Chapter 4
Volkner walked up to the referee's podium and started to explain the rules much like Zachery did. "The Sunyshore 'Gym' Battle between Barry the Challenger, and Zachery, the Gym Leader-in-training is about to get underway! The battle will be three-on-three, and as soon as all three Pokémon on either side are unable to continue, the challenge is over. In addition, only the Challenger may substitute Pokémon." Volkner paused and took a breath. "Man, Zachery, I don't know how you can do that in one breath."
"Can we just get on with it so that I can get my 8th badge, please? I'm trying to stay ahead of someone." Barry asked.
"Shut it, or do you want me to ban you from the Gym?" Volkner said, grunting.
"No sir…" Barry said quietly.
"Then with that, let the battle begin!" Volkner yelled, waving his flags. Zachery took out a Poké Ball from his fanny pack that rested on his hip.
"Let's begin with Medicham!" he called, throwing the Poké Ball. The ball burst open and a tall, skinny Pokémon with a pink head came out. "Medicham!" it called.
"Again with the cheating." Barry complained, taking out a Poké Ball. "Go, Roserade!" He threw the Poké Ball, and his Roserade from before. "Roserade!" it cried, already fired up. "Attack with Poison Jab!" Barry called. Roserade ran at Medicham with its flowers glowing purple.
"Medicham, Detect!" Zachery commanded. Medicham's eyes started to glow light green, and as Roserade swiped at Medicham, it ducked out of the way.
"Again, again, again!" Barry yelled. And every time Roserade swiped at Medicham, Medicham either dodged, or jumped out of the way, getting Barry aggravated. "Roserade, use Shadow Ball!" Roserade jumped back and started to power up a black ball of energy, and fired it.
"Medicham, use Confusion!" Medicham's eyes started to glow blue and blue energy surrounded the Shadow Ball, slowing it down, but then the energy faded.
"Hah, moron, a Psychic-type move like Confusion won't effect a Ghost-type move like Shadow Ball!" Barry mocked.
"But it managed to slow it down a little." Zachery called back. "Medicham, use ThunderPunch." Medicham's little fist then started to glow yellow with electricity and sparks flew from it. "Knock it to the ground!" Medicham jumped up and knocked the Shadow Ball to the ground, but it exploded, and sent Medicham flying back.
"Roserade, use Giga Drain!" Barry yelled. Roserade called out its name and started to glow blue.
"You forget, I was watching your battle with Volkner, I know your strategy with Roserade." Zachery said. "Medicham, Confusion!" As the blue energy was reaching for Medicham, it was suddenly surrounded by a light blue energy, and sent back, hitting Roserade. "Your Roserade isn't very tough when isn't healed."
"You think you know so much!" Barry said, stomping his foot repeatedly into the ground. "Roserade, use Shadow Ball!" Roserade jumped up into the air after tripping over nothing and powered up the black ball, firing it at the ground below it and making it blow up under it, throwing it onto the ground. "Roserade? What are you doing!"
"It seems that Confusion attack confused your Roserade." Zachery said. "Medicham, use Meditate." Medicham jumped back, and stood on one leg, with one hand in front of its face and one above its head, and it started to glow red.
"Roserade, use GrassWhistle, quickly!" Barry called, panicking. Roserade jumped back, but tripped over its skirt, and fell to the ground. "Oh no!"
"Medicham, ThunderPunch!" Zachery called. Medicham, still glowing red, clenched its fist and it started to glow yellow with electricity. It ran at Roserade, and just as it was getting up, struck it in the face, knocking it out.
"Roserade is unable to battle, Medicham is the winner!" Volkner called. Barry sighed, returning his Roserade.
"Man, even this kid is tough." he replied. He took out another Poké Ball. "Staraptor, I need you!" The Poké Ball busted open and a giant hawk-like Pokémon came out. "Starrraptor!" it called. "Use Aerial Ace!" Barry called.
