Welcome back everyone! Last time, the battle royal began with Ash and his friends being targeted by Mayaka and separating them. Though, things don't seem to be looking too well for her either, with Kai facing down her group.
Ch 11: Survive
"Ohohohohoho! It appears you've decided to finally make a move," Thad spoke, placing an arm in front of his body. To Kai, the boy seemed to be bowing slightly, as if welcoming the challenge to face him. Though the manner he did so felt like an insult, not that he could really tell. "You're title of the strongest in our pitiful class only exists since I've never been necessitated to show my true strength. How will your composure endure facing a being of greater power?"
"Shut up," Kai replied, staring down the four students. He didn't have much of a plan to face them all at once, but he wasn't going to let them get away. Ash was his target to claim, not theirs. "Scum like yourself don't stand a chance against me. Don't even try to put up an act," he finished stating, his voice sounding emotionless as Thad seemed unraveled by him.
"You dare mock me!? You wouldn't even last five minutes in a battle against me!" the usually calm boy replied, shouting out to the point spit flew from his mouth. Kai watched on in boredom as Mayaka placed an arm in front of the blond, his little spew coming to an end as his Gengar floated forward. It was as if he was willing to fight Ninetales all on his own, as evident by Mayaka making a small motion; the slight nod of her head not going unnoticed, Kai scanning the area only to see Rue and her Machoke sprinting away from them.
He could tell they had no intention of fighting a prolonged battle against him, but he also had no intention of letting them escape. If they wanted Ash's friends, he wouldn't stop them; the boy of his desires was another story though. No one was touching him until he had a shot at Ash.
"Ninetales, cut off their escape route! Flamethrower!" he shouted out, swinging his arm across his body. The Fire-Type leapt into action, its maw already overflowing with the deadly flames only for them to spew outwards. Shooting off in a straight line, the flames seemed destined to strike Machoke's retreating figure.
"Sandstorm," the cold voice of Kumo whispered out, Dugtrio shooting out of the ground. The Mole Pokémon cried out in agreement, a large sandstorm soon raging and blocking the encroaching flames. Kai was shocked from the sudden command, having paid the boy little attention before. But now that he was looking at him, he could easily see a shockingly similar complexion with him. His body looking almost identical to him, his height being a few inches shorter the only difference between them.
"I have no intention to win this dumb thing, so you three get going," the emotionless boy continued on, staring up at the clouds for a moment before throwing his hands into his pockets. Dugtrio kept the Sandstorm raging, but managed to shrink it, enclosing himself and Kai; the others were merely observers at this point.
"And already Kumo and Kai seem to be taking off the gloves! The ace of the Battle course taking on a General Studies student. Though, I wouldn't sleep on Kumo. That boy has shown flashes of brilliance according to his teachers!" Romeo called out, the loud voice annoying Kai. Choosing to ignore it as best he could, Kai kept his attention on the familiar boy across from him.
"You and I both know that Kai is too powerful for you! Besides, the only reason we brought you into our group was so you could help us take down Ketchum!" Mayaka shouted over the raging sand. Kai braced his body, the sand buffeted him while Ninetales whimpered out in discomfort. Even the grass beneath them was slowly shifting to a slightly sandy complexion.
"You're just a General Studies student, you ain't anywhere close to him! Let us help!" Mayaka finished speaking, Kai knowing full well she just wanted to take him down. It seemed like everyone wanted to take him down, as if the title of the strongest freshman actually meant something to them. Even if he felt that they weren't much of a match for him, he had to admit that Mayaka would prove to be the most difficult out of them all there. He'd rather just get to finding Ash.
Kumo didn't reply to her command, instead keeping his cold eyes locked onto Kai; the stare down causing the usually composed boy to shudder for a moment, an act that surprised him. Ninetales noticed the reaction, looking up at its trainer only for Kai to merely shake it off. There was definitely something too similar between them. First the emotionless speech pattern and now the cold stares. It seemed that Mayaka and Thad had given up on entering the sand barrier, instead choosing to split off to search for Ash. Kai knew he would have to end things quickly, otherwise risk having those two find his target first.
"Tell me something," Kai spoke up, eyes locked onto his target. Ninetales got low to the ground, bracing itself for a battle that would soon begin. "You and I are more similar than either of us know, aren't we?"
Kumo didn't reply, instead pointing forward with an index finger. Dugtrio flying underneath the battlefield, causing Kai to immediately get into a defensive stance while Ninetales listened for its target to move. Within a few moments, the Ground-Type shot upwards, slamming its three heads into the underside of the Fox Pokémon and launching it into the sky.
"Energy Ball! Quickly!" Kai shouted out, Ninetales flipping through the sky before gracefully forming the barrage of attacks. The green spheres formed at the tips of its tails, launching off like a machine gun as the blasts struck the field. One by one, each blast seemed destined to land a decisive blow, yet Kumo was faster.
"Dodge them all," Kumo replied, his partner moving swiftly between each sphere. The Ground-Type seemed to have been trained for speedy reactions as evidenced by the way it avoided each blast. Only the last sphere managed to land a blow, and only due to it striking the ground and kicking a few rocks at Dugtrio.
"And they're getting right into things, folks! Even while in the air, Ninetales fires off a collection of shots that Dugtrio avoided with ease!" Romeo declared, Kai frowning at the speed of his opponent. He had expected quite a few of those blasts to land.
"It doesn't hurt that Dugtrio's ability is Sand Veil. With it, his evasiveness increases while sandstorm-like conditions are active in a battle. It'll prove quite interesting to see how Kai can manage defeating an opponent he can't hit. It may seem best to get in close where it's harder to dodge," Giovanni added in, the boy ignoring the man's comments. He still held ill feelings towards him, wanting nothing to do with the man.
Reaching the apex of its ascent, Ninetales slammed into the sandy wall with a thud. The sand battering the Fire-Type before Ninetales began to fall. "Nine!" the Fire-Type shouted before flipping in midair. Managing to land gracefully, both Ninetales and Kai were shocked to see Dugtrio missing from their sights. That was when the ground glowed a golden hue.
"Trio-trio-trio!" the Ground-Type chanted out before the land beneath Ninetales exploded outwards. Kai covered his face immediately, chunks of grass and dirt pelting his face, Ninetales being launched into the air once more. This time, the Fox Pokémon managed to land without touching the barrier of sand. Touching the ground graciously, Ninetales showed off its training to not be deterred by the surprise attack.
Wiping dust from his shirt sleeve, Kai stared down his opponent. There was no denying it at this point; his attitude, lack of emotions and overall battling style was too similar to be a coincidence. Narrowing his eyes, Kai punched forward as he commanded a Flamethrower. Ninetales leapt forward, flames shooting out of its mouth once more. Though this time, the fire wasn't directed at Dugtrio but rather the ground surrounding the Mole Pokémon.
"Your accuracy seems to have gotten worse. Is it me, or is it Sand Veil?" Kumo replied, casting a glance at the flames surrounding Dugtrio. The fire didn't last for long, the wind from the Sandstorm buffeting it until the flames were nonexistent. Dugtrio appeared unharmed from the heat, Kai unable to find an opening to properly strike. "For someone of your skill, that miss is rather showing of your current mentality of this match: your shaken up. My presence has affected you."
