A/N: Wow! 400 reviews?! No story of mine before this has ever gotten this many reviews in my entire life! All I can really say to this is...thank you all so much! You are all the best and no words can possibly express how grateful I am. Anyway, here's a new chapter and the long awaited battle with Clair! I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 52: Dragon On and On
"Yay! We made it back!" Perrine leaped off the bus steps the second the doors opened. Her feet slammed on the ground with a thud, kicking up some dirt. But she couldn't contain her excitement. The day was here. Today was the day she or one of her friends would challenge the Blackthorn City gym. Julia and Caiseal stepped off the bus soon after, and it drove away, disappearing into the mountains.
"Should we head to the gym now?" Julia asked.
"Do you even need to ask? I say let's do it!" Caiseal exclaimed, pointing towards the gym with enthusiasm. It helped that it was relatively close by on foot, so they figured it was better not to put it off any longer.
When they got to the gym, the sign Clair had put on the front door was gone. This told them that the gym was likely open. Perrine took the initiative and walked through the automatic doors. In the middle of the gym was a battlefield with a large pool of water in the very middle, with plenty of solid ground surrounding it. Chairs lined the sides of the gym, intended for spectators to watch. Squinting her eyes, Julia could make out a maroon door all the way in the back of the gym.
"How come the battlefield is half dirt and half water?" Julia asked. The kids had seen plenty of battlefields before. Some were made of earth, and others simply had a big pool of water underneath them. Never one with both on different sides.
Perrine crossed her arms. "I think it's because she has some water types on her team," That was the best explanation she could come up with. She had done some research, finding out that two of Clair's Pokemon were water types that probably wouldn't thrive too well in a non-aquatic environment. Or maybe this was a deliberate move to throw off challengers and increase Clair's chances of winning.
"By the way…" Caiseal looked around the gym. They were the only ones in here. "Where is Clair, anyway?"
Julia pointed to the door in the farthest part of the gym. "Maybe she's in that room way in the back?" She suggested.
It didn't hurt to try. The kids walked over to the maroon door, and Caiseal knocked on it three times. After a few short minutes, someone came out from the other side. An elderly man opened the door, his bushy eyebrows obscuring his eyes. He was bald aside from a receding hairline around the back of his head, a thick mustache covered his mouth, and he had a long, bushy beard that cascaded down to his chin. The man's face was a whirlpool of wrinkles, and he wore a black kimono and deep red sandals. The kids exchanged confused looks. This old man certainly wasn't Clair.
"Hmmm? Why, hello there!" The old man greeted them with a smile. "What can I do for you kids today?"
Julia decided to speak. "We're sorry to bother you, sir. We're here to challenge the gym leader to a battle," She told him as politely as she could. "Is Clair here by any chance? We heard she returned to the gym."
She could see the man's mustache move up and down a few times. "I'm sorry. Clair's not here at the moment," He told them.
The trio sighed. Clair still wasn't here? How could that be? The sign on the gym's doors was gone, and Geoffrey had told them he saw Clair enter the gym. Could he have mistaken her for someone else? It was possible, but Clair was a famous gym leader. It'd be difficult to mistake her for anyone. The excitement they had was quickly dissipating.
"I do know where she is, though. I can take you to her if you'd like," The old man told them.
"Really?" Julia exclaimed, clasping her hands together. "We'd love that! Thank you so much, sir!"
The old man shook his head. "No biggie. If you can wait right there for just a moment," The old man went back inside his office. The kids saw him rummaging through some drawers. He stopped at a third one and pulled out a key. "There we go! Why do I always put it in the third drawer instead of the top one? Anyway...follow me, kids!" The old man gestured for them to come inside. The kids followed him and he opened a door in the back of the office. It led outside, probably the back of the gym, and they found themselves nearing a dock, with a small boat next to it.
"See that cave way over there?" The old man pointed at the very end of the lake. The kids leaned closer and squinted their eyes to get a better look. Just then, they saw a cave at the very back of the lake. "That's the Dragon's Den, home to the Dragon Tamer Clan. That's where Clair is right now."
"So you're taking us there?" Perrine asked.
The old man nodded. "This here boat's good for going across lakes," He gestured for them to get on. It wasn't a big boat by any means, but it was big enough to hold four people just fine. The kids sat down in the boat while the old man undid the rope around the dock, put his hands on the oars, and began rowing.
Slowly, the boat traversed across the water, the oars sending ripples across the surface. The kids remained still and steady, so they didn't rock the boat or topple themselves over. But they had to admit, the lake behind the gym was beautiful. The old man made sure to move the boat slowly so as to not overwhelm the kids. Julia clutched the straps of her backpack. She had never been on a boat ride like this before. The only time she had been on a boat was when they had to go to Olivine City, and that was a boat where she could go in and out of a walled room that blocked the outside except for the few windows it had. Here, she saw everything, from the bottom of the mountain looming ahead to the clear sky above. As she turned to her left, something caught her eye, something so wonderful she couldn't contain her excitement.
"Look, guys! There are Dratini sitting on that big rock!" Julia cried out.
"What?! Really?!" Perrine and Caiseal turned to look.
Lying on a large, flat rock a few feet away were three serpentine Pokemon with light blue bodies and white undersides. Their round snouts were also white, as were their three-pronged fins and the dots on their foreheads. Upon hearing Julia's joyful shout, one of them lifted its head up to look in their direction. Its eyes were a deep, reddish purple color, like wine.
"Oh my gosh! Look at them!" Perrine squealed, clasping her hands together. "Aren't they gorgeous?"
"They're soooo cute!" Julia flapped her hands in her excitement. She had seen pictures of them in books before, but had never seen one in person. Dratini were rare Pokemon, and to see one was like a miracle. But three! All in one place! That rarely ever happened. "I wish I could catch one right now! But I don't think I can throw my PokeBall far enough!"
Caiseal pulled out his PokeDex to examine them. "Dratini, the dragon Pokemon. In ancient times, Dratini were considered very rare Pokemon, so much so that they were referred to as mirages, or considered little more than a myth. Their existence hadn't been confirmed until fifty years ago, when a fisherman caught one after enduring a three hour struggle to catch it. After that, colonies of them were discovered underwater, and they began to appear in the public eye more often. Dratini's body is brimming with a mysterious life energy which only grows throughout its lifespan, often reaching uncontrollable levels. Because of this, Dratini shed their skin on a daily basis, allowing them to grow longer and larger, although even newborn Dratini can be as long as six feet, six inches."
