Firestorm
"Drake," Lance gently said, casually ambling to the blue haired man. "Stop this madness and come back quietly."
Drake scornfully scowled. He took a stiff step for every few Lance walked. "I'm never going back to that shithole for a village," he spouted, fretfully reaching for a Pokeball. "I don't belong there! I never did!"
"Don't say such nonsense," Lance raised his voice. "Your sister Clair has been worried sick for all these years."
"And am I suppose to care for that fouled mouth bitch," Drake cruelly said.
Lance seized his advance. "It seems I will have to take you back by force," he said in a softer yet menacing voice. Dragonite materialized with a surprised expression.
"Don't treat me like the weak brat I was back then!" Drake roared as he released his own newly evolved Garchomp.
Red peeled his eyes off the cousins' duel to deal with his sibling fight. Ember already released his starting Pokemon while Red led off with his Nidoking.
An egg-shaped Pokemon that vaguely resembled a large human expanded like a balloon stood before him. Red and yellow flames decorated his skin in a similar fashion to Magmar's patterns. Two thick, pink lips on a dark face made it seem like a grinning clown. The two cannons it wielded for arms didn't stifle a chuckle out of Red.
Just like he has done for every new Pokemon he encountered, Red pulled out his Pokedex to collect information. The trainer took a step closer and directed it at the Pokemon he safely assumed was the evolved form of Magmar.
"Magmortar, Fire Blast!"
Not a moment was wasted as Magmortar immediately took the aim at his vulnerable enemy. A wild grin that could give nightmares to any unfortunate child spread across Magmortar's face having caught glimpse of Red's astonished face. The claws on his arms retracted to open up his cannon arm. His body glow a bright red and the calm flames on his shoulders and head waved in rage.
"Woosh!"
Not a booming sound Red cringed for but a loud enough sound that made the young boy flinch. A fire ball blasted directly from Magmortar's arm with a recoil powerful enough to force the fire Pokemon stagger back a couple of steps.
The Fire Blast extended its limbs to include Red in its fiery embrace. The fire lost its form once it made contact. A fiery cloak covered both Nidoking and Red in an instant. The flames flickered for a few seconds longer before dying out. Smothering smoke lingered in the fire's place.
Magmortar's smug grin faltered the moment the smoke lifted. A strong push of wind sent the suffocating cloud straight up revealing a barricade of boulders. Neatly stacked into a pyramid reaching over six feet, the scorched rocks blocked Ember's view.
Behind the barricade formed by apprehension, Nidoking had his claw lodged into the mountain. His eyes were filled with water as he stared into the crater he recently made. He blinked every so often to soothe the irritation the smoke caused his eyes. Red kept the flames at bay with his aura powers which he was using now to push back the smoke.
"You reacted rather swiftly," Ember blandly praised. "And…I see you finally have awoken your Aura Powers."
Red replied with a serious tone. "You knew that I had Aura Powers?"
"Aren't we brothers? Don't we share the same blood?" he asked, lifting a glowing hand. "The blood of Pallet flows through me…but I do admit that the power is more concentrated in you than it is in me…"
"Then do you know about-"
"Focus Blast to break the Rock Side barrier." Ember once again interrupted his sibling by attacking.
Red cursed before initiating his plan.
"Nidoking, use Amnesia."
Nidoking buffed his special defense to prepare for Magmortar's special attacks. He didn't cringe at the sound of a cannon going off seconds before a shining ball of white light struck the boulders. A large explosion broke up the rocks scattering them onto the battlefield.
"Go in for an Ice Punch."
So he is going for the physical side, Red figured. "Get him now with Rock Slide!"
Jogging in an awkward fashion, Magmortar made his way to the ice weak Pokemon. His right cannon burst with a bright red aura ready to strike. Five boulders thundered across the ground towards him. Hesitation didn't bind him as Magmortar took a swing at the first boulder. A hollow hit resonated before the rock mass shattered into pieces.
-"Gahh!"- Magmortar was thrown back by the force the boulder kept. He recovered to strike the next one. He broke it as well but didn't get thrown back this time. He punched the last three, doing it cleaner and swifter after each boulder.
Red felt the increase of strength Magmortar gained after each strike. "Is that really an Ice Punch?" Red skeptically asked.
"Of course not," Ember revealed unabashed. "Magmortar can't learn Ice Punch."
"But then what was that?"
"Red, stop him before he gets to you," Lance brusquely interjected. "It's the move Power Punch which raises the users attack by each punch it takes."
So he used the boulders to increase his attack, Red realized.
"Flare Blitz!"
Red finally comprehended the danger Magmortar posed. A fiery cloak of fire that covered Magmortar was bigger than any Flare Blitz Red has witnessed before. Hot air swam towards Red's body and pressured his lungs to breathe.
"Nidoking, Earthquake him before he can get to you!" Red sharply shouted.
Nidoking ravaged the arena with his Earthquake. Red's shortsightedness didn't foresee the Earthquake would have affected the entire mountain. As if Navel Rock came to life and Red found himself close to its stone heart, the place furiously shook. Every person in the vicinity including the fighting Pokemon all crashed into the ground to jolt around like kernel in the microwave.
Red couldn't worry about his bruised hands as falling debris from the ceiling dared to fall onto him and break his bones. He thanked his luck once the quavering seized and he survived without any major damage.
"Damn, Red!" Lance angrily said clutching his hurt arm. "Think before you do something brash. Think of the people how are in this mountain as well. "
Red solemnly apologized. "I panicked for a moment," Red oddly muttered. He did feel slightly better when he saw Ember's Pokemon sprawled on the ground before him. But was it worth it? Red pondered.
The beaten up body stirred. Magmortar gave out a pained groan.
Ember saw the surprised expression on his brother's face. "Psychic him back," he ordered.
Magmortar peered at his target with a quivering eye. He landed a Psychic attack on Nidoking that only managed to push back him a few steps back, almost making him trip over his massive tail.
"Go for Flare Blitz!"
That brief moment of opportunity, Magmortar struggled to his feet. He blasted Nidoking with another Psychic attack to momentarily stun him, and he could begin his charge.
"Nidoking Eart- Rock Slide." Red nearly let his tongue slip but caught himself in time.
Nidoking's mind was slightly dazed thanks to telepathic forces, processing the order to late. His armored body couldn't withstand the brute strength his powered up foe possessed and was thrown onto his back. Scorch marks blackened most of his chest.
"Tch!" Scarlet colored sparks jolted from Magmortar's body. Eyes clenched in pain, he suffered from the recoil damage from such a reckless technique.
"Nidoking! Don't go down on me, yet!" Red implored.
-"Grr…I hear you,"- he gasped. Pain slowed him but he managed to push himself of from the ground.
"Magmortar, Fire Punch him till he falls for good."
Muscles twitching from fatigue, Magmortar ambled to his target. He lunged forward for with his Fire punch.
"Dodge it!" Red abruptly shouted.
Nidoking's bulk wasn't going to allow him to swiftly dodge the incoming blow. He used his bulk for a more useful purpose. By spinning like a top for a brief second, Nidoking brought his massive tail forward to clash. He stifled his pained grunts as he managed to equal Magmortar in strength. Magmortar reeled back to punch again. Nidoking brought his fist forward and dealt a Poison Jab into his foe's face.
-"To lose after a few hits,"- Magmortar lamented on the ground. His vision flickered as he struggled to get back up.
-"Don't feel too bad since you managed to bring me close to defeat,"- Nidoking said, genuinely sounding encouraging.
Magmortar lifted his canon to which Nidoking responded with a rough stomp to the ground. A smaller, controlled shockwave shook Magmortar. The fire Pokemon knocked his head into the ground sending him into a dream of coldness.
First battle and Red felt like he just won the entire match. Before, Red held doubts of wining close to his heart. Seeing Magmortar faint almost instantly lifted the heavy weight off his chest. A smile brightened his face as he congratulated his Nidoking.
Ember lazily recalled his Pokemon. "This is just the start," Ember reminded his ecstatic brother. His next Pokemon was introduced with a swift hand gesture towards Nidoking.
"Houndoom, Sucker Punch."
"Nidoking, Rock Side," Red ordered seeing it was his strategy to find out the style Houndoom used to fight.
Nidoking thrust his claw straight into the ground once more. He touched the ground but no boulders were hurdled. His body collapsed like dead weight. Houndoom towered over his defeated foe despite having been a few meters away to start with.
Red blinked astonished. "H-how?" he asked.
"Sucker Punch is a move that allows Houndoom to attack first as long as the opponent creates an opening," Ember, to Red's surprised, answered.
Yet, Houndoom must have difficulty hitting an airborne target, Red figured. He switched in his Pidgeot for his defeated Nidoking.
"Let's go, Pidgeot!" Red shouted.
