Round 9 is up and it's Tucker VS Professor Elm! What a match! Will Tucker, a Frontier Brain, wipe the floor with Elm, or will Elm have a few tricks up his sleeve? Alright, as you guys have noticed, I am posting more rounds than I said I would. It turns out my class got cancelled and I can't get into the other class available. I have already visited my friend (it was a quick trip) and because of my class, I had already requested off work for the summer (I'm a caregiver for an elderly couple at nights), which means that I suddenly have a TON of time to work on this. So, until Russia, I'm looking at posting every two days, if not every day (I have PLENTY of notes on matches), so make sure you stay tune! Enjoy!~
Round 9: Tucker VS Professor Elm!
"Saw ya' getting' pretty cozy next to Bertha during that last match, Sam."
Professor Oak turned to see his colleague Professor Birch grinning. The last match had finished about fifteen minutes earlier, which allowed the elderly professor some time to stretch his legs before the next round. Unfortunately, Bertha had been spotted by Agatha, who threw her a nasty glare before saying something about a phone call. Apologetically, Bertha left with Agatha, who also threw Oak a nasty glare before turning and leading her sister away.
Oak had distinctly remembered wishing that he had Misty's mallet…
Oak snorted. "Merely professional, I assure you, Jeb."
"Wouldn't have stayed that way if Agatha hadn't had interrupted, right?"
Oak narrowed his eyes at Birch without a word and began to start back towards his seat, the younger man at his heels cackling.
"I was right, huh?" said Birch, taking a breath from his laughing. He sped up and walked alongside Oak. "But, tell me something-what's Agatha's beef against you anyway?"
Oak paused, turning to Birch, his face very serious. "When you find out, let me know."
Birch hooted again as Oak began to walk off once more to his seat. "Aw, c'mon Sam! I'm just having some fun. What did you think of that last match?"
Oak tenderly lowered himself down the steps and into his seat with some assistance from Birch. "It was a great match, I thought. Maylene's Medicham was incredible. Watching all these battles makes me wish that my name would be called already."
"I know what you mean," said Birch, setting himself down next to Oak. "Especially after Juniper's awful loss, I just want to redeem us professors. No one really took us seriously before her battle, and now we are jokes among the other Trainers here!"
"Let 'em think what they want, Birch. We'll all have our chance."
"Ladies and gentlemen, Round 9 has been picked! What a pair! This round will be between Battle Brain Tucker and Johto's region professor, Professor Elm!"
"What a match up…," muttered Oak to himself as the crowd began to buzz with excitement. He looked next to him to see Birch with his face buried in his hands, shaking his head.
"That's not what I meant!" he said, his words slightly muffled. "That's really not what I meant! Oh, Arceus, why? Why Neal Elm? Why now? Why against a Frontier Brain genius…"
Oak sighed and rolled his eyes. He began to pat Birch on the back. "He's really not as bad as you think, Birch…Give Neal some credit; he'll put up a good match."
Birch lifted his head and looked up at the ceiling. "Just make it quick, that's all I'm askin'," as if Oak hadn't said anything.
Oak shook his head and took his hand off Birchs' back. The field opened to reveal a grass field with a few small trees and rocks. Both Elm and Tucker were at their places on the field. Oak studied the two; Tucker was a flamboyantly dressed man who seemed unimpressed with Elm as the commentator introduced them both. And Elm…well, Elm was adjusting his large frames and began to tap on the rail before him nervously as the referee gave the rules.
Birch groaned as he watched Elm's reaction compared to the bored-looking Tucker. Once given permission to select their first Pokémon, Tucker released the swamp fish Pokémon, Swampert, while Elm chose the Grass-type Pokemon, Meganium.
"Starter versus starter, huh?" mused Oak, rubbing his chin.
"At least Elm was smart enough to pick a Pokémon that could take on Swampert's duel elements of Ground and Water-type…," Birch sighed, resting his head in his hands, his elbows on his knees.
Tucker smiled up at the audience, smiling broadly and waving before turning his attention back to the battle. "No offences intended, Professor, but let's try to make this quick-for your sake."
Elm's pale face grew red at the remark. "Y-yes, let's! I would like to battles some other Trainers before long instead of having to play Pokémon with you."
"Whoa, Elm is ticked," said Birch in amusement, as he sat up straight, his eyes wide.
"He's never liked being picked on in public," said Oak. "But, I admit, he's gotten more guts since I first met him."
Tucker laughed and extended his hand before him. "Real cute, Professor. Now use Mud Shot, Swampert!"
"Dodge it, Meganium!"
Swampert opened his wide maw and released a quick stream of mud-like bullets, which went sailing towards Meganium, who jumped over to the side at an impressive speed for her size.
"Now hit Swampert with Poison Powder!"