"Shut up," Kai responded, wiping away a drop of sweat from his forehead. The action was unusual for the boy, having rarely done so in the past; yet here he was, sweating against some student from the General Studies course. "Ninetales, Dark Pulse, let's go! Don't give them a moment's rest!"
"Nine!" the Fire-Type declared, charging up the black and purple beam within its mouth. Whipping its head around, Ninetales fired off the inky nexus, Dugtrio diving back underground. The attack ripped up more of the grass, creating more divots around them. Their secluded area was practically destroyed now, the land having been torn up from the two combatants, though quickly covered up from the raging storm around them.
"Keep going! Switch back to Flamethrower!" Kai shouted out, Ninetales keeping the attack firing off as it shot across the ground. Kai wasn't looking to make contact, not at their current move, but rather making the field more suited for themselves. With Ninetales blast changing color from black to a reddish-orange, Kai braced himself for the heat that was extruding from the field. Though put out quickly, the fire managed its job: scorching away any potential clods of grass that remained.
Kumo chuckled slightly, sharing a gaze with Kai as the latter felt an unusual resemblance from his opponent. In that moment, the ground exploded outward once more, Ninetales being thrown into the air; though this time the height seemed to be shorter, as if there wasn't as much put into the attack due to the lack of earth. Ninetales whimpered out as it twirled in the air, heading straight for Dugtrio while Kai called out for another Flamethrower. Landing with a loud thud, Ninetales fired off the blast without hesitation, colliding with Dugtrio. The attack managing to push the Ground-Type back towards its trainer.
"Huh, guess you're finally getting serious. One of your attacks struck," Kumo stated, his gaze drifting up to the sky before grinning lazily. In that moment, the Sandstorm finally resided, allowing the rest of the field to be seen (including defeated trainers making their way off the large terrain). With a snap of his fingers, Kumo signaled for Dugtrio to launch off another Sandstorm. Kai wasn't going to let that happen, instead taking his chances with the opening provided to him.
"Confuse Ray, let's finish this!"
Ninetales lifted its tails upwards, the glowing spheres of energy forming on the tips before launching them forward. The small orbs seemed destined to strike their target, but a sudden gust of wind and sand blew them off course. Now with the Sandstorm raging once more, Kai covered his face once more as Dugtrio vanished from their sight.
This Sandstorm is a bother. I'll never finish this as long as it's raging. Especially with Sand Veil as that Dugtrio's ability, Kai thought, gritting his teeth together before snapping his head around. He could hear Dugtrio tunneling around, but he couldn't pinpoint its exact location; there had to have been a way to dispose of both of their issues at once. However, he had no time to think as the ground exploded outwards once more. Ninetales luckily dodging the blast this time, but not without landing against the raging sandstorm.
"That sandstorm is becoming a bother for Kai! He really has to watch his movements, otherwise risk Ninetales being hurt by it," Romeo chimed in, the Fox Pokémon moving away from the sandstorm.
"Nine!" it cried out in pain, Dugtrio reemerging from the ground. Narrowing his eyes, Kai could make out a few of Dugtrio's paths now thanks to the terrain, its destruction allowing him small views of the area underneath him and Ninetales. Though, the area itself seemed to be weak on structure, most of it having been either dug out or destroyed from some combination of attacks.
"How about you answer my question now?" Kai asked, unzipping his sweatshirt so that it blew with the sandstorm. He had a plan ready, but he needed to stall slightly until his time came. "Explain to me how we're similar."
Kumo shrugged his shoulders for a moment, his face turning into a blank expression. Even his eyes seemed bored, as if he had no intention of answering. Kai had a different desire, keeping his eyes locked onto his fellow student as Ninetales growled at Dugtrio. Relenting, the boy threw his hands behind his head and sighed out.
"You really know nothing? You don't remember any of it?"
The questions caught Kai by surprise, the boy taking a step back only to move forward again as he felt the sandstorm whipping at his back. "Of course, I know nothing, I've never met you before. And yet, I feel this connection to you."
Kumo couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head at Kai's answer. This had actually been the most emotion out of the boy since their match had started, something that made Kai stand defensively. "You really were 'father's' favorite. Given the best training schedules, the greater nutrition feedings to accelerate growth, even shower times were extended for you. Looks like they even wiped all memories of your time there as well, you were the program's bright future; the great Kai was going to become the world's greatest trainer. Only it didn't happen as they planned."
"My father is nothing but a manipulative man with nothing but his own desires in mind!" Kai shouted out, about to continue on, but instead being interrupted.
"Our 'father'. Though, they probably wiped your memory clean of all traces of us. The fact that you were emotionally unstable despite all the tests they ran. Despite everything they tried, you would have an emotional moment whether in training or in the bunks. These failures always disappointed Kasai and his scientists," Kumo stated, Kai shaking his head in disbelief. This wasn't true, it couldn't be. If it was, how come he didn't know about this?
"They erased your memories every night, to destroy any emotional connections you established and instead planted fake memories created by the super computer located in the lab where you were created along with the others."
"C-Created?" Kai stuttered out, Ninetales sensing where this was going before leaping into action. Firing off a Flamethrower, the blast struck Dugtrio directly, launching the Ground-Type from its safe confines and rolling against the ground. Kumo didn't seem to enjoy the surprise attack, frowning before nodding at Dugtrio. The Ground-Type burrowed back underground, though Kai wanted more answers, it seemed unlikely currently. The only positive seemed to be the fact that the wind was dying down. He couldn't dwell on what Kumo had stated to him, instead looking ahead in their match as it came to its climax.
What has father been hiding from me though? Could he have really created me in a lab? Or is this guy trying to get me unraveled? Either way, I need to focus better here, Kai thought to himself, the barrier of sand dying down while Dugtrio popped back up with another explosion around him. Ninetales held its ground, being pushed back slightly before regaining its footing.
"Sandstorm once again," Kumo ordered out.
"Dugtrio-trio-trio!" the Ground-Type replied affirmatively, though Kai and Ninetales were faster.
"Energy Ball! Rapid fire, don't let that Sandstorm get summoned," the aggressive student demanded, Ninetales pouncing across the field, orbs of green energy forming at the tips of its tails. Launching one after the other, Ninetales closed the gap until the Fire-Type was right before Dugtrio. "And Flamethrower! End this now!"
"Ninetales!" it shouted out, leaping into the air. Releasing the torrent of flames, Ninetales and Kai nearly missed Dugtrio glowing white for a second as the fire crashed into the being. Landing on the ground, Ninetales released a second stream of flames, yet Dugtrio managed to within stand it with ease, Kai and his partner looking on in slight confusion as the white faded to a brown hue.
"I must thank you for the energy," Kumo stated, Dugtrio moving at an alarming rate. Before Kai could react, the Mole Pokémon had slammed two of its heads into Ninetales' body. Jumping backwards at the last possible second, Ninetales was grazed from the final head before landing on the destroyed ground; part of it giving way as the Fox Pokémon landed on it.
