Chapter 61; Battle for Suicune's respect
Absolute panic.
Absolute terror.
Absolute chaos.
All the above would be the situation in team rocket's current hideout had the three admins' grip on the situation been anything less than absolute in keeping the grunts in check. Or at least if they had allowed themselves to panic.
For the first time ever since learning of team Sonic being in pursuit of them, Archer felt fear. And not just fear of being caught or of team rocket ending. But crippling fear of many other possible scenarios and some of them a lot worse than jail.
The last time he contacted the operation team that day, everything was going very smoothly. But after that nothing. Absolute gap of information.
There were a few hints of what transpired here and there of course which his spies had managed to pass to him in hopes he could make any sense of the end result.
Firstly, the cage in which they were originally planning to trap Raikou in was found empty. But that made sense, they had gathered a lot of electric types last time he had talked to them so they would go with the backup plan instead.
Secondly, one of the two trucks had fallen into the hands of the police. All the grunts that were supposed to escape on that truck had been captured at the operation site, most of them without their senses.
Again nothing new. Team Sonic had assaulted them at the slowpoke well in the same way. But it was what happened to the second truck, that worried him to the point of crippling fear.
Utter destruction. Nothing but scrap metal remained. The entire truck had blown up. And knowing that truck had escaped with Raikou captured , as the platform on which they had tied it up wasn't found at the operation site, it was safe to assume team Sonic wouldn't blow it up. They wouldn't hurt the legend of thunder.
In other words the only conceivable way the truck could have been destroyed like that was at the hands, or more accurately the paws, of the aforementioned legend of thunder.
And there was backup evidence on this theory as well. Several team rocket grunts' body parts lying around near the site of the explosion. They had been completely torn apart in the blast. That was of course the case, provided there was anything that wasn't incinerated on the spot by the blast.
Archer was now more sure than ever. And his comrades in Ariana and Petrel shared his opinion on the matter. Trying to turn the beasts into assets was suicide. Those beasts were clearly somehow allied with team Sonic specifically.
"Perhaps there are some hints of truth to the rumors revolving around the three menaces awakening them" Archer commented to himself.
Ariana and Petrel entered the conference room as well, looking like thet were pursued by an angry mob. His suspicions were confirmed as angry voices could be heard behind them in the distance.
"Archer we can't contain them for much longer. They're scared silly. Shit just got real. We actually had casualties this time" Ariana informed him.
"You think I'm not aware?" he answered reeking of sarcasm.
"They're out for blood Archer. We're not safe" Petrel said, partially shocked their leader was so calm.
"Then we lay low. Stick to the plan and we'll be fine" Archer simply answered trying to sound calm and confident.
"Archer…" Ariana paused momentarily "some of the grunts want out".
"What?!" the team rocket admin almost jumped up "are you serious?"
"Yes" Petrel confirmed "they even banded together to demand out. More specifically, their representative said that it is no longer worth the risk. Before it was either jail or punishment at the hands of the boss. Now it's either punishment at the hands of the boss or risk of death at the hands of the hero of Kanto".
Archer's pupils darted around in his eyes as he was trying to process the continuously worsening development.
Team Sonic had managed to instill fear in their ranks. Archer had to deal with that pronto. And the most efficient way to fight fear was to obtain knowledge about what they were fighting.
Only problem was there were no witnesses. All their members who were present when team Sonic prevailed were dead or presumed dead.
Archer's phone then received an encrypted message. Quickly translating the code her face lit.
"We have a survivor".
"What?!" both his fellow admins exclaimed in shock.
"They're in hiding. Waiting for retrieval. Ariana assemble a squad and go retrieve them now".
"Assemble a squad? They will riot the moment we order such a thing".
"Fine then. Petrel you do it".
"Why me?"
"Proton is still unable to serve and our two best agents in the field are presumed dead. With any luck this survivor will be one of the two. In any case someone has to go. So either you go or…"
"Or what Archer?!" Petrel got to his face "or what?! All you've been doing this whole time is staying here! It must be so easy being the one in charge, staying in the safety of the hideout while everyone else goes out there and risks running into those maniacs! Why don't you grow a pair and go out yourself for once!"
