Alolan Rattata? He's even more far traveled than you, Isaac." Lillie said, noticing the deviations to the ones seen in Kanto.
"I never thought I'd see an Alolan Rattata this far out of your islands, Lillie." Isaac noted in surprise.
"I caught it on vacation actually!" Dusk called out to them.
"... How did he hear us?" Gary asked his friends.
"Guy must have hearing like a Zubat…" Isaac muttered.
"No, you're just not whispering! You're actually quite loud!" Dusk called back.
Ash began to open his mouth to speak, but the other three looked at him. "Ashie boy. You are not the one to talk about volume." Gary shot at his friend.
"That's a weird name. Anyway, come on out, Mystery!" Dusk called out, holding a Pokéball out before throwing it underhand.
From the Pokéball came a white, furry Pokémon with a fluffy mane and a bushy tail. A small explosion of sparkles accompanied it as it exited the ball. Ash however swiftly ruined the moment by speaking.
"Is that an Alolan Eevee?" Ash asked Lillie.
"No, Ash. There's no such thing as an Alola Eevee. That's a shiny." Isaac replied simply.
"He asked me, Isaac." Lillie said with a pout.
"Wait a minute, this kid has a shiny Eevee!?" Gary yelled in shock.
"Yeah, she hatched that way from my parent's daycare. Her parents' trainer didn't want the egg, so they gave it to me." Dusk explained.
"Best of luck in their Dusk and your white Eevee!" Ash yelled in encouragement.
"Thank you, Ashie." Dusk replied.
"It's Ash!!!" Ash cried indignantly.
"Begin!!" The Referee cried out, breaking the banter.
"Mystery. Covet." Dusk said simply with a smile.
"Eeevee!" The white Eevee called out, charging in.
Leaping up, Mystery smacked Onix hard with its tail. Onix roared as it took the hit, leaning back for a moment. However, it quickly recovered, reeling back forward, and letting out another roar.
"No item. Good to know. Now, Mystery, go in for a Double Kick!" Dusk ordered.
"Eeeee… vee!" Mystery called out before running up Onix's body, leaping up to kick Onix twice in the face.
"Onix, use Harden!" Brock ordered quickly.
"Onix!" It replied, as its body flashed with light.
The two kicks slammed hard into Onix's face, making it roar in pain. Onix reeled back, but rose back up, enduring the pain. Glaring, it got ready to attack back. However, Dusk smirked as everything was going according to plan.
"Mystery. Copycat." Dusk called out.
"COPYCAT!?" Everyone asked in disbelief.
The white Eevee cried out as it was covered by an equally white aura. It's body then flashed with light and shined as it defensively braced for impact.
"You got us to use Harden on purpose so you could copy Harden. Clever, Dusk. Very clever. Onix, let's test its defenses with Tackle!" Brock roared, and the great rock snake lunged forward with shocking speed.
Onix's Tackle slammed hard into Mystery as the fox Pokémon cried out in pain. However, due to Harden, the damage was lessened as Mystery endured the attack. Sliding to a stop before giving a smirk.
"Now Harden again and Growl." Dusk called out simply with a grin.
With a nod, Mystery flashed again with white light. Then following the attack, it let out a low growl, which was just enough to unnerve Onix slightly. However, Brock remained unfazed.
"You're clever, but not clever enough. Use Rock Tomb Onix!" Brock ordered, throwing his hand forward.
"Get out of there, Mystery!" Dusk yelled at his partner.
A white light formed around Onix's head, soon followed by rocks forming around its head. With a roar, Onix launched the rocks at Mystery. The little Eevee tried its best to dodge, jumping from stone to stone to evade. Seeing this, Brock gave a smile of admiration.
"It's an agile little thing. Obviously well trained." Brock commended the Eevee and its trainer as Onix kept up the Rock Tomb.
"I get that a lot. Now Mystery, use that height to hit them with a Double Kick!" Dusk ordered with a smile.
"Ee-Vee!" Eevee called and leapt as hard as it could from one of the rocks.
"Counter with Tackle, Onix!" Brock called out.
"OOOOOON!" Onix roared as it reared back to tackle into the white Eevee.
