It takes a big hit, but gives back a bigger one. (Vs. Inferno Pt.2)

Aerodactyl, Electabuzz, and Pikachu all stare down the Rocket’s Houndoom, still feeling disadvantaged even though it’s three versus one. The electric types huff and pant, with Daniel’s starter wobbling on its feet, barely conscious. The opposing fire type seems winded at best, having barely needed to put in any effort to carve its way through the three Pokémon it’s already taken down. Your Fossil Pokémon glides through the air overhead, waiting for your command to strike. With Rock Tomb newly learned, you can only hope that the super-effective move is enough.

The lithe hound paces, stalking from side to side as it glares at its prey, awaiting its trainer’s command to rip you and your friends’ partners to shreds. Inferno stares up at your flying rock type, cocking a brow as he takes it in. “Pretty rare Pokémon for a kid like you to have, eh? Interesting… Very interesting.” The man’s raspy voice sounds the least bored you’ve ever heard it, though that doesn’t mean not bored at all. Just… vaguely curious. His gaze turns upon you, orange eyes looking you up and down through tinted glasses. Something catches his attention, because his second eyebrow raises as well, and a small flash of surprise crosses his face. “Oh? You’re… Very interesting indeed…”

You have no idea what the pink-haired man has just noticed about you, but the small smirk that plays on his lips sends a shiver down your spine. What about you is so ‘interesting’? That is a question for later. Battle time is now! “Aerodactyl, use Rock Tomb!” At your command, the ancient Pokémon shoots up towards the ceiling of the cavern, slamming her feet into the stone above. The roof shakes, and several large stalactites break off and go sailing down in the Houndoom’s direction.

“Don’t get hit.” The red-coated Rocket remarks, not sounding all that bothered. As the pointed rocks fly towards the fire type, being directed by Aerodactyl, the dog’s lean muscles tense. With a single, powerful leap, it pushes itself backwards and out of the way of the incoming attack, snarling ferociously up at your Pokémon.

“Quick Attack!” “Thunder Wave”

Daniel and Kayla both follow up on your attempted attack, ordering their starters back into the fray. Electabuzz sprints forward, pushing its exhausted body to its absolute limits and ramming its shoulder into the dark type. The mutt growls in frustration, but still manages to duck under the paralyzing rays of electricity shot by Kayla’s Pikachu. Before Inferno can even command it to retaliate, more rocks are falling from above at your command. The Houndoom barely has enough time to dodge, but it still manages to nonetheless. But that’s all it manages to do, as the Vermillion pairs’ Pokémon keep up their combined ****. This time a dual Thunder Shock is ordered, and each electric type shoots out weak beams of yellow lightning at the dog. The swift fire type manages to evade direct impact, but does get clipped by each spark, damaging it at least a tiny bit.

“Keep using Rock Tomb!” You cry out, a small flame of hope kindles in your chest. As tough as this Houndoom is, a constant threeway **** is proving to be a bit much for it. It’s on the back foot, spending all of its time dodging and growling furiously. This hope may be short lived however; how long can you and your friends’ partners keep up this pace? The electric types are very tired, and there’s a lingering doubt in your mind; is this too much for the enemy Pokémon? Or is Inferno just letting things play out? He hasn’t given a command in a little while, hasn’t told his partner to attack. The orange-eyed man has just been staring at you, letting his Pokémon evade while he watches what you do. Why the hell is he so focused on you all of a sudden!?

The fire and dark type avoids yet another stalactite projectile, jumping into the air and landing atop the newly planted pillar of stone. It howls in irritation, then leaps to the side as two more thin bolts of electricity hit the top of the buried stalactite. How much longer before it just decides to attack of its own accord? Is it too well trained for that? Will it just keep waiting for Inferno to tell it what to do, or will it lose patience and take action on its own? The beast is frothing at the mouth, thick spittle flying from its maw and sizzling whenever it hits the ground. Its burning red eyes are filled with rage as it stares down its opponents, and you can tell that it wants nothing more than to rip all three Pokémon asunder. Yet it does not. It simply keeps dodging.

Once again, the Houndoom dodges twin Thunder Shocks from the Vermillion trainers’ starters, but it finally slips up a little. A spear of stone crashes down, and the dog fails to avoid it entirely. The rocky javelin scrapes down the beast’s black flank, causing it to yelp and wince in pain from the super-effective damage. As it tries to shake off the blow, a Low Kick from Daniel’s Electabuzz sweeps it off of its feet. The fire type lands on its back, scrambling to try and get up, but that isn’t the end. Just as it regains its footing, a Thunder Wave finally connects with the dark type, and crackling yellow sparks form all over its body. The hound stands, wounded, paralyzed, and breathing hard. A manic look of fury and vengefulness contorts its face, and its chest swells. Your trio braces for the inevitable Flamethrower that’s about to come, bound to incinerate one of your partners…

But no flames exit the Houndoom’s throat. Instead a deep, terrifying Roar rips out from the beast, echoing throughout the chamber.

“DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!”

Aerodactyl, Electabuzz, and Pikachu all flinch in fear, backing away from the intimidating dark type in panic. You, Daniel, and Kayla all gulp in fear as well, and you can even hear a few startled yelps from the Rockets. That is an angry Pokémon!

You take a moment to look over at the furious beast’s trainer… and he is still staring at you. The Agent looks like he’s pondering something, like he’s struggling to solve a puzzle. “Maybe…? No, no… What about…? Nah, can’t be… Hmm…” The lazy man scratches his head, then just shrugs. “Well, whatever. Could just be wrong. What’s going on with the battle?” Finally bringing his attention back to the matter at hand, Inferno scoffs in surprise. “Wow. Actually hurt my Houndoom. And he is pissed. Sorry for the hold-up, partner. Go ahead and use Heat Wave.”

The dog Pokémon’s lips curl up in a massive, sadistic grin, its dripping fangs bared in glee and fury. Despite being slowed by paralysis, the hound manages to leap up onto one of the fallen stalactites, and inhales deeply. A faint orange glow forms around its black and red body, the white bands over its spine glowing brightest. The light continues to build, intensifying and expanding as the temperature in the cave begins to rise rapidly.

“Oh, uh… Everyone who isn’t me should probably duck. If you enjoy not looking like crispy bacon, anyway.” The languid Rocket Agent says, folding his arms and smirking as his Pokémon continues to charge up its attack.

In a few seconds that feel like only a heartbeat, you and your friends heed the man’s warning and throw yourselves to the ground. You can hear the vague sounds of the other Rockets and the captive paleontologists doing the same, the Captain cursing all the while. Just as you tuck your hands over your head, a massive pulsating sound booms through the cave, and the temperature skyrockets. A *whoosh* of evacuating air plays over your head as blazing flames fill the entire chamber. You can feel the heat above you, barely missing cooking you alive. It’s like an explosion went off in this room, like a large machine broke and overloaded. The heat is practically unbearable, even as you avoid the brunt of the attack. The oxygen is sucked out of the air, making it hard to take a breath as the Heat Wave overtakes everything. The sound of two dull thuds and one larger crash manage to reach your ears through the chaos, and you have a feeling you know exactly what those sounds were.

Then, in an instant, it’s over. The flames vanish, the heat dies down, you’re able to breathe again… and you hear the triumphant howl of one very happy Houndoom. After several seconds, you slowly get back on your feet, taking in the scene around you. The first thing you notice is that the sounds you had heard were exactly what you suspected; Electabuzz and Pikachu hitting the ground were the dull thuds, and Aerodactyl falling from the air was the loud crash. All three Pokémon are down for the count… and understandably so, looking around at the rest of the carnage.

Large portions of the rocky room seem to have melted ever so slightly, and are now cooling in their new lava flow-like shapes. The scientist’s tents no longer exist, having been burned to ash. Only small scraps of cloth near the floor remain, and those are still burning. No one seems injured, and your friends have slowly risen to their feet as well. The Grunts and researchers remain curled up on the ground, cowering in fear, while Richard shoots back up and glares at the reckless Agent. He doesn’t say anything, but if looks could kill…

As for Inferno, he’s in the exact same position he was before the Heat Wave, standing with his arms crossed and a smirk on his lips. Did he… not dodge it!? How the fuck is he alive!?

‘Oh, uh… Everyone who isn’t me should probably duck. If you enjoy not looking like crispy bacon, anyway.’ His words play again in your mind. Everyone who isn’t him… Just who is he? Or what, more accurately?

The red-coated man’s Houndoom still stands on top of its stony perch, glowering down at you all and grinning smugly. Sparks of electricity continue to plague its body, and it’s breathing hard, but there is no doubt about who has the upper hand now. It’s the top dog.

“…Fuck.” Daniel says under his breath, recalling his fallen Electabuzz. “What are we gonna do?”

“I’m basically out of options…” Kayla replies, her only other Pokémon being a Weepinbell now that her Pikachu is **** and recalled.

Returning Aerodactyl to her ball, you say “I’ve got three left, but only one seems like a good option…”

As the three of you lament your current predicament, Inferno calls out to you. “C’mon now, we aren’t done yet, right? Show me what else you can do. After all…” The man - who you’re back to considering more scary than his Houndoom - leans forward, pulling his tinted glasses down with a finger. “This could still be fun. If it ends here though… Well, that’d be boring. And you don’t wanna bore me.” His orange eyes flash as he speaks that last sentence, and his voice reverberates a little.

You all shudder at his tone and his… inhuman display. Your bodies are shaking in fear at this point, and none of you are sure that there’s any point in continuing. A Mankey, a Pidgey, a tired Pikachu, an exhausted Golbat, and a grass type Weepinbell are all the options you have left for taking down this beastly fire and dark type. Is… Is there even a point in trying? Or should you just surrender? Then again, that may just bore him, and that could be the worst mistake you make yet. What the hell should you do!?