From: Rain Dance <pokefreakazoid@yahoo.com> Subject: [PW!][LEAGUE]Burning Down the Ice Field! Date: Tuesday, December 07, 1999 8:05 PM "Azure's Touch, Part II: Burning Down the Ice Field!" By: C.J. AKA Rain Dance Last time, Keyan arrived at Indigo Plateau whilst wondering for new stomping grounds. He found, when he landed, a Dragonair in the bushes. Rushing it to the Pokemon Center, he found that something was arye....but he couldn't quite tell what. Now we jump to the day after his arrival, and his finding out where exactly he was, and what was going on. Excitement rushed through every pore in Keyan's body. The thrill of the battle was upon him, and his chance to prove how good he was had arrived. By pure luck he had traveled west from Pewter....and came to the Pokemon League Tournament! Through some freak mishap, he had managed to get in. He wasn't quite sure how, but he knew he was in. Nurse Joy, who had called him into to Tournament Registration, had told him that he was in....although he had no ID, no Pokedex, or any other hard evidence of who was. While Nurse Joy had handled getting him into the tournament, he had spent all night reading. Reading about the legends of the Dragon Pokemon. The cute Dratini, the elegent Dragonair, the powerful Dragonite, and the majestic Charizard just to name a few. Legends were abound about the ancient times, when wild bands of Charizards roamed the earth, and how the Dragons were involved in what seemed to be every key event in history. At any rate, he had learned the essentials....Dragons were very rare, hard to train, his Dragonair had Wrap, Agility, and Thunder Wave, along with some other attack that he wasn't paying much attention to something or other about Rage, and that at all costs Dragons were to be kept away from ice.... He finally returned from his trip to memory to lane to find himself at the entrance way of a massive stadium....his first battle. He gazed in awe at it, and wondered by what fluke had brought him here. Keeping one eye on the stadium and one on where he was going, he found the contenders tunnel, and descended into the bowels of the stadium. Making his way to the end of the tunnel, he found at the mouth a giant entrance way. He was still in amazement of where he was, when a voice boomed over the loud speakers...."Welcome today sports fans to another action packed battle in the Pokemon League Tournament! This is your attack-by-attack announcer "Flap" Jack N. Bacon and here are today's contestants....the Red Trainer will be Pewter City's own Carl!" The crowd boomed in welcoming Carl. He was built like a fort, heavily armored and impervious to attack. He looked like those people who served in the army all there lives and then were discharged for being "mentally unstable"...he looked like he could snap at any second, but the crowd still loved him. "Carl is tournament circuit favorite, always bringing iron disciple to any battle, and quickly dispatching an opponent. Last month he continued to cruise through the Gym Leaders of the League, taking out Lt. Surge, breaking him under his barrage of Pokemon with nerves of steel!" "And now, for the Green Trainer, Keyan Pepper!" Keyan knew that it was now time. He walked out the massive opening and into the sun's glare....and nothing but the sun's glare. As he made his way out of the tunnel, he saw a referee showing him the way to where he was to stand. Once reaching that location, there was a small control consule, where he then pressed the button to raise the tower. "Well, since Pepper is a first time contender, no really cares about him....considering that great Carl has three badges, and this Pepper kid has none, it looks like it should be a quick victory for Carl!" Bacon commented, much to Keyan's disapproval. 'So they think it'll be a quick victory for the old guy huh? Well we'll see.' he thought to himself. "I say me boy, you'll learn more by losing than winning! Discipline is the key! If you keep your Pokemon on a strict regiment of exerciese and food, they will become strong,, that's how we did it in the Marines!" Carl called from his platform. Keyan smirked, he could actually like this guy. But he had to be taught the flyer's way of doing things. "You gonna put up or shut up? Let's fight! Flash, time to light up our lives! Go!" Keyan shouted chucking his Pokemon down towards the field. Only when he did this, did he realize just how much trouble he was in...he was battling on the Ice Field. Nurse Joy had left that little part out....although it wouldn't have mattered much, he only had three Pokemon to battle with anyway. His Dragonair couldn't battle today, and Flash would be at a disadvantage...but he'd have to make do, like