AN: Welcome back everyone to Friends Until the End! I hope you all liked the meeting of Emily. If you hate her then I did my job! Just a heads up I made it seem like the rooms in centers are like hotels with bathroom inside the room even though they aren't. Moving on!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except our three main characters! Well, I own the idea of Naomi and Korina as those are based off my two best friends!
Episode 11: Now Boarding Zephyr
Zane was earlier the next morning at around six o'clock. Korina who rose about an hour later was surprised to see Zane's bed empty and her Poké Balls gone. She expected the Johto trainer to still be sleeping. When Zane returned about twenty minutes later Korina saw Zane was looking sweaty. Cyndaquil and Phanpy looked about the same, but not as out of breath as their trainer. Korina asked where she was.
"I went for a run" Zane answered.
"Why?" Korina asked.
"Why not?" Zane asked. "To put us moving before the battle. My dad always said if the fire doesn't start early it won't ever get burning. I'm going to wash these two off before I hit the shower. Come on guys."
"Quil…"
"Phan…"
"I don't care that you both don't like water you're getting a bath," Zane sternly looking down at her two Pokémon. They both glare back at her almost like a staring contest. Korina didn't know who would give up first. Korina knew if she was in it she would have given up and bathed as Zane's was intimidating almost like a mother.
"Quil!"
"Phan!" Both Pokémon cried out before running into the bathroom. It sounded like they were a little scared.
"Wow Zane, I'm impressed." Korina said. She didn't want to say she was frighten too.
"It's a gift." Zane smiled as she shrugged her shoulders before walking to the bathroom.
"…Do I want to ask?" asked a sleepy Naomi who just woke.
"I'll tell ya later," Korina said giggling.
About fifteen minutes later they heard a couple thumps and splashing of water from the bathroom. The door opened and two Pokémon ran out trying to get the water off them by rolling around on the carpet. Zane came out still not showered and yet and smiled at her work. Her Pokémon were all squeaky clean.
"Oh stop…" she groaned. "You both liked it, don't lie."
"Quil!" Cyndaquil turned his nose trying to deny her claim.
"Phanpy!" The Long Nose Pokémon cried agreeing.
"Cyndaquil is bad influence on you…" Zane sighed. Phanpy blushed, but figured he better start not listening to Cyndaquil. It might get him in trouble.
"Zane hurry up and shower!" Naomi cried wanting to get in the bathroom. She was tired of looking like she just got up. She needed to shower and everything. Zane snorted before going back inside. Zane took about twenty minutes which Naomi was thankful for. However she took about thirty. About an hour later they were arriving at the gym.
"Ready for you battle?" Naomi asked as they reached the gym.
"Oh yeah I am!" Zane replied raising her fists.
"Good morning." The Sage said to them. They never asked for his name and they were told just call him Master Sage unless said otherwise.
"Good morning!" the girls chorused.
Falkner then walked up to them and said, "So you're Zane? Sage told me about you and you were coming to challenge my gym. I'm Faulkner, the gym leader. So shall we head inside and get started?"
"Wow! It's so big in here!" Korina said as they saw the open field that had a retractable roof.
"It so that flying Pokémon can't be restricted when they battle. This allows me to test trainers against the full nature of a flying type. So shall we start this challenge?" Faulkner said.
"Thought you'd never ask!"
"I like that, your passion soars."
"The gym battle between Falkner, the Violet City Gym Leader, and Zane Jason from New Bark Town will now begin! The battle will be a 2 on 2 battle and will be over when one side's Pokémon are unable to battle. Also only the challenger may substitute Pokémon. Ready? Begin!"
Falkner smirked and tossed his out his first Pokémon, "Fly out Spearow!"
"Phanpy let's go!"
Naomi, Korina, and the Sage were sitting on the sidelines watching. Naomi kept messing where her green plaid shirt tied and her neckless. Korina gave her an odd look.
"I'm nervous and I'm not the one battling." Naomi explained. She had been this way during Korina's contest too.
"I bet you're feeling what Zane is feeling." Korina replied.
"Yeah, I can't believe this is a real gym battle!" Naomi said who had never seen one.
The Sage became intrigued by their talk and asked, "Have you been traveling long together?"
Korina shook her head and replied, "No, it has almost been about 3 weeks since we met and started traveling and training together starting our journeys. We're doing this to help Professor Krystopher."
"I see..."
"Spearow Peck!"
"Phanpy Defense Curl! Now Tackle!"
"Row!" Spearow cried out as he was slammed.
"Double Team!" Spearow then split into images of many. Zane growled as this was getting harder, but she knew gym battle wasn't a cake walk. "Quick Attack!"
"Phan!" Phanpy cried getting hit.
"Phanpy!" Zane cried.
"Again!"
Naomi was shaking as she feared Phanpy wouldn't be able to hold on long. "Zane better do something quick!"
"Quick Phanpy Rollout in circle!" Zane said giving her on the spot idea a try.
"Phan! Py!" Phanpy said going with Zane's plan as started to kick up dust giving Spearow a shadow so the bird can't see, but Phanpy can see him.
"What?" Faulkner cried out in surprise.
