Ash narrowed his eyes quickly, focusing in on the battle ahead. He saw Squirtle's training with the Squirtle Squad kick in right away. As the smaller turtle Pokemon hurtled towards his opponent, spinning rapidly and shooting out water, he dipped past the jets that Blastoise had shot out, and skidded along the water. Squirtle started shooting along the water, circling Blastoise and striking him with bursts of water. Even though they weren't very effective strikes, they were clearly doing damage, as evidence by Blastoise's growls of pain.

Calem was quick to try to turn the tide of battle, though. "Blastoise, keep moving. Use Rapid Spin!" Immediately, the large turtle Pokemon withdrew into his shell and started skidding along the water, just like Squirtle was doing. Ash realized Calem's plan too late. "Hit Squirtle!"

"No, Squirtle!" Ash called out in concern. His oldest water type was quickly struck by the much larger shell, and he flew back towards Ash, landing hard on a rock.

"Now hit him with Ice Beam!" Calem quickly ordered, throwing his arm out in front of himself. Blastoise quickly leaped out of the water, his spinning adding some speed, and he fired a jet of icy energy from his large jaws. Squirtle was still wincing from the previous strike, and had no opportunity to dodge. The ice quickly started to cover his chest.

Ash knew he needed to move quickly. He scanned his mind for an idea, and then suddenly it came to him. It might not work, but it was worth a try. "Charge into that Ice Beam with a Skull Bash!" Squirtle didn't hesitate at all. He quickly tensed up and then kicked off hard, braving the ice that blasted into him. And as he whipped forward, Ash saw his plan working. Bit by bit, Squirtle was becoming encased in ice. Finally, just before reaching Blastoise, he'd become an ice torpedo, almost like Buizel had done on some occasions. He somehow powered through the rest of the Ice Beam, and then struck Blastoise hard in the chest. The ice shattered all around them, and then miraculously, the massive shape of Blastoise went flying back, as though it was him with the size disadvantage. He crashed into a rock in a similar way to how Squirtle had a few moments earlier.

"Incredible power on both sides!" the announcer shouted. "The fully evolved Blastoise is clearly quite powerful, but give Squirtle credit. Evolution isn't holding him back."

Ash nodded to himself at those words, watching as Squirtle spun back and landed safely on a rock after landing his strike. He glanced quickly towards Blastoise and knew he had another opportunity to strike with the opponent still dazed. "Squirtle, use Bubble Beam!"

Calem was trusting that Blastoise would recover in time, though. "Ice Beam, one more time!"

Squirtle was the first to move. He inhaled quickly, and the opened his mouth and a stream of bubbles sped towards Blastoise. Then, just before hitting, the larger turtle Pokemon opened his own jaws, and fired out the icy jet of energy. It cut through the bubbles quite easily, and then hit Squirtle with impressive speed, knocking the smaller turtle Pokemon backwards.

"Now, Rapid Spin!" Calem shouted.

Ash saw Squirtle quickly get up, and knew he needed to act quickly as well. "Counter with Skull Bash!"

And suddenly, both Pokemon were kicking off from the rocks beneath them and flying over the water towards each other. Blastoise was rapidly spinning in his shell, while Squirtle barrelled towards his opponent with his head aimed forward. With a couple of seconds, they crashed together and flew apart, both crashing into the water with huge splashes. They both scrambled out onto rocks and glared at each other, panting.

Ash knew this thing was nearing its end, and knew they needed to act. "Water Gun!" he shouted.

"Ice Beam!" Calem countered.

Immediately, the jets of ice and water shot towards each other. They met in between the two Pokemon, and then suddenly, a long line of ice started to form a mini path between the two.

Ash knew he could use this to his advantage. "Use that path, Squirtle. Hydro Pump!"

"Rapid Spin! You use the path, too!" Calem ordered in answer.

