Guess what. New Chapter. We'll have two POVs here, Naruto's and then Sakura's. You're already pretty well-versed on Naruto's personality, but now you'll get to see him in a fight that he knows he'll probably lose (well, for a second time, if you count his encounter with the Akatsuki…). The same for Sakura, but she's got more confidence issues, and more to prove to herself and her Pokemon. You'll also get a few paragraphs about her past, which everyone will soon get, instead of the fleeting sentences here and there that didn't tell you much. I'm eager to do that for Sasuke next…
This chapter, everyone battles Zabuza, and I mean everyone, so get ready for a lot of fighting. Also, I suggest that you all go back to Chapter One to read some updated ANs, including a list of gyms which I've put in that chapter. There's a couple at the beginning and the end as well.
Also I must thank everyone who went after the head of that thief, Hinata's Number 1 Fanboy. Any and all torches and pitchforks thrown in his direction are appreciated. :)
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July 2nd, 12:55 PM
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Today was the day! Yes! The Koga gym battle against the dude with the face paint had been a cakewalk. The Kiri gym was famous for its merciless leader, and Naruto knew he had to be prepared. A week and a half out of high school and he knew some his knowledge was already fading; however, he'd spent most of the morning remembering strategies that Kakashi-sensei had taught him to use with Charmeleon (since he figured working with Electrike would be a cinch and wouldn't need much). Jump around in Smokescreen. Dragon Rage to an enemy's face or even their mouth. What else? Whatever, he'd remember in the heat of battle! Charmeleon was eager to be the first one to fight the gym leader, so she was betting she she'd remember, too.
He stood in front of the Kiri gym, waiting to be called in and on this particular day, enjoying all ninety degrees of heat the sky had to offer. Hinata and Sakura had been here before him, waiting, and Sasuke had just come, too. No other trainers were here so apparently no one else had signed up after Naruto.
He watched Charmeleon as she stretched and touched her toes, and tried to think of more strategies his teachers had told him over the years. Well…well, whatever happened, at least he had a Pokemon that had evolved once! Yeah, fire versus water was pretty much the worst type disadvantage ever, but the strength of an evolved form was on his side. The fact that he had anything was already putting him on top of the world.
Since he was feeling almost as inspired as Lee when training with his dad, Naruto decided to let his energy spill out. He pointed at Charmeleon. "How's about four minutes? I bet we can make his Pokemon go belly-up in four minutes or less! Can you do it?"
The fire-type waved her flaming tail. "Char, Charmeleon!"
"I can't hear youuu!"
"CHAR!"
The gym door opened and smacked Naruto in the back. A…boy?—with long bangs on each side of his head stepped partially out of the door. He wore something like a robe that made him think of ninjas. "Excuse me. Which one of you is Uzumaki Naruto?" Naruto raised his hand up high like a teacher had asked him a question. "Zabuza is ready to battle you now, so—oh. Excuse me again."
The boy opened the door wider and a man came out, thirty, perhaps, cradling a bruised Raichu in his arms. Half of its left ear had been bitten off.
The man spotted Charmeleon staring wide-eyed at the injured electric-type. He looked up at Naruto and scoffed, "You better evolve that guy again. You're not gonna get out with all your skin otherwise." He walked away towards the Pokemon Center, half a dozen pairs of eyes after him.
'Holy…holy crap.' The blonde thought. 'Charmeleon, I hope you're rested. I hope you and Electrike can do this..'
"Well. Um. Let's go." Naruto gestured to his friends. Charmeleon muttered something and passed through the door as the long-haired boy held it open for him.
"Are the rest of you going to watch?" the boy asked the other three.
"Yes." Naruto heard Sakura say nervously from behind him. "And we'd like to battle right after him, consecutively. Or are there other people signed up in front of us?"
The boy glanced down the road, and without turning, one could hear a few more trainers coming down the road and chatting. "Zabuza doesn't really care who signed up first. First come, first serve, is how he usually runs things. Come in before those people do and you'll reserve your spot." The four trainers walked speedily into the building. The door closed behind them harshly, and maybe it was his imagination, but it sounded really freaking ominous.
The front door opened into the middle of a hallway. The boy led them to the right and opened the second door, again holding it open for them. Naruto walked in first and thought that he probably looked less confident now. Whatever. He was doing this no matter what. He'd spent his whole life dreaming of fighting strong trainers like Zabuza and he had to start sometime.
