Chapter 20

Dancing With the Ducklett Trio!

Scraggy stands in front of me on the battlefield, and together we prepare ourselves for any sudden move Iris and Axew, who are in front of us, might make. A flock of Pidove fly over our heads as I yell, "Scraggy, use Headbutt!"

"Quick Axew, Scratch, let's go!" Iris shouts.

Scraggy prepares to headbutt Axew, and Axew's claws glow, and the two meet in the center of the battlefield. Scraggy headbutts Axew, and Axew scratches Scraggy. Scraggy's "pants" fall down, which makes Axew laugh. Iris and I chuckle nervously.

I quickly recover and turn to Scraggy. "Alright, Scraggy, use Leer!" Scraggy glares at Axew, who looks at Scraggy and backs away, frightened. My jaw drops. "It worked! ...Right?" I ask Pikachu.

"Pika," he shrugs.

Iris smiles. "Okay Axew, Dragon Rage, let's go!"

Pikachu and I gasp as the little Dragon-type gathers a bright blue ball of energy in his mouth. The ball grows and grows, but the Pokémon chokes on it, causing an explosion. I shield my face from the cloud of dust, and when it clears up, Axew can be seen sitting in the middle, looking around.

Iris picks him up. "Well, we tried!"

"Axew!" Axew cheers.

"Hey gang, lunch is all ready!" Cilan calls from the table.

I nod. "Okay!" I turn to Scraggy. "Scraggy, that was awesome work, so I think that's enough training for now."

"You must be hungry, right Axew?" Iris asks.

"Axew!" her partner confirms.

I motion for Scraggy to follow me. "Let's go, Scraggy." Suddenly, in a blue flash, Oshawott appears. "Oshawott!" I smile as he heads toward the table of food. "Hey, why don't we all have lunch together?"

I take out my Poké Balls, but suddenly, the ground under me and Pikachu gives out, and I drop them. Pikachu jumps onto me for safety and I hold onto him tightly. The both of us slide down a dirt tunnel and shriek uncontrollably.

After what seems like forever, I see a light, which must be the end of the tunnel. Pikachu and I slide closer to the end, and we're spit out, at least a hundred feet from the ground. I grip Pikachu tighter as we fall to the ground, hitting it with a hard thud.

I whimper in pain. "Man, that hurts! Are you alright, Pikachu?" I look at the shaking Electric-type in my arms.

He nods and jumps down. "Pika."

I turn my head to see a Sandile with red glasses. "Sand sand sand sandile!" it yells at us.

I get up, recognizing the Pokémon. "Hey, a Sandile! I know you!" I remember him from the hot sand spa a little while after I started traveling with Iris and Axew. I gasp, looking at the hole in the rock wall behind us. "I get it! So you dug that hole, didn't you? Why did you do that?"

"Sandile sand sand," the Sandile explains.

Pikachu tilts his yellow head. "Pika?"

My eyes dart from one Pokémon to the other. "Are you saying...you wanna battle Pikachu?"

"Sandile! Sand!" He nods eagerly.

"So battling it out with Pikachu's the only reason you brought us here?" I ask him, trying to clear this up.

"Sandile sand sandile," he confirms.

"Pika!" Pikachu smiles with determination.

I turn to him. "What do you say, buddy?"

He gives me a look of confidence. "Pika pika!"

"'Kay Sandile, it's a deal!" I tell him.

The three of us stand across from each other in an open area that will serve as a battlefield. "Alright Sandile, we'll be taking the first move!" I warn him, standing behind Pikachu. "Now, Pikachu, Thunderbolt, let's go!"

Pikachu lets out a strong bolt of electricity, but Sandile doesn't seem to be affected by it.

I gasp. "I forgot Sandile's also a Ground-type. Electric-type moves won't work." Sandile lunges for Pikachu, jaws open to reveal strong-looking teeth. "That's Bite! Quick Pikachu, Iron Tail!" Pikachu's tail gleams with iron and he smacks Sandile away.

