A/N: Hey! I'm back here again with another chapter! This one took a while to make, not because of my existential crisis but because I seriously lacked the inspiration to make the battle scene. Though, I could say that I'm pleased with how this came out! I hope you share the same opinion as me. Oh, in another news, I made a new story last week! Yay me!

Alright so here we go. Thank you all for the reviews and support! 13 is a very good number, and I'm aware the kind of bullshit I'm spewing about the number of bad luck right there, but yeah, you know what I meant.

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There it is guys! Thank you so much for the continued support for this fic. Know that it was these kind words that pushed me through the pit of laziness and depression to pull my laptop and type each of these chapters word by word. So, don't forget or hesitate to leave a REVIEW on the box below and click ont hat like and follow button if you heart this fic.

Eww, I sound so corny! Hoeks! Anyway, enjoy the chap!

Chapter 19

When the dust cloud settled, Danny was already mentally prepared to see the sight of his little Water-type beaten and hurt, unconscious among the crater one of the strongest Grass-type move has undoubtedly made upon impact. He was also perpared to bear the full brunt of Torch and Zenith's "reprimands" over his decision to send the young Water-type to a disadvantagious battle, which will most definitely involve heavy firepower and massive collateral damage.

Or so he thought he would.

The sight that greeted him upon clearance was definitely not what he expected, though it was certainly something he appreciated greatly. Half destroyed but somehow still standing, was the distinguishable form of a sturdy Igloo built out of ice in the middle of the crater. In hindsight, perhaps he shouldn't have underestimated his Oshawott. Small and young as he is, the little thing is unyielding.

"Is- Is that an Igloo?" Gardenia wondered aloud, voice cracking in sheer incredulity of the scene as she wiped her eyes just to try and see if she was having too much Grass-type spores in her system to be mentally healty.

"Yeah.." He trailed, sounding just as shocked with a hint of relief in his voice. "Definitely an Igloo." He faintly registered the fact that a few ways away, Leo, already dressed in a polar bear costume, was being restrained by Grovyle from entering the arena and relaxing inside the cozy-looking Igloo. He was still too preoccupied with his thoughts to respond to the redhead's shenanigans though, and decided to ignore it for the time being.

::-Oof!:: One side of the icy structure cracked and broke, Riptide rolling out of it in the form of a white ball of fluffy adorableness before stopping several feet away and flopping uselessly on the ground, dead tired and spent, but somehow still looking absolutely adorable. ::That..:: He panted, trying to gather as much oxygen to his lungs as was physically possible. ::..was only slightly easier than fighting Grovyle::

Grovyle paused in his attempt to dissuade and hold back his Trainer from going to the arena, blinking at the sudden mention of his name before casually shrugging, taking the comment made against his battle-habits in stride. ::Thank you?::

"Why does that come out as a question?" Danny asked, his mind having rebooted enough from his shock to form a response in his usual way.

Grovyle turned to him, having successfully calmed down his Trainer and somehow change his clothes back to the usual black shirt-red hoodie-jeans combo without anyone noticing. ::First time getting a backhanded praise.:: Was the only response the stoic reptile could give.

"Cherubi, this is our chance! Magical Leaf, full power!" Gardenia called out, cutting Danny's response and immediately brought his focus back to the battlefield. "This is a lesson you got to learn! Don't lose focus in battle!" The Eterna City Gym Leader lectured, her Pokemon already launching the deadly, multicolored leaf projectiles at the fatigued Riptide.

"Riptide, follow my lead!" Danny shouted, earning a quick, frantic nod from the young Water-type. "Roll to the left, quick!"

Riptide swiftly complied, rolling his body to the side and successfully dodged the numerous leaf projectiles by a hair's breath. He continued to roll along the grassy ground of the arena, trying his best to dodge the Magical Leaf coming at him. ::Urk! I feel sick.::

"Riptide, use Water Gun and destroy those leaves!" Having him roll around any longer puts him on risk of getting confused, something that he doesn't need right now. Or ever. Riptide complied, leaping into the air from the last bit of his roll before launching a full-powered Water Gun at the multicolored projectiles, either knocking them off their trajectory or outright destroying them.

