A/N: Sorry I couldn't get this out sooner. My grandmother died recently, and my family and I are still trying to help with arrangements for her memorial service. So...I'm still not exactly in a good place. But come hell or high water, I am going to finish this. There's only two more chapters I need to write, so I'm not giving up.
Chapter 74: Into The Darkness
Lance wasn't sure what he expected when he found out Mao Borgia's niece Perrine had won the Johto League. But sitting in his office, watching Perrine seize victory over Bruno on his I-Pad, every expectation he had was being blown away. Karen leaned over Lance's shoulder to get a better look at the video on his I-Pad, her silver blue blocks tumbling about her face, but not to the point where they'd block her view.
"Damn. That girl's just barreling through the Elite Four like it's nobody's business," Karen noticed, blinking as she processed the scene playing out on the I-Pad. "If this keeps up, I think she might be able to take you down, Lance."
"Who knows at this point?" Lance tapped the middle of his I-Pad, pausing the video. "But you're right in that she's exceeded all of our expectations."
It had only been ten years since Lance defeated Mao Borgia and became the Champion of the Johto region. Since then, no trainer had ever managed to even get past Will. Granted, Lance always made sure to do some training on Mt. Silver, and even in other regions, to make sure he didn't get rusty from the lack of challengers, along with participating in politics in the hopes of making Johto a better place for the citizens. In a way, he hoped Perrine would be able to defeat Karen next and battle her himself. But he did have to wonder exactly what it was that drove her to reach this point. She didn't have the rigid posture or stoic demeanor of one who absolutely couldn't afford to lose no matter what, nor the lackadaisical attitude of a trainer who was just doing this for their own amusement. Not that there was anything wrong with participating for fun, but Lance liked his battles on the intense side.
Maybe Perrine could finally give him that fix.
"How's Benoit been doing since he left?" Lance asked, looking up at Karen, taking his eyes off his I-Pad for once.
Karen shrugged as she took a sip of some coffee from a thermos she carried with her. "Pretty good. He and his band are heading back to Johto for some gigs. I'm hoping once this is all over, I can catch up and maybe help them out a bit," Karen replied. "They could use the promotion."
Lance flashed a smile. "Good luck with that."
"I do have a question for you, though."
"And that is?"
"If Perrine were to defeat you, what would you do? Y'know, if you were no longer champion?" Karen asked.
That was a hard one. Lance hadn't thought much about it. In his youth, he had aspirations to become an astronaut, or if not that, become an astronomer after graduating high school. Lance had given up on those dreams, as the professions didn't give him the fulfillment that he thought he could get. As much as he loved the stars and planets, studying them down to the molecule seemed to take the fun out of it, and he never was able to engrave the more complicated parts of those fields into his head. Pokemon battling had given him something to strive towards, and while he certainly didn't expect to become the champion at 22, it did have its perks. It allowed him some influence in the political world, and he tried to get more involved in matters that would benefit Johto and its citizens and Pokemon, like pushing for increasing funding for mental health and rehabilitation facilities. Still, Lance was always one who kept his mind focused on the present.
"Hmm...I'm not sure," Lance mused out loud as he shut off his I-pad. "But there's plenty of options out there, so it's not like not being champion anymore is the end of everything."
It was Karen's turn to smile right back at him. "Somehow, I knew you'd say that," She noted as she screwed the cap back on the thermos. "I better get ready for my battle. You better be watching, Lancelot," Karen told him.
Lancelot wasn't Lance's real name, just a nickname his friends and family used for him for fun. The red haired man closed the battle video on his I-pad, bringing it back to the desktop screen. "Like I'd ever miss any of your matches. You know me better than that, Karen."
The past few days had made something of a routine for Julia and friends. Wake up, eat breakfast, watch Perrine prepare for her Elite Four battle, watch her battle, have lunch or dinner depending on how late the battle went, rinse and repeat for the next day. Today was no different. Perrine stood in her trainer box, stretching her arms toward the ceiling. She could barely sleep the night before, knowing that after this, she'd face Lance himself. Anticipation buzzed throughout every vein in her body.
"Whooooo! I've been killing it lately!" Perrine exclaimed, her bouncy voice brimming with confidence as she began making punching motions at the air. "Soon, everyone will be trembling before the mighty Perrine Innocenti! All who dare to challenge me, I say bring it on!"
Rocio could only give an embarrassed laugh as she watched her daughter make melodramatic edicts. "Try not to let this string of victories go to your head, sweetie!" She advised.
"I won't! I'm just pumping myself up for my match!" Perrine shouted back at her.
Ethan could only roll his eyes. "Sure she is," He retorted under his breath.
Caiseal shrugged. "I'm sure she knows what she's doing," Caiseal said. "She has wanted to challenge the Elite Four for years."
