Pokemon: Radical Redux-Chapter 331: Vs Morty

Extra long Chapter, because i felt like it, and i didn't want to make this fight 2 Chapters, i spent enough time on this mini arc so enjoy

----

Jessie, James, and Meowth were watching the scene from a safe distance, observing their 'employer' get captured while that girl, Soleil, announced she was taking over. And what's worse, they saw the twerps were all in town too.

Jessie leaned back against the tree she was sitting in, with Cubone on her lap. "Well, this sucks."

"I'll say. Now how are we going to get paid..." James muttered as Mime Jr. copied his sad expression.

"I mean... we could always try to rob them ourselves?" Meowth suggested.

"That's not a bad idea, honestly," Jessie said, scratching her chin. "And we can try to steal all their Pokémon, too."

Just as they were about to discuss the finer details, they were interrupted by the sound of a step. When they turned around, they saw Suicune walking near them, barely noticing their presence.

James had to rub his eyes. "Whoa, am I seeing things, or is that what I think it is?"

"Unless we're having a shared hallucination, then I think so, Jimmy," Meowth mumbled.

"Suicune!" Jessie immediately shouted, pushing the boys out of the way with stars in her eyes. "If we catch Suicune, we'll get everything and more!" She grabbed a Pokéball.

Seeing Jessie's expression, James and Meowth exchanged glances and sighed.

"I guess we're doing this," James said, grabbing a Pokéball from his belt.

"You're telling me. At least you're not the one fighting," Meowth grumbled as he extended his claws, which glowed with purple energy.

Suicune stopped upon hearing Jessie's yell. It took one look at them, then tapped its foot on the ground. The earth beneath them rumbled before a geyser erupted, blasting them into the sky with a powerful surge of water.

Jessie, James, and Meowth: "We're blasting off again!" they cried as they vanished into the distance.

Suicune huffed through its nose before resuming its walk.

—--

A crowd gathered around the makeshift battlefield, where a line had been drawn in the dirt to mark the area. Ash took one side, while Morty stood on the other.

The kimono Ash wore wasn't exactly ideal for battle, as it restricted his arm movements. So he pulled his right arm out, leaving only his left inside, letting the fabric drape and reveal the black shirt underneath. His hair was still tied up with the ribbon into a small bun.

As he stretched his arm, he heard Molly cheering from the sidelines.

"You can do it, big brother!"

"Y-yeah, I know you can win!" Yellow stammered, trying to match Molly's enthusiasm.

Ash smiled and sent them a wave before rolling his shoulder and looking forward. "So, ready to put on a show of our own?"

Morty balanced a Pokéball on his finger and grinned. "You bet. I've been looking forward to battling you, to see just what the Rainbow Hero is made of." He glanced up at Soleil and called out to her. "Hey, since you're the new lord, how about you call it?"

Soleil nodded and stepped to the edge of the balcony. Helia had taken Ilunas away to begin his so-called path to redemption, leaving Soleil alone as she raised her hand to get everyone's attention.

"Very well. An official Gym Battle between Morty, the Gym Leader, and Ash will now begin. The battle will end when one side's Pokémon are unable to continue. Furthermore, only the challenger may substitute Pokémon." Soleil lowered her arm. "If both trainers are ready, begin!"

"Misdreavus."

"Haunter."

At that, Ash and Morty threw out their first Pokémon. Morty sent out his Misdreavus, holding an Eviolite, while Ash released his shiny Haunter, equipped with a Life Orb. The two Ghost-types hovered in the air, staring each other down.

Morty smiled. "Haunter, huh? Not bad—and shiny too. Making me jealous here. Alright then, Misdreavus, let's start this off! [Charge Beam]!"

Misdreavus floated upward, her hair fluttering as an orb of yellow electricity gathered in front of her mouth. She fired a beam of crackling energy straight at Haunter.

"Jie jie!" Haunter cackled in excitement as the Charge Beam shot toward her.

"Phase and counter with [Shadow Ball]!" Ash commanded.