Then, both water types withdrew into their shells and shot forward. Their speed increased as they sped along the ice, and their spinning became a blur. The water coming from Squirtle's shell just seemed to be forming a circular water shield around him. Finally, two Pokemon met in the middle and there was a blast of energy as they crashed away from each other.

Water sprayed around the field as both Blastoise and Squirtle skidded backwards from their collision. They both crashed hard into rocks in front of their trainers, and then struggled to their feet, panting. They watched each other for a few moments, and then nodded in unison. Then, they both collapsed.

"Both Blastoise and Squirtle are unable to battle. The battle is a draw!" the referee shouted, holding up two flags.

Ash smiled and recalled Squirtle to his pokeball. "Thanks, Squirtle. You did a great job." He looked across the field and saw Calem smirking back. It was like how their first battle had started. This signalled an evenly matched pair of trainers to start.

"Ready for round two?" Calem asked, holding up a pokeball. Ash just nodded and smiled in answer. Calem then threw out his pokeball, and a large, orange mouse like Pokemon emerged. A Raichu.

Ash didn't even need to look at Pikachu to know his loyal friend wanted this one. He just nodded and Pikachu leaped forward, landing on a rock in front of Ash. It would be an interesting battle, since neither Pokemon were known for swimming and couldn't use the air either.

"Another battle where Calem will use a fully evolved Pokemon against a pre-evolved form on Ash's side," the announcer explained. "We all know, though, that Pikachu is one of Ash's most powerful Pokemon."

"You've got that right," Ash said, nodding, causing Pikachu to turn and smile back at him. When the referee signalled for the battle to continue, Ash and Pikachu were more than ready. "Quick Attack!"

Pikachu set off like a bullet, kicking off from the rock and leaping across stones towards Raichu. Calem, however, was ready with a counter. "Use Dig! Act like the water is dirt."

Ash watched, stunned as Pikachu hit the rock where Raichu had been a moment before and turned around in shock. In front of the rock, and orange shape was "digging" its way underwater. Calem was using Ash's own move against him. The same move Gible had used against Remo in the first round. This had Ash and Pikachu both caught off guard temporarily.

And Calem was quick to take advantage of his opponent's hesitation. "Raichu, Iron Tail!" Then, with impressive speed, the orange shape that was Raichu, shot out of the ground and swung out a glowing, silver tail. It struck a startled Pikachu hard in the jaw and sent him flying up into the air. "Now jump and use Brick Break!"

Ash was impressed. This Raichu had clearly been a well trained Pikachu before being evolved. It had the speed of its pre evolved counterpart, and its power from evolution had only increased it. However, Ash knew one thing. Pikachu could beat any Raichu, no matter how strong or fast. "Quick, counter with Iron Tail!"

Calem was clearly expecting Raichu to be able to land the strike, and it looked like it would happen, too. The orange electric mouse leaped into the air and hurtled towards Pikachu with a glowing white fist. The yellow electric mouse was quick to move, though. He righted himself by spinning around, and built up power in his tail as he did so. He lashed out with the glowing, silver tail and it crashed into Raichu's fist, causing a shock wave to shoot out from the contact. The water below shook from the power, and Pikachu and Raichu strained against each other to force their attacks through. Finally, gravity took them both down, and then the battle became more ferocious.

Ash and Calem knew electric attacks were almost pointless, so they barked out the physical attacks in rapid succession. The water field didn't limit either Pokemon. Each used the rocks scattered around them with ease, jumping on and off them rapidly, to both evade and chase their opponent.

At one point, Pikachu chased down Raichu, and struck the latter in the chest with an Iron Tail. When the orange electric mouse staggered back and then tried to lunge forward with a Brick Break, Pikachu was able to dodge by using the speed of Quick Attack to dart along the water to another rock.

After that, Raichu managed to draw Pikachu in by using Dig on the water again, opening up an opportunity to send him in the air again with a Brick Break. Pikachu was quick to counter, though, firing off a Thunderbolt that Raichu felt, whether the attack should have been effective or not.

