Chapter 71: The Will of a Psychic
Gladys took a sip of some cold lavender tea, reveling in the silence. She sat at one of three round tables in a break room inside the Pokemon League office. Said office was only a fifteen minute walk from the Pokemon Center, which was normally something Gladys liked. But with Pokemon League Village being located on higher ground and the frigidity of the December air made colder by the higher altitude, Gladys was just happy to be in a warm place for a bit. But even with the heater on, and a small, portable one by her feet, her body shivered, and she took another sip of her tea.
"I wonder if I should have drank it hot?" Gladys wondered aloud. Her blue flower painted tea cup made a clinking sound as it scraped against the matching plate it came with. She rested her cheek in the palm of her hand, and she kicked her legs up and down. Now that the League was over, the winner, Perrine, was going to challenge the Elite Four. Part of her was excited. If Perrine were to get past Will, Gladys would have her first official battle against a winner of the League. But she could feel nervous butterflies in her stomach. Anything could happen.
As she was lost in thought, the door opened, and Will came walking in, silver thermos in hand. "Bonjour, Gladys!" He greeted her with melodramatic flourish, putting on a faux Kalosian accent as he pointed his thumb and index finger outward, making the shape of a gun with his free hand.
Gladys turned around and smiled. "Good morning, Will."
Will sat right down across from Gladys, placing his thermos down as he rummaged through a purple bag he brought with him. He glanced over at the clock, noting it was seven thirty. "It's rare to see you here this early."
Gladys nodded in agreement. "Eh, I got up at six thirty and couldn't get back to sleep, so I thought I'd come here for a change of scenery," She explained with a noncommittal shrug. "I'm wondering if it's nerves or something."
"I know that feeling," Will replied as he unwrapped a granola bar and took a quick bite. "Last night's closing ceremony did get a little raucous, so I don't blame you for wanting some peace and quiet."
"Today's your battle with Perrine, right?" Gladys asked.
"Mais oui!" Will exclaimed.
Gladys gave a light chuckle. "It's pronounced 'meh wee,' not 'my wee,'" She politely corrected him.
"Whoopsie!" Will playfully bonked himself on the head with one fist.
"Do you have any particular strategy planned out for your battle today?" Gladys asked.
"Mmm...not really," Will replied, giving a noncommittal shrug. "A lot of my strategies incorporate inducing confusion and sleep, damage reduction, and dealing damage when one leasts expects it. Based on what I've seen of that Perrine girl, it seems like she usually relies on beefing up her Pokemon's damage output as much as she can. I mean, what other trainer has their Pokemon use fire attacks on themselves to make said attacks even stronger?"
By that, Gladys knew he was talking about how Perrine had Kitsune use her fire attacks on herself to activate Flash Fire. Even she had to admit that was a creative way to make a Pokemon's attacks stronger. Of course, doing that could only get so far in battle. She used a spare spoon she had on her to stir some sugar into her tea.
"By the way," Will spoke again after he finished his granola bar. "I notice you stopped MCing with Mr. Goodshow during the matches. If it's not rude of me to ask, is there any particular reason?" He asked.
It was Gladys' turn to shrug. She scrunched her shoulders as she shrunk into her seat, averting Will's inquisitive gaze. "Well...it's embarrassing to admit, but I've been told that my attempts at commentary came across as a little too biased," She confessed shyly. "Mr. Goodshow meant well in his critique, and he was nice about it so I'm not angry or anything. But in all fairness, I was never very good at speaking in front of a crowd, even during my youth, so I asked if I could drop out of being a commentator, and he said yes."
Will could only flash a reassuring smile. "You did the best you could, and that's all that matters," He told her before pulling out a cup, uncapping his thermos and pouring a beverage of his own. "Nobody's perfect. You should have seen me when my psychic abilities first developed. Everything I tried to touch seemed to fly across the room and break."
"Oh my!" Gladys exclaimed. She could imagine a boy's eyes glowing, and dishes and china flying everywhere, breaking into pieces.
Will could only give a sheepish laugh. "I got scolded fairly often for that, even though a lot of those were accidents," He confessed. "Luckily, once I started to get a better hold on my powers, that stopped. But my mother's expensive china were all casualties of my inability to control my powers."
Gladys flashed a sympathetic smile. "I can imagine."
The two of them chatted and drank their respective beverages for a few minutes, savoring each other's company. Not long after, Karen walked into the room. Will was the first to notice her. "Salutations, Karen!" Will waved to her right away.
Karen put a hand on her hip. "Good morning, you two."
"Would you like to join us?" Gladys asked, pointing towards an empty chair at her table.
"I'd like to, but I can't stay," Karen replied, glancing towards Will. "Hey, William. Lance says you need to get your butt over to the auxiliary stadium," She pointed her thumb towards the door. "He needs to talk to you about some stuff before your battle with Perrine at nine."
It was rare for anyone to drop Will's real name, but Gladys knew them long enough that Karen usually said it when she wanted him to do something. Or whenever somebody wanted to mess around. Will gathered his things and stood up from his chair.
"Looks like even a psychic like me can't afford a minute to relax. I'll catch you later, Gladys!" Will waved as he left the break room, following Karen from behind.
Gladys waved back with a smile. Now that she got to spend some time with him, she started to feel a little better. She stretched her arms and legs outward before standing up and gathering her things. It may be early, but there was still a lot of preparation that needed to be done before the upcoming battle.
Down at the Pokemon Center, the kids and their parents had gathered outside. Violet wrapped her arms around Caiseal tightly, and fresh tears streaked her face. "Noooo! I wanna stay longeeeer!" She cried.
"I know, Violet, but we have to get back home today," Yvette told her. "School starts back up tomorrow, and it won't be long before you can see him again."
Violet gave a sniff before she reluctantly let go. Caiseal didn't blame her for breaking into tears like that. After the awful way they had been separated the last time they reunited, he wondered if that incident left some kind of nasty wound that made her think any separation from him would be permanent. Earlier, Geoffrey left to get a car they rented so they could get back to Blackthorn City, and Caiseal knew it wouldn't be long before he'd get back. He didn't want to part with his sister on a sour note like last time. He flashed a smile and kneeled down to her level.
"Hey there. Don't be sad," Caiseal gently used his finger to wipe some tears away. "As soon as Perrine's done battling the Elite Four, I'll come right back," He told her reassuringly. "How about this? When I get back, I'll order us a big pizza, with extra drippy cheese just the way you like it. You can show me your Teddiursa, too."
"Yeah! That sounds super fun!" Julia chimed in cheerfully, figuring out what he was trying to do.
