Pokemon Virus Version Chapter 148: Stone Gaze Part 2
Corsola, the Coral Pokemon:
Sudden climate change wiped out this ancient kind of Corsola. Corsola absorbs others' life-force through its branches.
This was the Pokedex entry for a rather unusual variety of Corsola, which had adapted the Ghost typing. Knowing this, Yumi still wanted to add Corsola to her team. After watching the countless Corsola in the sunset, Yumi was able to look past its dangerous Pokedex Entry.
Yumi threw the Pokeball in the air, releasing, Braixen. "Use Flamethrower!" She called.
Corsola was hit, with what seemed to be a critical hit. But it didn't seem like Corsola felt a thing.
"Zen!" Braixen began producing small flames that were blue in color.
"Will-O-Wisp?" Yumi, realizing that Corsola gave no answer to her offer, was on the same page as Braixen.
"Zen!" Braixen directed the flames at Corsola.
"…" Corsola made no effort to evade or resist. The dead pokemon was engulfed by the ghastly flames, remaining as motionless as a statue. "…"
"Will-O-Wisp should seal the deal." Yumi took out an empty Pokeball. "Go, Pokeball!" She threw the Pokeball at the burning Corsola.
"La…" The Pokeball was supposed to make contact with Corsola, but that wasn't what happened.
Yumi and Braixen were confused as the Pokeball was halted in the air. "La…" The blue flames surrounding Corsola began turning into black fire…The Pokeball began to glow this same fire. The Pokeball…began melting from the inside out.
"What's going on?!" Yumi, understandably upset, felt cheated. Her throw of the Pokeball was perfect. What could've happened?
Curse.
"Curse?" Yumi questioned.
Curse: A move in which a Ghost damages itself in order to spite its enemy with a Nightmare, or Curse.
Corsola was using Braixen's flames to lay a curse.
A Pokemon target with Curse will continually have their health drained until defeat…When laid upon by a vengeful spirit, Curse will continue until the target's life ends.
"Why don't we use this black fire to our advantage?"
Braixen looked back at Yumi.
"Use the black fire to charge at Corsola with Flame Charge." Yumi smiled, confident that she could defeat Corsola using its very own Curse.
Braixen focused herself. She concentrated her normal flames to surround her. The normal flames compounded with the black fire gave Braixen overwhelming energy. Despite being in pain, the energy of the combined flames made her feel so alive.
As Corsola was struck, it was immediately engulfed by the overwhelming flames.
"Cor…sol…la…" Corsola begins glowing a green energy…this energy engulfs Braixen as well.
Braixen felt…off. What was going on here?! Braixen hastily pushed Corsola away from her…but the green aura remained surrounding her.
"Braixen?" Yumi worried what this green aura was doing.
Braixen turned to face Yumi…just in time for her vibrant red eyes to become empty and lifeless. "…" Braixen's body fell to the ground.
Braixen was defeated…But how could that be? What just happened?
'Corsola absorbs others' life forces using its branches.'
"I have to save Braixen, no matter what." Yumi took out a second Pokeball, throwing it into the air.
Appearing before Yumi was Umbreon.
"La!" The ground underneath Umbreon gave way, revealing a Corsola who rammed into Umbreon.
"Umbreon!" Yumi called out in worry.
Umbreon was knocked a few feet back.
"Corsola…it knew Dig?!"
Who would've thought Corsola had an element of surprise to it?
As Umbreon landed, he began glowing the same green aura which surrounded Braixen.
"…" Umbreon was as lifeless as Braixen now.
"La!" Corsola now had two life forces in its collection. The green aura surrounding it grew even stronger. "La! La! Cor! Sol! La!" The green aura was then accompanied by a white aura. It was hard to see, but Corsola was starting to change in shape and size.
Yumi gritted her teeth.
Corsola was evolving.
When the white aura faded, Yumi was disturbed by what she saw. It looked as if Corsola's entire being had broken apart, revealing an ectoplasmic body with branches.
