We made our way to the battlefield, if one could call it that. It was extremely small compared to the other gyms, and barely had enough room to fit a Wailord, let alone a Dynamax Pokemon.

"Little snug compared to everyone else," I commented. "Makes you wonder why." Piers scowled. I smirked. The best way to get an opponent off-balance is to get under their skin. Getting into their head was better, but I didn't have the time before the battle to do that, so getting him pissed off and losing his cool was my best shot at tipping the scales in my favor.

"This'll be a three-on-three battle," Marnie said, standing to the side of the court. Behind her, almost the whole population of Spikemuth was standing behind a chain-link fence, jeering and blowing their ridiculous Y-shaped horns. Their insults didn't shake me; I'd learned to block out the crowds a long time ago.

"Each trainer'll have the use of three Pokemon each," Marnie continued. "The battle'll be over when all 3 of a trainer's Pokemon is unable to battle. I'll stand as referee. Trainers, bring out your partners!"

"Obstagoon, let's rock this foolish trainer," Piers said, flinging a Dusk Ball onto the court. Instantly, a huge black and white Pokemon appeared, with bulging muscles and thick skin. Not to sound like a child, but I may have whimpered a bit upon seeing it.

Obstagoon. A dual Normal and Dark type. Weak to Bug, Fighting and Fairy types. I reminded myself. I'd been memorizing every single Gym Leader's Pokemon, but I just wasn't expecting Obstagoon to be so big.

The ability Intimidate lowers a Pokemon's attack stat once it enters the battle, so pick someone with high attack power to counter that. I'd had time to memorize every Gym Leader's Pokemon, but I completely forgot about their Abilities. Ugh, I was way off my game today.

Upon seeing the opponent I immediately knew who to choose first. "Skrelp, I choose you!" Tossing out the luxury ball, my beloved Poison and Water type appeared in a flash of golden sparkles.

For a moment, I thought Piers was choking. Then, I heard a childish snort come from his nose. Suddenly he doubled over with laughter, gripping his microphone stand for support. Giggling relentlessly and pointing at my Skrelp, he hooted and fell onto his side, rolling around laughing.

Everyone in Spikemuth was laughing right alongside him, leaning on each other for support or snorting through their two-ended horns. Even Pier's Obstagoon seemed to be chortling in amusement. Only Marnie wasn't laughing, and she was looking at me with concerned eyes.

Skrelp looked nervous, and he turned around to look at me. His red eyes were full of fear. I looked at Piers, who was still on his hands and knees laughing. I glared in his direction, then knelt down and looked Skrelp in the eyes.

"Don't worry about them," I smiled, touching his baby blue mock-kelp leaves with a hand. "When they laugh, it gives you an advantage. They aren't expecting your strength, or your power. That's when you can take them by surprise and prove them wrong." Skrelp looked down for a moment, then looked back at me and nodded, determination replacing the fear in his eyes. "Good," I grinned, and stood. "Now let's show this hot-shot what he's in for."

Piers had recovered from his laughing fit, but was still leaning on his microphone for support. Wiping his eyes a little, he cleared his throat and tried to get his dignity back. "I-I'm sorry," he wheezed, "D'you really expect that tiny little thing to win against Obstagoon? He could squish it like a Bug type!"

"First of all, it's called a Skrelp, and it's a he," I snapped. "Second; Real mature. What a gym leader, showing so much respect for his challengers and their Pokemon."
"Oh, I do, but I don't respect thieves. They don't have honor or morals," he shot back. "Watch yourself," I warned. "This thief has the skills to steal anything from anyone and you wouldn't even know I was there. Stuff like your motorcycle jacket."

Jumping in realization, his eyes widened with surprise. Sure enough, his jacket was missing, stolen right off his back. I held it up, and smirked. Meowsie smiled, perched on my shoulder. Leave it to her to poach something so well. Reddening in anger, he stomped over and grabbed it back. "Don't underestimate me just because I'm a thief."

"I won't. As long as you don't start crying when you lose to us because your Pokemon was short," he snapped, then nodded to his sister. Shrugging, she turned her attention back to us.

"Ready," she asked, raising her hand, acknowledging each of us in turn. I smiled, cocking an eyebrow, and Piers, back on his side, was ignoring me. Portraying confidence is key to victory, I told myself. If you act like a winner, you're only halfway there. Chin held high, shoulders back, don't slouch. Looking the part is everything.

"Battle begin," Marnie shouted, dropping her hand.

