The next day it was now time for Ashlyn to battle Claire and earn her final gym badge.
"Even though this will be my sixteenth gym battle, this will be my first dragon type gym battle." Ashlyn said.
"You're right about that, Ashlyn." Brock agreed, "truth is you hardly get any gyms that use dragon type Pokémon. You normally get the usual water, grass or fire type gyms."
"What Pokémon are you going to use, Ashlyn?" Misty asked, "I mean Dragon type Pokémon aren't the easiest Pokémon to beat you know."
"I'm using Parisa, Athena, and Caelus." Ashlyn replied.
"You're using Caelus in this battle?" Volkner asked.
(A/N: I renamed my Shiny Rayquaza to Caelus)
Ashlyn smiled, "That's correct, Volkner."
"Awe, I can't wait to see that." Misty said.
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They soon came to the Blackthorn Gym. The Blackthorn Gym was huge; the size of a mansion. Kaburagi welcomed the gang and led them to the gym's battlefield, where Claire was waiting for them. The battlefield was big as well and there was a pool for water Pokémon in the middle.
"I take it you're ready for our gym challenge huh, Ashlyn?" Claire asked.
"Yes Claire I am." Ashlyn replied, confidently.
Volkner, Misty and Brock took their place behind Ashlyn.
"I wonder if Ashlyn will be okay against a Dragon type gym." Brock pondered.
"Don't worry, Ashlyn has dealt with Dragon types before." Volkner stated.
"You're right about that, Volkner." Misty agreed.
She remembered when Ashlyn had dealt with a Dragonite in the Orange Islands and defeated a Kingdra in the Whirl Cup. Brock remembered too and started to believe that Ashlyn would be okay.
"This is an official Blackthorn City Gym Match, the Challenger is battling for a Rising Badge." Kaburagi announced, "The Gym Leader and the Challenger will use three Pokémon each and the match ends when all two Pokémon of either opponents are unable to continue battling. The Challenger will attack first, the Challenger will be permitted to make substitutions during the match, the Gym Leader will not."
"You ready, Ashlyn?" Claire asked.
Ashlyn nodded, "I'm ready."
"Let the match begin!" Kaburagi declared.
Claire sent out her Dragon Pokémon, "Let's go, Kingdra!"
"Kingdra!" Kingdra appeared on the field.
Ashlyn sent out her Intertwining Pokémon, "Let's go Parisa!"
"Sylveon!" Parisa appeared on the field.
"A shiny Sylveon, huh?" Clair asked, interested.
"Parisa, use Attract!" Parisa winked and sent out a few hearts towards Kingdra whose eyes soon turned heart shaped ones.
"Kingdra!" Claire gasped.
"Now Moonblast!" Parisa spreads her feelers wide open, and an image of the moon appears behind her. Then she formed an orb of pink energy in front of her mouth, and fired it at Kingdra who skidded a little in the pool.
Kingdra was still under the affect of 'Attract' and Ashlyn knew that she had to work fast.
"Parisa, Dazzling Gleam!" Parisa released a bright, sparkling light from her body and slammed into Kingdra who grunted at the attack and was pushed back in the water.
Then 'Attract' had worn off on Kingdra.
"Kingdra, use Hydro Pump!" Claire ordered.
Kingdra shot out a huge beam of water towards Parisa.
"Protect!" Ashlyn countered.
Parisa projected a green colored barrier in front of her, protecting her from Kingdra's water attack.
"Now Swift!" Parisa summoned a bunch of stars and threw them towards Kingdra.
"Dodge Kingdra!" Kingdra started dodging all of the stars coming at him.
"Fairy Wind!" Parisa pulled her feelers together, and the air around them starts to glow light blue. Then she spreads her feelers wide open, sending a strong gust of wind at Kingdra who is sent flying and hits the wall behind Clair. Kingdra slid down the wall with swirls in his eyes, he had fainted.
"Kingdra is unable to battle," Kaburagi announced, "Sylveon is the winner of this round."
"Way to go, Parisa!" Ashlyn smiled.
Parisa smiled, "Syl."
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"Wow, Parisa is quite the battler." Misty commented.
"She wasn't afraid to go up against Clair's Kingdra." Brock added.
"Yeah, I have to agree." Volkner admitted.
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Claire returned Kingdra, "You did your best, Kingdra." Then she sent out her next Pokémon, "Go Gyarados!"
Gyarados roared when he appeared on the field.
Ashlyn returned Parisa and sent out her Warrior Pokémon, "Athena, time to battle!" She called out.
