Hot damn. I am so sorry and I love that you guys are still patiently (or not so patiently) holding out hope for an update to a fic by an author that tends to drop off the face of the earth for long periods of time fairly frequently.
Long story short, had some real life issues and it took years to get back into the right mindset to write again. I actually had about 10,000 words written by the end of 2014 and tried to get this out the week before 2015 started but I obviously failed. I can't believe the 7th gen/Sun/Moon anime started (and is probably almost done) before I finished this chapter.
This was supposed to cover episodes 10-12, but the word count rose to ridiculous levels so I ended up cutting it and you only get the Ash/Trip rematch and a few long days of offscreen daily life. Despite having a good idea of how I wanted this to go, it just did not want to be written. Then I decided to switch up the order of some scenes and suddenly it started flowing together a bit easier so I could finally get this out to you guys.
I watched ep 10 over and over only to cringe and rage at Ash's loss while trying to figure out where Trip would have gone by the time Ash makes it to town and came to the conclusion that he doubled back to grind for a while since he had his 2nd badge by then. He couldn't have gone all that far yet if he ends up in the same town as Ash who not only started a day(s) after him, but is constantly taking detours and getting involved in random stuff.
After that, I spent way too much time trying to puzzle out what Trip's other 3 pokemon that he never uses against Ash would consist of. I figured that at this moment he'd be like most new trainers and try to fill up his party before getting picky about what to keep for his main team.
Then these unknown pokemon ended up kickstarting subplots and generated almost an entire chapter of stuff that's not quite filler, but not quite plot advancement either. It's possibly even foreshadowing.
A lot of early dialogue is lifted straight from the subbed episodes by the group Pocket Monsters. Please support this wonderful team because without them to supply my steady fix of not dubbed and very very well subbed pokemon anime, this fic probably wouldn't even exist.
I'm bumping up Iris's age to 13 since the anime revealed her backstory and kind of scrambled up some future plotlines. I really liked it so I adjusted this story to fit that in (and may have started a new AU story based off it) but I'm still keeping a ton of my own non canonical stuff in because it's basically everything I wished had happened but didn't.
Current Ages:
Ash: 14 (almost 15)
Iris: 13
Cilan: 16
Trip: 12
"Regular Speech"
'Pokespeech'
"Pokedex Speech"
Chapter 5: Worth of a Trainer - Part 1
Despite his views on humans, N could be properly grateful to them at times. Certain humans. Like whoever invented the air conditioner that was blasting a cool breeze through the automatic doors of the Luxuria Town Pokemon Battle Club.
He sucked in a deep lungful of air and slowly exhaled to try to calm his heart rate. Iris and Dento weren't doing much better themselves, but Satoshi looked perfectly at ease. Like he hadn't just dashed halfway through the town.
Just how much stamina does he have?
"Ahh!"
"What's with you, yelling like that?"
"It's Shooti! Shooti's here!"
Shooti? That didn't sound like a pokemon.
N frowned as Satoshi excitedly explained how the trainer-of course it was a trainer-was the first person he had battled in this land.
"It's decided! I'll battle Shooti once more!"
"Pika pika!" 'We'll make up for last time for sure!'
Battles…ugh. He was starting to understand just how much Satoshi and Pikachu seemed to enjoy them, but that didn't mean that he had to like it. Caught up in his displeasure, N barely noticed as Zorua squeezed tightly on his shoulder.
'Hmmm~'
'What?'
'He seems pretty happy to see this trainer. More so than anyone else so far.'
Zorua nodded towards the console where Satoshi was in the process of contacting Shooti.
N frowned as the teen's joy seemed to double in moments.
'Don't worry. I'm sure Satoshi isn't going to push you aside. After all, this Shooti may be his first rival in this land, but you're his first human stalker here. I'm sure that counts for something too.'
'Zorua!'
"I'll decline. At this point, battling a Pikachu who lost against a Snivy with little experience is meaningless. It'd be meaningless."
"No, no! Pikachu wasn't normal back then! He couldn't use his electric moves because of Zekrom!"
"Zekrom?" Dento asked Iris. "The pokemon they call legendary?"
"He said he met it in Nuvema Town."
"Wow. That's amazing!"
"Ze-Zekrom?! You've seen Zekrom? How?! When?! Where?!"
"E-Enne?"
N blinked, then realized that he had actually shouted out his thoughts aloud and was currently looming over Satoshi with a near manic gleam in his eyes. His hands clenched atop each shoulder in a vice grip, preventing the shorter trainer from leaning away from the man currently invading his personal space.
"In-In Nuvema Town. On the first day we came here. It hit Pikachu with its lightning and messed him up."
Pikachu flinched back, red cheeks letting loose faint crackles of electricity in alarm as N's intense gaze shifted from Satoshi to the mouse clutching onto his trainer's hat as if he would like nothing more than to hide behind it.
"Pii…ka chu." 'Yeah…it did.'
Whatever else he was planning to say was interrupted by Shooti's arrival and N loosened his grip in surprise allowing Satoshi to break free to confront the other trainer. The prospect of a battle with his new rival wiped out whatever previous apprehension Satoshi may have been feeling, but it did nothing to quell the maelstrom that N's own thoughts had become.
'Let's stay and watch. We need more information first.'
'…'
'One thing at a time N. He'll stay to heal his pokemon afterward and that'll be our chance to talk to him about Zekrom. Everyone still needs to restock on supplies. Us too.'
For once, N wasn't going to even to try argue against it. A part of him still cringed at the thought of watching more pokemon get hurt, but he couldn't deny Zorua's words and ruthlessly shoved it aside to focus.
'Alright.'
The first thing they went through was introductions and Shooti's inevitable scanning of Zorua with his pokedex. He didn't seem to hold much interest in N after learning that he didn't have any other pokemon with him. Or maybe it was because Satoshi was easily the most distracting thing in the entire room.
"A full six-on-six battle might benefit me too, after all."
"Full battle? Ah, we can't do that. I only have five pokemon on hand right now." Satoshi looked sheepish.
Why?
He had done nothing wrong. Satoshi was taking his time to help others and making sure that his pokemon were kept healthy and happy. Even though it was costing him several days, he clearly had no regrets and he was taking time to form strong bonds with each pokemon under his care instead of catching everything in sight only to have the extras put away in storage in those detestable pokeballs.
"Five?"
"But see, I've got one badge."
I don't like him.
"I've got my second."
"Eh? Two already?"
"Pi ka." 'That was fast.'
"That's basic, isn't it? Don George, I'm sorry but I will have to cancel this battle request."
"Cancel?"
So Shooti didn't want to battle. That was good wasn't it? They could ask Satoshi and Pikachu about Zekrom right away and no pokemon had to get hurt.
Still…
"Battling a trainer with one badge and five pokemon…"
He had such a condescending tone. Such as expected of an arrogant human. An arrogant trainer.
I really don't like him.
"You're not better just because you've got higher numbers! I won't lose to you!"
That's right. Satoshi may have had less pokemon, but he was a much better trainer. Maybe even the best one ever.
"Pika! Pika!" 'That's right! That's right!'
Irritation laced Pikachu's words.
"It's a mystery. Where does this baseless confidence come from? Are all trainers from rural areas like Kanto like this?"
