Part 3 of Ash and Paul's Battle! Enjoy!

Ash's platform rose to reveal him and his two companions, to the stadium above and the roaring crowd. He looked over and saw Paul standing, there with his arms crossed and an annoyed look on his face.

"About time you showed up! You better bring your best this time, Aaron!" Paul shouted.

"Be careful what you wish for Paul," Ash answered as he stared down his opponent. "You might get exactly what you asked for. Lucario, I choose you!"

Lucario gave a grunt before leaping into the air and doing a front flip. He landed gracefully on a knee before rising. He crossed his arms, in front of his chest. He let a battle cry as he threw his arms back, releasing a blast of aura. The wave of energy created a wind that raced up the stadium seating and sent chills down the spines, of those around.

Paul stood there in shock at the power the aura Pokémon radiated, before quickly regaining his wits.

"That's cute, but that little show of strength won't intimidate me! Magmortar, stand by for battle!" he shouted as he released his next choice.

The blast Pokémon stood with a smirk on its face. Its primarily red body was covered with yellow streaks that resembled a flame. Its shoulders stuck up in red flames, while a yellow streak came from its head that's also resembling its fire type. Both its arms were yellow cannons with black rings at the elbows. The Pokémon held a smirk as it eyed its next opponent.

"We'll show you true firepower! Magmortar, use Fire Blast full power!" Paul commanded.

The blast Pokémon raised one of its cannon arms and released the powerful fire attack. The attack sent heat throughout the stadium, raising the temperature from the powerful fire type move.

Lucario stood there without flinching. He smirked as he heard Ash's command.

"Lucario, use Aura Sphere right in front of you!"

The jackal-like Pokémon focused its energy into its right hand, forming a blue sphere of aura. He took the ball and slammed it into the ground, in front of his position. The ground shook as a giant wall of earth suddenly protruded from the stadium floor.

Paul looked on in amazement, as the fire type attack hit the wall of earth. The fire was diverted to either side, leaving the Pokémon, behind it, completely untouched. When the attack ended, the wall could be seen smoldering; but it still stood there, blocking the vision of the aura Pokémon and its trainer, behind it.

Suddenly, the wall crumbled and exploded, as a yellow beam of energy escaped, from behind its barrier. The attack hit the blast Pokémon while sending it flying towards the wall, behind Paul.

Paul stared at the devastation that the attack caused, before turning and seeing Lucario, who was turned sideways with a single paw in the air. A grin of satisfaction graced its lips, as it eyed the hurting fire type. Paul then turned to Aaron and froze when he saw his eyes. The once-defeated look was now replaced with a fire he had never seen before in his competitors. The look cut Paul to the core. He shook his head as he heard his fire type groan in pain.

Magmortar had, somehow, kept a hold of consciousness. He slowly walked back to the battlefield, gasping for air, with every step it took. Paul let out a low growl, as he eyed his fire type.

"Magmortar, use Fire Blast once again!" he commanded.

Magmortar grimaced as it slowly raised its arms and fired the attack at Lucario.

Ash chuckled as he watched the futile attempt, given by the pained fire type.

"Lucario, use Extreme Speed to dodge. Then, wrap it up with Bone Rush," he responded calmly.

Lucario let out a roar. He put his paws together and separated them while creating an elongated, glowing bone staff. He launched himself at the flame attack, before disappearing.

Paul and Magmortar froze as the fire type attack hit the stadium wall. Suddenly, Lucario appeared before the blast Pokémon. He struck the Pokémon with the ends of the staff, repeatedly. Magmortar recoiled with each attack. He took a few steps back with each connection that the staff made, on his body, before falling back. Continuing his onslaught, Lucario dashed underneath the falling Pokémon and swung the staff, sending the twirling Pokémon into the air.

The attack struck the spine of the fire type, who arched its back, as the attack hit. Its eyes widened, while it yelled out in pain. The Pokémon ascended into the air, hoping that the battle would finally end. To its horror, Lucario jumped and appeared at its side. The aura Pokémon gripped the staff, with both paws at a single end. It raised the staff above its head and swung down. The attack struck the dazed Pokémon in the stomach. Magmortar let out another roar of pain, as blood shot out of its mouth. It quickly accelerated to the ground and disappeared, into the dust, which it had kicked up upon contact.

