Chapter 70: Who Will Win? Perrine VS Caiseal!
Perrine plopped down onto her bed in the Pokemon Center, the day's events finally catching up to her. She gave a big sigh as fatigue weighed her body down, reveling in the plush comforter that broke her fall. The sky was already pitch black, dotted with fresh stars. By this time, Julia and Violet were already in bed, fast asleep. As much as Perrine wanted to get to sleep straight away, she still felt restless...and she knew why. Tomorrow was the day. The day she and Caiseal would fight for the chance to battle the Elite Four, and maybe even the Champion. It was almost surreal. Months ago, she was just a sheltered girl who felt suffocated by the golden cage her father tried to keep her in, wanting nothing more than to go out and see the world. Now, her dream was just a hair's breadth away from finally coming true. Should she win tomorrow's match, that is.
Still, she wished it didn't have to involve battling one of her best friends. Not after all they had been through together.
Before Rocio went back to her hotel, Perrine swapped Pokemon with her once more. Now that Gervasius was defeated, she didn't need to worry about needing Pokemon that would be strong against poison types. After a few minutes of lying down, she sat back up and pulled her PokeBalls out of her pockets. They were light as feathers in her hands, the steel surfaces warmed from both her touch and rubbing against the fabric of her skirt. Her best friends, who stuck with her through thick and thin, always having her back. Where would she be without them? Perrine flashed a smile as she held them to her chest.
"Tomorrow's the big day, guys. Win or lose, let's do this together," She whispered.
The PokeBalls wriggled in her hands, as if nodding in agreement. Perrine gave a chuckle before putting them back. Only now did she decide it was time to hit the hay. She didn't want to start tomorrow's match barely able to function.
Unbeknownst to her, Caiseal was outside the Pokemon Center, in an empty lot just behind it. All of his Pokemon were out of their PokeBalls: Mallow, Apollo, Flippy, Ravenclaw, Viole, Heracles, Stacey, and Electra. All of them had solemn, determined expressions on their faces, save for Electra, who mostly ran around the area, spinning her arms and shooting off electricity. Thankfully, none of them were big enough or strong enough to cause any damage, so barely anyone paid her any mind. Caiseal sat down on a bench as he looked at all of his Pokemon.
"So...tomorrow we have to battle Perrine. One of my best friends," Caiseal told them in a distant, wistful tone. Mallow and Ravenclaw exchanged slightly worried expressions. They could see he was conflicted about having to battle her. Apollo simply put his hand on his trainer's shoulder, giving him a low, reassuring growl.
"Yeah. I know," Caiseal replied, appreciating the comforting gesture. "I am kinda conflicted. As much as I'd like to win the League, I kinda wish it didn't involve battling against one of my friends. But in competition like this, there's always gotta be a winner or a loser."
In all honesty, Caiseal never had any aspirations about winning the League. It wasn't even the reason he went on this journey. As much as he liked the idea of being the champion of a whole region, the more he thought about it, the more he questioned whether doing so would actually change anything. He had contemplated forfeiting quite a few times, but decided against it. He was sure Perrine would get really mad if he did so, and she wasn't one to appreciate stuff just being handed to her on a silver platter. Besides, what good was accomplishing something as big as this if one didn't put everything they had into it?
Caiseal steeled his resolve. "As much as this tears me up inside, I'm not gonna back out," He told his Pokemon audience. "Neither are all of you."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"So win or lose, let's just give it all we've got," Caiseal stood up and balled his hands into fists.
His Pokemon nodded a second time.
When Caiseal went to bed that night, he dreamt only of the Pokemon League. Not once did the nightmare that so often plagued him flash through his mind this time.
"Ladies and gentlemen! This is the exciting match you've all been waiting for!" Mr. Goodshow's voice boomed into the microphone on this particularly fresh, frosty morning. "On one side of the field, we have one Caiseal Brownstone from Blackthorn City! On the other, we have Perrine Innocenti from Goldenrod City! These two exceptional trainers have fought their way to this final match, but as we all know, only one will stand victorious! Let's give them a round of applause for all that they've accomplished so far!"
The stadium exploded into cheering as both trainers walked to their sides of the battlefield. On this day, they weren't merely friends who went through hardship and joy together. Today, they were rivals, and only one could come out on top. Neither of them could afford to make any mistakes today. Both put hours of careful planning and some last minute training for this battle alone. Since neither trainer preferred one specific type, they each brought in their strongest Pokemon. They weren't the fresh, greenhorn trainers who left on their journeys long ago. They came into this match ready to give it all they had.
Up in the stands, Rocio, Yvette, and Geoffrey sat together, while Julia sat between Violet and Ethan. The latter had just come back with three whole buckets of popcorn in both arms. "Hey! I got us some popcorn! Want some?" Ethan asked. By 'us,' he only meant himself and the girls. Violet took her bucket without hesitation. Julia took the other one with one hand, as the other was covering her right ear.
"I bet Caiseal's gonna win!" Violet chimed in. "From what he and Perrine told me, he's been on his journey longer than she has, so he's stronger by default!"
"That's not necessarily true," Julia gently countered. "Just because someone has been a trainer longer than others, that doesn't mean they're automatically stronger or smarter or more experienced. It all depends on the person and how they go about doing things."
Ethan sat down and adjusted his position. "She's right. When I first started out, Typhlosion and I got our butts whooped by a friend of ours just because her Pokemon had a type advantage. And here's the thing," He explained, holding his finger up for emphasis. "She got her Pokemon a week after I got mine! Granted, this was back when Typhlosion was a Cyndaquil, but you get my point."
Down in the battlefield, the two trainers locked eyes. "Hey, Cash!" Perrine shouted, hoping he could hear him over the cacophony of the cheering crowd. "No hard feelings if either one of us loses, okay? We'll always be friends no matter what!"
"I wouldn't have it any other way! May the best trainer win!" Caiseal shouted back loud and clear.
The judge motioned for the roulette on the screen to start. A light flashed across the striped wheel before slowing down to a red strip. The same color as the background on Caiseal's picture. "Caiseal Brownstone, choose your first Pokemon!"
Caiseal confidently took out her first PokeBall, throwing it outward. "Flippy! Get out there!"
Flippy materialized onto the battlefield, giving a wide, laid-back yawn like she didn't have a care in the world.
Perrine smirked. She had the perfect Pokemon to use against her. "You're up, Florian!" She immediately sent out her official starter. Florian gave a battle cry as he appeared, the petals lining his neck vivid in the morning sunlight. Caiseal grimaced. Of course she'd send Florian out against Flippy. That was a consequence of being made to send his Pokemon out first. He could always switch out, but doing that had its own share of drawbacks as well. He didn't want to switch his Pokemon in and out of battle too often.
"Are both trainers ready?" The judge asked before raising both flags into the air. "Battle begin!"
"Ladies first!" Perrine exclaimed. "Florian, use Razor Leaf!"
Florian shook the petals circling his neck, shooting a barrage of sharp leaves in Flippy's direction. "Defense Curl!" Caiseal cried out. Without losing her laid back smile, Flippy curled into a ball, protecting herself from the barrage of leaves, even as they cut across her back. She unfurled from her fetal position as the attack died down.
"Now fight back with Ice Beam!"
The water fish Pokemon fired a turquoise beam of light in Florian's direction. "Dodge!" Perrine cried out. The green sauropod ran from the beam of light as fast as his legs could carry him. Thankfully, the beam only hit the ground, leaving behind several ice shards jutting out from the battlefield.
"Use Bulldoze!" Perrine commanded.
On cue, Florian jumped once, landing with such strength that the entire battlefield rumbled, just like in her battle with Gervasius. Flippy remained steady, even as the ground beneath her violently shook. But Caiseal could see her body swaying just a little bit, so it wasn't like the attack wasn't affecting her in some way.
"Fight back with Headbutt!"
Flippy ran towards Florian, lowering her head in preparation. Florian stood firm, even as Flippy threw herself against him. The force of the attack made Florian's face contort from the impact, but it wasn't enough to knock him out or do much in the way of substantial damage.
