Ian vs. Lana is heating up, and it looks like Lana's going to lose, suddenly, her Vibrava begins to evolve! Will her Flygon have the strength necessary to turn things around and seal the win for her? Or will Ian be able to stay on top with his prowess as a battler? We'll have to find out!
KedharS: Hopefully she's got a card or two up her sleeve that she can still play.
Tambry96bj: Yeah, she's doing pretty well in my opinion.
Aquahaze675: Yeah, Sylvia's definitely an enigma. But Flygon should be a good turning point!
Thunder Fire: Four, huh? I wonder how many more we'll see by the end…
Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings
Chapter 518
The light around Drakon grew brighter as he flapped his wings and flew into the sky, so bright it was almost blinding.
"No way!" Lila gasped.
"He's evolving," Akira noted, squinting and shielding his eyes.
Drakon grew larger and the light around him faded away, revealing his new form. He looked much less like a bug, now, and his scales were a bright green, including his two large wings. Two long spines stuck out from the back of his head, and his eyes were shielded by red tinted lenses. A long, thick tail swished from side to side in the wind of the sandstorm, and he let out a buzzing roar, flying through the sand with the aid of his powerful wings.
"Drakon!" Lana gasped, her eyes widening. Her normal calm exterior had fallen aside to make way for a big, beaming smile as she gazed upon her newly evolved pokemon. "You evolved! You finally evolved into a Flygon!"
"Flygon!" Drakon nodded, landing back down beside her. Lana resisted the urge to pull him into a giant hug, keeping her composure in front of everyone. There was still a battle to win, there was time for celebration later.
"Drakon! Use dragon pulse!" Lana ordered. Drakon flapped his wings and turned his head, firing a blast of draconic energy at Opal. The sphere of energy was much larger than the one Drakon had fired back when he was a Vibrava, clearly he had much more power. The problem was,
"Opal!" Ian called. "Use protect!"
A massive pink barrier appeared around Opal, the dragon pulse breaking against it as the sand pelted against the field, the Miltank inside totally protected from the attacks.
"In that barrier, Miltank's protected herself from Flygon's attacks!" Lila gasped. "So even though Flygon has freshly evolved, all that new strength won't matter if he can't use it to break through his opponent's defenses!"
"Opal, time to heal up," Ian ordered. "Use milk drink."
"Miltank!" Opal nodded. She raised her udder up to her mouth and began drinking, restoring her own health, to the disgust of the audience.
Lana scowled. So that was the game. She had expected this from Ian. His Miltank was a very strong, defensive pokemon. She specialized in raising her defenses, restoring her health, and reducing the opponent's attacking power. But there wasn't a method for her to lower Drakon's special attacking abilities, only his physical ones. And that meant that as long as she could get through the protective barrier, then they'd be fine.
The pink shield began to fade, signaling the moment to attack.
"Drakon! Earth power!" Lana barked out, desperate to attack before Opal could respond.
"Flygon!" Drakon landed on the ground and send a tremor through the stadium, the battlefield erupting in a blast of power beneath Opal's feet. Lana's eyes widened and she smiled, the strength of Drakon's earth power now was insane!
The eruption of magma and earth slammed into Opal from below, launching the bulky pokemon into the air.
"Opal, use defense curl," Ian called, Opal curling into a ball and protecting herself from the fall, landing on the ground without much injury.
"Right now, Ian's Miltank is being pressured by Flygon's devastating attacks," Lila noted. She turned to Akira. "Akira, what do you think? How's this matchup?"
"I think it could go either way," Akira admitted. "Right now, the problem is a matter of range. Miltank is a physically powerful pokemon, and needs to get in close to do a lot of damage, the way she did earlier. But Flygon right now is using special attacks to keep Miltank at a distance, see?"
Akira pointed to where Opal was rolling back and forth across the ground, evading the eruptions from the battlefield with her rollout, but the terrain was quickly becoming hazardous and the sandstorm wasn't helping.
"Right there!" Lana noted, seeing exactly where Opal was planning to go and pointing towards it. This way, Drakon could aim right on target. "Now, dragon pulse!"
"Flygon!" Drakon opened his mouth and fired another blast of energy at Opal as she rolled across the battlefield, too locked in to dodge.
"Opal, bounce up," Ian shouted. Opal didn't know where she was going, but she kicked off of a piece of rubble on the ground and launched herself into the air, dodging the dragon pulse without even realizing it and spinning towards Drakon, hitting him out of the sky.
