Galar. Hulbury Town. Day.
It was a new day in the Galar Region and waking up in this region was Ash. And with this new day came a battle he put on hold until now. The battle against Hulbury Town's Gym Leader. But before that, some morning consumption was needed. One of the restaurants over at Hulbury which was known as The Captain's Table offered some options that were exclusive to this town. Noticeably, there was a common occurrence of eggs within this restaurant. Everyone currently seated there had eggs on their food in some way. Whether big or small.
"Ah...Great. Great..." Ash patted his belly along with Pikachu and Pinkie Pie. Their stomachs were satisfied by what they had consumed.
"Pika..." Pikachu slumped over on the floor as he felt like he could rest here just from how good that morning meal was. As a bonus, a full stomach meant that he could battle without any issues. Ash and Pikachu are at their best when their stomachs are full.
"Sorry that I couldn't catch Alpha Lopunny, Professor Oak." Meanwhile, while still having her morning meal, Sci-Twi was currently speaking with Professor Oak, using her phone to do so. "But next time, I'll try again. Hopefully, I have enough airtime."
"I still don't get it. How come Lopunny can stand on those clouds just by jumping high?" That still boggled Rainbow Dash. Lopunny was not a Flying-Type at all and yet, it could jump on the clouds as if they were solid.
"Strange, isn't it?" Professor Oak replied. "That makes it all the more thrilling to reach Lopunny. That Alpha Lopunny's unique trait to stand on legs might apply to other Pokemon."
"Like?" Sunset Shimmer and Carlita questioned, wondering which Pokemon could also perform such a feat without needing to fly.
"Twilight. Theoretically, your Rapidash could do the same thing. Much like Rapidash, she has incredible speed and can use it to jump at stupendous heights with those powerful legs."
"Rapidash tried but she couldn't exactly touch one of the clouds. Not yet at least. What other Pokemon could do it?"
"Dare I say...Magikarp can do it?" Professor Oak chuckled, bringing up a Pokemon that no one would expect. "After all, what it lacks in power, it makes up for strong jumps. Even if they never go beyond seven feet on rare occasions. On the bright side, at least this makes it harder for even the Pokemon Hunter to find. This also means that catching up to Lopunny will take some time."
"Do you think it's because both worlds came together?" Sunset Shimmer asked. "Maybe that's why Alpha Lopunny can stand on clouds."
"Maybe. Maybe not." Professor Oak couldn't give a clear answer. "You'll have to find out the next time you meet this Alpha Lopunny. Right now, the last Alpha Pokemon you should focus on is Alpha Scyther over at Unova. Really, why didn't you start there?"
"I guess we should've started there..." Twilight giggled.
"Sucks that I got here a bit too late. If you ask me, if I showed up, that Pokemon Hunter would've been stopped by yours truly." Carlita confidently said, putting one leg over her other while crossing her arms.
"Yeah, if your Hydreigon could handle the cold." Rainbow Dash put on a smirk as Carlita had a stunned expression from that. The snowstorm that Hunter J made would've spelt massive trouble for Carlita's Hydreigon. "Then again, my Altaria did fine even if she was out for a few minutes."
"Good luck on your next Alpha Pokemon search." Oak bid Sci-Twi farewell. "And stay safe out there, alright?"
"Got it. I'll keep you updated, Professor Oak." Twilight finished the call.
"Alright. Now, about that challenge." Ash stood up, holding out his Rotomphone. There, the Pokemon World Championships challenge that he put on hold was still available. Now that he had a full stomach, Ash accepted the challenge.
"Challenge Accepted. Please head to your opponent's location by following this map." The voice from the Rotomphone said, showing a digital map of Hulbury. And the distance between Ash and Nessa wasn't far at all.
"You won't have to head there." However, moments after Ash accepted the challenge, Nessa had already shown up, opening the doors to this restaurant, wearing casual clothes under this bright sun and catching everyone's attention. Especially the customers who knew about her.
"Oh! It's Nessa!" A fisherman said as multiple words came flying in after Nessa made her appearance. If it wasn't clear already, she was exceedingly popular here at Hulbury. Being a Gym Leader and even a model. Especially a model.
"Nessa! I'm a huge fan!" A young girl said, screeching out Nessa's name. Others were huge fans of this Gym Leader/Model, expressing their adoration for her. Soon, the whole restaurant was flooded with praise of Nessa.
Nessa waved at them, giving out a soft smile to her fans which was complimented by those sharp eyes that she had. There was both a serious and soft presence about her.
"Guess she came to me." Ash put the Rotomphone away. "Hey there. My name's Ash."
"So you're Ash?" Nessa gazed at the Alola Champion, observing him for a bit. She would get a good look at his entire appearance from his outfit, looks and overall disposition. "Hmm...Well, you don't look all that impressive. But you do have a consistent getup."
"Really?" Ash tugged his jacket as Nessa complimented his outfit. "Gee thanks."
"Pikachu!"
"I've heard about you from my friend Sonia. Then again, I've heard about you a lot when I visit Equestria here and there. You've made a name for yourself, haven't you?"
"He sure has!" Pinkie Pie zipped over, holding Ash's shoulder and leaning him forward. "Ash is our resident mentor and hero, ya know! Of course, he's super famous over there!"
"Pikachu too," Ash added as he couldn't leave Pikachu out of this. He was just as popular. "That goes for everyone. Plus, you guys are heroes too, right?"
"Me? I don't know about that, Ash." Sci-Twi laughed as she didn't see herself as one.
"You took their world by storm when it was all separate." Nessa approached Ash. "I can see why. I actually wish I could've gotten involved earlier on. Equestria's modelling scene is some of the best I've seen. On par with the ones here."
"Uh, really?" Ash replied while watching Nessa observe him. "Well, it's never too late, ya know. You can be super popular at Equestria with that. I mean you already are since you're the 2nd Gym Leader."
"And you're the one who's been giving trainers a tough time. Plus the one who's holding me back from entering the Equestria League." Rainbow Dash pouted, referring to the fact that Nessa was a massive blockade as Equestria's 2nd Gym Leader. Being a double Gym Leader meant that neither Galar nor Equestria would have an easy time going up against her. Especially Equestria.
"And the best of them all." Nessa confidently crossed her arms, feeling proud about her strength and how it's blocked so many trainers from advancing.
