c29: The Fierce Chen Xiaoxiao
"Why? Why did you kill Gardevoir?!"
Chen Xiaoxiao's voice trembled with a mix of fury and disbelief. Her fingers subtly slid over her Pokédex, tapping the recording function behind her back.
The middle-aged trainer looked at her with a cruel sneer. "Because it refused to obey! It struggled too much! If a Pokémon won't serve me, it's useless trash! I only managed to catch the smaller one back then—what a disappointment. But now… a Shiny Gardevoir? Heh, didn't expect to find another one so soon!"
He dismounted from his Houndoom, tossing another Poké Ball up and down with a twisted sense of glee, his eyes locked on Chen Xiaoxiao's radiant, ethereal Gardevoir.
So he already captured one… but was it a Ralts? A Kirlia? Or another Gardevoir?
Chen Xiaoxiao clenched her fists, trying to steady her breathing. But hearing him talk about killing a Pokémon like it was nothing—it lit a fire inside her heart she hadn't felt in years.
"Gardevoir! Miracle Eye, now! Follow up with Psychic!"
"Shanai!"
Gardevoir gracefully stepped forward, her eyes glowing with a cerulean sheen. A radiant aura burst from her hands and enveloped Houndoom, forming a mystical eye-shaped sigil on its chest before vanishing. Her body then surged with intense psychic energy, which condensed into visible waves before slamming into the opposing Houndoom.
[Note: Miracle Eye enables Psychic-type moves to hit Dark-types like Houndoom, overriding normal immunity.]
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Houndoom
Gender: ♂
Level: 70 (Elite-Class, Mid Tier)
Type: Dark/Fire
Nature: Hasty (+Speed, –Defense)
Ability: Flash Fire – Boosts Fire-type moves if hit by one.
Hidden Ability: Unnerve – Prevents opposing Pokémon from using held Berries.
Potential: Elite
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"Little girl, don't push your luck!" the man snarled. "You're going to die for meddling in my business! Houndoom, Dark Pulse!"
Startled by how quickly Chen Xiaoxiao moved to attack—and how decisively Gardevoir had already struck—he barked out the counter command.
Houndoom roared, his jaws parting to unleash a blast of sinister, pulsating black energy. The Dark Pulse rippled through the air, carrying a malevolent aura meant to shatter the minds of Psychic-types like Gardevoir.
BOOM!
The shockwave from the collision between Gardevoir's Psychic and Houndoom's Dark Pulse reverberated outward, stirring dust and forcing both Trainers to steady themselves.
Although Gardevoir had the advantage in raw power over Houndoom, the Dark-type moves inherently counter Psychic-types. When the Psychic and Dark Pulse clashed, the two forces were evenly matched after Miracle Eye removed the type immunity causing a volatile explosion between them.
"What the! Damn, how is she this strong?! Houndoom, hit yourself with Ember—then use Flamethrower!"
The middle-aged trainer hadn't expected Gardevoir's Psychic to stand toe-to-toe with a type-advantaged Dark Pulse. Realizing now that this Gardevoir's power surpassed his own Pokémon, he barked a desperate order.
"You'll pay for what you did today! Gardevoir, Moonblast!"
Houndoom ignited its fur with Ember, activating Flash Fire powering up its Fire-type moves. It unleashed a blazing Flamethrower that met Gardevoir's glowing Moonblast, the beams colliding violently mid-air.
BOOM!
Without type resistance to hinder it, Moonblast plowed through the flames despite Flash Fire's boost and detonated just in front of Houndoom, knocking it back several paces.
"Houndoom! Use Nasty Plot while the dust's up!"
The trainer tried to use the smoke from the explosion as cover to sharply boost Houndoom's special attack. But Chen Xiaoxiao was one step ahead.
"Not on my watch Gardevoir, Disarming Voice, now!"
Gardevoir released a shimmering, echoing cry that pierced through the smoke cloud, directly interrupting Houndoom's attempt to focus, and dealing chip damage.
"Damn you Smog, then go in with Feint Attack!"
Houndoom coughed up a thick, toxic smog that rolled toward Gardevoir, aiming to obscure her sight and attempt to poison her with a 40% chance, while closing in silently for a sneak attack.
But Chen Xiaoxiao saw the setup for what it was.
"Misty Terrain, then Teleport, evade now!"
With a swirl of silver light, a protective field of pink mist spread across the battlefield, nullifying status conditions like poisoning. Gardevoir vanished just as Houndoom lunged through the mist.
Centered on Gardevoir, the Misty Terrain cloaked the battlefield in dense fog, cutting visibility. Houndoom's claws slashed through empty air.
"Think you can escape? How naive! Houndoom, Odor Sleuth, then Bite!"
Houndoom lowered its nose, sniffed once, and with newfound accuracy locked onto Gardevoir's scent through the fog. It charged, jaws wide, aiming to bite through the illusion.
But Chen Xiaoxiao's voice rang again: "Grass Knot, then Moonblast!"
Using her telepathy, Gardevoir could feel Houndoom's malicious intent and anticipated his path. Vines whipped up from the misty grass, tripping the hellhound just as he lunged—then a radiant beam of lunar energy struck down again from above.
Houndoom was slammed back, stunned.
"You meddling brat! I'll teach you what happens when you cross me! Mightyena, Bite the girl! Honchkrow, Night Slash, now!"
The man's rage exploded. With Houndoom staggering, he threw out two Poké Balls—aiming his Pokémon directly at Chen Xiaoxiao instead of her team.
Chen Xiaoxiao's blood boiled. First he murdered a Gardevoir—and now he was commanding his Pokémon to attack her directly?!
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Honchkrow
Gender: ♂
Level: 62 (Elite-Class, Entry Tier)
Type: Dark/Flying
Mightyena
Gender: ♂
Level: 58 (Peak Quasi-Elite)
Type: Dark
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"Gardevoir, handle Houndoom once and for all!"
Understanding the danger, Gardevoir used Grass Knot again, entangling the weakened Houndoom—then summoned another devastating Moonblast, determined to end the battle.
Meanwhile, Chen Xiaoxiao stepped forward.
"Metagross, Hammer Arm—defend me!"
She flung a Poké Ball straight at the charging Mightyena. A burst of steel and light revealed her Shiny Metagross, whose four legs crashed onto the ground with a thunderous impact.
It saw the snarling wolf charging at Chen Xiaoxiao—and smashed its Hammer Arm down with burning fury.
"A Flash Metagross too?!"
The middle-aged trainer gawked. He thought she only had Gardevoir—but this? This was ridiculous.
His confidence faltered—just as Honchkrow, wings glowing with Night Slash, closed in on Chen Xiaoxiao.
But instead of fear, Chen Xiaoxiao's expression turned cold. A smirk crept onto her face as she revealed another Poké Ball.
The trainer froze mid-smile.
"She has more?!" he thought, confused but still clinging to the belief Honchkrow couldn't be stopped mid-air.
The ball flew—and from it emerged a petite, feline Pokémon, its gaze sharp, its presence unmistakable.
"Meowstic—Ally Switch!"
The confident smirk on the trainer's face shattered into panic.
Before Honchkrow could react, Meowstic and Chen Xiaoxiao instantly swapped places with a flash of psychic light leaving Honchkrow's Night Slash to collide with pure air.
His face went pale.
"Wha—? No way!"
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