Throughout the battle, there were consecutive exchanges of Iron Tail and Iron Tail, or Iron Tail and Brick Break. A few times they would clash with Pikachu hitting from above with Quick Attack, while Raichu would strike from below with the manufactured Dig attack. There were also the few exchanges of Thunderbolts, and this was where Ash saw he had the clear advantage.

At one point, Pikachu and Raichu were firing off a Thunderbolt from two rocks about ten feet from each other. The first attacks met and exploded against each other, but then Pikachu was quick to set off another one. Raichu quickly leaped aside, and then fired off his own, which Pikachu dodged in turn. These two missed attacks gave Ash an idea, though.

First, Ash could see that Pikachu was still at an advantage with speed, regardless of Raichu being faster than most other Raichu. Pikachu had swifter movements and recovered from hits much faster. Pikachu wa also quite able at fighting while airborne, further giving him an advantage over Raichu who preferred to stay low. The other thing that Ash could see, was the power of Pikachu's Thunderbolt. Where Raichu's had missed Pikachu, there was only a scorch mark. However, where Pikachu had missed, he'd managed to crack the stone a bit, giving Ash an idea to take over this match.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack and hop around the rocks!" Ash ordered quickly. The electric mouse quickly set to work, hopping along the rocks and building up speed until he was a yellow blur.

Calem wasn't going to leave Raichu open for an easy hit from that, though. "Use Dig again!" he shouted. The fully evolved Pikachu counterpart moved quickly. He hopped into the water and quickly kicked his legs to get deeper in.

Now Ash could use his plan. "Stop and use Thunderbolt on one of the rocks. Put everything into it!" He knew Pikachu could do it and he was right. The electric mouse stopped quickly, leaped into the air, charged up his cheeks, and unleashed a ferocious Thunderbolt onto the rock beneath him. Everyone in the arena could probably hear the crack as the stone shattered into little pieces and shot into the air. Now it was time for part two. "Hit the pieces down with Iron Tail!"

Calem didn't really look too worried, but he was still going to attempt caution. "Dodge them!" he ordered quickly. However, as fast as Raichu was, he didn't have the speed of a water type in the water, and dodging was easier said than done.

Pikachu struck the bits of stone with all his might, lashing out at each one with his glowing, silver tail. Each stone rocketed towards the water like little bullets and sped through the water. On the third one, as Raichu attempted to swim up, a stone struck the orange electric mouse in the jaw. This winded him enough to allow two others to hit his chest. Then, suddenly, Pikachu was rapidly swinging and the stones rained down, hitting Raichu with a deadly barrage until finally, Pikachu ran out of ammunition and had to land.

When Raichu scrambled out of the water, he was clearly dazed. However, he and Calem were still determined. "Thunderbolt!" Calem shouted loudly.

"Electro Ball!" Ash countered quickly.

Both electric types charged up their attacks, aiming carefully, and then fired. Raichu's jet of electricity shot towards Pikachu, while the latter's electrical sphere went the opposite way. The attacks exploded on contact shaking the very air in the stadium and emitting a shock wave of wind and energy that shot outwards. Ash saw Raichu stagger back and wince and he sensed their opportunity.

"Pikachu, finish this! Quick Attack followed by Iron Tail!" Pikachu didn't hesitate. He was off like a yellow bullet again and he closed the gap between him and Raichu in an instant. He slam his speeding body into Raichu with full force, knocking the opposing electric type off balance. Then, as Raichu staggered back, Pikachu leaped up, stretched out his tail, and swung it forward. Some must have thought Raichu had been shot out of a cannon. The Iron Tail launched him away and he slammed into the water at the opposite end of the field, creating a huge splash.

"Raichu is unable to battle. Pikachu is the winner!" the referee shouted.

"Yeah! Awesome job, Pikachu!" Ash shouted happily.

As Calem recalled Raichu, Ash decided to do the same with Pikachu, signalling the electric mouse to come back. That had been a tiring battle, so Pikachu would need a rest. He looked across to Calem as Pikachu hopped back, and saw the opposing trainer with his pokeball out, smiling a little.

