"The gym's just up ahead." As he and Janine took a turn, Ash briefly shielded his eyes from the glare of the sun. It seemed to be working overtime today; the light reflecting off of the glass from the skyscrapers was glaring and somewhat painful, and his skin couldn't help but feel hot as it shined on him. He wasn't sure if it was all in his head, maybe just something to distract him from the battle on his mind, but it was certainly annoying.
Thankfully, Janine's own reaction was enough to convince him he wasn't crazy. Although the girl showed no signs of feeling hot or uncomfortable, she too had shielded herself from the sudden glare. At the very least, that wasn't just something his mind made up.
"Hopefully they're not too busy," she commented, keeping a hand to her forehead to block out the sunlight. "From what I know, they were usually at their most active in the afternoon last Season, but that's a fresh slate, and Saffron's always bustling, especially lately."
Nodding, Ash continued over to the Gym, both trainers paced in sync at each other's side. As they stopped in front of the giant building, they took the time to look up and take it all in.
Saffron's Gym was as distinctive as the rest he'd been to so far: The building sported a pure coat of ocean blue, and although it was mostly round in shape, its roof was curved. It was an odd design to say the least, although perhaps appropriate.
The two stared at the object of their determination for several seconds before their eyes found their way to one another.
"You ready?" Janine's posture and tone were as calm as he could comprehend as she asked.
The familiar feeling in his stomach didn't influence his own behavior as he nodded. "Yeah, let's do this."
/
The inside of the gym felt a lot more normal than the exterior, although the distinctiveness did not go away. The lobby that Ash found himself stepping in wasn't inviting or intimidating, but instead screamed "high end". The carpet, which stretched across the entire lobby and changed colors in different sections, had to have been worth several thousands on its own, and the chandelier that hung overhead popped out at him even more. It looked as though it were literally made of gold, and the light bulbs resembled priceless jewels far more than light bulbs themselves.
Towards the far end of the lobby, nearing the door that would most likely take challengers to the battlefield, he could spot six kids-clearly challengers waiting for their turn- seated in cushioned chairs against the walls. Most seemed about his age, a couple slightly older. One pair were chatting amongst each other, two others patiently waiting in silence, while the remaining two fidgeted in place.
Elsewhere in the lobby, who spotted a group who appeared to be working or surveying the area, ranging from about his age to a few years older. They all wore the same uniform; they must've been among the students studying under Sabrina at the gym's Training Academy.
He seemed to finish checking out his surroundings at around the same time Janine did, the pair remaining close to one another as they made their way to the counter. A teenage girl (likely sixteen) with greenish-brown hair, purple eyes, and a pair of glasses sat at the desk typing in front of a monitor. She wore the same uniform as the other working students.
Upon seeing the two new arrivals, the receptionist perked up, moving her hands away from her keyboard and folding them over the desk. "Good morning. Challengers?" The two rookies nodded, fishing for their Pokedexes as she began typing something out on the keyboard. "Okay, put your Pokedexes into the slot," she pointed to it before continuing at the keyboard. "And I'll check you both in."
Ash stepped back and let Janine go first before inserting his own device into the slot. The receptionist's fingers continued to flow about the keyboard before she turned back to them. Her posture was completely by the book, although her tone of voice allowed for the slightest amount of casual friendliness to sleep through as she grinned at them. "Alright, Ash and Janine. You two were both checked in at 11:00 AM. Please have a seat, and Lady Sabrina will take your challenge when your turn comes."
The duo made their way to the end of the lobby, sinking into two chairs beside one another. Janine spared a glance at the other challengers (who had taken note of their presence) before pulling her book out of her backpack.
"The wait isn't too bad, by usual standards for cities like this." Janine opened the book before turning her head to Ash. "Nervous?"
Ash chuckled a bit, taking a food magazine off of the shelf next to him. "I think I'm fine." Sabrina was going to be the toughest challenge he and his team faced yet, but he had come in feeling satisfied. They had fulfilled every goal they had put in place whilst training for the gym, and the fruits of their labor had shown themselves while battling the other trainers. "It won't be easy, but we're as prepared as we can be."
Her eyes shifted to the text in her novel. "You're better prepared than me. As a rookie poison specialist, if I took all the time I needed to nullify my disadvantage, I'd be here a lot longer. It's more practical to hone that as you travel and tackle other things." her tone had its usual, confident tranquility as she turned a page. "I've still made progress; I'm looking forward to testing it in full. If it's not enough I'll have plenty of time later."
Her words reminded him of his mindset when battling Surge. He had known that the odds were stacked against him, but wanted to test to see if he was ready. It had backfired tremendously, but her situation was different than being blatantly outmatched. Arguably, it was a much more important circumstance to think in such a way.
Flipping to a section of the magazine that highlighted new poffin recipes, he raised his head as the fidgeting challenger was called on. He watched the boy follow an older teenage male, disappearing behind the door.
He shifted in his seat to get more comfortable. That was six challengers ahead of them. Although he entertained himself by observing and reading up on the food in the magazine, he was sure to make use of the time to go through everything in his head.
/
"Ash and Janine." By the time their names were called, two additional challengers had silently joined them in the waiting area.
As the duo rose from their seats, Janine turned to Ash, showing her friend a coin. "Heads or tails?"
"Heads." he quickly responded. He watched her flip the coin, grinning as she showed him the results. "Guess I win. I'll go first, then."
"You two are free to come together if you want," the teen boy from before was dressed in the same uniform as the other students working at the gym; which, now that Ash viewed it up close, gave off a more mystical feeling than the usual academy uniform. He had well-groomed, dark brown hair, and was probably taller than Ash's mother.
"Do you want to watch?" Ash offered her in response to the older boy's statement. After a moment, she accepted.
The gym trainer nodded in acknowledgement, gesturing towards the doorway as the two rookies approached him. "This way, please."
As they followed him down the hallway, Ash's eyes found their way to the paintings and portraits lining the walls. They displayed various landmarks, and what looked like a few tournament battles. Janine seemed to take a particular interest in them, and it wasn't until they were nearing the end that he realized that they were likely historical pictures.
Opening the door to the battlefield, the gym trainer gestured them forward. "After you."
Voicing a thanks, Ash stepped through the doorway and quickly looked around, as though it were an automatic response. As his eyes traveled around the gigantic room, he abruptly realized that he had been looking forward to analyzing the environment where they would be battling, and couldn't help but chuckle that he was starting to get used to it.
The floor surrounding the battlefield was carpeted with the same impossibly expensive material from the lobby, making him feel as though they were inside of a mansion rather than a gym. Where there would normally be a set of bleachers, the set of seats on either side of the battlefield more closely resembled a high-end lecture hall, the set on the left-hand side housing a fair number of students in the same uniforms. At first glance, they seemed to vary from being his age to a few years older.
Ash thought back to the other gyms he had been to up at this point. This wasn't the first gym that took on an unconventional appearance; certainly not with Misty's sisters outright making a swimming pool environment into their battlefield, but while that and the Celadon gym had adhered to an obvious gimmick, the character surrounding this setup elicited an entirely different vibe from him. He knew Sabrina's academy was as popular as fathomable, but even the battlefield itself felt like a prestigious classroom.
