The surrounding Team Magma grunts stepped aside one by one, clearing a makeshift battlefield for John and Tabitha. The oppressive heat of the volcano paired with the rising tension made the air feel thick, almost suffocating.
Tabitha scanned John from head to toe, his brow furrowing in suspicion. "You're not with Team Aqua," he said, voice laced with contempt. "I've seen their sorry lot, and let's just say they're not as... composed. Each one is uglier than the next."
John didn't dignify the insult with a response, keeping his focus sharp.
"So, what are you? A bystander who stumbled across our operation?" Tabitha mused aloud. His fat face twisted into a wicked grin. "I must say, you've got awful luck. Because curiosity, my friend, will get you killed."
His expression hardened in an instant. "Houndoom! Flamethrower!"
A searing jet of purple and black flames erupted from Houndoom's jaws, cutting through the battlefield like a lance of death.
John's instincts screamed. "Dodge! Teleport!"
The commands were sharp and precise, directed at all three of his Pokemon. Combusken and Frogadier leapt sideways in opposite directions, while Gardevoir's eyes glowed with psychic energy. In an instant, she enveloped herself and John in a shimmering aura, vanishing and reappearing three meters away.
The spot where John had stood was now a smoldering ruin, blackened by the poisonous fire. The acrid smell of burnt rock filled the air.
John's breath caught in his throat as he remembered something from the Pokedex: Houndoom's flames weren't ordinary. The fire it spewed wasn't just hot—it was laced with toxins. Anyone burned by it would experience unbearable, ever-increasing pain, with the torment lingering even after healing. A grim shiver ran down his spine at the thought.
Without hesitation, John recalled Combusken into its Pokeball. This battle wasn't suited for it. Fire against fire would be a wasted effort.
"Frogadier, you're up," he commanded. His Frogadier tensed, its webbed hands poised for action. Gardevoir, meanwhile, stood protectively in front of him, scanning for any incoming threats.
Tabitha chuckled, clearly entertained. "Quick on your feet, I'll give you that. But let's see how you handle this! Houndoom, Flame Charge!"
Houndoom let out a guttural snarl, taking a small step forward before flames erupted around its body. With a burst of speed, it lunged forward, the fiery aura around it intensifying with every stride.
"Quick Attack to dodge! Follow up with Water Pulse!"
Frogadier dashed sideways, moving so fast it appeared as a blur. Sparks flew beneath its feet as it narrowly avoided Houndoom's fiery charge. Despite its agility, the attack came dangerously close—too close.
Houndoom adjusted mid-stride, keeping Frogadier in its sights. Its cunning eyes burned with determination as it corrected its trajectory.
John clenched his fists. Houndoom wasn't just fast; it was calculated. Frogadier managed to evade the charge, but the opportunity to counter with Water Pulse slipped away.
"Thunder Fang!" Tabitha barked.
Electricity crackled around Houndoom's jaws as it lunged again, fangs bared and sparking with menace. This time, the charge was even faster, the fiery momentum amplifying its speed.
"Block it with Cut! Stay sharp, Frogadier!"
Reacting instantly, Frogadier summoned twin blades of energy, slashing in an X-pattern just as Houndoom closed in. The blades met the electric fangs with a deafening clang. Sparks erupted from the collision, the ground beneath Frogadier cracking under the force.
"Zzt!" Frogadier let out a strained cry as electricity coursed through the kunai-like blades and into its body. It staggered, momentarily paralyzed, but still standing.
The crowd of grunts murmured in amazement, impressed by Frogadier's resilience.
Tabitha's grin widened. "Impressive. Most Pokemon would've been downed by that. But let's not waste time. Houndoom, Flare Blitz! End it!"
The battlefield lit up as Houndoom became a living comet, its body engulfed in an inferno of purple and black flames. The ground trembled as it charged forward, leaving scorched earth in its wake.
"Double Team!" John shouted.
Frogadier's form shimmered, splitting into five identical clones that scattered in different directions. Houndoom's fiery charge tore through one, but it dissipated into nothingness.
"Nice try," Tabitha sneered. "Houndoom, Eruption! Burn them all!"
Houndoom snarled and launched a massive orb of flame high into the sky. It detonated midair, sending a rain of burning embers cascading down like a meteor shower. The ground lit up in patches of fire, trapping John and his Pokemon in a hellscape of flames.
"Stay focused! Frogadier, Water Pulse! Gardevoir, Protect!"
Gardevoir raised a shimmering barrier around John, shielding him from the falling embers. Meanwhile, Frogadier launched a spinning sphere of water straight at Houndoom. The projectile hit its mark, dousing some of the flames on its body and forcing it to stagger.
"Nice hit!" John said, heart pounding.
But Houndoom wasn't done. It shook off the water with a guttural growl, its flames reigniting as it locked eyes with Frogadier.
"Again, Flamethrower!" Tabitha roared.
John knew they couldn't keep trading blows forever. Frogadier was visibly fatigued, its breaths coming in heavy pants.
"Frogadier, focus! Use Water Pulse!"
"Frogadier!" Frogadier croaked in acknowledgment. Forming an enormous sphere of water between its hands. With a powerful throw, it launched the attack.
The Water Pulse hurtled toward Houndoom, colliding head-on with its fiery breath. The two forces clashed, creating a steam coolo explosion that blanketed the battlefield.