Suddenly, a small and blue bird-like Pokémon walks between Pikachu and Sandile, smiling at me. "Ducklett!"

I blink. "Who's that Pokémon?" I reach into my pocket and pull out my Pokédex. "Let's see..." The device scans the creature.

Ducklett, the Water Bird Pokémon. A skilled diver, Ducklett swims underwater in search of its favorite food: peat moss.

"Duck!" the bird cheers again.

I put the Pokédex away. "Oh, so that's a Ducklett. We're kind of in the middle of a battle."

"Sandile!" Sandile shouts at Ducklett. He pushes it out of the way of the battle and yells at it, opening his mouth threateningly. Ducklett sticks its head in Sandile's mouth, which causes the Ground-type to freak out. He finally pulls away from the Ducklett. "Sandile! Sandile!" Ducklett reaches up and tickles Sandile's nose. Sandile sneezes, and his glasses fall off his snout right onto Ducklett's beak.

"Ducklett!" it yells triumphantly.

Sandile looks heartbroken. "Sandile sand sand. Sandile sand sand. Sandile sand sandile. Sandile sandile!" Ducklett walks a little way from Sandile and takes off the glasses, smiling.

It suddenly spits water into Sandile's face, sending the Ground-type into us and knocking all three of us into a nearby tree. The Ducklett laughs and flies away, carrying Sandile's sunglasses with it.

I rub my head, watching the Ducklett fly out of my sight. "What's up with that Ducklett?"

"Pika?" Pikachu wonders.

A little while later, Pikachu, Sandile and I wander around through the forest, trying to find the Ducklett. I sigh as I keep walking, Pikachu behind me, and Sandile behind Pikachu.

"Wonder where it went?" I murmur. "That's Ducklett's wacky!"

"Pika," Pikachu agrees.

"Sandile..."

I turn my head to look at Sandile, smiling. "Sandile, I'll get your sunglasses back. I promise. You can count on me." A flock of Woobat fly past us, and Sandile cries out, jumping into my arms. I chuckle, petting the scared creature. "C'mon Sandile, they're just a bunch of wild Woobat. You feel really uneasy without those sunglasses of yours, don't you, Sandile?"

He looks down at the ground. "Sand..."

I scratch his head. "Cheer up Sandile. Everything's gonna be just fine." I place him down besides Pikachu. "You've got Pikachu and me on your side."

"Pika pika," Pikachu nods.

Suddenly, a sky blue shape flies towards my head, and I feel my hat being snatched off my head. I gasp and turn around to see the Ducklett flip my hat onto its head.

I growl. "Back again, huh?" I stop. "Now hold on..." The Ducklett runs. "Hey! Give me my hat!" It turns around and opens its mouth, spitting out a bright beam of ice at me. I jump out of the way to dodge it just in time. "That's Ice Beam!" The Ducklett flies away. "Hey, that's my hat!" I scream after it. I pick up Sandile and turn to Pikachu. "C'mon, Pikachu!"

I start running after the bird, Pikachu at my feet. "Pika!"

The three of us follow the Ducklett to a river, where another Ducklett, this one wearing red sunglasses, sits. I gasp and freeze. "There's the one that took Sandile's sunglasses, too!" They look at me and laugh in their high-pitched voices. "Okay Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Pikachu shocks the two Ducklett with Thunderbolt, causing them to fall down. I nod at Pikachu. "Alright! Let's get our stuff back!"

Suddenly, something small with glowing wings smacks into me and Pikachu. I fall in a sitting position on the ground. A third Ducklett with a serving dome on its head swoops down and joins the two other Ducklett. They laugh again.

