@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 104: Outrageous Fortunes

"That was very sweet of Mary to give you a Lore Stripe as thanks for your telling." Misty smiled as the group made their way down the road.

"Doesn't it bother you that you earned both your blue and your indigo stripe with no real competition?" Ash wondered.

"Not really." Brock replied as he looked up from the guidebook. "It's no different from you earning a few badges just because back when you started out."

He grinned. "Which I don't regret doing--you've come a long way from that scatterbrained young trainer you once were."

"Yes, you have." Misty agreed. "I think I saw a few glimmers of today when you battled Daisy."

Ash blushed a little. "Well, I'm working on the scatterbrained part...how much further till we get to our next destination?"

"Not far, according to the guidebook." Brock explained as he consulted the chapter on Blackthorn City. "We should be reaching another town here momentarily."

As the group rounded the corner into a town, Misty noticed a large crowd gathered around a mini arena. "Looks like a big match going on...let's go look!"

"Excuse me...sorry...pardon me..." Brock led the way through the crowd in an attempt to get a look at the battle in progress. "Okay...I see two trainers battling with a Hitmontop and a Poliwrath...."

"Bad memories of past Pokethlons..." Misty mused, shuddering as she remembered Andreas.

"Relax--this guy doesn't look like as bad a person like Andreas was." Ash assured Misty as the Hitmontop used Double Kick on its opponent.

He gasped as the Poliwrath used Submission to end the match! "How?" he asked as the two trainers shook hands. "I thought only fighting Pokémon learned Submission, and Poliwrath is a Water type."

"That's because Poliwrath is part Fighting, and therefore learns Submission when it evolves." Misty explained.

"Lets hear it for Mason and Kujira!" the referee called, prompting the crowd to cheer for the Poliwrath and its owner, a brown haired boy.

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"Nicely done!" Ash smiled as the group found Mason and his Poliwrath in the crowd some moments later. "May I ask the occasion for the match?"

"We're having a Power type Pokethlon here today, if any of you three would like to try." Mason explained, gesturing to the Pokethletes beginning to fill up an athletic center.

This guy is a far cry from Andreas and his Poliwrath... Misty thought as she led the way to the check in booth outside the athletic center.

"So? Who are you using for this Pokethlon?" Brock's voice snapped her from her thoughts.

"Michelle, Pearl...and Ami." Misty replied.

"What?" Ash gasped. "Why? Ami would be squished flat by all these big Pokemon!"

Misty unfurled the huge stat list Casey had gave her, which wound around the square. "Watch and learn, you two--note that Marill and Starmie have max Power." She referred to Marill's entry and Starmie's entry on the list, which both had five stars in the Power stat.

"Golduck's nothing to sneeze at with four stars, either." Brock mused as he gathered up the long piece of paper and rolled it up neatly.

Ami, meanwhile, danced around her owner's feet in excitement as the group made their way inside. [Oh boy! I get to go toe to toe with some big Pokemon!]

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"Okay, Ami...our first event is the Block Smash." Misty explained to Ami as Mason and his Poliwrath effortlessly broke all ten blocks with a Hydro Pump. "All you have to do as break as many of those blocks as you can. We need to try and tie Mason by breaking all ten blocks."

[I'll do my best.] Ami smiled.

"Number 7, please approach the line!" the referee called, prompting Ami to scramble onto the platform as ten new blocks were prepped for her to break.

"Ami, use Water Pulse!" Misty commanded.

The crowd watched as the shining wave of water blasted towards the blocks. Misty watched as the water black easily powered through eight of the blocks, but only managed to just barely break the ninth block, putting her in a second place.

Ami heaved with exhaustion. [Wow...those blocks are tougher to break than they look--I only wish I had a little more strength to break that last one!]

"Nine blocks out of ten is still very good." Misty assured her Marill. "All I want is for you to try your best, and you did that very well."

[Yeah...maybe we can do better in the next event.] Ami smiled.

