Okay, so I've gotten lazy in writing out this chapter before starting my final year in college, but can you blame me? I actually took a vacation to Las Vegas with friends (What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas…), and boy, I feel ready to take on bigger challenges now that I survived Sin City.
Anyway, moving on… I won't have my free time once I begin the semester, so I apologize in advance for the potential drought of updates. But it is what it is.
Time really has gone by, hasn't it?
Monday arrived sooner than it did to Anabel's liking. One minute she was enjoying a simple tea time with Greta and Lucy on Sunday afternoon, and now she was being lifted up to her Trainer square for her fourth round preliminary battle. Light from the outside world filled her vision as her platform reached its destination, along with her opponent for the round. It wasn't early in the morning, but all the matches for the fourth round should be finished by the end of the day.
Gym Leader Bugsy appeared to be more enthusiastic about this battle than she considered herself to be. It was hard to tell when the energy levels of those around her were even more overbearing than she originally considered.
Regardless, she knew her time to shine in the fourth round was about to come sooner or later.
She needed to advance further in order to settle matters with her brother once and for all.
"Welcome, all, to the center battlefield this hour!" the designated commentator greeted, his voice echoing jubilantly within the structure. "We are barely finishing up the remaining scheduled battles for the fourth round before we can move on to the final preliminary rounds and advance on to the Victory Rounds!"
The audience cheered on as the battle was about to begin. Anabel quickly scanned around her, hoping to catch Ash's face mixed within the crowd. Since their last heart-to-heart a few days ago, she felt a lot closer to him than before and she could tell that he was starting to feel the same way, even if he didn't fully understand these emotions just yet.
At least if she knew he was watching her battle, she would feel a bit more animated if not fully passionate.
She spotted a few distinguishable faces from among the spectators while searching for Ash. Some of those faces included a few of her Battle Frontier colleagues from both the Kanto and Sinnoh branches, as well as a few other Trainers that have advanced to the fifth round. She also found the bizarre pair of Sabrina and Paul sitting far up in the middle levels.
The Salon Maiden maintained an even look when she found where Lucian was sitting, as well as an Elite Four colleague of his own next to him, who was none other than Aaron, the Bug-type Specialist. She told herself that he probably watched her previous battles as well, so there was no need to be particularly self-conscious this time.
Just battle the way you do and you'll be fine, Anabel reassured herself mentally.
"We've got a couple of powerhouses for this match as we are dealing with Leader Bugsy of the Azalea Town Gym and Salon Maiden Anabel of the Kanto Battle Tower," the commentator announced. "There's always something to look forward to in each match, so expect a big performance from these celebrities!"
"I never thought I can make it this far," Bugsy remarked with wonder. "Just because the Bug-type is simple doesn't mean others should underestimate their power."
"I don't underestimate anything, especially on how Bug-types are effective against my Psychic-types," Anabel responded. "I know that you've been called a Gym Leader for a reason."
"Not only that, but I do hope that my knowledge and prowess with Bug-type Pokémon will one day surpass the great master of Bug-types, Aaron of the Elite Four!" Bugsy declared. "He's an excellent role model for Bug specialists, and thanks to his example, I've been able to understand more and more about them each day."
Something about Bugsy's revealed admiration seemed to resonate with something within Anabel. The feeling was familiar, but she didn't want to meditate on in any longer than needed. She needed to win this battle to move on to the next round. Still, it was quaint to see Bugsy's personal passion raring up.
"I'm curious on how Anabel will fare in this battle where her specialty is put to the test," Sabrina commented.
"Wouldn't you already know the outcome of this battle?" Paul inquired wryly.
"The more intense the battle is to be, the harder it is for me to read into its future," Sabrina answered matter-of-factly. "Plus, it also takes the fun out of finding who's going to be the winner."
"Haw Haw Haw!" Haunter cackled, suddenly materializing between the two Trainers.
"I got it the first time," Paul muttered, looking away indignantly. "I didn't need the additional spray of laughter and saliva in my ear."
"You know, something tells me that part of you enjoyed loosening up like this with Haunter by your side," Sabrina added with a slight knowing smirk.
"Don't know what you're talking about now," Paul responded, still not facing her.
"You wouldn't have learned to put up with Haunter's antics the way you did if you didn't stay focused on receiving my instruction."
The Veilstone City Trainer turned his head back to face the center battlefield, not saying any more in regards to the previous conversation. At least the Pokémon Judge had just finished relaying the standard three-on-three rules for the battle.
"Trainers, select your first Pokémon!" the referee commanded.
"Alright, Scizor, let's go!" Bugsy called out.
"Go, my friend!" Anabel followed.
Bugsy's fierce Scizor took to the field first, brandishing its pincers in anticipation for its first opponent. It didn't lose composure when Anabel's larger Metagross emerged from its Poké Ball and landed on the battlefield with a minor quake.
Almost immediately, one could tell that the path between their eyes sparked of a brutal rivalry as their additional prides as part-Steel-type Pokémon were now on the line. Their cold exteriors betrayed their rising fiery emotions, all before the battle officially began.
"Bugsy has started out with Scizor and Anabel chose her Metagross," the commentator reviewed. "Both Pokémon are additionally Steel-types, but Scizor has the additional advantage of being a Bug-type over Metagross's Psychic-type. This first match is sure going to have a big opening!"
"Bugsy is given the first move!" the referee proclaimed, raising the flags up. "With both Trainers ready, let the battle begin!"
Anabel & (Metagross, ?, ?) VS Bugsy & (Scizor, ?, ?)
"Metagross is going to be one tough Pokémon to crack, so start off with Swords Dance, Scizor!" Bugsy ordered.
Scizor clacked its pincers together as glowing blue images of swords swirled around it as if they were in a frenetic dance. Upon crossing their blades together, they disappeared, but not before parting a major attack power boost upon the Pincer Pokémon.
"Zor!" Scizor grunted, taking an intimidating stance once the Swords Dance finished.
"Now strike with Bullet Punch!"
Iron Defense!
