Chapter 50 - Wakoucha - Part 1


Roughly Eight Months Prior

"Crabominable is unable to battle! Dragonite is the winner! Your victor and Ever Grande Conference Champion is Itou Kenta!" the referee declared as the crowd cheered.

Dragonite raised his arms into the air and cheered before he collapsed to the ground directly in front of Crabominable. Kenta and Logan walked out onto the field to their Pokémon and knelt to comfort them.

"You did great, Crabominable," Logan said.

Kenta held his Pokémon's head in his arms. "Dragonite, you were amazing. That was so close, and I'm so proud of you."

"He lost," Yurie said. She held Torchic tightly in her arms. "I hope he's okay."

"Logan, thank you for our battle today. You've taught me that I still have a long way to go, and because of our battle, I'm curious about the power of other Pokémon," Kenta said. He held out his hand. "It was a pleasure facing you in the finals."

Logan looked at Kenta's hand. He grinned and then shook it. "It was a blast! Let's battle again someday!"


Present Day

It had been a couple of days since Yurie's contest. She had called her mom to tell her that she'd be going to the Kanto Grand Festival. Apparently, Yurie's sister, Yui, also made it to the Grand Festival in Johto. The festivals would be taking place at the same time, so her mother couldn't make it to both. She would be going to Johto to watch Yui's performance so long as she came to Yurie's next Grand Festival, if there ever was one.

But now the group was focusing on Logan and Seshiru and their next battles. Logan was set on taking on Midori again in a couple of days, and Seshiru was hoping to get to Pewter City on time to battle with the final Frontier Brain. They were sure to be intense bouts, but before either of them could take place, Logan had made a promise to someone for a rematch.

They arrived in Pallet Town in the early morning. The weather was calm and quiet, as it was now early spring. The three had changed their clothes to go with the weather.

Logan opted for a short-sleeved button-up shirt and grey jeans. Although it was spring, it felt like a Unova summer to him, and if he wasn't so self-conscious about his pale arms, he'd opt for a sleeveless top. He'd have to wait until summer though.

Yurie changed from her sweatshirt, choosing to tie it around her waist just in case she'd ever need it. She now wore a simple white t-shirt and her blue jeans.

And Seshiru, who barely ever changed her appearance, opted for low cut purple socks instead of her kneehigh option. She stuck to her overalls with the legs cut into shorts and a purple tank top.

The three were ready for spring.

Upon arriving in Pallet Town, they immediately went to Professor Oak's lab. Logan had called Oak and Kenta in advance to make sure that the battle would be okay. When he got the clear, he also called his aunt in Unova so he could start building his team. As much as he wanted to battle Kenta with the team that he had created in Kanto, he knew that that wouldn't be feasible. Kenta was the strongest trainer that he ever fought, and he wanted to be properly prepared. Not only that, but he wanted to give some of his older Pokémon some time to stretch and battle before the Indigo Conference, if he could manage to make it.

The day was set, and the trainers agreed on a full battle. It was going to be Logan's first full battle since their last meeting, and he was nervous. They went to a small dirt field that Professor Oak had used to teach his students about battling. Yurie, Oak, and his assistant, Akane, sat off to the side while Seshiru refereed. Logan and Kenta took their spots in their trainer's boxes and regarded one another. Logan had been waiting for this day for a long time.

"The following full battle between Itou Kenta from Pallet Town and Logan Stephenson from Nuvema Town will now commence!" Seshiru announced.

"So formal," Akane muttered.

"Seshiru takes battling very seriously," Yurie said. "So, when she's officiating, it's serious business."

"The participants have agreed to no substitutions and no breaks," Seshiru said. She looked to the two for affirmation. They nodded. "Please select your first Pokémon!"

"Raichu, you're up!" Kenta yelled while throwing his Poké Ball onto the field. Raichu emerged and raised his tail into the air, shooting sparks from his body.

Logan looked to the right where his team of six Kanto Pokémon stood. Since he was at Professor Oak's lab, he was free to hold more Pokémon than the regular six.

"Let me introduce you to my first partner! Go, Emboar!" He threw a normal Poké Ball onto the field, and his starter Pokémon, Emboar, appeared. Logan hadn't seen the Pokémon in a long time. Something felt off about it though. When Emboar had first evolved, Logan saw him as a massive beast. But now, Logan was slightly taller than Emboar. He was going through a growth spurt.

"Begin!" Seshiru yelled.

"Emboar, use Flamethrower!" Logan ordered.

