45 Gan vs Misty! Part-2/2

Gan had actually chosen Machop over Nidorino, this was for a few reasons. For one, Machop had more battle experience than both of them. Second, he could use an Electric move, so he wasn't a bad choice. Third, it had a dark move to handle Starmie when she summoned it after Staryu's defeat.

Gan only prayed that Misty's Starmie didn't have a Psychic move, or he was doomed to lose without hope. Machop was also at a higher level than her Staryu, so this should make things a bit simpler for it.

As soon as Machop appeared, it looked around before looking at Gan. It had already realized its situation, so it was calm about the whole thing.

"Catch!" Gan took out an item and tossed it toward Machop, and it caught it right away. This item was the Black Belt Gan had found; Machop quickly wrapped it tightly around its waist.

Machop felt power coming from the Black Belt, but this only powered up its fighting-type moves. Gan also remembered something, it was when he first caught Machop; he could understand how Koffing was blown back so far from a Super Power when he could have taken it with ease.

It was because when he burned it, he didn't cut its attack in half, he actually damn near doubled it. He wasn't paying attention at that time because he preferred No Guard Machop, which he mentioned early before fighting Brock.

"Machop, huh? No matter, Staryu, use Water Pulse!" Misty only smiled and commanded.

Staryu folded its limb inward then released 3 pulses of water towards Machop almost instantly.

"Machop! Jump through those rings and use Karate Chop!" Gan felt like Staryu should have long been dealt with. If Nidorina hadn't gotten Paralyzed at that moment, Staryu would have surely been put down.

Gan wanted Nidorina to get closer and fire off a thunderbolt at near point-blank; this would have surely caught Staryu and Misty off guard. Machop burned with confidence, it rushed towards the Water pulses and performed its acrobatic move as it did back in Rock Tunnel.

Machop torpedoed through the water hoops and quickly arrived in front of Staryu! Misty's eyes went wide from surprise, then she quickly commanded her Staryu to use Rapid spin to blow it away.

Too bad, though, it wasn't enough to stave off Machop's powerful Karate Chop, it quickly ripped through the air stream and chopped Staryu right on its large gem! It was nearly cracked from the attack, as Staryu was sent bouncing and slamming into the ground.

"Staryu!" She had fought Machops before but not any that were this tough. Staryu was pretty weakened at this point and was about to faint.

"Staryu, use recover!" Misty hurriedly said.

Staryu's body looked like it was absorbing some type of energy to recover its health.

"Don't let it recover, knock that sucker into next week! Knock off!" Machop acted instantly and rushed Staryu again. Its hand flashed black for a second before reverting back, then it sent a palm strike over Staryu's body.

Staryu's body smashed into the ground, then the sound of cracks could be heard! Gan heard it and smiled in his heart, it was surely defeated with that.

"Staryu, get up! Are you okay?" Misty called out, but Staryu made no further movements or any indication in response. Just when Misty wanted to recall Staryu, some woman in a dark blue swimsuit spoke.

"Misty, wait! I heard a cracking sound when Staryu hit the ground, I think its Gem has suffered some damage!" The woman said gravely.

"What!?" Misty clearly didn't hear the cracking sound, but this didn't go unnoticed by Gan, and apparently this woman. Misty ran over to Staryu to have a look, and sure enough, its Gem had been damaged!

Misty recalled Staryu and handed the Pokeball to the woman to give Stayu immediate medical attention. Misty sighed and went back to her position to continue the battle with Gan.

"It looks like it comes down to the wire; we both have 1 Pokemon each." Misty's expression was much more serious now. This Machop wasn't a pushover like the noobie and confused Nidorina.

"Go Starmie, it's up to you now!"

"Hiya~!" It appeared, but its tone sounded like a female's voice compared to Staryu's.

...

|Name: Starmie

|Type: Water + Psychic

|Level: 24

|Ability: Natural Cure

|Potential: ★★★★

|Nature: Timid

...

'Oh, f***! She would have that combo!' Gan's face scrunched.

