The field had been changed to accommodate trainers, several battle stations outlined on one half of the football field while the other half was used for single training. Heather stood on the clear side with her three Pokémon trying out the new moves she had taught, feeling confidant in their skills before returning them to go get lunch. A young trainer with a Swadloon came up to her as she was walking across the field, her eyes determined as she spoke.
"Hey, would you like to battle together? I could use some extra training, and my team could use a good battle too."
The trainer was a girl about Heather's age with short spiky black hair and lightly tanned skin, dressed in jeans and a sweater with five Pokéballs at her side. Heather smiled and accepted the challenge, the two trainers walking over to one of the battle field outlines where they each took a side.
"I think we can ref this ourselves, what do you think?" The girl asked while Heather got to her side, the two making rules quickly before starting.
"No healing, first one out of Pokémon loses. Mind if I use my whole team against you? Two of my Pokémon aren't very strong, and we don't have to battle for money." The black haired girl asked, Heather thinking about her team. Could they handle two extra Pokémon? Undecided, Heather agreed, the two facing off.
"Let's start this, Tranquill!"
"A Tranquill huh?" Heather took out her Pokédex to scan the large bird that stood across the field while she chose a Pokémon, grinning as she read the entry.
Tranquill, the Wild Pigeon Pokémon
The evolved form of Pidove.
Type: Normal, Flying.
Height 2′0″ (0.61m)
Weight 33.1 lbs. (15.0 kg)
Ability: Big Pecks
No matter where in the world it goes, it knows where its nest is, so it never gets separated from its Trainer.
"Claire, lets go!"
The Normal-type was summoned out onto the field excitedly and puffed up her tail, looking quite vicious despite being so cute. The girl across the field pointed her finger at the grey fluff, shouting out an order.
"Tranquill, start this with an Air Cutter!"
"Claire, dodge and use Toxic!"
The pigeon Pokémon squawked and flapped its wings, a barrage of white wind blades flying at the chinchilla. Claire ran toward the bird while dodging all but the last blade, getting knocked back quite a ways before firing the Toxic attack, the purple ball of poison getting the bird in the side before it could dodge. The Tranquill flailed its wings and tried to get the gunk off of its feathers, the Pokémons trainer looking embarrassed at its reaction.
"Tranquill, stop it! Use another Air Cutter!" She huffed, the Pokémon flapping around and firing off blades of air. Heather blinked and smirked a bit, chuckling to herself while she watched Claire dodge the blades.
It's almost like it's confused! We could use this to our advantage to end this quickly, I wonder if this is one of her weaker Pokémon?
"Claire, Protect then Swift, lets get closer to the bird."
Heather's calm voice irritated the girl on the other side who was annoyed with how her Pokémon was acting, watching as the Minccino blocked the attacks and retaliated with a Swift. The barrage of stars struck the wind blades turning them into shining dust, many making it through and hitting the dual type bird square in the chest. While dazed, the chinchilla ran up close, sliding under the gunked up pigeon.
"Perfect, Thunderbolt Claire!"
"Thunderbolt?!" The black haired girl cried while the Minccino began to crackle with electricity, telling her Pokémon to use Quick attack away. The bird moved quickly but still fluttered with its gunked up feathers, getting struck in the rear by a powerful bolt of lightening that sent it across the field. Claire fluffed up and flicked her tail, watching the bird struggle to get up before it fell while her fur continued to crackle, remaining charged with electricity.
"Ah! Tranquill return..." A beam of red light sucked up the roasted bird and she pulled another ball out while Claire returned to Heather's side, still rearing to go as the Swadloon was sent out across the field.
Swadloon, the Leaf-Wrapped Pokémon.
The evolved form of Sewaddle.
Type: Bug, Grass.
Height 1′8″ (0.51m)
Weight 16.1 lbs. (7.3 kg)
Ability: Leaf Guard
Forests where Swadloon live have superb foliage because the nutrients they make from fallen leaves nourish the plant life.
A bug-grass type, I wish we would of trained more in the forest, but there's nothing I can do about it now. Bug is super effective against Grass, so I better not send out Lark when there are still other Pokémon to beat. Lets see...
"Vincent, lets show them what you can do!"
A red beam of light summoned out apparently nothing, the ground around the dual type plant beginning to crackle and pop before it burst into flames, melting away before the terrified Swadloon. The Pokémon cried out as heat radiated all around it, the flames growing higher and stronger before a massive phoenix of fire burst out from the flames and screeched.
