After the chaotic episode with Snorlax on Butwal Island, Ash and his group finally encountered clear skies and calm seas.
Riding on Lapras, they successfully arrived at the final Gym of their Orange Islands journey, Kumquat Island.
The island was famous for its beautiful beaches and luxurious resorts. The air itself seemed filled with relaxation and elegance.
As soon as they stepped onto the dock, an elegant and gentle-looking lady hurried toward them.
Her gaze immediately locked onto Ash, especially when she saw the Pikachu on his shoulder. Her eyes instantly filled with excitement and emotion as she rushed forward and tightly embraced him.
"Travis! My child! You've finally come back! Mommy missed you so much!" Her voice trembled as she rubbed Ash's hair and cheeks, pressing his face deeply into her embrace.
Ash froze on the spot. The "warm pressure" on his face almost made it hard for him to breathe, but he quickly realized what was happening. This woman was the Gym Leader of Kumquat Island, Luana!
In the original story, she had a son named Travis who looked very similar to him and also had a Pikachu. Clearly, she had mistaken him for her son!
"Mmph… no…" Ash struggled to explain, but his voice was muffled.
Standing nearby, Misty watched as Ash was tightly held in the arms of this mature and beautiful woman. Especially seeing his face pressed against her chest, she suddenly felt an inexplicable discomfort. Her expression sharpened unconsciously, her gaze turning piercing as she stared at Ash and Luana.
Though Ash was dizzy from being hugged, his keen Aura still sensed the "cold" gaze behind him, and his survival instincts immediately kicked in!
He suddenly pushed himself free from Luana's embrace and staggered back a few steps, his face flushed red, half from lack of air and half from embarrassment.
"W-wait! Ma'am, you've got the wrong person! I'm not Travis! I'm Ash from Pallet Town!"
Luana was stunned by his sudden escape. Hearing his words, she looked at him more carefully. While he did resemble her son closely, his eyes and demeanor were indeed different.
Only then did she realize her mistake. Apology and a trace of sadness appeared on her face.
"Ah… I'm so sorry! I miss my son Travis so much… You look so much like him, and you both have a Pikachu… I was too forward. Please forgive me."
Ash let out a sigh of relief, straightening his messed-up hair and clothes. "It's okay, really. I understand."
He secretly glanced at Misty and saw that her expression had softened somewhat, which finally allowed him to relax.
Luana looked at Ash, Pikachu on his shoulder, as well as Misty and Tracey behind him, regaining her composure.
"I'm here to challenge the Kumquat Gym!" Ash immediately stated his purpose, his eyes firm once more.
"A challenger, I see…" Luana nodded, about to respond.
Suddenly, a loud mechanical roar interrupted her.
A clumsy-looking, unstable robot rushed in from the other side of the dock, and sitting at the front were the Team Rocket trio!
"Wahaha! Didn't expect to run into you here!"
"Prepare for trouble!
And make it double!
To protect the world from devastation!
To unite all peoples within our nation!
To denounce the evils of truth and love!
To extend our reach to the stars above!
Jessie!
James!
Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!
Surrender now, or prepare to fight!
Meowth! That's right!"
The robot extended its mechanical claws, reaching toward Ash and Luana!
"Pikachu, get ready…"
Ash was about to give an order when Luana calmly spoke beside him.
"Causing trouble right in front of my Gym isn't allowed."
She didn't even take out a Poké Ball. With a simple snap of her fingers, two figures appeared instantly.
Alakazam's eyes glowed blue as a powerful Psychic force restrained the robot, rendering it completely immobile.
Marowak leapt high into the air, its bone club flashing cold light as it launched three Bone Club attacks with perfect precision at the robot's joints!
Crack! Clang!
The robot emitted black smoke and froze in place. Inside, Team Rocket was left completely disoriented.
"How did this happen?!"
"Our new machine!"
"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!"
Amid their screams, the robot collapsed to the ground, completely destroyed once again. Luana hadn't even used her full strength to resolve the situation with ease.
Watching this, Ash felt a deep respect for the seemingly gentle Gym Leader. Such power and coordination!
"Sorry for the disturbance," Luana said as she recalled Alakazam and Marowak, as if she had done something trivial. She turned back to Ash. "So, Ash, are you certain you want to challenge my Kumquat Gym? The rules here are double battles."
"Double battles?" Ash's eyes lit up. This was exactly what he wanted. He had long wanted to test coordination between his Pokémon. "No problem! I accept!"
"Very well." Luana smiled approvingly. "Then please follow me to the Gym."
The Kumquat Gym's battlefield was spacious and luxurious, like an indoor arena. The spectator seats were already filled with quite a few people.
"The rules are a two-on-two double battle. When both Pokémon on one side lose the ability to battle, the match ends," the referee announced.
"My partners will be the same as before," Luana said as she sent out Alakazam and Marowak, the same duo that had effortlessly defeated Team Rocket.
Alakazam's eyes shone with wisdom, its spoon slightly bent. Marowak stood firm, gripping its bone club tightly. Standing together, the two Pokémon radiated powerful presence and flawless coordination.
Ash took a deep breath and, without any hesitation, threw out two Poké Balls he trusted the most.
"You're up… Charizard and Pikachu!"
"Roar!" Charizard spread its wings, releasing a wave of scorching heat.
"Pika!" Pikachu leapt from Ash's side to stand in front of Charizard, electricity crackling across its cheeks.
On one side stood the perfectly coordinated duo of Psychic and Ground types. On the other, the powerful combination of fire and electricity. The battle was about to begin!
"Battle start!"