Confident with its enhanced power, Scizor sped forward with a wound-up glowing pincer. Metagross stood firm, preparing its defenses for the inevitable speedy attack. However, before it could complete its Iron Defense, Scizor managed to throw in its Bullet Punch and send it sliding backwards.
Metagross kept its claws planted in the ground, giving it complete control over its traction upon the battlefield. That Scizor was formidable, but the attack wasn't enough to completely deter the Iron Leg Pokémon from rising up its defensive power.
"And Scizor lands the first hit while Metagross takes it on like a boss," the commentator quipped. "How will Anabel retaliate?"
Fight back with Meteor Mash!
Metagross levitated into the air, folding its iron legs up and charging its body with a great amount of power to the point that it was visibly emanating from all four of its legs. With surprising swiftness, it flew in and extended a leg to knock back an astonished Scizor, focusing the blunt of the Meteor Mash into that one leg.
It was Scizor's turn to slide on its feet while recoiling from the mighty hit. It was quick to brush it off, clacking its pincers as a demand for a stronger challenge.
"Scizor, time to take it up a notch with Night Slash!"
With one sharp pincer gaining an eerie purple glow, Scizor used its great speed to disappear from sight. Metagross attempted to locate where its opponent went, only to sense a resounding clang upon its front right leg. Its eyes immediately saw Scizor by its suffering leg, having struck with Night Slash.
The Pincer Pokémon narrowed its eyes upon the discovery, quickly retreating back to its side of the field before its opponent could retaliate. Metagross placed some pressure into its affected leg and found that the pain was still lingering.
It was a critical hit.
"Metagross, are you okay?" Anabel called out worriedly.
"That Night Slash seems to have gotten a big hit on Metagross as the resulting wound is holding it back at this moment," the commentator elucidated. "So far, Scizor has the upper hand."
Metagross, Iron Defense again!
"Now use X-Scissor!"
Upon reaching a safe distance to prepare another attack, Scizor powered up both pincers this time and sped forward. It noted Metagross's body giving off another powerful sheen coating, illustrating its use of another Iron Defense.
Scizor tensed its arms, becoming frustrated knowing that with higher defenses, the battle was going to take even longer to knock out Metagross, even with successfully landed critical hits. Reappearing as a red blur directly in front of the Iron Leg Pokémon's face, Scizor swiped its pincers in an X formation, accurately matching the cross-shaped feature on its body as the Bug-type attack landed.
Metagross appeared to be unaffected from the hit, even roaring all of a sudden to throw Scizor off its balance while it was still up close. Seeing that Scizor was stunned from the unexpected reaction, Anabel immediately issued another command.
Use Hyper Beam!
Destructive energy gathered into Metagross's gaping mouth before being concentrated into a narrow beam that squarely struck Scizor upon release. The Pincer Pokémon had crossed its arms up beforehand to brace for impact.
*BOOM*
Scizor was sent sliding along the battlefield following the resulting explosion. It dug a pincer out into the ground to stop itself and helped stand back up. It was breathing heavily from bearing all the current damage sustained from this battle.
"Metagross's Hyper Beam wasn't enough to knock out Scizor, which is going to cost it as a result," the commentator narrated.
It will be immobilized for a while as it needs to recharge, Bugsy thought, shifting his attention back to the fight on hand. "Scizor, use Night Slash! Attack the same leg as before!"
"What?!" Anabel reacted in shock.
Scizor had no qualms in exacting the order, callously striking Metagross's front right leg again and leaving a more noticeable battle scar on it. Metagross responded aggressively from the lasting pain, but was still unable to move at the moment. As a matter of fact, its damage leg was losing its ability in upholding its large body.
"I'm not above taking advantage of situations like these," Bugsy remarked offhandedly, smirking confidently. "It's the natural instinct for Bug-types to seize control over their enemies with their given defenses. Some defenses include spraying tough strings of silk others include using venomous stingers. Then there are those with tough pincers like Scizor and even Pinsir. The various anatomy structures of different Bug-type Pokémon and how they're used are always so interesting to learn. Now Scizor, use Night Slash on all of its legs!"
Within a few seconds, Scizor struck as hard as it could on Metagross's remaining legs. The effective Night Slash was able to weaken the Iron Leg Pokémon despite its enhanced defenses to the point that its main body couldn't remain supported due to the excessive strain.
"No, Metagross!" Anabel cried.
"And Metagross is down!" the commentator exclaimed, followed with collective gasps and cheers from the spectators. "Is it out?"
"Me-tah!" Metagross growled, illuminating its eyes as to show the use of its psychic power to levitate its heavy body.
"Great work, Metagross!" Anabel praised.
"Metagross is off the ground by using its telekinetic abilities, so there's no way it would be considered a sitting Psyduck," the commentator explained. "However, with all the damage sustained, it will use up even more of its remaining energy, as well as its entire mental focus, just to stay off the ground."
"We've got them on the run now, Scizor!" Bugsy cheered. "Use Bullet Punch!"
Push back with Psychic!
It was easy for Metagross to push out more of its psychic power to protect itself since it was already in use, catching Scizor as it got in range and preventing it from advancing forward. Scizor struggled in moving its whole body, learning firsthand how remarkable Metagross's Psychic was in completely binding it in place.
"No way!" Bugsy coughed.
Sending Scizor flying!
In spite of the intense mental pressure it was experiencing in both manipulating Scizor's body and keeping its own off the ground, Metagross was able to telekinetically lift the Pincer Pokémon halfway up the height of the stadium before pulling it back down to its side of the battlefield.
The additional effect of gravity made the impact all the more excruciating, even with an exoskeleton as sturdy as iron.
*THUD*
Scizor landed on its backside, having retracted its wings before they could've been damaged as well. Its body twitched for a moment before regaining control over itself. The Pincer Pokémon worked on sitting up in spite of being at its very limit.
"Scizor is not about to give up," the commentator complimented. "But by the looks of things, both it and Metagross are on their last legs."
True to his prediction, Metagross's body gradually descended on the ground. It was losing energy to keep itself in the air. The Iron Leg Pokémon was careful enough not to land with a thick clunk as Scizor did. Its own legs were also useless at this point due to one of them having been damaged sufficiently by Scizor's Night Slashes.
