Chapter 72: Pidgeot Raichu vs Dragonite

The night was endless. Darkness stretched over the cliffs, broken only by the stars scattered like cracks in the sky. I stood, the sea crashing beneath me, each wave a reminder of the battle I had thrown myself into.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Brock's voice was hesitant, cutting through the wind as he stood with Ash and Misty a few paces back. Bill, too, was watching from the edge, fascinated and almost maniacal in his excitement. His shout had cut through the air earlier, but now, all I could focus on was the beast.

Dragonite.

The massive, ancient creature hovered over the sea, its hulking frame barely fitting in the horizon. It wasn't like anything I'd ever seen—Dragonite wasn't supposed to be that big. Each flap of its wings felt like a hurricane hitting the cliffs, and its deep, rumbling roar vibrated in my chest. Raichu pressed close to my legs, trembling with a mix of fear and anticipation. 

"Punit," Erin's voice was a whisper, barely audible above the wind. She clung to my arm, her fingers ice-cold against my skin. "Are you… sure? What if…"

She didn't finish, and I didn't need her to. I already knew what she was thinking. I glanced down, her hazel eyes wide and full of fear. The way she hugged me was like she was trying to anchor herself to reality, to me.

I couldn't afford to be distracted.

"Misty," I said, without breaking my gaze from the Dragonite, "Take Erin away. I need to focus."

Erin's grip tightened, but Misty didn't hesitate. She pulled Erin back, despite her protests, dragging her toward Ash and Brock. I could feel Erin's eyes on me, but I had to ignore it.

I had to.

I grabbed Pidgeot's Pokéball from my belt. The familiar weight of it grounded me for a second, just before I called him out into the storm. The instant he materialized, Raichu leaped onto his back, eyes sparking with electricity.

"Raichu, hold tight," I commanded. Then, with a glance toward the ancient beast, "Pidgeot, get us above it."

With a screech, Pidgeot's wings spread wide, catching the wind as he launched into the sky. Raichu clung tightly to his feathers, but his eyes never left the Dragonite, neither did mine.

"Pidgeot, hit it with Tailwind! Raichu, Thunderbolt right after!"

Pidgeot flapped his wings, stirring the currents around us, accelerating the winds. The force slammed toward the Dragonite, carrying with it a crackling Thunderbolt from Raichu. The bolt split the night, cutting through the wind like a blade toward Dragonite's chest.

But Dragonite moved. For something so impossibly large, it was fast—too fast. It blurred to the side with Extreme Speed, the Thunderbolt missing by inches as it circled back, roaring its fury. The sound shook the cliffside, rattling me to my bones.

"Not bad," I muttered, feeling a smirk tug at my lips despite myself. "But we're just getting started."

Below, Brock and Ash shouted something. I ignored them. This was my fight now.

"Pidgeot, let's go for the Tidal Storm Charge! Raichu, get ready with Wild Charge!"

Pidgeot soared higher, his wings whipping the seawater into a vortex below. The hurricane he summoned spun violently, pulling the ocean into the sky. Raichu, eyes glowing, jumped from Pidgeot's back, diving straight into the storm. His body crackled with energy, electricity mixing with the water as the Wild Charge lit the storm from the inside.

But the Dragonite wasn't done yet. As Raichu descended, the ancient beast roared and launched a Thunder Punch. The hit connected mid-air, sending Raichu skidding across the swirling waters, sparks flying from his cheeks.

"NO!" Erin screamed from below. I felt the sting of her voice, the fear in it.

My hands clenched. Raichu crashed back onto Pidgeot's back, but he wasn't out. Not yet. "Shake it off, Raichu!" My voice hardened. "We're still in this."

I wasn't going to back down. Not now.

"Pidgeot! Aqua Thunder Dive!"

Pidgeot soared into the night sky, climbing higher and higher before diving down with blazing blue energy surrounding him. Raichu clung tight, electricity sparking from his fur. The ocean rose up to meet them, and just before impact, Raichu released his stored energy, the sea lighting up with an electric fury. Bolts of lightning arced across the surface, shooting toward Dragonite.

Dragonite roared, caught in the surge. But it wouldn't fall.

With a primal growl, Dragonite began to dance—Dragon Dance. Its massive form glowed with power, its speed increasing, eyes locked on us with a burning rage. The moment it finished, it struck—Outrage, its claws slashing through the air with raw dragon power.

Pidgeot and Raichu barely avoided the hit, the force of it sending them spiraling in the air. I could hear Brock shouting from below, and Erin tried to run toward me, but Misty held her back.

"Pidgeot, now—Storm Surge Barrage! Defend Raichu while we finish this!"

Pidgeot dipped low over the water, his wings glowing with the sharp gleam of Steel Wing, deflecting debris and the Dragonite's wild counterattacks. Raichu, battered but determined, slammed both fists into the water with Thunder Punch, sending another wave of electricity toward the giant beast.

Dragonite roared again, shaking under the impact, but refused to fall. It pulled back, glowing orange as it charged a final, devastating Hyper Beam. 

"Recall them, Punit!" Ash shouted. "It's too dangerous!"

"They won't stop," I said through gritted teeth, eyes fixed on the towering Pokémon. "Not until they win."

The Hyper Beam fired, a blast of raw, destructive energy. Pidgeot swerved, but the beam clipped his wing. Both Raichu and Pidgeot crashed into the ocean.

My heart stopped. 

For a moment, all I could see was the dark sea, waves crashing as the night seemed to swallow my Pokémon whole. Erin screamed again, but her words were lost in the storm.

But then, through the spray, Pidgeot rose, wings battered but defiant. Raichu, perched on his back, sparked with what little energy he had left.

"Get up!" My voice cut through the roar of the sea. "One last hit! Tempest Cannon!"

Pidgeot whipped up one last hurricane, pulling the ocean high into the sky, Raichu charging a final blast of energy into the eye of the storm. Together, they unleashed the tempest—water and electricity roaring toward Dragonite.

Dragonite summoned its own Twister in response, but it was too weak. The Tempest Cannon tore through, slamming into its chest, electricity ripping through its colossal form.

Dragonite crashed into the sea with a deafening roar. The world went still.

For a moment, there was silence. Then, a low rumble as Dragonite began to rise again.

I clenched my fists, my heart racing. "It's not over yet…"