@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 33: The Grass Menagerie

"You're here...good." Gardenia smiled as the group arrived in a large spacious arena that resembled a forest. "Here's how this will work--three Pokemon a side, single match. Is that okay?"

"Fine by me." Ash replied as he hurried to the Diamond side of the arena.

He nudged Tintri. "You're not mad for sitting this match out?"

[Not at all.] Tintri smiled. [I wouldn't be able to do much against Grass-types anyway.]

With that, he hurried to join Dawn and Brock in the stands. [Good luck!]

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"Sakura, let's go!" Gardenia heaved a Poke Ball into the arena.

"Diddy, I choose you!" Ash heaved a Poke Ball skyward, revealing the Chimchar on the Diamond side of the arena. "Start with an Ember!"

He grimaced as the Cherubi twirled away from the small fireball. "Okay, let's heat things up with a Flame Wheel!"

Brock watched as Sakura flew over the large flaming wheel and landed behind Diddy. "Wait a minute...Sakura's going so fast because of her ability."

"Oh?" Dawn asked.

"Cherubi has the ability Chlorophyll, which relies on sunlight to double speed." Brock explained.

[Whoa!] Diddy gasped as Sakura fired a Solar Beam, jumping away from the massive yellow beam.

"Focus, Diddy! Try Flame Wheel again if you can!" Ash called.

He gasped as the Cherubi fired another Solar Beam, hitting Diddy and knocking him down. "H-how?"

"You forget that Solar Beam needs no time to charge in sunshine." Gardenia reminded Ash. Combined with the double speed, Sakura can get off two attacks in one turn."

Ash shuddered as the Cherubi created a wave of shining leaves. I'm not leaving Diddy to be a sitting Psyduck! he thought as he called his Chimchar back.

"Good call. Luckily for you, Sakura's Solar Beam only clipped Diddy." Gardenia assured Ash. "Remember that sometimes the better part of valor is discretion."

"Point taken." Ash replied before finding his next Poke Ball. "Estrella, let's take flight!"

"Eh-streh-yah!" Brock corrected Ash, making Gardenia giggle as the Staravia materialized in the arena.

Ash watched Gardenia's Cherubi launch another Solar Beam. "Watch out, Estrella! Get close and use Wing Attack!"

He growled in frustration as the Cherubi leaped away from the oncoming bird Pokemon. It fired a Solar Beam, trying as best it could to hit the black and white bird. But the shining ball fizzled out as clouds obscured the sun. Thank you, Arceus! Ash grinned.

He noticed Gardenia's Cherubi conjuring another Magical Leaf. "Estrella, take flight!"

Both competitors and the audience watched in awe as Estrella raced straight up, away from the Magical Leaf. She waited for a moment for the sun to return, watching it force the Cherubi to shield its eyes.

She folded her wings and raced back to earth, striking the Cherubi with Aerial Ace to knock it out.

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"Sakura, come back." Gardenia commanded as she recalled the fainted Cherubi. "I will commend you for turning Sakura's strength to your advantage. Thinking outside the box will take you far."

"Thanks." Ash smiled. "Who's next?"

"Peony, I choose you!" Gardenia next summoned her Turtwig.

Estrella let out a disgusted squawk as the small turtle-like Pokemon appeared. [I have a bone to pick with Sprout-turtle there...]

"If you have a score to settle, this is your chance." Ash told Estrella. "See if you can get in a hit on Peony."

[HAAAAAHHH!!!] Estrella screeched as she streaked at Peony. But Peony jumped away, forcing Estrella to loop back around.

"Circle around and try to use Wing Attack again!" Ash called.

Gardenia grimaced as she watched Peony leap back to avoid Estrella. Estrella would then loop around and dive at Peony again. What's Ash doing? Why is he not changing tactics?

Ash, meanwhile, grinned as Peony ended up getting wedged into a tree. There was a method to my madness. If your Turtwig dodged enough times, it would get stuck in the tree, leaving her vulnerable!

He smiled as Estrella slammed into the Turtwig. "Game over, Peony."

"Not so fast!" Gardenia countered. She watched Peony fire a volley of glowing green seeds, draining Estrella's strength.

[Ash...I'm...sorry...] Estrella wheezed before fainting due to the Leech Seed.

