Chapter 10:
Gray's eyes met with his. It was finally time. Finally, he could show them what he was made of. Max shivered in excitement and anticipation. Both were standing across from each other in a strange, shimmering arena. It was a terraform-adapter arena. Latest tech, able to change biomes and whatever else the officials deemed appropriate for this duel. Max grit his teeth.
"This will be quite the tussle."
Gray smirked in knowing appreciation of the battle yet to come. Max had been very lucky thus far, and they both knew it. In fact, Gray was pleasantly surprised that Max had made it far enough to face him in combat, and he couldn't wait to really unleash 2% of his power.
Max, meanwhile, was blissfully unaware of the carefully concealed glee bubbling in Gray's mind, as he carefully thought out which pokemon to use in battle.
"Let's see…" Max thought to himself. "All I know is that he has a magnezone… not much to go on. Definitely use Sceptile, type advantage. Pikachu, cause he's my strongest. I guess I could use Camerupt against Magnezone. Alright."
Gray stared silently ahead, face not reflecting any of the emotions he was feeling. If you were to compare him to a rock, the rock would have more emotion. Max was not intimidated.
The announcer gave his signature shout that the audience was used to by now, and the two contestants walked to the center of the field. Neither stuck out their hand for the customary shake, and the crowd gasped. Gray nodded approvingly at Max, who glared back defiantly. In sync, they spun around on their heels and walked back to their designated position. They stared at each other from across the battlefield, sweat already dripping down Max's face onto the insides of his glasses. The sun was out, beating down on them. Everyone in the crowd winced when they saw that Gray was still wearing the trench coat, on an even hotter day than the one where he absolutely brutalized Paul. Max readied his pokeball in his hand. Rearing back, he threw the ball out onto the field. A large, red cow-camel looking hybrid came out of the ball. Gray snorted when he saw the camerupt on the field. He reached into his belt and pulled out a single pokeball. Without a word, he flicked his wrist and sent out Magnezone. Or so everyone thought. The shape that emerged from the Pokeball was much larger than Magnezone.
"TYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!" A loud, ear shattering roar came from the shape that was definitely not Magnezone. Max knew he was instantly screwed when he saw the Pokemon that had emerged. Tyranitar, the pseudo legendary pokemon.
"Maybe," he thought, "I can catch Gray off guard."
"Camerupt, use earth power!" He said, throwing his hand out to emphasize. Gray clapped his hands in response, confusing everyone in the stadium except Tyranitar.
"CAME-RUPT!" Camerupt roared as he slammed his front legs into the ground, causing eruptions along the field to occur. Tyranitar stood there for a second, gauging the attack's strength before snorting. With a mighty leap, Tyranitar slammed all 445 pounds of pure muscles into the ground. The resulting shake was one that rivaled the Great Chilean Earthquake, albeit in a much more concentrated area to reduce the risk of death. Camerupt stood no chance, falling over, repeatedly getting pummeled by the shaking rocks and boulders. By the end of the attack, Max's first pokemon had been knocked out in a whopping total of one move. The arena was silent. Max stared in disbelief at his pokemon laying on the destroyed ground. The silence was broken by Gray tsking.
"You know. For someone who made it to the semi-finals, you sure are weak." Max seethed silently but didn't respond, knowing that he had no argument. Silently, he returned his camerupt.
"Good job," he said quietly to the pokeball before raising his head and saying louder, "Go! Sceptile!" The Hoenn starter burst from the pokeball. Gray raised an eyebrow slightly before motioning for Tyranitar to stay on the battle field.
"HOLD IT! We are going to switch arenas. Because this one is completely pulverized." Sceptile leapt of the stage while Tyranitar lumbered off to the side. Max's eyes narrowed.
"Hmm. It's not that fast. That's something I can use." When the field had been changed, the pokemon resumed their spots on the battlefield.
"Sceptile! Use quick attack!" With movement that could not be tracked by the human eye, Sceptile leapt forward. Tyranitar stood there, looking unimpressed. So far, in this battle between the two pokemon, Tyranitar had yet to move. He had taken every single attack Max and Sceptile had thrown at him. Leaf Blade, Pound, another Leaf Storm. Max grit his teeth together as the quick attack looked as if the opposing pokemon had been given a massage.
