Chapter 216 - 5 Gym battle ( Part 2)

On the sidelines, the audience were looking at the two released Pokemons.

Jim had released his Houndour to look at the battle in front while Pikachu and Swablu had joined them to sit with the audience. They didn't want to disturb Alex in his battle and cause problems do they left without his words.

Misty on her mother's arms shouted out," Dad,dad"

Lily stated proudly," He had already lost. My father's marill is very strong. I saw her once smash a rock five times bigger than her with a single punch."

" Is that so? I saw poliwhirl crush rocks with his hands too. " Jim retorted.

Lily didn't like his objecting her and shouted back," So what, dad is ..."

" Call down Lily. Your father's opponent is strong himself." Her mother said

Her statement made James and Gary curious and Gary asked," Do you know my nephew from before, Mrs. Waterflower?"

" Call me Daphne. So you are Alex's uncle. Yes I know of Alex but I haven't met him before. Young Alex had quite a reputation in Kanto. " Newly introduced daphne told him.

" Reputation? What reputation?" Jim asked

" Your brother is currently the undisputed strongest trainer under the age of fifteen. " She said.

" Big brother is strongest trainer in Kanto?" This shocked him along with other ignorant people

Daphne also didn't bother to correct the fact that he was strongest in all region and not just Kanto but didn't.

" Yes. So he is pretty well known in some fields and so Mathew knew about him and later told me. If you want to be a powerful trainer then was this battle carefully. You will see just how powerful a pokemon can be under a skilled trainer." Daphne declared and the kids looked at the battle more attentively.

The youngest daughter of Waterflower was looking at the battle with joy completely evident in her face.

Back to the battlefield.

Poliwhirl and marill stood on the platform and awaited the battle to begin.

" Let the match begin."

" Check her strength." Alex issued his order and poliwhirl jumped towards marill and started with hand to hand combat.

With poliwhirl long arm his reach was wider so marill opted to defend. Whenever she gets the opportunity she would issue a heavy punch or twirl his tail at poliwhirl.

Both of them were powerful since when poliwhirl used his hand to defend his hands shook in PA while he felt his bone might have cracked.

Marill was slower than poliwhirl so he got his loopholes to attack. Their close combat impressed the a_d_u_l_ts but the children weren't so impressed.

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In the audience,

" Mom why are dad and the Challenger not using moves but only hands to fight?" Violet asked her mother.

This question was something that was running through the minds of every kids such as Daisy, Violet, Lily and Jim except Misty who was enjoyed looking the two water type Pokemons.

"There is a very important reason. Poliwhirl over there have an ability called water absorb. He can absorb any water type attacks so they aren't effective on him.

As for why poliwhirl isn't using his is because marill is obviously stronger than poliwhirl so water type attacks won't be effective.

Other type attacks had a long attack time. He doesn't want to waste time so he isn't using it.

As for your father, he is just letting Alex get a grasp of how water type fights. It would do him good in the long run." Daphne explained her children.

" So Alex is going to lose?" Jim asked with disappointment evident in his eyes.

Daphne knew from the interaction between Jim and his pokemon Houndour as well as from Alex that he was just new trainer. Alex came here to show him what it meant to fight a gym leader, so she said something to console him, " Alex didn't come here today to win. He came to learn how a water pokemon fight on land and in water. "

"Learn?" Jim asked.

" Gym leaders are all powerful trainers and their job is to test new trainers and see if the trainers are qualified for the badge.

The gym leaders almost never go all out. Only when the gym leader feels that the trainer is good enough then he can earn the badge even if the trainer loses the fight."

" And how can you be sure that the gym leader isn't misusing his powers and issue badges needlessly?" James asked daphne.

She pointed towards the referee and said," the referee is the official overseer of the gym battle along with the recording of the battle. These video are only reviewed when the trainer opts for advancement of his level or is eligible for the league tournament.

Other than that, league doesn't interfere.

Also every gym is ranked. This way the gym leader can be allowed to hold back less and doesn't need to be bothered by weaker trainers. The gyms with higher ranks can even set the months of contest or eligibility condition to battle trainers.

Take my husband for example, he doesn't fight any trainer with less than six gym badges. If Alex wasn't a special case, then he would not even accept his challenge. "

" So Alex is really really strong." Jim said amazed.

" According to my husband, he can reach at least top eight without any problem. Look at his battle well, you all may learn some things a trainer must have especially you Jim and Daisy. " Daphne revealed.

" Look the bout in the water will begin . "

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Poliwhirl and marill continued to fight until a kick of poliwhirl sent marill into the water.

Marill floated on the water after the recovery from the attack and looked at the poliwhirl who stood on the platform.

Alex knew why marill was still in the water and so he ordered poliwhirl ," jump into the water "

Poliwhirl jumped in the water without any hesitation on hearing the command and marill went underwater to follow.

In the water, marill tailed behind poliwhirl who tried to adapt in water first before attacking his opponent. Marill wasn't willing to let him have a chance and sent "hypervoice" attack.

In the water sound waves travel faster than in air and so poliwhirl shrieked on bring hit by the attack.

Marill didn't give him a chance and used "superpower". Her powers increased greatly and then hit with a focus punch.

The attack was so powerful that poliwhirl was sent flying out if the water and there was a big bruise on the belly of poliwhirl showing how strong that punch really was.

Alex knew that poliwhirl wasn't going to last long so he tried to get the best result before he is knocked down.

" Poliwhirl use that." Alex ordered.

Poliwhirl was in pain but he could hear his trainer's orders and understood what he meant.

The one thing that Alex made sure every one of his pokemon were taught was never give up until the last moment. And make sure to leave a mark on your opponent.

Poliwhirl understood this too. He saw how powerful every pokemons of Alex were and he too wanted to be so. And he was a fighting partner of electabuzz, who had too much pride and won't accept defeat easily.

Some of which rubbed off on him too so poliwhirl used," Belly drum " first increasing his powers to the limit and then with the help of energy from the fall, used a powerful " brick break" on marill.

Even the audience were soaked or would have been soaked if not for Swablu using cotton guard around them.

Cotton guard absorbed most of the water preventing them from being soaked but Mathew and Alex weren't so lucky. They were completely drenched but they weren't bothered a bit.

Their attention was on the final outcome.

Poliwhirl seemed to be breathing heavily while floating on the water and Marill's whereabouts wasn't known until poliwhirl was hit on the back.

Marill had used " Double edge" and hit poliwhirl who was just one step away from fainting was completely knocked out now.

Alex just picked up the pokeball and then returned him.

Marill on the other hand was still floating on the water seemingly unharmed if not for a wound which bled from his head.

" Very impressive. You taught your poliwhirl well. The only defect I found was the lack of fighting experience against pokemons in the water.

Other than that, pretty impressive battle . To think your attack can penetrate marill defense when she used roll out and defense curl to block the attacks power. I am really looking forward to our next match. " Saying that, he too returned marill and without waiting sent out a **cloyster**.

Alex on the other hand sent out a *tentacruel*.