Chapter 66: A League of Their Own
"What an intense battle we've had so far, folks!" Mr. Goodshow's voice boomed into his microphone. "Both Pokemon have put their all into this match! But as we all know, only one can come out victorious!"
Caiseal was locked into battle against another trainer. Mallow was up against a Nidoqueen that was covered in dirt and grime. The Nidoqueen was on one knee, panting and gasping for air with every breath. Mallow held his bone in both hands, holding it up like a shield. The one-on-one battle had been going on for about an hour, but the spectators' eyes were locked onto the battle, unable to look away. Nidoqueen's trainer, a pink haired girl, had a worried look on her face, like she knew she was fighting a losing battle. But she gritted her teeth and steeled herself.
"Don't give up, Nidoqueen!" She shouted. "Use Earth Power!"
Nidoqueen's leg was hurting from a Rock Smash attack Mallow had used just earlier. Unable to stand up, the drill Pokemon settled on slamming its arms into the ground. Geysers of rock and lava erupted from the ground, with one of them about to burst from beneath Mallow's feet.
"Mallow! Jump and do a backflip to avoid it!" Caiseal commanded. When Mallow felt the pressure underneath it, it jumped into the air, flipping backwards as soon as the geyser burst. Mallow landed back on the ground gracefully, feet first, not missing a single beat.
"Alright! Finish it with Bone Rush!"
Mallow's bone glowed in a white light before extending an extra three feet, making it longer and taller than its user. Mallow charged forward, sprinting as fast as his legs could carry him, knowing Nidoqueen's leg injury would prevent it from dodging the assault that would follow. Nidoqueen attempted to stand up, but a searing pain shot through her injured leg. With a pained growl, she fell onto both knees, unable to move.
"No! Nidoqueen!" The girl cried out.
Without any hesitation, Mallow lunged in front of Nidoqueen and began bashing its bone over the drill Pokemon's hide. Every blow hurt harder than the last, and Mallow made sure not to let up, striking Nidoqueen over and over. This match had his name all over it, and he knew it. Eventually, Nidoqueen fell to the ground completely. Once it collapsed, Mallow ran back to Caiseal's side of the battlefield, realizing enough was enough. The hush of silence fell on the crowd as the judge leaned into the field to get a better look at Nidoqueen. The drill Pokemon's eyes were closed, and was completely unconscious, out like a light.
"Nidoqueen is unable to battle!" The judge declared, waving a green flag in Caiseal's direction. "The winner is Marowak, and the victory goes to Caiseal Brownstone!"
Caiseal threw his fists into the air, cheering. Mallow returned to his side and did a little victory dance, spinning his bone like a baton.
"Caiseal has seized victory, and alas, Sarah Shaw is out of the League," Gladys noted, her voice tinged with sympathy for the losing trainer. "Caiseal is now able to move on to the second round."
The girl, Sarah, returned her fallen Nidoqueen back to her PokeBall, sniffling as tears streaked her face. The light from the orange sunset reflected off her cheeks, and Caiseal felt a sour pit in his stomach. Did she really want to win the battle this badly? His heart went out to the girl, but he wasn't satisfied with just leaving right away. Maybe some words of encouragement would help? Wearing a gentle smile, he and Mallow walked over to the sobbing pink haired girl.
"Hey there," Caiseal kept his voice soft and low. "Sorry you didn't win. For what it's worth, Mallow and I really enjoyed the battle. You and Nidoqueen were great as well. There's no shame in losing," He told her, hoping he chose his words carefully. The last thing he wanted to do was offend her, but he wasn't quite sure if he was doing it right. Some people reacted differently to receiving reassurance and sympathy. Some appreciated it, while others rejected it.
Sarah looked up, meeting Caiseal's eyes. Her brown eyes flashed fire, and every hair on Caiseal's body stood up. With a growl-like scream, the girl struck Caiseal hard on the face. Not hard enough to shift his center of gravity, but enough for it to make his cheek feel like it was stung by a thousand Beedrill stings. Everyone in the spectator seats gasped out loud. Mr. Goodshow and Gladys' gasps in particular were amplified by their microphones.
"Why'd you have to win?!" Sarah shouted, her voice beyond hysterical. "This is all your fault, you stupid boy!" She threw a hand in the air, probably to hit him again. This time, Caiseal saw it coming, using one hand to grab her wrist before she could strike him a second time. Sarah writhed in his grasp, throwing her limbs in all directions. "I had to win this year, and you went and blew it! I'm a way better trainer than you'll ever be!"
Before long, two male security guards pried the screaming girl off of Caiseal using all of their hands. Sarah howled and cried out, kicking her legs and shouting cruel names, profanities, and threats of lawsuits every chance she got. Caiseal held a hand to his throbbing cheek as he watched the guards carry the girl away, wondering just what was going on. That was not the reaction he had expected. Mallow put a hand on his and looked up at him with concerned eyes.
"I'm alright, big buy," Caiseal reached down to stroke Mallow's bone-covered head. "A little thing like that isn't enough to get me down. How about we get outta here?"
Mallow nodded in agreement. As the two of them left the stadium, Perrine, Julia, Ethan, and Yue were quick to find them.
"Cash! We saw what happened! That girl had no right to slap you like that!" Julia exclaimed, immediately looking at Caiseal's cheek. "Are you okay? You're not hurt?"
"Define hurt," Caiseal quipped. "I gotta admit, that girl really hit hard. But it's nothing a bag of ice can't fix."
Perrine crossed her arms. "Still, people should know better than to lash out like that, especially at a competition. It's not sportsmanlike," She said. "And threatening to sue you and blaming you for her own failings? Come on."
A solemn expression appeared on Yue's face. "For all we know, she probably has a lot of problems or had her reasons for wanting to win so badly. I can somewhat understand how she feels. When hope is lost, it's easy to ignore our own shortcomings and blame other people for this kind of thing," She explained, her tone calm and serious. "It doesn't excuse what she's done, but lots of people enter the League for fun and a great time. Some just really want a chance to bask in the fame and glory that comes with it. Others put their livelihoods or their reputations on the line. From the joys people get from a sliver of a chance to get into the League, they must also suffer. If someone manages to win the League, or even become the champion, it'll all be worth it, but if they fail, some cultures will regard them as a nuisance to society, too full of pride for their own good."
Julia thought of her battle with Milly. The girl harassed her and used her own Pokemon to hurt a complete stranger because she wanted to get into the League at all costs, and thought it insulting that a person who had all the badges didn't want to make use of the opportunity to get into the League. Milly had her reasons for being so desperate. None of it excused what she had done. Nobody could deny that, but having met someone like that in person confirmed everything Yue was saying as true. There were people who thought winning the League would change everything for the better. Still, the idea of being in disgrace because someone couldn't get far enough into the League...Julia felt a sour pit in her stomach. Who would be so callous as to use losing a friendly competition as a means to determine someone's worth or place in society?
"That's just cruel," Julia piped in. "The Pokemon League isn't all there is to life. Even I know that much."
"For some, getting into the League determines their course in life," Yue added.
The air around them grew tense, which Ethan noticed. "Alright. I don't like being all depressed, so how about we go get dinner?" He suggested with a smile. "It's starting to get late, and all our matches are over for the day, so we don't have much else to do, now do we?"