After a brief second, Violet used her sleeve to wipe her tears away and flashed a grin. "Okay. I really do want you to see Teddiursa," Violet said, glancing at Julia when she said that.
Julia instinctively knew why Violet stole a glance in her direction and smiled back at her.
Caiseal gently put his hand on Violet's head, stroking her hair. "Now be good, do what everyone tells you, be sure to brush your teeth, do your homework, and don't talk to strangers. If you see Fergus or Nollaig around, run and get Yvette or Geoffrey. 'Kay?"
Violet gave a vigorous nod.
Not long after, a black rental car pulled up, and Geoffrey rolled down his window. "Alright! Is everyone ready?"
Yvette took a minute to give Caiseal a hug. "Sorry we can't stay, but I hope you guys have fun."
"Sure we will. I'll let you know when I'm coming back," Caiseal told her before running to the car door and letting Geoffrey give him a quick hug.
It wasn't long before the Ashers and Violet were inside, waving to Caiseal as the car drove away. Violet in particular shouted her goodbyes as loud as she could. The kids waved back, wishing them well on their trip back to Blackthorn City. After the car disappeared, Julia checked the time on her PokeGear.
"It's about eight thirty," Julia told Perrine. "Do you think you should head to the other stadium now?"
Perrine shrugged. "Might as well. I don't want to be late for my match."
"I can't wait to see your battle with Will! I bet it's gonna be awesome!" Ethan effused, balling his hands into fists in his excitement.
While the Pokemon League had plenty of stadiums, it also had another stadium that was directly connected to the league office. Confined within a blue dome-like building, it was referred to as the auxiliary stadium, and made to resemble a Pokemon gym. Similarly to actual Pokemon gyms, the auxiliary stadium only allowed a certain amount of people inside, mainly to accommodate reporters, interviewers, and cameramen so they could have enough room to record the battles. It was a fifteen minute walk from the Pokemon Center, and the kids shivered as they made the short trek, even with their winter coats on.
When they arrived at the blue dome, they approached the front door, which had two security guards flanking it on each side. "Good evening, Miss Perrine," One security guard, a muscular man with sandy blonde hair, greeted her by tipping his hat. "May I see your trainer ID?"
She flashed her ID, along with her gold medal just in case. The other guard pulled out a notepad and began writing something down. "Alright, so four guests…" He muttered.
"Go on inside. All guests are to sit at the top of the bleachers," The blonde security guard said, pointing to one set of bleachers on the left side of the battle room. "Perrine, take your position at the battlefield. "Your opponent will be out in a second."
A large, rectangular battlefield with a PokeBall drawing in the middle spread out before them, with steel bleachers on both sides of the brightly lit room. The battlefield was only slightly smaller than the one in the stadiums. Caiseal knitted his eyebrows. It didn't look any different from a regular Pokemon gym.
"I thought this would look a bit fancier," Julia mused out loud.
"Me too," Ethan agreed, crossing his arms. "But gyms aren't exactly known for having decorations."
Perrine walked over to her trainer box, wondering where Will was. Just as she took position, the lights dimmed, and one particular spotlight danced across the battlefield, with everyone looking on in wonder, mouths agape. What in the world was going on? After a few seconds, the spotlight pointed towards a large set of double doors in the back of the room. Said double doors swung open and a mysterious looking man appeared, striking a pose, with one hand on his mask, and the other outstretched, holding a white rose in his hands. The man then tossed the rose and began doing back flips towards the battlefield, the spotlight following him the entire time. Once he got close, he gave a great leap, spinning three times in mid-air, his cape trailing behind him like a comet, before landing on his trainer box with both feet, arms akimbo.
As unexpected as the theatrics were, everyone couldn't help but clap, save for Julia who just watched in silence.
"Salutations, dear challenger!" The man cajoled cheerfully. "And welcome to the Pokemon League! I hope you don't mind the exciting welcome!" He gave a dramatic spun and pointed towards the spectators, giving a wink in their direction.
"Not at all, Will," Perrine replied. "I like a good show."
Will gave a mock frown. "Hey! As much as I like trainers who do their research, at least grant me the chance to introduce myself!" He exclaimed with melodramatic flourish, swinging his arm around like he was in a show. "A descendant of psychics and magicians for centuries, hailing from faraway lands," He flung his cape with equal amounts of flourish like he was some sort of superhero. "And a member of the distinguished Elite Four, I am William Absalom Gauthier Judicael Hertz VII!"
Everyone exchanged confused looks. "Is he...always like that?" Rocio asked sheepishly.
"I have no clue," Ethan answered, equally unsure.
Unlike them, Perrine was unfazed. She simply smirked and gave a slow clap. "Nice performance there, Will."
"In all seriousness, I'm very much looking forward to today's battle with you, Perrine!" Will told her, adjusting his mask a bit. "I admit I've only been in the Elite Four for a few years, after Lance took the title of Champion, but I've heard plenty of stories about your aunt. After seeing you battle in the League these past couple weeks, I can tell you're a strong trainer in your own right."
Perrine could feel her cheeks burning from the praise, but she reminded herself that this was no time to be swooning over the Elite Four. This was going to be a serious battle. She couldn't let a few compliments give her a swelled head.
"I assure you, sir, I can easily back up those claims," Perrine said, pulling out one PokeBall.
Will shrugged. "But whether your Pokemon are strong enough to defeat mine, we'll have to see."
It was here that Julia noticed something was missing. "Isn't there supposed to be a referee?" Julia asked.
"The Elite Four don't use referees," Caiseal explained.
Having overheard their conversation, mainly because there weren't a lot of people which meant he could hear Julia talk, Will couldn't help but chime in. "Tis true!" Will confirmed with a snap of his fingers. "We, the Elite Four, are skilled enough to know whether our Pokemon are able to continue battling or not without the need of a referee," He explained before turning back to face Perrine. "The rules are simple. Each match will be three-on-three. You can make substitutions while I can't, and the winner will be decided if the opponent's Pokemon are all defeated."
Fair enough. Perrine spent years researching the Elite Four, from watching videos of their battles to reading anything that happened to feature them. Books, autobiographies, interviews, magazine articles, web pages dedicated to them, and so on. Doing that for years gave her a good idea of every Elite Four member's battle strategies. Of course, that in and of itself wouldn't guarantee victory, as the Elite Four were the strongest trainers in all the region. Even so, having that knowledge would be useful, and it was better than going in completely unprepared.
"Now, ladies first! Care to choose your first Pokemon?" Will said.
