Time to continue Elaina's battle! Will she destroy Roose with her overwhelming power, or will he manage to win?
Darkhammer: That's an unfortunate side-effect, yes.
Superblal: There's a little more to it, but that's pretty close.
Jay Hayden: There's always a risk. Power corrupts, after all.
Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings
Chapter 45
As Alcea watched Elaina's battle, Blake's words from earlier that day repeated in her head. Although initially she didn't fully believe what he had been saying, not really, Elaina was making quite a persuasive argument for his case.
"What do you want to know?" Blake asked.
"This power… Harmonia," Alcea said, frowning, "what is it exactly?"
"How much do you know about it already?"
"I know that it's a power that develops in certain trainers," Alcea replied. "That it can grant a pokemon incredible power in battle. But beyond that, I have no idea what it can really do."
"You've got it mostly right," Blake said, nodding. "But there's more. Harmonia isn't just some sort of magical pokemon booster. It's more complicated than that. Its strength relies on the wielder, as well."
"What do you mean?" Alcea asked.
"Harmonia is a power that develops when the bond between a trainer and their pokemon reaches a certain level. In its early stages of development, the trainer may begin to feel fatigued and exhausted when around their pokemon; they start to hear voices echoing in their head."
"Voices?" Alcea asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Voices of their pokemon trying to communicate with them," Blake explained. "My brother could probably explain it better. I'm only going off of what I've observed. But from what I've seen, it's as though the trainer and their pokemon have achieved harmony in their feelings, and can communicate without even needing to speak. My brother described it like he was both his pokemon and himself, and his pokemon was both him and itself, they were part of one another and could communicate without words."
"Communicating to your pokemon without words…" Alcea mused, holding her chin in contemplation. "It seems fantastical… unbelievable, even."
"By harmonizing with your pokemon, you can use your own energy to increase its power," Blake continued, "literally strengthening your pokemon past its limits with the force of your bond. Not just its strength, but its endurance, its speed, all of its abilities seem to be heightened. But it comes at a very steep cost. Pokemon battles are incredibly taxing on the pokemon. By linking your experience with the pokemon, you open yourself up to the same risks as they are. Any pain they take is reflected on you. The toll it places on your mind and body is immense…"
Alcea noted a shadow cross over Blake's face.
"Honestly, the mental toll is the greater cost, I believe."
Blake hadn't said anything else, but the look on his face had told Alcea that there was something he wasn't telling her. She hadn't pressed the issue, however. She'd find out everything soon enough.
"You haven't won yet," Roose said, holding out another love ball. "Moonlight, go!" From the love ball emerged a Clefable, the pink fairy type pokemon stretching her small hands, a big smile on her face.
"Another fairy type," Darla said, frowning.
"He came really prepared!" Lila cheered.
"Cosmic power!" Roose ordered. Starlight began sparkling around the Clefable as her defense and special defense rose, leaving a shimmering residue over her body.
"You think that will be enough?" Elaina asked. "Noctre!"
"NOI!" Noctre howled, a tornado of wind and water whipping up around her.
"You reflected my hurricane attack last time," Elaina shouted, "you won't be so fortunate this time!"
The sky trembled with a violent roar as the hurricane tore through the battlefield, crashing straight toward the fairy pokemon.
"Moonlight, light screen!" Roose ordered, Moonlight holding up her hands and creating a barrier of shimmering green light in front of her. The maelstrom struck the barrier, but the shield held strong, the wind pounding impotently against it.
"You think that can stop me?!" Elaina shouted, wind swirling up around her. The hurricane increased in intensity, cracks beginning to appear across the surface of the light screen. The barrier shattered seconds later and Moonlight was flung into the air, crashing to the ground as the strengthened wind attack continued its course. Roose barely had enough time to jump out of the way, and even then he was still knocked back slightly from the sheer force of the wind moving past him.
"It's coming right for us!" Kate exclaimed. The students around them jumped out of their seats and fled the coming wind in terror, but Kanone remained unfazed.
"Are you insane?" Sango asked, looking down at him. "We need to go! Now!"