Just before Caiseal's battle with Sarah, Perrine had a battle against another boy, from which she came out victorious. Unlike Sarah, her opponent took his defeat with far more grace and humility. Everyone had finished their first round of battles, so now they had the rest of the day to themselves.
"Sure. I am getting kinda hungry," Caiseal said.
"I already have plans with Alex and Zack tonight, so I'll have to decline," Yue told them before wheeling away. "I'll see you guys tomorrow!"
The quartet waved goodbye to Yue before going back to the Pokemon Center. They weren't quite in the mood to go to a restaurant, as they didn't want to spend more money than they needed to. Plus, the food in the Pokemon Center was cheap, but still tasted good, so they settled on that. But when they entered the Pokemon Center, a loud, cheery voice pulled them out from their thoughts, ringing all throughout the lobby.
"Oh my goodness! That's the coolest thing I've ever heard!"
The kids looked to their left, seeing a pink haired woman sitting at a nearby table with a PokeGear held up to her ear. She wore a thick, white winter coat decked with pink bows, off set by her long, blue jeans and white boots. The woman continued to chatter away as the kids wondered whether they should tell her to keep it down or not.
"I know, right? Just from seeing Theo today, he already looks so much better than he did before!" The woman cried, her voice ringing with enthusiasm. "Oh. Sure. You can call me back after the League ends. Sure! Catch you later! Bye!" The woman ended her call and turned around, seeing the group right behind her.
The second the kids saw her face, the realization struck them like lightning. They knew this woman.
"Whitney?" Perrine pushed the name out, unable to fully process the woman's presence.
As soon as it dawned on Whitney who the kids were, she beamed and stood up. "Oh! I remember you guys!" She exclaimed, her cheerful voice unchanging. "You all challenged me to gym battles months ago! You guys are...Perrine, Julia, and Caiseal...and you're Ethan, right?"
She even remembered their names and pronounced them right, in Perrine and Caiseal's case. "Yep. That's us!" Julia chimed in.
"Wow! It's been so long since I saw you guys!" Whitney cajoled, throwing her arms up. "You all look great!"
Perrine scratched her orange hair with one hand. "What brings you here? Don't you have to watch the gym?" She asked.
Whitney waved a dismissive hand. "Normally I do, but gyms are closed during the League, and my school's on winter break, so I thought it'd be great to come!" She explained. "Plus, my cousin's participating and I wanted to be there for him."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Your cousin?"
Before she could answer, a familiar voice caught his ears. "Whitney!" A young, heavyset boy ran over to her, waving his arm up and down. Once he caught up, the kids got a better look at him. Flat brown hair, tan skin, glasses covering his matching eyes, a long sleeved blue sweater with a yellow lightning bolt on the front, grey jeans, and bright orange sneakers. Ethan did a double take. He knew this kid!
"Theo?!"
Theo swiveled backward, meeting Ethan's eyes. "Hey, Ethan! Guess you made it, huh?" Theo greeted him like he was an old friend.
Julia, Perrine, and Caiseal all exchanged glances. They remembered him as the kid Ethan battled before they made it to Victory Road. But to think he was Whitney's little cousin. What were the odds of this happening? Ethan and Theo fist-bumped one another.
"You bet I did!" Ethan exclaimed. "I had no idea you were related to Whitney the gym leader!"
Theo's cheeks turned red, and he scratched his hair with one hand, averting Ethan's gaze. "It's not that big a deal."
"Hey, Theo," Whitney said. "How'd your battle go? Sorry I didn't get to see it. I just got here."
"That's okay! I managed to win!" Theo reassured, flashing a thumb's up.
Whitney wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a warm, affectionate hug. "Congrats! I knew you could do it!"
Caiseal checked the time on his PokeGear. It was almost seven o'clock, and according to the League's schedule, Theo's battle was the last one in the first round. If this was the case, then the second round was to commence first thing tomorrow. "It looks like the first round finally wrapped up," Caiseal pointed out. "Do you guys want to check with Nurse Joy and see who we're gonna be up against tomorrow?"
"Sure!" Perrine was the first to chime in before making a beeline for the counter. Whitney and the other kids could only watch in confused awe at how fast Perrine ran. With that kind of energy, she'd be fast enough to power a whole city on a giant Pachirisu wheel. Since the counter was empty save for a Nurse Joy, Perrine was the first one there. Caiseal, Ethan, and Theo joined her shortly after, and Nurse Joy showed them an Ipad that displayed pictures of the trainers in pairs.
"Whoa!" Perrine's mouth fell ajar when she saw her opponent. "I'm going up against Alex?!"
Alex? Nobody had expected Perrine to go against him of all people, and this soon, at that. Out of his trio of friends, he was the only one who made it past the first round.
"Uhh…" Caiseal's eyes widened as he turned towards Theo. "It looks like we'll be battling tomorrow."
Theo checked the Ipad Nurse Joy showed them. There was no mistake. Caiseal and Theo's pictures were right next to each other, and they were both set to have their match at ten o'clock tomorrow morning. "Cool!" Theo proclaimed, not all that fazed by how sudden it was. "Here's to a good battle tomorrow."
Caiseal flashed a grin. "I'm Caiseal, by the way. Don't think I'm gonna go easy on you!"
Whitney leaned closer to Theo to whisper, "He's a strong one. He beat me in a gym match, so he's no joke."
With everyone else being preoccupied, Julia and Ethan leaned in to see who the latter was up against. Next to his photo was a picture of a young girl with pale skin, freckles, and deep blue hair with a white headband on it. Her face and name-Elizabeth Curtis-weren't familiar at all.
"So it looks like everything's all set for tomorrow," Julia said.
Before anyone could say anything else, a loud rumble silenced everyone in the room. Ethan blushed, putting a hand on his stomach and hanging his head in shame. "Jeez…"
Thankfully for him, nobody laughed at him. Whitney snapped her fingers, beaming. "It's getting late, so how about we all have dinner? I could go for a nice juicy hamburger myself!"
Everyone accepted her offer, and spent the rest of the night eating, chatting, and sharing stories amongst themselves. Afterward, Whitney and Theo broke away from the group, and the kids retired to their rooms for the night, though Perrine, Caiseal, and Ethan did take time to study their opponents on their computers.
"Good morning one and all!" Mr. Goodshow announced, his booming voice echoing across the already packed stadium. The air was abuzz with excitement and anticipation as the second round was under way. "Today marks the beginning of the second round, and I'm sure the battles will be absolutely spectacular!"
Julia, Ethan, Caiseal, Yue, Zack, and Whitney all sat in their seats together, and Perrine stepped out onto the battlefield with an energetic spring in her step. The crowd burst into cheers. Not long after, Alex walked onto his side of the trainer box at a much slower pace.
"Alright, folks!" Mr. Goodshow continued. "The first match of the day is between Perrine Innocenti from Goldenrod City and Alexander Arienzo from Cianwood City! I have a feeling this will be an exciting match, so get ready!"
"Hey," Zack gently poked Julia's arm, getting her attention. "No hard feelings if either Alex or Perrine loses. Kay?"
Julia nodded. The last thing she wanted was to be on bad terms with Yue and her friends, especially since they had been so nice the past few days.
The judge pointed towards the screen. The background on Perrine's image was green, with Alex's being red. "Commence the roulette!"