Even if he lost or won today, he would have surely learned something important, and it was that Gym Leaders used more than 1 TM on their Pokemon!

"Hmm, what's the matter?" Misty smirked after seeing Gan's expression.

"It's a really beautiful Pokemon, I'm just sad I'll have to smash its 'face' in." Gan grinned and said. Gan wasn't lying about that first part or exaggerating, it really was a beautiful Pokemon in person.

"Oh... we'll see about that." Misty didn't think a little trash-talking was bad, she had received it many times battling trainers. Upon further inspection, Starmie had something hanging off its body, around the front layer of its star body.

[Mystic Water: Increases the power of Water-type moves.]

Gan thought Gym leaders were here to test challengers, not destroy them, what was this!?

"Starmie, let's start simple, hit it with a Swift Attack!" Starmie's began to spin rapidly before shooting 5 yellow stars at Machop.

Gan had tested this attack before to see if could be dodged, but the rules were the same so it couldn't. But, there was a way to avoid this attack, and Gan wanted to use it if he could.

"Machop, avoid it and run towards Starmie, this attack can't be dodged!" Machop had already started moving, it couldn't wait around but it still heard Gan's orders. Running as fast as it could, it circled around the group of stars but they had turned in his direction and started following him.

"Wow, you're really something!" Misty knitted her eyebrows and continued, "Starmie, use Bubblebeam, stop him in his tracks!" A barrage of bubbles was released from the red jewel on Starmie's body.

"Machop, slide, and use Low Kick!" There was water on the battlefield from the previous fight, so sliding wasn't a problem. Gan already knew that fighting-type moves weren't very effective, but he had something for all of that.

"You really want to get close, but that won't be so easy! Stop your attack and use Rapid Spin!" Misty quickly change her attack plan, but the bubble beam had already passed Machop and hit the swift attack behind him.

This caused a little explosion, canceling each other out.

"Get it, use Knock Off!" Gan's grinned happily, at this point, Machop was sliding in fast. Just like before, its hand flashed with a black glow for a second, then it slammed its palm toward Starmie.

Machop collided with the wind of Rapid Spin, but under the influence of the water and wind, it was pushed back. Machop was pushed back while sliding on the water on the battlefield, but it didn't appear hurt at all.

"I need more power! Use Bulk Up!" Gan had taught Machop this move when he was in the waiting room. This was a dangerous move to be using during a battle, it was really so against special attackers.

"Perfect! Rain Dance, Starmie!" However, Misty didn't attack, instead, she wanted to set up as well.

Starmie hopped a little and both the layers on its body started to spin rapidly, then its body lit up with Cyan light before shooting something into the air. At that moment, Grayish-white clouds started to form in the Gym, blocking out the sunlight coming from the large sun windows above.

Then, a downpour started inside the Gym!

Everyone spectating, including kids, took out their umbrellas and continued to watch calmly, they clearly expected this!

Misty only smiled, she was happy to have gotten this move off. Meanwhile, Machop's muscles expanded for a second, then its body lit up with red light before its Defense and Attack increased by one stage.

Gan was sure that a Knock Off would really hurt Starmie, or take it out. But, he had to hit the move first, which wouldn't be easy.

"Starmie, use Water Pulse!" Misty pointed at Machop like he was an absolute enemy and ordered. Starmie released its attack faster this time, but there was another change; it wasn't just 3 hoops anymore—but 6!

Even Machop was surprised.

"Don't panic, just dodge them. Jump... no, just smash through this water with your fist, Karate Chop it!" They weren't the size where Machop could jump through them anymore, they had been deliberately shrunk. Despite their size, they had more power behind them.

The hoops weren't specifically aimed at Machop but in different places on the battlefield! Misty watched to see what Machop would do. These weather conditions had a timer on them, it would last for about 3 minutes.

Machop targeted the pulse coming toward him and Karate Chopped it; the pulse didn't break right away but he eventually destroyed it. Afterward, Machop rushed towards Starmie again; Misty knew it had gotten a stat boost, so challenging it with Rapid spin wasn't a good idea.

