Chapter 74 - Emma Minami's Xanatos Gambit
"We've now come to the second battle in the Top 8! It's Egawa Seshiru, the top ranked battler taking on Emma Minami, a veteran trainer originally from Unova! Can the verteran upset the Kanto local? Or will we be seeing more of the same?" the announcer asked as Seshiru and Emma made their way down the hallway.
Emma was much taller than Seshiru, almost the age of 16. She wore a black jeans, a jade colored t-shirt, and a black jacket over that. She had multiple piercings in her ears and wore a black choker with a black Z-Crystal hanging from it. Her hair was red and hung down to her shoulders. She was intimidating, but Seshiru wasn't afraid.
When the two entered the field, the crowd erupted into cheers. Squirtle held tightly onto Seshiru's shoulder. He'd be serving as the cheerleader for her team since he wasn't strong enough to battle yet.
They took their positions at their trainers' boxes, and Seshiru breathed in through her nose and out her mouth. Her close call with Clint had shaken her confidence slightly, and she knew that she couldn't take it easy on Emma even for one second.
"The following match will be a full six on six battle! A winner will be decided when one side has lost all of their team! When one side loses three Pokémon, we will enter a short intermission. Trainers, are you ready?" the referee asked.
Seshiru and Emma looked at him and nodded cooly.
"Begin!"
"Let's go, Krookodile!" Emma shouted while tossing her Poké Ball onto the field. Her massive Pokémon emerged and then roared, shaking the hearts of those in attendance.
"Coming into a gunfight with a knife, I see," Seshiru commented. "C'mon out, Azumarill!"
"Oh, that one's cute!" Yurie squealed from the crowd.
"Krookodile, don't hold back! Start things off with Earthquake!" Emma commanded.
"Azumarill, use Defense Curl!"
Krookodile roared and then smashed his tail into the ground. He controlled his attack with ease, concentrating the shaking on only the field. But Azumarill was quick to roll into a ball, withstanding some of the attack.
Seshiru pointed at Azumarill. "And now, Rollout!"
"Azu!" she cried out before barreling down the shaking field.
"I don't think so!" Emma exclaimed. "Crunch!"
Krookodile opened his massive jaws, black energy forming around his body. When Azumarill was close enough, he clamped down, putting her rolling to a complete stop. He then rolled before throwing Azumarill into the air.
"Rain Dance!"
"Earthquake again! Make their landing hurt!"
Azumarill, still in the air, formed a ball of mist in between her small arms. She looked at the sky and then launched the ball upward, making it rain in an instant. But when she hit the ground, she was met by another strong strike from the Ground-type. She crouched down, trying to withstand the pain.
"Hydro Pump!" Seshiru called.
Azumarill grinned and then looked through the rain. She had a clear target with Krookodile, and because of the rain, her attack would be extra strong. She took in a deep breath and prepared to launch her blast.
"Sandstorm!"
A second before Azumarill could do her attack, Krookodile howled, and the clouds from before suddenly disappeared. The sand and dust around the field whipped up into a storm, hiding him from view. Azumarill still launched her attack, but it came out of the other side of the sandstorm, blasting into the wall behind Emma.
"Crunch!" Emma shouted.
Azumarill looked through the storm, trying to get an idea of where Krookodile was, but he was nowhere to be seen. But then, he exploded from the side, his jaws opened wide.
"Defense Curl!"
Krookodile clamped down shut, and the black energy exuded off of his body, wafting some of the storm away from the two momentarily. No one could tell if Azumarill was successful in her defensive maneuver, and the way that Krookodile remained still made it hard for anyone to see.
Seshiru grinned and then snapped her fingers. "Rollout!"
Dust kicked up from below the two Pokémon as Azumarill started to spin as hard as she could. Krookodile could barely keep a hold on her, but he tried to remain still, slightly being pushed back by her sheer power.
"And Hydro Pump! Nowhere for you to run now!"
"Get out of there!"
But it was too late for Krookodile. Azumaril stopped spinning, and she pointed herself directly at the inside of Krookodile's jaw. She launched her blast once again, sending the Ground-type into the air. He groaned before coming back to the ground, hitting it limp.
"Krookodile is unable to battle!" the referee declared while holding up her flags. "Azumarill is the winner!"
"Barely made it through, but I guess that shows off just how strong Seshiru's Pokémon are," Yurie commented.
