Kinshar City, a city with beautiful flowers that are like gold. This is where Ichigo plans to take on the gym there to earn his second badge.
"Wow! This place is beautiful!" Orihime said as she admired the city.
"Kinshar City is known for all its beautiful flowers." Rukia said. "Very fitting for a gym that specializes in grass-types."
"Yeah and with my new Tauros, I don't see myself losing." Ichigo said with confidence that he'll win.
I wanna be the very best
Like no one ever was
To catch them is my real test
To train them is my cause
Pokemon
Gotta catch'em all, it's you and me
Pokemon
I know it's my destiny
Pokemon
Yeah, you're my best friend
In a world we must defend
Pokemon
Gotta catch'em all
Gotta catch'em all
Gotta catch'em all
Pokemon
(Ichigo's voice) A Star Bloomed
Ichigo and the others went straight for the gym, but there was something strange about it. The building itself looked a little small to be an actual gym.
"This is a gym?" Chad questioned.
"Doesn't look like one." Rukia said. All of them saw a man stepped out and he looked like some sort of mechanic.
"Excuse me." Ichigo said.
"Yes? Is there something I can help you with?" The man said.
"Is this really the Kinshar Gym? I came here to have a gym battle" Ichigo said.
"Yes. This is the gym, but at the moment, Rose isn't here." The man said. "I was just finishing some mechanical work here. You should be able to find him at the performance hall."
"The performance hall?" Orihime questioned.
"A theater where people put on musical performances." The man said.
…
The Performance Hall
They all headed for the theater so they could meet with this Rose person.
"Wow! This place looks great!" Orihime said.
"I wonder where that Rose person is." Ichigo said. He tried to open the door, but the door wouldn't budge. "What? It's lock? I was told we would find the gym leader here."
"I guess we just missed him. The place must be closed." Chad said. Ichigo sighed and walked away from the door. He reached for all his pokeballs and tossed both of them up.
"Come on out." Ichigo said and let out Tauros and Zubat. "Since we can't get our gym battle yet, we can do some training."
"Absol!"
"Zuba!"
"Roo!" Tauros was so excited that he started running around.
"Tauros, calm down." Ichigo said. "I know you're excited, but you need to take it easy." Tauros could barely control his excitement. Just as he was running around, a man with long blonde hair in black and white clothing.
"Hey! Watch it!" Rukia called out to the man. Tauros was running right to him, but he was able to flip out of the way with some elegance. Tauros became aware of what he almost did and slid to a stop.
"I'm sorry about that. My Tauros got excited." Ichigo said as Tauros had a sorry look on his face.
"It is fine, but you must give it better control. What was it your Tauros was so excited about?"
"I was planning on challenging the Kinshar Gym and Tauros got real happy about that." Ichigo said.
"The Kinshar Gym?"
"That's right, but the gym leader wasn't around. What are you doing here anyway? Who are you?" Ichigo asked.
"I was simply embracing the elegant music of this place. To answer the question as to who I am, I'm Rojuro Otoribashi, but you can call me Rose."
"Wait! You're Rose?!" Ichigo said. When Rose introduced himself, all of them took a seat around a bench and Rose was telling them some stuff about himself.
"My apologies for not being there for a gym battle, but I always pay a visit it to the hall." Rose said. "As a fellow musician, I'm always attracted to places where beautiful music can be played."
"So you're a musician?" Rukia said.
"Currently, but I also use to be a pokemon showman." Rose said.
"A what?" Orihime asked.
"A pokemon showman is a trainer that competes in competitions known as Pokemon Talent Stars." Rose said. "They're competitions that are similar to pokemon contests in Hoenn. The first round is where you show off the best quality of your pokemon such as dancing, singing, something that makes your pokemon special. If you make it through that round, the second round is a battle stage with no time limit. If you manage to win the whole thing, you're rewarded a talent star medal. If you're able to collect four, you can compete in the Ultimate Talent Star."
"What's that?" Ichigo asked.
"The ultimate tournament where showmen compete against each other." Rose said. "If you win, you become Ultimate Showmen, a trainer that can show the best qualities of their pokemon."
"It sounds amazing. I would love to see it for myself." Orihime said.
"Ichigo, sounds like this is going to be a tough one." Rukia said. Even if that's true, Ichigo isn't going to back away.
…..
The Pokemon Center
Ichigo and his friends went to the pokemon center so that Ichigo can do some training before he could have his match against Rose. If Rose was what he said he was, Ichigo needs to be ready.
