"Ah, Magnemite! Are you okay?"
Clemont looked frantic. He managed to piece the Magnemite back together as best he could before recalling it into its Poké Ball.
"Clemont, release your strongest partners. These Clawitzer aren't playing around," Feng Che warned. "Standard Pokémon won't stand a chance against a coordinated colony like this."
"I understand," Clemont replied, pushing up his round-rimmed glasses. "Go, Heliolisk!"
The generator Pokémon appeared, the frill around its neck flaring out like a wide umbrella to begin charging energy. As it discharged a sequence of blinding flashes and crackling electricity, the Clawitzer colony was momentary stunned and intimidated.
This provided the window Zeraora needed. The Mythical Pokémon lunged, its fists wreathed in lightning. With every golden blur of a punch, another Clawitzer was sent flying, incapacitated before it even hit the water.
Splash! Splash! Splash!
The lake's surface was littered with floating Clawitzer, their bodies twitching under the residual paralysis. Heliolisk followed up by unleashing a massive Thunderbolt directly into the water, turning the shoreline into a lethal electrical field.
The collateral damage was immense. Various other Water-type Pokémon living in the shallows floated to the surface belly-up. Nearby, Chuck—who was busy in a physical wrestling match with a wild Poliwrath—looked up at the sky filled with golden arcs.
"Which Electric Gym Leader is frying the whole lake?" Chuck grumbled. "It'll be a disaster if they hit a trainer diving underwater!"
The unique Clawitzer with the symmetrical dual-cannons snapped out of its daze. It unhinged both giant claws and fired two massive, high-pressure water pillars. The dual Hydro Pumps tore through the air toward Heliolisk.
"Heliolisk, evade!"
The lizard leaped high, the water jets carving deep trenches into the muddy shoreline. Failing its first strike, the Clawitzer fired a twin Water Pulse. The two spiraling spheres detonated upon impact, creating a localized flood.
Feng Che used Teleport to instantly reposition to higher ground, but Clemont wasn't so lucky. He was swept away by the surging torrent. When Feng Che finally found him, the inventor was a literal "mud man," covered from head to toe in silt and soggy leaves.
"Cough... cough!" Clemont sputtered, looking utterly pathetic.
"Zeraora, Agility!"
Zeraora's speed doubled. It closed the distance to the dual-cannon Clawitzer in a heartbeat, its claws crackling with intensified current. The Clawitzer retaliated by firing a twin Dragon Pulse. Two snarling draconic heads of energy lunged at Zeraora, but the cat-like Pokémon shattered them with a direct Thunder Punch.
The residual energy from the broken Dragon Pulses was enough to snap nearby saplings in half.
"This thing is powerful... it can use Dragon Pulse," Feng Che noted. "That confirms a Draconic bloodline."
Looking closely at the Clawitzer's shell, Feng Che noticed that the standard patterns were replaced by intricate, dragon-like scales. To prevent any wandering trainers from noticing this rare find, he decided to end it quickly.
"Zeraora, finish it! Electro Ball!"
Zeraora held a sphere of lightning in each paw and hurled them. The Clawitzer, slowed by the weight of its own massive cannons, couldn't react in time. The electrical spheres slammed into it, erupting into a web of golden snakes that paralyzed every nerve in its body.
The Clawitzer fell back into the lake. But just as Feng Che reached for a Park Ball, the water exploded. The Clawitzer surfaced, its eyes glowing a feral crimson, steam rising from its shell. It had entered an Outrage state.
"Its Dragon bloodline is even stronger than I thought. Most non-Dragon types can't even trigger Outrage," Feng Che remarked. "Zeraora, Plasma Fists!"
Zeraora exhaled deeply, its paws wreathed in blinding golden light. It struck with a punch that broke the sound barrier. The massive electrical discharge slammed into the Clawitzer, causing its entire frame to shudder before it finally went limp.
"Go, Park Ball!"
Feng Che hurled the ball. Beside him, a vengeful Clemont began tossing balls at the other fainted Clawitzer to vent his frustration.
"Clemont, stop! Clawitzer aren't rare enough to waste all your balls on," Feng Che called out. "We have a limited supply. If you fill your slots with common grunts, our squad score will suffer."
Clemont nodded sheepishly, capturing only one high-level specimen before stopping.
"You're covered in mud, Clemont. You might want to wash up in the lake before we meet the others," Feng Che added, trying to avoid the smell.
Finally, he looked down at the data for his new catch.
Pokémon: Clawitzer
Gender: Female
Potential: Epic (Cyan)
Ability: Mega Launcher
Level: 69
Type: Water
Special Note: A genetic mutation has resulted in perfectly symmetrical dual cannons. It has awakened a powerful Dragon bloodline, granting it access to moves like Outrage and enhanced Dragon Pulse.