[Muddy Water: Power 90. The user attacks by shooting filthy water at the target. It may also lower the target's accuracy.]
Riding the surge of Muddy Water, Gastrodon kept climbing higher and higher. The filthy torrent churned beneath its body, and some of it even mixed into the low-hanging thunderclouds above.
"Nyo~nyo~"
Gastrodon's soft body twisted nimbly in the air, and the Muddy Water beneath it split in an instant, transforming into dozens of long, whip-like streams of murky water. With a sharp whooshing sound, they lashed toward the depths of the clouds, trying to force the hiding Zapdos out!
"Not bad."
Grey stroked his chin and gave a small nod, already understanding what Reggie had in mind.
The tactical idea behind this move wasn't bad at all: use the current weather to amp up Muddy Water's power, then ride that momentum to keep climbing, naturally closing the distance between Gastrodon and Zapdos.
Zapdos's vaunted Electric-type moves were useless against Gastrodon, and its other types of attacks wouldn't be doing much damage either.
With Gastrodon's current strength, it could definitely stomach a hit or two.
As long as Muddy Water—or any other move—managed to so much as touch Zapdos once, it wouldn't be a loss. In fact, it'd be something of a small win.
Even Grey himself couldn't pick any obvious flaws out of it.
However…
"Challenger, if you're thinking of using Muddy Water to trade blows head-on with my Zapdos, then you're overestimating it just a little~"
Grey let out a soft chuckle, then his commands cut cleanly through the sound of the rain. "Zapdos, use Hurricane!"
"Jiji!" (If that's all the strength you've got, then you'd better just go home and sleep it off!)
Zapdos's cry reverberated through the thunderclouds.
In the next instant, the wind began to howl.
With the rain boosting it, this attack was practically inescapable!
Whoooosh—BOOM!
The raging airflow was like a pair of gigantic hands ripping the clouds apart. A Flying-type gale wrapped in raw power descended like a colossal blade from the sky!
Those Muddy Water whips rushing upward never even reached the cloud layer before Hurricane shredded them to pieces, turning them into a spray of scattered droplets!
Zapdos's form was finally revealed in full view, and the streaming camera automatically tilted upward so all the viewers could see its figure.
[Whoa, Zapdos is that cool?]
[It's not as pretty as the other two birds, but you can't deny it hits like a truck.]
[Zapdos: Impressive? I traded my looks for this.]
[Tch, you nonbelievers are hopeless. This is the kind of Pokémon a real man should use—way better than that flashy, hollow Articuno.]
[Lt. Surge, get on your main account if you're gonna talk!]
[Wait, what's Gastrodon doing now?]
[Holy crap, that's awesome!]
Zapdos kept beating its wings, the residual force of Hurricane still raging across the field.
The Muddy Water under Gastrodon was torn apart and scattered, and its hovering body began to wobble and fall.
Yet in that split second, a brownish-yellow energy had already flared up around its body!
Countless rocks materialized from thin air around it, carrying an ancient, heavy aura as they tore through the air, all streaking toward the eye of the Hurricane.
A Rock-type Ancient Power!
Reggie's gaze was razor sharp.
Just as he'd anticipated, in the instant Zapdos unleashed Hurricane, it had completely exposed its position!
Right now, every one of those whistling stones was locked precisely onto the glowing figure of lightning in the clouds!
Rock beats Flying—that was one advantage in his pocket!
So Reggie thought, hoping that his Gastrodon could at least put some real pressure on Zapdos!
Seeing this, Grey lifted his hand and jabbed a finger forward, shouting his command: "In that case, we'll use Ancient Power too!"
"Jiji!" (Don't think you're the only one who can use that move!)
Zapdos banked in a wide circle, its golden wings carving arcs through the sky.
With every beat of its wings, the sharp feathers glowed with an ancient, dusky light.
A primeval pressure surged outward, and for a moment, even the air seemed to freeze.
In the blink of an eye, several enormous slabs of primordial rock condensed around Zapdos. Fossil-like patterns were faintly visible on their surfaces, and each one was several times larger than Gastrodon's own Ancient Power boulders!
These titanic stones, brimming with ancient might, hovered in the air and radiated a suffocating sense of oppression.
"Jiji!" (Crush them!)
With a long cry from its beak, Zapdos slammed its wings downward.
Those massive ancient stones plunged along with the pounding rain, colliding midair with the rocks Gastrodon had launched!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Deafening explosions boomed one after another. The shockwaves from the two Ancient Powers colliding blasted the curtain of rain away in all directions!
Shards of stone flew like shrapnel across the arena, but none were able to reach the golden figure high above.
Zapdos had already climbed higher with a powerful flap of its wings, easily dodging all the stray fragments.
Reggie's lips curled upward. As soon as he saw the rocks shatter, he knew his plan was already halfway complete!
"Now! Gastrodon, use Sandstorm!"
"Nyo-nyo~"
Even as its body continued to drop, Gastrodon wiggled its head. The Muddy Water beneath it, which had nearly dissipated, suddenly began to clear!
Or rather…
The suspended sand and silt within the muddy torrent were shaken free and separated from the water, then resonated strangely with the scattered fragments of Ancient Power still whirling through the air!
Whooo—
Even the leftover force of Zapdos's Hurricane was harnessed by Gastrodon, turning the whole battlefield into a maelstrom of swirling sand and stone!
The earlier downpour vanished, replaced by a raging sandstorm. Fine grit lashed against the glass and walls in a rapid, relentless hiss.
Zapdos wasn't completely unaffected either; its stamina was being chipped away as sand pelted its body.
Weather: Sandstorm!
Paired with the very instigator, Gastrodon, and its Ability Sand Force, the battlefield had now been twisted into a zone that favored it.
[He managed to turn the field into a Sandstorm in such a short time? This challenger really does have something going on.]
[That kid's Gastrodon's pretty decent. I hate to admit it, but when I fought him last year I underestimated him and got beaten.]
[Oh? Even Gym Leader Lt. Surge lost to this challenger? Then I've got to ask—what does Lt. Surge think about who's going to win this battle?]
[What do you think I think? You don't really believe a couple of tricks are enough to beat Zapdos, do you? I'll put it this way: if he actually manages to beat Zapdos, I'll go live and wash my hair while doing a handstand!]
[Big bro Gastrodon, go get 'em!]
[Anyone got a Gastly they can sneak into the Fighting Dojo? When Zapdos starts winding up a big move, just slip in a Destiny Bond and see if you can drag it down with you.]
[?]
In stark contrast to the chat's playful mood, the atmosphere on the battlefield itself had grown heavy.
They were almost at the boiling point.
With Sand Force triggered, for the next stretch of the battle Gastrodon's Steel-, Rock-, and Ground-type moves would all be boosted in power.
Among those, Rock-type moves were super-effective against Zapdos.
And of the Rock-type techniques Gastrodon had learned, their attack patterns were all roughly similar.
Which meant…
Its next course of action was going to be very simple!
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