But the time to take in the surrounding area had come and gone, and now his gaze rested solely on the battlefield itself.
The floor of the battlefield was clear in color with an almost… reflective surface. Across the battlefield, eight crystal pillars stood tall above the floor, probably about sixteen feet in height, with floor on either side. With how wide and long the arena was, they were each still a fairly decent distance apart.
Beside him, Janine's eyes were soaking up the details with perhaps even more dedication. "This is definitely her style."
"Welcome, both of you."
The moment their heads turned in the direction of the voice, they felt their muscles tighten as reality sunk in.
Approaching them was a tall woman dressed in a crimson and black uniform. Black hair flowed regally behind her as stoic, pink eyes zeroed in on the pair with such focus that Ash felt violated by her very gaze.
'One look at you and it's like she knows everything.' he recalled Janine saying earlier in the morning.
Sabrina's posture exemplified perfection as she stopped in front of them. The psychic woman's body language was as silent as could be, and although her gaze held no hostility, it felt… deep, in such a natural manner that it didn't even appear to be a true effort on her part.
Ash looked up at the gym leader, the one who was labeled as a marvel amongst the training community and psychic enthusiasts alike. The one who represented the line he had to cross to reach that next level awaiting him beyond Saffron, the phase of his journey devoid of any "beginner-friendliness".
He did not flinch.
"It's an honor to meet you, Sabrina." As he locked eyes with her, an otherworldly sensation washed over him. Feeling her gaze was like riding with training wheels compared to actually experiencing it. Even as the senseless combination of emotions rushed through his blood, and he felt as though every thought to ever go through his mind, and every emotion he had ever felt in his life were being dissected in a single moment, he offered a hand.
Sabrina's voice was regal as she accepted the handshake, and Ash found it impossible to imagine her as anything else than the mystical, elegantly analytic leader that birthed so much inspiration amongst Indigo's populace. "I am pleased to have you in our gym, Ash." as they separated, her eyes fluidly fell on his companion. "And Janine."
The poison specialist was steadfast and alert as the gym leader's attention transitioned to her, straightening herself as though to appear taller as she locked gazes with Sabrina next. Turning to his friend, Ash could see the familiar, tranquil steel that he had grown fond of in her purple eyes.
"Hello, Sabrina." her formal tone was devoid of any cracks as she bowed her head. "I'm glad I can finally meet you."
"I feel the same," a small, sentimental smile adorned the regal woman's face as she accepted her other challenger's handshake. As they separated, her features turned neutral once more, a not so authoritative but proactive vibe lacing her voice as she looked between the two rookies. "You both will be challenging me today, correct?"
The two nodded. "I'll be going first." Ash confirmed.
"Very well," she replied before turning to the older boy who had escorted them. "Assume the referee post, Kevin."
"Understood, Lady Sabrina." Kevin bowed before making his way to the side of the battlefield.
"You will be spectating, I presume?" Janine nodded and voiced confirmation as Sabrina turned back to her. "Very well," she said approvingly, gesturing to the seats. "If you would join my students in the audience, then."
"Yes ma'am." the girl nodded obediently, turning her head to Ash as her hand rested on his back. "Good luck." He offered her an appreciative smile as she made her way to the seats.
"Ketchum." as his attention returned to the gym leader, he realized the two were alone together now. Not letting himself hesitate, he looked her in the eye again, feeling the almost violating sensation rush through his body a second time. "What is your goal for today's challenge?" her voice was as analytical as her eyes.
"...I'm going to defeat you and win the Marsh Badge." Ash tried not to feel uneasy; the question was too simple.
With seamless grace, Sabrina's hand brushed a strand of hair behind her as her eyes remained focused on the boy in front of her. "And what will you accomplish by doing so?"
His face tightened in understanding. "I'll prove that I'm ready for the next phase of my journey," he felt his mind steady itself as he voiced it out loud. "That I've learned enough from the previous gyms."
"Yes… I do believe that is what your heart is trying to tell me." her hand fell to her side. "I look forward to seeing if you can translate that in our battle." Without another word, she turned and walked off towards her side of the field. Ash's attention was captivated by her departing form until a monitor descended in front of him from the ceiling. The reading on the touch screen was familiar.
Select four Pokemon
'This is it.' Ash's eyes moved between the six pictures of his team, only thinking for a moment before tapping Valiant, Eevee, Nebula, and Tempest. Running a hand across his belt, he assumed his post, turning his head to the left to view the audience.
The seats weren't packed, but there were a decent number of students in each row, a few happily chatting with one another as others patiently waited for the battle to start. It wasn't too difficult to pick out Janine amongst them. His eyes fell on her for a moment before turning back ahead of him, where Sabrina now stood on the other end of the battlefield. The gym leader's arms were crossed with royalty-like boldness as his hand began gripping one of the capsules on his belt.
"The Gym battle between Leader Sabrina and our challenger, Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town shall now begin!" As Kevin's voice rose above the room, the chatting amongst the other gym trainers stopped, all eyes now professionally laser-focused on the battlefield itself. "Each party will use four Pokemon, with both sides permitted substitutions. The battle will end when all Pokemon on either side have been defeated, or when one party submits by forfeit. Are there any questions from the challenger?"
His head turned to Ash, who quickly shook his head and spoke an audible "No."
"Then both sides will now present their first teammate!"
Ash responded with a near automatic reaction as Eevee appeared in front of him. Turning her head side to side, his quadrupedic friend took in her surroundings before turning back to him in greeting. The determination on her face told Ash that she knew with absolution where they were.
"We're bringing home the gold together Eevee," Ash's face eased enough to allow a kind smile as he locked eyes with his partner. "I'm counting on you all." her mouth curved up at his words, the familiar bark that he loved so much escaping her throat before she turned back to Sabrina.
The Gym Leader in question had released her teammate of choice just about as fast as he had, and the sight of the Pokemon that emerged from the light was the only reminder Ash and Eevee would ever need regarding the weight of this challenge.
The levitating creature was borderline robotic in appearance, metallic body shaped like a bulky, round disc with intimidating arms on either side. The intense glare from its glowing eyes only made Eevee flinch for a moment; all it accomplished afterwards was eliciting an aggressive bark and a growl from the evolution Pokemon.
Sabrina's first teammate of choice was a Metang. Native to the Hoenn Region, the steel/psychic type was in need of no introduction; not when its evolved form was Metagross, an irrefutably awe-inspiring monstrosity even amongst fellow pseudo-legendaries.
This battle was a test, the greatest test to determine that they had all grown past the "beginner-friendly" stages of their adventures, and were prepared for the harsh unknown that awaited them for the rest of their travels, of their career. Sabrina was kick starting it with not a single punch pulled.
Without turning around, Eevee looked back at Ash, the steel glare in her eyes quickly reflected by him as the two exchanged nods.
"That Pokemon is going to be very durable, Eevee." he warned. "It's called a Metang, and they're just about as strong as an enemy of our level can get. I wouldn't be surprised if it's faster than it looks too. You ready?" another nod and a bark, and Ash's grin turned fiery as the surge in his chest returned. "Then let's win that badge." With a prepared growl, Eevee turned her gaze back to Metang, body bending into a pounce-ready position as her tail stood erect.
