AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 59 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. I decided to put a few characters from the video games as well as the anime in this chapter. From the games, we see Fisher Barney from Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, and Super Nerd Clifford from Pokémon Stadium 2. From the anime we see the Olivine Gym Leader Jasmine and her apprentice, Janina. I remember when my siblings and I would act silly whenever we mentioned Super Nerd Clifford. He sort of reminds me of Clifford the Big Red Dog. And Fisher Barney reminds me of Barney the dinosaur from Barney & Friends, which I have not watched for many years; it's not one of my favorite programs to watch these days. I'm a little old for that show. Having said that, please feel free to read and review responsibly.
TEASER: Tristan can't have his Gym battle with Jasmine, so he and Hillary enter the Battle Tower for a chance to win a Metal Coat. Will he win the three matches and claim the Metal Coat as his grand prize?
Chapter 59: THE BATTLE TOWER
(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard in "The Superhero Secret"))
Last time, after a long trip, our heroes finally reached Olivine City, where Tristan hoped to compete against the Olivine Gym Leader for his fifth Johto League Gym badge. But when they got to the Pokémon Center, they discovered that their Pokémon had been infected with the mysterious viral life form known as Pokérus.
Professor Elm and Professor Oak told them more about the Pokérus virus. Instead of making them sick like other viruses, it would help their Pokémon feel better and stronger than they ever had before.
Excited about this new theory, Tristan and Hillary eagerly started off for the Olivine Gym when whom should appear, but their old nemesis, Silver.
Blaming them for not finding the legendary Pokémon, Ho-Oh, he angrily challenged Tristan to a one-on-one battle, to which he accepted.
Silver used his Croconaw while Tristan battled with his Totodile.
Totodile defeated Croconaw with ease with help from the Pokérus.
Just as Tristan, Hillary, and their Pokémon friends admired the sunset from the top of the Shining Lighthouse, Totodile evolved into Croconaw right before their eyes.
Needless to say, Croconaw wasn't afraid to show its affection to its Trainer.
And now, Tristan is more excited than ever to battle the Olivine Gym Leader. So after a good night's sleep, will today finally be the day that Tristan earns that elusive fifth Gym badge he excitedly seeks?
The next morning, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi set off for the Olivine City Gym.
"Yes!" said Tristan excitedly. "Badge number five, here I come!"
"Pi-Pikachu!" agreed Pikachu. It was just as excited as its Trainer.
But suddenly...
"Oh, no, I'm so late! I've gotta get there!" A teenage girl was rushing through the city. She had with brown hair tied with two pigtails with two orange hairpins, and was wearing a white sleeveless dress with a large white ribbon and ankle-strap sandals. Unfortunately, she didn't see Tristan and crashed straight into him, causing them both to fall to the ground.
"Oh, my head," groaned Tristan as he rubbed his head.
"That really hurt," moaned the girl as she rubbed hers.
"Are you guys okay?" asked Hillary.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," said the girl as she got to her feet. "It was my fault. I should've watched where I was going."
"You should be more careful or somebody could get hurt," cautioned Hillary.
"Sorry about that," replied the girl. "The reason I'm in such a hurry is because there's a long line of challengers waiting for me at the Gym, and I've gotta get there!" And she started running again.
"Did you hear that, Tristan?" gasped Hillary.
"All I hear is my head pounding," moaned Tristan as he slowly got to his feet.
"She said she has a long line of challengers at the Gym! So that must mean that she's the Olivine Gym Leader!"
Tristan gasped in shock. "Then what are we standing here for? Let's go!" And he and Hillary quickly followed the girl to the Gym.
(Music Cue: Mysterious Person)
When they got there a few seconds later, they saw that the Gym was loaded with challengers waiting in an extremely long line.
"I think we're in for a long wait," said Hillary.
"Phooey!" grumbled Tristan as he crossed his arms. "Just when I was so psyched for my next Gym battle."
