We now find our heroes walking right in the grasp of Ash winning his next gym badge. But, the question is, just how powerful is this gym leader people keep talking about?
Garchomp First, Then Volkner!
(Ash and co walking along the streets of Sunyshore where people were chatting)
"Hey, have you heard about Volkner, the Gym leader of Sunyshore?" said a trainer with a red hat asking another trainer on the streets.
The other trainer with a light blue shirt nodded his head. "Yeah he's really tough but he claims he isn't battling challengers anymore."
Ash heard that last sentence and couldn't prevent himself from jumping into the two trainer's conversation.
"What, did you just say the gym leader won't accept challenges?" Ash asked with a nervous and shocked expression on his face.
Both trainers looked at Ash with confusionlike who is this guy type of lookbut, soonone of them began to speak.
The trainer with the blue shirt nodded his head. "That's right."
"But why?" asked Ash.
The trainer in the red hat shook his shoulders and began to speak.
"He said something about, he doesn't think any trainers are worthy of going up against him or something."
Misty, Brock, Dawn, and Pikachu looked at Ash with a puzzled look and jumped back once they saw Ash. Ash had anime fire in his eyes depicting the anger and frustration he was experiencing.
"WHAT, WELL I'll GIVE HIM a SHOW ONCE HE SEES ME!" Ash hollered as the two trainer's coward in his presence.
"Come on Pikachu let's go!" Ash said while angrily walking towards the gym.
Misty, Brock, and Dawn gave the two trainers an uneasy and embarrassed smile before talking.
"Well sorry for this incontinence and thank you for the information." Misty stated.
"Yeah so," Dawn started.
"Guess we'll catch you later!" Brock finished as the three began running to catch up with Ash.
Ash kept running until his face stopped inches away from the gym door.
"Huh, hey Pikachu it looks like we're here." Ash stated somewhat questioningly. "Hey is anybody here?" Ash asked as he knocked on the gym door while his friends had just caught up with him.
Suddenly the gym doors opened with a white gleaming light. The inside of it was incredible. The walls had protected electric flowing fluidly around it. Then, there was the battle ground which was like any of the previous gym grounds Ash had stepped forth in except, the ground was a mixture of gold and yellow with a smooth silk surface.
"Wow," Ash said staring in amazement.
"Pikaa," Pikachu said equally amused.
"I've never seen a gym with this much detail said Dawn in amazement.
Misty and Brock looked amused but at the same time unimpressed.
"You know Dawn; maybe sometime you should come to Kanto." Misty stated
"Kanto?" Dawn asked with question.
Brock nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah they have some nicely decorated gym battlegrounds if I do say so myself."
"Like yours truly." Misty said a little cockily and giving Dawn a wink.
"Do they have contest in Kanto?" Dawn asked.
"You bet." Brock stated
"Hmmm, Dawn said humming as she became lost in thought.
Suddenly another door opened revealing a person's body figure untill they completely walked into clear eye-sight.
"Hey Ash, I was wondering when you show."
"It's Jewel!" Dawn, Brock, and Misty stated in unison.
Jewel took a victory pose and flashed them with a quick wink.
"Jewel, my darling it seems fate has once again brought us together. You must remember me!" Brock said as going crazy as Jewel looked at him with the same expression before when Brock first attempted this stunt.
"That's enough you've pestered her way too much Brocky." Misty said while irritatedly pulling Brock by his ear.
"How could I forget about you Brock?" Jewel said awkwardly as everyone laughed shortly after.
"So you're the Sunyshore Gym leader?" Ash asked somewhat shocked.
Jewel looked at Ash and shook her head.
"Sorry Ash, you've got the wrong one." Jewel said while shrugging.
"Well if you're not the gym leader then who is?" Ash asked.
"That would be me," a voice called out from the distance.
"Huh," Ash and the gang stated as they turned their heads in question of the person's identity.
Suddenly a man began walking until he was in everyone's eyesight.
The man had an appearance of a somewhat person in his early 20's. He had dark blonde spikey hair, a blue military type of jacket with dark yellow buttons and a black t-shirt visible under his unbuttoned jacket. He wore navy-blue pants with a small rusty silver chain attached to the side, and light-gray shoes.
"My name is Volkner, leader of the Sunyshore gym." He stated introducing himself in a calm tone.
Ash immediately gave the Volkner a determined look.
"So Jewel, how why did you come out the same doors he came through?" asked Dawn
Jewel gave a playful grin. "Well it just so happens that he's my cousin."
"Wow, never would've guessed." Misty stated sounding surprised.
"Yeah well, that was the point." Jewel stated giving them a playful wink.
"Alright Volkner, you already know why I'm here." Ash stated.
Volkner focused his attention to Ash looking quite, unamused.
"You want to challenge me to match in order to win a gym badge, am I correct?
Ash simply nodded his head. "That's right!"
"Sorry, I don't do gym battles anymore." Volkner stated calmly and unamused.
Ash and Pikachu fell over anime style.
"What do you mean you don't do gym battles!?" Ash asked half furious.
"Just like I said, I don't do gym battles anymore."
"But you're a gym leader." "What kind of gym leader doesn't do gym battles? Ash protested.
