"Well?!" Lynn yells. "What do you have to say for yourself?!"
"W-Woah!" I stutter. "What's wrong?"
"You just up and disappeared! Do you have any idea how worried we were about you?!"
"Now, now," Allison says. "I get that you're worried, Lynn, but you shouldn't shriek at him."
"I know that. It's just that..."
"It's totally cool," Ash responds. "We had to help Shizen out."
"How so?" Robert asks.
"Apparently he forgot to make us do the Gym Mission, and his gym was going to be temporarily decommissioned if we didn't do it. Our Nature Badges would have been revoked, too."
"Still," Lynn sighs. "We were worried sick! You could have warned us, you know!"
The next day, I stood at the entrance to the Grama Gym, heart racing and fists clenched. This was it. I was about to face Shizen in a Gym Battle! All three of us were thinking random thoughts before our fight.
"I'm really nervous," Liana shudders.
"I don't really blame you," Wesley replies. "Shizen must be tough."
"He's tougher than you think," I inform him. "Liana and I were beaten twice in a row. But maybe with you on the team, we might be able to take this 3rd fight."
"Well, of course. You gotta change things up if your first strategy doesn't work, right?"
I smirk and cock my head. "No use standing here. Let's face the inevitable!" Liana and Wesley cheer in excitement. And when I said "inevitable," I meant "We're finally gonna win this!" I open the door, and we walk down the hallway. Ash and the others cheer for us as we appear. From the other end, we could see Shizen.
"You're here," Shizen says. "Here for your Nature Badge, huh?"
"Uh-huh," I reply. "And we're gonna win this time."
"Let's not be so cocky, shall we? You know that overconfidence can be just as dangerous as not having any confidence at all."
"We'll see about that. We're still having a Double Battle, right? Then let's have one! Liana! Wesley! Let's do this!" Liana and Wesley dash forth to take their spots on the battlefield. Shizen sends out his same old Nuzleaf and Phantump.
Luckily, I had all night to think up a strategy. I was planning on debilitating Nuzleaf and Phantump's defense by having Liana and Wesley perform a killer-combo Ink Shower, then go all-out with their strongest moves. And if Liana or Wesley got wiped out, I'd step in their place and Dynamax the other. If both fainted, I'd have to fight by myself, but I tried not to think about that worst-case scenario.
Rotom informed me that I should consider casting Sizz on them, since both of them were Grass types, and they were weak to fire. But I told it that I'd only do it if I had to step in, keeping in line with my new tactic. And it looked like I had the upper hand, because...
"You make the first move," Shizen offered.
"I accept! Both of you, use Ink Shower!"
Liana and Wesley jump into the air and use their signature moves in unison, bombarding Nuzleaf and Phantump with pink and red ink before they have time to react. Their combined attacks leave them more debilitated than normal.
"Nuzleaf!" Shizen commands. "Use Razor Leaf on Wesley! Phantump, use Leech Seed!"
Nuzleaf summons a storm of leaves to send at Wesley, but he's too quick, and he dodges it. But both of them are caught off guard as roots emerge from the ground and grab at Liana and Wesley's bodies.
"What is this?!" Liana shrieks.
"Leech Seed!" Rotom explains. "It's a move that drains at the target's stamina and gives it to the user!" Uh oh, that's not good! I didn't factor this into my strategy. I wish I could go over and cut them free, but rules are rules. I was relieved to hear from Rotom that even though they were Leech Seeded, they could still attack. The roots held them still, so I had to change my strategy slightly.
"Liana! Inky Jolt! Wesley! Use Ink Shower!" The two of them launch their attacks. Wesley's Ink Shower hits first, and it weakens them further. Liana's Inky Jolt hits next, which was a great follow-up. But Phantump begins to heal itself by draining at Liana and Wesley's health. Although it doesn't do much, it seemed like it'd be a nuisance. So I decided to deal with Phantump first. But since they were bound, it looked pretty hard...
"Can you break out?" I ask. Both of them struggle in reply. It looked like it wasn't possible.
"Get 'em!" Shizen orders. "Both of you, hit Wesley with your Tackles!" Nuzleaf and Phantump charge Wesley down, and he's forced to take the brunt of it. "Use a bunch of Tackles!" I see! He's trying to take Wesley out because he can dodge more easily! I had to think something up to get him out of there... He takes another pair of Tackles as I struggle to come up with a strategy.
