Another Road Repaved - Conception

Strife in the Forest - Part 2

In the heart of Viridian Forest, a contentious battle had come to a tense standstill. Ash and Dawn clashed with a new and improved Jessie and James, where Rosa and Absol struggled to gain a leg up on Purugly and Mightyena. Every Pokémon had taken damage, but the villains' Pokémon far less so.

"Alright. They know some of our tricks, and we know some of theirs," Ash thought aloud, narrowing his eyes. "We've gotta get a leg up on them, and fast!"

"I hear you!" Dawn agreed. Inhaling and exhaling, the coordinator fixed her gaze on the fight. "So, I'll start things up, again! Future Sight, Absol!"

With a whip of her head, Absol sent another surge of supernatural energy into a wormhole to the future.

"Now, we've gotta stay ahead of Purugly," Ash muttered. "Let's see if this works. Rosa! Vacuum Wave, now!"

The Riolu quickly followed suit, firing a swift burst of energy towards Purugly.

"Let's give them a taste of their own Twerpish medicine!" Jessie ordered. "Use Thunderbolt on that Riolu!"

"Nyaaa!" Purugly shrieked, lighting up with golden splendor that cut through Vacuum Wave with ease, and quickly closed in on the fighting-type.

"Double Team!" Ash snappily ordered.

Rosa suddenly split into four copies; one of them was obliterated by Thunderbolt. Once again, Prankster put her ahead of the curve.

"Ugh!" Jessie groaned. "Stay still, mutt! You're getting on my nerves."

"Now, Mightyena! Use Thunder Fang, on Absol!" James ordered. Mightyena lunged at the other quadruped, snapping electrified teeth at her hide.

"Detect!" Dawn cried out. Absol predicted Mightyena's path, and handily avoided him. "Now, use Night Slash!" Absol quickly retaliated with a slash, scoring a clean hit on Mightyena.

"Dark Pulse, Mightyena!"

The canine recovered in mid-air, blasting a shrieking Absol away with wicked energy.

"Quick," Ash coached, "use Iron Tail!"

The three Riolu clones somersaulted forward, their tails taking on an iron sheen. "Riooo!" With a high-pitched cry, they tumbled forward with a swing. Iron Tail was handily avoided by a nimbler Purugly, the real deal smashing into the ground. The pup growled, swinging back around to smash her bottom-heavy tail into the cat. Purugly hopped clear over her, dodging several more clumsy slashes.

~Ugh! This... stupid move!~ Rosa grunted. Losing balance, she stumbled in circles, dizzied by the consecutive strikes. With lost concentration, the remaining Double Team faded away.

"In over your head, aren't you? Purugly, Thunderbolt!"

Purugly launched the sizzling shock on a straight course for the dizzied fighter.

"She's in for it," Ash frowned. "Rosa! Vacuum Wave towards the ground!"

The Riolu couldn't find her footing, but she did the next best thing; a palm pointed below exerted a propelling force, launching Rosa high above solid ground. Crackling static snapped at her tail and made her fur stand, telling her that she'd only barely avoided Thunderbolt.

"Now, Mightyena!" James, scouting both ends of the battle, waved a hand triumphantly. "Hit Riolu with a Dark Pulse!" Mightyena complied, firing a deadly chain of dark purple rings towards the airborne Pokémon.

"Rosa!" Dawn exclaimed. "Absol, step in and cut that down, with Night Slash!"

"Absol!" A vigilante and dutiful Absol sprang into action, slashing at Dark Pulse with her tinted horn. She felt a great deal of resistance, nearly buckling under the consecutive vibrations that assaulted her skull. Gritting her teeth, she cut through. "Sol!"