"You... you're cheating!"
"That's a Big Black Bee!"
"It's not a Beedrill..."
Juston shouted at Aaron, his eyes wide.
Aaron rolled his eyes at the remark and ignored him.
The referee snapped back to attention, waved his flag, and shouted:
"Turtonator has been knocked out..."
"Team Red, please send out your next Pokémon!"
Cold sweat trickled down Juston's forehead as he swallowed hard. Looking up at the massive black Beedrill hovering in the air, a flicker of fear crossed his eyes.
His resolve had already been severely shaken by this eerie Beedrill, and it could crumble at any moment...
"Cousin..."
Rosaline, standing nearby, reminded him nervously.
Only then did Juston snap out of it. He recalled his knocked-out Turtonator, pulled out another Poké Ball, swallowed hard, and threw his final Poké Ball.
"Come out... Houndoom!"
A flash of light appeared, and a dog-like Pokémon with a pitch-black body, two horns on its head, and bony protrusions along its frame appeared on the field.
A glint flashed in Aaron's eyes as Houndoom's information appeared before him:
[Name: Houndoom]
[Gender: Male]
[Nature: Brave]
[Types: Dark, Fire]
[Ability: Flash Fire]
[Base Stats Total: 500]
[Level: Elite (Peak Stage)]
[Pokémon Potential: Gym Level]
[Moves: Thunder Fang (Mastered), Inferno (Mastered), Smog (Proficient), Leer (Proficient), Howl (Proficient), Protect (Proficient), Flamethrower (Proficient), Nasty Plot (Proficient), Bite (Proficient), Odor Sleuth (Proficient), Fire Fang (Basic), Feint Attack (Basic), Crunch (Basic)...]
[Description: Houndoom, a Dark-type Pokémon and the evolved form of Houndoor. Its flames cause intense pain, earning it the nickname "Hellhound." It is a formidable opponent...]
...
"GRRRAAARR!!"
The moment Houndoom appeared, it let out a deep, vicious snarl, its sharp eyes locked onto the black Beedrill in the air. Its peak elite aura spread outward.
Houndoom's thoughts raced:
"This guy is actually blacker than me!?"
"I, the Big Black Dog, hate it when others are blacker than me..."
Houndoom bared its sharp fangs, a low growl rumbling in its throat, ready to tear this massive black stinger apart at any moment.
Yet it hadn't noticed the tension and fear on its trainer's face. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been so overconfident.
Seeing that Juston hesitated, Aaron didn't hold back.
"Beedrill... Use Pin Missile!"
"BZZZZZ!"
The Death Bee let out a sharp, piercing buzz as a greenish-black glow lit up its tail. Several needle-like projectiles shot toward the snarling Houndoom below.
"Houndoom... dodge, quickly!"
Sweat streamed down Juston's face. The moment the black Beedrill made its move, panic gripped his heart.
"Grr—woof!"
Houndoom hadn't expected the attack to be so fast. It scrambled to dodge, but only avoided a few needles. Two struck its rear.
"GRAH...!"
It let out a pained snarl, mixed with a strange note of excitement.
"Houndoom!!"
Juston's face changed as he shouted:
"Houndoom... kill it for me!"
"Use Inferno!"
"ROOOAAARRRR!!"
A flash of embarrassment and rage crossed Houndoom's eyes as it unleashed a furious, explosive roar.
That damn black insect actually attacked its cute, tempting backside. Unforgivable!
Scorching flames erupted from Houndoom's body, distorting the air with intense heat as vapor rose around it. The flames surged upward like a raging fire demon, clawing toward Beedrill.
"Beedrill... use Flash Step to dodge."
Aaron remained calm, his voice cold.
"BZZZ..."
Just as the flames were about to engulf Beedrill, its body blurred into a black shadow and vanished instantly.
The raging inferno consumed nothing but empty air.
Houndoom froze, confused, scanning its surroundings for the missing target.
Then suddenly...
Its nose caught a strange scent.
Right beside it.
"Beedrill... Twineedle!"
Aaron's voice sounded again.
Like a phantom, Beedrill reappeared at Houndoom's side. Its twin stingers glowed with a sinister yellow-black light.
Juston's pupils shrank.
"Houndoom... use Protect, now!"
Houndoom reacted immediately. A white glow enveloped its body, forming a transparent barrier around it.
Crack. Crack.
Beedrill's stingers struck the barrier, causing it to shatter, but the attack was blocked.
Before Juston could relax, Aaron spoke again:
"Beedrill... use Twineedle again!"
A faint smile appeared on Aaron's face.
You can block once. Twice? Three times?
Protect has a success rate. The more it's used consecutively, the lower it becomes.
This was nothing but a futile struggle.
"Houndoom... keep using Protect!"
Juston shouted, drenched in sweat.
Houndoom, not exactly the sharpest, grew confused.
Twineedle? That was a weak move.
So why did its trainer seem so terrified?
Doesn't he trust me, the Big Black Dog!?
A flicker of hesitation crossed its eyes.
That single moment was enough.
It failed to deploy Protect in time.
The stingers struck directly.
"GRAA—WOOF!?"
A wave of intense weakness swept through Houndoom. Its mind went blank, as if all the air had been drained from its body.
A single thought flashed through its head:
"Damn it... how is it this poisonous!?"
Its eyes rolled back, foam gathered at its mouth, and it collapsed unconscious.
...