Sparky!?

Ash is back with his original travelling partners Brock and Misty, they are heading towards route 25 when they see an explosion in the distance.

"Misty hurry up" Ash calls out running further ahead of her, Misty looks at him with a peeved expression as they get closer to the explosion. Pikachu gets to the explosion first and sees a familiar face, "Pika" Pikachu's face lights up as he sees Sparky, the others soon make it to the explosion and see Ritchie sitting on the ground with a burnt crisp afro like hair, Ash runs over to his old rival and helps him up to his feet. "Are you ok Ritchie?" Ash asks putting his hand out to lift Ritchie up, Ritchie reaches out with his hand that is covered by a fingerless dark green glove, he stands up and brushes the ash off of his face and flattening his hair, he looks up at Ash and the others smiling, his clear dark blue eyes fade in with his light brown hair that sits underneath his yellow and blue box like cap, his daggy turquoise tracksuit pants stand out as they squeeze into his thick blue and black standard runners, his long brown backpack sits over his turquoise shirt which is covered by his sleeveless dark green jacket. "Hey Ash, yeah I'm ok just some training with Sparky trying to get his thundershock stronger," Ritchie tells Ash, he looks around to see Brock and Misty, "oh, hey guys sorry I didn't see you" Misty and Brock look at him and smile, "hey Ritchie, long time no see," the two say in weird sync. Ritchie looks around as his facial expression becomes slack-jawed, "What's wrong Ritchie?" Misty asks, "Its nothing, it's just you three have been travelling together a long time, four years and you are still travelling as a trio," Ritchie says in a tight tone, Ash, Misty and Brock looks at each other and laugh, "What is it? Did I saw something funny?" Ritchie getting nervous and confused on what is happening, "Oh no you didn't, it's just that we haven't been travelling together for four years, we recently just got back together, four years with Ash please" Misty tells Ritchie, her laughter getting louder, "it's not that funny Misty," Ash says with annoyance detected in his tone.

"What have you been up to Ritchie?" Ash asks changing the subject, "I recently just competed in the last Sinnoh League" Ritchie replies picking up Sparky and patting him on his spikes fur that points out on top of his forehead. "Sinnoh huh, how'd you go?" Brock asks intrigued, "I did quite well in this league, I managed to win it but it took a lot of failures to finally win a League," Ritchie surprising Ash and Brock who have become more interested in his adventure now, "four years ago when I got knocked out of the Kanto League, I decided to travel to Johto where I was knocked out in the first round, after that, it was hard to keep going but then I heard of this really strong region Bagyo" Brock and Ash look at each other after just learning about the Bagyo Region, "I heard it was the hardest region, and that you need ten badges which were an extreme challenge as well but I thought to myself, I'm at rock bottom now, if I fail this league surely it can't get any worse so I decided to go," Ritchie says letting Sparky go and play with Pikachu, "did you get all ten badges?" Ash asks excited to learn more about the Bagyo region, "I manage to get all ten badges in just the Nik of time and was quite lucky because the place the League was taking place was just the city over from my last badge, which I only had three days to get to and sign in" Brock shocked at how close he came to missing out. "Once I got to the League though there weren't that many trainers, a hundred or two maybe, I manage to defeat the first round just and they also had a time limit which came to a shock" "a time limit?" Ash saying softly, confused on what it means, Ritchie over hears to soft comment and looks at Ash, "yeah that's the expression I had, it means if either trainer is unable to knock out their opponents Pokemon in the given time, both trainers forfeit the match and are knocked out" Brock and Ash eyes widen as they here just how hard this league sounds, "I manage to get past the first round then the second round was tougher then the first just because of the competition, it was a normal match but one of the hardest battles I've ever had, I made it through the second round by the skin on my teeth, Sparky fainted a split second after the opponent, they had to go to a video finish to see the result, but then the third round was a total embarrassment I was up against a trainer named Blake, he wiped the floor with me defeating my three Pokemon with only using one of his, after that I made my way to Sinnoh and competed in that league, compared to Bagyo the Sinnoh League was a walk in the park, I quickly obtained my gym badges and then swooped past the competition at the League and won against a trainer named Barry in the finals I only had to use three of my six Pokemon, Bagyo helped me a lot." Ritchie finishes his story as Brock and Ash look on gob-smacked at what they just heard, "Did you happen to verse a trainer named Tobias in the Sinnoh league?" Ash asks, "Uhh no I don't recall a trainer named Tobias competing why?" Ritchie responds curiously at why Ash asked about that trainer, "He smashed the Sinnoh League when I was there only using his Darkrai, his the one that knocked me out with his Darkrai and Latios" Ash explains to Ritchie, "A Darkrai and Latios, I would have defiantly remembered seeing a trainer with those Pokemon if he was there" Ritchie feeling a little upset he couldn't verse that strong trainer.

