TurtleKing
Turtles > You
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- Seen Dec 12, 2016
Chapter 46: VS. Lucario II!
After taking a day off to spend time with his Pokemon, Diamond boarded the ship to Iron Island. The bridge in the center of town lifted up, allowing the large boat to drift to the North and deep into the sea.
Diamond sat in his dorm on his bed, semi-praying as he rested his face in his two palms. Part of him was wishing that his father was there and another part of him was hoping that he would get an explanation for his father's absences. Standing up now, Diamond walked over to the window and stared out of it, thinking about what Dawn and Pearl were up to.
...
...
"Kano, Lava Plume!" Pearl shouted.
Inside the Canalave City Gym, Pearl was battling Byron. He was in town not only for the Gym Battle, but he was also invited to the Pokemon National Conference, as an associate of Professor Rowan, along with Dawn.
Pearl's newly evolved Magmortar, Kano, was currently having a major upper hand against Byron's Bastiodon. Kano lifted his arm and shot a molten meteor at Bastiodon's face and knocked it out upon impact. Byron immediately returned his prized Pokemon and handed Pearl his badge.
"Good work, kid. Now, I've got to get to the library." Byron said quickly heading for the exit.
"Me too! I'm going to be part of an important national conference meeting or something. I'm with Professor Elm! All the Gym Leaders are going to be there? Sweet! I get to check out Gardenia!" Pearl rubbed his palms together, licking his lips.
"Unfortunately, kid, she's too old for you. Besides, she's dating my son." Byron snarled at Pearl as the blonde boy immediately closed his mouth and followed the Gym Leader out the door.
...
...
Meanwhile at the Canalave Library...
Dawn was sitting at the long table upstairs in the library. She was conveniently positioned next to the Professor. Her eyes began to wander to each individual, looking for Pearl or even Diamond. Dawn's eyes then glanced at Rowan, "Professor, should I contact Pearl to see if he is coming? And what about Diamond?"
Rowan stroked his chin, "Pearl is on his way, I have just been informed by Byron. He just completed his sixth Gym. As for Diamond, he contacted me earlier this morning. He explained to me that he has an issue to take care of and it should not take any longer than a couple of hours."
"He's showing up?" Dawn asked, a bit of perkiness in her voice.
"Possibly. Do not get your hopes up." Rowan looked down at her, smiling a bit.
Dawn smiled to herself as she looked down at the part of the table in front of her. Diamond was finally considering helping them out. She was extremely bliss now. They needed all the help that they could get if they were going to defeat the evil organizations that rot in Sinnoh.
...
...
After a short 45 minute trip to Iron Island, Diamond, along with the other passengers, unboarded the ship and slowly walked onto the land. Iron Island was not that big of an island, however, the caves were everlasting and a person could easily get lost.
Diamond jammed his fists into his pockets as he overheard the tour guide speak, "We are about to explore the inside of Iron Island. Be careful as there are wild Pokemon, however, they are harmless... most of the time. We advise you not to leave from the pack nor escapade into the abandoned caves. Alright, let's move."
The group of about thirty tourists moved into the caves with Diamond trailing right behind them. He didn't want to stay to close because he knew that the tour guide would most likely see him. If he hung back abit, he would be able to go into the abandoned caves where he knew his father would be.
"And if you look to your left and right, you will notice that these caves are conveniently lit with torches. These flames are provided by Ponyta and Rapidash native to Sinnoh! Now, we will venture deeper into the caves where the precious iron lay!"
Diamond continued to slow his pace as the tour group disappeared from sight. He grabbed one of the torches off the wall and made a detour into an abandoned cave. Though it was marked off with chains, Diamond pressed on. Feeling the need for protection, he released Pilot, knowing that the Yanma could spot any sudden movements around him in the darkness.
"Come on," Diamond whispered, "where the hell are you, dad?"
After several minutes of exploration. Diamond grew tired and almost worn out. He had climbed so many hills, walls, and other formations, that it had worn him out. He sat on the ground and wiped his sweaty forehead as Pilot rested beside him.
He placed his hand on Pilot's head, "Pilot, we've got to keep looking."
"Hm, we're not taking a break are we?" said a voice from the right side of Diamond.
