Chapter 96: A completely Normal battle Pt2
Pawmot and Staraptor were moving so quickly that only for brief moments, they became visible to the human eye as they darted across the battlefield. The eyes of both Larry and Kai darted back and forth all over the area, watching their respective opponent's Pokémon and looking for opportunities to strike.
"Staraptor! Quick attack!" Larry shouted. Suddenly, Staraptor appeared in the sky as though it teleported- and Pawmot appeared on the ground, sliding against the floor while crouching. Staraptor darted toward Pawmot like an arrow.
"Pawmot, Electroweb!"
Pawmot shot out electricity from its body that took the form of webs, which flew at Staraptor. Kai grinned, knowing that there was no way that the flying type could dodge-
"Staraptor- Don't stop! Brave bird!" Larry shouted out.
Kai's eyes widened as he saw Staraptor cutting through the electro webs with its shining blue body. Both Kai and Pawmot gasped in horror.
"Pawmot-" Kai cried. "You have t-"
It was too late. Staraptor's Brave bird attack landed directly on Pawmot's stomach before sending him spiraling into the air.
"Keep the attack going!" Larry shouted. Staraptor cried out as it shot toward the airborne Pawmot, and tackled him once again before flying past him like a bullet- U-turning, and striking him again. The speed of which the Staraptor moved looked as though Pawmot was being attacked by several trained snipers firing bullets from all around.
"Now, finish it!" Larry cried. Staraptor cried out, flying above Pawmot. The flying type energy around the flying/normal type expanded- forming an aura that was shaped like its own wings before diving straight toward Pawmot.
"Pawmot- Endure! Now!"
Pawmot's eyes widened as he spun his flying body up to look at Staraptor. Then- the electric/fighting type crossed his arms in defense as Staraptor's attack struck true. A pillar of dust rose at the landing spot of the two combatants. Both trainers covered their faces with their arms as the wind blew against them.
"Pawmot!" Kai cried out. "Did you do it!?"
"Paw-..Pawmot!" Pawmot roared in affirmation. The dust had finally settled, and revealed that Pawmot had held the Staraptor by the beak. Kai grinned wide.
"Nowhere to run- nowhere to hide!" Kai cried, snapping his fingers before pointing at Pawmot. "Pawmot- hit him with everything you've got!"
Pawmot let out an electric shock, and Staraptor cried out in pain. Kai's grin widened even more as he looked toward Larry- and much to the boy's surprise, Larry did not seem very phased.
Eventually, Pawmot's thundershock stopped, and Staraptor fell to the ground. The flying type's body was simmering in smoke.
"Ha! That's right! One down!" Kai cried.
Aeon and Tinkaton started cheering loud and proudly for Kai and Pawmot. Pawmot turned to the cheerleaders and waved at Tinkaton. When Kai went to wave at the cheerleaders as well, Larry closed his eyes and sighed, and Geeta shook her head in disapproval.
"Staraptor, get up and use Endeavor." Larry said.
Suddenly, Staraptor stood up. Pawmot only was able to see the shadow of his opponent before turning his back. Staraptor threw a kick to Pawmot's side- and it was devastating enough for him to let out a grievous cry of pain. Kai's head shot back to the fight, and he let out a scream of terror when he saw Pawmot on the ground, and Staraptor still up and conscious.
Everyone in the spectator's seat gasped.
"Wait-" Arven said, "Was Staraptor pretending to stay down!?"
"He had to have been," Penny said.
"It was smart of Larry to use Endevor of all moves," Nemona said. "It inflicts the same amount of damage the user took previously. So, considering Staraptor took significant damage from that thundershock…all of that damage it took is transferred to Pawmot."
"How!?" Kai cried. "How is Staraptor still conscious!?" Kai cried.
"Let this be a lesson, Kai." Geeta said. "The battle isn't over until it's over. Do you understand? Your arrogance has cost you and caused Pawmot extreme pain. If you don't focus, you will lose."
"Staraptor. Feather dance," Larry said.
"No-!" Kai cried. "Pawmot, you need to stop Staraptor!"