"Meganium!" cried the Grass-type, as a cloud of purple powder began to form around the flower petals around her neck and surrounded Swampert.
"Swamp…," groaned Swampert, his face taking on a purple shade due to the poison.
"You poisoned my Swampert!" exclaimed Tucker, enraged.
Elm nodded expertly. "I did-and now I'm going to ask Meganium to use Petal Dance."
At that, the flower petals around Meganium's neck began to glow and shake, sending off a mass of sharp rose-petals at Swampert, who was slowed down due to his poisoning and was hit at full force.
Swampert staggered back a few steps, his face in agony from the attack. He cried out in pain as he fell to the ground, his face contorting as the poison took effect.
"Swampert, get up! You can make it!" encouraged Tucker, as Swampert gingerly got to his feet. "Perfect! Now use Water Gun!"
Swampert opened his mouth again, this time releasing stream of water toward Meganium, who actually stepped forward to receive the attack.
"Thank you for the added support, Tucker," said Elm, who adjusted his glasses again. "Now Meganium, use Solar Beam!"
"Quick, use Dynamic Punch while Meganium is gathering up power to use Solar Beam!" commanded Tucker.
As Meganium stretched out her flower petals as far as they could, they began to glow from the rays of the sun. Swampert raised a fist for his attack, but as he neared, the poison took effect on him, causing him to stop from pain.
"NO!" shouted Tucker, as Meganium released a massive beam of light towards Swampert, who flew back, hitting the wall. The giant mud fish gave a groan as he fell forward in a faint.
"Hey, hey, hey!" cheered Birch, clapping along with the audience. "Maybe Elm isn't so bad after all…"
"See there?" said Oak, as a crestfallen Tucker returned his Swampert. "Though, this is classic Elm style-his Pokémon are pretty powerful, but he's playing it safe using Pokémon with a type advantage over his opponents' Pokémon, starting off by further weakening his opponent's Pokémon with Poison Powder, and using basic maneuvers. He's too cautious to get creative, and while his style is standard, it works."
Tucker glared over at Elm, who merely stood staring at him, his hands clasped nervously behind his back as the commentator blared on about the match.
He threw out his next Pokémon, the fire-dog, Arcanine.
Elm simply nodded. "Use Poison Powder, Meganium."
Tucker laughed menacingly. "That won't work this time-use ExtremeSpeed!"
Arcanine gave a bark as the purple dust from Meganium started to descend upon him. He shot out of the way in an orange blur, avoiding the attack. Tucker sneered over at Elm, who, once again, adjusted his glasses.
"Increase the production of the powder and cover the field, Meganium." Elm commanded.
At his order, thicker clouds of poison began to be produced from Meganium's flowered neck. Aranine managed to dodge the new clouds, but soon he was surrounded. He looked around for a spot to escape from the powder, but the field was covered. In a matter of seconds, Arcanine was poisoned, his face now a shade of purple from the attack.
Elm nodded again as Tucker let out a cry of outrage and returned Meganium back into her Poke'Ball. He tossed out another, which released to reveal Corsola.
"He is playing this safe," Birch commented, as Corsola and Arcanine stood glaring at one another on the field.
"Well, he up against a Frontier Brain," said Oak.
"Use ExtremeSpeed, Arcanine!" Tucker shouted. "And follow it up with Aerial Ace!"
Arcanine barked as he sped towards Corsola, who attempted to dodge the attack, but turned out to be considerably slower. The force of the attack caused her to slide across the field. As Corsola began to get up, Arcanine rushed at her again, this time making her fly up into the air, landing with a harsh thud on the ground.
"Cor…sola…," the pink coral moaned, as she got to her feet slowly. Arcanine stepped to his side of the field, ready for another attack. He flinched as Meganium's poison took its toll on him.
"Corsola, use Bubblebeam!"
"Counter it with Flamethrower, Arcanine!"
Corsola released a rapid stream of bubbles from her mouth, while Arcanine responded with a stream of fire from his own mouth. Both attacks collided in the center of the field. After a moment of both Pokemon struggling to overcome the others' attack, Bubblebeam prevailed, pushing back Arcanine's fire attack in a cloud of smoke. The bubbles hit Arcanine, knocking him off his feet and into the ground.
"Quick, follow it up with Spike Cannon!" Elm cried.
Corsola began to race forward, the spike on her body glowing. "Corsola!" she shouted, as deadly-looking needles were released from her spikes, hitting Arcanine. The attack pushed back Arcanine back a couple more feet on the ground, causing the fire-type to whine in pain.
Elm held up a hand to stop Corsola, who obeyed and stood in the tall grass watching Arcanine.
Tucker gritted his teeth. "Stand up, Arcanine! The battle isn't over yet!"
