Volcano

"Focus blast!"

"Fire blast"

Primeape growled as he focused intently, forming a concentrated ball of fighting type energy before tossing it at Arcanine's ball of fire. Both attacks clashed and exploded almost as soon as they made contact with each other.

Smoke filled the area in front of Primeape and Arcanine and both trainers got the feeling that the battle might end in a draw seeing as their attacks were evenly matched.

"Extremespeed."

"Focus energy and counter."

Arcanine shot off as it blurred away from sight moving really fast around the arena as it rounded on Primeape. Primeape on the other hand was focused, his eyes looking straight ahead as he waited for Arcanine to get within striking range.

"Flamethrower."

Arcanine stopped abruptly as it unleashed a torrent of flames at Primeape. The fighting type merely threw himself forward as he slammed a thunder punch into Arcanine's face and sent the fire type flying.

"Let's get on with it. Focus punch next."

Primeape placed his right hand behind as it focused even more than it had done with focus energy, calling on fighting type energy to surround his fist in a bluish white glow. Once the attack was prepared, he bounded forward.

"Arcanine, extremespeed again."

Arcanine shot off as it avoided the incoming onslaught and made its way back to Blaine's side of the field.

"Laser focus and fire blast again."

"Use fling on yourself and enter cross chop."

Arcanine crouched down to focus but this time Primeape had launched himself forward in a small explosion of dark energy as it approached Arcanine. Arcanine was forced to cancel laser focus and use fire blast. Primeape smirked, or made the Primeape equivalent of a smirk, knowingly as he crossed both hands in a chop. Cross chop and fire blast collided in a fiery explosion that engulfed both pokemon.

The flames danced as they littered the arena a little before fading away to show Primeape chopping Arcanine on the head. The Legendary Pokemon responded with a thunder fang to the Pig Monkey's side. Primeape yelped. That had done damage, a lot more than it should have.

Ash felt the spike in Primeape's aura and saw his eyes glow a deep red as the yelp grew into a bellow. It is one of anger and not one of a pokemon that had been hurt.

Information Corner

Ash's Primeape has the ability Anger Point. Anger Point is an ability that raises a Pokemon's attack stat to the maximum upon receiving a critical hit. The reason is because the critical hit damage causes a spike in the adrenaline of the pokemon, forcing their body to output more power than they usually would and it was a very disastrous choice for any opponent.

Blaine wore a look of worry at the anger point activating. The red aura had already spread from the eyes to the entire body. He was pulled out of his thoughts when he saw Arcanine back away from Primeape.

"Fling on yourself and then Arcanine."

The short burst of dark energy exploded and Primeape was sent like a missile hurtling towards Arcanine who he caught by the neck and flung into the air.

"Focus blast."

Primeape held both hands as a focus blast was formed and launched at the air borne Arcanine.

"Fire blast!" Blaine shouted.

Arcanine desperately tried to form the fire blast fast enough to counter the focus blast but it was inevitable. It had to launch a premature fire blast that was plowed through by the focus blast. The attack hit Arcanine and exploded and sent the fire type further into the air.

Blaine turned towards Ash to see the boy with a devilish smirk on his face. When he heard Ash call pursuit, he knew that he only had a small window of opportunity to attack.

"Overheat."

Primeape was launched with a sudden burst of dark energy as he approached Arcanine's form, ignoring the fire type who was charging one of the most powerful moves known to fire types. Primeape slammed into Arcanine just as overheat was launched at him. The explosion struck both pokemon and they were sent flying on opposite sides of the field. A double knockout.

Ash recalled the fighting type. He had done extremely well and deserved to rest himself. He took Volt's friend ball and launched it at the field, releasing the electric type. Volt came out and hurled his hands, releasing electricity as he did so.

Ash could see Blaine grimace as he held his pokeball and released the monster inside with the lights coalescing to reveal the familiar flaming horse. This was going to be good.

"Thunderbolt."

"Extremespeed, evade it."

A thunderbolt escaped Volt's body as it shut after Rapidash who blurred out of sight, boosted by the forced adrenaline rush.

"Thunderspeed."

