Lisa the Legend: Chapter 82 - Last Night on Earth now up! (24th June 2013)

[Gavin Luper]

WOOHOO! The 'new' chapter is here! It's new because it wasn't posted on the exboard, but was on the old TPM.

YAY!! This is the last update for the day. with a little cliffhanger!

-------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 16 - Whirlpool Champion - Part I.


“ Staryu – Take Down!” Gavin cried, legs spread slightly as he struggled to stay balanced on the platform. In the pool, Staryu speedily tackled it’s opponent, a rubbery, slippery Azumarill, which was trying to Bubblebeam unsuccessfully.

Azumarill was certainly almost at the end of it’s line. After taking a fierce beating from the opposing Staryu, blasted down by countless beams of rainbow light and forced underwater by a couple of mauve jets of energy, Azumarill was ready to faint. It’s female trainer, however, the young Nurse Joy, daughter of the Joy in the Island’s Pokemon Centre, was not prepared to give up.

“ Azumarill – Water Gun!” she cried breathlessly, and Azumarill slowly mustered it’s strength to pull back to an upright floating position and breathed in, filling it’s hydrogen chambers with oxygen. A large amount of water formed within it, and Azumarill swiftly exhaled out the blast, as Gavin called out “ Mirage!”

Staryu once again came out on top – disappearing in a hazy blue mist, as the water gun shot right through it, and a yell echoed across the water from the crowd – it appeared the attack had actually hit an innocent bystander. Gavin was undisturbed – this battle was HIS, and one more quick move would finish it off. Ordering a Psybeam, Gavin looked on in delight as Staryu formed a mass of lilac energy before firing it off at the bouncy Azumarill, who looked like it had now had all the spring taken out of it. As the lavender light hit home, the rabbit-like pokemon was flung back at Joy, who quickly pulled out a Lure Ball and recalled it.

“ Go, Octillery.”

The ugly saffron pokemon appeared not in the water but on the platform, it’s tentacles moving slowly and oozing out from beneath it as Joy gave it a nudge with her shoe to remind it was in battle. The slow Pokemon flopped with a splash into the pool, and it’s heavy, unbalanced head floated it to the top. Staryu, although having no eyes, Psy-scanned the opponent, and saw a big ugly octopus. Even Staryu shuddered slightly, but Gavin was determined to win this – if he did … the boy shivered with the prospect.

It was Wednesday the 14th November – five days since Gavin had been discharged from the local Hospital. Tom had left shortly after talking with Gavin – he never actually got to talk to Lisa, but had wished them both luck via Gavin. Lisa had easily passed through her semi-final match, although it had been close. She had fought a highly-skilled water trainer, Aqua, but eventually Dratini managed to faint Aqua’s Politoed with a well-placed Ice Beam. Gavin, also, had had great luck – defeating an aged fisherman in his first match after recovering, and then beating a swimmer called Simon, who fought with a couple of Tentacool. Gavin was now playing his semi-final match, but if he won, both he, Lisa and another mystery trainer would fight (due to Lisa and Anna’s draw) – he supposed they would somehow make a mini tournament out of it.

Due to some rotten luck on both their parts, neither Gavin nor Lisa had actually watched each other battle since Gavin’s first match, which Lisa had hardly been able to concentrate on, let alone hear, due to her very high, very distant seat. However, if things kept going Gavin’s way, he and Lisa would be battling in the Grand Final – something he had inwardly been hoping to avoid in one way, but in another way he truly hoped to win the Cup – his brother had always been bringing home trophies and medals when they were alive. But Gavin, being younger by about 2 years, was always smaller and less experienced – and when he left Ecruteak to start a career in Goldenrod, he was working towards a Degree of Experienced Pokemon Research, and had a part time job at the Radio Tower.

Then Lisa came along. His part time job was ruined, and when Lisa left for Cianwood, Gavin had felt suddenly lonely. So he rushed back to Goldenrod, abandoning his University course the next day, and leaving his friend Dave and their apartment …

“ Oy!”

Gavin was stirred from his long memories by a call from the other side of the battlefield. Joy was standing on the platform, tapping her foot impatiently. “ Are you gonna battle or not?”

Apparently Gavin had been thinking for far too long. In the stands, the crowd was looking down, some with puzzled expressions and others calling out and jeering things like ‘we paid to see a battle’ and ‘I want my money back’. Gavin blushed scarlet when he spied Lisa, rushing into the stands with Aipom on her shoulder – apparently she was late as usual. The boy swallowed once, and continued with the battle.

“ Staryu – Psychic attack, followed by a Barrier.”
“ Octillery – Octazooka, then Wrap.”

Staryu quickly charged up a small and rather pitiful globe of rich plum light – the long battle seemed to be wearing it down a fair bit, and reducing it’s usual abilities. Despite it’s slight weakness, Staryu shot out the purple light, hitting Octillery square in the jelly-like head. The orange THING, covered in odd squelchy suckers, was very slow, but made up for it’s speed by it’s excellent health conditions. It was looking shiny and happy too, although Gavin thought it was too hard to tell with such a creature.

