Bolts of lightning split the air, cries bellowed and fists roared with thunderous crashes. Electabuzz and Tyrogue danced about Route 16's plains, locked in ferocious combat. From a fair distance away, Green shouted.
"Come on Tyrogue! Don't let him lead!"
Tyrogue danced around Electabuzz's flurry of thunder punches. He ducked beneath one, only to have to weave around another, never being afforded a single moment's respite. He held his fists on either side of his head. Badly charred, they absorbed the occasional glancing blow. Up and down, and side to side Electabuzz's eyes shifted. They followed Tyrogue as if they were magnetised to him. His two, yellow antenna twitched, sparked and shot a small bolt at Tyrgoue's feet. Tyrogue leapt back and the bolt blew apart the ground. No sooner had Tyrogue dodged back did Electabuzz lunge forward. His fist, veiled in wild whipping bolts, struck Tyrogue across the side of his head. Tyrogue staggered and a second punch swung from below, striking him clean in the chest. The punch sent him flying backwards a fair distance. Electabuzz began whirling his arm, creating a glowing circle of yellow electricity. Tyrogue landed on his back, rolled and sprang to his feet.
"Buzz!"
A thick bolt cracked the air, hitting Tyrogue quicker than the blink of an eye. Black, charred streaks sliced across his body. Smoke wafted from the streaks, collecting above his head. He collapsed with glazed-over eyes. The red beam of his pokéball hit him and Green clipped his ball to her belt, joining the other three.
"Great spacing, buddy!"
Green ran across the field to a grinning Electabuzz. He pumped his fists, sending yellow sparks flying in all sorts of directions.
"Buzz buzz!"
"Okay okay! Calm down, listen up."
Electabuzz pumped his fists a few more times before lowering them.
"Your power level is good, for now. It's enough to take out Pokémon like Tyrogue but against more powerful opponents it won't even make them flinch. Take a small break and we'll work on getting your lighting attacks stronger, okay?"
Electabuzz nodded.
"Buzz!"
He dropped down onto the grass and sprawled out. As Green crossed the field to her healing machine, she pondered Tyrogue's fight. At first, she planned to use what she'd learned from raising Mankey to train Tyrogue. They were both of similar sized and body types after all. However, that clearly wouldn't do. Tyrogue lacked any of Mankey's ferocity. He was a cautious fighter, who relied on clear and easy openings to land his attacks. The skill to create such openings was there, but he was being too cautious. Electabuzz had left himself vulnerable plenty of times. His style of wide, swinging strikes created plenty of opportunities for Tyrogue's small, skinny limbs to slip through and find a strike. Getting him to see those gaps and not be afraid to use them would be their new focus, Green decided. In the meantime, she put his ball into the healing machine and gathered up a few yellow wafers for Electabuzz.
"You sure you didn't catch a different Elekid while I was gone?"
Abby was lounging by their supplies, resting against the flat side of Green's backpack. Charmander was resting in her lap, curled up in a tiny orange ball. The flame of his tail fluttered like the flaming flag of the pole that was his tail. Seadra slept beneath her arm, resting against her side. His snout made long, deep trumpeting snores. Green chuckled and shook her head.
"Not that I recall."
Abby giggled and shrugged before returning to her nap. A gust of wind howled across the plains, shaking the grass and blowing Green's hair into her face. As she made her way back to Electabuzz, she fought to get it out of her face. But the moment she cleared it away, the wind would whip it back into place. Green grumbled.
"I wish I had hair ties…"
Instead, Green put up the hood of her jacket and tucked her hair inside it. The wind coiled its fingers around her hood and tried to tug it away but Green tightened the drawstrings and fended it off. The wind howled louder for a moment before dying away to a calm breeze. A glimpse of the setting sun cracked through the thick overcast, splitting the eternal plains down the middle with an orange streak. It cast its light on a large ruined clearing. Burnt to near-nothingness the clearing was a barren circle littered with scraps of charred grass that formed a black blanket. Boulders lay among them. Patches of steel covered their surface like the black patches of a soccer ball. The scene lay a good distance away from Electabuzz's training area.
