Chapter 9: Training! Cerulean City's Unexpected Gauntlet!
Upon their arrival in Cerulean City, Akemi nearly keeled over from having run nearly all the way behind Ace and Katia. Katia crossed her arms and said the girl was just being a baby, but when she fell down, the brunette realized something really was wrong. She and Ace carried her to the Pokemon Center and laid her down, Riolu sitting with his trainer and keeping a close eye on her. As Katia ran to get a doctor from a nearby clinic, she ran into a familiar face. "Oh, good evening Katia~" Jasper stood there with a grin. "What's the hurry?"
"Move, pretty boy!" she pushed past him but the clinic door was closed. "Damn it!" she grabbed Jasper's arm and pulled him along to the Pokemon Center where Akemi was laying. "How do we fix her?!" she asked, slightly frazzled.
"Oh… you made her run?" he asked. "Haha, she's fine, just has trouble breathing when she runs." He said, shaking his head. He knelt next to Akemi, waving to Riolu. "Ake?"
"Nnn… Jasper…?"
"Hey. You okay?"
"… I hate running."
"Haha, I noticed. Can you sit up? Need water?"
"… Yes please…" she mumbled, sitting up with Riolu's help and leaning against the back of the couch she'd been on as Ace handed her a bottle of water.
"You're sure you're okay?" Ace asked.
"… I just really hate running… it's why I learned to fight." She stated. "Running is no good for my lungs… that's all…" she pet Riolu's head to soothe her pokemon's nerves, having seen him grasping his pendant in worry. "Hey, easy, I'm okay." She said to her partner pokemon, the little blue fighting-type nodding slowly and hugging onto her. She looked at Katia, who still seemed a little bothered. "… Katia?"
"You need to learn to run!" she stated before storming off. But Akemi noticed that she'd been trembling a little. She was upset… As Ace ran off to get Katia, Akemi sighed and pulled Riolu into her lap.
"… She's mad…"
"Not at you." Jasper stated.
"But she's mad…" Akemi mumbled.
"… Well then what do you say we do some training then? Like you did after you recovered from being sick." Jasper pat her head, causing her to nod. "Good." He smiled more. "Get your room set up while Ace gets Katia. After dinner, we'll start training."
Katia was lying in bed after dinner, staring at the ceiling. Why had she gotten so freaked out when Akemi fell down when they arrived in the city? She just shook her head and told herself not to worry about it, getting up to turn off the light when she heard a whistle. She looked out the window and her eyes went wide, seeing Jasper in a track suit jogging backwards as Akemi jogged alongside him. She was struggling to keep up a little, but she kept going till he told her to stop. "What the hell?"
"Ah, you saw them?" Ace asked, smiling a little, walking in wearing a track suit. "Jasper apparently is helping Akemi with her stamina." He said as he walked into the room.
"Why?"
"She doesn't like it when any of her friends are upset, so she wanted to do something about it." Ace said, shrugging. "Besides, she knows by now most of your complaints about her are well grounded enough." He added. "Jasper said she was bed ridden for a while when she was younger, after her parents died… Apparently that's what messed up her lungs."
"… So why is she pushing herself?!"
"Cause she wants to be able to keep up." Ace smiled. "That's what she told me. She doesn't want to lose to you."
"… Little brat." Katia mumbled, shaking herself off before she went to get her night jacket for running, hurrying outside as Ace rushed to follow.
Akemi braced herself against a tree, catching her breath while Jasper clocked her times. "Good you're getting a little faster." He said. It had been only an hour but Akemi's time had improved on every one of the 6 runs around the pokemon center she'd done. She was getting winded though, so she needed to stop. "I want you to take a break for 10 minutes, catch your breath." He stated, noting Katia and Ace coming out of the Pokemon Center. "I think your next trainer is ready to take over."
"Next…?" Akemi looked up and saw Katia, eyes widening. "Katia…?"
"You seriously thought you could get away with just training with pretty boy? Heck no!" she lightly karate chopped Akemi's head. "Finish catching your breath, shorty. We're gonna get serious after this."
"… Right." Akemi nodded, a fiery determination in her eyes that Katia smirked at.
The next morning, Akemi woke up early and joined Katia on her morning run. The brunette was impressed that Akemi was able to make it, though she trailed behind Katia quite a bit, she didn't stop running once. Once back at the pokemon center and after breakfast, Jasper brought up an issue he needed some help with. "Huh…? The Cerulean City Gym?"