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"Okay, the next event's rules may sound a little complicated, but I'll do my best to explain them at a level you can understand." Misty began as she made her way to the arena where the Circle Push was being held. "The object of the event is to stay inside of the circles projected onto the field, all while keeping others out. The longer you stay in a circle, the more points you get. Whoever has the most points at the end of six rounds, wins."

[I think I get that..." Ami replied as she looked into the stands.

A whistle from Ash and Brock waving to her made a smile form on her face. [I can do this!]

In the stands, Brock watched with concern when the buzzer went off to start the first round. "Are you sure picking Ami was a good idea?" he noted as Amy was sandwiched in between a Machoke and a Venusaur.

"I'm sure Misty knows what she's doing..." Ash smiled as Ami recovered from being caught up in the larger Pokemon around her, using Superpower to shove the Machoke out of the circle. "She never would've picked Ami if she didn't believe she could do this."

Brock smiled as a familiar song started playing over the speakers to motivate the Pokethletes and pump up the crowd. "Yeah...I think all Ami needs is a little motivation!"

With that, he sang We all have a dream inside our hearts that we will follow to the end...
When you make a wish upon a star, the power flows, inside of you!
Everybody listen to this song and sadness will just disappear!
My wishes, dreams and hopes go forth into the world...

Come along and take my hand, come with me for the ride, Ash sang as Ami started making up ground in the second round.
Together we will step through the door
And see the light shining from our own heavenly land!

Both boys then sang at the top of their lungs Come with me and we will see the wonders of the world!
All of the glory, is in our story!

As we make our way to heaven, take it step by step
And get the glory, upon the great stage!

We can go anywhere, so long as we're together
I truly believe it with all of my heart...
The cards here in my hand,
Show you the way...

On the field, Ami heaved the Venusaur out of the six point circle, allowing her to edge the Venusaur out of the lead and clinch the over win by four points! "She did it!" Ash cried. "Nothing like a fight song to motivate you!

In the arena, Misty was ecstatic as she hugged Ami. "Well done! I was a little worried when that Machoke and that Venusaur squished you in the first round..."

[I was just trying to figure out the rules, but I soon got the hang of it.] Ami wheezed as Misty offered her some water.

[I'll take over for the final event.] Michelle offered. [Ami needs a well earned rest.]

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"Okay...the final event is the Goal Roll." Brock reported. "Ami's still tired from the Circle Push, so Michelle's taking over."

"Good idea..." Ash smiled as the ball was dropped into play, making the two minute clock on the scoreboard begin to tick down. "Michelle's good on land and in the water, so she should have no problem."

Mason's Poliwrath stole the ball some moments later to score the first goal of the match, but Ash's sadness at having another Pokemon score was short lived as a sparkling silver ball was dropped into play. "Whoa...never saw that in any prior Goal Rolls!"

"On rare occasions, a silver ball or even a gold ball can drop into play. " Brock explained as he looked over the rules on his PokeNav. "Silver ones are worth two points, and gold ones are worth three."

"Nice!" Ash smiled as Michelle made a powerful kick towards Misty's goal, netting her two points with just under a minute to go!

"Come on!" Brock cheered as Michelle stole another ball away from the Venusaur to try and score another point. Mason's Poliwrath tried to steal the ball, but another powerful kick from Michele put Misty ahead of Mason to win the event, three goals to two.

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"I have to say well done on winning gold by a nose there..." Mason smiled as he and Misty left the medal ceremony that evening. "And well done to your Marill, as well--what's your secret? You must've trained her hard to take on Pokemon several times her size!"

"There is no secret." Misty replied as the boys hurried up to congratulate her. "Just a lot of resolve, a little patience, and plenty of determination."

As she turned to leave with Ash and Brock, she called "Good luck on your own Pokethlon adventure!"

"Okay!" Mason called back as he waved goodbye...

To Be Continued...