"What did you say?!"
"You heard me!"
"You unruly…"
"Will you two stop acting like children?!" Ariana screamed, scaring them into silence.
"Do you see what they're doing to us? They're breaking us apart. We need to stop them. And for that we need the boss".
Archer nodded. She was right. All they were doing was for the boss.
Their boss, Giovanni, whom the hedgehog had exiled. Burning hatred for Sonic engulfed Archer's mind.
In a moment of inspiration, he stepped up.
"Very well then. I will lead a squad myself to retrieve the survivor. Maybe if the grunts see me do this, they will settle down for now".
"That would be a smart move" Ariana agreed.
Archer waited to see if Petrel had anything to say. He didn't.
"Don't think I forgot your little outburst. I don't take insubordination lightly".
"Whatever" Petrel brushed him off.
The three admins left the room heading to their respective tasks.
"Before you go… Petrel" Archer spat while speaking the name "you'll be taking over the whirl islands mission. With our agents out of the picture we need a higher up to take over when we locate the target. And don't object. That's an order".
"Whatever you say boss man" Petrel fired back.
Archer gave him an angry look.
"You're lucky you just called me boss man and not boss. Now go".
Petrel left and soon enough Archer and Ariana went their ways as well. There was a lot of recovering to do. And a lot of preparing as well.
As team rocket was beginning its recovery, team Sonic was boarding the boat to Cianwood city. Jasmine was seeing them off, urging them to be done quickly so they could have their battles with her. As the boat left, she winked at Sonic.
That earned him another 5 minute badgering, bordering on interrogation, to learn about the previous day and how Sonic had actually kissed Jasmine.
Sonic tormented them a little bit by pretending to go back on his word and not revealing anything about that day. Right when his two friends were about to quit he told them. They were clearly expecting it to be like in movies where the hero and the heroine find themselves about to be confronted by the villain and kissing to avoid that confrontation.
They were therefore disappointed to hear that even though that was the case, there was no aftermath, no cringe or awkward talk and blushing.
"So you like, kissed her just for that? To avoid Silver?" Tails asked him.
Sonic looked to the horizon.
"I'm not dumb Tails. I can tell she likes me. But currently this is not what I'm looking for. Don't get me wrong. She is cute. But apart from that, I don't feel in love so there's no point in pursuing anything. At least, that's what I figure".
Knuckles observed him silent for a few moments.
"Is that really the case? Or are you still thinking about Amy?"
Sonic showed no emotion to the question. He did however think out the answer a bit.
"I would be lying if I said I didn't Knucks. It doesn't happen often but… it's like what we talked about 2 weeks ago. Our mind is programmed to think of what ifs. A part of me wonders what if Amy wasn't… you know".
Tails also took to looking at the horizon due to their deep talk.
"And if you were given the opportunity? To change the past or something like that? Would you do it? To have a chance with Amy?"
Sonic didn't reply with words. He replied by taking out Raichu's pokeball and holding it in front the rising sun.
"I would be a fool to wish for something like that" he answered with a genuine smile.
Tails and Knuckles were happy to hear that. Sonic had gone through so much but simply the thought of Raichu alone made his entire journey so far worth it. He had seen so many amazing places, met and battled so many pokemon and even tamed a legendary pokemon.
Maybe it wasn't in a sentient being's nature to let go. But if you had something more powerful driving you, you could move past the trauma while limiting its effect on you. Sonic had achieved that. And his two mates were proud of him for that.
Knuckles also took out Quilava's pokeball, wondering if he would ever get to that point as well. Sonic had managed to get over his trauma for the most part in mere months. His trauma was over 10 years old and he still held on.
As they passed by the whirl islands, a passenger on the boat told everyone to look at the islands as they were said to be home to the legendary Lugia. Sonic and Tails looked around from time to time hoping to see the guardian of the seas.
Knuckles was also looking but he wasn't seeing anything. His mind was continuing to drift into his trauma.
His eye caught a movement nearby as they passed next to a cluster of rocks.
