Episode 36: Steeling for a rematch
"So, what did I miss yesterday?" Niko asked his friends as they all sat at a booth in Canalave City's Pokémon Center.
"Well, not much, really," JJ said. "We talked about where we would head next, and the girls trained a bit. Otherwise, nothing new."
"Oh? Well, where're we going, then?" Niko asked with a hint of curiosity in his tone.
"There are only two major gyms left—Snowpoint and Sunyshore. We figured it'd be easier to just head north to Snowpoint and then back down east to Sunyshore. There's also a contest on the way—in Celestic Town. Works for everyone. But sometime between now and Celestic Town, we do need to buy warmer clothing—past Celestic we'll be travelling through snow."
"Snow? Really?" Niko asked.
"Yeah, snow Niko," Lauren repeated teasingly. "Ever heard of it?"
"Well, I've just never really been around it before. Actually…I can only think of one time, and that was with Brittany and JJ," Niko said, remembering their time at the Sinjoh Ruins. They both replied with a silent "ah" in agreement.
"Well, get used to it. As you can imagine, the Snowpoint Gym Leader uses ice types as well."
"I can't think of that yet. I need to focus on defeating Byron first," Niko said, looking down at his drink. He felt ready for a rematch with the Canalave Gym Leader, who had defeated him the day before last.
"Of course. When will you challenge him?" Brittany asked.
"Today. After we're all done here. My pokémon are ready. We can win this," He said softly. After a while they all got up and walked out of the Pokémon Center towards the gym on the west end of the city.
Before they entered the gym, Lauren pulled Niko aside, waiting for JJ and Brittany to go in. After noticing them pause to wait, she aggressively motioned them away and turned to look up at Niko.
"You got this, Niko," She said, leaning up and kissing him on the cheek. "Also…you need to shave," She said, noticing the small, uneven hairs scattered across his face.
"Is that what you're pulling me aside for?" He asked, lowering her hand. "To talk about my 'beard?'"
"No!" She replied with a laugh. "But…oh god, I'm so nervous…"
"What could you possibly be nervous about saying? Have I done something wrong?"
Once again Lauren laughed, albeit nervously this time. She looked away with a light blush on her face. "No! No! It's just…if you win today—and you will—I wanted to know if you would, well, go on a date with me?"
Niko looked at her with surprise. "That was it? You want to go on a date?" Lauren nodded. "Well, yeah! Of course we can! Where do you want to go?"
"I haven't really thought that far ahead…I was kind of hoping for some input…sorry," Lauren said, feeling ashamed.
"Let's talk about it after the gym battle, alright?" Niko said, placing his hands on her shoulders. "We'll plan it together."
He kissed her on the forehead, and the two walked into the gym to see Brittany, JJ, Byron, the referee, and a man Lauren and Niko both recognized—Clint. Both trainers looked away nervously as the man that happened to be Lauren's father approached them.
"Niko, Lauren," He said. "Is there something you want to tell me?"
"Clint, I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I—"
"Earlier? What?" Lauren asked with surprise. "You two have met?"
Niko and Clint then both explained their run in with the other. Much to Niko's surprise, Lauren wasn't as frustrated with him as he thought, but she wished he had told her earlier. Likewise, Clint was frustrated with Niko for not telling him that Lauren was his girlfriend, but understood the secrecy in a case such as this. They had barely gotten to know each other and, as Byron pointed out (having eavesdropped on the conversation), it wouldn't have been the easiest of conversations to have without Lauren there as well. Ultimately, the three came to an understanding, giving Niko time and space for his rematch.
"We should talk later, if possible," Clint said to Lauren.
"Sure, Dad. But why are you here for Niko's battle?"
"I had no idea you were in town. And like I said, I ferried Niko to Iron Island yesterday. I'd at least like to see how his battle went," He then turned to Brittany and JJ. "I hope my daughter hasn't given you two much trouble."
"Not at all! Lauren's been a pleasure to have!" JJ said. Togepi cheered in agreement.
"It's been really nice to have someone there to compete in contests with me. Lauren's a great partner to have," Brittany said diplomatically and with a sincere smile. Lauren blushed a little in response to her friend's kind words, and tried to distract her thoughts my watching Niko's battle.
The referee re-stated the rules of the match for Niko and Byron, and once he finished, both trainers summoned their pokémon.
"Grotle, I choose you!" Niko shouted.
"Steelix, you're up!" Byron called out, thrusting his shovel into the air as he tossed a pokéball with his other hand. "Dragonbreath!"
"Grotle, energy ball!" Niko directed. Grotle's bushes began to glow as he unleashed a sphere of pure energy at steelix. It collided with the dragon fire, leading to a momentary stalemate that grotle broke with a heavy stream of razor leaves which, like energy ball, were aimed at one spot on steelix—under its jaw.
Byron and steelix tried to dodge the razor leaf, but grotle kept up, not losing sight of the spot. The iron snake roared out in pain before lurching its entire body to the side and using iron tail close to the ground, sliding it across the relatively uneven battlefield towards grotle.
