Mr. Lightning
"Oh, Super." Clint muttered, eying the beeping light on the PC in the Pokemon Center.
Clint was a large men dressed in a stereotypical hiker gear, wearing a black shirt and green vest and short brown pants. He placed the walking stick beside the counter as he reached forward to better read.
His son finally responded back to him with a message. Too bad Clint missed it. It was nothing spectacular at first. All was well in Galar, there are tons of Pokemon he's never seen before. His son learned to Dynamax.
Dynamax? Clint tried but couldn't understand what it was.
He frowned as he read the last few lines. His son caught a really strong wild Pokemon, but it was giving the rest of his team trouble. None could get along with it. He was hoping Clint could take it off his hands?
"Well, I suppose I could rattle a few jokes on the newcomer to ease it," Clint said to his partner Furret. His Pokemon responded by snuffling humorlessly.
Clint thought for a moment before he traded his Snorunt in and pressed a button. An orange, white and black Pokeball with a protrusion on the top appeared. He grabbed the timer ball and headed outside.
Around the corner was a long worn dirt field used for battling. At the moment it was occupied by a couple of kids play training. Clint waited patiently, tugging lightly on Furret's tail until the Pokemon smacked his hand away in annoyance.
When the kids finally left Clint released Petilil as an after-thought. She loved meeting new Pokemon, and could probably calm it down. With that, Clint released the new Pokemon before him.
"A monkey?" Clint voiced out loud.
It stood on two legs, with yellow and black designs over its fur. For a moment Clint thought there was a tail, until it turned slightly and he saw the 'tail' was an extension of its fur between its shoulders.
Clint waved and smiled. "Yo!"
It suddenly noticed the trio and spun around, malevolence in its eyes.
"Whoa... I haven't had a look that bad since I accidentally used Timbur's personal log for a fire," Clint muttered. Furret was eying the strange Pokemon warily. Out loud Clint said, "Hey, I'm Clint. You might be confused. See, my son sent you to me, in the hopes we could bond. So we'll be traveling together for a while. These are my friends, Petilil and Furret..."
The strange Pokemon didn't looked interested in the least of what Clint was saying. It was eying the Timer ball in his hands. Clint held it up. "Oh, you're afraid I'll put you back in? Well, look, I won't do that unless you, ya know, cause harm. My pal Furret doesn't like to be in his Pokeball, so I let him out. But Petilil on the other hands loves it, she isn't much for walking as you can see, with no legs."
Again, the Pokemon ignored him. It lowered its head when Clint had raised the Timerball, an audible growl rising the longer Clint spoke.
Furret slowly stood in front of his clueless trainer. Petilil tried to stand on the three leaves on its head, in an attempt to lighten the Pokemon's mood.
Clint finally eyed the Pokemon warily. Even he noticed the way the Pokemon crouched, a sign it was ready for battle. He waited, hoping it would speak its name, but all that came out was low growls and grunts.
"What are you supposed to be?" Clint muttered. "Is there a name I can call you? If you like nicknames I could call you Mr. Lighting, because you look like an electric type."
Without warning the creature known as Mr. Lightning came at Clint with blinding speed. He instinctively backed away. "Protect!"
The fist of electricity smashed into the blue shield that materialized before it. Petilil strained as the shield cracked. The wild Pokemon snarled and smashed its other fist into the shield, this time shattering it.
"What in blazes is wrong with you?!" Clint shouted, grabbing Petilil and backing away. Furret's fur stood on end now, in attempt to look intimidating. But the strange Pokemon's eyes were only on Clint as it advanced.
"Mr. Lightning, stop!"
Clint raised the Timerball. The Pokemon stopped. It snarled loudly. Clouds started gathering. The sky heavy with the signs of rain.
Clint tried to return the Pokemon, but narrowly dodged the red beam and screamed.
There was a bright flash, blinding Clint and the others. When it cleared the Pokemon Center was in ruins, smoke billowing as trainers scrambled to put out the fire.
"No no no." Clint stepped forward to help, but stopped when he heard another explosion, farther to the edge of town. He released Rapidash. The large muscular white horse with flames for hair posed proudly, until it noticed the ruined center in flames.
"Run through the fire!"
With a snort the fiery horse ran into the hole on the wall, running around catching the flames like a net until the fire was put out. Rapidash came out with Clint's smoldering walking stick in his mouth. Well, that is no good.
Clint exhaled in relief either way. Thank goodness for flame absorb. He scooped up Petilil and climbed the horse Pokemon. "Follow the smoke."
They arrived at the furthest edge of town, following Mr. Lighting's path of destruction. It had stopped at the edge of town, screened by trees to observe the smoking ruined town before it.