Sora nodded. "All of Seshiru's Pokémon are special."
I can't waste anymore time setting up raindance. We're going to have to fight through this storm for a while, Seshiru thought.
Emma withdrew Krookodile and then quickly selected her next Poké Ball. It was a Steel-type that floated above the ground, not caring much about the storm.
"A Magnezone," Seshiru muttered. "If we don't take it down soon, then it might become a bother for my team."
Emma grinned. "Magnezone, use Lock-On!"
"Uh oh. One of those kinds of strategies," Seshiru said with a groan. "We'll take our chances! Use Hydro Pump!"
Azumarill gave it all she had, unleashing the powerful blast from her mouth one more time. It was strong enough to divide some of the sandstorm, but when it finally hit Magnezone, it was as though it was only as powerful as a weak Water Gun.
"Magne-"
"Zap Cannon!"
"Zone!" the Steel-type buzzed, blasting off a ball of condensed electric energy from the front of its eye. The ball crackled down the field and then exploded once it reached Azumarill, cloaking the Water-type white energy. Eventually, the light faded away, and Azurmarill was left on the field, unconscious.
"Azurmarill is unable to battle! Magnezone is the winner!" the referee announced.
"It's a back and forth battle! Which trainer will manage to get the upper hand and keep it?" the announcer questioned.
"Magnezone isn't bothered by the storm one bit. They're playing weather wars, and it looks like Emma is winning," Sora said. "But maybe rain won't be necessary for Seshiru to pull off a victory."
"She could do this! I've seen her win rain or shine!" Yurie exclaimed.
Seshiru gripped her next Poké Ball and grinned. "If you can't beat 'em, then blend in with 'em! Go, Gastrodon!"
The pink Gastrodon emerged on the field and howled, also appearing to not care about the raging sand.
"The Gastrodon that was brought down by a little leaf like Petilil?" Emma wondered.
Seshiru's shoulders slumped. "You're gonna regret insulting my Pokémon. Gastrodon, use Earth Power!"
"Light Screen!"
Gastrodon howled and focused her energy. The ground in front of her ripped up and floated into the sky. Gastrodon looked at Magnezone and then launched the shredded field forward like a cannon.
But Magnezone wasn't intimidated. A thin wall of energy appeared in front of it, and the pieces of ground connected with the wall before Magnezone, meaning that it only took slight damage.
"And now use Gyro Ball!" Emma commanded.
Magnezone started to spin in circles and then shot down the field, silver energy engulfing it.
"Use Water Pulse!" Seshiru ordered while snapping her fingers.
Gastrodon looked up and formed a ball of water in her mouth. She launched it at the field, and it exploded, turning into a massive wave. It connected with Magnezone, but the Steel-type continued to barrel through, eventually colliding with Gastrodon and lifting her off the field momentarily.
"One more Gyro Ball!"
"Let's defend with Earth Power this time!" Seshiru instructed.
Magnezone rounded about and then targeted Gastrodon. It flew in a downward motion, but the Water-type was ready. She howled, ripping up more fragments of the earth and piling them in front of her. Magnezone connected and was forced to stop in his tracks. The mixture of water and ground had turned into mud, making it difficult for Magnezone to get away.
"Water Pulse!" Seshiru ordered.
Gastrodon launched another ball, which exploded immediately, sending a wave of water into the air. The wave came crashing back down directly onto Magnezone before washing out to the sides of the field. Magnezone lifted itself back into the air, but its movements were now wobbly.
"Confused!" Seshiru said with a snap.
"If we don't try to attack, then we won't win!" Emma exclaimed. "Gyro Ball!"
Magnezone did a half rotation before launching itself into the ground, once more coming to a complete stop. It tried to lift itself from the field, but it struggled.
"Finish this one with Earth Power!" Seshiru ordered.
"Gastrodon!" the pink Pokémon shouted before launching bits of earth at Magnezone's backside. The Steel-type was blasted and dragged along the field before coming to a complete stop. The referee waited momentarily, and when the sandstorm finally faded away, they were able to make their judgement call.
"Magnezone is unable to battle!" the referee yelled. "Gastrodon is the winner!"
"It was a powerful Petilil," Seshiru said.