"Yeah, she is!" The crowd in the restaurant hyped Nessa up. In a matter of minutes, they already held up fan apparel of Nessa. From shirts that say 'I Love Nessa', flags of her face and other accessories. She had an entire groupie brigade that knew how to keep their distance thankfully.
"And I plan to be the best in the world once I defeat Leon and become the World Champion. As much as I encourage those little ponies to get stronger, I won't let anyone get ahead of me on my quest to true stardom. Being the best in the world means that I'm the biggest star in the world.
"Even more than your modelling career?" Sci-Twi questioned.
"That'll only help me reach the top of my modelling career too. The best trainer and the best model. Both are just too promising for me." Nessa continued. "It really doesn't matter which one I complete first. Because I know I'll succeed."
"Cool. But you see...I'm the one who's going to beat Leon and become the World Champion." Ash would immediately reply, declaring himself to be the future World Champion by pointing at his chest.
"Pikachu!"
"You? The next World Champion? Bold of you to say that in front of me." Nessa smirked while narrowing her eyes. "Do you think you have what it takes?"
"Oh yeah! Ash totally has what it takes!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "He's got all of Equestria to back him up after all!"
"Hm. All of Equestria? That's impressive. You have quite the following, Ketchum. But is it as passionate as all my followers and fans? With them, I feel like I can do anything."
"Same here. I have all my friends to give me strength." Ash certainly had more than just Equestria on his side. "I'm ready for our battle, Nessa. Let's do this!"
"Right, right. But let's make it something for many to gander at." Nessa offered a presentation for this battle. "I don't want this to be a small World Championship battle that a few people see. I want many to see this."
"Uh sure. Where do you wanna go?" Ash asked.
"Recording and broadcasting across Galar and even other parts of the world, there's a stadium that's large enough to make that possible. My Gym will do just fine and I'll make sure Equestria sees it as well." Nessa was going big for this Pokemon World Championship Battle.
"All of Equestria's gonna see it?!" Sunset Shimmer gasped. "Wow...You really wanna make this big, huh?"
"Of course I do. Because taking down the most popular trainer in Equestria will give me a boost." Nessa also did this just to really make Ash's defeat bigger than ever. "Ash. No hard feelings, but I plan to take your throne as Equestria's Shining Star. It's for my goal."
"Sheesh. She really hypes herself up a lot doesn't she?" Rainbow Dash said to Pinkie Pie.
"Yeah. Kinda like you." Pinkie Pie replied with Rainbow Dash nodding in approval. She had no shame in agreeing to that fact. Nessa was a bit like Rainbow Dash in the way she would boast and boost herself.
"Now, Ash. Let's get going, shall we?"
Hulbury Gym.
The Hulbury Gym. Currently, many had gathered here after Nessa spread the word along with her passionate fans. The seats here were all occupied by those who were eager to see Nessa battle. And of course, most were rooting for Nessa. It was all in her favour in this stadium. Most from Galar knew who she was.
More of her fans had shown up to Hulbury instead of the ones that lived here. This groupie brigade was certainly large and it was possibly larger than ever with these cameras around. By Nessa's request, this battle would be recorded just for many across the world to see. And now that this Super-Earth involved Equestria, those in the magical land would get to witness this.
How exactly? Magic, of course. A magical aura had been imbued around some of these cameras, sending mystical transmissions to Equestria. It was much like how the musical performance on the last day of the Third Pokemon Festival made many near and far witness it.
Over at Equestria, the stadium was shown via a large magical projection. This went from Canterlot, Manehattan to even the Crystal Empire. Nessa wasn't kidding when she wanted to take Ash's spotlight. And those at Ponyville definitely saw it from above with Scootaloo frantically aiming her hoof up at it.
"Oh look! Ash is about to battle!" She pointed out from across the world.
"Isn't that the Gym Leader that's slowing the Equestria League down?" Starlight Glimmer pointed out, recognizing Nessa as that one Gym Leader that was hard to get past.
"Mhm. Heard about it from my cousins at Dodge Junction." Applejack added. "Experience beats spirit though. But for Ash..." All of Ash's friends from Ponyville would be watching. This would be a wonderfully convenient entertainment to view.
"You got this, Ash!" While Nessa had her passionate fans, Ash had fans here. He had a shared Fanclub with Rainbow Dash after all. While they all couldn't show up, they were certainly going to cheer him on, being just as passionate as Nessa's fans.
"GO NESSA!" And back at Hulbury, with all of Nessa's fans having various objects and giving out thunderous cheers to show their love for the Hulbury Gym Leader, Pinkie Pie would do the same, holding out flags of Ash's face.
"We're here for you Ash!" Pinkie Pie roared. All 5 of us! And adding the Pokemon that makes...uh...It doesn't matter! All of us are cheering you on!"
"If you win here and everypony back at Equestria watches it, then they'll get the confidence and strength to finally get past Nessa!" Rainbow Dash yelled. "My spot as the future First Equestrian Champion depends on it!" And of course, she just wanted a way for the Equestria League to progress. And Ash was seemingly the one who could fix that.
"Sorry. Is this spot taken?" Arriving to sit next to Pinkie Pie's group was none other than Sonia. A good friend of Nessa as she showed up to view this battle.
"Sonia?" Pinkie Pie said her name.
"I couldn't help but notice the fan appeal you have of Ash here." Sonia would find a seat with Sci-Twi scorching over. "We meet again but...you all look rather different."
"Uh, don't worry about this." Rainbow Dash replied. "We'll explain this new look later. But are you here to cheer Nessa on or Ash?"
"Oh, right. She's a good friend of yours so you'd want to see her battle. Especially with something this large." said Sunset Shimmer.
"I did. But I'm not really rooting for either side. It doesn't matter who wins this one. Though, I guess the outcome depends on who's more passionate about winning this battle."
"Nessa sound pretty passionate when we met her back at that restaurant," Carlita added. "Apparently, she's making a big deal about this just to overthrow Ash."
"Ah, I see. That makes sense. Nessa's always been chasing stardom. She's always been competitive when trying to be the best at something. But it always lurks beneath her. You'll always see her calm and collected side." Sonia explained.
"Looks like a mix of both if you ask me." Sunset Shimmer saw both sides in Nessa with how she spoke to her friends back at the restaurant.