"Petal Blizzard!"
As Flippy ran back towards her spot on the field, the petals around Florian's neck glowed pink. Before long, a harsh wind of flower petals shot out from them, inundating Flippy and cutting her skin from all directions. Flippy tried to run, but the pain was overwhelming, and she wasn't able to move away fast enough, what with Bulldoze having slowed her down. Caiseal balled his hand into a fist. It was a mistake to have sent her out. Of course Perrine would send Florian out against a water type. A few more grass type moves, and she'd be finished. Good thing he had some alternatives at the ready.
"Flippy, return for now!" Caiseal pulled out Flippy's PokeBall and called her back, the red light sucking the fish Pokemon back into the capsule. He stuffed the PokeBall in his pocket and pulled out another. "Go, Ravenclaw!"
Ravenclaw materialized quickly, flapping her wings and letting out a squawky battlecry.
"Caiseal has switched his Quagsire out for his Murkrow!" Mr. Goodshow announced.
Perrine smirked. "We can handle it. Florian, use Petal Blizzard again!"
"Dodge, and use Aerial Ace!" Caiseal cried out.
Just like before, Florian shook the petals circling his neck, unleashing a tornado of flower petals. Being a small bird Pokemon, Ravenclaw flew away from the attack easily. A white aura emanated from her body as she dodged the attack. She made a circle arch in the air before descending right down towards Florian, jamming her beak against his side with such force that it knocked him to the ground.
"And Murkrow lands a big hit on Meganium! As we all know, Aerial Ace always hits its target!" Mr. Goodshow exclaimed, his booming voice jubilant.
"Go Raven!" Violet cheered, throwing her arms into the air.
Florian wasn't going to give up. He hoisted himself back on his feet and shook off any dirt that accumulated on his body. Ravenclaw simply hovered a few feet above him, readying herself for her trainer's next command. Perrine was lost in thought. With Ravenclaw being a flying type, it was going to be tough to land physical attacks on it, as she could just dodge them easily. Any ideas she had were negated by the fact that Ravenclaw could just use her wings to blow them away. Perrine shook her head. There wasn't any point in keeping Florian in this battle and dragging it out.
"Florian, return!" Perrine wasted no time swapping Florian out for another Pokemon. "Chirin, come out and use Discharge!"
Chirin materialized onto the battlefield and immediately knew what he needed to do. With a shrill cry, Chirin unleashed a flurry of lightning bolts, shooting them all across and above the battlefield. Several of them struck Ravenclaw before she could get a chance to react. Ravenclaw let out an agonized squawk as electricity surged through her entire body, and every movement she made felt as though fire was flowing through her. After a brief moment, Ravenclaw fell to the ground with a solid thud.
"Perrine makes the wise choice to swap her Meganium out for Ampharos, and wasting no time in hitting where it hurts!" Mr. Goodshow announced.
Now it was Murkrow versus Ampharos. Caiseal pursed his lips together. He was tempted to switch her out. Why have her try and fight a losing battle? As he reached for his pocket, Ravenclaw glanced his way. Caiseal froze. Ravenclaw was back on her feet, shaking her head, dissuading him from doing so. He recognized the determined look in her red eyes. That steely look that said no matter what, she was going to stay in the battle and fight to the end, even if it meant losing. Besides, continually switching Pokemon around would just drag the battle out. Caiseal gave a reassuring nod, and Ravenclaw flew back into the air.
"Fight back with Dark Pulse!"
"Hold it off with Signal Beam!"
Ravenclaw opened her beak, firing a barrage of black rings. The red gem on Chirin's forehead glowed, firing a spiral of red and green light. The attacks collided, the beams pushing at each other to see which would overpower the other. Eventually, the Dark Pulse pushed through the dual colored beams, cutting through them and striking Chirin on the head. The light Pokemon endured the hit, grimacing and leaning down to protect his body. He stood firm, and after the attack dissipated, Chirin shook it off.
"Nice going, boy!" Perrine exclaimed, balling a hand into a fist. "Use Thunderbolt!"
"Dodge! Aerial Ace!" Caiseal cried.
Unlike with Discharge, which sent electricity all over the place, Chirin fired a single lightning bolt towards the darkness Pokemon. Ravenclaw flew downward to evade the attack before throwing herself right into Chirin's abdomen. Chirin gave a noiseless gasp as he felt Ravenclaw's beak block his airway for a brief moment, but he stood firm. Ravenclaw backed away soon after, and Chirin fell to his knees to catch his breath.
But as Ravenclaw ascended, all of a sudden, her muscles tensed up. She squawked as she found that her wings didn't move like she wanted them to. Before long, she found herself back on the ground. Every movement she made felt like a thousand pins and needles were poking her all over. Perrine's eyes widened when she saw electricity crackling across Ravenclaw's body. Caiseal's did as well.
"Static!" The both of them cried out in unison, Caiseal in shock, and Perrine with glee.
This was Perrine's chance to seize her first win. Now that Static was in effect, Ravenclaw was paralyzed, and she wouldn't be able to move as fast. Perrine wasted no time. "Chirin, finish it with another Thunderbolt! Make it count!" Perrine shouted.
Chirin fired another streak of lightning. With Ravenclaw unable to move, she was a sitting Psyduck. The lightning bolt struck her square on the head, and her body convulsed as electricity ran through her. Caiseal closed his eyes, unable to watch as his partner succumbed to the attack, knowing there was no way she could possibly withstand an attack that strong. After a minute, the electricity ceased, and Ravenclaw fell on her back, beak open as if in a silent scream.
"Ravenclaw the Murkrow is unable to battle!" The judge exclaimed, pointing a green flag in Chirin's direction. "Chirin the Ampharos is the winner!"
Ravenclaw's image faded from the screen. "And Perrine Innocenti scores her first win!" Mr. Goodshow effused.
Violet deflated, her shoulders sagging. "Awww. Poor Ravenclaw lost," She pouted.
"It's okay. She battled hard and did her best," Julia put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "That's all that matters. Besides, Caiseal's still got five more Pokemon under his belt."
That was enough to make Violet smile again.
Caiseal called his fallen Pokemon back. "Good job out there, Raven. You deserve a good rest," Caiseal whispered before swapping the PokeBall out for another. "Get out there, Geo!"
Out from the PokeBall came Geo, who raised his stubby arms in the air and gave a booming roar. Perrine asked Chirin if he'd like to be switched out, but the light Pokemon shook his head no, wanting to remain in battle. Perrine could tell Chirin, even with his wide attack selection, would be at a disadvantage. Sure, he could take hits better than most electric type Pokemon, but that didn't mean he was infallible. Nevertheless, she decided to respect his decision. Plus, if he did lose, she could always send Florian back out.
"Ampharos versus Golem!" The judge raised both flags in the air. "Begin!"
"Geo! Use Rock Blast!" Caiseal shouted.
Geo gave another roar, and five large, glowing rocks the size of volleyballs materialized out of thin air. Geo then gave a great leap and swirled around to kick one of them towards Chirin.
"Cotton Guard!" Perrine commanded.
On cue, the red gem on Chirin's head glowed bright, and a barrier of thick cotton balls sprouted out from his body, completely covering him from head to toe. One of the rocks hit the fluffy barrier, only managing to send it back just a couple feet. Geo proceeded to smack the other four rocks, hurling them straight towards the ball of cotton. Every single one of them struck Chirin, but he stood firm, barely feeling the impact thanks to the cotton muffling it. Once every rock disappeared, the cotton balls dissolved into Chirin's body, boosting his defensive power.
"Now use Dragon Pulse!"
The orb at the tip of Chirin's tail glowed purple, and Chirin himself opened his mouth to fire a purple, blue, and green beam of energy towards Geo. The front end of the energy blast morphed into a ferocious dragon's maw intent on eating Geo alive.
Caiseal smirked. "No surprise you'd go for that one. Geo! Defense Curl!"
