Pokémon XYZ: Life, Death, Order, and Chaos (book 2 of the HBoD series)

Chapter 67: Rival's End

"Now then, begin the battle!"

"Chandelure," Clara thrust out her hand. "Will-O-Wisp!"

"Shadow Sneak!" I called out to my Mimikyu. "Don't let her hit you!"

Mimi dove into a puddle of shadows, snaking across the ground. She moved behind Chandelure, keeping herself in her opponent's blind spot.

"Now Shadow Ball!" I yelled.

Mimi leaped from the shadows, launching a Shadow Ball from her claw. It smashed into Chandelure from behind, making the Ghost type whirl around, only to see Mimi disappear again into the shadows.

"You're both Ghosts," Clara narrowed her eyes. "Sense for her!"

Chandelure began spinning rapidly, her ghostly aura spreading out around her. 

"No time like the present!" I closed my fist. "Shadow Claw!"

"There! Shadow Ball!" Clara yelled and Chandelure spun around, blasting Mimi with the Ghost type attack. She crashed into a tree, the leaves falling around her. However, despite the head of her costume having gone limp, she looked unhurt.

Suddenly, I had an idea. "Into the trees!"

Mimi disappeared in a flash, hiding among the leaves.

"Burn it all down!" Clara shouted. "Inferno!"

A raging column of fire erupted around Chandelure, burning the trees and bushes. Mimi leaped from one tree to another, trying to avoid the fire while also staying out of sight.

"Blind her!" I commanded. "Dazzling Gleam!"

Mimi leaped from a burning branch above Chandelure, the light blasting Chandelure. "Follow up with Shadow Claw!" I yelled and huge claws raked against the Ghost/Fire type, flinging her away.

"Use that momentum and use Fire Spin!" Clara ordered and Chandelure spun even faster, flames shooting towards Mimi and circling around her. Chandelure slammed into a tree as Mimi flinched at the flames causing her damage.

The heat was beginning to become unbearable now, the flames roaring higher around the two Pokemon. Even I took a step back from the heat, watching as Mimi suffered within the blaze. 

"Alright, enough," I held out her Pokeball. "Mimi, return!"

"And Zeno is the first to recall his Pokemon! A good choice for the moment as the fire intensifies!"

"What, can't take the heat?" Clara taunted.

"Not quite," I smirked, sending out Arcanine among the flames. "Arcanine, Flame Wheel!"

Arcanine howled, running forwards before curling into a wheel of fire. He zoomed through the flames, gaining speed and power. 

"Take the hit!" Clara commanded and Chandelure took the Flame Wheel head on, bearing the explosion of fire that resulted. When the smoke had cleared, Chandelure's blue flames rose higher than before as Arcanine took a couple steps away.

"Uh-oh! It looks like this Chandelure has the Flash Fire ability! Now she's even stronger than before!"

"Inferno!" Clara roared and the column of fire blasted into existence around Arcanine. He roared in pain as the fire grew stronger.

"Extreme Speed!" I shouted quickly. "Straight through!"

Arcanine blasted forwards, his body phasing through Chandelure's own body.

"Now Crunch!" I ordered and Arcanine twisted his body around, clamping his jaws around the Ghost type.

"Fire Spin to shake him off!" Clara commanded.