The Greatest Trainer In Sinnoh, Part 2

The sand obscuring the battlefield had cleared, revealing Darius' Heracross face-down on the ground with the blue chitin on its right arm cracked from the intense blow. Garchomp stood over Heracross triumphantly, but showing clear signs of weariness as well as blood began to trickle out of its bruised snout.

"Heracross is unable to battle!" The referee shouted.

"Well, folks, it seems we have our first knockout! The challenger's Heracross is unable to battle, but Garchomp certainly didn't leave that battle unscathed! What a show these two are putting on!" The announcer excitedly rambled, mirroring the crowd's growing excitement.

"Darius is doing pretty well. Cynthia is certainly getting a run for her money!"

"Now that Heracross is out, what can he do? Heracross was basically his best answer to Garchomp."

"I wouldn't be sure, we've only seen 3 of his Pokémon."

"Yeah, but Arcanine isn't very useful against a Ground-Dragon type like Garchomp."

Darius looked pensive for a moment, as if he was planning a new strategy, before selecting his second Pokémon.

"Walrein! You're up!" Darius sent out his Walrein, whose polished tusks shone in the artificial stadium light as it roared in preparation for battle.

"Ice Beam!" Walrein shot a light-blue beam of cold energy at Garchomp, who swiftly evaded the attack and launched into the air.

"Dragon Rush, Garchomp!" Cynthia called out to Garchomp, who prepared to launch itself like a living torpedo at Walrein with frightening speed. All Walrein could do was brace itself as the attack sent the enormous creature backwards like it weighed no more than a Hoppip.

"Ice Beam, again!" Walrein tried to concentrate, but the Dragon Rush had made it cringe in fear as Garchomp quickly closed the distance between them.

"Brick Break!" Garchomp raised its fin in preparation for a finishing attack, knowing just as well as Cynthia that this was the knockout blow. As it swung down, however, Darius had the sense to recall Walrein before it hit, leaving Garchomp swinging at nothing but air.

Cynthia smirked confidently, seeing how she had regained momentum after nearly losing her star Pokémon in the first round of the match. Darius began to get nervous, seeing as how his plan to take Garchomp out early with an Ice attack had gone awry.

"Darius recalls Walrein early from a potential knockout blow, seeing Garchomp overcome an obvious type disadvantage with speed and power alone! What other Pokémon does he have that can fight Garchomp at all?" The announcer continues.

"Serperior! Leaf Blade!" Darius commands Serperior to attack immediately, fully aware that there's no time to waste if he wishes to turn the battle back in his favour.

"Dig!" Garchomp quickly launches itself underground in order to evade the attack. Serperior sensed Gachomp's impending resurfacing, allowing it to spring up into the air and use Leaf Blade before Garchomp had even landed on the ground. As Garchomp staggered back from the unexpected attack, Serperior coiled around it until it could no longer move.

"Dragon Tail, Serperior!" Darius commanded decisively, knowing this attack would give him a tactical advantage regardless of whether it was a knockout blow.

Serperior suddenly uncoiled and lashed Garchomp with its glowing tail, sending it flying into the wall. The crowd fell completely silent as Garchomp fell to the ground, heavily bruised and beaten, before finally fainting from its injuries.

"Garchomp is unable to battle! The round goes to Serperior!" The referee called.

The crowd's excitement reached fever pitch as Garchomp was recalled in battle, tears pouring down its face in shame and Cynthia's normally neutral and calm expression having given way to shock. She had not seen her Garchomp fall in battle for years, and to have seen it fall after the challenger had only lost one Pokémon was absolutely astonishing.

"You have defeated my Garchomp? Remarkable. Unfortunately for you, this just makes me more motivated to crush you with all my strength. Milotic, surpass your limits! Hydro Pump!" Cynthia called her Milotic into battle, and Darius quickly realized that the challenge had only just begun.

Milotic let loose a powerful torrent of water as it came out of the ball, catching Serperior off-guard as it was blasted by the immense power of the attack. It got up without much difficulty, considering that now its pride was on the line. It could not lose to another serpent, especially not one with a type disadvantage to itself.

"Serperior, Leaf Blade!" Serperior landed a direct hit on Milotic, who made no attempt to move in a moment where it underestimated its opponent's strength before crying out in pain as it realized its mistake.

"Milotic! This Pokémon took down Garchomp! Recover off the damage and try to evade its attacks!"

Milotic's body glowed green as its injuries spontaneously healed and it looked at Serperior with renewed vigor, knowing full well the challenge it was now presented with.

"Milotic, Blizzard, let's go!"

"Serperior, counter it with Leaf Storm!"

The two attacks collided as the opposing winds tried to overpower one another, but the snow and leaves fell to the ground harmlessly as the powerful gusts of wind cancelled each other out.

"Bulldoze, Milotic!" Milotic slammed its tail into the ground, casing a minor shockwave as Serperior was slightly dazed by the ineffective move.

"That's it? Serperior, Slam!" Serperior prepared to attack but Milotic easily dodged Serperior's unusually slow attack.

"Gah, I forgot Bulldoze lowers a Pokémon's speed! Clever, Cynthia, but my Serperior isn't just reliant on speed." Darius smirked.

"We'll see about that. Milotic, Blizzard!" Milotic engulfed Serperior with a snowy gust, flash-freezing it with a look of terror that would be almost comical if not for the intensity of the battle.

"Milotic, excellent! Now finish it! Hydro Pump, now!" Cynthia excitedly commanded Milotic to finish off its combatant when the ice began to glow green. Her Milotic's Hydro Pump was completely destroyed by a Leaf Blade that then critically struck Milotic as Overgrow kicked in, giving Serperior a second wind and levelling the playing field once more.

"Milotic, Recover!" Milotic began to recover from the hit when Serperior struck it with Slam, interrupting the healing.

"Leaf Storm!"

"Blizzard!"

The two attacks collided, creating a vicious vortex of leaves and ice that picked up Serperior and Milotic like a Kansas farmhouse in a tornado, throwing them around like ragdolls until the wind finally dissipated. Milotic was unconscious upon impact, but Serperior remained standing.

"Lucario, Aura Sphere!"

Lucario was sent out with its paws flaring with blue aura energy and its eyes closed peacefully, while its black metallic aural sensors began to float to the sides of its head as it stood majestically, ready for combat with the opponent that had defeated both Garchomp and Milotic.

"Serperior, Leaf Blade!" Serperior launched itself with incredible speed as it viciously swing its bladed tail at the motionless Lucario. Lucario parried the attack with its forearm spikes with incredible dexterity as it then punched Serperior in the face, stunning it. It then blasted the hapless Serperior point-blank with an Aura Sphere attack, knocking it out instantly and ending its rampage.

"Arcanine, let's go!" Arcanine was sent out to battle, its regal stance and majestic bark drawing adoration from the crowd as its coat caught a breeze and formed a flowing cape. Both Arcanine and Lucario looked each other in the eyes, signalling their readiness to battle one another as a throaty growl rumbled from between Arcanine's clenched teeth.

"Arcanine, Flamethrower!" Arcanine let a stream of crimson flames out of its maw, starting the battle with a tremendous display of fiery power as the air shimmered with heat...