The opening round alone was enough to allow Anabel and Bugsy to properly evaluate each other for the remainder of the match. They both lived up to their associated titles as promised.
"Get up, Scizor!" Bugsy pleaded. "I know you got this!"
"Metagross, hang on!" Anabel called out.
Scizor worked on standing back on its feet while Metagross attempted to maintain full consciousness until its opponent was finished off for good. It knew that its Psychic attack was not effective and Scizor would be ready to fight back in no time. It took too much effort to put the Pincer Pokémon into the shape it was currently in and that, in turn, ultimately exhausted Metagross.
"Sciz!" Scizor yelled, flaring its pincers up in the air upon fully regaining its footing.
"And now Scizor is back to rumble!" the commentator cheered along with the Bugsy and Scizor fans.
"Alright, Scizor! Finish this with X-Scissor!"
Metagross! Psychic! Hold off Scizor as long as you can!
Hearing out the earnestness in its Trainer's appeal, Metagross fully widened its eyes and sent out a final burst of telekinetic waves to ensnare Scizor. The Pincer Pokémon, however, seemed to be aware of the oncoming Psychic attack as its fierce yellow eyes appeared to be following the exact trail the telekinetic waves were heading.
Holding its opened pincers up high, Scizor motioned forward and sent an X-Scissor to attack upon what would appear to be nothing but thin air to the naked eye. The many onlookers were utterly baffled by Scizor's behavior on why it was attacking nothing and completely missing its mark on Metagross.
However, concerning those that paid attention to what was going, such as Paul and Sabrina for example, were able to catch Anabel's horrified expression that followed Scizor's attack.
"We're not falling for that trick twice," Bugsy warned lightheartedly. "My Scizor's senses have been well-trained to the point that it is able to detect any surprise attack, including Psychic attacks. Now do it!"
Unveiling its wings, Scizor dashed forth after disrupting the Psychic with the Bug-type power of its first X-Scissor to advance for the final blow. It kept its pincers low in preparation to swipe up. Metagross was left gaping in surprise and exhaustion on Scizor's intuitive tactics and ferocity, knowing no more for this battle as the second X-Scissor had landed straight on into its face.
Scizor backed off, knowing that it was over and the Iron Leg Pokémon was completely immobile.
"Metagross is unable to battle!" the referee declared, raising Bugsy's flag. "Scizor wins!"
"And Bugsy nets the first victory in this battle!" the commentator followed up, accompanied by the ever fervent crowd cheers. "Anabel is down two Pokémon, but there is still a chance for her to turn this around as Scizor is at the end of its rope from its bout with Metagross. However, it's clear that her specialty is at a disadvantage here. Has she really met her match here?!"
"Metagross, return, my friend," Anabel murmured softly, pulling back her defeated Pokémon. "Thank you for giving it your all. Please rest." She noted Bugsy sticking with Scizor as she replaced Metagross's Poké Ball with that of her second Pokémon. It would seem pointless to preserve it any further unless he had another plan up his sleeve. "Go, my friend!"
Her new Pokémon stayed in the air instead of materializing upon the ground. Its form greatly resembled the basic caricature of the sun with the spiny protrusions it bore about its rounded body, but had the texture and build of a meteorite.
"Sol!" it hummed, coming to life as viewed through its narrowed eye look.
"Anabel has chosen a Solrock to fight for her this time," the commentator continued on as the image of the aforementioned Pokémon appeared upon the scoreboard. "Its powers are currently a mystery."
"That Solrock is going to spell trouble, so let's make the most out of this as possible," Bugsy concluded. "Scizor, use Bullet Punch!"
Protect!
Scizor charged forward in the blink of an eye, attempting to swing a metallic pincer squarely into the Meteorite Pokémon's face. It couldn't touch Solrock though as a solid, shimmering green barrier intercepted its Bullet Punch. The rest of the Protect concealed Solrock in the form of a sphere.
"Not good," Bugsy commented in discomfort.
Solrock, Fire Spin!
A vortex of flames emerged from Solrock's core, easily ensnaring Scizor with its intense heat and inescapable current. The Pincer Pokémon was reduced to kneeling as the little remainder of its endurance was singed away by the Fire Spin.
Its body fell over once the deed was done.
"Scizor is unable to battle!" the referee ruled out, having seen enough and holding Anabel's flag. "Solrock gets the win!"
"Now both sides are tied and down to two Pokémon each," the commentator announced. "I couldn't really say that I didn't see that one coming, but there have been miraculous comebacks here and there in the Champions League so far. It wouldn't have been too much of a stretch if Scizor could outlast Solrock due to the type advantage and how well it's been trained, but Anabel is not to be underestimated under any circumstance."
"I wonder how long they're going to keep testing each other like this," Paul mused while Bugsy recalled his Pokémon and was making his second choice. "Scizor was basically team fodder at that point."
"The real games are about to begin," Sabrina said cryptically. "They're about to find out more about each other than they've shared regarding their battle styles."
"What are you talking about?" Paul asked cynically.
"I find it interesting that those two were paired up for a battle," Sabrina explained. "I am able to see that they both have ties to certain members within the Sinnoh Elite Four."
"I can see that with Anabel and Lucian, but what does Bugsy have to do with them?"
"His specialty alone should clue you in."
"Hmm… I guess I can see why you'd see it interesting."
"Told you."
Near one of the inner stadium gates…
Ash was able to find a spare seat, not attempting to make his way further down until he could find another empty seat from his current placement. He had some loose ends to tie up in regards to his training earlier, which made him late to Anabel's match.
He was able to follow along the progress and she appeared to be doing fine in his absence.
But with dealing an aspiring Bug-type specialist like Bugsy, how far would she be able to go?
"Better fight fire with fire, or in this case, rock with rock… Armaldo, let's go!"
The unleashed Plate Pokémon towered over in place of its previous fallen comrade, roaring and flailing its claw arms out upon entrance. Solrock hovered down to eye level for a better examination of its next opponent.