"That girl is all rage and power, but no control," Kanone said simply. "She can't control her abilities enough to even sever her connection and call off her own attack."
"What?!" Sango exclaimed, the sound of the wind drowning out her voice as it drew closer.
"Kiki," Kanone said, holding up a black luxury ball. From the fancy pokeball emerged a small pokemon, resembling a set of keys.
"Ki!" The Klefki said, bobbing up in down in agreement. It turned to the wind and began shining, a green barrier appearing in front of the crowd of fleeing people, stretching up from the ground to the roof of the stadium.
"I think she'll find that this light screen is a bit more robust than the one thrown up by that Clefable," Kanone said, frowning. True to his word, the barrier took the full brunt of the hurricane without even shaking, the attack dying down a few moments later.
"What was that?!" Lila exclaimed, raising her head to peek out from under the announcer's box.
"It seems that the hurricane was stopped by a pokemon from someone in the stands," Darla answered, poking her head out as well.
"You…" Roose said, rising to his feet, trembling, "what the hell was that?!"
"I warned you that I would be using my full power," Elaina stated. "You are no match for it. If you want to surrender, now is the time."
"So what, that gives you the right to attack me?! Or the audience?!" Roose exclaimed.
"It's pointless," Kanone said, shaking her head. "He should just surrender. She couldn't stop hurting people if she wanted. She can't control herself in this state." If it continues like this… I may have to step in.
"I can't believe you would suggest someone like that girl for a position among the Eight Leaders," Alcea said, turning to Gerard's smirking face with a glare.
"The Daevas are increasing in power," Gerard said, his smirk growing wider. "They've supplanted us as the strongest in this school. And when they graduate, who knows what sort of power vacuum they'll leave in their wake? Our power needs to be unquestionable going into the next year; and for that, we need people like Elaina. Powerful… unstoppable… merciless."
"…" Alcea remained silent, her eyes smoldering with anger. He was enjoying this! Blake had been vague on the side-effects of using Harmonia, but whatever that girl was going through was certainly not natural.
"Moonlight!" Roose said. "Are you okay?"
"Clef!" Moonlight said, standing up, but she was shaky.
"Noctre, finish them off!" Elaina ordered. Noctre spread her wings, a tornado of wind whipping up around her in a violent howl.
"Moonlight!" Roose shouted over the wind, "use gravity!"
"Clefable!" Moonlight cried, holding up her hands toward Noctre. A field of energy shot from them and spread over the battlefield, the ground shaking. Gravity was drastically intensified within the field, Noctre crying out in frustration. She plummeted into the dirt, Moonlight's field of gravity pinning her down to the ground. Elaina fell to her knees as well, equally affected by the immense pressure crushing down on Noctre's body, both trainer and pokemon finding it impossible to move.
"Both Elaina and her Noivern have been pinned down by Clefable's gravitational field!" Darla exclaimed.
"If Roose was ever going to make a comeback, now would be the time!" Lila agreed.
"Now, use moonblast!" Roose ordered. Moonlight held her hands up, pink light glowing in the palms of her hands.
"Noctre…" Elaina said, trying to pull herself up. Noctre pressed against the ground and tried to rise to her feet in defiance of the crushing weight, raising her head and roaring at the Clefable. Moonlight released the light attack, firing it straight at the dragon. A sphere of crackling draconic energy appeared in front of Noctre's mouth, the bat pokemon firing off a dragon pulse in desperate bid to fight back.
"Moonlight, use gravity again!" Roose ordered. Moonlight waved her hands, the field of gravity intensifying, pulling the dragon pulse into the ground before it could collide with the moonblast. The field dissipated and the fairy attack continued forward, striking Noctre head on.
"Noivern!" Noctre cried out, slumping to the ground, as Alcea clenched her chest. The gravity wore off and she stumbled to her feet, out of breath.
"Roose finally managed to defeat Elaina's Noivern!" Darla cheered.
"For the first time in this tournament, Elaina has lost one of her pokemon!" Lila added. "This just shows you the level of power among our finalists!"
