"There you have it, ladies and gentlemen! Piers has successfully tackled the Fourth Gym Leader, Mary!"
Mary smiled brightly, shaking Piers' hand, as Linoone partied to itself.
Meanwhile in the stands, a Cheering Melony was greeted by a brainstorming Kai, staring at his collection of pokeballs. Jangmo-o was asleep, shockingly through all the noise, as Kai thought to himself.
"Kai, aren't you gonna cheer for Piers?" Melony asked.
Kai looked up from his gaze. "Huh? Oh right, sorry! Woooo Piers!" Kai quickly shouted.
Melony walked down the stairs of the stadium's floor and continued into the locker room. Kai stayed put in the crowd.
"Trapinch... hmm."
Kai opened the pokeball containing trapinch, allowing it to come out and mingle. It looked around curiously, staring at kai for a few seconds before clamping onto his leg defensively.
"Aiyeeeeee! Get off!"
Piers made his way up to the plate, looking at Kai, gasping. "Mate, y'alright?" He shouted, prying Trapinch off of Kai's leg, as he groaned in pain. Trapnich bit Pier's finger in disgust.
"Yeowch!" Piers shouted, dropping him. Trapinch growled, waking up Jangmo-o, who sneered at it's partner angrily. Trapnich calmed down, jumping up to the seat, closley monitoring Kai.
Kai looked down at Trapnich's beady eyes, unsure of what it was thinking. Why doesn't this thing like me? Could it be because I took it out of it's natural environment? Impossible... Dreepy and Noibat didn't resist like this. Then again... they also needed my help.
Kai tried to turn his focus to Melony's battle, studying her strategy. This was the first time that Mime Jr. was getting a chance to stretch it's non-existant wings. She was moping the floor with Mime Jr.'s Psybeam, and was on her way to claiming a badge.
Trapinch watched the battle, as Mary G-Max'd her Machamp and Melony Dynamaxed her Mime Jr.
It seemed interested in the Process.
Kai eyeballed his companion out of the corner of his eye. Does he want to Dynamax? Perhaps this is the strategy I can use. Although I shouldn't underestimate Mary's strength, this ought to be a walk in the park. Maybe I can use this battle to get close with Trapinch!
Melony took the G-Max Machamp down just by the skin of her teeth. Kai knew his battle was next, so he went down. Piers gave him a good luck "pat" and sent him on his way. As he changed, he Decided to put Trapinch into priority, and let Jangmo-o take a rest. His normal companion crawled up Kai's back, and coiled itself around his neck, drifting off to sleep.
"I've really got to get you some Energy Pills you narcoleptic punk." Kai whispered to himself.
Trapinch was hesitant, mostly for it's own safety. It didn't follow behind Kai, but rather walked in front of him, occasionally looking back and then continuing.
"If it's follow the leader you want to play, trapinch, then we can do that." Kai argued. "Just be my friend, will ya?"
Kai entered the challenge room, and was intrigued by the test. It was a Desert Obstacle Course, one that almost reminded him of the Route before Stow-On-Side.
The umpire greeted Kai as usual. "Challenger Kai! Welcome back. Here is your fourth trial!" He began, extending his arm out to showcase the course. "As you can see, Sand, Rocks, Cacti, and Tumbleweeds clutter this obstacle course. It's almost like the real Route 6! Your mission is to put your trust into your Pokemon, and overcome this challenge with them! It's not for the faint of heart, especially if you and your partner don't have the best bond."
Kai groaned. "Great. Thanks."
The umpire blew his whistle, giving a thumbs up. "Good luck!"
Kai shook his head, watching trapinch, who had somehow ran over to a rockwall and began chewing on the rope.
"Hey!" Kai shouted. "Stop that! I need to climb!"
Trapinch ignored this, and continued nibbling. Kai pulled it away, and trapinch squirmed, pouting. It eventually wriggled out, and then looked back at Kai, before creating a dust cloud in anger.