Diamond instantly hopped up and was on guard. From the shadows, came the body of his father. A smile was on Riley's face as he gazed at his son.
"My, have you grown, son." Riley smiled. He was dressed in his casual blue suit with a black dress shirt and blue tie. On his head was a blue hat.
"Father. Why? Why did you leave Mom and I? Do you know how long we've been wanting you to come home? Ever since you left out the door, that's how long! Years! Years!" Diamond shouted, clenching his fists.
"Heh," Riley smiled, taking out a key chain containing four Pokeballs, "Son, I'm afraid if you want answers from me, we'll have to settle it like men. Well, no let me rephrase that." He stepped back a bit as one of the Pokeballs enlarged, "Like opponents, rather. You see, you've grown before my very eyes and now is the time that you unleash your potential rather than leaving it bottled up inside. I've taught you long enough. I think it's time to see if the pupil has surpassed the master. And if you haven't surpassed me at this age, I can guarantee you will not defeat your greatest enemy. It is just that simple, Diamond. Now, are you prepared to battle me? Or are you going to break down in cry like the boy I knew years ago?"
Diamond gulped as Riley uttered that last question. Sure enough, Diamond was once a cry baby. But he was beyond that now. He was maturing into a fine young man. And like his father said, in order to find out if he had truly progressed as a trainer, he would have to defeat his father, "Agreed, father. I challenge you."
"I accept. However, there will be no switching out. We must trust the strength of our current Pokemon." Riley smirked as he popped the Pokeball off the chain and tossed it forward, "Tangrowth, unleash!"
The Pokeball burst open, releasing the caveman-looking, Grass-type Pokemon. Diamond looked up at Pilot and nodded as the Yanma flew forward and face Tangrowth.
It was now time for the pupil to face the master.
-----
"Wing Attack!" Diamond shouted
"Slam!" Riley countered.
Pilot fluttered his wings quickly before zipping towards Tangrowth at an amazing velocity. Immediately, the Yanma twisted its body avoiding Tangrowth, before whipping around and smacking the back of the Grass-type Pokemon with its right wing. Tangrowth roared out in pain, but retaliated by smacking Pilot across the face with its left hand. Flying back now, Pilot instinctively used Hypnosis in the knick of time, putting Tangrowth to sleep.
"Oh!" Riley smiled, "I see your Pokemon can use attacks on their own as well. And you trust them enough to make their own decisions?"
"Duh," Diamond said bluntly, "Then again, you can't trust everybody can you?" He glared at his father, "Pilot, Air Slash!"
Pilot back flipped in the air before gliding towards Tangrowth again. As he flew, Pilot sent a sharp waved of air in the sleeping Tangrowth's direction, slashing it across the body several times before knocking it out. Diamond had successfully beaten Riley's first Pokemon with relative ease.
Riley applauded him, "Good show. That Yanma is a tough little guy. But, let's see if it can handle a tank!" He popped the second Pokeball off the key chain and out came a giant Probopass.
The Rock/Steel-type Pokemon stomped onto the ground and remained solid there as it slowly opened its determined eyes. Pilot was unmoved as it awaited a command.
However, Riley was quick to the call, "Lock-On!"
"Pilot, Hypnosis!"
Pilot sent another hypnotic wave at Probopass, however it was unsuccessful at putting the Compass Pokemon to sleep. Meanwhile, Probopass's eyes were locked onto Pilot's body. Diamond was prepared to make another command, but, again, Riley beat him to the punch.
"And fire a Zap Cannon at the pest!"
Diamond grinned, "Hah! Do you know how hard it is to accurately fire a--" Then, he just realized that his father had called out a Lock-On attack earlier, "Oh hell."
A large sphere of voltage emerged in front of Probopass's nose. It inhaled deeply and then exhaled violently as the Zap Cannon fire towards Pilot. The Yanma had no means of escape and was shocked severely. Sparks flew everywhere, causing Diamond to cover his eyes and protect himself. When he uncovered his eyes, he layed his orbs upon a petrified Pilot. Quickly, he returned his Yanma.
"Hm, well that was a sweep." Riley folded his arms, "Let's go kid."
"Hm, with those electrical attacks, I think it's best if I used Dexter." Diamond thought to himself as he released the tiny Pachirisu.