"This Gym battle… Begins NOW!"
'Iron Tail almost certainly won't do much unless we use Focus Energy to back it up, but it's not our only option.' "Eevee, run around full speed!"
"Don't stay still, Metang." Sabrina's voice was sharp and alert, delivered without anything extra.
Eevee kicked off of the floor, slipping into Quick Attack and performing a sharp turn as she neared Metang. Even as she did, however, the iron claw Pokemon swerved to the other side, and as the normal type prepared to circle around her opponent, she found Metang in an entirely different place, still on the move.
"Keep going, Eevee! And take aim with Shadow Ball!"
"You know what to do, Metang."
As Eevee changed direction once more, attempting to line herself up with the steel/psychic type, her opponent in question swerved to a different side, hovering over the reflective floor as it moved at a speed that more so resembled gliding. The metallic creature was not as fast as Eevee, but it certainly wasn't slow. As it moved around, its disc-shaped body gradually rotated, always keeping its sights locked on the evolution Pokemon, as though it were robotically programmed to do so. The normal type had to get in a good enough position-and preferably close enough as well- in order to properly aim, but the movements of Sabrina's partner were unsubtly designed to prevent that until Metang itself was in the right position to go on the offensive.
At the last second, Eevee swerved again, circling around a crystal pillar and coming out on the other side. As Metang turned to let its sight meet her, she curved once more, barely losing a nibble's worth of momentum as she changed direction.
Even as he remained alert, Ash looked on proudly. 'You first joined this team after everyone else made strides in Pewter. You've worked so hard to catch up, and now, unless he uses Agility, even Pikachu might not shake you in a chase.' Eevee was moving with all of the speed and fluidity that had more than become his starter's greatest asset. If Sabrina and Metang wanted to play this game, she was going to win.
Eevee swerved yet again, zigzagging her way closer (but not too close) to Metang as the familiar orb of distorted energy appeared within her jaws. As she fired the Shadow Ball, Metang's claws glowed blue, taking on an extra layer of temporary metal coating as it batted the projectile to the side, colliding with a crystal pillar with no signs of harm done.. As it did, an orb of silvery aura appeared where its mouth should be, moments later extending into a blast that rushed towards its target. The Flash Cannon exploded harmlessly against the crystal pillar that Eevee had come from as she continued to rush towards Metang, using her incredible momentum to leap over the beam-and the Pokemon firing it- before landing on all fours.
Although Eevee's paws continued to move as she landed on all fours, she immediately turned around to face her opponent, who was already doing the same for her as Sabrina commanded "Bullet Punch." Metang's claws firmly clenched into fists as the metallic glow returned to both of them, and with greater speed than before, the robot-like creature rocketed towards Ash's partner.
Coating her tail in Metal, Eevee thrust forward to block the Bullet Punch, feeling a jolt of pain as Metang's fist collided with her Iron Tail. Her paws slid backwards on the clear, reflective surface of the floor, but she maintained near-perfect balance even as the collision forced her backwards. Metang continued its advance, Ash's eyes widening somewhat as the iron claw Pokemon's fist glowed a bright orange. On its robotic body, the glow of the ever-so familiar fighting type move resembled a ferociously glaring beacon.
Eevee's eyes narrowed with a low growl as Metang closed in on her once more, raising another fist in preparation to cave her skull in with the Brick Break. Kicking off of the floor, she rushed forward to meet Sabrina's partner, somersaulting into the air just as her opponent threw the mighty punch. The robotic fist passed just beneath her-forcing her to squeeze her eyes shut to shield them from the painfully bright glow-as she rolled in midair, traveling above her adversary and landing behind Metang with perfected grace.
"Shadow Ball!" Ash reminded her of what he was sure she likely already knew.
Turning around in full once more, Eevee wasted no time launching the ghostly ball of energy. Metang swerved around to greet her assault, however, already prepared with a Metal Claw that batted the haunted orb back where it came. Eyes widening, Eevee let out a surprised yelp as her own Shadow Ball collided with her front, exploding against her as she was forcibly sent sliding back several feet. Her normal typing rendered her immune to ghost type moves overall, but she still appeared dazed, shaking her head several times over with her eyes clenched shut.
'That's right!' Ash's mind flashed back to his first battle with Misty. She had taken advantage of this once…
"Brick Break!" Even as her voice rose in volume, Sabrina's tone remained as majestically steady as ever.
Eevee's face tightened as Metang blazed forward, another metallic, orange fist raised at the ready as it prepared itself to thrust for her skull. Glowing with Focus Energy, her Iron Tail pounded against the ground and propelled her upwards, causing her opponent to miss her by a mile as it struck. As she somersaulted through the air, the normal type angled her body to face Metang, firing a charged Shadow Ball downwards. Even as she did, however, metang had already turned its perfect gaze to face her, firing a charged Flash Cannon up to meet with her ghost type move. The two attacks clashed halfway between both of their respective users, the shockwaves from the ensuing explosion throwing a yelping Eevee off course whilst pushing Metang back, although Sabrina's disc-shaped partner righted itself very quickly as Eevee broke her fall with a well-placed Iron Tail to the floor.
Ash watched his partner descend with the steel type move well prepared to catch herself with. 'Eevee's performing really well, but we need to add on to our strategy. At this rate, neither of us will get anywhere until she tires out, and then we'll be on the backfoot.' His knowledge of Beldum biology was sorely lacking, but from what he did know, Metang did not tire traditionally. Something about having to ovetax its two brains for it to slow down, but Metang hadn't used any psychic abilities yet.
No, they had to add onto the pressure before Eevee began feeling winded. She had plenty of stamina to spare, but he certainly had no plans to waste it; especially with Sabrina still having three formidable and unknown Pokemon lying in wait. "Get moving again, Eevee!" Once more, she and Metang began circling around the reflective battlefield, surrounded by the eight crystal pillars as the opening act of the battle appeared to repeat, but Ash did not keep it that way for long. "Swift, nonstop!"
Smirking, Eevee continued to rush around the field at her top speed as a beautiful stream of golden stars flowed from her mouth. For once, Metang appeared to be mildly surprised as the shiny projectiles homed in on it and began pelting its body, although Ash knew they wouldn't do much. With enough consecutiveness, perhaps the added pressure could keep their opponent less focused and slow it down as the stars hammering against Metang continued to add up…
"Iron Defense." Ash was only a little bit surprised as Metang's now-glowing body took on an extra layer, the stars exploding against it now bouncing off as harmlessly as a tennis ball being thrown against a brick building.
'That's fine, though.' Ash glared steadfastly as he watched Metang come to a stop, curling its disc-shaped body up as Eevee's Swift continued to uselessly pelt against it. He was pretty sure that Metang was already beginning to slightly slow down as the Swift had begun hammering against it, but now, with the iron claw Pokemon's focus placed entirely on Iron Defense, Metang was still as it hovered above the battlefield, the Swift hammering against it posing no threat whatsoever. 'It stopped not too far from one of the pillars.'
