"Carracosta!" I called out. "Finish it, rock slide!" A volley of stones generated, slamming into Skyla's Unfezant. Unfezant went down, knocked out.
Skyla returned Unfezant. Bianca cheered from the sideline.
"You win, kid."
"Kid?" I asked as I returned Carracosta. It had finally evolved in my battle with Skyla. "You can't be that much older than me."
"Whatever," Skyla handwaved me. She walked over and gave up a badge. "You two can leave now." She smiled at Bianca as the two of us left.
"We both got our badges!" Bianca slapped my back. "Now we've caught up with Cheren!" I noticed Mary coming our way.
"Did you win?" She asked.
"Yup." Bianca presented her newly earned badge. I looked around as Bianca encouraged Mary to challenge Skyla. Kenya was nowhere to be seen.
"You win," Mary caved. "But will you come with me?" Bianca laughed.
"Sure." She turned to me. "You coming with?"
"I'm out," I said. "Imma go find Kenya." Bianca gave me a long look.
"You two have fun." I wandered Mistralton for a while until I found Kenya near the airstrip.
"Oh, what's up, dude." Kenya turned to me.
"Uh. Hi."
"You know, Skyla's dad died in a plane crash around here," Kenya said.
"He did?" She nodded. We stood in silence for a few moments.
"Well? You ready?"
.
.
"We should probably seriously talk about this, before one of us gets our feelings hurt."
"Who's gonna get their feelings hurt?" I asked.
Kenya stared at the water below us. The wooden bridge creaked under our weight.
"On second thought," she said, turning to me. "Better idea." I waited for her to continue. "Have we ever had a full-on battle?"
"Well," We'd trained together before. "Not really," I admitted. "Why?"
"Let's have a battle. All out. Whoever loses has to admit they have a crush."
"Is this really fair?" I asked. "I have five pokemon and you have three." Kenya scoffed.
"Quality over quantity."
"My pokemon are quality!" I insisted. Kenya's mouth turned up into a smile. I crossed my arms, considering her suggestion. "What's this about, anyway. Even if you win, I don't have a crush on you. What would it prove?" Kenya turned away from me, scratching her cheek.
"Next week," She started walking again. "We'll have a week to train."
"You didn't answer my question," I said. "It sounds like you just want an excuse to battle me."
"What?" Kenya turned to me again, steaming. "That doesn't make any sense!"
"Then tell me, what does this prove?"
"It'll prove you have a crush on me." I gave her a long look.
"You know what?" She raised an eyebrow at me. "Fine, lets do this."
.
.
"You sure you don't want me to just use three of my pokemon?" I asked. We'd taken our places on the battlefield behind the pokemon center. Kenya scoffed.
"If you did, you'd just use it as an excuse when you lose!" She tossed a Pokeball in her hand.
"Don't use it as an excuse when I win," I remarked. Kenya smiled. She sent out a Cofagrigus. "You evolved Yamask?" I asked.
"I came prepared."
I sent out Simisage.
"Let's do this, then."
"Cofagrigus, shadow ball!" Cofagrigus launched a purple sphere at Simisage.
"Intercept it, shadow claw," I ordered. A shadowy claw formed on Simisage's hand, it effortlessly sliced through the ball.
"Seriously?" Kenya steamed. "Hey, quick! Use will-o-wisp!" A few flares ensnared Simisage, burning it.
Simisage grunted, trying to shake the flames off.
"Now, toxic!" A purple blob enveloped Simisage, but nothing seemed to happen. Simisage looked itself over.
"You can't inflict two statuses at once," I said. Kenya muttered a complaint.
"Simisage, seed bomb!" Simisage straightened up and fired a volley of seed projectiles at Cofagrigus.
"Protect!" A transparent barrier appeared in front of Cofagrigus, deflecting the seeds. Shadow ball was Cofagrigus' only attack. She was planning to stall me out.
Simisage grunted again, feeling the effects of the burn.
"Shadow Ball!" Cofagrigus launched another sphere.
"Get out of the way," I ordered. Simisage ducked to the side, narrowly avoiding the sphere. "Seed bomb!" Simisage let loose another volley of seeds.
"Protect!" Once again, a barrier protected Cofagrigus.
"Keep up the attack!" Kenya ordered. Cofagrigus fired off several shadow balls one after the other.
"Shadow claw, protect yourself!" Both of Simisage's hands glowed. Simisage ripped through the first few spheres and ducked under the last one. '
Cofagrigus shot several more shadow balls.
