"One and two, one and two, one and two…"
Sky woke up early, doing some last-minute training exercises to prepare for his gym battle with Queen Novo. The boy was with his Buizel, practicing their punches, while the girls and Spike watched them.
"They're sure training hard," remarked Rarity as she stirred her tea.
"Well, after watching Applejack's battle with the Queen, no doubt it's not gonna be easy," stated Twilight.
"I wonder what she meant by their battle needing to be a spectacle," asked Spike.
"Guess we'll find out," said Applejack as she continued to watch her friend.
"All right! Let's all get out there and give it our best shot!" shouted Sky to all his Pokémon.
The group responded with a united response as they were pumped.
Meanwhile…
"Is everything ready?" asked Queen Novo as she was shown walking among the palace halls.
"Everything is just as you asked for your upcoming challenge, Your Highness," said the queen's advisor.
"Good. I want this battle to be a spectacle. The boy has something about him, and I want to see it first-hand," said Novo as she looked out of a window and peered down to the courtyard to see her daughter working with some of the royal Water Pokémon.
"Here we go!" said Sky as he was shown standing before the palace gates.
The boy stared at the site of his next gym battle as the breeze blew in his face. Behind him were the others, who were looking forward to cheering him on. The teen approached the gate and stood before the guards.
"I'm here for my Gym Battle with Queen Novo!" declared the boy.
"Right this way, sir," said one of the guards as he opened the gates.
The boy watched the metal structures swing back, took a deep breath, and began to head in, followed by the others. Upon arriving at the stairway to the palace doors, Sky looked up, and standing at the top was Princess Skystar.
"Glad to you see all. My mother's waiting for you. Follow me!" smiled the girl as she rushed down the stairs to grab Sky's hand and drag him away.
"Hey, hold on, princess!" exclaimed Sky, amazed by the girl's strength to drag him.
The others chased after the pair, fearing they might have to help the boy. Princess Skystar brought the group to a special gate, the door of which was decorated with the royal family's crest.
"Alright, you four head up those stairs. As for Sky and me, we'll be taking this way in."
"Good luck, Sky!" said Applejack as they followed a guard up the stairs.
The gate door opened as Skystar dragged Sky in with her. The two found themselves on a moving sidewalk while zooming down the tunnel.
"So, how are you feeling?" asked the girl as she looked at the boy.
"I've never been more excited in my life. If I win this, that's one step closer to entering the Equestrian League!" stated Sky.
"Heh, well, I'll be cheering you on. Although… a word of advice, don't underestimate my mother. She may be the Queen, but she's not a Gym leader for nothing." responded the princess.
The pair arrived at the end of the moving sidewalk as they stood before another door. It slowly opened as a white light entered Sky's field of vision. The boy initially covered up and heard some sounds. Once he gained his vision and adjusted to the light, he gasped upon seeing what he saw and heard. The boy stood before the courtyard where he competed the other day, which was packed. Queen Novo invited her citizens and subjects to witness the event and entertain them. The field before the teen was a massive pool with some round platforms on the surface.
Twilight and the others were in the crowd among the many citizens. They spotted Sky and Princess Skystar entering as they cheered to support their friend. At that moment, a trumpet sound was heard. Everyone's attention was directed to the other side of the courtyard as several servants were shown carrying something. They were carrying the Queen on her throne as she received a warm and standing ovation from her subjects. The servants set down their ruler as she stood up from her throne and flung off her robe. Queen Novo stood there wearing a crystal blue dress, emphasizing her high authority.
"My loyal subjects!" said Queen Novo as she addressed everyone present. "I hope you all will enjoy this special entertainment!"
The crowd made some noise as they seemed to like what their ruler proposed.
"Now then… will the challenger step forward!"
"That's your cue," said Princess Skystar as she pushed Sky forward.
"Time for my fourth badge," said the boy with a confident smile.
"Oh, I almost forgot," said Skystar as she leaned in and kissed Sky's cheek, which caught the boy off guard. "A little good luck." The girl left as she went around the pool to take her position on the podium off to the side.
Sky was still a bit stunned by the kiss given to him by the princess before he regained his focus and stepped to the plate. Queen Novo saw what went down between her daughter and the boy as she saw Sky take his position on the pool's edge.
"This is such a beautiful water-type gym!" said Rarity, amazed by the Queen's decor for her battle with Sky.
"In a water-type field like this, the trick is to successfully navigate your way between all those platforms in the middle," stated Twilight, as that was a key detail for Sky in his battle.
"All right, the Mt. Aries Gym's next battle is about to begin! In the blue corner! The challenger, Sky!" said Princess Skystar, pointing toward the boy, who got his fair share of cheers. "And in the red corner! She's the beloved Queen of Mt. Aries and the Gym Leader herself! Please give a warm welcome to Queen Novo!"
The girl's father got an even louder cheer as she had a determined look on her face.