Lucario landed lightly on its legs. He brought a paw up to his face and brushed off a bit of blood that belonged to his opponent while keeping eye contact with Paul.

Paul was the one who was now shaking. He had never seen his strongest fire type tossed around like a rag doll before. He lifted his Pokéball, with a shaking hand, and returned the defeated blast Pokémon to its Pokéball. His gaze quickly made its way to Aaron and he saw the same fiery passion within his determined gaze. What have I gotten myself into?

---

"Wh-What happened?" Dawn managed to squeak out.

The once roaring crowd had died down into a state of silent shock. The stadium was silent, like those, in the stands, watching the battle sat shocked at the brutality that had just occurred below.

"I've seen Aaron go for the win as he did against Iris, but not like this," Max said astonished. "Lucario looked like he was out for blood."

"Where did this fire even come from?" Brock said astonished. "One moment he looked defeated, and now...now he's battling like he has been set ablaze. You can clearly see it in his body language."

"But how?" Dawn questioned with panic.

"He just needed a little pep talk," the group turned to see Serena, standing in the doorway.

"Did you go and talk to him?" Gary asked. The rest of the group noticed the happy tone in which Gary talked but brushed it off, as they waited for Serena's response.

She nodded sheepishly, as a light blush appeared across her face. "I did, Gary. I said what I needed to say, and well, you can see the results." she pointed to the battlefield below. "He's back to his old self, once again, and I couldn't be happier."

Trevor turned to Serena and smiled as he was proud of her for accomplishing what she had set out to do, during the intermission.

You did it, Serena! You've reignited Ash's battling spirit! Now, I can look forward to our match, in the next round, once I win mine, of course. He thought as he looked down at Mewtwo's Pokéball, which was shaking.

Mewtwo could sense Lucario's power and it was looking forward to facing Lucario in battle soon. Trevor chuckled when he noticed this happening.

I guess Mewtwo can't wait either.

May and Dawn looked at each other, and then, squealed with delight.

"Oh, Serena! We are so happy for you!" May exclaimed as they rushed to the back.

"You have to tell us everything that happened!" Dawn exclaimed. She grabbed Serena's hands and began to jump up and down.

"Did you kiss him?! Did you?!"

Serena only blushed and shook her head, before responding. "I'm sorry, guys, I can't say. This girl doesn't kiss and tell, and besides, there are some things Aaron wants to keep private and to himself."

"Yeah," Trevor responded as he turned and looked at Dawn and May, who were both standing in the back, in front of Serena. "You two need to understand that when two people fall in love, they would like to keep their interactions, with each other, private."

Both coordinators let out an annoyed groaned. They wanted to hear the details, but their access was denied.

"Well," May began as she turned to look at Trevor. "that's easy for you to say. You don't have a girlfriend, Trevor."

Trevor grinned and chuckled quietly, along with Serena and Gary, at May's comment, as he turned back to watch the battle below while leaving Dawn and May puzzled in the back. "They both don't know how wrong they are." He whispered to himself.

Lance coughed, which calm the two coordinators down before he looked at Serena. "So what you're saying is that Aaron is finally focused?"

Serena nodded, but this time, it was Gary, who spoke up. "More than that, Lance," the rest of the group turned to Gary, who sat with his arms crossed with a wide smile on his face.

"What do you mean, Gary?" Lance asked the young professor.

"I think we are about to witness a true demonstration of Aaron's abilities. I haven't seen a trainer stand like that, with that feeling of defiance and fire, since my last match in the Silver Conference." Gary shuddered as he remembered his battle with Ash.

It rejuvenated him and brought him back to a time, when he wanted to become a champion, in his own rights.

"No, I think Paul's campaign, in the tournament, is about to come to an end. We're about to witness a massacre."

Serena and Trevor nodded with delight, as the rest of the group stood in silence while processing the information they had just been given. Cynthia smiled and turned to Lance.