"Rarf!" Athena appeared on the field.
"Wow, she has a shiny Zacian too." Claire said with surprise.
"Athena, use Agility and Play Rough combined with Iron Tail!" Ashlyn ordered.
Athena ran towards Gyarados and used Play Rough as her tail glowed a metallic color. Gyarados kept getting hit back and forth without a chance of attacking. With one last flick of her tail, Gyarados was sent tossing across the field and laid near his trainer.
"Gyarados! You okay?!" Claire called out.
"Gyara." Gyarados grunted as he stood up.
"Alright then, Gyarados use Aqua Tail!" Clair commanded.
Gyarados's tail was surrounded in swirling water and prepared to slam it towards Athena.
"Athena, dodge!" Athena quickly dodged the attack, "Now Thunder Fang!"
Athena's fangs sparked with electricity and she bit onto Gyarados's side who roared out in pain as he was electrocuted. Then Athena let go and jumped away. Gyarados swayed back and forth and fell to the side, creating a huge splash.
"Gyarados!" Claire called out.
When the water calmed down, it showed Gyarados with swirls in his eyes. He fainted.
"Gyarados is unable. The winner of this round goes to Zacian!" Kaburagi announced.
"Way to go, Athena!" Ashlyn cheered.
Athena smiled back at her trainer.
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"Two down, one more to go." Volkner said.
"Dragonair is Claire's third Pokémon, right?" Misty asked.
"That's going to be a tough battle." Brock admitted.
"Let's have faith in Ashlyn." Volkner stated.
Misty nodded, "Right."
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Claire returned Gyarados, "You tried hard, Gyarados. Get some rest." She took out another Pokéball, "Go Dragonair!"
"Airrr!" Dragonair appeared on the field.
Ashlyn returned Athena and let out her last Pokémon, "Go Cealus!"
Cealus the shiny Rayquaza roared when he appeared on the field.
"A shiny Rayquaza as well?" Claire blinked in shock.
Just then the roof of the gym started to come off.
"What's going on?" Ashlyn asked.
"Since Dragonair and Rayquaza are both flying types, the roof being off will let them fly easily around the battle field." Kaburagi explained.
"Dragonair, use Hyper Beam!" Claire commanded.
Dragonair summoned an orb of orange colored energy from her mouth and shot it towards Caelus.
"Caelus, dodge!" Ashlyn countered.
Caelus dodged the attack, "Now use Dragon Pulse!"
Caelus fired a dragon pulse attack from his mouth and Dragonair got hit by it.
"Dragonair take to the sky now!" Claire ordered.
Dragonair got out of the pool and into the air. "Now use Iron Tail!"
Dragonair's tail glowed a metallic color and it got ready to strike Caelus.
"Dragon Tail!" Caelus's tail glowed and counter the attack. The two dragons were clashing at each other with their tails.
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"This is some battle." Volkner admitted, awed.
"I've never seen dragon Pokémon fight like this before." Brock added.
Misty nodded, "Me neither."
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"Caelus, use Extreme Speed!" Ashlyn commanded.
Caelus used extreme speed and charged into Dragonair really hard.
"Don't give up Dragonair!" Claire called out, "Use Dragon Rage!"
Dragonair fired a big blue orb of energy at Caelus and he got hit by it.
"Hang in there Caelus!" Ashlyn shouted.
Just then Caelus's body got surrounded by a blue and white dragon shaped energy, and then he slammed into Dragonair really hard.
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"Wow, what was that?" Misty asked.
"That was Dragon Rush. It's one of the strongest Dragon type moves." Brock replied.
"It's powerful alright." Volkner commented.
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Ashlyn was happy and shocked that Caelus learnt how to use Dragon Rush.
Then Dragonair fell into the pool, causing a huge splash.
"Dragonair!" Claire called out.
Ashlyn and Claire used their arms to cover their eyes from the water splashing down at them. When the waves cooled down, it showed Dragonair with swirls in her eyes, she fainted.
"Dragonair is unable to battle," Kaburagi announced, "Rayquaza is the winner of this match, and the winner of this gym battle is Ashlyn Ketchum."
"You did it, Caelus!" Ashlyn ran over and hugged Caelus around his neck. He cooed at his trainer's affections.
Volkner, Misty and Brock ran over to Ashlyn at once and congratulated her at once.
"You and your Pokémon were great out there." Misty complimented.
"Toge Toge!" Togepi chirped.