The circle flashed its colored strips brightly as each one circled all around at a quick pace. Gradually, the roulette slowed, turning a solid green. "Perrine Innocenti, choose your first Pokemon!" The judge commanded.
Perrine pursed her lips together. This wasn't good. Now that she had to pick first, Alex would be able to send out a Pokemon that had a type advantage, assuming he'd even do that. But she knew worrying about it wouldn't do anything. Her Pokemon were tough. She reminded herself that she could do this. She didn't make it this far for nothing.
"Mushi! I choose you!" Perrine threw a PokeBall forward, releasing her Paras onto the field.
The kids exchanged glances. Why in the world was she sending Mushi out? Out of her entire team, he was the weakest. Maybe she wanted to give him a chance? They knew without putting it into words that for all Perrine knew, she might have made a huge mistake.
"Go, Persian!"
Out from Alex's PokeBall came a large, cat-like Pokemon with cream colored fur, three whiskers on each side of its face, a long tail that curled at the end, fierce red eyes that gleamed like a predator hunting for prey, and a small, red, jewel-like orb embedded in its forehead. The edges of its ears were black, and Mushi shivered when he saw Persian's gaze locking onto him.
"Huh. Didn't think he'd go with Persian this time around," Zack mused as he put a hand on his chin. "I thought for sure he'd use Arcanine."
Julia pulled her PokeDex out. "Persian, the classy cat Pokemon, and the evolved form of Meowth."
For once, the classification was accurate. "Persian are very haughty, prideful Pokemon, having become so due to being mainly raised by nobility and royalty for centuries. Their sophisticated air makes them popular with the upper class, and their glossy fur and the jewels on their foreheads make them a target for poachers. However, raising them is a difficult challenge for inexperienced trainers, because Persian by nature are temperamental and vicious, often lashing out and scratching without reason. When their tail stands straight up, it's a sign that they will pounce and bite. Their lithe muscles allow it to walk without making a sound, which allows them to surprise their prey and tear it apart with lightning speed. Their whiskers are able to sense subtle movements in the air, allowing it to determine what's within its vicinity."
"Each trainer is allowed to only use three Pokemon with substitutions permitted!" The judge declared. "Is everyone ready?"
Mushi looked over to Perrine, his large eyes moist and body shaking a bit. Perrine flashed a gentle smile in his direction. "Don't worry, Mushi. We can do this together. Just do the best you can, and know I've got your back," She told him. Mushi nodded, his nervousness fading just a bit. No matter how the battle turned out, Mushi knew he was going to put his all into it.
The judge raised his flags. "Begin!"
Alex swung his arm out, calling the first attack. "Persian! Use Swift!"
The red gem on Persian's head glowed brightly for a minute before a stream of stars shot out from it. All of them flew towards Mushi.
"Deflect them with Slash!" Perrine cried out.
Taking the hint, Mushi leaped into the air and swung his pincers in all directions, smacking some of the stars right back at Persian. Most of them missed Persian, but some landed square on its face. But Mushi couldn't deflect all of them. Swift rarely missed, and many of the stars did pelt Mushi on his face, with some sending him back to the ground. Both sides sustained damage, but not enough to knock each other out.
"My, that's a clever strategy," Gladys commented. "Using Slash to deflect an attack like Swift. Since Persian are agile and Swift doesn't miss, sometimes the best offense is a good defense."
Perrine couldn't help but agree with that statement, especially since Paras weren't known for being defense-oriented Pokemon, nor the fastest. Perrine found herself at a disadvantage when it came to speed and defense, but she didn't want to switch Pokemon right away. Mushi deserved a chance to show his skills. She needed to have a little faith in him. She was going to see this through.
"Pretty good!" Alex complimented. "But you won't throw me off my game! Persian, use Fury Swipes!"
The cat Pokemon gave a harsh growl as it pounced, claws out and ready.
"Dodge and use X-Scissor!" Perrine commanded.
Using all the strength he could muster in his little legs, Mushi leaped into the air, causing Persian to faceplant the ground. Mushi's pincers glowed green as the mushroom Pokemon descended onto Persian's back, swinging its pincers down on it in an X shape. Persian yowled as pain shot through its body.
Perrine saw an opportunity. If she could have Mushi immobilize Persian, the former would be able to gain the upper hand. "Now, use Stun Spore!"
As Persian attempted to stand back up, Mushi shook the mushrooms on its back. A glittering golden cloud sprinkled out from the mushrooms, billowing out towards Persian. Oddly enough, Persian simply sat up, and it didn't look as though the spore had any effect on it. Persian licked one of its paws like it wasn't being attacked at all. When Perrine glanced over at Alex, she saw that he was smiling. Had she missed something? The spore cloud dissipated, and Persian stretched itself out by pushing its hind quarters forward.
"That's not gonna help you here," Alex said. "Persian, use Bite!"
On cue, Persian pounced towards Mushi. Surprised that his Stun Spore attack didn't work, Mushi attempted to scramble away, but the classy cat Pokemon caught up to him in no time. Persian used one paw to press on Mushi's back, preventing him from running away, then dredging its teeth into Mushi's back. Mushi screeched and howled as he felt Persian's teeth penetrate its skin, flailing his pincers in a futile attempt to fight it off.
"How come Stun Spore didn't work?" Julia asked, her heart aching with pity for the mushroom Pokemon. "Persian should be completely paralyzed!"
Ethan's hands balled into fists. "Persian probably has the ability Limber, meaning it can never be paralyzed no matter what."
Limber...Julia remembered having read about it in a book once. It had completely slipped her mind.
Perrine realized it as well, and facepalmed. 'Crap! I completely forgot about Limber! I need to think of something quick or Mushi's done for!' Her brain scrambled for ideas as to how to get Mushi out of Persian's mouth, but since the mushroom Pokemon was facing away from Persian, she couldn't tell him to scratch its face or use Giga Drain on it.
"Well, Mushi the Paras is in quite a tight spot, and Persian has seized the upper hand," Mr. Goodshow announced.
As much as Perrine didn't want to get irritated, she couldn't help but feel like Mr. Goodshow's commentary was rubbing in the fact that Mushi was unable to fight Persian off, almost like he was mocking her. She knew he wasn't, but it was still annoying all the same. Finally, Persian released Mushi from its mouth, and the mushroom Pokemon turned around, facing the cat Pokemon once more.
"Mushi! Do you think you can keep going?" Perrine called out.
Mushi turned backwards and raised a pincer, nodding. Perrine smiled. "We're gonna win this! Use Growth!"
The mushroom Pokemon relaxed, allowing his body to glow in a soft green light. Perrine pursed her lips together. She needed to find some way to use Mushi's strengths to her advantage. Wait...Mushi had more status inflicting moves than just Stun Spore. Paras in general had strong attack strength and knew lots of moves that could poison a Pokemon or put it to sleep. Maybe she could use Persian's speed to her advantage.
Alex smirked. "You're wide open! Persian, Night Slash!"
With a loud hiss, Persian lunged toward Mushi, who was a sitting Psyduck. Its claws were steeped black as they gleamed in the sunlight, sharp and ready to slice Mushi to bits.
Once Persian got closer, Perrine knew she had to act now. What she planned was crazy, and she wasn't quite sure if she could pull it off. But there was no more time to think about it.