I groan. "Now we've gotta deal with three of 'em!" As I place Sandile down and stand up, the three Ducklett use the move Scald and spit water at me, hitting me right in the face. I scream. "That Scald's boiling!" The hot water suddenly stops as another Ducklett uses Ice Beam, trapping me in a large shard of ice. Coldness wraps around my body. "Of course, that Ice Beam's not!" The Ducklett laugh again. Sandile's teeth glow and he lunges, breaking me out of the ice. I shiver. "Man, that's cold. Sandile, thanks."

He smiles. "San sandile."

"Pikachu," Pikachu tells him.

As the three Ducklett keep laughing at our misfortune, I glare. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt once more!"

As Pikachu prepares to shock them, the Ducklett fly away. I grab Sandile and we follow them to a large tree. The Ducklett fly into a hole in the tree and toss out different kinds of junk.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" I try again. The Ducklett fly out of the hole, one carrying a soccer ball and the other two carrying an umbrella. The Ducklett drops the soccer ball on my head. "Ow!"

As Pikachu prepares to let the bolt of lightning loose, the other two Ducklett drop the umbrella on him, trapping him and his electricity inside.

I gasp. "Pikachu!"

I put Sandile down and try to pull the umbrella off my buddy, but it shocks me. I grit my teeth in pain as I try to pull it off. Suddenly, Sandile grabs the sparking umbrella and drops it to the ground.

I pick up Pikachu, holding him close. "Pikachu, you okay?" He sparks with lightning. The three Ducklett use Scald on Sandile, almost washing him away. "Quick Sandile, let's run!" I scream. The three of us run back into the forest, away from the troublesome Ducklett.

With Pikachu on my shoulder and Sandile at my side, the three of us watch the Ducklett from the tall grass. The Ducklett play with all sorts of junk, probably stuff they've stolen from other people.

"Man, look at all the stuff they've got," I murmur. I turn to Sandile. "But we're gonna get your sunglasses and my hat." Suddenly, Pikachu's cheeks and body sparks. I turn to him. "Pikachu, is there something wrong?"

He shakes his head, smiling. "Pikachu!"

I look back at the Ducklett. "I don't have my Poké Balls here, so it's up to us. But I know we can do it!"

"Pika!" my buddy shouts energetically.

I nod. "Okay, let's go!"

I get up from my spot and start to walk towards the Ducklett. When they see me, they straighten up and chant their names in unison.

"We don't wanna fight with you guys, really," I try to explain to them. "We just want our stuff back."

Sandile steps forward. "Sand sandile, sand sandile sand!"

"You've gotta try to understand," I continue. "Those sunglasses mean a lot to Sandile. He likes wearing them."

"Pika pika!" Pikachu adds.

The Ducklett exchange looks, and the one wearing the glasses takes them off and steps forward, chanting. It holds them out, smiling. "Wow, you're gonna give them back?"

As I reach for the glasses, a boiling hot blast of water spurts from the bird's mouth and into my face. I scream as the hot liquid hits my face and forces me into a sitting position on the ground, and I see the Ducklett, now smiling, put the sunglasses back on its face, laughing.

I spit out the water. "I've had just about enough of you three!" I get up. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt now!" Pikachu tries to push out a bolt of electricity, but the lightning doesn't expand into a bolt. It clouds around him instead. "Pikachu, what's the matter?" He tries again, but it doesn't work. "Something wrong with your Electric-type moves?" I feel fear creep into me. It's Zekrom and our first battle with Trip all over again! I suddenly remember the Ducklett trapping Pikachu in the umbrella. "Maybe that's why!"

Sandile rushes forward. "Sandile! Sandile!"

I look at him. "Sandile, it's great that you wanna battle them, but Ducklett is a Water-type Pokémon."

"Sand..." He turns around and nods at me.

I smile. "Alright. We're both here if you need us, okay?"

"Pika pika!"

The Ducklett throw the glasses, hat and serving dome in a pile and charge. Sandile gathers two rings of sharp stones and throws them at the Ducklett. They dodge, unfortunately. One Ducklett opens its mouth and shoots a beam of ice at Sandile.