"The pressure of being up against the top ranked trainer is getting to Emma," Sora commented. "It happens to everyone though. Clint managed to keep his cool, and that's why he got as far as he did. Everyone else has been nervous."
"How do you think you would have fared?" Yurie asked.
"I don't get nervous."
"But you lost?"
"It was a powerful Poliwhirl, Yurie."
Emma withdrew Magnezone and then held her next Poké Ball tightly. "I've been around the world, and this next Pokémon has been with me everywhere I've gone. I wanted to save her for the second half, but it looks like you're not gonna leave me very many options. Shiinotic, go!"
Emma's next Pokémon had a small body but large head. It looked out at Gastrodon with a mysterious look in its eyes. The Water-type responded with a blank stare.
It looks like a Grass-type, which means that we might be in trouble. Emma has seemingly studied my team well enough, Seshiru thought.
"Let's finish this match quickly!" Emma directed. "Energy Ball!"
"Bring it down with Ice Beam!"
The two Pokémon launched their long-range attacks, but the jagged beam of ice won the battle of power before continuing towards Emma's side of the field.
"Dodge it!" Emma shouted.
Shiinotic leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding the beam. She then looked at Gastrodon and started running as fast as her tiny legs would take her.
"Sludge Bomb!" Seshiru ordered.
"Spore!"
Gastrodon lurched and then groaned before blasting the purple goo from her mouth. It hit the field and exploded, but Shiinotic was surprisingly fast. Although she took some damage, she managed to get into the air, her mushroom serving as a parachute. She looked down at Gastrodon and let loose some green powder which drizzled onto the Water-type. Within a matter of seconds, Gastrodon's head fell, and she was asleep. She floated back to the ground, landing right in front of Gastrodon.
"Dream Eater!"
Shiinotic reached out her long arm and put it against Gastrodon's forehead. She focused, and the two started to glow with a slight psychic energy. Gastrodon's energy was completely drained, and she slumped to the ground, now in a different state of unconsciousness.
"Gastrodon is unable to battle! Shiinotic is the winner!" the referee exclaimed.
"Amazing! Shiinotic managed to use her Spore and Dream Eater combination! It looks like Gastrodon won't be getting a good night's rest for awhile!" the announcer yelled.
Seshiru withdrew Gastrodon and then looked at Shiinotic. She slowly pulled her next Poké Ball from her belt and held it high.
"With something as dangerous as that Shiinotic, she has to change tactics. She may have prepared to fight against Grass-types, but I hope she's not going to be too hard headed," Yurie said. "Reminds me of Logan, even if she claims to be different."
"Don't worry about your friend," Sora muttered.
"Ursaring, you're up!" Seshiru yelled, tossing her Poké Ball forward. Her Pokémon emerged and then roared angrily before focusing on Shiinotic. She growled and then lowered her head, prepared to tear the Pokémon apart.
Yurie sat back. "She said that she only catches Water-type Pokémon or ones that she finds cute. I fail to see the cuteness of Ursaring."
Sora tilted his head to the side. "Well, Teddiursa are kind of fluffy."
"No chances!" Emma exclaimed. "Spore!"
"You're right! No chances! Earthquake!"
"Ursa-ring!" Seshiru's Pokémon shouted while lifting her arms into the air. She smashed them against the field, making the stadium shake. While she didn't have the same kind of control over it like Krookodile, it was still powerful enough to stop Shiinotic in her tracks.
"And now let's use Hammer Arm!" Seshiru called.
Ursaring roared and then bounded down the field. She charged up chakra around her right arm and then swung, battering Shiinotic to the side. The Grass-type quickly recovered and came back to her feet.
"Energy Ball!" Emma yelled.
Shiinotic formed the concentrated ball of green energy in her palms and then launched it forward. It blasted into Ursaring's midsection, but the Normal-type shook it off with ease.
Seshiru sighed. "I hate to do it, but we have to. Use Thrash!"
"Ursa-ring-ring!" the Normal-type cried out while rage filled her body. She started to swing her limbs wildly as she ran down the field. She struck Shiinotic once on the top of her mushroom hat before following with an uppercut, sending the Grass-type into the air.
"Moonblast!" Emma shouted.
Shiinotic was in pain, but she was also willing to battle for her trainer. She lifted her arms into the air and collected the lunar energy that surrounded her. She looked down at Ursaring, put the energy to her side, and then launched it downward, engulfing the Normal-type in a pink light. Shiinotic came back to the ground and heaved. She looked at where Ursaring had been standing, hoping for positive results.
