Note- It's been a long and eventful four months, but it feels so good to be back! I hope you all have had an awesome summer so far! I've gotten to do plenty of reading and writing, which is always a highlight. Scarlet and Violet news and the recent addition of Puzzle League on Nintendo Switch Online has me in as good a Pokémon mood as ever!
You might understand the 4 month absence more upon checking out the length of our chapter today! This clocks in as the longest in at least a couple years. This bad boys sees us in the heat of the pool round of the Silver Conference! These battles will determine which thirty-two trainers will make it to the Finals. Which of our beloved and hated trainers will make the cut? Which will fall just short? As long as this chapter is, let's just go ahead and get to reading to find out!
Hope you enjoy! Please Review and Subscribe!
Chapter 62
Starting ahead. Having an advantage from the outset. Creating the conditions for a favorable outcome. No trainer worth their salt would argue against it. But most trainers didn't lay the groundwork. A confident soul might believe that a lack of prep up front could be offset with strong battling principles. But why in the hell would anybody choose to just be great at one?
Having both in her pocket meant Sarah felt little surprise when Ambipom was revealed to be their first opponent. The Sinnoh native was nearly in sync with her opponent as she mouthed the command of Fake Out with her. Heracross had already assumed a defensive position upon entering the battlefield and the Long Tail Pokémon's sneaky strike did nothing to knock him off it. The opposing trainer's body looked to stiffen at the sight. Having seen them battle in the screening round, Sarah knew what their plan would be next.
"Aerial Ace!" Sarah called.
Hearing the command cut off whatever direction their opponent had been about to give. The silence from his trainer's box had Ambipom twisting around midway through his retreat.
You were expecting to be able to dodge our counter and then escape with U-Turn.
Ambipom managed to bring his tails around in time to buffer some of the force behind the swift swipe of Heracross's claws. The collision knocked the Long Tail Pokémon back… but not far enough to dissuade his trainer from attempting a counter.
"Send them flying with Return!"
Creating space to then be able to safely escape with U-Turn. Smart.
"Hold firm!"
Heracross brought his arms up as Ambipom surged forward, his body coated in a shimmering white glow. The collision packed much more of a punch than the creature's first strike. Heracross tensed and instinctively recoiled, his feet shuffling to keep from losing much ground. Most importantly, he kept his body turned so that he could still reach out and touch their attacker.
"Now, Counter!"
One of the Single Horn Pokémon's claws grabbed a stubby paw and yanked Ambipom into a forced embrace. Heracross bridged his body, falling backward and violently tossing his opponent all in one smooth motion. Ambipom smacked the ground back first and rolled several feet away. He had only just staggered back to his feet when a sharp red light overtook him. As he dematerialized back into his trainer's Poké Ball, Sarah reached for one of her own in her jacket pocket. She wasn't sure which Pokémon they were about to see, but she had a pretty good guess as to the type. It would be time for her Gastrodon to assert herself just as Heracross had.
Sarah wanted to see the dread that entered a trainer's eyes when they knew their opponent had their number. She didn't want to get too far ahead, but she thought she might already be seeing traces of it now.
Luke brought his arm up to cover his mouth with his sleeve. A moment later, a gust swept through, smacking his arm and face with sand. He risked a glance toward the front rows of the stands and saw spectators retreating back as some of the particles slid through through the barrier.
"How much can this fucker take."
The ground shook as Steelix's numerous round segments rolled to uncoil his massive figure. With the windswept dirt and sand coating the air, it made it surprisingly difficult to see the thirty-plus foot long creature, even with the metallic scraps rotating around his Mega Evolved figure. Another vibration and flash revealed his long tail segment, its sharp end arcing toward his opponent.
"Hurdle it!" Luke shouted through the fabric.
His Electabuzz just managed to rise above the swinging appendage, but dropped to a knee upon landing. With spent legs, Luke's speedy brawler didn't have much more to give. But those legs and his low center of gravity… they could accomplish one more important thing.
The wind driving the sandstorm shifted directions suddenly, blasting Electabuzz with a concentrated wave of debris. Steelix's tail followed suit an instant later, its aim higher now. If that connected with his staggered and tired teammate's skull, it would put the Electric-type out for this battle and the next.
"Duck!"
That was an easy command to follow with Electabuzz already halfway down. Iron Tail once again just barely missed, with this swing close enough to clip the tufts of fur atop Electabuzz's skull.
"Low Kick!"
Even with an advantageous type and the fact that Mega Steelix had to weigh over eight hundred pounds, Luke legitimately didn't know if Electabuzz had the strength, or their opponent the vulnerability, to have the move be super effective.
Electabuzz gripped the battle bruised earth and propelled his lower body out like a swinging pendulum. His right leg extended out and found the bottom of one of the metallic snake's segments. The collision actually drew a painful cry from the attacker, prompting Luke to pull out the Poké Ball he had been gripping for the last several minutes. As he thumbed the device to bring his teammate back, he thought he caught sight of a shudder rippling up their opponent's shimmering exterior. The sandstorm couldn't obscure the roar of pain that echoed out a moment later. It gave Luke a second wind as he launched his final teammate's Poké Ball onto the obscured battlefield.
Luke nearly lost his footing as the ground swelled beneath him. His feet spread wide and he had to check to make sure the earth wasn't opening up to swallow him. When he looked up again, their thirty-four foot long opponent had vanished. That had filled Luke with terror on every occasion… until now. His gaze fell on his newly revealed teammate, who rocked back and forth as if this sandstorm was a clear spring morning. Then again, with his Ground-typing, this might have been Quagsire's version of a beautiful day.
"I know you can't see our opponent," Luke tried to explain through a muffled mouth, "but he's underground right now. That's perfect for us." Quagsire turned back to his trainer and tilted his head. Luke fought the urge to bite the part of his cheek that had become the victim of Quagsire's obliviousness. "Don't worry about it. Just give me your best Earthquake!"
Quagsire's blank stare didn't change, but he did at least turn back to face the battlefield. At that moment the ground began to rumble again. Luke's eyes frantically scanned the ground, afraid that their opponent would explode out at any moment. As Quagsire's arms began to sway, the Tohjo Falls native caught sight of cracks splitting the earth to the left of his teammate.
"Hurry!"
Quagsire swung his arms forward. Then back. The cracks drew near and fractured out into full blown fissures.
"Quagsire!"
The Water Fish Pokémon hopped forward.
Steelix's massive skull burst through the battlefield's surface, his wide, armored jaw surging forward to devour Luke's teammate in one bite. Instead, the Iron Snake Pokémon swallowed a metric ton of displaced earth. Rock and dirt blasted out from beneath Quagsire's feet in every direction. The tectonic wave snapped Steelix's upper frame back, but his lower body remained coated in earth. The loudest thud of the morning echoed out as the back of the Steel/Ground-type's skull clanged against the ground.
