When the battle was at its darkest, and there seemed to be no hope of success, when Raizer's Zeraora demolished everything Amarillo had to offer… a lone hero stood tall in the face of adversity, and arrived in the darkest hour to face injustice and protect the weak and innocent! And that hero's name was… Palafin! Will this aquatic hero prove sufficient in combating Zera, who has been twisted by evil? Only time will tell. Happy holidays and please review!
KedharS: Yellow is definitely a heroic character! And that's why she fights to protect the innocent children!
Gyvarius: Palafin is definitely an awesome pokemon, and it turns out I had the perfect character to give one to!
Venoms Cross 2: It's definitely an amusing choice.
Just a Bad Writer for Fun: It should definitely be an exciting matchup. I needed a suitably powerful pokemon to take on a Mythical Pokemon like Zeraora.
Hyphenman: It's definitely going to be an exciting battle, that's for sure.
Tambry96bj: Only Palafin could have the strength to take down Zeraora. But will he be able to? We'll have to see.
Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings
Chapter 1139
"What do you think?" Amarillo smiled. "That is Palafin's powerful jet punch! The fist of justice that vanquishes evil and protects the innocent! And that's the punch that will defeat you, servant of the evildoer!"
"Zera…" Zera rose to his feet, panting. That had been a powerful hit.
A punch so powerful it brought a savage smile to his face.
Raizer was smiling too. "I know how you feel, Zera!" He shouted. "An opponent like that… I'm feeling supercharged!"
Alden wasn't surprised by his brother's behavior. Even though he was being controlled by Samarra, Raizer was Raizer. Because of his simple nature it seemed like Raizer was the closest to being his "real self" out of everyone he'd seen possessed by her.
"Careful, Yellow!" Alden shouted. "When Raizer runs into an opponent he recognizes as strong, then he won't hold back!"
"Thank you for your concern," Amarillo called back, inadvertently responding to her real name, "but there's no need to worry!"
She smiled.
"Palafin is a hero! And a real hero never falls, even against the strongest of foes!"
The way she said it reassured the Commander's doubts. Even someone as cynical as Vic believed in that moment that a Water type pokemon like Palafin could defeat an Electric type Mythical Pokemon like Zeraora.
"Zera, use plasma fists!" Raizer ordered. Even though Zera's attack was still slightly reduced, he didn't care. A long-range attack like rising voltage might be better in the moment, but his fighting spirit wouldn't allow something like that.
"ORA!" Electricity surged through Zera's body and lit up his fur, and he charged at Palafin with both fists raised, his paws crackling with pure plasma.
Amarillo smiled. "Very well, an exchange of fists? We'll be happy to oblige! Palafin, use jet punch once more!"
"Palafin!" Palafin raised his finned fist and brought it forward, punching the air with enough strength that a water fist shot through the sky, slamming into Zera as he charged. But even though the force of the punch was in no way inferior to the previous one, this time Zera didn't fall.
He laughed.
"ORA!" Zera pushed through the pain and closed the distance between himself and Palafin in a second, unleashing a barrage of plasma punches on the dolphin pokemon.
"Oh, no!" Marion wailed, seeing Palafin on the receiving end of such a brutal Electric type attack. That had to have done some serious damage!
"Pal!" Palafin endured the blows, and raised his fist, swinging it up into Zera's stomach.
"Zer-!" Zera coughed out in pain, flung back from the force of the counter.
"Well done, Palafin!" Amarillo cheered. She turned to Marion. "Have faith, sweet Mari," she assured her daughter. "A real hero won't fall so easily!"
Marion wanted to trust her mother's words, but she was anxious. This fight looked anything but "easy" to her. Palafin had taken a serious beating from Zera's attack, and in spite of his heroic stance it was clear that the lightning attacks were hurting.
But then, Zera was injured as well. The Mythical Pokemon had shrugged off attacks from Chuchu and Kitty with ease, but Palafin's blows had shaken him.
The problem was, he seemed to be enjoying it.
"Now it's time for us to go on the offensive!" Amarillo judged. "Palafin! Show that beast what you're made of! Hydro pump!"