It raised it arms, gathering more clouds above it, electricity gathering in its arms.
"Headbutt!"
Something small and hard tackled against Mr. Lightning from the side, breaking its concentration and its attack disappeared. Furret backed away as it glared. Clint ran forward, holding his side as he huffed.
"Why are you so fast?!" he huffed. "Look, you gotta stop attacking these people. They didn't do anything wrong."
Mr. Lightning raised its arm. Petilil suddenly hopped off Clint's arms, prepared for battle. He was hoping it wouldn't come to this so soon.
"Leech seed!" Clint ordered.
A small seed appeared above Petilil's head. It tilted its head and shot the seed forward. Mr. Lightning easily swerved to the side and came upon Petilil, landing a downward smash. There was a small explosion. When the smoke cleared, Furret stood in front of his companion. His tail hardened like iron to catch the electric Pokemon's fist. This made the Pokemon even angrier, and let out a roar as electricity exploded from its body.
"Another leech seed!" Clint shouted through the roaring of electricity. This time Petilil succeeded in spearing a seed directly into the electric Pokemon's chest at the same time Furret was blasted with electricity. Furret fell backwards, immediately still. Petilil took this as its cue to tilt its head back and roll away from its opponent to be beside Clint.
Clint was flabbergasted. Furret was no pushover, he thought his pal would have lasted at lot longer than this. He returned Furret. "Drampa, GO!" Pokemon with a long next and a large face appeared. It immediately took note of Mr. Lightning and eyed it with interest.
Mr. Lightning howled and shot a bolt of electricity. Clint was now sure more than ever it was at least part electric.
"Drampa, Thunderbolt"
Drampa raised his arms and electricity poured out of it into the oncoming blasts. While Drampa's was not as powerful, it was enough to dissipate Mr. Lightning's attack before it could harm either him or Petilil.
"Petilil, ingrain. Drampa, flamethrower!"
While Petilil dug its roots within the ground, Drampa opened his mouth wide and let out a stream of flames. The electric type again dodged, coming up with a fistful of electricity that smashed into Drampa's face. The dragon type moaned, his body spasm.
"Paralyzed," Clint muttered. "Drampa, try Ice beam!" His Pokemon opened his mouth once again, but this time blue energy erupted from its mouth. Mr. Lightning made to dodge, but at that moment it twitched as energy was sapped from its body, surprising it to a halt. With such a close distance Drampa managed to successfully freeze Mr. Lightning in place.
"Now, Petilil, Giga drain!" Clint shouted. Green tendrils erupted from Petilil's small frame and wrapped around Mr. Lightning. It screeched as more of its energy was sapped. It raised its arms, now surrounded by blue electricity, before slamming them on the ice. The ice exploded, and the energy continued downward, tearing up the ground around them.
Clint raised his arm and fell against the blast, his back exploding in pain just as he heard a cry of anguish. Drampa had fainted. Petilil's leaves slumped, but she continued to stare defiantly back at her opponent. Even as they stared energy again came out of the Pokemon and onto Petilil. But Clint saw another problem. The ground around Petilil had been destroyed. Ingrain was useless without a firmer surface to latch onto.
There was a loud neigh and Rapidash hastily approached. Behind it all the fires were put out. Clint had no time to be relieved as Mr. Lighting eyed the newcomer as Rapidash stood before Clint and raised a hoof jauntily.
Clint held his bleeding arm and glanced up. So far there was no rain yet. But the clouds obscured the sun. He had an idea.
"Rapidash, Morning sun!"
Rapidash aimed its horn up, and a piercing yellow beam shot upwards. The clouds parted, and the sun shone brightly, invigorating the horse Pokemon. "Good, now use Flare blitz!"
Rapidash snorted and galloped forward, fire exploding around it until it looked a comet. The electric type snarled and wrapped itself in electricity before zipping forward with insane speed. There was an explosion of fire and electricity. When the smoke cleared Rapidash stood tall, staring daggers at the electric type. Then Rapidash's legs shuddered violently and it collapsed on one leg.
"Giga drain!"
Mr. Lightning screeched as the tendrils of energy wrapped around it once again. But to Petilil's surprise the Pokemon used its electricity to evaporate the green tendrils before they could fully absorb energy. Mr. Lightning then disappeared as a long line of electricity, rapidly zig-zaging to her. They collided, and Petilil flew backwards, slamming into tree behind Clint. She slumped forward, already unconscious before she even hit the wall.
