Chapter Sixty-Seven: Double Team Trouble



Gladion's POV



"The battle will be a double battle between two teams of two Pokemon each," Shu announces, playing the role of announcer. "Ilima and Smeargle versus Silvally and Xatu. The battle will end when one side is out of Pokemon that can fight. There will be no healing items used during this battle. Is everyone ready?"



"I was born ready," I announce. My Silvally is sporting its Bug Memory and is prepared to kick some butt. "Hope the rest of you can keep up. Are you ready, Will?"



Will nods, tensing for battle. "Ready to win. Losing is not an option!"



Shu turns to Ilima and Smeargle. Ilima is in Mew form and looks pretty amped. "All ready," he says, grinning.



"Then let the battle begin!"



Will and I enact our plan. "Xatu, use Shadow Ball on Ilima!"



"Silvally, Multi-Attack on Smeargle!"



But Ilima's ready for us. "Smeargle, use Tailwind!" he orders, then transforms himself into a Pyroar, the Shadow Ball passing harmlessly through his mane.



Will does a double take. "His mane is PINK?"



I groan inwardly. True to form, Ilima's mane is indeed pink and not particularly full either. "He's got a disability," I remind Will. "Klinefelter Syndrome. Don't judge him for it."



Multi-Attack does hit Smeargle, though, who toughs out the attack with a Focus Sash. I'm impressed that he lasted that long, honestly. Smeargle aren't particularly strong Pokemon, and I've always wondered why Ilima has stuck with just the one.



"Great work, Smeargle!" Ilima says, nodding at his partner. "Now, Pain Split on Silvally! Use that speed!"



Wait, what?



Smeargle slams into Silvally's side, absorbing its health. Silvally screeches in pain, lashing out, but Smeargle is fast enough to dodge away before the larger Pokemon can strike it.



This happens moments before Ilima lets loose with a Flamethrower on Silvally, knocking it backwards and dealing heavy damage.



Will, of course, is unaffected, as his Xatu was not the target. "All right, then, Confuse Ray on the Mew!" he orders, probably guessing that a confused Ilima cannot give orders to Smeargle. Xatu complies, firing a ray of light that dizzies Ilima and leaves Silvally an opening to attack both Ilima and Smeargle with Rock Slide.



But Silvally can't stay in battle long. It's suffered a burn that's weakened its attack power. It hasn't even managed to knock out Smeargle yet.



Smeargle turns to Ilima, who's too woozy to give orders. After a brief pause to collect itself, Smeargle decides to go out fighting and strikes Xatu with what looks like another Pain Split. Ilima, unable to compose himself, unleashes a Bulldoze that shakes the cave around us and does little damage to a Bug-type Silvally -- and none at all to Xatu.



Xatu is having none of this crap and hits Smeargle with Psychic, knocking it out. "Smeargle is unable to battle!" Shu announces.



I have moments to make my decision. My best friend has transformed into a confused Pyroar and is now threatening to bring down the cave over our heads. My Silvally is burned and weakened, possibly about to faint on the next turn. But if I change its Memory to a more effective type, I'll use up my turn. What do I have that's effective on a Pyroar...?



I have one move. Exactly one move. But in close quarters, it might be disastrous, as it fills the entire arena. Do I dare...?



This battle is a test, I remember. A test to see if I can work with Will rather than against him. A test to see if our team can work together.



No. I'm not using Surf. Not on Xatu, not on everyone. Not in these close quarters. I can't afford to flood the cave just to prove a point.



But I still need to stop Ilima before he does anything else stupid.



"Silvally, use Snarl!"



It's not that strong a move, but it has a nice added effect to it, lowering the target's Sp. Atk. Ilima cowers at the ear-splitting sound, shaking his mane and roaring. But Silvally holds fast, continuing the assault.



And then it stops. Silvally collapses in pain from the damage from its burn. "Silvally is unable to battle!" Shu shouts as I recall it to its ball.



Will turns to me and nods. "Thanks, Glad. I'll wrap this up."



I manage not to tell him that my name is Gladion, but he has worse things to worry about. Ilima has snapped out of his confusion and, boosted by the tailwind, leaps at Xatu, bringing down a sickening Crunch on its left wing. Xatu pulls away, but is grounded, unable to fly.



I give Will an anxious look. He just grins. "Xatu doesn't need to fly to attack. Use Psychic!"



Without his natural resistance in his transformed state, Ilima is unable to halt the psychokinetic force assailing him. The transformed Mew is thrown backward, colliding with the cave wall and collapsing. He morphs back into a Mew involuntarily, unable to keep up the appearance of Pyroar.



"Ilima is unable to battle!" Shu announces. "Silvally and Xatu win!"



I look down at Silvally's Poke Ball. "We did it, buddy," I say, allowing myself a smile.



Then I run to make sure Ilima is all right.



He's dazed, but not terribly hurt; Pokemon can take a lot of punishment and survive. "Ugh... okay, house rule. No more Confuse Rays in enclosed areas," he mutters. "I think I lost one of my nine lives there."



"I think I lost a few years off my life in that battle," I say, pulling out a revival seed from my bag. "Here, chew on this. It'll make you feel better."



Ilima does so, and I give another seed to Smeargle and one to Silvally. "Everyone did well," I say. "Well, aside from that Confuse Ray fiasco. Will, why did you focus on taking out Smeargle before Ilima?"



Will shrugs. "Smeargle was the easiest to take out, and if I hadn't, it would have just kept regaining its own health and being a nuisance. Heck, it might have used Pain Split on Kitty McCatness and dragged out the fight even longer."



"But Ilima nearly brought down the entire cave in his confusion! He could have gotten us all killed!"



"And if Smeargle had healed him, it would have taken even longer to knock him out. That bloody annoying Smeargle."



Smeargle looks up at Will and makes a rude sound.



"Yeah, you. You know I'm talking about you." Will dusts off his coat, which has been stitched back together since the knife incident. "I'm going to my bunk now. Try not to collapse the cave while I'm gone."



I could just punch him in the face.