Pawmot clutched his stomach as he struggled to stand. Floating feathers circled around Staraptor, and converged into the flying type, healing its previous wounds.
"Pawmot- you need to move! Get up! You have to get up!" Kai cried.
"See, Kai?" Geeta said. "This is the major difference between Pokémon battles that use invokers, and traditional Pokémon battles. The only thing you can do is watch, and cheer your Pokémon on until he gets up."
Kai gritted his teeth.
Pawmot was gasping for air at this point- he could barely move let alone breathe.
"I need to stand…" Pawmot muttered.
"Pawmot! I know you can do this!" Kai cried. "I know you can take him- you've dealt with worse!"
Kai was right. Pawmot had dealt with worse. Pawmot gritted his teeth as he fought to stand.
"Staraptor, keep using Feather dance until you're fully healed," Larry said.
"You hear that, electric type?!" Staraptor cried out. "I'm going to be back to full health. And you'll be done for. I eat electric types like you for breakfast!"
"Pawmot- I'm sorry!" Kai cried. "I'm sorry that I let this happen..! I know you can get up- we can fix this together; we can beat him!"
Pawmot roared with all of his might to stand back up, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move.
"Pawmot!" Aeon cried.
"C'mon, Pawmot..! Get up!" Arven shouted.
"Come on, Pawmot! Come on..!" Nemona shouted.
"Move, Pawmot!" Penny cried.
"I'm…trying..!" Pawmot grunted as every muscle in his body roared for him to stay down. He felt the pain hammering against his thighs, which refused to move. Soon, Pawmot fell to his hands and knees, and closed his eyes in exertion. "I…!" He grumbled.
"PAWMOT!" Tinkaton's voice came to Pawmot's ears, and they sprung upward. Tinkaton was standing on top of the table between Kai's friends. "Pawmot..!" Tinkaton cried. "If you win- I'll… I'll..! I'll give you a kiss..!"
Pawmot's eyes widened as electricity blasted from his eyes. The electric type let out a huge war cry as a thunder aura exploded around the electric/fighting type. Staraptor's eyes widened, and so did Larry's.
"Pawmot-!?" Kai cried.
Pawmot slowly began to stand up, then turned his head to his trainer.
"Tell me what to do!" Pawmot cried.
"Right!" Kai cried.
Larry's eyes widened. "Staraptor- Aerial ace!"
"Pawmot- stop him!"
Staraptor swung its wing down like a guillotine, and Pawmot clapped his hands together to stop it.
"What!?" Larry cried.
"He stopped it!?" Geeta shouted.
"Thunder punch!" Kai cried.
Pawmot landed a devastating uppercut to the Straptor's face, sending it flying.
"Staraptor- catch yourself!"
Staraptor let out a cry and stopped its momentum by unfurling its wings.
"Don't let him breathe for even a second, Pawmot!" Kai cried. Pawmot nodded and went on all fours as it began approaching.
"Staraptor, use Swift!" Larry cried.
"Pawmot! Don't let him do it!" Kai shouted.
Pawmot roared as he leapt into the air, tackling the Staraptor before it could let out its attack. Staraptor let out a cry of pain.
"Don't let him breathe even for a second, Pawmot! Hold on to him tight!"
"Right!" Pawmot cried. Pawmot wrapped his arms around the flying type. The two of them began doing a U turn, diving straight toward the ground.
"Finish the job- use Seismic toss!" Kai cried.
"Staraptor- protect!" Larry cried. Staraptor let out a battle cry as a barrier appeared around him and Pawmot. The barrier fell to the ground like a boulder and dragged across the ground.
"It doesn't matter!" Kai cried, swinging his arm as though he were swatting something in the air. "Pawmot can shock him from the inside!" Kai shot his fist out. "PAWMOT! DO IT!"
Pawmot roared at the top of his lungs as it began letting out the strongest thunderbolt it could muster from its body. The sound of Staraptor's cries echoed before the barrier exploded from the inside. Dust and smoke exploded from the impact, and both trainers protected their eyes.
Staraptor's body was completely shocked as he lay on the ground. Pawmot stared down at him, standing over the flying type. Kai didn't move an inch, nor did he celebrate. He kept his eyes focused on the flying type.