"Time to see if you sink or swim, boy!" proclaimed the woman.
"This battle will consist of three Pokémon for each, and the battle will be over when either side loses all three of them! In addition, only the challenger will be allowed to substitute Pokémon!" explained the princess.
"As the leader of the Mt. Aries Gym, it is my privilege and responsibility to see just what kind of power and skill you and your Pokémon have! Now then… Gyarados! Time to make a royal splash!" The Queen threw out her Pokéball, which popped open to reveal her Pokémon.
"Gyarados, huh?" said Sky.
"So Gyarados is up first, huh? I wonder which Pokémon Sky will start with," said Spike.
"Alright, then. Pikachu, I choose you!" shouted the boy as he tossed his Pokéball.
"Pika!" exclaimed the yellow rodent as he appeared. The mouse hopped onto one of the platforms, staring down the giant sea serpent in the water.
"He's already bringing out the big guns," said Applejack, as the fact that Sky was starting with what was associated with his team's ace meant he meant business.
"Pikachu, eh? Then I guess we're ready! Now then… show me what you're made of!"
"You bet!" responded the boy.
"All right! Battle… begin!" declared Princess Skystar.
"Take the first shot!" declared Queen Novo.
"Fine by me! Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!" instructed the boy.
The small rodent charged himself up as he fired his attack. The electricity traveled through the air as it directly made contact with the Queen's Gyarados, who stood there and tanked the hit. Everyone gasped as they couldn't believe what they saw. Gyarados seemed in pain as it felt the power behind the Thunderbolt, but it soon shook it off. The attack ceased, and it didn't go down. Instead, the attack only seemed to fire it up as it let out an intimidating roar, which made Sky and Pikachu gasp in disbelief.
"That Thunderbolt didn't do a thing!" exclaimed the teen as he would've expected the giant sea dragon to go down.
"But-but how?" asked Rarity as she was also in shock.
"I guess Gyarados must have incredible stamina to tolerate Pikachu's Thunderbolt like that!" said Twilight, as the Queen's Pokémon were well trained to handle Pokémon they were weak to.
"Your strategy to take on my Water-type with an Electric-type Pokémon is correct! Of course… my Gyarados isn't just going to take that lying down! Let's go!"
The sea dragon heard its mistress's command and immediately dove into the water. Underneath, it was zooming ahead with incredible speed, heading for Pikachu. The small rodent looked around, figuring out where its opponent would pop out.
"Now, Dragon Rage!"
The sea dragon emerged from underneath as it stood before the yellow mouse. Immediately, it opened its mouth to fire a steady stream of its attack.
"Pikachu, break that move up with Iron Tail!" instructed Sky.
The yellow rodent leaped into the air as it twisted its body. As it propelled, its tail turned into a metal coating. It angled to the point where its tail not only made contact with the attack but also used it to propel itself upward. It was launched straight into the air as Gyarados and the Queen looked up.
"Use Bite, and don't let it get away!"
"Volt Tackle!" shouted the teen.
Gyarados began to jump out of the water as Pikachu began to descend. Using gravity, it turned around so that it was diving head-first. It then began to envelope itself in electricity as the two Pokémon collided mid-air. The collision made a huge smokescreen that blocked everyone's view.
"All right! A great shot!" commented Sky with a smile.
"What? But that Volt Tackle hit in mid-air!" muttered Queen Novo as she was surprised that Pikachu could execute the move while in the air.
Gyarados was shown falling back out of the smokescreen and landing on one of the platforms as if on cue. The Pokémon lay there with swirls in its eyes.
"Gyarados is unable to battle! Pikachu is the winner!" announced Princess Skystar as she lifted her arm toward the duo.
"Great job, Pikachu!" said the boy to his Pokémon as he landed before him.
The small rodent nodded before it shook itself from the pain it felt from executing its move.
"What a move! Pikachu was great!" stated Applejack as she was amazed to see her friend take the first win.
"Gyarados, return!" said Queen Novo as she recalled her Pokémon. "Thank you. You did your best!"
"I bet mom is starting to second guess how good Sky is," mumbled Skystar, as it was clear that the last interaction showed the boy wasn't just any trainer.
The fact that he launched Volt Tackle while in mid-air and took out Gyarados in one shot proves my point. The boy is special. Guess that means I'll have to take it up a notch.
"The way you used the speed from Gyarados' fall with that Volt Tackle was exceptional, young man!" said Queen Novo as she praised the boy.
"All right, Your Highness, thanks a lot!" stated Sky.
"Now… time for my second Pokémon. Quagsire, time to make a royal splash!" shouted the Queen as she threw her Pokéball.
"Quagsire, eh?" said Sky.
"Since Quagsire is partly a Ground-type Pokémon, Electric-type moves won't work," explained Twilight.
"Pikachu, return!" shouted Sky as he called back his Pokémon. "Take five, bud."