"Jasmine!" called a voice. "Jasmine, wait up!"
A young girl with short green hair with small pink hairpins in it quickly came to the scene. She was wearing a yellow sleeveless jumper with orange stripes, and she had a little purse on her person.
"Oh, I'm so glad you got here, Janina," sighed Jasmine. "Just look at this long line of challengers we have to face today."
Sure enough, the line was gigantic, almost a mile long.
Jasmine realized that she hadn't introduced herself. "Oh, I'm sorry. I got so panicked about meeting these challengers that I forgot all about the introductions. I'm Jasmine, the Olivine Gym Leader. And this is my apprentice, Janina."
"Hi," said Janina.
"I'm Hillary, and this is my brother, Tristan," said Hillary.
"Hello," added Tristan.
Pikachu and Togepi introduced themselves.
"Ever since my little Sparkle got sick not too long ago, all those Trainers had been wanting to have a battle with me," explained Jasmine.
"Little Sparkle," repeated Hillary. "Hmm..."
"Sparkle's job is to light up the Shining Lighthouse every evening from dusk to dawn," continued Jasmine. "The Shining Lighthouse is an historic landmark in the Johto region. So when Sparkle got sick, I was physically and emotionally unfit to battle challengers."
"I knew it!" said Hillary. "Wasn't Sparkle the Ampharos that Tristan and I saw at the Shining Lighthouse last night?"
Jasmine nodded. "The one and only. I just wish I could've introduced you to Sparkle when I wasn't so busy. But now that I have all these challengers, being a Gym Leader could prove to be a challenge by itself."
"You see, thanks to Sparkle's illness, she couldn't battle anyone," added Janina. "And now that she has them, she can't get herself caught up enough to get any sleep at night."
"Well, the thing is," said Tristan, "I'd been wanting to battle Jasmine, too, so that I could earn my fifth badge. But I guess now's not the right time to ask her for a Gym battle now, is it?"
"Oh, Tristan, there's nothing wrong with asking me for a Gym battle," said Jasmine, assuring him. "I just can't do it right now with all these challengers around. Ash was the very first Trainer to challenge me to a battle after Sparkle had become ill, and ever since then, Trainers had been coming to the Gym to challenge me by the score. But I'll tell you what. As soon as I'm finished battling all those Trainers, I'll let you know."
"Thanks, Jasmine," replied Hillary. "We'll be here when your line clears up."
"But I just wanted to battle," said Tristan to himself.
Janina overheard him and said, "Well, if you really wanna battle, the Battle Tower in the distance should be perfect for you to do your training."
"The Battle Tower, huh?" said Tristan. He was at first uninterested. But then, since he knew that there was a chance to battle there, he said, "Okay, I'll go there right now and battle. It'll be a good way for me to burn my excess energy."
"Trainers come from all over the world to improve their skills there," added Jasmine. "It gives Trainers a chance to see what they've learned from other Trainers."
"You'll need at least one Gym badge to enter the Battle Tower," finished Janina.
"Well, I've got four Gym badges so far," said Tristan.
"Great," grumbled Hillary. "I don't have any."
"I'm sure they'll let you in," smiled Janina. "That is as long as you're with someone who has Gym badges."
"Well, I'm convinced," said Hillary.
"Sorry we can't have our Gym battle now, Tristan," said Jasmine. "But I know there'll be plenty of things to do at the Battle Tower. I promise as soon as the line clears up, I'll make sure you know."
"Thanks, Jasmine," replied Tristan. "Good luck."
And he and Hillary raced off for the Battle Tower.
(Music Cue: Kanto Route 1 (as heard in the Japanese version of "Mewtwo's Counterattack"))
Two guards were seen standing at the Battle Tower's entrance as Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi approached.
"Well, this is it," said Tristan. "Let's go inside."
Hillary nodded as she followed him.
"Just a minute, kiddos," said the first guard as he stopped them. "We'd like to see your badges, please."
