Ch.44

Leo rushed forward using Wild Charge using his superior speed to reach Lapras before she could do anything. Like a sea turtle, she can barely move on land. Lapras used Protect seeing Leo charge making him slam into the invisible barrier around her. 

Leo however, stood there waiting for it to drop so he could bite her with Thunder Fang. Lapras immediately gathered her water-type energy and right as the protective barrier dropped she released a huge wave of water. Leo however, expecting something like this quickly dug underground and reappeared right under her. 

Lapras was launched in the air with a surprised yelp as Leo bit into her with a Thunder Fang. Lapras cried out in pain, we could see the electrical arks across her body, showing some remaining energy that stayed inside her making her paralyzed. 

Leo then backed up before charging up another Wild Charge and slammed into her as he couldn't do anything to stop it. Lapras cried out in pain again, though before Leo could continue with another Thunder Fang, Red withdrew Lapras. 

"Trainer Red withdrew Lapras! Please send out your next Pokémon," the referee says seeing Red take out Lapras from the battle. 

Red tossed out his next Pokémon which was a huge and fat one, a Snorlax. Snorlax is a huge, bipedal, dark blue-green mammalian Pokémon with a cream-colored face, belly, and feet. Its body is composed of mostly its belly, as its limbs are comparatively small. Its head is large with small, pointed ears, and two pointed teeth protruding from its lower jaw. It has round feet, which both have three claws and a circular brown paw pad, and short arms with five claws on each hand.

"Begin!" the referee says. 

Snorlax sat there unmoving while starting down Leo, who immediately charged him with a Wild Charge. However, surprising us all, Snorlax seemed to expect this and already readied a move. Just as Leo slammed into him Snorlax used Hammer Arm which struck Leo and caused him to cry out in pain as it launched him a few feet away. 

Leo fell to the ground and looked like one of his front legs was broken. Then Snorlax used Snore making Leo instinctually copy him and making him drowsy. Snorlax's move was completely mastered, as Leo stumbled forward passing out. Snorlax then stood up and slowly made his way over to Leo ready to use another Hammer Arm on the sleeping Leo.

'Fuck,' I think and withdraw Leo not wanting him to get severely hurt because I want to win. 

"Trainer Lucas withdrew Arcanine! Please send out your next Pokémon," the referee says to me. 

'Annihilape, it's up to you now. There are three left, do your best,' I say to Annihilape through our connection. 

'We will win this,' Annihilape says appearing in the arena making everyone stare in surprise at his sudden appearance instead of me bringing him out from a Poké ball. 

"Begin!" the referee says. 

'Snorlax can't affect you with most of his moves, just watch out for anything that is normal type. Other than that, we have a complete advantage,' I say to Annihilape who nods his head. 

Snorlax stared at Annihilape with a nervous look as no one knew much about Annihilape since he was the first of his kind known to man. Red looked nervous too, since Annihilape was now being used against him and he didn't know much about him other than being a fighting type. 

Annihilape then disappeared from view, and even with my powers, it was impossible to know where he went, only because of our bond did I know where Annihilape was going. Snorlax was looking around very nervous trying to guess where he was going to appear. Then Annihilape appeared right in front of Snorlax's face with a Focus Punch prepared. 

Snorlax grunted in surprise as Annihilape landed a punch that resounded with a huge bang and Snorlax fell to the ground. Snorlax's jaw looked broken as he struggled to get up, but Annihilape landed another Focus Punch on his face making the ground break underneath Snorlax and dust kick up around them. 

Annihilape then disappeared again reappearing back to his starting area right as the dust settled, showing an unconscious Snorlax. Red and everyone else stood there surprised at Annihilape's complete domination. Red looked over to Annihilape with a hard look trying to determine if Annihilape was Emperor Ranked, though with his stats Annihilape could fight an Emperor Rank on equal ground. 

"Snorlax is unable to battle please send out your next Pokémon," the referee says seeing this happen. 

Red then threw out his next Poké ball, with a Victreebel appearing. Victreebel is a pitcher plant Pokémon with a bell-shaped body. It has a gaping mouth with pink lips and two sharp teeth. Its semicircular eyes appear directly under its mouth and it has several dark green spots on its body. On either side of its body is a large green leaf. Covering Victreebel's mouth is a leaf with a long, brown, yellow-tipped vine growing out of it.

"Begin," the referee says. 

Annihilape didn't wait and disappeared again, though during this time he buffed himself up with Focus Energy before attacking. Victreebel became very nervous seeing Annihilape disappear and used Sweet Scent which passed through Annihilape not affecting him. 

Annihilape then reappeared a few feet away from Victreebel using Acrobatics to close the distance and strike him. Victreebel cried out in pain as the move was super effective. Victreebel then lashed out with a Power Whip, but Annihilape already disappeared again easily dodging the move. 