Staraptor's leg twitched.
Pawmot immediately punched the flying type straight in the gut, causing the flying type to cry out in pain for a moment, before finally falling unconscious.
"...Staraptor is unable to fight." Geeta said, smiling. "The first battle goes to Pawmot."
Pawmot stumbled before falling straight on his bottom.
"YES!" Kai cried.
Kai's friends all cheered.
"You did so well, Pawmot!" Tinkaton cried. Pawmot laughed with exhaustion as he fell on his back. He started breathing heavily on the ground while raising one hand to make a thumbs up.
Larry returned his Staraptor to his Pokeball and sighed.
"Pawmot- can you move?" Kai asked.
It felt like a pile of bricks were laying on top of him. Pawmot fought his hardest to stand back up, and he eventually succeeded.
"You can still fight, right?!" Kai cried.
"Yeah..!" Pawmot cried.
"Good!" Kai cried.
"Congratulations," Geeta said as she turned to Kai. "You've dodged a bullet. You were lucky that your Pokémon were able to respond to your determination with their own. The good part is that you used that luck to your advantage, and didn't waste your second chance. Well done."
"Thanks," He said. "You know us- me and my Pokémon always break through any challenge,"
Geeta couldn't be prouder. The way that he and Pawmot made sure that Staraptor wasn't able to move was perfect for him. Kai would have to have and maintain that level of focus when he eventually would fight against Aeon to save this timeline.
"Stay sharp," Geeta said. She turned her head to Larry and nodded her head. Larry closed his eyes and sighed, pulling out a Masterball from his pocket.
"Do you want to switch your Pawmot out?" Geeta asked.
"Pawmot's still raring to go, right Pawmot!?" Kai cried.
Pawmot cried his name out in affirmation.
"All right. Larry. Do it." Geeta said.
"Go, Smergal." Larry said. He threw his pokeball, and out of it came a Smergal, who looked alert the moment it saw Pawmot glaring at him.
"Smergal versus Pawmot. Let the battle begin!" Geeta cried.
"Pawmot- give him a warm welcome with thundershock!" Kai cried. Pawmot roared, letting out an electric shock that flew toward Smergal.
"Smeargle! Double team!" Larry cried. Smergal began back and forth with intense speed, so much so that two afterimages of Smergal appeared on his sides. The electric shock struck one of the afterimages, and it faded away momentarily before returning.
"It missed, Pawmot! Try again!" Kai cried.
"Smeargle- Swords' dance, now!" Larry cried. Pawmot looked up as Smeargle alongside his afterimages leapt into the air- sets of swords appeared around each Smeargle. Pawmot shot a blast of electricity, and it hit one of the other afterimages.
Kai began glaring as his eyes started darting side to side as he kept pace with Smeargle's constant movement.
"Smeargle, close the distance and surround Pawmot!"
Pawmot gasped as he saw Smargle circling around the electric type so quickly that several 'clones' of itself formed a circle standing around him and staring at him.
"Pawmot- use discharge!" Kai roared.
Pawmot let out a roar as an explosion of electricity radiated from its body and went out toward the circle of Smeargle afterimages that surrounded him.
"That was a good move, Kai!" Arven shouted. "That's gotta do the trick and hit him...!"
"Smeargle, expand the circle to dodge it- and after you do, use Swords dance again!" Larry shouted.
Smeargle expanded the circle of afterimages surrounding Pawmot, and after safely moving out of Pawmot's discharge attack range, used Swords dance. After the explosion of electricity faded, Smeargle tightened the circle so that he could surround and trap Pawmot, who looked around trying to keep up.
"...I spoke too soon..." Arven said. "Now what will Kai do..? That Smeargle's moving too fast for Pawmot, I can tell, My head's spinning trying to keep up with that thing…"
"If I were Kai I would be panicking right now." Nemona said.
"Wha?" Arven said, spinning his head to Nemona, who had her arms crossed and a straight look on her face.
