As Nate and Hugh finally reached Castelia City, the boat didn't even get the chance to create a pathway to get off before Iris straight up jumped off the side, the boys completely not expecting that to happen as she landed on a feet and knee, and bolted, clutching her Axew tight to her chest, whom was crying out that she shouldn't be doing this.
"Wha-hey! Where are you going?!" Hugh shouted at Iris, but she didn't answer as she disappeared into the city. "Wh-why would she do that? Why the hell would she do that?!" The boy was obviously escalating from the confusion of the situation, Nate put a hand over his right shoulder.
"Hugh, I'll tell you, but let's be on the pier first. There's something I need to tell you." Looking at his best friend and then the hand on his shoulder, he shrugged it off while huffing, clearly ticked off that the champion ditched them. Once they were on the pier, the two began to talk.
"Alright, we're on the pier. So why did she do it?" Nate looked conflicted, not sure how to say it, but he knew that Hugh was a ticking time bomb in his current emotional state, likely from just having finished his training, so he sighed.
"Iris kissed me." Hugh looked perplexed by that response. Totally flabbergasted. "Iris was telling me how that the title of champion was too much for her so she ran to train her Pokemon. What kicked it off was her Deino becoming confused and we had to call off a battle and also told me that despite being a champion with dragon types, new trainers like us trounce her dragons because their Pokemon trounce hers before becoming as famously strong as they do." After a few seconds, Hugh tried to respond to that.
"We-well that shouldn't mean she had to jump off a boat to get away from you. That just sounds flimsy and pathetic for a champion."
"But that's the thing. She was being raised to be a gym leader. I highly regarded role but much smaller than champion. Think about it. All the champions that we know about in recent history, from Red all the way to Bianca, they took a journey to reach that goal, they became ready to become champion to shoulder everything a champion does. But not Iris. It was passed down to her when she didn't have the skills or experience. Do you think you'd be ready to become the new champion if you were just our hometown's gym leader?" Hugh looked downwards and to his right.
"No. Practically nothing happens there."
"She spent a year running from responsibilities she wasn't ready for, and her team isn't strong enough yet. But what really got her going was when...when she kissed me, it was the spur of the moment. I believe it was because I said that titles don't matter. I don't see her as a champion or dragon master first, but human. Then she ran off since it was unintentional and was maybe inappropriate." Both were silent, but it didn't take long before his best friend started laughing. "Huh? What's so funny?"
"Oh Nate, you don't see it, do you?" The raven haired boy slung his arm over Nate's. "Girls just love that corny romantic junk. Oh Iris, I love you for who you are, not what you're labeled." He said in a mocking tone of the overused cliche. "Don't worry, she'll get over it."
"Wha-that's not-you're oversimplifying it!" Nate objected getting the arm around his shoulders off. "And I don't love her." Hugh in response just lightly punched him in the arm while chuckling.
"Sure you don't Romeo. Just don't let me catch you two slobbering all over each other once we get her back. Amy already makes me watch that romantic junk too much already."
"Shut up!" Nate told his best friend off, but he just laughed loudly as he walked away, heading to the gym. Nate was greatly annoyed and a bit embarrassed, but he let it go with a sigh. "Iris, I hope you're okay." With nowhere else to go, he followed Hugh, whom was still laughing. On the way he noticed a sailing ship docked at one of the piers. A sailing ship here? Who uses them anymore? Ships of fuel and electricity rule the oceans now, so why would an archaic ship be here? Choosing to ignore the observation with a shake of his head, Nate continued.
Later
"What?! What do you mean he's not here?!" Hugh yelled into the gym employee's face, furious that he wasn't here.
"There was some trouble he's attending to now. He's been gone for some time now."
"Dang it!" The raven haired teen complained as he kicked the building's wall. "Now what are we supposed to do?!"
"Look for Iris?" Nate suggested, but his friend scoffed at him.
"Please, this is the most populated place in Unova. How are we supposed to find one girl in a mass of people. Even with her big hair it's hard to find anyone." Thinking about it, it took less than 15 seconds for the teen to snap his fingers and smile.
"I just had an idea."
In the park, there appeared to be nothing wrong, but in one of the trees, was the champion, hiding among the leaves as she sobbed to herself, hugging Axew whom tried to calm her down, but wasn't being very successful.
"Axew?" The shiny Tusk Pokempn asked.
