She hadn't even issued a single command. Charmy did that all on its own. Yet there it stood, unfazed and untouched by Arbok's fangs. Agatha's state intensified with Haunter's growing, toothless smile.
"CHARMELEON VS. HAUNTER! BEGIN!"
The ghost's hands waved in hypnotic patterns. Delia could see her reptile champion sway on its feet.
"CHARMY, SNAP OUT OF IT!"
The flame pokemon shook its head and leaped at the ball of gas with claws extended.
Haunter hadn't the time to react as a claw passed through its body, sending it reeling back. That attack hit true, a critical hit.
Delia grinned in disbelief. Agatha hadn't even flinched.
"Toxic attack, Haunter."
The ghost pokemon spat out a wad of purple ooze at Charmeleon, landing on its orange scales and sending a painful shock down its spine.
"NASTY TOXIC," The announcer called. "OOH, THAT'LL INFLICT SOME DAMAGE."
Charmy staggered back for a second, then shook its head again.
"CHARMY, Delia called, "Unleash your flamethrower!"
It nodded its head and unleashed a stream of fire at the floating head. Haunter dodged it in time, giggling as it swerved away.
Delia realized that her moveset for Charmy only had room for physical or elemental attacks. Nothing that could stop Haunter's increased speed or evasiveness. She needed to stop it before-
She glanced from Haunter's floating body to the purple stain on Charmeleon's scales. Every turn that Haunter was still standing, that toxic ooze sucked more energy away. She didn't have much time left.
Agatha instructed Haunter to cast a night shade. It delighted in doing so, landing a direct hit on Charmy.
"Slash it!" Her champion gave her a double-take and shook its head.
"Charmy! COME ON!"
The flame pokemon got hit with another hypnosis and needed more effort to shake it off. Haunter hovered around the weakened pokemon, almost taunting it. Charmeleon dodged another night shade attack.
"WHAT'S THE MATTER, TRAINER?" The announcer called out through the booming speakers, and Delia wanted to punch him in the throat.
Delia and Charmy needed to act fast, and they only had one more move that could change everything.
"Rage attack, Charmeleon!"
It nodded in agreement and roared at the ghost pokemon. Its orange and red flame grew a blue tint. Haunter grinned as it staggered under the purple toxic sludge.
Its smile faded as Charmeleon lunged at it with claws extended, swiping at the air and landing a hit or two on the ghost pokemon. Haunter floated around while dodging swipes and slashes.
"End this, Haunter!" Agatha's command was enough for Haunter to land another night shade at an enraged Charmeleon, hitting it square in the face and sending it down to the clay ground.
"CHARMELEON!" Delia screamed at her champion's fall, fighting every urge to storm the battlefield and tend to it. It lay still for a heart-stopping second before its tail whipped around.
Charmeleon, her brave fiery raptor, gathered its feet underneath and gripped the floor again. It couldn't stop now. After all, Delia was still in trouble. She needed it. All of her pokemon's efforts rested on its shoulders. It needed to win, but the toxic hurt so much.
Charmeleon's roar went from triumph to desperate cry. Then, finally, the pokemon collapsed from the draining toxic and fell forward, sending a cloud of dust floating in the harsh white lights above.
Delia fell to her knees, the sweat dripping like melted ice down her neck. Her lungs weighed her down, and her heart floated up to her throat. She lost- she was so close. They were all so close.
She faced the ground, which started to blur with tears. Every breath became laborious as her body tried to relax. A full battle can wear out the body and mind, but it crushes the soul when it loses.
"Get up, Delia."
She saw familiar black shoes, then a violet dress. Agatha rested one hand on her cane. "You're not so bad either. You're friends with Red, yes?"
She nodded through heavy tears.
"You'll go far, too. Chin up. It's not over yet."
She turned away and left Delia sitting on the clay. Then, suddenly, the redhead from Cerulean mustered the energy to recall Charmeleon, gather her pokeballs, storm out of the exit to retrieve her other champion, and make it to the bathroom before she broke again.
She collapsed while sitting in one of the toilets, using the tissue paper to blow her nose.
She was so close. If only she were allowed to use all of her pokemon. Maybe things would have changed.
What happens now? Delia wanted to see her friends again, to talk things over. Then, they'd know what to do next.
The tears stopped coming, and she took a few deep breaths. Ray and Blue were still in the race; maybe they still need her help. Or, she could go after Red now. He must be so scared out there. Oh, what in the world could she do? What would anyone do in this situation?
She exited the stall, took out one pokemon that could help, and launched it out of its pokeball.
Kadabra looked around for a second, then towards its trainer, who now leaned against the wall with determined, albeit red and moist, eyes.
"I need your help with something. We're going to talk something out telepathically," She began. "We need to figure out something more than just a pokemon battle strategy. This is real."
Only after she thought things through did she exit the bathroom, where a nervous Ray and Blue waited for her.