252 Jhoto - Blackthorn City

Referee, "This is a battle for the Rising badge between challenger Ash Ketchum and Gym Leader Claire."

Claire smirked, "I'm really looking forward to this."

Referee, "The rules are simple. Since this is a battle for the badge the challenger can substitute their Pokemon during the three on three battle, but the Gym leader cannot. The fight will end when one side wins two matches or only one Pokemon is left standing in the end."

Ash, "Me too! My Pokemon and I have been training really hard."

Referee, "Now, choose your first Pokemon."

Claire, "Let's go Swablu."

Ash, "Bayleef you are up first."

Referee, "Begin."

Kailey, "I'm surprised he is using Bayleef."

Gou, "Bayleef won the coin toss of who would go first."

Reishi, "Ah! That's an interesting way to prepare for a battle. A little risky though."

Casey, "That's great and all but why is there such a huge crowd?"

Tyson, "Well, to be honest with you. They are all looking forward to Tyrantrum's battle."

Max sweat dropped, "Tyrantrum sure is popular."

Ash, "Leaf blade!"

Bayleef, "Bay!"

Claire, "Steel wing."

Bayleef who had been using vine whip earlier stopped and attacked using leaf blade only to clash head first with Swablu. The audience were watching the match intently despite the fact they originally attended to watch Tyrantrum's fight. Bayleef was putting up a strong fight against Swablu who had a type advantage against her. Not everyone had a Dragon starter or a Dragon type Pokemon, in fact many of the young audience had other types for starters. Some were even taking notes for their own Grass type Pokemon to try to use in a battle.

Ash, "Sunny day to recover your strength."

Claire "Use sunny day as well."

Max, "They are evenly matched."

Tyson, "Perhaps."

Ash, "Energy ball."

Claire, "Dragon breath."

Ash, "Eat it and use agility followed by body slam."

Swablu used dragon breath, a very powerful move for a chick but Bayleef was no slouch either and used agility to dodge. Bayleef's agility had increased due to the combined effects of sunny day and energy ball. The chickling Dragon shrieked because of being hit heavily by the grass type, despite only being second evolution, Bayleef was pretty close to evolving. But she wanted a win before she evolved and decided getting a win for the badge was a good enough trial run for her. She was already beyond what the Nurses called level thirty two, so she could safely evolve into a Meganium.

Ash, "Don't let up, swords dance."

Claire, "Swablu, counter it using feather dance."

The green leaf and white colored feathers then clashed in a sparkling show of dance between the two Pokemon. Both sides being too stubborn to just stand down or give in to the other side, Bayleef was close to evolving she would not loose. Swablu was however no pushover and fought with Bayleef not backing off that easily. Bayleef narrowed her eyes at the baby dragon chick and used the last vestiges of the energy left to use agility. The little baby dragon was surprised when the grass type broke off from the stand off and attacked using agility instead.

Ash, "Now Bayleef use leaf storm!"

Claire's eyes widened, "Swablu use disarming voice quickly."

Swablu was too late as a barrage of leaf and vines started to attack and take the dragon chickling down. After a few seconds the arena was filled with vines and leaves making everyone tense as they were unable to see the two Pokemon. Ash marvelled at the power his little Bayleef had, well not so little anymore, especially after she started learning from Brock and Venasaur. Bayleef acted like the pseudo mother of the group always keeping the rest of the Pokemon healthy and up to form. A light started to shine from among the vines as the vines and leaves separated and in front of everyone stood Meganium in all her glory.

Ash, "Meganium! You did it, you evolved!"

Meganium nodded pulling Swablu out, "Ni mega nium ni."

Lucario nodded, -Your healing power have increased then.-

Claire, "Swablu."

Ash, "He is alright. Just really exhausted."

Claire looked between Meganium and Swablu, "I see, you have a very powerful healer in your team. I respect that and thank you for healing him Meganium."

Meganium nodded, "Meganium."

Ash, "Meganium return. You just evolved yourself. Get some rest."

Meganium nodded knowing better than to be a stubborn fool like the other Pokemon. She had her vines full already with the stubborn idiots, bless Mew for Venasaur's patience and help in dealing with them. In the audience the spectators were eyeing Meganium with a lot of respect and appreciation. She deserved her rank as one of the main power starter Pokemon of Jhoto. They had heard about how she was abandoned, in fact it was an open secret at this point about how the starters the young Champion had are all abandoned by their previous trainers.

Casey bit out, "I hope Meganium's previous trainer sees this and regret abandoning her."

Max nodded, "Yeah, she does not know what she lost."

Gou grumbled, "Just goes to show, some people should not be trainers."

Tyson, "Has that trainer been found?"

Casey, "Yes, and yes, she has been dealt with."

Referee, "The victory count as one to the challenger. Ash is leading the match, please choose your next Pokemon at the same time."

Claire, "Go Bagon!"

Ash, "Go Quilava!"

Referee, "Begin!"

Ash, "Fire fang."

Claire, "Dragon claw."

The fire fang and dragon claw made an ear ringing clang that had Casey touch her teeth feeling a little uncomfortable. It was not just her but some of the other audience felt a little twinge inside their teeth watching the fire fang clashing with Dragon claw. Bagon feeling the heat starting to seep through his claw separated and jumped into the water. Quilava however narrowed his eyes and shot a barrage of enlarged ember into the water heating it up, thank you coordinator training for the control. Bagon jumped out screeching after a few minutes of dodging the ember underwater, though Quilava just smirked.

