20. Sunny Day and Poison Powder

                                    

                                          


"Good and ready to go!" Axel exclaimed as he healed up his three Pokemon with potions. 
                          
"In that case, let's begin," Ramos said as he took his position and nodded to the referee. 
                          
"The Courmarine gym battle between Ramos, the gym leader, and Axel, the challenger, will now get underway. Both trainers will have the use of three Pokemon. Furthermore, only the challenger will be permitted to substitute Pokemon." The referee announced. 
                          
"Well, shall we begin?" Ramos said with a smile. 
                          
"Sure!" Axel replied. 
                          
"Now, Jumpluff! Let's go!" He said as he threw out a Pokeball. 
                          
"hehehe! I'll cover the world with cotton spores!" It declared as if floated onto the battlefield gently. 
                          
Axel cringed at the sight of the cheerful Pokemon- he had had enough Jumpluff for the day.
                          
"Let's finish this quickly, Pika!" 
                          
"Bring it on!" Pika said as it emitted sparks from its cheek pouches. 
                          

                            
                              
                                
                                
                              
                            
                            
                          
                          
"Let the battle begin!" 

                          
"We'll make the first move! Pika! Thundershock!" 
                          
"Take this!!" Pika jumped up as electricity crackled from its cheeks. A blast of electricity shot out at the Jumpluff. 
                          
"Cotton Guard!" Ramos commanded as he cut the air using his shears. 
                          
Shaking its cotton balls, cotton fluffs started pouring out, forming a shield of cotton to block the attack completely. 
                          
"Saw that coming!" Pika yelled, doing a spin in midair and slashed its tail out at Jumpluff. 
                          
"Sunny Day!" 
                          
"Sunlight! Sunlight! Sunlight!  Hehehehehe!" Jumpluff giggled. A blinding beam of energy shot down from the sky towards it. 
                          
"Wah-" Pika shielded its eyes from the pillar of light and bounded backwards. 
                          
Where'd it go?  Pika thought as he looked around. The Jumpluff was nowhere to be seen. 
                          
"Bullet Seed!" 
                          
Axel whirled around in confusion, trying to figure out where it is. He too had lost sight of the Pokemon. 
                          
Puffing its cheeks, Jumpluff suddenly appeared behind Pika. 
                          
"Behind you!" Axel hurried. 
                          
Pika spun around to come face in face with Jumpluff, preparing to discharge a Thundershock. However, before it got the chance to hit it, it darted away with a swish, and the seeds hit Pika on the back. 
                          
Axel gritted his teeth. Chlorophyll. An ability which increases the user's speed dramatically under harsh sunlight. High speed stats, further boosted by Sunny Day, and impressive defense thanks to Cotton Guard. 
                          
"Pika! Charge in with Quick Attack!" Axel said. We'll counter speed with speed! 
                          
Seeing Pika charging at it, Jumpluff retaliated by firing seeds at it. 
                          
"Trying to hit me again? Not so easy! Eat this!" Pika dodged the incoming bullets swiftly with no signs of slowing down. 
                          
"Teehee! You'll never catch me!" Jumpluff chuckled playfully, dodging the attack once again. Pika skid to a stop, huffing. It's fast. Can't keep up with it even at max speed.