Chapter 182: Ice Field! Vs. Will (2)
~Third POV~
[Kanto Region, Indigo Plateau – Ice Field]
Will calmly retrieved his Slowbro. He paused, a new resolve in his eyes as he declared resolutely, "… An impressive start, Azure. Your Venusaur is tenacious. But the battle has just begun. Jynx, show them your grace!"
*Pop*
A new Poké Ball opened, and a humanoid, graceful Pokémon with long blonde hair and a flowing red dress appeared. Jynx, an Ice/Psychic type, floated elegantly across the ice, its movements fluid and almost balletic.
Its presence immediately made the air feel even colder. Azure knew Jynx as he thought cautiously, 'Fast, particularly on ice, and a potent Special Attacker with access to debilitating status moves. Not a good match-up.'
He needed a fresh start. Azure said, recalling his tired Pokémon in a determined tone, "Venusaur, return! Alright, Charizard, it's your turn! Ignite this battlefield!"
*Pop*
A flash of light, and a magnificent, powerful whoosh, Charizard burst forth, its splendid wings unfurling, a burst of orange and red against the icy blue. A gasp went through the crowd.
It was a bold choice, perhaps even reckless, given the terrain. Will's expression remained unchanged, but a flicker of something, maybe amusement, crossed his eyes as he mocked him openly in a confident tone, "A Charizard, on an Ice Field. Interesting, Azure. Jynx, start with a Lovely Kiss!"
*Swooosh*
Jynx glided across the ice, its movements impossibly smooth, its lips puckering. A stream of pink hearts, laced with a potent sleep-inducing energy, floated towards Charizard.
Azure commanded, his voice ringing with authority, "Charizard, rise above it with Fly! Then follow with a Flamethrower!"
*Fwp*
Charizard's powerful wings beat the air, lifting it off the ice. It opened its massive maw, and a torrent of superheated flame erupted, searing through the hearts and melting a patch of the ice below Jynx.
*Sssss*
The heat shimmered, creating a brief, fleeting fog. Will remained calm as he analyzed the situation tactfully, "Using the fog to block our vision and movements, huh? Jynx, use Ice Beam to create cover, then Psychic!"
*Pew*
Jynx twirled, and a powerful beam of frigid energy shot from its hands, striking the melted patch. The water instantly flash-froze, creating a jagged, uneven pillar of ice that partially obscured Jynx.
*Shiii*
From behind it, its hands glowed with an eerie blue light, and pebbles of ice and loose snow began to vibrate around Charizard, threatening to lift it off balance. Charizard roared, shaking its head as the Psychic energy tried to disorient it.
Being airborne was an advantage, but it also made it a more visible target for Psychic attacks. Azure quickly countered, pushing his arm outward, "Charizard, use Dragon Claw on that ice pillar! Then directly into a Fire Blast!"
Charizard swooped down, its talons glowing green with Dragon energy. With a deafening CRACK, it tore through the ice pillar Jynx had created, shattering it into a thousand glittering shards.
*CRACK*
Before Jynx could react, Charizard unleashed a monstrous Fire Blast, a kanji-shaped inferno that surged across the field, superheating the air and melting the ice in its path, aiming directly at Jynx. Will gritted his teeth, issuing a mental command, 'Quick! Dodge it, Jynx!'
*Wooosh*
Jynx, quick as thought, slid away, narrowly avoiding the direct hit. But the sheer heat of the Fire Blast caused it to falter, its movements less graceful, a bead of sweat forming on its brow.
The arena floor beneath Jynx sizzled, turning into a steaming puddle. Will acknowledged, his voice even as he muttered, "Impressive power, Azure. But Jynx has excellent endurance. Use Substitute, then Aurora Veil!"
Jynx shimmered, and a doll-like replica of itself appeared, made of ice. The real Jynx, using its agility, zipped behind one of the larger ice spires, the Substitute acting as a decoy.
*Wooosh*
Then, a beautiful, shimmering aurora enveloped the entire field, reducing the power of all incoming attacks. Azure's eyes narrowed as he murmured to himself, "Aurora Veil, a formidable defensive move, especially when combined with a Substitute. His ensuring protection doing this…"
Azure remained cautious of what Will's plan was as he swiftly ordered, "Charizard, don't let up! Dragon Pulse into that spire!"