Perrine wasted no time. "Sure! Florian, I choose you!"
Florian materialized onto the battlefield, shaking the petals around his neck with fervor.
"A Meganium…you've got good taste!" Will took a minute to pull a PokeBall out. "I call forth Espeon!"
A white light shot out from his PokeBall, materializing into an Espeon with sleek fur and clear eyes. Julia couldn't help but be reminded of Lucretia when it appeared. Unlike Lucretia, who had her jeweled collar, Will's Espeon wasn't wearing anything.
"I think now's a good time to begin, don't you think?"
"Dibs on the first attack!" Perrine swung her arm outward. "Florian, start off with Razor Leaf!"
Florian shook the petals around his neck once more, sending a barrage of sharp leaves flying towards Espeon.
Will pointed to the ceiling. "Espeon, dodge!" As ordered, Espeon deftly avoided the leafy onslaught, whether it be hopping to the side, jumping up, crouching downward, or doing backflips. "Now use Psybeam!" He commanded. Once the leaves dissipated, the red jewel on Espeon's head glowed red before firing a similarly colored beam of light.
"Light Screen!" Perrine shouted. A rainbow hued wall of light materialized out of thin air, floating right in front of Florian to keep the attack at bay. After the beam dissipated, the glowing wall dissolved into Florian's body, outlining it in light for just a moment. "Now use Bulldoze!"
Florian jumped high in the air before landing back on the ground with such force that it shook the battlefield. Before Espeon could attempt to dodge, parts of the ground jutted out from underneath it, sending it flying. Will barely reacted, keeping his arms crossed and watching his Pokemon like a neutral look on his face. It didn't take long for Espeon to reorient itself by doing a flip in mid-air before landing gracefully on its feet.
"Nice recovery, Espeon! Use Swift!" Will exclaimed.
"Hold it off with Petal Blizzard!"
Espeon crouched down to the ground, opening its mouth to fire a flurry of stars. Florian did the same, shaking his neck petals and generating a harsh blizzard of flower petals that sent the barrage of stars flying in every direction. Most of the petals struck Espeon point blank, and were too fast for Espeon to try and dodge. Gradually, the attack dissipated, but a myriad of small cuts dotted Espeon's once silky lilac fur. Oddly enough, Will didn't seem to show much concern.
"It'll take more than that to bring my sweet Espeon down!" Will waved his index finger back and forth before pointing towards Florian. "Use Double Team!"
The purple feline began running at breakneck speed, glowing white and generating copies of itself that circled around Florian.
"Don't let Espeon throw you off!" Perrine shouted. "Use Vine Whip and find the real one!"
Florian didn't hesitate. Two long vines sprouted out from his neck, sweeping across the battlefield. All the Espeon projections faded upon contact except for one on Florian's left. The attack struck Espeon on the face, but the lilac feline held its ground.
"Now, it's time to get this show started!" Will proclaimed with his usual melodramatic flourish, snapping his fingers. "Espeon, use Telekinesis!"
Espeon sat down, the red gem on its forehead glowing bright. Florian attempted to move, but a purple outline spread across his body. The green sauropod's limbs refused to budge. Then, Florian found himself being lifted into the air.
"Florian!" Perrine cried out, remembering Caiseal's battle with Ethan. With Florian being completely immobile, he was a sitting Psyduck. Light Screen was still in effect, and any damage Florian would sustain from special attacks would be slightly mitigated, but Espeon could still get the upper hand.
Will pointed to the ceiling. "It's time...for Psychic!"
Once again, the gem on Espeon's head glowed, but purple instead of red. Espeon took a moment to charge the attack before firing a large, purple ray of light that struck Florian head on. The green sauropod let out a pained cry as the attack struck. When the light dissipated, Florian was still up in the air, covered in fresh singe marks, but his eyes were open and he was still alert. Perrine heaved a sigh of relief. But this wasn't the time to relax yet. Florian was in a bind, and she needed to figure out some way to have him land some hits on Espeon. If not to break the Telekinesis, then at least to keep Espeon from moving.
Keep Espeon from moving...a light bulb flashed in Perrine's head. If Florian couldn't free himself from Telekinesis, there was another way to get the jump on Espeon.
"Florian! Wrap your Vine Whip around Espeon!" Perrine shouted.
"Dodge and use Swift!" Will shouted back.
Green vines shot out from the flower around Florian's neck, moving so fast that the purple feline couldn't react fast enough to dodge. One vine coiled around Espeon's tail, the other around its body. Espeon was able to open its mouth and fire another Swift. Perrine smirked. She had a remedy for that one.
"Fire back with Razor Leaf!"
Razor sharp leaves flew out from Florian's flower petals, breaking the glowing stars into pieces, with several of them managing to strike Espeon head on. It helped that since the vines coiled tightly around Espeon, the purple feline couldn't avoid the attack, nor free itself from the vines. The leafy barrage inundated Espeon, and the purple feline could feel the sharp leaves cutting into its skin, unable to escape.
"Now, throw Espeon as hard as you can!" Perrine cried out.
Mustering all of his strength, Florian used his vines to lift Espeon high in the air. Unleashing a loud battle cry, Florian spun Espeon around before throwing the purple feline right back onto the battlefield. Upon Espeon hitting the ground, the purple outline around Florian vanished, and the green sauropod landed feet first back onto the battlefield. The Telekinesis had finally broken!
"We're finishing this!" Perrine was not going to waste this opportunity. "Florian! Body Slam, let's go!"
Florian gave a heave before jumping high into the air. Espeon attempted to stand up, but jolts of searing pain shot through its legs from the cuts they sustained from Razor Leaf. But Espeon stole a sidelong glance towards Will, who gave a nod. Espeon tried to walk away, but its tired legs couldn't sustain its weight. Florian descended right down, letting gravity take over, slamming so hard onto Espeon that his entire body covered the feline from head to toe. For several tense minutes, there was no movement. Florian rolled over to get a better look. Down on the ground lay Espeon, whose eyes glowed blue for just a moment before they closed, and the purple feline went limp.
"Awww yeah!" Perrine couldn't help but cheer, spreading her arms akimbo and jumping up and down. Florian stood back upright and gave a delighted warble.
"Great job, Perrine and Florian!" Rocio stood up and clapped. "I'm so proud of you both!"
"She managed to defeat one of Will's Pokemon!" Julia exclaimed.
"One of Will's Pokemon," Caiseal reminded her, his expression neutral and stoic. "Florian still took a lot of damage, and Will still has two Pokemon left."
"Things will only get more challenging from here on out," Ethan chimed in.