Max, "Oooh! That's a coordinated move that Quilava practiced as Cyndaquill. I can't believe he is using it."

Casey nodded, "Remember how it heated up the arena?"

Gou laughed a little hysterically, "The water is boiling. He boiled the water. Exactly what did Charizard teach him?"

Claire narrowed her eyes, "Looks like I will have to take this battle up a notch. Bagon hydro pump."

Ash, "Quilava fire spin."

The hydro pump was pretty powerful but so was the fire spin. The audience could feel the humidity inside the gym rise up as the little dragon and second evolution fire type clashed using two elements. Gou grumbled as he felt the sticky sweat go down his T - shirt. He should have thought twice before wearing the thick T - shirt, Ash picking fire types usually meant dealing with a water type attack at least once. That would later end up with the humidity inside the Gym increasing because the first thing Ash always teaches his Pokemon is to work through their weakness.

Casey took off her hat, "Gah! My hair is so done for. It's fritzing up."

Max, "Speak for yourself. You can pleate yours at least. Mine is all messed up."

Gou grumbled, "Note to self, next time Ash plans on using fire types. Join Brock at the center and watch from the screen."

The three looked at each other and then, simultaneously decided it was just not possible to do it. Not unless they were off to other regions they would always be there to watch Ash's battles. Quilava in the mean time was shooting ember stars at Bagon who was dodging the attacks only for the attacks to land in the water. Bagon's eye twitched in annoyance, he may be a dragon and enjoy hot springs but only if the heat is the comfortable kind not like the constant boiling happening in the pool. The boiling movement of the water was just too uncomfortable on his dragon scales, like it was threatening to scrape his scales off.

Bagon, "Gon."

Claire, "Outrage."

Ash grinned, "Rough play."

Bagon started to rampage towards Quilava who jumped on the dragon to play rough with him. The Dragon trainers winced on seeing that knowing how effective that move was not just towards dragons but also other Pokemon that aren't fire, poison or steel. Claire watched tensed as Quilava and Bagon did not hold back from each other and went all out. Her little Bagon could hold a grudge and being boiled was also apparently a good enough reason. After a while both dragon and fire type separated from each other growling at how stubborn their opponent was.

Ash, "Flame charge!"

Claire, "Bagon slap your cheeks to wake up."

Bagon, "Bagon."

Claire, "Let's end this dragon rush."

Bagon nodded and attacked Quilava head on as the fire type Pokemon used flame charge to attack him. The resulting clash of fire and dragon powers ended up in a loud boom across the stadium making everyone sit at the edge of their seats. When the dust cleared both Pokemon were standing glaring at each other and then both Pokemon fainted.

Referee, "The second match is a draw. There is no winner. Challenger Ketchum is still leading by one victory. Choose your next Pokemon."

Ash, "Let's go Croconaw!"

Claire, "Come my beautiful Dratini."

Referee, "Begin!"

Croconaw appeared while dancing his excited dance and then eyed the water and grumbled about losing the coin toss to Quilava. While Bayleef, now a Meganium had beaten them all in being the first fighter in the coin toss, it did not mean he wanted to be last. He knew his batch mates really well, they trained together after all and he knew better than anyone how they could both change the surroundings. You did not learn under a Charizard, Venasaur and Blastoise and walk away normal. Croconaw knew better than anyone how their training was out of the norm, he had overheard his ex - trainer's plans before.

His ex - trainer, he thought viciously had talked about the standard training most trainers gave their Pokemon. He never bothered to change it or come up with his own training regime despite the obvious result of it being ineffective. Then the bitch shamelessly abandoned him, of course his batch mates had gone through similar yet different situations. But the point is, he was different from other Totodiles, Ash and even Brock had told him that. He had more energy, stamina and strength than others so the normal training would not help much.

Ash, "Ice fang!"

Claire, "Fire spin."

Dragonite used fire spin while Croconaw jumped out of the way narrowing his eyes at the baby dragon. He started to dance and added use to the rain cooling the young Dragon down. Croconaw may have advantage over fire types but it didn't mean he was immune to burns. Fire just like water and grass was a very beautiful and dangerous part of nature. One of the first things Milotic and Blastoise basically taught him, though he did not always learn under Milotic, she was with another Milotic.

Claire, "Thunder wave!"

Ash, "Iron tail to the arena."

Well, Croconaw learned to resist and fight against his own weaknesses too, though the wave of thunder was still painful. The Gym leader called for agility, well this is a problem, he can't move much.

Ash, "Water pulse Croconaw."

Croconaw growled and created water pulse only to hear his trainer order him to eat it which he did without hesitation. It was just like what Bayleef felt with energy ball, he could feel his muscle strengthen. Dratini used agility to hit him over and over again but it was bearable till he could move again.

Ash, "Ice punch."

Claire, "Protect!"

The protective shield shimmered in front of Dratini but the cold from the ice punch could be felt by the dragon Pokemon. Croconaw had been practicing his ice type attacks with Lapras who was a battle maniac. He was not going to think about that instead he opened his mouth to shoot an ice beam which forced Dratini to run by flying.

Ash, 'Of course, it would not be easy to pin down Dratini even though they are still in baby form.'

Claire, "Not bad but we are not going down that easily."

[A. N.: Should I add Dratini to Ash's catch during Hoenn or during Sinnoh?

What's your opinion? I want to write Dratini in either during Sinnoh or Hoenn. But unsure where to add them.]