The thunderous clouds roared above as Caleb's final Pokemon, Hakamo-o, went up against Olivia's, Lycanroc. Caleb has largely been in control of match, dictating it with his patience. Olivia's Boldore did prove to be difficult as it defeated Caleb's Bounsweet and Torracat. Torracat was an odd pick for Caleb, considering fire type are not good against rock types.
Caleb was clearly trying to defeat a Pokemon with a type advantage, a risk I wouldn't take in a battle like this.
He was calm and focused as usual. This was the other Caleb that always seemed to surface during a Pokemon battle.
He remained calm and focus until Hakamo-o landed a brick break attack that put Lycanroc out of commission. His face exploded in joy as he hugged his Hakamo-o. Olivia congratulated Caleb with a new emblem to hang on his amulet and looked at me.
It was now my turn. This was the first time Olivia ever held a double-header of Pokemon battles for the Island Challenge. She told us that not only did we deserve this chance but so did the people of Akala.
The dark clouds above began to slowly clear out. We were worried that rain would become a problem but not a drop fell from the ominous and uproarious clouds that hovered.
"Are you ready, Cameron?" Olivia asked me.
We stood at the north part of Konikoni City which lies next to the lighthouse. There were a large group of people watching. Their were tables set up with people eating food as well.
"Yes ma'am."
Olivia's first Pokemon is Carbink.
The plan for me is make sure I keep the type advantage. However, I'm certain Olivia has a trick up her sleeve. My first Pokemon is Passimian.
Olivia smirks briefly and then orders her Carbink to use tackle.
Passimian dodges and uses rock smash as directed. Carbink is hit by the attack but doesn't seem all that bothered.
"Double Team!" Olivia yells out. Carbink surrounds my Passimian causing it to become dazed. "Tackle." It's too late for my to tell Passimian to dodge because Carbink connects before even I see it move.
Olivia tells her Carbink to use double team again. She continue to use the combination of double team and tackle until the fatigue on Passimian induces a rage. Passimian runs around trying to hit a seemingly invisible Carbink but fails.
"Carbink, Moon Blast!"
What?! A fairy type attack? Carbink is a fairy type too? Dammit.
The attack devastates Passimian leaving me down 1 Pokemon already. Passimian barely hurt Carbink. This is the definition of not a good start.
Mudbray was my second Pokemon. I again had the advantage here, but I clearly couldn't rest on that alone.
Olivia started off with the combination of Double Team and tackle. It was really beginning to frustrate me every time Mudbray got hit. I could tell Mudbray was close to being knocked out.
On the next round of the combo I told Mudbray to relax and focus on the noise Carbink makes as it moves. Olivia quickly changed her tactic and called for Carbink to use Moon Blast.
"Mudbray, dodge it and use double team!"
I can see Caleb crack a smirk on his face for the first time in the battle.
"High Horsepower!" Mudbray jumps out of the double team and quickly charges at Carbink. Olivia tells Carbink to hold steady and defend. The collisions sends a whirl of wind whipping up the grass and dirt below.
When Carbink falls to the ground and faints I feel a wave of relief. But then, I watch as Mudbray falters and then he too falls down. That was, um, not the outcome I desired nor needed.
Since Olivia's Pokemon fell first she had to send out her 2nd Pokemon before I send out my final one. It didn't matter who she sent out. I already knew Dartrix was my final Pokemon.
Olivia sent out Golem. An Alolan Variant Golem. This was not good. Golem is also an electric type Pokemon. Regardless, I sent out Dartrix.
I had zero confidence in myself.
"Golem, Thunderbolt!"
"Agility and then leaf blade attack!" I bark at Dartrix. Dartix successfully dodges the electric attack and then hits Golem with a leaf bade attack. Golem quickly recovers and charges without an order from Olivia and hits Dartrix.
Dartrix does not appreciate the attack and charges towards Golem.
"Golem, Stone Edge!" Golem slams on the ground sends the ground in front of it to stab out and try to hit Dartrix. Dartrix barely gets out of the way and uses Razor Leaf on Golem. It dodges successfully.
"Golem, Take Down."
