Chapter 94: Vs. Lance Wataru (2)
Chapter 94: Vs. Lance Wataru (2)
~Third POV~
[Kanto Region, Cerise Island]
*SWOOOSH*
The thunderstorm produced by Lance Dragonairs headed straight towards Azure's group as it came towards them. Swiftly, he ordered, "Dragonite! Strong Style Hurricane!"
*FWP*
*WOOOOSH*
Dragonite flaps its wings and releases a powerful gust of wind that forms into a tornado of wind around them, countering Lance's thunderstorm. Lance narrows his eyes as he thinks, attempting to control Azure's Dragonite, 'Fool. If he knew my true power, then bringing Dragonite would be a grave mistake. I'm Lance, the leader of the Elite Four, the Master of Dragon-type Pokémon! And with my Viridian Force, my gift allows me to control the power of Dragons!'
Shooting his hand up towards the Hurricane Lance attempts to control Azure's Dragonite with his Viridian Force, as his natural gift allows him to control ALL Dragon-type or Dragon-like Pokémon. But then he yelped in pain, clutching his head, "Argh!!"
*BOOOM*
He felt his power collide with something unbreakable. An unknown force protected Azure's Dragonite as his eyes widened.
When he tried, he was met with fierce resistance in a startled tone, thought, 'What! I can't control his Dragonite! How's this possible unless… no, it's impossible!'
Lance's eyes widened as it clicked in his head. Lance's eyes narrowed as he muttered, "No, he wasn't born a Viridian Forest resident since we last met… his been blessed after he won or later in those 2 years ago…"
Realizing that Azure was blessed with the powers of the Viridian Forest. The genuine threat of the Champion of Kanto and Johto just became an apparent threat to his plans.
Gritting his teeth, Lance yelled out at Azure in disbelief, "SKY! How the heck were you blessed by Viridian Forest!!!"
From the shadows, Giovanni's eyes widened, hearing this. His gaze on the battle as he thought was surprised before slyly smirking, 'His been blessed with the same power as me? Heh. I suppose it makes sense, as he had that Dratini or Pikachu born in Viridian Forest. The Forest does bless those who managed to make a deep connection with Pokémon born from Viridian Forest, granting them blessings like I and Beedrill.'
*HWRLLLL*
Taking the chance to observe the battle between the two continued. Lance, calming down, he spoke eyes narrowing at them, "So… torrential rain and thunderclouds on our side… and a tornado on yours! A weather war?! Dragonair go!"
*Zoooom*
The two Dragonair fasten themselves onto each other like a circle, then start spinning towards Azure's group through the hollow center of the tornado of Hurricane. However, Azure yelled out, "Now Eevee! Show them what you got!"
*Shiii*
Jumping up to the Dragonair, closing in, Eevee evolved. Changing into Sylveon, the Dragonairs flinched seeing the Fairy Type as Azure ordered, "Sylveon! Strong Style Disarming Voice!!"
Sylveon took in a deep breath and yelled, "SYYL~!!!"
*BOOOOM*
Sylveon, using Strong Style Disarming Voice, opens her mouth and unleashes a beam of purple hearts in a loud shrieking voice. Due to it being a Fairy-type move, the two Dragonair's eyes widened as they recoiled in pain, being super effective.
Both stopped spinning as it allowed Azure's Arcanine and Dragonite to charge in as he ordered, "Strong Style! OUTRAGE!"
*CRUNCH*
Both their figures were veiled in a red aura, increasing their power. And as he said this, Azure smirked, seeing his Viridian Power the [Protector] kick in.
[Due to [Protector], your Pokémon won't be confused by the influence of [Outrage]!]
*SMASH*
*BAM*
Both Dragonairs were beaten up and dealt super effective hits by Arcanine and Dragonite combined forces. Arcanine sank its fangs, tossing one of the Dragonairs as its personal chew toy.
The other was being beaten up by Dragonite, ferociously punching its face repeatedly in its enraged state. Both Dragonair recoiled and cried in pain, "Droooo!!! Draaaa!!!"
*Woooosh*
*Thud*
The Hurricane ended as both Arcanine and Dragonite tossed the Dragonairs to the ground, causing Lance to recoil at his Dragonairs' state. Gritting his teeth, enraged, he ordered, "No! Aerodactyl!"
*Swooosh*
Azure sees Lance use the close-up attack strategy next, and orders a Take Down from his Aerodactyl, which aims its sharp wings straight for them. Azure asked, holding one of his Poke Balls at the ready, casually saying, "Take Down?"