But then, the enraged Pokémon let out another roar and emerged from the light. She lunged forward and put her claws together above her head, slamming them down onto the Grass-type with a sickening blow. Everyone in the stadium paused as Shiinotic crumpled to the ground.
"Shiinotic is unable to battle! Ursaring is the winner!" the referee said while waving around her flags. "We will now enter a fifteen minute intermission!"
"Though her Shiinotic was powerful and her Pokémon have been amazing, Emma unfortunately is the first trainer in this bout to lose three Pokémon! However, this has been a tournament full of surprises and comebacks! Can Emma pull off the win in the second half?" the announcer shouted.
"I'm gonna go down and talk with Seshiru!" Yurie exclaimed.
"I'm going to stay here and enjoy the view," Sora muttered.
Seshiru and Emma walked to their respective benches and sat down. Emma looked into the sky, wondering how her former rivals were doing. Other conferences and tournaments were taking part during this time. While she and her rivals were a little old to still be competing, she wished them all luck. She also knew that they were keeping track of her battles too.
Seshiru pulled the four remaining Poké Balls from her belt and put them on the bench. From what she knew about Emma, she knew that the second half of the battle would be filled with strong Pokémon. She had hoped that she wouldn't have to use all of her Pokémon to win the battle, but it was looking like Emma would force her hand.
"You're doing great!" Yurie exclaimed. She took a seat next to Seshiru and wrapped her arm around her shoulders. The two were two years apart, but Yurie was slightly taller than Seshiru, something that bothered the older girl slightly.
"Thank you," Seshiru said. "I haven't battled with Azumarill or Ursaring in a long time, but they're still so strong. I was relieved."
"Got anymore tricks or surprises?" Yurie asked. She still hadn't seen Seshiru's full collection of Pokémon.
Seshiru grinned. "If I make it to the semi-finals and finals, you can guarantee you'll be blown away!" Seshiru then realized that if she made it to the semi-finals, there was a good chance that she'd be battling Haruto. He was yet to do his Top 8 battle, but he was almost for sure advancing. "Deep down, who are you rooting for, Yurie?"
Yurie's eyes widened. She wasn't sure how to answer the question. "Well, it depends on the battle! I'm rooting for you, Logan, and Haruto! I hope that one of you can win it! I'll be happy no matter what!"
"But if it comes down to me and Haruto? Or me and Logan?"
Yurie paused, but then she smiled wide. "I'll divide my energy and send it to you all evenly!"
"You should be a politician."
The two shared the rest of the break together. Yurie wanted to stay on the bench to watch the rest of the battle, but she decided to go back up to the stands to keep Sora company.
"We will now resume the battle!" the referee announced, waving her flags around.
"Yurie wanted a surprise, so here we go! Let's do this, Togekiss!" Seshiru yelled while throwing her Poké Ball forward.
Her white Pokémon exploded from the ball and took into the air, flying in circles while softly cooing.
"My remaining Pokémon are strong. We won't lose," Emma said. She threw her Poké Ball high into the air, and a Volcarona emerged. Yurie recognized it from seeing one in the Hoenn Grand Festival and Ever Grande Conference.
"I'm not quite sure what we're getting into, but that thing doesn't look like a normal Bug-type Pokémon," Seshiru said.
"You'd be right. Use Quiver Dance!" Emma commanded.
"We have to attack now!" Seshiru said. "Mystical Fire!"
Togekiss cooed and then flew forward, fire forming around her body. Meanwhile, Volcarona fluttered in the air. Green energy materialized around her and gave her a boost in power. It wasn't without a price though, as Togekiss managed to launch her fire directly into the Bug-type. Volcarona was engulfed in flames, but the damaged seemed as though it were minimal.
"Oh man."
"Use Fire Blast!" Emma ordered.
"Dodge it!"
Volcarona looked around the air while Togekiss flew wildly. It was almost impossible to find a pattern to how the Fairy-type moved, but Volcarona's speed had been boosted. She quickly found a target and launched the blast of flames from her mouth. It was a powerful strike, lighting up the entire stadium. But luckily for Togekiss, she managed to get out of the way at the last second, barely avoiding the attack.