"Skrelp, stay alert," I warned. "Obstagoon are big, strong, and above all, tough. We'll need to play with our brains if we want to win this. Okay?" Skrelp just nodded, not dropping his focus on the opponent. "Good."

We both waited, eyes locked, waiting for the other to make a move. It was a test of wills. Who would bend first and attack. The tension was growing with every second that ticked away, until the crowds stopped cheering, and just watched, waiting.

"Obstagoon, use Throat Chop and send this pickpocket flyin'," Piers said, finally snapping and deciding to attack first. Obstagoon rushed towards Skrelp, running at speeds I wasn't prepared for. "Skrelp, get ready to dodge on my count," I ordered. Skrelp tensed, bracing himself to lunge away from the beast barreling towards him at top speed.

"Wait for it," I murmured, watching Obstagoon grow closer and closer. "Wait for it...wait for it..." Everyone in the crowd seemed confused, even the referee seemed puzzled why I wasn't stopping my opponent. Just as he was bearing down on my Skrelp, who looked tiny in comparison to the huge beast, I shouted, "Now! Jump to the right, then use Water Gun!"

Skrelp obeyed, lunging to the right, and sending Obstagoon barreling past him, moving too quick to change directions. Skrelp readied his attack, sending bullets of water flying into his back and knocking him onto his face. I couldn't help it; I snickered at his clumsiness. Quickly regaining my thoughts, I called out, "Quick! While he's down, use Acid!"

Forming a clump of molten poison on his back leaf, Skrelp launched a smelly, flaming ball of gunk at his opponent. Obstagoon had gotten off his stomach and was now on his back, just in time to get hit in the face with a projectile of burning acid. Shrieking and wiping his eyes furiously, Obstagoon crossed his arms and howled, the skin around his eyes red and infected by the move.

"Nice work," I grinned. "Let's keep it up. Use Acid, again!"
"Use Obstruct," Piers countered, finally getting his head back in the battle. Obstagoon crossed his arms, and a dark energy surrounded them. As soon as our projectile hit his defense, it immediately evaporated into smoke.

Instantly, my brain kicked-started into Pokedex Mode. Obstruct. A Dark-type move exclusive to Obstagoon. The target crosses its arms and yells, which protects it from all moves, and lowers the opponent's defense if they make direct contact with the target.

"Again, Acid," I shouted over the crowd, who were cheering and hollering again. Skrelp kept firing projectiles, and Obstagoon kept blocking them. We went back and forth, back and forth, locked in a very aggressive game of catch. With every time Skrelp's moves got blocked, Obstagoon drew closer.

"Use Throat Chop," he yelled, and Obstagoon dropped his defensive stance. Time to pull out a secret weapon. "Use Dragon Pulse," I shouted. Skrelp readied a beam of light in front of his snout, pulsing with lavender energy. "Now," I shouted, and he let it fly. It caught the opposing Obstagoon in the chest, knocking him back, but he got right back up again and charged us. I didn't yell the command in time.

He caught Skrelp in the throat with the side of his hand, and my poor partner went flying backwards and landed on his stomach near me. "Are you okay, Skrelp," I asked, kneeling to look at him. He struggled to get back onto his feet. He'd taken a lot of damage, and we both knew he wouldn't be able to win this fight. Skrelp weren't the most durable Pokemon in existence. They were a bit flimsy, to be honest. Time for the trump card.

"Stand your ground and get ready," I said, and Skrelp nodded. He knew what this was. "Use Throat Chop, again," Piers smirked, and I knew I'd fooled him into thinking he'd won.

I watched as the opponent grew closer and closer, bearing down on us like a giant, black and white hurricane. Skrelp stared it down, waiting for the inevitable. "Now," I yelled. Skrelp jumped up so his side was open to Obstagoon's waiting claw. As his hand connected right on target with his neck, Skrelp fainted, but not before leaving his opponent without damage.

Obstagoon staggered back, his face purple and blotchy. "That's Skrelp's Ability," I smirked. "Poison Point. You hit it in the right way, the opponent gets poisoned. Isn't that fun?" Piers growled, and pulled out a dusk ball. "Return," he commanded, and Obstagoon disappeared in a flash of pastel blue light.

"Toxtricity, let's go!" He flung another Dusk Ball onto the court, and the Poison-Electric type appeared in a flash. It was Low-Key form, and it plucked the protrusions on its chest to perform a complex bass solo. I thought about my next Pokemon, and who I should bring out next. They needed to be strong, but they also needed to be durable, and because I was now down a Pokemon I needed to be careful. So, I decided, why not fight fire with fire? Or, rather, Poison with Poison?