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Zilla snorts, clearly unimpressed by the flashy bird.

“Battle, Start!”

“Tailwind Dante!”

“Iron defense.”

Both pokemon power up. Talonflame starts pumping its wings faster, leaving a trail of embers like a bottle rocket. My Carracosta cracks her neck and takes a sumo stance, bits of rust red, iron dust from the plateau begin to collect along her shell and scales.

Felix just smirks, “Waste of time Rookie. My Talonflame isn’t your average bird!”

Winds start to pick up around the field. This should be Hurricane?

Just as the sun peeks through the clouds, Talonflame dives into a hard bank around my turtle. The very wind ignites, a column of flames spines into existence, engulfing Zilla.

“Eat our Fire Spin!”

Great, blondie here raised a special focused Talonflame, “I bet he does contests… Doesn’t matter.” Raising my voice, “Match it with Ancient Power, then Bide.”

She got this classic down while helping Rusty train.

My opponent scowls, “If he wants barbecue then let's oblige. Amp up the heat. Let's show off our hard work!”

While originally I could still see Zilla in breaks of the narrow twister, now all we see is shades of flames. The cyclone doubles in width, several people in the bleachers call out pokemon to help block the heat and rocks that flare out of the centrifuge.

I know she can take it. It’s a waiting game,

Felix snorts, “Finish it with Steel Wing!”

Or not.

Flashes of silver spark within the wannabe Gmax move.

“Zilla, Do it.”

Rocks erupt from the earth, shredding the flames and interrupting Talonflame mid-dive.

The explosive boost of Bide combined with Smackdown. A frantically flapping bird careens into the dirt right in front of Zilla.

“Finish Him!”

A couple folks raise a brow at my deeper voice and pointing pose.

More importantly, Zilla doesn't need specifics on how to wreck someone's already bad day.

Her terrifying beak Crunches into the bird’s wing, thrashes from side to side then flings Talonflame to the ground. The poor bird doesn’t have a chance to recover before Zilla smoothly combos into an Aqua Tail rotation with a follow-up Stone Edge punch. Just to make a point, the world's most belligerent sea turtle uses Brine to blast the soaked bird back towards its trainer in a puddle of ash dusted water.

Sheer violence on display shocks the onlookers into silence.

Our ref coughs, “Talonflame is… not looking too hot. Trainer Kurt and Carracosta win.”

“DANTE!”

Felix rushes to pull the dripping bird into his arms while mean mugging us.

“How could you, you, you Brute!”

Oh please, “He’s just a bit wet… and I’m sure they can set that wing in no time.”

It is at a pretty nasty angle.

Talonflame opens one narrow eye at me before squawking sharply and clutching it’s busted wing.

At least the bird can out act a certain Malfoy.

The Kalos trainer is aghast, “We’ll get you fixed up immediately!” He returns the bird to its ball and stares me down, “You’ll pay for this!”

With that, a blur of blonde hair and white leather dashes for the elevators.

Naomi walks over to me and the confused Zilla, “Was half of that necessary? I almost thought it was Jane in the match.”

My turtle just snorts and lifts her chin high. I can tell she’s thinking something like ‘Jane Wishes her pokemon were on her level.’

“Great win girl, I’ll buy ya a special snack later.”

I return her to the fancy turtle fossil ball as the Hiker official walks over, “Alright Kurt, your next opponent is already waiting at the main spire. Her name is Blake.”

Oh boy, “Guess she finished lecturing Jane.”

It’s a quick walk over a couple hundred foot drop, I do notice the wind is picking up a bit.

Our team reunites, plus Alloy. She fist taps my shoulder, “Nice Smackdown Mr. Bodyguard! Just one more win and you really will be my opponent.”

Citro looks up from his notebook, “You're already at 5 wins!?”

Her grin falters slightly, “Not without effort and adapting on the fly. This competition is fierce sometimes.” her eyes narrow my way, “Ofcourse, someone can always get lucky with a string of type advantages.”

Excuse me? “Hey Missy, that just comes with not specializing in one type like yourself.”

“Fair enough.” her grin returns as she grabs Naomi by the arm, “Come on losers, let's get some good seats!”

Jane and Watts protest while the boy just shrugs, “Good luck Kurt!”

There's quite a turn out now even though the wind is picking up a bit.

Across the way is the green haired gal from Lilycove, Blake.

Her expression is hard to read, “Well, Kurt… let's have a fun battle, I hope.”

A portly fellow in khakis takes the ref stand, “Trainers, pokemon out!”

Shit I didn’t have time to think, well she’s a water pros so…

Blue takes the field with a tip of his wooden witch hat to the crowd while an opposite flash of light reveals… a pineapple?

Said pineapple makes a quacking noise and strikes a pose for the crowd as well.

Blake face palms, “Well, at least we're in for a show.”

“Battle, Start!”

“Blue, Growth!”

A pleading, “Please, just attack today?”

While bits of roots break the surface of the field, the fruit duck just starts to quack out a song and dance number like Donald Duck on broadway.

“Ludi, ludi, Colo! Ludi, ludi, Colo!”

Is this pokemon doing the floss?!

To my utter dismay, Blue halts his field prep, “Uh, buddy? We’re in a battle here.”

Blue’s head tilts in confusion making the sound of hitting a hollow log.

“Ludi Ludi!”

Quakers over there seems ecstatic and picks up a new rhythm which Blue matches to my utter dismay.

Blake sighs, “Well, it’s a Dance Battle now.”

The roots start to grow again and the wind brings a few drops of rain.

Fine, dance off it is, “Blue trip him up with Grass Knot!”

Whilst shaking his Miracle Seed staff like a maraca, Blue swings it forward and several roots whip towards Ludicolo’s feet, making him stumble.

