Chapter 13: Power of Courage
A/N: I have uploaded this story on SpaceBattles and Sufficient Velocity as this platform was too glitchy, and people were finding it hard to give reviews. So, if you wish to make a comment regardless of what it is, you can do so on there. Just search up adapting to an unwanted life on those platforms to find it. I'm so excited to upload this chapter; it's my best one yet.
Chapter START
"Now, use Psybeam!" Athena quickly used the attack on the three floating target boards in front of her that the Duosion at the side was levitating. However, the psychic attack didn't come in its usual form. It was compact, less of a ring, and more of a projectile. Sarah suggested changing the attack into a more powerful version of itself after the pitiful damage it caused to the Dwebble.
Although she was going to use her against Whirlipede next time where psychic would be super effective, she wanted more power. She'd realised her screw-up. She would have most likely beaten the gym if she had listened to Burgh. Athena would have used her super effective moves against his Whirlipede and kept at range against its Steam Roller. At least she's learned and will face him again.
"Jump." Athena dodged a target that had flown past her. "And now, use Mystical Fire."
The target exploded into splinters that slowly burned to ash. This was the other move that would help wreck Whirlipede. Fire type moves are super effective against bug types. She also wanted to help her stamina by using this move as it took a lot out of her water reserves. She wasn't a fire type so it would be more draining on her, but if she kept practising the move then the conversion of water to hydrogen would be more efficient and would require less water, therefore less draining.
"HEEAAAH!" Athena blasted the next two targets with compact Psybeams. She huffed as sweat dripped down her dress and stained the sandy field. She was working harder than she ever had during a training session. She felt as though she wasn't progressing much, I mean, Theodore and Anubis at least won a match unlike her. No. She wouldn't allow herself to be weak. She wanted to be the strongest Gardevoir and she will achieve that.
Theodore watched Anubis demonstrate his martial arts techniques. It was basically karate with a few extra moves like boxing hooks and uppercuts. Sarah was right to pick Kraton. His body wasn't fit for karate. She subconsciously figured this out without even meaning to. She derived his strengths and weaknesses just like how he would. He's such a great influence.
"Stop," Theodore said as Anubis was in the middle of throwing a front kick. "These fighting techniques of yours, they're not going to work for you."
"What do you mean, this is the traditional martial arts of the Lucario line. We've been using it since we first came to be."
"Yeah, but it doesn't fit your style. You use power-based attacks in order to overpower your opponents, not mid-powered ones. This book has techniques from a martial art called Kraton. I've already read it and know it will be perfect for you It does require agility too, but you should have enough before the tournament starts."
Anubis stayed silent until he said.
"D-do I have to?"
"Of course, you want to become stronger don't you?"
"Yes, but it feels wrong. It's part of our tradition as a Riolu to useourmartial arts, not others. If I did it would break that tradition."
He saw Theodore cringe incredibly and then become angry like he had committed a sin. He raised a hand and backhanded Anubis. He fell to the ground. His eyes widened in shock as Theodore towered over him.
"Tradition, I don't care about tradition. It is a waste of time to believe in such things and I've already wasted enough time from losing to that gym. It's delayed my plans, so you better learn this you useless piece of shit."
He wanted to cry. He didn't expecthimof all people to say that, not his saviour. That word,useless,shook him to his core. The dark thoughts he thought he had ridden himself off were trying to come back, but he shook them off.
Theodore saw him stand up with tear-filled eyes that made his skin burn. His stone heart dropped. Seeing Anubis wear such a face compared to his usual innocent one felt incredibly wrong. He hated seeing him like that. Why Anubis compared to anyone else, even a human child, he doesn't know.
"I-I'm sorry."
"W-what?" Anubis didn't expect him to say that especially with that guilty look of his.
"You heard me and I'm not going to repeat it. Look, all I'm saying is that it will benefit you by a mile if you listen to what I said, trust me on that. Your body is better suited for Kraton. Not every Riolu or Lucario is the same so why use the same style if you're better off with something else? why not bring out your full potential?" He gave it a thought.
"You're right. I should at least give it a try." Theodore's advice hadn't failed him or the rest of the team yet, so he'll at least give it a go.
An hour into the training session where Theodore showed him the techniques and adjusted his stances as he used them, he'd realised what he was talking about. It was mindblowing. He had tested the ones he'd learned, the basics, on a small boulder that the Boldore had conjourned for him. The boulders felt like air. He destroyed them like they were nothing.
He looked at his fist.Such power.He knew he was different to other Riolus when his line prioritises agility compared to his power, but after seeing his performance he could now see why. He was simply not using a style suited to his body. Like revelation, Theodore was right.
"What did you mean by delay in your plans, what are trying to achieve?" Anubis asked.
"I made a deal with Sarah where if I helped her win the Unova League then she would take me to Spear Pillar in the Sinnoh region. That's the only reason I'm with you guys right now."
That didn't sound right. He didn't want it to sound right. He didn't want Theodore to leave and the thought that he was only with them for this goal and not because he cared about them felt wrong. He must be lying. There's just no way.
"You carry on practising while I learn my marital art, Veloctar." Theodore went to the other side of the battlefield and went over the diagrams of the book. Within an hour of going over each technique, he had learned them. It was easy after the excellent muscle control Cadence Illusion gave, and the fact that he was Theodore Nieoldiek. He could do anything. Mastering would take only a bit of practice.
"Alright, time's up," Theodore said. "Let's see what we've got."