"Bounce off that pillar and use Super Tail!" Super Tail was the name that Ash and Eevee had come up with to give her Focus Energy and Iron Tail combo. It was time to put that power to use.
Stopping the Swift attack, Eevee blazed past Metang, leaping forward towards the nearest pillar as her glowing tail took on another metal coating. Swinging forward, her Super Tail smashed against the pillar (which didn't even crack), before she utilized the impact to catapult herself back in Metang's direction, at an even greater speed than her sprinting. WIth a battle cry, she swung once more, her amplified Iron Tail colliding with Metang's protected, glowing body with quite possibly the most deafening CLANG! That Ash had ever heard, but even as he covered his ears, he did not remain any less focused on the combat at hand.
"Shadow Ball!" The Super Tail had struck Metang at a slightly upwards angle, aimed to send it flying towards the second nearest pillar as the impact knocked it off balance, the iron Defense enveloping its body beginning to become compromised. Despite the decent amount of distance, Metang's body indeed collided (harmlessly) with the pillar, as Eevee gave chase. The charged up Shadow Ball exploded against the iron claw Pokemon's face with a direct hit, knocking it back into the pillar once more as the ghostly energy began entering its system-
Metang was gone in a flash of red light. Blinking, Ash felt all the momentum in his system deflate. He had been in the zone, but the whiplash did not hesitate to hit him as Sabrina reclipped Metang's Poke Ball back onto her belt, exchanging it for a new one.
'Even when a battle is getting heated, any trainer can substitute at any time…' Shaking his head a bit, Ash clenched both of his fists as he struggled to regain his focus. Sabrina did not wait for him, quickly releasing her next teammate.
He quickly recognized this one- a black and yellow, horse-like creature with a head and a mouth at the tip of its tail. A Girafarig.
Although it was native to Johto, he didn't know much about this species apart from one key detail that triggered an involuntary grimace: it was part normal type.
'It figures Sabrina would have a backup plan for ghost type moves.' Quickly removing Eevee's Poke Ball from her belt, the boy hollered to get his attention as he held it out to her. "Take a break, Eevee." His friend had just enough time to look back and nod before she was consumed by the light. Reclipping the capsule back onto his belt, Ash ran his hand across the remaining Poke Balls before quickly deciding on one.
In a flash of white light, Nebula appeared hovering just above him, looking down to greet her trainer with a happy chirp that he returned with a thumbs up. "Nobody's gone down yet, Nebula." he confirmed before pointing to Girafarig. "That's your opponent." The quadrupedal psychic nodded his head, before letting out a loud call that, despite his expression remaining neutral, sounded surprisingly fierce. Even before Girafarig had finished his greeting, Nebula responded with a determined series of chirps.
'We'll go first.' "Nebula, Whirlwind!"
Rising a bit higher above the battlefield, Nebula hovered forward, angling herself to get a direct aim at Girafarig. With a series of mighty flaps, she produced a powerful gust of wind to which Girafarig immediately shielded himself from with a cube of golden light. The long neck Pokemon gritted his teeth as the gale pounded against the Light Screen, which sturdily held its ground as Nebula threatened to push it-and him- back.
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"Steel Wing!" Ceasing the Whirlwind, Nebula slipped into Quick Attack, dive bombing diagonally downward as she took aim at her opponent with her metallic wings. Girafarig ceased light Screen almost as quickly as the Whirlwind stopped, however, allowing the lingering gale to send him sliding back as his body turned. Just as Nebula was about to strike, she had bolted away, leaving the Staravia to carve through air as the sprinting, quadrupedal psychic began to alter his course. Moving at a pace rivaling or perhaps surpassing that of Eevee before him, Sabrina's partner was covered in a glowing, blue outline. 'Agility.'
Ash watched Nebula reposition herself for just a moment before calling out. "Line yourself up and use Swift!" Nodding for a second, Nebula observed the sprinting giraffe's movements before swooping slightly downward, before rising back up as her body circled one of the crystal pillars. Now hovering about a foot above the pillar, she was perfectly lined up with the approaching psychic.
"Psybeam." As Nebula opened her beak to unleash the beautiful stream of golden stars, Girafarig allowed the blue glow outlining his body to disappear. Even as his momentum began to greatly slow, he was still running quite fast as a rainbow orb was produced at the tip of his horns. Pointing his head upwards in the direction of the approaching Swift, he fired the rainbow blast, the two attacks colliding as the impact produced a cloud of smoke.
Nebula began to give chase as Girafarig swerved to the side, still not reactivating Swift as the Staravia prepared to attack him in pursuit. Before she could make any attempts, however, her opponent abruptly split into three, each copy swerving off in a different direction. 'Double Team.' As Nebula began to elevate herself further above the battlefield to get a better view, the real Girafarig performed a sharp u-turn, swerving around as his horn glowed golden, and fired a sizzling bolt of lightning at Ash's bird partner. Quickly changing course, Nebula swerved to the side to cleanly avoid the Thunderbolt.
"Double Team as well!" Ash quickly called out to his friend as she weaved her way around a pillar. The Staravia split into three, each copy flying in different directions at equal speeds. As the spectators looked on, all three Girafarig gazed upwards, whilst all three Staravia gazed downwards, each member of each trio attempting to outmaneuver one another as they performed consecutive twists and turns to maintain the upper hand in positioning.
"Air Cutter, rain it down!" The real Nebula did not stop moving as she produced the consecutive blades of air, which descended onto the battlefield and pelted the reflective surface of the floor as Nebula continued to circle, spreading the bladed projectiles as far out as she could.
Although all three Girafarig did a relatively good job at avoiding the blades, one of them was clipped in the side, immediately vanishing into thin air as a result. With their options narrowed, Ash called out to nebula again. "Aerial Ace, pick one!"
Cloaking herself in the familiar pale aura, Nebula quickly took aim at one of the remaining two Girafarigs, before dive bombing in his direction.
With the Staravia approaching at breakneck speeds, the real Girafarig-her target- turned around with a frustrated glare as his tail turned to metal. Nebula's eyes widened as he swung the Iron Tail at the approaching bird's head, only for a metallic wing to collide with it. With Nebula's momentum carrying her forward, the yelping Girafarig quickly found himself being swept off of his feet, nearly landing painfully on his side as he righted himself in midair. A bolt of lightning escaped his horns, but was narrowly avoided by Nebula as she swerved upwards, grimacing as the Thunderbolt grazed her wings. Not too far away from Girafarig, she opened her beak and allowed the stream of golden stars to flow out, Girafarig's attempt to avoid the Swift resulting in the projectiles homing in on him and pelting his side.
Smiling, Ash raised his voice. "Steel Wing!" Just as Girafarig reeled from the Swift, Nebula was upon him, Quick Attack carrying her momentum as her metallic wing smashed into the side of his head. The long neck Pokemon wailed as he bounced into the nearby crystal pillar, his hip smashing into the surface just before he disappeared in a flash of red light.
"Ugh, again." Ash chewed his lip as Nebula made her way back to him. Shaking off his frustration, he smiled up at his friend. "Feeling alright?" with a satisfied chirp, she nodded.
