Jason's POV
Today was the day that I would battle Winona for my gym badge. The gym in Fortree City was unlike any gym I had ever come across during any of my journeys.
It was a tall tower-like building that was even taller than the city's trees. At the very top was where Winona would battle. It was an open battlefield on the flat roof that gave her Flying Pokemon access to the sky, with elevated platform towers on both sides for Winona and any challengers to stand. Adam, Megan, and Skye were down below on the ground by the battlefield, watching the battle. Skye had decided to tag along, since she'd wanted to see her mom battle.
Before coming to the gym, I had swapped out some of my Pokemon for ones who were with my dad back at the lab. I had switched Machamp for Weavile, since Machamp was a Fighting Pokemon and would be weak against Winona's Flying Pokemon. I had also exchanged Golduck for Fearow, since I'd wanted a second Flying type to battle, besides just Swellow.
I stood in one tower above the battlefield, staring across at Winona as she took her place.
"Oh great sky above, I ask that you grant us way. Grant us your power to comfort even the strongest of stormy winds. Please guide us to your great blue world and let us share in your infinite power and majesty!" Winona said as she fell down onto her knees.
Adam had told me that she always gave a blessing like that before every gym battle, so I wasn't surprised.
"The battle between the gym leader, Winona, and the challenger, Jason, will now begin. The battle will be a three-on-three with substitutions allowed. The battle will be over once all Pokemon for one trainer are unable to battle. Begin!" the referee said from the ground.
"Go, Fearow!" I cried, tossing my Pokeball.
"Pelipper, go!" Winona cried.
"Fearow, use Agility!" I wanted to have the upper hand with speed, so I wasn't going to waste any time.
"Use Wing Attack, Pelipper!"
"Dodge it and use Fury Attack!"
Fearow managed to dodge by flying upwards and then was quick to dive back down and land a flurry of hits on Winona's Pokemon.
"Water Gun!" Pelipper recovered quicker than I had anticipated and launched the attack from below and hit Fearow, despite my best attempt to get him to dodge.
"Okay, Fearow! Use Aerial Ace!"
"Meet it with Steel Wing, Pelipper!"
Both moves collided with one another and fought for dominance before canceling one another out.
"Use Peck!" I cried.
"Dodge it!" Winona commanded.
But Fearow was too quick and landed the hit.
"Use Aerial Ace once more, Fearow!"
"Water Gun!"
Fearow's Aerial Ace hit the blast of water.
"Fearow, push through it!" Fearow cried out in effort and pushed through, breaking the Water Gun and striking Pelipper.
"Hydro Pump!" Winona cried out quickly.
"Dodge it, Fearow!"
Fearow managed to avoid some of the attack, but still took some damage from the Hydro Pump.
"Fury Attack!"
"Dodge it, Pelipper!"
But the Agility from the start of the battle made Fearow too fast and Pelipper couldn't dodge the attack. It took a direct hit and crashed to the ground.
"Pelipper is unable to battle. Fearow wins!" the ref announced.
Winona returned her fainted Pokemon and I returned Fearow.
"I'm impressed, Jason. But let's see how you fare against my Swellow!" Winona cried.
"Well then, let's see how my Swellow compares!" I declared, tossing my Pokeball.
But to my surprise, Winona's Swellow wasn't blue and red. It was green and orange and white. She had a rare shiny Swellow! I had read about those kinds of Pokemon, but I had yet to see one with my own eyes, besides Ash's Noctowl.
"Swellow vs Swellow, huh? This will be interesting." Winona said.
"Use Aerial Ace, Swellow!" Winona cried, not wasting time. My Swellow got hit.
"Use Agility and then Quick Attack!" I cried. Swellow increased his speed, quickly turned, and headed towards Winona's Swellow. The extra speed helped deal more damage.
... ...
Despite me having used Agility, Winona's Swellow was still holding its own against my Swellow's heightened speed.
"Use Wing Attack!" I commanded.
"Use Air Slash!" she ordered.
Both Swellows shot forward and readied their attacks. Both landed a hit. This battle was dead even. I had to get it to turn in my favor. I had to figure out a way to get Swellow to win against Winona's Swellow. And so far, everything seemed to be evenly matched, despite my best efforts to overcome her Pokemon and her battle techniques.
"Use Aerial Ace!" Winona cried. I had been a little delayed with my command and Swellow took the hit.
"Shake it off, Swellow! Use Quick Attack!" With a cry, Swellow shot up towards Winona's Swellow.