This room was huge and open like the battle room with any gym, but had a freaking gigantic pool taking up most of the space in the middle. Ten circular platforms were placed randomly in the water and there were no stands on the left and right for spectators, like gyms usually had. Naruto spotted a muscular—and topless. Um.—man standing at the back of the pool.
He raised his hand up high, and a Gyarados burst up out of the water and roared so loud the building shook.
Charmeleon squeaked. The Gyarados turned around and growled at the sight of the strangers in its master's gym. The man said something to his Gyarados and then stepped up onto its back. The giant creature then swam across the pool towards them till it was close enough to crush them with its tail if it wanted. The man stepped down onto a lower section of his Pokemon's tail to see them better. Naruto squinted slightly at the bandages Zabuza had covered his mouth with, and his fatigue-print armbands. You'd think the guy was on his way to war.
"Which one of you is next, then?" he asked, and his voice was way deeper and creepier than he'd been expecting.
Naruto stepped forward with his Charmeleon, and to their credit, they looked only mildly intimidated. "I am! Naruto Uzumaki, and I'm ready for you!"
The gym leader's eyes drifted onto Charmeleon and he scoffed. "That's what Gyarados will be battling? Are you serious?"
Insulting his Pokemon? Eff him! "Firefang can beat up your or any of your Pokemon any day! Go back to your corner and start the battle so I can show you, you jerk!"
But this only made Zabuza laugh again and shake his head. "You're part of this year's high school graduating class, I assume. You've been trainers for what, a month?"
A month, he wished. "A week."
The gym leader had stopped laughing now. "I just defeated a man who's been a trainer for ten years or more. Keep that in mind while I rip you apart."
The Gyarados rumbled and swam away towards the other end of the pool, taking Zabuza with it on its back. Once they'd reached the end he gym leader called out, "You can use as many Pokemon as you want and may switch out at any time. I'll have only two, and I'll start with Gyarados. GO!" And just like that, the battle started. Gyarados rushed forward again.
Charmeleon ground her teeth and jumped onto the nearest platform. "Wait till he's closer, then use Smokescreen," he told her, and she did just that.
"Rrrh! Raauuhh!" the water-type roared in fury. It reared its head up above the smoke and coughed.
Its guard was down! "Now, Metal Claw!" Naruto cried. He gasped in joy when he saw Charmeleon jumping up, then slicing gashes into the enemy's hide as she fell down.
"Gyaarrrrrh!" The Pokemon's roar shook the building again. Naruto could hear Hinata's sudden whimper of fear behind him.
"Are you done playing?" he heard Zabuza yell from beyond the smoke. "Twister!"
Gyarados continued roaring but the pain melted away from the noise and was replaced with fury. It started spinning. Spinning, spinning, and water was starting to gather around it, and then build up around it. A giant tube of water now surrounded Gyarados and reached to the ceiling.
Naruto could do little but watch in horror as Charmeleon was tossed off her enemy's back and landed in water. The teen's body froze completely. If Charmeleon spent more than a few minutes in water…he didn't even know what would happen if she did. Or maybe he'd blacked the answer out. He couldn't wait to find out. Gyarados was already moving towards the spot she landed in.
"Don't give up! Please don't give up!" he called. Charmeleon should be angry right now, shouldn't she? Shouldn't the true Firebitch be showing her temper now? "Use—use Flamethrower!" Charmeleon didn't even know Flamethrower. Why was he hoping for it now?
Gyarados was diving now and her trainer was laughing. Naruto fumed and felt frightened and sweaty. "Firefang, use Flamethrower! I know you can!" Nothing happened and the water was still.
Then Gyarados came up again, and he saw Charmeleon was hanging on with her fangs lodged in its cheek. Gyarados shook its head wildly to shake the parasite off. Charmeleon was flung and landed hard on the edge of a platform.
Zabuza shouted, "Dragon rage!" His Pokemon sped forward with the beginnings of violet flames in its mouth.
Then Charmeleon used her own flames. A giant length of red fire blasted from her mouth and struck Gyarados straight in the face, bigger and brighter than any Ember attack she'd ever used.
"She learned Flamethrower." Hinata gasped behind him. "Naruto, you made her learn Flamethrower!"
"You think that helps you, you brainless little kid?" the gym leader shouted at him. "Gyarados, finish that pest with Aqua Tail!"