If they were, the world was truly a better place for it.
I really really don't like him.
"I'll search for a more worthy opponent in the next city. So long."
Shooti turned to leave.
I don't like this trainer. At. All.
"Battling him won't do any harm, will it?"
Iris folded her arms behind her head, her tone as light as if she was commenting about the weather.
"You've been kind of complaining about various things the entire time; those types of people are often children, you see…"
Her entire demeanor seemed mostly unaffected, but the goading words and sly patronizing smirk settled N's ire a little. It seemed that he wasn't the only one upset on Satoshi's behalf and despite Iris's usual disparaging of Satoshi's (lack of) maturity, clearly she too felt that he deserved more credit than the other trainer was giving him.
"Children?"
Shooti hesitated and glanced back, the word stiffening his shoulders in irritation.
"I'd like to see it too. A battle between the two of you I mean." Dento joined in to assist her. "Passion and calmness clash, producing a deep taste which is both fresh and sharp. That's how I expect the battle to be, but…"
Zorua grinned. How sly. Using the esteem Shooti had for his title as a gym leader to gently guilt trip an agreement to a match with their friend. It was mild and his descriptions of his hopes were worded so strangely that Zorua still couldn't understand it, but Dento was almost like the carrot to Iris's taunting stick. Or rather they were both sticks, but the gym leader phrased it in a way to seem like a carrot.
Shooti sighed in resignation and turned around.
"I'm sorry to keep troubling you. Please be our referee." He asked George. "Satoshi and I will have a five-on-five battle."
"Mmm. I got it."
"Thank you, Shooti!"
Smiles and happy expressions suited Satoshi more than upset ones Zorua mused. N obviously felt the same if the minute relaxation of his body was anything to go by.
"Well, I'd know the outcome even without doing it though. I suspect that this will be a completely meaningless battle."
Whatever tenseness N had managed to unwind came rushing back. That's right. This trainer had two badges and six pokemon already. Satoshi was going into a battle where his opponent's pokemon would all most likely be at least five levels higher than his. It would be a foregone conclusion if this was a normal trainer. Except…Satoshi wasn't a normal trainer and Pikachu probably wasn't a normal pokemon either.
"Pika pi pikachu." 'Let's make him eat his words.'
Determination burned in Pikachu's eager eyes.
"Yeah." Satoshi agreed.
A matching shine in his eyes answered him back.
There it was again. The amazing way the boy seemed to be able to understand his partner even without truly understanding his words. Then Pikachu grinned at Dento and Iris in thanks for their assistance in securing the rematch.
N would most likely have missed out on most if not all of the nuances in that conversation, but it seemed that Pikachu had managed to pick up on it just fine.
Zorua would have to explain it to his friend later. Really. What would N do without Zorua to guide him through these things? What would N do without Zorua?
…
The possible answers burned uncomfortably in the pits of his stomach and heart. Each and every one of them more unpleasant than the last.
The battle started off even worse than N could have imagined. Oshawott and Tepig were both instantly KO'd in overwhelmingly fast attacks boosted by Tranquill's ability Super Luck.
Zorua winced. 'At least it was quick.'
N didn't even deign to reply, too focused on Satoshi who was worrying over the now depressed fire pokemon.
"You really should start from scratch again. From the basics, I mean."
Shooti's condescending manner had N gritting his teeth even as Satoshi's drive to battle intensified.
"The battle has only just begun. Pikachu, let's show him our true power."
Zorua leaned forward in anticipation. Here's the pokemon he was looking forward to watching the most.
Tranquill continued to dodge Pikachu's attacks just like he had with Oshawott's and Tepig's.
Two Work Up boosted Aerial Aces knocked down Pikachu, but unlike his teammates, the yellow mouse managed to force himself back up.
"What a useless resistance. This will be my third victory in a row. Tranquill, Aerial Ace!"
Satoshi. Pikachu. What will you do? Better make it fast or N won't have any teeth left with the way he's grinding them.
"Pikachu! Grab Tranquill!"
Pikachu twisted away just in time, only taking a glancing blow on the cheek, but he shrugged it off and latched onto Tranquill's leg, forcing the bird to slam into the ground and driving up small clouds of dust.
"All right. Toss it away!"
With an impressive fling, Pikachu hurled his opponent away and Satoshi was quick to take advantage of it.
"Volt Tackle!"
"Dodge it!"
Still tumbling head over heels through the air, Tranquill was too disoriented to obey and instantly knocked out.
'Ooohh. I get it. Since he was able to dodge in the air, Satoshi had Pikachu even the odds by bringing him down to his level to beat him. What do you think N? Smart huh?'
'…'
Of course. He had gone quiet again. With the possibility that Satoshi was Zekrom's chosen hero, N had shifted his entire focus into observing and dissecting everything he could about the trainer. He wouldn't respond much, if at all for some time.
The next match started with Servine against Pikachu and despite his reluctance, Satoshi switched out his most trusted partner for Snivy when it seemed that Pikachu wouldn't be able to avenge himself for their last battle.
There was a look the two shared as Pikachu came off the field and if Zorua had to make a guess, it was full of apologies. In reality…
Sorry about this buddy. I know you wanted this rematch.
It's alright. There will be other battles for me to fight in the future.
Take a break for now. Because Snivy will most likely fall before the end.
I got it. I won't let you down, Partner.
The entire conversation passed in the blink of an eye and beat of a heart and Pikachu cheered on Snivy who handily defeated Servine. Then Pidove was sent out to face a blue Frillish, but lost nearly as quickly as Tepig and Oshawott had to Tranquill. And Snivy…
"Vine Whip!"
"Ehh?!"
"Don't, don't don't!" Iris shrieked.
"Satoshi wait!"
N made as if to leap over the barricade and straight onto the field, but Zorua nipped him sharply behind his ear to stop him.
'If you go out there, it's an instant loss for him!'
'But-but-he-!'
Whatever else they had planned to say was too late. Snivy's Vine Whip was sealed.
"You really don't know the basics, do you? Setting up such an attack against Frillish who has the Cursed Body ability…"
"Cursed Body?"
"It's an ability that threatens to block a move that attacks physically! You really are a child for not even knowing that!" Iris looked like she was about to fling herself out there as well while Dento gently tried to calm her down.
"Now, now. Don't get so excited."
Despite the type disadvantage, Frillish had clearly been well trained and the battle continued with neither side giving an inch. Until Satoshi decided to bank everything on a final attack.
"Leaf Blade! Go! Finish it in one hit!"
With its failure, the precious time it took for Snivy's Leaf Blade to be sealed let Frillish trap her in his Water Pulse and N flinched at her shrill cries of pain. It was one disaster after another as she became confused and then Shooti ordered a Hex. If N hadn't been digging his nails into the concrete barricade separating the viewers from the field, his palms would have been bleeding. He'd later find that some would be cracked.
"It's three-to-one now and your Pikachu's not exactly at tip top shape either. Are you sure you don't want to forfeit?"
Please say yes. N begged in his mind, but he knew better by now. Satoshi was burning brighter than ever.
"No way! It doesn't matter if it's six-to-one! The battle's not over until the last one falls!"
Together Satoshi and Pikachu jabbed a finger at the trainer.
"We'll fight until the bitter end!"
'We'll fight until the bitter end!'