The three Dratini were all lying flat on the rock, smiling and enjoying the sunshine on their skin. The one Dratini that looked at them laid its head back on the rock, yawning as it did so.
"They don't appear too often, so I guess today's our lucky day," The old man said, smiling at the sight of the three Dratini on the rock.
"Man, they sure are cool," Caiseal marveled at the sight of them, even as he put his PokeDex away.
In that moment, everything around them seemed to melt away. Julia kept her gaze locked onto them for as long as she could, knowing that in a little while, she wouldn't see them after this. She thought that if she looked away for just a moment, they'd leap off the rock and dive back into the water. Even the boat underneath her seemed to disappear. Not long afterward, one of the Dratini slid off the rock and went back into the water, leaving the other two alone on the rock. She didn't know how much time had passed, but not once did she look away from them. She didn't want to look away. She wished she had a camera so she could take pictures of them.
"We're almost to the cave, kids!" The old man announced.
The big rock Julia watched grew smaller and smaller, even though the boat was moving at a Slugma's pace. The Dratini started to look like blue and white lines on a big brown rock. Blue and white lines. Rare, beautiful blue and white lines that would disappear into the vast lake, probably to hide from the world and not come out for a while. She wasn't sure how much time had passed since she first saw them, but the boat eventually docked, and the entrance to the cave was right in front of them. Everyone exited the boat one at a time, and the cave entrance was taller than they had thought. It reached six feet, and on both sides of it were two men, also wearing black kimonos.
"Welcome, Master," They respectfully greeted him, putting their hands together and bowing.
"Master?" Caiseal asked.
The old man turned around, facing the kids. "Oh! Did I forget to introduce myself? I guess I must have. Anyway, I am Uraku Van Drak, the leader of the Dragon Tamer Clan. Clair happens to be my granddaughter."
Everyone's jaws dropped. This old man-Uraku-was the leader of a clan? Then again, upon looking at him, he did have a sort of wise, sagely air about him. The kids hoped they hadn't done anything to offend him.
"Don't look so surprised, kids," Uraku reassured, waving his hand dismissively. "I don't expect you all to be formal or anything. Anyway, now that we're here, let's go inside."
With his head held high, Uraku walked straight into the cave, with the kids following from behind. Torches lined the cave walls, illuminating it from the inside. The orange flames danced on the torches, making the shadows flicker along the walls. The cave wasn't very big, but there was enough room for four people to walk inside in a single file line. Uraku and the kids walked on for another few minutes, then the cave opened up into a massive room, with most of it comprising of a large, underground lake. The kids smiled in awe. Some Dratini were playing in the water, splashing each other with their heads and tails. Other Pokemon, who were much bigger, were either resting on some rocks or sparring with one another. A wooden bridge crossed the lake, leading to what appeared to be an ancient shrine made of red wood, with a teal roof.
"So this is the Dragon's Den…" Caiseal mused. "Wow! Look at the Dragonair and Dragonite!" He pointed to some Pokemon on the right side of the lake. "Aren't they cool?"
"The Pokemon that live in the Dragon's Den are very sacred to my people," Uraku told them. "It's against the rules to capture or harm them in any way. Understand?"
Wordlessly, the kids nodded. Julia did let out a disappointed sigh. She had wanted to catch one of those cute Dratini. She shrugged. Oh well. Maybe she could find one somewhere else. Rules are rules.
"See that wooden shrine over there?" Uraku pointed to the wooden establishment in the middle of the lake. "That's my house. Before any of you can battle Clair, it's my duty to put you trainers through a test."
Test? Julia shivered. She hated that word so much. Math tests and spelling tests ran through her mind. "What kind of test? A written one?" She asked, her voice shivering. "I stink at tests no matter how hard I study."
Uraku smiled. "No no no. Nothing like that," He reassured her. "All I'm going to do is ask each of you a series of questions and see if any of you are worthy of facing her."
A sigh of relief escaped her throat. "Thank goodness!" She exclaimed, her shoulders relaxing.
"There is one rule in regards to this test," Uraku explained, holding up an index finger. "Only one of you may enter at a time. Now, since you all wish to battle Clair, which one of you would like to go first?" He inquired.
Julia put a hand on Perrine's shoulder. "I think you should do it first," She suggested. "You're the strongest trainer and the most devoted to the gym challenge out of all of us."
"Yeah. Why not go first?" Caiseal added in agreement. "You're way more passionate about this than any of us."
After a brief moment, Perrine nodded. "Sure. Alright then. I'll go first."
"Right this way, miss," Uraku opened the door and led Perrine inside, leaving Caiseal and Julia alone.
It seemed fitting for Perrine to go through the test first. Julia had no aspirations to win the Pokemon League or become the champion. Why not give the chance to someone who really wants it? There wasn't any reason for Julia to go first, not that she minded too much. She was okay with going last. Still, she wondered what this whole test business was all about. Did they really need to answer some questions just to battle Clair? Why couldn't they just ask her nicely?
"I wonder what questions he's asking her," Julia mused to break the silence. "I hope it's nothing too hard or complicated."
Caiseal shrugged. "I doubt it. Maybe they have something to do with Pokemon battles. If that's the case, Perrine'll pass with flying colors," He answered with confidence. "They probably don't let just anybody battle Clair."
"I guess. She is the strongest gym leader in Johto, after all."
"Do you hear anything in there?" Caiseal asked, pointing towards her ears. Julia raised an eyebrow. Why would she hear anything? Then she remembered her sensitive hearing. It was quiet, other than a few splashing noises and some Dratini squealing in the distance. Julia walked up to the door and strained her ears. Nothing.
"Nope. I don't hear a thing," Julia replied. "It is weird, though. This house looks like it's made of wood," She walked back to where she stood before.
Second later, the door swung open, and out came Perrine. The kids looked at her expectantly. Did she pass or not? Perrine flashed a smile.
"Guess what? I passed!" Perrine exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips.
"Awesome! Congrats!" Julia and Caiseal were quick to shower her with praise. Then again, they knew she'd pass. "What kind of questions did he ask?" Julia asked.
"Just simple stuff, really," She replied. "Mostly about how trainers feel about Pokemon and such."
Just then, Uraku poked his head out from the door. "Whoever wants to come in next is free to do so."
"Do you want to go in next, Cash?" Julia suggested.
Caiseal crossed his arms, adopting a confident stance. "I don't see why not. Sure, I'll pass this test easy," He said, walking right inside. Uraku closed the door behind him in silence. This time, Julia was alone with Perrine. She fidgeted with her sleeve for a bit before talking to Perrine again.
"So...what questions did he ask you?" Julia asked.
