EM020: Susceptible to Sceptile

Susceptible to Sceptile (VSジュカイン) is the 5th chapter of Pokémon Adventures: Volume 28.

Synopsis
Ruby and Emerald continue their battle. Feefee's defense is high enough for Sceptile to make a direct hit. Feefee manages to freeze Sceptile, who remembers its past and attempts to win the battle.

Chapter Plot
Sapphire observes the intense battle between Ruby and Emerald, excited about it, even being impressed how Ruby takes the battle seriously. Suddenly, Sapphire is called by Dome Ace Tucker, since it is their battle first. Suddenly, Dome Ace Tucker approaches Sapphire, claiming it is their time to battle. While Sapphire's Rono battles Tucker's Salamence, while Emerald is frustrated, since he had Sceptile use Body Slam to paralyze Milotic, Feefee, and attack her with Leaf Blade, but he can't have Sceptile land the finishing blow. Sceptile attacks with Focus Punch, hitting Feefee, but she has not fainted yet. Ruby mutters "Marvel Scale", allowing Feefee's defense to be quite high. Emerald reads Marvel Scale raises defense when the Pokémon is affected by the negative status move - like paralyze. Emerald, however, does not want to give up and has Sceptile continue attacking.

Scott watches the battle, knowing well Ruby and Emerald are down to their last Pokémon; the winner advances to the finals. Sceptile continues attacking, but Feefee's body is too strong, its defense raised high. Emerald sees well Ruby counts on defensive, but Ruby replies he believes in his Feefee. Emerald is disgusted by the "believing in your Pokémon" nonsense. Ruby admits he also does not want to admit that, but explains his Feefee is quite special, considering she left him once. Ruby felt like she would never return, but here they are, battling side by side. Ruby hugs Feefee, since even if they were separated numerous times, they'd be together in the very end. This makes Emerald even more disgusted, making Scott wonder what the two are doing. Ruby points at Emerald, seeing he is pretty attached to Sceptile, calling this even fate. Emerald is really angry and has Sceptile come close to Feefee and use Leaf Blade on her. Scott sees that sounds like a promising strategy, or, at least, the best course of action. However, this would've worked if Feefee did not use Blizzard on Sceptile, since she did freeze it.

Emerald yells for Sceptile, while Scott is certain Emerald wouldn't be able to get out of this one easily. Sceptile gazes at Emerald, who recalls Ruby's words his Pokémon was separated, but was with him in the end. Some time before, Birch looked at his Poké Ball, while standing on a tree. He apologized he couldn't get Treecko to meet its new trainer, Emerald. Birch was aware Emerald was odd, but still a good kid to get Treecko as his partner. Just then, Birch was swept away by a wave of the tsunami. Later on, Treecko was obtained by Wally, who trained it enough to evolve Treecko in a Grovyle. Grovyle was swept away from the Sky Tower and woke up on a beach, then evolved into a Sceptile. However, it was knocked unconscious by Guile himself, who was impressed by Sceptile, deciding to slip it into the Battle Factory and make it go berserk, allowing Guile to slip past the press conference unnoticed. Sceptile did go berserk, but was calmed down by Emerald, during the match with Noland, who used his device to spray the soil from Littleroot Town. Emerald was aware Sceptile did not truly belong to the Factory, hence why he took Sceptile as his own Pokémon.

Determined by this past, Sceptile bails out of the ice and defeats Feefee, who falls down. Scott is shocked, since Sceptile managed to overcome its negative status condition and defeat Feefee with Leaf Blade. Emerald pats Sceptile, while Ruby approaches Emerald, seeing the Treecko managed to get to its original owner. Ruby comes to Sceptile, reminding it what happened when Ruby first met Sceptile, as a Treecko, at the Secret Base. Sceptile remembers Ruby mentioned Mudkip being "definitively better than the green one". This angers Sceptile, who starts attacking Ruby and chasing him away. Sapphire comes to Emerald, displeased about her loss against Tucker. Emerald sees he will battle Tucker next, after a five minute break. Outside the Battle Dome, however, Guile and Surskit appear.