Rising Badge

The next day it was time for Ash to battle Clair and earn his final gym badge.

"Even though this will be my twentieth gym badge, this will be my first time taking on a dragon type gym." Ash said.

"You're right about that." Brock said. "The truth is, you hardly get any gyms that use dragon type Pokemon. You normally get the usual water, grass or fire type gyms."

"What Pokemon are you going to use Ash?" Misty asked. "I mean dragon type Pokemon aren't easy to beat you know."

"I'm using Croconaw and Lanturn in this battle." Ash said. "As well as a old dragon friend of mine."

"You mean you're using Dragonite in this battle?" Brock asked.

"That's correct Brock." Ash smiled.

"Awe I can't wait to see that." Tomo said.

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 Clair was waiting for them. The battlefield was big as well and there was a pool for water type Pokemon in the middle.

"I take it you're ready for our gym battle Ash?" Clair asked.

"Yes Clair, I am." Ash replied confidently.

Tomo, Misty and Brock took their place behind Ash.

"I wonder if Ash will be okay against a dragon type gym." Brock said.

"Big brother will win." Tomo said. "He's dealt with dragon type Pokemon before."

"You're right about that Tomo." Misty replied.

She remembered the time Ash battled a Dragonite at the Orange Islands and a Kingdra during the Whirl Cup. Brock recalled it as well and started to believe Ash would be okay. Kaburagi served as the gym referee and explained that the match was a three on three Pokemon battle and the first to knock out three Pokemon wins. Then he declared the match could begin.

Clair sent out her first Pokemon; a Kingdra. Ash sent out Croconaw.

"This is like the Whirl Cup." Misty said, remembering when Ash's Croconaw went up against a Kingdra in the Whirl Cup.

"All right Croconaw let's use Dragon Claw." Ash said.

Croconaw charged at Kingdra to scratch it.

"Kingdra dodge it with Agility." Clair said.

Kingdra dodged Croconaw's Dragon Claw attack.

"Try to attack Kingdra with Crunch Croconaw." Ash said.

Croconaw tried to bite down on Kingdra with his jaws, but Kingdra kept on dodging Croconaw.

"Attack Croconaw with Hydro Pump Kingdra." Clair said.

Ash commanded Croconaw to fight back with his own Hydro Pump attack. The two Hydro Pumps collided and then both Croconaw and Kingdra were hit by the attacks.

"Croconaw use Dragon Claw now." Ash said.

Croconaw scratched Kingdra with all it's might and Kingdra was hurt.

"It's a good thing that Croconaw knows a dragon type move in the form of Dragon Claw." Brock said. "Because dragon beats dragon."

"You're right." Misty smiled.

Then Ash had Croconaw use Focus Punch on Kingdra. Kingdra got punched really hard and then fainted.

"Kingdra is unable to battle." Kaburagi said. "Croconaw is the winner of this round."

"Way to go Croconaw." Ash said.

Tomo was cheering for Ash's first victory.

"I have to say, Croconaw is certainly a lot stronger than it was as a Totodile." Brock said.

"Wait until it becomes a Feraligatr." Misty said. "He will become even stronger."

Clair returned Kingdra and sent out her next Pokemon, a Gyarados.

"Croconaw, you still okay to battle?" Ash asked.

Croconaw was okay.

"Use Ice Fang." Croconaw charged forward to bite Gyarados with icy fangs.

"Gyarados fight back with Dragon Breath." Clair said.

Gyarados fired a bluish-green flame from it's mouth as Croconaw. Ash tried to have Croconaw dodge the attack, but it was hit by the attack and was paralyzed. The move Dragon Breath had the ability to paralyze the target.

"Oh no being paralyzed will prove to be trouble for Croconaw." Ash said. "Croconaw try to use Hydro Pump."

Croconaw tried to open his mouth to release a Hydro Pump attack, but his paralysis prevented him from doing so.

"Gyarados attack now with Hyper Beam." Clair said.

Gyarados fired Hyper Beam at Croconaw, and Croconaw was hit by it before he had to dodge. Croconaw then fainted.

"Croconaw is unable to battle." Kaburagi said. "This round goes to Gyarados."

Ash returned his Croconaw and sent out his next Pokemon, a Lanturn.

"Lanturn's a good choice." Brock said. "It's electric type attacks will easily defeat Gyarados, a water/flying type Pokemon."

"Yes but don't forget." Misty added. "Gyarados is a water type Pokemon that won't give up, no matter what opponent it's facing."

Clair commanded her Gyarados to use Bite on Lanturn. Ash commanded Lanturn to dodge Gyarados with Agility and use Thunderbolt. Thanks to Agility, Lanturn easily dodged Gyarados and then shocked it with Thunderbolt. But Gyarados wasn't defeated yet.

"Gyarados use Hydro Pump." Clair commanded.

Ash commanded Lanturn freeze the Hydro Pump with Ice Beam. When the Hydro Pump and Ice Beam collided with each other, the Hydro Pump turned into ice and broke apart over the gym floor.

"Now Lanturn use Thunderbolt again." Ash said.