Seshiru wiped sweat from her brow and then smiled. "Dazzling Gleam!"
Togekiss flew in a circle and then looked at Volcarona. She howled, and pink energy exuded from her body, once again lighting up the stadium. Volcarona screeched as the attack pierced into her body.
"Follow through with Mystical Fire!" Seshiru ordered.
Togekiss came through the light, flames encircling her body. She grinned and then shot the flames straight for Volcarona once more.
"Dodge!" Emma ordered. "And then use Bug Buzz!"
Volcarona quickly dove towards the field, avoiding Mystical Flame. She then started to flutter her wings rapidly before ascending into the air. It was as though a jet engine had ripped through the stadium. Togekiss was forced to the ground, crashing hard and blowing smoke upwards.
Emma grinned. "You stand no chance against Volcarona. Finish this match with Hurricane!"
"Escape high!" Seshiru yelled.
Volcarona flapped her wings again, causing air to whip up through the stadium. The energy circled around the field, and the power of the attack shook the entirety of Indigo Village. But, Togekiss managed to escape through the eye of the storm, disappearing from sight high above the clouds.
"Ah! We can't see Togekiss from all the way up there! What is she planning?!" the announcer yelled.
"Sky Attack!" Seshiru yelled at the top of her lungs.
There was a shimmer of red light that came from the clouds. As though she were a meteor, Togekiss descended, gaining speed with every second that passed.
"Don't stop Hurricane!" Emma shouted. "But use Fire Blast!"
Volcarona entered the eye of the storm and then looked up. She blasted the flames once again, and it exploded like a shotgun blast, dividing its energy. Togekiss dove directly into the blast. The energy from the two attacks was unlike anything that most had seen. But at the end of their struggle, Togekiss managed to come out on top, sending Volcarona back to the field.
Emma grinned. "Now, trap her."
Although Volcarona was severely weakened, she increased the intensity of the winds, which Togekiss could no longer fight against. The Fairy-type was sucked into the typhoon and beaten with aerial energy. Eventually, the winds faded away, and Togekiss was left in the air. She bobbed around, now left confused.
"Finish this with Fire Blast!"
"Dodge it!" Seshiru yelled desperately.
Volcarona took aim and used her attack once again. The flames erupted into the air, but to everyone's surprise, Togekiss managed to move out of the way once more, narrowly dodging the flames.
"Mystical Fire! Straight down!"
Togekiss kept her eyes closed, but she dove at the ground. She blasted the flames off in every direction, luckily hitting Volcarona again. The Bug-type howled, and both hit the ground. Togekiss stirred and then managed to stand up on her tiny back legs. She wobbled back and forth, but to Seshiru's relief, Volcarona was not as lucky.
"Volcarona is unable to battle! Togekiss is the winner!" the referee exclaimed.
Seshiru sighed with relief. She wanted to collapse, but she knew that there was still more battling to be done. She looked out at Togekiss, who was struggling with confusion, and the noise from the crowd didn't help.
Emma withdrew Volcarona and then thought over her options. Without her having to make a decision, her Poké Ball on her belt exploded open, and an Umbreon materialized on the field. He got low and growled at the Fairy-type Pokémon.
"As always, you're making my decisions for me," Emma muttered.
We still have a very good type advantage, Seshiru thought. But we're gonna have to deal with damage from the battle with Volcarona and confusion.
"Togekiss, use Dazzling Gleam!"
Togekiss, still on the ground, cooed, and then the pink light emerged from her body. She tried to send the light forward to blast Umbreon, but it instead exploded on her, sending smoke into the air.
"Take this chance," Emma said. "Iron Tail!"
"Bre!" her Pokémon called back. He ran forward in a zigzag motion before leaping into the air and swinging his tail.
"Aura Sphere!" Seshiru called out of desperation.
Now, Togekiss was alert and ready. She howled, creating a ball of aura in front of her mouth. She launched it from the smoke, and it hit Umbreon. However, the Dark-type was resilient. He fought through the pain and continued to twist, slamming his ironhard tail into the smoke. Togekiss was blasted backward, her body landing in front of Seshiru, unresponsive.
"Togekiss is unable to battle!" the referee yelled. "Umbreon is the winner!"
Sora took in a deep breath. "She's still ahead, but that Umbreon has a lot of potential."
"Really?" Yurie asked.
