//------------------------------// // A Gamble of a Battle // Story: My Little Pokémon: Grander World // by Amarvax //------------------------------// Equestria. Manehattan. The Battle Carnival. The Battle Frontier. Day. "Out you come!" Preparing for her battle against the Frontier Brain Nadya, Rainbow Dash sent out all of her Pokemon. All 7 of them. Whirlipede, Braviary, Altaria, Luxray, Mienshao and Whimsicott. She had the choice of battling with Rental Pokemon but she trusted her own Pokemon too much for that to happen. "Okay...How am I gonna do this? I've got no clue what Pokemon she uses." "You can only bring one Pokemon into a battle with a Frontier Brain for this battle, just like how Nadya will use one Pokemon only against you." The employee instructed. "Only one?!" Rainbow Dash gasped as that would limit her chances and opportunities greatly. "Aww..." "Just for this one. It might be different down the road. But for this battle, you can only decide on one Pokemon. So choose wisely." "Hmm..." Rainbow Dash now had to really think it through. "Just one? Who do I choose then?" "Mi! Mienshao!" Mienshao jumped up and down, requesting that she be Rainbow Dash's choice. Mienshao had faith in her speed and strength to carry Rainbow Dash to victory. Especially her speed. "Whirl!" But if there was anyone who was specialized in speed, it was Whirlipede. Rainbow Dash's first Pokemon. He could always reach new levels of speed with Speed Boost and his Rollout ensured that the damage would increase alongside his speed, making him a specialist in both categories. "Whimsicott!" There were two more speed candidates. Whimsicott and Braviary. Whimsicott could use her cotton in special ways while also messing with her opponent as seen by Rainbow Dash's first encounter with her. But Braviary could deliver that adrenaline while also being in sync with Rainbow Dash. "Taria!" Then there was Altaria, who didn't have that advantage. But what she lacked in speed, she made up for in terms of defence. Altaria could take plenty of hits. Heavy ones too and still manage to exude some more strength. If Rainbow Dash wished to outlast her opponent, Altaria was the way to go. "Ray! Luxray!" Luxray had something different to offer. He could offer pure power and guarantee some heavy hits for Rainbow Dash, staggering the opponent. Possibly leading to paralysis. "Cast! Castform!" Castform was all about versatility. With his radioactive cells combined with his Reflect Type, he could confuse the opponent while also tapping into the power of the Weather to his advantage. All such great options that Rainbow Dash has spent enough time to carefully learn and improve. "Okay...I've made up my mind. After this battle, the next time we take on a Frontier Brain, I'll choose one of you. But for this one, I'm choosing Mienshao!" "Shao!" Mienshao loved to hear it. She was chosen as the first Pokemon to take on the Frontier Brain. "All settled? Then just enter these doors and you can begin." The employee aimed her arm at the doors which had Nadya beyond them. The rest of Rainbow Dash's Pokemon would be returned while Castform went back into her saddlebag. Mienshao would punch the air a few times, getting herself warmed up for the battle that was about to come. Instantly, Rainbow Dash rushed over to the room, opening the doors as fast as she could. And immediately, the first thing her eyes were met with was a casino. A Casino Room could be found in the Battle Carnival, only adding to that whimsical and playful nature that it had. Colourful chairs that resembled lollipop swirls with their patterns. Chandeliers by the dozen which let off different colours, swapping constantly. The colours were abundant as well as the ever-abundant slot machines that casinos always carry. They were on the side but there was one Slot Machine that was larger than the rest, sitting in the middle as the arena was right behind it. There was a crowd of ponies already present in this casino room as they were treated to some food while waiting for the battle to begin. Present there were Rainbow Dash's friends who already found their seats. "Woah..." Rainbow Dash gawked at the colourful sight. "Welcome to my Battle Casino!" Nadya shouted, showing herself. She appeared on top of the massive slot machine, making all eyes follow her. "I wanted a casino for my Frontier Facility and it worked out perfectly! I feel like a tycoon here!" "A casino...How is this gonna work? Isn't there a lot of stuff around