Author's Notes
Dedicated to the awesome Eviipaiadin, who supported me generously in a time of financial worry.
With a dry laugh, the opposing Cacturne easily sidestepped the mud bomb that Quagsire hurled at it. Nonchalantly watching the attack detonate some feet behind, the scarecrow Pokémon then turned to face its attacker and the trainer who ordered it. Taking after the mannerisms of its proud –and arrogant—trainer, it then tilted its head and flashed a smug smile.
"What incredible agility!" boomed the tournament announcer, his voice projected through the stadium's many loudspeakers, "It doesn't seem that Quagsire can land a hit on the faster Cacturne!"
Evii shot yet another annoyed looked at the stadium's massive electronic display, and clenched his fists when he was reminded that Cacturne's health was still far in the green while Quagsire's was now in the yellow. Only when the loud spike in cheers from the audience did he turn his attention back to the battle and saw that Cacturne was making a dash towards Quagsire.
"Cacturne, use cotton spore!" commanded Dionna, the region's four-time champion.
"Dodge it!" Evii countered.
Even by slamming its powerful tail against the ground to help launch itself to the right, Quagsire was still too slow, and a large portion of its body and tail were struck with the thick cotton tufts.
"Circle around!"
Eyeing the Cacturne as it ran a semi-circle so that it would not lose its momentum, Evii watched nervously as Quagsire attempted to shake off the cotton spores that clung tightly to its moist body—but to no avail.
"Quagsire!" he called out.
Immediately, the water fish Pokémon turned around and blinked its beady eyes. "Quagsire?" it asked curiously.
"Wait until Cacturne gets close…Don't attack until I say so!"
Eyes and mouth quickly forming into its trademark smile, Quagsire then clapped its arms together enthusiastically in agreement. "Quag!" it said before lowering itself closer to the ground.
Picking up speed, Cacturne soon reached the outskirts of the range that was optimal for a cotton spore attack. Shooting his eyes to Dionna, Evii noticed the slightest change in her posture as her chest expanded, drawing breath for the cotton spore that was surely to come.
"Now! Use mud bomb!" he shouted quickly.
"Use cotton spore!" Dionna said momentarily after, the end of her sentence slightly shaken as she realized she was too late.
Before Cacturne could wind the both of its arms backwards in preparation for its own attack, the mud bomb struck it in the chest, sending it flying backwards from the sheer force. Evii quickly pointed after it.
"Quick, now use waterfall!"
Dropping to all fours, Quagsire dashed after it, albeit much slower than usual, launched itself into the air with its tail, and then fired a jet of water from its mouth as it came crashing down on the Cacturne. With an impact that Evii felt with his feet, the Cacturne let out a cry of pain as its health on the display board dropped deeply. A critical hit!
"What a turn of events! Evii and his Quagsire outmaneuvered Dionna and her Cacturne! And it looks like Quagsire has done some serious damage! Cacturne is now in the yellow!"
Taking a moment to smile as he heard the faint chant of his name, Evii flinched when he heard Dionna's voice cut in.
"Cacturne, use Energy Ball!" she shouted.
Instinctively jumping backwards, avoiding the radiant green blast, Quagsire quickly ran back to Evii's side of the stadium and swatted away at the cotton tufts still stuck to its side.
Seeing that Cacturne was still struggling to come to its senses after being struck, he called out to Quagsire. "Quick, use rain dance!"
"Quag, Quagsire!" Throwing its hands up into the air, Quagsire then shot a large atmospheric ball into the air, which then expanded outwards to create a number of thick low-hanging clouds. A moderate rain began to fall, which helped wash away the cotton spores.
"Cacturne," Dionna called out over the sound of the rain, "Let's finish this! Use Swords Dance!" Upon hearing those words, Evii felt his left eye twitch. In all the videos he's seen and stories he's heard, the reigning champion Dionna only resorted to swords dance if she was going to follow it up with the signature move that made her a champion. "Needle Arm!"
Completing its swords dance, the smug look in Cacturne's eyes was soon replaced with a sinister one. "Cacturne!" it shrieked.
"Uh, uh, use m-mud bomb again!" Evii sputtered. Obeying, Quagsire quickly sent out another mud bomb. Headed straight towards Cacturne's head this time, the bomb suddenly exploded, a solid foot before contact, sending the remnants of the attack splattering off to the side. "W-What?!" Evii said aloud. Narrowing his eyes, he then saw that Cacturne's right arm was covered in mud, and that it was now raising its left arm.
"Quagsire, dodge-!"
Misjudging the distance between the two, Evii watched as Cacturne landed a haymaker punch into Quagsire's face, knocking it completely off of the ground and onto its back.
