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Chapter 74: Gladion Vs Sabrina (2)
🕑 Added 2025-01-19 18:01:00 +0000 UTCGladion returned Zeus to his Pokeball.
'You did well for your first match after evolution, buddy. She was just a tricky opponent for you.'
Gladion looked at the injured Jynx who was just one hit away from getting knocked out.
'I can see why Psychic Pokemon are a game changer in Pokemon battles. They lack the firepower of the other types but they make it up with their unusual abilities. I will have to find myself a psychic pokemon.' Gladion thought
'But the Psychic Pokemon that I want are in regions that still have their borders closed to Kanto. Well, I can always wait. It's not that I would be using a Psychic Pokemon in this year's tournament. I already have 8 Pokemon on my team which is good enough. At most, I might catch another Pokemon that I really want and is very rare.'
There was another thing that Gladion noticed. The battle with Jynx had revealed something important – Sabrina was operating on a completely different level than typical first-year trainers.
"Most trainers starting their journey barely manage 3-4 star badge level Pokémon by their first league," Gladion mused. "But her Jynx... that's easily 7 star level strength."
It made sense, in a way. As the daughter of a Gym Leader and a prodigy herself, Sabrina would have had access to training resources most trainers could only dream of. The gap between ordinary trainers and those from prestigious backgrounds was stark – something Gladion had learned well in his research.
[Shall I teach her why she should not be bossy around us and mostly me?] Nyx asked, her rings pulsing with anticipation. It was her way of saying that she would like to battle next.
"Actually," Gladion grinned, "I think it's time for you to do what you do best – be insufferably superior while winning."
Nyx stepped onto the battlefield, her yellow rings glowing ominously. [How delightful. I've been longing to demonstrate the futility of her emotional suppression through direct combat. Emotions are meant to be showcased otherwise how would I use them against someone?]
Gladion sweatdropped at that. Across the field, Jynx was showing signs of fatigue from her battle with Zeus. Sabrina's expression remained neutral, but there was a calculating look in her eyes.
"Your Umbreon has successfully managed to anger me. Something I don't like," she observed.
[And your emotional range appears to have all the depth of a Mankey's understanding of science] Nyx replied cheerfully. [Shall we start this game?]
And without warning, Jynx launched a Ice Beam, but Nyx simply sidestepped it with elegant grace.
"Dark Pulse," Gladion commanded. The ball of dark energy struck Jynx directly, finally knocking out the already weakened Pokémon.
Sabrina recalled Jynx without comment, though her fingers tightened slightly around her next Pokéball. "Espeon"
The elegant psychic-type materialized, its forked tail swishing with confidence. Gladion couldn't help but notice she hadn't brought out her strongest Pokémons.
'No Alakazam or Hypno which should be her strongest Pokemons. Judging by the strength of her Nyx, her Alakazam should be a 9 star Pokemon.' He thought.
'Either she's incredibly confident or incredibly arrogant. Though I suppose I'm not one to talk, leaving Guy and Colossus from this match but using them would just be overkill.'
[A battle between evolutionary counterparts,]Nyx said looking at another of her evolutions [Though one might argue the philosophical implications of choosing enlightenment versus embracing darkness.]
[Espeon, Psychic,] Sabrina commanded ignoring the irritating Umbreon, not realising that she was doing what Nyx wanted. Losing concentration while fighting a Pokemon battle.
The air distorted as powerful psychic energy surged toward Nyx.
"Copycat"
Nyx's body glowed as she activated Copycat. Another beam of psychic energy that was just as strong as Espeon's psychic erupted from Nyx, catching both Sabrina and Espeon by surprise.
"Impossible," Sabrina stated, showing another emotion – shock. "Copycat shouldn't be able to replicate moves at that power level. The moves should be a lot weaker than the original."
"You'd be surprised what's possible when you don't limit yourself," Gladion replied. He had trained Nyx copycat for years just so that he could use it in battle and with her evolution to Umbreon, it even got better.
'Espeon, Use Psybeam. Teleport against the counter move.'
"Nyx, Dark Pulse!"
The attacks clashed mid-field, creating a spectacular display of psychic and dark energy. But it was clear that the dark type energy had the upperhand, mostly thanks to the type advantage.
Espeon managed to teleport away from the worst of it, but the strain was visible.
"Your Umbreon's power exceeds expectations," Sabrina admitted. "But power without perfect control is meaningless. Espeon, Future Sight."
She did not realise that she had given a command to her Pokemon outside of telepathy which made Nyx grin.
[Ah, attempting to predict the future while being blind to your own emotional present. How ironically appropriate,] Nyx mused, dodging rocks that Espeon threw her way using Psychic.
Espeon using future sight managed to predict her location before she dodged as a rock launched into her belly, sending Nyx sliding backward. But instead of showing pain, the Umbreon's rings pulsed with almost sadistic glee.
[Excellent! Pain is such a wonderful teacher of life's fundamental truths.]
"Nyx," Gladion called out, "maybe less philosophical taunting and more battling?"
[Very well. Though I do believe it's time for my favorite lesson – the inevitability of darkness.]
"Very well. But after this match, I am teaching you how to stop talking when we are battling. Quick attack. Follow it up with a dark pulse." Gladion said
Nyx was too fast and Sabrina only had time to tell her Espeon to use lightscreen. The lightscreen broke under the power of dark pulse.
The psychic-type stumbled, its concentration broken.
"Now, finish with another dark pulse." Gladion commanded.
The attack, powered up by the fact that it was launched at such a close range, struck with devastating force. Espeon collapsed, unable to continue.
Marcus raised his hand. "Espeon is unable to battle.The winner of the match is Gladion!"
Sabrina recalled Espeon, her mask of indifference cracking slightly to show... was that a hint of respect?
"Your methods are unorthodox," she stated. "But I cannot deny their effectiveness."
[Much like how one cannot deny the fundamental role of emotions in psychological development?] Nyx suggested innocently.
"Your Umbreon's philosophical observations are..." Sabrina paused, seemingly struggling with the admission, "not entirely without merit."
"Was that almost a compliment?" Gladion grinned. "Quick, Nyx, mark down the date. We've witnessed a miracle!"
[You have already made that joke. It shows how desperate you are for attention.] Umbreon said with an eyeroll that left Gladion pretty embarassed.
"Hahaha" A chuckle broke out of Sabrina at that. Both Gladion and Nyx looked at Sabrina in shock. Even Marcus stopped in his tracks looking at his daughter in shock.
