Kanto - Celadon City

To say they had a very interesting night was an understatement, after pushing the two beds together, their Pokemon had come in looking at them a little worried. Lucario had taken charge in explaining the situation to the rest of the Pokemon. The two Pikachus who were more sociable and understood things faster then other Pokemon climbed their respective partner's shoulders and refused to get down from their the whole evening. Brock looked at the protective Pokemon curiously but didn't comment although Jameson and Jessilina who had rejoined them for dinner commented it was sweet.

Jameson, "They remind me of Growly. He was very overprotective of me too."

Jessilina, "Don't worry boys, they will calm down one day. Just let them do this, it'll be faster."

Ritchie, "Okay, if you say so... Wait who's Growly?"

Jameson smiled wistfully, "He is my starter, right now he's back at home keeping an eye on everyone and protecting the home front like a boss. He is not into travelling as he used to when he was a Growlithe, when he became an Arcanine he took over my old home and is in charge of security."

Gou's eyes sparkled, "I would love to meet him, he sounds amazing."

Jessilina laughed, "He is, he is."

That night they had quiet a big cuddle session and the bed was to say crowded, very very crowded. With Ash and Ritchie sleeping in the middle and the rest of the Pokemon sleeping around the bed or somewhere in the room as the bed would not fit them. The two Pikachus had explain the situation to the others as simple as they could so they understood the basics of the problem. To say they were worried was saying it lightly and stayed as close as they could to their respective trainers.

Ash woke up the next morning feeling very warm, "Mmmm, morning Pikachu, Lucario!"

Pikachu cooed nuzzling him, "Pikapi!"

Lucario nuzzled him as well, -Morning Meema!-

Phantump was still asleep making Ash smile before getting up, "Ah! We slept half an hour extra today! Let's get going, I want to train more before our battle later today."

Lucario, -I'll wake the others.-

Zippo woke up feeling movement, "Arrrrrr!"

Lucario looked at him hearing his soft rumbling, -We are going to train a bit, we have a gym battle later after all.-

Zippo nodded and took the place Ash and Lucario were sleeping on earlier and cuddled with his trainer. Lucario watched as the large lizard spread his wing over Ritchie and covered him before rumbling contentedly and wishing them luck. He nodded at him as he woke Primeape, Charmeleon, Krabby and Bulbasaur who had joined them the night before. Ash finished washing up and left the room quietly towards the training area where they started to train for their upcoming battle while Bulbasaur was instructed on mastering Sunny day and rainy day.

Ash, "Okay buddy! I know these are not easy to master so, I want you to first master rainy dance, and later during the day time master sunny day. Okay? The next contest is in three weeks in Fuchisa city so we got more or less half a month to master this."

Bulbasaur nodded, "Saur!"

Ash then turned to Charmeleon to help him get used to his newly evolved powerful body and try out how much stronger the attacks have become. The fire starter had soaked up the one on one training with gusto and by the end of it was able to move about and use his attacks as easily as he had while he was a Charmender. While Charmeleon was training his attacks Ash focused on increasing Krabby's defense and taught him hyperbeam using a TM.

It was not as strong as Daisy's Kingler's hyperbeam but it was a start, he helped Krabby to instead make the beam more compact in nature. It would increase the damage if he was able to focus his attack on one spot instead of a large area which would have lesser damage. The young Pokemon was a mischievous little one and enjoyed shooting at the other Pokemon, Charmeleon took it as a challenge and shot him with swift everytime the crab Pokemon shot at him.

Lucario and Primeape meanwhile took to training together with Ash supervising them, they decided to avoid training Ash while in the city despite the early morning. It would get raised eyebrows just like with Paul and while the purple haired trainer thought it was a strange way to train, he didn't judge or spread it around. Other humans may not be as accepting and put their noses where it doesn't belong or the wrong person might figure out something.

Ash, "Okay guys! It's breakfast time now. So ten minutes to cool down and let's get food yeah?"

Phantump who was watching Pikachu make iron tail stronger gave a happy cry, "Pha!"

Ash laughed as he joined the others at the table, "Good morning guys!"

