Chapter Four: Rin Vs. Burgh
-IMPORTANT: For those of you that follow my story: I am going on holiday on the 14th of july and will be there until the 22nd. I will try update my story again on the day I come back.-
'The first step into a pokemon gym is always the most nerve-racking moment of challenging a gym. The
moment those sliding/revolving/slamming doors shut behind you and the wind hit's the back of your neck like a hurricane, that's when you know this is serious.' Rin thought to herself, stepping inside. She was always far too timid, or so she always thought to ever be confident enough to challenge a gym, since spending the last few days with Misty and Brock she had really come out of her shell, and everybody around her noticed. Misty stepped inside then remembered about Burgh, he is a bug and grass pokemon trainer. Misty highly respected trainers who stuck to one kind of pokemon because she did herself, however bug pokemon grossed her out and she'd always had a bit of a fear. They're just like regular bugs, she always thought. No different to a house fly or a caterpillar some of them. Thinking this, she remembered Ash's Metapod evolving into a Butterfree, and how beautiful she remembered the finishing pokemon being, but still.
"Rin, I hope you don't mind but I'm going to wait outside. I just really don't like bug pokemon. Brock will give you moral support, okay? I'm sorry I can't see you in action." Misty turned around and waved at her friends as she stepped out of the door and slumped down outside the gym wall, and began to read a book. Rin and Brock looked at each other as Brock laughed and muttered something under his breath along the lines of 'she never changes'. It was time to face the music. Rin took one step at a time towards the gym leader waiting at the end of the what seemed like a never ending corridor. When she locked eyes on him she saw his big brown curly hair, his pin-striped jeans and his green sweater. He looked just like a funky artist you'd see painting on the streets. Not like a gym leader at all.
"Welcome to my humble gym challenger. My name is Burgh. I shall tell you this now, I do not go down easy!" he threw his poke ball immediately. Brock looked surprised. He was obviously eager, he thought to himself. Rin was also set aback by how forward Burgh was. His first pokemon of three was Dwebble. "My Dwebble's shell is much lighter than a normal one. Making it much more agile." commented Burgh. Brock urged Rin to release her pokemon and she nodded and did so.
"Come on Emolga!" her flying/electric type should do well against the bug and grass types. Thought Brock, observing the exciting battle that was to come.
"Dwebble, use dig!" Burgh shouted, not wasting a second of time. The pokemon dug itself a hole in the ground, making it unreachable for most special attack moves like Emolga's, Oh no, this is bad. Thought Rin, until she had the idea of using a move when the pokemon emerged from the hole before it hit her Emolga full force. The pokemon emerged from the hole and flew at Emolga about to use a powerful ground move when Rin shouted a command at exactly the right moment.
"Acrobatics! Now Emolga!" the pokemon flipped over and used the powerful flying type move on the foe's Dwebble, who was knocked out instantly by this super effective move. Burgh returned his pokemon with a sigh and spoke instantly.
"Interesting! My, my very interesting! We'll see if you have what it takes to get the Insect badge after you defeat Leavanny!" As he threw his second poke ball into the air, a dash of light and appeared the grass pokemon Leavanny. "Leavanny, use hyper beam on that dreaded electric type now!" he shouted. Leavanny began to charge power bringing it to the shape of a beam that was aimed directly at Emolga, but Rin thought fast.
"Double team! Quickly!" The flying mouse pokemon used double team, making itself a clone which directly got hit by the beam and not its actual self. Rin heard the gym leader shout 'BLAST!' and she instructed her pokemon effectively for the next move. "Acrobatics again!" The flying-move was super effective on Leavanny and knocked it out again in one shot. Burgh shook his head and sent out his last pokemon: Whirlipede.
"Whirlipede! Solar beam now!" the move was fast and no matter what Rin could've commanded her pokemon would not have had the agility to move fast enough to avoid the attack. The pokemon was hit hard and it fell back almost knocked out but not quite. However, Rin did not want her Emolga to suffer that again and returned it. She knew the perfect pokemon to finish the match.
"Simisear, it's your time to shine!" the flame-monkey appeared in a flash out of her poke ball and looked as confident as it's trainer. "Incinerate." Rin commanded almost menacingly. Brock chuckled to himself, he'd never seen her look so scary. As expected the super effective move took out Whirlipede before Burgh even had a chance to counter-attack.
"I guess bug pokemon do have a lot of weaknesses." he admitted, returning his pokemon. He looked at Rin and dove into his pockets, placing money, a tm and a gym badge into her hands. "but they are my favourite. There's just something so natural about grass pokemon, they also secretly remind me of summer as a boy, the pokemon bring me inspiration to paint…well I'm rambling now. You have potential young girl, make the most of it!" he shook hands with both Rin and Brock and wished them the best. Rin looked up at Brock and smiled as they walked out the doors of the gym.
"I'm so happy! I'm glad I was able to do this for you guys as well as for myself." She smiled as Misty got up and looked at her friends.