"Get around it, and hit them with Thunder Punch!" Kenta yelled.

Emboar unleashed powerful flames from his mouth. Had Yurie not known otherwise, she would have believed the attack to be a Fire Blast. Raichu was fast, and he easily ducked under the flames before running forward on all fours. He leapt into the air and raised his fist, ready to jab directly into the Fire-type.

"Hammer Arm!" Logan yelled. He had no time to make specific instructions, but would instead rely on his Pokémon's natural instincts.

Emboar swung his arm upwards, and the two Pokémon's fists clashed. Raichu was tossed back into the air, his attack doing almost nothing.

"Body Slam!" Kenta shouted.

"Take the hit!" Logan yelled.

Emboar was well adjusted to Logan's battling style, and he predicted the command. He held his arms out and flattened his body before taking the strike. However, he knew what Logan's next command would be, and he grinned.

"Hammer Arm!"

Now coming from up high, Emboar did a downwards strike. He battered the top of Raichu's head, sending the Electric-type into the ground.

"And Flamethrower!" Logan ordered.

The two were in perfect synchronization. Emboar blasted flames from his mouth, connecting straight with Raichu. The Electric-type was lifted off of the ground and then tossed backward, crashing into his side of the field. Dust and smoke from the flames filled the air, but once they faded away, Raichu stood back up and cracked his neck.

Kenta grinned. "A little warm-up before we can really get started. Your Emboar is really strong."

"My Emboar is one of my strongest Pokémon. I trust him with my life," Logan responded.

"Well, we'll just have to test his will," Kenta said. "Raichu, hit him with Thunder!"

The clouds started to shift and change while Raichu built up power within his body. They rumbled and became dark grey, indicating the Electric-type's power.

Logan grinned. "We'll take them head on! Emboar, use Wild Charge!"

"Em-boar!" the Fire-type howled while stomping his feet. He started to build up energy before he bounded across the field. His body exploded with electricity, making him look like a fiery bolt of lightning.

Then, Raichu rained down his electric strike. A single but powerful bolt came from the air, crashing down onto Emboar and momentarily blinding those who were watching. The strike was powerful enough to shake the entirety of Oak's property. But it wasn't powerful enough to keep Emboar down. The Fire-type continued his wild attack, now infuriated by the Thunder. He collided with Raichu, who wasn't expecting Emboar to still be standing. The Electric-type flew backward, gliding across the dirt field. He was now exhausted from the energy he expended.

"Hammer Arm!" Logan shouted one more time.

Emboar was a lot slower because of the constant use of Hammer Arm. It didn't matter much though, as Raichu was too tired to move. With one more heavy strike from Emboar's massive fist, Raichu was thrown into the air. He landed in a heap in front of Kenta's feet. Logan had taken the first win of the battle.

"Raichu is unable to battle!" Seshiru declared. "Emboar wins!"

"No way," Kenta muttered. He withdrew Raichu and held onto his Poké Ball tightly. "Have I really fallen this hard?" He looked toward Emboar and Logan, catching their stern stares. "Or has he just gotten this good?"

"There's still a lot more battling to go," Logan said. "I don't like that look in your eye. I can recognize it."

Kenta nodded and then tucked his Poké Ball back into his pocket. "Ya know, I used to be a really bad trainer. Seshiru can vouch for that. I underwent some intense training before going to Hoenn. I hadn't lost a match until my battle with the Elite Four members. I guess that I forgot what it felt like to lose. But more importantly, I forgot what it was like to have fun with Pokémon battles." He held out his next Poké Ball straight in front of him. "But my battle with you at the conference was the most fun that I had ever had! Win or lose, let's have fun!"

"He's still such a loser," Seshiru muttered to herself.

"We still have five Pokémon left, and we're not losing! Logan, here's one of my strongest Pokémon! He loves battling more than any of my other Pokémon, and he absolutely hates losing! C'mon out, Blastoise!"

The group watched on in awe as her next Pokémon appeared. Seshiru despised the fact that her old rival had a Pokémon that she wanted so badly. In fact, out of the six people in attendance for the battle, she and Logan were the only two who had never owned a Squirtle, and that got to her even more.

I remember this Blastoise. He wasn't easy to beat in the conference, and he probably won't be easy now. I can't withdraw because of the rules that we set. We're gonna have to simply overpower him, Logan thought. He examined Emboar, who still had quite a bit of energy, but he sparked slightly, indicating that he was suffering from a paralysis condition.