Looking up he felt a piercing glare and noticed a majestic purple mane with ribbons on the sides.
Knuckles gasped silently.
"Suicune?" he whispered.
Trainer and pokemon stared at each other for a few moments.
"Guys!" Knuckles called out to his friends "look!"
But when he pointed, Suicune was no longer there.
"What is it?" Sonic asked the red echidna.
Knuckles remained there pointing. Suicune had disappeared in the blink of an eye. As if it was never there.
"Knuckles you ok?" Tails took him by the shoulder.
Knuckles took a few seconds to register the question.
"Yeah" he said in the end "I just… I thought I saw Suicune".
"Suicune?!" both Tails and Sonic exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes".
Sonic and Tails looked at each other in confusion.
"Are they following us?" Sonic wondered aloud.
"I'm not one to assume but it does feel like it. Ever since we awakened them they have always been nearby. You fought Entei, they saved us from the police, then Raikou…" Tails stopped as he still didn't like talking about that day "and now Suicune appears? They might just be following us".
"So you think I will end up with some crazy ability as well?" Knuckles joked.
"Nah you're super strong man. You don't need more power" Sonic joked.
Knuckles laughed for a while before going silent again. A part of him felt a deep connection to Suicune. The same way Sonic and Tails felt a deep connection to Entei and and Raikou respectively.
That same part of Knuckles wanted to meet Suicune again but up close and personal. To try and make sense of that sense of familiarity.
Soon enough the shoreline of Cianwood city appeared in the horizon. Wanting to take it easy, the team simply strolled around for the day, enjoying the city, the endless blue horizon, and of course Tails chatting on the phone with Cosmo, with Sonic and Knuckles silently teasing him in the background at their campsite, just north of town.
While Sonic was considering which of the two would challenge Chuck first as the best choice was for Tails to face him last since that would be his first real battle and it would be only fair to have the advantage of watching Chuck fight twice. Knuckles was arguing he should battle Chuck first when he again caught a movement with his eye. A ribbon dancing in the wind.
"Suicune?!" he exclaimed and turned to look before even knowing whether he had imagined it or it was real.
It proved to be real. Suicune was standing about 20 steps away, looking stoic and serious, observing them as its mane and ribbons danced with the evening breeze.
"Tails" Sonic said surprisingly calm getting his friend's attention almost causing him to drop the phone.
"Cosmo I'm gonna have to call you back in a bit. Something came up" Tails said hanging up.
As the three friends looked on towards the aurora pokemon, nobody made any moves.
"Why is it staring at us like that?" Tails wondered aloud as calmly as he could. Seeing Raikou up close for a moment was one thing, but observing Suicune up close for this long was mind-blowing. For some reason the beast wasn't fleeing.
Knuckles, acting on a hunch, slowly stood up.
"Knuckles?" Sonic was caught off guard by this move.
"Knuckles what are you doing? You'll scare it away" Tails whispered trying to get Knuckles to stop.
Suicune sized Knuckles up for a few moments as the echidna made a few reluctant steps towards it. Suddenly it turned and raced towards the rocky section of the beach.
Once it reached the rock formation, Suicune stopped and turned to face Knuckles again, as if it was inviting him to follow.
Knuckles, not uttering a word followed. Suicune jumped onto the rocks and raced a little further away. Knuckles followed it on the rocks.
Sonic and Tails could no longer see Suicune at this point and realizing it was drawing Knuckles too far away, they got worried and urgently got up to follow. Regardless of what Suicune's intentions were with Knuckles, they didn't feel safe leaving the two alone at this point in time.
Knuckles, his experience with hazardous terrain allowing him to follow Suicune with relative ease, tried to get it to stop.
"Suicune! What do you want? Where are you leading me?"
He got his answer when Suicune stopped in a small clearing between the rocks and the sea. It then once again turned to face the red echidna. Knuckles climbed off the rock and onto the sand.
"Why did you bring me here Suicune?"
Suicune responded by moving one step closer. Knuckles, slightly tilting his head to the left in confusion, took a step forward as well.