"Make it a quick break buddy, day's almost over!"
"Buzz!"
Electabuzz sat up and stretched his arms. As his back and shoulders tensed, sparks spat from him that singed the grass and caught in his fur. Green sat down a fair distance away on a comfy mound of dirt. Her head stuck up just far enough above the grass to be able to watch Electabuzz. She placed the box of yellow wafers on her lap and cracked it open. Immediately, Electabuzz was standing before Green eyeing the box greedily.
"Only one, got it?"
Green tossed him a wafer. Electabuzz snatched it out of the air and stuffed it in his mouth. He beamed as he chewed. A shower of sparks spat from all over his body. They shone bright, like a hundred falling stars.
"Feel refreshed?"
Electabuzz sprung side to side.
"Buzz buzz!"
"Great!" Green put the box down and stood up. "Let's get started then."
Green walked out past Electabuzz into the field. He followed her with a curious gaze. His long arms swung like pendulums by his side.
"I'm gonna teach you to use the power of thunder. I want you to focus on those clouds." Green pointed to a patch of dark clouds.
Electabuzz followed her point and eyed them. His antenna twitched and a bolt sparked between them.
"It might be a little bit advanced… but we need it. I think it'll give us the edge over Janine. Don't feel bad if you can't get it. Today's already been a bit of a letdown, so there's no pressure I guess."
"Buzz!"
Electabuzz thumped his chest and glared at her.
"Yeah okay, you've done well today. But the others…"
"Eleca…"
Electabuzz kicked the dirt.
"Anyway, it doesn't matter, just do your best. Just focus on the sky and find its electric current. Oh! Clear a space too, we don't need another grass fire."
Electabuzz nodded and imbued his tail with a white glow. He spun around in a circle and his tail swept through the grass. The blades fell like trees. Electabuzz swept them away, leaving behind a clear circle of barren dirt with an inch of grass stubble. He stood in the middle and craned his neck. As he stared at the dark clouds his antenna sparked, along with his fists and tail.
"Control your breathing, buddy. Deep inhales and long exhales."
Green walked back to her mound of dirt and watched him. Electric currents came and went across his body in flashes. When Green would blink she'd catch one starting or ending. They began by only travelling a few inches but shortly they were travelling the whole length of limbs, and then eventually his whole body. The dark clouds seemed to warp but it was hard to tell if it was from the Electabuzz or the wind. As if longing for attention, the wind reared its head again. It blew across the plains, fluttering the grass and swirling dead blades into countless spirals. Green tightened her hood again while Electabuzz paid it no attention. Although his fur ruffled and his antenna bobbed, he never once took his eyes away from the clouds. Green stuffed her hands into her pockets as the nip of the wind chilled her skin.
"Once you find the current just go for it, don't worry about charging just yet!"
"Buzz!"
Electabuzz shut his eyes. For a while, nothing happened. Then a tiny yellow ember drifted from his fur. All at once, small flares of yellow flame erupted all over his body. The clouds rumbled. A yellow glow snapped across his body. But in the blink of an eye, it all vanished. It sputtered out and Electabuzz slumped to his knees panting. The wind howled and Green rushed over.
"Ah! Almost. Good first try though."
"B-Buzz."
Green placed a wafer in his hand and at once, Electabuzz gobbled it down. He shot back to his feet and beamed at Green.
"Buzz!"
"That's the spirit, give it another shot."
Electabuzz stared at the sky again, his face hardened by determination. Before he could stop her heart with a thundershock Green hurried back to her mound. She sat down and watched him go through all the same steps as before. Once again, yellow flares erupted and his body glowed. This time the tiny spurts of yellow flame were thick licks of flame and the flash of a glow remained for a few lingering seconds. Still, Electabuzz sputtered out without a spark from the sky. This time, however, he was back at it within seconds.
