POKÉMON: INFINITE LEGACIES
THE CIPRYS REGION
CHAPTER 10
FROST STEPS UP! GRASS VS. WATER!
"Gah!" Flame moaned, trudging through Route 1. "I'm hungry! And hot!"
Litten mrrowed, clearly in agreement. His head drooped and his tail was dragging behind him, snaking between blades of the thick, long grass.
Although spring had just started in Ciprys, the central region was known for its radical temperatures. Today was a reflection of that: the sun had peaked and was high overhead, scorching all that lay below, and the sky was—besides from a few white blemishes—a rich azure blue.
Flame grabbed his water bottle and put it to his lips. No water entered his mouth; he'd used up the last of it earlier. He stared accusingly at Litten. "Why couldn't you have been a Water-type?"
"Mrrow," Litten mumbled, clearly too exhausted to say anymore.
Flame and Litten struggled on in silence after that. Wild Zigzagoon occasionally peered up at them through the undergrowth, and a small group of Sentret, balancing on their brown-and-black striped tails, examined them from afar. The distant rattling of drilling Pikipek reached their ears. If any wild Pokémon came closer, Flame hoped that Litten's Growl—or a more direct attack like Scratch—would be enough to dissuade them from sticking around.
The dirt path they'd been following had disappeared a while back. This wasn't too great a problem for Flame, but for Litten, the undergrowth was so thick at times that he became all but submerged. At one point, Flame got fed up waiting for Litten to battle through. He tried to return his Pokémon. The Fire-type dodged the red beam and hissed at him. Flame guessed Litten didn't like his Poké Ball very much.
But eventually, the two made it through Route 1. When they broke free of the undergrowth, Flame punched the air triumphantly and Litten purred in relief. They headed straight for the Pokémon Centre. As they got closer, a loud commotion out front distracted them. A large crowd surrounded a spacious courtyard which contained a rectangular battlefield—and two battling trainers! The crowd included all kinds of people; Flame even spotted an elderly couple watching with interest.
Litten stared enviously past human legs at the battling Pokémon. He took a step forward, then hissed in surprise as a red light absorbed him and he was sucked back inside. Flame returned Litten's Poké Ball to his pocket. Got ya. Sorry, Litten, but it's too crowded here. Flame stopped to observe the battle, standing behind a younger kid he could see over.
"Water Gun attack."
Surprise widened Flame's blaze-orange eyes. Frost's battling!
"Dodge!"
His opponent was a teenage girl with long dark brown hair that was tied back into three ponytails, all dyed green. She wore black leggings, a faded purple top, and white low-tops. A yellow drawstring bag hung from her shoulders. Flame didn't know who she was, but he did recognise her Pokémon—a Rowlet.
Odd, he thought, remembering how Rowlet had been an option for himself and his former classmates.
The girl pointed at Mudkip. "Use Peck!" she instructed.
Rowlet's beak glowed white as he swooped towards Mudkip.
Frost was as composed as ever. "Growl," he murmured.
Mudkip stood firm and uttered a loud primitive cry.
Rowlet flapped his wings, coming to a sudden stop. He hovered overhead, seeming unsure of himself. He looked back at his trainer.
"He's trying to intimidate you!" she yelled. "Don't stop!"
Rowlet cooed something quietly to himself, then erupted with a loud squawk when a weight barrelled unexpectedly into his side.
"You should never turn your back on your opponent."
"I know that!" she muttered back. Although I'm not convinced Rowlet does.
Flame was impressed, however much he hated to admit it. Frost hadn't said a word, yet Mudkip had taken the initiative and used Tackle to ambush and knock down Rowlet. Their bond must be strong, he realised.
Rowlet dug his talons into the sandy ground and heaved himself back up.
"Water Gun."
"Into the air!"
Mudkip spat out a splurge of water. Rowlet shifted his body weight, having speedily taken flight, and avoided the attack. Water Gun fizzled out.
"Clever," she admitted. "You used Growl at just the right moment—when Rowlet was low enough for your Mudkip to dart forward and use Tackle. But we won't fall for the same trick twice."
Frost didn't respond, all his focus on Mudkip and the ongoing battle.
"Leafage!"
Several people in the crowd murmured uneasily. "This is it," Flame heard one person nearby say. "Selina's big move . . ."
Someone said something back, but Flame missed it; everyone seemed to have their opinion on the heated battle.
Rowlet flew higher into the sky, spinning as he did, until he was silhouetted against the sun. Bright green energy appeared and encompassed Rowlet. Rowlet cawed. The energy danced around his body as if a tornado before hardening into a darker green. Rowlet fell forward, diving at Mudkip at a frightening pace.
Flame wasn't as concerned as those around him. He knew what Frost's next move would be.