A flash of white light caught their attention, and Ash grimaced as Metang reappeared. 'Figures, Nebula doesn't have any meaningful way to do that thing much harm. We could use Reckless, but…' It was too soon.
Taking out Nebula's Poke Ball, he smiled at his partner apologetically. "I'm recalling you for now, see you soon, okay?" She nodded in understanding, offering her trainer a quick goodbye chirp whilst disappearing into the red light.
Reclipping her Poke Ball back onto his belt, Ash's eyes stared at the stoic, robot-like psychic as his hand remained in place. 'So far, Sabrina's been the one running away…' This was the second time in a row that she had substituted a teammate after one of his friends managed to get a good hit in. Did they actually have the upper hand, or was she luring them into a false sense of security? There was no way Metang and Girafarig had revealed their full hands this quickly, they had to have more techniques yet to be seen. Surely at least one of them could have helped against Eevee and Nebula…
Gaze moving beyond Metang, his eyes narrowed as they fell on Sabrina herself. Regal as ever, the elegant woman stood tall and firm, with a facial expression he doubted he would be able to read even if he was up close. Word had often been that she was one of the most difficult Gym Leaders to tell what they were thinking; no doubt the excessive time spent training and connecting with psychics had honed her mental state and concentration skills like a knight's sword.
'I have to keep moving under the assumption she's toying with us.' Ash decided, hand selecting his next Poke Ball.
Tempest appeared in front of him, eyes lighting up at the sight of their opponents and surroundings. With clear excitement, his pincers began clicking with hyperactive vigor.
"Tempest," thankfully he was still focused enough to pay attention. "That Metang battled Eevee for a bit, but we still don't quite know what it can do. Mud Shot and Night Slash should be useful, but it's too early for a full game plan."
The phrase "too early for a full game plan" undoubtedly heightened Tempest's excitement even further, but Ash could tell the Krabby was taking his words seriously, clicking pincers now clenching into tight, anchored fists as the river crab's narrowing eyes leered into Metang like a calculating predator.
"Alright then, start out with Water Gun!"
"Gyro Ball."
Moving forward to get a better aim on his target, Tempest opened his clicking pincers, streams of water traveling out of both of them and flying towards Metang. The iron claw Pokemon spread out its arms as a metallic aura coated its body, and began spinning like a top, quickly gaining momentum as the rushing water bounced off of its rapidly rotating body. The metallic psychic's form rushed forward as it continued to spin, carving its way through the water and towards Tempest himself. The river crab quickly ceased firing off its Water Guns, crossing two Metal Claws together and bracing himself for impact as he was smacked backwards, sliding several feet away as Metang ceased its rotation and fired off a Flash Cannon. The beam collided with the now dented metal covering Tempest's claws, sending the Krabby staggering.
"Double Thunder Punch." Sabrina's tone of voice contained no added aggression even as she commanded what would be a devastating blow.
"Double Night Slash!" Ash quickly countered, his own voice raising significantly moreso.
Once more, Metang rushed forward, moving far faster than its appearance would suggest. Sparks traveled across both of its fists, before they were suddenly engulfed in lightning, blazing gold. As Sabrina's partner was upon the water type, it raised both fists high into the air, before bringing them down like a hammer.
Opposingly, Tempest swung both pincers upwards, blackish-purple energy meeting with the Metang's electricity as the two attacks clashed. The river crab felt his opponent's weight coming down on him immediately, grinding his teeth from the pressure as he strained his muscles to push back against his rival's offense, snarling from the burning sensation as the sparks began traveling down along his body.
Ash watched as Tempest gradually began to buckle, pincers slowly getting pushed down by Metang's downward strength as the river crab's legs began to shake. Wincing for a moment, he called out to his partner. "Stay strong, Tempest!"
Hearing his trainer's encouragement, Tempest snarled further, continuing to grind his teeth whilst pushing upwards against Metang. He felt himself slowly making progress, but the harder he pushed against the two Thunder Punches, the more painfully the lightning traveled along his body. Buckling once more, he felt his pincers being pushed down again, legs threatening to give out as Metang's lightning-engulfed fists prepared to come down on his head. Eyes widening with a flash of rage, the Krabby roared as his pincers began to push upwards again, this time quickly gaining momentum. A rush of pain enveloped him as the sparks seared his outer shell, and for a moment, he felt his pincers being pushed down once more, but quickly pushed back, muscles throbbing as he continued to roar, parrying the two electric fists off of him and sending Metang staggering back in midair.
Ash was grinning from ear to ear as a small chorus of applause made itself known from the sidelines. At the very least, when confined to the battlefield of a Gym, Tempest's fighting spirit was nothing but a positive. "Awesome, pal! Now Mud Shot!"
Ignoring the aching in his pincers, and the lingering, burning pain across his body, Tempest rushed for Metang, who still wasn't too far away, the globs of mud rocketing out of his open pincers as Metang swerved to the side, still moving far faster than expected. Although most of its body avoided the assault, one of the globs scored a direct hit on the iron claw Pokemon's right arm as it retreated, throwing its flight slightly off course as Tempest's predatory gaze followed after the source of his frustration and excitement.
As Metang had moved to dodge the Mud Shot, Ash's eyes widened as he noticed something he hadn't noticed before: A blue outline surrounding the robotic psychic's body. 'Is that… Agility…?' Even as both Pokemon prepared their next move, the gears began rapidly turning in his head. 'Her partner's been using that to increase its speed this whole time! And thanks to Metang's biology, it doesn't get tired out as easily! But they might've been doing this from the start, even against Eevee, but it probably won't add up for Metang as easily as it does for Pikachu. Still, now that I see that, if we can just pressure Metang as much as possible…'
The boy's fists clenched in frustration for a moment, before his muscles eased themselves, facial expression forming into a confident smile.
A snarl escaped Tempest's throat as he stalked his way towards Sabrina's teammate. Ash observed him; putting pressure on an enemy should be an easy thing to count on with the river crab's inherent ruthlessness, they just needed to be wary of however Sabrina would counter.
"Run forward and use Scald!" Almost like a transition, little to no time passed between Ash's order, and Tempest's stalking escalating into a full on charge. His pincers shot open to let loose twin blasts of boiling water as he continued to advance as fast as his legs could carry him.
In response, Metang spread its arms out once more, again glowing with a metallic aura as its body began to twirl. The boiling water collided with the iron claw Pokemon's rotating body, and Metang quickly felt the intense heat even as the liquid was deflected by the Gyro Ball.
Metang didn't have time to rush forward for a counter, as Tempest was upon his opponent already. At Ash's command, the river crab reared back an open pincer, sizzling with the dark aura of Night Slash, before lashing out and driving the claw into Sabrina's partner. The robotic psychic's twirling body began to wobble in midair as it was smacked backwards by the collision, but neither Ash nor Tempest let up.
"Mud Shot, then another Scald!"
