Chapter 37

Kokoa tried to immediately take the lead, Nintales running over at Grovyle with a rapid speed. She tackled into it, then used the move as Kokoa called it out.

"Fire blast!"

Huge flames enveloped Grovyle, singing it and diminishing its Hp. Grovyle hissed in pain, standing up through his pain and running away from Ninetales, trying not to get hit again.

Akako bit his thumb, thinking of how he should counter this fire time. "Knock that fox over with pound!"

Grovyle pounded into Ginger, giving it all he had, cringing as pain from the last attack shot through it. He persevered though, swooping Ginger clean off her feet, causing her to hit the ground with a satisfying thud.

Grovyle gave Akako a look as if saying, "Now what?"

Akako didn't have much time to think. "Aerial ace!"

Grovyle lit aglow with a blinding shade of white, slamming into Ninetales at full force, trying to return the damage she'd done to him. Akako smiled in pleasure as Ninetales barked in frustration, Kokoa barking herself.

"Don't think I'm just going to take this! You won't win!" Kokoa called.

Akako looked smug. "I won't let you win either. I'm making it to the top two for sure."

Kokoa turned to her partner. "Ginger, use flamethrower at full strength!"

The fox let out a devious sound that sounded almost like a laugh. Grovyle cowered back.

The fox Pokémon then unleashed a full on inferno at Grovyle, the poor grass Pokémon running for dear life, not wanting to disappoint his trainer.

Just then, I heard a cry from outside the battle field. Luxray, watching from afar with Takuya, growled in pain. I saw Takuya run off with Luxray as Akako and Kokoa continued to battle. I wanted to follow, but I knew my friends wanted me to be here to watch them, so I stayed.

Just as I turned again, I saw Grovyle hacking Ninetales furiously with fury cutter, hitting so fast I could barely tell what was going on. Ginger tried to dodge as much as possible, but could only do so much to protect itself.

I could see Kokoa sweating slightly, trying to stay calm. I knew that losing to the person she hated most wasn't exactly on her to do list. Akako, however, looked very pleased with how things were turning. Maybe the odds were in his favor...or not...

I just noticed that the ground had been cracked from the force of Ninetales flamethrower. The crevaces were throwing of Grovyle's balance. Kokoa noticed this quickly.

"Tackle!" she called.

Ginger knew just what to do, hitting Grovyle staright in the gut, tripping it and trapping it in one of the crevices. Grovyle struggled, but couldn't manage to pull free.

Kokoa took up this opportunity quickly. "flamethrower now!"

"Protect!" Akako shouted desperately.

Had protect been quick enough or had the move struck too quickly? The answer: Flamethrower had hit Grovyle hard. REALLY hard. Ninetales huffed, holding its head up in superiority. Grovyle was down for the count.

But before I had time to congratulate or comfort either of them, I was hurled into a battle all my own. I had to face Tsubaki.

Akako, disappointed from his loss, smiled at me weakl;y, making his best effort to encourage me. Kokoa also cheered for me, screaming for me to win or she'd never forgive me.

I faced Tsubaki, taking deep breaths and calming myself down. I had to win this battle. For Akako at least. I'd show him my strength.

"Let's give it our all!" called Tsubaki.

"You got it!" I shouted back, smiling.

Marci did a backflip. "Begin the match!"

Amber was on the field immediately, facing a fierce-looking Empoleon. It was clear we were at the disadvantage. I decided to get ahead, we'd have to strike first.

"Sky uppercut!"

Amber slammed its fist into Empoleon's jaw, hitting the Pokémon back. I decided to combine another attack into the mix.

"Now use double kick!"

As Empoleon fell backward from sky uppercut, the double kick tripped it completely, causing it to fall on its back. Tsubaki didn't let us take the lead for long.

"Steel wing!"

The Pokemon sprang up with greater speed than the average Empoloeon, nailing Combusken in the gut. Amber was ready and willing to fight back, spirit burning.

I smiled. "Overheat!"

Combusken hit Empoleon with a huge wall of fire. I knew it wouldn't be super effective, but the move would become stronger as we went on, so it might be more useful later. Empoleon retaliated quickly.

Tsubaki smiled, a new plan in her head. "Surf!"

Oh no. As the huge wall of water came hurtling, I could tell what she planned to do. If that surf didn't completely knock out Amber, it would sweep her right into a crevace, trapping her so that she'd eventually faint anyway. I needed to avoid this somehow.

"Double kick into the ground at full force!" I commanded.

Amber knew what I wanted to do immediately and striked the ground, flinging itself up into the air and over the surf.

"Fire spin!" I then called.

Amber spewed out flames at Empoleon, but it dodged them immediately. Tsubaki smirked.

"Your flames are no match for me."

I smirked. "We'll see about that."

Then, she noticed that the flames had crashed into a nearby rock, sending small rock chunks and other small particles down onto Empoleon, chipping at its health.

She gasped. "Smart move. Didn't think you were so strategic."

I shrugged, but then she hit me with the big guns.

"Water pulse!"

There was no escape. The move hit my Pokémon, striking it hard. I then realized how low its health had been. Was it all over for me? No...

Combusken picked herself back up, smiling a bitter-sweet smiling at me, knowing something was about to happen. What was going on.

Then, Amber began glowing, growing as she growed, forming into something else. She'd just evolved into a Blaziken...