Chapter 65 - Rivals Old and New

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Dawn smirks, "Shall we?"

May practically snarls, "Bring it!"

Neither wait for the ref as four flashes of light appear on the field. At dawn side is Servine and Pyroar while May opens with Torterra and Bewear.

Barry whistles, "Just over a month into the season and May's starter is in its final evolution stage."

The camera shifts to Jane's aunt, Lucy, "I spoke with her yesterday, she said that her primary focus for the first month was to make sure she had an ace to help protect the kids without having to emergency unlock her Mega Blaziken."

Guzma cuts in, "Flag is coming down!"

May points forward. "Charge with Bulldoze and Hammer Arm!"

Dawn rolls her eyes, "Combo, Leaf Tornado and Noble Roar with Ember."

Bewear hops onto Torterra's back and rides his destructive charge across the field as Servine whips up a cyclone of leaves in front of Pyroar who lets out a lion's roar with such heat that the leaves ignite."

A torrent of burning leaves crash into Torterra with enough force to stall the charge but Bewear leaps forward with the momentum to slam a devastating hook into Pyroar's face. The big bear's landing even sends Servine stumbling.

"Big hit!," Calls Barry, "But that fire left a mark on Torterra."

While Bewear misses it's Takedown Follow up I ask Gabby, "Why are they shouting their moves instead of using code names or something?"

She looks up from her paperwork for Citro, "They're in a mentorship program Kurt, hiding everything doesn't help their rookies learn."

May's Torterra does a clumsy roll to put out the small fire that was burning the shrubs growing on his back, this unfortunately leaves him vulnerable to a fire fang as he's getting up from Pyroar. Which in turn allows Bewear to finally catch up and grab the cat in a headlock.

Servine attempts to help with using his vines to pull the bear off but the big angry fluff ball ends up pulling both into a brutal take down.

A flashes of light from Dawn's side returns Pyroar and in a smooth motion Pelipper appears.

"Gale force. Air Cutter and Leaf Tornado."

Servine bȧrėly sends up a squall of leaves as a staggering gust of wind bursts against all three pokemon still in the melee.

Three flashes of light bring the battered Servine, the bleeding Bewear, and the heavily burnt Torterra back to their trainers.

Professor Kukui is grinning like an idiot, "A brilliant display of combination techniques from Dawn!"

Barry points out something on the replay, "What do you have to say about hitting her own pokemon with that last one?"

Guzma takes the pass, "She immediately returned it. Servine has a small enough profile that much of the move passed right over it but Dawn still cut the little guy a break."

The Pike Queen has a final note, "It also shows how much she's practiced with these young pokemon. She knows that double battles are featured in nearly half of official league gyms and tournaments."

While Dawn's familiar Mawile takes the field, May sends out a big pink rabbit and the fluffiest blue fruit bat you could imagine.

I can't help but snort, "I think she changed her mind on the master plan to beat her husband."

Lacy flicks my arm, "Shush they're adorable."

"Your family raises blade swinging giant bugs!"

Barry doesn't let dead air remain, "It's Swoobat and Wigglytuff vs Pelipper and Mawile for the second half."

Guzma grunts, "Don't discount cute pokemon."

The battle continues with May grinning, "Supersonic and Echo!"

The volume auto adjusts as Swoobat trumpets out an ear shattering scratch like a car alarm that is somehow enhanced by Wigglytuff.

Dawn has to plug her ears and shout something inaudible while Pelipper falls drunk in the air.

Mawile leaps onto the pelican's back and kicks her in the right direction. May's sound duo try different pitches of noise but Mawile seems hardly affected and Pelipper is letting her steer.

Pelipper sends a water gun attack towards Wigglytuff to interrupt whatever it's doing to the sound just before slamming into Swoobat. Mawile makes the leap, the second jaw opening mid air as the fairy type spins around, like some sort of metallic plant monster it chomps completely over the noisy bat. Swoobat's wings are bȧrėly strong enough for the two to slowly crash towards the grassy field.

May yells out, "Bounce and Boom!"

Wigglytuff becomes a knock off Kirby, inhaling so much air it expands before hopping on the ground and bouncing towards the Pelipper still dizzily trying to keep it at bay with water guns.

In fact this whole battle has turned into a smash brothers match!

The pink full ball slams into Pelipper and then shouts with enough force to send the bird reeling into the ground.

Flashes from both sides return Swoobat and Pelipper. Just as Wigglytuff falls out of the air, Mawile is there to bash it away with an Iron Head attack.

May isn't calling it yet, "Bounce and Playrough!"

The bunny uses her airbag abilities to redirect towards a miniature palm tree on the field and rebound into the fluffiest superman punch.

Right into the waiting Mawile's second Iron Head strike like a batter hitting a home run.

A flash saves the bouncy rabbit from the impact.

The girls shake hands and start to chat. Dawn doesn't seem particularly thrilled with the win.

Barry fills us in, "On the match registry it shows May as having an Ampharos. For a battle that seems to have been close enough to be decided by type advantage, why didn't she bring it out?"

Lucy smirks and looks about to answer but instead just chuckles as the view of the field shows May letting out what looks like a very sad combination of a sheep and Kangaroo. The skin is blotchy pink and yellow and the wool is patchy at best.

Professor Kukui sighs, "It's the humidity of Alola, Mareep and the line are not native to the region and yet have been found in areas like Melemele's meadow. The moisture in the air is something they grow used to by the time any would naturally evolve."

Lucy confirms his theory, "May caught her Mareep in the electric park of Mauville in Hoenn, it hasn't handled the weather while shedding very well and got sick."