I gasp. "Sandile, dodge it!" He does, but another Ducklett blasts water at him. "Now, dodge again!" Sandile dodges, but the third Ducklett uses Scald. "Pikachu, use Iron Tail so you can protect Sandile!" Pikachu's tail glows as it turns to iron, and he smacks the blast of boiling water away from Sandile.

Pikachu growls. "Pikachu!" He jumps for the Ducklett as they fly towards him, but they dodge. Six wings glow with power, and they all slash Sandile.

"Ganging up's no fair! Stop!" I jump into the scuffle with Pikachu, trying to help Sandile. It doesn't work, since the three of us are thrown back.

Pikachu gets up and bares his teeth. "Pika!" Suddenly, streams of lightning start coming from him as he's swallowed in an electric light.

I get up. "Pikachu!"

At Pikachu's tail, a ball of electricity gathers up, and Pikachu swings his tail around to throw the ball at the Ducklett. The ball hits them, sending them off into the sky. "Pika!" he cries triumphantly.

My mouth is open in shock. "Pikachu, what was that move?!"

"Electro Ball," a familiar voice answers. I turn my head to see Iris and Cilan, along with Oshawott and Scraggy.

"Electro Ball?" I tilt my head.

Iris places her hands on her hips, eyebrows raised. "You don't know Electro Ball? What a little kid!"

My face flushes darkly and I glare at her. "Gee, thanks."

"It's great that Pikachu's learned a zesty move like Electro Ball," Cilan compliments, smiling. "Talk about spicy and tasty!"

"Electro Ball..." The name feels weird on my tongue, but in a good way.

Iris suddenly looks at Sandile. "Hold on..."

"Remember that Sandile from before?" I ask her. "From the hot sand spa?"

"But what's it doing here?" she wonders.

Suddenly, I hear a high-pitched call, and turn to see the three Ducklett hovering over us. I grit my teeth. "Those three again!"

"You mean there are actually three Ducklett?!" Cilan exclaims.

"Now look, Ducklett, I can't let you use Scald on me like that!" Iris screams. She must've gotten hit in the face with Scald like I did.

One Ducklett uses Scald and another used Ice Beam. Iris and Cilan narrowly dodge the water blast while Pikachu and I jump out of the way from the icy blast. They laugh in there annoying voices.

"What's wrong with you guys?!" Iris yells at them.

"Such behavior is hard to understand," Cilan says nervously.

Pikachu stands protectively in front of me, his red cheeks sparking. "Pika!"

I turn to him. "You up for it?"

He nods. "Pika pika!"

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" I yell. Pikachu crackles with lightning and sends a bright bolt of electricity towards the Ducklett. It shocks them, and the three Ducklett fly away from us.

Sandile walks forward and cautiously grabs his glasses from the pile. He puts them on and smiles. "Sandile!"

"Pika pika!" Pikachu smiles.

Iris blinks. "I'm starting to understand now. They took Sandile's sunglasses."

Scraggy walks to the pile and grabs my hat. He gives it to me, smiling. "Thanks, Scraggy. That's great!" I take my hat from him.

He nods. "Scraggy!"

I put my hat on, covering the top of my head and some of my black hair. I sigh with relief. "Alright, that's better."

Cilan picks up his serving dome, smiling with relief. "Oh, joy! My lovely serving dome, safe and sound!"

"Oshawott wott, osha!" Oshawott cheers.

At the nearby Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy and Audino come out, Sandile and Pikachu on the cart that Audino wheels out. "Thanks for waiting! Here are your Pokémon, and both are in perfect health."

Pikachu jumps on my shoulder and nuzzles me. "Thanks a lot, Nurse Joy."

She smiles. "Those three mischievous Ducklett are well-known around here. They can cause trouble."

"Yeah, but it's because of those three Ducklett that Pikachu learned a brand new move!" I tell her excitedly. "Right, buddy?"

