Thanks to IanAlphaAxel for reviewing the previous chapter
Chapter Twenty Six: Between Old Friends
Sunyshore City was quite a change in terms of landscape and scenery – by this point, Dawn had become tired of mountains, caves and cold weather so this was a pleasant change. A gentle sea breeze coming from the east brushed up against her skin, the scent of sea water filling her nostrils. Sunyshore was infamous throughout the region for its stunning beaches and warm weather, and Dawn could see why it was a place many people wanted to live in.
People of all ages gathered on golden beaches. Some were sunbathing, others were playing in the ocean while others were more content just to build sandcastles in the sand. It wasn't just people enjoying the sun though – flocks of Wingull and Pelipper made themselves comfortable. Dawn was half-tempted to join in the fun, but she was here to claim her final badge. The quicker she claimed it, the faster she'd make it to the league and then she could go and see her mother.
"They have surfing lessons here! You can even go snorkelling," Barry read aloud, glancing down at the words of Sunyshore's activities brochure he had received from a passing trainer. "I am totally going to convince mum to move here. And look, they have beach volleyball!"
His eyes were glistening with excitement, and Dawn's worries about her mother faded temporarily. They had not spoken of the events which had taken place at Mount Coronet nor did they speak of Rowan and Johanna's condition. It was strange, but Barry wasn't the type of person to talk of such things. He was so happy right now. Bringing up the events of the past would dampen his mood.
"This city is powered entirely by solar… and it's built on piers," Dawn added, peering down at the brochure in his hands.
He shrugged. "Who cares about the historical information, it's all about the fun stuff you can do here." He put the brochure away then looked up. "There's Lucas!"
She looked up. The last time she had seen Lucas, he had been clutching a wounded arm to his chest. Now he was waving both his arms around, as if he had never sustained an injury in the first place. "Dawn! Barry!" He sprinted towards them, his Marill trailing behind, struggling to keep up with his trainer. He stopped in front of them, bent over to catch his breath then straightened. "I'm glad you both made it! You're just in time for something really exciting!"
"A Pokemon tournament?" Barry said.
"Even better, an exhibition match between Volkner and Flint!"
The names meant nothing to her. Barry looked at Dawn, equally confused. "Who are they?" he said.
Lucas brought a hand to his forehead in mock disbelief. "Volkner is the final gym leader and Flint is a member of the Elite Four. This is the perfect chance to catch a glimpse of their fighting styles and prepare a strategy to defeat them in advance." He handed them both a mini poster detailing the exhibition match. There was even a photo of the two trainers. Both of them looked fierce.
Barry smiled. "Great! Let's go down and watch the battle!" Barry hastily folded his poster then shoved it into his bag. "We could do with some relaxation time," he added, turning to look at Dawn, sympathy written over his face. Lucas darted his eyes back and forth, both eyebrows raised. "We'll fill you in the details, later. Let's just watch the battle."
"The battle is taking place right here," Lucas said. "So we don't actually have to walk very far at all." He gestured to the ground and Dawn noticed there was a red circle created by a spray can. It was twice as large as the marked area for the Solaceon tournament. "The best place to catch all the action is to sit directly on the ring's border." He led them to the middle area of the ring's outline and sat down. Dawn sat in between the two boys.
They were soon joined by large groups of people of all different ages and backgrounds. It seemed everyone in Sunyshore had taken a break in their activities to witness this event. She was surprised to see a couple of people wearing 'Volkner has lost his spark' shirts and wondered what the reasoning behind that was. Barry too seemed to have noticed and directed Lucas' attention to it.
"Volkner isn't too popular in this city anymore," Lucas explained, readjusting his cap. "The local gossip magazines say he lost his spark for battling. He was giving badges away for free, believing there was no point in even battling because no one was good enough. I don't know what led to that line of thinking, but this exhibition match is supposed to be his attempt to rebuild his reputation."
A gym leader who gave their badges away for free when a trainer did absolutely nothing to earn it? This Volkner sounded like he was one of two extremes – extremely conceited or really depressed. She didn't like the sounds of him, but that would only make victory against him so much sweeter. More people arrived and soon the entire path leading up to Sunyshore's main gateway was filled. Everyone wanted to get a glimpse of the action. Even the local media outfits were here to write their story.
