Pokémon Crimson Gold
Chapter 82: Weakness
It had begun. The Indigo league where Trainer's would compete and decide who was the best of the best. The victor of such competitions going on to truly prove themself against the Pokémon Champion himself, Lance.
The stadium was filled with at least five hundred people, all cheering wildly as the league was about to start its first round. The Indigo Plateau itself was shaped like a colosseum already and sitting on a stand behind from the battle ring was the three judges who would watch the battles and give their judgment if needed. On the left, Mr. James, who stroked his beard waiting for the matches to begin, to his right was Lorelai, a former member of the Elite four who looked bored as she sat their bored out of her mind. And on the end, was Professor Oak, who was ever so excited to see how a never done before tournament would work.
"I don't see the problem with the past system the Indigo league used, why can't worthy Trainers just challenge the Elite four like they used too." The redhead woman complained as she blew a bubble from her gum.
"Now, now Lorelai, you know why we here at Kanto are doing this, to strengthen the bonds between us and our Johto brothers." Oak exclaimed with a cheeky grin.
"Please Professor, with all due respect, the old system we had prior gave both Kanto Trainers and Johto Trainers equal opportunities to have a shot at champion." Mr. James said in as kindly as he could say.
Although... it's not like it matters, it's not like any Trainer here as a hope in hell of defeating a Trainer like Lance, not even the stronger Kanto Trainers have a chance, so who cares about the weaker links from Johto... the man thought but didn't dare say.
Mr. James looked behind him. Standing right besides the exit was the man himself, Lance who crossed his arms closely watching as the battles would soon begin.
"Alright, and now, we will begin the Indigo league!" The announcer declared into his microphone standing near the ring causing an uproar from the audience. "This will be a first for both Kanto and Johto, thirty-two Trainers, all coming face to face with each other and all with a chance to take on the Champion himself!"
The crowd was cheering greatly. But there was one error in the announcer's words, he said there was thirty-two Trainers. But there was only thirty-one, as one Trainer was missing. And that Trainer was Ethan.
….
The Indigo league was still half a quarter mile away from him. He could see it in his sights, but he now had a distraction. Could someone have been trying to ambush him so he couldn't compete, the boy wondered.
"W-who goes there!" Ethan bellowed. "Show yourself!"
And so finally, from the smoke, emerged two figures. The two of which being not at all what Ethan imagined. It was his father Allen, standing on the opposite side of the road, and right besides him was his Feraligatr who stood their menacingly.
"Megay..." Meganium snarled as she formed a battle stance.
"D-dad!?" Ethan freaked before losing his shock. "What do you think you're doing!?"
"Stopping you, from embarrassment." Allen scoffed crossing his arms. "You're not ready to compete in the Indigo league, you're still too weak!"
"T-too weak!?" Ethan said feeling insulted. Even after acquiring all eight badges he trained his Pokémon vigorously for a month and a half. But even still he was 'too weak.'
"I get it Dad, no really, I do." Ethan claimed as he angrily clenched a Pokéball with his hands shaking violently. "You never once believed in me, have you, almost no one believed in me, and I've still made it all this way by myself and yet you still doubt me!?"
"But you didn't make it Ethan." Allen stated looking at his son with a disappointed stare. "You didn't even make it on time, but that's your saving grace, you're not ready to take on the league, go in there now and you'll surely lose as fast as you came!"
"Feraligatr!" Allen's Feraligatr roared behind him.
"Meganium!" Meganium screeched back with equal intensity.
A crowd of people were forming around them, at least ten in total as it looked like things were about to get heated. Along with that the clouds had formed along with rain which drenched everyone soaking wet.
"Let me go dad, you're making a scene!" Ethan commented upon realizing.
"You're going to have to defeat me first!" Allen scolded. "Which we all know you can't, really, I'm doing you a favor, after all, you'll be saving yourself from endless scorn."
"That's not for you to decide!" Ethan yelled. "I'm from Johto, no matter what that's all I'll be getting, but it looks like you're right about one thing, I am going to have to defeat you!"
"Then shut up and do it!" Allen barked at his son.
"Fine, let's do this!" Ethan bellowed as he tossed his Pokéball. "Gyarados, I choose you!"
"Grahhh!" Ethan's raging red Gyarados screeched upon being released as the boy's father went and threw his own Pokéball.