"Mushi, jump on Persian's face!" Perrine shouted.
"Wha?!" The kids all exchanged confused glances and open mouths. What in the world was Perrine planning?
Mushi paid close attention to Persian coming closer to him, almost in slow motion. Once it got close enough, Mushi leaped and flung its body on Persian's face, completely covering it whole. Persian let out an annoyed meow as it shook its head in an attempt to force Mushi off, but the mushroom Pokemon held on tight, dredging its pincers into the cat's fur.
"Persian! Get that Paras off your face!" Alex yelled.
"Now, hit it with Poison Powder!"
Persian continued its miserable efforts to throw Mushi off its face, but Mushi held firm. Then, the mushrooms on Mushi's back trembled, and a sparkling purple cloud of dust exploded from them. Persian was completely blinded, its vision obscured by Mushi's darkness, but the sweet tasting dust already entered its mouth and nose. Before long, fire ran through Persian's veins. Every movement sent pain throughout its body.
"What a turnaround!" Mr. Goodshow exclaimed loud enough for the whole stadium to hear. "Mushi blocked Persian's vision with its body and unleashed Poison Powder! That certainly helps to get around Limber for sure!"
But Perrine wasn't done yet. "Giga Drain!"
The tips of Mushi's pincers glowed green. Since they were already deep into Persian's fur, Mushi had no trouble sapping its energy. Persian howled and yowled, feeling the energy in its body fade away. After a short minute, Mushi finally pulled his pincers out from Persian's body and scrambled back to Perrine's side of the battlefield.
"Persian! You okay?" Alex asked. Persian got back on its feet, but Alex could tell the cat Pokemon was unsteady on its feet from the poison wracking its body. This wasn't good.
"Let's finish this! Use X-Scissor!" Perrine cried out.
"No way! Persian, block it with Night Slash!"
Both Pokemon charged at each other, their claws shining bright even as they collided with such force that they were both blown back to their sides of the battlefield. Persian and Mushi kept their claws in the dirt to prevent themselves from losing their balance, keeping themselves upright. Persian winced as another jolt of pain shot through its body, and its vision began to blur.
"Great job, Mushi! You really showed him!" Perrine cheered, throwing her fist in the air.
"Paraaas!" Sharing Perrine's delight, Mushi turned around and held its pincers up, happy to have made his trainer smile.
Then, in that moment, everything changed. Mushi's body glowed pure white, and the mushroom Pokemon grew, doubling in size. The mushrooms on Mushi's back merged together into one big fungus, and Mushi's pincers increased in size. Everyone watched in awe as Mushi changed shape, and after a minute, the light enveloping Mushi dissipated. Mushi's body was still the same orange color, but its body had been overtaken by the red mushroom on his back, and his eyes were pure white, without any irises or pupils. Three pairs of long legs sprouted out from underneath his body, and how they managed to support his weight, nobody had any idea, but Perrine didn't care. Her mouth was completely ajar and her cheeks hurt from smiling so much.
"Mushi! You evolved!"
"Would you look at that?" Even Gladys couldn't contain her enthusiasm. "Mushi evolved into a Parasect!"
Alex grinded his teeth together. "We're not finished yet! Persian, use Swift!"
Perrine remembered she had a battle to finish. Just because Mushi evolved didn't mean now was the time to celebrate. "Mushi! Give it all you got! Use X-Scissor one more time!"
Persian opened its mouth and fired a barrage of stars in Mushi's direction. This time, Mushi charged towards Persian, barely feeling the stars pelting his body. His pincers glowing bright, Mushi leaped into the air, ready to deliver the finishing blow. Persian attempted to leap away, but searing pain in its legs left it immobilized. Mushi descended towards it, swinging his pincers in an X-shape, sending a shock wave that sent Persian flying. Persian skidded across the ground, stopping just five feet from its trainer.
"No! Persian!" Alex cried.
Alas, Persian lay on its side, eyes closed, completely unconscious.
"Persian is unable to battle!" The judge announced, pointing a green flag in Perrine's direction. "The winner is Parasect!"
"Alright!" Perrine jumped up and down, relishing her victory. Mushi imitated her movements, squealing with delight.
"Wow!" Julia exclaimed. "Perrine and Mushi really turned the tables," She whispered a quick apology to Zack and Yue on the side.
Brushing it off, Yue simply said, "She's not one to be underestimated. That's for sure."
The picture of Persian that was on the board faded to black, only showing a gray outline of Persian's body. "And with that, Persian is out! But Alex still has two Pokemon left!" Mr. Goodshow announced. "Which Pokemon will he choose next?"
Mushi walked up to Perrine, who stroked the mushroom on his head lovingly. "You did awesome out there, Mushi. Do you want to rest for a little bit?" Perrine asked. Mushi nodded, and Perrine returned him to his PokeBall.
Alex did the same with his fallen Persian. "You did great, buddy. You deserve a good rest," He swapped Persian's PokeBall with another one. "I gotta say, you and Parasect are really giving me a run for my money!" He told her, smiling sweetly.
"Thanks! You're a pretty great trainer yourself!" Perrine replied. She had to admit, this battle was turning out to be pretty fun so far.
The confident gleam in Alex's eyes returned. "But you ain't seen nothin' yet! Go, Dodrio!" Out from another PokeBall came a bird with three heads, all with black necks supporting them.
Perrine stopped to consider her options. She had Chirin with her, so she could send him out and easily knock Dodrio out of the battle. Chirin did have a type advantage. But she knew Alex had one other Pokemon up his sleeve, so she didn't want to send Chirin out just yet. She thanked her stars she studied up on Alex's Pokemon last night so she could plan accordingly. She figured saving Chirin for last would have him make for a great trump card. It was better not to have him waste so much energy. Thankfully, she had an alternative.
"Kitsune, I choose you!" Perrine sent out her Ninetales, who gracefully stepped onto the field as though it were a runway for models.
"Alex has chosen Dodrio, and Perrine has chosen Ninetales!" Mr. Goodshow exclaimed.
Caiseal held a hand to his chin. "I wonder why Perrine's putting Kitsune against Dodrio? She has Chirin. Why not use him?" He asked no one in particular.
"Maybe she's saving Chirin for later," Julia suggested.
Zack and Yue exchanged knowing glances. They could tell Alex had something up his sleeve.
"Are both challengers ready?" The judge asked before holding both flags up. "And begin!"
"This time I'm going first!" Perrine pointed her index finger right at Dodrio. "Kitsune, use Flamethrower!"
"Niiiine!" Kitsune lowered her upper body and spat out a stream of fire that charged right at Dodrio.
"Jump and use Agility!" Alex called out.
Dodrio leaped high into the sky, evading the onslaught of flames. Then, as it descended back down, it began sprinting in circles, running all around Kitsune at such great speed that the fox Pokemon could barely see it.
"Stay calm, Kitsune," Perrine advised. "Don't try to attack it just yet." Kitsune gave a silent nod, acknowledging her trainer's advice and remained in position.
Alex swung his hand outward once more. "Now, use Tri-Attack!"
Dodrio let out a squawk as it finally stopped running. All three beaks on each of its heads opened wide, with the left head spewing out a stream of fire, the middle firing a beam of ice, and the right head shooting a bolt of lightning. All of them aimed straight for Kitsune.