that could get destroyed?" "Oh, you'll see. We can still go all out even with this. I'll lay out the rules for you! I rather wouldn't so that you'd be surprised but I have to." Nadya pouted, wanting to keep it a secret. "These slot machines aren't just for show." "They're not?" "Nope. They can be used during the battle." Nadya would then tap on the large slot machine that she was currently on. "And just like any good slot machine, there's a chance waiting for you. And those chances can show us fun surprises. Just spin it and well...you know how these things work." "Pssh. Like I need that." Rainbow Dash scoffed, believing that she could achieve victory without needing to use something from the many slot machines here. "Are you sure? They might come in handy." Nadya put on a smug grin. "I know for sure I'll be using them. And every time I use them, something great will happen. But there's a chance it could mess me up. That's just how these things are." "Whatever. Let's start this already!" "Made it!" Suddenly, appearing here at the Battle Carnival and finding herself a seat was Twilight Sparkle. She flew through the doors, quickly flying over the crowd of ponies above, finding where her friends where. And of course, finding the right facility. She was breathing heavily, showing that she rushed here as soon as she could. "Oh, Twilight. You made it. I thought you were overseeing your school." said Fluttershy. "I'm the principal...I made a cheat day for myself." The young alicorn panted as she excused herself. She did technically have that power and decided to come and see her friend battle for today. And after that, it would be back to the Pokemon School. "H-Has it...Has it started?" "It's about to," Ash replied. "This is gonna be fun!" "Pikachu!" "A heads-up. Because of the nature of the Battle Carnival, expect the battlefield to change." The employee would lay out some things that mainly Rainbow Dash would have to worry about. "Hopefully, it won't break your concentration." "It won't for me. Come on out! Delphox!" Nadya would reveal her Pokemon as she dug into the massive bag she carried with her. ANd out of that bag came a Poke Ball which was flung into the air. Emerging as the opposing Pokemon was Delphox. "Delphox!" "Delphox?!" Rainbow Dash grimaced before thinking to herself. "And I just had to bring Mienshao into this. It's fine...I got this!" She shook her head, remembering that type advantages and disadvantages weren't everything. It was all a matter of how the Pokemon and the Trainer battled. "Go! Mienshao!" "Mienshao!" I saw you flinch when I sent out Delphox. Looks like you drew a bad hand choosing Mienshao." Nadya snickered. "This is gonna be easier than I thought!" "That's what you think! My Pokemon have taken on the stronger type before and won! This isn't new at all!" "Shao!" "You're in it to win it. And so am I. Plus, i've got another reason for this. Winning my first battle as a Frontier Brain will let everyone know I'm not a pushover. So let's get this rolling!" "Alright then...Trainers...Begin!" "I'll go first! Mienshao, use Acrobatics! Hit Delphox dead on!" "Mienshao!" Mienshao would go first, lunging off the floor. Immediately, she would start rapidly flipping and launching herself off the furniture and walls to approach Delphox, leaving behind afterimages of herself. "Not happening! Delphox! Block Mienshao with Fire Blast!" "Phoooox!" By holding its wand out, Delphox harnessed a great ordeal of fire that would spark out of the tip. It then shot a powerful blast of fire out, striking at the floor. The flames let out a fierce outburst, forming a wall of fire that got in Mienshao's way. "Mi?!" The Martial Pokemon ceased her agile movements, coming to a screeching halt as her legs would slide on the floor. The flames raged on, nearly hitting the Fighting-Type before she barely managed to stop herself. "Now, use Psychic!" "Delphox!" But Delphox would follow up from this. The wall of fire was still active and instead of it just being a way to shield Delphox, it was always a way to attack. By holding her wand out once more, Delphox unleashed a powerful telekinetic energy that surrounded the wall of fire. "What the?" Rainbow Dash squinted, wondering what Delphox was going for. It soon hit her once she saw the wall wobble. "Not good! Back away, Mienshao! Run!" "Del!" Delphox controlled the wall of flames, sending out a powerful stream from the middle by using Psychic to do so. Not only did it have a protective