Mystery launched itself at Onix with a two-legged kick as Onix lunged forward with a Tackle. The two collided, the force releasing a small shockwave. As the two fought for supremacy, everyone watched in anticipation. However, the two were launched back as the clash ended in a draw. However, with no rocks to use for maneuvering, this left Mystery open for Brock and Onix's next move.
"Time to finish this! Onix, crush them with Bind!" Brock roared, throwing his hand forward with vigor.
"OOOOON!!!" Onix roared as it rushed in with surprising speed.
"Mystery, get out of there!" Dusk called out with concern, but it was too late.
Onix wrapped around the white Eevee and began to squeeze. Mystery cried out in pain as it was being crushed by the massive rock snake. No matter how hard it tried, it couldn't break free or get loose. It was trapped. Soon, Mystery fell unconscious and Onix released it as the battle came to a close. With shocking levels of gentleness, Onix then set Mystery on the ground.
"Eevee is unable to battle! Onix wins! The victory goes to the Gym Leader, Brock!" The referee announced, dropping the red flag in the Gym Leader's direction.
Dusk then pulled out Mystery's Pokéball. "Return Mystery. You did great today." He said as he called his Eevee back before putting the hand with the ball behind his back and bowing. "Thank you, good sir. Next time, I will make sure to do better to defeat you."
Brock gave a smile. "I know you will, Dusk. You and your Pokémon did well. You're an incredibly talented trainer for your age and you've raised them well." He told the challenger.
"This guy is one heck of a battler." Ash said with awe.
"Excuse me! Who are you!?" Lillie called out to Dusk as he left the arena.
"Lillie!" Isaac hissed at her insensitivity.
Dusk turned to look at the crowd and gave a smile as he left the arena. "I'm Dusk. Hey, do you guys know about a Raspberry Academy two towns over? I'm transferring in next week!" Dusk called out as he made his way over.
"... You mean 'Ichigo Academy?' It's actually one town over in Veridian." Gary asked in a deadpan look.
"I knew I was reading the ad wrong somehow." Dusk muttered. "Well, glad to meet you guys. And best of luck. You're gonna need it. He hits like an avalanche."
Isaac pulled out one of my Pokéballs and looked down at it with a smile. "Thanks for the advice." He told the younger boy.
"Hey, want to stay and watch? Some of us have to go through the entry tournament to get to face him." Ash asked, which got a raised eyebrow from Dusk. He was about to say something, until he saw a puppy dog face from Lillie.
"Tell you what. If, somehow, you're still battling after I get a bite to eat, I'll come back and watch." Dusk answered diplomatically, then looked at Isaac. "Maybe we can do a round or two afterwards."
Isaac smiled a bit. "I'd like that. It's always good to have a new challenge." He told Dusk before spinning the Pokéball on his fingertip, then tossing it up and catching it.
"Hey, what about me?" Ash asked indignantly.
"What about you?" Dusk and Isaac asked, looking at Ash.
"I'll show you two! Ref, when do we start!?" Ash called out, offended.
"Easy, Ash. Cool the fire in your soul. I was just kidding." Isaac told his friend with a chuckle.
"Little late for that, bushido boy. You got him fired up. May Arcoos help whoever Ash has to go up against." Gary replied after raising his eye.
"... Why do you keep pronouncing 'Arceus" like that?" Isaac asked in confusion.
"'Cause it gets on yah nerves." Gary answered with a smirk.
Isaac rolled his eyes. "Great. Well, since Ash is as fired up as an Infernape using Blaze on steroids, I guess he's going first." He told the others.
"What's the deal with this, anyway?" Lillie asked.
"It's a recent change to the Gym Challenge system. There's a series of brackets to choose worthy challengers due to the sheer number of people these days wanting a chance due to the academies. Gets rid of weaker challengers." Gary explained.
"So, that means that that boy won a tournament to face Brock!?" Lillie asked in shock.
"He likely was one of the finalists, yes. Which is something 'cause I'm pretty sure he's younger than us." Gary said as he crossed his arms.
"All potential contestants please make your way to the tryout field!" The ref called over the intercom.
"Well, that's us. Wish us luck, guys." Isaac said, beginning to head over to the tryout field.
