Sinnoh Journey

Chapter 87 - Bring on the Champion

Finally, it was time for Kyra to face Cynthia in a full six on six battle. She knew that Cynthia wouldn't be holding anything back, even back in Eterna City she hadn't held back. If Kyra wanted to win, she would have to work out how to use her strategy to outsmart Cynthia's. A near impossible feat.

The rest of the Elite Four, and Nate and Willow were waiting in Cynthia's battle chamber. Out of the three, Cynthia knew that if anyone would get through her League, it would be Kyra. But her winning streak would stop here if Cynthia had her way. Yes, she admired Kyra as a trainer, but that was no reason to let up against her. Nothing would get her to back down besides a pokémon getting injured.

Lucian went to the sidelines to join the others watching the battle, leaving Kyra and Cynthia facing one another on the battle field, their partners standing beside them.

"Welcome Kyra, you did well to make it this far. This will be a full six on six battle with no substitutions. Does that work for you?" Cynthia asked after welcoming Kyra to her battle chamber.

Kyra agreed to the terms, yes it was risky battling with no substitutions, but that was what Kyra liked. If she could substitute whenever she wanted, that would make things too easy, she wanted the challenge Cynthia was known for.

"Perfect, just what I hoped you'd say. I'll let my pokémon out first, that way you can have a slight advantage, needless to say, you're going to need it. Spiritomb, let's go," Cynthia replied, sending out her first pokémon.

Spiritomb. Kyra had never seen nor heard of it before. None of the wild pokémon she had encountered, nor any of the trainers she had encountered had had one.

"Spiritomb, the Forbidden Pokémon, a Ghost and Dark Type. The 108 spirits that make up this pokémon and cause it to become hostile towards anything it sees as an opponent. Until recently, it appeared that this pokémon had no weakness."

Kyra knew she was in for a difficult fight right off the bat. That one weakness Spiritomb had was a Type she had nothing for. The Fairy Type. There were only two, well three, Fairy Types that could be found in Sinnoh: Gardevoir, Togekiss, and Sylveon if a trainer brought it in from another Region. Willow was the only one of the trio who had an easy answer to Spiritomb. But Kyra couldn't dwell on that, she had to focus and work out who was the best pokémon to send in.

There was only one pokémon Kyra could rely on, she knew roughly who else was on Cynthia's team and who would be the least useful member to use later on. Gliscor. Kyra felt it wrong to send Gliscor in simply because she wouldn't stand much chance against the rest of Cynthia's team, but it was a play she had to make to gauge how Cynthia battled.

Gliscor was ready to battle, she knew that Kyra would be battling with everything she had. Whatever Kyra made a call for, she would follow, that was the only way of ensuring her trainer earned the win she deserved.

"We're not letting Cynthia get off the first move. Gliscor, use Earthquake," Kyra said, making her call to stop Cynthia from taking her move first.

Cynthia knew that Earthquake was a powerful move, especially since Gliscor was part Ground Type. She couldn't let it hit, she had to scope out what else Gliscor knew.

"Don't let that Earthquake hit, use Protect," Cynthia replied, continuing to stay calm.

Spiritomb formed a shield around herself, the shield absorbing Gliscor's Earthquake so she didn't have to. She was cool, calm, and collected. Battles like this, she was very much used to. Cynthia frequently used her as a lead pokémon against any challengers to the League and even when Cynthia went to challenge other Region's Champions.

"Protect?! That's a move I definitely didn't want to see. If Spiritomb knows Protect, she can just wear Gliscor down. There's a chance Protect will fail if Cynthia continues to use it, maybe I can bank on that," Kyra thought, trying to figure out a strategy.