"Kai himself can see how fast that Smergle's going," Nemona said, "I can tell even from here, he's keeping up with its movement. He knows that I've moved far faster than that in our sparring matches. If he were the one battling, he would easily stop the Smeargle. But that's the issue: Kai isn't the one battling. Pawmot is. Kai has to choose his next move carefully, and he isn't used to that."
"I don't get it," Arven said. "Why does it matter how Kai commands his Pawmot? All he has to do is say, 'shock them right there' and point where Smeargle is about to be and then bang!"
"That's the thing, Larry can hear Kai's command and counter." Nemona continued. "Think of it this way: If you and I were playing rock-paper-scissors, and I suddenly announced that I was going to pull out paper, whatever plan that you had previously would go out the window, because you'd know I'd pull out paper, and you'd obviously pick scissors because it'd beat my option. In this case, if Kai cried out, 'Over there, Pawmot' and pointed at where Smeargle was going to be, or heck, where he was standing, Larry would see Kai pointing his finger and then tell Smeargle to not go where he pointed or to just dodge. Just like that, Kai would be back to where he'd started. And not only that, he's on a time limit. Smeargle's getting stronger by the second because of Swords' dance. All Larry has to do is wait for Kai to tell Pawmot to attack, then Smeargle would use Swords dance after dodging."
"Oh jeez.. There's layers to this." Arven said. "If Kai doesn't stop him soon, Smeargle will be able to beat Pawmot in one attack..! What's Kai going to do?"
Aeon and Tinkaton watched with bated breath. They had stopped cheering, and were watching with anxiety hanging over them.
"Kai…" Aeon muttered. "I know you can do it- I know you can figure something out- you've been through worse..!"
Penny watched Kai glaring at Smeargle, then saw a sly smile coming to the boy's lips.
"I know that smile," Penny said, smiling. "He's figured something out already, I know it. He's the smartest trainer I know, after all."
Slowly, Kai raised his arm as dramatically as possible before pointing a finger at Pawmot.
"Pawmot…" Kai said. "Use…Rest!"
"Huh!?" Geeta shouted.
"What!?" Larry shouted.
"WHAAAT!?" The entire crowd shouted in unison. Pawmot turned to Kai with a confused look, shrugged, then yawned before closing its eyes and lying down. It almost immediately went to sleep, and all of the wounds that it previously had from Staraptor's attack were healed.
"KAI IS THE DUMBEST TRAINER I KNOW!" Penny roared. "WHAT IS HE THINKING?!"
"Does he not realize that Smeargle's going to get stronger by the second- why is he letting Pawmot SLEEP!?" Arven shouted. Nemona looked like she was at a loss for words.
Aeon looked at Kai and saw that he was still smiling.
"If there's one thing I learned from watching Kai fight," Aeon said, "it's to never lose faith in him."
Larry composed himself and sighed. "Smeargle, use Swords dance-"
"And just like that, you fell for it." Kai said with a smirk. "Use Sleep talk, Pawmot, And use Encore."
Everyone's eyes widened.
Pawmot slowly stood up with its eyes still closed. Then, he began clapping his hands together, compelling Smeargle to use Swords dance over and over. All the afterimages around Pawmot faded instantly, and the real Smeargle stood still in front of Pawmot, using swords dance once again.
"WAIT- HE'S A GENIUS!" Penny cried.
"What- What did he do!?" Arven cried.
Nemona uncrossed her arms and widened her eyes in sheer amazement. "With one fell swoop, he stopped Smeargle from moving, fully healed his Pawmot with the move Rest, and made Smeargle completely vulnerable- all he can use now is Swords' dance!" Nemona cried.
Aeon and Tinkaton began cheering loudly for Kai and Pawmot once again.
"Want me to be honest?" Kai asked, his smirk widening. "This strategy was for your Staraptor, because I assumed you'd use this strategy with him, considering its weakness to electric type moves. Buuut- this works out for me too."
A bead of Sweat fell from Larry's face.
"Pawmot! Sleep talk again- I need you to use Close combat!"
"Smeargle- dodge!"
While keeping his eyes closed, Pawmot lunged at Smeargle fist-first. Smeargle leapt away at the last moment, and then narrowly avoided a flying kick after Pawmot spun around. Pawmot kept throwing punches and kicks wildly, which Smeargle tried desperately to dodge.