Anubis was no slouch either. He went for an elbow strike to Theodore's head. Theodore, now knowing how to use his leg muscles better for quick dodging, easily jumped over the attack. He landed behind Anubis and gave him a punch at his back. Anubis gasped as he was hit in the kidney.
Theodore let him have a moment before Anubis went in with a quick jab which was ducked under. He used Detect when Theodore brought up his fist.
It will hit my chin.
He moved his head back slightly as Theodore's fist just brushed his fur before he sent a front kick to his stomach.
Theodore doubled over as the kick felt like a truck. He put a hand on his stomach and took a step back. He should have expected that after witnessing the destroyed boulders in the room. He smirked. He went in much quicker than before and precisely hit him just under his right ribcage before he could even react.
Anubis fell to the floor and wheezed as he held where his liver was.
"Ah, the classic liver shot. It expands your blood vessels and decreases your heart rate. You can't train for it, which makes it such a deadly weak point. Anyway, while you're huffing and puffing over there, I'll get us some water."
It took a few minutes for Anubis to recover from the unbearable pain, but he was happy. He was improving. The Boldore, who was sitting on the side, spoke.
"You know, he's like your dad," he said in a voice that sounded like tumbling rocks.
"A dad?"
"Yes, you have a dad don't you?"
"I never knew him, I was bought from a breeder from my previous trainer." He grimaced at the memory of Connor. "But was abandoned by him and taken in by my new team. This is the closest thing I have to a family, but I love them."
"Hmm, good for you. But even though I don't know your team's relationship, the one you and that Weavile show is like me and my son."
Anubis saw Theodore returning from the hallway with two bottles of water in his hands. He wondered.
Dad…
Sarah carried Athena in her arms. She overworked herself and was chastised not to do that again. She would get stronger, she just needed patience.
"So, how are you two progressing?" She asked despite not needing to when she saw how sweaty they were. Anubis was on his back while Theodore was leaning back on his arms. They all stunk including her. She did her own exercise in the gym and tried out weight lifting. She had to say, the burn felt good.
"Alright, misters and miss," she announced. "We're going to have a bath right now. No member of mine is allowed to stink."
Once they had one in the centre they moved to lunch. She used the specialised pokefood she bought from the grand mall. They were delighted when they ate. It was useful as it rejuvenated their specific needs based on their typing, for example, Theodore's had extra ammonium to help produce liquid nitrogen. Athena dunked down a water bottle that was double her size to bring her water reserves back to an optimum state.
She also added the Oran berries she got from N to help their recovery…she missed him.
This carried on for another two days and the day before the tournament was meant as a rest day.
It was the day of the tournament and she saw her first opponent on the stand opposite her. They were surrounded by locals sitting on the stands above them. They were mostly tourists and workers who had the day off. This was an exciting event to bring up their day. Don George stood on his own stand as the referee and announced how the tournament worked.
"This tournament has eight contestants. Each contestant has had an opponent randomly selected for them. They will face them in a battle of a one-on-one and the winner will progress to the next round while the loser is eliminated from the tournament. The winners will face against their next opponent and it will be a two-on-two battle. The final battle will be between the two remaining challengers who will have a three-on-three battle and the winner will take home $1000 and a trophy."
It sounded simple enough. The audience nodded at the rules.
Sarah's eyes turned into dollar signs.T-that's insane, 1 thousand! That will last me two months. I mean, I'm already high on funds due to winning so many battles and hardly losing, but still.
She drooled.So many Castelia Cones…
"The first battle of the day will be between Sarah Grace and Don Leland. This will be a one-on-one battle," Don George said. He pressed a button on his watch. "The challenger, Don Leland will show his Pokemon first."
Her opponent, another 12 year old boy who wore a green jumper, released his first Pokemon. It was between Anubis's and Athena's size. It had a grey body and purple limbs. Its head was like a helmet and showed two fierce yellow eyes. Its arms and head had a blade protruding from them while its body had multiple.
Sarah pulled out her pokedex to scan it.
"Pawniard. Blades comprise this Pokemon's entire body. If battling dulls the blades, it sharpens them on stones by the river."
It looks like a steel type. Then that means I'll choose…
"Anubis, you're up." She summoned the Riolu onto the sand and rocky battlefield.
"Pawniard, use Iron Head."
"Anubis, dodge it." The Pawniard shot off from its legs and pointed its head's blade towards him. It was like a rocket, but our duo smirked. Anubis simply stepped to the side and let it pass. The training wasn't nothing and she wasn't that fast to him.
Pawniard's head blade hit one of the protruding rocks and got it stuck in there. When it stood up the rock followed.
"Oh no!" Its trainer panicked.
"Oh yes," Sarah said. The trainer was inexperienced, it was clearly one of his first battles.Is this how I appeared in front of Burgh? "Use Brick Break on its side. Don't hit the rock stuck on it."
"Dodge it Pawniard!"
It became unsteady on its feet due to the rock that was almost as large as it was. Anubis, going into a Kraton stance, punched with a glowing fist on the side of its head. The stance enabled power to come out from his legs, to his hips, and then to his fist.
The crowd winced when the attack landed. Pawniard landed on the floor in front of Sarah's stand. It stood up unsteadily with a limp on its right leg. The move was super effective against its steel typing.
"Get close and use Fury Cutter."
Huh,Sarah thought.From the large distance between them, it would be better to use a long range attack especially when Anubis would overpower it in close combat. Unless it doesn't know one.
When Pawniard used the attacks, the blades on its arms glowed purple and slashed Anbuis. He dodged most but Pawniard had good aim. A few landed, but they didn't feel like anything.
"W-why didn't that do anything," Don asked.