"It looks like you got what you asked for, Lance. We're about to witness what Aaron is truly capable of."

Lance nodded as he sat back down in his seat. Finally, I'll be able to see what myself and the G-Men are up against. Please don't disappoint, Aaron.

---

Ash examined his opponent. He had never seen Paul shaken like this before. Sure, he had seen him frustrated when he faced Brandon, but now, he looked terrified. He wasn't going to hold anything back anymore, in this tournament.

However. Paul had shown him that the trainers, here, we're still top of the line and that he needed to be ready to pull out all the stops. No more holding back, he was ready to show his true power to everyone.

Paul took out his next choice. He didn't start off with his normal call, but instead, just tossed the device out into the field. Standing before Paul, was a sea slug Pokémon. The top, of its body, was a green slime covered back with a few strips of yellow coming off. A yellow line maneuvered around its body, indicating the change in the color of the body taken from green to blue. The water and ground type stood ready for battle.

"Gastrodon!" Paul called out. "Use Earthquake! Let's go!"

Gastrodon reared back on the back part of its body and was about to come forward. When suddenly, it flew backward. Standing where Gastrodon once was, Lucario snarled at the water and ground type, who struggled to get up.

"You're going to have to be quicker than that, Paul!" Ash taunted Paul.

"Gastrodon, use Muddy Water on the whole battlefield!"

In response to Paul's command, the sea slug Pokémon sent out a thick layer of mud towards its opponent and across the stadium floor, coating it with a thick layer of the mud it had created. Just as soon as the attack and the mud coating had been made, Gastrodon vanished into a red light, and then, into its Pokéball.

Paul threw a new one out, to reveal his Weavile once more. "Weavile, use Ice Beam on the battlefield!" Paul commanded. "Then, use Ice Punch!"

The battlefield floor was shining as the ice created a winter wonderland effect. The bright light of the sun that shine above reflected into the spectator's eyes. Suddenly, Lucario was sent back by a punch, to the stomach, from the dark and ice type.

Lucario let out a low growl, before standing back up. A foot slid out from underneath it, as it got up, but he managed to catch his fall. Weavile, on the other hand, was moving, effortlessly, and its already impressive speed appeared to have been doubled.

Again, Lucario was sent sliding back from the attack. One after another, they landed, causing Lucario to be sent spinning around the ice as if it was some hockey puck. With all its might, Weavile connected with one more punch to its opponent's face. The punch caused Lucario to be sent flying into the adjacent stadium wall. Paul smirked as he saw the dust kick up around the impact.

Ash merely shrugged his shoulders. "Lucario, use Dragon Pulse!"

Paul looked in horror as a dark blue sphere, with a yellow interior, appeared from the dust.

"Weavile, dodge quickly!" he shouted.

The Johto Pokémon managed to sidestep the attack. Before it could come to a complete stop, Lucario suddenly appeared in front of it.

"Close Combat!"

Frozen in fear, from the sudden movement, Weavile couldn't react as it was assaulted with kicks, jabs, and knees. Once the onslaught ended, Weavile was seen still standing, as if it was only on willpower alone. Barely holding onto consciousness, the dark and ice type fell to a knee, only to be picked up by the scruff, on the back of its neck. It gave its opponent a look of defiance. Lucario simply smirked. They both knew the battle was over, but still, Paul called for an attack.

"Weavile, Ice Beam!" Paul shouted in desperation.

"Aura Sphere!" Ash responded coldly.

He didn't want to call the attack, but it was obvious, to himself and Lucario, that Paul wouldn't back down. He felt sympathy for the sharp claw Pokémon. It had put up a good fight and performed admirably, throughout the battle. It didn't deserve to be knocked out, like this, but the attack had to happen.

The dark and ice type tried to gather the energy required for the ice type move. A small ball of light blue formed in its mouth, before disappearing. Weavile was now gasping for air, as it stared into its opponent's eyes. Lucario still held it by the scruff of its neck.