"It's time to really heat up this battle, Ash," Calem announced. He threw out his pokeball and the large, brown feathered bird Pokemon that was Fearow, emerged.

Ash nodded. This was a rivalry within a rivalry and a good one at that. He plucked a pokeball from his belt and threw it out. "Pidgeot, I choose you!" It was time for Ash's loyal flier to take to the skies in his Pokemon League debut.

"And it looks like we have an aerial battle between a couple of flying types from Kanto," the announcer stated. "There isn't much data on Ash's Pidgeot, but we do know that Calem's Fearow is a fierce flier."

Serena tensed up in excitement at the sight of Pidgeot. She'd only seen him battle a few times, but each time he'd impressed. She didn't know much about Fearow, though. But the way Pidgeot glared at him made her think there was something more to this battle. Her theory was proved right, when Dawn informed the group of the last battle between Ash and Calem.

"Apparently that Fearow used to attack Pidgeot's flock back near Pallet Town," the coordinator explained.

"What?" Misty asked in surprise. "I remember that Fearow. Pidgeotto evolved to fight him. That's when he and Ash decided to make him the guardian of the flock."

Brock also apparently remembered. "I think Ash said he threw a rock at it on his first day as a trainer when he tried to catch it as a Spearow. There's definitely some bad blood here."

Serena laughed a little at that. She could just imagine a frustrated, much younger Ash, trying his best to catch a Pokemon. It was pretty amazing that one of his first attempted catches would end up being the fierce rival of one of his actual first catches. They'd all come so far since those days. Even Serena knew that. "How did their last battle go?" she asked Dawn.

"Pidgeot was winning," Dawn explained, "but Gurkinn interrupted the battle."

Serena was about to press for more information, but just then, she noticed the battle was starting. She hadn't even noticed the referee giving the signal, and just heard Ash and Calem ordering a Steel Wing and Fury Attack respectively.

The determination, and even the hostility, of both Pokemon was evident. They shot towards each other and clashed within a second. Pidgeot's wings shone in a silvery gleam and he slashed outward continuously with them. Fearow was just as vicious, striking out with his claws, beak and wings. It was probably the most violent and unorganized looking fight Serena had ever seen. These two Pokemon just hated each other.

"Pidgeot, get back and then use Aerial Ace!" Ash quickly ordered, perhaps a bit uncomfortable with the overt hatred causing this battle to become more violent. Luckily, Pidgeot's loyalty to his trainer kept his temperament under control. With a quick slash with Steel Wing, he got some space and whipped backwards, gaining some distance to shoot forward again.

Calem had a counter move planned, though. "Hit back with Drill Run!" he shouted.

Serena gasped as both Pokemon whipped up into the sky, faster than anything she'd ever seen, with the exception of Greninja. The two birds then shot towards each other, Pidgeot folding in his wings flying straight as an arrow and Fearow spreading his wings and rapidly spinning around. They crashed together and yet another shock wave hit the crowd from these two trainers' powerful Pokemon. Serena had to grab her hat to keep it from flying away.

Pidgeot and Fearow both staggered back, winded by the impact, and hovered in the air, about fifteen feet away from each other, eyes narrowed in determination and fury. Each flap of their wings showed their intense desire to win. Each second of glaring only built the hostility.

Finally, Ash made a move. Serena was relieved, too, because while she trusted Pidgeot to wait for his trainer's orders, Fearow was less predictable. "Gust! Get Fearow off balance!" he shouted.

Calem called for Fearow to get out of there, but Pidgeot moved too quickly. He flapped his wings as fast as a motor and then instantly Fearow was grabbed in a violent swirl of wind and was getting launched to the water below, despite his desperate attempts to fly back up. Within a few moments, Fearow's struggles didn't matter, as he crashed into the water with a huge splash.