"You two don't need it. Yet." Gary said with a smile.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Gary." Ash said with a smile.
"Don't hurt yourselves!" Lillie yelled, getting a bit worried for her friends.
"Yeah, yeah." Isaac said, waving off her concerns.
Ash, Isaac and two others walked over. The ref stood at his position over a small dirt field near to the arena. It was painted in a box with white paint, with a Pokéball symbol at the center of its dividing lines. Inside these lines it was pock marked with boulders and rocks. Just enough to make it interesting for a battle.
"Ash Ketchum and Samamtha Hubert. Step forward first." The Referee said.
As the two stepped forward, everyone was shocked as Brock came over to observe the matches. He stood between Mrs. Croaker and Scott. As the two students set up, Scott opened his mouth to talk.
"Well, it's a surprise to see you here after such a tough string of challengers." Scott said with a smile to the Rock Type Gym Leader.
Brock gave a smile of his own. "What can I see? This next crop may have potential, so it'd be good to see what they're made of." He explained.
"I suppose that battle with young Dusk got you fired up, didn't it Brock?" Mrs. Croaker asked with a giggle.
"Yes, it did. The students coming out of the academies are different from when my father was the Gym Leader." Brock said, watching the brackets intently.
"Well, it seems like we got a little firestorm in for the first match. Mrs. Croaker, what can you tell us about this Ash fellow?" Scott asked the teacher.
Mrs. Croaker smiled proudly. "He's got more of that Kantonian fire in him than any other student I've taught so far. Not to mention that he not only loves battling but also loves Pokémon. And, speaking as his professor for Battle Tactic class, he's one of the most unconventional battlers I've ever had the privilege of teaching." She told the two.
"Well, let's see how this goes then." Brock said with a small smile, crossing his arms as he observed.
Samantha pushed away a bit of brown hair in front of her eyes and readjusted a yellow and black scarf on her neck. Then she pulled out a Pokéball and threw it.
"Go, Squirtle!" She cried.
The ball opened up to reveal the small blue biped turtle. "Squirtle Squirt!" It cried chipperly.
This got a smile out of Ash. "Go, Pidgeotto!" Ash cried, throwing the ball hard.
"Pidgeotto!" The bird Pokémon triumphantly cried as it flew over its challenger.
"Why didn't Ash use Pikachu? Wouldn't that be easier?" Lillie asked Gary and Isaac.
Gary smirked "Ash never does things the easy way. It makes it more fun and allows him to better push his and his Pokémon's limits to help them both get better." He explained.
"I can understand that. But it's also important to know one's limits if one wishes to surpass them." Isaac said, a contemplative look on his face.
"Are the contestants ready to battle?" The Referee asked.
"Yes!" The two students cried out, matched by their Pokémon's head nod.
Raising the red and green flags, the Referee signaled the start of the battle. "Begin!" He called out.
"Let's start things off strong! Pidgeotto, use Quick Attack!" Ash called out, throwing his hand out towards their opponent.
"Protect yourself with Withdraw!" Samantha called out.
Pidgeotto dive bombed down on Squirtle in a flash of white light as Squirtle withdrew itself into its shell. Pidgeotto slammed beak first into the shell, sending Squirtle's shell tumbling. However, the move did little damage as Squirtle popped out, a smile on its face as Samantha called out the next move.
"Counterattack with a Water Gun Squirtle!" She ordered.
"Dodge and use Gust, Pidgeotto!" Ash called out in reply.
Squirtle inhaled and shot a blast of water from its mouth. However, Pidgeotto easily evaded it and flapped its wings hard enough to release gale force winds. The Gust attack slammed hard into Squirtle, knocking it back. Recovering, it prepared for its trainer's next order.
"Let's see how you handle this! Build up speed and hit it with Rapid Spin!" Samantha ordered, and Squirtle began to get into a run.
"Smack it away with Wing Attack, then fly up!" Ash called out, getting a nod from Pidgeotto as it swooped in.