"Palafin!" Palafin nodded, opening his mouth wide. He fired a massive blast of water at the Zeraora, who dodged to the side and just barely managed to avoid it.
"Not a bad move!" Raizer grinned. "But Zera's strength is in his speed! Now, rising voltage!"
"ORA!" Zera roared, raising his fists into the air. He struck his palms down on the electric terrain and released a current of electricity through the field, which rose up to fry the Palafin who was standing in the center of it.
But before the lightning could strike, Palafin disappeared.
"What?!" Marion gasped.
"He vanished!" Alden shouted.
"What's up with that?!" Raizer growled, frustrated that his foe had managed to escape. Zera scanned the crackling field with a watchful eye, wondering what had happened to his opponent.
Amarillo smirked. "You were so lost in the heat of the battle that you forgot to watch your surroundings!" She declared. "Did you forget where we're fighting? We're on the riverbank! And that means we're in Palafin's natural environment!"
Marion gasped in realization. "Brilliant, mom!"
"He's hiding in the water?!" Darla exclaimed, shocked.
"That's right, electric terrain only covers the surface of the battlefield!" Amarillo explained. "But under the water, Palafin is nice and safe- and preparing a counterattack! Use dive!"
"Palafin!" Palafin surfaced amid the electrical current, his body coated in water. He smashed into Zera, knocking the lightning pokemon back. But Zera held his ground, raising his fist.
"You're not the only one capable of responding to such a powerful move!" Raizer shouted, feeling the rush of battle as strongly as he ever had. "Zera, revenge!"
"ORA!" Zera took a step forward and brought down his fist, slamming Palafin into the ground with so much force he temporarily displaced the electric terrain. Then he leapt into the air, forming an orb of lightning between his paws.
"Electro ball!" Raizer ordered. Zera fired the orb of compressed lightning at the stunned Palafin, electrocuting him.
"Aaaargh!" Amarillo cried in pain, feeling the agonizing current of electricity zap her just as it was doing to her pokemon. But she refused to give in. If she and Palafin lost, then that would be the end. She wouldn't allow that to happen!
"Palafin!" She shouted through the blinding pain. "Don't give in!"
"Pal…" Palafin rose up onto his tail, shaky and injured but refusing to give in. He glared at Zera, ignoring the electrical burns covering his smooth skin.
"Excellent!" Raizer crowed, losing himself in the rush of the fight. "This is exactly what I wanted! Thank you, Samarra! Finally, a chance to show what we're really made of! Now go, Zera! Give it everything you've got!"
"ZERAORA!" Zera howled, his entire body burning with plasma. The electrical current ran through his fur and heightened his strength. He raised his fists and focused on the opponent before him, charging into battle.
Marion winced. Both pokemon were in pretty bad condition, but it looked like Zera was in better shape of the two. The power of Zera's Electric type moves boosted by the electric terrain had done some serious damage to the aquatic hero, and in spite of her mother's claims she couldn't be sure he would pull through.
She clenched her fist. No… I have to believe in mom. She's strong, and she promised she won't lose. And I need to believe in that promise!
Marion spent most of her time celebrating her love of fishing and enjoying herself. She wasn't used to intense standoffs like these. But that didn't mean she couldn't be serious when the situation called for it. And this one definitely did.
"Jet punch!" Amarillo ordered. Palafin raised his fist once more and punched at the charging Zeraora with everything he had.
"Not good enough!" Raizer shouted. "Quick guard!"
"Ora!" Zera raised one paw, creating a golden barrier in front of him. The water punch bounced off the barrier.
"We've seen you use that move enough times," Raizer smirked. "We know how to counter it! Now go, Zera, plasma fists!"
"Ora!" Zera shouted, closing the distance between himself and Palafin, unleashing a fierce barrage of punches. "Ora! Ora! Ora!"
"Protect yourself, Palafin!" Amarillo shouted. Palafin raised his fins like a boxer, shielding his vitals from the blows. She was fully united with her pokemon, using her harmonia to boost Palafin's defenses. She even tried to use her power to heal him as he protected himself, to little effect. But thankfully, it was enough to keep him standing.
"Now, counter!" She shouted. Palafin spotted an opening in Zera's assault, raising his fin and driving it into the feline's jaw. Zera was knocked off his feet and skidded through the grass, his head nearly taken off by the force of the blow.