"So the Sinnoh League Champion, that's pretty cool Ritchie" Misty compliments him in a flirtatious manner trying to make Ash jealous, "Uhh thanks Misty" Ritchie replies a little creeped out, "you know Brock and I know Barry is a strong trainer, you must have improved a whole lot to be able to beat him," Ash tells Ritchie not paying any attention to Misty who goes bright red in embarrassment, "Don't worry Misty, maybe he's just not there yet give it time" Brock whispers trying to cheer Misty up. "Are you competing in the Kanto League this year Ash?" Ritchie asks curious, "No actually, I'm following these letters" Ash responds pulling out his letters and showing them to Ritchie who studies them, "have you seen anything like this Ritchie?" Brock asks wondering if Ritchie has got letters himself, "no, nothing like this, it seems very odd to just get letters" Ritchie handing the letters back to Ash, "I know Ash, why don't you and I have a battle for old times' sake" Ritchie challenging Ash to a battle with a joyful tone, "You're on Ritchie but this time I won't lose," Ash forgetting about everything and ready to fight, "four on four Ash?" Ritchie shouts out as the two trainers spread apart to let their Pokemon fight, "Four on four, uhh yeah why not!" Ash shouts out with the thought of it taking time away from getting to route 25 coming across his mind briefly.

"Butterfree come help me out!" Ash sending his first Pokemon out, "Butterfree!" Misty says in a high squeaky voice, "Yeah, that one shocked me as well he got him back before he met up with me" Brock explaining to Misty, "Butterfree huh, I've got the perfect opponent then, Happy let's go!" Ritchie sending his first Pokemon out, Happy appears from the bright beaming white light the Pokeball produced, it's a Butterfree as well but is wearing a blue scarf around its neck, "Butterfree verses Butterfree this will be interesting" Ash says under his breath. "Happy tackle" Ritchie calls out the first move, "Butterfree, dodge and use bug buzz" Ash retaliating, the two Pokemon go in at each other but Happy is faster than Butterfree hitting a strong hard tackled, "Happy psybeam" Ritchie calls out, Happy flies up higher to get a better aim at Butterfree and hits psybeam, inflicting more damage on Butterfree, "Butterfree are you ok?" Ash shouts out looking on worried that Ritchie is too strong, "Happy, tackle again" Ritchie keeping the offence up, "Butterfree roll to the side!" Ash shouts out, Happy flying right into Butterfree with a strong tackle hits the ground hard with Butterfree tucking its white wings in and rolling to the side, "Good word Butterfree, don't stop, hit Happy with hurricane" Ash now with the upper hand, Butterfree flaps its wings causing a ferocious hurricane sucking Happy into it, hurting the Pokemon and sending it back into the ground, "Happy!" Ritchie calls out, he now the one that is wondering if Ash is too strong for him, "Butterfree stun spore" Ash calls out, "Happy flap your wings to blow the stun spore away" Ritchie hoping Happy has enough strength to get up, Butterfree unleashes a yellow stun spore from its wings, but Happy gets up in time and blows the stun spore away, "Happy tackle" Ritchie trying to turn this around, "dodge it Butterfree" Ash calling out, Happy goes in for a tackle but Butterfree moves out the way. "Perfect, Happy sleep powder" Ritchie calls out seeing Happy is now flying higher than Butterfree, "Butterfree get out of there!" Ash calls out in a panic but it's too late, Happy unleashes a purple sparkly powder from its wings hitting Butterfree and causing it to fall asleep, "Great work Happy, now finish it off with hyper beam," Ritchie ready to end the battle, "Butterfree wake up!" Ash shouts out hoping it will wake his Butterfree, Happy unleashes a powerful orange white beam of light right at Butterfree, the hyper beam connects and causes Butterfree too faint, 0-1 Ritchie takes the early lead. "Butterfree return, thank you" Ash looks at his Pokeball that contains Butterfree and smiles, "you've become stronger Ritchie" Ash shouts across the field, "I'd hope so four years is a long time Ash" Ritchie taking the compliment a little arrogantly, "Haunter come on out!" Ash sends out Haunter as his second Pokemon, "WHAT!" Misty shouts out causing Ash and Ritchie to look at her confused, "Is that the Haunter from all those years ago?" Misty still shocked, "Yeah we ran into it a couple of days ago and Ash agreed to take Haunter with him on his journey" Brock explaining to the shocked Misty sitting next to him.

