Episode 2: Battling Against Newfound Friends!
August 10th, 2019 (Saturday)
Daytime - Professor Camphor's House
Zzz...
"Daaaviiid! You hearin' me?"
"Heeeyyy! Wake up!"
Zzz...
"Hellooo? Anyone in there?"
...Zzz...
"...Ash, does he sleep in like this all the time?"
"How should I know? I've only known him for a day."
"He has to wake up sooner or later! It's already ten o' clock!"
"No kidding, Rotom. Liana, didn't you say something about a move that forcibly wakes someone up?"
Zzz... Wh-Whuh...?
"Wait, are you telling me to use Wake-Up Slap on him?! N-No way, Ash!"
"Believe me, I wouldn't want to wake him up that way, either! But we don't have a choice. Use Wake-Up Slap, Liana!"
"O-O-Okay... J-Just so you know, you'll be the one to take responsibility for this, alright?! HRAAAHHH—!"
*SLAP!*
"OW! What the heck—?!" I woke up to a sharp blow to my cheek and the stinging sensation left afterward. "What the heck did you do?!"
"D-Did that h-hurt, David?" The next thing I knew, Liana was sitting on my lap and massaging my stinging cheek.
"No duh it hurt! Geez, it's still stingin' like heck!"
"For the record, Ash made me do it... If you're looking for someone to blame, blame him."
"Sorry, David." Ash rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "But it was the only way to make you wake up."
"Ughhh," I groan. "I seriously hope this doesn't become a regular thing, you two..."
Liana got off my lap as I got up from my futon. If you're wondering, Liana and I are temporarily staying at Camphor's place, too. Since Camphor's guest room only had one bed, I had to use a futon while Liana slept on top of me.
...Not gonna lie, sleeping with someone on top of you isn't exactly comfortable. You can't move, knowing you'd wake them up. And there's that constant weight on you as you try to fall asleep. Thankfully, Liana was a small and lightweight kid, not to mention she was kinda huggable... So it wasn't THAT bad. But still.
After that rude awakening, I got out of bed and changed into my normal attire— A plain green shirt with blue slacks. Kinda basic, but it worked for me. Ash and Liana also changed out of their pajamas, then we left our room. Camphor was already waiting for us at the table.
"Good morning, everyone," She greeted us. But her smile quickly turned to a look of concern when she saw my reddened cheek. "Uh, David? What happened to you?"
Rotom was about to start explaining, but I gesture to it there's no need to. I silently pointed at Ash and Liana. Ash rubbed the back of his neck again, but Liana flinched upon seeing me point at her.
"W-W-Wait, David!" Liana gasped. "I didn't want to, Ash made me do it!"
"Yeah, but you're still the one who slapped me." I stared her down. "So as far as I'm concerned, you're just as guilty as him."
"Th-That's not fair at all..." She looked away in shame.
Camphor sighed in disapproval. "Liana, slapping someone's no way to wake someone up. You should apologize to him. You too, Ash, since you're the one who made her do it."
"I-I already did..."
"But I didn't," Ash sighs. "Sorry, David."
"...It's okay," I shrug. "Just don't do it again, alright?" Then I looked at Camphor. "By the way, Camphor, remember the sword I showed you earlier? Were you able to find anything about it?"
"It's one of a kind, that's for sure," Camphor mused. "It's filled with some sorta power I've never seen before. I haven't found out anything else about it yet, but I'll keep digging."
"Thanks, Camphor." I turned back to Ash. "So, Ash? What're we gonna do now?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Ash tilted his head in confusion.
"I know we made that deal, but... I'm not so sure where to begin."
"If that's the case, then we should focus on the 'getting stronger' part of our deal. Let's head to the Pokemon Center for training!"
"What's the Pokemon Center?"
"The Pokemon Center is a place where trainers can rest their Pokemon," Rotom explained. "By doing so, they can restore them to full health and heal any abnormal effects. The Pokemon Center's also a place for some travelers to stay, and you can buy some goods there, too!"
"Wow, that's pretty convenient!"
"I've never been to a Pokemon Center before," Liana admits. "I'm already getting excited, wondering it'll be like!"
"And there's even a battlefield for training," Ash adds. "It's the perfect training spot!"
"Well, why don't we go now?" I say excitedly. "No time like the present!"
"Slow down, David," Camphor laughed. "Before you guys go, I have something to give you and Ash." She put a box on the table, as well as some rectangular-shaped devices. We opened the box, and we saw... two gauntlets? One was blue, while the other was orange. Both had cyan, green, yellow, and red accents. There was an orb embedded into it, as well as a slot for what seemed like a crystal, and a panel with a peculiar emblem. There were also four slots in the gauntlet's palm.
"What're these, Professor Camphor?" Ash asked.
"These gauntlets are Ultigauntlets. They're very powerful gauntlets that allow a trainer to assist their Pokemon in a battle."
"R-Really?!" Liana gasped in awe. "I've heard of Ultigauntlets before, but I've never seen one!"
I put on the orange Ultigauntlet on my left hand. I tried putting the blue one on my right hand too, but it didn't fit. So, I gave it to Ash.
"Could you explain what they do, Camphor?" I asked her as I examined it.
"Of course," Camphor smiled. "Ultigauntlets are able to emulate three phenomenons found in other regions: Mega Evolution from Kalos, Z-Moves from Alola, and Dynamaxing from Galar."
"Wait, they can do Mega Evolution and Z-Moves?!" Ash exclaimed. "That's so cool!"
"What're Mega Evolution and Z-Moves, Ash?" I ask.
"Mega Evolution lets certain Pokemon take on a super-cool form, making them super strong. And Z-Moves are moves that draw out a Pokemon's full power, allowing them to unleash awesome moves they normally aren't able to use!"
"Wow, that sounds like a lot of power! Is it safe?"
"Depends on what kinda person's using it. But... I've never heard of Dynamaxing before, Professor Camphor. What's Dynamaxing?"
"Hold on for a second," Camphor said as she picked up her phone. "I'll pull up a source I found on Dynamaxing a while ago... Ah, here it is! According to this article, Dynamaxing is a phenomenon in the Galar region that drastically enlarges a Pokemon and gives them access to Max Moves. Some specific Pokemon are capable of Gigantamaxing, which in turn allows them to use their signature G-Max Move."
"That sounds awesome!"