"Let's place a bet on who will win," Barry said, turning to his friends. "Whoever loses has to pay for lunch." Dawn just smiled. Naturally, Barry would be the one to make a game out of this match. "I'm going to say Flint will win. He's an Elite Four member, right? I mean, I know that strategy is more important than pure power, but Flint has got to be more skilled and powerful."
Lucas shrugged. "I don't know, Barry. It's not that simple. Some gym leaders can hold their own against the members of the Elite Four. You've heard of Clair, right? You know, Clair of the Blackthorn Clan in Johto?"
"I've heard she's a real mean trainer," Barry said.
"Well, she's strong enough to take on the Elite Four."
Barry snorted. "If she was strong enough, she'd be part of the Elite Four and not a gym leader."
"She wasn't allowed to – her cousin is the Champion. You can't have two trainers of the same elemental typing as part of the league," Lucas replied. Dawn remained silent, listening to the boys' debate, shaking her head at the silliness of their topic. Elemental advantages could help, but it was the bond a trainer shared with their Pokemon that really determined the fate of the battle. Love was the greatest power of them all.
"So you're placing your bets on Volkner then?"
Lucas nodded. "Yes. I think he's overall desire to repair his damaged image will give him the strength." They both turned to face Dawn. "What do you think, Dawn?"
Volkner or Flint. Fire and Electric weren't at a disadvantage to each other nor did one element have an advantage over the other. They were equally matched in terms of elemental pairings. It was going to come down to who had a stronger passion and the signs pointed towards Volkner if what the gossip magazines said were true. Volkner had more to prove to the world and himself. "I'm placing my bet on Volkner too."
"Maybe you'll both be buying lunch then," Barry teased.
"We shall see," Dawn replied.
.
Today was the big battle and Volkner found himself unable to relax. It had been a long time since he had battled against a tough opponent and Flint was one of the strongest trainers in Sinnoh. He was presumably the strongest of fire-type trainers in the world just like how he was often labelled as the strongest electric-type specialist. Word had spread across the city about the exhibition match. Word had even reached neighbouring cities and towns. Business in Sunyshore would be strong today.
Big names from other regions had even come upon special request from Flint. Fire-type trainers Flannery and Malva were visible in the crowd and Electric-type trainers Elesa and Wattson were there with them. Flannery, Elesa and Wattson waved out to him while Malva just winked. He spotted Flint trying to talk to the other Elite Four member, but she was ignoring him. Poor Flint. Jasmine was also in the crowd, but she was standing opposite to the other trainers. She caught his eye. He nodded.
"You've all gathered here today to witness two amazing trainers do battle against each other," Maylene said, standing in the centre of the circle, speaking through a megaphone. "On the right, we have Volkner, the reigning gym leader of Sunyshore City." The crowd was mostly silent – some pulled faces at him. The only people who cheered were a group of three young teenagers sitting at the front near the centre. "On the left, we have Flint, the Fire-type master of Sinnoh's Elite Four." The crowd erupted into cheers.
Volkner sighed inwardly. Naturally everyone would show their support towards anyone who was going to do battle against him. Maylene kicking his ass in public was nothing in comparison to this. He spotted a few trainers wearing the popular, 'Volkner has lost his spark' shirts in the crowd. Destiny was one of those traitors. He tightened his jaw. His pride was on the line here.
"Because this is just an exhibition match and not a gym battle, you'll only be able to use one Pokemon," Maylene said. "You will not be able to change out and you are prohibited from using status recovery and healing items for this match. I ask that all spectators keep their hands, feet and other objects from entering the area. This is for your own safety." She walked out of the ring and raised one hand in the air. "Trainers, are you ready?" A thunderous roar filled the air. Maylene turned to Flint. "Choose your Pokemon, Flint."
Flint smirked. He brought a hand down to his pokebelt, removed a pokeball and threw it forward. His mascot Pokemon, his beloved Magmortar appeared. It was hot already in Sunyshore, but the temperature jumped up a few degrees with Magmortar's appearance. Flint's Magmortar raised an arm into the air, shooting out flames. What a show-off, Volkner thought. The crowd loved it. "Your turn, Volkner. Bring out your best. I don't want you going easy on me."
He turned to look at his Electivire's pokeball. Electivire hadn't responded to his commands the last time he summoned him, but hopefully this time would be different. There would be nothing more humiliating than having his Pokemon refusing to obey in front of the public and media. "We can do this, Electivire. I believe in you – will you believe in me?" He threw his pokeball out and summoned his mascot Pokemon.