Haunter turned intangible for a moment, dodging the electric beam. She quickly formed a swirling mass of dark energy between her hands and launched it straight at Misdreavus, taking a small bit of chip damage in the process.

"[Psybeam] to intercept!" Morty called out, weaving his arm.

Misdreavus fired a spiraling blast of multicolored energy. The two attacks collided midair, causing an explosion that kicked up dust around them.

Despite the clouded battlefield, both Ash and Morty could still sense their Pokémon's locations due to their special abilities. Without missing a beat, they both commanded at the same time,

"[Will-O-Wisp]!"

Each Ghost-type conjured a ring of light purple and pink fireballs with white cores, launching them through the smoke.

The orbs clashed one after another, sizzling upon impact. Then, one pair missed its mark, striking both Pokémon instead. They wobbled in the air slightly, but it was unclear if the burn had taken effect yet.

Ash quickly raised his arm. "Now, [Shadow Claw]!"

Haunter grinned, licking her teeth before vanishing into the shadows. She reappeared behind Misdreavus just as the specter began to turn. Haunter's hand extended into jagged claws, stabbing through Misdreavus's chest.

For a brief moment, everything was still.

Then Morty smirked. "You didn't think it would be that easy, did you~?"

The Misdreavus Haunter had struck, flickered, and then vanished. It was another Substitute clone

"In the commotion, I had her use [Substitute], so not only did you waste an attack, but your [Will-O-Wisp] didn't affect her either," Morty explained with a grin. "Now it's my turn! [Hex]!"

Out of nowhere, Misdreavus materialized. Her eyes glowed a deep purple and red as dark, ghostly wisps surrounded her before shooting forward, engulfing Haunter. The attack slammed into her, sending her spiraling toward the ground.

But just like Morty before him, Ash only smirked, "Oh, spare me the monologue. You think you're the only one?"

Haunter's limp body flickered, and then disappeared. Another Substitute clone

Morty's throat went dry as he suddenly heard it,

"Jie jie jie~"

His eyes darted around. Too late. Haunter appeared from behind, exhaling a [Corrosive Gas] straight at Misdreavus. The Eviolite she was holding began to melt, rendering it useless.

Before Morty could react, Haunter followed up with a point-blank [Dark Pulse], sending a surge of dark energy crashing into Misdreavus. She winced as the attack landed, taking chip damage from her Life Orb, but dealing far more in return.

Misdreavus plummeted to the ground, crashing hard as she struggled to get up. Haunter wasted no time, dashing after her.

"Quick, [Pain Split]!" Morty called out urgently.

But Ash was faster. "As if I'll let that happen, [Taunt]!"

Misdreavus was mid-charge when Haunter suddenly appeared in front of her, stuck out her tongue, and pulled down an eyelid. Misdreavus recoiled, embarrassed, abandoning her intended move and instead lashing out wildly with [Foul Play].

Haunter easily phased through the attack, turning intangible as Misdreavus tumbled forward. Ash snapped his fingers.

"Finish this, one more [Shadow Ball]!"

Cackling, Haunter formed another swirling orb of dark energy in her hands before launching it straight at Misdreavus, slamming her into the dirt. As the dust settled, Misdreavus lay motionless, spirals in her eyes.

Morty blinked in surprise before giving an amused chuckle. He returned Misdreavus to her Pokéball.

"Well, I'll admit, you got me. That's on me. I guess I thought no one could beat me when it came to Ghost-types. As expected of the Rainbow Hero."

Then he grabbed his next Pokéball. "But it won't happen again. Gengar, you're up!"

Morty's first Gengar emerged, floating into the air with a wide, toothy grin. The Black Sludge it held pulsed with a faint glow as it chuckled at Haunter.

"Let's get right into it," Morty said, pointing forward. "Gengar, [Nasty Plot]!"

Gengar's eyes gleamed as dark energy swirled around it, power building—but Ash's expression sharpened.

"Nope. Haunter, [Disable]!"

