Return to you
Chapter 20: Abilities and Trust
An hour before noon, both trainers readied themselves for a practice match in the woods. The breeze was calm and the sky was partly cloudy. When Sapphire asked, Lapis was hesitant at first but seeing her troubled expression made him agree. The past few days without much action made the future Johto gym-conqueror lose track of her game. A small battle was just the thing to get her mind back in sync.
They sent out all their pokemon to warm-up before they would begin. The Amaura went over to the Blakizen and got acquainted while Momo was greeting her Flaaffy companion, Moro. Sapphire glanced at Lapis' side and saw him looking at his two pokemon. In her perspective, she found something odd. The boy was a frequent traveler, having gone from different regions and seeing various pokemon from all over the world, but all he had was a shiny Kirlia and a Sawsbuck.
Sapphire turned her gaze to the pokemon Lapis caught a few days ago, Nyro, a Houndour. The hell hound was getting to know the Riolu, being also a pokemon with a similar appearance to a canine. Noticing the brown-haired girl's stare, he went closer and gave her a few sniffs. It had a fierce expression but that was common look among their kind. Given that, it was hard to tell if he was hostile or just trying to be friendly.
"So two rounds with one pokemon each?" Lapis suggested.
"Dontcha have any other pokemon?" Sapphire questioned as she bent down near the Houndour.
"Well, you're going to use Nyro in the gym battle so it's only logical that he'd be on your team."
"That's not what I meant. Other than the three here, ya don't have any other pokemon?" Sapphire asked again, suspiciously eyeing the boy.
"I do, but they're somewhere else." Lapis answered plainly.
"Can't ya have them sent over? There's a PC at the pokemon center." The brunette raised a point and anticipated the boy's response.
"…It's kind of complicated."
Sapphire grumbled at his answer and yelled. "There's always some freakin' excuse!"
"That's the way it is, I'm afraid." Lapis shrugged off her irritated reaction and stroked the back of his Sawsbuck. "Can you give the interrogation a break? I feel that every time we have a conversation, you bombard with me with questions over and over and if I don't answer, you immediately snap. You know, you're going to get wrinkles really fast if you keep stressing yourself out."
Sapphire growled menacingly like a Houndour. "I would have, if ya'd let me in on some stuff."
Lapis sighed with regret. "Sorry, but you really have to wait a bit longer."
"How long? Like when we reach Cianwood?" Sapphire was holding herself back. She had waited long enough. It was painful. Ruby was in her sights but she still couldn't touch him.
Lapis didn't reply. He remained engrossed in brushing off the excess leaves and dust from his pokemon. Without looking, he spoke up. "You really love Ruby, don't you?"
Sapphire was surprised by the question. She stared at his back while wondering. "Of course, I do. What kind of question is that?"
Lapis chuckled. "Nothing." Then he laid his arms on the Sawsbuck and rested his head against the stag's back. Azura tugged his clothes, telepathically asking if he was okay. The raven-haired trainer placed a hand on the shiny Kirlia's head and stroked gently, thanking her for the concern. "I'm fine…"
Sapphire also felt something was off. She approached Lapis and tapped his shoulder. "Ya feelin' okay?"
The boy took a deep breath and turned to her with a smile that seemed partly forced. "Yeah. Let's start the battle before it gets late. You're going to battle Morty this afternoon, right?"
Sapphire looked at him with discretion. Then, without as much as a warning she placed a hand on the boy's forehead, jolting him and immediately making him back away.
"I said I'm okay." Lapis argued, regaining his breath from the mild shock.
Sapphire felt his temperature was a little colder than it should have. The atmosphere was not chilly nor was the wind blowing strongly. Was he really okay?
"If you're worried, fine, I'll sit down for a bit." Lapis took a seat against a tree with his knees folded upwards and an arm resting on top. He closed his eyes and took long deep breaths. His Sawsbuck came closer and lowered its head, giving off another small dose of Aromatherapy. Azura stood by next to her trainer, waiting for the treatment to be finished.
Sapphire was worried for his condition but she couldn't understand what kind of sickness was it. The same thing goes for Ruby. She thought of him and wondered if he was going through the same things Lapis was.
