Doubles
Ocean. Waves crash against the sides of a jagged cliff, again and again in a pounding rhythm. Salty white spray scatters into the air, its fine veil sparkling briefly before settling back on earth. A boy sits atop the cliff as the spray drizzles down, never moving as water douses his battered cap and dark, messy hair. His black eyes are fixated unnervingly on the distant horizon as the waves rise and fall.
Rise and fall, the ocean surges and swells. The Pikachu that sits by the boy's side is as still as he. Never once does either boy or Pokémon stir. Never once do they tear their dark gazes away from the ocean horizon.
"Hey, you!" comes a strident yell, followed by a rush of footsteps. "Yeah, I mean you! Kid with the Pikachu! Want to battle?"
The Pikachu's sensitive ears give a small twitch, but the boy does not even turn.
"I'm talking to you, kid! I challenged you to a Pokémon match!"
Deliberately, the boy looks away from the ocean. Even more leisurely, he twists his neck about to meet the face of the challenging trainer.
She stands not a yard away, arms folded, fair hair tossed back over a shoulder, and an impatient scowl forming on her ivory smooth face. At her side growls a burly young Growlithe, the striped fur on the back of its neck rising as it barks out a challenge echoing its trainer's.
Silently and speedily, the Pikachu clambers up onto the boy's jacket shoulder. The boy himself rises and looks the girl nonchalantly in the eye.
"I know who you are," the challenging trainer goes on, voice brazen. "You're Travis, the Kumquat Island Gym Leader. The only Orange Crew member ever to abandon their Gym." Her scowl shifts into a cocky grin, curling her pert lips mordantly upward.
"I've heard the rumors, you know!" she declares loudly. "About how the rest of the Crew questions your methods. They say the tests you give trainers aren't with Orange League standards. And now, their words have hurt you so badly that you've run off to train your Pokémon on this island. Heck, the only thing that's keeping you from being kicked out entirely is that your mother, Luana, was one of the best Orange Crew members ever!"
The boy waits patiently for her to finish, never once attempting to defend himself from the other trainer's accusations.
"Well, I'm not afraid of your so-called tests!" the challenger blusters on. "I'm not afraid of some coward who can't even face up to the criticism of others! I am Maia of Fuchsia City, and I will battle you! And I'm not leaving this island until I have your Jade Star Badge with me!"
As the challenger's wild speech winds down, leaving her pale face flushed, the boy with the Pikachu nods leisurely in acknowledgement. "I accept your challenge for the Jade Star Badge, Maia of Fuchsia City," he says calmly. In the blink of an eye, a glittering badge rests in the palm of his gloved hand. The boy snatches it back before the challenger's gaze has a chance to linger.
"My mother, supposedly 'one of the best Orange Crew members ever,' was famous for her doubles battles back when she was Leader of the Kumquat Gym," the boy goes on, pocketing the Orange League badge in one swift motion. "Do you know what a doubles match is, Maia of Fuchsia?"
"Yeah," the challenger answers indignantly. "Instead of having two Pokémon on the field, you have four, two on each team. If even one member on your team is taken out, the other team wins."
"That's the gist of it." The badge emerges again from the boy's pocket as he tosses it into the air. It glitters in the sunlight before disappearing back into his gloved hands. "I do things a little differently than my predecessors," the boy says, looking at the challenger coolly. "And for some, different is unacceptable."
"Quit stalling and start the test!" the challenger buts in edgily. "We don't have all day, you know."
Strangely, the boy smiles and closes his hand tightly around the badge. "I challenge you, Maia of Fuchsia, to a doubles match," he says softly, so softly the challenger has to strain to hear his voice. "You may choose one Pokémon. The other battler will be yourself. Agreed?"
"What? You're kidding! You have to be kidding! I mean…"
The girl breaks off, staring bewilderedly at the boy's still smiling face. Abruptly, she shoves away her confusion, masking her unease with an exaggeratedly arrogant countenance. "Okay, then," she growls, mockingly making her voice every bit as quiet as the boy's. "Agreed."
The boy's facial expression stays as serene as ever. "I choose Alpha as my partner," he states evenly.
"Chu!" His sharp-eyed Pikachu leaps to the ground and darts out in front, sparks sizzling at its cheeks.
"Zima!" the girl calls out to her Growlithe. "We're up! I know we can do this!"
The boy waits patiently as the girl and her Pokémon take their respective battle stances several yards back. Despite her seemingly brazen attitude, the girl's pallid face has grown even paler in these last few moments. "Zima, use Flamethrower!" she yells loudly, as if sheer volume can hide the fear that makes her legs shake.