Luke breathed a sigh as the sand slowly faded from the air. He pulled his sleeve away from his mouth and let his sore arm fall. It took the judge's declaration for the rest of his body to follow suit. With scattered applause ringing in his ears, he gingerly stepped through the wrecked battlefield, eventually reaching his unmoving Quagsire. As he dropped down beside his victorious teammate, Luke instinctively reached for the medical pouch in his satchel. His fingers froze as they reached the zipper and he found himself with a grin. "You didn't get hurt, did you?" Quagsire's ambivalent smile didn't do much to answer him, but Luke had learned to read between the murky lines. "You've gotten strong enough that you can win without taking damage. Impressive."
He gave the Water Fish Pokémon a soft pat on the head, a gesture his toxic coated pre-evolution had never afforded. Glancing up, he noticed that the judge and his former opponent had gathered amidst the rubble at the battlefield's center. He returned Quagsire to his capture device and soon joined them. He smirked upon seeing the goggles that now adorned his former opponent's face. I never saw her wearing those before the battle began.
Luke's mind went on autopilot as the official gave them both a similar breakdown to the screening round. The Tohjo native made sure to mentally note the battlefield number and the time for his second match, but it wasn't until he'd been dismissed that he remembered the major reason behind his frustration with the length of this battle.
"Shit."
Luke turned on the spot and ran as fast as he could through the warzone his last battle had created. He hopped into the stands—the quicker route from where he'd been standing— and weaved through the dissipating crowd. He nearly hurdled a young girl who carried a bag of popcorn as big as herself. Emerging onto the street, he paused to look both ways. What number had he said? Four, maybe?
He sprinted through traffic and around another couple of structures before reaching his destination. As his feet pounded up the steps, he suddenly became aware of a sustained roar ahead. At first he thought it might be one of the Pokémon battling. But as he reached the top of the steps, it dawned on him. His pace slowed as the path opened up and he soon found himself standing with what must have been four hundred other spectators. He looked up to the scoreboard and saw that both trainers had brought out all three Pokémon, though one trainer still had two left. Luke frowned.
I was in this position and my crowd barely made a peep, he thought. Then again, his opponent had made them watch their battle through a sandstorm.
Luke tried to find a seat near the trainer tunnel but none were open. The search wasn't made any easier by the fact that he didn't want to take his eyes off the battle going on below. The uproar surged to a new level as the battling Magmar landed a fiery right hook. What in the world had David gotten himself into?
"Shit. Damn. Okay."
He was hyperventilating. Or at least, this is what David thought it would feel like. Maybe it had been his face that had just taken Magmar's Fire Punch.
His teammate staggered backward, Wigglytuff's Cute Charm ability playing havoc as it had all battle. But just when he feared that might open him up to attack, Wigglytuff drew back as well. She let out a cry as a spark of fire burst from her side. Then… she toppled backward.
The roar of the crowd now obscured even the frantic breathing sounds that at least had let David know he was still taking in oxygen.
He still has one Pokémon left, David tried to remind himself. That thought did little to help his breathing or make him forget the improbable comeback they had made. Down three-to-one after both trainers had rotated through their lineups and battled with several matchups. Sure all three of their opponents had taken damage throughout the battle, but all three had still remained when David's next-to-last party member had fainted.
Stay focused.
He owed that to the rest of his team and especially to Magmar. They had gotten him here, but he still had to do his part in landing this plane. He forced himself to take a deep breath as a flash of light reintroduced their opponent's third and final teammate. This kicking creature had been at the heart of their opponent's run. Things had been relatively even at the start of the battle, but had headed rapidly downhill the moment Hitmonlee accessed the herb he carried. Despite using Curse beforehand, the Kicking Pokémon had somehow increased his speed, with kicks coming so fast it left David's team to do more running than fighting.
Magmar wiped at a bruise on his mouth and shifted his stance wider. His eyes stayed on their opponent, who casually warmed up with the smoothest roundhouse kick David had ever seen. He still looks like he could knock us out with just a couple kicks, David silently acknowledged. But hope hadn't left just yet. Whatever speed boost the Fighting-type had gained during his first appearance would no longer be a concern now that he'd used up his item. The attack and defense boosts of Curse would be gone as well. Not to mention that Blaze Kick won't be nearly as dangerous. They could win this.
"Begin!"
"Give them a Lava Plume barrage!"
"Race forward!"
Magmar quickly lobbed three consecutive fiery orbs toward his oncoming opponent. David could tell it took a lot out of his teammate, but he hoped it might overwhelm the other battle worn Pokémon. Luke had shown him with Charizard's Flame Burst just how effective a flurry of fire could be.
"Blaze Kick!"
David watched in horror as Hitmonlee took to the air, his right leg swinging out to catch the first lava orb with a flame-covered foot. As that projectile spun away to explode harmlessly to Hitmonlee's left, he touched back down on the ground with his other foot for the briefest moment. He then took another massive leap, swatting away the next orb with a smooth hook kick. David wasn't surprised at all then when, after another alarmingly large leap forward, Hitmonlee sent the third and final Lava Plume sailing toward an empty space on the right side of the battlefield.
"High Jump Kick!"
The command came so fast that it cut off David's own follow up. He fought to regather his thoughts, but he couldn't ignore the frightening chill that pierced his chest. "Fire Punch!" he countered.
Having closed the distance, Hitmonlee shortened his stride and took a more concentrated leap. That sent him shockingly high. It gave Magmar time to fire off his uppercut, but the axe kick it met had more power behind it than any of Hitmonlee's three previous attacks. Magmar's punch landed flush against the back of his opponent's leg, but it wasn't enough to halt the Kicking Pokémon's downward momentum. Hitmonlee's foot found the top of Magmar's spine and propelled the Spitfire Pokémon forward as though he'd been shoved from behind.
Magmar rolled, his fiery skin scarring the ground and drawing steam from the dirt. He managed to gain control as his momentum slowed and he spun back to his feet. As Hitmonlee turned back to face his foe, David had the chance to examine the spot where Magmar's punch had made contact. He had to bite down hard to hide his dismay. Fortunate would have needed to smile very generously for them to have scored burns against back to back opponents.
But we really fucking needed a burn.
"Brick Break!"
Brick… Hitmonlee can fight with their hands?! David's brain had gone into a tailspin. As Hitmonlee charged once more, he felt Magmar's gaze on him. Get your shit together, David.
"Lava Plume!"
David was sure his delay had cost them the battle. But Magmar actually managed to gather and release the attack before their opponent had reached them. Hitmonlee's karate chop found the fiery orb an instant after leaving Magmar's lips, shattering the soft shell and sparking a towering plume of scarlet fire. The Cinnabar native's ears popped as both Pokémon were knocked back by the percussive blast that followed.
Magmar staggered back to midfield, his knees visibly wobbling from sheer exhaustion. David tried to catch his expression, but Hitmonlee now pivoted to unintentionally block his view. The blast having pushed the kicking creature to within a dozen or so feet of the trainer, David took a moment to focus on the opposing Pokémon. He bounced from left foot to right, but each step came slower and looked to be a bit softer than when his battle with Magmar had begun. And the speed of those last two moves…
"Clear Smog!" David called.
Hitmonlee slid to the left as his trainer instructed, narrowly avoiding the clump of poison coated earth that Magmar had kicked up.