*Swooosh*
In the process, Lance's Dragonite took the Dragonairs to Lance. He healed them with Viridian Force, visibly showing minor exhaustion as he stated fiercely, "And not just any attack! My Aerodactyl's wings are sharp as swords!"
*SMASH*
But Lance's eyes widened as Gengar suddenly emerged from Aerodactyl's shadow, landing a Strong Style Ice Punch, greeting them, "Gengar!!! (I'm back!!!)"
*THUD*
Gengar back-flipped in front of Azure as he boasted Gengar's physical might, "Oh? Cool dude but my Gengar can bitch slap a Pokémon. Wanna see her do it again?"
Lance gritted his teeth as he landed down healing Aerodactyl's neck. Azure openly asks Lance curiously with a raised eyebrow, "How many times has it been since you healed your Pokémon? 3 times? Or was 4 at this point? Getting a little tired, Lance, from consecutively healing your team?"
Lance grits his teeth, hearing his words. When compared to Trainers, Lance battled none who showed this much frustration in challenging him as Azure did before him.
Unlike in the originals, where he would've battled Yellow and her team, he could've easily won against an under-evolved team. But that's unfortunately fiction as Lance must deal with Azure and his line-up rather than Yellow's baby squad team.
*Swooosh*
Lance escapes into the volcano of Cerise Island riding on top of his Dragonite. Seeing this, Azure follows him, riding his Arcanine, not allowing him any chance to escape as his Pokémon follows suit.
/////
[Kanto Region, Cerise Island – Volcano]
*Hhoooss*
*THUD*
Upon arriving, Lance tells him in a stern tone, eyes glaring at Azure, no longer arrogant in his voice, said, "This Volcano is at the heart of the island. Thanks to Gyarados and Dragonite burrowing into the ground and stirring things up… It's close to eruption now! What better backdrop for our final fight?"
Azure chuckled at Lance's choice as he rode on top of his Dragonite, as he said cooly, "You seriously did not say that. Talk about cheesy, man."
*Hwoooo*
Suddenly, a giant Dragonite appears as Lance ordered, "Dragonite! Strength!"
Dragonite raised its arm, intending for a mighty swing. Azure countered, "Pikachu! Magnet Rise then Thunderbolt!"
*Swooosh*
Pikachu leaped off Azure's shoulder, finally joining the fight. Veiled in a golden aura using Magnet Rise, it charged up, unleashing its attack, "Pika… CHU!!!"
*Zzzzz*
Pikachu unleashed a powerful Thunderbolt aimed at Lance's Dragonite. However, it managed to use its Strength to break the ground near Azure's group, releasing lava everywhere and causing the volcano to erupt.
*BOOOM*
Tanking the Thunderbolt Lance's Dragonite flinched from the pain. But it did its job effectively, changing the battlefield with lava for Azure's Pokémon that couldn't fly and restricted movement on the ground.
Maneuvering around the lava spouts from the crushed boulders, Azure's eyes narrowed at Lance. However, Lance noticed his Dragonite had flinched from the damage and had been paralyzed as he thought, 'That small Pikachu managed to damage my Dragonite. It must be at a very high level to do that.'
But before the battle could continue, Azure blurted, getting Lance's attention, "Oi! You better have your Dragonite healed jackass! I can tell it's faking being strong from being in the lava waiting for your signal! I won't beat you if your main partner is that hurt!"
Lance paused, hearing that as he gazed at his Dragonite. In the original story, Dragonite hid its condition from Lance not to worry him as it looked away not admitting to it.
Lance, realizing this, sighed, knowing his partner very well noticed. He placed his hand over its head, muttering in a serious tone, "Seriously, partner? You could've informed me of this, and healed you, no need to hide it."
Using his Viridian Force to heal his Partner Pokémon, Dragonite, Lance showed genuine exhaustion, constantly healing his Pokémon. His Dragonite returning to full health, he gazed at Azure.
He couldn't help but ask curiously with his Dragonite back at full power, "You knew of this and told me? Can't help but ask why?"
Azure adjusted his cap, shadowing his eyes as he responded casually, much to Lance and his Pokémon's shock, "Wouldn't be fun beating you at less than your original strength. And besides, I noticed how your Dragon is stubborn just as mine is when they don't wanna reveal their injuries – Ah!"
Hearing that Azure's Dragonite tossed him at Arcanine's side, pouting with a light blush on its face, it was embarrassed. Azure, noticing this, laughs, pointing, "Ahahha!! Such a Tsundere Dragonite!!"
