Blowing Bubbles

Chapter 56: Millie Vs Gladion

(I forgot to say thank you for 2k reads!!! Thank you very much! I didn't think this book would get a lot of reads, but it did! You are all awesome people :D)

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Steve announced. "Welcome to the second round of the APL! Today, on side one, we have the winners of two previous battles! Millie, who won against Emma, and Gladion, who won against Xavier! Millie and Gladion, you may send out your pokemon whenever you're ready!" As I pulled out Sparkys pokeball, I looked at the bleachers to see if Lillie and Lusamine were in the crowd. Once I saw them cheering and waving at me, I waved back, then I looked at Gladion.

"Thank you," the boy mumbled. "Thank you with all my heart for saving Lusamine. You've become quite powerful."
Gladion paused, then looked up at me with determination. "But have you gained enough strength to defeat my team?" "That's what we're going to find out," I stated as I backed up a little, then threw my pokeball. "Sparky, I choose you!" "Crobat, lets go!"
"Sparky, you have the type advantage. Ice fang!" "Crobat, use cross poison!" Sparky bolted forward, getting prepared to use the move, until Crobat created a large purple cross with its wings. It then fired it at Sparky, causing him to tumble backwards. He then stood up, puked due to becoming poisoned, and then used ice fang.
"Now, Sparky, use thunder fang!" "Crobat, acrobatics!" Sparky and Crobat, who was glowing blue, quickly went up to each other, ready to use their attacks. Sparky couldn't keep up with Crobats speed, though, and got hit. Crobat had flew so fast that it left behind two afterimages. Sparky just barely managed to land a hit on Crobat. The Luxray collapsed for a couple of seconds due to his poisoning, but quickly got back up.
"You're doing good, Sparky. Hit Crobat with a powerful thunderbolt!" "Crobat, cross poison!" Crobat fired a huge cross poison at Sparky, but he leapt over to one side, dodging the attack. He then released a huge bolt of electricity from his body and hit Crobat, causing the purple pokemon to fall to the ground, defeated.
"Crobat is unable to battle!" Steve declared. "Gladion, please send out your next pokemon!"
"Alright," Gladion muttered. "Lucario, lets go!" A bipedal, cool-looking pokemon came out of Gladions pokeball. "Luca!"
"Lucario, start it with quick attack!" "Sparky, use crunch!" Sparky threw himself at Lucario, his mouth wide open, but Lucario dodged. "Lux?!" While Sparky was stunned, Lucario slammed into him from the left. Now Sparky was pinned down.
"Good job, Lucario! Now use aura sphere!" "Sparky! Try to get up and use crunch again!" Lucario held out its paw and created a blue ball of energy. Before Lucario could hit Sparky, though, the latter kicked it away with his hind legs, causing Lucario to fly backwards and slam against the wall. It got back up, though, and formed another aura sphere.
The two pokemon collided and used their attacks, but it was Sparky who fainted. "Luxray is unable to battle!" Steve shouted. "Millie, please send out your next pokemon!"
"Gabe, lets do this!" When Gabe came out of his pokeball, he landed on his feet and braced himself, then looked up and growled at Lucario.
Gabe was friendly, and he had a good sense of humour, but he was completely serious when it came to battles. "Lets start it with dual chop!" "Lucario, metal claw!" Before Lucario could use its move, Gabe used his, which instantly knocked it out. Whoa...I thought. That was quick.
"Very impressive, Millie," Gladion praised. "Half my team is out now, but my other two pokemon are strong, as well. Now, Weavile, lets go!" The second I saw Weavile, I remembered it was an ice type. Try to hang in there, Gabe, I prayed.
"Alright, Gabe, we have to win this. Begin with dragon claw!" "Weavile, metal claw!" Weaviles claws began to glow white, and it ran up to Gabe. They both hit each other at the same time, causing them each to tumble backwards from the impact.
"Now, Weavile, ice shard!" "Gabe, use sandstorm!" "Grrawr!" Gabe kicked up a huge sandstorm, causing Weavile to rub its eyes. When it used ice shard, it barely hit Gabe. The Garchomp was low on health now, but he slowly got back up.
"You can do it, Gabe. Dragon claw!" "Weavile, use night slash!" Weavile pulled what look like a sword made of purple energy out of its left hand, then ran up to Gabe while holding the sword in its right hand. The pokemon both hit each other at the same time, causing both of them to faint at the same time. Gladion and I returned our pokemon, then got prepared to send out another. His next pokemon is his last, I realized. I can't lose this.
"Spike, lets finish this!" "Null, I choose you!" When Null came out of its pokeball, it looked completely different. Spike shuddered a little as he looked at his opponent.
"Did Null evolve?" I asked. "Yeah," Gladion confirmed. "It's a Silvally now. You have a lot of water types, so I gave Null a disc that would change it to a grass type." "Clever," I praised, but little did Gladion know that Spike was also a poison type.
"Null, multi-attack!" "Spike, hit it with poison jab!" Nulls body became covered in a green aura, and then it threw itself at Spike, its claws out. Spike also jumped up and hit Null. While the Toxapex took mediocre damage, Null was knocked out in one hit.
"Wow! A one hit KO!" Steve announced. "Silvally is unable to battle, meaning Millie and her Toxapex are the winners! I hope you enjoyed watching the battle, folks! Millie, you're going to be in the semi-finals tomorrow! Gladion, you did well, but unfortunately you're going to have to try again next time."

"Millie..." Gladion spoke after we returned our pokemon. "Though we may not be friends, I still think of you as a really powerful rival. You did a good job battling..."
Gladion paused for a minute, and then did something I never thought he would do in a million years: he smiled. "...so keep working hard. Don't even think about losing the Pokemon League." He then turned away and began to walk to the door.
"Gladion!" I called. "I won't lose! Lets battle again someday, alright?!" Gladion didn't look back, but he gave me a small wave, giving me a signal that he heard what I said.

Later that day, after watching Yvonne win her battle against that Todd guy, I realized that she was going to be in the semi-finals tomorrow, meaning I would have to battle her.

I wanted to win the Pokemon League, but at the same time, I didn't want Yvonne to lose.