Giovanni snarled, as he enlarged his next choice. He had been outdone. His strategy, to stall until a mistake was made, had backfired. He looked to Ash, who was smiling under his mask. The boy had better not get used to being in the lead because it's my turn.

Giovanni quietly threw his Pokéball into the air to reveal a water and fighting type. The Pokémon stood tall and was primarily blue with a round body. It's arms and legs were blue, along with its feet. Its arms were white and resembled boxing gloves, while a big, white circle was on its stomach. In the middle of the circle, there was a continuously growing swirl that moved counterclockwise. The Pokémon let out a grunt, before lifting his hands into a boxer's stance.

Ash took a look at his ground and dragon type, who had started the match for him. Garchomp's breathing had become labored. Ash could tell that he was struggling and needs a rest. Ash raised his Pokéball and Garchomp disappeared in a red beam.

Ash thanked his loyal Pokémon, as he clipped the device back to its original spot, before enlarging a second. Ash smiled at the Pokéball, before looking up at his opponent.

"Sceptile, I choose you!" Ash shouted as he threw the device.

When the light from the device faded, there stood Sceptile. He gave a smirk, before opening his mouth and inserting a twig. He saw his opponent and matched its intensity.

"Leaf Blade, Sceptile!" Ash commanded.

Sceptile's two leaves on his arm began to glow green, before enlarging. He launched himself, at incredible speed, towards his opponent. He pulled an arm back, as he prepared to throw his arm forward. He threw the attack forward but was stopped in mid-swing. Ash and Sceptile stood shocked, as Poliwrath held the glowing appendage with one arm.

"Ice Punch," Giovanni smirked, as he heard the cry of pain come from the forest Pokémon.

Sceptile skidded back, before being hit again; this time, under the chin. He flew up into the air, before landing on his back. He quickly rolled to the side, to avoid yet another punch. He pushed himself off the ground and jumped back, to create space between him and his opponent. Ash's mind began to work, at a mile per minute, while trying to figure out a strategy.

"Ice Beam!" Giovanni ordered as he sensed the slight hesitation in Ash's commands.

"Dodge it, then follow it up with Bullet Seed!" Ash countered.

Sceptile jumped and ran to the side of the incoming light blue beam. The beam followed the forest Pokémon. Sceptile opened its mouth, releasing small, glowing seeds. The glowing seeds hit the water and fighting type, but the weak grass attack seemed to have little effect.

"Jump, then use Slam!" Ash began to press on further.

Sceptile gathered himself, before leaping into the air, just as the beam of ice came to his position. He did a graceful front flip, before bringing his large tail down, hoping to strike his opponent's head. Again, the Kanto Pokémon caught the incoming attack.

Giovanni smirked. "Seismic Toss."

Poliwrath jumped into the air with Sceptile's tail, still within his hands. Once it got to the apex of its jump, it brought its hands above its head and threw the Hoenn starter to the ground. Sceptile rapidly spun, before striking the ground with powerful force.

Ash quickly retrieved Sceptile's Pokéball from his belt, as he heard the next command.

"Ice Punch, Poliwrath," Giovanni commanded calmly. Poliwrath plummeted to the ground with a glowing fist, prepared to finish his opponent. He threw his fist forward, just as his opponent disappeared beneath him. Giovanni looked to Ash and snarled, as he saw the trainer return the device to his belt.

"Coward!" he spat.

"I pick my battles, Sakaki," Ash responded, "and that wasn't a battle to continue! But don't worry though, I'm not backing down! Pikachu, it's your turn!"

Pikachu cried out, as he leaped forward onto the battlefield, with sparks flying from his red cheeks.

"Fine by me! It'll be better to get your best out of the way, early!" Giovanni exclaimed. "Poliwrath, use Focus Blast!"

Poliwrath put his hands together and began to form a white shining ball between his hands. He threw his hands forward, releasing the attack.

"Quick Attack into Iron Tail!" Ash countered.

Pikachu sprinted at the attack, with white streaks following him, before vanishing and appearing above his attacker. He threw his glowing tail down, hitting the vulnerable Pokémon in the head.

"Now Thunderbolt!" Ash continued his commands.

Pikachu bounced off the water and fighting type's head and released the powerful electric type attack, which caused an explosion. Pikachu jumped out of the smoke, to be clear of any possible incoming attack.

"Wood Hammer!"

Ash was stunned by the attack called. Suddenly, from behind the smoke, came a glowing green arm that connected with the electric mouse's stomach, causing it to crash into the stadium wall. Ash turned back to the battlefield, once he saw that Pikachu could still compete.