Tristan took out his badge case and showed the guards his four Johto League Gym badges.
They glistened beautifully in the sunlight.
"Ah, so you're an experienced Trainer," said the second guard. "Go on in."
"What about the girl?" asked the first guard.
"I'm sure she's traveling with him, right, miss?" said the second guard.
"Yes, that's right," answered Hillary.
"Very good," said the first guard. "We must ask you to stay with him at all times during your visit."
"Yes, sir," replied Hillary as she, Tristan, Pikachu, and Togepi went in.
There was a huge lobby inside with three video phones and transporters.
Presently, they saw a poster with rules on it.
Tristan quickly read it. "Every Trainer participates in three battles: The first will be one-on-one, the second will be two-on-two, and the third will be three-on-three. Substitutions can be made freely during the two-on-two and three-on-three battles. You're not allowed to use the same Pokémon that you used in the previous matches. Whoever wins them all will receive a Metal Coat as the grand prize."
"What's a Metal Coat?" asked Hillary.
"I'm not sure," replied Tristan. "Maybe Dexter knows." And he took out his Pokédex and looked up the Metal Coat.
"The Metal Coat is used for evolving certain kinds of Pokémon, changing Onix into Steelix and changing Scyther into Scizor."
"Hey, maybe I could use that Metal Coat," said Hillary excitedly. "I have a Scyther back at Professor Oak's laboratory."
"Well, I'll do my best to help you get one," said Tristan.
Tristan and Hillary walked over to the reception desk.
A female receptionist was waiting. "Hello. Are you ready to challenge the Battle Tower?"
"Yes, I am," replied Tristan. "And so is Pikachu."
Pikachu eagerly nodded.
"And what about you, young lady?" asked the receptionist.
"Oh, I'm just here to observe," replied Hillary.
"Very well," said the receptionist. "Let me just get you registered first. May I see your Pokédex please."
Tristan handed her the Pokédex and scanned it. She saw Tristan's current team on it as well as the four badges he earned so far. Then she handed the Pokédex back to him. "Okay, Tristan from New Bark Town, you're all set. Please follow me to the battle room." And she led Tristan and Hillary toward the elevator, which they got into.
As the elevator rose higher and higher, Tristan could think of only one thing. And that was battling.
Presently, the elevator reached the top floor, and the receptionist led Tristan and Hillary to a room with a large battlefield in it.
"This looks almost exactly like a Gym," remarked Tristan.
"Or a small stadium," added Hillary.
The receptionist led Hillary to some bleachers. "This is where you can watch Tristan battle. Please enjoy."
"I will, thank you," replied Hillary.
The receptionist came to Tristan. "Your first opponent will be arriving shortly. A battle judge will officiate the three matches in just a moment."
Tristan nodded. He could hardly wait to get started.
(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (first part: Decision)
Presently, a fisherman came into the room followed closely by a second receptionist.
"So you're my first opponent, huh?" said the fisherman. "I should have no problem defeating a kid like you."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that!" replied Tristan defiantly.
"The name's Barney," said the fisherman. "And I've got friends." He gave a good chuckle.
"Oh, great, Barney and friends," said Hillary sarcastically. "I just hope they don't make a television show out of that by having a bunch of fishermen all together."
"Do you know what the most important thing in our everyday lives is?" asked Barney.
Tristan tried to come up with an answer, but was unable to come up with one.
"Well, don't worry about it," said Barney. "The answer will surprise you."
(Music Cue: Ash's Decision to Fight (second part: Ash Appears!)
Just then a battle judge came to the battlefield. He explained the rules. "We will now begin the first of three matches in this Battle Tower challenge. The first match will be one-on-one. The winner will advance to the next round. The loser will be eliminated."
"I choose Gyarados!" shouted Barney as he threw his Poké Ball.
Gyarados emerged from the white light that shot out of it. Sure enough, it was enormous.
"Wow, Tristan's gonna have his hands full with this first battle," said Hillary to herself as she scanned Gyarados with her Pokédex.
