Everyone stared. Black Tyranitar had to take a moment to recover from that slap it just got from Steelix as it looked at its new opponent and growled.
Misty blinked, sweat and soot streaking her face. "Ash?!"
Brock crossed his arms. "Huh, I guess it has been 30 minutes. I kinda forgot he said he'd be back by now…"
From the backlines, Heather sat up, her arm over Shelly's shoulders. "Huh… Ash? Isn't that what you named yo—mph!" She was cut off when Shelly quickly covered her mouth.
"Nope, nothing. Nothing at all… please stop," Shelly said with a blush on her face.
Ash huffed and snapped his fingers as Pikachu jumped up onto his shoulder. Steelix gave another [Crystal Tail] at Tyranitar's chest, knocking the air out of it.
The Black Tyranitar staggered, then clenched its teeth in anger as it looked up and got ready to attack Ash, but he quickly scooped Yellow up, making the girl blush, as he started running across Steelix's body and jumped off just as Tyranitar tried to hit them. He landed back on the ground on his feet, never dropping Yellow as Steelix slapped Tyranitar again
He finally let Yellow down, and she was nearly steaming from her head. Ash didn't tease her about it or pay it any mind, since they had bigger problems, including the idiots in front of him
Misty's eye twitched from Ash literally jumping off with a backflip and landing next to them. "Of course he shows up like that. Drama king."
Cain grinned wide, arms crossed. "You say that like it's not hot."
The Tyranitar roared in rage, but Ash ignored it and looked at everyone, "ARE YOU GUYS OUT OF YOUR MINDS?!"
"A giant Tyranitar?! And none of you thought to CALL ME so i can come and deal with it?!"
Misty, Chuck, and the others exchanged sheepish glances. Misty started to speak, but Ash cut her off, jabbing a finger at her,
"Don't even! You call me when your Psyduck sneezes funny but not when a literal apocalyptic monster is tearing through the Johto region like it's a snack bar?!"
Before anyone could answer, a thunderous ROAR ripped through the sky. The earth trembled. The Black Tyranitar loomed in the distance,
Ash turned, unfazed
"SHUT IT, YOU!" he snapped, looking like he was about 1 more push from spanking someone "I'll deal with you and your end-of-the-world drama after I'm done scolding these idiots!"
There was a moment of silence.
The Black Tyranitar blinked. Then looked left. Then right. Slowly, it raised one massive claw and pointed at itself as if to say, 'Me?'
Ash glared. "Yes. You. Wait your turn, i'll break your teeth after"
The monster actually took a half-step back, clearly more confused than angry now.
Cain let out a low whistle. "This is the hottest thing I've ever seen."
"Not now, Cain," Misty groaned.
The Black Tyranitar took a moment not doing anything then it realised, why was it Listening to Ash, as it roared and got ready to attack Ash anyway
Ash heard it and sighed, "Fine you want to get beaten so bad, let's try something else, [Crystal Drill Run]!"
The tip of Steelix's tail began spinning like a drill as he thrust forward, stabbing into Tyranitar's chest. Even though it didn't break its armor, it did cause damage.
Horace was in the back, using his Gardevoir's [Heal Pulse] to help heal the injured Pokémon so they could keep fighting. He looked up and saw Ash. "Hey, it's good to see you. As much as I'd like to give you a proper greeting, we don't have that luxury."
"Right," Ash nodded as he looked around. "Fill me in, and make it short, leave out all the lore."
Chuck blinked but nodded. "Right. That monster is the Legendary Black Tyranitar. Years ago, it tried to destroy Johto, and that's probably what it's trying to do again now. We can't let it leave this island!"
"It's taken everything we've got just to keep it here," Misty added, crouched next to her battered Gyarados. "We're all running on fumes. Horace is patching up who he can, but…"
"Right. And how did people beat this thing before?" Ash asked, already analyzing everything while his Steelix clutched up that 1v1.
"In ancient times, they had a special Poké Ball it was sealed in. But if it's out, it likely broke, and we can't get another one," Chuck explained. "So as of now, I don't know how we'll beat this thing."
Ash nodded as he looked around. His eyes started glowing blue as he sensed a strange energy. "Alright. New plan."
"Wait, don't tell me you're going to do something stupid?" Misty exclaimed.
"Okay," Ash said calmly, slipping off his hoodie and tossing down his bag. "I won't say it."
"What?!"
He cracked his neck, flexed his fingers. "Doesn't mean I won't do it. Cover me, I'd prefer not to die today."
Bea stepped up. "Wait, if you're going in, then I'll go as well!"