*PEW*
Charizard, sensing its foe's evasiveness, let out a frustrated roar. It unleashed a wave of raw Dragon energy as it formed a ball of multicolored energy in its mouth and fired a multicolored dragon-shaped beam of energy from it at the spire where Jynx was hiding.
*CRACK*
The pillar groaned, cracks appearing in its structure. Will commanded, precise as ever, seeking an opportunity, "Now, Jynx, Lovely Kiss through the cracks!"
A flurry of hearts, hidden by the fracturing ice, flew towards Charizard, catching it off guard as it was still focusing its attack. The attack managed to hit Charizard square in the chest.
*BAM*
Its eyes glazed over, and it began to sway, its majestic wings beating erratically. Azure yelled, his heart pounding, "Charizard, snap out of it!"
But it was too late. Charizard's eyes fluttered shut, and it began to descend, slowly, into a deep sleep.
A collective gasp went through the crowd. Charizard, asleep on the treacherous Ice Field, is vulnerable.
Will's voice held a hint of triumph as he arrogantly declared in a confident tone, "Excellent, Jynx. Now, finish it with a powerful Psychic!"
*SHIII*
Jynx shot out from behind the crumbling spire, its fist glowing with Psychic power, aiming for the helpless Charizard. Azure risked it, a desperate gamble, yelling at the top of his lungs in a concerned tone, "Charizard, WAKE UP! Seismic Toss!"
He trusted Charizard, trusted their bond to pull through. The roar of the crowd turned into a desperate plea.
Just as Jynx's fist was about to connect, Charizard's eyes snapped open. Its body, still groggy, moved purely on instinct and a deep connection to its trainer.
*Swooosh*
Managing to dodge and grab Jynx in time, Charizard grabs it, flies into the sky, spins around, zooms back down, and tosses the Jynx into the ground for more damage, using the momentum of the dive.
*BOOOM*
*CRACK*
It unleashed a powerful, Seismic Toss with a resounding CRACK. Jynx cried out, a high-pitched shriek of pain and surprise, "JYNX! JYNX!!!"
The Aurora Veil shimmered, then shattered, reflecting the impact. Jynx was thrown backward, skidding violently across the ice, coming to a halt against a jagged ice shard, unconscious.
*THUD*
The announcer declared, his voice filled with astonishment, "Jynx is unable to battle! Charizard wins!"
The stadium erupted, a wave of cheers washing over Azure. He exhaled slowly, a tremor running through his hand as he praised Charizard, who looked victorious, "You did great, partner. You were amazing."
Charizard grinned, pounding its chest in a proud roar, "Charr! (Heh!)"
Will, for the first time, showed a hint of surprise in his calm demeanor. He recalled Jynx, a faint frown on his brow, reaching for his last Poke Ball, "A lucky break, Azure. But luck runs out. Xatu, take the field!"
*Pop*
A flash of red light, and Xatu, the green avian Pokémon, shimmered onto the ice. Its large, unblinking eyes seemed to take in the entire arena at once, an aura of quiet power emanating from it.
Azure smiled, a determined glint in his eye. He recalled Charizard as he prepared his next Pokémon in a confident tone, "You were a formidable rival, Will. But this is where your journey ends! Return Charizard! Blastoise, let's go!"
*Pop*
From Azure's Poké Ball burst Blastoise, the powerful Shellfish Pokémon. Its twin water cannons swiveled, sniffing the icy air, a low growl rumbling in its throat.
Blastoise's sturdy frame seemed a bit cumbersome on the slick ice, but its resolve was clear. DJ Mary from the announcer's box commented, "Blastoise, a Water-type. A solid choice against a Psychic, but Xatu's Flying-type offers an advantage, and its speed will be crucial on this slippery terrain!"
The battle began as Will commanded, his voice calm, almost meditative despite his situation, "Xatu, start with Air Slash!"
*Fwp*
*Shinng*
Xatu flapped its wings once, launching a sharp blade of compressed air. It sliced through the frigid air, heading straight for Blastoise.
Azure countered, thinking quickly as he ordered swiftly, "Blastoise, let's do this. Withdraw! Then Aqua Ring!"