"Let the battle commence!"
"Magmortar, use Flamethrower!" Magmortar lowered his cannon-shaped arm in the direction of Volkner and his Pokemon. Burning hot flame erupted from the hole, encasing his Electivire in flames. Sweat beads formed on his forehead. Some members in the crowd started fanning themselves. "Can you handle the heat?"
His Electivire batted away the flames with both his arms then planted his feet in the ground, electrical sparks radiating from his body. Once the flames had died down, his Electivire pounded his fists together, creating sparks with each touch. "Use Giga Impact, Electivire!"
Electivire charged forward then leapt into the air, drawing in his legs and arms close to his body, as he made contact with Magmortar. The impact threw the Magmortar back a few steps and succeeded in sending a shockwave throughout the arena. A few less-than-sturdy trees toppled over. Even the ocean was affected – the waves crashing against the shoreline increased in size, but it was just a temporary effect.
"Now use Hyper Beam, Magmortar!" Magmortar brought both cannons in front of his body. Small yellow balls appeared, growing in size with each second until they filled the entire tube. Once filled, Magmortar thrust his cannon releasing the beams. The beams merged into one, creating an ultra powerful beam of energy.
Volkner threw himself out of harm's way as the beam sped towards Electivire. Instead of jumping out of the way, Electivire brought his arms forward and crossed them over, and bowed his head. The beam slammed into him with such force it shook the entire city. Several stones on the top of the lighthouse crumbled to the ground. "You're going to have to pay for that, Flint," Volkner retorted, climbing to his feet. "Use Thunder Punch now, Electivire!"
His Pokemon roared in response and charged forward, his right fist drawn back behind his head. Magmortar placed his cannons in the ground and leaned forward allowing himself to recharge, but it also allowed him to firmly plant himself in the ground. Electivire brought his fist forward and smashed the Magmortar in the side of his head. An aura of flames covered Magmortar's frame. Embers clung to Electivire's body, leaving third-degree burns into his skin.
It was so hot now some people in the crowd had actually fainted. That was one of the greatest difficulties in facing Flint – not only did he have to defeat the power of his Pokemon, but he had to endure the elements as well. His room at the league building was built over a raging fire, designed specifically to help him take his skills to the next level. The fire-type master hadn't even unleashed his full power yet – this was just a fraction. It was like he was holding back for some reason.
Sweat was dripping down his forehead. His clothes were drenched in sweat. Only the other Fire-type trainers seemed unaffected, but everyone else was suffering, just like himself. Those that had fainted had been taken away by medics. One of the camera men cursed and Volkner briefly glanced over to see what the fuss was about. His eyes widened. The camera had melted from the heat.
"It's… so… hot…" One of the girls gasped. A trainer with a Marill ordered his Pokemon to splash himself and his friends with water. The girl, a trainer with a deep shade of blue hair, cried out, while her blond friend just laughed. Looking at the Marill made him feel thirty – his mouth felt like a desert, but he looked away, not wanting to show weakness before his friend and rival. He had shown up for this match to win.
"Come on, Volkner! Show him the true might of the electric-type Pokemon!" Wattson bellowed.
"You have what it takes to match him in power, Volkner!" Elesa called out. "Use your environment!"
Use your environment? What was that supposed to mean? Electivire couldn't pull out trees and start hurling them at Magmortar – the Fire-type would burn them into cinders. He turned to the Marill again. Blue. Water. Ocean. Of course! Water was his greatest weapon here. If only he could somehow lure the Magmortar to the ocean… He looked at the ground and thought hard. Magmortar was a heavy Pokemon and would not so easily to be toppled over. It would take an earth-shattering force to hurl him through the air…
"Electivire, use Thunder Punch on the ground!" Electivire turned to face him, a little confused. "I know what I'm doing. Punch the ground." His Pokemon turned away and proceeded to smash the sand. Each punch shook the ground, creating deep cracks in the path. A few more trees toppled over. Magmortar's body was still encased in flames – making contact with the creature would only result in receiving more deep burns.
"Magmortar, use Flamethrower!"
Another burst of flame erupted from a single canon. He sniffed the air. The smell of burning leaves filled him. Several trees had caught on fire. The Marill quickly rushed over and put the flames out, but for every tree saved, two more would become shrouded in flame. Electivire roared again as flames covered him from head to toe, but he continued to pound the floor.