"Nice, get up close and use Razor Shell!" Riptide nodded and proceeded to dash across the arena, the scalchop held tightly in his hand glowed a bright blue light as it formed the vague shape of a sword.

Danny gasped in awe, Leo following suit not too far behind him. Both boys, glimmering stars in their eyes, hugged each other as they squealed. "IT'S A FREAKING LIGHT SABER!" From there on, it was nothing but incomprehensible gushing and squealing, complete with heavy panting and disturbing blushes on their faces.

"Boys." Gardenia muttered, rolling her eyes as she stared unimpressedly at the two gushing teens. "Cherubi, get ready to strike back with Take Down."

Cherubi nodded and quickly dropped into a stance, ready to smack the incoming Water-type with her cherry bulb. Riptide quickly crossed the distance and swung his light saber-turned-scalchop, ready to dice the Grass-type Pokemon into pieces. That was not the case, however, when Cherubi easily stopped his attempt by forcing him to block a vicious smack from her cherry-bulb, easily pushing him back with heavy hammer-like strikes.

Riptide wasn't easily deterred, however, and proved his species' natural skills in swordmanship by parrying her attempts at throwing him into the air and even managed to pitch in his own counters, landing a few glancing hits at the Cherry Pokemon.

"Riptide!" The Sea Otter Pokemon glanced back slightly, keeping a good eye on his opponent out of habit from his training with Grovyle. Danny, still blushing and breathing rather heavily, was grinning at him. "Use the Fatal Samurai combo we've been practicing before!"

::Gotcha, dad!:: Riptide gave one last slash, putting every bit of strength he could muster to throw the Grass-type back. Successful in doing so, Riptide, with his light saber held parallel to his body, glowed with a hazy blue aura as the image of four illusionary long sword floated around him. As swift as they appeared, the swords disappeared, replaced by a fiery red aura, blazing around him before it was dispersed with a quick flick of his light saber.

"That was Swords Dance and Focus Energy." Gardenia noted, both amazed and worried at the same time. "Impressive. Cherubi, be careful."

Riptide wasn't done yet though, as the glowing, sapphire-blue energy that composed the length of his Razor Shell blade dispersed, swiftly replaced by the blood-red hue of a longer, much more curved energy blade.

"Fury Cutter!?" Gardenia gasped. "That's a triple stack boost! Cherubi, don't let any of his attack hit yo-"

"Too late!" Danny interrupted, just in time to pull Gardenia's focus back to the field as Riptide made a mad dash across the arena, red sword already swinging in a wide arc to attack the small Grass-type. Too stunned to react, Cherubi panickedly threw herself back, managing to escape the full-brunt of the Super Effective move with only a scratch to show for it. That scratch though, was enough damage with the boost gained from Swords Dance and Focus Energy to slow Cherubi down for the follow-up strikes.

::One! Two!::

Riptide spun on the balls of his feet, delivering another slash with enough power to send the helpless Grass-type to the air. Getting into the traditional iaido stance with his sword held low by his hips, pointed towards the ground as if sheated and ready to be drawn or an instant strike, Riptide prepared to deliver the last two slash.

"Defense Curl!" Gardenia ordered frantically and Cherubi hastened to obey, easily forming a defensive ball by curling onto himself.

::Three! Four!::

Two red streaks of light sliced through the air and Cherubi was thrown backwards, smashing into a tree. Riptide panted and dropped to his knees, using his now normal scalchop as a support. Across from him, Cherubi was in similar condition as she slid limply from the tree, tired and spent but still conscious.