"Yeah, especially since Dragon type Pokémon like Dragonair are not the easiest to beat." Brock added.
"It was one heck of a battle between dragons." Volkner added.
"Raichu rairai. (You were great, you two.)" Tesla smiled, hugging Caelus and then Ashlyn.
Claire and Kaburagi walked over to Ashlyn.
"Ashlyn, that was the greatest battle that I've ever had in my life." Claire stated.
"Yes you are one impressive trainer." Kaburagi complimented.
Ashlyn smiled, "Thank you."
"So Ashlyn, I now give you the Rising Badge as proof of your victory." Claire declared, holding out the badge to Ashlyn.
The Rising Badge was red and black and was shaped like a dragon's face.
"Thank you, Claire." Ashlyn slightly bowed and accepted it.
"Alright! We got the Rising Badge!" Ashlyn posed with her Pokémon.
"Rai Raichu! (Badge Number 8!)" Tesla cheered.
Caelus growled happily.
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That evening Ashlyn had her Pokémon healed at the Pokémon center and had sent Caelus back to Prof Oak.
"It was a good idea to use Caelus in the gym battle, Ashlyn." Brock said.
"I know, especially since Dragon type Pokémon can only be beaten by Dragon types and Ice types." Ashlyn stated.
"Now you can register for the Johto League." Volkner pointed out.
"I wonder where the Johto League is being held though." Misty pondered.
"Let's find out tomorrow. We need to go to bed now, especially you Ashlyn." Brock suggested.
"Yeah, you're right." Ashlyn agreed.
Ashlyn was pretty tired from today, so she and the others fell asleep in the Pokémon Center's rooms.
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The next day, Ashlyn and the gang were having breakfast with Claire at her gym.
"Claire, do you know where the Johto League is being held?" Ashlyn asked.
"As a matter of fact I do." Clair replied, "The Johto League is called the Silver Conference and it's to be held in three months' time at Mt Silver."
"How do we get there?" Brock asked.
"I'm afraid I don't know, but I suggest you go and see Prof Elm in New Bark Town. He will probably know." Claire suggested.
The gang thought that was a great idea and asked Claire for directions to get to New Bark Town from Blackthorn City.
Claire told the gang to follow the path towards the sea, and then they could take a boat to New Bark Town.
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"Thanks for everything, Claire." Ashlyn thanked the Blackthorn City Gym leader.
"You're welcome, Ashlyn. I also have to thank you for saving my dragon fangs and giving me a great battle." Claire thanked Ashlyn.
Brock was suddenly right in front of Claire with tears streaming down like waterfalls, "I can't believe its time for us to part. After everything we've been through together. I feel so close to you now."
Claire blinked in confusion, "Uh..."
Misty appeared next to Brock and started moving him away, "Oh put a sock in it, Brock. Time for you to stay close to the road." She said.
"Toge Toge Toge!" Togep trilled.
"Oh I may have a suggestion for you four." Kaburagi spoke up.
"What kind of suggestion?" Volkner asked.
"You should stop by Alto Mare. From what I've heard they have a water chariot race coming up soon. Maybe you should take a small break and enter the race?" Kaburagi suggested.
"You know, that sounds like a great idea." Ashlyn agreed.
"Yeah! There's no way I'm going to miss a race like that." Misty added.
Ashlyn smiled and nodded.
The gang thanked Claire, said goodbye to her and Kaburagi and left Blackthorn City.
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With her final gym badge in hand, Ashlyn is now ready to register for the Silver Conference. Now the gang is headed to Alto Mare where a water chariot race is about to take place. But Ashlyn knows who they'll find there and what might become of Alto Mare's fate.
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Pokémon Caught: Heracross (M), Furret (F), Stantler (F), Meganium (F), Typhlosion (M), Togetic (F), Feraligatr (M), Steelix (M), Ampharos (F), Girafarig (F), Misdreavus (F), Inteleon (M), Rillaboom (M), Shiny Greninja (Genji)(M), Shiny Chestnaught (Cybele)(F), Kommo-o (M), Goodra (Nessy)(F), Meowstic (Orin)(M), Meowstic (Bella)(F), Thievul (F), Gothitelle (F), Rapidash (F), Houndoom (M), Shiny Noctowl (M), Zeraora (Raiden)(M), Alolan Raichu (Nariko)(F), Marshadow (M), Murkrow (M), Elekid (F), Celebi (Moriko)(F), Shiny Corsola (Coraline)(F), Ho-Oh (Aveline)(F), Phanpy (Tantor)(M)