"So, who will your second Pokémon be?" asked Queen Novo as she awaited her next challenger.
"Turtwig, I choose you!" shouted Sky as he threw his second Pokéball.
"Twig!" responded the small green creature as he hopped onto one of the floating platforms.
"Excellent strategy to come after my Quagsire with a Grass-type!" stated Queen Novo. "Well then. After you."
"Turtwig! Energy Ball!" said Sky.
His small Pokémon opened his mouth and produced a green ball of energy before shooting it toward its foe. Queen Novo didn't give a command to Quagsire as the Pokémon knew what to do and jumped out of the way. The attack barely scratched the skin of Quagsire as it wasn't bothered.
"Wow! Barely a scratch!" remarked Spike.
"I'm more impressed that Sky had Turtwig learn Energy Ball!" stated Twilight. "When did he have time to learn that?"
While Twilight's question raised some concerns, Princess Skystar smiled when she saw Turtwig's attack. Despite it barely damaging her mother's Quagsire, she was sure her mother didn't expect a move like that from the small creature, given that she had seen its battle during the competition.
(Flashback)
"You want to help me?" asked Sky as he was on the beach with Skystar.
"It's the least I could do for saving me," answered the girl as she bent down to pick up a seashell. "You want the best chance to beat my mother?"
"You sure you want to help me beat your mother?" repeated the boy as he found it odd that the princess wanted her mother to lose to him. "Why?"
The princess sighed as she had her down. The boy stood behind the girl, waiting to see what she would say. Skystar then turned around and looked at the teen in the eyes.
"I… I don't know… but I want to. Maybe… by helping you… you can help me," answered the girl vaguely as she held her hands.
The sun was shown high in the sky before it shifted to slowly setting beyond the horizon. The beach was now painted orange as both Sky and Skystar were still on the sand.
"Now, Turtwig, use Tackle!"
"Ludicolo, Energy Ball!" instructed Skystar.
The girl's Pokémon fired a ball of energy that sailed toward the boy's Pokémon as it collided with him and tossed the small shelled creature back.
"Turtwig, you okay?" asked Sky as his Pokémon shook the attack off.
"That's what I want to teach you."
"Huh?"
"Energy Ball," answered Skystar. "I think it's time you upgrade your moves and give Turtwig something more powerful."
Sky looked at his Pokémon as he could see the value in the girl's words.
"I guess you're right," the boy confirmed, knowing that if he wanted his Turtwig to be strong, he had to upgrade its moveset. "So, could you help us?"
"I'd thought you'd never ask me," smiled the girl. "Let me ask you this. Does your Turtwig know how to use Bullet Seed after seeing Applejack's Heracross and Breloom use it? I ask because both moves have to focus their power similarly."
"No," answered Sky.
"Then that's going to be even tougher than I thought," sighed the girl, as it would be a true challenge to teach the move to the boy if he didn't have a prerequisite to work off of.
"Don't worry. Turtwig will learn it in no time!" stated Sky with a determined smile, as did his Pokémon.
The princess looked at the boy; seeing his determination and spirit made her heart race. It was clear he was the kind of person who wouldn't stop until he achieved his goal. That alone also triggered her need to want to help her friend as she uncrossed her arms and smiled.
"Okay. Let's get started," said the girl as the waves crashed against the sand.
(End of Flashback)
Princess Skystar regained her sense of reality after remembering yesterday's events. Her attention was turned to the battle as her mother called out her next move.
"All right, Quagsire in the pool!" instructed Queen Novo.
The amphibious Pokémon dove into the pool as it was now submerged.
"They're attacking from the water, are they? Turtwig! Keep on moving around to confuse Quagsire!" said Sky.
The small green Pokémon nodded before he took off. He was now bouncing around on all the platforms in the water to confuse its foe. It even jumped and began to run alongside the pool's edge before jumping back on the floating pads.
"Impressive… look at that speed," said Queen Novo as she could see Sky trained his Turtwig well. "But none of that will help one bit against my Quagsire! Sludge Bomb, now!"
The Pokémon was still in the water as he looked before him. The platforms in front of it were making waves and vibrations as he managed to pinpoint where Turtwig was and about to jump to. It then opened its mouth to fire a bombardment of sludge balls. As Turtwig landed on the platform, many Sludge Bombs emerged from the water. Sky and Turtwig were surprised as they couldn't react fast enough, and the small Pokémon was hit. He yelped in pain before being tossed back to a platform before Sky.
"Hey, Turtwig! You all right?" asked the boy to his Pokémon.
The Pokémon gave a determined response to its trainer as it wasn't backing down.
"So, how did those two know we were going do that?" questioned the teen.
"Even underwater, Quagsire's excellent hearing lets it know where Turtwig is every second! I'm afraid there's no place to hide in my Gym!" stated Queen Novo as Quagsire continued to swim about. "Now… Quagsire, Ice Beam!"