"Happy end this the same way sleep powder" Ritchie starting the second battle off first again, "that won't work, Haunter vanish and hit shadow claw" Ash calling out his attack with a confident tone, Happy lets out its sleep powder but just like Ash said Haunter vanishes causing Ritchie and Happy to look around frantically for the ghost Pokemon, "now Haunter" Ash calling out for Haunter to appear and attack, Haunter appears behind Happy and hits shadow claw landing a critical hit and sending Happy to the ground and knocking it out, 1-1 it's tied up. "Happy return, good win before, Rose will take it from here, come on out" Ritchie throws his Pokeball out letting Rose out in the air. "Another flying type huh, that���s a strong-looking Swellow" Ash saying under his breath not taking his opponent lightly, "Haunter Shadow claw" Ash starting out the fight this time, "Rose double team" Ritchie on the defensive, Haunter grows his shadow claw larger than last time wiping out the false Swellow and hits the real one, "don't take that Rose hit back with quick attack" Ritchie staying in the fight, the two Pokemon go back and forth both landing some pretty strong hits and missing some important attacks as well.

Haunter hits the ground hard, "Rose brave bird" Ritchie calling out seeing an opening to end the fight, Rose powers up its move and flies right for Haunter, Haunter dodge's at the last minute but Rose manages to pull up quickly before hitting the ground, "Haunter shadow punch" Ash calls out seeing Rose distracted, Haunter sees his opponent pull up and float in the air, Haunter floats in and hits a strong shadow punch on Rose sending him tumbling across the ground. Rose regroups and flies back up, "Rose finish this and use brave bird" Ritchie calls out wanting to end this fight, "Haunter hit shadow claw when Rose gets close" Ash still sticking to his strategy of hit close and hit hard, the two Pokemon power up their moves, Rose surrounding itself in a blue-white light and flies towards Haunter whose created a strong dark purple shadow claw, Rose flies into Haunter and manages to hit brave bird but also gets hit with Haunter's shadow claw. The two moves colliding causes a small dust cloud making Ash and Ritchie cover their eyes, the dust disappears and the two Pokemon are seen knocked out clearly, 2-2 still tied up with two Pokemon each left. "Rose, Haunter Return, thank you" the two trainers return their Pokemon and thank them. "Sparky you ready," Ritchie says in a joyous tone for the battle looking at his Pikachu next to his feet, "Pika" Sparky responds running onto the field, "Pikachu ready" Ash smiles and looks to his Pikachu who runs onto the field "Pikachu" he shouts out with a determined tone, the two electric mouse Pokemon start the battle off with their thunder moves, "Pikachu thunderbolt" Ash calls out, "Sparky thundershock" Ritchie calls, the two Pokemon lets out a pulse of electricity at each other shocking one another, they take the hit feeling each other's strength, they continue to fight like this for the majority of the fight, "Pikachu volt tackle" Ash will call out, "Sparky electro ball" Ritchie will respond, the battle went on like this for about ten minutes both Pokemon exhausted but not giving each other a second to recover.