Annihilape then reappeared above Victreebel using Acrobatics again striking from above, Victreebel cried out in pain again. Lashing out with another Power Whip all around himself. Though Annihilape already disappeared again and moved away. Red and Victreebel were becoming increasingly annoyed at Annihilape's fighting style which only King Rank and higher Ghost types can do. 

"Victreebel use Leaf Storm!" Red says wanting an AOE attack hoping to hit Annihilape that way. 

However right before Victreebel can release his move, Annihilape reappears again using Acrobatics to strike him. Victreebel collapsed on the ground unmoving from this last strike with Annihilape reappearing back at his start area at the same time. 

"Victreebel is unable to battle! Trainer Red please send out your last Pokémon," the referee says as the crowd is cheering and completely excited now, not expecting me to get this far or even possibly win. 

Red then sent out his Ace and last Pokémon, Charizard. Much like Professor Oak's Charizard, his was also Emperor Ranked. This will be our hardest fight and we might actually win this somehow. 

"Begin!" the referee says. 

"Charizard give them no room to act!" Red says with Charizard immediately flying up into the air as high as possible, while Annihilape disappears from sight. 

Annihilape was using Acrobatics to get up into the air to close the distance, while Charizard sent a Fire Blast toward the ground. The explosion shook the arena and the blast filled the arena, I could feel Annihilape grunt in pain from the attack. However, Annihilape pushed through and appeared next to Charizard. 

Annihilape landed a Cross Chop on Charizard who grunted in pain too, as the strike made him fall a few feet down in the sky. Charizard then released a jet of flames toward Annihilape who was free-falling and dodged the attack, disappearing again. Charizard then released another Fire Blast at the ground. 

Annihilape once again began closing the distance to Charizard through Acrobatics. However, the Fire Blast hit Annihilape again making him cry in pain this time as the damage was building up. Annihilape then reappeared next to Charizard who released a jet of flames toward Annihilape at his reappearance. 

Annihilape managed to strike Charizard again with a Cross Chop. Charizard cried out in pain from the strike falling to the ground this time, along with Annihilape who was heavily burned. Annihilape disappeared from sight, as Charizard gathered what seemed like all of his Fire-type energy. 

Annihilape reappeared right behind Charizard landing a Focus Punch on his back. Charizard stumbled forward and grunted in pain but managed to release his move as a huge blast of fire exploded outward from Charizard as the center. The entire arena was covered in the explosion, the two layers protecting the crowd breaking immediately and the last one cracking looking ready to break. But a second later was reinforced by an unknown energy. 

Right before the explosion died down we heard Charizard let out a cry again. Then after the smoke and dust cleared we saw, Charizard barely standing looking exhausted and heavily bruised. While Annihilape was standing still unmoving, but I could tell from our bond he was unconscious. 

I then withdrew Annihilape back to his Poké ball. Making the crowd go wild at the match they witnessed between Red and I. I definitely made an impression on the League today, as Red was expected to be the next Champion and I almost defeated him. I can only hope they give me a good raise in Rank and possible position in the league. 

"Trainer Lucas withdrew Annihilape! The winners are Trainer Red and Charizard!" the referee says seeing me take Annihilape back. 

Red walked over to me after withdrawing Charizard too. He offered me an handshake which I took. The two of us shook hands as he was smiling at me with an excited look in his eyes. 

"You have some greeting backing to have gotten this far. But even more talent to almost have beaten me, on the first try too. If you had beaten me, I'm sure you would have taken the Championship title. I look forward to the next tournament, which I'm sure you will take the title from me then," Red says once we break the handshake. 

"Thanks, I look forward to the next tournament then too," I say with a smile, though disappointed that we didn't win on the inside, however, we still did better than I first imagined we would. 

"When I win the tournament, I'll make sure to put in a good word for you. Though I'm sure you won't need it considering how well you did," Red says to me with a smile and I nod my head as we both leave. 

The next day I reassured my team that we did extremely well and that we'd take the title next time. The following day, the President of the Pokémon league gave a speech before the final battle between the long-time rivals of Red and Blue. The two appeared to share some words before the fight. 

The match was very intense with each trading Pokémon after Pokémon. Red somehow pulled a win against Blue who used his Blastoise against Red's Charizard. After the match ended Red became the newest Champion of the Indigo League. The two rivals shared a few more words before the President made another speech and congratulated Red on his win. 

A few minutes after the battle ended, all the contestants in the tournament were asked to meet in the main building of the Pokémon League Headquarters. I was in the last group which seemed to be the smallest, as only a handful were in this group. We walked into the small conference room, where Red, Blue, and the Pokémon League President were waiting. 

My group consisted of myself, Lance, and the other older trainer who was in the semi-finals. We all took a seat at the long table with the President at the head of the table with Red and Blue on either side of him. 

"I want to congratulate you three again for making it to the semi-finals. You each did very well and showed how strong you are. The League could always use more talented trainers in it. I will give you each your next Trainer Ranks in the league, plus a few job offers we have decided would benefit from your talent," the President says as Red gives me a small smile.