Chapter 34
After yet another run-in with Team Magma and Team Aqua, and after the Wailord migration had passed, Hiccup and the gang had finally arrived at the island bound Mossdeep City. On the island was a large building with a satellite dish that Fishlegs described as the Mossdeep Space Center, where they study the stars and anything happening outside of Earth.
That was all well and good, but there was one thing on Hiccup's mind at the moment, besides how to finally take down Grimmel and Drago, and that was the Mossdeep gym.
As they were getting things together in the Pokémon Center, Hiccup looks to Astrid and asks, "So, Astrid, you know anything about the Gym Leader here?"
Astrid replies, "Actually, it's Gym LeaderS."
Hiccup raises a brow. "Leaders? As in more than one?"
Astrid nods. "I've only heard about this, but apparently the Mossdeep gym has two Gym Leaders that fight in the style of a double battle in which you use two Pokémon to battle two trainers at once. Also, I hear that these leaders use Psychic Type Pokémon, which can be a little tricky to deal with."
Hiccup nods. "Psychic types huh? Haven't really battled too many of them but how hard can it be, right? Now, as for fighting two of them at once…I think I have an idea." He goes to one of the phones and makes a quick call to Professor Birch.
Once that was done, Hiccup got the rest of the gang together and they made their way over to the gym, located towards the South-West side of the island. Inside the gym was a very dark, tile wood floor that lit up in a Pokéball fashion.
Right before entering, a scruffy female voice announces, "Enter, if you dare." Figuring there's no other way, they walk in and on the other side was a boy and a girl, both with braided blonde hair and both wearing blue jumpsuits.
Hiccup immediately recognized the two, but before he could say anything the boy announces, "Welcome! To the Mossdeep City Gym. We knew you were coming, we could see it in our minds." He said it as if he thought it would be odd to them. "I am Tuffnut!"
The girl adds, "And I am Ruffnut, and we are your Gym Leaders!"
(I mean, really…did anyone expect anyone else for this? And no, this wasn't the whole reason why I wanted to do this in R/S/E…ok maybe a little bit.)
Hiccup sighs and mentally says, "Yeah, alright, I suppose I had to run into these two at some point, pretty much everyone else is here. Could be worse, I suppose."
Tuffnut then says, "Come forth, challenger, and face your ultimate demise!"
Hiccup looks to the rest of the gang and shrugs. The gang take their usual place on the bleachers while Hiccup steps up to the challenger post as the referee stands and announces, "This battle between the challenger, Hiccup Haddock, and Gym Leaders, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, will soon begin! This battle will be done in the style of a double battle, both Leaders will use one Pokémon each while the challenger can use two at once, the battle is over when both Pokémon on either side have been defeated. If all trainers are ready, then let the battle…begin!"
Ruffnut pulls out a Pokéball and announces, "Solrock, let's go!" and sends out an orange, floating rock in the shape of the sun.
Tuffnut adds, "Lunatone, smash them!" and sends out a tan, floating rock in the shape of a crescent moon.
Suddenly a screeching could be heard from the bleachers, making Hiccup look to see Fishlegs as giddy as a kid in a candy store. "Solrock and Lunatone, no way! I've heard of them but have never actually seen them in real life. They're literally some of the coolest Rock Type Pokémon in the world. Oh, I have to study them once the battle is over!"
Snotlout rolls his eyes. "This guy and his rocks, I swear."
Hiccup pulls up the Pokédex, first for the sun rock. "Solrock, the Meteorite Pokémon. Solrock is said to have fallen from deep space. It absorbs energy from the sun and can release the energy in a bright light."
Then for the moon rock. "Lunatone, the Meteorite Pokémon. Lunatone was found recently in the crater of a meteorite field, and is said to have come from space. It is most active during the night of the full moon and is said to be somehow linked to The Moon's phases."
Hiccup nods as he puts the Pokédex away. "Rock and Psychic Type for both, huh? Well then, let's get this going." He pulls out two Pokéballs. "Ninjask, Shedinja, let's go!" He sends out a black flying beetle with a yellow head and a tan shell with a crescent shaped halo.
Astrid comments. "Interesting. Both Ninjask and Shedinja are Bug Types which is good against Psychic, but not so great against the Rock Type of Solrock and Lunatone. I hope Hiccup has a plan."
