Route 1, north of Nuvema Town, by the shore.
Ker-plop!
With a tiny splash and a wave of tiny ripples, the bobber sank into the water and quickly popped back up. The bait, a chunk of cheese, sank into the brine of the bay.
A young man was sitting on the yellow sandy beach, leaning back in the sand as he clutched his homemade, bamboo fishing rod in his hands. Making himself comfortable, he gave a yawn and then a whistle, striking up a merry tune as he patiently awaited a bite.
He was a young man, almost fifteen but not quite out of fourteen yet. His hair was bright blonde and his eyes an icy blue. He was wearing a pair of blue shorts and a yellow t-shirt, along with a white band with the word "Victory!" written in traditional Kantonian.
"Freeh?" his companion chirped in a high-pitched voice.
"Relax, Lucky," the boy soothed. "Take a load off."
His partner, a butterfly-like Pokemon called a Butterfree, nodded her purple head. She plopped to the ground next to him, folding her large white wings behind her back. "Freeh?" she asked again.
"Just be patient," her trainer replied. "This time it will happen, I know it." He gave her a cheeky grin. "I'm using cheese for bait this time," he explained.
Lucky was hardly impressed. Rolling her large, ruby-colored eyes she settled down for a nap. Her trainer hadn't caught anything worth fighting for days no matter what bait he had been using. His desire to find a worthy opponent was clouding his judgement.
There was a tug on the pole, and the bamboo trembled and bent. The boy was nearly yanked from his back to his stomach by the force of the pull. Any normal individual would have let the pole go and made a run for it. The boy, however, was far from normal. A silly grin split across his face as he tugged the pole back as hard as he could. "It's a big one!" he cheered. "It's a big one!"
Lucky leaped off of the ground with a chirp, grabbing the back of her trainer's shirt to prevent him from being dragged into the water. "Freeh!" she cried, terrified.
Her trainer laughed. "The cheese worked!" he cheered.
Lucky scowled. "Freeh..." she growled, bonking her trainer on the head to remind him of the imminent threat.
"Oh, right," the boy said, releasing the rod. "Alright, that'll have it plenty angry. Let's see if it shows its face..."
The water began to bubble and froth. A serpentine tail, covered in blue scales, splashed angrily in the brine. With an enraged roar, something big shot out from the sea, the boy's fishing pole still attached by the line to its jaws. "Gyrah!" the monstrous serpent roared, his gaping maw showering the boy and his Butterfree with spittle. Its breath reeked of Fist Pokemon and seaweed.
The boy reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, red and black device, hitting a button on its and holding it up to the irked Water-type Pokemon. There was a click as the device scanned the leviathan, quickly giving out an encyclopedia-like description:
"Gyarados.
Classification: The Atrocious Pokemon.
Type: Water/Flying
This specimen's gender: Male
Ability: Intimidate
Description: Known throughout the world as a vicious sea-monster. While normally solitary and peaceful, it becomes a nearly unstoppable force when enraged. It seems to have an almost empathic ability to sense war and strife among humans, and when it does it arrives at seaside cities and demolishes everything and anyone it sees with powerful attacks. According to some legends, this Pokemon hates to fight and only does so to terrify humans into pacifism.
Threat Level: Extremely High! Do not approach under any circumstances! That means you, Tony!"
Tony Miller groaned as he face-palmed. "I figured Professor Juniper would add something like that when she updated the Pokedex..." he told Lucky. "Oh well, no avoiding this fight. He seems pretty angry."
"Gyaarah!" the Gyarados roared, enraged by the hook stuck in his mouth. Sure, it was just a pin-prick, really, but it was the principle of the thing. He couldn't have every stupid human with a stick and string thinking they could just fish up anyone they pleased, now could he?
"Think you can handle him, Lucky?" Tony asked, clenching his fists and leaping back to a safer position.
"Freeh!" Lucky said haughtily. Handle him? I could take him if I was poisoned, confused, paralyzed, asleep, flinching and with one wing tied behind me back!
"Alright!" our hero declared bravely. "Let's do this... but let's let our friend make the first move."
"Freeh!" Lucky agreed, gesturing for the monster to bring it.
Gyarados roared angrily, a ball of blue and yellow fire exploding in his gaping jaws. With a snarl, the Atrocious Pokemon launched a massive plume of heat and flame at the boy and his Butterfree.
Tony didn't even have to say a word for Lucky to know it was dodging time. The Butterfree shot into the air with amazing speed far beyond most members of her species. "Good job!" Tony exclaimed as his Pokemon effortlessly dodged the Dragon Rage attack. It took a moment for the boy to realize the attack was aimed at him. Tony's eyes went wide and he let loose a very girlish scream as he leaped aside, dodging the beam of power as it shot by, scorching the sand as it passed. "Uh, keep the battle over the water please!" Tony shouted to Lucky. "Auntie will kill me if I die!"
"Freeh," Lucky replied, making no promises.
"Alright then!" Tony said, regaining his courage. "Let's start with our new moves! First things first: Giga Drain!"
"Freeh!" Lucky cried, dodging the snapping jaws of the Gyarados as he charged at her with his mouth wide open. As the beast passed, a bright green aura burst around Lucky as she absorbed energy from the Water/Flying-type, drawing power from her opponent's own strength.
"Bingo!" Tony cheered. "Good job!"
Gyarados' enraged roar filled the air, silencing both Tony and Lucky. Frosty-looking mist poured from the beast's mouth as he bared his seven-inch fangs, ready to snap Lucky up.
