DP128: Difference between revisions

The next day, after dropping off a {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} he was caring for, [[Reggie]] stops by after noticing his younger brother Paul outside the Center. Inside, Ash and {{ashfr}} notice Reggie as Dawn tells Zoey that he is Paul's older brother, before stepping outside to greet him. Reggie asks Paul if he can watch his match against Candice, which Paul allows. Zoey notices that Paul is as much a complete contrast to his brother as he is to Ash. Just then, a huge shock wave and shadow get all of their attention, and they look up to see the [[Battle Pyramid]]. Ash identifies it and reveals to everyone (except Brock, who already knows) that he [[AG190|conquered it]] and won the [[Symbol|Brave Symbol]], which greatly surprises Paul. {{TRT}} spots the Pyramid from the town, while Candice spots it from outside her Gym.

Inside the Pyramid control room, [[Samuel]] relays a streaming video feed from Ash at the Pokémon Center, with Brandon pleasantly surprised. As the Pyramid touches down in a clearing, Reggie drives Ash and his friends to the location. Ash and {{an|Brock}} tell Dawn about the {{gdis|Battle Frontier|III}}, and how there are several [[Battle facility|battle facilities]] spread throughout Kanto and that each is run by a [[Frontier Brain]], with {{an|Brandon}} as the last to defeat and the most powerful of them all. After Brock finishes this explanation, Paul is shown seemingly lost in thought. Brock then asks Reggie about the missing Brave Symbol [[DP066|he noticed]] at his home back in [[Veilstone City]], after which Paul closes his eyes and seemingly falls deeper into thought. Reggie confirms that the Pyramid was the only facility in which he was unable to achieve victory, before his usual smile drops into a serious expression as he remarks that it was also the day he realized that he had a lot more to learn. The group arrives the Pyramid and meets up with Brandon, who is pleased to see so many familiar faces in Ash, Brock, Reggie, and even Paul, which prompts Paul to step forward and challenge Brandon to a battle right here and now. Candice then arrives on a {{p|Dodrio}}, introducing herself to Brandon and expresses her admiration of the Battle Pyramid. As an SUV approaches, Brandon introduces them to Temple Maiden [[Maria]], who Brock gets weak-kneed over, though {{TP|Brock|Croagunk}} {{m|Poison Jab|calms him}}. Zoey fills everyone in about the [[Snowpoint Temple]] while Team Rocket listens in, Brandon mentioning that the Temple was his reason for coming to [[Sinnoh]]. However, he notices the determination in Paul's eyes and feels obligated to accept his challenge, so he tells Samuel to go with Maria to the Temple, planning to meet up with them once the battle is finished. Paul reveals that his reason for this sudden battle request is because he wishes to fulfill what his brother couldn't, and allows everyone to watch their battle.

Inside, Brock offers to be the referee, but Paul says that there is no need for this and declares that the match will be a [[Full Battle]] with substitutions allowed. He then summons {{TP|Paul|Magmar}}, before Brandon chooses {{DL|Brandon's legendary giants|Regirock}}, the same Pokémon he started with when battling Reggie. Reggie then flashes back to ''his'' battle with Brandon; he had defeated the other six Frontier Brains, and defeating Brandon would allow him to become a Frontier Brain candidate. Paul had just started his Pokémon journey with his {{TP|Paul|Torterra}}, still a Turtwig at the time, and traveled to Kanto in order to watch Reggie's battle. Despite his best efforts, Reggie lost without defeating a single one of Brandon's Pokémon. Paul and Turtwig were both shocked by Reggie's landslide defeat, and Brandon harshly told Reggie that while it was an enjoyable battle, there was nothing special or unique about his battle style, and finished by asking him where his inner strength is. Paul took these words to heart, and from that point he and Turtwig became determined to find their own inner strengths. As the scene switches back to the present, Brock realizes that Paul's obsession with power stems from Reggie's loss against Brandon. Brandon states to Paul he can take on anything he brings, because that is his battling style. Just then, Paul surprises everyone by immediately recalling Magmar before the battle has even started, Brock presuming his reasoning being the type disadvantage that Magmar has against Regirock. Paul then sends out {{p|Hariyama}}, while Dawn looks it up on her [[Pokédex]]. Zoey notes that Hariyama is a much better matchup than Magmar against a {{type|Rock}}.

The battle begins as Regirock fires {{m|Stone Edge}}, but Hariyama blocks it easily. Paul points out that Rock-type moves aren't very effective against Fighting types like Hariyama and asks if this is a test, Brandon smiling and replying that he will have to find out. Hariyama charges forward and hits with multiple {{m|Arm Thrust}}s, but Regirock bear hugs Hariyama to stop it in its tracks and uses {{m|Shock Wave}} at close range, causing it a surprising amount of damage. Hariyama recovers and goes in for a {{m|Force Palm}}, but Regirock easily dodges it and throws a {{m|Focus Punch}}, [[fainting|knocking Hariyama out]]. As Paul recalls Hariyama, everyone is impressed at how strong Brandon's Regirock is. Outside, Team Rocket tries to decide whether to climb the Pyramid again or go to the Temple; [[Jessie]] wants to ransack the Temple, {{MTR}} wishes to climb the Pyramid, and [[James]] is impartial. They hit an impasse and cannot agree on which location to pursue, so Jessie and Meowth play rock paper scissors to decide, but it results in a tie.