“Ludi!” he seems utterly offended and Blake takes my cue while mouthing a thank you.

“Ludicolo, use Nature Power!”

Roots sprout buds that bloom with pollen rapidly drifting our way, some sort of status move I’m sure. “Blue, Phantom Force!”

My druid buddy disappears into the root network causing Ludicolo to hesitate.

“No, keep going Ludi! Water pulse.”

Instead, Blue jumps out and knocks the big pineapple over and commences his rhythm solo for the crowd.

Ludicolo actually responds by slapping Blue’s staff out of his hand and shouting at him.

Blake cheers, “That’s it! Now Zen headbutt!”

“Shadow Sneak!”

Ludicolo misses the disappearing Phantump while Blue reclaims his stick and pokes the pineapple in the back hard enough to make him fall forward with the failed headbutt.

Without me calling out another attack, Blue traps Ludicolo in vines and begins a mimic of Marowaks fire dance with his Will-O-Wisps on his staff.

Panicked Quacks are cut short by the red flash of a pokeball.

“I withdraw,” Blake sighs with reluctance.

“Trainer Blake withdraws, Kurt and Phantump win!”

Huh, “Well, that was something.”

My opponent shakes her head, “I kept avoiding using him until I had no choice, it was now or the finals. Your ghost just rolled with the confusion effect.”

Thunder booms in the distance as the stray raindrops turn into a persistent spray in the high winds.

“Everyone,” the official raises his voice, “The spire tops are becoming dangerous.”

They weren’t before?

“Please proceed down into the valley, once we perform flash flood protocols we can hold the final battle in the canyon.”

Alloy actually looks like her confidence just took a sucker punch while I can’t help grinning. My final pokemon is no secret. I got my name out first with my record sized bat. Now the field has been set to nearly his natural habitat.

Even Naomi quirks a brow, “And you said it wasn’t luck.”

Blue snickers at my hip… he’s growing, “Nice moves out there buddy. Take a chill till later.”

Everyone heads for an available elevator, we all feel nervous cramming in, especially Citro as he points to the water pouring at points along the cliffs.

“Did that guy say flash floods?”

A few people give me weird looks as I break out laughing. Turning to Naomi, “Looks like I get to use that snorkel on the jeep after all.”

Jane interrupts, “Look!”

She’s pointing below at the hive of activity within the camp. All of the Hikers and guest trainers are out in force to help shield this area from any water flows.

Gravelers, Machokes, even a couple Aggrons are putting stone barricades into position at the canyon entrance. Several wild flying pokemon swooping to take shelter amongst all the scaffolding. Skarmory, Mandibuzz, Braviary, Citro gawks at a huge Aerodactyl keeping all the birds in line.

Other wild pokemon like Doduo, and Rhyhron are settling in under an outcropping across from the busy camp. Along some of the ledges in the cliffs we spot Gilgars, Sandiles, and an Onix peeking from a freshly dug cave.

Jane sends out Marble to help once we hit the ground floor. The wild Onix rumbles what I suspect was a mating call, which our glittery rock snake completely ignores.

Citro lends a hand by having his Whiscash work like a water pump to bail out some low spots while workers adjust the barricades.

Lighting flashes above and thunder shakes the entire valley.

Alloy nudges Naomi, “Didn’t your gramps catch Zapdos here in the valley?”

Watts nods, “Ya, she was hurt by a rampaging Mega Steelix. Grandpa joined the fight with his Electivire to help Zapra.”

Really? “And what, they became friends and she joined his team?”

Naomi rolls her eyes, “After weeks of helping her recover and begging the big momma Zapdos not to fry him and our entire family line.”

“Yikes,” a shiver runs down my spine, “Are there other legendaries in this Valley?”

Alloy perks up, “Oh sure, we know a Registeel is somewhere deep in the valley. Once every few years someone spots that momma Zapdos. I heard a rumor that someone spotted a Terrakion… or was it a Landorus?”

Jane jokes, “Nope, totally was a Zamazenta.”

Watts giggles, “At least that one makes sense.”

“With how close the valley is to Mt. Chimney,” Citro comments, “I’d bet there's Heatran down deep.”

Alloy waves her hand, “Hard Pass. I don’t wanna deal with lava. I don’t know how Camerupt trainers handle it.”

On cue I spot Felix sitting by the Kalos team tent giving me the stink eye. “I don’t think that guy understands he got off easy. Once Aqua Jet levels up to Liquidation, his bird is turtle food.”

Which reminds me, “Alloy, how are you challenging Sootopolis Gym?”

“Challenged,” she pulls out a badge case with five badges. She has Petalburg, Rustburo, Sootopolis, Mauville, and Dewford. “I’m sticking to regional steel pokemon so I had to get the badge before the water type requirement. Also, I’m not telling.”

Ha, “Well alright then.”

We spend a good five minutes just watching the sights of humans and pokemon weathering the sudden downpour.

That same Official from the Hiker’s whatever come over to our Jeep side campsite, “Ms. Stone, Mr. Kurt, We’re ready for you to head to the field set up this way.”

Alloy’s grin from hanging out with her childhood friend slips, she stops looking at Naomi’s tablet of plans and stands up.

“Let's get this over Kurt, I think your lucky streak is about to hit a steel wall.”

A stray thought bounces into my head, I have been studying up a bit. It occurs to me that steel types are immune to poison and resist normal type moves. Hopefully whatever she’s using doesn’t resist flying too.

Our field is set beside the pool of water that's swelled a fair amount in the rain. I glance up at the narrow canyon walls above us.

Without waiting for the ref I toss out Shak’s new Luxury Ball. My flying monstrosity appears in a roar of dark fur and fangs.

Across from me, a stone faced Alloy whips out a ball, the flash of light reveals a shining red exoskeleton. Scizor takes the field.

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