He nodded. "Well, Umbreon is already naturally a strong Pokémon defensively. They can take quite a few hits before fainting. Taking that into account, I can feel that this Umbreon has a lot of battle experience. He's not going to go down easily."
"Let's do this, Corsola!" Seshiru shouted, releasing her small pink Pokémon. She bounced up and down while smiling cheerfully at Umbreon.
"Back to Water-types," Yurie said. "It's her comfort zone."
"Let's reset a little bit," Emma exclaimed. "Moonlight!"
Umbreon looked at the sky, and his yellow rings started to glow.
"This is our chance! Power Gem!"
Corsola squinted her eyes, and a sharp rock formed from chakra appeared in front of her. She launched it across the field, getting a direct hit on the healing Umbreon.
"Iron Tail!" Emma called when the yellow glow faded away.
As though he hadn't taken any damage, Umbreon got low and then started another bound across the field.
"Keep him back! Scald!"
Corsola was unable to move easily, and she knew that her only choice was to shoot straight. She took in a deep breath and then launched a stream from her mouth, steam coming from it.
But Umbreon was too quick, easily managing to leap over the stream. He twisted his body again, smashing his tail against the entirety of Corsola. She was batted into the air, now prone for Umbreon's follow-up strike.
"Dark Pulse!" Emma ordered.
Umbreon jumped above Corsola, a ball of concentrated black energy forming in his mouth. He launched it downwards, and it exploded against the Water-type's body, pulsing out across the field. Corsola hit the ground but quickly recovered to a standing position.
Seshiru snapped her fingers. "Mirror Coat!"
Psychedelic energy surrounded the Water-type before she let it loose. It exploded all around the field, knocking Umbreon all the way back to Emma's feet. He was slow to stand back up, but once he was on all fours, the crowd cheered loudly.
The two trainers eyed one another. They both smiled.
"Moonlight!"
"Recover!"
Although the Pokémon would not heal all the way, they would be able to recover roughly half of their energy back. Their glows filled the stadium, and everyone watched in anticipation for the next commands.
"Iron Tail!"
"Scald! Let's get it done!"
"Umbre!" the Dark-type yelled as he started another forward dash across the field.
Corsola let loose once more, never taking her eyes from Umbreon. He continued to get closer, and she continued to wave her blast in circles. At the last moment, Umbreon flipped, but Corsola jumped backward. She continued to unleash the stream, finally making contact. Umbreon was knocked into the air, but he managed to land on his feet, now breathing heavily.
Then suddenly, flames exploded from his body, and he let out a terrifying cry.
"Did it," Seshiru said with a smile that quickly faded as she watched the same flames explode from Corsola's body.
Emma shrugged. "It's a price that we both have to pay because of Umbreon's ability, Synchronize. This is only a part of Xanatos Gambit. Every path and outcome that can be foreseen for this battle will only lead to my victory."
Seshiru glared. "I don't believe in predetermined destiny. I'm here to make my own!"
"Use Dark Pulse!"
"Defend with Power Gem!"
Umbreon quickly launched the ball down the field, but Corsola managed to create the rocks of chakra in front of her face at the last moment. The ball of darkness exploded and then dispersed across the field, but both Pokémon were ultimately okay for the time being.
The flames exploded from both of their bodies once again, bringing them both to the ground from the pain.
Emma clenched her fist. "It looks like we're running out of options, but we cannot lose. Umbreon, use Last Resort!"
Umbreon stood back up and growled. He started to roar, and multi-colored energy formed around his body. It gathered together in a bright glow, and Umbreon looked at Corsola one last time before launching all of the energy down the field. It imploded in on itself upon reaching the Water-type, leaving everyone waiting for the results.
"Corsola is unable to battle! Umbreon is the winner!"
"After a long battle of consistent health recovery, we finally have a winner as Emma's trusty Umbreon takes down Corsola with a beautiful Last Resort!" the announcer yelled. "Both trainers are now down to their last two Pokémon. Who will be heading to the semi-finals?"
"Moonlight will heal some of Umbreon's health, but Emma's gonna be stuck with that burn until the end of the battle," Sora said. "Depending on whatever it is Seshiru does next, the victor may already have been decided."
Yurie looked down at the field and watched Seshiru withdraw Corsola. She believed that her friend could pull off the win, but she also knew that Seshiru didn't handle losing any of her Pokémon well.