"Bugsy's second Pokémon is Armaldo, a unique fossil Pokémon that is a combination of Rock and Bug-type," the commentator clarified. "Once again, the combatants' Pokémon share a type, only for Bugsy's Pokémon to have the additional Bug-type while Anabel's has the Psychich-type. Should we expect a repeat performance?"
"I don't think so!" Anabel quipped with a quick giggle. Fire Spin!
"Armaldo, heads up!" Bugsy warned, immediately discerning her determined expression. "Something's coming!"
True to the Azalea Town Gym Leader's word, another fiery vortex emerged out of Solrock. Armaldo was unable to react in time to avoid the Fire Spin and was immediately trapped in its hold. In spite of this, it remained impassive to the trap it was in and the steady damage it was getting.
"And Solrock starts off with capturing Armaldo in Fire Spin," the commentator began. "That flaming whirlpool will wear down Armaldo for a period of time unless it can defeat the caster."
"Armaldo, use X-Scissor!"
Bugsy would appear to favor this move as his Pokémon immediately charged forward with sharpened claws. Solrock partially floated back as to avoid a direct hit from the X-Scissor. The swiping trail of the Bug-type attack barely grazed the Meteorite Pokémon as miniscule bits of meteorite dust came off from the slight touch.
Use Fire Spin again!
Seeing Solrock prepare its Fire-type attack was enough reassurance for Bugsy to issue their hidden counterattack.
"Armaldo, Brine!"
The Plate Pokémon opened its mouth and released a powerful jet of salt water that managed to disrupt its current Fire Spin imprisonment, as well as douse away the newly incoming Fire Spin that Solrock was sending its way. From putting out the fires, Brine had also splashed upon Solrock's face, causing it to cringe and fall back.
Anabel reacted as though she was hit by the super effective attack instead. The bond she had with all her Pokémon was very palpable.
While Solrock was disoriented, Armaldo aimed skyward in order to have the remnants of its Brine to rain upon itself and put out the lingering flames of Fire Spin around it. In spite of also being weak to its own attack, Armaldo strove to not show any signs of wavering as the water wiped out the flames.
"Armaldo made full use of its Water-type Brine to damage Solrock and to free itself from Fire Spin!" the commentator exclaimed. "It is very clear that Bugsy's Bug-type Pokémon are full of many tricks and traps, perhaps surpassing the level of Anabel's mental communication with her Pokémon."
"Now Armaldo, use Metal Claw!"
We have to give it our all this time, Solrock! Psychic!
Quickly recuperating from the salty sting of Brine, Solrock became steady in the air and sent an invisible telekinetic wave to freeze Armaldo in midair before it could strike. Armaldo was confounded, flailing its limbs with fruitless efforts before being sent hurling along the ground. While it still had control over the Plate Pokémon's body, Solrock had Armaldo bounce for additional damage.
"And now Solrock is turning the tables on Armaldo with a powerful Psychic!" the commentator concluded.
Armaldo was able to break out of the Psychic once it was far away enough and regained its intimidating battle stance. Stretching its claws out, it beckoned Solrock to try again attacking it.
Solrock, use Fire Spin back to back until Armaldo is trapped again!
In accordance to its Trainer's strategy, Solrock flew about in erratic patterns while spewing out random Fire Spin vortexes. Having understood the Meteorite Pokémon's true power now, Armaldo made more of an effort in evading them. It even resorted to using Brine without Bugsy's orders to eliminate attempts that appeared to be unavoidable.
At the meantime, the Azalea Town Gym Leader remained restlessly silent in order to analyze the ongoing battle for potential opportunities. If there was only a way to be able to predict where Solrock would end up, then his Armaldo would be able to get the jump on it this time.
That was why he was going to make Solrock go where he wanted it to go.
"Armaldo, Stone Edge!"
The Plate Pokémon roared with its head held high, causing an up-slide of pointing rock pillars to emerge from the ground before it. The Stone Edge pillars were heading right for Solrock, who simply floated off to the side to avoid the direct path. With its eyes glowing and growls becoming raspier, Armaldo had its attack divert back into a new path towards Solrock.
The Meteorite Pokémon had to cease its current attack barrage to avoid Armaldo's tenacious counterattack.
Solrock, keep dodging them!
Despite using up a handful of energy just to keep the Stone Edge going, Armaldo was willing to conjure up more to lead Solrock where it would be for the next step of the plan. It would appear that neither Anabel nor Solrock were aware of what was really happening as Solrock was taking the immediate manner of dodging the Stone Edge.
Solrock kept its eyes on the rising pillars, attempting to predict where the next ones would emerge from. Its back was upon everything else. Before long, it backed right where Bugsy wanted it to be: within range of a brutal physical attack.
"Now Metal Claw!"
Anabel gasped in dismay, seeing how close her Pokémon was to Armaldo and how its back was turned to it. If she were to issue an evasion command, Solrock wouldn't be able to move out of the way in time. It would also take time for it to turn around and attack back, by which it would also be too late.
Regardless, she needed to act quickly.
Protect! Now!
Reacting instantly to her order, Solrock conjured the impenetrable green barrier around it to shrug off Armaldo's Metal Claw. The Plate Pokémon harmlessly bounced off, winding up only frustrated after all the effort it took to lure Solrock in.
"That Protect!" Bugsy gaped. "How did I forget about that?!"
Will-O-Wisp!
Ghastly fireballs of varying shades of blue and pink materialized around Solrock and were launched posthaste. Armaldo disrupted the first two fireballs that were sent towards it with its claws, but the third squarely hit it in the face.
Burn marks were left in its wake as Armaldo's entire body started to give off a rather faint red glow. Sparks of fire seemed to be discharging at haphazard intervals.
"After failing to take advantage of Solrock, Armaldo has paid for it big time with that Will-O-Wisp burn," the commentator pointed out. "That's going to wear it down big time!"
"Armaldo's attack power is going to take a drop because of this," Bugsy murmured fretfully, preparing to voice out his remaining thoughts aloud. "Well, if physical attacks aren't going to be effective, then time to stick with special attacks. Use Brine!"
Solrock, Psychic!
