Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. Neither do you. If you do please ignore the last sentence and do not sue me. Hooray. But I do own my OCs. Which do not include Dave. Or RJ.
R'N'Rer, I sent you a message regarding that… yeah, 'cos you wrote it as Hunter in the profile you sent me, and since I didn't understand what a Hunter was, I didn't put it in. If you want, you can catch one later on, but ghosts don't appear for a bit… so maybe something else…?
And if you're wondering where I've been, I've just returned from an 8-day trip to China… it was great fun there but it's good to be back. Sorry for the lack of updates while I was away… at any rate, here's the next chapter of Pokémon Go! Last chapter, the Double Battle had just started…
The four trainers stood, two on each side. You could almost see the tumbleweeds tumble across the short stretch of clearing between their four Pokémon. Griven pawed at the ground, impatient to begin, while the Espeon just yawned and gazed intently at her two adversaries. Fia the Pidgeotto was perched on a rock, while the Vulpix seemed just as intent as the Growlithe. The tension built like the ascent on a rollercoaster ride; at any moment…
Four trainers simultaneously called out their commands.
"Let's go, Griven! Ember on the Pidgeotto!"
"Go on and use Confuse Ray on Growlithe, Vulpy!"
"Espeon! Use Confusion on that Pidgeotto!"
"Fia, blow the Espeon away with Gust!"
The Pokémon responded almost immediately, turning the battle into an immensely confusing display.
Leaping into the air, Griven let loose a fiery blaze from its mouth, only to be sent straight into the strong gust of wind that Fia had worked up. The flames sparked, catching it on a wing, but sending most of the flames toward Griven and especially Espeon, who had just enough time to send Pidgeotto crashing into a tree before being torched herself.
Vulpy's Confuse Ray attack sent a beam of dark anti-light crashing into Fia, who'd managed to get itself between Griven and her. After all, Griven had leapt into the air.
None of the Pokémon were out, but they were all hurt one way or the other, with the exception of Vulpy. Taera jumped in excitement until her partner shot her a withering glare. Then she thought perhaps it'd have been better if she just hadn't attacked.
Dave and Erynn glanced at Ash, who still lay under the shade of a tree. It wasn't hard to see that he was laughing. He didn't make much of an attempt to hide it.
"Like you'd do much better yourself…" Erynn's growl was directed pointedly at him, but it didn't stopper his mirth in the least.
"In case you've forgotten, using Ditto requires me to synchronize the moves of more than just two Pokémon. If you can't even organize your attacks to work in tandem with each other, how can you ever expect to win?"
Ash went back to playing with Hoppip and Ditto. The four trainers stood there, before realizing the battle wasn't over yet. The confusion had worn off Fia by now, and the other two Pokémon had shaken off the light damage.
Dave looked at the rest of them. He wasn't looking very sure.
"You think maybe we should spend some time discussing our strategies before coming back to battle one another?"
The Pidgeotto-girl shook her head.
"I don't think Pokémon battles are meant to work like that. Let's just start this thing over."
The rest of them shrugged helplessly.
"Fine by me…"
"I guess there isn't anything else to do anyway…"
"Come on, Vulpy, let's do this!"
The four trainers stood up to the plate once more. This time they were all determined to work as a team… or at least, they hoped. Ash tried to look serious. Ditto continued doing whatever it was Dittos did. Hoppip swayed gently in the breeze.
"Espeon, use Sand Attack!"
Espeon swung itself to a side, kicking sand directly at the two Pokémon.
"Fia! Gust it away!"
The Pidgeotto responded in a flurry of feathers.
"Now, Bite it, Griven!"
Espeon cut away its Sand Attack as Griven rushed at Fia from a side, sending the two of them crashing to the ground.
"Vulpy, help Fia with a Quick Attack followed by a Disable!"
The diminutive Vulpix rushed into the large Growlithe, knocking it off the bird Pokémon. Before it could recover, the Vulpix had turned its large eyes on it; as her pupils shrank to narrow slits, Griven grew steadily jaded…
"Espeon! Knock the Vulpix out of it with Confusion!"
"Fia; stop it with a Tackle attack!"
The Espeon concentrated its gaze on the Vulpix, even as the Pidgeotto flew at it from above. Its wings cut the air in a streak of white and brown; the soft whistling sound as of an arrow racing towards its objective.
"Griven; use Ember!"
Sluggishly, the Growlithe responded with a stream of fire directed at the Pidgeotto. Screeching, it pulled away from the heat before it could score a direct hit, but only manage to deal Espeon a glancing blow. The Vulpix, thrown off balance by the psychic attack, tripped and fell to the ground, rolling and recovering to face the two Pokémon.
Taera turned to the Pidgeotto-girl, and the two of them seemed to be discussing something. Uneasily, Erynn turned to Dave; they had no choice but to strike first.
"Espeon, take them on with a Swift!"
"Griven; use Roar to disorientate them!"
The two trainers simultaneously called out their orders. Espeon released a stream of stars, hitting the Pokémon for light damage. The trainers seemed to have reached a consensus; Griven's roar only distracted the Pokémon a little.
"Now Quick Attack!"
Espeon moved like the wind; now it was only a white blur. It rushed full at the Vulpix, ready to take it down.
"Fia! Use Whirlwind!"
Unexpectedly, a strong gust of wind issued from Pidgeotto, sending the lavender cat flying backward. Pidgeotto-girl looked on approvingly and nodded to the girl Taera.
"Now, Vulpy! Use Ember!"