"Keep it up!"
As Electabuzz began his third channel, the wind surged. It tantrumed as Green had never felt it do so before. Huge waves of wind pummelled her, threatening to snatch her up and whisk her away. A few of the blasts even unsteadied Electabuzz for a moment. Green pulled her hoodie tight.
"Fucking wind…"
Suddenly, a flash burned behind her. A white light engulfed everything, casting long shadows that were still, like statues. Despite it being behind her, Green still had to shield her eyes. However, as soon as she did it disappeared. Behind her, the clearing was empty. No Abby, no bags and no healing machine. Green jumped to her feet.
"Abby!" she yelled.
The wind roared.
"Abby?!"
The clouds let out a booming clap.
"BUZZ!"
A yellow flash shone behind Green. She whipped around to see a thick stream of lighting pouring from the sky onto Electabuzz. His whole body was alight with yellow flame that danced and swirled violently. The ground shook and the air heated around her. The wind retreated and when the stream of lighting cut out, the plains were left in a state of eerie stillness. Electabuzz turned to Green with blazing eyes.
"Electabuzz!"
A shrieking cry erupted from the clouds.
"PIDGE-OT!"
A badly charred Pidgeot fell from the sky in a wild downward spiral and a hail of feathers. A fair distance away from him, what looked like a man broke through the clouds. A jolt of raw fear surged through Green and kicked her body into a full sprint. She ran towards the falling man, desperately trying to think of a way to catch him. However, she stopped as she saw the unmistakable red of a ranger's jacket flapping above him like a cape. He spun in the air, rolling onto his front. The beam of a pokéball streaked across the sky like the tail of a comet and struck Pidgeot, returning him with a flash. Another flash, much larger, quickly followed. A Pokémon Green had never seen before materialised and caught the ranger. It was huge. From a four-legged body, a giant neck craned. Leaves wrapped around it like a shell, covering it from toe to tail to the end of its beak-like mouth. An extra layer of leaf covered the base of its neck and head, creating an elongated leaf helmet. Four huge leaf wings stretched out. They took on a light blue flame and allowed the Pokémon to coast through the air. It let out a bellowing cry.
"Tropius!"
Troipus's eyes, large half ovals nestled between the plates of its leaf helmet, met Green's. Even from such a distance, Green could see them fill with green flame. He bowed his head and began a dive. Glowing leaves began peeling off from his body. Hundreds of them gathered, forming a swarm that chased after him. The ranger held onto his neck and pressed himself down flat against Tropius. Tropius dove until he was a foot from the ground, then flattened out and began speeding towards them with his trailing leaf storm.
"Electabuzz! Quick attack, get us out of here!" Green yelled.
"B-Buzz!"
Electabuzz bolted over to her, wrapped his arm around her waist and shot them to the side. One moment Green was being born down on by Tropius and the next she was a good few feet clear of his attack, crashing onto her side. The sudden jolt swept her feet from under her. Tropius came to a stop where she had been standing. The leaf storm sailed by, whistling through the air. The leaves lost their glow and fluttered to the ground.
"Settle down, sweetheart."
The ranger hopped off of Tropius's back and approached with hands raised to shoulder level. Electabuzz jumped in front of Green, his antenna twitching wildly.
"Buzz!"
He fired a bolt at the ranger's feet. The ranger stopped, wincing. Green got to her feet.
"We don't gotta fight, sweetheart. We-"
"Where the hell is Abby?!"
The ranger smirked sickeningly.
"Around."
"I won't let you take her!"
"You might want to."
"Shut up!"
"Listen, sweetheart. We don't gotta fight."
"That's what the other Lieutenant said."
"Well if I'm being frank, me and him ain't the same."
"Close enough."
"I don't think you understand the situation you're in. This ain't a fight you can win."
Green grasped her belt, caressing Machoke's ball.