"Curse." The evolved Corsola turned its attention toward the lifeless bodies of Umbreon and Braixen. It extended two branches toward them, engulfing them in its ectoplasm.
Cursola, the Coral Pokemon; Be cautious of the ectoplasmic body surrounding Cursola's soul. You'll become stiff as stone if you touch it.
By the time Yumi could react, it was too late. Umbreon and Braixen were now lifeless statues.
Yumi gritted her teeth. The moment her Pokemon's life forces were taken, running from this battle was no longer an option. She needed to defeat Cursola somehow. But what could she do?
Cursola launched another branch of its ectoplasmic energy.
Yumi quickly jumped backward, landing just out of Cursola's range.
'The only Pokemon I have left is…'
Flashback
"SNIVY!"
The Mahogany Town Pokemon Contest was the last time Yumi used Snivy.
Everyone's eyes went wide. Snivy…as he returned Yumi's battle cry, he began to glow, lighting up the entire night.
When the Grass type stopped glowing, it was revealed to the world that he was taller. His body was longer and more elegant than it was before. His eyes were naturally narrow, and red in color.
"Serr!"
Snivy had evolved into Servine.
"Shao." Servine's evolution occurred during a battle with Mienshao, a Pokemon with mastery over the Gentle Fist Arts. Mienshao was running at Servine, this time, with the authority of Force Palm cloaking his fist.
"Shao?"
Mienshao stopped.
"Vine." Servine turned away from the Martial Arts pokemon.
"Hmph." Servine scoffed.
"Servine is refusing to battle…"
"Come on! Iron Tail! Leaf Tornado! Anything!" Yumi was begging Servine to do something-anything.
"Servine isn't listening to Yumi… I guess Servine is not going to battle, which means…"
Yumi was on her knees, staring at her opponent. Her eyes began to water, but she held her tears back. Had Snivy not evolved, the gap separating our levels would've been much more apparent. Yumi said nothing to her opponent. All she did was stare at a Servine still on the frozen lake. What happened between them? What happened to the relationship the worked so hard to build up? Yumi had Fennekin and Eevee evolve in the past, but they never 'turned heel' as Braixen and Umbreon respectively. She's heard of instances where once loyal pokemon start disobeying their trainers after evolution. That may have been the case with Servine.
End Flashback…
It was on that day that Yumi vowed to mend her relationship with Servine. However, Yumi has yet to use Servine since Mahogany Town.
"Servine doesn't respect me…" Yumi took out Servine's Pokeball, "But now is no time to worry about that. Braixen and Umbreon's lives are on the line.
"…" Cursola watched, waiting for Yumi's next move.
"Servine, let's go!" Yumi threw her Pokeball into the air.
Landing in front of Cursola was Servine.
"Vine." Servine took in the scene before him. "Serr." From Umbreon and Braixen's stone statues, to the countless Corsola floating in front of the setting sun, to the Cursola standing before him…to Yumi.
"We need to rescue Braixen and Umbreon," Yumi said.
Servine took a long moment to stare into the eyes of Yumi. She was dead serious. Servine wasn't used to his trainer having such resolve. It was commendable, and Servine could understand Yumi's cause for sending him out.
…
…
…
"Hmph." Servine didn't care.
Yumi felt her heart drop.
"Hmph." Servine turned away, arms crossed and chin held high.
"We need your help, Servine!" Tears started coming from Yumi's eyes. "Please. PLEASE! Braixen and Umbreon…their lives will be lost forever without your help!"
Servine didn't budge. If anything, he never cared for Braixen at all. As for Umbreon? Servine never really interacted with him. Losing Umbreon didn't affect Servine in any way.
"LA!" Cursola, growing impatient, decided to launch a branch of ectoplasmic energy at Servine.
Yumi performed a dodge roll.
