Both trainers were determined to prove their skills, and the tension hung heavy in the air. The sun illuminated the open field, casting a warm glow on the surrounding grass as the battle was about to commence.
I locked eyes with Brown Lars as he wore a confident smirk on his face. I could sense the competitive fire burning within Brown, and it only fueled my determination further. Our gazes locked in a silent exchange, and we both got ready to unleash our first Pokémon.
“Trainers! Begin your battle in 3…2…1…GO!”
"Let's go, Fletchling!" I called out, my voice filled with enthusiasm as I released my new feathery companion onto the field. Fletchling emerged with a burst of fiery energy, his wings flapping gracefully as he settled into a battle-ready stance.
“Taillow, let’s show this wuss how to win!!” On the opposite end of the field, Brown released his Taillow, a fierce-looking avian Pokémon that exuded confidence as it landed in the field and glared straight ahead.
The two Pokémon eyed each other warily, neither making a move to take to the skies just yet. Deciding to play it safe, I started with a classic opener. "Fletchling, use Growl!" I commanded, my voice steady and resolute now that the battle was underway. Fletchling let out a low growl, his eyes fixed on Taillow, aiming to weaken his opponent's resolve.
Brown, however, seemed unenthusiastic by Fletchling's tactic. He smirked, exuding an air of confidence, as he placed his counter.
“Taillow, focus!” He finished and I watched as Taillow’s muscle’s started to tense and flex, preparing to unleash a devastating blow. I knew this was Focus Energy especially after seeing the wild Nidoran use it yesterday. But this was also an opportunity so I capitalized on Fletchling's successful Growl and quickly formulated my next move.
"Fletchling, follow up with Quick Attack!" I sent out as Fletchling's body glowed white with a reddish hue, a manifestation of his speed and Flame Body. With a burst of energy, Fletchling launched himself at Taillow.
“Dammit, Taillow dodge out of the way!” Brown yelled, caught off guard by Fletchling's swift approach. However, Taillow's focus had been entirely on her Focus Energy, which hindered her reaction time, and Fletchling's Quick Attack landed successfully on her side.
Taillow screeched in pain as Fletchling swiftly retreated from the attack, leaving a noticeable scorch mark on his adversary. I couldn't help but suppress a grin as I witnessed the effects of Fletchling's Flame Body enhancing its physical move.
As Taillow recovered from the attack, Fletchling wasted no time in launching another Quick Attack without Avery’s explicit command.
By the time Fletchling was ready though, Taillow had already finished her previous Focus Energy and managed to dodge the Quick Attack, swiftly ascending into the air. Fletchling's Quick Attack fizzled out in the wake of Taillow's evasion and Brown seized the opportunity as he shouted, "Supersonic, now!"
Taillow let out a piercing screech from above, sending sound waves reverberating through the air. Fletchling tried his best to evade the sound-based attack, but his flight soon became unsteady. I quickly grew worried as I watched Fletchling trying to fly erratically.
“Fletchling, follow my voice and dodge towards me!” I yelled, seeing Taillow advancing on Fletchling with a glowing Peck. My concern grew as he desperately tried to move; unfortunately, before Fletchling could regain his bearings, Taillow struck with her Peck and then a very fast Quick Attack, both attacks targeting Fletchling's vulnerable back.
Fletchling was unable to dodge the attacks, and the combined force of Taillow's combo as well as Focus Energy dealt a heavy blow. Fletchling’s flight spun out of control as he struggled to shake off his confusion.
Determined to turn the tide, I decided to just go for broke. "Fletchling, land, heat up, then charge!" I commanded, my voice laced with a mix of hope and desperation.
Fletchling obeyed, ceasing its erratic movement and landing on the ground before he started to flap his wings vigorously, generating an intense heat that enveloped his body. The air around Fletchling started to combust spontaneously, creating a visibly hazy aura as he prepared for his next move.
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Brown, seeing this weak counter, decided to put the small Pokemon out of its misery.
“Taillow, finish it up with a Wing Attack.” Brown ordered and Taillow’s wings started to glow with a pale blue Flying-type energy.
Unfortunately for Taillow, the increased heat from his Flame Body allowed Fletchling to snap out of his confusion as he glared at Taillow with a determined glint in his eyes and launched himself towards forwards, his body resembling a speeding meteorite engulfed in flames. The attack connected, catching both Taillow and Brown off guard and preventing her from maneuvering away in time. One of Taillow's wings bore the brunt of the flames, her feathers starting to crackle and burn.