The two slowly approached each other, one step at a time. Knuckles was trying very hard not to make any sudden movement and scare Suicune away. As he got closer and closer, he noticed Suicune's eyes were red. Also unlike its two brethren its mouth didn't feature any wild characteristics like Raikou's saber fangs or Entei's mask-like facial feature. It looked serene and elegant, its mane billowing behind it. Unlike the manes of Entei and Raikou that were slightly below their neck in the back, making them look more like capes than manes, Suicune's looked like a perfect extension of its majesticness.
Before they knew it the duo were standing face to face. Suicune's expression was still serious, but Knuckles felt it sizing him, as if it was trying to tell if he was who he seemed to be.
Subconsciously, Knuckles slowly lifted his hand, as if something was drawing him to pet Suicune. The beast of water backstepped instinctively, its eyes narrowing as it growled.
Normally Knuckles would have immediately pulled back. But the words of Tails describing his interaction with Raikou in a way that indicated somehow it really knew of Tails before they freed them from burned tower, he kept his hand steady, taking a leap of faith.
Suicune growled for a short while, then cautiously approached and sniffed Knuckles palm. Knuckles still remained perfectly calm.
In the end Suicune's eyes widened for a moment as if it finally reached a conclusion. It then took one more step forward, allowing its forehead to make contact with Knuckles' palm. Suicune also closed its eyes to his touch.
Sonic and Tails arrived at that very moment, having fallen behind due to having to carefully traverse the rocky terrain, something that was no problem for Knuckles. Upon reaching, they witnessed their friend and Suicune making contact in the most unexpected way imaginable.
"Woah" Sonic didn't believe his eyes "you seeing that?"
"Yeah" Tails confirmed "and I still don't believe it".
Knuckles didn't believe it either. Who would. A legendary pokemon acting so friendly towards someone? Moltres never treated Sonic like that before he defeated it and had it voluntarily join his Kanto team.
Sonic had told Knuckles back then how Moltres first had him pet it and then when Sonic didn't get the hint, demand he caught it. And now Knuckles felt this moment was mirroring that day.
"Does it want me to catch it?" Knuckles wondered silently, not wanting to scare Suicune or diminish its apparent trust in Knuckles.
A loud yell rendered his line of thought pointless.
"What?! This is an outrage!"
Suicune's eyes jolted open. Knuckles turned to look for the source of the scream. In the split second he took his eyes away from Suicune, the beast was gone.
Tails and Sonic also looked for the source of the scream. It was a familiar man dressed in purple with a signature white cape over his shoulders.
"How can this be?!" Eisune yelled in frustration "how were you able to connect with Suicune like that?!"
"Eusine" Sonic said with a hint of annoyance in his voice. After all he had just scared Suicune away "long time no see".
Eusine payed no mind to the blue hedgehog. Climbing off the rocks he approached Knuckles.
"Tell me! Why did Suicune acknowledge you like that? And don't try lying like you did at burned tower!"
Knuckles was at a loss for words but wasn't about to just accept what he had done.
"What is wrong with you? Why did you scare it away?!"
"I did no such thing" Eusine denied the accusation "and don't change the subject. Why did Suicune allow you to pet it like that?! A pokemon as majestic, wonderful and powerful like that wouldn't possibly trust someone it doesn't know so easily. So spill it!"
"I don't know" Knuckles answered calmly "I'm as much in the dark about it as you are. All I can tell you is that I'm not the only one with this sort of connection to one of the legendary beasts".
Eusine took a second to process this info then turned to look at Tails and Sonic. He remembered how the other two beasts also seemed to acknowledge them as well.
"So what I heard is true? You three came across the legendary Raikou 2 weeks ago?"
"We did" Sonic confirmed wondering what his next revelation would cause "and it was thanks to it and Tails that team rocket lost".
Eusine's eyes locked on Tails.
"You mean to tell me you were chosen by the legend of thunder?"
"I was" Tails answered with pride "and I'd bet money Sonic is also chosen by Entei".
Silence filled the area as no one spoke a word.
"How?" Eusine asked in frustration "how is it you three strangers are acknowledged by the legendary beasts?!"