Out from his Pokéball came a strange looking Pokémon Ethan had never seen before. It was a large and spherical Pokémon with no visible limbs. The upper and lower halves of its body were capped by bumpy steel plates. The outer plates of which had zigzagging ridges that open along its back and front, revealing its smooth, red inner shell.
"What Pokémon is that?" Ethan wondered as he pulled out his Pokémon and scanned it.
"Forretress, the Bagworm Pokémon. Its entire body is shielded by a steel-hard shell. What lurks inside this shell is a total mystery."
"Forret...ressss!" The pinecone Pokémon screeched with its body rolling despite not moving.
"Come at me with everything you've got, Ethan." Allen said in a commanding voice. Meanwhile his son on the opposite side of the battlefield was lost in thought.
I'm going to have to battle dad... and if I don't, I won't be able to make it to the Indigo league. He stood there and fret which only managed to piss off his father further.
"Didn't I tell you before to not just stand there and stay on the defensive while your opponent goes for the first attack!" He yelled with rage in his eyes. "Forretress, Explosion!"
"W-wait, hold on, what do you mean, Explosion!?" Ethan freaked out just by the words alone.
"Me-Meganiuh!?" Meganium cried closing her eyes and looking away from the upcoming blast.
Indeed, the name of the attack was fitting. As the Bagworm Pokémon leaped pouncing at Gyarados, but something was different. Forretress's body expanded and puffed up, something which shocked Ethan's water type to no end.
BOOM! Forretress let rip with an explosion which engulfed both itself and Ethan's Gyarados with the latter letting out a scream in pain as Ethan covered his eyes.
"Aieeeeeeee!" The members of the audience screamed as they all ran elsewhere scared of the power the Pokémon possessed and also not wanting to get caught in any collateral damage.
"Augh, Gyarados!" Ethan screamed and panicked rushing forth to his fallen Pokémon. Once the smoke cleared it was easy to see the explosion from Allen's Pokémon was easily enough to wipe out his Pokémon as Gyarados lied on the ground unconscious. And laying down next to him was a knocked-out Forretress who has just as unconscious with the red of its skin looking a pale white.
"You see what happens when you're afraid, it can cost you a Pokémon, you can never expect to know what's going to happen on the battlefield." Allen scolded as he returned his Forretress. "Another reason why I'm not letting you get past me!"
"Thank you Gyarados, you were amazing, so go and rest up, alright." Ethan smiled as he returned Gyarados to his Great Ball before looking back up to his dad while glaring. "And who said I'm scared?"
"You're face says it all." Allen smirked grabbing another Pokéball and tossing it. "Now next up, go on, Raichu!"
"Rai Rai!" Allen's Raichu screeched upon being released with its lightning bolt tail facing the sky as static electricity began to build up in through its cheeks.
That's the same Raichu who took out both Espeon and Heracross before losing to Ampharos. Ethan realized as he grasped his next Pokéball.
Finally, from the sobbing skies came the sound of thunder, and along with that a bolt of lightning which shot down from the clouds causing Ethan to turn his head away scared. The electricity came down and struck Raichu all while causing another explosion.
"This is crazy!" Ethan gasped as he could have been struck. Looking back however the electric mouse was perfectly fine having taken no damage.
"Rai..." It said with a mean stare.
"Alright!" Ethan finally pulling out another Pokéball. "Let's win this together, I choose you!"
….
Lyra sat by herself in the waiting room as she watched the second match play out on the television of the small white room. A Trainer she had never seen before going by the name of Eusine who used a Alakazam going up against another Trainer she hadn't seen before, one going by the name of Jamie who used a Mr. Mime.
That wasn't on her mind however. When she entered the Indigo Plateau this morning she looked all around for Ethan, but he wasn't there, not at all.
Where could he be... She pondered as she just sat there. He, he wouldn't just, chicken out now would he...
Finally, from the entrance of the room came a man Lyra hadn't seen before. He was a tall young man with light skin, shoulder-length blond hair and blue eyes with one covered by his hair. He wore a dark blue cape held together by a red gem and blue cravat, over a lighter colored blue vest, white trousers, and blue boots. He walked in the room and took notice of Lyra and bowed his head.
"Greetings, a pleasure to meet you, there aren't many Trainers from Johto this year so it's always a pleasure." The man said. "You're Lyra, Lyra of... Cherrygrove City, correct?"