Serena could see that even Ash was surprised by the power of Pidgeot's gust, just like everyone else in the arena. She supposed he had good reason, since he'd only ordered Pidgeot to get Fearow off balance. However, he was clearly willing to go with it. "Alright, Pidgeot, Aerial Ace!"

As Pidgeot folded his wings and shot to the ground, Serena saw Calem glance to the water, just as Fearow's head emerged. Then he glanced back up again and smirked. "Feather Dance!" he ordered. Then, just before Pidgeot landed his strike, hundreds of glowing white feathers, which Serena couldn't tell whether they were real or made of light, shot up. Serena noticed Pidgeot's eyes dart around in confusion, but he still managed to hit Fearow again, before shooting back into the sky.

However, the impact wasn't nearly as strong as before. "That was a really smart move by Calem," Clemont suddenly acknowledged, as Fearow started to hover above the water, recovering from the Aerial Ace quite quickly. Serena remembered seeing Feather Dance once before at the Battle Chateau when it was used on Pikachu. Clemont described for the group what she was remembering about the move. "Now Pidgeot's attack is lowered. Since those two were looking close in power, this could be really bad."

Serena narrowed her eyes and watched as Ash and Pidgeot exchanged a quick look. Serena knew what it meant, and she told the group. "Ash and Pidgeot won't give up."

As though he heard Serena's words, Ash pumped his fist and made his next order. "Aerial Ace, one more time!" he shouted.

"Drill Run, full power!" Calem ordered.

Then, once again, the two bird Pokemon were flying towards each other. Pidgeot descended from above, wings tucked in to build speed. Meanwhile, Fearow shot upwards, spreading his wings wide and spinning around rapidly. Then, they crashed hard together, and Serena winced at the sound of the hard thud. It was only worse when she saw Pidgeot reeling back, winded by the strike, his lowered attack power proving a disadvantage.

"Fury Attack, quick!" Calem suddenly shouted. And with Pidgeot still winded from the previous collision, there was no chance to counter. Serena had to turn away as Pidgeot started to get slashed and clawed and pecked in brutal fashion. She knew if it was hard for just her to watch, Ash was probably about ready to explode.

"Pidgeot!" Ash's voice suddenly rang out. "Remember, don't give up. You didn't give up against Team Flare and I know you won't give up now." These words made Serena turn back to the battle, part of her wanting to see the effect of Ash's motivation. Her gaze went to Pidgeot's eyes, and although he was still being brutally beaten back, his eyes flashed with furious determination.

"This battle's over," Serena said with a smile.

Just when Serena finished saying that, Ash made his order. "Steel Wing!" And then, with lightning quick speed, Pidgeot's silver, glowing wing shot out and struck Fearow in the middle of the chest. Lowered attack power or not, any Pokemon would've felt that and Fearow was no exception. He sailed backwards and then Pidgeot shot forward again and lashed out, sending Fearow higher up in the sky.

"Pidgaw!" Pidgeot screeched loudly, sensing his triumph drawing near.

Serena knew Calem wasn't letting it end that quickly, though. As Fearow was speeding upward after Pidgeot's strike, Calem called his order. "Drill Run! You can overpower him."

"I don't think so," Ash stated confidently. "Pidgeot, finish this up with Brave Bird."

Serena nearly missed the two Pokemon readying themselves when she blinked. The both flew high into the sky and faced each other from a large distance. Then, each tensed up and shot forward. Fearow was once again spinning rapidly, looking like a brown blur as he shot forward. Pidgeot, meanwhile, showed off his power and beauty. A blue light covered his body and he sped forward with the greatest speed he'd ever been able to muster. The gap between the two birds closed in an instant and they collided with another stadium shaking shock wave. Serena couldn't quite see, but she saw the two seeming to lean against each other in midair. Then...they both dropped.

