Cynthia

Today the gang watched something very special on TV in a Pokemon Center. Lucian was battling the Sinnoh Champion Cynthia. He was using his Bronzong and Cynthia was using a Pokemon known as Garchomp. Garchomp was a navy blue, yellow and red ground/dragon type Pokemon.

"Bronzong, Flash Cannon." Lucian ordered.

The attack hit Garchomp. But Garchomp was fine as the attack did nothing to it at all. It was obvious Cynthia and her Pokemon were very strong; in fact they seemed nearly impossible to beat. Then Garchomp tackled Bronzong with Giga Impact and Bronzong quickly fainted. The gang didn't take their eyes off the match for even a second.

Suddenly the gang heard some kids in the lobby say that Cynthia was at a park called Amity Square. The kids decided to go over to Amity Square and see Cynthia and the gang decided to go as well.

Cynthia was standing in front of some ancient ruins in Amity Square. She was a beautiful woman with long blonde hair. The gang was surprised to see Cynthia in person and so were the other kids. Suddenly a familiar face appeared; it was Paul.

"Hey Paul." Ash said. "I'm surprised to see you here. You here to see Cynthia too?"

"If you must know, I'm here to battle her." Paul replied.

That caught Ash off guard and before he could say anything Paul walked up to Cynthia.

"I'm here to ask you for a battle." Paul stated.

The kids were surprised that Paul asked the champion for a battle, but they were even more surprised Cynthia agreed to battle him. They started saying rude things like Paul didn't stand a chance or Paul was crazy.

"You think Paul will be alright, Ash?" Tomo asked.

"Paul is the type of guy that likes to battle real tough opponents." Ash said. "We'll just see what happens."

Ash had a feeling that Paul was going to be defeated really quickly.

Paul and Cynthia took their places to get ready to battle and Paul asked for a six on six Pokemon battle. Cynthia sent out her Garchomp.

Ash looked Garchomp up on the Pokedex.

"Garchomp, the Mach Pokemon and the evolved form of Gabite. When it folds up it's body and extends it's wings, it looks like a jet plane. It flies at sonic speed."

Paul sent his Chimchar out to battle first. The kids knew Garchomp was a dragon/ground type Pokemon and that Chimchar, a fire type, didn't stand a chance against it.

"What a lame choice." One said.

"He has no brains at all." Another added.

"Use Fire Spin." Paul told Chimchar.

While Garchomp was trapped in a fiery cyclone, Chimchar dug underground. Garchomp used Dig too and tackled Chimchar out of the ground. Chimchar instantly fainted and Paul returned him.

"You should be ashamed." He said, angrily.

Cynthia and Ash frowned at what Paul said. Paul sent a Weavile out to battle next.

"That's more like it." Brock said. "A ice type Pokemon has a advantage over dragon type Pokemon."

"Use Blizzard." Paul told his Weavile.

Garchomp was hit by it. But the attack did nothing to Garchomp at all.

"Oh man." Ash said. "That Garchomp really is strong if it can withstand ice type attacks. I think Lance and Drake would have a hard time defeating it."

Brock, Tomo and Dawn agreed with Ash's comment. Garchomp attacked with Dragon Rush next.

"Ice Beam." Paul ordered.

Garchomp dodged it and tackled Weavile hard. It then fainted. Paul returned Weavile and sent a Murkrow out next. Ash was seeing more of Paul's Pokemon over time.

"Use Haze." Paul told Murkrow.

Garchomp was surrounded by a smokescreen.

"Now Sky Attack." Paul commanded.

While Murkrow charged with Sky Attack, Garchomp charged with Giga Impact. The two Pokemon collided with each other and Murkrow fainted in the aftermath.

So now Paul only had three Pokemon and Cynthia still only had one and Garchomp didn't have a scratch on it. It was then Paul started to smile.

"What's Paul smiling about?" Dawn asked.

"When trainers smile like that." Ash said. "It's a indication they intend to call out their strongest Pokemon. I've seen trainers do that before."

Paul's fourth Pokemon was a Torterra.