"Not quite, I'm from New Bark Town." Lyra answered. "Well, I guess since you asked it'd be rude of me to not ask your name back."
"Indeed, my name is Leviathan." The man said with a smile.
"Ugh, well, what're you doing here?" Lyra asked awkwardly.
"Oh, I just came here to watch the matches on the screen, same as you I suppose." Leviathan said as he took a seat next to Lyra on the waiting room couch. She instantly scooted away from him however, she couldn't put her finger on why but he gave her a creepy vibe. Perhaps it was his over politeness or the grin he gave her but he just felt off to her.
"No need to feel uncomfortable around me." He said also scooting away from her. "Also, Lyra, I believe if I'm not mistaken, your match is next up."
"Yeah, that's what they told me at least." Lyra replied.
"Hmph, well good luck." He said taking his eyes off her. Lyra instantly got up without him saying a word and scurried out of the room. There was just something about that guy that she didn't like.
….
"Heracross, no!" Ethan screamed as his fighting type Pokémon was sent flying back to him at the hands of Raichu's Hyper Beam.
"Hera... Hera..." Heracross groaned in Ethan's hands. His second Pokémon after Gyarados defeated. On the other side of the battlefield Raichu was smirking with its arms crossed believing itself that the battle was won.
"Heracross, return for now and get a good rest!" Ethan cried as he returned Heracross to his Pokéball so he could be used for later.
"You're losing, just as expected." Allen said also with a smirk as the battle was looking to be in his favor.
"Shut up!" Ethan said while pointing his finger towards his next Pokémon's opponent. "Meganium, let's do this!"
"Megay Megay!" She cried leaping into the battlefield with her usual enthusiasm as she formed a battle stance.
"This will be over quick, Raichu, Iron Tail!" Allen roared.
"Dodge it!" Ethan screamed. The Herb Pokémon listened and side stepped to the right of Raichu completely avoiding the attack as Raichu's tail was stuck into the ground.
"Rai Rai!" It struggled trying to free its tail but to no avail. Which left Ethan with a free attack.
"Meganium, use Dragon Tail!" Ethan bellowed revealing a new move his grass type had learned during their month and a half training together.
Meganium swung on one leg swiftly turning as she bashed her tail into Raichu's got as it was encased with an aura of a dragon.
Raichu was sent crashing back spitting up in pain as it fell flat on its face. Not long after getting up with an energetic flip.
"Rai, Rai!" Raichu muttered bouncing from one foot to the other.
"Now, Volt Tackle!" Allen commanded to which Raichu followed. It was an attack Ethan had seen before as Raichu charged towards Meganium with each step cracking the earth beneath it. With each step more and more electricity encased the mouse Pokémon all while its speed increased.
"Rai Rai Rai Rai Rai Rai Rai!" Raichu screamed almost sounding in pain from its own attack as it leaped for Meganium.
"Dodge it!" Ethan screamed. Just in time Meganium listened and jumped into the sky, dodging the attack entirely as Raichu stopped and was hit by the recoil damage of its attack.
As Meganium was air borne Ethan realized something. The clouds parted revealing the sun to which he intended to use to his advantage.
"Hey Dad!" Ethan said with a smirk for the first time smiling in their battle.
"What?" Allen replied confused.
"How about another new attack, Meganium, go ahead and show off your energy from the Sun!" Ethan cried out clenching his fist.
"Megan...IUH!" Meganium screeched firing a solar powered induced Solar Beam which appeared to be twice as devastating as usual under such conditions. The beam was a fierce yellow color which Allen could feel the heat coming from it even from far away in the distance.
"Solar Beam!?" Allen remarked. "D-dodge it Raichu!"
Raichu tried to leap back but the beam was quite fast and blasted the poor electric type intensely causing it to be engulfed in smoke along with leaving a crater in the battlefield.
"Raichu... Rai..." The electric type squealed falling unconscious as it was knocked all the way back to Allen.
"Alright, that's two down!" Ethan cried. He turned over to Meganium who was celebrating her victory but even then he noticed that she was panting softly albeit trying not to show it. It was best for her to return as he didn't want her using up all her stamina.
"Meganium, back to me!" Ethan called and so Meganium leapt back to him. He smiled at that and gave her a pat on her head to which she appreciated.