"High Jump Kick!"
Hitmonlee had only just planted his right foot, but he managed to effortlessly twist and spring forward. As he took another step to prepare his leaping strike, David realized this was it. The battle would be decided with their response. He took a quick breath as the Kicking Pokémon went airborne once more.
"Dodge with Feint Attack!"
Magmar struggled to take a step forward. His shoulders shrugged as he forced the rest of his exhausted body to follow suit. As his opponent swung down with his extended leg, the Fire-type looked powerless to prevent it from finding the top of his skull.
"You got this!" David roared.
Magmar's right leg looked to give out at that moment. His body lurched in that direction. The incoming kick swept through the space his head had occupied only a second prior. Hitmonlee's surprise turned to shock as Magmar quickly bent his left arm and drove an elbow into his attacker's extended appendage. The Fighting-type barely had time to squeal before his body became a runaway pile of flailing limbs.
Looking back at his teammate, David's next command sounded more like he was begging. "Give me one more Lava Plume!"
Magmar had dropped to his knees and it was clear this was no longer part of his Feint Attack. He used his arms to pivot around, his head tracking his opponent as his painful roll lost momentum. "Focus on control and don't worry about power," David added. "You've got enough of that already." Magmar tilted his head back, a scarlet orb bursting from his mouth once more.
Hitmonlee came to a complete stop a moment later, his palms and a knee anchored to the ground. His trainer's frantic guidance managed to draw the tenacious fighter back to his feet. As the Kicking Pokémon turned back to face his opponent, the sound of something cracking drew his gaze.
A tower of fire erupted beside his right foot. The flames expanded out to encompass that entire side of his body. His trainer did not wait for his limp frame to fall to the ground as he was immediately returned to his device.
David's body refused to move. Shock had frozen him in place. His eyes were the only things that still seemed to work, and they found Magmar's own exhausted pair staring right back.
Kayla still couldn't believe she was here. Six months ago she'd been in the middle of a mission to find her grandfather and enact vengeance on the scum that had kidnapped him. That mission isn't over, she silently reminded herself.
"Toxic!"
Her Seviper slithered around a concentrated blast of ink and let loose its venomous spray on the opposing Octillery. The tank-like creature recoiled as the dark venom seeped into his thick, rubberized skin.
Even after the incident, through the fear and grief that followed, Kayla had held out hope that her grandfather would be found. She'd even convinced herself that it would happen soon enough for her to complete the Johto League Challenge. Staying at a family friend's home in Goldenrod, she'd distracted herself by countlessly mapping out her path through the various gyms. There were so many options now that her new starting point would be in the middle of the region. But it had only taken a month or so before that well of optimism had run dry.
There had been no leads on her grandfather's whereabouts and the odds would only get worse as more time passed. And upon overhearing that first conversation about her being sent back to Hoenn, she soon heard it everywhere. She had lost someone precious and now she would be losing the opportunity that he had advocated so hard to get her. During that last week before she was to return home, numerous prominent individuals reached out and visited to give her their condolences and encouragement. Not a single one attempted to mask the pity in their voices.
She'd had her fill of pity long before that supposed final night in Johto.
"Venom Drench!"
Having coiled up to absorb the multiple blows from Octillery's Rock Blast, Seviper peeled back her jaw and retaliated with a thick, green liquid that coated the Jet Pokémon. The opposing trainer's wide eyed expression could be seen even from Kayla's box. They both knew what this meant.
Just like Kayla had known what it meant if she left Johto behind: a new chapter, a do over, a clean slate. Only, there couldn't be a clean slate. Not while her grandfather remained missing and not while his captors remained unpunished. A new region. A new year. A new journey. It wouldn't fill the hole left behind by the man who had been a parent, a mentor, and her security for nearly ten years now. All these aunts, uncles, and cousins… their shared blood didn't carry affection. It didn't carry much in the way of hospitality either. She didn't expect her stay with any of her other relatives would be half as long as her time in Goldenrod.
"Take that hit and retaliate with Venoshock!"
With his weakened status, even Octillery's powerful Hydro Pump couldn't move her coiled up creature from her spot. Seviper's poisonous response, in contrast, nearly toppled the red octopus. His eyelids drooped so low one might have thought he was on the verge of sleeping. Kayla's call for Night Slash would get him the rest of the way.
Shit, she could use some sleep too.
She hadn't gotten any the night she'd fled from Goldenrod. And there hadn't been time for much as she dashed around the region. Her timetable had already been expedited by those looking for a runaway child. The challenge had exponentially increased upon discovering that her grandfather hadn't had the opportunity to transfer much money into the account for her journey. Limited resources and few hiding spots meant she'd needed to make every day count. And with the increasing number of criminal activities around the region, she'd spent pretty much everything bouncing around the region, sneaking aboard trains and relying on Noctowl's free transportation as their money dwindled. Since arriving at the base of Mt. Silver, she'd gotten consecutive nights of more than four hours of sleep for the first time in months. It felt nice to be able to stay in one place. She knew better than to get used to it, though.
This event brought people from across the region and the world together. She wouldn't find a better place or time for leads. But a two week window was all it afforded her.
"Great job, Basila."
Kayla stepped over to rub her victorious teammate's head. At her touch, the menacing looking creature relaxed and unfurled her body. Her malicious grin morphed, as did her countenance, so that you wouldn't have been mocked for thinking she had a Pachirisu inhabiting her body.
As she rubbed, the red band on her wrist caught against the ridged skin at the back of her Pokémon's head. She eyed the black pattern etched across its silicone surface. The pattern mirrored that of her homeland's prominent legends—one her grandfather had studied extensively. If she hadn't run, she'd be in Hoenn now. She probably wouldn't be as hungry or as tired there. And the region's warmer climate would have been much more preferable to the colder seasons Johto had recently put her through. But a full stomach and rested body wouldn't have been enough. Serious decisions required choices that settled one's soul.
"—your team and yourself."
"Yes sir. I think we're feeling good. I know I'm feeling better after talking with you." Chris let out a small laugh. He glanced around as his voice bounced off the walls of the dark, empty tunnel.
Ben's laughter created its own echo through the speaker. "Well, as long as my advice doesn't contradict your mother's, I think you're safe."
"Have you been as busy as her?"
There was a pause as his father drew in a deep breath. "I hope I've been busier. Her field isn't one you want to have a heavy workload in. My sources of anxiety are mostly just technology related."
"Stress is stress. I don't know if the source matters as much." Chris paused and was rewarded with a quick agreement. He took a slow breath of his own before asking, "How are things your way?"
"Still maddeningly inefficient. Changing the building's name has been the most impactful thing corporate has done in years."
Chris frowned. "They changed the name?"
"You hadn't heard? Then again, I guess you have been a little preoccupied." His father laughed. "Before you get up in arms, they just replaced the word 'radio' with 'media.'"
"Goldenrod Media Tower."
"I honestly prefer it. It acknowledges our more recent shift to multimedia production."
Chris swiped his device's screen over to the Radio app. "The radio programs aren't being phased out, are they?"