"I...I know. It's stupid but...how am I supposed to face him after what I did? Even though he said my titles aren't above me, I did something no sane person does. I should just leave those two. It's not like they'd come looking for-"
"Iris." Hearing her name called out from below, she looked down to see her friends, whom had Nate's Riolu with him. Caught off guard, she tried to move away but that only resulted in falling off the branch she was on and falling down, though her hair managed to cushion the fall.
"Iris! Are you ok?!" Nate tried to help her but she tried brushing him off, swiping away his hands as she got up, shoving Axew into her hair, though he poked out of it.
"I-I'm fine. But...why are you two here?"
"Because we were worried about you." Nate answered.
"More so that Burgh wasn't in the gym than worrying about you for me but what can you do?" Hugh shrugged. Nate elbowed him in annoyance before asking,
"Iris, please don't run away. You're our friend."
"Why? I..." Looking around the champion said in a much quieter volume, "...I invaded your personal space and kissed you."
"Hugh mocked it saying it was a girl cliche." He replied. Iris stared at Hugh annoyed, whom looked down at the ground as if trying to find a worm. "But regardless of Hugh's stupid logic-"
"Hey!" He yelled insulted but Nate raised a hand to quiet his friend.
"I don't hold it against you. I know you have a lot on your mind and even if it's not my place, I want to be there with you. Friends help each other in their struggles. We are friends, right?" Hearing that, Iris so badly wanted to just break down and hug Nate. For being so understanding and acceptable of her plights. But looking at Hugh again, he'd just call the situation cliche and probably comment about it as such so steeling herself, Iris wiped her sleeve over her eyes and under her nose, before nodding with a smile,
"Yeah, we're friends. Thank you."
"Axew!" The little dragon type said, and Nate had a good idea what he said.
"You're welcome." Hugh clapped a couple of times dramatically.
"Well whoop de doo da, we're all friends again. But before we make s'mores and sing Kumbayah how about we find Burgh? I'm itching to try out my toughened up Pokemon on him."
"Oh, I actually heard where he might be." Iris perked up. "Come on, follow me." Running off, the two boys followed.
"Really, the sewers?" Hugh groaned. "Why the hell would he be here?!"
"Because this is where some Team Plasma goons have been spotted.
"Team Plasma?! Oh, even when hiding in the sewer, I'll show those dirty thieves my Brooklyn rage!" He was about to go screaming in, but he was caught by the collar of his coat, getting choked for a second.
"Hold on there Leroy Jenkins." Nate said. Iris snickered. "There could be too many of them for one of us individually. We should stay together." Although annoyed, he couldn't argue the sound logic.
"Hmph, fine."
"I'll lead the way. Come on, Leroy." The champion teased which nearly set him off.
"My name isn't Leroy! That name's so stupid!" Ignoring him, the dragon tamer, the trainer, and the Leroy(hehe, hilarious) went into the sewer. It didn't take long before two grunts were spotted. Hugh pointed at them.
"YOU!" The two turned towards the group.
"Whats do you want?"
"Team Plasma, you vile villains!"
"What? Don'ts treat us like we're villains! And don'ts interfere with our plan to liberate Pokemon!"
"Liberate? Ha! You're nothing more than just ordinary thieves! And what's more, you use stolen Pokemon as tools!"
"Shaddup! How about you just hand over yer Pokemon, and we let you go?"
"Fat chance! Let's do this! Pyro, go get them!"
"Hydro, let's go!"
"Altaria, get ready!" The mooks were freaked out. This line up of Pokemon are way too strong.
"Ah! No way our sandile and scraggy will win! Retreat!" Running off, Hugh was annoyed.
"Tch, they run away like Patrat! Let's hunt some more down!"
"I don't think that will be necessary." A voice called from the shadows. Turning, they saw the bug type specialist stepping out.
"Burgh, it's good seeing you again!" Iris greeted.
"Iris, such a pleasure to see you! But, why are you down her in such a dubious sewer?"
"We came looking for you. I came here to challenge you in your gym!" Hugh answered for her.
"Oh my! Such fire and compassion! Something tells me that our match will be one to remember. Let's get out of here. For some reason this sewer is bugging me."
Once they were in the arena of the gym, the announcer coughed before yelling,
"The match between Ash the challenger and Burgh the gym leader is about to begin! This will be a 6 on 6 match up! The battle will be completed when every Pokémon on one side are unable to continue! Only the challenger may substitute! Let the battle begin!"
