Pokemon: Radical Redux

Both Tauros crashed into each other with a loud clap again. This time, the impact was so hard it sent both of them sliding back.

Whitney raised her arm and pointed forward. "Tauros, use [Zen Headbutt]!"

"As if! [Iron Head]!" Ash commanded back.

Whitney's Tauros started charging, its head glowing purple, while Ash's did the same, its head glowing silver. They clashed together with another loud crack, pushing against each other with all their might.

Whitney grinned. "Let's crank it up! Tauros, [Rock Slide]!"

The bull Pokémon shook its head and stamped its back hooves, causing the ground to tremble. Large rocks shot up from the earth, speeding toward Ash's Tauros.

But Ash quickly reacted. "Tauros, dodge and use [Body Slam]!"

Ash's Tauros leaped to the side, narrowly dodging the incoming rocks. As he was in the air, he flipped his body and spun back down, landing a [Body Slam] and sending Whitney's Tauros stumbling back, its legs shaking.

Whitney's face tightened as she pouted. "Tauros, use [Megahorn]!"

With incredible speed, Whitney's Tauros lunged forward, its horn glowing a fierce green as it charged toward Ash's Tauros, ready to land a devastating blow.

Ash's eyes narrowed. "Tauros, counter with [Wild Charge]!"

Ash's Tauros surged forward with lightning speed, its body surrounded by electric energy as it collided head-on with Whitney's Tauros. The two Pokémon slammed into each other with an explosion of force, sending sparks and dust flying. The collision was so powerful that both Tauros staggered back, their hooves digging into the ground for balance.

"Now, [Earthquake]!" Ash commanded quickly as his Tauros recovered first.

Tauros raised his two front hooves and slammed them into the ground, causing the field to shake violently. Whitney's Tauros took the full brunt of the attack.

Whitney squinted at Ash. "Oh, you wanna play it like that? Fine then! Tauros, [Thrash]!"

Whitney's Tauros exhaled steam from his nostrils as his eyes glowed red. He charged at Ash's Tauros, slamming into him recklessly—delivering a headbutt, then a shoulder tackle, then a hoof kick, one after the other.

Ash's Tauros braced himself, taking the hits as Ash clenched his fist, waiting. "Tauros, just hold on a little bit more…"

As the attacks kept coming, they started getting sloppier. Ash saw his chance. "Right there [Raging Bull]!"

Tauros opened his eyes, glaring fiercely, then summoned all his strength into his back legs and shot forward, his body glowing white. He slammed directly into Whitney's Tauros, breaking his concentration.

Her Tauros went flying, landing hard on his back. He struggled to get up, but now that the attack had broken, he was confused and unsteady.

"Tauros! Oh no!" Whitney said, looking worried. "Can you keep fighting?"

Tauros nodded but immediately tripped over his own feet. Whitney sighed and called it, returning him to his Pokéball.

Ash's Tauros huffed happily and pounded his hooves. Ash smiled. "Not bad, huh?"

Whitney returned the smile. "Not bad at all! I might need to rent that one out next. But for now, I still have more of my cute Pokémon!" She grabbed her next Poké Ball and tossed it high. "Girafarig, let's go!"

From the Poké Ball, Girafarig hopped out, holding an Eviolite. Tauros huffed, digging his hooves into the ground, ready to keep going.

"All right, Tauros [Raging Bull] again!" Ash commanded.

Tauros huffed as he began charging at Girafarig, the air around him compressing with power.

Whitney playfully swiped her arm through the air. "Girafarig, grab him with [Psychic]!"

Girafarig's eyes glowed as Tauros was suddenly surrounded by a bright purple light. He stopped mid-charge, suspended in the air.

Whitney smiled, then lowered her hand in a flowing motion. "Now, slam him down!"

Girafarig's psychic energy tightened, hurling Tauros to the ground like a ragdoll—then lifting him again and slamming him back down.

Ash frowned and clenched his fists. "Get ready on my signal," he commanded as Tauros was slammed into the ground again.

"Then I won't let you!" Whitney countered. "Girafarig, don't let go—keep slamming him down!"

Girafarig continued tossing Tauros like a child playing with a toy, over and over again. The repeated hits even triggered the 10% Special Defense drop.

Ash and Tauros took a deep breath, waiting. Then, as they saw Girafarig slowing down while preparing another slam, Ash seized the moment. "Now—[Earthquake]!"

Whitney's eyes widened. "Girafarig, stop—" but it was too late.