As big as Perrine talked, she herself knew her mother was right. This was not the time to get cocky. If she let her guard down even a little bit, she'd lose before she could ever get the chance to battle Lance. She stopped to take a breath before adjusting the bow tie around her neck. She spent a good portion of last night studying up on Karen and her battle strategies, along with coming up with her own counterstrategies. If she could win against Karen, she could finally battle Lance once and for all.
It wasn't long before the back doors opened, and Karen herself strutted onto her end of the battlefield like she was a model on a runway. Her silver blue locks tumbled around her as she walked, and she wore a yellow tank top, white capris, yellow shoes, and a black jacket, since it was cold out. She eyed Perrine with an interested gleam in her eyes.
"Glad to meet you, finally," Karen said, putting a hand on her hip. "I'm sure you know who I am, but I may as well introduce myself for politeness' sake. I'm Karen Ziegler of the Elite Four."
Perrine put a hand at her waist, ready to pull out a PokeBall if necessary. "Don't go easy on me, now. I'm in it to win it!"
Karen wasted no time pulling out a PokeBall. "As am I! Murkrow, I choose you!" Out from the PokeBall came a lone Murkrow.
It took all but seconds for Perrine to pick who she wanted to send out for this battle. "Chirin! You're up!"
As soon as Chirin materialized, the light Pokemon puffed out his chest and gave an enthusiastic battle cry.
"Dibs on the first move!" Karen exclaimed, extending her arm outward. "Murkrow, begin with Dark Pulse!"
Murkrow opened its beak, shooting a barrage of black and purple rings in Chirin's direction. "Hold it off with Thunderbolt!" Perrine shouted.
The gemstone on Chirin's head glowed yellow before unleashing a flashing thunderbolt. The lightning managed to cut through the black rings, striking Murkrow head on. The attack didn't last long, and Murkrow remained in mid-air, shaking off the attack, but Perrine smiled, knowing the attack did some degree of substantial damage.
"We won't go down that easily!" Karen edicted. "Murkrow, use Ominous Wind!"
Murkrow flapped its wings at a rapid pace, sending a strong, shimmering gust of purple wind towards Chirin. The light Pokemon braced himself, closing his eyes and holding his arms up. The gust of wind seemed to cut into his skin, but Chirin tried not to pay too much attention. After the attack dissipated, the spectators saw Murkrow's body briefly glowing in a purple light.
"Oh dear. This is bad," Julia said.
Rocio shifted her gaze towards Julia, raising an eyebrow at her discomfort. "How is it bad? Chirin hasn't been knocked out yet."
"It's not that," Julia clarified. "Did you see Murkrow glowing for a bit? Ominous Wind is a regular attack most of the time, but on very rare occasions, any Pokemon using it will suddenly get a huge boost in pretty much everything. Attack power, defense power, special attack strength, and so on."
Perrine noticed it as well. Good thing she had a few remedies for that. "Chirin! Set up Light Screen!"
Chirin wasted no time generating a translucent wall of light that dissolved into his body as soon as he set it up.
"Now use Discharge!" She called out.
As soon as the Light Screen finished dissolving into his body, Chirin unleashed an explosion of thunder all around the battlefield. Streaks of lightning shot out from the thunderous explosion, with some striking Murkrow head on. Not enough to completely knock it out, but enough to do some more damage than last time.
"Use Cotton Guard next!"
Once the lightning dissipated, Chirin generated huge balls of cotton that clustered all around his body. They took a minute to dissolve into Chirin's hide, but Karen was done waiting.
"Murkrow! Use Shadow Ball!"
Murkrow opened its beak and fired a purple and black orb of energy that struck Chirin head on. But Chirin kept his head down, enduring the hit without so much as a grunt. But Perrine knew she couldn't rely solely on beefing up Chirin's defenses. He needed to go on the attack sooner or later, though with Murkrow being a flying type, that was going to be difficult. Still, there was one thing she could do.
"Chirin! Use Charge!" Perrine cried out.
Chirin raised his tail, and the red orb at the tip began to glow in a bright yellow light.
Karen seized the opportunity. "You're wide open again! Murkrow, another Ominous Wind! Don't let up this time!" Karen commanded.
Once again, Murkrow flapped its wings faster than it normally did, generating another gust of wind that inundated Chirin from the front. Perrine clenched her teeth, seeing fresh cuts appearing on Chirin's skin, probably from the attack. Light Screen may dull the effects of the attack, but that didn't mean it'd completely protect him. Her eyes widened when she saw Murkrow glowing again. Ominous Wind was giving it yet another boost? If Murkrow received another buff, it could override all the defenses Perrine had Chirin set up. Something needed to be done, and fast.
"Keep charging, Chirin!" Perrine commanded.
Even as the attack threatened to knock Chirin off his feet, the light Pokemon continued to build energy within his tail. It began to swell inside him, begging to be let out.
Karen gave a smirk. "I'm finishing this! Murkrow, use Wing Attack!"
