Chapter 26: Aura Power, Forever in My Heart
Chapter 26: Aura Power, Forever in My Heart
Poliwhirl seemed unaware that danger was imminent, still expressionlessly and rapidly using the meaningless [Water Gun].
Rio, on the side, was both alarmed and anxious, yet he couldn't help but wonder: "Poliwhirl doesn't look like the type of Pokémon that doesn't use its brain. But why does it keep insisting on using [Water Gun], which causes no damage to Pidgeot?"
In that split second, Rio couldn't resist investigating: "Light screen, [Pokédex]!"
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[Pokédex]
Encounter Progress: 33/50
Battle Progress: 17/25
[Real-time Analysis]
Pokémon: Elite - Poliwhirl (Male)
Level: lv29
Type: Water
Ability: Water Absorb (Unaffected by Water-type moves; when hit by a Water-type move, restores a small amount of HP)
Special: Water Affinity (Naturally sensitive to the flow of Water-type energy, can better utilize Water-type moves)
Moves: Water Gun (lv3), Bubble Beam (lv2), Rain Dance (lv2), Hypnosis (lv2), Endure (lv2), Secret Power (lv2), Dive (lv2), Substitute (lv2)
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"What... what a rich move set!"
As an Elite-titled Poliwhirl, it possessed a full 8 moves. Although only one move, [Water Gun], reached lv3, the remaining moves were basically lv2. Moreover, the richness of this move list surpassed even that of the Leader-level Pidgeot and Golduck. Among the Pokémon Rio knew, only the Squirtle Boss could compare.
Noticing a particular move in the list, Rio instantly understood.
And the battle scene had reached a white-hot stage.
The astonishingly powerful [Steel Wing] cut through the sky and arrived in an instant. Poliwhirl still tirelessly sprayed [Water Gun].
An unexpected scene occurred. Under the nervous gazes of the Pokémon, [Steel Wing] fiercely struck Poliwhirl. However, the anticipated bloody scene of torn flesh did not appear. Instead, with a "pop," the Poliwhirl that was split in two burst like a bubble in the air. After a puff of white smoke, the entire Pokémon vanished without a trace.
"As expected, this isn't the real Poliwhirl, but a substitute created by Poliwhirl's move [Substitute]!"
Rio shouted in pleasant surprise.
The moment the substitute vanished into white smoke, a round figure leaped out from the nearby grass. Its hands were clasped together, and the Water-type aura on its body stirred the moist water vapor in the air.
"Rumble," the sky instantly darkened. Ominous dark clouds, flashing with lightning, covered the forest above.
"Hmm? This rain?"
Takuma, Rio, and Machop simultaneously looked up at the sky. Before long, drizzling raindrops began to fall from the sky, quickly turning into a torrential downpour.
"[Rain Dance]!"
Feeling the cold raindrops on his face, Rio suddenly realized with a start.
Originally, triggering the [Rain Dance] move required mobilizing a large amount of Water-type energy, accumulating it into clouds, and then causing rain. Poliwhirl's persistent use of [Water Gun] just now was to spread Water-type energy across the battlefield, so that it could use [Rain Dance] to summon the heavy rain more quickly.
"But just using Rain Dance isn't very useful, is it? This move itself doesn't have any attack effect?"
Even though he knew Poliwhirl had very cleverly executed [Rain Dance], Rio still couldn't understand its tactical purpose.
Amidst the dense curtain of rain, the Pidgeot Leader's flying posture gradually slowed down.
The rain itself caused no harm, but the thick layer of feathers on Pidgeot's body became soaked by the rainwater, drooping heavily.
When birds fly, their feathers allow them to better follow the flow of the wind, enabling them to soar freely and lightly. But at this moment, the rain-soaked feathers had instead become a burden to the Pidgeot Leader.
Unable to bear the increasingly cumbersome and heavy feathers, Pidgeot had to lower its altitude. Its flight, which was originally so fast it was almost impossible to see clearly, also slowed down.