wall of fire but it could also attack Mienshao at the same time. "Mien?!" Mienshao made a run for it once the stream approached her. She would use Acrobatics a second time, leaping off the furniture she used previously. That same furniture would soon be incinerated by the flames. Mienshao would try and gain some distance but Delphox was expertly controlling the flames. Wherever Mienshao went, the flames would catch up, dancing around and intercepting Mienshao by getting in front of her, forcing the Martial Arts Pokemon to flip over them. Delphox also put on a show for the crowd, making shapes with the flames and wowing them. "Try and stop it with Aura Sphere!" "Mienshao!" Mienshao would slide on the floor, holding one arm out. Emerging on her paw was a ball of concentrated aura, spiralling like a gust of wind. She would then strike at the stream of flames, smashing the sphere against it. The sphere would wobble when meeting with the flames as there was a momentary clash. "Del!" But with her command, Delphox made the flames combust, sending a crimson blaze that enveloped Mienshao. "M-Mien!" Mienshao cried out as she was sent flying. Fire trailed from her body as the Martial Arts Pokemon barely managed to recover herself. Mienshao slid on the floor, knocking over some of the chairs. "Way to go, Delphox!" "Controlling fire. Sure." Rainbow Dash grumbled as this instantly reminded her of the Dread League. They do have a vampire back at Magehold who was capable of such feats but with her voice. "Now...It's time to use this for the first time!" Nadya said with a gleeful face, hopping off the slot machine. At last, the massive slot machine would be used, showing Rainbow Dash what the Battle Frontier had to offer. She would grab the lever on the side, immediately pulling it down while still hanging from it. And much like every other slot machine, it would start rolling. The symbols on the screen would move as fast as they could. The symbols that were shown on the slot machine were the faces of Pokemon and some Poke Balls. The symbols would come to a halt, showing the results. Two faces of Koffing and a single Great Ball. Rainbow Dash wasn't sure what this meant but she would have to brace herself. "Oooh! Two Koffings and a Great Ball! That means only one thing. You're losing a move!" "Losing a move?" The pegasus repeated. Suddenly, out of nowhere, right below Mienshao, a strange energy would fly out of the ground, grabbing a hold of the Martial Arts Pokemon. "Oh! Mienshao!" "Mi!? Mienshao?!" Mienshao growled, trying to break free from her sudden restraints. However, the energy that this white and magical energy had was surprisingly strong. Strong enough to keep Mienshao down. "Let's see...The most recent move you used was Aura Sphere. So I think we'll take that away from you!" Nadya winked while putting on a finger pistol. And just like that, to the shock of everyone else, Mienshao had an orange energy ripped out of her body. The energy appeared in the form of a ball as the white energy would carry it away. Afterwards, Mienshao was free from the restraints but her body certainly felt the effects. "What just happened?! What did you do?!" Rainbow Dash roared. Mienshao got on one knee as her body was trembling. Something was missing from her and it was rather unusual. "Your Aura Sphere's gone!" Nadya stuck her tongue out. "And it's in the hands of that! So you can't use a third move at all! Told ya it would be fun." "What was that?! Whatever it was took away Mienshao's Aura Sphere!" Ash leaned forward. "It was like Disable hit Mienshao all around!" "Pikachu?!" "You're probably wondering how that works. Well, we had a little help from a pony named Potion Nova when setting up the Battle Frontier. She showed us a potion that covers moves such as Disable and Torment and you wouldn't believe it, but she found a way to shut down certain moves." "Potion Nova had a hoof in this?" said Rarity. "Of course, she'd be the one to make something that powerful." Twilight expected nothing less from Potion Nova. "But to use it in this? She's really getting her influence out there." "If you want it back, you can always try grabbing it. It's right there." Nadya pointed at the energy sphere. "If you don't it'll be gone forever. Just sitting around. You'll probably have to relearn it or something." "Wait, forever?!" A pony in the crowd shouted. "That means you can leave here with one of your moves missing?!" "That's rough." Applejack shook her head. The