These four chapters will probably be pretty short, as the plot only really allows for a battle, maybe some dialogue before and after the battles. Well, enjoy, unless you won't.


Pokémon: Josh's Journey- Kanto

Chapter 11 The Elite Four- Battle 1

"So there I was, winning as usual…" I was saying when there came a knock at the door. Morgan jumped up and opened it, and there a League official stood.

"Joshua Miller?" he enquired.

"Yes," I responded.

"You are to come with me. Your Elite Four battles are to commence soon." I shrugged and walked out after him, while Morgan gave me a thumbs up, and then his other hand wrestled it down and turned it upside down. Yeah, thanks for the support.

We walked for a while before we came to the semicircular building that half encircled Indigo Stadium.

"This is the building where the Elite Four await you, Challenger Josh."

He left, so I walked on. Steph was the only other one there.

"Hey sis," I greeted her.

"Hey bro," she said. "Can you believe that we're here?"

"Me, yes," I said "but I'm shocked that you managed to make it here."

"Ha, ha."

"Nah, but seriously, this is amazing. I mean, here we are, part of the top four trainers. And we get to challenge the Elite Four. How incredible is that?"

"I know!" she squealed "it's just so surreal.'

"Surreal? I think you mean unreal."

"Ah, shut up."

Our customary banter seemed forced, somehow, the nervousness that permeated the air making us awkward, unsure. A minute later another trainer appeared a thin one who looked about twelve with short gelled black hair. He acknowledged us with a nod, then stared moodily at the ground. Three minutes after that the last trainer arrived, a bright eyed brunette who looked as though she managed a hundred hours sleep. The sight of her irritated me faintly. She seemed almost to be bouncing.

"Right," said the official who delivered the over-alert brunette who gazed with wide eyes as though she'd never seen a wall before "You four trainers; Joshua, Stephanie, Raven and Melinda. Congratulations on making it this far. You have my sincere praise and amazement." He seemed to regret the statement as no one laughed at it, indeed Melinda gave him a sharp look and her eyes narrowed.

"Ahem. First to enter is Melinda, and then the next trainer will be called forth, and they will enter. Joshua, then Raven and finally Stephanie are to battle. There will understandably be a delay between each battle for the Elite Four's Pokémon to recover. We hope to be finished today." Steph's face fell.

The door opened and I could see a short hallway as Melinda and the official walked in before the door closed once again.

After what seemed like hours, and may well have been, my name was called from beyond the door.

"Joshua Miller!" the Pokémon League official called. I started, then opened the door and walked down the curved corridor. Eventually a large, ornate door came into view. Why bother with the corridor? Why didn't they just get rid of it and have the entrance here?

I pushed the door open and was struck by a sudden wave of cold. I was standing on a rubber mat opposite a woman garbed in a fur scarf and silken cloak, standing on a similar mat. Cold struck at me repeatedly, stabbing in waves. Behind the thick glass surrounding the walls was ice. The floor was ice.

The woman spoke: "Hello, Josh. Welcome to the Pokémon League. I am Loreli of the Elite Four. Nobody can best me when it comes to icy Pokémon. Freezing moves are powerful! Your Pokémon will be at my mercy when they are frozen solid. Are you ready?" I nodded.

"Bring it on." And so my challenge of the Pokémon League began.

"Go! Dewgong!" Lorelei called.

"Let's go! Fearow!" I called. "Use Fly! With a confusing flight path!"

"Ice Beam!" shouted Lorelei. Dewgong unleashed what was, excluding Articuno's, the most powerful Ice Beam I had ever seen; a scything beam of ice energy that swept through the air. Fearow understood my instructions and feinted, then flew to the left before changing direction sharply again. Fearow slammed into Dewgong hard, sending the seal Pokémon sliding across the ice.

Instantly Lorelei was on the attack. "Headbutt!" she shouted and faster than I would have believed possible Dewgong changed direction, charging across the ice to slam into Fearow, who had- taken by surprise at Dewgong's bulk and solidity- not yet risen above ground level.

"Fly! Hit on your way around her to retreat!" I shouted. Fearow flew to the left of Dewgong, then flew straight at her, smacking into the seal Pokémon from the side, almost bouncing off to complete the circle and return to his place in front of me.

"Icy Wind!" Lorelei shouted then, and Dewgong sent Fearow's way a pocket of ice wind that struck easily, knocking Fearow out of the air. "Now Ice Beam!"

"Mirror Move! Fly!" Fearow flew out of the way and used a weak Ice Beam against the much less agile Dewgong, catching it off guard before a desperate Fly technique, slamming into the Ice/Water Pokémon one last time, lifted Dewgong off her feet. She crashed into the ice and was still.

Lorelei was surprised. After all that she'd only managed one hit against Fearow, although it was a super effective one.