"Turn and jump it!" Niko shouted. Grotle nodded, rotating his body to the right and leaping over the thinner end of the tail, catching his hind legs on it and falling over. "Grotle, get up!" He then saw steelix arching its head towards grotle, preparing to use dragonbreath. "Now grotle!"
The grove pokémon lurched up, sending an energy ball through the air to hit steelix square in the jaw, forcing the dragonbreath upwards towards the ceiling. Niko then commanded grotle to use razor leaf once more, which hit steelix in the jaw again.
"Steelix, let's give them hell! Use dragonbreath!"
"Energy ball!" Niko shouted. Once more, the two attacks collided. "Remember what we learned, grotle. What you did on Iron Island. Keep that in mind, and don't give up!"
Grotle nodded, summoning another energy ball to halt the dragonbreath, and a third to finally hit steelix once more in the jaw. The iron snake fell back, nearly crushing the empty stands behind it.
"Steelix is unable to battle, grotle wins! Leader Byron will now send out his second pokémon!" The referee declared.
"Bronzor, you're up!" Byron shouted.
"Grotle, return. Good job, buddy. You did great. Luxio, I choose you!" Niko shouted, tossing the feline pokémon's ball into the air. "Use charge!"
"Bronzor, hypnosis!" Byron commanded.
"Keep using charge, buddy…" Niko said. "We got this. Now, run forward and use bite!"
Luxio bounded forward, dodging the hypnosis rings by hiding behind a pointed rock in the middle of the field. Once he got Niko's nod, the spark pokémon burst forward again, using charge to keep it moving. When luxio was in range, he lunged at bronzor, teeth completely bared. Landing on the mirror-like pokémon, he viciously bit down, refusing to let go.
"Bronzor, gyro ball!"
"Thunderfang!" Niko shouted. Luxio's bite then sent surges of electricity into bronzor via his teeth, electrocuting the steel type and temporarily paralyzing it. "Now, use spark!"
"Extrasensory!" Byron shouted. Bronzor's body began to glow slightly as luxio felt an odd sensation run through him. He immediately let go, giving bronzor room to attack. "Gyro ball!"
The bronze pokémon spun around viciously, hurdling towards luxio, who was only a few feet away, and slammed into the electric type, dragging him along the rocky terrain while moving at a high speed. The spark pokémon then slammed into a rock on the other end of the field, close to Niko.
"Luxio, we can do this. You can do this," Niko said, a hint of determination in his voice. Luxio slowly got up, bronzor hovering over him. "Use charge once more!"
"Break luxio with extrasensory!" Byron shouted, thrusting his shovel outwards. Bronzor attempted to, but the attack didn't seem to be working. Luxio was far too focused to bother with bronzor.
Niko could see that the charge was successful, since sparks were constantly emitting from the dark-haired feline. He smirked—luxio was ready to attack.
"Luxio, use spark!" Niko shouted. Just like against Fantina, luxio cried out, releasing as much electricity as it possibly could. Sparks shot out in every direction with an unusual amount of force—even breaking some smaller rocks in the process. Bronzor flew backwards in a spin, overwhelmed by the attack. "Now, charge and then bite on bronzor!" Niko shouted, thrusting his fist forward.
Luxio burst forward at lightning speed, coming upon bronzor quicker than the mirror-like pokémon could react. He leapt into the air and landed on top of bronzor, slamming them both to the ground and sinking his teeth into the steel body.
"Thunderfang!" Niko shouted.
"Hypnosis!" Byron commanded. Bronzor's eyes glowed red as rings shot out from them, hitting luxio just as the former fainted.
"Bronzor is unable to battle, luxio wins! Leader Byron will now send out his third and final pokémon!" The referee declared.
"Return, luxio," Niko said to the unconscious spark pokémon. "You did a great job, buddy. Grotle, you're up!" He shouted, once again summoning the grass type.
"I'm impressed, Niko," Byron said as he returned bronzor. "I guess your brief training on Iron Island did pay off. Well, maybe. Bastiodon will be the judge of that. Go!" He shouted, summoning the massive shield pokémon. "Bastiodon, this is it! Use ancientpower!"
"Grotle, block the ancientpower with energy ball!" Niko shouted. Grotle obliged, his bushes glowing bright white as he launched energy ball after energy ball at each fossilized rock, breaking them. When he finished, grotle panting heavily, exhausted from simply blocking one of bastiodon's attacks.
"Flash cannon!" Byron commanded.
"Grotle, dodge if you can and use razor leaf!" Niko shouted. The grove pokémon nodded, trying to shift his body to the right before getting hit by the beam of bright light, knocking him down to the ground. "Grotle, you got this. I believe in you!"