Geo retracted his arms and legs, leaving his large, sturdy body exposed. The draconic ray of light swirled around Geo, lifting him off the ground ten feet before dropping him back down. The force of the impact was such that the ground directly underneath Geo broke into pieces of debris. As soon as the attack dissipated, Geo uncurled from his fetal position, standing back up like he didn't feel a thing.
"Now, Bulldoze!"
Geo jumped into the air once, landing back on the ground with such force that the battlefield shook, like an earthquake had hit. Chirin swayed from side to side, the violent rumbling making him unsteady on his feet. He desperately tried to maintain his balance, but one shock wave sent him to his knees, and several more sent him a couple feet in the air. Gradually, the miniature earthquake dissipated, and Chirin managed to stand back up.
"You okay, boy?" Perrine asked.
The light Pokemon gave a reassuring nod. Perrine could see the determined gleam in his eyes clear as day.
"We're not giving up! Signal Beam! Let's go!" Perrine spread one arm outward.
Just like before, Chirin fired a beam of red and green light in Geo's direction. With Geo's body being so thick, the attack only grazed him.
"Magnitude!" Caiseal shouted.
A brown aura emanated from Geo's body as he leaped into the air, just like how he did with Bulldoze. But as soon as he landed back on the ground, the battlefield shook with such intensity that earthen shock waves rippled across it, striking Chirin head on. The light Pokemon tried to stand firm, but the shock waves from the miniature earthquake were enough to render him unsteady on his feet, sending him falling on his rear.
"We're finishing this! Heavy Slam! Go!"
As the miniature earthquake dissipated, Geo leaped high into the air, the brown aura around his body turning a silvery gray. Perrine blanched. Geo weighed far more than Chirin, and Heavy Slam's strength depending on if Geo was heavier than his opponent. With Chirin being so lithe, he was a sitting Psyduck.
"Cotton Guard, Chirin!"
Chirin closed his eyes and generated huge balls of cotton that clustered around his body, bracing himself for what was to come. Seconds later, Geo descended with such force that the impact caused a huge crater to form in the ground. The cotton dissipated as soon as Geo made contact, and Chirin gave a pained cry as the megaton Pokemon's weight completely overpowered him. A cloud of earthen dust billowed out from the crater, obscuring the two Pokemon from view.
"Chirin!" Perrine cried, knowing how this was going to end.
The dust faded, and Geo rolled out from it, unscathed, whereas Chirin lay in the crater, eyes closed, and mouth wide open as if in a silent scream.
"Ampharos is unable to battle!" The judge announced. "Golem is the winner!"
With that, Chirin was out of the battle, with his image fading to black on the screen. Perrine called him back immediately. "Good job out there, Chirin. Take a good rest," Perrine told him reassuringly, wasting no time putting him out in favor of a Pokemon who could easily knock Geo flat. "Florian, give it your best shot!"
Out from the PokeBall came Florian. "And Florian the Meganium makes a second appearance!" Mr. Goodshow exclaimed.
"We'll show you! Geo, Heavy Slam again!" Caiseal shouted.
Once again, a silver aura emanated from Geo's body as he leaped into the sky once more, heading right towards Florian. Oddly enough, Perrine didn't have him dodge right away. Caiseal raised an eyebrow, perplexed. What was she planning?
"Florian! Use your Vine Whip to jump!" Perrine commanded.
Two long, green vines sprouted out from Florian's neck, and he pushed them onto the ground with enough force that he was able to jump into the air, avoiding Geo's Heavy Slam in the nick of time. The impact of the attack made another crater form in the battlefield. This time, it was Florian's turn to leap into the air. Caiseal blanched.
"Use Razor Leaf while Geo's still disoriented!"
Florian ruffled the petals around his neck, sending a flurry of sharp, sickle-shaped leaves towards Geo. Since the megaton Pokemon was so big, he couldn't move as fast as he wanted to, and wasn't given time to reorient himself. Leaves struck him from above, cutting through his thick hide. Several of them left fresh cuts on his arms.
"Geo!" Caiseal cried.
"Alright! Finish it with Petal Blizzard! No mercy!"
Once Florian landed on the ground, he wasted no time unleashing a blizzard of flower petals that inundated Geo from every direction. He refused to let up, putting his all into the attack. Eventually, the floral storm dissipated, and Geo fell over, unable to move. The judge took the time to walk over and see if Geo was knocked out. Geo's mouth was open and his eyes were closed. The only movement he saw was Geo's left hand twitching a bit from the pain.
"Golem is unable to battle! Meganium is the winner!"
"Alright!" Perrine cheered, holding her hands up for Florian to high five with his vines. The flower Pokemon returned the gesture with the tips of his vines, flashing a big smile in celebration of his victory.
Geo's image faded to black on the screen, and Caiseal wordlessly called Geo back. "Great job, my friend," He whispered before picking his next Pokemon. "This one's for you, Violet! Viole, I choose you!"
Viole the Vileplume materialized onto the battlefield, lifting his stubby arms upward and smiling at Florian without a care in the world.
"Yay! My namesake!" Violet chirruped, beaming. "You can win this, Viole! I believe in you!"
Perrine clenched her fist. Viole was a grass type just like Florian, but he had the added advantage of being a poison type, along with being able to inflict status effects like poison. Of course, Florian had a remedy for that, so Perrine didn't need to worry too much on that one.
"Vileplume versus Meganium! Begin!"
Caiseal made the first move again. "Viole! Use Sludge Bomb!"
Viole lowered the flower on his head and began firing a barrage of brown spheres in Florian's direction.
"Dodge, then use Safeguard!" Perrine ordered.
Florian ran away from the onslaught of sludge bombs, then stopped to allow his body to emanate a soft blue light. It lasted for about a few seconds before fading just as quickly. With this, he wouldn't need to worry about getting poisoned, paralyzed, or made to fall asleep.
"Now use Body Slam!"
Like Geo before him, Florian jumped high into the air, ready to squash Viole flat. Like Florian did with Geo, Viole didn't move from his spot. Did Caiseal have something in mind?
"Sludge Bomb again!" Caiseal ordered.
Viole lifted the flower on his head, aiming it right at Florian, and fired another onslaught of sludge bombs. This time, with Florian in the air, he was unable to dodge, as he was right above Viole and had no way to evade the attack. The sludge bombs pummeled his torso, sending him falling backwards, hitting the ground with a thud. But he was quick to get back up soon after, shaking off some of the sludge and residue that had accumulated on him.
"You okay to go on, boy?" Perrine asked.
Florian turned towards his trainer and nodded. Perrine smiled, trusting her Pokemon's judgment. "Use Bulldoze!" She cried out.
Florian jumped a foot in the air before slamming back down, sending earthen shock waves across the battlefield like Geo did before him. This time, Viole was unable to keep steady, as his stubby legs were too short to stand firm in uneven ground. He fell on his rear as the shifting ground was too much to take.
"Finish it with Razor Leaf!" Perrine exclaimed. Florian ruffled the petals around his neck and fired another round of leaves.
"Hold them off with another Sludge Bomb!" Caiseal shrieked.
Viole lowered his flower and fired another round of sludgy spheres, managing to keep the sharp leaves at bay.
"Now use Nature Power!"
The orange brown circle in the middle of Viole's flower glowed white for a brief moment before shooting off what appeared to be spheres of brown mud. Florian backed away to avoid them, but one of them hit him right in his face, obscuring his eyes. Florian shrieked and shook his head wildly to get the mud off, but it clung to him like glue.
"Crap! Nature Power turned into Mud Bomb!" Perrine exclaimed, eyes widening in horror. Now that Florian was blinded by the mud, he wouldn't be able to land any attacks.
"We're finishing this!" Caiseal pointed his index finger towards Florian. "Solarbeam!"
Viole pointed his flower towards the sun, and tiny spheres of white light clustered around the orange brown center. Then, when it was fully charged, Viole lowered his flower, shooting off a blinding beam of white light that struck Florian head on. Perrine shielded her eyes with her arms, as the attack illuminated the entire battlefield. After a couple minutes, the attack dissipated, and Perrine opened her eyes to find Florian on the ground, covered in dirt and scratches, completely dormant.