"Return, Dewgong," she said, doing just that. "Now Cloyster!

Weird. The very last battle I had fought involved these same two Pokémon. Heh, that just means I'm prepared on how to fight one. Fearow kept out of range, dodging the attacks and responding with weak Mirror Moved attacks, hammering away at the Pokémon's low Special Defence. The plan went well, although first an Ice Beam had struck Fearow's wing and then my bird Pokémon was caught full on by Spike Cannon.

Lorelei realised that to win back lost ground she would have to finish the battle now. Fine by me.

"Get in close!" she shouted, and Cloyster rocked backward, then forward suddenly, the spikes on his shell supporting him and keeping him from rolling over.

"Now Hyper Beam!"

"Mirror Move!" When I talked about Fearow's prowess with Mirror Move, I meant ability to instantly copy a move, effectively. Cloyster had better Special Attack than Fearow but Hyper Beam, unlike Ice Beam, was one Fearow's could learn, and of course Hyper Beam was Normal type like Fearow.

The golden ray burst from Fearow's jaws a split second after a similar white hot beam of energy erupted from inside Cloyster's shell. It was a direct contest of strength and determination- both Pokémon's advantages cancelling each other out.

It was an even match but Fearow weakened first, and the spot where the attacks met grew closer to Fearow.

"Alright, end the attack and then an Agility-Fly combo," I said quickly. With a surge of strength Fearow forced Cloyster's beam back and then dropped out of the air, flying in close to deliver a final attack. Cloyster keeled over in defeat.

"Alright, Slowbro!" Lorelei called. Then I remembered we still had three battles after this one, and decided to conserve Fearow's energy. The lower a Pokémon's health got, the more they were tired out even if their health were restored. Time and rest only cured this, which was why the Elite Four was such a challenge.

"Fearow, return," I said, recalling him. "Now Ampharos! Thunderbolt!"

"Psychic!" Lorelei countered. The crackling lighting attack leapt forward but Slowbro used a Psychic attack to deflect it- it rebounded off air, sparks leaping and intensifying as Ampharos' power was tested against Slowbro's. A stalemate was reached, and both Pokémon abated their efforts.

"Surf!"

"Light Screen!"

The same thing happened in reverse; Ampharos defended against a crashing wall of water with a shield of light and again a conclusion failed to be reached. I grinned.

"Thunder!" I shouted. A bit redundant, teaching Ampharos two high levelled Electric type attacks but this only proved the worth. Ampharos had trained this technique in balancing massive power with acceptable-in-a-pinch accuracy- Slowbro could not defend and was blasted away.

"Psychic!" Lorelei commanded and to my surprise Slowbro struggled up. This time the Psychic was for offence; Ampharos was caught in a net of invisible energy and slammed into the wall. She was held there and it repeatedly with Psychic.

"Break out!" I shouted, and yet again the two tested strengths directly but Slowbro had been wounded and Ampharos was able to escape. I grinned.

"Thunderbolt!" Another attack struck and Slowbro fell for good. Lorelei recalled her defeated Water/Psychic type. Next.

"Jynx!" she called "Blizzard!" Jynx attacked and the powerful Ice move finished Ampharos off easily. I scowled, recalling Ampharos.

"Ninetales! Flamethrower!" I shouted. Ninetales burst forth, eager to fight. Immediately my fox Pokémon unleashed a medium strength Flamethrower, catching Jynx off guard. Lorelei gave the command first for Psychic to block and then for Blizzard in a desperate attempt to halt the flame torrent but to no avail.

"No! How- alright, return," she said bitterly. "Come on, Lapras! Hydro Pump!"

"Dodge!" I commanded. Honestly, we'd never get through this if all of Lorelei's Pokémon insisted on engaging mine in direct contests of strength. Immediately Lapras renewed his aim and Ninetales was hit and sent sprawling. A second later he was on his feet.

"Iron tail!" I shouted, and Ninetales charged.

"Sheer Cold!"

"Yeah, well Sheer Heat! I mean warm the air with fire." Yeah, fire- that's your solution to everything, I told myself.

Ninetales gathered flame in his jaws and released it, effectively combating the advancing wave of cold.

"Now Blast Burn! Last Pokémon!" Before the battle could get interesting or exhausting a final attack won out; a huge orb of flame that Ninetales gave his all to wiped out Lapras in an explosive blast. Smoke whipped outward, dissipating quickly to reveal a defeated Lapras.

"No! I- well, congratulations, but don't get complacent. You only got a taste of Pokemon League power!"

And as I recalled Ninetales, I thought that I would be at all surprised if that was so, and with feeling of nervousness only slightly decreased I walked past Lorelei, uttering a 'good match'.

"Well, since I'm the first member, it's rare that I defeat the trainers that come through, but usually I faze them much more than I did you. But still, don't get complacent."

"I'll try not to."