The Pokémon emerged from the water, and it shot straight up. The amphibious Pokémon positioned itself behind its foe before launching its attack as Turtwig turned his second just as the attack made contact. The small green Pokémon was left in a state of shock as the Ice Beams began to take its toll on him.
"A direct hit!" said Applejack.
"With a lot of power!" added Twilight, seeing Turtwig's struggle.
"Now! Sludge Bomb again!"
Quagsire opened its mouth to fire several of its attacks.
"Now, Turtwig, return!" shouted Sky quickly as he was shown with his Pokéball out.
The boy managed to recall his Pokémon just in time. A red light surrounded Turtwig, and he pulled back, the Sludge Bombs hitting the platform from where he stood a moment ago. Safe to say, while Sky managed to protect one of his Pokémon from being defeated, he was still on the ropes as it seemed Quagsire was starting to become too much for him to handle.
"Smart. That was an excellent decision!" stated Queen Novo as Quagsire landed on a floating platform and confidently responded.
"The fact that Quagsire can use Ice Beam is a clever move. It's clear the Queen anticipated that challengers might come here with a Grass-type. So, she came up with a move to counter their strategy. Of course, that puts pressure on Sky!" said Twilight.
"Okay, in that case, I'm going with a Water-type. Buizel, I choose you!" stated Sky as he called on his third Pokémon to help him.
The weasel appeared before the boy as he stood on the floating platform and stared down its foe. The Pokémon was ready for combat, putting his paws up as if to box.
"You can do it, Buizel!" shouted Princess Skystar as she was rooting for Sky's Pokémon, given she had one herself.
Queen Novo simply shook her head at her daughter. As the referee, she was supposed to remain unbiased but let it slide. The woman turned her attention back to Sky and his chosen Pokémon, and a smirk fell across her face.
"Buizel, Sonic Boom!" instructed Sky.
The orange weasel jumped and spun around mid-air as it fired an attack from its twin tails. The attack made contact with Quagsire as it stood there and tanked the attack with its belly. The Pokémon was left amused while both Sky and Buizel were in shock.
"What the?" the teen exclaimed, realizing his attack was ineffective. "Buizel, use Sonic Boom again! Fire rapidly!"
Buizel began to fire off several Sonic Booms from its twin tails as they all headed for the amphibious Pokémon who, like before, just stood there. It used its belly to tank all the Sonic Booms that Buizel launched and didn't even budge, let alone make any impact.
"Nothing happened again!" said the boy as even multiple strikes didn't flinch the Queen's Pokémon.
"That's not going to do at all! Use Ice Beam!" instructed the woman.
Quagsire opened his mouth as he fired beams of ice toward its foe.
"Buizel, intercept it with Aqua Jet!"
The weasel turned to look at its trainer for a moment as he contemplated what was said. He was unsure about Sky's command to take it head-on instead of dodging. Yet, the expression on the boy's face told otherwise.
"Just trust me on this, Buizel. Use Aqua Jet and take some of that Ice Beam!" stated Sky.
The Pokémon didn't argue with his trainer as he did what was told. He surrounded himself in a surge of water before propelling off the platform and into the air. The Ice Beams were closing in as Buizel managed to redirect its Aqua Jet, but it collided with Quagsire's attack. Everyone was in awe at what they saw; it seemed Sky's move had caught everyone's attention as what followed.
"What's going on?" demanded the Queen.
She couldn't fully describe what she was seeing as Buizel's Aqua Jet had been frozen solid by her monster's Ice Beam that it was still propelling forward toward Quagsire.
"I just took some of your ice and turned it into an asset for me. Pretty cool, huh?" smirked Sky as he felt a bit proud for coming up with such a bold risk on the spot and paying it off.
Well, well. This boy just continues to amaze me. I admire his ingenuity in thinking through tough situations.
Buizel's Ice Aqua Jet made contact with Quagsire, releasing sharp pain. The ice shattered upon impact as Quagsire was tossed back from the force of the attack. It was knocked off its feet and landed on another floating platform behind it as it skidded along the ground before stopping. Princess Skystar looked at her mother's Pokémon, which had swirls in its eyes.
"Quagsire is unable to battle! Buizel is the winner!" said the girl, lifting her arm toward Sky. Buizel landed before him, now having scored his second victory over her mother.
"Nice job, Buizel!" said Sky to his Pokémon, who responded smugly and crossed his arms.
"That was fantastic!" exclaimed Rarity.
"The fact that Sky was about to put together a great combination of two different moves was very clever," chimed the bookworm.
"Now, the Queen only has one Pokémon left," said Spike as things looked good for Sky.
Even the crowd started to believe that the boy might do it and beat their ruler. Queen Novo recalled her Pokémon and now held the Pokéball in her hand.