"Cherubi! Are you good to go?" Gardenia asked, earning a nod of confirmation from the Cherry Pokemon. The Eterna City Gym Leader nodded with a sigh of relief. "Alright, one last Take Down!" Cherubi, though exhausted, pushed herself to move and deliver one last hit, her cherry bulb glowing with power though much lower than what she could muster on her best day.

"Now, Riptide! Launch the trap!" Danny ordered, a satisfied grin quickly spreading on his face.

Riptide raised his head, showing a grin that mirrored that of his trainer/surrogate father. Opening his mouth, Riptide released a cry of effort as a jagged beam of icy blue cryokinetic energy made its way out and zapped through the air and into the charging Cherubi, a trail of frost and cold air in its wake. Cherubi screamed as Ice encassed her form before it exploded outwards, shattering into little pieces with her flying back to the edges of the arena, swirls as eyes.

"Cherubi is unable to battle, the winner goes to Oshawott and Challenger Danny!" The referee declared, bringing the blue flag down to signal his win. "Combatants, please call out your next Pokemon."

Riptide wasted no time to dash over and launch himself at Danny in the classic tackle hug, cheering at his first victory ever. ::Dad! I won! I won! I WON! Did you see my swordplay? I was like Pshhaww! Schiii and Whussh!:: He babbled, trying, and failing adorably, to emulate the sound of his sword cutting through the air and his beam launching from his maw.

Danny happily caught him, spinning around in place as he laughed gleefully with the little otter. "I did! You were the coolest! Aww, you made me so proud of you!" Danny gushed, nuzzling his cheeks against the Water-type's soft head.

Suddenly, mysterious flower petals began to fall around him, accompanied by a pleasantly happy instrumental music arrangement. The moment that fact registered itself on his brain though, Danny immediately stopped what he was doing to turn to the side, staring unimpressedly at Leo who was throwing down lots of flower petals from a basket, his Starly using a low powered Gust to spread it around and Grovyle who was tending to a radio in the corner.

"What the hell are you guys doing?" He asked, eyes twitching in annoyance.

"I'm trying to get the atmosphere!" Leo, now dressed like a movie-producer, said casually, giving him a sparkling grin and a thumbs up. "C'mon, pal! I need a soft Gust outta your armpits!" He encouraged his unmotivated avian companion.

::Why me?:: Starly moaned to himself, utterly embarrassed.

::...:: Grovyle stayed silent, though Danny got the impression that the Wood Gecko Pokemon wanted no one to see his face at the moment.

"Whatever." He relented, shaking his head at the madness that Leo indulges on a daily basis. He sent a quick pitying glance to Starly who wasted no time to begin mourning for himself, even as he continued to make more soft Gusts with his wings.

"Ahahaha..." Gardenia laughed weakly from her spot, watching the chaotic interlude in their battle. "It sure is nice to be young."

A Short Break Later...

::Aah-!:: Torch groaned gruffly, rolling his neck to ease the stiffness from the muscles in it. ::Finally outta the ball. Hah! Can't wait to rub it on that Volleyball's face that I'm the one getting to fight!:: Danny cringed at it. The moment that boasting reached Zenith, the Dragon won't hold back his displeasure, and Dragon Breath, from making itself known to him. Very painfully.

He would need to devise a plan to placate him. Fast.

Across from them, emerging from the flash of white light released from the open Pokeball, was the Ace of the Eterna Gym; Roserade. The Grass-type Pokemon daintily made her way towards the arena, hips swaying sensually with each step in a swagger worthy of professional models. Her eyes swept across the entire room, sighing disappointedly when she failed to locate the subject of her heart's desire.

Torch shot him a confused look. One that he sadly couldn't reply too. Inwardly, he praised the Wood Gecko Pokemon for his forethoughts, having quickly lured Leo out and away from the Gym building with a promise to buy him three plateful of Ultra Double-Size Pancakes with extra syrup the moment Gardenia prepared to pull out her last Pokeball from her belt. Dealing with Leo on sugar rush is hard, but it was definitely the lesser of two evils compared to dealing with the likes of Roserade trying to rape him.