Murkrow stopped flapping its wings, allowing them to glow in a white light as it sharply ascended upward before diving in an equally sharp descent, ready to strike Chirin. Perrine and Chirin waited patiently…
But then!
"Chirin! Fire a great big Thunderbolt!" Perrine shouted.
Fully charged, Chirin didn't hold back this time. Chirin let out a harsh battle cry as a harsh, flashing thunderbolt shot out from the jewel on its forehead. Since Murkrow was right in the line of fire, and too close to dodge, the darkness Pokemon was electrocuted straight away. Murkrow gave a pained screech as electricity surged throughout its entire body. Even flying away from Chirin didn't help much, and after the attack dissipated, Murkrow fell to the ground with a thud.
"Murkrow!" Karen cried, her composure finally breaking.
Oddly enough, Murkrow managed to pull itself back on its talons, even though its body continued to tremble and shudder as it did so. But Perrine couldn't hide the smile that broke out across her face, as did Chirin. With all the charging Chirin did, Murkrow had to have sustained a lot of damage from that attack alone. From the looks of it, if Murkrow was to get hit one more time, it'd get knocked out for sure.
Karen clenched her teeth. "We're not finished yet! Murkrow, use Dark Pulse!"
"Fire back with Power Gem!"
Both Pokemon fired their attacks at one another. Murkrow's black rings struck Chirin, and the latter's sparkling gemstones pelted the darkness Pokemon. At one point, a cloud of dust exploded from the fallout, covering the battlefield for a brief period. The cloud dissipated, revealing both Chirin and Murkrow laying on the ground, their mouths wide open, completely unconscious and covered in dirt and fresh injuries.
"Whoa!" Ethan cried out, standing up from his seat. "It's a double knockout!"
Perrine sighed. Even with Light Screen and Cotton Guard set up, Chirin was still defeated. She had hoped to use him for one of Karen's other Pokemon later, but the knockout put a dent in her plans. Still, this was a solid victory, and she walked over to Chirin and stroked his head with one hand. "It's okay, boy. You were awesome out there."
Chirin gave a low coo before Perrine pulled him back into his PokeBall. Karen did the same, flashing a smile once she recalled Murkrow. "Great job out there, Murkrow," Karen slipped the PokeBall in her pocket and spoke as Perrine returned to her side of the battlefield. "I knew your recent string of victories wasn't a fluke, but you're really something if your Pokemon was able to get past Murkrow."
Perrine flashed a confident grin. "Like I said, I'm in it to win it!"
"No doubt about that," Karen replied, sending out her next Pokemon. "Umbreon, you're up!"
An Umbreon materialized onto the battlefield. Perrine immediately knew which Pokemon she wanted to send out. "Baloo! I choose you!"
Baloo puffed her chest out as soon as she materialized. Umbreon simply stood there, watching the display with an almost indifferent look on its face.
"This time I'm calling the first attack!" Perrine shouted, extending her left arm outward. "Baloo! Use Charm!"
Baloo began by rubbing her arms together, blushing, and winking at Umbreon. The darkness Pokemon responded by arching its back and hissing. Unnerved, it did not appreciate this balloon Pokemon attempting to throw it off. Nevertheless, Perrine could tell the attack worked like a charm. Literally.
"Good thing I have no plans for melee combat!" Karen exclaimed. "Umbreon, use Echoed Voice!"
Umbreon opened its mouth, unleashing rippling white rings that echoed all across the battlefield. Baloo curled her ears tightly inward and closed her eyes, enduring the attack with all the strength she had.
"Now use Screech!"
Instead of rings this time, Umbreon unleashed a series of shock waves while shrieking loudly. Everyone covered their ears this time.
"Baloo! Use Play Rough!"
Baloo puffed out her chest once more, her body emanating a pink aura. Once she prepared herself, she began bouncing all over the battlefield, avoiding the shock waves before slamming right on top of Umbreon. She jumped up and down on top of the darkness Pokemon, punching, kicking, and throwing Umbreon around like a rag doll. At one point, Baloo took hold of Umbreon's leg, spun around, and threw it across the battlefield. Thankfully, the latter landed feet first, regaining its balance.
"Payback!" Karen shouted.
Umbreon's body glowed an eerie purple, and the darkness Pokemon sprinted towards Baloo. Once it got close, Umbreon used both its back legs to kick Baloo right in the stomach. The force of the kick was so strong, it sent the balloon Pokemon skidding all the way across the battlefield, stopping just short of Perrine's trainer box. Perrine blanched as she remembered the specifics behind the attack Umbreon used just now. If it acted after it was attacked, any Pokemon using Payback can deliver double the damage it received, though not to the extent of something like Bide. Baloo was a fairy type, so Payback shouldn't do too much damage, being a dark type move, but Perrine didn't want to get careless.
"Baloo! You okay?" Perrine asked.