"Yes you see… three sisters recently took over, and they're looking for challengers… but I'm apparently "too strong" and they're complaining that I'm not the average trainer that would come through the gym…"
"So what they want a challenge from someone who's just starting out?" Ace asked.
"Yeah, basically."
"It's a water type gym, right?" Akemi asked, having pulled out a guide book. "I'll challenge them."
"But it's a water field… does Riolu know how to swim?"
"Yeah… he does… and Ace can fly… but my newest party member is a Sandshrew so I doubt he'll want to…"
"You caught a Sandshrew? Can I see?" Jasper asked, smiling cheerfully. Akemi nodded and let Sanzu out of his pokeball, the yellow plated pokemon looking up at Jasper.
"San sand shrew?"
"Hey there." Jasper smiled. "So then what will you do, kiddo?" he asked Akemi as he pet the Sandshrew's head.
"… You have a Sandslash, don't you? He knows a move that will help, right?"
"Ahh, good you remembered~" Jasper chuckled. "Yes, I have him with me." He let out his Sandslash, who towered over Sanzu. "Sandslash, you're gonna help train this little one up using that special move, okay?"
"Sand sand slash." The pokemon looked to Sanzu, then nodded at his trainer before placing its claws gently on Sanzu's head. "Sand sand slash."
"San sand shrew!" Sanzu jumped enthusiastically and nodded at Sandslash.
"What move is it?" Ace asked.
"Haha, you'll see. Come on, let's go outside." Jasper replied, the others following. "Sandslash, you ready?"
"Sand sand slash." The pokemon readied himself.
"Shadow Claw. But only about 1/3 normal power."
"Sand slash!" the attack was unleashed, pluming up a huge dust cloud when it landed.
"Whoa…"
"Shadow Claw? But it's a Water-type gym isn't it?" Katia asked.
"Yep. But Shadow Claw can cut through water if you hone it, so it's good for pushing pokemon out of the water."
"And it's strong…" Akemi added, Sanzu looking mystified. "Alright, let's get started."
"Sand shrew!"
That evening, Sanzu and Akemi were both exhausted. While Sanzu took breaks from training with Sandslash, Katia had Akemi running laps around the Pokemon Center. Sanzu had gotten the start of his Shadow Claw, but he couldn't fully execute the move yet. "It's okay." Akemi pet his head. "You're doing so good, I'm proud of you."
"San sand shrew…" Sanzu nodded, smiling with his trainer as they caught their breath. Riolu walked over with Akemi's water bottle and some berries, Abel in tow. The two sat with their trainer and team mate and had a small snack together, since Ace started dinner a little late, it would be about an hour before he was ready to plate and serve.
"Thanks you two." Akemi pet both of their heads before biting into a Pecha berry. "Mm, this is good…"
"Wan wan wan." Riolu replied.
"Ohh, Jasper went to an open market? That must be nice…" she laid back on the ground and looked up at the darkening sky. "… Man… we're really gonna go challenge our second gym Riolu…"
"Wan wan." He laid back with her as Abel finished his berry and Sanzu looked up at the sky from where he sat.
"… Well, I can't let either of you fall behind on training either." She smiled. "Tomorrow we start a new regiment!" she threw her hand up towards the sky.
"Wan wan!"
"Pid pid!"
"San sand shrew!"
The next morning, the three older trainers woke, getting ready for their mornings when they looked outside, seeing Akemi. She was directing Abel as he used Steel Wing to go after Riolu while the little blue pokemon practiced his dodging. Sanzu was on the side, trying to get the Shadow Claw to work, getting me direction from his trainer before going back to the grind stone on his own. They practiced all morning till Ace called them for breakfast, Sanzu not quite getting the Shadow Claw out yet. "This afternoon we'll try again, okay?" Akemi pet his head, the pokemon nodding and smiling a little.
"YOU, THERE!" Akemi paused, hearing someone running over and turning to see a head of dark blue hair and feeling herself being tugged. "Come with me!"
"Oi, who are you?!" Katia exclaimed, Riolu growling and blocking the girl's way.
"Wan wan!"
"Out of my way!" the girl was about to push past Riolu when Akemi grabbed her arm and planted her feet, throwing the girl over her shoulder and made sure not to hurt her when she landed her on the ground.
"Don't drag people off… it's not nice… Now explain yourself or I'll shoulder throw you again."
"Owww…" The girl sat up, rubbing her head.