"Pyro, go get them!" Once Hugh showed his starter, Burgh smiled in confidence.
"Crustle, let's go!" Crustle is a bug that looks like a crab, but only because it had a giant slab of earth on its back, which while making it slow, it also gave it quite a sturdy defense.
"Use Arm Thrust!" Running towards the rock/bug type, Burgh was able to order,
"Stealth Rock!" Forming stones out of mid air, Crustle fired them onto Hugh's side of the field. With powerful movements, Pyro smashed his paws into the earthen shell three times, though not inflicting too much pain onto the opposing Pokemon. "Now Stone Edge!" More rocks were formed, but this time they were aimed right at the fire starter as he was pushed back by the numerous rocks. He grunted in serious pain from trying to withstand it.
"Get away with Flame Charge!" Running off, the Mega Fire Pig Pokemon produced fire around itself while gaining speed from its fiery attack. Burgh simply smiled even more.
"Use Spikes!" From its mouth, white spikes littered even more of Hugh's side of the field. But despite this he wasn't deterred.
"Flame Charge, again!" Running around the arena, a ring of fire surrounded the two Pokemon, seriously turning up the heat.
"Use Spikes again!" Crustle covered the opposite field with even more hazards on Hugh's side.
"What is he doing? He's just making it harder for his other Pokemon to survive on the field." Iris pointed out.
"He thinks he can just out speed Burgh and overwhelm him with fire type attacks. It worked for Ash on his third gym battle so he figures it will work here."
"But he doesn't know that Burgh has a counter to that in the long haul." The dragon tamer said. Nate nodded. Once the third layer of spikes was laid, Hugh was finally confident that his fire starter was fast enough.
"Finally! Now, use Arm Thrust!" At the level of speed he was at, this time it was no problem as he smashed against the Stone Home Pokemon. The enhanced speed which boosted the power of his strikes was too much for the bug/rock type and it hissed as it was knocked out of the ring with a seriously damaged shell.
"Crustle is unable to battle! The winner is Hugh!" The announcer declared.
"Alright, now nothing he can do will stop us Pyro!" The Mega Fire Pig nodded with a huff, firing coming from its snout.
"Crustle, return. Thank you. Now our victory is all but ensured. Accelgor, let's go!" This Pokemon had a pink head that resembled a helmet with green stripes going along the curve, and a cloth like membrane covered its slick shaped body.
"Accelgor" It said, trying to be tough in front of the fire type.
"Pyro, Flame Charge once more!"
"Dodge and use Focus Blast." Burgh ordered. Even with the stacked speed Pyro has accumulated, the Shell Out Pokemon evaded with such speed it was almost like it teleported behind the blindsided Pyro, forming an orb of blue energy, and fired it into the Mega Fire Pig Pokemon's back, exploding upon contact with a shout of discomfort.
"No! Accelgor is still faster?! What gives it such speed without build up?!" Hugh gasped in pure shock. However, a red aura could be seen though the smoke of the explosion before Pyro blew it all away, roaring as the beard of fire around his head exploded with power. "Ha, nothing can beat us! Flame Charge!"
"Acid Spray the ground!" Before the even faster fire type could reach it, the bug type sprayed the ground with orange acid, which is where Pyro slid across before ramming into the fragile speedster of a Pokemon, sending it flying outside of the arena, bashing into a tree before falling to the ground, knocked out. Pyro roared in triumph before the red aura around him disappeared, and he fainted.
"Both Pokemon are unable to battle! The winner is a tie!"
"Dang it." Hugh was banking on just plowing through the bug specialist with his fast, strong and bulky fire type, but it seems that Roxie wasn't exaggerating about Burgh. But, even with a disadvantage he will win this!
"Stoutland, go get them!" Sending out his normal type, he yelped in fright from so many hazards coming up from the ground and practically smothering the Big Heart Pokemon with mini explosions.
"Escavalier, allons-y!" Burgh spoke a slight bit of French as he brought out a real tough looking bug type. Being bug/steel, it looked like a bug put on a knight costume, with the whole red horse hair crest, the visor and its shoulders have rounded plating before ending off at its arms which were red and grey lances. It lacked legs though, as its lower body is concealed within a swirled gray shell with a red spike on the underside. Stoutland, despite the pain, or even because of it, growled to intimidate the new foe.