"Quagsire, excellent! Time for a good rest!" said the woman to her fallen comrade.
"So… what do you say, Mom?" shouted Princess Skystar to her mother, wanting to get her opinion on Sky, not only as a trainer but as an individual.
"Nicely done, Sky! You've really given me an enjoyable battle! Your speed and combinations are all first-rate! And that deserves respect. Not to mention, you've also shown me what kind of person you are. I see why my daughter speaks so highly of you." proclaimed the Queen.
"Uh, thanks," said the boy, as he wasn't sure what the woman meant by that last part of her statement.
"Now… for my final Pokémon!" proclaimed the Queen as Sky returned into serious mode.
The boy waited for his final challenge as he noticed Skystar's mother reach behind her dress to pull out a Lure Pokéball. That alone meant that whatever Pokémon the Queen had in there was powerful. The woman smiled as she could tell the teen was trying to mentally prepare himself for what she had in store for him. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes to center her mind before opening them with a determined, focused look.
"Floatzel! Time to make a royal splash!" yelled Queen Novo as she threw her Lure Ball.
Upon seeing its evolution counterpart, Buizel's attitude changed on a dime and was more focused than ever. It seemed the smaller weasel wanted to knock out its larger, bigger foe to submit its dominance as a fighter. The Queen's weasel stared down at its smaller pre-evolution form with a fierce look.
"Floatzel... Buizel's evolution," said Sky, pulling his Pokédex out to learn about it.
"Floatzel, the Sea Weasel Pokémon, and the evolved form of Buizel. With its floatation sac inflated, it can carry people on its back. It deflates the sac when diving. Males typically have two spots on their backs while females only have one."
Sky took a moment to look at the Queen's Floatzel, and he noticed the same two spots on its back were also on his. This was a personal battle between bragging rights and finding out who the top alpha male was.
"It's not gonna easy. Since Floatzel is the evolved form of Buizel, no doubt its base power and strength will be stronger," said Twilight.
"Well, that's never stopped Sky before. He and Buizel will find a way to beat that Floatzel!" said Applejack as she had faith in her friend to beat their final opponent and get their fourth badge.
"If anybody could do it, it's those two," said Spike as he had faith in the teen.
"Alright… Buizel! Use Aqua Jet!" instructed Sky as he wasted no time getting things started.
His Pokémon surrounded itself in a stream of water and propelled itself off the ground. It traveled through the air as it was going straight for its opponent. Floatzel remained standing there as its cocky expression didn't once fade, as did the Queen.
"Bounce it back!" instructed Novo.
Floatzel began inflating its floatation sac just as Buizel's Aqua Jet made contact. Everyone was shocked by what they saw: Buizel's attack being held back by the inflated sac, which acted like a barrier. The attack wasn't getting through no matter how hard Buizel tried, as it just stayed there with Floatzel holding its cocky smile.
"What's going on?" asked Spike.
Floatzel then pushed Buizel back as its attack faded, giving the smaller weasel an expression of disbelief. While the smaller Pokémon was in a state of shock that his attack didn't do anything, the larger one's cocky smile grew even more. Buziel landed and skidded back to a halt before Sky as he kept his eyes on his rival.
"Oh no! Floatzel's defenses are too tough!" remarked Sky, as it was clear that winning his fourth badge wasn't going to be easy.
Queen Novo couldn't help but laugh as she found it foolhardy to think that the boy could defeat her royal pet so easily. Especially with a weak, pathetic move, showing no signs of any damage to Floatzel. Skystar noticed her mother laughing as she didn't like that, moreso for Sky as she knew her mother and Floatzel were nigh unbeatable. She knew she had to be impartial, but she hoped that Sky had some sort of plan to defeat her mother's pet, or he might never get his next badge to qualify for the Equestrian League.
"I'll tell you, Floatzel's flotation sac is one tough built-in defense. Even a super-strong move like Giga Impact wouldn't have any effect either!" boasted the Queen.
"Are you serious?" remarked Sky as he didn't like the sound of that.
"Pretty powerful stuff, wouldn't you say?" asked the woman, while her Pokémon showed its fangs during its smug smile.
Seeing that smug smile of its rival started to anger Buizel and Sky.
"Then, how about this? Use Water Pulse!" called out the teen.
Buizel put its paws together to make an orb of water condense and form before shooting it toward its foe. The orb was coming straight at Floatzel as neither it nor the Queen was worried. Without even needing to wait for a response from its mistress, Floatzel took charge and punched at the Water Pulse. The punch made contact with the orb and disbursed the water around its body, which shocked Sky and Buizel even more. The crowd cheered for their ruler and her pet as they stood their ground and showcased their power to the boy and his team. The sight of Floatzel, with his smug expression, standing there with its fist out while the remaining drops of water from the Water Pulse fell was a sight to behold that also sent some chills down the boy's spine.