A few screams broke out through the crowd. "Watch out!" a girl screamed, pointing towards the ocean. Other spectators looked in the direction and Volkner himself turned. Pounding the ground continuously had resulted in a surge. Once a year there would be a king tide otherwise the water never reached the land. Today was different. All spectators in the area stood up and rushed to a higher ground as the waves came closer and closer. Volkner moved out of harm's way and even Flint moved. Only the Pokemon remained in place, standing in a large puddle of water. Now was the time to attack.
"Electivire, use Thunder!" Electivire raised both his arms above his head conjuring artificial clouds from nothing. Small electrical bolts jumped into the air from his antennae as the clouds above darkened. Lightning bolts jumped from cloud to cloud followed by a deep rumble of thunder. No rain fell however and the wind was absent. "Now!" Electivire clapped his hands a bolt of lightning crashed down to the ground. A few bolts struck trees and others struck buildings, but only one hit the intended target. The sound was deafening.
Pieces of cement flew up into the air upon impact. More lightning crashed around them. Flint's Magmortar was defenceless and quickly fell – the combined power of water and electricity was too much for him. The storm died down the moment the Magmortar had fallen. The clouds disappeared and once again the sun was shining. "I can't believe it…" Flint murmured. "You actually won." A grin broke out across his face. "Well done, old friend. I think you've proven yourself. Your father would be proud."
The crowd was stunned. No one had expected Volkner to win that match. Maylene staggered to her feet and raised the megaphone to her mouth. "And Volkner has won the battle!" A crowd that was silent before erupted into applause. The people that had thrown things at him before were cheering his name and those wearing 'Volkner has lost his spark' shirts quickly removed them. Even his gym students looked impressed. All his critics had once again turned back to his side now that he had won a match against a skilled opponent.
Destiny sprinted over and threw her arms around him, planting a kiss on his cheek. "I always knew you could win!" she exclaimed. Volkner pushed her away, disgusted. She only wanted to be with him because he had won. The girl had shown her true colours. "Volkner!" she stammered. "You and I are supposed to be together!"
He ignored her and walked over to join Maylene. "Congratulations, Volkner."
"Do I get hug?"
She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "You beat Flint and you proved to everyone who doubted you, that you are the rightful gym leader and deserve to be the one." She hugged him and he hugged her back. He held her in a tight embrace for what seemed like minutes when he heard Flint's voice.
"Where's my hug?" he teased, stretching his arms out to the both sides in a mock hug. Volkner glared. Flint broke out into laughter. "Just kidding, man. You did well… Although I have to admit, you had the advantage. If we were in my gym you would've lost. Enjoy the celebration – you'll have people talking about this for months." He clapped him on the shoulder then moved away, heading towards Malva. Volkner shook his head. That boy just didn't know when to take no for an answer.
"So you prefer that thing over me!" Destiny said, her hands resting on her hips, her brows furrowed. "She's not even worth it – I'm way prettier than her! You and I had something special going on, Volkner! I could make you so happy! This girl will never please you like I can!"
"That's enough, Destiny!" Volkner snapped. "Whatever you thought we had – it's not real. You're not loyal to me so why would I want to be with you?" Destiny bit her lip, tears threatening to spill. He wasn't going to fall for that cheap trick. "Drop the act."
She walked up to him and slapped him in the face. "You're an asshole, Volkner!" she spat. "I hate you!" She turned to Maylene. "I hope you're happy with him – enjoy it while you can because he'll get bored of you too." She turned around and stormed off, cursing his name loud enough for all to hear.
"…She'll get over it," Volkner said, grabbing her hand. "Now why don't you and I go someplace else away from the crowds and cameras?"
"I want to introduce you to someone first," she replied, pulling him closer. "Some challengers have arrived and they're both very strong. I think you'll enjoy battling them." She led him towards the trio he had spotted earlier sitting in the middle. They were still drenched in water. "It's good to see you again, Dawn." She turned to Barry and nodded. "You too, Barry. And-" she added, looking at the boy with the Marill.
"Lucas."
"Hi, Lucas."
Volkner studied them. They didn't look like much, but he knew to trust Maylene's judgement. "You've come for the final badge then."
"Yeah, that's right!" Barry exclaimed. "You're going down!"
Barry reminded him of an excitable puppy dog – filled with endless amounts of energy. "The gym isn't ready. It'll take me a few days to get things back in order again."