The Meteorite Pokémon's eyes glowed once again, unleashing its mysterious Psychic power around its body to intercept the incoming Brine. In spite of the exhaustion it was currently experiencing from the battle, Solrock had enough willpower to redirect the Water-type attack back at the surprised Armaldo.
The pressure from the Brine stream, enhanced with Solrock's Psychic, pushed Armaldo off its feet while wiping away a huge portion of its remaining endurance away. It stumbled about as it struggled to endure its own reversed attack.
"Brine gives more damage if the target's stamina is past its halfway mark," the commentator clarified. "Talk about adding salt to the wound."
Don't let up! Psychic!
Solrock didn't cease its counterattack, keeping its Psychic active and focusing its power upon the new target, Armaldo. With the Plate Pokémon's body ensnared, Solrock finished the job by sending it toppling to the ground hard.
Armaldo did not get off its back this time. Its swirling eyes and inert position spoke for themselves.
"Armaldo is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Solrock wins!"
"What an amazing turnaround for Anabel as she gets the upper hand this time!" the commentator exclaimed. "Now Bugsy is down to one Pokémon while his opponent still has two left. Solrock has been worn down sufficiently, but will it go down against Bugsy's final Pokémon?"
"She's going to have her work cut out for the final one," Sabrina stated plainly, directly staring into Paul's eyes. "You might not be expecting this particular Pokémon, given your expectations."
"I've learned to expect the unexpected now more than ever," Paul responded. "I have to if I want to be the best."
*BLARE*
Haunter had suddenly blown into a party horn into the Veilstone City Trainer's ear. Paul briefly cringed while attempting to maintain his stony disposition. The desire to strangle the Gas Pokémon became even stronger, but the unfortunate news was that it had no neck to begin with.
"Haun-tah!" Haunter cheered, igniting its party horn a couple more times.
"… Like… that," Paul muttered through his clenching teeth.
"Armaldo, return," Bugsy said, recalling his defeated Pokémon. "Great job out there. Take a nice, long rest." Putting its Poké Ball away and taking out his third, he looked up to face Anabel. "I knew that fighting against you would be no easy feat, even with a type advantage. Truth is that your style in communicating with your Pokémon without words has thrown me for a loop time and again."
"Thanks, but your Pokémon were really raised well," Anabel replied, smiling back good-naturedly.
"However, this Bug-type will seal your fate," Bugsy proclaimed. "Go, Shedinja!"
His final Pokémon appeared to be nothing more than a discarded shell with a form that closely resembled that of its known living relative, Ninjask. It mimicked the impassive, rather lifeless image that Solrock had.
"And Bugsy's last Pokémon is Shedinja!" the commentator followed. "Shedinja is a Pokémon with very unique strengths. Any of you that are not familiar with them will get to see them firsthand, provided that the knowledgeable Bugsy knows how to bring them out."
Shedinja's sole Ability is Wonder Guard, which protects it from all attacks that are not super effective against it, Anabel mused to herself. It is a dual Bug and Ghost-type. Solrock's Fire Spin and Will-O-Wisp should end this quickly.
"Let the battle resume!" the referee announced.
I don't know why you chose a Pokémon like Shedinja for this, but I'm afraid it's over! Solrock, Fire Spin!
Bugsy's keen eyes caught sight of Solrock preparing a Fire-type attack with the intent of knocking out the Shed Pokémon with one hit. He certainly wasn't going to make it easy, that was for sure.
"Shedinja, Protect!"
Right as the flames were about to encircle and consume Shedinja, the green Protect barrier emerged out of its body and pushed the flames away and rendering the Fire Spin useless. Anabel realized her folly by allowing herself to become overconfident over knowing Shedinja's strengths and weaknesses.
"Looks like Shedinja is not about to be leaving us any time soon," the commentator remarked.
Will-O-Wisp! Shedinja won't be able to use Protect again!
The ghostly fireballs were conjured at each of Solrock's spires before being unleashed one by one. Shedinja upheld its Protect long enough to block two of them before being forced to let it down as part of the move's drawback.
The Shed Pokémon then moved about in the air with remarkable speed, easily avoiding the remaining Will-O-Wisps sent towards it. However, Solrock maneuvered into a place that would make its last fireball a sure hit.
"Shadow Ball!"
The dark energy blob that was Shadow Ball was instantly conjured before Shedinja and fired before anyone could have second thoughts. It was able to penetrate through the last Will-O-Wisp and had struck Solrock right in the face, eliciting a significant explosion upon contact.
The Meteorite Pokémon fell right out of the smoke and did not get up after a few seconds had passed. The judge took a good look at Solrock's expression before making the call.
"Solrock is unable to battle!" he declared. "Shedinja gets the win!"
"Now Anabel is down to her last Pokémon!" the commentator spoke aloud. "One elimination quickly follows the other! Bugsy's Shedinja is no slouch, defending itself from Solrock's attacks and shutting it down with one Shadow Ball!"
Anabel recalled her defeated Solrock, inwardly cursing herself for being this reckless as she thanked her friend for its valiant efforts. She had played into Bugsy's trap by believing that knowing the basic strengths of her opponent was enough to formulate a proper strategy against them. However, this was a tough Gym Leader she was dealing with.
"You know, Anabel, you have to forgive me, but I did see how presumptuous you looked when I sent out my Shedinja," Bugsy called out. "It reminded me of how many people look down on Bug-type Pokémon because they appear small and weak. But that's because they've never taken the time to learn about their true strengths, which don't always turn out to be brute force."
"So maybe I did mistime my plans a bit," Anabel argued. "That doesn't mean you'll get the win."
"It's no longer about winning," Bugsy continued, putting on a more serious expression. "It's about proving the wonderful talents that Bug-types have! Aaron was one of the first to make a name as a Master of the Bug-type. With my ever increasing knowledge, I must also rise up, and possibly one day, become a greater Bug-type Master than he is!"
Witnessing that display of Bugsy's admiration was stirring up something within Anabel. It was the same feeling at the beginning of the match. It became clear to her what this feeling was about and why it reacted to the way Bugsy was expressing himself.
It reminded her of her own former aspirations many years ago.