"Gyarados, the Atrocious Pokémon. Gyarados are known to have volatile tempers. It appears whenever there is world conflict, burning down everything in its wake."
Tristan seemed unfazed. "I'm gonna choose Pikachu to start!" he said.
Pikachu nodded and ran to challenge Gyarados as electricity crackled from its cheeks.
Both Pokémon faced each other as they prepared for battle.
"Gyarados versus Pikachu," said the judge. "Begin the match!" And he raised his two flags in the air.
"Pikachu, start off with a Thunderbolt attack!" commanded Tristan.
(Music Cue: Kanto Champion Battle (as heard in "Hello, Pummelo!"))
Pikachu jumped into the air and launched a powerful bolt of electricity from its body toward Gyarados.
"Gyarados, use Hydro Pump!" ordered Barney.
Gyarados shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth to block Pikachu's Thunderbolt.
"I was afraid he'd do that," grunted Tristan. "Winning this battle will be harder than I thought."
"Let's finish this up! Gyarados, Hyper Beam!" commanded Barney.
Gyarados shot a powerful yellow-orange beam from its mouth at Pikachu, scoring a direct hit on it.
"Pikachu!" cried Hillary.
Togepi cheered as loudly as it could for Pikachu.
Pikachu hit the ground hard, but managed to get back on its feet.
"Hang in there, Pikachu," encouraged Tristan. That Hyper Beam attack did more damage than I thought, he thought. I'll have to be careful. If Pikachu gets hit with another Hyper Beam, I'm finished. Then he took a good look at Gyarados.
Sure enough, Gyarados was breathing hard and couldn't move.
That's it! thought Tristan. After launching a powerful attack like that one, Gyarados won't be able to move for a while. So this is my big chance. He then shouted, "Pikachu, hit Gyarados with all the power you've got! Thunder attack, go!"
Pikachu jumped high into the air and unleashed a large bolt of electricity at Gyarados, scoring a huge direct hit.
"Gyarados!" cried Barney.
"Now that was highly effective," smiled Hillary. "Pikachu's Thunder scored big time."
Togepi chirped in agreement.
Gyarados toppled over and fainted on the spot after that powerful attack.
"Gyarados is unable to battle...Pikachu wins!" said the judge. "The first match in this Battle Tower challenge goes to Tristan from New Bark Town."
"Awesome!" said Tristan excitedly. "Way to go, Pikachu."
Pikachu ran happily into Tristan's arms and they embraced one another.
Barney returned Gyarados to its Poké Ball. "Well, that explains why electricity is one of the most important thing in our everyday lives."
"What do you mean, Barney?" asked Tristan.
"Well, besides your Pikachu being strong, people wouldn't have made such a fuss when the Power Plant in Kanto went out of commission," explained Barney. "But I've read somewhere that four Trainers helped bring the power plant back online. And they looked like..." He gasped in shock when he saw Tristan and Hillary's faces. "You're two of the Trainers I read about! No wonder you were so strong."
"True, but because you didn't know, you fought a great battle," smiled Tristan. "Just keep training your Gyarados and you'll be a force to be reckoned with."
"I will," replied Barney. "It was great meeting you, uh, what was your name again?"
"I'm Tristan, and that's Hillary," answered Tristan.
"Hello there," smiled Hillary.
"Well, Tristan, I hope to battle you again someday," said Barney.
"Me, too, Barney," replied Tristan.
And both Trainers shook hands.
Barney then left the room.
Shortly thereafter, another Trainer appeared. He had long hair, and was wearing a white collared shirt and a pair of glasses. "Oh, hello, my name's Clifford. I'm supposed to be here to face a Trainer named Tristan, am I right?"
"I'm ready for you, Clifford," replied Tristan eagerly. He then took Pikachu to be with Hillary for a well-deserved rest.