always. Flash's Pokeball popped open, and in a burst of white light, a Fearow burst out. "So you think your little flyboy toy can beat me? Then think again ya recruit! Leatherneck, go!" Carl hooted as he chucked his Pokeball down onto the massive chunk of ice that was the arena. The ball snapped opened and released it's combatant, a Poliwrath. "Fear!!!!" Flash hooted trying to unerve Poliwrath, and it worked to a small degree. Yet he was also freezing, which could be a problem. Keyan knew that they'd have to use superior speed to win, since Flash couldn't directly slug it out with Poliwrath. "Poli?!?!" Leatherneck called, intimdated by Flash's war cry. Flash stood ready to fight, on its side of the line. Leatherneck slowly advanced to its edge of the line, where the referee was waiting. Then, dropping both of his colored flags, the referee signaled for the match to begin. "Leatherneck, let's finish this quick, give it a Mega Punch!" Carl ordered his Poliwrath. The massive toad brought its left arm back and built up a charge of power, and then thrust forward with all its force. Yet it wasn't fast enough, for Flash was already airborne. As the Poliwrath stopped its Mega Punch and looked up to see that it missed, Keyan gave Flash his first attack order, "Time to show the ground huggers how to battle, Agility, now!". As ordered, Flash accelerated with a mighty flap of its wings, and zoomed towards Poliwrath, and just before they impaceted, he broke off and began to circle rapidly. Flash continued to accerate around and around the Poliwrath, Leatherneck began to become confused. The Fearow was just too fast to keep in focus....slowly he began to see two, than four, until finally he was so dizzy he couldn't attack. Carl realizing that Leatherneck was in trouble, tried to come up with a plan, "Come on Leatherneck, focus, remember your training, and that's an order!" he yelled. The Poliwrath however was too far gone to be saved by purely trying to focus. Flash was now ready to swoop in for the kill, without even having Keyan to tell him. The Fearow broke its orbit, and darted towards the Poliwrath. As it flew towards the toad, it's body began to spin, faster, and faster, until it was moving like a drill. Now with its body moving properly, Flash delivered a bone crushing Drill Peck, sending the Poliwrath flying into a nearby ice pack, and shattering on impact. "Poliwrath is unable to fight! Fearow is the winner!" The referee cried pointing the green flag towards Keyan. One down, two to go. Flash was active, keeping its temprature up, and thus avoiding the numbing effects of the cold....atleast Keyan hoped. The old marine gritted his teeth, "A lucky shot, that's all!" he called as he recalled Leatherneck. "You wont have the same luck though against Tarowa! Do it Tawora!" Carl yelled as he threw his second Pokeball into the ring. It unloaded its cargo, and it was a Squirtle. "Carl's Poliwrath appeared to be easily defeated by Pepper's Fearow, but this will determine how strong Pepper really is....did he win by a fluke or skill?" Bacon questioned over the loud speaker. Keyan was compelled to should 'By skill of course, being an Earthworm blinding you?' The Squirtle though wasn't as energetic as the Poliwrath had been. Flash used the same intimidation tactics that had worked on the Poliwrath, and they had devestating results on the Squirtle. It inched up to the starting line, quivering in fear. It didn't want to battle....but Carl's iron will commanded that it. The flags were once again dropped, and the battle began. "Tarowa, slow that Fearow down with your Bubble attack!" Carl ordered, sure that if Flash could be slowed down, then his Pokemon's power would have the edge. The Squirtle was less than battle ready, still it mustered up the strength to launch a Bubble attack. Breathing in, it let loose a barrage of bubbles aimed at Flash. "Flash, use your Take Down attack to block the bubbles!" Keyan ordered, gambling that Take Down was quick enough to stop the onrushing horde of bubbles Flash folded its wings down in front it, as each of them developed a massive red aura around them, and then as the bubbles were at point blank range, he shot his left wing across in a horizontal line. The wing acted like a brick wall to the bubbles, pick them off with a broad swipe. Then, he folded his wing back in, and did the same with the other. Swipe, swipe, swipe, he popped all of the bubbles with its Take Down attack. The looks on Carl's, Bacon's, and the entire audiance's faces could melt the ice on the field....Carl might actually lose the contest. "All right Flash! Great job! Now, go offensive, Take Down attack!" Keyan ordered his Fearow, as it lunged towards the distressed