Obediently, the Growlithe bounds forward, unleashing a blast of fire. The boy makes no attempt to get away from the attack; it's not headed for him. His Pikachu is the one forced to move. The Flamethrower scorches the grass, just as the Pikachu bounces into the air with its flexible tail. It lands securely on the boy's outstretched arm, the flame roaring past both of them.
"Take Down, Zima!" the girl commands her Pokémon from afar. Some color is returning to her face as the battle proceeds in the distance. "Quick, Zima! Take Down attack!" she cries out to the battling Growlithe.
On her command, the Growlithe charges towards their opponents, baring its sharp canines. As it nears the boy and his Pokémon, the Pikachu's small body tenses. Nodding, the boy flings the Pikachu on his arm high into the air. In an expeditious feat of aerobatic agility, the Pikachu flips backwards over the Growlithe's shaggy head, landing lightly on all fours behind its opponent.
Confused, the Growlithe skids to a stop, twisting its head from the boy ahead to the Pikachu behind it. As it hesitates between the two opponents, a scintillating bolt of electricity races forward, slamming into its body and throwing it into the air. The challenging trainer lets out a cry of dismay as her Growlithe lands limply on the ground only feet in front of her. Falling to her knees, she calls anxiously out to her defeated Pokémon.
"Your Growlithe is well trained," the boy says quietly. "But it was outnumbered two to one, for its partner did not join the battle."
The challenger's eyes grow wide as both boy and Pikachu advance towards her. "You're insane!" she hisses at the boy, recalling her Pokémon's body. "This whole stupid test of yours is insane!"
"Say what you will," the boy replies dismissively. "But words alone will not win you the Jade Star Badge."
The girl's pale face flushes red once more. Without another word, she rushes away from the cliffs, tearing wildly into the forest from which she came through.
A familiar yell rings through the sea air early the next morning, scattering shorebirds into the sky from their rocky nesting spots below. "Hey, Gym Leader! Kid with the Pikachu!" shrieks the same girl from the day before, galloping towards the cliffs. Her Growlithe, newly healed, matches her stride for stride. Both of them are panting as they reach the top at last, for they've run all the way through the forest and up the path without pause.
The boy turns one dark eye in their direction. "You're back." It's not a question, but instead, a soft-spoken statement. The glint in the boy's gaze, however, is anything but soft.
"Better believe it!" the challenger shouts, straightening quickly. "I meant it when I said I wasn't leaving until I got the Jade Star Badge! So what are you waiting for? Let's battle!"
Sighing, the boy gets to his feet. His Pikachu jumps onto the ground beside him, shaking salty water droplets from its yellow fur.
"Remember our new strategy, Zima!" the challenging trainer instructs, hands balling into fists. Without warning, she lunges at the boy. The Growlithe does the same with the Pikachu, fur flying as it hurtles its body in the other Pokémon's direction.
Sidestepping swiftly, the boy quickly fends off the human challenger's ensuing punches and kicks. His Pikachu nimbly ducks Flamethrower after Flamethrower, leaping out of the way whenever the larger, but less agile, Growlithe attempts a Take Down or Bite attack.
"Alpha," the boy calls to his Pikachu, adroitly avoiding a violent punch aimed for his jaw. The Pikachu's ears twitch in response, just as it is forced to duck another stream of flame. "You know what to do," the boy says.
Faster than their opponents' eyes can follow, boy and Pikachu spring simultaneously through the air. The boy lands directly in front of the Growlithe, and delivers a hard kick to the Pokémon's throat before it can react to the new situation. Whimpering, the Growlithe falls back, but manages to stay on its feet.
The Pikachu falls into the position just vacated by its human counterpart, making the girl back away in horrified surprise. She flees as crackling sparks begin to form at the Pikachu's cheeks, only to be struck by a streaking Thunderbolt and sent sprawling across the ground.
"Better," the boy approves as the defeated challenger staggers to her feet, static racing through her pale ponytail. The Growlithe trots hesitantly forward, the only sound escaping it a low, moaning whine.
"You could have won that match," the boy continues calmly, ignoring the girl's angry glare and the Growlithe's perplexed eyes. "Learn to work flexibly, have ways for each of you to handle any situation. Each member of your team must be skilled not only in one area, but well-rounded as a whole."
Again, the girl recalls her Growlithe. This time, however, she does not run. "I'll be back again tomorrow!" she announces shrilly, fingers forming a fist around her PokéBall. And with that, she walks deliberately down the path, static still crackling through her clothes and hair.