"By the end of this," He groaned, massaging his aching jaw. "I'm going to grind them into dust."
"Sceptile! Back and use Sunny Day!" Sceptile raised his head to the sky and closed his eyes. The effect was instantaneous. Absolutely nothing had changed. It was already so hot and sunny, that it actually made it colder. Max mentally slapped himself while Gray raised a singular eyebrow.
"An interesting move by Max here. Too bad it did nothing!" The announcer said, chuckling uncertainty. Cilan sighed.
"An interesting flavor Max has just tossed into his bowl of ingredients."
"Shut up, Cilan." Everyone around him chorused.
Meanwhile, Max had already told Sceptile to charge up a Solar Beam.
With a mighty roar, Sceptile released one of the most powerful solar beams of the tournament. Tyranitar prepared to jump over it, before Gray's voice stopped him.
"Take it." Max and the crowd gasped, wondering if Gray was insane. As it turned out, no, he was, in fact, quite sane. Tyranitar braced himself and a massive explosion erupted from the point of impact. Max grinned, knowing it was a direct hit.
"Hey Gray! How does it feel to be one pokemon do-" Max's smug voice cut off as he gaped at the clearing smoke. Tyranitar, stood there, moved back a total of 15.69 centimeters.
"Counter." That singular word was like a judge giving the go ahead for an execution. The full force of the Solar Beam came back at Sceptile at unimaginable speeds. And double the power. Max sobbed silently to himself as he saw the fate that awaited his pokemon. Sceptile turned around, and nodded his head, as if accepting Max's silent apology. He bowed his head. Raising the pokeball off his belt, Max recalled his faithful starter, before he lowered his head. Max grit his teeth and raised his head, eyes full of determination. The crowd cheered at the determination of the young trainer. May and Brock roared with the crowd, the other friends also cheering just as loud. Max pointed dramatically to nowhere in particular, although later people would speculate that he was either pointing at Gray's forehead or a random teenage girl behind him.
"PIKACHU! LET'S SHOCK SOME SENSE INTO HIM!" Max shouted with gusto. Cilan nodded appreciatively at the vague electricity puns. Ash raised the other eyebrow as he saw his old starter leap out onto the field, cheek pouches sparking. He returned Tyranitar and picked up another pokeball.
"Time to meet an old friend, buddy." He tossed the pokeball out onto the field. "Let's show him how strong our training made us."
Pikachu's legs trembled. Max's nails dug into his palms and his eyes stung as he glared across the battlefield at Charizard and Gray.
"Come on Pikachu! You can do it!" Max called out unconvincingly. Pikachu turned back and gave a weak thumbs up before falling onto all fours and sparking his electric cheeks at Charizard and growling weakly.
The fire pokemon snorted.
"Pikachu! USE THUNDER!" Max shouted, voice cracking.
Pikachu gathered the remnants of its energy for one last attack. Electric sacs crackling with energy, Pikachu stood up defiantly and roared out, and a massive blast of electricity erupted from dark clouds above, striking Charizard with precision, crackling and blasting Pikachu back from where he stood with its own energy.
Max fist pumped. "Nice!" He breathed. Then cringed, as he saw Charizard had taken the full brunt of the attack without flinching.
Gray scoffed. "Let me show you a real attack. Charizard… Blast Burn."
Max gasped and frantically gesticulated at Pikachu, words that were barely comprehensible spewing from his mouth.
"P-pikachu! Dodge it! Use double team!"
Pikachu unsteadily began to run, slowly picking up speed, as Charizard readied his fearsome attack. The temperature in the arena was tangibly rising, and many of the onlookers began fanning themselves or taking off shirts. May, however, seemed to not be affected by the rising temperature, and instead was focused on Max, muttering under her breath.
Charizard's neck bent backwards from the sheer effort of charging his attack, as more and more flame gathered around his mouth.
"Return your Pokemon." Max's head snapped around to glare at Grey, who had spoken softly, but clearly.
