Ghostly Duel

Sunlight struck down from above as the battlefield revealed cracks from the previous duels already gone and dusted. The crowd had grown sporadically as the final of the S.S. Tidal Tournament had finally arrived on their final day of travel with Dewford Island only a few hours away. Perfect day, blue skies and ocean-based Pokemon jumping rapidly out of the water to greet the boat as children laughed and played. However, a cold silence had entered the field with Forrest and Emma arriving on the scene with Phoebe rejoining them all at her usual seat. Faceless expression was matched with excitement as Rod cheered on Forrest and his new friend Emma with the referee announcing the rules as per usual. Forrest had gone through by completely dominating each battle with sickening ease only a Gym Leader would have. In fact, he hadn't even taken a single hit with Geodude being his chosen battling partner with Emma having a much harder time with her limited experience. Jealously had hit Rod's heart early in the morning, knowing he had promised Forrest a Final battle between them but Emma had deserved her victory and he promised to Fletchinder to learn more and adapt to its new battling styles.

Phoebe glanced up as she caught Rod's eye for a split second before glancing away with a wry smile as each trainer revealed their Pokemon. Emma's Torchic reappeared, the Chick Pokemon screeching loudly with Forrest deciding to use his Shellos in their first battle together. The Sea Slug Pokemon had a very powerful Type Advantage over Emma's pure Fire Type, but each trainer new it would take more than that to win. Crowd began to cheer them more loudly as Forrest was given the first move, the ocean breeze shifting through as he cried, "Shellos, use Water Pulse!"

The Sea Slug Pokemon looked around nervously at the crowd and then back at its trainer before shuddering in place and seemingly unable to move. Heads began to turn in confusion as Rod could see Forrest's face turn blue in embarrassment, Shellos had been very quiet and nervous ever since they met back in the Petalburg Woods. Forrest called the attack again but Shellos shivered more as tears began to flood down its face with the Referee smirking and passing the attack onto Emma. Flicking her blond hair out of the way, Rod saw the twinkle in her eyes of determination, she had a winning mentality! Emma cried, "Torchic, use Flamethrower!"

A jet of fire erupted from the small Chick Pokemon as a streak of charcoal scarred the toasting battlefield. Rod could feel is power and heat from the crowd above as Shellos screeched loudly in pain from the powerful attack, forcing it backwards towards its trainer. Forrest's expression changed to one of pure focus and determination as he roared, "Shellos! You have to fight back! Fight back! FIGHT BACK!"

Anger wrecked through his voice as the Sea Slug Pokemon turned around, its tears drying up amongst its burns and bruises with the crowd beginning to applaud. Torchic prepared another Flamethrower attack as it burst into flames, but this time Shellos made a decisive move. Blue orbs of water appeared from around its body as they grew larger and larger with Rod already knowing what was coming. They had been hit by this attack during their brief stay at the Rustboro Port, and it was the first indication of its potential in battle. Shellos screeched again as the orbs collided together to reveal a tidal wave that towered over them all. Torchic's flame was extinguished completely as the water collapsed down in a perfect Surf attack. Emma could only gaze in shock with the attack surprising not only her but everyone watching the final battle.

The water vanished into thin air, under command from a now confident Shellos, to reveal a fainted Torchic laying on its side with its orange fur soaked. There was a split second of silence before the referee pointed to Forrest and pronounced him the winner. Streamers and mini-fireworks erupted from all around the S.S. Tidal as Rod punched the air with the crowd applauding loudly. Phoebe stood up, for the first time in the tournament and clapped gently with the captain of the ship appearing from behind with a medal in hand. Forrest smiled, returning his hard working Shellos and walking across the sodden battlefield to a defeated Emma. They shook hands to further applause, but then a soft voice seemed to silence everything.

Phoebe flicked her long brown hair to one side and spoke, "Congratulations Forrest and Emma for a great battle. As the rules apply, I will be battling the winner of the S.S. Tidal Tournament. But I have one request to make."

The captain of the ship looked at her as the crowd listened eagerly, the sun now beating down heavily from above. He asked, adjusting his white hat, "What do you request Phoebe?"

"I would like a triple battle." Confused gasps from the crowd were heard, but increased as she continued, "Forrest, Emma and Rod. I want them to verse me as one."