True to the challenger's word, she and her Pokémon are at the cliffs again at day's next dawning. As the boy rises to battle for the third time in three days, he notices that all the girl's cockiness has evaporated completely, leaving only raw determination in its place.
And though the Growlithe, accustomed to such battling as it is, looks as energetic as ever, its trainer is obviously beginning to feel the effects of the frustrating last two matches. Dark half-moons cloud the skin beneath the girl's eyes, and small bandages cover scrapes on her cheeks and arms.
"Back again, Maia of Fuchsia," the boy says, a smile tugging at the edge of his lips. His Pikachu's grip tightens on his shoulder.
"For the last time!" the other trainer retorts. "Zima and I are going to win this one. Right, Zima?" Throwing back its head, the Growlithe howls in long and loud agreement. "Bring it on!" the girl screams, voice every bit as deafening as her Pokémon's.
Once again, the challenger and her Growlithe charge forward, human for human and Pokémon for Pokémon. With its bared teeth and streaking body, the Growlithe is extremely fierce. But the human girl, with her fearless yells and carefully-calculated hits, is equally formidable.
A minute into the battle, the boy and Pikachu switch places, just as they did in the last match. This time, of course, their opponents have already anticipated the move. Roaring deafeningly, the Growlithe leaps forward at the boy, who is forced to quickly step aside.
The girl, now confronted with the Pikachu as before, grits her teeth and lashes out with her foot. The small rodent easily dodges the blow and doubles back with a rapid electric attack. Crying out, the girl falls to her knees, small crackles of white lightning running up and down her arms.
The Pikachu moves in, ready to deliver to final blow to the already weakened human.
In a flash, the girl abandons her feigned pain, striking out at the Pikachu with a quick, sharp kick. The small Pokémon goes flying back, landing shakily upright on all fours. The boy is at its side before either opponent can make another move.
"Chuuuu…" the Pikachu groans through gritted teeth, legs wobbling dangerously. The boy tries to force his companion to stay standing, for if the Pikachu collapses, the match will be over for both of them.
The girl cannot take her stare away from the injured Pikachu, knowing that she was the one who directly caused its pain. Her Growlithe, however, takes several steps forward, teeth still bared. "No, Zima," the girl whispered, holding a hand in front of her Pokémon. "No, now's not the time to attack."
But the Growlithe ignores its trainer. It closes the distance between it and their opponents in several long, swift strides, its orangey-black fur rippling against its brawny body. The girl can only watch in horror as her Pokémon slams into the boy's side, knocking him away from the Pikachu in a merciless Take Down attack.
The boy goes skidding across the ground, ripping up grass as he does. His limp body tumbles towards the edge of the cliff, teetering a moment before falling over the side.
"No!" the girl screams, dashing to the edge of the cliff. She pauses, not daring to look down for fear of what she might find smeared on the rocks far below. The soft brush of fur against her hand startles her badly. Head jerking up, she sees that her Growlithe and the boy's sharp-eyed Pikachu have scrambled up to stand beside her.
Tail twitching, as if testing the air, the Pikachu limps gingerly forward. "Pikaaaah!" it cries over the roar of the waves below, face contorting with the effort. "Pikaaaaah'achuuuu!"
And a single gloved hand appears over the edge of the cliff, followed shortly by its twin. As the challenger gapes in amazement, the boy hoists himself back onto flat land, gasping a bit from exertion.
"I'm so sorry!" the girl blurts, swiping beads of sweat from her face. "I didn't mean for my Pokémon to…I never wanted something like that to happen!"
Despite his recent ordeal, the boy is wearing a broad smile on his bruised face. "Well, Maia of Fuchsia," he says, extending a hand towards the shocked challenger. "Congratulations. You've just won the Jade Star Badge."
The girl gapes disbelievingly at the sparkling gem resting in the boy's gloved palm. "But…" she stutters, not able to get a word more out of her throat for several flabbergasted seconds. "But after what Zima did, how can you give us the badge?" she manages finally.
"Zima did what had to be done to win," the boy says coolly, bowing his head respectfully to the burly Growlithe. Withdrawing his badge from the human trainer, the boy instead presents to the surprised Pokémon. "In fact, I'd say it deserves this badge far more than you, Maia."
His lip curls at the girl's wide-eyed expression, whether it is into a smile or a sneer it cannot be told. "You still don't understand the purpose of this match, do you, Maia of Fuchsia?" he asks. "Tell me, for I ask this of every trainer I battle, do you believe yourself and your Pokémon to be equals?"
"Of course I do!" the girl nods vigorously, reaching out an arm and drawing her Growlithe in close. "I love my Pokémon! Zima and I, we totally respect each other! We've been through everything together, ever since I started my Pokémon journey!"