As it ran, Squirtle jumped and went into its shell for a high-speed Rapid Spin. However, Pidgeotto swooped down and held its wings out like a blade ready to strike. When Squirtle got in close, Pidgeotto slammed his wings hard into Squirtle's rapidly spinning shell. The impact sent Squirtle flying back down and smashing into the ground, its shell digging in as it continued to spin. Squirtle came out of its shell, a bit dazed and hurt from the impact as Pidgeotto flew up in front of the lights. Shaking its head, Squirtle looked up only to cover its eyes from the light, creating an opening for Ash and Pidgeotto.
"Now Gust attack!" Ash called out.
"PIDGEOOOTTOOO!" Pidgeotto called out as it launched a powerful Gust.
"Use Withdraw quick!" Samantha called in a panic.
Squirtle, however, was in too much pain from the light in its eyes to listen. The gale force winds hit it hard and launched it back, sending it tumbling. Seeing this, Ash decided to finish things.
"Dive down on it in a Quick Attack!" Ash called out with a determined look.
"Piiidgeottooooo!" Pidgeotto called out as he dive bombed Squirtle at high speed, a white glow coming off him.
"Squirtle, get up quick!" Samantha cried out to her Pokémon.
However, Squirtle was trapped on its back, unable to get up as it squirmed and wobbled. THis left it open for the Quick Attack that slammed into it, sending it skidding into the wall and crashing into it. As the dust cleared, Squirtle was revealed to be out cold, defeated from the last attack.
"Squirtle has been defeated! Pidgeotto wins! The victory goes to Ash Ketchum!" The referee called out, raising the green flag in Ash's direction.
"Alright! Great job Pidgeotto!" Ash cried out.
"Pika, Pika." Came Pikachu's sleepy voice from his backpack.
"Pikachu, wake up already! We are going to be facing Brock before long." Ash said to his partner.
"Chaaa…" Pikachu said as he yawned, before climbing out onto his shoulder as Pidgeotto landed next to Ash. As Ash hugged his triumphant bird, Samantha returned her Squirtle to its ball.
"Where did you learn to battle like that, Ash?" She asked, her voice echoing with a feeling of disbelief.
Ash grinned. "I spend a lot of time around Pokémon." He explained.
"Well, good luck with Brock." She said with a small smile before joining her friends in the crowd.
"Will Benjamin Grimmly and Isaac Oda, take to the field." The Referee called out.
The two walked up with their Pokéballs out. Benjamin Grimmly was a tall, well-built boy for his age. He towered over most other young trainers there and obviously spent a lot of time physically training with his Pokémon. Isaac walked up with a smile.
"A Fighting-Type trainer, huh? That's one of my favorite Types, Benjamin." Isaac commented to his opponent.
"Glad to hear it. And please. Call me Ben." The towering boy answered with a toothy grin.
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Ben. I'm looking forward to our battle." Isaac told him with a bow.
"You related to that Oda clan from across the sea?" Ben asked, raising an eyebrow.
Isaac smiled a bit. "Yes, I am. Lord Nobunaga, the Dragon King of the Sixth Heaven and the lord of the Kingdom of Dragnor, is actually my ancestor." He explained.
"Gary, Ash? What's a Nobugana?" Lillie asked quietly. Somehow however, Isaac had heard this and spun his head around.
"That's 'Nobunaga,' Lillie!" Isaac called out.
"Hey, don't bite her head off!" Ash snapped back at Isaac.
"To answer yer question, Lillie, Nobunaga was one of the great unifiers of Sinnoh. His clan's ancestry originally hailed from Unova before the settlement of Sinnoh back when it was Hisui. He became known as the Dragon King of the Sixth Heaven due to his mastery of Dragon-Type Pokémon." Gary explained.
"Thank you, Sir Oak. Now then, Ben. I believe we have a showdown to commence with." Isaac addressed with a smile.
Ben grinned at that. "Looking forward to it, Isaac." He replied, pulling out his ball.
Spinning his Pokéball on his finger, Isaac then tossed it up and caught it. "Yokozuna, front and center!" He called out, tossing up the ball.
A flash of light erupted from the ball as it opened. From the flash of light, out came Yokozuna in robes with a mawashi belt on his waist. Raising his leg, Yokozuna slammed it down, shaking the battlefield with the force. Raising his other leg, he slammed it down and shook the battlefield again. Getting into a stance that was a mix of Sumo and Kabuki, Yokozuna had a determined look on his face.