Golem charges at Dartrix causing me to tell Dartrix to dodge. It doesn't. Dartrix stays in the spot with his right wing covering it's face. Just as Golem is inches away from connecting, Dartrix bends out of the way and lines up a leaf blade attack.
"Thunder Punch!" Olivia bellows. Golem reaches back and both he and Dartrix land their attacks. Both Golem and Dartrix are on the ground yards from each other after the impact.
Dartrix is able to rise but Golem doesn't.
The crowd cheers as the battle as come down to 2 final Pokemon. Their cheers do nothing for me. As Olivia sends out a Magcargo, a rock and fire type Pokemon, I feel the battle completely rush out of my grasp.
I look over at Caleb who is steadily eyeing Magcargo and Dartrix. No emotion.
I take a deep breath and watch Dartrix breathe heavily. There is no way he is going to defeat Magcargo.
"Razor Leaf," I say in a somewhat defeated voice.
I spot Caleb glare at me at the corner of my eye but I do not look back.
I can feel my body begin to tremble as I come to terms with my impending failure. I watch as Magcargo uses flamethrower to destroy the Razor Leaf.
Macargo uses flamethrower one more time towards Dartrix and I dont tell Dartrix to dodge. I grab his Pokeball but as I do that Caleb yells, "What the hell are you doing!?"
I look over at him and he looks irate. His hands are up in the air as his face contorts with annoyance. Meanwhile, Dartrix dodges the attack and uses Solar Beam.
Caleb points towards Dartrix as Dartrix continues to stand tall even if he is laboring. The solar beam attack hit Magcargo on it's side.
Magcargo lines up a quick ember attack connecting with Dartrix. Dartrix swats away at the flame on it's wing and glares at Magcargo. Then it charges. That's a mistake.
"Body Slam!" Olivia yells out. Magcargo jumps into the air to meet Dartrix but Dartrix dodges and grabs onto the backside of Magcargo with it's feet. The flames shooting out of Magcargo, along with the heat radiating off it's back, burn Dartrix but he keeps holding on.
Dartrix, standing on Macargo begins to light up as if it is harnessing the energy of nature and sends a flash of light into the back of Magcargo. An explosion occurs on impact sending Dartrix flying into the lighthouse where he slams hard.
Yeah, that's what I wanted to happen. Totally.
Magcargo doesn't get up but neither does Dartrix. At first. Dartrix struggles to try and stand while Magcargo continue to lie on the ground. As Dartrix gives it another go to stand it collapses down to the ground and gives up.
Dartrix fought until it no longer could.
Meanwhile, I quit before it even attempted an attack on Magcargo. Pathetic.
A wave of doubt and negativity took over my thoughts. The match had been declared a draw by the official of the battle. Dartrix never stood up to firmly cement it stance, therefore it is technically a draw.
I walk over to my badly injure Dartrix and recall it to its Pokeball.
"I'm sorry," I whisper with Caleb standing behind me.
As I stand looking down at the spot where Dartrix fell Olivia comes up from behind me. She is smiling.
"Your Pokemon battled exceedingly well today."
"Um, thanks," I say sullenly.
She reaches into her pocket and holds the emblem she gives out when a trainer beats her. She tells me to take it.
"It was a draw, though," I say.
She nods.
"Yes, but your Dartrix didn't give up. He had no business winning and yet he didn't lose. Very few trainers can get their Pokemon to fight hard for them even if their trainer has given up."
I look over at Caleb who is smiling. When he looks at me his smile drowns away.
"But I did give up. I went to recall Dartrix before Caleb yelled at me."
"Yes, and that shows how much you cared about your Pokemon. You didn't want it to get hurt in what you thought would be an unnecessary thing to happen. I've seen enough of you on your journey through Akala to know you deserve this."
She grabbed my hand and placed the emblem in my hand. I looked at it as Caleb walked closer.
"Take it, Cam."
"But I quit."
"On yourself. Not on Dartrix. And Dartrix didn't quit on you or himself. Dartrix didn't battle to the absolute end for itself, it did for you."
Caleb then grabbed my hand with the emblem inside and closed my fist around it.
I looked up at him and smiled. A forced smile because deep down there was a horde of doubt inside.
I never thought getting through the 2nd Kahuna would be so unfulfilling, but here we are. I don't feel fulfilled. I feel defeated.