When the smoke cleared, the Kanto Pokémon had been replaced with a Kalos ghost and grass type. The Pokémon resembled a giant tree. For its feet, it had six root-like legs. Its arms were large branches with grass at the wrists. The bark of the Pokémon was separated at two places on its trunk, with both showing a black center. The top served as its mouth with a black circle, with a red light above it, for its eyes. On its head, there was what appeared like a crown, with the three small branches and a tuft of grass in the middle.

"And you're calling me a coward, Sakaki!" Ash growled.

"You take your advantages when you can get them," Giovanni said amused. "You, of all people, should know that by now."

"Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!" Ash shouted.

Pikachu cried out, as he became enveloped in a yellow aura. He took off at his opponent, as the ground shattered around him.

"Fool! Trevenant, use Wood Hammer again!" Giovanni ordered.

The elder tree Pokémon's arm began to glow green, before slamming it into the ground.

Ash smiled, as he saw his opening. "Pikachu, jump and spin, then use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu jumped and spun, as the attack hit the ground. He had managed to dodge the attack and the spin caused him to stay close to Trevenant. The electricity, encircling his body, quickly dispersed, as he twisted his body and struck the ghost and grass type, in the head, with his empowered tail.

Trevenant yelled in pain, as it hit the ground. It shook its head and rose again, with a mighty roar.

"Pikachu, return!" both Pikachu and Giovanni looked over to the mask trainer with curiosity, when he gave the command.

"Sorry buddy," Ash explained to the mouse Pokémon. "but most of your attacks won't be too effective against Trevenant."

Pikachu lowered his head, as he scampered back to the trainer's box, to take a seat next to Ash and Lucario. Ash reached down and unclipped another Pokéball, before expanding it.

"Garchomp, I need you again!" Ash yelled as he threw the device to reveal the Sinnoh Pokémon again.

Garchomp came out with a roar, but Ash saw the pained expression, in the Mach Pokémon's once mighty cry.

"Garchomp, I need everything you got!" Ash exclaimed, as Garchomp turned and smiled while nodding his head, before turning back to face his opponent.

"Trevenant, use Shadow Ball!" Giovanni shouted.

The elder tree Pokémon created a black ball, in one of its arms, before launching it at his target.

"Dodge, then use Draco Meteor!" Ash ordered.

Garchomp flew into the air, before releasing the attack, high above the stadium. The attack exploded, causing more meteors to plummet to the ground. Trevenant then vanished, as multiple spheres collided with the grass and ghost type.

Garchomp lowered itself, before suddenly being wrapped in green glowing vines and crying out in pain, as they constricted. He fought and struggled to escape, but to no avail.

"Wood Hammer!" Giovanni commanded.

From the dust, came the Kalos Pokémon with a glowing green fist.

Ash had to think quickly. "Garchomp, Crunch! Let's go!" he pleaded.

Garchomp's teeth began to glow white, as the attack hit its chest. As his head shot forward, he buried his teeth into the bark that made up the Pokémon's arms. Trevenant cried out in pain, as he began to try and shake loose the ground and dragon type.

"Dragon Tail! Go!" Ash commanded, hoping his Pokémon had managed to maintain consciousness.

Garchomp's tail began to weakly glow green, before letting go of his opponent and twisting his body, as his tail collided with his opponent's head. Ash looked in horror, as he saw Garchomp's body go limp and fall to the ground.

"Trevenant, finish it off with Wood Hammer!" Giovanni shouted in frustration.

"Garchomp, no!" Ash yelled as he watched the attack land before the Sinnoh Pokémon even had a chance to hit the ground.

Garchomp was sent careening into the stadium wall and it was clear that he had been unconscious before the last attack had even hit.

---

Serena felt a lump, in her throat, form, as she heard Ash cry out to his Pokémon.

No. No! This can't be happening!

She lifted a trembling hand to her lips, before shuttering at a gentle touch. She turned to Gary, who gave her a smile.

"Sit down, Serena," he said calmly. "The battle is still young. Garchomp took heavy damage in his first fight. I'm sure Aaron knew that and had wanted to save his other Pokémon, for later."

"Y-You sure?" she managed to mutter.

Gary nodded. "Trust me, Aaron will be alright."

"He's right." the pair turned to where the reassuring voice came from. Trevor sat calmly on the opposite side of the aisle of them. "Garchomp knew that he didn't have much energy left, but he still pushed on. That just goes to show how much Aaron's Pokémon really love him. He'll be fine. As Gary had stated before, 'the battle is still young.'"

Serena sighed, before allowing herself to relax and finally sit down in her chair. She still held a closed fist against her chest, but Gary and Trevor's words had helped her to somewhat calm down. Even if it was just a little.

Please. Pull this out, Ash.