The blue-eyed boy opened his eyes and saw Sapphire, once again looking troubled. He patted Xylo with gratitude and stood up. Then he came towards the her and smiled sincerely. "How many times do I have to say that that look doesn't suit you? You should keep on smiling."
"How can I? I feel so useless…" Sapphire kept her head down while gripping her arms.
"Don't say that." Lapis placed his hands on her shoulders and slowly pulled her closer for a hug.
Sapphire could hear his heart beating and the warmth of his arms. Her mind kept flashing visions of Ruby and Lapis; some were overlapping while others were separated. She didn't know what to make of it. After about a minute, she pushed him away.
"Feeling better? Let's begin the battle then…" Lapis smiled in her direction, not showing any meaning to the gesture he did earlier.
Sapphire nodded and tried to shrug off the airy feeling in her head and chest.
The battle rules changed. It became a two round double battle so that each pokemon had a chance to join in the fight. Other than the pokemon Lapis had, he was given the Riolu and the Amaura whom he and Sapphire decided to name Rara.
The first round was between Sapphire's Blaziken and Houndour versus Lapis' Kirlia and Riolu; two fire-types against a psychic and fighting-type.
"Toro, jump up and use Flamethrower! Nyro, charge in and attack with Fire Fang!" Sapphire commanded. The Blaziken shot through the air using its powerful legs and launched a surging stream of flames from its wrists while the Houndour bolted straight with its mouth blazing.
"Azura, shield yourselves with Light Screen. Rilo, charge in as well and use Force Palm on the ground." Lapis instructed. The Shiny Kirlia conjured a multi-colored plate and deflected the Blaziken's assault. Rilo ran up to meet his opponent and when they were a mere inches from each other, the Riolu slammed its paw unto the forest floor, causing a shockwave that knocked the hell hound back.
Sapphire wasn't bothered. The battle was far from over. "Now, follow-up with Blaze Kick and Feint Attack."
Still in mid-air, Toro dove down towards the Kirlia and broke through the barrier with its leg burning bright red. Azura jumped back, but her arm was singed by the attack. Meanwhile, Nyro dashed through the battlefield, swiftly alternating from left to right until finally he vanished. Rilo kept his guard up, trying to locate the dark pokemon. But he was a second too late. The Houndour appeared at his side and struck the unsuspecting pokemon.
"Pretty good." Lapis commented, seeing the girl display her battle prowess. Then he turned his attention to his battling duo. "Azura, use Psychic on Toro. Rilo, charge again at the Houndour." The Kirlia's amber eyes glowed bright blue as it released cerulean waves at its opponent. Rilo dashed forward into the battlefield, waiting for the boy's signal.
"Toro switch places with Nyro." Sapphire knew her Blaziken was weak to psychic attacks but dark pokemon were immune. The Houndour dove in and took the attack intended for the Blaziken, but as expected, it had no damage. Now it was Toro and the Riolu.
"Rilo, now use Copycat!"
The emanation pokemon's body began to illuminate dark pink as it released blue psychic waves from its body. Toro was struck by the supper-effective move, but was able to keep on standing. Sapphire wasn't expecting that tactic. She remembered Lapis' battle with Gold. She admitted to herself that the boy was strong, but seeing it firsthand made her realize just how good he could be.
"We're not through." Sapphire growled with determination. "Toro, Sky Uppercut! Nyro use Crunch." With its claw shining brilliant white, the Blaze pokemon lunged towards the Riolu. The Houndour bared its glowing fangs and charged in for the attack.
"Azura, use Ally Switch! And Rilo, Force Palm again." Lapis quickly shouted his commands.
Before Toro's assault struck the Riolu, Azura teleported in Rilo's place and took the damage while Rilo appeared in Azura's previous spot and struck the Houndour with a yellow energy blast from its paw, knocking out the dark-type. Now, Toro was left and Lapis' pokemon were standing and ready to battle.
"One down. Should we continue? Or should we start the second round with the next set of pokemon?" Lapis inquired.
The battle was a practice match, after all. It was for the purpose of getting Sapphire's mind back in gear and warming up her team for the bigger battle ahead. Sapphire gave in and motioned her Blaziken to back down. Lapis' went to the Houndour and instructed his Kirlia to heal Nyro using Heal Pulse. When the hell hound regained consciousness, the boy gently smiled and patted its head for doing its best.