"Mostly stuff like 'What are Pokemon to you' or 'Is there such thing as a weak Pokemon.' Stuff like that," She replied matter-of-factly. "He only asked five questions, so I don't think you'll have much trouble with it either."
Julia's jaw dropped. That was it? Her initial shock turned into joy. This was going to be the easiest test ever! The cogs in her mind were turning right away, already forming answers to the questions Perrine mentioned. She found herself tapping her feet on the stone floor beneath her, unable to contain her anticipation and excitement. Now that she knew what two of the questions were, she used the remaining time to think over her answers and solidify them in her mind, happy that Perrine told her about the questions in advance. But she did secretly hope that Uraku didn't decide to change the questions on her and throw her off. She always hated it when that happened in school. She'd spend lots of time studying certain things, only for the teachers to change things around and she'd wind up at a complete blank as to how to even answer the questions.
It didn't take long for Caiseal to skip out from the house. "Alright! I did it!" He cheered, jumping from the steps, throwing his fists in the air.
"Awesome! Congratulations!" Julia and Perrine exalted him as soon as he came out, with the former jumping up and down like he had already won a Pokemon League. Now she was next. She wasted no time walking up the steps and approaching Uraku.
"So you're the last one. Come on inside," Uraku motioned for her to walk inside.
"Good luck!" Caiseal told her. Perrine flashed a thumbs up.
When she went inside, Julia glanced at her surroundings. The inside of the house was fairly quaint, with the walls being made of solid wood. But there was also very little furniture, with a tiny stove built way in the back, a table and two chairs in the middle of the room, and a small bed off to the side.
"Is this really your house?" Julia asked. "It's really tiny," A hand flew to her mouth the second she said that. Had she said something rude? The last time she commented on someone's house, nice or no, her mother had gently scolded her on saying things that others could construe as being rude, even when she wasn't trying to be. She winced, bracing herself for a scolding.
A chuckle escaped Uraku's lips. "Yes, it is small, but it still fulfills its purpose, and I don't need much," Uraku told her. "As master of the Dragon's Den, it's my duty to stay here and look after the Pokemon," He gestured towards one of the chairs. Julia sat down without a word, as did Uraku. She kept her eyes on her hands, feeling the older man's gaze on her. Just knowing someone was looking at her made her feel uncomfortable, even if she knew he wasn't doing anything mean.
"Now, I'm going to ask you a series of questions in regards to your relationship with Pokemon, and it is important that you tell me the absolute truth," Uraku said, his voice low but still gentle. "I can sense when people are lying."
The absolute truth. That was easy enough. But she raised an eyebrow. "How can you sense when I'm lying?" She found herself asking out loud. Then she remembered something her parents always told her. One way of knowing someone is lying is when they don't look you in the eyes. Julia hated looking at peoples' eyes, not because she wanted to lie to them. But since she wasn't looking at him right now, could he interpret it that way? "Is it because I'm not making eye contact with you? I-"
Uraku shook his head. "No no, miss. Eye contact has nothing to do with it. Alright, let's begin," He assured, folding his hands together. "My first question is...what are Pokemon to you?"
What were Pokemon to her? Julia smiled. She didn't need to think too hard about this one, since she had practically grown up with them. She did find herself thinking about all of the Pokemon at the ranch at the ones she owned, which made her smile more. They loved her, and she loved them. They had always been there for her, during the happy times and the sad times. Especially the sad times. They never made her feel inadequate or unwanted, like kids at school did. They never made a big deal about her being autistic, nor did they freak out when she made the occasional slip-up.
"To me, Pokemon are my friends," Julia answered with confidence.
Uraku flashed a faint smile. "I see. My next question is... what does it take to win a Pokemon battle, and why?"
If he had asked her this question before she went on her journey, Julia would have said she didn't know, since she hated battles with every fiber of her being and wouldn't think of putting her Pokemon through something so violent and barbaric. Now that she had actually participated in Pokemon battles, she thought about the wins and losses she endured. Whenever she had won a battle, it was because she planned her strategies out, worked with her Pokemon as a team, and believed in them. Winning wasn't everything, and just because she had lost some battles didn't mean she didn't learn anything or didn't love her Pokemon any less. They always gave it one hundred percent no matter what.
"I think teamwork, good strategy planning, and the bond you share with your Pokemon are what it takes to win a battle," Julia took an extra minute to try to compose her answer in a cohesive form. Good thing Uraku didn't mind her taking a little long. She had to admit, she was taken aback by how calm he was. Most people she knew would get mad at her for needing extra time to talk or give an answer to a question out loud. "I mean, if you don't actively work together with your Pokemon and make the effort to be in sync with one another, you'll never stand a chance. Battling isn't about calling out attacks or beating up another person's Pokemon. I used to think it was like that long ago, but I don't anymore. Winning Pokemon battles takes a lot of training and teamwork."
There was a brief silence, then Uraku broke it with a hum. "I see. Next question: What is the most important thing when raising Pokemon?"
Julia's confidence shot right up into the stratosphere. This was the easiest question ever!
"I know this one!" She announced, her voice a little higher than she intended it to be. "You always gotta raise them with love and care, no matter what!" She exclaimed proudly.
Uraku winced, finding himself taken aback. Julia's smile faded. Had she frightened him?
"Oh dear. Was I too loud? Sorry!"
"It's alright. Think nothing of it," Uraku assured, smiling again. "Alright. My final question is…" He pressed his lips into a thin line, and his voice dropped to a lower volume, adopting a stern tone. "Is there such thing as a weak Pokemon?"
And her confidence dwindled right back down to pebble size. This was a tricky one. It didn't help that his expression completely changed, from friendly to strict-looking within seconds. Oh dear. Maybe some people got this question wrong. Julia really needed to think about this one. She technically had an answer, but she knew she had to make it coherent and concise, conveying exactly what she wanted to convey. If she got this question wrong...Julia shook her head. She didn't dare think about it.
"I don't think so, no," She answered.
"Why is that?"
The girl straightened her posture. "Just because a Pokemon isn't as strong as other ones, it doesn't mean they're bad or not important, or that winning battles with them is impossible. A lot of my Pokemon started out as weak, but I didn't catch them because I wanted a super strong team of Pokemon. I caught them because I loved them and wanted to be their friend. My parents own a Pokemon ranch and they take care of Pokemon with a lot of physical and mental health issues. They tell me most people don't want to deal with them because they think it's a hassle or prefer Pokemon that are easy to take care of. I mean, just because a Pokemon is weak or has a lot of problems, that doesn't mean they can't be treated like partners or friends just like all your other Pokemon. Even if a Pokemon never becomes strong or super powerful, they're still living beings that deserve to be treated with love and respect for what they are and who they are. Besides, doesn't everyone start out weak at first? Nobody is born super strong right off the bat. We humans begin life as babies, and they're weak and helpless. We get stronger as we grow up. Pokemon are no different."