It certainly was slow. By the time Staryu was preparing a large wall of reflective transparency, Octillery finally managed to perform the Octazooka – a large blast of what appeared to Gavin as electricity, but what surely must have been light, which barrelled at Staryu. The starshape pokemon was in no mood to give in or show any signs of weakness or mercy. It dodged the blast, which had been very inaccurate anyway, and the octazooka blared off into the barrier, which was now behind Staryu, and effectively useless unless the Star pokemon was behind it.

“ Staryu, get back behind the barrier.” Gavin ordered, and Staryu pushed it’s way through the shimmery cerulean water towards the reflective screen. However, Octillery was now into the full swing of things. It came at Staryu while it had it’s back turned, and coiled it’s heavy, slimy tentacles around Staryu’s limbs. Gavin’s jaw dropped for a moment before he grinned. “ Teleport.”

Staryu easily slipped out of the coils and reappeared a few metres away, now fully aware of Octillery’s power – although fairly slow, it’s tentacles contained great power – Staryu realised that much longer within it’s grasp and his limbs would have had the circulation cut off – Octillery had excellent crushing power.

“ Try Octazooka again.” Joy called.
“ Staryu – finish up with Bubblebeam.”

Staryu fired out a string of bubbles at Octillery. The bubbles looked not at all threatening – in fact, they looked pleasant and peaceful, floating towards Octillery, however Gavin knew that when they popped they stung like crazy – actually he knew from experience due to an accident with a Poliwag a few years back. Octillery, already weakened by the Psychic, was fainted by the bubblebeam – Gavin guessed because of the sheer numbers of bubbles. A few bubbles did sting, but being bombarded by bubbles would have been quite difficult to come through.

A bell clanged, and the crowd roared for Gavin – through to the Grand Final. Joy sadly returned Octillery, as Gavin dived off the side of the platform into the cool water to hug Staryu. They had come through to the Grand Final – against Lisa and another talented water pokemon trainer. Lisa cheered as a soggy Gavin and a tired but rejoicing Staryu swam back to the platform.

*

The kettle whistled away noisily, steam pouring from it’s worn and slightly rusted spout. Gavin looked up from over his newspaper lazily, but it was Lisa who actually took action – she jumped up from her chair and poured boiling water into two mugs of coffee.

“ Why did we have to get the economy unit?” Lisa asked, as she flicked a small water beetle from the edge of the sink. “ It’s so…ugh.”
“ I like it.” Gavin muttered. “ Besides, it was the only accommodation left on the island.”
“ We coulda stayed with Jake.”
“ Lisa – his parents were coming to stay.”
“ We coulda slept in the – uh – kitchen?”
“ Lisa.” Gavin said, with a note of warning. “ He was nice enough to let us stay for a few days.”
“ Whatever.” Lisa sighed, handing Gavin a cup of boiling coffee.

Things between the two had been tense ever since the Grand Final competition was announced. Knowing that they were soon to fight each other they both became very edgy and stand-offish. Although they still trained together since that Wednesday, the previous day, they both felt like they didn’t want to fight each other – even if it was friendly competition.

On Wednesday afternoon, Jack had informed them that Jake’s parents were coming to stay. The elderly couple required a bedroom – and since Jake was already housing Jack, Frank and himself, Lisa and Gavin had been, in a way, kicked out. They had quickly found an ancient little hut near the beach – similar to the empty one Lisa and Gavin had stayed in that rainy night after Gavin’s first fight – except this one was furnished. Consisting of four rooms – a kitchen, living area, bedroom and bathroom, the unit was poorly furnished with a drab, plain sheeted bed in the bedroom, an awful bench coloured with a murky shade of mustard, splintery, wooden planks that meant shoes were a must, and a couple of ancient couches, facing a TV set whose reception was almost as bad as Lanturn’s disobedience.

“ C’mon, we gotta go.” Lisa snapped, drinking down her coffee. “ The match starts in half an hour.”

Gavin sculled as much coffee as he could without spurting it back up, and stood up, reaching for his pack.
“ The referee said we wouldn’t need anything except two pokemon.” Lisa reminded him snappily. Gavin nodded, but as he turned to take his belt from his pack, he scowled. Both Lisa and Gavin were very irritable – the slightest thing could set them off. Gavin would be glad when the match was over…

*********

As usual, the stadium was packed with people of all different sizes and ages. Jack was in the crowds, winking good luck to both of them. But still Lisa and Gavin were clueless to how the Final round would work. The referee hadn’t told them anything – they only knew that two pokemon were to be used. Gavin had reluctantly taken Lanturn’s pokeball from his pack that morning – he would be necessary if Staryu lost, but Gavin hoped it wouldn’t come to that. Another shock might trigger off another psychic blast – and he did not want that. Maybe if Staryu went down, he would simply have to wimp out?