"Drakon!" Lana shouted. "Use bug buzz!"
As both pokemon fell out of the sky, Drakon opened his mouth and released a loud sonic buzz that hit Opal's ears, causing her to cry out in pain.
"MIIIIIIILLL!" Opal wailed, pulling away from the dragon pokemon, the two hitting the ground hard.
"Fly…" Drakon panted, standing back up and turning towards Opal, glaring angrily. Lana was angry, too. She hadn't been counting on Ian's orders to guide his Miltank, she was expecting the pokemon would just keep rolling forward the way she was supposed to.
"Lana and her Flygon were caught off-guard with that last one, but it doesn't look like Ian's Miltank is in good shape!" Lila noted. Indeed, Opal was trying to stand but was wobbling back and forth, clearly dizzy from her rolling. Lila continued, "this might be Lana's attempt to settle things for good!"
"But that Flygon isn't doing much better," Akira warned. "Look. Even though he evolved, that play rough attack really took a lot out of him. And getting hit by a full force rollout boosted by defense curl probably hurt a bit, too."
Indeed, Drakon looked like he was in pretty rough shape. He was panting, and his body was still covered in wounds, though at least, unlike Miltank, he wasn't being buffeted by the sandstorm. One of his wings was badly bent, though, and it didn't look like he would be able to do anymore flying in his current condition.
"Drakon! Use earth power, while she's still dazed!" Lana quickly commanded. If she gave Ian's Miltank enough time to get her bearings back, then she might end up healing herself with milk drink, and Lana wasn't sure she could win if that happened.
"Flygon!" Drakon stomped on the ground, sending energy into the battlefield, the ground erupting beneath Opal and taking out most of her health with the devastating blast.
"Opal!" Ian cried.
"Now, finish with dragon pulse," Lana ordered. Drakon tilted his head back and opened his mouth, red and violet energy crackling in front of him. But before he could fire, his eyes landed on something and he paused, stunned.
Opal had turned in his direction, and was looking at him with the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen. They were sparkling blue like the most wondrous lakes in the world, and he felt himself drawn to their beauty. It was like she was staring right into his soul, and he felt his face heat up and his heart race.
And her body! Where before she had just been a cow, now those swells of flesh and curved, rotund experience promised succulent treasures to any who touched. God, how he wanted to go and say hello to her, she was the most beautiful pokemon he had ever seen!
He lowered his head, the dragon pulse fizzling out. He couldn't even imagine attacking such a wonderful pokemon, no matter what his trainer ordered! It simply wasn't right.
"Drakon?! What the heck are you doing?!" Lana exclaimed, staring incredulously at her Flygon as he slowly walked over to the Miltank, his eyes replaced by hearts.
"Nice use of attract, Opal, just in time," Ian sighed in relief.
"So that's it!" Lila laughed. "Miltank used attract on Lana's Flygon, and now he's in love with her! And not only that, but he's been completely immobilized by love, he just can't attack a pokemon that he's in love with, after all!"
"Wow, really?" Akira gasped, his voice filled with sarcasm. "Is that how love's supposed to work? Dakota, what do you think?" He asked, turning to his girlfriend.
"I don't know, Aki, is it?" Dakota said, shrugging her shoulders. "Sounds like a made-up rule if you ask me."
The two exchanged cold stares that made Lila roll her eyes in frustration. Of course they were making this difficult…
"Drakon, snap out of it!" Lana shouted at her lovestruck Flygon, annoyed by his sudden change of heart and desperate to get him over his infatuation. "Don't fall for her, she's our opponent! Don't you realize that she's the enemy? She doesn't like you back, she's just taking advantage of your feelings so that she can win!"
"Flygon…" Drakon didn't hear a word his trainer said, a big dopey grin spreading across his face. Looking closer he was even starting to drool.
"Opal, before your knew suitor snaps out of it, maybe you should 'play' with him a little, first," Ian advised her.
"Miltank," Opal said, panting. She struggled to her feet, exhausted, and stumbled forward, building up some energy. She began to glow pink, and charged forward, hitting Drakon with a powerful fairy attack that knocked him unconscious.
"Drakon!" Lana cried.
"So not even evolving was enough for that Flygon to overcome the power of Fairy type moves!" Lila declared, maybe a little too proudly. "Flygon is unable to battle! Miltank is the winner!"