"No! Pikachu can still fight!" Max shouted back.
Gray shrugged, and put his hands onto his hips. Pikachu dashed around Charizard at a dizzying speed, and Max thrust out his hand.
"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"
Pikachu leapt at Charizard and whipped around, tail glowing a bright silver, and gleaming dangerously. The tail collided with Charizard's body and a thunk rang out, but Charizard swatted Pikachu away easily. The mouse pokemon landed hard on his side, and gasped as the wind was knocked out of him.
"Pikachu! I believe in you!" Max shouted, tears of frustration beginning to well up in his eyes. Never before had he felt so powerless. There was nothing he could do against his opponent. All of the pokemon Gray had were too strong. He grit his teeth. He would go down fighting. If he was meant to lose this: so be it. He would damage Charizard as much as possible.
"Thunder Wave!" Max commanded.
Pikachu shot a circle of sparking electricity at Charizard, and the fire pokemon grunted as the Thunder Wave took effect, paralyzing him and slowing his movement speed.
"Thunder Shock!" Came the second command.
A bolt of deadly electricity shot out of Pikachu and struck Charizard, and he flinched. Max saw his chance and took it.
"Volt tackle!"
The electric pokemon shot towards Charizard in an all out attack with its last bit of energy.
"Now." Gray spoke, lifting his hand, directing Charizard's attack.
At once, the audience felt a wave of pure heat wash over them, and they flinched. It felt like standing under a hot shower for a moment before you pull yourself back. Hundreds of flames erupted from Charizard's maw, and absolutely blasted the poor pokemon. Gray's hand stayed up, and the inferno continued. Finally, Gray must have decided that Max and Pikachu had enough, and his hand dropped. The flames ceased almost instantly. The crowd was murmuring among themselves.
"Why's Gray being so ungodly harsh and brutal?" The whispers said.
Max's spirits plummeted as he saw Pikachu laying on the ground, fur singed and barely breathing.
"Pikachu? Pikachu! Come on buddy, I know you still have it in you!" Max shouted, hands raising into fists.
The crowd gasped as Pikachu's arm twitched, and then moved to lift himself up. Gray's expression was one of mild surprise.
"Pikachu always did give it his all." Gray thought somewhat proudly. "But that won't be enough this time."
"Call back Pikachu. He's obviously spent." Gray called out at Max.
Max seemed not to hear and was clenching his hands, watching Pikachu struggle to get up. Brock shook his head.
"Come on Max. Recall him." Brock said, under his breath. May heard him and nodded her head silently but Max, obviously, didn't hear.
"Max," Gray said. "You're failing your pokemon right now. He's down." This was the most anyone had heard Gray speak since the beginning of the tournament.
Pikachu finally stood, wobbling unsteadily, eyes drooping. "Pii…"
"Pikachu-" Max started to give an order to the exhausted pokemon, and Charizard readied himself, planting his feet and huffing smoke.
Brock shook his head. His stubbornness had prevailed.
"MAX!" Gray shouted, raising his voice, shocking everyone.
"-use Thunder!" Max finished. Charizard instantly readied a flamethrower, gathering energy and charging it to the heat of a large furnace in seconds. Pikachu's cheeks sparked weakly, and a tiny bolt of energy fizzled out. Gray lowered his head.
As Charizard prepared to incinerate the mouse pokemon, Gray held up his hand.
"Charizard, enough." Gray said with finality. The fire type pokemon couldn't just suck the flames back into his body, so he pointed his mouth upward and released a stream of fire. It was a sight to behold. It was like an alpha male who had just established dominance over the pack. The flames ripped through the air and singed the glass at the announcer's booth, and sent fire particles wafting around the entire arena, making a spectacular end to the battle.
"Max." Gray said again. His voice was quiet but it seemed to echo to every corner of the stadium. "You have failed your pokemon as a trainer."
Max fell to his knees and watched Pikachu try to keep his balance. "But…"
Gray shook his head and Max's jaw snapped closed. He seemed almost disappointed in Max, like a father who had caught his child in a lie. Max's sadness and frustration at losing quickly boiled over into anger. Who was Gray to talk down to him like he was a mere child? He knew the capabilities of his pokemon! Gray knew nothing about Pikachu.
