"Then I have no choice but to send this one out. Come forth, Drapion!"
Koga released his Pokémon. Drapion's body resembled a scorpion, armored in alternating shades of deep and light purple, with blue spots on its claws and tail. It was encased in a sturdy carapace, built for physical resilience. Its massive claws possessed enough destructive power to scrap a car, and they secreted a potent toxin from their tips.
"I've been raising this Drapion for quite some time. In my Fuchsia Gym, there is a specialized 'Venomous Bug Pit' beneath the floor. This little guy was bred from a cross-lineage involving Tentacruel and Drapion ancestors, and it recently completed its evolution. Feng Che, my pit holds many rare Poison-type resources. If you ever decide to raise a Poison-type, feel free to buy some from me."
Koga spoke with a friendly laugh. The resources in the Venomous Bug Pit had been cultivated by his family for generations; offering them to Feng Che was a clear sign he intended to deepen their friendship.
"Haha, then I thank you, Lord Koga," Feng Che replied with a smile.
Drapion moved swiftly across the forest floor, its legs creating a dry rustle against the fallen leaves. Torracat, however, walked with deliberate calm, its padded paws making its movements nearly silent.
"Good. Torracat, use Ember!"
Torracat opened its mouth and spat a few small sparks. The sparks caught the dry leaves, which initially let off a wisp of blue smoke before erupting into a roaring blaze.
"Haha, luckily we're in a remote forest," Koga remarked. "Otherwise, the rangers would surely interrupt us. Don't worry, Feng Che, fight to your heart's content. Articuno will mask the traces of our battle."
Articuno exhaled an Ice Beam, creating a translucent crystal dome over the clearing, sealing the heat and sounds of battle beneath the ice.
"Drapion, use Acupressure, then follow up with Agility!" Koga commanded calmly. "My Drapion is incredibly fast—watch yourself!"
Drapion transformed into a purple blur, leaving behind multiple afterimages that confused the eye. Feng Che knew these were illusions born of extreme speed.
"Torracat, stay calm. Use Fire Spin to break those images!"
Torracat unleashed a spiral of flames. The vortex sucked in the dry leaves, incinerating them into grey ash that filled the air like a localized blizzard of soot.
"Drapion, Ice Fang!"
Drapion used the move on its own armor, coating itself in a layer of frost-blue ice to mitigate the heat. Its speed didn't waver as it dove into the vortex.
"Now, fire a Shadow Ball into the center!"
Drapion's hooked claws condensed a dark orb crackling with black electricity; even its tail manifested a second sphere. The orbs collided in the center of the vortex, creating a massive explosion that shattered the Fire Spin. Flames scattered everywhere, and Torracat crouched low to avoid the shockwave.
By then, Drapion was right on top of it. "Drapion, Fell Stinger!"
The scorpion raised its jagged claws and lunged. However, the strike was met by a pillar of fire erupting from Torracat's body. The flames engulfed Drapion's claws, causing the scorpion to recoil in sharp pain as the fire began to spread across its carapace. It rolled on the ground frantically to douse the flames.
"I miscalculated. You were waiting for Drapion to close the distance, weren't you?" Koga said, tapping his forehead.
"Exactly. I was waiting for that specific opening," Feng Che nodded.
"Drapion, Venom Drench!"
The struggling Drapion managed to stand. It opened its claws, releasing a massive volume of toxin that dispersed into the air. Upon contact with Torracat's flames, the liquid vaporized into a thick, purple toxic mist.
"Torracat, use your flames to create a barrier against the mist!"
The fire surrounding Torracat intensified. Koga laughed. "Feng Che, Drapion's toxin is absorbed through the skin's capillaries, and this vapor spreads lightning-fast. Using fire to block it might be too little, too late."
Koga doesn't know that my Torracat absorbed the Sacred Fire of Moltres, Feng Che thought. As long as the area is filled with that specific flame, Torracat is virtually immune to all poisons.
Articuno, watching from above, seemed to sense the anomaly. [Articuno: This trainer's cat is no joke... it's using the Life Fire of my old friend Moltres.]
"Drapion, another Venom Drench!"
Purple needles shot from Drapion, disintegrating into the flames and making the mist so dense you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.
"Haha, Feng Che! I've used your own fire to create a perfect environment for Drapion!" Koga shouted triumphantly.
"A nice trick," Feng Che replied, snapping his fingers with a confident smirk. "But a bit of fog won't stop us. Torracat, Flamethrower! This concentration of vapor is perfect."
Torracat unleashed a concentrated pillar of fire.
BOOM!
A massive mushroom cloud erupted from the center of the ice dome. The shockwave uprooted nearby trees and left a colossal crater in the earth. When the smoke cleared, Drapion lay in the pit, its armor cracked and its consciousness gone.
Koga was in a sorry state, leaning against a charred tree. His ninja outfit was shredded into rags. "Why... why was there a sudden explosion?"
The battle had been trending in his favor, but the sudden blast had caught him completely off guard.
"Lord Koga, have you ever heard of a dust explosion?" Feng Che asked, walking over with Torracat. "Your toxic mist reached a critical concentration inside Articuno's ice dome. All it needed was one spark to turn the entire area into a bomb."
Feng Che had used Teleport to dodge the blast, while Torracat's natural fire resistance had shielded it from the heat.
"Haha! The new generation truly surpasses the old," Koga said, wiping soot from his face. He threw a kunai toward Feng Che. Attached to the weapon was a map. "Next time we meet, I won't be so careless. I'll win for sure." He dropped a smoke bomb and vanished.
Feng Che pulled the alloy kunai from a tree. Inside the folded map, he found a pink badge—the Soul Badge of the Fuchsia Gym.
"I guess I don't need to challenge the Gym anymore," Feng Che laughed.
The map was incredibly detailed, marking Pokémon distributions and safe paths. However, one detail concerned him: Icefall Cave was a hub for Ice-types and a training ground for Elite Four member Lorelei. Reports suggested she was currently on Four Island.
Lorelei's stance on Team Rocket is ambiguous, Feng Che mused. But I have the Inspector Badge Lance gave me; she shouldn't give me too much trouble. Besides, Ivysaur will have to fight other Grass-types for the best evolution spot in the Medicine Field anyway.
He summoned Aerodactyl and took to the sky.
High above, Koga sat on his Crobat, with Articuno flying alongside. He suddenly slapped his forehead. "Ah! I forgot to warn Feng Che about Lorelei! She's currently training her 'Ice Legion' on the island. Oh well... that kid is clever enough to figure it out."
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