Luana made the first move, aiming to split the battlefield.
Alakazam's eyes glowed intensely blue as an invisible force instantly enveloped Pikachu, attempting to bind it and throw it out of the arena. At the same time, Marowak hurled its spinning bone club toward Charizard with a sharp whistling sound.
"Pikachu, use Quick Attack to break free! Charizard, take to the air and dodge, then use Flamethrower on Marowak!" Ash reacted quickly.
Pikachu flashed with white light, forcibly breaking free from the Psychic hold, though its movement was slightly slowed. Charizard swiftly ascended, dodging the Bone Club, and opened its mouth to unleash a blazing Flamethrower at Marowak below.
"Marowak, Dig!" Luana commanded calmly.
Marowak quickly burrowed underground, avoiding the flames.
"Alakazam, use Psybeam on Charizard!"
Alakazam pointed its spoon at the airborne Charizard, firing a distorted beam of psychic energy.
Unable to fully dodge, Charizard was grazed by the attack. It let out a pained roar and fell into a state of confusion, beginning to fly erratically in the air.
"Charizard! Snap out of it!" Ash called out anxiously, but it had little effect.
"Pikachu, watch the ground!" Misty warned from the sidelines.
Sure enough, Marowak burst out from beneath Pikachu and slammed its bone club down!
Pikachu barely managed to jump aside, but the shockwave still hit it, leaving it somewhat disheveled.
A bad start. Ash was pushed onto the defensive. Luana's team showed perfect coordination, using their type advantage and battlefield tactics to great effect.
"This won't work!" Ash forced himself to stay calm. "Pikachu, trust Charizard! Jump onto its back! Charizard, sense Pikachu's position!"
Perhaps it was the power of their bond. Even in its confused state, Charizard instinctively lowered its altitude toward Pikachu. Seizing the opportunity, Pikachu leapt onto Charizard's back!
"Good! That's it!" Ash's eyes gleamed. "Pikachu, use Thunder on the entire field! Charizard, hold steady, endure it, then use Heat Wave on the ground!"
This command shocked everyone. Thunder was an indiscriminate attack, Charizard would take damage too!
But Ash's Pokémon trusted him completely.
Pikachu unleashed its strongest Thunder without hesitation. Golden lightning ravaged the battlefield! Charizard endured the strike with a roar, beating its wings powerfully. The scorching heat mixed with the lingering electricity, forming a terrifying storm of lightning and fire that swept across the field!
The combined energy erupted violently at the center, creating devastating destruction.
"Alakazam, Teleport to dodge! Marowak, dig quickly!" Luana's expression changed as she urgently commanded.
But they were a moment too late.
Marowak was struck by the edge of the lightning-fire storm. It cried out as it was blasted out of the ground, its body charred black, losing its ability to battle!
Meanwhile, after enduring Thunder and the recoil of its own Heat Wave, Charizard finally broke free from its confusion. Though heavily injured, its eyes regained clarity. It exchanged a glance with Pikachu on its back, both filled with the spirit of fighting side by side.
The tide of battle turned instantly!
Now it was Pikachu and Charizard against a lone Alakazam!
"Alakazam, full power Psychic!" Luana made her final attempt.
A massive wave of psychic energy surged toward the airborne duo like a tidal wave.
"Charizard, use Dragon Dance and accelerate upward! Pikachu, fire Thunderbolt along the Psychic's path and send it back!"
Charizard let out a powerful roar. A dragon-like aura appeared around it as its speed surged. Carrying Pikachu, it spiraled upward, narrowly avoiding the core of the Psychic attack.
At the same time, Pikachu released Thunderbolt along the incoming psychic wave. The electricity traveled through the invisible channel of psychic energy, moving even faster!
Alakazam never expected such a counterattack. Caught off guard, it was struck directly by the Thunderbolt guided by its own Psychic power. It was super effective!
Alakazam staggered, unable to endure any longer, and collapsed to the ground.
"Alakazam and Marowak are unable to battle! The winner is Ash from Pallet Town!" the referee announced loudly.
"We won! We actually won!" Ash pumped his fist excitedly.
Charizard slowly descended. Pikachu jumped down from its back, and the two partners high-fived in celebration. Their thrilling and flawless coordination had deepened their bond even further.
Luana recalled Alakazam and Marowak, then walked over to Ash. Her expression carried sincere admiration and a hint of emotion.
"That was incredible, Ash. The trust between you and your Pokémon, and your ability to adapt in battle, especially that risky combined attack at the end, was truly impressive. You possess extraordinary talent."
She took out a badge, three leaf-shaped pieces that shimmered like colored glass, glowing with a dreamy brilliance.
"This is the Jade Star Badge, proof that you have defeated the Kumquat Gym. Congratulations, Ash!"
Ash solemnly accepted the exquisite badge, feeling its weight in his hand.
He took out his badge case and placed the Coral-Eye Badge, the Sea Ruby Badge, the Spike Shell Badge, and now the Jade Star Badge together.
Four badges, all collected!
"That's amazing, Ash!" Misty and Tracey ran over, celebrating with him.
"With this, you've qualified to challenge the Orange League's Winner's Cup!" Tracey said.
Ash clenched his badge case and looked into the distance, as if he could already see the final stage ahead.
The adventure in the Orange League was about to reach its climax!
...
RedX43's Note:
➤ Want More? Get up to +25 Extra Chapters on Patreon!
➤ [email protected]/RedX43
➤ +200 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter Drop!
➤ Consider giving a review or leave some comments, it help boost the story!
➤ Thanks for reading! 🙌