Ash took his very own hot Air Baloon provided by the Crossgate Town Council to the designated height. As expected, the experience here was completely different from the last time he was in one of these things, and he liked this feeling very much. He felt like he was back to riding on back of his Charizard or Pidgeot.
"It's up to you, Taillow!"
Ash hadn't used Taillow in an actual official battle for a while, only wild Pokémon's and wild Trainer battles when Ash teleported him from the Lab to increase their Bond Value. But this had made him go through a earth-shaking changes from all of the training he was receiving from Ash and his two powerful Normal and Flying-type Pokémon, Ash's Pidgeot and his Shiny Noctowl. The most obvious thing is that it is obviously still a Taillow, but it looked like like a Swellow than a it of his own kind, like a completely unique Pokémon in itself. The feeling that his eyes now had was completely different, this one was radiating power and precision, typical in the strong meat of Flying-type predators.
Taillow: 180/190
And their opponents were a Golbat and own of the fast Pokémon's ever, Ninjask, as well as the main champion candidates, Volt, Volbeat.
"They're all a bunch of weaklings, Volbeat, use Thunder to knock them down from the sky!"
The fighting method of this past champion was really simple and crude, but also quite effective against most of the weaker competitors. He just ordered his Pokémon to defeat all the opponents down and then go to the ring to snatch it without any pressure behind it.
After all, most of the people participating in the ring competition were Flying-type Pokémon's that were weak to Electric-type attacks, and Volt's Volbeat can actually use one of the strongest Electric-type attacks, Thunder!
However, Ash showed a contemporary smile and used his Taillows ability as soon as he came up, which can eventually tire the opponent out without even needing to expand on his energy.
"Now! Get away!"
Taillow was trained by Zapdos in certain aspects to build up resistance to Electric-type attacks, of course Zapdos didn't even use 1% of his full power as that could actually kill Taillow. So Ash had decided it was best for Taillow to just stay and try to absorb the electricity that Zapdos constantly radiates off of his body.
So it was very easy for Taillow to avoid this very ordinary version of Thunder.
Tallows figure flashed and disappeared in an instant. But unfortunately for Golbat and Niniask behind him, they were both hit and were eliminated immediately from this tournament.
"Here it comes, this is famous Thunder strategy that Volt used last year to win the championship title! This is also the reason why he had earned his title as "The Thunder King," the commentator yelled out in even more praise.
Looks like this guy bet all of his money in Volt to win this years championship title like the previous year.
Ash was even more confused when he heard it, as the authority in knowing how to handle Electric-type attacks, he was puzzled how in Arkoos's green planet had this brain dead guy earned such a reputation.
Since Ash knew that this was the max extent of Volts power, it was easy for him to deal with the rest. Ash and his Taillow looked at each other from their long distance and accepted this so called "challenge" with a little smirk.
"Quick Attack!"
Taillow's figure disappeared in an instant, jsut like a moment ago, came to the side of Volts Volbeat and knocked it away hard with what looked to be an Ariel Ace.
"What? You bastard!"
Volt was also stunned by the sudden maneuver. He immediately detected that Ash had the same idea as him and was also preparing to knock down the Pokémon that was going to get the ring at the final moment, much like the first round.
So this round evolved into a minor aerial battle between Ash and Volt, which was something that Ash was not lacking in, not by a long shot.
"Volbeat, use Thunder to knock that overgrown bird down!"
"Do you really think such a simple thing would help you?" Ash also heard Volts order loud and clear. Just as Ash had realized, Volt was a one trick pony fool, constantly using his Volbeats Thunder without teaching it any other ways to win, he can't do much of anything to a strong opponent, he was just extremely lucky that there weren't any actual Trainers in the last year's champions that he won.
"Aerial Ace!"
Before Volbeats Thunder got ready to be launched, it found that the figure of Taillow suddenly disappeared in front of his very eyes.
Where was he going to launch is Thunder towards?
He didn't have the ability to stop it in the middle, nor could he launch it down or the sideways, there was the audience there. And if he tried to hit upwards, it will just hit him bacon in an instant.
He was in a clear pickle.
But then ge felt a huge force on its back and slammed it to the ground.
Looks like he really didn't have to worry about his own attack hitting himself, yet.