Both Naruto and his Pokemon felt the same bliss of conquering one of the most powerful fire-type moves, felt it even while a storm of water and foam gathered at Gyarados' tailtip. Four years of being with each other, and now they finally had Flamethrower under their belt. Charmeleon looked over at him when the water-powered tail came down at her, and smiled when it hit her. When the water and the waves drained away, Charmeleon was floating on the surface with her tailtip weak and flickering, and absolutely unconscious.
"Uzumaki Naruto's first Pokemon is unconscious and unable to battle. Please switch out." Called the long-haired boy. Naruto tapped his Pokeball and watched the red beam zap Firefang back.
"That's okay. That doesn't matter. You were fantastic." He whispered to the ball. "Electrike's gonna take over, and he'll win this for you, too." With that, he clicked his fire-type's ball to his belt and got Electrike's. He tossed it and called, "Now let's finish this, Electrike!"
The white, zapping matter formed into his Electrike on one of the circular platforms, who blanched a little at seeing his opponent. "When did you get him?" Sakura asked musingly from behind him, but he didn't have time to answer.
"Okay. Send a Thundershock his way, Electrike!" Electrike got over his sudden fear and glowed yellow. A thin bolt of lightning soared over to Gyarados; the water-type thrashed its tail and the bolt sparked off a platform harmlessly.
"That thing's even less of a challenge, kid." Zabuza said. "Gyarados, Dragon rage." With a roar, Gyarados rushed to obey. He shot purple flames at Electrike. Electrike frantically leaped into the water to dodge.
"No!" Naruto gasped. Even he wouldn't make a dumb mistake like that. "Electrike, get out! Get out before he swims to you!" As he spoke, Gyarados was swimming towards his tiny Pokemon and looking more horrifying every second. "Electrike go go go gogogo!"
But Electrike wasn't fast enough. In time with Zabuza's laughter, Gyarados' head descended onto Electrike and they both went underwater. Even with the fact that all Pokemon were herbivores, Naruto's stomach turned at the thought of his playful little Electrike stuck in a giant's mouth. Any second now, he'd come up and be okay. Any second.
"Now bring him up slow." The gym leader chuckled. First bubbles appeared on the surface, then Gyarados' head and in his teeth—in his teeth!—was his gasping Electrike. "Finish it with Bite—"
"Spark, now!"
Electrike growled and then glowed golden. Before Gyarados could finish its move, Electrike's body glowed with electricity and burst everywhere. Gyarados rumbled with its mouth still closed and thrashed its tail, then jerked its mouth a little. The bursts of electricity stopped. Gyarados pulled its head back and then lashed it to the side. Electrike was tossed from its mouth, over Naruto's head and bounced harshly at Sakura and Hinata's feet.
"Uzumaki Naruto's second Pokemon is unconscious and unable to battle. Please switch out." Called the assistant. Naruto quickly returned Electrike and held the ball to his chest, and murmured that he didn't have any more. There was no way that the gym leader or his assistant could have heard, but he didn't care, and they got the message anyway.
"No badge for you, then." Zabuza said snappishly. "Now move away. Whoever's battling next, step up to the edge of the pool. I want a challenge this time. In fact—" He raised his voice. "Two of you at once, with a Pokemon each. If you win you'll both get a badge. I want that girl in red—" He gestured to Sakura in her long, red tee, who immediately skittered up to the pool's edge—"and the blonde. Let's hope your school wasn't sexist in its Combat Classes."
Naruto's mind was too full of failure to comprehend much of what the gym leader said, but he looked up anyway. His mind cleared a little when he saw another classmate of his, Yamanaka Ino, stood just next to the doors. She was dressed brightly as usual, but her hands were on her hips and she looked oddly serious.
"Let's go! Pink hair, blonde hair! I have a life outside of beating up children and you're boring me!"
"When did you get here, Ino?" Hinata asked, and Naruto thought that, too. Hadn't the assistant boy closed the front doors when they first got in here?
"That guy with long hair almost closed the door on me." The girl replied, glaring at said guy with long hair. "I barely got in, and Shikamaru and Chouji wouldn't even try to come in. But that's fine. I'm interested in badges and they're not." She stepped up to the pool's edge right next to Sakura. "If you are, too, you'll shut your mouth and help me beat this guy."
"I never opened my mouth, Ino. I think you mixed the two of us up." Sakura replied. Naruto frowned at the too-familiar, too-loud sight of those two arguing over nothing.
"How about you both shut your mouths and send out a Pokemon each?" Zabuza called.
