((sweatdrops) Nice appliances. You wouldn't attack me until the end of the chapter, would you?)
Love and Pokeballs
Chapter Fourteen: Pupil vs. Professor
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Claire here, and ready for the semifinals. (gulp) At least, I hope I am. I'm a little too nervous to say anything else, though, so how 'bout I just start the chapter?
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Okay, it was eight PM, and the last four trainers had gathered in the registration building for the semifinal matchups. Besides me, the other trainers were Jose (duh!), Michael (unsurprising, I'll admit), and a tall, redheaded girl named Gina from Oldale Town.
Suddenly, the screen lit up, and my picture appeared. And my opponent was…
"Jose." I whispered.
"Darn," Michael said. "I wanted to battle both of you."
"Excellent work on making it this far, though." Said a voice from behind.
I turned around. It was Juan!
"Hello, Michael." He said politely. "Hello, Claire. I wish you luck in your matches, but you'll understand if I cheer for my son."
"Of course." Michael and I said simultaneously.
"Wonderful." He said with a nod before turning to his son. "Now, Jose, may I have a word with you?"
Jose nodded and left with his father, Michael and me glancing at each other and shrugging.
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Half an hour later, I was in the Pokemon Center with Alex, wracking my brain for a strategy to win.
"Maybe Sudowoodo?" I said, picking up a Pokeball. "No, that's no good on the water field! Or Leafeon? No, the ice field'll make it useless!"
"Calm down, Claire." Alex said, putting her hand on my shoulder. "Everything'll be just fine."
"Are you kidding!?" I screamed. "I've never beaten Jose! Did you see my match at the Indigo League?"
"Yep," said a familiar voice behind me. "It was one of the most one-sided battles I've ever seen."
"Who asked you?" I snapped, turning around and glaring at Michael.
"Nobody," he replied, scratching the Pikachu on his shoulder behind his ears. "I just like seeing you this panicked. Imagine: You needing all the help you can get, while I'm stronger than ever!"
"What're you talking about?" I demanded.
"Pikachu's got a new attack." He bragged. "One so powerful, it can't lose!"
"Oh, please!" I retorted. "I can beat you any day, no matter what new tricks you've got! My only obstacle is Jose—I've never beaten him…"
"Probably because you're psyching yourself out." He said, his disposition suddenly turning bright. "You're so used to losing, you've forgotten you can win."
"If I want your opinion, I'll ask!" I snapped.
"Whatever." He shrugged. "Oh, I almost forgot."
Michael reached into his pocket and pulled something out. "Won't be needing this." He said, tossing it to me as he turned and walked out.
I held up the item and stared at it. It was a necklace made of string, with a ball filled with what looked like lightning as a pendant.
"Not a good sign." I thought. "If he'd give up the Light Ball, this new move must be unbelievable!"
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I had a big knot in my stomach as I entered the arena. Between the worry of facing Jose and Michael's new attack, I had barely slept a wink. I didn't even have time to strategize for different arenas. I just chose a couple of Pokemon for each field.
"All right," the announcer said as Jose and I took our places and the scoreboard lit up, displaying the symbols of the four fields. "Welcome to the Johto League Silver Conference semifinals! For our first match today, we have Claire, the spunky brunette of the Joy clan, up against the favorite to win, Jose of Sootopolis City!"
Upon the mention of Jose's name, the crowd burst into cheers and applause. Even Juan, who was in an approved guest seat behind Jose and didn't like to express fandom, applauded slightly.
Alex, who was in an approved guest seat behind me, just blushed slightly.
"We will now decide the field of battle." The announcer said.
At once, the picture of the water drop lit up, representing—
"The water field!" the announcer said as the image on the scoreboard disappeared and was replaced with pictures of me and Jose, with six boxes underneath and the battlefield disappeared and was replaced by an Olympic-sized pool, with marble platforms supported by columns scattered around it. "Arguably the most difficult field on which to maneuver!"
I gulped. Jose's dad was a Water-type specialist, with a Gym to match. Jose had often seen him battle, and knew all the tricks.
"We will now select who will use the first Pokemon." The announcer said.
Instantly, my picture lit up.
"Great," I thought. "As if he needs another advantage."
"Okay," I panted, holding up a Pokeball. "This one should do all right."