"It's two on four. That seems pretty winnable."
"Flying beats fighting, kid. Just cut your losses and move on. You ain't gotta throw away a promising career as a trainer for some runaway."
"She's my friend and I'm not throwing away anything."
The ranger sighed.
"What? You think one electric type means you've won?
"I'd say so."
"I see… I expected more from a relative of Red."
Green's jaw tightened. A searing rage screamed inside her. She raised her hand and pointed at Tropius.
"Electabuzz! Go! Thunder punch!"
A white glow engulfed Electabuzz. He blinked forward past the ranger, jumped into the air and slammed a charged fist into the side of Tropius's head. Bolts erupted in every direction. However, Tropius's head wasn't moved. A green glow flashed across Tropius's leaf armour. The electricity dispersed over the surface of the leaf armour, fizzling out into nothing. It left behind a faint singe mark but didn't so much as crack the surface. Electabuzz dropped back to the ground and was greeted by Tropius's stomping foot. The thick, circular stump of a foot loomed above Electabuzz, dousing him in shadow. He dodged, jumping right into the path of Tropius's swinging tail. A devastating thwack rung as the tail caught Electabuzz across the chest and sent him flying back over the top of the ranger's head. He hit the ground a good distance to the side of Green, bouncing and skidding like a ragdoll. Miraculously, he began to struggle to his feet.
"Tropius, bulldoze."
Tropius charged toward Electabuzz. His feet burst into brown flames that crept up his thick tree trunk-like legs. Green got out of the way, running to the side. The shadow of Tropius's colossal body cast over Electabuzz as he reared onto his hind legs.
"Dodge!" Green yelled.
Trembling and with one eye shut, Electabuzz stared as Tropius stomped his feet down either side of him. His body slammed Electrabuzz to the ground, pinning him as hundreds of ripples split the ground. Everything seemed to tilt. Dirt filled the air. Rings of earth collapsed below the plains, each at a different elevation. The most central ring where Electabuzz fell the furthest, a good dozen feet below the plains and the outer ring which one of Green's feet had been on fell the least. Brown light flared from the cracks of the shattered earth. The brown flames of Tropius's feet snapped away, along with the light pouring from the tattered ground. He stepped back and began climbing out of the pit, revealing a bloody and unconscious Electabuzz. At just a glance, Green knew the damage was bad enough to immediately return him. She tossed his ball in the air, it found him and hit him with its beam before zipping back to her hand. Swiftly, Green unclipped her next Pokéball and tossed it into the air. Graveller materialised with a bewildered look on his face. On the other side of the giant crater, Tropius stood with a lowered head. Green flames erupted from his wings as he stared Graveler down. Grating laughter filled the air.
"A Graveler? Are you serious?"
Graveler recoiled, curling up slightly.
"Ignore him Graveler! We've beaten grass types before! Now, Rollout!"
"G-Grav!"
Graveler hopped up, tucked in and shot across the crater. He became a ball of brown flame and shards of blazing rock flew up to form a track over the crater.
"Leaf Tornado." The ranger said.
Once again, glowing leaves began peeling off of Tropius's body. They gathered around him and began to swirl, coming together to form a colossal glowing, green tornado. It shot towards Graveler at an unbelievable speed.
"Go up!" The words left Green's mouth before she even had time to think.
The track beneath Graveler began building up, flinging him up and around the tornado. It sailed past him and lost its glow, becoming a cloud of leaves. Graveler raced towards Tropius in a large, overhead arc. The gap closed rapidly and the brown flames engulfing Graveler grew more intense. Green glanced to her side to watch the ranger. He had his hands shoved in his jacket pockets and was watching with a blank stare.
"Leaf blade."
Tropius's tail flicked and disappeared. A horrifying crunching, crash squealed through the air. The tail appeared outstretched behind Graveler, the end of which had a blade of a hardened green light that blazed like a star. Graveler split in two with an explosion of rock, mud and blood.
