Dawn's First Gym Battle

So instead of Ash and Tomo challenging Maylene, it was Dawn. Maylene had asked for the gym battle to happen tomorrow so she could get herself ready too. She had decided to use Piplup, Drifloon and Ambipom. Her Pokemon were doing some training right now.

Piplup was going through his moves. Over the last few months he had learned Fury Attack, Brine, Ice Beam, Rain Dance, Protect, Headbutt and Aerial Ace. So he had grown ever since the journey began. Ambipom was ready to go because she had a lot of battling experience due to her time with Ash. Drifloon was training with Tomo's Drifloon; they had trained together ever since Tomo and Dawn caught them. They both knew the moves Constrict, Minimize, Astonish, Gust, Payback, Focus Energy, Stockpile, Spit Up, Swallow, Shadow Ball, Psychic, Silver Wind and Air Cutter.

Ash and Tomo were sorting out which Pokemon to use too. Ash had decided to use Staravia, Buizel and Lucario. Lucario wanted to battle Maylene's Lucario and Ash agreed to let him do it. Tomo decided on using Farfetch'd, Pidgeotto and Xatu. Ash had his Swellow and Corviknight with him to give them flying exercises.

"I have to say Ash your Swellow looks magnificent." Reggie said. "In fact all of them do."

"Well our older Pokemon help our newer Pokemon train at Prof. Oak's lab." Ash explained.

"Say Ash." Reggie said. "Because of my Staraptor's Brave Bird move. Are you interested in letting Staravia learn that move?"

"Staravia already knows it." Ash responded. "My Swellow knows that move and taught it to Staravia."

"My Pidgeotto knows it too." Tomo said.

"Mind showing off Brave Bird?" Ash asked his Swellow and Staravia as well as Tomo's Pidgeotto.

The three performed it perfectly. Reggie was impressed.

"You guys have magnificent Pokemon." He said. He really was different from Paul.

Dawn saw it too.

"You need to get your spirits up." She told her Pokemon.

Reggie noticed Dawn with her Pokemon.

"What's the story with Dawn?" He asked the boys. "She doesn't seem like the type to compete in gym battles as well as contests to me."

"You're right, she isn't." Brock said. "But I think she's doing this to help Maylene regain her confidence."

"I also reckon she's doing it because Maylene is feeling down the same Dawn is now." Ash said.

"See, she's lost the last couple of contests." He explained to Reggie.

"Oh I see." Reggie said. "Well then let's hope this gym battle between Dawn and Maylene will help both of them regain their confidence."

At the time Maylene and Lucario were meditating in the gym. The Veilstone Gym was one of those ancient Japanese houses with lots of corridors and doors that slide and there were three big buildings. One building was the gym, another building was the training area and the last was a storage area. The three students from earlier were watching her; they were anxious about her gym battle tomorrow. Maylene promised Lucario and the students she would fight seriously in the gym battle between her and Dawn tomorrow. The students were happy to hear that and so was Lucario.

"Can you be the referee?" Maylene asked the student named Connally.

"Absolutely." He agreed.

*That night...*

Before the gang went to bed, Dawn was thinking about her gym battle tomorrow. As this was going to be her first gym battle, she was starting to feel the first time jitters.

"How do you feel about tomorrow Dawn?" Ash asked.

"Well I am starting to feel nervous." Dawn answered.

"I understand because I felt that way when I first started challenging gyms." Ash said. "And even now my heart pounds when I'm about to have a gym battle."

"My heart has started to pound too ever since I started challenging the gyms." Tomo added.

Brock explained to the others that even gym leaders get nervous when they start leading the gym.

"Were you nervous when you first became the Pewter gym leader Brock?" Ash asked.

"Oh yes." Brock said. "A gym leader's big priority is to bring out the very best of their Pokemon. When I first started I feared that I wouldn't even be half as good as my father was when he was the gym leader. But I got to meet and battle lots of different trainers and I learned that even great gym leaders get shaped up by the challengers through all the gym battles."

"Well then." Ash said. "Let's hope the battle tomorrow will bring Maylene's level up a bit."

The others hoped so too.

*The next day...*

The gang made it to the Veilstone Gym. Dawn shouted out that she was ready to challenge the gym leader and they entered the gym. Connally and Maylene were there waiting for them and Reggie was also there to watch the battle. Dawn took her place on the battlefield and the boys sat on the sidelines with Reggie. Connally explained that it was a 3 on 3 Pokemon battle. Maylene sent a Meditite out to battle first.

Dawn looked it up on her Pokedex.