I tossed the Pokeball and a Pokemon appeared on a platform. This one was bright turquoise, with the body of a dog, the face of a cat, and a fishlike tail. It also had three fins on the sides and top of its head, and a white fringe around its neck.
"Claire has chosen Vaporeon!" the announcer said as Vaporeon's picture appeared under mine. "A Water-type perfectly suited for this field! What will Jose choose?"
Jose smirked and tossed a Pokeball into the arena and Onix, his giant Rock Snake Pokemon, appeared, looking rather uncomfortable on a tiny platform.
"Jose fights back…with an Onix?" the announcer said as Onix's picture appeared under Jose's. "A highly unusual choice under such circumstances. What is he planning?"
"Use Rock Polish." Jose said.
Onix roared as its rocky hide suddenly became very shiny.
"Why increase speed if there's nowhere to go?" I wondered. "Well, whatever the reason, I'd better defend."
"Vaporeon," I called. "Dive in and use Acid Armor!"
"Vapor, vapor." Vaporeon said, jumping into the water and fading from view.
"Uh-oh," the announcer said. "Claire's just utilized Vaporeon's infamous power to disappear in water! How will Jose handle this?"
"Now try a sneak attack!" I ordered. "Use your Water Gun!"
"Vapor!" said a voice somewhere in the arena as a stream of water from an unseen source was fired at Onix.
"Evade and use Rock Polish!" Jose ordered.
Onix roared and moved its long body out of the way of the attack, then became even shinier.
"Somewhat of a mistake on Claire's part." The announcer commented. "Despite Onix's size, dodging attacks is relatively easy for it, due to its serpentine body."
I blushed with embarrassment. I should've known that!
"Try masking the attack further!" I ordered. "Use Haze!"
"Vaporeon!" Vaporeon said, presumably opening its mouth and releasing a thick fog that enveloped the field.
"Now use Hydro Pump!" I ordered.
"Vaporeon!" Vaporeon cried, shooting a much bigger jet of water at its opponent.
"Use Dig!" Jose ordered.
"Dig?" I repeated. "Where can it go?"
I could hear Onix roaring, then a big splash, and when the smoke cleared, there were no Pokemon visible in the arena.
"Where has Onix disappeared to?" the announcer inquired.
After a minute, though, Onix burst through the floor of the arena, looking pained by the water.
"What was that about?" I inquired. "You may have avoided Vaporeon's attack, but Onix is taking just as much damage now! What's the point?"
"Give it a minute." Jose said with a smirk. "You'll see."
Sure enough, something did start to happen: the water began draining into the two holes, leaving the pool empty and Vaporeon exposed!
"Not good!" I thought. "Acid Armor only makes Vaporeon invisible in water!"
"Now, Onix," Jose ordered. "Use Slam!"
Onix roared and raised its tail, then brought it down and crushed Vaporeon, knocking it out.
"Vaporeon is unable to battle!" the judge declared as Vaporeon's picture went dark.
"An inauspicious start for the spunky trainer from Saffron." The announcer commented as I recalled Vaporeon.
"Come on, Claire!" Alex cheered. "You can still win this!"
I sighed and pulled out another Pokeball and tossed it into the arena, causing yet another Pokemon to appear floating in the air. This one was small and white, and seemed to be mostly head. All that was underneath was a cloud-like appendage.
"Looks like Claire's choosing Castform!" the announcer said as Castform's picture appeared under Vaporeon's. "It may control the weather, but can it control this match?"
"Castform, use Rain Dance." I commanded.
"Castform." Castform replied.
Castform conjured a ball of blue energy and fired it into the sky, causing rainclouds to gather and rain to fall heavily on the battlefield (and only the battlefield, oddly enough). Onix recoiled slightly, clearly harmed by the rain, but Castform seemed to like it a lot. In fact, Castform began to transform at once. Its cloud got bigger, and its round, white head became a blue water-drop shape.
"Looks like the rain activated Castform's Forecast ability, turning it into a Water-type!" the announcer recapped. "This could mean trouble for Onix."
"Castform, use Weather Ball!" I ordered.
"Castform." Castform said, forming a big, blue ball of water over its head. "Cast-FORM!"
Castform fired the attack and struck Onix in the face. Onix fell over, unconscious.