"We don't have a couple of days," Dawn said. "I don't mean to sound pushy, but we really don't have time." He searched her eyes looking for truth – he didn't want to battle against someone who wanted to rush into the Elite Four. It was his job as the final gym leader to ensure all trainers were prepared to face the difficult challenge ahead. "Please."
Maylene tugged his arm. "They're sincere, Volkner. I've battled them both."
"But what about my gym?"
"You don't need to test them. They've come this far already."
He considered her words and tilted his head to the side. "All right then. You've piped my interest. We'll battle tonight – drop by the gym as soon as the sun dips behind the horizon. There'll be no trainers waiting for you and no obstacles for you to overcome. This is a one-off though, if you lose, you'll be tested." He turned to Maylene. "You don't mind if we change the dinner to another night?"
"Of course not. I wouldn't mind returning home for the night and checking on my students. I haven't seen them for days now. I'll be back tomorrow though – good luck, Volkner." She rose on her toes and kissed him on the cheek then moved away.
Once she was gone, he turned back to the trio. "Don't be late."
"Don't worry, we'll be there," Barry replied.
Little did he know the toughest battle of his career was just around the corner.
.
Sunyshore's gym was three stories high and was filled with various switches, electrical fences and moving bridges. The switches were supposed to move the bridges connecting the platforms together, but right now they weren't working. Volkner had turned them off for this battle which Dawn was grateful for. Having to navigate around this place would be a nightmare. It didn't help it was a fair drop to the bottom. The mats beneath were soft, but falling three metres would still hurt.
Because there was no need to overcome any obstacles, Dawn reached the end rather quickly. Volkner was leaning against a wall, his arms folded across his chest, looking quite relaxed. She approached him. The sound of her footsteps opened his eyes and he pushed away from the wall. "You're making a mistake challenging me so early, but I can't refuse a battle. Maylene said you were a tough trainer – I don't want you to give me one hundred percent. I want you to give me one thousand percent. Can you do that for me?"
She could understand why people had thrown things at him. With an attitude like that, he wasn't going to make friends easily, but perhaps it was just part of his tough-guy gym leader act. There was a rumour that the final gym leaders always came across as hostile trainers to ensure only the best would make it through to the league. "I'm ready to claim my final badge."
"All right then. Let us do battle." He brought out his first Pokemon, one of four. A yellow fox-type creature with a white spiky ruff appeared. Other than the fur on its legs and face, its body was spiked, and almost looked like it had been electrocuted. She held up her Pokedex.
Jolteon. One of the many Eeveevolutions. If agitated, it uses electricity to straighten out its fur and launch it in small bunches.
She put it away and summoned her first Pokemon – Torterra. Ground-type Pokemon were said to be strong against Electric-types and Torterra had Earthquake in his arsenal.
"Jolteon, use Iron Tail!" The Jolteon dashed forward it was almost a blur to her eyes. The next couple of seconds flew by so quickly, all she managed to see was a glimpse of silver and hear a cry of pain from her Pokemon. The Jolteon returned to its original standing position, electrical currents chorusing throughout its body.
"Torterra, use Earthquake!" Torterra stomped his feet on the ground causing the entire building to tremble. Volkner was calm – he didn't appear concerned at all that his Pokemon was extremely weak to such an attack. Cracks in the floor and walls appeared, but nothing came crumbling down.
"This gym is designed to withstand an earthquake, Dawn. Your attack will not do much here." So that's why nothing had broken. No wonder he looked so assured of himself. He was forcing her into a battle of pure strength rather than relying on strategy to make the most of it. "You didn't think your final battle was going to be easy, did you?"
Although her Torterra had the power to match up to Jolteon, he sorely lacked the speed to compete. Jolteon could run circles around him all day, chipping away at his health until he fainted. She needed a Pokemon that wasn't so slow and vulnerable otherwise this battle would be over within seconds. She returned her Torterra and replaced it with her Houndour.
"Jolteon, use Charge Beam!" Jolteon opened its mouth and shot forth a beam of electrical energy.
The beam hit her canine squarely below the chin, knocking the wind out of him. He staggered to his feet and shook his head a few times, but thankfully seemed to have sustained little damage. "Houndoom, use Smog!"
Relying on physical attacks against a much speedier opponent was too risky. She'd be lucky to land even one hit. A cloud of toxic gas left her Houndoom's mouth and soon the space around them was filled with a purple haze. Her Houndoom remained unaffected, but the Jolteon wasn't. It leaned forward and coughed up a gob of purple slime.
