Pokemon: 17, Deaths: 4, Badges: 5

Ch: 29

Shroomish was released as the rain continued to fall over them in a persistent drizzle; his eyes narrowed in a determined manner as he did his best to glare up at his massive opponent that he remembered all too well from when they faced each other back on Route 110. ~I'm not gonna lose so easily this time, you giant chicken!~

Vash's eye twitched slightly towards this. He never did like being called a 'chicken'. Especially, when they were aiming it as an insult towards his appearance. He couldn't kill the runt though. He belonged to Aya's friend. As he finally heard his trainer's command in his head, Vash parted his beak as flames began to lick around the edges, which spurted and sizzled a bit from the light rain. The weather would weaken his fire attacks enough so that they wouldn't kill the irritating little shroom that was before him. ~'...Lets see how he likes this...'~ With that thought in mind, he finally released a burst of flames from his beak as he unleashed his Incinerate attack.

Making a direct hit with his face, Shroomish screeched slightly in surprise and pain as he stumbled backwards and shook himself the best he could while the rain helped out some to douse the flames and sooth the burns a tiny bit. Once they were out completely and he was able to keep going, the much smaller pokemon glared determinedly towards Vash and began to shiver his body rapidly. It was then that he scrunched his form down and narrowed his eyes a bit more as a burst of purple dust erupted out of the tiny opening at the top of his head; the powder spreading all over the place and hurtling towards his opponent.

Vash scowled at this, but quickly managed to dodge most of it. However, a small stream of the powder still caught him, causing the fire/fighting type to flinch faintly as he was poisoned. ~T-Tch...Stupid shroom...I keep my distance this time so I wouldn' get poisoned by his damn ability again and he still manages ta get me some other way...~ He had a point there. The last time he had fought the Shroomish, he had gotten poisoned by his Effect Spore and now, in this battle, he got poisoned yet again; this time by Poison Powder.

"Vash, are you alright?"

The small flames erupted around his wrists in determination as he tilted his head down slightly. ~Don' worry about me, Aya. This poison is nothin' compared ta some of the other battles I've been in.~ With flames beginning to lick around the edges of his beak once again, the flames circling his wrists bursted even more intensely as he released another Incinerate; the flames smashing into his opponent and knocking him out before the effects of the poison hit him again, causing Vash to wince faintly. Watching as Brendan returned his Shroomish, only to bring out his Marshtomp, Sinbad, Vash could only mentally curse as it happened yet again. Just like in the last battle, his guppy of an enemy was brought out right after he was poisoned. ~T-Tch...Damn it. Jus' my luck...~

"Vash, come back now...You can't handle Sinbad while poisoned..." As she said this, Aya pulled out her Ultra Ball and released her next pokemon while Vash reluctantly pulled back.

In a burst of light, Zell appeared as he shifted on his feet and lashed his tail around a bit behind him. Before his opponent could even attack though, he thrusted his head up as he released a slight cry to the sky above them, causing his entire form to become outlined in a bright green; the attack Mega Drain striking Sinbad hard, though not enough to beat him in a single hit.

Closing one eye as he knelt down against the attack that was sapping away at his energy, Sinbad tightened his jaw before his cheeks began to expand. ~'I'll show that dino plant not to take me lightly...'~ The mud fish starter than quickly snapped his jaws open as he fired a thick sphere right into Zell's face, covering him in mud as well as managing to lower his accuracy. ~Bwahahahahah! How do you like that dino breath?! That's what you get for trying to drain all my energy! It'll take a lot more than that to take the likes of me down!~

At the boasting, Brendan sweatdropped slightly as released a slightly uneasy chuckle. "Sinbad, can we please not provoke the opponent? You might make him-" Before he could finish, the slightly older teen of the two trainers heard a sudden growl and blinked slightly as he brought his gaze further out, only to see the narrow eyed glare being aimed at his starter from under the edges of the mushroom that layed atop of the Breloom's head. "...mad...Oh boy..."

Growling as he couched low a bit, Zell shifted from side to side on his feet as he lowered his torso a bit and flexed his claws. Releasing a pissed off hissing growl while still covered in mud, he finally pushed off with his right foot as he rushed in with the help of his speed and smashed right into Sinbad with a Headbutt; knocking the once mock laughing Marshtomp for a loop. Straightening his stance back up after skidding to a halt, he watched as his opponent landed on his back and had a dizzy look within his eyes now. ~Hmph...And that's what you get for underestimating me.~

Both trainers couldn't help but to sweatdrop lightly at what they had just witnessed.

...And here they thought that it was Vash and Sinbad that had a bad rivalry with each other...Zell and Sinbad were probably even worse.

"...They act like brothers...going back and forth with each other..."

At hearing the almost disbelief in Aya's tone when she spoke, Brendan managed to chuckle and shake his head as both he and Aya returned their pokemon for one last round since he was now down to his final one. "Well, look at it this way, Aya. At least they're not the type of brothers that wanna tear each other apart." As he said this, he casted his best friend a friendly smirk as his released his final pokemon; his Slugma.

