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The two of them watched, the ball danced and bobbed furiously. The Meinfoo was refusing to give up it seemed. Litten hunched over, ready to get back on the attack. Tristen looked on, hoping, nearly praying, that this battle would not continue. He didn't want the two of them to fail. Not again. But then...suddenly...the shaking started to slow...the bobbing became fewer...then finally a stop. Once again, the wind blows across the oasis, silence started to fall, only to be interrupted by a click.

"...Litten..."

"Mrrroww."

Tristen walked forward a couple of steps...then a couple of more...then walked all the way to the ball and picked it up, followed by the cat. He picked up the Great Ball then showed it to Litten. "We did it." The kid had to smile now. They actually accomplished something. "We did it!" Tristen picked up the cat and gave it a hug. Win or lose, this, as far as he was concerned, was an accomplishment. "You know, let's go home."

Litten - 10 battles
Skull Fossil Obtained
Great Ball used - Captured Meinfoo (3 Star)

-finished-

"A Spearow?" Keiko muttered when she saw the final Pokemon Azure would fight that day. "Azure, be careful. Spearow can be really mean," Keiko warned, remembering the day a flock of Spearow and Fearow attacked her adoptive parents' home trying to get at the 'company' Dodrio. Neither Keiko nor her adoptive wanted the Dodrio to fight as it had been getting on in age, and in the end a kind trainer helped them force the flock away.

Azure hopped down toward the feral bird while Keiko was reminiscing about the last time she'd seen one. This Spearow wasn't quite as mean as its species was known for, however, and didn't attack right away. "...does it not want to fight?" Keiko asked, unsure of herself. As soon as she said that, though, Spearow opened its wings and used Leer, trying to intimidate Azure from attacking.

"Show it we're not to be toyed with! Ice Beam!" Keiko shouted Azure nodded and charged energy, firing a beam of freezing cold at Spearow, who used Aerial Ace to dodge the blast. Doing so, though, it couldn't attack with it.

"Ranged moves may not work. Hit it with Bounce!" Keiko ordered. Azure leaped at Spearow with an energy-imbued tail, and succeeded in slamming Spearow in the beak with it, knocking it to the ground. Spearow responded by getting up and using Swagger, explaining in Pokespeak that Azure's weak attacks would never be enough to make it faint. Azure was hurt by its words, and started crying before the moves power turned her emotion to blinding anger.

"Oh, no," Keiko moaned, fearful for her Azurill. Azure immediately charged another attack, firing Ice Beam more quickly at the Spearow, who couldn't dodge fast enough this time and took the full brunt of the attack.

"Good job, Azure!" Keiko cheered, though she was still worried. Spearow had trouble getting up, but when it did, it rushed Azure, striking at her with the most powerful move in its arsenal - Drill Peck. Because of her confusion, Azure couldn't dodge, and took Drill Peck head on.

"Azure, be careful! Use Slam!" Keiko shouted, wanting to take advantage of the boost to physical strength that Swagger provided. Azure slammed both her tail and her body into Spearow, promptly knocking it out.

"Th... that was it?" Keiko asked, surprised that Spearow fainted that quickly. Ice Beam must have done more damage than she thought. Maybe it was a critical hit, Keiko couldn't be sure. She then noticed Azure wobbling from confusion and recalled her. "That's enough fighting for today. Let's go home," Keiko said with a smile, proud of Azure for staying in battle for that long.