Masa shivered as she walked down the streets of Lumoise City. Her outfit definitely wasn't made for cold weather.
As Masa walked, she had the growing suspicion that she was being followed. Excellent she thought. Let's have some fun.
"W-who's t-t-there?" She asked the empty alley. "I'm warning you. I have Pokemon and my daddy says they're super tough!" she had to refrain from giggling.
A woman emerged from behind a building. She took out a Pokeball. "I was hoping you'd say that. Hand'em over."
Masa couldn't help it. She giggled. "If you insist." She sent out Eelectrik and commanded it to use Thunder.
The mugger couldn't scream any more by the time Masa was done with her.
And by the time the police found her, Masa was already headed toward Ambrette Town.
"The battle between Team Ambrette and Team Laverre is about to begin." Nurse Joy said. She was acting as the elected official overseeing the battle, and as the referee.
"G-good l-luck!" Luna squealed to Topher.
Topher blushed and looked down. Why was she smiling like that?
"This will be a one on one battle, Alliance rules, no items or substitutions. Challenger has first move." Nurse Joy announced. "Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"
Topher through his pokeball. "Carbink, go!"
A gray rock Pokemon with blue gems encrusted on it's body appeared. "Carbink?" it said in confusion.
Topher sweatdropped. "Uh, we're battling now, Carbink."
"Bink." it said. Carbink seemed to understand. It smiled and spun around, evidently excited. Carbink had always loved battling.
Luna gulped nervously. "It l-looks strong!" she squeaked. "Um, go Ninetails! Please!"
She pressed a button on her pokeball and Ninetales appeared on the field. "Tales." it said calmly. It had thick golden fur and nine long tails, each with an orange tip.
Topher brought out his pokedex, and Luna copied him.
"Ninetales, The Kitsune Pokemon." Topher's Pokedex said. "It has nine long tails and fur that gleams gold. Ninetales is very smart and very vengeful. Grabbing one of its many tails could result in it attacking ferociously. This Ninetales is female. Level 35. Moves Known: Flamethrower, Inferno, Extrasensory, and Nasty Plot. Ability: Flash Fire."
"Carbink, The Jewel Pokemon," Luna's Pokedex said. " Born from temperatures and pressures deep underground, it fires beams from the stone in its head. It has slept underground for hundreds of millions of years since its birth. It's occasionally found during the excavation of caves. Carbink are genderless. Level 31. Moves Known: Power Gem, Stone Edge, Sharpen, and Moonblast. Ability: Clear Body."
The Pokedex says that Ninetales has a high Special Defense. Topher thought. So I need to use Physical moves. But it also has a high speed. But that shouldn't be a problem; fire type moves are four times weaker when used on Carbink. And one hit from Stone Edge should do the trick. But how do I hit her?
"Are both parties ready?" Nurse Joy asked. They both nodded. "Then... Begin!"
"Stone Edge!" Topher yelled.
"Dodge!" Luna cried.
Ninetales jumped gracefully into the air as columns of stone erupted from the ground where she had been sitting moments before.
"Keep trying!" Topher yelled.
"Dodge, Ninetales!"
Ninetales began to jump from place to place so effortlessly it was almost like floating. Columns of stone erupted everywhere Ninetales landed, but was a second too late to hit.
She's so fast... Topher thought.
"Extrasensory!" Luna yelled.
"Nine!" Ninetales yelled as her eyes began to glow. A jagged beam of technicolor light shot from in front of Ninetales towards Carbink.
"Use Stone Edge to block it!" Topher commanded.
A jagged column of rock erupted from the ground in front of Ninetales. The attack hit the rock and it exploded.
Her aim is perfect. Topher thought in awe.
Luna glared at him. "Try again, Ninetales. Extrasensory!"
"Dodge!" Topher yelled.
Carbink flew upward as the attack narrowly missed it's mark.
What happened to Luna? Topher wondered. She's nothing like the shy girl we met on the beach...
On the sidelines, Allison asked Areina that very question.
"Luna is very shy and timid." Areina explained. "Except during battle. She hates to let down her Pokemon, you see."
Dino sweatdropped. "She's kind of scary like this..."
