649: Battling A Thaw In Relations!
Dodgy Synopsis
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655: Kecchaku Raibaru Batoru! Satoshi tai Shinji!
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Gliscor's attempted X-Scissor is blocked off by Drapion's Pin Missile and knocks it out of the sky. Drapion uses Cross Poison but Gliscor is able to dart out of the way and score a direct hit of Fire Fang, causing Drapion to.... CATCH ON FIRE! It's flesh burns as it screams in agony, it's death cry heard by millions watching around the world and the thousands in attendance. Paul scowls as he watches the bubbling mass of burning fat, his Drapion crashing to the ground unconscious leaving him with only ONE Pokémon left..... but which one is it!?!
Electivire!
The big, tough Pokémon is completely fresh and ready to fight, while the three Pokémon Ash has left have all taken a beating. Brock is concerned that Ash might relax due to his numbers advantage, Barry recognises that Paul still has the advantage and Dawn...... Dawn says there is no need to worry!
Ash had been about to recall Gliscor till Electivire came out, but since electric attacks have no affect on it he decides not to.... but he is slightly confused, wondering if Paul actually has a plan here or if he's using Electivire because he has no other choice.
Paul opens by having Electivire use Thunder on the actual battlefield itself, crashing rocks up into the air and.... back down on top of Gliscor! Gliscor is smashed about and Barry recognises that Paul has borrowed one of Ash's tactics from earlier when Infernape used the battlefield as a weapon. Gliscor recovers though and is happy to continue fighting, so Ash sends it in with Giga-Impact...... right into the grasp of Electivire's tentacle like tails!
Gliscor can't break loose and is completely unable to avoid a Brick-Break attack directly to his forehead, and it is knocked out hard! Gliscor is out, and Paul actually does the unthinkable and pays Electivire a compliment, telling it that it was a job well done. Woah!
Ash sends in Pikachu for Electric vs Electric, and Dawn and Barry note that Pikachu will have the speed advantage over Electivire. But Brock warns this may not be the case, as Electivire has a special ability called Motor Drive that allows it to take no damage from electric attacks AND increase its speed from them! Barry figures that Ash better avoid using electric attacks then, but that does narrow Pikachu's options somewhat.
Barry has Electivire use Thunder on the field again, but Ash was expecting it and has Pikachu counter with Quick Attack, rushing through the falling rocks, leaping up onto one and leaping high into the air in order to rocket down and score a direct physical shot right on Electivire. As it bounces back though, it's within range of Electivire's tails grabbing it, and sitting at home Reggie wonders why Ash fell for the same thing twice.... and then ponders.... maybe Ash INTENDED to do that?
Uncharacteristically, Paul takes the time to talk TO Ash, mocking him by noting that he might have anticipated Thunder but Pikachu is already hurting from previous battles while Electivire is fresh, and Pikachu must be close to reaching its limit. Ash claims that Pikachu is fine though and calls for an Iron Tail, but Electivire spins Pikachu through the air and crashes it into the ground.... but then Pikachu manages to fight its way out of the grip of the tails, actually impressing Paul with its strength.
Electivire moves in with Brick Break and Pikachu intercepts with Quick Attack, the two moves crashing together - surprisingly even. Brock notes that this is becoming a gruelling battle for Paul as well, since they are both limited in their movesets and have to operate strategically. Ash then goes and blows it all by deciding that he has to take a gamble and uses Volt Tackle instead, delighting Paul who orders Electivire to block it. It lifts its hands up and...... BLAM! A massive explosion rocks up into the sky as Pikachu scores a direct shot, falling back as the smoke clears to reveal a charged up Electivire that zooms in with a super fast Thunder Punch...... and Ash has Pikachu immediately counter with Iron Tail, Paul having fallen into HIS trap!
But to Ash's surprise, the two moves seem to be even when Ash was expecting Iron Tail to dominate the Thunder Punch, and as they both strive for dominance, a smirking Paul notes that a similar thing happened in their last six on six battle, only Pikachu only has one tail while Electivire has two arms.... one of which is now free to score a direct shot of Brick-Break. Pikachu tumbles back, struggles to its feet and then collapses - Ash took a gamble and it didn't pay off, and up in the stands Team Rocket are horrified, "their" Pikachu defeated!?!
So now it's down to Electivire vs Infernape, and Ash calls out to Paul that his strategy made all the difference.... but Ash is STILL going to win this. Paul tells him to bring it on, and it's down at last to a one on one battle, and everybody in the stands in enraptured! Everyone?
EVERYONE!
Electivire moves in with Thunder Punch, Infernape counters with Mach Punch, and the two attacks explode and send them both flying backwards. Flamethrower hits Protect, Thunder surrounds Infernape which uses Dig to escape.... then come up and score an Uppercut on Electivire, knocking it back as Infernape takes some recoil damage and Ash hopes this was enough to finish things off.... but Electivire is still standing!