Haunter's eyes flashed blue, and while Gengar managed to finish boosting its power, that was all it would get, [Nasty Plot] was now locked away

Ash flicked his wrist, pointing skyward. "Now, [Dazzling Gleam]!"

"Not happening! Counter with [Shadow Ball]!" Morty shot back.

Haunter unleashed a cascade of brilliant light, shards of energy raining down toward Gengar. In response, Gengar clapped its hands together, forming a dense orb of darkness before hurling it forward.

For a brief moment, the two attacks clashed midair, battling for dominance. But Gengar's [Shadow Ball] surged forward, overpowering the light before slamming into Haunter.

Haunter tumbled backward, sent flying before skidding across the ground. She tried to push herself up, but with the Life Orb chip and Gengar's +2 boost, the damage was too much. She collapsed again, unable to continue.

Ash silently returned Haunter to her Pokéball. "Not bad for your first official battle," he muttered before placing the Pokéball back on his belt. Then, gripping another, he smirked.

"Now... let's begin the real fun. I'm gonna make your jaw drop. Let's go, Kleavor!"

The Pokéball burst open, and in a flash of white light, Kleavor emerged. The battle-ready Pokémon stomped the ground, his massive axe-like arms digging into the dirt as he raised his head to glare at Gengar.

Gasps rippled through the audience.

Kleavor was new, one of the Pokémon that Professor Oak had supposedly discovered alongside Professor Rowan, Professor Juniper, and the newly introduced Professor Fraxinus. While this wasn't Kleavor's first public appearance, some wealthy trainers had already flaunted their own online, it had only been about two months since its discovery. To most people here, it was still an incredible surprise.

One person, however, seemed more focused than the others.

Green narrowed her eyes at Ash. She didn't say anything, but she mentally made a note to mur- i mean, she was definitely going to talk to him after this battle.

Morty smiled. "Well, that's just cool. I haven't gotten to fight one of these yet. I figured my first time would be against Bugsy in our Gym Leader meetings, but I guess this will make for good practice. Gengar, [Shadow Ball] again!"

Gengar clapped its hands together, forming another sphere of darkness before hurling it straight at Kleavor.

Ash swiped his arm through the air. "Break through with [First Impression]!"

Kleavor's eyes gleamed green as he lunged forward, his axe-arm slicing through the [Shadow Ball] cleanly. The two halves fizzled out, detonating behind him as he dashed toward Gengar, appearing in front of the ghost in an instant. Before Gengar could even phase out, Kleavor's blade slashed across its body.

The attack connected hard. Even though Gengar resisted it, damage was still damage. The Black Sludge he held helped recover some of it, but it didn't undo the hit.

"Fine then, [Foul Play]!" Morty commanded as his scarf fluttered from Gengar's sudden burst of speed.

Ash didn't hesitate. "[Night Slash]!"

Gengar's arms crackled with dark energy, while Kleavor's massive blades glowed in kind. The two charged at each other, clashing blow for blow in a rapid exchange. Gengar was faster, but Kleavor could take more punishment.

"Kleavor, aim for the legs!" Ash instructed.

Kleavor narrowed his eyes, waiting for the perfect moment. Then, he let himself take a hit before swinging his axe downward, slashing across Gengar's legs.

The ghost yelped as it lost balance, spinning cartoonishly like a windmill before trying to correct itself.

Ash smirked and snapped his fingers. "[Stone Axe]!"

Steam snorted from Kleavor's nose as he raised his axe high, then brought it down like an executioner's blade. The impact sent Gengar crashing into the ground, shattering the battlefield and leaving jagged stones jutting out from the floor.

Gengar groaned, barely pushing itself up—just in time to see Kleavor winding up for another devastating blow. Its eyes bulged in panic.

With a desperate whimper, Gengar phased out just in time, disappearing into the ground as Kleavor's next attack obliterated the spot where it had just been.

Gengar reappeared beside Morty, panting heavily. Morty frowned as he assessed the situation, they hadn't even landed solid damage on Kleavor, and Gengar was already on its last legs.