"If you hadn't attacked when you did, Dugtrio and I wouldn't have been able to use our combo like we did. An Endure to allow us to tank the blast and then Reversal to send that power right back at you. It's a simple strategy, one that was taught fairly early to me by the program.
"Endure allows Dugtrio to survive an attack that would otherwise finish it off while Reversal launches that pain right back at the opponent. You see, Reversal packs more of a punch when our health is low, so naturally when I felt the time was right, I'd stop hiding and deliver the finishing blow. Yet, your Ninetales can keep going it seems; the program would be proud."
"What a stunning turn of events!" Romeo declared, standing up on top of his desk. The microphone shook from within his hand, Giovanni motioning for him to sit back down. "By taking the blow head on, Dugtrio's Reversal became that much stronger! And can you believe he's just in the General Studies course?"
"The Battle course is the hardest to get into. It makes sense that some students apply for General Studies to allow themselves entrance into the school. It means missing out on the same training that their classmates receive, but it also means they're part of this school," Giovanni explained.
"Tell me what this damn program is!" Kai shouted out, fists shaking as he could feel his emotions getting the better of him. Kumo however just chuckled, ignoring the question while having Dugtrio hide under the field. It had looked slightly sluggish after the last attack, no doubt that taking such a move head on would weaken the Ground-Type regardless of type matchups. "Answer me!"
Kumo shrugged his shoulders, casting another look at the sky before commanding Dugtrio to reemerge. This time, however, Kai was ready. Upon seeing the ground glow, the young student commanded Ninetales to fire off a Dark Pulse into the crater, the attack cancelling out the Earth Power and tearing up the ground with it. There was nowhere left to hide for Dugtrio, its underground tunnels now visible to the world as Ninetales landed gracefully.
"I said: answer me!" Kai growled out, yet Kumo ignored him once more. Dugtrio tried to move back under the ground, but Ninetales was faster, sealing off its movements with a Flamethrower all around its body. The Fox Pokémon followed up the torrent of flames with another round of Energy Ball, the green spheres cascading down onto the Ground-Type.
Seeing nowhere else to run to, Dugtrio burrowed itself straight underground, using the only area it could due to a combination of its fatigue and the earlier cave-in making it near impossible to go anywhere else. Kai smirked as he felt Dugtrio was trapped. Even if this Kumo had some resemblance to him, Kai knew he also wasn't anywhere near him as a battler, not when he kept cool. Though, he still wanted answers.
"Dark Pulse right above Dugtrio! Restrain its movements now!" Kai shouted out, his loyal partner jumping into the air and performing a spin before launching off the inky nexus with all its might. The black and purple beam spiraled through the sky before raining down onto the grassy (or rather just dirt by this point) field and causing it to crack. The attack continued on, until the crack largened to the point Dugtrio's head could be seen. At that point, Ninetales put everything it had into the attack, smashing right through the ground and causing the nearby rocks and soil to crash into Dugtrio and cementing its position. The Mole Pokémon struggled under the weight of the field, unable to burrow out of its confinement.
Kai whipped his hand around, pointing straight at Kumo before calling for a Flamethrower. Ninetales obeyed, shooting off the heated flames right at Dugtrio's confined body. The fire crashed right against the Ground-Type, launching it out of the trap and flying into its trainer. Kumo caught the defeated Ground-Type, but couldn't keep his footing. Toppling backwards, the boy sighed out in defeat.
"They always said you were the best battler there. Didn't help that I was one of the first ones created, lacking in the intuition for battling. Probably why they felt the need to dispose of me, though it isn't so bad now. I've been living with a nice family of farmers, they took me in as one of their own and treated me like a son," Kumo rambled on quietly, Kai walking over to him before lifting the boy off the ground.
"Who are you talking about? What is this project you've been talking about?" Kai demanded, the sound of other battles raging on filling his ears. Casting a glance up to the screen, he could see that roughly thirty students remained now, that Gary kid having gone on a small tear and eliminated five students with ease over the span of his own battle.
"Couldn't say, they wiped my mind of most of it. Though, I did manage to retain some memories, especially the one of our father creating another, stronger one of us. I'd like to help, but other than hating you, I have no care for my past," Kumo finished, Kai releasing his grip on the boy before turning away. He wanted answers, he needed to know just what happened back during his trainings with his father. Was everything really a lie? That couldn't have been, there wasn't a way to create false memories...was there?
Shaking his head in annoyance, Kai called for Ninetales as the two went after their target. It was time to go and see just what Ash was made of. Sprinting into the woods, Kai let the words from Kumo sink in, having decided that once the tournament was over, he was going to figure this all out.
"And after an amazing showing, Kumo is no match for the top freshman, Kai! Though Ninetales seems to have received some damage from that battle! Let's give a hand for both trainers," Romeo stated, the crowd erupting into applause, Kai unsure if it was all for his battle or if they were doing this for the other matches as well.
"I can't believe they got that attack by me..." Janine groaned out as she sat up, her body soaked from the river she was sitting in. Gripping her head, the young ninja couldn't remember much from moments prior, the only image being that of Mayaka standing there and then everything went black. She could hear an explosion occurring, but before she could have reacted, her body had been tossed away. No doubt the others had been in a similar situation since they were in the blast as well.
Looking around, Janine couldn't see anyone else from her group. No doubt that it had been Mayaka's plan to separate them all, that way she would have an easier time picking them off. Standing up, Janine walked out of the body of water and leaned against a tree while planning her next move. Feeling something land on top of her head, Janine looked up to see Venomoth resting safely.
"Veno," the Poison Moth Pokémon stated, Janine rubbing a hand against one of her wings as they stood there. Janine didn't have much of a plan at the moment; at best she could look for the others and hope to avoid any potential battle or she could take on whoever she ran into. Right now, neither seemed like good choices, especially since she had no idea who was around this area.
"crack", the sound of a twig snapping catching all of Janine's attention. Holding her breath, the girl remained absolutely silent as the trainer and his Butterfree could be seen. They seemed nervous whoever they were and Janine decided to let them go by, a decision that immediately proved to be the right one as a combination of Leech Seed and Hydro Pump flew out of nowhere to strike the Butterfree.
"What!?" the young kid cried out in shock, the seeds erupting outwards to allow vines to wrap all around his partner. The Bug and Flying-Type had its energy drained rather quickly before a torrent of water slammed into it and carried the being into a tree. The force behind the two moves proved more than enough, Janine watching as Gary and Leaf appeared from their hidden location.
"How did someone like this make it this far?" Gary asked, Janine watching the boy throw his hands behind his head before walking further off into the forest. "I want a real challenge, most of the people we've faced so far haven't posed us a challenge. That kid was the sixth one we've taken down and yet none have made us worry."
"It doesn't hurt that all our battles have been two against one and we've been sneak attacking them," Leaf pointed out, Gary merely shrugging as Janine held a hand to her mouth. The two trainers were walking right by her and Janine had no intention of fighting them right now. She wasn't afraid of either of them, in fact, if it were a simple one-on-one battle she felt she could take them. It was the fact she was at a disadvantage that made her worry.