"Blastoise, start with Earth Power!" Kenta commanded.

Blastoise's eyes started to glow with energy, and the ground shook. He lifted stones from the earth and targeted Emboar before launching the stones across the field.

"Arms up!" Logan yelled.

Emboar followed directions and slowly put his arms up. He got them into position barely in the knick of time before the stones started to barrage against him. He was heavy, so they were unable to knock him back, but he winced from the pain of every blow.

"Blastoise, don't let up!" Kenta shouted. "Do Hydro Pump!"

I knew that he'd be using Hydro Pump, Logan thought. "Wild Charge! Make it hot!"

It was an odd command, but Emboar knew exactly what Logan was asking of him. He willed himself forward and started to charge, now at a much slower pace than before. Blastoise unleashed a straight shot of highly concentrated water from both of the cannons on his back. They connected with Emboar, but because of the heat of the Fire-type's attack, the damage was decreased drastically.

"He's like a walking sun," Akane commented. "More like a charging sun, but my point still stands."

Emboar continued on his path before connecting with Blastoise. The Water-type was unmovable though, staying in place as he took the attack. The two large Pokémon then glared at one another, preparing for their trainers' next commands.

"Grab him!" Logan shouted.

Emboar forced his arms up and grabbed Blastoise by the cannons on his shoulders, pointing them away from his face.

"And now, Head Smash!"

Emboar reeled his head back, paused, and then headbutted Blastoise as hard as he could. Their heads cracked together with a sickening thud, making everyone but Logan wince. The damage had been done, but it wasn't enough. Electricity sparked off of Emboar, forcing him to lower his arms.

"This one is over," Kenta said. "Hydro Pump!"

Now with Emboar unable to keep Blastoise's cannons at bay, he was wide open to taking the shot. Blastoise pointed his cannons at Emboar's chest before unleashing a strong blast yet again. Emboar's heavy body was lifted into the air and shot backward. He landed outside of the field, right behind Logan.

"Emboar!" Logan called. He ran from his trainer's box and held Emboar's head. The Pokémon looked at him in the eyes before fainting.

"Emboar is unable to battle! Blastoise wins!" Seshiru announced.

"Blastoise took a Wild Charge and Head Smash straight on, and he's fine," Akane said. "Incredible."

Professor Oak crossed his arms and squinted his eyes while looking at the Water-type. "Blastoise is feeling the effects of the attacks, trust me. Emboar's moves weren't for nothing. What matters next is how Logan follows it up."

Logan withdrew Emboar and then stood up. He walked to his trainer's box and thought over his next few options. He turned to his Kanto team and grinned. "Electivire, you're up."

"Vire?" the Pokémon wondered while pointing at his small nose. He grinned and then ran onto the field while his companions cheered for him. He struck a pose and flexed, electricity sparking off of his arms.

I'm so relieved that he's fighting with this head, Seshiru thought.

Electivire is strong, but unfortunately he's nowhere near as strong as Emboar. He has the type-advantage, but I'm not sure if it'll be enough. We'll be fine. We just have to fight with every ounce of energy, Logan thought.

"Electivire, use Electro Ball!"

"Ice Beam!"

Electivire jumped into the air, his new form giving him a lot more power. He twisted his body around before flinging the ball of concentrated electric energy. But Blastoise was ready to strike back. He pointed one of his cannons directly at the ball, shooting a beam of jagged blue ice. The attacks struck against one another, cancelling each other out.

"Earth Power!" Kenta yelled while everyone was distracted by the tiny explosion.

Blastoise's eyes started to glow before he unleashed another blast of stones from the ground.

"Protect!" Logan ordered.

As soon as Electivire came back down, he held his arms up, forming a blue barrier around his body. The pieces of earth pelted against the barrier, and while there was zero chance of them penetrating it, the force of the blows was strong enough to make Electivire step back.

"Use Focus Blast!" Logan ordered.

Once Blastoise's attack died down, Electivire lowered his arms, releasing his attack. He put his arms at his side and started to form a ball of blue chakra. After he had gathered all of the power necessary, he lunged the ball across the field. Kenta didn't bother to give Blastoise an order, and his Pokémon didn't even try to dodge. He took the attack directly, filling his side of the field with smoke.

"Now, use Iron Tail!" Logan directed.

"Flash Cannon!" Kenta yelled.