"I'll take care of Pikachu for you, Tristan," said Hillary. "You can win this, but remember to do your best and have fun."
"Yes, Hillary, I'll remember," chuckled Tristan. He then faced Clifford as the judge prepared to officiate the second match.
"Each Trainer will use two Pokémon for this second match," explained the judge. "Both Trainers are allowed to make substitutions when necessary. Begin the match when ready."
"I choose Porygon!" shouted Clifford as he threw a Poké Ball.
(Music Cue: Johto Rival Theme (as heard in "Fighting Flyer with Fire"))
A Pokémon with a pink polyhedral body made its appearance from the white light that shot out of it. It had blue triangular prism feet a blue tail, a blue front, and a pink head with a blue tip at the beak.
"That Pokémon looks very familiar to me," said Hillary as she scanned it with her Pokédex.
"Porygon, the Virtual Pokémon. This artificial Pokémon was created due to extensive research. It can only perform what's in its programming."
"I choose Larvitar!" shouted Tristan as he threw his Poké Ball.
Larvitar emerged from the white light that shot out of it.
"Ready, Larvitar? This'll be a tough one," said Tristan.
Larvitar nodded eagerly. Apparently, it was looking for a good battle to be in.
"Porygon versus Larvitar," said the judge as he raised his flags. "Let the battle begin!"
"Porygon, use your Psybeam!" instructed Clifford.
Porygon shot a multi-colored beam toward Larvitar.
Unfortunately, Larvitar was too slow to dodge the attack and got hit, causing it to slide backward.
"Larvitar, are you okay?" asked Tristan.
Larvitar gave a hard nod and stood in front of Tristan.
"Great!" said Tristan excitedly. "Use your Sandstorm attack!"
Larvitar pointed the horn on its head right at Porygon and waved it in a circle. Seconds later, a sand tornado came out, and enveloped Porygon in it.
Clifford had problems seeing as well because of it.
Larvitar's Sandstorm was so strong that Hillary had to cover her face to avoid getting sand in her eyes and glasses. "Wow, how did Larvitar pack such power like that?!"
Pikachu and Togepi were doing their best to shield themselves from Larvitar's Sandstorm.
Tristan was bewildered at Larvitar's strength. Could it be the Pokérus again? he thought. Or did Larvitar have this much power all along?
Clifford was still shielding his eyes from the sand. "Porygon, use Conversion!"
Porygon focused its transmitter on Larvitar. It then glowed white for a few seconds, and then it changed into the same color scheme as Larvitar.
Pretty soon, the Sandstorm subsided.
"Well, that ought to take care of that Porygon," said Tristan. But to his surprise, Porygon remained intact with the same color scheme as Larvitar! "Hey, what's the deal? Larvitar's Sandstorm didn't affect it!"
"That's because Porygon's Conversion allows it to change its type depending on what attack the opponent is using," explained Clifford. "Normally, Sandstorm would do damage to a Pokémon that don't have Rock, Ground, or Steel-type characteristics, but since Sandstorm is a Rock-type attack, Porygon took on that type's characteristics."
(Music Cue: Johto Champion Battle (as heard in "The Ties That Bind"))
"So that means Sandstorm didn't do anything?" asked Tristan.
"Yup, that's right," smiled Clifford. "Now you're catching on."
"That's why Clifford had Porygon use Conversion," gasped Hillary. "He wanted to make it resistant to Larvitar's Sandstorm so it wouldn't do any damage to it."
"Now if you don't mind, it's my turn to attack," said Clifford. "Porygon, hit Larvitar with your Tri-Attack!"
Porygon focused all its power by gathering a blue, yellow, and red orb all together, forming it into a triangle. Then it launched it at Larvitar at blinding speed.
"Whoa, that's fast!" gasped Hillary.
"Quick, Larvitar, get outta the way!" shouted Tristan.
Unfortunately, Larvitar was struck before Tristan finished issuing the command, and so it was sent flying into the air.
"Larvitar!" cried Tristan.