However, the Pidgeot Leader's ferocity remained unchanged. With crimson eyes, it attempted to use [Steel Wing] again.
The thunder in the sky grew clearer.
What happens when a large area of metal appears in a thunderstorm?
The answer, naturally, is:
The lightning surging within the dark clouds seemed to have found its target. With a sudden flash of bright light, a winding bolt of lightning struck the Pidgeot Leader on its head.
"Boom!" The thunderclap sounded only then.
Pidgeot shrieked in pain. It could ignore Poliwhirl's water streams; after all, when Pidgeot channeled its Steel-type energy, the water flowing over its body could be dismissed as easily as taking a bath. But facing this lightning from the heavens, it couldn't afford to be so casual.
Electric current coursed through Pidgeot's body, making it feel a burning pain, followed by an overwhelming numbness.
Its once strong wings could no longer maintain flight. It could only manage to flap its wings with a "flap, flap" sound and land on the ground, its movements becoming quite sluggish for a moment.
"Steel attracts lightning, and Flying-types are weak to Electric-types!" Poliwhirl explained in a faint tone, its eyes clearly saying, "It's up to you guys now."
Fighting isn't just about using offensive moves; flexibly judging the battle situation and skillfully using combat techniques are the keys to victory. This round of combat from Poliwhirl gave Rio a deep understanding.
"Now that Pidgeot has landed on the ground, we have a chance to attack first. But once it recovers and flies back into the sky, the initiative will be back on its side."
"The level difference is indeed quite large. Even if we all use attack moves at the same time, we might not be able to take down Pidgeot instantly."
"And the opportunity is only for a moment. If we can't defeat it instantly, we'll return to the previous unfavorable situation."
"But thinking about it differently, what if we don't aim to defeat Pidgeot, but to dispel its berserk state?"
"Is there any way to dispel this berserk state? It seems there's no such abnormal status in games or anime."
"Use Berries? No suitable Berries? Use an All-Heal? Don't have one? Or perhaps..."
Rio was still in his Aura-aware state, his thoughts racing, countless ideas flashing through his mind.
Suddenly, he caught sight of Takuma standing nearby, blankly holding the bell.
"The strong deep red Aura waves and the weak blue-green Aura power..."
"After the bell's sound ended, the blue-green Aura power disappeared..."
"Aura is the power of the heart, and also the manifestation of a creature's spirit..."
Like a flash of inspiration striking his brain from behind, Rio instantly figured out the solution to their current predicament.
"The berserk state is caused by the disorder and rampage of spiritual power. And that bell can create a mind-clearing power. So, as long as I amplify this power through Aura, enhancing the rational Aura power, I can pacify the Pokémon's berserk state!"
Not far away, Pidgeot, having landed on the ground, shook its body, trying to alleviate its discomfort as quickly as possible. At the same time, it randomly flapped its wings, creating small tornadoes in an attempt to prevent Rio and the others from getting close.
"Now's the time!" A glint flashed in Rio's eyes. He pushed off lightly with his agile feet and quickly moved forward.
"Poliwhirl, continue to suppress it with [Bubble Beam]."
Poliwhirl sprayed a continuous stream of crystalline bubbles from its mouth. Aided by the rain, the speed at which the bubbles were produced was truly beyond imagination. They stickily adhered to the Pidgeot Leader's body, preventing it from moving flexibly.
"Big Brother Machop, use [Low Kick] to break Pidgeot's balance and make it fall!"
"Takuma, activate your running shoes and rush up with the bell!"
Rio shouted while dodging the small, spinning tornadoes.
Hearing Rio's commands, Machop and Takuma only hesitated slightly. Without much thought, they began to act according to Rio's instructions.
"Ha, take this [Low Kick]!" Machop, about to reach Pidgeot, felt his feet slip. He smoothly transitioned his running posture into a sliding tackle, carried forward by inertia along the muddy ground. His right leg swung out like a crescent moon, delivering a fierce kick towards Pidgeot's standing leg.