There it was. The overlapping speech. Indistinguishable between human and pokemon. When Satoshi and Pikachu's hearts and minds became one.
N's own heart warmed and fluttered at that strange resonance even if he couldn't understand why.
Satoshi was an amazing trainer. He cheered on his pokemon for each victory, consoled them for each loss, and never ever failed to thank them for their hard work even if they were unconscious and in their pokeballs. Besides the Striaton City gym leaders, the last trainers N had seen this behavior from were Touya and Touko and neither of them could match the display he was witnessing now.
"Hmph. Suit yourself. Return Frillish."
Shooti on the other hand, did no such thing whether his pokemon won or lost.
"Go Deerling!"
The pink and white buck gave a loud snort as he pawed at the ground and eyed his opponent with interest.
"Work Up."
"Thunderbolt!"
"Dodge it and use Work Up again."
Two more thin bolts of electricity missed the nimble pokemon as it zigzagged out of range and Pikachu gave a tiny huff of frustration before Shooti made his next move. If only he had his former strength…
A single sweeping Thunderbolt would have been more than enough to knock out Deerling, mostly because it would have been enough to blast away half the field before the pokemon could outrun it. Overkill? Probably. But it would be so much more satisfying than what Pikachu was suspecting was going to turn out to be a battle of attrition.
"Take Down."
Pikachu gave himself a mental shake even as he continued to warily watch the Deerling snort and paw at the ground as he eyed him back. There was no room for self-pity here. Not if he wasn't going to let some upstart trainer get away with such blatant disrespect to his partner again.
Pikachu released another attack, this time just a Thundershock, fully expecting Deerling to dodge.
The red glow faded as the second Work Up finished taking effect and Deerling skipped out of the way of the next bolt as planned (and almost exactly to where Pikachu wanted him), then charged forth.
"We'll show you! Pikachu! Go for it! Quick Attack!"
Perfect.
"In a contest of raw power, do you really think you're going to wi-?!"
Pikachu shoots forward, narrowly twisting out of way just before contact and using his tail to pivot around and aim a Thunderbolt at Deerling who didn't have time to change his own course. Panicked and in pain, the pokemon continued to follow through with his last order until he slammed into the wall behind Satoshi with a bodily *Thwack*. He slid to the ground to reveal hairline cracks on the wall.
N flinched.
'Oooh. That had to hurt.' Commented Zorua.
'Ouch.' Agreed Axew.
"A double Work Up boosted Take Down. That definitely had to do some damage." Iris observed.
Deerling stood up on shaky legs and shook his head a couple of times before awaiting more orders, much warier than before.
"Deerling! Double Kick!"
"Agility!"
The missed attack left two small craters in the dirt field. The afterimages faded as Pikachu fired off a Thunderbolt from behind again and while Deerling cried out, it was obvious his failed Take Down had done more damage.
"Do I need to teach you that grass pokemon are resistant to electric attacks too?" Shooti mocked.
"I know that already!" Satoshi yelled back, his mind working in overdrive. Pikachu couldn't afford a single hit. With those boosts, it would mean their instant defeat. In Pikachu's current weakened state, Deerling was too fast for a normal attack and Iron Tail wasn't going to hit if Thunderbolt wasn't. Not without leaving Pikachu open for a counterattack. He would need to seal those movements somehow…somehow...
"If you're not going to do anything, then I'll make a move first. Deerling! Use Leech Seed, then Double Kick again!"
A brown seed the size of a large chestnut shot out towards Pikachu from the deer's mouth.
"Don't let it touch you!"
"Pika!" 'I know!'
He let loose just enough electricity to char the seed black and then Iron Tail-ed straight it back into Deerling's face like a baseball, forcing the pokemon to miss and leave more craters under his hooves.
"Deeeeeerr!"
"Deerling!"
Pawing at his face in irritation, Deerling only succeeded in smearing the black soot over more of his previously pink and cream colored fur.
"Iron Tail…burn…fire…That's it! Pikachu remember the first time we took on Haruka on her home field? During the appeal round! Remember what we did then?"
It took some time to recall, but Pikachu perked up once he did.
"Pi…pi…pika!" 'What…oh…oh yeah!'
"Heh! Get ready Shooti! We're going to defeat Deerling with fire!"
"What are you talking about?! Pikachu can't use fire attacks! Otherwise you'd have done so already!"
"Can Pikachu learn fire attacks?" asked Iris.
"Somehow, I don't think that's what Satoshi has in mind." Dento looked back towards the field where Shooti was staring at Satoshi like he had gone insane. "The aroma of this battle has been changing ever since Satoshi lost the rest of his pokemon and was forced to rely only on Pikachu. I think we're all about to taste something unique and even more exciting than his gym battle."
"We're not going to use fire attacks! We're going to use fireworks!"
"What?"
Shooti looked more confused than ever and he wasn't the only one.
"Let's give 'em a show Pikachu! Using your Pika-wheel Fireworks!"
"Pikachu!" 'I'm on it!'
He shot forward with Agility, then Quick Attack, letting a Thunderbolt build around him. Then he released it and turned back to add more and more, twisting the newly freed electricity into a ring. Then another and another and another.
It had been nearly a year since the last time he'd done this. They had tossed around the idea of re-using it for the Mikuri Cup in Sinnoh and practiced accordingly, but Satoshi had ultimately decided to go with a different appeal and pokemon for the preliminary round instead.
Pikachu was worried that he wouldn't be able to build up enough speed, hence his compensation with the Agility, and the rings were definitely smaller than he would have liked. He'd have to make up for it with numbers then, but…
'I've still got it.'
Years ago, the start of this combination might have even been the precursor to Volt Tackle before they ever went to Hoenn. A weaker attack, but with the benefits of both possible paralysis and no recoil damage. He'd have to talk to Satoshi about using it more often later at times they couldn't afford a Volt Tackle, but special combinations were used sparingly for a reason. Opponents could and would take and tweak these attacks for themselves. Like the Counter Shield. It was still way too early in the game to use that one. While his trainer had no problem with showing off new strategies to his rivals before a big match, Pikachu sometimes wished that he had just a little more reserve. Oh well. That's just a part of what made Satoshi who he was and Pikachu loved him all the more for it.
At least, Pikachu felt, Shooti would have a hard time replicating this one without the right pokemon, experience, and control needed. And besides, Shooti needed to know that the so called 'basics' he was so fond of toting about weren't everything.
"It's-it's a combination attack!" Dento gasped.
"A what?" N and Zorua looked to Dento for clarification but it was Don George who answered in his stead.
"Sometimes trainers come up with special variations to normal moves and name them something different to distinguish whether they want the normal version or the special version to be used. Combination attacks are so called because they combine multiple attacks in a specific sequence. It's faster than calling out each one individually and can give you an edge if your opponent doesn't know what to expect. There are two general categories. One is for multiple pokemon combining their moves together and the other is a single pokemon doing so like Pikachu."
"But what's the purpose of doing this now?" asked Iris.
"To seal Deerling's movements." N murmured.
"Huh?"
"Look." He pointed to the anxious Deerling who was glancing this way and that, trying to take in the location of all the rings scattered around him. "Because of each ring's placement, Deerling can't jump anywhere he wants anymore whether it's for an attack or to dodge. Nor can he simply use Take Down. Not without risking running into one. Aside from Pikachu and Satoshi, no one knows exactly how this combination attack will work."
