The trip to the Orre Region has begun! And with it, the Commander suggests that they start with what he always wants to start with, a pokemon battle! Alcea's taken up the challenge, but will she be able to win? She's strong enough to give him a good fight, that's for sure! The trip to the Orre Region has started off with a bang!
KedharS: It's going to be quite an arc, that's for sure. Hopefully it meets expectations.
Tambry96bj: Yup, there are a few surprises in the Orre Region, alright.
Just a Bad Writer for Fun: The battle between Alden and Alcea is going to be a type of match suitable for the occasion, I'll that much at least.
Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings
Chapter 862
Alcea and Alden stood across from each other on a flat section of land on Gateon Port. It had taken some doing, but they finally found a spot that was free enough of pedestrians that they could hold a pokemon battle, and people were already starting to gather. Mostly it was students from their school looking to see a battle between two of the best trainers at the Pokemon Academy, but there were fortunately a few Orre citizens looking on as well.
At the moment, though, neither Alden nor Alcea gave any consideration towards their gallery. As any good trainers would do, their gaze was solely focused on each other.
Until Rui whistled sharply, loudly catching their attention.
"Excuse me you two!" She called, walking into the center, "but I think I have a better idea than the two of you just battling!"
"Mom, what are you doing?!" Vic hissed, pulling her back. "How dare you interrupt the Commander's pokemon battle?!"
"Don't worry, I just had one little suggestion," Rui said, winking to her daughter. She turned to the students. "You see, here in the Orre Region, we have certain rules when it comes to pokemon battles. And the rule we tend to go by is that all matches must be fought as double battles! Each trainer uses two pokemon to fight against two of their opponent's pokemon! What do you think? It should definitely make things a little more exciting, don't you agree?"
Alden and Alcea glanced at each other.
Alden shrugged. "I don't see any problem with that," he replied. "Heck, it might be fun. It's been a while since I've fought a good double battle."
Alcea was a little unfamiliar with double battles herself, but not to the extent she found it necessary to object. "Oui," she agreed with a nod, "if that's the sort of battle that you wish, that is acceptable for me as well, is it?"
Alden grinned, his eyes filled with excitement. "Great! Sounds like a plan! We'll each use two pokemon for a heart-throbbing exchange of passion that's gonna get my Sense flared right up! I'll start! Corin, Tracey, let's go!" He threw two pokeballs into the air, sending out two of his signature pokemon, his Lucario and his Cinderace.
"Lucario!" Corin landed on the ground and took up a fighting stance, glaring at Alcea.
"Cinder!" Tracey's face was a little brighter, but the wild smile she wore wasn't much better.
Callie winced. Alcea was already at a bit of a disadvantage. She was facing off against a Fire type pokemon and a Steel type pokemon. Neither was a good opponent for a Grass type user like her, she was going to be fighting an uphill battle.
But you wouldn't be able to guess that from looking at the expression on Alcea's face. She was serene, like she hadn't a care in the world.
"Taking advantage of types right away, is it?" She calmly asked, raising her eyebrow.
Alden grinned. "I hope you won't think too badly of me," he laughed. "But I'd like for you to take this fight seriously, and a gal like you shows the best 'Sense' when you're fighting an uphill battle. So bring it on!"
Then Alcea smiled.
"As you wish! Venus, Anastacia, laissez-nous danser!" She shouted, sending out her Venusaur and her Tsareena.
"That's the spirit!" Alden called. "Let's start this!"
While Vic watched the battle begin, she caught something from one of the sailors.
"What's that woman thinking? Sending out two Grass type pokemon against a Fire type and a Steel type?" He murmured to one of his friends.
Vic felt her heart lighten a little. They were actually interested! People in Orre were actually paying attention to the battle and getting invested in the outcome! It was just as she'd always hoped! If only they remained invested through the entire battle, that would be great! It would be the first signs of change for the people of Orre!
"Corin, let's start things out with a bullet punch for that Tsareena," Alden ordered. "And Tracey, you hit the Venusaur with a pyro ball!"
"Cinderace!" Tracey said, nodding eagerly. She pulled her foot back and conjured a large fireball in front of it, preparing to kick the fireball at Venus.
Corin, on the other hand, was frozen in place.
"Corin, what's up?" Alden asked.
