Chapter Eleven: Psychic "Ivory Lake? Never heard of it," Booster announced. Uiru, Erin and Geoff were presenting their proposal to Booster the next day. "It's there, but it's well hidden," Geoff replied. "You can't find it unless you know exactly where you're going." "We can point it out from a helicopter or something," Erin added. Booster thought for a while. "How many units do you think you'll need?" "No more then two, plus Fire Strike," Uiru replied. "Flame Force are after our Water Pokémon," Geoff told Booster. "They use them in their battles." "Water Pokémon? Let me lead this mission, Booster!" Thunders asked. "You? Lead a mission all by yourself?" Showers laughed. "Do you really think you're up to it?" "Shut up Showers!" Thunders shouted. "My Electric Pokémon will destroy their Water types!" "Quiet, both of you," Booster inturrupted. "They don't just use Water Pokémon, sir," Erin spoke up. "Many of them use Fire Pokémon as well." "Sir? What's all this 'sir' stuff?" Thunders asked. "My name is Thunders, young lady." "I think the two of you should lead this mission," Booster spoke up. "Sounds good to me," Showers answered. Thunders fumed. "I'll arrange your heli's. Uiru, go get the units you want, and assemble Fire Strike. You'll be leaving in an hour." "Right." The three young trainers went to find the rest of the unit. "See, I told you he'd help you." The other trainers were hanging out in the lounge. Uiru clapped his hands. "Pack it up guys, we're leaving soon!" "They use a combination of Water and Fire, right?" Showers asked. Geoff nodded. "Look, there's the clearing," Erin pointed. She moved up to the pilot. "Land there, it's the closest we're gonna get to Ivory Lake." Fire Strike were in position. The other units were creeping around to the back. They silently called out their Water Pokémon. Staryu, Starmie, Shellder, Seel, Squirtle, Kabuto, Omanyte, Kingler, Tentacool, Psyduck, Wartortle, Poliwhirl and Vaporeon lined up in two rows in front of the gates. When Fire Strike saw some Fire Pokémon and their trainers walking by, they sprang into action. "Hydro Pump!" "Bubblebeam!" "Water Gun!" "Surf!" The first batch of Fire Pokémon were taken out. While the trainers recalled them, Thunders sent out Jolteon and paralyzed everyone present with a powerful Thunder Wave. Then they stormed the town. "Oh damn! It's Fire Strike!" the sentries shouted. "Wow, we're famous," Jessica stated. "Staryu, fly high and spray all the Fire types you see!" "Starmie, do the same!" Alex ordered. A squad of Flame Force soldiers soon advanced on Fire Strike. They had Water Pokémon too, but they were weak. Jolteon and Magnemite used their Thunder Spray attack, this time when Magnemite was directly over the enemies' heads. Vaporeon aimed it's Hydro Pump power at Magnemite, increasing the intensity of the voltage. "I never thought I'd see electric rain," Allison declared. "Cubone, go!" Jessica shouted. It engaged the Fire types that were attacking! Cubone threw it's Bone Club at a Charmeleon that was charging them. When it tried to counter with Flame Thrower, Cubone dodged it and smacked it right in the face with the Club. Matt and Patrick started battling some Water Pokémon, but when their trainers followed up with Fire types they moved to the back and let Nick and Allison in to deal with them. Kabuto, as it turned out, was strong against Water moves as well, as the Flame Force found out the hard way. "That means Omanyte is too, because they're the same type," Nick said to himself. Allison called her Magnemite back because it couldn't take Jolteon's high voltage anymore. Jolteon turned to use Thunder on some of the enemies. It didn't matter if they were Water or Fire- Jolteon's blasts were strong enough to wipe anything out. "Yeah, that's the way!" Thunders cheered. Erin wasn't sure what she should do. Her Poison Pokémon weren't strong against either Water or Fire. But at least Fire and Water weren't effective on them either. When she saw some Flame Force soldiers preparing to attack from the side, she called out Koffing, Ekans and Grimer! "Whew! That thing stinks!" Uiru complained. "Don't get it mad," Erin replied. "It's Sludge attack is really dangerous!" After saying that, she ordered Grimer to use Sludge on the Flame Force members. There must have been more Flame Force soldiers at Ivory Lake then Geoff and Erin had originally thought. Fire Strike were forced to recall their first wave of Water Pokémon and set loose their Ground and Electric types. "Type," Uiru reminded. "Besides Allison and Thunders, I have the only Electric Pokémon." Right. Cubone and Sandslash started tearing through the ranks of Flame Force Pokémon, and Staryu and Starmie were raining hydro from above. When Starmie ran through a group of Fire Pokémon, Water Guns spraying from each of it's eight points, it was like a giant buzz saw going through. "Dratini, go!" Geoff shouted. "It's about time you decided to join us," Erin replied. "Quiet. Dratini, Thunder Wave! Slam Attack!" The Fire and Water Pokémon tried to counterattack but Dratini was strong against Fire and Water moves. It was also strong against Grass and Electric attacks. In fact, the only attack that