A/N Welcome to my third chapter! Bored yet? Well, you will be a little if you're not a fan of the battling part of Pokemon, but there's something very...interesting...at the end of the chapter. Be sure to check out LaLaLaGurl's new fanfiction, Imperfection, in the Impossible, Nancy Werlin section (books section). Again, R&R, and enjoy! I'll try to update soon, so you won't be waiting long, hopefully!.
"Go, Charmander! Terminate that fool!" Alexander cried into the outdoor battlefield, which was set up next to the lab.
"Prepare for battle, Squirtle!" Eric shouted.
A Charmander was a lizard on its hind legs. It had a tail that led to a flame. Squirtle was a blue turtle, also on its hind legs, with a brown shell.
Eric kneeled down so he could make easy eye-contact with Squirtle.
"I know you can do it. Just believe in yourself. (Eric points to Alexander) That guy doesn't really care about what Pokémon is really about. He just wants to win. Do your best, Squirtle," Eric told Squirtle.
Eric patted Squirtle on his head, and sent it up to battle.
"What were you doing? Making out with your idiotic, not to mention weak, Squirtle? Do that if you want, but you're not going to conquer this baby!"
"Professor, can you referee the match?' April asked.
"I'm sorry, I can't. I need to finish up installing the last Pokedex. You may referee the match, if you want," Oak told April.
April headed tentatively into the battlefield.
"The match between Eric and Alexander will begin now!" April said nervously.
"Charmander, Smokescreen, immediately!" Alexander ordered.
A thick smog of black smoke surrounded Charmander, and Squirtle could not pinpoint the location of Charmander.
Eric called, "Go into a defensive location, there is no point of attacking!"
Squirtle curled up into its shell. Eric then told Squirtle to spin its shell around the smoke, hopefully warding off Charmander out of the smoke.
"Dodge by jumping! Don't get out of your cover! Alexander shouted.
Charmander was able to jump over Squirtle's shell three times, and then got hit. By then, Squirtle was tired, so the damage wasn't too serious. Alexander's Pokemon was a little bit beaten up, a little muddy, and in minor pain.
"Get out of the area before Charmander can counter-attack!' Eric yelled.
It was too late. Charmander's scratch sent Squirtle sprawling to the ground, but Eric's beloved Pokemon was determined, and got up fast. Alexander was pissed. After that, Eric ordered Squirtle to blow the smog away. It worked perfectly. Charmander wasted time setting up another smokescreen, and Bubble hit Charmander head- on. Charmander still had enough health to prevent its ability to kick in, and same with Squirtle.
Eric ordered, "Tire out Charmander out by going into defense position!"
Squirtle obeyed. Since it wasn't moving, it had a brief moment to recover, and that could be the difference between a win or a loss.
Even though Alexander was harsh and cocky (and, as Eric thought, a very bad word), he was determined, and a tough opponent. Eric needed to step up his game in order to beat his opponent.
Alexander ordered Charmander to flip Squirtle over, but Squirtle spun his shell underground. He glanced at April. She was giving him a thumbs-up.
Eric then told Squirtle to use Bubble underground. Charmander got uncomfortable in the damp, even soggy, soil, and was distracted.
"Bubble, now!"
It hit Charmander, but not directly, due to the fact that Alexander told Charmander to dodge.
Charmander's Blaze ability kicked in, just like steroids do. Its tail fire enlarged. Its whole body got covered by a red wave of energy.
Alexander then demanded Charmander to use Ember.
A huge flame shot out at Squirtle. It had no time to dodge. Normally, the resistance would cause Ember to be a weak attack, but the Blaze ability helped to cut down Squirtle's health a fair amount.
Squirtle's Torrent kicked in at the right time. Huge bubbles surrounded Squirtle, followed by the same wave of energy surrounding Charmander, but a blue one.
Squirtle unleashed a war cry, which seemed to scare Charmander. However, Charmander unleashed a more low-pitched war cry.
"Keep moving!" Eric exclaimed to Squirtle.
Squirtle, as the slowest of the starters, couldn't run too far back and Charmander gained on it. But Squirtle steadily accelerated.
"Now jump into the air and use Charmander as a launch pad!" Eric told the tired Squirtle.
"What?" Alexander was shocked, and his face showed it.
Squirtle bounced off of Charmander, who got dazed.
"Bubble, now!"
It was a perfect hit. Charmander collapsed and its eyes were far away, almost like swirls. Charmander suddenly snapped back to focus.
"Charmander has fainted, Squirtle and Eric win!" April announced.
"You got lucky, you idiot!" Alexander ran back to the lab, about to complain to his grandfather, after sending Charmander back in its Poke Ball. The professor would not have pity on his grandson, as Alexander hoped, but would give him a lecture about being creative and having the right timing in your moves.
Meanwhile, Eric jumped up and down and hugged Squirtle.
"W-w-w-we did it!" Eric cried, stuttering due to surprise and joy.
"Well, Eric, looks like you won your first battle," April said, almost mockingly, with one eyebrow raised and a small smile on her face.
"Yeah, I think I'll go back home for one more night. It's getting late, and Mom will be a little bit worried. Wait, meet me at Central Pallet Town, okay?" asked Eric. (A/N Eric wanted to kiss April, but that doesn't happen (read on!). Anyways, there will be no kissing in this story. My sister insisted that it was too sappy.)
"Okay," April replied, somewhat suspicious.
Eric returned Squirtle to his Poke Ball and walked home.
"Hey mom, I'm going to stay for one last night, but I have to go to a meeting."
"Sure." said Angela. She also gave Eric a couple medicines, just in case. Eric hugged her and left the building.
Eric strolled to Central Pallet Town where he saw two thugs and April sprawled on the ground, apparently beaten up.
Uh, oh, not good, Eric thought.