"Bug type moves aren't very effective against my Riolu who's a fighting type. Now, use Quick Attack."
He tackled Pawniard in an instant, his momentum pushing it back to where it was. Now it was Sarah's turn to be confused. The attack didn't do much as Pawniard easily got up and dusted itself. She took her typing diagram out of her pocket and her eyes widened when she realised that normal type attacks are weak against steel types.
"Whoops," She said.
"This is looking to be an interesting battle, although, the power of each Pokemon shows a clear winner," Don George said. The crowd anticipated the ending of the battle coming.
"It's not over yet," Don, the challenger, said. "This move has been my winning move for all of my battles. Use Guillotine."
"Uh oh. If this move lands then it could be game over for Sarah. Guillotine is a devastating move and has a chance of making its victim faint if landing," Don George said.
"Anubis, don't worry, we've got this," Sarah said. Pawniar's blade extended massively and glowed a menacing blue before it jumped into the air. It brought down its claws. "Use detect and counter with a Brick Break."
He saw where the move would land. The blades would head straight down his head at a speed of 13m/s. However, he didn't see it as a number but as an instinct. He dodged back before the attack landed and Pawniard caused a large crator to form under them.
Not wasting the opening, he charged both fists with Brick Break and brought them down on its head, careful of the protruding blade. It fell facedown onto the crater and fainted.
"Pawniard is unable to battle, therefore making Sarah Grace the winner of the first battle of the tournament." The crowd went wild at the battle. It was so one-sided and showed them who the potential winner of the tournament would be.
"Aww, I lost," Don Leland said.
"Hey, don't worry about it," Sarah said.
"Huh?"
"I lost before because of my inexperience. I almost gave up on battling, but instead, I learned from my mistakes and became a better battler. Just learn from what mistakes you made in this battle like teaching Pawniard a ranged attack in case getting close to its opponents isn't an option."
"Thank you, I'll make sure to do that and get better." Don George nodded while smiling.
"And that is the sportsmanship we should all show to our opponents."
She watched the rest of the contestants as they battled. Her Pokemon were all in their pokeballs as those were the rules. It would keep the contestants and the audience on edge. Not all of the contestants were as inexperienced as her opponent. The most notable was Conner who used a Dragonair. A frickin Dragonair!
How he got that, she would have no idea. After an hour's break for everyone, it became her turn again. This time it was against a slightly older and bulky boy.
"The start of the second round has begun. It will be a two-on-two battle between Sarah Grace and Loid James." Don George pressed the button on his watch. "The challenger, Sarah Grace will show her Pokemon first."
"Athena, let's go and show everyone the results of your training." The little Ralts stood on her side of the field, guard up, and ready for anything. The girls in the stands were gushing crazily from her cuteness.
"Come out Quilladin." A Pokemon that looked like a large porcupine stood firmly. It was quite large and had two large spikes protruding from its back. Its green armour told Sarah what its type was.
A grass type and it's large, so it's slow. I'm glad Athena was picked. Not many people would think a Ralts can learn a fire type move, so they will get the burn of their lives.
"You can start this off," Sarah said.
"Thank you. Quilladin, use Pin Missile."
Athena turned her head slightly. Sarah nodded, knowing what she was thinking. Athena saw the missile coming at her. There were six of them. She jumped back for three of them, then to the left for the next two, and then dashed forward for the last. She still maintained a good distance from the Quilladin.
"Mystical Fire!" She breathed out her flames. It cried out in pain as the flame encompassed him whole. The fire was a brilliant combination of the colors red, orange, and yellow which made the audience stare in awe. They had been working on this move relentlessly.
"You're going to pay for that," Quilladin said, his body scorched.
"I hear you, my friend. Use Take Down while she's close," Loid said.
"Yes, but Take Down which one," Sarah said.
"Huh?"
"Use Double Team."
The Quallidan charged with normal type energy and if it hit Athena, with his bulky body, it would have done a lot of damage against her small frame. Unfortunately for the two, he hit a clone which dispersed. He looked around at the many Ralt's surrounding him.
"Use Pin Missile again, hit them all."
6 Pin Missiles against another five clones. Loid smirked as each of them dispersed a clone until one remained with a glowing projectile shooting towards her.That one!He was about to order his Pokemon to use Take Down on that one, but to his shock, it was another clone.
W-where is she?
Athena had hid behind a boulder and was close to the Quilladin.
"Another Mystical Fire and make it a large one."
She blew a massive flame which made him scream in agony. She could smell the smoke coming from him.
This is over now,Sarah thought. To her shock, Quilladin remained up although he was on one knee.
"Quickly, Mud Shot on her eyes." He conjourned on each hand mud that was dense and sticky. Athena was close and couldn't dodge in time. She tried to rub the mud off but it was stuck.
"Use Vine Whip to grab her." He wrapped two of his Wine Whips on her. She couldn't break out of the grip. "Now throw her."
She hit a boulder which cracked. Luckily, they also trained a bit on her endurance so she was mostly fine.
Sarah bit her lip. She got cocky again and almost paid the price.
Athena was growing frustrated. She had trained for three days straight and she still hasn't finished the battle against the pure grass type. She's ending this now!
"Sarah!" She growled.
"I hear you," Sarah said. "Use Confusion."
"Dodge it." But he couldn't. He was too large and slow. He was built like a tank and was vulnerable to status-changing attacks. Confusion landed and now he couldn't understand the world around him.
"Get in close and end this with another Mystical Fire." If this time he didn't go down then they deserved to lose this match. Fortunately, the beautiful fire ended the grass type and caused him to faint.