"Look, if you're going to have an attitude about this..." Kai began, looking at the dust cloud, and thinking for a few seconds. He looked down at trapinch, seeing a neutral expression. It looked almost as if he was indicating to Kai that... he should jump inside of the cloud.
"Do you... want me to go into this dust storm?" Kai asked curiously.
Trapinch opened it's mouth in a positive response, walking inside itself, getting blown up the ledge, and onto the second level of the course.
Kai's mouth dropped. Wow, how clever! This sandstorm saves so much time! Instead of climbing the rope, just riding the gust would get me up in half the time! Good going!
Kai, without hesitating, hopped into the dust cloud, getting sent upward. Trapinch was jumping up and down, seemingly happy.
"So, you were trying to tell me the rope was useless, huh?"
Trapinch didn't respond, and instead began digging a hole.
"Hey, where are you going?" Kai shouted, as Trapinch dug.
It popped it's head up, snickering.
"Come back here, please! I'm begging you!"
Trapinch's burrow continued to grow, until it suddenly vanished through a rock wall. Then, it was nowhere to be seen.
"Trapinch! Come on!"
A few moments later, atop the rock ledge was Trapinch, looking down at Kai. It tilted it's head, confused as to why Kai was shouting.
"How did you get up there?" Kai asked, confused.
Trapinch jumped up and down, before jumping off the ledge and digging into it's trench once again. Kai watched, as the lightbulb in his head flickered on.
Right! Trapinch can dig holes, so fast and so strong, that they can break through large walls of rock without damaging the foundation!
Kai knew that he had to follow Trapinch's hole, and he did just that. The rocks, dirt, and roots from the ground were all perfectly tunneled through, preventing kai from getting hit with debris. Clever!
Kai dusted himself off, looking at a happy trapinch. The final roadblock in their way was a large pasture of Desert Vegetation, which could not be crossed by normal means.
Suddenly, Trapinch bit firmly onto kai's knee.
"Yeaaaahahouch!" Kai shouted, shaking trapinch off. It was angry again, biting once more. Kai was furious.
"Look, what do you want me to do? I'm trying to be your friend, you're not making it easy! Come on!"
Trapinch looked exasperated. It ran towards the cactus, jumping up and down. It then continued chomping it's large jaws together.
"What? What is it?" Kai asked. "Please, for the love of all things... I just wish you could actually speak and tell me what you're saying..."
Trapinch shook it's head, and then bit hard onto a cactus, causing it to snap and fall to the ground.
Kai's eyes widened. "Right! You know crunch! That's it! Oh, Trapinch, I'm sorry!" He happily exclaimed, as Trapinch crunched it's way through the cactus field. Kai followed through the rubble, reaching the end door, as the bell for the completion rang.
"Congratulations, challenger Kai! You are now ready to face Mary!" the umpire called. "Go forth onto the field!"
Kai fistbumped, and Trapinch smiled. It almost hopped into Kai's arms, but it didn't feel ready for that. The trust between the two had grown.
"Thank you Trapinch. You did great! Let's go kick some butt!" Kai shouted encouragingly.
The door to the stadium opened, as the roaring crowd echoed through the stands. There on the other side stood Mary, as she walked out, heading to the center. She bowed to her opponent, Kai.
"It's good to finally battle with you, desert traveller!" She began.
Kai chuckled. "You as well."
Mary resumed her normal permission. "As you know, I am Mary. Fourth Gym Leader, and the Fighting expert. Don't expect any mercy from me, and in return, I won't expect any from you." She said, walking to her battle position as Kai did the same.
The announcer cued the match in. "The battle of our Rising Star, Kai, takes on Mary! This will be a match for the books!"
Mary pointed forward, winking, as she released her first pokemon, Hitmonlee. It bounced into battle, butterfly kicking. The crowd Roared.
"Feel the power of Hitmonlee, it's legs, comparable to that of steel beams moving at one hundred miles an hour!"
