LOG 21: Of Steel and Flight (Segment 1)

From Amadeus Town, we traveled north to reach the Liszt Prairie, habitat with mostly grasses, but also flowering plants and occasional shrubs or isolated trees. It somewhat reminded me of meadows except the grass here was all tinged in brown and withered under the heat of the sun.

We thought of stopping by so Valery and I could have a three on three Pokemon battle. She had been starving for one since our previous success in Figaro Island. Though, we should be heading south, which was our initial plan due to where Schubert City is located, Valery, who'd like to battle me, wanted to be in a place where it was not much crowded, where there was only me and her, a one on one conference unlike being in bustling roads and streets of Amadeus.

We had to pass a checkpoint first, which we were, once more, successful.

I decided to go with Volcarona so I switched her with Zorua. Meanwhile, I allowed Fletching to be a careful observer of the match as I didn't want him to tire yet.

"Here I go! Braviary!"

Wind gushed at me directly from the strength of its patriotic wings.

"Salamence!"

She scanned the Pokemon through her Rotom-Phone.

"Wait? How are you doing that?"

"Me? Oh, Rotom-phone Pokedex."

"A rotom-phone has a pokedex?"

"You never knew? No wonder."

"Mother never told me about that. She gave me a pokedex."

"Hmm... I guess it's you who needs updating, not me." She gave me a smug smile.

"A Pokedex is a Pokedex so it doesn't matter really! Let's get this battle started!"

"Right! I'll go first. Braviary, Crush Claw!"

Braviary soared to the skies and then zoomed back down with talons flaming.

My Pokemon rose and glided higher than the foe to evade.

"Now, Dragon Tail!"

<Sal!> She slapped her tail unto the foe's neck, crashing it back to the ground with its beak pinned on the hard-rooted meshed soil.

"Hurry, Dragon Dance!"

A spiral of blue and red with a pinch of thunder concealed Salamence and boosted her stats for the match,

Once Braviary was successful to remove is beak, Valery commanded it to use Steel Wing, flying back up. I wouldn't permit her to take the advantage nevertheless and with that, I told Salamence to strike with Flamethrower which then sent the foe back down.

"Y-y-you're going to teach me after this, right?"

"You're not giving up that quick, aren't you?"

"Er... No, no, I'm just saying. Give my Pokemon a chance to fly back up."

"That's cheating. An enemy wouldn't give you that opportunity, now, wouldn't they?"

She frowned. "You make a point," Valery said until her eyes widened all of a sudden with a mouth blooming. An idea had probably struck her.

"Salamence, finish the foe with Hurricane!"

<Sal! Salamence!> Wind gathered at the tip of her crescent shaped wings.

"At least you'll be able to help out, Braviary," she said softly. "Use Sunny Day!"

The heat of the sun's fierce glare was already intense, it grew more and with excruciating radiance. In exchange, Braviary fainted but Valery didn't seem to be disappointed about what happened.

"Emboar, you're up!"

"An Emboar? Must be a fire type. Now I understand."

"Emboar was my starter Pokemon! Well, not really given, I stole it from the professor's lab."

"You remind me of someone in Johto."

Despite of what I said, I could say by the Pokemon's enthusiasm and ferocious stare at my Salamence that there's a strong bond between it and its trainer unlike that particular someone from Johto.

"You're Pokemon all look strong, and you're worried your weak? Alas! I don't even have a starter."

"You did defeat my little Sableye didn't you? With a Zorua that barely hatched!"

Emboar has a red nose, large bushy black eyebrows, and two tusks protruding from its lower jaw. Constantly burning flames cover the front of its neck and shoulders. It has short legs and thick arms. Its arms have orange upper portions while the legs have red upper portions. All of its limbs have black lower portions with thin yellow lines where the upper and lower colors meet. These lines are straight on the arms and spiked on the legs. The arms have red lines around the wrists and tufts of fur on the elbows. The hands are tipped with three claws, while the feet have two claws. A large, dark horizontal stripe on the chest of Emboar has swirled yellow markings. Its small tail ends in a tuft of hair.

"Emboar, Fire Blast!"

Flames shaped as a star went after Salamence. With the previous moves she dealt, Salamence was too worn out to move, thus; receiving the attack on purpose.

"So that's why you used Sunny Day."

"And we're not finished yet! Solar Beam, go!"

"A grass move on a fire type? No matters, a Gyarados could learn Fire Blast anyway! Salamence, Dragon Tail and deflect it!"

Salamance persisted but was still unable to withstand the Solar Beam. I wanted to go for Hurricane but accuracy is down to fifty percent due to Sunny Day. Meanwhile, I'm done for if Valery continuously spams Solar Beam. Sunny Day allows it to move without the need to charge.

"That's it! Salamence, return to your Pokeball. Volcarona, you're in charge for now."

<Vol? Volca!>Volcarona sighed.

"You gotta fight or else you won't be eating."

My Pokemon sighed again.

"Emboar, Hammer Arm now!"

Volcarona swiftly dodged it.

"Use Screech!"

With that, Emboar's defense is sharply reduced.

"Return! You're up Absol!"

"Her? That's unfair!"

"Come on, you said you wanted training? Face her then."

"Well, um... Alright! Go ahead with Poison Jab!"

Absol received the attack in exchange for Sword Dance.

"Yikes."

"Dark Pulse, go!"

"Emboar, er... Go and counter with--She's too fast. Hey! Go easy on me."

"What? Fine."

"Yes!"

Emboar stood back on its feet with scars throughout its hind and limbs.

"Hammer Arm, go!"

<Em! Emboar!>

I gave her the benefit and allowed Absol to be frozen for three moves. She followed the preceding with Solar Beam and Fire Blast.

"All that and she's still standing?"

"Our turn! Quick Attack!"

"Emboar keep a sharp eye!"

One after another, Emboar was unable to track her strikes and blows. She was everywhere, all around her foe until it dropped. Emboar rose again, plus I gave Valery a chance by letting her attack first instead of finishing Emboar with another quick attack followed by Dark Pulse. With its shape, standing would be hard.

"Poison Jab!"

"Counter with Shadow Claw!"

Absol flung the foe's claws then swerved underneath it. Another punch to the back witht the same move tumbled the giant and from there was a constant strike of quick attack, making sure it won't be able to stand.