Chapter 44: Unexploded
Forretress groaned as it struggled to stay upright, its heavily armored frame splintered in sections from the sheer force of the attack.
"Haunter's overwhelming it!" Brock noted from the sidelines. "Bugsy's Forretress has almost no offensive power against something as nimble as Haunter!"
Bugsy clenched his fists but refused to back down. "Now's not the time to hold back. Forretress, let's use Explosion—give it everything you've got!"
Forretress' body began to glow white-hot as an enormous build-up of energy surrounded it. The battlefield trembled as the Bug/Steel Pokémon prepared to unleash all its energy in one massive attack.
"Ash!" Misty shouted from the stands. "Explosion will deal huge damage! Be careful!"
But Ash wasn't fazed. "Not gonna happen! Haunter, Hypnosis!"
Haunter floated closer to Forretress, its glowing eyes pulsating hypnotically. The waves of psychic energy descended over Forretress before it could finish charging its attack.
Within seconds, the Pokémon stopped glowing entirely and closed its eyes as it fell into a deep sleep.
"Wha—!" Bugsy looked stunned. "You stopped the Explosion…"
Ash smirked, crossing his arms confidently. "You're strong, Bugsy, but Haunter's got strategies that'll knock your team out before they can even touch us. Haunter, finish it off with Dream Eater!"
Haunter chuckled wickedly as ethereal tendrils of energy flowed from Forretress' sleeping form into its outstretched claws.
Forretress groaned faintly as its energy was drained, leaving it motionless. The faint purple glow around Forretress faded as it collapsed onto the ground, unable to battle.
"Forretress is unable to battle! Haunter wins!" the referee announced.
Bugsy sighed, recalling his Pokémon with a small smile. "Well, that was impressive, Ash. You didn't give Forretress a single opening. Rarely do I see someone use Hypnosis and Confusion so well in a gym match!"
Ash grinned as Haunter floated triumphantly in front of him. "Haunter's one of a kind! We've been preparing for battles like these, and it definitely paid off!"
---
Bugsy wasted no time. "Scyther, start with Vacuum Wave!"
Scyther's scythes glowed with a pale white-blue shine as it slashed at the air with blinding speed. The strike created a razor-sharp blast of wind that rocketed toward Haunter in a blur.
"Haunter, dodge it!" Ash yelled.
Haunter's body vanished instantly, leaving nothing but a faint afterimage as the cutting blast zipped past harmlessly. It reappeared on the opposite end of the battlefield, floating toward Scyther as if mocking it.
"Keep up the pressure! Vacuum Wave again, and get closer!" Bugsy commanded.
Scyther launched another air slash, this one much closer than the last, and shot forward in pursuit of Haunter with unrelenting speed.
The combination of its aerial attack and blazing advance had put many opponents on the defensive—but Ash was ready.
"Haunter, use Confuse Ray!"
Haunter's smile widened as its eyes glowed a haunting yellow. It unleashed flickering yellow rings of psychic energy that rippled through the air, heading straight for Scyther.
"Dodge it, Scyther!" Bugsy shouted.
Scyther's amazing agility allowed it to dart sideways, narrowly avoiding the Confuse Ray. Haunter, far from discouraged, simply chuckled softly and vanished into thin air again.
"Don't let it hide, Scyther! Close in with Slash!"
Scyther growled determinedly, flitting from one side of the battlefield to the other at mesmerizing speed, its scythes glowing white as it searched for Haunter.
---
But Ash smirked, his mind already working faster. "Haunter, now! Shadow Ball!"
Out of nowhere, Haunter reappeared directly behind Scyther, hovering eerily. Without giving its opponent a chance to react, it fired a perfectly charged Shadow Ball at point-blank range.
The dark-purple sphere of ghostly energy struck Scyther's back, sending the Bug/Flying-type tumbling forward.
Scyther let out a pained grunt but quickly regained its balance midair, its wings buzzing angrily as it turned to glare at Haunter.
Bugsy clenched his fists. "That Shadow Ball hit hard, but we're not done yet! Scyther, use Agility!"
Scyther's speed increased dramatically as rainbow-like trails followed its rapid movements. Its already blinding quickness became almost impossible to follow as it zipped across the battlefield. Haunter's red eyes darted left and right, tracking its movements.
"Now, Slash again!" Bugsy commanded.
Scyther zeroed in on Haunter, its glowing scythe slicing through the air like lightning. This time, the Bug Pokémon struck true, slashing across Haunter's body and sending it spinning backward.
"Haunter!" Ash called worriedly.
But the Ghost-type quickly shook off the strike, its wicked grin returning. Ghost Pokémon were known for their resilience, and Haunter wasn't going to be taken down that easily.
"Good hit!" Bugsy said with a grin. "Now follow up with another Vacuum Wave!"
Scyther didn't hesitate, launching another cutting wave of wind toward Haunter as it surged forward, aiming for another close-ranged slash.
"Haunter, intercept it with Shadow Punch!"
Haunter's right claw glowed harshly with ghostly energy as it lunged forward. Barreling through the Vacuum Wave without hesitation, Haunter's glowing fist connected with Scyther's chest, and the impact caused Scyther to stagger back in pain.
---
Both Pokémon hovered on the limit of their endurance, their trainers burning with excitement.
"You've fought well, Ash," Bugsy said firmly, his tone growing intense. "But Scyther's not done yet! Let's finish this—Fury Cutter!"
Scyther's mighty scythes gleamed as it rushed toward Haunter with relentless swinging strikes.
Each time it closed the gap, its scythes became sharper and faster, glowing more fiercely with each attack.
But Ash's confidence didn't waver. He watched Scyther's movements carefully. "Now's our chance, Haunter! Dodge and finish it with Thunder Punch!"
Haunter let out an excited laugh as it ducked and weaved, evading Scyther's predictable strikes with its agility and levitation.
Then, with its grin stretching wider, Haunter's claw began to crackle with golden-yellow electricity.
"Go!" Ash roared.
In one swift motion, Haunter zipped behind Scyther again, its electrified punch slamming into the Bug-type's side.
Electricity arced across Scyther's body, causing it to cry out in pain. The raw power of the Thunder Punch sent Scyther sprawling across the icy battlefield.
Bugsy's eyes widened in shock. "Scyther, no!"
Scyther attempted to regain its footing, but its legs buckled beneath it as it collapsed to the ground with swirls in its eyes.
"Scyther is unable to battle!" the referee declared, raising his hand. "Haunter wins! The winner of this gym challenge is Ash!"
---
Bugsy stared at the battlefield in disbelief. He had lost all three matches, and not once had his Bug-types landed a decisive strike.
The sheer skill and synergy between Ash and his Haunter were undeniable. Their mix of speed, power, and clever tactics had completely outmatched him.
Bugsy smiled as he recalled his Scyther. "You've improved, Ash. Not many people can clean-sweep me so decisively. That Haunter of yours… it's something special."
Ash grinned, kneeling as Haunter floated triumphantly toward him. "Thanks, Bugsy. You gave us an awesome battle, but Haunter's the real MVP today!"
"Congratulations, Ash. I underestimated you, but this battle has taught me a lot. I hope we can have a rematch someday."
Ash accepted the badge with a grin. "Thanks, Bugsy. I'd like that too."
The Hive Badge was unique, resembling the back of a ladybug with red and black spots. Ash pocketed it proudly before joining Misty as they left the battlefield.
As Bugsy watched them go, he silently vowed to train harder. Next time, he wouldn't let his guard down. Next time, he'd give Ash a battle worthy of his title.
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