Riley nodded, "Excellent decision."
"You're not laughing. Why?" Diamond asked, curiously. Normally, trainers would laugh at the site of Dex. True, the Pachirisu was strong. However, up against a Probopass would be qualified as a questionable decision.
"Because, you never underestimate the power of your opponents. Big things certainly come in small packages. Now, back to the battle. Probopass! Rock Slide!"
As Probopass groaned, several rocks began falling from the ceiling. Dex quickly began to bob and weave through the raining pattern of rocks, but was hit every-so-often. Finally, Diamond was ready to counter.
"Sweet Kiss!" Diamond said, almost in a bit of a murmur.
Dex continued to dodge several falling stalagmites and gently kissed Probopass on the cheek. The Compass Pokemon immediately began to catch confusion, causing even more rocks to fall to the ground. Happy, Dex began to cheer for himself, accomplishing the move. However, the celebration was cut short when a giant boulder landed on top of Dex, dangerously hurting the Pachirisu. Diamond quickly recalled Dex and cursed at himself.
"Looks like I'm in the lead, son. Who's next?" Riley smirked as Probopass ceased the Rock Slide.
Diamond removed the third Pokeball from his pocket and lobbed it forward, unleashing Rose, his Skuntank.
Shaking his head, Diamond said, "It isn't over. Rose, maneuver into Flamethrower!"
"Stone Edge!"
Rose leaped up into the air and forcefully used Flamethrower down onto Probopass's head. Wincing, Probopass sharpened its nose but was unable to locate Rose due to being pounded by the Flamethrower.
Diamond pumped his fist, "Alright Rose, Smokescreen into Flamethrower!"
Coming from her buttocks, Rose released a rancid Smokescreen onto the area. All the while, she kept up the Flamethrower assault for another few seconds before collapsing to the ground on all fours. She panted heavily but was no where near tired. The top of Probopass's head was partially burnt now.
Riley winced and said, "That's a nasty Flamethrower your Skuntank's got there. Hm....I think we'll..."
"Quick!" Diamond shouted, knowing that Riley was about to tell Probopass to use Rest, "Flamethrower!"
Rose sprinted forward, firing another beam of flames at Probopass's nose now, weakening the Stone Edge. Eventually, Probopass toppled over on its back and was unable to sit up successfully. Riley slowly returned Probopass and nodded at Diamond.
"Heh, you got me. Okay, okay. Gastrodon, unleash!"
Riley's third Pokemon, Gastrodon, came into play now. It was of the western Sinnoh species, likewise.
Diamond smirked and said, "Heh...If you think you're going to beat me with an Earthquake, you've got another thing coming."
"We'll see," Riley nodded, "Mud Bomb!"
Gastrodon summoned up a pile of mud from its guts and hurled it from its mouth and into Rose's direction. The bomb hit dead on Rose's face, sending the Skuntank into the dirt. The Mud Bomb assault continued on for quite sometime, leaving Rose immobile because of the stickiness of the mud.
Diamond clenched his fist, "Rose, use Night Slash to get out of the mud. Then use it back on Gastrodon!"
Rose's claws came out of fur and immediately pierced through the now hardening mud. Now more nimble, she dashed towards Gastrodon and slashed at the Seas Slug Pokemon's slimy exterior. The slashes created a few cuts and bruised, causing Gastrodon to stumble and slide back a bit.
"Finish it! Crunch!" Diamond commanded.
With a rabid look in her eye, Rose snarled and viciously bit Gastrodon's sides, brutally owning the Pokemon until it was defeated.
And as Riley returned Gastrodon, Diamond noticed that Rose was equally low on health after being assaulted by the Mud Bombs. Rose looked back to Diamond and nodded. Diamond nodded back, "Understood."
Riley smiled and said, "Well, you've got me down to my last two. Let the real battling begin, I suppose." He took out his final Pokeball on his key chain and tossed it forward, releasing his starter Pokemon, Infernape.
Diamond acknowledged Infernape and then looked to Rose, "Explode!"
"What?" Riley said quickly.
Rose turned her body around as she pointed her buttocks in Infernape's directions. In a matter of seconds an explosion of toxic gases filled the air, damaging Infernape's health. Diamond and Riley each stepped back a few feet to avoid the aftermath of the explosion. Afterwards, Rose fell to the ground, unconscious.
