Chapter 38

For the next few days, Ash, Pikachu, Serena, Brock, Holly, Dawn, Piplup, May, and Max enjoy relaxing on the ferry to Cinnabar Island. True to May's words, she and Dawn started giving Serena tips to practice contest battles with her Pokemon. Some were hard for her to understand, but she and Braixen, Pancham, Sylveon, Poliwag, and Absol do their best while making their own plans for the contest in Cinnabar Island once May and Dawn leave the room. Apart from that, everyone mostly relaxes as if they were on vacation as opposed to traveling to the next gym battle or Pokemon contest.

Finally, late afternoon on the sixth day, the ship arrives at the dock on Cinnabar Island. Everyone exits the ferry only for Serena, May, Dawn, and Holly to smile brightly at the sight of the town.

"Wow, look at this place," Dawn says excitedly.

"It's beautiful," Serena says with a blissful sigh.

"Yeah, it is," Ash says, smirking. "And this whole place is just a small part of the island."

"Really?" May asks, surprised.

"Yeah, this only covers a fraction of the island," Brock says. "The town is a great place for tourists, though. There are a lot of souvenir shops, hotels, hot springs, restaurants, and food stalls. In fact, the gym leader, Blaine, runs a hotel where he has the gym hiding behind the building.

"You had me at souvenir shops and restaurants," Holly says ecstatically while wrapping her arms around Brock's arm. "Let's go browsing shops and trying out some restaurants, just the two of us."

Brock's tan face turns pink, and he makes a goofy grin before taking both of Holly's hands and says, "For you, I'd browse through any shop and try every restaurant in the world together."

The two adults giggle happily while staring at each other's eyes. Serena smiles fondly at their affection, and even Dawn and May are smiling, having gotten used to the way Brock and Holly act around each other at the ferry. Ash is still oblivious to what is going on but is happy that Brock is happy. Max, on the other hand, frowns and takes it upon himself to yank both Brock and Holly by the ears.

"Augh! What's with you, Max?" Holly cries out in pain.

"Have you two forgotten why we came all this way here?" Max rebukes. "Serena and Dawn are competing in the Pokemon contest, and you and I need to challenge the gym leader, Holly."

Holly swats Max's hands away from her and Brock, and the two of them rub their ears.

"We can do all that and still find plenty of special time for Brock and me," she says, annoyed before going back to hugging Brock's arm while giving him a flirtatious look. "And besides, I looked it up, and the contest isn't for another two days."

The rest of the gang looks at her confused until Serena takes out her tablet and looks up the information on Cinnabar Island's Pokemon contest.

"Wow, what do you know? The contest isn't until the day after tomorrow," she says. "I guess our ship arrived earlier than scheduled."

"That's great," May says. "Looks like the three of us coordinators have more time to practice for the contest or the Grand Festival and even some time to go shopping and check out the hot springs."

"Alright!" Serena and Dawn cheerfully shout at the same time.

"Piplup!" Piplup shouts, sharing the girls' enthusiasm.

"Great, and I can use the time to do a lot more training with my Pokemon," Ash says. "Timothy promised me that we will have another battle the next time we meet, and I want to show him how much I've learned since our last battle."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu shouts in eagerness.

Max looks at everyone and sighs, knowing he's the only one determined to do what he came to the island for.

"Well, can we let least go the gym now so that both you and I have it out of the way, Holly?" He pleads. "That way, you can do everything you want with Brock to your heart's content."

"Oh, but how can I be eager to get my badge right away when shopping and eating out dates await the two of us right now?" Holly coos while she and Brock hold both of each other's hands and rub their cheeks together, giggling while hearts appear above their heads.

"Gee, I don't know," Max says with a sly grin. "Maybe because you promised you wouldn't become boyfriend and girlfriend officially until after you compete in the Indigo League, and you can't do that without a badge from here?"

Brock and Holly's happy moment disappears, and the two of them sigh in defeat.