"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet. Trust me. Me and Nessa go way back and I've seen what she can do." But being Nessa's friend meant that out of everyone in this stadium, Sonia knew the most about her. "You can even ask Milo if you get the chance. I wonder if your friend Ash can keep his fame after this."
"He totally will!" Rainbow Dash roared, confident in Ash. "She wants Equestria to see this too and they're gonna see her lose this. Go for it, Ash!"
"This Pokemon World Championships Battle will be between Gym Leader Nessa from Hulbury Town and Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. Both Trainers may use 3 Pokemon Each. And the battle will be over when all Pokemon on one side are unable to battle." The Rotomdrone who could also act as the referee stated. And also, a battle of this size would be accompanied by an announcer who would commentate this entire battle for many to really get into it.
"Prepare yourself, Ash," Nessa said to the Boy from Pallet Town. "You're looking at the next Shining Star in the world. My fame's going to skyrocket to the height of a tsunami with this."
"Bring it on, Nessa!" Ash adjusted his gloves, ready to begin. "Time to throw down!"
"Pikachu!"
"Both trainers, send out your first Pokemon!"
"Sirfetch'd! I choose you!" Ash's first decision was Sirfetch'd as he vigorously threw the Poke Ball, summoning the Wild Duck Pokemon.
"Sirfetch'd!"
"Go, Golisopod!" As for Nessa, Golisopod was her choice as she elegantly launched the Dive Ball in her hand.
"Golisopod!"
"Oh? Who's that?" Sci-Twi took out her Pokedex to read up on Golispod at once.
"Golisopod. The Hard Scale Pokemon. With a flashing slash of its giant sharp claws, it cleaves seawater—or even air—right in two. It will do anything to win, taking advantage of every opening and finishing opponents off with the small claws on its front legs. They live in sunken ships or in holes in the seabed. When Golisopod and Grapploct battle, the loser becomes the winner’s meal.
"Just so you know, I know a few things about you and your Pokemon. So there's no way you can get ahead of me with what's out there." Nessa said, even having knowledge of Ash's Pokemon.
"Heh." Ash grinned as he was eager to see if she could truly stop him even with this knowledge. "We'll see about that."
"Battle Start!"
"Golisopod! Use First Impression!"
"Pod! Goli!" Golisopd would go first, using the move that works excellently during the beginning of a battle. Golisopod quickly dashed at such great speeds that he seemed to have disappeared for a second.
"I knew this was coming...Detect!" But Ash was already aware of Golisopod's signature move. And he had the right move to ignore such a powerful attack.
"Sir!" Sirfetch'd's eyes would flash blue as the second Golisopod would reappear, having his arms up for a powerful chop, Sirfetch'd spotted him. As Golispod swung his arm down, Sirfetch'd would just slide out of the way, leaving behind blue afterimages in the process. The chop from Golisopod would only smash into the stadium floor.
"Goli?"
"Missed!" The announcer yelled. "Golisopod's best move has been a bust by just that one Detect!"
"Tch. First Impression missed on the first go..." That did annoy Nessa. First Impression did not land at the beginning of the battle, unfortunately. "But it's fine! Golisopod! Use Liquidation!"
"Pod!" Golisopod would continue using up-close attacks and this time it would be Liquidation. The Bug-Water-Type ended up creating a sword of water in between his hands before rushing at the Wild Duck Pokemon.
"Let's meet it with Fury Cutter, Sirfetch'd!"
"Sir!" Sirfetch'd would retaliate with his own natural blade. With a verdant glow surrounding his leek, Sirfetch'd would stand still, allowing Golisopod to approach him. Fury Cutter and Liquidation would be smashed against each other as these two blades clashed.
"It's a sluggish yet heavy clash between these two Pokemon and their respective weapons!"
But very soon, they'd speed up, going from sluggish and hard to fairly quick and sharp. A flurry of slashes from both Pokemon went off as green and blue streaks could be seen. However, Sirfetch'd had one edge. His shield. While Fury Cutter and Liquidation kept going against each other with both Pokemon moving across one spot. Sirfetch'd managed to block an incoming Liquidation with his shield, promptly slowing down this up-close encounter.
"Do you think that shield will keep you safe? Break it apart with Shadow Claw, Golisopod!"
"So! Pod-Pod!" Golisopod would then switch moves, this time, summoning a shadowy aura that manifested into a claw. Afterwards, the Hard Scale Pokemon would start vigorously slashing on the shield with streaks of shadows emerging this time. Sirfetch'd would block continuously with his shield, keeping it up at times. But with each hit, the shield kept trembling.
"Okay, Sirfetch'd! Push Golisopod back and strike!"
"Sir...Fetch'd!" With brute force, Sirfetch'd pushed his shield forward with prompted Golisopod to slide back, halting the next Shadow Claw for a moment. After that, Sirfetch'd lunged in, going for a powered-up Fury Cutter which only grew stronger the more it was used.
"Lisopod!" Golisopod would try and strike back at the right time Sirfetch'd came in close. But this time, it was Sirfetch'd who managed to get the first hit in, slashing Golisopod's chest with Fury Cutter. "Pod!" And with such a hit, Golisopod was not only knocked back but also stumbled from it, receiving a strong stagger. "G-Goli...!"
"Direct hit! Golisopod's stumbling from that one!"
"Yeah!" Ash pumped his fist. "You've got it down perfectly, Sirfetch'd! Let's keep it up! Night Slash!"
"Sir! Fetch-Fetch-Fetch!" Sirfetch'd would then move in for another flurry of attacks. This time, it would be Night Slash. His leek was coated in darkness, taking advantage of Golisopod's stagger.
"As if! Golisopod! Swords Dance!"
"Golisopod!" Golisopod had another physical attack to show off. With his arms being enveloped in a white light, the Bug-Water-Type would not only increase his strength but also swung them at the Wild Duck Pokemon. Once again, Sirfetch'd's leek and Golisopod's claws would meet.
"Keep at it, sirfetch'd! Swing as wildly as you can!"
"Sir!" Sirfetch'd would then jump back. He would then use the variation of Night Slash which involved him slashing the air wildly, summoning black waves, giving him some distance.
"Stop them at once, Golisopod!"
