Chapter 39:Advancing to the Finals of the Tower
For the first time since entering the tower Phillip was actively looking for a challenger. He saw Kathy finish a battle with her Bayleef. He was happy to see she was able to get a win. He couldn't find Nathan. As he was looking around for Nathan. A young man who looked to be almost 20 years old, wearing a blue polo and khakis approached him. The two made eye contact and the guy smirked at Phillip.
"Number 68."
"I guess that's my name here." Phillip retorted.
"My name is James, and I am number 69. I am trying to systematically move up one person at a time."
"And how's that going?"
"Well enough. I have six points."
"So let's change that. After you."
"Go Kangaskhan!"
Phillip smiled.
"That's a great Pokemon. Go Tyrogue!"
"A level one? You sure about this?"
Phillip shrugged. He gestured to James, as if to say after you.
"Pound attack!"
Kangaskhan charged at Tyrogue thrashing about. Phillip was thinking Fake Out, but before he could say anything Tyrogue was already doing it. A shadow Tyrogue appeared. Kangaskhan swatted at it. Tyrogue appeared on the side of Kangaskhan.
"Sucker punch!"
"Low sweep!"
Tyrogue spun out of the way. Kangaskhan's punch missed wildly. Tyrogue's kick nailed Kangaskhan in the leg.
"Fake out attack!"
Kangaskhan fired another attack. Tyrogue did a cartwheel out of the way. Kangaskhan spun its tail. Tyrogue raised both arms. The attack was blocked.
"Headbutt!"
Kangaskhan's headbutt connected. It sent Tyrogue backwards.
"Double kick!"
Tyrogue caught himself on his hand. Both his feet ricocheted off Kangaskhan's side. Tyrogue bounced away. He landed in a defensive position. Both Pokemon were very strong. Phillip could see that Kangaskhan was running out of stamina. If he could nail him with a couple of attacks to the body, he knew that one big move would take him out. He just had to stay on the defensive.
Kangaskhan was breathing heavily. She stepped back. She moved into a punching pose. Phillip anticipated the move.
"Double hit attack Kangashkhan!"
Kangaskhan swung her first strike with the fist nearest to Tyrogue. He side stepped. Kangaskhan's back fist was coming in hard. Tyrogue jumped back. The attack just missed. As Tyrogue planted his back foot Phillip shouted.
"Mega punch attack!"
With lightning speed Tyrogue darted at Kangaskhan. His fist smashed into Kangaskhan's chest. The time was now. As his fist came back Phillip called out again.
"Mega kick!"
As soon as Tyrogue's fist came back his back foot slammed into Kangaskhan's side. Kangaskhan was reeling. Tyrogue twisted back into a defensive position.
"With everything you have! Gyro Ball!"
Tyrogue had never done this attack before. He jumped up. Tyrogue summoned the air around him. A metaphysical steel ball began to form. Tyrogue snapped his arms wide. The ball sped towards Kangaskhan. His trainer was frozen with awe. The ball slammed into Kangaskhan's face, sending her rolling on the ground. When she didn't get back up James recalled her.
"You have an exceptional Tyrogue. He was doing moves that Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan and Hitmontop do. How did you pull that off?"
Phillip smiled and rubbed Tyrogue on the head.
"He is pretty amazing. I simply believe in the potential of my Pokemon and push them as hard as I can."
"You've done a great job."
James and Phillip shook hands and went their separate ways. Ashley ran up to Phillip.
"Tyrogue is so awesome! You are 3-0 with 6 points!"
In the direction James was walking Brett and Betty were squatting and whispering to one another in a corner behind a desk. They had on large coats, with sunglasses, and large quaker hats to cover up their Team Rocket uniforms.
"For a place that's supposed to have high security it was kind of easy to sneak in." Betty said.
"Right. So how are we going to get all of these powerful Pokemon?"
After bouncing around several ideas they popped up from behind the desk and made a phone call.
On the other side of the room Phillip continued in the direction he was headed. A girl with an orange hat and shoes ran up to him.
"Number 61! You've only had a few matches, but I'm about to hand you your first loss!"
Phillip leaned away from her and shoved his hands in his pocket.
"You know I do have a name."
"Yes, Phillip you do, and you're about to have to change it to Skyler's latest conquest."
"Is that supposed to be trash talk?"
"Let's go! I have personally trained under Falkner for years, and I'm about to unleash the power of my birds. Go Fearow!"
Phillip nodded.
"That's an impressive Fearow Skyler."
Skyler seemed to be confused by how nice Phillip was being. He threw out his Pokemon.
"Go Charlie!"
The girl jumped back with raised eyebrows.
"Charlie?"
Phillip smirked as his Dratini emerged. Skyler raised her eyebrow, and then scoffed at Phillip.
"Why would you rename a Dratini Charlie? That's not even a cool name."
Phillip shrugged.
"I guess I'm not cool."
Skyler grew annoyed with Phillip's confidence.
"Fury attack!"
As Fearow's beak charged at Charlie he was winding around the attacks. After about four attempts Fearow flew up into the air looking down on Charlie.
"Fly attack!"
"Substitute!"
Fearow swooped down. Charlie disappeared, and a psychic version of him appeared in his place. Fearow slammed into the ground.
"Thundershock!"