"Oh no. Our channels still have a big listener base. And Professor Oak would see the whole tower burn before we end his radio show."
Another voice echoed down the hallway, pulling Chris's attention back toward the entrance. A woman stood just on the other side of the tarp that sectioned off the trainer's waiting area. Her judge's uniform was just visible through the slit in the divider.
"Do you still think you'll be able to make it to the finals?"
Chris had guessed his father's response almost verbatim before he'd uttered a word. "I hope so. But I want you to just focus on getting there first."
"Just one battle left," he muttered.
A familiar voice rang from the other side of the hallway. "I'm the top seeded trainer in my pool. I have ID if you need to see it."
"Alright, dad. I think it's about time for my next battle. Maybe you can catch some clips of it on the recap show if we put in some good work."
"There you go! I'm going to have the twenty-four hour feed on the battle network running while I finish installing some things. Looking forward to hearing and hopefully seeing some of that action!"
"Sounds good. See ya, pops."
Chris closed his Pokégear and took a deep breath. He let his eyes close and his arms fall to his side. He knew coming into this tournament that every battle after the screening round would be the most important of his short career. He'd heard it said a million times on the broadcasts he'd watched everyday after school. His father had relayed it to his brother after every Silver Conference match—even the screening ones. Somehow, he hadn't let that affect his preparation these first couple of days. Even his command in battle had felt consistent. But something felt different now. As he opened his eyes and saw Dobbs strutting toward him, a tingling sensation slid down the young man's extremities.
"Glad you decided to show, broski."
Chris tilted his head to the side. "I've been here for a while."
Dobbs stopped and turned, stretching his leg out to rest on a wooden crate. He bent low on his planted foot, hands pressing down from his quad to his hamstrings and then to his ankle. Without a word, he pivoted and began working the other leg.
Chris brought a Poké ball out from his pocket. It contained the teammate who would set the tone for this battle. The one who would help them get off to the quick start that could catapult them into the finals. They would need…
"Did I miss the memo?" Chris had now turned back to face Dobbs. How could he not be when his next opponent was halfway through a set of pushups?
"Maybe," came the reply through heavy breaths. "They tend to save some information for the upper echelon of trainers."
Chris dropped to a squat to meet his eye, but Dobbs didn't look up from his pushups. "Did they forget to tell us commoners that we'd be fighting the opposing trainer during our Pokémon battle?"
"Active body, active mind."
Chris went to stand back up, but found he couldn't. He tried again, but lost his balance and had to catch himself from falling onto his ass. He'd had tightness in his lower back before, but not like this. Nothing this sudden and this widespread.
With no other option, he slid his arms out and let his body tilt back until he lay flat against the ground. He lifted his head to peer over at Dobbs. The man had rolled back to his feet and now looked to be practicing squats. He couldn't have been more oblivious of his opponent's current position. For once, Chris counted that as a blessing.
Eh, what the heck?
Setting the Poké ball in his hand to the side, Chris brought both arms over his head and stretched until he heard a pop somewhere in his back. The pressure against his spine seemed to vanish in that moment, leaving Chris to let out a long sigh of relief.
Footsteps echoed from somewhere in the distance, followed soon by a voice. "Are you… are you gentlemen ready?"
Chris twisted onto his side and found the referee standing close by. Her perplexed expression alternated between Chris and Dobbs, the latter having now worked his way into some lunges.
"Yes ma'am." Chris quickly jumped to his feet, but nearly toppled back over as a stinging sensation filled his brain and his vision went white.
The judge took a quick step forward. "Are you okay?"
Chris waved her off. "I just stood up way too fast. I'm ready to go."
She turned back to Dobbs, who looked to have just finished his routine. "Are you and your team ready?"
"We are now." Dobbs scooped down to grab the Poké ball Chris had left on the ground. He slapped it into his opponent's hand and then moved to stand by the stadium entrance.
As the judge led them out into the afternoon sunlight, Chris glanced over at his soon-to-be opponent. Beads of sweat clung to his temple and jaw, but not a single line creased his forehead and he couldn't see any sign of tension in his jaw. A focused calm.
A cacophony of voices poured down as they reached the battlefield. The stands already looked full, but people still poured down the steps. Chris could feel a tightness returning to his back the longer he looked.
"Take your places, trainers."
As Chris stepped into the red trainer box, he forced his gaze back onto the Poké ball in his hand. That was why he was here. But he couldn't keep his eyes from shifting to focus on the blue box opposite him. The trainer standing there wasn't the same man he had battled all those months ago. Whatever lessons he had learned from that contest would no longer be applicable.
"Begin!"
Both capture devices flew from their trainers hands and burst open simultaneously. The creatures that emerged never touched the ground, instead soaring even higher thanks to their wings.
Despite their similar appendages, Chris frowned at the metallic sheen coating the opposing Skarmory. As Crobat circled back, his trainer thumbed the trigger on the device still in hand, and the Bat Pokémon vanished almost as quickly as he'd appeared. Ampharos burst onto the battlefield just a moment later, but not before Dobbs had given Skarmory his first command.
"Spikes!"
With one flap of his wings, dozens of tiny, white stars rained down around Ampharos. She glanced around at the falling debris, trying to suppress her surprise beneath a suspicious eye. None of the pieces hit her, but Chris knew that the danger of this attack would reveal itself later.
"Start things off with Thunderbolt!"
"Set up another layer!"
As Ampharos let loose a jagged bolt of electricity, Skarmory once again placed his focus and energy on peppering the ground. The super effective strike found its mark, causing the steel-clad creature to seize up and drop. With a couple heavy wing flaps, he managed to regain his equilibrium and turned the fall into an approaching dive with his trainer's direction.
"Give them another Thunderbolt!"
The electrical current found only air as the Armor Bird Pokémon swung to the left.
Chris bit down on his lip. He'd wanted to get two free hits in to make up for those two layers of spikes. He took a half beat to watch their opponent redirect their approach and noticed how much momentum they had lost dodging. Maybe it was still possible. "Cotton Spore!"
Pink clouds filled the air as Ampharos gave a couple violent shakes. Skarmory bent his wings back, dropping so low that his long beak scraped the ground. It didn't prevent the thick spores from globbing onto his body, but it did grant him a sudden burst of momentum. His right wing caught Ampharos right across her torso, a loud metallic echo accompanying it. Ampharos staggered back as Skarmory pivoted and swung his other glowing appendage at her.
"Use your momentum to dodge!" Chris called.
Ampharos took another step and staggered back. She threw out an arm and just managed to catch herself from falling flat. What the maneuver lacked in grace, it made up for in effectiveness; Skarmory's wing swung harmlessly over head. Ampharos pushed herself back to her feet, but Skarmory had already begun his retreat.
"Power Gem!"
"Dodge it!"
The energized stones found Skarmory before he could fully veer to the right. The collision sent him spiraling toward the ground, but he managed to correct himself. He spun back around to face his foe just as Dobbs called for him to release a third round of Spikes.
"Thunderbolt!"
"Drop down as you release them!"