Another silence. Julia's neck started to hurt and her throat suddenly grew dry. But more than that, Uraku's gaze never left her. She looked away, cowed by the stern look he was giving her. For a brief moment, she felt like she was back in school again. Then, Uraku's smile returned.
He stood up. "Based on the answers you gave me, I think I've figured out what kind of person you are," Uraku told her. "You pass. You have my permission to battle Clair."
Pass? Did he just say pass? Any anxiety and worries Julia had before were washed away. "Wait...I did?! I passed?! Th-Th-Thank you so much, sir!" She bowed before him.
"There's no need to be so formal, dear," Uraku waved a dismissive hand. "I can clearly see that you care deeply for Pokemon. I know you're a fine Pokemon trainer. We can leave now."
Julia wasted no time running out the door, cheering loudly, "I PASSED!" She wrapped one arm around Perrine's neck, and Caiseal's with the other.
"That's so great, Jule!" Caiseal exclaimed. "I knew you would!"
"Me too!" Perrine agreed. "Congrats! Now we can all battle Clair!"
The cheering died down shortly afterward. "Speaking of her...where is she, anyway?" Julia asked.
Caiseal looked around. There was no sign of her. "Yeah. Isn't she supposed to be here? I mean, we all passed the test."
"Grandfather!" A voice cried out from behind them. The kids turned around in silent shock as a young woman came bounding towards them. Her long, light blue ponytail swished in every direction as she ran, and her piercing blue eyes caught sight of the children, but they held no signs of hostility. She wore a one-piece navy blue outfit consisting of a sleeveless bodysuit with shorts that went a little above her knees. A black cape trailed behind her with a wine red under layer. "There you are! I was wondering where all that noise was coming from."
Uraku didn't react much to the woman's entrance. "Hello, Clair! I was just putting these young trainers through the test," He explained. "It seems they're here to challenge you to a gym battle."
The kids' mouths fell open. This was Clair, the gym leader of Blackthorn City! They had finally met her face-to-face.
"All three of you?" Clair put a hand to her chin, a bit perplexed.
"Yes, ma'am," Perrine decided to do the talking. "I'm Perrine, and these are Caiseal and Julia. We tried to challenge you the other day, but you weren't here."
"I see. Sorry about that," Clair said, running a hand through her light blue locks. "My mother had to have emergency heart surgery, so I was away for the past few days."
Her mother had heart trouble? The kids exchanged looks. That was definitely a valid reason to close the gym for a while. If a family member was in danger and had to get surgery, of course they'd want to be there for them. "Is she alright now?" Julia asked.
"The surgery went well, and she's fine now. Thanks for your concern," Clair told them reassuringly. "Although…" She crossed her arms. "Did you pass the test?"
"They sure did!" Uraku exclaimed.
"Wha?!" The woman's mouth fell right open, like she heard aliens were coming to attack Earth. But just as quickly, she broke into a proud smile. "That's amazing! Most trainers only get two questions right at most, so you must be pretty good trainers if you can pass it so easily!"
Julia looked down at her feet, abashed by the praise. Perrine and Caiseal exchanged grins.
"Still, it's been years since three trainers have asked to challenge me at one time," Clair mused.
Was she implying she wanted to battle them one at a time? Maybe all three of them asking to challenge her was a bit much. Julia opted to speak this time. "Sorry, Miss Clair! We can battle you one at a time if you want! You don't have to challenge all three of us at once!" Julia stammered, worried that the suggestion might have been overwhelming or too much of a hassle to think about. She hoped she didn't offend her in any way.
Thankfully, Clair didn't seem offended. In fact, she flashed a thumbs up. "Actually, that's an interesting idea!" She announced. "I say we have a triple battle! Me against all three of you!"
The kids were dumbfounded. Where did that come from all of a sudden? She actually wanted to challenge all three of them at once? Was that even possible? Julia's mind was racing. How could they possibly make that happen?
"Are we even allowed to do that?" She found herself asking.
"Of course. Triple battles are a thing," Perrine told her, raising an index finger. "They are one of the newer Pokemon battle styles. It got added to the Pokemon Association's official rulebook about seven years ago," She explained.
"Oooh, I get it," That made sense. Julia never cared much for battling before her journey started, so she only knew about regular Pokemon battles. She only learned about double battles back when she and Perrine challenged Bugsy in Azalea Town. This was the first time she learned about triple battles.
A confident gleam glinted in Caiseal's eyes when she finished her explanation. "We accept your challenge!" Caiseal exclaimed, beaming with confidence. "So what time do you want to battle?"
"I have a full day tomorrow, but I'm free all day today, so how about around five?" Clair suggested. "That'll give you kids some time to get some training in, and it's still early right now."
"Yeah. We'd better get back to the Pokemon Center," Julia piped in.
With that, Uraku offered to take the kids back to the mainland. Clair stayed behind, as she said she had some quick things she needed to take care of before the battle. As they sat in the back of the boat, Julia's mind was a tangled knot of worries.
"We've never done any triple battles before," Julia said, wrapping her arms around herself. "And a few measly hours might not be enough time for us to really train for something like this. Not only that, Clair's the strongest gym leader in Johto. Will we really be able to stand a chance against her?"
Caiseal pulled his shoe off to rub one of his feet with one hand. All that standing was making his feet throb a bit. "You do raise some good points. But a few hours is better than nothing. We might as well make good use of our time. We did do some research on her and her Pokemon beforehand, so it's not like we haven't done anything."
"I agree," Perrine said. "I've already decided which Pokemon I'm gonna use. I say we just get back and start training right away. Whether we win against her or not, we've still gotta work hard and give it our best."
Both Caiseal and Julia nodded in agreement. This was going to be their final gym battle. Even if they had a small time window to train, why not start right away?
As planned, the kids decided on which Pokemon they were going to use and started training right away. It was almost twelve when they got back to Blackthorn City, and the battle was at five, so they made a schedule for themselves. Two hours of training, then a half hour of rest, and another hour and a half of training. If they used their time right, they'd have half an hour before the battle started, which the kids would use to eat dinner and give their Pokemon time to recharge. They didn't want to push their Pokemon too hard and make them too tired for battle. Clair did say she had a lot going on tomorrow, so she was probably going to be busy again. Who knows?
