"Alright, let's begin. Try using the move Sandstorm," said Professor Harris once they arrived at the laboratory.
At that moment, the professor seemed like a different person. His eyes, hidden behind golden-rimmed glasses, shone with a sharp intelligence.
"Understood," replied Ethan Black.
Without wasting time, he ordered Sandshrew to activate the move Rapid Spin.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
As the rotation began, the sand that Professor Harris had previously scattered on the floor was drawn toward Sandshrew. As the spin intensified, the sand began to swirl as well, and with an updraft, it was lifted into the air.
"An updraft caused by violent rotation..." muttered Professor Harris, observing closely. "Good. Continue."
"Sandshrew, use Sand Attack!" ordered Ethan Black.
With that, Sandshrew began to channel ground-type energy. A gust loaded with sand burst out, and when combined with the centrifugal force of Rapid Spin, it became a sand tornado that spiraled skyward in an instant.
"Impressive! Using Rapid Spin and Sand Attack to create this kind of sand vortex! Very well done."
Professor Harris nodded, astonished. According to his knowledge, even in the entire Pokémon University of Ironvale City, there were very few students capable of performing a combined move like that.
"But... what does this have to do with the move Sandstorm? As I recall, Sandstorm is a rock-type move," asked Professor Harris with confusion, looking at Ethan Black.
"You'll understand right away, Professor Harris," replied Ethan Black with a firm voice and a determined gaze. "Sandstorm!"
As soon as he gave the command, the sand vortex intensified even more. Sand flew everywhere, and the wind blew with such force that the clothes of the three present flapped wildly, as if they were about to be swept away by the storm.
BOOM!
Suddenly, the vortex exploded violently. A blast of wind and dust filled the entire laboratory. The whole place was engulfed in a dense sandstorm!
"Rhydon, protect me!" shouted Professor Harris.
He quickly threw a Pokéball, from which a Rhydon emerged. It lifted its powerful forelegs and firmly blocked the incoming sandstorm.
"This is... the move Sandstorm!"
Professor Harris was speechless. It was incredible! They had managed to recreate a real weather phenomenon using that combined move!
Even though he had witnessed it with his own eyes, he still found it hard to believe. He turned to his Rhydon: "Feel it carefully. Is this the real move Sandstorm?"
Upon receiving the Pokémon's confirmation, Professor Harris showed an expression of absolute joy.
Yes, it was the real move Sandstorm!
If he could study this in depth, he might be able to unravel all the secrets behind weather-type moves!
That thought filled him with excitement. His gaze toward Sandshrew was like that of someone who had just discovered a treasure.
Whooosh!
The wind roared, but it only lasted a few seconds more before the storm began to dissipate. The field was left covered in sand, and Sandshrew, exhausted, collapsed to the ground panting.
"It did it!" Ethan Black sighed in relief.
The probability of Sandshrew managing to use the move Sandstorm was only one in ten. He had been lucky.
"Do it again! This time I want to observe with all the instruments," said Professor Harris, who was already setting up several scientific devices.
"Eh... well..." Ethan Black cut in a little embarrassed. "Sandshrew's power is limited, it needs to rest before repeating it."
"Mmm... yes, it does look exhausted," conceded Professor Harris.
"Wait a moment, I'll call to have supplements brought in."
Shortly after, an assistant appeared carrying a box full of nutritional supplements. Ethan Black took a look and was shocked: all the bottles were made from Pokémon-world Berries!
Those Berries only grow in secret areas, so their value was incalculable.
"Give it one, quickly," said the professor with complete casualness, as if those juices were worth nothing.
Ethan Black swallowed hard. What a "perk" for collaborating with a Pokémon University professor... this was promising!
Glup glup glup!
From the moment the juices arrived, Sandshrew couldn't take its eyes off them. As soon as it got permission, it pounced on a bottle and began drinking eagerly.
Its eyes lit up instantly. It loved it! It drank down two bottles in a row and then happily patted its belly.
The effect was also immediate: Sandshrew fully recovered its energy.
"This must have a similar effect to Pokéblocks... though I don't know which of the two would be better," reflected Ethan Black.
"Very well, if it's recovered, let's do it again!" ordered Professor Harris, with all his equipment ready.
"Sha!" replied Sandshrew enthusiastically, returning to the center of the testing field.
In no time, another sandstorm began to form from the combination of Rapid Spin and Sand Attack.
Professor Harris began taking records. Ethan Black leaned closer to look at the screens. What he saw looked like a thermal camera image, with two types of energy clearly visible at the center of the field: one light gray and one brown.
"Gray and brown..."
"If I'm not mistaken," thought Ethan Black, "this must represent normal-type energy and ground-type energy."
He kept observing and noticed that as the vortex grew stronger, the brown energy became increasingly intense, to the point of completely dominating the image, displacing the gray energy.
When the energy reached its peak, Sandshrew let out a roar and the vortex exploded, scattering sand everywhere.
(End of chapter)