"Meganium is unable to battle!" The judge pointed a red flag towards Viole. "Vileplume is the winner!"
As soon as Florian's image faded from the screen, Violet began jumping up and down, cheering jubilantly. "Yay! Big Bro and Viole won! They did it! I knew they would!" Violet exclaimed.
Julia covered her right ear with one hand, as it throbbed from Violet's cheering. "The battle's not over yet," She reminded her. Violet sat back down soon after, but the joy on her face was palpable. "Be careful not to spill your popcorn."
Perrine called Florian back to his PokeBall. "You did great, Florian. Take a nice long rest," She whispered before pulling out another PokeBall. "Fukuro! You're up!"
Fukuro took to the skies, readying his talons like he couldn't wait to battle.
"Vileplume versus Noctowl! Begin!"
Perrine made the first move. "Fukuro! Peck attack!"
Fukuro swooped in front of Viole and began pecking the flower on his head. Viole tried to shake him off and run, but the owl Pokemon refused to let up, pecking him over and over.
"Use Stun Spore!"
"Blow it away!"
As soon as Fukuro saw a plume of sparkling gold powder billow out from Viole's flower, the owl Pokemon flew backwards to evade it, blowing it away with one flap of his wings.
"Now use Air Slash!"
Fukuro's wings glowed white as he flapped them once, sending several saw-like discs towards Viole. Once again, Viole tried to escape them, but his stubby legs couldn't carry him fast enough. Once they made contact, they sent Viole tumbling across the battlefield.
"Viole!" Caiseal cried out.
Perrine smirked. "Finish it off with Zen Headbutt!"
The owl Pokemon descended quickly, his head glowing in an aquamarine hue. As soon as he reached the ground, he swiftly turned at a sharp 90 degree angle, charging towards the terrified flower Pokemon with increasing speed. Viole attempted to stand up, but the owl Pokemon came too fast, and Fukuro rammed right into him, sending him flying into the wall just behind Caiseal. Fukuro flew back to his original position on the battlefield, and Viole fell off the wall, his petals deflated.
"Vileplume is unable to battle! Noctowl is the winner!"
Violet frowned as she watched Caiseal call his fallen friend back to his PokeBall. "Awww, poor Viole. He lost," She muttered before munching on some popcorn. The girl did find some comfort in that this battle was just a friendly competition, nothing like how it was when Caiseal was made to battle Fergus.
"Alright! This one's on you, Flippy!" Caiseal sent Flippy back out. Just like earlier, Flippy gave a wide, laid-back yawn, like she had just woken up from a nice nap. But Perrine knew Flippy had still sustained damage from when Florian attacked her earlier, so if she played her cards right, Fukuro had a good chance of knocking her out.
"Noctowl versus Quagsire! Begin!"
"Flippy! Ice Beam!" Caiseal shouted.
Flippy opened her mouth as wide as she could, firing a turquoise beam of light towards the owl Pokemon. "Fukuro! Dodge and use Moonblast!"
As soon as the beam of light came his way, Fukuro ducked, evading the attack with ease. Then, he opened his beak, allowing streams of energy to come together and materialize into an orb. Once it was fully formed, Fukuro fired it towards the water fish Pokemon. It struck Flippy head on, and although she stood firm, the attack was enough to send her skidding across the battlefield.
"Water Pulse!" Caiseal exclaimed.
Undeterred by the attack, Flippy opened her mouth wide again, this time generating a sphere of water. Once it was fully formed, she shot it towards Fukuro, and when it got close enough, it burst into a big wave. It reached high enough to soak Fukuro and drag him down into the water. Fukuro flapped his wings vigorously in an attempt to escape, but the water weighed heavy on his wings, making movement impossible. Eventually, the water dissipated, and Fukuro was freed from the watery onslaught. He flapped his wings and shook the water off of his body before ascending about ten feet into the air.
"You can do this, Fukuro! I believe in you!" Perrine encouraged him.
Caiseal did the same with his Pokemon. "You're doing great, Flippy! Let's keep it up!"
Both Pokemon gave reassuring nods towards their trainers before facing each other. Up in the audience, Yvette held onto Geoffrey's hand tightly. Rocio fiddled with the zipper on her coat. Julia simply stared at the battlefield, wondering which Pokemon would come out on top.
"We're not gonna lose!" Perrine bellowed.
"Same here! Flippy, use Ice Beam again!" Caiseal shouted right back.
"Fukuro! Extrasensory!"
Similarly to earlier, Flippy shot another turquoise beam of light towards the owl Pokemon. Fukuro's eyes glowed purple, and a matching aura appeared around the ice beam. Then, the ray of light made a U-turn, heading straight towards Flippy instead. Flippy attempted to run, but her slow movements did her no favors, and the attack struck her right on the back. It didn't freeze her, but Flippy fell to the ground face first. After the beam faded, she got back up, but grimaced when she tried to put weight on her legs. Jolts of pain shot through her, and the cuts she sustained from Florian's Razor Leaf in the beginning of the battle stung.
"Flippy might not be able to take more damage," Ethan noted as he saw Flippy struggle to get back into a battle stance. "If Fukuro keeps this up, Perrine might be able to score another victory."
"But Flippy's no slouch, either," Julia reminded him, her brows furrowed in uncertainty. "There's a reason she's lasted as long as she has."
Perrine and Caiseal both instinctively knew they couldn't afford to waste more time. It was now or never.
"Ice Beam one more time!"
"Psychic! Full power!"
Flippy fired yet another turquoise ray of light towards Fukuro. This time, Fukuro's eyes glowed purple, and the owl Pokemon fired two violet beams towards the water fish. Both attacks made contact, with both Pokemon getting hit head on. Flippy fell to the ground, unable to move any further, whereas Fukuro was completely encased in ice. The judge walked onto the battlefield to get a better look at them. Flippy's mouth was wide open, as was Fukuro's beak. Neither of them could continue.
"Both Quagsire and Noctowl are unable to battle!" The judge announced, raising both flags.
Both Fukuro and Flippy's images faded from the screen as Mr. Goodshow bellowed, "It's our first double knockout!"
"I don't get it," Violet mused after finishing another round of popcorn. "Fukuro lost after getting hit with Ice Beam once?"
"Yep. Ice is strong against flying," Julia clarified. "And Flippy still had damage from when Florian attacked him earlier in the battle."
The two trainers called their fallen Pokemon back to their PokeBalls. Perrine was the first to speak. "Hey Cash! I have to admit, it's been really fun battling you so far!" Perrine exclaimed, flashing a confident grin. "It's been a while since I went all out like this!"
"Same goes for you too!" Caiseal fired back, looking just as determined. "You and your Pokemon really have me on my toes. Still, only one of us can come out on top," He furrowed his eyebrows. "You better not hold back!"
"Are you kidding?" Perrine's eyes flashed fire, not with anger, but pride. "No way am I holding back on the most important day of my life!" She pulled out another PokeBall. "Baloo! Show your stuff!"
Baloo the Wigglytuff materialized onto the battlefield in mid-air, gracefully landing feet first like a floating balloon. "And Perrine has chosen Wigglytuff! What Pokemon will Caiseal send out against it?" Mr. Goodshow asked the audience.
Caiseal used one finger to scratch his nose before pulling out his next Pokemon. "I choose you, Apollo!"
As soon as Apollo materialized, the back of his neck burst into flames as he let out a piercing roar. Of course, Baloo wasn't scared one bit, as she just stared back at him with her large, teal eyes.
"Typhlosion versus Wigglytuff! Begin!"
"Apollo! Use Flamethrower!" Caiseal shouted, taking the initiative.
Apollo opened his mouth to let loose a stream of fire.
"Dodge and use Body Slam!" Perrine cried out.
