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Chapter 98: Clash Of Minds (4)
🕑 Added 2025-02-26 16:58:40 +0000 UTC[A/N: I know this fight is taking too long. And I am pretty sure the fight with Gwen would be more fun and would also take long. But there are only few Pokémon fights that would be taking so long. And since both Gwen and Sabrina would be important characters in the future, I decided to explore them and their Pokemon a little more.]
Gladion still had a sharp grin as he palmed his next Poké Ball. Sabrina had taken the lead, knocking out Nyx and Arsenal, but he wasn't fazed. He had four Pokémon left, and it was time to unleash one of his heavy hitters.
Sabrina's Girafarig pawed the ground, its dual heads glaring, but Gladion was ready to shift the tide—literally.
"Mystique, let's make a splash!" he called, tossing the Poké Ball with flair.
The arena erupted in light, and Milotic emerged, her serpentine form uncoiling with breathtaking elegance. Scales shimmered in iridescent blues and purples, her tail fin fanning like a peacock's plume. She arched her neck, letting out a melodic trill that echoed across the stadium, as if announcing her arrival to an adoring audience.
Gladion's trump card—one of his three powerhouses alongside Colossus and Guy—had entered the fray, and she knew it.
Sabrina's eyes narrowed, assessing the Water-type titan. Girafarig snorted, its tail-head snapping irritably, but Gladion wasn't here to play games. "Mystique, Surf—full power!"
Mystique's eyes glowed, and the air hummed with energy. She reared back, summoning a colossal wave that roared to life behind her. The water surged, towering higher than the stands, a glittering wall of liquid fury.
The crowd gasped as the entire battlefield was flooded. Girafarig's front head flared with psychic light, conjuring a Protect barrier, but Mystique's Surf was relentless.
The sheer volume overwhelmed the shield, slamming Girafarig into the ground with a wet *thud*. Water swirled around the Long Neck Pokémon, and, Girafarig lay floating motionless, soaked and defeated on the water.
The referee's flag shot up. "Girafarig is unable to battle! Gladion ties it up—two knockouts each!"
Sabrina recalled Girafarig with a tight-lipped frown, her mind racing. The arena was transformed—ankle-deep water lapped at the edges, turning the field into a makeshift lagoon. She had tgour Pokémon left: the poisoned Slowbro, the towering Exeggutor, her Noctowl and her ace Alakhazam.
Slowbro could swim, but the poison was a liability. Exeggutor would slog through the flood, too slow to counter Milotic's grace. Noctowl, though—it could fly above the mess. She made her choice.
"Noctowl, go!" Sabrina commanded.
The Owl Pokémon materialized in a flurry of feathers, its wings beating as it soared above the waterlogged battlefield. Its piercing eyes locked onto Mystique, radiating quiet menace. Sabrina didn't waste time. "Noctowl, Extrasensory!"
Noctowl's eyes glowed gold, psychic energy rippling outward. The air around Mystique distorted as the attack seized her, lifting her massive form from the water. With a flick of its wings, Noctowl hurled her toward the arena wall, the surrounding water amplifying the throw. Mystique crashed against the barrier with a resounding crack, scales glinting as she slid back into the flood, wincing.
Gladion clenched his fists, but his voice stayed steady. "Mystique, Life Dew!"
Mystique shook herself, water cascading off her like a shimmering veil. She trilled softly, conjuring a mist of healing droplets that enveloped her. The bruises from the slam faded, her elegance restored. She flicked her tail, striking a pose as if the battle were a beauty pageant.
Gladion caught the glint in her eye and sighed inwardly. 'Here we go.'
["Behold my grace, my radiance!"] Mystique sang, her voice dripping with vanity. Only Gladion and Sabrina, as psychics, could understand her.
[Even amidst this barbaric display, I remain the jewel of the battlefield! Did you see how that wall trembled before my beauty?"]
Gladion pinched the bridge of his nose, a groan escaping him. "Yeah, yeah, Mystique—you're a stunner. The wall's still crying over your gorgeous impact. Can we focus on winning now?"