"No!" Ash snapped. "I'm faster, and I'd rather you cover me. And before you say anything, just try to stop me, you guys are already on thin ice with me"
Ash turned, starting to charge Aura into his legs, then shot forward, way faster than anyone thought he could.
"D-Did Ash just use [Quick Attack?]" Yellow asked, looking at everyone.
"At this point, I wouldn't be surprised," Brock sighed as he got back into place. "But now it's our turn. We can't let him do this alone, not again!"
"Right with you, big boy~" Cain said with a wink.
Yellow nodded as she grabbed a Poké Ball. "Let's go, Chuchu!"
Friede smiled, "Can't let you kids have all the fun, let's not fall behind, Cap, Charizard lets do this."
—
Ash was running as fast as his Aura-infused legs could take him, Pikachu balanced on his shoulder. This speed was nothing for Pikachu, he could move at the speed of lightning.
Speaking of which, the Black Tyranitar looked down, noticing Ash sprinting straight toward it. With a growl, it stepped forward, trying to stomp him, but Steelix suddenly surged upward, wrapping his body around the beast, halting its movement.
Then everyone's Pokémon fired off as many attacks as they could, forcing the Black Tyranitar to stagger. Ash didn't slow down—he was heading straight for the shrine behind it, the source of the energy he had been sensing.
Tyranitar's eyes locked onto Ash as he drew closer. It prepared to attack, but Ash still had one last trick up his sleeve, Pikachu.
See, Pikachu's mutation is called Legendary Killer. It activates when he hits a Pokémon considered "legendary." It never said Legendary Pokémon, just legendary. And this Tyranitar definitely counts.
"Pikachu, take care of it!" Ash pointed his arm up, and Pikachu ran along it, launching himself into the air with a blazing [Volt Tackle].
He shot forward and struck Tyranitar square in the chest. Nobody expected it to do much—but when it hit, they all saw it: Tyranitar's armor cracked. Its eyes went wide as it roared in pain.
A jagged web of cracks exploded across the point of impact—right where Steelix had struck earlier. But this time, the cracks glowed. Black mist hissed out of them, like something sealed inside was trying to escape. Tyranitar shrieked, staggering back for the first time since the battle began.
Misty's jaw dropped. "That… actually hurt it?! We've been pounding this thing for 20 minutes and nothing worked."
"Apparently! Wow, Ash and Pikachu are amazing!" Yellow said, stars in her eyes.
"He's been holding out on us, he's way stronger than he was last year," Friede smiled as he rubbed his chin
Ash didn't stop. Using the opening, he bolted under Tyranitar's legs, narrowly dodging a tail swipe that shattered the ground behind him. Once on the other side, Pikachu dashed across Tyranitar's body and leapt back into Ash's arms.
Tyranitar gritted its teeth. When it saw Ash stop, it turned, ready to crush him—but Ash wasn't scared. Even if everyone else was.
"Looks like the cavalry's here," Ash said with a smirk, raising a hand and snapping his fingers.
Abby reappeared in front of him—alongside another Pokémon: Ash's Charizard, landing with a toothy grin.
Without needing a command, Charizard opened his mouth and unleashed his most powerful attack, [Eternabeam].
A spiraling purple beam erupted from Charizard's mouth, laced with smaller energy tendrils. It slammed into Tyranitar's already-cracked chest. The damage from Pikachu had weakened the armor just enough. The blast sent the giant falling onto its back—but it wasn't down for good.
Pikachu hopped onto Charizard's shoulder. Ash looked at them both. "Cover me. Abby, you too, you're on support."
Abby saluted, and Charizard took off into the sky as Ash turned and ran again.
Meanwhile, the others stared in shock at what just happened. But they didn't have the luxury to ask questions. Tyranitar was getting angrier, and if it got to Ash, everything was over.
Cain grinned, pulling a Poké Ball from his belt. "Alright, let's crank up the chaos! Go, Brionne!" His Brionne emerged in a swirl of water and light, immediately firing a [Hydro Pump] that deflected one of Tyranitar's rising rock attacks.
Misty staggered up beside Brock, who was helping Yellow guide her Gyarados back into the fight. "I don't care what Ash is doing, we'll keep Tyranitar focused on us. If it reaches him, we lose."
"Got it," Brock said, his eyes narrowing. "Go, Crobat! Pin it down, Steelix, you too!"
Shelly and Heather regrouped behind Horace, who was doing his best to keep everyone on their feet. Shelly stared after Ash, her hands trembling slightly, "He's really doing it," she whispered.
Heather glanced over, seeing how much Shelly seemed to care. She crossed her arms, "Yeah. But that idiot better come back in one piece."