"Follow it up with a seed bomb!" Simisage sliced another sphere and fired a volley of seeds. The seeds ripped through the oncoming spheres and hit Cofagrigus, knocking it backward.
"No!"
"Shadow claw, finish it!" Simisage rushed in. Both of its hands glowing.
"Protect!" Kenya called out. A barrier appeared just in time to stop Simisage's attack. "Now, shadow ball!" The sphere exploded against Simisage's chest, point-blank.
Simisage was thrown backward through the air.
"Again!"
Simisage landed hard and rolled across the ground. It had just managed to right itself when two more spheres hit it and knocked it out.
"That's what I'm talking about!" Kenya cheered. "What do you say to that? Huh?" I returned Simisage with a grumble.
"We're not done yet," I warned. Kenya's smile widened.
"I'd hope not."
I sent out Unfezant.
"Cofagrigus…" Kenya trailed off. "That's a normal type, isn't it?"
"That's right," I said. "Your shadow ball is useless against Unfezant." Unfezant chirped proudly. "You can switch if you want."
Kenya scoffed.
"Don't need to, Cofagrigus use toxic!"
"Air slash!" Unfezant whipped up a blade of wind, slicing through the purple blob and hitting Cofagrigus.
"What? Cofagrigus, try again!" Unfezant took off, easily dodging the poison.
"Aerial Ace!" I ordered. Unfezant turned in the air, targeting Cofagrigus.
"Protect," Kenya ordered. Unfezant slammed into Cofagrigus' barrier. "Toxic!"
"Get back!" Unfezant jumped back a moment to slow, the poison caught its foot and quickly overtook it. Unfezant collapsed to the ground. Kenya took a breath.
"That's two down," Kenya said with a smirk.
"Unfezant isn't down yet," I spoke up. Unfezant slowly righted itself. I couldn't switch Unfezant out. Cofagrigus would systematically poison all of my pokemon. It had to go down.
I met Kenya's cocky gaze. She wasn't attacking, of course not.
"Unfezant, use air slash!" Unfezant whipped up a blade of wind, it landed harmlessly against Cofagrigus' barrier. "Aerial Ace!" Unfezant started running, quickly taking flight as it charged.
"No good!" Kenya warned. Unfezant slammed into the barrier.
"Air slash!" Unfezant kicked off the barrier and whipped up another wind blade. The barrier vanished. The blade hit Cofagrigus, sending it spinning. "Steel wing!"
"Protect, quick!" Nothing happened. Tranquil shot in, wings glowing. It spun, slamming Cofagrigus against the ground.
"Is it down?" Unfezant hopped off of Cofagrigus, stumbling. Cofagrigus slowly floated upright. "That things tough," I admitted. "Unfezant, use—" Unfezant collapsed. The poison got to it.
"Now that's two!" Kenya laughed. "You're doing great, Cofagrigus!" I returned Unfezant. "Well?' Kenya asked. "Who's next?"
I sent out Musharna. Kenya raised her eyebrows.
"You sure about that?" She asked. I took a breath. "Musharna isn't a very offensive pokemon."
"Hypnosis!" Cofagrigus fell to the ground immediately. It was asleep. Kenya blinked.
"Seriously?"
"Dream Eater." Musharna absorbed a pink energy from Cofagrigus, knocking it out. Kenya furiously returned Cofagrigus. She sent out a Darmanitan.
"Guess who evolved," Kenya beamed. I immediately returned Musharna. Darmanitan let out a low growl. I sent out Carracosta. "It won't be that easy," Kenya snapped. "Hammer arm!"
Darmanitan lunged across the battlefield, raising its giant fists.
"Rock slide!" I ordered. Darmanitan was faster, smashing its fists down on Carracosta's back. Carracosta seemed to crumple under the impact.
"Now, belly drum!" Darmanitan roared, slamming its fists against its chest. Its body seemed to grow. Its chest heaved with each breath. Steam seeped from its mouth.
"Hydro pump!" Carracosta fired a blast of compressed water from its mouth.
"Bulldoze!" Darmanitan smashed its fists against the ground. The ground split, pieces of earth rising in front of Darmanitan. The water hit the rocks, damaging them, none of it reached Darmanitan. "Throw the rocks!" Darmanitan punched one of the rocks, sending it flying at Carracosta.
"Aqua tail, quick!" Carracosta spun, smashing the rock with its tail. Darmanitan was there, following behind the rock, fists raised.
