The Return of The Forgotten

Chapter 18

Previously
The pokemon roared as they collided, dust flew up around the two pokemon. The crowd gasped and some of them closed their eyes due to the brutishness of the attacks. The crowd were at the edge of their seats as they waited to the dust to go down.

You could see that a dark blue dragon was still standing on the field. People gasped when they saw the aura-pokemon lying on the ground...

Ash lowered his head.
Now
"Oh no..." Was the only sound from the booth that contained Ash's friends. They looked on as the smoke cleared and they saw Lucario lying on the ground and Garchomp using all of his strength to not fall down. They saw Cynthia give a confused look towards the dark haired trainer and when they turned their gazes to him they saw that he had lowered his head and was... smiling?
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"Lucario..." Ash thought to his pokemon. "It's okay if you can't get up... but if you can, please do it!"

Even though Pikachu couldn't hear Ash he was shouting the same words.

"I... I think I can try... master!" Lucario panted and clenched his teeth in pain.

"Do it for me Lucario, do it for our friends, do it for the aura!" Ash communicated with the aura-pokemon.

"The... Aura... Is... With... Me!"

The referee was puzzled as he looked around at the battlefield, for the first time in 10 years he didn't know what he should do. He came to a decision and raised his flags.

"Lucario is..."

"Wait!" was the sound of half the crowd as they made gestures towards the moving Lucario.

The referee looked and saw Lucario struggle to get up, refusing to back down no matter what.

Lucario supported himself with his hands on the ground, he then raised one foot with a knee bent and push himself up with a struggling roar. Lucario got up and looked tiredly at the Garchomp that seemed to be impressed.

"Ash!" Cynthia called out. "Your pokemon is badly hurt! There is no shame in giving in now!"

Ash looked at the champion for a moment.

"Lucario, do you think you can win this?" Ash thought to his pokemon.

"I will do my best master!" Lucario stated as he slowly took battle position.

"Are the trainers ready to continue?" The referee asked Cynthia and Ash.

"I am, what about you Ash?"

"I never give up..." Ash's only words were.

"Ash..." Cynthia said to the trainer with a kind voice. "Your Lucario is tired, the battle is over!"

Ash was starting to grow annoyed by the champion's words.

"A battle isn't over until both sides say that it's over!" He almost shouted to the champion. "And I can see that your Garchomp is equally as tired!"

"Begin the battle!" The referee shouted.

"Flamethrower Garchomp! One last time!" Cynthia called out to her pokemon.

"Lucario, however it ends I want you to know that I'm proud of you..." Ash told his pokemon.

"Thank you master... But I will not give up this easily!"

"I didn't think you would my friend... Use Aura Sphere!"

Garchomp opened his mouth and shot out a large jet of flames towards the charging aura-pokemon.