Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Pokemon Quest ❯ Jacob vs. Janette ( Chapter 53 )

Pokemon Quest

 

This was it, the biggest day for everyone. It was the final tournament battle between Jacob and Janette. Only one of those two would come out the champion and everyone was fired up for this event. This was going to be a battle between the best trainers in the tournament. Who would come out on top? Everyone just had to wait and see first.

 

Jacob stood in front of a mirror an hour before the event started and let out a sigh. 'This is it,' he thought, 'I can't lose now.'

 

As he exited his room after waking Lucario up from his deep slumber, of course, he walked down the halls when a certain duo ran up to him. The boy blinked as he asked, “Why are you two here? Shouldn't you be in the bleachers like everyone else?”

 

Izy placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and said, “We just wanted to wish you luck out there.”

 

Anna smiled and said, “You do the best you can out there, Jacob. Even if you don't win, at least you made it this far.”

 

Again, Jacob had been reminded of Kevin's words, and those words were certainly true. Throughout the tournament, Jacob had many moments of doubt. It also seemed like he would never make it this far, and yet he had defeated every opponent he had gotten up to this point. There was no way he was going to lose.

 

Izy then remembered something important and pulled a strange object out of her pocket. Jacob blinked, looking at it strangely and asked, “You're giving me a flower?”

 

“Not just any flower,” Izy said with a grin as she pinned it onto the front of his shirt, “It's a Camellia, said to be good luck for males.”

 

Jacob could only stand there blinking in response to this. A flower was an odd gift coming from someone tough like Izy. But it was thoughtful all the same, so what reason did the boy have to complain?

 

“Thank you,” he said as he realized he only had less than an hour to prepare.

 

He and Lucario ran down the hall, waving to their friends who gave the two thumbs up before heading off to find seats. Along the way, Jacob screeched to a halt when he saw Janette looking at her Pokeballs.

 

“You've all done a fantastic job,” the girl said with a compassionate smile, “Now is the biggest day for you all. Let's do our best to take home the gold medal.”

 

Jacob sighed at the sight of this. Janette had done a lot to help Jacob. If it hadn't been for her, he wouldn't have even come close to the finals. But the boy knew that he had to defeat her if he was to win and he would stop at nothing to get that far.

 

The stadium was full of spectators and there were even more watching at home. Even those who had missed the first few rounds were gathered together to watch the final battle take place. Even Jenna and Donavan sat in the crowd.

 

“So, tell me, Jenna,” Donavan asked, “why exactly are we cheering for Jacob again?”

 

“No one who beats us as many times as he has should be allowed to lose!” the woman spat as she looked down, “Besides, after losing to him so many times, I've developed a strange fondness for him. It must be his fighting spirit.”

 

Donavan blinked before putting on an immature smirk, giving his partner a noogie while saying, “Jenna, you've become a softy!” the woman gritting her teeth before ramming her fist into the man's chin.

 

Perona folded her arms and sighed, “That boy may have lost to me with ease, but he certainly has spirit. I hope he wins.”

 

Even the gym leaders were hoping for Jacob to win, but of course they couldn't say this out loud. As gym leaders, they weren't allowed to play favorites. As for the Elite Four... they didn't really know Jacob well enough to assume anything. To them, it was anyone's game.

 

Moro was also secretly hoping for Jacob to win, but not only was a professor but he was also the judge. He couldn't be biased no matter what. As for Nurse Boredom, must like the Elite Four, she had no opinion, but that was mostly due to her lack of enthusiasm.

 

The professor glared at her and muttered, “Boredom, try to stay awake for this one,” while the nurse shrugged, pulling out a small package of pills and gulping a few down. These were placebos, sugar pills, so they would at least keep her awake for the entirety of the battle.

 

Back at home, Jacob's mother watched the TV screen, sighing. 'You'd be glad to see your son now,' she thought with a tear forming in her eye, 'He's done just about everything you dreamed of doing,' while she looked at a photo of her husband, wiping the tear away.

 

Even someone who Jacob would rather have not seen again was in the crowd. That's right, Roxanne had shown up after a long journey just so she could see Jacob's final battle. When would she get it in her head that the two weren't friends?

 

At that very moment, Moro stood up tall and proud and said, “Everyone, it's finally time for the moment you've all been waiting for!”

 

The crowd groaned at the sound of this. Most had been praying for Moro NOT to make another long-winded speech, but it seemed unavoidable.