Bea stopped short as she caught the flicker of energy radiating from Charizard's last attack. Her eyes widened when she noticed some of that energy drifting toward her wrist, and being absorbed into her Dynamax Band. It wasn't enough to activate it… but it meant it was possible. And Ash's Charizard was the key.
Meanwhile, Ash skidded to a halt near the shrine, which was basically a hole in the ground with a boulder wedged into it. He looked inside, and there it was. An old-school Poké Ball, completely red. Outdated. Weird. But he could fix it. Kurt's training had taught him enough.
Ash looked back and saw everyone still fighting. He turned and started sprinting back—he couldn't repair the Poké Ball here, and they still had a battle to win. As he ran, he saw everyone surrounding the Black Tyranitar. But he didn't slow down.
Pikachu jumped off of Charizard, flying downward and smashing into Tyranitar's head with another [Volt Tackle]. He flipped midair and landed squarely on Steelix's back.
Tyranitar snarled and shook its head, looking up just in time to see Charizard charging an attack. It growled, opening its jaws and preparing a devastating [Hyper Beam].
But Abby clapped her hands using [Ally Switch].
In a shimmer of psychic energy, Charizard vanished. In his place, Pikachu appeared mid-air, now falling right above Tyranitar's head. He let loose a [Thunderbolt] before the beast could fire.
The electric blast surged directly into Tyranitar's open mouth, making it cough and recoil. In that split second, it realized Charizard was now where Pikachu had been, but it was too late. Charizard crashed forward, driving a [Bitter Blade] into its neck with precision.
Before Tyranitar could counter, Abby swapped again, this time with Ash's Steelix, who tanked the incoming hit without flinching. From behind, Charizard and Pikachu hit it again in tandem.
Tyranitar tried to counter with a tail swipe, but another [Ally Switch] triggered.
Now Pikachu appeared on its arm, scrambling upward. His tail gleamed white as he slammed an [Iron Tail] directly into Tyranitar's snout.
The monster reeled back, charging a wild [Dark Pulse]—but Abby had already moved again, her eyes glowing with a sharp [Swap].
Charizard blinked into view at the side of the creature's face, wings flaring. Pikachu was now safely behind Abby as she floated protectively, already preparing another switch.
Charizard unleashed a fiery [Flamethrower] directly at Tyranitar's face, the pressure forcing the beast back into the crater it had risen from.
And then it continued
[Ally Switch]
Pikachu back in.
[Thunderbolt]
[Swap]
[Dragon Pulse]
[Swap]
Iron Tail to the joint.
[Swap]
[Fire Spin] to trap its foot.
All the while, everyone else was fighting too. They weren't just standing back and letting Ash do all the work, they were blasting the Black Tyranitar from all angles. And it was starting to show.
Tyranitar's breathing was heavier. Its movements slower. It could barely fight back, not with Abby constantly swapping the battlefield like a chessboard under her control.
As the Black Tyranitar started to buckle under the pressure, Ash finally returned, sliding to a stop beside the others and holding the ancient Poké Ball out in front of him.
"Is this it?"
Chuck's eyes widened. "Yes… but my fears were right. It's broken. We have no way to stop this monster."
Ash didn't hesitate. He ran up, pulled his bag around, and started digging through it. "I think I can fix it. Can you buy me some time?" He pulled out a set of tools gifted by Kurt.
Chuck blinked. "Can you fix PokéBalls?"
"I learned a bit from Kurt, the PokéBall maker. I just need a minute," Ash said, pulling out a screwdriver and focusing. His eyes glowed faintly with Aura as he peered into the mechanics, analyzing what needed adjusting.
Then Bea stepped in front of him. "Ash, I have a favor to ask. That move your Charizard used… can you do it again?"
Ash looked up and saw her Dynamax Band held forward. His eyes widened. The thought hadn't crossed his mind, Charizard's [Eternabeam] could energize the Band like Dynamax energy. It made sense now.
He nodded and shouted, "Charizard, give me one more [Eternabeam]!"
Charizard didn't hesitate. He soared upward, spinning midair. Energy gathered from his chest to his mouth, wings spread wide, before a brilliant purple beam blasted down directly toward the Black Tyranitar. Pikachu and the others were still nearby, but Abby teleported them out in a shimmer, leaving the Tyranitar to take the full force of the attack.
The beam slammed into Tyranitar's skull with violent power. Excess energy exploded outward, swirling through the air like magnetic shrapnel, until it was pulled toward Bea's Dynamax Band, which began to glow red, now fully charged.
"Yes! It worked. It's my turn now!" Bea said, fire in her eyes.
Ash kept working. His fingers danced across the ancient Poké Ball, fine-tuning mechanisms, reinforcing cracks with threads of Aura. "Good," he muttered, sweat dripping down his face. "Just buy me a few more seconds. It's almost done."
