Lorelei, the Ice-type Elite Four member of the Kanto region.
Although she was only an Elite Four member, even Kanto's Champion Lance often found himself uneasy around her.
It was no surprise that Elite Four Lorelei's popularity in Kanto was off the charts: she was a goddess in countless hearts.
"The sunshine feels amazing!"
Leaning against the railing of the elevated platform, Lorelei let herself fully enjoy the warmth of the sun while listening to the gentle rustle of the sea breeze and the soothing crash of waves.
She loved this feeling.
Officially, Lorelei was at Hutber Port to give a lecture.
But in reality, she had stationed herself here to make sure the giant Tentacruel didn't come back to wreak havoc on the city.
Against a Pokémon that size, ordinary trainers were helpless; only someone at Elite Four level could handle it.
Thankfully, the giant Tentacruel hadn't appeared yet, giving Lorelei a rare few moments of peace amid her busy schedule.
Just then, a battle happening in a nearby clearing caught her attention.
Rumble rumble rumble!
The ground shook violently under Nidoking's control.
Even from a distance, Lorelei could feel the aftershocks.
"That Earthquake packs quite a punch," she murmured, adjusting the metal-rimmed glasses perched on her nose, her interest piqued by the chaotic battle unfolding.
Facing the incoming Earthquake, Pikachu hurriedly summoned a wave with Surf.
Splash splash splash!
Water shot up, carrying Pikachu into the air before the ground tremor could strike.
"Pika~"
Pikachu squealed with excitement, riding the wave as it surged forward.
"There it is! Pikachu's signature Surf!"
On the livestream, Iono's eyes lit up.
"This Pikachu can use Surf?"
Seeing the massive wave hurtling toward him, Gary's surprise didn't show panic. "Nidoking, Ice Beam!"
"Roar~"
A concentrated beam of Ice energy shot from Nidoking's mouth.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The Surf froze instantly, forming a huge ice sculpture. If Pikachu hadn't leapt away in time, it would have been trapped inside.
"Such raw power, and its special attack is just as strong. Gary's Nidoking really is balanced," Caster muttered in admiration, sliding on sunglasses.
Suddenly, Pikachu began radiating an intense white light.
Flash!
Gary instinctively closed his eyes; his vision was temporarily blinded.
But he stayed calm. "Nidoking, Sludge Wave!"
Sludge Wave was a potent Poison-type move that covered the entire field, much like Surf.
Accuracy issues? Gary didn't care: "I'll just hit the whole field!"
"Roar~"
Purple Poison energy surged around Nidoking, forming a massive wave that crashed into the ground and erupted into a toxic rain, saturating the battlefield.
Pikachu had nowhere to hide.
Theoretically, it could use Dig to escape, but Nidoking's Earthquake made that a fatal choice; Dig would have guaranteed a critical hit.
"This Nidoking is insane! That Sludge Wave is terrifying, and there's no way around it," Caster commented. "And judging by the color, the poison is highly potent. If Pikachu gets hit, it'll probably be poisoned."
"Streamer, use Protect!" someone yelled.
"No chance! Even Protect won't save Pikachu. The toxic rain covers the whole field, and as soon as it touches the ground again, it'll be poisoned. This battle's outcome is basically decided."
Viewers of both Caster's and Iono's streams sighed. It wasn't that Pikachu was weak; the opposing Nidoking was just too strong.
Nidoking's Ground typing made it immune to Electric attacks, meaning Pikachu could only use half its strength. Even in defeat, Pikachu had fought gloriously.
But then, the unexpected happened.
Everyone assumed Pikachu was done for. Yet, to their astonishment, it rose above the toxic rain, flying safely out of its reach.
"Pika~ Pika~"
Pikachu soared joyfully through the air, thrilled to have escaped.
"Wait, Pikachu can fly? Did I just see that? A flying Pikachu!"
"No, that's Magnet Rise. It lets Pokémon hover above the ground."
"How many hidden moves does this streamer's Pikachu have? Unbelievable."
"Seriously! I've followed this Pikachu since the beginning. Just a month off, and it's completely different. I wouldn't even recognize it otherwise."
Even Iono's face showed amazement. Magnet Rise was an advanced move for Electric-types, difficult to master. Yet Caster's Pikachu, trained just over a month, had already learned it.
"Damn it! It got away!" Gary's brows knitted. "I thought this was a sure win, but this Pikachu is a real problem."
Pikachu's small size and the distance made hitting it with ranged attacks tricky.
But Gary quickly formulated a new plan. Nidoking glanced at him, and in that moment, trainer and Pokémon were in sync.
"Go, Nidoking!" Gary shouted.
"Roar!" Nidoking answered.
Rocks suddenly materialized around Nidoking, spinning violently.
"Roar!"
The fragments shot out. Pikachu prepared to dodge with its electromagnetic control; its agility and the boost from Agility made this possible.
But the rocks didn't rise high. They landed around the field's perimeter.
"This is Stealth Rock!" Caster's expression shifted.
Even if he'd been slow to realize it before, Gary's plan was now obvious.
"Nidoking, Roar!" Gary commanded again, a hint of satisfaction in his voice.
"Roar~"
This time, Nidoking's roar carried an unseen force. Pikachu shuddered and transformed into a red light, returning to Caster's Poké Ball.
Roar—this was a move that forced an opponent's Pokémon to switch out.
Seeing Pikachu finally gone, Gary smirked. "Caster, send out Gyarados!"
Though Pikachu hadn't fainted, being recalled reset its Agility boost.
The battlefield now had Stealth Rock surrounding it, and the ground was still laced with Sludge Wave toxins.
The moment Gyarados entered, it would lose stamina and likely become poisoned.
A clear path to victory.