"Thanks, Rose." Diamond nodded before releasing Trident, his Empoleon.
Trident stared down Infernape as Riley said, "Hm, interesting starter selection. You just so happened to pick the Pokemon that Infernape is weak against. But you forget that Fighting-type Pokemon are strong against Steel-type Pokemon, so this should be an evenly matched battle."
Diamond nodded, "True. But I did not pick Trident because of a type weakness. I picked him because I liked him. We had instant chemistry."
"I see," Riley nodded, "well, let's see if that chemistry leads you to victory. Close Combat!"
"Drill Peck!"
Infernape ran at Trident, punching its fists and kicking its feet at the Empoleon. In return, Trident began pecking its large beak at Infernape's body. For ages, it seemed, Infernape continued to punch its hairy fists and kick its human-like feet at Trident, but the Empoleon, in return, continued pecking at it.
Diamond watched, somewhat in awe at the beauty of the two Pokemon in intense battle. This is what Diamond had dreamed of: battling his father and actually putting up a decent fight. He had the confidence and slight arrogance that he could beat his father. It was just only a matter of time and patience.
"Aqua Jet!" Diamond shouted once Trident stepped away from Infernape.
"Flare Blitz!" Riley thrusted his hand forward, ordering a counter attack.
Trident opened his beak, releasing water vapor which shrouded his entire body in an aquatic sphere. A few feet away, Infernape pumped both of its fists and wailed to the heavens as the Monkey Pokemon's entire body was engulfed in red-orange flames. The two Pokemon dashed at one another before ricocheting off each other, giving off a slight steam as the flames and water came in contact with one another. The two Pokemon seemed to be evenly matched.
"You've trained your Empoleon well, son. I'm proud of you." Riley nodded, "But I must end this now. Blaze Kick!"
"Not so fast!" Diamond smirked, "Brine!"
Trident's Aqua Jet attack was now focused mainly in its metallic grasp. The Empoleon was able to summon up enough hydrogen, oxygen, and sodium together to form a sphere of Brine water. Infernape stared on in disbelief before realizing what was bound to happen. Trident smirked and shoved the attack in Infernape's direction.
The Brine attack fired at Infernape, producing a long beam of streaming water. The liquid gushed straight at Infernape's chest, ramming it into the wall where it continued to be punished by the raging waters produced by Trident's Brine attack.
Sensing defeat, Riley quickly recalled Infernape and said, "I'm down to my last Pokemon. I'm sure you know who it is, so I shall waste no time in my introduction." He stared at the ground.
Diamond nodded and muttered something under his breath while looking forward at Trident. Of course, the Empoleon was tired, but it had enough energy to possibly weaken Riley's next and final Pokemon. The question was: Would Trident be quick enough to land an attack on Riley's final Pokemon?
"Rise!" Riley shouted as the ground below them began to shake in an unstable fashion.
Bits of rock layer shot into the layer as an unidentified figure sprouted from the ground. Eventually, the figure landed after being airborne for about ten seconds and revealed itself. Now, the Pokemon was recognizable as Riley's first Pokemon, Lucario, once a babysitter of Diamond's.
Diamond chewed on his bottom lip before relaxing it, "Lu-Lucario." He gulped before clenching his fists, "Trident, we can take him."
"Sure," Riley said sarcastically, "keep believing that and it will be your downfall. You know it would take your entire lineup of Pokemon to even lay a scratch on my Lucario. What makes you think a half healthy Empoleon and your last remaining Pokemon have a chance against Lucario?"
Diamond furrowed his brows, "Because, we have trained hard since the day I set out. I have done my best as a trainer and will continue to do my best to bring the best out of my Pokemon. Enough of the talk, let's finish this! Brine!"
"Aura Sphere!"
Each Pokemon cupped its hands together. Trident was producing another aquatic sphere as Lucario produced a sphere of aura energy. Finally, they each shot off their attack in unison. When the attacks met one another, the impact caused a slight explosion in the cave, causing rumbling. The ground below the battlefield collapsed sending Diamond, Riley, Trident, and Lucario falling onto a lower floor.