"Pod! Goliso!" Golisopod would use Swords Dance to knock these black waves away. The waves would fly everywhere with how fast Golisopod was knocking them aside. He would even try to knock some of them back at Sirfetch'd. However one of these waves managed to hit Golisopod directly due to how many of them there were. But Golisopod did end up bouncing back one of the waves, causing Sirfetch'd to receive some damage as well. "Go!"
"S-Sir!"
"An exchange between both of them with the same move!" The announcer exclaimed.
"Are you doing okay, Sirfetch'd?" Ash asked. Sirfetch'd was completely fine even if he was surprised by that one Night Slash that came back to hit him.
"Goli...Golisopod!" But as for Golisopod, his ability would immediately kick in. Emergency Exit. Feeling like he took too much damage here, he decided to immediately return to his Poke Ball, retreating for a bit.
"Hmph." Nessa closed her eyes before swapping Dive Balls. "Alright. You pushed back my Golisopod. If only that First Impression actually landed."
"Hehe. Sirfetch'd's got amazing defence so there was no way he was gonna let that surprise him." Ash said, with a wide grin on his face.
"Sir!"
"That's it, Ash!" Pinkie Pie cheered on, waving the flag around. "You've definitely got her on the ropes since Golisopod went back itself!"
"I think that's just it's ability, Pinkie." Rainbow Dash said, knowing about Emergency Exit. "But still, it doesn't take away that Golisopod's close to going down. Keep it up, Ash!"
"Let's see how you handle this next Pokemon! Go, Bararskewda!" Out came Nessa's next Pokemon. This time, a Galar-native Pokemon. Barraskewda.
"Barraskewda!"
"Who's that Pokemon?" Ash would immediately take out his Pokedex as Barraskewda was new to him. The same went for ScI-Twi and the others.
"Barraskewda. The Skewer Pokemon. This Pokémon has a jaw that’s as sharp as a spear and as strong as steel. Apparently, Barraskewda’s flesh is surprisingly tasty, too. It spins its tail fins2 to propel itself, surging forward at speeds of over 100 knots before ramming prey and spearing into them."
"Contestant Nessa's next Pokemon is Barraskewda!" The announcer exclaimed. "This will be a bit hard to keep up with now that Barraskewda is out!"
"You heard him, right?" Nessa smirked. "Try and keep up with what's coming, Ash. Barraskewda! Drill Run!"
"Bara...Skew!" Immediately, Barraskewda rotated its body quickly, with white lines swirling around its body. Afterwards, Barraskewda took off, moving at great speeds.
"Woah!" Ash was stunned by this sudden speed. "Use Detect!"
"Sir!" By the skin of his teeth, Sirfetch'd managed to pull off Detect. It was a close one as Barraskewda was insanely close to hitting him. The Fighting-Type slid to the side with Detect, barely evading Barraskewda's spiralling body.
"Again!"
"Bara!" But after Sirfetch'd evaded the first Drill Run, Barraskewda would simply use it again, swiftly changing directions. The Skewer Pokemon closed in with Drill Run, closing the gap in mere seconds. Sirfetch'd's eyes widened right as the Water-Type was in front of him.
"F-Fetch!" Sirfetch'd was hit. The speeding Barraskewda struck and passed by him with Drill Run. He would nearly fall over, only to recover on his feet. But that Drill Run definitely bewildered him as he stumbled for a moment.
"Look at that speed!"
"Don't think that's the end of it. Keep going!" By Nessa's command, another Drill Run would come. And this time, it would be a barrage of Drill Runs from this speedy Pokemon as it hadn't yet stopped spinning, moving in for a third attack.
"Block it, Sirfetch'd!"
"Sirfetch'd!" The only thing Sirfetch'd could do now was defend himself. By putting up his shield, he would block the next Drill Run. It was a hard block as Drill Run had a lot of weight to it with all of the velocity that Barraskewda gathered. Barraskewda bounced off the shield but did not lose any momentum.
But now, Sirfetch'd had to focus on other sides. He tried turning around as fast he could, only to be hit from the side by the next Drill Run. It wasn't until another turnaround that he managed to block another one. It would be back and forth for both of them. Sirfetch'd would keep blocking with his shield while Barraskewda would get one hit in each time Sirfetch'd managed to block one, only to be tackled by another, being too slow to turn around as fast as he needs to.
"Sirfetch'd is doing its best to block all of Barraskewda's attacks from all sides but there's still a window that it can't seem to close!" The announcer roared as the sounds of Nessa's fans would boom once she started gaining the advantage.
"That's one of the fastest Pokemon I've ever seen!" Even Rainbow Dash was amazed by the sheer speed of Barraskewda. "And it's doing all of this without being in any water?!"
"That's a problem!" Sunset Shimmer grimaced. "Sirfetch'd can only back once and ends up getting afterwards!"
"What's wrong, Ash? Too fast for you? I've never used Barraskewda in a Gym Battle. Especially against trainers in Equestria and no one there's ever gotten the chance to see my second Pokemon. So this shouldn't be too surprising for you to lag behind."
"No way I'm letting this beat me out!" Ash protested. "Sirfetch'd! Let's wait for the right moment! Keep an eye on Barraskewda!"
"Sir...!" Sirfetch'd would eye down Barraskewda while blocking some of these incoming Drill Runs. But Sirfetch'd was accumulating a lot of damage because of these rapid hits. Ash would also eye down the Skewer Pokemon, focusing as hard as he could. He watched as Barraskewda would bounce off Sirfetch'd's shield each time it crashed into it but it did not lose any momentum from doing so.
That's when Ash found something. He couldn't have Sirfetch'd dodge it. That'd be impossible, even if he managed to get off one Detect, it wouldn't work in succession the next time. So, Ash would stick to keeping it physical.
"Here it comes...Kick your shield, Sirfetch'd!"
"Sir...!" Sirfetch'd would hold out his shield in front of Barraskewda's next Drill Run. But instead of just holding it out, Sirfetch'd would smash his feet onto the shield right when Barraskewda crashed into it.
This would greatly disrupt Barraskewda's momentum. It bounced off the shield like before, but this time, it would be thrown off course, spinning through the air. The pushback from the shield cut off any rebound momentum the Skewer Pokemon had.
"B-Bara?!"
"What?!" Nessa pulled back as something like that ended up stopping Barraskewda's kick. A simple push of the shield. Granted, it was a strong push
"Now's our chance! Night Slash!"
