Chapter 18 - Chanko Nabe
The group had spent a couple more days in Saffron City, and after the proper amount of training and preparation, the day for Logan and Maleah's gym battles had come. The two woke up early in the morning before either Yurie or Seshiru could. Logan called his aunt in Nuvema Town, and Maleah got them breakfast from the diner. This would be the last time that the two would see each other for awhile, and there was a sense of sadness in the air.
"You know, I used to travel with one of my rivals," Logan said as he took a seat at the booth. "It only helped to push us both forward as trainers."
Maleah looked up. "Luna?"
Logan laughed. "Oh wow. You really do know your stuff."
"I guess I do."
"What I'm saying is that you can join us if you want to. Traveling alone can get, well, lonely, so if you want to join us, it'd be okay. We're going to be competing against one another, but that doesn't matter if we're having fun," Logan said.
Maleah took a deep breath and then smiled. "I can't. I'm sorry. I've been traveling alone for two years straight, and I'm used to it."
Logan was disappointed, but he was expecting that kind of answer, so he wasn't surprised.
"But hey, I have something for you. Right now, I don't think you'll be able to make any use of it, but I imagine you will in the future," Maleah said as she began to fumble with her bag. She pulled out a familiar crystal-like stone. It was dark in color with Alolan markings inside of it.
"What's this?" he asked as she handed over the Z-Crystal.
"Snorlium Z!" she exclaimed. "I can't use it, but you have a Snorlax, so I figured it'd make a good parting present. If she ever learns Giga Impact, then she'll be able to do it."
"Snorlium Z?" Logan wondered. He looked over the crystal and then at their breakfast. "Pulverizing Pancake, correct?"
Maleah smiled. "Yeah."
The two laughed and then continued to eat their breakfast. It didn't take very long for either of them to finish, and once they did, they sat in silence, waiting for the other two to join them. Maleah looked as though something were bothering her, and after building up the courage, Logan finally decided to pry.
"What's up? Nervous about leaving?"
Maleah sighed. "It's not that. I just think that this may be one of my only chances to tell you."
"What?"
"I admired you during the Manalo Conference. I remember watching your battles. You were amazing. You're not from Alola, but you still performed Z Moves with ease, and you looked so elegant. I was really disappointed whenever I didn't get the chance to battle with you. I really wanted that battle."
Logan smiled. "Well, we'll both have to do our best this time around! Who knows? Maybe we'll meet in the finals?"
Maleah was quiet for a bit more. She looked up at Logan and then shrugged. "What I'm trying to say is that…"
Logan didn't understand why she paused. He sat up and made sure that they were looking at each other in the eyes. "What's up?"
Maleah looked away, finding comfort in looking out the window. She then mustered up the energy to say, "Before, I only saw you from a distance, but now that I've actually spent some time with you, I want to say that I have a crush on you, Logan."
Logan was silent for a moment. He sat back in his booth. "A what?"
When Seshiru and Yurie finally woke up, Maleah said her goodbyes, and then she was off to the Fighting-type Gym. She made Logan promise to keep what she said a secret, and while he still didn't quite understand what Maleah could have meant, he agreed to be quiet about it.
His focus was somewhere else anyways.
The Saffron City gym wasn't nearly as massive as Celadon's, but it was still big. It was in a quieter part of the city, away from the main area, and it appeared like most challengers had opted for the Fighting-gym, as this gym barely had anyone around. When the three entered, they were surprised to find the lobby empty. Only a little girl with pitch black hair could be found at the counter. She chewed on bubble gum and read her comic book as the three slowly approached her.
"Hello," Logan said quietly.
The girl didn't respond. She instead continued to read her comic book and chew her gum loudly.
"Um, hello?" Logan repeated. "I'm Logan Stephenson-"
"And you're here for a challenge," the little girl said, interrupting him. "We know. How many badges you got?"
"Three."
The girl finally peaked around the edge of her comic book, and she looked down at Mightyena before smiling. "Cool. You're facing off against Natsume. The battle will be two on two."
The doors to the battlefield then slowly creaked open, but Logan had no idea what waited for him on the other side, as no light came through the doorway.