Gou, "Morning Ash, ready for your gym battle?"

Ash, "Yup! Bulbasaur and I even did a little training for the contest."

Misty, "I still don't know how you plan on using those moves together."

Ash, "I already have a plan. How is your preparation coming Brock?"

Brock, "It's good, I'll be registering today actually."

Horace, "You still have a few days to prepare."

Ritchie, "Yeah, do you want to practice on my Pokemon? I get the feeling they'll enjoy the extra care and attention."

Brock, "May I? Truly? I will take good care of them. They'll be looking majestic and amazing by the time the competition comes around."

Gou, "You can practice on my Pokemon too as long as I'm allowed to record it."

Brock laughed, "Of course Gou, once I register yes, definitely."

Dewpider, "Ewp!"

Misty, "I think Dewpider wants to join in."

Phantump, "Phaaa!"

Ash grinned, "Phantump too."

Brock, "Thank you, say you have a battle soon right Ash."

Ash nodded, "In two hours yes."

Gou, "Eat up then, you need to be ready."

Ash pumped his fist up, "We are ready to throw down, right fellas."

Lucario, -Right!-

Ritchie grinned at his friend, the excitement being very contagious especially when his own Pokemon joined in on the cheer. Misty laughed as her Pokemon were very excited too, they had been training their physical attacks to become stronger as water type attacks would not cause much damage to grass types. The two Poliwhirls had Lucario inform Misty that they wanted to watch the battle and see if they can come up with a strategy for their own future battles. Misty had agreed with their request and they had gone together with everyone to watch the battle after Brock had registered himself.

Referee, "This is an official battle between challenger Ash and gym leader Erika for the Rainbow badge. Choose your first Pokemon."

Ash, "Ready buddy?"

Pikachu, "Pika!"

Erika looked at the electric type that downed Surge's Raichu, "Let's go Gloom!"

Gloom, "Oooom!"

Referee, "Begin!"

Ash, "Agility!"

Erika, "Magical leaf!"

Pikachu dodged the magical leaf hitting Gloom.

Erika, "Stun spore!"

Ash, "Neutralise using thunderwave."

Pikachu shot a wave of thunder towards the stun spore burning it.

Ash, "You know what to do. Thunderbolt tackle."

Pikachu gave a nod and used his agility to boost his speed and dodge the many leaves being shot at him. He danced around the flower like Pokemon before going to hit him by applying slight amount of electricity to his tackle. Pikachu increased his speed and tackled Gloom hard and Ash could not believe it, Pikachu had learned how to use Volt tackle.

Referee, "Gloom is unable to battle, Pikachu wins, choose your next Pokemon."

Erika gaped, "Return Gloom!"

Ritchie, "Did that just happen?"

Misty, "I think Pikachu learned a new move!"

Gou, "I got it all on video."

Brock, "Pikachu looks exhausted though."

Horace looked at them worried, "I hope he's okay!"

Erika, "Looks like I underestimated you greatly Ash, well not anymore. Let's go Tangela!"

Ash picked Pikachu up, "You did great bud, don't worry, we'll train and master Volt tackle so you will not be exhausted like this again."

Pikachu smiled and nuzzled Ash, "Chaaa!"

Ash, "Let's go Krabby!"

Referee, "Begin!"

Ash, "Bubble!"

Erika, "Vine whip!"

Ash, "Grab the vine!"

Krabby grabbed the vine whip with one claw before defending himself from the other whip by hitting it with the bubble. Tangela shook his vine trying to get the crab Pokemon off but Krabby stubbornly held on.

Erika, "Vine whip to the ground Tangela!"

Ash, "Harden! Don't let go and ready your claw."

Tangela hit the ground with the vine whip and Krabby before they realized they couldn't retrieve their whip and frowned. The little crab had burried himself in the ground using the momentum of the whip and had him pinned. It annoyed the bush like Pokemon a lot, and they tried to pull hard only for Krabby to let go of the earth and hurtle towards them like a bullet.

Ash, "Now hyperbeam!"

Erika, "Tangela, sleep powder!"