"Block it with Flamethrower!" Perrine cried out.
Like earlier, Kitsune fired a stream of flames. This time, they collided with the tri-elemental attack, with Kitsune using all the energy she could to hold it off as best as possible. The flames spread all around the arena like wildfire, and the array of bright colors made the audience lock their eyes onto it in awe, transfixed by the display on the battlefield. An explosion swiftly followed, and a cloud of gray dust covered the arena for a few minutes before fading away. Both Ninetales and Dodrio stood firm, with neither attack having made a scratch on them.
"Use Extrasensory!" Perrine shouted.
Kitsune's eyes glowed purple, and when she opened her mouth, a similarly colored beam of light shot out from her mouth. Dodrio wasted no time sprinting away from the attack, its long, sturdy legs carrying it as it made the effort to evade the attack.
"Double Hit!"
Dodrio lunged from behind Kitsune and headbutted the fox Pokemon on her side. Before she could react, Dodrio rammed one of its heads under her chin. The force of the impact was strong enough to send her flying seven feet in the air, and she landed back on the ground with a resounding thud. Everyone gasped.
"Kit!" Perrine cried out.
Undeterred, Kitsune hoisted herself back up, but her jaw throbbed from the impact.
"Now, Dodrio! Use Jump Kick!"
The triple bird Pokemon leaped into the air. Even though it had no wings, if one didn't know any better, they would have thought Dodrio was indeed capable of flight. Dodrio readied one of its legs and descended towards Kitsune, who simply sat in position and watched the bird lunge at her once again. Oddly enough, the fox's expression was calm and serene. Perrine knew Jump Kick could be a pretty strong attack, and Kitsune, while she didn't show it outwardly, was still reeling from Double Hit. But Jump Kick had one big drawback that she could use against Dodrio.
"Kitsune! Roll to the side!" Perrine cried out.
Kitsune lowered herself to the ground and rolled over to her left. Dodrio squawked, seeing its target move out of position. But it was too late to change course, and before long, the triple bird landed square into the battlefield, its leg searing with pain from the intensity of the impact. Dodrio began rolling around sideways, howling in agony.
"Well! Ninetales used one of Jump Kick's biggest drawbacks to its advantage!" Mr. Goodshow exclaimed, his voice bubbling with glee. "Quite a turnaround!"
"Now use Heat Wave!" Perrine shouted.
The fox Pokemon stood back on all fours, and all nine of her soft tails stood straight up. She opened her mouth, her teeth glowing white, as a fierce, blazing gust of fiery breath spewed out, raising the temperature of the battlefield. The blast of heat struck Dodrio like a ton of bricks, and the triple bird Pokemon found itself being blown away, rolling across the battlefield as the heat blast sent fire through its body. Gradually, the attack died down, and Dodrio got back on its feet.
"You got me good there. But it's not enough to knock us down!" Alex proclaimed. "Dodrio, use Hyper Beam!"
It was Dodrio's turn to fire a strong attack. Dodrio opened all three of its beaks, and each one had an orange and yellow sphere glowing inside them, charging up. Then, when they were ready, all three fired beams of light that seared through the ground, sending dirt and debris flying everywhere. Perrine's eyes shrunk. This wasn't good. Kitsune didn't know of any attacks strong enough to counter Hyper Beam, and the attack itself wasn't known to miss.
"Kit! Run!"
Knowing what was to come, Kitsune made a beeline for whatever safe place on the field she could find, but the attack quickly caught up to her. The blast of light struck her on her side, carrying her into the air and sending searing pain through every nerve in her body. Light illuminated the entire battlefield, and everyone's eyes were glued to the scene playing out before them.
"What a spectacle! That Hyper Beam was quite powerful! I doubt Kitsune is going to come out of that attack unscathed!" Mr. Goodshow cried out.
Julia covered her eyes. Caiseal could only exclaim, "Oh dear! She's done for!"
"Kit!"
Eventually, the light and the ensuing smoke dissipated, and Kitsune lay on what was left of the ground, her lush, golden fur smeared with dirt and singe marks. But the fox Pokemon slowly reoriented herself, taking a moment to catch her breath and get back on her feet. As happy as Perrine was about Kitsune still being able to battle, she could tell the fox was unsteady on her feet, as her legs were trembling. Sensing her trainer's worry, Kitsune turned her head towards Perrine and gave a reassuring nod, as if telling her she could continue.
'I'm not giving up,' Her eyes seemed to say.
Something else caught Perrine's attention as well. Dodrio was standing up, but it was panting. A lightning bolt struck in her mind. Hyper Beam was a strong attack, so strong that if a Pokemon used it, they needed a moment to recharge. An opportunity presented itself. If she and Kitsune didn't act now, they'd be toast.
"Alright, girl! Let's win this!" Perrine threw her hand outward, with new zeal in her heart. "Use Flamethrower again!"
Kitsune fired a stream of flames in Dodrio's direction. The flames swallowed the bird whole, and Dodrio howled in pain as its body was aflame.
"Now use Quick Attack!"
The fox Pokemon wasted no time. She charged at the bird Pokemon, sprinting as fast as her wobbly legs could carry her, and she rammed right into the triple bird, knocking it off its feet. But Dodrio was quick to reorient itself and stood back up, its fierce eyes gleaming with new zeal.
"I like your style, Perrine," Alex told her, smiling sweetly. "You don't give up, do you?"
"No way!" Perrine proclaimed, rubbing her nose with one finger. "The tougher the fight, the more fun the battle is!" Kitsune cooed in agreement.
"Well, win or lose, we're gonna have some fun!" Alex shouted. "Dodrio, use Jump Kick!"
"Quick Attack, Kit!"
Both Dodrio and Kitsune made a beeline for each other, picking up speed as they ran. Dodrio leaped into the air, as did Kitsune, and their bodies made contact. Dodrio's leg socked Kitsune in the face, and the fox Pokemon fell to the ground. This time, she landed on all fours, reorienting herself and saving herself from an undignified landing. But she took a moment to catch her breath.
Everyone could see it. "Kitsune doesn't look so good," Ethan noted, his eyebrows furrowed. "That Hyper Beam did a huge number on her for sure."
"Sure it did," Zack piped in. "He likes using Pokemon most people wouldn't give the time of day and making them as strong as they possibly can. Out of all of us, he's the one you can't underestimate. He and his Pokemon are basically the living embodiment of the saying, 'Looks can be deceiving.'"
Looks can be deceiving, indeed. Persian gave Mushi some grief, but Dodrio was practically overpowering Kitsune, Perrine's strongest Pokemon. Unless Perrine switched her out, Kitsune was going to get her butt kicked for sure.
Alex crossed his arms. "Alright, time to finish this! Dodrio, use Hyper Beam again!"
Dodrio stopped in its tracks, opening its three beaks to charge up. Kitsune stood on her wobbly legs, close to toppling over. Perrine knew continuing to make her fight would be pointless. Switching her out now would only delay the inevitable, and she didn't want to put her through that. But there was one thing she still had up her sleeve.
"Use Grudge," Perrine said, low enough for anyone to not be able to hear over the roar of Dodrio's attack charging up.