"Muuunchlaaax!" Yokozuna called out fiercely.
"Alright. Time for some clobberin' time! Go, Machop!" Ben cried out, throwing his own Pokéball.
From the ball came a muscular blue biped with a ridged head. It flexed and stretched a bit before enthusiastically entering a martial arts form. Going into a karate stance, Machop prepared for battle.
"Machop!" The Machop called out with a smile.
Isaac's eyes widened a bit before he smiled. "A Machop, huh? It appears that we've got a big challenge on our hands, Yokozuna." He commented.
"Munch, Munch." Yokozuna answered with a shaking of its head, before slamming its foot down again. As if to show it disagreed in a positive way to its trainer's assessment.
"A Munchlax, huh? Never seen one of those before. This is gonna be fun!" Ben commented with a smile of his own.
"They can be quite a handful to raise, let me tell you. There's a reason Snorlax get so big and strong." Isaac answered with a smile.
Up in the stands, Brock had a contemplative look on his face. Seeing this, Scott and Mrs. Croaker looked at him.
"Is something wrong, Brock?" Mrs. Croaker asked.
"You noticed it too, huh?" Scott asked, a serious look on his face.
"Yeah. This match could go either way. Both Yokozuna and that Machop look strong, but Yokozuna looks more well trained while Ben's Machop has the type advantage." Brock commented, watching this match closely.
"Toss up then. Well, let's see how our young samurai handles the heavens' challenge." Scott answered with a smile.
"Will Isaac be okay? He isn't used to being on the wrong end of a type disadvantage…" Lillie commented in concern.
"It's a skill that every trainer's got to learn. Either way, it will be good for him." Gary answered her, crossing his arms.
"He's got this." Ash said confidently.
Raising the red and green flags, the referee announced the start of the match. "Begin!" The ref called out.
"Machop!" Ben called out.
"Yokozuna!" Isaac called out as well.
"GO!" The two roared as Yokozuna and Machop charged in at each other.
When the two collided, the ring shook as Machop and Yokozuna grappled. The vibration was as if two small freight trains had collided, shocking everyone with the power of the clash.
"Wow, those two tykes are strong!" One of the girls in the class cried out.
"How's Yokozuna this strong!? Machops regularly lift boulders to work out!" Gary commented, trying to keep from falling out of his seat.
"He's unusually active for a Munchlax for a start." Ash said with a smirk. "By the way Gary. I've beaten Yokozuna."
"Beginner's luck, Ashie Boy." Gary replied with a smirk of his own.
Yokozuna and Machop gripped each other's hands in a test of strength first. The two pushed against each other with all their might as the stone ring beneath them slowly began to crack while it continued to shake. Everyone marveled at the power on display from these two first form Pokémon. It was then that Ben and Isaac made their move.
"USE ROCK SMASH!" They called out simultaneously.
Yokozuna and Machop both wrenched an arm free and pulled back to punch. With twin roars, their fists became engulfed in orange energy. When they clashed their fists, the ground beneath them broke as rocks flew up from the impact. Yokozuna and Machop smirked as their blows collided.
"Don't let up, Machop! Keep using Rock Smash!" Ben called out.
"Counter with your own Rock Smash, Yokozuna!" Isaac called out.
"MAAAACHOP!" Machop roared out as he began unleashing a barrage of orange-energy clad punches.
"MUUUNCHLAAAX!" Yokozuna roared in reply as he, too, began to unleash a barrage of orange-energy clad blows.
The orange-energy punches smashed into each other, kicking up rocks and dust as the ring continued to crack and shake. Neither side gave an inch as the two continued clashing fist against fist. The two braced their feet against the ground as they continued to clash.
"How strong are these two!? It's like a scene from a movie!" Another girl cried out.
"Is the ring even gonna hold out at this rate!?" A boy in the crowd called out.
The clash continued for several minutes as the barrage continued. Eventually, the two went for one lash punch as they put their full strength into it. The force of the clash sent a shockwave through the ring as the two combatants were launched away from each other. The two skid to a stop as they panted, smirks on their faces as the class looked on in shock.