As the two flying types fell, a bit of distance began to separate them. Within a few seconds, both of their bodies hit the water with huge splashes. Serena saw the referee peer in and then start to raise both his flags, clearly about to declare the battle a draw. However, in that moment, two ripples appeared and both birds began to emerge, scrambling onto the nearest rocks. Then, just to show off to each other, each stood straight and looked at their opponent.

Suddenly, Serena noticed something in both Pidgeot's and Fearow's looks. There didn't seem to be the same hostility that there was at the beginning of the battle. They almost...smiled at each other. Their battle had given them respect for one another. Serena didn't know if that would last for long, though. If both were still fit to fight, that hostility could come right back.

However, just as Serena thought about that, both Pokemon twitched and their bodies slumped a bit. It was then that Serena could see how much they were panting. She watched carefully now, knowing whoever dropped first would be declared the loser. Pidgeot suddenly stumbled, and Serena was sure her heart stopped, but then he righted himself...just as Fearow began to slip. The opposing bird almost managed to catch himself like Pidgeot had, but he was just a bit more exhausted by the fight. His legs buckled, his wings dipped, and then his head drooped, as he crumpled to the ground.

The referee whipped up his flag and shouted out the call. "Fearow is unable to battle. Pidgeot is the winner!"

The crowd roared in excitement, and Serena didn't blame them. That had been a great battle, as nerve wracking as it was. And the happiness from both Ash and Pidgeot filled her with pride.

The announcer quickly came on and exclaimed about the exciting battle. He might have gone on about Pidgeot all day if someone hadn't told him to calm down, which was caught on his microphone. He then quickly announced that there would be an intermission, as the score of the battle was now three to one for Ash.

Once the announcer ended his announcement, the field between Ash and Calem started to lower and they both started to head off of their platforms. As Serena saw Ash heading down his pathway, she noticed him wipe his forehead. He had a very good early lead, but clearly it had already taken a lot out of him.

"Ash, you're Squirtle is so awesome!" Tierno shouted, looking excitedly at Ash. "You've gotta let him meet my Blastoise later, ok?"

Ash nodded and laughed, happy to get this brief rest. The battle was pretty tiring so far. "Of course, Tierno. But...Squirtle might not wanna see a Blastoise for a few days after that."

Tierno chuckled a bit at that, nodding. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Well I think Pidgeot and Pikachu were pretty amazing, too," Brock pointed out. "I didn't know how strong Pidgeot had become."

"Yeah he's great, isn't he?" Ash said, feeling proud of the powerful flying type. "He showed a lot of heart out there."

"And so did you," said Ash's favourite voice, coming from Serena. "You gave Pidgeot just what he needed. Just like that night in Geosenge Town when he beat that Salamence."

"It wasn't only that," Ash told her, smiling brightly and taking her hand and pulling her close to him. "He, along with Pikachu and Squirtle, knew that you guys were all cheering us on. We'll never give up as long as you're all there for us."

Serena just stared back at Ash for a few moments. They were obviously both forgetting that the others were there, until Bonnie butted in with a question. "So Ash, who are you using next?"

"I don't wanna ruin the surprise, Bonnie," Ash said, eyes twinkling. "Let me just say this. Shauna might be excited by my next choice."

"Huh?" Shauna asked, clearly surprised at the mention of her name when it came to a high level Pokemon battle. "Why me?"

Ash chuckled a little, enjoying the confusion of his friends. "You'll see." With that, he gave Serena a quick peck on the cheek and set off back towards the battlefield. It was time to put this thing away.

As the announcer reintroduced the crowd to the battle, Ash gripped his next pokeball tightly and looked across at Calem at the other end of the rock field. As bad as things looked for Ash's rival, he clearly wasn't panicking. Calem was calm and cool, despite being down and not really even having a win yet.

Finally, when the announcer was finished, he called for Ash and Calem to select their next Pokemon. Calem was faster to throw his out, but his choice actually made Ash laugh, because it was almost like the Squirtle versus Blastoise match again. Ash threw out his pokeball and shouted, "Bulbasaur, I choose you!"

