Pokémon: Master of the Rain Team

”Gyaaa!” Gyarados had had enough of the falling rocks. It opened its mouth and crushed one of them as it dropped. Its Hydro Pumps kept getting blocked by Aggron’s stone shields, while the rocks kept coming down on its head.

Aggron resisted too many types. Hyper Beam was useless here, since Normal-type moves were resisted x4, and even Dragon-type moves were resisted x2.

”Gyaaaa!” Gyarados broke out of the stone formation and rushed at Aggron, its tail already pulled back for the strike.

”That works for me,” Reggie said.

He had wanted close combat from the start. Reiji had been avoiding it, but after this long-range exchange, Gyarados was the one getting worn down first. Aggron was still holding on, though it had used plenty of energy too. The rocks it summoned were getting smaller. If this dragged on, both sides would just grind each other down.

If Reiji wanted to settle it now, Reggie would take that fight.

”Aggron, Thunder Punch!”

”Grooon!” Aggron stopped calling up rocks and stood there panting. It had no intention of chasing. Lightning gathered around its fist as it planted its feet and waited for Gyarados to come in.

Gyarados saw the Thunder Punch and charged anyway. Its tail hardened like steel, then whipped toward Aggron.

Aggron held the lightning in its fist, but as Iron Tail came down, it suddenly turned its back and struck with its own steel-coated tail instead.

Thunder Punch had been a feint.

The impact exploded across the field.

The moment Reiji saw Aggron turn, he knew something was wrong, but the dust swallowed the field before he could see what happened.

When the smoke cleared, Gyarados was on the ground. Aggron had collapsed too, sitting there and gasping hard. It tried to stand several times and failed.

”Gyarados is unable to battle! Aggron is still conscious! What a clash! Contestant Reiji, please recall Gyarados. What Pokémon will he send out next?”

”Come back, Gyarados.” Reiji looked at the black scorch mark on Gyarados. That was from Thunder Punch.

Aggron had used Iron Tail to cancel Iron Tail, then hit Gyarados with Thunder Punch before it could react. That was what finished it.

Both Pokémon had already been at their limit. Without that final Thunder Punch, Gyarados might have lasted a little longer, but it would not have changed much. Aggron was running on fumes too. Even if Reggie recalled it, it had almost nothing left.

”Aggron has been recalled. Both contestants, please send out your Pokémon. Contestant Reiji will move first.”

He recalled it.

Reiji rubbed his chin and looked across the field. Reggie was now in the same position as him.

Rhydon had the advantage over Electivire. Drapion and Forretress could both control the field with hazards, so neither of them could be used carelessly. That meant Reggie would probably bring out something new.

The next Pokémon had to break the situation open and free Electivire. Otherwise, Reggie’s position would only get worse.

Electivire and Drapion were both pinned down. Torterra was out. Aggron had maybe one turn left. Reggie had to do something soon.

”Go, Abomasnow!”

”Go, Pelipper!”

The moment both Pokémon appeared, the battlefield split into two different storms.

On one side, snow and icy wind swept across the field. On the other, rain lashed down under violent gusts. The crack left from the earlier Earthquake became the dividing line, and neither side gave an inch.

”Incredible! A snowstorm and a rainstorm at the same time! Both Pokémon are fighting for control of the weather! Which side will take it?”

He saw through me?

Reggie gritted his teeth. He had sent in Abomasnow to break through Rhydon, but Reiji had answered with Pelipper.

So the rumors were wrong. Pelipper wasn’t just Reiji’s ride. If it could hold the weather against Abomasnow, then it was a real battler.

”Abomasnow, Blizzard!”

”Pelipper, Hurricane!”

Blizzard was an Ice-type special move with 110 power and a chance to freeze.

Hurricane was a Flying-type special move with 110 power and a chance to confuse.

Snow Warning made Blizzard stronger.

Drizzle made Hurricane just as dangerous.

The two Pokémon kept fighting over the weather, neither one willing to back down.