"Damn it. You did well. Have a good rest." He recalled him. "You may have beaten him, but you won't beat my Sunkern."
He summoned the seed Pokemon.
"That'ssupposed to be stronger than a Quilladin?" Sarah asked.
"You'd be surprised."
Sarah thought of keeping Athena and using Theodore for the next round, but she would be too tired for that battle and she would be down to two Pokemon. She got out her chart. Grass types are weak against ice types and Theodore beats Anubis in getting close to his opponent. Theodore, it is.
"Athena come back. You've made me proud."
"Ralts." She aknowledged delightfully.
"Theodore, it's your turn."
"What the fuck am I looking at?" He was excited to see how well his new martial arts would do until he saw his opponent. A twat with no limbs.
"Oh my god, it's you! Wait…" The Sunkern narrowed his eyes on the Weavile checking if his assumption was correct. "It is. You saved me back in Nacrene City."
"That was you?!" He was dumbfounded. Surely this was a coincidence, but how many times is this going to happen to him? Shinigami was at play here, but what lesson would he want him to learn this time?
"And this time, I'll show you what I can do. I may not have been able to help you before, but I've improved a lot since then."
Theodore cracked his knuckles.
"He, we'll see about that."
"Sunkern, use Leaf Storm." He summoned a Leaf Storm that was almost on par with Burgh's Leavanny. Theodore's eyes widened as he barely dodged the attacked that he didn't expect to have much speed or power. If it wasn't for his dodging technique then that would have hit. "And now use Solar Beam."
Now that he expected it, he easily dodged the attack and got in close to the seed. He summoned a Shadow Claw and gave him a horizontal slash. He yelped before falling forward to the floor. Theodore stood in front of his fallen foe and scoffed.This was too easy.
Sarah didn't like Loid's smirk.
"Vine Whip," he simply said. The stem on top of Sunkern was already by Theodore's feet. They extended and coiled around them.
"What!" Theodore shouted.
"That was sneaky," Sarah said to Loid.
"Sometimes you have to be. Spin him around smash him to the wall." With a surprising amount of strength, he lifted Theodore up and did so. Theodore quickly got off the wall and growled. He was first curious how such a little creature could lift him up when he was over 5x his size then it turned to anger. He said he was an inferior creature back in the cages, so he wouldn't let himself be defeated like this.
He used Ice Beam and froze the Sunkern in place. He had become an ice cube. He charged his Shadow Claws and went down on him. Sunkern fell back.
To Theodore's surprise, he slowly got up despite taking a super effective move and a few Shadow claws.
"Just stay down damn it."
"N-no, I'm not useless."
Useless.That's what Anubis called himself back in his self destruction in the Dreamyard. That word was a phobia to him and after their first training session in the Battle Club, he'd been careful of using that word.
The Sunkern was now trying to prove himself as Anubis did.But Anubis proved himself. He's a fantastic Pokemon no matter what anyone says and he could give me a slightly tough time. This Sunkern though…
Was also starting to give me a tough time.
He had to end this now. He was starting to get too annoyed with it. He used a Veloctar overhead slash. The seed Pokemon's weak point, by his hypothesis, should be just between the stems on his head. The attack made him faint.
"Sunkern!" his trainer shouted.
Theodore was tempted to leave him and walk away, but he felt reluctant. He couldn't lie, the attacks the Sunkern pulled off were deadly. He lifted him up.
Sunkern started to cry.
"Y-you're right. I'm u-useles-"
"OI!" Theodore startled him. "Even though you're still inferior to me, I'm not going to lie, that was an interesting battle. You had me in a bit of a pinch there. You may not have been able to beat me but you've proven yourself."
"R-really."
"Yes, now fuck off before I change my mind." Theodore saw Sunkern smile brightly before he was recalled. It made him feel fluttery.
"That was a good battle," Loid said, going in for a handshake.
"Thank you. Your Pokemon were tough. I'm surprised by how tanky they were."
"Yeah, a lot of grass types are suited that way. I hope you win the finals. I heard that guy, Connor, is a total jerk."
"I will," Sarah said confidently.
"I'm…going to the…battlefield," Theodore said after lunch in English. He licked his lips from the ice type pokefood.So delicious.He wanted to practise a little more on Cadence Illusion.
"Anubis, what are you doing he-" Anubis was still eating lunch, so no, it couldn't be him. He sniffed the scent in the air. The Riolu practising his strikes on the boulders Boldore conjoined belonged to a different trainer. He smelled different. A Pokemon's scent was how they could be told other apart and their genders.
He didn't need to sniff his scent when he saw the two golden rings he was wearing on his right ear. They must have been expensive.
The strikes were impressive. They were the traditional martial arts Anubis was talking about for his species except it worked well for this Riolu. The techniques were performed beautifully, balancing grace with effectiveness.
Theodore went to the other side of the field to practise Cadence Illusion. He wondered who this Riolu belonged to.
Anubis needed a shit. He told Sarah and she directed him to the Pokemon toilets.
"Hey, watch it!" A trainer said bumping him around the corner.
"S-sorr-" The words died in his mouth. He looked up and saw a very familiar trainer. It was then, while the trainer's shadow loomed over him, that he remembered what happened that day in the abandoned Dreamyard. How he was called out of his pokeball. How he was tied up and left to die. How Connor kicked him to the floor and told him how useless of a Pokemon he was.
He let out a scream for help. This was it. This was where he would be put down for good.
"Ouch, dude. What's your problem?" Connor said while holding his ears.