"He has a point, Holly," Brock begrudgingly admits. "Besides, defeating Blaine might be very difficult."

"Yeah, Brock's right," Ash testifies. "Next to Agatha, Blaine is the toughest gym leader in the Kanto region. It took me two tries to beat him, and even then, it was kind of luck that Charizard listened to me and learned Seismic Toss to win the match."

"Really?" Holly says, surprised. "Well, then if I lose, I have plenty of time to try again before the contest. But I don't intend to lose when spending quality time with Brock is on the line."

"That's the spirit," Max encourages, knowing he's won. "So who's up for watching Holly and me defeating the Cinnabar Island gym?"

"I'm in," Ash says with a grin.

"Pika, Pika," Pikachu says.

May hesitates before she sighs.

"Well, I promised Mom and Dad that I would be cheering Max on through all of his gym battles, so I guess I have to go," she says.

Serena and Dawn look at each other with sad smiles on their faces.

"Well, if May is going, then we might as well go too," Serena says.

"Yeah, shopping won't be as fun without all of us girls," Dawn admits.

"Piplup," Piplup chirps.

"Alright, then let's go!" Max shouts excitedly while pumping his fist into the air.

"Yeah!" Ash says while he and Pikachu also shake their fists into the air.

"Yay," everyone else says half-heartedly before the entire group leaves.

***********************************************************************************

After several minutes of walking, Brock and Ash lead the group to a hotel called Big Riddle Inn. When they enter the building, Holly, Serena, May, Max, Dawn, and Piplup look at the inside in awe before Holly turns to Brock.

"So the gym is hidden behind this hotel?" she asks.

"Yeah, and this is also where Ash, Pikachu, Misty, and I stayed when we came here for Ash's gym battle," Brock says.

"No, kidding. This place looks nice," Dawn says, smiling.

"Why, thank you, young lady," says a voice from behind.

Dawn screams and jumps from behind to see a tall man with sunglasses and long hair. Piplup steps in front of Dawn defensively, and Holly, May, Max, and Serena are taken aback at the man's abrupt appearance while Ash, Pikachu, and Brock give the man a friendly smile.

"Hey, Blaine, good to see you," Ash greets.

"Wait, this is the Cinnabar Island gym leader?" Dawn asks, alarmed.

The man notices Ash, Pikachu, and Brock and smiles warmly.

"Why, Ash, Brock, how nice to see you," he says. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Yep, it sure has," Brock says with a nod. "How have you been? Has the gym been repaired since we were here last?"

"Oh, I'm quite fine, thank you for asking. And it took a while, but I have managed to repair the gym to its former glory," Blaine says with a nod. "But enough about me. Who are your friends?"

"Uh.. my name is Dawn," Dawn answers while still creeped out. "And this is my partner, Piplup."

"Piplup," Piplup introduces.

"I'm Serena. Nice to meet you," Serena says with a kind smile.

"I'm May, and this is my brother, Max," May says.

"Yeah, and I want to challenge you to a gym battle, Mr. Blaine," Max says bluntly with a smirk.

"Don't forget me," Holly says determinedly. "I'm Holly, and I want to challenge you to a gym battle as well."

Blaine looks at Max and Holly and chuckles in amusement.

"My, my, so Ash and Brock brought me two challengers to face," he says. "Well, that sounds fine by me, but you see, I only have three Pokemon, so my gym battles are only three on three."

Max and Holly look at each other concerned before Max says, "So how do we decide who should get to battle?"

Blaine smirks and says, "Tell you what, I will give you two a riddle, and the person who figures out the answer first will battle me first. If the first person fails to defeat me, I will give the other person the chance to battle me. Otherwise, the second person will have to wait until tomorrow to battle me."

Max and Holly hesitate at the idea of leaving who will get to battle the gym to chance. They look at each other and reluctantly shrug before Max says, "Okay, what is the riddle?"