Unsurprisingly, Baloo got back on her feet and smacked her stomach, flashing a grin towards her trainer. She hobbled right back to her original position, ready to fight once more.
"Great job, Umbreon! Now use Double Team!" Karen commanded.
On cue, Umbreon generated fast moving doppelgangers that circled all around Baloo. The balloon Pokemon looked all around herself to try and find the real one, but didn't know how to differentiate the real one from the copies.
Perrine did have an idea. "Baloo! Use Gyro Ball and spin around to find the real one!"
That she could do. Baloo's body glowed silver as she began spinning like a top. Using her accelerating speed, she rammed through the doppelgangers, making them disappear one by one. She didn't hit anything solid until she got rid of at least ten copies. Upon making contact, she sent Umbreon flying into the air. The darkness Pokemon was quick to reorient itself, but remained above ground.
"Fight back with Dark Pulse!"
"Dodge, Baloo! Keep spinning to evade it!"
Mid-air, Umbreon fired a barrage of black rings that sent dust flying off the battlefield when they made contact with the ground. Baloo kept spinning, increasing speed with every attack she managed to evade. It wasn't long before Umbreon landed back on the ground feet first.
"Hit it with Disarming Voice!"
Baloo sucked in a huge gulp of air before opening her mouth as wide as she could. Pink, circular shock waves echoed all across the battlefield, with a few solid hearts made from energy pelting Umbreon head-on. Umbreon endured the hits, but the noise made its eardrums rattle from the inside.
"Now, use Iron Tail!"
What?! Perrine blanched. Umbreon knew Iron Tail? On cue, the darkness Pokemon leaped into the air, its tail turning silver like metal. Once the metallic sheen materialized, Umbreon descended, swirling its tail one before slamming it right on top of an unsuspecting Baloo. The blow was so strong that the impact knocked the balloon Pokemon right off her feet, sending her sprawling to the ground. A hand flew to Perrine's mouth. Iron Tail didn't always have the best accuracy, but it could definitely hit hard, and she knew there was no way Baloo didn't take some damage from that, what with it being a steel type move.
Thankfully, Baloo took a minute to pull herself back up. A sigh of relief escaped Perrine's lips. She could see some fresh cuts and dirt marks on Baloo's fur, but the balloon Pokemon took a minute to catch her breath and used both arms to brush the dirt off.
"Can you keep going, girl?" Perrine asked.
Baloo gave a determined nod.
"Man, Karen trained her Umbreon real good," Ethan noted. "I hope Baloo can win this, but Iron Tail's not going to make it easy."
Julia folded her arms. "Nobody said type advantages were everything. Even disadvantages can be overcome if you manage to find some way to cover them. Plus, she did have Umbreon use Screech earlier, so that could be another reason why Baloo got hit so hard," She said. A glinting caught her eye, and she turned her head to find Rocio staring at her cellphone. Julia pressed her lips into a thin line. Why was Perrine's mother not watching her daughter's match?
Karen put a hand on her hip, eyeing Perrine curiously. "There's no shame in giving up, kid," She said.
Give up? That was the last thing Perrine wanted to do. Not when she and her Pokemon had come so far already. "Like hell I'm giving up!" Perrine shouted. "Baloo, use Body Slam!"
Baloo leaped into the air, ready to slam down on Umbreon.
"Hold it off with Iron Tail!"
Simultaneously, Umbreon followed suit, its tail glowing a metallic silver just like before. Umbreon managed to strike Baloo just as the latter slammed down on it. Gravity took hold, pulling the two of them back down onto the battlefield. Unlike before, the impact didn't make a dust cloud billow into the air. Instead, Baloo simply laid down on top of Umbreon, unmoving. Everyone held their breath. What happened? Not long after, Baloo turned over, her eyes closed, and she had a big red mark on her stomach. Umbreon was covered in dirt, its ear twitched, and its mouth was open in a silent scream. It didn't take much to realize that both Pokemon were completely out cold.
"Woo! Another double knock-out!" Ethan cheered, standing up from his seat and throwing both fists into the air. "You go, Perrine! You got this!"
"But that also means both trainers have one Pokemon left," Rocio reminded him.
Both trainers called their fallen Pokemon back to their PokeBalls, giving them soothing words of praise before putting them away. Karen flashed a smile in Perrine's direction. "Damn, girl. You really are just plowing through the Elite Four like it's nobody's business. I'm impressed," Karen told her. "I'm curious to know just what it is that drives you."
What drove her? Perrine knew the answer to that for years. It was almost laughably obvious what her answer was. "I've made no secret of the fact that I want to be the champion of the Johto region, just like my aunt Mao. She worked her butt off, even when the odds were against her. She's everything I could ever hope to be, and I intend to make sure her legacy continues."