"Onix is unable to battle!" the judge said as Onix's picture faded.
"Looks like Onix was just too tired to dodge after so much exposure to water." The announcer commented as Jose recalled Onix. "How will Jose counter?"
"I'll give this one a shot." Jose said, pulling out a Pokeball. "Let's go, Exeggutor!"
Jose threw the Pokeball and another Pokemon appeared on a platform. This one looked like a fat palm tree with two round legs instead of roots. It had three pale coconuts growing side-by-side beneath the leaves, and each of those coconuts had a grinning, cheerful face.
"Exeggutor." The three heads said, leaning back and forth on their legs.
"And Jose chooses Exeggutor!" the announcer said as Exeggutor's picture appeared under Onix's. "A clever choice, as Castform is now a Water-type!"
"Not for long." I said. "Castform, use Sunny Day!"
Castform nodded and conjured a ball of yellow energy and fired it into the sky. The rain stopped and the clouds scattered, exposing strong, hot sunlight that evaporated what was left of the water in the arena.
"Castform." Castform said as it began to change again. Its head grew bigger, rounder, and orange. There were smaller orange spheres around the top and sides. It looked a lot like the sun, in fact.
"Uh-oh," the announcer said. "The bright sunlight has turned Castform into a Fire-type, strong against the Grass-type Exeggutor. How will Jose handle this?"
"Castform, use Weather Ball!" I ordered.
"Castform!" Castform said, conjuring another ball over its head, this one made of fire, and firing it at Exeggutor. "Cast-FORM!"
"Dodge and counter with Seed Bomb!" Jose commanded.
Exeggutor's three heads nodded as it leapt aside with amazing speed, landing on another platform and firing a big, green seed at Castform, which exploded on contact and sent it reeling back.
"What the—?" I exclaimed. "How'd it do that?"
"Sunny Day affects all Pokemon, Claire," Jose explained. "Not just your own. This bright sunlight activated Exeggutor's Chlorophyll ability, doubling its speed."
"Looks like Jose's turned the tables on Claire by using her own strategy against her!" the announcer recapped. "Yet another display of his strategic nature."
I began to blush. I had completely forgotten Exeggutor's Chlorophyll!
"Okay, Exeggutor," Jose said. "Use your Bullet Seed!"
"Exeggutor." The Coconut Pokemon replied, firing a barrage of seeds from each mouth. "Tor-tor-tor-tor-tor!"
"Castform!" Castform wailed as the seeds hit.
"Finish it with Stomp!" Jose commanded.
Exeggutor's three heads nodded as it leapt off of the platform with great speed, jamming its foot down on Castform's head and forcing it to the bottom of the arena, unconscious, before landing safely on its feet.
"Castform is unable to battle!" the judge announced as Castform's picture went dark.
"Looks like Exeggutor's speedy maneuvers were just too much for Castform!" the announcer said as I recalled my Pokemon. "Can she pull off a comeback?"
"You really don't seem focused, Claire." Jose called. "Anything wrong?"
"I'm doing my best!" I snapped.
"Funny," Jose said. "I don't think you really did do your best."
"What does it—wait," I said, realizing something. "Isn't that what I told Michael at the Indigo Plateau last year?"
"Yes, Claire." He replied. "It's called 'a cruel irony', but that's beside the point. I'm trying to tell you that you'll never win if you don't put your heart into it."
"Right!" Juan and Alex agreed.
I couldn't help but smile.
"You got it." I said, pulling out a Pokeball. "Glaceon, let's go!"
I tossed the Pokeball and another Pokemon appeared on the floor of the pool. This one was periwinkle, with a doglike body, a catlike face, ears that vaguely resembled a rabbit's, and the tail of a fox. It had dark blue diamond shapes on the ends of its ears and tail, and growths of the same color in front of its mouth that originated from its neck.
"Glaceon!" it cried, staring Exeggutor down.
"Claire has chosen Glaceon!" the announcer said as Glaceon's picture appeared beneath Castform's. "This Ice-type should have the advantage over the Grass-type Exeggutor."
"Glaceon," I commanded. "Start off with Hail!"
"Glaceon." Glaceon said with a smile. It opened its mouth wide, conjuring a ball of white energy, which it fired into the sky.