The electrical assault passed over Skarmory's head as he let gravity take over. Chris eyed the ground as it soaked up a third set of the sharpened projectiles. Dobbs really had committed completely to the entry hazard strategy, even at the cost of losing a third of his team. The metallic bird's wings were flapping hard now, with most of the cotton still clinging tight to them. It looked as though he could only keep himself a few feet off the ground. One more shot would ground him for good.
"Give them one more Thunderbolt!"
Dobbs had dealt with people underestimating him for most of his life. They just could never grasp his brilliance, for one reason or another. It never kept them from eventually realizing the truth, no matter how shocked an expression wound up on their face. So when he called for Skarmory to use Roost, the surprised look on Chris's face didn't carry over to his own.
His teammate dropped the remaining half dozen feet to the ground, with several of his sharp metallic feathers falling even faster. Skarmory raised his head as his body began to shimmer in the afternoon light. His metallic skin radiated so bright that Ampharos looked to have trouble locking on for her attack. Ultimately, she managed to land one of those strong blasts of electricity, but Skarmory remained unmoved.
It was time.
"Charge in!" Dobbs directed.
Maneuvering on his talons certainly didn't provide the same speed or grace as flight, but all those morning runs on Cianwood's beaches had conditioned Skarmory well. He zagged to the left, narrowly avoiding another Thunderbolt. Dobbs called for him to jump. The heavy bird couldn't propel himself very high, even with dozens of feathers already sliding back to replace those he'd lost. But they just needed a little height. This next attack worked best from above.
Even having made it this close, Chris knew Skarmory wouldn't be able to reach Ampharos without taking another hit. Shedding many of the feathers that had held the residual, obstructive cotton had been a brilliant additional effect of Roost. Several thick, pink strands still clung to the creature's neck and chest though. Ampharos could still win the day with another couple of strong—
"Roar!"
The armored bird opened his beak and a high-pitched chirp echoed out. Through squinted eyes, Chris could just make out the squawk's concentrated, translucent vibrations. They drifted straight to and surrounded Ampharos. Before Chris could even warn his teammate, she'd dematerialized into a blob of red energy. That light zipped back into his pocket, where Ampharos's capture device rested. A surge of white light burst from the right pocket of his jacket, expanding to form the long, scaled frame of the third Pokémon he'd brought to this battle.
That's some straight garbage.
Three layers of spikes. Three. Dobbs and his teammate had executed their top priority brilliantly. And this luck was the universe's response. He tried not to let his frustration show as Gyarados's red frame swam through the air toward Skarmory. Another Roost and well timed Roar could help shift the balance back in their favor. Dobbs called for the healing maneuver and nodded as Skarmory quickly grounded himself in response.
"Earthquake!"
Dobbs's eyes went wide.
Gyarados swung his tail down, its spiked fin smacking the ground with enough force to shake the stands. That was nothing compared to the seismic shift that rippled underfoot a moment later. The flat ground looked to compress, then burst open, tearing apart like a piece of fabric pulled in a dozen different directions. Skarmory had only just shed his new layer of wings when the upheaval reached him. The ground rolled beneath his talons, belching debris up as it shifted. Skarmory struggled to keep his balance, turning his head away from the painful eruption of rock and dirt. By the time the ground finally stabilized, Gyardos was nearly upon him, the water serpent's body coated in water.
"Roar!" was all Dobbs could think to shout.
As Gyarados lowered his head to deliver the aquatic tackle, Skarmory whipped his own around. A higher than normal pitched squawk issued out of his steel bird's beak. Even with his anxious pitch, Roar's effects couldn't be avoided at that close of a distance.
Dobbs felt his grin return at the sight of Chris's grimace. The type matchups might not be in their favor, but that didn't have to also be true of the pace. Now, they just needed this forced switch to bring out—
Frig me.
Damn it.
A familiar pain had returned to Chris's lower right jaw. No momentum. Chaos. That's what this battle had devolved into thanks to Skarmory.
Chris eyed the ground fearfully, helpless as one of his other two teammates's capture devices were forcefully triggered. As the wings of his Crobat materialized in the air, he released a sigh. At least they'd managed to avoid Spikes up to this point. But they were on borrowed time as long as Skarmory remained in this battle.
Dobbs already had Skarmory in motion, charging their low hanging foe. Even with his wings still depleted of most of their feathers, the steel avian drew them back to attempt a Steel Wing.
"Confuse Ray!"
The ghostly pulse found Skarmory mid jump. The creature's body twisted awkwardly in response, but his momentum still carried him to Crobat. Even though he caught him more with his torso than his glowing wings, Crobat still twisted backward in pain. Skarmory stumbled as he landed, his momentum forcing him to the dirt. He toppled and rolled twice, but managed to snap back to his feet.
"Pursue him!" Chris called.
It took several flaps, but Crobat stabilized himself and gave chase.
Chris went to call for an attack, but paused upon hearing Dobbs call for another Steel Wing.
"Do a flyover!"
Crobat's wings became a blur. He reached Skarmory less than a second later, missing the top of the creature's head by no more than a foot. By the time Skarmory's right wing swung up at him, the Bat Pokémon had already well passed him. The centripetal force of Skarmory's attack brought his swinging appendage down on the crown of his own skull. He wobbled, stumbled, then toppled over.
"Skarmory is unable to battle!" the judge announced, raising both flags.
The crowd let out a cheer as Skarmory toppled over. It was their first real chance to go crazy in what had been a surprisingly cerebral battle. Not at all what Waz had expected in a battle involving these two trainers. Oh, he might have anticipated some chess moves from Chris and his blend of offense and evasion, but not Dobbs. Not the trainer he'd seen battle just a month prior. That man's passion seemed to be more in contests, where presentation and posing were paramount.
Another roar went through the crowd as Crobat sank his enlarged and darkened fangs into Dobbs's newly revealed Drifblim. Gasps followed as dark orbs of fire poured from the Blimp Pokémon and swarmed Chris's teammate before he could free himself.
Waz had to admit that it felt nice watching these battles knowing his place in the Finals was secure. He'd never been one to have nerves bother him during a battle. That had been true in both the small and big battles in his young career. The most anxiety provoking battle hadn't even involved another trainer, though it had nearly seen them all incinerated. He brought a hand up to wipe at the spreading band of sweat on his forehead. Arceus, after that he'd never complain about a hot day again.
This strange relief might have more to do with his brother still looming somewhere in that final pool of thirty-two trainers. Waz scanned the crowd again. Fuck, that shithead might be lurking somewhere close by. It was maddening to even be trapped in the same general area as that idiot. The few times they'd crossed each other had seen security step in. Next time they saw each other, Waz needed to make sure he stayed quiet. Then he could give Prinny the ass beating he'd had coming all his life.
"Excuse me," a soft voice said. Waz turned and found a well dressed man smiling down at him. "May I take this seat next to you?"
"Sure."
Waz brought his focus back on the battle below. Crobat zipped through the air with a speed that even Swellow didn't possess. He'd seen the Bat Pokémon's agility the month prior, but it felt different in this setting. Trying to hit something that fast was hard enough, let alone having to do it with the weight of being eliminated bearing down on you. Dobbs had done well to not fire off a bunch of missed attacks and tire out his teammate. Waz even found himself leaning forward as Drifblim caught his attacking foe with Hex: a move that now possessed twice the power thanks to Crobat's burn.