"Jolteon, use Quick Attack! Wear the canine out!" Jolteon dashed forward through the haze and threw itself against the larger canine, slashing his claws at his flesh. Houndoom whined and fought back, gnashing his sharp teeth at the smaller creature. It became a game of chase as her Houndoom tried to land a bite on the agile Jolteon, but failed everytime.
"Houndoom, use Smog again!" she ordered. Her dog came to an abrupt halt and released another poisonous gas cloud. The mist thickened. She felt herself weaken, feeling the start of a headache and runny nose. It was almost as bad as being on the receiving end of that Skuntank's spray. Fortunately, she had become accustomed to such a stench that she didn't fall to her knees, expelling the contents of her stomach onto the floor.
Volkner looked ill as well. He wiped his eyes a few times and coughed every now and then. His Pokemon was doing much worse though. Jolteon's speed had slowed down that its movements were no longer just blurs. Now she had a chance to take control of the match. "Jolteon, use Thunder Wave!" Jolteon spat forth a tiny sticky orb of yellow goo. It landed on her canine's face and then exploded, unleashing powerful jolts on Houndoom.
"Houndoom, use Fire Fang!" Houndoom didn't move. He appeared to be frozen in place. "What did you do to my Houndoom?" she demanded.
"Thunder Wave paralyses the opponent. It doesn't wear off unless taken to a Pokemon Centre or you use a potion that cures paralysis," he explained, coughing again. "You won't be able to move otherwise."
Cheat, she thought bitterly, pawing through her bag, searching for the right item. Sadly, she had forgotten to pack extra potions. She recalled her Houndoom back to his pokeball and summoned Zweilous to the field. The two heads roared.
"Huh, a Zweilous. Can't say I've ever seen a trainer in Sinnoh use one before… Jolteon, use Quick Attack!" Jolteon sprinted forward and threw itself at her dragon's body, scratching its claws against the thick hide. Zweilous' two heads tried to bite it, but Jolteon nimbly avoided the attack.
"Zweilous, use Dragon Pulse!" The two heads roared then brought their heads forward, conjuring up two powerful beams of draconic energy. They released, and the beams formed, combining their power into one. Thanks to the poisonous mist, Jolteon's ability to avoid attacks had dramatically decreased. The beam struck it hard and flung the light creature through the air then into the wall. Jolteon smacked against the far wall then dropped to the ground, unmoving.
Volkner recalled Jolteon and sent out his second Pokemon. What looked to be like an overgrown rodent with a whip-like tail emerged from the light. It whacked its tail against the floor, like a lasso, causing sparks to appear from its pale yellow cheek patches. Dawn brought out her Pokedex again.
Raichu. The evolved form of Pikachu. Its tail discharges electricity into the ground, protecting it from getting shocked.
"Raichu, use Focus Blast!" Raichi darted forward then leapt into the air, holding its tail erect, pointing the tip downwards like a spear. It landed on Zweilous' back, whipped its tail back and forth, striking both heads then headbutted her Zweillous. Raichi then followed up with two kicks to the face. Poor Zweilous was overwhelmed. Before more harm could be done, Dawn recalled her Pokemon and sent forth her Haunter to do the job.
"Haunter, use Hypnosis!" Haunter floated forwards, his claws outstretched. He tried to grab hold of the Raichu, but the oversized rodent leapt out of the way, and fought back, slapping Haunter in the face with his tail.
"Raichu, use Charge Beam!" Opening his mouth, Raichu released a bolt of electricity, hitting Haunter in the face. Haunter was forced back a few feet and winced, his claws flailing in the air. "Follow that up with Quick Attack!" Haunter barely had time to recover when the rodent dashed forward and leapt into the air, kicking Haunter in the face.
The poison cloud was lifting now which a bad thing for Dawn, but a positive one for Volkner and his team. If she didn't take him out now then he could win this battle. She had to try something else. "Haunter, disappear!" Haunter descended to the ground and disappeared through the floor. This was something she had never tried before as she preferred to battle her enemies head on rather than use ambushing attacks.
The Raichu dropped and pressed its head against the floor. The rodent wouldn't be able to detect a single sound – Raichu was exposed and vulnerable. "You should think about joining the circus, Dawn. You may sell out," he said bluntly.