"Excellent! Just as I planned." Zane celebrated.
"Move in with Fury Attack!" Faulkner commanded keeping up his offense.
"Now Rollout!" Zane countered taking the offensive charge.
"Phan!"
"Spearow no!
"Spearow is unable to battle! Phanpy is the winner!" the referee called.
"Yay!" the duo cheered for Phanpy's win.
"That extra speed by circling added more power to her attack!" Korina explained.
Sage sat quietly as he watched on. "Impressive young lady..."
Falkner returned his first Pokémon humbly. "Good job Spearow return. I'm impressed with that strategy as it took me off guard, but it won't happen again. Fly us to victory Pidgeotto!"
"Phanpy, you still want to battle?" Zane asked him.
Phanpy turned to Zane and nodded. "Phanpy Phan!"
"Alright, use Tackle!"
"Quick Attack!"
"Phanpy! Quick Rollout!"
"Wing Attack right under to send it up!" Faulkner said figuring out a way to deal with Rollout.
"Phanpy!" Zane said fearing for him.
"Quick Attack!"
"Defense Curl!"
"Wing Attack!" Faulkner said using a more powerful move. Phanpy was then thrown into the wall. He slid down and moaned.
"Phanpy is unable to battle! The winner is Pidgeotto!"
"And Phanpy was doing so well too..." Naomi said sadly.
"Don't worry, Zane isn't out yet." Korina said knowing she had one left.
"You're right."
Zane smiled happy Phanpy did a great job. Now it was up to her final one. "Phanpy, thank you, return and rest up. Time to heat things up. I choose you Cyndaquil!"
"Cyndaquil Quil!"
"Yeah, lets." Zane said agreeing with her partner.
"So young and strong in strength and bonds…"
Falkner smirked knowing he'd have the first move and attempt to end this quick, "Start off with Quick Attack!"
"Smokescreen!" Zane reacted.
"Blow it away with gust!"
"Ember!"
"Pidgeotto!"
"Smart move Zane!" Korina cheered. It was. Zane was always quick on her feet and her reactions were timed perfectly. She used all she could to get the advantage.
"Wing Attack!"
"Smokescreen!"
"Spin into it!"
"Pidgeo!"
"Mirror Move!" Faulkner commanded which turned into Smokescreen. "Quick Attack!"
"He's using that idea against her!" Naomi said almost like it wasn't fair.
"This time with smokescreen, how will she handle?" Korina wondered aloud.
Zane's light bulb flashed, "I got it! Let's bring it together with a circling Rollout! Make a vortex!"
"Quil!"
Yes, Zane was using the similar idea from how she battled with Phanpy, but it was working the way she planned. The vortex was black with smokescreen almost like a tornado.
"Let it loose and then attack with rollout!"
"Quil!"
"Pidgo!" the bird cried being struck.
"Pidgeotto use Quick Attack with Wing Attack!" Faulkner said hoping to speed the move up and cause more damage. He could sense that Pidgeotto was weakening and needed to finish this quick before she did.
"He wants to play combinations huh? Well Cyndaquil use Rollout and use Ember!"
"Pidgo!"
Zane used a distance move to her advantage. Pidgeotto ran right into both the Ember and the Rollout. Faster than Zane thought thanks to the Quick Attack.
"Pidgeotto!" Falkner cried seeing his beloved bird fall from the sky. He knew it. He sealed his own fate.
"Pidgeotto is unable to battle! The winner is Cyndaquil so the winner of the challenge is Zane Jason!"
Zane grinned and let out an excited scream. She then started to run toward her starter. She picked him up and twirled around. Her friends came up and patted them on the back. "We did it! Thank you so much Cyndaquil!"
"Cyndaquil!"
"Congrats, your ideas were riveting and kept us on our feathers. You were able to transform your plans to fit the situation as we did and it paid off. Here, you deserve the Zephyr Badge." Faulkner said coming up to them and holding out his hand which the badge laid in.
"Thank you!" Zane said accepting it.
"Cyndaquil!"
"Phanpy Phan!"
"Congrats Zane!" the girls said hugging their friend.
"Thanks guys!" Zane said.
The Sage had been thinking about this since Zane defeated Spearow. She was obviously a talented trainer and growing skills. He was aware of why Zane was there yesterday. She was trying to challenge him. He wasn't sure if she would be worth his time, but he thought she was and wanted to see for herself.
Sage smiled and interrupted, "It seems I was right about you. Would you do the honors in having a battle with me tomorrow at the top field of Sprout Tower? You never got that challenge and I accept it."
"I accept the challenge!" Zane said already feeling the jitters for the battle.
The Sage nodded happy she accepted. He would have to use the night to prepare. She would be a worthy opponent. He hoped she fit their ideals. So far she was on that path. He would have to wait until tomorrow.
AN: Episode 11 is completed! Zane has her first badge! Yay! I hope you all liked it so far and will stay tuned. In the meantime I hope you'll review, favorite, and/or follow! Thanks and see you next time!
Next Time: Zane has her battle with the Sage. Will she win or lose? Also Naomi goes off on her own and returns with more than what she thought she was originally going to get! Next time…Trusting Trainers!