Volkner shrugged his shoulders. "Hmm, a gym leader that is tired of having weak battles."
"What do you mean by that?" Misty asked.
"It's simple said a voice from out a distance."
This man is had fuzzy red hair, red freckles, a brown t-shirt, brown pants, and a yellow jacket.
"My name is Flint." "I'm Volkner's right-hand man in this operation.
"Oh yeah, well can you please tell your friend he needs to battle me!?" Ash stated desperately.
Volkner and Flint raised one eye-brow in confusion.
"I need that badge in order to compete in the Sinnoh League." Ash exclaimed
"Fine, you want the badge, here you go." Volkner said as he took one of the badge replicas out of his pocket holding it out on his hand so Ash could take it.
Ash look in awe as the badge's sparkle aura gleamed throughout his face.
"Here the Beacon Badge, you didn't earn it, but maybe you deserve it." Volkner stated with absolutely no emotion at all.
Maybe I should take it, Ash thought to himself. Then suddenly Ash remembered his pride and determination to win a badge fair and square, and that was by battle.
"Sorry, no thanks," Ash stated with a grin, as he slightly pushed Volkner's hand away.
"Huh," Volkner said looking shocked as he put the badge back into his pocket, looking very puzzled.
"That badge will mean nothing to me if, I didn't earn it." "I don't know why you don't want to face me, but I don't want the badge unless I beat you for it."
Volkner looked shocked at Ash's choice of words. This kid is way different than any trainer I've met or faced in the past, Volkner thought to himself. Ash turned his back toward as if he were beginning to leave.
Volkner gave a small grin and shrugged his shoulders.
"Fine you want a battle, I got ya."
Ash turned around to face Volkner.
"Really are you serious?" Ash asked hope.
Volkner smiled and nodded his head.
"Alright!" Ash yelled as he jumped in the air for joy anime style.
"On one condition." Volkner stated as Ash was still floating in the air.
"You must go to a secret valley in Sunyshore called Chomp-Mountain." (I made it up and you're going to see why I named it that in a minute.)
"Chomp Mountain, a secret, never heard of it." Ash stated looking dumb folded.
Everyone in the gym including Volkner fell over anime style.
"THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S A SECRET!" Volkner shouted in annoyance.
Ash still looked somewhat dumb folded. "Hey you actually showed emotion." Ash said pointing at Volkner.
Volkner putt his hand to his face in disgust while everyone else laughed.
"Anyway, Volkner started in attempts to quickly change the conversation. "If you want to battle with me you'll have to defeat Garchomp in that valley.
"What a Garchomp!?" Ash asked surprised and nervously. Suddenly a flashback occurred as he remembered his last in counter with a Garchomp. It was Cynthia's, the strongest trainer in the whole Sinnoh region. Her Garchomp took out all of Paul's pokemon in a heartbeat.
"Don't worry; this Garchomp is nowhere near as strong as the one Cynthia holds." Volkner stated giving a wide grin as if reading Ash's mind.
Ash's flashback ended and he wiped the nervous sweat drops as he sighed in relief. "
"However, no trainer out this area has been able to defeat it, let alone capture it." Volkner continued.
Ash and co listened in shock as Volkner continued.
"You'll need to be at full strength to defeat it."
Ash shrugged off his nervousness and gave his trademark determined look.
"If you can defeat this Garchomp, and give me the slightest proof that shows you emerged victorious, then and only then I will accept your challenge."
"So, whats it going to be? Flint asked.
Ash took a minute to let what Volkner just said to sink in, but it didn't take too long for Ash to make up his mind.
"Do you guys want to do this?" Ash asked facing toward his traveling companions.
"You bet!" Misty exclaimed
"Yeah, no problem!" Dawn agreed.
"Yeah, we're behind you all the way Ash!" Brock stated.
Ash nodded his head happy that his friends were willing to help him out, even through the tightest situations possible.
"I'll tell what it's going to be, once go to this valley, I'll defeat this so-called strong Garchomp and you'll accept my challenge."
Volkner looked surprised at how determined Ash was. "Jewel, I'll need you to go with them and show them were this valley lies." Volkner stated.
Jewel nodded her head. "No problem cous just leave it to me." "Are you guys ready?" Jewel asked facing toward Ash and co.
Ash nodded his head. "You bet," Ash stated as he and gang began to exit the gym doors.
"I don't about you Volk, but I'll tell you one thing, that kid with the Pikachu has a lot of spunk." Flint stated while looking at Volkner.
Volkner nodded his head in agreement. "That kid is way different than any other trainer I've ever met before in a long time. "He just might be the one to do what everyone else couldn't." Alright Ash, I expect you to be back soon, with full proof of your victory, Volkner thought as he smiled already knowing what the outcome would be.
So there you go, I've finally hit double digits on my chapters and I must say, it feels pretty good. On the next chapter check for the answers to these questions. Will Ash defeat Garchomp in the sacred Chomp Valley? And even if he does prevail successful, will he have the strength to defeat Volkner? And what other obstacles might come toward our heroes? Tune in to the next chapter if you want the answers to these questions. PS: I got something good for yall on the next chapter too lol!