"Vine!" Arms still crossed, Servine jumped into the air, dodging with minimal effort. "Ser." He landed on a tree and promptly got into a resting position. In his eyes, Yumi and her pokemon didn't matter enough for Servine to warrant risking his life. Fighting Cursola was remedial.
Tears still in her eyes, Yumi fell to her knees. She had resigned to Servine refusing to battle for her. With Braixen and Umbreon statues, she had no more usable Pokemon.
"LA!" Cursola sent one last branch of ectoplasm straight at Yumi.
It was here, in the face of death, Yumi's journey began flashing before her eyes.
From the day she arrived in New Bark Town and was given her very first pokemon, to missing her first Pokemon Contest because of a rolled ankle. From losing her second Contest, to reflecting on her childhood and how she became the girl she was at that moment. From Violet City, to her very first encounter with Neo Snagem –
"Wait…" As Yumi recalled her first encounter with Neo Snagem, all the memories of that day came flooding back.
Flashback…
"Gligar, finish with Guillotine!" A Neo Snagem grunt was commanding Gligar to finish off the latest of many BellSprout who'd been defeated at Sprout Tower.
Gligar brutally clipped Bellsprout's skinny body and used a Gullotine for instant annihilation.
"That Gligar... It's a Shadow Pokemon. Shadow Pokemon tend to be more brutal than regular pokemon." Chapel explained. "Do you see the fallen grunt right next to you?"
"What of it?" Yumi asked.
"That machine on his left arm - The Snag Machine - take it. You going to need it..." Chapel said.
Yumi retrieved the Snag Machine, "Why?"
"That Gligar... It's a Shadow Pokemon. Shadow Pokemon tend to be more brutal than regular pokemon." Chapel explained.
"Which is why Gligar did what it did to Bellsprout just now." Yumi put on the Snag Machine, "So now, I've gotta snag it."
"Right," Chapel said.
"Pokeball, Snag it!" Using the Snag Machine, Yumi launched a Pokeball in Gligar's direction.
It was as if a hand reached out and grabbed Gligar, forcing him into the Pokeball. After wiggling on the ground for a few moments, the Pokeball clicked shut, indicating that Gligar now belonged to Yumi
End Flashback
"That's right…" Yumi had forgotten that she owned a fourth Pokemon.
"LA!" Cursola's branch was incoming fast.
Yumi dodged Cursola's attack before rising to her feet. She took out Gligar's Pokeball, "I've gone long stretches without releasing Gligar from his Pokeball, and I've never used him in an actual battle. However…"
Yumi remembered being told that the aura surrounding a Shadow Pokemon will gradually diminish the more time you spend with it. Gligar was caught near the beginning of her journey, making Yumi confident that Gligar would listen to her.
"I choose you!"
As the white aura faded, and the unfamiliar figure emerged, "…" Gligar opened his eyes. It was as if he'd awakened from a long slumber.
"…" Intrigued, Cursola waited for the new figure to make a move.
This world…it felt so different from the last time Gligar was free. "Gli…" The last thing he remembered was being forced to fight many innocent Pokemon. His whole life had been about fighting, he felt. His role was important, yet it was only a small piece of something much bigger. But now… "Gli…" Gligar looked to the unfamiliar Cursola standing before him.
"La."
Gligar's gaze shifted to the countless Corsola floating in the sky.
"Hmm…"
His gaze then shifted to the defiant Servine still resting in the tree.
"Gar."
Then, to the sunset before him. Then the statues of Braixen and Umbreon.
"…"
And then, to Yumi.
This girl…Gligar remembered now. This was the last girl he ever saw. The Snag Machine that he'd seen many of his grunt trainers use…it was used against him, and he was sucked into the Pokeball, never again to resurface until now.
"Gligar." Yumi wasn't smiling. In a battle of life or death, she called for her Pokemon to step up. "It's time to battle."
Fighting was all Gligar knew. This girl was just the latest of many people to command him. "Gli." He nodded in understanding. He returned his gaze to Cursola, having enough sense to realize that it was a threat.