Lucario formed the ball of aura energy, in its free paw, before looking at its opponent. Weavile gave a smile and nodded. Lucario kept a firm look on his face, but sympathy could be seen in its eyes. It nodded in appreciation of the battle, before throwing its free paw forward and connecting it with Weavile's stomach. Weavile crashed into the stadium's wall, before vanishing in a cloud of dust. After a few seconds, its limp body appeared as it fell from the dust, and to the ground, with a thud.

"You trained your Pokémon well, Paul!" Ash called out. Paul returned his Weavile, before glaring over at his opponent. "But you need to know their limits. Weavile was barely conscious and could have injured himself badly by continuing to battle."

"Only by pushing our limits, can we further them!" Paul shouted in response. "I don't need your approval of how me and my Pokémon battle! Remember, you were down in this battle, not too long ago! So put up or shut up! Gastrodon, stand by for battle! Show him what we're made of!"

The sea slug Pokémon appeared before its trainer.

"Lucario, use Aura Sphere!" Ash commanded.

The blue bipedal Pokémon sent the fighting type move toward its opponent, but Paul didn't flinch.

"Protect!"

The ground and water type shielded itself from the attack, which was deflected into the stadium wall, causing an explosion to come from the impact.

"Lucario, get in close with Extreme Speed, and then, use Close Combat!" Ash announced.

"Gastrodon, use Earthquake, and then, follow it up with Mud Bomb!"

This time, Gastrodon was able to get the attack off, due to Lucario's slower speed, on the still frozen surface. Lucario didn't panic, as he felt the first tremor. He leaped into the air gracefully, only to be hit with a large amount of mud.

He let out an 'oof', as another hit him upon his descent to the ground. When Lucario hit the ground, he was again sent flying by the still shaking earth. He skidded across the stadium floor, as he felt the tremors begin to subside. He let out a snarl while struggling to pick himself up.

"Gastrodon, use Surf!" Paul commanded.

Before Lucario could get up, he was swept away by a wave. The tidal wave crashed into the stadium wall, sending water flying onto the occupants, in the vicinity. Again, Lucario stood. It coughed as it hit its chest, attempting to clear the water from its lungs. It gathered itself, as the ground began to shake, beneath it, once again.

"Jump, Lucario!"

Lucario gathered itself, in a crouch, before shooting up into the air above the battlefield.

"Use Mud Bomb again!" Paul insisted.

Gastrodon sent a volley of balls of mud towards its opponent.

"Lucario use Bone Rush to defend! Then, follow it up with Dragon Pulse!" Ash responded to the tactic.

Lucario formed the glowing staff and batted away the balls of mud. He then took the staff, in one paw, and began to spin it, as it created a makeshift fan. The mud hit the fan and was diverted in different directions. With the free paw, Lucario focused its energy into forming the powerful dragon type attack.

As Lucario closed in on its opponent's position, it took one last swing with its staff. The final thrust threw the last piece of mud, which has blocked him from Gastrodon, away. Lucario then threw its free paw forward and connected the attack on the sea slug Pokémon's head. The resulting explosion sent both Pokémon flying.

Lucario got up panting. He couldn't see his opponent, but he could sense that he had won the battle. He grimaced and fell to a knee, before looking up and smirking. The cloud had dissipated and showed an unconscious Gastrodon, lying in front of a scowling Paul.

Paul returned his ground and water type. Without hesitation, he reached for his last Pokémon.

"Electivire," he cried out, "stand by for battle!"

Paul's most powerful Pokémon now stood before him. The Pokémon was primarily yellow with a rather bulky body. It was tall, but showed little muscle, and yet, didn't look fat, just bulky. From its head, came two small Tesla coil-like antennas, sparks could be seen flying between them. It had black streaks running across its body and arms, while two black tails came from its tailbone. Its tails were tipped with red that matched its red eyes, which they glowed with anticipation and ferocity. It silently stuck one of its hands out and motioned for Lucario to challenge its power.

Lucario let out a snarl, before looking back at Ash, in stunned silence.

"Lucario, return!"

Lucario looked at Ash, in wonderment at the command that it had just been given.

