Chapter 35

"Hariyama!" my fighting type called, trying to be intimidating. At first I couldn't see beyond his white torso, but then he bent down, foot slammed forward as a sort of scare tactic, and I inwardly groaned.

Carly had let out her Staraptor, and the bird was trying to assert its dominance with equal vigor. While Hariyama had gone for a more "What now?" approach however, Staraptor's spread wings and triumphant shrill were more in the vein of trying to seem majestic. Which it was sadly accomplishing.

In short, the battle had already spiraled even more out of my favour. Well, there were still a couple advantages that I could press. I mean, Hariyama did know Thunderpunch, and I was pretty sure Staraptor didn't know any ranged attacks. I- no, we- could still pull this off.

"Staraptor, Brave Bird!" Carly called out, and the Flying Type dove into the battle at full speed. Closing the gap between the two Pokémon, I could see the wind warp around the bird, almost as testament to its power. Steady now, this battle had to go the way I needed…

Instead of waiting for me cue, Hariyama took matters into his own hands. Spitting out a deluge of water, Staraptor was redirected in the middle of its flight, but not deterred in the slightest. As Staraptor came back for another pass, I was shocked to see that Hariyama's attack had done next to no damage. I mean, even I didn't know Hariyama could do that, but the big guy's strength was his ability to through his weight around. Not blast water.

Hang on- was Staraptor sagging? Its feathers did look a little damp… maybe that could be used to our advantage.

Carly however picked up on this little detail herself. Adjusting to this realization, she changed her course of action. "Dry yourself off with Heat Wave!" Cascading orange energy that emanated this intense heat then gusted out from Staraptor's breast while the bird flapped its wings. Like Hariyama's new attack however, it did little damage at all, but Staraptor continued to fly normally from this point onward.

Well, this was going to end quickly. The familiar electric crackle gathered in Hariyama's clenched fist, ready to take the necessary swing. Staraptor came closer and closer, almost intensifying the magnitude of its own attack as the bird came closer to Hariyama's range. Hariyama's fist went flying back in response, and there was almost a sort of boom as the two Pokémon collided.

Waiting for the dust to settle, I was incredibly nervous about what was going to happen. Did Staraptor go down? Would Hariyama be able to continue? I mean, he had to. It was the only way I'd be the winner. Well, that we'd win. It was the Pokémon who did the heavy lifting in a battle. That was a truth you acknowledged as you continued to train, but I still wasn't sure whether or not Trevor had gotten that through his skull.

Maybe that was why he was so eager to leave. He wanted power, fame and glory. Sure, the best trainers had that, but they were always congratulating their Pokémon, saying that they never did any of the work themselves.

Certainly not how Trevor saw it.

Now that I was in the clear, Staraptor laid spread along the ground, unconscious. Hariyama was panting in his own right, winded by the ordeal. It would be his call on if he continued.

"Are you sure you want to keep going there big guy? I can still bring someone else in if you want," I asked the fighting type, who turned to give me his response.

"Hari-Yama!" he exuberantly called out. Flashing me a grin and a thumbs up as best as he could, I had to smile right back.

"Alright then. Let's go two for two, okay?" I prompted, as we turned to face Carly's own third Pokémon. Glaring at me with rather malicious intent, I gulped at the sight of that Beautifly. That thing had tried to kill me way back when we were heading towards Quebec. I'm pretty sure it once impaled a Pidgey on that proboscis. It knew Shadow Ball without being one of them. It was evil.

Besides, Beautifly was a ranged attacker. Hariyama wasn't. I'd have to go for Pokémon number 4 now anyway. Unless… stupid Pokedex orientation. Why did you have to have happened so long ago? I mean, there were other things it could do besides read off bland flavour text and a Pokémon's active attacks. I just couldn't remember whether or not determining a Pokémon's condition was one of them.

However, I didn't exactly have the chance to think. Hariyama was already being lifted well into the air, suspended by a light blue glow. Pointless kicking his feet around, Hariyama was in a panic. As the fighting type was slowly dragged above me, the shadow starting to become even more ominous, I made the call.

"Hariyama, return," I sighed, and the red glow of the Pokeball made the shadow suddenly disappear, much to Beautifly's chagrin. I now had to make this count even more than before. Sliding my hand over my remaining options, I paused over Swellow, then Manectric. Both would be nice choices, but each one would bring its own issues.

Swellow would lock out the option to bring out any more Pokémon. Not something I really wanted to do, but I might not have another option. On the other hand, Manectric was almost done. That Beautifly was ruthless. I might not have any other option really. Besides, what did she have left that she could use? Totodile or its evolutions, Bulbasaur or likewise and Litwick. By withholding my last Pokémon for that next little bit, I'd have a counter available.

Manectric it was.

As the canine returned to the field, he was still fairly beat up. I could see a couple marks along his body still, and knew it would be tight.

Of course, it's not like I had no tricks of my own.

"Flamethrower," I said, a smirk crossing my face. Carly's face contorted into visible shock, having only remembered that I had the attack now. All the better for me.

Beautifly was immediately charred, the intense heat flashing across its floating body from Manectric's maw. Flames licked across, and Beautifly began to fly erratically, barely slipping out of the attack's range.

Now enraged, Beautifly countered with Silver Wind, not waiting for Carly to issue orders. Glowing gusts of wind spurted from Beautifly, kicking up a tarnishing layer of dust as they flew. Manectric was blown backwards, hitting the ground unconscious.

"Good job boy. You did well," I said, congratulating the Electric type's Pokeball.

