"Alright, both Trainers are on the field!"
"Let's see which Pokémon they'll bring out and what kind of incredible battle awaits us today!"
As the commentator's excited voice rang out across the arena, Tim Wynn and Simon Greaves simultaneously tossed out their Pokéballs.
"Go, Dragonair!"
Simon said nothing, but his Gengar materialized in mid-air with a wide, cheeky grin, its body swaying restlessly.
"Draa!" Dragonair hovered gracefully above the field, while Gengar floated, never still for a moment.
"Dragonair—Dragon Dance!"
Tim remembered Auron's advice. He knew Simon and Lena's win streaks were even faster than Auron's, which meant their Pokémon were anything but weak. He didn't dare underestimate Simon now. His plan: boost first, attack later.
Dragonair began to twist and glide, performing a mysterious, elegant dance. At the same time, Gengar waved its hands and summoned a blast of chilling wind dotted with icy shards—[Icy Wind]—aimed straight at Dragonair.
Just as Dragonair finished its [Dragon Dance], the freezing wind struck, unable to dodge in time. Its speed dropped a stage.
"The field is set for a rare match-up: on one side, a mighty pseudo-legendary Dragon-type; on the other, a rare and mysterious Ghost-type!" the commentator announced. "Dragonair opened with [Dragon Dance] to boost its Attack and Speed, but was immediately struck by a super-effective [Icy Wind], dropping its Speed. That's an unfortunate start."
He sighed regretfully. "Too bad—this means Dragonair only gained a single stage in Attack, which isn't as impactful. Plus, it just took double damage from [Icy Wind]. A rough opening."
"Dragonair—Dragon Breath!"
Dragonair let out a youthful roar, releasing a stream of green-blue energy toward Gengar.
Gengar conjured a [Shadow Ball] in its hands and hurled it at the incoming blast.
The two attacks collided, struggling for a moment before exploding in mid-air—neither Pokémon took any damage.
Tim and Dragonair looked a bit grim. Neither side had gotten the upper hand yet, but Gengar's skill was on full display.
"Dragonair—again! Ice Beam!"
Dragonair went on the offensive, breathing out a chilling [Ice Beam].
"The first exchange saw both sides trade attacks with no result," the commentator recapped. "Now the second wave begins—Dragonair leads with [Ice Beam]!"
"Too bad—Gengar dodged it and countered with another [Shadow Ball]!"
Gengar's trainer gave no vocal commands, but Gengar moved with eerie anticipation, ducking Dragonair's attack and firing back.
"[Shadow Ball] was dodged by Dragonair! They're trading blows, but neither can land a hit. Dragonair tries another [Ice Beam], and Gengar answers again with [Shadow Ball]. Both attacks miss their marks."
"And so, the two Pokémon continue to clash in the air, neither giving an inch. Both are moving at incredible speeds, dodging every attack. I'd say this is the most exciting match we've seen so far in the Baby Cup!"
Finally, the two Pokémon paused, both panting and hovering opposite each other. Even though none of their moves had landed, both had spent a lot of energy.
The field entered a stalemate. Tim was trying to think of a way to break it, while Simon was looking for an opening to use [Curse]. If Curse landed, the match would be his.
But Simon remembered Tim's earlier matches—he'd seen Dragonair use [Substitute] before. If Gengar's [Curse] got blocked by a Substitute, Gengar would be left exposed and vulnerable.
"Dragonair—Dragon Pulse!"
Dragonair gathered energy and fired a [Dragon Pulse]. Gengar retaliated with [Dark Pulse], the two beams colliding once more and canceling each other out.
Both Trainers were getting frustrated. Gengar's status moves could be nullified by Dragonair's [Shed Skin] ability, and [Curse] couldn't break through [Substitute]. Meanwhile, Dragonair simply didn't have the offensive coverage to get past Gengar's defenses. Every attack was either blocked or dodged.
The tension in the arena was palpable. Suddenly, Gengar vanished into thin air, a sly giggle echoing as it became invisible.
Tim reacted instantly, realizing Gengar would finally make the first move.
"Dragonair—Hurricane, full spread!"
Dragonair released a swirling mass of [Hurricane]s, filling the field and sealing off any open space. Gengar wouldn't be able to sneak up easily.
The wind howled. Dragonair hovered, watching every direction, unable to see Gengar but ready for a sudden strike.
Then—WHAM!
Out of nowhere, Gengar materialized behind Dragonair, smashing it with a [Shadow Punch] and sending it crashing to the ground. Not letting up, Gengar hurled [Shadow Ball] after [Shadow Ball] at the fallen Dragonair.
A cloud of smoke and debris billowed up. Gengar, not satisfied, added a [Dark Pulse] for good measure, blasting the spot where Dragonair had fallen.
But suddenly, a streak of frost erupted from the smoke—[Ice Beam]! It struck Gengar before it could react, sending it reeling back.
As the smoke cleared, Dragonair was left hovering in exhaustion, and at the bottom of a crater lay… a skin left behind by [Substitute].
A gasp rippled through the crowd. How did Gengar get the drop on Dragonair? The field had been filled with [Hurricane], blocking the center!
The commentator shouted, nearly losing his voice. The action was relentless.
The match continued. Simon finally saw an opening—he ordered Gengar to use [Curse].
Dragonair had just used [Substitute] and was clearly exhausted, battered from all the [Shadow Ball]s and attacks. Once [Curse] landed, Dragonair wouldn't last another round.
Rewind to the moment Dragonair first filled the field with [Hurricane]:
Gengar, still invisible, had been shocked by the sheer coverage. Edging along the very edge of the platform, pressed against the wall, it tiptoed past the roaring winds, sweating nervously but making it through. When it finally got behind Dragonair, Gengar even gave its fist a little breath for "luck" before delivering the blow.
Back to the present—
Seeing the black curse energy coil around Dragonair, Tim could only smile bitterly. He knew the outcome—he'd lost this battle among friends.
Dragonair let out a cry and fell to the ground. The judge checked the scene, then raised his flag:
"Dragonair is unable to battle. Gengar wins!"
Tim returned Dragonair to its ball and waited for Simon. The two of them, side by side, left the stage the same way they'd entered.
The judge took a sip of water and said,
"These two Trainers gave us a truly spectacular match. From their camaraderie, you can tell they're friends—I hope the winner can keep climbing higher with his companion's hopes in mind."
"And to the one who lost—don't be discouraged! This isn't the end. There are always more battles, and even greater matches ahead. Let's all give them a big round of applause!"
The audience responded with thunderous clapping and cheers.
(End of chapter)
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