Chapter 200: About Single and Dual types
"For those who may not be aware, Berries can have various effects on a Pokémon's body. Some can heal, while others can cure paralysis, sleep, and other ailments," Yamada elaborated to the viewers, providing a deeper understanding of the strategic use of Berries in battles.
"This battle is unpredictable at this point, but as it stands, Aizawa-kun seems to have the upper hand," Nakamura observed, his eyes intently following the ongoing clash.
…
Seizing the moment, Aizawa commanded, "Butterfree, now! Use Bug Bite on the drowsy Squirtle!"
In a state of panic, Xin Yuexin desperately yelled, "Squirtle, wake up!" But her pleas were in vain; Squirtle remained deep in slumber.
Squirtle let out a pained cry as Butterfree's attack connected, clearly in distress. It struggled to awaken, fighting against the overwhelming urge to remain asleep.
"Please, Squirtle, you need to wake up!" Xin Yuexin's voice echoed with despair.
Aizawa, determined to capitalize on the situation, instructed again, "Go for another Bug Bite, Butterfree!"
Butterfree zoomed in once more, biting Squirtle. This time, Squirtle's eyes flickered open.
Sensing the change, Butterfree quickly retreated, preparing for Squirtle's response.
"Squirtle, it's now or never, wake up!" With Xin Yuexin's third shout, Squirtle finally shook off the drowsiness and woke up.
Gasping for breath and visibly exhausted, just like Butterfree, Squirtle listened as Xin Yuexin seized the moment, "Rapid Spin, Squirtle, now!"
"Squirtle!" With renewed determination, it tucked into its shell and spun rapidly towards Butterfree.
"A counterattack, Butterfree! Use Gust!" Aizawa commanded, her voice filled with urgency.
The two Pokémon clashed fiercely, Squirtle's Rapid Spin trying to breach Butterfree's gusting defense. The battle was intense, with Squirtle striving to reach Butterfree while being continuously repelled by the powerful gusts.
After a tense standoff, Butterfree's Gust proved too strong, eventually overpowering Squirtle. The little turtle Pokémon was sent flying back, hitting the ground hard and losing consciousness.
Chen Yu, the referee, watched closely, giving Squirtle a chance to respond. After a half-minute of no movement, he made his decision and raised the flag, declaring, "Squirtle is unable to continue. Butterfree wins,"
…
Cheers erupted from the group of villagers who had been watching the match with bated breath. "Yes!" they shouted in unison, elated by Aizawa's win.
"Aizawa nee-san won, Aizawa nee-san she won!" Yuuki exclaimed, jumping up and down in excitement at the result.
…
"The turning point was definitely the Sleep Powder. Without it, Aizawa might have been the one facing defeat," Floyd analyzed the match.
"You're right, it seems fortune favored her this time," Kanraku agreed, nodding thoughtfully.
"So, with sister Xin's Squirtle now defeated, what do you think lies ahead?" Nakamura asked, curious about the next phase of the battle.
"The momentum is currently with Aizawa-kun, but the outcome is still uncertain. It could go either way," Kanraku responded, shaking his head, indicating that the battle was still too close to call.
"Sister Xin still has an opportunity to turn the tide of this battle, but as the professor pointed out, it's all very contingent. As of now, the advantage leans towards Aizawa-san," Floyd concurred with a nod.
"Let's eagerly anticipate the upcoming turn of events and proceed with the match," Nakamura responded, his attention refocusing on the ongoing game.
…
"Xin Yuexin, it's time to release your next beasts," instructed Chen Yu, observing the match closely.
Xin Yuexin, her lips pressed together in a line of tension, reflected on the unexpected turn of events. She had initially held the advantage, but Aizawa's Sleep Powder move had caught her off guard, leading to her current predicament.
Clutching her final Poké Ball, a sudden strategy came to her. With a determined throw, she called out, "Go, Hoppip!"
Aizawa, considering her next move, decided to switch her Pokémon. "Butterfree, return for now. Squirtle, I choose you!" She retrieved Butterfree and released Squirtle back into the fray.
"Squirtle!" it exclaimed with enthusiasm upon reentering the battle.
Xin Yuexin, looking at Hoppip, inquired hopefully, "Hoppip, can you use Sleep Powder?"
"Hoppip?" The Pokémon appeared momentarily puzzled, turning its gaze towards Xin Yuexin.
Chen Yu, eager to keep the match flowing, raised his flag and then quickly lowered it, signaling, "Begin!"
Aizawa took charge, "Squirtle, go with Rapid Spin!"
Simultaneously, Xin Yuexin commanded, "Hoppip, use Sleep Powder now!"
