With Rhyhorn fainted, Gladion tossed his next Poké Ball. "Go, Ponyta!" The Fire Horse burst onto the field, its flaming mane crackling, hooves sparking against the dirt.
Tara's eyes narrowed, her smirk confident. "Charmeleon, Flamethrower!" she shouted. A roaring stream of fire erupted from Charmeleon's jaws, scorching the air toward Ponyta.
Gladion was swift with his command, "Ponyta, Flame Charge through it!" Ponyta neighed, its body igniting in a cloak of flames as it galloped straight into the Flamethrower.
The crowd gasped as the flames merged, but Ponyta's flames covering it, absorbed the attack, taking minimal damage. It surged forward, slamming into Charmeleon with blazing force, sending the Flame Pokémon skidding back, its tail flame flickering weakly.
The Pokemon was already hurt from his earlier bout with Rhydon and it could not take more damage. Charmeleon collapsed, knocked out, and the referee raised a flag. "Charmeleon is unable to battle! Ponyta wins!" Tara recalled her Pokémon, her smirk unshaken.
'Gutsy,' Gladion thought. 'She's not rattled by the defeat of what could be her main Pokemon. A good quality to have.'
Tara tossed her next Poké Ball. "Go, Vulpix!" The Fox Pokémon emerged.
"Vulpix, Imprison!" Tara commanded, her voice sharp. A ripple of psychic energy pulsed from Vulpix as a small prison was formed around the battlefield.
Gladion's eyes widened with surprise. 'Imprison? From a Vulpix?'
The move sealed any moves both Pokémon shared, and Gladion's mind raced. Of course, Vulpix could still use those moves but not his Ponytail.
'Ponyta's Fire Spin, Flamethrower, Ember, Fire Blast—they're all standard for a Vulpix at this stage. She's locked them out.' He couldn't confirm Vulpix's moveset without risking Confusion with his Pokemon, which Tara could exploit. 'Clever. She's not skilled enough to teach Imprison—must be a natural learned move for this Vulpix. Smart play against a Fire-type.'
Gladion's smirk returned, his thoughts sharp. ' It was also a good move considering Ponyta's a gym Pokémon, not my main team. I don't waste pricey TMs diversifying their movesets.'
"Vulpix, Fire Blast!" Tara ordered
A star-shaped inferno erupted, roaring toward Ponyta. "Dodge it and take down " Gladion shouted. Ponyta leaped and then charged towards the Vulpix but Tara was ready.
"Another Fire Blast!" The second blast exploded at close range, engulfing both Pokémon in an explosion.
Ponyta, caught in the epicenter, took the brunt, its flames dimming as it staggered, collapsing in a heap. The referee signaled, "Ponyta is unable to battle! Vulpix wins!"
The crowd roared, Tara pumping her fist. Gladion recalled Ponyta, 'She's good enough to get this badge. There is nothing else for me to judge.'
Impressed but ready to end the match soon Gladion tossed his final Poké Ball. "Go, Geodude!" The Rock Pokémon floated onto the field.
Tara, undaunted, kept Vulpix in play. "Vulpix, Flamethrower!" A blazing stream shot toward Geodude, but Gladion was quick. "Rollout!" Geodude curled into a ball, spinning through the flames, its rocky hide shrugging off the Fire-type attack.
It slammed into Vulpix, sending it skidding, but Vulpix' endured, and Tara shouted, "Will-O-Wisp!" Blue flames danced around Geodude, burning its surface.
"Rock Throw!" Geodude hurled jagged stones. Tata was slow to order her Vulpix to dodge as the rocks slammed into the Vulpix, forcing Tara to recall it, her face tense but focused.
"Go, Growlithe!" Tara's final Pokémon roared onto the field, its fiery mane blazing, muscles rippling.
"Quick attack!" Tara commanded. Growlithe vanished in a blur, slamming into Geodude before it could react, the impact cracking its rocky hide.
"Now Jump" Growlithe leaped high in the air "Flamethrower!" Tara yelled. A torrent of fire engulfed Geodude, its Rock-type resilience crumbling under the intense heat.
Geodude wobbled, then fell, its eyes dim. The referee raised the flag. "Geodude is unable to battle! Growlithe wins! The challenger, Tara, is victorious!"
The crowd erupted, Tara squealing as she hugged Growlithe, her ponytail bouncing wildly. Gladion approached, his smirk genuine as he pulled a Moon Badge—from his vest.
"Tara, that was impressive," he said, handing her the badge. "Your type awareness, strategic switches, and that Imprison play—top-notch. You've earned this." Tara blushed, clutching the badge like a treasure, her eyes shimmering. "Thank you, Mr. Vortex! I—I practiced so hard for this!" Gladion chuckled.
"Well then," Gladion said, gesturing toward the gym's exit, "let's get you that meeting with my mom." Tara's face lit up, her squeal nearly shattering a nearby window. "Really?! Oh my gosh, yes!" She practically skipped after him, babbling about Erza's Charizard, leaving the crowd chuckling.
Gladion led her to the gym's lounge, where Erza Vortex, his mother, was sipping tea, her red hair cascading like a Flamethrower. Her ninetails was sitting calmly in the room too.
Tara froze, eyes wide, then burst into tears. "Mrs. Erza! My dream's come true! You're my idol! Your fire burns brighter than ever!" she sobbed, clutching her badge, tears streaming.
Erza blinked, setting her tea down, her Ninetales tilting its head in confusion. "Oh, sweetheart, don't cry!" she said, her voice warm but flustered. "You're gonna make my Ninetales think I used Fire Blast on you! Come on, wipe those tears—let's talk Charizard over some Poké Puffs. Bet I can guess your favorite flavor—Cheri, right? Spicy like your spirit!"
Tara sniffled, laughing through tears. "You're so cool, Mrs. Erza! Is your hair dyed? It's perfect!" Erza winked, tossing her hair. "All natural, kiddo, but I'll let you in on a secret—Ninetales uses my shampoo for extra fluff. Want the brand?"
Tara nodded frantically, still crying, while Ninetales huffed, as if offended by the attention. Gladion watched, his smirk wry, 'Oh well, wish I could get some of those pokepuffs but I still have more gym battles to go.'
---Author Notes------
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