Just keep going, there's no one here for you to battle, she mentally stated, her eyes following the two trainers as they quickly reached the river she had been sitting in. That was when her eyes grew wide; for coming out of the river was a trail of water she had left behind that led right to her current location. It must have dripped off of her when she wasn't paying attention. And to her chagrin, the two of them noticed the small trail on the forest floor.
"Well, seems like we've got someone hiding here. Guess we'll have to find them," Gary spoke up, Janine cursing herself for not paying attention to the water. If she had dried off before hiding, then there would be no trail for them. Instead, she was going to be drawn into a disadvantage.
"We can't even run if we wanted to…between the twigs on the ground and my wet clothes, they'll find us eventually," the ninja muttered as she planned an attack. She didn't have long though, the sound of snapping twigs alerting her to the approaching figures. Running situations through her mind, Janine didn't like any of the outcomes: they all ended in her defeat.
Holding still, she could now see Gary only a few feet away from her. Deciding to take action now instead of waiting for them to attack her, the ninja motioned for Venomoth to take flight. Flapping her wings, the Bug and Poison-Type lifted off of Janine and into some coverage from the leaves on the trees. She didn't have much to work with, but if they could at least catch them by surprise...
"Sleep Powder!" she shouted out, running from behind her position. To her surprise, Gary wasn't shocked at all, instead he was grinning at her while Leaf was now mysteriously gone. The particles soon fell from the trees above them, but her opponent was able to counteract them immediately.
"And Janine makes the first move, hoping to take Gary and his Wartortle by surprise! But the young man doesn't seem to be letting that happen, already getting a counter in," Romeo narrated, Janine growing annoyed by his voice. Instead, she figured it would be best to ignore it, to drown it out for the time being.
"Hydro Pump, Wartortle! Douse that Sleep Powder before it can affect you," he called out, pointing straight up at the falling particles. Watching on, Janine hoped that the attack could land before Wartortle would counter, but that wasn't the case.
"Wartortle!" the Water-Type declared, rearing his head back before firing off the torrent of water. Janine could only watch on as her Sleep Powder was rendered useless from the dampness created from the Hydro Pump, the water raining down around them before a vine shot out at the trees. Looking around, Janine could recognize it as Ivysaur's and realized just why Leaf had split off. Calling out for Venomoth to dodge, the Poison Moth Pokémon fluttered out of the way, her wings heavy from the moisture.
Gritting her teeth, Janine wondered if they even stood a chance now, especially with Venomoth's movement being slower for the time being. Wartortle was back on the offensive, a second Hydro Pump heading right for Venomoth. Choosing not to run, Janine issued a Psybeam for a counter, the multicolored beam firing off with precision. Piercing the Hydro Pump like a drill, the Psybeam pushed right through and struck Wartortle in the face before exploding outwards.
The blast seemed to surprise Wartortle, the Water-Type stumbling for a moment only to be supported with a vine from Ivysaur, the latter and its trainer emerging from some nearby foliage. Clenching her fists in annoyance from this, Janine wondered what else she could do to get away. Though, there didn't seem to be any exits.
"Restrain both of them with Ivysaur. It may not seem it, but she's just as dangerous as her Venomoth," Gary pointed out, Janine now getting on the move. She knew that being captured would be the end for her; she had to do everything in her power to avoid it. Jumping up towards a tree, Janine grabbed ahold of a branch and swung towards another one, barely avoiding one of Ivysaur's vines in the process of it.
Venomoth likewise was on the move, fluttering in and out of tree branches and back over the river as she avoided the barrage of attacks. Janine couldn't help out either, too busy avoiding one of Ivysaur's vines, the other chasing after Venomoth. The Poison Moth Pokémon flew low to the ground, skimming over the water as an Ice Beam struck the surface, water splashing up and striking Venomoth's wings. The water proved to be the distraction needed, Venomoth losing her flight and tumbling onto the ground before the vine snapped around her.
"Venomoth!" Janine shouted, losing sight of the vine in that moment. Feeling it wrap around her, Janine tried to free herself by kicking, but it proved useless as Ivysaur brought herself and Venomoth over to their captors.
"We actually got them!" Leaf cried out, pumping her fists happily. Gary nodded in agreement, smirking at the sight of the trapped Venomoth as he ran a hand through his hair. "The way you had Wartortle freeze the water so that the top of it would soak Venomoth's wings was brilliant. Without it, I doubt we catch either of them...though...it seemed almost too easy."
Gary merely shrugged his shoulders, keeping an eye on the struggling Janine as he tried to figure something out. Everything had seemed too easy, especially for someone like Janine. It was as if...
"Gotcha!" she declared triumphantly. Ending her struggles, Janine merely gave into the vine wrapped around her body and hung there. A grin was plastered on her face, her true plan having come to fruition. "Bug Buzz, let's go!" she declared with a joyful yell. This was their turning point, to hit them real hard while they least expected it.
"Veno-Venomoth, moth!" the Bug and Poison-Type cried out, clicking her small fangs together as a hideous noise erupted from them. Red soundwaves shot across the small distance between Venomoth and her targets, Wartortle covering his ears in pain while Ivysaur was forced to release Janine and Venomoth. Their plan had worked! They managed to immobilize their opponents and hit them from up close. Though, the attack didn't last for long, Wartortle and Ivysaur getting back into fighting stances shortly after the sound died down.
"That was smart, I'll give you that. Letting us drop our guards to hit us real hard..." Gary muttered out, wiping a drop of sweat from his forehead. Pointing forward, the young boy called for another Ice Beam attack, his partner forming the energy in his mouth.
"War...tortle?" the Water-Type cried out, his voice trailing off in surprise as he was rammed in the side before launching off the Ice Beam. Janine dove to the side with Venomoth, the Ice Beam soaring right over their heads before shooting up into the sky. Standing back up, Janine was shocked to see what looked to be like an icy wall separating herself from Gary and his Wartortle. She wasn't alone however, Leaf standing off to the side only a few feet away.
"Gary!?" Leaf called out, running to the ice wall and watching through it. Janine decided to keep her distance, not wanting to fall for any tricks they might be playing. Though based on Leaf's actions, they seemed to be caught off guard by the action themselves.
"Are you and Wartortle alright? Ivysaur and I can keep going, but this wall seems impossible to break! We'll have to find a way around to regroup."
"I'm fine, just worry about yourself right now," Gary replied back, Janine now able to make out what seemed to be two other trainers going at it. One of them looked familiar, his purple hair blowing in the wind as his strange Pokémon launched off a barrage of leaves.
The target was someone she knew though, the Onix that was being knocked backwards belonging to none other than Brock. That was when Janine realized what had happened: Onix had been knocked into Wartortle, causing his aim to be affected and miss their target. Now because of that, two battles were raging on opposite sides of the icy structure. She wondered just how long Brock been going at it, Onix seeming to be panting now as scrapes covered his rocky exterior.
"Focus on ninja girl over there! I'll take care of these two and then we'll meet back up!" Gary's voice echoed across the small area. Janine snapped back to attention to see Leaf nodding in agreement, the young girl turning right to Janine. She couldn't help but lower her guard for a moment as the young girl spoke to her.