The announcer actually laughed when both Pokemon were revealed. "And we have Venusaur versus Bulbasaur! I have to say, we all know how good Ash is, but he does know how to make us wonder. However, I'm sure his Bulbasaur is strong. We saw Squirtle go head to head with Blastoise, so we can likely expect the same here."

"That's right," Ash said with a nod, as Bulbasaur turned his head to him and gave a serious and determined look. Ash knew Bulbasaur had a bit of a shaky history with meeting Venusaurs, so this was a welcome opportunity for the stubborn grass type to prove himself.

When the referee made the signal for the battle to start, Calem quickly made an order. "Venusaur, Frenzy Plant!"

"Get ready, Bulbasaur," Ash warned. "When the branches come up, use Razor Leaf!"

For a moment, it seemed like nothing was happening, but then, Venusaur roared loudly, and the ground started to rapidly shake. Ash saw Bulbasaur tense up, doing his best to hold onto the ground. Then, the branches started shooting up. At first, Bulbasaur stayed in the one spot, electing to fire off his attacks from there. He proved he was capable, by slicing into a few of the branches, but they were coming up too fast, and approaching him. Eventually, he had to start moving.

As Bulbasaur ran in and out of the emerging branches, Ash clenched his fists in frustration. This was dangerous and he had to do something. Then, he glanced up at Venusaur, and saw the large grass type was quite still, vulnerable to an attack if Bulbasaur could get through. That's when Ash got an idea.

"Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip and swing from the branches towards Venusaur." Bulbasaur was instantly in the air after that, shooting out his vines and grabbing onto the branches. The movement was noticeably easier for him and he approached Venusaur quickly. "Now, use Leach Seed!" As Bulbasaur shot out over Venusaur, the seed from the bulb on his back fired out and struck Venusaur over the head. On contact, vines spread out and started covering his body.

"Nice move, Ash, but now Bulbasaur is open for an attack," Calem explained. "Leaf Storm, let's go!" he yelled. Ash's eyes widened as he saw Bulbasaur approaching the ground after his attack. It was too late to do anything, though. Immediately, Venusaur fired out the swirling, powerful leaves and they smashed into Bulbasaur at full force. He seemed to be grabbed by the attack, and was then slammed into the branches of Frenzy Plant behind him. The branches started to rapidly explode, as both Bulbasaur and the Leaf Storm attack ripped into them. Finally, after the vast majority of the branches had been vaporized, Venusaur let go, and Bulbasaur fell hard to the ground.

"Bulbasaur!" Ash called out in concern. "Are you ok?"

Bulbasaur quickly straightened up and turned his head slightly to give a quick nod. "Bulba-bulbasaur!"

Ash smiled at that. "Alright, good. How about we take over? Hit him with Solar Beam!"

"You use Solar Beam too, Venusaur!" Calem ordered.

And suddenly, it became very quiet as both Pokemon lowered themselves and aimed the plants on their backs to the sky. Ash could see the light sparkling on both, as they charged up their attacks. However, he noticed something else about Venusaur. Even with Leech Seed not being too effective, it still drained a bit of energy, and Ash could tell it was slowing Venusaur down just a little.

Finally, Ash's assumptions were proved right. He saw Bulbasaur tense up in readiness and aim his bulb towards the still charging Venusaur. Both trainer and Pokemon on the opposing side looked shocked and worried. Ash was obviously ecstatic, though. "Fire away, Bulbasaur!" Then, just like that, a large yellow beam shot out, covering the field in its light. It rocketed towards Venusaur and smashed into him. The crowd gasped as the huge grass type flipped over from the impact.

"What a hit!" the announcer yelled. "Look at that power!"

Ash nodded. Bulbasaur definitely had power, and it was time to show more of it. They had to move quickly, as Venusaur was managing to get to his feet. "Vine Whip, quick!" Ash yelled. Bulbasaur immediately ran forward, vines shooting out and reaching to Venusaur. Then, he was slamming them into the opponent, causing Venusaur to roar in pain.