Without a word, Will called his fallen Espeon back to his PokeBall, flashing a reassuring smile. "Great job, my friend. Take a good rest," He swapped Espeon's PokeBall out for another. "The fact that you beat one of my Pokemon is impressive!" Will complimented, waving his index finger from side to side. "But victory is still a long ways away from you! Come on out, Jynx!"
A lone Jynx appeared on the battlefield with a smile on its face. Perrine clenched her teeth. An ice type. That meant Florian had a type advantage. Kitsune would be the best Pokemon to use against it.
"Florian! Do you want me to switch you out?" Perrine asked.
Oddly enough, Florian shook his head no.
"Are you sure? Jynx has a type advantage over you, and you're still hurt from Espeon's attacks earlier."
Florian gave a reassuring nod. Perrine smiled again. "Want to fight to the end, huh? I guess there's no point in stopping you."
Will snapped his fingers. "A trainer respecting their Pokemon's judgment is deserving of respect themselves!" He exclaimed. "But that can also wind up being one's undoing!" He pointed right towards Florian. "Jynx? Be a dear and use Ice Punch."
"Jynx!" The human shape Pokemon lifted a single fist in the air, and a turquoise light emanated from it. Once it began glowing, Jynx ran straight towards Florian, ready to punch his lights out.
"Stop it with Vine Whip!" Perrine commanded.
As ordered, Florian shot his vines outward, coiling them around Jynx's arm and pulling it down so suddenly that the human shape lost her footing. Jynx fell to the ground, and she tried to pull her arm out from the vines, but they were coiled around it so tightly, it wouldn't budge.
"Now, Petal Blizzard!"
The green sauropod conjured a harsh wind of flower petals that inundated Jynx in every direction. The roar from the floral gale was similar to that of a tornado passing through. Everyone on the bleachers snuggled closer together, with the boys in particular holding their arms over their faces to protect their eyes from the harsh wind. It wasn't long before the floral storm died down, and...Florian gaped when he saw Jynx smiling.
"Jynx? Care to use Lovely Kiss?"
Using its free hand, Jynx blew a kiss towards Florian, with the attack taking the form of a pink heart that floated aimlessly. Florian's eyes shrunk as it got closer, and he quickly uncoiled his vines to try and move away. But the kiss gained speed and as soon as Florian withdrew his vines, the heart hit his nose, disappearing into a cloud of sparkles. Florian's vision blurred, and he could no longer keep his eyes open. The green sauropod grew lethargic, unable to keep steady, and fell on his side, deep in sleep.
"Florian!" Perrine cried out.
Unfazed by the younger trainer's worry for her Pokemon, Will snapped his fingers. "Time to wrap this battle up!"
The air in the stadium grew tense. Florian could sense it. All of a sudden, eight rainbow spheres of light magically materialized out of thin air, all of them firing beams of energy right at Florian. The green sauropod cried out as psychic energy inundated him in all directions.
"What in the world?!" Perrine yelped. What attack was this?
Unfazed by his opponent's shock, Will winked and waggled his index finger. "Just before your Florian defeated him, I secretly had Espeon use Future Sight! My Pokemon never go down without a fight, and you'd do well to remember that."
It wasn't long before the psychic energy blasts faded, and Florian, covered in burn marks and unable to keep standing, fell to the ground with a groan. Perrine blanched. There was no possible way Florian would have been able to withstand that attack. Will seemed to realize it as well, as spun around once and winked towards Perrine.
"Woohoo! My first victory of the day!" Will crooned.
In response, Jynx held her arms up and began swaying her body from side to side as though she were dancing.
"Awww no. Poor Florian lost," Julia's brows knitted together, her heart going out to the fallen sauropod.
"He did his best, and Perrine still has two Pokemon left," Rocio reminded her.
"I have a feeling I know who she'll use against Jynx," Caiseal said.
Perrine called Florian back to his PokeBall. "You did great, buddy. You deserve a nice long rest," She whispered before swapping him out for another PokeBall. She knew exactly who she wanted to use against Jynx, and she gave a smirk before arching her hand outward. "Kitsune! Come on out!
Kitsune materialized onto the battlefield in a perfect sitting position. But as soon as she saw the Jynx in front of her, she immediately stood on all fours, her tails arching upward, ready for battle.
"Mmm. Not surprising. Might as well roll with it!" Will started the battle again with another snap of his fingers. "Jynx! Use Confusion!"
Jynx's eyes glowed purple, and a similarly colored outline glowed from her body. The human shape held her arms upward once more as circular waves of light shot out from her eyes.
"Dodge and use Flame Burst!"
As soon as the light waves came close, Kitsune did a graceful backflip, evading the attack. She landed feet first before shooting a sphere of fire in Jynx's direction. As soon as it got close, it exploded, sending fire all over the place. Jynx couldn't avoid it in time, and the flames scorched her hair and body. But it wasn't enough to knock Jynx out of the battle.
"Alright, use Flamethrower on yourself!" Perrine cried out.
Kitsune lifted her head all the way up and unleashed a stream of fire, allowing it to rain down on her and completely envelop her from head to toe. It wasn't long before the fire dissolved into her body, and Kitsune felt more energized than before.
Will crossed his arms and shrugged. "While I commend how you use your Pokemon's attacks and ability to make it stronger, brute strength alone won't cut it!" Will proclaimed, spreading his arms akimbo once again. "Jynx, dearie! Use Psychic!"
Once again, Jynx's eyes glowed purple. Jynx held both arms into the air for just a moment, her hair defying gravity as psychic energy pooled into her eyes. Then, Jynx pointed both hands towards Kitsune as purple rays of light shot out from her eyes.
"Hold it off with Flamethrower!" Perrine exclaimed.
Kitsune crouched low to the ground, shooting a stream of fire, managing to hold off the luminous beam. Both attacks tried to override each other, pushing with all the strength the Pokemon had. Just a few minutes later, Kitsune kicked it up a notch, and the flames managed to overpower the purple light beams. Jynx had no time to dodge, as the flames traveled too fast for her, and before long, a tornado of fire enveloped her from head to toe. Jynx gave an agonized wail as fire surged through every vein in her body. It didn't last long, as the fiery spiral dissipated, leaving Jynx's body covered with fresh burns and singe marks, but the human shape fell to her knees, trembling from the pain.
Oddly enough, Will barely showed any reaction. Perrine's jaw fell open. The corners of his lips were curled upward into a smile. Why was he smiling when his Pokemon was getting injured? Did he have a secret plan up his sleeve? In no time flat, Will pointed towards the battlefield.