could hurt a Dragon type Pokémon like Dratini was Ice. "That's the Boss's Dratini!" the Flame Force shouted. "Grab it!" One of the soldiers picked up Dratini, but it used Thunder Wave to shock it and Wrap to inflict serious damage. As the soldier fell, Dratini leapt to it's next victim. "Nidoran, go!" Geoff then summoned his male Nidoran to assist them. "Horn attack, now!" Nidoran fell in line with Cubone, Sandslash and Kabuto and proceeded to battle Fire Pokémon alongside them. Jessica summoned Machop and Uiru summoned Abra. Their first instinct was to battle each other, but Uiru and Jessica corrected them. Today, they fought as allies. With all the electricity flying around the arena, Abra was inspired to create a new attack. A nearby Poliwrath was the test subject of Abra's new Lightning Kick. Machop picked up the idea and turned it into a hand attack. An enemy Wartortle soon felt the brunt of Machop's Lightning Strike. "I love how well they work together," Uiru stated. Jessica nodded. Suddenly, however, there was a loud stomping. Uiru looked up to see Sunder, riding on the back of a Nidoking! Beside it was a Nidoqueen, and they both looked rather angry. "The boss wants his Dratini back," Sunder shouted. "He's sent his two big bad Nidos to get it!" "He's not getting it!" Geoff shouted. "Kadabra, go! Psychic Attack!" The waves of Psychic energy blasted through the arena. They were so powerful that Poison and Fighting Pokémon on both sides dropped. Nidoking and Nidoqueen, being part Poison type, began to falter. Geoff recalled his fainted Nidoran. "Dammit Geoff!" Erin shouted. "Now all my Pokémon are unconscious!" "Mine too!" Matt complained. His Grass types were all part Poison. "Sorry," Geoff apoligized. "But would you rather deal with them?" The Nidoking and Nidoqueen towered a good two feet above the tallest Flame Force member. "Blast that Kadabra!" Sunder shouted. "Drowzee, go!" "Abra, take it down!" Uiru shouted. Machop had hit the turf. Jessica recalled it. Abra engaged Drowzee. Abra had to be careful not to use Fighting type maneovers like Double Kick, because Drowzee was strong against them. Normal type attacks, however, would work wonders. Since Drowzees were slow, lazy Pokémon, all it could do to fight back was retaliate with Confusion, which didn't affect Abra. Abra soundly pounded it. With a Lightning Kick, Abra sent Drowzee flying back to Sunder. Then it glared at the Flame Force lieutenant, daring him to send something else against it. Sunder glared back. "Pincir, go!" Sunder finally shouted. Pincir charged at Abra like a train, but Abra jumped clear at the last second, and responded with a Jump Kick. "Abra! Use physical attacks on Pincir too!" Patrick shouted. "Bugs are strong on Fighting abilities!" Abra nodded, and proceeded to blast it with Comet Punch. Meanwhile, Kadabra had succeeded in bringing down Nidoking and Nidoqueen, and- literally- everything between them and it. "I'm getting a headache from that thing," Showers complained. "All right, I'll call it back," Geoff replied. "We've won here, all we have to do is clean up the mess. Kadabra, return!" "Now that Kadabra's out of the way," Allison shouted, "it's prime time for Primeape! Primeape, go!" Sunder soon got a beating he'd never forget. After trashing Pincir, Abra dove in and pounded him as well. Uiru laughed. An enemy Growlithe charged Jessica's Cubone. Cubone smacked it with the Bone Club. "I'll deal with it," Showers offered. "No, Cubone can handle this," Jessica replied. "Look!" Growlithe nailed Cubone with Take Down, but Cubone smashed the puppy's nose with the business end of the Club. While it whimpered over it's bruised snout, Cubone backed up and attacked with Bonemerang! It bashed Growlithe twice- once on it's way over, and once on it's way back. Growlithe was beat. "Nice shot Cubone!" Jessica cheered. Cubone started to glow! She gasped. "Cubone's evolving! This is great!" she shouted. Cubone evolved into Marowak! It had a fiercer bone helmet and a larger, meaner looking club. It was also more then twice as large as Cubone was. A short distance away, Alex's Seel had just evolved as well. Seel evolved into Dewgong! There was also a great size difference between Seel and Dewgong. Dewgong's Take Down attack was enough to finish any Water or Fire Pokémon it was assailed with. "Now we take the Pokémon Center," Thunders declared. The trainers ran past the heavily bruised body of Sunder. Primeape and Abra were celebrating their victory. "Come on guys," Allison said. "We're almost done here!" Sunder dragged his busted carcass back to base. "Boss... Fire Strike has almost cleaned out our city." "I can see that, you pathetic weakling," the Boss of the Flame Force replied. He had made Ivory Lake his personal hideout. "I'd like to know how they found us." "The trainer who stole your Dratini... Apparently he recruited help." "By the way, did you get it back?" "No, sir." "I want that Dratini back. It goes well with my two Dragonites." "What should I do?" "Release my Gengar," the Boss replied. "Gengar will get Dratini back." "Yes sir!" Sunder took off. The Boss laughed. "Gengar will take care of those annoying trainers... Permanently!"