Azure's Dragonite growled at that roaring at him, denying such a claim, "Dro!! (I'm not a tsundere damn it!)"
Azure simply continued to laugh at his own Pokémon antics as the rest joined in, much to his Dragonite's embarrassment. Lance and his Pokémon merely looked puzzled at their interaction as Azure rode on his Arcanine.
Pikachu was in the sky next to Dragonite with its Magnet Rise, along with Gengar. Sylveon devolved into Eevee, jumped on Azure's head, chuckling at the interaction.
Lance couldn't help but see their synergy and bonds between them are that close. Even in dire situations, they continued to act like this when the threats of lives of Kanto are in jeopardy.
With his Viridian Force, he can tell each one of Azure's Pokémon's emotions. He couldn't help but chuckle, seeing their state wiping a tear off his face as he said, "Hahaha! You know, when I thought of finally facing off against the Champion of Kanto and Johto, you weren't how I pictured at all when we fought. I've expected some kind of prodigy with master tactics, but this? This wasn't what I was expecting."
Understanding Lance's perspective on Azure, he shook his head as he asked curiously, "I feel the same way, buddy. I kind of expected you to be, you know crazy lunatic who wants to commit genocide for Pokémon. Heck, you even use your gifts for destruction like this leaves me baffled."
Lance snorted as he replied curtly, looking down on Azure, "And so what? You gonna lecture me about it?"
Funnily enough, Azure shook his head, returning his head to the game as he said casually, shrugging his shoulders, "Nah. I'm not gonna tell you how or when to use your powers. It's your gift, you use it how you see fit. Besides no matter how many times you heal I'll be here to keep kicking your ass. Because, unlike you, I won't need my powers to heal mid-fight. Feels like cheating to me. I just want a challenge."
Lance chuckled as, so far, Azure has proved his point. Gazing at his Pokémon and Dragonair, his heartbeat faster as he mentioned, "In fighting you so far… I've had to use 4 of these Dragonair's Powers. To gallop the sea and sky, change direction of energy attacks, to control the weather itself, and combine their attack modes! And yet…"
Lance closed his eyes before opening them eagerly, wanting to challenge himself further as he stated, "In my easier battles, I usually only must use the first and second powers. I save the third for stronger enemies, and I rarely must use all four. I'll give you a moment to take pride in that distinction… and then I'll point out that both Dragonair add up to only a fraction of my power!"
*Swooosh*
Returning to their fight as Lance had all 5 of his Pokémon charge in. He stated, "How many powers do you think I have at my command among all 5 of my Pokémon?!"
Azure grinned as his Arcanine prepared itself for battle with a sly grin, "Don't know? But let me let you in on a secret, Lance, old buddy, old pal, old chum. If you thought this was my team's full strength… then I'm afraid to inform you we're holding back. I mean, I haven't used all 6 of my Pokémon against you. But please do try to draw out as much of our power as possible."
Lance snorts at Azure's arrogance as he makes his Pokémon command. Both Dragonair's unleashed Hyper Beams, Aerodactyl a Take Down, and Gyarados Hydro Pump.
On Azure's side, his Dragonite and Gengar unleashed a Hyper Beam, countering the Dragonair's. Pikachu used Iron Tail to match Aerodactyl's Take Down. And Arcanine used Flamethrower to counter Gyarados' Hydro Pump, with each attack canceling the other out as they focused on their battle.
*BOOOM*
As each Pokémon battled their respective fights, Lance took the chance, ordering, "Now! Tailwind!"
*SWOOOSH*
A sudden breeze of air emerged as Lance's Dragonite flapped its wings with great gusto. It was so great that it forced Azure to fall off Arcanine's back, alerting him as he'd been swept off Arcanine's back.
*Zoooom*
Noticing this, his Pikachu rushed to him using Agility as Aerodactyl gave chase. But Arcanine intervened using Iron Tail, stopping it in its tracks.
*CLANG*
Just as Azure was about to fall in, he ordered, "Pikachu! Surf!"
*SPLASH*
Pikachu first got to the lava, but something surprising happened to Lance, seeing with his own eyes. Just before Pikachu fell into the lava, it projected the power of Substitute into a great water-repelling surfboard.
Azure landed on top of it, grinning, saluting Lance mockingly, saying, "Sorry, Lance, but Surfs up!"
Managing to catch himself up, Azure sighed a breath of relief. The battle between the two rages on…
/////
A/N: Here's your extra chapter!