Ch. 9: The Oreburgh Gym Battle: Bryce vs. Lash

It was 7' in the morning when Bryce felt someone shake his shoulders. He groaned and rolled to his side and tried to go back to sleep. He felt a firm hand persist, shaking him harder than before. He swatted the hand away and buried his head in the pillows. After a while, the shaking stopped and Bryce thought whoever it was finally left. With a sigh of content, he flopped on his back and tried to go back to sleep. Suddenly, he felt the blanket he was wrapped in pull hard. He fell on the floor with a thud and rubbed his sore rear. When he looked up, a bright light met his eyes and he instinctively raised a hand to shield them.

"Gah! Ok, ok I'm up" He grumbled. The man chuckled, he straightened his glasses and turned off the light built into his red hardhat. He extended a hand and Bryce accepted it, using it as a means of support so he could easily stand up.

"Sorry about that, but your due to battle in 15 minutes." He said with a grin, showing he was clearly amused by this situation.

Bryce hastily threw his blanket over the bed he occupied and ruffled his hair a bit until he assumed it'd pass an inspection his mom would give.

"Can't it wait until a little later?"

"Only if you want someone to take your place. If that happens, who knows how long it may be until you get to battle? You're not the only one trying to make the Pokemon League."

Bryce waved a lazy hand towards Roark in a shooing motion. "Alright, alright, I'll see you there." He said. Roark straightened his glasses once more and walked towards the door. But as he was about to leave, he added, "Try not to be late, there'll be a lot of people to disappoint."

Bryce barely registered what he had said, he was still half-asleep and he barely noticed when the door closed. He straightened out the bed on his bottom bunk and looked around the room. There were four bunk beds and whereas, the night before they were all filled, now only the bunk opposite to Bryce's was occupied. On the top bunk lay a teenage male with one leg hanging over the side, his blonde hair unkempt could be seen among the blankets. Next to him was a black furry pokemon with a pointy ear sticking out, slightly twitching with every other breath.

Noting that the two were still sleeping, he put away his pajamas and put on his red beret, black jacket, white undershirt, and black jeans. As he reached under the bed to find his tennis shoes, he felt something hard. He looked under the bed and a brown shell met his eyes. That's when he remembered, the day before he kept Turtwig out of her pokeball for the rest of the day to recover from falling to the ground the way she did. He yawned unconsciously and tapped Turtwig on the head.

"Turtwig, wake up. It's time to go."

'Tur...Twig.' She mumbled in her sleep, just curling deeper into herself.

"Turtwig, c'mon we have to go!" He insisted, now pulling on one of her hind legs in an attempt to bring her out.

'Tur...' She mumbled again, crawling back under the bunk once she was free from his grasp.

"Hmmph, fine." He said to himself, fumbling for her pokeball on his belt. "Turtwig, return!" But to his surprise, the usual red beam did not emit to return the tiny turtle pokemon. But instead it opened and it emitted a white light that soon shaped itself in a form Bryce not only recognized, but dreaded. A large round pokemon turned around to face the trainer, rage evident in its eyes. His tongue, twice the size of his body, was hanging out and if Bryce didn't know how aggressive this pokemon was, he would've thought comical. This woke him up immediately and he cursed himself for being so careless in his daze that he'd make a mistake like this.

"L-Lash?" He backed up against the wall very slowly, making sure not to make any quick movements to provoke the pokemon to attack. He held up his pokeball shaking and quickly returned him before he could react. With a sigh of relief, Bryce slid down the wall until his legs were sprawled out.

"Now that's just sad isn't it Ebony?" A lazy voice announced, as though the very effort of talking was a bore to him. "Can't even control your own pokemon, I don't see what the organization sees in you." The very fact that someone was taunting him over such a situation irritated him. Grinding his teeth he shouted, "Well if you knew who that was you wouldn't be so smug! Who do you think you are that makes you think you can just talk to someone any way you like? And what organization?" A skinny form appeared next to the teen and Bryce recognized it as the pokemon laying next to it. He reached for his pokedex before the teen chimed out, "My my, you have a lot of questions don't you? Aren't you going to be late for something?" Bryce's eyes snapped open as he gathers his backpack. Carefully making sure that it was Turtwig's pokeball this time, he returned her and bolted out the door with the teen's amused chuckling ringing in his ears.