Electivire raced across the field on all fours. He leaped into the air and twisted his body around, ready to slam his two tails directly into Blastoise. But the Water-type was swift for his size. He focused metallic energy at the tips of both of his cannons before launching it all at Electivire. The blast met with Electivire's ironhard tails. Electivire fought back momentarily, but Blastoise was simply too strong. The Electric-type was tossed into the air before he landed hard on the ground. He slowly stood back up, giving Kenta time to make his next command.

"Earth Power!"

Blastoise took in a breath through his mouth before repeating his attack from before. The field shook as he tore more earth from the ground and launched it forward.

"Protect!" Logan commanded.

Electivire knew that the attack would likely not protect him this time around, but he stuck his arms up anyways and formed the now weak shield in front of his body. All it took was one blow from Earth Power, and it shattered to pieces instantly.

"Electro Ball!" Logan added.

Electivire was blasted repeatedly with the stones, forcing his body into a violent spin. He knew that he was going to faint soon, but he trusted his trainer's command. He used the momentum that he gained from being struck, forming the ball of electricity at the tips of his tails. The energy was almost impossible to contain though, and it filled his full body with power. With one last heave, he launched the energy from the smoke he had been cloaked in, sending a bolt of lightning down the field. It struck Blastoise, who let out a pained cry.

"Electivire learned Thunderbolt," Oak said. "It's apt seeing as that's his species name."

Although Logan was filled with joy because of his Pokémon's new move, his smile was quickly wiped away as Electivire collapsed to the ground, his body limp.

Seshiru shrugged and then held her flag up high. "Electivire is unable to battle! Blastoise wins!"

Logan used his Dusk Ball and withdrew Electivire. He held it tightly before tucking it onto his belt. He examined Blastoise and thought over his next few options. With the team that I've created for today, Electivire was the best option for fighting Blastoise. I don't really have any other options, but maybe I can beat them in a game of speed.

He drew out a regular Poké Ball, which was rare for him, and then threw it forward. The bloodred Lycanroc emerged, taking notice of Blastoise immediately. He started to chuckle, as he knew he was in for a challenge, but that was the only way he liked to fight. He hated water though, which Logan knew and would apologize for later.

"This must mean he's getting ready to do a Z-Move," Yurie said. "But this early? It seems too soon."

Akane folded her arms. "I've never seen a Z-Move up close, so I'm excited to see what Logan and Lycanroc can do."

Kenta glared. "C'mon, Logan. I thought we were supposed to be having a serious battle. We'll finish this one with a single strike! Blastoise, use Hydro Pump!"

"Lycanroc, Thunder Fang! Duck and weave!"

Blastoise stuck out his belly as far as he could while he formed energy from his infinite source of water. Lycanroc howled with killer intent and then ran across the field. He was much faster than Blastoise or Kenta had anticipated. The Water-type launched his attack, but Lycanroc avoided it with ease. He had a natural aversion to water, which only helped him dodge. Then, he reached Blastoise, unhinged his maw, which sparked with electricity, and clamped down, sending shocks through Blastoise's body. The Water-type screeched and finally fell to one knee. It was almost over.

"Stone Edge!" Logan shouted.

Lycanroc jumped back roughly five feet and focused. The ground started to shake before five light blue pillars erupted from the ground and surrounded Lycanroc. He punched the ground, sending each of the stones forward. They collided against Blastoise and exploded one by one. When the assault finished, Blastoise fell forward, unconscious.

"Blastoise is unable to battle! Lycanroc wins!" Seshiru exclaimed.

Lycanroc leisurely returned to his side of the field, now standing on two legs. He turned around and eyed Kenta while he withdrew his Pokémon.

"We won't underestimate you anymore," Kenta said. "That's why I'm going with my first Pokémon! Go, Venusaur!"

Venusaur emerged onto the field and thwacked his vines against the field, causing it to rumble slightly. He looked at Lycanroc, surprised by the lack of fear in his eyes. Lycanroc licked his lips and let his tongue dangle from his mouth. The Rock-type was ready for a difficult battle.

"Lycanroc, use Stone Edge!" Logan ordered.

"Break through it with Power Whip!" Kenta commanded.

Lycanroc punched the ground, unleashing more blue stones from the field. They flew towards Venusaur, but the Grass-type's attack was strong. With one whip from one of his powerful vines, he sliced each of the stones in half as though they were butter.

"Now, Earthquake!" Kenta yelled.

"Get on the rocks and into the air!"

Venusaur sat up on his hindlegs momentarily before driving his front legs into the field, making the ground shake. Lycanroc was quick though. He leaped onto one of the broken stones before taking off into the air, effectively avoiding all of Venusaur's strike.