"Chaa-chaa-chaa!" Pidgeot, kicked painfully, became unsteady, and its large body subsequently fell to the ground.
Swoosh— Machop used the rebound force to spring to the side, clearing the path forward. Takuma, following closely behind, had roller wheels under his sneakers, and two jet nozzles provided powerful propulsion, allowing Takuma to reach Pidgeot the moment it fell.
"Takuma, shake your bell vigorously at Pidgeot, don't stop!"
"Haii!"
Takuma's face was flushed, sweat trickling down his forehead, his face alight with excitement. Seeing Pidgeot's ferocious bird head right in front of him, he raised the bell with his right hand and shook it forcefully at Pidgeot.
The crisp, clear sound of the bell rang out again.
"Ding-ling-ling-ling-ling—"
In Rio's eyes, the fiercely burning deep red Aura on Pidgeot was impeded by the tranquilizing bell sound. Its arrogant momentum slightly diminished, while a few wisps of blue-green waves flickered solitarily within, stubbornly resisting the deep red Aura.
Rio took a deep breath and leaped towards Pidgeot. He knew the most crucial step had come. If he couldn't amplify that mind-calming Aura energy and suppress Pidgeot's berserk rage, then once Pidgeot adapted to the bell's sound, everything would return to the previous terrible situation. Moreover, the Pokémon and Takuma were now all close to Pidgeot; a berserk Pidgeot could easily put them in danger again.
"How can I control the power of Aura? Quick, I need to remember quickly..."
Rio, airborne, watched as he got closer and closer to Pidgeot, thinking desperately.
He tried to control the Aura energy like he controlled his own Fighting energy, but neither his own Aura nor the Aura of other creatures responded.
"Damn it! How can I control this Aura energy..."
The more anxious he became, the more acute Rio's perception of Aura grew. Whether it was Poliwhirl continuously spraying bubbles in the distance, Machop panting and gathering strength, or Takuma desperately shaking the bell, their Auras were constantly transmitting encouraging and hopeful emotions to Rio:
"You can do it!"
"You've got this!"
"I believe you'll find a way!"
The blue pendant on Rio's neck instantly lit up at this moment.
"Believe in your heart..."
Suddenly, an unfamiliar Aura wave mingled among the others, startling Rio.
What a gentle Aura this was, like a warm ray of sunshine in winter, or a hot spring meandering through a cold mountain. At this moment, it flowed into Rio's heart, dissolving all anxiety, leaving only an ethereal calm.
"Believe in your heart, believe in your Aura, you must believe in yourself..."
This gentle Aura paused slightly, then sounded again:
"Aura Power, forever in my heart!"
"...Aura Power, forever in my heart!" Rio felt it, and couldn't help but shout along.
In an instant, a brilliant light burst forth.
"Ah, this is!"
Poliwhirl, Machop, and Takuma all cried out involuntarily.
Rio's figure, leaping in the air, erupted with thousands of dazzling blue lights, surging towards Pidgeot like a tidal wave. A deep red light also emanated from Pidgeot's body, but upon encountering this unstoppable, brilliant light, it receded and dissipated like melting ice and snow.
"Ding-ling-ling—" The bell continued to chime. The blue light rose and fell with the bell's sound, wave after wave crashing against Pidgeot.
"Caw—"
As if suffering immense pain, Pidgeot rolled back and forth on the ground, wailing pitifully.
Poliwhirl stopped its [Bubble Beam], watching the confrontation before it with considerable shock. "This, what on earth is this power?"
"Thwack!" Rio descended from the sky, extending his furry paws and firmly pressing down on Pidgeot's wings, shouting again, "Aura Power, forever in my heart!!!"
The blue-green Aura power bloomed even more magnificently. And it wasn't just the Aura power emanating from Rio; even the few wisps of Pidgeot's own rational Aura power, hidden deep beneath the deep red berserk rage, were enhanced. Working in concert with Rio's Aura power from within and without, they instantly suppressed the overwhelming berserk rage until it almost vanished.