(Next: Chapter 47: VS. Lucario III)
After taking a day off to spend time with his Pokemon, Diamond boarded the ship to Iron Island. The bridge in the center of town lifted up, allowing the large boat to drift to the North and deep into the sea.
Diamond sat in his dorm on his bed, semi-praying as he rested his face in his two palms. Part of him was wishing that his father was there and another part of him was hoping that he would get an explanation for his father's absences. Standing up now, Diamond walked over to the window and stared out of it, thinking about what Dawn and Pearl were up to.
...
...
"Kano, Lava Plume!" Pearl shouted.
Inside the Canalave City Gym, Pearl was battling Byron. He was in town not only for the Gym Battle, but he was also invited to the Pokemon National Conference, as an associate of Professor Rowan, along with Dawn.
Pearl's newly evolved Magmortar, Kano, was currently having a major upper hand against Byron's Bastiodon. Kano lifted his arm and shot a molten meteor at Bastiodon's face and knocked it out upon impact. Byron immediately returned his prized Pokemon and handed Pearl his badge.
"Good work, kid. Now, I've got to get to the library." Byron said quickly heading for the exit.
"Me too! I'm going to be part of an important national conference meeting or something. I'm with Professor Elm! All the Gym Leaders are going to be there? Sweet! I get to check out Gardenia!" Pearl rubbed his palms together, licking his lips.
"Unfortunately, kid, she's too old for you. Besides, she's dating my son." Byron snarled at Pearl as the blonde boy immediately closed his mouth and followed the Gym Leader out the door.
...
...
Meanwhile at the Canalave Library...
Dawn was sitting at the long table upstairs in the library. She was conveniently positioned next to the Professor. Her eyes began to wander to each individual, looking for Pearl or even Diamond. Dawn's eyes then glanced at Rowan, "Professor, should I contact Pearl to see if he is coming? And what about Diamond?"
Rowan stroked his chin, "Pearl is on his way, I have just been informed by Byron. He just completed his sixth Gym. As for Diamond, he contacted me earlier this morning. He explained to me that he has an issue to take care of and it should not take any longer than a couple of hours."
"He's showing up?" Dawn asked, a bit of perkiness in her voice.
"Possibly. Do not get your hopes up." Rowan looked down at her, smiling a bit.
Dawn smiled to herself as she looked down at the part of the table in front of her. Diamond was finally considering helping them out. She was extremely bliss now. They needed all the help that they could get if they were going to defeat the evil organizations that rot in Sinnoh.
...
...
After a short 45 minute trip to Iron Island, Diamond, along with the other passengers, unboarded the ship and slowly walked onto the land. Iron Island was not that big of an island, however, the caves were everlasting and a person could easily get lost.
Diamond jammed his fists into his pockets as he overheard the tour guide speak, "We are about to explore the inside of Iron Island. Be careful as there are wild Pokemon, however, they are harmless... most of the time. We advise you not to leave from the pack nor escapade into the abandoned caves. Alright, let's move."
The group of about thirty tourists moved into the caves with Diamond trailing right behind them. He didn't want to stay to close because he knew that the tour guide would most likely see him. If he hung back abit, he would be able to go into the abandoned caves where he knew his father would be.
"And if you look to your left and right, you will notice that these caves are conveniently lit with torches. These flames are provided by Ponyta and Rapidash native to Sinnoh! Now, we will venture deeper into the caves where the precious iron lay!"
Diamond continued to slow his pace as the tour group disappeared from sight. He grabbed one of the torches off the wall and made a detour into an abandoned cave. Though it was marked off with chains, Diamond pressed on. Feeling the need for protection, he released Pilot, knowing that the Yanma could spot any sudden movements around him in the darkness.
"Come on," Diamond whispered, "where the hell are you, dad?"
After several minutes of exploration. Diamond grew tired and almost worn out. He had climbed so many hills, walls, and other formations, that it had worn him out. He sat on the ground and wiped his sweaty forehead as Pilot rested beside him.
He placed his hand on Pilot's head, "Pilot, we've got to keep looking."
"Hm, we're not taking a break are we?" said a voice from the right side of Diamond.
Diamond instantly hopped up and was on guard. From the shadows, came the body of his father. A smile was on Riley's face as he gazed at his son.
