Nimbasa Arc: An Electrifying Battle
Mari took her position on the field and tried to block out the audience. Elesa braced one arm on her hip. "I'm going to show you how much my Pokémon and I shine! You will be dazzled by our appearance!" With a dance move, Elesa sent her first Pokémon onto the field. "Flaaffy, you're in the spotlight now!" Mari closed her eyes and reached for a Poké Ball. She held it to her lips. "I trust you, Zorua..." Then, the threw the ball. "All right, Kirlia! Let's go!" Her disguised Zorua landed on the field and bowed. "We'll start with Electric Terrain!" Elesa shouted and yellowish mist spread on the ground of the field. "Shadow Ball!" Mari commanded. Zorua raised its slender arms and shot a ball of dark shadows at its opponent. "Cotton Shield!" Flaaffy created a thick wall of absorbent cotton in front of it and the ball bounced against it. "Dig", Mari commanded and Zorua disappeared into the ground, making it look like it teleported away with an illusion. She heard curious and astonished murmurs from the audience. Zorua appeared behind Flaaffy and its hand was surrounded by shadows as it aimed a Shadow Claw at Flaaffy. It was hit in the back. The sheep jumped back. "Electro Ball!" It charged, seeming to absorb energy from the electric field. It gathered electricity in front of it and then hurled it at Zorua in the form of a clenched ball. It dodged, but the sphere grazed its shoulder. It growled and its mirage faded. "What a shame." Elesa chuckled and nodded appreciatively. "With a normal trainer, your trick would have worked. But you're fighting an gym leader here. I have a little more experience on that field. Flaaffy, use Body Slam!" Flaaffy shot forward and threw itself against the smaller Pokémon. Zorua was whirled through the air and landed on the ground ungently. It gasped as it got up again and shook itself. "Attack!" Mari shouted. Zorua nodded and sprinted off. Flaaffy continued to Electro-Ball it, and Zorua dodged the attacks using feints before leaping into the air and lunging at it with Shadow Claw. It hit Flaaffy, whose counterattack was not long in coming. The next Electro Ball was a critical hit and Zorua went down. It yelped softly. "Zorua! Are you all right?" It nodded and bravely got up again. "Use Feint Attack, quick!" Zorua narrowed its eyes and attacked again. "A big mistake, my dear! Right after the first one!" Elesa shouted, and the next Electro Ball exploded thunderously as it hit Zorua. Zorua shrieked and collapsed. It remained lying on the ground. "Ru...a..." The audience held their breath in anticipation as the dance remix of And We Run played in the background and Flaaffy stood back up in front of Elesa. Zorua had squinted one eye as it stubbornly forced itself back to its feet and staggered. Then, its body suddenly lit up. "Is that what I think it is?" Jacky stood in the front row and then shouted with joy, "Yes! Zorua is evolving!" The audience shrieked enthusiastically and applauded as the light grew brighter and then went out. In Zorua's place now stood a bipedal Pokémon with gray and dark red fur. A Zoroark. "Now that's what I call a comeback!" Elesa clapped her hands as well.
Zoroark glared at its opponent. The sight of her evolved Pokémon gave Mari new courage. She looked at her Pokédex and then forward again. "Okay... Zoroark, Shadow Ball!" she called out. Zoroark hissed and fired a quick Shadow Ball at its foe "Flaaffy! Use Cotton Shield, quick!" Flaaffy rolled up so it became a ball of wool and the attack bounced off it gently. "Dig and then, attack again!" Zoroark buried itself in the ground and then jumped high into the air near Flaaffy. Its next Shadow Ball hit its head.
"Waaa!" The Pokémon slumped down, unable to fight. Zoroark landed back on the ground. The audience clapped their hands. "Way to go, Zoroark!" Mari exclaimed enthusiastically.
"Keep it up! You're winning this!" Jacky cheered at them. Her Noibat perched on her head and flapped its wings enthusiastically. The music changed to Sinéad, also from Within Temptation, as Elesa withdrew her Pokémon, holding the next Poké Ball. "You were so beautiful. You're really something when you unleash your powers. But Zoroark doesn't look so fit anymore, what do you think?"