Both Pokémon wail on each other in a succession of heavy blows as Brock watches and points out that this battle feels different because Ash and Paul are finally fighting face to face, head on in the same frame of mind. Reggie once called them two sides of the same coin, taking different approaches to the same goal, but now they're finally of one mind.
Infernape rushes in with Mach Punch but gets in too close, Electivire catching it around the wrist in a repeat of the tactic that Ash has fallen for multiple times today. Electivire blasts it with Thunder, Ash yelling at it to hang in there, and Barry is sure it's over.... and when Thunder finally ends..... Infernape drops to a knee, crashes its face down to the ground and in the stands Team Rocket can't believe it is over, the twerps are miserable, Cynthia ponders what is going on and Reggie frowns.
The judge approaches Infernape, not entirely sure if it is out, and just as he is about to announce it is all over.... Infernape lets out a grunt and looks directly up at Paul, it's former trainer. He stares down at it and tells it that it looks like this is all it has, he was right about it, it IS pathetic.... and Infernape..... gets right the fuck back up!
Paul actually looks surprised as it lets loose with Blaze, the crowd excited (especially Team Rocket) and Reggie thinking it was Ash's plan all along (hahaha, no!) as Ash happily goes along with what is happening, noting that now the REAL battle begins! But Infernape has taken heavy damage to get to this point, so while it is far more powerful than before, it also can't afford to take much damage.
Infernape opens with a HUGE Flamethrower, tearing instantly through Electivire's attempted counter with Thunder. Infernape comes in with Mach Punch, smashing Electivire backwards, and both Ash and Paul claim at the same time,"Let's finish this!" - a Thunder Punch going up against Flare Blitz. The two attacks meet and hold for a moment, then they push past each other and pause in true anime fashion both are left standing back to back, waiting for the right dramatic moment for one to fall. A blast of recoil damage hits Infernape but it holds up, then a massive blast of black smoke crashes over Electivire as the inevitable happens and it is over, it is over it is..... NOT OVER!?!
Through the smoke two red lights emerge, the eyes of Electivire glowing bright as it is still standing, apparently none the worse for wear, and how much can Infernape really have left? This battle is not over.... not yet!
Ash and Paul stare at their Pokémon, the two Pokémon stare at each other and then..... Electivire falls!
Wait.... wait.... Electivire falls? That means.... that means.... THAT MEANS THAT ASH IS THE WINNER! ASH BEATS PAUL! ASH BEATS PAUL AND ASH IS THE WINNER THE ONE WHO WON IS ASH NOT PAUL PAUL LOSES ASH WINS! ASH WINS!
The twerps are delighted, Team Rocket are crying with pleasure.... till they realise they've eaten all their food and haven't sold a bit. Down in the battlefield, Ash hugs Infernape happily and then spots Paul approaching Electivire, returning it to its Pokeball and actually thanking it for a good battle (wow!). He then looks at Infernape which grins and pumps a fist at him before the damage finally catches up to it and it staggers into Ash's arms. Paul smiles (he SMILES!) and walks away, while up on the screen the final four Trainers are matched up and Ash will be facing.... ahhh shit, the mysterious unnamed trainer who uses Darkrai! GODDAMMIT!
Back at Reggie's house, he walks out to tell Paul's other Pokémon that he lost (why didn't he let them watch on television?), but that the loss will just make him stronger and when he gets back, Paul and Reggie will have a battle too.
Outside the Pokémon Center, Barry is looking for Ash but Dawn and Brock don't know where he is. Barry complains he wanted to congratulate Ash and he's nowhere to be seen, and he's going to fine him for that! Cynthia arrives out of nowhere and tells Barry this isn't very nice, and as Barry gapes in astonishment at her, she tells them that she saw Ash running out of the town, probably after Paul.
Down towards the docks, Ash catches up to Paul who tells him that he is impressed with the strength that Infernape has shown. Ash asks him if he is leaving and Paul replies simply that he lost so there is no reason for him to stay, he'll be heading off to Snowpoint City to challenge Brandon once again. Ash wishes him luck, Paul does the same (wow!) and then as he prepares to leave, Ash calls after him that he wants to battle him again real soon. Paul actually looks surprised, then smiles and agrees, and actually waves goodbye as he leaves.... double wow! Back with the twerps, Cynthia comments that she fully expects to see Ash and Paul both end up entering the Champion League at some point and she is eagerly anticipating both.... but before any of that can happen, now that Ash has gotten the biggest monkey of these last couple of seasons off of his back he has another hurdle to defeat, one that has plagued him since the first season of this show. He has to beat some guy nobody ever heard of before who never existed until showing up out of nowhere at the Championship Tournament to screw Ash out of victory at the last second.
So this is it, Gentle Dodgers, next time we find out if Ash's dreams come true or if Darkrai will prove to be part of Ash's continuing nightmare.
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