"I know, right? But that's not all of the Ultigauntlet's functions. There's a fourth one."
"Really? What is it?"
"Ultra Assists! Trainers are able to use their Ultigauntlet's power to use special moves that help turn the tide of battle in their favor. These moves include but aren't limited to healing a Pokemon, boosting a Pokemon's strength, or weakening an enemy Pokemon."
"Woah, that's amazing! It'll be like I'm fighting right by Pikachu's side!"
"I wouldn't mind having something like that," I smile. "So how do you use Ultra Assists, anyway?"
"With these." Camphor responded by pulling out a green marble with a blue core. "This is an Ultra Marble. It lets you use Ultra Assists. Unfortunately, I only have one, and it's meant for Ash. Sorry, David, but you'll get yours later."
"Aw..." My mood quickly deflated. Ash on the other hand, seemed to be beaming even more.
"Thanks, Professor Camphor," He grinned. "So, how do I use it?"
Camphor pointed at his Ultigauntlet. "You see those slots in the Ultigauntlet's palm? Put your Ultra Marble in one of those slots, and you'll be able to use its ability."
Ash followed Camphor's instructions, and put the Ultra Marble in the slot. When he did, the Ultra Marble started glowing.
"So what does this Ultra Marble do, Professor?"
"When you use it, you'll be able to heal your Pokemon a bit. The Ultra Marble's ability is called Healing Mist. It's a reliable Ultra Assist for new trainers."
"Thanks! This'll help a lot in my battles."
"Can I ask something, Camphor?" I speak up. "I've noticed this slot on the Ultigauntlet's wrist. What're we supposed to put in it?"
"That's a slot for a Z-Crystal," Camphor replied. "If you have a Z-Crystal, you can use a Z-Move. Do you have one?"
"...No, I don't."
"I do!" Ash exclaimed. "In fact, I have a lot. This is one of them: Our Pikashunium Z!" He pulled out a thunderbolt-shaped crystal out of his pocket and placed it in the Z-Crystal slot.
"Pikashunium Z?" Camphor repeated. "I don't remember hearing about a Z-Crystal like that. What kind of Z-Move can you use with it?"
"You could say it's our signature Z-Crystal. I don't know how, but my Electrium Z transformed into this. Instead of Gigavolt Havoc, Pikachu and I can use this Z-Crystal to use 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt!"
"That sounds exceptionally powerful! I'll definitely have to look into this later. But for now, David, since you don't have one, I think I should give you a Z-Crystal of your own."
She reached into the box again and took out a white crystal. When I asked what it was, she told me it was a Normalium Z, capable of letting a Pokemon use Breakneck Blitz. Liana stated that one of her moves was Quick Attack, a Normal-type move, so she could use it if I focused its power onto her.
"I can say for sure these'll help you a lot," Camphor smiled. "Now, next: These are cell phones." She gave us the rectangular devices I wasn't able to recognize earlier. "With these, you'll be able to access a Pokedex, communicate with each other, and several other things. They're really convenient!"
I pressed a button on the phone, causing the screen to light up. Huh... Is this one of the many accomplishments of technology? I wonder how this thing works...
"So many options..." Ash gasped in awe. "This is so cool!"
"But why're you giving them a phone that has Pokedex functions?" Rotom asked. "After all, I can already do basic Pokedex functions."
"Yes, that's true. But this is just in case you get separated and you run into some Pokemon you've never seen before."
"Ah, I see. Taking precautions, are you?"
As Rotom talked, I could see Ash tapping away on his phone. Soon after, mine buzzed with a notification on the screen reading: "Group chat invite sent by Ash."
"I already made a group chat," Ash said. "David, why don't you join it? Go onto your messaging app and you'll be able to see an invite I sent you."
I opened the messaging app like Ash did. In a few seconds, I already joined the group chat. But... "group chat?"
"Why'd you make a group chat, anyway? It's just the two of us in a group, so don't you think the 'group' part's kinda redundant?"
"Maybe for now, but I did that in case there're other people who wanna join our group."
"Can I get a phone too, Professor Camphor?" Liana was getting more and more excited by the minute.
"Sorry, kiddo," Camphor shook her head. "But you're far too young to be using a phone. Maybe when you're Ash's age."
"Whaaat? Aw, man..."
"Well, now that's outta the way, why don't we head to the Pokemon Center?" I asked Ash.
"You said it," Ash grinned. "Professor Camphor, we'll be leaving now, okay? Thanks for the Ultigauntlets and phones!"
"You're welcome," Camphor nodded. "I know you'll make good use of 'em! See you around, you three. And steer clear of those Team Noir guys if you see them."
We left Camphor's house and started making our way towards the Pokemon Center. I gripped my sword's sheath's strap tightly, psyching myself up for a training match. I didn't know why, but the thought of battling got my blood pumping. Maybe it had something to do with my unknown past? If I was a warrior or something, then maybe that would be it. I didn't know for certain yet, but I'd find out later on.
Daytime - Grama City
Since I hadn't familiarized myself with Grama City's layout, I had to rely on Ash for guiding me around. Liana and I wanted to head to the Pokemon Center right away, but Ash persuaded us it would be better to see the sights first. He claimed that he didn't want us to miss an opportunity to explore an area we haven't been in for a while yet, so we just decided to be polite and take him up on his offer.
First off, he took us to Grama Bazaar, which was essentially an outdoor mall. He'd only been there a few times, but judging from what he'd seen from the shops, you could get just about anything. Poke Balls, medicine, berries, weapons for Hybrimon to use in battle, anything you could think of. Liana tried to swing a two-handed axe at some point, but she failed miserably, which gave us a few laughs. In the end, we got a few more Poke Balls and some Oran Berries and Pecha Berries as snacks.
Next, Ash took us to a café a little further away from Grama Bazaar, which was called The Blossoming Aroma. Shopping at Grama Bazaar worked up quite an appetite, so it was pretty good timing we got there. To our surprise, Ash said he'd treat us. I didn't want to get anything too expensive, so I settled on a simple cheeseburger for myself and some waffles for Liana. Ash ordered some Galarian-style curry, and we enjoyed our meals together.