Back on the field, Topher had commanded Carbink to use Power Gem. But Ninetales was elegantly dodging each one.
Topher cursed. "Carbink! Moonblast!"
Carbink's gems started to glow and it shot a beam of mystical blue light at Ninetales, who dodged it easily.
"Now, Extrasensory!" Ninetales shot another attack at Carbink.
"Counter it with Moonblast!" Topher told Carbink.
The two attacks collided, creating an explosion. The resulting dust and wind stung Topher's eyes.
Topher couldn't see either Pokemon. "Carbink?" Topher called.
The smoke cleared. Carbink was lying on the ground.
"The battle goes to Luna and Ninetales!" Nurse Joy declared.
Topher ran to Carbink. He picked him up gently.
"You did great..." Topher muttered. He felt like crying. This was Team Laverre's first battle, and he had lost. Topher felt like he had failed his friends.
Dino took his position on the field, while Topher joined Allison on the sidelines.
Dino waved at Sissy. "Hey! You ready to battle?"
Sissy waved back, then did a cartwheel onto her spot on the field. "I'm ready!"
"This will be a one on one battle, Alliance rules, no items or substitutions. Challenger has first move." Nurse Joy announced. "Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"
Dino threw a pokeball. "Numel, let's do this!"
A yellow and green Pokemon with a hump appeared in front of Dino. "Nume..." it snored.
Sissy laughed rancorously. "It's sleeping! How cute!"
Dino smiled at him. "Oops. Return, buddy."
Dino pressed the button on Numel's pokeball and a red beam hit him. He disappeared.
"Go, Magby!" Dino yelled, throwing his partner's pokeball.
Magby took his place on the field. He punched the air eagerly. "Mag-mag!" he declared.
Dino and Sissy laughed. "He's ready to fight!" Sissy observed.
Dino nodded. "And so am I!"
Sissy grinned and pulled out a pokeball. "Go, Kirlia!"
A Kirlia like Allison's appeared. It twirled and winked at Magby.
Magby clutched his heart. "Magby!" he said.
From the sidelines, Topher face-palmed. "We've already lost..." he said, shaking his head.
Back on the field, the battle was starting.
"Kirlia, The Emotion Pokemon. The cheerful spirit of its Trainer gives it energy for its psychokinetic power. Kirlia uses the horns on its head to amplify its psychokinetic power. It spins and dances when happy. This Kirlia is Female. Level 29. Moves Known: Psyshock, Double Team, Draining Kiss, and Calm Mind. Ability: Telepathy."
"And... Begin!"
"Magby! Clear Smog!" Dino yelled.
Magby took in air, then let out a giant cloud of white smoke that surrounded Kirlia.
Dino grinned. "A poison type move like that is Super Effective on a Fairy Type like Kirlia! And now she can't see!"
Sissy grinned broadly. "Kirlia, Psyshock!"
A beam of pink energy shot from the smoke and hit Magby directly, sending him flying.
"Magby!" Dino cried.
Sissy laughed childishly. "Kirlia can sense emotions. I've taught my Kirlia to aim using this sense. During battle, emotions run high. Your Pokemon shines like a beacon to Kirlia. She never misses."
Dino grinned back. "You and Luna weren't chosen to represent Ambrette Town for nothing. You're both talented trainers. But I'm not losing to anyone! Magby, Thunderpunch!"
Magby got up and rushed at Kirlia. It punched her in the chest with an electrified fist, knocking her across the field.
"Draining Kiss!"
Kirlia kissed her hand and blew, sending a cloud of hearts at Magby, who looked eager.
Dino face-palmed. "I swear to Arceus... Magby, don't just stand there! Dodge!"
But Maby just sat there with hearts in his eyes as the attack struck. Pink energy left Magby's body and went into Kirlia, healing her.
"Magby!" Dino yelled.
Magby stood up shakily.
"Thunder Punch!" Dino yelled.
Magby jumped forward.
"Kirlia, Double Team!"
Kirlia began yo vibrate like a tuning fork. She became several Pokemon. Magby punched one, but it disappeared.
"Calm Mind, then Psyshock!" Sissy yelled.
The multiple Kirlia's all faded but one. She began to glow and then shot an orb of pink energy at Magby.