"And come back to me, Raichu." Allen said calling back his defeated electric type to its Pokéball. He then looked back up facing his son's view.
"Just leave me alone why can't you, why don't you want me competing so badly!?" Ethan asked not trying to hide the anger in his voice.
"Shut up, this is a battle we've started and I intend to finish it!" Allen cried out as he grabbed another Pokéball and tossed it. "Go, Ursaring!"
Ursaring... Ethan thought as the Pokémon was released onto the battlefield. It was a Pokémon that had haunted him in his memories from all the way back before he even got his first badge having been scarred by the Pokémon's brutality.
To no surprise of Ethan, Allen's Ursaring seemed just as vicious as he recalled with the Hibernator Pokémon letting out a fierce screech with eyes that showed a lust for battle.
"Heracross would do good here, but he's weakened from his battle with that Raichu!" Ethan realized deciding it wasn't a good idea to go with the fighting type.
"Alright, my hopes are on you!" Ethan called out as he readied his next Pokéball. "Ampharos, I choose you!"
"Amphy, Amphar!" The Light Pokémon gleefully exclaimed hopping from one foot to the other upon being released. Upon noticing his enemy he suddenly tensed up remembering his, Ethan's, and Meganium's encounter with one back when he was a Mareep.
"Okay, we'll start with Fire Punch Ampharos let's go!" Ethan yelled.
Ampharos listened pouncing towards the Ursaring with one fist behind him giving off a fierce heat.
"Hammer Arm, Ursaring!" Allen screeched to which Ursaring listened leaping towards Ampharos with his fist encase with a white aura.
"You know what to do boy, anticipate it, dodge, then strike!" Ethan announced. Ampharos listened and right as he was an inch away from Ursaring's punch he swiftly moved to his right dodging the attack.
Hmph, not bad... Allen thought with a smile.
"Now, do it!" Ethan roared. Ampharos listened and struck Ursaring in the face with the Fire Punch which blew up in its jaw.
"Ursaaaa!" Ursaring screamed being dropped to the ground on its back kicking up some dust from beneath it.
"Don't stop there, Iron Tail!" Ethan continued.
The electric type's tail formed into literal steel as he swung his tail smashing it into the bellow of the brown bear causing an eruption of smoke along with Ursaring's pained scream.
"Did it work?" Ethan asked himself awaiting as the smoke cleared. But much to his surprise Ampharos was being held from his neck as Ursaring stood up angrier than ever.
"Throw it up into the air then use Slash!" Allen ordered. Ursaring listened and spun three times with Ampharos growing more and more dizzy with each spin before tossing him into the air like a ragdoll.
"Ampharrrrrr...!" Ampharos squealed being thrown aside.
Ursaring leaped off the ground so fast he shattered the ground below him. With a fierce slice he slashed into the Light Pokémon's belly causing Ampharos to spit up in pain as he was flung along the field. Eventually Ampharos caught his footing landing upright on his feet but not without his fair share of bruises and scratches.
"Oh man, are you okay Ampharos!?" The boy asked to his weakened Pokémon reveiving a head nod. "Great, than continue on with Thunderbolt!"
The electric type charged with beaming static electricity before hurling it with everything he had towards the Ursaring. The electricity blasted Ursaring causing it to fall on one knee before the electricity subsided.
"Ursaaaaaa!" Ursaring screamed being blasted by the effects of static, Ampharos's ability which paralyzed it entirly.
"Yes!" Ethan cheered. "We also got off your static ability, this is perfect!"
"Megay Megay!" Meganium cried out joyfully.
"Amphar!" Ampharos squealed with a thumbs-up. But at the same time this was juxtaposed with Allen's grim smile.
"You shouldn't be celebrating right now, landing a static is very bad for you..." He claimed which confused his son and his Pokémon.
"Wha, what do you mean?" Ethan asked. As he said his words Ursaring got up to his feet with steam coming from its nostrils. It's eyes dyed a blood-red color as he puffed his chest up and was surrounded by a powerful aura.
"This is Ursaring's ability, guts." Allen proclaimed. "When Ursaring is hit with moves causing paralysis or a burn, or just about any other status move, his physical power is boosted."