 

“This is truly an exciting day for all of us,” the man said as an audience member hurled a shoe at his head, only to miss as it hit Nurse Boredom hard, the woman angrily tossing it back, clocking the obnoxious man over the skull then going back to her bored state.

 

“We are about to see an incredible battle,” the professor continued, “Both these young trainers have fought long and hard to make it to the finals, and here they are! First, I would like to introduce Jacob!”

 

The crowd cheered heavily as Jacob ran into the arena while giving Lucario a horsey ride. It didn't look quite as degrading as it may sound. At least Lucario was enjoying himself.

 

Izy and Anna both held up signs saying 'Jacob Rules' while Harold decided to help out by throwing confetti into the air. Unfortunately, confetti or not, it didn't add much, but Jacob appreciated it all the same.

 

Roxanne rose her arms in the air shouting, “YOU GO, JACOB!!!!” as the boy turned to the crowd, his eyes going wide as Lucario started to tremble with fear. 'Not her,' the boy thought with a groan as he took his position.

 

Izy and Anna turned to the hyperactive cheerleader as well while Izy narrowed her eyes muttering, “What's that idiot doing here?”

 

Moro then proceeded to say, “Janette has also come a very long way. She grew up in a rich family, no one knew who she was. She basically came out of nowhere, and yet here she is. Let's give her a round of applause!”

 

Many cheered for Janette as well while she simply bowed and said, “You're too kind.”

 

Before the battle could begin, Jacob walked over to Janette while all was silent. The boy held out his hand as Janette shook it saying, “Good luck, Jacob,” the boy grinning and saying, “Don't feel too bad if I beat you.”

 

The two then walked back to their sides as Moro let down tears of joy saying, “What great sportsmanship between the two of them! Doesn't it just make you want to go out and appreciate others, Nurse Boredom!?”

 

The nurse started to look at the professor strangely as if he was mental. The professor let out a sigh, burrowing his head under his hands. Just what would it take to make her act like she cared?

 

It was finally time for the battle to begin as a roulette was brought up for everyone to see. It had 3 spaces on it, three of them with Jacob's face and the other three with Janette's. The pointer started to spin and after twenty seconds, landed on Janette's face.

 

“The roulette has chosen Janette!” Moro announced, “Therefore Janette will choose the first Pokemon! By the way, I forgot to mention the rule changes for this round!”

 

The crowd moaned in agony, bracing themselves for another speech while Moro cleared his throat and explained, “Unlike the other rounds, the trainers must use all of their Pokemon, making this the longest battle so far. Also, trainers are not allowed to switch out Pokemon until the end of the battle, so if you feel you made a bad choice, you must wait until that battle ends before you can return them!”

 

Everyone sighed with relief at the shortness of that speech as Janette smiled and hurled her Pokeball into the arena, a purple star with a red gemstone on its center appearing. Around the gym was a golden plate and another star was attached to its back. This was known as Starmie, one of the most rarely seen water type Pokemon.

 

What mattered to Jacob was that she was a water type, meaning that there were two Pokemon perfect for this job, but there was only one he felt he needed for this. He hurled his own Pokeball into the arena as Manectric took form.

 

Everyone cheered as Manectric howled into the air, Anna's eyes sparkling. She was seeing two of the most beautiful Pokemon in existence. What could be better?

 

And so the battle began as Manectric started things off immediately with his eyes glowing. This was his Leer ability, so Starmie's defense went down a bit.

 

In response to this, the starfish leapt into the air, spinning her body around for an attack known as Rabid Spin, but as she soared downward towards her target, Manectric prepared himself to dodge.

 

“Wait!” Jacob shouted as Manectric looked at him, the boy saying, “Rabid Spin never misses its target! Try countering it instead!”

 

The wolf nodded before turning his gaze back to his opponent, who was only seconds away from hitting him. He needed to time this just right, so he focused hard and howled, electricity coming from his body and hitting Starmie hard, the Spark surrounding her body. But much to Jacob and Manectric's shock, the attack hadn't even caused the starfish to flinch and as such, the wolf took the fierce blow to the face hard, Starmie returning to the ground and posing for the cheering crowd.

 

Izy sighed and said, “I was really hoping that would work,” Anna looking neutral. Now Jacob's chances of winning weren't looking as high as they had before.