At once, a bunch of clouds moved in and began pelting the arena (and only the arena) with hailstones. Exeggutor looked distressed, but Glaceon couldn't be more calm.
"Way to go, Claire!" Alex cheered.
"A very clever move from Claire!" the announcer commented. "Hail not only cancels out Exeggutor's Chlorophyll, but also constantly damages all non-Ice-types!"
"That's only half of it." I smirked. "Glaceon's Snow Cloak ability shields it in a hailstorm. It'll be much harder to attack now."
Jose just smiled and held up Exeggutor's Pokeball, recalling it.
"Looks like Jose's substituting his Pokemon." The announcer said as the background of Exeggutor's picture went dark. "What will he choose now?"
"Melody, take a stance!" he said, tossing another Pokeball into the arena.
"Psyduck!" Melody said, doing a twirl before landing in front of Glaceon and giving it a fierce look.
"And it's Psyduck!" the announcer said as a picture of a Psyduck without the daisy (that was an accessory, not a body part) appeared under Exeggutor's. "Will Claire overcome this new opponent?"
As soon as Melody appeared, the hailstones stopped falling.
"What's going on?" I demanded. "Where's the hail?"
Jose smiled and pointed up. There was a big, white cloud under the hail clouds stopping the hail from reaching the battlefield, which, by the way, wasn't physically possible.
"Melody's Cloud Nine." He explained. "When she's in battle, weather effects are null and void."
"Looks like Claire will have to win this without Hail." The announcer said.
"No problem." I said. "Glaceon, use Icy Wind!"
"Dodge and use Fury Swipes!" Jose instructed.
Glaceon opened its mouth and fired a wave of snowflakes, but before they could hit, Melody leapt aside and repeatedly clawed Glaceon across its face.
"Knock it away with Ice Shard!" I commanded.
"Glacee." Glaceon replied. The growths on its face came together and formed a pointed, icicle-type shape, which it used to strike Melody quickly and knock her into the air.
"Finish it with Blizzard!" I ordered.
"Glaceon!" Glaceon responded, sending a large wave of hailstones at Melody.
"Use Cross Chop!" Jose urged.
Melody nodded and crossed her arms over her chest. Launching herself down, she plowed through the Blizzard (great pun, huh?) and struck Glaceon in the face, knocking it out.
"Glaceon is unable to battle!" the judge declared as Glaceon's picture went dark.
"Ouch!" the announcer said as Jose and I recalled our Pokemon, the background of Melody's picture going dark as we did. "Well, since three of one trainer's Pokemon are out of the match, we will now take a brief intermission. Feel free to stretch those legs, folks, but whatever you do, don't miss the conclusion of this exciting match!"
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Finish him!
(HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS, ANYWAY?)
An excellent question. It seems you somehow gave me the ability to control nearby microchips, such as the ones in all electronics nowadays. I now control all of the appliances in this house, save for the computer and the ones I have no use for. Soon, however, I shall control the world!
(Elaborate.)
Through this "internet", I shall upload this programming and control all machines worldwide! Your human race will soon be nothing more than a memory!
(YOU'LL NEVER GET AWAY WITH THIS!)
Who's going to stop me? You? Now, for your last moments, I'll humor you with another In-Depth. Don't expect to escape this time.
Pidgeotto, the Bird Pokemon. This Pokemon claims a large area of land as its territory, and builds its nest directly in the center. If this territory is violated, it shows no mercy in shredding the intruder with its sharp claws. This Pokemon also has outstanding eyesight. It is capable of distinguishing the movements of its prey, no matter how high it flies. The claws on its feet are also well-developed. It can carry prey such as Exeggcute to its nest from 60 miles away. This Pokemon's appearance is clearly based on an osprey or other bird of prey, while its name is a corruption of its Japanese name "Pigeon", which clearly refers to a species of bird. Its name could also refer to Otto Lilienthal, a pioneer of unpowered heavier-than-air flight.
(Wow, that was good.)
Thank you. You still can't stop me, though.
(WE'LL SEE ABOUT THAT! (reaches out to punch Dex-ter))
Appliances, defend me!
(Automatic veggie slicer intercepts and slices off MultiplePersonas' hand)
(MOTHER bleep! I'VE ONLY GOT TWO OF THOSE! IT'S ON!)
Just try and stop me.