"You're Ash's friend, aren't you? We've never really met but he's talked about you a lot," Leaf spoke, smiling at Janine, the girl sensing no harm from her. Instead, it seemed to be sincere, as if she was thankful for something. "I'm just glad Ash was able to make some good friends, especially after our first day here. Thank you for helping him train for this, it really means a lot to me; Ash is like a brother to me so I only want to see him be happy."
"It was nothing really," Janine replied, rubbing at the back of her neck while chuckling. "He's a lot of fun to be around, always full of energy. Though, why don't we save the talking for after the tournament. We do have a battle to finish after all."
Janine and Venomoth readied themselves to get ready. Leaf likewise nodding in agreement, looking a little flustered over her rambling during the middle of a battle. Their side of the field was silent, the sound of wind ruffling the leaves being the only sound if Janine discounted the battle raging on next to her. Looking for one split second, Janine watched Onix use Gyro Ball in a manner to stop the incoming Energy Ball and Hydro Pump. The spinning Rock and Ground-Type slicing right through the two attacks with ease. Though it seemed as if both of Brock's opponents were targeting him, as if Gary wanted to face that Paul guy by himself.
"Vine Whip, let's go, Ivysaur!" Leaf snapped out, Janine instantly jumping backwards while Venomoth took to the air, the thick vines smashing down onto the field as leaves and twigs flew about. Janine cursed at herself for being easily distracted by the other battle, leaving herself open for an attack. Skidding backwards, Janine came to a stop mere inches from the ice wall. "Once more! Keep them guessing!"
"Saur! Ivysaur!" the Grass and Poison-Type shouted out, the vines whipping up into the sky now instead of retracting back into her bulb. Racing through the air, the objects shot right for Venomoth, the Bug and Poison-Type unable to get away as she was smacked in the back.
Spiraling through the air, Venomoth quickly adjusted her trajectory, barely avoiding a crash with a tree before straightening out. With the use of those vines, Janine knew that Bulbasaur would be a tricky adversary; their flying advantage was now useless against them. Looking around, the girl tried to think of a plan, but with Sleep Powder useless against a Grass-Type, the only moves she had at Venomoth's disposal were Psybeam, Bug Buzz and Double Team. The latter being saved for when Janine felt she could shift the battle in her favor.
"Venomoth, keep your distance from them! Who knows what other tricks those vines can do, we need to find a way to neutralize them!" Janine called out, Venomoth nodding before she flew higher into the air. The Poison Moth Pokémon was now veiled by leaves, appearing nearly invisible to the untrained eye as they awaited a chance to strike.
"If you're so interested in our vines, we'll show you! Ivysaur, let's spin!" Leaf shouted happily, twirling in place as Ivysaur copied her. The vines soon shot out like previously, only this time they didn't search out the hiding Venomoth. Instead, they twirled along with Ivysaur's body, rising up until they were the same height as the trees around them, the wind picking up in intensity with each turn of Ivysaur's body. Even Venomoth seemed affected from the increased speeds, being pulled out of her hiding spot and in towards the center of Ivysaur's vine tornado.
"Veno..." she grunted, struggling to fight back against the powerful gusts.
"Ash and Gary aren't the only ones to use moves in a unique way, we did all come from the same school. I figured that Ivysaur's vines and bulb are major parts of her species' body and used them to influence our fighting style. It's really fun to come up with different combinations like this one: Leech Seed!" Leaf explained, Janine confused over why the girl would say anything about her battling style. Though the brownish seed flying into Venomoth made her worry more about what was in front of them rather than what was to come.
Pointing forward, Janine called out to her partner, issuing a Psybeam attack to destroy the Leech Seed before it could plant itself onto Venomoth's body. Agreeing to the command, Venomoth's head glowed multiple colors as the beam shot outwards. The Psybeam proved effective for the time being, colliding with the seed and destroying it upon impact, though it didn't solve their other issue.
"There has to be a way out of there!" Janine shouted in frustration, Venomoth unable to move from her position. "We could try Psybeam, but there's no guarantee it could reach Ivysaur herself. And Bug Buzz is practically useless, it would just be destroyed by the vines..."
"It's great battling against new challenges," Leaf spoke up once more, a smile on her face. "Ivysaur and I have a set plan for everything, though the only type it doesn't work for are Poison-Types. Once we get our opponent restrained, it's a Poison Powder followed by Venoshock, the latter being enhanced in strength when a Pokémon that's poisoned is struck by it. But obviously a Poison-Type can't be poisoned so it weakens my plans.
"I'm just glad I got to face you though, this way I can plan a strategy for anyone else who uses Poison-Types! Now, Venoshock!"
"Saur..." Ivysaur grunted out, Janine noticing how the Grass and Poison-Type wasn't used to holding this for so long. In fact, it seemed more spur of the moment, as if this was a contingency plan to use if nothing else worked. She watched on as the bulb on Ivysaur's back released a toxic goop, the substance shooting right up for Venomoth. Impacting with the Poison Moth Pokémon, the goop seemed to do little damage. It seemed to be more of a nuisance than do any harm, the substance sticking to Venomoth's wings.
If we can just hold out a little longer, I think it'll be a turning point. Ivysaur isn't conditioned to maintain this move for a long duration, Janine thought to herself as Venomoth was now being struck by the various debris picked up from the wind gust. Though, it was getting weaker and this was her chance.
"Bug Buzz, let's go! Time to strike!" Janine ordered, punching forward with the command. This would be their best shot, if it failed, they would need a miracle to survive.
"Veno! Venomoth-moth!" she cried out, clicking her fangs together as the blood red waves pulsed outwards. Covering her ears, Janine watched as even Leaf dropped to a knee from the pain. It made sense though, her opponent was closer to the origin of the attack. Even Ivysaur was affected from it, the Seed Pokémon crying out from the soundwaves before releasing the vine tornado.
"Here we go! Psybeam!" Janine shouted, pumping her fists. They were staying on the offensive and not giving Leaf a chance to counter.
"We'll have to block it Ivysaur and go in with our own attack! Venoshock!" Leaf quickly stated, having recovered from the Bug Buzz attack.
Both Pokémon nodded as purple globs were launched out of Ivysaur's bulb while Venomoth released the multicolored blast from her own forehead. The two attacks collided, merging together for but a moment before exploding outwards. A blast of smoke and wind filled the area, Janine noticing for a split second that the explosion had cracked the ice wall; another blast would probably shatter right through it.
Her attention snapped right back to the battle, the sound of vines shooting through the coverage of smoke alerting her to what was coming. Thanks to her quick reflexes, Janine managed to get the command out before Venomoth was struck.
"Double Team!"
"Veno..." Venomoth obliged, flashing white for a moment as the vines shot through her. To Leaf's surprise, the body vanished the moment Vine Whip made contact, a dozen other Venomoth appearing all around Ivysaur as their foreheads glowed blue.
"You still had one move hidden, keeping it in the shadows until the most opportune time...I can see why Ash likes training with you so much," Leaf muttered out, still smiling despite knowing the outcome. "I was so focused on restraining your movements that I hadn't even thought of what your fourth move could have been...