"Floatzel is so strong!" remarked Spike as they could see just how powerful the Queen's pet was even from where they were seated among the crowd.
"Now then… we'll have a turn," said Queen Novo, her serious look indicating that she was done playing around. "Use Razor Wind!"
Floatzel heard its trainer's command, and the fins on its arms glowed before it tossed its arms out to make the attacks shoot out. The dual Razor Wind flew through the air with such speed and precision that it made contact with Buizel before it or Sky could react.
"Buizel, no!" shouted the teen as his Pokémon released a painful yelp.
The power of the Razor Wind took Buizel off its feet and splashed it into the pool. Water shot up from where the weasel made contact, which made Sky worry.
"That was a double-bladed Razor Wind!" stated Applejack.
"This is gonna be tough. They're both Water-types and Floatzel's the evolved form of Buizel. Sky's at a disadvantage if Buizel stays in." stated the bookworm.
At that moment, Buizel managed to emerge from the water and pull itself onto a floating platform in front of Sky while staring down its foe. The smaller weasel was determined to beat its rival.
"We won't give up! Buizel, Water Gun!"
Buizel heard Sky's command as he reeled his head back before quickly firing a steady stream of water. Floatzel merely used its left fin on its arm to block the Water Gun before swatting it away like it was nothing.
"Please… Water-type moves aren't going to beat us!" remarked Queen Novo.
"Buizel's about more than just moves! Go!" instructed the boy.
Buizel took the initiative and leaped toward its foe.
"Intercept it!" commanded Queen Novo.
Floatzel received its orders and quickly side-stepped just as Buizel looked to tackle it. He then raised his right arm and brought it down on the smaller weasel, dropping him to the platform it was on. Buizel hit with a thud before Floatzel delivered a small kick with its right foot to make Buizel fall into the water. The larger otter enjoyed throwing his weight around with his smaller opponent. Buizel let out a yelp as water splashed upward.
"Buizel…" muttered Skystar as she didn't like what she saw.
'What's he's doing? He's battling a gym leader. Sky can't win by pure power!" shouted Applejack as she found it odd that the boy was trying to win this with strength alone instead of coming up with a clever plan.
Buizel was shown in the water as it quickly recovered before spinning its twin tails and propelling itself through the water.
"Floatzel, it's time for Bulk Up!" said Queen Novo.
The larger otter raised its arms as it glowed red, feeling its power rise.
"What's Bulk Up?" asked Spike.
"It's a move that raises both attack and defense power, which means the Queen plans to finish this now!" said Twilight as she stood up from her seat as if fearing the worst.
Floatzel then dove into the water as it looked to go after its rival. At that moment, the screens around the pool came online as the underwater cameras caught live footage of the two otters. Everyone saw Floatzel chase after Buizel as it closed the distance every few seconds.
"Buizel, Sonic Boom!" shouted Sky as he looked at the pool to give his Pokémon instructions on what to do.
"Razor Wind, go!" said Queen Novo.
While underwater, Buizel turned around and had its twin tails stop spinning before glowing white as he flicked them to fire his attack. Floatzel had both of its fins glow before he threw his arms out to shoot his attacks. The two attacks collided and met in the middle, causing a smokescreen to appear underwater. The power exerted by the two attacks caused streams of water to shoot up like geysers to indicate how strong they were. Seeing those water sprouts, Sky gritted his teeth but stopped as an idea entered his head.
"I got it. Buizel… think of the water as your friend and then attack!"
"In and out of water. Now we'll see which trainer connects better with their Pokémon!" said Queen Novo.
The cameras showed Buizel and Floatzel entering a temporary water draft current created by their previous head-to-head attacks; the pair zoomed all around the pool at high speeds as they lapped it more than ten times in thirty seconds. Buizel took a moment to turn its head and noticed Floatzel was gaining on its tail. It then inflated its flotation sac around its neck, which acted like a brake and caused him to stop, with Floatzel continuing to swim by him. Once he was directly in front of him, Buizel deflated its flotation sac and then fired off an Aqua Jet underwater; Floatzel stopped and turned around just in time as Buizel made contact with it. It didn't have time to inflate its flotation sac to protect itself as the larger otter was being propelled upward by the smaller one due to the extra power of the water around them.
Floatzel flinched back as Buizel ceased its Aqua Jet and got some distance before executing its next attack. It put its paws together and fired a Water Pulse, channeling some of the nearby water they were swimming about into its attack. It proved effective as it hit Floatzel and pushed him upward, leaving a stream of water behind that Buizel entered to propel forward at a fast speed. Back on top, everyone saw a stream of water shoot out from the pool as Floatzel was still being hit.
"Now that's a Water Pulse!" remarked Sky with a smile.
Buizel then hopped out of the pool and onto a platform; he saw the water column created by his attack and smiled.
"What a move! Buizel incorporated the pool water into that Water Pulse perfectly!" said Twilight as she was astounded.