"Good luck," she said.
Logan nodded and then turned to Yurie and Seshiru. They walked through the small tunnel that led to the battlefield, and the two girls made their way to the stands. Then, the doors closed, and all of the light was sucked away, leaving Logan alone on the battlefield and unsure of what he was getting into.
Across the field, there was a faint light that dimly broke through the darkness. It was a green glow, and it started to bob up and down. Soon, the glow got bigger and more powerful, and with a sudden flash, the entirety of the field was lit up by bright lights from the ceiling, revealing the source of the green glow.
A woman, possibly in her early 20's, stood at the other end of the battlefield. She wore a purple midriff turtleneck and white jeans. Her hair was cut short, and it was almost pitch black. But what stuck out about her was the psychic green glow that surrounded her hands.
"Natsume," Seshiru muttered.
Yurie perked up and smiled. "Is this the same trainer you fought?"
Seshiru nodded, and she nervously tucked in her arms. "Logan could be in trouble if he's not careful."
"Logan Stephenson," Natsume said. "We've been expecting you."
Logan grinned. "I know that you guys have ways to get info on your challengers as they walk in through the door." He pulled his Pokédex from his back pocket and waved it around. "You're not going to freak me out with some phoney psychic bit."
Natsume cocked her head and smiled. "Oh no? My powers are not phoney. We've been expecting you for years. Once you and your friend left Nuvema Town, I've been waiting for our battle. It's destiny."
"Once again, we put in our info into the Pokédex, so you can find out where we're from with ease," Logan said while tucking away the Pokédex.
Natsume grinned. "The battle will be two on two. You've prepared well. You intend to use your Mightyena and Charmander."
Now Logan was listening. He looked down at Mightyena, who was going to be an obvious choice because of the type match-ups, but he was completely flabbergasted by the fact that she knew about Charmander.
"And something happened this morning," Natsume said. She looked at Logan directly in his eyes. "Someone told you something, and you've been told to keep it a secret."
Logan was stunned, and his body froze. Once he finally found feeling in his arms, he reached for his Poké Ball. "Alright, I believe you."
"The following battle will be between challenger Logan Stephenson from Nuvema Town and Gym Leader Natsume!" the little girl, now dressed in a referee shirt that was three sizes too big for her, declared. "Only the challenger is allowed to make substitutions, and the battle will conclude once all of one side's Pokémon has fainted. Begin!"
"Kadabra, go," Natsume said quietly while she used her psychic powers to make her Poké Ball float into the air. It opened up, and a yellow Pokémon with a thick tail materialized on the field. It focused its energy into a singular spoon as it waited for Logan's move.
Logan thought for a moment. Natsume knew what Pokémon he had planned on using, so at this point, he was considering changing up his strategy, but he was unsure.
"Your Nidorino will be at a grave disadvantage," Natsume said. "And your Snorlax is still not willing to battle for you without causing trouble."
"Fine," Logan snapped. He drew out his Poké Ball and threw it forward. Charmander emerged from the ball, and he roared, letting some flames burst from his mouth. He still wasn't entirely confident in his skills, but over the past few days, the two had practiced a bit. With no one in the crowd to watch, Charmander appeared much more comfortable.
"You can make your first move."
"Alright! Charmander, use Ember!"
Charmander took in a deep breath, and then, he managed to release one thick burst of fire outward.
"Reflect," Natsume commanded cooly.
"Kadabra!" the Pokémon said as she waved her arm forward. In front of her, a thinly veiled wall appeared, and upon making contact with it, the fire disappeared completely.
Still not strong enough, Logan thought.
"You haven't been spending enough time with your Pokémon," Natsume said. "Only your Mightyena is worth taking into battles at the moment."
"Get out of my head!" Logan yelled. "Charmander, use Dragon Rage!"
Charmander's eyes were lit up with a blue fire, and he started to run forward while yelling out his name. He then unleashed arcane flames at the ground, and they started to surround Kadabra. It phased through the wall and then engulfed Kadabra, making the Psychic-type yell out in pain.