"But we won't go down without a fight! Ivysaur, mow them all down with Vine Whip!" Leaf shouted out, pumping her fists before the vines erupted from Ivysaur's bulb once more. Striking one copy after the other, Leaf's plan was simple and easy to read for Janine: find the original and stop their attack. However, time didn't appear on Leaf's side, the multicolored beams shooting out of Venomoth and her clones' foreheads right at the exact moment Ivysaur found the original.
Being struck by the Vine Whip, Venomoth maintained her composure before firing off the Psybeam. The attack seemingly used the vines as a lightning rod, flying straight down them and into Ivysaur, the Seed Pokémon being struck right in the face from the attack. Janine watched on as a gust of wind emerged from the blast, shooting more smoke and dust around the field as the sound of something falling to the ground could be heard. Listening, Janine couldn't hear anything except for Venomoth's flapping wings; that single noise allowing her to exhale in content while the smoke faded away.
"Aww...I was really hoping to last a little longer," Leaf's voice stated as Janine could finally see the situation before her; Ivysaur laying on her bulb defeated. "Guess I'll have to wait for next year to show Ash how strong we've grown...or I could just have a normal battle, he seems like the kind of guy to accept one. Unlike Gary," she sighed out, falling to her knees in the process. Pulling a pokeball out of her bag, Leaf raised it up to Ivysaur and recalled her beloved partner into the capture device.
"You were fantastic Ivysaur! We'll get these moves down in no time, and then we'll beat Ash and Gary and show them just who's the best trainer from Pallet Town," she finished saying, giggling at the end. Janine wondered if Leaf perhaps viewed herself as the weakest of the bunch comprised of herself and her two friends. And if this tournament was a chance to prove that feeling wrong.
Offering her a hand, Janine helped pull Leaf back up onto her feet, the latter offering a hug despite losing the battle. Releasing the hold, Leaf backed up slowly, hands behind her back while a smile soon appeared on her face. Janine knew no words needed to be stated between them, but she felt it was necessary to do so.
"You were amazing out there, Leaf. The way you knew how to use Ivysaur's body to her full advantage by specializing your battle strategy to incorporate the bulb to be your main focus...that's something many pros haven't even tried. If I hadn't been using Venomoth and we were trapped in that tornado you created, well...we would have lost. You're a hell of a trainer," Janine replied, flashing her a thumbs up. Leaf's face glowed a faint red, her eyes tearing up slightly as Janine wondered if she had said the wrong thing.
"T-Thank you..." Leaf sobbed out, wiping away the tears forming in her eyes. Sniffling, Leaf slapped her face before smiling back at Janine; it was something she had noticed throughout their entire battle. As if Leaf would smile through the hard times, as if she was forcing herself to be happy to hide something. "I just really wanted to win! Gary needs a good wake up call and if he lost to me, it might have done it. Ash broke through to him slightly...but that's Ash, Gary only got agitated by it. I figured if I could beat him at the end of this whole thing...maybe I could get the old Gary back."
"I may not know anything about it, and it may not be any of my business, but I'll give the little brat a good kick in the rear-end if it means fixing his attitude for you," Janine replied, Leaf looking stunned from the announcement. Slamming a fist into her open palm, Janine glanced over at the cracking ice wall with a serious expression. "I don't know if it'll do any good by losing to me, but I'll do my best to knock some real sense into the guy. You have my word."
"I'll be rooting for you to win! And...thank you. I miss him," Leaf ended, muttering the last part of her sentence before turning away from Janine. "I'll be cheering for you from the spectators' section. So, do your best!"
Janine nodded at the girl, watching her retreating figure leave the forest (and field altogether) before facing the ice wall. Though, I won't be getting a chance to fight him if this wall doesn't come down. Ash, just hold on for a little longer. I'll beat some sense into Gary and then we'll all meet back up.
"Where is everyone?" Brock muttered out, gripping to his head. Onix was laying next to him, his partner seeming to be perfectly fine. Remembering just what occurred, the older boy crossed his arms in annoyance. Looking around the forest, Brock had no clue as to what section of the arena he was even in. The place seemed deserted at least, something he was glad for; now he could check Onix out and make sure he wasn't hurt. "We had to have been separated during that blast. Though, where am I is a pretty good question."
"Warrrrkkk," Onix moaned out, Brock patting him gently before inspecting him for any injuries. Off in the distance, he could see what appeared to be a Bug Buzz shooting off through the forest. Running his usual tests, Brock came to the conclusion that Onix was good enough to continue on, but that his body was starting to reach its limit; that last attack proving to be quite effective on the Rock Snake Pokémon as evident by the marks on his body.
A rustling in the bushes caught Brock's attention, the older boy having just enough time to command Onix to burrow underground. The Rock and Ground-Type dug deep under the soil, a barrage of Razor Leaf soaring into the open. A few managed to nick Onix on the end of his tail, but otherwise he managed to escape. A young boy soon walked out into the open, a scowl on his face along with a Pokémon Brock had never seen before. The strange quadruped seemed to be a Grass-Type and reminded him of an Ivysaur, yet this was different completely.
"That was pathetic, our timing was off and it cost us a critical hit on Onix," the boy stated, Brock recognizing him from a class they shared together. He could have sworn the name was Paul, but he wasn't sure if that was the case and decided to remain quiet.
"You heard us in the bushes, didn't you? I wouldn't expect anything less from the son of a Gym Leader," Paul stated, hands resting in his jacket's front pockets. "Well, hiding against us won't work either. Especially since if you fight like your father, I know exactly how to stop something as simple like this. Grotle, Earthquake!"
"Grotle!" the Grass-Type shouted out, leaning back onto his hind legs before slamming downwards onto all four. Brock toppled over from the seismic waves that surged along the ground, surprised at such strength only to remember such a tactic used once before against his father. It had been a few years ago, but he would never forget that trainer; his Pokémon were all raised excellently and his strategies were nearly flawless.
Standing back up, Brock watched on as Grotle slammed down a second time, this attack being enough to launch Onix out of his underground hiding spot and land back at Brock's feet. The older boy was shocked for a moment, surprised at just how much power his opponent's Pokémon could put into a single attack. He couldn't sit back for long however, another Razor Leaf coming right for his own partner.
"Gyro Ball, let's go!" Brock shouted out, Onix's body shinning for a moment before stiffening up. Spinning at an intense speed, the Razor Leaf merely bounced off of his exterior; Brock guessed that for the time being, a powerful defense would have to do them well. With Dig neutralized for the time being, it left them with only Tackle, Bind and Gyro Ball to work with. And Brock had a good feeling that his opponent would limit his chances at getting in close.
"Before we continue on, can you answer a question for me?" Brock asked, rubbing Onix's exterior as the Rock Snake Pokémon finished spinning around. The boy across from him shrugged, letting out a sigh before motioning for Brock to go ahead with whatever he needed to ask. The Gym Leader in training had a feeling that Paul didn't want to talk, but, he needed to find out. "You remind me of someone who faced my father in a Gym battle last year. You wouldn't happen to be related to someone named Reggie, would you?"
"What's so important about my older brother?" the boy responded, a smirk crossing Brock's face. His suspicion was true, this was the boy who watched his father's Gym battle with intensity; soaking in every detail from the battle with admiration for his brother.