As Tauros was slammed back down, he struck his hooves against the ground, causing a violent tremor. Girafarig, still concentrating on Tauros, had no time to react and took the full force of the attack, breaking his focus.

Girafarig stumbled back, shaking his head to recover. Tauros was finally free. He landed, visibly worn but still standing strong.

"My turn! Tauros, [Lash Out]!" Ash commanded.

Tauros exhaled steam as he dashed forward, slamming his shoulder directly into Girafarig's side. Thanks to the earlier Special Defense drop, the attack was doubled in power—not to mention, it was super effective.

Girafarig skidded to the side, its two faces furrowing their brows in unison. Whitney mimicked the expression. "[Hyper Voice], now!"

Girafarig took a deep breath and released a deafening scream, sending powerful sound waves across the battlefield. Spectators in the bleachers covered their ears, but Tauros had no such luxury—he could only lower his ears as the full force of the attack crashed into him.

Tauros barely remained standing, his legs shaking. But he refused to go down.

Ash clenched his fist. "Stop it with [Throat Chop]!"

Tauros glared at the still-yelling Girafarig and charged. His horns glowed purple as he rammed directly into Girafarig's throat, cutting off the scream instantly.

Girafarig coughed and wheezed from the impact, struggling to recover.

Whitney pouted. "No fair! Girafarig, leave them shocked with your cuteness—[Dazzling Gleam]!"

Sparkling lights formed around Girafarig. With a flick of its head, the shimmering shards shot forward like glass, striking Tauros one after another.

Tauros gritted his teeth, trying to stand, but his legs gave out. He collapsed onto the battlefield.

Ash returned Tauros to his Poké Ball and rubbed it gently. "Not bad for your first battle. We'll take care of the rest."

Grabbing his next Poké Ball, Ash smirked. "We're not done yet! I hope you're ready, let's go, Bayleef!"

With a flash of light, Bayleef stepped onto the field, holding a Light Clay. She took a bit of chip damage from the scattered rocks, but it was nothing serious.

"Aww, how cute!" Whitney gushed, admiring the Grass-type. "She's just the cutest! Can I pet her after I win?"

Ash chuckled. "You can pet her after I win. Let's try something new—[Sappy Seed]!"

Thankfully, Whitney's Girafarig didn't have Sap Sipper, Ash had checked the League website beforehand. Unfortunately, her three-badge Miltank did, so this strategy would only work against Girafarig. But that was fine, more than fine.

Bayleef stomped her feet into the ground, causing the seeds on her neck to shoot out toward Girafarig's feet. The moment they made contact, thick vines sprouted up, forming a sturdy stalk.

Her leaf then began to glow as the vine trembled. A small seed dropped from the top, looking harmless, until it landed in front of Girafarig and exploded, latching a vine onto him.

Neither Whitney nor Girafarig had time to react before the vine started shaking violently. More and more seeds rained down, bursting upon impact.

"Girafarig, run!" Whitney ordered, eyes widening.

Girafarig dashed across the field, trying to evade the onslaught. While he managed to dodge some, several seeds struck him directly, one after another. Finally, the stalk receded into the ground—but Girafarig was left wrapped in vines and coated in seeds.

Now, he was Seeded.

As Girafarig staggered back to his feet, the seeds began sapping his energy, transferring it to Bayleef.

Whitney pouted. "No fair! Using a move with such a cute name for such a dirty trick!" She huffed before pointing toward Bayleef. "Fine! [Signal Beam]!"

Girafarig's two small horns glowed as he fired a bright green beam straight at Bayleef.

"Now [Light Screen]!" Ash commanded.

Bayleef's leaf shimmered as she projected a glowing forcefield into the ground. It quickly spread out before turning invisible.

The Signal Beam slammed into the unseen barrier, weakening significantly before it reached Bayleef—dealing almost no damage. With Leech Seed still active, she immediately recovered whatever little health she had lost.

"Alright, finish this! [Energy Ball]!" Ash called out.

Bayleef raised her head and fired a bright green orb at Girafarig. He tried to flee, but the vines restraining him had already dug into the ground—leaving him trapped. The Energy Ball hit directly, sending him flying.

Girafarig crashed at Whitney's feet, his eyes replaced by spirals.

Whitney sighed, her expression softening. "Aww… You did so good, Girafarig. Go take your nap," she said, recalling him to his Poké Ball.

Dusting off her knees, Whitney looked up at Ash and smirked. "Not bad! But now I'm backed against the wall—I only have one Pokémon left."