"Aha!" I exclaim. "I've got it! Wesley, break out by summoning your wings!" Wesley struggles a bit, but he's able to easily summon his wings to break free. Nice! He goes over to Liana and breaks her out, too. Wesley looked badly hurt, though. I ordered him to return as I step onto the battlefield.
"So you're finally stepping up to the plate," Shizen notes. "Well, this'll be fun! Nuzleaf, Air Cutter! Phantump, Branch Poke!" Nuzleaf unleashes an attack so strong it creates a sort of small shockwave, and Phantump begins to assault Liana by using a branch embedded in its head. But I step in to take both hits. It hurts, but it's going according to plan. Now I had them in my clutches! I cast Sizz to attack both of them with a super-effective hit! Nuzleaf faints, but Phantump hangs in there.
"You're really getting serious now, and you've gotten pretty strong, too. But I'm also strong! I won't go down without a fight!" Shizen pulls a bottle out of his pocket, and he sprays whatever's inside on Phantump. I could see that Phantump was getting healed! Even worse, the ink Liana and Wesley put on Phantump was disappearing, but the bottle wasn't doing that- it was disappearing on its own. Dang, that's not good! But I guess I could also use items, considering the rules, but I didn't really need to yet.
"I'm down to my last Pokemon. And since we're backed into a corner, it's time to unleash our trump card! Phantump, return!" Shizen brings out Phantump's Poke Ball, and he begins to Dynamax it. The gigantic Phantump stares us down as we stare back.
"Ugh... You're something else, that's for sure," I mutter. "But there's no way I'll lose a second time! Liana, I think the moves that I've seen so far aren't going to do that much. Maybe you should try a different move."
Liana nods, and she assaults Phantump. Her hand glows, and she unleashes a sort of karate chop, but it looks like it's more than that. She informs me she knows "Iron Chop," which Rotom couldn't find in its database, so I assumed it to be another of Liana's signature moves. I follow up with a Flame Slash to deal more damage with a super-effective hit.
Phantump counterattacks with a Max Overgrowth, and it does some serious hurt to me. I don't think I'd be able to fight after that... If I stayed any longer, I'd risk getting knocked out. I order Wesley to step back onto the battlefield as I retreat, not realizing that I was doing something seriously dangerous. Dynamaxing drastically increases a Pokemon's power, so I decided to counter that. "Liana! Wesley!" I command them. "Use Ink Shower!"
Their attacks land on Phantump, and its defense decreases. But it counters with Max Overgrowth, and it knocks Wesley out! Even worse, it keeps up its momentum, and it even KOs Liana with a Max Strike!
"NO!" I scream in utter shock and despair. I fall to my knees as I'm overwhelmed. Ash and the others gasp in horror.
"Nice job, Phantump!" Shizen cheers. It was clear he got lucky- Liana was still going strong. If Phantump didn't hit so hard, then maybe she wouldn't have fainted.
"D-David..." Wesley gasps. I get up and quickly run over to him. "You're... the o-only one who can f-finish this..."
"But how?!" I say. "Shizen's no joke! He's crazy strong!"
"You're... qu-quite tough, too, and I know it... You did s-something u-unimaginable the o-other day, you kn-know. If y-you could reunite l-lil' sis and I... then surely... you c-can... win this..." Those are the last words I hear from him as he closes his eyes. Heart pounding, I return Liana and Wesley to their Hybri Balls. They failed, and it fell to me to win it all.
I'll be honest, I was legitimately scared out of my wits. Not just because I had to fight a Dynamaxed Phantump all on my own, but the fact that I was so close to losing again after coming so far also horrified me. So... this was what true fear felt like, huh...?
But I couldn't dwell on it. I wasn't just close to defeat, I was also close to victory. Liana and Wesley had played their parts well in lowering Phantump's defense a considerable amount. The unthinkable was here and now, but I had to break through it. I was more than ready to put this fight to an end.
Suddenly, I feel a slight headache. What's up with that? But I decide not to think about that. I stood up, gritting my teeth, and I drew my sword, ready to fight. I had to do this right, and I knew exactly how.