"Nothing really. I was just curious," Brock replied back before placing his hands on his hips. "I don't know if you remember, but I was the referee for your brother's Gym match last year. Though, since you're both from Sinnoh...why are you attending Pokémon Academy all the way in the Kanto region?"
Paul scoffed at the question, as if he didn't need to answer such a thing. Instead, calling for an Energy Ball. His Grotle (as Brock was going with for a name), opened his mouth, a green sphere forming within it. Brock called out to Onix to brace for the attack, but it never came. Instead, Grotle sat there with the attack ready to fire off, Paul smirking.
"Survive this attack and I'll answer your question."
Gyro Ball won't be enough for this! And if we hide underground, he'll be waiting for us with another Earthquake! This isn't good, he's two years younger than me and already he's further along than I was at that age. Things are going to turn ugly real fast, Brock thought, the green sphere of energy now being fired at them. The blast seemed rather large for what a normal Energy Ball should have been. As if Paul had Grotle put more energy into this one attack to make a statement.
"We'll have to defend ourselves, Onix! Gyro Ball one more time!" Brock decided upon, taking a risk with using the move again.
"Waaaaarrr," Onix moaned out, his body shinning before the Rock and Ground-Type spun around. Taking on the shape of a sphere, Onix spun with all his might as the Energy Ball smashed into him. Letting out a small cry from the pain, Onix fought back with everything he had, sparks flying off of the two attacks meeting.
Holding his breath, Brock hoped that Onix could hold his ground, yet to his shock and worry, Paul commanded for a second Energy Ball. The second blast combining with the first to add more power into the attack. With the added power, Onix was quickly pushed back, Brock silently cursing at what was occurring before him. Before he knew it, his loyal partner and best friend was thrown backwards, mowing down a line of trees and kicking up leaves and dust. Turning to look in the trail of destruction, Brock couldn't make out Onix's figure and could only stare in astonishment at how far his Pokémon could have been carried by the blast.
"Waaaa..." Onix could be faintly heard in the distance, a slightly blue light shining in the same direction. Hearing that his partner was fine, Brock broke into a sprint towards the sound in hopes that he wasn't just dragged into another matchup.
Running across the destroyed landscape, Brock sighed out in slight annoyance at the sight before him; standing there looking slightly annoyed was Gary Oak, his Wartortle laying on the ground as a trail of ice seemed to head off parallel in the direction Brock came from. Following it, Brock was amazed to see just how high the creation was, as if Wartortle's attack had been knocked off course. Though, on the other side it seemed as if Janine was now stuck there and was in a match with Leaf, showing to Brock that the Bug Buzz must have been hers.
"What's the big idea?" Gary asked, hands in his pockets while glaring at Brock. Wartortle was now getting back up off the ground while Onix laid there for a moment longer prior to stirring himself. "You interfered with my battle!"
"It wasn't like I planned to cause this," Brock replied, reaching Onix. Running his hand across the Rock and Ground-Type's exterior, Brock could feel the outer layer of his rocky skin chipping; no doubt Onix was reaching his limit after a blow like the last one. "We got pushed all the way back here by Paul. You'd be smart to try and get away while you still can, because right now I doubt he'll give me a chance to. And with Onix currently worn out as he is, there's no way I can get away."
Gary chuckled out for a moment before throwing his hands into his pockets. "You can try to run if you want, but I'm not afraid of Paul. No one here can beat me, and there's no way I'm losing until I get to beat Ash. I told him we were going to battle and that I would win...and I don't go back on my word," he spat out, his eyes widening in excitement. Brock followed their gaze only to see Paul and his Grotle standing in the clearing.
"Hmph...looks as if you managed to survive that blast," the purple haired boy muttered out, eyes locking with Gary's for a moment. A smirk crossed over both of their faces, Brock wondering if they were both fascinated with the challenge the other presented.
"Well, a deal's a deal. You survived so I'll explain why I came here," he continued on, Onix now up and ready to continue battling. Brock wished he had stayed down, make it seem as if they were done, but he knew Onix wasn't a quitter. "It's not too complex of a story, Sinnoh just didn't have any schools that enticed me so I decided to come to the world's 'greatest' school. The Battle course here was the best I could find, if there was a better one, I would have gone there.
"Now, let's finish what we started. Grotle, Razor Leaf!"
"Grot!" the Grass-Type grunted out, the small trees on his back rustling before sharp leaves flew outwards. Brock and Onix braced themselves for the attack, the leaves slicing across their bodies, while Gary went on the offensive.
"Ice Beam, right now and then go into a Rapid Spin! Let's show them who's the best of this class!"
"Wartortle!" the Water-Type shouted out in agreement, opening his mouth as an icy sphere of energy formed. Charging it up, Wartortle launched the beam forward, streaks of energy shooting from his mouth collided with a handful of the leaves, knocking them onto the ground. Keeping his momentum moving, Wartortle dropped to the ground, spinning rapidly as a gust of wind flew through the area. Brock covered his face while the wind kicked all the frozen leaves into the air. The older boy was amazed with Gary's plan to use Paul's own attack against him, even if they had modified it slightly.
Paul however seemed unamused from the attack, Brock thinking that the boy looked bored. As if the attack would prove useless to whatever he had planned. The calmness of their opponent made Brock worry about their chances; yes, he and Gary weren't exactly working together, but if Paul could take them both on with ease...
"No time to sit around and worry... Onix! Let's get in there, use your Dig attack while Grotle is distracted by Wartortle," Brock commanded, throwing a hand forward only for Paul to smirk. The action made Brock realize he had played right into whatever Paul had planned, but it was too late to cancel the command as Onix was already burrowing underneath the surface.
"Earthquake." The command was simple, but the calmness of it made Brock realize just how much he had messed up. The Grove Pokémon leaned back onto his hind legs once more, slamming down onto the forest floor with a loud thud as the area shook. Falling over, Brock watched again in worry as Onix's body shot out of the ground; even Wartortle was affected, the intense seismic activity causing him to lose his rotation.
Falling backwards, both Pokémon were met with a barrage of the frozen leaves, the attack proving most effective on Onix as he cried from the pain of it all.
"Stay out of my way, I'm going to beat Paul on my own!" Gary snapped out, Brock shaking his head in annoyance at the boy's attitude. However, he had no time to give a response, Gary commanding Wartortle to fire off a Hydro Pump for Onix.
"You can't beat him by yourself, he's too strong! Onix, counter with Gyro Ball!" Brock argued, managing to say something after all. Onix sighed out in pain once the command had been issued; they both knew they didn't have much time left in this tournament. But they didn't plan to go out without taking someone from this group down with them.
"Waaarrrrkk..." he sighed out once more, spinning his entire body as it glowed. This time however, the rotations appeared slower, as if Onix didn't have the stamina to maintain the attack for long periods of time. Slicing through the Hydro Pump, Onix rammed his body into Wartortle, the Turtle Pokémon bouncing backwards for a moment before cartwheeling himself into a standing position.