Volt revved his hands as his entire being crackled with electricity before shooting himself, chasing after Rapidash. It was now a race as both pokemon blurred around the field leaving behind streaks of white and yellow. Volt was slowly catching up to Rapidash but it appeared that Blaine had other plans.

"Flame charge."

In an instant, flames surrounded Rapidash and formed a cloak around it. Adrenaline burned faster and Rapidash slowly started to increase the distance between them. Ash gritted his teeth at that.

"Halt and use rain dance."

Volt stopped and raised his hands to the sky as his antenna slowly crackled with electricity and he began to call as if to dance to the clouds, moving his hands and his body in a rhythmic pattern.

"Attack Electabuzz now."

Rapidash turned around as it slammed into Volt but the electric type had already called on the rain in the atmosphere.

"Sky launch," Ash called as Volt got up. The electric type crouched slightly as he channeled electricity into his body before forcing all gathered volts into his feet and shooting into the sky.

"Thunderbolt into the clouds."

"Overheat."

In an instant a bolt of electricity escaped Electabuzz's body and entered into the clouds. Blaine watched the Electabuzz work and it was very fast. He had expected for the Overheat to at least be near Electabuzz but Rapidash was still creating the attack. He watched as the clouds rumbled, electricity crackling and gathering within them before they blasted Volt.

The Electabuzz was more than happy to receive the volts of electricity, grinning as they slammed into him and filled him with vitality as his entire being crackled.

"Thunder!" Ash yelled.

With a mighty roar, Volt unleashed a destructive thunder attack that collided into the incoming Overheat, vaporizing it almost instantly before slamming into the field and Rapidash, destroying everything. Blaine was forced to recall Rapidash however because there was nothing he could do to prevent the attack.

The aftermath of it all was the resulting destruction of the entire field. Everything was blasted, save for the edges of the arena. The result was obvious. Ash was in the lead with a 3 – 1 victory.

"That's it Ash. I am all fired up now. The flames of eternity burn bright within me," Blaine said as he pumped a fist into the air. "If I had wanted to see amazing battles that would push me, I would still be in the Elite Four. What I want is to fan the flames of youth and you," he said pointing at Ash. "You have a bright and burning flame within you. Do not let it go out." Ash looked confused for a moment before nodding and the battle resumed.

Flareon was released from Blaine's side and it immediately turned towards Blaine as if to inquire what had happened to the place. Blaine just shrugged and the sun seemed to reflect oddly atop his bald head.

Ash had responded by releasing Blastoise who immediately flexed his cannons. He was going to enjoy blasting Flareon senseless. Ash sensed this and acted immediately.

"Stick to the plan," he reminded the water type who smirked as he dug his hands into his shell and took out his dark shades.

"Quick attack and smog."

"Wait and then use rapid spin."

Flareon shot off cloaked by streaks of white as it released a poisonous cloud. Blastoise was unfazed as he tucked in and spun with his shell, blowing the cloud away before chasing after Flareon.

"Dodge and get on its shell."

Flareon rolled to the side, avoiding Blastoise's pursuit before jumping atop the spinning turtle's shell. Blaine had to time it right or else, Flareon would be the one who would get hurt.

"Superpower."

Flareon glowed as it proceeded to slam itself into Blastoise's shell and sending the water type into the ground, digging what appeared to be a small gorge.

"Blastoise," Ash called out a little worried. He hadn't expected the fire type to know such a move. He watched as the turtle slowly and shakily pulled himself out of the crater. Blastoise growled as he turned towards Flareon who was awaiting Blaine's command.

"Quick attack, flank it with flamethrower."

Ash smiled. This was it. "Rapid pump," he called out a little bit under his breath.

Blastoise responded by starting to spin as he recalled his cannons to increase his velocity. Once he felt it was enough, the cannons popped back out and he unleashed a devastating hydro pump attack.

The powerful water torrent was launched with such ferocity that it caught Flareon in an instant and tossed the fire type all the way to the other side of the field and continued battering him as the jets passed and then came again. Blastoise soon stopped his spin and stood to survey his damage.

"Dry yourself with flame charge."

Flareon became ablaze as it dried up the water that had drenched it.

