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DISCLAIMER: I Do NOT own Pokémon.
Chapter 29: Desire for Battling
The flaming falcon-like pokemon soared through the air, leaving a trail of amber cinders behind it. The Lapras continued its barrage of ice attacks, but the fire bird gracefully evaded it, and retaliated by closing in and launching itself at the enemy in a blazing fireball.
Sapphire couldn't take her eyes off of it. She had never seen that kind of pokemon before. What was it? Where did it come from? She had to find out. Quickly, she took out her pokedex and examined its data. Her device beeped and displayed the pokemon's profile.
Talonflame
The Scorching Pokemon
In the fever of an exciting battle, it showers embers from the gaps between its feathers and takes to the air. When attacking prey, it can reach speeds of up to 310 mph. It finishes its prey off with a colossal kick.
"Talonflame?" More on its data revealed that it came from the Kalos region. Sapphire didn't recall seeing one of those when Sophie, a pokemon researcher in Kalos, visited Ecruteak City and neither did anyone she know receive a pokemon like it. And this pokemon was already fully evolved.
The Lapras fired a strong Water Gun attack but was countered by a Flamethrower. Due to the type advantage of the attack, however, the Water Gun extinguished the flames and pierced through, pushing away the clouds of steam that were made when the moves made contact.
The Talonflame was struck by the wing, but it wasn't serious. It dodged the critical points by hiding in the hazy vapor. After surviving that blow, it flew out of the steam and circled around, preparing for another attack.
Realizing its offensive strategy wasn't working too well, the Lapras changed tactic. It dove down into the deep blue waters with a loud splash. The Talonflame could no longer attack it straight on, now that it was in the safety of the water. It ceased overhead and hovered a good distance to observe.
"A Dive move?" Lapis scanned the waters and saw a large shadow rush towards the corner of the canyon and disappear from sight.
Sapphire caught a glimpse of what happened too. At first, the two trainers guessed that it ran away, but they felt it wasn't the case. There was a sense of uneasiness in the air, like the calm before a storm. Lapis returned his Houndoom to its pokeball and peered at the corner to see what the Lapras was planning to do.
That was when he saw the transport pokemon's silhouette shoot up the waterfall and burst into the air, conjuring a massive swell with it. It was obvious that the Lapras indeed had a trainer because it knew Dive, Waterfall and Surf. But it wasn't the time to be impressed by that. The main concern was the incoming tidal wave that was not only going to engulf the Talonflame but also sweep them all away.
"Sapph, we've got to get to high ground," Lapis insisted as he motioned Sapphire to go back into the cave and get to the upper levels. It was the only way for them to escape the Lapras' attack. Lucky for them the ice blocking the mouth of the cave melted from the Talonflame's fire, allowing them to enter once again.
Sapphire followed Lapis, but then stopped halfway and looked back at the Talonflame. The pokemon seemed like it was waiting further instructions from her. She couldn't leave it. But what was she going to do? The girl barely knew anything about it to give a command. There was little option and time. She gritted her teeth and relied on her knowledge on Blaziken, a similar flame-type avian.
Lapis was already at the mouth of the cave when he saw Sapphire wasn't moving from her spot. "Sapph! What's wrong?"
Sapphire didn't look at him. Her full concentration was to make sure the Talonflame would make it out. "Use Flare Blitz!"
The scorching pokemon once again coated itself in a circle of fire, but the flames, this time, were bigger compared to the series of Fire Charges that it used prior. The giant wave rapidly closed in and crashed down unto the area. The raging waters subsided quickly and the Talonflame burst out, surrounded in a thick cloud of steam. The Flare Blitz acted as a barrier that evaporated the water before it could do any harm to the fire avian. Sapphire's idea worked. With only a very thin layer of blaze remaining, it safely got back to the open sky and oversaw its surroundings.
Meanwhile, Lapis managed to hold on to the edge of the cave, preventing himself from being carried off by the force of the watery attack. But the same couldn't be said for Sapphire. When Lapis turned about, the girl was gone.
"Sapph!" He yelled out in panic while eyeing the waters with great discretion. Tension hung in the air as the raging waters receded and became calmer.
Sapphire popped out of the water with Momo clinging on to her. The boy released the breath he was holding. He was relieved to see her, but he knew they weren't completely safe yet. The hostile Lapras was still around but nowhere in sight.