Blaine grins mischievously before he clears his throat and says, "This one is about Pokemon types. It goes, "I am quite strong at hardness' peak. To the fire type, I am very weak.'"

Max scratches his chin in thought while Holly stares at the old man befuddled. After a few seconds, Max's eyes widen, and he snaps his fingers with a confident grin on his face.

"The answer is Steel-type," he says in a matter-of-factly tone.

"That is correct!" Blaine declares enthusiastically. "That means you get to battle me first!"

"Alright!" Max shouts.

"Aw," Holly whines in defeat. "Oh well, at least that means more time touring with you, Brock."

"Actually, I hate to say it, Holly, but I think we should watch Max's battle first," Brock says.

"What? But why?" Holly asks, shocked.

"Because you will be better prepared knowing what Pokemon Blaine has and what attacks they use," Brock says. "Blaine caught Ash off guard real good when he first challenged him, and I would rather you use Max's battle to know what you're getting into."

"But I really want to go explore the island with you," Holly protests with a pout.

"I do too," Brock says with a sad smile. "But remember, you need to win the Volcano Badge to compete in the Indigo League so that we can be together officially like we planned. Besides, we can still find time to go look at souvenir shops right after the battle. I promise."

Holly frowns, reluctantly admitting that Brock has a point. She huffs and grabs Brock's arm possessively with both arms, surprising the tan-skinned man.

"Fine, but I'm holding your arm hostage until we get to spend time together...and while we spend time together too," she says firmly.

Brock's face turns bright pink, and he starts giggling like a little boy.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he squeaks in a soft, high-pitched voice.

Ash looks at Brock, feeling concerned for the way his friend is acting. The girls, on the other hand, smile at the young adults while Blaine chuckles lightly and Max rolls his eyes.

"Alright, enough with the lovey-dovey stuff. Let's get my battle going," he says impatiently.

Blaine nods and says, "Very well, then. Follow me."

Thus, everyone silently obeys and follows Blaine down the hall to the back of the hotel, where the hot springs are. Blaine walks over to a Gyarados statue and presses down on it. The fence between the two springs moves, and a secret door on the rock opens. Everyone but Ash, Brock, and Pikachu gasp in surprise before they follow Blaine inside and walk down the stairs.

"Whew, it's getting hot in here," May says while fanning herself with her hand.

"Yeah, no kidding," Dawn agrees while taking off her beanie.

"Piplup," Piplup whines.

"Ugh, I must admit I've forgotten how hot it gets in here," Ash moans while using his hat to fan his and Pikachu's face.

"Pika, Pika," Pikachu groans.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say we are heading inside the volcano," Serena comments while taking her hat off.

"That's because we are," Blaine says plainly.

"What?!" Everyone but Ash and Brock exclaims.

"Yep. My gym is right inside the volcano," Blaine says.

Sure enough, the group reaches a door, and Blaine opens it to reveal a large pool of lava where he has a Pokemon battlefield residing right above it. Holly, Max, May, Dawn, Piplup, and Serena stare in awe while Blaine walks over to the other side of the field. Then, the old man removes his wig and sunglasses to show his bald head and old but determined eyes much to the surprise of most of the group. Then he glares at Max and starts talking with his voice sounding raspy.

"Alright, young man, step forward," he commands with his arms crossed. "This will be a three-on-three battle. The battle will be over when all three Pokemon from either side are unable to battle, and only you can make substitutes. Furthermore, I have no judge for this gym, so we will judge from our own accord. Are you ready?"

"I am ready!" Max answers as he walks to the other side of the battlefield.

"Okay, Ninetales, let's go!" Blaine shouts while throwing a Pokeball.

"Kabuto, I choose you!" Max yells while throwing a Pokeball as well.

The two balls open, and a Ninetales and Kabuto come out ready for battle.

"Wow, Max has a Kabuto?" Dawn asks, amazed.

"He sure does," May answers, smiling.