"Now, Haunter! Hypnosis!" Haunter emerged from the space just before Raichu's face, pressing a three fingered claw against the rodent's forehead. Raichu's head drooped then he slumped down, curled up into a ball, snoozing. "Now use Dream Eater!"
Haunter placed his other claw on the Raichu's head and gripped it firmly then closed his eyes. A black aura radiated from the rodent's physique. Raichu began to thrash violently, kicking its legs and arms in all directions, its tail whipping the ground. A cry of despair left its throat, sending a chill racing down Dawn's spine.
Raichu woke up shortly afterwards, but was different now. Its eyes were a dull grey and its skin a pale orange. The rodent even trembled, barely unable to stand on its two legs. "You're pretty strong, Dawn. But that was just a warm up. Now it's time for the real battle to start." He returned his Raichu and brought out his third. The Pokemon reminded her of a mature Shinx only this one was covered mostly in shaggy black fur.
Luxray. The final evolution of Shinx. The extension and contraction of its muscles generates electricity. It glows when in trouble.
"Okay Haunter, we have to put this cat down." Haunter nodded.
"Luxray, use Crunch!" Luxray charged. It wasn't as quick as Volkner's earlier too, but it was still faster than her own Pokemon. The feline jumped and use its front paws to knock the Haunter out of the air and onto the ground, then climbed on top clamping its jaws around one of her Haunter's arms. Haunter screamed.
"Use Shadow Ball, Haunter!" The cat released. Haunter's injured arm hung down loosely. He raised his other claw and thrust it forward, releasing a big ball of blackness. The ball hit the Luxray and knocked it off its feet, but the feline quickly picked itself up again.
"Luxray, use Fire Fang!"
"Try and dodge it, Haunter!"
Haunter tried to dodge, but the feline was too fast. He was knocked out of the air again. Luxray reared on its legs then crashed down, its fangs a burning red. It clamped down on Haunter again, this time biting down on his other arm. Haunter's eyes squeezed shut and did not reopen. Arceus's breath cursed Dawn. She recalled her Pokemon.
"All right, Honchkrow! It's your turn!" Instead of attacking the cat directly, she'd wear it out with some aerial gymnastics. Her avian emerged and took to the safety of the air immediately – as long as the bird avoided the cat's elemental fangs, he'd be safe… Or so she hoped. "Use Aerial Ace, Honchkrow!" Honchkrow swooped down. His wings temporarily turned into blades and he slashed at the cat, leaving a deep gash across its face. Luxray tried to counter, but Honchkrow rolled out of the way then flew upwards again.
She saw a flash of irritation cross Volkner's face. There was nothing his cat could do since there were no platforms he could use to reach that height. Luxray walked around in a circle, keeping its gaze directed up at the ceiling. "Use Ice Fang on the ground, Luxray!" Luxray's fangs turned into temporary icicles. It sunk its fangs into the ground, turning the area around it into a field of ice. What was Volkner attempting to do?
"Honchkrow, use Night Slash!" The bird dove down his wings pinned against his back then raked his talons forward, slashing at its face. The cat roared and slashed back, but only hit air. There were two gashes on its face – one above its right eye and the other below the left. If she hit the cat in the eyes… Volkner ordered Luxray to use Ice Fang on the ground again. More than two thirds of the uppermost floor was covered in ice. It was like being back at Snowpoint's Gym again. Was he setting up the field?
"Honchkrow, use Aerial Ace and aim for the eyes!" she ordered. Honchkrow swooped down a third time, slashing the feline in the eyes as ordered with his wings. The cat panicked, running around in circles, blood streaming into its eyes, blinding it.
"Damn it," she heard Volkner mutter. The cat slipped across the ice and crashed into a wall and knocked itself out. Dawn gave a relieved sigh. Its elemental fangs would've proven to have been too much for her team to handle. He recalled his Pokemon and summoned his final, Electivire. Having seen it earlier in the exhibition match, Dawn was sure she could handle it.
Electivire. The final evolution of Elekid. Heedless of enemy attacks, it closes in, shoves its tails onto the foe then looses high voltage.
"Electivire, use Giga Impact!" The bipedal Pokemon charged forward and ran into the wall with the crack in it. He drove a fist into it and knocked down the wall. Without a wall to support the ceiling, the roof caved in and crashed down, bringing Honchkrow down to the ground. Her avian struggled to free himself from the rocks, desperately trying to pull himself through. "Now use Fire Punch on the ice!" Electivire punched the ground with a flaming fist. The ice split down the middle then melted into water.
