Conceding

"Go, Torchic, Flame Charge!" The moment she stepped onto the battlefield, Yin Jiao eagerly launched her attack. At her command, the equally eager Torchic flapped its stubby wings and charged toward Popplio, wobbling as it ran.

Torchic's wings and tail were both short, leaving it dependent on its little legs and making balance difficult. That did not mean it was slow, however. On the contrary, it used its swaying momentum to rush toward Popplio at an astonishing speed, wisps of flame igniting around its body.

"Then let's clash! Popplio, Aqua Jet!" Xiao Ran called with a smile.

If Flame Charge was the Fire-type equivalent of Quick Attack, then Aqua Jet was its Water-type counterpart. Their different types simply gave them different effects. Flame Charge dealt more damage and built up energy to provide a certain boost in speed, while Aqua Jet guaranteed a first strike—though that priority was relative, of course.

Whoosh!

Surging water collided with scorching flames, sending clouds of steam rising. Water vapor enveloped both Pokémon. They broke apart immediately after contact, each having sustained considerable injuries.

"Torchic, use Aerial Ace!" Yin Jiao called, hoping to close in again. Torchic was fast, and Popplio would struggle against it in close combat.

"Popplio, Baby-Doll Eyes!" Unlike Yin Jiao, Xiao Ran did not follow up with another offensive move. Instead, he chose a disruptive move that weakened the opponent's will to attack.

To the instructors watching, however, this choice was a stroke of genius.

Aerial Ace was a high-damage Flying-type move. In the games, its most troublesome feature was its guaranteed hit: it could not be evaded.

Fortunately, this was reality. Aerial Ace achieved its guaranteed hit by distracting the opponent, then striking at tremendous speed. Baby-Doll Eyes happened to work along similar lines. *You caught my attention so I