Many years ago…
The first day starting Pokémon Trainer School was always a nerve-wrecking experience for both the child and the parents. The child would have to get used to leaving the comforts of home in order to grow and the parents would have to learn to let their children go.
The school in Verdanturf Town was not particularly prestigious, but it did have plenty of good reviews that nearly put in on par with that of the Rustboro City Trainer School. There were plenty of good Trainers that emerged from this school that made it far in their careers.
Six-year old Anabel stood by her mother's leg, intimidated by the front door alone. Her father had already kissed her on the head good luck as he had to go work. Her mother knelt down to her side and gave her a warm hug and kiss on the cheek.
"Sweetie, you'll be fine," she reassured.
Anabel always loved looking into her warm eyes. After all, she got her eyes and much of her face from her. Her mother's hair, though, was a fairly dark shade wherein Lucian inherited that hair color.
"Do I really have to go?" young Anabel whined.
"You can only learn so much from playing by yourself in nature," her mother explained, twirling a tuft of Anabel's hair with her finger. "With a bit of formal education, you'll be able to hone your talents better. After all, don't you want to be a strong Trainer like your brother?"
"Yeah!" Anabel cheered. "Big Bro's the best! Better than the rest!"
"He also had to go to Trainer School and he learned a lot before he started his journey," her mother continued. "If you study hard, you can also become a successful Pokémon Trainer like he is. You might even make it to the Elite Four one day."
"If that means I can make more friends with Pokémon, then yes!" Anabel answered promptly.
"Well, just so that you know, striving up to become an Elite Four is nothing more than a stand point for you to aspire to," her mother concluded with a soft giggle. "At that level, you should be able to understand the hearts of Pokémon even more than you can imagine right now."
"But be a good Trainer like Lucian, right Mommy?" Anabel asked.
"Lucian is a brilliant example for you to start with, Anabel dear," her mother assured. "But remember, once you set foot in school, you'll be the one in charge of your life. And your father and I will always support you in your dreams. I love you, Anabel."
"Love you too, Mommy!" Anabel replied, more eager than ever to start preparing for her Pokémon path.
Giving her mother a silly kiss of her own before running off into the Trainer School, she was ready to follow her brother's footsteps and learn more about the natures of the Pokémon world.
Anabel blinked a few times, having been lost in thought. She closed her eyes and smiled inwardly to relish the sensation, realizing the irony upon remembering the memory of her starting Trainer School. In spite of the ongoing battle and her current status, she felt at peace.
"It's funny how I did look up to him so early in my life," Anabel whispered. "All before it turned into disgust because of how I fell into the comparisons others made between him and me."
She opened her eyes and lifted her head. Her sight instinctively landed upon Ash, somehow finding him within the audience. He appeared to have noticed and was staring directly back to her. Managing a faint, but meaningful smile, the Pallet Town Trainer displayed his utmost confidence in her abilities.
"… You got this," Ash mouthed with his lips.
Anabel understood his message despite of the loud, distracting involvements from the spectators all around her. As she had supported him in all his matches, he was willing to be there for her now that they've become closer than ever before.
Placing her focus back to the battle on hand, the Salon Maiden analyzed that even with a type advantage on Shedinja, it was going to be tough to get a hit on it with the offensive evasive style that Bugsy trained it. In any case, she had all her faith and trust within her final Pokémon.
"Go, my friend!"
Out came a Pokémon that was well-known in the Kanto region for its beauty and grace, capable of running as free and fast as the wind, and having a loyal temperament befitting its regal appearance. With a powerful howl into the sky, it made its entrance quite the presentation to remember.
"Anabel is not fooling around if her final Pokémon is the Legendary Pokémon, Arcanine," the commentator jibed. "Will the superior strengths Arcanine's kind is known for be enough to shut down the hauntings of Bugsy's Shedinja?"
"I've prepared all kinds of defenses against anything that Bug-types are weak against," Bugsy informed. "Let's see if your Arcanine can really overcome Shedinja's defense."
"Get ready, Arcanine," Anabel commanded, to which it crouched into attack position and was ready to strike at her next order.
The referee signaled for the final round to begin. Anabel took a calming breath, getting a clear vision of what she was fighting for. Similarly to Bugsy, she, too, looked up to someone within the current Sinnoh Elite Four. Realizing that her admiration and love for her brother never really disappeared even after society's pressure attempted to mold her into him, her inner turmoil regarding her living in Lucian's shadow had been put to rest. Anabel was happy on how she turned out, how she was part of the prestigious Battle Frontier, how she had the special ability of reading into the hearts of Pokémon, and especially being the sister of Lucian of the Elite Four.
Her emotional link with Arcanine was enhanced with this steadfast mindset as to make up for the Legendary Pokémon not being psychically inclined like the rest of her Pokémon. So in lack of better words to describe the state, her heart basically was one with her Pokémon.
"I'll start things off with Shadow Ball!" Bugsy called out.
Flamethrower!
Arcanine opened its mouth and unleashed a potent stream of fire to effectively destroy the Shadow Ball. It was dominant to the point that it continued towards Shedinja, to which the latter quickly floated to the side to evade.
"That was a close one," Bugsy muttered in relief.
Now use Flame Charge!
Igniting its entire body in flames that further brought out the magnificence of its orange fur, Arcanine dashed forward and picked up speed to tackle into the Shed Pokémon.
"Phantom Force!"
At the last second before Arcanine could even touch Shedinja, the Legendary Pokémon somehow went right through its body. Not even the hot flames from its body had any effect on it. Gaining a ghostly aura in addition to its newly acquired intangibility, Shedinja flew about, demonstrating its unique move by sinking right into the ground and disappearing from sight.
"Where did Shedinja go?" the commentator voiced. "The move, Phantom Force, allows the user, typically a Ghost-type Pokémon, to become completely invulnerable for a short period of time before striking back hard. Arcanine had better watch its back!"
Both Anabel and Arcanine were keeping their eyes out on where Shedinja would appear next. Neither of them expected the Shed Pokémon to pop directly below Arcanine and tackle it from the underside.
Arcanine somersaulted back, brushing off the damage that was done. Though given that Shedinja's body was pretty rigid, there was certainly more than a scratch done from that one hit.