"Zubat, Wing Attack and Absol, Night Slash." Ichigo said. His two pokemon charged at each other with both attacks and collided against each other.
"Roo!" Tauros was acting out again as he was stomping around.
"Tauros, you need to settle down. What do you want this time?" Ichigo said.
"I'm guessing Tauros wants to take part in the battle as well." Rukia said. "You might as well prepare for it. There's a chance this gym battle could be three-on-three."
"I know that. I was planning on it, but after Tauros nearly stomped down on the gym leader, I'm not sure." Ichigo said. "Tauros, you need to get control of your excitement or else someone is going to get hurt." Tauros seemed offended by that and just ran off. "Where are you going now?"
"Stupid." Rukia said as she smacked Ichigo on the head.
"What was that for?" Ichigo said.
"Can't you see Tauros seems a little more sensitive than most Tauros?" Rukia said. "He already felt bad about earlier. With you saying that he can't be in the gym battle when he doesn't want to let you down, it must have hurt."
"Oh man. Really?" Ichigo said.
"That or maybe Tauros is just getting some of that excitement out." Orihime said as she tried to find a better side to this so Ichigo doesn't feel bad.
"Either way, you should probably go after Tauros." Chad said. Ichigo agreed and ran after Tauros. Tauros running through the city. Rose took notice of Tauros charging around and saw it go into the woods.
"Oh no." Rose said.
"Tauros, come back!" Rose looked back and saw Ichigo was trying to catch up with Tauros.
"Wait." Rose said and stopped Ichigo. "You can't go in there. There are tons of Beedrill nests in those woods."
"Even more of a reason to go after my Tauros." Ichigo said as he just went into the woods without any hesitation.
"Admirable for going to save one of your pokemon, but that boy is going to need help." Rose said.
….
The Woods
Tauros charged around through the woods with no idea where he was going. Tauros rammed its head against a tree, but that startled the Beedrill that was nesting there. Tauros got scared and started running, but the Beedrill started to run off. The Beedrill went after Tauros and stung him a couple times from behind. Tauros tripped over after getting stung and was at the Beedrill's mercy.
"Tauros!" Ichigo came grabbed a branch and tried to chase off the Beedrill. "Tauros, are you okay?" He looked and saw Tauros got stung a couple times. "Not good." The Beedrill came flying at them, but Ichigo stood his ground.
"Absol!"
"Zuba!" Zubat and Absol arrived just in time with a Razor Wind and Air Cutter to push the Beedrill away.
"Ichigo!" Orihime called out as she and the others showed up.
"Are you hurt?" Rukia asked.
"No, but Tauros is. He got stung a couple times." Ichigo said.
"This is bad." Chad said as they were all surrounded. The Beedrill were about to attack, but a pink sparkling fragrance and it got the Beedrill to calm down.
"That was close." Rose said as he arrived with a Bayleef. "Beedrill, go back to your nests. We won't bother you." All the Beedrill did what he asked and all of them went back.
"Thanks, Rose." Ichigo said and turned to Tauros. "Tauros, I'm sorry if I upset you. We've got to do something about those injuries."
"Allow me." Rose said as he released another pokemon and it was a Lilligant.
"Lilligant!"
"Lilligant, please share your energy with Tauros and use Synthesis." Rose said. Lilligant grabbed a hold of Tauros and absorbed the sunlight with some of the energy that was healing Tauros until all his injuries were gone.
"Roo!"
"You're all better!" Ichigo said as he petted Tauros. "Thanks again, Rose."
"My pleasure." Rose said. "I greatly admired that you willingly placed yourself in danger to save one of your pokemon. It was poetry in motion. So do you believe you're ready for our gym battle tomorrow?"
"I'm all set. That is me and Tauros, as well as the others." Ichigo said with all his pokemon ready.
It was a rough ride, but Ichigo is set for his challenge against Rose. Willing to battle with all three pokemon, will Ichigo prevail?
…
The Next Day
Ichigo and the others went straight to the gym. Rose was there and waiting for them.
"I'm glad you all could make it." Rose said.
"Glad to be here." Ichigo said.
"Excuse me." Rukia said. "Your gym looks more like a house than a gym? Where's the battlefield exactly?"
"Right behind the place." Rose said. They all had a look, but there was no sign of a battlefield anywhere. "I found the perfect stage for my grass-types. The entire forest is our battle arena!"
To Be Continued….