"Sapph, get out of there!" Lapis rushed to the edge of the water, intending to jump in after her.
Suddenly, transport pokemon surfaced beside her and extended its neck down so she could climb on. Sapphire hesitated for a moment but then she saw the transport pokemon's eyes looking straight at her with worry. Not a sliver of aggressiveness could be seen. It really wanted to help. Taking the chance, she decided to place her trust and held on. The Lapras then raised its neck and helped the girl get on its back.
Meanwhile, Lapis stood by cautiously at the shoreline. The Talonflame was also standing by, circling in the air while eyeing the Lapras.
Sapphire got on the Lapras' rock-hard shell. She exhaled deeply and checked on her Cinccino. "Okay there, Momo?"
The extra-furry chinchilla shook away all the water by twirling around rapidly. Then she flaunted her dry silky fur in a glistening aura. She was perfectly fine. Her trainer, on the other hand, got wet even more by the accidentally spritz of the Cinccino's actions.
"I shouldn't have asked…" Sapphire sighed and shifted her head to the front.
The Lapras was not meeting her gaze anymore. It calmly swam towards dry land and turned sideways so the girl and the Cinccino could get off safely.
When they did, Lapis immediately rushed to the girl's side. "Are you alright, Sapph?"
Sapphire nodded and squeezed the water out her hair and clothes. Then she turned her attention to the Lapras who was quietly turning away and leaving.
"Hey, wait a minute!" Sapphire yelled, extending an arm out towards the Lapras. Her shoes were wading in the shallow waters but it didn't matter, considering she was wet from head to toe.
The Lapras glanced back for a few moments and turned around to come over to her. It shyly swam up in front with its head lowered in an apologetic manner. Then it cried out in a soft yet sad tone like it was apologizing.
Sapphire could tell it was sincere. She reached out with both hands and raised its head so it could meet her gaze. She saw deep sadness flicker in its black eyes. She recalled what Lapis said about the Lapras' trainer who died during a storm at sea. The situation must have reminded the pokemon about that day—that moment where it lost something important.
The Lapras inched closer and nestled its large head in the girl's arms. Tears began to fall from its eyes as it wailed in a sad melody. Sapphire felt its pain and anguish. She wrapped her arms around its head in an embrace. She wanted to say something but she couldn't find the right words. The inability to protect something dear was something they both shared. But unlike the Lapras, Sapphire's important person was still out there, alive at least.
Lapis watched the girl open the Lapras' heart to her. He smiled and gestured the Talonflame circling above to stand down. With a quick nod, it descended proudly unto a large rock and perched neatly.
Sapphire calmed the Lapras down till it stopped sobbing before she turned to Lapis, Momo and the mysterious Talonflame. She had a lot of questions in mind, regarding it and about Ruby. And all the answers were probably or definitely with Lapis. The Embedded Tower will just have to wait.
Sapphire moved her hands away from the Lapras so she could come over. But doing that saddened the water-type. It whimpered in a forlorn voice as it was called out to her. The girl redirected her attention back to the Lapras. The big tough-looking pokemon was now a whimpering softie.
Sapphire smiled warmly as she deduced the only option at that moment. Taking out a Friend Ball, she asked, "Say, Lapras… Wanna join my team?"
The Lapras stared at the familiar object and recalled the memories it shared with its previous trainer like the day they met and the times they travelled the seas together. Those times were greatly treasured by it. Finding the courage to grasp a fresh start, it raised its head and smiled.
Sapphire threw the pokeball at it but then it launched an Ice Beam, covering the capsule in ice before it dropped to the ground with a light thud.
"I thought it wanted to be your pokemon?" asked Lapis, confused.
"It does," Sapphire replied with conviction and a mild chuckle. "But it just wants me ta do it the right way."
With a short nod, the Lapras pushed away from the shoreline and returned to its watery domain, ready to continue its battle.
"Looks like I'm gonna need your help again." The girl shot a grin at the Talonflame before the scorching pokemon took to the skies in a veil of sparkling embers.
The Lapras looked up at its familiar opponent and growled fiercely, but not in an intimidating tone. Rather it was filled with eagerness and determination. Lapis and Momo moved back and waited for the outcome of the battle.
Sapphire started first. "Talonflame, let's go with Flame Charge!"