Charlie sent an a electric bolt at the fallen Fearow. Fearow was breathing heavily and its head was hanging low. Phillip knew it wasn't a knockout punch, but it was very effective.
"Wing attack!"
Phillip spoke in a low voice as Fearow moved in.
"Wait for it… we've practiced this before…"
Fearow's wings were outstretched to connect with Charlie. Charlie seemed to brace himself for the attack. Right before Fearow's wing connected Phillip yelled.
"Thunder fang!"
Charlie absorbed the hit. He bit the part of Fearow's wings that connected to the body. An electric current surged through Fearow's body. Before Fearow could fly back upward it dropped. Skyler recalled Fearow and stared at the ground.
"Your Dratini is very strong. Why did you name him Charlie?"
Phillip smiled.
"Charlie is my electric Dratini. Charlie… as in A B C… as in Alpha Beta Charlie."
Skyler's eyes opened wide.
"You have three Dratini!? They're so rare!"
"Only two… I'm the Alpha… I don't have Beta yet. Just Charlie and Delta."
"Doesn't the champion of the league have three Dratini?"
Phillip's demeanor changed a little bit.
"Three Dragonite. Dratini eventually evolves into Dragonite." But yes… more or less."
"And you've beaten him?"
Phillip smiled.
"Not yet. I only have access to the Battle Tower right now."
"Well, you're exceptional. I look forward to hearing more about you Phillip."
"Thanks Skyler! I look forward to hearing more about you."
Skyler walked away and Phillip turned to Ashley.
"Where am I at now?"
"58. You have 8 points. One more high-level battle and you move onto the finals."
Phillip and Ashley moved forward and came to a machine. After further inspection the machine could heal all Pokemon in your party and had a computer that allowed you to exchange some of your Pokemon if you wanted to.
"You know… I haven't seen Pidgeotto or Horsea in a minute."
After a few minutes of playing with the system Phillip healed his entire party and then exchanged Charlie and Wooper for Horsea and Pidgeotto. His party now had Tyrogue, Delta, Mareep, Pidgeotto, Larvitar and Horsea. He had no intention of using Larvitar here. He hadn't spent much time with him in order to train him with the higher level he would need to fight these experienced trainers. He did not want to set him up for failure.
Another minute had passed when Kathy and Nathan caught up to them. Phillip smiled at Kathy and Ashley screamed with enthusiasm.
"How are you guys doing?" Phillip asked.
They were less than enthusiastic, but responded. Ashley scanned them and reported their statistics to Phillip.
"Nathan is 3-3 with 3 points. Kathy is 4-1 with 5 points."
"How are you doing Phillip?" Kathy asked.
Ashley answered for him with a huge smile on her face.
"Phillip is 4-0 and has 8 points. He's so good! He's destroying everyone!"
"I wouldn't say destroying. They've all put on some really good matches."
"That's not true! You're killing everyone!"
Nathan sighed in disappointment as he healed his Pokemon. The group heard screaming over their shoulder. They turned around. There was a table with two people behind it. One was a man and the other a woman. They both had on large coats, with sunglasses, and large quaker hats. On the table was a machine. The person who screamed had just opened an empty Pokeball.
"You said if I paid you $100 you would cause my Pokemon to evolve!"
The seven people that went before the person began to open their Pokeballs. All of them were empty. A larger man stomped over to the couple. He grabbed the man by his jacket and pulled him up so that his feet weren't touching the ground. The woman tried to salvage it and began stumbling over her words.
"This is all part of the process guys. Just be patient."
The big man let the guy go and stepped back, unconvinced. He crossed his arms.
"Show me. Show me my Machamp."
The girl jumped and began doing something with machine on the table. Several Pokeballs fell into a bag. The man brushed himself off and stuck his chest out.
"You idiots get nothing."
Simultaneously the man and the woman yanked off their coats and hats revealing their Team Rocket uniforms. Talking with the sunglasses on they recited their rhyme about "flying to the highest heights."
When they finished Zubat and Sableye popped out of their Pokeballs and began firing Confuse Rays at everyone. Brett and Betty took off running in the opposite direction. Furret and Mareep cut them off. Kathy had Bayleef fire a Razor Leaf attack at the bag dropping all the Pokemon out of the bag.
"Oh no you don't you little twerps! Not this time!"
They sent Rattata and Murkrow out. All the trainers had regained their consciousness. They teamed up to attack Sableye and Zubat. Sableye and Zubat crashed into Brett and Betty. Mareep fired an electro ball attack that blew a hole in one of the large windows. As Rattata and Murkrow turned towards Phillip he ordered Delta to fire a Twister attack, and Pidgeotto to fire a Whirlwind attack. The two powerful moves sent Team Rocket flying out of the window.
"TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!"
After the dust had settled everyone who was involved received one point for defeating Betty and one point for defeating Brett.
Ashley shrieked with excitement.
"OH MY GOSH! PHILLIP YOU HAVE 10 POINTS!"
Just then Anabel came out of the shadows and approached Phillip.
"Okay. I've seen enough Phillip. I challenge you to a three-on-three battle."
Phillip's jaw dropped. Nathan shouted.
"You're the Battle Brain over the Battle Tower!?"
Anabel glanced at Nathan and smiled. She gave him a slight nod.
"What do you think Phillip?"
Phillip nodded.
"I accept."
To be continued…