Little Tsu: Hey everyone. Sorry for the late update. My computer's harddrive had crashed so it took a while before I finally got a new computer, but sadly, I lost all of my saved up stories, data,
everything. So until I manage ta get some things back up & running on my new computer, updates will be scarce, but hopefully, it won't be for long.

Until then, please enjoy the latest chapter.

Ch: 7

"Oh no, Falcon!" As his trainer yelled out in a slight panic, he could only watch as his fellow pokemon, Kira's rufflet, be brought down by Clay's Krokorok. Seeing the young eaglett having managed to hold his own and defeat the gym leader's Palpitoad, but then be grounded so quickly by this new pokemon was rather unnerving for him. He wasn't paying any attention as Kira returned the defeated bird back to his dusk ball. Instead, this young Scraggy was glaring towards the desert crocodile, who had his arms crossed over his chest and was actually laughing.

He wasn't about to let that go unpunished. This pokemon was really getting under his skin.

Clenching his little fists around the edges of his pants even tighter, he suddenly ran out onto the battlefield before his trainer could even say anything. The mere fact that this pokemon had the nerve to actually laugh at his fellow teammates and especially, at his Kira, was what made him snap for the second the ref had initiated the second match, Chrono pushed off of the ground and struck out with Brick Break as he had released his pants for a moment to do so. It was easy to see that he was mad, but his trainer decided to allow him his battle as she began cheering him on.
"Good job in getting in that hit Chrono, but don't let your guard down for an instant! That Krokorok's sneaky!"

Chrono glanced behind himself and gazed at his trainer through his coal black eyes. Her own chocolate brown were showing her own determination to win this gym battle, but at the same time, he could see the worry in her eyes as well. He knew that Kira didn't wish for him to get too badly hurt; not like how her Falcon had been ruthlessly defeated by this pokemon before him. Nodding his head once, he turned to face the front again as he saw the Krokorok get back up onto his feet, glaring towards him. It was easy to see that the larger pokemon had not enjoyed the fact that he had been struck like that and so quickly as well. However, that was when he saw the desert croc suddenly take a dive under the the battlefield, using dig.

Glancing around himself a bit unnervingly, he tried to figure out just where his opponent was going to come up from. He figured it would end up being in a place that would take him by surprise, but other than the front, there were the sides, rear, and even directly bellow himself that would be possible places to come up from to catch him off guard. It was at that instant that his eyes widened in realization though and he quickly leaped out of the way just in time as Krokorok shot out from under the ground right where he had been standing just an instant ago.

Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to react quickly enough as he was lashed out at, getting caught in a Crunch attack. Even though it wasn't a move that was very effective against himself,
given he was a Dark/Fighting type, it still made in flinch in pain before he was sent crashing into the ground by the enemy's tail. Biting back a strangled cry, Chrono slowly pushed himself up onto his feet once again and glared at the larger pokemon before him. He was not about to let this pokemon win.

...Even if he ended up going down with him in the process.

As he thought of what to do to try and end this battle quickly now, his opponent struck first; initiating his Bulldoze attack. This caused the ground below his little feet to tremble, taking himself off balance a bit as Krokorok came barrelling in towards him. Clenching his teeth tightly together, he struggled to regain enough balance on himself as his hands began to glow while he managed to charge in as well. Despite his still slight off balance, he managed to meet Krokorok's attack part way as they both struck out with their attacks, creating an explosion on the battlefield.

"Chrono!" Kira's eyes had widened in fear as she saw this happen, but she was unable to see the result of the battle as the field was filled with smoke, dust, and rock particles. As the mess began to clear though, the young trainer was able to make out the shape of the two figures. Both were still standing and glaring at one another in determination, but badly injured. However, this didn't last long, for they both finally collapsed onto the ground; a double knock out, thus ending their match in a draw.

The young scraggy watched as the gym leader returned his pokemon back into his pokeball, muttering something to himself that he couldn't make out. However, his attention was drawn away from the large man when he heard rushing footsteps before he suddenly found himself being picked up and held. Through heavy lidded eyes, he realized that he was staring up at the concerned face of his own trainer as she held him gently in her arms. "Chrono...A-Are you ok? I'm so sorry. You pushed yourself so hard in that match...I'm very proud of you, but please don't be so reckless again...I don't wanna lose you, ok?"

In all honesty, if he had had the strength to, he knew that a blush would been coloring his cheeks right now, but at the moment, he was too tired to have that sort of bodily reaction. His trainer cared for him that deeply already...That alone was enough to make him one happy Scraggy. As he thought this though, he noticed that Kira never returned him to his dusk ball for once, but instead continued to craddle him in her arms as she walked back across the battlefield to her side. After all...

Both sides still had one pokemon left.