Ash smirked. "We're not done yet," he called to Blastoise and the water type flexed his cannons in reply.

"Heat wave."

"Aqua spin."

Heat wave was what had made Blastoise woozy the previous match and this time he was going to avoid it by having Blastoise coat himself with water. Before Blastoise had started spinning, he was shrouded with water as he began spinning even more ferociously than the previous time as he chased after Flareon.

Blastoise slammed into the fire type and sent it flying.

"Aqua jet."

Blastoise stopped the spin as he flooded the arena with water that slowly started bubbling due to the heat. He slammed into Flareon once again and the fire type was sent flying.

Blaine smiled. Ash had discovered the secrets of Flareon. They had terrible defenses towards physical attacks.

"Sunny day and solar beam."

Flareon was rather quick on its feet as it shook of the water that was as a result of the aqua jet and shot a glowing ball of fire into the sky. The rays of the sun intensified around the arena as they were magnified to great lengths. Ash grit his teeth as Blastoise fought to cool off himself from the resulting heat.

"Hold it in Blastoise, we are almost there. Just like we practiced."

The water type growled in acknowledgement as he flexed his cannons. Water dripped from them as they slowly doused the water type's feet and the area around him as he waited for the moment when he would be cool enough to continue. Ash watched as Flareon gathered the light for solar beam and was just about launching at Blastoise.

"Hydro pump."

Blastoise felt the last of his water douse the feet beneath him and he dug his feet into the now soggy floor before shooting the torrent of water at the fire type. Flareon had charged the solar beam and he sent it flying at the incoming water attack.

"Now spin and switch."

Blaine was beginning to wonder why Ash had called at such a ludicrous attack, because pretty much anyone could see that hydro pump would lose to solar beam, especially one bolstered by this amount of heat. He was about to question why Ash would do something until the raven-haired trainer gave his next command.

Blaine watched as Blastoise leapt up with force from what looked like an aqua jet as he began to barrel. Blastoise stopped the flow of water from one of his cannons as he opted for the more dangerous ice beam, acting on the water, freezing the jet from the inside out.

Ash smirked. It had taken a while to get this underway and it was fairly incomplete because they hadn't practiced the spin. Ash was calling a possibly failed attack here but he had to risk it all. The spin was to maximize the force of the attack because he wasn't guaranteed that it would win without the spin.

The now almost solid hydro pump and ice beam mixture slammed into the solar beam and gradually tore through it before slamming into Flareon and sending the fire type flying. It wasn't knocked out yet, but the final attack would do it.

"Aqua spin."

Continuing with the momentum of the spin, Blastoise withdrew into his shell and shrouded his being with water before slamming full force into the fire type and sending it to the ground, creating a crater in the process.

Blaine looked at Ash and then Blastoise before smiling to himself. Ash had earned the volcano badge at this point. He would have opted to give the boy the badge but he knew that he wouldn't want it that way. Creative was what one would describe Ash as. He was just impressive as a battler and if he continued that way, Blaine was sure that the boy would become a force to be reckoned with.

"Well Ash," he said as he recalled the fallen fire type. "Let's wrap this up."

"With pleasure," Ash said as he recalled the water type and took Blaze's in his palm. The fire type was practically excited at this point. He had been seeing the match through Ash's eyes and was glad it was his time to battle.

"Burn up Magmar/Let's end this Blaze," both trainers said simultaneously.

With a mighty roar and a powerful flamethrower, Blaze emerged from his friend ball. Blaine could feel the heat rise and noted that the Charizard was here to win. He turned to his Magmar.

"Get ready, it is going to be one hell of a challenge."

The fire type nodded and spat a blob of flame to the side.

Ash turned to his fire type. He had the first move and he was going to at least make the most of it.

"Into the sky and bathe the field in flames."

Blaine watched as the pseudo-dragon soared into the sky and let his flames descend on the battlefield.

"Flamethrower on your mark."

Magmar's maw filled with flames as it shot them at Blaze's incoming figure.

"Barrel into it. Aerial ace."

Blaze shot off as he barreled straight through the flamethrower. His wings wrapped around him as he slammed into Magmar. He climbed back towards Ash's side of the field as he faced Magmar who was now getting to his feet.