"Quick attack!" both trainers call out, the two Pikachu run at each other and hit head-on sending each other back into their trainer's corner, Pikachu falls down to a knee giving Sparky and Ritchie and opening, "Sparky thunder punch!" Ritchie calls taking the opening, "Pikachu dodge and grab Sparky's tail" Ash calls out using his one of a kind strategy, Sparky runs over to the kneeled down Pikachu and is about to hit a strong thunder punch but Pikachu manages to slide out the way just in time and grabs Sparky's tail, "throw it in the air and use Iron tail" Ash shouts out, Pikachu throws Sparky into the air and jumps up hitting iron tail right into Sparky's belly sending him hard into the ground. "Ash has become more vicious in his battle," Misty tells Brock as she watches Pikachu hit a hard iron tail on Sparky, "He's grown up a lot his become more dangerous in battles I think it's a good thing" Brock studying his friends battling style. "Good work Pikachu that should be it" Ash cheering on his buddy, "Pika" Pikachu responds out of breath as they look on at Sparky whose lying motionless on the ground, "Sparky don't give up, hit back with quick attack" Ritchie calls out in sheer hope Sparky is fine, Sparky out of nowhere jumps up and runs towards Pikachu with a silver light appearing behind it, "Pikachu get ready," Ash tells Pikachu surprised Sparky is still going, Sparky running at Pikachu is gaining speed but trips over its own feet and stumbling through the dirt coming to a stop right in front of Pikachu. The two trainers look on and see Sparky has fainted, "Good job Pika" Ash interrupted as he sees his Pokemon faint on top of the other Pikachu, Ash and Ritchie run of the field and pick up their Pikachu, "thank you" they say to their Pokemon who began consciousness and smile at each other.

3-3, both trainers have one Pokemon left, "Primeape lets see those punches of yours" Ash calling Primeape out for his last Pokemon, "Hope come out and assist" Ritchie sends out his last Pokemon, a light blue Pokemon appears from Ritchie's Pokeball, a Pokemon Ash hasn't seen before, "What Pokemon is that" Ash pulling out his Pokedex, 'Pokedex not updated, data on Pokemon unavailable' Ash looks up at the Pokemon and studies it, its frog like red eyes with dark blue pupils poke out the top of its crab-shell like head which sits above a round chubby like body, the Pokemon doesn't seem to big, about the same height as Pikachu, possibly even smaller, the Pokémon's little skinny dark blue legs somehow hold up its body weight, it's blue round boxer glove like claws stand out as the strongest part of this Pokemon with what seems to be solid clear bubble sitting on top of each claw for that extra oomph it needs, "Hope is from the Bagyo region, its Pokedex name is Krabboul it was the first Pokemon I caught there and helped me win the Sinnoh League" Ritchie boasts about his small Pokemon, "Primeape start with thrash" Ash starting off the last battle strongly, Primeape runs in at Hope fast catching it and Ritchie off guard, Primeape unleashes a series of punches and kicks on the small blue Pokemon and then backs away from it, Primeape's expression drops, its eyes widen and jaw dropped opened as he looks at his opponent, Hope standing there looking like he didn't feel a thing from the former P1 World Champion. "How…What" Ash stuttering in shock, "As I said, Bagyo Pokemon they are like nothing you've ever seen before," Ritchie laughing a little at his opponent's shock, "Hope show them your power hit an uppercut with crab hammer" "krrrr," Hope says as he scampers his way at Primeape moving side to side quickly, Hope's left claw lights up in a dark blue colour with the solid bubble lighting up an ice blue, he launches an uppercut at Primeape hitting a hard hit under Primeape's chin sending him up and off his feet landing square on his back in front of Ash, "oh my" Misty gasps, "never judge a Pokemon by its looks," Brock says still in a little bit of shock at this little Pokemon, "Primeape are you ok?" Ash calls out seeing Primeape sit up and lean on his left leg, he looks at his small opponent and squints his eyes, "Hope, don't stop bubble beam" Ritchie keeping the moves up, "Primeape dodge and hit mega punch but aim for the legs" Ash aiming at what looks to be a weak spot, Hope puts both his claws out in front of it and opens them up letting out a string of bubbles hurling at the running Primeape, Primeape takes the bubble beam head-on lifting his arms up in a cross to take most of the force, his runs through the bubbles like they are nothing and reaches Hope sliding past and hitting its tiny legs with a hard mega punch sending it down to the ground in pain, "Hope!" Ritchie calls out watching his Pokemon in pain, "Primeape grab Hope and throw him into the ground then chuck him up in the air" Ash continues the attack, Primeape runs back past Hope and grabs the fallen Pokemon but the claw and in one fowl swoop, swings the tiny crab Pokemon from one side of its body up and over hitting the ground in a hard thud then throws him high in the air, "Primeape jump up and use outrage" Ash saying in a hurry, Primeape jumps up at the small Pokemon and is about to hit outrage, "Hope protect and push it into the ground" Ritchie calling out coming up with a strategy of his own, Hope covers himself in a blue force field and pushes the bottom of it towards the ground cleaning up Primeape in the process and pushing him into the ground with a hard thud.