"Dodge, then Clear Smog!" Dino cried.
Magby jumped up and the attack flew under him. He then sucked in air, then expelled white smoke at Kirlia.
"Now, Flamethrower!" Dino yelled.
Magby shot a column of flames into the smoke. They reacted with the smoke by exploding.
When the dust cleared, Kirlia was on the ground.
"Mag!" Magby cheered.
"We did it! We won!" Dino screamed exuberantly.
"How'd you know the smog was explosive?" Sissy asked.
"I know my Pokemon." Dino said, hugging Magby.
Allison took her spot on the field, and so did Areina.
Allison grinned at Areina. "I hope you know that we're taking you down."
Areina smirked back. "As if."
Oh, she is so going down. Allison thought.
"This will be a one on one battle, Alliance rules, no items or substitutions. Challenger has first move." Nurse Joy announced. "Trainers, please release your Pokemon!"
Allison threw her pokeball. "Gastly, let's do this!"
Gastly appeared floating above the field in a flash of light. "Gastly! Gas gas!" he said cheerfully. Gastly rushed to Allison and licked her.
"Hey!" Allison said. "Down boy! We have a battle to win. C'mon, get back to your place."
Gastly floated back to the battlefield.
"Nice Pokemon." Areina said. "But I'm not intimidated by such a small fry. Go, Staravia!"
Areina threw a pokeball and a flying Pokemon with black and white plumage appeared.
Allison brought out her Pokedex.
"Staravia, The Starling Pokemon. They maintain huge flocks, although fierce scuffles break out between various flocks. It lives in forests and fields. This Staravia is male. Level 33. Moves Known: Wing Attack, Aerial Ace, Double Team, and Quick Attack. Ability: Reckless."
"Are both participants ready?" Nurse Joy asked. They both nodded. "Then begin!"
Allison didn't hesitate. She never did. "Curse!" Gastly started to glow red and so did Staravia.
But Areina didn't hesitate either. "Stop him!" Areina yelled. "Wing Attack!"
Staravia surged towards Gastly and hit him with her glowing wings.
"Gastly's attack was stopped." Allison said, gritting her teeth.
"Staravia is way faster than most Pokemon." Areina said smugly.
Allison drug her hand through her hair, untangling it as she did. "Smokescreen around you! Make it hard to see!" Her Gastly did so, and Staravia took the oppurtunity to surge forward and use Wing Attack.
"Oh, that was bad." Dino said as Gastly was knocked back out of the smoke cloud.
"There wasn't enough smoke to hide him." Topher noted.
Back on the battlefield, Allison was on the ropes. She had Gastly alternately launch Night Shade and Smog at Staravia, but she was too fast. Staravia darted this way and that, dodging all attacks with ease and grace. With each dodge, it got closer to Gastly.
Areina had the same smug look that Allison usually wore.
Not for long. Allison thought.
"Now, Aerial Ace!" Staravia dodged another attack. She flew through the air and landed on top of Gastly, clawing it.
Gastly disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"Night Shade, Gastly!" The beam of black light hit Staravia directly, and the Starling Pokemon collasped.
Areina just stared at Allison and Gastly, who had just emerged from behind the building.
Allison cleared her throat.
Nurse Joy tore her eyes from Allison. "Uh... The winner is Allison of Team Laverre!"
"That was fast." Dino told her after they both ran to the others. "Even for you. I'm impressed and terrified."
"How?" Areina asked as Allison and Gothita hugged Gastly. "Gastly never used Substitute."
Allison smiled. "Remember when I tried to have Gastly hide behind Smokescreen?"
Sissy gasped. "That's when you used it?"
Allison smirked. "Yep. Substitutes can fight independently from their trainers. So I had you two fight and tire yourselves out while Gastly hid. Gastly did the rest!"
Areina pulled a pouch from her belt. She opened it and pulled out a coin.
"This is yours." She said.
Allison took it with a grin. The coin was brown, with a fossil etched into it.
"We won our first Medal!" Dino yelled. He hugged Allison and Topher.
Allison was so happy, she let him hug her.
A/N: Yay, they won! But what is Masa doing? What does she have in store for Team Laverre?