Arcanine, use Flamethrower!
"Now use Protect!"
As if he anticipated that Anabel would want to attack immediately after he made his, Bugsy had Shedinja conjure the impenetrable Protect barrier to hold off the super effective attack of Flamethrower. Anabel huffed in frustration. Taking down Shedinja was more difficult than it proved to be.
"After all this time, Shedinja still remains untouched while managing to get close and hurt Arcanine," the commentator narrated. "Does this spell out victory for Bugsy?"
"I'm familiar with all your tricks now, so you can't sneak one past me," Bugsy added assertively. "I raised this Pokémon specifically to counter your strengths with Psychic-types, as well as take care of any other tactics you may have planned for this battle. It's nothing personal, but I'm in it to win it with my Bug-type Pokémon. Shedinja, use Confuse Ray!"
Shedinja then created an orb of eerie light in front of itself. The orb grew and flashed before Arcanine's eyes. The Legendary Pokémon cringed from the brightness before it died down.
Opening its eyes again, they revealed to everyone how sunken and glassy they were now. Before long, Arcanine started to bark wildly and thrash about in place.
"And now Arcanine has been confused by the Confuse Ray," the commentator added, accompanied by the apprehensive gasps from the Anabel supporters. "This does not bode well for Anabel, even with the major type advantage. It only proves how even this battle can be with Arcanine's power and Shedinja's trickery."
Anabel's expression became unreadable. It was hard to tell if she really was panicking on the inside or not. Her last Pokémon was still bounding about madly on the field, occasionally slipping on its own legs and hurting itself as a result of its ongoing confused state. However, the atmosphere around her seemed to assure that victory would belong to her this day.
Many watched intently on what she had planned. Among such individuals included Ash, Sabrina, Paul, and Lucian. Would her voice be able to reach out to Arcanine in its berserk state?
I know you can hear me, Arcanine. Let's win this together!
The Salon Maiden was in deep thought and concentration. Bugsy noted it as her attempting to reconnect with her Pokémon. Arcanine closed its eyes in pain, struggling to overcome. Its body still trashed about on its own accord. With the Legendary Pokémon still under the Confuse Ray's influence, it would be inferred that the attempt was not working.
"Shedinja, Shadow Ball!"
The Shed Pokémon attacked, but the move was somehow barely avoided by sheer coincidence. Arcanine was not one that would stay in one place for too long, even if it was currently confused.
Bugsy ordered another few rounds of Shadow Ball and had Shedinja anticipate where Arcanine was going to be. Despite how unwieldy the opponent's behavior was, Shedinja was able to get a couple of hits in.
"Arcanine is running low on steam," the commentator spoke. "All of those attacks, on top of being confused, are going to wear it down and cost Anabel the match unless she can regain control."
"Shedinja, wrap this up with Phantom Force!"
Its ghostly aura emanated again and its solid shell body became intangible. Just to show off, Shedinja flew about and slipped back and forth through the ground while heading its way towards Arcanine.
"Shedinja is slowing creeping towards Arcanine to deliver the final blow!" the commentator jested dramatically. "Is this the end?"
One side of Anabel's lip could not help but curl up.
"Extreme Speed!"
Arcanine's eyes opened up. They were wide alert and healthy. Bugsy and a majority of spectators that had strong intuitions gaped from the sight. They were not sure what was more surprising:
The fact that Arcanine had easily overcome its confusion or the fact that Anabel gave a loud vocal command?
In any case, the Legendary Pokémon discovered Shedinja closing in fast and used a powerful speed boost to leap away before the Phantom Force could have connected on it. Shedinja was forced to stop, becoming bemused itself as it attempted to lock its sights on the fleeing Arcanine.
"And Arcanine is back to normal and ready to fight once more!" the commentator exclaimed.
"Wait a minute," Bugsy mumbled, putting the pieces together in his mind. "Arcanine snapped out of its confusion a lot sooner than it did before you told it to use Extreme Speed, didn't you?"
"Yes and no," Anabel giggled rather mischievously. "My inner voice was able to reach out to Arcanine, but it wasn't enough to break it out of its confused spell. For that to happen, I needed a bit more help in dispelling it. That's where your attacks came in. I helped Arcanine regain enough willpower to have it take on one of your attacks to fully break free from the confusion. Of course, I had Arcanine feign its confusion for a bit longer to get you to let your guard down. A little underhanded, I'll admit, but it's still a bit tame compared to what you did to my Pokémon previously."
"Wait! What did I do?!"
"You had Scizor aim for Metagross's legs to distract it into levitating and attempted to lead Solrock on with Armaldo, remember?"
"Oh…"
The scene went from dramatic to awkward with a pinch of comical moments added in as Bugsy sheepishly scratched the back of his head. This was a fight of wits, not simply that of pure force. He soon shrugged it off as what was done was done now. It was time to get back to the battle on hand.
"Now Arcanine, Flame Charge!"
"Shedinja, use Protect!"
The Salon Maiden might have decided to shift styles for one reason or another, but that was not going defer Bugsy from winning the match. Shedinja instantly conjured up the barrier and Arcanine bounced off of it despite gaining additional speed from the Flame Charge.
"Arcanine, use Dragon Pulse!"
The Legendary Pokémon opened its mouth and unleashed brilliant energy that took draconic form. It slipped past Shedinja and tore into the ground below it before erupting into a heavy explosion. The resulting rubble flew up and was colliding against Shedinja's Protect as it was still active.
"It appears Anabel has found an indirect method to attack Shedinja if her direct attacks won't work," the commentator remarked.
Bugsy frowned as enough rocks thrown up in the shockwave could potentially finish off Shedinja if its guard was down. It was fundamental that Bug-type Pokémon were weak against Rock-type attacks. Even though this was not a Rock attack, the principle still applied and the Azalea Town Gym Leader was not about to gamble on his luck with the debris.
"Arcanine, another Dragon Pulse on the battlefield!"
"Shedinja, intercept!"
