"Herdier, use Shadow Ball!" Lenora didn't waste any time.
"Dodge them Chesire," like before, four Shadow Balls flew straight towards Chesire, but Herdier meant business and the balls had better speed.
As Chesire jumped evading one, the second one hit his side and two more got him in midair, falling from the second one. Chesire slowly got up and smirked. He wasn't willing to admit defeat.
"I don't have much choices. Oh, I hope Chesire knows this attack," hoped Walcekite and commanded. "Chesire, use Assist!"
As Chesire was standing on his back paws, a ball of light appeared on his right front paw. Any attack could have showed up from that ball, but Walcekite was just happy she didn't appear to be stupid not knowing all her pokemon attacks in front of a gym leader. She remembered a very powerful attack that Meilli could use, but she was scared that Meilli wasn't ready for such power. Walcekite decided to train all her pokemon the moment she steps out of this museum, it didn't matter if she was victorious or defeated.
"Herdier, use Protect!" Lenora didn't want to take any chances, but it didn't matter. A Shadow Ball was shot from the ball of light. Lenora couldn't help but grin. Chesire was disappointed.
"Chesire, don't worry. Just use Assist again!"
"Herdier, end this fight! Use Take Down!"
Walcekite and Chesire looked at another light ball that appeared on Chesire's paw as Herdier ran closer and closer. Finally, as Herdier jumped into the air, to get Chesire from above, a few pink hearts flew off from Chesire's ball and started spinning against Herdier.
"Can Herdier be a girl?" Walcekite wondered, "Well, it would give us a break," "Chesire, dodge quickly!"
The ball vanished from Chesire's paw and he quickly landed on all fours and jumped to the side. As hearts shrank into Herdier it landed only inches from the running Chesire and the hit force flung Chesire a few meters further.
Chesire got up a bit shaking at glared at the lying Herdier – her eyes turned into hearts.
"A-amazing. Herdier is a girl!" grinned Walcekite looking at the somewhat hopeless female dog.
"It doesn't matter that Herdier is infatuated, she still has a 50% chance to execute the given commands. Now Herdier, use Take Down again!"
"Chesire, Yawn at her!"
As a clear bubble was released from Chesire's mouth, flew towards Herdier and popped on her snout, the female dog was already getting pumped for Take Down, which was slower than the first one.
"Herdier is slower. Chesire, jump on her and use Assist from close range!" commanded Walcekite.
Chesire nodded and jumped on Herdier's soft and dark blue fur on her back. The power focused at his snout disappeared and she didn't show any wanting to get Chesire off of her. Chesire raised his paw, forming yet another ball of light and pointed it at Herdier's back of the head.
"Herdier, you have to shake him off!" shouted Lenora.
"Too late," smirked Walcekite as a Water Pulse the size of Herdier's head engulfed it.
Chesire jumped off watching Herdier struggle a bit while water prohibited her breathing and when the ball dispersed, Herdier shook off the remaining water from her head.
"Ugh," Lenora was irritated. "Herdier, use Take Down over and over again."
But Herdier didn't listen. She just laid on the ground and started sleeping.
"Alright, it worked!" grinned Walcekite and wondered, "Should I use Dream Eater now, or give another chance for Assist?" But Chesire didn't give the option to choose, while conjuring another ball of light.
This time the light from the ball sunk into Chesire's paws and he ran towards Herdier, using Furry Swipes. Herdier didn't wake up, so Walcekite commanded.
"Chesire, use Dream Eater!"
As Chesire opened his mouth to engulf Herdier's dreams, some mass, or a somewhat energy, didn't rise from Herdier. Chesire closed his mouth and both trainer and pokemon tilted their heads in confusion.
"Herdier is unable to battle! Purrloin is the winner!" announced Hawes and smiles were put on Walcekite's and Chesire's faces.
"One more left, Chesire. Can you do it?" inquired Walcekite as Lenora retrieved Herdier.
"Purr Meow," grinned Chesire and backed away closer to Walcekite.
"So, you managed to defeat one of my pokemon. Well, it doesn't matter – I'll go even harder on you. Let's see if you have the power to get the Basic Badge. Watchog, it's your turn again!" Lenora released her final pokemon.
"Maybe Chesire should have used Dream Eater and recovered some HP," Walcekite thought worriedly. "But I believe he can do it!" she clenched her fist and shouted to Chesire, "Let's give it all we got and end up victorious!"