"Sunny Day," Ember shortly ordered.
Houndoom's front legs crouched as he opened his long snout to reveal his sharp canine teeth. The false sun formed on the inside of his gaping jaws that rapidly increased in diameter. He threw his head back once the light nearly reached the limit his mouth could stretch and shot it straight in the air. The intense heat drifted into the cavern to better suit fire pokemon.
"Planning to increase you fire moves," Red figured out. "You are fighting does resemble Blaine's since he also specializes in fire pokemon."
Ember responded with his next command. "Flamethrower Pidgeot out of the sky."
-"Grr…this heat is suffocating my lungs,"- Pidgeot gasped feeling the sun burning him like a roasting chicken. He dropped a few feet to escape the heat before a Flamethrower threatened his well being. He pulled his flying maneuvers to avoid it.
"Flamethrower again!" Ember repeated.
Houndoom's strident cry was agonizing to the sensitive ears around him. Fire poured out his mouth like water from a fire house. He drove Pidgeot into an air obstacle test as he followed the bird with his Flamethrower.
"Wait for him to run out of breath," Red relayed the best strategy he could think at the moment.
-"I can wait him out,"- Pidgeot muttered. Pikachu's thunder bolts were harder to dodge than this fool's fire attacks.
Ember followed Pidgeot with his brown eyes waiting for the opportunity. "Fire Blast now Houndoom!" Ember seized the moment.
Houndoom gulped a large amount of air. He then fired a soccer ball sized fireball directly at Pidgeot. Extending its arms, the Fire Blast attempted to embrace Pidgeot who dodged it in a split second. Pidgeot had to go under the fire to escape but realized the trap he was caught in.
Houndoom moved under his Fire Blast to catch the Pidgeot less than three meters above ground. Pouncing onto the Pidgeot who tried to fly back up, Houndoom sank his teeth into Pidgeot's right wing. He dragged his victim towards the ground. His tight grip kept Pidgeot from escaping as he pulled him under him to break his fall as well as to better pin him.
The crash almost knocked out Pidgeot but managed to hang on to painful reality. His eyesight flickered back to their sharpness but his body lay paralyzed. That was when he noticed the small jolts of electricity dancing around Houndoom's clamped jaws.
"Pidgeot, get up. Fight back with Wing Attack," Red nearly shouted his demands.
"Don't let him get up and Flamethrower," Ember ordered in his dead serious tone.
Houndoom unclamped his jaws and pressed a fist sized paw in the middle of Pidgeot's heaving chest. His other paw was roughly placed on Pidgeot's uninjured wing to pin him to the ground with his weight. His prey was now squirming under his vile eyes.
-"Don't go down easy,"- he spoke his first words to Pidgeot in a harsh grunt. –"I like birds who can take a toasting," he said like a true maniac. He released his Flamethrower onto Pidgeot without warning.
"Pidgeot!" Red screamed as he mercilessly watched the torrent of flames swarm around Pidgeot's face.
Relentless and ruthless, Houndoom kept the fire going. He showed no signs of letting down until he was sure his opponent was taken down…even if it meant searing Pidgeot's face off.
"Pidgeot…peck him in the eyes!"
Pidgeot's body fought for his excruciating pain. Sharp talons reached for their tormentor failing by less than a few inches to meet their mark. In the furious fire, Pidgeot's head shook back and forth frantically. The fire shared more of a presence in Pidgeot's ears than Red's words. He did come up with a similar solution. Desperate and angered, Pidgeot extended his neck forward faster than a Beedrill's wing flap. He drove his hardened beak into Houndoom's exposed neck.
Houndoom yelped from the blow. Pidgeot continued his advance knowing it relieved him from the fire. He remembered his old Peck maneuver to deal more damage to the underside of Houndoom's mouth from hell. Houndoom jumped off his roasted foe and darted off to nurse his wounds.
"That's it Pidgeot!" Red cheerfully praised.
Pidgeot ignored the praise and rubbed his teary eyes with the tattered feathers on his wings. Singed feathers covered his entire head including the head feathers that Pidgeot was proud off.
"Sand Attack!" Red urgently ordered.
Houndoom planned to pin Pidgeot once more as he opened his jaws to bite again. Pidgeot swiped across the ground with the tip of his wings to send dust directly into Houndoom's mouth as wells into his eyes. The dark type choked on the coarse mountain rocks mixed in with the dirt that entered his mouth.
"Heal yourself, Pidgeot," Red immediately ordered after.
Pidgeot didn't waste a second to recover his health with Roost. Pain quickly left his injured body but it didn't return him his prize feather around his head.
"Don't let them have the chance to recuperate. Dark Pulse," Ember ordered.
Shooting from his dirt-tasting mouth, Houndoom fired a black beam that caused Red's heart to jump when he felt the evil aura the beam gave off. The blind attack struck a boulder far off from Pidgeot's position and reduced the inanimate object to rubble. He didn't let up and fervently fired Dark Pulses to where he last remembered his opponent was.
Pidgeot hopped into the air and flapped his wings to dodge a stray Dark Pulse that managed to pinpoint its target.
"He's escaping to the sky," Ember notified his blinded Pokemon. "Catch him now with Inferno!"
The hottest flames that Houndoom could muster were brought forth to his vicious jaws. A deep sapphire hue were the flames that Ember's Houndoom spewed upwards. Slithering upwards the flames snaked towards Pidgeot. The range dramatically increased in less than a second with it reach going farther than its intended target.
-"Gah no more fire,"- Pidgeot whined seeing he was trap in a cage of fire. The blue flames closed off any visible pathway to escape for him. Another torrent of harsh flames reached out get him.
"Air Slash your way out!" Red cried to his Pokemon.
Slashing at the air with his wing, Pidgeot managed to slice right through the invisible air as well as the wall of flames constricting him of his oxygen. A gap formed that he didn't waste time to escape through. He escaped peril to only face another threat.
Houndoom had pounced at the opening with his teeth bared. Eyes wide open to show he managed to rid the irritating dust from his eyes and now replaced with an intense fury.
Pidgeot returned the fierce glare just before he disappeared from sight. He tackled Houndoom from his more vulnerable right side. Pidgeot drove him into the ground with all his strength he had left. He dragged his merciless foe across the ground before stopping. He had his yellow beak clenched around Houndoom's thin throat.
Despite the rough treatment Houndoom just experienced, he managed to sink his Thunder Fang into Pidgeot's shoulder. His bite was no weaker than Pidgeot's creating a deadlock. Neither could let go or risk of being taken advantage. They held on seeing who would give out first.
Red silently cursed when it was Houndoom who slowly got up to his feet. He managed to withstand the ordeal but the cost was he barely hung on to his conscience. Teetering on his skimpy legs, Houndoom waddled back to his master.
"You did excellent," Red said what he could. "Don't worry. Your feathers will return to their luster appearance once you begin to molt soon." Red chose his next Pokemon as he stared down Houndoom.
"I must admit," Red began. "I'm surprised on how sturdy your Houndoom is."
Houndoom irately snarled at Red's compliment.
"If you have the intelligence to realize the sturdiness of a Pokemon than you should have the capacity to choose your next Pokemon to send out," Ember said. "Or I shall have my Houndoom leave a few nasty burns that will torment you till your utter death."
Red searched for the feelings Ember would display in his aura. His threats were heavy with distaste yet he didn't sense a single emotion from his brother. Throughout the match, Red kept a loose connection with Ember's aura. The emptiness the life force gave off was unnerving.
How can a human not experience any emotions during an intense battle? Red tried to figure out. He sent forth his next giving up on the thought.
"Vaporeon, let's finish this up!"
"Get close for a Sucker Punch."
"Wash him down with a Water Pulse!"
Houndoom's fancy footwork he once confidently performed was degraded by his injuries to sloppy zigzagging. Vaporeon didn't have to strain her neck to strike her foe with a Water Pulse. Her technique was more than enough to bring the reaper to his knees. Houndoom's final howl was more of a whimper that would belong to a pup of his canine pack.
Ember returned his fallen Houndoom. Took a moment to study the new contender and chose the appropriate Pokemon.
A bizarre Pokemon before Red's eyes for it quite literally looked like the microwave ovens kept in households. The only significant qualities that characterized it as a living creature where the two harsh red mitten-like hands that the ominous energy that possessed the kitchen appliance emitted and the eerie, oval shaped eyes comically placed above the oven compartment. The fact it was floating in the midair gave Red the impression it was just an oven possessed by a ghost.
"Vaporeon…Water Pulse the toaster!" Red commanded in unconvincing tone.
-"Toaster? The machine that your mom uses to cook crunchy food?"- Vaporeon confusedly said.
"Strike them down, Rotom-Heat. Thunder Bolt."