Once she was back on her side of the field and was facing that much older human again, he managed to turn his head enough to where he'd beable to watch this final match. It was at that moment though, that he saw Clay toss the pokeball in his hand, releasing his final and from the looks of it, his strongest, pokemon;...Excadrill. He knew this was going to be a tough match, but he also knew that his trainer would pull through in the end no matter what...And since she had been backed up into a corner, facing a tough pokemon like this, he had a feeling that he knew just who she was gonna send out.

His theory was proven correct though as his mentor, Shadow stepped out calmly onto the field. Once the weasel was about ten feet ahead of them, he watched as the much more experienced Dark type halted and rested a crimson claw onto his waist. Chrono couldn't see his face, but he just knew that his mentor had a cocky, yet taunting smirk playing onto his features. The weasel always was the type that loved getting under other pokemon's skin. As he thought this though, the final battle began and he watched as Excadrill immediately started things off with Rock Slide; smashing his steel claws into the battlefield, up lifting large boulders into the air before launching them quickly towards the weavile.

He could only watch in amazement as the older pokemon rushed in to meet the oncoming boulders head on before suddenly pushing off from the ground with his left foot and actually leap from one boulder to the next. Though he knew that Shadow wasn't all that great with his defense, his unremarkable speed more than made up for it. After all, he wasn't known as one of the fastest pokemon in all the regions for nothing.

He was soon snapped out of his thoughts though as he saw Shadow's crimson claws become engulfed in dark light before suddenly lashing out in a blur of speed, slashing Excadrill across the chest with a double Night Slash attack, causing his opponent to cry out in surprise as well as pain. The attack had done quite a bit of damage, he knew that, but Chrono also knew that this Excadrill was not gonna go down so easily even if his mentor had such powerful attack strength at his disposal. He continued to will himself to remain awake despite his aching body demanding rest as he watched the enemy use Hone Claws, increasing his attack power before managing to quickly use Dig as he had closed his steel claws together and over his head in a drill-like fashion.

Unlike how he, himself had to wait a moment or two for Krokorok to finally reveal himself, this pokemon was obviously more experienced, but also seemed slightly impatiant too. Excadrill had come leaping out of the ground directly behind Shadow and had actually managed to make a hit as the large mole pokemon used Slash, lashing out with his now opened claws right as his mentor had turned around, knocking him back. He then watched as the enemy dove right back down under the ground once again just as Shadow had backflipped just before crashing into the ground, landing himself on his feet and one claw, though skidding back some.

Once again, the same tactic was used though and Chrono could only watch as Shadow was knocked around in such away. However, something didn't seem right about this match. It was like Shadow wasn't even trying to dodge any of the strikes, but instead, was taking them on purpose. Just what was his mentor up to?...Why was he purposely allowing his opponent to deal so much damage to him?
As he was asking this to himself, he suddenly spotted a smirk etched across his mentor's features while his head was tilted down slightly.

Slowly rising up onto his feet, Shadow just stood there with his head still tilted down faintly and that smirk never leaving his features. The instant Excadrill shot out of the ground,
appearing above his opponent, the mole pokemon was about to deal possibly the final blow when Shadow suddenly used his speed and got out of the way. In that same instant, his icy blue eyes had flashed before multiple shadows appeared on the battlefield directly bellow his enemy. As he watched Excadrill glance up, his eyes could only widen as a barrage of boulders covered in ice and snow came crashing down onto him.

Shadow had used his finishing move; Avalanche. An attack that doubles the amount of damage the user had been given in battle.

Chrono could only watch in shock and awe as this happened. Seeing Excadrill taken out in that single attack, thus winning the battle, was astonishing. So that had been why he purposely took all that damage from his opponent...He had been accumilating all that damage and basically storing it for one final, explosive attack...So this was the true power of his mentor, Shadow...No wonder he was known as Kira's absolute best. Seeing his actually fight for real for the first time ever, he now knew...He would never beable to catch up to Shadow let alone actually surpass him. He was just too strong. However,...

he wasn't gonna let that discourage him.

As he watched the gym leader congradulate Kira and hand her the Quake Badge while being held in just one arm, he made a resolution. Even though he now knew that he would never surpass Shadow and become Kira's best pokemon, he was still going to try his hardest to get as strong as he possibly could and become her second best. He was going to do his absolute best and make his trainer proud. He wanted Kira to rely on him even more and become even closer to her...He wanted to stay at her side for many years to come just like Shadow has been doing all this time.

After all,...watching that battle made him realize one other thing...Being second best to Shadow of all pokemon wasn't so bad after all. In fact,...he suddenly found it being an honor and he suddenly found himself proud to be the older pokemon's student.

...He couldn't wait to finally evolve and become even stronger.

To be continued.

Little Tsu: Well, that's it for this chapter. Sorry again for such a long wait, but I hope that this chapter was good enough & well worth the wait. Thanks so much for all those that have been reading & reviewing this thus far & thanks so much for all your patiance.

Till next time, I hope that you check out my other stories.^^