"A direct hit!" the announcer said almost obnoxiously, "With Quagsire being a water-ground type, Needle Arm does four times the amount of damage then it usually does!"
Evii frowned at the remark. No shit! The stadium display now showing Quagsire's health dropping into the red, Evii clenched his fists anxiously as he looked at his Pokémon. Covering the part of its head where the Needle Arm landed a direct hit on with its arms, Quagsire struggled to balance itself—its tail wavering back and forth.
"Nice try, Evii," Dionna called out with one hand cupped over her mouth and another on her hip, "But it looks like Cacturne and I are going to be champions again!" With a grin, she then pointed at Quagsire. "Cacturne, use Pin missile!"
"Dodge it!" Evii shouted desperately as he reached out to Quagsire.
When his words were left unanswered, Evii realized that Quagsire had flinched, and it him like a brick to the gut. As he powerlessly watched the projectiles leave Cacturne's arms, everything seemed to slow and blur. With Quagsire's rain falling dripping down his face and into his eyes, he felt his own tears mix into them.
No. No. Everyone from home was watching. His friends, his professors, his parents. Those that rooted for him since day one were all watching him. Every time he was defeated, they were there. Every time his starter was insulted for its looks and its power, they were there. Even when Quagsire had been sealed away and he wasn't there for himself, they were there. After all he's sacrificed and how far he's come. How could he look them in the eye after this? How…how could he look his best friend in the eye after this?
Evii shut his eyes just before Cacturne's Pin missile knocked Quagsire flat onto his back. Frightened beyond anything to open his eyes, his ears were subsequently bombarded with dozens of sounds. Sounds of booing, sounds of fans calling for Quagsire to get up, sounds of the announcer describing each and every possible moment. The soft sound of Quagsire's exhale as Cacturne placed a foot on top of its torso.
"Do you have any last words?" a sarcastic voice called out. Dionna.
Not knowing whether he should surrender or to defy his opponent one last time, Evii felt his nerves slowly fall into disarray when, all of sudden, a small familiar sound reached his ears.
Pap. Pap pap. Pap.
Opening his eyes slowly, he saw that Quagsire still lay on its back, eyes closed and badly bruised. Standing victoriously on its torso was Cacturne. Looking to where he heard the noise, Evii spotted Quagsire's right arm gently tapping a muddy puddle beside it. Slowly looking up to see Cacturne's gaze trained on the adoring fans that cheered it and Dionna on, he then looked back to see Quagsire move its fingers apart, revealing a scope lens, a hold item which increased critical hits.
With all but three of Quagsire's moves involving its mouth, which was in Cacturne's field of vision, there was only one move left that could possibly work. With a long and shaky sigh, Evii looked Dionna in the eye.
"Yes. Yes, I do."
"Oh really! And what are they?"
Knowing that it would humiliate him and Quagsire on unworldly levels if what he planned didn't work, then well, so be it. At least he tried.
"Quagsire! Use Ice Punch!" Evii shouted as loud as he possibly could.
In that moment, a collective gasp was heard, followed by a long and angry growl from Quagsire. Using Cacturne's surprise to its advantage, Quagsire winded up its right arm, tucked the scope lens in between its fingers, and then returned the favor by landing a haymaker straight between the eyes.
Watching and hearing pieces of ice shatter as Cacturne was launched backwards and onto its back, both Evii and Quagsire looked up to see the bar for the scarecrow Pokémon's go from a solid yellow all the way past red and into the black. K.O.
"What…an unbelievable turn of events!" the announcer exclaimed after a brief pause, almost tripping over his own words. "Four-time champion Dionna and her Cacturne were defeated by a first-time challenger! Ladies and Gentlemen! Please give it up for this year's new winners: Evii and his Quagsire!"
Like an explosion, the entire stadium erupted into a sea of incredible disbelief and wild cheers. Still stunned and speechless, Evii turned around, taking in the magnificent sights before him. Like snow, confetti and glitter fell from the sky while fans who sat close enough threw flowers and Poké-blocks. Completing a full-turn and now returning to face Quagsire, Evii saw that it had already gotten up and, while bouncing up and down on its feet, was waving amicably at him.
"Quag! Quagsire!" it sang happily with a big, dumb, goofy smile.
Not wanting to be seen in tears again on live television, he ran to Quagsire and pulled his champion…his best friend, into his arms for a loving embrace. "We did it!" Evii cried out, "We did it buddy! I…I can't believe it…"
The memory of the day his parents got him a Wooper for his 10th birthday now fresh in mind, Evii sunk to his knees and began to cry pure tears of joy. Wagging its tail, Quagsire sat down beside Evii and patted him reassuringly on the back as a beautiful rainbow formed from the remnants of its Rain Dance.