Chapter 30: Beginners luck
Before going to the Lavaridge Town Gym, I decided to ease my mind in Lavaridge's famous hot springs.
"You must be the challenger" asked a man who was in there with me. "My name is Pyler. I was the Gym Leader of this very Town." I asked him what he meant by "was". The man chuckled. "Oh, that's right. I'm retired. A month ago, in fact." I asked him who the new Gym Leader was. "That would be my granddaughter, Flannery." Neat, a new Leader. "Well, you are quite a special challenger" he told me. "Because as it so happens, you will also be her first opponent."
WHHHAAATTT?!
"I'm not saying go easy on her per say, but just keep that in mind".
Through the Gym I battled Trainers. They used Fire Types, with a Meditite user thrown in there to. (It knew Fire Punch, so I'll let it slide).
Then, stood before me with a cropped top and red hair, was Flannery. She was trying to look serious. "CHALLENGER!" she shouted, followed by some deep breaths. "YOU COME CHALLENGE ME, FLANNERY!" She breathed again. I asked if she was alright, but she just replied with "I'M FINE! YOU'RE GOING DOWN!"
"Go Slugma!" she yelled. I have an understandable hatred of Slugma ever since that incident. My hand had only just about healed. I used Machop. Figures my first Pokémon would be my latest one to give her a good start. Battling Trainers helped it get a few levels though.
Machop started off with Karate Chop, which hit. "Slugma, use Ember!" Slugma spat some flaming sears at Machop. Machop clearly felt it. Machop used Karate Chop again. One more would do it to Slugma. "Ember again!" Slugma fired another round at Machop. This time it inflicted a burn. Machop used another Karate Chop, taking down Slugma. After that though, burn got the better of Machop and it fainted.
"OH, MY, GOODNESS I BEAT IT!" Flannery shouted excitedly. "Wait, don't get too overexcited. Okay, go Numel!" She sent out a Numel. I was still having flashbacks to Maxie's Camerupt, so I was willing to do this. I sent out Swellow. "Oh no not a Flying Type against my Ground Type" Flannery told me. "Just kidding, I'm prepared! Swellow used Wing Attack on Numel, but Flannery was determined. "Numel, Rock Tomb!" Numel sent multiple rocks at Swellow which really hurt it, bringing its hp down to half. "Whatya think? A Rock Type move!" I was impressed. Swellow used another Wing Attack. Numel was almost down. "Rock Tomb again!" Numel used another Rock Tomb. Swellow was almost down to. "Now Numel! Ember!" Numel used Ember on Swellow knocking it out.
"I have my strategies" she told me. "Rock Tomb lowers speed, so I had it lower the speed enough to make Swellow slower than Numel, then take down Swellow." For a beginner, this Leader was impressive.
Next, I used Seviper. Seviper used Bite on Numel, finishing it off.
"My last Pokémon" Flannery said, looking at her Pokeball. "Go, my favourite one, Torkoal!" Out came an orange Pokémon with a grey shell with holes in it. Out the holes came steam.
Torkoal
105
Fire Type
Coal Pokémon
1'08" (0.5 m)
177.3 lbs (80.4 kg)
Torkoal generates energy by burning coal. It grows weaker as the fire dies down. When it is preparing for battle, this Pokémon burns more coal.
I recalled Seviper and sent in Marshtomp. "Oh no" Flannery said. "I, DON'T THINK I CAN DO THIS!" She ran out the Gym in tears.
I chased her. "Leave me alone!" she shouted, as she bumped into Pyler. "Flannery, what's wrong?" Flannery wiped her eyes. "It's him!" she shouted, pointing at me. "He's playing a mean prank! He was using Pokémon that were fine to battle, but then he goes and uses Marshtomp! How am I to beat a Pokemon which has two types that are strong against Torkoal?"
Pyler stood his ground. "Flannery. Part of being a Gym Leader is facing all the challenges that come towards you. You are going to face Pokemon at an advantage." Flannery still needed convincing. "Let me tell you a story" Pyler said. "My first Gym Battle was against a Trainer with a Whiscash. I got so nervous that I did the same thing. But it was not the right thing."
Pyler walked up to me. "I am so sorry about this" he said. "She has been very nervous for this day. But I like what you did, leaving the strongest for her strongest. Come on Flannery. Do this again, and I'm afraid that the Gym Leader Committee will force you to resign." She sniffed and looked at me. "We are going to finish this" she told me.
The battle resumed. Marshtomp started with Water Gun, which did a bit of damage to Torkoal. It's shell was certainly hard. "Torkoal, Body Slam!" Torkoal jumped up and slammed down onto Marshtomp. When Marshtomp got up, it's legs refused to move as well as they did. It was paralyzed! "Oh yeah!" Flannery shouted. "Torkoal, give it a dose of Flamethrower!" Torkoal did just that. It wasn't very effective, but it was still strong. Marhtomp couldn't move that turn. "Give it another Body Slam!" Torkoal used it again, but this time, it missed! "No!" Flannery shouted. "Wait, this is a battle! I shouldn't panic!" Marshtomp suddenly started charging at Torkoal. It hit Torkoal but hurt itself in progress. "That was Take Down!" Flannery yelled. "I believe that your Marshtomp just learned that, but it will take more than that to beat Torkoal!"
Suddenly, Torkoal really started heating up. "I think it's time to show you my favourite move!" Flannery said. "Torkoal, use your Overheat!" Torkoal sent a huge torrent of flames at Marshtomp. It hit, leaving Marshtomp hanging on. Marshtomp came back with Mud Shot. Torkoal was almost finished. Torkoal used another Overheat and Marshtomp was knocked out.
"We did it!" Flannery shouted. "Oh, wait, no we haven't". I sent out Seviper. Seviper used Poison Tail and finished off Torkoal.
"I… lost" Flannery said, falling to her knees. I helped her up and thanked her. There was a lot to thank her for. "Hey, I did take down Marshtomp! I need to thank you, but how?" She thought for a second. "Oh, yes. I know how. Here is the Heat Badge." I received it from her. "Here is TM50 as well. It receives the Overheat move. As much as I love it, it decreases your special attack by two stages each time, so be careful."
"Fabulous match!" Pyler told me. "Sorry for that little commotion though. So, where next?" I looked at my Badges. I had 4, which meant…
…it was time to take on Dad.