The scorching pokemon dove down at high speed as its body ignited in a brilliant red blaze. The Lapras countered by conjuring Whirlpool above it, trapping the Talonflame in a watery vortex. The fire bird flapped around, trying to break free but it proved difficult. The closer it got to the exit, the more erratic the swirling current was. The flames around it were dying out, forming into steam. If it was going to stay longer, it would be sucked in by the whirlpool without any more protection.
"Use Agility against the flow!" Sapphire commanded.
The Talonflame became outlined in white as it swirled inside the whirlpool in a different direction. The flames were dying down but so was the Lapras' attack. By the time, the orange-colored bird was free, both the Flame Charge and Whirlpool were negated.
The Lapras wasn't at all discouraged. Next, it used a barrage of Thunderbolts. The intense speed accompanied by its random zigzag pattern made the attack even more of a challenge for the Talonflame to evade. Even with its speed boosted by Flame Charge and Agility, one of the surging bolts struck it down.
"Talonflame!" Sapphire yelled as she watched the fire avian plummet towards the water.
The scorching pokemon heard her voice and regained consciousness mere moments before it touched the blue lake. It once again took to the air, resuming its place in the high skies while leaving behind a sizzling orange trail in its wake.
Sapphire grinned. She was all fired too. "Alright! Now use Acrobatics!"
The Talonflame zoomed straight towards the Lapras at top speed. The transport pokemon retaliated with Water Pulse but it missed.
The next moment, the Lapras was met with an onslaught of tackles that came from various directions. It was taking damage and there was no room for the water-type to counter. All it could catch with its weary eyes were the after-images of the opponent. It was presented with no other choice but to retreat beneath the waters, for the second time. Just as the Talonflame charged for another blow, the Lapras submerged into the clear blue depths and evaded the attack. Then it swam deeper and deeper to avoid being seen.
Ordering the Talonflame to Roost and recover for the time-being, Sapphire turned her attention to the evenly blue surface and waited for the Lapras' form to show.
It became quiet and still. Not a drop of water stirred. It was like the time before it used Surf. Was it planning to do the same thing? But then it would risk sweeping everyone away again. Sapphire knew that the Lapras wasn't going to let that happen. There was something else it planned on doing.
Before she could figure what that something could be, the awaited moment arrived. Sapphire saw a shadow approaching the surface. The Lapras was coming straight from below. Odd. All that and it was just going for a frontal attack? Something was not right.
Sapphire took precaution and used a long-range move. "Talonflame, use Flamethrower!"
The orange bird pokemon released an infernal torrent from its beak, directly at the surfacing opponent. But when the attack died down, everyone stared in shock at the rapidly melting iceberg, floating atop of the water. It was a decoy.
Then a loud splash drew everyone's attention. The Lapras shot out of the water and fired at ice beam directly at the Talonflame's wing, impairing its ability to fly properly. The fiery avian gathered its strength using its other wing to keep it aloft, but it wasn't enough. It fell to the dry ground on the other side of the lake with a loud thud. The Lapras breathed heavily and glanced at Sapphire with a proud grin.
"Yer trainer was really something." The blue-eyed girl smiled back and looked at the Talonflame who was gradually getting back up on its feet. "Guess I'll have ta really work for it if I wanna get ya on my team."
The Lapras nodded with anticipation and waited for the girl's next move. With a few moments of deciding, Sapphire regarded the Talonflame with gratitude for its fighting prowess before she withdrew the fire bird back into its pokeball. Then she unexpectedly turned to Lapis and Momo, who looked at her with confusion. They were clueless about her intentions, but they felt that one of them wasn't going to like it.
"Alright, Momo. Yer up!" Sapphire declared, startling the Cinccino wrapped in the boy's arms. "C'mon! You skipped out on the last two gym battles. Time ta do some actual work, or else I'll send ya home!"
Hearing the usual threat, Momo grimaced and squirmed out of Lapis' arms. The fluffy Cinccino flung her flowing white fur back and hurried to the girl. When Momo positioned herself beside her trainer, Sapphire smirked satisfyingly and returned her attention to the patiently waiting Lapras.
"Okay, Momo, use Bullet Seed!"