Squirtle. Tarowa had been shocked that Bubble had failed so miserably, and that compund his urge to run away. Yet he knew if he did, the penalty for desertion was too harsh. The little turtle braced himself, as both of Flash's might wings came to bear on it, and slammed into it. The little Pokemon was sent flying where it careened into an ice overhang, fracturing it and causing it to fall on it. As Squirtle's painful moans subsided, it was clear it was out. "Squirtle is unable to battle, Fearow is the winner!" the flagmen shouted, again pointing to Keyan's side with the green flag. "The cool, refreshing taste of Dr. Pepper is in the house! Dr. Keyan Pepper, the doctor of pain, baby! As his Fearow is whiperng the floor with Carl's Pokemon, first crushing his Poliwrath with its devastating Drill Peck, and now trashing Carl's Squirtle with a bone crushing Take Down attack! Now who's next? Can the hometown favorite Carl come back to pull this off, or is the upstart Pepper's Fearow just too strong to be defeated?" "So cadet, you do have some skill after all. Yet it is still not enough to stop the Marines! From the halls of Montozoma, to the shore of Tripoli, we shall be victorious, because Flare is gonna lead the charge!" Carl called, his confidence soaring in his last Pokemon. He lobbed the Pokemon down onto the ice flat, and in a burst of red light, its occupant was relased...a Charmeleon. "This is a surprise! Carl's last Pokemon is a Charmeleon, and this could be a very big mistake if he doesn't know what he's doing..." Bacon shouted to his listening audiance, while Keyan was trying to figure out how to capitolize on the type difference. Yet before he could come up with something, the match swung into action, and they were underway. "All right Flare, time to show'm how it's done! Slash attack!" Carl ordered his Charmelon. Then, in a burst of speed that had yet to be equalled by either Poliwrath or Squirtle, Flare shot towards Flash, and dug its claws into Flash. Keyan was stunned. This thing was pretty fast, fast enough to run with Flash at any rate. As Flare finished swiping at the Fearow, Flash hovered for a second regaining its concentration. Yet the Charmeleon still had the upper hand in the match. "Flare, Flamethrower attack!" Carl boldy commanded, and the lizard obeyed, shooting a line of fire right at Flash. This time however, Flash was ready. Easily dodging the blast of fire, he rolled left. Then back to the right as Flare's attack continued to follow him. Flash continued to easily avoid the blasts of fire, but the match had stalemated. That's when Keyan had his idea, "Flash, Agility and Drill Peck at the same time, kick up the power!" The Fearow then proceeded to a barrel roll up and over the line of flames, bringing itself into line with the Charmeleon. Then with a might flip of its wings, rocketed towards Charmeleon. Faster and faster and faster until, WHAM! Flash careened into Charmeleon's gut at full speed, and sent it soaring. It flew towards a tower of ice and smashed into it a full speed, cracking and again causing a collapse. The Charmeleon was was buried, ans Flash let out victory hoot....but his celebration a bit premature. From the ice chunks that covered Flare, a white light began to illuminate from them. The light got brighter and then brighter still, until finally a fireball erupted from under the ice. Sending chucks of frozen water everywhere, and sending a tower of fire upwards, Flare emerged from the rubble....as a Charizard. "Whoa boy, this is a brand new ball-game sportsfans! Flare, Carl's last Pokemon, after taking a bone-jarring hit from Keyan's Fearow, has evolved into a Charizard! Things are really heating up here on the Ice Field, and this could be the turning point the match!" Bacon screamed. "Flare, you finally evolved! Great work, you'll get a promotion for this! Now, get that Fearow with your Slash!" Carl ordered his new pride and joy. Charizard though was hesitant....when it finally reared its head back and let loose an attack, it was Flamethrower, not Slash. "Flash, watch out! Keep your distance, if you get too close you'll get creamed." Keyan shouted to his Pokemon. Flash just let off a mumbling sounds as it dodged another round of the Flamethrower attack, Flash decided that what had worked last time would work again. Looping upwards, and then gunning it out of the arc, it zoomed at the Charizard. Flare was more than ready to deal with Flash however, as it cut loose at the last possible second with its powerful Fire Spin, nailed Flash with a cyclone of flames. Then, as the fire tornado subsided, Flash fell to the ice, battered and broken. Keyan shook his head. Calling Flash back, he knew that this was