Baloo jumped into the air, evading the fire attack. She used all the strength she could muster to jump as close to Apollo as possible. Once she got close enough, she allowed gravity to do its job, pulling her down and allowing her to slam right onto Apollo. She fell on him so hard, Apollo wound up being pressed onto the ground face first. Baloo's body weight pinned him down, and the volcano Pokemon struggled to wriggle out from underneath her to no avail.
"Use Eruption!" Caiseal exclaimed.
Catching on to what he was ordering him to do, the spots on Apollo's neck burst into flame, and as the pressure mounted, quickly exploded into a burning cloud of fire. The explosion was so strong that Baloo was sent flying. She was quick to inhale some air and expand just a little bit, floating back to the ground complete with a graceful landing.
"Even though Eruption had to have done some damage, Wigglytuff took the hit like a champ and is back on its feet!" Mr. Goodshow commented.
"Alright, Baloo! Hyper Voice!"
Baloo opened her mouth and unleashed circular sound waves that struck Apollo head on. Her voice rose to an ear-piercing pitch as she released all the air she had inhaled, shrinking back down to her regular size. Apollo simply stood his ground and endured the attack, putting both hands on his ears and grimacing as the high pitched screech made his whole body tremble, all the way down to his bones.
"Rollout, Apollo!" Caiseal bellowed.
On cue, Apollo curled into a ball and began rolling across the battlefield at accelerating speed. He charged towards the balloon Pokemon, the ear-splitting attack no longer bothering him, and struck Baloo in the stomach. Baloo stood her ground and endured the attack, just like Apollo did just now.
"Grab onto Apollo!" Perrine commanded.
As soon as Apollo uncurled from his fetal position, Baloo used her stubby arms to cling onto his fur, preventing him from running away. "Now use Wake Up Slap!" Baloo narrowed her big eyes into a scary glare as she proceeded to smack Apollo across his face multiple times, with far more force than a similar attack like Double Slap.
"Smokescreen!" Caiseal cried out. Apollo used one hand to slap Baloo's hand away before spewing a plume of thick, noisome black smoke right in the balloon Pokemon's face. It wasn't enough to cover the battlefield, but with Baloo inundated by the smoke, Apollo found an opening and backtracked, out from Baloo's vicinity.
Caiseal was on a roll. With Baloo obscured by the smoke, she wouldn't be able to see anything. This was his chance to seize victory. "Now use Swift!"
"Defense Curl!"
Apollo leaped into the air and began spinning, firing a flurry of stars in Baloo's direction. Baloo curled into a ball to protect herself, and the stars cut through the smoke, making it dissipate. They struck Baloo from the front, but since she was in a fetal position, the impact wasn't as strong as it normally would be. As the attack dissipated, Baloo uncurled herself and puffed her abdomen outward.
"Let him have it with Play Rough!" Perrine exclaimed.
A pink aura emanated from Baloo's body as she charged towards the volcano Pokemon. Once she got close, she rammed her body into his abdomen. Apollo gasped for air, but his airway was cut off. But she didn't stop there. Baloo then proceeded to smack and kick Apollo everywhere on his body. Apollo attempted to push her away several times, but the balloon Pokemon always managed to get the jump on him.
"Grab one of Baloo's limbs!" Caiseal cried out.
As soon as one of Baloo's feet was about to drop kick him, Apollo used both hands to grab onto it. Baloo cried out in fear of what was to come and she struggled to free herself from his grasp. Unfortunately for her, Apollo held on tight. "Now finish it with Flamethrower!" Now that Baloo was close enough, it was Apollo's turn to get the jump on her. Apollo unleashed another stream of fire, and since Baloo was right in its path, the attack was a direct hit. Baloo shrieked in agony as her entire body was enveloped in flames from the waist up.
"Baloo!" Perrine could only watch as her friend became consumed by fire. Gradually, the flames died down, but as soon as Apollo let go of his opponent, Baloo fell to the ground, her silky fur now brown and singed from the flames.
"Wigglytuff is unable to battle!" The judge pointed a red flag towards Caiseal. "Typhlosion is the winner!"
"And with that, Wigglytuff is out! With this, both trainers are down to just two Pokemon!" Mr. Goodshow exclaimed, his voice crackling on the microphone's feedback.
Perrine frowned as she returned Baloo to her PokeBall. "You did great, girl. Take a nice long rest," She whispered, swapping Baloo's PokeBall out for another one. At this point, she only had one Pokemon that she knew would be able to take on Apollo. She'd be at a disadvantage because the battlefield was all ground, not water, but Perrine knew she'd have to make do.
"Luminita! I choose you!" Perrine summoned Luminita, who materialized onto the battlefield with a cheerful chirrup, the orbs on her antenna glowing a bright gold.
"Typhlosion versus Lanturn! Begin!"
Perrine took the initiative. "Aqua Ring, Nita!"
Luminita's body glowed in a soft blue light for just a brief moment. With Aqua Ring set up, Luminita could recover some health even if she sustained damage. The biggest problem would be how she'd be able to navigate an environment she's not used to. Lanturn swam in the water and weren't built for land movement. But as it stood, Luminita was her best shot at being able to take Apollo down. It helped that Apollo had taken some damage from Baloo's attacks earlier, so he wasn't at full strength.
"Apollo! Use Quick Attack!"
"Fire back with Scald!"
Apollo's body glowed white as he sprinted towards the light Pokemon at a faster speed than normal. On the other hand, Luminita fired a pressurized geyser right in Apollo's direction. The scalding water struck Apollo head on, and the volcano Pokemon cried out in pain as he felt his fur get singed. But Apollo was able to shake off some of the water, and the singing sensation died away just as quickly as it came.
"Use Swift!"
"Nita! Discharge!"
Just like earlier, Apollo gave a great leap and fired another round of stars. The orbs on Luminita's antennae crackled with electricity before shooting off lightning bolts all over the place. Several of them struck the stars Apollo shot at her, making them disappear into thin air.
"Now use Bubblebeam!" Perrine commanded.
As soon as Apollo landed on the ground, Luminita fired a barrage of bubbles, all of them hitting the volcano Pokemon square in the face. Apollo held his arms up to shield himself against the bubbles pelting him, but they were inundating him fast. Caiseal grimaced. There had to be a way to land some hits on Luminita. Apollo still had some damage from earlier, and if a few more water attacks hit him, he'd be out of the battle for sure. It was time to go all out.
"Use Rollout again!" Caiseal shouted.
Apollo curled into a ball and began rolling across the battlefield, charging towards Luminita. "Dodge by rolling sideways!" Perrine exclaimed. Once Apollo got close, Luminita rolled on her side, evading the attack, but Apollo swiftly turned right back around, making a beeline for the light Pokemon. Luminita tried to hop away, but she wasn't fast enough, and Apollo struck her so hard, she was sent flying.
"Great! Once she falls down, use Quick Attack again!"
Just as Luminita hit the ground, Apollo let out a roar, his body glowing in a white light like earlier. Luminita reoriented herself not long after hitting the ground, but her eyes widened when she saw her opponent charging towards her.
"Nita! Use Hydro Pump! Full power!"
Luminita stood firm and fired a highly pressurized geyser of water, far more powerful than Scald. It struck Apollo head on, almost flooding the battlefield, but the volcano Pokemon continued to push through the water. Apollo threw himself against Luminita, even as he was inundated with water, managing to knock her on her side.
"Flamethrower!" Caiseal commanded.
"Fire back with Electro Ball!"
Luminita made the first move, standing back up as the two orbs on her antennae glowed a luminous yellow. Once a crackling electric orb materialized, Luminita threw it towards Apollo, while the volcano Pokemon shot a stream of fire at her. Both attacks flew past each other, immediately making contact, and an explosion of smoke covered the both of them. The smoke was so thick, neither Caiseal nor Perrine could see if their Pokemon were still standing or not. Gradually, the smoke dissipated, revealing both Pokemon dormant on the ground, covered in singe marks and completely out cold.
"Both Typhlosion and Lanturn are unable to battle!" The judge announced.
"It's another double knockout!" Mr. Goodshow exclaimed as their images faded to black on the screen. "And with this, each trainer is down to their last Pokemon! It all comes down to this final match, folks! Whoever comes out victorious will win the Johto Pokemon League!"