Seeing the look in Gligar's face, Cursola knew that his first attack would be coming. "La!" Cursola launched a branch at its new opponent.
"Gligar, look out!" Yumi called.
Gligar launched into the air to avoid the ectoplasmic branch with ease.
Having had enough of its branches being avoided, Cursola decided not to stop at one fell swoop. It kept the branch going, launching into the air.
Gligar was now being chased by this branch. He flew past Yumi and into the trees. The ectoplasmic branch actually almost hit the resting Servine, but he was alert enough to jump over it.
"Gar!" Gligar flew at great speed. Up, down, left, right. Through the trees and making tight loops around the branches to try and confuse Cursola.
Yumi was impressed. This Gligar had great aerial mobility.
Gligar created enough separation to try one more trick. Flying toward another tree, he cleverly tried hiding behind it like a sly rat.
Cursola was not amused. Rather than entertain having to look for Gligar, Corsola directed its branch to crash through the tree.
"Gligar!" Yumi called.
There was no way Gligar could survive such an attack. The tree had turned into stone before snapping. The top half of the tree crashed to the ground, great a cloud of smoke.
This got the attention of Servine, who was now watching the fight intently. "Vine."
When the smoke cleared, "Gli!" It was revealed that Gligar had ascended further into the air, away from the trees.
Cursola, upon relocating Gligar, directed its branch.
"Gli!" Rather than flee, Gligar decided to meet this branch head on. They were on a collision course for each other, only for Gligar to take evasive action at the last minute. Gligar swirled around the branch before Cursola could turn it around. At this point, Gligar ascended backward, doing what appeared to be a very wide backflip.
Cursola stood astounded. This Gligar was good.
Gligar's aerial ability had Yumi believing there was a chance to rescue Braixen and Umbreon. "Gligar is impressive, but it's going to take more than aerial mobility to beat Cursola." She took out her Pokedex to scan Gligar.
Gligar, the Fly Scorpion Pokemon.
As the Pokedex scanned Gligar, Cursola launched a second ectoplasmic branch at Gligar. The two were simultaneously in pursuit.
Gligar glides using the membrane attached to its arms and legs, and attacks the face of its prey with its claws.
Gligar flew to the level of the countless Corsola floating in the air like balloons. The from here, the two branches split into many smaller branches capable of maneuvering around the Corsola colony.
Move Number 1: Acrobatics
Yumi thought as much, as the Pokedex started reading Gligar's moves.
Move Number 2: Guillotine
After Gligar navigated the Corsola colony, he entered a diving motion, attempting to get closer to the ground like a missile.
Move Number 3: Sand Tomb
"That's it!" Just what Yumi was hoping for: A move which didn't make contact with Cursola. She took her Pokedex away and called to the diving Gligar. "Gligar! Use Sand Tomb!"
As Gligar was diving, he looked up to see the many small branches descending at great speed to catch him. "Gli…" Gligar gritted his teeth. The branches were coming from all directions, and they all were sure to make contact. "Gli!" Gligar exited his diving stance and momentarily flew up before performing a front flip to escape every the path of every branch.
The small branches promptly collided with each other, sending green shock waves throughout the immediate vicinity.
"Gli!" Now was Gligar's chance to follow through on Yumi's command. Gligar struck the ground right before Cursola.
The ground surrounding Gligar began breaking off from the land. This spread to the ground surrounding Cursola.
"La?!" Cursola felt uneasy, but Gligar's attack traveled fast enough to where there was no reaction time.
As Gligar took off to the sky, the immediate area surrounding Cursola began turning into sand…where Cursola started sinking.
"Cursola!" It was as if Cursola was in a pit of quicksand. Try as it may, it couldn't escape. If anything, Cursola's alarmed movements caused it to sink faster. Defeat was now imminent.
"Gligar, you did it!" Gligar was Yumi's hero right now.