"Thunder Bolt?!" Red repeated bewildered. In his mind he thought of it was lie like the Ice Punch but Ember didn't pull any tricks this time around.
-"Zzp, setting temperature…to shocking!"- Rotom buzzed in a static measly voice. It bounced side to side before thrusting its ghostly arms forward to fire a Thunder Bolt from its mittens. Electricity oddly flowed from its hands to try and shock Vaporeon.
-"Not today!"- Vaporeon proclaimed. She raised her speed with Quick Attack to dodge. Her next move was to fire her Water Pulse that made direct contact.
-"Bahhhzzz…systems filled with harmful liquids,"- Rotom squeaked.
"Discharge and get him good Rotom."
Rotom's strange glow grew brighter. –"Over clocking bodily functions to the max zzzp!"-
Vaporeon couldn't even dodge the next electric attack. An electric outburst from Rotom-Heat sent energy in a five meter radius that Vaporeon got caught in. It was less potent that a Thunder Bolt but just as painful.
-"Gah!"- Vaporeon collapsed. She breathed heavily having tasted a super effective for the first time. –"Should have went with the Jolteon."-
"Vaporeon, Rotom has exhausted himself for a short period of time," Red noted the weakened strength in the strange oven. "Get him with a swift Shadow ball. That will give you more time to recover."
Vaporeon observed the tired qualities Rotom-Heat expressed taking note. She shot it down with her expertly thrown Shadow Ball. Her pain instantly vanished from her mind as she rolled back to her four paws.
"Keep the foe down with Ominous Wind," Ember brashly ordered.
"Follow up with Water Pulse!"
Rotom jolted back up to the ting sound the oven makes after times up. –"Ominous forces being defrosted to physical matter!"- he informed.
Vaporeon's frills flapped as she brought her head forward. The three rings traveled to Rotom before he could complete his task. The powerful hit sent Rotom spiraling backwards yet he quickly recovered to the ting. The front glass door of his oven popped open to release the pressured gas kept inside.
Vaporeon braced for the cyclone of purple winds. Rotom's eyes flashed red as he pushed the ghostly gust towards the aquatic Pokemon. A force shook Vaporeon's inside making her feel cold inside as well as less alive.
A ghost type attack? Red pondered sensing it actually hurt her aura rather her physical body.
-"Beep, feeling low on health,"- Rotom spoke like a smart phone warning its battery is about to die.
Ember understood the warning and appropriately reacted. "In that case, perform the Thunder Palace technique. Don't let this one escape."
"Vaporeon, one last Water Pulse!"
-"Boop! Initiating Thunder Palace program,"- Rotom released another Ominous Wind that impeded Vaporeon's movement due to the sick feeling it gave her. The little oven spun around to spread the wind until it created a thin purple haze.
-"Running part two!"
Rotom raised its ghostly mittens above its head and swiftly formed electrical spheres. Each sphere the size of a soccer ball mysteriously floated to the sky and formed a perfect circle around the field. Ten in total were created before Rotom-heat stopped. Clapping his nonexistent hands together, Rotom created an electric charge between them.
-"Charge Beam ready!"- Rotom shouted its final command.
The setup didn't resemble a palace to Red, who has visited a king's palace before, but more like a cult ritual. Unearthly forces swarmed the battlefield as electric balls hung in the air like Christmas decorations. All to seem too complicated for a single technique but he figure it was powerful enough to end this battle.
Vaporeon pushed the uneasiness of the spiritual atmosphere and attacked. Her Water Pulse shot across the field only to be decimated by an electric beam that cut right through it. In a flash, the light beam shot towards Vaporeon to deal super effective damage. The attack didn't end there. A light show that rivaled any music festival blinded Red as the electric balls came to life. Each sphere released a lightning bolt with the loud thunder that instantaneously followed them. Drawn to the Vaporeon as if she was a lightning rod in the midst of a thunderstorm, the lightning struck Vaporeon in the exact same spot the electric beam struck.
Red fought to keep his balance as the ground shook from the force. He knelt on the ground as he waited for the shaking to stop. He was momentarily blinded but quickly acted once a little of his sight returned.
"Vaporeon!" Red cried. He rushed towards his fallen Pokemon's side. He withstood the electric shocks her limp body still managed produced as he held her close to her body. He lifted her head to meet her dazed eyes.
-"R…ed."- she faintly said.
"Vaporeon! I'm sorry," he apologized deeply hurt.
Her voice soften. –"No need to be sorry…but finish this battle for me…"- she quietly asked before falling unconscious. Red clutched her tightly, unable to imagined the pain she just went through. The unfamiliar attack managed to form a deep crater around her body.
-"Resources have been depleted!"- Rotom shouted alarmed. –"Entering recover mode! Recharge soon, Emberrrrrr…." No energy left to continued, Rotom collapsed on the ground. The fiery glow dulled to maroon red as it fainted and lost its mitten hands.
Ember wordlessly recovered his tired Pokemon as Red still held his. The boy stood up to face his brother.
"That was entirely unnecessary," Red said with a hurt glare.
Ember blankly stared back slightly frowning. "Your Vaporeon has the capacity to tank my electric attacks. I needed to end it quickly or she will definitely outlast my Rotom-Heat."
Red found the explanation insufficient. "That attack…was not any ordinary attack?" Red questioned.
"You definitely noticed it," Ember haughtily said already grabbing his fourth Pokeball.
The three different techniques Ember used to complete the Thunder Palace, Red figured. "Three different attacks," Red confirmed. "The Ominous Wind to not only distract your opponents momentarily but set the environment for it to work. Those Electric Balls were held up in the air by that ghost attack yet can be easily controlled to hit anywhere you want. The electric beam seems to be the one the paints the giant red target from the impossible to escape thunderstorm."
Ember kept quiet showing no signs to interrupt. He kept the Pokeballs clenched in his hand as Red continued.
"Destructive power easily controlled by a weaker, more manageable attack to create a deadly weapon," Red ended the insight he could provide.
"And how will this information help you?" Ember seemingly mockingly asked. "It's not my Rotom you're dealing with now. Go Flareon!"
It just means I need to be more cautious as I fight you. You use impressive combos that I must look out for, Red answered in his finally letting his Vaporeon rest in her Pokeball. Now for my next choice for-wait what?! Red could have sworn he felt a glimmer of emotion escape from Ember's aura. It happened all too fast for him to correctly identify the feeling as if the sentiment was blanketed by an invisible force before he could analyze.
-"Why do you continue to follow us, Red?"- Flareon asked in wonderment. She slowly padded towards her trainer's sibling to momentarily make eye contact.
Such…a calming look Flareon has, Red admitted to the strangely familiar yet soothing stare she gave him. He shook his head as if he experienced an intense headache. No! This must be some trick by Ember, Red thought. I'll have to use Pikachu who has the most experience of fighting Flareons.
"Pikachu, standby for Battle!" Red hopped out of the crater. Refocusing his sight on the battle and more importantly on Ember, Red raised a finger at his unmoving opponent. The man who killed his father hasn't move from his spot not even when Nidoking threatened to bring down the cave down on him.
"The time has come, Pikachu!" Red declared.
-"You're…the same Flareon as before!"- Pikachu gasped remembering the battle they had long ago. The trainer, Ember, caught his attention as well.
-"The Spiky-Eared Pikachu that managed to bring me to the dark abyss that is my defeat,"- Flareon politely said, her tail twitched in anticipation. –"It seems we must fight again, but I will not hold back my true strength unlike last time."-
Pikachu's cheeks puffed in annoyance. –"What do mean your true strength? I defeated you last time and you hardly showed power beyond that of another Flareon I have fought before,"- he adamantly rejoined.
-"The last encounter I was restricted to my…lesser techniques,"- she eloquently replied, sounding proper as her proud posture. She crouched lower and disdainfully said,-"This will definitely not be like last time."-
Both combatants set, each trainer called out their orders at the same time.
"Volt Tackle!"
"Flame Charge!"
Allowing their bodies to continue the sour conversation, Pikachu and Flareon clashed together. The fire clad Flareon head butted with her Volt Tackling opponent to match her strength. Pikachu met her with the most exasperated glare his round face could muster as he pushed Flareon back. His more powerful technique soon overcame the weak force Flame Charge came with.
Flareon's strength wasn't enough to restrain the mouse that threw her into the sky. She bent her knees to absorb the fall impact. Slightly annoyed but continued to battle with a level head.
-"At least I got my speed boost,"- she muttered.
"Thunderbolt her, Pikachu!"
"Get in close and Smog the Pikachu," Ember said with haste.
A flash of light set Flareon to motion. She dashed to the left avoiding the lightning. With speed she just gained, Flareon danced across the field to dodge all the Thunderbolts Pikachu hurled at her.
"Don't let her near you," Red warned sensing some trick from Ember. "Hit here with a move she can't jump her way out of. Shock Wave!"