"Kabuto?" Serena asks in confusion while she takes out her Pokedex.

"Kabuto, the ancient Pokemon," her Pokedex says. "Though this Pokemon is believed to be extinct, it had a hard shell that protected its body and is believed to have been a powerful swimmer."

"Believed to be extinct?" Serena asks in confusion.

"Yeah, but Max found a fossil a while back, and we came across this fossil laboratory that revived the fossil into a Kabuto," May explains. "That's pretty much the only way you can see one today."

"That's right," Ash says. "In fact, I think I recall seeing a Kabuto fossil when we were at the Ambrette Town fossil laboratory with Clemont and Bonnie, Serena."

"Oh yeah. I think I remember that too," Serena ways with a smile.

"Enough talking. Let's begin the battle," Blaine says. "Ninetales, use Fire Spin!"

Ninetales opens its mouth and releases a stream of spinning red-orange fire with a yellow flame spiraling around it.

"Kabuto, use your shell to protect yourself!" Max commands.

Kabuto hides inside its shell right as the Fire Spin is about to hit. The attack engulfs the shell in a large ball of fire for a moment before it disappears to show Kabuto's shell is badly burnt.

"Kabuto, are you okay?" Max asks worriedly.

Kabuto comes out of hiding and lets out a soft groan to show that it was hurt a little despite its shell protecting it.

"How is that even possible?" Max asks in disbelief. "Even if Fire Spin could hurt Kabuto despite being protected by its shell, it's still a little resistant to fire."

"I'm afraid it's not that easy," Ash says with a frown. "Blaine's fire Pokemon are stronger because of the hot environment inside the volcano. Because of that, fire attacks are much more effective than they normally are."

"Ash is right," Brock says seriously. "Ninetales' Fire Spin is so powerful that it took down Ash's Squirtle in one hit even though it also protected itself with its shell. Your Kabuto might have managed to stay up, Max, but there's no guarantee that it can endure another hit."

"Understood," Max says, nodding. "Kabuto, use Rock Throw!"

Kabuto's shell glows white, and several tiny rocks appear floating in the air above it. Then the rocks fly straight at Ninetales, who shuts its eyes and endures the rock hitting it all over its body, causing several scratches and bruises.

"Ninetales, use Fire Spin again!" Blaine shouts.

"Dodge using Aqua Jet!" Max shouts.

Kabuto surrounds itself in water and shoots itself like a rocket to avoid Fire Spin before ramming into Ninetales. The fox Pokemon howls in pain after getting hit before it rolls over the ground and lies down unconscious. Blaine frowns and sighs, disappointed.

"Well, it appears the first victory goes to you, Max," he admits.

"Alright!" Max shouts happily while shaking his fist into the air.

"Way to go, Max," Ash calls out.

"Keep it up, Max," May says supportively.

"Whew, I'm glad Max won," Holly says with a smile before her face drops, "But that first Fire Spin was incredible. I can't believe it would be that powerful against a rock and water type like Kabuto."

Max smiles at the group while everyone else says words of encouragement. Blaine returns Ninetales back into its Pokeball and glares at his opponent as he takes out another one.

"I must admit that was well done, Max, but you won't be so lucky with my next Pokemon," he claims before throwing the Pokeball into the air. "Go, Rhydon!"

The Pokeball opens, and Blaine's Rhyhorn appears, looking ready to crush Kabuto underneath its feet. Max grows uneasy at the way Rhydon is looking at his small Pokemon and takes out its Pokeball.

"Kabuto, get a good rest," he says as he returns Kabuto before taking out another ball. "Rhyhorn, let's go!"

Rhyhorn comes out of its Pokeball, looking ready to battle. But suddenly, it turns its head to see Serena standing behind Max with the rest of the group. The spike Pokemon growls excitedly, and its eyes turn into giant pink hearts as it turns around and starts running toward the honey-blonde girl until Max stands in its way with a disapproving look, causing Rhyhorn to stop running.