"Jynx! Use Draining Kiss!"
It didn't take long for Jynx to get her bearings back in order, and the human shape Pokemon began spinning around in circles as she moved towards Kitsune. The fox Pokemon tried to back away as Jynx got closer, but the humanoid Pokemon used both arms to grab Kitsune by the neck and pull her close. Then, Jynx pressed her lips onto Kitsune's furry neck, and they glowed in a pink light. Kitsune tried to wriggle away, but Jynx's grip on her was tight like an intricate knot, and her legs began to feel limp, like pudding. Her body grew heavier, and she felt like the energy was getting sucked out of her.
"Crap! I forgot Jynx could learn Draining Kiss!" Perrine scolded herself for not having remembered this sooner. Jynx may be weak to fire, but the species still had a slew of moves they could use to recover their health. Perrine gritted her teeth, running her hands through her hair. 'Calm down, Perrine. Draining Kiss isn't full proof, and Kitsune can still fight. You can do this!' She took a minute to compose herself as she looked up, seeing Kitsune's face right in front of Jynx's.
Right in front...a light bulb flashed in Perrine's mind. This was her chance!
"Kit! Flamethrower right in Jynx's face!" Perrine shouted.
Without hesitation, Kitsune opened her mouth and fired a stream of flames right in Jynx's face as ordered. The human shape Pokemon cried out as the flames sent her rolling backwards, enough to release Kitsune from her grip.
"Now, Confuse Ray!"
Kitsune's tails all shot upward, and her eyes began to glow blue. Rays of light shot out from the fox's eyes, firing right towards Jynx.
"I won't let you! Jynx, dodge and use Body Slam!"
Jynx evaded the Confuse Ray by spinning sideways, then took a second to jump high into the air. It wasn't long before Jynx let gravity take over, pulling her right down, threatening to flatten Kitsune like a pancake.
"As if! Kit, Heat Wave! Full power!"
Kitsune crouched low to the ground, opening her mouth and unleashing a blast of burning hot air. Since Jynx was falling quickly, she wasn't able to evade the attack. Fire and heat struck her head on, sending her flying across the battlefield. Jynx rolled across the ground, her glossy blonde hair now blackened and dirty from a combination of dirt and burns sustained from the attack. Eventually, the blast of air dissipated, and Jynx lay limp on the ground, unable to move. Will gasped as he inched closer to get a better look. His beloved Jynx's eyes were closed, and her mouth was open as if stuck in a silent scream.
"Well...that's two Pokemon out for the count," With a disappointed shrug, Will pulled out Jynx's PokeBall and called her back.
Perrine couldn't contain herself. She gave a loud cheer, jumping up once in jubilation. Another victory! Kitsune shared in the joy, giving a proud coo in response.
"You were awesome, girl! I knew you could do it!" Perrine stroke Kitsune's head.
"Niiiiine," The fox Pokemon reveled in her trainer's gentle touch.
Rocio clapped her hands. "Great job out there, you two!" She cajoled.
"Now Will only has one Pokemon left!" Julia exclaimed.
"It'll probably be his strongest one yet," Ethan said.
Caiseal nodded in agreement, folding his hands together in anticipation. "Based on some research I did beforehand, I have a feeling I know which Pokemon he's going to use."
Without missing a beat, Will pulled out his final PokeBall. "What's this? I'm down to my last Pokemon! Looks like this show is set to go on a little while longer! It's your turn to shine, Xatu!"
Out from the PokeBall came a large, green, human-sized bird Pokemon with white wings tipped red and black. Two large, red feathers dangled from the back of its round head, its yellow beak was curved inward at the tip, and its red feet were tipped white. But Perrine gulped at the sight of the red eye designs on its chest. She knew they weren't an actual pair of eyes, just eye-like markings, but that didn't make them any less creepy.
"Oooh, a Xatu," Ethan leaned forward to get a better look at the bird Pokemon, pulling out his PokeDex.
"Xatu, the Mystic Pokemon, and the evolved form of Natu. Xatu are said to see into both the future and the past, with many tribes from the southern continents claiming it sees the future with its right eye, and the past in its left. Xatu often stand completely motionless, sometimes to observe the sun's movements, and sometimes to meditate. Some claim that Xatu does so because it sees the past and the future at the same time, and some claim it does so due to fearing that its visions will come true. In the past, people claimed Xatu were emissaries from another world, but recent scientific studies have debunked that theory."
Images flashed in Julia's mind as soon as Xatu appeared. Her mother bringing home a very sick Xatu when she was nine. Julia herself completely latching onto said Xatu, wanting to be its friend more than anything. Draping Xatu's neck with cursory necklaces she made out of plastic beads to make it look pretty. Brushing its wings. Reading books and watching movies with it. Helping her mother give it various medicines. Herself crying up a storm when Xatu was given over to someone else. Julia's eyes moistened, and her vision blurred from the onslaught of memories.
"Dibs on the first attack!" Perrine shouted, her voice pulling Julia out from her reverie. "Kit, use Flamethrower!"
Like before, Kitsune spat a stream of fire in the bird's direction.
"Teleport," Will said.
In a flash, Xatu disappeared into thin air, the flames from Kitsune's attack only hitting the ground. "Nine?!" Kitsune gave a surprised yelp as her flames hit the ground where Xatu originally stood. She saw a flash of light in her peripheral vision, turning around to see Xatu materializing behind her.
"Now, Psychic!"
"Fire back with Flamethrower again!"
The two Pokemon launched their respective attacks at each other. Unfortunately for Kitsune, Xatu's blast of psychic energy easily overpowered her flames, cutting right through them and hitting her head on. Kitsune let out a cry as the attack struck her, sending her rolling across the battlefield. Thankfully, she was quick to reorient herself and get back on all fours right afterward, a few singe marks on her fur notwithstanding.
"Hang in there, girl! You can do this!" Perrine encouraged, but she could tell this wasn't going to be an easy match. Kitsune still had some injuries from her battle with Jynx. A few more strong attacks like that, and she'd be defeated for sure.
"Use Ominous Wind!" Will cried out, snapping his fingers.
Xatu ascended into the air, its wings glowing in an eerie dark purple light. Then, Xatu flapped its wings with increasing speed, sending a gale of sparkling purple wind in Kitsune's direction.
"Dodge! Don't let it hit you!"
Kitsune ran as fast as her skinny legs could carry her. She managed to evade the Ominous Wind, but Perrine knew in the back of her mind that dodging wasn't going to help win this battle. As soon as Xatu stopped flapping its wings, Perrine knew the time to act was now. "Use Heat Wave!"