"Its toughness has finally caught up with its speed."
Waz titled his head to the right. Was the man talking to himself?
Below, Crobat managed to shake off the powerful hit and carry out the Cross Poison he'd initially approached with. Though he sat too far away to tell for sure, Drifblim's shudder sure made it seem like he had been poi—
"It'd be fun to see your Swellow or Gengar go up against that speed."
Shit.
Waz slowly twisted to face the man. It had been hard to say earlier with Waz seated and not really paying attention, but sitting next to each other now, the man looked to be at least a half foot taller than him. Despite his grey hair, he didn't look that old. Maybe middle aged. Then again, Waz had never been good at or particularly cared for assuming details about other people. He didn't like focusing too long on himself, let alone strangers. But he owed the man a response. And a part of him couldn't help but be intrigued by the man's knowledge of his team.
"Maybe not as much as you think," Waz answered, forcing out a small smile. "It would be a hard battle for an audience to visually follow."
The man nodded, his eyes never leaving the battlefield. "That's true." He paused, then added, "But it's not too fast for a good trainer and their Pokémon."
A shriek below brought Waz's attention back to the battle. Crobat looked to have been circling behind Drifblim to land what might have been the decisive super effective Crunch. However, the Bat Pokémon had stopped the rapid flap of his wings, his head recoiling back as flames burst from his torso. That gave Drifblim time to swivel around, a dark swirling mass forming in front of the yellow 'X' on the creature's face. Crobat's long ears twitched and his eyes flashed back open. His wings buzzed back to life as he shifted his momentum forward once more.
That brought him straight into Hex's swarming black, flame-like energy. Chris's shouts arrived a moment later but the damage had been done. The red beam of his capture device caught his fainted teammate before he could hit the ground.
It surprised him to see Gyarados emerge in response. With Drifblim being part Flying-type, Ampharos would have been at a greater advantage against a slower, worn down foe. His eyes drifted from the floating red serpent down to the fractured earth beneath. Then again, there were three layers of spikes laying in wait for the Electric-type. Maybe it was best to try and take care of business with this behemoth.
"You are a good trainer, Waz."
He couldn't keep himself from snapping back around. The man held a friendly smile which did help to somewhat alleviate the growing unease Waz had begun to feel. He felt his defenses return upon noticing the far gap between his smile and his eyes. "Do I know you?"
"I don't believe so."
"...Are you a trainer competing here?"
"No sir."
Waz let the conversation go silent. Down below, Gyarados roared in pain as Drifblim unleashed a surprise Charge Beam. The Atrocious Pokémon somehow managed to power through it and slither toward his opponent, fangs extended and covered in ice.
Waz shook his head. His first inclination in any socially awkward situation was to get the hell away from it. He'd run across a fan—an actual fully functioning human that rooted for him—when he'd first arrived at the Silver Conference. The boy had apparently been in the crowd during the Goldenrod tournament and had some kind of connection at the city's gym that got him in to watch Waz's victory over Whitney. But this felt different. Maybe it was just weird because this guy was an adult or maybe he was just being pranked. Whatever the reason, he'd sit here as long as it took to make this motherfucker clearly state his identity and intentions. Thankfully, the stranger didn't make him wait that long.
"I apologize for being so vague," the man said, scratching at the back of his neck. "I have this nasty habit of approaching new people in different ways. I see now that this way just comes off as creepy." He gave a nervous laugh, but Waz remained stoic. The man pointed at a pin on his white formal top. "I'm the Head Supervisor of Construction in the Johto Region. We've done work in Goldenrod, Ecruteak, Olivine—you name it. We even helped renovate that beautiful stadium you all kicked off the conference in."
The badge on his sports coat did look authentic and even familiar. None of what he said actually addressed Waz's concerns though. He tried to keep his voice steady. "For a businessman in construction, you know an awful lot about me and my team."
"I admit to sneaking around to watch battles before," and he gave another chuckle, "and sometimes during my shifts. I used to be a trainer and even after years and a new occupation, that gene for battle still hasn't left." He paused, anticipating a response, but Waz remained silent. "As for why I know so much about you, well, I guess I already let it slip."
Waz had to fight the urge to frown. He liked riddles, just not in conversation. He desperately wanted to just get back to the battle below, where Drifblim looked to be on his last metaphorical legs after a Waterfall-induced flinch led to Gyarados landing a super effective Ice Fang. To do that though, he'd have to make sure he ended this conversation.
"Because you think I'm a strong trainer," Waz finally said.
"Precisely," the man said with a nod. "I could tell early on that you and your brother would be making it to the finals—and a deep run into the finals at that. I make it my mission to work with people who excel at their craft and who have a hunger to develop it further."
Waz extended an eyebrow. "I don't have much skill or interest in construction."
"Oh, I don't know about that first part," the man laughed and motioned toward Waz's legs. "You look strong as a Tauros. I bet our Machoke and Conkeldurr helpers would have a field day competing against you. But working on sites isn't exactly what I had in mind." He reached into his coat pocket and brought out a card. "We provide other career opportunities that might better suit your passion for battle."
Waz took the card and looked it over. There wasn't much on the eggshell colored cardstock: a name, a contact number, and the company name.
"I wanted to make sure I spoke to you before your brother. I figured your response would let me know if it would be a waste of time."
"Speaking to Prinny is always a waste of time," Waz said in a harsher tone than he'd meant. He quickly added, "I appreciate your offer. I'm not really sure what our team's future looks like, but I think we're pretty flexible."
The man's eyes now sparkled with his grin. "That's what I like to hear!"
Waz winced as a high pitched whine filled his ears. A rush of air pulled his attention and his actual body toward the battle below. Gyarados looked to be about to land the finishing blow on the sagging Drifblim, who for some reason now glowed oran—
A brilliant flash of light forced Waz's eyes shut. A blast of sound and wind knocked his head back and had him holding his arms up in self defense. The faint echoes of what might have been shouting bounced around in his head. He shook his head once, then again. His eyes peeled open slowly to reveal a smoke laden battlefield. The invisible shield surrounding it kept the black clouds from reaching the stands, allowing Waz to see the panic that had broken out.
Many people looked to have jumped back out of their seats in shock. Others were scrambling up the steps to leave the stadium. A few brave souls had wandered down to the barricade that separated the stands and battlefield to try and make out what had befallen the Pokémon and trainers inside. Looking back over his shoulder, he could see dozens of curious people flocking in from the street.
He was surprised his potential future employer hadn't commented on the chaos around them. But then Waz noticed the empty chair where he had been sitting. Guess he said his piece.
"Gyarados!" Chris shouted through muffled coughs.
That mad man. Between his battle with Luke and the skills he'd shown last month, Chris had been glad to give him some silent props. He'd have even vocalized those compliments had the young man's ego evolved even a fraction from when they'd first met. But this dangerous, literally explosive maneuver, had him flashing back to Dobbs's order of a Hyper Beam into their quite public, very obscured battlefield. Perhaps Chris should be thankful that Dobbs had waited until they were surrounded by a protective barrier to again do something so reckless. Not that the added security protected him much.