"That's right, Lila, but this match isn't over yet!" Darla nodded. "Elaina still has five pokemon left remaining, while Roose only has four."
"True, Darla," Lila said, nodding, "but Elaina looks pretty worn down. Can she really keep going?"
"Of course she can," Gerard commented, chuckling. "That girl won't let something like this stop her."
"Noctre, forgive me," Elaina murmured, returning her Noivern to her pokeball. "I wasn't strong enough to keep fighting with you… but you will be avenged."
Elaina held up a blue and red great ball, throwing it out.
"Soar, Raiver!" Elaina shouted, a large bird emerging from the depths of the pokeball, spreading its wings wide. The pokemon's large wings were read with a dark blue on the inside that matched the rest of its coat, and its head was covered in white feathers, with a red, white, and blue colored crest on its face. Its red tail feathers were tipped in blue and yellow, and with a flap of its mighty wings a powerful gust shook the stadium.
"Elaina has sent out the second flying pokemon in her arsenal!" Darla commented.
"A Braviary? That's a strong one!" Lila said worriedly.
As I figured, Kanone mused. A wind weaver fits her quite well.
"Another bird pokemon?" Roose said. "Moonlight, we'll deal with this one the same way! Use gravity again!"
"That won't work on us again!" Elaina said. "Raiver! Take to the skies!" Raiver nodded, flapping his wings, shooting up into the sky. The clouds began to break, revealing the blue above, Raiver ducking around them to conceal himself slightly better in their cover.
"You think you can dodge it by getting out of range?" Roose asked, smirking. "It seems you fight with all power and no brains! No matter how high or how far you fly, there's no escaping the power of gravity. Moonlight, increase the range across the entire battlefield!"
"Clefable!" Moonlight nodded, holding her arms out, the force of gravity in the stadium intensifying drastically.
"Once again, Clefable has used gravity to try and ground Elaina's flyer!" Darla said.
"If her Braviary gets trapped, she'll find herself hard-pressed to counter-attack," Lila frowned. "What's she going to do?"
"I'm not going to do anything!" Elaina replied.
"What?!" Roose asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. "What are you talking about?"
"You've gotten arrogant, thinking you've beaten me!" Elaina said, shaking her head. "But you don't know the first thing about flying types! Your gravity field might be able to protect you from most attacks, but there's a critical weakness that you're forgetting!"
Weakness? Flashed through Roose's mind, confused by her words.
"Oh…" Kanone said, his eyes widening and his lips curling into a smirk. "Clever girl…"
"Huh?" Sango asked, turning to him in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Just watch," Kanone said, chuckling. "This should be amusing."
"As I was saying, gravity can stop most attacks simply by intensifying the gravity in front of your pokemon and pull them downwards. But what do you do if your attack is coming from above you?" Elaina asked, pointing skywards.
"Above?" Roose asked, confused. From above, it-
His eyes shot upwards, as did those of the rest of the stadium. Barreling downward toward Moonlight was Elaina's Braviary, cloaked in a veil of blue light.
"Unbelievable!" Darla exclaimed. "Using the amplified gravity from Clefable's attack, Elaina has turned her Braviary into a living meteor aimed straight for the fairy pokemon!"
"With the gravity intensified all around her, Clefable has nowhere to run!" Lila cried.
"Moonlight, quick, undo the gravity!" Roose ordered.
"Too late," Elaina snarled. Raiver unleashed a powerful brave bird attack as he struck Moonlight, the collision releasing an explosive shockwave of dirt and rock from the impact. Raiver strafed across the ground and rose up into the air, the gravity lifted, the dust clearing to reveal Moonlight lying in a crater, unconscious.
"Return," Roose said, returning Moonlight to her loveball. "Roma! Go!"
From another loveball emerged a furry, purple bird pokemon with a fuzzy pink skirt and large pink eyes, the arena filling up with a sweet scent.
"Ooh, another fairy!" Lila cheered, smiling, Darla rolling her eyes.