"Shit!"
Green pressed the button of Graveler's ball and tossed it into the air. The ball took flight, found Graveler and intercepted his left half before it hit the ground. When the beam is stuck, both halves dematerialised. The button on the ball pulsed red. Green clenched her fist around the ball and turned to the ranger.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!"
The same blank stare met her.
"You were warned. You're in over your head, kid."
Off in the distance, an explosion thundered. A stream of purple lighting blitzed over the sky in an arc before a cloud of black smoke puffed into the air. The ranger clicked his tongue.
"Tropius! End this, capture the girl."
He muttered something else but Green didn't take the time to listen. Tropius began charging across the crater, his eyes locked on her. Her heart pounded in her ears, overbearing, like a vice squeezing her head. The world seemed to slow around her, however, it didn't afford her the privilege of being exempt. Reaching for her next Pokéball took an age. Each moment was full of the thunderous pounding of Tropius's heavy feet. Pinned between him and his trainer, Green had no choice but to act. No time to think, no time to strategize. Only one fact informed her decision, a fleeting glance of knowledge that jolted her hand to Primeape's ball.
"AAAAAPE!"
Upon release, Primeape charged immediately. His legs burst into orange flames and shot him like a fluffy cannonball towards Tropius.
"Air slash," the ranger said.
Despite Primeape's speed, Tropius's tail flicked before he had even halved the distance between them. It burst into light blue flame before disappearing. When it reappeared, it was with a crack and violent howling roar. A light blue line sliced through the air past Primeape. The side of his head erupted with blood from a deep gash that stretched from front to back. Regardless, Green yelled her order anyway.
"Fire Punch!"
Primeape didn't stagger, nor did he trip or even cry. Instead, his fists burst into red flames, he slalomed past Tropius's outstretched tail and slammed a blazing fist into the base of his neck. Flames, raw and hot exploded. They swirled around the leaf armour, eating it like an unseen swarm of Caterpie. Tropius cried out and staggered. He whipped his long neck, cracking his head into Primeape and sending him flying. Head over heels, Primeape toppled along the ground until coming to a rest on his feet. A curtain of blood oozed down his side, yet still, he glared with his one good eye. Not a sliver of pain to be seen anywhere on him. He stood tall, raised his fists and bellowed. The flames, both raw and elemental, remained bound to his fists.
"Just a little longer, buddy!" Green yelled.
The ranger clicked his tongue.
"Please, you think you're fooling anyone? He's barely got control."
"Get back in there! Destroy his wings!"
Primeape howled and charged back in, this time without the aid of fighting energy. The ranger laughed.
"Fuck me, you haven't even taught them how to dual type, have you?"
Tropius swatted at Primeape with his tail, swiping at him with a nearly invisible whip. Primeape dodged, sliding beneath and continuing his charge. The tail came back down, blocking his path but Primeape instantly dashed to the side, finding another path and pursuing it. The tail blocked again, so Primeape dashed again. Back and forth they went, a dance of openings and dead ends. The ranger sighed.
"Enough, Air Slash."
Tropius whipped his tail back and it burst into light blue flame.
"Get in there!" Green yelled.
Primeape disappeared. There was no explosion, no flash of light or flaring of energy. One moment he was on the ground, the next he was cracking Tropius across the head with a fire punch. The flame of Tropius's tail snapped out as he staggered. His round, stumpy feet caught on the first ring shelf of the crater and he stripped. Tropius fell to his side and Primeape landed on top. The ranger rushed to Green's side, eyes wide.
"What the hell was that?!"
"Anger."