Pikachu trotted a few steps back trying to widen the gap that Flareon tried to lessen. His fur rustled as he stored up energy. A wave of electric escaped his body to widen his range.
Flareon stop dead in her tracks when the Shock Wave passed through her. She yelped in pain but swiftly recovered. Opening her small mouth, she breathed out toxic gases towards Pikachu. Her foe was too far away to be caught by surprise and retreated back to avoid her Smog.
"Restrict his motions with Fire Spin," Ember instructed next.
Flareon followed up with a steady stream of fire but ran closer before doing so. The Fire Spin circled around Pikachu to completely imprison him. The flames towered high enough to nearly touch the rocky ceiling.
"The sense of helplessness," Ember voiced his thoughts to Red. "Can you summon your strength when backed in the corner?"
Red cracked an arrogant smile he remembered Blue always sported. "Who says that I'm trapped? Pikachu, break the Fire Spin with your electric field!"
-"Electric Field?"- Flareon oddly said to herself.
The modified Shock Wave sprouted from the electric mouse Pokemon. Pikachu created the electric energy to counteract the swirl of fire by rotating in the opposite direction. He rushed the electricity to limit the time he was vulnerable and he managed to free himself. The column of fire disrupted to a shower of flames similar to a firework going off.
"Quick Attack, Pikachu! Match her speed."
"Quick Attack as well Flareon," Ember said waving his hand to blow out a tiny fireball that managed to reach him. "But Fire Fang Pikachu around its neck."
Dashing first, Pikachu's movement was a blur to the naked eye. Flareon broke into a sprint to avoid him. A chase of two speedy Pokemon ensued with only the white trails they left gave their trainers a clue to where they were.
A sharp turn by Flareon was mimicked by her follower. She anticipated the move and dug her heels into the stone beneath her. She pounced onto Pikachu baring her fire coated teeth ready chomp. Pikachu reacted with his reflexes. He flipped over to meet Flareon's gaping mouth with a Mega Kick that spike her into ground like a volleyball.
A strong hit that momentarily dazed Flareon but she bounced right back. Her instant rebound caught Pikachu by surprise. He didn't react to her Flamethrower that sent him sprawling across the rugged terrain.
Pikachu hopped back up seeming unharmed. -"Blaine's Flareon spat hotter flames than yours,"- he mocked patting his new burn marks. "Give it your all if you want to surpass my expectations." His ears twitched with his jeer.
-"I'm not one to be taken lightly off!"- Flareon barked back spitting flames.
Ember responded to his Pokemon's high emotions with the next few commands. "Flareon, trap him once more with Fire Spin."
"I've told you, it's not going to work," Red asserted after his Pokemon was ensnared by Flareon's Fire Spin. "Breakthrough with Shock Wave!"
"Flareon, absorb the Fire Spin before ravaging the Pikachu with Overheat," Ember said as if a response to Red's allegation.
He intends to attack in the small amount of time Pikachu is immobilized, Red figured. "Hurry up, Pikachu!"
-"I'm trying my hardest!"- Pikachu replied. His electricity didn't cut through the Fie Spin before Flareon hastily pounced through it.
Flareon's body shined in a fiery glow. The fire sucked into her body with her Flash Fire ability raising her strength. She didn't fully absorb the Fire Spin because she would free her prisoner and needed to attack before he could get too far.
Illuminating like the brightest of start, Flareon practically exploded with fire. Blaine's Overheat his Ninetales produced paled in comparison to Flareon's own Overheat. Twice in size as it reach the top of the cave and hotter. Flames came close to Red who fought against the fire trying to swallow him with his Aura.
Sounds that could confuse people in the chambers above and below to believe there was a lumbering beast roaring were emitted by the raging flames. The roaring fires soften as the flames receded to its origin. Smoke layered above the ground but it disappeared as it rose high above.
Pikachu lay before Red's eyes sprawled across the charred rocks. Flareon teetered on her four legs from weariness but other than that looked unharmed. A strong shake of her head woke her from the daze. She admired her handiwork including the unmoving Pikachu.
-"That ought to teach you not to get so boastful during a battle,"- Flareon said approaching Pikachu. She stopped directly in front of her foe. –"Next time we me-"-
"Flareon, get out of there," Ember roughly commanded with a sense of urgency.
Flareon hopped back anxiously. She was shocked to her core with a Thunderbolt. She buckled under her weight after the direct hit. She stare in shock when Pikachu slowly get back up to his two feet.
-"H-how?"- she managed to ask.
Pikachu looked just as confused. –"I-I really don't know,"- he scratched his head. –"I just felt my body was healing itself during the fire which really felt…odd? My skin was ready to crawl of my from body yet the healing sensation…was this Vaporeon's doing?"-
Vaporeon knew she was going to faint in her last battle and delayed the Wish to heal my next Pokemon during the battle, Red figured the thoughtful heart of Vaporeon's.
"Let's not waste Vaporeon's efforts and finish this for her," Red elevated his spirits. "Thunder Bolt!"
Flareon stood back up to be shock back down by another Thunderbolt .
-"Grr…I have used up all my flames,"- she mentioned to Ember. She breathed out a weak Flamethrower at Pikachu as to show her exhaustion. Overheat cost her special attack strength but her physical attacks were still useful.
"We have used up all our available options," Ember hinted his Flareon. "Go for it. Last Resort."
Flareon stomped the ground as her body was overtaken by a powerful force. Shining brighter than the brightest star on a cloudless night, Flareon charged into Pikachu with a full body tackle. The power behind Flareon's Last Resort hit like a truck. Pikachu flew high into the air to fall back down with a sickening crash.
On the verge of fainting again, Pikachu with difficulty recollected himself. –"What the hell was that?"- he asked astounded by such power.
Flareon wobbled wearily. She shook her head to clear it of her dizziness. –"That was Last Resort. An attack that gets stronger with each move you perform during a single battle,"- she responded with a dignified answer. –"Having used every move I know, I had a full power Last Resort."-
"This next turn will decide this match," Ember proclaimed sounding somewhat confident. "Quick Attack, Flareon."
Red saw that he was nearing the end again. "It can't end here," Red declared profoundly. "Pikachu, raise your Electric Barrier!"
Pikachu profusely gave off high voltage electricity to prepare for the finishing move. It never came as Flareon stiffened with an agonized look.
-"It…appears…I'm paralyzed,"- Flareon said through clenched teeth. Muscles refused to comply to Flareon's wishes, tormenting her further.
Red analyzed the situation in an instant. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt why she is unable to move!"
"Flamethrower," Ember tried his best to handle the unfavorable turn of events.
Flareon proved to be too slow to act and was struck down by a cheap shot. She fell to the side with a soft groan. Her struggle to keep her eyesight clear wavered over to Red's solid gaze.
Red felt drawn to Flareon's look feeling the desire to discern her distraught emotions from losing. Pikachu also observed Flareon's behavior waiting for a witty remark or repugnant words.
Flareon didn't show grieve nor regret but a soft, sweet smile was aimed at Red. Having pummeled her into the ground now sent a deep pain into Red's heart. As if he just beat up his old friend over a meaningless fight with no clear resolve.
-"The small boy I used to know…has grown into the hope I always thought he would become,"- Flareon said in a sleepily voice that tore Red's heart. Sadness or anger, Red could not tell from Flareon's dark chocolate eyes. However, he did feel one thing from Flareon's heart. Joy.
Ember disrupted the connection he wasn't aware was happening by returning Flareon which brought Red to his senses and realized a few salty tears ran down his face.
Wiping away the sudden sorrow from his face, Red asked his brother in a disheartened tone," Why do you fight me brother?"
Ember froze. "What absurd thoughts have clouded your mind made you ask that?" he asked disconcerted.
"It seems your Pokemon…well Flareon, gave off a satisfied feeling after being defeated," Red tried to explain. "I felt this faint pain after overcoming Flareon now in my…heart."
"Don't get soft with me," Ember cruelly answered. "Why we fight? I'll give you a reason. Infernape come out!"
A fiery monkey to follow Ember's fire theme appeared next. A white haired ape stood on his hind legs and lanky arms hung on its side as if ready to charge into battle. Fire billowed out of its head to act as his flowing hair he could have.
Where is Ember getting all these Pokemon? They are most definite not from Kanto, Red thought.
"Infernape, the Pikachu is weak so end it with Fake Out," Ember firmly said.
Infernape slammed his knuckles together creating small sparks of fire. He didn't give his opponent the chance to respond to his trainer's commands with his incredible speed. He Fake Out Pikachu in an instant.
Shocked and stunned, Pikachu didn't feel the sting of the attack after a second to register. He writhed on the ground with a small groan before fainting.
