Chapter 26 - Hitachi Buckwheat Noodles - Part 1
Yurie's contest wasn't set for another two weeks, and during that time, the group decided that they'd participate in the King of Kanto Tournament. Logan, Yurie, Seshiru, and Sora all agreed to take part in it, so they trained with one another at the Pokémon Center.
The night before the tournament, the four gathered in the Pokémon Center diner to eat. Yurie ordered hitachi buckwheat noodles, and Logan loved them so much, he got countless refills.
"So, I was going over the rules of the tournament," Seshiru said. "It looks like every battle will be a two on two double battle. From the sounds of it, there are only sixteen spots open."
"We should get there early then," Logan said. He patted his belly. "I should have no problem getting to sleep with all of this noodle in my belly!"
"Or, you can register at the counter," a voice called from behind.
The four turned to find a boy with perfectly stylized hair standing behind them. He wore a stylish green suit and had a smile full of white teeth. He ran his hand through his black hair and then winked at Yurie.
"Omori?" Yurie wondered. She turned and then gagged. "Gross."
Omori came to the table and stuck his hand into the air. "You're looking at the future King of Kanto! I just signed up with Nurse Joy!"
Logan laughed and then nudged Yurie. "Ain't that somethin'?"
"Shut up," Yurie snapped before standing up. "I have a bone to pick with you, Omori! How could you spread those lies about us?"
"What lies?"
"I'm not your girlfriend! Stop telling people otherwise!"
Omori grinned. "I didn't say anything like that. I simply let the media do what they want with our picture!" He pulled out a device similar to Yurie's PokéNav, and he showed the picture of the two of them holding the Saffron City ribbon.
"I'm now extra excited because I'll get to battle you in this tournament, and then in two weeks, I'll crush you again in the contest!" Yurie exclaimed.
Omori laughed. "I won't be in the contest. I can't stay in one place too long. My fans will find me. I gotta keep them guessing."
The next day, the group were up early and at the venue that was holding the tournament. It was a large event building big enough for two fields. The first couple of rounds would have battles running simultaneously to save time.
They were lucky enough to all get registered on time with Nurse Joy, and the first round was already displayed up top. Seshiru, Logan, and Omori were in the A block, and to Logan's joy, he was set to face off with Omori in the first round. Yurie, Sora, and to everyone's surprise, Maleah, were in the B block. They couldn't find Maleah through the crowd, but they imagined that they'd be running into her sooner than later.
Omori looked at Logan and grinned. "Alright, Logan. It looks like we're going to be fighting for Yurie's love today! May the best man win!"
Logan glared. "Yurie isn't some kind of prize to be won."
"But she is a treasure," Omori replied while snapping his fingers.
"Welcome one and all to the King of Kanto Tournament!" the announcer's voice rang throughout the stadium. "I'm Kasumi, formerly the Cerulean City Gym Leader, and I'll be your host for this event!" She was in her late teens and had short red hair. She wore a black suit with blue trim that sparkled when it had light shone onto it.
The crowd clapped.
"We're going to start our first round in a matter of minutes! In the A block, we have Egawa Seshiru vs. Abe Akaki! And in the B block, we have Tsukamoto Yurina vs. Maleah Kalani!" Kasumi announced.
Logan waved at Yurie before the group split off to go into their brackets. "If you see Maleah, say hi!"
Yurie nodded. She shot a glance at Omori. "Good luck."
Omori blew a kiss. "She knows I won't need luck against you, but she's still supporting me. She's adorable."
Logan shrugged. "Yeah. Okay."
"Folks, let's get started!" Kasumi announced.
"That's me," Seshiru said.
"Good luck," Logan exclaimed while waving her out into the hallway.
Omori huffed. "You have too many girls around you, playboy."
"Playboy?"
"Yurie, Seshiru, some girl named Maleah. You need to cool down."
"They're just friends and rivals," Logan said sternly.
