Destiny Rebirth

True Power Unleashed!

Part 4 and Conclusion of Ash and Paul's Battle! Enjoy!

Paul and Electivire looked on in horror at the Charizard that stood before them. The shock lasted only for a few moments before Paul shook the feelings off and refocused his energy into the battle and his opponent.

"Electivire, use Thunder!"

The thunderbolt Pokémon let out a scream, as its body became clouded in yellow, before a powerful bolt of electricity shot out and toward his opponent.

"Charizard, dodge it, and then, use Dragon Claw," Ash said calmly as he stuck his hands into his pockets.

Charizard leaped into the air and flapped its wings, to maintain its flight, before spinning away from the attack. He then made a beeline, toward its opponent, while a pair of green-shadow-like claws projected, from its normal claws. It slashed the electric type in the chest, causing it to crash into the wall.

"Use Thunder Punch!" Paul countered.

From the dust of the collision, came the Thunderbolt Pokémon, with its arms covered in electricity. It swung hysterically at the flame Pokémon, who lazily dodged each attempt. It swung once more but went flying passed Charizard, causing Electivire to fell to the ground. It turned with a grin. Charizard let out a confused snort, before turning his attention to a tingling feeling in its arms. It smirked as it noticed that Electivire's tails had wrapped themselves around his arms, after the last failed attack.

"Gotcha!" Paul shouted. "Now, Electivire, finish it off with Thunder!"

Electivire again became surrounded by electricity, before sending it through its tail. Charizard became drenched in the electrical attack. Paul's expression changed from a victorious grin to a horrified shock. Charizard crossed its arms, in front of its chest, before uncrossing them with a roar. When the action had been taken, all the electricity flew off of him, as if it hadn't felt a thing.

"Charizard, use Seismic Toss," Ash responded smoothly. "End this battle!"

Charizard wrapped its arms around the still shocked Electivire, before spreading its wing and soaring into the sky. It ascended with Electivire, still in its clutches, before reaching an altitude high above the stadium. It began to do loops in the air. It let loose a roar when it ended the pattern and dove head first into the stadium below. The crowd watched, at the edge of their seats, as the two Pokémon hit the stadium floor, causing the battlefield to shake and chunks of earth, to be thrown upward in boulder-like formations.

Ash smiled as he watched his Charizard fly upwards from the destruction, leaving behind an unconscious electric type. He flew circles in the air, above the stadium, while periodically letting out flames, challenging anyone, who saw it, to a battle. Ash chuckled as he returned his loyal Pokémon to its Pokéball. "You did great out there," he said as he miniaturized the device and clipped it back onto his belt.

He walked over to Paul, who was staring at his partner's Pokéball in disbelief. He was awoken, from his trance, when he noticed a hand in front of him. He sighed as he took the hand and shook it.

"Thank you, Aaron," Paul said as he made eye contact with his opponent. "That was a tough battle. Exactly what I asked for."

"Glad that I didn't disappoint you," Ash said as he let go of his old rival's hand. "You have trained your Pokémon well. It's obvious that you have worked really hard to make yourself one of the best trainers out there. I'd love to have another battle with you."

With those words, Ash returned to his platform. Pikachu hopped on one shoulder with a chirp of happiness, while Lucario got on Ash's back and rested his head on the trainer's other shoulder with a happy grunt. Their platform began to lower the trio into the corridors below.

---

Ash walked as he carried both of his companions, with one on his shoulder and the other via piggyback, through the corridors below. The happy trio turned a corner before their blissful attitudes turned grim. Walking towards them, was Giovanni, with Persian at his side. A twisted smirk was visible on the man's face.

Ash let go of Lucario, who landed gently on the ground, and Pikachu also got off. The trio made their way to the ex-boss of Team Rocket, before stopping in front of him.

Giovanni let out a chuckle. "A little close there, don't you think, Aaron?"

"I won, didn't I, Sakaki?" Ash stated as he clenched his fists.

"You did," Giovanni commented. "But it looked like you were in need of help from your performer friend." Again, Ash's body tensed as he heard the man mention Serena. "It's funny, really. She nearly sealed her fate and yours. What did she do? Break your heart?" Giovanni was now mocking him. "If you ask me, you should have let her go when you had the chance, but that's the difference between you and me. You're held back by others, while I'm only held back by my own ambitions. And trust me, boy, my ambitions are nothing short of world domination."

"Don't push me, Gio," Ash said through gritted teeth.

"Last time I checked, you couldn't finish me off, when you had the chance," Giovanni began to get annoyed as he wasn't seeing the terror in the young trainer's eyes. "You were too weak to do what was necessary. That's why, when this tournament is over, I'll be victorious. Then, trust me boy, when I capture Mewtwo, I'll be sure to visit you and your little girlfriend first."

With those last words, Giovanni moved past Ash as his shoulder pushed Ash aside. Suddenly. Ash snapped as he had enough. In one fluid motion, he grabbed the wrist, closest to him, and quickly snapped it up, to the middle of Giovanni's back, before grabbing the opposite shoulder. It then swung the older man around and into the wall. Giovanni let out a grunt, as his face and body hit the concrete of the corridors.

Giovanni quickly composed himself and used his free hand to push himself off the wall. He felt the hand, which held the arm that was behind his back, release. He spun around to face Ash. He swung his right fist at Ash. Ash caught the punch, with his left hand, and forcefully turned the arm, so that it was facing upwards. Giovanni let out a sharp, but quiet, cry of pain at the motion that his arms had taken. Ash took his right hand and grabbed onto Giovanni's shirt, at the right shoulder, before putting his forearm across his collarbone, cutting oxygen flow, and slamming him into the wall. He lifted Giovanni up into the air so that his feet could be suspended, above the floor.

Ash snarled as he brought his face closer to Giovanni's. "Don't you ever threaten Serena, or any of my friends, again! Or else!" Ash said in a deep and authoritative tone.

"Or else what?" Giovanni managed to squeak out.

"Or they won't be arresting you. They'll be arresting me!" Ash barked back.

"Y-You don't have the guts to do that, boy!" Giovanni was now gasping for air. "You don't have it in you!"

"As you said," Giovanni could pick up that Ash was smirking, underneath his mask, by the way, he talked. Ash paused, before moving his head closer and whispering into his opponent's ear. "A Ninetails only shows its true teeth when backed into a corner." He let go of the man and let him fall to the ground. He walked off, without another word, as he left the man gasping for air.

Giovanni looked on, as the trio turned a corner and out of sight. He felt his mind race and his heart pumping madly. He felt fear begin to slowly sneak into his mind. What the fuck just happened? Am . . . I afraid of that kid? Giovanni shook his head, as a new determined look appeared in his eyes. I'll show him! In the Semifinals, I'll show him that it is him, who should be afraid of me!

---

"Master, what was that?" Lucario asked as he got hopped back onto Ash's back. "I have never seen you act like that before."

"Pika Pikapi," Pikachu added as he jumped on Ash's shoulder.

"I'm done being intimidated by him," Ash said more calmly.

He had regained his composure, after losing it in the corridors. Luckily, no one was there, to watch him lose his cool.

"I won't let him ruin my life, anymore."

He reached into his pocket and felt the soft touch of the handkerchief that Serena had given him earlier.

"I won't lose to him. I won't lose those who are closest to me."