Tempest continued to run after his opponent, and even as Metang's form continued to spin, two globs of hard mud rapidly rushed out of his pincers, colliding with the steel/psychic type in a direct hit. A strange humming noise that Ash assumed was a pained cry emitted from Sabrina's partner as it was once again set back, this time colliding with the floor as the Gyro Ball began to cease. Tempest didn't stop running as another set of twin streams rushed from his pincers, the boiling water colluding with Metang as the metallic psychic attempted to shield its face with its arms. Its reaction wasn't quite quick enough, and its face became bathed in the steaming liquid before its arms tried to take the brunt of the assault. Tempest halted his advance directly in front of Metang, glowering predatorily at his adversary as he continued to pour the blazing hot streams of water onto it. The robotic psychic's metallic body began to give off steam, and if someone had reached out to touch its overheating exterior, their hand would've been seared on contact. The heat of the twin Scalds was beginning to spread across its entire body, overtaking it.
'Metang is a computer-like creature with two brains.' Ash thought to himself as he watched Tempest continue. 'Due to its biology, it's not normally one to physically tire, and mentally exhausting it is difficult even by psychic standards.' It was what little the boy knew of the species, and he lacked knowledge of what was likely to be important details, but it was no wonder Metagross were as terrifying as they were; with their raw power and inhuman intelligence backed by a near inability to traditionally tire out in battle. 'If we can overclock Metang with unrelenting pressure, could that be the key…?'
For a moment, the rookie's gaze broke away from Tempest and Metang, settling on Sabrina. He had been hoping to see a reaction from her, to gauge the effectiveness of his plan, but to little surprise, her expression hadn't changed in the slightest. The tall woman stood just as steadfastly as always, eyes fixed on the scene with unrivaled elegance. The acclaimed Gym Leader's empowering presence was a magnificent sight, and whether it be because she had little reason to be concerned, or because she felt no worry even as Metang was overwhelmed, Ash found himself captivated by the woman's inspiringly royal posture.
He knew he wouldn't benefit from fixating on her more than he needed to, however, and quickly tore his gaze back to Tempest, just in time for her next order.
"Break away with Agility!"
Body beginning to stir, Metang hummed once more as it slowly began to rise back up, even as the water continued to pour. The signature blue outline of Agility surrounding its body briefly flickered, struggling against the Scald, before stabilizing itself. Ceasing his onslaught, Tempest lunged forward with another Night Slash, only to strike air as his opponent managed to swerve away at the last second, Metang now hovering a meter and a half behind the Krabby as one of its fists once again became engulfed in lightning.
"Behind you!" Tempest thankfully heeded Ash's warning; whirling around to meet the Thunder Punch with a clean Metal Claw as Metang charged for the river crab's back. Sparks scattered about as the metallic pincer collided with the electrical fist, and although Metang's momentum forcibly sent Tempest sliding back a few feet, the Krabby raised his other pincer even as he slid, firing a glob of hard mud square into the psychic's face. Another pained hum sounded from the robotic creature as it staggered backwards in midair.
'I can't tell if the lingering effects of the Scald onslaught have slowed Metang down or not.' Ash thought to himself as the Mud Shot connected. 'Still, we need to keep the pressure constant if it's going to mean anything in the long run.' "Tempest, another Scald!"
Having recovered from the previous collision, Tempest once again ran forward, hoping to capitalize on his seemingly winded opponent as another pair of boiling water streams shot out of his open pincers. Humming again, Metang once more swerved to the side as the iron claw Pokemon struggled to make Agility take effect, the end of its body being clipped by one of the blasts of water as it took aim at the river crab.
"Zen Headbutt!" The psychic glow surrounding its body becoming more pronounced, Metang curled itself up, lowering its head, which began blazing with a blinding, bright blue aura, before charging at Tempest, quickly progressing to full speed. The Krabby reacted immediately; ceasing Scald as he crossed his pincers protectively across his body, familiarity coating them in Metal Claw.
A loud SMASH echoed across the battlefield as Metang's tremendous, metallic bulk plowed into him, and despite the twin Metal Claws absorbing much of the collision, Tempest still found himself gasping in pain from the sheer impact as he staggered away, briefly tumbling. Just as he regained his footing, his eyes widened in surprise as a Flash Cannon rammed into his stomach, sending him tumbling into a pillar, back pressed against the crystal surface.
"Thunder Punch!" Although its regality was never compromised, Sabrina's voice rose to a significantly higher volume; the added decibel indicating to Ash that she was going for the kill.
"Catch it!" As Tempest rose back to his feet, still propped against the pillar for reassurance to help regain his footing, Metang shot forward, thrusting an electrical fist straight for the Krabby's chest-
Two metallic pincers clapped against the Thunder Punch just before it could connect, sandwiching Metang's fist in Tempest's brutal grip as the Krabby grinded the twin Metal Claws against the Thunder Punch, straining his muscles to prevent it from going any further and striking him. His eyes bulged as the sparks seared against his outer shell.
Sabrina flashed a smile at the sight before continuing. "Your other fist, Metang."
Ash didn't even give their opponent the chance to raise its other fist. "Point-blank Mud Shot!"
As Tempest opened his pincers, the agony of the electricity entering into them was only felt for a moment as the globs of mud sent Metang reeling; staggering back in midair as the Krabby inhaled deeply to catch his breath. Moments later, the water type's exuberant aggression returned, rearing back a pincer and, blatantly ignoring the soreness, driving a merciless Night Slash directly into Metang's face. The hum that escaped the steel psychic was loud, and its metallic form briefly bounced off of the reflective surface of the battlefield's floor as Sabrina's partner tumbled away from the impact.
"Great!" Ash's heart raced as his partner's strike repelled the psychic juggernaut. This matchup was inherently a war of attrition; both physically dominant competitors, one a steel type, and the other with an ability that granted him the durability of a steel type. The hard hitting nature of their clash put both Pokemon's defenses and brute strength to the test. It was to be expected in a battle between two powerhouses, and the boy struggled to force the stress back down.
Tempest's outer shell was lined with electrical burns, a couple areas appearing rather scorched, but thankfully only covering a small amount. He had his pincers held out in front of him like fists as he breathed, very little fighting spirit having been lost to the punishment he had been targeted with.
Ash couldn't help but grin approvingly, although it only lasted for a moment. Metang and Sabrina were every bit the opponents he had expected, and despite their strategy, the psychic powerhouse before them had fought like exactly such. And regrettably, the nature of Metang's near-impossible to tire offense meant that they didn't have much in the way of downtime or breathing room for the moment.
"Scald, again Tempest!"
Tempest felt the sting of his burn marks, and the aches in his pincers, protest as he threw himself forward yet again, but paid it no mind. This opponent was only fueling his adrenaline as much as it was wearing out his body, and he was going to chop Metang down even if it meant mangling himself in the process.
He felt a sharp sting in his pincers as the boiling water shot out, still running forward towards his target, but the pain was only a momentary occurrence that he powered through as the streams of water flowed towards Metang. The iron claw Pokemon in question folded its arms in front and cloaked itself in Iron Defense just in time for the Scald to strike it. The ultra hot liquid bathed over the layered defenses of the powerful psychic's body as Tempest strengthened the blast.
"Gyro Ball, then Thunder Punch!"
"Block it!" Ash quickly responded.