"Geez, packing such a powerful punch like that? You must have taken some serious damage from that last assault!" Raizer shouted, honestly amazed. "But you're still standing! Now that's what I like to see! An opponent we can fight on even ground! Now Zera, use-"
Raizer meant to say plasma fists. He wanted to settle things punch by punch, turning Zera loose on the Palafin and unleash the full might his prized pokemon was capable of. But he found himself unable to do so.
"Raizer, stop using physical moves," Samarra instructed. "They aren't going to help you win. Every time you use a physical attack, that pokemon responds with counter. Even now he's probably preparing to counter your next blow. I understand you want to enjoy this fight, but we can't let that get in the way of victory."
Raizer knew that she was right. It might have been his style to have his pokemon pummel the opponent until they won, but this wasn't an opponent they could beat through such direct means. He agreed with Samarra's judgment, and changed his orders.
"Use rising voltage!" He ordered instead.
"ORA!" Zera gathered up electricity in his fur and directed it towards the Palafin. The fish pokemon wasn't standing in the water this time. There would be nowhere to run as the lightning on the ground rose up around him, electrocuting the Water type.
"AAAAARRRGH!" Amarillo could feel every last volt of electricity running through her Palafin's body. It was like she was the one getting struck by the current. She remembered when she was much younger, and had gotten zapped by a certain Pikachu. This was nothing compared to back then.
She clenched her teeth and focused her harmonia with more determination than she'd had in years. This was one battle she couldn't afford to lose!
"Palafin!" She spat through the blood rolling down her face. "KEEP GOING! Don't give up, no matter what!"
But in spite of her desperate pleas, Palafin fell. The lightning was too much, and he collapsed where he stood as the electric terrain died down, revealing the grass below.
Marion fell to her knees. "No!" She shouted, horrified at the sight of the fallen hero.
"Haa… that was… ha…" Raizer had to stop to catch his breath. Palafin had been an incredibly strong pokemon, and it had taken nearly everything they had to defeat him. He couldn't help but smile at his good fortune. It wasn't every day that he faced such an opponent!
"Don't lower your guard!" Samarra's voice pierced his skull. "It's not over yet!"
"What?! No way!" Raizer was shocked. How could that be? Surely the Palafin was defeated! He had fallen!
Samarra's voice sounded annoyed. "That woman isn't my friend. Which means she either has another pokemon capable of fighting…"
"Well yeah. That other dolphin pokemon, right? The one she called back. She still has that pokemon, isn't that right?" Raizer asked.
Across town, Samarra's eye twitched at the stupidity her friend.
"…Or that Palafin isn't down yet," she finished, ignoring his objections.
Raizer turned to look at the Palafin. It looked like the pokemon was finished. And yet…
"Pal… afin…" Palafin slowly but steadily rose. His body had been shocked to within an inch of his life, but his spirit refused to yield.
"I told you… not to underestimate… the resolve of a true hero…" Amarillo coughed out, her body a mass of pain. She hated putting her pokemon through this, but it was what he wanted. That's why she could count on Palafin. He was always willing to protect those in need of protection.
Palafin stood triumphant in spite of his injuries. Water began to surge around his body as he raised his fins in the air. The gleam in his eye seemed to scream to Zera "we're just getting started here."
Zera cracked a smile, his fur wild with electricity. Raizer felt the same way.
"Excellent!" He cheered. "I appreciate that resolve! Now, electro ball!" Again, Raizer had wanted to settle things with a plasma fist. But Samarra's wishes too precedent. Zera raised his paws, forming an orb of electricity to finish off the Palafin.
"Not willing to come and face us in close quarters, are you?" Amarillo declared. "And here I didn't take you for a coward, Raizer!"
"Who's a coward?" Raizer asked, his expression darkening.
"A real warrior would fight an up-close battle, exchanging blows with their opponent," she explained. "I can feel that's what you and your pokemon want more than anything, so tell me, under whose direction are you holding yourself back?"
"It's not cowardice," Raizer snorted. "For the sake of defeating you, Zera and I will use moves like this! Electro ball!"