He nods. "Pikachu!"

"Sandile, sandile," Sandile adds.

Pikachu and I are on the battlefield with Sandile again, but this time, Iris and Cilan are watching.

Let's see... Sandile's a Ground-type, so it would be a waste to use Thunderbolt and Electro Ball. The only effective moves Pikachu knows that will do damage to Sandile are Quick Attack and Iron Tail. That's it! I'll just avoid using Electro Ball and Thunderbolt!

Iris looks at Pikachu, then Sandile, then Pikachu, then Sandile again. "I still can't get over Sandile."

"Neither can I," Cilan murmurs. "Following us all this way, just to battle with Pikachu here."

"Amazing!" Iris gasps. "Oh, yeah. I know Pikachu's Electro Ball won't have any effect on Sandile because it's a Ground-type. Isn't Pikachu at a disadvantage?"

"We'll just see," Cilan tells her. "I think Alice is aware of that. I'm looking forward to see what ingredients this battle will be made up of. It should be delicious."

A smile creeps onto my face at his words. "Alright, let's start, Sandile."

"Pika!" Pikachu adds.

Sandile kicks up dirt with his back legs. "Sandile!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu jumps forward, ready to battle.

Two rings of stones circle around Sandile, and I recognize the move as Stone Edge. The stones fly at Pikachu, knocking him off his paws.

I gasp. "Now Pikachu, counter with Quick Attack!" Pikachu picks up speed and charges at Sandile, slamming into him.

"Well, it looks like Alice's strategy is to avoid using Electric-type moves completely," I hear Cilan say.

"Pikachu, keep it up!" Iris yells.

"Axew!" Axew shouts.

I smile. "Now, use Iron Tail!" As Pikachu's tail gleams with iron, Sandile starts digging in the ground, and soon disappears. My smile vanishes. "Sandile used Dig! No telling where it'll come back out. Careful, Pikachu!" I yell to my baby, who looks around the battlefield cautiously. Suddenly, Sandile bursts out from under Pikachu, landing a direct hit. Then, he disappears once more. "Sandile used Dig again!" Sandile appears again from under Pikachu, now landing a critical hit. Poor Pikachu lands a few feet in front of me, almost finished. "Pikachu, no!"

Iris winces. "That's looks like it hurt!"

"By adding Dig as a main ingredient to its battle recipe, Sandile has Pikachu in real trouble!" Cilan gasps.

I bite my lip. "C'mon Pikachu, get back up!"

Suddenly, Sandile's whole body starts glowing a bluish color. "What's with that glow?" Iris gasps.

Sandile's body is a blue blur for a moment, but when the light fades away, in Sandile's place is a larger croc-like Pokémon. "Krokorok!"

"Wow!" Iris exclaims. "Sandile evolved!"

I take out my Pokédex and scan the creature before us.

Krokorok, the Desert Croc Pokémon, and the evolved form of Sandile. The special membrane that covers Krokorok's eyes detect heat, which allows it to see in the dark.

Krokorok surrounds itself with two rings of sharp stones. "Krokorok's using Stone Edge!" Cilan yells.

"Hope Pikachu doesn't get hit!" Iris says.

"Pikachu, use Electro Ball!" I scream.

As Pikachu gathers up a ball of lightning at his tail, Iris says, "Alice knows Electric-type moves won't do a thing!" Pikachu throws the lightning ball at Krokorok just as the stones come flying. The Electro Ball hits the stones, sending them back towards Krokorok. "Electro Ball deflected the Stone Edge!" The ball hits Krokorok, sending him off into the sky far away. Iris and Cilan run toward me. "Pikachu's Electro Ball is totally amazing!"

Cilan nods. "Right. And although the battle was a draw, Pikachu's now got a great rival!"

Pikachu jumps on my shoulder. "We'll have a battle when we see Krokorok again. And next time, were gonna win it! Right, buddy?"

He nods determinedly. "Pika pika!"