Kitsune's ears perked up, and her eyes glowed purple. Dodrio finally unleashed the attack, watching as three beams of light raced across the battlefield and struck Kitsune point blank. A smoke cloud exploded over the battlefield, nearly covering everything up on Perrine's side of it. A chorus of audible gasps rang throughout the spectator seats. Gradually, the smoke dissipated, and Kitsune lay on her side, her fur singed everywhere, completely unconscious.
The judge didn't need to get a closer look to make a decision. "Ninetales is unable to battle! The winner is Dodrio!"
Kitsune's image on the screen faded to black. "And Ninetales is out for the count! This leaves Perrine with only two Pokemon left!" Mr. Goodshow announced.
Perrine frowned. She had no idea a Dodrio of all Pokemon would give Kitsune such a hard time. She shrugged. The battle wasn't over yet, so she still had a chance to turn things around. She returned Kitsune to her PokeBall and flashed a reassuring smile. "You did great Kitsune. Take a nice long rest," She swapped the PokeBall out for another one. "Go, Chirin!"
Chirin popped out from the capsule, letting out a cheerful cry as he made his entrance. "Paaaar!"
"Hey Dodrio. Wanna keep going? I can switch you out if you want," Alex asked.
Dodrio squawked, shaking all three of its heads. Proud of its determination, Alex let it stay in the battle.
"It seems Alex is keeping Dodrio in the battle, even with the type disadvantage. I hope he doesn't come to regret his decision," Gladys said.
The judge raised both flags into the air. "Battle begin!"
"We're ending this quickly!" Perrine exclaimed. "Chirin, use Discharge!"
Chirin cried out as electricity shot out from his body in all directions. "Agility!" Alex shouted. Dodrio ran all around the field, evading as many of the wild lightning bolts as it could. Unfortunately, several of them struck Dodrio on the back, electrocuting it. One of the strikes made Dodrio's body go numb, and its legs couldn't run as fast as it wanted them to.
"Ha! Dodrio's paralyzed now!" Caiseal swung his fist outward. "And Dodrio as a species don't know Limber, so he's toast!"
"Dodrio! No!" As Gladys predicted, Alex's eyes widened when he saw Dodrio stop running to take a moment to take a breath. He could see the triple bird's legs tensing up and trembling, and his confidence faded entirely.
"Finish it with Power Gem!"
As the electricity died down, the orb at the tip of Chirin's tail glowed white.
"Blow it away with Hyper Beam!" Alex shouted.
Dodrio opened all three beaks, preparing to charge...only for nothing to happen. What? The audience members began whispering among themselves. "Huh?" Even Alex was confused. Dodrio squawked, attempting to fire Hyper Beam again, but nothing came out. Dodrio's three heads exchanged confused glances. Why wasn't Hyper Beam coming out?
"Dodrio can't seem to conjure up Hyper Beam!" Mr. Goodshow exclaimed.
When Alex looked towards Perrine, his whole body shivered. Perrine had her arms crossed and was smiling, her blue eyes gleaming with confidence. She must have did something to Dodrio! "Alright, what did you pull?!" Alex bellowed. He normally never let anger get the better of him, but this was so out of the left field that the words spilled out before he could stop them.
"Before she got knocked out, I had Kitsune use a little thing called Grudge," Perrine answered, tucking a misplaced curl behind her ear.
Grudge...Alex's eyes shrunk. He knew that attack! If a Pokemon used it and it's opponents attack knocked it out, the attacking Pokemon would be rendered unable to use that particular move for the entirety of the battle. So that was what happened! Alex's eyebrows furrowed. Dodrio couldn't use Hyper Beam anymore. The ramifications sunk into his brain, rendering him speechless. This wasn't good. He needed to think of something and fast.
Unfortunately, Alex couldn't think fast enough. Several diamond shaped lights materialized into thin air, spinning in circles around Chirin's tail before firing towards Dodrio. By this time, Dodrio was on its knees, pelted by a rain of glowing rocks and diamonds. Unable to get up, Dodrio squawked and howled, its one means of winning this battle now completely useless. It didn't help that its long legs buckled as the muscles numbed from the paralysis. The rocky assault continued for a few short minutes before coming to a swift end. Dodrio fell to the ground, its beaks ajar in a silent scream, and its eyes closed, drifting off to sleep.
"Dodrio is unable to battle! The winner is Ampharos!"
"Woohoo!" Perrine jumped in the air, as did Chirin, her joy bubbling over like root beer fizz.
Dodrio's image on the screen faded to black. "And with that, Dodrio is out for the count, so Alex only has one Pokemon left!"
"Yay, Perrine!" Julia threw her hands up. "I knew she'd win!" Caiseal and Ethan fist bumped each other.
"Gotta say, Perrine's really improved since I last saw her at my gym," Whitney noted, impressed with how the battle was turning out. She knew she saw something special in the orange haired girl, but seeing her actually making headway in the Pokemon League only confirmed it.
Zack slapped his face with his palm. "Geez. Poor Alex. He really should have switched Dodrio out."
With a sad smile, Alex recalled his Dodrio. "Sorry about that, buddy. You were still great, so you get a good rest," He swapped the PokeBall with another one, but not before firing a compliment in Perrine's direction. "You really backed me in a corner here. I'm impressed."
Perrine responded with a sheepish laugh. "I suppose I did. Sorry if Chirin went overboard."
But just as quickly, Alex's mouth pressed into a firm line as he let out his final Pokemon. "This is gonna be a gamble, but I'm ready to take that risk! Go!"
Out from the PokeBall appeared...a red octopus Pokemon with white eyes and lots of yellow orbs lining its tentacles. "Haaaaaaah," The red octopus let out a high pitched warble as it waved one of its tentacles, greeting Chirin like he was a new friend.
"Seriously?!" Yue cried out in surprise. "Why's he going with Octillery?! I know that's one of his strongest Pokemon, but he's still at a type disadvantage!"
Curious, Julia opened her PokeDex to examine it. "Octillery, the jet Pokemon. Octillery like to ensnare their foes within their tentacles, immobilizing them before headbutting them. If the enemy is too strong for it to handle, Octillery spits ink out, obscuring the enemy's vision, in an attempt to escape. Octillery like to live in holes inside rocks. If they get tired while out and about, they usually sneak into other Octillerys' nests to sleep, not bothering to return to their own nests, though sometimes they sleep in pots or crags. The ink that Octillery spits out is a popular ingredient for cooking, and many chefs have put the ink to use in many different cuisines over the past century."
An Octillery...it was clearly a water type, and Chirin was an electric type. Julia knew Perrine had the type advantage over Alex, but type advantage alone doesn't guarantee victory. She could tell Alex was the kind of person who knew this as well. He obviously picked this Pokemon for a reason.
"Is everyone ready?" The referee raised his flags. "Begin!"
"Octillery, use Soak!"
"Haaaaaa," The jet Pokemon spat a stream of water out from its mouth. It wasn't highly pressurized, so when it hit Chirin, it had as much power as when one would take a shower. Chirin was soaked to the teeth, with water dripping from the ends of his ears and everywhere else. But other than that, he felt nothing.
"That's...random," Caiseal scratched his head, confused. "What's Soak?"
Perrine wanted to laugh. This battle was going to be a piece of cake. "Ha! Too easy! Chirin, use Thunderbolt!"