Kai grinned, holding on to his hat. "Alright Trapinch, are you ready to show them what we're made of?"
Trapinch walked forward, looking back at his partner confusingly. Kai's face went neutral.
What happened to Trapinch's spunk?
Kai shook it off.
"Alright Hitmonlee, Rapid Spin!"
Hitmonlee began spinning in a quick clockwise fashion, as trapinch braced for impact.
"Trapinch, Counter it with a Dig!"
As Hitmonlee spun, Trapinch turned, and then began digging a hole. When Hitmonlee finished spinning, it looked around, confused. Trapinch emerged, and then Crunched Hitmonlee's leg, causing it to topple over in pain.
Hey! That's not what I told it to do!
"Trapinch, Dig!"
"Hitmonlee, Hi Jump Kick!"
As Trapinch Dug, Hitmonlee regained it's balance, hopping in the air and dodging Trapinch's dig. Backflipping in the air, It swiftly kicked into trapinch, Knocking it back. The crowd cheered.
"Trapinch, are you alright?"
Trapinch got up, rage burning in it's beady little eyes.
"Alright, let's get em' with a body slam Trapinch!"
Trapinch, once again, decided to do it's own thing. It began with a body slam, but then proceeded with crunch. Hitmonlee had taken too much damage from Hi Jump Kick, and the Crunch was it's finishing blow.
Why won't Trapinch obey me? Kai thought.
"Trapinch shockingly defeats Hitmonlee with barely a dent! This is insane!"
Kai angrily looked at his companion. "Hey! Get your head in the game!" Kai shouted.
Mary scorned Kai. "That's no way to talk to your partner!" She shouted. "A Pokemon should be treated as if you were conferring with a normal person!"
Kai was embarrassed. He looked down at Trapinch, who scurried up to Kai, preparing to strike again.
Mary pointed out again, shooting her second pokemon from it's ball; Hitmonchan. The Crowd roared.
"Hitmonchan! A Heavy hitter indeed!" Shouted the announcer. "But will it be enough to take out this feisty deity known as Trapinch?"
Kai looked down at his partner, and finally, realized what was going on.
Wait a minute... Trapinch isn't disobeying me because it doesn't like me, it's disobeying me because it doesn't agree with my strategy! Kai thought to himself. Of course! Trapinch has always been stubborn from the day I caught it... but the best way to combat stubbornness is to take it head on!
Kai kneeled down to Trapinch, who looked back and turned around.
"Alright Trapinch, what do you think we should do to Hitmonchan?"
Trapinch tilted it's head. It seemed happy. It jumped up, softly ground pounding the floor.
Kai Smirked. "Now that's what I'm talking about. Alright buddy, let's Body Slam!"
Trapinch launched itself up, Shooting itself into Hitmonchan.
"Hitmonchan, Mach Punch!" Mary shouted, as Hitmonchan countered the move, sending Trapinch flying.
Kai caught Trapinch, who looked up at it's trainer, smiling. That burning passion was still very visible in those little beady black eyes.
"You're some kind of special, aren't you?" Kai asked his trapinch. "You still wanna body slam?" Kai asked.
Trapinch shook it's head, looking at the ground.
"Dig? You got it. Go for it!"
Trapinch burrowed into the ground before Hitmonchan could punch in time. It uppercutted the fisted fighter into the sky, and sent it back onto the ground. Hitmonchan took a heavy hit from the recoil and fainted.
"Mary's Second Pokemon is down! Trapinch is on fire! Will this streak keep burning? Or will Mary's next wild card blow out Kai's candle?"
Mary giggled. "This is my Trump Card... get ready. Grapploct, let's do it!"
Grapploct entered the ring, as the crowd cheered. The Octofighter balled it's tentacles letting out a battle cry.
Trapinch looked a bit nervous. It turned to Kai, looking for orders.
"You want me to call the shots now?" Kai asked, looking at Trapinch, and then at Grapploct.