Primeape pummelled his chest with his flaming fists, creating a shower of red sparks that singed Tropius's body. He let out an inferno of fire punches onto the base of Tropius's wings that ran along the middle of his back. The flames leapt up the wings in half a heartbeat. Tropius let out a long, deep screeching scream. He failed, kicking his stumpy feet and whipping his tail. It slammed into the ground, beating it like a fist. The flames around the base of his neck flared with each of Primeape's punches, flashing with streaks of red. They raced up to his head and engulfed his leaf helmet. Tropius struggled to his feet and shook Primeape off but it did nothing to qualm the flames. He scrambled up the crater, slipping and staggering on the shelves, only to collapse onto his stomach at the top. Primeape stood in the centre of the crater, huffing and puffing, legs trembling and arms barely raised. He waved them and the red flames snapped away. The raw flames lingered, threatening to venture further. But threaten was all they did. The flames snuffed out, leaving only the base of Primeape's wrists singed. The ranger stood motionless watching his burning Pokémon.
"You should return him before he dies," Green said.
The vice squeezing Green's head began to loosen ever so slightly. The ranger fumbled his pokéball off of his sleeve holster and returned Tropius.
"Alright then, you little fucking bitch. No more games."
He ripped his last pokéball off his sleeve and threw it into the air. A Dodrio was released at the edge of the crater. The three-headed, bipedal bird looked around, each of its heads with a different expression. The right looked bored, the middle looked angry and the left appeared confused.
"Drio…"
"Do!"
"Dodrio?"
Primeape glared at Dodrio, his one good eye blazing with a rage that seemed to jump from his eye into the world. The ranger stepped forward.
"Alright, you three! Quick attack!"
"Primeape, run!"
Both Pokémon disappeared with an explosion. Two white streaks danced amongst the fields, tearing paths of shredded grass in their wake. One streak gained on the other, cutting it off, redirecting it back and forth across the plains until eventually, it got in front. The other streak moved to dodge but was intercepted. They collided and Primeape went flying. He hit the ground, a ball of bloody matted fur. A huge gash wept across where his eye used to be. Dodrio's clawed foot blazed with white fire and bore blood-stained talons. Before Dodrio had the chance to run her down, Green returned Primeape and released Machoke in one swift movement. Machoke and Dodrio stood on the other side of the crater, separated by a fair distance. The middle head and Machoke stared each other down with a competing fury that only burned hotter the longer their eyes stayed locked.
"Drill Peck!"
"Rock Tomb!"
The middle head's beak burst into light blue flames, as did the eyes of all three heads. The flames swirled around the beak, spinning and twirling into a cone. Dodrio's legs burst into white flames at the same time. Machoke's legs erupted into brown flames. In a flash, both Pokémon acted. Dodrio blinked forward and Machoke stomped the ground, sending out blazing cracks in every direction. A pit dropped in the ground in Dodrio's path. His foot caught on the lip and all three heads smacked into the ground. They went head over heels, skipping off the earth towards Machoke. Machoke dropped his brown flames and charged forward. Orange flames erupted around his leg as he caught Dodrio's middle head with a devastating kick. It whipped Dodrio, killing all his momentum and then redirecting it back. He hit the ground limply, bounced a few feet and came to a rest. The two remaining heads struggled the body to its feet, as the middle hung limp. The left head looked to the right fearfully but the right just stared at Machoke with bored, drooping eyes.
"For fucks sake! Dodge his attacks and Drill Peck him!"
"Machoke, Rock Wall!"
A cone of blue flame engulfed Dodrio's right head's beak. Machoke stomped the ground, his feet ablaze with brown fire. The fire engulfed his hands too as he thrust them up, pulling a slab of hardened clay from the ground. The left head looked back and cried out.
"Drio!"
The right head turned and exclaimed too. They darted forward and avoided the wall as Machoke pulled it down on top of them. However, they were greeted by a flaming boulder. It slammed into the right head, cracking in two and leaving the head hanging limp.
"God fucking dammit! Use Drill Peck you useless fucking bird!"
The left head stared at Machoke, eyes wide. His whole body began trembling and the feather on his head drooped.
"D-Drio!"
