"It's time Wolfy," Loca said turning to face him after she finished her lunch, "With all the craziness yesterday we never had our battle. No more excuses, let's see who's stronger!"
"You're on!" Wolfy said throwing everything back into his bag rather than packing it properly like he otherwise would, he ran to the other end of the clearing with Gible hanging on tightly to his shoulder, "Three on three?"
"You got it," Loca said with Elliot at her side, his paws were spread in a defensive stance, eager to go, "both call our Pokémon together! On three!"
Wolfy felt the adrenaline flood his veins as he got himself pumped for their battle, he knew who he would pick first. He had to admit that Loca had the advantage though as she had seen all of his Pokémon battle or train whilst he didn't even know who her two new Pokémon were. "One!"
The grass flapped around in the wind as the boughs of the trees next to the path flexed under the force, the sun beat down on the back of Wolfy's neck. This was a good day for a battle. "Two!"
Wolfy kept his hand on the inside of his jacket, clutching the ball of the Pokémon he'd chosen to go first, he had the utmost confidence in him. This would be the biggest battle Wolfy and his Pokémon had been in to date and good training for their gym battle the next day. It was time to prove himself. "Three!"
"Go Charmander!"
"Sasha, I choose you!"
Charmander burst forth from the shadow cast by the Dusk ball his father had given him; he wouldn't let his father down. Once the white light of Loca's Pokéball cleared a small blue bird was left behind, its wings looked like clouds or cotton wool. Wolfy pulled out his Pokédex to check the information on Swablu whilst Loca used hers to check Charmander's. Swablu, the Cotton Bird Pokémon. For some reason, Swablu often land on people's heads and pretend to be a hat. They cannot relax unless in a clean environment for they do not want dirt on their fluffy white wings.
"So we have to battle a hat?" Wolfy asked Charmander who shrugged before turning back to Swablu.
"Don't underestimate us Wolfy!" Loca called across the battlefield as Sasha landed on her head and wrapped its wings around itself.
"Wouldn't dream of it," he replied smiling, "Lady's first!"
"Sasha, Sing!"
Instantly Swablu started to sing a lullaby-like song, it was very beautiful to hear and before he knew it Charmander was swaying along with the tune. "Charmander! Snap out of it!" Wolfy called but the little lizard didn't seem able to hear him, soon after Charmander fell to the ground asleep. "Charmander, wake up!"
"Now Sasha, use Twister!" Loca called and Sasha took flight into the sky. She quickly flew back down close to the ground and began to fly in a circle, as the circle got smaller and faster a small tornado formed a dozen feet high. Sasha broke away from the Twister and it started to move towards Charmander who was still fast asleep, unable to wake up.
"Charmander, you have to move now!"
Too late, the tornado lifted Charmander and started throwing it around in the storm, Wolfy heard Charmander's cries as it was spun around and around before finally being sent tumbling across the ground. Charmander rose to its feet looking angry as the Twister dissipated.
"Not bad at all," Wolfy called to Loca impressed with her tactics, Twister takes a while to build up so she had to be sure Charmander wouldn't attack Sasha while she charged it up, that's why she used Sing to send him to sleep first.
"You haven't seen anything yet!" she called back whilst Swablu circled around the battlefield, soaring through the air at great speed.
"Charmander, Ember!" The little Pokémon sent out a blaze of hot air and orange embers into the air in front of Sasha but she deftly dodged the attack by twisting through the air, "Use Ember again but jump and spin as you do it!"
Without pause the little Pokémon did as it was asked, releasing more hot embers as it pan and jumped. The effect spread out Ember's effect meaning Sasha couldn't dodge, she wailed as her fluffy wings were scorched. She landed on the ground, gracefully but she was obviously burnt. "Now Charmander, Fire Fang!" He leapt towards Sasha, his little fangs ablaze, not letting her have time to prepare.
"Quick Sasha, use Cotton Guard!" The wool of Sasha's wings expanded and spread around her, the fluff creating a thick wall between Sasha and Charmander. The Fire Fang burned through a patch of the Cotton Guard but wasn't able to break through, he bounced off the cotton wall and fell backwards. "Sasha use Secret Power!"