Hoppip released a cloud of purple spores towards Squirtle, which, undeterred, barreled towards Hoppip. The collision sent Hoppip reeling in pain, while Squirtle started to feel slightly off.
Aizawa, initially alarmed, thought it was Sleep Powder. However, upon closer observation, she realized it was a different kind of spore—Poison Powder. She quickly formulated her next move, "Squirtle, keep up the momentum, use Rapid Spin again!"
On the other side, Xin Yuexin was perplexed as to why Squirtle hadn't fallen asleep, not realizing that Hoppip had mistakenly used Poison Powder instead. Frustrated, she insisted, "Hoppip, try once more, use Sleep Powder!"
Confused, Hoppip continued to release Poison Powder. Squirtle, now grappling with the state of being poisoned, launched another Rapid Spin, hitting Hoppip hard and sending it spinning through the air.
Feeling the urgency as Squirtle showed signs of weakening from the poison, Aizawa urged, "Squirtle, don't let up, another Rapid Spin!"
Xin Yuexin, feeling the pressure mounting, blurted out in desperation, "No! Hoppip, switch tactics, use Bullet Seed!"
"Hoppip, now!" With determination, Hoppip launched its Bullet Seed attack towards Squirtle, but Squirtle, undeterred, countered with a powerful Rapid Spin. The impact left Hoppip dazed, yet it resiliently continued to fire Bullet Seeds at Squirtle.
Squirtle, being a Water-type Pokémon, felt the acute pain from the Grass-type moves, especially with its current weakened state due to the poison slowly draining its stamina.
Aizawa, seeing the opportunity, urged, "Squirtle, don't let up! Rapid Spin, once more!"
"Squirtle~," it acknowledged, gathering its remaining strength to charge once again towards Hoppip.
Xin Yuexin, realizing the futility of her previous tactic, commanded with a hint of regret, "Hoppip, switch to Absorb!" She lamented not utilizing Grass-type moves sooner and now found herself on the brink of defeat.
"Hoppip~," it responded, preparing to use Absorb. However, Squirtle's Rapid Spin struck first, interrupting Hoppip's move. The force of the impact was too much for Hoppip, which lost consciousness before it could activate Absorb.
Xin Yuexin, her voice tinged with desperation, called out, "Hoppip, please wake up!" But it was in vain; Hoppip lay motionless, defeated.
Chen Yu observed the outcome with a sigh, acknowledging Xin Yuexin's loss. After a brief pause, he raised his flag, declaring, "Squirtle wins the battle. With both of Xin Yuexin's Pokémon defeated, Aizaw won!"
…
"Xin-san's lack of discernment between 'Poison Powder' and 'Sleep Powder' was a critical error," Kanraku commented, shaking his head. "Clearly, her Hoppip hadn't mastered Sleep Powder, but Poison Powder."
Floyd nodded in agreement, "Indeed, and using a Powder move twice was futile since Squirtle was already affected by poison. But let's acknowledge Aizawa-san's strategy here. She wisely withdrew Butterfree to allow it rest and then seized the chance to overpower Hoppip, despite Squirtle's poisoned condition. Her timely decisions made a significant difference."
Kanraku added, "This match showcases the value of advanced theoretical knowledge in battle."
Floyd reflected, "To be frank, Sister Xin's beast;s seemed inherently stronger than Aizawa's. It was just an unfortunate stroke of bad luck this time."
Kanraku, however, had a different perspective, "Loss is still a loss. Strength isn't the only factor; it's also about the Trainer's knowledge and strategy. In that aspect, Aizawa surpassed Xin-san. Thus, combining her knowledge with her beast's capabilities, Aizawa's team proved to be the stronger one."
"I have to agree with that," Floyd nodded.
"Just to provide a bit of insight for our viewers," Kanraku began, turning towards the camera with an educational tone, "Butterfree is classified as a Bug and Air type, Squirtle is a Water Type, and Hoppip is a combination of Plant and Flying types."
Floyd chimed in, adding a detail, "And for those who might not recall, Squirtle is the pre-evolutionary form of Blastoise,"
Nakamura seized the opportunity to delve deeper, posing a question to the experts, "Professor, Floyd-san, could you explain the difference between beasts with dual types and those with a single type? Is there a general rule that dual types are stronger than single types?"
Floyd was quick to respond, eager to clarify this common misconception. "Actually, there's no straightforward rule about dual types being inherently stronger than single types. Each type, whether single or dual, has its own unique set of advantages. While dual-typed beasts benefit from the strengths of two types, they are also vulnerable to a wider range of weaknesses. In contrast, single-type beasts tend to have fewer weaknesses, making them less susceptible to certain attacks."
"Could you elaborate more on that, Floyd-san?" Nakamura asked, encouraging a deeper exploration of the topic for the benefit of their audience.
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