He turned, engulfed his legs in white fire and darted away. Machoke huffed and approached the edge of the crater. He took a hold of the ledge and tore away a chunk of ground. The brown flames around his hands changed shade and the crumbling piece of dirt turned to hardened rock. It burst into brown flames and Machoke catapulted it. Like a comet, it streaked through the sky in an arch before it found the fleeing Dodrio and fell on him. Off in the distance, Dodrio fell to the ground with a faint thump. Green sighed. The vice around her head disappeared completely and she flashed the ranger a grin.
"Who's in over their head now?"
The ranger scowled as he returned Dodrio. He reached into his jacket.
"I was saving this for your friend, but since you're such a fucking pain."
The ranger pulled out another Pokéball. He tossed it into the air and it burst into a huge cloud of blinding light. A screeching cry filled the air.
"Altaria!"
A huge, blue, bird Pokémon veiled in cloud-like feathers emerged. The size of a small bus and the colour of a clear sky, it floated above them as if it weighed nothing. Its long neck stretched out from its veil of clouds, peering down at Machoke with an expression of heightened curiosity. Purple light flashed through the cloud veil, like the flash of lightning in a thunder cloud. A rain of purple sparks followed. Machoke stared back, scowling. He raised his fists and they burst into orange flames.
"I-Is that a dragon?" Green asked.
The ranger tucked his final Pokéball back into his jacket.
"I thought- Rangers aren't meant to have dragons? Right?"
"Yeah, and we ain't meant to ambush and attack people neither."
The ranger pointed.
"Altaria! Ariel Ace!"
Two wings, straight and veiled in cloud, unfolded. Altaria screeched and flapped his wings. He shot up into the sky, consumed by light blue fire. Green's mind began to race.
"Uh uh, R-Rock Wall!"
Machoke's arms and legs resumed their brown flame as Altaria swooped up in a loop, forming a light blue circle against the dark and stormy background of the sky. He barrelled towards Machoke, kicking up dead grass and dirt even as he flew a fair distance from the ground. The air shrieked and whistled as Altaria tore through it towards Machoke. Machoke stomped and thrust up with both arms, raising a wall of rock in his path. Altaria zipped to the side, dodging it with ease. However, as he swooped back on the path towards Machoke he gave him an opening. Machoke tucked and rolled, narrowly avoiding Altaria as he blitzed past; a formless light blue streak. Altaria's form resumed as he swooped back into the sky and began his turn. Green's racing mind got a touch calmer.
"Rock Throw!"
"Dodge! Ariel Ace from above!"
Machoke began scooping chunks of earth up his with enormous hands, turning them to solid rock and hurtling them at Altaria. Weaving and swooping, Altaria dodged each one but Machoke's rate of fire never gave him a moment's rest. Blazing rock after blazing rock sailed by, each one getting closer and closer to striking. The ground around Machoke was full of holes, like the cratered surface of the moon.
"Ah! Forget it, Cotton Guard!"
Altaria stopped abruptly in the air and tucked into his veil of clouds, like a Cloyster retreating into its shell. A green shell of light formed around the clouds, which began to glow green themselves. Machoke hurled a rock and it struck, exploding into a ball of brown flame but all it did was make the veil of light warble. Machoke threw another and another only to be met with the same result. Altaria's head popped up from the clouds, eyes blazing green.
"Dragon Pulse, quickly!"
From behind his green veil, Altaria's eyes burst into purple flames. He opened his beak and his mouth began to emit a powerful purple light. Purple sparks and flame popped and flared around his veil of clouds. Green's mind stopped racing and she smirked.
"Iron Defence!"