Ethan, Violet, and Julia were all at the edges of their seats, as were the adults. "This is it. The final battle," Ethan muttered.
"Caiseal has Mallow left, and Perrine has Kitsune. Cash has the advantage in terms of type, but anything can happen at this point," Julia reminded them.
"Oooh. I'm getting nervous," Rocio said, shivering from the tension.
Yvette fiddled with her purse to calm her nerves. "Only one of them will win. They'll need to give it all they have."
"Indeed they do," Geoffrey added, his voice lowering to a solemn baritone.
Perrine pulled her PokeBall out first, giving it a determined expression. "Hey, Kit? This is it. We've been through so much together. Now it all comes down to this moment. Win or lose, let's give it all we've got!" Perrine wasted no time sending Kitsune out on the field. The fox Pokemon landed on the ground gracefully, her long, golden tails swaying behind her like the trail on a comet.
Caiseal pulled out his PokeBall next. "Mallow? You've been by my side in good times and bad," He whispered wistfully. "Whatever happens, I'll always be proud of you. Now get out there and show her what you're made of!" He shouted as he threw the PokeBall.
Mallow materialized shortly after, slamming his bone on the ground like he meant business.
"Hey Perrine! This is it! You ready for the final showdown?" Caiseal crossed his arms and flashed a smirk.
Perrine balled her hands into fists. "You bet I am! You may be one of my best friends, but only one of us is gonna win!"
The judge raised both flags in the air. "This is the final battle! Marowak versus Ninetales! Ready? Begin!"
Perrine swung her arm outward. "Kit! Use Faint Attack!"
The Ninetales crouched down before sprinting towards Mallow, landing a punch on his abdomen before doing a backflip, returning to her spot on the battlefield.
"Mallow! Bonemerang!"
Mallow threw his bone outward with all the strength he had, watching as his trusty weapon struck Kitsune on her side. As she fell, the bone returned to his hand before he threw it again. Kitsune was quick to get back on her feet and reorient herself.
"Stop it with Extrasensory!"
All nine of Kitsune's tails stood up as her eyes glowed purple. As the bone flew towards her, it suddenly stopped in its tracks. A purple aura glowed around it, freezing it in place. Then, Kitsune lifted her muzzle upward, and the bone flew towards Mallow, striking him across the head multiple times. Mallow shielded himself with his arms, but the bone kept smacking him by way of Kitsune controlling it with psychic powers. About a minute passed before Kitsune's eyes stopped glowing, and as soon as the aura around the bone dissipated, the bone dropped to the ground.
"Use Headbutt!" Caiseal ordered.
Mallow grabbed his bone, lowered his head, and charged towards Kitsune. The fox Pokemon remained where she was, with an air of graceful confidence, unbothered by the fact that the bonekeeper Pokemon was heading her way.
"Jump over it and use Extrasensory again!"
Once Mallow got close enough, Kitsune stood up and jumped right over the bonekeeper. Mallow stopped as soon as she dodged, but once he turned around, Kitsune's eyes glowed purple once more. This time, rays of purple light shot out from her eyes, striking Mallow before he had a chance to lift his bone to use as a shield. But he stood firm, even as the attack made him skid across the battlefield. After a while, Mallow couldn't hold out, and the attack swept him off his feet. But after a quick backroll, he stood back on his feet, bone in hand.
"Use Bone Rush!" Caiseal cried out.
Mallow's bone glowed white, stretching several feet longer as he charged towards the fox Pokemon, ready to pummel her to the ground. He swung his bone at her every which way, but Kitsune, being more agile and light on her feet, swiftly evaded every attack like a ballerina dancing en pointe.
"Kit! Use Flamethrower!" Perrine commanded.
Kitsune backtracked to get out from Mallow's vicinity before shooting a stream of fire towards Mallow.
"Spin your bone!" Caiseal suggested.
Mallow spun his bone around, holding off the flames and sending them in every direction. But Kitsune continued to spew fire, unwilling to give up so easily.
"Earthquake!"
Like Kitsune did just now, Mallow stopped spinning his bone, hopping backwards to get away from the flames. Then, he raised his bone high into the air, and an orange aura emanated from it. He then slammed the bone so hard on the ground, the entire battlefield shook. Kitsune could barely keep steady, as the violent rumbling made her sway back and forth. All of a sudden, the ground beneath her exploded, and the fox Pokemon cried out as she was sent flying.
Perrine blanched. "Kit!" She could only watch as Kitsune fell back to the ground with a resounding thud. Thankfully, to her relief, the fox Pokemon stood back up. Perrine gave a big sigh, happy Kitsune hadn't been defeated just yet. Still, with Mallow being a ground type, he had the advantage. There had to be some way Kitsune could defeat Mallow. She mostly had fire attacks and some normal attacks. Extrasensory and Faint Attack could only do so much, and she couldn't have her dodge forever.
"Use Quick Attack, girl!" Perrine pointed her index finger right at Mallow.
Kitsune gave a battle cry as her body glowed white, and she sprinted towards Mallow with blinding speed. Before Mallow could react, the fox Pokemon threw herself at his abdomen, sending him rolling across the battlefield. Mallow was able to use his bone to stop himself from rolling too far and stood back up shortly afterward.
"Don't give up, Mallow! Use Bone Club!"
"Counter with Swift!"
Kitsune crouched down, opening her mouth to unleash a flurry of stars. Mallow charged towards her, using his bone to smack them away. Once he got close enough, he leaped upward before slamming his bone right on her back. Kitsune cried out in agony, but rolled sideways to save herself from further pain.
"Flamethrower again!" Perrine bellowed.
Once again, Kitsune spewed fire towards Mallow, who proceeded to dodge them this time around. He circled around the battlefield, even as Kitsune's flames threatened to catch up to him. Perrine had to admit, Mallow was agile. Even as flames were on his tail, Mallow was always one step ahead of them. She scrambled to find some way to defeat him. 'I know Kit doesn't know any attacks that'll actually have an advantage over him. I mean, fire can still do some damage, but there's got to be a way to make him keep still!' Perrine lamented not saving Florian for him as she ruminated over what to do.
That was when she saw it. Kitsune's flames were melting the ground, making it look red hot, like magma.
Perrine gasped. An idea hatched in her head. She did have a way to stop Mallow in his tracks!
"Kitsune!" She exclaimed, voice brimming with confidence. "Use Flamethrower on the entire battlefield!"
Everyone in the audience exchanged perplexed looks. Caiseal's eyes widened. What in the world was she planning? Kitsune didn't question her trainer's orders and fired her flames all across the battlefield.
"What in the world?" Caiseal couldn't figure out what she was planning. Why would she have Kitsune use her attacks on the battlefield?
Mallow evaded the flames whenever they were within his vicinity, even though they weren't being aimed at him. Before long, the battlefield became covered with pools of magma. The heat rose into the winter air, making it thick with humidity and moisture. The spectators closest to the battlefield began to take off their coats.
"Is it just me, or is it getting hot?" Geoffrey asked.
"Nope. It's not you," Rocio replied as she removed her own coat.
Violet pulled on Julia's sleeve. "Why's Kitsune doing that?"
"Perrine probably figured out a way to defeat Mallow," Julia told her. She didn't need to see much to know the gears in Perrine's head were turning.
Mallow looked down and blanched. Fiery patches of ground surrounded him from every direction, leaving him trapped. He attempted to jump over one of them, but when he got close, the oppressive heat made him recoil.
"Mallow's trapped!" Caiseal cried out as the realization hit him like a ton of bricks.
Perrine smirked. This was it! "Now, use Heat Wave!"
All nine of Kitsune's tails pointed upward as the fox crouched down, opened her mouth, and fired a stream of burning breath. Mallow held his bone up, but it wasn't enough to keep the attack at bay. He stood firm, enduring the attack, but the fiery blizzard pushed him towards one of the melted spots, and his right foot grazed against it, sending jolts of pain up his leg. Mallow grimaced, and as soon as he felt his muscles tense, the attack pushed through it. The bonekeeper Pokemon was sent flying across the battlefield, slamming straight into the wall.