Our next stop was at the Grama Gym, which was the giant castle I saw yesterday. Of course, we weren't there to actually challenge the Gym Leader, Shizen Fujimori, but I took this chance to get some intel on him. A challenger said he used a variety of Pokemon, but one thing they had in common was that they were Grass-type Pokemon. So, according to Rotom, using Fire-type moves would be a solid strategy. But another challenger reported that despite the obvious weakness, his Pokemon were notorious for enduring several super-effective hits. So I made a mental note to train Liana and any Pokemon I caught in the future to be just as resilient.
Afternoon - Grama City Pokemon Center
Finally, we went to the Pokemon Center, our original destination.
"Exploring Grama City was fun, wasn't it?" Ash smiled as we entered.
"Uh-huh!" Liana chirped. "I haven't been in Grama City for long, so seeing the sights was awesome!"
"I wonder what else the Terelm region has to offer?" I thought out loud. "I mean, this is just one of its cities, right?"
"Well, Terelm's divided into four subregions," Ash explained. "The one we're in right now is Grama. The others are Floji, Sluo, and Bernu."
"Wow... It'll take a long time to go around the entirety of Terelm if that's the case..."
"No sweat! I've done this kinda thing in the past."
"Alright, now how about that training session?" Liana smiled. "I can't wait to see how David and I do against you and Pikachu!"
"Yeah, I'm gettin' pumped, too! Let's ask Nurse Joy if we can use the battlefield."
"Huh? Who's Nurse Joy?" I asked him.
"You'll see."
The three of us went up to the front desk. As we did, I glanced around to check the Pokemon Center's layout. There were a few seats surrounding some trees, and there were a few secondary shops around. To either side of the front desk were two staircases leading up to the second floor, which I assumed to be the rooms trainers could rent for a stay.
"Welcome to the Pokemon Center," A pink-haired woman bowed. A spirit-like Pokemon holding a red flower hovered next to her.
"This is Nurse Joy," Ash explained. "She's the one who's in charge of the Pokemon Center."
"I see... And who's that Pokemon next to her, Rotom?" I asked.
"That Pokemon is Floette," Rotom responded. "The single bloom Pokemon. A Fairy-type. Floette takes care of wilting flowers as it flutters through the fields. It uses the energy of flowers during battle."
"What can I help you with?" Joy asked us. "Do you need to restore your Pokemon's health, or do you need a room?"
"Oh, not really," I shake my head. "Actually, we're here to use the battlefield. Is it available?"
"Hmm... Well, I remember letting three other trainers use it, but maybe you could watch them and wait for your turn?"
"There're other trainers using it?" Liana repeated. "I wonder who they are."
"Well, thanks again, Nurse Joy. We'll see you later, alright?"
"Take care," Joy smiled. "The battlefield's through that hallway on the right. Good luck on your battles!"
Taking Joy's instructions, we left for the battlefield. Soon we emerged outside, where an enormous battlefield lay. And true to Joy's word, there were three trainers, duking it out in a free-for-all. I noticed they were all using Hybrimon to battle.
"Those most be the trainers Nurse Joy was talking about," Liana said to herself.
"Man, that free-for-all looks so awesome, I just wanna jump into it!" Ash exclaimed.
"Hold up, Ash." I put a hand on his shoulder to stop any potential movement. "I don't think interrupting a battle's a good idea."
"Yeah, I know. It's just that battles are so exciting... I mean, you've gotta be psyched up for some training too, right?"
"Well, I'll admit the thought just gets my blood pumping. But we gotta wait our turn, alright? There're some benches over there, let's wait for our turn."
"Maybe when we get a chance, we can join the next round!" Liana suggested as we sat down.
The free-for-all was fierce, but for some reason, I could detect that it was friendly— No malice, no fighting for their lives, just normal sparring. Maybe that sorta special ability also came from my unknown past. Although, these trainers and Hybrimon were definitely strong— They were fighting for so long, Liana ended up falling asleep in my lap. Ash was experimenting with his phone, trying to see whatever new thing he could find with it.
I took this chance to take a look at the battling trainers and Hybrimon, starting with the trainers first. One of them was wearing a pink headscarf tightly wrapped around her head, and she was wearing a pastel-green dress with a plaid pattern, too. Her orange hair were tied into two ponytails hanging from the bottom of her head.
Another wore a backwards red cap, and some of his brown hair hung out of the cap's strap. He wore a red t-shirt with a black silhouette of a lightning bolt striking an electric guitar. I almost missed it, but there was a guitar case strapped to his back, which I assumed had a guitar inside it.
The last one had blue headphones around her neck, and I noticed her hoodie's sleeves were rolled up to her elbows. Her black hair had streaks of blue, and I also noticed some suspenders in the "down" position around her white jeans. I noticed they were all wearing Ultigauntlets on their left hands, but they weren't using them... for now.
I analyzed the Hybrimon next. One had pink rabbit-like ears protruding from her pink hair, and I noticed she had a bunny-like tail, too. She wore a white jumper with a pink stripe going down its waist. Her weapon of choice? A giant green-and-orange hammer that looked like a toy. Despite her small size, she was swinging that huge hammer pretty quick and hard.
The next one had goat horns coming out of his blonde, unkempt hair. He also had a tail similar to the rabbit Hybrimon's, but it was shaped like a dog's tail. He wore a red sleeveless shirt with maroon stripes over a black t-shirt. I had to say, he had quite a unique fighting style. He'd run in, land a few hits with his gauntlets, and spit some fireballs out of his mouth as he leaped backwards to avoid any counterattacks.
The third Hybrimon had a style similar to Liana's. She had pastel-blue, jellyfish-like tentacles for hair. Two tentacles hung from her head like sideburns, and she also had two hair bows on the back of her head, similarly to Liana's hair bow. She wore what seemed to be a cross between a dress and some overalls over a red-and-white shirt. Out of all the battling Hybrimon, her whip had the most reach, and she was able to hit her foes from far away.
...This is quite an interesting bunch. Maybe Ash noticed the same thing, and I guess that's why he was so excited to battle them. But... Man, they're taking a long time! I really want it to be our turn already... Ugh, can this fight just end or—
"Alright," The girl with the headscarf huffed. "I think that's enough. Wanna take a break for now?"
"Yeah," The capped boy nodded. "That was a blast!"
"Guess we'll take a gaming break, then," The girl with headphones smiled.
The trainers and Hybrimon seemed to be approaching us, but then they sat down at some benches surrounding a table. The girl with headphones took out some sort of gaming device and some controllers. As they started up a game, I tapped Liana's head lightly to wake her up, then I tapped Ash's shoulder to get his attention as well.
