Meeting Fantina

One day...

In a town Zoey was having a contest battle with somebody. Zoey's opponent was a woman wearing a big purple dress and her purple hair was in the style of an X. Zoey was using Glameow and the woman was using a Mismagius.

"Use Psybeam." The woman told Mismagius.

"Jump out of the way." Zoey told Glameow, but it was hit by Psybeam and became confused.

The gang was passing through the town and noticed the battle.

"Hang in there Glameow, you can do it." Dawn called out.

Zoey was surprised to see the gang, but she had to concentrate on the battle.

"Glameow, Shock Wave." Zoey ordered.

Glameow was too confused to use the attack properly. But then it snapped out of the confusion.

"Great Glameow, use Shock Wave again." Zoey said.

Glameow could use the attack properly this time.

"Mismagius, Magical Leaf." The woman said.

Mismagius' leaves blocked the Shock Wave attack to Zoey and the gang's surprise.

"Psywave tout suite." The woman said; she had a French accent.

Mismagius' Psywave pushed the Magical Leaf and Shock Wave attacks straight at Glameow. Glameow fainted from the combination attack of Shock Wave, Magical Leaf and Psywave.

Zoey ran over to Glameow and thanked it and then thanked the woman for the battle. The woman thanked Zoey back.

"That was a great battle there." Dawn said.

The others agreed.

"My name is Fantina." The woman introduced herself.

"She's the Hearthome City gym leader." Zoey said.

"Really?" Ash asked.

"I remember you telling me Dawn that you lot went there two times but Fantina wasn't there for you to challenge." Zoey said.

"That's right, we did." Dawn said.

Fantina said that the reason she hadn't been at the gym was because she was traveling like an original Pokemon trainer. The gang was confused.

"So Fantina, may I ask why you are traveling like a trainer and not attending to the gym?" Ash asked.

Everyone came to the Pokemon Center and Ash wanted to know why Fantina wasn't attending to her gym like she was supposed to be doing.

"Fantina I think it would be best if you tell everyone that story you told me a while ago. I think they will understand better." Zoey said.

Fantina agreed to tell the gang her story.

Fantina's story was that back when she was a Pokemon trainer herself she studied and worked very hard to become very strong with her Pokemon. During those times she won Pokemon contests and became a top coordinator after winning a grand festival. When the Hearthome Gym opened she was asked to become the gym leader. Fantina fought and won against many trainers who challenged her to gain the gym badge. Of course there were those who always came back to try and defeat her again. Battling against the trainers who challenge her again made her feel she wanted to win no matter what. Brock understood Fantina's feelings because he used to be the Pewter City gym leader. As Fantina wanted to get stronger as a gym leader, she decided to go traveling again to train herself and her Pokemon. Her desire was to create a battling style that incorporates the beauty of a Contest battle and the ferocity of a Gym battle. But so far she hasn't created it yet.

"Can we battle?" Ash asked Fantina after hearing her story even though they weren't at the Hearthome Gym yet.

Dawn wanted to battle her too as she was a top coordinator. The bad news was that Fantina's Pokemon were too tired for two Pokemon battles so Fantina only wanted one. Dawn decided to use her Coin Toss app on her Poketch to see who would battle Fantina. He chose tails and Fantina chose heads. The result was the coin landed on heads so Fantina would make the first move.

Ash felt for sure Fantina would use her Mismagius first and sent Zangoose out first. But Fantina's first Pokemon wasn't Mismagius, she was using a Drifloon. As Zangoose was a normal type Pokemon, ghost type moves would have no effect on him. But Ash knew better than underestimating ghost type Pokemon.

"Zangoose, use Night Slash." Ash said.

Zangoose charged to use Night Slash, but Drifloon dodged it and fought back with Gust.

"Ghost type moves may not work on Zangoose, but Drifloon's other moves can." Brock pointed out.

"Fantina and Drifloon are just getting started." Zoey said.

"Zangoose fight back with Hidden Power." Ash said.

Zangoose fired a Hidden Power attack and it hit Drifloon. Zangoose's Hidden Power was rock type so it was super effective against Drifloon, but it wasn't beaten yet.

"Your Zangoose is superb young Ash." Fantina said. "But get ready for this. Drifloon, use Hypnosis."

Drifloon fired Hypnosis and Zangoose fell asleep.

"Oh no." Dawn said.

"We haven't lost yet." Ash said. "Zangoose, Sleep Talk."

Zangoose ended up using the move Crush Claw, which didn't affect Drifloon as it was a normal type move.

"That's the trouble with Sleep Talk." Brock said. "You can never tell what move the Pokemon using it is going to unleash."

Drifloon attacked with Psychic and Zangoose was tossed around a lot. When Zangoose crashed into the ground he woke up, but he was in pain from being tossed around a lot.

"Zangoose, Shadow Claw." Ash ordered.

Drifloon blew Zangoose back with a strong Gust.

"Man, that Drifloon is strong." Dawn said.

"Fantina has trained her Drifloon well." Brock said.

Before Ash could give Zangoose another command, Drifloon attacked him with Psychic again and he fainted.

"No way." Tomo said, surprised Zangoose was defeated.

"Fantina and her ghost type Pokemon really are something." Brock said.

Ash returned Zangoose and sent Chimchar out.

"Chimchar, Flamethrower." He said.

Chimchar fired a orange stream of flames at Drifloon, but it used Psychic to stop the flames and break them apart.

"Whoa. Fantina knows how to turn things around." Ash said to himself.

Zoey, Brock, Tomo and Dawn were surprised by this too.

"I have never seen anybody use moves like this before even in contest battles." Zoey said.

"Now my darling Drifloon Will-O-Wisp." Fantina said.

Drifloon fired a Will-O-Wisp attack along with the broken up Flamethrower. Chimchar was hit by the attack. Then Drifloon used Hypnosis and put Chimchar to sleep.

"Chimchar, use Sleep Talk." Ash said.

While still asleep Chimchar fired Bullet Seed at Drifloon which hit it.

"Chimchar knows Sleep Talk too?" Zoey asked.

"Ash had all of his Pokemon learn Sleep Talk in case they would ever be put to sleep during a battle." Brock answered.

Drifloon wasn't beaten yet and used Ominous Wind.

"Oh man Chimchar is getting creamed out there." Tomo said.

"Chimchar, Sleep Talk again." Ash ordered.

He used Flamethrower. But Drifloon used Psychic to break it apart and fire it back at Chimchar again. He fainted after that.

"Ash now only has one more Pokemon left and he hasn't beaten any of Fantina's Pokemon." Dawn said.

"Like I said before." Zoey said. "Fantina is difficult to beat."

Ash returned Chimchar and sent Pikachu out.

"I'm counting on you buddy." He said.