"Now it's time to finish this!" Satoshi yelled, pointing straight at Deerling.
"Deerling. As long as you keep away from them, you'll be fine. Pikachu's lost most of the room for its evasion techniques too. Now use Jump Kick while he's still there!"
Pikachu charged forward, but instead of heading for Deerling, he approached the closest ring and slapped it as hard as he could with Iron Tail towards the pink and white pokemon. It missed when the deer jumped, but set off a chain reaction. Which was exactly what he had been going for. Rings of electricity skittered about, zigzagging this way and that only to clash with each other around the field with loud pops and crackles.
"Fireworks!" Don George exclaimed. "So that's what he meant. Satoshi wasn't actually done yet. He is from Kanto right? These Pika-wheel Fireworks are very reminiscent of a game that involves battling with spinning tops that are quite popular from his region."
"Whoa…look Axew! Aren't they pretty?"
"Ax!" 'Yeah!'
"Marvelous! This pleasant aroma brings to mind a wondrous light show after the fun and intensity of a long day at a fair."
N didn't say anything, too entranced by the scene to do otherwise. He had heard of fireworks. He had seen pictures too. He had even read a book on how they were made. But he had never seen fireworks in real life before. The Pika-wheels weren't exactly like the ones in the pictures. They hovered only a few inches off the ground and were made of bright yellow electricity, but they were all still so pretty to look at. He felt that if this wasn't a pokemon battle, he'd actually be enjoying this a lot more.
Deerling flinched and fumbled his attack as he crashed down and made the largest crater yet. He bleated in distress when realized that he was surrounded by three rings which began to close in with frightening speed. The bright lights, loud crackling noises, and reminder of the pain of Pikachu's Thunderbolts unnerved him to the point that he ignored Shooti's commands to get away and consequently got struck.
"Deeeeerrr!"
The rings had lost too much power to do much damage by then, but neither Satoshi nor Pikachu were about to let him go now that they had him where they wanted him.
"Deerling! Get out of there and use Double Kick!"
"Deeeer…"
He struggled to obey, but sparks crackled over his fur and his muscles seized up.
"No!" Shooti gritted out.
"Deerling's been paralyzed! Now's our chance. Pikachu! Iron Tail!"
"Pika!" 'On it!'
Mustering all his strength, Pikachu knocked Deerling upwards as high as he could. He didn't have to have an order to know what came next.
"CHUUUUU!"
When Deerling fell back to the ground, he didn't get back up. Around the battlefield, the remaining Pika-wheels began to dissipate.
"Deerling is unconscious." Don George announced. "Pikachu wins!"
"Alright!" Satoshi jumped, punching the air.
"Pikachu!" 'We did it!'
'Yeah!' Zorua cheered and even N managed to crack a smile despite his stiff jaws.
"What?! How did you manage to defeat him like that?!"
"It's called grounding." Surprisingly it was Satoshi who spoke up. "Grass pokemon may be resistant to electric attacks, but a lot of it is actually going into the ground. Sort of like a lightning rod. If a pokemon isn't actually touching the floor electric attacks will be able to do much more damage even to pokemon that it isn't very effective against. On the other hand, a pokemon that is weak against it can negate some or even all of the damage if it's done right."
Whether the expression on Shooti's face meant that he was dumbfounded about learning this advanced bit of battling knowledge or that it was coming from Satoshi of all people was up for grabs. With a frown, Shooti pulled out his camera and snapped a picture of Pikachu and Deerling. Then another of Pikachu and Satoshi.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm recording this moment so that I won't forget about the frustration I feel."
Combination attacks. Flashy moves that distracted and panicked opponents. Grounding. There were too many valuable lessons from this one battle that Shooti couldn't afford to forget. Not if he was aiming for the Champion.
Recalling his Deerling, Shooti contemplated on who to send out next. Pikachu should be fairly worn down by now, but he was still ridiculously fast. He wasn't going to risk it. Satoshi was also proving to be surprisingly decent with Pikachu. In this case, speed would have to take priority over power or he might end up with Deerling's situation all over again. Especially with that unlucky last minute paralysis. If he looked at it that way, then his next pokemon was actually the perfect choice. It wasn't as powerful as he was hoping it would be, but that's why he had spent a considerable amount of his prize money after the first gym to buy the TM for Work Up.
"Purrloin. Let's go!"
"Pu-pu-purrloin?!"
"Dento? What's wrong?"
"…"
Iris poked him when he didn't respond and he jerked away in alarm before deciding that he would be safe behind the concrete barricade that separated the viewed from the battlefield. Behind Iris and her considerable hair too.
"A purrloin did something terrible to me once."
"Something terrible? What did it do to you?"
"Don't ask. I don't want to remember. Just…Satoshi! You better be careful! Purrloin are devious pokemon and if you aren't careful, they'll bring you nothing trouble."
"Hey! That's not fair." N was insulted on behalf of all purrloin. "Purrloin aren't bad pokemon."
"Maybe. But until I meet one that isn't, I'm going to do my best to steer clear of all purrloin as much as possible."
'You have to admit. He is kind of right. At least about the devious part.' Zorua spoke up before N could work himself into one his righteous speeches. 'It's just in their nature.'
N was about to retort that he was still slandering their name with the 'nothing but trouble' part, when Satoshi's sleepy voice rang through his head.
"Did you know that there are some people who are afraid of pokemon?"
"…" He shut his mouth and Zorua watched him curiously, certain that he was going to have to head off a tantrum. Ah. Of course. Satoshi was always at the forefront of N's mind these days. It was not only a nice change of pace from the usual hero stuff, but it also brought a sort of lightness to the heart that they hadn't experienced in years.
"Purrloin?"
Satoshi pulled out his pokedex.
"Purrloin, the Devious Pokémon. Purrloin fools people into letting their guard down so it can steal their possessions. When angered, it uses its claws to fight back."
"I see…Pikachu."
Don't lose your focus.
Still keeping one eye on the sneaky looking cat, Pikachu half-turned and nodded.
I won't.
"Purrloin. Work Up."
The now familiar red glow began to surround Purrloin, but Pikachu was already off in a Quick Attack a split second after the first sound passed Satoshi's lips.
"Sand Attack! Then follow it up with Fury Swipes."
Purrloin had just enough time to send a wave of dirt from the floor into Pikachu's eyes, but not enough to get out of the way of the Quick Attack. He was sent tumbling head over heels back towards his trainer.
"Pikachu!"
The mouse rubbed at his eyes unhappily.
"Pikapi! Pikachu!" 'Satoshi! I can't see!'
"Purrloin get him with Fury Swipes now! Hurry! Before he regains his sight!"
"Puurrrr loin purr!" 'I'll scratch you up!'
"Pikachu! Focus and use your ears!"
The sting of the cat's claws lancing across a cheek made Pikachu jerk back, but he shoved the aside the pain to focus.
"Pi...!" 'Ah…!'
He could do this. Had done this before. This Purrloin was light on his feet, but he was a rather noisy pokemon as well. Not that young, but not very old either. Just…inexperienced. For all that he wasn't a strong battler, Team Rocket's Meowth could be much much quieter and much much faster than this.