Across the battlefield, Tyranitar roared, its body scorched, cracked, steaming. Dark mist leaked from its wounds, swirling as if trying to rebuild its armor. But it was faltering. For the first time, the beast looked unsure. Desperate.
Misty's voice rang out, cutting through the chaos. "Okay, people! Give it everything you've got! This is our last push!"
Cain cracked his neck with a smirk. "Oh, I do love a good climax~" His Brionne pirouetted beside him, launching a glowing [Moonblast] straight at Tyranitar's knees.
Bea recalled her Machamp, holding the Poké Ball high as the Dynamax Band's energy surged into it. The ball glowed pink and expanded, growing at least ten times its size.
"Let's destroy everything," Bea smirked. She hurled the Poké Ball into the air. "Gigantamax!"
The ball burst open with a roar. From it came a towering Gigantamax Machamp, his fists glowing a fierce orange, clad in massive battle-worn pants. He landed with a thunderous crash, the shockwave blasting debris across the battlefield and forcing the Black Tyranitar to step back.
In Tyranitar's world, dominance ruled. The biggest dog was always in charge. But for the first time in its life, there was a bigger dog.
Bea didn't hesitate. "Machamp! [G-Max Chi Strike], full power!"
Machamp charged forward, each footfall an earthquake. His four fists glowed crimson, and as he leapt, the battlefield seemed to slow. Tyranitar raised its arms instinctively, but it had never once tried to defend itself before. Its form was sloppy, unpracticed.
The punch landed.
A BOOM echoed across the island, rippling like a thunderclap through the air.
Tyranitar was launched backward, skidding through stone and soil, until it finally crashed into a heap at the far edge of the crater it had once helped create.
"I'm almost there, just one more adjustment!" Ash grunted, twisting a tiny screw with trembling fingers. The ancient Poké Ball pulsed faintly, responding to the Aura surrounding his hands. The sealing mechanism had once used cursed energy, but with focus and intent, Ash was substituting Aura in its place.
Cain let out a low whistle, shading his eyes as he watched the battlefield. "Okay, that was hot. Ten out of ten, Bea. And damn, Machamp's got cake too. Good lord."
"NOT THE TIME!" everyone shouted in unison, breaking the tension for just a moment.
And then, click. A tiny, final snap echoed from Ash's hands.
"I've got it!" Ash stood up, eyes alight, and bolted forward. "Bea! Tell Machamp to hold it down!"
Bea gave a fierce nod. "You heard him! Grab the Tyranitar!"
Her Gigantamax Machamp roared, stomping forward as its enormous hands seized the weakened Black Tyranitar. Even as the monstrous Pokémon thrashed and struggled, Machamp's four titanic arms held firm, muscles straining, feet digging into the ground. The battlefield trembled under their weight, but Tyranitar wasn't going anywhere.
Ash sprinted forward, his legs burning from the effort. As he got within range, he drew his arm back and threw the ancient Poké Ball.
It soared through the air, glinting with light, and struck directly on the scarred spot Pikachu had hit earlier, right in the center of Tyranitar's chest. For a moment, time froze.
Then the Poké Ball opened, and everything went silent.
The cracks in Tyranitar's black armor began to glow, humming with eerie blue light. A powerful vortex spiraled outward from the Poké Ball, pulling at the beast's form. The Black Tyranitar snarled in resistance, claws gouging the ground, dragging up earth and rock, but it was no use.
With a final guttural roar, the Tyranitar was sucked into the Poké Ball. The ball snapped shut midair, sealed by an eerie blue glow at the seams, and fell to the ground with a heavy thud.
No one moved.
The Poké Ball began to roll.
One roll.
Stillness.
Two rolls.
Tension.
Then—click.
Ding.
The sound echoed like thunder.
And finally, finally, everyone breathed again.
The Black Tyranitar had been captured.
Cheers broke out all at once. Cries of joy, laughter, sobs of relief. The ground itself seemed to exhale. Pokémon and trainers alike slumped to the earth, drained and exhausted. The battle was over.
Just in time, too, Bea's Gigantamax wore off, and Machamp shrank back to his normal size, dropping to one knee as the strain caught up with him.
Ash walked slowly to the center of the crater, where the Poké Ball now rested, still glowing faintly with residual energy. He bent down and picked it up, turning it over in his palm. For a moment, he looked like he was considering something.
But then he smiled and stood up straight, turning toward Chuck. "I think this is yours." He tossed the Poké Ball to him.
Chuck caught it with both hands, staring at it in disbelief, his throat tight with emotion.
Ash dusted himself off. "As for my payment…" He gave a grin. "I challenge you to a Gym battle."