Guzma taps the table to speak, "Let's not discredit Mawile, it immediately took the reins when Pelipper suffered the vocal barrage. From there it was domination."

Barry nods, "It was certainly aggressive, and seemed confident fighting in the air."

Kukui has nothing but praise, "Time and again in this match we saw Dawn's doubles training pay off!"

Lucy chimes in, "Both are experienced trainers, and beyond type advantage I would actually say this came down to the personality of the trainers being reflected in their teams."

"Oh for sure," Barry laughs, "As long as I've known Dawn she's been a wiley and aggressive trainer."

"While May," the Hoenn expert continues, "Is a steadfast yet caring competitor, this has won her the trust of some of the largest pokemon you'll see on the scene. The kind that people always shrug off as too hard to train."

Kukui brings up the match stats, "Her Bewear is a great local example, that's definitely one pokemon we don't recommend rookies try to take on in their teams."

As the commentators continue to discuss the match I turn to Jane, "Did you know your aunt was here?"

The red head pouts, "No, she texted me last night saying I should look forward to tomorrow but I thought she was just being encouraging."

Lacy giggles, "Is seeing your precious aunty not better then visiting the battle tower?"

Eyes roll as Naomi joins us in the room, "I saw the match I was really hoping May would win. That Wigglytuff looked like so much fun!"

"How's Zapdos?"

"She's fine," there's an air of relief about the young girl, "I think she's about ready to bust out if they don't let her go. I asked Doctor Lillie and she said I'm clear to take her home when we leave tomorrow."

That's a question, "Does she have a ball?"

"Yes, usually my Grandpa keeps it on him but father brought it to me when he came to pick up the Zekrom."

A ping echoes from the PA system in the tower as the big wall screen starts to fill with names connected by lines.

Barry's voice picks up, "Alright folks we have the first wave of battles for the day. All rookie matches for today have been set to two pokemon, Double Battle formats."

Guzma steps in, "We have a whole crew of Alolan trainers that are ready to rep some hometown pride today. Trainer's find your arenas!"

I see our names and opponents along with times, "Naomi, you're up first against Llina of Seafolk Village."

After receiving her wishes of luck Naomi exits the room and it's only a second before an unsettling feeling twists my gut.

I kiss Lacy on the cheek, "I'm pretty sure I'm still on the clock with bodyguard duty."

Her brow arches, "We're in the Alolan League Headquarters?!"

"Then call me paranoid." I jog out of the room and just catch up to Naomi as she's waiting by an elevator that opens.

She steps in and sees me running up, holding the door, "What is it Kurt?"

"Nothing," I press her floor for her, "Just doing my job kiddo."

Naomi rolls her eyes but I can see the small smile, "Thanks. So, think I'll be facing a water type trainer?"

"What if they're sick of water? Who ya using?"

There's just a hint of nervousness to her voice, "Delphi and Froosh. My starter is this close to finishing her Florges evolution, she just needs the chance to bloom."

Our elevator stops with the side opposite the one we entered opening up. Stepping out onto a bamboo walkway, we're both speechless.

In front of us is an indoor botanical garden in the form of a mangrove forest. The entire whole floor is filled with about four feet of water with a sandy bottom. Mangrove trees covered in blooming vines line the perimeter of the battlefield with a maze of roots and clusters of trees making up the center.

"Um," a girl standing at a second elevator exit gets our attention, "this is crazy right?"

She's wearing denim shorts with a blue and pink tie dye tank top, her waist length blonde hair in a loose braid.

Naomi walks over and shakes her hand, "Llina, right? I guess this field is to your advantage?"

"Ya, nice to meet ya Naomi." Her lavender eyes take a second look around them, spotting a few pokemon like Lotad even living in here, "I guess I lucked out on the battlefield draw."

A woman with neon purple hair and a referee polo with shredded black jeans whistles, "Yo kids, take your sides."

I step back and lean on the dock railing as Naomi steps to her position. The sunlight shining into the glass walled tower shimmers of the shallow waters casting sparkling reflections onto all the trees. All of the resident pokemon know to exit the battlefield boundaries.

"Alright brats, Pokemon out."

Naomi's near Florges and Mienfoo take the field on a raft of roots. Across the water, Lina sends out an Azumarill into the water and a pink bulldog with tusks onto the roots. A quick check to my dex calls it a Granbull.

"Ready brats?"

Interesting staff in this place.

A horn goes off as the ref yells, "Fight!"

Llina calls out, "Work up and Rain Dance!"

The bulldog starts to flex and stretch it's muscles while Azumarill does an odd swimming routine in the pool.

Naomi can close the distance or wait for them, "Keep up Magical Leaf, Froosh, focus energy while keeping up Detect."

Froosh takes a stance while closing her eyes. Delphi manipulates gentle swirls of flower petals as a protective barrier.

From the condensation building on the ceiling, artificial rain starts to fall. Granbull begins growling with impatience, Llina sighs, "Well, I guess we can't sit here all day. Surf and Move in for Super Fang."

I catch a slight smirk on Naomi, "Set both terrains Delphi! You can do it!"

While the water gets ruff around the field and the bulldog leaps across the maze of roots, Mienfoo remains channeling some sort of energy that stangly becomes visible as tiny motes of light. The drizzling rain turns to mist as all the flowers seem to glow, their vines growing at a visible rate.

Checking my dex app shows that both Misty and Grassy terrain have been triggered.

Visibility drops rapidly, across the way I hear Llina complain, "Soo Not cool!"

Guess we'll find out how fancy those cameras are.

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