A dark paw stomped forward harder than necessary at the same time a swipe whistled past and brushed an ear. A claw there pricked at his left cheek and the thump of an unseen tail lashing so far out that it hit the ground was heard from the opposite side.
It wasn't perfect. He was still racking up scratches here and there, but most were missing or much weaker than a complete attack. Purrloin's own impatience and irritation was giving away his position making this much easier than it would have been if say Meowth was the opponent.
"No way! Pikachu's actually dodging without looking." Iris's disbelieving awe and the chatter of the other pokemon in the background barely registered as Pikachu put all his attention into avoiding the Fury Swipes.
'Stay still you!' hissed the Purrloin, irritation bleeding into frustration in his voice.
The only reply Pikachu gave was a steady "Pi-pi-pi", a repeating mantra with every twist and turn of his body and even that faded as he steadily fell into a rhythm of dodging and ducking. His eyes were watering and slowly washing away the debris in his eyes, but he barely noticed.
"It's a stalemate." Commented Dento.
"What's Satoshi going to do now?" wondered Iris. "Pikachu can't keep this up forever."
Zorua took his eyes off the combatants to take a look at Satoshi who appeared to be just as focused as Pikachu. It was incredible just how much he and Pikachu seemed to be in sync. The more they fell into the zone, the more Purrloin and Shooti seemed to fall out of it. Satoshi's lips were twitching as if he was saying something and Zorua strained his ears to listen. At a range that no normal human would be able to hear was a steady, "Wait for it….wait for it…wait for it…wait-"
'I said stay stiiiilllll!' Purrloin yowled. He stopped his Fury Swipes and his claws glowed a bright white as he lifted a paw high in preparation for a Scratch attack even as Shooti shouted at him to keep going with Fury Swipes.
"Grab it!"
Pikachu's ears twitched and his paws shot out faster than anyone else could process to nab both of Purrloin's now stationary arms.
"What are you doing Purrloin?! I said to keep using Fury Swipes!"
"Thunderbolt!"
"Ngh!" Shooti's eyed widened as he realized what was about to happen. "Get away from there!"
"Chuuuuuu!"
Shrieking and yowling as Pikachu continued to pump a substantial stream of electricity into his body, Purrloin writhed, desperate to break free. Just when he managed to pull and stagger away…
"Iron Tail at ten o'clock!"
The crushing blowing from the still blinded Pikachu sent Purrloin flying and crashing into the ground several feet away.
"Purrloin!"
"Ten o'clock hmm? Truly, Pikachu is quite the vintage. Every time I see him battle, he reveals a wondrous new side to his taste."
"…can I get that in a language that I can understand please?"
Dento internally winced at Iris's deadpan but acquiesced and tried to find better words to explain it.
"A normal analog clock, like the one you often see on the walls of Pokemon Centers, goes by a twelve hour cycle. As humans, we use them to tell time. We also generally take it for granted. Most pokemon wouldn't know such a thing as they follow the sun and moon cycles. Diurnal pokemon rise with the sun and sleep with the sunset. Vice versa for nocturnal pokemon.
It would take time for most pokemon to learn how to adjust to the human concept of the modern analog clock, but Pikachu reacted instantly to the correct position. That is-the angle that Purrloin had moved to from ninety degrees, or twelve o'clock, which would be directly in front Pikachu. At the very least, you could say that Pikachu either has a rudimentary grasp of mathematics and time by human standards or has been trained to respond to clock positions. It's mostly likely both."
"Oh…so that means Pikachu's pretty smart huh? Sometimes I get the feeling that he might be even smarter than his trainer though. At least he seems to be more sensible."
"…I think you're being a bit harsh, but…I can't really disagree with that…"
N knew Zorua could read clocks too. He didn't exactly understand what they had meant at first, but he had later noticed that humans seemed to constantly be controlled by them. Most pokemon didn't know how, not when they were more attuned to the outside world and more concerned with procuring food, shelter, and mates, but clocks were useful in a way that allowed you to keep track time when you spent nearly all your days in one room with a ceiling and no windows. To think you could use the concept of telling time for battles too. It was all mathematics and formulas. Something that N truly loved applied to something that he truly hated by someone that he truly liked. He wasn't sure how to deal with such feelings.
Purrloin struggled to get up, electricity still crackling and setting his fur on end.
"Alright! It's paralyz-huh?"
The feline flicked his tail, shaking the last of the stray sparks off as he tried to smooth down his frazzled fur. Shooti smirked.
"Purrloin's ability is Limber. That means you won't be able to count on paralysis in this battle."
Pikachu rubbed his eyes clearing away the last of the grit even as he took in the new information.
So that's why his current opponent was chosen. That didn't change much. He'd just have to focus on taking out Purrloin without taking a hit. Shame. A paralyzed enemy was always a great thing for him.
"Pika chu!" 'I can see again!'
'You're so annoying,' hissed Purrloin. 'Because of you, my fur is going to take forever to clean and it'll need to be trimmed to get rid of the ruined hair.'
'What? This is a battle. On a dirt field. Of course it's going to get dirty. It's your trainer's job to make sure you get good food and help you maintain your coat afterwards. My partner does. Doesn't yours?'
The baleful (and maybe just a little jealous) glare Pikachu received answered that question.
"Purr…loin!" 'That's...it!'
"What the-?" Dento bit off his gasp as the realization kicked in.
"Purrloin's evolving." Said N, tone even with no trace of his agitation. "He's evolving into Liepard."
'He's channeling all his jealousy into energy to evolve huh?' commented Zorua. 'At least he's being productive about it.'
"Liiiiieeeee!" The newly evolved Liepard gave a triumphant roar.
Satoshi and Shooti simultaneously pulled out their pokedex.
"Liepard, the Cruel Pokémon and the evolved form of Purrloin. Well-known for its beauty, Liepard uses the element of surprise when battling opponents, attacking before they can react."
"Oh no." Iris fretted. "What's he going to do? Pikachu can't even be considered in good shape right now."
Dento shook his head in despair. "I knew purrloin were bad news."
Axew put his claws over his eyes and whimpered his agreement.
"Axew…" 'Bad…'
Young as he was, even he understood that evolved pokemon were stronger than unevolved pokemon.
N was too stressed to even try to argue back.
Shooti smirked as he finished checking Liepard's information. "Guess this means that this battle will be over soo-Why are you smiling?"
"Heh." There was Satoshi, grin wide and eyes bright with an almost feral gaze. "The stronger the opponent is, the more excited we get. Isn't that right Pikachu?"
"Pika!" 'Yeah!'
"And evolution is not the be-all and end-all to pokemon battles."
"What are you talking about? An evolved pokemon is clearly much more powerful than an unevolved pokemon. That's basic!"
"Then we'll just have to show you that the basics are good and all, but they aren't the be-all and end-all either! Pikachu!"
"Liepard! Pursuit!"
"Dodge it!"
Liepard's significant increase in speed and size allowed it to slam into Pikachu who bounced off the ground a couple of times before rolling to a stop in front of his trainer.
"Pikachu! Are you okay?"
"Pi…ka chu." 'I've…been better.'
He gave a quiet groan and shook himself off, a fine coat of dust and dirt puffing away.