Once the debris had stopped falling, Shedinja terminated its Protect and flew into the Dragon Pulse's path. In anticipation to deal with the Dragon-type attack, its shell gave off an otherworldly golden glow. Upon contact with its body, Wonder Guard took effect and worked on neutralizing the Dragon Pulse.
Arcanine, get ready!
*BOOM*
The Dragon Pulse attack turned into a hazy explosion that left Shedinja unscratched. Though out of the smoke, a large fireball emerged right over Shedinja. Arcanine was the heart of it.
"Oh, no!" Bugsy cried in shock.
Finish it! Flame Charge!
Before anyone could blink, Arcanine tackled into Shedinja before it could pull off another trick while its whole body was blazing brightly. The force knocked the Shed Pokémon out of the air. Its speedy descent had put out the flames its body had from contact with the Flame Charge.
To contrast its small size, a sizeable crater was formed from its body upon impact. That one super effective hit was all it took.
"Shedinja is unable to battle!" the referee ultimately declared. "Arcanine wins, so the victory goes to Salon Maiden Anabel!"
"And just like that, the battle is over in Anabel's favor!" the commentator applauded with an eruption of cheers from the stadium for an incredible battle. "Finally scoring a hit on Bugsy's Shedinja and knocking it out, Anabel is allowed to move onto the final round of the preliminaries! Well, ladies and gents, we thank you for sharing this opportunity to watch this awesome battle with us! Stay tuned for the next battle in the next thirty minutes once our crew cleans up the battlefield!"
Bugsy knelt by the crater where his Shedinja's carcass laid and recalled it into its Poké Ball after whispering a job well done to it. Anabel joined him at the battlefield after congratulating her valiant Arcanine for the win. Seeing the Salon Maiden extend a hand out to him, Bugsy graciously accepted it and stood.
"That was some battle alright," Bugsy commented, grinning. "Guess I still have a lot left to learn about Bug-types."
"You're getting there," Anabel assured. "You had me on the run for a while. I almost thought I would lose this one. Your Shedinja was really powerful."
"I had to train it hard to make up for its low stamina," Bugsy explained. "I'm impressed on the bond you had with Arcanine though. I know you work well with Psychic-types, but having seen your previous matches, you're also good at working with other types."
"It's a challenge, but anything to prove myself," Anabel replied. "Much like you want to surpass Aaron, I have someone whose shadow I want to separate myself from."
"Who?"
"He's also in the Sinnoh Elite Four."
"… Oh, yeah. Now I recall. It's Lucian. You're his sister. What's that like?"
"Sigh… That question never gets old. I'm heading out to find someone. If you don't mind following me, I'll tell you all about it."
"Sure."
"It's going to get tougher once the preliminaries are over and the Victory Rounds begin," Sabrina said, standing out of her seat.
"That's not going to get me to back down," Paul remarked, following suit.
"Even if you have to face me eventually?" Sabrina questioned.
"We're all going to have to face each other at some point," Paul answered. "That's how it works. Besides, the next time we do face off, it won't be like our first practice match. That Miracle Eye caught me off guard."
"It may have been Miracle Eye sixteen chapters ago, but I still have plenty of mysterious tricks left to use to get through," Sabrina shared. "Some of which will truly test your inner strength. Of course, winning the Champions League is still far from my mind. I've survived as long as I have for my research."
"Then you should be happy to see your 'test subjects' getting along swimmingly as ever," Paul commented dryly.
"I'm happy that I didn't have to interfere as much. It's so much better when good things happen naturally."
"You think it's good now? It's guaranteed that something equally bad will happen. That's just the law of the universe."
"Speaking realistically, I'm afraid you're right about it," Sabrina sighed, remaining firm despite of the conversation talking a rather dark turn. "As far as I am able to foretell on Ash and Anabel's current relation, they're bound to experience a difficult obstacle by the end of the fifth preliminary round. I don't know what exactly it would be, but in any case, we have to be prepared for the consequences."
"While I haven't been in particular favor in playing matchmaker with you since I got here, this has been an… interesting experience in learning about the effects of relationships between people and how it would play out with their connection to their Pokémon," Paul surmised. "This really is quite the thesis you chose for your university study."
"Aside from those two learning, it seems you've learned a great deal yourself," Sabrina quipped with a mild smirk. "I am thankful that you've stayed with me for my research."
"The only reason I stayed is because I know how powerful you are," Paul shot back, turning away. "Your offer to help clear my mind, control my emotions, and refine my battle style was not something I'd foolishly turn away. Not when my goal to defeat Brandon still holds."
"You've stayed for another reason too," Sabrina announced.
The Veilstone City Trainer did not budge. Sabrina could swear that he was trying to hide his face from her. She could not be any closer to the truth than she was now.
"Hmph…"
"You still want to know why Ash and Anabel and most importantly, why you…"
Anabel's 'replacement Entei' is none other than Arcanine, much like how Manectric was used in place of the Raikou she has in the games and manga. It seemed to be a fitting choice, though I did consider Ninetales as another option.
But I like making things a bit unpredictable at times (and Arcanine is the Legendary Pokémon). I also figured that going with Arcanine would help symbolize the more outgoing aspects of her personality, especially now that she has gotten closer to Ash. Even though Ash has retained the Red personality he started with here, as commented by a helpful reviewer, I'm allowing him to regain parts of his former personality through his interactions with Anabel. That're what make Ash so unique and define him from Red (the Red personality was to push up the maturity level even further than what his XY self has, albeit in a somewhat dark, angsty manner).
A guest reviewer also asked if I was doing only four moves in battle, having pointed out that Ash's Pikachu in the early chapters used a different move (Agility in place of Quick Attack). My answer is yes. I'm sticking with four moves only because it's easier for me to manage instead of throwing a menagerie of attacks all over the place. Plus, it makes coming up with strategies with limited resources all the more of a challenge (Challenge [already] accepted).
However, Pokémon are allowed to change their moves off screen (example being Paul and his Electivire in the Lily of the Valley Conference as it used Giga Impact against Barry's Empoleon before relearning Brick Break for the battle against Ash). Again, I tend to make things a bit unpredictable in order to work on the surprise factor.
Well, time to measure up my writing skills! Please review!
L-ater!