"Well?" she asked excitedly, but the look of pride on Rin's face and the look of happiness on Brock's completely gave her the answer she was looking for. She jumped up in the air and hugged her blonde friend. "I bet your sister would be proud, eh?" she said. Rin hesitated a little before she replied with a 'maybe.' it made her go quiet for a second and Brock automatically sensed something was up.
"Rin? What's up?" Rin quickly forced a smile on her face and shook it off convincingly.
"Oh nothing! It's just I've been away from Nimbasa for so long we should probably get going right this istant!" she explained, gesturing towards the gate up ahead.
"All right! Let's go whilst I'm still all fired-up! I still wish I could've seen you in action I bet you were great!" Misty said, already making her way to the gate with Rin trailing behind her with Brock. Brock still looked concerned, he wasn't buying it, but now wasn't the time to pester her about her troubles with her sister. It'll come out if need be, he thought to himself, joining his friends walking through the gate to route 4, where shortly they would be grossing a giant bridge that would lead them to Nimbasa city.
The journey past route 4 came and went quickly, Misty caught a new water pokemon which she was particularly excited about having, and they soon found themselves battling trainers on the path which led them to the bridge they were about to cross. Brock moved ahead quickly, excited to see the bridge which he had only seen on the T.V and read about in magazines. He spoke quickly as they made their way through the gate towards it.
"It's rumoured that if you walk along the bridge long enough, you run into flying-type pokemon! You can also find feathers that boost the attack power of the pokemon you have." Brock said in a matter-of-fact way. Misty looked excited to see the bridge also, and Rin was just happy to be a part of their first time experience of it. They crossed the bridge quickly as Misty was rushing to see Nimbasa city, and she speeded ahead. Rin trailed behind looking at her shoes nervously. Brock was oblivious and just looked around at all the awesome bird pokemon. Sooner rather than later they arrived at Nimbasa city.
"There's so much to see in Nimbasa! The theme park, the pokemon musical! The battle subway!" listed Misty on her fingers, running this way and that like an excited child, this made Brock laugh and smile.
"How about we check out the theme park first? I'm dying to see the gym." Brock said looking at Rin. Rin nodded but Misty was already racing towards it. She ran into a man with a blue round haircut and apologised quickly.
"I'm so sorry!" she blurted out. The man barged past her without a word, he was in a hurry. "how rude!" she yelled after him, but he was already far off into the distance. As she turned around many identical men also barged past her. She looked at them confused and then following them was a long blonde haired woman who was incredibly beautiful and particularly slim and tall.
"TEAM PLASMA THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE! YOU WILL NOT GET AWAY WITH THIS!" she shouted as she chased after them. Misty looked on wide eyed until the blonde woman noticed Rin standing in front of her path.
"Elesa?" asked Rin looking at her sister.
"Back already? I don't have time for you right now team plasma are stealing pokemon again…never mind…they've already gotten away because of you." She sighed and then noticed Brock standing next to her. "another boyfriend? Jesus christ."
"Actually I'm just a friend of the Kanto Water-gym leader. I'm the rock gym leader. My name is Brock I'm sure you've heard of me. Rin's helping me and my friend Misty find somebody here in Unova." Brock commented. Elesa nodded and looked at her sister again.
"So I guess this means you didn't get to be the gym leader in Kanto, I knew it." Elesa said laughing. Misty appeared behind her and spoke loudly and made Elesa jump and turn around.
"Actually Rin beat her challenge. I thought the other person would be much better suited and also I needed Rin's help. She's a powerful trainer." Misty narrowed her eyes and looked Elesa up and down as Elesa did the same to her.
"Well you must be Misty. I'm Elesa. Gym leader, super model and celebrity." she extended her hand expecting Misty to shake it, but when she didn't, she pulled back her hand awkwardly and spoke again. "If you appointed somebody who lost to a little girl I feel very sorry for your gym right now." Misty frowned, rage building in her eyes.
"Listen-" Brock stopped her by taking a firm grip on her shoulder. Misty tried to shake it off but knew it was pointless. She stepped back and held her head high. "We're looking for my friend Ash. I am informed he challenged this gym recently." Elesa nodded.
"Yes. He was also travelling with a girl named Iris and a boy called Cilan." at this comment, Misty and Brock looked at each other almost as if to say 'I guess we've been replaced.' Misty shook this off quickly.
"Could you tell us where he is?" Brock asked eagerly. Elesa smiled.
"I believe people should earn things they seek Brock." She looked at Misty. "I'll tell you where he is and I'll give you a gym badge if you defeat me in battle." She said proudly. Misty was almost raging to fight this girl she had just met.
"Bring it on!" she yelled. Elesa stepped back and prepared for battle. Many citizens started to crowd around them and cheer for their local celebrity. Brock and Rin blended into the crowd after wishing her luck. Another exciting battle was about to unfold.