The Flying-type Aerial Ace has an outstanding effect on the part Bug-type Volbeat, knocking it out and causing it to fall freely from the air in a single close hit.
"Go now!" Taillow easily defeated the much weaker Volbeat without using over 80% of his strength. While Taillow went back to get the ring, Ash just looked at him and said, "Buff dude, now what do you wanna say?!"
"At the end, our main champion candidate Volt has been defeated, and Ash Ketchum has solidified his position as the rising star of this year's competition!" The whole audience cheered for Ash and his Taillow!
However, the second host felt like he lost his very will to live. He had lost his everything in thsi bet: his car, his house, his wife, and all he had was unfortunately his son.
Taillow: 185/195
Soon it was the turn of May and James in the last area. Of course, May used her Beautifly, who was also her only Pokémon capable of flight. However, unexpectedly, James used Jessie's Dustox as he didn't own any Pokémon that can fly.
These two good frenemies, Beautifly and Dustox, are competing on the same stage again.
This round ended rather quickly compared to the rounds before this. James carefully commanded his temporary borrowed Dustox to ride on the Gust attack that Beautifly had created to defend itself. After snatching the ring away from Beautifly, Dustox accelerated and dived to hang the ring in a single stroke of perfection.
"James is really good at this, definitely much better than anyone I have seen before. He definitely knew how to play this game from how confident he is in his skills." Ash murmured to himself with a smile, hoping for a challenge from his long time "friend" and enemy.
"The battle of our Crossgate Town Annual PokéRinger is still going on very strong. Although it is a first time for players like Ash and Shane to participate in this competition, they both passed their round very easily. And now, the newest edition to thsi tournament, James, also loos to be an unstoppable force with his Dustox!"
The first host was very cheerful while the second host seemed rather dead than alive.
"Alright then, the next round will be the one-on-one duel for the semi-finals!"
Taillow: 210/215
Finally it was the time for the semi-finals, Ash had to face off against some girl from a previous round who used a Skarmory. However, this Skarmory looked to be a stronger opponent than Volt and his Volbeat, which shows just how lucky they were last year to win the whole thing.
"Shane, see you in the finals!" Ash said these these words laft to get on his own hot Air Baloon.
"Skarmory, use Swift!" The girl, Sophia, also knew how powerful Ash was from what she saw in the last round and the Silver Conference which she also saw, so she used Swift as soon as she released her Skarmory, and then flew straight towards the ring.
"Steel Wing!" Taillow didn't care about these small Swift attacks at all. He used his Steel Wing and slashed all of them way. The star shaped Swift was chopped into many pieces, and then he attacked Skarmory's wings, the same ones that were even stronger than hard iron.
"Damn it, it's so fast!" Sophia gritted her teeth, "Skarmory, we will also use Steel Wing!"
This was pretty much Skarmory's signature attack, and it does make sense on why it should be its signature skill, it is literally had steel wings.
After hearing the command form its Trainer, the Steel Wing released from his wings and towards Taillow.
"Aerial Ace!"
Under the Steel Wing, Taillow had already completely disappeared, and then suddenly appeared again and knocked Skarmory away again a couple more times.
Following that, Taillow easily got the ring and completed this round without losing any of his own health.
In the second battle of the semi-finals, both Shane and James were skilled in predicting the direction that the wind will come from, but in the end it was James who was superior in every aspect and took advantage of the clouds and fog blown away by the strong winds and the sunlight cast by the wind to take advantage of the opportunity to win that very exciting round.
This means that James will be the one to face Ash in the final, who was also technically his big/small boss.
In this special game that he was very good at, James was really not afraid of what his boss, Ash, can do to him.
He repeated his old tricks again, using the sudden sunlight to love and block the sight of Ash and Taillow, and he the first one to launch his attack, "Dustox, use Psybeam now!"
"Close your eyes and avoid it!" Ash's body was now shining with a tint of blue light, and now his Taillow had closed his eyes and completely ignored the dazzling but quite harsh sunlight above his head.
He flaps his wings and avoided the Psybeam of Jame's Dustox by moving left after getting Ash's command via their shared Telepathic link.
But at this very moment, James suddenly yelled out, "Dusox, move quickly!"
Ash was also surprised but decided it continue with his initial plan with a little bit of change to it, "Agility!"