"We're gonna get this over and done with. No more games," Seshiru said. She tossed her Poké Ball into the air, and Poliwrath emerged. He flexed his muscles and then stared down at Umbreon, who was exhausted from his battle with Corsola.
"Even with your type advantage, we'll still find a path that leads to victory," Emma said. "Dark Pulse!"
"Liquidation!"
"Wrath!" the Water-type called. He started to run down the field, his arm becoming engulfed in aquatic energy. He met with the black ball in the middle of the field, but he charged through it like paper.
"Dodge!" Emma shouted when she saw that Poliwrath was not slowing down.
Umbreon leaped into the air at the last second, finding himself above Poliwrath.
"Iron Tail!"
Umbreon flipped, driving his tail into the back of Poliwrath's head. He landed on the ground behind the larger Pokémon, but before he could turn or run away, flames once more came from his body, and he felt to his knees.
"Dynamic Punch!" Seshiru ordered.
Poliwrath whipped his body around and jabbed downwards, landing a direct punch on Umbreon's spine. There was no explosion, and Umbreon didn't fly off. Instead, they were earily still as Umbreon slowly lost consciousness.
"Brutal," Sora muttered.
Yurie couldn't help but feel that it was overkill. She crossed her arms. "I think Seshiru just wants to get it finished."
"Umbreon is unable to battle!" the referee yelled. "Poliwrath is the winner!"
"And just like that, Seshiru has pulled ahead again! Emma is left with one last Pokémon, but I'm sure that it's going to make the rest of this battle difficult for Seshiru," the announcer said.
Emma withdrew Umbreon as Poliwrath walked back to his side of the field, holding the back of his head. She took her final Poké Ball, held it tightly and took a moment to think over her strategy. She looked at Seshiru and then threw the ball into the air. A pink Pokémon with a cream-colored belly and a white poofy tail emerged.
Not too intimidating, but I shouldn't let that be a factor in how we battle, Seshiru thought.
"Audino-" Emma started while pulling a marble out from her pocket. It was attached to a chain that Seshiru thought was for a wallet or something similar. "-time to mega evolve!"
"Not another mega evolution!" Seshiru yelled.
Energy escaped from the marble and then surrounded Audino. She was engulfed in the rainbow-colored orb that had become familiar to the crowd. It quickly imploded, revealing a new form, one almost double in size and now colored white.
Emma grinned. "We're faced against the odds, but we'll still win. Use Thunderbolt!"
"Psychic! Keep it back!"
Audino sparked with electricity before focusing it and sending it down the field. Poliwrath raised both of his hands and then pointed at the electricity. It suddenly came to a stop as the Water-type radiated psychic powers. He slowly lowered his arms, putting the sparks to ground and drowning them out.
"Interesting," Emma said.
"Ice Ball!" Seshiru ordered.
Poliwrath then put his arms in front of his chest, forming a thick ball of ice. It was just small enough to fit into one of his palms. He reeled back and then tossed it into the air, hard enough to reach Audino.
"Hyper Voice!" Emma commanded.
Audino stayed in place, not afraid of the ice. She started to howl, sending pulses of energy from her mouth. The ice stopped in the middle of the air. It cracked until it shattered from the screeching.
"Dynamic Punch! Let's confuse them while we can!" Seshiru ordered, knowing that Emma couldn't hear her for the time being.
Poliwrath nodded and then started to run forward again, waving his arm above his head. Audino was too busy to notice, and as soon as she stopped her attack, Poliwrath swung, sending Audino into a spiral.
"Audino, no!" Emma shouted. "Sweet Kiss!"
Audino stopped spinning, looked up at Poliwrath, and then leaped up, kissing the Pokémon directly between the eyes. The Water-type stumbled back slightly, mimicking how Audino wobbled.
"They're both confused!" the announcer shouted.
"Not much we can do except try," Seshiru said. She would have switched out Poliwrath with Ursaring, but she didn't want to belabor the battle much longer. "Liquidation!"
Poliwrath's arm became engulfed in aquatic energy. He looked at Audino and then lunged, jabbing the ground and completely missing.
"Dazzling Gleam!" Emma shouted.
Audino closed her eyes, and she started to glow. The glow intensified and then targeted Poliwrath, blasting him onto his backside.