"Roma, use dazzling gleam!" Roose ordered. A blinding flash of light shot out from the Aromatisse, covering the entire stadium.
"What an annoying attack!" Darla exclaimed. "We can't see a thing!"
"But Aromatisse can follow the Braviary on just his scent!" Lila explained. "Which means this is perfect!"
Rays of light hit Raiver, the bird pokemon squawking in pain, crashing to the ground. The light faded, Roma locking onto Raiver, a sphere of moonlight appearing in front of her beak. She fired the moonlight attack at Raiver, hitting him head on, sending him tumbling through the dirt.
"Raiver!" Elaina called out, Raiver's eyes snapping open. He flapped his wings, kicking up a powerful duststorm that blew Roma backwards and pushed himself off the ground, flying into the air. The sand stung against Raiver's skin and he stumbled back, clenching his eyes shut. As Raiver flew through the air, he disappeared, reappearing in another spot in the sky. He disappeared again, reappearing behind Roma, but by the time she turned to face him, he had already vanished once more.
"Aro!" Roma cried out in pain, Raiver striking her in the back with his claws, the aerial ace attack drawing several deep gashes in the pokemon's pink feathers. She stood her ground, however, and whirled around to Raiver, glowing pink, releasing a blast of psychic energy from her body. Raiver fell backwards, momentarily stunned, as Roma leapt back and began gathering light together for a moonblast.
"Aromatisse's well-placed psychic attack has knocked Braviary off balance!" Darla announced.
"Raiver, steady yourself!" Elaina cried, Raiver shaking his head and glaring at the Aromatisse.
"Aroma!" Roma shouted, firing the moonblast, hitting Raiver in the jaw, sending him crashing into the ground.
Elaina rubbed chin and shouted at Raiver, the bird pokemon picking himself off the ground. Roma was preparing another moonblast attack, but by the time she was done, Raiver was already airborne.
"Don't give in, Roma, prepare another one!" Roose ordered, Roma generating another moonblast attack, eyeing the skies for a good shot at Raiver.
"Raiver, straight on," Elaina ordered, Raiver lowering his head and spreading his wings, shooting towards Roma.
"Hold… hold…" Roose ordered, not letting Roma fire the attack off just yet. It had to be perfect, timed just right if the attack would be successful. "Now!"
Raiver was just yards away from Roma when she fired the attack at him, but just before the moonblast hit the bird pokemon's face, he disappeared. Raiver reappeared, flying up into the air from behind Roma, as though he had gone right through her. Roma whirled her head around to see the flying type, but as she did, a large swathe of blood appeared across her chest.
"Aroma… tisse…" Roma coughed, pressing a hand against her chest, falling to the ground.
"Roose's timing looked perfect on that moonblast, but it seems the timing of that aerial ace was just a little better," Darla explained for the many people who couldn't see what had just happened.
"I was hoping Roma would be able to at least finish off your Braviary, but I guess not," Roose said, returning the fairy pokemon to her loveball. "Well then, it seems like I have no choice but to rely on my trump card. Charger, go!"
Throwing out a yellow and black ultra ball, a pokemon with the same color scheme emerged from within it. The large gorilla-like pokemon let out a roar, the two antenna on the top of her head crackling with electricity. Two long black cables emerged from his back, electricity also coursing through them.
"Roose's fifth pokemon is an Electivire!" Darla exclaimed.
"True, but as strong as it might be, it may end up being too little, too late!" Lila said worriedly.
"I figured, electric pokemon would be where she's weak," Gerard said, frowning. What will you do now, Elaina? Your Harmonia is running thin… it won't be long now before you run out of energy and collapse… I hope to see you win before that occurs. Do not disappoint me, Elaina!
"Charger, use shock wave!" Roose ordered, electricity charging through the Electivire's tails, the electric pokemon firing a wave of electrical energy at Raiver.
"Dodge, Raiver!" Elaina ordered. Raiver turned out of the way of the shock wave, but as he flew toward the Electivire, the electricity turned back and expanded, electrocuting the bird pokemon.
"What?!" Elaina, trembling, fell to her knees.