Sarah rushed to where they were after hearing her brother's scream.
"What's going on here, what were you trying to do?!" She demanded before picking Anubis from the ground and shielding him behind her.
Athena had rushed towards them too but her small legs made her have to catch up to Sarah. She huffed in place. She was about to ask what in the Reversal World made her run like that, but she sensed it through her horn. Anubis's utter fear, and it was towards the human who wore some expensive clothing, from Leavanny's Thread if she remembered correctly from the advertisements on TV.
"You better have a good explanation," Sarah said.
"I didn't do anything. Your Riolu was the one who bumped into me and then screamed for some reason."
Sarah mused. She thought he was lying, thinking he wanted Anubis to be part of his 'expensive' team or whatever.But then what could get Anubis to be like this?He was still shivering behind her and used her legs as cover from Connor.
Athena pulled on her arm, her usual smile had a very grimace-looking face instead. She wrapped her hands around her mouth then coiled them around her arms. She was signing something.
…
No. No, it couldn't be.
"Anubis, was this your previous trainer.?" She asked as calmly as she could.
He slowly nodded and she felt a fury she had never felt before in her life.
"How could you, he's only a child!" She said to Connor.
"Wait, was that the Riolu from the Dreamyard? Ha, I never thought I would see you again. So, how is he, pretty useless isn't he? I bet he couldn't win one battle for you." Anubis winced fromthatword.
"So, you admit it you heartless piece of shit." Athena winced. That was the first time she had ever sworn and it didn't fit her. Sarah stomped towards him and was about to sock him in the face.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he said while looking at the camera behind her in the corner of the hallway. She didn't even see that. For him to notice it that quickly showed he's done similar things in the past. This was how he was never caught.
But hah, jokes on him.
"You've admitted to your crimes on camera. I can have you arrested for that and you know the charge for the killing of your Pokemon partner." Every child was taught it as it broke the Great Pact, something that was ingrained into them. "You will either be arrested for life or have the death sentence at most."
"But for what, I didn't do anything."
"You literally just ad-"
"I said that I saw a Riolu in the Dreamyard, not abandon one there. He wasn't my partner and it isn't a crime to leave a dying Pokemon to its fate. You can't get me arrested." He grinned so meticulously she wanted to rip his face off. "I'm surprised you took him in and are still in this tournament."
"He's better than you think, he just needed a trainer who could actually raise him." He frowned at the insult.
"We're both going to face each other in the finals. There we'll see who is right. You or me." He walked past and went to the cafeteria. She picked Anubis up and wiped his tears away.
"Don't worry about him Anubis, he's wrong. You are one of the best Pokemon in the world and in the finals we'll show him that, okay."
He nodded weakly. Athena sensed the lack of willpower within him and it was replaced with depression. She hoped he would be up by the finals at least. She hated seeing anyone sad, but it was the worst when it was from her team.
"The third and final round between Sarah Grace and Connor Winchester is about to begin. This will be a three-on-three battle. Whoever wins this will win the tournament and $1000," Don George said which made the crowd anticipate the battle more. He pressed the button on his watch. "Connor will bring his Pokemon out first."
"Come out Dragonair, let's show these peasants what we're about." He summoned the long blue snake creature with a blue underbelly. It had a small blue horn on its head and had beautiful brown eyes. It had a small wing on the sides of its head that were able to get it to fly short distances.
A dragon type and one that can fly a bit. I know that Dragonairs are a balance between long range and close range. Athena would probably be best with her long range attacks and her fairy typing. Yeah, that'll work.
"Out Athena." She would take the first move. "Use Psybeam."
"Fly." He dodged the compact Psybeam by going into the air. "Use Aqua Tail."
"Don't dodge it. Use Confusion." Athena listened despite feeling a pang of anxiety of the attack coming towards her. The ring was absorbed by Dragonair and his large derpy eyes showed the attack had worked. Her normal strategy isn't a bad one she just needed to have some backup ones. "Hah, now he won't be able to follow your commands. How's that for a peasant."
"Tch, don't think you've one yet."
"Use Psybeam and make it some hard ones." Athena kept shooting as many as she could. Each one had hit and thrown the Dragonair further back towards his trainer's stand. Athena felt a headache at using so many psychic attacks at once.
"Dragonair, snap out of it! Use Thunderbolt!" Dragonair shook his head and had quickly ridden his status effect. His body charged with electricity and it shot out towards Athena.
"Dodge it, then get closer and use Mystical Fire." She went to the middle of the field and attacked. The Dragonair screamed in pain but the girls were shocked at the lack of scorch marks. Sarah quickly looked at her diagram and realised her mistake. Fire type moves were not super effective against dragon types.
"Use Dragon Tail."
"Just charge as many Psybeams as you can. Don't worry about the attack." The world was starting to feel blurry. Her headache increased as she charged six Psybeam projectiles around her. The Dragon Tail only pushed her back.
"What?!"
"Dragon type attacks do nothing against fairy types. Now take this. Fire." The projectiles had hit and caused a large form of smoke. "No."
The Dragonair, though clearly damaged, stayed standing on his tail. Sarah growled. There's a reason the Dragonite line was rare and hard to get. When raised properly, they were one of the most powerful non-legendary Pokemon in the world.
"Fireblast!" The attack was in the form of a kanji and almost landed on Athena if she hadn't dodged it. It caused the area she was in to break into pieces.
Athena started to see red. She's NOT going to lose this. Sarah didn't give a command and wondered for a strategy. It was clear that Connor just relied on his team to overpower their opponents so Athena was tempted to use her Confusion strategy again.