"Everything, Maia? In these last three days, you've experienced things most trainers never have. The fervor of attacking, the shock of a retaliating Thunderbolt. But those things, are they anything in comparison to what Zima knows? Have you really felt any of what that Pokémon has: the sting of a Scratch, the slam of a Tackle, lying in your PokéBall, or nursing your wounds as your trainer rushes to have you healed? How about going in for a final blow, striking your opponent's limp body one last time because your trainer commands it? Well, Maia? Do you really know anything of how it feels to be a Pokémon like Zima?"
Again, the girl shakes her head. "But it's not the same!" she protests, before the boy can go on. "I'm a human; Zima's a Pokémon! Zima's meant to fight like that, I'm not!"
"Maybe so," the boy replies steadily. "Then maybe you and Zima have never truly been equals. Zima, at least, has gained something in your past battles that you have not. In that first match, Zima fought valiantly while you fearfully shirked the battle. In the second match, it endured blows while you tried to run from them. And in the last match, Zima seized victory in my team's moment of weakness. You, on the other hand, would have thrown away that opportunity if given the chance. That is why Zima alone is worthy of the Jade Star Badge. You may be the trainer, Maia, but in these last three matches, you have continually proved yourself to be no fighter."
Hot, angry tears roll down the girl's ashen cheeks. "Your Pikachu was hurt in that last match; I couldn't let Zima attack! I was trying to show compassion!"
"Compassion? Is this compassion you show me and Alpha the same you show your own Pokémon? Do you show Zima compassion?"
The girl's voice rises alarmingly as she struggles not to scream. "I love my Pokémon!" she insists, choking on her sobs. "I love my Pokémon, you hear me?! I'd never make Zima fight if it didn't want to! I'd never, ever let Zima suffer!"
"But how do you know when Zima suffers, Maia? How can you tell when you admit you are a human and know nothing of what it is like to be a Pokémon?"
"Zima." The girl's voice wavers as she embraces her Pokémon tightly. The Growlithe does not move away. Nor does it lean into its trainer's arms. As the girl draws away, her eyes catch sight of the Pikachu, standing by the boy's side. To even her own surprise, an uncontrollable urge to giggle is bubbling in her throat. It explodes forward in choking, wrenching gasps of hysteria.
"Everything you say!" the challenger screams wildly, pointing an accusing finger at the boy. "Everything you say is completely ridiculous! You find endless faults with trainers, yet you're a Gym Leader yourself! Stupid, lying, nasty little hypocrite! They should do us all a favor and kick you out of the Orange Crew for good!"
Unruffled, the boy shakes his head at this accusation. "I may be a trainer," he says calmly, "but unlike many others, I do not lie to myself about having what you call compassion. Not for my enemies. Not for my Pokémon. This, Maia of Fuchsia, is ultimately the only way to fight. I know it. Your Growlithe knew it in these last three battles. Steeling oneself against fear, pain, and mercy, that is the only way to truly win."
Desperately, the girl searches his face for badly-concealed uncertainty, even bitter sarcasm. But the boy's face is as smoothly composed as ever, without a single betraying flicker of emotion. Breath coming in ragged gasps, the challenger gets to her feet and slowly backs away. Her Growlithe follows obediently after her in long, loping strides.
"You're wrong!" the girl cries defiantly. "That isn't the only way; it can't be! Someday, I'll prove to you! Just you wait and see!"
The boy watches silently as the girl and her Pokémon limp down the path side by side, leaning wearily on each other as they walk away. A smile twisting his thin lips, he pockets the Jade Star Badge the challenger has forgotten to accept. He knows she will not return to ask for it; none of the winning challengers ever have.
"If she and Zima approach that new goal with the same determination they pursued this badge, they both should do quite well. Don't you think, Alpha?" he asks the Pikachu at his side, once both girl and Growlithe have faded from view.
The Pokémon responds with a flick of its long tail. "Chu!"
And the boy takes his Pikachu upon his shoulder and, once more, the two sit down and look placidly out upon the open sea. Once more, they are waiting for the next trainer to arrive. And they will arrive time and time again, to challenge the Orange Crew member that gives only battles and questions to ponder, never a single badge.
This idea is actually kind of old. A while back, I saw that episode where Ash is battling for the Earth Badge, and Team Rocket installs these shock things that make the trainer feel all the pain that Pokémon feel during battle. Made me wonder how long a typical trainer would last if they had to be the ones battling instead of the Pokémon.
Tomorrow's the first day of 2003. Yay!