"Teleport again!"
As soon as Kitsune unleashed her attack, Xatu teleported away as soon as the fiery wind was just centimeters away from it. But when she tried to move, a purple outline of energy appeared around her body. Her legs wouldn't move, as the unseen force prevented her body from moving the way she wanted it to. Then, she found herself being lifted into the air before being thrown against the wall. Kitsune cried out as she hit the wall, slumping to the ground. Xatu had reappeared, its eyes glowing purple. Perrine realized Xatu was using Psychic without Will commanding it to do so. So this was his strategy: Teleporting and attacking when one's opponent least expected it. Doing research on one's battle strategies wasn't the same as actually experiencing it.
"Nine!" Kitsune walked back to the battlefield, intent to continue on. Perrine clenched her fists. She hadn't lost yet. There was still time to at least fight back a little more!
"Don't think you've outsmarted me, little girl!" Will crooned. "Xatu, dear! Teleport again!"
Like before, Xatu disappeared into thin air with a flash. 'There's got to be some way to figure out where Xatu is coming from,' She thought, looking around the battlefield as she bit down on her lower lip.
That was when she saw it. A brief flash of light on Kitsune's right. "Kit! Wait for my signal!" Perrine cried out. Kitsune nodded and waited. There was another flash, right behind Kitsune.
"Turn around and use Flamethrower!"
To her surprise, as soon as Kitsune swiveled around, there was another flash of light right behind her. Perrine's eyes widened as she attempted to yell out a warning, but it was too late. As soon as Xatu materialized, the bird fired another psychic blast, one more powerful than the previous one, and it struck Kitsune, sending her flying right into another wall. After a brief moment, Kitsune slumped to the ground, mouth hanging open, unable to move.
"No…! Kit!" Perrine ran over to her fallen friend. During that time, Xatu teleported back in front of Will, its expression unchanged.
"For someone who said they did their research, you seem to forget who you're dealing with," Will chimed in, adjusting his mask. "I could see what you were planning from a mile away. It's no secret that the attack Teleport displays a flash of light that would give away a Pokemon's position when using it. Be that as it may, I decided to use that to my advantage and have Xatu get the upper hand on your Ninetales. I waited until you figured it out, and then had Xatu fake out Ninetales. I'm a member of the Elite Four. We don't fall for such basic tricks."
Perrine bit her lip in frustration. Deep down, she knew Will was absolutely right. There was no way an Elite Four member would give themselves such a glaring weakness if they were trying to hide. Of course they'd find a way to take advantage of anything they could. Will had years of experience under his belt. Perrine was just a twelve-year-old kid who only had a few months of Pokemon training at most. Will was several steps ahead of her. She needed to step up her game if she had a sliver of a chance of defeating him. She gave a sad smile towards Kitsune before calling her back to her PokeBall.
"You were awesome, Kit. Great job," She whispered before returning to her trainer box.
Caiseal clenched his fists. "Will took her down like it was nothing. Not surprising for a member of the Elite Four."
"But there's still a chance, though!" Ethan reminded him. "Now they're both down to one Pokemon."
One Pokemon, indeed. Perrine knew exactly who she wanted to use. It was now or never. "Chirin! This one's on you!"
Chirin appeared on the battlefield with arms raised and bearing a big smile on his face. Will gave a light chuckle. "I doubt the result will change much just from using a Pokemon with a type advantage," Will retorted, snapping his fingers once more. "Xatu! Ominous Wind once more!"
"Light Screen, Chirin!"
Xatu flapped his wings as fast as it could, generating another gale of dark wind. This time, Chirin conjured a translucent wall of light that held off the attack. Chirin could still feel the recoil, but he stood firm, holding his own and preventing the dark wind from hurting him too badly. As the wind died down, the Light Screen dissolved into Chirin's body.
"Now, Charge!"
The light Pokemon stood completely still, closing his eyes and absorbing the electricity that crackled across his body. Will shrugged.
"If you're going to take your sweet time, I might as well finish this quickly," Will said. "Xatu, be a dear and use Aerial Ace."
Xatu flew into the air, its body glowing in a harsh white light before descending down just as quickly as it had ascended earlier. Chirin made no effort to move, but he did open his eyes. Perrine watched as Xatu came closer...and closer…
"Discharge! Full power!" Perrine shouted.
In no time flat, Chirin gave a screech, shooting electricity all over the place. Bolts of lightning shot everywhere, with several of them hitting Xatu head on. Xatu's wings and body convulsed and tensed as burning pain shot through it. As the electricity finally died down, Xatu fell to the ground with a thud. Will gasped as he saw sparks of lightning dance across his friend's body. Xatu tried to get back up, but its legs and wings tensed up, refusing the move the way it wanted them to.
Perrine gave a delighted gasp. Xatu was paralyzed! "This is my chance to win this!" Perrine knew the time to act was now. "Chirin! Use Power Gem!"
"Xatu! Fight back with Shadow Ball!"
Chirin sent a barrage of glowing rocks flying towards Xatu, while the latter fired back with several spheres of black energy. The attacks collided with one another, barely doing much to break through and hit their opponent.
"Power Gem again!"
"Teleport!"
As soon as Chirin sent more rocks flying, Xatu dodged by teleporting away. Perrine smirked. Now that she had an idea of Will's strategy, she wasn't going to be fooled this time. As soon as she saw two flashes back-to-back, she wasted no time.
"Discharge again! Attack everywhere!"
Once again, Chirin sent thunder and lightning in every direction. Xatu didn't have a chance to use Psychic, as lightning struck it right as it managed to materialize. Will clenched his teeth. Perrine was taking advantage of not only Xatu's paralysis, but the fact that Discharge attacks in all directions, rendering his teleporting strategy useless.
"Don't think you've beaten me just yet!" Will cried out. "Xatu, don't give up! Use Aerial Ace once more!"
"Cotton Guard!"
Chirin curled into a fetal position, allowing a blanket of cotton balls to completely envelop him. Xatu only managed to land the hit as soon as the cotton balls completely covered Chirin. "Now Headbutt!" As soon as Xatu hit Chirin on the back, the light Pokemon quickly raised his head up and rammed it into the bird's abdomen. Xatu staggered backward, unable to breathe from the force of the headbutt tightening its diaphragm.
Everyone stood up in the bleachers. "You can do it, Chirin! You can win this!" Julia cried out.
"Beat that Xatu! Keep it up!" Both Caiseal and Ethan shouted in unison.
"You're almost there! You can do it!" Rocio exclaimed.