No matter how much she protects herself with Reflect, Dragon Rage will always do a set amount of damage, Logan thought. And it looks like Charmander is getting the hang of it.
"Calm Mind."
Through the pain of the attack, Kadabra stopped howling, and then the arcane flames suddenly died down. Kadabra's eyes began to glow a blue, and her energy was increased. She smirked and then held out her spoon.
"Follow with Future Sight," she ordered.
Kadabra's spoon started to glow, and it sent a purple energy into the air, creating a haze.
We don't have any defensive measures, so our best bet right now is to fight head on. Ember and Fury Swipes are a no go, Logan thought. "Let's try Fire Spin!"
"Char!" his Pokémon cried while opening his mouth. He tried to unleash flames, which would swirl around Kadabra for massive damage, but only a small spurt came out. It immediately died down too, putting Logan's attack to a stop.
"No…" he muttered.
Before Logan could make his next command, the purple cloud of energy came to form right above Charmander. The Fire-type Pokémon was stunned by its appearance, and he slowly looked up, unprepared for what was coming. Then, lightning made of psychic energy came down, shocking Charmander. The Pokémon let out a screech before the lightning came to a stop. He remained still but standing.
"Charmander?" Logan wondered.
Charmander began to hiss and then he let out a growl before glaring at Kadabra. The Psychic-type was cool, and she looked back at Charmander with a cocky expression.
"Let's use that anger!" Logan said, working with what he knew Charmander was capable of. "Dragon Rage!"
Charmander's eyes became filled with the blue flames once more, and he started to run forward. He unleashed the arcane fire onto the field, and it shot directly for Kadabra.
"Psychic!"
Kadabra raised her singular spoon, and she focused her energy. Suddenly, the blue flames came to a stop. Using her psychic abilities, she sent the flames back towards Charmander, and they surrounded his body. He let out one more cry as the flames disappeared. And then, he slumped to the ground.
The referee slowly raised her flag. "Charmander is unable to battle."
"Man," Logan grumbled. He lifted his Poké Ball and let the red light withdraw Charmander back so he could rest. "What now?"
"You planned on using Mightyena, correct?" Natsume said. She looked towards the Dark-type Pokémon. "Afterall, it would have the type-advantage."
"Get out of my head!" Logan yelled. Even if I do have the type-advantage, she can apparently read my mind. She can read my movements. She knows exactly what I'm planning on doing.
Natsume grinned. "You're right, Logan. And because of that, this battle was decided before it even began."
Mightyena stepped forward, but then Logan put out his hand, making the Dark-type stop in his tracks. The two looked at one another before Logan nodded and smiled. "I guess I'll just have to stop thinking then." He reached for his pocket and drew out a dark grey ball. "I can't believe I'm doing this. Go, Snorlax!"
From Logan's Poké Ball emerged the massive Pokémon. She crashed into the ground before looking back at Logan and then Kadabra. A look of hatred and anger came over her face, but nonetheless, she waited for Logan's command.
"What are you thinking?" Natsume said. She closed her eyes and tried to read Logan's thoughts, but on his end, there seemed to be nothing.
"Snorlax," Logan said before pausing, "do what you do!"
Snorlax was a bit taken aback by the command. She looked back at Logan and then grinned, evil intentions in her mind. She turned back to Kadabra before starting a heavy forward bound. She lowered her head, and before Natsume could even think of an order, she headbutted the entirety of Kadabra's body. The Psychic-type was tossed backwards, crashing into the wall behind Natsume. She slowly fell to the ground, her body completely limp.
Natsume looked back at her Pokémon in stunned silence while the referee made the call. Natsume withdrew Kadabra and then shot a glare at Logan. She closed her eyes again, trying to get an idea of what was on his mind. Suddenly, her eyes shot open, and she screamed, "Pizza! How can you be thinking about pizza at a time like this?!"
Logan shrugged. "Battling makes me hungry…"
Seshiru laughed. "Wow. Logan has seemingly found a way to get past Natsume's manipulative battling tactic."
"What do you mean?"