If Perrine gave up now, all of her hard work would have been for nothing. She would return home filled with regret, and Perrine couldn't let that happen. Not when she managed to come as far as she did. No matter how much her parents originally protested, no matter how much her friends at school told her she was crazy for being so obsessed, no matter how hard the journey was...Perrine wouldn't trade it for the world.
"Well, let's see if you can beat my trump card!" Karen sent out her next Pokemon, a black and white canine Pokemon that looked like a taller, sleeker version of a Houndour. Two horns curled inward, and its snout and abdomen were a reddish shade of orange. It's long, slender tail was black with a triangular tip, like a devil's tail. The canine Pokemon gave a ferocious growl.
Perrine pulled out her PokeDex to look it over. "Houndoom, the dark Pokemon, and the evolved form of Houndour. Houndoom's eerie howl is said to cause those who hear it to either shudder or run away in fear. In ancient times, people imagined its howls to be the call of the grim reaper, though this was disproven a century ago. When angry, the flames Houndoom breathes contain toxins that would make any skin burned by said flames hurt permanently, causing any victims to live their days in constant agony. However, recent medicinal developments have managed to expunge the toxins from Houndoom's flames, curing the constant pain forever, making it easier for trainers to raise Houndoom. Wild Houndoom operate in packs, and the leaders of said packs are always the Houndoom that have the sharpest, most tightly curled horns."
A Houndoom...Perrine knew she had to consider her options here. Chirin and Baloo were out, since they were defeated. She wasn't sure if using Luminita would work here, as the battlefield was mostly ground, and water Pokemon like her didn't do well on land. Florian was definitely not an option because of the type advantage Houndoom had, and Kitsune had too many attacks that wouldn't be effective. So that only left one Pokemon in her arsenal that she had on her.
"Fukuro! I choose you!" Perrine threw her PokeBall out, and Fukuro materialized in mid-air, flapping her wings as she gave a high pitched trill.
Karen pushed some of her hair behind her before she swung her arm out, calling the first attack. "Houndoom, Smog!"
Houndoom opened its maw and expelled an inky black cloud of noxious gas. "Blow it away with Air Slash!" Perrine cried out.
Noctowl's wings glowed white as he flapped them twice, sending sharp sickles sailing through the gas cloud. They cut through the cloud so fast that Houndoom didn't have any time to dodge, striking it head on. It took no time at all for the poisonous smog to dissipate, and Houndoom, despite taking damage, shook its head.
"Use Flamethrower!" Karen shouted.
"Dodge it!" Perrine commanded.
This time, Houndoom expelled a stream of fire high into the air. Fukuro, being air-borne, dodged it fairly easily, continuing to fly even as Houndoom's flames threatened to catch up to him.
"Use Echoed Voice!"
Once the flames dissipated, Fukuro stopped to open his beak and emit an eerie screech that made white shock waves ripple through the air. Some of them struck Houndoom, but the attack wasn't so strong that it'd knock out the dark Pokemon, seeing as its strength relied solely on repeated usage.
Karen smirked. "You're wide open!" She exclaimed. "Houndoom! Use Thunder Fang!"
Everyone's mouths fell agape, even Perrine's. Houndoom leaped into the air, its teeth crackling with lightning, and bit down on the owl Pokemon with such force that Fukuro couldn't continue its attack. Houndoom landed feet first with Fukuro still in its mouth, and the electricity jolted through the owl's body, making him convulse.
"Fukuro!" Perrine cried. Even though she had studied Karen's Pokemon up and down since she was a kid, there was nothing in the books she read about Houndoom having known Thunder Fang. Or maybe she had Houndoom learn it recently. She didn't know. But the most important thing was that she needed to get Fukuro out of this situation, and now. Already, some of Fukuro's feathers fell to the ground.
Wait...now that she thought of it, there was one way Fukuro could get out from Houndoom's mouth.
"Fukuro! Use Peck on Houndoom's face!" Perrine exclaimed. Catching on to what she wanted him to do, Fukuro pecked at Houndoom's muzzle repeatedly. It took a while, but the pain grew to be too much for Houndoom, and it finally opened its mouth, releasing Fukuro.
"Yes! It worked!" Perrine cheered. Now Fukuro was free. "Now, use Moonblast! Don't hold back!"
Fukuro opened his beak, and blue lines of energy converged just outside it, forming a sphere. Once it fully materialized, Fukuro fired the blue sphere towards Houndoom. The dark Pokemon sprinted to run away, but the sphere quickly caught up with it and sent it flying. Houndoom hit the ground with a thud, but was able to hoist itself back up about a second or so later.
Karen clenched her teeth. "We're not done yet! Houndoom, use Dark Pulse!"
"Fire back with another Moonblast!"
Both Pokemon fired their attacks at one another, and once they made contact, a dust cloud billowed out from the onslaught.
"Air Slash!" Perrine commanded.
