The morning light filtered through the thick trees of the forest near Maiden's Peak, casting long shadows across the ground. Erin stood beside me, her posture calm, hands tucked into the pockets of her tailored navy trousers. She glanced at me, her hazel eyes steady. "I'm hungry," she said, her voice as even and unaffected as if she were commenting on the weather.
I didn't take my eyes off the battlefield. The air between Dratini and Venusaur seemed to vibrate with the tension of an impending clash. "We'll eat after this battle," I replied, keeping my tone relaxed. Erin nodded, content with the answer, though her expression never changed. She always accepted my words without question, no matter how ridiculous or inconvenient.
"Dratini," I called, my voice low but clear, "Aqua Jet into Twister."
Dratini, its emerald body shimmering, coiled tight and shot forward like a bullet encased in water. Its speed was almost impossible to track, a green blur cutting through the air. As it neared Venusaur, Dratini twisted sharply, its tail whipping around to create a cyclone of water aimed directly at its opponent.
"Venusaur, Leech Seed the ground and Grassy Terrain," I commanded, not raising my voice but ensuring it carried across the battlefield.
Venusaur's thick legs dug into the dirt as seeds scattered from its massive flower, embedding into the earth. Within seconds, the ground beneath it came alive, a lush carpet of grass sprouting and surging upward, thick vines intertwining with the terrain. The swirling vortex of water smashed into the ground, but the terrain absorbed the brunt of the attack, the life Venusaur called forth protecting it.
Dratini recoiled, but I wasn't worried. "Agility, Dratini. Then Dragon Breath."
Dratini darted across the field, zig-zagging through the grass, picking up speed. It inhaled deeply, its chest glowing faintly before it unleashed a violent blast of green energy—𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯 𝘉𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩—aimed straight for Venusaur.
"Poison Powder, then Sludge Bomb," I ordered, my voice steady.
Venusaur's petals shook, releasing a thick cloud of purple spores that clung to the air. The 𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯 𝘉𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 tore through the cloud, but the attack lost much of its strength as the poison settled in. Venusaur retaliated immediately, launching a glowing mass of toxic sludge through the air.
Dratini barely dodged, the sludge splattering the grass beside it, but I could tell the poison was already weakening the little dragon. I clenched my fists. The battle needed to end soon.
"Dratini, time for Eternal Dragon's Breath."
The playful glint in Dratini's eyes vanished, replaced with a focused intensity. Its body erupted in a glowing emerald aura, the air crackling with energy as it floated mid-air, drawing in a massive breath. The ground trembled beneath it, and even Venusaur seemed to hesitate, its vines pulling back slightly in anticipation.
"Venusaur, Verdant Cataclysm!" My voice hardened, cutting through the rising wind as I gave the final command.
Venusaur's petals glowed a sickly green as the ground buckled, massive vines shooting up from the earth, spiraling into the air before crashing down with the weight of nature itself. Toxic spores filled the air, the vines twisting and coiling, aiming to crush and poison everything in their path.
Dratini unleashed its 𝘌𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯'𝘴 𝘉𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩, a blinding beam of emerald fire that tore through the air, colliding with the violent storm of vines and poison. The impact was deafening, the ground beneath me shuddering as the force of the two ultimate moves clashed.
The battlefield became a maelstrom of green fire and toxic energy, the collision sending shockwaves in every direction. I gritted my teeth, watching intently. Dratini's breath struggled to push through Venusaur's overwhelming flora, but the flames intensified as Dratini's health dropped below half, burning hotter, fiercer.
And then, the breakthrough.
The emerald fire surged forward, blasting through Venusaur's defenses. Venusaur roared in pain as the flames engulfed it, its vines searing, the toxic mist around it evaporating under the heat.
But Dratini wasn't unscathed. The poison Venusaur had released earlier continued to sap its strength, the little dragon panting, hovering weakly above the ground. Venusaur, too, staggered, its body trembling from the damage. Both Pokémon were on the brink, but neither would give in.
I smiled faintly. "Now… we finish this. Venusaur, 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘮."
Venusaur's flower began absorbing the light from the surrounding terrain, growing brighter and brighter. I could feel the heat building, the power behind the move. But Dratini wouldn't wait.
"Dratini, 𝘌𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘥."
In a blur, Dratini disappeared, moving faster than the eye could track. It slammed into Venusaur just as the 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘮 finished charging. The blast of sunlight fired into the sky, missing its target entirely as Venusaur crumpled under Dratini's assault.
With a deep groan, Venusaur collapsed, its vines wilting. The battlefield fell silent.
I walked over, pulling out Venusaur's Pokéball. "Good job," I said softly, recalling it. Dratini floated over, its energy almost gone, but it nuzzled my leg playfully.
Erin, as calm as ever, stood behind me. "Let's go eat lunch. It's already late," I said, finally turning to her.
She nodded, her face serene as always. "Okay," she said quietly, falling into step beside me as we left the scarred battlefield behind.
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