"Use Detect!" Zachery called. However, before Medicham could use the attack, Staraptor struck Medicham, making it faint. "Wow, that's fast."
"Medicham is unable to battle, Staraptor wins!" Volkner said. Barry jumped up and down.
"Good job, Medicham." Zachery said to his fallen Pokémon, recalling it. "Your Staraptor is incredibly fast, but sending a Flying-type Pokémon into a Electric-type Gym battle was plain dumb." He took out a blue, red, and white Poké Ball, a Great Ball. "But, I've got a Pokémon that can defeat your bird with ease, Go, Steelix!" He threw the Great Ball, and a giant, snake-like Pokémon came out. "Raaa, ruu, raahh!" it called out.
"Oh, no!" Barry exclaimed.
"Steelix, use Rock Throw!" Zachery yelled up to his giant Pokémon. Steelix growled and slammed its tail into the ground, pieces of the stadium floor shooting at Staraptor.
"Use Aerial Ace to dodge it!" Barry called. Staraptor back-flipped and dived at Steelix at the right time, the rocks just missing it.
"Iron Tail!" Zachery called. Steelix raised its tail and it started to glow white.
"Counter with Steel Wing, Staraptor!" Barry called out. Like Steelix's tail, Staraptor's wings started to glow white and they both brought their tail and wing forward, bouncing off each other. "Now that you're close enough…" Barry whispered. "Use Close Combat!"
"Oh, no!" Zachery exclaimed. Staraptor charged at Steelix, then quickly and repeatedly battered the giant Pokémon around with its wings, legs and beak, until it fell to the ground with a smash, fainted.
"Steelix is unable to battle, Staraptor wins!" Volkner yelled.
"Man, you still surprise me, Barry!" Zachery called, recalling his Steelix. "No more holding back, go Magneton!" The Poké Ball burst open, and a Pokémon seemingly made of three Magnemites appeared. "Magnetan!" it said.
"Staraptor, return!" Barry called, returning his Pokémon into his Poké Ball. "Your turn, Rapidash!" he said, throwing the Poké Ball. The fire unicorn neighed and dug its front feet into the ground.
"Magneton, Supersonic!" Magneton let out a cry and started to emit thin white circles from itself to Rapidash. Rapidash neighed out loud at the sound. Finally, Magneton stopped. "Now use Charge Beam!" Magneton's body started to glow yellow, then the electricity surrounding Magneton shot at Rapidash in the form of a huge blast and hit it.
"Shake it off, Rapidash!" Barry commanded. "Use Sunny Day!" The fire unicorn jumped back, breaking off the Charge Beam and shot a ball of energy at the Gym ceiling. The energy ball grew larger, and everything became bright.
"Magneton, use Tri Attack!" Suddenly, the screw on the top of Magneton's head started to glow red, the one on the left started to glow blue, and the one on the right started to glow yellow. Beams shot at Rapidash, spinning around to create one beam of red, blue, and yellow.
"Rapidash, Fire Blast!" Barry yelled. Rapidash breathed in heavily, then let out a large fiery blast, the blast turning into a star-shape form and collided with the Tri Attack. The two attacks struggled for a moment, then the Fire Blast won, completely absorbing the Tri Attack and blasting Magneton.
"Magneton is unable to battle, the winner is Rapidash, and the victor of this battle is Barry from Twinleaf Town!" Volkner called.
"YES!" Barry yelled, jumping up and down for joy. "I won!" He ran up to his Rapidash and petted its nose. "Good job, Rapidash. Now, return for a rest." He took out his Pokémon's Poké Ball and recalled it back in.
"Congrats, kid, here's your badge." Volkner said, walking up to the boy and handing him the badge. Barry looked at it with shining eyes, jumped up and down, and ran out of the gym, yelling "Thank you!" before the doors started to close. Volkner turned around to face Zachery standing right behind him, with a fire burning in his eyes.