On one corner, Momo and Moro were getting psyched to battle side by side, but their happiness was halted to a stop when they looked at their giant four-legged opponents. The Minccino gulped, recalling the times Sapphire's Aggron and Donphan almost trampled on her. The shiny Flaaffy smiled encouragingly to lighten her friend's spirit. It partly worked. Momo managed to force out a small awkward grin.
The second round was about to commence with Sapphire fluffy duo and Lapis' Sawsbuck and Amaura when the boy interrupted. "Can I borrow Ruby's pokedex for the time being? I don't know much of Rara's moves."
Sapphire pulled out the red version model of the Hoenn pokedex and stared at it. She figured that Ruby entrusted it to Lapis for the time-being but knowing that, it made her concerned about Ruby's position, not having the device with him. But worrying was not going to do anything. Sapphire held out the digital encyclopedia and Azura handed it to her trainer with the use of telekinesis. Lapis thanked her and his Kirlia and opened up the data about the Amaura. A few minutes of having studied the move set, he was ready to begin the fight.
Sapphire made the first move. "Momo, Iron tail! Moro, use Electro Ball!" As instructed, the Minncino ran across the field with its tail shining white. The Flaaffy followed up by summoning a sparking yellow orb and hurling it towards the opponent. Momo grinned and leaped up, scooping the Electro Ball by the tail and combining it with her own attack.
"Two can play it that game. Xylo, Energy Ball! Rara, Aurora Beam!"
The Sawsbuck conjured a luminous green sphere and fired it towards the Minccino. The Amaura followed the command and shot a multi-colored stream directly at the Energy Ball, increasing its mass while adding a spiraling variety of colored streams.
Momo lashed out her electrifying tail on the combined Energy Ball. A bright flash followed by a loud explosion caused a shockwave that even shook the trees around them. The Minccino flew back but was safely caught by the Flaaffy's Cotton Guard. The two exchanged happy grins for a moment and then readied themselves to continue the fight.
"Momo, use Swift! Moro, Signal Beam!"
"Xylo, Protect. Rara, Powder Snow."
The Minccino swung its tail from side to side; releasing golden stars while the shiny Flaaffy fired a rainbow beam from the green sphere on the tip of its tail. Both attacks were aimed at Xylo who stood on his hind legs with his front hooves glowing bright green, blocking each of the assaults. Rara followed up with a freezing blue stream of glitter from her mouth. The grassy ground became coated in frost as the attack surged towards its two targets. Momo and Moro braced themselves behind the Flaaffy's woolly defense, avoiding being frozen.
"Hold on Momo, Moro!" Sapphire cried out as she devised a strategy. "Okay, Momo, Iron Tail! Moro, Signal Beam again!" The red-eyed Minccino charged with its tail glowing white while Moro launched another prismatic ray from its tail.
"Xylo, use Horn Leech. Rara, Icy Wind." Lapis ordered. The autumn-form Sawsbuck ran up with its head lowered. The leafy antlers on its head began to outline vivid orange as the predicted collision was steadily coming up.
Momo grit her teeth as she hastened her pace. Xylo was rapidly nearing her. But just before they could clash, the Minccino leaped onto the ground and belly flopped across the icy trail left by the Amaura's earlier move. Momo evaded the Sawsbuck's legs, fortunately avoiding another trampling incident. Then she slid towards the real intended target. Rara let loose another frosty stream but was countered by Moro's Signal beam. Now it was the Minccino's chance. Momo quickly touched the unfrozen part of the forest floor and in that moment, used all the momentum to launch into the air and finally lash out her attack on the opponent. The tundra pokemon cried out in pain as it's stumbled on its feet.
"Rara!" Lapis called out to the Amaura who was desperately struggling to get back up. The ice dino was particularly weak against steel-based moves. Instead of twice the damage, it was four times the amount.
"Wanna continue?" Sapphire spoke up. While watching the battle, she noticed that Lapis was only using long-range assaults so the Xylo could stay with the Amaura. The plan was to lead the Sawsbuck away by launching a split-attack with Momo's Iron Tail. Lapis would be left with no choice but to attack head on to prevent the super-effective move from reaching the Amaura, but seeing the result, his effort proved futile.