The large dog struggled to his feet, shaking his head. After a moment of him steadying himself, a tremor went through his body, his eyes dilating. With a mournful howl, he collapsed on the ground, unable to battle.
As the referee declared Corsola the winner of that round, Birch turned to Oak, his eyes like saucers.
"What was that?" he asked, as Tucker recalled Arcanine.
"That," said Oak, "Was very basic tactic skills, which Tucker is apparently lacking on, probably because he is used to battling very talented and creative Trainers. I mean, look at his costume-he's obviously not a boring individual. Elm, however, has always played by the rules and uses common tactics to win. Poisoning Arcanine with Meganium, then switching out was mostly because Elm couldn't have stood it to have the type-disadvantage. Choosing Corsola put him at a type advantage and poisoning Arcanine was to ensure that he was still getting damage done to him no matter what. Both Elm and Tucker have very powerful Pokémon, but Tucker is at the disadvantage in this match because he is not used to straight forward, simple tactics, especially from a highly skilled Trainer. Its throwing him off-and Elm knows that."
Tucker snatched another Poke'Ball from his waist, seething at Elm, who had just finished polishing his glasses on the end of his short lab coat.
"You think that you can win?" snapped Tucker, tossing the Poke'Ball on the field. "Well, think again! Go, Charizard!"
A giant orange dragon with a flame on his tail took the field, heaving back and giving a mighty roar as he did so. Elm just nodded, studying the beast.
"We'll see," said Elm, fingering the edge of his glasses. "Use Recover, Corsola."
Corsola began to glow at his command. When the glowing stopped, Corsola was grinning, her color looking brighter and all traces of the previous battles had vanished.
Tucker snorted. "What you are doing is child's play, Elm. Show him, Charizard-use Wing Attack!"
The massive Pokémon lifted himself up and flew low to the grass, the long grass stems waving from the gust of his wings like an emerald ocean. The attack hit Corsola head on, who flew up into the air.
"Use Spike Cannon!" shouted Elm. "And follow it up with Bubblebeam!"
Corsola turned herself in the air, her spikes aimed at Charizard below her. A series of dangerous spikes hit Charizard in the center of his back, forcing him into the ground. As Charizard hit the ground, Corsola landed on one of the few rocks on the field, shooting out a powerful stream of bubbles from her mouth.
The attack also hit head on, making Charizard roar in pain.
"Keep using Bubblebeam to weaken Charizard, Corsola!" Elm commanded.
"Counter it with FlameThrower!" cried Tucker.
Charizard lifted his head against the force of the oncoming bubbles and opened his razor-teeth lined jaw. A massive flame was produced and collided with Corsola's Bubblebeam.
Smoke filled the field from the contact of fire and water.
Tucker looked from all sides from where he stood to get a better glimpse of the Pokémon.
"Hide in the smoke, Corsola," said Elm.
"Look around for Corsola, Charizard," said Tucker, as the smoke faded some. "It can't hide forever."
Charizard was slightly visible in the fading smoke. He swung his reptilian head all around trying to find Corsola, who had disappeared among the smoke.
Elm narrowed his eyes. "Let's end this! Corsola, use Bubblebeam towards Charizard's tail!"
"Cor!" came the voice of Corsola from among where the smoke was heavier. Charizard's eyes shot open in fear at the command.
Tucker went wide-eyed as well. "Just fly up, Charizard!"
As the great beast flapped his wings and flew a few feet upward, a river of bubbles flew up under him, directly attacking the flame on his tail.
The audience gasped as Charizard bellowed in both pain and fear as the attack continued. As he began to fall towards the earth, Elm lifted his hand.
"Enough, Corsola-stop the attack."
"Corsola," said the Pokémon, as she hoped up on a rock and out of the way of the falling Charizard, who landed harshly.
The referee declared Charizard unable to battle, making Elm the winner of the match.
Elm ignored the cheers from the stands as his Corsola hopped into his arms. He left the field without a word to Tucker, who had returned his heavily wounded Charizard and was rushing to the Pokémon Center.
Birch shook his head numbly. "I'm really not sure what to think. You OK, Sam?"
Oak mutely nodded his head. He had grown white when Elm had commanded Corsola to directly attack Charizard's flame. "That could've been very serious…without his flame, Charizard could die. I can't believe that Neal did that."
"I wonder why."
Oak shrugged his shoulders wordlessly.
Birch just shook his head. "I just can't believe that Elm just took down a Frontier Brain on his first match."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~End of Round 9
And Professor Elm is the winner! I wanted Elm to show everyone that he will be much tougher than he looks, and what better way to do that than to let him defeat a Frontier Brain for his first match? Let me know what you guys think. Round 10 is up next!
Until you read again!
~MastermindMedley10