A low rumbling poured out from the smoke, followed a moment later by a large tail. Chris breathed a sigh as the rest of his teammate emerged, still floating in a battle ready position. His expression soured at the sight of multiple burns that patchworked Gyarados's scales. The large creature might have been the only one of his Pokémon who could have fought through an attack like that.
With the barrier walls still locked firmly in place, the smoke could only escape upward. Behind him, Chris could see and hear the panic from the spectators. It did little to ease his nerves after what had already been an intensely frustrating battle. Even the realization that they were one victory away from the Finals had his heart beats coming quicker than before. It felt like the organ was pounding to free itself from his chest. If something had beeped on his Pokégear in that moment, he would have bet everything on it being a warning from his heart rate monitor. Another couple of minutes did little to help with the smoke, but Chris could at least now see most of his side of the battlefield. With the long wait only adding to his stress, he finally decided to call his teammate over to talk some strategy. That's when he heard the judge's disembodied voice boom, "Drifblim is unable to battle! Contestant number fifty-four, please send out your next Pokémon!"
A faint red light emanated through the dark clouds. A moment later, a much more visible white flash split the blackness. The judge was really about to have them battle blind.
"Begin!"
Chris stared hard into the wall of smoke. He couldn't know for sure what opponent awaited them there, but he had an idea. And he knew just how to check his hunch. "Earthquake!"
Gyarados's tail slammed against the ground, creating waves in the earth that stretched into the thick wall of smoke. The Atrocious Pokémon and his trainer watched the darkness for any signs of movement.
Something burst through the black cloud nearly six feet off the ground. Chris grinned as he recognized Machoke's musclebound figure. He'd nailed it.
What he hadn't predicted, and what nailed his teammate a moment later, was the stone that Machoke must have been holding and thrown while still obscured in the smoke. The projectile caught Gyarados right below his jaw and knocked the large creature's belly onto the ground.
Dobbs nodded as he felt a new tremor. The smoke cloud had begun to fade, but it remained too thick for him to see either Pokémon. Even so, he knew it was Machoke's Smack Down that had caused this new disturbance.
"Now, Bulldoze!" he called.
In his mind, he could see Machoke charging forward, shoulder turned to flatten his foe. He'd also relied on visualizing during many of their night time training sessions on Cianwood's beaches. With the sand dulling vibrations, that battleground had proven even more of a challenge than the one they were facing. Maybe that's why Chuck had done it.
It had been good to see his mentor during the opening ceremonies. The older man had even pulled him aside to wish him well during the tournament. Or maybe it had been to keep him out of sight of his wife. The woman apparently didn't care much for him. Then again, the way Chuck had talked, it sounded like she could be pretty rough on him as well.
A blast of wind struck his face, bringing liquid to one of his eyes. As he blinked it away, he found that the gust had swept up much of the remaining smoke. Through the remaining haze, he could make out the two Pokémon locked in a physical struggle. Water churned around Gyarados's skull as his long, limbless figure slithered in the dirt. Machoke had his shoulder lodged into the Atrocious Pokémon's cheek, his legs repeatedly kicking to ensure he didn't give an inch of ground.
Then friction seemed to give way and the two creatures passed one another. Chris was quick to call for another Earthquake. The idea of trading blows with their badly damaged foe seemed optimal until he remembered that Ampharos still waited in the wings. They needed to finish this with a single, direct shot.
"Bulk Up!"
Even with the earth shaking beneath him, Machoke's feet remained firmly planted. He brought both arms up, biceps flexing, then triceps, and then his shoulders. His pectorals pulsed to life, just like when he and Dobbs would do their morning pushups. The necklace that rested against them jostled both with the trembling floor and his chest's sudden growth; the Eviolite at the end of it held firm.
Once the ground had finally settled, Machoke slowly turned to face his rapidly approaching foe.
"Pivot with your left."
Trainer mirrored Pokémon as they both swung their right foot back. Gyarados's massive skull surged through a moment later, the rushing water around it slamming into Machoke's side. But the Fighting-type shrugged off the glancing blow, pressing off with his right foot, his left sliding in rhythm. The right-handed haymaker came too late to find Gyarados's head, but still landed flush against the creature's scaled side. The water serpent let out a terrifying roar as the fist sank into one of the scorch marks that now coated his exterior. His body swung violently to the side, even as his momentum continued to carry him forward.
Chris watched, jaw tighter than ever, as Gyarados tumbled across the battlefield, coming to an abrupt stop only a few feet from the barrier wall. He didn't need to wait to see if his teammate could continue.
"Gyarados is unable to battle!" the judge declared, raising a flag. "Contestant number eighty-four, please send out your final Pokémon."
"You did outstanding," Chris said quietly once his teammate was back in his capture device. "You've set me and Ampharos up for success. Thank you." He put away the Poké Ball with his left hand and brought out another with his right. He gave it a hard squeeze, then flung it into the air.
The moment she materialized from the device, Ampharos found herself already under attack. Spikes had appeared beneath and around her feet, stabbing both appendages and the legs they were attached to. Chris grimaced but refused to look away. He couldn't keep himself from flinching as she took a step and let out a cry. Another step brought more spikes and more pain. A third step finally brought her to the edge of the sharpened debris, but it took a great deal of strength to finally reach safe ground. They'd been so fortunate to have avoided Dobbs's elaborate set up for the entire battle. Yet here they were: caught in the trap at the worst possible moment.
Ampharos gave a shake, her fur bristling as the remaining spikes fell from her with a clank. She turned back to look at her trainer and he somehow found her with a composed expression. How had she recovered so quickly? Had she heard the situation from the announcer while still in her capture device or was it simply that obvious from the look on his face? Either way, he knew that she knew. This decided it.
"Begin!"
Machoke had already reared back to throw his stone before the judge had reached the last syllable. With a good amount of distance between them, it wasn't hard for Ampharos to destroy the projectile with Power Gem. Maybe Dobbs had thought the Electric-type would struggle more after landing in the entry hazard. Based on how excruciatingly painful it had looked, Chris wouldn't have blamed him. But the Cherrygrove native had chosen these three Pokémon with toughness and stamina in mind. Dobbs's preference for creatures that could soak up hits and dish heavy punishment back had prompted counters of equal measure. The retaliatory Thunderbolt that immediately followed proved just that. Machoke kept his feet planted and bent low as the bolt surged through his body. Bulk Up wouldn't protect him from Ampharos's long range attacks, but the fact that he could still hold his ground proved just how annoyingly effective that Eviolite was.
"Bulldoze!"
Shoot.
Chris had never known what the Super Power Pokémon's ability had been. At Luke's place, Dobbs had never let them see Machoke battle. But the fact that the Fighting-type had managed to score a blind hit on Gyarados with Smack Down had given Chris his answer. That clarity only added to his nerves now. With no way to avoid the super effective move, they'd have to try and gain the advantage in other ways.