The entire time, floating swords kept flying around the normal type.
"Pawmot- Mach punch- aim for the Smeargle's feet!" Kai cried. Pawmot leapt toward Smeargle and dove down fist-first, causing the Smeargle to leap into the air to dodge the punch.
"Now, Pawmot! Thunder!"
Pawmot's eyes shot open as it awoke from its slumber. He shot his head up toward Smeargle and roared as he let out a full-powered Thunder attack at his opponent, who couldn't' dodge while in the air. The Smeargle cried out in pain as it was zapped, and an explosion rang out. Smeargle fell flat on the ground, covered in dust.
Swords appeared around Smeargle yet again before fading into the Pokémon's body.
"This is just too easy!" Kai cried, dusting his hands off. "You'd better turn up the heat or I'll fall asleep. I'm yawning here!"
Larry sighed. "Smeargle. Pull your deflated air balloon. Fill it up with Gastro acid."
With a loud groan, Smeargle moved onto its back and pulled out its deflated Air balloon item. Pawmot's ears perked up. Kai furrowed his brow.
"Oh no you don't-" Kai cried. "Pawmot- stop him!"Pawmot cried out his name in affirmation, and began running after the normal type. Smeargle finished filling the air balloon with Gastro acid, and tied it up before letting it lie on his stomach.
"Now- Baton pass!" Larry shouted.
Just before Pawmot could strike Smeargle- he instantly returned to his pokeball, which Larry held out in front of him before putting it in his pocket. Then, he pulled out another master ball and stared at it. He then looked up.
"You've done well so far," Larry said. "But this is the end. Go, Slaking!"
Larry threw his Pokeball, and out of it came a Slaking, who came out lying on the ground with a yawn. Aeon's eyes widened. At first, the robot boy was confused. Then, that confusion turned into panic.
Kai had gone through the same emotions- he squinted his eyes at the Slaking in confusion, and then suddenly nearly gasped. Pawmot did the same and then screamed in horror as he backed away slowly.
"That- That Slaking-" Aeon cried. "That- That's the one Kai and I fought before- back at the forest!"
"What?" Arven said. "You mean that Slaking you told me about that…had the durability of an actual tank!? Uh oh...!"
"What's it doing here!?" Kai cried. "When did Larry catch it…!? Ugh- that doesn't matter…Slaking still is a lazy Pokémon."Kai watched as Slaking scratched the back of his head. " As long as we play it safe, we should be good, Pawmot!" Kai cried.
"You don't get it," Larry said. "ISlaking. Do you see that balloon in front of you filled with Gastro Acid? Put it over your head and pop it!"
Slaking turned his head to the side, seeing the balloon that was filled with Gastro Acid. Kai stared at it blankly for a moment, and then his eyes widened with sheer terror.
"Pawmo! STOP HIM!" Kai cried. "Do it NOW! THUNDERSHOCK!"
By the time Pawmot heard the orders- it was already too late. Slaking had done what Larry asked him, and then…his eyes began to widen, and he raised his legs before leaping to his feat. The thunderbolt that flew had hit Slaking, but it barely hurt him. It's entire body began to turn red with rage as it roared at the top of its lungs and started pounding its chest.
"Wha- Why's he…acting like that?" Arven asked. "Aren't Slakings supposed to be lazy? Why's he this...determined?"
"Y-You don't get it…" Nemona said, widening her eyes in surprise. Kai-...Kai may have already lost."
"What?" Arven said. He began laughing nervously. "It- It can't be that bad, right?" Arven looked at Penny, who had her mouth wide open in terror. Aeon and Tinkaton had dropped their pompoms on the ground and had their hands on their faces. Arven's eyes slowly turned to Kai, who looked as though he were trembling. "It- It's that bad, huh?" Arven asked. "Someone fill me in…what's going on..?"
"Gastro Acid is a move that…removes abilities." Nemona said.