"They're done," I told them.
"Finally!" Liana perked up. "I've been waiting for this! Are you ready, Ash?"
"Slow down," Ash laughed. "I think we can make this even better."
"Huh? What're you talking about?"
"Just follow me."
Ash put his phone away, stood up, and started walking towards the group of six. We followed him, until we were a few feet away. The rabbit Hybrimon noticed us first.
"Oh, hey," She waved. "What's up?"
"Hi," Ash waved back. "We saw your battle, and it was amazing."
"Oh, you were watching?" The capped boy spoke up. "Didn't think there were spectators. So, who was the best one? Me, right?"
"C'mon, Robert," The girl with headphones groaned. "I thought this'd be a friendly battle, not some competition..."
"All of you were awesome!" Ash smiled. "The way your Hybrimon battled was so cool. Would it be alright if we joined the next round?"
"Well, what reason do we have to say no?" The girl with the headscarf giggled. "But why don'tcha tell us your names first?"
"I'm Ash Ketchum! And these're my partners, Pikachu and Rotom." He rubbed Pikachu's cheek, much like he did when we first met.
"Pleased to meet you," Rotom smiled.
"Wow, a Rotom Dex!" The girl with headphones gasped. "Who would've thought I'd see one all the way from Alola?"
"And I'm David Herotis," I introduced myself. "And this is my Hybrimon friend. I'm her trainer."
"Hiya!" She waved cutely in my arms. "I'm Liana Hikari, an Electric- and Normal-type!"
"Aw, what a cute Hybrimon!" The rabbit Hybrimon gushed. I could've sworn I saw Liana blush a little...
"Well, guess it's our turn." The girl with the headscarf shrugged as she stood up. "I'm Allison Midori. And this is my younger cousin. Nice to meet you!" She smiled as she affectionately put a hand on her cousin's head.
"I'm Chloe Wakata," She introduced herself. "I'm a Grass- and Fairy-type Hybrimon. And I can jump really high!"
"Heh, no wonder you're a rabbit Hybrimon," I chuckled.
"Our turn." The capped boy stood up next. "The name's Robert Akane! I'm from Floji City." He playfully slapped his Hybrimon on the back. "This guy's my partner, both in battle and onstage! We've made quite the name for ourselves, if I do say so myself."
"My name's Aaron Rikimaru," He smirked. "I'm a Fire- and Fighting-type. Need me to win a battle with my fire? Wanna hear my hot beats on the drums? No sweat, I can do both!"
"Sounds like you two make quite the team," Ash said. "I can't wait to see what kinda music you two do!"
"Alright, we're up." The girl with headphones stood up last. "I'm Lynn Aoike. Sluo City's my hometown, and I can rule any arcade any day! This is my lil' sister, but, uh... Be gentle with her, alright? She's kinda shy around strangers. Go on, introduce yourself."
Lynn's sister was hiding behind her legs the whole time, but she was able to will herself to come out. "I'm... Uh, I'm S-Susie Aoike... I-I'm a Water- and Ice-type..."
"So, Allison Midori, Chloe Wakata, Robert Akane, Aaron Rikimaru, Lynn Aoike, and Susie Aoike," Rotom repeated. "Data update complete!"
"Didn't you want to have a battle with us?" Robert asked. "We'd be happy to have one more round with ya."
"There's a problem, though..." Chloe shuffled awkwardly. "The battlefield only supports four sides. I don't think we can have a five-way free-for-all..."
"Well, David and Liana'll go first," Ash shrugged nonchalantly.
"W-Wait, US?!" Liana was taken aback.
"Yeah, why us?"
"You guys're new to this training thing, so you should get a feel for it," Ash explained. "Don't worry, I'll tag in after a few rounds, okay? You've got this!"
"Welp, that settles it." Aaron fist-pumped himself. "Prepare to get curbstomped, newbies!"
"Aaron!" Allison scolded him. "We just met them, you can't say that!"
"Oh, uh... Sorry."
I took my position with Liana on my side of the battlefield. Allison, Robert, and Lynn took up the other sides, with their Hybrimon beside them as well. Rotom agreed to be the referee of this fight, and Ash was watching us from the spectators' area.
The night I caught Liana, Ash explained to me the basics of Pokemon battles. If I remember right, I'm supposed to send out a Pokemon or Hybrimon, and command it to use moves on the enemy Pokemon. Liana explained in detail what her moves were:
Quick Attack, a Normal-type attack in which she rams into a foe with incredible speed. Another was Wake-Up Slap, a Fighting-type attack where she slaps someone so hard they wake up from any slumber.
Her other moves were her signature moves as a Hybrimon. One was Ink Shower, a Normal-type attack that makes her shoot ink bullets at multiple foes. Her pink ink was special in the sense that when splattered onto an enemy, they're more susceptible to damage. The other was Inky Jolt, an Electric-type move where she extracts a large quantity of her special ink from her tentacle-like hair, electrifies it, then launches it all as an inky thunderbolt.
"Allow me to explain the rules of this battle!" Rotom exclaimed. "This will be a four-way free-for-all. The battle will continue until only one side is able to continue fighting. A trainer is eliminated when they run out of Pokemon or Hybrimon to use."
"So, how're you feeling right now?" Lynn called out to us.
"P-Pretty nervous," I admitted. "I've never done this before..."
"Yeah, me too," Liana nodded in agreement. "I haven't done this kinda thing in a long time."
"Just relax!" Allison reassured me. "Sooner or later, you'll get the hang of it!"
"Still, you'll be up against some serious competition," Aaron smirked. "Don't think just because you're some newbies we'll go easy on ya!"
"N-Not that I expect you to!" I shot back. "A battle isn't fun if someone holds back!"
"Haha, I couldn't agree more," Robert laughed. "Alright, Rotom! We're ready!"
"Okay! Trainers, prepare for battle! In three..."
As the countdown began, I analyzed my surroundings. I quickly formulated a strategy: Target one opponent and keep bashing on 'em until they faint. Then I'll target another one, then rinse and repeat.
"Two..."
I considered which one to target. From what I observed, Chloe was able to swing her hammer pretty quickly, and her swings looked like they'd hurt. Aaron's hit-and-run style could be a problem, since he could dodge Liana's attacks and counter her. Susie seemed like a good choice at first, but then I considered her whip, which had the most reach out of the four Hybrimon.
