The next day found the two teenagers and their Pokémon in their usual battlefield, ready to start training. They had battled against each other multiple times at this point, but they had never focused on battling together against others. So today's objective was simple: to learn each other's battle style to win.
"Alright, so here's the plan," Gabriel began, his Machoke and Hitmontop standing at attention beside him. "We need to work on our combinations. My Hitmontop can use its rapid spin to create a whirlwind, and your Raichu can use its electric terrain to power up its electric moves. And then, my Machoke can use its seismic toss to throw your opponents into the whirlwind, and then your Starmie can use its hydro pump to..."
He continued to elaborate on his plan, his words tumbling out in a rush of excitement and ideas. Eliana listened, her expression unreadable. She saw the flaws in his plan, the openings, the weaknesses. But she also saw the potential.
"That's… a lot of moving parts," she said, when he finally paused for breath. "You have some good ideas, but it's too complicated. We can each only have one Pokémon on the field."
"Oh yeah, I got a little carried away… So what should we do?" Gabriel asked, a little deflated.
"Well first," Eliana said, a predatory glint in her eyes. "We pair up each of our Pokémon, so we have three duos."
She then pointed to Raichu who perked up at the attention. "Your Machoke and my Raichu."
Gabriel blinked, then his eyes lit up with understanding. "Oh, I get it! Machoke is a powerhouse, and Raichu is a speedster. They could cover each other's weaknesses! Machoke can take hits, and Raichu can zip around and strike from afar!"
"And your Hitmontop with my Starmie," Eliana continued, gesturing to her star-shaped Pokémon. "Hitmontop is close-quarters, Starmie is long-range. They can create a pincer movement, trapping the opponent between them."
"And my Riolu with your Kirlia," Gabriel finished, a wide grin spreading across his face. "They're both fast and agile. They could overwhelm the opponent with a flurry of attacks!"
He couldn't help but marvel at Eliana's mind. She could see the battlefield in a way he couldn't. She saw the connections, the possibilities, the pathways to victory. He personally tended to rely on brute strength. Although Gabriel had gotten a little more strategic, mostly due to Eliana's influence during training, he still preferred overwhelming his opponents. He could admit to himself that it was nice, he was quickly rising to become one of the top students at the dojo,
"Alright then," he said, his voice filled with newfound determination. "Let's get to work."
…
The training was more intense than usual. Eliana and Gabriel first came up with specific combos for each team. Then they put the duos against each other in all our battles. If their Pokémon could succeed against two teams then they could succeed against one in the actual competition.
Their Machoke and her Raichu were a devastating combination. Machoke acted as a sturdy anchor, his No Guard ability meaning every attack from him landed, a perfect storm of Power-Up Pumches and Brutal Swings. Raichu would use Reflect and Light Screen to bolster Machoke's already impressive defenses, then zip across the Electric Terrain, a blue blur of lightning and fur. Her Thunderbolts were amplified to terrifying levels, and she could weave between attacks with an almost dancer-like grace, setting up for Machoke's devastating Thunder Punch combos.
Hitmontop and Starmie were a study in control and chaos. Hitmontop would initiate with a blindingly fast Fake Out, stunning the opponents before they could even act. This gave Starmie the precious seconds it needed to set up. It could use Icy Beam to slow the entire enemy team to a crawl, or fire off a Psychic barrage to seize them up. Then Hitmontop would go on the offensive, a spinning top of destruction with Rapid Spin and Drill Run, while Starmie provided long-range support with Hydro Pumps and Thunderbolts. They were a flawless offensive and defensive unit.
But it was the final duo, Riolu and Kirlia, that was truly something special. Gabriel's Riolu had grown tenfold in confidence and skill since their first meeting. His movements were precise and economical, every Quick Attack a calculated risk, every Metal Claw a glint of deadly steel. He would often use Detect to read an opponent's move, then counter with a perfectly timed Force Palm, his aura flaring with a deep blue light.
And Eliana's Kirlia… he was on the verge of something incredible. He moved with a speed and grace that defied his small frame, teleporting not just across the field, but in and out of an opponent's guard. His psychic attacks, Psyshock and Psychic, were formidable, but it was the new move he'd been so secretive about that was the true game-changer. During a mock battle against Machoke, he teleported directly into the larger Pokémon's path. As Machoke threw a punch, Kirlia didn't dodge. He raised a hand, not to block, but to strike. A shimmering, violet-pink blade of pure psychic energy, thin as a razor and humming with power, erupted from the palm of his hand.
It was a Psycho Cut.
The super effective move, executed at point-blank range, sent Machoke stumbling back.
Gabriel stared, his jaw practically on the floor. "No way… He learned Psycho Cut! That shouldn't be a possible move for a Kirlia!"
"If your Kirlia is going to be a Gallade then it should naturally be able to learn the physical moves a Gardevoir aimed Kirlia shouldn't." Eliana informed her teammate.
"Oh, I didn't know," Gabriel laughed, shaking his head.
Eliana then turned to Kirlia, a rare, genuine smile gracing her lips.
Kirlia's thought came back, tinged with satisfaction, the move needed to be perfect before he showed it. He then teleported back to his position beside Riolu, giving the fighting-type a respectful nod. Riolu responded by dropping into a battle-ready stance, a challenging gleam in his eyes. The rivalry between them had evolved into a powerful partnership. They worked in tandem, Riolu using Swords Dance to power up, then using Brick Break to shatter a screen, clearing the way for one of Kirlia's devastating Hyper Voices. They were a blur of blue and green, a whirlwind of psychic energy and fighting spirit.
"You know," Gabriel said, wiping sweat from his brow after a particularly grueling practice match, "I think we might actually have a shot at this."
"We don't just have a shot, we are going to win." Eliana corrected, her eyes fixed on their Pokémon as they continued their battle.
…
Eliana's Current Team
Kirlia
Ability: Trace
Gender: Male
Moves: Disarming Voice, Teleport, Draining Kiss, Psychic, Psyshock, Magical Leaf, Charge Beam, Hyper Voice, Protect, Life Dew, Ice Punch, Psycho Cut
Starmie
Ability: Natural Cure
Gender: Genderless
Moves: Hydro Pump, Surf, Psychic, Swift, Recover, Confuse Ray, Harden, Power Gem, Ice Beam, Thunderbolt
Alolan Raichu
Ability: Surge Surfer
Gender: Female
Moves: Psychic, Thunderbolt, Electric Terrain, Electro Web, Iron Tail, Signal Beam, Light Screen, Reflect, Focus Blast, Grass Knot, Double Team
Gabriel's Current Team
Hitmontop
Ability: Guts
Gender: Male
Moves: Fake Out, Bullet Punch, Mach Punch, Rapid Spin, Drill Run, Triple Kick, Dig, Bulk Up, Triple Axel, Brutal Swing
Machoke
Ability: No Guard
Gender: Male
Moves: Power-Up Punch, Low Kick, Seismic Toss, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Brutal Swing, Double-Edge, Poison Jab
Riolu
Ability: Inner Focus
Gender: Male
Moves: Quick Attack, Metal Claw, Force Palm, Brick Break, Endure, Detect, Swords Dance, Shadow Claw