"It's okay...you did your best." Ash assured the Staravia before recalling it. "Diddy, welcome back!"

[HAH!] Diddy leaped to scratch Peony, only to be smothered in leaves.

As the Leaf Storm swirled around him, he noticed a tree near the arena's edge. [Leaf-turtle can't get me there!]

He scrambled up to one of the middle branches as the Leaf Storm slammed onto the safety barrier. [Missed me!]

[Oh yeah?] Peony countered before firing more Leech Seeds up into the tree, seeding Diddy.

Ash made a T signal to the referee, then motioned for Diddy to come down and receive a Potion. "You okay?"

[I did NOT expect Leaf-turtle there to shoot Leech Seeds up here.] Diddy grumbled.

"You've almost got Peony, so hang in there for a little longer." Ash assured Diddy as his time out expired. "Now, go get her!"

"Peony, use Leaf Storm!" Gardenia called.

Diddy leaped away from the swirling leaves and into the sun; slamming down on top of Peony with a massive THUD. "Peony is STILL standing after such a massive attack?" Dawn gasped as both the Chimchar and Turtwig charged at each other.

Gardenia watched as both Pokemon collapsed in exhaustion just before impact. "Well done." she smiled as she recalled Peony. "I have to commend your courage and your love with each of your Pokemon."

"That's how I got this." Ash smiled, showing Gardenia his Mega Ring. "Be glad I don't have any Pokemon I can Mega Evolve yet!"

"Mega Evolution or not, your final opponent is a Pokemon of mine you've never met before. But you will eventually receive one." Gardenia replied before heaving another Poke Ball skyward. "Tsubaki, here we go!"

"A Roserade?" Dawn recognized the flower-being Pokemon Gardenia had summoned. "Ash's two advantaged Pokemon are down, and Tintri won't help."

Brock smiled as Ash summoned Tails, Tails emerging with a heroic backflip. "Ash may stand a chance with Tails, as the Buizel family has some Ice attacks open to them. But using Tails is also a double-edged sword, as he does have a type disadvantage."

"I will admit that Tails does know how to put on a show when he appears." Dawn smiled. "If he ever wants to try out a contest, I can do that!"

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"Tails, try Double Team!" Ash called.

He balked as Gardenia's Roserade heaved a giant vine, destroying all the duplicates! "Look out!"

[Relax, I've got this.] Tails assured Ash. With that, he leaped over the massive knot and fired an Ice Beam.

The Roserade heaved a flurry of Magical Leaves, but Tails wove through all the shining leaves. "Tsubaki, blind the Buizel with Flash!" Gardenia called.

Even Ash shielded his eyes. "Tails, try another Ice Beam if you can!"

[No go--I can't see a thing!] Tails called back as he groped about the arena.

"Tails, listen up." Ash began. "While we wait for your eyes to recover, you can rely on your other senses to sense what's happening."

Tails nodded. [Okay...I'm hearing a humming, crackling noise...]

"That's Weather Ball!" Ash gasped when he saw the Roserade charging a flaming ball. "Try using Ice Beam as a shield!"

He grinned as Tails created an icy shield, blasting the Roserade by its own Weather Ball. "Eyes doing okay?"

[Yeah...things are coming back into view...] Tails reported as he rubbed his eyes.

He noticed a wave of familiar shining leaves, and counter with a Swift attack. The shining stars managed to surround the Roserade. [I think it's time to chill!] Tail taunted as he fired an Ice Beam.

"That was so cool, if you'll forgive the pun." Dawn raved. "It would look great as an appeal."

"I'll say." Brock smiled.

Tails fired another Ice Beam, slamming the Roserade into a tree. "Pearl is unable to battle." the ref announced. "The winner is Diamond."

Ash ran to hug Tails. "You did it! Even though we had the disadvantage, you managed to come through for me."

[Aw, it was nothin'.] Tails smiled.

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"Ash...in recognition of your creative tactics, and your courageous heart; I award you the Forest Badge ." Gardenia smiled as she offered Ash a green badge that resembled a group of trees.

"Thank you." Ash smiled as he accepted the badge, admiring its yellowish glow in the fading sun.

"Go on, show the world what you did." Gardenia smiled. "Shout it from the treetops!"

Ash smiled, and held the Badge high as his friends and Pokemon surrounded him. "I got a Forest Badge!"

To Be Continued...