"You are interfering with Kuraisora's plan to help purify this world," Ember hinted to being slightly outraged. "As long as you dare oppose me, Red, I will continue to fight til I breathe my last breath."
"Purify?" Red said puzzled. He could say Kuraisora actions were illicit, wicked, and unmistakably wrong, but he couldn't see it was 'purifying.' "Your actions are nothing but disgraceful acts of violence against innocent Pokemon and people alike."
"Purify as in rid of the world of all malice," Ember boldly declared. "A world that holds no more lying between family members. The avaricious hearts of humanity will no longer have meaning in our vocabulary. I will fight to achieve this even it comes at the cost of my brother's blood."
"You got to be insane if you actually believe in such things," Red snapped back feeling anger throb in the back of his throat. "Words are useless now. Gabite, give it your all!"
-"Another battle?"- Gabite said with a yawn. His drowsiness quickly faded when he realized who the trainer was. –"You! I will defeat you like the other guy!"-
Infernape howled in wild manner. –"This is not one battle I intend to lose! The flames of justice that cloak me will be my weapon."- The ape pounded his chest savagely.
Ember attacked as his Pokemon's spirits heightened. "Mach Punch to get close and start pounding him down with Close Combat." He threw his hand out dramatically.
Infernape revved up by his trainers words, sprinted. His long forearm stretched forward with Mach Punch increasing his speed. The fist connected with Gabite's protruding jaw. Shocked by the blow, Gabite efficiently reacted before Infernape could gain the upper hand. A swipe across the ground sent a dust devil swirling around Infernape.
-"Bleh, that could have broken my teeth!"- He raged wondering if he could ever chew on rocks without his pearl white chompers.
Ember looked perplexed as if he was deciding what to have for lunch later in the day. Finally speaking in a sincere tone he said," Infernape, try breaking out of the Sand Tomb with a Fire Spin spinning against the air current."
Red was dumbfounded. He realized Ember just stole his tactic for his own use."That's my technique! You can't…just steal it," He blurted unsure. He later felt rather childish for his outburst.
Ember replied with an unsettling stare. "I will use the things I learned through battle to my advantage. Isn't that why you battle other people? To gain experience," Ember answered the stunned Red.
Red relinquished his sudden anger. A careful observation of the battle made Red act. "Don't let him get out easy, Burning Claw!"
Infernape answered with a devastating Fire Spin that overpowered Gabite's weaker Sand Tomb. He was met by a Flamethrower spewing out of Gabite's mouth. Two slashes across his chest sent him backwards but recovered with an agile back flip.
"Close Combat."
-"You are turning out to be a fun challenger,"- Infernape grinned.
Infernape lunged with his fist raise high. Gabite responded with his Dragon Claws. Infernape proved to be a tough foe to combat. Gabite was clipped in the jaw after he nailed a slash to the right leg. The flexibility the monkey was blessed with gained him an advantage as Gabite barely managed to stand up due to his quick reactions.
The blow that broke the brawl was Infernape's swift kick. He delivered a sweeping kick that struck Gabite in his left foot. A strong kick that knocked the dragon off his feet.
Gabite howled feeling his leg numb with pain.
"With your Low Sweep we will now be able to act faster," Ember said as to commend Infernape. "Brick Break now."
Red encouraged his pokemon to continue. "Dragon Rage him from the ground than recover."
-"Taste my fire,"- Gabite grunted. He pushed back Infernape with his Dragon Rage. A roll backwards got him back to his feet. He shrunk in pain feeling the bruised joints of his three-toed foot worsened under pressure.
Red comprehended what Ember said about moving faster. Gabite suffered from a hurt foot and couldn't move as agile as he used to.
-"This…is nothing,"- Gabite sputtered determinedly. He switched over to Flamethrower for the reason he enjoyed the burning sensation the fire created in the back of his throat.
"Blaze Kick the Gabite," Ember gave his next order.
Infernape grunted in agreement too tire to shout a battle cry. He endured the fire and charged right through the flames. He cut off the Flamethrower by decking Gabite in his already bruising jaws. A roundhouse kick with his white fur foot enveloped in blazing flames was jammed into Gabite's vulnerable belly.
Gabite coughed up thick saliva from the bone-breaking kick. A meter in the air he sailed and came back down headfirst.
Ember hastily ordered his Infernape to barrage Gabite with punches but Red simply shouted,"Dig!"
Gabite dove into the ground like a fish dives into water. True to the shark classification, Gabite swam through the hard packed dirt but with much more difficulty due to the tougher soil.
Infernape blankly stared at the hole lost at what to do next. –"I just know how to punch stuff,"- Infernape admitted to himself.
Ember bestowed Infernape with his new tasks. "Swords Dance up and prepare for the attack. I'll warn you beforehand."
Infernape followed as the loyal soldier he acted like and performed his Swords Dance. Raising his attack stat to phenomenal heights, Red recognized the threat Infernape posed now. He needed to end it here.
What the hell are you doing, Gabite? Red now able to sense aura was able to follow Gabite's paths underground. The Landshark Pokemon steered clear out of Infernape's place and dug to the far left which was getting close to Lance and Drake's fighting grounds.
A ferocious Gyarados wrapped his body around another Gyarados and proceeded to sink its gargantuan jaws into the opposing foe's neck. A roar that shook the ceiling cried from the hurt Gyarados that Red couldn't determined who it belonged to.
Gabite popped up close to the action. He back against the battle of sea monsters, Gabite raised his right leg.
Red's eyes widened in horror. "Gabite, no don't do it!"
Face tightening in pain, he brought his foot down. His incomplete Earthquake matched with his weakened leg strength, created seismic activity on a minute level. A controlled Earthquake that only managed to reach Infernape unwittingly standing by shook.
The entire cave is not shaking, Red thought relieved.
Infernape flopped onto the ground. The Earthquake battered him up to the point his late game ability activated.
"That's Blaze," Red recognized. "Gabite, finish him off quick! Dragon Rage!"
Gabite wearily obliged. He didn't have to move which he appreciated and a Dragon Rage has been rumbling inside for quite awhile.
"Infernape, Incinerate." Ember ordered with haste.
Infernape raised his stiff neck. Dragonic power reached him before he could attack. Weakened severely, Infernape dropped to his knees before face planting into the ground like a sack of potatoes.
-"Next time…I'll protect my mouth more,"- Gabite noted massaging his sore jaw with his fins. He limped back to his starting place getting used to his awkward stride.
Ember wordlessly returned Infernape not fazed by his lost or that he was being driven into a corner. A hand raised towards Red, Pokeball clenched tightly for the boy to see. Marked in scratches and burns, Red knew who it was.
"This match has gone on long enough," Ember proclaimed as he could ended the match long ago. "This will put an end to this battle." On cue, his own Charizard was released.
Witnessing the unfurling of charcoal gray wings, Red was reminded of that dreadful day. The flash of red almost blinded him by surprise. Red fully knew it was a Charizard, but he saw it as a completely different species of Pokemon. The piercing red eyes was the detail Red noted as the defining trait he declared it a beast different from his own Charizard.
The irises glinted with its rare coloring. They burned red: blood red: fire red.
-"You…you look different Charizard,"- Gabite cocked his head thinking this was a cruel joke. –"How did you paint your skin like that? With berries?"-
Ember's Charizard glowered menacingly. –"What are playing at runt?"- his voice rumbled with intense loathe. –"I'm not any Charizard that you have met before. Ignorant bastards like you I don't usually allow to live."- A scowl broke his stiff muscles that have forgotten to smile.
Red jumped to action when he felt the disturbed Charizard aura. He figured he needed to deal some damage before he could send out Charizard for the final showdown.
"Gabite, Dragon Claw the enemy. Don't let up till you give it your all!"
-"You're not Charizard."- Gabite came to realize. –"He's not a meanie."- He roared as he dashed forward. His adrenaline overcame the pain his injured foot and made him faster.
"Dragon Claw to end this boisterous bunch," Ember stridently ordered.
-"With pleasure,"- Charizard replied. He charged head on gliding on his crimson red wings.
Gabite kept his weapons for hacking and slashing at his side as he ran without heed for his weakened body. Charizard kept his claws low as he neared. Both raised their Dragon Claws before they entered slashing range.
-"Gah!"- Gabite lunged forward with side swipe.
Charizard pounded the ground with a swift leg. He generated the push that sent him higher to a height Gabite couldn't reach. Charizard spun around to backhand the distraught dragon on the back of the head. No nonsensical blabber dribbled out Gabite's mouth as he collapsed forward.
"Great job, Gabite," Red assured his Pokemon's sacrifice won't go to waste. He cautiously eyed Charizard as he slowly reached for his last available Pokeball.
"It's too late to go back on in this battle," Ember revealed Red's hidden emotions.