Its body was a golden colour with flaming wings, tail and mane, the creatures head lowering to glare at the Pokémon before it. As the creatures glowing eyes lowered to the dual type it screeched again preparing a Flame Thrower, the Swadloon fainting then and there while both Heather and the other trainer - and everyone else in the room- stared in awe.
Slowly the young trainer brought the Pokéball back out and returned her fainted Pokémon, still looking up stunned at the legendary Pokémon, even more shocked when it all disappeared in a puff of smoke. Standing beside Heather was the small Zorua, looking a bit tired after pulling off such an illusion.
"A-A fake?!" The trainer screeched almost as loud as the Moltres had while everyone watching began to applaud, Heather feeling proud that her Pokémon could get so much attention and demonstrate so much power. The black haired girl stomped her foot and took out her next Pokéball, throwing out a small crocodile like Pokémon.
"Sandile, lets show them for tricking us!"
Sandile, the Desert Croc Pokémon.
Type: Ground, Dark.
Height 2′4″ (0.71m)
Weight 33.5 lbs. (15.2 kg)
Ability: Intimidate
It moves along below the sand's surface, except for its nose and eyes. A dark membrane shields its eyes from the sun.
"A half ground type huh? Alright, let's go Lark!"
Her Servine stretched out and gave the Sandile a look of disinterest as the crocodile gave him an intimidating face, the trainer across from them looking about ready to flip. Heather calmly, if not smugly, called out a command, her opponent screeching out hers.
"Lark, Leech Seed it to start."
"Sandile! Toxic!"
Oh crap.
"Lark, dodge it!" The blonde quickly commanded, her Servine shooting a seed on the croc's back before dodging a ball of purple sludge using his vines to jump over it. The seed connected on the creatures back and began to latch on, sucking its energy steadily and transferring it back to the Grass-type.
Enraged that her attack missed, the girl began having a hissy fit, spouting several attacks at once at her Pokémon. The Sandile, completely baffled, tried to follow his trainers commands, summoning ball after ball of Toxic attack from its mouth. Lark shot vines at the dual type in a Wrap attack that disabled it up while dodging the balls of poison, summoning a tornado of sharp leaves and air blades to hit the foe.
Just as the Leaf Tornado hit, Lark was hit by a Toxic, being knocked back and glowing a soft purple. He struggled to get up from the supper effective attack while wiping the sludge off, getting a bit of energy back from Leech Seed while the Sandile was sent across the field. Both trainers watched as the crocodile remained motionless, suddenly coming to life to shoot another Toxic across the field.
Lark was knocked back and out for the count, Sandile fainting right after. Heather returned her Pokémon and the black haired girl giggled stupidly, excited about taking out a Pokémon before throwing her next on the field.
"Go, Drilbur lets take another one out!"
Drilbur, the Mole Pokémon
Type: Ground.
Height 1′0″ (0.30m)
Weight 18.7 lbs. (8.5 kg)
Ability: Sand Force
It makes its way swiftly through the soil by putting both claws together and rotating at high speed.
"Vincent, lets see what you can do without scaring the Pokémon too bad."
She sent her Zorua out onto the field again in his normal fox form, the crowd of people still watching with excitement as the illusionist came back out onto the field. The girl across the field glared at the Pokémon and pointed dramatically across the field, almost growling her words.
"Drilbur, start this off with Dig!"
"Vincent, Double Team, then Fury Swipe when he comes up."
The little fox Pokémon began running in a circle quickly, several copies of itself standing calmly around while the Ground type remained underground, the Drilbur popping up at a fake seconds later. All the rest of the Zoura's jumped at the confused mole, the real Vincent clocking the mole in the jaw with a few swipes of his claws. The Drilbur roared in irritation and used Mud Slap, catching Vincent straight in the face.
The Dark type back peddled and tried to get the mud out of its eyes, the field around the two Pokémon suddenly turning into a pool of deep looking water. Vincent and the Drilbur stood on patches of grass that were lapped at by the water, the Drilbur looking completely shocked.
"Drilbur, finish it off with Rapid Spin, it's only an illusion!"
"Vincent, use the water to clean off the mud!"
The Zorua dipped its paws and cleaned off its face while the Drilbur looked worriedly out at the water, both Pokémon and trainer realizing that it was real water.
"Use the spin to bounce off the water and hit him!"
The mole did as he was told after a moment of worrying, starting to spin on his piece of ground before hopping onto the water, more propelling through it then over it as it rushed toward Vincent.