Lisa and Gavin congregated with the referee and another teenage girl whose hair was a bright shade of ultramarine in a corner of the battlefield. There were three floating platforms near the edge and another six floating in no order in the central pool area. “ This match will be a three-way fight.” The referee announced, cramming his black cap onto his head. “ All three pokemon will fight at once, meaning each pokemon will be constantly battling down two other opponents. Once one trainer’s pokemon is down, number two is to be sent in immediately.”

Lisa, Gavin and the other girl gaped – none of them had ever experienced a three-way battle before. It would be VERY challenging – not just for them to keep track of all the attacks and order their fighter around, but for the pokemon themselves. Looking up at the crowd, Lisa noted that they already seemed to be informed of this prior to the match – maybe that was why it was so full of people?

“ Lisa, Marina, Gavin, I wish you all the best of luck.” The ref said. “ Now please move to the trainer positions.”

At this, he strode to the sidelines of the stadium floor, equipping himself with a hands-free microphone. Lisa and Gavin nodded to the other girl, Marina, for good luck, and then did the same with each other. All the tension seemed to have dissolved as they entered the stadium – now it wasn’t like a bitter rivalry at all – they had too much on their minds to even be concerned with such petty matters anyway.

Lisa stepped onto her own floating platform, heart thumping wildly. This was it – she was in the grand final – she had been waiting for this FOREVER.

Then a voice in the back of Lisa’s mind spoke up. “ Not forever.” It reminded her. “ You actually started with a very different goal.” Lisa thought back to her vow to find out all she could about Suicune and the legendaries. That had been short-lived after Eusine’s request, and then Irene’s prompt to enter the Whirlpool Cup League. Lisa suddenly felt ashamed. She had given up on her quest – maybe not GIVEN up, but been majorly sidetracked.
“ After this fight,” she told herself, “ Aipom and I are gonna find out more about legendaries, and we’ll never get distracted again.”

Somehow Lisa managed to do all this soulsearching in the time it took for the ref to turn on his microphone. It occurred to her that if she did lose, it would no longer matter – her true goal was indeed to capture legendary Pokemon.

The ref blew his whistle, and the commentator at once began talking. Lisa tuned out – she had to concentrate on the fight – she needed full attention if she was going to win this thing. Marina sent out a Golduck, a turquoise duck-like pokemon who stood upright. Golduck stood for a moment on the edge of his platform, before diving gracefully in, his smooth body flowing along as though it too was water. Lisa pulled out a pokeball, using her strongest pokemon first. “ Quagsire!”

After a few seconds, a Quagsire, Golduck and Staryu all floated in the water, eyeing each other off. Lisa was unsure how to fight in a three way battle, so she tried treating it as a normal one. “ Quagsire – start off with an Aurora Beam!”

It didn’t work.

Marina ordered a whirlpool from Golduck and Gavin called for a reflect. Not only would the Aurora Beam be unable to hit either opponent, Quagsire was unsure which enemy to aim for. In the end, he got so confused, the attack was just cancelled out.

Meanwhile, Staryu had formed a shimmery forcefield around itself, protecting from most attacks. The star then simply floated while Golduck kicked up a spiralling mass of water into a waterspout, charging for both Staryu and Quagsire, who were relatively close together.

“ Psybeam!”
“ Double Team!”

Staryu fired off a beam of mauve light at the waterspout, which entwined around the greater attack and began spinning as one, if anything now more powerful. Quagsire, on the other hand, swiftly made shadowy reflections of itself and exchanged it’s own body for one of the images. The real Quagsire gave Lisa a wink, showing that he was out of harm’s way. The Waterspout was on course for one of the images. Lisa gave a sigh of relief.

But not for long. Soon, Gavin was enlightened by Staryu’s last failed attack. Still in the path of the water cyclone, Staryu cowered in it’s reflecting shell, however the shell couldn’t hold through something of THAT mass and pressure. Gavin used his only and possibly pointless idea. “ Staryu – Psyspin.”

Staryu was utterly confused by the order. Psyspin? Was there such an attack? He had to give it a go. First up – psy was Psychic, so EASY, use a Psybeam – but spin?

Then Staryu clicked. He fired a mass of lilac energy into the air, just metres away from the whirlpool, but instead of hitting the cyclone straight on, it curved and aimed back at Gavin. But just before hitting Staryu itself, the beam curved again and looped back on itself. Lisa saw the idea, and smirked. After a few moments, an immense psy-cyclone was spinning with destructive fury VERY close to the slow but dangerous waterspout. But the Psyspin proved faster. In a blast which made all three trainers and the ref look to the side, the purple cyclone connected with the water, overpowering it with utter and overwhelming force, suddenly changing course…

…for Quagsire…