"One..."
I tried to find any weaknesses in their strategies. Chloe's risk-and-reward style... Aaron's hit-and-run style... Susie's outranging style... Aha! Now I know which foe I have to target first!
"GO!"
"Liana!" I shouted. "Use Inky Jolt on Chloe!"
I managed to give Liana a command before the other Hybrimon were able to make a move. She surrounded herself in a veil of ink, electrified it, then shot it as an inky thunderbolt! Just as I expected, that bulky hammer of hers wouldn't let her dodge in time, and she took the blow head-on. Just as I expected, Liana's defense-lowering ink splattered all over Chloe's body. But... She barely flinched?! What?!
"Haha!" She laughed. "That barely hurt! What, did you forget Grass-type Pokemon resist Electric-type moves?"
"Wait... Grass-type Pokemon... resist Electric-type moves...?" I was utterly confused. I made a mental note to ask Rotom about this later.
"David, I don't think that was a good choice," Liana shook her head. "Tell me what to do next!"
"Alright, use Quick Attack!" I shouted.
"Chloe, smack her away with your hammer!" Allison shouted back.
Liana charged down Chloe, but Allison's order prompted Chloe to shift her stance. Just as Liana closed the distance, Chloe swiftly swung her hammer into Liana, launching her back! She went careening towards me, and I caught her before she could fly past me.
"You alright, kiddo?" I gasped.
"I'm fine," Liana nodded. "Maybe just running in isn't a good idea."
"Alright. I've got a plan." I put her down, and gave her another command: "Charge in with Quick Attack again!"
"U-Uh, I thought we established that was risky... But I'll trust ya!"
She dashed at Chloe again. Just as I expected, Allison gave Chloe an order:
"Knock her away again, Chloe!" Allison yelled.
Alright, all's going to plan! Chloe's in her counterattack stance, and Liana hasn't hesitated... yet. But I need to secure this!
"Jump backward when she swings, then use your spear!" I cried.
Liana skidded as she closed the distance again. She leaped backward, and just BARELY missed Chloe's hammer. Chloe's whiff left her wide open, giving Liana the chance to give Chloe a taste of her spear! Chloe was knocked back a bit, but she stood strong.
"Pretty good," Chloe smiled. "But we're just getting started! I'm ready, Allison!"
"Alright, Chloe!" Allison grinned. "Use Pixie Dance!"
Chloe put her hammer away, and leaped forward. When she touched the ground again, she twirled on her toes and took a step to her left. She took a step back as she raised her arms and struck a pose, then leapt again. I noticed she was glowing brighter and brighter with each move.
"What is she doing...?" I said to myself.
"David!" Liana scolded me. "Don't lose focus!"
"A-Ah, that's right! I don't know what she's doing, but stop her with Ink Shower!"
Liana extracted her special ink from her tentacle-like hair, concentrated it into a finger gun, then fired it at Chloe. I expected the move to hit, but Chloe did a handspring as she leapt backwards, completely avoiding the ink barrage. When she landed, she struck a pose, unleashing the light her body was emitting and causing it to flow into her body. Any damage we dealt to her was healed, and she looked like she was getting stronger, too!
"Pixie Dance is Chloe's signature move," Allison explained with a grin. "If she can finish the dance, she'll be able to heal herself and her allies, and power them up for good measure!"
"Uh-oh," Both of us gulp.
"Now, time for my ace in the hole!" Chloe exclaimed. She jumped REALLY high, almost five feet in the air. Just like before, she began emitting another bright light.
"Brace yourself, Liana!" I warned her. "Somethin' big's coming your way!"
"DAZZLING GLEAM!"
With a shout, Chloe emitted a huge flash. I had to cover my eyes just to avoid being blinded by the brilliant light. Despite my arm partially covering my field of vision, I could see just barely see the shining Chloe tackle Liana. She went flying, and slammed into me again.
"L-Liana! Are you okay?!"
"Owowow... That... really hurt..." She whimpered.
"Liana is unable to battle!" Rotom announced.
Meanwhile, Chloe jumped back to Allison, and high-fived her. "We did it, Allison!" She cheered.
"David, as much as I'd love to go on, I doubt I can take another one of those... Can you tag in?" Liana looked up at me expectantly.
"Leave it to me." I nodded and put Liana down so she could rest. I stepped forward and drew my sword, much to the surprise of Allison and Chloe.
"He can fight too?" Allison gasped.
"But he doesn't look like a Hybrimon at all..." Chloe thought out loud.
"Hey, focus on the fight!" I shouted. As I yelled at them, I dashed at Chloe again. Allison and Chloe were flabbergasted at me joining the fight, but Allison got a grip sooner than I expected.
"Kn-Knock him away, Chloe!" Allison yelled.
Chloe entered her counterattack stance. But I already had an idea of what to do. I kept running, and leaped high over Chloe's head before she swung. I landed behind her, and slashed Chloe before she could even turn around! The slash knocked Chloe forward, and she barely stuck the landing.
"H-He can really fight?!" Chloe coughed. "I didn't see this coming..."
"Then we'll bring out our trump card!" Allison grinned. "Use Pixie Dance!"
Uh-oh. She's gonna heal and boost herself! Well, I'm not gonna let that happen! I remembered the power the sword gave me. I hope this'll work out... I channel the power within me into my hand... And after some focusing, a fireball appeared! I cocked my hand back to throw, and...
"FRIZZ!"
I shouted as loudly as I could, and threw the fireball with all my might. The fireball hit Chloe just before she was about to release her power, resulting in a small explosion. When the dust settled, Chloe lay there next to Liana, as if she just fainted.
"Chloe and Susie are unable to battle!" Rotom announced. "That means Allison and Lynn are eliminated!"
"Booyah!" Liana cheered. "That was incredible, David! I didn't know you could do that!"
"How could he do that...?" Allison gasped in awe. "That Fire-type move was like magic..."
I smiled cockily at the two's words. ...Hold on, the battle's not done yet! I turned to my left to see Aaron standing over a fainted Susie, which lined up with Rotom's announcement. That meant... This was a duel between us!
"You've got some awesome power, that's for sure," Robert smiled.
"But will it be enough to beat us?" Aaron took up a fighting stance as he stared me down.
"I don't know," I shot back. "But we'll see who's the better fighter! BRING IT ON!"