Honchkrow remained stuck still and was completely helpless. Water drenched her bird. "Honchkrow, use Aerial Ace on the rubble around you!" she ordered. Honchkrow attempted to break through the rubble, but without any speed, he had no power.
"Electivire, use Thunder!" The Pokemon raised his hands up in the air as its antennae began to emit jolts. Artificial clouds appeared from above, bolts of lightning dancing between the clouds. He clapped his hands and multiple bolts plummeted down sending powerful shockwaves throughout the gym. Honchkrow fainted. Dawn returned the bird to his pokeball then sent out Zweilous. Unlike the battle between Volkner and Flint, the storm didn't die down. Lightning continued to leap from cloud to cloud, but not one hit the ground.
"Okay Zweilous, it's up to you! Use Dragon Pulse!"
"Use Thunder Punch, Electivire!"
The two attacks collided. Electivire brought his two fists together and dug his feet into the ground. Zweilous' beam pushed the bigger Pokemon back a few steps, but he persevered and began to drive the draconic beam back. Zweilous was so surprised he dropped his guard and allowed the Electivire to return the attack in his direction. Zweilous was swept off his feet and flung across the room like a ragdoll.
"Now use Thunder, Electivire!"
Zweilous didn't have a chance to recover. Electivire clapped his hands, bringing down another powerful bolt. The bolt struck Zweilous, eliciting a deep growl from her two-headed dragon. The other half of the gym crumbled down. With the ceiling completely gone, both trainers and Pokemon were exposed to the weather.
Her dragon lay on the ground. His eyes were still open. Zweilous tried to wriggle his legs and flip himself back onto his feet, but he couldn't do it. Dawn wanted to rush over and help him, but direct intervention was prohibited. She raised her pokeball, prepared to recall her dragon when Zweilous started to vibrate. The ground vibrated, the remaining walls shook and even the artificial storm's activities halted.
A third head emerged from her dragon. The middle head, the original, was much larger than the other two and had a large dark purplish frill. The smaller heads seemed to replace his forelegs. Six black wings protruded from his back and a long muscular tail appeared. The dragon roared and the remaining walls crumbled.
"Oh wow…" Volkner said.
Wow, indeed, Dawn thought, glancing up the large three-headed beast. She held up her Pokedex.
Hydreigon. The final evolution of Deino. It responds to movement by attacking. This scary, three-headed Pokemon devours anything in its path!
Even her Pokedex sounded scared. She put it away. "Okay Hydreigon, let's do this! Use Dragon Pulse!"
Hydreigon roared again and took to the skies, opening its main mouth, conjuring up a powerful beam. The Electivire looked terrified. Even Volkner looked slightly worried. Dawn herself felt queasy. Deino had been disobedient, Zweilous had been loyal… How would Hydreigon act? The beam moved towards Electivire and hit the creature in the chest. The impact not only threw the Pokemon off his feet, but it left a small crater in the ground.
"Use Thunder, Electivire!" Electivire clapped his hands together for a third time bringing down another bolt, but the bolt hardly inflicted any damage. Hydreigon jerked his main head to the right, as if shooing away a fly, then opened his mouth to counter attack. He released another Dragon Pulse without Dawn's command. Electivire was struck again and this time he did not stand. Hydreigon's three heads roared up at the sky then flew over towards some rubble and started attacking it.
Volkner returned his Pokemon as Hydreigon flung a few pieces of rock over the side of the building. "You've got me beat… I guess I should've forced you to wait after all. Your desire and the noble way your Pokemon battled for you…" He briefly glanced up at Hydreigon then looked down again. "That was a very good battle." He dug a hand into the pocket of his jacket, pulling out a badge shaped like a lighthouse. "This is the Beacon Badge. You've earned this."
Dawn took it from him then returned her Hydreigon to his pokeball. Hydreigon didn't look impressed, but at least he didn't swat it away. "Thanks."
"Your next step is the Pokemon League challenge. It's time for you to cross the sea and win your way through the gauntlet that is Victory Road. Demonstrate to the Pokemon League your mastery of your team. Against you, even the Elite Four will be pushed to fend off your challenge!" He stuck out his hand. She took it and accepted his handshake. "You and I should have a rematch sometime. Now that I've seen your Hydreigon in combat, I won't be so caught off-guard next time. Good luck, Dawn."
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