Battle Frontier was not pulling any punches. This was not the challenge that Rainbow Dash expected but it was certainly one she wasn't about to back down from. "You can always use the slot machines if you feel like it's not going your way or you're struggling," Nadya suggested, lounging on the massive slot machine. "It's totally fine! Mienshao works better in close-quarters combat!" Rainbow Dash kept her optimism. "Aura Sphere being taken away isn't a big deal. And speaking of close quarters...Mienshao! Use Close Combat!" "Mienshao!" Mienshao stomped on the floor, keeping her energy active. She may have lost Aura Sphere which made her have only three moves at her disposal but it wasn't enough to stop her. She may be calm as a Mienshao but the fiery spirit of a Mienfoo still lives within her. Rushing forward, Mienshao was prepared to deliver a beatdown on Delphox, staring down the Wall of Fire. "My Wall of Fire is still up so you can't get to me!" Nadya shouted. "But just in case...Delphox! Use Psychic again!" "Delphox!" Delphox would once again manipulate the flames, sending a second stream at the Martial Arts Pokemon. "We'll just power through! Go, Mienshao!" "Shao-shao-shao-shao!" Using brute force and natural speed, Mienshao would rapidly strike while running, getting closer to the flames. Once she came into contact with the stream, her sharp and swift strikes would immediately start tearing through them. Sparks and wisps of the flames would be sent flying with each strike as Mienshao was tearing through them, getting closer to Delphox. "D-Del?!" Delphox grit its teeth, trying to keep Mienshao away. It even increased its Psychic power, letting the mental energy expand and exude some more. The Psychic energy would affect Mienshao as her natural weakness had shown itself. The Martial Arts Pokemon groaned as her Close Combat was being held back by Delphox's Psychic. However, she had gotten too close to the wall of fire to slow down now. By exerting herself, Mienshao would then deliver one heavy strike with her Close Combat, pushing the rest of the flames back. The flames would not only head back into the wall, becoming one with it, but the force of the strike would create a gust of wind, blowing through the flames and leaving a hole. A hole that Mienshao could use. "Mien!" "Phox?!" Delphox gasped as Mienshao's foot came flying in, delivering a powerful kick to the face. Delphox's head would turn to the side after this blow, breaking its Psychic concentration. The Fox Pokemon would stagger and almost slide back, only for Mienshao to deliver some more strikes, not done with it yet. "Mien! Shao!" Mienshao would unleash plenty of strikes on Delphox. Each of them were not super-effective at all but the fact that plenty of them were hitting the Fox Pokemon was piling up the damage to make up for that disadvantage. "Mien!" Mienshao would then deliver a powerful uppercut to Delphox's chin, sending her flying upwards. "D-Delphox!" "Nice hit, Mienshao!" Pinkie Pie celebrated as everyone's eyes followed Delphox's. The wall of fire would even fizzle out after Delphox received that fierce beatdown. "Not bad. But it's not enough to stop my Delphox! He's too tough for something like that to stop him!" Nadya smirked before flicking her fingers up. With that hand gesture, Delphox would suddenly recover in the air by performing a flip. It was as if that Close Combat beatdown did nothing at all. That stylish recovery deserved an applause from the crowd as Delphox played it off so professionally. He was still keeping in line with the carnival aesthetic. "And from above...another Psychic!" "Delphox!" Delphox would suddenly cast Psychic on himself. Not Mienshao. He would use this Psychic power to levitate the air, gaining temporary flight. Usually, it would be used on another Pokemon or an object. But this time, Delphox would be the one surrounded by Psychic. "Oh, what is this now?!" Rainbow Dash did not like the look of this. Seeing Delphox covered in a Psychic Energy did not raise any positive flags. If anything, it made Delphox a little bit more intimidating. "Brace yourself, Mienshao! We don't have Aura Sphere to hit him from afar but we have Acrobatics. Get him!" "Shao!" Mienshao would use Acrobatics to try and reach Delphox. She used the broke furniture to get herself through the air as she would even run across the walls. She was so fast that running on walls was not an issue for her. Mienshao would expertly ascend into the air in her