Liepard's tail flicked back and forth as he stared down the mouse was a condescending smirk.
'Who's got a dirty coat now?'
Pikachu gave his opponent an odd look.
'That's what you're so smug about? I told you. It's a dirt field. We're going to get dirty, because we are battling in dirt. Dirty dirty dirty dirt.'
Zorua snickered.
'He's got you there.'
'Who asked you?' snarled Liepard.
"Liepard. Stop it. Your opponent is Pikachu not the peanut gallery. Use Assist."
Liepard held up a glowing paw and swiped it in the air. Slicing waves of energy from the newly formed Air Cutter hurtled towards Pikachu.
"Quick Attack!"
Dodging from side to side, Pikachu was making his way over at an alarming speed even as the Air Cutter cut crescent shaped grooves into the field and sent clods of dirt flying.
Attacks missed, Shooti called for another move.
"Fury Swipes!"
Pikachu aborted the attack, using his tail to redirect his momentum without his trainer's commands and proceeded to dodged with his usual impressive flexibility, but unlike before Liepard's claws weren't even close to cutting him. Instead his newfound posture and longer limbs gave Pikachu more to room to maneuver and when Liepard reared up and attempted to stand on his hind legs like he had as a Purrloin, Pikachu easily and painfully tripped him up with an Iron Tail.
"What's the matter with you Liepard?!" Shooti was definitely losing his composure. "Get him already!"
His answer was a cross yowl. 'I'm trying! You do it if you think it's that easy!'
Dento rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"It seems that Shooti and Liepard have rather severe flavors."
"Huh?"
"What?"
N kept one eye on the battle as he tried to pay attention to the Sommelier at the same time.
"They are ingredients that could become compatible given the right conditions. Unfortunately this battle is not it. Like a wine's temperature that is not properly worked through during the fermentation process, this vat is quickly turning sour. Or should I say that it was already on its way there and the heat from this battle is just speeding up the process. Take a look at Satoshi's vintage. His best pokemon. Even though Pikachu seems worn out and warmed over instead of freshly chilled, his aroma and flavor is actually improving the longer he remains on the field like a wine that has been allowed to breathe before serving."
Everyone turned back to the battle.
"Agility!"
Pikachu back flipped out of the frustrated Liepard's reach and began to run.
"Pikapikapikapika."
The same chant from the Striaton city gym filled the room, but this time Pikachu was only focused on running circles around the growling feline who turned around and around trying to separate the original from the afterimages. It might have been more prudent to save his breath but every bit of trouble he could give his opponent counted, especially when he was trying to confuse as many senses as possible.
"Grrr…Again! Assist!"
This time a Water Pulse began to form on Liepard's paw.
"Iron Tail!" Satoshi made a wide scooping motion with his arm and Pikachu instantly dug his glowing jagged tail under the dirt clods lying about, shoveling hand sized scoops of earth at Liepard without losing too much speed.
"Oh ho. He's using the dirt loosened up from that Air Cutter to create his own Sand Attack." Don George nodded, clearly impressed. "That's an excellent way to take advantage of the terrain."
Assaulted on all sides, Liepard frantically tried to paw the debris out of his own eyes and the Water Pulse fired prematurely, shooting straight up into the air.
"Now!"
Pikachu dashed forward and slammed an Iron Tail onto Liepard's head, then ricocheted off and away just in time for the Water Pulse to come crashing back down on the stunned feline. Liepard, soaked through and through, gave an unhappy wail.
'I get what that gym leader means.' Zorua whispered to N. 'The longer this goes on, the less verbal orders Satoshi uses and yet Pikachu somehow still knows what he wants from him. They are completely in sync.'
"Ngh…" Shooti was clenching his fists and teeth in frustration. "Liepard! You've been dragging this out for too long already! Finish Pikachu off with Pursuit!"
"Agility!"
Satoshi made another grand gesture sweeping around before pointing straight ahead and Pikachu dashed around and away as the enraged Liepard bounded after him. The feline's new form was much longer, allowing him to cover more distance than before and he was quickly catching up, but he still wasn't able to make tight turns quite like Pikachu. That was fine. Satoshi had told him what he wanted and he knew exactly what to do.
'Can't catch me~.' He taunted.
A particularly twisty turn just five feet in front of Shooti had Liepard tripping over his own paws as Pikachu ran under and around his legs before putting as much distance between them as he could.
'You little rodent!' screamed Liepard. 'I'll maul you to pieces! Tear that tail right off and e-'
"Now! Quick Attack!"
Pikachu about faced and shot forward towards the Liepard who was leaping towards him, claws and teeth bared as he was surrounded by the dark energy of Pursuit.
"Go for it Pikachu!"
Pikachu dove, sliding right under Liepard's outstretched claws and into the crater Satoshi had pointed out earlier, the final one left behind from Deerling's missed Jump Kick. He let loose a Thunderbolt right as Liepard's momentum carried him into the air and over the electric mouse.
"CHUUUUUUU!"
"LLLIIIIIIEEEEE!"
As the blinding light faded, Liepard's body fell into the crater and on top of Pikachu.
"Liepard!"
"Pikachu!"
Don George hesitated for a few tense moments even though Liepard seemed unconscious. When nothing else moved after a bit, he raised an arm.
"Liepard is unable to battle. Pikachu is also una-"
"Wait!" Satoshi shouted.
In the center of the crater, Liepard's body began to rise up, only for it to turn out to be Pikachu pushing his way out from underneath.
"Chaaaaa…" he huffed out as he pulled his head free. 'I thought I wasn't going to make it.'
Satoshi's face somehow managed to show both delight and concern in a single expression. In the end, he settled for a relieved "Pikachu…"
Pikachu wiggled the rest of the way out and gave him a wave.
"Pikachu!" 'I'm alright!'
"Liepard is unable to battle. Pikachu is the winner!"
Shooti snapped off a few pictures before recalling his Liepard without a word. The displeased expression on his face as he looked at first his camera, then his pokeball had N tensing. He had seen those sorts of expressions on trainers before. They were the sort to cruelly push their pokemon too hard and not take responsibility for their own shortcomings.
Satoshi on the other hand, didn't seem like he was pushing Pikachu at all. Instead they were together in their endeavors and he honestly couldn't tell who wanted to win more. It was strange. It was almost like…like they were one despite being two separate beings. Like how Zekrom and Reshiram had supposedly been one long ago…
"Just one more!" Iris squealed.
"But look at Pikachu." Dento pointed out. "He's exhausted."
Don George nodded in agreement. "Even if he loses, there's no shame in doing so. He managed to take out three pokemon alone despite the disadvantages he faced, but…"
N understood perfectly. For the first time, he felt that he could truly understand the thoughts of a trainer.
"They're burning too brightly to stop now." Nothing will stop them. Courage in the face of adversity. The determination to continue fighting against all odds. The makings of a hero…
He-no. They. They were heroes. Heroes who continued to shine brightly even in the darkest of times. Satoshi and Pikachu were so bright to look at that it was almost painful and yet…yet he didn't-couldn't look away.
The match resumed with Shooti calling out for an attack before Frillish finished materializing.
"Frillish! Water Pulse!"