"Rhyhorn, this is not the time to start licking Serena," he rebukes. "We have a gym battle to win, and we are not stopping for any reason. Understand?"

Rhyhorn frowns sadly like a little child who is being talked down to by a parent and reluctantly obeys, turning around to face its opponent.

"What was that about?" Dawn asks, confused.

"You see, Serena was raised to be a Rhyhorn racer," Ash explains. "So, Rhyhorn, like Max's Rhyhorn, like to chase after her and lick her a lot."

"Yeah, you should have seen Max's Rhyhorn when he was battling Koga, the Fuchsia City gym leader," Brock says. "It tackled Serena and started licking her almost as soon as it came out of its Pokeball."

"Wow. Rhyhorn, get that crazy over Serena?" Dawn asks.

"You have no idea," Ash says.

"Pika, Pika," Pikachu says with a sigh.

Max sighs in relief and turns to Serena with an annoyed look.

"No offense, Serena, but maybe you shouldn't be around when I'm battling with Rhyhorn from now on," he says.

"Oh, none taken. I completely understand," Serena says, chuckling while waving her hands with her eyes closed. "Though if it helps, Rhyhorn usually stop acting that way after they evolve. That's why Blaine's Rhydon isn't acting that way towards me."

"Great. Now I have another reason to help Rhyhorn evolve besides helping it grow stronger," Max grumbles.

"Enough talking!" Blaine shouts impatiently. "Rhydon, use Horn Drill!"

Max snaps out his train of thought and shouts, "Rhyhorn, you use Horn Drill as well!"

Both Rhyhorn and Rhydon charge at each other and hit each other with their horns. The two of them wrestle each other with their horns for a few seconds before Rhydon forces Rhyhorn back with a strong push that sends its evolved form sliding several feet away from it.

"Oh man, it looks like Rhydon is slightly stronger than Rhyhorn," Dawn observes.

"True, but I think it all comes down to what attacks both Pokemon can use against the other," Brock says. "Even though they are both rock and ground types, they are both weak against ground attacks. If I remember correctly, Rhydon only knows Fury Attack and Horn Drill, so Max should use a ground attack to gain the upper hand."

Max overhears Brock's explanation and grins.

"Excellent idea, Brock," he says.

"Rhydon, use Fury Attack!" Blaine shouts, not hearing the conversation from the other side of the battlefield.

Rhydon lowers its head and charges at Rhyhorn with its horn ready to strike. Max, however, smirks at the drill Pokemon with a plan in his mind.

"Rhyhorn, use Earthquake!" He commands.

Rhyhorn raises its front legs in the air before it slams its feet at the ground. The platform begins to shake, and Rhydon loses its footing and falls down flat on its front.

"Don't let up! Use Earthquake again!" Max shouts.

Rhyhorn slams its feet into the ground again, and the platform shakes once more. The shockwaves hit Rhydon again and send it rolling a few feet away with its body covered with scratches and bruises.

"Rhydon, get up, quick!" Blaine orders.

"I don't think so," Max says. "Rhyhorn, use Drill Horn at full speed!"

Rhyhorn charges at Rhydon with its horn ready to attack just as the latter is slowly getting up. Rhyhorn rams into Rhydon hard in the stomach with its horn. Rhydon howls in pain and tumbles to the ground, falling down on its back and having lost consciousness.

Blaine sighs and says, "Well done, you have managed to best my Rhydon with your Rhyhorn's ground attack."

"Thanks," Max says with a smirk.

"Blaine only has one Pokemon left, while Max still has all three of his Pokemon," Serena says excitedly.

"Go, little brother! You got this!" May cheers.

"I have to say, while Ninetales seemed to be pretty tough, it didn't take much to take down Rhydon," Holly says while still keeping a grip on Brock's arm. "But with the way you and Ash advertised this gym, Brock, I get the feeling that Blaine's last Pokemon is going to be the toughest."