Chirin lowered his head, and the orb on his forehead glowed yellow. A bolt of electricity shot out from it, charging right towards Octillery...who, oddly enough, remained perfectly still.
"Protect!"
A glowing dome materialized over Octillery, covering it from head to tentacle. The lightning bolt merely crackled and danced across its luminescent surface, not even managing to break through the barrier. The thunder dissipated, as did the dome. "Now, use Bullet Seed!"
Octillery's cheeks ballooned to twice their size, then flattened as it shot a barrage of green seeds from its narrow mouth.
"Cotton Guard, Chirin!" Perrine shouted.
Chirin stood firm, and cotton balls appeared in thin air, attaching themselves to his body before dissolving. Not long after, the seeds pelted him in a frontal assault. But...searing pain shot through Chirin's body, like knives and daggers were stabbing him all over. Chirin cried out, running away from the barrage of seeds, but they kept coming at him. Every seed that exploded on his back sent fire through his veins...but they shouldn't have. Chirin had been hit with Bullet Seed many times before, but they had never been as painful and agonizing as this was.
"Chirin?!" Perrine could see it as well. Octillery was shooting Bullet Seed at Chirin like it was nobody's business, and from what she could see, it was dealing a lot of damage. Way more than Bullet Seed should be capable of doing. "Chirin, come on! You can do this!"
"This is strange," Ethan noted out loud. "Bullet Seed is a grass type move, so it shouldn't have much of an effect on Chirin. Why is Chirin on his knees?"
"It's Soak," Zack piped in.
Everyone turned to him, and he spoke again. "It's an attack that completely changes a Pokemon's type if they're hit with it. If a Pokemon gets soaked, they become a water type, even if the Pokemon has a type advantage," He explained. "Basically, even with their strongest attacks, Alex had Octillery put Chirin on equal footing. The battle is bound to go just about anywhere at this point."
An attack that completely changes a Pokemon's type? Was that even possible? Julia gasped. That explained why Chirin was being hit so hard with Bullet Seed. A grass type move was strong against a water type, and if Chirin's type had been changed completely...Perrine was in for a tough battle.
"Ohhh. I completely forgot about Soak," Yue said, regretting having complained about Alex's choice in Pokemon before. "Even I should know better than to underestimate him."
Gradually, the Bullet Seed attack died down, and Chirin stood back up. But Perrine could see scratch marks and light bruising on his back. Only now did she remember that Soak changed a Pokemon's type to water. 'Crap! I shouldn't have gotten so cocky! Even with Cotton Guard, Chirin's toast if he's hit with another grass type move! Switching him out with Mushi will be pointless since grass types can get hit with Soak as well!' Perrine scrambled for a strategy, but nothing concrete came to her. 'Calm down, Perrine. You can't get worked up. You can still do this. You have to have faith in Chirin,' She took a moment to inhale deeply, hold her breath for a bit, then exhale. Her mind cleared.
"Use Signal Beam!" Alex shouted.
Octillery pumped its mouth outward, shooting a ray of green and red light swirling in a luminescent spiral.
"Block it with your own Signal Beam!" Perrine commanded.
On cue, the red light on Chirin's head glowed, and a similarly colored ray shot out from it. Both attacks collided, shooting light and color everywhere. Chirin's ray of light suddenly ballooned in size, overpowering Octillery's attack. It overrode the other Signal Beam and struck the octopus Pokemon right on the head. But Octillery shook off the injury and stood firm, complete with a determined gleam in its eyes.
"Now use Discharge!"
Like before, Chirin let out a cry as a wild explosion of electricity danced across the battlefield. This time, Octillery couldn't react fast enough to use Protect or dodge. Several lightning bolts struck it right on its head, sending burning pain through every nerve in its body. The electricity dissipated soon after.
"It looks like Perrine isn't letting Soak get in the way of the battle," Gladys commented. "Trainers who don't give up even as the odds are against them are impressive, don't you think?"
"You're not the only one who can use electric attacks!" Alex bellowed. "Octillery! Charge Beam!"
"What?!" Now everyone found themselves completely aghast, even the audience. Everyone except Yue and Zack, that is. A water type Pokemon knowing an electric type move? How was that possible?
A crackling sphere of electricity materialized in front of Octillery's mouth. Perrine recoiled. This was bad. Soak hadn't worn off yet, and if Chirin was hit with an electric type attack, he'd be knocked out for sure! Even worse than that, if Charge Beam was successful, it could raise a Pokemon's special attack power, making it even stronger. How could she win this match? Using Cotton Guard would be useless, as even with that, Charge Beam could completely override it.
Wait a minute…
Who said Cotton Guard could only be used to boost defense?
"Fire!"
A golden, crackling bolt of lightning shot out from Octillery's mouth, heading right towards Chirin. A spark flashed in Perrine's braid. There was a way she could turn this battle around!
"Chirin! Use Cotton Guard, but don't let it dissolve into you!"
Chirin almost stole a glance in Perrine's direction. What was she talking about? But he had no time to ask questions. As ordered, the light on Chirin's head glowed, and huge balls of cotton materialized from thin air, surrounding Chirin in a protective barrier. Luckily, the Charge Beam struck, muffling the attack. This time, Chirin only felt a small jolt, enough that it didn't hurt like the Bullet Seed did before it.
"Use the cotton to dry yourself off!" Perrine cried.
Dry himself off? Everyone exchanged confused glances...all except for Chirin, who beamed. Catching on, Chirin rubbed the cotton barrier all over himself, letting it soak all the water that seeped from his body. Already, Chirin was starting to feel a lot better.
"Soak stays in effect as long as the Pokemon is in the field! You know that, right?" Alex exclaimed. "Octillery, Charge Beam again!"
"Sure we do! But that doesn't change a thing!" Perrine shouted back. "Chirin, overpower it with Dragon Pulse!"
Chirin opened his mouth, releasing a stream of multicolored energy. It swallowed up the electric ray of light and struck Octillery point blank, sending it skidding across the field. But Octillery stood firm.
"Use Octazooka!"
"Haaaah!" Octillery's mouth ballooned in size before a pressurized stream of black ink shot out from its mouth.
"Light Screen!" Perrine commanded. The orb on Chirin's head glowed white, and a luminescent wall materialized from thin air, muffling the attack. Chirin grimaced, still feeling the brunt of the attack, but it didn't hurt as much as the others did.
"What an intense battle this has become! Octillery and Ampharos are putting their all into this battle!" Mr. Goodshow's voice bubbled over with enthusiasm. "There's no telling who's going to win at this rate!"
"We're finishing this!" Perrine threw her fist in the air. "Chirin! Give it all you've got! Use Thunder!"
"Hyper Beam, Octillery!"
Spheres of light materialized, Octillery's in front of its mouth, and Chirin's on the orb on his head. When both were fully charged, Chirin unleashed a wicked bolt of lightning, bigger than all of the thunder attacks he had ever used before this point. Like Dodrio before it, Octillery shot a highly pressurized ray of light that cut through the battlefield, sending debris flying. When the attacks collided, an explosion of smoke and dust covered the field. Several people in the front spectator seats had to cover their eyes or hold their arms up to keep the debris out of their faces. Even the judge had to hold up his flags for protection.