"That won't work," Alcea said, narrowing her eyes. "My Anastacia's Queenly Majesty prevents your priority moves! Now, Venus, use your vine whip to trip up that Cinderace!"
"Venusaur!" Venus shot out one of her vines quick as a whip, wrapping around Tracey's leg and tugging hard, pulling Tracey over before she could kick the fireball.
"Excellently done, now, Anastacia, high jump kick!" Alcea ordered next.
"Tsar," Anastacia huffed, flipping her green locks over her shoulder as she ran forward, leaping into the air and jumping towards Corin, raising her pointed leg to deliver a sharp kick straight to the Lucario's chest.
But Corin had recovered from her intimidation by that point.
"Counter with bone rush," Alden ordered. Corin raised her hands and conjured a bone of aura, which she used to deflect Anastacia's kick. Anastacia was sent tumbling into the ground, crashing hard from the recoil.
"Using a move like that against us is risky," Alden warned with a taunting grin. "Your Tsareena fighting like that, without holding anything back, it's quite admirable! Now, Tracey, use your blaze kick to break free!"
Tracey was still held aloft by Venus's vines. To escape, she sent a burst of flame through the fur of her leg, burning at the vine and forcing Venus to pull it back.
"Venus, no matter," Alcea snapped. "Now, grassy terrain!"
Venus shrugged off the burn on her vine, and let out a roar. "VENUSAUR!" She raised her front legs and stomped on the pavement, sending a pulse through the ground. Grass and flowers sprouted up in its wake, turning the plaza into a miniature garden.
"Whoa, what the hey?!" One of the onlookers gasped.
"There's grass all over the place! That's a pokemon move?" Another sailor cried.
Alcea cracked a grin. That was just what she was looking for! Now the entire field was covered with grass, giving her the advantage.
Vic couldn't help but smile ever-so-slightly herself. She might not have been all that happy about the Commander being put off-guard and disadvantaged like this, but it was still reassuring to know that the onlookers were getting invested in the fight.
"Grassy terrain, eh?" Alden mused. "Haven't seen that one from you before, Queen of Roses." He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Oui, I've been testing out some new moves," Alcea replied. "And that's not all!"
As the grassy terrain began to glow bright green, that light stretched out to Venus and Anastacia as well, much to Alden's surprise.
"Oh? What's that, now?" He asked, intrigued.
"Some freshly-harvested grassy seeds," Alcea explained. "When grassy terrain is used, my pokemon will consume their grassy seeds to boost their defense by one stage, what do you think?" She looked quite proud of herself, holding her head up high.
Alden was pretty impressed. "That's some nice thinking there, Allie! And here I was, expecting you to use the same sunny day strategy as you always did!"
Alcea's eye twitched. What… what had he just called her? She quickly dismissed that with a shake of her head. "Against a pokemon like Cinderace… I decided that a strategy like that could backfire quite poorly, is it?"
"Fair enough," Alden agreed. "But that's not to say it won't go that way anyhow! Tracey, use pyro ball again!"
"Cinderace!" This time, Venus didn't have the reaction speed to stop her with a vine whip. Tracey pulled her foot back and kicked a fireball across the grassy field like she was playing soccer, hitting Venus head-on with the flaming orb.
"Venusaur!" Venus wailed in pain.
"Venus, synthesis," Alcea sharply ordered. "Anastacia! Use teeter dance."
Venus closed her eyes and began gathering in light from the sun to restore her health. As she did, Anastacia began zigzagging back and forth, moving erratically in a bizarre dance that confused all the other pokemon, disorienting them.
"Lucario," Corin shook her head, dazed, and snapped out of confusion immediately. Tracey wasn't so lucky, staring slack-jawed into the grass.
"Corin, go," Alden ordered. Corin nodded, unaffected by the teeter dance completely, and charged straight-on towards Anastacia.
"Anastacia, dodge back with your acrobatics!" Alcea shouted.
Anastacia jumped backwards, using her strong feet to masterfully evade the attacks as Corin swung at her with her bone, trying to put pressure on her. But even with her heightened movements it was all she could do to remain out of range of the Lucario's telescoping weapon.
"Now, aromatherapy," Alcea ordered, glancing at Venus. Anastacia found a lull in Corin's assault and released a soothing aroma that surrounded her side of the field, curing the status conditions of herself, Venus, and Corin.