gonna be harder than he had guessed. Still Sparks was pretty strong, and abnormally hyper Charizard wasn't enough to put Sparks down. Lobbing Spark's Pokeball onto the field in no fanfare, he released his Jolteon and the contest was ready to begin. The flagmen dropped his flags, and they were underway. The Charizard as usual didn't obey Carl, instead it started out with Fire Spin. Keyan froze, if Sparks could be slown down by Fire Spin, it'd be game over. "Sparks, Agility, full burn!" he called to his Jolteon. Sparks didn't acknowledge Keyan, but he turned up the juice to port just barely dodging the oncoming wall of flames. Flare was more or less peeved by his attack missing, and let out a massive roar and stamped its feet, indicating that it would not miss again. Rearing its massive two horned head back, it let out a massive rope of fire. Another blast from the Flamethrower, and again, Sparks was too fast to be hit. The Jolteon rushed to and fro dodged the hot blast, before the massive lizard finally ceased its attack. The Charizard now had an idea on how to stop the Jolteon, and immediately took flight with a massive burst from its wings. It soared skywards, despite the callings of its trainer. Upward it rocketed, until, finally, it reached a point where it pointed its massive head down. Then, commencing to excrete a massive pentagonial shaped blast of fire, it sent the flamming shape downward. The Fire Blast careened downward towards Sparks, and it was too late for Keyan to give any kind of command when the wall of fire hit the center of the Ice Field. The Blast shattered the entire ice arena, melting it into a massive pool. Sparks was hit by the blast itself, burning it badly. Now, it was trapped helplessly in a pool, half-unconsicious, not being able to swim. Keyan paniced, Sparks wasn't just a Pokemon, he was one of his best friends. The two of them had grown up together, and now he was in grave danger. Letting his instincts take over, he didn't think about the match anymore and immediately dived into the newly formed pool after Sparks. Quickly swimming over to the Jolteon, he grabbed its spiked body and pulled it with him and he made his way back to the side. At the side, he hoisted Sparks up, and then climbed out. The crowd was half-stunned, and half-moved by Keyan's act, but all he really cared about was Sparks being in one piece. "You all right buddy?' He asked his beligered friend. "Jol.....te.....on....." Sparks moaned, giving Keyan a small nod. Keyan, now satified that Sparks was in one piee, recalled him into his Pokeball and climbed back up onto the green platform. Now Keyan had to figure out how to battle the Charizrd....Dragonair would be weakened by the ice....wait a second, the ice was gone! With a surge of confidence, he threw with all of his might his third and final Pokeball into the pool. The ball landed in the pool, with a massive splash, scaring off the hovering Charizard. It just hung in the air for a moment waiting for the newest Pokemon to appear....when a massive horn broke the surface of the water. "Draiiiiiii!" Dragonair called, glad to out of a cramped Pokeball, and glad to be back in one piece period. The Dragon slithered its way through the water and indicated that it was ready to battle. The Flagmen, now thoroughly drenched from the whole Fire Blast ordeal, signalled for them to begin, or atleast for Dragonair to start. "All right Dragonair, time to take this Charizard down....go with your Agility attack!" Keyan ordered. The iron willed Carl tried to Charizard to listen, but still the lizard refused. The massive flyer roared in defiance as the Dragonair began to circle it in the water. As the Charizard was becoming disoriented by the formation of a whirlpool under him, Then, in an upward surge of power, the Dragon breached the surface and drove its horned head into Charizard's underbelly. The beast roared in pain and began to fall earth ward, faster, and faster, and a few inches before it would have landed in the pool, it regain its control and with a flap of its wings of took to flight and avoided its watery fate. Keyan growled, they had to get it into the pool to win. Now they had to do it the hard way. "All right Dragonair, Thunder Wave attack!" he ordered his serphant. The Dragon began to contract a ring of electricity around its horn, and then launched the ring at the Charizard. The lizard dodged upwards, then to each side, as Dragonair continued to fire shots of electricity at it. The Charizard was too fast....they had to do something to get it in the pool. Keyan gritted his teeth even tighter, "Dragonair, suck the life out of it with Wrap!". Dragonair was obviously starting to get worn out, as it dove