Larvitar was airborne, but gravity soon overtook it, and it began to fall back toward the ground.
"Hang in there, Larvitar!" yelled Hillary.
"Quick, Larvitar, use Sandstorm on the ground now!" commanded Tristan.
Larvitar spun the horn on its head and waved it round and round, and it shot another powerful sand tornado at the ground. It landed in the vortex, and sure enough, thanks to Tristan's quick thinking, the Sandstorm gave it a soft landing, thus allowing it to land safely on the ground.
"That was a nice recovery," said Clifford in astonishment. "You are one respectable Trainer."
"Thank you, Clifford," replied Tristan. "You're not such a bad Trainer yourself. Larvitar, get ready to charge in again!"
Larvitar ran forward and got ready to attack.
"Porygon, Psybeam now!" instructed Clifford.
Porygon got ready to unleash a mysterious colored beam from its beak.
"Larvitar, Screech attack!" ordered Tristan.
Larvitar let out a shrilling cry, causing everyone to plug their ears; however, it did bring results, for Porygon's Psybeam was stopped before it was unleashed, as Porygon was forced to endure the noise.
"Great, Larvitar!" said Tristan excitedly. "Now finish it with Rock Slide!"
Larvitar's eyes glowed blue, and a volley of rocks appeared and floated in front of it. Then, giving them a thrust, it launched them directly at the defenseless Porygon, scoring direct hits with every rock, causing it to crash into the ground.
"No, Porygon!" cried Clifford.
Porygon lay on the ground, knocked out, as the damage from Larvitar's Rock Slide was too much for it to take.
"Porygon is unable to battle...Larvitar wins!" declared the referee.
"Awesome job, Larvitar," commended Tristan.
Larvitar gave a happy reply and nodded in approval.
Clifford returned Porygon to its Poké Ball. "Well, Tristan, I never expected your Larvitar to be this good. But now, let's see how you handle this next Pokémon!" He then threw his next Poké Ball.
(Music Cue: Johto Trainer Battle (as heard in "A Goldenrod Opportunity"))
A rounded pink Pokémon emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It looked similar to a drinking bird.
"Is that another Porygon?" gasped Tristan.
"I thought you couldn't use the same Pokémon," said Hillary.
"It looks like Porygon," explained Clifford, "but allow me to introduce its evolved form: Porygon2."
"Porygon2?" repeated Tristan. "I've never heard of such a name." He took out his Pokédex and scanned Porygon2.
"Porygon2, the Virtual Pokémon. This upgraded version of Porygon has the power of exploring space. However, Porygon2 still lacks the power of flight."
I'd better finish this fast, thought Tristan. There's no telling how strong Porygon2 really is. Then he commanded, "Larvitar, hit it with Rock Slide!"
Once again, Larvitar's eyes glowed blue, and a volley of rocks appeared and floated in front of it. Then, giving them a thrust, it launched them directly at Porygon2.
But just before the rocks were to hit...
"Porygon2, use Conversion2," instructed Clifford.
Porygon2 glowed in a white light just before it was hit by the rocks.
Tristan smiled, for he knew that he would score another easy victory thanks to Larvitar's Rock Slide. "Good job, Larvitar," he commended.
"Lar, Lar!" replied Larvitar.
But suddenly, Porygon2 emerged from the rubble, seeming unfazed by Larvitar's attack. Furthermore, it looked gray and clear.
"What? No way!" gasped Tristan.
"That's impossible!" exclaimed Hillary. "That was a direct hit!"
"Conversion2 allows Porygon2 to change into the type that is either immune or resistant against a type of attack that was used on it for the duration of the battle," explained Clifford. "So when Larvitar's Rock Slide hit it, Porygon2 changed into the Steel-type."
Tristan gasped in shock. He was certain that he had the battle won.
"Now, Porygon2, use your Psybeam!" ordered Clifford.