After theatrically pointing my sword at him, I ran at Aaron, and he ran at me, too. I pulled back my sword for a slash, and he pulled his gauntlets back for a punch. Just as our weapons were about to clash...
*Clack, clunk*
...Something fell in the center of the battlefield, stopping us in our tracks. We gazed at it in confusion. I had no idea what it was...
*POOF!*
...Until the entire battlefield was covered in smoke. I started coughing uncontrollably as I accidentally inhaled the smoke. For some reason, I could hear what sounded like footsteps all around me. But this surprise was nothing compared to what happened next.
When the smoke dissipated... Aaron was gone, and his gauntlets were lying on the floor. Fearing the worst, I frantically looked around... And I wished I hadn't. Liana, Chloe, and Susie were also missing, with their weapons also on the floor.
"Wh-What happened?!" Ash yelled. "Where is everyone?!"
"Chloe, wh-where are you?!" Allison screamed.
"Hey, Aaron! Can you hear me?!" Robert shouted.
"S-Susie, come out!" Lynn shrieked. "This is no time to be joking around!"
"LIANA!" As the realization set in, I let out a yelp. Our Hybrimon were kidnapped, and whoever kidnapped them was smart enough to disarm them. I scampered over to where Liana used to be, and picked up her spear. There were no traces of her other than her weapon.
"What just happened?" Rotom bleeped in confusion. "One moment we're having a battle, the next a smoke cloud hits the battlefield, and now everyone's Hybrimon are gone!"
"The answer's clear. Whoever set off that smoke bomb kidnapped everyone."
"W-Well, what are we waiting for?!" Lynn yelled. "We gotta find 'em!"
"But where do we even begin?" Ash muttered. "We don't even have any clues..."
"No, we do!" Robert exclaimed. "Over here, guys!"
As we went over to Robert, we saw something else: A black calling card with a maroon N insignia. There was a subtitle in white: "Il nostro colpo di stato nero." Turns out, it was folded. Inside was a note:
"Hey, losers! We just did y'all a favor and took your worthless Hybrimon off your hands. If you know what's good for you, you'll stay put. But if by chance you're stupid enough to want 'em back, then bring the sword idiot to this spot in the forest!"
There was a printed-out map in the calling card, too. It was a map of Grama City, which was surrounded by trees. The area they circled was REALLY far away from the Pokemon Center. And it turned out, it was in the Wild Area, too.
"Ugh, just as I thought!" Ash exclaimed with disgust. "Team Noir's behind this!"
"You know them, too?" Allison asked him. "Then you know how annoying they are. Always trying to steal our Hybrimon..."
"We avoided them for a pretty long time," Lynn added. "But to think they'd actually get them... Have we lost them for good...?"
"Don't give up!" I scolded her. In fact, I scolded her so loudly it startled everyone. "We've still got a shot at this. Ash and I can fight them!"
"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried with determination.
"Yeah, you're right," Ash nodded fiercely. "We won't let them get away with this."
"Oh, you don't gotta tell me twice," Robert said furiously. "Once we've got our Hybrimon back, we'll give them a major butt-kicking!"
"There's no time to waste," I told everyone. "We gotta move, NOW!"
Afternoon - Grama Wild Area Forest
We sprinted out of the Pokemon Center as fast as we could, and rushed for the Wild Area. Thankfully, after reaching the Wild Area, we weren't too far from the point on the map. Of course, we had a plan. So we took the weapons belonging to our Hybrimon.
Our plan was to distract Team Noir with me and Pikachu. While we're keeping them busy, Allison, Robert, and Lynn will try to free our Hybrimon, give them their weapons back, and start hammering away on them.
"This should be the place," Rotom said.
"You sure?" Ash asked. "Seems like we've been walking forever..."
"I hope you're not gonna quit on me." I shook my head. "If you ask me, I think we're getting pretty clo— Actually, stop." I put a hand in front of everyone and crouched down behind a bush.
"What is it?" Allison asked curiously.
"We're here already. Just listen."
I focused my hearing on... Something. Eventually, I heard...
"...To think our plan would actually work."
"Yeah, no kidding. Think those brats'll come for 'em?"
"I mean, they've gotta, right? There's no way they'll not."
"Stay focused, you two. We need to be ready for anything."
"Well, you did say something about being prepared for a sneak attack..."
"But we've got this, right? That sword brat's as good as ours!"
So it was just a plan to lure us out here and... Exchange me for their hostages? Ugh... Of course they'd be after me. I mean, I did stop them from hurting Liana, but if that's the case, why go through this elaborate setup?
"They were scheming to get you all this time?" Allison shuddered.
"And all that trouble for a hostage exchange," Lynn muttered. "What idiots."
"Lynn, I think we can all agree that's an understatement," Robert snickered.
"So, what's the plan?" Rotom asked Ash.
"Well, David and Pikachu're still gonna distract them while Allison, Robert, and Lynn free our Hybrimon. But if they're ready for a sneak attack, then we should try to drop their guard somehow."
Think... I need to come up with a plan. Think... What can I come up with...?
"...Alright, here's the plan," I said. "I'll make it look like I'm looking for the meetup point. Then maybe I could signal to Pikachu to use Thunderbolt by snapping." At this, I gestured to Allison, Robert, and Lynn. "That'll be your cue to sneak around Team Noir and try to get our Hybrimon out."
"I think that's a pretty risky plan," Lynn flinched. "RNG might not be on your side, y'know."
"Uh... What?"
"Random Number Generation."
"Well yeah," Robert nodded. "But this plan could work!"
"...I have no idea what numbers have to do with this," I sighed. "But don't worry. I'll make it work. Ash. Pikachu. You two ready?"
"Of course I am," Ash smiled.
"Pika!" Pikachu squeaked.
"Alright," I smiled back. "You guys go hide in this bush. I'll start the plan."
Everyone nodded. I stood back up, took the calling card from my pocket, and opened it up. I pretended to be reading it and walking through the woods, when—
"HEY!" A familiar voice shouted. It belonged to the redhead. "Whaddya think yer doin'—" He trailed off when he recognized me.
"Remember me?" I glowered.
"Heck yeah I do! And don't you dare pull that fancy-pants sword on me, 'cuz we both know your brat's under our care now."
"And I can tell we both know you'll recognize this." I held the calling card up. "Something about meeting here?"
The redhead looked around. "...Where's the rest of your group? I thought you'd bring us the whole gang."