"Violet!" Jasper called, running over. "Ooh, shoulder flipped? I should have warned you about Akemi, I guess~"
"But Jasper, this is a serious emergency!" the girl Violet stated. "The exhibition battle opponent ran off, I NEED a replacement NOW!"
"Exhibiton…"
"Battle?"
"… Are you possibly Violet of the Cerulean Gym?" Akemi asked.
"Yes."
"… In this exhibition battle, I'll assume I have to fight one pokemon from all three of the Sensational Sisters… can I get a gym badge if I win?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure, does that mean you'll help!?"
"Yes…"
"Then let's go!" Violet pulled her along after she returned Abel and Sanzu, Riolu jumping into her arms as she was dragged away. The others followed, bringing the breakfast sandwiches along since they were portable.
"Daisy! Daisy I found someone!" Violet exclaimed, rushing into the gym with Akemi in tow.
"Oh thank goodness, Violet you're a life saver!" the sunflower-orange haired girl exclaimed, hugging onto her sister. "I'll go tell Lily, go get her dressed."
"Dressed?"
"The exhibition battle is one where you need to be dressed up."
"Um… why?" Akemi asked, looking concerned.
"Because it just is! So please!"
"… So long as if I win I get a gym badge."
"Of course!"
"I've never seen a pokemon like that before, I'll have to make a really simple costume for it!" a pinkette stated, seeing Riolu in Akemi's arms. "What other pokemon do you have, we need to fit them too!"
"…" Akemi's only reaction to that obnoxiously pink hair was silence. Complete silence. She HATED that color on clothes, but to see it on anything but a pokemon or flowers made her cringe. "… too pink…"
"What?"
"She doesn't like pink, Lily." Jasper had finally caught up. "If you try and put her in pink she will likely shoulder throw you like she did to Violet earlier."
"Jasper! Good you're here, you need to dress up too! It would be rude of us to leave this girl alone on her side of the battle field!"
"… huh?"
"I'm seriously wearing this?" Akemi asked, standing there in a green and white dress, looking concerned. "I look silly…"
"You look fabulous! A perfect princess of the green meadows!"
"… A what?"
"And here, my dear, is your honorable knight!" Daisy dragged Jasper over in his outfit, similar in colors to Akemi's but meant to be a regal knight. "A perfect match!"
"Great job, Daisy~!" Lily exclaimed.
"10 minutes to show time!" Violet called.
"Oh good you two go wait for your call over there behind those doors! You'll hear our announcement!" the three ran off to get dressed. Akemi sighed, Riolu looking up at her from the chair he sat in, wearing a simple tunic. Sanzu had a similar tunic and Abel was wearing a scarf in the same color.
"… are you three gonna be able to battle in those?"
"Wan wan." Riolu beat his chest.
"Pid pid." Abel nodded, his scarf not inhibiting him at all. Sanzu though looked like he was trying to move, practicing his movement for the Shadow Claw.
"Sanzu?"
"San sand." He looked determined, staring at Akemi.
"Alright." She nodded. "If you have any trouble, I'll stop the fight for you." She pet his head, Sanzu nodding again.
"Your crown, princess." Jasper chuckled, handing Akemi the little tiara as the light for unlocking the doors went on and Daisy began her announcement. "You nervous?"
"… It's a battle, I'll be fine…" she sighed as the doors opened inward toward them and Daisy began announcing their half of the "story" so she and her sisters called it. It was kind of interesting… Three mermaids wanting to explore the land, only to meet opposition from a princess of green fields just beyond the beach who was informed of a possible invasion by a slightly nervous knight, in this case her Sandshrew who was wary of anything in the water. The Princess set up a barricade as the pokemon sent by the mermaids came closer to her fields and a battle commenced.
"And now ladies and gentlemen! Here is the princess and her royal knight guard!" the crowd cheered and Akemi went onto the trainer's platform, her pokemon taking their places on the land platform at her end of the pool. There was a ref at the middle point of the stage, ready to begin the battle. A girl, fairly young, obviously younger than the Sensational Sisters with orange hair began announcing the battle.
"This will be an exhibition battle between the Mermaid Sisters and Princess Akemi! Each side is allowed three pokemon, and the challenger is the only one allowed substitutions! When one side is no longer able to battle, the match will be decided! Begin!"
((Hooray I managed another chapter ; u ;'''
I hope you all like it~
-Winter Cheshire))