With her eyes on the big Gyarados, Ino plucked a Pokeball from her belt and threw it. It opened maybe ten feet in the air and the white matter inside formed into her Chikorita. Chikorita visibly went limp at the sight of her opponent. Sakura in turned plucked a ball from her own belt; Naruto guessed it would be her Mareep even before the electric-type appeared on the platform next to Chikorita.
"Two with a type advantage!" the gym leader said, intrigued. "All right, then. Remember, girls, size isn't everything." As he spoke, the giant Gyarados swayed eerily back and forth, taunting them.
Naruto clenched his fists. Hopefully he'd weakened it for them. Hopefully his failure would be her success…
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July 2nd, 1:13 PM, within the Kiri gym
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When in doubt, people tended to hyperventilate or panic. Sakura, her mind full of knowledge that could probably solve the problem, used to do that, and on top of it, let her knowledge sit there and cower with her. She did this frequently as a child; sixth grade was probably the worst time of it. The "popular girls" picked on her because she panicked and cried when they battled in Combat Class, and said she could only fight her way out of a science quiz. She walked away knowing they were right, and even Mareep couldn't console her.
About the same time she started growing out of a little girl's body, she also grew some strength, strength to stand up and use what she knew, and it was wonderful. Seventh grade started and a new Sakura was born. This Sakura took the fact that summer heat distorted sight and used it to create a false Double team attack in Combat Class and win the battle. This Sakura answered every question correctly on the biology unit test, and when she saw the popular girls with their cocky faces that didn't know tibia from fibula, she punched one of them in the stomach. The week of detention was totally worth it.
She had to be that strong now. Rise up and punch this monster in the stomach.
"When it's close, I'll have Mareep Thundershock it, and it'll dive underwater." She stated, watching the Gyarados. "Then you need to tell Chikorita to use Poisonpowder on the water surface. It'll get poisoned instantly when it surfaces again."
Ino huffed. "Taking charge now, huh?"
"Winning now. Shut up and work with me."
"I didn't say it was a bad plan, Sakura. Let's do it."
Zabuza's yell of "Twister!" echoed in the gym and Gyarados swam forward again. Its tail was swinging over the surface in preparation. The sight of it was grisly, but Sakura steeled herself. This was one the biggest hurdles in her life yet. 'And I WILL fly over it!' "Mareep, Thundershock!"
"Maaaa-REEP!" The little sheep glowed gold. A long finger of lightning zipped over to Gyarados and struck it in the chest. It closed its eyes and moaned, veering slightly off course.
"Again! Drive it under!"
Mareep used Thundershock again. This time, Gyarados growled and, looking almost annoyed, dove underwater. The trainers could see its shape disappear down into the darkness; it had gone deep.
"Now, you, Chikorita. Poisonpowder right on the water! Spread it out!" Ino commanded. Chikorita nodded and swung the leaf on her head crazily. (Mareep yelped and moved behind her comrade to steer clear of it.) The move spilled purple flecks of powder far out onto the water. If Gyarados surface anywhere near them, it would get the powder on its body and be poisoned. "Get ready for a Razor leaf, Chikorita," the blonde added after a few empty seconds.
The empty seconds were then filled with a rush of water as the Gyarados surface just out of range of the Poisonpowder. Sakura cursed under her breath. It had been cautious enough to stay away from the strange material, which she hadn't expected for such a brutal beast.
Zabuza chuckled from his end. "Gyarados, Surf." Gyarados gave a gleeful-sounding rumble and water started swiftly gathering behind it like a mountain.
"Shit." Ino whispered. "No, I got it! Chikorita, use Reflect! Sakura—"
"I know. Light Screen, Mareep, right on top of Chikorita's Reflect!"
The two little Pokemon bowed their heads and hummed while Gyarados started speeding forward with a wave of water behind it. A pink shield appeared in the air over Chikorita, and then a golden-yellow one on top of that. It covered enough space to protect the entire platform, Sakura realized, and in three seconds they'd know if it was strong enough to hold it all. She also realized that the wave was freaking huge and would slam the trainers even if the Pokemon were unharmed. She grabbed Ino's hand and started running to the left, the others following right after.
The wave slammed down onto the twin shields and covered them completely. Gyarados went under for a moment but came back up, looking eagerly for defeated enemies.
Sakura gritted her teeth, hating that thing's ugly face. It was time for the punch in the stomach now. "He's on your left! Use Headbutt!"