Do I really feel scare? Red asked himself observing his inner emotions. He clouded his uneasiness with enthusiasm he can muster a moment's notice.
"This is not the moment for doubting," Red reassured himself. "I'm the one who needs to win. Charizard, the final curtain is about to fall. Give it your all!"
Red's Charizard flashed the bright orange and teal wings that symbolized the Charizard race. He appeared not looking amused. Anger flared in deep blue eyes directed at Ember and his Pokemon.
A thick silence ensued before Ember's Charizard broke it with,-"Have you finally become a true Charizard? Don't desecrate the name again with the aimless floundering you did last time."-
-"I'll show you the true strength a Charizard must have,"- Charizard barked back. –"My flames will once again burn you severely."-
"You need to contain yourself Charizard," Red urged for a calm demeanor. "I understand your hatred but for this battle to go smoothly we need to work together."
"Charizard, begin with…Spitfire," Ember initiated the final match.
-"If you are a true Charizard, then compete with me in the art we are known for…fiery destruction,"- the oddly colored Charizard challenged. –"I'll prove my flames can also scorch fire-types!"-
"Flamethrower! Don't you give up till we can find an opening! " Red began his assault.
-"I won't let you best me in anything,"- Charizard scoffed.
Ember's Charizard's open his mouth to form a large fire ball. Charizard's response was his powerful Flamethrower. The opposing Charizard brought his head forward to surprise both Red and Charizard by clamping his snout closed, encasing the fireball within his jaws.
Flames fluttered out Ember's Charizard's nostrils as he tried to contain the energy. A bulge could be seen traveling his long neck as if he was going to spit out a rock he ingested. Red's Charizard's Flamethrower struck right in the foe's chest and swarmed up to his arms and neck.
-"Arrgh!"- Charizard roared as his mouth opened. Balls of fire flew out of his mouth in droves the size of tennis balls. Burning as hot as the center of a volcano, the fire spit melted everything in their paths. The Spitfire that landed on the ground bore holes going deep underground. As for the fire that struck Charizard, they set his nerves on fire.
Charizard unfurled his wings to shield his body. The flames pelted his heat resisting wings doing considerable damage. All the while, he pondered on how that attack seemed familiar. A move that he vaguely remembered his kin used to use.
"Go in for a Dragon Claw," Ember followed up.
Charizard kept the momentum going by keeping the opponent on the defensive. He dashed towards his foe with his three claws splayed towards him. Two strong flaps propelled him forward and reached him the moment the Charizard retracted his wings.
-"Take this!"- Red's Partner spat a fireball identical to the one Ember's produced earlier. Instead of swallowing the flames, Charizard fired it straight forward. The fire somehow broke into individual smaller balls of fire.
The Dragon Claw-wielding Charizard flew straight through the majority of the embers. Most of it struck and clung to his long face. The Charizard abruptly stopped and landed to rub the flames away with a few swats of his hands.
Red recognized the technique as Ember's Spitfire and took out his Pokedex. Training the camera on his Pokemon, he reexamined the moves he currently knew. The only unfamiliar move he saw on the list was Flame Burst.
-"Flame Burst was what my father used to created the nests in the side of mountains,"- Charizard said, feeling a rush of memories flush through his head. Nostalgia paired with loneliness momentarily weighed down his heavy heart. His wistful thoughts left as quickly as it came.
"Charizard, try using that move again but do just like the black Charizard did by swallowing the flames," Red carefully instructed. "Then let out that fire out with a Dragon Rage attack," Red finished his theory on how Ember's combo worked.
-"Heh, a real Charizard would have already known this technique,"- Ember's Charizard sneered finally able to see again.-"Without it, you couldn't build shelter for yourself and much less survive in the wild."-
Charizard's throat constricted as he tried to eat the flames. The Dragon Rage he prepared burst out of his mouth not able to control the intense pressure. Blue fire spluttered out of his mouth like raindrops. The Blue Spitfire pelted the Charizard dealing more damage than his own Spitfire could.
-"Gack! I won't be doing that for awhile,"- Red's Charizard choked with tears in his eyes. The throat muscles needed…I will have to train more to complete it, Charizard thought feeling slightly nauseated.
Red was pleased with the results being Charizard's first time.
"Imitating my combo," Ember said sounding slightly concerned, raising his hand to the sky. "Dragon Dance. Take it to the skies."
Charizard's roar bellowed throughout the cavern with such intensity, Red thought the ceiling might collapse. Charizard flew up with the strange yet powerful dragon aura flowing around him. The swirls of red and blue light intensified as Charizard increased his strength.
Red had enough of Ember taking advantage of him by using every chance he got to increase his Pokemon's offensive stats.
"Charizard, fly swift and knock him out of the sky with Mega Punch!" Red hurried. He raised his head to follow the battle being resolved in the restricted space the cave allowed them.
-"We are dragons. We use our claws and flames for combat!"- Ember's Charizard adamantly proclaimed. He looped back with his claws armed for battle with their bright blue aura.
-"Your talk of a true Charizard is getting on my nerves!"- Charizard yelled clearly annoyed.
Red's Charizard noted the increased speed his foe acquired and implemented the observation for his next move. He raised a Metal Claw to meet the Dragon Claw. Sparks of red and blue flashed as both crushing grips clung tightly.
-"I can hardly tell if you actually boosted your strength."- Charizard scornfully said, increasingly strengthening his iron grip around the not-so-effective dragon technique.
Scarlet eyes boring holes into his taunting foe, Charizard raised his right free hand. The harsh beats of his charcoal wings couldn't drown the angered tone he adopted. –"You won't be able to comprehend true strength of a Charizard, fledgling!"-
The Charizard in control of the situation brought the other closer to strike him across the snout with a Mega Punch. Charizard held on with his Metal Claw feeling the power fade in his foe's claws. He flew higher to be above his victim and jabbed a few more Mega Punches.
-"I am not a juvenile Charmander,"- he retorted. He blew smoke out his nostrils in insolence to his foe's annoyance. Sacred blue eyes met teary angered red ones.
"Use that strength of yours, Charizard!" Ember shouted-not in an angered manner- to his beaten up fire-type. "Bring him down to your height with Crunch!"
-"I can't allow you to overpower me!"- Rejuvenated, the strength flow back through Charizard's body. He unexpectedly pulled the dominant Charizard down with both arms. Lashing out like an Arbok, Charizard bit down onto the thin membrane forming the orange wings.
-"What the hell!"- Charizard bellowed, dropping his grip. He gasped when the weight pulled him down to the earth. Flapping the other wing was futile since he couldn't carry the weight of two Charizards. He batted the fire lizard with his tail with no results.
The damage didn't stop there. Red's Charizard spine tingled when a hand grabbed his wrist. His gut wretched as he longer became the dominant Charizard. His wing was freed from the fangs of a carnivore but his opponent flipped him around to grab his other wrist.
-"Witness the power that Ember and I have strived so long to obtain,"- he now added his trainer as to the reason he became strong. He closed his wings to decrease drag and increase acceleration He directed their bodies to fall straight first into the rocky ground.
Charizard struggled in the tight grip his foe placed him in. Breathing a few words of insult, he cursed himself when Charizard opened his wings a second before hitting rock bottom. Opening his own wings to catch air only managed to increase the surface area of his body lessening the damage he took.
His thoughts danced through his head disorientating him further. Murky voices echoed off the walls but couldn't make sense of them. He peered up to see mass of fire falling down onto him. He instinctively rolled to the side. The earth rumbled under him sending a shock to his head.
"Great job of dodging!" Red proudly said. He clenched his fist, getting fired up, and punched the air. "Air Slash!" he shouted shortly.
"Flare Blitz again!" Ember ordered witnessing the first one had enough power to tear up the ground.
Charizard hopped up to his feet. Brimming with energy yet still felling slightly woozy, scanned the area for his target. To his surprise, the Shiny Charizard lay before him in the torched crater recently created. His right wing shot right open and took a step forward to slash the air.
Confident and smug, Charizard's expression transformed the moment he was slash. A sharp pain made him stumble backwards howling for relief.
The Charizard flinch led Red to jumping towards the offensive side. "Flamethrower him until he turns darker than the night sky he hunts in," Red exclaimed.
The Flamethrower pushed back the Charizard but stood his ground once he recovered. Using his right wing as a shield, Charizard endured the flames for a moment before withdrawing his wing. A Fire Blast pushed back the stream of fire with little difficulty.
Red's Charizard avoided it by jumping into the air. Ember's Charizard expected as much and already took flight. A sickly familiar purple aura wrapped around Charizard's claws extended to five inch daggers. He reached with the longer claws for an upward slash.
Charizard's bulging yellow stomach would have received a nasty gash if hadn't brought his Metal Claw. The Shadow Claw created purple sparks along with the screeches of metal. A struggle that lasted no more than a few seconds before the Shadow Claw prevailed.