"You are absolutely right," Blaine says with a determined glare. "Max is to be commended for making it this far, but this is where his victories end. Come out, Magmar!"

Everyone in the group but Ash, Pikachu, and Brock stare at Blaine in confusion, noticing he's not taking out a Pokeball. Suddenly, they notice the lava below the battlefield beginning to shake violently before a fiery figure shoots out from the lava and lands perfectly on the battlefield with an intimidating look on its face. Ash, Pikachu, and Brock's faces turn serious as they stare at the fire-type Pokemon.

"Magmar," Ash says.

"Pika," Pikachu says seriously, remembering the last time it saw Blaine's final Pokemon.

"Magmar? I've never heard of that Pokemon," May says.

"Me neither," Max admits.

"Hmmm. Let's see," Serena says, taking out her Pokedex again.

"Magmar, the spitfire Pokemon," it says. "Its body is like a furnace making Magmar a living inferno. It has been discovered living in active volcanoes."

"Well, that explains what it was doing in the pool of lava," May says, looking at the Pokedex from behind Serena's shoulder. "It looks pretty powerful too."

"We'll see about that," Max says with a determined look. "Rhyhorn, use Earthquake."

"Magmar, stop it with Flamethrower!" Blaine orders.

Rhyhorn once again raises its front legs to cause another earthquake, but Magmar fires a Flamethrower from its beak, and it hits the Spike Pokemon right as it is about to slam its front feet to the ground. The impact causes Rhyhorn to lose its balance and fall down on its backside. Max panics as he watches his Pokemon kick its feet in the air, trying to roll over and stand back up.

"Magmar, use a series of Fire Punches and finish it off with Fire Blast!" Blaine commands.

"Rhyhorn, get back up, quick!" Max calls out pleadingly.

But try as it might, Rhyhorn can barely move at all while Magmar runs over to it with its fists engulfed in flames and starts repeatedly punching Rhyhorn furiously. Rhyhorn grunts in pain from each punch, growing weaker from each attack. Finally, Magmar takes a deep breath and fires a Fire Blast directly at its opponent. Rhyhorn roars upon impact of the attack before it lies on its back motionless and with swirly eyes.

"And that is it for your Rhyhorn," Blaine says plainly.

Max sighs and returns Rhyhorn to its Pokeball before taking out Kabuto's Pokeball.

"Get 'em, Kabuto!" He shouts as he throws the ball into the air, and it opens to reveal Kabuto looking fairly rested despite its shell burnt.

Blaine frowns menacingly at the ancient Pokemon and scoffs.

"Your Kabuto won't get away so easily this time," he says. "Magmar, Flamethrower!"

"Kabuto, throw it off with Sand Attack!" Max commands.

Kabuto digs a small hole in the ground and starts throwing sand at Magmar just as it's about to release another Flamethrower. The sand hits Magmar in the eyes, and it lifts its head to rub its eyes just as it uses Flamethrower, missing its target completely.

"Alright!" Max says confidently. "Now, use Aqua Jet!"

Kabuto surrounds itself in water and shoots toward Magmar like a rocket. By the time Magmar gets the sand out of its eyes, Kabuto hits it in the stomach, and Magmar falls to the ground with its arms cradling its gut.

"Don't let up! Use Aqua Jet again!" Max shouts.

"Magmar, get up and use Skull Bash!" Blaine orders.

Magmar gets up and hurdles at Kabuto, who is heading straight toward it with another Aqua Jet. The spitfire Pokemon rams its opponent with its head, and it sends Kabuto flying straight into a wall with a crash.

"Kabuto!" Max cries out.

"Finish it with Fire Blast!" Blaine barks.

Magmar uses Fire Blast, and the attack hits Kabuto with a powerful force. Max and the rest of the group can do nothing but watch as the flames clear away to show Kabuto lying on the floor with pink, swirly eyes.