own way, ready to dish out another swift series of strikes on the Fox Pokemon. "Just like we practised, Delphox! Charge!" "Del...Phox!" At that moment, Delphox would then charge at Mienshao, using the power of Psychic to do so. Because it was his own Psychic energy, she had full control over his body, giving him a temporary speed boost. Everyone gasped as Delphox took a different approach at battling with Psychic. Right as Mienshao went to deliver a kick, Delphox would suddenly evade it by flying over her. "M-Mien?!" Mienshao's eyes shrunk after that evasion. Delphox was the one in control of the skies because of this advantage. And when above, Delphox would use his legs, dropkicking the Martial Arts Pokemon. For a Pokemon that was not specialized in physical strength, it wasn't that powerful. But with the Psychic energy around it, not only was the force of his kick increased but it was super-effective against Mienshao. "Mienshao!" "No! Mienshao!" Rainbow Dash cried out as Mienshao went flying down at great speeds, hitting the floor like a rocket. More of this room was being torn up by this swift and fierce battle. Everyone was amazed as Delphox now had an advantage on land and in the air. Ranged Pokemon such as Delphox can be rather dangerous if given all the distance they can to work their magic. "Mien...Shao...!" Mienshao was still in this, but she would be lying if she said she wasn't bewildered. This battle was something else so far. And something told her it was about to get stranger. The Fighting-Type groaned, getting back up and appearing on one knee once more. All the while, Delphox would descend but stay above the floor still. "How do you like that? Pokemon like Gardvevoir or Claydol can fly or levitate by using their Psychic energy but it all comes naturally for them. Delphox and some other Psychic-Types don't fit that mould. So I used a pretty useful trick other PSychic Trainers use. And that's by using Psychic on ourselves! Works out, doesn't it?" "I have to say. She is impressive, isn't she?" Rarity nodded in approval of Nadya's skills. "Man! I wish I was battling in this too!" Ash got all giddy watching this battle. It made him want to jump in there, just to see what he could encounter. "It isn't over yet though." Rainbow Dash said with a serious voice. She knew the Battle Frontier wouldn't be easy but it was proving to quickly take a turn that did not favour her. The pegasus couldn't afford to be sloppy now that Nadya and Delphox have shown just how capable they are. "You're right. I want to enjoy this some more. So let's spin those slots one more time!" Nadya felt like it was a good time to use the Slot Machine once more. The slots would spin, ready to bring a new result in this battle. After what happened previously, Rainbow Dash now knew to expect the worst but she had no idea what the worst could possibly be. It could be anything. Those symbols on the machines were plentiful compared to most slot machines, meaning that the options that can come from it can be very varied. And that was something Rainbow Dash wasn't sure she was ready to find out. Eventually, the slot machine would come to an end, showing new symbols. This time, it was and Two Ultra Balls and a Ludicolo. Ultra Balls are regularly seen as a good thing. Behind the Master Ball, they are a top-tier set of Poke Balls, capable of catching Pokemon that are way harder to catch than most. Surely, this must benefit Rainbow Dash in some way. Ludicolo was just strange and could be anything. "Oooh. Nice combo. That means...It's a full Sunny Day around here!" Nadya shouted as the heat in this room would suddenly increase. Everyone would feel a temperature change immediately as that strange energy from before would expand, filling the entire room. Above everyone, the ceiling would suddenly open up, showing the outside and the azure skies. And up there, the Sun was beginning to shine even brighter than before. The energy from the Battle Carnival was mimicking the move Sunny Day, making it sunnier than normal. This was a selection that could benefit both trainers. But for Rainbow Dash, the one Pokemon who would benefit in this scenario was currently not available. "It can mimic that as well? I really need to talk to Potion Nova after this." Twilight gawked. The potions that Potion Nova makes were impressive but it seems that their capabilities were only getting more impressive each time they're seen in action. "I wish I had Castform out right about