"Ice Fang!" Tony shouted to his Pokemon. "Fall back and use Psybeam!"
Beating her wings fiercely, Lucky shot back just as the Gyarados' jaws snapped shut through the air she had been in mere moments ago. Her eyes suddenly sparked bright violet and blasted the monster right in between the eyes with a beam of psychokinetic energy. Gyarados roared in pain as Lucky landed yet another hit, bringing him one step closer to unconsciousness.
"Gyraaaaaagh!" the Gyarados roared angrily.
"Man, he's mad..." Tony said with a wince. Maybe this hadn't been such a great idea, but it sure beat training with much weaker Patrats and Lillipups, Normal-type Pokemon that could be found in low levels around Route 1. Tony didn't like to fight weaker foes; it made him feel like a bully. So, he sought the strongest foe he could find and he had found him.
Well, he decided, I've already ticked him off... Might as well finish the fight. "Alright, Lucky! Time to wrap it up! You ready?"
Lucky gave a fierce nod. "Freeh!" she agreed, knowing what it was time for.
"Alright, let's try our new combo!" Tony ordered, locking eyes with the enraged Gyarados.
Lucky tensed herself, wriggling her tiny blue fingers in anticipation. The Gyarados was glaring hard at her trainer, waiting for him to give the order to attack before making a move.
Tony gave the order. "Quiver Dance!"
Lucky's body went from tense to lucid in less than a second. With a relaxed sigh she twisted in midair, performing an impressive back-flip with a (bring in the Peppy) barrel roll for good measure. The Gyarados stared, confused with the much smaller Pokemon's actions, completely unaware that Quiver Dance, a Bug-type move, was used to greatly increase the special attack, special defense and speed of the user.
Lucky finally came to a halt, her eyes glowing with power. The poor Gyarados had just sat there and let her power herself up. He'll regret that... she promised herself.
Tony's eyes flashed. "Psybeam!"
An amazing crackle of mental energy filled the air as Lucky fired a colossal burst of power from her eyes, blasting Gyarados right in the chest. The Psybeam was now more of a Psyblast (patented, Tony Miller), much wider and more powerful than usual. Tony could practically feel the energy behind the attack himself from where he stood.
Gyarados screamed in pain as he toppled over, the attack taking its toll. It splashed into the brine, kicking up a few waves as it sunk into unconsciousness.
"Got him!" Tony cheered. "You did fantastic, Lucky!" he told his Butterfree.
Lucky was panting heavily from the taxing attack, but nevertheless was delighted to hear any sort of compliment from her beloved trainer. With a happy cry, she swooped down and plopped into Tony's arms, grinning happily as she basked in the glow of Tony's compliments. "Freeh..." she cooed happily.
A bubbling growl churned in the water as the Gyarados poked his head out. Tony and Lucky froze, fully expecting that Lucky was gonna have to lay the smack-down again. However, the Gyarados simply spat out the shattered remains of Tony's bamboo fishing rod. With that, eager to avoid another Psyblast, he sank into the depths with a snort, feeling very sheepish about having his tail handed to him by a Butterfree of all things...
"Thanks!" Tony called. "You can keep the cheese!"
"Freeh!" agreed Lucky, waving goodbye.
If Gyarados had been warm-blooded he would have blushed. Pitiful... he thought unhappily.
The Atrocious Pokemon's view of his loss was a logical one; if Tony had told anyone back in the Kanto Region, his and Lucky's homeland, that he had beaten a Gyarados with only a Butterfree, he would have been laughed out of town. Butterfree, along with most Bug-type Pokemon, were considered by many "serious" and "ace" trainers to be in the bottom tier of effective choices for trainers, far, far below fan-favorites such as the incredibly powerful Dragon-type Pokemon or the blazing Fire-type Pokemon. Still, Tony made friends with and trained with the Pokemon he loved most, and there were few things on the planet that he loved more than Bug-type Pokemon.
Tony grinned widely as he and Lucky collected their things (minus the destroyed fishing rod) before making their way back to their new hometown of Nuvema Town. It had been weeks since he had felt so excited. They had beaten a Gyarados - a ferocious, beast of a Pokemon - like it was nothing at all! After all the hard training he and all of his Pokemon had gone through, he was finally ready!
Tomorrow, he decided, he would leave home and head to Nimbasa City. There, he would face his next Gym Leader - and reunite with his best human friend, the beauti... eh, the friendly Skyla Fuuro, former Gym Leader of Mistralton City.
The promise of seeing his good friend and former travelling companion put a spring in Tony's step. Whistling happily, he made his way to the Juniper Pokemon Laboratory.
Author's Note:
Ahh… It's good to be back… Not that I was really gone or anything… You know how it is. I'm glad to be writing for you guys again. I'm also incredibly grateful for the ridiculous amount of reviews I got for the first chapter alone! Holy cow, guys, you rock! :D
In all seriousness, this chapter took three attempts to write. The first two just didn't click. I like this one, but I do have a sinking feeling that I could do better... What do you think?
Well, for those of you who've read the first story, you know what times it is! For those who do not, it's Reader Question Time! I ask a question and you give me an answer after you review!
So, Reader Question Time! What are you looking forward to the most in this story? I want to know what you guys think will happen! Be sure to shoot me an answer!
Thanks for coming back and reading this! I wouldn't be half the writer I am now without you guys. Please keep reading and reviewing!