"Stoutland, Retaliate!" Charging head first, he smashed against the the Calvary Pokemon, though it was blocked by the lance arms that it had.
"Use Toxic!" Opening its mouth from the armor-less center, a stream of purple liquid spurted out, drenching the normal type as he backed away, blinded as it got in his eyes.
"No! Use Crunch!" Despite being blinded, he still knew that his enemy was right in front of him by a few steps, so the Big Heart Pokemon leapt forward and clamped down on one of the lances. It grunted in response.
"Use Megahorn!" While its left arm was being clamped down on, its right on the other hand was free. Glowing white and growing twice as big, it stabbed right into Stoutland's side, though not fatally so, and the damage was clear as the normal type let go, howling in intense discomfort and then falling onto its side. He was defeated.
"Stoutland is unable to battle! The winner is Escavalier!"
"Stoutland, return. Thanks for the effort. Rest now. Magmar, go get them!" This fire type is a bipedal Pokémon that has a red body with yellow flame designs along the bottom half. It has a puckered, yellow beak, small eyes, and two lumps on its forehead with a yellow flame on top of each one. Rigid, red scales cover its arms and it has five, clawed fingers on each hand. Magmar's shoulders and thighs are yellow, and its red feet have two, clawed toes each. It has black, metal shackles around its neck and ankles. Down its back is a row of red spikes, and there is a flame at the tip of its tapering, yellow tail. The Stealth Rocks and Spikes did no favors, dealing big damage to the fire type. "Use Flame Burst!" Breathing a stream of fire from her beak, the fire morphed into a flaming ball before bursting, sending fiery debris at the terrified bug/steel type, whom couldn't dodge in time before the attack engulped it and burnt it to a crisp. Falling to the ground, Burgh's Pokemon was down.
"Escavalier is unable to battle! The winner is Magmar!"
"He's doing good, taking half of Burgh's team down." Iris commented with a smile.
"Axew!" Her little dragon agreed.
"Yes, but the downside is that all of his Pokemon aren't capable of fighting at full strength. One hit or more can do them in like Stoutland, though its not like he could do much more even if the Stealth Rocks and Spikes weren't there. Let's keep watching.
"Escavalier, return. You did great. Rest my friend. Leavanny, let's go!" His signature bug/grass type. "Use Leaf Blade!"
"Keep it away with Flame Burst!" Creating another fire ball, she did attack, but this time the bug/grass type was too fast, able to weave and dodge around the fiery debris as its arms glowed neon green. Once it got within striking range, two green lines appeared on the Spitfire's body where the attack was landed so fast, it wasn't seen with Leavanny right behind the stunned Magmar, whom only groaned as she fell onto her front.
"Magmar is unable to battle! The winner is Leavanny!" Hugh growled.
"Magmar, return. Good work. Rest now. Magneton, go get them!" As a Magneton now, the singular magnemite was now three. For once the combination of the rocks and spikes, while still hurting, didn't do so as much as the others.
"Magneton." It responded in robotic, monotone voice.
"Leaf Blade, again!" The Nurturing Pokemon's arms glowed neon green again as it came in quick and delivered a strong blow against the Magnet Pokemon, though it didn't seem to hurt a lot thanks to its steel typing.
"Use Thunderwave!" Hugh ordered. Producing a wave of electricity, the bug/grass type was rendered paralyzed, yelling in discomfort as it fell onto one knee. Burgh finally lost his confident smile.
"Try to get away!" The gym leader pleaded, but his ally was stuck in place for that turn.
"Perfect." Hugh chuckled. "Disorient it with Metal Sound!" Magneton started to produce an, extremely high pitched noise, assaulting the foe's hearing as it covered its head, screaming while trying to block out the noise. Axew also felt uncomfortable, so Iris closed her hands around where his ears would be too, trying to help him. "Then finally use Electro Ball!" All of the magnets of the Magnet Pokemon formed a ball of electricity, and shot it at the defenseless Leavanny at point blank range, creating an explosion. Hugh continued to smirk, that is until the smoke cleared enough to show that the ace Pokemon wasn't down and out. "What?!"
"Way to go Leavanny! Now, use Leaf Blade once more!" Its arms glowing neon green, it slashed against the electric/steel type, dealing a critical blow that was too much for Magneton to withstand, and fell to the ground with a heavy thud.
"Magneton is unable to battle! The winner is Leavanny!"