"Gar!" Gligar was a goober that couldn't help but blush at his praise as he flew closer to Yumi.
"La!" There was nothing Cursola could do. Once this reality settled in on Cursola, it calmed down and began to glow a sinister aura.
"Glig?" Before Gligar could close in on Yumi, he was surrounded by the same aura.
"What's going on?" Yumi asks.
Move: Destiny Bond
"Destiny Bond?"
After using this move, once a Pokemon is defeated, it will take its opponent down with it.
"What?!" Yumi stood agape.
"Laaa…" Cursola's cries for helped echoed throughout the sunset sky…but none of the Corsola answered its call. "Laaahhhh…" Cursola had sunk into the sand pit, never to resurface.
Upon clinching victory, "Rrr…" The dark aura surrounding Gligar readied to claim him.
"Gligar, return!" Fortunately, Yumi had enough sense to simply return Gligar to his Pokeball to circumvent the effects of Destiny Bond.
Victory went to Yumi…but at what cost?
The countless Corsola hovering over the battlefield began to float east, as if they knew something was here.
This left Yumi alone. "We won, but…" She looks to the statues of Braixen and Umbreon, "Why haven't they been restored?" She sighs. "Cursola might still be roaming around somewhere."
Before proceeding to her next action, Yumi released Gligar from his Pokeball.
"Gli."
"Gligar…" Gligar kneeled to where she was on Gligar's level, "I can't thank you enough for how clutch you were. You singlehandedly made it possible to defeat Cursola."
Gligar tried holding back a smile. The little guy wasn't used to being praised.
"I'm sorry for leaving you in your Pokeball for so long but look at you now! You're not a Shadow Pokemon anymore!" Yumi reached her arms and pulled Gligar in for a hug. "I snagged you from Team Neo Snagem way back when, but I promise you a better life now."
Yumi doesn't realize what her hugs do. If only she could see the hearts in Gligar's eyes right now.
Servine could. "Vine." He starts dozing off.
Yumi finished her hug and stared at her blushing Gligar. "We're gonna need to find Cursola."
"Chico!"
"Gli?"
Yumi could hear the cry of a familiar Grass Type from a distance behind.
"Chikorita?"
It was Chikorita, and she was accompanied by Chapel and Rose.
"Yumi…" Rose looked to both Braixen and Umbreon. "What happened?"
"It's a long story," Yumi rose to her feet, "We need to find Cursola in order to restore their life force."
"Cursola?" Chapel questioned, "Don't you mean Corsola?"
Yumi shook her head, "No, Cursola – Corsola's evolved form."
Chapel was taken aback. She'd never heard of Corsola being capable of evolution. But then she looked to the sky. She and Rose thought they looked nothing like Corsola, who were supposed to be pink and white. They could've spent precious time arguing what Corsola actually looked like, but it would be a losing battle considering Yumi was the one with the Pokedex. Perhaps the form these Corsola took after originated in another land. They were at least familiar with Pokemon appearances varying depending where they are on the globe.
"La."
"La."
"La."
The countless Corsola who had spectated the fight between Gligar and Cursola were all floating away.
"What are they doing?" Rose asked.
"They all seem to be floating in the same direction." It is here that Chapel stepped forward and took charge, "Maybe we'll find this 'Cursola' by following this Corsola colony."
"Then let's go." Yumi announced.
And so, Yumi, Rose, Chapel, Gligar, and Chikorita followed the colony of Corsola, ready for whatever it took to save the lives of Umbreon and Braixen…
"…"
This left Servine alone in the tree.
"Vine."
With the action dying down here, Servine felt resting in the tree starting to become a bore. Besides, Chikorita being with the girls gave him a reason to tail them from behind. Let's see where this adventure leads.
To Be Continued…
Yumi's Pokemon
1 –Gligar (Male) – Immunity
Unavailable
1 – Servine (Male) – Overgrow
2 – Umbreon (Male) – Synchronize
3 – Braixen (Female) - Blaze