"Perfect!" Emma exclaimed. "Now use Thunderbolt!"
"Audino!" her Pokémon shouted back. She shot electric sparks from her body, but instead of finding Poliwrath, they instead came crashing straight back down. Audino was rattled, and she took a few steps back.
"It's gotta wear off eventually," Seshiru said. "Liquidation!"
Poliwrath brought himself back to his feet, put his arms together, and then swung, landing a hit on Audino. It wasn't as strong as Seshiru would have hoped for, but it seemingly did enough.
"Hyper Voice!" Emma commanded.
Audino wouldn't have to move much to do her attack, and all she had to do was shoot it forward. She closed her eyes and then launched the waves of sound energy once more. It connected with Poliwrath, who tried to fight back. But, the Pokémon were separated, ending up on their respective sides of the field.
They both shook their heads and then looked around. Confusion had worn off.
"In that case, let's end this!" Seshiru exclaimed.
"We can't take any more damage," Emma said. "Dazzling Gleam!"
"Dynamic Punch!"
Poliwrath ran forward, chakra exploding from his body. He ran down the field and into the intense pink light. Within moments, both of the Pokémon disappeared, and there was a powerful explosion. The pink light quickly faded away, and both Pokémon were left on the field, unmoving.
"Audino and Poliwrath are both unable to battle! Seshiru is still left with one Pokémon, which means that she is the victor!" the referee declared.
Seshiru's shoulders slumped slightly, and she took in a deep breath. She stood up straight and wiped the sweat from her brow. She looked up at the screen and at the Pokémon that she had lost. It was too close for comfort, but she needed to keep on battling ruthlessly if she wanted to win the whole thing.
"Maybe I can consider this a win," Emma muttered. She sighed but then withdrew Audino as the crowd erupted into cheers for their home region girl. She cracked her knuckles and then waved at Seshiru before returning to the backroom. She walked through the doors of the backroom where she found Logan sprawled out on one of the benches. He had his black hat with the white Poké Ball design on the front over his face, sound asleep.
You remind me of him, she thought. She grabbed her bag and pulled it over her shoulder. She turned around to leave but stopped upon finding Maleah standing by the door.
"You fought with my sister, right?" Maleah asked. "I heard the stories about what happened at the Altar of the Sunne and Moone."
"Kalani?" Emma asked. "So, you're Lilo's little sister? You're cute. It sucks that we won't get to compete against one another this year. I actually owe your sister a receipt. She beat me so many years ago in Alola. It'd be fun to start by beating you."
"Where are you going to next?" Maleah asked.
Emma shrugged. "I think I'll go back to Alola. I didn't actually get to enjoy too much of my time there. It'll be nice to be with my family for a bit. Also, I was told that I could take over one of the gyms. So, I think I'll do that. How about yourself?"
Maleah grinned. "I'm going to win this whole thing and then become the Indigo League Champion." She looked at the bench where Logan was sleeping. "But first, I have to get to the semi-final rounds. I have a date."
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
I don't intend on showing Maleah's or Haruto's Top 8 battles (too much to write), but I think it's fair to assume that they'll be moving on. Which means, we're onto the semi-finals! It'll take place over three chapters, and each battle is going to be fairly lengthy. Next chapter will kick-off Logan vs. Maleah.
It's a little too early to get too many predictions, but what do you see the rest of the tournament shaping up to look like? Who do you see in the finals, and who do you see winning the whole thing?
REVIEWS:
wisdom-jewel - "I can't wait to see Seshiru and Emma battle it out. It would be an interesting battle." - I hope you enjoyed it! I tried to add in a few interesting elements into it.
pokemonking0924 - "It also shows that Logan's confidence in winning the tournament is an all time low due to the appearance of so many powerful trainers. At least he won't get overconfident and make rookie mistakes like the hallucination of Luna said." - I think that Healing in Hoenn was about learning to accept loss. Kickin' It In Kanto is about learning to expect loss. ...Maybe.
CrescentApple - "Ah, Aaron's a cool dude. Throwing all those hints to a Logan who... it was kind of funny Logan still didn't understand. And cor some reason I like the idea Logan decides to take a nap instead of watch Seshiru battle. It reflects how exhausted he was before, during and after the battle." - Yeah. I also wanted to kind of write a Loganless chapter, so that one reason why I had him nap instead of making commentary backstage.