Struggling to stay afloat, Beautifly continued to glare menacingly at me. Guess I had to bring Hariyama out if I wanted to stay in this match.

"Hari-Yama!" The fighting type called out, eyeing his opponent warily. As much as Beautifly probably couldn't get away, I didn't think Hariyama's swinging fists or palms would be able to catch it. Of course, I did still have one option.

"Do the spit attack from before!" I shouted. Hariyama looked at me, confused by this before it clicked to him and he complied. Instead of the tiny burst from before however, out came a gushing torrent of water. Beautifly was knocked back into a full 360 degree spin, before hitting the ground, unconscious.

"Well, that was easy," I remarked, a little surprised by how quickly that had gone. Of course, the predictable choice for pokemon number four was Bulbasaur or one of its forms because of its ability to use Sleep Powder- and ending another fight quickly. Which meant speed would be of the essence. Which meant Swellow. Which meant Carly wouldn't pick Bulbasaur/one of its forms.

Maybe I was overthinking this a little.

Nah.

Carly however, did send out a screwball of her own. She'd never let any of us see her team, so I'd always assumed she'd almost evolved everybody the way Trevor and I had to their final forms. However, in its diminutive, light blue coloured stature stood Totodile, teeth bared in an enthusiastic display of excitement.

Hariyama easily outweighed the thing by a good seven hundred pounds. This would be over before it started.

"Hariyama, just wack it," I dismissed. Easy win.

Or not. Attempting to squash the tiny crocodile with its open palm, Hariyama slammed his fist down. And missed. And missed again. And still continued to miss, for Totodile was hopping around where the hands kept landing.

Hariyama finally backed off from exhaustion, and Totodile slammed him in the face with a Slash attack, knocking the fighting type on his backside. Flailing his feet in the air, Hariyama struggled to get back up.

"Spit at it!" I yelled desperate for the battle to end, preferably now and in my favour. The weak water jet was just ignored by the Water Type, and I had had enough.

Now thoroughly exhausted, Hariyama just stopped fighting back, almost unconscious. Finished off with a glowing white bite- Ice Fang, Hariyama finally fainted, swirls across his eyes.

"No complaints here buddy. Great job," I said, now that Hariyama had been recalled. This was it though, I had only one chance, and Totodile was in peak condition. Of course, I only had one option too, with Stunky out cold.

After all, Carly would not have let it forget a ranged attack, ruling out Swellow and Grotle wasn't nearly fast enough to avoid that Ice Fang. Heck, its speed and size was probably the reason Carly chose Totodile in the first place…

Just frickin' perfect. Marshtomp had had a couple practice battles, but a full on fight? Well, only one way to find out.

"You're on Marshtomp! Make me proud!" I called out, releasing my own starter. Marshtomp pounded his fists together, then took on a fighting stance.

Before either of us could call out attacks however, the two pokemon began their own hand to hand duel. Marshtomp blocked attack after attack with his arms, deftly moving to take as little damage as possible while Totodile used its own speed and jumping ability to attack from angles I didn't even knew existed. Finally distancing themselves after the round, both took on a very focused, determined glare.

Despite Marshtomp not having any Fire Type blood in him, he was burning with the same intensity. We had to win.

"Dragon Claw Totodile!" Carly shouted, before the crocodilian shot forward, outstretched hand glowing white. Ducking under the attack, Marshtomp proceeded to counter with a burst of Mud Shot, brown orbs of wet dirt throwing the smaller Water Type off course and well into the air.

Landing with a thud, I took over once again. "Marshtomp, Water Gun!"

The jet of water began to proceed towards Totodile, who countered with the same attack. I couldn't tell who was winning this mini struggle at all, for there was no movement in the colliding area, no distress across either one's face.

Time to change tactics.

"Marshtomp, Ice Beam!" I called out. Obeying immediately, Marshtomp's own attack changed from a soaking gush into a freezing, cool blue energy. Gaining momentum as it froze much of Totodile's own attack, when it finally reached Totodile's end, the large mass of ice was like a rock hard fist, hitting with a satisfying smack.

Totodile faltered for a moment, taking a few more defiant steps forward before it finally collapsed.

Victory.

"Sir, we have the Sapphire. We are tracking the location of Articuno as I speak, and we hope to have the bird within the next seventy-two hours," a lackey reported over video call.

Mr. Worthington smiled at this, a rare thing. To top it off, his own secret plans were working. Toronto had all but revolted against the training population, and in Quebec separatists had taken up his cause.

Only a matter of time.

So, how do you guys like this one? That last battle scene was intense, and I did almost give the thing to Carly… but, Markus needed the win to me. And it was a close one, you must admit. Yes, Hariyama can use a water attack of that persuasion: Brine. Check yourself.

More of the baddie. Surprised nobody has pieced together CENSORED. Like I'm going to give that away.

I wanted to say something else, but forgot. So; replies!

Mau5girl: The scene was supposed to be really awkward, but I understand why you're finding fault in it. I think it could have been done a little better, but I'm going to go back and improve things after the Epilogue comes out. I'll fix it then.

fanficssuck: Carry on Mr. Hat and clogs. I appreciate what you've done, and am always welcoming criticism. I'd block Manser, but don't know how...

RushedFast: Yeah, I like to leave little cliffhangers. Keeps you guys reading. Sorry Carly didn't win, but it's going to be a character thing. The same with Trevor's leaving. It's all heading into that Eplilogue. Which is still about 2 proper story arcs away. Maybe 3...