“Do we have to do this?”

”Yes! Let’s go!”

Vanessa rushes out with Jerome dragged behind.

Sabrina stands up from her seat.

It’s not like she is opposed to the idea. It’s more like it’s a bit bothersome and that she will instantly give up after Zapdos comes out.

But instead of following after, she takes a look at the tiny book she read before.

Two new pages were added, one for Jerome and the other for Vanessa.

We’re her pages show a picture of her and things like Musical Performance, Jerome shows different ones, and Vanessa a whole text.

Jerome has Ghostly Presence, Psychic Aura and Fairy-like Being. She abandons any train of thought about why it is like that.

And Vanessa is even worse, with a ‘You don’t want to know.’.

“Comfey, do you want to fight? I will give up midway anyway.”

”Com. Com, com com.”

”Yeah, I guess that's reasonable.

Maybe against Pidgey?”

“Com.”

”What took you so long?”

”Yes, yes, I get ready. Wait a moment, please.”

“Sure.”

”That’s fine now?”

Both girls ignored Jerome retorted as Sabrina looked for her Pokémon.

She wants to talk to them if they want to battle, or, for example, like Comfey, want to battle Pokémon when they meet a criteria.

For Comfey it was being around the same strength and easy to deal with for her.

The result was that everyone is up to their own judgment if it gets too risky for them.

The fighting stage was a good distance away from the house and fields.

“Okay, who starts?”

”Jerome, me, Vanessa, and me. Or should I call out both at once?”

”No, let’s do it like that.”

”Haunter.”

”Exeggcute, would you take the stage?”

”Pidgey!”

”Comfey, like we agreed to it.”

Haunter, that is very bad.

It’s an already evolved Pokémon with presumably higher base stats and more moves.

Ah, we forgot something.

”Is exchanging Pokémon mid-battle allowed?”

”Hmmm, I guess we go with no?”

”Okay.”

Tactic, tactic. I would like to get a Leech Seed on Growlithe.

No, wait, why did I send Exeggcute against Haunter? Isn’t he vulnerable?

But who else should I choose? He has the best move set to stall.

”Gust!”

”Protect, Reflect afterwards. Get close with Trailblaze.”

”Night Shade.”

“Haaaauuuunter.”

“Exeeeggcute.”

He fainted. After one hit.

At least he got Reflect up on time.

”Wrap. Kiss after that!”

”Coommfeeeyyy.”

Comfey managed to wrap herself around Pidgey, having used Trailblaze for the second time now.

Against the increased speed, even Pidgey had a hard time dodging it forever.

”Piii!”

Seems like it works.

There is some sand on Comfey, but her wounds heal.

Curious enough, Jerome and Haunter are just sitting, or standing and levitating there.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

Hmm, maybe.

”Comfey, don’t let your wrap get loose and use Growth in between.”

“Piiiii!”

A cry of outrage. Seems Pidgey had the same thinking as me.

They don’t attack since it could hurt Pidgey, or so.

Jerome probably isn’t good at battling or decided not to think too hard.

First, because every hit they get in would still hurt.

Second, Pidgey also has the normal type, so Ghost Moves wouldn’t hurt it.

Last, because the end result would be one Pokémon down, Comfey fully healed, and they did nothing.

”Ah, Pidgey, come back.”

Two times growth. Good, that should increase her attack power a fair bit.

Reflect run out by now. Not good, but I guess not getting hit is better.

“Growlithe. Come out!”

”…Vulpix.”

”Vuuu!”

I really don’t want to call Vulpix.

But she is my best bet. Now, how can I beat Haunter with Comfey?

”Bite!” “Dodge and Disable.”

”Confuse Ray!” “Can you dodge?”

“Com!”

Somehow, Comfey dodged the attack.

The name was confusing since it wasn’t a real Ray, but who am I to complain?

Even better, Comfey now has her third Trailblaze.

”Thieving Kiss. It might not be as effective, but hold on.”

”Hypnosis!”

Oh no, but I need to put my attention elsewhere.

Vulpix seems to have done semi well.

Growlithe can only growl at her for now, but she hesitates to attack.

”Vulpix, can you do the combo again?”

”Vuu.” “Growlithe, try to get out of the way!”

Yes! Vulpix managed to.

She is really good at hitting a running target.

”Then, go after him with Quick Attack!”