For a moment the pinkette thought that the shields had broken and both Pokemon had fainted, but then the water cleared some more and she could see both shields had held. Mareep dodged around it and leaped off the platform, slamming her head into Gyarados' tan belly.
As Gyarados screeched, "Gyaaarhrh!" Ino had to yell extra loud to be heard (God, as though they needed that…), "Chikorita, Magical Leaf!"
The shields faded instantly and Chikorita jumped off the platform, too. Just before falling into the water she swung the leaf on her head, and a sharp fraction of it hurled over to Gyarados. The attack hit it on the head, and this time, Gyarados didn't roar. It fell into the water, and floated there. And floated.
And floated another five seconds before the assistant announced, "Gyarados is unable to battle. Challengers win."
Win. Win. "We won—we won!" Mareep (yes, and Chikorita) had defeated a Gyarados! Zabuza's Gyarados! Holy cow this had to be one of the greatest moments of her life, so perfect, so powerful! Sakura ran and jumped onto one of the platforms herself. Mareep paddled over and Sakura tugged Mareep out and hugged her and hugged her and laughed and reveled in glory, and oh, if only Kakashi-sensei had seen this instead of all her fumbles in the years of Combat Class, he'd give her a grade of a hundred and twenty percent—
"Are you gonna laugh and cry all day or get your badges?" the hoarse gym leader yelled. He returned his unconscious Gyarados and walked to a small door at his end of the gym. When he came back, even though he was far off, Sakura could see something little and blue glinting in his hand.
Mareep saw too, and drummed her feet excitedly on her trainer's legs. "Reep, reep, reep!" She smiled. Sakura stood up, carrying Mareep in her arms and not caring that she was soaking wet. Ino was carrying Chikorita, too, but spinning around and dancing. She looked silly and girlish, which was an odd look for Ino, but pleasant, Sakura decided. Her eyes found Hinata looking at her with utmost pride, and if possible, Sakura's spirits rose even higher, and she smiled back at her friend.
"Sakura that was fucking amazing!" Naruto said when she stepped onto the floor again. He got in her face and this time she didn't mind at all. He was a friend congratulating her, and honestly. "The shield thing, that was so, so smart, and Ino! The last Magical Leaf! Chikorita, you're the boss!"
Everyone but Sasuke ran around the side of the pool to Zabuza, who held two badges with blue designs on them. "A whirlpool badge for each of you." He said. Sakura took hers with a grin not completely innocent. She knew a defeat made the guy incredibly mad, but he was a monster in and of himself, so she didn't mind stepping on his pride a little. If Ino's giggle of, "Thank you, sir," when she took hers was any judge, she thought just the same.
Not thirty seconds later, Zabuza demanded another two-on-one battle against Sasuke and Hinata ("You two emo kids. You're next.") and the two gave each other an unsure look before coming together for the fight.
"You'll do awesome," Sakura told Hinata as she got up to the edge of the pool. "Dratini'll kick that thing's ass from here to Hoenn." She looked at Sasuke next to say something encouraging, and he was already staring at her, expectant. 'What's he want from me? Ever?' she thought. She attempted to give him an encouraging statement, but all she could do was watch him, watching her, and nothing came out. She ended up just giving him a smile, a rather awkward one, and retreating.
Houndour and Dratini—Dratini deciding to stay in the water instead of on a platform—fought Zabuza's next Pokemon, a Sharpedo. Sakura, Naruto and Ino cheered them on from the sides, which, Sakura thought from experience, seemed like a weak place to be on the surface. But she didn't care right now. She had just won a great battle, and her friends would soon win, too.
"Dratini, Slam!"
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Gahhh all the fighting D: I actually had to re-write some of it to make it shorter. (Sakura and Ino fighting together was also for the sake of shortening it, but it's important to the plot, too. They probably haven't worked together like this since…ever.) I tend to lengthen Pokemon fights ridiculously, FYI. I cut off Hinata and Sasuke's fight since I figured most people would be a little bored of this battle by then. I also thought of evolving a Pokemon in this chapter, but I'll hold off for one or two more, and I'll also keep who'll be evolving a secret.
And like the Chapter Nine AN note, I have something for you to answer: Now that the five protagonists are together, they're going to consider traveling together. Only Hinata and Sakura travel together right now and I'd like a bigger group.
The question is, do you want all five protagonists to travel together, or shall we have two groups? If two, who'll be with whom? (You can already count out Shikamaru and Chouji. They'll be leaving Ino's side pretty soon.)
Ta…Storm