under the water again, trying to avoid the Charizard who had now gone on the offensive. As fireballs bounced off the surface of the water, the massive surface flew up, breaching the surface. The serphant flew ten feet up in the air to the height of the Charizard, and swiftly coiled itself around the red beast. Charizard was stunned, and was completely paralyzed by the attack. With out its wings to provide lift it plummeted Earthward, towards the pool. They were so close this time, Keyan knew they'd won....when Flare managed to overpower Dragonair, uncoiling it by fanning out its wings. Dragonair slammed into the pool, and again the Charizard was ariborne. Dragonair slowly surfaced....she was battered and bruised but hanging tough....nothing was working...now what was that Rage attack? Fiery Rage, Water Rage, Rage of Serphants? What was it? Hydro Rage, Rage of Firestorm? What was it? He knew it wasin his mind somewhere when shouted, "Come on ya dragon, rage it!" Dragonair's eyes begin turn to a deep azure glow....that was it! Dragon Rage! The pool that had been the Ice Field began to become turbulant as waves began to lap the sides of the pool. Soon the sky darkened, and a crack of thunder ripped the silence of the Ice Field. A fierce storm was developing in the pool, as Dragonair began to swim rapidly in a circle. Faster, and faster, she swam....until finally a massive cyclonee of water arose from her path. "DRAIIIIIGONAIR!!!!" she screamed as cut loose her cyclone of destruction, sending it off towards the Charizard. The waterspout swooped down towards the flying Charizard at full speed. The massive beast flapped with all its stregnth, but the suction was just too much for the massive beast to bear. Finally it was sucked into the massive water tornado The Charizard was spun around and around inside of the massive hydrostorm for a full minute before it was thrown head first out and slammed into the concrete base of the grandstands. All was silent....as the flagmen awarded the final victory of the match to Keyan. In despair, Carl recalled his Charizard. "WHAT AN INCREDIBLE COME FROM BEHIND BEHIND VICTORY FOLKS!!! Pepper has somehow managed to outclass Charizard, using a Pokemon that should never have been brought onto the Ice Field! After the Charizard fried both of his major Pokemon, it had won two battles, but had melted the ice! Allowing a Dragonair to come into the match, and destroy Charizard in a massive blow from its amazing Dragon Rage attack! You may have witnessed the birth of a folk hero.....signing off from the Ice Field, this is "Flap" Jack N. Bacon!" Bacon screamed so loud into his mic that it screeched throughout the stadium. Keyan grinned, and jumped from the platform back down into the water, where he was met by Dragonair. She acted as buoy for him as she coiled up around him, giving a sort of sephant hug. Keyan was ecstatic....how had they done it? "We did it! Welcome to the team Dragonair....wait a sec, you don't have a name yet do you? Any ideas?". Like Keyan would soon find out, Dragonair had a plan for everything....as he looked her in the face, he precstine eyes flared into that azure blue again, and Keyan got the jist. "Azure it is....welcome aboard!". He tried to hug his newest Pokemon, and friend, but the attempt failed miserably, but he didn't care. Keyan and Azure soon swam over to the side, in which both of them hopped out, and were met by the defeated trainer Carl. He had his hand and Keyan shoke it. "Good fight cadet, you've shown this old warhorse he's still got some new tricks to learn. I'll take Leatherneck and Tarowa and train them harder....as for this one...." he said pointing the Flare's Pokeball sitting at his side, "he's always been a loose cannon, never willing to conform to the system....I figure he'll be better with a rogue like yourself. He's yours as the spoils of war..." Carl barked before he gave Keyan a salute, and walked out of the arena. Keyan wasn't quite sure how to take the news....that Charizard was quite strong, and had managed to trash Flash and Sparks....but if it disobeyed someone with three badges, wouldn't it just scoff at him? Although being the brash, teenager he was, those thoughts disappeared after exactly three nanoseconds before he grabbed the Pokeball and was on a new high....the power of a Charizard was his....but could he control it? He hadn't considered that Flare wouldn't listened to him....he'd soon enough find out what the reprocutions of that mistake were..... -TBC- -- -Rain Dance Deck Mechanic, CJ's Hanger Bay, www.pojo.com, under Deck Garage Webmaster of the Ash and Misty Archive, http://members.tripod.com/chris- Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.