On cue, Fukuro fired several air sickles, cutting through the dust cloud and striking Houndoom once more. Houndoom rolled across the battlefield, but managed to reorient itself and got back on its feet. But everyone could see its legs trembling.
Caiseal couldn't hold back the smile that spread across his face. "I bet Houndoom's been weakened from all those hits it took!" Caiseal exclaimed. "A few more attacks and Perrine just might win this!"
Rocio clasped her hands together. "You can do it, honey! You can win this!" She cheered.
Of course, Karen begged to differ. "Houndoom! Use Flamethrower! Full power!"
"Air Slash again!"
Houndoom beat Fukuro to the punch, firing a stream of flames towards the owl. Thankfully, Fukuro was able to flap his wings and send air sickles flying parallel to the flames before being hit. Flames consumed Fukuro, and Houndoom was struck once again, with the impact putting a stop to the fiery onslaught. But the pain was enough to make Fukuro roost on the ground, its body covered in dark, fresh burns.
"Now's your chance! Use Roost!" Perrine said.
Once Fukuro got his bearings, he folded his wings and stood still, his body glowing in a faint white light. Perrine smirked. One good thing about Roost was that if a flying type Pokemon used it, it would lose its flying type designation for a while, so Thunder Fang wouldn't be able to do as much damage for the time being. Perrine thanked her lucky stars that she had Fukuro learn Roost. The burns faded from Fukuro's body, and gradually, energy began to surge back into his being. With Roost, Perrine was basically killing two Pidgeys with one stone.
"You're wide open!" Karen exclaimed. "Houndoom! Dark Pulse!"
"Fly!"
Houndoom crouched to the ground, lowering itself to Fukuro's level and fired a barrage of black rippling rings. Fukuro saw them coming and sharply ascended upward, dodging the attack. Once he flew high enough, Fukuro made a swift downward turn and descended.
"Fire Flamethrower again!" Karen shouted, pointing towards Fukuro. "Give it all you've got!"
Flames enveloped Fukuro all over as the owl continued his descent. His feathers singed, and every movement sent pain all throughout his body. But he knew that if he gave up now, it'd be all over. Fukuro charged towards Houndoom, enduring the flames and screeching a high battle cry as his beak finally made contact with the dark Pokemon. That was all it took for the flames to dissipate, and the owl and canine were both tangled up in one another. Everyone in the spectator seats stood up, speechless, watching intensely as they wondered if it was another double knockout. Did Fukuro win? Or did Houndoom? Both Pokemon were unconscious. The atmosphere in the gym grew heavy with anticipation.
A feather twitched. A low warble escaped Fukuro's beak. His body quivered as he used both wings to hoist himself up from Houndoom's side. A smile broke out across Perrine's face. Did this mean...Fukuro won?! Karen looked over at Houndoom to see if it would move or wake up. Houndoom was completely dormant, and Karen deflated. Perrine saw her give a defeated sigh.
"Well...I don't think I need to state the obvious," Karen said."
Pandemonium broke out. Rocio, Julia, Caiseal, and Ethan all broke into enthusiastic cheers and clapping. Even some of the camera crew cheered. The meaning of this sight was not lost on Perrine.
"We...we...we won!"
Fukuro flew over to Perrine, who proceeded to hug him tight and jump up and down. "Fukuro! You did it, boy! I'm so proud of you! I beat all of the Elite Four!" Perrine's voice rose several octaves as she cheered like no tomorrow. Fukuro trilled and warbled right along with her, celebrating his victory with pride.
Even though she saw the battle play out before her eyes, Perrine still couldn't quite believe it. With this, she truly did defeat every single member of the Elite Four. All that's left was Lance Cipris himself, the champion. The very person she strived to battle all throughout her journey.
With a frown, Karen called Houndoom back to its PokeBall. "It's alright, friend. You did your best," Karen whispered before putting the PokeBall away. She quickly turned her frown back into a proud smile as she walked over to Perrine, whose friends and mother surrounded her.
"Great job beating me," Karen was quick to congratulate her. "You've really exceeded my expectations, girl."
Perrine averted her gaze. "I don't know about that, but thank you for battling me."
"Do you know what this means, Perrine?!" Julia exclaimed, putting both hands on Perrine's shoulders. "You get to battle Lance now!"
"Yeah!" Caiseal echoed. "You've worked so hard for this and now your dream is coming true!"
Rocio was quick to wrap her arms around her daughter, snuggling against her cheek. "Oh, Perrine, sweetie! I'm so proud of you!"
"Hey! Quit it!" Perrine protested, using one arm to try and push her mother's arms off of her, releasing Fukuro in the process. Everyone broke into laughter, even Karen, though Rocio did release her daughter shortly afterward.
"Let me ask you something, Perrine," Karen said. "Do you believe Pokemon are divided by the strong and the weak?"