-"The shadows will swallow you today,"- Charizard snarled, slashing again across Red's first Pokemon chest. A second slash was weakly blocked with his arm. A third slash and a fourth earned roars of pain.
Red brimmed with disbelief and horror seeing his starter get hacked up as if he were raw vegetables. "Fight back, Charizard! You didn't come this far chasing Ember to be thrown around like rag doll!" Red shouted the encouragement his friend needed.
I know I didn't come here to be humiliated, Charizard thought disgruntled for failing to block another Shadow Claw. "Especially by a fool like you!" he continued his thoughts with a clear-cut yell. He took the next Shadow Claw with a pained face but struck back with his glowing fist. Knocking back Charizard with Mega Punch, he flew back free from the onslaught.
He moved slowly like a robust machine. Rubbing his sore jaw haven't been the target of Charizard's punch, he smugly smiled. –"I have had enough of your fluttering around. I will gladly end it know,"- Charizard smiled once more seeming unnatural.
Red was simply in awe with the amount of power Ember's Charizard released in a millisecond. A dragon-like aura took over Charizard's body being bluish with the harsh tint of red. Power that Red never felt before in any Pokemon he has ever and could possibly be on par with the Legendary Birds he met.
Ember would have had no problem capturing the Legendary Pokemon, Red figured since he was chosen to detain Moltres all by himself. The others must have worked together to catch one but he…he made Drake standby.
-"Just give me the order, Ember, and I'll finally end the family bonds that tie you from reaching your goal,"- he said in a raspy voice.
Ember matched his frequency on an understanding level with his Charizard. "We won't allow Red and his Charizard to get in our way," he strongly began, "so Charizard-Outrage!" He commanded with all of his authority.
"Damn, this is really bad," Red said recoiling from the power Charizard fully unleashed. Charizard will definitely not be able to survive that! Red dreaded.
"Charizard, avoid being hit at all costs!" Red yelled with urgency. "Smokescreen to hide yourself!"
-"That is the cowardly way of fighting."- Charizard shot back aggravated. –"I have to face him head on."-
Red felt the irritation as well as the stance he took prepared to fight, he knew Charizard wasn't listening. "Hear me out, Charizard! I can't win this without you!" Red said, throwing out his arms to further emphasize the importance he meant. "However, I need you to cooperate with! I know how you strongly you feel but those feelings need to be guided with your rationality. Please Charizard!"
-"Don't dare and flee from me!"- Ember's Charizard clamored with a thicker, raspy voice. The Outrage power having taken over his body through blind rage, Charizard acquired the dragonic-aura that even gave his flames a slight purple tint.
A roar fitting of a beast the size of Red's house boomed throughout the cavern. His last cry before Charizard recklessly charged at the conflicted enemy.
-His strength…has dramatically increase- Charizard finally grasped. –But to…-
-"Tch!"- Charizard scrunched his face disgusted. He tossed his flummoxed thoughts and breathed out thick, black smoke. The black cloud expanded to encompass the entire ceiling, hiding both Pokemon from view but aura detecting kept the trainers from being oblivious to the action.
Ember's Charizard showed signs of impatience and fretfulness through his aimless flying. Insolent words rolled of his tongue as he searched for his opponent.
-"Come out and face me, fledgling!"- he insulted and challenged profusely. Black was all he saw with his limited eyesight, constantly blinking as the ashes stung his eyeballs.
"Behind you! To your right! Lower left!" Ember provided the location of Red's Charizard only to move before his Pokemon could even act on his directions.
The Outrage faded over time leaving Charizard disorientated. Being in smoke equivalent to a pitch black room didn't help his vestibular sense. His anger grew weaker and his headache grew worse. Wooziness left him unable to comprehend his trainer's warnings of Charizard descending onto him.
Charizard dropped down onto the exhausted Charizard's back. His weight wasn't even required to bring the once livid Charizard down out of the suffocating cloud. He channeled an Earthquake technique directly onto the foe's back. The stone ground trembled from the impact of two fire dragons colliding into the mountain.
Winning now seemed probable for Red as he witnessed the Blaze ability activated on Ember's Charizard. He figured one last attack will stop the rampaging Charizard for good.
Red's Charizard however, felt something was more important than ending the battle. –"What's wrong with you?"- He vaguely asked straightforward.
Ember's Charizard grunted having trouble breathing. –"You now mock me with inane questions,"- he replied bitterly. –"I was thwarted by cheap, gutless tricks."-
-"It should have never worked,"- Charizard sternly said taking one foot off. –"Smoke shouldn't be able to clog our senses."-
-"Our senses? You mean a Charizard shouldn't be affected by smoke?"- He asked genuinely surprised. –"Then why did you even attempt it?"-
-"Because I remembered your reaction my smoke blowing into your face,"- he recounted the minimal gesture. –And I'm sure Red caught on as well-, he mentally added. "Your eyes were irritated by the smoke I determined by your agitated tears. We Mt. Silver Charizards don't feel smoke aggravate our eyes since we have adapted to the close quarters smoke."-
-"I…see,"- he solemnly said.
Charizard added pressure onto his one foot keeping his nearly defeated foe. –"Where are you from?"- he vehemently demanded. He figured this Charizard was from a different biome in Kanto or from a different Region. Clues might be revealed to help tell him where his family has gone too.
Coughing and hacking he replied with a hoarse, -"I don't know."-
"Dragon Rage now!" Red anxiously ordered.
Ember maintained his composure during the unfavorable events. "Flare Blitz," was all he said.
-"It must be said,"- the shiny Charizard grumbled. –"I don't know my Charizard family for I never had one. I was found abandoned by Ember."-
Charizard delayed Red's request for the conversation. –"Then how come you boast about being a true Charizard when you never experience what is like to live with my kin?"- Charizard argued. He let the Dragon Rage strengthen within him ready to end it at a moment's notice.
-"Because…I was raised by a Charizard..."- The Charizard revealed. –"The Charizard belonged to Ember's father. He was my foster father…but you were raised by an immature boy!"-
-"He is not just a boy. He is my Pokemon trainer,"- Red's Charizard defended. –"He trained me to become much stronger than your adopted ass."- He viciously insulted before his Dragon Rage left his mouth.
Underneath the blue flames, Ember's Charizard became enraged. –No, he prepared me for greater deeds. If I lose here, Ember would get caught and terminate my goal…-
-"I can't let it end like this!"- Charizard resuscitated himself. His fiery cloak shrouded his entire being. He raised his wings and pushed himself of the ground
-"Just give up!"- Charizard pushed down harder along with a second Dragon Rage. He caught his balance almost falling backwards by his opponent's quick recovery.
Shrouded in his Flare Blitz, Charizard dashed to grab his foe's long neck with a fiery claw. He increased his strength to lift him up effortlessly.
Red's spirits sank into dread. "Charizard, escape from his grasp! Mega Punch!"
Charizard used all his power to try to remove the tight grip around his throat. Flapping his wings, kicking and punching slowed his ascent but didn't completely stop him.
-"I will find the truth!"- Ember's Charizard shouted flying straight up. Lifting his helpless victim, Charizard tackled full force. He Flare Blitz Charizard into the ceiling.
Red shouted for his Pokemon only to be drowned out by the ceiling's rumbling. He didn't bother to dodge the falling debris and focused his thoughts to the roughed up Charizard falling to the ground.
A faint life force emanating from Charizard convinced Red the battle wasn't a total lost. The Blaze around Charizard emitted stronger that Red has ever felt it before. He knew Charizard hasn't giving up by his spirit.
Ember crushed Red's last hopes of ever winning. "Rock Slide for good measure."
"What? That's simply overkill!" Red cried. He fretfully searched his belt for Charizard's Pokeball.
Rocks tumbled from the ceiling directly above Charizard who eyed them with a weary look as if accepting his fate. He wasn't retrieved back in the Pokeball in time and disappeared beneath the boulders. Entombed in rocks, Charizard's life dimmed to the point Red could barely sense him.
Red collapsed on his knees. He punched the ground out of frustration with a loud curse. Letting dread and despair settle within him, Red recalled his aura powers. He could still and try to heal him.
An easy way to heal with aura was to channel his own into Charizard's inner soul. Mend the inner soul so the rest could start to heal itself, Red described to himself his lessons. He rushed towards his injured Pokemon, sneakers pounded across the ground.
Fatigued combined with his eagerness to finish the battle, Charizard landed too quickly for his safety. His landing boomed with his great weight sending shocks of pain down his knees. He grumbled in discomfort.
-"What are you planning to do?"- he asked not hopeful for an answer. –"He's done for and you'll share his fate."-
Red blasted the rubble with an Aura Sphere, making sure Charizard doesn't get hurt. His glowing hand dug into the rubbish to push apart the broken rocks. Bright red illuminated from within the rock tomb, urging Red to dig further.
