Ash Ketchum, Pokemon Master By ZaneT69

Chapter 6

The day after arriving, Ash sought out the Riddle Master; Blaine's disguise, and he quickly arrived at the Big Riddle Inn.

"Hello, Blaine. I'm Ash from Pallet Town and I challenge you to an official battle." Ash said, to the shocked Gym Leader.

"How did you know that it was me!?"

"I'm a psychic," Ash replied truthfully.

Blaine nodded, accepting the explanation. "I'll lead you to my new gym. All of those annoying tourists kept disturbing me during battles and I built a new one... In a volcano!" Blaine said, causing Ash to doubt the mans sanity.

"Interesting, but very dangerous. Aren't you concerned a battle or some idiot might cause an eruption?"

"Not really. I keep my new gym's location a secret."

"Well, I'll try not to break a volcano, but I should warn you that I'm great at breaking stuff. I discovered the talent really young and it's largely effortless and accidental for me, and I have difficulty stopping." Ash said, to Blaine's amusement. "The Pokemon League really should pass regulations to prevent cases like yours. You've been driven from your own gym and forced into a less safe environment where you, Pokemon, and their trainers could die." Blaine nodded in agreement and they took their respective places on the battle field.

"This will be a three-on-three Pokemon battle with substitutions allowed." Blaine said. Ash nodded in reply and sent out his Blastoise, with Blaine choosing a Rhydon.

"Horn Drill!" Blaine called out.

Ash waited and once Rhydon was closer he ordered Blastoise to use Hydro Pump.

"Clever. You let let me defeat myself." Blaine commented with a smirk. "Quite the powerful Blastoise you have. Go Magmar!" Blaine said, using his strongest Pokemon. "Fire Blast!" Ash knew that Blaine was going to try forcing Blastoise near the lava to force him to forfeit, so Ash telepathically commanded Blastoise to counter with Hydro Pump and brace for physical combat.

Sure enough, Magmar tried forcing Blastoise in the lava. "Hydro Cannon!" Ash ordered, to Blaine's shock. Magmar was blasted, at point-blank range, into a nearby wall, unconscious; thankfully one with an over-hang beneath it for Magmar to fall onto. Blaine returned the defeated Magmar to his Poke Ball.

"Telepathic communication?" Blaine asked.

"Yes," Ash replied.

"I think it's clear that you will just sweep aside my Ninetails, so I will forfeit." Blaine said, before sighing. "I've seen trainers like you before; prodigies. Still, you've worked hard on training your Blastoise and you naturally went with a type advantage."

"Well, Ash. I present you with the Volcano Badge, proof of your victory over me, and 7000 Poke dollars will be transferred into your account." Blaine said, handing Ash his new badge.

"I wish you luck on defeating Giovanni, he's the strongest of the Gym Leaders." Blaine said, giving Ash a redundant warning. Giovanni would have probably been chosen over Koga for the Elite Four, but he was 'suspected' of being affiliated with Team Rocket.

"Thanks, Blaine. I'll be training for a month and then teleporting to Viridian City to challenge him." Ash replied.

They parted ways and Ash went to go defeat every trainer that he could find and alternate between that and normal training, where he pitted his Pokemon against each other and had them do other challenging acts like weight training, practice, learning and perfecting moves, and even meditation... Ash had over twenty Pokemon to train up to level 65, or level 70 if possible.