At precisely five, everyone gathered in the gym. Julia, Perrine, and Caiseal stood on their side of the battlefield, and Clair in the far side of it leading to the back of the gym. Uraku acted as referee, standing on the left side of the field with two flags in hand, a green one facing the kids' side and a red one facing Clair's side.
"This is an official gym battle between Clair Van Drak, the Blackthorn City gym leader, and three trainers; Caiseal, Julia, and Perrine!" Uraku announced, his voice having risen several octaves, enough for everyone to hear. "Today's battle will be a triple battle, so each side will only be allowed to use three Pokemon! Clair will use three of her own Pokemon, and since there are three challengers, they will only be allowed to use one Pokemon for each person."
That seemed fair, as far as the kids were concerned. It'd keep things from getting too overwhelming for both sides. "Trainers, choose your Pokemon!"
"Alright!" Clair pulled three PokeBalls off her belt. "Gyarados! Dragonair! Kingdra! Come on out!" She threw them high in the air, and three white lights dove into the water.
First, a fierce Gyarados ascended from the water, its maw wide, sharp teeth on display. On its left appeared a smaller, much more slender, serpent-like creature, with soft, ruby red eyes, a blue body and a white underside, with a clear blue crystal orb on its neck, along with two more on its tail. Little white wings fluttered on both sides of its head, serving as its ears, and a small white horn protruded from its head. On Gyarados' right was a large, blue seahorse Pokemon with a long, thin snout and a yellow belly.
Julia wasted no time pulling out her PokeDex to analyze them. "Dragonair, the dragon Pokemon, and the evolved form of Dratini. Dragonair often live in large bodies of water, like lakes and the ocean. Dragonair don't technically have wings, but its wing-like ears help it fly in the air up to a certain height. The crystal orbs on its neck and tail contain a divine power that allows it to change the weather patterns at will, and using said power makes an aura appear around their bodies. Because of their ability to alter the weather, people from ancient times worshipped it as a deity, often giving them food and offerings in order to appease it."
She later had the PokeDex switch over to the other Pokemon. "Kingdra, the dragon Pokemon, and the evolved form of Seadra. Kingdra are capable of sleeping deep in the ocean floor, in areas that are completely devoid of life, as a means to preserve their energy. In the current era, Kingdra usually live in underwater caves. It is said that every time this Pokemon moves, or even yawns, it can cause whirlpools strong enough to swallow ships and destroy them whole. When storms make the oceans unstable, Kingdra use the time to wander about and search for prey, taking advantage of their vulnerability in bad weather conditions."
"Two dragon types, and one water type," Perrine mused out loud. Pulling out one of her PokeBalls. "We can handle this! Go, Chirin!" Out from the PokeBall came the light Pokemon, who puffed out his chest and adopted a confident battle stance.
"Ampaaaa!"
Caiseal sent his Pokemon out next. "I choose you, Flippy!" The second the Quagsire materialized onto the field, she let out a big yawn, not in any way frightened or surprised by the large Gyarados looming over her.
Julia rummaged through her bag for Tokiko's PokeBall. After groping around her bag, she finally found it. "Alright, Tokiko! Let's-!"
Before she could send Tokiko out, a white light burst from her bag, turning into Tsubasa. The bird Pokemon spread her wings and let out a battle cry. "Pijoooo!"
"What?! Tsubasa! Come on!" Julia bellowed, clearly not happy with the bird's unexpected entrance. "We talked about this! I was gonna send Tokiko out for this battle!" To think Tsubasa had the gall to pop out of her PokeBall and completely throw a wrench in Julia's plans for this battle. Sure, she knew Tsubasa was extremely competitive, very strong, and always hungry for a good battle, but she knew her over inflated ego could get the better of her. The last thing Julia wanted was for Tsubasa to get in over her head and cost them the battle.
Perrine stifled a laugh. Caiseal facepalmed. "Seriously?" He groaned.
Too bad Tsubasa didn't share the same sentiment. The bird completely ignored her trainer's scolding, holding her head up with an air of superiority. Julia knew she was saying, "Well, too bad! I'm battling and that's that!" Once Tsubasa got an idea in her head, it was nigh impossible to talk her out of it.
Come to think of it...she did know a dragon-type move. Maybe this could work. Julia crossed her arms. "Alright, change of plans," She said. "You can battle, Tsubasa. But you still have to do what I tell you. We all need to work together so we can win. Is that clear?"
Tsubasa waved a dismissive wing at her. ("Yeah yeah, I got it. Don't be such a nag!")
Caiseal leaned closer to Julia, whispering right next to her, "You sure it's a good idea to have her out? This completely throws a wrench in our plans."
"I know. Sorry about her," Julia whispered back. "But we might be able to make this work somehow. We just need to trust each other. Okay?"
Knowing arguing was pointless, not that he had any desire to do so, Caiseal nodded in agreement.
"Ready?" Uraku raised both flags into the air. "Let the battle begin!"
"I'll go first!" Clair threw one of her arms outward. "Dragonair, use Aqua Tail!"
The serpentine dragon raised its tail in the air. The orbs at the tip glowed in an ephemeral blue light, generating a pillar of water that raged around it. With a high pitched wail, Dragonair threw the attack down on the ground, ready to smack the Pokemon around.
"Everyone, dodge!" The kids all called out at the same time. Chirin sprinted to his left, evading the attack. Tsubasa flew into the air easily. Oddly enough, the Aqua Tail didn't aim in Flippy's direction, and the water fish Pokemon barely paid much attention to the attack.
"Chirin, use Thunderbolt on Gyarados!" Perrine exclaimed.
"Tsubasa, use Air Slash on everyone!"
"Flippy, Ice Beam on Dragonair!"
Tsubasa flapped her wings once, and air compressed into sickles shot right at the trio of Pokemon, landing direct hits. But the dragon trio didn't react at all, taking the hits like they were nothing. The kids weren't surprised, since Air Slash was a flying type move, and they were all strong against flying. But better to get some hits in, right? Flippy fired an ice blue beam of light at Dragonair, who swiftly swimmed to the side, successfully evading it. Chirin fired off a lightning bolt from his tail.
"Gyarados, hold it off with Hydro Pump!" Clair shouted. Gyarados fired off a large stream of pressurized water right at the Thunderbolt, stopping it from landing a hit. The two attacks collided, generating a cloud of smoke that almost covered the entire battlefield.
"Tsubasa, blow it away!" Julia cried. Tsubasa wasted no time flapping her wings, generating strong winds that made the smoke dissipate.