"That makes two of your Pokemon, so now we both have one left," Blaine says with his arms still crossed.

"Poor Kabuto," Serena says sadly while Max returns Kabuto to its Pokeball.

"And it was starting to do well against Magmar, too," Dawn says.

Holly, on the other hand, stares at Magmar, feeling intimidated by the fire Pokemon's power. The fact that it was able to finish Kabuto off with a powerful fire attack despite Kabuto being a water and ground type sent shivers down her spine.

"Holly, are you okay?" Brock asks.

"Not really," Holly answers while tightening her grip on Brock's arm like a frightened child holding a teddy bear.

Max puts away Kabuto's Pokeball and scratches his chin in thought. He carefully thinks of what Pokemon to use next now that he can only use one more to win the match. Eventually, he groans in irritation while taking out a Pokeball.

"It's probably the best chance I got," he says to himself before throwing the ball into the air. "Karlia, I choose you!"

The ball opens, and a Karlia appears on the battlefield, glaring at Magmar.

"Magmar, end this battle now with Flamethrower!" Blaine barks.

"Kirlia, use Teleport, quick!" Max shouts.

Magmar shoots another Flamethrower, but Kirlia disappears before it could be hit Magmar. Blaine and Magmar look around in confusion until they see Kirlia reappearing on the left corner of Max's side of the field.

"Keep using Flamethrower!" Blaine commands.

"You keep using Teleport and then use Confusion!" Max shouts.

Kirlia keeps using Teleport every time Magmar shoots Flamethrower at it. Blaine grows agitated at the psychic-type Pokemon constantly dodging each attack Magmar throws at it. Finally, he sees Kirlia appear a couple of feet behind Magmar, preparing to use Confusion and grins.

"Magmar, use Fire Punch behind you!" He shouts.

Magmar decides to trust in its trainer, and with its fist on fire, it throws a big punch and hits Karlia before its psychic attack can take effect. Max watches his emotion Pokemon fall down with its right cheek burnt.

"Karlia!" He shouts. "Get up and use Heal Pulse!"

"Don't give it a chance and keep using Fire Punch!" Blaine commands.

Kirlia gets up and is about to use Heal Pulse until it sees Magmar running towards it to throw another fiery punch. It quickly dodged the attack only to miss another Fire Punch from Magmar's other fist barely. The smaller of the two Pokemon finds itself needing to dodge back and forth while its opponent keeps trying to hit it again relentlessly.

"Keep going, Kirlia. Just keep dodging," Max calls out.

"Wow, look at Kirlia go," Dawn says. "Good thing it decided to dodge right away when it did."

"Yeah, but notice how it's moving its feet to dodge," Brock said. "Kirlia normally are using their feet gracefully when they dodge, but Max's Kirlia is moving differently."

Ash looks at Brock in confusion until he looks at Kiria carefully and says, "Hey, yeah, you're right. It's dodging as if it's in a boxing match kind of like Primeape."

Max looks at Ash, confused, and turns back to adjust his glasses and watch the fight carefully. He sees in Kirlia's eyes that its gaze is fixed on Magmar's eyes like a boxer refusing to look away from its opponent. Its legs are close together, never more than a couple of feet apart, and its feet quickly move from one step to the other like it's on a jog. Max doesn't know what to think, but his focus soon changes to Magmar, who is starting to tire. Its punches grow slow and sloppy, making it easier for Kirlia to dodge. The young boy grins mischievously as he realizes he has his opportunity.

"Kirlia, pick the right moment when Magmar is about to punch and use Disarming Voice!" He orders.

Kirlia squints its eyes in readiness before it easily dodges another Fire Punch and shrieks at the top of its lungs. Purple hearts come out of its mouth and hit Magmar, who groans and backs away on impact, disoriented.

"Magmar, snap out of it!" Blaine shouts.

"But aren't fairy-type moves like Disarming Voice not very effective against a fire type like Magmar?" Serena asks, confused.

