Chapter 11
Harry heard a strange sound from behind him but Ria and John had already reacted with John getting between Harry and the attack and Ria moving towards the attacker.
Ria started to condense aura into a sphere in between her paws before launching it towards the hedge where the attack came from leading to a cry coming out once the aura sphere hit it. Climbing out of the hedge was a Jangmo-o that was obviously injured and was soon going to faint, behind it Dudley's overweight frame exits the hedge and he looks down at the Jangmo-o in disgust.
"Really taken out by such a weak move, I have half a mind to just release you and be done with your weakness."
Harry felt nothing but utter loathing and hatred for his cousin at that moment, and pity for the Pokémon that had been given to his worthless cousin. As he watched the Jangmo-o struggle to stay standing and continue the fight Harry just wanted to punch his cousin in the face for what he is putting his partner through.
Then slowly an idea forms in Harry's head and with determination Harry bends down to whisper into Johns ear and hopefully help Jangmo-o just as he had helped John.
"Hey Dudley, how about a bet." Harry places his hand on Johns head and makes him stay as he moves up to beside Ria to address his cousin.
"What kind of bet would I make with a disgusting freak and weakling like you?" His cousin asked in contempt.
"One where if you win you get my whole team and I have to replace them all with new members." The tone in Harry's voice showed that he wasn't bluffing or joking but making an actual deal with his cousin.
Dudley shrugs and tries to act as if he doesn't care but the excitement behind his beady eyes and the way he simple grins shows what he thinks of this bet. "So what's the bet then freak."
Harry has to hold back a grin before telling his cousin what he has planned.
"We have a real Pokémon battle, one each, loser gives over their entire team, I'll even let you pick which of my team you will fight."
The look in Dudley's eyes shine even brighter as he looks to Salazar wrapped around Harry's neck, before he looks back up to his cousins face and a smile of pure arrogance spreads across his face.
"Fine but let me heal up this weakling first then we'll fight, dragon against dragon."
In Harry's mind he's cackling at his cousin for his error but holds off from doing so and simply nods and walks to the battle arena set up in the park waiting for his cousin to get ready while he checks that Salazar is ready. As he finishes with checking to see if Salazar is ready, which the little Dreepy more than shows he is, Harry looks across the battle arena at his cousin who simply had just feed the Jangmo-o a potion and without checking for any other problems throws it out onto the field.
Harry's blood boils at the site but he holds himself back for now and simply motions for Salazar to enter the field and prepare for battle.
"Alright this battle is a one vs one Pokémon battle, winner gets the other trainers team upon winning the battle, do you agree to the terms Dudley?"
Instead of agreeing Dudley simple yells out to his Jangmo-o with a move Harry though Dudley wouldn't use during this fight.
"Jangmo-o use tackle and knock that pathetic thing into the dirt."
The Jangmo-o leaps forward and tries to tackle Salazar but instead of hitting him, the Jangmo-o simply passes through him and falls to the ground confused. Dudley is in the same boat as his Pokémon, but once the surprise wears of he is quickly calling cheating and that Harry should give his team over as forfeit for his cheating ways.
"Maybe if you actually paid attention in school cousin you would know that normal type moves don't affect ghost types." The grin on Harry's face almost hurt his cheeks from how wide it is, and before his cousin can try and call him out for cheating again Harry tells Salazar to use dragon tail.
A sheen of light seems to envelop Salazar's tail before with a flash of movement he hits the Jangmo-o with the broad side of his tail knocking the Jangmo-o back towards Dudley.
The Jangmo-o hadn't been knocked out but it was definitely hurt by that move, as Dudley yelled at his Jangmo-o to get back up and us dragon breath on Salazar, Harry was praising Salazar before telling him to hit the Jangmo-o with another dragon tail.
Again a sheen envelopes Salazar's tail and with the broad side he hits Jangmo-o again, leading to the poor thing to finally faint and thus ending the battle in victory for Harry once again. Dudley simply stands there dumbfounded for a moment before rage spreads across his face and he storms towards the fainted Jangmo-o.
Harry motions Ria forward and she immediately jumps between Dudley and the fainted Jangmo-o making him stop short before directing his anger at Ria for getting in his way.
"Get out of my way you weak and pathetic excuse for a Pokémon, I have to discipline that weakling for failing me."
Ria simply stood her ground and stared down at the poor excuse of a trainer, meanwhile Harry had just finished checking up on Salazar to make sure he was ok before letting the Dreepy wrap around his neck again and turning towards his cousin. Harry briskly moves past his cousin and Ria and moves to kneel beside the fainted Jangmo-o and after feeding it a revive and tending to its wounds he joins next to Ria and simply stares at his cousin before speaking.
"You lost Dudley now hand over Jangmo-o ball, they no longer belong to you."
The rage spreading across Dudley's face along with the red is apocalyptic in its fury, but rather then say anything, Dudley simply grabs the lone PokeBall at his hip and tosses it at Harry's face.
Harry catches the ball and watches as Dudley storms off and with Ria covering his back Harry turns back to look down at the Jangmo-o that he now owns, but soon was going to find a good home for.
"Come on let's head to the bench I have somebody to call."
The Jangmo-o follows behind silently and with its head lowered awaiting its fate, as they make it to the bench Harry helps the Jangmo-o into the bench before taking a seat himself while John stands to the side of him with Ria prowling around the area. Harry pulls out his Rotom phone and calls the number that had recently been added to it, tv en after a couple of rings a voice answers him with a mild confused tone too it.
"Hey Harry is every thing ok, I wasn't expecting you to call me, did you forget something?"
The sound of Hermione's voice along with her Growlithe in the background making excited panting sounds as he tries to take Hermione's Rotom phone.
"Hi Hermione, no I didn't forget anything I just wanted to call you and ask if you want a new Pokémon?"
The silence that followed was almost physical with how heavy it was.
"Hermione are you still there?"
The sound of Harry's voice snaps Hermione out of her shock and she quickly tries to recover and answer her friend.
"We'll yes I would like a new one but I wouldn't want to take any of yours, I know how attached you are to them."
Hermione saw the level of loyalty and camaraderie that Harry and his Pokémon had that she hoped one day she could have with her own team.
"You don't have to worry about that, I recently helped a Pokémon get out of a bad partnership and was hoping to get him to a good home."
The Jangmo-o at Harry's side looked up at him with a small shine in its eyes that looked like the embers of hope, this caused Harry's heart to hurt with how much this Pokémon had been hurt by his cousin. Harry knew that these two would help each other more then they would ever know, and he was looking forward to seeing what his friend would do with such a companion at her side.
"We'll of course I would help, but are you sure that they would have a good home with me, surely someone else could give them a better home?"
The smile that spreads across Harry's face is infectious as the Jangmo-o soon has one as well.
"I think you'll be perfect for this little guy, just as he will be good for you."
The total conviction in his voice settles the worry Hermione had in her heart and makes her back straighten in confidence at this new found belief in her only human friend.
"Very well Harry I'll head on over so you can introduce me to my new companion."
The new found confidence in her voice filled Harry with joy at his friend starting to become better and grow, he knew he had made the right decision when he challenged his cousin.