Strong and weak? Perrine didn't need much time to think about it, as Uraku had asked her the same question back in the Dragon's Den. She knew what she wanted to say. She looked right at Karen, her blue eyes determined, and simply said, "No, I don't think so. Pokemon are living beings, and whether they're strong, weak, or slowly get stronger as they grow up, they have the right to live and be whatever they want to be. Besides, Pokemon are my friends. Our friends."
Julia, Ethan, and Caiseal flashed smiles at her, as did Fukuro. A chuckle escaped Karen's lips. "You're right. Strong Pokemon. Weak Pokemon. At the end of the day, that mindset is merely the selfish perception of people. As far as I'm concerned, truly skilled trainers are the ones that love Pokemon for what they are and don't put so much stock into brute strength."
Everyone in the room couldn't have agreed more.
Karen crossed her arms. "Well, guess this means you can battle Lance. But I should warn you, battling him makes the Elite Four look like child's play. You'd do well not to let this string of wins get to your head."
Perrine gave a solemn nod. Inside, her internal organs were doing backflips. It took everything she had not to burst into cheers yet again at what was to come.
After the battle, everyone went back to the Pokemon Center, and Nurse Joy explained to Perrine what would happen tomorrow. Instead of the auxiliary stadium, Perrine would be made to battle Lance at one of the open-air stadiums used by the League. Normally, Lance had his own open-air stadium further up the mountain, but parts of it had been damaged during a storm, and wasn't able to get fixed before the League, so at this point, it was still under construction. Since it had gotten late, the battle would be scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, which would give everyone ample time to prepare, something the kids definitely appreciated. Rocio took the kids out for dinner before dropping them off at the Pokemon Center and returning to her own hotel.
Night's darkness consumed the remainder of the sky. At one point, Julia returned to her bed after taking a shower, and found Perrine sitting on her bed with a pensive look on her face. She almost seemed to be staring off into space, but Julia saw her hands tremble as the orange haired girl clutched her pillow. Was something wrong? Julia sat down across from Perrine, deciding now was the time to maybe start a conversation.
"You okay?" Julia asked.
Perrine looked up, her blue eyes wide like saucers, and her body stiffens as she takes in a sharp breath. "Oh, uh...sorry. I was...thinking," Perrine stammered, averting her friend's gaze.
"About what? Wanna talk about it?"
A silence followed, until Perrine let out a sigh. She rested her chin on her pillow as she spoke. "To be honest...I still find it hard to believe that I actually beat the Elite Four and am about to battle the Champion," She confessed, hugging the pillow tighter. "Lately I've been thinking about all the times my father told me to give up on becoming a trainer, or how all my friends used to say I was crazy for being so obsessed."
Julia remembered Perrine mentioning something like that before. How long had it been since the three of them were in Goldenrod City, where they met Perrine's parents and saw how strained her relationship with them was? A few months, maybe? Julia couldn't quite remember, but everything else from that time was strong in her mind once Perrine brought it up.
"The only one who really believed in me was my aunt," Perrine continued. "She never made me feel ashamed of myself or tried to make me into someone I wasn't. Of course, this was before my parents and I resolved things, so…" Her voice cracked a little bit, and Julia could hear her own heart sink. "And now...my dream is so close to coming true. I defeated every member of the Elite Four, and I'm about to battle THE Johto Champion. I...I have Butterfree in my stomach."
"I can imagine," That was all Julia could say, and she wished she could have said something better. But there was no denying that Perrine really did go through a lot to get as far as she did, and Julia couldn't have been more proud of her.
"Hey...do you remember when we first met?" Perrine asked.
Of course. How could Julia possibly forget something as important as that? "Yeah I do! You were having a hard time in Union Cave and I helped you get Florian out from a hole!"
Memories came rushing back like a high tide. Chirin as a Mareep frantically approaching her, begging her to follow. Seeing Perrine desperately trying to dig through a pile of rocks to save Florian, her hands covered in grime and dirt. Perrine grabbing her arm, looking up at her with tearful eyes, begging her to help. Julia herself unable to process it quite at first, not just because of how close to her space Perrine was and how loud she was crying, but because...hardly anyone her age had ever asked her for help before. The two girls working together to save Florian. Perrine hugging Florian after he was saved, and the feeling of warmth that lurched in Julia's chest upon seeing that something she did actually made a difference and genuinely made someone happy.
"To be honest, that day had been pretty awful even before that incident," Perrine mused. "When I was trying to save Florian...I thought for sure everyone had been right. Maybe I shouldn't have become a trainer. Maybe it would be better if I just stayed home. How arrogant was I to think I could ever have a chance of getting into the Pokemon League at all?" She then looked right at Julia with a warm smile on her face. "But then you came and helped me. I think I would have put a stop to my journey right then and there if you hadn't come along to help, so...I have you to thank for helping me get this far."