Rowlet gained more and more speed, a green missile dropping from the sky.
Mudkip waited patiently.
For a second, Flame thought he was wrong.
"Protect," Frost declared at the last moment.
Light blue energy radiated around Mudkip, forming a smooth orb in seconds, and just in time too. Leafage, a tornado of dark green energy, connected full-force with Mudkip's shield. The opposing energies crackled and hissed against each other. Sparks flicked off the shield's surface, causing mini explosions. A few cracks appeared, but Protect held firm.
"Mudkip," Mudkip murmured, eyes wide with relief.
Rowlet cooed loudly. As if irritated Mudkip had survived.
"Hah! Thought so!" someone nearby Flame remarked. "Didn't you see his battle on TV?"
"I'm impressed," Selina admitted, a hand on her hip. "You're the first trainer I've faced who has managed to stop Leafage. But you won't get away with using Protect for every defence!"
Frost was as unresponsive as a Slowpoke.
"Peck!" Selina called.
Rowlet's beak glowed white and seemed to increase in size as the Grass- and Flying-type Pokémon glided towards Mudkip.
"Protect," Frost called much earlier than last time.
Mudkip tensed, then a light blue orb materialised around him.
Surprise arched Flame's eyebrows. Why? he thought. He'll just be leaving himself more vulnerable to Rowlet's next Leafage!
Even from where he stood, he saw Selina have a similar reaction, frowning. Regardless, she didn't halt her attack.
Rowlet was within striking distance.
The crowd held their breaths, waiting to see whether Protect would hold for a second time.
But Frost had something else in mind: "Water Gun attack."
Mudkip's light blue shield evaporated as quickly as it'd appeared. The mud fish Pokémon inhaled and spat out a torrent of water. Rowlet cooed in alarm, and started to flap his wings frantically.
"Don't stop!" Selina shouted. "Water won't hurt you!"
Rowlet leaned forward again and was met by Water Gun. The water seeped into his feathers, an uncomfortable sensation, but he pushed through. He blinked to stop the water consuming his vision and managed to connect with Peck.
Peck scraped Mudkip's flank. The pain was enough for the small blue Pokémon to break off his Water Gun. He winced, knocked back a few paces.
Rowlet flew back towards Selina, flapping his wings much more than before.
Well-played, Flame conceded. He drew her in with Protect so that Rowlet would be less able to dodge.
"Get closer and use Water Gun."
Mudkip bounded forward and opened his mouth. A heartbeat later, water was blasting out.
"Dodge!" was Selina's response.
Water Gun hurtled closer. Rowlet flapped his wings, but couldn't manage the same agility of earlier. Droplets dripped onto the ground below, wetting the sand. Mudkip adjusted his footing. Rowlet managed to evade, but not entirely. Water Gun raked his wing.
Rowlet huffed and cooed with effort. The water had soaked deep into his plumage, and while before he'd hardly needed to flap his wings, they were now having to work overtime.
"Mud-Slap."
Mudkip pressed his forepaws into the sand. Water secreted from the pores of his damp skin until the sand around his forepaws was wet.
"But, hey!" someone pointed out nearby Flame. "Ain't Rowlet a Flying-type?"
Flame agreed. As did Selina, who looked mystified too.
Mudkip's head-fin twitched, and then the Water-type unleashed his attack. Wet sand splattered up in a dirty stream toward Rowlet.
Rowlet had gradually been losing altitude and was only hovering now so that he was level with his trainer's head.
Selina realised too late that Rowlet could be hit. "Dodge!" she cried.
Rowlet flapped away—too slow! Mud-Slap splashed across his face. The grass quill Pokémon hooted and flapped erratically, only losing more altitude, while trying to clear his eyes.
That was really impressive! Flame awed. He used Water Gun to make Rowlet heavier so that he'd be able to use Mud-Slap, a move that traditionally can't reach Flying-types.
Selina crossed her arms. "Let's see if Protect works for a second time—Leafage!"
Rowlet flapped hard, regaining as much height as he could. The bright green energy that swelled around him seemed to also lighten his body. Once more, the energy spiralled around Rowlet and hardened into dark green leaves, razor-sharp. With Rowlet at the centre of the vortex, the energy hummed through the air, seeking out Mudkip. Rowlet pulled up late, leaving Leafage to strike.
"Protect."
Leafage rattled against Protect for a second time, and this time around, more cracks appeared. Mudkip edged back, getting nervous, but the shield did not shatter.
"Water Gun."
Mudkip hopped forward and, neck extended, blurted out Water Gun. The water shot towards Rowlet.
"Meet it with another Leafage!"