"Well, this is a draw then?" Lapis stated. The first round went to him while the last round went to Sapphire.
"Alright." Sapphire went to her fuzzy duo and congratulated them on their battle. Momo was particularly pissed by her trainer's decision. She kept ranting on squeaks, complaining about almost getting trampled. Moro tried to calm her down but Sapphire told her to let her be. It was the only way for the Minccino to release her frustration.
Meanwhile, Lapis was sitting down next to the Amaura. After Azura applied another round of Heal Pulse, the raven-haired lad caringly wiped the blue dino with a soft damp cloth. Rara found it very soothing. She settled down on the ground and laid her head and neck on the boy's lap. The sail-like structures on her head turned green again, indicating the pokemon's happiness.
The other pokemon were enjoying the refreshing forest breeze and the serene atmosphere. Nyro was napping below a tree while Xylo was overseeing his fellow pokemon's little activities. Rilo and Azura were having a small conversation but after that, the shiny Kirlia taught the younger pokemon some more techniques. Toro, being a fighting-type as well, joined in their session to give the Riolu more pointers.
Sapphire, once again, looked at Lapis' direction. The boy was busy tending to the Amaura. Seeing his strength in battle as well as his tenderness towards a pokemon made her recall Ruby once again. The fact of the similarities they shared, made Sapphire get along with Lapis but most of the time, she just wanted to avoid him because of that. Being reminded of Ruby was both comforting and painful for her.
*rumble*
The tranquil scene was disrupted by the sound of an empty stomach. Lapis laughed and suggested that they head to the pokemon center for a bite to eat as well as to heal their pokemon. With an embarrassed look, Sapphire complied and recalled her pokemon back to their pokeballs. Lapis did the same but only to his Sawsbuck, leaving Azura to tag along beside him. Sapphire walked ahead while the duo trailed behind.
"So Azura, did Rilo say anything?" Lapis asked in a hush tone as he watched the girl walking far in front.
"Rilo's still not sure but perhaps it is what you assumed." Azura answered through telepathy.
Lapis furrowed his brows as he pondered deeply. "Let's continue to keep watch. We still have a lot of time."
"Maybe, but you are really pushing it." The blue-haired Kirlia warned.
Lapis chuckled under his breath. "Like you said, I really can't help it."
At the pokemon center, the two trainers had lunch while their pokemon went through a healing session with Nurse Joy. During the meal, Sapphire and Lapis shared ideas about battling ghost-types. They didn't know how many pokemon were going to be used or what kind of rules were to be applied but they had to sure that Sapphire was ready for anything.
Lapis borrowed Moro for a while to charge his camera since he wanted to get some more pictures of Sapphire in action. In return he gave the Flaaffy some treats and a special gift for her assistance.
When they finished their preparations, they all headed to the gym. Momo was perched on the girl's shoulder for moral support, Nyro was already out and following Sapphire at her side while Lapis and Azura walked behind them.
The gym was dark and gloomy. The floor seemed like a pitch-black pit. It made Momo cringe in fear and tightly latch onto the girl's shoulder. Sapphire could feel the furball tremble while gripping securely like a Shellder to a Slowpoke's tail. "Momo, ya wimp." She muttered while uselessly trying to calm the fear-stricken Minccino.
The floor beneath their feet was completely invisible. Only a deep abyss was seen. Above, wailing voices similar to the ones at the Burned Tower resonated in the air, adding to the eerie feel of the surroundings. Nyro walked in front to lead the way since pokemon like him were accustomed to the dark and with his canine senses; the Houndour was the ideal pokemon to be their guide.
After what felt like a long walk through an endless invisible maze, they came face to face with the gym leader, Morty. The blonde man with the purple scarf greeted them warmly as did the several ghost types that suddenly appeared out of thin air.
"Welcome Sapphire Birch, shall we begin our fated battle?"
Sapphire nodded and immediately the arena beneath them surfaced out of the dense ghostly fog. The battle rules were announced by creepy old lady who appeared from the shadows. It was to be a single battle with four pokemon on each side, and only the challenger was allowed to switch pokemon. The last pokemon standing determines the victor.
