Chapter 79:
En-Chanced
With the Battle Factory down, today I was going to take on the Battle Arcade; a place where your own Pokémon can actually be used. How though? I wasn't too sure.
"Dahlia is pretty much a celebrity" Barry said, holding up the latest issue of Vanity Farfetch'd. On the front cover was a black woman with long black hair. She had a yellow cropped shirt and a golden piercing in her belly button along with blue jeans. "She's pretty much a millionaire from the casinos she runs, and the Battle Arcade is the biggest in the world. She's also a great dancer and one of Fantina's inspirations."
"Well, let's hope luck is on my side" I said.
Upon entering the giant building, I walked along the carpet with red and yellow squares all over it. Yellow lights danced about everywhere, it didn't look cheap to upkeep. Being 11, I'm not allowed in casinos. Veilstone Arcade (which has since closed during my time as Champion, probably because they let an 11 year old in to gamble) is the only one I've been in.
"Welcome to the Battle Arcade" said the Receptionist. She wore a green uniform, but this looked like a hostess of an actual casino rather than that of the futuristic dress in the Battle Factory. "Here are the rules. You use three Pokémon, though you battle with one each as does Dahlia. Between every turn, you press a button on a giant panel which affects what will happen. Good luck!"
Entering the battlefield, I found that everything here was lit up to. The lights all flashed in different patterns; it was oddly hypnotizing.
As I stood on one end, headlights shone down on the other end to reveal Dahlia herself, back turned to me. She then made a 180 turn to me and gave me a wink.
"Hello lovely!" she said. "Welcome to the Battle Arcade, where you need to time it right and hope for luck! Now, the rules have been told to you so let us reveal the board!"
On the left-hand side of the battlefield, a giant television screen turned on. It had multiple squares on it, mostly coloured black with some red and grey ones there to with different pictures on it. They included a flame symbol, a rough picture of the board and a berry picture. In front of the screen, a big Pokeball coloured button ascended from the floor on a stand.
"You decide what happens!" Dahlia sang as different squares on the screen started to highlight in rapid succession. I slowly walked up to the button, then pressed it. It was on a red square with a flame symbol on it.
"Well, it seems my first Pokémon will be burned" she said. She then sent out her Pokémon, a Ludicolo. It was yellow and furry with a brown zigzag pattern on it, though the most notable feature was a green Lilypad like hat.
Ludicolo
272
Water/Grass Type
Carefree Pokémon
Region of origin: Hoenn
4'11" (1.5 m)
121.3 lbs (55 kg)
If it hears festive music, all its muscles fill with energy. It can't help breaking out into dance.
Lotad -Lv 14- Lombre -Water Stone- Ludicolo
From the ceiling, a Duskull emerged. It shot a blue flame at Ludicolo, burning it. That move was called Will-O-Wisp.
"Okay Lucas, you might just have the advantage here. Let's see how you take me on honey!"
"Go Toxicroak!" I yelled. "Poison Jab go!" Toxicroak ran towards Ludicolo, then jabbed Ludicolo very hard.
"Ludicolo my sweetheart, use Facade!" Ludicolo went up to Toxicroak and punched it for lots of damage. Toxicroak got up, thankfully just scraping by. Clever. Ludicolo used the burn to power up Facade. It was impressive, but the burn also had taken its affect. Poison Jab had done so much damage that Ludicolo fell to the burn damage.
With that one down, I turned my attention back to the screen which was once again jumping about all over the place. Would I get a lucky result again?
Unfortunately, I wouldn't. It stopped on a black square with the symbol HP- on it.
"Bad luck honey! Your Pokemon will have to lose HP this time."
Oh poop. I put my Pokéball on a stand and it was surrounded with a mysterious energy.
"Well, let's get this next match started!"
"Go Empoleon!" I shouted. It was a little weaker than usual.
"You're up Medicham!" Dahlia replied. Oh boy, now I was really tempted to take her down. "Medicham, use Thunder Punch!" Medicham's fist started sparking, then it punched Empoleon. One more hit and Empoleon would be down.
"Make it or break it moment Empoleon, use Drill Peck!" Empoleon's span beak first into Medicham. It didn't quite take it down.
"One more Thunder Punch my darling Medicham!" Medicham once again punched Empoleon in an electrified burst, finishing it off.
The screen started flashing one more time. Last chance saloon. I pressed the button, and it landed on a white rain cloud.
Suddenly, the sprinklers of the Arcade turned on. "Ah, rainy weather. Okay, that will be a great finale! We're fighting in the rain!" Dahlia sang.
"I choose Luxray!" I shouted.
"Go Dusknoir!" Dahlia responded.
"Okay Luxray, Crunch!" Luxray chomped down on Dusknoir's fist. Dusknoir grabbed it in pain.
"Use Shadow Punch!" Dusknoir came back by punching the ground, making it phase through. Then, a shadow came up from underneath Dusknoir and it hit Luxray.
"Use another Crunch!" Luxray came back and chomped down on Dusknoir once again, this one being a Critical Hit.
"Dusknoir, use Shadow Punch!" Once again, Dusknoir punched the ground and had a fist come up from underneath to attack Luxray.
"One more!" Luxray bit down one last time. Dusknoir fell back and fainted.
"You did it gorgeous!" Dahlia said. "You have beaten me against the odds! You played against the board and took me down!"
You know, changing up the battle every now and then is fun. But yeah, enough gambling for one day.
"Oh, and don't forget to check out my worldwide casinos darling!"
Okay does this world have ANY casino laws?!
"That's amazing!" Barry said. "Two have been taken down!"
I wasn't going to act like it was easy. The first time I wasn't even using my own Pokémon and the next I either had the upper hand or the short straw. But I was enjoying myself and couldn't wait to take on the Battle Castle.
"Listen Lucas" Barry said. "I'm gonna go start my training at the Survival Area up north, so I'll be leaving. However, make sure you come over once you've done most of the facilities; I challenge you to one last battle."
I adjusted my hat. "Barry, I will meet you there."
It's a weird thought, thinking that it will be my final battle for a while...
Next time...
Two chapter preview of Pokémon The Journey: BW!