The Vulpix slipped directly under the Pidgeotto, sending a stream of flame through the center of the Whirlwind. Like a bullet through a barrel, it shot straight at Espeon, the heat fanned by the intense wind around it. Erynn cursed.
"Growlithe! Use Take Down on Espeon!"
The large fire dog slammed its weight against the cat Pokémon, freeing it from the grasp of the Whirlwind. Just in time, too; the flame attack rushed through and relentlessly punished Griven, but its fire disposition protected it, mostly, anyway.
"Espeon, you alright?"
Dave looked on as Espeon casually shrugged. Even if it were hurt, it wouldn't easily admit it, that much he knew.
Erynn turned her attention back to the two Pokémon who had initiated the attack.
"Now, Griven! It's time to use Ember!"
The Growlithe shook off the fire attack; it had endured, and would only come through stronger.
"Flash Fire!"
It released a blast of fire startling in its intensity. Somehow it had absorbed the energy of the original attack and had sent it back their way.
"Fia, dodge it with Quick Attack!"
"Vulpy; use Quick Attack to get around it!"
The two Pokémon sped off in different directions; Erynn turned to Dave, looking pointedly at Espeon. He nodded.
"Espeon; use Confusion… but on the fire!"
Immediately Espeon jumped lightly behind Griven, focusing its mind energy on the stream of flames which poured from the fiery dog-like Pokémon. The red jewel on its head flashed; an instant in a moment of chaos.
Instantly the flames began to spread; Espeon's psychic power allowed it to control the fire, manipulate it to her own direction. If it were to be disturbed at all, the power would be shattered, that much was certain, but it didn't look like the two Pokémon were going to get anywhere near.
The flames whipped about, bringing the Pidgeotto crashing to the ground.
"Fia…!"
The Pidgeotto-girl couldn't restrain her cry of surprise; the attack was far too quick for her to comprehend. Taera still had her eyes set on the battle.
"Vulpy! Use –"
There wasn't time. Seconds after, the Vulpix was hit as well. It hardly had time to stand before Growlithe brought it down with a flying Take Down.
The two girls grudgingly recalled their Pokémon. Erynn brought a gloved hand across her forehead, wiping away a trickle of sweat.
"For a moment I thought you weren't going to get it…"
Griven sank to the ground, sooty and exhausted. Erynn recalled it with a flick of her wrist, then stared at the Pokéball for a long time.
"Thanks, partner."
Dave pet Espeon on the head and turned to her.
"Yeah, your Growlithe was pretty strong back there."
Erynn raised an eyebrow. Reaching into her breast pocket, she removed a set of sunglasses and put them on.
"I was talking to you as much as Griven. And Espeon as well, of course."
She walked up to Espeon, who rubbed herself against her leg ingratiatingly. She laughed and scratched its head as Dave looked on.
"Hey… Espeon, you never are that nice to me…"
Espeon shrugged again, a slight bending of the shoulder. Then it loped gently off to find something else to do. It never really did obey.
Taera and Pidgeotto-girl walked up to the two of them.
"Fior and I would just like to say that it was pretty nice battling with you, and that we could've won," Taera said a little too bluntly, "oh, and here's the money we owe you."
The Pidgeotto-girl, Fior, shrugged helplessly as the two of them walked off. Ash rose from the tree and walked over as the two of them kept the cash.
"Well, I'm glad that's over. Our exiting this forest is long overdue. Once we're all done staring at the ground, perhaps we might get ready to go?"
The two of them nodded fairly enthusiastically. After all, the forest wasn't terribly exciting.
"Oh… and nice battle, the two of you. You managed to pull together some sort of combo after all."
Erynn rolled her eyes. She was more than a little resentful.
"You're speaking as though you're far older than either of us… you're not in any way better than we are, you know."
Ash shrugged. It wasn't in his line to speak tactfully; of course, he knew how to, but usually found it quite a hassle.
"One of these days we should just sit down and discuss some double-battle strategies is all I'm saying… but for now, we've got to get to Fluoride…
"And so long as I'm stuck with you, just know that I'll never be deliberately rude or… anything."
Espeon slipped out of the bushes ahead of them. With a paw it pointed the way out of the forest; there wasn't much further to go. Happy for the distraction, Dave walked up to Espeon and looked back at the two of them.
Ash shrugged again and trudged on. Erynn shook her head, her face thoughtful. Running forward, she caught up with him, but that was it.
A few minutes later, they passed another large sign.
Thank you for visiting Rubidide Forest. We at Immaterion Corp hope to obstruct you again!
Ash watched the silhouette of Fluoride City with trepidation, and a sense of growing excitement. A glance to his left and right showed his companions' feelings mirrored his own. In the sepia sunset, the city seemed like something out of a picture postcard; roads led out of it in all directions, now they were heading up its southern road.
Fluoride City… home of the Synchro Badge… and the League's first Double Battle gym.
Ditto waddled up onto his head again.
"And a PokéCentre, I hope…"
A/N: So… after Ash's first badge, the Atmos, here's the second gym, and it's going to be interesting. This is the first time I've tried doing a Double Battle sequence, and the Pokémon combinations could've been more ideal. But at least I didn't repeat any move combinations… so I'm happy, and I hope you are too.
This chapter is a bit more than serious, so I hope you all don't mind. Gonna take some time to get back into it since coming back, and everything's a little rushed with the holidays coming to an end here. The next chapter might take more than a day to write, but rest assured, RJ will be in it.