With a sigh, Morty made his decision. "Gengar, looks like we have no choice."

Gengar glanced at him, eyes drooping in exhaustion. "Jei... jei..." (T︵T)

Morty nodded. "Alright, let's go, [Focus Blast]!"

Ash pointed forward. "Kleavor, finish this, [Psycho Cut]!"

Gengar raised its hand, firing off a rapid barrage of glowing red orbs. Kleavor, undeterred, sprinted forward, his blades pulsing with psychic energy. He slashed through each [Focus Blast] one by one, cutting them apart as they exploded behind him.

He was too fast now. He was getting close.

Morty exhaled and closed his eyes. He crossed his arms just as Kleavor lifted his massive axe for the final strike.

"[Destiny Bond]."

Gengar's shadow suddenly stretched outward, latching onto Kleavor's.

Ash's eyes widened. "No!"

But it was too late. Kleavor's momentum was too strong. His axe came crashing down, cutting Gengar down and leaving a deep slash in the battlefield.

Gengar collapsed, But then, dark orbs of energy burst from Gengar's body, shooting into Kleavor.

Kleavor's body glowed ominously as a weight pressed down on him. His breathing grew labored. Then, his legs buckled, and he fell forward, slamming into the dirt next to Gengar.

Both Pokémon were down.

Ash and Morty silently returned their Pokémon.

Then Ash sighed, shooting Morty an unimpressed look. "Seriously, dude, you suck."

Morty only laughed. "Hey, a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do. If that means playing dirty, then I'll wear it like a badge of honor."

Ash rolled his eyes but smirked. "Well... I think it's time the real fun begins, don't you?" He held up his next Pokéball.

Morty's grin stretched even wider. "Oh, I am so getting scolded for this. But worth it." He grabbed his own next Pokéball.

Ash and Morty threw their Pokéballs onto the field.

From Morty's Pokéball emerged his second Gengar, while Ash's Pokéball released Noctowl. As Gengar hovered above the battlefield, the jagged [Stone Axe] rocks from Kleavor's previous attack dug into its form, chipping away a bit of health.

The crowd erupted in cheers, hyped by the intense battle. Among them, Silver remained silent, carefully observing every strategy. He was analyzing Ash's techniques—the strongest trainer he personally knew. Right now, Ash was his benchmark, the one he had to surpass.

Meanwhile, the announcer Soleil spoke up. "Both sides have lost two Pokémon, meaning each trainer only has two remaining."

But Morty suddenly interrupted. "Sorry to correct you, but you're wrong. Ash has two left... I only have one."

The crowd fell into murmurs of confusion.

But those who knew—those familiar with Morty's true ace—widened their eyes.

A grin spread across Morty's face as he tugged at his necklace, revealing a gleaming Keystone. "Ready?"

Gengar cackled mischievously as everyone suddenly noticed what it was holding—a purple, glistening stone.

"Gengar! Now, Mega Evolve!" Morty declared, pressing his Keystone.

A brilliant, mystical glow surrounded Gengar as its form began to shift and grow. Its legs disappeared, its arms became larger, and a third eerie eye snapped open on its forehead. The spectral energy around it pulsed as its new form solidified.

Standing before them now was Mega Gengar.

To be continued...→

—-

[...Right now!]

New novel 𝓬hapters are published on ƒreewebɳovel.com.

Ash grinned, unfazed by Mega Gengar's transformation. "Noctowl, [Air Cutter]!"

Noctowl let out a piercing cry, flapping its wings as crescent-shaped blades of wind shot toward Mega Gengar.

The Ghost-type merely smirked. Half of its body sank into the ground, flickering like a shadow as the [Air Cutter] passed harmlessly through it.

Morty chuckled. "You'll have to try harder than that! Gengar, [Sludge Bomb]!"

Mega Gengar's third eye gleamed ominously, a swirling mass of toxic energy forming between its hands before it launched the attack toward Noctowl. The putrid energy rippled through the air as it closed in.

"I wasn't trying to, [Esper Wing]!"