*CLANG*
Blastoise withdraws into its shell, increasing its defenses. And at the same time veiled itself with the Aqua Ring, steadily regaining health as the Air Slash hit its shell, but made a CLANG sound, not leaving a scratch.
Not much damaged, Will frowned as he quickly ordered desperately, "Clever. But not enough! Xatu! Psychic!"
*Shiii*
Xatu's eyes glowed with psychic energy as Azure swiftly ordered, "Blatoise! Use Hydro Pump! Aim for the ice to create a barrier and get away with Rapid Spin!"
*SPLASH*
Blastoise roared, its cannons swiveling within its shell. A torrent of high-pressure water erupted, slamming into the ice just meters in front of it.
*Zooom*
The water instantly froze on impact, forming a temporary, jagged shield that absorbed the brunt of the Psychic, along with forming an ice mist. At the same time, Blastoise used Rapid Spin to hide away from the incoming Psychic attack.
Will frowned, seeing his attack miss, as Azure calmly smiled as he thought cautiously, 'Psychic is a powerful move, but not an invincible move. Psychic requires you to know the location of the target. Just gotta keep moving.'
Will frowned as he took the moment to cool off he analyzing Azure's moves, muttering to himself as he gave the order, "Clever! His using the environment to his advantage! Psychic, Xatu, through the mist!"
*Shiii*
Xatu's eyes glowed, and a wave of raw mental energy ripped through the ice mist, bypassing the makeshift shield and slamming into Blastoise. The massive Pokémon grunted, pushed back a few feet, its feet slipping on the slick surface.
Azure frowned as he was found out. But he continued as he shouted, "Blastoise, recover with Rapid Spin, then Ice Beam!"
*Zooom*
Blastoise pulled its head and limbs into its shell, then began to spin rapidly, kicking up a shower of ice chips. The momentum helped it regain its footing.
*PEW*
As it spun, a beam of intensely cold energy shot from its cannons, a direct retaliatory strike at Xatu. Xatu, however, was too fast.
*Wooosh*
It blurred into motion, darting sideways, narrowly avoiding the Ice Beam. Will's voice was a whisper, but it carried authority, "Don't you dare underestimate me, Azure! Now, Xatu! Hypnosis!"
Xatu's eyes pulsed with a soft, hypnotic light. Blastoise, still recovering from its spin, stared into the light.
Its mighty head dipped slowly, and the powerful Pokémon slumped, sound asleep. DJ Mary commented as she exclaimed, "Blastoise is asleep! A crucial hit from Xatu!"
Will smirked, finally seeing the opportunity to change things around as he ordered, "Future Sight, Xatu, then Air Slash!"
*Fwp*
*Shinng*
Xatu uttered a soft, ethereal cry, a shimmering outline of an attack forming above Blastoise for a moment before dissipating, a sign of the delayed attack to come. Then, it followed up with another sharp Air Slash.
The compressed wind ripped across Blastoise, tearing at its shell. Azure gritted his teeth as he yelled, "Blastoise, wake up! Come on, buddy!"
The massive Pokémon stirred, struggling against the psychic-induced slumber. Finally, with a mighty effort, Blastoise's eyes fluttered open.
*BANG*
But just then, the Future Sight attack materialized, a devastating psychic wave that crashed down on it. Blastoise roared in pain, its eyes wide before it crashed onto the ice, recoiling in pain, "Blastoise!! (Ow! That hurt!!)"
*Gulp*
Managing to stand back up, Will frowned as it steadily regained health. He then noticed an apple core around its neck, taking a bite as he muttered, "The hell? Did it have the Held Item Leftovers recovering its health? Tch. No wonder it managed to endure such a punishment for this long."
However, Will was deeply concerned, seeing that no matter how much he attacked Blastoise, it was able to tank them all and keep standing. As Will was too focused, Azure declared, alarming him, "Alright, Blastoise, how about we end this?"
Blatoise grinned as Azure ordered, "Good. Now… Blizzard!"
*WOOOSH*
Blastoise opens its mouth and releases a blizzard from it at Xatu. Will's eyes narrowed as he swiftly ordered, "Xatu! Protect!"