Meanwhile, Paul sends out Electabuzz and smiles. Although this choice confuses everyone else, Ash [[DP015|predicts Paul's strategy]] as Electabuzz uses {{m|Brick Break}} to cause Regirock super-effective [[damage]]. However, Regirock shows no signs of letting up and fires Stone Edge, and Electabuzz {{m|Protect}}s itself. However, the attack is so powerful that it breaks through the barrier and knocks Electabuzz down, which angers Paul, before Regirock follows up with a {{m|Hyper Beam}} that takes Electabuzz out. Paul recalls Electabuzz before Brandon recalls Regirock as well, which benefits him on not having to deal with Hyper Beam's secondary immobilization effect. Brandon replaces it with {{DL|Brandon's legendary giants|Registeel}}, and Paul sends Magmar back out. Magmar lands a Flamethrower, but to everyone's amazement, Registeel takes the super-effective attack without much falter, before launching an {{m|Iron Head}} attack. Paul commands Magmar to block it and use {{m|Will-O-Wisp}}, but Magmar fails to block the attack and ends up [[flinch|flinching]]. Irritated, Paul then recalls Magmar and deploys {{p|Nidoking}}. Dawn, after looking Nidoking up on her Pokédex, is confused as to why Paul chose a {{type|Poison}} Pokémon due to the {{t|Steel}} type's immunity to Poison attacks. Zoey replies that Nidoking is also a {{type|Ground}}, whose moves are super-effective on Steel-types. Registeel fires a {{m|Flash Cannon}} that hits Nidoking squarely in the face, but Nidoking recovers and successfully counterattacks with {{m|Earth Power}} and {{m|Double Kick}}, which are enough to cause Registeel to stumble backwards, but not defeat it. Nidoking then launches a {{m|Thunderbolt}} but Registeel uses Iron Head to absorb the Thunderbolt and hits Nidoking, knocking him out.

Brandon begins to taunt Paul, reminding him that he wanted to defeat the man who defeated his brother and put an end to his Pokémon journey. After recalling Nidoking, Paul tells Brandon that it is ''because'' he defeated his brother that he is battling him now; Brandon's ultimate challenge for all Pokémon Trainers is to find their true inner strength, which was something that Reggie was unable to fulfill, but Paul yells that he is different from his brother in that he is already aware of his true inner strength; his will. Up in the stands, Ash watches in complete shock and disbelief at his rival's tantrum and furious state. Brandon chastises Paul, telling him he is dwelling too much on the past and questioning why he is on a journey in the first place. This clearly hits a nerve and Paul furiously sends out his {{p|Lairon}}. Dawn proceeds to look up Lairon on her Pokédex.

Brandon recalls Registeel and brings {{DL|Brandon's legendary giants|Regice}} out. Paul has Lairon use {{m|Iron Defense}}, with Reggie guessing that Paul must want to hang in there and wait for a chance to counterstrike. However, his efforts are futile as Regice {{status|frozen|freezes}} Lairon with an {{m|Ice Beam}}, before launching a {{m|Zap Cannon}} that knocks Lairon out before it could even attack once. Paul is clearly destabilized and furiously sends out {{TP|Paul|Ursaring}} after recalling Lairon. Ursaring goes in for a {{m|Hammer Arm}} and Regice counters with a {{m|Focus Punch}}, creating a massive backlash that knocks both Pokémon backwards. Ursaring prepares to use {{m|Focus Blast}}, but Regice uses Zap Cannon before it can launch the attack, {{status|Paralysis|paralyzing}} it. Paul grows so angry that he gives up on Ursaring, refusing to give it any commands or even recall it. Brandon then substitutes Regice for Regirock and has it fire a Stone Edge, and Ursaring is taken out. Paul sends out his last Pokémon, Magmar, but with the type disadvantage and massive difference in strength, everyone knows that Paul is in checkmate at this point. Regirock easily endures Magmar's Flamethrower attack before knocking it out with Shock Wave, therefore giving Brandon a perfect 6-0 victory over Paul. This crushing defeat leaves the normally stoical Paul utterly stupefied, while Ash is dumbstruck at how completely Paul was defeated. Paul regains his composure and silently recalls Magmar, listening with closed eyes as Brandon asks him if the way he battled today is his ''true'' battle. At these words, Reggie looks at Paul with intense care. Brandon acknowledges that Paul has done well raising and training his Pokémon, but notes that he allowed his emotions to consume him during the battle, which negatively influenced his decisions. Brandon then tells Paul that they will battle again one day when he has learned to discipline himself. Paul silently accepts this and bows solemnly.