The Cinccino leaped into the air and shot several gold seeds from its mouth, directly at the Lapras who returned fire using an Ice Shard attack. Both attacks were negated and the seeds fell to the ground, each wrapped in a layer of ice.
"Momo, follow up with Rock Blast!" Sapphire instructed, a grin not leaving her face.
Still in mid-air, the white fur around the Cinccino illuminated vivid orange. Then it spun rapidly, flinging silver energy waves at the Lapras. There was no time to counter or dodge. The blue transport pokemon took the full force of the super-effective move, pushing it back across the water.
Remarkably, it didn't faint yet. It grit through the pain and raised its head, determined to continue. The creature was completely strong and stubborn. It made Sapphire more determined to have it on her team. She shot a glance at Momo who was now on the ground, waiting for instructions. But before she could give a command, The Lapras launched a Water Gun, tossing the Cinccino into the water.
Momo sprung out of the surface and breathed. She didn't seem hurt much, but she was still in the opponent's domain. With her fur aiding as a flotation device, she tried to swim back to shore. But as soon as the Cinccino did, another torrent of water flung the scarf pokemon further away from safety.
"Momo!" Sapphire yelled, worriedly as she hurriedly devised a plan to turn things around.
The Lapras didn't wait for that moment. It summoned a raging whirlpool around the Cinccino and trapped it in the violent current. It watched intently its enemy struggle desperately, making sure that its attack didn't go overboard and unintentionally drown the little pokemon.
"Momo, use Aqua Tail!" Sapphire instructed, hoping her idea would work.
Though confused by her trainer's idea, Momo decided to place her trust in her. Underneath the violent waters, her white tail desperately spun against the current. At first, she only made really small circular motions. But then, it rapidly grew wider until it finally propelled the Cinccino out of the water, surprising everyone, all but Sapphire who smirked at the result.
There was more. Not only did Momo break free of the whirlpool, her Aqua Tail move was intensified by absorbing the Lapras' attack. A tactic used by the transport pokemon itself; before when it scaled the waterfall and summoned a giant wave.
Momo rocketed into the air with a downward aquatic spiral circling her tail. When she reached the peak, she dove down towards the dazed Lapras and flipped her tail forward, unleashing the watery onslaught unto her opponent.
The Lapras was forced into the shallows on the other side of the lake. Its head dropped to the sandy floor with a thud, indicating its lack of the strength to get back up. Sapphire found her chance and threw a Friend Ball. The green capsule made contact and snapped open, absorbing the Lapras as it dematerialized into a crimson light. The Friend Ball dropped unto the shoreline and wiggled back and forth until finally it froze with a ping sound.
Momo swam back to dry land and retrieved the green capsule. The tense atmosphere was suddenly filled with a wave of relief. The battle had ended. Huffing heavily, she lifted the capsule up with a paw and grinned triumphantly. Sapphire flew her arms in the air and rejoiced. She yelled at the opposite side of the lake at the Cinccino for a job well done and told her to swim back to their side.
Momo grimaced at the thought of getting back in the water, but she was already dripping wet so it didn't really matter. She carefully balanced the Friend Ball in her mouth and swam over. After this whole watery experience, she thought she was going to be a surfing Cinccino. Nah. Seawater was not good for her fur.
A third of the way, Sapphire suddenly ran up to meet to her. She pulled the surprised Cinccino out of the water, not caring that her legs were deep in the water or that her pink ensemble was getting wet. She was too proud and ecstatic. After retrieving the Lapras pokeball from Momo, she happily held the furry chinchilla over her head and brought it close to her in a tight hug.
"I'm glad ya came along, Momo," she whispered. Momo was almost tearing up by her words. She held it back and returned the hug, snuggling warmly against her.
Afterwards, the two returned to shore and was congratulated by Lapis. He complimented Sapphire's planning and observation, and then asked, "What do we do now? Keep going? Or should we head back?"
Now that one matter was taken care of, there was still the issue of the Embedded Tower and the gym battle. Looking at the circumstances, they needed to head back to the pokemon center to heal their pokemon and change clothes. Sapphire had just recovered from her fever. If she stayed in her damp clothes, her fever could come back and she'll never hear the end of it from Lapis. So it was decided.
They went back to Cianwood City. They reentered the caverns and made their way back to civilization. Lapis did most of the battling on the way since most of his pokemon were fine. Sapphire walked with Momo in her arms. The Cinccino was already dried after a short spin. Now it was catching some early Z's.