"That was a powerful electrical attack!" Darla exclaimed.
"But not enough to finish Braviary off," Lila said, frowning.
Raiver… Elaina thought to herself, shaking her head, you don't have much strength left… I'm sorry I can't give you anymore… I'm running out myself… please, hold on just a little longer…
"Raiver!" Elaina exclaimed. "Keep going!"
Raiver pulled himself out of the air and spread his wings, streaking through sky toward the Electivire.
"Charger! Fire off another shockwave!" Roose ordered, Charger releasing another wave of electrical energy.
"If we can't avoid it, then go straight through!" Elaina ordered, Raiver nodding his head, charging straight into the shockwave.
"Aaaiyeeaaa!" Elaina cried, feeling the sting of electricity run through her body. Her connection, as tenuous as it was, meant this pain was severely lessened; knowing that Raiver was feeling so much worse was enough to bring her back to her feet.
"Just a little more… hold out just a little more! Superpower!" Elaina shouted, Raiver's body shimmering with energy as it broke through the shockwave, lunging at Charger. Raiver barreled right into the electric pokemon's chest, cutting into her with his claws and pecking at her with her beak, anything to damage Charger as much as possible.
"Charger, use thunderpunch!" Roose shouted, electricity running through Charger's fist, Charger bringing it up into Raiver's gut, knocking him off. The mighty electric pokemon turned his shoulder and lunged down, driving Raiver into the ground with a powerful strike, Raiver roaring in pain as he twitched for a few moments, losing consciousness.
Kanone's eyes widened as Elaina wilted. So that's it then… her Harmonia is used up. It's down to her pokemon's strength, now.
"Return, Raiver," Elaina said, returning her Braviary. "Now…"
Even though Elaina has only lost two pokemon, it seems like this may be the turning point for Roose's battle!" Lila said.
"But he has a long way to go," Darla reminded. "Elaina might be able to turn things around."
"Come on, Roose! You can do it!" Lua cried. Roose turned to her and smiled, nodding.
"I'm going to beat you, Elaina," Roose said, turning back to his opponent. "Because I have someone to fight for! If I lose here, then you might end up fighting against Lua! And I'd never let you hurt her with that power of yours! For Lua's sake, I can become as strong as I need to, even strong enough to defeat a monster like you!"
"Oh, Roose…" Lua swooned.
"…Monster?" Elaina muttered. "What right do you have to call me that?"
"What?"
"You know nothing about me!" Elaina spat out venomously. "What right have you to judge me? Call me a monster?! You think you're so righteous because you have someone to fight for, someone you're protecting, but that's just your own selfish assertion!"
"I'm just doing what I can to protect Lua," Roose said again, frowning. "I'm trying to protect her, and everyone else by defeating you here. You're going to lose because you only fight for yourself."
"…I…" Elaina baulked, stepping back, shaking her head. "You're wrong! I do have someone I'm fighting for! And for his sake, I will defeat you, here and now!"
Kanone's eyes widened.
"Something seems different…" Kitty said worriedly. "It's like she's reinvigorated somehow…"
"Good eye, Kitty," Kanone said, nodding. "It seems she's regained her second wind."
Excellent, Elaina, Gerard thought, smiling. Continue on like this… the more passionate you are, the greater your power will become. Make me proud, Elaina, use that powerful pokemon I gifted you to show them all the extent of your abilities!
"Ayer! Take to the sky and break down my foes with your earthshattering power!" Elaina yelled, throwing a pokeball into the air. With a loud screech and the beat of leathery wings, a massive purple pokemon took to the skies from within the ball. The Aerodactyl opened its mighty jaws and roared, his spaded tail flicked through the air, flying towards Charger.
"That pokemon…" Lila gasped.
"That's an Aerodactyl!" Darla exclaimed. "But aren't those exceedingly rare? I'd heard they were extinct until recently, when scientists found a method to revive them! Elaina has one?"
"Oh, this just got even better," Kanone chuckled.