Lanturn fired Thunderbolt at Gyarados a second time and it fainted.

"Gyarados is unable to battle." Kaburagi said. "This round goes to Lanturn."

Tomo was cheering for Ash's win.

"Now Clair only has one Pokemon left." Misty said.

"Yes but her last Pokemon is Dragonair." Brock pointed out.

"I don't think you need to worry Brock." Misty told him. "Lanturn knows Ice Beam and dragon type Pokemon are weak to ice type moves."

"Yes you're right." Brock said.

Clair returned Gyarados and sent Dragonair out.

"Let's see how you do against my Dragonair Ash." She said.

"I'm ready for this." Ash said. "Lanturn use Ice Beam."

Lanturn fired Ice Beam at Dragonair.

"Use Flamethrower Dragonair." Clair said.

Dragonair blew a stream of fire at the Ice Beam and melted it.

"Sorry Ash." Clair said. "But I had a feeling you would use ice type attacks. So I had my Dragonair learn Flamethrower to counter ice type attacks."

"Clair is smart." Ash whispered. "But I'm not giving just yet. Use Bubble Beam Lanturn." Lanturn fired lots of bubbles at Dragonair, but it dodged the attack and then fired Hyper Beam at Lanturn. Lanturn took a lot of damage from the attack. Then Clair ordered Dragonair to use Iron Tail. Lanturn took even more damage and then fainted.

"Lanturn is unable to battle." Kaburagi said. "Dragonair wins this round."

Ash returned Lanturn.

"Defeating that Dragonair won't be easy." Misty said.

"Yeah, especially since it knows Flamethrower to defend itself from ice type attacks." Brock noted.

Ash released Dragonite to battle now.

"I can't wait to see these two dragons fighting each other." Tomo said excitedly.

Misty and Brock couldn't either as seeing two dragon type Pokemon battling each other was a exciting event. Just then the roof of the gym started to come off.

"What's going on?" Ash asked.

Kaburagi explained that having the roof off meant that flying types can easily fly around the battlefield. Since Dragonair and Dragonite can fly; having the roof off would be easier for them to fly around.

Clair commanded her Dragonair to use Hyper Beam on Dragonite. Ash commanded his Dragonite to dodge the attack and she did.

"Okay Dragonite use Dragon Pulse." Dragonite fired a Dragon Pulse attack from her mouth and Dragonair was hit by it.

"Dragonair take to the sky now." Clair said.

Dragonair got out of the pool and flew into the air.

"Now use Iron Tail." Dragonair's tail glowed and it got ready to strike Dragonite, but Ash had Dragonite counter the attack with Dragon Tail.

The two dragons were clashing with each other with their tails.

"This is some battle." Brock said. "I mean I have never seen dragon type Pokemon fight like this before."

Misty and Tomo hadn't either.

Ash commanded Dragonite to use Extreme Speed and Dragonite charged into Dragonair really hard.

"Don't give up Dragonair. Use Dragon Rage." Clair said.

Dragonair fired a big blue orb of energy at Dragonite and it struck Dragonite.

"Hang in there Dragonite." Ash said.

Just then Dragonite's body was surrounded by a blue and white dragon-shaped energy and then she slammed into Dragonair really hard.

"Wow, what was that?" Misty asked.

"That was Dragon Rush." Brock said. "It's one of the strongest dragon type moves."

Ash was happy that Dragonite learned Dragon Rush.

Because of Dragonite's new dragon type move, Clair's Dragonair couldn't battle anymore and fainted.

"Dragonair is unable to battle." Kaburagi said. "Dragonite is the winner of this match and the winner of this gym battle is Ash."

Ash was happy about his victory and hugged Dragonite. Tomo, Misty and Brock ran over to Ash and congratulated him.

"You and your Pokemon were great out there." Misty said.

"Yeah especially since dragon type Pokemon like Dragonair are not the easiest to beat." Brock said.

"You were great big brother." Tomo said, hugging Ash.

Clair and Kaburagi walked over to Ash.

"Ash, that was the greatest battle I ever had in my life." Clair said.

"Yes, you are one impressive trainer." Kaburagi said.

"Thank you." Ash said.

"So Ash I now give you the Rising Badge as proof of your victory." Clair said.

The Rising Badge was a red and black-colored badge shaped like a dragon's face. Ash thanked Clair and accepted the badge.

That evening Ash healed his Pokemon at the Pokemon Center and sent Dragonite back to Prof. Oak.

"It was a good idea to use Dragonite in your gym battle Ash." Brock said.

"I know." Ash replied. "Especially since dragon type Pokemon can only be beaten by dragon, fairy and ice type Pokemon."

"Yes, and now you can register for the Johto League." Misty said.

Misty was right; Ash now had eight gym badges.

"I wonder where the Johto League is being held though." Ash said.

He didn't know where it was located.

"Let's find out tomorrow." Brock suggested. "We need to go to bed now, especially you Ash."

Ash was pretty tired from today's events, so he and the others fell asleep in the Pokemon Center's bedrooms.