now," said Rainbow Dash. "But if she's happy about it, then that means..." "That's right! Delphox! Use Solar Beam!" "Delphox!" This benefitted Delphox solely because of the fact that it had Sunny Day. This played to his advantage greatly as he raised his wand in the air. He first launched himself into the air with Psychic, getting him some height. And after switching to Solar Beam, Psychic would finally end. But Delphox would gain some airtime the second he unleashed Solar Beam. By gathering huge chunks of Solar Energy which all concentrated into his wands, Delphox would release a devastating verdant beam that was enough to engulf Mienshao's entire body. Not only that, but it was big enough to encompass most of the room. Rainbow Dash looked around, seeing how there was little space to run with this beam approaching but she had to do something. "Run for it, Mienshao!" "Mien!" The best thing to do right now was run. But as soon as Mienshao attempted to evade the Solar Beam, the floor beneath her. would suddenly trigger. It was time. The carnival was known for switching up here and there to make things lively. And right now, it was doing so at this very moment. Mienshao felt this change as the floor beneath her was starting to sink. The next room was about to open up and Mienshao could very well be knocked into it. The Martial Arts Pokemon would then perform a backflip, leaving the floor before it could take her elsewhere as the Solar Beam would crash down. A powerful blast of solar energy hit the floor, forming a gale of explosions. But right as Mienshao avoided the attack which sent powerful shockwaves after blowing up, she would soon find out that it was not just the floor that was changing, but the walls. Like a puzzle, the rooms were changing angles to switch up as Mienshao fell right into a hole that led to this other room. "MIen?!" "Oh! Mienshao?!" Rainbow Dash gasped as her mane was blowing viciously from the explosion. "Looks like it's time to switch rooms, everyone!" The employee cried out. The seats were also changing. They found themselves moving, ready to follow the battle into the next room. Everyone sat carefully in their ears as the walls behind them were opening up. "Don't worry! The slot machines will follow!" "Wait up, Mienshao!" Before the holes could close, Rainbow Dash would quickly pursue Mienshao through the same wall she fell through. As for Nadya, she would stay on the slot machine as it started descending, heading to the next room. The location of the battle would change as it was not yet over. The battle entered another casino-styled room. But this one had a little bit of a darker aesthetic to it. The appearance of it would work better in the night. The previous one looked so good because it was suited for the day. If it was nightfall here, it would look stunning but it still packed a beautiful appearance. It was almost romantic the way it appeared. More slot machines were seen here as this was still the same facility, just with another side to try and keep up with the carnival's ever-changing appearance. "Shao!" Even after being caught off guard, Mienshao landed on her feet perfectly, feeling the carpet below her. A majority of the floor was just one big carpet. As for the crowd, their seats would come out of another hole, placing them in this new room. And finally, Nadya, Delphox and the Slot Machine made a reappearance. A new selection of food and drinks were seen here in this new room, giving the crowd some extra taste. "Oh geez...This is not what I thought this was gonna be." An almost perplexed Rainbow Dash expressed. "Having fun, Rainbow Dash? Mienshao?" Nadya said while the slot machine continued to descend. "Because it's gonna get a lot more fun. I'd like to bide my time before I pull on the lever again, but I'm itching for a third spin." "Already?!" "That's right! And I'm feeling lucky again! Are you?!" Nadya giggled as she would jump onto the lever once more, pulling it down. For the third time in a row with little breaks, the slot machine was about to bring another strange result. The slots spun as Rainbow Dash was now aware of how unfair they can be. The first two were greatly against her. Stealing moves and giving her opponent a full charge on something that would take a while to build up. Whatever comes up next, Rainbow Dash felt like it was about to be nothing but trouble. The battle here at the Battle Frontier was only kicking into high gear as the journey continues. Chapter 232 End.