"Natsume can read the mind of her opponent, and she can make adjustments in her strategy to defeat them. She will always be one step ahead of them. But if her opponent isn't thinking about the battle, then she can't make those adjustments."
"So, Logan is thinking about the next best thing?" Yurie wondered. She blushed. "He's a dolt."
"Mr. Mime, go!" Natsume called, now frustrated by Logan's lack of focus.
Her Pokémon appeared. He slowly raised his hands and pressed them against nothing, miming that a wall was in front of him. He smiled sinisterly at Snorlax, but Logan's Pokémon wasn't having it.
"Mr. Mime, the Barrier Pokémon. A skilled mime from birth, it gains the ability to create invisible objects as it matures," Logan's Pokédex said in its robotic voice.
"Snorlax, uh-ya know," Logan said while he shrugged.
"Lax!" the Pokémon called out. She jumped into the air, preparing to slam against Mr. Mime.
"Reflect!" Natsume yelled.
Mr. Mime reached his hands into the air before creating a psychic wall in front of himself. Snorlax now began to descend, and it would only be a matter of moments before she crashed into Mr. Mime.
"Barrier!" Natsume added to her commands.
Mr. Mime then wrapped his arms around himself, and he closed his eyes. A veil surrounded his body, and although Snorlax was barreling closer, he didn't seem to mind. Snorlax then hit the wall that Mr. Mime had created, and with a few seconds, she was able to break through. Then, she crashed into Mr. Mime. Her fall had been broken though, so the damage was considerably lessened. But that didn't stop Mr. Mime from being engulfed under the weight of Snorlax.
Everyone waited patiently while Snorlax started to stir. She was confident that her attack had finished off Mr. Mime in quick succession.
But then, Natsume made her next order, "Psychic."
Snorlax tried to move, but something was now stopping her. Slowly, she was lifted into the air as a psychic energy surrounded her body. She got higher and higher until it was revealed that Mr. Mime was now holding her up. With one arm, Mr. Mime pushed Snorlax into the air like the showman that he was. He then heaved, and using his psychic powers, tossed Snorlax backwards. Snorlax crashed into the ground and rolled across the field while she tried to find some balance. Upon getting back to her feet, she looked towards Logan, but he simply yawned. Snorlax glared.
Seshiru sat back. "Two birds. One stone."
"You think he's trying to get Snorlax onto his side?" Yurie asked.
"Mr. Mime, use Double Slap!"
Mr. Mime didn't wait for Snorlax to make any kind of counter attack. He darted down the field and began to swing his hands wildy, smacking Snorlax repeatedly in the face. Snorlax took a few steps back and then turned towards Logan to get some kind of order, but Logan simply looked up at the ceiling.
"Lax!" the Pokémon said with a huff. She then focused back on Mr. Mime, ducked her head, and then crashed into him. Mr. Mime, who was well shielded by the Barrier he had created, was only pushed back a few feet.
"Psychic!"
Mr. Mime stuck out his palms and focused his energy. With just enough force, he was able to lift Snorlax into the air a few feet before sending her back to the ground. Snorlax crashed down hard, sending up smoke into the air, which cloaked her body. Slowly, she emerged, now breathing heavily from the damage.
"It seems that your strategy isn't working," Natsume said calmly. "A well trained Pokémon can beat an untamed Pokémon any day of the week."
Logan nodded. "I think you're correct."
Snorlax groaned, and she looked back at Logan one more time. This time, Logan looked back at her, a stern expression on his face. "Lax…"
"Sounds good to me!" he exclaimed. "Snorlax, use Rest!"
"Snorlax," the Pokémon said calmly. She then fell back, instantly falling asleep. Her snores reverberated off of the empty stadium walls.
"It worked!" Seshiru exclaimed.
"Snorlax listened!" Yurie added.
Natsume glared. "You can't attack if you're asleep! Psychic!"
"Actually, we can. Snorlax, use Sleep Talk!"
As Mr. Mime tried to perform his psychic strike once again, Snorlax, still in a sleeping state, stood up. She lowered her head and then shot forward. Mr. Mime was unable to get his arms up in time, and Snorlax crashed into him. Mr. Mime's feet dragged against the field as he was tossed backwards, but his defenses were still good enough to allow him to keep standing. Then, Snorlax fell onto her stomach, still sleeping away.