"You've lost. Keep some dignity and admit defeat." Gray's pokeball was out and rested at his side gently, ready to recall his victor.
Max bowed his head and seethed. After a few seconds, he looked towards the announcer's booth.
"I... forfeit." He said finally. May gasped as she looked at her brother. His dejected body language. It reminded her of Ash after he had just lost another league. Instant sympathy washed over her, and she put her hands on her hips, ready to give Max a pep talk right when he walked out.
Gray nodded at the announcer and recalled Charizard. He strode towards the opposite end of the field, but paused when he reached Pikachu, who had finally collapsed. The electric pokemon's body was shaking gently, trying to draw breath. He was exhausted. Gray bent down, and placed his hand onto Pikachu's neck. He stirred a little, waking at the familiar touch. Gray scratched Pikachu behind his cheek where he knew he loved to be rubbed, and stood up. Pikachu groaned in response, questioning how and why this trainer had just scratched him in his secret spot. But Gray ignored Pikachu's tiny outstretched paw, which was begging for information, and walked away. Max stood his ground as Gray walked towards him, gritting his teeth angrily.
Instead of telling Max to move like he had expected, the cloaked figure simply walked around him and continued out of the arena, picking up his final victory before the finals. Max whipped around furiously, making to leave the arena as well, when soft words stopped him in his tracks. Gray was speaking, but he hadn't turned around. Coming to a stop, Gray inclined his head slightly in Max's direction so he could better pick up the words.
"Take better care of your pokemon. Or you may lose them." And with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.
Lost in thought, Gray was hardly thinking about where he was going. He knew this path by heart. It was, of course, the path to his favorite restaurant with his favorite cook and his favorite meal-
"HEY, WATCH IT!"
Gray stopped cold, shocked. A slender figure was standing in front of him, calmly looking at him and holding their hand up slightly. Gray raised an eyebrow.
"What."
"You almost ran into me again, Gray Get-Out-Of-The-Way." Willow smiled.
"Oh, it's you." Gray sidestepped her and kept walking.
"So, where ya going?" She fell into sync with him, matching his pace.
"None of your business." He said, speeding up slightly.
"Oh come on, are you going back to your Fortress of Solitude or something?" Willow questioned, putting her hand on her chin. She was still matching his steps.
"No." Gray responded sharply, picking up the pace.
"What about your evil lair?" She laughed, keeping up with him.
"NO." Gray snapped, breaking into a run.
"So, where are you going then?" She responded, tilting her head. Somehow, she was still side by side with him.
"GUCHOS!" Gray shouted angrily, lowering his head and sprinting as fast as possible.
"What in the name of Arceus is that?" Willow chirped, who was still next to him, running at full tilt.
"It's a restaurant." Gray spoke, as they whizzed by befuddled passerbys. "And we're here." They both skidded to a halt in front of a grand restaurant garnished with fancy decorations. "My favorite."
Willow glanced at Gray, who was panting heavily from the run.
"I'm guessing you never ran track as a kid?" She teased.
"Shut up. You try running with a full trench coat and two layers on underneath in a hundred degree heat."
Ignoring him, Willow glanced at the entrance, which looked warm and inviting.
"Well, you said we're here, so I guess I'm now invited?" She chuckled, and opened the door for Gray.
"Ladies first?" She smirked.
He stared at her, then rolled his eyes.
"Fine, do whatever you want. Don't expect me to talk to you, though." He pushed passed her into the restaurant to seat himself at his usual table.
"Oh, that's okay!" She said excitedly, running up and clasping her hands together. "I'll talk enough for the both of us."
The last sound that could be heard from inside the rapidly closing door was a heaving sigh.
A/N Hey guys. Average Mailman here, sliding another sweet story right into your mailbox! So, some of you guys might be getting worried that we abandoned this story or something. We will NEVER abandon this story, only put it on brief hiatus if necessary. Sorry this chapter was a little late. Also, yes, Tyranitar can learn counter, but only in Leafgreen and Emerald for some reason.