December Double Drop!
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Tangela's blue vines whipped out toward Dragonair.Why were Tangela's vines blue rather than green? Luo Yuan figured it was simply due to Tangela's naturally blue-tinted body. Judging from the angle and speed of its attack, it was clear that Erika's Tangela was highly trained.
This level of skill put Erika leagues ahead of the Cerulean Sisters.
They might both have successful side businesses, but Erika had never slacked in her Gym Leader responsibilities.
Whoosh!
The vines cracked toward Dragonair, who appeared completely unbothered.
Having trained daily against Gyarados, enduring Hyper Beams and Dragon Rages, Dragonair regarded these vines as nothing more than child's play.
With a graceful cry, Dragonair coiled, elegantly slipping past the incoming attack.
"So beautiful!"
"So elegant!"
The Celadon Gym staff watching nearby gazed at Dragonair with shining eyes, utterly captivated by its beauty.
Their reactions caused Erika's face to flush slightly.
How embarrassing… where had she found this bunch?
Not that she'd admit she'd been briefly entranced by Dragonair's elegance, too.
Clearing her head, Erika focused back on the battle. Dragonair was now diving toward Tangela from above.
"Tangela, dodge and use Stun Spore!"
A Grass-type Trainer who couldn't wield Stun Spore or Sleep Powder wasn't a true Trainer.
Upon Erika's command, Tangela immediately leaped aside, evading Dragonair's Iron Tail.
Boom!
Dragonair's tail slammed into the ground, leaving a crater and sending debris flying.
Tangela landed nearby, using its vines to rebound off the ground, and propelled itself toward Dragonair.
Mid-air, it shook itself vigorously, releasing a thick yellow cloud of paralyzing powder straight toward its opponent.
But Luo Yuan had come prepared for a Grass Gym—there was no way he'd be caught off guard by a move like Stun Spore.
"Stun Spore? Dragonair, use Safeguard."
Dragonair lifted its head as a faint, shimmering energy shield enveloped its body, creating a glowing barrier that effortlessly blocked the Stun Spore.
Tangela's wide eyes stared at its blocked attack, astonished.
Erika was about to call out her next move when Luo Yuan acted first. "Don't give it a chance! Now, Dragon Pulse!"
Cry!
Dragonair fixed its gaze on the airborne Tangela, whose body instinctively tensed.
Tangela tried to retreat, but mid-air, there was no ground to push off from.
Dragonair's eyes flashed with a hint of mirth as it effortlessly fired a Dragon Pulse directly at Tangela!
Bang!
A short, sharp cry echoed as Dragon Pulse connected, exploding on Tangela and launching it toward the ground with a powerful impact.
Tangela's vine-covered, elastic body bounced off the ground several times like a ball before finally coming to rest.
Tangela was unable to battle.
"Tangela is unable to battle. Dragonair wins!"
Referee Kiku quickly raised her flag.
"So fast!"
The battle had ended so quickly that everyone watching was left stunned.
"Come back, Tangela!" Erika said, returning her Pokémon.
She wasn't surprised by the outcome.
In truth, she'd expected this from the moment Dragonair entered the field.
"Your strength more than qualifies you for a Gym Badge," Erika remarked.
"But as Celadon Gym's Leader, I'm not one to surrender easily," she added with a playful smile, pulling out a Luxury Ball.
Luo Yuan's impressive strength had sparked Erika's fighting spirit.
For a dedicated Gym Leader like Erika, dealing with rookie Trainers daily was a repetitive, tedious chore. These battles posed no challenge, often requiring her to hold back, which made them dull.
But now, facing a strong opponent she was familiar with, Erika felt genuinely excited for a proper battle.
Her gentle smile shifted, now brimming with determination.
Erika threw her Poké Ball.
"Go, Victreebel!"
"Yaaah~!"
A low, guttural cry filled the arena as a large, pitcher plant-like Pokémon emerged. With its sharp yellow coloring and a fierce gaze, Victreebel looked formidable.
"Victreebel…"
If Luo Yuan remembered correctly, Erika's usual lineup for challengers included Tangela, Weepinbell, and Gloom.
"Looks like this is her ace," Luo Yuan thought.
He wasn't bothered by Erika using her strongest Pokémon—in fact, he was a little excited.
After all, he'd already spent plenty of time battling weaker opponents on his journey here.
A stronger opponent would give Dragonair much-needed experience.
With a slight smirk, Luo Yuan raised his hand. "Dragonair, we're starting off strong!"
"Use Dragon Rage!"
Dragonair tilted its head back, unleashing a powerful Dragon Rage aimed at Victreebel.
Seeing this, Victreebel didn't wait for Erika's command. It took evasive action on its own.
Despite its large body, Victreebel displayed remarkable agility, using its leaf-like arms to push off the ground, deftly dodging Dragonair's attack.
"Victreebel, Acid Spray!"
Gurgle, gurgle~
Victreebel's body churned before its leafy "lid" opened, releasing a large glob of corrosive, acidic fluid aimed at Dragonair.
Acid Spray—a Poison-type move that spews out an acid, lowering the target's Special Defense if it hits.
While the move wasn't particularly fast, Dragonair could dodge it easily if Luo Yuan commanded it.
But he noticed the focused look in Victreebel's eyes.
It was clear Erika anticipated a dodge and was likely ready to counter any attempt at evasion.
If Dragonair dodged now, they might fall right into Erika's trap, opening them up to a relentless barrage.
Luo Yuan processed all this in under half a second.
Dragonair, watching the Acid Spray approach, had yet to receive any command to dodge and was preparing to evade on its own.
Just then, Luo Yuan's voice reached it: "Dragonair, use Light Screen, then Dragon Dance!"
Dragonair paused at the unexpected command.
But having trained under Luo Yuan from its time as a Dratini, the bond between them was strong, and it trusted him deeply. Without hesitation, it obeyed, setting up a shimmering Light Screen in front of itself.
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Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
Posture and water check! Remember this is a fan translation!
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