"Now, falling Crunch!" Logan shouted.

Lycanroc started to spin his body while forming dark energy around his body. The energy took the shape of a set of jaws containing what looked like hundreds of teeth. He came back down to the earth, clamping the jaws down onto Venusaur and sending the dark energy out like a wave across the field.

Kenta grinned. "Eye for an eye, Logan. Venusaur, use Toxic!"

Venusaur reached out one of his many vines and wrapped it around Lycanroc. The vine started to glow purple, and Lycanroc howled as his body was injected with poison. Venusaur then gently released his vine while Lycanroc stumbled backward, holding at his throat.

"Not good," Logan muttered.

"And use Petal Dance!" Kenta followed, not wanting to break up the flow of the battle.

Venusaur bobbed his head up and down and lifted the leaves on his back. A storm of petals emerged from his back and then made their way towards Lycanroc, enveloping him. His blood curdling cries came from the inside of the petals, giving everyone pause.

But Logan knew better than that. His Lycanroc had a hardhead, preventing him from going down that easily. "Stone Edge!"

Lycanroc punched the ground, sending the stones into the air and making them snuff out the pink petals. Lycanroc then roared and sent the stones forward once again. Neither Kenta nor Venusaur were expecting such power, and the Grass-type was pelted by the blue stones. Then, as a consequence of such strained movement, Lycanroc howled from pain. The poison had started to course through his veins.

"Power Whip!" Kenta ordered once his Venusaur had recovered.

Venusaur roared and then sent one massive vine across the field. It was set to land directly on top of Lycanroc, but Logan had a counter up his sleeve.

"Reversal!" he directed.

Lycanroc lifted one paw and the second the vine connected, he created a plan of attack. He gripped onto the vine, flipped into the air, and avoided the strike. Then, he came rocketing back toward the ground, using the momentum of Venusaur's own attack against him. He twisted his body and elbowed Venusaur directly in the face, making the Grass-type soar backward, landing in front of Kenta's feet.

"Lycan!" the Rock-type called out once more before collapsing on his face. He had done enough, and the poison finished him off.

Seshiru waited for Venusaur to get back to his feet before she made her call. "Lycanroc is unable to battle! Venusaur is the winner!"

"We didn't get to see a Z-Move," Akane muttered. "That's too bad."

Yurie eyed Logan and his left wrist. The crystal that he had set was a dark blue one, and not the one for Lycanroc's attack. Surely, he had other plans.

Logan withdrew Lycanroc and then sighed. He was now down to three Pokémon, and Kenta still had four. His Venusaur still looked rather strong and willing to fight, which scared him. He had faith in his team though. He drew a Luxury Ball from his belt and held it tightly. He couldn't lose again.


AUTHOR'S NOTES:

So, when I had introduced Kenta at the end of Healing in Hoenn, I think a fair amount of people were upset because they saw him as some kind of Tobias. I totally understand (I had reservations about having Kenta win in the first place), but I think that Kenta is a very vital part of Logan's story. Without meeting Kenta, Logan probably wouldn't have been interested in coming to Kanto. Logan also never forgot about his loss, and he occasionally mentioned it. I also needed Logan to lose, because Healing in Hoenn's theme was about dealing (and healing) with losses.

However, this is his big chance to come back and get a win. He's suffered three huge losses in his career as a trainer (Mao, Luna, and Kenta), and this is his chance to redeem his biggest loss. What are your predictions for the second half of the battle? Still have Kenta's strongest Pokémon yet to make an appearance.

REVIEWS:

pokemonking0924 - "That battle between Logan and Yurie was great and it was really close, but in the end Yurie got ribbon number five. It was also nice to see Kitty again and the cat puns were as funny as ever especially Logans reaction to them." - She's got one more appearance, I think.

wisdom-jewel - "I love how you did this. I'll bet Logan would have given Yurie the ribbon anyway. It was fun to watch the Logan and Seishure having to do a contest. An experanice no less. I do wonder how Grotile reacted when he learned he was fighting against his old trainer." - I'm not sure if Yurie would have accepted it, but it's something interesting to think about.

CrescentApple - "The side dialogue between Seshiru was Sor was interesting*. Each has their own opinion about Logan's skills, and i like that. Different opinions.. Its cool Yurie won. I had a feeling she would. Contest battlling is her forte." - I'm trying to give a justification for how Logan battles. Showing the different opinions on it makes that easy to display, I thnk.