"A flying pokemon is a flying pokemon," Roose said, frowning. "Charger, use thunderbolt!" Electricity crackled between the cables of Charger's tail, preparing a massive discharge of power.
"Shortsighted fool," Elaina growled. "Ayer!"
Ayer flew towards the ground and raised her wing, power coursing around it. He released it from his wing in a shockwave of power as he struck the battlefield, the shockwave echoing through the stadium as the ground began to shake.
"What the hell?!" Blake exclaimed.
"It's an earthquake!" Cynthia cried. The battlefield shook with a massive tremor, the ground splitting open into a massive chasm as cracks spread across it, Charger's movements being thrown off balance, the thunderbolt attack flying wide. Roose leapt back from the earthquake as well, scurrying for safety before he was buried.
"This… this…" Darla sputtered wildly.
"Aerodactyl's earthquake broken the stadium to pieces!" Lila shouted. "There's no stable footing for Electivire to grasp!"
"That's my girl," Gerard chuckled.
"Now! Finish her off!" Elaina ordered. "Stone edge!" The ground shook once more, massive chunks of earth and stone rising up from the wreckage, flying toward Charger. The stones struck her head on, pinning her down, Charger's roars of protest deafened by the tomb of rock that buried her.
After a few moments of pause, Elaina clenched her fist, Ayer letting out a shockwave with a roar that cracked the hill Charger was buried in, revealing her unconscious form.
"With an attack that literally shook the stadium, Electivire was buried!" Lila cried.
"And with that, Roose finds himself on his last legs," Darla commented.
Roose returned Charger to her ultra ball, reaching for his last pokeball, a love ball.
"Roose…" Lua said, looking sadly at her boyfriend.
"Well?" Elaina asked. "Where's all that confidence that you had when you were calling me a monster?"
"Urgh…" Roose growled. "I won't lose! You haven't won yet! Mana! Go!"
Roose sent out his final pokemon, an Alomamola. The large heart-shaped fish hovered on a cushing of air, releasing a burst of water onto the battlefield.
"So this is what you've wagered your last hopes on," Elaina said, shaking her head. "Ayer! Finish that thing off now, with another earthquake!"
Another tremor shook the stadium, and this time the audience was ready to evacuate. Many had leapt from their seats and were already headed for the exits, while the ones who remained were looking after them warily, ready to follow. Panic swept through the coliseum like plague, and even Kanone was starting to feel worried.
"If this keeps up, that girl will tear this whole stadium apart!" Kanone frowned, rising to his feet.
"Gerard, I'm putting a stop to this!" Alcea exclaimed, standing up and looking down at her colleague. "This has gone too far!"
"Not yet," Gerard said, glaring back at her. "This battle is almost over. This stadium is strong, just you watch."
"Mana! Use-"
"Useless!" Elaina shouted, energy surging through both her and her Aerodactyl. "Finish them both, now!"
"Aero!" Ayer roared, flapping his wings, stone and dirt rising up into a massive tornado that flew towards the fish pokemon in a wave of rubble. Mana was knocked back, tumbling to the ground, and Roose was knocked off of his feet as well crashing to the ground along with his pokemon. He held onto Mana, whimpering, Ayer looming over him, emanating power from his terrifying form.
"This match is over!" Darla shouted, rising to her feet. "That's it! It's done, no more! Elaina wins!"
"I agree!" Lila said, looking at Roose worriedly. "Both Roose and his Alomamola are in no shape to continue."
"Roose!" Lua cried, leaping from her seat and running over to her boyfriend, cradling him in her arms.
The remaining members of the top 16 looked over the battlefield, which had come to resemble a warzone. Massive fissures spidered out from the center of arena, out into the grass that surrounded the battlefield itself. Stones lay upturned, and rubble flowed out of the boundary lines. Everything from Elaina's battle box forward had been torn to shreds.
Blake swallowed, shaking his head. So much destruction… it's unreal… I've been so used to my brother that I didn't realize… Elaina…
Blake looked at her, wincing. I need to find some way to help her… before that power of hers consumes her entirely.
That doesn't sound very good.