”Vuuu.” “Nooo! Growlithe, dodge.”

”Coommm!”

Ah, Comfey, come back.

This is bad. Haunter doesn’t even look half done.

I am a really bad match against Haunter.

Ohhh, maybe like that?

”Vulpix, repeat the combo! Oddish, come out.”

”Growlll.”

Oh. Encore missed. We have to do something about it.

But it’s unlikely to be a fire attack.

”Oddish, attack Growlithe! Vulpix, I need you to defeat Haunter!”

”Vuuuu?!” “Please, he is the stronger one and has the upper hand against everyone else!” “Night Shade.”

”Vuuu! Vu Vulpix.” “Thank you.”

Barley dodged it. And she already began to seal his move pool without me telling.

Even the second Night Shade. She was able to dodge it two times.

”Oddish? Use Acid instead.”

”Odd. Odd Odd Odd…”

Is it my imagination, or is Acid faster for her than Absorb?

Well, Vanessa lacks anything to do, especially since Growlithe only has Leer left.

Oh no, they stacked it six times.

”Oddish, dodge!” “Flame Wheel!”

”Oooddde.”

”Come back.”

I need to improve my ability to concentrate on multiple things.

My position is to command, so I need insight into what's going on.

When I continue to fight, I should improve there.

”Bulbasaur, come out. Take Down!”

”Hee? Growlithe!”

That did the job. Now Bulbasaur is minimally damaged, and Vulpix…

”Haunter, come back.”

Hurray! Haunter is out. Vulpix did great!

”Vulpix! You did fantastic! Thank you!” “Cubone, come out.”

”No need. I am going to…” ”Zapdos Zap Cannon!” ”resign.”

”Abra, Teleport!”

After Vanessa said the last letter, Zapdos quickly seems to get statically charged.

It was instantly clear that an immense amount of electricity ran through his Feather.

Discharges struck the ground, instantly burning it down, and flashes of light accompanied it.

As quickly as Zap Cannon was commanded, as quickly no one could directly look at Zapdos anymore.

Because the light that accompanied the lightning was too bright to directly look at, even shining through closed eyelids.

At the same time, any discharge seems to have reached the level where they get accompanied by thunder.

A tiny storm began to form around them, not helped by having Zapdos as the center, who was called out at ground level.

Sabrina can only hope that it works. That Abra even read her mind, instead of running away.

She would have done it so, so she can’t say anything against it even if he did.

ZZZ-CRACK-KA-BOOM!

No one could hear anything after that boom anymore. Besides a tiny ringing in her ears.

Sabrina is super surprised that it ended as tinnitus, not tone deafness.

Even her eyes didn’t seem to have it taken kindly, the light having probably shined bright enough to shine through her arms.

Her whole body screams that she was thrown around, but strangely enough, she doesn’t seem to get hurt in a major way.

After a minute, in which she dares to open her eyes again, she is fully surprised again and elated.

Abra, lifting Cubone up like he is Rafiki and Cubone is Simba.

And that right in Zapdos's face.

She doesn’t have a single clue why they still stand like that even though they were supposed to be the epicenter of the explosion, but it worked.

Both fell down, but strangely enough, didn’t move on a bit.

Paralyses? Strong enough that even a ground Pokémon can’t move a single muscle?

”Everyone okay?!”

…

No answer. Every Pokémon on the field is down, and there is no answer.

Panicked, Sabrina pulls out her Pokédex and presses the emergency button.

Only Zapdos sits calmly on the ground, caring for his plumage as if it isn’t his problem.

After what felt like an eternity, an ambulance and two police cars came.

Sabrina already found Jerome and Vanessa. Especially thanks to Zubat, Jerome’s last Pokémon.

He came out by himself, indicating Jerome’s position and quickly finding Vanessa in the Berry Field.

Vanessa’s hair, which hung to her left side, is completely burned down. Probably hit by a discharge of Zapdos.

As the emergency doctor makes his inquiries, Sabrina never strays too far from both of them, always half-focused on their current state.

She drives with them, also to check her state and treat her. She estimates herself to have strained and gotten hurt in multiple places.

Zapdos is supposed to be put in a horse-trailer-like car, which is for safely transporting Pokémon of his size.

He resisted at first but didn’t hurt anyone and was slowly led inside.

Only he knows of the murderous glare pointed at him that chills his spine.

”Hope both of you are fine.”