Just as the two Pokémon were moving away from the ring, a large and strong twister suddenly rose into the sky and enveloped the area where the ring was placed in.
"It finally appeared again!" The commentator also exclaimed in nothing but happiness and excitement, "The famous specialty of our Crossgate Town, the wild twister, appeared once again with its magnificent blow!"
In this way, there was no way to get close to the ring, unless someone willingly goes into it…
"Listen up, Dustox, the moment that twister disappears from where it is, that's going to be our most decisive moment for the chance at victory!" James told his temporary partner.
However, Ash and his Taillow looked at each other with the same smirk, "There is no need to wait until it disappears, Taillow, use Brave Bird!"
This was the skill that Taillow finally "mastered'" after being tortured by his Pidgeot during his time in the lab.
Everyone saw the fluttering wings suddenly disappear into a blinding light, and its whole body was burning with a white raging flames. It got ready as his Trainer and him wished and then headed towards the ring in the middle of the twister.
Ash clenched his fist tightly, 'Taillow, the moment of your true awakening has finally arrived! Use your most courageous power and evolve into the avian you are destined to be!'
Sure enough, Taillow, like a long white sword, stabbed into the twister resolutely. The power from the very nature should had torn it into many pieces by the aftermath of the shockwave.
But now Taillow's whole body was beginning to be enveloped in the brilliance of the light of evolution.
He was finally about to evolve. In fact, he had long reached the point where he could have evolved, but Ash had made him wait. And now, he can finally understand on why Ash made him wait.
"Thats absolutely bloody amazing, Contestant Ash's Taillow, that had just rushed into the twister, had began to evolve in the very core of it!" This sudden change in front of them made both the commentators go absolutely crazy.
The courage of Ash and gain Taillow was really amazing to say the least.
The originally small figure of Taillow in the twister core was growing very rapidly and wildly, until he had grown to nearly one meter tall, which was already more than half the size of a regular Swellow.
Swellow: 255/255
With the completion of his evolution, their shared Bond Value and compatibility had also directly reach their direct peak.
"Why is it happening to me?" James suddenly exclaimed outloud, he had already long known about Ash's power, but now he had to face it himself, which he really didn't want to face.
Ash and Taillow were already very powerful before they evolved. And after evolving, they are like a completely different animal. How can he even fight now?
Ash smiled softly, because a new far more powerful whirlwind enveloped his Swellow.
"Oh my Arkoos, Ash's Taillow had actually evolved into a Swellow during the midst of the exciting match ever! And it also seemed like they are using some new and special tricks that we have never seen before!" The commentator was stunned by seeing the huge and new looking Swellow, almost completely different from any he had seen in his life before.
However, they certainly don't know what happened to Swellow was his using a completely new power.
He was undergoing his very own Bond Evolutions, but to keep a low profile in front of so many people, he was controlling his form to appear like a blur un the cameras and to most or, making it difficult to understand its true look at the moment.
Only a certain few people saw what Swellow now looked inside of the wind storm he himself had created to not be seen, of course the host was one of the very few people who saw its real look.
This was also something that Ash rarely uses in large competitions, his Blastoise was one of the few Pokémon's that used this trick during the last Silver Conference!l.
Name: Ash-Swellow
Type: Normal, Flying
Ability: Guts (When it has a status condition, its attack will increase)
Scrappy (Normal-type and Fighting-type skills can hit Ghost-type Pokémon's)
Moves: Brave Bird, Air Slash, Pluck, Quick Attack, Agility, Aerial Ace, Double Team, Steel Wing…
"Swellow, use Quick Attack into an Air Slash!"
Swellow was also Ash's very first "regional" bird to complete their shared Bond Evolutions, but it shouldn't be difficult to compete a Bond Evolutions with his Pidgeot
Ash had brought his Pidgeot back to him from time to time, so their Bond Value was also slowly increasing as the time passes.
Everyone saw that Swellow obtained the ring and then burst out of the strong wind twister, the his figure suddenly disappeared out of nowhere, and then a wind blade knocked Dustox down, defeating him instantly with just that one single move.
"That's amazing! Contestant Ash had won the championship in his first ever try! This final match is the greatest one I have seen in my very long career!"
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This is a very long chapter and I have been using my left hand for it, which is very fuking annoying to say the least.
And yes, I will still be updating this story, but not every day like I used to.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed this.