"Your cheer squad isn't going to help you win!" Will bellowed as he felt sweat trickling down his knitted brows. "Xatu! We're finishing this! Psychic, full power!"
"Chirin! Thunder! Don't hold back!"
Chirin shot a harsh, crackling bolt of lightning in Xatu's direction. Xatu's eyes glowed purple as it managed to fire a large blast of psychic energy. Unfortunately for it, the bolt of lightning Chirin conjured was quick to overpower it, striking Xatu head on. The flashes illuminated the gym, making it turn completely white at points. Everyone closed their eyes to protect themselves from the blinding fallout. Then, there was silence. Both Perrine and Will opened their eyes to see if the attack dissipated. A plume of dust covered the battlefield for just a brief moment, and when it cleared up, it showed Chirin still standing.
In stark contrast, Xatu was face first on the ground, completely out cold.
"No...Xatu…" Will blanched, his eyes shrinking from the shock of seeing his partner down. His jaw quivered as he tried to process what this meant.
He lost.
"Did...did I win?" Perrine asked, unable to believe what she was seeing. As soon she saw Will walk over to his fallen friend, joy bubbled over her like soda fizz. Perrine actually defeated a member of the Elite Four! She leaped into the air, letting out a delighted screech. "I wooooon! I won! I beat one of the Elite Four!"
"Ampaaaaaa!" Chirin followed suit, running over to his trainer and trapping her in a tackle hug. Perrine returned the gesture by hugging him back and spinning him around like a top.
Julia, Caiseal, Ethan, and Rocio left the bleachers and clustered around Perrine, beaming. "You guys did it! I knew you could pull through!" Julia chirruped.
Caiseal gave Perrine a playful smack on the back. "You guys had us worried for a second there! But look at you! You actually knocked Will's pants off!"
"You were amazing out there!" Ethan exclaimed.
"I know...I...I don't…" Like before, Perrine was speechless. First she won the Johto League, and now she defeated a member of the Elite Four. Now she was that much closer to going up against Lance.
Will flashed a sad smile as he called Xatu back to its PokeBall. "You fought well, my friend. Take a nice long rest."
Rocio wrapped her arms around both Perrine and Chirin. "Great job, you two! I'm so proud of you!"
Will walked over to the jubilant cluster of people with a confident smile on his face. As soon as they saw him, everyone released Perrine and Chirin from their hugs. "I must say, Perrine, I've come to accept that your winning the Johto League was indeed no mere fluke. I've enjoyed our battle very much. Great job. You're the first trainer to have bested me in a long while," Will admitted, holding a hand outward.
Perrine shook his hand politely. "Thank you, sir. I'm honored to have been able to battle you."
"Oh, there's no need for the formalities," Will gently chided. "Besides, I may have lost, but this is only the beginning for you," His voice lowered to a more solemn tone, leaving no room for his usual theatrics. "After this, you will experience the true ferocity of the Elite Four, so I wouldn't get complacent."
"No doubt about that," Perrine said.
He was right, to an extent. Defeating a member of the Elite Four was a big deal, but this didn't mean she won completely. There were still three more members to battle, and then her real target: Lance.
"I'm gonna head to the Pokemon Center first. I've got a bit of a headache," Julia said, holding a hand to her forehead.
"You okay?" Caiseal asked, seeing the discomfort on her face clear as day. "Do you feel sick or anything?"
"No. Just a bit overwhelmed is all. I'll head back first," Julia reassured before running out of the stadium. The kids could only exchange confused, worried glances.
"Ugh...my head is still pounding…" Julia groaned, rubbing her temples as she made her way to the Pokemon Center.
Julia had no idea why this headache continued to persist. She assumed the noise and stimulation from last night's closing ceremony might have had something to do with it, along with all the flashing lightning from Perrine's battle just now. Oftentimes, lots of lights and loud noises did that to her, this being no different. It felt like a hammer was pounding on an anvil inside her head, refusing to stop even for a second, though it was more annoying than outright painful. Julia passed through the automated doors and saw a vending machine by the wall. Maybe a drink of water would help.
She put a dollar bill into the vending machine and watched as a bottle of water fell to the bottom. She reached down to grab it, but as she turned around to stand up, she almost ran into someone, but caught herself before she could bump into them.
"Whoops! Sorry! I almost—" She apologized quickly...but then saw who was standing in front of her.
It was none other than Lance. His red hair was still as spiky as ever, and his cape and red jean jacket stood out like a red flower in a garden of white daisies. Her previous euphoria over Perrine's victory faded. With a grumble, she moved out of his way. "Sorry I almost bumped into you."
Lance gave a reassuring grin. "No worries," He went to get his own drink soon after.
Julia turned around, clutching the water bottle like it was the only thing keeping her from exploding. What was he doing here? Shouldn't he be in his office or something? Or did he even have one? Julia wished she could just run back to her room in the PMC, but for some reason her legs wouldn't budge. Of all the times her legs decided to shut down on her, why did it have to be when the one person she really didn't want to see was here in front of her?
"I see that Perrine managed to defeat Will just now," Lance noted. "I saw it on the monitor in my office. I must say, your friend is an amazing trainer."
"Of course she is," Julia retorted, her tone more cross than she intended it to be. "She didn't win the Pokemon League by slacking off."
Just hearing his voice made her irritated, and that irritation increased exponentially the more she stayed here. She attempted to finally walk away, but Lance spoke again.
"...I take it you're not happy to see me."
It wasn't phrased as a question. Against her better judgment, she stopped in her tracks. She could see the subtle glint of late sunlight on the windows. All that did was exacerbate her headache more.
"I don't blame you. In a way, it's kind of refreshing," Lance said.
What? Refreshing? In what way? Julia swiveled around, eyes wide and jaw agape. In a way, she was surprised he even remembered her at all. All she could think to say was, "Why are you even talking to me? Don't you have...I don't know...important Pokemon champion business to take care of?" Julia mentally chastised herself for how rude that statement came across now that she said it out loud. The idea of someone as famous as him wanting to talk to someone like her was foreign. He had plenty of fangirls who would happily fawn over him, Perrine being one of them. Julia wasn't them. She just wanted him out of her sight.
"Let's just say I'm on my break," Lance answered, not fazed by Julia's statement. But she could hear the subtle lowering of his voice and the way it turned serious soon after. "Look, I know we ended things on a rather...sour note the last time we met."
Sour. Understatement of the millennium as far as Julia was concerned. She didn't dare say anything more. As much as she hated seeing him in this moment, she realized it wasn't him that she hated.