Pikachu dodged without being told. Unlike most pokemon who fired off orbs or wide rings of water that did damage on impact, Frillish trapped other pokemon inside his Water Pulse and caused the explosion from within. He couldn't afford to be trapped like the way Pidove had, couldn't afford to take a single hit in this final battle or it would all be over.
"Thunderbolt!"
"Protect!"
The green translucent barrier surrounded Frillish in time to block the bolt.
"Quick Attack!"
"Are you crazy?!" Shouted Shooti. "Normal type attacks aren't going to hurt ghost pokemon!"
"Who said anything about hurting ghost pokemon with a Normal attack?"
"What?"
Before his opponent could process it, Pikachu was high in the air, launching right in front of Frillish's face and in the perfect position to fire off a point blank-
"Thunderbolt!"
"Chuuuuu!"
Frillish screamed and fell out of the air, flailing a bit as he tried to rise back up.
"Maybe we can't touch you with physical moves, but that doesn't mean we can't use them at all! Now Pikachu. Show 'em the Pika-wheels!"
"Oh no you don't. Frillish! Destroy any wheel as soon as you see it with Water Pulse!"
Even though the Pika-wheels seemed to only hover a few inches off the ground, Shooti wasn't going to take any chances. As much as he hated to admit it, Satoshi's Pikachu was proving himself to be devastating in battle. It was like a completely different pokemon from the one Shooti had obliterated just a week ago. Had it really grown so much in such a short amount of time?
Rising up high again, Frillish sent orb after orb of Water Pulse slamming into the field below. The electric rings were making for frustratingly erratic targets, but some did dissipate into a shower of sparkly lights and steam.
"Keep going Frillish. Pikachu is exhausted. He can't keep this up much longer."
A part of Pikachu railed against that statement. Another part noted that it was true and then pushed it aside to focus. The rings weren't as big or numerous as before and Frillish was destroying them as fast as he could. However Frillish was far slower when it came to offense than defense. The jellyfish didn't seem to understand the concept of aiming where a ring would be instead of where it was and was simply firing off Water Pulses as fast as he could everywhere. This was perfect.
Vapor and flying dirt and dust clouded the field and normally Pikachu would use this time for a Volt Tackle or Thunderbolt, but right now, he had to trust in his partner one thousand percent if he was hoping to pull through. He had been battling and running for over forty minutes straight now. Everything ached but at least nothing had gone numb yet.
Bitterness lingered in the back of his mind. How he had once been able to last more than thrice as long against overwhelming opponents most of the world couldn't even imagine. But that was then and this is now. There was no room for self-pity or reflection, just the concentration to keep his failing body riding in sync with the wave of his partner's wishes and hopes and dreams. One more step along the road to become a pokemon master. This was just…one more…
There were stitches pulling at his sides with every breath and something was tickling with the hint of an upcoming spasm on his left leg. He wasn't going to last for more than a couple of minutes and even that was pushing it.
But…
"Knock them up with Iron Tail!"
Out of the steam, a wheel shot out and collided with Frillish who gave a shrill cry. Then three more were sent up, this time as constricting rings that would shock him if he so much as lifted a tentacle.
"Frillish! Night Shade!"
But…
"Friiiillll!"
Ghostly pink and purple energy pulsed, then enveloped and finally shattered the Pika-wheels ringing him in a spectacular display of glittery sparkles worthy of any contest appeal.
But…I'll keep fighting…
Three more rings flew out of the settling field, lining up neatly above Frillish in an arc, each one smaller than the last with the biggest the furthest away from the jellyfish.
…I'll keep fighting for as long as I can…
"GO PIKACHU! IRON TAIL!"
Spiraling upwards like a living saw blade Pikachu dove through the rings, snagging each one on a notch in his tail as he passed through.
…I'll give it everything I've got…
"Water Pulse again! Blast it out of the air!"
He could barely hear the other humans and pokemon shouting, cheering on the side lines. It was drowned out by the pounding of his pulse, the wind whistling past his ears, and crackling of his Pika-wheels that he clung onto so fiercely.
…Until my very last breath…
"Thunderbolt!" Yet somehow Satoshi's voice still managed to reach him, cutting through everything else like the sharpest blade to reach his ears. Or was it in his head? His heart? Oh what did it matter how he heard it? Where he heard it. Just as long as he did.
"CCCHHHHUUUUUUUUUU!"
…after all…I can't let down my most beloved partner now, can I?
Pikachu uncurled just before he slammed the Thunderbolt boosted Pika-wheels onto Frillish. For a split second their eyes met, ruby red to a deep coffee black. The ferocity and fire, the powerful desire to stay alive and win burning in those dark depths froze Frillish in place, completely mesmerized with the fully formed Water Pulse being held above his head forgotten.
*So bright…*
That was the last thought Frillish had as the first wheel collided with the water ball, the second helping to cleave through it, and the third striking through the opened path to drive them all into his unprotected gelatinous head.
The Water Pulse proceeded to explode, filling the area with smoke and steam and through his wavering consciousness Pikachu could feel himself falling.
Below him, Frillish's swirly eyes signified his undeniable victory.
I…did it Sato-ngh…
Pikachu's weak smile turned to a grimace as Cursed Body kicked in to seal his Iron Tail.
They hit the ground, Pikachu landing on top of Frillish as the cloud of smoke and water vapor descended alongside with them. His opponent's body was surprisingly comfortable even if it was a bit damp and squishy. The perfect cushion for a pokemon who was too exhausted to care. He was done.
"Pi-chu! -kachu! Pikachuuuu!"
Ah…that's right…he couldn't rest just yet…there was…one more thing he had to do…just one more…
His entire body felt like it had been replaced by rocks. Everything was so heavy. How did rock type pokemon like Geodudes manage to move like this?
…Just…one…more…
Lifting one shaky arm, Pikachu fought his fading vision to give his partner one final sign.
Though the explosion had forced everyone to cover their faces, Satoshi only closed his eyes and focused on the center of the battlefield in a world turned blue.
Well done Pikachu. You fought a good battle.
Satoshi slowly opened his eyes. The aura of Pikachu's thumbs up fading as his arm fell and went still. Finally the field settled enough to reveal two unconscious pokemon.
Take a nice long rest.
"Both Frillish and Pikachu are unable to battle. This match is a draw!"
"Pikachu!"
Satoshi sprinted across the field so quickly it seemed like he was using a Quick Attack. Cradling the battered Pikachu like a precious infant, Satoshi pressed him close to his chest.
"Pikachu…"
A tiny snore was his only reply.
"Heh." Satoshi smiled at him tenderly. "You were amazing out there buddy. Thank you for everything."
The quiet pride and overwhelming love lacing his voice drained almost all of the remaining tension from N's body and he couldn't stop the relieved sigh at the fact that the battle was finally over.
The click of a shutter went off and Shooti lowered his camera.
For a moment he remained quiet before finally giving his opinion. "Your Oshawott, Tepig, and Pidove are definitely subpar. Snivy is okay and Pikachu-," he grudgingly admitted. "-is impressive."
Satoshi shook his head. "Pikachu and Snivy just happen to have more experience than the others. Give it a little time and lots of hard work and they'll all become winners."
Shooti recalled his unconscious pokemon in lieu of replying.
"Ah. I better get to the pokemon center now. Shooti. You're coming too right? Let's go together."