"Yeah, and so wha-" Arven's eyes widened in horror as his mind flashed back to the moment Slaking popped the balloon filled with Gastro Acid and poured it over its head. And then he remembered Slaking's ability: Truant, which was the reason why it was always so lazy.
And now that laziness was gone.
Geeta smiled. 'And with that, the hardest possible conditions have been met,' She thought. 'Slaking is not only no longer lazy, but he's gained more than double the strength it had before because of Baton pass transferring the damage-up effects that Smeargle had prepared by using Swords' Dance,' Geeta looked at Kai, who still was trembling. 'What will you do, Kai? Will you break under the pressure? Or will you push through?'
Kai gritted his teeth.
"Who cares if he's…stronger than he was before..?" Kai said, fighting back several thoughts that came to his mind, most of them being that Kai recognized Slaking's strength in the past. Kai remembered that it took every single one of his Pokémon in the past, including Aeon, to bring down this same Slaking in the past. Now they had to fight this monsterous tank one on one, with more than quadruple the strength it had before. Kai had to fight back his thoughts- no- he had to fight the devastating truth, that this battle may be over.
"Pawmot-..!" Kai cried, shaking his head to snap out of it, ignoring the thoughts he had in his mind. All he had to do was win, that's it. "Pawmot- d-don't be afraid! Use Thunderbol-"
"Hammer arm, Slaking. Aim for the ground." Larry said.
Slaking slammed his arm like a hammer toward the ground with so much force that Pawmot's entire body was flung into the air. Kai's feet briefly went off the ground from the force of the attack. After going on one knee to catch himself, Kai looked up and saw Pawmot flying helplessly in the air.
"Slaking- Hammer arm again! Aim for Pawmot!" Larry cried.
"Pawmot- D-Dodge-"
By the time Kai issued his command, Slaking had moved so quickly that he teleported above Pawmot and landed a devastating Hammer arm, sending him crashing into the ground like a meteorite. A massive explosion of dust slammed into Kai and the moment Pawmot touched the floor, and Kai covered his eyes as the dust settled. Pawmot's head was buried in the ground, and his feet were twitching as it stood upward before they went limp.
"Pawmot is unconscious and unable to battle." Geeta said. "The battle goes to Slaking!"
Kai pulled out Pawmot's pokeball and returned the electric type to it. Slaking began pounding its chest and roaring as the crowd cried out in excitement. Kai felt his legs give out as he fell to his hands and knees. He watched as his sweat rained onto the floor he stared at.
He could feel the pressure weighing on him at that moment, so much so that his breathing began to quicken. He began thinking that if he couldn't beat Larry at this moment, then he thought as he was now, he would lose horribly against Aeon. But he had worked so hard- came so far and literally could not afford to lose when that fateful battle came.
Kai looked up at Slaking, and for a moment, Slaking turned into Aeon- with his eyes glowing red and walking toward him with murderous intent. Kai began breathing faster and faster. His chest felt like a wall that refused to let any air in, and he felt like he was choking, as though he were breathing through a straw and desperately needed air.
"TINKA! TINKATON!"
Tinkaton's voice came like a life-perserver-ring, pulling him out of the pool of despair he almost drowned in. He saw Tinkaton standing in front of Kai, yelling at him as though she wanted him to focus. Despite not knowing a single thing that she said, He could tell in her eyes that she knew that she needed him to command her as she fought to avenge Pawmot.
Arven's words from the past came to Kai's mind.
'Everyone has flaws, Kai. I admire that despite that flaw of yours, you don't stay down after you psych yourself out. Sure, you may need a hand to get back up, but you never stay down. That's how you get stronger in life. Honestly, having a flaw like yours isn't that bad. It just means you need a pep talk every now and again, that's all.'
Kai balled his hands into fists, picking up some of the sand on the battlefield ground, and stood up.
"I'm not alone," Kai said. "I keep trying to look at problems like I am alone, but I'm have my friends and Pokémon by my side- every single one of them- we're all in this together!" Kai whipped his wrists and threw the sand he balled up onto the ground.
Geeta smiled.
Kai's eyes began to glow blue as he pointed at Slaking and Larry. "I don't care how long it takes..! We're BEATING YOU!"