Venus snapped out of confusion thanks to Anastacia's sweet scents, and immediately sprung into action. She lunged out her vine and wrapped it around Corin's waist, pulling her sharply backwards.
"Corin, watch out," Alden shouted, but Corin was already suspended in the air. Venus squeezed hard, trying to deliver some sharp blows with her vines, but there was no sense in it. Corin's steel-hard fur was protecting her from the effects.
"That's fine, just hold her in place," Alcea nodded. "Now, Anastacia, you deliver a powerful blow with your high jump kick!"
"Tsareena!" Anastacia nodded, running forward. She leapt into the air and spun, swinging her leg right for Corin's face.
"Corin, evade with your substitute!" Alden ordered.
"Lucario!" Corin disappeared, and a clone made of compressed aura took her place. Venus nearly squeezed the aura to pieces and Anastacia kicked it hard enough to knock its head off, but Corin had managed to escape almost uninjured.
She reappeared on the grass, panting, injured from the health loss from using the substitute. But that was fine, because she was already recovering health due to the effects of grassy terrain.
"I gotta say, Allie, I'm loving this grassy terrain of yours! It's keeping our pokemon nice and healthy so they can keep fighting to their fullest!" Alden called, ticking off Alcea once more with his impromptu nickname.
Alden turned his attention to Tracey, who was still disoriented from the teeter dance. Of course, that wasn't the case for all their pokemon.
"Anastacia, while it's still two against one, use your acrobatics to take the air above his Lucario's head," Alcea ordered.
"Tsar," Anastacia nodded, dashing forward and leaping into the air, bounding around Corin and preparing to strike. Unfortunately, Corin refused to let her guard down. Her aura sense allowed her to follow Anastacia's movements perfectly, making sure that she was always in a position where she could strike back should the Grass type attack.
"Venus! Grassy glide!" Alcea ordered.
"Venusaur!" Venus lowered her head and shot across the grassy terrain, moving at such a high speed that even Corin was caught off-guard.
"A priority move, huh?" Alden grinned. "Well, fine! Counter with your extremespeed, Corin!"
"Luca-!" Corin moved to dodge Venus's charge with her extremespeed, but as she tried, her body froze in place. She couldn't move.
"I warned you before, is it?" Alcea snapped, smiling eagerly. "With Queenly Majesty, you cannot use your priority moves! Now, Venus!"
"Venus!" Venus slammed into Corin, knocking her backwards. Before Corin could respond, Anastacia struck. She landed on her and delivered a series of powerful kicks with her acrobatics, battering at Corin quickly.
Alcea was ready to turn this to her advantage. She'd gotten an edge on Alden's strongest pokemon, and was going to capitalize it. But first, she had to take care of his other pokemon. Alden's Cinderace was dangerous due to her Libero ability letting her change her typing to match her moves; to prevent that from happening, Alcea needed to take her out now, while she was still confused!
"Venus! Use sleep powder on the Cinderace!" Alcea ordered. Putting the Lucario to sleep would do no good; everyone knew that Corin could fight even in her sleep. But while she had her stunned and at a disadvantage due to Anastacia pressing the assault with her acrobatics, now was the perfect opportunity.
"Venusaur!" Venus turned towards Tracey and her flower stretched and pulsed, sending a spray of green spores drifting towards the confused Cinderace.
"Wow, that redhead's really doing a good job!" One sailor noted.
"Yeah, I thought she'd go down really easily due to the types of her opponent's pokemon, but she's holding her own!" Another sailor agreed. "Heck, she might even win this!"
Normally, Vic would have been ecstatic to hear how invested they were getting in this match. But given the circumstances, she just couldn't. Alden was losing! He was losing to that redheaded bitch, and she couldn't stand it!
No, wait, calm down, she had to remind herself. This is the Commander we're talking about. There's no way he could lose against someone like Alcea Vermeil.
And Vic's faith was rewarded in short order.
"Tracey!" Alden shouted. "Use flame charge!"
Tracey might have still been confused and not entirely sure where she was or who she was fighting, but when she heard an order she followed it. Her fur lit up with flame and she dashed forward, burning away the sleep powder before it touched her.
Alcea clicked her tongue and turned her attention back towards Corin instead. "Never mind the Cinderace then," she snapped. "Venus, use your leech seed next and drain that Lucario's health instead!"