His feet pattered down the street as he neared the Oreburgh Gym where a line of people were filing in, even in the morning the event was quite popular. Bryce fell in line and felt his heart beat faster with every step he took. This time, for sure he was going to start his first gym battle and time felt like it was trying to speed up so he could hurry and arrive to his most anticipated moment. But before he knew it, Bryce was in the stadium, standing opposite to Stacy who looked down at her feet rather than in the eyes, the blush he'd seen before in the mines made a second appearance on her face. The announcer's words were all gibberish to his ears and after a moment or two, Roark stood in the center of the stadium with his referee flags. "Alright, this will be a two-on-two single battle. The challenger is the only one allowed to substitute. May the respective trainers release their pokemon?"

'Wait, two-on-two?' Bryce suddenly thought with an image of a certain Lickitung appearing in his head. Meanwhile, Stacy managed to let her pokemon out first while Bryce was distracted. "Go Geodude," She said so quietly, Bryce almost didn't catch it. She gently underhand-tossed the pokeball in front of her. The same round rocky pokemon she used in the gym battle before appeared. It flexed its arms and the crowd cheered. Bryce, realizing this was the third time he'd seen a Geodude, pulled out his pokedex and scanned it for the first time.

Geodude, the Rock Pokemon. Many live on mountain trails and remain half buried while keeping an eye on climbers. It is impossible to distinguish it from rocks.

'Maybe, if Turtwig knocked out both pokemon before she gets the chance to, then I won't have to deal with Lash.' He nodded to himself then threw the first pokeball on the right side of the buckle in front of him. "Go Turtwig!" The grass type appeared, letting out a yawn, she crouched down into her battle position, front legs slightly bent as if preparing to run.

Roark nodded and flourished both of his flags. "Let the battle commence!" Bryce immediately started, "Turtwig use Tackle!" Turtwig nodded and sped off, running towards the floating rock. Stacy seemed ready this time because as soon as the turtle took off she shouted, "Wait and use Mega Punch!" Geodude nodded and right before Turtwig ran into it, a white aura surrounded his fist and he punched her in the face, sending her flying into a nearby rock. The rock crumbled into pieces around the tiny turtle who slowly stood up cringing from the fragments. Stacy bit her lip and waved to Bryce. "Sorry about that!"

Bryce just nodded and as soon as Turtwig stood up, he remembered how Stacy didn't know how to deal with special attacks so he shouted, "Turtwig use Absorb!" Turtwig slowly nodded, her sprout bending forward towards Geodude, a green aura emerging that Bryce was only too familiar with. It hit the Geodude, knocking it to the ground and returned larger than before to Turtwig. Once she absorbed it, she looked a little better than before, but Bryce could still tell she was hurt.

"Ok Turtwig, lets try Tackle again while Geodude's still recovering!" Turtwig nodded hesitantly and ran towards the rock pokemon who was trying to push itself back into the air, but before it could succeed, Turtwig rammed into its bottom half. Bryce noticed a little too late that the attack seemed to do more harm towards Turtwig than to Geodude. Turtwig winced, her face bruised from the attack whereas the attack seemed to send Geodude once more into the air. The rough pokemon gave the Turtwig a grin before flexing an arm once more. As he looked in Geodude's direction, he noticed Stacy shifting into her battle mode, which meant things were going to be a lot more difficult.

"Geodude, use Mega Punch again!"

