Pokemon: An Unexpected Journey

Chapter no.112 The Drill that Pierces the Heavens

Austin had a small smile on his face as he remembered his battle at Vermillion city.

" Let's do this! "

With a flash, Squirtle posed on the podium, flexing his arms as he stood, glaring at the yellowish mouse before him. Almost on cue, Raichu seemed to flex her limbs as a response, lashing her tail on the floor, making a deep scratch on it.

" A Squirtle ?" Jimmy snorted, "This is going to be easy."

Austin meanwhile snapped his fingers as he was using this battle to test out a new strategy for battling electric types that he had devised with Squirtle.

"So be it," Jimmy declared, "Raichu, show them your power. Use thunderbolt."

Squirtle didn't try to move as the electric attack engulfed him causing Jimmy to smirk thinking that he had this battle in the bag.

The cloud of smoke covered the battlefield.

Jimmy looked at his opponent who just smiled in response.

Inside the smoke cloud, Squirtle smiled.

His trainer's strategy of using a Wacan Berry that he had purchased in Vermilion city had worked.

( ~ Whoosh ~ )

Using rapid spin, Squirtle shot out at high speeds towards Raichu whose eyes widened.

" Thunderbolt " Jimmy called out in a panic but before the attack could even be launched, Squirtle came out of its spinning shell with a glowing fist full of fighting energy as he used the momentum of rapid spin to launch a devastating brick break directly onto Raichu's stomach launching the rat high up in the air.

Austin calmly ordered " Scald "

Squirtle released the boiling water as it hit Raichu and crashed it into the ground.

Raichu managed to get up but fell on one knee as a few embers flew out. It had been affected by the status condition " Burn".

Jimmy looked worried for his partner as Austin called out.

" Aura Sphere ."

Squirtle launched an aura Sphere at the damaged Raichu and with wide eyes, Riachu tried to dodge but her body was directly hit as the mouse fell to the ground, her fur charred in several places.

The referee raised the blue flag. "Raichu is unable to battle. The winner is, Squirtle !"

" Your Squirtle is rather well-trained," Jimmy observed. "Let's see how it deals with my next Pokémon." He plucked out another Pokeball and released it. "Go, Wartortle."

" Aren't you going to switch into a fire type? " Jimmy sarcastically said as Austin replied with a shrug.

"It's your funeral." Jimmy declared. "Wartortle, show them the power of a real water type. Use water-gun."

"Dodge, and use Aqua jet." Austin returned, withholding back a smirk.

Unlike what the name suggested, Aqua Jet wasn't a water-based elemental attack. Instead, it was a physical, fighting-based move employed by water-types, to increase their speed momentarily to high levels, not unlike the move Extreme Speed.

Squirtle used Aqua jet, incrementing his speed to nigh-unbelievable levels, as he shot towards the turtle pokémon.

"Withdraw and use Rapid spin!" Jimmy warned.

It was a perfectly good move. A spinning wartortle was a powerful defense and offense at the same time. Against anyone else, it would be a good combination against a speed attack. However, Austin was completely ready.

"Use Aura Sphere, full power!"

Squirtle's right hand shone brightly, as he used the aura Sphere within the aqua jet as it created into the spinning drill with the aura sphere at its tip.

Jimmy's mind went blank as he saw the giant water drill being thrown at wartortle, it was too late to stop Wartortle's rapid spin which crashed into the Jet Drill which banished the spinning turtle far away as it slammed against the psychic shields surrounding the podium.

"Wartortle!" Jimmy yelled in shock.

"Ice beam," Austin commanded quickly, as Squirtle opened its mouth, as a mist of white light materialized within it. With a loud smirk, Squirtle projected it towards the fallen turtle, enveloping it with white light. When the light had receded, Wartortle was encased within a thick layer of ice.

What a way to master ice-beam! Austin thought.

"Wartortle is unable to battle. Squirtle is the winner." The referee declared, raising the blue flag. "Ash Ketchum moves to the next round."

Austin smiled, fondly looking at the way Squirtle was basking in his triumph.

Besides, it wasn't all that bad. After all, one more battle and he would be in the Top-32, and then, the main competition would begin.