In the world of Pokemon, everyone at some point gets asked the question...
Are you going to become a Pokemon trainer?
Pokemon battling dominates the world. It's how champions are decided, how disagreements are settled, how regions are conquered.
But...
"I've never seen that Pokémon before," I study the Pokémon in front of Gladion. I bring out my Pokedex but it says "unidentified". "What?"
"Type: Null," Gladion says.
The Pokémon looks like a combination of twenty other ones. It has an axe blade on top of its head, a wooden helmet covering its face, a sleek black body, sharp claws, and a fin for a tail. I think it's an experiment gone wrong.
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We're in one of the hollowed out roots that was turned into a battlefield. It's pretty dark but there's enough lights on the roof to make it usable.
I notice Dawn and Serena practicing contest moves off to the side. What were the chances they would meet up and I'd meet Gladion at the same time?
Now Serena has a new rival and so do I.
"Pikachu be careful," I warn him. "Who knows what's coming."
He looks back and nods. "Thunderbolt!"
Pikachu charges up his cheeks and fires the electricity.
"Dodge and use aerial ace."
Type: Null jumps to the side and the bolt causes smoke to fly up beside it. Then he runs at Pikavhu while its big blade glows brightly.
"Iron tail!"
Pikachu jumps up and flips, his tail becoming a sheet of metal. He meets Type: Null in midair, neither of them able to overpower the other.
The clash pushes them back after a few seconds.
Gladion and I have very different styles. I prefer to attack first and get my opponents on their toes, but he wants that to happen to him.
So I will learn the ability of patience.
Gladion crosses his arms, staring at me.
I'm not good at patience.
"Quick attack Pikachu!"
"Double hit."
Pikachu becomes a yellow blur but it doesn't faze our opponent one bit.
Type: Null spins around to block Pikachu with its tail before coming around a second time with its head. Pikachu takes the blade to the chest and gets hit into the wall.
"Thunderbolt!" I know Pikachu isn't as hurt as he's acting.
Wasting no time to charge up again, Pikachu strikes Type: Null with the attack. It collapses as a few sparks last on its body, paralysis.
"Finish off with iron tail!" I pump my fist.
Pikachu does his usual flipping routine but then Type: Null gets up.
"Facade!" Gladion yells.
I don't know much about this attack other than if the user has a status condition...