She didn't wait. She charged another Psybeam despite her headache. She compressed it as small as she could. Smaller and more compacted. Like an instinct that awakened in her, The projectiles glowed and formed missiles. 2 more formed and she shot them like rockets at the Dragonair who didn't see it coming. It was Psyshock.
It caused a loud explosion and after silence from the challengers, the ref, and the crowd, they saw Dragonair faint and lay limp on the ground.
"Draonair has fainted. Connor, bring in your next Pokemon."
"How could that tiny little thing beat my Dragonair?"
Athena held her head as the recoil from the attack kicked in. Sarah recalled her to be used later if she needed to. She didn't protest against the beam.
"Come out Togekiss," Connor said. The beautiful flying type got the crowd rowding.
"Theodore, it's your turn."
"Let's kill this bitch," Theodore said in pokespeech.
"How uncouth. I'll clean that filthy mouth of yours," The Togekiss said with an aunty voice.
"Togekiss, use Air slash." Togekiss went into the air momentarily before charging at Theodore. He smirked. He charged his Shadow Claw. When she came close, he dashed forward and attacked behind himself. The Veloctar technique getting a cry out of her. "No, use Moonblast."
Theodore tried to get her before she could finish charging her attack and charged his ice beam. Togekiss charged it up surprisingly fast due to her genetics. Both attacks had hit. She became encased in an ice cube which felt like cold fire against her skin due to it being super effective.
Theodore also felt searing pain as the beautiful ethereal beam blasted him through a boulder.
That Moonblast attack was a fairy type attack and super effective against him. I didn't realise at first, but Togekiss's appearance does show traits of a fairy type.Sarah thought.
Theodore got up while holding his left shoulder. It was aching badly. His fur had small rocks stuck in them from the boulder.
Fuck, now I have to end this quickly.
"Go into the air again and keep using Moonblast," Connor said, seeing the effectiveness of the attack. Theodore kept dodging them expertly despite the pain in his left arm everytime he moved.
After the eighth shot, Togekiss stumbled in the air. The fairy type energy was draining her. Theodore started to walk around her. He didn't know if being in the air would cause Cadence Illusion to not work, but tried anyway.
Togekiss felt nauseous from watching him. It's like she forgot how to fly, its motions, and she plummeted to the ground. Theodore grinned sadistically. The move worked better than he thought. He went in with both Shadow Claws, ignoring the pain in his left arm.
"No, you won't. Togekiss, use Protect. We can't let these dweebs win. I swear, if we lose this, I'm selling you." If she could hear him she would have cried. She did so much just to stay with him despite how much pain it caused. She felt several slashes on her after failing to summon the shield. She was already drained from her attacks and she couldn't get back up.
With an Ice Beam, she fainted.
"Togekiss is unable to battle, which means Connor is left with one final Pokemon. If he loses the next battle then he'll lose the tournament."
"Hah," Sarah laughed. "I still have all my Pokemon. Look at all that talk and it's gone down the drain."
"Shut up, shut up, shut up. My last Pokemon will destroy every single one of yours just watch!"
Theodore had to go back. His arm was screwed. He probably couldn't win against his next Pokemon. Sarah was about to recall him but he held up his hand. He wanted to see this potentially last round.
"It's a good thing you left that poor excuse of a Riolu of yours for the end," Connor said. "Fine, you can win this tournament, but my Riolu will triumph."
Theodore's eyes widened when the same Riolu he'd seen in the training area appeared. He was wearing those two golden rings on the ear. The Riolu got into a fighting stance and smiled confidently, not arrogantly like his trainer.
He tugged on Sarah's sleeve and shook his head when she was about to summon Anubis.
"He's not going…to win," he spoke in English.
"Of course he is. Haven't you seen our track record? One more win and that's it."
"No, I've…seen that Riolu fight…Anubis isn't strong enough." Sarah pulled her shirt out of his grip.
"He can win. He WILL win. As the person he looks up to the most, you should have more faith in him."
He groaned and shook his head. This wouldn't end well. Many calculations went through his head and they all showed Anubis losing.
Faith, what an unyielding concept.
Anubis was summoned and stood without his guard up. He looked past the other Riolu and saw the sharp eyes of Conner before looking at the ground.
"Anubis," Sarah called out. "Breath." She did the motions and he copied. Things were still as blurry.
"I-I can't do this!" He yelled.
Athena, despite being in the pokeball, sensed the huge trauma he was facing. The memories of how he was abandoned by the one who was supposed to look after him. She cried within the hut of the habitat the pokeball built. It was too much. She couldn't stand sensing his sadness. She broke out of the pokeball to everyone's surprise.
"Ralts!"
"You want to fight?" Sarah asked.
"Ra-Ralts." She nodded before wincing and holding her head. "Don't worry Anubis, I've got this."
"Are you sure?" He asked. "But your injur-."
"Don't worry about them. I don't want to see you sad."
He went to sit at the side by Sarah's stand. He felt guilty. He was making Athena battle for him.
"How pathetic. I told you he couldn't battle for jack," Connor said.
"Shut up. You're the one who did this." Sarah growled.
"Riolu, use Stone Edge." He conjourned many pointed spear-like rocks and they rocketed towards her.
"Dodge them." The last one hit her dress and pinned her to the adjacent boulder. She tried to yank it off but the rock was wedged in there.
"Now's our chance, use Metal Claw!"
Athena grunted and started to get nervous. Her dress just wasn't coming out. Riolu's claws extended and became encased in steel type energy. He swiped at her face. She screamed as some of hair were cleanly sliced off. The move was super effective. Luckily, that managed to force herself out of the rock, leaving a bit of her dress with it.