"You want three of our competitors to challenge you at once? Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

Heads began to turn instantly as eyes began to lock on Rod's location at the front of the amassing crowd as he ignored them all to gaze the battlefield. Pheobe looked directly at him as goosebumps erected throughout his arms and legs, but he had no idea why. The captain called him down as random travellers move aside to reveal the gleaming white steps. Dewford Island had began to appear on the brink of the horizon meaning their arrival was imminent, but why did the Elite Four member want them all to battle her at once? Pushing curiosity to one side, silence continued around the entire ship as he calmly sailed through the Hoenn Sea, Rod reached his two friends and smiled at them weakly before drawing a Pokeball out of his pocket. He spoke, his voice crackling slightly, "What are the rules?"

Phoebe smiled, her white teeth shining from the sunlight above, taking a Pokeball out of her small brown satchel and responded as the crowd began to whisper nervously to each other, "Simple! One Pokemon each, and all three of you can try to defeat my Gengar."

The referee agreed as the captain announced to the watching crowd, his voice amplified by the microphone, "This battle will be a three on one battle with the Top 3 trainers of the S.S. Tidal Tournament battling Pheobe of the Elite Four."

Anxious cheers from the crowd became audible with many understanding this had never happened before, but Phoebe refused to give a reason behind her decision. As they all took their places on each side of the battlefield, Rod turned to his friends now feeling confident and safe with them here. He muttered, as Phoebe revealed a Pokeball from her small brown satchel, "How do we beat her?"

Emma shook her head, her voice shaking slightly, "Beat her? Rod, she's an Elite Four member. Her Pokemon would wipe us in one hit."

Forrest placed his arm around them both and spoke with certainty as their nerves disappeared, "Just work with each other. We can surprise her, come on guys!"

The sun dipped behind a large cloud above, sending a darkened shadow over the whole boat with the crowd suddenly shivering in the cooler temperatures. Rod ignored it completely as the referee called for the trainers to reveal their Pokemon and announced the modified set of rules for the battle. Rod already knew what Pokemon he wanted to use, and his partners seemed to have made their decision as well. The crowd applauded loudly as the battle was fully announced, and the battle began in what seemed seconds later.

Phoebe smiled, pushing her hair to one side, as she cried, "Haunter, let's go!"

The sun did not return as the clouds above intensified, was it something Phoebe was doing to suit her Ghost Type Pokemon? Forrest's Steelix and Emma's Eevee were next to appear as they growled angrily at the translucent Haunter ahead of them. The Gas Pokemon enjoyed the shade as the sun failed to reappear once more, its whole appearance fading in and out of sight around the battlefield. Rod also noticed how it was much larger than any Haunter he had seen on television or even in reality; strong and well trained, you would expect nothing less from an Elite Four member.

Throwing his Pokeball into the air, allowing it to explode back into life, Rod's Fletchinder reappeared once again a day after its defeat. Gasps and laughter from the audience ensued but Rod ignored them as he cried, "Fletchinder, we can do this! We have to work together now!"

Forrest's Steelix stood out due to its sheer size and weight, the battlefield wouldn't be big enough for it to move around and evade much especially with the small Eevee nearby. Fletchinder was able to fly high above, and so Phoebe would have nowhere to run with her Haunter. However, she was given the first move as her voice echoed around the entire ship, "Haunter, use Hypnosis!"

The Gas Pokemon flashed brightly as orange waves of light bounced off the arena walls, drifting towards their Pokemon. Forrest reacted first, knowing how dangerous Hypnosis was against a Ghost Type, "Steelix, use Sandstorm! Deflect the attack!"

The Iron Snake Pokemon slammed the ground hard with its tail as a tornado of sand appeared, pushing the ultrasonic waves to one side. Phoebe didn't even flinch at the counter attack, and her facial expression remained the same even with Emma ordering a Shadow Ball from her Eevee. All of these attacks were immediately ineffective and soon the darkness of the clouds above seemed to intensify. Rod had been watching his Fletchinder closely along with the movement of Phoebe's Haunter, but it had vanished within a split second as he blinked. Steelix and Eevee both finished their moves to no avail, but nothing happened as the world remained still with an audience looking around confused.

Phoebe called once again, her voice echoing louder, "Haunter, use Reflect Type!"