Ash grinned and gestured with his hand. "Well then—bring it on!"

As Whitney grabbed her last Poké Ball, a hush fell over the crowd. Those who knew what was coming were already shaking in their boots.

Whitney smiled, her confidence unwavering. "Alright then, Miltank—let's show them!" she declared, tossing the Poké Ball high into the air.

With a flash, Miltank landed on the battlefield, stomping its hooves as it let out a determined huff. There it was—the infamous Miltank.

Ash narrowed his eyes, gripping Bayleef's Poké Ball. He knew there was no way Bayleef could win this matchup—Miltank had Sap Sipper, making it immune to all Grass-type moves. But that didn't mean Bayleef was useless here.

"Alright, [Defense Curl], then let's hit them with [Rollout]!" Whitney commanded cheerfully.

Ash extended his hand, already prepared. "Quick, you know the plan—[Reflect], then [Knock Off]!"

As Miltank curled up, it began spinning rapidly before launching forward like a wheel. Bayleef braced herself, her leaf glowing as she activated Reflect.

The shimmering barrier formed just in time, slowing Miltank down and reducing the damage of the attack. But more importantly, it created just enough of an opening—Bayleef swung her head, landing a Knock Off right on Miltank's side.

With a whack, Miltank's Rocky Helmet flew off, skidding across the field. The impact caused some minor chip damage to Bayleef, but it was worth it—Miltank had lost its extra layer of defense.

Then, [Rollout] connected. Even with the weakened impact, it still packed a punch.

Bayleef was sent flying back, rolling to a stop at Ash's feet. Meanwhile, Miltank continued spinning, building up momentum.

Ash quickly returned Bayleef to her Poké Ball. "You did your job. Leave the rest to us."

Whitney smirked playfully. "Aww, running away already?"

"And let Miltank reach max power on [Rollout]? Not a chance," Ash countered, already reaching for his fourth Poké Ball. "Besides, she did exactly what she needed to."

Whitney clapped her hands together, grinning. "Alright, let's see what you've got!"

Ash smirked. "I'll give you exactly what you want. Onix, prepare for battle!" he declared, mimicking Paul's signature line as he threw his Poké Ball.

The Poké Ball opened in the center of the stadium, revealing Ash's Crystal Onix. The massive Rock Snake Pokémon roared, its crystalline body shimmering under the stadium lights, leaving the audience in awe.

Whitney's eyes sparkled. "Wow! That Onix is so pretty! How come you get all these super cool and cute Pokémon?" she asked, clasping her hands together.

Ash chuckled. "Beat me, and I'll tell you. Onix, [Curse], then [Rock Throw]!"

Onix's body glowed with a deep purple aura as he let out a low growl, his attack and defense strengthening. Then, with a mighty slam of his tail, he tore chunks of rock from the ground and hurled them at Miltank.

Whitney pointed ahead. "Alright, Miltank—Rollout out of the way and keep attacking!"

Miltank shot forward, spinning like a wrecking ball, dodging Onix's incoming boulders with practiced ease. She bounced off the rocks like a pinball, using them as leverage to build up even more speed before crashing into Onix.

Onix let out a grunt as the attack landed, but thanks to Reflect, the damage was still reduced.

Miltank bounced back toward Whitney's side, still spinning rapidly as she prepared to launch another [Rollout] at full speed.

Ash was still waiting for the perfect time, "Now [Sandstorm]" 

Onix slammed his massive tail into the ground, kicking up a violent sandstorm that quickly engulfed the battlefield, obscuring Whitney and Miltank's vision.

Whitney shielded her eyes, quickly pointing toward where they had last seen Onix. "Miltank, don't stop now—full speed ahead!"

Meanwhile, Ash smirked, giving Onix a silent command through Aura.

Miltank obeyed, charging headfirst into the storm. Through the swirling sand, a large silhouette emerged.

"Right there, Miltank! Full power!" Whitney commanded confidently.

Miltank spun faster, accelerating as she slammed into the silhouette—only for it to shatter on impact. Crystalline shards scattered through the storm, sparkling in the dim light.

Whitney's eyes widened in shock. "Wha—?!"

As the headpiece of the silhouette clattered to the ground, realization hit. It wasn't Onix. It was a crystal decoy.

And the real Onix? Nowhere to be seen.

Without an actual target, Miltank lost her momentum and was forced to stop her Rollout chain.

Whitney's head darted back and forth frantically. "Where did he go?" she exclaimed, the sandstorm finally fading as Onix stopped concentrating on it.