Fishlegs adds, "Plus, if Shedinja gets hit by even one Rock Type attack from either Pokémon, it's game over."
Hiccup then says, "Let's see what we can do. Ninjask, use Fury Cutter, Shedinja, use Shadow Sneak!" Just then, Ninjask moves towards Solrock and Lunatone at a near blinding speed while Shedinja fades into a realm of shadows.
Ruffnut and Tuffnut look to each other before Ruffnut commands, "Solrock, use Rock Slide!' Suddenly, a bunch of rocks appear out of nowhere that Ninjask barely has time to react and dodge.
It was at that moment that Shedinja reappears behind both Pokémon, but Tuffnut sees this and commands, "Lunatone, Cosmic Power!"
Lunatone floats in front of Solrock and shines bright as Shedinja strikes it, but the Cosmic power caused the attack to do very little.
Hiccup comments, "Huh, with Snotlout the battle was over by now so I guess these two are a bit smarter. Ninjask, Double Team!"
"Nin-ja-ja-ja-ja-ja!" Ninjask moves so quickly that it appears to have clones of itself.
Tuffnut then says, "Lunatone use-"
But was interrupted by Ruffnut, "Solrock, use Psychic!"
"Solllllllll!" Solrock's eyes glow pink as it captures the real Ninjask and suspends it in mid-air.
Tuffnut asks, "What the heck, Ruffnut?! I was gonna use Psychic!"
Ruffnut flicks her hand. "Tuff luck. Get it? Get it? Good, now explain it to me."
Hiccup shakes his head. "Some things really don't change. Shedinja, use Shadow Sneak again, help out Ninjask!" Shedinja vanishes into the shadows and reappears to snatch Ninjask out of Solrock's grasp.
Tuffnut then smirks. "Now who has the tuff luck? I actually don't get it either but, Lunatone, use Psychic on Shedinja!"
"Lunaaaaaaaa!" Lunatone's eyes glow pink as it attempts to capture Shedinja, but it soon finds to be ineffective.
"Wait, what?" Tuffnut asks. "Why isn't that working?"
Hiccup points out, "Shedinja can only get hit by attacks that are super-effective against it and Psychic is not one of those."
Fishlegs comments, "Took the words right out of my mouth."
Tuffnut was visibly angry while Ruffnut smirks, "At least I knew which one to hit."
Tuffnut replies, "Yeah, so do I." before punching her in the arm.
Hiccup rolls his eyes again then thinks to himself. "Now that I said it, Shedinja is a bit of a target now. Ninjask, use Dig and help protect Shedinja!"
"Nin-jask!" Ninjask takes Shedinja down and digs a hole into the floor, making a tunnel that Shedinja follows behind.
Ruffnut comments, "They couldn't have gotten far. Solrock, use Sol-"
But was interrupted by Tuffnut, "Lunatone, Moonblast!" Just then, Lunatone shines almost as bright as the moon before firing a beam into the hole. The beam causes Ninjask and Shedinja to be ejected out of the tunnel, but while Ninjask took on some scratches, Shedinja was unaffected.
Ruffnut yells. "Hey! No fair!"
Tuffnut shrugs. "You got one on me so I got one on you."
Hiccup rubs the side of his head. "I gotta end this soon before I get a migraine or something." He then gets an idea for at least half of the issue. "Shedinja, use Grudge on Lunatone!"
Shedinja grabs onto Lunatone and it glows purple, causing Lunatone to glow purple as well.
Tuffnut comments, "Oh no you don't. Lunatone, use Rock Slide!"
Just like with Solrock earlier, Lunatone sends a bunch of rocks down that do actually hit Shedinja and knock it out, but because of the Grudge, Lunatone was taken out as well.
The referee announces, "Shedinja and Lunatone are unable to battle!"
Hiccup retrieves Shedinja. "Sorry about that, buddy, you did great, it's just that I needed to take at least one of them out quickly."
Fishlegs comments, "Well, Grudge was great for getting Lunatone out, but that still leaves Solrock and Hiccup only has Ninjask to work with."
Tuffnut throws his hands into the air. "Are you kidding me?! I'm out just like that?"