Slowly, but surely, the grove pokémon stood back up. Byron then commanded bastiodon to use ancientpower, to which Niko and grotle responded with razor leaf. The leaves, as sharp as they were, hardly made an effort in stopping the flurry of rocks hurdling towards grotle. Each rock hit grotle, knocking it to the ground. The grass type slowly got back up, launching a final energy ball before collapsing once more, defeated. Fortunately, the attack did hit bastiodon, causing it to wince.
"Grotle is unable to battle, bastiodon wins! Challenger Niko will use his next pokémon!" The referee declared.
"Prinplup, you're up!" Niko shouted, summoning his third pokémon after choosing not to use luxio, who was asleep and might not survive an attack from bastiodon while sleeping. "Use water pulse!"
"Prinp!" The penguin cried out victoriously, raising his flippers into the air and summoning a pulsating orb of water. He tossed it across the field towards bastiodon, who blocked it with ancientpower. Prinplup then charged forward towards bastiodon, flippers stretched out.
"Flash cannon!" Byron called out.
"Prinplup, metal claw to block!" Niko shouted. The penguin halted in his tracks, covering his face with his flippers, which were now glowing light gray. The burst of light collided with prinplup, forcing him backwards, but hardly harmed in the process. Prinplup uncovered his face to look at bastiodon, and once more charged forward. "Use water pulse!"
As soon as prinplup got closer, he jumped into the air and threw down a water pulse on bastiodon, causing it to cringe from the water splashing over it. Niko then commanded the penguin to use bubblebeam, and prinplup obliged by unleashing a stream of bubbles at bastiodon's shield-like face.
"Bastiodon, flash cannon!" Byron shouted again. The fossilized pokémon unleashed another powerful beam of light at prinplup, who attempted to block with metal claw, but nearly failed to do so, and was knocked to the ground in the process. Prinplup quickly got back on his feet, but was hit with ancientpower. "Finish it off with flash cannon!"
"Prinplup, block with metal claw!" Niko shouted. The penguin stood back up, gathering all of his available energy to retaliate, blocking the flash cannon and preventing the beam of light from harming him. "Now, move forward!"
"Huh?" Byron muttered. With unusual strength, prinplup dug into the ground, slowly taking step-by-step towards his opponent. When he got close enough, bastiodon ended the flash cannon and used ancientpower, to which prinplup retaliated with metal claw, slashing and breaking each of the rocks. "Flash cannon!"
"Dodge and use water pulse!" Niko shouted. Prinplup dove to the right, sliding onto the rocky terrain and scrambling back up to conjure a water pulse. The penguin shot the pulse at bastiodon's unprotected left side, causing the shield pokémon to howl in pain. "Now, finish it off with bubblebeam!"
"PRINP!" Prinplup cried out, opening his beak and blasting out a jet of bubbles, hitting bastiodon once more in the side. He kept this up until his opponent fell to the ground, unable to get back up.
"Bastiodon is unable to battle, prinplup wins! The victory goes to Niko from Pallet Town!" The referee declared.
Niko sighed a heavy breath of relief as prinplup ran up to him, arms out wide. "You won this, buddy. You, and grotle, and luxio. I'm so proud of you."
Prinplup embraced Niko tightly, and the two sat there for a minute before they were surrounded by Lauren, Brittany, JJ, Clint, Byron, and bastiodon.
"Niko," Byron began. "You battled excellently. You have proven to me that you know how to stand up to steel types even when you are at a disadvantage. For that, I am proud of you, and can now award you with the Mine Badge."
Byron reached into his pocket and held out a small bronze and silver badge with three stones surrounded by what looked like three pickaxes combined. He took the badge and showed it to prinplup, who cheered happily.
"Best of luck in your gym challenge, Niko. And to you too, Lauren," Byron said with joy. Niko and Lauren both responded pleasantly before exiting the gym with Brittany and JJ following them.
As they exited the gym, Clint yelled for Lauren's name. Turning around, the blue-haired trainer looked up at her father with a curious expression.
"Lauren…there's so much to talk about. Why haven't you stopped by to visit?" He asked, looking weary.
"Dad, I'm sorry," Lauren replied, head hanging low. "I should have gone to see you. I was just nervous, I guess. We didn't leave on good terms, and I have new friends, and a boyfriend. It just seemed like a lot."
Clint turned his exhausted look into a more grateful one, leaning in to hug his daughter. Lauren returned the hug. "I'm really proud of you, for all that you've done, with contests and gyms, meeting new friends and pokémon, finding someone that cares about you. You've grown up," He then looked Lauren in the eyes. "Your mother would be over the moon with pride."
For a quick moment, a tear welled up in Lauren's eye. "Thanks, Dad. Do you want to get some lunch with us?"
Clint looked at his watch, and nodded. "I've got some time before I have to get to work. I took off the morning to watch the gym battle. By the way, Niko, you were very impressive out there. Hard to believe that was a rematch."
Niko rubbed the back of his head nervously at the compliment. "Heh, thanks Clint. That means a lot."
The group then turned off towards the port to get some food with Lauren's Dad, ready to leave Canalave City and continue on their adventure towards Celestic Town.