The moment had arrived. The battle had been boring so far if Gladion was being honest but now that Rex had brought out his ace Charizard, it might just become interesting.
With a smirk, he reached for his Poké Ball and called out, "Come on out, Hydros! Let's show them what you're made of!"
A bright flash of light filled the stadium as a massive Blastoise appeared, standing tall and proud. The twin cannons on his back gleamed under the stadium lights, and his sheer presence commanded attention.
'Rex had insulted my choice of the starter Pokemon back then. It would be quite ironic to defeat his primary choice with my own primary choice. It would be poetic.' Gladion thought
Gladion looked at his newly evolved partner with pride. Hydros had evolved into a Blastoise just a week before the tournament, but not through reckless training or shortcuts. No, Hydros had worked relentlessly, ensuring that every ounce of strength, endurance, and skill he had built as a Wartortle remained intact as he grew into his final form.
Gladion reflected on their journey together. "Hydros, you worked harder than anyone to get here. You didn't just chase evolution; you built a foundation strong enough to support it. And now, you're stronger than ever. Let's show them what a properly trained Blastoise can do."
Blastoise roared in response "BLAS-TOISEEEE"
Rex scoffed from across the field. "Tch. I remember when that thing was just a tiny Squirtle. You sure you don't regret picking the weakest starter?"
Gladion's eyes narrowed. He had been waiting for this moment. "Weakest starter? You mean the Squirtle you called a 'poor choice' compared to your precious Charmander? Funny how things work out. Because today, I'm going to prove to the world that a Squirtle—and its final evolution, Blastoise—is a force to be reckoned with!"
Hydros crossed his arms and smirked at Charizard. [Well, well, well, look who finally grew a pair of wings. Took you long enough, didn't it, Charizard? Still trying to prove you're a dragon?]
Both Blastoise and Charizard knew each other from their days of being chosen to be given as starters.
Charizard growled, eyes flaring. [Watch your mouth, turtle. I AM a dragon! The strongest Pokémon in this stadium!]
Hydros chuckled. "I don't think so. Face it, you're an overgrown lizard with anger issues."
Charizard's tail flame flared up. [At least I don't waddle like a slowpoke in a shell. You're nothing but an overweight turtle. Bet you couldn't outrun a Slowbro on it's lazy day.]
Hydros rolled his shoulders. [Maybe. But it's not the slow ones you should fear—it's the ones that don't budge even when you throw everything you have at them.]
Charizard snorted. [Tch. Let's just get this over with. I'll turn you into a steam bath.]
Without waiting for an order from Rex, Charizard roared and launched a massive Flamethrower toward Hydros.
Gladion raised an eyebrow. "Bad move. Hydros, Hydro Pump—double cannon style!"
Hydros' left cannon rotated and fired directly into the Flamethrower, neutralizing it mid-air. But the second cannon was aimed straight at Charizard, unleashing a torrential blast of water. Charizard had no time to react and was blasted backward, crashing into the stadium floor, steam rising from his body as he struggled to get up.
Rex clenched his fists. "Damn it, Charizard! Listen to me if we want to win this! Stop attacking on your own!"
Charizard glared at Rex for a moment but finally grunted in reluctant agreement.
"Fine," Rex muttered. "Blastoise is slow. We'll use that. Charizard, Aerial Ace!"
Charizard shot into the air, wings propelling him forward at high speed, aiming to strike Blastoise before he could react.
Gladion smirked. "Speed may not be Hydros' strength, but his defense is unmatched. Hydros, Withdraw and use Iron Defense!"
Blastoise retreated into his shell as his body took on a metallic sheen. Charizard's Aerial Ace slammed into the shell, but it had no effect. It was like hitting a steel wall.
Rex gritted his teeth. "Fine! Iron Tail! Hit it with everything you got!"
Charizard flipped mid-air and brought his glowing tail down with full force. The attack landed with a heavy *THUD*… and did nothing.
"Seriously?" Rex muttered in disbelief.
Gladion chuckled. "Now, it's our turn. Hydros, grab his tail!"
Before Charizard could react, one of Blastoise's powerful arms shot out from his shell and wrapped around Charizard's tail in an iron grip.
Charizard's eyes widened. "Wait. What—"
Gladion's smirk widened. "And now, let's go for a ride. Hydros, Rapid Spin!"
Blastoise withdrew into his shell again and started spinning like a top—dragging Charizard with him! The fire lizard flailed, wings useless as he was swung around in a high-speed Ferris wheel motion.
[Hey! HEY! PUT ME DOWN!] Charizard roared as he spun through the air, the centrifugal force making him dizzy.
Rex watched in horror. "Oh man. That is NOT gonna end well."
After a few rotations, Gladion gave the final command. "End it. Water Pulse!"
Blastoise suddenly stopped spinning, flinging Charizard into the air before blasting a concentrated Water Pulse directly at him. The attack exploded on contact, sending Charizard crashing to the ground, dazed and completely knocked out.
The stadium fell silent for a moment before erupting in cheers.
Rex's face paled as he stared at his unconscious Charizard. His motivation crumbled. If his strongest Pokémon had been defeated so easily, what chance did the rest of his team have?
His remaining three Pokémon, they stepped into the battle… and were swiftly taken down by Hydros. Rex too had lost his motivation and did not know how to move forward with the battle. He was utterly humiliated.
Gladion barely had to break a sweat.
The referee raised a flag. "The winner is GLADION!"
The commentator announced "There you have it folks! Gladion Vortex moves to the top 8. If you thought his Machamp was a beast, think again after seeing his Magmar and Blastoise. He advances to the next round without having lost a single Pokémon in the tournament so far!"
The crowd erupted in applause, chanting Gladion's name.
Rex stood frozen, staring at the battlefield in complete disbelief. His confidence, his arrogance—it had all been shattered in a single battle.
Gladion walked up to him, his expression unreadable. He simply said, "Good match."
And with that, he turned and walked off, leaving Rex standing there, dazed, confused, and with an existential crisis brewing in his mind.
As Gladion exited the battlefield, he let out a small chuckle. 'Not bad, Hydros. Not bad at all.'
---Author Notes------
Y'all can read 15 extra chapters on my pat*reon. 3 more than what was offered earlier!!
https://pat reon.com/mrmime24
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