Lapis stood back along with Azura and Momo, as well as the inhabiting ghost pokemon that weren't going to battle. The Minccino buried itself in the boy's arms, afraid to look at the ghost-types around them.
Morty sent out his first pokemon, a Lampent that hovered in the battlefield and waited to face its first opponent. Sapphire sent out Nyro. The hell hound growled and bared its fangs at the lamp pokemon.
The gym leader chuckled. "A dark-type right off the bat, eh?"
Both sides knew that each pokemon were strong against flames especially if they had Flash Fire ability. With a battle this serious, none of them would take the chances to find out.
"Let the battle begin."
"Nyro, Crunch!" Sapphire commanded. Immediately, the Houndour charged at the lamp pokemon with its glowing sharp teeth drawn.
"Lampent, use Night Shade." Morty ordered.
The ghost-type's yellow eyes glowed vibrant blue as it fired a black ray from its body. Nyro pushed through the pain and it sunk its teeth unto the Lampent's arm. The lamp pokemon wailed in pain and jerked off the bone-armored canine.
"Nyro, follow up with Feint attack."
Like the practice match earlier, the Houndour shifted from side to side and suddenly disappeared. The Lampent spun around in search for its enemy.
Morty saw through using his own abilities. "Upper-left. Counter with Shadow Ball."
Without laying eyes on its enemy, the Lampent followed instructions and hurled a black and purple ball of energy at its side. Just as the Houndour appeared, it was struck by the attack. Nyro yelped in pain but he shot open his eyes and struck the enemy. The Lampent was down for the count but the Houndour was partially injured from the battle. Sapphire wanted to return him to his pokeball but Nyro seemed insistent on continuing.
Morty called out his second pokemon, a Gengar. The sinister looking pokemon materialized in the arena and let out a dark cackle that could sent shivers down anyone's spine.
Sapphire remained resilient in facing the fight and winning her fourth badge. "I'm countin' on ya, Nyro."
When it was time to begin, Morty commanded first. "Gengar, Dark Pulse!" The shadow pokemon placed its hands together and shot a beam of black and purple rings towards the Houndour.
"Nyro, Flame Charge." Sapphire ordered. The armored canine quickly ran across the battlefield and dodged the ominous beam. Then it burst into fiery red flames and rammed the shadow pokemon. "Now follow up with Feint Attack."
Nyro nimbly landed back on the ground and darted into the shadows, disappearing from sight. The next moment, he appeared behind the Gengar and landed another clean hit.
"Using the darkness to your advantage, I see." Morty chuckled softly. "Ghost pokemon are also quite capable of that. Gengar, use Shadow Punch."
The shadow pokemon released violet sparks from its body that traveled to its hands. Then it punched the air, sending a black fist with purple static towards the hell hound. It was an unavoidable attack. Nyro yelped and was knocked back across the arena. He tried to get back up but he had no strength left in him.
"It's okay, Nyro. Ya did great." Sapphire returned the Houndour to its pokeball and readied her next pokemon, Moro. The light-pink pokemon baaed cheerfully as its tail sparked with blue electricity. The fluffy feminine creature looked out of place in the gloomy surroundings but it didn't bother the Flaaffy or Momo, who mustered the courage to cheer for her.
"Let's begin." Morty gestured to his ghost-pokemon who was hovering in mid-air. "Gengar, use Mean Look." The shadow pokemon's eyes glowed eerily, preventing any future escape.
Lapis had a bad feeling about what was about to come. He gritted his teeth and called out to Sapphire. "Sapph, be careful! You have to finish the enemy quickly."
Sapphire glanced back at him and nodded. Then she returned her attention to the Flaaffy. "Moro, Electro Ball!"
The wool pokemon conjured up a golden sphere of electrical energy and threw it towards the opponent. The Gengar was sent flying back, but it was still able to fight. Unfazed, the blonde man grinned cunningly. "Now use Taunt."
The Gengar cackled mockingly, provoking even the docile little Flaaffy. Sapphire called out to her pokemon but Moro's concentration was at the shadow pokemon. A second later, the Flaaffy surrounded itself in electrical energy, readying for an all-out attack.
It was the moment the Ecruteak Gym Leader was waiting. "Destiny Bond." The Gengar's body glowed eerily as it waited for the enemy's next move.