She huffed. She wouldn't be able to go for much longer.
"Use Psyshock."
"Dodge them." He managed to evade the first two projectiles but got hit by the last. He grunted as it hit him clean in his chest.
"Athena!" Anubis yelled as she went on one knee and held her head. She felt a tear dripping down her right cheek..
"D-dont' worry Anubis. I-I've got this." He could see through the forced smile. One more hit with a Metal Claw and it was over. He growled and gripped the sides of his fur tightly.
I can't watch this. What am I doing? My sister is getting pummeled for my sake while I'm just watching.
He couldn't take it anymore.
"Use Metal Claw."
"Double Team." She didn't have the energy to summon any clones. She dropped to the ground after the Riolu brought down his claws.
"Athena has fainted therefore Sarah only has two Pokemon left," Don George said.
"Thank you, Athena. You have a good rest. I promise we'll win this." Her shirt was grabbed by Anubis. She almost took a step back due to the fury in his eyes.
Someone had cared for him enough to sacrifice themselves. He wouldn't let their sacrifice go in vain.
He went to his side of the field and got into his Kraton stance, earning a strange look from his Riolu counterpart.
"Well well, look who decided to show himself," Connor said. Anubis tried his best to ignore him.
Don't think about him. Focus on the 'mon in front.
"Use Stone Edge."
"Quick attack to dodge and get close." When he got to the Riolu's face he sent a roundhouse kick to his head. His base leg slipped slightly and it was easily dodged.
"Hurgh!" The Riolu sent a front snapping kick to his stomach. He held it as he distanced himself back. The Riolu's technique was of their traditional martial arts, one he couldn't perform well. This discouraged him further.
Theodore shook his head in dismay. This was what he talking about, the skill difference was clear.
"Now High Jump Kick," Conner said. The Riolu's leg charged with a huge amount of fighting type energy before he jumped quicker than Anubis could react and hit him with the attack. Anubis was sent through a couple of boulders.
"Oh no, Anubis!" Sarah called out.
He stayed lying on the floor.
"I told you. My Riolu is better in every way. I bought him with the specifics of having a strong egg move such as High Jump Kick. Yours is useless. You hear that. Loser, loser, loser."
The crowd's dismayed reaction along with everything else was cut off from Anubis.
Useless.
That was what he uttered in their last battle together.
He struggled to get up. Was he even breathing anymore?
"Low Kick."
He went face flat to the floor again. He could feel the sandy ground rubbing his skin and getting stuck in his fur.
The low kick reminded him of his fall after being tied up at the Dreamyard.
Get up.
I don't want to.
Get up!
I'm not worth it.
"GET UP!"
"Ow!" He held the side of his head as his body automatically got up. He was surprised to find one of the Stone Edge on the floor beside him. Theodore stood beside Sarah's stand with the most furious gaze ever.
"You little shit! If you don't beat the crap out of that blue bitch then I'll come over there and kick you ass."
"B-but-"
"But nothing. When I saw you in the Dreamyard, I saw your resolve when you wanted to show the whole world that you weren't useless, that you'll become amongst the strong. You've proven yourself thus far or maybe you want to go back to that abandoned laboratory and know that forever, you were a loser. Is that what you want, HUH?"
He was practically shouting although everyone else had just heard him screaming his name.
"Then get your shit together. I've taught you Kraton. Win this."
Theodore showed a fiery passion in his cool blue eyes that even he wasn't aware of. All of this, just for him?
…
He got into his stance, this time it was perfect just like they practised.
"Riolu." He looked over his shoulder and nodded at Sarah. She nodded back.
"Use Swift." He shot out stars.
Theodore watched while nervously shivering. This was the first time he went against his logical thinking in a strategic way. There was no thought or calculations, just…faith. He tightened his fists.
Please, win this.
"Stone Edge." The two attacks met and formed a large cloud of dust. Sarah smirked. This was part of her plan. Anubis rushed towards the Riolu.
"Didn't you learn from last time, High Jump Kick." Sarah looked at Theodore. She had seen some of the pages of Kraton before giving it to him to teach Anubis. There was a page blocking this type of attack. Theodore shouted.
"NOW, tighten your stance and focus your weight on your left leg." The Riolu was stunned as the attack that was supposed to be one of high damage had hit Anubis's shin and did nothing. Actually, it hurt HIM instead.
"Brick Break," Sarah said. Anubis combined the attack with a cross punch of Kraton and smashed the Riolu back, sending him to the floor where Connor just stared in shock.
"N-no. This can't be happening. I won't allow it. Get up you stupid dog and use Metal Claw." The Riolu slowly got up, charged his claws and attacked. It was dodged. Anubis gave the kick he tried to use earlier.
He focused, more than he had before on a move, special or not. This time, he got it right and it landed on the Riolu's jaw giving a loud crunch. It made some of the crowd wince.
That's it!Theodore thought as some of his anxiety was lifted.And with perfect technique, impressive.
"Don't stop, use Brick Break!" His move changed. While the Riolu was getting up he was able to focus on nothing but him. Nearly everything was cut off. It was like using detect but on the offensive. His fist charged blue and he uppercutted his opponent's chest.
The Riolu was sent flying into the air. He couldn't breath and came down to Connor's stand like a ragdoll. They collided. Connor growled as he held his Riolu.
"Listen, I paid a lot of money for you. If you don't win this then I'll throw you into the forest and leave you there just like I did with so many of you," he said silently. Riolu gulped and gave a weak nod.