"My, have you grown, son." Riley smiled. He was dressed in his casual blue suit with a black dress shirt and blue tie. On his head was a blue hat.
"Father. Why? Why did you leave Mom and I? Do you know how long we've been wanting you to come home? Ever since you left out the door, that's how long! Years! Years!" Diamond shouted, clenching his fists.
"Heh," Riley smiled, taking out a key chain containing four Pokeballs, "Son, I'm afraid if you want answers from me, we'll have to settle it like men. Well, no let me rephrase that." He stepped back a bit as one of the Pokeballs enlarged, "Like opponents, rather. You see, you've grown before my very eyes and now is the time that you unleash your potential rather than leaving it bottled up inside. I've taught you long enough. I think it's time to see if the pupil has surpassed the master. And if you haven't surpassed me at this age, I can guarantee you will not defeat your greatest enemy. It is just that simple, Diamond. Now, are you prepared to battle me? Or are you going to break down in cry like the boy I knew years ago?"
Diamond gulped as Riley uttered that last question. Sure enough, Diamond was once a cry baby. But he was beyond that now. He was maturing into a fine young man. And like his father said, in order to find out if he had truly progressed as a trainer, he would have to defeat his father, "Agreed, father. I challenge you."
"I accept. However, there will be no switching out. We must trust the strength of our current Pokemon." Riley smirked as he popped the Pokeball off the chain and tossed it forward, "Tangrowth, unleash!"
The Pokeball burst open, releasing the caveman-looking, Grass-type Pokemon. Diamond looked up at Pilot and nodded as the Yanma flew forward and face Tangrowth.
It was now time for the pupil to face the master.
-----
"Wing Attack!" Diamond shouted
"Slam!" Riley countered.
Pilot fluttered his wings quickly before zipping towards Tangrowth at an amazing velocity. Immediately, the Yanma twisted its body avoiding Tangrowth, before whipping around and smacking the back of the Grass-type Pokemon with its right wing. Tangrowth roared out in pain, but retaliated by smacking Pilot across the face with its left hand. Flying back now, Pilot instinctively used Hypnosis in the knick of time, putting Tangrowth to sleep.
"Oh!" Riley smiled, "I see your Pokemon can use attacks on their own as well. And you trust them enough to make their own decisions?"
"Duh," Diamond said bluntly, "Then again, you can't trust everybody can you?" He glared at his father, "Pilot, Air Slash!"
Pilot back flipped in the air before gliding towards Tangrowth again. As he flew, Pilot sent a sharp waved of air in the sleeping Tangrowth's direction, slashing it across the body several times before knocking it out. Diamond had successfully beaten Riley's first Pokemon with relative ease.
Riley applauded him, "Good show. That Yanma is a tough little guy. But, let's see if it can handle a tank!" He popped the second Pokeball off the key chain and out came a giant Probopass.
The Rock/Steel-type Pokemon stomped onto the ground and remained solid there as it slowly opened its determined eyes. Pilot was unmoved as it awaited a command.
However, Riley was quick to the call, "Lock-On!"
"Pilot, Hypnosis!"
Pilot sent another hypnotic wave at Probopass, however it was unsuccessful at putting the Compass Pokemon to sleep. Meanwhile, Probopass's eyes were locked onto Pilot's body. Diamond was prepared to make another command, but, again, Riley beat him to the punch.
"And fire a Zap Cannon at the pest!"
Diamond grinned, "Hah! Do you know how hard it is to accurately fire a--" Then, he just realized that his father had called out a Lock-On attack earlier, "Oh hell."
A large sphere of voltage emerged in front of Probopass's nose. It inhaled deeply and then exhaled violently as the Zap Cannon fire towards Pilot. The Yanma had no means of escape and was shocked severely. Sparks flew everywhere, causing Diamond to cover his eyes and protect himself. When he uncovered his eyes, he layed his orbs upon a petrified Pilot. Quickly, he returned his Yanma.
"Hm, well that was a sweep." Riley folded his arms, "Let's go kid."
"Hm, with those electrical attacks, I think it's best if I used Dexter." Diamond thought to himself as he released the tiny Pachirisu.
Riley nodded, "Excellent decision."