"Let's make a deal," Omori said suddenly. He glared at Logan. "If I win our battle, then you and Yurie split. I don't like her being around you. You're a bad influence."
"Quite frankly, it's not entirely my decision," Logan snapped back.
"You don't sound very confident in your abilities."
Logan bawled his fist up. "I can beat you blindfolded."
"This Round 1 battle in the A block is between Egawa Seshiru from Fuchsia City and Abe Akaki from Cinnabar Island!" the referee announced.
Akaki looked to only be a year or two younger than Seshiru, but because of her small stature and cute face, she looked like the younger of the two. He had long black hair, crimson red eyes, and wore a plain grey, long sleeved shirt with matching jeans.
"Do your best, Raticate and Magcargo!" he called in a deep voice before throwing both of his Poké Balls into the air. His Pokémon emerged in front of him. One showed off its fangs while the other released a single stream of fire from its mouth.
Seshiru nodded before she drew out her Poké Balls. "I take it you've done some traveling in Johto if you've got a Magcargo. Let me show you the Pokémon I got from Johto. Go, Quagsire, Corsola!" Seshiru's Pokémon materialized on her side of the field. Quagsire yawned and smiled at his opponents while Corsola, a Pokémon that Logan and Yurie were yet to meet, danced to the best of her abilities before noticing the crowd.
"Begin!"
"Let's get offensive! Quagsire, use Ice Beam! Corsola, use Bubblebeam! Go!"
Although they appeared slow and distracted, Seshiru's Pokémon quickly snapped forward and unleashed their attacks onto the field.
"I don't think so! Magcargo, use Protect!"
"Mag," the Pokémon muttered as it got in front of its furry friend. It focused its energy before a blue wall formed in front of it, protecting the duo from Seshiru's attacks.
"Now!" Akaki yelled while the smoke filled into the air.
His Raticate jumped over Magcargo and then dashed across the field. His tiny front paw was surrounded by black energy before reaching Seshiru's Pokémon. With one quick swipe, he jabbed at Quagsire, knocking him backwards.
"And Iron Tail!" he ordered.
"Raticate!" the Pokémon cried out while turning his body around. His tail began to glow with metallic energy, and he swung it sideways, smashing it directly into Corsola.
Both of Seshiru's Pokémon fell back and they looked at one another before turning towards Seshiru for some orders.
"No problem," she said. "Corsola, use Recover! Quagsire, protect her Mud Bomb!"
"Sire!" Seshiru's Pokémon yelled out. As Corsola started to glow, Quagsire jumped in front of her and lifted his arms into the air. In between his hands, he formed a ball of mud and then tossed it at the ground. It exploded upon reaching Raticate, sending the Normal-type flying backwards from the ricochet. When all was said and done, Corsola let out a soft coo, indicating that she had fully recovered.
"This battle is just getting started!" Seshiru said. "Ice Beam and Bubblebeam one more time!"
"In that case, use Protect again!" Akaki commanded.
All of the Pokémon repeated their motions from before, and just like last time, Quagsire and Corsola's attacks blew up into smoke.
"Crunch!" Akaki ordered.
"Muddy Water!" Seshiru yelled.
Raticate emerged from the smoke, and Quagsire took the lead in front of Corsola. The two Pokémon charged at one another while energy surrounded them both.
"Duck!" Seshiru ordered.
Before the two could connect, Quagsire ducked under Raticate. The Normal-type had created a black set of fangs around his body, and he clamped them shut, but he completely missed. Quagsire continued forward as he allowed dirty aquatic energy to pour from his body.
"Magcargo, stop it with Rock Slide!"
"Mag-cargo!" the Pokémon cried as his eyes started to glow. The field below him shook, and he tore stones from the earth before blasting them forward. Quagsire wasn't fast enough to dodge them, and took them directly. The smoke and dust from the blast then cloaked his body.
"Corsola, use Earth Power! Quagsire, hit 'em with Sludge Bomb!"