"Psychic may be too strong of an attack to use right now," Natsume thought out loud. "Double Slap!"
Mr. Mime waddled over to Snorlax, and then, with a fast strike, he twisted his body, and slapped Snorlax once. One more time, he moved the other direction, slapping Snorlax with his opposite hand.
"Sleep Talk!" Logan commanded.
Now Snorlax was much faster. She pushed with her arms and legs, pushing herself high into the air. Mr. Mime looked on, his body unable to move from the energy that he had used, and then Snorlax came back down. What followed was an explosion of smoke, and the two Pokémon disappeared for a moment. Everyone waited for the results as the smoke faded away. Slowly, Snorlax stood back up, now awake, while Mr. Mime remained unconscious on the floor.
"Mr. Mime is unable to battle. Snorlax and Logan are the winners!"
"We did it!" Logan yelled. He ran onto the field with his arms in the air, stretched out with the intention of hugging Snorlax, but moments before he could reach her, she stuck out her hand and flicked Logan in the forehead, knocking him over.
"Snor-lax!" she snapped.
"What was that for?" he asked, now on his backside.
Snorlax huffed, seemingly still angry that Logan had not given her commands to begin with.
"Well, you weren't gonna listen!" Logan snapped back.
"Lax!" the Pokémon said before folding her arms. She looked away from Logan. He sighed and then lifted the Heavy Ball, returning her with the red light.
"Maybe we're not quite there yet," Logan muttered.
Natsume approached him. She still had her stern expression on her face, but then she held out her hand, helping Logan get back to a standing position. "You're not bad, Logan. I see you going far."
"That's a prediction that I'm all about," Logan said happily.
Natsume retrieved a box from the referee with the t-shirt three sizes too big, and she opened it up, revealing a perfectly circular badge. It was golden in color, and rather bland, but Logan wasn't going to complain.
"I can sense that your team has some work to do. Today was a step in the right direction for both Charmander and Snorlax. Don't give up on either one of them," she said. "Here's your new Marsh Badge."
Logan took the badge and held it up high, letting the light reflect off of its golden surface. "Nice. I'm halfway there!"
"This is chanko nabe!" Yurie exclaimed.
Logan looked down at the pot that sat in between the three of them. Inside stewed so many different kinds of food, he couldn't get a grasp on what exactly he was about to eat. There were vegetables, mushrooms, what appeared to be some kind of meat, and noodles, but he was unsure.
"Sumo wrestlers eat this frequently. It's supposed to help them gain weight," Seshiru explained.
Logan turned to Yurie. "Oh, but you have issues with me eating pizza and drinking cola?"
"One bowl of this stuff can't hurt you!"
"One slice of pizza can't hurt you either!"
"You ate way more than one slice, boy!"
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
So, Logan is halfway through his gym badges. His next gym battle won't be for a while though. The next big event will be Yurie's next contest, and we have Seshiru's third Battle Frontier challenge coming up.
I've been so busy, and my writing has really slowed down. I have a some free time this week, so I'm hoping to get ahead again.
REVIEWS:
pokemonking0924 - "Another battle frontier battle won by Seshiru and it was much tougher than the last one. Although she didn't look happy about her win, guess the newly hatched Eevee had a bigger affect on her than I originally thought. Hopefully her friends will talk to her about her feelings and she'll feel better, after just by taking about your troubles makes a person feel a bit better." - It may be awhile before Logan and Yurie even notice or Seshiru says something to them. I think whatever happened to Seshiru is maybe too personal for her to share at this point.
wisdom-jewel - "It seems that Seshiro had an Eevee. Was the Eevee got stolen, ran away or traded. I wonder if Seshiru would inform them about her experience with her Eevee if she had one. Seshiro might tell the story later on. And Seshiro had a difficult battle and won. Great for her but she still needs to work since she can face a stronger opponent." - If I'm correct, there's a Battle Frontier member who only uses Grass-types, so Seshiru is set for a big challenger later on.