::Aww.. I was hoping I could have my beloved today.:: Roserade said, covering the lower half of her face with her rose-shaped hand. ::Oh well, fate has bound us together. He shant escape. For now, you'll have to do.:: The look she was sending towards Torch was enough to unnerve even the battle-hungry Darkness Pokemon.

::What the hell am I getting myself into?:: He whispered harshly, glaring at Danny as he discretely pointed one of his claws to the cackling Grass/Poison -type.

"She fell in love with Grovyle." Danny explained, and that was apparently enough for Torch to understand, nodding his head in both a pitying and understanding way a psychiatrist would a mentally unhealthy patient.

::Poor bitch.:: Was the only thing he could say.

"Yeah." Danny nodded, a small sweatdrop trailing down the back of his head. Was Grovyle really that bad? Huh. Maybe Pokemon perspective is different that human's. "Anyway, she's got lethal poison whips on her, so be careful, okay?" He warned seriously, having felt the pain of enduring the many poisons a Pokemon could produce from his encounter with Team Galactic's Toxicroak. He wouldn't wish that kind of pain on anyone, especially a member of his own team.

::Roger that.:: Torch nodded.

"The battle between Challenger Danny and Houndoom vs. Gym Leader Gardenia and Roserade-" There was a light pause as the referee brought up his two flags, increasing the tension in the room by several level. "-BEGINS!"

"Torch, Firecloud Combo!" Torch grinned a volatile, dangerous grin, displaying his sharper canines before quicly releasing a cloud of poisonous miasma, easily covering the arena within its thick, blackish-purple gas.

Gardenia coughed, covering her mouth and nose with her clothes. "I-is this smog? In such a quantity!? That Houndoom is not normal!"

Roserade coughed lightly inside the cloud, being part Poison-type herself, she wasn't too bothered with the poisonous gas surrounding her. It was actually quite amazing how a Pokemon that doesn't even have an ounce of Poison-type in them could produce such a quantity, and in such thick consentration too! Roserade reformed her thoughts of the dual Fire-Dark type Pokemon. While she generally disliked most Fire-types, she could tolerate this one. Anyone that could make a fine poison mist like this deserved respect.

Tolerate, however, doesn't mean she wouldn't fight back. ::Gardenia!::

"At three o'clock! Attack him with Poison Sting!" Poisonous spikes protruded from Roserade's bouquet flowers, dripping with purple toxin. She rushes towards the designated direction, pleased to find the blurry sillhouette of the horned canine there. The Bouquet Pokemon smiled and pounced forward, jabbing her spiked hand towards the figure only to click her tongue annoyedly when he felt nothing on her hands.

::You slick dog!:: She growled, chasing after the disappearing sillhouette through the thick curtain of black miasma.

"Torch, we're pausing the Cloudfire. Attack her with Feint Attack, use the Smog as cover." Danny ordered, receiving a bark of confirmation from the canine. "Lead her to you and ambush her with Dark Pulse."

::I like the way you plan, Partner!:: Torch smirked at him before diving back into the cloud of poison, his body covered with a dim black glow. The Houndoom easily navigated his way inside, having a strong sense of smell and hearing to pick up on the Grass-type's whereabouts is an advantage not many other Pokemon could boast.

"Roserade, be ready for an ambush!" Gardenia cautioned from her side of the field, eyeing the massive cloud of black gas warily. "If he did, Poison Jab the hell out of him." Gardenia ordered.

Roserade nodded, the spikes on her hand retracting before her entire arms turned a malevolent purple, ready to jab like Toxicroak on crack. She was just in time as Torch leapt out of the fog, claws elongated and ready to take a swipe at her midsection.

