Chapter 35: Secrecy
Nia blurred in the air, barely missing the Ice beam.
"WP(Water Pulse)," I called out taking advantage of the timing required to cancel a powerful beam attack.
The Squirtle ended the ice beam and took the water pulse right into its face sending it sprawling onto the floor.
When I was going to follow with another attack, it took advantage of its momentum and shifted into a rapid spin closing the opening in its defence.
'If she had a combo move for this, Nia would have taken some damage and she doesn't have any healing moves like the Squirtle,' I thought glaring at the Squirtle as it tried to heal itself again.
'Not this time,' I thought ordering for a water pulse to send it skimming across the ground away from the healing water the Squirtle created.
The Squirtle stopped sliding back halfway turning the momentum into a spin and stood up, glaring at the Ducklett again.
After a minute of staring, Nia started firing water guns without any prompts from me.
The Squirtle began its break dance-dodging technique again.
'Seriously, its dance is cool, I would have enjoyed it more if I wasn't in the middle of a battle against it,' I thought admiring the momentum shifts the turtle Pokemon is performing with the help of its shell.
A water gun clipped the Squirtle's leg, toppling it and Nia rained down more water guns on it before it could get up.
Nia landed on the ground breathing heavily from the continuous usage of the water guns.
The Squirtle did a spin on its back and stood up again.
"Ice beam"
"Quick Attack into it."
Nia crashed into the Squirtle tossing it back.
"Brine" "Protect"
Nia glowed with azure before unleashing with a tremendously powerful pressurised water.
The water crashed onto the barrier of the protect move cancelling it entirely.
"Nia, back," I called deciding to go on defensive mode for some time to let Nia rest.
Nia silently rested on the ground as the Squirtle tried to close the distance again.
Just when the Squirtle came near, she fired a bubble beam making it withdraw into its shell.
The bubbles on bursting generated enough force to slowly push the Squirtle's shell back.
Both Pokemon looked exhausted and panted heavily eyeing each other.
The same thing repeated five more times, Nia used bare minimum moves to toss the Squirtle back or sometimes she just flew onto the other side of the battlefield, making the Squirtle follow her.
'Too much time passed, our Pokedex should have already called our matches,' I thought checking my dex, as Nia just floated high in the air, easily dodging the ice beams due to the distance between them.
'Hmm! She increased the time limit; I didn't notice that. It makes sense from what I saw now, her battle style is healing and dishing damage.'
I shook my head at my mistake and focused on the battlefield.
I wanted to take Nia to a melee battle, but it not being her speciality coupled with the fact that Squirtle won't be leaving the Ducklett if it bites onto her, I didn't take the chances and instead just let Nia conserve her energy.
I waited for the time limit to approach and decided to take the risk and ordered Nia into melee following a bubble beam barrage.
The Squirtle endured the Bubble beam and latched onto Nia's wing as she flew down.
'Damn it.'
"Wing Attack beat it," I called out, glancing at the timer in the dex.
Nia's wings glowed and she started hammering the Squirtle's head with her wings.
The Squirtle's mouth glowed white even though it was biting Nia's wing.
Just when I thought Nia was going to succumb due to the ice beam, two robotic voices rang out.
"Time limit reached! Return your Pokemon," Our dex's called out in unison, making me recall Nia.
Madlyn did the same.
"That was the most boring match I ever saw and it's coming from someone who watched two Slowpoke's fight each other for a berry," Amanda said skipping towards us.
"Now tell me how you got the Ducklett?" Amanda asked.
"And if I hear that you lied about not seeing the Duckeltt at that time, you will regret it," she said glaring menacingly at me.
Madlyn who was walking leisurely towards us picked up her pace on seeing Amanda confronting me.
"Hey! What are you going to do if I did lie?" I asked not liking her accusation.
"Well, the meal package, I gave you."
"Hmm," I nodded.
"It's price above a luxury ball. So, legally you will have to hand it over to me if I ask for it now," she said with a mischievous glint in her eye.
"What if I had eaten it?" I asked, not at all liking where this was going.
"Trust me, I have other ways to make you cry," Amanda said, grinning maliciously like a little devil.
"Huh!" I was not convinced.