"What?!"
Corsola leapt into the air, and stones surrounded by a blue aura started to form around her body. She shot them down at Raticate, making the Normal-type jump forward to dodge them. When Corsola landed, she found a spot near the smoke, putting Quagsire and Corsola in the middle.
Before Akaki could make his order, a pile of purple goop escaped from the smoke. It collided directly with Magcargo, mixing into his naturally viscous body. He let out a cry as the poison set in.
"Magcargo, no!" Akaki yelled. "Raticate, use Hyper Fang!"
"Raticate!" his Pokémon responded. He ran towards the middle where Corsola and Quagsire stood. With a leap into the air, his massive fang started to grow with a bright white light.
"Give 'em something to chew on!" Seshiru said. "Power Gem!"
Corsola stood still and took the full brunt of Raticate's attack. She waited momentarily for Raticate to cool down before she blasted a rock from the horn on her head. It knocked Raticate off of her and into the air. He landed back onto the ground with a sickening thud, his body limp.
"Nice!" Seshiru exclaimed. "Now, use Bubblebeam and Ice Beam!"
"Protect, Magcargo!"
Magcargo tried to bring up the defensive blue wall once more, but the poison kept him from moving too quickly. Corsola and Quagsire lined up next to one another before they unleashed their attacks together on the defenseless Fire-type. When their attacks ceased, Magcargo's head slumped to the ground.
"Both Raticate and Magcargo are unable to battle! Seshiru is the winner!"
Logan watched on from the back in awe. "She divided and conquered."
Omori laughed before running his fingers through his bangs. "Simple and predictable double battle technique, Logan. If you're surprised by that, then you won't stand a chance against me."
On the field, Seshiru and Akaki both returned their Pokémon before shaking hands.
"Thank you for this amazing battle! I learned something today," Akaki said. "Let's battle again sometime!"
Seshiru smiled. "You got it!"
"Good job," Logan said as Seshiru returned to the back room. They looked up at the bracket. Seshiru was moving forward. The next match was set to be Logan vs. Omori. One of the screens displayed B block's results, showing that Maleah had won her first battle with ease.
"Our turn, Logan," Omori said. "Not only is the title of King of Kanto on the line, but also Yurie's love! I won't hold back."
Logan sighed and followed Omori out into the hallway which led them to the battlefield. When they entered into view, the crowd went crazy. Logan could hear a lot of girls screaming, so he assumed that they were supporting Omori.
"This Round 1 battle in the A block is between Logan Stephenson from Unova and Kitahara Omori from Johto!" the referee announced.
"Fight like it's our last battle! Go, Pichu and Meganium!" Omori called while throwing his Poké Balls forward. His smaller Pokémon from his contest with Yurie materialized next to a large green Pokémon with a flower around its neck.
Logan nodded. "Alright. Now's your chance, Charmander and Nidorino!" Upon coming out of his Poké Ball, Nidorino roared. He wasn't allowed to battle against the gym leader, so he was excited to fight. Charmander, on the other hand, looked at the crowd, and he started to shake from fear.
"Your Charmander looks terrified," Omori said with a laugh. "You sure you're thinking this through?"
"Charmander!" Logan yelled. His Fire-type turned back to him. "It's gonna be okay. Just focus on your opponents. Pretend that the crowd isn't there. It's just us, buddy."
"Char…"
"Nido!"
"Char?"
"Nidorino!"
"Begin!"
"There's no reason for us to waste any time!" Omori said. "Thunder Punch! Give him a boost with Vine Whip!"
Pichu gripped at his tiny hand as it started to illuminate with electric energy, and Meganium was fast. He released a thick vine from the leaf around his neck, picked up Pichu with it, and then tossed him forward.
"Double Kick!" Logan ordered.
Nidorino leapt in front of Charmander and then twisted his body around. He kicked with his hind legs, knocking Pichu's arm to the side before connecting directly with his other foot. Pichu cried out as he held at his face. He fell to the ground and then glared at Nidorino.