Noctowl's eyes flashed purple as his wings glowed with psychic energy. With a swift flap, he slashed outward, this time, his attack manifested as energy blades that cut through the poison mid-air before slicing toward Mega Gengar.

Morty's expression hardened. "Quick, go intangible again!"

But Ash smirked. "Not this time. [Foresight]!"

Noctowl's eyes shone like spotlights, locking onto Gengar just as it was slipping into invisibility. A forceful glare ripped the ghost right out of its phasing state, forcing it to take the hit directly.

Mega Gengar flinched but quickly shook it off, narrowing its eyes in annoyance.

"Alright, [Icy Wind]!" Morty commanded.

Mega Gengar vanished and reappeared right in front of Noctowl, exhaling a frigid gust of wind. The chilling blast threw Noctowl off balance, his wings struggling to maintain stability in mid-air.

Ash was quick to counter. "Now, [Echoed Voice]!"

Normally, a Normal-type move like [Echoed Voice] wouldn't affect a Ghost-type, but thanks to Noctowl's ability, Aerilate, it became a Flying-type move instead.

Noctowl shrieked, sending powerful soundwaves blasting toward Mega Gengar. The intense noise made the ghost reel back, shaking its head in discomfort.

Even Morty flinched, instinctively covering his ears.

With a grimace, he shouted, "Gengar, [Thunder]!"

Gengar clenched its teeth and stomped on the ground. A deep rumbling sound echoed overhead as storm clouds materialized above the battlefield.

Then—CRACK!

A bolt of lightning struck down, slamming into Noctowl.

Noctowl let out a cry of pain as electricity surged through his body. His feathers smoldered from the attack, his wings twitching uncontrollably.

He almost crashed, but with sheer willpower, he forced himself to remain airborne.

Morty tilted his head slightly. "Impressive. I didn't think Noctowl would stay up after that. But let's put it down for good, [Dark Pulse]!"

Mega Gengar's third eye flared with energy, releasing a pulsating beam of dark energy toward Noctowl.

But instead of dodging, Noctowl just stood there. He didn't turn his back. He didn't attempt to evade, He just waited.

Ash remained silent, his gaze sharp, biding his time. Then, at the last possible moment, "Noctowl, now! [Trick Room]!"

Noctowl's wings stretched out wide as his eyes shone brightly. A hexagonal aura expanded across the battlefield, forming into a shimmering grid-like structure.

The moment [Dark Pulse] slammed into Noctowl, the psychic field finally locked into place.

Noctowl let out a weak breath, his body shaking from the damage, but he had done it. The battlefield shifted to pink hues, the hexagonal formation settling into a completed state.

Noctowl took one final look at Ash. Then, he gave a weak, winged thumbs-up before collapsing to the ground, unconscious.

Ash held up Noctowl's Pokéball, rubbing his thumb over its smooth surface. "Thanks, buddy. You did exactly what you needed to."

Now, the battlefield was set. Gengar could no longer run. Trick Room had flipped the usual speed advantage, and now, that speed was a weakness.

Morty clapped his hands together, a grin on his face. "I'm impressed. But too bad. This is where it ends. Gengar is unstoppable like this."

Ash just smirked, grabbing his last Pokéball. "Yeah? Well, I've dealt with my own unstoppable force before, a ketchup-deprived electric mouse." He twirled the Pokéball in his fingers before tossing it forward. "So, let me show you something."

Before the ball even opened, Ash shot a glance toward his friends and grinned. "Looks like I'm about to let everyone in on what I've been working on. Hey, Green, try not to strangle me after, okay?"

The Pokéball hit the field and burst open, releasing a blinding flash of light.

Standing tall, towering over the battlefield, was a massive deer-like Pokémon with long, elegant horns and a thick, white fluffy coat, it was Wyrdeer

People were completely shocked, the research for Wyrdeer was literally put out to the public 2 days ago, and Ash already had it, some people didn't even see it so they just saw a new Pokemon.

Morty let out a low whistle. "Well, I'll be. You're just full of surprises."

