"I don't know who you are but you're going to pay for that, Luxio use crunch!" Luxio struggled to get to its feet and found little success. I could tell that my previous opponent was angry, but I was worried, who was this man? Why would he attack us out of nowhere? Whatever the reason he sure didn't seem to intend on leaving it at that. "Come on Luxio, get up! We've gotta teach this guy a lesson. What's the big idea anyway? Couldn't you see we were already in a battle?" Luxio managed to find its way to its feet, the look in its eyes was fiery but its feet were shaky.
"Kingdra use bubble and put an end to that Luxio" another torrent of bubbles filled the air, the attack was slow but I knew those bubbles packed a larger punch then they showed. "Mudkip block it!" Mudkip jumped into the path of the bubbles and took them well, landing on her feet. Luxio's trainer looked at me with confusion. "What the hell did you do that for? Luxio and I were ready for it."
"Mudkip needed some refreshments that's all, you will be pulling your weight for the rest of the fight got it?" I flashed him a grin and he seemed to get the picture. We were both weakened from the battle and this Kingdra looked strong, if we had any chance of winning it would have to be a two on one fight. Kingdra's chest puffed up and I could see it was preparing another bubble. "Quick Mudkip, use captivate!" Mudkip preformed her routine perfectly putting on her cutest face, the bubble was released but they were noticeably smaller, Mudkip took them with no effort. They did cause a small amount of damage but the much needed hydration from the water type attack made them more beneficial to be hit by them rather than dodging.
Luxio charged in fangs bared, another head on assault with crunch. Kingdra held its position confidently. If Luxio takes another direct hit it will be down for good, I had to do something. Mudkip let loose a hydro pump. Kingdra must have been concentrated on Luxio's attack because it didn't even bother dodging. It didn't do much damage but the force was enough to knock it off balance. Luxio came from below, jumping up to the disoriented sea horse and biting it hard on its softer belly. Kingdra began to spin and glow a bright blue, knocking Luxio off. Kingdra used dragon dance. Mudkip attempted to hit it with another hydro pump but it was too late, in a flash Kingdra was directly in front of Mudkip and launching a point blank bubble. Kingdra began circling Mudkip, repeatedly hitting it with bubble. I knew the damage would add up but we couldn't even aim at it, it was too fast.
As the bubbles continued a cloud of dust kicked up around Mudkip, it was over if I didn't do something fast. Just then Luxio landed on its back, using crunch on its neck and digging its nails into Kingdra's scales. Mudkip turned to hit it with another hydro pump but suddenly Kingdra was gone, and reappeared next to its intimidating trainer. A substitute. I hadn't even realized it used that move, it was blindingly fast. However Kingdra was starting to weaken. It takes a significant amount of energy to generate a substitute, and it has taken some direct hits. I had a plan, but if I shared it with my teammate then that army guy would know just how to react, but if I knew Luxio's trainer at all it should work without me saying anything.
Mudkip ran full speed directly at Kingdra. As soon as Mudkip's approach began she was bombarded with bubbles, a veritable minefield of small water detonations. Mudkip lost footing a few times but charged forward relentlessly being pummeled by the bubbles. Eventually Mudkip was slowed to a crawl but fought bravely to push ahead straight through the onslaught. Just as I predicted Luxio ran straight at Kingdra as well but all its firepower was directed at me. Luxio hit it with another crunch on the side of its body, but it soon vanished, it was another substitute, and I predicted it perfectly. Mudkip launched a hydro pump right behind Luxio and Kingdra appeared in its path, intending to surprise its attacker but being knocked down by a blast of water instead. "Now, finish it!" I yelled to my partner. Luxio pounced onto Kingdra and delivered a final crunch to the downed dragon.
The mysterious soldier returned his Pokémon and Luxio collapsed in its place, soon after Luxio was put back in its ball as well. I looked the man in the eye with anger, Mudkip glared with me. "Now, I want answers, what the hell was that?!" He chuckled to himself slightly, "I don't owe you anything, you are ultimately insignificant. But I will give you a fair warning. If you continue going up against the league, all of your Pokémon will end up dead." Luxio's trainer charged at him screaming with fists in the air. I couldn't believe he actually intends to fight this man! I readied myself to help him but before he even landed a hit the soldier was whisked away holding onto a rope ladder descending from a helicopter. The helicopter was painted on the side with a familiar yellow H.
Luxio's trainer was screaming into the air at him. "Get back here and fight me like a man you coward! I'm gunna make you pay for interrupting a perfectly good battle!" Is this guy crazy? I thought, we barely made it out and he wants more? Mudkip and I walked up behind him as he was calming down and retrieving Luxio's ball from the dirt. "Hey is Luxio alright?" he looked nervous. "I think she's alright, but she needs medical attention soon or it could get worse, were pretty far from the closest Poke-Center. I don't really know what to do…" I was worried for him as well, Luxio took quite a beating. "There is no Poke-Center, but if you walk down the path the way I came for a short while there is a town with a medical clinic that can help you". The trainer finally smiled again. "Let's get one thing clear, you didn't win our battle, but you helped out a lot so I'll tell you my name; I am Derry."
"Well it was good battling with you Derry." And with that we parted ways, him walking the way I came, and me back on the road to Vestavia town walking along side Mudkip. "Oh, just some advice Derry" I called back to him "don't boast a type advantage when you don't know any electric type moves!" He replied simply and immediately "next time it will be different."
The road was long and harsh in the midday sun, I had to return Mudkip to her ball and take breaks every time a tree shaded the path. The very first day of my journey and already the obstacles were building up. I wasn't discouraged but the recent events weighed heavy on my mind. I don't understand why that man attacked us. I would have thought he was just a trainer like me and Derry, just one with a whole lot less manners, but he threatened death to our Pokémon. The next logical thought is that he was just a criminal, or a maniac out attacking people on the road. But he certainly seemed well equipped in all that gear to just be some random bad guy. And then there was that helicopter. I swear it was the same one that saved me from the Steelix, but given what just happened it was more likely that it didn't even realize I was there then, it was probably attacking Steelix. So with helicopters and military gear it had to be a well set up organization, but then why would they be attacking teenagers on the road? He did mention that is was because we (or at least I) pursued the league. Could that have been a threat from the league? If they were going to threaten and attack their challengers I doubt they would issue an official notice or talk to the media about it, so it was a possibility. But it's not like that was going to make me give up, after all, that just gave me a few questions to ask when I get to the gym in Vestavia.