"Dual Chop."

Draconic energy swirled around Magmar's fists as he charged Blaze.

"Meet with thunder punch."

Blaze growled something at Ash before charging at Magmar with his fists sparking with electricity. Ash smirked as he watched his starter. He wanted to fight by himself with only aids from Ash. It was his way of wanting to evolve in his battling abilities.

Thunder punch and dual chop clashed in an explosion of electricity and draconic power. Blaze roared as his tail attained a metallic glint before he turned and slammed into Magmar. It didn't do much damage but it served its purpose. Magmar was startled before being tackled by an aerial ace courtesy of Blaze.

"Psychic," Blaine ordered as Magmar's eyes flashed blue. A psychic force encapsulated Blaze and threatened to send him flying. Blaze was caught off-guard but he obviously had other plans. Psychic, while a powerful technique, had some flaws and one of them was something that Ash had taught his pokemon to be able to exploit. If the attack is being used by a pokemon with not extremely competent levels of psychic energy, a sudden buildup in the mass being held captive will throw them off point. If done accurately enough, the psychic hold will be broken.

Blaze was capitalizing on this as suddenly he let loose a nasty dragon pulse. The psychic hold was broken and Magmar was forced to dodge the attack. Blaze didn't let up as he followed up with a torrent of flames that irritated the fire type as opposed to hurting him.

"Don't worry Magmar, we will get him next time."

Blaze took to the skies before dive-bombing. He folded his wings to himself to increase the velocity of his drop as a draconic sphere formed in front of him.

"Belch."

Just as Blaze was about to release the dragon pulse, Blaine had given an all too familiar attack to Magmar and just like the last time, Ash could see Magmar bite something in its mouth as it let the disturbing sound loose followed by the aura of miasma.

Blaze released dragon pulse at that moment, opening his wings as he did so to give himself lift. The speed of the dragon pulse allowed it make its way towards Magmar faster than the fire type could dodge. It hadn't dispelled the belch but Blaze had another plan for that as he proceeded to bathe the field in a torrent of flames, granting himself more propulsion.

Blaze landed at Ash's side of the field as he watched the carnage he had caused earlier with analytical eyes. He growled as soon as he noticed something strange. The flames shifted and warped as they began to form into a sphere that revealed Magmar behind it. The Spitfire pokemon sent the flames flying at Blaze who in turn took to the sky as he tried his best outmaneuver it.

"Stay hot on his tail and then let it rip," Blaine called with fire in his eyes.

Ash watched the flames chase Blaze as he tried to come up with something that could make it easier for the Flame Pokemon. Flames were pretty much useless against Magmar, at least Blaze's flames, so he had to use something else.

"Aerial ace, aim for Magmar."

"When you feel him close use Dual Chop."

Blaze blurred out of sight as he raced towards Magmar who had stopped controlling the flames to focus on where Blaze was going to strike from. It didn't take long before Magmar felt the impact as his hands attained draconic energy. This time Ash was prepared.

"Into the sky."

Blaze flapped his wings as he used the impact to propel Magmar into the air. The dragon fell back as he let momentum carry Magmar further into the sky before charging up a dragon pulse. He released it but Magmar countered with a flamethrower as both attacks clashed.

Another dragon pulse escaped Blaze's mouth and slammed into Magmar, disorienting the fire type.

"Psychic on yourself."

Magmar did as told as the resulting psychic energy wrapped around its body and started to lower it to the ground. Blaze growled as he shot a huge ball of fire that soon turned into the all too familiar big kanji.

"Release psychic and propel yourself out of the way with flamethrower."

While the flames would not have hurt Magmar all too much, Blaine was playing it safe as the attack narrowly missed Magmar who rolled to a stop as it turned to face Blaze who was still in the air. Blaze growled before roaring again, this time very loudly as his tail flame flared wildly. He was hell bent on ending the battle. His entire body became wrapped in fire as his nose released steam and he took off in a straight pattern, heading for Magmar.

"Overheat, maximum output."