"Mallow!" Caiseal shrieked, unable to do anything except watch as his friend fell off the wall. Luckily, Mallow got right back up, even though Caiseal could see the singe marks all over his skin. "Use Rock Smash!"
Mallow held up his bone, allowing it to glow in an orange light as he charged back towards the magma spotted battlefield. Now that he was outside the barrier that kept him locked in before, he was careful to avoid whatever spots could possibly burn him.
"Kit! Throw him off with Quick Attack, and then hold onto him!" Perrine commanded.
Unlike Mallow, Kitsune raced across the magma spotted ground with ease. Being a fire type, the fruits of her labor didn't faze her one bit. She quickly rammed herself into Mallow's abdomen to the point of preventing him from breathing for just a moment. Kitsune saw an opening and coiled her arms and legs around the bonekeeper.
"Confuse Ray!"
Kitsune met Mallow's eyes, and her own glowed an eerie red. Mallow attempted to escape, but all he could do was wriggle and writhe as his vision began to blur. His mind grew disoriented, and when he opened his eyes, sometimes he saw two Kitsunes, sometimes just one. Everything became little more than a thick haze in his mind.
"Look at that! Kitsune used her body to trap Mallow and rendered him confused with Confuse Ray!" Mr. Goodshow announced, his voice booming with surprise. "This match has me on the edge of my seat!"
"Mallow…" Caiseal's voice quivered, unsteady. There was no way Mallow could possibly get out of this. Since Caiseal didn't have any healthy Pokemon left, he couldn't switch Mallow out to get rid of the confusion. He didn't pack any confusion healing items in his pockets either, and it was against the rules to use items right in the middle of a battle, only at the end or beginning of one. This was to prevent trainers from running into the battlefield and potentially getting hurt or killed from the Pokemon's attacks.
"It's now or never, girl!" Perrine shouted, raising her hand high into the air. "Finish it with Flamethrower! Full power!"
Unwilling to let go of her prey, Kitsune fired yet another blast of fire, right in Mallow's face. Since he couldn't escape her grasp, the flames hit him head on. Not even the bone covering his head could protect him from the blast of heat that enveloped his entire body. Everyone in the audience stood up from their seats and watched in awe, mesmerized by the direction the battle had gone. There was no way Mallow could withstand such a strong Flamethrower attack to the face. Gradually, the flames died down, and Kitsune unwrapped her limbs from the bonekeeper Pokemon. But as soon as she let go, Mallow could no longer stand. His legs buckled, and he fell to the ground with a quiet moan. Everyone waited for the announcement with bated breath. The judge took no time at all to announce that the match had been decided.
"Marowak is unable to battle!" He exclaimed, pointing a green flag towards Kitsune. "The victory goes to Kitsune the Ninetales, and with this, the winner of this year's Johto Pokemon League is one Perrine Innocenti from Goldenrod City!"
"Perrine Innocenti wins! Let's give her a big round of applause!" Mr. Goodshow boomed.
Pandemonium broke out. Everyone in the audience broke into loud cheering that boomed all across the stadium. Rocio let out a sigh and cried tears of joy. Ethan and Julia broke into jubilant cheers, hugging each other as they jumped up and down with delight. Geoffrey and Yvette broke into applause, clapping their hands and shouting exaltations. Violet didn't say a word and just looked down at her now empty popcorn bucket.
On the other hand, Perrine was frozen in place. Was this really happening? The roaring cheers seemed to be little more than white noise. Did she really win the Johto League? It took Kitsune nuzzling against her hand for the realization to sink in. She had dreamt of this since she was a young girl. Now she had achieved it. A huge smile spread across her face as she blinked once more. She gave a delighted squeal as she wrapped her arms around Kitsune, jumping up and down, her excitement exploding out of her like an erupting volcano.
"Kit! Kit! We won! We really won! We won the Johto Leeeeague!" Perrine bellowed. "I never could have gotten this far without you and everyone else! WOOHOOOOOO!" Kitsune smiled, welcoming her trainer's embrace warmly, even though her thin legs were begging for some rest. "You were amazing, girl! I knew I could count on you and the rest of the team!"
Caiseal walked over to Mallow, helping him to his feet. "You really got your butt handed to you, huh?" Caiseal asked sadly.
Mallow nodded, but flashed a reassuring smile. Caiseal could only smile back and rub his friend's head. "It's okay. You were great. I'm so proud of you. Can you walk?"
Mallow answered his question by walking alongside him. The two of them approached Perrine, who stopped jumping when she saw them. Her smile turned into a frown when she saw all the singe marks on Mallow's body.
"Hey Cash. Hey Mallow," Perrine said. "We're sorry you lost. Kit might have overdone it a little," She told him, unsure of how to talk to him now that she came out victorious. As happy as she was over winning, she didn't want it to be at the expense of their friendship. Kitsune even walked over to lick one of the singe marks on Mallow's head. Mallow gave a friendly groan and used one hand to stroke the fur on Kitsune's neck, proving he didn't have any hard feelings over the defeat.
"It's okay. To be honest…" Oddly enough for Perrine, Caiseal looked strangely happy. Almost relieved. "I'm beyond proud that you won, and not really all that bummed about having lost. Thanks so much for the awesome battle. I had a feeling you'd win. Besides, you want this way more than I do," He held his hand out. "Congratulations, Perrine."
Perrine's smile returned as she shook Caiseal's hand. "Same goes for you, too!"
As soon as he let go, he spread his arms akimbo. "Now that you won the League, you can fight the Elite Four, and maybe the Champion!" Caiseal exclaimed. "Quit wasting time yapping to me and wave to the audience already! This is your moment!"
Perrine's cheeks flushed red, not because of Caiseal's statement, but more due to the fact that now that she had won, all eyes were on her. But she gave a noncommittal shrug and began waving towards the audience. A new rush of pride ran through her. She and her Pokemon worked so hard to get here, and now, all of her efforts bore fruit. She really felt like a true winner.
But as far as she was concerned, this was just one of the final steps to battling her target: Lance.
Not long after the final battle, some janitors and their Pokemon took to cleaning up the battlefield. Various Pokemon like Rhydon and Machamp used ground type moves to cover the magma, or at the very least clear it out. When the stadium was cleaned up, everyone came right back, and the seats in the stadium filled to capacity. The closing ceremony had begun, and any trainers who stayed at the League would be recognized, along with the top four trainers receiving their trophies. Every trainer's name was listed on the big screen, even those who had since left, like Alex, Theo, Yue, and Zack. After that, Perrine, Caiseal, Ethan, and Gervasius stood on their respective pedestals, smiling from ear to ear. Mr. Goodshow, Lance, and even Gladys stood before them, clapping along with the audience. After a while, Mr. Goodshow adjusted his microphone and began to speak.
"Ladies and gentleman! I want to thank you all for coming to today's closing ceremony and participating in the celebration!" He proclaimed proudly. "It wouldn't be complete without the amazing trainers who defeated the gym leaders and made it here, so let's hear it for them, folks!"
Another round of applause echoed through the stadium. Julia didn't clap, as her hands covered her ears. Even the ear plugs couldn't quite prevent the throbbing sensation that boomed in her head. Thankfully for her, nobody minded, as they knew she was offering her support in her own way. Geoffrey, Yvette, and Violet all cheered for Caiseal, as did Rocio for Perrine. The kids and Gervasius waved towards the audience.
"I would now like to recognize the top four trainers for this year. They have shown excellent strategies, brilliant battling skills, and good sportsmanship, and have earned the awards presented to them on this day!" Mr. Goodshow said. "First off, let's give it up for our fourth and third place winners, Gervasius Hughes from Goldenrod City, and Ethan Goldsworthy from Cherrygrove City!"
Mr. Goodshow then gestured towards Gladys. With a nod, Gladys approached Ethan and Gervasius, presenting two small, bronze trophies and medals, both dangling from deep blue straps. The two trainers accepted the awards and each shook her hand one at a time.