The fox was struck by the rapidly rotating mole and sent back to Heather's feet, the blonde returning him sadly while sending out Claire to finish things off as the illusion faded, the field dry though the Drilbur was dripping wet. The Minccino puffed up her tail and shot off a Swift immediately, the sharp edged volley of stars beating against the Ground type and making it stumble back.
"Drilbur, don't let it win! Use Dig then Metal Claw!"
"Claire, Double Team!"
"Not this again! Why?" The trainer screeched from across the field, her Pokémon popping up and nailing one of the Minccino's with a Metal Claw. Claire was sent flying and skidded along the ground, looking utterly shocked that she had been hit. The Drilbur shared a similar look, popping back under the ground.
"Hm, we can do this, Claire! Use Sing into the hole!"
"Drilbur plug your ears!"
The Normal type ran over to the hole and began to sing, being knocked across the field once more by the Ground type as it popped out of the ground behind her, the Minccino firing several Swift attacks at the mole. The stars bartered the Pokémon until it fell, the chinchilla starring to sing again.
The Drilbur wobbled before it thumped against the ground asleep, Claire rushing over to give it a quick Pound to the head. The Pokémon continued to sleep heavily, Heather grinning as Claire beat him with all she had. Claire finally hit the Pokémon with a Swift, the Drilbur fainting from the attack.
The Pokémon was returned and another sent out, the two final Pokémon facing against each other. From the black haired girl's Pokéball came out a blue turtle, looking quite awkward on land.
Tirtouga, the Prototurtle Pokémon.
Type: Water, Rock.
Height 2′4″ (0.71m)
Weight 36.4 lbs. (16.5 kg)
Ability: Solid Rock
About 100 million years ago, these Pokémon swam in oceans. It is thought they also went on land to attack prey.
Uhoh, half Rock type, this is going to be bad... Thunderbolt won't work, and her attacks only hit for half damage, a weak Pokémon or not, I'm not sure if we can do this. The best we can do is weaken it.
"Claire, Tickle."
"Tirtouga, Aqua Jet!"
The turtle coated itself in water and sped at Claire, the attack hitting its mark and throwing her back. She rose tiredly and shook off, dripping from the attack.
This isn't good... I need to think of something, fast.
"Good job Tirtouga, use Roll Out now.~" The trainers voice was sing songish as she gave her Pokémon a command, the fossil Pokémon retracting into its shell as it began rolling on its side toward Claire.
"Claire, you can do this! Try hitting it with a Toxic and use Protect when it's closer!"
Desperation entered Heather's voice as her Pokémon was charged, the chinchilla summoning a ball of poison and firing it at the rolling turtle. The ball exploded on impact and the turtle just kept coming, Claire putting up a shield of energy to deflect the attack. The bubble held for several seconds before it could take no more, popping and letting Claire be hit. The Normal type was tossed back limply, being returned by a red beam of light.
Disappointedly Heather bowed her head and accepted defeat, the group of people clapping at the two trainers. She gave a brief smile and walked across the field, holding her hand out to the now smugly smirking girl.
"Thanks for the battle, I wasn't expecting that last Pokémon, you're not too bad."
"Well, gee, at least Ididn't cheat." The girl replied snootily, making Heather raise a brow and open her mouth, deciding against making a snide remark. Instead she just shrugged and walked away, leaving the building to get her Pokémon healed at the center, hoping that the trainer wouldn't have the same idea.
As she reached the exit a hand was put on her shoulder, Heather spinning around ready to confront the girl she had battled. Instead stood a short haired yellow-blonde woman dressed very eccentrically, odd headphones being used as more of a headband then anything musical.
"Hello, I'm Elesa, I'm sorry if I frightened you. I'm the gym leader here in Nimbasa, you're obviously a trainer, and a very good one at that, I was watching your battle."
"Oh! I thought you were going to be that girl, you're the gym leader? You're a model too, I see you in magazines all the time, or, used to before I started traveling... Thanks, but I lost that battle."
"You think losing is a sign of a bad trainer?"
"Well, no, but I think we could of done better. My Servine was taken out much too quickly, I didn't expect a super effective move. He's my best Pokémon."
"Well, you've learned for next time to not get over confidant or to assume, right? Do you plan on challenging my gym while you're here?"
"I've learned a lot so far, but I have lots more to learn. I'm not sure when I'll try your gym, but I plan too!"
"Well, I'll be waiting your arrival eagerly..." The model trailed off and Heather picked up immediately, her cheeks flushing faintly.
"Oh! My name is Heather. It will probably be later today that we go, will you be there?"
"Of course. Now, I must be off. Don't leave me waiting too long!"