It Comes Down To The Wire

The second-stage evolution of Blue's starter emerges from the pokéball, and your rival immediately calls for a Water Pulse; you're only just able to command your fighting-type to leap out of the way of the blast. Blue and Wartortle are persistent, however, and the turtle pokémon keeps on firing Water Guns and Water Pulses in Mankey's direction, the pig-monkey having to use all of its agility to stay out of the way. It becomes clear pretty quickly that this is an unsustainable situation for you; Mankey will eventually tire, or one of Wartortle's hits will eventually land. You need to go on the attack, but that means getting in close, and you don't see a way of closing the gap without leaving Mankey open to a hit.

You go back to using the environment to your advantage; it's worked for you thus far in this battle, and worked with Mankey specifically against Misty. You just need to get him up high. "Mankey, climb the walls!" you yell, and your fighting pokémon obeys, dodging a Water Gun before leaping onto the nearest cave wall. Mankey's strength and natural climbing ability allow it to easily scale the wall, and soon it's scampering along the ceiling, dodging Wartortle's attacks far more easily now while advancing towards the turtle at a fast pace. Mankey gets almost directly above Wartortle and you go for it. "Thunder Punch!" you command, and Mankey drops down from above, diving towards Wartortle, its fist crackling with static energy.

"Water Pulse, straight up!" Blue shouts, and Wartortle obeys, the jet of water hitting Mankey square in the face as your grimace; that's definitely done some damage. It's not enough to stop Mankey's momentum, however, and he lands the Thunder Punch, dealing super-effective damage and sending Wartortle flying backwards. You pump your fist in the air. Yes! This is all over now! Blue has other ideas, however. "Withdraw!" he orders, his face tense but his mind clearly still fully in the battle. Still flying through the air, Wartortle is somehow able to adjust its body, going back inside its hard shell at its trainer's command. It then bounces off the ceiling of the cave, and comes hurtling back the other way; you realise with horror that it's travelling toward Mankey now. "Rapid Spin!" Blue shouts, and you desperately call for a dodge, but Wartortle has too much momentum; still inside its shell, it starts rotating at incredible velocity before connecting with the body of your fighting-type pokémon. This hit on top of the Water Pulse it took earlier is too much for Mankey, and it falls to the floor unmoving, as Wartortle comes out of its shell, clearly very damaged from the Thunder Punch but very much conscious.

"You did your best, buddy," you say to Mankey, trying to keep your voice calm as you withdraw it to its pokéball. The truth is, you're anything but calm. It's all come down to this. Starter vs. starter, just like back in Pallet Town. Charmeleon is hurt. Wartortle is hurt. The next attack ends it. You've got one shot at this.

You throw your pokéball right in front of where Wartortle is standing and Charmeleon emerges once again. "Dragon Rage!" you yell, just as Blue shouts 'Aqua Tail!'

This is it...