Coming to a stop, Onix soon forced himself to get his rotation going once more, Brock noticing an Energy Ball coming their direction. Cursing himself for leaving Onix open, Brock soon was amazed by the situation before them. Due to the lateness of Onix's spin, the Energy Ball was seemingly redirected instead of shattered. As if passing it to Gary, the green sphere exploded on contact with Wartortle, the Water-Type flying backwards.
We're so outclassed right now it isn't funny. And the way Grotle has been used so far, Paul has it trained to maintain a long-distanced fight. Yet, even when Onix can get in close, Earthquake stops us in our tracks. There isn't anything we can do really...unless, Brock thought out, looking at Onix's chipped exterior.
"Gary!" he shouted out, the Pallet Town native looking over at him with a look of disgust. "We're no match for Paul on our own, so we have to work together. When I say to, fire an Ice Beam straight ahead at Grotle."
"I don't need your help to win this..." Gary muttered, but just by looking at Wartortle, Brock could tell it was tiring. And at the rate this match was going, he wasn't going to last much longer.
Ignoring Gary's last statement, Brock pointed forward with his index finger, Onix roaring out in approval before sprinting forward. "Onix, use your Tackle attack! Do everything you can to stay on course, we need to land this!"
"Pathetic...a last-ditch effort won't save either of you. Though, I know the Wartortle can last longer. Grotle, Earthquake! End it," he commanded, Brock having known this would be his reaction. Out of the three moves Grotle had used, only Earthquake was used when someone got close to them. Yet he needed time to slam his weight down onto the ground, in that moment, that was their one shot to win.
"Now, Gary!" he commanded, the other boy merely grunting before calling forth an Ice Beam. Brock had a feeling the boy didn't appreciate being told what to do, but it was necessary right now.
"Tortle!" the Water-Type grunted out, the familiar streaks of ice shooting straight ahead. Grotle was already up on his hind legs, Brock looking on in anxiety as the ice raced against time. Slamming into the ground, the beam froze the area around Grotle's feet, leaving the Grass-Type stuck on his hind legs. It didn't last for long though, Onix ramming into Grotle and sending him flying backwards.
An explosion sounded behind Brock, the boy paying little attention as chunks of ice scattered around him, someone running from behind him. Instead, his attention stayed focused on the opponent before him. Paul seemed unfazed from the attack, Grotle already recovered. He appeared to be shaking off the previous blow before walking forward to be even with his trainer.
"That accomplished nothing. Grotle is just fine," Gary moaned out, Brock shaking his head in disagreement. It seemed to be nothing, but they finally managed to hit Grotle, though Onix seemed spent from it all; his fatigue was finally catching up with him, the Rock Snake Pokémon leaning against one of the trees.
The Rock and Ground-Type had no time to relax though, attacks flying at him from both directions. A Razor Leaf from his front and a Hydro Pump from his rear left him with no escape. Both attacks struck Onix head on, the Rock Snake Pokémon dropping to the ground defeated.
A Psybeam quickly flew over the defeated Onix, the multicolored blast striking Grotle directly and knocking him backwards. Turning in the direction of the blast, Brock was glad to see Janine standing there, though Venomoth didn't seem to be in the best of shape.
"Sorry we took so long, that ice wall was blocking our way here. Needed to destroy it first, but it seems we were too late," Janine stated, Brock just shrugging his shoulders before recalling Onix into his pokeball.
"It's alright, Onix and I still did great out there. Even with us going up against those two, he never stopped fighting. Though, I wish we had gotten a better matchup, it was still fun," Brock replied, the smile on his face dropping into a frown. "But...don't stick around here. Things are going to get messy once these two get serious. Go find Ash and help him out, no doubt Mayaka is targeting him right now."
"I'd love to go help, but I made a promise to go and knock some sense into Gary. And I don't want to break it," Janine replied, Venomoth lowering herself onto her head. Brock could tell that in her current state, Venomoth wouldn't last long against these two. Yet, Janine was determined to face them head on.
"Stay out of this," Gary howled out, both Janine and Brock jumping from the surprise of his voice. Looking into his eyes, Brock could tell that Gary wanted this match all for himself. As if it was a test before facing Ash. "If I can't beat this guy on my own, then I'll never get closer to my dreams. And besides, you and I both know Ash wouldn't want any help against this guy.
"So you better run off, ninja, before I change my mind," Gary finished saying. Janine was about to argue back, how she made a promise to Leaf, but Brock stopped her. Placing a hand on her shoulder, the older boy knew this was Gary's battle. That whatever Janine needed to do would have to wait. Even the look in his eyes seemed lighter, as if he didn't know if he could win.
Grunting, Janine gave up with trying to enter the battle, an Ice Beam being launched off by Wartortle while she turned away. Brock likewise made his way from the battle, knowing that his time was finished. Before separating, the older boy clasped his hand against Janine's, the two nodding. He knew there weren't any words that they could say, neither of them really knew the other. The only thing in common between them was being Ash's friend. Now releasing his grip, Brock stepped off of the field, watching Janine run off as he made it up to the spectators' section.
Making his way down the hallway, Brock was guided by a few faculty members towards a flight of stairs. Climbing them, the older boy was quickly brought to a private box, those eliminated prior to him (both the preliminaries and the actual tournament) already sitting there. To his surprise, there seemed to be roughly twenty students remaining in the entire event based on those sitting around.
Walking down the steps, Brock grabbed an open seat in the first row. Leaning against the railing, he let out a sigh. "I wonder how it would have went if I didn't throw that last battle? I couldn't stay in much longer and risk my dad seeing me do well. But...I want to have fun like the others."
Watching the battles before him, his eyes caught quick attention to what seemed like a blast of electricity shooting up into the sky.
"And it seems like we have heart racing battles happening all over the arena!" Romeo cried out, Brock noticing that their box was a few down from the announcer. Though, the one that interested him more was the one on the opposite side of the broadcast booth; sitting in there seemed to be a collection of Kanto's strongest trainers. All of them watching on with interest.
"With Brock's elimination, we're down to just eighteen competitors now. It's only natural that everything will get exciting; only the best remain," Giovanni agreed, a second bolt of electricity shooting up again. This time, the screens changed to show a split. On one side showed the Gary and Paul match while the opposite showed Ash and Ritchie staring down Rue.
"It's just a matter of time until we're left with a winner! Let's hope I can hold out until then," the loud announcer declared, Brock shaking his head. He could only wonder how many of his fellow classmates had been defeated during the time he had been attacked by Mayaka and defeated by Paul.
Hang in there Ash. You're almost there, just seventeen more to go... Brock thought to himself, looking down his row to see Leaf clutching at the railing in front of them. Her eyes were glued to Gary and Paul's battle, the older boy wondering how it would all end.
Either way, he knew these last few parts of the tournament were going to push everyone to the extreme.
Well, things are moving along. Both Leaf and Brock are out, and the amount remaining is down to just eighteen as of this point in time. Mainly since the unimportant battles between nameless characters happened off-screen. Because I doubt anyone wants to read battles between two characters we've never seen.
Anyways, sorry for the lateness. Those who don't know, I've just been busy this week with school. So, expect the chapter next week to be on time.
Thank you to everyone who read the chapter and supports this story. Please leave a review letting me know what you enjoyed and how I can improve the story.