"Cotton Spore!"
For the second time in this contest, Dobbs's teammate charged into a puffy pink cloud. The already lumbering creature emerged from the innocuous looking attack with all the speed of a tired Slowbro. Thick pink strands draped over Machoke's arms and torso as he ran. Or, at least, attempted to run.
With Machoke's No Guard ability still in effect, Chris knew it was only a matter of time before the heavy hit landed. But in that time Ampharos managed to land another well charged Thunderbolt. Her trainer gritted his teeth and looked closely for any signs of paralysis. It was hard to tell with Machoke moving so slow, but the Fighting-type answered his question a moment later when he planted his shoulder firmly into the Light Pokémon's sternum. The blow lifted Ampharos off the ground and deposited her on her back several feet away.
"Bulldoze again!"
Darn it.
Slow as he was, Machoke would still reach Ampharos before she'd recovered. And another super effective shot like that might just be all she wrote.
Chris's attention snapped from his teammate to their opponent upon seeing a flash of light. Machoke had only taken a couple steps before he doubled over clutching his shoulder. Sparks burst from the muscles, forcing the Superpower Pokémon to avert his gaze.
"Thunderbolt!"
This battle certainly didn't paint Chris in the most creative light, but that's the kind of sacrifice you make when there's only one attack your opponent doesn't resist. As he watched Ampharos make it back to her feet and discharge another bolt of electricity, he found that move variety wasn't the only negative in this repetition. The yellowish-white lightning that found its mark didn't carry the same size or speed as prior attacks. Now that he thought about it, between her battle with Skarmory and the current struggle, maybe he should be amazed she still had an electrical current at all. The Fighting-type dropped to a knee, his hand moving from his shoulder to the ground.
"Smack Down!"
"Power Gem!"
The stone Machoke threw managed to be large enough to shatter the biggest of Ampharos's projectiles. The rubble that made it through bounced harmlessly off the creature's toned physique; the same physique that now carried the Fighting-type toward Chris's teammate.
The Cherrygrove native eyed the Light Pokémon closely. Everything about her looked tired: her drooping head, her sagging shoulders, her shaking knees. He needed to save what little electricity still surged in her biological generator. That's when his eyes found her tail. It drooped like the rest of her body, but the red orb at the end still held a faint glow.
"Signal Beam!"
Ampharos's left leg buckled as she swung her body. The motion still carried enough momentum to whip her tail around as a bright green beam emerged from it. The concentrated stream of light didn't strike the oncoming Pokémon's chest like Chris had hoped. It did find Machoke's right leg, which nearly brought the creature toppling down. The Fighting-type fought to regain his balance and just managed to keep himself upright. It took him another second to continue his charge, but it wasn't nearly enough time for the exhausted Electric-type to exploit. Even now, Chris remained unsure of what attack they'd need to counter. Looking back at Ampharos, still down on her left knee, he wasn't sure how they could prepare for an attack.
The time had come.
Dobbs lifted up his right fist and brought his arm back in sync with his teammate. There was no need to call out an attack name; at this stage of the battle, with both creatures exhausted and Machoke's right shoulder in bad shape from paralysis, there was only one move he trusted to end this battle.
A visible electrical current had begun circling Ampharos. Looked like they were also pouring all their energy into one final shot. That was good. Machoke deserved that kind of respect. His first Pokémon had worked too hard, taken too much flack, to not be tested like a true warrior. Dobbs had never made it a habit of giving out compliments—one set of kind words had a nasty habit of making people expect them all the time—but Machoke had darn sure earned them. And after this punch connected, he'd keep earning them.
Only a couple strides separated the two Pokémon when Ampharos unleashed Thunderbolt. The attack didn't look nearly as large as any that had hit Skarmory, but that didn't keep it from stopping his exhausted teammate in his tracks.
"Push through," Dobbs said, keeping his voice as steady as he could. He took a large step forward and Machoke did the same.
Chris shouted something that sounded like encouragement but Dobbs paid it no mind. What respect he'd gained for the Cherrygrove native didn't extend much beyond his competency in battle. No amount of emotional encouragement would turn the tide now. This victory would be decided by the work put in beforehand. And Dobbs had poured weeks, no, months into making sure Machoke's body would be ready.
As if on cue, the Fighting-type muscled through to take another step. Dobbs mirrored his teammate once more as the Superpower Pokémon planted off his back foot and twisted, his fist flying forward. The surging electricity prevented the punch from carrying its normal speed, but Machoke's accuracy stayed consistent. The right hook connected just below one of Ampharos's conical ears. The Light Pokémon's head whipped the opposite direction, her thin neck twisting back with it. Then the rest of her body followed suit.
Dobbs made a full rotation as his own punch found nothing but air. When he'd spun back to face the battlefield, he found Ampharos almost completely horizontal to the ground, her arms waving limply as she fell. The Violet City native didn't get to see the rest of her collapse as Machoke's swiveling figure came between them. It was strange to see the Fighting-type's body turn that far on the follow through. He had twisted to the point that his upper half now faced his trainer. And that's when Dobbs caught sight of his first Pokémon's eyes.
It had been impressive to see just how much energy Ampharos had still possessed. The electricity completely washed over the Fighting-type, to the point that a bit of hopefulness had crept back into Chris's mind. Even as Machoke took one step, then another, he thought maybe his teammate wouldn't have to take another shot. She'd proven her toughness in countless battles before, and had lived up to it again in this one, but it was obvious she was on her last legs. Or maybe just one leg, considering how wobbly her left had become. Then that fist had flown out and caught his Pokémon in the head, and he'd known it was over.
Ampharos's legs swung out from under her as her upper body moved with the punch's trajectory. Her body half rotated in the air, then her back caught the ground, and she flopped down, arms spread.
Chris breathed out a short sigh, but before he could finish it, he caught sight of another toppling figure. "Oh, wow."
Machoke spun like he stood on a Hitmontop. His torso and head now faced away from Chris as his feet shuffled together, then in opposite directions. Like a dying tree whose roots had rotted away, he slowly collapsed, falling flat onto his stomach.
Chris knew there were still spectators in the stands; he could see several from the corners of his eyes. But the complete silence that followed had him wondering if he might be imagining them. Then again, even the judge stood frozen in surprise. She shook her head and took an awkward step forward.
"Both Pokémon have fainted," she called out, raising both flags. She paused, then returned one arm to her side. The remaining arm and its flag now pointed at Chris. "Based off the results of the pool, contestant number eighty-four will be advancing to the finals!"
Chris has done it. He's made it to the stage where names become icons and performance gives rise to legend. We know the brothers of destruction have also made it, but who else might be joining them in their final scramble to the mountaintop? What triumphs and setbacks await them all? How will friendships be tested? And can shattered dreams be recovered from? The stakes will escalate in more ways than one!
Thank you so much for your patience, your faithfulness, and your valuable time! I'm honored to continue writing and publishing if the Good Lord allows it! Tune in next time (hopefully sooner rather than later) for the continuation of Heart and Soul's Silver Conference! Please Review and Subscribe!
