Well, sorry it took me two days to write but I really didn't know what I was going to do with this. Flame helps Squirtle and Squirtle returns the favour, but at a cost.

I never got any comments for the last episode, that makes me sad. That makes the Episodes slower in being finished.

Episode Eighty: Plan B

My hunch worked, my repeated claw strikes managed to cut through the steel. A little bit of fire to weaken what was left and a nice shove finished the job.

"You'd think that Humans would make these things stronger really," I said to myself as the lamppost fell.

However, Scarlet didn't get injured as it toppled. I knew that because the Charmander landed ontop of me. I kicked it off and got up, rubbing my bruised ribs.

"Bloody hell, gimme some warning before you do crazy stuff like that," I said, while Scarlet laughed.

"Can't take the heat then?" The Charmander asked.

"I'm just getting warmed up," I replied, mentaly groaning at myself for the bad pun.

But Scarlet took it literally and used the blue fire again. This time I was a little slower than normal and was unable to avoid it completely, my left side caught in the stream of flames.

The blast ended seconds later and I was aware of a sizzling noise. I looked down at my arm and nearly threw up at the sight of it. The, usually orange, scales had been charred black and the entire arm was immobile.

"You gotta love Dragonbreath," Scarlet laughed, "If anything is still standing after the blast then they are paralised for a few minutes, pleanty of time for me to blast them a second time. Shame it stains things, like scales."

"Not really," I replied, slowly moving my legs in order to see if the paralisis affected all of me, "orange really wasn't my colour."

Scarlet picked up a stone and examined it before turning back to me, "you know Flame? You've lasted longer than every other Pokémon that I have faced. Why do you fight on the losing side?"

"Oh that's a tough one," I smirked, discreetly looking over Scarlet's shoulder at something that was giving me an idea, "but I guess it's because you're a complete and utter dick."

My answer had its intended affect, Scarlet looked pissed off. Very pissed off. Murderous rage style pissed off. The lizard Pokémon charged fowards, pulling back its clawed fist. I stood there and waited, giving the illusion that I was totally immobile.

'Limbs, do not fail me now,' I thought as I sidestepped at the last second, slamming my mobile shoulder into the back of Scarlet's head and knocking my opponent to the floor.

"Like team, like Pokémon," I muttered, "both are complete idiots."

I only had a few seconds before Scarlet got back up, so I cut off any further quips and legged it. Now you may think I was being cowardly, and maybe I was, but I had a plan that would give me a much needed advantage.

"I'll kill you!" Scarlet yelled from behind as I kept running.

'Good for you, just give me a few more seconds,' I thought as I dashed towards the battling Squirtles.

I heard the air crackle as Scarlet unleashed another wave of blue fire after me. I was in a race against a deadly attack, and it was gaining rapidly. I spotted one of the Squirtles forcing the other back with a powerfull jet of water and put on a burst of speed towards that one.

I didn't look back to see how close the Dragon fire was, I was focusing purely on my target. I was only centimeters away and I could feel the air crackling with sparks as the fire came close to catching me.

"Not today, not ever!" I yelled as I lept over the Squirtle and skidded into a crouch.

The Squirtle noticed me almost instantly and looked confused, turning away and screaming as the blue flames caught him. His shell directed the blast around me, I was surrounded by the super fire but none of it touched me. Safe.

The blast ended and the Squirtle was laying on the ground. He was either unconsious or dead, I couldn't tell which. I just hoped that I had picked the right one. The other Squitle was standing still, staring at his charred opponent.

"He's going to feel that in the morning," Squirtle finally said, allowing me to breath a sigh of relief. Only my Squirtle could make comments like that in a battle.

"I can't believe that I pulled that off," I said with a chuckle.

"I can," Squirtle said, "now, how about we deal with the other psychopath?"

"Pika isn't here."

"You know who I meant."

I was about to reply when Squirtle knocked me to the floor, with no warning. I was about to yell at him when I spotted a blue glow heading in our direction. Scarlet had launched another attack and I had just been knocked out of the firing line.

"Oh shit, that psycho just doesn't give up," I said, untill I realised that Squirtle hadn't dived out of the way, "Squirtle, what the hell are you doing?"

"Buying you a little time. Knock that Charmander into the crater to your right, I'll handle the rest," Squirtle said, staring into the blue light that was shooting towards him, "oh, and good luck."

The blast shot over the piece of rubble that I was hidden behind and completely engulfed Squirtle, who had just stood there.

"Squirtle!" I yelled, I couldn't help it. It wasn't like him to pull crazy stuff like that, it was usually him that was pointing out the crazy stuff.

When the dust cleared, there was no sign of the turtle Pokémon. Vanished, as though he had been completely incinerated.

"Looks like your Squirtle had a weak shell. There is nothing left," Scarlet laughed as the bastard started walking towards me.

"He was not weak," I growled, getting up, "nothing about him was weak. You are going to pay for what you did."

Scarlet laughed again, making my anger boil even more.

"I'll tell you what, I'll take you on hand-to-hand. None of the Dragonbreath, just to prove that you good guys are weak."

"Fine, whatever. I'll fight however I have too," I said, determined to take the other Charmander down any way I could.

"Then may the best Pokémon win, which will be me."

I clenched my fists, realising that I had regained the use of my arm. So I'd lessened my disadvantages as far as I could, now it was all down to skill and a lot of luck. Two things that are not exactly my strong points.

Scarlet charged, while I just stood there and waited. I knew exactly what I was going to do. At the last second, I slammed my blackened arm into Scarlet's gut and followed through with a punch to the head.

"Never ever pick on my friends," I whispered in Scarlet's ear as I grabbed the Pokémon by the throat and lifted it up.

Scarlet lashed out with both legs, trying to make me let go but I just tightened my grip.

"I have killed with these claws, nothing stops me from doing so again," I said, before throwing Scarlet to my side.

Scarlet landed heavily and struggled to get back up, giving me pleanty of time to walk towards the Charmander. Scarlet looked up at me, with big wide eyes. I stopped just before the other Pokémon, looking down at it and showing no emotion.

"You wouldn't kill a girl? Would you?" She tried. I stayed silent for several seconds before answering.

"No," I started, "but I don't have to save you."

Scarlet looked confused, untill I pulled back my fist and smashed it into the Charmander's face. The force knocked her backwards, strait into the water filled crater that I had thrown her in front of. Just as Squirtle had told me.

"Have a nice day," I told the struggling Charmander before turning away and walking off.