Krabby's hyperbeam hit Tangela head on at point blank range and at the same time he got a powerful whiff of sleep powder. Both Pokemon fell to the ground, one was knocked out and the other was fast asleep.

Ash Σ( ° △ °|||), "Ah! Krabby! Wake up!"

Lucario, -No sleeping on the job!-

Pikachu, "Piiiiika!"

Bulbasaur sweatdropped, "Saur bulba!"

Phantump, "Pha phaaa!"

Erika °Д° , "Tangela?"

Referee, "Krabby and Tangela are unable to battle. Choose your next Pokemon."

Misty laughed, "Well at least he won right?"

Poliwhirl sweatdropped, "Li!", that was one way to win he supposed.

His sister Poliwhirl was looking at the battle in contemplation, "Poli!"

Brock snorted, "It's a draw but I suppose he didn't loose either."

Ash, "Return Krabby! Sleep well little guy! You did quite well for your first gym battle and against someone who had type advantage against you."

Erika, "Return Tangela! Rest up my flower. Now let's go Breloom!"

Breloom, "Loom!"

Ash, "Alright then Primeape! Let's battle!"

Primeape, "Ape!"

Referee, "Begin!"

Ash, "Fire punch!"

Erika, "Thunder punch!"

The two fighting types started to battle throwing the elemental punches while dodging their opponent's attacks, although they got hit from time to time. Primeape refused to back down and attacked the fighting grass type, he would not loose, he refused to loose again. Loosing a battle stung although it did helped in recognizing the flaws and problems, didn't mean he wanted to experience it twice.

Ash, "Use sword dance!"

Erika, "Counter with drain punch!"

Ash, "Use your own drain punch!"

The two punches hit the other Pokemon and both Pokemon twitched at being hit by the other's punch before separating. The two looked at each other the fire punch had stung Breloom a bit, although it seems the thunder punch did not phase Primeape thanks to getting shocked by Pikachu while training.

Ash, "Focus energy, sword dance, fire punch!"

Erika, "Mach punch, sky upper cut!"

Primeape used focus energy to boost his movements in sword dance and dodged the attack from his opponent before going in for a hit. The fire punch landed right on Breloom's stomach getting a shout from the grass fighting type. Despite the pain the fighting type got up to battle and Primeape gave him his respects for having a true fighter's spirit to which Breloom nodded.

Erika, "Okay let's end this, Breloom solar beam!"

Ash, "Primeape focus hyperbeam!"

Primeape nodded and used the remaining focus energy to boost his hyperbeam's attack strength. It would exhaust him once he used it so he had to make it count. Breloom attacked and so did he and just like Ash and he had planned the hyperbeam overpowered the solar beam.

Referee, "Breloom is unable to battle, Primeape is the winner. Choose your next Pokemon."

Primeape sat down exhausted, "Pri primeape!"

Ash rushed to him, "Primeape, are you okay?"

Primeape nodded and Ash continued, "Man, that gamble sure paid off, you won, but for next time let's focus on stamina training."

Primeape nodded as he turned to glomp his trainer who laughed, "Yeah, you were amazing, buddy also do you seem taller?"

Erika and Breloom who had woken up smiled, "They are pretty close huh?"

Breloom nodded tiredly, "Bre!"

Erika, "Get some rest old friend. Now let's go Ivysaur!"

Ivysaur, "Saur!"

Ash, "Do you want to rest in your pokeball or sit with the others?"

Primeape pointed at the stands, "Pri pri ape!"

Ash nodded, "Alright then, off you go! Let's show them what we have got Charmeleon!"

Charmeleon, "Char!"

Referee, "Begin!"

Erika's eyes widened, "A shiny! How lucky, but no matter, magical leaf!"

Ash, "Thank you! Counter with fire swift!"

The swift attack that was boosted with fire burned through the leaves and rushed towards the evolved from of the starter. The Ivysaur however was not worried and easily moved out of the way of the attack. The starter evolution looked at her fire counter part calmly and Charmeleon returned the stare back. They knew it'll be a long battle as they recognized the stubbornness in each other's eyes.

[A. N.: I really enjoyed the movie Pokemon I Choose You, it was different and really cool.]