"They're still at the Pokemon Center. It's just me today."
"Well, I was expecting a full crowd... But whatev! Let's get down to business. You want those brats back? Then you'll come with us."
He grabbed my left wrist, but I used my free hand to draw my sword and position it against his neck. But for some reason, he didn't even flinch, aside from the sword's steel giving him a few goosebumps.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. In case ya forgot, we're the ones with hostages. If you wanna get yer hands dirty... Then there will be consequences."
"Then let me go. If you do, I'll return the favor."
"Only if you drop yer sword first. I can't trust brats."
Reluctantly, I dropped my sword. He let me go, and quickly grabbed my sword. Alright, that's it. You've crossed the line, punk. I brought my fingers together, and...
*Snap*
"PIKA-CHUUUU!"
Pikachu's Thunderbolt erupted out of the foliage and struck the redhead with its powerful electricity. He immediately dropped the sword, which I picked it back up. Ash and Pikachu rushed out of the bush, while the redhead's teammates sprinted to his aid.
"Worked like a charm!" I laughed. "You idiots fell for it hook, line, and sinker!"
"You did your part awesomely too, David," Ash complimented me.
"Ugh, I-I should've known these b-brats had s-something up th-their sleeve..." The redhead stammered.
"Hey, it's you two!" The blue-haired punk gasped. "Well, too bad fer you, 'cuz today we're gettin' our revenge!"
"I think that's our line," Ash shot back.
"Of course you'd say that, delusional brat," The green-haired hooligan snarled.
"Alright, you Noir scum," I growled. "If you know what's good for you, you'll release our Hybrimon. Right. This. Instant." With every word, I gripped my sword tighter. Unfortunately, they weren't the slightest bit fazed.
"Well, we all know that since yer goin' against us, we all know what the outcome will be," The redhead shrugged. He glanced at his teammates. "I suppose at the very least, an introduction's in order, boys."
His teammates nodded. They went one by one, readying their weapons as they did so in an animated-show fashion.
"Nick Shimizu, legendary inventor!" The blue-haired punk yelled as he pulled out a crossbow, with a string of arrows connected to its side.
"Oliver Kimura, the phantom thief!" The green-haired hooligan shouted as he grabbed two kunai from his back.
"And I'm Robin Hirano, leader of the Umbral Garrison!" The redhead finished by producing his familiar axe.
"Umbral... Garrison...?" Ash repeated.
"Enough, Ash," I stopped him. "As much as I'd like to know what this phony 'Umbral Garrison' is, we've got some Hybrimon to save!"
As soon as I finished talking, I charged Robin down. I swung at him with all the strength I could muster, but he casually blocked my sword with his axe. He moved it out of the way and kicked me backwards, sending me reeling. Looks like these three are tougher than I thought...
But I'm not gonna quit that easily! I'm sure Allison, Robert, and Lynn are going for our Hybrimon as we fought. I could even see a cage that was big enough for all four, which no doubt was where they were being held. I dashed at Robin again, and he readied his axe. Our weapons clashed again, but before he could kick me, I sidestepped to the left to avoid it. I used this opening and slashed him again, and he flinched.
Suddenly, a barrage of arrows came flying at me. I rolled away, but— Ow!— One of the arrows got me in the arm. Thankfully, it only hit my left elbow. As I rolled back towards Ash, I clutched my punctured elbow.
"David, you okay?!" Ash gritted his teeth.
"Hah! Whaddya think of my automatic crossbow?" Nick scoffed proudly. "This baby fires arrows like a machine gun, thanks to its super-quick reload function and these custom-made arrow clips! One of my best pieces of work, if I do say so myself!"
"Now's not the time to boast, Nick," Oliver scolded him. "We gotta kick these brats' butts."
Nick nodded in response, then Oliver dashed at Pikachu, brandishing his kunai. My instincts told me to rush in front and block him to protect Pikachu, but it turned out I wasn't giving Ash and Pikachu enough credit.
"Dodge it, Pikachu!" Ash ordered it. "Then use a flurry Iron Tails!"
Pikachu dodged in time to Ash's shout, then turned its tail to steel. It swung its tail like a sword at Oliver several times, but Oliver was easily able to match its speed. He swung so fast, his hands were a blur. But I couldn't just stand there and do nothing! I moved in, sword ready to slash Oliver, and—
*CLANG!*
"This feel familiar, brat?!"
Robin laughed evilly as he blocked my sword with his axe. Snarling like a dog, I swung again, and again, and again. Unfortunately, Robin was able to just barely block every slash. If this approach isn't gonna work, then I need to think of something else!
Once again, I remembered the light my sword gave off when I first drew it. The power the sword gave me... Can't I use it somehow? It's churning within me, just waiting to be unleashed. Is this what mages feel like when they're about to cast spells?
...Wait. Mages? Spells?
That's it! Maybe that's what this power was!
As Robin took another swing, I backflipped to dodge. I called upon the power within me, and prepared to cast Frizz. Soon, the fireball appeared and hovered above my Ultigauntlet! Moving on impulse, I cocked back my hand...
"Take this! FRIZZ!"
And as I shouted the spell's name, I threw the fireball at Robin with everything I had. Robin wasn't ready for the sudden attack, and the fireball collided with his face! As he reeled back, he massaged the burn on his cheek.
"Ngh... So you can use magic, huh?!" He growled angrily. "You're no normal Hybrimon, that's for sure..."
...He thinks I'm a Hybrimon? Wait, that's not what I should focus on right now! Using that spell drained some of that power— Or rather, magic inside me. I feel like I should use this power carefully, but... On the other hand, I think I should explore how I can use this new power.
"Well, you better get ready," I taunted him. "'Cause there's more where that came from!"
I concentrate my magic into my sword this time. My sword began to glow... Until it started to glow a light blue. I pulled my sword back, and prepared to swing.
"See how you like this! CRACK!"
As I did an underhanded swing, magical, sharp icicles flew from my sword and were sent hurtling at Robin. Unfortunately, Robin anticipated the attack, and used the size of his swing to block most of the icicles. The icicles only wound up digging into his knees, and some scraped his arms.
...This strategy isn't terrible, but now he's on guard. I can't rely on magic alone, either— Sooner or later, I'm gonna run out of magical energy.
"Is that all you've got?!"
"Heck no it ain't! Try THIS for size—!"