With a somewhat pained hum, Metang spread out its arms and began whirling, the boiling water pelting its body splashing away in every direction as its momentum deflected the Scald. The iron claw Pokemon's spinning form tore through the streams of liquid, locked onto tempest as the river crab ceased firing and protectively raised two Metal Claws in front of his face. As Metang approached, the Krabby thrust both claws outward, intercepting the psychic's rotating charge as another ache pulsed through both of his pincers upon impact.
The clash broke Metang's momentum, but sent Tempest staggering backwards, nearly losing his footing and collapsing onto his back as Sabrina's partner backed away, rising slightly higher into the air. Before Tempest could fully regain his balance, his eyes widened as a Flash Cannon suddenly erupted from his metallic foe, hastily raising his pincers once more to intercept the blast.
As the beam exploded against him, Tempest's efforts to regain his full composure proved for naught as his legs slipped out from underneath him, forcing the water type into a sitting position as Metang took aim once more. Sparks began to form on its fists, traveling across the metallic exterior.
"Now." Came Sabrina's order.
Coated in Agility, Metang resembled a metallic blur as its imposing body blitzed towards its target. Even as he struggled to pick himself up in time, all of the air left Tempest's lungs as the Thunder Punch was driven straight into his chest. He could feel his outer shell give way, and the lightning take hold. Tremendous blunt force trauma coupled with agonizing burns, but the river crab couldn't scream; he couldn't howl in rage or agony from what he was feeling, he was robbed of the breath to do so.
He thought he might've heard his trainer cry out to him, but his senses weren't focused on anything other than the impact, and his vision turned white for the briefest of split seconds. Startled, he felt his body rocketed backwards, overcome by an overwhelming sense of momentum. It was only another split second later when he felt a similar sharp pain overtaking his back, as he smashed into the crystal pillar. The structure miraculously remained perfectly stable even upon the collision.
As Tempest slid downward, propped up against the pillar in a sitting position, the massive, burnt gash in his front came into full view, left behind by Metang's assault. Ash's fists clenched at the sight. He had gotten used to seeing his teammates as badly wounded as this, and had more than learned to trust Nurse Joy and her staff with just about any injury, but the immediate reaction had yet to change. And now, their battle had gone from a struggle to overtake their massive obstacle, to Sabrina having completely seized control.
And the Gym Leader seemed just as determined to keep the pressure going as he was. "Flash Cannon!"
Tempest's pincers pressed down against the reflective, clear surface of the floor, trying to lift himself back up into a standing position, even as the muscles in his body fought back against his efforts. His pincers shook as they pressed against the floor, threatening to give out as he rose, eyes squeezed and teeth snarling from the pain exacerbated by the pressure. His eyes widened again, however, as a second Flash Cannon barreled into him, sandwiching him into the pillar once more. His front back both flared in pain as the Krabby howled and screeched, his eyes bulging as he slumped forward.
For a moment it seemed as though he had gone still, but before Tempest could faceplant, Ash watched the water type catch himself on his pincers, eyes dull and shaken as the Krabby stared back at his reflection on the floor. Most Pokemon of the same level would've been put away by that much pain, or at least wouldn't have been so fixated on getting back up.
But at this point, could he even? Metang was already gearing up for another blow, and Tempest was in no position to evade or counter. Even as he called out to his partner in encouragement, it felt like it was just something he knew he needed to do. Not something that would change much, but for the Krabby's sake.
"You can do this Tempest!" He knew those were the words Tempest wanted to hear. Sabrina and Metang could shove a powerline down the river crab's throat, and he'd still spit in Ash's face if told to stay down.
"Thunder Punch!" Sabrina's voice was calling.
Lifting his head, Tempest saw Metang coated in Agility's familiar blue outline once more, fist reared back and blazing with electricity. The psychic's intentions were clear: It meant to pulverize him against the crystal pillar and end the battle for good.
Still struggling to push himself upwards, the Krabby felt his pincers shaking even more. His eyes were locked directly on the lightning coating his opponent's fist. It blazed brighter than ever, and then the metallic monstrosity shot forward-
A pillar of water formed from beneath his body. As if on autopilot, Tempest swerved to the side at a slight curve, as Metang's fist struck the air he once occupied, and then rammed into the crystal pillar.
The vicinity was close, and as the Krabby hoisted himself to rear back an arm, he felt the sparks from the lightning-coated fist brush against his shell, irritating the burns. He winced for only a moment before roaring with all his vocal might, as he drove the Night Slash directly into Metang's side.
The pillar of water could have only lasted for a second or two. Perhaps three if generous. As Metang was flung several feet away, the aquatic pillar collapsed, splashing all over Tempest, and the floor, as he collapsed back onto the reflective surface.
Ash's pale face blinked at the sight, trying to take in what had happened. It had only been an instant earlier that Tempest's writing had been on Sabrina's wall, and now…
As if finally processing, his eyes shot wide open. 'SURF! He used SURF!'
It had barely even mattered; it wasn't a practical usage at all. He had only been able to move around for one or two seconds before giving out. But it was the first time he'd used the move without remaining stationary, and it was the one or two seconds of movement that had saved the river crab from a certain loss.
For a brief moment, the stress within him simply vanished without a trace, overtaken by ecstasy as he cupped his hands around his mouth to call out to his partner. "You did it Tempest! Amazing!" They were still in the fight.
Soaked in his own water, Tempest must have felt a new batch of adrenaline from his success. Images of Tentacruel and Skrelp momentarily flashed in his mind as he picked himself up, looking back at his trainer long enough to offer him a quick nod before redirecting his eyes towards Metang, who was also in the process of rising back up into a hovering state. The metal psychic was wobbling in midair, the accumulated damage to its exterior impossible to ignore, but its eyes flashed in preparation nonetheless. His legs shook in protest for a moment as he held his pincers out in front of him like fists, begging to give out and collapse onto the floor, but he steadied his position soon after. He was exhausted, he was in agony, and he was going to knock this nuisance out cold.
Ash's lips remained curved up into a widening grin as he watched his teammate. Tempest's heavy breathing wasn't hidden, but somehow he knew that the look in his eyes was the exact same as always.
Metang was still several feet away from Tempest's position. With the Krabby's wounded state most likely making mobility difficult, it was probable that Sabrina would finish this with a ranged attack like Flash Cannon-
Tempest began to move.
The Krabby likely knew that he would be a sitting duck if he didn't get closer to his opponent. At first, it was an imbalanced wobble, a rapid advance that threatened to collapse and sprawl out all over the floor at any moment. But although he wasn't moving at full speed, he still moved, and cleared the distance between them in as little time as he could, eyes blazing in aggression as he raised his pincers to his opponent in a sloppy fury.
It took a bit longer for Metang to form a Flash Cannon than normal. As Ash called out for Tempest to block, the approaching Krabby coated a clenched pincer in metal to intercept the blast. His arm was pushed back by the impact, his balance failing him as he flailed forward towards his opponent.