"Wow, this is going to be close." Iris remarked, totally invested.
"Ampharos, go get them!" She was a yellow bipedal mammal like Pokemon with a white belly. She had a long neck and black rings on her neck, cone shaped ears and tail. Red orbs were on her forehead and tip of her tail. She somewhat resembled like a kangaroo. Under normal circumstances Ampharos would be outclassed by speed, but Leavanny was paralyzed at the moment. After the hazards hurt her, Hugh ordered, "Power Gem!" Burgh looked alarmed as the gem on the electric type's forehead glowed before firing a beam of red energy, which exploded upon impact against the Nurturing Pokemon. Once the dust was clear, Leavanny was knocked out.
"Leavanny is unable to battle! The winner is Ampharos!"
"Leavanny, return." Once his ace was returned, he smiled down at his Pokemon. "Thank you. You did a marvelous job. Now then, let's wrap this up. Pinsir, let's go!" A brown beetle with white spiked pincers grew out of its head appeared. "Use X-Scissor!" With speed that Hugh was not expecting, Pinsir's horns glowed bright blue and delivered a mighty offense against the light Pokemon, crying out from the pain as she was caught in its pincers.
"Try to escape with Power Gem!" The trainer tied to instruct, but it was too late.
"Guillotine." Lifting the electric type up, the horns on its head grew larger, while opening just wide enough to deliver the coup de grace. But Ampharos wasn't going down easy as her forehead gem glowed brighter, and the two executed their attacks at the exact same time, another explosion obscuring everyone from seeing what precisely happened. After a few seconds, Ampharos was thrown out of the smoke, her sides bruised while she lay defeated. Pinsir, while having a burn spot on its back, was still standing.
"Ampharos is unable to battle! The winner is Pinsir!"
"Dang! Ampharos, return. Thanks, take a good rest." ("I've only got Azumarill left, and he has two Pokemon and one of them hasn't even appeared yet. Oh well, might as well go down fighting!") Azumarill, go get them!" An oval shaped rabbit like Pokemon appeared, which was colored mostly blue with the lower part of her body white with white dots around the upper middle. She had a tail with a round ball at the end. Glowing white, Azumarill yelled her name with power.
"Azumarilllllll!" Even while the entry hazards hurt her, Hugh pointed at Burgh.
"Beware Burgh! My Azumarill has Huge Power, so her physical power is twice as strong!"
"Strength is just one part of an epic battle." The gym leader retorted. "Every other factor is just as important. Pinsir, use X-Scissor!"
"Double Edge!" Gaining an white outline, Azumarill charged with her whole body while Pinsier let its pincers lead its offense, the two colliding with such force that another explosion erupted, this time it was powerful enough that everyone present had to brace against the shock wave that reached far enough to shake the leaves of the trees. Once the smoke cleared, it revealed that both Pokemon were knocked out.
"Both sides are unable to battle, but since Hugh ran out of Pokemon, that means Burgh is the winner!" The announcer declared. Taking a breath, he returned his Pokemon, and gazed down at it with a sad smile.
"At least you went out with a bang. Good job."
"I must say Hugh, I am thoroughly astounded by your performance." Hugh looked to see the gym leader walk towards him around the field instead of across. "Despite the hazards you beat five of my six Pokemon. I'd imagine that had you utilized Emboar more efficiently, you might have won this scuffle."
"Hmph, you're just saying that to make me feel better." The teen scoffed as he looked away and crossed his arms. "I don't have anything that could've caught up to your Accelgor otherwise."
"Perhaps, but the passion in your eyes, it was inspiring. Truly spectacular. Maybe while our Pokemon rest up, you can help me with an art piece I've been having a block on. May you please say yes to my request of assistance?" Thinking about the gym leader's proposal, Hugh looked towards his friends whom nodded in support. Sighing, he let his arms drop to shrug.
"I suppose so."
"Splendid! Oh we are going to make something truly beautiful in the making! I can promise you that!"
A/N: This was interesting to write about. What did you think of Hugh vs Burgh? I think I won't cover Ash fighting Burgh because yeah, since I'm basing the battles themselves on the anime rather than a video game algorithm, there's nothing that Ash has that would help close the speed gap of Accelgor, and I can't think of any strategic means that could tag a Pokemon that fast. Although I can do it still if you really want me to write Nate vs Burgh. Let me know in the reviews.