"Hmph. Alright. I need to get take care of some things there anyways."
N frowned, but didn't protest. No matter how much he didn't like this trainer, at least he was going to get his pokemon healed. The group said their goodbyes to Don George who praised both boys for the excellent battle they had put on before leaving.
"Hmm…"
"Don George?"
Don George tore himself away from the long gone visage of the trainers' backs through the glass doors of his facility, the bright red of the foreigner's cap still burning in his mind's eye. Even as battered as that Pikachu had been, his trainer refused to put him into a pokeball, citing how greatly his pokemon disliked them and had chosen to make a mad sprint for the Pokemon Center instead.
It's been some time since he'd seen a pokemon push itself so far for anyone. It had been much more than a hatred of losing. It had been guts, loyalty, respect, will power, and more than anything else, love that had Pikachu clawing out his place in a tie from almost certain defeat. Even if the unconscious rodent would never know, his trainer still respected his wishes and refused to betray his trust by doing what just about everyone else felt was normal. How long has it been since it was last in a pokeball?
He could certainly see why Pikachu fought so hard, pushed so far, and just refused to give in until his body gave out first. He hated letting down the ones he loved too.
"Sir?"
Don George blinked, returning to the present and to one of the many employees that worked for him.
"Hmm? What is it Jacob?"
"The kids using Battlefield Two are done. Miles and Benny are doing a quick once over but I don't think there's really anything that needs to be fixed. They're new trainers and only had some low level Patrats, Pidoves and Sewaddles. There's a bit of String Shot here and there, but those were already dissolving when I checked in with them. They were mostly going for straight forward attacks. Tackle, Bug Bite, the usual." Jacob shook his head. "Nothing special but at least we don't need to do much. How's your end?"
"Come. See for yourself."
Don George waved him onward and Jacob fell in behind the man until he was able to take in the mess that was Battlefield Three. The dust had since settled, laden down by the moisture in the air. The smell of ozone still lingered though it had been about ten minutes since the battle had ended.
He whistled, impressed, taking in the pockmarked arena, eyes lingering on the largest crater in the middle. It was no less than three feet deep and the rest of the field was damp and pitted with piles of earth shoved up here and there. A wide but shallow, perfectly circular trench had been dug out to the north eastern side of the field. He had no idea what or how that had happened beyond it being something created by pokemon.
"That much have been some battle huh?" He sniffed the air. "Somebody with an electric pokemon? I'd recognize this smell anywhere."
"Yes." Don George nodded. "A Pikachu. One of the trainers came from Kanto and he's decided to tackle the Isshu League."
"A Pikachu?! Aww man," groaned Jacob. "I want to see it. He brought anything else with him?"
"Not that I've seen. He only had five pokemon on hand and they're native. Pidove, Snivy, Oshawott, and Tepig."
Jacob blinked. "A full set of starters huh? Not bad. He's got a balanced team right off the bat and they're all supposed to be rare to boot."
"The others are new and it shows. The Pikachu is clearly his starter. He definitely had quite a bit of training beforehand. In fact, he's-" Don George swung a hand out to encompass breadth of the room, "-responsible for almost all of this."
Jacob whistled again, deeper this time.
"I gotta see the footage later."
"Damn straight ya do."
The men turned to see a young dark skinned woman-the only woman officially apprenticed here-in the Battle Club's uniform grinning at them, surrounded by an aura of unrestrained glee. Behind her were a few more of her fellow members.
"Hell, ya'll need ta see this."
"La-Neishah." Don George greeted.
"Aren't you supposed to be manning the security room?" questioned Jacob.
La-Neishah gave a flippant wave. "Nope. Lunch Break. We just closed up. But seriously. Ya'll need to see this match later."
"Battlefield Two's good and ready Boss." One of the men behind her spoke up. "And so are One and Four, Five and Six."
"Hmm. Then that just leaves Three."
There was a groan as the others took in the scene.
"Awwww. This looked like an awesome battle. Way better than Patrats tackling each other all day."
Everyone who worked here was a battle junkie through and through. They had no problems with fixing up and maintaining the place so long as they could watch great battles. Unfortunately, being in a location that was still fairly close to the beginning of a new trainer's usual gym route, they didn't often see such intense ones.
Don George ignored the moans of discontent in favor of listing off the things they would need to attend to.
"That panel needs to be replaced and will take the longest." He gestured at the portion of wall Shooti's deerling had cracked. Jacob pulled out a small PDA and began to tally up the repair costs, mentally taking inventory of their current supplies. "We have enough dirt bags in the storeroom to fill in the field and it won't take long to finish if we all work together. However, I believe this can be taken care of later tonight. For now, mark this room as unavailable. Go get lunch everyone."
"Yes sir!" chorused the others-aside from Jacob still jotting down notes-as they turned away, eagerly discussing potential restaurant choices.
"And La-Neishah…"
The young woman stopped, but didn't look back.
"Yeah?"
"When I say go get lunch, I mean 'go get lunch' and not to the pokemon center to pester that boy right away."
She winced, caught before she could even start.
"Yes sir."
Don George didn't turn around to see her leave, but sighed once she was out of hearing range.
"She's not going to listen is she." He stated flatly.
Jacob hummed and replied without looking up.
"Technically she will. You're the person she respects the most in this world and about the only one who can make her behave. If you say to go get lunch and not bother those trainers right away then that's what she'll do."
Satisfied with his current list, he saved the information and tucked away the PDA with a glimmer of amusement in his eyes.
"Of course, tomorrow is a different matter entirely."
Don George sighed again as he ran a hand through his hair.
"If that Pikachu boy is even still around by then...from what I've seen, he has a true passion for battles and most likely won't turn down anyone who asks. But the only pokemon he has that will really be able to give her a challenge is the Pikachu and it'll need at least another day of rest, maybe two, to be in peak condition again."
"Oooh. She won't be too happy to hear that."
"Yes. And he also only has one badge while his opponent has already gotten his second even though they started at the same time. In fact, it seems young Satoshi is a bit behind compared to most trainers who intend to challenge this year's league. While there're still several months to go, it's unlikely he'll stay in this town for more than another day or so."
"Yeah…" Jacob sucked in a breath between his teeth. "She's really really not going to be happy."
Decided to split Ch 5 into multiple parts because of how ridiculously long it was getting and every time I reopened this doc to work on it I had to scroll past 11k+ of words to get to the parts that needed to be written. Plus it was an eyesore when trying to edit.
If you've pampered your pokemon enough in Pokemon Amie/Refresh, they do amazing random stuff in battle like dodging attacks, getting critical hits, and shrugging off status ailments. I like to think Pikachu could do all that through pure willpower/love and eventually the rest of Ash's team will be able to as well, but at this point Pikachu is the only one who has the sort of close bond needed to achieve that.
I was watching an old DP episode and they actually outright say something that seemed to have been a video game mechanic only. The 4 move limit is referenced when Brock states that when Ash's Infernape learned Flare Blitz, he forgot how to use Flame Wheel. Let me tell you, this completely blew my mind and explains so much about why Pikachu never used Volt Tackle again after learning Electro Ball. Here the 4 move limit is something that's more of a suggestion than a universal law.
English/Japanese Names
Luxuria Town/Current Town
Wallace Cup/Mikuri Cup