"Charizard! Hold on!" he shouted through the cracks. He continued to shout as if his voice would revive his fallen Pokemon.
Red's voice was no more coherent than his deranged thoughts. The boulders didn't completely crush him as their irregular forms created the space he lay in. The boulders still managed to snag his legs and tail along with his left wing.
-I can't bear this any longer,- he realized, hearing the darkness call out to him. Red's voice seemed to get clear as the weight lessened on top of him.
"Charizard, I got you. Just bare with me," Red warmly ensured, making eye contact with Charizard's lazy one eye. The rocks on top were the first he pushed off.
"Halt right there, Charizard," Ember called off his Pokemon.
Charizard glanced back at Ember, fire spilling out of his vile jaws. He uncomfortably swallowed his flames. –"But they are on the precipice of defeat. I need to end this for good!"-
Ember glared back for his Pokemon's outrage. "We have done what we were ordered to do. That is to protect the vault," he unkindly reminded. "Now, let's go help Drake fight the Elite Four member."
Charizard stomped the floor in rebelliousness. –"You may have your goals, but mine are not the same,"- he loudly declared.
"Keep yourself together!" Ember unexpectedly shouted.
"Aerodactyl go help Red!" Lance shouted throwing his Pokeball in Ember's direction.
A prehistoric Pokemon flew out of the Pokeball on violet bat-like wings. Gray leathery skin stretched across its slim body and jarring massive jaws. A high pitch screech announced his arrival.
"Dragonite Extreme Speed!"Drake sent out a second Pokemon to tackle Lance's Fossil Pokemon.
Dragonite slammed his massive body into Aerodactyl, sending him into the cave wall, stunning him long enough for the shiny Charizard to make his defiant move.
Lance rushed towards Red's aid but his Gyarados's body was flung at his direction. He jumped to the floor to avoid the being crushed by the heavy body mass.
Charizard ignored his trainers cry for obedience and used his Blaze ability to generate a massive Fire Blast. The size of the Fire Blast reached twice the size of his regular one.
-You know as well as I do that this needs to be done or else…- Ember's Charizard grimaced.
-"I won't let Red die!"- Red's Charizard let loose with his sudden yell. Fire erupted from his body as he stood up triumphantly. The remaining boulders shot in all directions by his outburst.
Red stumbled backwards, falling onto his back. He lay there in awe of Charizard's magnificent flames. He saw the world in Charizard's flames. Enchanted by its flow, he saw a glowing Pidgeot, a fiery Pikachu, the slithering bodies of Ekans and Arboks in those flames.
Blast Burn, Red echoed the name of the attack in his mind. Not actual flames but the user's aura becomes so hot it takes on the form of fire. Emotions are controlling these flames, which can be helpful as high emotions can create stronger flames but will be harder to control. Having control over ones emotions is the key to gaining complete control of the power. Red reiterated Brom's words. Yet, in all the training they have done, Charizard failed to even control a small ember.
Charizard extended his arm as to punch and sent a fireball from his body that he manipulated into the five point star. The Fire Blast was swallowed by the ravenous aura flames. Excellent control over the element he demonstrated elegantly.
His Blaze boosted Fire blast being decimated before his eyes didn't seem to lift an emotion close to shock or anger from Charizard. He stepped forward acting quite curious. -"Is this that strange power you used to badly burn me?"- he asked. Those burns took quite awhile to heal; he remembered the countless burn heals Ember wasted to soothe his injuries.
With his Aura detecting abilities, Ember sensed the life the flames emitted. The fire carried Charizard's determination along with his passion for fighting. Such feelings powered the mystical flames Ember determined.
"Charizard, stand clear of those flames," Ember strictly said. "Fly up and Flame burst. Try to find a weak spot. One small hit is all we need to win!"
-"Crap, my wing muscles are going to be sore tomorrow,"- Charizard muttered his skewed priorities. He slowly ascended on leathery wings.
A Flame Burst showered Charizard only to be consumed by his fiery armor. Stepping forward, the flames streamed behind him like fiery streamers. Acting as living torch, Charizard extended a large fiery arm to bock the incoming Fire Blast.
Red jolted up. "I believe your waiting for your order," Red said. He pointed to Ember's charcoal Charizard and shouted, "Roast the Charizard out of the sky. Blast Burn!"
An unintelligible roar from Charizard sent the lively flames into a frenzy state, dancing around his body. The Blast Burn receded into his body before launching straight into the air. The Blast Burn naturally flowed out Charizard's body from no visible pores but from his inner soul.
Like a sentient being, the Blast Burn snaked it ways to the ruthless, cold-blooded killer Charizard while giving the cave an orange hue. It opened its fiery jaws trying to eat its prey. Much slower than usual, Charizard couldn't fly his way out f its grasps.
"Overheat!" Ember gave his final order.
Charizard relied on this last move. He glow bright white as the flames shrouded him from view. A hushed blast could be heard and the fire encasing expanded to phenomenal proportions. The Blast Burn kept its fire walls and slowly deflated to strangle the wounded Charizard.
A break in the aura flames opened up when Charizard plowed through the side, receiving unforgiving burns. He lunged at his attacker, Charizard. Ignoring the cool air irritating his burns, he dived down with a flickering Dragon Claw, showing he was on the verge of flopping down exhausted.
Red's Charizard clenched his fist. His Blast Burn spiraled back towards him. It caught up to the desperate Charizard and ensnared him on more, as well as the last time. The Blast Burn dissipated, leaving only the charred remains of Ember's Charizard.
Ember's Charizard collapsed on the ground like dead weight. An instant knock out from the impact left Red with a bolstering aura.
Victorious, Charizard basked in his well-deserved rest. He sat down, not even bothered by the ruggedness poking him in the butt. Slashed and bruised, Charizard wallowed in a soft hum he produced from his elongated throat. He didn't know why but the sound he produced calmed his nerves as well as providing a pleasurable feeling in his mind.
Red grabbed Charizard by the shoulders. Congratulating his starter overcoming the foe, he rewarded Charizard with relief. He sent pulses of aura directly to Charizard's core in gentle waves. The outer body will heal through the core Red noted.
"Shit! How could you lose to a stupid brat, Ember?" Drake yelled incredulous. "How did this fraudulent trainer manage to defeat you?" Drake was clearly outraged as if he held Ember as an unbeatable person by natural law.
Ember didn't express the amount of distress Drake revealed. The small expressions Ember displayed throughout the battle contained no emotion behind. The end was no different. He leisurely returned his Pokemon with no response.
The dead silence agitated Drake. "Damn you, Ember! Altaria! Dragonite! Dragon Claw the boys to shreds!"
"Don't leave your enemy a wide opening!" Lance bellowed, lifting his silky cape to throw it back as to create a heroic pose. "Aerodactyl and Gyarados, Ice Fang both of them!"
Aerodactyl darted towards the faster, yet bulkier yellow Dragon to clamp down ice-coated fangs. Gyarados glided across the ground to drag down Altaria with his gaping jaws.
"Red, move on forward," Lance urged in the midst of battle. "I'll handle Drake and make sure both are put under the Pokemon Association custody. Try and find a way past that stone barrier."
Red stood back allowing his Charizard to stand up and stretch his renewed muscles. He let his ferocious fighter follow him to his meeting with Ember. His uneasiness rose a few levels by Ember's idle stare. Charizard being behind him brought some comfort as he stopped a few feet away before his brother.
Ember spoke first with a question. "What is it you plan to accomplish now that I have been defeated?" he asked. "Is it satisfactory that you final managed to surpass me in power?"
Definitely the questions a sore loser would asked, Red said in his head. "I'm here to simply end Kuraisora, preferably before your moon based plan starts."
"But it has already started," Ember blatantly said.
"Then I will have to find the nearest medical supplies your base has," Red demanded. "And don't try an act as if you guys don't have potions. The nearest Pokecenter is on Five Island, which is long distance to cross just to heal your Pokemon."
-"If you refuse, I'll give you the same burns your Charizard,"- Charizard threaten venomously.
"I may not like to hurt people but Charizard is still angered by the two times you tried to kill me," Red innocently threatened Ember indirectly.
Ember reached into the front pocket of his sweater, alerting both trainer and Pokemon. He took out a handful of yellow shards along with a few white-blue potions.
"I'm ashamed to see that you're not prepared for this attack on Kuraisora," Ember sneered, holding up the healing items.
"I do happen to carry with me potions but I just don't want to waste them now," Red revealed being one of those trainers who rarely use his own potions. Also, you have some pretty rare medicine, Red mentally added seeing Ember carried the expensive Revive along with the powerful Max Potion.
"I'll be taking those," Red said with a small smirk.