"Kingdra, use Dragon Pulse!"
The giant seahorse raised its snout into the air, and a sphere of multicolored energy materialized before it. After a short while, Kingdra let out a growl as it pulled its snout down, and the sphere shot into a wild, dragon-shaped beam that flew right towards its opponents. Tsubasa flew out of the way just in time, but both Chirin and Flippy had no time to react. They attempted to run, but their legs couldn't carry them fast enough, and the Dragon Pulse landed a direct hit on both of them.
"You guys okay?!" Caiseal yelled.
True to form, Chirin and Flippy got right back on their feet.
"Dragonair, use Headbutt on Chirin!" Clair commanded.
Dragonair leaped out of the water, flying right towards Chirin. "Use Cotton Guard!" Perrine yelled. Chirin let out a cry as the orb on its head glowed red. A huge cloud of pure white cotton spilled out from the glowing orb, wrapping around Chirin like a shield right as Dragonair rammed its head into him.
Julia saw an opening. "Tsubasa, use Quick Attack on Dragonair!"
Tsubasa threw herself right at Dragonair, ramming her beak into the dragon Pokemon's neck with all the strength she had. Dragonair let out a pained cry as it felt Tsubasa's beak cut into its neck.
Caiseal started to see what was happening. The Headbutt from earlier must have dulled Dragonair's senses a bit, and the barrage of attacks wasn't allowing it to recover mentally. If they could defeat Dragonair first, that would leave Gyarados and Kingdra left. He smirked. "Flippy, use Ice Beam!"
"Gyarados! Hold it off with Dragon Pulse!"
The atrocious Pokemon wasted no time firing off a dragon-shaped beam of light, protecting Dragonair from the assault. Not only that, the Dragon Pulse cut through the Ice Beam and knocked Flippy off her feet, sending her rolling across the field.
"Now use Bite!" Clair exclaimed. As ordered, Gyarados took Flippy into its mouth, teeth digging right into her slimy skin. The water fish Pokemon let out a painful wail as she flailed her hands and feet up and down in an attempt to break free. Her struggle was futile.
"Chirin! Thunderbolt again, and make it count!"
"Kingdra! Dragon Rage! Don't let them hurt Gyarados!"
"Duuura!" The giant seahorse let out a stream of purple blue flames from its thin snout. Lightning cut through the attack like it was cake, and one of the strikes managed to land a direct hit on Gyarados, shocking it enough to release Flippy from its mouth. Tsubasa was quick to grab Flippy's tail with her talons, though the water fish's weight was dragging her down some. She did manage to set her back down on the field safely, preventing any injuries.
"Gosh, they're tough," Julia said.
"She's not a gym leader for nothing," Perrine agreed. "But we're not giving up."
"As if!" Caiseal exclaimed.
"You kids have guts! I like that!" Clair told them with her arms crossed. "Dragonair, Slam!"
"Counter it with Wing Attack!" Julia cried out.
Dragonair raised its tail in the air, ready to slam it right down on Chirin. But the bird Pokemon flew right in between them, her wings aglow with white light. She held both wings in front of herself like a shield, and her body trembled as Dragonair's tail made contact. She briefly lost altitude for a moment, but flapped her wings and stopped herself from falling to the ground.
"Flippy! You use Slam right back! Use it on Kingdra!" Caiseal cried.
Flippy leaped into the water and swam towards Kingdra, smiling as she readied herself to ram right into it.
"I don't think so! Agility, then get it with your snout!"
A purple aura enveloped Kingdra's body, and before Flippy could land a hit, the giant seahorse swam out of the way. It's movements were a blur, and Flippy could barely keep her eyes on it. She turned around and saw Kingdra right behind her. But she couldn't get out of the way in time. Kingdra threw its snout right onto Flippy's head, knocking her deep into the water.
"This isn't good!" Julia's eyes widened when she saw that attack. Nothing they were doing was weakening them one bit. She needed to do something. Then it hit her. Tsubasa knew that one attack. Maybe now was a good time to use it. "Tsubasa! Use Twister on Kingdra, and quick!"
"Pijoooo!" With a piercing cry, Tsubasa flew in circles all around Kingdra. It didn't take long for the fast flying Pokemon to be engulfed in a swirling tornado that reached all the way to the ceiling. Kingdra found itself lifted out of the water, caught in the cyclone. Gyarados dove into the water, but that didn't help much, as most of the water was getting sucked into the funnel. Even Dragonair couldn't keep itself on the ground, and the cyclone pulled it right in.
Julia flashed a wide grin. "It's working!"
Caiseal noticed the water getting sucked into the funnel. Maybe this could work. "Perrine! Tell Chirin to use Thunderbolt on the Twister!"
"Wha…?" Perrine raised an eyebrow. Why do that? Then she saw the twister and the water. All of Clair's Pokemon were in the Twister attack. The pieces came together, and a determined gleam shone in her eyes. "Chirin! Use Thunderbolt again, this time on the Twister!"
Chirin had no time to question Perrine's orders, not that he wanted to. His tail fired off a wave of lightning bolts, all of which melded right into the tornado. Electricity traveled along the wind, electrocuting everything inside. Gyarados and Dragonair cried out in pain as the shock surged through their bodies. Knowing what this would entail, Tsubasa flew out of the tornado before the electricity could get to her. Flippy crawled out from what was left of the pool and flopped right onto the ground, closing her eyes. She barely noticed the tornado behind her, or if she did, she didn't care. Clair covered her eyes with her arms, the blinding light from the electric tornado too overwhelming to look at.
Finally, after a harrowing few minutes, the electric tornado dissipated. Dragonair was sprawled out on the ground, its body covered with burns and charred spots. But it did have enough energy to lift its head and torso up. Gyarados' upper body was on land, with the rest of it still in the water. Some sparks of electricity danced around its scales, making it twitch every now and again. Its tongue hung from the side of its mouth. Kingdra popped its head out from the water, not looking the least bit fazed. Flippy didn't move from her spot. Chirin and Tsubasa were still standing.
"Oh goodness…" Clair's jaw dropped.
Uraku held up both flags. "Quagsire and Gyarados are both unable to battle!" He announced.
Two Pokemon were down. One on each side. Now it was a double battle. Caiseal called Flippy back to her PokeBall. "Good job, girl. Now you get a nice rest."
As if mirroring his movements, Clair recalled her Gyarados. "You were awesome, Gyarados," She put her PokeBall away and flashed a smile at the kids. "I have to say, I'm impressed," She crossed her arms again. "Never in my years of being a gym leader did I ever see any trainer do something as crazy as make an electric twister."