Mari smiled. "Zoroark, you've done enough. Thank you. Get some rest." She withdrew it. "On to the next round, Gabite!" Roaring, the dragon emerged onto the field. "Let's go, Zebstrika!" Elesa's Zebstrika landed on the field, scuffing its hooves. "Now let's get started, Gabite! Dragon Rage!" Gabite sent blue flames towards the zebra, but it simply dodged them. "Flame Charge!" Zebstrika reared back as it enveloped itself in flames and galloped at the dragon. It hit Gabite, which skidded back and hissed softly. "Dragon Claw!" Gabite lashed out in retaliation, hitting Zebstrika's shoulder. "Flame Charge again!" Once more, Zebstrika rammed himself against Gabite and then thundered past it to prevent an immediate counterattack. "Earthquake, Gabite!" Gabite roared, making the ground tremble. Zebstrika pushed itself off the ground and then, once it landed again, it flame charged at its opponent again. The dragon was hit and began to fret. "Zebstrika is getting faster every time it uses the attack... We have to counter it. Gabite, we need to keep it at a managable distance! It's a melee attacker, so let's go with Dragon Rage!" Gabite spat flames at the foe, but Zebstrika dodged, easily. "Double Kick!" Zebstrika's hooves hit Gabite in the chest. It backed away and an angry red glow gleamed in the dragon's eyes. 'Dammit... Even with ranged attacks incoming, Zebstrika can still easily dodge them and close in. Even with a type advantage, it doesn't look so well for us right now... I need a plan. Quickly.' She thought of a solution. When Zebstrika attacked again, she stretched out her arm. "Dragon Claw! Dive away under it, Gabite!" This time, Gabite didn't try to dodge or counter. It dug away under Zebstrika's hooves and hit its belly with Dragon Claw. Zebstrika gasped. "Stomp! Finish it off!" The zebra raised a hoof and rammed Gabite to the ground with pure force. Gabite, however, did not surrender so easily. It made one last attempt to stand up, using Earthquake before its limbs failed and it collapsed. Zebstrika staggered. "You put up a good fight, Gabite. Thank you. Come back." Mari withdrew it. "Well then, Zoroark! Off to battle with renewed energy!" Zoroark landed back on the field. The short break had done it good. It seemed much more refreshed. "Shadow Ball!" Zoroark hurled a ball at its foe. "Spark!" Zebstrika reared back and smashed the attack with its hooves. "Zoroark, time for your our new attack! Night Daze!" Shadows wreathed Zoroark's arms as it slammed into the ground, releasing a wave of shadows that spread rapidly. Zebstrika neighed loudly as the attack hit it full-on. "Zebstrika, no!" Elesa screamed as it crashed to the ground. Gabite's previous attacks had already taken a toll on it. "Let's finish it! Shadow Ball!" Mari shouted. Zoroark leapt into the air and let a sphere thunder against its opponent with full force, finishing them off. Zebstrika remained lying there, beaten. The audience applauded enthusiastically and cheered for her. "Yay! Way to go, Zoroark!" Mari smirked. Zoroark turned to her and came toward her. It pressed its pointed snout against her and Mari hugged it.
"Congratulations." Kamilla applauded along with the audience and then withdrew her Zebstrika. "It was so breathtaking to watch you. You should be proud of yourselves." Mari petted Zoroark and then withdrew it, as well. Jacky jumped over the railing, running up to Mari and falling around her neck. "You guys were awesome! Zoroark's new attack is incredibly powerful!"
Mari smiled nervously. "Hahaha... eh... Yes. We outdid ourselves.",
"Tomorrow, it's my turn." Jacky laughed with excitement.
"You'll rock it", Mari said encouragingly.
"Yes! Tomorrow, I'm going for my third badge! I won't give up!",
"Speaking of badges... Can you please let me go?",
"Oh. Of course." Jacky nodded as Elesa came to Mari with a small box. She opened it. "Here's your trophy for this stunning victory. The Bolt Badge. You and your Pokémon, wear it with a smile as bright as the sun. You've earned it." Mari carefully took the badge out of the box and stretched it in the air. "Here we go! Fourth badge claimed!" The audience jeered. Then, Mari placed the newly won badge in her badge box. "I'm at half now... Only four more badges left!"