"Don't count your winnings just yet! Use Ice Fang!" said Queen Novo.
Floatzel broke free from the water geyser as it burst apart. The large otter was revealed as it bared its fangs to its foe, which began to glow.
"Sonic Boom, go!" shouted Sky, hoping to interrupt Floatzel's attack.
Buizel jumped and spun head over heels while throwing out its attack with its two tails. Floatzel merely moved out of the way of the attack while in mid-air as he continued with his attack. Two beams of ice then shot out from its fangs as they made direct contact with its foe.
"We won't lose! Water Pulse!" yelled Sky.
Buizel withstood the hit before he broke it apart and put its paws together to create a blue orb. He then fired the orb in retaliation.
"Bounce it back!" ordered the Queen.
Floatzel inflated its flotation sac and raised its left arm to block the Water Pulse with its fin. The larger otter began to skid back a bit before he regained his foot and balance. He managed to fling his arm back to return fire to the Water Pulse thrown at him. The orb hit Buizel dead-on in the chest as he was knocked back and fell back onto the platform it was standing on.
"Buizel, are you okay?" asked Sky, as he was concerned for his Pokémon.
Buizel struggled to stand up as it was in pain. It managed to reach its feet, but something was off. When it opened its eyes, they appeared glowing. Twilight knew what that meant even from her seat, as it wasn't good news.
"Razor Wind now!"
Floatzel threw out its attack and headed straight for Buizel.
"Buizel, intercept it with Aqua Jet!" commanded the teen.
The otter just turned around to look at Sky, confused and shocked. Buizel was then hit from behind by Floatzel's Razor Wind as he was sent flying forward. Buizel flew into Sky as the boy managed to catch his Pokémon and soften his blow by using his own body when they hit the ground.
"What happened with Buizel?" said Rarity.
"Buizel's confused," said Twilight, getting the others to look at her for further explanation. "Being hit by a Water Pulse can lead to being confused! But since it was Buizel's own move, I never thought that would happen."
"Sky, can Buizel go on?" asked Skystar as she saw the boy sit up while propping his Pokémon up.
"Yeah, he can still battle," said the boy as his Pokémon wasn't knocked out yet. "But I'm gonna give him a short rest."
"Okay, then. The battle continues!" said the princess for all to hear.
Sky pulled out his Pokéball and recalled his Pokémon. He reached for another one, stood up, and returned to his position.
"Pikachu, I choose you!" said the teen as he looked for his yellow rodent to help him deal with the larger foe. The mouse appeared as he took a position on the floating platform before him. "Pikachu, Floatzel took a lot of damage from battling Buizel, so let's finish this battle right now! Use Thunderbolt!"
The yellow mouse leaped into the air and charged up before executing its move.
"Whirlpool!" ordered Queen Novo.
Floatzel raised its arms and made a massive whirlpool appear before tossing it. The center of the whirlpool collided with the Thunderbolt as it exploded, spraying sparks of electrified water about. Sky put an arm up to protect himself as he was caught in the line of fire. Luckily, no electricity sparks of water hit him as he lowered his arm. Floatzel and Pikachu landed on platforms as he looked ready to call out his next attack.
"Volt Tackle, go!"
"Razor Wind!"
Pikachu took off running as it gained power and encased itself in a barrier of electricity. Floatzel had both fins glow before throwing out its arms to shoot its attack. The otter wasn't aiming directly for the yellow mouse; he was aiming for the area in front of where the mouse was running as it exploded and disrupted Pikachu's charge. Floatzel jumped and appeared before the rodent, sending the yellow mouse straight upward in disarray.
"Pikachu, no!" said Sky as he couldn't call an attack fast enough.
"Use Ice Fang!"
Floatzel's fangs glowed before shooting out two beams that made contact with Pikachu. Then, he pushed the rodent down to the platform, where he skidded to a halt.
"Pikachu!" shouted the boy as his Pokémon groaned in pain.
Floatzel landed and immediately taunted the small yellow mouse to get up. Pikachu got angry as he willed himself to get up and not be seen as weak. He stood on its hind legs and responded defiantly before turning its head to the side as it was cleared in pain.
"Pikachu!" said Sky before he noticed something. On the back of the yellow mouse was a block of ice.
"What the hell is on Pikachu's back?" asked Applejack.
"It looks frozen," said Spike.
"That's a side effect of Ice Fang!" explained Twilight.
"You see, Sky, my amazing Floatzel is no ordinary Water-type Pokémon! It's the strongest of my Water-types!" proclaimed Queen Novo.
"Now what?" muttered the boy. "Pikachu, return!"
"What?" said everyone as the boy recalled his Pokémon.
"What are you going to do now?" muttered the queen as she saw the boy reach for a different Pokéball.
"Buizel, you're up again!" shouted Sky as he called on his weasel.