"Sir...Fetch'd!" After slowing Barraskewda down for a while, Sirfetch'd found his opportunity to strike. By swinging his leek in the air, black waves from Night Slash were sent out instead of getting in close. For an opponent like Barraskewda, it was best to keep some distance.
"Skew!" Direct hit. Barraskewda took some hits from Night Slash as all the black waves would slice the Water-Type.
"Sirfetch'd countered Barraskewda's speed just like that! It's lost all momentum and takes Night Slash!"
"Kicking the shield? That's just silly!" Nessa kissed her teeth, surprised that such a trick worked to slow down her speedy Barraskewda. "Poison Jab!"
"Barra!" But Barraskewda would attack once more, gaining its balance back in a few seconds. Afterwards, Barraskewda charged in with poison around its entire body.
"Night Slash!"
"Sir...!" Sirfetch'd would then ready his leek, keeping his shield up just in case he needed to push the Water-Type back again. With a thrust, Sirfetch'd's leek with Barraskewda's body, creating a strong collision which brought along a black and purple smoke cloud. Both Pokemon were knocked out of the smoke cloud, suffering some damage. But the one who took the most damage was undoubtedly Sirfetch'd.
He slid on the ground while Barraskewda still managed to recover by hovering. Sirfetch'd had fainted at last but he put up an amazing fight against both Pokemon. "Sirfetch'd..."
"Sirfetch'd is unable to battle! Barraskweda wins!"
"Good work, Sirfetch'd. Return and rest up, okay?" Ash would have Sirfetch'd rest promptly, returning him to his Poke Ball. "Your friends will take it from here."
"It took two Pokemon for Contest Ash's Sirfetch'd to fall. Right now, Nessa is in the lead but her Golisopod did retreat from major damage!" The announcer said while the crowd shouted out Nessa's name.
"It's fine! He just needs to get past Barraskewda and Golisopod's easy pickings!" Carlita stood up. "It's all a matter of pressure here!"
"Pika-Pi! Pikachu!" Just then, after Ash returned Sirfetch'd, Pikachu would speak out. From how he stood up, Pikachu wanted to get in on the action as soon as possible.
"You wanna go next? Alright then...Pikachu! I choose you!" Ash agreed to have Pikachu take the initiative, picking up where Sirfetch'd left off.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu was glad to hear it as he jumped into the battle. The moment he arrived, his red sacs would flare electricity.
"Contestant Ash sends out his next Pokemon! Pikachu! Pikachu here holds a large advantage over all of Gym Leader Nessa's Pokemon. But is it enough?"
"I'll beat speed with speed. And when it comes to Pikachu, I can always trust his speed." Ash adjusted his hat.
"We'll see about that." Nessa scoffed. "You still have to get past two of my Pokemon who haven't fainted yet."
"Check this out! Pikachu, use Quick Attack!"
"Pika...Pikachu!" In a flash, Pikachu was gone, leaving behind a white glow. He would then reappear in front of Barraskewda, tacking the Skewer Pokemon's head. Pikachu already showed off his speed, moving as fast as a lightning bolt in that instance.
"I-I didn't see it!" Nessa stuttered before shaking her head. "Drill Run, Barraskewda!"
"Barra!" Another Drill Run was due. This time, it would be used on a faster Pokemon. But how fast was Pikachu exactly?
"Pika...Chu!" Much faster than Sirfetch'd. Immediately, Pikachu would duck the Drill Run, being able to see Barraskewda's speed. After evading it, Barraskewda would redirect itself for another Drill Run, much like how it unleashed a barrage of Sirfetch'd "Pika! Pikachu!"
But Pikachu managed to dodge each Drill Run, jumping and running across the stadium with his nimble body. Barraskewda found itself struggling to catch the Mouse Pokemon as it wasn't the only swift Pokemon here. Nessa growled as she was waiting for Barraskewda to land one super-effective hit on Pikachu. But that didn't look like it was happening any time soon.
"Iron Tail!"
"Chu...Pika!" The moment Barraskewda went in for another Drill Run, Pikachu would stay in one spot this time. But this was for him to use Iron Tail, swinging his tail at the incoming Water-Type. While it wouldn't be very effective, it would still be heavy as Pikachu used Barraskewda's velocity against it. Iron Tail smashed into the Skewer Pokemon, dealing a heavy blow that even made Pikachu's tail shake.
"What an impact! Barraskewda is trembling from that blow! Its momentum has been stopped again.
"Darn it...Poison Jab!" Nessa switched moves immediately to try and get the advantage.
"Barra...! Barraskew!" Barraskewa would use Poison Jab. But instead of heading in, Barraskewda would stay back this time. By swishing its tail forward, it managed to send out poison tendrils that still had physical power behind them.
"Dodge and use Thunderbolt!"
"Pika!" Pikachu would jump over this Drill Run, taking to the skies. By slapping his face, Pikachu would gather electricity before performing a twirl in the air to reposition himself.
"Barra!" Barraskewda repositioned the Poison Jab, shooting the tendrils into the air. Pikachu would then unleash a bolt of 100,000 volts that came crashing down from above.
Thunderbolt met with Poison Jab but immediately, the bolt would crash through the tendrils, consuming them. Thunderbolt would then smite Barraskewda, dealing super-effective damage. The impact then caused an explosion which enveloped the Skewer Pokemon. Pikachu would then descend, sticking a stylish landing for style points.
As for Barraskewda, once the smoke cleared, it failed to stand or even float back up. That Thunderbolt did the trick along with the damage that was racked up previously on this Swift Glass Cannon. Barraskewda had fainted.
"Barraskewda..."
"Barraskewda is unable to battle! Pikachu wins!"
"The next knockout comes from Contest Ash!" The announcer exclaimed as Nessa's fans were hit by this first loss. They weren't too happy to see Nessa's Pokemon go down. But that only prompted them to cheer for Nessa some more.
And while this stadium was filled with support for Nessa, over at Equestria, support for Ash was even louder. Even those from the Pokemon House would give their support. That went for every Pokemon that Fluttershy watched over. So in reality, Ash had a tremendous number of supporters who just weren't here.
"Rest up, Barraskewda," Nessa said. "Well, you're way stronger than you appear. I'd be disappointed if you weren't."
"Thanks, Nessa. You're pretty strong too. I've been missing out on battling Galar's Gym Leaders." Ash replied.