::Got you!:: Her right arm shot forward, jabbing onto the Darkness Pokemon only to find itself lodged into nothing but thin air as the dual Fire/Darkness type nimbly dodged the jab and redirected his claws to her thigh, drawing the first blood on their battle. The Houndoom swiftly dashed around, dodging the incoming jab aimed to his back before delivering another swipe at her back. ::Uuh! You frustrating mutt!:: She screamed, continuously jabbing down at the ground in an effort to land a hit on the quick-feeted Houndoom.

::I got that a lot, babe.:: Torch responded with a cheeky grin before exhaling another cloud of smog, significantly smaller in size but no thinner in consentration, pushing the zealous Grass/Poison type back and away, allowing him to escape to cover of darkness his poison cloud provided for him.

"Did you get him?" Gardenia asked, receiving a negative, and not to mention frustrated, shout from her Pokemon. "Then, let's draw him out! Use Sweet Scent!"

Unseen by her trainer, Roserade nodded and raised both her hands into the air, releasing light pink dust from her bouquet and spreading it among the cloud of dark gas. ::Here, doggy doggy doggy.::

Torch was several feet away from Roserade, jaws wide open as he gathered his power to form one of the most famous Dark-type move when his nose twitched as it picked up a tantalizing, delightfully sweet smell from within the darkness. That, and his ears picked up the comment about dogs. He dug his claws into the ground, trying to hold himself back from running over to the source of the nice smell and instead, focus on forming Dark Pulse.

"Torch, don't wait for her. Use the scent as a guide and snipe her with Dark Pulse." Danny ordered.

::I knew there was a reason why I came to you that day!:: Torch thought to himself, happy to have met someone that could match him in terms of deviousness. ::The smell.. Ugh.. it's coming from...:: He closed his eyes, nose twitching as he sniffed the air in search for the general direction of the smell, head turning side to side in his hunt.

::There!:: Eyes snapping open, Torch released his fragile hold on the destructive power behind the Dark-type move and let it loose, blowing through the Smog and carving a path straight towards the Grass-type Pokemon.

::Wha-!?:: Was all Roserade managed to utter before she was blasted back from the explosion of Dark energy, Torch having missed his shot by quite the margin resulting in the beam hitting the ground just behind her instead of the Pokemon herself. ::Kyaa-!::

"Roserade are you okay!?" Gardenia shouted worriedly.

She won't be, in a bit. Danny and Torch thought simultaneously. "Torch, Cloudfire launch!" Torch dashed out of the Smog as soon as the word left his mouth, an ember already forming in his jaws.

Danny was the son of a scientist, no matter how dim he made himself to be. He had the curiosity, the ideas, to develop what others never thought of. Smog, was one such thing. It was a Poison-type move, yet some Fire and even other types has shown themselves capable of using it. Curious, the Halfa tried to see if there's a difference between the Smog made from a Poison-type and Smog made from other types. Turns out, there's a difference.

For Fire-types, the Smog produced contains light explosive-ness in them.

What happens when the literal red button is pressed, then?

"Fire!"

Gardenia had only a split second to comprehend what was happening the moment the gas lighted themself into a burning conflagration of hellfire and even lesser time to bark out an order for Roserade to use a Protect. She did manage both, but she doubted Roserade would come out scratch free from the explosion.

Torch was officially in love with Cloudfire. The satisfied, almost orgasmic, dorky grin on his face said as much.

When the smoke cleared, which took a considerably longer time than before, enough so that Danny was permitted to call out Gale to help blow them away, they were treated to the sight of Roserade, somehow still standing, with lots of burn injuries.

::You.. bastard.:: She cursed, glaring at the satisfied Torch.

Torch, for his part, wasn't the least bit disturbed by the murderous glare and instead whistled appreciatively. ::Bitch, you burn!:: Danny cringed at the pun, so did the referee now that he looked at him.

::Ready for round two?:: Torch smirked.

To Be Continued.

A/N: What do you think? Good? Bad? Will Torch secure his victory as easily as this!? Give me your comments on the review box below and click on that like and follow buttons for an additional LOVE!

Silvershark out!

Ciao!