"Keep your grubby little hands off him, brat!" Out of nowhere, Nick sent another storm of arrows my way. The good news was they didn't hit my body. But the bad news was they hit my clothes, and the next thing I knew, I was pinned against a tree. Pikachu also wound up getting the same treatment, and was pinned just above my head.
"Phew," Robin huffed as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Thanks for the save, Nick."
"Yeah," Oliver nodded. "I was getting tired of dealing with that rat."
"No prob," Nick smirked. "Now, how do we finish 'em off?"
Dang it! I was so close! I can't move my body, and I'm in no position to cast spells... Pikachu can't attack, either! Is this it?! Have we come this far, just to lose to these three villains? Are they really gonna win?!
"Oh, you ain't doin' nothing to him!" A familiar voice yelled. "Aaron, use Flame Rush!"
Nick's back was suddenly met with a barrage of flaming punches at the hands of Aaron. He fell afterward to reveal Allison, Robert, and Lynn standing with Liana, Chloe, and Susie. An open cage was behind them as well, showing our plan was a success.
"Th-They got 'em out?!" Robin gasped. "But how did you—?! Oh, I get it now..." He turned angrily to me and Pikachu. "That was your plan all along, huh?! You were just a distraction!"
"Heh, you never miss a thing, do you?" I taunted him.
"Well, for messing with our grand plan, you'll have to pay the price!"
"Like he said, you're not gonna lay a finger on him anymore!" Lynn shouted. "Get 'em, Susie!"
Susie nodded, and focused. A sort of ice armor formed around her as she started levitating. A ball of ice began to form over her hand. Chloe and Aaron attacked her with light and fire respectively, but instead of hurting her... It made the ice ball stronger! Liana took this as a signal to join in, and imbued Susie with her electricity, too. Finally, Susie was all charged up.
"Take this!" Susie cried. "GLACIAL BOMB!"
Susie hurled the ice ball, and when it made contact, there was an explosion of pure cold. Robin, Nick, and Oliver were all launched to the side, and our Hybrimon rushed to me and Pikachu, who were still pinned to the tree.
"Are you two okay?" Liana said worriedly.
"We're... Not that hurt," I tried to soothe her.
"Don't worry," Chloe reassured us. "We'll get you two down."
The four of them started removing the arrows from the tree. Soon, Pikachu and I weren't pinned down anymore, and we were ready to fight again. I smirked as I pointed my sword at Team Noir as Pikachu took up a battling stance.
"Dang it...!" Oliver seethed. "We were so close, too...!"
"And you'll never be this close again!" Ash mocked him. "Pikachu, finish 'em off with THUNDERBOLT!"
Pikachu nodded, and jumped up high. It concentrated its electricity...
"PIKA-CHUUUU!"
...And struck the ground with a powerful thunderbolt. As the thunderbolt contacted, there was another explosion. This time, it was so strong, Team Noir was launched out of the forest, into the sky, and out of sight, leaving pained screams in their wake.
Evening - Grama City Pokemon Center
"Dude, I can't believe you could do that!"
Robert slapped my back as we regrouped at the Pokemon Center. In fact, everyone looked as surprised as him when they digested the fact I could fight like a Hybrimon, despite being totally human.
"You're able to fight, and there isn't even a Hybri Ball on you," Allison smiled. "How do you do that?"
"I dunno, really," I shrugged. "I found this sword in the Wild Area's forest, and... it just filled me with that magical power. Crazy, I know, but it's the truth."
"Man, I wish I was there to see that!" Aaron exclaimed. "I'm so jealous you were there, Ash!"
"I couldn't believe it myself, either," Ash said awkwardly.
"But to think you're able to not only fight, but you also defeated the Umbral Garrison of Team Noir..." Lynn's face had thankfulness all over it. "If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have gotten our Hybrimon back!"
"Aw, don't be like that," I laughed. "It's because of you guys I was able to make the plan work."
"Yeah, we all had a part in it!" Liana cheered.
"So be proud of yourselves, everyone!" Chloe added. Their words plastered smiles on our faces.
"S-So wh-what're you gonna do n-now...?" Susie whispered. She was still behind Lynn like the shy girl she was.
"I guess we're gonna go back home," Ash responded. "Right, David?"
"Uh-huh," I nodded. "I think I've had enough battling for today."
"Well, I guess we're gonna go, too," Allison said. "And if we meet again, we'll have another battle, alright?"
"Yeah!" Ash cheered excitedly. "And we'll see which one of us will be the winner!"
"I'm definitely gonna look forward to that," Aaron smiled as he fist-pumped himself.
"Same here!" Chloe giggled. "Battling you was really fun, I hope we do it again!"
"I-I'm not gonna l-lose next time, a-alright?!" Susie was still being shy, but I could tell she was just as pumped up as us.
"Let's all meet again soon, okay?" Ash said. "Until then, see ya around!"
Lots of goodbyes later, we parted ways with the three Hybrimon trainers. We made a promise to battle again sometime. Somewhere, in the back of my mind, I thought that would be the last time we'd meet in a while. But thankfully, that wouldn't be the case...
To tell the truth, I wasn't expecting to deal with Team Noir... Again. And I never wanna deal with them EVER again. It's nothing short of a miracle that I was able to get Liana back... If it weren't for Ash, Pikachu, Allison, Chloe, Robert, Aaron, Lynn, and Susie, we wouldn't have defeated Team Noir. But the thing was, today brought even more questions. What was this sword? How did it give me the power to use magic? Was it connected to me in some way? I know that right now, I won't have the answers. For now, I'll have to be patient— My magical adventure in the Terelm region's just begun to unfold!
NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW
Meowth: Nyahahaha! You thought you could escape us, twerps?!
David: What the—? Who are you?!
Ash: Team Rocket! You let Pikachu and Liana go right now!
Jessie: You think we'll let them go just like that?
James: If you want 'em back, then we'll just do this the old-fashioned way!
Allison: Don't worry, guys! You helped us before, now we'll return the favor!
Robert: What do we have here? A bunch of Team Noir wannabes?
Lynn: You're just like them. You'll never get away with this!
David: Huh? Everyone...?
Ash: I'm so glad you're here...! Alright, let's go, you guys!
Next time, on Pokemon: Arcane Quest, another evil trio joins the scene! Just what are they plotting? Find out in the next episode:
Episode 3: A Skyrocketing Battle!