Once they got back to the pokemon center, Sapphire left her team in Nurse Joy's care and went up to the borrowed room. There, she got a hot shower, fresh set of clothes, and a minute to breathe. The rush of the battle was still lingering, making her feel restless. She flopped, back first, unto the bed and let her mind wander in an attempt to relax.
The memory of Ruby and the green orb he had flashed through her thoughts. A wave of worry overcame her, dampening her mood. She wondered where he was and what was he doing now at that point. All of it couldn't be answered. She led her thoughts away from the subject and recalled the Talonflame. How did it get in her bag? Where did it come from? She sighed. It was another puzzling mystery.
She rolled unto her side and lied near the edge of the bed. That was when she saw a note on the floor where her bag was situated just before she left. She picked it up and examined the wordings. It was Ruby's handwriting, easily distinguishable because of its neatness and girly styling. That and it had Ruby's name on it.
Dear Sapph,
I'm sorry I left again. And I'm also sorry for not saying this in person. I know I made a lot of mistakes. I made you worry. I made my parents worry and even our friends, senior Red, senior Yellow, Platina and even Senior Gold.
I did promise you before that I won't lie anymore. I really didn't forget that. But under the circumstances, I had to. Not just for your sake but for mine. Call me selfish if you want, but it's important for me to do this on my own. Please understand.
It'll be okay. If I ever need help, I know you and everyone else would be willing to help me. I'll be sure to explain everything clearly to you. I promise.
Also, I'm very happy with your gift for my birthday. Rara, right? I decided to bring her with me. She's so cute and her beautiful blue eyes remind me so much of yours. They're as radiant as the glistening sea and as alluring as the breath-taking sky.
I was rambling again, wasn't I? Anyway, I also want you to know that I left Talo in your care in exchange for Rara. He was a Fletchling that I caught when I was sent to Kalos during one of my time-travels with Celebi. I really did mean to give him to you. Hope you like him as much as I like Rara.
I'll end here for now. Take care of yourself. I'm routing for you all the way.
Ruby
P.S : I forgot to say that you look really cute in Pink.
Sapphire managed a smile as a tear ran down from her eye. Her hands and fingers trembled for a few moments but she calmed down quick enough for them to stop. After a minute of rereading, she folded it up and placed it inside her bag. Then she headed back downstairs to check on her team.
Nurse Joy had just finished healing them. She did a short check-up on each of them as well. The Lapras, on the other hand, was examined more thoroughly than the rest. Nurse Joy wanted to make sure that the battle scars it had didn't have any infections and that they were healing properly.
Lapis was in the lobby, enjoying a small early lunch consisting of club sandwiches and Apricot juice. He left Sapphire's share on the coffee table as he waited for her to come back with her team. And as if on cue, the girl walked towards him with a Cinccino on her shoulder and a box full of capsules, a couple varied in design and color.
Sapphire sat down and Momo joined her. After thanking Lapis for the food, they each grabbed a sandwich and shoved it into their mouths. The boy laughed at how hungry the two were, hoping in the inside that the snacks were enough to satisfy their hunger.
During that time, Sapphire was mostly quiet. Much to Lapis' surprise, she didn't bring up the topic on the Embedded Tower. She only mentioned about the letter concerning the Talonflame whom was referred by Ruby as Talo. She decided to call him by that name as well. And as for the Lapras, she named him, Lalo.
After eating, Sapphire chose to get on with the gym battle instead of heading to the Embedded Tower. With her team of six raring to go, she headed to the gym. Lapis was a little taken back by her sudden decision, but was glad nonetheless and eager to support her.
They walked along the sandy terrain and entered the fighting-type gym to get Sapphire's sixth , they found themselves in a huge room with stone walls that enclosed large rocky terraces, and a roaring waterfall cascading from a sturdy wooden water chute. Sapphire looked for the nearest trainer and asked for the gym leader. Immediately, she was directed to a man sitting at the very base of the waterfall where the water crashed. The area around him was filled with shallow water which made splashes with every step.
Chuck, as Sapphire recalled, was senior Green's master. Knowing how strong and how formidable as a gym leader her senior was, she understood that this was going to be tough match. One that she was growing eager to see unfold. She walked up to the man and declared a challenge.