"So the first pokemon to fall," Akira said. "It looks like Ian has seized the initiative here."
"Return, Drakon," Lana said, recalling her new Flygon. She smiled a little. "We'll be sure to celebrate your evolution in a moment. But for now, we've got more important matters to deal with! Sari, come back out!"
"Sneasel!" Sari emerged from her pokeball for the second time as the sandstorm died down, holding her wounds and panting.
"So Lana's sent her Sneasel back out," Lila noted. "But it looks like she's still suffering from the aftereffects of her poisoning!"
"Not only that, but Sneasel is a physical attacker," Akira noted. "Will she even be able to score a hit against a physical tank like Miltank?"
She would, Lana was determined that it would happen. She had been training up Sari in preparation for fighting pokemon like this, and she had been saving a move in reserve that would be perfect for handling a tank like that Miltank. But first, seize the initiative!
"Sari! Use ice shard!" Lana ordered. Sari raised her claws, large chunks of ice appearing in the air in front of her and then flung the ice at Opal, trying to take out the last remaining slivers of the pokemon's health before she could heal herself.
"Opal, double team," Ian quickly ordered his Miltank, Opal creating several copies of herself to protect against the incoming chunks of ice, which harmlessly passed through a few of the duplicates. But while she had temporarily avoided the attack, it was clear that Sari had a few more tricks up her sleeve.
"Now, Sari, use taunt!" Lana smiled, knowing that she had this in the bag. Sari might be infected with poison, but now that Miltank couldn't rely on any of her stalling methods. She would have to attack now! And Sari was more than capable of finishing off those last bits of health. Lana smiled. It was going just as she had hope! She had been saving this move in reserve, not even using it when Sari had gotten into that agility skirmish with Ian's Crobat! Because she knew that Ian had a Miltank that was a massive stall pokemon, and while she couldn't be sure if he would use it, she was prepared for it if the time came. And he would have absolutely seen it coming if she'd used taunt before. Now, they could catch him off guard!
"Sneasel," Sari smirked, raising her clawed hand and beckoning Opal forward, staring at her with a scornful look in her eye.
Opal's eye twitched. There was no way that was going to happen!
"MIIIIIIIIIL!" Opal bellowed, and charged at the Sneasel with as much force as she could muster. With all the copies running with her, it was like a stampede of Tauros, an uncommon sight for a Miltank to be emulating.
"Whoa! Sneasel just made them mad!" Lila wailed, frightened a little by the sight of a ring of Miltank closing in on the small pokemon.
"True, but now that Miltank is using offensive moves like that, the Sneasel will certainly have the advantage," Akira explained. "With taunt, Miltank can no longer block moves with protect or double team, or heal herself with milk drink."
"Whoa! So Lana really turned it around!" Dakota cheered.
"Opal, stop, she's baiting you!" Ian cried, already reaching for the Miltank's pokeball to call her back. Under taunt, things weren't looking very good for the cow pokemon.
"Miltank!" Opal shouted, not caring in the slightest about that. She was seeing red, and ready to take down the pokemon in front of her.
"Sari, use icy wind to take out all those copies!" Lana ordered. Spinning on one foot, Sari turned and blew a wave of icy wind in all directions, smashing through the duplicates in quick succession until it smacked the original Opal in the face, causing them all to disperse. Opal let out a pained cry, stumbling back.
Unfortunately for Ian, the blast of cold air wasn't enough to cool his pokemon's head, Opal quickly jumping to her feet, blowing steam out of her nose as she prepared to charge again, this time rolling up into a ball.
"Opal, return!" Ian said, holding up the pokeball and attempting to recall his Miltank.
"Smart move," Akira nodded in agreement. "Under taunt, she can only attack. But by switching her out and giving her time to cool off, he can use her again later and have her use status moves again, restoring her health."
"Oooh, nice!" Lila nodded in agreement.
"Like we didn't see that one coming?" Lana asked, rolling her eyes. "Sari, don't let our friend leave so suddenly! Pursuit!"
"…Of course, there's always that," Akira added, his expression taking on a more serious edge.
"Sneasel!" Sari dashed forward, dark energy engulfing her claws as the light from Ian's pokeball tried to reclaim Opal, returning her to safety. It never managed to save her.
