Pokemon : Rewind

"Begin!" 

The referee's voice had barely faded when Ash called out, "Lapras, Ice Shard!". His command came with split-second precision, aiming to catch Falkner off guard at the start of the battle. 

Lapras, well-trained and deeply attuned to Ash's strategies, reacted instinctively. Ice-type energy quickly condensed in the air, forming multiple jagged shards of ice. 

With a powerful flick, Lapras launched them at high speed toward Noctowl. 

"Noctowl, use Confusion to block it!" Falkner countered without hesitation. 

A faint purple glow surrounded Noctowl as it activated its psychic energy. The shimmering barrier of Confusion spread outward, forming a telekinetic shield. 

The Ice Shards shattered as they collided with the invisible wall, their fragments falling harmlessly to the ground. 

"Great block, Falkner," Ash complimented, lips curling into a confident smile. "But let's see how long you can keep that up. Lapras, use Mist, now!" 

Lapras inhaled deeply before releasing a hazy, cold vapor from its body. The thick mist quickly began enveloping the battlefield, making it increasingly difficult to see. 

"Ash is trying to disrupt Noctowl's precision," Brock observed from the sidelines. "Using the terrain like this makes sense because Lapras thrives in tough conditions." 

However, Falkner wasn't fazed. "Noctowl, don't let the Mist slow you down. Use Tailwind!" 

Noctowl spread its wings wide, summoning gusts of wind that cleared some of the mist and created turbulence on its side of the battlefield. 

The strong tailwind boosted Noctowl's speed, allowing it to glide effortlessly while deflecting the heavier parts of the mist. 

Ash furrowed his brow slightly but grinned nonetheless. "Impressive, Falkner, but let's test your reaction speed. Lapras, Water Pulse!" 

Lapras let out a cry before conjuring a pulsating sphere of water. The round orb shot across the battlefield with incredible precision, heading straight toward Noctowl. 

"Noctowl, Double Team, now!" 

Just as the Water Pulse was about to hit, Noctowl flapped its wings, creating shimmering clones all around it. 

The Water Pulse sailed harmlessly through one of the illusions, dissipating as it hit the ground. 

Ash smirked, already calculating. "Lapras, try an Ice Beam, and spread it wide!" 

Lapras charged up a bright, icy-blue beam, unleashing it in a sweeping arc rather than a direct shot. 

The blast froze part of the battlefield's grass, including several of Noctowl's illusions, causing them to shatter. 

However, the real Noctowl easily evaded by darting above the attack, thanks to its enhanced speed from Tailwind. 

"Good evasion, Noctowl! Let's go with Air Slash!" Falkner directed. 

Noctowl flapped its wings forcefully, creating glowing, crescent-shaped blades of air. They sliced through the mist and headed toward Lapras at blinding speed. 

"Lapras, counter with Iron Defense!" 

The Air Slash struck Lapras directly, but its shimmering body deflected some of the damage. 

Lapras groaned but withstood the attack, its heightened defenses proving invaluable under pressure. 

"Great work, Lapras!" Ash cheered. "Now go in close and use a Body Slam to shake things up!" 

Falkner's eyes widened slightly in realization. "Close range? Noctowl, stay on the move! Hypnosis!" 

As Lapras surged forward across the battlefield, its massive form creating cracks in the frozen ground, Noctowl's eyes began glowing in swirling patterns of red and blue. 

The psychic waves reached Lapras just as it launched itself into the air for the Body Slam. 

Lapras slowed mid-jump, the glowing pattern threatening to lull it into a hypnotic sleep. 

"Lapras, snap out of it with Sing!" Ash called quickly, watching as Lapras groaned but steadied itself. 

The melodic sound from Lapras's song carried a drowsy wave of power, momentarily making even Noctowl falter in midair and pause it's Hypnosis. 

"That's my chance!" Ash exclaimed. "Lapras, Ice Shard, right at the ground, and build a trap!" 

Instead of aiming directly at Noctowl, Lapras launched a barrage of Ice Shards downward, creating a spiky, slippery terrain directly beneath Noctowl's flight path. 

The carefully timed move wasn't intended to damage but rather to restrict Noctowl's space. 

"Tricky move!" Falkner acknowledged, staying calm. "But we're not grounded yet. Noctowl, use Roost and regain your strength!" 

The Flying-type landed just past the icy patches, glowing faintly as it restored some of its lost stamina. Its injured wings shuddered less, and it shook itself off, ready for more. 

Ash, not letting the chance slip away, exclaimed, "Now, Lapras, Water Pulse, but aim so that it bounces!" 

Lapras unleashed another Water Pulse, this time bouncing it off the icy terrain. The water shot upward at a sharp angle, catching Falkner by surprise. 

The bounced off attack hurled toward Noctowl, damaging it even as it tried to leap back into the air. 

But Falkner grinned despite the hit. "Good attack, Ash, but I've got a plan too! Noctowl, use Supersonic!" 

The air filled with loud, high-pitched sound waves as Noctowl unleashed its Supersonic attack. Lapras flinched, its movements becoming less coordinated. 

Ash frowned, realizing Lapras was confused. "Lapras! You've got this—remember our training! Use your instincts!" 

For a moment, Lapras wobbled uncertainly and unintentionally fired an Ice Beam wildly into one of the trees. However, in rallying itself, Lapras dug deep and began shaking off the confusion. 

"You shook it off! Nice job, Lapras!" Ash cheered, his confidence returning. 

"Not bad," Falkner said. "But can you handle this? Noctowl, use Ominous Wind!" 

Noctowl's wings glowed with ghostly energy, sending a dark, gusting wind over the battlefield. 

The attack buffeted Lapras with eerie energy that made even the thick-skinned Water-type stagger momentarily. 

Ash's brow knitted in concern, but his voice rang strong: "We've come this far—let's finish it! Lapras, Ice Beam, full power, and don't stop until it connects!" 

Lapras surged with ice-cold energy as it fired its all-out Ice Beam once again, its icy stream slicing through the remnants of the mist and Tailwind. 

"Noctowl, counter with Air Slash, then turn it into Confusion!" 

Noctowl fired an Air Slash at the Ice Beam, but Lapras's attack began overpowering the Flying-type's move. 

Just as the Ice Beam inched closer, Noctowl used its psychic abilities to warp the Ice Beam's direction, deflecting it slightly. However, some icy residue struck Noctowl's wings, slowing it down. 

"Lapras, one last Ice Shard combo—aim for the frozen spots on its wings!" Ash commanded. 

Lapras fired rapid Ice Shards toward the weakened wings, successfully exploiting the frozen patches. Noctowl cried out as it began spiraling downward, still trying to resist. 

"Don't give up, Noctowl!" Falkner called. 

"Now, Lapras—finish it with Water Pulse!" 

Lapras fired the water orb directly at Noctowl. Already exhausted, Noctowl was unable to evade this time. The attack hit, and the Flying-type dropped to the ground with spirals in its eyes. 

"Noctowl is unable to battle! Lapras is the winner!" the referee announced, raising the green flag to signify Ash's victory. 

---

Cheers erupted from the audience as Lapras let out a triumphant cry, lifting its head high. 

"Well done, Lapras," Ash said with a proud smile, walking over to pat his Pokémon's head. "That was a tough fight, but you showed your strength." 

Falkner recalled his fallen Noctowl, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Ash, your strategy was impeccable. You made sure to exploit every opening with Lapras's moves. It's a remarkable Pokémon." 

Ash nodded in acknowledgment. "Your Noctowl was amazing too. It really pushed Lapras to give its all." 

The crowd continued to cheer, eager for the next round of this thrilling battle. 

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