He dropped to his side of the battlefield and tried his best not to double over. That hit was unlike anything he'd felt before.
"That move was Focus Punch, yay!" Sarah said. "Use Swift."
"You use Stone Edge and make it a big one."
"Don't let him, make yours even bigger." They both stood in their places and kept charging their attacks, putting in all of the respective type energies into them. They sent their attacks at the same time. Each of the spear-like rocks and stars burst when contacting. After the many projectiles had disappeared, they saw who had the remaining left. 5 stars hit the Riolu when he didn't expect it. He yelled in pain before falling back, swirls in his eyes.
Everyone was silent.
"W-we did it. We did it!" Sarah said before jumping into the air with her arms going high. She jumped to the field and picked Anubis up.
Connor growled.
"T-this can't-no." He looked at the Riolu who was being picked up by his new trainer.He will pay.
"Congratulations, Sarah Grace, you are the winner of this tournament," Don George said and the crowd cheered loudly. She and Anubis waved back as he was on her shoulder. This was what she wanted. She took in the glory. It was such an experience.
She let Anubis down. He was shocked when he felt something on his head. Theodore ruffled it and wore a smile that showed pride and sadism.
"You beat him you fucking little shit. Good job." He wanted to cry from utter joy.
"Rio!"
Don George gave the small trophy, £1000, and treatment for her Pokemon. They were healed but in a ruffled state. They would need a bath. When walking through the hallway the team didn't expect to see Connor walk towards them. He wore fury fit for the spoiled child.
"You!" He shouted at Anubis and walked towards him. "I should have just killed you instead of leaving you in the Dreamyard." There were no cameras in the hallway. "That way you still wouldn't have caused me issues. Why couldn't you have just died like the mutt you are."
"Hey!" Sarah was about to protect him, but he stopped her and walked towards Connor.
"I don't need you. You were wrong, I'm not useless. My team here has shown me what a true family is. Something you couldn't do with all that money." He was shouting and despite not understanding exactly what he said, they could understand the meaning behind them. "I was haunted because of you and what you did, but I managed to power through because of them. They've shown me power, they've shown me love, so go away! I'm not bound to you anymore."
"You brat!" Anubis closed his eyes when he tried to backhand him.
Nothing came.
He opened them to see Theodore grip Connor's arm. There was a deadly expression on his face. One that showed extreme danger.
Theodore only had one thought in his head.
I will break his arm.
It was that simple and it would be done, just like anything else that unleashed his true fury.
"S-stop, you're hurting me." The grip got tighter. It's impossible for a normal grip strength to break the bones in the forearm, and despite being a Pokemon, Connor was an enhanced human. It didn't matter though, hewillbreak his arm.
Sarah and Athena were trying their best to get his grip off. They pulled him, tried to remove each individual finger, and a few other things, but they didn't work. A dark ethereal wisp surrounded his arm. It was similar to Shadow Claw but this was darker, physically and metaphorically. His angered eyes turned feral and his clenched teeth started to enlarge. Drool came out as he growled. Something was happening with his body.
The grip got stronger as the wisps started to solidify on his arm forming a gauntlet. You could hear the cracking until…
SNAP
Connor fell back screaming on the floor while holding his right forearm which was bent at a very wrong angle. What was also shocking was when Theodore's body turned back to normal and the wisps disappeared, but he gripped his right arm and screamed in pain louder than Connor.
Sarah quickly swept him up and ran to Don George's medical sector again. The screaming didn't stop. It needed a look into by Nurse Joy who Don George called and luckily she was available.
"Alright." She held the scan in her hand. Theodore was sat up in the medical bed with a cast over his arm. "So somehow he built a load of lactic acid in his forearm."
"What's that," Sarah asked.
"It's what causes that burning feeling in your muscles when you exercise. The more you do then the more it builds. When you breath normally and rest it will naturally go away, but if you keep pushing yourself without stopping then it will crystallise and get stuck in your muscles."
Theodore looked at his arm in the cast. He knew how lactic acid worked, but he should have felt the pain build up gradually. Instead, he felt it after they crystallised. And that power…
What was that, I've never seen it before in the anime?
"I had to perform an emergency surgery with my Audino to take them out. He'll fully recover within three days, but he can't do anything with his arm until then."
"Understood. Thank you, Nurse Joy," Sarah said.
"No problem."
They all walked out of the Battle Club. Today had been one hectic day for everyone. They simply went to the center, took a bath, Theodore being careful with his cast, and went to sleep.
But before two of them could. With N no longer here, it no longer became cramped for Team Sarah as Theodore and Anubis shared the second bed.
"Hey, Theodore."
"Yeah?"
"I just want to say, thank you. You helped me in that battle to get over my fear and fight. You helped me win." He didn't stop. "And you've been helping me ever since you found me. Whether it came to looking after, supporting or just raising me, you were the main one there."
Theodore listened.
"Heh, no problem kid. You've done well yourself. I don't respect people and I still have certain views about Pokemon, but you… you're amazing." Anubis smiled before tucking further under the duvet.
"Goodnight…..dad.
Theodore's eyes widened. He turned but Anubis had slept instantly.
H-he just called me dad.
He didn't know what to think. His thoughts had completely stopped and left him to stare at Anubis's face.He called me dad.
The moonlight shined through the window of the room and hit Anubis's sleeping face. Theodore unconsciously caressed his cheek. He felt the soft blue fur and then slowly ruffled his head. That cute nose, those adorable ears, the innocence shown on this child's face.
"Goodnight….…..…son."