"But I wanted to do right by you and Geraldine," Lance explained calmly. "It was the only sensible decision that could benefit the both of you. Geraldine especially. But…" The fragility that Lance's voice suddenly adopted was almost frightening. "I completely understand if you hate me for this—"
"I don't hate you!" Julia shouted without meaning to. "I don't...I don't hate you…" All the feelings she thought she had cried out when she gave Geraldine up came rushing back. Tears threatened to creep out of her eyes, so she covered them with her water bottle. "I...I know it was the right decision. I just...hate that I'm not the one...taking care of her!"
Her angry voice turned frail on a dime, and Julia really didn't want to cry right now. Not in a public lobby. Not in front of Lance yet again. Oddly enough, Lance didn't seem angry at all. He simply walked next to her, but still kept himself a foot away from her to put some safe distance between them.
"That's fair. I felt that way once, too, when my parents decided to send my first Pokemon over to them," Lance whispered.
"Really?"
Lance nodded. "He was just a Dratini back then. I saw him being brutally beaten by his previous trainer. I saved him and he was taken from her. Being the naive kid I was, I convinced the powers that be to let me keep him as my own. He and I got along like peaches and cream," His voice was wistful as he looked up at the ceiling with a nostalgic smile, remembering fun times he and his Dragonite shared back when they were kids.
"But...as much as my family and I took great care of him, Mercury—that's my Dragonite's name—was still very adversely affected by the cruelty his previous trainer inflicted on him. He would use Dragon Rage whenever he had nightmares, and there was one time, he saw something...or someone...while we were going on a family outing, and he began banging his head against the window of my mom's pickup, nearly breaking it. He would completely freak out at the sight of sharp objects like sticks or fire pokers."
Julia didn't dare try to imagine what Mercury's life was like before Lance saved him. Just the thought of someone being violent towards a Pokemon in any fashion was too much to bear. She contemplated asking him about what Mercury's life was like before he met Lance, but figured the details would be too gruesome or horrible for her, a child, to hear about.
"Things got out of hand, but my parents found the facility and decided it'd be best to send Mercury there for treatment. I was twelve at the time, and I protested, obviously, but I was unaware of just how serious things were. But seeing as back then I still lived close by, my parents allowed me to see Mercury once a month, sometimes more if I got good grades in school or did chores around the house."
A smile cracked across Julia's face for a brief moment. She could definitely see that happening.
"Sorry. I don't mean to make this about me," The statement comes out sheepish, unfitting for someone like the champion of Johto. "The point I'm trying to make is...I know things are tough now, and I won't lie, depending on the severity of Geraldine's issues, it could take weeks or months, maybe even years before she's cleared to be given back to you."
That was one thing she appreciated about Lance: He didn't try to sugarcoat things or lie to her. Even he was unsure.
"But the people at the facility are good at their jobs, and I trust them completely. They helped my Dragonite and never gave up on him, so I know they can help Geraldine and see to it that she gets returned to you when she's cleared," Lance told her reassuringly.
"...I actually visited the facility," Julia mumbled. It was low, but Lance could hear it as clear as if she had said it out loud.
"Did you now?"
"My friends and I were leaving Blackthorn City, and we happened to pass by it," Julia began. "They let us visit her. She looked...healthy. A lot better than she did before. But one of the lady doctors said she's still not well enough to leave yet. Even so…" Julia's hands trembled as she pulled the water bottle down from her face and held it to her chest. "I'm just happy that she's okay...that she's being treated well."
Lance used one hand to tug at his jean jacket sleeve. "I'm glad to hear it."
"Sorry. I know I shouldn't...take my anger out on you…" Julia murmured. "You're just trying to help, and...thank you. For keeping your word."
Lance shrugged. "I wouldn't be a good Pokemon trainer if I didn't, let alone a good champion."
Good point there.
"I should probably head back," Lance put his drink in his pocket and left. But not before turning to Julia with a smile and saying, "It was nice seeing you again, Julia Parisa. I'm sure you'll get to be with Geraldine again some day."
Julia waved with a sheepish smile as she watched him walk into another room in the PMC. The irritation that clung to her heart finally let go, now that she made some degree of peace with the champion of Johto. Of course, she never hated Lance. Not for simply trying to help her and Geraldine. He was right in that she hated that she couldn't be the one to help Geraldine, and he himself had experienced similar feelings when he had to give up his own Pokemon for a period of time. Even if he was the champion, that didn't change the fact that he was a regular person. Just like her. He could get frustrated and unsure as well. Realizing that helped push away the misguided anger. Still, the future was unclear.
For now, at least.
"Jule!" Perrine, Caiseal, and Ethan came into the PMC lobby not long after. "Sorry that took so long," Perrine apologized. "Will had some stuff he wanted to go over with me."
"That's okay!" Julia replied with a smile. "So now you have three more Elite Four members to battle."
"Indeed I do!" Perrine pumped her fists, ready for what tomorrow will bring.
"You'll be the first person to battle Gladys," Ethan reminded her.
"So now that today's battle is over, what do you guys want to do?" Caiseal asked.
Rocio was quick to chime in. "I can order us some food if you want. I'm sure you're all hungry," She suggested.
How long had it been since the battle started? Julia stole a glance at the clock on the wall, seeing that it read 1:30 PM. Had Perrine's battle with Will really taken four and a half hours? She had no idea watching a battle could make the time pass so quickly. At least for now, they had some time to kill before the next battle.
"Sure! I'm game!" Perrine threw her hand up.
One Elite Four member was down, leaving three more to go, and then Lance. Perrine couldn't wait for her next match. Her dream was finally getting within her reach.
Perrine's Party:
Kitsune (Ninetales, Female, Quiet Nature)
Ability: Flash Fire
Attacks: Heat Wave, Extrasensory, Confuse Ray, and Faint Attack
Florian (Meganium, Male, Gentle Nature)
Ability: Overgrow
Attacks: Petal Blizzard, Bulldoze, Body Slam, and Grassy Terrain
Luminita (Lanturn, Female, Naive Nature)
Ability: Water Absorb
Attacks: Electro Ball, Discharge, Scald, and Aqua Ring
Fukuro (Noctowl, Male, Sassy Nature)
Ability: Tinted Lens
Attacks: Extrasensory, Hypnosis, Air Slash, and Moonblast
Baloo (Wigglytuff, Female, Docile Nature)
Ability: Cute Charm
Attacks: Hyper Voice, Wake-Up Slap, Play Rough, and Body Slam
Chirin (Ampharos, Male, Adamant Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Discharge, Cotton Guard, Power Gem, Signal Beam