"We told you already!" Knuckles started losing his patience "we don't know! And even if we did, why do you care exactly? What do you care if the beasts have acknowledged us?"
Eusine turned to Knuckles.
"I have spent 10 years researching the beasts, Suicune in particular. I wanted nothing more my entire life than to meet it. To tell it humans are not afraid of it anymore, that it can trust us again. And your arrival..." he said as he clenched his fist "is both the greatest blessing and the worst curse that could ever befall me!"
"What are you talking about?" Knuckles asked back, totally lost. Eusine looked like his was losing it.
"Before you arrived, meeting Suicune was merely a fool's dream. It had been missing for years, and I never found it. I could never have found it on my own. And then you three came along. You came along and unleashed it, along with its brethren".
Sonic and Tails didn't utter a word.
"And right when I thought I was about to finally achieve my dream and meet Suicune, it fled alongside Entei and Raikou. But not before acknowledging you. And now… after having followed it for weeks… I find it… standing before you… allowing you to pet it".
Knuckles looked away just as confused as Eusine. That moment was still etched in his mind. And something about seemed awfully familiar for some reason.
"So I'll ask you again" Eusine almost got into Knuckles' face "how is this possible?!"
"I" Knuckles answerer back by slightly pushing the man away "do. Not. Know. Get the hint!"
Eusine clearly still didn't believe Knuckles.
"In any case… today was the closest I've ever been to Suicune. I was all choked up just by the mere thought of meeting it. And yet it chooses you" Eusine concluded taking out a pokeball.
"They say respect is earned. I shall face you in single combat. I will prevail and prove myself to Suicune as a trainer and earn its respect".
Knuckles didn't really comprehend this deep desire to meet Suicune, borderlining on obsession on Eusine's part, but grasped it to some extent. After all that was the very reason he had followed Suicune to this small clearing between the rocks and the sea. To meet it again.
"Then show me what you got!" he accepted the challenge taking out Heracross' pokeball.
"Are we really going to let them go through with this?" Tailsn looked at Sonic with concern.
"I see no reason why we should intervene. If Eusine wants to lose this badly, who's Knuckles to deny him that" Sonic said with a smile, confident Eusine didn't stand a chance against Knuckles after their rigorous training.
Suicune, having merely retreated a little further away, cautiously approached again, being careful not to get anyone's attention. It had to witness the echinda battling with its own eyes.
"Go Heracross!"
"Go drowzee!"
The two pokemon emerged from their pokeballs eager for battle. Sonic grinned. After their hard training, a single drowzee didn't stand a chance.
"Horn attack!"
Heracross launched towards drowzee.
"Hypnosis!"
Drowzee moved out of the way and using its psychic powers, put heracross to sleep.
"No not this! Wake up heracross!"
"Dream eater!".
Using its psychic abilities again, drowzee started draining heracross' energy.
"Heracross come on wake up! We trained for this!"
Eusine smiled while narrowing his eyes. Today he would prove to Suicune that the red echidna wasn't worthy of its attention.
"Dream eater again".
Dream eater was used again. No energy was drained however.
"What?" Eusine and drowzee both got confused at the apparent failure of their move "how can this be? This move can't miss or fail. Unless the target is…"
"NOW! Horn attack!"
Launching itself, travelling through the air like missile, heracross' horn slammed into drowzee, sending it crashing against a boulder, knocking it out. Eusine was at a loss for words.
"Way to go Knuckles!" Tails cheered for him.
"Our training is paying off" Sonic smiled confidently.
Eusine recalled drowzee.
"Powerful attack. Perhaps there is something in you that earns you Suicune's acknowledgement. But we're just getting started. Suicune! Wherever you are pay close attention! I will earn your respect here today no matter what! Haunter! Come on out!"
Haunter emerged as Eusine's 2nd pokemon. Knuckles smiled. He had fought Morty already. And he had something special for this one.
"Hey Sonic" Knuckles called out to him taking out one of his pokeballs, the smile still etched on his face "do you think this little one is ready?"
"Only one way to find out" Sonic responded with a smile as well.
Knuckles grinned and sent out Larvitar. Upon emerging, Larvitar looked back at Knuckles.