"Hammer arm!" Darmanitan brought its fists down, smashing Carracosta against the ground. Carracosta collapsed. Darmanitan backed off for a moment, watching Carracosta. Carracosta started to get up.
"Can you keep going?" I asked. Carracosta grunted. "Aqua jet!" Carracosta was engulfed with water as it charged.
"Bulldoze!" The ground split, tripping Carracosta. Darmanitan came in, raising its fists again.
This time Carracosta was knocked out. Darmanitan was ridiculously strong. Belly drum had done damage to it. If Musharna could put it to sleep it would Probably be enough.
But Kenya still had Druddigon. Druddigon was her strongest pokemon. Emboar likely couldn't beat Druddigon. I'd need Musharna. Could Musharna take both of them? Emboar needed to handle Darmanitan. I regretted not using Emboar against Cofagrigus. It would have been a much better matchup.
I sent out Emboar. Emboar blinked, looking Darmanitan over. Darmanitan grinned. Kenya's smile grew wider, almost matching Darmanitan.
"Looks like I win," She said simply.
"What?"
"Nothing." I was taken aback for a moment. I shoved my thoughts down.
"Emboar, work up!" Emboar's body started to steam.
"Quick, Bulldoze!"
"Jump!" Emboar leaped into the air as the ground split. "Heat crash!" A red sphere grew around Emboar as it descended.
"You won't overpower us," Kenya mocked. "Hammer arm!" Darmanitan rose onto its hind legs, preparing to meet Emboar.
"Fire blast!" Emboar released a burst of fire, propelling itself to the side. It spun through the air and landed in front of Darmanitan with a heavy thud. "Head Smash!" Emboar lunged forward, slamming its head into Darmanitan's exposed stomach.
Darmanitan skidded across the ground before falling over.
"That things agile!" Kenya exclaimed. Darmanitan was still on the ground. Emboar stumbled backward, placing a hand on its head.
Darmanitan started to get up. I watched its smile slowly return to its face.
You've gotta be joking. Emboar complained.
"That won't be enough," Kenya remarked. "Darmanitan use—" Darmanitan collapsed. It was knocked out. Emboar and I breathed a sigh of relief. Kenya returned Darmanitan. "That's fine, Druddigon will finish this."
She sent out Druddigon. Emboar perked up, meeting Druddigon's intense gaze.
"We got this," I said. "We're going to win." Druddigon took a step forward and stumbled. It recovered with a growl. I stared, confused. Was it injured? There was no way she wouldn't heal her pokemon, especially Druddigon. I met Kenya's wide eyes.
"Druddigon let's finish this." Druddigon roared, raising its claws into the air. "Dragon Claw!" Druddigon's claws glowed and it lunged for Emboar.
"Head Smash!" Emboar ducked and rushed forward, slamming its head into Druddigon's chest. Druddigon staggered backward.
"Hyper beam!" Druddigon righted itself and fired off a hyper beam, catching Emboar point-blank.
Emboar collapsed instantly. It was knocked out. Druddigon stumbled for a moment. I returned Emboar. Musharna was the only one left.
"We win!" Kenya cheered. I sent out Musharna. Druddigon growled.
"Hypnosis!" Musharna tried to put Druddigon to sleep but it had no effect. Druddigon started to approach. "What? Why won't it work?"
"Druddigon is holding a toxic orb!" Kenya called out. "You cant put him to sleep!" Druddigon roared again. "Now, night slash!"
"Dodge! Hurry!" Musharna spun through the air, narrowly dodging Druddigon's attacks. "You just put Druddigon on a timer!" I yelled. "If you cant take care of Musharna, we win!"
"Don't worry about us," Kenya snapped. "Hyper beam!" Musharna swerved out of the way of Druddigon's beam, hitting the ground. Druddigon stumbled forward.
"Psychic!" I ordered. "Bring it down!" The ground shifted and split under Druddigon, knocking it over. It roared, struggling to get up.
"Rip up the ground, you can do it!" Druddigon buried its claw in the ground and tore up a flurry of dirt and rocks. "Night slash!" Musharna zipped out of the cloud of dirt, keeping out of Druddigon's range.
There wasn't much Musharna could do aside from outlasting Druddigon. As the dust cleared, Kenya's eyes met mine.
I felt that strange feeling again. I was taken aback. The look on her face, the fire in her eyes. This battle meant something to her. Suddenly, I knew what it was.
"Were ending this," Kenya said. "Druddigon, Outrage!"