Instantly Sasha started to glow green and all the grass blades around them pointed towards her, the green light burst forth from her in a wave striking Charmander with a lot of power, sending him rolling again. Charmander managed to get up but he did so slowly, the battle was obviously taking its toll on him but Sasha didn't seem to be badly affected apart from the burn on her wing. Wolfy had to think of something and quickly. "Charmander use Ember again!"
"Air Cutter!"
Charmander's Ember collided with the blades of air caused by Air cutter, the blades sliced clean through the attack and continued to hit Charmander. He fell to one knee as he struggled to keep going.
Suddenly Charmander's tail flame burst into a new level of intensity, it grew to five times bigger than it had been in an instant, now bigger than Charmander himself. As his tail flame gre Charmander seemed to find new strength, he was still hurt badly but the strength that filled him not was enough to keep him strong. Wolfy pulled out his Pokédex and found that it was Charmander's ability Blaze; it made all his fire-type attack stronger when he was near the limits. Charmander then let forth a blast of flames, they travelled outwards from him in all direction like an explosion of fire. The flames charred the ground around him as well as a portion of the tree above him. The flames hit Sasha who was sent flying into Loca, both sprawled on the ground.
"That was Inferno!" Loca called as she returned Sasha to her Pokéball, unconscious, "What power!"
"Brilliant Charmander!" Wolfy cried but Charmander seemed unable to hear him, he just stared intensely ahead, waiting for his next opponent. When Blaze was activated it seemed Charmander wasn't his usual self, he was all or nothing.
"Fine, go Elliot!" Loca said looking down to her fluffy Eevee, he ran forward and took his defensive stance again.
"Charmander use-" before Wolfy could complete the command, Charmander had ran forwards and used Fire Fang. The flames broiled in his whole mouth now rather than just on the fangs.
"Elliot, dodge it and use Take Down!" Elliot lithely side-stepped Charmander before charging into him so fast that he was a blur, the attack slammed into the side of Charmander so hard that he was unconscious before he hit the floor.
"Charmander return!" Wolfy called, using the red beam to return Charmander to the Dusk ball. Elliot was fast, Wolfy would have to be clever. "You're up Gible!"
Gible happily waddled forwards, eager to battle. "Gible Dig!" instantly the land shark was tearing through the earth as quick as if it were water, he started circling Elliot with his dorsal fin above ground.
"Elliot, use Bite on Gible's fin!" Loca called pointing to the moving triangle of blue flesh. Elliot ran over to the fin and bite it with glowing teeth, Gible emerged from the ground and started running around madly trying to shake off Elliot but the little Pokémon would not concede.
"Gible, use Sand Attack straight up and jump!" Wolfy called, with tears in his eyes Gible loyally obeyed. As he jumped Elliot was wrenched upwards causing him to open his eyes wide in shock, as they passed through the sand that Gible had thrown up some of it went in Elliot's eyes making him let go of Gible's dorsal fin. "Now, Dragon Rage!"
"Move away Elliot!" the moment the little Eevee landed it quickly moved away with unbelievable speed, Gible tried to compensate and aim Dragon Rage at Elliot but as always the moment he released the power it plummeted to the ground. The blast wave hit Gible, throwing him back to Wolfy's arms and leaving him unconscious.
Wolfy held Gible under one arm whilst he retrieved his last Pokéball, "Go, Riolu!" Riolu burst out of his ball and emerged standing confidently with his arms crossed and eyes closed. This was his last chance but he had to defeat Loca's two Pokémon on his own, it was a tall order. He laid Gible on the ground before turning back to the battle.
"Elliot use Quick Attack!" Elliot began to run even faster, his little legs were a blur as they propelled him forwards towards Riolu.
"Riolu use Force Palm," Wolfy called. Riolu didn't move as Elliot approached, he didn't even open his eyes. For a moment Wolfy thought he was going to ignore the command but as Elliot made his final lunge Riolu attacked. His open palmed strike was so quick that Wolfy couldn't even see it, the combined force of the two attacks left Elliot rolling across the charred grass until he stopped at Loca's feet.
"Elliot, no!" Loca yelled picking up the unconscious Pokémon and wiping away the dirt from his fur and scarf. Gently she placed him on a clean patch of grass next to her before she straightened up again, "Riolu is quick and powerful, I don't need to read auras to tell he'd very confident but you still have to beat my last Pokémon."
"Riolu can do it," Wolfy called and smiled to his Pokémon, "I believe in him." There was the faintest hint of a smile on Riolu's lips but he nodded his thanks for Wolfy's belief in him.