Sari leapt, digging her claws into Opal's bulging belly, the Miltank throwing her head back and letting out a moo of pain. She fell forward, nearly crushing Sari in a body slam, losing consciousness as she was recalled to her pokeball.
"Uh…" Lila squinted, not 100% sure what she had just seen. She quickly rubbed her eyes, searching for clarification.
"I saw," Akira assured her. He glanced at Dakota. "And a girl who prides herself on her eyes like Dakota does must have seen, too."
"Yup," Dakota said, nodding in agreement. "No way is that Miltank able to keep battling."
"Well, okay then!" Lila announced. "Miltank is unable to battle! That means Sneasel is the winner! Both trainers have lost one pokemon each!"
"Sapphire, go!" Ian said, already taking the initiative to send his Crobat back out. The bat pokemon had taken some serious hits, but she was still far from defeated, and in much better shape than the Sneasel was.
"Snea…" Sari stood up, shaking her head, wincing in pain from the poison. That had been why her reflexes had been slightly off a moment before, and she'd allowed that Miltank to flatten her with a body slam. And now, she was feeling the side-effects.
"Sari, watch out!" Lana shouted. Sari regained her bearings just in time to see a wave of poison coming at her. She used her agility to dodge the venoshock attack that would have certainly knocked her out with her current poison, landing on the turned over dirt of the battlefield and clutching her chest.
"It seems Sneasel was able to take out Ian's Miltank, but that poison is really eating away at her," Dakota said, wincing in sympathy for the small pokemon.
"Poor thing…" Lila crooned.
"Sneasel are naturally pretty fragile pokemon," Akira agreed. "It makes sense that the poison would be eating away like that."
Sari's not looking very good, Lana noted. She should really switch out the pokemon. But… what would really be the point? In her current condition, Sari couldn't do much more. If her third pokemon fainted, she couldn't even be sure that Sari would be able to take out whatever Ian had left up his sleeve. No, Sari's usefulness was quickly coming to an end, that much was apparent.
Now how do we make the most use out of her? Lana asked herself. She would need to use Sari to her fullest potential, softening up Ian's Crobat as best as she could. She wasn't naïve enough to believe that Sari could actually win, not with the poison as advanced as it was.
"Sneasel." As Sapphire turned to prepare for another aerial attack, Sari glanced back at Lana and nodded her head. Lana gasped, knowing what Sari was going to do.
Lana nodded in agreement. Okay, then. You give it to her, as best as you can.
"Venoshock again, Saph!" Ian called. Sapphire puffed up her cheeks, building up toxic sludge in her mouth in preparation to spit it onto the poison pokemon and knock her out.
Sari turned her attention back to Sapphire and prepared herself, her body going slack.
"Oh, no!" Lila gasped. "The poison must have drained the last of Sneasel's strength, and she doesn't even have enough left to fight back!"
Sapphire opened her mouth and spat a wave of toxins that curled like daggers towards the immobile Sneasel. But Sari wasn't about to let herself go down without a fight. Dark energy began building up in her body and she leapt forward, feeling the stinging blades pierce her, amplifying the effects of the poison. But she emerged out the other side, claws raised, and swung down in a devastating blow that sent Sapphire tumbling out of the sky.
"That was payback!" Dakota gasped. "It doubles in power if the user got hit by an opponent's move already!"
"…Of course you would know that move," Akira dryly replied.
Sari hit the ground hard, the poison draining the last vestiges of her strength. Sapphire, however, was far better off, quickly regaining her balance with a flap of her wings and managing to remain airborne.
"Okay, Sneasel is unable to battle!" Lila ruled. "That means Lana is down to one last pokemon!"
Lana already knew what her final pokemon was going to be, even as she recalled Sari. She hadn't had a chance to use him before, but she knew he was still her trump card, especially against a poison pokemon like Sapphire.
"Corviknight, go!" Lana shouted, sending out her final pokemon, a Corviknight. The massive bird pokemon had feathers like dark metal, and he spread his wings wide, taking to the sky with a mighty flap as he roared.
"CORVIKNIGHT!" The ominous pokemon bellowed, turning his eyes towards the other pokemon in the sky.
And no one but a select few could see the dark aura of shadows oozing out of his metallic plumage, covering him in a choking miasma.
Lana's final pokemon has hit the stage, and it's a Shadow Pokemon to boot! Will Ian be able to defeat this new threat with the pokemon he has left? We'll have to find out!