"This is your time little one. Go make me proud!"
Larvitar cried out in excitement and jumped towards Haunter, intending to bite it.
"Hypnosis!"
"Not this time! Screech!"
Larvitar unleashed a loud screech that broke Haunter's concentration and harshly lowered its defense. Eusine wasn't ready to quit though.
As Larvitar bit down on Haunter, Eusine seized the opportunity.
"Haunter lick!"
Haunter's long tongue run over Larvitar, causing it to let go and back away in shock.
"Now Haunter! Curse!"
Haunter unleashed a shadow that struck Larvitar. The next moment Haunter fainted.
"What?!" Eusine exclaimed in shock. The complete opposite result of the one he hoped came to be.
"What happened?" Knuckles asked confused until the shadow emerged from Larvitar and damaged it, causing it to cry out in pain.
"Hey what gives?! My Larvitar took damage. But your pokemon has fainted. How does it still do damage to mine?!"
"Tails?" Sonic turned to his tech savvy nerd friend. Being exactly that, Tails had already looked up info on curse, proving the awesome benefit of being a tech savvy nerd true.
"Curse is a mysterious move" he began explaining what he read "it is considered a ghost type move, though many pokemon can learn it. It has been observed that curse has two outcomes when used, based on the type of pokemon using it. Any pokemon other than a ghost becomes slower but its physical prowess is enhanced while in battle. But when used by a ghost type, the user slashes its own life to place an actual curse on the target, taking out chunks of its health the longer the fight goes on".
"I know that already fox" Eusine said impatiently "what I want to know is why my Haunter fainted".
"Well apparently by slashing its own life, it means it gives up energy equal to half of its battle endurance. Since it took damage from bite earlier, it tried to pay the cost of using curse, fainting in the process. The move did work though".
"I see" Eusine answered in understanding as he recalled Haunter.
Knuckles also recalled Larvitar. From what he understood, curse worked like confusion. Recalling the Pokemon should remove the effects. He only hoped that was the case.
"Weepinbell help me out!"
Weepinbell appeared. Sonic observed the grass type pokemon getting ready for battle. A part of him wondered when Knuckles would evolve it, since he had the stone for it. So far it knew vine whip, sleep powder, stun spore and razor leaf. It had been quite a while since it had learned a move on its own. Even razor leaf was taught to it by Sonic's Bayleef. Sonic even wondered if weepinbell could learn any more moves at this point.
Eusine took out his third pokemon, refraining from showing any more frustration even though he was drowning in it.
"Why Suicune?" he asked silently as he winded up his hand to send out his pokemon "what do you see in him? What does he that makes him worthy of your respect?"
As his third pokemon, Electrode, emerged, Eusine remembered something else.
The way Knuckles had petted Suicune earlier. It was exactly the same way Knuckles had touched Suicune's statue of at burned tower, inadvertently releasing it.
Raikou and Entei didn't require that their statues be touched by Tails or Sonic to be freed. It was only Suicune that required this. And even more than that, it looked like Suicune's release was also a key to releasing Raikou and Entei.
In other words, though all of team Sonic had freed the beasts together, the catalyst was Knuckles.
This whole line of thought made Eusine more determined than ever to defeat Knuckles and prove it was just as worthy of Suicune's respect, if not more.
"Come on!" he called out to Knuckles "show me what Suicune sees in you! Whatever it is, I will defeat it!"
Knuckles didn't respond. Not only because it would be a pointless answer to an equally pointless question but because he didn't know himself what Suicune saw in him.
Sonic would berate him if he heard this thought of course, telling his friend he was selling himself short. But the thing was he didn't even have to sell himself tall or anything. It just seemed too much like Suicune knew him already and therefore Knuckles didn't have to earn its trust.
"There is no point thinking it over" Knuckles thought in determination "maybe the answer will present itself one day. But right now I have a battle to win!"
"Weepinbell! Sleep powder!"
"Electrode! Sonic boom!"
Electrode span quickly twice, sending 2 wind blades towards weepinbell. The grass type got struck hard, thereby missing its attack.