"Pika-Pikachu!"
"But I refuse to lose! Golisopod! Return to the scene!"
"Golisopod!" Golisopod returned to the battle.
"Just two more and he's got this!" Sci-Twi said with high confidence in her voice. "You don't seem all that worried though, Sonia."
"Ah, it's fine. But it's entertaining to see Nessa react like this. Not many can get a reaction out of her like this. It's way different from when she's a Gym Leader." Sonia replied.
"This time...it will work! First Impression!"
"Goli!" Now that Golisopod had returned to the battle, First Impression could be used at its full potential once more. Golisopod once again disappeared, going for his strongest move and was hoping to land it.
"Block it with Iron Tail!"
"Pika!" Pikachu held his tail out, ready to block the First Impression. Once Golisopod reappeared, the Hard Scale Pokemon chopped onto Pikachu's hardened tail. However, the full strength of First Impression managed to beat out Iron Tail the moment they collided, knocking Pikachu away. "P-Pika!"
"Excellent! Now, use Shadow Claw!"
"Pikachu! Iron Tail on the ground!"
"Pikachu-pi!" Pikachu would then roll to recover before continuing to use Iron Tail. After recovering, the Mouse Pokemon would slam his tail onto the ground, propelling himself upwards just from the impact. It was a great way to evade as Golisopod missed Shadow Claw thanks to Pikachu's ascension.
"Not this time! Chase him down!"
"Golisopod!" But nothing was stopping Golisopod from also jumping. He would leap, pursuing Pikachu into the air.
"Pika?!"
"Pod!" After chasing Pikachu into the air, Golisopod would land Shadow Claw at last, slashing the Electric-Type. With brute strength, Golisopod sent Pikachu crashing back to the ground.
"Ka!"
"Pikachu! Are you alright?! Ash asked before seeing Pikachu tumble on the stadium floor.
"This will do the trick and finish you! Shadow Claw, once more!"
"Goli!" Golisopod would then drop down, going for yet another Shadow Claw. This time, from above and with both claws being utilized instead of just one.
"Dodge with Quick Attack!"
"Pi!" But at lightning speeds, Pikachu would move out of the way, evading the incoming Shadow Claw which would then hit the ground, missing its target. But Golisopod would not relent. He would chase down Pikachu immediately. "Pika?!"
"Swords Dance!"
"Lisopod!" He quickly switched attacks yet again, this time going for Swords Dance which would raise his already high strength.
"Electroweb!"
"Chu...Pika!" But the moment Golisopod got too close for comfort, Pikachu would prepare an Electroweb. By swinging his tail, Pikachu threw the net of electricity which would expand in front of the Hard Scale Pokemon.
"Goli!" Golisopod went in for a strike, only to be stopped by the web that stood in his way. "So?!" The Bug-Water-Type was stuck, having his speed drop as the web perfectly fit his size.
"Golisopod's stuck within this net! Super-effective damage and a decrease in speed is punishing Nessa's Pokemon!" The announcer yelled.
"Oh no! Get out of there now, Golisopod!" Nessa yelled. "Cut through!"
"Now's our chance! Thunderbolt!"
"Pika!" After trapping Golisopod, Pikachu would prepare a Thunderbolt. He would first backflip before then summoning an electrical aura around himself.
"As if I'll let it end like this! Golisopod! Break free at all costs with Swords Dance!"
"Goli...Sopod!" Thanks to Swords Dance, Golisopod's strength allowed him to muscle through the web, cutting it to pieces. Right on time as Pikahchu's Thunderbolt had been unleashed. Golisopod would move out of the way just in time as it was a close call. After dodging that Thunderbolt, Golisopod would lunge forward, taking the opportunity to land a hit in.
"Pikachu?!" Pikachu gasped before receiving a strong mack from the Hard Scale Pokemon. He went be sent upwards, grimacing at this heavy blow. The Mouse Pokemon was surprised to see Golisopod still standing after all of that
"Goli...Golisopod..." After landing a hard hit on Pikachu, Golisopod breathed in and out. Clearly, he was worn out for obvious reasons. That Electroweb didn't help at all.
"That thing's still not going down?!" Carlita exclaimed. "What happened to its signature ability anyway?!"
"It might not want to return any more," said Sci-Twi. "But it's suffered a lot of damage to keep going, honestly.
"Man, that's one tough Golisopod." Ash grinned, impressed by Golispod's resistance. "Pikachu. Return for a while."
"Pika? Pikachu." Pikachu would run back, taking a moment to rest.
"It's your turn! Dracovish! I choose you!" Out came Ash's third Pokemon in this battle. Fitting that he would send a Water-Type out in this battle.
"Dracovish!"
"Gh! What is that thing...?" Upon seeing Dracovish, Nessa was a bit stunned and blown back by this Fossil Pokemon. "No matter. It's going down. And soon all of your Pokemon will drop! Show them everything, Golispod! Shadow Claw!"
"Goli...Sopod!" Golisopod would go in for a Shadow Claw, using all of his current strength to make this attack count. Ash simply narrowed his eyes before yelling out his next command.
"We'll end it in one attack! Ice Fang!"
"Draco...!" Dracovish watched Golispod approach, coating its fangs in an icy blue aura. Golisopod landed a hit, striking Dracovish's chest. But while this Shadow Claw had exceedingly heavy with a lot of power behind it, it wasn't enough. "Vish!" Dracovish immediately bit Golisopod's head.
"G-Go...!"
"Dracovish!" And now that the Apex Predator of the past had Golisopod in its clutches, the ice from Ice Fang would spread across the Bug-Water-Type's body. Afterwards, Dracovish would toss the frozen Pokemon away with its fangs, dropping Golisopod.
The ice would then break apart after Golisopod was dropped. And that was enough to do the trick. Suffering too much damage, Golispod ended up fainting within the ice instead of a big attack to do the trick. Just as Ash said, he finished it in one shot.
"Golisopod is unable to battle! Dracovish wins!"
"That's two Pokemon from Gym Leader Nessa down! Contestant Ash tips the scales back in his favour with this ancient Pokemon!" The announcer said as Ash took control of this battle, gaining the lead.
"No way!" Nessa's fans screeched as they couldn't believe what they were seeing and hearing. It was all favouring Ash now.