*CLANG*
Xatus flapped its wings down as it protected itself from the blizzard. But Azure grinned. Azure muttered, "And that's my win."
*CRACKLE*
Will's eyes widened as the Protect barrier was being swallowed by the Blizzard, encasing it in ice. He realizes it was the Masked Man's technique as he yelled in alarm, "Nani?!! That's his…?! You learned his – "
Without warning, Azure gave the final blow as he declared, "Now! Blastoise! Strong Style! Dark Pulse!"
*PEW*
Locking its cannons over to the falling ball of Xatu encased within Will, it ordered, "Quick! Use Teleport – "
But his words were cut off as he saw that within the protective barrier was Xatu, inflicted with the Frozen Status. He swallowed his words as Blastoise unleashed a beam of darkness as which collided against his defenseless Xatu.
*BOOOOM*
The resulting clash was immediately followed by an explosion, producing a cloud of dust. All eyes were glued to the Xatu as it was revealed to be standing…
*Thud*
… but then fell as it fainted from the attack, unable to hold on any longer. The referee declared the results in a loud tone, "Xatu is unable to battle! The winner is Blastoise! The winner of the Ice Field is Azure Sky!"
The roar that erupted from the stadium was deafening, a cascade of pure, unadulterated awe and excitement. Azure stood perfectly still, a wave of exhaustion and exhilaration washing over him.
Will stood across the field, his calm shattered, a look of profound respect now evident in his eyes. He recalled his Xatu as he said in a determined tone, turning as he left, "Azure Sky… I underestimated you. You earned that victory, fair and square…. Good luck in the next rounds ahead."
Azure smiled, hearing this as Will began to leave, but not before saying happily, "Thank you, Will. It was an honor to battle against you."
As the crowds continued their thunderous applause, Azure looked above, seeing familiar faces with such intense stares. He grinned as he adjusted his cap, shadowing his face as he muttered excitedly, "Green, Blue, Red, and many more… They're staring me down as prey for the Top 16. It makes my blood boil in excitement of our battles ahead…"
The Top 16 awaited. Azure Sky, with his loyal partners and unwavering spirit, was ready for whatever came next. The Tenth Pokémon League Tournament had just gotten a whole lot more interesting.
/////
[Kanto Region, Indigo Plateau – Ice Field, Stands]
From the stands, Green, Blue, Gold, Red, Yellow, Silver, and Crystal were visible as they watched the battle from their seats. Red was the first to respond, seeing the battle, amazed, asking his nearby friends, "Whoa!! Did you know that Energy Ball could be used in that way to activate the Overgrow ability? I'm so taking that idea to Saur!"
Crystal agreed with Red's words as she added in an impressed tone, eyeing the aftermath of the battle excitedly, "No kidding! But it gives me a few ideas on how to improve my battle style with my Megaree."
Both the Grass Starter Users see the possibility of adding this bizarre Energy Ball Devour technique into their skillset. Gold stood there dumbfounded as he uttered, "The hell? Just eating that works?!"
Silver and Yellow felt the same surprise at Azure's move, having his Venusaur devour the Energy Ball for a boost. But Blue and Green frowned, seeing this as it meant that Azure had more tricks he hadn't revealed yet.
Blue's expression slowly shifted to a cocky grin as he looked down, thinking to himself, calmly analyzing Azure's battle style, 'Heh. That trick was impressive, but I've trained and prepared the best team imaginable to overcome you, Azure. Better not fail yet till I get the chance to battle you…'
Green, calm, and collected, she observed the battle with a determined goal in mind as she thought resolutely, 'He learned a lot over the past 3 years. But so have I. I've already had countermeasures against certain types, especially his Pikachu with Moltres.'
Both Blue and Green felt confident in challenging Azure's Pokémon. Red, meanwhile, analyzed the tactic used as he pondered to himself, 'Using Energy Ball to enhance his Venusaur's ability Overgrow. Azure has only gotten better since the last few years we last battled, but…'
Grasping his hand onto his Poke Balls on his belt, he smiled eagerly as he thought confidently, 'But he wasn't the only one to have improved greatly. This time I'll win our rematch because, unlike before, I've put my all into training my Pokémon.'
/////
A/N: Reach the goal of 150 to get a Bonus Chapter!