“Awesome, good job Fletchling!” I cheered, watching as Fletchling got his groove back. Before Fletchling could capitalize on his advantage though, Taillow seemingly retaliated out of nowhere with a vengeance. Ignoring the burn's toll on her, Taillow charged at Fletchling with a powerful Quick Attack, charging into him with the full force of her body. The attack visibly dealt quite a lot of damage as it left one of Fletchling’s legs bent and reeling away from the sudden impact.
Surprised at the sudden reversal, I soon realized that Taillow might have the Guts ability, making her significantly dangerous whenever she is under a status effect.
“This is really bad. Fletchling’s Flame Body just got countered and I’m sure if he gets hit by just one more attack from Taillow, it’ll be enough to knock him out.” I quickly assessed in my head. However, since Taillow was also burned, I knew that all Fletchling had to do was dodge the following onslaught.
"Fletchling, stay evasive and don't get hit!" I quickly ordered, my voice filled with urgency. I desperately hoped that Fletchling could maneuver skillfully enough to avoid the inevitable attacks.
“Taillow!” Brown yelled across from the field to his Pokemon. “Good job but I want you to finish this. Close the distance with Quick Attack then hold and release on Peck or Wing Attack, you decide!” Brown shouted confidently as he issued a flurry of commands to Taillow, displaying an expertise in strategy and commands that Avery truly admired. His instructions were a mix of strategies that Taillow would be able to use interchangeably depending on her own patterns, allowing Brown to command the flow of the battle as well as leave his opponent, in this case myself and Fletchling, guessing what move he would use.
An airborne chase ensued following the two disparate commands and the two Flying-type Pokémon tried their best to follow through with Taillow attempting to close the distance using Quick Attack every time any space was created. Fletchling, on the other hand, remained vigilant, always moving away from the telltale glow that heralded Taillow's imminent strike.
After Taillow was able to close the distance a few times though, she was able to stay near Fletchling and started to alternate between Peck and Wing Attack, aiming to catch Fletchling off guard. Fletchling narrowly avoided a Peck attack, shifting his position at the last moment as Taillow spun around to hit him with a Wing Attack but Fletchling was able to push himself back with a flash use of Quick Attack. As the exchange continued, I started to notice that Taillow never used her sharp claws in any of her attacks, which sparked an idea in my mind. Before I could come up with anything game-winning with it though, I noticed Fletchling visibly straining to dodge a hit and decided to just let him know.
"Dodge below her, Fletchling!" I ordered and Fletchling, about to be hit by a Wing Attack, interpreted my command just in time and maneuvered beneath Taillow. The swift dodge allowed Fletchling to distance himself momentarily from the fast-paced close combat. Taillow, in the meanwhile, kept to her position as she visibly winced from the persistent activation of the burn. Seeing the state of his Pokemon, Brown opened his mouth from across the field and I decided to seize the little bit of momentum we were able to get as I quickly followed through as well.
"Now, Flame Charge!"--"Taillow, Wing Attack again!" Fletchling sheathed himself in flames once more and shot forward, his charge amplified by the fiery energy surrounding him. Simultaneously, Taillow's wings shimmered with intense Flying-type energy as she glided toward Fletchling.
In a clash of fiery determination and aerial prowess, Fletchling managed to charge into Taillow. However, Taillow's Wing Attack sliced across Fletchling's shield of flames, delivering a powerful blow in return. Both Flying-type Pokémon halt momentarily in midair before crashing to the ground, causing a momentary silence to envelop the battlefield.
A few seconds passed, and Taillow rose to her feet, enduring the damage from the collision. Unfortunately, the last Wing Attack had proven more devastating than I had anticipated, leaving Fletchling fainted and unable to continue. The realization that Fletchling had lost struck me like a heavy blow.
"Fletchling has fainted. Jr. Trainer Avery, please send out your next Pokémon!" the mechanical voice of the console rang out, its tone tinged with finality. Shocked and trying to let this setback not hinder me, I returned Fletchling to his Poké Ball, a beam of red light enveloping the exhausted Pokémon.
"I'm withdrawing Taillow from the battle!" Brown declared, his voice filled with a mix of disappointment and strategic cunning. Taillow, sensing its trainer's decision, retreated to the safety of her Poké Ball, a matching beam of light accompanying her departure.
As the crowd watched with bated breath, a profound silence settled upon the field. My mind raced, trying to comprehend the full sequence of events. The battle had been intense, both of us and our Pokemon displayed their skills and resilience. The outcome of this battle was still up in the air but I was determined to give it my all here. With unwavering determination, Brown grabs his Premium ball as I grab my own starter’s Pokeball and we both throw them out.