"Thank you, Golispod. Rest up, please." Nessa returned Golispod. "You're one heck of a blockade, Ash. I guess I know what the trainers from Equestria feel like now. You're definitely in my way of reaching stardom."
"Hey, you've been giving me some problems. Don't sweat it, Nessa." Ash replied.
"But this last Pokemon will change everything." Nessa held out her final Dive Ball. "My greatest partner will stop your streak here and now, Ash! I hope you're ready."
"I'm always ready, Nessa!"
"Then...Come on out! Dreadnaw!" Nessa sent out her Ace Pokemon. The one Pokemon she was banking on winning this for her. Dreadnaw.
"Drednaw!"
"So it's Drednaw, huh?" Ash uttered as this would be his second time ever facing a Drednaw. But the lack of battling or knowing much about this one Pokemon wouldn't stop or bother him. "Stay sharp, Dracovish. This one's got one heck of a defence."
"Draco!"
"I've got my sights set on greatness. And I won't let you stop me! I'm going all out from the start! Stone Edge!"
"Dred...Naw!" Drednaw started off strong, slamming its front legs onto the ground, resulting in pointed light blue rock pillars appearing out of the stadium ground as they would rush with the ferocity of a wild beast.
"Water Gun!"
"Dracovish!" Dracovish would use Water Gun as a way to retaliate, blasting out a strong stream of water. The water stream would obliterate some of the rocks but a few managed to slip through. Those that slipped through would uppercut Dracovish, sending the Fossil Pokemon back. "Dra!"
"Earthquake!"
"Dred!" Following up from Stone Edge, with another stomp, Dreadnaw would create a powerful tremor which generated cracks. Out of those cracks, a golden shockwave emerged.
"Look out, Dracovish! Jump as high as you can!"
"Vish...! Dracovish!" Dracovish would try and evade Earthquake by jumping. And with these powerful legs that were so useful in the far past, it could certainly leap at great lengths. The Water-Dragon-Type left the ground, barely avoiding Earthquake as the golden shockwaves almost touched its feet.
"A close call! Dracovish narrowly evades the Earthquake!"
"Now! Water Gun from above!"
"I think not! Liquidation!"
"Naw!" The entire body of Drednaw would be enveloped in an aqua aura. Right as Water Gun was unleashed, Drednaw would also enter the air in its own unique way. The two Water-Type attacks would meet with Dreadnaw charging through the stream of water.
"It's pushing through?!" Sunset Shimmer gasped. Everyone watched as Drednaw powered through the Water Gun, crashing into the Fossil Pokemon.
"C-Co!" Dracovish fell, tumbling and rolling on the ground after being bewildered by that brute force charge from Drednaw. Dracovish wasn't the only Water-Type here with pure power on its side. Drednaw seemed to fit that category, even carrying a jaw that was not to be underestimated.
"Hang in there, Dracovish! Fishious Rend!"
"Co...Dracovish!" Dracovish used its entire upper body strength to jolt back up, getting back into the action. With the full strength of its legs, Dracovish would charge in, moving at 40 mph, just as the Pokedex said.
"Use Crunch, Drednaw!"
"Dred!" Drednaw roared before receiving a bite from its fellow Water-Type. Before it could get the chance to use its attack, Dracovish's speed allowed it to get the next hit in. Dracovish bit down on the Water-Rock-Type's head as its lower jaw glows light blue. Dracovish had a grip on Drednaw before Drednaw could grip it. And with this grip, Dracovish would raise Drednaw into the air, causing the Bite Pokemon to flail its arms and legs around.
"D-Dred?!"
"Oh! Dracovish is the one who's got Drednaw! It's lifted up Nessa's ace and has it stuck!"
"Slam Drednaw, now!"
"Dred...Naw!" With Fishious Rend, Dracovish smashed Drednaw into the ground, dealing a heavy blow. And even when slamming the Bite Pokemon down, Dracovish still held onto it, not letting go at all.
"As if! Stone Edge!"
"Dred...Drednaw!" Even when stuck in this poison, Drednaw had a way to retaliate. And that was by using Stone Edge. Its entire body would glow blue as instead of summoning rocks from below, it would instead summon them around its body.
"D-Dra!" Dracovish's eyes opened as its mouth was suddenly attacked by an expanding rock. Multiple expanding rocks to be exact. All the rocks would rapidly appear, smacking and damaging Dracovish's mouth. "Draco...!" And of course, this made Dracovish's grip on Drednaw weaken. The rocks staggered Dracovish, causing it to back up.
"Now, finish it with Superpower!"
"Naw!" After breaking free, Drednaw would channel all of its strength into the head. With its head glowing, it would tuck its neck into its shell before popping out. Dracovish would be blown back by this vicious head strike from Drednaw, being sent flying so far it nearly reached Ash's spot.
"Dracovish..." After sliding on the ground, that Superpower was enough to put Dracovish down. It had fainted.
"Dracovish is unable to battle! Drednaw wins!" And with this knockout, both were down to just one Pokemon each. Nessa quickly balanced things out with her ace Pokemon. And fittingly, Ash's own ace was left.
"Thanks, Dracovish. Return and rest, alright?" Ash would return Dracovish, thanking the Fossil Pokemon. "Well. Looks like it's coming down to this. You're getting pretty close to that popularity throne, Nessa."
"That's right, Ash," Nessa smirked as her fans were at their loudest once she took down Drednaw. "Again, no hard feelings. But I wonder what everyone back at Equestria's thinking when looking at this."
"They're still cheering me on. I know it." Ash pointed at himself. "I've got a lot of friends there and since this is being shown in other regions, I know my other friends I've met before are watching this all go down. So I've got nothing to fear. Right, Pikachu?"
"Pikachu!"
"You say that now...But you won't be once I take you down." Nessa confidently said. "So send Pikachu forward so I can end this battle already and shoot up into the ranks."
"Yeah. We're ending. Pikachu! One last time!"
"Pikachu!" Pikachu was back in the battle, ready for the final round.
"It comes down to this! Pikachu vs Drednaw! Let's see if our resident Gym Leader can pull off another victory here against Contest Ash from Pallet Town!"
"Oh, I will. And I'm finishing this with Drednaw's full strength! Get ready to be sunk, Ash! Pikachu!" Nessa suddenly returned Drednaw to its Poke Ball. This was for one reason and that Dynamax band on her hand said everything. "Flood the stadium and make it our ocean! Drednaw! It's time to Gigantamax!"
