Pokemon: Childhood Dreams

Drako appeared on the field with a loud roar which caused the ponyta to cower a little, before regaining its courage. We prepared for the buzzing noise, which is designed to be heard by all pokemon by layering different frequencies.

BUZZ.

And Drako was off into the air sending air slashes at the ponyta, who was zipping around the arena trying to evade. Ponyta built up speed with agility, while Drako was having trouble using his air slashes on a moving target as we hadn’t trained for that.

I signalled for Drako to present an opening. Which the ponyta took like expected, but I hadn’t expected them to jump up using bounce and attempt to stomp. Luckily, Drako reacted beautifully with a dragon claw sending the ponyta into the ground. He followed up with a dragon breath, during which the opponent recalled their pokemon.

“Chaaaar!” Drako bellowed, and I sent him feelings of pride and joy.

“Good job buddy, do you want to try a match solo?” I said as I walked up and patted him on the neck. He gave a determined stare and a short nod.

I disengaged to give the opposing trainer a handshake. She was a short, brown haired teenager who was in awe of Drako.

“Wow, your charizard is so cool and powerful looking!” She said after we shook hands and Drako preened while standing behind me.

Before I could thank her, she continued. “I wanted a charmander as a starter for a while, but didn’t get lucky with the draw. So I know that your charizard is larger than average and well built. But I’m perfectly happy with Marianne and Annabel. Marianne to roam the lands, and Annabel to roam the skies.” She said with a starry and far off look in her eyes, like she was imagining travelling far off places.

“Thanks for the compliments to Drako. He really appreciates it since he works hard for his muscles.” I said, as Drako was clearly soaking up the compliments and posing. “Your pokemon did well. Pidgeotto was quite fast, along with ponyta surprising me with that bounce.”

“Thanks. Anyways, I should go to clear up the field.” She said while waving and walking back to the stands.

I quickly went back to the box and used the touch screen to indicate I would wait on the stage for another match. While waiting I applied some medicine to Hellen that would help in the time before we could go to a pokemon centre. She would have been fine just waiting in the ball, but this would relieve some pain, so I deemed it well worth the time and cost for the wellbeing of my pokemon.

After finishing applying the medicine I returned Hellen and started to pet Drako who was leaning into the trainer box. I scratched him just under the horns and around his head, exactly where he liked. Finally, there was a beep indicating that a challenger was found. A blonde haired teenager who had two pokemon, a flaaffy and a luxio. It looks like they are an aspiring electric type specialist. I wonder if they dyed their hair to match, or did they choose electric type because of the hair. Probably just a coincidence.

I select the minimum bet amount and wait for the trainer, resuming my petting of Drako. This matchup was tough for Drako, but doable. We could go for brute strength, while getting hit in return. I’m sure Drako would win. But I think it’s time to bring back some tactics from his charmeleon days.

To my surprise, when the trainer reaches his trainer box he raises the bet amount to $1000. I could refuse, of course, but a grin splits my face as I accept the challenge. Drako looks just as eager when I return him to his pokeball, following protocol for these automatic matches. We both ready up and our pokemon are released. Drako takes the field and he leads with Luxio. My mind almost melds with Drako’s as we go over our strategy. It’s something we’ve been working on using his flying type energy.

BUZZ.

At the buzz, Drako releases a humongous smokescreen imbued with his flying type energy to quickly fill the arena. Luxio is engulfed while trying to approach him. I can’t see anything in the arena, but that doesn’t matter as through my bond to Drako I am able to sense the battlefield through sound and differences in air pressure.

Drako takes off which alerts luxio. Using his flying type energy, Drako is able to make the smoke linger on the battlefield while concealing his movements in the air and confusing the enemy. Faking an attack with his manipulation of the air and smoke causes luxio to dodge right into the path of a dragon breath which batters the pokemon into the ground not giving them a chance to retaliate and quickly knocking them out.

Once luxio is recalled, Drako slips back into the smoke. The second round with the flaaffy goes almost the same as the first. Except the flaaffy did get off an extremely low powered thundershock which tickled Drako.

With the match over, the air in the field was automatically replaced and filtered through a fan system. When the air cleared, I walked out to congratulate Drako and shake hands with the opposing trainer, but after patting Drako I couldn’t find him and assumed he left.

“Charizard. Zard.” Drako expressed his desire for a proper battle, and not the weaklings we had faced.

“Don’t get a big head, Drako. You have an advantage being in the third evolution. In time, these opponents we faced will also evolve. That’s why we have to keep working hard, to keep getting stronger and becoming better fighters.”

“CHAR!” He agrees.

“And don’t worry we only have three wins right now. The more matches we win, the more difficult the opponents will get.” As I mention this he gets a glint in his eyes. Uh, we might be here for a while.

The next two matches weren’t anything special. Both were minimum bets, with the opponent having two pokemon. The first trainer had a butterfree and a gloom and the second trainer had a tangela and a weepinbell. Drako demolished them with flames, burning away any spores or powders.

The matches really showed how dominant type advantage could be in the lower levels of pokemon battles. But the sixth match of the day was looking to be a good one. It was the trainer with the magmar I had spotted earlier, Courtney Wilkins. She also had a houndour and a vulpix.

Drako was looking excited to fight the magmar. He was still in good condition, and had a bunch more stamina and energy.

When the opposing trainer arrived, I was a little dazzled by her looks. She wore a stylish red dress, hat and earings. I snapped out of it when Drako let out a “Char,” and I hurriedly recalled him so the match could start.

The pokemon were released with the familiar Drako and a surprising magmar. She had led with magmar instead of trying to weaken Drako with her other pokemon. It seems she wanted a good battle as well.

Well, Drako and I will gladly deliver.