"You're no pushover," I mutter. "Even after all that improvement, you're still a formidable foe... But don't think, for even an instant... that it'll be all for naught!" I charge in yelling as loud as I can. Phantump attempts to intercept me with a Max Strike, but I dodge quickly and I land a Flame Slash. However, Phantump manages to land a Max Overgrowth, and I almost black out.
But to my relief, its Dynamax finally ends, and it shrinks back down to normal size. But I'm too tired to dodge as it hits me in the face with a Tackle, and then another. Why?! After coming so far, why do I have to lose?!
"C'mon, David!" A voice came from the left. Ash was cheering me on.
"You can do it!" Allison rallies me.
"Don't give up!" Robert yells.
Friends... they're the best thing I could ever have. I couldn't disappoint them, nor could I even disappoint myself. Everyone had my back. Smiling, I stand up, new power surging within.
"Let's do this," I say. "CRACK!" I swing my sword upward, and an icicle emerges as I slash. It goes flying at Phantump, and it makes contact. Phantump goes flying and lands near Shizen.
"Woah!" Ash exclaims. "Did he learn a new spell?!"
"That was super effective!" Rotom says. "Phantump aren't just weak to Fire-type moves, they're also weak to Ice-type moves!"
"Are you alright, Phantump?!" Shizen says. Phantump slowly gets up. It's just hanging in there! But one more attack should finish it off... "Nice job. Use Tackle!" I brace myself for the attack, but to my surprise, Phantump... doesn't move. It shakes its head at Shizen. "Why?" He asks. I felt insulted... Why was it wussing out now? I gripped my sword tightly as I begin to speak.
"Phantump..." I sigh, as it turns to me. "I understand how you feel... but you have to keep going. To stop now would be nothing more of an insult to everyone... You've gotta see it through to the end! That's why I'm challenging your trainer!"
"...David?" Shizen asks. But I ignore him.
"Even if you lose, it's not the end-all-be-all. It's not a stopping point. Think about it: Did my previous losses stop me from coming back? The point is, defeat is only a part of victory!"
Phantump gasps, then it closes its eyes, thinking hard. Did I get through to it? I was speaking from the heart, after all. Finally, it nods, and it smiles at me, then at Shizen. It got into a battling stance, which gave me the heads-up that it definitely took my words to heart.
"Yeah, that's more like it! I know defeat sucks, and it always does. But it's what makes us stronger!"
Shizen looked really relieved for some reason, but I wasn't about to ask him about it. I wanted to focus on the here and now. So I charged in, and Phantump does the same. Phantump lands a Tackle, and then a Branch Poke. I'm almost down and out, but I'm not going to give up. I retaliate by landing three hits in a row. It's a really close match now, and any side could win.
"Phantump!" Shizen calls out. "Finish him off with Tackle!" Phantump charges in, but I don't move. I get ready to cast Crack again, and when Phantump closes the distance, I swing. Our clash of attacks trigger a small (but harmless) explosion that hides us from Ash and the others' view as they yell in suspense. When the dust settles, I look behind me to see Phantump, who has fainted.
"YES!" I cheer. "Victory!" I finally did it! That was WAY too close for comfort, to be honest. Ash and the others come down from the bleachers and surround me as they give their congratulations. Although I wish Liana and Wesley was there, too, but I guess it couldn't be helped that they had to stay in their Hybri Balls.
"Congrats, David!" Chloe says.
"You were awesome out there!" Aaron compliments me.
"Heh... thanks, guys," I say in gratitude. "I couldn't have done this without your support."
"David?" I turn to Shizen, who was now approaching me. "Thanks. Not just for the fight, but for Phantump, too."
"How is that?"
"You see, Phantump has always hated losing. When it knew it was about to lose, it always went against my orders, and it was putting itself down. But you made Phantump realize that defeat isn't the end. So, as a way of saying thanks... Here's your Nature Badge!"
He brings out a green badge, shaped like a tree. Smiling, I take it, but I realize that I don't have a badge case. So, I clip it to my shirt instead.
"It looks great on you!" Lynn says.
"Heheh, thanks! One gym down..." I begin.
"...And three more to go!" All of us finish in unison.
The one in which David earns his Nature Badge!
Phew. Glad this one finally got out. It's taking me forever to finish chapters, sorry.