No response.
The trainer came back and explained the whole situation. Chuck was too deep in meditation and the rush of the waterfall completely shut out any foreign sounds. The only way to snap the man out was to turn off the running water using the valve located at the very top level of the stone terraces.
Sapphire glanced up and saw it. She grumbled on how much time she would waste to get up there and get back down. It was pointless to her. Time was running. So instead, she walked up to Chuck again and stood in front of him. Lapis and the trainer thought she was going to shout at him, but that wasn't the case.
Sapphire balled her fist and swung it straight towards Chuck's face.
*bam*
Lapis and the resident trainer jumped back and gasped. Their hearts raced in fear and shock from the girl's insane idea.
"Just what were you thinking?!" Lapis exclaimed with eyes wide and mouth hung agape. Sapphire didn't speak up or look at him. The boy was about to speak up again when a hearty laugh drew his attention.
"You've got spunk girl!" A tall burly man with brown hair and moustache stood up with Sapphire's fist in hand. He was wearing a black belt, a pair of rugged brown pants and bandages on his wrists. Grinning with excitement, he released the girl and looked at her with eagerness. "It's not every day that a girl has the guts to throw a punch at me. Ha! I like that. We shall do battle!"
Speechless, Lapis took a few moments to process the events before he joined Sapphire on her side of the battlegrounds. He once again brought out his camera which thankfully survived when they got stranded during the storm. Poised on the first level of the earthy ledges, he listened to the rules of the match.
The first round was going to be a double battle followed by two more rounds, one on one. Switching pokemon was not allowed. The last pokemon standing on that round is declared the winner. Whoever wins two out of three is the grand victor.
First match: Sapphire chose her two fighting-types, Rilo and Toro to go up against Chuck's Primeape and Poliwrath. Each gave out a deafening battle cry as they sized up their respective opponents. Many gym trainers came closer to watch. It was going to be quite the battle with speed and versatility against raw strength and power.
The Lucario and Blaziken glanced at each other and nodded in acknowledgement. From the time Rilo joined Sapphire's team as a Riolu, he always looked up at Toro as a mentor. It was from the fire/fighting-type that he learned Blaze Kick and other basic fighting styles of close combat. Now, it was time to prove how much Rilo had grown under Toro and Sapphire's care.
The battle began.
Immediately, Toro and Rilo shot to opposite sides and unleashed a barrage of long-range attacks, Flamethrower and Aura Sphere, respectively. Chuck's Primeape dodged the scorching torrent with a quick tuck and roll. Then it picked up a huge boulder using Strength and hurled it towards the Blaziken who luckily jumped out of the way in time. Meanwhile, Rilo was running across the rocky ledges, escaping the surging water stream behind him. The Poliwrath was struck earlier by the attack of the Lucario and retaliated with a massive Hydro Pump.
Sapphire and Chuck watched each of their pokemon carefully and yelled out commands as they continued to strategize. Their faces expressed utmost thrill and determination as the battle raged on. Lapis was staying amongst the gym trainers with his camera catching epic moments of all four pokemon. It was a real sight to witness a heated battle of fighting-types.
The long-range combat soon changed to close. All four were in the middle, trading blows and blocking attacks with the pokemon in front of them; Toro versus Primeape and Rilo versus Poliwrath. The Lucario was gaining the upper hand by using Thunder Punch against the water-type fighter, but the Poliwrath had many fighting-type moves which were highly effective against steel pokemon like its opponent. Rilo was hit hard with a powerful Power-up Punch which sent him slamming against the earthy walls.
Seeing her battle partner hurt, Toro dealt a swift Sky Uppercut to the pig monkey pokemon and leaped towards Rilo's side. Before she could reach him, the Poliwrath stood in the Blaziken's path and fired a raging torrent of Hydro Pump. Toro jumped high as she could to evade the attack but the water-type shifted the assault upwards and caught the enemy in range, knocking it back unto solid ground.
Toro roughly landed on her feet, scarring the earth till she came to a dead halt. She heaved and glanced at Rilo, who was brushing off the rubble from his body. Both of them were getting out of breath, but after hearing their trainer call their names and cheer them on, they mustered their strength and will, and dove back into the fray.