Blaine had been saving Magmar's fire output for this moment. Seeing Blaze switch into flare blitz, he felt the need to use this. Magmar's mouth flared and glowed with red, hot flames as a massive pillar of fire that far dwarfed the standard flamethrower escaped his mouth, its sole target the incoming embodiment of fire that was Blaze.

Both attacks drew close to each other as Blaze continued onward and Magmar fueled the ever growing flames of his attack. It all boiled down to this final clash. Blaze slammed into overheat and both attacks met at a stalemate. Neither was overcoming the other as the heat, literally, grew and covered the entire field gradually. Blaze's tail flame flared even brighter as Magmar seemed to turn up the output he had placed in his flames.

The ground beneath the attacks was charred and the effect only continued to increase and soot began to fall. Soon, it felt as if overheat was overcoming Blaze and Blaine was becoming excited. Ash had more than earned the badge but he himself wanted to see the outcome of the battle. The gym leader turned his gaze to Ash, but he was surprised to see the calm that was displayed on his face. He was half-expecting the boy to not be calm or at least expecting him to be freaking out. Ash was not. His face was deathly calm.

Ash was not worried in the slightest. He had a plan and he was going to use it and he was going to like using it. "Spin!"

As if on cue, Blaze drew on more power in his flames as his tail flared even brighter as if he was going to enter Blaze. The resulting increase in the power of the flames caused him to gather enough power to force his body into a full body spin. He tore through the overheat causing the temperature of the atmosphere to further increase and the magma in the volcano started to boil. A loud explosion resounded in the air as Blaze struck Magmar with the full brunt of his flare blitz. Blaine felt the volcano beneath shake as Blaze struck Magmar, as if it was going to erupt. It soon began to still as Blaze flew out of the explosion and landed at Ash's side of the field. His tail flame had returned to normal as he surveyed his carnage once again.

Blaine watched as the smoke settled to reveal a knocked out Magmar in a crater filled with soot. He wordlessly returned him and shouted, something that surprised both Ash and Blaze. They watched the former researcher and elite four member make his way to the field entrance, not appearing like someone who had just lost. They decided to walk up towards him to before meeting at the entrance.

"Well Ash," Blaine said as he dug his hands into his pocket as if to bring out something "I must say that you are an extremely interesting fellow. This is one of the most heated battles that I had had in a long time." He took out the hands to bring out the volcano badge.

"As a result, it brings me great joy to present a young ember such as yourself with the volcano badge. You'd earned it ever since Blastoise took out Flareon, but I knew that you wouldn't any other way except a battle to the end." He gave the badge to Ash who took it eagerly.

"Thank you Blaine," he said as he placed it in his badge case. 'Just one more badge.'

"I also have to admit that your Charizard is an extremely fine specimen and though I doubt that he would be able to take on my Charizard as he is now, he is plenty strong."

Blaze snorted a cloud of smoke at that statement but didn't do anything yet. He knew he was strong but to face one of a Gym Leader's elite was akin to suicide at the moment, especially one that used to be on the ranks of the Elite Four. He was strong not arrogant.

"One question though," Blaine said suddenly, interrupting Ash who was looking at Blaze rather quizzically, "how did you get his tail flame to suddenly flare up like that?"

Ash would be lying if he said he didn't notice it, but he had to confess that he didn't know what it was. It wasn't the first time that Blaze tapped into something like this and this time it was as if he was able to use more than once during the course of the fight.

"To be honest, I don't know…" he laughed sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "I suppose I'd talk to Professor Oak when I get back home."

Blaine smiled. He had a suspicion but that was what it was to be honest. Just a suspicion. He waved it off and turned to Ash. "Best train an awful lot before you challenge Giovanni. There is a reason he is called the strongest gym leader in Kanto and like me, he is plenty capable of the Elite Four a run for their money."

Ash nodded. "I will," he said as he got on Blaze's back. "Thanks a lot for the battle Blaine."

"Don't mention it."

With that, Blaze flapped his wings and they were off, headed for the Pokemon Center to meet up with Misty before heading back to Pallet Town, or in Misty's case, Cerulean City. They would take their time on the road because he had to work with Misty on a lot of things.

Blaine watched as he left on Charizard. "Oh Sabrina. How I fear your premonitions."