"Yeah, Magmar can resist half the damage from Fairy-type moves," Brock confirms. "But with Teleport and Heal Pulse in mind, Disarming Voice is the only move Kirlia knows that doesn't require concentration like Confusion."

"And it probably doesn't help that Magmar has already taken a serious hit with Aqua Jet and is clearly fatigued," Holly adds. "So, I guess it doesn't matter if it can resist some of the damage while it's still hurt and tired as long as Disarming Voice can knock it out of its pursuit to hit Kirlia."

"Correct," Brock says.

"Kirlia, finish it with Confusion!" Max calls out.

Kirlia's eyes glow blue, and the dazed Magmar is lifted from the ground. The spitfire Pokemon can do nothing but stay limp while Kirlia uses its power to send it crashing from one wall to another. Blaine's eyes widen as he helplessly watches his partner get tossed around like a ragdoll until Kirlia releases Magmar, and it falls to the ground with swirly eyes. The old man stares at Magmar for a moment before he smirks and shakes his head with his eyes closed.

"It appears I have been bested by another trainer," he says humbly while taking out Magmar's Pokeball. "Congratulations, Max. Magmar is beaten, which makes you the winner of this match."

"Yes!" Max shouts at the told his lungs as he jumps up and down and shakes his fists in the air.

"Kiria!" Kirlia cries out joyfully while it runs over to Max and jumps into his arms happily.

"Way to go, little brother!" May cheers.

"Good job, Max!" Dawn shouts.

"Piplup!" Piplup happily calls out.

"Great job, Max!" Serena shouts happily.

"Awesome job!" Ash shouts.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cheers.

"Nice work, Max," Brock says while Holly nods with a smile.

After returning Magmar back into its Pokeball, Blaine walks over to Max and gives them a friendly smile.

"Well done, Max. You deserve the Volcano Badge," Blaine says, handing the badge to the boy.

"Thank you!" Max says happily before he presents his new badge to the group. "Alright! I got the Volcano Badge!"

"Karlia!" Karlia cheers.

Everyone cheers for their friend, and May gives her little brother a hug much to his embarrassment. Blaine smiles at the celebration before turning to Holly.

"As for you, young lady, Nurse Joy should have my Pokemon healed up and in perfect condition by tomorrow," he says. "But since I will have some business to attend at my hotel, why don't we have our battle sometime late in the afternoon?"

"That would be great," Holly says with her arms still wrapped tightly around Brock's arm. "That means more than enough time for touring. Right, Brock?"

"Absolutely," Brock says with a happy grin.

"Well, until then, you're all welcome to stay at my hotel during your stay in Cinnabar Island," Blaine says. "It's probably getting late anyway, so you won't be able to do much in town for the rest of the day."

"Great. Thanks a lot, Blaine," Ash says thankfully.

"Yeah, thanks so much," Serena says kindly.

"If you all follow me, I will show you to your rooms," Blaine says before he starts leading the group back up the stairs.

"Oh, yes, please do," Dawn groans eagerly. "I can't stand this heat anymore."

"Piplup!" Piplup squawks, agreeing with its partner.

"And hey, Kirlia, maybe after dinner, you can show us again how you were dodging Magmar's attacks," Max says as Kirlia walks beside him. "I get the feeling that if we practice on that, that could come in handy for future battles."

"Good idea," Ash says. "I bet I can have Primeape help with that."

"Pikachu," Pikachu says with a smile.

"That would be great," Max says before turning to Karlia. "If what I'm thinking is true, then this might be a sign that we should find a Dawn Stone so that you can evolve into a Gallade, Karlia."

"Kirlia," Kirlia says, nodding at its trainer.

As the group exits the gym, however, Holly glances at the battlefield before she and Brock start going up the stairs. The auburn-haired woman grows uneasy after witnessing how powerful the gym leader is despite losing to Max. She tightens her grip on Brook's arm and slowly begins to dread her upcoming match.