Ash looked it up on the Pokedex.

"Torterra, the Continent Pokemon and the final evolved form of Turtwig. Small Pokemon occasionally gather on it's unmoving back to begin building their nests."

"Oh, so that's why he made fun of my Turtwig." Ash said. "His Turtwig evolved into it's final form."

"Giga Impact." Paul told Torterra.

The attack hit Garchomp. After using Giga Impact before Garchomp had to wait a turn to move.

"Frenzy Plant." Paul told Torterra to use it's strongest move.

Again Garchomp was hit, but didn't seem hurt by it.

"Garchomp, Brick Break." Cynthia ordered.

Garchomp struck Torterra really hard and then it fainted. Ash was surprised. To him, it seemed Cynthia's Garchomp was impossible to beat.

Seeing his strongest Pokemon defeated, Paul returned Torterra and decided not to continue the battle. So Cynthia won by forfeit and returned Garchomp. It was then the kids started to make rude remarks about Paul, calling him a loser and laughing at him. That rubbed Ash the wrong way.

"Quiet." He growled.

The kids stopped immediately, afraid of his anger.

Ash might not like Paul, but he hated the kids insults more. He walked up to Paul.

"That was a great battle." He told him.

"I'm going to get stronger before our next battle." Paul said to Cynthia. "Goodbye."

"Wait Paul." Ash called out. "You need to go to a Pokemon Center first before you leave."

"This boy is right Paul." Cynthia said. "Taking injured Pokemon to a Pokemon Center is part of a trainer's responsibilities you know."

Paul didn't argue and decided to do as he was told.

There was a problem though when Cynthia, Paul and the gang reached the Pokemon Center. Nurse Joy had to do emergency surgery on a Furret, so she couldn't take care of Paul's Pokemon. So Cynthia decided to treat Paul's Pokemon herself; she knew how to care for injured and sick Pokemon. Brock offered to help and Cynthia accepted it. Soon Paul's Torterra, Weavile, Murkrow and Chimchar were healing up in the Pokemon Center thanks to Cynthia and Brock.

While the Pokemon healed up Ash decided to speak to Cynthia.

"Forgive me for my curiosity Cynthia." Ash said. "But what other Pokemon do you have aside from Garchomp?"

Cynthia explained that she owned a Lucario, Glaceon, Roserade, Togekiss and a Gastrodon. Gastrodon was a water/ground type Pokemon.

"I must say Ash Ketchum, I've heard quite a lot about you." Cynthia said. "Lucian told me about you and your friends and I met Lance from Kanto a few months ago and he spoke about you as well."

Ash felt flattered.

After speaking to Ash, Cynthia told Paul that his Pokemon were healing up nicely. Paul reluctantly thanked Cynthia.

"I have to say Paul, your Pokemon are very well trained." Cynthia said. "I'm especially impressed with your Torterra."

Paul explained that Torterra was his starter Pokemon as a Turtwig, and he had traveled through Kanto, Johto and Hoenn where he caught Weavile and Murkrow, to challenge the Pokemon leagues but never won any of them.

"How funny." Ash said. "I told you about my journeys when we first met, yet you didn't tell me about your journeys."

Paul snorted.

"There was no need to tell you." He said rudely.

Then Paul said that he caught Chimchar sometime after he came back to Sinnoh. Cynthia pointed out that Paul has done quite a lot with Chimchar. But Paul was still not happy with Chimchar especially with how easily Cynthia's Garchomp defeated it.

"You didn't care about how many of your Pokemon took a fall." Ash said, irritated. "Just like you don't care about how your Pokemon felt going up against a strong Pokemon like Cynthia's Garchomp. I can tell you only care about getting a win."

"What's your point?" Paul asked. "A win is a win."

"The real win is when you and your Pokemon come together as one." Ash argued back. "I know this because I've bonded with all 113 of my Pokemon and despite not winning the Indigo, Johto and Hoenn leagues my Pokemon are still my big family."

Paul thought that humans bonding with Pokemon was pathetic and believed no one could ever truly win that way.