"Sapph! Volt Switch!" Lapis cried out, figuring out the strategy Morty was using.
Sapphire tried to regain command of Moro. Just as the Flaaffy charged at its enemy, she yelled "Volt Switch" once more. Moro gathered up the accumulated energy into a ball and hurled it towards the Gengar. The shadow pokemon took the full force of the attack as The Flaaffy dashed back to her trainer. Mere moments became the difference for either side. As the Gengar fell unconscious to the floor, Moro managed to return to her pokeball and switch with Rara.
Lapis sunk to the ground in relief. Morty turned to face him with a serious expression. "I admire your quick thinking, but please refrain from coaching during a gym battle."
The raven-haired boy nodded and apologized.
*bonk*
The creepy old referee lady whacked his head with a worn-out wooden staff. "Mind your manners next time, young man…"
Lapis lowered his head, apologetically while rubbing his sore spot and grumbling under his breath. The he peeked at Sapphire who shot him a glance with a smile saying, "I can take it from here." Seeing that look, he smiled back and trusted her to win the battle. Azura and Momo cheered Sapphire on with sassy enthusiasm. While with his mind at ease, Lapis took out his camera to get some cool documentation.
The fight raged on with Morty's third pokemon, a Dusknoir. The cyclops-like pokemon eyed its opponent fiercely. The tundra pokemon was unfazed by it. Rather she seemed curious about the events going on. Rara was supposedly Ruby's pokemon but due to the circumstances, Sapphire had to use her for the gym battle.
"Shadow Sneak!" Morty commanded. The Dusknoir's shadow enlarged and somehow took on a will of its own. Once the black shade was below the Amaura, it let loose a spectral fist and forcefully struck the tundra pokemon. The sails on the Amaura turned red as a cold mist began to emit from its body.
"Rara, use Powder Snow!" Sapphire instructed. The blue dino conjured up a sparkling blue powder from its mouth and froze everything on its path.
"Counter with Fire Punch." The Ecruteak gym leader ordered. As the icy attack drew close, the Dusknoir's fists became engulfed in flames. Then it surged forward, melting away the assault as it headed towards its opponent.
"Rara, Take Down!" Sapphire yelled and the Amaura ran up to the cyclops-like pokemon.
"Normal-type moves don't affect ghost pokemon." Morty pointed out. But much to his surprise, the Amaura's attack struck his Dusknoir and managed to knock it down to the frost-covered floor.
"Rara has a Refrigerate ability. It turns all normal-type moves to ice with additional damage." Lapis explained, grinning happily at the gym leader's reaction.
"Don't celebrate just yet. Unlike the others, my Dusknoir is adept to close combat." Morty motioned his pokemon. "Thunder Punch!"
The Dusknoir got back up and swung a fist loaded with bright yellow sparks. The Amaura jolted back and cringed. Electricity coursed throughout its body, impairing its movement. Sapphire withdrew Rara from the battlefield and sent Rilo.
Morty was intrigued by the girl's choice in pokemon. She was smart enough to use a dark-type, but the two that followed were very cutesy and the last one was a fighting-type. Still, he couldn't underestimate them especially when he has two pokemon left while the girl has three though one was paralyzed.
"Rilo, Ice Punch!"
The Riolu's hands became enveloped in an icy glow as it rapidly swung at its opponent who instinctively countered with Thunder Punch. Morty chuckled at the battle twist. It became a fist-fight of elements. Each trainer was spouting commands, alternating from Ice Punch to Thunder Punch and finally Fire Punch, almost like a game of rock-paper-scissors. It was now a matter of luck and resilience of the pokemon themselves. But Morty had the advantage, not by level but by ability.
After several bouts, Rilo was out of breath while the Dusknoir was still raring to keep on going. It was because of the gripper pokemon's ability, Pressure, which raised the usage of the power points of its enemy.
The Dusknoir was about to launch another electrifying hit when Sapphire called out to the Riolu. "Rilo, Blaze Kick." Putting the lessons he got to good use, Rilo dodged the Thunder Punch and flipped backwards, striking the opponent with a leg blazing with red-hot flames that left a massive burn. And within moments, the Dusknoir fainted.