"You're not laughing. Why?" Diamond asked, curiously. Normally, trainers would laugh at the site of Dex. True, the Pachirisu was strong. However, up against a Probopass would be qualified as a questionable decision.
"Because, you never underestimate the power of your opponents. Big things certainly come in small packages. Now, back to the battle. Probopass! Rock Slide!"
As Probopass groaned, several rocks began falling from the ceiling. Dex quickly began to bob and weave through the raining pattern of rocks, but was hit every-so-often. Finally, Diamond was ready to counter.
"Sweet Kiss!" Diamond said, almost in a bit of a murmur.
Dex continued to dodge several falling stalagmites and gently kissed Probopass on the cheek. The Compass Pokemon immediately began to catch confusion, causing even more rocks to fall to the ground. Happy, Dex began to cheer for himself, accomplishing the move. However, the celebration was cut short when a giant boulder landed on top of Dex, dangerously hurting the Pachirisu. Diamond quickly recalled Dex and cursed at himself.
"Looks like I'm in the lead, son. Who's next?" Riley smirked as Probopass ceased the Rock Slide.
Diamond removed the third Pokeball from his pocket and lobbed it forward, unleashing Rose, his Skuntank.
Shaking his head, Diamond said, "It isn't over. Rose, maneuver into Flamethrower!"
"Stone Edge!"
Rose leaped up into the air and forcefully used Flamethrower down onto Probopass's head. Wincing, Probopass sharpened its nose but was unable to locate Rose due to being pounded by the Flamethrower.
Diamond pumped his fist, "Alright Rose, Smokescreen into Flamethrower!"
Coming from her buttocks, Rose released a rancid Smokescreen onto the area. All the while, she kept up the Flamethrower assault for another few seconds before collapsing to the ground on all fours. She panted heavily but was no where near tired. The top of Probopass's head was partially burnt now.
Riley winced and said, "That's a nasty Flamethrower your Skuntank's got there. Hm....I think we'll..."
"Quick!" Diamond shouted, knowing that Riley was about to tell Probopass to use Rest, "Flamethrower!"
Rose sprinted forward, firing another beam of flames at Probopass's nose now, weakening the Stone Edge. Eventually, Probopass toppled over on its back and was unable to sit up successfully. Riley slowly returned Probopass and nodded at Diamond.
"Heh, you got me. Okay, okay. Gastrodon, unleash!"
Riley's third Pokemon, Gastrodon, came into play now. It was of the western Sinnoh species, likewise.
Diamond smirked and said, "Heh...If you think you're going to beat me with an Earthquake, you've got another thing coming."
"We'll see," Riley nodded, "Mud Bomb!"
Gastrodon summoned up a pile of mud from its guts and hurled it from its mouth and into Rose's direction. The bomb hit dead on Rose's face, sending the Skuntank into the dirt. The Mud Bomb assault continued on for quite sometime, leaving Rose immobile because of the stickiness of the mud.
Diamond clenched his fist, "Rose, use Night Slash to get out of the mud. Then use it back on Gastrodon!"
Rose's claws came out of fur and immediately pierced through the now hardening mud. Now more nimble, she dashed towards Gastrodon and slashed at the Seas Slug Pokemon's slimy exterior. The slashes created a few cuts and bruised, causing Gastrodon to stumble and slide back a bit.
"Finish it! Crunch!" Diamond commanded.
With a rabid look in her eye, Rose snarled and viciously bit Gastrodon's sides, brutally owning the Pokemon until it was defeated.
And as Riley returned Gastrodon, Diamond noticed that Rose was equally low on health after being assaulted by the Mud Bombs. Rose looked back to Diamond and nodded. Diamond nodded back, "Understood."
Riley smiled and said, "Well, you've got me down to my last two. Let the real battling begin, I suppose." He took out his final Pokeball on his key chain and tossed it forward, releasing his starter Pokemon, Infernape.
Diamond acknowledged Infernape and then looked to Rose, "Explode!"
"What?" Riley said quickly.
Rose turned her body around as she pointed her buttocks in Infernape's directions. In a matter of seconds an explosion of toxic gases filled the air, damaging Infernape's health. Diamond and Riley each stepped back a few feet to avoid the aftermath of the explosion. Afterwards, Rose fell to the ground, unconscious.