"Mud Shot!" At Ash's hasty command, Tempest raised his free pincer and fired. The hard glob of mud was narrowly evaded as Metang swerved to the side, head lowering whilst pulsing with the glow of Zen Headbutt. The charging iron claw Pokemon took aim at the river crab's side as he rushed forward for the kill-
Tempest's other pincer, still with momentum from being forced backwards by the Flash Cannon, came back around as Tempest twirled his body in full. The pincer blazed with the dark energy of Night Slash as it carved into Metang's metal head, agony pulsing through Tempest's arm, and then stretching down to his whole entire body, as the two collided. Metang's momentum sent the water type tumbling several feet backwards, but the psychic itself was lurched backwards, collapsing onto the reflective floor as Tempest's rolling came to a stop, planted face first into the clear floor of the battlefield as his pincers sprawled out on either side of him.
Metang rolled onto its side as the steel Pokemon's eyes flickered and faded, and then neither of them moved.
"Both Metang and Krabby are unable to battle!" Kevin's arms stretched high into the air, before extending outwards on either side of him. "This round is a draw!"
A warm chorus of claps sounded from the audience as both challenger and Gym Leader recalled their fallen Pokemon.
Ash smiled warmly at his friend's Poke Ball. "You knocked it out of the park today, pal. Rest proudly."
Reclipping the orb back onto his belt, Ash's fingers danced across the remaining capsules as he locked eyes with Sabrina from across the field. She had already selected her next Poke Ball, as if automatically, and was staring back at him with unreadable intent.
Not sweating under the master psychic's magnificent gaze, Ash unclipped Eevee's ball and released his quadruped friend, who greeted the world with a bark as she reappeared on the field. Immediately afterwards, Sabrina released her next teammate of choice.
Ash didn't have to take any time to process who this Pokemon was: It was a Kadabra. The middle stage of the iconic Abra line that was often labeled the benchmark of all psychic types. Even elsewhere, outside of Indigo, thinking of the typing could often result in the evolution line entering a trainer's mind. Alakazam were among the elite in the highest levels of competition, possessing incredible intelligence that made them a species that not just anyone could assume command of, and capabilities on the battlefield among the absolute best that the typing could possibly offer. Though the line itself was commonly used by psychic enthusiasts throughout Indigo, the final stage of that evolutionary line was a widely coveted rarity amongst trainers, yet one that was rarely not amongst the absolute best psychic specialists across the world.
Eevee's ears and tail stood erect as the psi Pokemon's eyes effortlessly moved towards her. The Kadabra held out his spoon in front of his face, fully in the normal type's view as her fur stood on end from his attention.
"Eevee," she didn't turn to look at him, but the twitching of her ears told him that she was listening. "That Kadabra's going to be very versatile, so be ready for anything." satisfied with her nod, he awaited Kevin's signal.
"Begin!"
"Use Bite, approach with zigzags!" At Ash's command, Eevee charged the tall psychic, opening jaws collecting dark energy as she swerved side to side whilst slipping into Quick Attack.
As the quadruped rapidly scaled the distance between them across the reflective, clear floor, Kadabra's eyes flashed yellow as lightning formed at the tip of his spoon. A bolt shot out at Eevee, bouncing harmlessly off of the floor as she swerved away from the Thunder Wave. Seemingly instants later, she was within range, thrusting herself forward to chomp down on her enemy, only to charge straight through the air as Kadabra flashed out of existence.
"Behind you! Shadow Ball!" Paws sliding across the floor as she landed, Eevee's growling form turned to see Kadabra several feet away from her, spoon pointed all the way outwards as his eyes flashed emerald, a sphere of the same color forming at the tip of his utensil. Immediately, the orb of distortion formed from within her jaws.
The Energy Ball and Shadow Ball collided halfway to their targets, the windforce of the collision pushing Eevee further back ever so slightly as the psi Pokemon suddenly flashed next to her. Ash called out a warning as Kadabra raised a glowing, emerald fist, but Eevee only had time to turn to look as the psychic thrust forward and decked her in the face with the Drain Punch. Ash's partner cried out as the blow sent her diagonally upwards, back momentarily threatening to collide with one of the pillars before she somersaulted in midair to drive an Iron Tail into the structure. As Ash smiled at his friend's quick recovery, Eevee propelled herself off of the pillar, head lowered as she charged downward towards Kadabra.
Sabrina was as composed as ever. "Reflect."
Eevee smashed head first into the glass wall erected in front of her opponent. As the snarling quadruped landed on her bottom, teeth and eyes squeezed shut at the ache in her head, Kadabra reared back his fist once more for another Drain Punch.
"Shadow Ball, hurry!" Just before Kadabra could take a swing, Eevee opened her eyes in time to fire a half-sized ghostly orb directly up at him. Although the attack was nearly point-blank, Kadabra had responded the moment the sphere began forming in her jaws, backing away whilst still gathering energy for the Drain Punch. As the Shadow Ball fired, he swerved to the side, narrowly avoiding it as he prepared to lunge forward for the punch. "Super Tail!"
Eevee was back on her feet now, sidestepping the fighting-type move as her tail blazed with white energy. The metal layers of Iron Tail wrapped around the amplifying aura of Focus Energy as she whirled in place on her forepaws, driving the greatly powered up steel type move directly into her opponent's abdomen. Kadabra's pained shout was cut off halfway through as all of the air shot out from his lungs, his hands immediately grasping at his stomach as he folded up and doubled over, staggering back with agonized wheezes. He disappeared in a flash of red light moments later.
Ash let out a frustrated exhale. He and his team weren't going to get anywhere if Sabrina kept retreating like this. He couldn't see her getting anywhere either, however. Was this all an elaborate bluff?
He tried to remind himself that this could be a ruse. A tactic to work up his nerves, make him frustrated until he made a fatal mistake that would cost one of his friends. But even thinking along those lines had him beginning to sweat. Was it Misty had said about battling Sabrina? Disorienting? Was this all a part of that?
Unfortunately, he found himself with no time left to think as Girafarig reappeared across from his partner. The giraffe scraped his hoof against the surface of the floor as Eevee began to study him. Ash's eyes, however, were focused on the Gym Leader.
She was so far away, and yet it felt as though she was boring a hole in him. A small part of his spine tingled as Leader and challenger locked gazes, and for a moment, Ash could see and hear nothing else. He didn't see Eevee and Girafarig, he didn't hear the murmuring of the audience, he didn't even see his surroundings. It was like he and Sabrina were in a lifeless void, where a single drop of water would echo across the room.
He hadn't even noticed that his fists were tightening, until the pressure of the action snapped him out of it, and suddenly, he was back in the Gym, on the battlefield, with the action about to start.
Reaching for his belt, he pulled out Eevee's ball and pointed it at her. "Come back for now." his quadruped friend simply looked back at him and offered an obedient bark as she disappeared into the light. Reclipping her ball to the belt, Ash took out Valiant's Poke Ball, his psychic partner appeared in front of him moments later.
Emerging from the white light, the Kirlia took a deep breath with his arms spread out, before letting them fall to his side with a long, satisfying exhale. He didn't bother looking back at Ash, simply focusing his gaze on his obedient whilst listening to what his trainer had to say.
"Sabrina's trying to psyche us out," Ash spoke as evenly as possible. "So keep your head in the game. She may recall Girafarig at any moment, unless that's what she wants us to think." his friend nodded with an understanding of the situation as the opposing giraffe began to jog towards him.