Clint gritted his teeth and returned her. Just what kind of Pokemon did his son send him? Did Atti really capture this thing? Clint thought a moment before he released small stumpy brown Pokemon with bulging muscles and a large red nose. He held a large wooden log proudly over his shoulders while flexing an arm.
"Timburr, be careful. This guy's strong. Start with a Mach punch."
The large nose Pokemon grinned while placing his wooden log on the ground. It would weigh him down. He then crouched and moved so fast Mr. Lightning's eyes widened before its face was smashed with muscular fist of red energy. Mr. Lightning fell back for a moment, before it stood just as quickly, its body shaking violently.
Clint spread his arms. "Are we done here, Mr. Lightning? You don't have to prove anything. You're tough. But you shouldn't go attacking random people. If its the name I can change it to something else."
Mr. Lightning turned a malevolent gaze upon Clint. He instinctively flinched. Then the creature raised its arms over its head, blue electricity running through its hands.
"Oh no, not again. Timburr, stop it quick! Use another mach punch! Rapidash-!"
Timburr ran forward, his fist enveloped in red energy. But Mr. Lightning slammed its fists on the ground just as fast. Electricity flew through the ground in blinding speed, igniting everything in a blue glow. When the light died Timburr lay on the ground. Mr. Lightning snarled as Clint returned his Pokemon.
He stood alone before it, already ignoring the blood that caked his arm. but Mr. Lighting wasn't look at him. It was looking for the horse.
Clint jabbed a thumb up.
Mr. Lightning gazed up.
Just when Rapidash's hooves slammed front first in its face. The fire horse buried the electric creature hard into the ground, before bouncing away.
"High horsepower, finish it while its stuck!" Clint shouted.
Rapidash snorted before it raised his hooves and slammed them on the dazed Mr. Lightning. A plume of dirt and rubble shot up. Clint covered his face as he was showered with gravel. Through the dirt cloud he could spot Rapidash's rapidly dying fire as the Pokemon slowly backed away, breathing heavily.
Before they lay Mr. Lightning, unconscious. Clint sighed as he took out the Timerball and returned it.
"Good job, Rapidash," He sighed, patting its sleek neck. The fire horse neighed warily. Clint returned it and eyed the Timerball in his hand.
He returned to the ruined town. With a heavy heart he entered the Pokemon Center and apologized profusely to an angry Nurse Joy. He handed her the necklace with the rainbow feather.
"Have someone look into that, but I'm pretty sure it's real, and it'll more than pay for the costs here." She said nothing, her years of patience holding her tongue.
Clint was then taken into custody, and had to explain to the police about the incident, claiming that the Pokemon escaped. He had a pretty good idea what it was at that point.
It was hours and hours before they finally released him, but not before suspending his Pokemon license for a month at least. He suppose with rainbow feather was worth a lot more than he thought.
"This thing is worth a lot more trouble than its worth," he muttered, absently touching the necklace around his neck for reassurance, only to realize it wasn't there anymore.
After a full day's walk Clint finally stopped and took out the Timerball. With his other hand he released Furret, Petilil and Rapidash before releasing the Pokemon.
Zeraora, the mythical Pokemon so rare even Clint didn't believe its existence, crouched angrily before him. At least it wasn't growling, but the look in its eyes didn't change.
Immediately Furret growled. Zeraora ignored him, which infuriated Furret. Clint crouched and pet his partner's head. "Easy, buddy, we're not here to fight," he said before standing up again.
Clint put his hands to his hips. "Okay, Zeraora, the idea of me raising you isn't working out. You obviously don't like humans for some reason, or maybe you just don't like me because I look like my son. We obviously share the same handsome visage," he said, stroking his beard.
Usually that got a laugh out out Petilil, but like the others she was staring daggers at Zeraora.
Clint inclined his head. "Get out of here." Under Zeraora's confusion Clint raised the Timerball. It tensed until Clint dropped it and smashed his foot over it, breaking it.
Zeraora was stunned for a moment, eying Clint. But all he did was eye her with tired eyes. It took that as its cue and it screamed, the clouds rolling over them before it disappeared in a bolt of lighting. The lightning bolt traveled upwards to the clouds, and shot far into the distance.
The tension around the group suddenly eased as the Pokemon disappeared. Furret still eyed the spot where Zeraora disappeared as Rapidash snorted and shook his fiery mane. Petilil rolled forward and hopped on Furret's back as they began their walk to the next town over.
Clint held up his bandaged arm, then flexed his other arm. "Oh well, look on the bright side: at least you guys had a fair bit of training. And I got my cardio for the day!"
This story was inspired by KokoroDancing's current fanfiction "Kickin' it in Kanto." I suggest checking the rest of the author's stories. They are amazing.