"Go Marvin!" The normal white flash of the Pokéball cleared to reveal a small sheep with an orb on the end of its tail. Its blue face and legs were surrounded in a thick layer of yellow wool; it had a yellow and black striped cone on either side of its head like strange ears. Wolfy pulled out his Pokédex to check it out. Mareep, the Wool Pokémon. When Mareep becomes charged with electricity its wool will grow larger and the orb on its tail will start to glow. Touching the wool when it is charged can cause static shocks.
An electric type, Wolfy had never battled an electric type before. From what the Pokédex said he would have to avoid Riolu touching its wool but what moves did he have that wouldn't touch it? He used the Pokédex to check what moves Riolu knew; Force Palm, Water Pledge and Quick Attack. That left only Water pledge that would avoid physical contact unless Wolfy was clever.
"Marvin use Cotton Spore!" Loca called, Mareep's body began to shake until lumps of wool flew off of the Pokémon and attached themselves to Riolu. He tried to wipe the spores away but they just stuck to his paw instead, more and more spores attached themselves to Riolu.
"Water Pledge!" Riolu took a moment to focus before the torrent of water surrounded his fist, he slammed it into the ground. Columns of water burst out of the ground all around, the water soaking the spores and causing them to fall to the ground. Another hit Marvin, soaking the Pokémon and causing damage.
"Marvin, use Spark!" Marvin was engulfed in blue electricity as it charged forward at Riolu. Riolu tried to get up and move but one of the spores on his arm had stuck to his leg as well, he had to force the two limbs apart, slowing him down. He narrowly managed to avoid the attack but Marvin was behind him and the spores were sticking to each other. "Marvin, Cotton Spore again!"
More spores poured forth and attached themselves to Riolu again, he was now covered by them on at least half of his body and was as good as unable to move, he only had one arm free. Riolu had lost his cool; he was no longer in control of the battle. "Riolu stay calm, wait for the right moment!"
"Use Spark again!" Loca called and Marvin charged forwards once more.
"Now Force Palm to Marvin's head!" The impact hurt Riolu but it hurt Mareep more, the Pokémon was stopped dead even as the electricity tore up Riolu's arm. Marvin jumped back and waited for the next command.
"Marvin use Electro Ball!" Loca ordered in desperation, she was really getting into the battle and didn't want to lose, Wolfy didn't either.
"Water Pledge!" Riolu's fist contacted the ground as Marvin whipped its tail, launching the ball of electricity it had been building around the orb on its tail. Electro Ball was an attack that did more damage the quicker the user is than the target, since Riolu was almost immobile the attack was going to be devastating. Riolu had put everything he had left into the Water Pledge; the torrents were wider and more powerful than any Wolfy had yet seen. The Electro Ball tore through the geysers on its way to Riolu even as Marvin was sent flying into the air by the most powerful column of water yet. Riolu was hit by the attack, it was so powerful it destroyed all the cotton spores and sent Riolu crashing into Wolfy, both hitting the ground hard. Marvin landed a few feet in front of Loca, the impact shook the ground.
There was silence for a moment as they waited to see if either Pokémon were able to go on, the moment stretched out into an eternity. The intense suspense was killing them both.
Simultaneously Riolu and Marvin weakly rose to their feet, Riolu tried to take a step forwards but collapsed to one knee, quickly he picked himself up so he could continue. Wolfy reached out and put a hand on his Pokémon's shoulder.
"Stop Riolu, I don't want you to get hurt," he said smiling, "You battled hard, I'm so proud of you." He looked up to see Loca on her knees next to Marvin, trying to help it to stand easier. "How about we call it a draw?" he called to her.
"Deal!" she called back and hugged Marvin before returning him to his Pokéball.
Wolfy smiled at Riolu and touched his arm to use his aura, showing Riolu how proud and happy he was with how determined and strong he was. Riolu smiled seeing that Wolfy's words were true before he allowed himself to collapse in his arms, Wolfy returned him to his Pokéball before he walked over to pick up Gible. Loca met him there with Elliot groggily awake in her arms.
"That was amazing," she said with a huge smile, "but I think we need to get these guys to a Pokémon centre, maybe we got a little too into it you know?"
"Yeah we did," Wolfy agreed looking at Gible as he slowly came around, "From now on let's take it easy in practice battles."