Ash chuckled. "I aim to please. Although... I might get murdered after this." He shot Green a playful look before turning back to the battle.

"Alright, Wyrdeer! [Zen Headbutt], then [Psyshield Bash]!"

With Trick Room still active, Wyrdeer was faster than Gengar

In an instant, he appeared right in front of Mega Gengar, his horns glowing with psychic energy before slamming into the ghost. Gengar let out a startled cry as the attack sent it tumbling backward, flinching from the force.

Before Gengar could recover, Wyrdeer was already charging again, his entire body now coated in shimmering psychic energy.

With brutal force, he slammed into Gengar like a battering ram.

"Gengar!" Morty called out, his eyes widening. Gengar had just been hit back-to-back with two devastating Psychic-type attacks.

He gritted his teeth. "Fight back! Those were Psychic moves, so [Dark Pulse]!"

Gengar forced itself upright, its third eye glowing as it fired rapid blasts of dark energy toward Wyrdeer.

But Ash was unfazed as he swiped his arm, "Counter it! [Shadow Ball]!"

Between Wyrdeer's horns, a dark purple sphere formed before launching straight into Gengar's attack. The two moves collided in mid-air, triggering an explosion that shook the battlefield.

The sheer wind pressure from the blast caused Ash's ribbon to come loose, his hair falling over his face, and in the smoke, Gengar went into hiding.

But Ash was already pointing into the smoke, "[Future Sight] then [Psyshield Bash]!"

Wyrdeer's eyes glowed ominously as a hidden attack was set into motion.

Then, without hesitation, Wyrdeer charged forward, his body shimmering pink as he locked onto a figure in the mist, it ran up and tried to attack it, but it was a substitute clone

Morty's smirk widened. "Gengar, NOW!"

From behind Wyrdeer, Gengar lunged out of the shadows, striking with [Foul Play].

The move hit hard, sending Wyrdeer flying back across the battlefield.

Morty exhaled in relief. "There we go." Gengar glanced at him and gave a subtle nod, That was all Morty needed to hear. Gengar could phase again.

He smiled. "Sorry, but the fun's over." And as if on cue, Trick Room ended.

Ash frowned slightly, but he wasn't worried, Gengar was weakened. All he needed was one good hit, "[Lunge]!"

Wyrdeer charged at full speed, aiming to impale Gengar on his horns.

But Morty just snapped his fingers, Gengar went intangible, and Wyrdeer ran straight through him.

Before Wyrdeer could turn, Gengar struck with a point-blank [Dark Pulse], sending the massive deer crashing onto its side.

The battlefield went silent.

Wyrdeer struggled to rise, legs shaking, Gengar was laughing.

Even Morty let out a breath, running a hand through his hair. "Man... that was fun. I haven't had to go all-out in a Gym Battle like this in years."

He looked at Ash with a knowing smile. "If we fought with my normal four-badge team, without my Mega, I would've already lost."

He crossed his arms. "But this match? It's over."

The crowd murmured. Even Ash's friends looked worried.

But Ash? He just smiled, "Too bad you forgot one thing."

Morty raised a brow. "Oh? And what's that?"

Ash's grin widened. "I can see the future." Then, he snapped his fingers, "And in every timeline, you lose~"

BOOM.

A blinding explosion of psychic energy erupted across the field, Out of nowhere, the [Future Sight] attack appeared.

The unavoidable attack struck Gengar from above, sending it crashing into the dirt. The ghost twitched, struggled, tried to rise...

But it was over, With one last shudder, Mega Gengar collapsed, before falling back to base.

Silence.

Then, cheering.

The crowd exploded into applause as Ash grabbed his ribbon, tying his hair back with a smirk, "And that's game."

Wyrdeer shook himself off, walking over to Ash and nudging him for praise.

Ash chuckled, running a hand through the Pokémon's thick fur. "You did great, bud."

Soleil raised her arm. "And that's the end of the battle! The winner is Ash!"

----

If you want to support me,

patre*on/Katsu190