"Ora!" Zera fired the orb of electricity at her opponent, the crackling ball of lightning shooting like a bullet across the battlefield.
Amarillo smirked. "That's where you and I differ!" She shouted. "A real hero never compromises himself in the face of his foe! I promised Palafin would finish you with a jet punch… and I will keep that promise!"
"Palafin!" Palafin wound back his flipper and punched the air, firing a swift burst of water in the shape of a fist. The jet punch exploded upon contact with the electro ball, nullifying the attack with a spray of water.
"Nicely done!" Amarillo praised her heroic pokemon. "But it's not enough! Show that foolish boy what true strength really means! Wave crash!"
"PALAFIN!" Palafin bellowed, raising his flippers. The water in the river rose up to wrap around him and he charged at Zera with the forced of a tidal wave.
"Coming at us head-on? Fine! I can appreciate that!" Raizer grinned, glad that he could settle things in a direct exchange. "Zera! Finish him off with your thunder!"
"ORA!" Zera gathered up the electricity stored in his fur, compressing it into a powerful bolt of lightning that he launched at the approaching pokemon. The lightning bolt struck the water veil surrounding Palafin, electrocuting him. But he didn't fall. Even as the current ran through his body, he refused to give in to the pokemon's fierce attack, and in seconds he was right in front of him.
"Now go, Palafin!" Amarillo shouted.
Palafin unleashed a barrage of punches on Zera, pounding him to within an inch of his life. Zera had put everything he had into that thunder attack, but it wasn't enough to stop his opponent.
"Fin!" Palafin raised a final fin, hitting Zera in the gut. The force of the blow was enough to send the Mythical Pokemon flying, and he crashed down into the grass.
"No… no way!" Marion gasped in amazement.
"She… she did it!" Alden was shocked. He never would have imagined that there was a single pokemon that could battle Raizer and his Zeraora and come out the victor.
"No," Amarillo said, narrowing her eyes. "It's not over yet."
"…Ora…" Zera rose to his feet, panting. Palafin's assault had been brutal, so brutal that the fish pokemon had taken some serious damage himself.
"This is what I wanted," Raizer said, a wild grin plastered across his face. "A battle that could push us to our limits!"
It wasn't that he no longer cared about winning. Samarra was still driving him to win. But it was clear now that no special move would work any better than a physical one. So now, at the very end, they could go wild!
Amarillo sensed that as well and smiled. Raizer would finally get to fight the way he wanted! "I promised you, Palafin will defeat you with his jet punch! Now go!"
"Palafin!" Palafin focused water into his fist and charged at Zera, dedicated to defeating the Mythical Pokemon directly.
"Quick attack, Zera!" Raizer shouted. Zera's speed was good enough where he could catch the Palafin instantly at knock him out before he could fire off his attack.
Zera swung his fist, hitting Palafin in the jaw. But to his shock, the pokemon refused to fall, even to the end.
Amarillo shook her head.
"A real hero of justice will NEVER yield, under ANY circumstances!" She shouted, swinging her fist. Palafin mimicked her movement, bringing his fin up into Zera's jaw with an uppercut that send the Zeraora into the sky. He crashed down into the grass and crumpled into a ball, defeated.
Raizer felt Samarra's influence being ripped from him. But before he lost consciousness, Amarillo had one last thing to say to him.
"Plasma fists turns Normal type moves into Electric type moves for a short time," she said gently. "If you had stuck to your strategy and used it, instead of thunder, then quick attack would have been an Electric type move. I don't think Palafin could have withstood that."
Raizer couldn't help but smile. "…Thought so," he mumbled. "In the end, compromising my ideals for Samarra cost me the victory."
"…Well," Amarillo shrugged, "in the end, Palafin still would have won." She winked behind her mask. "Heroes always triumph over any foe, after all!"
Raizer let out a final laugh at that, slipping into unconsciousness.
So Amarillo managed to win! It was a brutal, intense battle, but with the strength of her heroic pokemon she managed to defeat one of Samarra's most powerful trainers! But what about the other fights? Will Mirar and Chloe go down so easily? What about Keahi and Gabrielle? And what happened to the other trainers under Samarra's control? Something tells me this battle is just getting started!