”What is happening? The rainstorm and snowstorm are both getting stronger! Rain that crosses into the snowstorm freezes instantly, and snow that crosses into the rainstorm is shredded by the wind. Is this even a Pokémon battle anymore?”

Above the stadium, two dark clouds pressed against each other, churning and grinding together. The centerline of the battlefield had become the front line between the two storms.

With both weather systems locked in place, the match became a contest of stamina.

After the first burst of Drizzle and Snow Warning, Pelipper kept reinforcing the rain with Rain Dance and Hurricane. Abomasnow answered with Blizzard, feeding the snowstorm.

If this came down to stamina, Reiji was not worried. Pelipper’s endurance had never let him down. Back when Team Rocket had chased them, it had carried two people across the region for almost two days. A weather clash was not going to scare it.

Reggie refused to give in either. The weather itself might not matter much anymore, but this was no longer just about the weather. It was about momentum.

The storm grew worse and worse. One side of the field was freezing cold. The other side was hammered by wind and rain. The audience suffered through it, but they were also glued to the battle.

This could only happen because the two Pokémon were so close in both weather control and overall strength.

In the games, Abomasnow’s lower Speed would let it set weather last and override Pelipper’s Drizzle. But this was not a game. A five-point difference in base Speed was not enough to decide everything here. What mattered was control, and both Pokémon were evenly matched.

That was why the field stayed split: snowstorm on one side, rainstorm on the other.

After half an hour, both Pokémon were tired. The weather began to weaken. Pelipper and Abomasnow were both panting, and neither side had won.

Reggie had not expected this. Abomasnow had been meant to break the situation open, yet it had been held even by Pelipper.

If Reiji could hear that thought, he would have laughed. If this were any other contest, Pelipper might have lost. But endurance and Rain Dance were its strong points. It had spent the last six months training Rain Dance, and it was the move it knew best.

Abomasnow was strong too. It had clearly focused on Ice-type moves. If it had tried to fight Pelipper’s strength with a weakness of its own, it would never have lasted this long.

More than ten minutes later, the snowstorm finally collapsed. The rainstorm followed.

Sunlight broke through, and the sky above the main stadium turned clear. Not a cloud remained.

The clash had used up all the rainclouds and moisture in the air. Everything had fallen as rain and drained out of the stadium.

”Come back, Abomasnow.”

”Come back, Pelipper.”

The audience had been shivering moments earlier, but now the sunlight felt warm on their skin. Then they saw both Trainers recall their Pokémon at almost the same time.

There was no point making two exhausted Pokémon continue. A new fight would decide the next step.

Reiji was under less pressure than Reggie now. Each of them had lost one Pokémon, but Reiji had only shown four. Reggie had already shown five.

That meant Reggie’s last Pokémon should be Garchomp, the pseudo-legendary that had not appeared yet. It was an easy guess unless Reggie planned to leave it out entirely. If he did not use it, he would basically be playing with his hand exposed.

On Reiji’s side, the only Pokémon Reggie could be sure of was Poliwhirl. Reiji still had a sixth Pokémon hidden.

So was Reggie’s last Pokémon really Garchomp?

And would he send it out now to break the deadlock?

Reggie clenched his fist.

His plan to use Blizzard to wear down Rhydon had been exposed.

He had not expected Pelipper to be that strong. A ride Pokémon that could go even with his Abomasnow? Who was supposed to believe that?

Now Electivire was still at full strength, but he could not bring it out. Drapion would be blocked by Forretress. Aggron was barely hanging on. Abomasnow needed rest.

Was he really forced to use Garchomp already?

That was his final card. He hated the idea of showing it this soon.

Wait. There is a way.

After thinking for a moment, Reggie came up with a plan. It could work.

The referee urged them to continue. Reggie glanced at Reiji, then threw his Poké Ball at the same time.

”Go, Drapion!”

”Go, Poliwhirl!”

