Gotta Catch That One

Chapter 29: Ash vs Wulfric

Serena sat down next to her mother and her friends and watched as Ash made his way to his position on the battlefield. She could see a big man, which she assumed was Wulfric, standing on the other end of the field.

Sitting there, she realized why the air around the gym seemed colder than the rest of Snowbelle City. The field was completely covered in ice and ice pillars were all over it. The air was also bitter cold. She couldn't believe that Wulfric wasn't wearing his coat properly. How could wearing it like a cape do anything in this temperature?

"Is Ash ok?" Clemont asked. "He looks kind of upset."

Serena clenched her fists but didn't answer. She didn't think they needed to get into that right now. Grace decided to make an excuse though. "I think he's nervous. Who wouldn't be? Wulfric seems pretty intimidating."

Bonnie shrugged. "Ash faces intimidating opponents all the time. I don't see why Wulfric would make him nervous."

Serena loved Bonnie, but when she was so perceptive despite being a little girl it could be both scary and irritating. "It's nothing Bonnie." She said quickly. "Just focus on the battle."

Of course, speaking turned out to be a mistake, because Bonnie was immediately able to figure out something was up. "Did you two have a fi-"

"Shh!" Mairin hissed. "It's about to start." She gave Serena a quick wink and looked at the field.

Serena sighed in relief and also looked, seeing the referee step forward. "This will be a three on three battle between Ash the challenger and Wulfric the gym leader. Once all three Pokemon for one side are unable to battle, the opposing trainer will be declared the winner. Only the challenger may substitute Pokemon. Do you agree?" Both Ash and Wulfric muttered agreement. "Then let the battle begin!"

"Talonflame, I choose you!" Ash yelled, throwing out his pokeball. The fire-bird emerged in a flash of light and hovered in the air in front of Ash.

"Cryogonal, out!" Wulfric shouted, tossing his own pokeball. A Pokemon that looked like a hexagonal snow flake emerged. It had cracks on the front that seemed to be eyes and a mouth.

"That's a creepy looking Pokemon." Mairin said.

Serena scanned it with her Pokedex. "Cryogonal, the crystallizing Pokemon. Created in snow clouds, Cryogonal make ice crystal chains and use them to capture prey."

Wulfric made the first move. "Use ice beam." He said calmly.

"Flame charge, right through it!" Ash countered.

Cryogonal hovered in the air and then launched a blast of icy energy that rocketed towards Talonflame. The fire-bird was quick, however and engulfed himself in flames and then blasted forwards. Just like he had done in the training with Ash's Glalie, Talonflame was able to charge right through the ice beam. He continued going and blasted into Cryogonal with full force and launched the crystal Pokemon back and into an ice pillar which exploded from the collision. Talonflame did a flip in the air and then landed in front of Ash, waiting.

"What a start!" Grace clapped.

"Wulfric doesn't have a chance!" Mairin yelled.

Serena wasn't so sure. She'd seen enough gym battles to know that gym leaders often tested the strengths of their opponents first. Wulfric likely expected something like that. His opening move had seemed a little too obvious. He must have known that Talonflame would be able to counter it fairly easily.

Her suspicions were confirmed when she looked at Wulfric and saw him smiling. "You're Talonflame is well trained, Ash." He chuckled. "I was wondering if you'd try that move."