It wasn't long before the smoke dissipated. When everyone opened their eyes, the judge, Perrine, and Alex included, they saw both Octillery and Ampharos lying on the ground, face down. It looked like a double knockout. The judge snuck a glance at both Pokemon before sighing. "Both Pokemon are unable to-" He was cut off by a chorus of gasps.
Against all the odds, Chirin's battered body quivered as he hoisted himself up, remaining on his knees. Perrine held a hand to her mouth as her vision blurred. Tears threatened to come out at any moment. Chirin shakily raised his head and upper body above the ground. His face caked with dirt and gravel, Chirin let out a merry warble, raising one of his stubby arms in the air. The judge looked over at Octillery, wondering if it would do the same. However, Octillery made no movement, remaining unconscious and completely still. The judge cracked a confident smile, decision made.
"Scratch that! Octillery is unable to battle!" He pointed a flag towards Perrine. "The winner is Chirin the Ampharos, and the victory goes to Perrine Innocenti!"
"Now that's what I call a tremendous battle!" Mr. Goodshow shouted. "Chirin completely turned the tables on Octillery and seized the win! As such, Perrine Innocenti can advance in the Pokemon League! I say let's give her a round of applause, shall we?!"
The crowd erupted into applause, cheering for the orange haired winner. Julia leaped from her seat and shouted as loud as her voice could muster. Caiseal, Ethan, and Whitney did the same. Unbeknownst to them, Yue and Zack gave each other sad smiles. The pandemonium pounded in Perrine's ears, and only when Chirin tackle-hugged her did she process that she won her first three-on-three battle in the second round. Perrine hugged Chirin back and jumped up and down.
"We won, Chirin! We really won! You did it, boy!" Perrine cajoled.
On the other side of the field, a grim-faced Alex returned Octillery back to its PokeBall. "Sorry, friend. You were still great out there," A single tear slipped down his cheek as he stuffed Octillery's ball into his pocket. He silently slipped out of the stadium, knowing he was wasting his time here.
The pandemonium started to die down as Perrine left the stadium herself. Julia, Ethan, Whitney, and Caiseal were the first to meet up with her. "Perrine! You were amazing out there!" Julia cheered, giving her friend a quick hug.
"She's right! You and your Pokemon really crushed it!" Whitney flashed a thumb's up.
Caiseal slapped Perrine's shoulder with one hand. "You're one step closer to becoming Champ," He told her.
Perrine flushed red under his praise. "Thanks guys. Oh!" She looked around, but didn't see Alex around. "I wonder where Alex is. I was hoping to talk to him."
"He's probably not far from here," Ethan said.
Whitney broke away from the group to meet up with Theo, and the kids went outside. It didn't take long for them to find Alex. They found him sitting in front of the fountain, covering his eyes with his arm. Zack had a hand on his shoulder, and Yue was sitting in front of them. The quartet exchanged glances. It didn't take much for them to see that Alex was sad about his defeat, and his friends were consoling him. Yue saw them in her peripheral vision and wheeled around to face them.
"Hey there. That was an amazing battle, Perrine," Yue told her.
"Thanks. Umm…" She could hear Alex sniffling a bit, and it made her heart ache. In Pokemon battles, there had to be winners and losers. That was just the nature of competition. She promised Alex there would be no hard feelings if either one of them got defeated, but that was easier said than done. She didn't blame him for feeling sad about losing the League. Even so, she couldn't help but feel like she had taken away his chance of winning the League. Him, Zack, and Yue didn't get very far in the League before all three of them got defeated.
"I'm sorry you lost," Perrine apologized right away. She hated how hollow it seemed. "For what it's worth, I thought you and your Pokemon were great."
Alex wiped his eyes before flashing a smile at her. "It's okay. I had fun too, and that's all that matters," He stood up, his features softening. "I never had any lofty dreams of being the champion. I got to go on a journey with my friends, battle tough trainers, and learn so much. I'm just happy I managed to get as far as I did."
"So are we," Zack added, wrapping an arm around Alex's neck, pulling him close.
"Hey! Ease up, will ya?!" Alex mock groaned, clutching onto Zack's arm in a futile attempt to yank it off.
Everyone broke into laughter, which helped to alleviate the tension. "So what are you guys going to do now?" Julia asked.
"We might go back to Cianwood City," Yue explained. "I mean, all three of us lost, so there's really no reason for us to stay here. Still, I'm super glad we got to know you guys."
Zack released Alex from his hold, and the latter approached them, smiling once more. "Indeed. Maybe we'll meet again some time. Anyway, congrats on your win. Good luck on becoming Johto League Champ," Alex said, holding his hand out.
Taking the hint, Perrine gave his hand a firm shake. "I don't plan on losing after getting this far! Good luck for whatever you guys plan to do for the future."
Afterward, Alex Arienzo, Zack Fleming, and Yue Lu parted ways with the quartet, waving goodbye as they headed back to the Pokemon Center. Perrine and Ethan were quick to remind Caiseal that his battle with Theo, Whitney's cousin was coming up later in the day. Julia was about to throw in her piece, but she noticed someone glancing their way. An adult woman leaned against a telephone pole that was ten feet away from them, her eyes fixated on the group, and her long, chocolate brown curls cascaded all around her beige winter coat. When she saw Julia looking at her, she simply winked and held a finger up to her mouth. It was like she was saying not to tell anyone she was here.
Julia raised her eyebrows, confused. Who was she? But in a way...she seemed oddly familiar. Where had she seen her before? She couldn't help but wonder as she and the rest of the group made their way back to the Pokemon Center in preparation for Caiseal's match with Theo.
A/N: So I was going to try and fit Perrine's battle with Alex and Caiseal's battle with Theo, but the former one started to get long, so the latter will get its own chapter. And finally, I got to evolve Mushi! I really needed to evolve him at some point. I wish I had done so earlier. Well, now all of Perrine's Pokemon have evolved! That's about all for right now. Stay safe and healthy!
Julia's Party:
Hikaru (Shiny Pikachu, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Thunderbolt, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Volt Tackle
Papillon (Butterfree, Female, Calm Nature)
Ability: Compound Eyes
Attacks: Confusion, Bug Buzz, Air Slash, Quiver Dance
Neji (Furret, Male, Bashful Nature)
Ability: Keen Eye
Attacks: Dig, Hyper Voice, Sucker Punch, and Quick Attack
Karin (Smoochum, Female, Impish Nature)
Ability: Forewarn
Attacks: Pound, Confusion, Powder Snow, and Sweet Kiss
Lavinia (Scyther, Female, Rash Nature)
Ability: Steadfast
Attacks: Quick Attack, Fury Cutter, Wing Attack, and Agility
Ladybug (Ledian, Female, Timid Nature)
Ability: Early Bird
Attacks: Bug Buzz, Swift, Drain Punch, and Reflect
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 (Wigglytuff, Female, Docile Nature)
Ability: Cute Charm
Attacks: Hyper Voice, Wake-Up Slap, Disarming Voice, and Body Slam
Mushi (Parasect, Male, Quirky Nature)
Ability: Effect Spore
Attacks: X-Scissor, Cross Poison, Growth, and Giga Drain
Fuwari (Jumpluff, 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
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
Electra (Elekid, Female, Naughty Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Thundershock, Low Kick, Quick Attack, and Leer