"And in second place, we have one Caiseal Brownstone from Blackthorn City!" Mr. Goodshow proclaimed.
Lance, holding a silver medal, approached Caiseal to give it to him. Mr. Goodshow walked away from the microphone to hand Caiseal his silver trophy. Caiseal took them in silence and shook their hands in return. Once again, Geoffrey, Yvette, and Violet gave roaring cheers for him.
"And with this, as we all know, the winner of this year's 116th Annual Johto Pokemon League is none other than Perrine Innocenti from Goldenrod City!" Mr. Goodshow edicted. "With this, she has earned the privilege of battling the Elite Four, and should she best them, have a chance to battle the champion of both Johto and Kanto, Lance Cipris!"
Mr. Goodshow handed Perrine her gold medal, leaving to allow Lance to hand her the golden trophy. She shook both their hands. But Lance held on a little longer. "Congratulations, Perrine. Your aunt's faith in you is not misplaced. I look forward to battling you and seeing if you continue her legacy."
"As do I," Perrine told him, keeping her cool. But inside, her stomach was doing rapid fire somersaults.
As Mr. Goodshow decided to go into a speech, Perrine looked down at her gold trophy. There was a plate on it that had her full name engraved on it: Perrine Sophronia Innocenti. It almost seemed too good to be true. But the trophy was heavy in her arms, as was the medal dangling around her neck. She had dreamed of this so many times, but the feeling of a trophy in her hands and a medal around her neck told her this was real. She had achieved what she had always wanted. On impulse, Perrine hugged her trophy like it was an old friend.
On the left side of the stadium, away from the hustle and bustle of the ceremony, Karen, Bruno, and another man stood just underneath the spectators, leaning against the wall. The other man had purple hair that frayed out on both sides, with a black mask eye mask covering just his eyes. He wore a sleeveless black vest over a magenta suit consisting of a blazer, long pants, a white ascot, and black leather shoes.
"That Perrine girl really is a chip off the old Mao block, isn't she?" The purple haired man mused.
"Of course she is, Will," Karen reminded him, brushing some strands of cobalt hair out from her face. "I mean, based on what Mao told us, that girl was going to get to the League whether we'd like it or not."
Bruno cracked his knuckles. "I'm looking forward to battling her. But I do worry that she's trying too hard to be like Mao rather than finding her own style of battling," Bruno said. "It's easy for people to collapse under the burden of expectations, whether they're from other people or from oneself."
Will gave a noncommittal shrug. "Ugh. You and your overwrought worries. Let's just wait and see," Will told him, pulling a card out from his sleeve. A red queen of hearts. "Who knows? She might exceed our expectations."
"Let's hear it one more time for our competitors! This concludes the 116th Johto Pokemon League! Now let's enjoy the show, shall we?"
Another roar of applause echoed from the stadium. The orange sky was alight with fireworks exploding in a myriad of sizes and colors. People began to leave their seats and go their merry way. Some left entirely, whereas others trickled into the stadium.
"Perrine! Caiseal!" Both Julia and Violet ran over to Perrine and Caiseal, tackle-hugging them simultaneously. "Perrine, congrats for winning the League! You were great too, Cash!" Julia exclaimed.
"I'm so sad you didn't win!" Violet chirruped, her thin arms twining around his waist. "But we're all so proud of you! Everybody did a great job!"
Perrine and Caiseal returned the hugs. "Thanks so much, guys," Perrine told them.
"We never could have gotten this far without each other," Caiseal chimed in.
"Perrine!" Rocio came running in soon after. When the kids let go of each other, Rocio threw her arms around her daughter, pulling her close. "You really won! I'm the proudest mother in the world!"
"Mom…" Perrine's cheeks burned.
"Oooh! I can't wait to tell your father! He'll be so amazed!" Rocio couldn't help but squeal, which made the kids laugh.
The Ashers arrived just as quickly, with Geoffrey putting a hand on Caiseal's shoulder. "You and your Pokemon really rocked it out there, Cash. Yvette and I are so proud of you."
Caiseal shrugged. "Thanks."
"I know it hurts to lose, but winning isn't everything. What matters is the experiences you've had with your friends and your Pokemon," Yvette told him. She knew he knew that, but wanted to say it just in case he might have forgotten.
"Of course," Caiseal replied, nodding in agreement.
Ethan and Gervasius arrived not long after, with the two of them approaching Perrine. "Perrine! Congratulations on winning! You get to battle the Elite Four! You rocked and ruled out there!" Ethan effused, with Gervasius giving an acknowledging nod alongside him.
Perrine scratched the back of her head with one hand and gave a sheepish laugh. "I know. I'm still having a hard time believing this is even real."
Rocio clasped her hands together. "Alright. I'm sure we're all hungry, so how about we have a nice big dinner? It's on me!" She suggested.
"Oh! But they have to take their Pokemon to the Pokemon Center first, though!" Julia reminded her.
Violet was quick to chime in and throw in her two cents. "Can we have cherry cheesecake pie for dessert?" She asked.
Yvette gave a big laugh and rubbed Violet's back with one hand. "Of course we will, sweetie."
Everyone broke into merry laughter. The sky was gradually turning blue with the coming of night, and everyone was admittedly hungry. Having some dinner won out over staying in the stadium longer than they needed. Why not celebrate Perrine's win?
Unbeknownst to the group, a figure draped in a thick, beige winter coat stood near one of the tunnels leading outside the stadium, watching from afar. She held a blue PokeGear in her hands, and the light from the fireworks made shadows from people further up dance across her frame, obscuring her in darkness. But the smile she wore as she watched Perrine walk out was brighter than any darkness that threatened to cover her up.
"Perrine...you have no idea how much I want to hug you right now," The woman whispered to no one in particular. The cacophony of the crowd made it so that nobody could hear her, which was perfectly fine with her. "But I don't want to spoil the surprise, so I think I'll wait a little longer. I want to see how far you make it before then. Better watch out, Elite Four."
She stole a glance towards Lance, who was chatting with Karen, Bruno, Gladys, and Will several yards away.
"Especially you, Lance."
A/N: Ugh, it turns out the previous chapter was the last chapter of 2020. I really wanted to at least have this chapter out by the end of the year, but it seems battle scenes take forever for me to write out. Whoops. Sorry about that. Thankfully, this is the last League battle, and next up is the Elite Four, which will consist of five-on-five matches (except for Lance, obviously) because I'm already tired of six-on-six battles for right now. Anyway, so glad we're done with the crapshow that was 2020, and here's hoping 2021 will be better!
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, Bulldoze, Body Slam, and Grassy Terrain
Luminita (Lanturn, Female, Naive Nature)
Ability: Water Absorb
Attacks: Electro Ball, Discharge, Scald, and Aqua Ring
Fukuro (Noctowl, Male, Sassy Nature)
Ability: Tinted Lens
Attacks: Extrasensory, Hypnosis, Air Slash, and Moonblast
Baloo (Wigglytuff, Female, Docile Nature)
Ability: Cute Charm
Attacks: Hyper Voice, Wake-Up Slap, Play Rough, and Body Slam
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, Earthquake, Headbutt, and Rock Smash
Apollo (Typhlosion, Male, Bold Nature)
Ability: Blaze
Attacks: Flamethrower, Eruption, Rollout, and Smokescreen
Ravenclaw (Murkrow, Female, Hardy Nature)
Ability: Super Luck
Attacks: Wing Attack, Steel Wing, Dark Pulse, and Foul Play
Viole (Vileplume, Male, Quirky Nature)
Ability: Chlorophyll
Attacks: Petal Blizzard, Sludge Bomb, Lucky Chant, and Giga Drain
Flippy (Quagsire, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Damp
Attacks: Water Pulse, Mud Bomb, Ice Beam, and Slam
Geo (Golem, Male, Brave Nature)
Ability: Sturdy
Attacks: Rock Slide, Heavy Slam, Magnitude, and Steamroller