Hope makes his way back in front of Ritchie you can see the pain it's in especially its legs, Primeape stands up huffing and puffing also in visual pain, the two Pokemon looking like they can't go on much longer, "Hope, crab hammer end it" Ritchie calling out, Hope runs at Primeape this time slower then last time with its injured legs, "Primeape watch it and use seismic toss" Ash calls out calmly, Primeape grabs the slowed down Hope with ease and throws it hard into the ground hurting it, even more, Hope struggles to get back up, Primeape still feeling the effects of hitting the ground from that protect, "Primeape let's end this Mega Punch!" Ash calling out, "Hope fight power with power show him he wasn't such a legendary P1 Champion as everyone makes him out to be, Mega punch too" Ritchie insulting Primeape as the two Pokemon run at each other, Primeape���s right fist lights up as he makes his way closer to Hope, Hope's left fist light up as it gets closer to Primeape.

*SMACK

The two Pokemon land strong punches directly in each other face, Primeape needing to lean over to make contact with Hope lands his strong punch in the right side of his face hitting the bottom of Hope's right eye, Hope jumping up as he hits Primeape with a strong punch as well square in the nose causing Primeape's eyes to water a little. The two Pokemon who are now on one knee doesn't seem to be moving as you hear the heavy breathing they are producing trying to recover from their last hit, "Primeape! Hope!" The two trainers call out but that's all, Primeape and Hope fall over at the same time knocking each other out and ending this fight in a tie 4-4. Ash and Ritchie run over to their fainted Pokemon and kneel down helping them up as they regain consciousness, "Primeape you did awesomely, are you ok?" Ash asks with a concerned tone, "Hope you showed him size doesn't matter well done" Ritchie encourages his small Pokemon as he helps it to its feet, the two Pokemon looks at each other, the tension so thick you can see cut it with a knife, Primeape breaks the tension with a small smile and thumbs up showing respect to the little Pokemon who respond by nodding his head and putting his fist up.

"That was a good battle Ash" Ritchie complementing Ash on the battle, "next time, let's have a six on six" Ash with his trademark tooth showing grin shaking Ritchie's hand, "that was an exciting battle you two," Misty says walking over, "you two have really improved since last time we saw you fight" Brock complementing the two trainers who smirk at each other, "so where are you headed off to now, Ritchie?" Ash asks, "I'm heading to Prof. Oaks lab, I need to ask him something" Ritchie responds trying not to reveal too much, "well good luck with whatever you're going to attempt next" Brock says seeing Ritchie's doesn't want to answer to much questions about what he's doing, "I'm sure we'll see each other again," Misty says with a smile still trying to make Ash jealous who just ignores her, "till next time Ritchie" Ash smiles at his old rival as they depart ways waving goodbye to each other, "Route 25 here we come!" Ash shouts out making his way through the grass.

"So Sparky, that was quite a battle," Ritchie says turning his head to see Ash and the others are out of sight, "let's finish this letter yeah" Ritchie still talking to his Pikachu pulls out a letter similar to what Ash has.