Rowlet cooed confidently. Grass energy again radiated around his body. Water Gun streamed closer, but before the attack could connect, Rowlet flapped his wings and expelled the leaf-shaped energy at Mudkip and Water Gun. Water Gun, with the advantage of greater momentum, clashed with Leafage and gained a little. Yet, after leaf after leaf sliced through the water, and Mudkip had to gasp for air, the stream weakened and the super-effective move swept forward and overwhelmed Mudkip.
The impact threw Mudkip back. When the sand and dust had cleared, Mudkip was on his side, eyes closed. "Mudkip . . ." he groaned weakly.
The referee raised an arm. "It's over!" he announced. "Mudkip has fainted! Selina and Rowlet win!"
A few people from the crowd started clapping. Flame joined in, as did many others, and soon everyone was applauding. Selina performed a quick bow; Frost did no such thing. He held out his Poké Ball and returned Mudkip. He stared at Selina.
"I willwin next time," he promised, his icy-blue eyes cold. He turned away and disappeared into the crowd.
Rowlet flew back to Selina, who was holding out some small pellets in her palm. The small avian Pokémon perched onto her arm and eagerly nibbled at the food. "Well done! You did brilliantly." She stroked Rowlet, then raised her voice. "Is anyone else trainer enough to challenge me?"
Anticipation hushed the crowd. Flame figured that Selina must have beaten a fair few trainers already. Even though she had the type-advantage over Frost, she had won his respect for dispatching his rival in such a convincing and assured manner. Were his throat not parched, or his shirt stained with sweat, he might have stepped forward. He started to turn away.
Rowlet hopped onto Selina's shoulder and cawed loudly at the crowd.
Flame stopped. He felt movement against his thigh. Litten's Poké Ball was rocking back and forth in his pocket. Before he could react, the ball sploshed open.
Litten appeared in a flash of light. "Mrrow," he told Flame. Then he swung round and glared at his Alolan counterpart, a growl creeping up his throat and out of his mouth.
This, of course, caught the attention of Selina—and the entire crowd. Embarrassment pulsed over Flame. He felt hot as Selina smiled and the crowd broke out in laughter. He remembered a passage from Aconite's Guidebook: However much Poké Balls are designed with the comfort of Pokémon in mind, some Pokémon can develop a dislike for being inside. Some expects have even claimed that Pokémon who have this trait could have developed a phobia, although this remains disproven.
Flame glanced at Litten and sighed. So, you're one of those Pokémon, huh?
Selina watched the messy-haired boy with interest. Like Frost and a few of her previous opponents, she realised he had to be another recent graduate of Aconite's school. "Looks like your Litten wants to battle Rowlet—but do you?"
Gazes swapped from Selina to Flame, and he suddenly felt even more subconscious about his appearance as they ran all their eyes over him. "Uh . . ." he gave himself a sniff and half-grinned. Gosh, I need a shower. "Give me, um, let's say, half an hour?"
"Good evening! Welcome to Channel 9 News at six! Bringing you the latest news from the Ciprys region! I'm Zoey Masalis. Today we bring you a breaking story: The notorious Shadow of Festivalight, after a recent spree of villainy, has been apprehended. Later in the show, we will share with you the comments of Festivalight City Gym Leader, Alyssa, and Champion Solomon will be joining us later in the studio. It's exclusive, and you do not want to miss it, but for now, live from Festivalight City is Channel 9's own–"
Frost had heard enough. "I can't listen to this rubbish," he spat. He grabbed the remote and switched off the TV.
He was in a room at the Pokémon Centre. He'd retired there after his loss to Selina and had been sat contemplating the battle, his actions and Mudkip's, ever since: Could they have done something differently? Could they have won?
He turned to Mudkip, who was on the bed beside him. "We can't lose again," he muttered. "To beat the gyms, to show him, to beat him, we just can't. We have to be at our best—actually, no, we must be the best. Are you ready for that, Mudkip?"
Mudkip hesitated for a moment, but then nodded.
"The first gym is soon. Starting tomorrow, we are going to train even harder." Frost sat back, picturing his goal. I'm going to beat you, old man . . . I swear.
Author's Notes:
Satisfied with this chapter in the end—I spent more time editing than usual, but I think the battle turned out good in the end. This and the next chapter were originally one, but I didn't want it to be 4,000+. I added Frost's contemplation scene at the end because of this, and I think it helps to round out the chapter.
Mud-Slap:
In the games (maybe the anime overrules it at some point too, I don't know) all Ground-type moves are unable to hit Flying-types. Since Frost brought Rowlet within range, on this occasion, it makes sense that he'd be able to hit Mud-Slap. The damage would have been not very effective. I might do this with a few other moves, but a move like Earthquake, if the defending Pokémon is in the air, would definitely not hit. I think a move like Mud-Slap, because it's similar to Water Gun in nature, is more of a grey area, in my opinion.