Porygon2 unleashed a mysterious colored beam from its beak, but the attack was even faster and more powerful than Porygon's Psybeam was, and it scored such a huge hit on Larvitar that it was sent flying past Tristan into one of the walls.
"Larvitar, no!" cried Tristan.
Larvitar fell to the ground with a dazed expression in its eyes. It had been knocked out.
"Larvitar is unable to battle...Porygon2 is the winner!" declared the referee.
"Poor Larvitar," said Hillary sadly. "It worked so hard."
Pikachu and Togepi felt sad for Larvitar's loss as well.
Tristan recalled his Larvitar and held the Poké Ball close to him. "Thanks, Larvitar. You earned a good rest." He took out his next Poké Ball and threw it. "Heracross, go!"
Heracross emerged from the white light that shot out of it and faced Porygon2.
"Okay, Heracross, it's all up to you now," said Tristan.
Heracross flexed its muscles and got into position for battle.
"Now, Porygon2, use Lock-On!" instructed Clifford.
(Music Cue: Radio Tower Takeover (as heard in "A Hot Water Battle"))
Porygon unleashed a large red circle from its beak.
The circle hit Heracross, and then it got smaller as it transformed into a red target that stuck to it.
Heracross seemed to take no notice.
"What's Lock-On?" wondered Hillary.
"I don't care what it does so long as we finish this battle fast," replied Tristan. "Heracross, Fury Attack!"
Heracross charged at Porygon2 and struck it furiously multiple times with its horn.
Porygon2 was sent flying backward, but was far from out.
"Not bad, Tristan, but now it's our turn to attack," said Clifford. "Porygon2, Zap Cannon!"
Porygon2 gathered up all the electrical energy in its beak, then it unleashed it as an electrical cyclone.
"Dodge it, Haracross, quick!" shouted Tristan.
Quickly, Heracross flew into the air to avoid Zap Cannon, but thanks to Porygon2's Lock-On, the attack continued to follow it. It soon found itself being tailed by the attack.
"Heracross, behind you!" cried Tristan.
But it was too late, for Zap Cannon finally connected with Heracross.
Heracross found itself back on the ground. It was still on its feet, but electrical energy was still surrounding it.
"Heracross, what's wrong?" asked Tristan worriedly.
"I guess I should've warned you," said Clifford. "Once Lock-On is used on an opponent, the next attack I launch is a guaranteed hit. And furthermore, Zap Cannon always paralyzes its target when it hits."
"Whoa!" gasped Hillary. "That mean he couldn't miss with that! Knowing how inaccurate Zap Cannon normally is, he taught his Porygon2 how to use Lock-On to improve the chances of hitting with Zap Cannon!"
"Heracross, try as hard as you can to move!" implored Tristan.
Heracross tried, but it couldn't. It was fully paralyzed thanks to Porygon2's attack.
"I guess it's time to wrap this up," said Clifford. "Porygon2, hit it with Psybeam!"
Porygon2 shot another mysterious colored beam directly at Heracross, scoring a direct hit on it.
Heracross just stood there as it took on the attack, although it was taking serious damage.
Once the attack stopped, Heracross knelt towards the ground.
Both Pokémon were staring at one another, but Porygon2's stare forced Heracross to fall to the ground.
Heracross was finally knocked out.
"Heracross!" cried Tristan.
"Heracross is unable to battle...Porygon2 wins!" declared the referee. "The victory in this match goes to Clifford!"
(Music Cue: My Friend, Pokémon)
Quickly, Tristan ran to his Heracross. "Are you okay?"
Heracross opened its eyes and let out a weak, but happy reply.
Tristan breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Thanks, Heracross, you were great. Take a long rest." And he returned Heracross to its Poké Ball. He saw Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi approaching him. "I'm sorry I didn't win that Metal Coat for you, sis."
"It's okay, Tristan," replied Hillary. "You did your best. And that's all that matters to me."
Tristan was surprised. He wasn't expecting Hillary to be this supportive since he lost. "You mean that?"