"But Master," Lucario pleaded through the aura. To those listening, it sounded like low growls. "I can still fight! Just call Heal Pulse and I can finish this battle!"

Ash closed his eyes and shook his head, before communicating by aura back. "I want to keep that in our back pocket. Now return!"

Lucario let out a soft whimper, as he lowered his head and limped back to the trainer's box and stood next to Ash.

"But, who will you call on next?" he questioned, curious to see who would be chosen to replace him.

Ash smiled as he unclipped a Pokéball from his belt. Lucario looked at the device in shock.

"Are you sure, Master? What about your plan to wait?"

"Pika pi Pikapi!" Pikachu chirped in, with the same shock and disbelief.

"My fire has been set ablaze," Ash said with a smile under his mask. "Now, I want those watching, namely Giovanni, to see what my fire truly looks like."

Ash silently threw out his next choice. The Pokémon appeared with a proud and loud roar, before unleashing a fire attack into the air. The power, from the attack, increased the temperature, inside the stadium, to unbearable numbers. The crowd stood in shock at the beast that stood before them.

---

"Th-That power," Lance said as he shielded his eyes from the bright light that the flame was giving off. "It's unheard of for a trainer's Pokémon, to possess such great strength."

Cynthia looked down to see the Pokéball, which contained her Garchomp, as it began to shake viciously. "Its power is so great that my Garchomp wants to battle it, right here and now!" she screamed out.

Trevor looked on the flame in awe and grinned at the sight of it. He knew the beast that Ash called out to battle.

His thoughts began racing. So, you finally appear. Ash's most powerful and loyal Pokémon. It'll be an honor, for me, to face such a powerful beast in battle. Ash, finish that bastard off so that you can secure your place in the semi-finals, where I'll be waiting for you!

When the fire subsided, the onlookers took in the sight before them. Standing in front of Ash, was a draconic, bipedal Pokémon. It was primarily orange with a cream color that started at its underbelly and stretched to its tail, which was adorned with a vibrating flame that expressed its power and battling spirit. It stretched out its massive wings to show a teal underside to them. At the end of its arms, came hands, which possessed sharp claws. From its head, came two horns. What stood out to the observers, was the fact that this Charizard was bigger than its normal counterparts. The Pokémon let out another roar that made those, in the stadium, cover their ears.

"How did Aaron managed to capture a monster, such as that?" Misty asked in shock.

"Do you think Paul has a chance?" Dawn asked as she brought both of her hands to the bottom of her chin. Her face presented a frightened expression.

Gary shook his head adamantly. "No, it's clear that Aaron isn't holding back any longer. That Pokémon's flame is matching the flame that's burning inside of its trainer's heart. No, this battle maybe be over, but the tournament has only just begun," chills went up against Gary's spine, as he remembered the battle that his Blastoise had against the same Charizard, during his lone trip to the Silver Conference. Now that's the Ash I know!

"Incredible..." Lance said in disbelief.

---

Giovanni smiled as he saw the Pokémon, who had helped in destroying him, finally be revealed. It'll be much sweeter in capturing my prize, knowing that I have defeated the boy anyway. If this is the power that his Pokémon truly possess, well then, our battle will be one for the ages.

Giovanni began to feel adrenaline race through his veins, as the excitement, of defeating his foe, slowly began to build up within him. Paul will be lucky if his Electivire can even survive this matchup.

---

Sabrina looked on, in awe, at the Pokémon that was in front of the masked trainer. Such power, such fire. I haven't seen a fire burn, inside a trainer, like this since . . . no, it couldn't be!

Sabrina looked over the masked trainer, once more. She noticed the spark and connection that he had with the Pokémon that sat on his shoulder.

Her eyes danced to the electric mouse Pokémon before they widened. It is him, but this can't be! H-He died five years ago!

She began to feel the sweat, accumulating on her forehead, and slowly sliding down the side of her face. Her mind raced around the secret that she had just uncovered. If-If that's Ash, then that means . . . Oh no! No, it can't be! I have to inform Lance about this, right away!

Sabrina turned from her position, in the shadow of one of the stadium's tunnels, and ran as fast as she could to the elite suite.