Both pokemon were recalled to their pokeballs. Morty was down to his last pokemon and Sapphire was left with Moro as the best choice among the remaining three since Rara was paralyzed and Rilo was too tired to keep on going.
The Ecruteak gym leader called out his last pokemon, a Mismagius. The purple witch-like pokemon smiled crookedly as it flew down unto the arena. Sapphire took out a pokeball and sent Moro back into the fray to finish the fight. With both pokemon ready, the final round began.
"Mismagius, use Phantom Force."
"Moro, Charge up and get ready to follow up the next attack."
The witch-like pokemon blackened and quickly disappeared into the darkness while the Flaaffy emitted yellows sparks, powering for its next move. The following moment, the Mismagius reappeared from the shadows and struck the pink woolly pokemon from its blind spot, sending it back flying. With electrical energy continuing to run through her body, Moro landed on her feet and waited for her trainer's signal.
"Discharge!" Sapphire shouted and as swiftly as she did, Moro unleashed all the gathered up energy into several bolts of blue lightning. The Mismagius flew around rapidly to dodge but was inevitably struck by the electrical attack and as a result was paralyzed.
"It's not over yet. Mismagius, Psywave!" Morty exclaimed. The body of the magical pokemon became outlined in blue as it released ringed beams with a spectrum of colors.
"Hurry use Power Gem."
The green orb on the Flaaffy's tail illuminated in a vibrant blue hue before it fired a brilliant beam to counter and cancel out the assault. A sharp screech pierced through the atmosphere before the arena became shrouded in a deep haze. The decline in visibility wasn't a hassle for the master of ghost-types.
"Confuse Ray."
Pushing through the numbness, the Mismagius' eyes glowed purple. The ominous orbs pierced through the haze and locked the Flaaffy in an illusion, evening the odds. Sapphire tried to call out her pokemon in an attempt to snap her out of her daze but Moro was panicking and losing health in the process. On the other hand, the Mismagius was forcing itself to move given the state it was in.
"Moro, Discharge!" Sapphire once again attempted to break her pokemon out of confusion.
Not knowing if it was luck or just Moro randomly firing, but blue bolts of lightning shot out of the haze and thrashed around the battlefield. Morty and even the ghost pokemon backed up to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.
Lapis stood up quickly and ran to Sapphire's side, grabbing her out of the way before one of the lightning strikes could hit her. They both turned their attention back to the battle just as the dark fog was clearing up. Moro came back to her senses but was shaking and panting heavily while the Mismagius was desperately trying to keep aloft. Both of them seemed to be on their last legs.
Sapphire couldn't waste another minute. "Thunderbolt!"
"Psybeam!" Morty commanded, not willing to give up until the end.
The Flaaffy and Mismagius mustered their remaining strength and launched their respective attacks causing another collision that blinded everyone around nearby. By the time, the light faded and the battlefield became visible, two pokemon lay unconscious on the ground.
Since Sapphire still had two remaining pokemon, she was declared the victor. Morty returned his pokemon back to its pokeball before he came over to the victorious gym challenger.
Sapphire and Lapis along with Azura and Momo were fussing over the bleached-colored Flaaffy. After the boy applied a Revive and a Hyper Potion, Moro opened her eyes and stared back at the worried and thankful faces around her.
Sapphire, with the most radiant expression, flashed a proud fanged grin and told the Flaaffy about the outcome. "Moro, we won!"
Immediately, the woolly pokemon rejoiced and illuminated her wagging tail. The rest of the girl's pokemon were sent back out to indulge in their victory. Morty called the girl over to accept the Fog Badge. Sapphire stood up and glanced at Lapis who was tending to injured pokemon.
The raven-haired boy grinned with a look saying, "I knew you could do it."
Sapphire felt comfort at his gesture. She walked towards the Ecruteak gym leader and received her fourth badge. It was a deep violet emblem shaped like a wispy ghost.
Morty congratulated her on her victory and brought up a different subject. "Wasn't there something you wanted to ask of me?"
End of Chapter 20
So much battling, I ran out of ideas. Maybe I should just stick to three and summarize at most
Suggestions, I wanna know what you guys want to read in the future.
100k FTW! Review and Happy New Year guys!