"What, boosted!?" Ethan cried. He never heard of such an ability but at the same time there was no denying how much more powerful Ursaring looked as it pounded its fist together before glaring towards Ampharos.
"Now, show Ampharos just how much stronger you got, use Hammer Arm once more!" Allen commanded. With rapid speeds Ursaring appeared forth in front of its opponent which startled Ampharos to no end.
"Ursa...RANG!" Ursaring cried out slamming Ampharos in he gut with a vicious hammer arm. As he slammed the electric type by his head into the ground he also made sure to jam his finger straight into the Light Pokémon's left eye which nearly went unnoticed by Ethan.
"Amphaross!" Ethan screamed but it was too late. Ampharos lied in the dirt with Ursaring still covering his face, his left eye was completely red with a trail of blood dripping down it to below his chin.
"And with that, another one goes down." Allen declared looking to be confident in victory. Ethan meanwhile grabbed his Pokéball and returned Ampharos.
"Return Ampharos, man did you do great out there, I'm so proud of you!" Ethan exclaimed placing his Pokéball back in his bag before glaring at the wild Ursaring before him.
"Rang! Rang!" Ursaring bellowed punching his two fist together giving Ethan a creepy grin.
Damn it, just why did it have to be an Ursaring... Ethan thought as he glanced into his bag for his next Pokémon, starting to doubt himself.
"Just who will it be, hurry up and choose!" Allen said crossing his arms.
….
"Alright, and winning the fifth match of the day, is Eusine from Celadon City!" The announcer cried focusing the audience's cheers to the battle at hand. Eusine's Alakazam had defeated another Trainer from Kanto's Mr. Mime and quite swiftly at that.
"Ugh, Mr. Mime, return!" Eusine's opponent said as he recalled his fallen. Looking up the mysterious Eusine crossed him walking past him on the stadium field without so much as a word having won the battle completely.
Too easy... Eusine thought as he got off the battlefield and onto the grass. As he walked he noticed passing him was a girl he'd never seen before, it was Lyra. The two crossed each other not speaking a word, it was her time, her time for battle as she knew she was next.
I have to win this; I have to win this no matter what... Lyra thought as she had one Pokéball prepared in her hand. She knew who she was up against next and refused to lose. After all, she had progressed so much.
In the stadium watched the whole crowd along with Professor Elm and Eliza, who both lit up with excitement at seeing Lyra who would be battling next.
"There she is, it's her time to battle!" Professor Elm exclaimed. "It's always exciting when one of your students makes it all the way to the big leagues, and not just one, but two!"
"Yeah..." Eliza nodded. "But, just where is Ethan, he should've been here by now!?"
"I don't know, but I know Ethan." Elm stated with a confident gleam. "He wouldn't miss today on his life, that's the type of guy he is."
"You really think so?" She replied.
"Heheh, I certaintly hope so..." Elm chuckled uncomfortably as he rubbed the back of his head. Ethan came to compete during the league did he not but all right now they could do is hope he can make it.
When Lyra made her first step into the battlefield. She was stunned, on the opposite of the battlefield was a woman she had met from before. She had long, blond silky hair and wore a long blue gown that flowed in the wind along with a black hat with a feather on it. Lyra after realizing who it was smiled.
"I remember you, Georgia!" Lyra smirked. "It'll be fun, fun defeating you again."
"And it's good to see you, Lyra, last I remember our battle record is one to one, so this match will be a tie breaker." Georgia returning Lyra's gaze.
Whew, alright. Man has it been a while, I mean, it's only been six days, but man does it feel like a long time. College is fine by the way if anyone cares, it's okay, not so different from high school surprisingly. So yeah, I promise I'll try and update more throughout the week, this first week was just a little rough for me since... well, it's the first week so what do you expect. Anyways, it wasn't just that, but I got my driver's license! On Tuesday the seventeenth, I took the Florida Road test and passed! I'm eighteen and probably should have gotten it sooner, but, oh well. And on my first try too, I was so nervous, thinking I'd fail, let me tell you for you drivers who want to get your license, don't stress it, I'm not even that good of a driver and I passed, the instructor wasn't even in the car with me thanks to covid. All you need to know is how to park without touching cones, and do a three-point turn, there's more as well, of course, but... whatever, what am I even talking about, you guys are here to read about Pokémon, not driving. Also, check out chapter forty if you don't know why Georgia is.