As his lava body sizzled faintly in the drizzling rain, Slugma's eyes narrowed as if he were ready for anything. After all, he was sure he could knock out at least one of this human girl's pokemon despite the rain. She wasn't so tough. However, that sort of thought process halted instantly when he saw the female Vibrava fly out onto the field to battle. ~...Ah Mew...~

Whippa giggled lightly at the suddenly already defeated look on her opponent's features before she narrowed her eyes playfully from behind the protective lens. She then lowered herself to stand on the ground as her wings began to beat rapidly in a blurring pace, unleashing Earthquake onto the area around her and her opponent. Though she tried her best not to do one impacting enough to kill her opponent, Whippa still knocked him out in a single hit; much to her delight since the two males before her didn't manage to do that with their opponents.

Gawking slightly at how strong the little Vibrava was, Brendan snapped out of it and returned his knocked out Slugma with a shake of his head and a chuckle. "Man, your team has really gotten tough, Aya. I didn't even stand a chance. Maybe someday I will though." After slipping the pokeball into place on his belt, Brendan took off his hat and ruffled his damp hair of messy black spikes, causing water to go flying before he placed his wet hat back onto his head. "So what do you plan to do next Aya? I mean, your team already seems strong enough to challenge the sixth gym already."

At the question, Aya merely shook her head as Whippa returned to her side and fished out a Pecha Berry for her to give to Vash. While her dragon did that, the teen softly spoke up on what she planned to do for the time being. "I...don't think my team is ready yet...The Fortree Gym specializes in flying types...Vash and Zell would be at a disadvantage in there so..."

"So your best bet would be Leon and that Vibrava of your's, right?" Of course Brendan was careful not to mention Menos. He'd seen his best friend heartbroken before back when she had lost Twilight. He didn't even wish to imagine how Aya could've looked when she lost her baby Minun...The scene most likely would've even broken his heart and he wouldn't have even been the one that lost a companion either...

Nodding her head lightly in confirmation towards this, Aya sighed softly and drifted her gaze towards the steps that lead the way towards Fortree City that she could see in the distance amongst the trees. "...I need to train my whole team, but...it's mainly Leon and Whippa that'll need it...The seventh gym won't be easy either...since I heard it's filled with psychic types so...Vash and Zell won't be able to enter that either..."

~What?!~

Brendan shook his head lightly at this and seemed a bit hesitant in saying this bit to Aya since he could already see the male Blaziken with quite the pissed look on his face... "Actually, from what my dad told me, Vash apparently won't be able to participate at all in these last three gyms period..."

~What?!~

Flinching slightly, both trainers brought their gazes onto the now literally steaming Vash as his taloned hands clenched and his jaw tightened. Ohhh, if looks alone could kill. Vash literally had a look in his sky blue eyes that, if it were possible, they both would've combusted into flames by now with just that look alone...

"A-Anyway, I got this item from my dad and I thought it'd be really useful to you." He then fished out the item from his pack and held it out to Aya with a cheeky smile as he revealed it to be the HM, Fly. "Of course, you need the next badge in order to be allowed to use it, but hey; it'll get you to places you've already been to a lot faster than you would on foot or even bike, right?"

Taking the HM from his grasp, Aya offered her friend a tentative little smile as she nodded her head slightly again. "...Thank you, Brendan...You're...always trying to help and look out for me...I really appreciate it..."

Blushing faintly at his friend's gratitude, Brendan finally laughed as he tried to hide the fact that the girl before him had gotten him flustered so easily and shook it off. "N-No problem, Aya. I mean, we're best friends so I'll always be there to back you up. Um uh...a-anyways, I better get going now. I still need to help my dad with more of his research. I'll see you later, Aya." With another grin and a wave while a faint blush was still on his cheeks, the teen quickly hurried off for Fortree City.

Watching him leave, Aya shook her head and got both Vash and Whippa's attention before heading off themselves, though she couldn't help but release a faint laugh for what she saw when she had brought her attention onto the two pokemon she kept out with her. After all, since it was still drizzling, Whippa was now perched atop of Vash's head and her wings were spread out at her sides in an attempt to at least try and become the starter's very own personal umbrella despite the fact that his feathers were already very wet. It was honestly an amusing sight for her to see.

...Aya only hoped that she'd be able to have many more moments like this that she could treasure as memories for as long as she lived...

To be continued.

Little Tsu: Ok, so there's that. The epicness of Aya & Brendan's latest battle. He was so easy ta beat, but at the same time, I still did my best to make the battle amusin' & all for you readers. Also, jus' so ya know if ya didn' pick up on it, Slugma's response was basically in the same manner of someone sayin' "Ah crap".

Side note: Poor Brendan. He kinda likes his best friend, but he doesn' stand a chance. After all, I don' think anyone could beat out Brawly in utter awesomeness & bein' hot...Though I will say that Wally has the adorable factor down pact in this story & Brendan definitely wins in bein' a great best friend at least...Er...Best HUMAN friend. Vash is the greatest badass kinda best poke friend one could ever have.x.x

Till next time. Hope ya'll have enjoyed the ride thus far cause we still got a ways ta go & it's only gonna get more intense!