"He's going with Buizel? But look at what happened last time!" said Spike as he didn't see why Sky switched when Floatzel pushed around Buizel in their last encounter.
"Show' em what you can do, Buizel!"
"Bui!" responded the Pokémon as he turned to lock eyes with its rival.
"What a sight! Seeing true friendship between Pokémon!" remarked Queen Novo as she applauded the display shown by Sky and his Pokémon. "Alright then, Sky. Let the battle continue."
"Buizel, use Aqua Jet!"
Buizel surrounded itself in a stream of water to propel itself forward.
"Ice Fang, go!"
Floatzel's fangs glowed, and beams of ice shot out. Unlike last time, the attacks collided mid-air, and Buizel jumped back at the last second and landed on a platform.
"Destroy where they stand with Razor Wind!"
Floatzel's fins glow before it thrusted its arms out to shoot its attack. The two blades make contact with the platform on which Buizel stood.
"It's the same way it used that move as before," muttered Skystar as her mother was doing the same thing she did to counter Pikachu's Volt Tackle.
"Jump above, Floatzel!"
The larger otter leaped into the air above the smoke. It was expected to spot its foe when it died, but he wasn't there. Nothing but the destroyed pieces of the platform floating on the water's surface.
"What the?" said the Queen.
"All right, Buizel! Knock Floatzel down with Water Pulse!"
Buizel emerged from underneath the water and shot straight up. While smiling, it formed its paws together to create a blue orb. The stream of water pushed it back, and Buizel made direct contact with Floatzel's stomach, putting all its power into that one move to strike its foe's most vulnerable part.
"Floatzel!" shouted Queen Novo.
The large otter cried as it was sent sailing through the air. It landed on a platform as it caused water to shoot upward from how big the impact was. Floatzel was shown lying on the thing with swirls for eyes when the water started to rain down.
"Floatzel is unable to battle! The winner is Buizel! And so the victor is the challenger, Sky!" shouted Princess Skystar as she was almost too excited to make that announcement while raising her arm to point at the boy.
"All right!" shouted the teen as he fist-pumped himself.
"They won! They really won!" said Rarity as she stood up and applauded, as did everyone else.
"All that damage, and they still hung in there," remarked Twilight.
Sky took notice of the crowd applauding him, and he gave a gentle wave to them for their appreciation. Queen Novo recalled her Floatzel as she looked at the Lure Ball in her hand.
"As always, great job, Floatzel!" said the woman before looking at the boy. "Witnessing Buizel dive underwater like that during the explosion was something to see! They're quite a team!"
Sky was kneeling as he talked to his Pokémon trio, congratulating them for winning today's fight. Turtwig leaped into the boy's arms as he chuckled. Skystar approached her mother as she was looking at the boy with a smile.
"So…" asked the girl to her mother.
"He's not bad. A fine catch, I'd say," smiled the woman to her daughter.
Queen Novo stood alongside her daughter and a maid a few moments later. The maid was holding a pillow as something was on it. Before her was Sky, along with his three chosen Pokémon and the others. They congratulated the boy on his hard-fought victory as he was about to receive his badge from the royal ruler.
"You did a masterful job combining each of your Pokémon's abilities! Great effort. Requiring the cooperation of Pokémon and trainer alike, and I was quite moved! You should be very proud!"
"Gee, thanks," said the boy to the Queen.
She then turned to her maid and grabbed the thing on the pillow before presenting it to the teen.
"And here is proof that you were victorious at the Mt. Aries Gym: the Sea Badge!" said Queen Novo.
Sky reached for the badge from the Queen's hands as he looked at it.
"Wow. Thank you very much, your Majesty!" said the boy, over the moon. "All right! I just got the Sea Badge!"
He pulled out his badge case and placed his newly won trinket next to his other one. Taking a moment to look at his collected prizes, the boy was now halfway to entering the league.
"I do hope to see you at the league."
"Count on it, Your Highness!" stated the boy.
"Mom…" said Princess Skystar as she made her presence known.
"Right… well, Sky… there's something else I want to discuss. You remember how I mentioned how much my daughter speaks of you. How would you like to be my daughter's personal guard?"
"What?" said the teen as the others were shocked to hear.
"She finds you fascinating. She can't stop speaking of you. I might add that you seem to have affected her in more ways than one," remarked Queen Novo as her daughter turned slightly red. "Maybe you are what she needs to stay out of trouble and give her a sense of happiness. What do you say, boy?"
"Sky…" said Twilight, putting her hand on his shoulder.
The boy was silent as he examined his Pokémon and badge case, not knowing what to say.
To be continued...
Author's Note: Well, it seems Sky has won decisively and definitively against Queen Novo to also earn himself the Sea Badge. No doubt, he and his team of Pokémon gave it their all. Now... we're officially halfway there to entering the League. However... it seems the Queen has an offer that has surprised the boy to say the least.