"Now, Dragon Pulse!" Logan ordered.
It was Charmander's turn. After a moment of deliberation, he ran forward. The flame on his tail became blue in color, and he blasted a ball of arcane energy at the floor. It exploded and shot directly at where Pichu was, but before it could reach the Electric-type, Meganium reached out with his vine, and snatched his partner into the air. Pichu landed safely on Meganium's back and then sneered at Charmander.
"Meganium, show everyone here your power!" Omori commanded. "Earthquake!"
Meganium got up on his two hindlegs before coming back down as hard as he could. The entirety of the field shook, and both of Logan's Pokémon felt the damage from the attack. They both froze up as they lost their balance and all senses started to dull.
"Now, Iron Tail and Vine Whip!"
Pichu hopped off the back of his comrade and then raced forward. His tiny, L-shaped tail lit up with energy, and when he was close enough, he twisted around and smashed it into Charmander, sending the Fire-type flying.
Meganium's attack wasn't close behind. Using his vines, he lifted Nidorino into the air and then slammed him down. Logan's Pokémon regrouped slowly, but the damage taken from the combination attack had left them shaken.
Alright, he's a lot better than I thought he'd be. I need to come up with a defensive strategy and quick, Logan thought.
"One more time!" Omori yelled. His Pokémon responded by repeating the attacks that they had done previously.
"I don't think so! Charmander, surround Nidorino and yourself with Fire Spin!" Logan instructed.
Charmander, not wanting to feel the iron hard tail again, blew fire from his mouth. It created a flaming tornado that surrounded him and Nidorino. Pichu and Meganium stopped their attacks as they watched the flames increase.
"Nidorino, use Focus Energy!"
"He's stalling for time," Omori snapped. He looked at the flames. "I'll force them out of there! Pichu, use Volt Tackle!"
"Pichu!" his Pokémon cried out as electricity exploded off of his body. He raced towards the flaming tornado with no fear on his face.
"Charmander, use those flames and give them the strongest Ember you can!" Logan ordered.
Suddenly, the flames stopped swirling, and they began to break up and dissipate. They collapsed and fell towards the ground before they whipped up into a frenzy in front of Charmander. He unleashed them forward like a makeshift Flamethrower attack, and every spout of flame collided with Pichu, but the Electric-type didn't stop. Eventually, the two clashed, causing smoke to fill up the arena. When it finally cleared, both of the Pokémon laid flat on the ground.
"Both Charmander and Pichu are unable to battle!" the referee declared.
"The strain of Volt Tackle may have been too much on Pichu," Omori said regretfully as he returned his Pokémon.
Logan lifted his ball and let the red light withdraw Charmander. "You did wonderful, Charmander. Your hidden power is remarkable."
"This makes it one on one," Omori said. "Meganium has been my partner since the beginning! You won't be able to beat us!"
Logan smiled. "Bring it on! Poison Jab!"
Nidorino, who had been charging up his energy since Fire Spin, roared with power. His horn began to glow a bright purple, and he dashed across the field, his footsteps booming with each bound.
"Earthquake!"
Meganium once again shoved his front legs into the ground, shaking the entirety of the stadium. Nidorino was stopped in his tracks, and he held his head down low as the Ground-type attack did its damage.
"Petal Dance!"
"Mega!" his Pokémon called back. He shook his long neck back and forth, creating green energy in the shape of flower petals. They fell from his body and then whipped up before shooting towards Nidorino.
"Redirect your power, Nidorino! Ice Beam!"
As soon as the shaking stopped, Nidorino raised his head. He jumped backwards and released the blue beam of ice from his horn. It connected with the first wave of petals, freezing them instantly.
But Meganium wasn't done. He continued to move around, creating more and more petals of energy. With every new batch, he sent them forward as he danced around the field, slowly inching in closer to Nidorino.
"Ice Beam! Don't let up!"