Geodude reared his fist back once more and started floating at an incredible speed towards Turtwig. As he started to punch, the aura returned but right before the attack hit, Bryce shouted, "Turtwig, use Withdraw!" Turtwig shook her head as if to rid herself of the pain from the Tackle and swiveled around, withdrawing all her legs. Geodude's fist slammed into her shell and sent her flying in the air, though she didn't appear to feel it. "Now use Absorb!" Turtwig used the momentum from the attack that sent her flying to swivel around mid-air, her sprout whipped back then forward, and unusual movement for Absorb. But rather than the green aura Bryce had come to expect, Turtwig's leaves flew off towards the rocky pokemon and slammed into it. Geodude flew back into the wall, leaving a small crater and fell to the ground.

Bryce blinked, "What happened?" Roark, meanwhile, walked over to the Geodude and examined it before going back to his spot and waving the red flag in Geodude's direction and the green flag in Turtwig's. "Geodude is unable to battle, Turtwig wins!" The crowd roared so loudly at this that Bryce could barely hear the announcer when he said,

"Well ladies and gentlemen, it seems just in the nick of time Turtwig has learned Razor Leaf and defeated Geodude! What an exciting predicament! Now the only question is, what pokemon will Stacy choose next?" During all this, Bryce noticed a crack in Turtwig's shell where the Mega Punch hit. At first it surprised him, but then he remembered what it said in his old books. Turtwig's shell hardens when it drinks water so it should be fine. Meanwhile, Stacy nodded towards the announcer, concentration in her eyes as she threw the next pokeball out. "Now Cranidos!"

A small pokemon shaped like a Tyrannosaurus (Not that they know what it's shaped like) stood on its hind legs. It's large blue forehead was more noticeable than the rest of it, as it stuck out. Cranidos raked the ground with one foot repeatedly as though it was getting ready to charge. "Cranidos huh?" Bryce questioned as he pulled out his pokedex once more.

Cranidos, the Head Butt Pokemon. It lived in the jungle around 100 million years ago. This pokemon downs prey with its headbutts.

Roark turned towards Bryce and asked, "Will the challenger keep his pokemon?" Bryce nodded and Roark waved his flags. "Let the battle commence!" Stacy went first this time, pointing at the prehistoric pokemon and shouting, "Cranidos, use Leer, then Headbutt!" Cranidos scraped its foot across the ground one more time, roared a load 'Crani!' and stomped, shaking the ground with its heavy footstep and flashed a sharp look at Turtwig. Turtwig felt a familiar unnerved feeling she felt before when she faced the Shinx on Route 202 and before she could recover, Cranidos came charging at her, forehead to forehead. As Turtwig went flying into the air Bryce cried out, "Turtwig, use Razor Leaf!" Turtwig used the momentum of her opponent's attack to her advantage once again, somersaulting through the air, the act causing the wind to blow her leaves off which would then regroup and blow off again in a furious rate towards Cranidos.

"Brace yourself Cranidos!" Stacy shouted and Cranidos dug its feet in the ground, shielding its face from the furious onslaught. But the attack still hit and it was obvious it hurt, the force of it causing Cranidos to slide across the ground. As soon as it was over Stacy cried, "Cranidos, Take Down Turtwig before it hits the ground!" Cranidos roared once more, scraped its foot across the ground and charged at Turtwig who's soft underbelly was showing at the moment. Cranidos rammed into her chest-first. Her eyes widened as the wind was knocked out of her and she went flying into the stadium wall.

"Turtwig!" Bryce called out as he ran to where she landed and scooped her up. But she was out of it, he returned her and heard the sound of Roark's voice call out, "Turtwig is unable to battle, Cranidos wins!" The crowd cheered and Cranidos roared with triumph. But while everyone was cheering, Bryce was filled with dread. "Well, I guess it's come to this then, it's either I use Lash, or I forfeit until I can get another pokemon." He got the pokeball from his belt and took a deep breath. "No, I have to do this... Ok here we go."

"And Cranidos knocks out Turtwig with a powerful Take Down!" Cried the announcer. "With only one pokemon left, what will Bryce choose as his last pokemon?" Bryce threw his last pokeball into the arena, without saying a word and the Lickitung took form much to the astonishment of the audience.