"What?!" Julia couldn't believe her ears. She immediately began shaking her hands, and one of her feet began bouncing up and down. "No no no! You're exaggerating! There's no way I could ever be the reason you managed to get to this point! Besides, I'm stupid and whiny and overly dependent and can barely do anything all by myself! I don't deserve such high praise!"
Perrine's expression hardened. "Jule, don't be so hard on yourself, and I think you do deserve it."
"Well…" Julia shuffled as she remembered how she was before she got used to Pokemon battles. "If you had met me before my journey, I'm sure you would have hated me. You know how I told you that I used to hate Pokemon battles, right? And how I'd even go so far as to hate people who liked them or participated in them? I'm pretty sure if I met you before I went on my journey, I'd have believed you were an evil person for liking battles."
Another silence fell between them. This time, Perrine spoke up. "But you've obviously grown since then, and it doesn't change the fact that you helped me when I was at my lowest point. You, Caiseal, and my Pokemon friends...and I really am happy I got to be friends with you," She said.
Warmth burst in Julia's chest right then. Even after all these months, she still found herself unable to get used to having friends praise her. Julia was sure she had gotten used to it by now. "S-S-S-Same here…"
But then another thought entered her mind. Before she could stop herself, the words slipped out. "...But I am kinda worried."
"About what?" Perrine asked, tilting her head to one side.
"What happens after all this is over," Julia sputtered. "If you win against Lance or lose, we might have to go back home...back to our hometowns...and probably back to how things were before we met. I'm scared. What if we go back home and we...forget about each other? Forget that we were ever friends? You and Caiseal will probably find other friends and move on with your lives, and I'll be stuck going to school with the same people who picked on me and will probably do so until I graduate. Even if we do try to stay in contact, who's to say we won't just...stop?"
Yes, that was what Julia feared most. Julia didn't want her journey to end. Caiseal and Perrine may have things to look forward to when theirs ended, but Julia didn't. Other than having her own Pokemon, Julia didn't see her future changing much once she went back to New Bark Town. She knew her mother wanted her to come back to school as part of her deal, but the idea of returning to school filled her with dread. Stuck in the same classrooms day after day, dealing with Kirsten and her bullying ways, judgmental teachers who probably saw her as some lazy lowlife, months of schoolwork and homework, spending every day without Caiseal and Perrine by her side...Julia wished she could just travel forever.
Perrine could see her friend's pained expression clear as day. In a way, she knew her friend's pain. Perrine knew what it was like to be lonely. Granted, in Perrine's case, she knew she had brought most of it on herself due to only thinking of her own desires all the time at the expense of being there for them when they needed someone. Perrine couldn't deny the part she played in her own loneliness, but it was still hard all the same. She balled her hands into fists as she held onto her pillow. Julia had a point. Would things just go back to the way they were after their journey ended? Or were there other options?
"Things don't have to stay the way they are when we get back," Perrine found herself saying without hesitation. "We exchanged PokeGear numbers and internet contacts, so we can still talk to each other. Besides, in the event that I lose in tomorrow's match, I might just finish school then take another year off to go on another journey. All it really comes down to is whether we want to change things ourselves."
Good point. Julia had to agree with her there.
"I...I really want us to do stuff like...go to the mall and visit each other's houses and watch movies and play games and play with our Pokemon and joke about silly stuff. Like normal friends do…" Julia hated the whiny tone her voice adopted, but she couldn't stop herself from opening up now that Perrine had invited her to do so. "I know we did that on our journey and stuff, but...I want to keep doing those things with you guys. Will we...be friends forever?"
Perrine set her pillow back on her bed, walked over to Julia, sat down next to her, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close. "Of course we will, and now that we're trainers, we have more options. More freedom than we used to. After all we've been through, how can we not stay friends?"
Julia smiled. Perrine was right. It wasn't just a matter of sitting around waiting for things to change. She had to make those changes herself and put them into action. Maintaining those connections. Working and putting in the effort to make things better for herself. Now that she thought about it, Julia remembered she had Tsubasa. If she were to evolve into a Pidgeot some time, she could ride on her back and visit Perrine and Caiseal herself, without having to worry about her parents driving long distances just to take her to their houses. That was something she could look forward to. Besides, who was to say this would be the only journey Julia would take?
But for tonight, they didn't need to worry too much about any of those things except for one.
Tomorrow, Perrine would finally get to battle Lance, the Johto League Champion once and for all.
Perrine was sure she wouldn't be able to sleep much tonight, but she knew she needed to. She was going to put everything she had into tomorrow's battle. She couldn't afford to lose. Not when she finally managed to get this far. It would be her fiercest battle yet...and Perrine couldn't wait.
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, Sky Attack, and Moonblast
Baloo (Wigglytuff, Female, Docile Nature)
Ability: Cute Charm
Attacks: Gyro Ball, Wake-Up Slap, Play Rough, and Body Slam
Chirin (Ampharos, Male, Adamant Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Discharge, Cotton Guard, Power Gem, Signal Beam