"Meow!" agreed the Purrloin and both opponents smirked.
"Your enthusiasm is praisable, but you need more than that to win a gym battle. Watchog, use Confuse Ray!"
A few golden balls flew from Watchog and after spinning around Purrloin for a bit, they shrunk into his body. Chesire was confused and started to wobble.
"Chesire, use Yawn!" Walcekite hoped that Chesire could hit a sleeping target, even when he is confused, but now there was a risk that Chesire would even put himself to sleep.
Chesire was facing Watchog and a clear bubble started growing from his mouth, but he turned around and shot it at Walcekite. The ball floated very slowly and Walcekite easily stepped aside, giving a worried look to Chesire, who, seemingly, didn't understand it.
"Don't worry. Confused pokemon often attack their trainers, so you should use weak attacks." Advised Lenora and that got Walcekite irritated.
She knew that Chesire didn't intend to attack her, but it seemed so wrong, almost like betrayal.
"Chesire, get yourself together, turn around and use Assist!"
Chesire listened to his trainer this time, turned around, and shot an Ice Beam from the ball of light on his front paw. Both Lenora and Watchog got startled from the array of attacks that could be fired at them, but Watchog didn't intend to just stand and stare, so he jumped, but the Ice Beam got his tail and froze it solid. Watchog couldn't land straightly without his tail, as he lost his balance, and fell on his belly. It seemed it was quite painful as Watchog growled in agony.
"Watchog, hit your tail at the ground!" commanded Lenora.
"Chesire, don't let it do that. Try assist again!"
The light from the ball landed on Chesire's paws again and another Furry Swipe attack was ready, but as Chesire ran towards the Watchog, that slowly tried to get up, he turned and landed the Furry Swipes in thin air.
"No!" shouted Walcekite, but remembered that it isn't Chesire's fault. She just felt so irritated, watching Watchog smirking and giggling in contempt, while breaking the ice on its tail.
"Watchog, use Low Kick!" commanded Lenora, happy her pokemon got its balance back. Watchog's speed was very impressive and as Chesire just began to turn around to its opponent, he already got the hit to his legs and fell on his back.
Chesire was weak, anyone could have understood that, but as Chesire snapped out of the confusion, he smirked at Watchog, like he was about to lay down some seriously powerfull attacks.
"Quickly, use Assist!" shouted Walcekite.
The ball of light turned crimson and engulfed Chesire's whole body. As his eyes started glowing electric green, he raised his front two paws into the air.
"Watchog, get back!" Lenora was surprised and her tone even showed fear. Walcekite didn't understand, if the gym leader knew what this attack was, but Walcekite was so incredibly happy. The most powerful attack of her pokemon was soon to be unleashed.
Chesire landed his front paws with such power that the ground started crumbling and a pink and crimson forcefield of energy appeared around Chesire's body and expanded outwards throughout the whole battlefield, carrying the risen and crumbled ground with it. As the crimson wave got to Watchog, it flung him to the nearest wall. Both trainers were pushed by the attack, but they managed to stay on their feet and waited for the smoke to clear.
After a minute the dusty smoke cleared and Chesire was seen in the battlefield, standing on all fours and shivering from exhaustion.
"Wh-where's Watchog?" Lenora looked around and finally saw it fainted and fallen on the ground. Watchog's figure had been imprinted in the wall.
"Watchog is unable to battle! Chesire is the winner, which also means that the victory goes to Walcekite!" announced Hawes.
"We-we won!" Walcekite started jumping from joy and ran to the battlefield to hug Chesire.
"Purr Meow," Chesire nuzzled his head to Walcekite's cheek.
"You guys are simply the best," Walcekite praised her pokemon. "And you showed magical power," she petted her Purrloin.
"This was an amazing battle, Walcekite. You really caught me by surprise," Lenora smiled while walking to Walcekite. "I'm proud to give you this Basic Badge. You definitely deserve it." Hawes gave a box with the badge on a dark pillow to Lenora, who picked it up and gave it to Walcekite. It was the shape of a dark brown book spine with yellow stripes.
"Thank you so much," she thanked. "Yeah, we did it!" rejoiced Walcekite holding the badge as high as she could and Chesire meowed in agreement. "This battle was close," she looked at Chesire, "But if we train and battle more, we will be unstoppable!" decided Walcekite, thanked Lenora and Hawes and left to recover her pokemon at the Pokemon Center.
