Finding Red

23

Crystal's new Eevee squeaked as she shifted her stance and tried to cover her ears. Whitney's laughter was just too much, and the loud booming of that Milktank rollout attack hurt her ears. Nuria let out a yelp, having taken massive damage from the last hit she took. That woman's Pokémon seemed to resonate an aura of smugness and battle authority as it sit on its side of the battlefield, getting ready to launch off again.

"Dodge with me," Crystal cried, her feet moving right.

She hissed at the pain that shot through her as she touched one leg to the other. Burns from training with Nuria snaked up her legs. Dodging had not been one of Crystal's best skills. But, just as Red said, she would need to learn how to do it. The Milktank sputtered to the side of the field as Crystal and Nuria jumped away with exact timing. Even with Ethan's burn salve she still hurt.

Clenching her teeth she gazed at Red. "Ow..."

"You should've been better at dodging," he said with a shrug. "Not my fault that you suck at training."

She glared at him and chose not to say anything. "Ember, Nuria! Hit her again."

"Do you really think that will work?" Red asked, as Crystal shifted her feet. "She'll just use Milk Drink again. You need something more powerful."

Crystal whispered under her breath. "Well what should I do then?"

"Not my problem to figure out," said Red. "Remember our deal. You're the one who is battling. Be innovative. Use what you have to improve. If you just sit there and try to deal damage without thinking, you won't get anywhere. Nuria is beginning to reach her limits."

Crystal watched Nuria fire the Ember at Whitney. The gym leader simply shook her head at the display. With another one of those ear piercing laughs, just as Red commanded she used Milk Drink. Crystal bit her lip. She needed time to think, to get Nuria sheltered from the onslaught of Rollout. And then it occurred to her. Whitney didn't know her smokescreen strategy, and had no way to do away with it like Silver's Totodile had.

"Nuria! Smokescreen!" Crystal cried out.

Red stepped onto the battlefield and nodded with a smirk. So this is what he meant by innovating. She closed her eyes, listening for footsteps and the rush of winds and footsteps. Whitney's Milktank was loud and lumbering, unlike the nimble, quiet steps of Cyndaquil. True to form, Crystal figured that now would be the time to use physical attacks since Nuria needed to recharge her fire, and she could sneak through the dark.

"Tackle, Nuria," said Crystal.

She heard the hit slam against the Miltank. "Again! Keep going until you get tired."

Then, out of nowhere, Red stepped onto the battlefield. "Just as I thought."

The sounds of intense slamming echoed through the musty gym. They began to get faster and faster, as Nuria became more proficient at delivering attacks to the massive beast. Whitney seemed unable to decide what to do, not being able to see what condition her Milktank was in and unable to see the opponent she wanted to hit. And then, Red said something which surprised Crystal.

"Nuria," he commanded, in a voice authoritative and bellowing. "Use Quick Attack."

The smack Crystal heard was like nothing else. It was of a different quality and speed, and somehow it was as if Nuria's tackle had grown into something more fierce, more battle oriented. Crystal listened in awe as the Milktank began to moan and groan at the onslaught of this new Quick Attack that Nuira had learned.

"Did she—?" Crystal began.

A loud thud cut her off and Red turned around. "Yeah, Nuria just learned a new move. Congratulations."