Kai thought for a while. "Alright... Let's hit em with, Crunch!"
Trapinch began to run at full speed, it's Jaws wide open.
"Grapploct, Octozooka!"
Grapploct leaned back, before shooting a large, inky, watery cannon shot at Trapinch, sending it backwards in a tidal wave. Trapinch rolled under Kai's feet softly. It's eyes were half open.
Kai kneeled down. "Trapinch? Are you okay Buddy? Say something! Do something!"
Trapinch's eyes shut closed. Just as all hope looked lost, a white light began to engulf the little fighter.
The crowd gasped.
"It looks like Kai's Trapinch is evolving! This is getting interesting!"
Kai's eyes widened. "M-My first evolution!" He shouted softly, as Trapinch's structure began to change. The light dimmed, and out from it emerged Vibrava. It hovered above Kai, happily circling him, before readying itself once more.
"Woah! Trapinch! I mean... Vibrava... You look awesome!"
Mary smirked. "A clever evolution, but it's not going to stop this train from rolling! Grapploct, Octozooka!"
Kai looked at Vibrava, who was prepared to tank the hit. Now half Dragon, Kai was ready to test out it's new move.
"Whadda ya say to a little Dragonbreath?"
Vibrava, without hesitation, shot out a burning hot beam of fire from it's mouth, Scalding Grapploct. It fell down, getting back up and cuffing it's fists.
"Grapploct, Submission!"
"Dragonbreath again!"
Vibrava and Grapploct charged at eachother viciously, but Vibrava took the victory, as it launched it's beam and shot the Octo-fighter down. Grapploct had fainted.
The crowd began chanting. "Kai's beginning to heat up here folks! This is it, Mary's last Pokemon... will Vibrava and Kai be able to take it down?"
Mary snickered, sending out her Machamp, her final blow.
"Alright Kai, you might've gotten lucky thus far, but your road terminates here." She said, grinning. She called Machamp back, preparing to Gigantamax, as she looked at the ball, nodding her head, and tossing it back swiftly. Machamp's projection shot up and grew, as it crashed to the ground with a vicious roar. The crowd cheered.
"Nice move, but we're going to give you a run for your money!" Kai shouted. "Ready, Vibrava?"
Vibrava nodded, it's burning passion flaming harder than before. Kai took his partner back, gripping his cap. "Let's... DYNAMAX!"
Vibrava's reflection grew, and grew, and grew. Soon, it was the same size as G-Max Machamp.
"Machamp... G-Max, CHI STRIKE!" Mary called out, as a giant orange fist rocketed out of the sky, Plummeting Vibrava.
Vibrava looked beat, but it continued to hold up.
"Don't give up Vibrava! We've got this! Hit 'em with a Max Wyrmwind!"
Vibrava's storm lit up the sky, as it shot down at Machamp, taking a chunk of it's energy, but not by much.
"Alright machamp, another Chi Strike!"
The Fist once again knuckled it's way into Vibrava, hitting hard.
"Vibrava, we've got this! One more time... Max... Wyrmwind!"
Vibrava whipped up a storm so strong, it could cause a hurricane, and sent it hurdling at Machamp.
The Projection for Machamp began to flicker, as it slowly erupted and fell to the ground. Mary had been defeated.
Kai fistbumped as usual, as Vibrava shrank, and the crowd roared.
"Unbelievable! Kai has defeated the fourth Gym Leader, Mary, and with room to spare!"
Mary looked disappointed, but she was, quite contrary. She grinned, bowing to Kai. "You displayed fine work. The other leaders were right... you are definitely a force to be reckoned with."
Kai grinned. "Thank you, Mary."
They shook hands, as Kai took his fourth badge and added it to his medallion.
Greeted per usual by his friends outside, Kai looked at his new Vibrava. Apparently, a new level of respect had been granted between the two. They both have their own battle plans, but by working together, they became a force that was impenetrable.
It goes to show how teamwork, makes the dreamwork.