Pokémon Obsidian | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 45: Duel Square

Ilirian's friends were baffled. Raidne was already gone from the police station. It was no exciting information that Brynlee was there to back GoD up. Aiko grimaced.

'Is that all...?'

'No. That was just proof that guy was GoD. We know who he's impersonating at GOSS. And we know he doesn't 100% understand this time travel shit, because he's still raiding books on it. That means we have time before he acts. It also means we know what books he's looking at, because it's easy to hack the machine.'

'If that's really true, Liri, you have to tell the International Police.'

'I don't have Zileh's number.'

'I'll call her...'

Zileh and Orvil were knee-deep in papers at the Nascott City PD offices. His voice crackled over Scarlet's radio. She was in Duel Square.

'On it! Over.'

A small crowd gathered. Scarlet couldn't get away yet. Her interviews with Horace were unsuccessful. She hoped that if she defeated him, he would be willing to speak. It was usually difficult to pass through Duel Square without being aggressively challenged to a battle, but as battling fans eagerly awaited the match between Pyrite's 'gatekeeper' and a World Championships competitor, people slid by as if they were invisible. Doby, the Bodybuilder who complained about Horace, excitedly nominated himself as referee.

'You better talk once I beat you down, kid.'

'I still think you should get lost... for the good of your health. Hehehe.'

Horace's face was heavily bandaged. His injuries forced him to speak with a lisp. He threw two Dusk Balls. Shiftry and Banette leapt out. Scarlet didn't tell her opponent, but she was, of course, also studying his battle style to compare it to GoD. He certainly held himself like GoD...

'Well, you wanna see what real destruction looks like? Here it is in Pokémon form! My boys, Golisopod and Incineroar!'

Golisopod immediately whacked Shiftry with First Impression. It survived a one-hit KO only with the Focus Sash tied to its leg. Then it exploded. Onlookers were hurled off their feet into the square's grimy walls. Incineroar stumbled. It fainted as it fell face-down on the warm ground. Golisopod weathered the blast, but its Emergency Exit Ability sent it back to its Ultra Ball.

'Damn,' Dert commented, 'That escalated quickly.'

Scarlet should have seen it coming. She knew that when she saw Seth's Camerupt paired with Banette, Camerupt planned to use Explosion. Zileh used the same strategy.

Argh... I'm not at the top of my game here. Scarlet, what is wrong with you?!

She threw a Beast Ball. The ground rocked as heavy Guzzlord landed. Onlookers scattered to avoid the 18'01" Ultra Beast's angry pincers. Bisharp joined it. Horace sent out Houndoom. Flamethrower immediately scorched Bisharp. Puddles of melting steel slopped to its feet. It slashed through Banette's ghostly form with Knock Off. Though it was ineffective, Banette's own Knock Off took weakened Bisharp down.

What if I fuck this entire investigation by getting beat down by this guy?!

Guzzlord's flailing pincer struck Houndoom brutally down. Drain Punch sapped its health. It scrambled, snarling, back to its feet. Scarlet sent out Hawlucha. It leapt and hurtled down at Houndoom. Bones cracked as High Jump Kick slammed its opponent to the floor. Houndoom fainted. Banette disappeared from sight. Guzzlord's Knock Off missed. Horace sent out Espeon. Scarlet switched Guzzlord out for Golisopod.

Hawlucha used Swords Dance to heighten its attacking power. Scarlet was sure that was safe, because Espeon would use Dazzling Gleam... but Horace must have predicted the switch. Espeon attacked Hawlucha. Its colourful feathers warped as it was struck down by Psychic. Banette reappeared. It crashed into Hawlucha with Phantom Force. Hawlucha fainted.