"Isn't that Lash?"

"No way! That rookie trainer caught it?"

"That's the pokemon that took my backpack!"

Even Roark seemed stunned for a few minutes before gaining his composure. He gave a worried glance in Stacy's direction. Meanwhile, the large pink pokemon turned around to glare at his so-called "trainer". He even had his tongue in, which to Bryce, told him he meant business. But Roark, either oblivious of this, or decided that they needed to continue before something happened waved the flags. "Let the battle commence!" At that moment, Lash's tongue lashed out and hit Bryce full on in the face. Bryce fell back and landed on his rear, a rather large bruise on his face. He rubbed it gingerly and started to stand up before he was hit again and slammed into the stadium wall. Staggering to his feet, he pushed against the wall to support himself and the Lickitung still looked like he wasn't done with him yet when suddenly he fell flat on his tongue.

Behind him Cranidos let out a roar of triumph and raised its small claws, (paws, hands, whatever they are) in the air. 'Crani! Cranidos!' The crowd went wild, Oreburgh's tormentor was going to be taken down by the Oreburgh gym leader. Lash went red in the face as he turned around and looked at Cranidos with anger on his face.

'Licki! Lick-Licki!'

Another idea occurred to Bryce, maybe the only way to get Lash to cooperate, was to make sure whatever he wanted Lash to do had to be within his own interests. "Listen Lash, I know you don't like me, but I'm not your opponent right now, he is." Bryce said, pointing at the assumed male Cranidos who stomped and lowered his forehead in their direction. Lash stared at Bryce for a while, as though considering this prospect. Then, while still facing Bryce, stood up, and turned around to face Cranidos. But he gave Bryce a look that said, "This isn't over yet." Bryce opened his mouth to tell Lash what to do but before he had the chance, he withdrew his tongue, opened his mouth, and shrieked at a high-pitched tone. Bryce covered his ears and winced in pain while most of the audience did the same. Cranidos tried to shake his head as though to shake the sound from his ears. "Cranidos, Take Down!" Stacy cried out, and Cranidos charged in Lash's direction, or so he thought.

"Cranidos, look out!" Stacy shouted, covering her eyes as Cranidos ran full speed into a rather large boulder. Lash then stuck his tongue out once more and dragged his tongue along Cranidos's face. Cranidos started to twitch but couldn't move. Bryce recognized this from before, it was paralysis. "Cranidos, use Headbutt! Cranidos? Cranidos!" Stacy called out to no avail, before Lash's tongue lashed out once more, this time surrounded by a dark, sinister aura. It did an uppercut clean under Cranidos's chin and made him fly into the air falling with a loud thud at Stacy's feet, one foot twitching in the air, but it was obvious he was done. Taking the opportunity while Lash was distracted, Bryce returned him just in time to hear Roark announce, "Cranidos is unable to battle! The challenger Bryce from Twinleaf Town is the winner!" There was scattered applause from the audience, whether it was because their home town hero had lost, or because she lost to the scourge of Oreburgh was not clear but they obviously weren't happy.

Bryce saw Stacy get led out by her mother before Roark approached him with a semi-circle shaped silver badge. "Here you go Bryce, you deserve it." He said with a smile, but then leaned in to whisper, "But I'd be careful about using that pokemon." Bryce nodded and grinned, reaching in his jacket pocket to pull out his badge case. He placed the badge in the case and started to leave the gym to go for the pokemon center. As he came outside, the same teenage boy who taunted him in the pokemon center was waiting for him outside. The sleek black pokemon in his arms with a malicious grin on its face as if it wanted to attack someone. "There may be hope for you yet." He said with a half-smile. He opened a pokeball and let out a large feathered pokemon that was at least six-feet tall. He climbed on and clung to its long, colored plumes. The pokemon let out a, 'Pidgeot!' and took off into the air with the boy and his pokemon, leaving Bryce in its wake.