Ruffnut comments. "That's a double battle for ya. Now, stand aside and watch how a real Gym Leader does it. Solrock, use Solar Beam!"
"Sollllllllll!" Solrock takes in and absorbs power from the sun.
Hiccup comments, "Solar Beam needs time to charge. Ninjask, use Double Team!"
"Nin-ja-ja-ja-ja!" Once again, Ninjask moves fast enough to make clones of itself.
Ruffnut rolls her eyes. "Using Double Team again, huh? Oh well, it's your battle. Now, Solrock!"
"Rooooooock!" Solrock fires of the beam of bright light that goes right through one of the Ninjask clones.
"What?" Ruffnut asks.
Hiccup commands, "Ninjask, use Fury Cutter, now!"
The clones retreat into Ninjask and it goes at Solrock with as much blinding fury as it can mutter, delivering enough force to knock the sun shaped rock to the ground next to Lunatone.
The referee announces, "Solrock is unable to battle, the winner is Hiccup Haddock!"
Hiccup pumps his fist into the air as Ninjask circles him. "Yeah, I did it!"
Fishlegs comments, "Wow, that seemed like a fairly quick battle."
"Indeed it did." Said a man with long, blonde hair and a red vest who had just popped up next to them.
"Wh-what? Where did you come from?" Snotlout asks.
The man replies, "That's not important, what is important is those two." He steps down to the battlefield and both twins take a kneel.
"Cousin, Gruffnut," Ruffnut says. "How long have you been watching."
Gruffnut crosses his arms. "Long enough. Ruffnut, Tuffnut, this is the 10th loss in a week. Now, I know that a Gym leader is bound to lose now and then, but they're also supposed to be a challenge. All you two ever do is argue with each other, so much so that you can't seem to focus on the battle at hand." He sighs. "You two aren't cut out to be Gym Leaders."
Tuffnut looks up and puts his hands together. "Oh, please, Gruffnut, give us an eleventh chance! We promise we'll get our act together!"
Ruffnut adds, "Yeah, come on, you know how much we want this."
Gruffnut shakes his head. "I'm sorry guys, I gave you a chance and you blew it, I'm afraid I'll have to take back title of Gym Leader. Perhaps myself alone will be tougher than you two combined." Gruffnut then looks to Hiccup and says, "Well, kid, you did win the battle so I suppose a badge is in order."
Hiccup thinks for a moment before looking to those on the bleachers, remembering who those guys are and what sort of past they have. He looks back and replies, "I'll accept it, but on one term. Those two give it to me, and join me on my journey."
Gruffnut raises a brow. "You want to take these two with you?"
Hiccup nods. "I know it sounds odd, but two of my friends over there are also Gym Leaders who recently realized that the job isn't for them, so I took them with me to help them explore other options. One of them is now studying to be an expert on Rock Type Pokémon, the other is now able to train Pokémon much easier. Give me time with them, and I think I can help them."
Gruffnut ponders this as he looks to Ruffnut and Tuffnut who simultaneously say, "Please? Can we go with him?"
Gruffnut sighs before replying, "Alright, I'll allow it." Both Ruffnut and Tuffnut stand up and hug Gruffnut tight.
"You won't regret this." The two of them and Hiccup say.
Snotlout then asks, "So, we gotta take these two with us now?"
Astrid shrugs. "The more the merrier. I'm sure it will be fine."
They then meet up outside the gym where Gruffnut holds out the pink heart shaped badge saying, "Hiccup, for not only defeating but taking my cousins under your wing, I hereby award you with the Mind Badge. Use it well, my friend."
Hiccup picks up the badge saying, "Thank you." He holds it up saying, "Alright, I just got the Mind Badge."
Snotlout then asks, "So, he didn't actually beat this Gruffnut guy, but he's still getting a badge?"
Fishlegs replies, "Hiccup defeated the Gym Leaders, that's all the reason he needs."
With that, the gang plus Ruffnut and Tuffnut head to the Pokémon center where they begin introductions and begin to discuss Hiccup's next exciting leg of his Pokémon journey.
Alright, not many asked for it but the twins are here, thus completing the full gang.
Thank you for reading this story up to this point, if you did then please let me know.