"Dive into the water!" Starmie quickly spun through the air toward the edge of the battlefield and dove into the water.

'Using the Gym to your advantage, huh!?' Gan formed an annoyed sneer on his face, but he didn't say anything. Misty could clearly see his irritation, but this only made her happy for some reason.

The water pulses had already burst across the battlefield; Misty quickly gave another order.

"Thunder!"

"Rumble~!!"

This was the move Gan was most worried about! A multitude of Yellow bolt shot out of Starmie's body and into the clouds, then a loud rumble was heard. The Thunder seemed to have locked on Machop and targeted him soon after.

"Jumped out of the way!" Gan's expression was grave, Machop couldn't get hit by this! Machop looked at the clouds in shock, but he quickly came to himself hearing Gan's voice.

A large pillar of sharp light came from the cloud and detonated in the place Machop used to be in. Shockwaves were sent out, as the battlefield was electrified; the water on it was conducting it!

Machop had no choice but to land and was electrocuted soon after.

"Choooop~!" The volts ran through its body, but they didn't do as much damage as they would have done if Machop was hit directly.

"Damn it!" Misty had resorted to 'playing dirty' by having her Starmie hide in water, she obviously knew her Starmie couldn't receive any hits from Machop, or else—well, at least that Dark move.

Gan's heart was beating fast because he didn't want to lose.

"Relax, relax!" Gan took a deep breath and looked back at Machop. Before he could say anything to him; the clouds started to disappear.

'The longest 3 minutes of my life!' Gan thought.

Machop was on its knee, then it stood up and looked back at Gan. Gan knew that look, it was basically asking—what's next? Gan thought for a moment, it wasn't going to be easy getting his hands on that Starmie.

Starmie was floating in the Water staring in Machop's direction, Gan thought. It didn't have a face so he only assumed.

"Starmie, Water Gun!" Misty squinted and said; she could clearly see that Gan was concocting something, so why give him a chance to think?

"Machop, run near the water, but be sure to dodge the Water Gun!" Gan had an idea, but he wasn't sure if it would work. Machop listen without question and ran towards Starmie, it was easily able to evade the Water Gun.

"Thunder Punch the water in the radius near Starmie!" Gan's eyes turned somewhat menacing saying this command.

"What?" Misty didn't think Gan was bold enough to order his Machop to dive in to catch Starmie, so she wasn't worried. Misty didn't know it had Thunder Punch but she didn't have time to think, so she quickly ordered her Starmie to leave the water.

Machop's fist hit the water but Starmie had already left the pool.

"Knock Off, now!" Machop quickly changed its attack and leaped into the air to catch Starmie, who was flying away like a boomerang.

"Ah, Rapid Spin!" Misty was surprised, to change its attack so soon meant it had experience with the move. It had always had both of these moves as it adapted to the environment in Rock Tunnel, in order to survive.

This was the quickest move Starmie could release, it had a delay on the rest.

Starmie spun, as Machop's palm came crushing toward it!

Both collided for the second time, however, Machop's palm had ripped through the wind spin in seconds! Machop's palm smacked Starmie and sent it flying into a wall before it fell into the water again.

The necklace around Starmie that was filled with Mystical Water detached from its body and fell into the water as well. If Starmie hadn't fainted, it was surely hurt badly by that attack just now.

There was silence for a moment.

"Starmie, use recover!" Misty had no idea if Starmie was okay or not but she gave a command anyway.

At that moment, Starmie resurfaced, but it hadn't fainted!

"Are you kidding me!?" Black lines appeared on Gan's forehead, how was it not done after that?

"Starmie, can you still fight?" Misty asked.

"Hiya~!" It was still good to go, it had used Recover while it was in the water.

Misty looked Gan in the eyes and he stared right back at her.

"Starmie, use Thunder at point-blank!"

"Go, quickly use Thunder Punch right on its gem!"

Starmie flung itself towards Machop as Machop ran over to Starmie.

Both attacks were used at Point blank, causing a sphere of bolts to lash out!

Who would be left standing after this?

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