The brown flame around Machoke's hands and arms flickered; a flash of silver streaking through a mass of brown. Machoke furrowed his brow and shut his eyes. His whole body trembled as he held out his palm. Silver sparks popped off of every part of his body sporadically. No rhyme or reason governed them, just random chaos. On the palm of Machoke's hand, a circle of silver light began to shine. It grew and grew until touching both sides of his palm below his index finger and pinkie. It burst into silver flames, along with the rest of his hand. The silver circle turned to steel, just as Altaria's Dragon Pulse fired. Machoke moved his palm into the path of the thick beam of purple energy. The beam struck the steel circle and split into a hundred tiny beams that refracted off in every direction. Machoke roared with agony. His knees trembled, threatening to buckle. Purple bolts surged up his arm but travelled no further. The ranger stared in horrified confusion. His long hair, slick with sweat drooped over his eye and he did nothing to move it aside. Eventually, Altaria stopped. He coughed and his head hung slightly. The purple flames and light snapped away, along with the green veil of light. The silver flames engulfing Machoke's hands snapped away too. The circle of steel peeled off his hand, taking a circle of flesh with it. Blood oozed from his palm.
"Jump, Machoke! Slam him!"
Machoke's legs burst into orange flames and he leapt with a booming explosion. The ground shattered beneath him and he arrived at Altaria in a matter of seconds. He raised both hands above his head, clenching them into a unified fist. They burst into orange flames and slammed down on Altaria's head. Altaria buckled as if he'd been turned into a ragdoll, and fell to the ground. He landed with a sickening thud. Unsurprisingly, he began to rise from the ground.
"F-Fly! Get back-"
"Rock Tomb!"
Machoke landed on the ground beside him, his whole body blazing with brown flames. He stomped the ground, shattering it further and bleeding brown light from the thousands of cracks. The ground beneath Altaria opened up and swallowed him. Machoke lifted his blazing arms and a collection of giant chunks of rock took to the air. They slammed down on Altaria, filling the hole and muffling his cries. As the echoes of the rocks slamming down raced across the valley, Green and the ranger stood staring.
"Fuck…" The ranger said.
Suddenly, arms grabbed Green and a cold blade pressed against her throat. The ranger had her, a knife pressed to her throat but not cutting.
"Return your damn, Pokémon and toss away the ball. Now!"
Slowly, Green raised Machoke's ball. However, as she did she stared at Machoke. Conveying the complexities of her plan with a single look was impossible. So instead, she just stared at Machoke confident and unafraid. He would be able to put the pieces together himself, she knew. The rage on Machoke's face was unlike anything he'd ever shown before. But, as he took a step forward, the ranger pressed the knife tighter.
"Stay back! I said to return him!"
Green tightened her lip and continued to stare. She gestured to his fist with her eyes. Machoke looked down, stared and then grinned. His hand burst into silver flame and he reached out. The knife at Green's throat became consumed by silver fire too and was torn from the ranger's hand. It flew into Machoke's and he tossed it aside. The ranger made a choked, squeak of a cry as Green ducked out of his grasp. Machoke barrelled forward and knocked him to the ground. He raised a blazing fist and was about to strike when Green called out.
"No, Machoke stop!"
She grasped the bottom of his fist, putting her hand between it and the ranger. Machoke shot Green a look of raging fury. Carefully, Green touched his cheek.
"Don't kill him, okay?"
Machoke stared her down and Green did her best to maintain a sweet smile. Eventually, Machoke huffed and stepped back.
"Ma…"
Green sighed and bent down. She grasped the ranger by his shoulders and pulled him to his feet.
"Where's Abby?!"
He stared at her with glassy eyes.
"Tell me where she is, or I'll let him have his way!"
The glassy look snapped away. His eyes widened and he nodded.
"F-Fine! Here."
He reached into his jacket and handed over a round device. With a tap to the centre, he made a blinking dot appear.
"It's a tracker, just follow it and you'll find your friend. Now please, let me go."
Green snatched it from him and let go of him.
"If you're lying, we'll find you. Come on Machoke."
She began following the direction the device pointed them in and Machoke followed after them, huffing and puffing for his breath. Behind them, Green heard the flash of a Pokéball and then a quiet, gasp that was a mix of relief and terror.