Ash snapped his fingers. "Why, he never left. Now—[Bind]!"

The ground trembled beneath Miltank's hooves before Onix erupted from below, his massive crystalline body bursting out of the dirt. In an instant, he coiled his shimmering tail around Miltank, lifting her high into the air.

"Oh no! Miltank, try to break free!" Whitney called out, her usual playfulness replaced with genuine worry.

Ash wasn't about to give her that chance. He pointed downward with his thumb. "Onix, [Crystal Edge]—then throw her into the air!"

Onix let out a thunderous roar as sharp crystal spikes burst from the ground. With a powerful swing, Onix smashed Miltank into each one like a ragdoll, slamming her into one jagged edge after another. The crowd gasped as she crashed into the final spike—then Onix twisted his stone body, launching her straight into the air.

Miltank rocketed upward, colliding with the stadium lights before beginning her long fall back to the battlefield.

Whitney clenched her fists. "Miltank, quick! Use the momentum—[Rollout] straight into Onix!"

Even while falling, Miltank managed to curl into a tight ball, spinning faster and faster as she reached terminal velocity.

But Ash wasn't worried.

He smirked. "Onix end this now. [Iron Tail]!"

Onix reared back, his tail glowing a blinding white as he prepared to deliver the decisive blow.

Onix's tail glowed brilliantly as he wound up for the final strike. With Miltank only a few feet away, Onix slashed upward, his Iron Tail shimmering with power.

Just before impact, the lingering [Reflect] softened the force of Miltank's incoming [Rollout], causing their attacks to clash without even touching.

But then—Onix roared.

With sheer power, he broke through his own barrier, shattering it as his tail slammed into Miltank with earth-shaking force. A shockwave erupted outward, sending a gust of wind through the stadium.

The impact kicked up a thick cloud of dust, obscuring the battlefield. Spectators shielded their eyes as the arena rumbled from the force of the collision.

For a few tense seconds, nothing could be seen.

Then—**as the dust settled—**a towering figure emerged.

Onix stood tall and unmoving, his gleaming crystalline body glistening in the light. His massive head loomed over Whitney, his tail raised high… then slowly lowered.

Wrapped tightly in his coils—was a motionless Miltank.

A stunned silence filled the stadium.

Then, the referee raised a hand.

"Miltank is unable to battle! Whitney has no more Pokémon! Therefore, the winner is—Ash and Onix!"

A moment later, cheers erupted from the crowd. Applause rang through the stadium as people clapped for the intense battle.

But Ash? He was already bracing himself.

Because he knew what was coming next.

Down by Miltank's side, Whitney had dropped to her knees. Her lips trembled as she looked at her fallen partner.

"Waaaaah! Waaaaah! ...Snivel, hic. ...You meanie, Waaaaah! I can't believe I lost!" Whitney started crying, but Ash just looked at it with a blank look on his face, 

Misty, Brock, Yellow, Green, and Lyra all exchanged concerned and confused looks. They fidgeted, as if wanting to say something, but Ash just raised a hand, silently telling them to wait.

After about 5 seconds, Whitney hopped up, wiped her eyes and looked happy again, "Ahh, that was a good cry, fun battle too,"

Whitney hopped over to Ash and reached into her pocket grabbing a badge, "And before I forget here ya go, the Plain badge!"

Ash took the white badge and held it in his fingers, "Thanks, but why did you cry?"

"Oh, well who doesn't like a good cry, when was the last time you had a good cry, it helps get rid of all that nasty stress," Whitney said nodding to herself like this was some god tier advice

Ash actually had to think, "I dont think ive ever cried actually, my mom always told me i didn't even cry when i was born, and i certainly haven't cried when i was younger,"

Whitney's jaw dropped, "Unbelievable. I cry all the time!" she said, throwing her hands up. "It feels so good! You gotta try it!"

She pumped her fists like a cheerleader. "Come on, just one little cry! You can do it!"

"Yeah, I'll pass." Ash smirked, turning toward the stands. "Besides, you've got another challenger waiting."

He gestured toward the bleachers, where Lyra was bouncing in her seat, eager for her turn.

Whitney perked up. "Ohhh! Fun! Okay, okay!" She waved excitedly. "Come on, Lyra! I'm ready for you!"

As she turned her focus to her next opponent, Ash simply shook his head, walking off to rejoin his friends.

He smirked as he glanced at the stunned spectators, most of whom still couldn't believe he'd actually won.

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