Reappearing from above, its dark eyes instantly flashing once again with its body, Haunter's type seemed to change as it's body became completely solid. Returning back to the ground it couldn't camouflage at all with the Sandstorm being the last attack to have had any effect on it. Reflect Type would match a Pokemon's type with another, however which one did it choose from the three Pokemon there? Rod still waited his chance to attack, Fletchinder patiently waiting above as it flew in circles flashing in embers every now and then. Emma called now, her voice vivid and screeching in the conditions, "Eevee! Use Shadow Ball again!"

"Haunter, use Clear Smog!"

Eevee was wiped out before it could even move, the powerful invisible smog echoing from Haunter's body and smacking the Evolution Pokemon back towards its trainer. Haunter wasn't moving as fast, but it could still react quickly to anything coming. Eevee collapsed as the referee pronounced it defeated, leaving Forrest and Rod left in the battle. The crowd applauded Emma's efforts, but all their eyes seemed fixed on Phoebe and her battling style; cautious but very powerful. Rod just couldn't figure out what moves to use, and what she was up to with her expression being so calm and confident. Forrest called, looking over to Rod, "We have to attack together to stand a chance! Steelix, Iron Tail!"

"Forrest, wait!" Rod called desperately as he finally figured out what Phoebe was up to with her specific choice of moves. Steelix began to move forward, Forrest unable to call off the attack, as it charged down with an Iron Tail with Haunter waiting. Reflect Type had been used earlier, but Haunter hadn't chosen to go with the Steel/Ground hybrid of Steelix. It had chosen to go with Fletchinder's Fire/Flying, and with an enormous explosion of fire, the powerful Iron Snake was cannoned backwards as it landed heavily, the entire S.S. Tidal shifting from side to side. Haunter's Fire Punch would have been empowered with its new type, and in one swift blow the Iron Tail was outclassed and so was Forrest's attempt at the battle.

Phoebe continued, with the referee still calling Forrest's Pokemon fainted, "Haunter, use Shadow Ball on Fletchinder!"

It was time to battle, and Fletchinder returned back to ground level ready for its trainer's commands. Rod had no idea why Phoebe had chosen to leave him last to take out, she had seen Fletchinder battle the day earlier and fail miserably, but things would be different now. Rod called, "Fletchinder, use Double Team to dodge!"

Applauds rang around the S.S. Tidal as Rod managed to avoid one of Phoebe's powerful attacks with Fletchinder duplicating itself into dozens as it took off into the air confusing the Gas Pokemon down below. Forrest returned his Pokemon as they watched on from the side, beckoning Rod onwards to continue fighting and to even land a single attack successfully on their opponent. The duplications disappeared steadily with Rod now eager to get on the front foot, "Fletchinder, use Razor Wind!"

White slashes of air combined as they rained down onto Haunter below, but still Phoebe didn't react. She gazed on with a wry smile with Haunter expertly dodging the sharp blades of wind and firing back with another fury of Shadow Balls which Fletchinder avoided by centremetres. The Ember Pokemon was growing tired, and Rod knew this battle was getting away from them. Haunter now looked more aggressive as it hovered forwards with increasing pace, it was now or never, "Flame Charge, get in there Fletchinder!"

"Use Shadow Punch!"

Fletchinder burst into flames, looking more powerful than yesterday when it had burnt out, as it streaked down from the sky leaving a trail of smoke in its wake. Heavy collision was imminent, but Fletchinder was overpowered once again as the Shadow Punch extinguished the fire instantly and made powerful contact. The Ember Pokemon returned back into the air for a brief second as the crowd gasped, shocked it was still conscious, but then it shivered and ducked back down towards the ground with Rod immediately returning it to its Pokeball. Haunter screeched loudly in victory as the referee confirmed that Phoebe had won without taking a single hit. Applause echoed around the S.S. Tidal once again with Forrest shaking hands with Emma and Rod, the latter still feeling upset by the defeat.

Phoebe gazed on still, her eyes transfixed onto Rod's as the final ceremony had begun with Rod being congratulated along with the winner Forrest. His mind was elsewhere, and his body felt weak, but with the sun suddenly reappearing from the clouds above to shed light on the world, Dewford Island would be their destination shortly.

…

Phoebe had no intention on speaking to Rod personally, she already knew what kind of trainer he was and how he was unique. However, she had completed what was set out to do, and it was to test talent and trainers to their full extent. She had no motive, no organisation paying her to travel around and take cruises, but something still remained wrong in the world. But from the ghostly depths of negativity, she had finally found something to cheer for from the unlikely source of a young boy beginning his Pokemon Journey.