Snippet #2677404

Did it really have to be overkill?

Winter felt the ground shake beneath his own feet as the Garchomp showed an accurate representation of what Lance must feel like doing right now. He wobbled a bit, but held his feet apart and steadied himself. However, he wasn't worried about his own health. He was worried about Lucky's.

When the dust settled and the ground stopped throwing a temper tantrum, Lucky was knocked out. That was obvious considering what he had endured. And once more, he didn't exactly have a PokeBall to keep him in. "Lucky..." he murmured as he walked out onto the field to collect his fallen Pokemon.

He wanted his Squirtle, his best friend in the whole wide world, to deal the finishing blow and claim the title for himself while Winter earned his at the same time. That was Winter's plan. After all, he deserved to do it, given everything they've been through together. Three years of bonding was a lot. Now, that plan was trashed. But he knew Lucky had done it for a reason. He didn't know that's what Winter wanted him to do. He was just thinking tactically as he always did.

And as he gathered the beat-up Squirtle in his arms and walked back to his side of the field, Winter saw his tactics. The pieces started to fit together, one by one, forming the big picture from here on out. Now he knew what he had to do and how to win. It would take everything they had, but he would make sure he was the victor in the end.

For Lucky's sake...

"Rest easy, buddy," he whispered in Lucky's ear as he set him down, "I'll be sure to win this battle for us. You did great."

Finally turning to face Lance once more, something else was there...a glint in his eye Lance would not expect given his lighthearted nature going into the fight. An edge of steel. Winter was ready to fight for it all, taking down Lance and earning his title. It was his destiny.

Fetching the PokeBall he needed, he stared down at it, running through what he needed to do over and over in his head, the layout Lucky had left for him. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and taking in the atmosphere. It was time.

His eyes shot open, blazing with anger, vengeance, intelligence, and a cold calculating sense of intelligence all wrapped up in a steely stare. His arm shot forward, releasing the PokeBall, "Rio! Let's go!" His voice was charged.

Out popped the Aerodactyl, a mean, toothy snarl plastered permanently on his face as he hovered with his purple wings. He stared down Garchomp, likely unnerving it despite their similar size.

"Hit it with a Dragon Claw!" Winter commanded. The edge of fun and enjoyment was gone in his voice, leaving behind a strong and bold voice...the voice of a leader.

Rio obeyed, shooting off like a dart towards the Garchomp, it's claws shooting out of it's phalanges as it swiped at Lance's Pokemon.