Hillary nodded. "You know what they say. It doesn't matter if you win or lose. It's how you play the game."
"The girl's right, Tristan," agreed Clifford. "You raised Heracross well. And that Larvitar of yours is outstanding! I've never seen a Larvitar as powerful as that!"
"Well, thanks, Clifford," replied Tristan as he got to his feet. He then shook his hand. "You weren't so bad yourself. Your Porygon2 was a lot better than I thought it was, especially with that Lock-On and Zap Cannon combo. I hate to admit it, but that was a really smart strategy. I'll just have to train harder and be prepared for the next time we meet."
"That's the spirit," smiled Clifford. "By the way, if you had won, what three Pokémon would you have used for the third match?"
"I would've gone with Bayleef, Quilava, and Croconaw," answered Tristan. "All my Pokémon and I train and play together just like a real family."
"Now that's awesome," said Clifford. "Thanks again for that great battle. I hope we can have a rematch someday."
"You bet," agreed Tristan.
"Come on, champ," said Hillary. "Let's go watch the third match in the lobby."
Tristan nodded in agreement as he and Hillary were led by the receptionist out of the room.
That evening, Tristan and Hillary stood outside the Battle Tower as they admired the open sea.
"Well, now I know that I have work to do," said Tristan. "But at least I feel happier knowing it."
"That's right," agreed Hillary. "And I can help you out if you'd like."
"Thanks, Hillary," smiled Tristan. "I appreciate that. Clifford was really something in those battle today. He deserved that Metal Coat."
Hillary was just about to nod in agreement when suddenly...
"Hey! Tristan!"
(Music Cue: OK! (Orchestra))
Tristan was surprised to see Clifford running toward him. "What's up, Clifford?"
Clifford stopped and was breathing hard. "I'm glad I finally caught up to you. I want to give you something."
And he took out what appeared to be a cylindrical object made of complete metal.
Tristan recognized it immediately. "Wait! Isn't that the Metal Coat that was the grand prize?"
"Why are you just giving it away?" asked Hillary.
"Well, seeing as how Tristan gave me such a great battle, I just felt bad for seeing him lose," explained Clifford.
"But I don't mind losing," said Tristan. "It just means that I have much more to learn about Pokémon."
"That's true," agreed Clifford. "Everyone has a lot more to learn. But seeing how I collected so many of these Metal Coats, I decided to give one to you as a present for that great battle."
Tristan happily accepted the Metal Coat. "I don't know what to say."
"Uh, try saying thank you," reminded Hillary.
Tristan was touched by Clifford's generosity. "Thank you very much, Clifford."
"You're very welcome," replied Clifford.
Tristan then gave the Metal Coat to Hillary. "It's all yours, sis, just like I promised."
"Thanks, Tristan," smiled Hillary. "And thank you, too, Clifford."
"Don't mention it," replied Clifford. "Oh, I just remembered, there's a Gym in Cianwood City if you're interested in having a Gym battle there."
"A Gym? All right! I can't wait!" said Tristan. He got more excited by that fact.
"A good night's sleep ought to do the trick for the both of us, Tristan," suggested Hillary. "What do you say?"
"Great idea, sis," agreed Tristan. "Let's go."
And Tristan and Hillary started to leave.
"Thanks again for that great battle, Tristan!" called Clifford. "Good luck in your Gym battle!"
"Thanks, Clifford!" replied Tristan as he and Hillary waved goodbye. "I hope to see you again!"
Pikachu and Togepi waved goodbye to Clifford as well.
In the world of Pokémon, Trainers experience victories as well as defeats. And Tristan certainly learned a lot from his battle with Clifford. And thanks to Clifford's generosity, Tristan and Hillary's day took a fateful turn for the best. Now, Tristan and Hillary's journey to Cianwood City is just one good night's sleep away, so stay tuned for more exciting Johto League adventures!
► TO BE CONTINUED