Sonic narrowed his eyes. That attack was deadly when pokemon where still fairly young and not at their full potential. Its damage was standard and therefore no amount of defense would block it or reduce it. Knuckles would have to think of something quick before the attack knocked out weepinbell cause it would eventually.
"Weepinbell! Wrap it with vine whip!"
Vine whip was used to perfection, wrapping weepinbell around Electrode to the point that sonic boom would never strike weepinbell no matter the angle it was fired from.
"Electrode rollout!"
"Rollout?!" Sonic and Tails exclaimed simultaneously.
Electrode started rolling before weepinbell could let go, being run over multiple times while the attack continued. When Electrode stopped rolling, weepinbell let go falling motionless to the ground.
"Do you see Suicune? Do you need more proof than this?!" Eusine called out to the sea.
Suicune, who had been observing the battle unbeknownst to Eusine even to this point, looked at Knuckles. He didn't need any proof from Eusine. Knuckles was the one worthy of its respect and eventually companionship. And Suicune knew it all too well.
Perhaps Raikou did have a point when it said they would need to intervene.
Knuckles recalled the fainted weepinbell and smiled. Eusine's pokemon may have been powerful but he had the perfect counter even for the sonic boom.
"Larvitar you're up again!"
Larvitar emerged, freed from the curse.
"Big mistake!" Eusine declared "sonic boom!"
"Screech" Knuckles instructed with a mischievous smile.
Larvitar screeched. The sonic boom, being sonic attacks, were redirected because of the loud screech missing the target.
"What?!" Eusine was dumbfounded "that's not possible!"
"Now larvitar! Rock slide!"
Larvitar unleashed a barrage of rocks towards Electrode. The rocks found the mark, dealing great damage to Electrode.
"Now bite and end this!"
Larvitar landed the attack perfectly. Electrode fainted.
"Got anything else? Or shall we call it a day?"
Eusine was on his last leg. But not ready to quit. He took out one final pokeball.
"I was intending to use this against Suicune only. I tried once too. We run into it, me and your friend named Ash. It roared at me, causing my pokemon to be recalled forcibly. Suicune didn't even bother giving me a chance to earn its favor. But you… a stranger from far away and Suicune allows you to pet it? I can't accept this! Prepare to lose!" he declared sending out his last pokemon. An alakazam.
Knuckles was taken aback, and even got slightly worried. That was one powerful pokemon. But then again, this is what he was preparing for these last few weeks.
"Alakazam psybeam!"
"Counter with screech!"
The two attacks collided. Even though a status move like screech wouldn't be able to completely block psybeam, it did deflect a lot of the damage while lowering Alakazam's defense.
"Bite!"
"Confusion!"
The confusion landed, resulting in Larvitar getting confused and biting itself. Crying out in pain, it tried using rock slide but hurt itself again.
While Larvitar continued hurting itself in its confusion, Eusine took the chance to put up reflect and light screen.
Larvitar eventually toppled, unable to continue. Knuckles didn't recall it immediately. Instead he approached it and knelt before it as it looked up towards him in disappointment.
"You were great out there little one. Get some rest we got this".
Larvitar cried out weakly but happily as it was recalled. Knuckles looked on to Alakazam, considering his options now that it was guarded by the two barriers.
The two moves reminded Sonic of his Alakazam. The two barriers were annoying to deal with on their own. Together they would make Knuckles' job a lot harder.
That was until Sonic remembered an interesting interaction Raichu and Alakazam had during sparring. One particular move Raichu had that could break through both barriers at once. And Knuckles' Heracross also has the move. But using it, especially against a psychic type when it knew no bug move was a very sharp double-edged sword.
Knuckles contemplated his options and went with Heracross to Sonic's delight, though his line of thinking was different. He hated doing this but he didn't know of that move interaction and Sonic hadn't told him or Tails having forgotten it himself for a time.
Heracross was basically cannon fodder.
"Heracross! Horn attack!"
"Confusion!"
The confusion landed and the horn attack was repelled by reflect. Heracross began slapping itself on its confusion, just like Larvitar before it.