"Thanks, Rose." Diamond nodded before releasing Trident, his Empoleon.
Trident stared down Infernape as Riley said, "Hm, interesting starter selection. You just so happened to pick the Pokemon that Infernape is weak against. But you forget that Fighting-type Pokemon are strong against Steel-type Pokemon, so this should be an evenly matched battle."
Diamond nodded, "True. But I did not pick Trident because of a type weakness. I picked him because I liked him. We had instant chemistry."
"I see," Riley nodded, "well, let's see if that chemistry leads you to victory. Close Combat!"
"Drill Peck!"
Infernape ran at Trident, punching its fists and kicking its feet at the Empoleon. In return, Trident began pecking its large beak at Infernape's body. For ages, it seemed, Infernape continued to punch its hairy fists and kick its human-like feet at Trident, but the Empoleon, in return, continued pecking at it.
Diamond watched, somewhat in awe at the beauty of the two Pokemon in intense battle. This is what Diamond had dreamed of: battling his father and actually putting up a decent fight. He had the confidence and slight arrogance that he could beat his father. It was just only a matter of time and patience.
"Aqua Jet!" Diamond shouted once Trident stepped away from Infernape.
"Flare Blitz!" Riley thrusted his hand forward, ordering a counter attack.
Trident opened his beak, releasing water vapor which shrouded his entire body in an aquatic sphere. A few feet away, Infernape pumped both of its fists and wailed to the heavens as the Monkey Pokemon's entire body was engulfed in red-orange flames. The two Pokemon dashed at one another before ricocheting off each other, giving off a slight steam as the flames and water came in contact with one another. The two Pokemon seemed to be evenly matched.
"You've trained your Empoleon well, son. I'm proud of you." Riley nodded, "But I must end this now. Blaze Kick!"
"Not so fast!" Diamond smirked, "Brine!"
Trident's Aqua Jet attack was now focused mainly in its metallic grasp. The Empoleon was able to summon up enough hydrogen, oxygen, and sodium together to form a sphere of Brine water. Infernape stared on in disbelief before realizing what was bound to happen. Trident smirked and shoved the attack in Infernape's direction.
The Brine attack fired at Infernape, producing a long beam of streaming water. The liquid gushed straight at Infernape's chest, ramming it into the wall where it continued to be punished by the raging waters produced by Trident's Brine attack.
Sensing defeat, Riley quickly recalled Infernape and said, "I'm down to my last Pokemon. I'm sure you know who it is, so I shall waste no time in my introduction." He stared at the ground.
Diamond nodded and muttered something under his breath while looking forward at Trident. Of course, the Empoleon was tired, but it had enough energy to possibly weaken Riley's next and final Pokemon. The question was: Would Trident be quick enough to land an attack on Riley's final Pokemon?
"Rise!" Riley shouted as the ground below them began to shake in an unstable fashion.
Bits of rock layer shot into the layer as an unidentified figure sprouted from the ground. Eventually, the figure landed after being airborne for about ten seconds and revealed itself. Now, the Pokemon was recognizable as Riley's first Pokemon, Lucario, once a babysitter of Diamond's.
Diamond chewed on his bottom lip before relaxing it, "Lu-Lucario." He gulped before clenching his fists, "Trident, we can take him."
"Sure," Riley said sarcastically, "keep believing that and it will be your downfall. You know it would take your entire lineup of Pokemon to even lay a scratch on my Lucario. What makes you think a half healthy Empoleon and your last remaining Pokemon have a chance against Lucario?"
Diamond furrowed his brows, "Because, we have trained hard since the day I set out. I have done my best as a trainer and will continue to do my best to bring the best out of my Pokemon. Enough of the talk, let's finish this! Brine!"
"Aura Sphere!"
Each Pokemon cupped its hands together. Trident was producing another aquatic sphere as Lucario produced a sphere of aura energy. Finally, they each shot off their attack in unison. When the attacks met one another, the impact caused a slight explosion in the cave, causing rumbling. The ground below the battlefield collapsed sending Diamond, Riley, Trident, and Lucario falling onto a lower floor.
(Next: Chapter 47: VS. Lucario III)