Poliwag vs Growlithe
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Poliwag's desire to grow stronger stemmed from its wish to evolve but there was something else, some underlying emotion driving it as well.
Kai had a few guesses, but nothing he could confirm just yet.
Still, that didn't stop him from setting up the battle.
He placed Poliwag and Growlithe on opposite ends of the training ground, crouched down, and said, "I won't be giving commands. Just spar and learn from each other."
Poliwag glanced at Growlithe, whose gaze burned with fighting spirit.
There was a brief hesitation in Poliwag's eyes, but then it thought of its three younger companions back at the lake. Determination quickly replaced uncertainty, and its gaze sharpened.
Ever since it hatched, Poliwag had known that it was different and smarter than most of its kind.
And so, when the other Poliwag began to follow it, it naturally assumed the role of their leader.
If the Whimsicott could contribute to the farm, then so could it. No matter what, it had to prove its worth and secure its place in this paradise.
"Three… two… one… begin!"
The moment Kai's voice fell, Growlithe let out an eager Howl before unleashing a quick burst of Ember toward Poliwag.
Still caught in its thoughts, Poliwag reacted a split second too late. Though it managed to turn its body to avoid getting hit in the stomach, the embers struck its back instead.
A sharp sizzle filled the air as steam rose from Poliwag's damp skin.
Then, a burning pain spread across its back.
"Poil.."
Not good!
Poliwag had been in its fair share of battles before. Relying on that experience, it immediately shot a Water Gun into the air, letting the droplets rain down on itself to soothe the burn.
Then, taking advantage of the wet soil beneath it, Poliwag kicked up clumps of mud and hurled them at Growlithe.
Caught mid-charge, Growlithe had no time to dodge. The mud splattered all over its head, dirtying its thick fur and partially blocking its vision.
"Ruff!"
Kai raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Not bad.
Even though Poliwag was at a disadvantage in terms of raw power, it had already begun formulating countermeasures.
Growlithe quickly shook its head, trying to fling the mud off, but some of it remained stuck in its fur.
If I can't see, I'll track by scent!
With that thought, Growlithe locked onto Poliwag's scent and launched itself forward, body engulfed in flames as it used Flame Wheel!
Poliwag's eyes flickered as it analyzed the incoming attack. It knew how powerful that move was it had seen it in action before.
Instead of running, Poliwag spits out a thick layer of foam, coating the ground in slippery bubbles.
Then, it carefully timed its movements… and jumped!
Growlithe barreled straight through the foam, completely ignoring it.
At first, it seemed like Poliwag's move had been pointless. But then—
The foam residue clung to Growlithe's fur, dampening the intensity of its flames and slightly slowing its momentum.
By the time it reached its target, Poliwag was already airborne.
Growlithe's attack was missed!
The moment it exited Flame Wheel, Growlithe quickly shook off the bubbles… only to realize something.
The foam had washed away the mud stuck in its fur.
It could be seen again!
Before it could celebrate, Poliwag came crashing down landing right in front of it!
Reacting on instinct, Growlithe began gathering energy for Double-Edge, ready to deliver a decisive counterattack.
But then—
Its eyes landed on Poliwag's stomach.
That swirling pattern…
Its vision blurred. Its thoughts grew hazy. The energy it had built up scattered like water down a drain.
A second later—
Thud!
"Grrr…"
Growlithe collapsed onto its side, snoring peacefully.
Poliwag's final move Hypnosis had landed perfectly!
"Brilliant!"
Kai strode forward, clapping his hands.
Poliwag had just demonstrated how to use strategy to compensate for a power gap.
Every move had been leading up to that one decisive moment, where Hypnosis would guarantee victory.
This wasn't just talent this was intelligence on another level.
Some beginner trainers couldn't even pull off a battle plan that well.
For a wild Pokémon to have such battle instincts…
Kai was truly impressed.
"Poli~"(๑>﹏<๑)
Hearing Kai's praise, Poliwag shyly lowered its head but the joy in its eyes was unmistakable.
It did it. It really did it!
Kai knelt down and carefully picked up the sleeping Hisuian Growlithe.
Checking it over, he confirmed that there were no injuries if anything, its fur was cleaner than before, thanks to the foam washing out the mud.
Then, turning to Poliwag, he took out a Burn Heal from his bag and smiled.
"You took a direct hit from Ember. Let's treat that burn before it gets worse."
Without hesitation, he sprayed the medicine onto Poliwag's back.
A cool, soothing sensation spread over the burnt area, immediately easing the pain.
"Poli~" (〃'▽'〃)
Poliwag let out a pleased hum, eyes half-lidded in comfort.
Kai chuckled. "Told you it works wonders."
Seeing Poliwag enjoying the treatment, he continued, "You know, this isn't the first time I've had to use Burn Heal. Back when I first met Charcadet—"
Poliwag perked up at the unfamiliar name.
"Oh, right, you wouldn't know that one," Kai corrected himself. "I'm talking about Ceruledge's previous evolution. You know, the one with the dark armour and twin flame swords?"
Poliwag recalled the Pokémon in question.
That cool-looking warrior who barely spoke but always radiated an intimidating presence…
Yet, whenever someone ate the skewers it cooked, its entire body temperature would rise slightly almost like it was… happy?
Seeing Poliwag's recognition, Kai smirked.
"Yeah, that one. When I first met Charcadet, it had a huge ego."
He exhaled, gaze distant as he recalled the past.
"Its first trainer… abandoned it. Said it wasn't strong enough."
"Poli?!"
Poliwag's eyes widened in shock.
Then it hopped up and down, waving its little arms in outrage.
Clearly, it was furious on Ceruledge's behalf.
Kai grinned. "Yeah, I wasn't happy about it either. I found it wandering alone near Zapapico, and back then, it saw all humans as enemies."
He rolled up his sleeve, revealing a faint scar on his arm.
Poliwag's eyes darted to the scar, then back to Kai's face, curiosity and concern swirling in its gaze.
Kai simply chuckled.
"Winning it over? That took some work."
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