"Rush in and use Headbutt, Yokozuna!" Isaac called out with a grin, clearly enjoying this battle.
"Munchlax, munchlax, munchlax, MUNCHLAX!" Yokozuna called out as he ran in before smashing his head into Machop's stomach in a running headbutt that caused Machop to go flying back.
"MA! Chop-chop-chop!" Machop coughed up before letting out a chuckle, clearly enjoying this.
"Let's show him what real power looks like! Use Revenge!" Ben ordered with a grin.
"MAAAAACHOP!" Machop called out as he was surrounded by an orange aura.
Rushing in, Machop nailed Yokozuna with a flying kick that slammed into Yokozuna's stomach. Yokozuna coughed up spit as he was sent flying through several boulders before finally smashing hard into one, gasping in pain. The force of this shook the battlefield as the two trainers looked at each other in determination, Isaac with grit teeth while Ben smirked.
"For a Revenge to hit that hard, Yokozuna's gotta be one tough customer, Isaac. The fact that he's even still standing after that hit proves it." Ben told Isaac, praising his opponent.
"And Machop's strong too. A Headbutt like that would've knocked out most non-Rock or Steel type opponents." Isaac commented, trying to think of a strategy. Finally, Isaac smirked as he got an idea. "Use Headbutt again!"
"Munchlax, munchlax ,MUUUUUNCHLAX!" Yokozuna called out as he rushed in, preparing to slam into Machop once more.
"That move again? Get ready to finish it with Revenge, Machop!" Ben called out with a smirk.
"MAAAAAA-" Machop called out, surrounding himself in an orange aura.
When Yokozuna slammed into Machop, the ring shook. However, when it charged up for Revenge, Isaac smirked. "Use a full-strength Rock Smash on the ground!" Isaac called out.
"WHAT!?" Ben called out in shocked disbelief.
Covering its hand in dense orange energy, Yokozuna roared. "MUUUNCLAAAX!" He called out as he slammed his fist into the ground.
The force of the impact kicked up dust from the ring. When Machop went in for the flying kick, it instead smashed into a boulder and broke it into pieces rather than hit Yokozuna. This caught Machop and Ben both off guard.
"Where did it-" Ben began to ask only to hear Isaac call out.
"Use a full power Rock Smash, Yokozuna! Shut it down!" Isaac called out.
Leaping out at Machop from behind, Yokozuna prepared to strike as Machop turned in shock. However, it was then hit in the face with a powerful orange-energy-covered punch that smashed it hard down into the ring, hitting deep into the stone beneath the sand and gravel-covered ground.
"MAAAAAAAAA!" Machop cried out in pain as the spectators swore they felt the Gym shake.
Everyone waited for the dust to clear. When it did, Machop was revealed to be unconscious as Yokozuna panted in exertion. The battle had clearly taken a lot out of him as he collapsed to one knee. However, his job was finished, He had won.
"Machop is unable to battle! Yokozuna wins! The victory goes to Isaac Oda!" The referee called out, raising the red flag towards Isaac.
"Munch, Munch!" Yokozuna roared, before having to stop early to hold his side.
Isaac ran up to Yokozuna and gently hugged him. "Great job out there, Yokozuna! You were incredible!" He praised his heavy hitter.
As Yokozuna leaned on his trainer to help ease the pain, Ben returned his Machop with a smile. "Great work, Machop. We almost had them." He said before he then walked up to Isaac and offered him his hand.
Isaac looked at Ben with a smile. "That was a great battle, Ben. Your Machop was something else." He told his opponent with a smile, taking Ben's hand and shaking it.
"Guess we'll have to have another one at some point. Ain't gonna make it easy for yah." He said with a toothy grin.
Isaac gave a grin of his own. "We're looking forward to it. Right, Yokozuna?" He replied before looking down at his Munchlax.
"Munch, Munchlax!" Yokozuna replied excitedly.
At that, Brock stood up from the stands. As if by sheer magnetism, everyone looked at him. Then, without using the intercom speaker, his voice boomed through the arena.
"Challengers! Prepare your teams and your nerves! For now, you face a true challenge!" Brock's voice boomed through the arena. And both Ash and Isaac knew their day had now only just begun.