Julia looked at Tsubasa's tail, avoiding Clair's gaze. "Ehhh, it's not a big deal."
Perrine gently elbowed Caiseal. "You were the one who thought of it."
"You put it into action. I just thought of making use of Tsubasa's Twister."
Upon hearing that, Tsubasa started flapping her wings and squawking angrily. "Ah! Wait! Tsubasa, calm down!" Julia held her hands up, but the bird paid her little heed. "She says your idea almost electrocuted her."
"Sorry, Tsubasa," Caiseal apologized. The idea was a risky one. Had Tsubasa not reacted when she did, Chirin's Thunderbolt could have hit her as well, and since she was a flying type, it would have easily knocked her out for sure. But he had to make a split second decision. He made a choice, the plan was executed, and it worked for the most part. Now one of Clair's Pokemon was out of the battle.
He put a reassuring hand on Julia's shoulder, smiling at her. "It's up to you girls now."
Both girls nodded. "Can you guys keep going?" Julia asked.
Tsubasa let out a loud trill, and Chirin simply raised one of his arms up in the air before turning back around.
"You've got guts. That's an admirable trait in a trainer," Clair said, brushing some hair out of her face. "But guts alone isn't the key to victory! Kingdra and Dragonair! Use Dragonbreath!"
The two dragon Pokemon opened their mouths, and a blazing cloud of purple and green hued fire with white rings spilled out.
"Blow it away with Twister, Tsubasa!"
"Pijoooo!" Tsubasa wasted no time spinning around in a circle, generating a smaller tornado this time around. The raging winds formed a barrier against the multicolored fire, and the attack dissipated after a few minutes.
"Chirin! Use Signal Beam on Kingdra!" Perrine cried out.
The red orb on Chirin's head glowed a bright green. Chirin let out a piercing warble before a green beam of light shot out from its head, charging right towards Kingdra.
Clair smirked. "Kingdra! Agility!"
Quick as lightning, Kingdra seemed to disappear right as the beam was about to land a hit. Chirin's jaw dropped. Where was it? The seahorse's movements were like a blur. One minute it was in front of Chirin, the second in the corner of his eye, the next it was right behind him. It was Julia who noticed something else.
Kingdra was moving fast. On land.
"What?!" She yelped without meaning to. But the shock of it all made her voice rise much higher than she wanted it to. "How can Kingdra move so fast on land?! Isn't it part water type?!"
Perrine's chest thundered. She clutched her vest as she found herself in awe of Kingdra's speed. "Clair must have raised it so well that it's able to move around on all kinds of terrain, not just water!" Doubt began to take hold, like a Magnemite attaching itself to a fuse box. If Kingdra could manage to move around on land without any problems...the girls were in deep trouble.
"Tsubasa! Use Quick Attack! Go all out!" Julia shouted.
Tsubasa folded her wings in and propelled herself right at the seahorse.
"Dragonair, use Thunder Wave!"
The orb on Dragonair's neck glowed in a yellow light before letting out a few waves of electricity from behind Tsubasa. Since the bird Pokemon was so focused on Kingdra, she didn't notice Dragonair rising up from behind her. Before she could lunge right at Kingdra, her muscles suddenly tensed up, turning numb. She cried out as she tried to flap her wings to no avail. Her whole body convulsed, burning with an intense numbing sensation. She lost her momentum, and she found herself hitting the ground.
"Tsubasa!" Julia cried. This wasn't good. Tsubasa was paralyzed. The bird Pokemon attempted to get back on her feet, but every movement resulted in pain shooting through every nerve in her body. Her talons couldn't keep steady, and her wings suddenly felt heavier than normal. Chirin ran over to help her up, wincing at how much Tsubasa's body convulsed in his arms.
"I got you now!" Clair edicted, her eyes shining with determination. "Dragonair! Kingdra! Finish it with a combined Dragon Pulse!"
The two dragons let out a cry before shooting dragon-shaped beams of light out from their mouths. Chirin tried to drag Tsubasa out of the way, but the bird weighed heavy on his stubby arms. Perrine could see he was unable to dodge right at that moment, and that he wasn't going to leave Tsubasa there. But a combined Dragon Pulse attack was sure to knock them out. She had to do something.
"Cotton Guard!" Perrine shouted.
Chirin attempted to set up a cotton barrier around himself and Tsubasa. But he only managed to gather a few clumps before the two Dragon Pulse attacks landed a direct hit on both him and Tsubasa. The barrage of energy sent the two of them rolling across the dirt. Chirin clung to Tsubasa the whole time, refusing to let her go, but his body ached from the blast. Julia clutched Perrine's sleeve, paralyzed with fear. Both Chirin and Tsubasa had dark burn marks on their bodies, and the light Pokemon was taking in sharp, labored breaths.
"You're gonna be done for at this rate!" Caiseal exclaimed, eyes wide in anticipation of what was to come. "You gotta do something!"
"They won't be able to hold out much longer!" Perrine snapped back. "Clair's Pokemon are too strong, and Tsubasa's paralyzed!"
The odds were completely against them now. All the kids knew it. Tsubasa was the only Pokemon who knew a move that had a type advantage over the two dragons, and even that wasn't enough to completely defeat them, electric tornado notwithstanding. Flippy had already been defeated, and Chirin's attacks could barely do anything. Defeat was imminent. A faint trill pulled Julia from her thoughts. Tsubasa crawled out from Chirin's arms, breathing heavily, but on her feet and wings outstretched.
"Tsubasa! Don't push yourself!" Julia pleaded, seeing the sparks dance across Tsubasa's fur. "You don't have to keep fighting! You're paralyzed!"
Ignoring her pleas, the bird shot an angry glare at the dragon duo. "Heh! This is nothing! I'm not finished yet!"
"You're too weak to go on! There's no shame in forfeiting!" Julia continued her effort to dissuade Tsubasa from hurting herself further. Even she could tell there was no way they could win at this rate. "Please, Tsubasa!"
Even Chirin tried to convince her to fall back, but the bird shook her head, having none of it. "No way! I'm gonna go down fighting! I'm not a quitter!" Tsubasa howled, fighting the paralysis wracking her body with every ounce of strength she had. Her wings glowed white and she threw herself into the air, lunging at Kingdra.
"No! Stop!" Julia cried, but the bird paid her no heed.
"It's over!" Clair exclaimed. "Kingdra, Hydro Pump! Dragonair, Hyper Beam!"
"Chirin! Signal Beam again!"