"She will just prank and pester you until you ask her to stop. Ignore her and tell me how you got the Ducklett," Madlyn spoke with a serious tone, standing beside Amanda.
"Hey!" Amanda shouted at Madlyn, to which she just waved her hand.
Not wanting to jeopardise the meal package which I still didn't eat.
I narrated how I met a Swanna after our battle and how it made me battle the Ducklett, leaving me with the said Ducklett after my win.
"Lucky, you got an elite offspring on a route, not even in a gathering," Amanda muttered, glaring at me with half-lidded eyes.
"Why didn't you use your Zubat?" Madlyn asked.
"Well, he has awakened and.." "What"
"He joined the ranks of awakened now," I said taking pleasure in their shock.
"How? Tell me!" Amanda said clutching my collar.
Escaping from her grip, I started narrating how I met a Xatu and how she tested us and nudged Cet into awakening.
"Wow! Your Zubat must have been on the precipice of awakening to benefit from a psychic awareness field," Amanda started muttering excitedly.
"Impossible unless.." I heard Madlyn whisper and she zeroed in on me, examining me head to toe with intense eyes.
"Are you a Psychic?" she asked.
"What? No. Why are you asking?"
"Hmm! If you don't know, it is not our place to inform you about it," Madlyn said before starting to walk away.
"Hey! When someone informs you about it, remember we are the same as you. Me, Madlyn and from what I heard about her, Celia too," Amanda said proudly with a mischievous smile and followed Madlyn.
"Hey! Wait tell me what it is. Hey!" I shouted running after them.
I pestered them until Amanda threatened me to shut my mouth with super glue, which she kindly informed me would melt after 1 day.
I sulked as they ate their breakfast. The aroma made my mouth water again, making me join them for a second round of breakfast.
"Why do you have an organic glue?" I asked, still grimacing at her implied threat.
"I got it along with my bulk-sized order of repels," Amanda muttered, cringing.
"I hate the smell of those repels and we have to use them whenever our Pokemons need a break from battling the never-ending hordes of the Wildlings," Amanda said wrinkling her nose at the supposed smell of repels.
"Huh! Really," I asked incredulously.
"No, she is being a baby and dramatic. The smell isn't unpleasant and doesn't linger long to human senses," Madlyn joined the conversation finishing her breakfast.
"No, why do you guys use a repel in the daytime?" I asked sensing that I was missing something.
I generally use repels only at night when I sleep.
"What do you mean? How will you let your Pokemon take a rest, if some wildlings wander to you for a battle," Amanda asked chewing her food while talking.
Madlyn hit her head, lightly, and closed her mouth, making Amanda blush.
"Well, generally Cet is the one who picks fights and finishes them too before we get near him. It's not rare but is uncommon for any Pokemon to wander near me, most of them ignore me," I spoke scratching my head.
'Maybe my routes have a smaller number of Pokemon," I said, making Amanda snigger and choke her food.
Madlyn patted her head and gave her water for that.
"We will be going for our cabins. We will meet you again," Madlyn said and started walking away grabbing Amanda's hand.
'They are not telling me something,' I thought quite upset, but the food cheered me right up. I finished my food and started walking around the camp.
Most of the trainers were playing with their Pokemon, making a smile appear on my face at the harmonic scene.
As I walked towards the battlefields to pass my time, I saw Mike getting ready for a battle.
Interested I made my way towards the seating area. His opponent was a girl who looked; for lack of a better word - tacky.
A single hair was not out of place, with a glittering necklace, earrings, bracelets and a golden spectacle adorning her, she looked too out of place in the camp where most of the trainers have a spartan look- efficient and stylish.
Except me, of course.
'Maybe I am not the right person to judge other's outfits,' I thought, feeling my oversized shirt flutter in the wind.
"Go, Machop."
"Dazzle them, Sweety."
A Machop and Snubbull appeared on the battlefield.
"A fairy type," I muttered on seeing one of the ever-elusive and rare fairy-type Pokemon in a battle.
...….
STONES.
Push past your limit and believe in your fellow Pokemon fans to do the same and give me the STONES.
Two bonus chapters are waiting for you guys if we cross 150 power stones.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone