A Bonding Experiment

The Bellsprout was hit pretty hard. It even fell back. It managed to hang on, however, and got back up. The Sage gasped a little, not expecting to see the Cyndaquil fly the way it did. He even thought he heard the Cyndaquil talk, but assumed his mind was playing tricks on him. "Bellsprout, use Wrap!"

The Bellsprout shook the daze from the damage that came from Aerial Ace. Its roots then began to extend toward the Cyndaquil hoping to constrict it.

Alex grinned, feeling her fists clench a bit as Cyndaquil's move struck. She was sure this battle would be over. However, when Bellsprout managed to pull itself back up, she grimaced with a hiss. "Cyndaquil, look out!" she called, but it was too late.

Bellsprout was too quick, his vines lashing out and wrapping the tiny fire shrew. They squeezed him, Cyndaquil squeaking out in pain. It wasn't very strong, but it restricted his movement greatly. "Alex, I can't move!" Cyndaquil called out. He squirmed to no avail, the restraints slowly squeezing the life out of him.

Alex grit her teeth, she hadn't expected such a move. Most of Cyndaquil's arsenal was now cut down! She had to think quickly, then took note of how he was wrapped up. With a smirk, she had her plan in a matter of moments. "Cyndaquil, make your flames hotter! Use Ember!"

If it all worked according to plan, Cyndaquil's flames would burn off the roots and damage Bellsprout as well. Cyndaquil heard, struggling to focus. "Quiiiiil!" he cried out, pushing his energy into the pores of his back. They ignited, burning brighter than ever. He even tried spitting some embers around to burn at several points, knowing the flames couldn't hurt him.

The Bellsprout about freaked when its roots were charred to a crisp. In a hurry, it set Cyndaquil down. The damage was done, however, and the plant Pokémon pretty much dropped the Cyndaquil and collapsed. The Sage stared for a moment, then returned the Bellsprout to its Pokéball. "You win. Congratulations. The other sages are waiting." It was said in a rather rude fashion.


CYNDAQUIL EARNED 7 EXPERIENCE!
CYNDAQUIL GREW TO LEVEL 13! 5 experience left over
CYNDAQUIL LEARNED QUICK ATTACK!

ALEX EARNED 500円 FROM THE BATTLE!

--
The next sage Alex encountered was a lot older. He had wrinkles that made his bald head seem a bit off-putting to some. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I am next in line for battle. I hope you are enjoying your stay thus far." He pulled out an unusual Pokéball. There was a knob on the top. He had to twist the knob. It squeaked as it turned, and the Pokéball opened. Out came yet another Bellsprout.

Male Bellsprout, Lv. 7

Seeing the Bellsprout collapse, Alex grinned triumphantly. This battling stuff was easy! Of course, the foes so far had been quite low in level, and she had the type advantage. She wasn't going to let that bring her down though. She was on fire! Well, technically Cyndaquil was, but still. "Great job, Cyndaquil!" Alex cheered, Cyndaquil squeaking happily as he ran back to her side.

She might have felt guilty about taking money from the Sage, but his attitude toward Alex made her change her mind. She took the money, smiling in glee as she flicked through it. She put it in her billfold, giving a halfhearted salute to the Sage. It was overly casual, and not very respectful.

She made her way up to the next floor, getting sick of stairs really fast. The sages seemed to be getting older as the challenge progressed. This one even had an ancient prototype of a pokéball! Such kinds hadn't been used in well over 50 years, and by the wrinkles on his face it was clear why he had one.

"Alright then, another Bellsprout? No problem!" Alex said with a slight chuckle. "Cyndaquil, you know what to do! Start with Ember!" Alex began the battle again, feeling once again as she had back in school. She was in control, confident, and had the advantage.

"Gotcha!" Cyndaquil responded, as he had been used to. The battles prior had been extremely easy, barely using any of his energy at all. He grinned, jumping into the arena. "Hee, hope you're ready!" Cyndaquil jeered, igniting the flames on his back again. Inhaling deeply, the air around him seemed to crackle with fiery energy. A fire burned in his belly, and Cyndaquil began shooting spitfires at the Bellsprout!

The Bellsprout was hit by the Ember, and it caught fire! Somehow, this Bellsprout was a bit more calm than the others. It still somehow managed to hold on. Unlike the other sages, he was rather impressed. "Ah.. Bellsprout.. I see you didn't get this far from nothing." Though he knew this battle would be lost, he at least wanted to show his Pokémon that he believed in it, and respected the effort. "Bellsprout, use your Vine Whip!" And with that, the Bellsprout extended its vines swiftly to attack the Cyndaquil. Whether it were a hit or miss, however, the Bellsprout fainted straight afterwards. "You did well, Bellsprout. Take a good rest."  He returned the Bellsprout to its Pokéball and looked to Alex. "It's clear that you and your Cyndaquil have bonded well. The next battle will be the final. Be careful, however. He may not seem like it, but he was quite the battler in his time." It may have been a little awkward to acknowledge that the Sage talked as if he were young while talking about the next person.
--
CYNDAQUIL EARNED 7 EXPERIENCE!
ALEX RECEIVED 650円 FROM THIS  BATTLE!
--
Simply looking at the next sage justified the notion. He had wrinkles that practically covered his face. He was probably bald to the point to where no more hair would grow. His eyebrows were quite large and bushy to make up for that, however. "So you've made it this far.. I'm impressed. I suppose you'll want to get to the battling." Once again, the old model of Pokéball was used, twisting the squeaky knob. Out came, yet again, a Bellsprout. They were probably pretty cliché at this point.

FEMALE BELLSPROUT, LV9

Cyndaquil was lashed by the Bellsprout's vines, though it was rather ineffective. As it collapsed, Alex felt almost giddy. It had just been so easy! She would never be caught dead with just one type of Pokémon like that. Especially not one with so many weaknesses! Sure, her Chikorita had weaknesses but he covered them with his natural born move set. That and his stubborn pride of course, though Alex actually considered that his biggest weakness.

Though it was strange how the old man referred to an elder, Alex shrugged it off and thanked him for the winnings. She smiled down to Cyndaquil as they rose to the final level, and approached the elderly man across the way. A couple other sages stood off to his side with leaf fans to assist him, the man himself rising off his cushion where he had been sitting. The two had to assist him up, which was reasonable considering he looked ancient himself!

Alex merely nodded to the old man, who didn't hesitate to send out his Bellsprout. Alex smirked, the entire challenge was practically a farce. Just about any fire or flying Pokémon would be able to handle it with ease! She glanced to her Cyndaquil from the corner of her eye. With a movement from her hand, she aimed it to the field open palmed. "Go Cyndaquil, Aerial Ace!" she commanded, feeling rather empowered.

"Got it!" Cyndaquil said sternly. He got very serious when battling, not wanting to disappoint. He rushed into the battle arena, igniting his flames as he did prior to each battle. With a cry, he began to glow as he leaped into the air. Flying with superior accuracy, Cyndaquil flew in to strike Bellsprout!

The hit landed, and it seemed the Bellsprout was instantly sprawling on the floor. The Aerial Ace was a critical hit! Apparently, the Sage wasn't very surprised. He returned the Bellsprout to its Pokéball.

CYNDAQUIL EARNED 9 EXPERIENCE!
CYNDAQUIL GREW TO LEVEL 14!
8 experience left over


"I could hear your battling from up here. I suspected this would happen." The elderly man took out another Pokéball and twisted it open. Unlike the previous times, this time it was a Hoothoot put into battle. Without any hesitation, the sage commanded. "Use your Hypnosis!" He said.

The Hoothoot's eyes glowed red, and white rings emitted from the small bird Pokémon. It was trying to hypnotise its opponent!

Alex saw the Bellsprout collapse, pride welling up in her. She pumped her fist with an "Alright, Cyndaquil!" However what happened next she hadn't expected. The Sage Elder pulled out a second pokéball! Her confidence wavered for a moment, being caught off guard like that.

When the familiar night owl emerged, she clenched a fist. It wouldn't be so easy to beat this one. "Cyndaquil-" she started, about to command. However, the Sage was quick and did not hesitate this time. Before she could react, Hoothoot's hypnotizing gaze had caught Cyndaquil "No, don't look into its eyes!" she tried calling, but it was too late.

Cyndaquil has already caught in a trance. He wobbled from side to side, as he struggled to remain conscious. With a light thud, he collapsed to the floor, fast asleep! Alex grit her teeth, pulling out Cyndaquil's pokéball. "Cyndaquil, return. Go, Rotom!" Alex called. A beam of energy swallowed up Cyndaquil, returning him to his capsule as Alex swapped it for the third on her belt. Tossing it out, it burst open to reveal her orange and blue ghost.

Buzzing in anticipation, Rotom tried looking around for any electrical outlets in the vicinity. Alex groaned, smacking the base of her palm against her head. "It's not that kind of building, Rotom! No electricity here. Now, go into battle! Attack Hoothoot with Thundershock!" Alex commanded, pointing back to the battle arena.

Rotom droned angrily, his electric tendrils flailing about angrily as he feigned fainting. "Rotom!" Alex growled, the ghost type quickly getting on her nerves. It hovered back up, levitating as it groaned. Looking to Hoothoot, its body began to spark. Forcing its energy forward, the trickster tried arcing the electricity at Hoothoot!

The Hoothoot was apparently proud of itself for landing the attack. It was preparing to be commanded for another attack when the Cyndaquil was recalled. There was a different light from the Hoothoot from the time the Rotom was sent out. It's body practically consisted of electricity. How much more frightening could it be?

The sage stroked his long beard in thought when he saw the way the Rotom was acting. The Rotom was fast with its attacks, however, and he remained focused on the battle. The Hoothoot was screaming from simply the anticipation of being hit by Thundershock. When it made contact, the Hoothoot screeched, and then fell over, utterly defeated.

"Well done, young one. You have successfully made it to the top of Sprout Tower, and defeated all of us sages. Your work will not go unrewarded." The Hoothoot was returned to the old Pokéball, and the sage walked up to Alex, pulling out a white disk. "Here, this is for your efforts. This is the hidden move Flash." He stroked his beard once more. "However, I would also like to give you some advice. Treat your Pokémon equally. Even if your Rotom doesn't grow to you right away, with patience, I believe he could be a valuable companion."

CYNDAQUIL EARNED 5 EXPERIENCE!
CYNDAQUIL GREW TO LV. 15!
1 experience left over

ROTOM EARNED 6 EXPERIENCE!
ROTOM GREW TO LV. 18!
1 experience left over

Alex earned 1250円 from the battle.

Alex was ecstatic upon seeing the Hoothoot fall, her knowledge coming in handy after all. Even though Cyndaquil was currently incapacitated, she had pulled through with Rotom's help. She was about to congratulate the ghost when it went to shock her, burning her forearm. Grumbling, she again returned the troublesome ghost.

Approaching the Elder, she took her winning money and tucked it in her billfold with the rest. It was starting to feel like a wallet worthy of being a trainer now! However, when he handed her the strange diskette, she took it and examined it. It reminded her of a floppy disk in its casing, but she remembered these were used to teach Pokémon new moves. She smiled, thanking the Sage Elder.

"Thanks, and yeah I know Rotom is unruly. I caught him trying to vandalize the Pokémon Center in Cherrygrove City, so I doubt he's gonna warm up to me very quickly," Alex said, trailing and looking to the orbs clasped at her belt. "Well, thank you again! I have to be going now though, Cyndaquil needs a rest," Alex stated, giving a polite nod before taking off down the several flights.

She made her way back to the Pokémon Center, where she procured a room and proceeded to heal her team. As the nurses fed them, she made her way to the shower, cleaning up and getting a fresh change of clothes on. This time she chose an off-white top with noodle straps that crossed in the back. They were adorned with wooden beads, the fabric covered in a brown paisley pattern. It clung around her bust, loose and flowing almost like a short dress. It was hard to tell that she was in fact wearing some khaki shorts underneath it! Changing into her red floral sandals, she put her anklet and choker back on. She rebraided her hair off to the side once more, enjoying the freedom it gave her like that.

She spent the night, Cyndaquil curled up on the bed with her as she slumbered. The next day came, and Alex had a goal set in mind. The Violet City Gym's badge, that was what deemed a trainer worthy or not, right? After a pep talk with Cyndaquil, Alex packed her things and left the Center, headed for the Gym.

She approached the multistoried building, pausing to glance up. The rooftop was where Falkner took his rivals, to give his bird Pokémon full utility of their skills. Taking a breath, Alex exhaled shakily. This would be a determining moment in her journey, one to really tell whether she had progressed since that first awful battle or not. She entered the building, aiming to climb the stairs and challenge the leader, Falkner.

As Alex had expected, Falkner was indeed on the roof of the gym. He was taking care of some of the bird Pokémon that often chose the rooftops as a common resting place. He turned when he heard Alex approaching, along with her cyndaquil. "Hm? Are you a challenger? I'm sorry, but you'll have to prove first that you are ready to battle against me. Have you yet seen Sprout Tower? I'm sure it'll give you the preparation you need to stand a chance."

Though it took a moment, he learned that Alex had already took the time to do so. "I'm sorry about that. Many trainers come by demanding battle. It's sort of my way of teaching them patience. It is those thrill seekers who often give up on training their Pokémon once things get tougher than they expect."

He now stood at the edge of the battle ring. The judge for the gym stood in the centre of the edge, holding two white flags, giving the normal calls. "Either side may use as many Pokémon as they currently carry with them. Only the challenger may substitute their Pokémon! The challenger will have the first move. The battle may now start."

. "Very well, let us begin. Go, Pidgey!" The bird Pokémon was sent out, and Falkner awaited Alex's decision.
MALE PIDGEY LV9

Alex climbed the stairs, groaning about her aching legs. After all the stairs yesterday, they were sore enough without climbing three more flights! However, she soon reached the top, many of the gym trainers leaving her be once they learned she had already defeated the Elder Sage. She opened the rooftop access door, light pouring over her. She squinted as she stepped out onto the flat surface.

The arena itself was a lage circular area, raised edges along the outer of the building to prevent trainers from falling off. It still wouldn't be hard to simply lean too far and take a deadly tumble though. As such, along with a fear of heights, Alex decided to avoid the ledges. She approached Falkner, a few stray bird Pokemon flying off as she did.

Upon explaining how she'd defeated the Sages, she showed Falkner the HM as proof. After that, it seemed to be all go, and she took her place. Standing in a painted box on the far side of the arena, Alex felt her heart pounding in her chest. It was like a lump in her throat as she tried to swallow dryly. She was so anxious, and she couldn't really pinpoint why! Looking down to her partner, she figured her strategy for this match.

"I choose you, Cyndaquil!" she called, pointing into the ring. The fire shrew bounded forward a bit, standing the exact opposite to Pidgey. He stared at his opponent, and could feel the bond had with Falkner. This wasn't going to be a walk in the park like those Bellsprout had been. "Go, start with Ember!" Alex commanded, trying to get the ball rolling.

"You got it, Alex!" Cyndaquil said, determination in his voice. "Quiiiiil!" he cried out, the pores on his back bursting into flame. HE tilted his head back, opening his mouth as he built up the flames. Quickly, he began to shoot spitfires at the bird! The chance was slim, but if they could burn Pidgey the match would be that much easier.

Items
Cyndaquil • Charcoal

The Pidgey made an effort to dodge the Ember, but it simply wasn't fast enough. The odds were in Cyndaquil's favour, for the Pidgey received a burn! The Pidgey flew, hoping the winds would put out the fire, but there was little effect. It was a strong start for Alex and the Cyndaquil. Falkner found himself gritting his teeth. "Pidgey, use Gust!"

The Bird Pokémon flapped its wings with a lot of power. It produced a gale force wind directed at the Cyndaquil.

The gust kicked up debri, striking Cyndaquil with some force. He winced, squinting his eyes against the strong wind. Even Alex had to raise her arms to cover her face. She braced herself, feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Pokemon battles even among relatively low level Pokemon were hardly a joke!

As the wind began to die down, Alex knew it would be difficult to hit Pidgey with contact moves. So, she improvised. "Cyndaquil, use your ExtraSensory attack now!" The girl called, yelling over the winds. She pushed her hand out to point at the Pidgey, glad she had braided her hair today. She could only imagine the tangles after such winds whipping it around.

Rising back up now that the winds weren't beating him down, Cyndaquil looked to gain perspective on the situation. Once he spotted Pidgey flying overhead, Cyndaquil knew just what to do. Tapping into an unseen power, his eyes began to glow gold. A mysterious golden aura then surrounded him. Opening his mouth once more, he shot the power forward at the Rotom. Though the power itself was unseeable, the multicolored circular beam was quite visible, white crescents all around it.

The Extrasensory hit. The Pidgey seemed to falter in its flight, but still managed to stay airborne. Unfortunately, the damage from the burn had also taken a toll. It began to fall from a great height, and Falkner was forced to recall the Pidgey, or risk losing the poor bird from the fall.

The Proctor called out, waving his flags to and fro. "Falkner has recalled his Pidgey. It will thus be considered defeated!"
CYNDAQUIL HAS EARNED 9 EXPERIENCE!

Falkner took out another Pokéball. "Hoothoot! It's your turn!" In a flash, the Pokéball popped open, revealing a small owl Pokémon, Hoothoot.

The announcer pointed one of his flags to Alex's side of the field. "Once again, the challenger will receive the first move!"

MALE HOOTHOOT LV12

Alex felt her heart flutter as the bird fell from the sky. It was really mixed feelings, but she did know logically that many Pokemon enjoyed battling. The bond with their trainers were only strengthened through friendly battle, and so Alex sucked it up. Upon seeing the Hoothoot enter the field, she thought back to the Sage's. She didn't want that to happen again!

"Cyndaquil, don't look into his eyes! Start off with Ember, then Quick Attack!" Alex wasn't playing around anymore. This bird looked tougher than the last, so she didn't want to take too many chances. Eyes firmly placed on the opponent, Alex hoped she would catch any sneaky moves before it was too late. After all, battling wasn't just about a strong Pokemon. Trainer and Pokemon battled together! That much was becoming more apparent to the new trainer.

"Got it!" Cyndaquil called, understanding what Alex was getting at. He began charging toward the foe, opening his mouth as a flurry of flames came from deep within the creature. In a flash, he launched himself through the flames with his quick attack! He hoped to not only strike the bird, but also suck the flames in to it as well. He knew the flames wouldn't hurt him thanks to his special ability, so he was hardly worried about that.

The Hoothoot was caught by surprise, having just come out to the field. It hobbled on its one leg, trying to move out of the way. He would've managed to dodge the Quick Attack, but the flames drew the Hoothoot closer, and the it received the full impact of the Quick Attack, and an added bonus of a splash of flames. The bird was toppled over, but somehow it remained concious.

Falkner himself was also impressed by the display of skill. He took a moment to examine the battle thus far. "Hoothoot! Use your Peck!" The Hoothoot stabilised itself, and used its wings to half-float over to the Cyndaquil, and attempted to attack the fiery Pokémon with its sharp beak.

The Hoothoot wasn't as graceful as most bird Pokemon, and Alex figured she could use that to her advantage. "Cyndaquil, dodge!" Alex called out, swiping her hand for emphasis. Cyndaquil was fortunate, for he hadn't seen the attack coming. He ducked low, sliding to the side just in time to miss getting assaulted by Hoothoot's beak!

"Good, now Aerial Ace!" Alex commanded. Hoothoot had nearly evaded her last attack combo, and she didn't want to run that risk again. She could practically taste that badge now! Cyndaquil was quick to react once more, jumping back to clear a small gap for his move.

Pumping himself up, the fire on his back became hotter and more concentrated. "Quiiiil!" he cried out, his body beginning to glow brightly. With a dash, Cyndaquil took off at the foe. He leaped into the air as before, flying with high speed precision. He darted right for Hoothoot, knowing that the move would connect unless Hoothoot was capable of clearing great heights. Based on its low level, knowing the move Fly was unlikely, and so Cyndaquil felt it was assured.

The Hoothoot was hit by the Aerial Ace, and the mere force drove it into the air. It fell once more, and didn't move. The Hoothoot had fainted.

The Proctor pointed his flags from Falkner's side of the field, to Alex's. "Hoothoot is unable to battle! Cyndaquil has won this round of battle!"

Falkner seemed to curse at himself, but managed to keep his composure. He still had some left to give. "Come out, Pidgey!" Another Pidgey hovered the ground, preparing for battle.

FEMALE PIDGEY LV15

Alex was mildly perturbed as Falkner summoned yet another bird to the field. Sure, Cyndaquil had taken out the last two without too much trouble. But more than just taking damage could weaken a Pokémon. He was beginning to look a bit worn down, growing tired from all the action. She grit her teeth, clicking her tongue against it in a hissing fashion as she thought of what to do.

"How you holding up there?" Alex called out to her partner. The benefit of having a talking Pokémon, there would rarely be miscommunications. Well, there should be less anyway. "You up for one more?" she asked again, calling out to Cyndaquil.

Cyndaquil on the other hand was standing on all fours in the battle field. He stood firmly, trying not to let his knees wobble. His health was fine, having taken only a little damage so far. Even so, facing opponent after opponent was tiring. Still, he wasn't about to let his trainer down! "I'm fine! Give me an order!" Cyndaquil demanded, staring down the new Pidgey opponent. This one was the strongest yet, just about evenly matched with Cyndaquil himself.

Alex sighed softly, knowing he was getting tired. Still, he would never let her live it down if she recalled him now. "Alright, if you say so," she said, shrugging jokingly. Returning to her battle stance, she pointed to the foe. "Go, start with Ember, then Aerial Ace!" the flames had worked well with quick attack, she hoped for more from a flying move.

Crying out, Cyndaquil let his flames burn again. Charging the foe, he zig-zagged across the field as he powered up his Ember. The charcoal he bore had been doing its job so far by helping power up his moves, he only hoped it would keep working. Spewing out the flames, his body began to glow. Immediately, he launched forward to swoop into the air. The flames trailed him like the tail of a comet as he flew toward Pidgey!

The Pidgey was hit by both the Ember and the Aerial Ace. The hit had resulted in a critical! The Pidgey dipped in its flight, yet remained able to battle. The flying Cyndaquil had still taken a lot out of the Pidgey, and her movement was quite shaky.

"Pidgey, use your Tackle!" He called. The Pidgey flew forward, hoping to hit its target with its Tackle.

Cyndaquil struck the foe, landing back on his side of the field. He was panting a bit, exhausted from battling foe after foe. Pidgey swooped in to strike him, Alex calling out to him. "Cyndaquil, look out!" But it was too late. Cyndaquil had slowed a bit, looking up a brief moment before Pidgey collided with him. It sapped his strength down, wavering on a danger line.

He squeaked as he was thrown back, tumbling to Alex's feet. She frowned a bit, knowing he was tired. She didn't want to push him to the extremes he'd experienced before. "Right then, Cyndaquil return," Alex said calmly, using his pokéball to recall him before he could resist. "Go, Rotom!" Alex then unhooked the third ball in her party, expanding it in her palm.

With a flick of her wrist, the ball landed in the arena and burst open. The light melded to form the ever familiar ghost, pokéball returning to its owner's hand. Smirking, Alex knew she had the upper hand now. So long as Rotom listened to her, anyway. Glancing around and noticing the open sky, Rotom buzzed angrily. Its eyes squinted, flailing its tendrils like a child throwing a fit. Spotting the enemy Pidgey, Rotom floated to the ground, again pretending to faint.

Alex grumbled at her stubborn Pokémon, pointing to the enemy. "Alright Rotom, enough playing around! Use thundershock on Pidgey!" She knew by the way Pidgey wavered that Cyndaquil had struck a soft spot. She was sure Rotom could finish this quickly. That is, assuming he listened.

Buzzing defiantly, an almost clear as day whine seeming to say "But whhhyyyyyy?!" came from Rotom. Obviously that wasn't really the words, but the intonation definitely gave that feel. Looking to the Pidgey, Rotom sucked it up as it charged up its attack. Crackling with static energy, it attempted to shoot the bolt forth to strike down the bird!

The Pidgey was hit by the electrical charge. For a moment, the Pidgey remained airborne, but, like the last, it began to plummet, and Falkner had to call back the Pokémon before anything happened.

"The Gym Leader has recalled his pidgey. Victory goes to Rotom!"
CYNDAQUIL EARNED 7 EXPERIENCE!
CYNDAQUIL GREW TO LEVEL 17!
1 experience left over

ROTOM EARNED 8 EXPERIENCE!

Falkner took out another Pokéball, but did not release the Pokémon right away. He could see the outcome already, but still held on. "I'm depending on you! Pidgeotto, take the field!" The Pidgeotto was sent out, and once again, they were required to wait for the challanger to move first.

MALE PIDGEOTTO LV 18

Alex saw Falkner pull out his last pokéball, swallowing hard. All of his Pokémon thus far had been steadily increasing in level, and this one was surely to be the biggest challenge yet! The ball burst open, a much larger bird taking the field. The evolved form of Pidgey, it was Pidgeotto! Even so, Alex clenched her hands into fists. She still had the advantage here with Rotom's typing.

"So it's come down to this, eh?" Alex asked, a bead of sweat forming at her brow. Between the sun beating down, and the heat of battle, it was shocking she hadn't broken a sweat sooner. She swiped her hand to the side, ready to let the battle commence. "Rotom, start with Double Team!" Alex ordered. She felt she would need a little more strategy than the brute force she had been using up until now.

Rotom's body began to hum as it sped up. Moving quickly from side to side, it seemed to make several copies of itself appear, raising its evasion. "Now, Charge!" Alex called out quickly, Rotom being compliant for once. It began to draw in little orbs of energy, the blue aura around itself and its copies increasing in density. Its entire body was crackling with energy. Its special defense was raised, as well as increasing the power of its next electric attack!

"Hmm?" Falkner watched the Rotom closely. Somehow, this girl seemed to change in battle tactics. He would have to be careful, he thought to himself. The fact that Rotom used Charge implied that there would be a pretty strong electric attack coming. He pointed ahead at the Rotom. "Pidgeotto! Use your Gust attack!" The Pidgeotto brought itself higher above the ground, and flapped its wings mightily, sending a great gust of wind toward the Rotom. Falkner hoped the right one would be hit.