A stream of pressurized water pummeled Tsubasa, completely drowning her. Dragonair fired a thick, orange beam of light, and Chirin had no time to even prepare his own attack before getting hit. The orange light struck him right on the chest, sending him rolling across the battlefield. When the Hydro Pump dissipated, Tsubasa was sprawled on the ground, wings outstretched, talons in the air, eyes closed. Her tail and left wing twitched slightly. Neither Pokemon moved.
Uraku leaned over to examine them for a brief moment. "Pidgeotto and Ampharos are unable to battle!" He announced, pointing a red flag towards Clair. "Dragonair and Kingdra are the winners, and since all of the challengers' Pokemon have been defeated, the victory goes to Clair, the gym leader!"
The kids looked down at the fallen Pokemon. They lost. All that training for several hours straight, and they lost. But in the back of their minds, they somewhat knew they'd lose. Clair certainly didn't hold back, and she wasn't the strongest gym leader in Johto for nothing. They had anticipated the possibility that they'd lose their first battle, especially since they had never engaged in triple battles before now. This helped alleviate the pain of the loss somewhat. Julia and Perrine both called their tired Pokemon back to their PokeBalls.
"You did great, Tsubasa," Julia whispered. "We'll get you healed up right after this."
"You too, Chirin. Awesome job," Perrine held Chirin's PokeBall close to her chest.
"Man. We really got our butts kicked," Caiseal mused.
Footsteps pulled the kids out of their thoughts. They looked up to find Clair walking toward them with a smile on her face. "That was a great battle," She told them, beaming with joy. "I gotta say, you had me on the edge of my seat. Most trainers who challenge me get wiped out in just two or three attacks. The fact you and your Pokemon managed to hold out for this long, and having had no experience with triple battles before this...that says a lot about you kids as trainers."
Julia's cheeks heated up. Maybe the loss wasn't so bad after all. Still, Clair's praise was a little overwhelming. She wondered if she really deserved all of these compliments.
"I won't deny that you still have a way to go before you can defeat me," Clair continued in her matter-of-fact but friendly tone. "But you should be proud of what you've managed to accomplish so far."
"Thanks very much for battling us, Miss Clair," Julia bowed before her. "We really appreciate it."
"Can we battle you again?" Caiseal asked.
Clair put one hand on her hip. "I'm really tied up tomorrow, but I'm free the day after that, so you can battle me again then. Plus, you have a whole day you can use for training."
The kids nodded in unison. Good points.
"Alright then. We better head to the Pokemon Center," Perrine pointed out. "Chirin, Tsubasa, and Flippy need some serious TLC."
Julia looked up at Clair, focusing on her long ponytail. "We'll battle you again in two days. Next time, we'll win!"
"I look forward to it."
With that, the kids made their way to the Pokemon Center, leaving the Blackthorn City gym behind them. They really hoped to be able to win the next battle. Clair was one tough cookie. But they had all of tomorrow to train, so they had to put their time to good use. They made a mental note to start training first thing in the morning.
One more battle, and they'd get their final badges.
A/N: Sucky battle scenes are sucky. Long chapter is long. Again. Still can't seem to write action scenes for the life of me. Feel free to laugh at it's awfulness. And yet again I take a long time to write this one. I really need to get better at putting chapters out, especially since I'm getting close to finishing this. Oh well. Anyway, I got my other job at Lowe's back and I start in March, so I'll have a stable income for the summer again, though I may have to use it to fix up my car and pay for some driving lessons. That's alright, though. I'm getting closer to becoming more independent. Plus, I'm two chapters away from working on one chapter that I've been DYING to write, so look forward to that and the next one! See ya!
Julia's Party:
Hikaru (Shiny Pikachu, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Thunderbolt, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Volt Tackle
Tsubasa (Pidgeotto, Female, Naughty Nature)
Ability: Keen Eye
Attacks: Quick Attack, Twister, Air Slash, and Feather Dance
Tokiko (Togetic, Female, Hardy Nature)
Ability: Serene Grace
Attacks: Extrasensory, Headbutt, Dazzling Gleam, Ancient Power
Saoirse (Snubbull, Female, Gentle Nature)
Ability: Intimidate
Attacks: Ice Fang, Bite, Fire Fang, and Scary Face
Blossom (Bellossom, Female, Docile Nature)
Ability: Chlorophyll
Attacks: Stun Spore, Giga Drain, Petal Blizzard, and Acid
Twilight (Ponyta, Female, Lonely Nature)
Ability: Flash Fire
Attacks: Flame Wheel, Solar Beam, Hypnosis, and Stomp
Perrine's Party:
Kitsune (Ninetales, Female, Quiet Nature)
Ability: Flash Fire
Attacks: Heat Wave, Extrasensory, Confuse Ray, and Faint Attack
Florian (Meganium, Male, Gentle Nature)
Ability: Overgrow
Attacks: Petal Blizzard, Vine Whip, Body Slam, and Grassy Terrain
Baloo (Jigglypuff, Female, Docile Nature)
Ability: Cute Charm
Attacks: Hyper Voice, Wake-Up Slap, Disarming Voice, and Body Slam
Mushi (Paras, Male, Quirky Nature)
Ability: Effect Spore
Attacks: X-Scissor, Stun Spore, Growth, and Giga Drain
Fuwari (Skiploom, Female, Relaxed Nature)
Ability: Leaf Guard
Attacks: Bounce, Giga Drain, Fairy Wind, and Energy Ball
Chirin (Ampharos, Male, Adamant Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Discharge, Cotton Guard, Power Gem, Signal Beam
Caiseal's Party:
Mallow (Marowak, Male, Lax Nature)
Ability: Lightning Rod
Attacks: Bonemerang, Bone Rush, Headbutt, and Rock Smash
Apollo (Typhlosion, Male, Bold Nature)
Ability: Blaze
Attacks: Flamethrower, Flame Charge, Rollout, and Smokescreen
Viole (Vileplume, Male, Quirky Nature)
Ability: Chlorophyll
Attacks: Petal Blizzard, Sludge Bomb, Sleep Powder, and Sweet Scent
Ravenclaw (Murkrow, Female, Hardy Nature)
Ability: Super Luck
Attacks: Wing Attack, Steel Wing, Dark Pulse, and Roost
Heracles (Heracross, Male, Relaxed Nature)
Ability: Moxie
Attacks: Brick Break, Megahorn, Aerial Ace, and Endure
Flippy (Quagsire, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Damp
Attacks: Water Pulse, Mud Bomb, Ice Beam, and Slam