 

But Jacob wasn't too worried. While Manectric had failed in preventing the attack from hitting, Starmie had taken in some damage from the previous attack, and it was showing as the light from her gemstone started to blink.

 

Janette gave Starmie a sympathetic smile and said, “You did a great job back there, Starmie. Now let's get him with Power Gem.”

 

Jacob's eyes went wide at the sound of that. That wasn't a good sign.

 

“Manectric, stop her!” he shouted as the wolf nodded, charging towards Janette with his fangs gnashing out, but seconds before he could hit the starfish, Starmie's gem started to glow as flashes of light flew out, hitting the electric wolf dead-on and sending him back a ways. That was Power Gem, a rock type move.

 

As if that wasn't enough, Starmie added to the damage by forming a steel ball and launching it at her opponent, hitting him hard while the wolf cried out in pain. That attack was known as Gyro Ball.

 

“Great job, Starmie,” Janette said, “Now finish him with Rapid Spin!”

 

Once again, Starmie took to the sky and spun her body around, heading towards the wolf at an alarming speed. But this time, Manectric was ready. He was not going to let himself get hit by this again.

 

The wolf shook off the pain from the previous attacks, but after doing so, he realized that Starmie was too close for him to use a long-ranged attack. As such, he opened his jaws wide and closed them around one of Starmie's arms once she was close enough.

 

“WAY TO GO!!!” Jacob shouted, but that enthusiasm ended as Starmie ignored the pain, still spinning while carrying Manectric with her, tilting her body towards the ground so the wolf would slam into it with each trip.

 

Despite the pain, Manectric held on as electricity flowed through Starmie's body. Janette had to admit, she was impressed and soon enough, Starmie tired out and the spinning stopped, the starfish breathing heavily and passing out while Manectric removed his fangs from her arm, now covered in bruises.

 

Manectric gave his master a grin before passing out, the whole area silent. Janette simply smiled and said, “That Manectric of yours is really something,” returning Starmie to her ball as Jacob sighed, returning his wolf and said, “Great job, Manectric. She's one Pokemon short thanks to you.”

 

“What an incredible sight!” Moro shouted, “Did you see that? Manectric ignored the extreme torture he put himself in just so he could take that Starmie down! What passion, what charisma!”

 

Boredom simply groaned wishing she hadn't taken the placebos, Moro folding his arms with a grimace. Again, what would it take to make that nurse care?

 

Janette smiled and sent in another Pokeball as an electric wolf of her own known as Luxray. Much like before, Jacob had just the Pokemon for this as he sent Cacturne into the arena.

 

The boy was still worried despite his second type advantage. He had to remember that Janette's Pokemon had a knack for defeating their opponents regardless of type disadvantages. And after that Starmie almost won the battle with his Manectric, he needed to be careful.

 

The battle began with Luxray charging towards the cactus as Jacob shouting, “Cacturne, dodge to the side and hit him with Needle Arm!”

 

As Luxray leapt at the cactus, Cacturne stepped to the side but was unable to dodge in time as Luxray bit hard into his arm, using his Crunch Attack. Cacturne cried in pain before using his free arm to punch the wolf in the side of the face, Luxray releasing the cactus.

 

“Great job, Cacturne!” Jacob exclaimed while Izy sighed with relief, the boy shouting, “Get that Luxray with Poison Sting before he recovers!”

 

But it was too late. Luxray had shaken off the pain to his now bleeding cheek and started to circle the cactus' body at an alarming speed.

 

Jacob had no idea what to do. Cacturne wasn't exactly a fast Pokemon, so to hit an opponent moving at this kind of speed would be difficult. And it proved to be just that as Luxray shifted momentum after getting behind the cactus, ramming hard into his back before crunching down hard into his shoulder, water dripping down from it, him being a cactus and all.

 

The cactus coughed up more water from his body as he tried his hardest to pry Luxray off of him, but the wolf ignored the pain, swinging his head to the side and releasing his hold on Cacturne, the cactus Pokemon flying hard into the wall and passing out.

 

Jacob's eyes went wide, his jaw dropping while Izy and Anna gasped. Cacturne had already lost. Now Janette was winning the battle. Could Jacob possibly make up for this? Against any other opponent, maybe, but against Janette, it seemed like an impossible task. But Anna didn't seem nearly as worried as Izy was. Maybe Jacob could turn this around.