"Meditite, the Meditate Pokemon. It eats just one berry a day. By enduring hunger, it's spirit is tempered and made sharper."

"Now let's see what Dawn will choose." Reggie said.

But when they looked at her, she was feeling jittery again.

*'Oh wow.'* Dawn thought. *'This feels so different when I'm watching Ash and Tomo from the sidelines. I don't know if I can really do this.'*

Ash stood up.

"Dawn, you show Maylene what you can do." He said. "And Maylene, show us your strength as a gym leader."

Hearing Ash's words gave Dawn her confidence back and she sent Drifloon out. Reggie pointed out that Meditite's fighting type moves won't do anything to Drifloon as it's a ghost/flying type Pokemon, so Drifloon was a good choice for Dawn.

Dawn then began the battle.

"Drifloon, Shadow Ball." She ordered.

"Detect." Maylene said to Meditite.

Meditite's eyes glowed green and it easily dodged the Shadow Ball attack. Detect was a move that helps the user dodge the opponent's attacks. Maylene knew that her Meditite's fighting type attacks wouldn't work.

"Meditite, Confusion." She ordered.

When she told it to do that she moved her arms around and so did Meditite.

Reggie explained that Maylene mirrors her Pokemon's moves as she is a warrior herself, and it makes herself feel stronger. She also becomes one with her Pokemon when they battle. Meditite moved Drifloon up, down and sideways with Confusion.

"Don't give up Drifloon. Use Gust." Dawn said.

Drifloon released a gust of wind from it's body that blew Meditite back.

"Good move, but we aren't done yet. Use Thunder Punch." Maylene said.

Meditite jumped up and punched Drifloon with a electricity covered fist.

"That's not good." Ash said. "Drifloon is weak to electric type attacks. Maylene must have taught Meditite Thunder Punch to deal with flying type Pokemon."

"Yes, she used that against Paul even though Honchkrow quickly knocked it out." Reggie explained. "It also knows Fire and Ice Punch."

The boys knew Dawn was in trouble.

"Don't give up Drifloon. Use Air Cutter." Dawn said.

Drifloon released blades of air, but Meditite used Detect and dodged the attack.

"Meditite, Thunder Punch once again." Maylene ordered.

Meditite struck Drifloon with a electricity covered fist again before it could do anything. Drifloon was unable to take it anymore and fainted.

Dawn returned Drifloon and sent Ambipom out.

"Swift." She ordered.

A series of white stars hit Meditite.

"Meditite, Drain Punch." Maylene said.

Meditite moved forward to use Drain Punch, but Ambipom blocked it with one of her big hands. Then she hit Meditite hard with Double Hit, causing it to faint.

Maylene returned Meditite.

"You approach a battle like a contest." She told Dawn.

"You're right and I'm having a lot of fun doing it." Dawn said.

Maylene turned to her Lucario.

"You ready to go?" She asked it.

Lucario was ready and walked onto the battlefield.

"Lucario looks different than yesterday." Tomo said.

"The bond between those two is strong." Reggie said. "Lucario must be sensing the confidence building up in Maylene."

*'Father, I sense that she does have her battling spark back.'* Lucario said.

*'I do too Lucario.'* Ash said. *'Pay close attention to how her Lucario battles.'*

*'Yes father.'* Lucario said.

"Aerial Ace." Dawn told Ambipom.

Lucario used Bone Rush to block her attack. Then Lucario hit her hard with the big bone. Ambipom was thrown back and fainted.

So Dawn was down to her final Pokemon while Maylene still had two.

"Wow." Tomo said. "Maylene's Lucario is strong."

"When Maylene and Lucario work together in sync, they can be hard to beat." Reggie said. "Dawn has definitely reawakened Maylene's passion for battling and lit up her fighting spirit."

Ash also felt that Dawn's fighting spirit was lighting up too. Dawn sent out Piplup.

Piplup started off with Bubble Beam, but Lucario dodged it and used Aura Sphere. Piplup was hit by Aura Sphere, but he wasn't beaten yet. Piplup used Whirlpool next and Lucario was trapped in the whirlpool.

"Alright Piplup, time to use Peck." Dawn said.

Piplup jumped onto the whirlpool and slid down it, ready to peck Lucario.

"Lucario, Metal Claw." Maylene said.

Lucario broke the whirlpool with Metal Claw.

"Dawn and Maylene are looking pretty good out there." Brock said.

Reggie was impressed with how this battle was going, especially with Dawn using contest skills.

"Piplup, Bubble Beam." Dawn ordered.

Lucario dodged the bubbles and hit Piplup with Force Palm.