With every wave of petals, Nidorino released another blast of cold energy from his horn. The petals froze in place, creating a multitude of ice statues on the field. And when Meganium's attack finally ceased, both of the Pokémon were drained of their energy. Nidorino breathed deeply as Meganium struggled to maintain his footing.
Logan laughed. "Petal Dance is a strong attack, but now Meganium is confused!"
"Meganium, snap out of it!"
"Give it all you got! Use Poison Jab!"
"Earthquake!"
Nidorino took in a deep breath and then raced across the field one last time. Meganium, in an effort to do his attack, stood up on his hindlegs. He shoved his front feet into the ground, shaking the field again. The ice statues from before cracked and exploded from the force of the attack, giving Nidorino his chance. He leapt on one of the statues before taking into the air. Using the remaining energy that he had, he twisted his body and then fell back towards the ground. His horn started to glow purple, and he struck Meganium hard upon coming back down. The Grass-type howled from the pain before taking a couple of steps back on his hindlegs. Then, Meganium collapsed.
The referee raised his flag. "Meganium is unable to battle! Logan is the winner!"
The crowd was a mix of boos and cheers. Clearly, the girls in the crowd were upset with Omori's loss, but a lot of people were entertained by Logan.
Logan ran onto the field to meet with Nidorino, who collapsed in his arms. Logan softly patted him on the head before returning him to his ball. He looked up at where Omori was, but he was nowhere to be found.
When Logan returned to the backroom, Omori was still missing. His bag from before was also gone.
"Yurie's battle is coming up next," Seshiru said. "We can probably get over to the B block's locker room and watch it."
Logan nodded before he followed Seshiru out into the hallway. He looked back into the locker room one more time, making sure that Omori was really gone. He wanted to shake his hand after the battle, but it seemed like he'd have to wait.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
It's so hard to write double battles. What have I got myself into?! Anyways, the next chapter will be Yurie and Sora's battles. I finally get to show off his team.
Special thanks to SudiptoDam19 for Akaki Abe.
Also, I have a poll up on my profile. I'm wanting to develop another story, and I'm wanting your opinions. I'm only going to keep it up for two weeks.
REVIEWS:
pokemonking0924 - "Looks like Logan was right, he was relying on Mightyena a bit too much and now that he's giving the dark type a break his other Pokémon have a chance to shine more. It definitely looks like he's taken a big step forward with Snorlax today and Electabuzzs behavior isn't as bad as I thought it would be. Umizu was an unexpected surprise and I did like his team, I especially liked Seshiru's reaction to him being a temporary replacement instead of herself. I understand that you wanted to mix things up in this story but I do hope that Misty still gets an opportunity to battle. Looking forward to seeing the upcoming tournament you have planned." - Electabuzz's bad behavior will start to show in the next battle. As for Misty/Kasumi, I'm debating whether or not to make her an Elite Four member at some point.
CrescentApple - "These different cultures of food is making me hungry. Pic of Logan and Cyan looks good. Thumbs up. I thought Umiza was some sort of new official character I haven't heard of. I can see now why yoy made the change. When I read Kasumi went with her boyfriend I immediately thought of Ash Ketchum. The battle was fantastic. I don't know howelse to say it. There is a feeling that the Pokemon do need to rely on each other now that Mightyena isn't there to bail them out." - I didn't really have anyone in mind for her boyfriend. I know she has a date with someone in Gold and Silver, so that's kind of where I got the idea from.
pokestets23 - "I really like how you are showing off the battles. I love Logan's team. It is so unique to have so many personalities of the Pokemon displayed, which is something a lot of authors miss while writing. Another great chapter. I was on the fence about Octillery being used in a Kanto gym, but you did well with it and explained it perfectly." - I don't want to reuse a lot of the same Pokemon over and over again, and since Seshiru is already a Water-type trainer, I ran the risk of overusing certain Pokemon. That said, I could have used Seaking.