"Heracross listen to my voice! Horn attack again with all your might!"
In its confusion, Heracross went for brick break instead.
"No not that!"
But Sonic smiled as the attack started, knowing it was blessing in disguise.
Brick break easily shattered the barriers, dealing some damage to Alakazam as well. Eusine hated to admit he was impressed. Knuckles was more formidable than he looked. And the best part of all was that Knuckles didn't even know that was a possibility.
"Playtime's over! Alakazam psybeam!"
Alakazam landed the attack, knocking Heracross out. One pokemon remained.
Knuckles took out Quilava's pokeball, trying to think of any way to defeat Alakazam.
Sending it out the two braced themselves.
"Flame wheel!"
Quilava started rolling like a fire wheel, only to be confused into missing the attack. Even though confusion didn't confuse Quilava so it would hurt itself, it could still keep redirecting the attack over and over.
Knuckles gritted his teeth. There had to be a way to win. But how could anyone outsmart a pokemom with an IQ of 5000?
Mist started crawling to his feet. Both Knuckles and Eusine noticed it. Looking for the source of the mist, they found it to be Suicune using the move mist while staring at Knuckles.
"What's it trying to do?" Tails couldn't help but ask aloud "distract them?"
Knuckles looked down at the mist again while taking in Tails' speaking of the word distract before gasping.
"Quilava! Flame wheel! Run circles around him!"
Quilava did just that. Eusine wanted to launch an attack to end the battle, but the combination of the confusion Knuckles' choice of move and enactment of said move and the awe he felt at the presence of Suicune had him just stand there.
"Quilava keep on rolling! Use smokescreen at the same time!"
Quilava started unleashing a cloud of smoke around itself while rolling. The clouds of smoke soon started spreading covering both the trainers and the pokemon in the battle to be engulfed in it.
"Alakazam!" Eusine called out as he could barely see it "fire psybeam everywhere to clear the smoke!"
Alakazam started firing psybeam but that left it vulnerable to be struck by flame wheel. Quilava then rolled into the smoke.
"It's over" Sonic said in satisfaction "Eusine can't clear the smoke without opening Alakazam to attack by Quilava and Alakazam cannot see Quilava coming fast enough to stop it".
His analysis of the situation proved to be correct. Alakazam tried fighting back multiple times or clear the smoke but Quilava couldn't be stopped. Eventually Quilava landed a critical hit, knocking Alakazam down and out.
Suicune roared while unleashing a blue aura, clearing the smoke. Eusine dropped to his knees.
He had lost. And worst of all, in the presence of Suicune.
He witnessed Suicune climb back down to the sand and approach Knuckles.
The red echidna and the aurora pokemon stood there looking at each other not moving in the slightest. Knuckles lifted his hand again.
"Thanks for the inspiration Suicune".
The beast of water remained still for a bit and then pressed his forehead against Knuckles' palm for a few moments again, before roaring one final time and racing off into the distance, running on the water to the shock and amazement of team Sonic.
Eusine watched Suicune leave. Slowly he got up to leave.
"Don't think you've seen the last of me. I will keep looking for Suicune and become stronger to gain its approval and respect. So you better watch your back, Knuckles the echidna".
"He doesn't need to" Tails declared "he's got friends for that".
Eusine observed Tails for a few moments before climbing on the rocks and leaving. Team Sonic also returned to their campsite.
Later that night they narrated everything to Jet through video call. Not surprisingly, he couldn't believe it but more than that couldn't wrap his mind around the situation. The beasts seemed to somehow really know team Sonic already despite the fact that the last time they were seen, 40 years ago, team Sonic wouldn't even be born yet.
"We will look into it when the time is right" Knuckles decided for everyone "researching such a mystery will take time that we don't have right now".
"I agree" Sonic took his side "we need to focus on growing stronger and more prepared to end team rocket. Today was a success but this time we won't be tricked into relaxing".
"Good thinking bro. But if you have time before the league definitely look into it. Who knows what is to be discovered about them".
Shortly after this, team Sonic hang up and prepared to go to sleep. Tomorrow was the day to battle Chuck. The next step of their journey awaited them.