'Jeez, Why do all of my Pokémon have a personality shift? I should have kept her away from both Nyx and Guy. Guy gave her the confidence to boast about her beauty every now and then. Nyx is the worst. She gave her the confidence to give back witty comments and replies.' Gladion groaned at the thought of his no longer innocent Milotic.
Mystique huffed, tossing her head.
[Satisfy my ego, Trainer, or I'll dazzle them so hard they'll forget whose side they're on!]
Sabrina's lips twitched—almost a smirk—but she refocused. "Noctowl, Foresight!"
Noctowl's eyes sharpened, scanning Mystique with eerie precision. Gladion grinned—time to spring his trap. "Mystique, Water Pulse—keep 'em coming!"
Mystique coiled, firing pulsating orbs of water skyward. One after another, the spheres rocketed toward Noctowl, each glowing with compressed energy.
Noctowl banked and weaved, Foresight guiding its dodges with uncanny accuracy. The crowd murmured as the Water Pulses missed, bursting mid-air and raining down into the flooded arena. Water levels rose, lapping higher, but Sabrina didn't catch Gladion's game—yet.
"Keep dodging, Noctowl," Sabrina ordered, her tone clipped. She assumed Gladion was overextending, wasting energy. But Gladion's grin widened. Each exploded Water Pulse wasn't a miss—it was a setup. The arena was now a veritable lake, water sloshing against the barriers, and Mystique swam through it like a queen in her kingdom.
"Now, Mystique—Icy Wind!" Gladion shouted.
Mystique's fins flared, and she exhaled a chilling gust that swept across the battlefield. The wind howled, inescapable, frosting the air as it enveloped Noctowl. The owl screeched, unable to outmaneuver the pervasive cold. Ice crystals formed on its left wing, weighing it down. It flapped desperately, but the frozen limb faltered, and it plummeted into the water with a splash.
Sabrina's eyes widened—a rare crack in her composure. "Noctowl, get up—"
"Mystique, Ice Beam!" Gladion cut in.
Mystique's eyes flashed, and a beam of frigid light lanced into the water. The surface froze instantly, encasing Noctowl in a crystalline tomb. The owl struggled, its wings pinned, but the ice held firm. With a final, feeble hoot, it slumped, knocked out cold—literally.
The referee raised his flag. "Noctowl is unable to battle! Gladion takes the lead—three knockouts to two!"
Gladion pumped a fist, exhilaration surging. "That's my girl, Mystique!" She preened, flicking her tail as if posing for an imaginary camera. [Naturally,] she purred. [My beauty is matched only by my brilliance. Did you see how I turned their sky into my icy domain?]
Gladion rolled his eyes, chuckling despite himself. "Yeah, you're a regular snow queen. Maybe tone down the self-love before you freeze me next time?"
'Alright, She might have become too Narcissist than being too confident but as long as she gets the job done and is having fun, I am okay with it.' Gladion thought
Sabrina recalled Noctowl, her expression unreadable but her mind racing. She was down to Alakazam, Slowbro and Exeggutor, with Slowbro's poison a ticking clock.
Mystique's dominance over the flooded field was a problem—she'd underestimated Gladion's environmental play.
Gladion watched her, gauging her next move. "Your call, Sabrina," he said, voice teasing but sharp. "Got anything left to top that?"
Sabrina met his gaze, her voice cool but edged with defiance. "More than you can handle, Vortex."
The announcer's voice thundered over the speakers. "What a turnaround, folks! Gladion's Milotic drowned Girafarig with a monster Surf, then iced Noctowl with a chilling combo! Sabrina's down to three—Slowbro's poisoned, Exeggutor's waiting—while Gladion's got four in the wings, Mystique ruling the waves! Three-two, and the tide's turning!"
The crowd buzzed, voices sharp and excited. "That Milotic's gorgeous!" a girl squealed. "She's brutal—froze Noctowl like a popsicle!" a guy laughed. "Sabrina's gotta pull something crazy now!" a kid cheered, waving a flag.
