Chapter 73 - 73 - Chain of Command

The battle was getting more intenser and intenser as Rico and Juan are struggling against Jon and Cecilia, who, though humble like small-time farmers, are strong and closely-knitted.

"Man they are strong," Juan thought in his mind seriously. His Dewott then responded with seriousness.

"Yeah, me too as well," Rico agreed with him as well.

"This will not turn out to be great for Rico and Juan," Trevor commented with a serious face and tone. His Pyroar then responded with agreement.

"See?" Jon responded to them with a narcissistic-like look on his face. "I am stronger with Cecilia." Cecilia then nodded in agreement with her brother.

"Well, I think we have to try our best on beating them," Rico said to Juan seriously as stand up straight properly.

"You're right, Titus," Juan agreed with him quickly like a fast train. Riolu then responded with agreement with its Trainer.

All this words from the two kids of Kawayan City didn't even affect the two kids of the River District and of their confidence in their battle.

"Ha! That was like nothing to us!" Cecilia commented with a positive outlook. "Doing your best is not that great than together battling!"

"Really? Then that's what missing from being a Pokémon Trainer, you know," Rico retorted back with a dissatisfied face and his legs are bended slightly.

"Fine then! We'll prove!" Jon shouted in response. "Stufful, use Quick Attack!" Stufful then used Quick Attack, charging towards Dewott in a fast pace. Dewott then dodged it by jumping up high, and Juan then commanded it, "Use Razor Shell!" While in the air, Dewott used Razor Shell, cutting Stufful with sharp shells, striking it with power. Stufful then got blasted back in pain as Dewott landed back on the ground in action.

"Oh, yeah, Shinx, use Spark!" Cecilia quickly commanded Shinx with seriousness. Shinx then used Spark, throwing an electrically charged tackle at Riolu. But Riolu's slightly faster speed dodged the attack, and Rico quickly commanded it, "Riolu, use Focus Blast!" Riolu then used Focus Blast, heightening its mental focus and unleashes its power, striking Shinx with power. But Shinx's excess electricity paralyzed Riolu, disabling the latter from moving.

"Oh, no, Riolu!" Rico responded with a surprised alert. Riolu then responded weakly wipe trying to move its limbs.

"Okay, that's not good for him," Edward commented. His Pokémon, a Pangoro, then responded with agreement. Back at the battle, Dewott responded in asking Riolu if it is still up. But Riolu responded that it couldn't attack nor use a move. As Rico stayed in his current attitude, Cecilia have the opportunity to attack Riolu and commanded Shinx to use Spark again. Snapping out from pain, Shinx used Spark again, striking Riolu with consistent power. This finishes Riolu off, and it was defeated.

"Well, I knew it, you're right," Edward commented in proving. His Pokémon then responded with agreement. Sighing in accepting his defeat, Rico called Riolu and responded to it with mild positivity and pity, "It's alright, Riolu, you really did your best. Have some rest." He then put Riolu's Poké Ball in his Pokébelt and said to himself, "It's okay, being strong is a long way from today. I will try again." He then get Piplup's Poké Ball and threw it forward, causing Piplup to come out of it and into battle with a normal, but serious attitude. This causes the S and S Battlers to surprised by it, and Juan and Dewott to be delighted by it.

"What? I didn't know you had a starter Pokémon!"

"So cool!"

"Wow, Piplup, you here!" Piplup then turned cool and serious simultaneously and responded in agreement, as if it said yes.

"Piplup, use Bubble Beam!" Rico commanded Piplup in coolness. Piplup then jumped high, opened its beak, and used Bubble Beam, ejecting a spray of bubbles towards Shinx, striking it with power. Thanks to the attack by Riolu, Shinx was further weakened, shocking its Trainer a bit.

"Cecilia, your Pokémon!" Jon responded to that immediately.

"Now, Juan!" Rico quickly said to Juan. In response, Juan commanded Dewott to use Razor Shell again. Dewott then charged and used Razor Shell again on Stufful, striking it with great power. This time, it defeated Stufful, causing Jon to be surprised with shock.

"Wow, a lucky chain of command Rico made," Trevor commented with a serious smile.

"Yeah, it is," Edward agreed with him. Back at the battle, as Jon called his Pokémon back, Cecilia was a bit mad at Rico for making that chain of command, responding with, "How dare you make my brother lose? I will beat you and your Pokémon!" Then to Shinx, "Shinx, use Thunder Shock!" Managing to get up despite being in pain, Shinx used Thunder Shock, hurling a jolt of electricity towards Piplup. But then, Piplup dodged it quickly and Rico commanded it, "Use Water Gun!" Piplup then used Water Gun, blasting Shinx with a forceful shot of water, striking it with a pushing force. This pushes Shinx forcefully across and to a tree, striking it further even more. This defeats it, ending the battle finally, but with a negative effect. Cecilia was shocked by this, and Rico was overjoyed in victory. Calling her Pokémon back, Cecilia acknowledged her mistake of simply always relying on Jon to be stronger and apologized to Rico and Juan, promising to get more stronger and do her best.

"Well, that was a nice thing to say, Cecilia," Rico commented positively as he lift Piplup up.

"Yeah, I hoped next time, you and Jon win," Juan added. Both Jon and Cecilia then smiled on those words. They then all went to the district's Pokémon Center to heal their Pokémon and take a rest.