Their opponents smirked and eagerly waited for their return. Rilo charged in first with Extreme Speed, attacking the two with the speed and force of several bullets. But the move was short-lived when the Primeape used Detect and grabbed the Lucario's fist just before it made contact, similar to what Chuck did with Sapphire. The only difference was the sly smirk on Rilo's face before it grabbed the other hand of the pig monkey pokemon and flipped forward, overhead, exposing the enemy for the next attack, which was Toro's Brave Bird move.
The Blaziken was coated in a brilliant blue aura as it lunged straight at the Primeape's exposed belly. Without its arms to counter or protect it, it received the full force of the super-effective move and was sent flying across the arena, before finally landing on the cold hard ground, unconscious.
Awestruck reactions and cheers erupted from the onlookers. But suddenly everyone was silenced by the Poliwrath's sudden Water Pulse move, knocking the Blaziken out. Rilo watched as his fighting partner landed out of the arena and into the shallow pools. Hurriedly, he rushed over and moved the fire-type away from the water.
Sapphire held her breath and promptly withdrew Toro from the battle. Chuck did the same with his Primeape, leaving only his Poliwrath to go up against the Lucario. The double battle was now one on one.
Rilo, clenched his fists, determined to win the round for Toro. Sapphire felt the same. They gave each other a short glance and shifted their focus completely on the battle. Once again, the Lucario closed in on the Poliwrath, but this time, armed with a glowing blue energy sphere. Chuck's pokemon mimicked it but instead of Aura Sphere, it used Focus Blast. When the distance between them was good enough, they unleashed their attacks.
The two moves exploded on contact. Both pokemon were sent flying across the opposite sides of the blast. Many braced themselves as a dust cloud erupted at the seams. Suspense grew. When the dust cleared, the Lucario and Poliwrath were on their knees, catching their breath.
"Shall we call this a draw?" Chuck suggested, feeling impressed by the girl's battle prowess as well as that of her pokemon.
Sapphire shifted her attention to Rilo who stared at her and waited for the girl's decision. It was the same as the time it evolved. Their connection was in their resolve to finish the fight to the very end. And that was what they were going to do.
Rilo slowly got up on one leg and then the other. Chuck grinned at the display of stubbornness and determination, and urged his Poliwrath to give it another go. The water-type nodded and stood up, staggering as much as the Lucario did.
With little energy left, everyone guessed that they could only muster a couple more moves. So the next two moves would decide the winner. Rilo was first to rush in with another Extreme Speed move. The Poliwrath crossed its arms around itself protectively to reduce the damage. Then following his trainer's instructions, the water-type fighter swiftly knocked the Lucario off its feet with a Low Sweep. Rilo landed hard on his back and shot open his eyes to see the Poliwrath lunging over him with a fist pulled back, readying to use a Dynamic Punch. Rilo grit his teeth and summoned all his remaining energy into his last move, a Sky Uppercut.
The Dynamic Punch grazed the side of the Lucario's face as he swung his right upwards and dealt the massive blow to his opponent, sending the Poliwrath clear across the battlegrounds, and eventually landing in the shallows of the pool. It didn't get up after that.
Round one went to Sapphire. After a short celebration of their first victory, the girl from Hoenn returned Rilo to his pokeball and handed him and Toro over to Lapis so they could heal up. The raven-haired boy complied and sent out Azura to use Heal Pulse on Rilo while he used a Revive on Toro. Seeing that her pokemon were in good hands, Sapphire called forth Talo, the Talonflame for the second round.
"Ah, I recognized this pokemon." Chuck grinned with his balled fists on his waist and his eyes staring up at the fiery avian circling the air.
"Whaddya mean?" Sapphire questioned curiously, not expecting what she was about to hear.
"A boy with crimson eyes battled me yesterday with the same pokemon," Chuck answered, oblivious to the girl's startled reaction.
"Ruby? Battling gyms in Johto?"
End of Chapter 29
Thanks for all the reviews!
Special one to Kay-Tay's Mind who reviewed each and every chapter. lol. Thank you!
The battle was longer than I thought. It'll extend to the next chapter.
Then it'll follow up with the chapter I promised. The one with Jade.
Should I use normal POV or Ruby's POV?
And if anyone wants to suggest a fighting-type, they can. I still have two rounds to go.
Story ad: I'm also working on my first full OC story: Secrets of the Night.
Check it out some time. :) Review