"Venusaur," Venus nodded, turning her attention back to Corin. She lowered her body and tilted her flower towards the Lucario, shooting a small seed out towards her.
"Corin, jump back and dodge it," Alden ordered. Corin leapt back and raised her paws, creating a staff from her aura. Twirling the staff, she not only deflected the leech seed away from her, but also caught Anastacia in the chest, knocking her backwards.
"Nicely done!" Alden grinned. "Now, hit her with your meteor mash!"
"Lucario!" Corin charged forward, capitalizing on the fact that Anastacia had been thrown off balance. She raised her fists and unleashed a powerful punch with the force of a meteor that sent the Grass type flying across the battlefield.
"Anastacia!" Alcea cried. But her Tsareena wasn't done for just yet. She tucked her legs in and rolled, withstanding the damage and springing up to her feet, glaring at Corin.
"Tracey!" Alden shouted, turning his attention back to his Cinderace. "Come on, girl, now's your chance!"
"Cinder?" Tracey finally came back to her senses, snapping out of confusion as she remembered where she was. She gasped and turned towards Venus, lunging for her.
"Use your agility," Alden ordered, and Tracey quickly picked up speed, turning into a blur as her powerful legs carried her right for the bulky pokemon.
Alcea smirked. That was just what she wanted!
"That won't work against us, or did you forget?" She grinned. "Venus, use grassy glide!"
As Tracey closed the distance between the two pokemon, she was caught off-guard by the fact that Venus was no longer standing where she was running towards. Venus had slid across the grass at an even faster speed, and had taken Tracey's back.
"Your Libero ability changes type to match the move you used," Alcea reminded the Commander. "Which means you're no longer resistant to my Grass type moves! Now go, Venus, hit her with your power whip!"
"VENUSAUR!" Venus raised a massive vine and lashed it out, striking Tracey in the back with a powerful whip. Tracey was sent rolling across the battlefield, crashing into Corin hard.
"Whoa, no way!" Callie gasped in amazement. "Alcea's actually giving the Commander one hell of a fight! Yeah, way to go, Alcea!"
The audience began to get excited too, particularly the Pokemon Academy students. The Commander was widely believed to be the strongest trainer in the school, and seeing Alcea match his pokemon so easily with her own was exciting. It was like watching something forbidden, they couldn't keep their eyes off of it!
"My, these two are really something else," Rui mused, getting invested in the fight herself. She glanced at her daughter. In spite of Vic's attempts, she couldn't keep her expression completely calm; nervousness was starting to leak out, and Rui found that to be quite sweet.
"Are you worried, sweetheart?" She asked.
Vic snapped to attention and hardened her face, scowling. "Not at all," she snapped at her mother. "The Commander is just getting started, you'll see. We haven't even witnessed half of what he's capable of, or even a third!"
Her words were more intended for herself than for her mother. She had absolute faith in the Commander, and she knew he was going to win. He wasn't even bothered by the fact that Alcea had inflicted serious damage to both his pokemon.
"Wow, she's got that kid on the ropes," one sailor noted.
"I expected a one-sided fight, but not this way. That lady sure knows how to take advantage of her Grass type pokemon, compared to that, this guy seems like an amateur!" Another sailor said, shaking his head in amazement.
That was it, Vic couldn't take it anymore.
"You have no idea what you're talking about!" She snarled, turning on the two sailors. "You happen to be witnessing the Commander in action! He's far more powerful than that nothing of a girl!" She crossed her arms indignantly. "Just keep your eyes glued on this fight! The Commander's going to show you a battle worthy of excitement!"
Her faith was reignited, she just knew that Alden was going to win!
But Alden didn't care about that.
"Not bad, Allie, not bad!" He laughed. "You really are a top class trainer! But it's going to take more than that to get the best of us!"
Corin and Tracey picked themselves up off the grass. They were injured, but the fire hadn't gone out in their eyes just yet.
"I hope you can satisfy us with that Sense of yours!" Alden declared, his own passion igniting even more.
Alcea couldn't help but smile. She was beginning to enjoy this fight herself!
The Commander and Alcea's double battle started strong! But who will win? Neither is used to this style of battle, but Alcea's certainly taken an early lead thanks to her knowledge of her pokemon's capabilities. But the Commander is powerful; this is really still anyone's game!