Gigantamax was about to make an entrance. The Dive Ball would suddenly expand, responding to the Dynamax energy from the band. Nessa would then throw the super-sized Dive Ball into the air, bringing Drednaw back out. But this time, bigger and better than ever.
Growing three times in a row, a familiar form that Ash and Pikachu had seen before had arrived. Giganatmax Drednaw, in all its glory, was here.
"DREDNAW!"
"It's Gigantamax!" The announcer yelled. "How will Contest Ash respond?!"
"Deja Vu..." Rainbow Dash said as this felt very familiar since the first Dynamax Pokemon Ash ever fought was a Gigantamax Drednaw. Fitting that in this new world, it happened again.
"Heh. Looks like it's round 2 against this one. But we're not gonna super-size for this." But Ash would not use Dynamax. Instead, he was sticking to how Pikachu currently appeared.
"No Dynamax? You must be crazy if you think you can win without it. I'll quickly teach you why that's a huge mistake! Drown Pikachu at once, Drednaw! G-MAX STONESURGE!"
"DRED!" Gigantamax Drednaw slammed its forelegs into the ground, creating a shockwave that travelled across the ground. From the shockwave, a strong wave of water bursts out of the ground, approaching Pikachu while summoning large rocks from all the destruction.
"Run, Pikachu! Jump on those rocks!"
"Pika!" Pikachu would dash in, approaching the large cascade. He would jump to land on one of the rocks, using it as a platform. After landing on one, Pikachu would jump from rock to rock, evading the powerful bursts of water. At least, for the most part. Some of them managed to reach him, sending shockwaves to propel him upwards. "P-Pi!"
"Max Darkness!"
"DRED...DREADNAW!" Once Pikachu was in the air, Drednaw would take the opportunity to unleash Max Darkness. Out of its body, massive black tendrils came flying out viciously, threatening to grab the Electric-Type.
"Here it comes! Electroweb!"
"Pika...! Pikachu-Pi!" In the air, Pikachu managed to throw out an Electorweb. This web defended him, growing large enough to contain the tendrils from Max Darkness. The web held the dark tendrils as they would combust, bringing out a colossal outburst of light and darkness.
The barrier that shielded everyone from these massive Dyanamax battles would shake just from the explosion. Nessa even closed one eye as her hair was blown by the shockwave.
"Now, Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!" Ash raised his fist, yelling as loud as he could.
"Finish him, Drednaw! Max Quake!"
"Pika....!" One final Thunderbolt to put an end to this battle. Pikachu lit up like a star in the night sky, bringing out a strong level of electricity that would even mimic the sound of lightning.
"DREDNAW!" As for Drednaw, out of its body, it would affect the ground, summoning a massive tremor that brought upon a titanic golden wave that would try and reach Pikachu. Both Pokemon unleashed their attacks with Thunderbolt crashing through the air.
A direct hit. Thunderbolt, with its superior speed, reached Drednaw before Max Quake could reach Pikachu. The Bite Pokemon received a disgustingly powerful jolt of 100,000 volts that enveloped its whole body, making its eyes widen. Max Quake would dissipate from this powerful impact, failing to reach Pikachu in time.
Stunned and perplexed, Drednaw would suddenly start shrinking which made Nessa's heart skip a beat. With Pikachu dropping from above, Drednaw would also drop but it wouldn't be a graceful one. The Bite Pokemon fell on its back after returning to its original form. The time for Giganatmax had ended. But more than that, Drednaw's strength to continue had also ended.
"Drednaw..."
"Drednaw is unable to battle! Pikachu wins! Thus, the winner of this Ultra Class Battle is Contestant Ash!"
"It's over!" The announcer said as the fans of Nessa were gobsmacked. "Today's winner over our Gym Leader is Contest Ash from Pallet Town!"
"Hahaha! Told ya!" Pinkie Pie jumped for joy as she and Rainbow Dash hugged each other. So did Sci-Twi and Sunset Shimmer once Ash claimed victory. "He did it!"
"I lost?!" Nessa held her hair, gritting her teeth as she was stunned to have seen herself lose in her own hometown. "I was the one who got washed away?! Impossible!"
"Oh yeah! And that's game!" Ash gave a thumbs-up before running over to Pikachu. "Awesome stuff, Pikachu!"
"Pikachu!"
"It can't be! Say it ain't so!" Nessa's fans teared up, cried out and bellowed for their favourite Gym Leader/Model. As for everyone over at Equestria, those who failed to get past Nessa felt at peace once they saw Ash claim victory. This was why he was their icon. It was reasons like this.
"Due to this battle's outcome, the Pokemon World Championships Rankings will be updated." The Rotomdrone said before flying off.
"Well, that's that." Sonia stood up. "Nessa won't take it all that well, but she probably had fun. I've never seen her like this for a long time. It looks like Ash brought out an old part of herself that was gone for a while."
"Grr...How can this be...?!" Nessa clenched her fist before looking over at Ash with narrowed eyes. Ahs would simply grin back with the most innocent smile possible. Nessa then sighed, accepting what had happened. "Hah...It is what it is...Looks like that throne isn't going anywhere any time soon. Thanks for the battle, Ash. And thank you for a job well done, Drednaw."
"Thanks as well, Nessa. For a Water-Type specialist, you sure know how to fire things up. Ash joked, holding his hand out for a handshake. Showing good sportsmanship, Nessa would shake it.
"Right...But this isn't over. This loss won't slow me down, you know that?" Nessa continued. "Even when I lose my fans will be there to keep supporting me onwards. And that will only give me the strength to win our next battle."
"And I've got my friends too. See ya around then, I guess."
"Oh no. You're not leaving yet." Nessa put on a devious smirk.
"Eh?"
"I have a few things I want you to do now that you're here. You're popular enough to give me a boost in a few things. So I'm gonna need you here in Hulbury for a bit. Got that?"
"Uh sure..." Ash chuckled as he didn't expect this kind of response. "I'm all ears."
Another Pokemon World Championships Battle had been completed. And it was once again another step closer to reaching Champion Leon. The World's Strongest Trainer. Much like the Raging Wave that is Nessa, there were other powerful Traienrs waiting to be challenged just for that Number One spot.
As the journey continues.
Chapter 35 End.