"Counter with your own Vine Whip!" Calem suddenly yelled. As Venusaur was wincing at Bulbasaur's attacks, he managed to slide out a vine, and Ash immediately knew it was trouble. It rocketed out and slammed into Bulbasaur, sending him spinning backwards through the air, before he crashed hard into a rock. The fierce fighter quickly got to his feet, though, not ready to give in.

"Razor Leaf!" Ash yelled. Bulbasaur quickly started running forward, and the sharp leaves started rapidly spinning out towards Venusaur, cutting into him and making him wince.

"Counter with Leaf Storm!" Calem shouted. Then, Venusaur roared loudly, and prepared to send the blast of leaves. However, in that moment, he roared in pain as energy was drained from Bulbasaur's Leech Seed, giving Ash another opportunity.

"Alright Bulbasaur, this one's risky, but you can do it. Solar Beam!" Ash yelled, punching the air.

With Venusaur's forced hesitation, Bulbasaur had the opportunity to begin charging up, but Ash could see the opponent was ready to go again. Calem once again ordered Leaf Storm, and Ash knew this was the final move of the battle. The leaves blasted towards the still Bulbasaur and Ash was sure he'd be sent through the air once again. However, he held strong and kept his grip on the ground.

The barrage of leaves against Bulbasaur couldn't have been easy to take, though. His energy had to be draining. Ash cursed himself. Maybe Solar Beam wasn't the right move to order. However, just as he thought that, a light started to glow from Bulbasaur's back. It was bright, brighter than the first one. Ash smirked, seeing it. "Let it rip!" he yelled.

The blast that was fired out shouldn't have been possible from such a small Pokemon. But, as with most of Ash's Pokemon, Bulbasaur was unique among his kind. His blast of yellow energy easily forced its way past the Leaf Storm and straight into Venusaur. The huge grass type roared in pain and was launched backwards, crashing hard into a rock and exploding it. He didn't move once landing.

"Venusaur is unable to battle," the referee announced. He held up the flag towards Ash and Bulbasaur. "Bulbasaur is the winner!"

As Calem recalled his Venusaur, Ash watched him closely. There was no way the other trainer could be calm, now. But no, he was smiling. He wasn't worried at all. "So far so good, Ash," he said, pulling out his next pokeball. "But it's not over yet, and now things get a lot harder." He then threw out his next pokeball, and a large, orange dragon Pokemon emerged.

"And Calem's fifth Pokemon is Dragonite!" the announcer yelled. "That's a fierce looking Pokemon."

Ash narrowed his eyes. It sure was, but he could beat it. The referee made the call to resume the battle and Ash didn't waste any time. "Bulbasaur, Razor Leaf!" His tough and stubborn grass type didn't hesitate. His leaves shot forward and instantly started battering Dragonote's chest.

Neither Dragonite nor Calem moved to stop it, though. They stood as the leaves struck the orange dragon. Then, after much waiting, Calem made his order. "Flamethrower."

All Dragonite did, was open his jaws, and the fire came rushing out. The flames easily scorched through the leaves and then they rushed towards Bulbasaur. Within a second, they hit the poor grass type and he was launched backwards, where he landed and rolled onto his back.

"Bulbasaur is unable to battle. Dragonite is the winner!" the referee shouted.

Ash stared at the scene in front of him in shock for a moment. Tired or not, Bulbasaur wasn't one to be beaten by a single hit, even if it was a super effective one. He recalled the grass type to his pokeball and thanked him. For a moment, Ash looked at Dragonite, thinking of what he should do next. Pidgeot and Pikachu were tired and might be needed for Calem's sixth Pokemon. Ash needed a fresh one. He smiled at the thought. He had a Pokemon that would love this challenge.

Ash quickly pulled the pokeball from his belt and held it up. "Get ready, Calem, because things are getting harder for you as well." He tossed up the pokeball, caught it, and then threw it out. "Charizard, I choose you!"