”It’s Drapion against Poliwhirl! What kind of battle will these two give us? Can they match the clash we just saw?”

Drapion?

I guessed wrong again.

Reiji sighed. His worst-case guess had been Electivire, so he sent out Poliwhirl to cover it. He had not expected Drapion.

Thinking from Reggie’s position, though, it made sense.

Gyarados was out. The screen showed Reiji had Rhydon, Forretress, and Pelipper revealed.

Electivire could not move because Rhydon was waiting.

Forretress had to be kept for Drapion.

Pelipper had just been recalled and could not be used again right away.

That left the reserves: Poliwhirl, Kingler, Slowpoke, and Accelgor.

No matter which one Reiji chose, Electivire would threaten it. Poliwhirl was the safest pick.

If Reggie sent Garchomp instead, that would be even better. Poliwhirl could handle that too. But Reggie sent Drapion, a choice Reiji had not expected.

Now that he thought about it, Drapion could do Electivire’s job too. Only Rhydon and Forretress could properly check it. Anything else risked getting poisoned.

”Drapion, Toxic Spikes!”

”Come back, Poliwhirl.” The moment Reiji heard the command, he recalled Poliwhirl and threw Forretress’s Poké Ball.

Because Reiji had switched, Reggie got the first move.

”Drapion, Roar!”

Oh, crap.

Before Reiji could react, Forretress was forced back into its Poké Ball, and the next Poké Ball on his belt opened.

That next Poké Ball was Pelipper’s.

Luckily, Pelipper could fly. Otherwise, it would have landed on the Toxic Spikes and been poisoned.

”Peli…” Pelipper was still panting as rain began to fall again. It turned and looked at Reiji as if asking why it had been sent out again.

Reiji gave it an apologetic look and was about to recall it when he saw Reggie smile.

His arm stopped.

In that instant, he understood what Reggie was trying to do.

In a six-on-six final, each Trainer had six chances to recall a Pokémon. Reiji had already used five. Each of those switches mattered. If he recalled Pelipper now, he would have no legal recalls left after this. At most, he could force one more recall and take the penalty.

But this was the final. Breaking the rules here would leave a stain on his name. People would say he had done anything to win the championship.

Reiji did not want that.

This was probably Reggie’s plan. It was nasty, but it was within the rules. Reggie had not cheated. It was no different from Butterfree blocking Tommy’s recall beam with its body.

If that was the case, recalling Pelipper and sending Forretress back out would be useless. Drapion could Roar Forretress away again at any time.

Reggie was aiming for Rhydon.

Reiji glanced up at the big screen and quickly ran through Reggie’s remaining Pokémon in his head. After a moment, he calmed down.

If Reggie wanted a decisive fight, then fine.

”Pelipper, use Hurricane on the ground.”

”Peli!” Pelipper beat its wings and sent a tornado ripping across the field. The purple Toxic Spikes appeared one by one and were swept up into the air.

He’s clearing the field.

Reggie understood at once. Reiji had seen through him and was clearing the Toxic Spikes instead of attacking Drapion.

That was fine. It only proved Reiji understood exactly what he was trying to do.

That was what made him a worthy opponent.

Once the field was clear, Reiji recalled Pelipper. That confirmed Reggie’s guess.

Rhydon was coming next.

”Go, Rhydon!”

”Rhy!” Rhydon faced Drapion. When Drapion raised its claws in a taunt, Rhydon glared right back.

”What just happened? Why did Contestant Reiji recall Pelipper and send out Rhydon instead of Forretress?”

The announcer did not understand Reiji’s choice, but Trainers with battle experience had already figured it out. Drapion’s Roar was meant to force Rhydon onto the field. Reiji had now used all six of his legal switches, so from this point on, every matchup would have to be fought straight through.

”There you are. I’ve been waiting.” Reggie licked his dry lips. It did not matter that Reiji had seen through him. He had already gotten what he wanted.

”Drapion, Toxic Spikes!”

[End of chapter]

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