"Meet that attack with Air Slash!" The two moves collided and Quick Attack was stopped.
"Wing Attack! Push through that attack and land it!" Swellow hit Winona's Swellow with Wing Attack.
"Now use Peck!" I yelled.
"Knock Swellow away with Air Slash!" Winona screamed.
My Swellow got a few good hits in with Peck before being blasted back with Air Slash. Both Swellows faltered in their flying and fell towards the ground. I quickly removed my Pokeball and returned my fainted Pokemon.
"Both Pokemon are unable to battle. This battle is a tie!" the referee announced.
I removed my final Pokeball. It was all up to Weavile to win this.
"Let's go, Weavile!" Weavile landed on the ground below.
"Altaria, go!" Altaria appeared in the air.
I had the advantage this time around. Ice was strong against Dragon Pokemon and since Altaria was partly a Dragon type, Winona was at a disadvantage.
"Use Agility, Weavile!"
"Altaria, dive and use Peck!"
"Dodge it!"
Weavile successfully jumped to the side and dodged the attack.
"Use Icy Wind!" I cried. Weavile quickly spun and launched the attack towards up Altaria. And despite Altaria's efforts to evade the Ice attack, it couldn't dodge, and some of the ice began to coat its wings.
"Use Dragon Breath!" With that attack, Altaria's body glowed as the attack was launched, and was able to get the ice to break off from its wing.
"Fury Attack!"
"Weavile, jump and use Slash!"
Weavile jumped and avoided the Fury Attack, quickly spun, and landed the Slash on Altaria's back.
"Now use Ice Shard!"
"Fly up high!"
Altaria managed to avoid Ice Shard by flying higher into the sky.
"Dive and use Fury Attack!"
"Get ready, Weavile." I said as Altaria swooped downwards.
"Now jump!" Weavile jumped into the air, avoiding the attack.
"Spin and use Icy Wind!"
"Hurry and fly up!" Winona realized that Altaria had been left wide open!
But Weavile was too fast and the ice hit Altaria directly. The ice coated one of Altaria's wings, causing it to fall to the ground. Now it had no height advantage.
"Use Dragon Breath to break the ice!"
"Weavile, don't let it happen! Use Quick Attack!"
"Altaria, stop it with Dragon Breath!"
"Jump!"
Weavile continued with Quick Attack and jumped to avoid Dragon Breath before spinning and landing the hit.
"Ice Shard, now! And keep them coming!" I couldn't allow Altaria to get its wing free of the ice. The battle was in my favor, after all. I had Altaria on the ground with Weavile and his continuous Ice attacks kept doing a number on Winona's Pokemon. I didn't think that the battle would last much longer at this rate. Winona couldn't get her Pokemon free, since I had Weavile continuing the assault on her Pokemon. More ice began to cover Altaria as the Ice Shards took effect.
"Finish it with Night Slash!" I shouted. Altaria cried out as the attack hit. It collapsed and fainted from the effects of the ice and the Night Slash.
"Altaria is unable to battle. Weavile wins! Which means that the winner is Jason!" the referee announced.
"Great work, Weavile! Take a rest now." I said as I returned my Pokemon.
I got down from my platform and went to meet Winona on the battlefield as she descended from her platform.
"That was a great match, Jason. You and your Pokemon truly are skilled. Here, I present you with the Feather Badge." Winona said, extending her hand.
"Thank you, Winona. It definitely wasn't an easy victory." I said, taking the badge and putting it in my case. "By the way, your Swellow is a shiny Pokemon, correct?"
"Yes, that's right. A rare Pokemon to find."
"I've read of shiny Pokemon, but I hadn't ever seen one, besides the Noctowl owned by Master Ketchum. So it was an honor to have seen yours in person."
"Way to go, Jason." Adam said as he and the girls walked over to me.
"That was a great match. You did a good job at defeating my mom. It really showed how much of a skilled trainer you are, despite my mom giving her all, and all of her best techniques." Skye commented.
"Thanks, guys."
"Adam, I'm looking forward to our battle tomorrow. We'll see if you're just as resourceful as your dad was when he first battled me." Winona said, looking over at him.
Adam nodded his head and said, "I can't wait to find out, Winona."
Author's Note: Jason defeats Winona and wins his sixth badge. Only two more to go!
Will Adam perform as well in his gym battle as Jason did? Find out in the next chapter of Pokemon NG!